"You're already very familiar with basic sword training; as long as you strengthen your combat techniques, exploring the Dungeon will be no problem."
Keare didn't feel this was a slight against him.
He knew it was purely Hestia's concern for his safety; otherwise, she wouldn't have specially asked Takemikazuchi to help him with special training.
It's just that some things were not convenient to say directly.
But to reassure Hestia, Keare said earnestly, "I will never joke about my safety, no matter what."
"That's good then."
"Let's eat first; I'll help you update your abilities afterward."
Seeing Keare's insistence, Hestia didn't say anything else but chose to trust him.
Compared to this small interlude, eating was clearly more important, as she had been working all day at Hephaestus's weapon shop.
It wasn't particularly tiring.
It was just that she hadn't seen Keare all day, and she missed him quite a bit.
"Dinner is chicken stir-fried vermicelli, a super large portion, definitely enough to fill your stomach!"
"Thank you, Lady Hestia."
Keare didn't take others' efforts for granted, but as he looked at the dinner placed before him—chicken stir-fried spaghetti—he fell into a brief contemplation.
The Dungeon or Familia world's style was indeed medieval European fantasy, but it also blended in some new modern elements.
Maid uniforms.
Pushcart vendors, modern-style casinos, and so on.
It was purely a Japanese fantasy hodgepodge, and the benefit of this was that beautiful maidens with perfect looks were everywhere.
Compared to the only salty fried potato balls at noon, the dinner's taste was not on the same level at all, and the portion was also plentiful; after filling his stomach completely, a sense of fullness gradually came over him.
After a short rest, it was the part Keare looked forward to the most: updating his abilities.
Mastering basic swordsmanship was a direct reward for his efforts, but what determined his strength in the early stages was the change in his abilities.
"Come on."
"I'm already impatient to help you update your abilities."
Rarely getting to show the purpose of a god, Hestia prepared the tools for the update, her hands rubbing together, her heart eager to try.
She believed in Keare's efforts for exploring the Dungeon.
But in this regard, she didn't have much to help with; all Hestia could do was give trust and encouragement.
The process of updating abilities was still the same as yesterday.
She straddled the boy's waist, pricked her finger with a silver needle, and dripped her divine blood onto his back.
As the soft light continuously emerged, the divine script reorganized, overwriting the original values with the updated abilities.
When the abilities update was completed, Hestia made a rubbing of it on parchment.
— —
Keare
Lv1
Strength: H135 | Durability: H150 | Dexterity: H101 | Agility: H103 | Magic: H157
Development Abilities: None
Magic: Recovery
Skill: Imitation
— —
Hestia held the parchment in both hands, and when her gaze lingered on the updated values, her brows couldn't help but furrow slightly.
All abilities had significantly improved.
Directly from I → H level, this leap in improvement was already very large; it was hard to imagine how much effort Keare had put in to achieve such a feat.
"This ability increase, isn't it a bit exaggerated?"
When one first receives a blessing and becomes an Adventurer, abilities increase relatively quickly, but this is also based on training in the Dungeon.
Could he really achieve this level purely through basic training?
But when she saw the highest Magic attribute, she already had a rough guess in her heart.
However, as Hestia continued to browse, her gaze lingered on 'Imitation' in the skill slot, and the smile on her face immediately froze.
"Huh?"
'Imitation'
Effect: A derivative ability of 'Recovery' magic. When this skill is used to heal a target, it will synchronize the target's experience of injury.
This skill can only be used for combat experience Imitation and cannot copy special techniques.
"..."
Regarding Keare being a genius, Hestia had no doubts whatsoever; how could an ordinary Adventurer unlock rare magic as soon as he received a blessing?
But she had never imagined that she had still underestimated Keare's talent!
A skill derived from the 'Recovery' magic—just this point alone already surpassed the vast majority of Adventurers in Orario!
Hestia chose to let Keare see this good news for himself.
"Keare."
She wanted to verify her guess, and as she handed over the parchment, she asked, "Did you use 'Recovery' magic on yourself?"
"That's right."
"I trained from morning until noon, and my muscle damage was already severe. I thought I couldn't waste the afternoon, so I used 'Recovery' magic to reset my state."
Taking the parchment, Keare quickly scanned it; the extent of the ability increases was within his psychological expectations.
At least his efforts had not been in vain.
And when his gaze locked onto 'Imitation' in the skill slot, even though he had prepared himself mentally, his pupils inevitably constricted.
It was not much different from the Legendary Hero's original effect.
Copying the opponent's combat skills and experience, but unable to copy job-specific "special techniques."
And the skills in the Dungeon or Familia world happened to fall into the category of "special techniques." Even so, this skill's utility was still maximized.
If he were to rank them, under the same level, powerful magic > skills > combat techniques > abilities.
During the healing process, imitating the target's combat techniques and experience would bring a significant increase in his own strength!
"This skill of yours..."
"You also suddenly gained it while using magic, didn't you?" Noticing the change in Keare's expression, Hestia asked.
"Yes."
"The effect of this skill... is truly great. If possible, I hope no one else besides me knows about it."
Copying an opponent's combat techniques is no longer just about taking a shortcut.
Hestia couldn't even imagine how difficult Keare's situation in Orario would be if this news leaked out!
"Have you finished looking at the attribute values?"
"Yes."
"Then give it to me. Burning it is the safest option."
Keare found Hestia's suggestion reasonable. Precious combat techniques obtained through so many life-and-death struggles could be copied through the 'Imitation' skill.
Unless there was truly a broad-minded saint, no one could achieve such a feat!
Keare looked at the young girl squatting in the corner burning the parchment not far away, shrugging his shoulders:
"This special skill, unless something unexpected happens, I plan to use it on myself, which is equivalent to getting double the effect of physical training."
As for unexpected situations, they would, of course, be handled separately.
With his stomach full and his abilities updated, his next plan was very clear: "I'm going to find Lord Takemikazuchi tonight."
"I'll try to master combat techniques as soon as possible."
"Okay."
Hestia didn't refuse this time, because it was no longer just drawing an SSR card; even looking at the history of Orario, had there really been a child like Keare?
Perhaps a child with the potential to rival ancient heroes was in her own Familia. At the current rate of development, what level would he reach in the future?
She dared not imagine.
"I look forward to the day you truly grow up, Keare!"