[StatusName:
Luan Arde
Level: 1
Strength: I 0
Endurance: I 0
Dexterity: I 0
Agility: I 0
Magic: I 0
Skills
[Last Wish]Reduces the acquisition of excelia, slows the growth of all basic abilities, and allows the user to acquire new skills by performing extraordinary feats. The probability of acquiring skills increases the closer the user is to death in an uncontrolled environment. The effects of the obtained skills depend on the type of feat performed, and their power scales with the difficulty required to achieve it.
[Body at the Limit]As damage accumulates, the user's endurance increases significantly and all other basic abilities increase slightly. The effect becomes much stronger the closer the user is to death and increases with the severity of the injuries.]
Luan's heart began to beat faster when he saw that his status had not just one skill, but two. But as soon as he read the first line of his first skill, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him.
He knew perfectly well what a difference in growth speed meant in Danmachi.
Bell Cranel's Liaris Freese skill greatly increased the growth rate of basic abilities, to the point that a single day of normal hunting could equal weeks or even months of progress for an average adventurer, and depending on how severe the situation was, he could gain more stats than many people would in their entire lives.
So where did that leave him?
Would he barely manage to reach level two by the time Bell arrived in Orario?
He mocked himself silently and continued reading the rest of the skill and then the second one, with a faint hope that there might be some kind of clear compensation.
However, after finishing, instead of feeling excitement at the possibility of gaining multiple skills in the long term, the only thing that came to his mind was a much simpler conclusion.
What was the point of it?
Unless he obtained a skill that directly compensated for the reduction of excelia, the most he could aspire to was becoming an abnormally competent level one adventurer, someone capable of facing higher-level opponents under specific conditions, but without ever truly closing the gap.
In Danmachi, the difference between levels was so vast that overcoming it was almost impossible, unless comparing a level 4 who had maxed out their basic abilities against a level 5 who had leveled up as soon as possible. For a moment, he felt the urge to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
But when he noticed Lili's gaze fixed on him, watching him with curiosity as she tried to understand what was written on the paper, he simply crumpled it carefully, hiding the information rather than destroying it, and placed a hand on her head, gently stroking it while offering a warm smile that didn't fully reflect what he was thinking.
"Lili, come with me to the Adventurers' Guild so I can register as one."
She looked at him silently for a few seconds.
She didn't understand the contents of the paper, but she could tell something had changed in Luan. She had noticed that for a moment he seemed very happy, but the next he looked just like when they were having a bad streak begging.
Her fingers tightened slightly on Luan's robe as she tilted her head a little, as if trying to find an answer in his expression.
She felt that something was wrong with her big bro.
But she didn't ask. She had learned when she should… and when she shouldn't.
Even so, instead of staying completely silent, she took a small step closer and briefly rested her forehead against his arm before pulling away.
"Big bro… are you tired?"
Luan looked at her for a moment before answering.
"A little."
Lili nodded slowly, as if confirming something to herself, then added in a slightly more cheerful, though awkward, tone:
"Then… we can rest later."
She paused briefly.
"And… I can help you today by doing all the cleaning."
Luan softened his expression slightly.
"You already help me a lot."
She frowned a little, not entirely agreeing.
"I can do better."
Luan didn't respond to that, nor did he correct her. Instead, he started walking.
They walked through the streets without saying much, and while Lili observed everything around her with curiosity and alertness, she also glanced at Luan from time to time, as if making sure he was still the same as always. Meanwhile, he moved forward with his mind completely occupied, reorganizing what he had just seen in his status.
If he thought about it coldly, his growth would be slower than that of any other adventurer, which meant that even if he survived, it would take longer for him to reach levels where he could truly protect Lili, and in that world, time was not something he could afford to waste.
Although he didn't know exactly what kind of feats it referred to, remembering how the world of Danmachi worked, he concluded it meant performing actions that exceeded the expectations of the gods.
They were practically telling a Pallum, known for having a weaker body than any other race, to take on the role of a tank.
He couldn't afford to grow steadily like other adventurers.
If he wanted to take advantage of his skills, he needed explosive growth under extreme conditions.
That meant exposing himself to situations where he would be injured, on the brink of death, or where a single mistake would kill him, and that was precisely the problem. If he were alone, he could consider that path, because right now he had no alternative. But he couldn't die, because he would leave Lili completely alone.
On the other hand, both of them were bound to the Soma Familia, and if he didn't become stronger, the other members would try to take advantage of him and his sister. That thought alone filled him with rage and helplessness, and clenching his teeth, he decided he would have to take risks as much as possible.
"Big bro."
Lili's voice pulled him out of his thoughts as she gently tugged on his robe.
"Yes, Lili? Are you worried about something? I was thinking of taking you to a Jagamarukun stand and getting one with cream filling after I register as an adventurer to celebrate."
She stared at him, analyzing him. It didn't take her long to realize he was changing the subject, she wanted to say something.
But she knew he would deny it, so instead of insisting, she simply said in an apparently innocent tone.
"Big bro… didn't you say we were going to the Adventurers' Guild?"
"Yes, that's where we're going. Why do you ask?" Luan replied, still somewhat distracted.
"Then… why are we entering such a suspicious place? I have a bad feeling about it."
Luan looked up, and reality hit him immediately. If he looked ahead, anyone could tell the environment had completely changed.
