For a long time after that, Arthas's life seemed to return to normal. He continued to venture into the Dungeon, still encountering no monsters.
He'd long since squandered his money and had to rely on Hestia's support.
Arthas sighed helplessly, sitting down on the fifth floor of the Dungeon. Money seemed to vanish without notice, but its absence was truly agonizing.
He'd casually spent 2,000 Valis that night; thinking back, it was extravagant—Hestia's half-month salary.
For Arthas, the fifth floor of the Dungeon had become his backyard; he was intimately familiar with it, though he still hadn't encountered a single monster.
Eina was numb to it; she couldn't fathom why Arthas never encountered monsters.
Was it a special constitution, unbelievably good luck, or something else entirely?
Eina had no answers; she expected to be Arthas's adventurer advisor for a considerable time.
After all, Arthas hadn't yet completed her first assignment: kill a single goblin.
Meanwhile, the events surrounding the Loki Familia that day seemed to have been suppressed. All those in the know kept silent, preventing any rumors about Arthas from spreading.
Rumors like: a Level 1 adventurer defeating a Level 5, possessing unbelievably powerful ice magic, etc.
However, several different versions of the romance between Arthas and Riveria Ljos Alf did circulate.
These casual rumors eventually died down; everyone knew Arthas and Riveria Ljos Alf were an impossibility. Aside from the difference in their status, inter-Familia relationships were practically unheard of.
As for Bete, the beastman, after regaining consciousness, seemed deeply affected by the events. He hadn't sought Ais Wallenstein again, instead choosing to train alone in the deeper levels of the Dungeon.
"It's been half a month now. I wonder how Riveria Ljos Alf is doing."
Not seeing Riveria Ljos Alf for half a month left Arthas feeling lost and uncertain. He longed to see her but learned that the Loki Familia's strongest members had embarked on another expedition.
"Want to catch up to my Riveria Ljos Alf? You'll need to work harder. You're interesting, but your absolute strength is still insufficient."
The red-haired Goddess with narrowed eyes, Loki, had said this. Remembering her words, Arthas unconsciously clenched his fist.
"Absolute strength?"
What constituted absolute strength?
With this thought, Arthas slowly stood up. His hands trailed along the Dungeon walls, and a chilling aura emanated from his palms. Unclean Frost spread slowly and elegantly, coating the surrounding Dungeon walls in a layer of white.
"Truly… how boring. Are you this afraid of me?"
Muttering softly to himself, Arthas sighed. The Dungeon walls trembled as if responding to his question.
Where the frost spread, the Dungeon walls cracked, and a crimson liquid flowed slowly like blood, accompanied by the pained howls of a beast, staining the pristine white frost with a macabre hue.
...
Orario, the Dungeon City.
Existing since the ancient times before the Gods' arrival, it is one of the world's largest cities and the only Dungeon City in the world.
The thrill of the unknown, immense wealth, glorious honor, and power.
Everything is available in this city.
And so, countless people, captivated by these dreams, gather here—among them, perhaps, some seeking fated encounters.
"The world's hottest city."
That's what people call Orario.
And so, inevitably.
The Gods, even more eager for the unknown and entertainment than the adventurers themselves, would naturally flock to this, the world's most exciting city.
"Um… a banquet for the Gods?"
At night, Arthas sat shirtless on the bed as usual, allowing Hestia to check his stats. He tilted his head quizzically at her words.
"Yes, a 'Banquet of the Gods' hosted by Ganesha. Simply put, it's a private gathering of Gods."
"The so-called 'Banquet of the Gods' is, in essence, a gathering of Gods who have descended to this world. There are no rules regarding which God hosts or on which day it's held. Any God who feels like hosting a banquet can, and any God who wants to attend can."
"Gods are certainly fickle."
Arthas shook his head with a wry smile.
"Yes, yes, but there's a free feast to be had; you'd be a fool to miss it."
Hestia said this, having already recorded Arthas's stats.
"Still no increase?"
Arthas spoke softly, sensing that Hestia was hesitant to announce his stats.
"Ah… yes, still no change whatsoever."
Hestia sighed helplessly. It had been twenty days since Arthas became an adventurer, yet his stats remained the same as on the very first day, showing no improvement whatsoever.
"It's fine. It doesn't really matter for a mage."
Arthas said unconcernedly, and Hestia looked at him with curiosity.
"Arthas, have you mastered the knack for unleashing your magic yet?"
"Well, I think I've gotten the hang of it a bit, but I'm not entirely sure myself."
Arthas said this, turning his palm over. Immediately, a bone-chilling cold emanated from his palm, instantly coating the dimly lit basement in a thin layer of frost.
"Eek… so cold, so cold, so cold…"
The moment Arthas unleashed the cold aura, Hestia was thoroughly chilled, the young Goddess shivering uncontrollably.
"Sorry, are you alright, Hestia?"
Arthas retracted the cold aura, gently embracing the shivering girl.
"Yeah… I'm fine. It feels indescribably warm in your arms, Arthas."
Cuddled in Arthas's careful embrace, Hestia's eyes narrowed happily, like a cat clinging to its owner.
The cold aura came quickly and left just as quickly, disappearing as if controlled by Arthas's thoughts.
"Amazing! I know of only one person in Orario who can control their magic like that – you, Arthas! You're absolutely the strongest mage in all of Orario!"
Hestia said excitedly, her face flushed. Arthas shook his head gently.
While it seemed his magic was exceptionally powerful – a point even Loki seemed to concede – it was far from enough. This was not the true, absolute power he possessed…
Arthas recalled Loki's words again, the thing he lacked, the thing that would ultimately decide everything.
To overcome these obstacles, to be with Riveria Ljos Alf… he was far, far from ready.
Slowly closing his hands, Arthas clearly understood what he lacked most.
Despite possessing seemingly immense power, he was as fragile as a child. The deficiencies in his physical constitution were fatal. Perhaps he should be grateful for his incredible luck in not encountering any monsters in the Dungeon so far; otherwise, he might already be dead.
His own inherent strength was the most important thing; magic was merely an external force.
Take Riveria Ljos Alf, for example. Even though she relied on her own powerful magic, her inherent physical strength was far beyond that of the average adventurer.
Magic is indeed a powerful tool, but without the corresponding inherent strength to back it up, it's like a child wielding a divine weapon.
"I want to get stronger… not just relying on magic. I want all my other stats to reach the same level as my magic."
Looking at the thin sheet of ice representing his stats, Arthas said this earnestly.
Hestia, nestled in his arms, narrowed her eyes and nodded gently.
"Yes… I'll help you, Arthas. I'll help you become even stronger."
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