Chapter 283 – 283: Recruiting A Magical Girl!
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Surprisingly, sitting in the back seat wasn’t so bad.
More than that, the cushion on this seat is incredibly comfortable.
It’s even more comfortable than the chairs in the house where I lived with my master.
I wonder what material it’s made of.
Since I’ll be staying at the inn for a while, I plan to set up my temporary workshop with various tools and magic books. I was fervently wishing for a chair like this for when I have to sit for long periods.
And how much time had passed?
Not long after, I arrived at the staircase leading down to the third floor with Rent’s party.
Considering Rent is an S-rank adventurer and has such an immense presence, I understand this speed now, but…
Still, isn’t it too fast?
“We’ve arrived.”
Rent put Elsie and Noah down, then lowered the palanquin with Ninya and me.
After Ninya and I got off, he retrieved the palanquin, and we all went down to the third floor together.
As I descended, I thought that Rent’s party must be the only one that could move to the next floor so quickly…
We left the dark space of the stairs, where I could strangely perceive my surroundings, and I could see the scenery of the third floor, surrounded by a forest.
Caves, grasslands, and forests.
The distinct differences in each floor’s appearance.
It’s truly an amazing phenomenon that I can only think was created by a god.
After descending to the third floor, we walked again.
As we walked, I heard the surrounding adventurers whispering about Rent’s party.
“Huh? Isn’t that the Dungeon Crasher’s party?”
“What are they doing here? Not even on the fourth floor…”
“Wow… the Brain Spear’s outfit is still so revealing… Ouch, ouch, ouch!”
“Where are you looking, honey~?”
“S-Sorry! Ouch, ouch, ouch! Let, let go!”
“Isn’t that the kid who talked to us last time?”
“Could she have joined the Dungeon Crasher’s party? Wow… I’m so jealous.”
When I was with Rent on the second floor, we immediately rode the palanquin, so I couldn’t hear them, but…
They definitely called Rent the Dungeon Crasher.
I’m not doubting it, but… hearing it directly from other adventurers made it feel more real.
As we walked, I asked Rent.
“Rent, are you going to use the muscle cart again along the way?”
“No. We’ll walk from here. It’s difficult to use it in this forest while carrying the palanquin. I’d like to show off Tikia’s magic when there aren’t other adventurers around… Is that okay with you?”
“I don’t mind.”
“Then let’s do that.”
We walked through the forest with Rent’s party.
After about five minutes, when the other adventurers started to disappear from sight.
Grrrrr!
Four kobolds approached as a group.
“Hehehe, before we see Tikia’s skills, how about we show you ours?”
“Hehe, that sounds good♪ Rent, your spear, please♪”
“Yes.”
Rent took out a spear from his inventory and handed it to Ninya.
Noah and Ninya stepped forward.
And then…
Whoosh!
Thwack!
Thud!
Swish!
Kreeak!
Kaaagh!
The hunt was over in an instant.
Noah’s dungeon dagger pierced the space between one kobold’s eyebrows.
And like a spring, Noah leaped forward, spinning mid-air and slicing the kobold’s neck.
Ninya, who was next to Noah, ran forward at high speed, and by the time Noah was cutting the second kobold’s neck, she had already cut the necks of the other two kobolds at once.
Ninya shook the blood off her spear and said to Noah.
“Noah, you’ve improved a lot♪”
“Hehe, really? Wow~ I guess I’ve gotten stronger. I took down a kobold with a single dagger throw right between the eyebrows! When I first came to the third floor, I was so nervous just taking down one.”
“Hehe, I had similar thoughts when I first hunted kobolds on the third floor with everyone.”
“Oh? Really?”
“Of course. I didn’t show it, but thinking back to when I first came to the third floor, I feel like I’ve grown a lot too.”
“Come to think of it, Elsie can now take down orcs by herself… We’ve really gotten stronger.”
Noah and Ninya approached us.
“Hehe, how was it, Tikia? Our skills!”
I told Noah, who was beaming with pride, exactly what I felt.
“I think you’re strong. I only know what Rent showed me on the first day I came here, but… I still think Noah and Ninya are strong. But what rank are you two anyway?”
“Hehe, Elsie and I are C-rank! Ninya is B-rank!”
“Even though Noah is C-rank, I think she’s strong enough to be at the top of that rank.”
“Of course! Ninya is teaching me directly. My desire to get stronger is stronger than other C-rank adventurers!”
“Hehe, Noah is a very good student, so it’s rewarding to teach her.”
It seems Ninya and Noah are also master and disciple.
But I never thought Elsie would be C-rank too…
And if what they said is true, she’s strong enough to take down orcs by herself.
Is it possible that even a priest can gain that much power if they train in the dungeon?
The adventurer city of Pland, where numerous monsters reside, offers many opportunities for advancement…
I realized once again that it wasn’t a lie that adventurers seeking strength come here.
“Alright! Then let’s see Tikia’s magic this time! The next kobolds we meet are yours, how about it?”
“Okay, let’s do that.”
I nodded at Noah’s suggestion.
If I show my genius and potential here, wouldn’t they ask me to join their party?
I had a slight expectation.
And after walking a little further.
Grrrroooar!
Two kobolds appeared, roaring.
“Tikia, I’ll help you right away if you think you’re in danger.”
“Thank you, but I’ll be fine on my own.”
Still, Rent’s words made me feel very reassured and at ease.
I extended my staff towards the kobolds and circulated my mana.
I formulated the spell in my head and sent mana into the staff.
The staff my master gave me smoothly accepted the mana and began to reproduce the spell I had created.
Magic is the miraculous power to create the phenomena you desire using mana as a material.
Basically, mana is the power of thought.
