The wind always had a unique way of telling a story. Sometimes it blew gently, carrying the refreshing scent of ocean salt, and at other times, it blew dry, carrying grains of sand ready to scrape against the bone.
To Venti, those extreme differences were merely a change of verse in an epic song he was currently composing.
Two weeks had passed since the night at Cassiopeia Castle. Two weeks that felt so tranquil, as if the world had decided to hold its breath for a moment to allow a new page of destiny to be written in peace.
That night, on the deck of the borrowed ship from the Njord Familia as it smoothly cleaved the waves back toward the Port City of Melen, Venti finally gave the gift of freedom that little Asfi had yearned for most. A Falna.
Venti still clearly remembered the atmosphere in that cabin. Little Asfi sat on a wooden chair with her back exposed. Her face looked straight ahead, reflecting an iron resolve honed by years of neglect in her homeland. There was no hesitation in her cyan eyes, let alone fear.
"Hold still for a moment, it might tickle a little when the letters start to form," Venti said softly. He used a small silver needle to prick the tip of his finger, letting a drop of Ichor—his divine blood—emerge. "This blood is a sign that you are now in control of your own destiny."
As the drop of Ichor was smeared onto Asfi's back, faint lines of light began to creep across her skin.
The Barbatos Familia emblem was etched slowly. Along with that sacred carving, a string of hieroglyphic text containing the history and deepest potential of the girl's soul rose to the surface.
In the process of granting a Falna, a god was essentially reading the core of their children's talents. Venti had seen all sorts of human talents. However, as his eyes translated the lines of Asfi's status text, he couldn't hide his amazed smile.
.......................................
Name: Asfi Al Andromeda
Level: 1
[ Ability ]
Strength: I0
Endurance: I0
Dexterity: I0
Agility: I0
Magic: I0
[ Magic ]
-
[ Skills ]
Trismegistus (The Thrice Great)
Effect 1: Strengthens the effect and efficiency of using all kinds of tools and magic items.
Effect 2: Allows the user to chant and imbue multiple spells simultaneously during the item creation/crafting process.
Effect 3: Triggers the temporary manifestation of production-type Development Abilities (such as Mystery, Mixing, or Smithing) even if the user is still Level 1 or does not yet possess them.
.................................….
Truly an extraordinary anomaly, Venti thought at that moment, stroking his chin in satisfaction.
In this Gekai, it was absolutely impossible for a Level 1 novice to possess Development Abilities like Mystery, which was an absolute requirement for creating Magic Items. However, Asfi's talent refused to bow down to such rigid laws. The harshness of living inside a cage had forged a Skill that was essentially a shortcut to miracles. A cheat-like skill that allowed her to bypass the logical rules of production.
The little girl with goggles on her forehead was truly born to be the All-Rounder.
Venti chuckled crisply, a warm laugh. He gently patted the top of Asfi's head, then hid the hieroglyphic text with a divine 'lock' so it couldn't be read by just anyone, and nodded, letting Asfi put her clothes back on.
The journey across the ocean back to Melen felt incredibly fast. Upon arriving at the docks, the small group wasted no time. They immediately returned to Orario, heading straight for the Guild Headquarters.
The visit to Royman's office that day was very brief.
Venti opened the Guild Head's office door without knocking, stepping inside with his cheerful smile. Following from behind, Dina and Vena unceremoniously threw all the Altena mages, who were still bound by special anti-magic restraining ropes, onto the floor.
"Barbatos..." groaned Royman Mardeel, massaging his temples as if he'd just been hit with a hammer. The plump Elf's face paled upon recognizing the uniform cloaks of the Altena Magic Empire. "I gave you the task of investigating the Leviathan anomaly. Why did you drag captives from another country into my office instead?!"
"Ehe~ Don't panic just yet," Venti replied casually. "They are exactly the source of the anomaly. These mages were secretly harvesting energy from the Leviathan's carcass illegally. I brought the culprits alive as proof of my mission's completion."
Royman's groaning stopped instantly. His panicked expression evaporated in a matter of seconds, replaced by a cunning glint full of political calculation.
The old Elf immediately shouted toward his office door. "Staff! Get in here quickly and secure these people! And summon representatives from the Ganesha Familia right now!"
He then glared at Venti with a rough snort, waving his hand to shoo him away. "Report accepted. The agreement for your Familia's free entry and exit rights outside of Orario has been authorized. Now get out of my office, I have to handle this matter."
"A pleasure doing business with you!" Venti replied cheerfully, stepping out and leaving the Guild Head to rack his cunning brains. Let the paperwork and factional intrigues be the daily bread of the Guild bureaucrats.
After the Guild business was settled, Venti brought Asfi to their final destination: the Barbatos Familia headquarters.
