Finn wanted to say it was impossible, but his logic told him the probability wasn't zero. In fact, it was quite high.
"We've been checkmated," Gareth shook his head. But the Big Three were smiling.
"Whatever the truth is, Levi goes into the Dungeon every day and earns a lot of Valis. He's a standard adventurer with a thirst for power and wealth," Finn said. "That's good for us. We can bind him to us through mutual interest. We just need to discuss what we're willing to pay."
Finn, as the Captain of the Loki Familia, had reaction speeds that were second to none. Yet, even with his brilliant mind, the massive gaps in information meant he couldn't possibly deduce the fact that Levi was on the verge of hitting Lv.3—and was only a "Great Feat" away from Lv.4.
On the other hand, Tsubaki—who had locked herself in her personal workshop to try and violently dismantle a Vision—wore a "Are you kidding me?" expression when she saw Levi again and heard his request for a deep-floor escort.
"Little Levi, didn't you just reach Lv.2?" Tsubaki asked.
"Correct," Levi nodded. "But that doesn't mean I don't need to start stacking Great Feats for Lv.3."
"Also, before coming here, I already got Lady Hephaestus's approval. The daily rate is 3 million Valis."
"You..." Tsubaki's mouth hung open.
She had promised to help him stack feats for Lv.3 and Lv.4 back when they first met. Although her Goddess had technically "bought out" those rights with Valis later, she had no intention of backing out of the initial promise. For a blacksmith like Tsubaki, having a powerful adventurer as a friend meant a steady supply of rare materials from the deep floors.
Still... the speed at which this boy's stats grew was simply too fast, wasn't it? It had only been two days since his rank up.
Deciding not to dwell on anything unrelated to smithing, she nodded. "Fine. We head out tomorrow morning. Given that your combat power is clearly off the charts, we'll probably need to descend toward the 30th floor. The round trip alone will take four days. I'll give you a shopping list and some maps; hit the commercial district and get the supplies. As for the maps, make sure they're burned into your brain."
"Understood."
Levi wasn't a man who let a "cheat system" go to his head. On the contrary, as long as it didn't violate his principles, he was more than happy to utilize external power. For instance...
"Yo, you're here."
The next morning, inside Hephaestus's workshop. The red-haired, one-eyed Goddess had her head tilted back, using the light to observe the dim constellation within the Vision Levi had temporarily left with her. Hearing the door open, she didn't even turn around, offering only a light chuckle.
"Lady Hephaestus."
A Goddess could afford to be casual, but Levi, not being one of her dependents, maintained a respectful distance. "I'm here to retrieve the Vision."
"The 'Vision', huh?" Hephaestus mused. "That term fits it quite well."
Clearly, after a dozen hours of research, the Goddess of Forging had roughly deciphered the composition and forging principles of this otherworldly item. Levi silently took back his high-cost equipment. He hadn't lied to Tsubaki; he had indeed secured Hephaestus's permission first. The price? Allowing the Goddess to play with his new 4-star Vision all night.
"With that look on your face, one would think I'd stolen Hestia away," Hephaestus teased, poking the boy's cheek.
Levi wanted to retort that "to an adventurer, equipment is no different from a lover," but considering he had sold his ten-year-old sword and his first Vision for starting capital, the rebuttal died in his throat. He could only mutter, "Lady Hephaestus, please stop teasing me."
Instead of stopping, the Goddess stepped closer, nearly pressing against him. "Don't you know that Gods are incredibly domineering and self-centered?" she asked, her tone hovering between serious and playful.
Levi didn't back down. "I didn't before. Now..." He glanced down. "I can definitely 'feel' it."
"Heh, slippery little brat. Speaking of which, where's Hestia? Why isn't she with you today?" Hephaestus asked, stepping back subtly.
Levi looked away. "Hestia is... well, she's still resting."
"Ohhhhhhh~"
Hephaestus was a veteran; she caught the subtext immediately. Just as she was about to tease them about their relationship, the workshop door swung open again. Tsubaki's voice followed, tinged with awkwardness.
"Uh... Lady Hephaestus, did I come at a bad time?"
"Ah..."
Even for Hephaestus, being caught "flirting" with a beautiful boy by her own Captain was a bit embarrassing. Levi, however, was as thick-skinned as a city wall. "No, you came at the perfect time!"
"So... want to join in?"
"Uh, I'll pass. You're too young, Little Levi. If people found out, they'd say I'm an old cow eating tender grass," Tsubaki rejected him flatly, completely forgetting that both her Goddess and Levi's Goddess were millions of years old.
"Tsubaki~"
Hephaestus spoke with a smile, yet her voice carried a distinct chill. The Master Smith realized she had accidentally stepped on a divine landmine. She hurriedly looked at the sky outside. "Shouldn't we be heading out?"
"Indeed," Levi agreed, taking the out. He looked at the red-haired Goddess. "Then, Lady Hephaestus, we'll see you in a few days."