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After awakening those two rare Skills, Bell's adventurer career took off.
Hestia, upon returning to her Familia, gave him the grimoire Mika had provided—With it, Bell awakened his magic: Firebolt, the same instant-cast spell as in the original story.
Armed with his new Skills and magic, he ventured into the dungeon, his base stats increasing rapidly. Within two weeks, all his abilities had reached S-rank.
However, this time, instead of immediately leveling up, he continued training under Alfia's guidance, honing his combat awareness, instincts, and experience — Skills that couldn't be quantified on a status sheet. He also continued his martial arts training.
He had much to learn.
Therefore, unlike in the original story, where he had reached Level 2 within a month—this time it took him two months—As a result, before his level up, all his stats had surpassed the S-rank limit, reaching the realm of SS-rank.
Even so, his rapid progress stunned Orario.
The Gods were astonished, and the adventurers were skeptical.
While they didn't question it openly—due to the Yahweh Familia's reputation, rumors of deception began to spread.
Therefore, Hestia revealed Bell's Skills, letting everyone know that he possessed an ability that accelerated his growth. This revelation only deepened their shock—Such a Skill was unheard of.
"I didn't expect you to resolve it that way." Within the Yahweh Familia's meeting room, Mika, along with several Gods and key Familia members, were discussing Bell's situation.
"Hmph. So what if they know? We're part of the Yahweh Familia! Do they think they can challenge us?"
Hestia declared, her hands on her hips, a smug grin on her face.
Unlike in the original story, the Hestia Familia now had the backing of the Yahweh Familia. Her perspective, her confidence, had shifted dramatically.
In the original story, Hestia, a newly descended Goddess with a single Familia member and limited resources, had been incredibly vulnerable.
They had lived in the basement of a dilapidated church. Revealing Bell's unique Skill would have made him a target—Other Gods would have undoubtedly tried to steal him, just like the Apollo Familia had, though their motivations had been different.
They had wanted Bell for himself, leading to the War Game between their Familias.
If not for Bell and Hestia's friends abandoning their own Familias to join them, and Ryuu Lion's intervention, Bell would have been taken.
And besides the Gods, there were also the adventurers themselves, some of whom, driven by jealousy or a desire to prove themselves—might try to eliminate a rising talent, though they wouldn't dare target a member of a larger Familia.
They were malicious, not suicidal.
And then there were those who simply disliked Bell's rapid progress, believing it to be a deception, wanting to expose or "punish him," like the group that had kidnapped Hestia.
However, with the backing of the Yahweh Familia, those threats were negligible.
As one of Orario's strongest Familias, a rising power on the verge of surpassing even the Loki and Freya Familias, they weren't to be trifled with.
And as for those driven by jealousy... they wouldn't dare act.
The Loki Familia, with Ais Wallenstein and Lefiya Viridis, were rarely challenged—Why? Because of their reputation.
Therefore, revealing Bell's Skills was not only safe but also beneficial, earning him respect and silencing the rumors of deception.
"Excellent." Yahweh nodded, pleased with Hestia's decision.
"That's the spirit. We are the Yahweh Familia—There's no need to fear repercussions. As long as we're not in the wrong, we can face any challenge. We will protect our own."
The Yahweh Familia feared no one.
They could even challenge the Freya Familia without hesitation.
If not for their plan to conceal Mika, Airmid, and Mellie's true strength, they would have already confronted Freya—claiming her spot atop Babel Tower, a privilege reserved for the leader of Orario's strongest Familia.
Even Yahweh coveted that position, though she kept it to herself. After all, if she voiced her desire, Mika would undoubtedly try to fulfill it, disrupting his plans.
However, she hadn't abandoned the idea entirely. She simply intended to achieve it through other means:
By training heroes strong enough to surpass the Freya Familia without relying on Mika, Airmid, or Mellie—And that goal was within reach.
