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—
"Mmnnn…"
Feeling the world wobble left and right, a slightly dizzy Silver opened his eyes not long after.
His grunts got Tiona's attention, "Look! He's waking up!"
Soon after, the others all turned to him while Gareth stopped walking. Seeing everyone turn to him, Silver sighed weakly, "How long… was I out for?"
'My chest hurts… more than everything else.'
"A little over an hour. We've just come back from taking Goliath down." Gareth replied as he turned his head slightly
"Uhum… looks like I lost quite the sight."
"It was a little interesting, yeah."
Tione smiled, "What she meant is that it was quite lackluster."
"That's not wrong either."
"…"
Silver looked around as Gareth carried him on his back, slowly adjusting himself to his surroundings.
"… Are we on the 12th Floor?"
"About to head to the 10th. Why? Want to walk the rest of the way?"
Silver sighed, "No thanks. I'll fall face first if I try, though I would've liked a better piggyback service."
"What's wrong with mine?" He grunted with a slight smile
Silver coughed, "It's a bit too hard. I feel as if I'm being dragged across the Dungeon's floor. Or rather, that might be softer."
"Would you like to experience it?"
"No, thanks."
"Then shut it."
Finn and the others smiled, but Riveria quickly stepped forward, "Just what were you thinking?"
Gareth sighed, "Riveria, give the kid some time to breathe."
"If he can joke around, he's fine."
With a light cough, Silver looked ahead of him, "When I heard of a strange Minotaur laying waste, I just couldn't hold myself. So before I knew, I went searching for it."
She couldn't believe it, or rather, it was so in character another answer would've been unexpected, "You are ridiculous. Do you have no sense of fear? Do you know what could've happened?"
/Bla bla bla…/
Riveria began nagging at Silver while Gareth lowered his head. And after a minute of her hurling questions and borderline insults at him, the Dwarf finally had enough.
"AHH! Enough of it, old lady! Stop pestering my ears, else they'll fall off!"
"Leave the nagging to the surface."
Riveria's expression went stony before she sighed and looked away, "Don't think this is over."
"Hahaaa…"
"Pss… Gareth, what kind of sweets do you think a royal Elf princess would like?" Silver asked as he whispered in Gareth's ears
"Hm? Why the question?" He mumbled back with an amused glare
"My goddess usually calms down when I feed her sweets, so I was thinking the same would apply here…"
"You want to calm her down with sweets?… Buwahahaha!"
"Hey! Don't say it out loud!"
Lefiya grit her teeth, "We can all hear it! And you're forbidden from feeding her sweets!!"
"I never said that I would feed her directly. Is that on the menu?" He asked as he turned to Riveria
"No." She replied coldly
"Looks like my affinity isn't high enough. I'll work on it, though."
Lefiya almost jumped at him, "You won't!!!"
Finn smiled again, shaking his head while Bete snickered.
"You have my support. She's a bit too lonel…"
But as Tione turned to face Riveria, she looked away with a pale expression.
Right, some jokes were better off not said.
And so, the expedition group returned to the surface.
…
"… Silver, can I count on you coming tomorrow? There's still a lot left to settle." Finn said as he looked at Silver
After being dragged to the surface, Silver still looked pretty beaten up, but had grown strong enough to walk if he gritted through the pain.
"I will. I also have the report here of the loot…"
But Finn raised his hand, "Leave it for tomorrow. Now's not the right place or time."
"Okay… so… is it done?" Silver asked as he took a deep breath, looking around him
The sun shone through the cracks of the plaza, getting inside Babel's Floor 0. Silver looked around him as the adventurers and Guild workers came and went, and a new feeling crept up inside his heart.
'I suppose forcing myself to stay in the Dungeon for a few days changed my perspective on things a little.'
'Though I suppose I'll never truly understand the fear of being stuck inside it, or the anxiety of being deep beneath the surface, with mountains above you, and surrounded by monstrous abominations.'
"It's not entirely done yet. We still have a lot of things to do."
Gareth stepped forward after finishing his talk with a Guild worker, "What he's trying to say is that the fun part is over and now he'll be stuck doing paperwork for a week."
"That too… but oh well, paperwork isn't that bad compared to dealing with monsters."
Riveria butted in, "Maybe, but that only applies to a few, not entire mountains of it."
"Haha…"
Finn turned to Silver again, "We'll be clearing a little of our loot today and slowly clear the rest over the following days."
"Thanks to you, we brought back quite a bit more than I expected, and we didn't have to clear some of our supplies in Rivira, so we got more than I expected."
"They must be livid. Those guys have always rejoiced at the prompt of taking our loot for a discount. Maybe now they'll learn to be a bit more humble." Gareth added as he scratched his beard
Silver nodded, "Alright then. I'll visit you guys tomorrow to clear everything up."
"Wait a damn minute!"
Tiona ran from the side as she and the others returned from inside Babel, "You haven't told him about our afterparty!"
"Afterparty?"
"Oh, right. We do have one." Gareth said as he nodded
Silver looked left and right. He exhaled, putting his hands on his waist, "Alright… can't be having a party without me."
Finn smiled, "We'll meet up at the Hostess of Fertility. It's nothing but going to a pub for a few drinks… Do you know of it?"
Silver scoffed, "Do I need air to breathe? Of course I know of it, I'm a VVIP client."
Tione rolled his eyes while Tiona smiled awkwardly, "Pervert."
Silver laughed out loud before looking at the Guild building in the distance, "I think I'll drop off some of my loot first before going."
Tiona scratched her head, "What's the hurry? It's not like it's going anywhere."
Silver scratched the back of his head as he looked away awkwardly, "Haha… I'm riddled with debt."
""…""
Silver looked back at Tiona, "There are a lot of things I need to pay off, and there are a few things I've been thinking of getting made."
"I was thinking of going to the Hermes Familia to get Perseus to make me a magic item… but man, I don't even want to think of how much that'll be."
"Asfi? What do you need her to make for you that you can't buy?" Tione asked with mild curiosity
Silver grew a little excited, "For once, I was thinking of getting some personalized weights, something like a full-body training suit, and…"
""…""
For the next few minutes, Silver shared some of his ridiculous ideas, making them paler, and Riveria's frown deeper with every word he uttered.
If not for his injuries, she would've slapped his head right then and there for giving the girls such dangerous ideas…
…
/Later…/
"… Hey, look, the Loki Familia has returned."
"They're earlier than I expected, looks like their Expedition went smoothly."
/Chatter…/
After all returned to the surface, the Loki Familia made their usual return across the Northern street as the sun shone behind them.
The people watched and cheered from afar, looking at them from balconies and the like as adventurers nodded with respect.
"Mugaaaa…" Tiona exclaimed as she stretched her arms and legs, "It feels so good to have the sun on my skin again, we're finally back."
She raised her fists, shadowboxing, "But I really wanted to punch a few more things. After that… haaa… I really feel empty."
Lefiya smiled awkwardly, "You've said that a few times already."
She then looked ahead and then at the ground, feeling down, "I feel disappointment in myself. After seeing everyone fight and work together… after seeing him fight without fear, it made me realize how much I slow all of you down."
"You shouldn't compare yourself with him, Lefiya." Tiona added as she smiled faintly, "He's kind of… kind of… you know?"
"Unique?" Tiona mumbled as she looked at the sky
Lefiya did not reply, but nodded quietly. Still, that word only made her feel even worse.
'I was called unique once, too, many times. But…'
Seeing her slowly crumbling expression, Tiona looked at the sky, pensive.
…
"Phew… okay… here goes nothing."
/Creak…/
"Hestia? You home?"
/FLASH!/
/SLAM!/
"SILVEEERRRR…"
"GOHOO!"
Hestia jumped forward like a torpedo from behind the door, striking against Silver's injured stomach with such force that even he was forced to his knees as he used everything he had to not fall down the stairs and into the street below.
"H-Hestia…"
"BUWAAAA! I was so worried!!"
As she cried dramatically in his arms, Silver closed his eyes in defeat, holding the pain in as he tried to calm her down as the Goddess crystalline tears flowed down one after the other.
To avoid causing a scene in the streets, he carried her inside and closed the door behind him.