However, concrete and unwavering thoughts that can be realized in reality are not easily achieved.
Chanting and formulas are merely aids that help make the thoughts you have in mind, the phenomena you want to achieve, more concrete and clear.
Frankly speaking, if you can imagine it properly, you can say whatever you want for the chant.
However, the formula is essential for realizing the phenomenon, so it must be precise.
However, there are some absurd monsters who have such clear imaginations that they can realize magic with just images, without formulas or chanting.
Skills gained through inspiration are similar to this phenomenon.
But if you think about it, the moment you gain inspiration, a clear image of how to use the skill is imprinted in the user’s mind, so it’s similar to the process of using magic.
If a truly absurd monster uses a skill, they can realize endless applications if there is even a small connection to the original purpose of the skill.
I’m a genius, but I’m not that much of a monster, so I can’t do that.
If I or other magicians were to do something with just imagination or sensation, it would be limited to circulating mana when using magic or creating a small ball of mana on our fingers and moving it around.
That’s why imagination and the formulas that help realize that imagination are important in magic.
And depending on how you formulate the spell, the efficiency of mana consumption also changes.
That’s why my original magic, which I’ve only been creating for a few years, consumes a lot of mana.
That’s why I still need to research it.
But even if my magic consumes more mana than other magic…
I’m confident that my original magic is not inferior to other magic.
At the tip of my staff, a magic circle formed with my spell.
Just in time, the kobolds were running towards me in a straight line.
Perfect.
It’s the perfect position to maximize the impact of this magic.
“Twinkle…”
After a star-shaped mass of mana formed.
“Buster!”
Pooowww!
The star-shaped mass of mana stretched out and flew towards the kobolds.
Kreeeeak!
Kraaaak!
The kobolds running side by side, as well as the trees behind them, were pierced in the shape of a star.
Twinkle Buster, developed with my own unique spell by applying Mana Buster, which uses pure mana without any attributes.
The mana consumption is still high, but the power is guaranteed.
If Mana Buster explodes once it hits a target, my Twinkle Buster can pass through it and continue onward.
I put away my staff and looked at Rent, asking.
“Hehe! How was it?”
“Oh, that’s amazing, Tikia. Seeing it used against kobolds, the impact is different!”
Rent’s pure admiration is always pleasing.
“Wow… that’s incredible? Is that the magic skill of a magician who hasn’t even been promoted once?”
“A-Amazing!”
Even Ninya, a B-rank spear user, was surprised by my magic, and Noah clenched her fists and admired it with sparkling eyes.
I felt even more elated.
But what I was secretly most looking forward to was Elsie’s reaction.
I glanced at Elsie.
“Waaaaa…!!”
Elsie rushed towards me and tightly grasped my hands.
“That’s amazing! Was that Twinkle Buster just now? In Volume 3, when Marin encountered a stronger, deformed monster and was in danger, she desperately wished for more power… the power to protect people, and that became Marin’s signature technique!”
“That’s right! Elsie! You’re a great comrade! Yes! I wanted to recreate the emotion of that moment, so I searched for the right magic and spent months researching and developing my own unique spell to create this magic!
There are still issues with mana consumption, but I can confidently say that I’ve recreated the Twinkle Buster from Magical Girl Marin!”
“That’s right! It was exactly the same! It was like you were Magical Girl Marin!”
“No, to say such a thing! To, to say such a pleasing thing…!!!”
For me, a passionate fan of Magical Girl Marin, my comrade Elsie’s words were the best compliment.
“Elsie! That’s not all! I’ve recreated many of Marin’s magic spells besides this one!”
“R-Really?!”
“Of course! I’ll show you everything today!”
“Waaaaa! I’m so excited!”
“Elsie, you and Tikia get along so well.”
“I think I’ll get along well with Noah too.”
“Really? I don’t read books that much? Well, I like that cool magic.”
“Ninya, what do you think of Tikia?”
“Hehe, I think she’s very cute. And… her magical talent seems amazing. For now, I want to see more of the magic she’s showing Elsie.”
“Yes, please watch. Tikia’s magic is really beautiful and cool.”
Here I go! A magic performance for my comrade Elsie!
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I showed Twinkle Stars, Elemental Star, and Twinkle Boom to my comrade Elsie.
But that’s not all, there’s magic I haven’t even shown Rent yet.
I even showed Twinkle Rain.
Twinkle Rain is a magic where a giant magic circle unfolds above the target’s head, and countless Twinkle Stars fall towards the target.
It’s easy to deal with multiple weak monsters, but it’s not very effective against strong monsters.
But it’s a very nice-looking magic.
Of course, if I had more mana, I could convert it into Elemental Stars, but unfortunately, even if my mana was fully charged now, I wouldn’t be able to recreate it.
Still, it was enough to make Rent’s party’s eyes widen.
“It’s beautiful…!”
“Wow!”
“That’s amazing…”
“That’s amazing, Tikia!”
“Ahem!”
I felt great after demonstrating my magic in front of others and receiving praise.
Ah… this sense of fulfillment that I never felt during my time at the magic academy!
If I join Rent’s party, wouldn’t I be able to feel this fulfillment and elation every time?
I started to get greedy.
At first, I thought that even if it was the worst-case scenario, it would be enough to build a friendship… but that wasn’t enough anymore.
I really wanted to join Rent’s party.
If that’s the case, then I need to show them the best magic I have.
The best magic among my original magic, and the one with the strongest power.
But to execute it, my current mana is not enough.
And even if I were to replenish the mana I’ve used so far through meditation, it would take a long time, and I don’t have any mana potions in my inventory right now.
I want to buy some, but they’re really expensive.
Then there’s only one way left.
“Gulp…”
I swallowed and walked towards Rent.
