บท 40: Chapter 40 - Returning to the Surface.
[Chapter Size: 2585 Words.]
Lucius POV
Dungeon, Eighteenth Floor.
...
...
When I regained consciousness, I felt a strong headache. I was bandaged with cloths, as I could perceive, in various parts of my body. I lifted my head and saw Hestia sitting beside my bed, asking me about everything that had happened. I spoke to make her aware that I was conscious.
"Hestia?" I said calmly. She looked at me, widening her eyes in surprise after seeing me awake.
"LUCIUS-KUN!" She shouted, greeting me.
"How long?" I asked simply, it was the first thing I wanted to know.
"You were unconscious for 2 days!" She said.
"2 days unconscious..." I reflected.
I saw some empty vials next to the bed, healing potions that had been treating me during that time.
"I'm glad you're doing so well! We were so worried, and you were amazing facing that monster alone! We were relieved when you were brought back after seeing all that destruction," Hestia began to talk about the events that had occurred.
Without waiting any longer, I got up calmly after casting a healing spell to speed up my recovery and removed all the bandages. With Hestia giving me privacy, I dressed again in my traditional attire, after a spell to make it new and clean. I summoned my goblin again and left the tent with Riekling to the camp.
"Thank you, my friend. Without you, I think I would be dead now..." I couldn't help but thank my friend beside me.
"HEE," he said.
I wanted to rest more, but I wanted to see the others before anything else.
Since evolving to level 2, I hadn't had a normal night's sleep. The closest to a normal night was when I somehow slept drunk with Aphrodite.
"Lucius!" Welf shouted when he saw me coming out of the tent with Riekling and Hestia, attracting everyone's attention in the camp.
"Lucius-kun!"
"Lord Lucius!"
People greeted me as soon as they saw me.
"You were amazing, Lord Lucius, defeating one of those Goliaths alone. Not even the two level 4s here could do that!" said one of Aphrodite's girls.
"I was lucky to have a crystal on the ceiling because I believe I wouldn't survive otherwise. With Riekling's help, I would be in big trouble too," I said sincerely, pointing to my friend who helped me in such a difficult moment.
"But it was incredible. You even changed the landscape of the area!" said Hitachi Chigusa, a girl from Takemikazuchi's family next to Mikoto, pointing her finger at the landscape where the crystals fell.
Looking in the direction of her finger, I saw huge crystals on the ground. The Black Goliath was crushed with no chance of surviving, while I was hit by the impact of the fall, injuring me and causing me to lose consciousness as I flew to the opposite side.
'I hope there are no issues with the guild because of this, right? Like, it was a matter of survival,' I thought, cautious about any fines the guild might impose on Hestia. I hate debts above almost everything!
"At least I left my mark, didn't I?" I said jokingly, as everyone would see the change in the landscape when passing by.
Turning my attention back to the group, people were looking at me with admiration. It was even strange, but I guess it's a normal consequence after what I was able to do.
"But Lord Lucius, how can you unleash a rain of fire? You cast over a thousand fire spells!" Nicole shouted, and I could already feel a headache coming on. I had shown too much in the fights, and many had witnessed my capabilities. I would be a talked-about subject in the city in the next few days after what they saw happen on this floor.
"I think this is personal, don't you think?" I looked sternly at the brunette girl. I wasn't willing to reveal my secrets like this, especially since Hermes was also watching me intensely. My demonstration must have been a reality check even for him.
"That's right, everyone has their secrets, especially about a member of my family!" Hestia said, cutting off any curiosity from the group about me. She was also incredibly surprised by my power, as she had never seen my true abilities before. However, we had an agreement about my secrets, and she would never press me to reveal anything. I was sure that she genuinely considered me a member of her family, even though I had my secrets. I had only helped Bell and the others so far, not to mention risking my life fighting that second Goliath alone.
Afterward, we started to organize ourselves. We would stay here longer for me to recover, and we ended up returning to the routine of the past few days. In the meantime, I avoided Rivira because I knew people would ask me questions about myself, and I wasn't in the mood for that kind of attention right now.
With everything returning to normal, we had a big bonfire with other fish we caught. As always, I listened to Hestia and Aphrodite insulting each other, as usual, during the night while we laughed and talked about other things.
When I got to my bed, a bit drunk but still conscious of my actions, I finally decided to look at the notifications that had appeared for me since I woke up but didn't want to see during the day while I wasn't alone and was paying attention to other matters.