…
It took a while, be she eventually stopped bawling her eyes out. Yet, things got even worse when she noticed the bruises that Silver had yet to heal, panicking whenever she saw a new small scar she knew wasn't there before.
Silver tried to reassure her, but she just wouldn't stop gasping at his wounds. One can imagine what happened when she raised her head and noticed the dark bruises around his face…
To think she hadn't actually looked at his face once since he arrived…
Eventually calmed down, but not entirely due to his words…
/Sniff/
It was all because of a delicious smell in the air.
"This is!"
'Cake!'
Hestia got up from hugging Silver, looking at a large tray that had appeared on a table nearby.
She observed the cake from all angles like a child, giving it a good close-up glance at the end, "Isn't this from that pantry shop we saw the other day? I love their sweets!"
"Yeah, I bought it on the way here…"
"Yay! Thank you!… Wait.. Humph! Don't try to distract me from what's truly important! I'm supposed to be upset and angry!" She claimed as she looked away
"Truly important? You mean hugging me and crying?"
"T-That is very important too!"
Even so, as she looked back at him, her carefree smile fell slightly. She wanted to ask if he was alright, and what had happened, but…
'He is always like this… He brushes off his problems and acts as if nothing happened… as if none of it matters. Just look at yourself, the stench of potions and herbs is quite strong, he must've been healed by Elixirs and magic, yet you still look like this.'
'It is a terrible habit, of downplaying everything that happens to him, but I can not bring myself to get angry. I would just like it if he were a bit more open with me…'
'I would prefer to hear it from his mouth than from the Excelia.' She thought deeply before turning back to her table
Hestia sighed and sat, excited for her cake. Meanwhile, Silver looked at her with a half-smile, 'This girl… so obvious…'
In the next few minutes, Silver told her about his experiences. How it felt to experience the Loki Familia firsthand, and of everything he had learned.
He removed all the excessive violence and gore from his tale so as not to make Hestia worry, but tried not to omit too much since she'd likely hear about it eventually.
And although she knew he was omitting some things, she was happy that he opened up, even if just a little.
…
/Glister…/
The Divine Ichor fell upon his skin, bringing forth the blessing only the Gods could decipher.
"... okay… it's done."
Yet as she read the changes, Hestia gulped down, "These stats…"
A bead of sweat ran down her forehead as her eyes shook momentarily. Indeed, how could one explain what she was seeing now?
Silver's stats were so ridiculous she'd believe that pigs can fly before she'd believe something like this…
'If I told this to Hephaestus… how would she react? If I told Demeter about this, knowing her mood, she'd probably just laugh it off as always, saying it's not exactly her forte…'
'Must be nice, not having to worry about the Dungeon and just farming away with your children in her golden wheat fields… maybe I should go visit them when I have the time, drag Silver from the Dungeon at the same time.'
Hestia shook her head, "Here, take a look, Silver. I also added in the values for your new Development Abilities, in case you wanted to see them." Hestia said as she gave him the paper.
"That said, they haven't changed and probably will remain so for a while. I can take them out and them all only when they improve if you want."
Silver shook his head, "Hm?… No, its fine. We have this much paper anyway, might as well make use of it all." He joked as he looked at his updated stats:
—
Mellios Silver
Level 1
Strength SSS 1200 -> SSS 1507
Vitality SSS 1200 -> SSS 1689
Dexterity SS 1087 -> SSS 1312
Agility SS 1177 -> SSS 1453
Magic SSS 1200 -> SSS 1560
Mutant Body -> I
Mixing -> I
Alchemy -> I
Mystery -> I
Creation -> I
>Magic:
- Magnum Opus Ambrosia
Body manipulation-type magic?
>Skill:
- Vit Alhjin
Body strengthening-type Skill.
Raises the starting ceiling of basic abilities to H-100, reducing the difficulty of raising them by one rank in the process.
Passive magic interference from all sources, beneficial, or even self-originated.
- Oculus Davidis
Conditional and growth boost-type Skill.
Activates in challenging scenarios, supersizing rewards from a given situation.
- Neo Stur
Grants and enforces the Development Ability Mutant Body at all times.
- Argent Genesis
The effects of consumed potions are enhanced. During alchemy, grants the Development Abilities Mixing, Alchemy, Mystery, and Creation temporarily.
—
Silver too was caught by surprise at the sheer absurdity of his stats.
He gasped, mildly overwhelmed, 'To some degree, this increase isn't that incredible compared to what I had in the past.'
'An overall increase of 300 Stat points is a ridiculous increase few, if anyone, can witness, but its comparable to what I had before whenever I had Hestia hold updating my Stats for a week or so.'
He smiled faintly, 'I can say this experiment was a success as well. If I spend another month training, then maybe I can raise these stats even more.'
'They won't rise as fast, but if any other adventurer were in my shoes, they'd just wait a bit longer. After all, when most take two to five years to Rank Up for the first time, what's a month and a half?'
'But I know the dangers of being greedy. My Skill has already compressed the time needed for my Vessel to settle down for a Rank Up. If I push it even further, not even a miracle will pull me through the consequences.'
'I can't keep relying on my blessing to shit out a solution for my problems just because I believed in it hard enough and bled day and night for it. This is a cruel, brutalist world where people put in the work but aren't rewarded… haven't I seen that firsthand when I first came here?'
Silver put the paper down and smiled faintly, "Looks like my training paid off."
But she wasn't as eager. She hugged him from behing, looking at his stats over his shoulder as she esclaimed by his ears: "Training doesn't create stats like these!"
"Right, basic training only goes so far, like S Rank maybe."
"When you put it like that, it makes it all the more unbelievable…" She replied as she tilted her head
'It's all because of this nonsensical Skill that I'm desensitized!'
Then again, Silver's training was nothing ordinary.
Where would you find a Level 1 adventurer willing to step into the Middle Floors on his own and practice boxing with a Minotaur? To use them as running and training partners?
Silver went out of his way to make his training harder and more "effective". The tales of that already famous amidst the Loki Familia as ridiculous but likely rumours…
Only those who spent the days with him on the 28th Floor would know how true those statements were…
Not to say Level 1, was there any adventurer willing to face the King in a duel? To climb onto the School District and ask the greatest living Knight for teaching?
To walk right into the Loki Familia and ask to join their expedition?
There had never been such a person. There were daring individuals, but none as provoking as him.
If the Gods were to gather before the long list of accomplishments, the training he went through, and everything he put on the line to achieve what he had, they would nod in understanding, for Excelia was fair and could not be deceived.
Silver sought his own adventure and came out on top — end of the story.
Silver threw his status aside, "Haaa… I'm suddenly quite tired."
'I'll have to go meet Leon again, and then…'
He shook his head, 'Eighteen years and a lot of training... but my adventure is finally starting.'
His true intent lay concealed within thoughts. Just where would this adventure lead him this time? Would it all end in solitude as it once did?
But as he looked at the girl sitting before him, tilting her head as she tried to read his changing expressions, he put such worries aside.
For now, at the very least, he wouldn't be alone at the end.
…
"... This is it, Hestia… I think I'm ready."
He cracked his neck, "I can not say I am disappointed…"
"TCH!"
Hestia couldn't help but get annoyed at Silver's disappointed, melancholic tone, but she said nothing since she was also extremely proud!
'If only I could brag about this to that flat chest! She was so smug about all her children's stats and how great they all were when we last met… if only I could come back at her…'
Silver put his chest against the couch again, "... It's time to Level Up."
Upon hearing the word, Level Up. Hestia couldn't help but open her mouth in shock, "So the day has finally arrived!" She said as she jumped in happiness, ready to update his status.
'Heh, that flat chest will have one hell of a surprise… Just wait till she hears that my Silver beat her Sword Princess by almost a full year… maybe I'll do that thing Silver likes to do.'
'Grab a camera and flash her reaction! Then tease her for days on end!'
Hestia's smile was downright evil…
…
/Drip…/
She pricked her finger with a platinum nail, letting a single drop of blood wash down his back.
It rippled, as if falling onto water, igniting the sealed Falna, and the chalice that held the great flame was once again shown on Silver's back.
