Reset: DPS to Support?!

"...human," Reru clicked his tongue upon hearing Shinto speak. "Are you just going ignore my words?!"

"Cough. Reru... hear me out," Shinto helplessly said. "If we were to go as a group, we'll be able to go up against the 'old man' mentioned by Rustly."

"Hah? What part of 'not good enough' do you not understand?!"

"...you're not fully understanding what I'm saying either," he sighed. "What I mean is, if we combine forces with you and Raina, won't we be able to overpower the person?"

"Including the human in the equation does nothing!" Reru clicked his tongue. "Even with her lesser learnt magic, it's futile! Then we have 'you', what about him-" Reru quickly stopped at his sentence as he glared at Shinto. "Are you crazy? Surely. Actually, probably you are. You're crazy! Why would I accompany you to see Renryth? I do not want to be tainted by the curse!"

"If you were to include yourself into the equation, we will be able to go up against Renryth in the worst-case scenario, yes?" Shinto persistently asked, ignoring the remarks and excuses of the slime.

"Well—If we add onto your group's power... maybe," Reru mumbled out as he soon seemed to be shaking his head. "But that is beside the point! I have said it before and I'll say it again; It'll cause harm for all of us if she were to meet him."

"I do not see the harm in meeting up with this person if were to meticulous plan out our escape routes," Shinto thought to himself. "With you, we'll be able to get through the worst if all else fails."

"Human! You're under the assumption that Renryth is an opponent that we can easily handle as a group," Reru clicked his tongue. "Push that assumption aside and listen properly. Renryth, the man who excels in the arts of magic, is a force to be reckoned with," he explained. "Even as a group, he can wipe us all out. Now, if we were to include the curse... if he were to fall deep prey into it by now, Sanke will be at our throat. So—It's not just one threat, it's two!"

"Even then... If you put the threats aside. If things were to successfully play out, Raina will be able to learn the arts in time and we'll be able to have enough manpower to go up against Sanke, right?"

"You're thinking best-case scenario, human. What important situation with many variables in its course ever follows best-case scenario?" Reru seemed to be frowning. "It's hopeless, and you're mindlessly following a useless path."

"The path you're taking is also a hopeless one as well. You know that very well, don't you?" Shinto asked in a serious tone. "Following your way, if Raina were to finish within your estimations, at that point in time... You'll all be enemies rather than allies. So, with the lack of manpower and a strong addition on Sanke's side, we'll lose out much worst than going to Renryth now."

"Yes! Shinto is right!" Rustly leapt forward to face Reru. "The more we wait, the more we'll lose out!"

"..." Reru kept quiet as he glanced over towards Raina, then to Shinto's group and finally, to Rustly. "...tsk. So persistent," Reru clicked his tongue as he hopped over through the broken rubble of once was called a door.

"...?" Shinto raised his brow at the actions of Reru, seeing him entering into the room with a confusing answer. "What-" Just as he was about to ask further, his question was soon answered by his following words.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Get in!" Reru shouted out whilst glaring at the back of him. "Also, tell that girl to show me the arts in front of me. I'll measure her power and readiness of the art."

"..." Shinto blankly stared at the back of Reru as he quickly shook his head. "Sigh. Well, that's over with."

"What went on with the conversation?" Raina asked.

"...thing's happened," Shinto sighed. "In any case... If all goes well, we'll be able to complete your arts sooner than the expected time."

"R-Really?" Raina raised her brow in curiosity.

"Mhm," he nodded his head. "But, before then, the slime wants to see your prowess in the skill."

...

Heading into the room by the end of the hallway, Shinto and his group opened their eyes widely in shock they were greeted by the sight of many books aligned on the bookshelves. Alongside that, many books were stacked upon each other on the floor, thankfully, not burnt.

"...this place is..." Shinto muttered out in question as he scrutinized the area. "A library? Or... a study room?"

