[Takumi]
[Rank: Super-class Demon]
[Level: LV.1]
[STR: I0]
[VIT: I0]
[DEX: I0]
[AGI: I0]
[MAG: I0]
[Magic: Healing, Gravity, Alchemy, Elements…]
[Skills: Chosen Hero, Hero's Wish, Single-Hearted Yearning, Thousand-Mile Ear, Jade Eye, Foresight Eye…]
Takumi's Falna readout ran in dense rows; the later lines even degenerated into gibberish. What shocked the two goddesses most was that the numbers on his back were moving and climbing at a bizarre speed. In the time it took to blink, every stat rose a whole grade.
By rights, updating ability scores requires a god to spend divine power to assist. Yet Takumi's kept changing on its own, in complete defiance of common sense.
"What in the world is happening…!?" Even with over a millennium in the lower world, Hephaestus had never seen anything like it.
Takumi also sensed the blessing on his back. The ichor Hestia gave him seemed to have materialized part of his info, which meant his ever-shifting power was throwing the Falna's values into disorder. He tried focusing, exerting control over the blessing Hestia had granted. The next second, the numbers stopped fluctuating and settled at…
[STR: A884]
[VIT: S912]
[DEX: A817]
[AGI: A887]
[MAG: S952]
Clenching his fist, he stood and explained evenly. "I usually put dozens of times gravity on myself to temper my body. Lately I've been growing fast, so I cranked it up to a hundred and twenty-eight times. Also, my constitution is… special, so the values kept shifting."
He rolled his shoulders—the efficiency of his body-training had clearly ticked up again. In essence, the goddess's ichor was a key that opened his potential. Since his potential was bottomless, the Falna had converted into an amplifier that sped his current growth. If a single drop did this, he dared not imagine what would happen if he acquired Hestia's Trait.
He drew a breath and looked to the two stunned goddesses. They stood there for a long moment before finally coming back to themselves.
"Don't describe something so abnormal like it's nothing! Takumi-kun, you are the most singular existence I've ever seen."
Hephaestus exhaled, feeling complicated—and regretted even more that she hadn't invited him first.
Hestia, meanwhile, was pure excitement. One pull, SSR. Anyone would be over the moon.
"Hehehe~ Takumi-kun, you're my child~~"
"No, Hestia-sama, Takumi-kun is my child!"
Seeing Hestia wrap around him and say that, the ever-gentle Meteria suddenly bristled, her tone turning frighteningly dangerous. The chill like a demon mask made Hestia bob her head at once.
Takumi wiped a bit of cold sweat. Meteria was indeed soft and kind—until it touched what she cared about most; then her obsession and pressure were terrifying.
"Phew… leave the rest for later. Since it's still early, I'm going to the Dungeon."
The shift in topic snapped the mood back.
"You may be strong, Takumi-kun, but the Dungeon is dangerous. At least make some preparations first," Hestia said, worried.
"If possible, Hephaestus-sama, I'd like to request permission to escort Takumi-kun for his Dungeon training," Meteria added at once.
Seeing how much Meteria doted on him, Hephaestus didn't object—she couldn't very well stop her own child. She chimed in, "Mm. You're Meteria's kid and Hestia's first Familia member. I can outfit you with a quality set—free. And don't give me that look, Hestia; I'm not trying to steal Takumi."
Her tsundere denial almost made Takumi crack. Since when is the forge goddess tsundere?
Before their goodwill drowned him, Takumi raised a hand to stop the trio. "Hold it. I'll go alone, and I don't need any fine equipment."
…Nor do I fancy it, he added inwardly. Then aloud. "I appreciate Hephaestus-sama's kindness and your concern, Meteria mom. But I'd rather earn things with my own hands than just living others off."
He didn't mind being kept, but there was no need to force it when it wasn't necessary.
Seeing his resolve, all three nodded silently. As he moved to head out, Hephaestus still offered a caution.
"I won't lecture you about the Dungeon. But for now, Takumi-kun, beware Orario's Dark Familia."
She elaborated: after the Zeus and Hera Familia failed to slay the Black Dragon and collapsed, the dark groups slipped in, trying to wreck the current order and plunge everything into chaos. Loki and Freya had stepped up, but they didn't deter like Zeus and Hera once did. By the look of things, Orario faced a long period of growing pains and adventurers like Takumi were prime targets.
"So that's why that toad could strut around," Takumi murmured, frowning—then let it go. Even without opening his Sacred Gear, he could crush every adventurer in Orario. If some Dark Familia picked a fight, he'd show them what a heavy punch looked like.
What he cared about more was clearing the Dungeon—and clearing the goddesses. Those were the real prizes of this world.
"Oh, right—before the Dungeon, we still need to register the Familia, and your adventurer status."
Hestia popped up, hooked his arm, and tugged him out. Her abundant softness pressed down on his elbow—an indescribable sensation, waves breaking against his chest.
Meteria's gentle smile tightened—like biting down on a bottle of vinegar. Hephaestus, too, wore a look of what a steal for you, huh.
...
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