"Alright, let's see…"
She looked at the passing numbers and hieroglyphs, excited to see that number 1 turn into 2…
Silver nodded and turned around. He felt Hestia's little finger tracing lines on his skin, "Done." She claimed as she straightened her back.
"Already? I don't feel anything special?..." He said as he cut Hestia off
/Thud/
Hestia slapped Silver head lightly.
"It's a Rank Up, not some kind of awakening! And don't cut me!"
She put her hands on her waist, exhaling faintly, "Before I pass the information to the paper, we need to discuss your next Development Ability."
"Oh? I forgot about that… since you brought it up, I wager we have more than one option. Well then, no need for drama, just say it."
Her expression grew a little helpless as she looked at his back, "It would be fine if it was one but…"
Hestia looked at the multiple lines of runes on his blessing, "Haa… Let's go one by one…"
'But first… let me remove this ridiculous option… else Silver might consider it.'
She crossed out, —Suicide Strike— from the list, no way she would even give him the possibility of choosing that over the others...
But perhaps what was worse was how such an option came to be in the first place…
/Cough!/
Hestia cleared her throat and continued:
"First, Martial Arts."
Silver smiled, "A decade of training had its purpose after all. I think my grandmother has it too… it's a somewhat rare Development Ability. Albeit not particularly better than something like Spearman though."
"Second, Blacksmith."
He shrugged as he put his head on the couch, "Can't say I'm surprised to see that one."
'If I got that too, wouldn't I have quite the assortment of production-based Development Abilities? Maybe it was just not counted… not like I'd like to have Sewing as my first one anyway.'
"Third uh… let's just go through them all at once… Hunter, Perseverance, Abnormal Resistance, Brawler, Strong Regeneration, Concentration, and Quick Reflexes…"
"And there is one I don't really understand… Geneticist."
Silver scratched his chin, "Oh? There are quite a few… not as many as I thought there would be, though."
"This is already plenty!"
He turned to the side to think, "I already have an idea what most of these do. I've read about them in the Guild's collection. Which makes this a little complicated."
'Strange to think that I'll never have to worry about these as I Level Up, I wonder how many more I'll manifest over time.'
"Huh?"
She nodded absentmindedly. She didn't even have the chance to explain what they were, and he was already thinking?
For a moment, she felt as if she had been left behind in the dust by her adventurer's knowledge once again. Who was the God here? What was her role, if not just a Status updater?
"Hum..."
'I can understand why I gained Martial Arts and not a specific one like Spearman, Axeman, or Swordsman. I always trained with many sorts of weapons while never holding onto one for too long.'
'None of my grandparents pushed me down a particular weapon, training me to wield multiple. And while I've yet to pick one to wield… I've used my fists, mostly.'
He scoffed with some nostalgia, 'And a damn gun too. I'm surprised it isn't here, but these are mostly luck anyway… Speaking of that, maybe I should make a gun?'
He thought about the rest, 'Hunter is pretty simple, you just need to hunt a lot of monsters in a short amount of time. It simply increases the damage you do to monsters you already got Excelia from.'
'One of the several Development Abilities whose acquisition method is quite clear, albeit not easy by any means to the ordinary Adventurer.'
'Blacksmith is pretty self-explanatory, you just need to have worked with metal and you are pretty much guaranteed to get it, and so is Abnormal Resistance… which I likely got from all my years drinking poison.'
'The other four are a bit more complex. Brawler, Strong Regeneration, Concentration, and Quick Reflexes do not have known methods of acquisition.'
'I can guess how I got them, however, but I don't think they're what I'm looking for. Strong Regeneration is a strong choice for the future.'
'Now, I'm more interested in what I don't understand… Perseverance and Geneticist.'
Hestia inched closer to Silver, only for him to not react in the slightest, "…"
'Would it be difficult for him to open himself a bit and share his thoughts with me?' Hestia thought as she looked at him from the side
He closed his eyes and turned to her, "Alright, I am done thinking. Please..."
Hestia smiled, no matter what this little troublemaker was thinking. Silver is part of her Familia, and she loves him no matter what or who he is.
The time will come when he will open himself up, even if just a little more. So she eventually explained each Development Ability with her own knowledge to help with his choice.
And before long…
…
/A few minutes later/
Hestia concluded her explanation, "… That's about it, from what I can tell, at least."
"Thank you, it clears things up a bit."
'I was wondering why I didn't awaken the Mage Development Ability, but I got my explanation.'
'Geneticist works similarly. It increases the strength, speed, and effectiveness of my Plasmids and related abilities. And it raises my Magic Stat, though it remains to be seen by how much.'
'I doubt it'd be as strong as Mage, but I can dream.'
'There don't seem to be other flashy aspects though… I would've liked to have a Magic Circle, but that might be a bit much.' He thought with a smile as he imagined the scene of his own special effect
'Perseverance was the one that got my attention, though. It raises all stats the more beaten up the person is, even if he is healed up afterward.'
'Its effects increased based on the user's determination and will to live and fight. However, the focus is on Vitality, followed by Strength, the other stats would be increased after. It's not an equal raise.'
'It's quite fitting for an adventurer…a Brawler if you will.'
Hestia looked at Silver, ready to give advice if needed. This choice will shape his path as an adventurer…
She stopped to remember the many dreams she had when she just came down into the lower world; she used to think how fantastic it would be if her first adventurer could even awaken a Development Ability…
But here he is, choosing between an extensive repertoire of Development Abilities…
"... Sigh."
'Even if it makes sense… I can't quite believe it.'
"I think I know what I want."
"Alright."
"..."
"..."
Silver looked sharply at Hestia, taking deep, slow breaths… "My choice…"
/POUNCE!/
"Stop being dramatic!" She screamed as she jumped on him
"Ahhh... you dare!"
The two played around for a bit, the tense mood completely vanished.
…
After a while...
"I'll go with Geneticist."
'Given I'm akin to a Magic Knight, I'll enhance my Plasmids and unlock more of their potential. While it pains me to leave the rest, its not like they'll be away from me for long.'
'Maybe I can delay my next level ups to try and gather more Development Abilities. I feel that the reason I have so many options isn't solely from my own actions and luck, but perhaps it's a consequence of my Skill.'
"What? Really?!"
Hestia was quite surprised. For once, she thought he'd pick Perseverence given how much Silver loved to fight, "Considering your mindset… it's not that I don't understand, but this is nice!"
Anything that didn't push him to get injured more… She believed.
"Don't rejoice just yet." He added with a half-smile as he crossed his arms, "We'll return to it in the future."
She nodded, but raised her hand as Silver turned around, "Are you sure about this choice? There is no coming back."
"I am, no need to ask again."
Hestia nodded and updated his status, "Alright… In any case, here, take a look!"
—
Mellios Silver
Level 1 -> 2
Strength SSS 1507 -> H 100
Vitality SSS 1689 -> H 100
Dexterity SSS 1312 -> H 100
Agility SSS 1453 -> H 100
Magic SSS 1560 -> H 100
Geneticist -> I
Mutant Body -> I
Mixing -> I
Alchemy -> I
Mystery -> I
Creation -> I
>Magic:
…
—
Seeing the changes, he turned to Hestia with a thin smile, "Level 2 huh… I've come a long way. Dont you think so?"
"Yeah…"
'I'm proud of you, Silver!'
Hestia wanted to jump and hug him, but she had to maintain her "professionalism".
So instead, she tried to change the subject, "What now?"
"Why are you asking me this? Aren't you the head of the Clan?"
"I know that! I was just asking if you had anything else to do."
He looked at the ceiling, pensive, "I still have some things to finish with the Loki Familia tomorrow, sell some items, pay some bills… then its back to action"
"Although… I'll rest a little from the Dungeon for now."
She tapped her fingers together, growing a bit embarrassed, "Then… how about we eat somewhere?"
He raised an eyebrow at her proposal, but agreed just the same, "… Sure. Last time we ate at that cafe near Ganesha Familia's house, right? Do you have any preference this time?"
'That place was quite interesting, but all of those Ganesha paintings made me a little... uncomfortable.'
"Hum… Ha! Don't you like to go to that pub all the time?"
"The HF? Fine, I guess that's a good place. Right now they're on the restaurant menu, so it won't be as crowded."