The architecture, the women wearing very little clothing trying to attract the men approaching, and the atmosphere, it was completely the opposite of where a child his age should be.
Without realizing it, he had been about to enter the Pleasure District, and he felt a slight chill.
He had been so deep in thought that he had taken the lead while walking instead of letting Lili guide him.
He let out a resigned sigh.
"Lili, can you guide me to the Adventurers' Guild? Besides buying you a cream-filled Jagamarukun, I'll tell you two bedtime stories instead of one. One will be about a clever cat who wore boots, and the other about an ogre who lived in a swamp."
At the proposal, Lili immediately lit up, because she loved stories about people who had to get out of difficult situations using their wits.
"Yes!"
But before moving forward, she tightened her grip on Luan's hand, as if making sure he wouldn't get distracted again, and then they began heading toward the Adventurers' Guild.
When they arrived at the Adventurers' Guild, the contrast with the rest of the city was immediate. The Guild building stood before them like a bastion of gray marble, imposing and cold. Luan felt a stab of anxiety at the sight of the heavy wooden and bronze doors, that place represented his only opportunity, but also the beginning of a path that, according to his status, would be an ordeal.
Lili, guiding him with renewed determination fueled by the promise of stories and food, led him inside.
As they entered, the noise hit them. The lobby was packed with men and women carrying the smell of blood, sweat, and metal, it was not a welcoming environment. Groups of adventurers with dented armor and hardened gazes occupied the tables, discussing loot and casualties. The metallic clatter of weapons hitting the ground filled the air with constant tension.
"Stay close, Lili," Luan whispered.
She didn't reply, only pressed closer to his side. For her, who had grown used to hostile environments, whether begging, the Soma Familia, or even her own parents, the Guild was a nest of predators where the weak rarely received a sympathetic glance, something she knew from experience.
Luan approached one of the dark wooden counters.
Behind it, a human employee with a stern gaze and neatly tied hair was reviewing documents. When she saw two children, much smaller than an adult Pallum, approaching, there was no welcoming smile, only an expression of annoyance.
"What do you want?" she asked bluntly without looking up. "If you're looking for alms, the charity kitchen is three streets from here."
"I'm here to register as an adventurer."
The woman finally looked up, or rather, down, since she had to lean closer to the edge of the counter to see them properly. Her eyes scanned Luan's worn clothes.
"To register as an adventurer, you must first join a Familia by receiving a god's falna. You can come back when you have it." After saying that, she tried to return to her work, but Luan's next words stopped her.
"But I've already received a god's falna. The only thing I'm missing is registering with the Guild so I can enter the Dungeon."
The calm, distant tone in which he said it struck a nerve with the receptionist.
"Really? Which Familia do you belong to?" She wanted to complain inwardly about how absurd some gods were, willing to send a child straight to their death just for entertainment.
"I belong to the Soma Familia."
"Soma?" she muttered with disdain. "Those drunkards never know when to stop recruiting children. Listen, brat, the Dungeon is not a game. If you go in there just to earn money for your god's wine, you'll die before you even find the stairs to the second floor."
Luan held her gaze. The woman's harshness didn't bother him as much as the truth behind her words. But with "Last Wish" sabotaging his growth, he knew the only way forward was precisely to throw himself into the danger she warned him about.
"Just give me the form," Luan insisted firmly.
The receptionist watched him for a few more seconds, searching for a trace of doubt, but found none. The boy seemed determined enough to go in alone if necessary.
She hesitated for a brief moment before sighing, as if she had already had this conversation too many times.
"I'm Diana Lanch. I'll be in charge of your procedure." She slid an official parchment and an inkwell onto the counter.
"Sign here and fill out the rest. Can you read and write? If not, I can fill it out for you."
"That won't be necessary. Just give me a pen and I'll handle it."
She handed him a pen along with the form.
This time, not wanting to miss anything, Lili watched what Luan was writing.
Name: Luan Arde
Race: Pallum
Age: 5 years
Affiliation: Soma Familia
…
…
Luan left several sections blank.
Do you need an advisor?: Yes
Please note that selecting the previous option is mandatory if your Familia has very few members, lacks adventurers with 3 years of experience or Level 2 adventurers, or if there is no one who can guide you before entering the Dungeon.
If you selected advisor, choose your preferences
Gender: Female
Race: Werewolf, Half-elf, Pallum, Human
Lili felt that something was off about what he had written, but due to her young age, she couldn't identify it.
"Done," he said, handing over the paper.
The woman began reading the form, and after confirming everything was in order, except for the part about his age, which made her uncomfortable, she stamped the document with a sharp thud that echoed across the counter.
"Luan Arde, since you selected that you require an advisor, come back later once we've assigned one according to your preferences. She will explain the procedures you must follow and everything you need to know when exploring the Dungeon."
"Do you have any questions?"
"I'm fine. But could you allow my sister to accompany me to the briefing? It would help her to learn these things for when she receives a falna."
She felt exasperated. After glancing at the girl, who was even smaller than the boy she was speaking to, she thought that not only did he want to walk toward his own death, but he also intended to drag his little sister along in the future. If it weren't for Guild policy, she wouldn't even allow him to register.
"That's something you'll have to discuss with your advisor. For now, come back later."
"Alright, thank you very much," was the last thing Luan said before leaving with Lili and heading back home.