[Missions(!)]
[(!HIDDEN!) Monster Rex Variant Mission: Defeat Black Goliath Alone! | {Progress: Completed} | {Reward: 500,000 Points.}] (!Hidden Condition: You defeated Black Goliath (Level 5 Monster) at level 2 [Hidden Reward: 01x Random Rank 3 Magic Card! + 01x Card that Nullifies a Chosen Magic Incantation! + 500,000 Points!])
When I defeated the first Goliath, it was a monster that I classified as level three, while I was level one, and I gained the same condition as here.
"I wonder if the hidden rewards are acquired when I defeat a rex monster with 2 levels below what it represents? I couldn't help but wonder, as the bonus was quite enticing. (Author here, I couldn't find exact information on what level Goliath represents, so I put level 3, still unsure if it's level 3 or 4.)
But leaving that thought about hidden rewards, I looked with a big smile at my current reward.
"HAHAHAHA!" I was forced to express my happiness with a maniacal laugh.
I have 1 million points now, and I wasted no time in quickly opening the shop.
[Space Spell/Quick Dodge/Rank 3: 300,000] (A small teleport of a few meters for dodging)
[Lightning Spell/Lightning Weapon/Rank 3: 500,000] (Spell that does the same thing as Sasuke and his Chidori on the sword)
[Summoning Spell/Conjure Flame Atronach/Rank 3: 200,000]
[Total: 1,000,000 Points.]
[Acquire? YES/NO]
"Yes"
[Store Points: (1,059,560 – 1,000,000) -> 59,560 Points.]
I bought these spells to be better prepared to evolve on the floors starting from Rivira.
With the ability to delve even deeper into the lower floors, I could earn even more points!
Thinking about the future, I continued down the list, and the spell I coveted the most now was the [Space Spell/Fast Teleport/Rank 4: 10,000,000], but it's a distant dream for now...
When the three books appeared, I read them quickly and burned them.
Now let's check my stats by clicking on the option. My screen appeared.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
---Information---
• Name: Lucius Drakenar
• Race: Human;
• Family/Falna: Hestia.
• Nicknames: [OPEN]
• Level: 2
---Stats---
• Strength: I0 -> I60
• Endurance: I0 -> H150
• Dexterity: I0 -> H110
• Agility: I0 -> H105
• Magic: I0 -> D310
---Abilities---
• Blessing of ?????? (Nullifies Any Mana Expenditure)
• Charged Magic (Hold the Magic for 2 Times its Cooldown and Release an Attack 4x Times Stronger)
---Development Abilities---
Luck - I
---Spells---
• Fire Spell/Firebolt/Rank 2. (Mission Complete)
• Ice Spell/Freezing/Rank 1. (No Mission)
• Support Spell/Strength Booster/Rank 2. (Mission Complete)
• Support Spell/Speed Booster/Rank 2. (Mission Complete)
• Summoning Spell/Goblin/Rank 2. (Mission Complete)
• Lightning Spell/Lightning Weapon/Rank 2
• Healing Spell/Minor Heal/Rank 2
• Alteration Spell/Magelight/Rank 2
• Alteration Spell/Clean Body-Clothes/Rank 2
• Alteration Spell/Repair Clothes/Rank 2
• Magic Spell/Minor Magic Aura/Rank 3
• Fire Spell/Multi-Firebolt/Rank 3
• Alteration Spell/Ironflesh/Rank 3
• Gravitational Spell/Minor Gravitational Field/Rank 3
• Space Spell/Quick Dodge/Rank 3
• Lightning Spell/Lightning Weapon/Rank 3
• Summoning Spell/Conjure Flame Atronach/Rank 3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
System Inventory:
• 02x Card that Nullifies a Chosen Magic Incantation!
• 01x Random Rank 3 Magic Card!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a great evolution for a day of fighting. Unfortunately, I won't have an opportunity to grow like this for a while, even though I almost died. It was a great experience for my mind to prepare for the lower floors ahead of us.
