(Riven POV – Church Basement Room)
'…This is probably going to get me in more trouble.'
I lie flat on the bed, face pressed into the pillow, as Hestia climbs onto my back like it's her rightful throne, and I'm already so used to it that it might as well be.
It could even be considered comforting.
But for now, I struggle to find much comfort, since I already know what's coming.
Once she sees my Excelia… she'll understand exactly how close that fight was. Hearing it is one thing, but seeing it, and feeling my emotions during that time…
I can only sigh helplessly.
"I wonder how much your attributes improved…" Hestia hums, her tone light, almost excited, while she rubs her hands together like she's about to unbox a Christmas present.
"They should hopefully be maxed out now." I reply. And if they're not…
'I'll just give up.'
Not out of laziness. Just… self-preservation.
If beating something four levels above me, even with Predator's Excelia boost, isn't enough to cap things out, then the things I'd need to accomplish as I level up will actually kill me.
"Our Familia is finally going to have a Level 2 adventurer…" Hestia murmurs giddily. I can sense the pride and relief in her voice.
She pricks her finger, and a single drop of divine blood falls onto my back, activating my Falna.
The symbols spring to life, shifting and updating as the Excelia is channelled into it.
'GS, distribute whatever Excelia I have as usual.'
[Notice: Affirmative.]
The changes happen instantly.
——————————
Name: Riven Alaric
Level 1 (Can Level Up)
Strength: SSS1786 → EX2000
Endurance: SSS1786 → EX2000
Dexterity: SSS1786 → EX2000
Agility: SSS1786 → EX2000
Magic: SSS1786 → EX2000
<
<
<
[Blue Papilio Powder] [Purple Moth Powder] [Ariel] [Flame Breath]
<
[Great Sage] [Predator] [IronHeart]
<
[Sonic Scream] [Howl] [Fairy Canon]
*NEW*
[Black Goliath's Roar +]
[Rapid Regeneration]
——————————
As the update occurs, the familiar surge of power floods my body, but along with it comes a sudden, overwhelming sense of fullness.
It isn't exactly painful… just uncomfortable. Like I've eaten far beyond my limit, and instead of my stomach, it's everything.
Even my mind feels heavy.
'…So this is the what it feels like to reach the cap.' I exhale slowly into the pillow. 'This is probably the absolute limit of Falna, not just my body's.'
But despite my discomfort, something else takes greater importance.
"Hestia…?" I ask gently. "You okay?"
She's been completely silent and still since we started.
"…Yeah." She says after a moment, even as her voice trembles. "I just… didn't realize how bad fighting Black Goliath was."
Her hands rest lightly against my back now, gently stroking me as to ease the pain I've suffered.
"Did it hurt?" She whispers. "Were you scared?"
"You know I don't feel pain." I reply easily, before pausing for a moment. "As for being scared… I don't really feel fear either… but throughout it, I fought my hardest so I could come back to you." I say sincerely.
A tranquil silence as I quietly enjoy her touch.
"It's okay." She say softly, and when I look back, I see a fragile smile on her lips. "You're here. You made it back home."
"Yeah…" I reply. And logically, that's the only part that matters. Still, I promise myself to be more careful in the future, so as not to worry her like this again.
She exhales shakily. And to her credit, she pulls herself together.
"…I've never seen EX before." She says after a few seconds, her tone steadier now, though slightly tinged with awe. "You hit 2000 in everything…"
"…You're really abnormal." She sighs.
"Who wants to be ordinary?" I chuckle, making her huff.
"…Can I level you up now?" She asks.
"Yeah." I answer. "Go ahead. You seem even more excited than me. It's the easiest Level up."
I can feel her glare.
"Hmph. I could've had a Level 3 by now if someone wasn't obsessed with maxing everything." She shoots back.
"It's foresight." I say simply.
"Stubbornness." She corrects immediately, but understands my reasoning.
Her fingers move again, working on my Falna, then—
"Oh?" She perks up. "You've got Development Abilities available… let me see…"
"…Huh?" She gasps. "…Wait—what?"
Her tone shifts from curiosity to confusion. Then to outright disbelief. "W-Why are there so many?!"
"I'm just that guy." I say jokingly.
"What does that even mean? What guy? Be serious!" She snaps instantly.
"I am."
There's a very distinct silence that follows. The kind that screams I'm rolling my eyes at you.
I chuckle quietly.
"Actually, I already know what I want." I add. "If there's Luck, pick that. If not… Mystery."
"Let me check…" Hestia mutters, her tone turning focused again as she scans through everything.
A few seconds pass.
"I see Mystery… but no Luck."
'As expected.' I think. 'But I'm allowed to dream.'
With everything that's happened, a Bad Luck DA would've been more likely.
