At the underground entrance of Babel, adventurers were bustling about as usual. Among the crowd, the party of the Astraea Familia was particularly eye-catching—not only because they were a well-known, almost entirely female Familia, but also because their ranks today included Solon, who was carrying a specially made rucksack.
"Has everyone checked their equipment?"
Alise stood at the front of the group. Today, she was wearing the deep-red fireproof breastplate Solon had crafted, which complemented her hair color perfectly.
"Firebolt Robe, confirmed," Lyra said, patting her charcoal-gray leather outer garment.
"Haste Greaves, functioning normally," Kaguya reported succinctly. Beneath the hem of her black kimono, the dark gray greaves were partially visible.
Ryuu gave a slight nod, the silver bracelet on her left wrist glinting under the magic stone lamps. "Protection Bracelet activated."
Solon, meanwhile, carried the specialized rucksack. Inside, besides the usual supplies, was the sealed wooden box containing the magic scrolls, various parchment sheets for recording data, and measurement tools. On his finger sat the Blessing Ring. Other Familia members accompanied them as Supporters, their task being to provide auxiliary aid.
"Today's route takes us directly to the Upper Floors," Alise announced. "We'll look for open environments suitable for testing various gear. The goal is to gauge performance, collect data, and conduct live combat tests while ensuring everyone's safety."
The team stepped into the Dungeon, greeted by the familiar rush of cold, damp air. Unlike their usual explorations, today's journey carried a sense of clinical precision.
They encountered no significant resistance on the first five floors. The Goblins and Kobolds that appeared were handled easily; everyone was intentionally pulling their punches to test how the new gear affected their standard movements.
"The fireproof breastplate has almost zero impact on flexibility," Alise reported while swinging her sword. "The weight distribution is very well-balanced."
Kaguya performed a sudden, sharp turn during a high-speed dash, her velocity increasing instantly. "Haste effect triggers smoothly with no noticeable delay. Duration... approximately ten minutes."
Solon recorded everything rapidly, using [Detect Magic] to observe the operation of the magic circles on the equipment. Everything was functioning as intended.
On the sixth floor, War Shadows appeared.
"I'll take the lead this time," Kaguya volunteered, her katana pointing diagonally toward the ground.
She moved. Even without the haste effect activated, Kaguya's speed far exceeded a standard Level 3. Her blade cleaved through a War Shadow, detonating it with ease. As another War Shadow began to materialize, Kaguya was already faster. The magic circles on the Haste Greaves flared, and the [Longstrider] effect activated.
Her figure blurred into an afterimage in the corridor. Her katana changed direction mid-swing, precisely striking a War Shadow emerging from the left rock wall.
Clap!
The War Shadow had barely pulled half its body out of the darkness before the blade struck its chest, turning it into black smoke instantly. The remaining shadows seized the opportunity to strike from both sides, their claws aiming for Kaguya's vitals.
Kaguya didn't dodge. With a flick of her left hand, her katana spun.
Clang!
In that split second, Kaguya exerted force through her legs, the haste effect flaring again. She rotated her body at a near-impossible angle, the katana sweeping across in a horizontal arc. Both War Shadows were struck simultaneously, vanishing into black smoke. The entire sequence took less than a second.
"The acceleration is particularly noticeable during changes in direction and secondary bursts of speed," Kaguya noted as she sheathed her blade, her breathing steady. "Movements that originally required two steps can now be executed in one fluid motion. However, it puts some strain on the legs; prolonged use might lead to fatigue."
"Holy crap! Kaguya is even faster than usual!" Lyra was a bit stunned. The effect brought by the gear was incredibly obvious.
"It looks excellent. At the very least, combat has become much easier," Ryuu added, nodding repeatedly.
The team continued deeper. On the twelfth floor, they found the perfect testing targets: a pack of eight Hellhounds. The dark-red canine monsters emerged from the depths of the passage, letting out threatening low growls as sparks drifted from their muzzles.
"Testing the fireproof breastplate."
Alise stepped forward, her longsword unsheathed, and charged directly into the pack. Four Hellhounds inhaled simultaneously, their chests swelling as a red glow lit up the depths of their throats. Torrents of blazing fire erupted from four directions, instantly engulfing Alise.
The temperature in the corridor rose sharply, the rock walls turning a dull red from the heat. But a second later, Alise's hearty laughter echoed from within the flames.
"Hahaha! No problem at all!"
A crimson figure burst from the fire. Shimmering light flowed over the surface of the deep-red breastplate; all the flames were absorbed the moment they touched the armor. Alise didn't even feel any significant heat—only a comfortable warmth.
Her blade, Red Order, traced an arc through the fading embers, violently piercing the throat of a Hellhound. Simultaneously, three other Hellhounds pounced from the side, their claws and fangs aiming for her arms and thighs.
However, the claws scraped against the armguards integrated with the breastplate, producing a harsh grating sound but failing to penetrate. Another Hellhound lunged for her calf. Utilizing the absorbed elemental energy, Alise briefly empowered herself and delivered a kick that sent the hound flying into the rock wall, where it exploded.
Seeing this, the remaining Hellhounds spat fire in an attempt to surround her. But Alise was like a fish in water; the fireproof breastplate provided perfect protection. Her blade flashed repeatedly, neatly finishing off every enemy.
As the fire died down, the corridor was thick with the smell of scorched earth. Alise stood among the eight carcasses, her breastplate perfectly intact, save for a few faint soot marks.
"The results exceed expectations!" she exclaimed excitedly, checking the armor and giving Solon a thumbs-up. "It only warmed up slightly under sustained high temperatures, and the physical defense is great. Those claws would have shredded standard leather, but they didn't even leave a scratch."
