Chapter 715

The Sword Princess girl walked ahead with light, eager steps, and every low-level monster they encountered on the road was eliminated by the sword in Ais's hand as easily as chopping vegetables.

Broly followed behind, bending to collect the magic stones and drop items left on the ground after the monsters were eliminated, and so they made their way into the Middle Floors.

Not until the 16th floor of the Labyrinth did Broly have to call a halt to the girl ahead, who had been cutting down monsters unmatched all the way: "Miss Ais, please stop for a moment."

"Hm?"

The Sword Princess turned back in puzzlement, looking at the boy with some confusion.

In her view, the monsters here were still too weak to provide any training effect.

It would be best to delve deeper toward the floors near the Deep Floors; the monsters there would be stronger.

"Our packs are full."

Broly patted the bulging Support Backpack on his back and said somewhat helplessly to the Sword Princess girl ahead.

"Hm, that fast?"

Ais was a little surprised; she hadn't felt like she had killed that many monsters.

"My Skill can grant me the Development Ability 【Luck】, and the Wings' Skill might let you share my 【Luck】 Development Ability, causing the drop rate from killing monsters to increase only when the two of us party together."

Broly recalled carefully, then answered seriously.

Before, when he partied with Bell and Liliruca, the drop rate from killing monsters was always very high; only when partying with people who were not Encounter Targets would the party's drop rate decrease somewhat.

Thinking back now, when he partied with the Loki Familia First String members to enter the Dungeon, the drop rate was the lowest at that time; combining that with the current abnormal drop rate situation of only partying with Ais, Broly arrived at the following conjecture:

When partying with an Encounter Target who has the Hidden Wings Skill effect, or someone who themselves possesses the 【Luck】 Development Ability, the party's drop rate not only does not decrease, but increases.

But conversely, if partying with someone who lacks the Hidden Wings Skill effect or does not themselves have the 【Luck】 Development Ability, it will instead dilute the luck brought by the 【Luck】 Development Ability.

"So that's how it is?!" Ais realized, then asked, "Then why not discard some small magic stones and low-value drop items?"

"I'm already doing that; all low-quality magic stones have been discarded, and worthless drop items weren't picked up at all."

Broly answered somewhat helplessly.

"Then what do we do now?"

Ais looked at him a little innocently.

"Two choices: we either go back to the surface to handle the magic stones and drop items in the backpack at the Guild's exchange counter in Babel Tower, or we go directly to Rivira on the 18th Floor to handle them; however, if we go to Rivira to sell, the prices there may only be one-third of the surface."

"I want to go to Rivira, is that okay?"

Going up and down the Dungeon back and forth would be too much of a waste of time; Ais, who single-mindedly wanted to train with the Saiyan boy, asked.

"If Miss Ais, you can accept your loot selling for only one-third the price."

Broly shrugged and said.

"I mainly want to practice swordsmanship with you; killing monsters for money is secondary."

The Sword Princess girl looked at the boy; beneath her calm expression her seriousness could be seen, yet she said.

"Since that's the case, then let's go to Rivira on the 18th Floor."

"Mm."

Ais had no objection; she reduced her pattern of diving wherever there were more monsters, and specifically chose routes that could quickly descend the Dungeon Labyrinth floors.

On the way, Broly spoke a bit with the Sword Princess girl about the problem with her current swordsmanship: "Miss Ais, your swordsmanship actually has no flaw; the flaw lies in your mindset during battle."

"Is there a problem with my battle mindset?"

Ais tilted her head to look over while using her sword to cut down monsters blocking the way.

The fierce swordsmanship that bloodily slaughtered monsters, and the appearance of humbly asking for advice, made for quite a contrasting moe feeling.

"Your heart is not as calm as your surface appears; every time you fight, your sword is always influenced by the unsettled emotions in your heart.

Of course, I'm not saying this is bad; on the contrary, sometimes swordsmanship infused with emotion can produce unexpected creativity, and may also display unimaginable power.

It's just that where there is positive effect, there is negative effect; for example, because of impatience in your heart, you disrupt your own battle rhythm — that is the most typical negative effect."

Broly's words made Ais think of her childhood self; back then she was immersed in the past of her parents being killed by a Dragon, unable to listen to anyone's words, joining the Loki Familia to become stronger, and after joining, thinking every day only of going to the Dungeon, killing every monster encountered, to become even stronger.

Although this obsession with becoming stronger has not changed in Ais to this day, she would no longer do excessive things that make people worry, that are irrational, that could get herself killed, or even get her companions killed.

That is, under impulse, recklessly challenging dangers she could not handle, resulting in her concerned companions having to pay the price for her recklessness.

"Mr. Broly, you're right; emotional swordplay may be a flaw I've always had, but I don't know how to correct it — can you give me some advice?"

Knowing rationality and calmness have benefits, but humans are creatures of flesh and blood and emotion; how could one possibly maintain rationality and calmness at all times?

