Quote Originally Posted by Master.Pug
Your single stats raise in normal monster battles (the first battles after you've gained a star level)!

And fighting monsters ist essentiel! You'll get some valuable stuff after a battle(btw. you can steal from those enemies too)!
You get material to forge better equipment or some elements, sometimes there are some nice drops (try to steal Earthquake from a Centaurpede in another's Hydra Marshes! its a rare steal but it works well, early in the game!)
Thanks a lot for your help.
I will try to check back in Hydra Marshen sometime.

So this means after I've gained single stat increases, there is no use in fighting regular enemies.
That would save some time.