Solon stepped forward to measure the temperature of the breastplate and the ambient differential, writing rapidly on his clipboard. "Fire resistance: Excellent. Physical defense: Normal. Core: Stable."
"At least I won't have to watch you fighting with your clothes burnt to rags every time now," Kaguya teased, recalling previous battles.
"Hehe~" Alise laughed sheepishly.
Next was the test for Lyra and her Jump Necklace. In a wide chamber on the fifteenth floor, Lyra stood in the center, took a deep breath, and activated the necklace. The pendant glowed, and she gave a light hop.
Her petite figure soared into the air like a cannonball, easily clearing a five-meter-high rock pillar. With a nimble flip in mid-air, she landed steadily on top of another pillar.
"Whoa!" Lyra startled herself. "That's high!"
She jumped again, this time trying a horizontal leap. A distance that would normally only cover about five meters now easily reached ten, and the landing was much lighter.
"Control in the air has improved too," Lyra said as she zipped between several rock pillars like a ghost. "It's much easier to choose a landing spot and adjust my posture."
She suddenly dove from the air, activating the necklace again just before hitting the ground to perform a second jump that changed her direction. Simultaneously, she drew her shortbow.
Zip!
The arrow accurately hit a bullseye Solon had placed twenty meters away.
"Combined with aerial shooting, the tactical options have expanded significantly," Lyra said as she landed lightly, though she rubbed her brow. "But continuous use is a drain on stamina, and I only have ten charges a day. I'll need to choose the timing carefully."
Solon recorded: Augmentation: Excellent. Precision: Skill-dependent. Stamina drain: Dependent on user's physical constitution...
The Blessing Ring test was relatively straightforward. Upon encountering a small group of monsters, Solon activated the ring, and a soft white film of light enveloped the area. Everyone within the radius felt their spirits lift and their movements become more coordinated.
"This Bless spell is very practical for combat," Ryuu evaluated after clearing the monsters. "While the boost isn't massive, the cumulative advantage in long battles or against high-evasion targets will be significant."
"The whole team feels much more stable," someone added.
The party took a break in a relatively hidden chamber on the eleventh floor to eat and discuss the morning's results.
"All standard equipment tests are complete; performance meets or exceeds expectations," Solon summarized. "Next up... the scrolls."
He took the sealed wooden box from his rucksack and opened the lid. Five scrolls lay quietly inside. The atmosphere turned solemn.
"Scroll testing must be even more cautious," Kaguya whispered. "We cannot use them where we might be observed."
Alise nodded. "I've scouted the area; there are no other adventurer parties nearby. But to be safe, Lyra, go to the entrance and keep watch. Signal immediately if there's any movement."
"Got it." Lyra headed toward the two exits.
Solon pulled out the scrolls. "First, the Cure Wounds scroll." He held up the parchment emitting a faint green glow. "Theoretically, it should heal minor physical wounds and stabilize injuries, though its effect might not be as potent as specialized potions or high-tier healing magic."
"We need a real wound for the test," Noin (Astre) said, drawing a small knife and making a shallow but long cut on her arm.
Solon untied the cord and unfurled the parchment. The green runes began to flow as he recited the trigger word: "Activate."
The runes flared, transforming into a soft green light that enveloped Noin's arm. The light lasted for a second before dissipating, and the parchment itself turned to ash, drifting from Solon's fingers.
Noin checked her arm; the wound had healed, leaving only a faint red mark. "The healing is much better than I imagined," she said, impressed. "With this, we can pull someone back from the brink of death instantly."
Next was the Flash (Light) scroll. Solon activated it in a corner of the chamber, and a blinding white light erupted instantly. Even though everyone had closed their eyes and turned away beforehand, they could still feel the lingering spots in their vision.
"It's definitely disruptive," they marveled. If thrown into a pack of monsters, it could effectively stall for time. "Using this during an ambush or a retreat could buy precious seconds."
The Magic Missile scroll was tested on pre-placed targets. After Solon activated it, three energy missiles flew out automatically, accurately hitting three bullseyes thirty meters away with power equivalent to his own casting.
"Auto-homing property retained, power stable," Solon summarized. These scrolls were powerful and portable. "But I can't apply metamagic to them as freely as I can with my own casting." However, Solon felt that was a minor drawback.
Finally, the Shield scroll. Ryuu used it during the test, activating it to intercept stones thrown by Solon using Mage Hand. A translucent shield unfurled just in time, blocking the rocks.
"The effect is excellent, though the duration seems slightly short," Ryuu noted. She felt that having this shield at least provided a safety net against ambushes.
Once all the scrolls were tested, Solon carefully collected the ashes and placed them in a specialized sealed bag, leaving no trace behind.
"The pros and cons of scrolls are clear," he concluded. "The pros are that they don't require much time to activate, are quick to use, and provide stable effects. The cons are that they are single-use and can't be adjusted on the fly."
Ryuu pondered for a moment. She felt the scrolls were incredibly valuable. If a scroll only contained ordinary magic, it might be mediocre, but since these scrolls could utilize Solon's bizarre and varied spells, that was a different story entirely.
"In specific environments, the value of these scrolls is irreplaceable," Ryuu said. "For instance, if you are unable to cast, Solon, or if we need to handle multiple emergencies simultaneously."
"True. But since the testing is about finished, we should head back." Solon nodded, agreeing with Ryuu's assessment. Ultimately, the scrolls were a trump card; their specific utility would depend on the situation.
After packing their belongings, they prepared to return to the surface.
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours (79 Chapters – Ongoing)
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