This point, not to mention the Sword Princess, even Broly himself cannot achieve.

"Honestly, sometimes I can't control my own emotions either, but in the past a master taught me that properly releasing one's suppressed other side helps harmonize the yin and yang of a person's character."

These words were said by my old man; after he witnessed the good and evil Brolys split from the Tiger Talisman, he taught Broly this set of methods to relieve inner negative emotions.

"Simply put: laugh when you should laugh, get angry when you should get angry; don't press some emotions down in your heart — express them directly through joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure."

"That way, the emotions are vented, the heart gains calm, and they won't be pressed in some corner of the heart, suddenly exploding when some trigger appears."

Although Broly felt he had always done it this way, and the thing his old man taught was of no use, it didn't hinder him from telling it to the Sword Princess now.

"Miss Ais, you should use more expressions to express your happiness and worries, and other emotions."

"Like this?"

Ais thought for a moment, then pursed her lips hard, as if trying to make an expression that could convey happiness.

But her smile came out somewhat stiff, like a forced laugh, giving an unreal, false feeling.

"Miss Ais, are you really feeling happy right now?"

Broly looked at the Sword Princess girl and couldn't help but ask this question.

"Uh, I don't know."

Ais put away the smile on her face, frowned and thought carefully for a moment, then shook her head and gave an uncertain answer.

"Miss Ais, I have a way to make your current strength increase tenfold."

Broly pondered for a moment, then suddenly said to the girl.

"Ah, really?"

Hearing this, Ais's eyes widened, and she looked over directly.

"Water Mirror Jutsu."

Broly, meanwhile, seized the opportunity and snapped his fingers.

Making a waterball condense in the air, shaping it, then freezing it into an ice surface.

Then coating it with new clear water, constructing a mirror-like effect.

Standing it directly in front of the Sword Princess girl, letting Ais see the appearance on her own face right now — an expression of expectation mixed with boundless surprise.

"Mhm, now, Miss Ais, do you know what you look like when you're happy?"

Broly asked with a smile.

"Ugh, I know now, so, Mr. Broly, is your method to make my strength increase tenfold actually fake?"

Ais looked over; that exquisite face of hers, before it had even recovered, already showed the color of disappointment, simply because she already had the answer in her heart — after all, how could there possibly be such a method for a tenfold increase in strength?

"That's not fake; I truly do have such a method."

Broly shook his head and gave the answer.

"Eh, there really is?"

Hearing this, the Sword Princess girl's small mouth gaped slightly, and she blinked at the boy in great surprise.

And the small disappointed expression on her face, at a speed visible to the naked eye, turned back into something like a blooming beautiful flower.

"Mhm, really."

Broly nodded seriously.

"Then what should I do to get this method to increase strength tenfold from you?"

Ais asked hurriedly.

And the two, unknowingly, had already arrived at the 17th floor Labyrinth, before the sloped entrance to the 18th floor Safe Floor Labyrinth.

"You don't need to do anything; this is an effect of one of my Skills, and the Wings' Skill should have shared this Skill of mine with you too; you probably have this Skill of mine on you right now."

"Ah, then why don't I feel anything?"

Ais lowered her head and looked at herself.

And the water mirror still floating before her reflected the girl's current bewilderment.

"Because this Skill of mine still needs to satisfy some conditions before it can activate."

Broly explained.

"What conditions?"

The girl in the water mirror asked somewhat impatiently.

Afterward, Ais realized the question she had asked was a bit too presumptuous.

She lowered her head, readjusted her tone — though it only sounded more calm — and requested: "Mr. Broly, this is really important to me, could you please tell me?"

"It is Anger; extreme Anger will make this Skill of mine bring a direct tenfold increase to the base values possessed by the current Status Board."

On this, Broly didn't conceal anything either, and answered the Sword Princess's question.

"Of course, this is the multiplier described on my own Skill Board; as for how much multiplier the Wings Skill actually shared of this Skill to you, I'm not too sure."

Pausing a moment, Broly added this one sentence.

"Even if it's only a two- or three-fold degree, that's still a huge increase."

Ais didn't expect this Skill to be unexpectedly so simple and crude; she didn't feel disappointment just because the effect multiplier Broly's shared Skill might exert on her could be lowered.

"If possible, I still hope you won't have to use this Skill."

"Hm?"

"Having your head clouded by anger isn't a good thing; it might make you harm the people around you."

Facing the Sword Princess's puzzled gaze looking over, Broly explained.

This Anger Skill should originate from the evil side part of himself.

While the Skill effect is powerful, it also comes with the risk of losing reason.

Broly told all of this to the Sword Princess girl.

Ais listened with some silence, because a similar effect ability, her Familia Captain also has.

Broly's is a Skill; her Familia Captain's is Mad Enhancement Magic, named 【Ferocious Magic Spear】.

When used, all abilities obtain a super-high degree of amplification.

