At the second layer, I showed Jeanne a few patterns of my fighting style, but mine was basically a tactic blending Darkness Fog, which wasn't well received due to the invisibility aspect.

Jeanne fights head-on in a straightforward manner, so our combat styles might not be a great match.

Still, thinking ahead, it's a big advantage to have Jeanne around who can keep monsters occupied solo.

If Jeanne takes the monsters' attention, I can move freely as a skirmisher in the meantime, which should result in greater stability. After all, dark spirit magic is ultimately better suited for assassination rather than direct combat, making it more of a solo-oriented approach.

Refray could have fulfilled her role, but in battles below the fourth layer, Jeanne's pure defense would have been more stable.

Still, in terms of attack power, Refray was significantly stronger, so whether Jeanne and I together could defeat the Garden Panther was uncertain. We might have a chance if we used Create Undead or summoned the Dark Knight.

Also, after fighting together several times on the second layer, I realized something.

There was a major issue with our coordination.

"Guess it's hopeless. If only there were a better way."

"There's not much we can do about it, really."

Jeanne's proximity was canceling out my spirit magic.

She's a "pariah," with a constitution that nullifies surrounding spirit magic, and that includes my spirit magic too—meaning the essential synergy of Shadowbind is weakened.

Just getting close enough for her to touch renders Shadowbind nearly ineffective, making her a terrible match for someone like me who relies on close combat.

Likewise, Phantom Warrior gradually fades away, and Dark Knight and Nightbug can't even approach her.

"Funny, isn't it? 'Pariah' is quite the fitting name."

"Not funny at all... That means even healing magic won't work, right?"

"Yeah, but I can recover with scrolls or potions. Well, that's just part of being a transfer student. Those born in this world—'outcasts'—must have it rough. Besides, I've taken natural recovery, so minor wounds heal on their own if left alone."

"That may be true...,"

but still, in the long run, isn't this drawback quite significant?

Of course, since we can also nullify attack skills, the advantage might be just as great...

"I think Kuro understands—what we need right now isn't coordination, but boosting our individual strength. If we had a super-strong ninja and warrior, things would generally be manageable."

"I've been thinking along those lines too. Especially since my attack power is lacking."

"But you've got critical hits, don't you?"

"You can't even reach powerful monsters with your attacks. It's like you're dealing zero damage because your power just isn't enough to break through their defense."

The only time I was able to attack the Demon King was when Dark Coffin had pinned him down. I couldn't even land a single attack on the Garden Panther.

In other words, fighting an opponent of that level is nearly impossible for me.

Of course, I know full well that neither the Demon King nor the Panther are monsters that fight alone, but when you're exploring a maze, you'll inevitably face a life-threatening situation where you have no choice but to confront a powerful enemy.

The difference between being unprepared and having prepared in advance will make all the difference.

"I'm planning to make some weapons a bit larger. Since I have Shadow Storage, it might be good to prepare different weapons depending on the situation."

"Yeah. Switching weapons based on the opponent is basic. I've actually been wanting to try out spears and bows myself."

"Since my Shadow Storage can hold them, it's probably a good idea to keep spare weapons ready."

The conversation concluded, and they decided to exit the dungeon after a brief hunt on the second floor.

Jeanne's armor is impressive, but her sword is just an ordinary broadsword. That's not to say it's bad, but given how she fights, I think she could handle a weapon one size larger.

She's strong enough, and it'd be a waste if I can't even swing a sword like that.

When they emerged from the dungeon, it was still daylight outside.

Since we've been descending until evening lately, it felt refreshingly new.

"Alright, Grapeflour. Thanks again for today."

Once we emerged from the labyrinth, the scout's job was over. I handed Grapeflour four silver coins.

Usually, I’d explore until evening and eat dinner together, but today we’re splitting up here.

"You’re getting paid for barely working!?!"

"It’s my call to end it early—naturally, I’m paying you less."

That said, considering how much we’ve been earning lately, it’s really just a tiny amount.

Once we start venturing into the third or fourth layers, I’ll increase your pay accordingly.

Scouts are essential for labyrinth exploration, and Grapeflour never makes mistakes.

They rarely speak unnecessarily inside the maze, always staying focused on the task.

Probably because they’ve seen too many colleagues killed without noticing approaching monsters.The life of a Linksys is light, which is precisely why they refuse to compromise when living each day.

"See you later, Flora-chan. See you tomorrow."

Jeanne says goodbye, gently stroking Grape Flora. Even she seems to be holding back in the labyrinth. Well, I suppose it's true—Linksys are large, bipedal cats, and they do feel nice to touch.

◇◆◆◆◇

After exchanging the spirit stone for gold at the guild, I head to the dwarf master's shop to have a dagger made.

The western part of town is territory of the Fire Spirit, so shops dealing with fire—blacksmiths, restaurants, and such—are mostly located here.

In fact, the town's functions are almost entirely concentrated in the west, south, and central area surrounding the labyrinth, while the north and east, away from the center, are mostly farmland.

Of course, there are farmhouses here and there, but it's more like the image of suddenly going from a city to the countryside.

The dwarf master's shop is located slightly away from the prime area, and today the cheerful sound of hammering—tonkanto, tonkan—can be heard all the way outside.

"Good afternoon~"

"Ah, you're here. It's been a while."

The master immediately came out to greet me.

Though short in stature, he has a muscular build, and his long, wiry beard—charred black from years of fire and smoke—is his trademark.

Whether dwarves actually exist in this world is still unclear, but to the viewers from Earth, they're definitely being treated as dwarves.