"T-That's a lot of books..." Kon mumbled out at the sight. "Are these all magic-related?"

"Well... from the ones that I've checked, it appears so," Raina nodded her head. "All of the books here seem to relate to a form of magic in one way or another."

"...could this room possibly have been used by someone before?" Frey uttered out at a loss for words by the room's interior. Everything within this room was a mess as if it had not been used for many years. "I mean... no way are the slimes learning magic, right? We only ever saw them doing a physical attack or some weird spikes!"

"Ugh. Enough chitchat you humans!" Reru clicked his tongue. "Stop assuming such stuff of us and get this damn thing over with."

"Ahem... Raina? This guy's calling for you," Shinto translated.

"Right, right," Raina said as she walked up towards Reru whilst holding onto her staff.

"Good, now show me the firepower. Shoot the arts at me!" Reru demanded.

"...what?" Shinto blinked at Reru's demand. "...what did you say?"

"You heard me right. Ask that human to shoot out the lesser flames to me," Reru continued demanding.

"..." Shinto was stumped for words even after he had heard Reru for the second time. Even after sustaining all the damage from their attacks, it seems he still can soak up more. Letting out a helpless sigh, he translated. "Raina, use your spell on the slime in front of you."

"...eh?" Raina dumbfoundedly glanced back and forth to Shinto and the slime. "This isn't something lost in translation right?"

"Stop asking questions and just do it already!" Reru impatiently cried out.

"...yes," Shinto answered helplessly.

"...o-okay...?" Raina confusingly answered as she turned her attention to Reru. Moments later, with slight hesitation, her staff pointed over towards the slime whilst she chanted out the spell. "To burn against the darkness with the lesser flames... to try against the fire..." Continuing on with her spell, a small red flame shot out from her staff.

[ Lesser Arts - Flames of Etheral ]

Soon after, the flame hurriedly dashed forward towards Reru as it collided with him.

"Umph..." Reru took the full blow as he only jiggled his body in reply. "...hmph. Is this the power of the lesser flames? It seems rather disappointing..."

"Is it a no go?" Raina turned to Shinto.

"...it seems so," Shinto sighed as he walked up to the mage. "Would it be fine if you show me the skill? I'd like to see the description of it."

With a nod to her head, Raina shared the details of the skill.

[ Degraded Flames of Etheral (Lesser) ] [ 600 MP ] [ Cooldown: 30 Minutes ]

By the arts of the great Etheral that burns through the darkness, shoots out a small pure flame as it reaches a target, quickly dealing 850% of fire magic damage to them.

*As this is a lesser form of the skill 'Flames of Etheral', many effects of the skill will not be in effect until further notice.

...

With a look at the skill's description, Shinto only nodded his head as calmly walked over towards Reru. "I see. So this is what you meant by disappointing..."

"Yes... compared to the real thing, this is just knock-off," Reru clicked his tongue. "I stand corrected with my one-week estimation. It might take longer."

"It'll take longer? Then, would the round trip to see 'Renryth' be more acceptable now?" Shinto persisted on. "With the time extended, it'll all be much better to see him now, right?"

"Hah..." Reru let out a tired breath. "You're annoying. Why are humans so annoying?"

"It's human nature I guess," Shinto effortlessly replied as he got back on the topic. "So, what is your answer?"

"..." Reru remained silent once again as he hopped over towards the countless bookshelves within the room. Soon after, he pinpointed a single book among the many as he dragged it over towards Shinto. "If you want to see Renryth, we depart the next day. For now, go learn a much better and effective spell from that ring of yours."

"...?" Shinto raised his brow as he glanced at the book in front of him.

[ You have received the book: 'Spells of the Gloop' ]

[ All conditions to open the book has been fulfilled! You are now able to learn one spell! ]

[ At your current level, with 1 wisdom, you are only able to learn the basic spells. ]

"..."

Without wasting any time, Shinto opened up the book as he looked through it.