The three of them finally found themselves in the dungeon.
It was stupid, but right now this place gave Gin a semblance of tranquility.
"Okay, we are finally here. Are you two ready?" Gin turned to see his seniors in adventuring down on the floor, hugging their knees like disaster victims.
"…Yeah. I'm ready."
'Dude, please pretend to be energetic at least.'
"…I miss Miach-sama's smile."
'Aki, cradling that potion to your cheek is just creepy, please stop.'
Gin's hand reunited with his face, and his butt reunited with the dungeon floor.
Yep, he could only wait until they snapped out of it.
"This is just one of those days, isn't it?"
After what felt like hours, they got back to their feet. The three of them nodded at each other, exchanging their thoughts without words.
'Let's pretend that stuff never happened.'
The three of them traversed the first floor, only encountering goblins and kobolds which were dispatched by their combined might.
At most, the monsters appeared in groups of four.
When Gin fought alone, that number might be a problem, but he had two skilled allies now, not to mention the massive growth in his Dexterity.
He always killed one monster right away by launching a knife into its head.
When the rest noticed and rushed him, Aki and Raul intercepted them.
Raul pushed them back with his shield and spear while Aki darted around and landed punishing hits from their blind spots.
Gin rarely needed to interject, tossing rocks to distract any monsters trying to counter Aki.
He had sparred with them before, but seeing them in action here proved they were reliable allies.
The three of them worked well together, and before he knew it, they had reached the fourth floor.
....
Gin Hvergel
Level 1
Str I 61 → H 102
End I 13 → I 18
Dex H 148 → H 190
Agi I 58 → I 77
Mag I 78 → H 153
Another status update done, Gin looked at his growth.
Two more of his Basic Abilities had risen to H—Strength and Magic.
At the rate he was going, he would reach Rank G in less than a month. That had to break some records.
Well, if he ignored his abysmal Endurance, that is.
Hel had said he had no talent in that area, and Rehmer said he might be a 'quick burner' type—someone who grows fast at the start before slowing down at the end.
If his current Endurance growth was the fastest it would ever be, then he could kiss the image of an S-Rank in Endurance goodbye.
His Endurance was shit. End of story.
Even when he'd gotten beaten black and blue diving solo, it hadn't grown much.
The fact that he had a reliable tank in Raul now served to inhibit his Endurance growth even more.
No, blaming his friend for doing his job well was a dick move. Gin sighed.
It couldn't be helped. This might be the right time to accept that he would never tank hits on the front lines. He was an archer anyway. His job was to shoot enemies from a distance, not use his body as someone else's shield.
But what if there came a time when he needed to tank a massive hit? Like an enemy with an ultra-wide range attack, or a situation where he was trapped naked in a closed room with a monster alone?
'…Yep, knowing my luck, those situations will come sooner or later. What can my tissue-paper Endurance do then? Nothing. Guess I'll just die.'
'No, no, what is with that defeatist attitude? I am a hunter, a survivor. If something can kill me, then all I need to do is find a way to kill it back, or survive it.'
His mind might be drawing a blank on the exact method right now, but there was nothing wrong with leaving it on the back burner for a while.
There was someone he needed to talk to first.
Gin prepared himself and knocked on the door in front of him.
"Yes, who is it?" The voice inside the room responded.
"It's me, Gin. I've come for our discussion, Sir Deimne."
Finn and Gin sat across from each other at the coffee table.
The fact that Finn didn't sit at his desk might be his way of showing respect to Gin as a familia guest.
Gin was thankful for that.
Finn had no obligation to treat him as an equal, considering he was the captain of a massive familia and Gin was just a nobody freeloading in his home.
Gin wet his throat with the tea prepared on the table, wondering what on earth Finn wanted to discuss.
"First of all, congratulations on your first joint exploration. I've received the reports from both Raul and Aki. It seems the three of you work well together, considering this is the first time you've fought in the same party."
'Ah, so he needs to go through some small talk before getting to the heart of the matter, huh? This might be a pain if he didn't have refreshments at the ready.'
Gin nibbled at a biscuit before responding. "Yeah, both of them are reliable. I can see how strong the Loki Familia is if even the rookies are that skilled."