"Is it about time for your sword's maintenance? Come on, show me."

I came to have a new one forged, but I'm a bit pushy.

Well, I was planning to show you my short sword anyway, so this works out perfectly.

"Um...?"

Handing over the dagger, the master examined it closely, his expression turning serious.

"The blade isn't badly worn, but there are clear signs of use on the hilt... Hmm... You're practically finishing monsters in one strike without any defense, aren't you?"

"You can tell that just by looking?"

"Well, after doing this job for so long, you start to recognize the patterns. Weapons carried by higher-ranked Linkses show exactly this kind of wear. They can't defend properly, so they have no choice but to strike in one blow. Your sword's damage pattern is the same."

"I see."

Indeed, my senior, Moupel from Grape Flue, also used a long, thin sword to dispatch foes in a single strike. In that sense, my fighting style is similar.

"Anyway, this should be fine without special sharpening, right? Huh? What about your young lady here?"

The master says, as if just noticing.

Jeanne is looking around the workshop with curiosity. She likes games, and probably finds places like this interesting.

"Actually, I came today to have her weapon forged. Also, I'm thinking of getting a slightly larger sword myself."

"That's fine, but what happened to Refia?"

"Refia has returned to her homeland (the country)."

"The country? Ah, I see. I didn't think explorers lasted long, but I guess that's how it is. So, she's your new partner then?"

"Something like that."

Sensing the conversation had turned to her, or perhaps having heard from the start, Jeanne approaches nearby.

"This is my new partner, Jeanne."

Without hesitation, she spoke right into the conversation.

"Partner" probably meant something like a party member.

"Ah, ah. Right, I'm Dalgos. Nice to meet you. So, miss, what do you need?"

"A strong one-handed sword. And a strong spear."

Jeanne stated her request succinctly.

"What weapon are you currently using? Show me."

"This one. It's a find, and I think it's cheap. Also, it's too light for me."

After showing her sword, Jeanne was made to mimic the sword swings I'd done earlier.

Apparently, new customers always had to go through this.

Yet, despite appearances, Jeanne possessed surprising strength. While I had struggled so much that passersby seemed to smile knowingly, Jeanne's sword dance was quite impressive to watch.

Starting from the sword I was forced to swing, I’ve been handed heavier and heavier blades, until I’m now swinging the largest one with one hand.

And just one hand at that.

"Hey, hey, hey—missy... no, Jeanne. You weren’t some dungeon explorer back in the day, were you?"

"No, I wasn’t."

"You’re kidding! If you’re not an explorer, then you must’ve been a hunter? Anyway, I’m not prying... but judging by my instincts, you’re definitely at Rank 30. Well, once you hit this level, it’s hard to tell just from swinging alone, but one thing’s for sure—you’re not just some commoner. Not silver-class, that’s for certain. Maybe gold… or even magical silver-class?"

Rank 30 is truly formidable—what with the "Physical Strength +5" level. No wonder it’s labeled as "gorilla-level strength" in the description.

"Alright. I’ll forge you the best sword and spear money can buy. It’ll cost a pretty penny, though."

"W-what kind of price are we talking about?"

"Eight gold coins each, huh?"

"Huh, eight?! I see... Just a moment, please."

Jeanne, taken aback by the higher price than expected, tugs on the hem of my coat and pulls me outside the shop.

"That's expensive. What do you want to do?"

"Well, isn't that about right? It's hard to say exactly how much eight gold coins are worth in Earth money, but roughly speaking, eight coins would be about six million four hundred thousand yen... maybe around fifty thousand euros. Probably. So, you could buy a pretty nice car with that kind of money, right?"

"You could buy a car with that much?"

"But I can earn about one gold coin a day if I push myself hard, so it's actually quite cheap. Plus, the sword made by the master is definitely worth it."

Considering that my dagger was priced at thirty silver coins—roughly equivalent to one gold coin—this makes sense. A warrior's main weapon would likely cost about that much.

The price of metal must be different here than on Earth.

"I see... I guess I spoke too casually about swords and spears, but maybe just the sword will do for now."

"Yeah. You can always order the spear once the sword is made."

With that, Jeanne's sword was ordered.

"I'll just buy the sword for now!"

"O-oh? Right. Eight gold coins really are expensive. But since you're a warrior of your caliber, we'll use 'Inferno Steel (Salaman-dor),' so it naturally ends up costly. It's even rarer than Mithril, magical silver."

"What are the characteristics of this Inferno Steel?"

"It's hard and heavy—uncomparable to regular steel. For high-level adventurers, the stronger, harder, and heavier the weapon, the better. You won't be fighting on the level of cutting edges anymore."

Watching Garnet fighting with her massive axe, I realized that if such a weapon were made of a soft material, it would be useless in no time. Weight and hardness are

paramount. If something with that mass is swung at that speed, no matter how tough the opponent is, they'd be utterly destroyed. After placing my own

order, I left the blacksmith. I asked for a simple single-edged

sword—thicker, longer, and heavier than a tanto. In short, it's a kind of katana, but I requested one significantly thicker and broader than a traditional Japanese sword, giving it more of a battle-axe appearance. Not only that, but

instead of ordinary steel, they used Hellfire Steel, which is stronger and of a higher rank. The price came to five gold coins—nearly as much as Jeanne's sword.

There was a possibility that the Flamesteel Sword might still be too heavy to handle, but since it would take over ten days to complete, I'll try to raise my rank as much as possible before then.