When it came to the true origin of the magic grimoire, Liang Yue couldn't think of a target in such a short time. The key point was that he had already studied and mastered it, so when his goddess asked,
He answered without thinking, casually saying:
"I picked it up."
"And it was in a restaurant. At the time, the waitress said that even if the book wasn't mine, I could just deal with it however I wanted."
The blunt and straightforward answer instantly cast a shadow of tension over Hestia's face — this was a critical time for their Familia.
Ordinary gods might not know the truth, but the strongest factions would definitely be aware ahead of time.
She worried that someone had noticed Liang Yue's talents and was trying to lure him into their Familia with a sugar-coated trap like this.
Looking at the boy's relaxed demeanor, Hestia nodded hesitantly, still suspicious. Finding a grimoire by chance was just too much of a coincidence.
His weakness was in the magic attribute, and now — like a pillow arriving just when you're drowsy — someone conveniently handed him exactly what he lacked.
Returning to the main point, she stared at the parchment where his stats were printed.
"Liang Yue-kun, this magic skill you've mastered… it's very unusual."
"Take a look yourself."
"Alright."
[War Enthusiasm]
Non-chant magic.
When activated, this skill enters the "Conquest" state, continuously stacking combat power through battle, greatly enhancing attack strength against all enemies.
Reduces physical stamina consumption, but increases mental stamina consumption.
Liang Yue examined the newly acquired magic skill. Overall, its effect was exactly what he wanted — and it even felt strangely familiar.
No chanting required.
Once "Conquest" was activated, fighting would steadily increase his attack power.
If it could also heal him during battle, like in his previous life, he'd almost mistake it for the "Conqueror" talent from a certain bronze-tier game.
Reduced stamina drain for longer fights, with the clear drawback of higher mental strain.
"This is pretty good."
His lack of magic ability was a weakness, but the increased mental consumption would also serve as training in that area.
The magic's effect was just right.
Whether in normal dungeon expeditions, large-scale Familia campaigns, or against powerful monsters that couldn't be taken down instantly, combining it with his Breaking Limit Blade would significantly boost his strength.
The only problem was… he had no idea which god had granted this gift. If he knew, he would be sure to express his thanks sincerely.
And if he could "luckily" pick up another grimoire, that would be even better.
"All in all, Liang Yue, this magic of yours is perfect for long battles — it'll be especially useful for Familia expeditions."
Hestia added from the side. She knew Liang Yue would never betray her, but the potential danger still gnawed at her heart.
The temptation of a grimoire… once other gods learned of the miracles he could create, they would only come at him more directly.
Noticing her gloom, Liang Yue took the initiative to grasp her hand, which was clenched tightly in the hem of her clothes, and said firmly:
"No matter what happens, I will always be by your side."
"…Liang Yue-kun."
Turning her head, Hestia met his focused and earnest face, and responded to his feelings with an active, passionate embrace.
If days like this could last forever, she couldn't imagine how happy she would be!
At dawn, while Hestia was still asleep, Liang Yue once again prepared for a dungeon dive and headed decisively toward the Babel Tower in the central plaza.
He had no plans to explore the middle floors alone for now.
First, he was unfamiliar with the new floors. Second, going too deep meant that if he encountered large groups of monsters, he wouldn't be able to return the same day.
Prudent exploration was a principle he always followed.
The best adventuring zone was between the 11th and 13th floors. The mist traps there often triggered monster feasts, improving efficiency.
"Today's goal—"
"Max out my stat growth, test the magic's effects, and raise the Sword Soul template's job level. Sounds like a productive day."
Following the spiral staircase to the first floor, he moved quickly through each floor with no pauses, keeping pace with a group of adventurers.
He cut down any monsters blocking the way, but paid little mind to the meager experience points they gave.
After passing the 10th floor and reaching the trap areas, his gaze swept the surroundings, faintly disappointed — there was no mist.
That meant the chance of triggering a "Monster Feast" was lower.
"Unlucky."
"Doesn't the dungeon hate gods and adventurers? Why not throw more monster feasts at us to wipe out the explorers?"
Scanning the area, he noted the lack of both mist and monsters.
The upside: he could pass through quickly.
Gripping his short blades with both hands, he was just about to speed through when a strong sense of danger washed over him.
"…Monster Feast?"
Pausing slightly, he allowed himself a flicker of anticipation — but what happened next was not what he expected.
It was as if "the dungeon was responding to an adventurer's request"—
The ground suddenly gave way beneath him, swallowing the spot where he stood. A violent drop followed, but with his control over his body,
He quickly adapted to the sensation.
[Floor Collapse]
He instantly recognized the situation, adjusted his falling posture, and landed safely at minimal cost to his body.
It was a fall of over 10 meters.
An ordinary person would spend a long time in the hospital after such a drop, but for someone with superlative stats who had just reached Level 2…
It barely mattered.
Looking up, Liang Yue saw the ceiling restore itself before his eyes. He hadn't expected that his earlier sarcasm would come back to bite him this fast.
"Wow, talk about payback."
After dropping from the 11th to the 12th floor, he didn't let his guard down — the dungeon wouldn't do something like this for no reason.
He carefully observed his surroundings.
Sure enough, from the direction of heavy breathing came a massive monster.
Even beastmen and Minotaurs looked small in comparison.
Its form was like a cross between a giant lizard and a dinosaur — and Liang Yue recognized it instantly.
[Young Dragon]
The floor boss of the upper levels.
Its strength alone could wipe out an entire team of Level 1 adventurers — an absolute nightmare for ordinary people.
"Oh, so it really landed right in front of me?"
Keeping a safe distance, Liang Yue's mouth twitched. He hadn't seen one during his recent high-intensity dungeon dives.
But here he was, alone, facing it — maybe he was lucky after all?
Stronger than a Minotaur in both defense and power, it didn't strike him as a danger.
To be precise…
It was the perfect moving target for testing his new magic skill, [War Enthusiasm].
"Alright then—"
"Let's treat this as a warm-up for the Familia expedition."