"Thank you for that. I'm glad you think so highly of our familia. Then may I ask: during the exploration, who did you think was the most useful, and who was the weakest link?"
Gin grimaced.
That was a minefield question right there.
"After this one time? I apologize, but I think it is too soon to draw a conclusion, Sir Deimne." Gin gave a polite chuckle.
"Oh? Both Raul and Aki have already given me their answers to that question, though."
'Dammit, you guys!'
"…Haha, this just shows that I am still inexperienced compared to the two of them. Since this is my first time working in a party, I didn't pay—"
"Gin. Peace, please," Finn interrupted his excuses. "I understand singling out your companions as the weakest or the most unreliable makes you uncomfortable. You might think the question is a cruel one, but I assure you that I do not find any joy in putting you on the spot. All of you are young and inexperienced. Being a weak link right now is not something to be ashamed of, nor a reason to pity someone. To be a weak link at this moment is to have more reason to grow stronger. With that said, will you give me your opinion now, Gin?"
"Me. Currently, I am the weakest link of this party. I waste too much time chanting my magic, only to waste my Mind when the enemies are already wiped out."
"I see. Is there any reason for that?"
Gin tried to read Finn's expression, hoping to see an indication if his two friends thought the same.
No dice. Finn's poker face was too good.
Gin continued after a beat.
"I'm too used to hunting alone. When there's only an enemy in my sight, I shoot them dead, no problem. But when Raul and Aki engage in melee and enter my shooting range, I freeze. My spell doesn't affect my allies, so I used it to keep myself useful. Well, the upper floor monsters are too weak to last against Aki and Raul, though." Gin scoffed.
"After realizing that my spell is as good as meaningless most of the time, I resorted to throwing stones instead. Because I know no matter how hard I throw those pebbles, it won't be strong enough to knock those two out. To be honest, both Raul and Aki have moments when they hesitate as well, but they accomplish their roles just fine. Me, on the other hand…"
Finn nodded, expecting Gin to deliver the next answer he was looking for.
"Who was the most useful one?"
"The most useful one is Raul," Gin said without hesitation. "During battle, he stays in his assigned role to shield us. He never overextends or breaks formation. Not only that, but he looted magic stones in no time. Outside battle, he was the first to notice our fatigue or wounds. Potions were one thing, but he also brought ointments, bandages, and refreshments. He even prepared arrows and bowstrings for me. He was ready for everything."
Yeah, Raul wasn't a powerful fighter, but he knew that and found ways to support the party outside of combat.
Gin could learn a lot from him.
"Thank you for answering my question, Gin. The ability to recognize your own weaknesses and acknowledge your allies' strengths will be a useful asset for you in the future," Finn said before handing Gin two pieces of paper.
"Please give these a read. I'm sure they will give you new insight about yourself."
Gin glanced at them and saw they were written reports by Raul and Aki.
He raised his eyebrow in confusion as he finished reading them.
"Oi, are you serious?"
At the very bottom of the paper, he saw their final conclusions.
Weakest Link: Gin Hvergel. Most Useful: Gin Hvergel.
Both Raul and Aki outlined the exact same weaknesses Gin had just confessed to, alongside dissing his lack of melee options and apparent cheap equipment in formal language.
Yet, in the same report, they also took notice of strong points he hadn't realized himself.
"Gin has leadership skills that both Aki and I do not have. He kept his composure even in the middle of battle and acted as an adequate command tower, albeit in this small team of three. He shows decisiveness in his actions, whether it be making contact with the enemy, retreating, or choosing a route."
"Gin's teamwork is unlike any new adventurer I know. He will cover my blind spots and distract any enemy that outnumbers me. Not only that, his spell effect seems to change depending on the situation, resulting in the most optimal outcome."
"Thus I believe while certain weaknesses need to be covered, Gin is the most useful asset during our short expeditions."
'…Dammit, you guys making me cry!!'
"You are objective only on your weaknesses while failing to see your own strengths. As far as flaws go, it is not the worst one to have, Gin. And as for my take, I believe your biggest weakness is a lack of experience, rectifiable with enough time. Or… the right guidance."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Gin Hvergel. I have a proposal for you." Finn looked at him with an expectant twinkle in his eyes.
"Will you accept a Loki Familia member as your mentor?"