'There's enough time for us to eat there and for me to go back there for the afterparty around nighttime.'
Silver got up from the couch and went to his room, "I'll change my clothes."
"Let's stop by the Guild and report my Rank Up. After that, we can go grab a meal. How does that sound?"
"Perfect!"
Silver walked away to his room and put on his clothes, completely ignoring the excited Hestia in the living room.
He did little though, just putting on a shirt and a pair of leggings together with some shoes. By the time he was done and went to check on her, Hestia was still amidst a pile of clothes, looking at him, puzzled.
He broke the silence first, "… I'm done, I will just brush my teeth and we can go." He said as he crossed his arms
'What is taking her so long?'
She didn't seem to mind, or notice his reaction, "Okay~"
…
After brushing his teeth, Silver went back to the living room only to realize she was still choosing her clothes, so he sat on a nearby couch and waited for her to get ready.
He looked at his hands, pensive, 'The changes are pretty significant. I can immediately tell my Plasmids have grown far more responsive. The combination of the status update, Rank Up, and a new DA have likely almost doubled my previous Magic Stat.'
'Seems like I'll be able to employ them effectively against Level 2 monsters now, maybe even against Level 3 monsters… Mages that pick Mage as their first DA gain a high enough boost that leads their Magic Stat to surpass their level, which is why Lefiya possesses such immense firepower for her level.'
He sighed, 'Nonetheless, there are ranks within magic. Some spells are just stronger than others, even with the same incantation… and sometimes, shorter spells can surpass those above their level, even if their chant is longer.'
'My Plasmids have always been a little weaker than magic of the same level, which might be nothing but a balancing factor given their lack of an incantation.'
He tapped his foot on the ground, 'I'm itching to try it… but I can't wait, for rest comes first.'
'Although… with my Plasmids having grown this much, I might not even need an extra day's rest.'
/Fwoop…/
His skin rippled, muscles shifting as his bruises slowly faded…
"I'm quite excited."
…
A few minutes of waiting patiently… "Pink, huh? Quite childish." Said Silver as he sat on his bed.
"I AM NOT WEARING PINK!" She exclaimed as she stomped the ground
"Heh..."
"Urg..."
'Even though I have been living with him for nearly two months, he's been getting more and more brazen as times moves on… Not that I am complaining…'
'WAIT!'
…
/Later that day…/
Silver and Hestia could be seen in the HF waiting for their food to arrive.
"Hehe…"
Silver chuckled as he looked at the photos in his hands. They were a sequence of photos starting from Loiju's reaction to when he announced he had leveled up and the subsequent attempts from him to retrieve the embarrassing photos…
"Pfft... Haha..."
'His shocked look when I told him the news and his face when he realized he had been recorded… Priceless…' He thought as he put them aside
'I imagined what his reaction would be, but to think Loiju would actually just accept it so soon and brag about it immediately? He is truly a sorry excuse for an Elf… just where is his majesty? Is it only because he's past his 40s?'
'No… isn't he quite older?'
He put the photos aside, 'It doesn't look like the news of my Rank Up will remain hidden for long, but if I wanted to keep it that way, I wouldn't have made a report this soon.'
/Tap…/
Hestia suddenly touched Silver's shoulder, waking him from his thoughts.
"Silver, I'll go to the washroom to wash my hands."
"No problem."
However, he knew very well she wasn't going to just wash her hands. Although, if you ask her about it, she will affirm to the best of her ability that Gods don't need to use the bathroom for anything but that…
/Twitch…/
Silver's ears twitched as he heard the conversations near him, and the clinking of cutlery in the kitchen.
'It'll take a while for me to get used to this. Are all adventurers this sensitive to noise? I can hear the people walking outside without putting that much effort into it…'
Just as he was about to lower his tolerance, something caught his attention:
"Hey hey… did you hear it?"
"What is it this time, Jony? You always have the best gossip."
Jony smiled, "This one is super hot, just out of the oven."
"Then what are you waiting for?! Drop the bomb! I am ready… Hey! Can we have a few more drinks?" A strong-armed female adventurer asked as she raised her hand high
The waitress nodded as she walked through the tables, vanishing past the counter.
At this time, the usual ladies Silver was used to weren't around, but he still greeted some of the ones he knew.
Meanwhile, one of the men next to her snickered, "More drinks? At this hour?"
She almost spat at him, "Piss off! Everyone knows this place will get crowded at night and I won't have the time to drink then, so I'm drinking it now." She replied as she clicked her tongue
"Won't you just go to another pub and drink more there?"
She gave him an understanding smile, and the boys sighed.
Jony slapped the table, "So, did you hear about the new rookie?"
"No?"
"Was there anyone special recently? Last one I heard about was the girl who joined the Loki Familia last year and Ranked Up a few months back."
The other two boys beside Jony shook their head, while the girl slapped the table.
"Dont keep us in suspense, you ass!"
Jony raised his hands, "Sheesh, just how uninformed can you guys be…"
/Sip…/
The guy took the last sip of his drink.
She lost her patience in the blink of an eye, "#!... If you don't tell me in the next ten seconds I…"
Jony licked his lips, "That's why you can't find a boyfriend. With that temper of yours…"
"So you've chosen death." She proclaimed as the others desperately held her in place as Jony smiled awkwardly
To save himself, he blurted the truth out, "This new rookie has beaten the Sword Princess' record. He's now the record holder for the fastest Rank Up in history."
""?!""
Not only they, but some of the nearby tables were all surprised by it.
"Dont fuck with me, Jony…" Said one of the guys, the one on the left
Tapping the table, the other boy threw him an inquisitive glare, "Is it even possible to Rank Up in less than a year? Or are we talking about a few days faster?" He asked as he crossed his arms.
"I am not lying, I have my ways… And besides, his advisor was bragging all over everyone. It's a hot topic already."
Jony laid down on his chair, "I'm just as shocked as you guys, but the truth remains. Though I don't know how fast he was."
"Well, I'm sure the news will spread eventually."
The four continued to talk, without knowing they had caused waves at the surrounding tables.
…
Silver, of course, heard everything, 'I knew it was bound to happen eventually, but that was faster than I expected. Damn Loiju, can't keep his mouth shut for even an hour when sober.'
"Sigh..."
"Silver, I'm back."
/Clack!/
And just in time, as their food was gently lowered onto their table.
"Smells great! Time to dig in!"
He put his thoughts aside, smiling, "If I offer you a small prayer, would you hear it?"
She was surprised, but tapped her chest proudly, "Hm? Why not? Throw it at me and I will ease your worries!"
But he shook his head as he shoved his fork onto his spaghetti, "Oh, I have nothing to say, I was just asking if you could hear it…"
Her smile faded a little as she tilted her head, "Not in the lower world, I'm afraid. I'm just as limited as anyone else in that department."
"Indeed… my goddess has no unique superpowers…"
"Is that a requirement?!"
They continued chatting away undisturbed.
…
/Later…/
"Thank you for accompanying me today."
"I should be the one to say that. I've neglected you quite a bit these past few days."
"It's good that you know!" Hestia claimed as she put her hands on her waist
She then looked at Babel on the horizon, "I'll pass by Hephaestus' shop now, see how she's doing."
"She gave me a pass since it was your return day, but I feel a little guilty for leaving her after asking for that job, so I'll go back to help her close… I'm really sorry for cutting our date short."
Silver raised an eyebrow, 'Date? She's growing bolder…' He thought with a faint smile as he looked at the tower.
"Don't mind me, I'll take it easy for now and wait for you back home… maybe walk around a bit to loosen up my sore muscles. But I can accompany you to the tower if you want."
"Then let's go!"
She held onto his wrist and pulled him along without hesitation. But Silver only chuckled, this result far too obvious.
…
Seeing Hestia wave him goodbye, Silver put his right hand in his pockets, "… What now?"
'Should I go look out for Takemikazuchi? My body's too sore for training… maybe I should go to the School District, look for a few books…'
His gaze inadvertedly fell down Babel's entrance, "… I kind of want to enter the Dungeon and play a bit… NO! I can't!"
He turned around and shook his head, 'A man must know when to pull out…'
Like so, Silver went back home to rest until the Loki Familia's party…
…
/Chatter…/
"UAAAAA! What's into all of you, I always tell you guys to come get your updates whenever, but not all at once! What the hell is this?!"