Meanwhile, I opened another screen to see the progress of all the missions:
---Mission List---
---MISSIONS---
• [Initial Mission: Learn a Spell Without Interacting With a God, | {Progress: Completed} | {Reward: System Initialization.}]
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• [FireBolt Mission (Rank 2): Cast 10,000 Firebolts! | Incantation: "Firebolt!" | {Progress: Completed (100%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Strength Booster Mission (Rank 2): Cast 1000 Strength Boosters! | Incantation: "Strength Booster Spell!" | {Progress: Completed (100%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Speed Booster Mission (Rank 2): Cast 1000 Speed Boosters! | Incantation: "Speed Booster Spell!" | {Progress: Completed (100%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Goblin Summoning Mission (Rank 2): Keep the Goblin Active for 100 Hours! | Incantation: "Summoning Spell, Goblin!" | {Progress: Completed (100%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Lightning Weapon Mission (Rank 2): Cast 5000 Rank 2 Lightning Weapons! | Incantation: "Lightning Weapon!" | {Progress: 2970/5000 - (59%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Intermediate Monster Rex Mission: Defeat Goliath Alone on the Seventeenth Floor! | {Progress: Completed - (100%)} | {Reward: 100,000 Points.}] (!Hidden Condition: You defeated Goliath at level 01 [Hidden Reward: 01x Card that Nullifies a Chosen Magic Incantation! + 100,000 Points!])
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• [Minor Heal Mission (Rank 2): Cast 5000 Rank 2 Minor Heals: | Incantation: "Minor Heal!" | {Progress: 1140/5000 - (23%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Magelight Mission (Rank 2): Cast 2000 Rank 2 Magelights: | Incantation: "Magelight!" | {Progress: 4/2000 - (0%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Clean Body-Clothes Mission (Rank 2): Cast 1000 Rank 2 Clean Body-Clothes: | Incantation: "Clean Body-Clothes!" | {Progress: 11/1000 - (1%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Repair Clothes Mission (Rank 2): Cast 1000 Rank 2 Repair Clothes: | Incantation: "Repair Clothes!" | {Progress: 1/1000 - (0%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Minor Gravitational Field Mission (Rank 3): Cast 10000 Rank 3 Minor Gravitational Fields: | Incantation: "Gravitational Spell, Minor Gravitational Field!" | {Progress: 10/10000 - (0%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Multi-Firebolt Mission (Rank 3): Cast 10000 Rank 3 Multi-Firebolts: | Incantation: "Fire Spell, Multi-Firebolt!" | {Progress: 6/10000 - (0%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Ironflesh Mission (Rank 3): Cast 5000 Rank 3 Ironflesh: | {Progress: 14/5000} | Incantation: "Alteration Spell, Ironflesh!" | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Minor Magic Aura Mission (Rank 3): Keep Rank 3 Minor Magic Aura Active for 200 Hours! | Incantation: "Magic Spell, Minor Magic Aura!" | {Progress: 0/200 - (0%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [(!Hidden!) Monster Rex Variant Mission: Defeat Black Goliath Alone! | {Progress: Completed} | {Reward: 500,000 Points.}] (!Hidden Condition: You defeated Goliath at level 2 [Hidden Reward: 01x Random Rank 3 Magic Card! + 01x Card that Nullifies a Chosen Magic Incantation! + 500,000 Points!])
---------------------------
• [Quick Dodge Mission (Rank 3): Cast 10,000 Quick Dodges, Rank 3: | Incantation: "Space Spell, Quick Dodge!" | {Progress: 0/10,000 - (0%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Lightning Weapon Mission (Rank 3): Cast 5000 Rank 3 Lightning Weapons: | Incantation: "Lightning Spell, Lightning Weapon!" | {Progress: 0/5000 - (0%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
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• [Conjure Flame Atronach Mission (Rank 3): Keep Rank 3 Conjure Flame Atronach Active for 200 Hours! | Incantation: "Summoning Spell, Conjure Atronach!" | {Progress: 0/200 - (0%)} | {Reward: User Can Use Spell Without Incantation.}]
------------------------
All the missions since I acquired the system appeared to me, with the first ones completed, but they were still the minority, something that should start to change in the coming days. I need spells without their incantations to expedite execution; this can save my life in critical moments.
After reviewing the entire system, I decided to get some sleep, finally.
The next day.
I woke up again the next day with someone lying beside me.
"Aphrodite? What the hell are you doing in my bed?" I said, still sleepy, trying to figure out how on earth she ended up here without me noticing. I looked at Riekling, who was awake, and he just shrugged in response to my questioning look.
'It could be an assassin; I would be dead...' I thought, a bit frustrated, even though there was a beauty in my arms.
"Lucius-Kun..." She said sleepily. I sighed and moved her aside, deciding to get ready for the day after ignoring her.
