"Yeah. Lowering the pressure and reducing the growth rate of Status will weaken the effect, but it'll also increase the number of people who can handle the strain."
Tione nodded thoughtfully. She knew the overall situation of their Familia better than most.
The Loki Familia wasn't like the Astraea Familia, where every single member was an elite. The majority of Loki Familia members were still Level 1 or Level 2 Adventurers.
Even with Tsuna's support easing the burden of Expeditions, the Familia still needed to nurture its lower-level Adventurers.
Only by raising the strength of those at the bottom could they truly lessen the strain of Expeditions and bolster the Familia's middle ranks.
"Tione, how many low-level Adventurers do we have right now?"
"Sixty percent… maybe closer to seventy."
Tsuna blinked at that number. He hadn't realized just how many low-level Adventurers there were within the Loki Familia.
"Nine hundred and seventeen? That's way more than I expected."
"This is already normal for us," Tione said calmly, easily guessing what surprised him.
She'd joined the Loki Familia shortly after arriving in the Labyrinth City. Only after learning about the number of high-level Adventurers in Orario did she understand that the city's golden age had long since passed.
"Right now, about sixty percent of the entire city's population are Adventurers. But among them, ninety percent are Level 1s. Only ten percent have reached Level 2 or higher."
"Sure, part of that is because Orario's general population is massive, but that doesn't change the fact that the overall quality of Adventurers has plummeted."
"The main reason probably ties back to the Great Feud three years ago."
"Too many Adventurers died back then. If not for that era's casualties, the proportion of low-level Adventurers wouldn't be so lopsided."
The Great Feud, huh...
Tsuna repeated the term silently.
That era when the evil god Erebus appeared, alongside the two former Heroes—Silence and Gluttony—had given the Labyrinth City both tragedy and a future.
Countless lives were lost, yet out of that chaos, new hope was born.
Freya Familia's Level 7 and the three Level 6s of Loki Familia had all emerged from that same period.
But that fact also revealed something harsh—true salvation had long since drifted out of reach for ordinary Adventurers. When the world was on the brink of ruin, only a handful could stand at the forefront.
That was why the city now lingered in such stagnation.
The golden age is already gone. What's left—Freya Familia and Loki Familia—are just the last rays of its sunset.
For the first time, Tsuna fully grasped that truth.
It really does feel like the surface glitter of this era is about to crack apart.
No wonder so many Heroes who once saved the world are being reborn one after another. Maybe this really is the dawn of a second salvation.
Still, my own world wasn't much different.
When he thought about it, the story of the Tenth Vongola being a "younger version" of the First wasn't far off.
The only problem was how rushed that ending had been.
It always felt wrong—like that ramen-obsessed man pulling the world's strings wouldn't just give up so easily.
And the whole "Flame of Night" thing? It felt like a movie-exclusive gimmick that got awkwardly forced into canon, tying the seven Sky Flames together and magically stabilizing the world.
It's honestly ridiculous.
And seriously, is seven to the power of three supposed to be that important?
Creating a world out of seven breakable stones? Yeah, I'm not buying it.
Tsuna set aside his doubts for now. The early arcs of the inheritance saga had made sense—but after that, things had started ballooning out of control.
The Earth that once fought the Sky was now a mere stepping stone on the roadside. Even thinking about it made him wince.
"Tsuna?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm listening."
He snapped back to the present at Tione's voice.
"So, the main reason we've got so many low-level Adventurers… is it because they can't raise their Status fast enough?"
"Pretty much. Most Adventurers only Level Up once they barely meet the minimum requirements and earn enough Excellia."
"But in reality, the majority can't even reach that minimum threshold."
There was a hint of helplessness—and confusion—in Tione's tone.
As someone blessed with talent, she could never quite understand why so many people couldn't even meet the basic standards for advancement.
And unfortunately, that was the situation for most of the Loki Familia's lower ranks.
"That's because everyone's talent is different, Tione…"
As Tsuna and Tione spoke, another voice joined in.
Finn had wandered over—along with Riveria and Gareth.
All three of them had caught the earlier part of Tsuna and Tione's conversation. And they knew full well what Tsuna intended—to help the entire Familia start climbing higher.
It was something they'd been trying to solve themselves for a long time, but none of them had found a true answer.
Yet this newcomer, barely a month into the Familia, had found a solution.
Even if it wasn't one they could replicate, it was still incredible—because that solution came from Tsuna's own unique ability.
"Captain," Tione greeted, starting to stand. But Finn motioned for her to sit. He took a seat beside Tsuna instead.
"So… you're planning to lead the whole Familia forward now?"
"Finn, you make it sound like I actually have that kind of ability."
"You do."
Tsuna blinked at the certainty in Finn's tone.
The Pallum's expression was calm, but his words carried conviction.
He truly believed Tsuna's arrival wasn't just coincidence.
Maybe—just maybe—Tsuna was meant to bring a spark of hope back to this world that had begun to stagnate.
Finn, the child fated to one day walk the path of a Hero, didn't believe in miracles easily.
Sure, the so-called "Hero's child" from the tales might eventually rise to greatness, growing at an incredible pace with godlike potential.
But Finn couldn't ignore what was right in front of him—Tsuna already possessed that kind of power.
Even back when he was just Level 1, Tsuna had shown ability and insight beyond reason. He even knew parts of a "future story."
Given that, it was hard for Finn to believe that the supposed Hero's child years down the line could outshine the person sitting beside him now.
Between waiting for destiny and seizing the present, Finn knew which choice he'd make.
"Compared to that 'Hero's child' you mentioned," he said firmly, "I believe in your ability more."
"I share that sentiment," Riveria added softly.
"The creativity, insight, and drive you've shown… it's far beyond what I expected."
"And more importantly," she continued, her emerald eyes steady, "you don't just grow alone—you bring everyone else along with you. That makes you far more fitting for the role you've been given."
Gareth grunted in agreement. "Aye. On that point, I'm with them."