"AARRG! At this rate I can't even cope a feel!!" Loki screamed with dark eyes as a massive line of girls stood before her
Following an expedition was usually the time to update everyone's Status. Over a hundred members were divided, girls first, boys later.
This wasn't quite common though, for it was far too common for them to neglect their updates and leave them for later, often forcing Loki to update them all at once before the next expedition.
Yet somehow, many had come to get themselves appraised on the same night of their return. In previous times, Loki would've praised their commitment, but tonight, it was overbearing.
She paled, not even moving her arms, already in position for the next one, "I'm feeling anemic. Huff… next, nexxxto!!"
Dozens of young maidens waited for their turns as a visibly tired Loki stood next to a pile of papers and a metal nail a little too red for comfort…
After updating everyone's Status, and even having one or two Rank Ups, Loki could finally rest and move on to what was truly important…
"Hehehe… the time has come to enjoy the dessert." Loki said with a perverted gaze as she looked at Ais' back
But Ais' tone was crisp, almost like Riveria's, "Touch me for more than necessary and I'll cut off your fingers."
"So cold!"
With a slight smile, Loki updated Ais Status.
"It's been a few months since we last updated it. You've grown quite a bit since we last did this, so there's been some noticeable growth."
She sighed, "It's a shame I only get the chance to put my eyes upon this beautiful back only so often, but what can we do? If we don't do it, who knows how much longer it would take." She said as she pursed her lips
"…"
"Annd… finished! Take a look~" Loki said excitedly as she handed her the updated sheet of paper:
—
Ais Wallenstein
Level 5
Strength G 278 -> F 309
Vitality G 266 -> G 295
Dexterity E 403 -> E 466
Agility E 412 -> E 461
Magic E 446 -> D 500
Hunter -> G
Abnormal Resistance -> G
Swordsman -> H
>Magic:
- Ariel
>Skill:
- Avenger
—
Loki gave Ais her usual casual smile, "I heard ya put up quite a bit of work back in the Deep Floors, good work as always Ais-Tan! We can only do it all thanks to you and the others' efforts."
Ais looked at her stats and barely gave Loki a reaction, "I just fought as usual."
Loki inched closer from her left, brushing her shoulder against Ais', "That's not what I heard~"
"Finn told me all about your accomplishments. I want to hear them from you this time, hm?~" She said as she jumped forward, only to fall face first into the blanket as Ais flashed to the right
She showed little reaction to her antics, "… I might've fought a bit harder…"
Loki smiled, kicking her feet in the air, "Hehe, working hard as always, just don't overdo it, kay? It's only been about a year since you ranked up, so there's no need to rush it."
She noticed Ais' expression. So pulling her head a bit, she added, "I know ya might think this is slow, but it's still plenty fast."
She put her hands on her chin and rested on a pillow, "Back in the day, Finn and the rest took way longer. Don't forget it took them nearly three decades to get where they are now, you've barely spent a third of that time."
"Trust me when I say this, give it one more, two tops and you'll be a fresh Level 6 none can beat! You'll run that damn boar's fade with your magic!"
"…"
But Ais' thoughts were elsewhere. Thinking about the future, should they not also think of others?
She unconsciously thought of Silver, 'Just how strong will he be when he reaches my level?'
Loki looked at her in silence before smiling like a mischievous cat. Her fingers twirled as she slowly inched closer to her chest from behind her back…
In the end, Ais' thoughts ceased as she quietly exhaled.
/SLAP!/
"BUHOOOO!"
And poor Loki was sent flying to the ground.
…
/SLAM!/
"DRINK! TONIGHT ALL DRINKS ARE ON ME!!" Loki exclaimed as she put a foot on the table
""HURRAYY!""
/CHEERS!/
Mia exhaled, "Sigh…"
As the orange sky dimmed into darkness and the bright moon rose above, the Loki Familia gathered at the Hostess of Fertility, taking every seat available.
They laughed and cheered, rejoicing at yet another successful expedition with no casualties.
Friends gathered at the tables, some walking around, joining in their conversations as the beautiful servers of the pub ran around with silver trays in the hands, often causing some boys to be poked around by their female companions as they stared for too long.
"… I'm thinking of upgrading my equipment this time, but I'm afraid I only have enough to commission either a spear or a shield." A Human man with tanned skin said with a sigh as he crossed his arms
One of his companions pushed down his food with a large gulp of ale, "Can't you just get it on a tab?"
He sighed, "A tab in the tens of millions? I'd rather not put that burden on my shoulders, I just ranked up, give me a break."
A Demi-Human with round ears laughed, "Welcome to First Class equipment." He said with some sarcasm, "If it doesn't put you in debt, it's not good enough!"
"I don't know of a single high-level adventurer that isn't in debt half of the time. Just go ask the captain and the others about it, especially the captain, and he might go on a little rant about how much money we spend to get these going."
He took some bread and dipped it in a yellow paste, "I'll spoil it for you, it's a lot, a lot of the lot you're thinking about right now. The cut we give to the Familia isn't for nothing."
"You can ask the captain about it, he can help you finance it." An Elven girl said with a gentle smile as she took a sip of her juice
"Haaaa… give me a damn break… Looks like I'll be doing a few more Dungeon runs in the next few days."
He looked at his friends, "You guys up for it, right?"
One of the boys laughed, "Only if you get that guy to act as our Supporter. You don't know since you went with the vanguard, but man, is he handy."
"I don't think I've ever had a more productive run than the ones we had in the last few days."
The others looked at him, "I've heard quite a bit about the new guy, everyone's talking about it." The girl asked as she tilted her head.
"With reason. Never saw nor heard of a more unreasonable Level 1 in all my life, the damn guy's a nuttjob… the good kind."
"We partied around our second day down there…"
Stories like these were going around all the tables. To some, it was the nth time they had heard about it, but to some, it was their first time hearing them with such detail.
The impact Silver had left on the Loki Familia's adventurers wasn't small despite the little time they had spent together, a fact that reached all the way to a large table near the center of the tavern.
/Gulp!/
"Huaaa! Nothing better than some good beer, aint it Gareth?" Loki asked as she wiped her lips, "Come on! Drink! You're too soft!"
The Dwarf held his mug with pride, "There are a few things that do… one of them being free beer, ain't that right, Riveria?" He asked as he turned to her.
Riveria's forehead tensed lightly, "Just drink without bothering me, lousy Dwarf."
"Says the stiff Elf, drinking juice all the time!" Gareth claimed as he chugged his mug down all at once
Loki smiled, "Enough bickering, I want to see everyone walking out of here hammered!" She exclaimed as she raised her mug.
""Yay!""
"I'd rather not walk with another headache… su…" Raul said on a nearby table as he looked at his mug
Loki turned around with pure disdain, "OI! I heard that! Don't make me go there and shove it down yer throat!"
"I-I'm drinking-su!" Raul replied in a hurry as he gulped his entire mug in one sitting
"Atta boy!"
"Let's go, Raul!"
"Representing all of us!"
Raul's eyes were grave, "Huff… I want to sleep…"
…
"…"
'Is it that tasty? I never remember whenever I taste it… maybe this time I'll remember. I always get sleepy when I drink it…'
Ais looked at the drinks, and for a moment, she reached out for one of them…
/GRAB!/
But Loki grabbed her hand with a pale expression, "E-Everyone minus you… you can have anything else! I swear on my Oversoul!"
"Wh… what even is an Oversoul?"
'W-Why is everyone looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?'
"It doesn't matter! Just don't drink this!" Loki said as she pushed all drinks away from Ais' reach
No one had the courage to meet Ais' questioning gaze. Some things were better left unsaid after all.
…
/Chattering…/
"… Saaaay, isn't someone miiiissing?" Tione asked as she looked at her drink
Tiona turned to her with a disapproving glare, "Sis… you might've already had a bit too many, you're almost falling on the captain."
Tione sat beside Finn, her hand swaying a bit too close to Finn as she often tapped his body. And even as she held her drink, it was tilted to the side, spilling beside her every once in a while between them.
It was clear she wasn't exactly paying attention anymore.