After all, the Yahweh Familia alliance was now filled with talented individuals—they only needed time to grow. And time, for a God, was a plentiful resource.
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After his rapid rise to fame—Bell received the Familia's full support:
Top-tier weapons, armor—all crafted by the Hephaestus Familia's master smiths and provided free of charge.
This, however, also resulted in a rapidly growing debt.
While they were all part of the Yahweh Familia alliance and received discounts, the cost of materials was still significant.
And for Bell, a low-level adventurer, the sheer amount was overwhelming. The weight of this debt, this seemingly insurmountable financial burden, made him anxious.
"Idiot! Letting a little debt affect your training? You're prioritizing the wrong things," Alfia scolded him.
"But—it's a lot of money," Bell protested, the long string of zeros making him dizzy.
As a rising star in Orario, having reached Level 2, his income from the dungeon had increased several times compared to before. However, even so, he couldn't imagine ever repaying such a massive debt. This bleak financial outlook weighed heavily on him, even affecting his sleep.
"You're so naive." Alfia, seeing how easily he was discouraged, considered finding him a practical companion, someone to manage his finances and offer strategic advice.
After all, she wouldn't be around forever.
She was currently able to focus on his training because Mika was busy integrating the Counter Force's knowledge.
However, once he was finished, she would be joining him on his journeys to other worlds.
Mika was her master, after all.
While Mika had offered to release her, she had refused. She valued her bond with him. Her death at his hands had been a release, a fitting end. She had no regrets.
After all, she had no family, no comrades left. Her only remaining relative, Bell, was now safe and cared for.
And as for the Black Dragon—It had become a stepping stone for the next generation. She had faith in their ability to defeat it.
Her sacrifice had, in a way, avenged her fallen comrades.
Therefore, she had no regrets, only a sense of...peace. The illness that had plagued her since birth was finally gone.
But Mika had brought her back, saving her soul—And from that moment on, she had dedicated her life to him, becoming his weapon, his protector. It was her way of repaying his kindness.
Therefore, she had refused his offer of freedom, choosing to remain by his side.
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"Bell, that debt—it's not a burden, but an investment in your future. With your unique Skill, you're destined for greatness. You will become a powerful adventurer, a leader within the Familia. While it might seem like a lot of money now, once you surpass even Ottar, it will be insignificant. By then, whether you repay it or not won't matter. Your value will be far beyond what money can measure. Therefore, the Familia doesn't actually expect you to repay it. It's simply motivation."
Bell, listening to her explanation, nodded thoughtfully.
Seeing that he understood, Alfia relaxed slightly.
Perhaps She should send him to a school in another world. It might... improve his intelligence. She considered his limited education, a consequence of his rural upbringing.
She could have him focus on training and leveling up for the next two years, while also learning basic academics from another world. Then, when he was older, she could send him to a high school in another world, perhaps even teaching him some of their unique Skills and Techniques.
Alfia knew that Falna alone wasn't enough to achieve Godhood. Its true power lay in its synergy with other systems. Therefore, Bell, and the other members of the Yahweh Familia, would eventually have to travel to other worlds, learning new abilities once they reached Level 6.
"I see..." Bell's eyes lit up, his earlier dejection vanishing. Not having to repay the debt was a huge relief.
Alfia, seeing his renewed enthusiasm, smiled and resumed their training.
As they finished, Bell suddenly said, "Laffia, I still want to repay the debt. It wouldn't feel right otherwise. But it will take time. My income is still—limited."
"Do as you please. It's your debt," Alfia replied, turning away. He no longer seemed burdened by it. And that was enough.
"Then, to repay it quickly, I'll have to work even harder!" he declared, his voice filled with renewed determination.
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Late that night, Mika lay in bed, seemingly asleep, deep in thought. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, their intensity piercing through the darkness. He sat up and looked out the window, a smile playing on his lips as he felt the cool night air on his skin.
"It's finally done... I've absorbed all that knowledge."
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