"Then Mystery." I say without hesitation.
"…You don't even want to hear the other options?" She asks, a hint of curiosity slipping back into her voice.
"Sure. Maybe there's something I overlooked." I reply, shifting slightly beneath her.
"Then listen carefully." Hestia says, voice suddenly brimming with excitement. I can imagine her puffing her chest out. "First, there's Blacksmith and Abnormal Resistance."
She pauses, clearly expecting a reaction.
"…And?" I prompt.
"And—!" She leans forward slightly, tapping my back for emphasis. "—Abnormal Resistance reduces the effects of status ailments. Poison, paralysis, and so on!"
"So basically, it makes me harder to mess with." I say, feigning ignorance and playing along.
"Exactly!" She beams. "And Blacksmith lets you forge better weapons and give them special properties, which is super useful. Especially since weapons break all the time in the Dungeon—"
Her explanation keeps going, growing more animated with every word, expanding into every DA she has knowledge on.
I listen. Not just because it's useful, but because she's enjoying herself.
'She probably nagged Hephaestus to teach her so she could show off like this.' I find it both funny and endearing.
Still, I nod along, asking the occasional question, letting her teach me and have her moment.
By the time she finishes, she sounds very pleased with herself.
"Well?" She asks, the smugness dripping from her voice. "Changed your mind?"
"…Not really." I admit.
Her smug expression cracks instantly.
"Mystery is still the better choice." I continue calmly. "You didn't explain much about it, since it's quite rare and almost no one knows what exactly it does, but…"
I pause, and Hestia immediately gets frustrated. "Don't leave me hanging." She continues patting my back urgently from her "throne".
"If I develop it properly… I could probably make us rich." I explain. "Since with it, and GS, making magic items will be a breeze."
She falls silent instantly. Then…
"Rich?" She repeats softly. I don't even need to look to know her eyes just lit up.
"You should've said that first!" She blurts immediately. "Mystery it is!"
'So predictable.' I muse.
I feel her finger move decisively across my back, locking it in before I can even pretend to reconsider.
"Is money all you care about?" I ask exasperatedly.
"Nope!" She chirps. "I care about you the most, and this is for your own good!"
And before I can respond, everything stops.
[Notice: Connection to Cardinal World established.]
[Notice: Skill evolution via Excelia is possible during Level Up.]
[Notice: Thought Acceleration activated.]
The world slows down so much it basically freezes, and only my thoughts continue.
'So that's the condition?' I think in relief.
I'd wondered before whether my skills could evolve and unlock their other abilities. And I had hoped they'd grow more powerful as I level up.
And now I have my answer.
'How much Excelia do you need?'
[Answer: Unknown.]
'Of course.' I sigh internally. 'Back to trial and error it is. Just use all of it, and we'll see how far it gets us.'
I don't give it too much thought.
While I could try to min-max, evolving both GS and Predator in parallel, GS is more worthy of investment.
'Besides, when I fight stronger monsters, and get better Excelia, Predator will be easier to evolve.'
[Notice: Channeling Excelia into Unique Skill: Great Sage.]
And after that, silence. I lay in frozen time as GS works. And while it feels like a long time passes, that's only due to Thought Acceleration.
At some point, I feel something inside me shift slightly, and… evolve.
[Notice: Sub-skills: Synthesis and Separation acquired. All stored Excelia has been consumed.]
I can't help but feel excitement for numerous reasons.
Firstly, Synthesis and Separation allow me to combine and separate skills, as well as chain magic together more… elegantly than I was doing before.
It might not even be limited to just skills and magic. Everything from Blacksmithing, Alchemy, and more. The possibilities are endless.
And secondly…
Back when I died, I had a vague idea of what GS was when I wished for her. And the fact that she evolved skills from Degenerate, means that her natural evolution would almost certainly lead to a Manas.
'I won't name her Ciel though.' I think a little possessively.
But returning to the main point… it's extremely broken. In fact, if… when GS reaches that point, neither the OEBD, nor the Dungeon will be an issue. I'd have cleared the world of Danmachi!
'Of course… that's still a long ways away.' I calm myself down.
And I know that my GS is unique, different from Rimuru's. This is due to her gaining an ego much faster, and is likely influenced by my own desires as well.
'I almost can't wait.' I think happily.
[…]
And once more, time resumes, right as Hestia completes my Level up.
The bloated, overfilled sensation fades and is immediately replaced with a surge of strength.
It's qualitatively different from increasing my attributes, and instinctively, I clench my hand.
A dull boom cracks through the room, the air compressing around my fist.
"So this is why Level gaps can't normally be bridged…" I mutter under my breath, staring at my hand.
That level of power was without me using any Breathing Styles.