Everything went as usual; we were still in the same place where the Loki family had set up with our own tents. While I recovered calmly, Hestia and Lili spent the day fighting for Bell's attention, while the rest of the group was caught up in their own affairs. I talked to Welf about my weapon, but unfortunately, I lost the materials I collected on the floors to create a lightning-resistant katana in the inn explosion along with Riekling's death.
Strangely, Hermes overheard this conversation with Welf, and he offered to buy those materials in exchange for my help with the Black Goliath. I declined, of course, but he was so insistent that I ended up accepting cautiously; you can't trust this god, and I can't fathom what schemes are running through his head in every action.
After that, I spent the day trying to do anything to distract my mind. Unfortunately, Hestia denied me going to the nineteenth floor, and I ended up accepting it, deciding to wander around the place.
It was late in the afternoon when I had nothing else to do, so I decided to walk through the forest and take a bath in the stream. Riekling stayed at the camp, being squeezed by the Aphrodite family girls, and that goddess also disappeared without anyone knowing where she went, but no one worried too much, knowing that she could take care of herself.
I was thinking about my future; in this timeline, events would unfold in sequence, like in a few weeks, Apollo will declare war on us, then comes the war with Ishtar, then the xenos, soon after comes the expedition and the Juggernaut, and after that? Unfortunately, I have no more knowledge of the future, and that's what scares me the most, but it also excites me because I'll be adrift in the unknown, and things are more exciting that way too!
I can't afford to relax for a few days now; I have to get stronger quickly to face all of this. Many people have seen my abilities, and I will be targeted by many now. I need to strengthen myself to protect me. I chose the Hestia family, knowing that I would attract attention and would have someone behind me. I chose them not only because I like them, but also because they have the greatest potential in Orario. Besides, I planned to stay in Bell's shadow without anyone noticing me, but that won't be possible anymore, I believe.
As I walked, I heard the sound of water, which brought me back from my thoughts, and I found a certain goddess bathing alone when I approached the place where I found Riviera. I decided to relax here, even though I have a spell to clean myself. I can still enjoy taking a real bath here before returning to the surface.
I lifted my face, looking in the direction of the sound that caught my attention. There was Aphrodite, and she noticed me too. Without any shame, she began calling me.
"LUCIUS-KUN!" shouted the blonde goddess when she saw me walking to the river in a very seductive tone.
"Aphrodite? Hm? I see you're quite comfortable..." I said with a smile, watching the goddess who didn't care about being naked in front of me, and I enjoyed the divine sight.
"Hmmm... Lucius-kun, I see that you're not as shy as that other boy in your family..." She said, probably referring to the event when Bell and Hermes spied on them bathing a few days ago. This goddess was now flaunting her curves without a hint of shyness, but her face was a bit flushed. She was teasing me, thinking I'd have the same reaction as Bell.
"A beauty to admire, Goddess Aphrodite..." I said without taking my eyes off her.
'If she's flaunting, then I can admire!' I exclaimed mentally.
Her beauty and body, except for Riviera, surpassed any woman or goddess I had ever seen. Maybe not having Demeter's bosom, but still very beautiful. It was a very gratifying sight for me.
I can be a bold scoundrel here since I'm being provoked.
"Hehehehe," she laughed at my words. "This goddess likes your tone, Lucius-kun. Why don't you come in and enjoy this goddess, then?" She said provocatively, winking with one of her eyes, but her cheeks became a little more flushed.
Being the goddess of love, beauty, desire, and fertility, she would obviously be an open and experienced woman, as bold as Freya, a contradiction when compared to Hestia or Artemis, despite the trio being close friends, despite always teasing each other.
I didn't need to waste much time before jumping into that water naked and starting to touch that divine girl with lust, taking me away from all future concerns at that moment and just having some fun with Aphrodite.
The next morning.
We quickly prepared to leave after the camp was completely packed up. Then we began to return and climb to the seventeenth floor with the goal of reaching the surface.
Strangely, there were almost no monsters on the intermediate floors, concluding that, with the two Black Goliaths produced by the dungeon, it took some time without generating monsters that would normally populate the corridors, leaving them clean and quiet.
So, we easily reached the dungeon's hall on the surface without any complications.
Of course, the problems only appeared after that. First, we went to the guild after being approached by Ganesha family patrols, as the guild itself sent them so that we could explain why gods were in the dungeon. I had to report how I changed the landscape of the eighteenth floor forever.
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