[Name: Finn Deimne
Lv.7
Attributes:
• Strength: H134 → E430
• Endurance: I96 → E470
• Dexterity: G246 → B789
• Agility: H193 → D574
• Magic: H187 → C602]
To let everyone in the hall see the update clearly, Loki used a magic item to project the translated Status directly into the air.
"Whoaaa!!!!!"
The moment Finn's updated Status appeared, the entire dining hall erupted into admiration.
"As expected of the Captain! His stats grew by more than fifteen hundred points in just four months!"
"Captain, you're amazing!"
Adventurers all around showed looks of admiration, and each began imagining how much their own stats might have grown.
But only those who had reached Lv.6 understood just how abnormal this growth truly was.
Gareth had anticipated that this expedition would bring accelerated growth, but he hadn't imagined it would be this explosive.
"Too fast. This growth rate is way too fast."
Riveria suppressed her shock and nodded.
"Indeed. Finn's progress is astonishing."
"Yes, we went through intense battles these four months, often facing troublesome monster combinations, and we had several close brushes with death. But even so, this growth is simply too fast."
Adventurers all knew one basic truth:
The higher the level, the harder it becomes to raise ability scores—especially for a Lv.7 adventurer.
Though to be fair, the first few hundred points after a level-up are usually the easiest to obtain. Finn was no exception. It took him half a year to build the stats he had before leveling up last time.
And even then, his highest early stat—Dexterity—had only barely passed 200 points. The others were even lower, with Endurance not even reaching 100.
Riveria continued, still filled with disbelief.
"These four months pushed Finn to a level that would normally take three—maybe even five years—to achieve."
For an adventurer whose growth speed wasn't naturally fast, this pace was unbelievable.
Gareth understood Riveria's feeling well; he too thought Finn's growth was a little too fast.
"It's fast, yes. But aside from our own efforts, our improvements this time were also influenced by certain individuals."
As he spoke, Gareth shifted his gaze toward Ais, who sat at a table with Tione and the others.
"You mean Ais?"
Riveria followed his gaze.
"No. I mean Bell."
Gareth shook his head slightly. Ais was certainly one factor—but the reason Ais was such a factor was ultimately Bell.
"Riveria, do you remember how the Heroic Age began?"
"Mm."
The "Heroic Age" referred to the era of Zeus and Hera. Coincidentally, both Gareth and Riveria had lived during that time. They had witnessed the peak of the world firsthand and understood just how heavy the word "hero" truly was.
Compared to the top adventurers born in that era, neither of them could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any of those exceptional figures.
Gareth's eyes landed on Ais again, filled with emotion—satisfaction, comfort, and the faintest shade of frustration.
"The Heroic Age was an era where a group of extraordinarily gifted individuals, for various reasons, gathered under one Familia, guided by someone with even greater talent, strengthening themselves constantly.
"I'm sure there were people with average talent among them too. But even the most mediocre adventurers of that time experienced massive growth simply by following in a hero's footsteps.
"A true 'Hero' is the force that pulls the entire era forward. Their existence becomes the guide of the times. As long as they continue moving, countless others will gather behind them."
Gareth deeply understood the meaning of the word "Hero," and also why, after the Heroic Age ended, no adventurer managed to recreate that era's glory.
After the Heroic Age ended, they believed they could take up the Hero's mantle and continue leading the age forward.
But that was nothing more than wishful thinking—because none of them had the innate qualities to do so.
"Finn made the correct decisions early on. Unfortunately, Finn lacks the charisma to make people follow him naturally. That's why he hoped to build up the Construction Bureau's reputation—to draw more talented adventurers into the Familia."
It was a reasonable strategy, but compared to a true Hero, Finn fell too short.
Because Finn wasn't a "Hero," he could never revive the brilliance of the Heroic Age.
This wasn't a logical conclusion—simply a man's intuition.
"That child is a destined 'Hero,' one with the power to move an entire era. However…"
Gareth let out a sigh.
Riveria could feel the helplessness in his tone—because she felt the same.
...
Some people devote their whole lives to becoming a "Hero," striving to become the one who shapes an era. And then there are those who treat it with complete indifference.
Even with the ability to change the era, he still hides himself completely, just as he did at the beginning. He doesn't even have the motivation to form his own Familia.
"He has the ability. He has what it takes to push the times forward. If that child joined our Familia, we might truly become the beginning of the next 'Heroic Age.'"
"Unfortunately, that child's resolve can't be shaken."
Especially when Riveria thought of Bell—a youth who could be called a Hero—yet who got lost in front of the goddess Hestia… she felt an even deeper sense of mixed emotion.
'Even heroes can't escape beauty,' that phrase really had come true.
"Yes…"
Gareth gave a helpless smile.
"The love between mortals and goddesses truly goes beyond imagination. But when I think about the reason that child seeks strength… I really have nothing more to say."
Riveria was having trouble accepting it too.
"For a reason like that… well, perhaps to him, that reason really is the most important. It's just that his motivation for seeking power is… not something that's easy for the rest of us to accept."
Of course, Riveria also understood that this discomfort came purely from their own self-righteousness. Bell had his own thoughts, and acting according to his own beliefs was only natural.