"Hm? I'm perfectly fiiiine… isn't that right, captaain?~~"
Finn exhaled with a broken smile as Tiona swayed left and right beside him, "Maybe just a little…"
Tione giggled as she went in to hug Finn, only for Tiona to tug at her shoulder as her sister threw a kiss at Finn.
"And there she goes, it hasn't even been half an hour. It's all because of her that she's like this." Riveria mentioned as she looked at Loki laughing on the side next to another table, causing trouble as Mia looked at her from behind the counter
She sighed after she looked at Bete and the others chatting and drinking calmly, "One troublemaker is enough as is…"
/Clack…/
At that moment, someone stepped through the gate leading inside.
"Nya? I'm really sorry! Today we're all booked… Nya?! It's you!" Anya exclaimed as her tail shot up
Silver smiled as he put his arms on his waist, "Well, well, well, if it isn't one of my top twenty cat maids."
Anya was flabbergasted, "Only top twenty?! How many cat maids do you know, nya?!"
"Only a handful, about everyone that works here, for starters."
"Nya?… Oh… that's about uh… one, two, three…"
""…""
The little commotion attracted the attention of the central table.
"And speak of the devil…" Gareth mumbled as Finn exhaled
"I'm not alone this time, I'm with these guys." Silver added as a smile of his own reached his lips
Anya jumped back as she waved at him, "Hm? Okey! Call us if you need anything!"
Silver stepped forward, walking straight into their table.
"Sorry for the delay, I got busy and lost sense of time."
'I ended up wasting too much time experimenting with my Plasmids after my studies. Almost lost the party.'
Lefiya grunted, "We don't have chairs, go sit elsewhere!"
He smirked, "That's not a problem. If you'd excuse me…"
Silver tapped their table, and another magical scene happened before them all.
His fingers pierced into the wood, and as they took a woody sheen, the circular table slowly expanded, forcing everyone to pull their chairs slightly as Silver pulled a nearby chair with telekinesis to sit down.
"Well then, now we can start this party."
Lefiya pouted, "How does he always have a solution?!" She mumbled to herself as she raised her drink to her lips, only to realize too late she took a mouthful of Gareth's ale.
"COUGH! What's this strong thing?! Ugh… my lips are tingling…" She said as she stuck her tongue out, her cheeks already flushing
Gareth pulled his drink from her hands, "That was one strong sip! Maybe you can teach yer master how it's done, buwahaha!"
Lefiya tapped her forehead, not even processing she had taken a sip from Gareth's drink, "It's spinning… helpft… mnmn…"
With each word she spat out, her lips grew softer as her words jumbled up into one incomprehensible mess…
/THUD!/
Before long, she slapped her head on the table, losing consciousness as her hair flopped around her.
Tiona poked Lefiya's face, "This one is just as terrible with her alcohol."
Riveria clarified, "Gareth's drinks aren't the same as everyone else's."
"The usual ones are too light for me, I can't feel a thing!"
"Aish… pleasth feed meh…" Lefiya mumbled as droll fell from her lips
"She's out cold in a heartbeat, already dreaming. If only she slept that quickly too…" A young lady with brown hair said as she sipped her mug quietly
Tiona smiled, "Looks like you'll be carrying her back to bed, Elfy."
"Wouldn't be the first time."
/SLAP!/
Just as Silver had begun to adjust himself, Loki came crashing down with a gaze full of fury:
She pointed her mug at him, beer flying everywhere, "OI! Who gave ya the right to sit next to my kids, hmmm?? You're making the scene all ugly to look at it!" Loki asked as she pushed her face against Silver's cheek
"Good to know you're still growing strong, but can you pull your face away? Your breath stinks of alcohol." Silver asked as he tilted his face away
He also used telekinesis to control the beer so it wouldn't spill on him or the others.
Loki took his words for insult, "Heeeeh? Finn! Do you see this guy?! Who does he think he is to order me!!! Divine punishment! This instant!"
"I'll let you know I…"
Riveria had enough of a drunk deity running around the pub causing trouble, and so did Mia from the looks of it as she came from the kitchen holding a rope.
She had seen the perverted goddess slap one of her waitresses' bum once, then twice. That was where she crossed the line.
Loki kept pestering Silver, "… these girls are mine! Mine, I tell ya! There isn't enough space for… Riveria? Did you finally come to let me cop a feel? Hehehe, I…"
/TIE!/
Riveria unceremoniously tied Loki to a chair, and the moment she voiced her complaints, she shoved a piece of cloth in her mouth and closed it shut.
"Mnnmnnmn!!"
Loki struggled, but went nowhere.
"Finaly some peace and quiet." The Elven princess said as she gently raised her mug to her lips, sipping her juice with elegance
""…""
And the others looked on in silence.
…
The party night continued. They laughed and talked with one another, and Silver only stood there, rarely joining in their conversations.
For the most part, he greeted the waitresses as they came and went, but with how busy they were, they didn't even have the time to stop by and talk. Yet strangely enough, whenever he wasn't looking, Silver felt as if someone's gaze lingered on the back of his head…
Whenever he joined in, it was mostly to ask questions about their experiences, allowing them to recount much of their past adventures.
Gareth shared the tale of when the Amazon twins arrived in Orario, much to Tiona's embarrassment.
Riveria shared tales of how difficult young Ais was to deal with, much to her distress as she kept tugging at her arms.
Finn stepped in every so often with the others, and even Bete joined in, although the prideful werewolf was clearly half-intoxicated with a flushed expression.
Time passed by… and Loki was finally freed…
"HAAAA! I can finally breathe… for once I thought I was going to heaven…" She said dramatically as she held her throat
She looked pale, "Ugh… I'm thirsty… please, someone… pour me some beer…"
"Do you want to be tied again?"
"NO!"
Loki bickered, her lips pressed forward as she crossed her arms.
"Riveria is such a stiff dummy! All I did was parch my lips a little…"
Her gaze then fell on Silver, and she raised an eyebrow as she leaned forward, "Say, new guy. You… you look a little different from the last time I saw ya."
"H-Hey!"
She stole some food from Elfy's plate as she said that, biting it down unceremoniously before pointing at Silver.
"You look just as ugly as before, so what is it? Everyone's praising you, so did you get a new Skill or something?"
Silver lowered his drink before turning to Loki, "You're far more perceptive than I thought."
"HUH? So I was right?!"
She looked quite surprised by that as she leaned forward even harder.
""!""
Silver's response gathered the entire attention of the table. Even the half-drunk Bete and Tione woke up to listen.
Silver, however, crossed his arms with a faint smile. Maybe it was the little alcohol he drank here and there without much thought, the atmosphere, or his mood… for his lips had grown quite soft, "It's not that intense nor fantastical, I only ranked up, that's all."
Loki nodded in understanding as he tapped her legs, looking around with a knowing smile, "Ahhh, you ranked up, no wonder you looked a little more reliable… WHAT THE HELL!"
/SLAM!/
Loki slammed her fists on the table, but her reaction was by no means unjustified.
Not only her, but everyone else was utterly shocked, perhaps the most shock they had shown ever since they had met him.
Tiona's eyebrows shot up as she got to her feet with her sister, who grew sober in an instant as her right arm jerked back, splashing beer on another table behind her.
Bete stiffened as he lifted his mug, having it spill over his legs, yet he did not bat an eye.
Elfy and the others froze over as well, disbelief and other emotions visible for all to see.
But perhaps the most affected were their Executives, and the Sword Princess herself.
"There's a limit to joking around…" Gareth said as he lowered his mug
Riveria continued, "But he doesn't seem to be lying. Yet even I can't believe it."
Finn's gaze sharpened as he crossed his fingers… while Ais' eyes shook.
Silver, however, took a bite out of his food, "Why are you all surprised? This is quite common."
/SLAM!/
"Don't try to play it off!" Loki exclaimed as her expression grew fierce
Mia grunted, "If you break the table, you're paying! I'm not talking to her alone, show-off boyo!" She added as she looked at Silver, "You'll turn my table back to how it was before."
"Noted, my dear pub owner, it'll be exactly as it was, down to the last splinter."
She rolled her eyes, going back to sorting everything around her.