The moment of introduction at the headquarters that day was unforgettable. As they entered, Alfia, who was sitting and reading a book, slowly lifted her face. The former Hera Familia executive looked Asfi up and down. Alfia's gaze was incredibly sharp, enough to make veteran adventurers tremble.
However, Asfi did not back down in the slightest. She stared back into the eyes of the strongest mage with an equally intense analytical gaze, seemingly unaffected by the oppressive aura around her.
Seeing the little girl remain undaunted, the corners of Alfia's lips lifted slightly. A silent acknowledgment of Asfi's courage.
Aria, standing beside Alfia, took a different approach. The wind spirit smiled gently, stepped forward, and welcomed the arrival of their new family member with a warm hug. Asfi froze slightly; she had never felt such a sincere maternal embrace. Her stiff hands slowly lifted to return Aria's hug.
The peak moment, however, was when little Ais emerged from behind the training room door, gripping her wooden sword tightly. Ais's golden eyes blinked innocently, staring at the light-blue-haired girl whose belt was laden with strange tools.
"Well now, Ais," Venti said, gently patting Asfi's shoulder. "Now you have a friend your own age here. Be nice to her, okay?"
Ais tilted her head slightly, then nodded slowly. Asfi returned the gaze, then deftly reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small mechanical bird toy, wound its key, and let it fly, flapping its metal wings right in front of Ais's face.
Ais's golden eyes instantly sparkled in awe. She reached out her hand, letting the mechanical bird perch on her finger.
In that second, Venti knew that he had brought Asfi to the right place. In this headquarters, she was not a "Keystone" or a tool. She was a child, an inventor, and part of a protective family that would support her.
Leaving Asfi under the protection and supervision of Alfia and Aria brought peace of mind to Venti. Now, after entrusting Asfi to them, Venti once again stepped out of the Labyrinth City, embarking on his other mission.
..............................…..
Venti's reverie about those peaceful two weeks slowly faded, swept away by the howling wind eroding the barren rocks around him.
"The sun in this cursed place truly has no manners at all," Hedin complained in an annoyed tone.
The pale blond Elf adjusted his glasses while shaking off his white cloak, which was beginning to collect coarse dust. For Hedin, who highly upheld perfection and elegance, this filthy place ruining his appearance was completely intolerable.
The air around them vibrated due to the extreme heat, ready to drain the sweat and stamina of anyone unaccustomed to living under the harsh desert climate.
The five of them—Venti, Hedin, Hogni, Dina, and Vena—had now arrived at the border of the Kaios Desert.
This desert wasn't merely a sea of sand; it was an expanse of death. This place was a silent witness to the terror where one of the Three Great Quests, the land king Behemoth, rampaged before finally being defeated by the Zeus and Hera Familia. Although the giant monster had been eradicated, the corrosive poison remnants and miasma from its relatively fresh carcass were said to continuously pollute the center of the desert, spawning incredibly savage anomalous monsters.
"E-Even the shadows of these rocks feel like they want to pounce on us..." muttered Hogni. His body trembled slightly in vigilance, his left hand tightly gripping the hilt of his pitch-black sword. His eyes constantly scanned the sand dunes, searching for signs of movement behind the dust storms.
On the other hand, Dina and Vena looked much more relaxed. With a little prior guidance from Venti, the twin Elf girls modified the flow of wind magic around their bodies, creating a sort of micro air conditioner that constantly spun gently to drive away the heat. They walked as if they were strolling down a city street in autumn.
"You're too tense, Hedin," Venti said casually. His fingers plucked the lyre's strings, producing a cheerful tune that heavily contrasted with the deadly atmosphere of the desert. "Just think of this as our summer vacation. Warm sand, exotic scenery, and ancient mysteries waiting to be solved."
"A normal summer vacation usually involves water and cold drinks, Lord Venti. Not corrosive sandstorms and poison," Hedin replied flatly, though his eyes remained sharp, maintaining a tight guard formation on the right side of his patron god.
Venti only offered a small smile in response to the grumbling. His eyes now stared sharply toward the giant dust vortex in the center of the Kaios Desert. The mission to investigate the Leviathan's remnants was complete. Now, it was time to deal with the remnants of the land king, which were far deadlier.
"Alright, kids," Venti called out. His tone of voice shifted, shedding the impression of a playful bard and radiating a calmness that felt like the silence before a storm sweeps in. "Let's see what secrets this sandy desert is hiding from the eyes of the world. Get ready."
The steps of the god and his four followers slowly sank into the no man's land. Beneath the burning sky of the Kaios Desert, they carved their path toward the center of the storm of death.
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P - Gem_Blanks
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