Finn's question—no, his offer—drove Gin's mind blank for a second before a response escaped his mouth.
"…I am the Captain of the Hel Familia."
That was a fact.
He was not an adventurer without gods to call his own, nor was he a rank-and-file member of some god's.
He was Hel's Champion.
Gin didn't know if he meant it to show rejection or confusion, but Finn received those words without issue.
"Yes, I am well aware that you are loyal to Goddess Hel. Rest assured, this is not a ploy to absorb you into our familia."
Gin looked at him for a second, feeling himself calm down.
"Before we go any further, may I ask the reason for this… kind offer? With all due respect, I am not a member of the Loki Familia."
"My thumb was tingling," Finn said, as if having a trembling digit was a universal reason for doing nonsensical things.
He seemed to notice Gin's confusion and shook his head in mirth.
"No, never mind that. The fact that you are not a member of the Loki Familia is a plus in this case, Gin. Do you know how many allied familias our familia has?"
"No." Gin had only become an adventurer two weeks ago. Familia politics didn't interest him.
'Too many to count' might have been his best guess.
That was why Finn's answer surprised him.
"The answer is zero."
"Wait, aren't the Dian Cecht and Goibniu Familias your allies?"
"We are regulars at their places, yes. Allies? Far from it. We hold no sway over them except for the bond created by the exchange of Valis and items," Finn shrugged. "The same goes for other familias. Most stand on the same side as us because of the threat of Evilus. An ally, though? No. Let's say our familia goes to sudden war with the Freya Familia. None of them will raise their banners for our camp."
The Freya Familia.
The Loki Familia's rival for the title of the strongest in Orario. No one with a working brain would want to get caught in a war between those two titans.
"Well, if the Loki Familia gets into a conflict with them, can't you just drag the Ishtar Familia into it and use them as a meat shield or something?" Gin joked.
The Ishtar Familia. The reigning rulers of the entertainment district.
It was a rumor he'd heard in passing, but Ishtar-sama seemed to have a personal vendetta against Freya-sama for some reason.
"I considered that plan of action too, of course," Finn answered. "I doubt their effectiveness even as a speed bump, let alone a meat shield."
'Yikes. This guy is ruthless.'
"We need competent allies at times like that. You understand why I am making this offer now, yes?"
"Ah."
Rather than finding a useful ally, Finn had decided to make one from scratch instead. Gin could see the plus for the Loki Familia.
They only needed to assign a single individual to mentor him for a short time. They didn't have to mentor him forever.
The mentorship only needed to last until he found his momentum.
If he made it big, good for them. If he failed to live up to their expectations, they wouldn't lose much.
Not only that, if his familia succeeded and grew large, then the Loki Familia gained extra muscle free from upkeep costs.
Gin heaved a sigh internally.
But to be honest, it wasn't like he would gain nothing from this offer. The Loki Familia was full of powerful individuals.
Under guidance from people like that, he could grow undeniably stronger.
'"You have my bow"... is what I would like to say without a problem, but I cannot go into this without speaking with my goddess first.'
"Of course, I understand. I shall respect your decision no matter the outcome." Finn nodded.
"With that said, in case I agree to the offer, who will be my mentor?"
"You are free to choose from our first-class adventurers."
"…Even you, Sir Deimne?"
"Even me, yes." He nodded. "May I ask if you have someone in mind to be your mentor?"
Gin could tell Finn asked the question as a formality more than anything else.
The answer was obvious to both of them.
Gin was a rearguard through and through.
Low Endurance, subpar Strength and Agility, and high Dexterity and Magic.
Asking a vanguard like Finn the Braver or Gareth Landrock to be his mentor was no different than his potential committing suicide.
Out of all the first-class adventurers, there was only one person who reigned unchallenged as the strongest rearguard.
The only person he could see assisting his growth following his potential.
"Lady Riveria."
Out of all the first-class adventurers, the only option that made sense was her.
"If I accept your offer, I want Riveria Ljos Alf as my mentor."
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The growth rate of the MC is like any ordinary adventurer in orario for now .... until it exploded! dont expect him to have max stats like other transmigrator adventurer!
As for the dungeon diving, it will be fast paced for now until mc finish his mentorship and have his own familia members.