Chapter 12: The First Update of Falna!
Chapter 12 - The First Update of Falna!
"I was planning to head back anyway; I just stopped because I saw you discussing something and wanted to see what was happening."
"That's great! Let's go back together! Tell us about your story on the way!"
Tiona was extremely excited upon hearing Torajirou Shiro agree to return with them and promptly started pulling him along.
"Let's go, let's go! Back to Twilight Manor!"
…
Twilight Manor,
After exchanging magic stones for valis at the guild counter, the group headed straight back to the base.
"And then? What happened between you and your mentor?"
Tiona was still pulling Torajirou Shiro, eagerly asking about his past swordsmanship training.
To Torajirou Shiro, these stories seemed mundane, yet Tiona seemed fascinated, occasionally asking questions like a student in class.
"We're back, could you open the door, please?"
The group reached the entrance, and Finn spoke to the male and female gatekeepers.
"You're back! AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Hearing this voice, Torajirou Shiro paused and instinctively looked towards the gate.
Loki burst out of the manor, rushing towards the female members of the group.
"Is everyone safe? I've missed you so much!"
She leaped forward, stretching out her arms towards the girls.
Ais, Tiona, and Tione instinctively dodged her, but as Loki was about to pounce on Lefiya, seeing the tearful expression on the elf, Torajirou Shiro instinctively summoned his device and used its scabbard to knock Loki to the ground, leaving a human-shaped pothole.
"Thank you so much, Torajirou-kun!"
Lefiya ran towards Torajirou Shiro with tearful eyes to express her gratitude.
"Torajirou, Torajirou! You haven't finished telling your story yet!"
Tiona pulled Torajirou Shiro's hand, dragging him inside the manor as if she hadn't seen Loki fall, with the others following behind them.
Thus, Loki, the infamous trickster goddess known throughout the heavens for causing mischief, was left forgotten at the entrance of her own residence.
…
Inside Twilight Manor,
After showering, Torajirou Shiro saw Ais heading towards Loki's room.
She was probably going to update her Falna.
With this in mind, Torajirou Shiro followed. He knew he was improving, but seeing exact numbers made him feel more at ease and motivated.
In his previous life, if there had been a 'knowledge +1' sign above his head while studying, he would have upgraded just for the sake of seeing his stats increase, even without any achievement reward.
After Ais left the room with a disheartened expression, probably due to limited progress, Torajirou Shiro greeted her with a nod and explained his purpose.
"I'm here to update my status," He said to Ais, who nodded and left, her silhouette reflecting a touch of dejection.
Torajirou Shiro peeked through the door and saw Loki burning Ais' status parchment.
"Ah, I knew you'd be coming soon!"
"I'm here to update my abilities."
After entering, Torajirou Shiro removed his shirt and sat on the bed.
"Let's just update it straight away this time, but remember to book an appointment next time."
Loki skillfully pricked her hand with a needle and started writing and drawing on Torajirou Shiro's back.
"How did you find your first trip to the dungeon?"
Torajirou Shiro thought about the day's encounters.
"A bit boring but also interesting."
The boredom stemmed from having to repeatedly kill the same monsters he had killed countless times before.
The excitement came from the fact that there were many new and strange monsters waiting for him to discover, such as the War Shadows he encountered today.
It was hard to imagine how such creatures could have come into existence.
Loki understood what Torajirou Shiro meant.
"Is that so? That's good. I've been bored for millions of years in the heavens, and almost went crazy. It's a relief I found so many interesting things after descending to this mortal world."
"Like what?"
"For example, you. Do you know the joy of a god nurturing their Familia?"
It's like gacha games; gods nurture members of their Familia in the same way, desiring to collect attractive or uniquely skilled beings.
If Riveria and Ais are considered super rare SSR cards, then Torajirou Shiro is a one-of-a-kind commemorative card, which is why Loki was so eager to have him join her Familia.
"Is that so? I understand. It's kind of like a development game."
"Good. Never forget how valuable you are, and I'm already excited by what you'll accomplish. Alright, your update is done."
Loki handed the parchment with updated status to Torajirou Shiro.
No changes in skills or magic, only the ability values had increased.
Torajirou Shiro Lv1
Strength: I0 → I70
Endurance: I0 → I69
Dexterity: I0 → I74
Agility: I0 → I80
Magic: I0 → G207
Magic: [Device] [ ] [ ]
Skills: [Desperado] [Celestial Star Spirit's Protection] [Intuition]
Seeing this, Torajirou Shiro frowned.
"What's wrong? Not satisfied with your improvement?"
"Hmm."
The most noticeable growth usually happens early on.
Torajirou Shiro was aware of the Falna mechanism: the further you progress, the slower rate of improvement.
The first day should have seen the fastest increase, but adding it all up only amounted to an improvement of 500 points.
Later on, it might slow down even more.
Before, Torajirou Shiro had sympathized with Ais for her slow progress. Now, he found himself in the same situation.
"Loki, is there a way to accelerate the improvement of ability values?"
Loki waved her hand dismissively.
"If there was such a thing, I'd have given it to everyone in my Familia... wait, maybe there is."
Loki's smile became mysterious.
"Do you know? The effect of Falna is exploring one's own essence and potential."
"Some seek revenge on monsters, others are driven by their innate racial traits."
"But undoubtedly, these are paths they'd likely follow without the presence of Falna."
"In other words, if your inner desire reaches a certain level, you could awaken corresponding skills. How about it? Want to give it a try?"
Torajirou Shiro considered what Loki said, full of temptation yet making sense. But what was his deepest desire?
Fame? Wealth? No, even with his past life's memories fading away, he knew he sought something else, something more naive and dreamlike, something laughed at in his past life.
What made him happiest? He thought of his Device, which appeared toy-like but glowed crimson inside.
The sword, a symbol of killing and blood to others, represented hope and mystery to Torajirou Shiro.
He remembered the first time he used the Device, even if it left him bruised and battered, even knowing it could kill him, he still summoned his Device in the dead of night, fascinated by its appearance and disappearance.
Torajirou Shiro was greedy; he wanted to grow stronger, to learn magic that was unthinkable in his previous life, to train with his mentor, his kouhai Touka, and the old man, to adventure in Orario, to meet more interesting people, and to thank the one who gave him a second chance at life.
He needed to become stronger, to have the power to connect everyone.
"I think I understand. Loki, could you update my status once more?"
---
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