Only, it likewise carries the risk of losing reason; her Familia Captain's Mad Enhancement Magic, the strength increase multiplier is at most two-fold.

Compared to Broly's spoken 【Anger】 Skill that instantly increases base ability values tenfold, it's simply like a common one by the roadside.

"Mhm, I understand; unless forced by circumstances, otherwise, I won't lightly use this Skill of yours."

The Sword Princess girl, knowing the side effects of Finn's Mad Enhancement Magic, seriously gave her answer to the Saiyan boy.

She likewise doesn't want to harm her companions around her because of a Skill that might make her lose control and rampage, but having one more trump card Skill that can temporarily burst forth powerful Combat Strength is indeed a good thing.

"Mr. Broly, I wonder if you'd allow me, under controllable circumstances, to try using your 【Anger】 Skill inside my Familia Residence?"

After selling the Magic Stones and drop items from the Support Backpack in Rivira Town, the two directly headed to the 19th floor of the Dungeon Labyrinth; when they found a group of Minotaurs and started doing swordsmanship practice cutting live targets, Ais thought of something and suddenly asked the Saiyan boy.

"I want to understand exactly how much amplification this Skill can bring me, so that later when encountering a truly strong enemy, I can have a concrete judgment of my own strength."

"Mhm, know yourself and know your enemy, a hundred battles, a hundred victories; understanding of the opponent's intelligence and one's own intelligence is also a part of the composition of strength."

Broly nodded, expressing his recognition of the Sword Princess girl's idea.

Although the opponents he has encountered so far, the vast majority can be crushed past with pure numerical values, once he encounters an opponent that pure numerical values can't handle, then intelligence information becomes extremely critical.

The setbacks in battle Broly has experienced in his life so far are basically all related to insufficient grasp of intelligence information.

The future self who gave him a defeat in the Six-Faced World need not be mentioned; that guy's abrupt appearance was completely unpreventable, completely invincible under heaven, then suddenly an enemy comes from the sky.

Xiao Yu World's special Yin-Yang Balance Mechanism, the Black Qi created a False Self capable of fighting oneself through the Saint Lord's Hand; if not for the Strongest Concept bestowed by This World's father-in-law, War God Altexiu, exhibiting a Corresponding effect, he might truly have experienced defeat again in That World.

Finally, there was the Giant Goliath in the current World who nearly caused his own downfall after he activated the 【Super Weighted Training】 Skill.

And these instances of Eating Defeat were basically all due to insufficient Information/Intel — some from insufficient grasp of the Opponent's Information/Intel, some from insufficient grasp of one's own Information/Intel.

Of Course, it could also be said to be because of one's own strength, Accidentally committing the sin named Arrogance, looking down on one's Opponent, while overestimating oneself in the current state.

Therefore, Broly was very Satisfied with the Modest Attitude displayed by the Sword Princess girl.

The Two People in the Nineteenth Floor Labyrinth, ground Monsters for Half a Day, making Round Trips to Rivira Town as many as eight times, before finally leaving the Dungeon Labyrinth at Dusk carrying a Backpack full of high-value Loot drops.

On the return trip, they also Encountered people of the Ganesha Familia; those people were transporting live Monsters out of the Dungeon, heard they were Preparing for the Monster Festival to be held the Day After Tomorrow.

And after Selling off the Loot, Broly suddenly thought of something: "Miss Ais, I forgot to record today the Magic Stones and drops we each obtained from killing Monsters, so, how about we split the total earnings from today's Dungeon Dive fifty-fifty?"

Saying this, Broly split the thick stack of Bills in his hand in half and handed it to the Sword Princess girl.

"Ah, Unable to use this much."

Ais looked at the Bills worth nearly Four Million Valis, and hurriedly Waved her Hand to decline.

"Just Randomly fighting Monsters in the Middle Floors and getting such High earnings, this should be the Super High drop rate effect brought by your Development Ability Luck, Mr. Broly, you should take more."

"Although I didn't record the Magic Stones and drops we each got from killing Monsters, I do remember you killed more Monsters than me, splitting evenly already Counts as me Taking Advantage."

Pausing a moment, and not waiting for the Sword Princess girl to say anything further, Broly added another sentence: "If Miss Ais feels you've Taken Advantage of me, then just Repay me more with actions later."

Ais fell Silent for a moment, ultimately still accepting the Bills handed over by the Saiyan boy, nodding and Gently replying 'Okay'.

And the reason she didn't continue to decline was she suddenly Reacted, realizing the debt of favor she owed the boy could not be measured and repaid with money.

Many debts no worry, many lice no Itch, a mere few Million Valis earnings, accepting it is no problem.

Hmm, worst case later, she'll think of a way to use another method to repay double.

Of Course, as for what specific method to repay with, the Sword Princess girl currently has no clue.

But Ais decided to wait until tonight to Consult and ask her Surface/Openly Guardian, Life Mentor, the 99-year-old Riveria.

(Chapter End)