Loki gulped down, sobering up by the minute as her gaze was fixated on him, "It's impossible! How long have you been an adventurer? One month? Two months?"
"Tell the truth! Have you been working undisclosed? Has that runt cheated?!"
He shook his head, "I've been an adventurer for about a month and a half. I joined Hestia at the start of December. Although I spent a few weeks going to the Dungeon before."
"Let's ignore that nonsensical statement you just uttered, that's a whole can of worms on itself…" Loki added as her gaze sharpened, "It's impossible for anyone to rank up in just two months!"
"It's utterly nonsensical! There isn't even enough time for the blessing to settle!"
Her words were loud, silencing the whole pub.
Although, yet again, perhaps because of the drinks he had, all Silver did was chuckle as he picked at the food stuck between his teeth with a toothpick:
"So what?"
"HUHH??"
As Loki seemed about to lose it, Silver put the toothpick down, "That's what I said, so what?" He asked as he tilted his head, "Making a mountain out of a molehill…" He added as he looked at his plate of food, pulling another barbecue rib and taking a bite out of it.
"… You see… /Chomp/… I don't want to hear about what's possible and not from a God… /Chomp/…" He said as he pointed the dry bone at Loki
He laughed at himself and at the ridiculousness of this situation, "Can you even hear yourself? Getting worked up over something so… simple."
""…""
They were all in utter silence.
Silver looked at the ceiling, a pensive gaze in his eyes, "What even are we, anyway? Mortals blessed with the blood of divine beings who challenge a living hole in the ground that births creatures with magical stones inside their bodies that, for some reason, have a blood feud with the surface world… does that make any sense to any of ya?"
He looked at their reactions, scoffing at them, "A world where the Gods have grown bored and descended to bless us on our path, yet you're here asking me if something is possible or not?… There's no such thing as what's possible."
"Our understanding of the world is just a fickle veil constantly being challenged."
Loki's forehead tensed, "I don't wanna hear that from you! You're the one who's screwed in the head!"
"I hear that a lot, in fact. Maybe one day I'll find out where the missing screw in my head went… or maybe not, I'm fine either way, hahaha!"
Silver shrugged with a taunting smile, "Rules be damned, isn't that right, oh beautiful trickster goddess… hahahahaha!"
Loki's eyes never left Silver's as he laughed aloud…
He opened his eyes wide, opening his arms as well, "Just do whatever you please! Just achieve whatever you desire!"
"That is what one of the first books I ever read told me. And I've stuck by it ever since… with a slight caveat, of course."
"I can't just follow what a dusty old book tells me to do, can I? Can't trust someone I've never seen before… I only believe what I can see, after all."
He closed his eyes, "The Gods believe in the potential of mortals, wishing to see the greatest spectacle that is their struggle, their bonds, their resolutions, and the continuous unfold of their endless potential…"
"But it looks like even the unexpected has a limit to be reasoned with, huh? Hahahaha!"
""…""
Loki sat down, pushing her hair back with a broken, yet equally serious expression, "Yeah… you're utterly insane. An arrogant mortal that cannot see the beginning of their own hubris."
Silver shrugged with a provocative smile, "And is anyone in this profession? If you want to find a sane person, go elsewhere!"
He turned to Gareth, "Are you drinking that, old man? Can I get some of yours?"
"… Go get your own, brat." He replied in a surprisingly solemn tone as he closed his eyes
"Why so down? We're not paying for this anyway~"
Loki's expression tensed, "Since when was I paying for yours!"
Silver touched his chest in surprise, but after a moment, he smiled, "Not like you were doing the counting, right?"
"UGH!"
"HAHAHA! Just pool it all and bill it on Loki's tab! Old man, let's drink till one of us falls! I'm sore all over and I want to forget it all for once!"
Gareth looked at him and exhaled, "Are you challenging me, boy? You're twenty years too early to get a reaction out of me."
"We'll see about that! Let's play a little!"
"Fine! Don't tell me I didn't warn ya. When you wake up tomorrow, blame yourself and not me." He said as he turned to Finn, who shook his head quietly
'Sigh, indeed, this boy is too much trouble…' He thought as he turned to the side, seeing one of the waitresses arriving at their table with several more mugs
As always, the girls were quite perceptive, or rather, Silver was just a tad too loud…
Somehow, things passed by this time, but would it all flow as smoothly next time?
Loki snickered as she reached out behind her, "TCHE! Ruined my mood… Oi! Get me some wine so I can wash down this dry feeling in my throat!" She demanded as she crossed her arms and hunched her back.
Loki then turned to Riveria, "Don't stop me, Riveria! I can't get back home sober after this!"
"… Fine, just don't come crying to me tomorrow to help cure your hangover again." Riveria said as she caved in, although her thoughts were clearly elsewhere
'I didn't want this… but having her causing trouble is better than… whatever we have now.' She thought as she glanced around
Their table had grown unusually quiet, each processing Silver's words at their own pace.
The night was still quite long…
…
/Gulp!/
/SLAM!/
"Hooo… I haven't drunk this well is quite a while." Gareth claimed as he tapped his stomach
He turned to the side, looking at Silver, who seemed about to fall down.
He chuckled, "You have potential, in more ways than I expected. Rather than twenty years, it seems you might get on my level in just a few."
Silver looked at the ceiling, still bobbing left and right, "… I givsh up. You are… the dunksh king!"
"Whatever you say."
Silver looked at his trembling hands, putting them over his face. His last action before he lost consciousness… was to brush his hair back.
/THUD!/
And just like Lefiya a few minutes prior, he fell face-first onto the table.
"… There he goes." Tione said with a sigh as she rested her head in her hand, "Took him long enough. Does he even know how much he drank?"
Gareth exhaled, "I'm surprised he can even speak. This much drinking… made me feel some twenty-ish years younger, buwahahaha!"
"Let's not go back to those loud days, I quite like our current peace." Riveria said calmly
She then silently stared at Silver and then back at Ais who had spent the last ten minutes staring at the table in silence, barely responding to anyone calling her, even Tiona.
'Tomorrow will be a busy day…'
/Creak…/
/Chatter…/
/… Comottion!/
"Hm? What's going on now?" Gareth asked as he turned to the side
Riveria frowned, "I told her not to cause more trouble."
"I don't think she could remember it even if she wanted to…" Finn added
The doors of the pub opened as a woman stepped inside. Wearing a fluffy brown coat and boasting lush black hair, she possessed a unique aura that everyone recognized.
The deity looked around, searching for someone. But before her eyes could settle, another deity approached her, breath stinking of alcohol as she stomped her way through the pub.
The deity immediately noticed her, "Get away from me, Loki! Your breath stinks more than a toilet!" Hestia exclaimed as she pushed the drunk red-haired deity aside.
"This darned cow… this is no place for boring people like you! Go back to your white, pristine temple where everyone only drinks morning dew!"
Somehow, the two deities began fighting each other moments after they met. It took no time for them to roll around on the wooden floor as the others looked on, some even cheering.
"That deity is… isn't she his deity?" Gareth asked as he brushed his beard
"It seems she's here to fetch him up, and right on time… I don't think he'll be waking up anytime soon." Tione added as she looked at Tiona stack mugs on Silver's head the same way she did with Lefiya
It seemed she too had grown a little tipsy…
Gareth raised an eyebrow at Hestia's height, "But this might be an issue. How is she going to carry him back?"
"… Bete, stop drinking for a moment and help her carry him back home." Riveria demanded as she turned to the quiet werewolf
"Huh? What the hell?"
"No rebuttal, go."
Bete's eyes twitched.
…
/Scrub…/
Mia watched it all unfold from the side, eventually turning to face a passing waitress.
"Chloe, have you seen Syr? Is she slacking off again? We're drowning in work over here!"
"Nya? I think she went to the second floor a few moments ago to change her clothes. I think she spilled something on herself… I just saw her running away."
"Did she now…"
Mia's gaze turned to Hestia as she walked outside with Bete and Silver on his shoulders.
As for Loki, she had been subdued and tied to a chair yet again.
…
"… Thank you, adventurer. It would've been quite difficult for me to carry him back myself." Hestia thanked as she walked beside Bete
The chilly wind blew between them, although Bete barely reacted to it.