'Although, this is probably due to me maxing out every stat.' I muse, knowing not every Level 2 would be that strong.
My thoughts are cut short by a sharp intake of breath behind me.
"What is this?!" Hestia's voice spikes, panic and disbelief crashing together.
I glance back.
She's frozen over my Falna, eyes wide, fingers trembling slightly as she traces over the text reading it over and over in disbelief.
"Th-this shouldn't be possible…" She whispers, then louder… "I can't even rationalise this!" Her frustration bleeds through now, her lips pressing into a thin line.
"And of course it had to be you…" She says, glaring at the text. And something tells me that she doesn't mean me. "Stupid skill." She curses under her breath.
"…Should I be proud or concerned?" I ask dryly.
"Concerned!" She snaps immediately, before groaning and dragging a hand down her face. "No… both! Definitely both!"
She leans forward again, hurriedly transcribing everything.
"Look for yourself! I'm not imagining this, right? I checked five times!"
I push myself up slightly, glancing at the sheet, and my suspicions are proven correct.
——————————
Name: Riven Alaric
Level 2
Strength: EX2000 → I0
Endurance: EX2000 → I0
Dexterity: EX2000 → I0
Agility: EX2000 → I0
Magic: EX2000 → I0
<
[Mystery]
<
<
[Blue Papilio Powder] [Purple Moth Powder] [Ariel] [Flame Breath]
<
[Great Sage]
— *New* Synthesis
— *New* Separation
[Predator] [IronHeart]
<
[Sonic Scream] [Howl] [Fairy Canon] [Black Goliath's Roar +] [Rapid Regeneration]
——————————
"Skills aren't supposed to change like this." Hestia mutters, half to herself, half to me. "They get stronger, sure, but gaining entirely new abilities? That's not—no, that's definitely not normal!"
She looks at me with worry and confusion, searching for answers. I even consider teasing her… but decide against it.
"You're right." I say calmly. "Skills and magic usually grow stronger with each Level Up, but gaining new abilities outright is unheard of."
She nods rapidly. "Exactly! So why did this happen to you—"
"It's my fault." I state, and she freezes.
"…Of course it is." She grumbles, folding her arms before standing and flipping me into my back, before sitting on my chest.
"You better start explaining." She says in a strict, warning tone, but I feel anything but intimidated.
I shrug slightly, enjoying the view.
"I used Great Sage to channel Excelia into itself during the Level Up. I guess it triggered an evolution, developing those sub-skills."
She just stares at me blankly for a few seconds.
"…You did what?" She manages through a trembling voice.
I give her an innocent look, and she stares back.
Then clutches her head.
"Why are you like this…?" She groans.
I chuckle lightly.
"Falna doesn't show everything about a skill. My Predator skill allowed me to absorb Excelia, but didn't mention what that Excelia could do." I say, trying to sound just as helpless. "I wasn't sure this is what would happen."
"And, of course, it's unique to you and your weird skills…" She mutters, clearly not comforted.
Still, she calms down after a moment, her expression turning serious.
"…If people find out about this, it'll cause problems." She says quietly.
"Exactly." I nod. "So this stays between us."
She puffs up immediately.
"Hey! I know that much!" She huffs. "Don't treat me like I'm going to run around announcing your secrets to the entire city!"
"I shouldn't treat you like a kid?" I ask, glancing back at her with a mysterious smile.
"Of course not!" She declares proudly, hands on her hips. "I'm a fully grown adult!"
I nod thoughtfully.
"Then I guess I should stop carrying you around, huh?" Her expression falters. "And no more cuddles either."
"…Riven." Her voice drops instantly. "Let's not make any rash decisions."
I bite back a laugh.
"Really? I thought you were an adult."
"I am!" She insists, grabbing onto me stubbornly. "A very reasonable, mature adult who understands the importance of… physical affection."
"Ah. Of course." I nod with a grin. "But adults should be independent too."
She stares at me in shock, frozen like glass that might shatter with a single touch.
I finally can't contain my laugh.
"I'm joking." I chuckle. "I like doing that stuff too."
She pauses.
Then—
"Don't tease me like that!" She snaps, lightly punching my chest.
The hits are soft. More indignant than angry, and I hum in satisfaction. "What an energetic massage."
"RIVEN!" She screams in frustrating, redoubling her massage—I mean, attack.
*********
A/N: Hello Everyone! How are you all? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
Riven finally levelled up, and I've decided to go with my theory of there being hidden stats from the level up itself, as well as a mounting bonus based on previous foundation, hence his surge in power. It'd also explain why those who level up need some time to adjust to their strength.
You can also read 10 chapters ahead, and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
But yeah, overall, that's all I wanted to say. So, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and have a wonderful rest of your day/night 😁.