"It's fine, let's just get this over with."
Hestia looked at the quiet werewolf whose sharp eyes pierced into the night ahead of him, and momentarily felt a tug at her chest.
"How is it, being Loki's child?"
He frowned even harder as he turned to her, but quickly responded with a snort, "… Don't look where you don't belong, chibby deity."
"You're not much one to talk, huh… I can understand, my child too keeps a lot to himself." She said as she nodded up and down
Bete stopped walking, "… The hell do you know? Listen up, I'm not doing this because I want to. If it were up to me, I'd leave him on the curb in the cold for all I cared."
"I hate how obnoxious he is, and I especially hate nosy deities who think they understand it all from just looking at me once, so shut your crap and tell me where the hole you two call home is so I can shove him inside and call it a night!"
Hestia tilted her head, "Tsundere, huh…"
'Loki… what are you doing ignoring a child with such a pained heart? You're better than that.'
Bete almost popped a vein as he clenched his jaw, "I'm not a fucking tsundere!!"
As Bete fumed, Silver woke up faintly, but quickly closed his eyes.
"Mnnmn… dog…"
"And don't you fucking droll on me! And what did you say?? You damn son of a bitch!!!"
"…"
'And what have you taught him for him to be so foul-mouthed?…'
The deity and the beast walked down the streets, under the snow-covered homes.
…
/THUD!/
Bete unceremoniously threw Silver onto their manor's door, "There, get him inside yourself."
"I will, thank you, adventurer!"
"Whatever, just don't count on this happening anytime soon. Or rather, ever." Bete claimed as he turned around without as much as greeting her back
Hestia sighed, it seemed that complicated children were everywhere after all, and she wasn't the only one having it rough… "What's your name, adventurer?"
"Just ask any of those workaholics at the Guild and they'll glady tell it to you."
"… So difficult…" Hestia mumbled as Bete walked downstairs
She then turned to the collapsed boy at her feet, putting her hands on her waist, "Silver… I knew you were keeping something from me so it was a party, huh? A party with that darned matchstick!"
She puffed her cheeks, "I should keep you outside for hiding it from me, but I'm such a kind deity…"
Hestia crouched down to pull him inside…
"UGH!… Huff… damn it, Silver… why are you so heavy?"
'He always carried me so I had the impression I could do the same… I was foolish. His muscles alone are as heavy as me!'
/Pull!/
/Pull!/
Again and again, Hestia tried her hardest to get him inside, tripping over him, knocking her head against the door frame, and almost having Silver slip past the staircase and onto the cold streets below.
But in the end, she succeed in getting him inside, closing the door once and for all.
/Clack!/
…
"… What the hell… where is everybody?!"
"They left about ten minutes ago." Lunoire said as she cleaned a table with a light expression
"HUH?? The fuck do you mean they're all gone?!" Bete exclaimed as his face went red
'This is all that fucker's fault! Took me a damn hour to come back!!'
He ruffled his hair and eventually snickered, turning around, only to bump into Mia who stood behind him with her arms crossed.
"Oi, lost pup, someone has to settle the bill."
"W-What?"
"You deaf? Pay up."
"But I didn't…"
Mia merely crossed her arms.
"Fuuck… Loki, you damn son of a…"
…
/Snooore…/
"… Ughh… my head, I should've detoxified the alcohol… haaaa…"
Silver opened his eyes, still in the dead of night, sweating cold with a heavy pressure on his chest.
He crept his head upward, yet there was nothing there, 'Since when did a damn blanket weigh so much?… Huff…'
He reached out for his forehead, and his fingers slowly pierced into his skin and beyond.
/Shaaa…/
Thin smoke poured from his lips as he exhaled, and immediately after, Silver poured himself a large jar of water as the holes left in his skull closed one after the other.
"Ugh… I feel a bit better now."
'I need to train my tolerance a bit more. If I'm not actively trying to keep myself sober, one or two mugs is enough to derail my thoughts and make me lose myself…'
"I did a little too much this time." He mumbled with a helpless smile as he sat on the edge of his bed
After a moment to relax, he approached a small balcony leading outside and looked at the bright moon.
"It was fun. It's been a while since I got to play a bit."
The stars twinkled in the night sky as the bright moon beamed down from above.
He reached out for the moon, 'I wonder how the view is from up there. It'll take me a long time to get there on my own… maybe when I get to Level 9? Ha…'
"A vast world waiting to be explored…"
'Speaking of that.'
He turned around and closed the doors leading to the balcony, embracing utter darkness before taking a deep breath.
'I've pushed it back until now, but I can't stop thinking about it now.'
'What I saw that moment… it was most definitely a Tear. A passage into another timeline, or perhaps even the past and the future… although that is a somewhat rudimentary view of what they are.'
'Much of my achievements came from exploring and plundering ideas from other realities. After I regained my Plasmids, I tried to form one myself but failed.'
"Just like how I've been relearning how to use them, it seems the trigger to form one has changed, and I unconsciously tapped into it in that desperate moment."
'… The feeling is still quite vivid. Perhaps if I focus enough… but is it a good idea?'
Silver raised his hands into the darkness…
/Sheen…/
A wisp of bright light ignited within his palms, slowly spreading outward like a shaking wave of static.
Silver's forehead tensed as he focused to an unbelievable degree. His skin grew half-transparent, crystalizing as the same shaky waves formed around his arms, jumping amidst crevices that opened and closed within them.
When it grew enough, Silver's hand dove into the light and spread it open, forming a wide, shaky passage, akin to a heavily static reflection.
Beyond, Silver saw what he understood to be ruins, and his expression grew hesitant.
'That's never a good sign… but… can I bring myself to not step through it?'
He looked at his palms as they flickered in sync with the Tear, "Something's wrong… I can't seem to control this very well."
'Am I only able to form this singular passage? Could there be some hidden condition I'm not aware of?'
'It wouldn't be strange. Perhaps the Gods have long meddled with the fabric of reality in their eternity of whimsical conflict… not that I can opine on anything they did.'
/Step!/
He stepped forward with conviction, reaching into a world he didn't belong.
…
/Shine…/
The sun shone above his head as he stood on the ruins of what was once a home.
Smoke and flames still danced around him, but he was quick to identify that they had been burning for over a day already.
"…"
He did not speak and immediately vanished instead, reappearing in a somewhat intact home on the other side of the street.
'My suspicions were right.' He thought as he looked at the rubble, 'This is indeed the same place I was before, but the entire land…'
Silver's gaze turned to the side. Before him, flames and smoke reached for the skies, a truly devastating scene to witness…
The city of Heroes that fought against the Dungeon had been reduced to such a state…
A single explanation formed within his mind, 'Unless we're in another time period or a parallel catastrophe… this must be the infamous Dark Age.'
The story was quite clear, 'When Zeus and Hera were ruined by the power of the Black Dragon, all the evil and darkness that loomed within their shadows… immediately imploded outward, nearly destroying the world in the process.'
'They almost burned the city to the ground, and in some ways, they did. The ruins of their actions still glaring in modern Orario… and the scars they left on everyone still stung quite strongly.'
'The Dark Age that lasted nearly a decade and ended several years before my arrival…'
The hope that almost crumbled under the whimsical plans of a single deity and his two harbingers of destruction.
The final conclusion that ended an era and reminded all of how cruel reality was.
The world had grown too accustomed to peace, forgetting the madness, chaos, insanity, and brutality that had plagued it for numerous millennia.
/Jump!/
Silver jumped into the distant lights, eager to see the world he was unable to experience, just as he had done many times before in a life already left behind.
…
.
.
.
Notes
Thank you for following through this far! Volume 3 - Gears of fate, his name is... (Name still in review) will be returning in the near future, with new Arcs and events.
Now that Silver has reawakened his ability to traverse timelines through Tears, a whole new world of possibilities await.
As we near the first meeting of the Gods, the world continues to move ahead.
With the introductory period of the School District coming to an end, it'll soon be time for its exams, and by proxy, graduates, to step into the light.
And much more (I'm tired to write about it)...
The idea, as always, was for each Volume to encompass one Level, with the last Volume, the 5th one, representing his ascension to Level 5.
That's about it, bye!