Chương 6: The Half-Elf Might Be Angry

"It used about one-tenth of my Magic. The cost is low." Cael wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had succeeded on his first try. The change to the sword's material was only temporary, and it would return to normal once the magical power faded, but that was more than enough for now. He could not use the complete form of Unlimited Blade Works yet. He could not even manage true projection. His Magic value was not high enough.

Emiya had been able to push Unlimited Blade Works so absurdly far because he had fought his future self, absorbed that experience, and copied the essential nature of every weapon involved. Projection Magecraft and weapon reinforcement were only attached functions of the Reality Marble. If Cael wanted to use the Reality Marble itself, he would need to store weapons inside it first. Only after enough weapons had been copied would he satisfy the conditions to deploy it.

"I can feel the sword's rhythm now... It is almost like the sword is another arm. That must be the effect of Clear Sword Mind." Cael gave the sword a few testing swings. His thoughts felt clear all the way down to his soul, as if anything in front of him could be cut apart with a light stroke. The first effect of Clear Sword Mind greatly increased the sharpness of any sword-shaped weapon while he held it. The remaining two Skills from Heracles would only show their true value in battle.

He slowly returned the sword to its sheath.

"I should go find Miss Eina and listen to her advice. Entering the Dungeon like this would be too dangerous." Cael glanced around the warm little nest Hestia had arranged and smiled faintly. Even the air seemed fresher here. He climbed the stone steps, left the basement, and slowly closed the stone door behind him. After stepping out of the abandoned church, he lifted his head toward the sky. Had the sky become higher? No. His own mood had lifted. Cael jogged toward Babel.

The tower stood at the very center of the city, where the main avenues met, and the Guild was not far from it. Orario was not as large as the world-class cities from his old life, but in this world, it was the greatest city there was. In the Guild's reception area, Cael sat across from Eina with a cheerful smile while the half-elf stared at him in open surprise.

"You joined a Familia that quickly?" Eina said.

"Congratulations, Cael... Hm. Calling you Mr. Veyren feels too stiff, but calling you by your first name already may be a little too familiar." Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. She seemed genuinely troubled. It was rare for a rookie to push through every step so quickly.

"Cael is fine," he said.

"That is what my goddess calls me."

"It looks like Goddess Hestia likes you very much." Eina's expression softened.

"Congratulations. Your wish really did come true. You met a goddess." Many humans were found by gods, but very few humans truly found a god. Someone loved by a deity could not be ordinary. A god's eye for people was not something mortals could easily match. Cael must have surpassed ordinary people in at least one way. For example, he was capable of wanting things most people would not even dare to imagine.

"She does like me." Cael's lips curved as the memory of his meeting with Hestia replayed in his mind.

"And I like my goddess a lot too."

"That sounds like a boast worth being jealous of, Cael." Eina folded her arms and deliberately looked displeased, though inwardly she felt something gentler. She had witnessed a boy who had just arrived in Orario meet a goddess who had never had a Familia. It really was like a scene from a heroic tale.

"Sorry, sorry." Cael scratched his head with an awkward laugh. Eina was already his rookie adviser, so telling her about his situation was not strange. A rookie adviser was the Guild guide responsible for looking after new adventurers.

"In any case," Eina said, "now that you have received Falna, you want to enter the Dungeon, correct?" She placed a thin booklet on the tea table and pushed it toward him.

"This is the rookie handbook. It contains maps of the Upper Floors, from the first through the twelfth floor, monster introductions, and several important warnings."

"What about past the twelfth floor?" Cael asked, opening to the first page.

"Do not get ahead of yourself," Eina said, her voice turning strict.

"Past the twelfth floor, you enter the Middle Floors. Only upper-class adventurers should go there. And for your first time in the Dungeon, you absolutely, absolutely must not go past the third floor. Understood?" Her expression dimmed.

"Do you know this, Cael? Most of the rookie adventurers I have advised never came back from the Dungeon. It is dangerous. One careless mistake, and you may never return."

"I will not be that easy to lose." Cael lifted his chin with absolute confidence.

"In less than a month, my name will echo through all of Orario." He had enough confidence to become an upper-class adventurer within a month. Upper-class adventurers were adventurers of Lv. 2 or higher. In Orario, Lv. 1 adventurers made up roughly half of all adventurers. Many of them could only survive in the Upper Floors, and many chased money without any real courage or character. People like that could spend their entire lives without achieving a feat great enough to break through their own limits. Lv.

2 adventurers were different. To reach that point, they needed a deed worthy of being called heroic, something strong enough to raise their potential to the next stage. The gap between Lv. 1 and Lv. 2 was enormous. At that level, an adventurer also gained a Development Ability. With every Level Up, another Development Ability could be added. Development Abilities were like additional passive abilities. Upper-class adventurers were divided further. Lv. 2 adventurers were third-tier. Lv. 3 and Lv. 4 were second-tier.

Lv. 5 and above were first-tier.

"That confidence is almost cute," Eina said with a smile, raising one finger.

"When you come back safely, I will still collect a five percent adviser fee from your gains. No owing me money."

"Ah, Miss Eina, please do not raise a death flag!" Cael's face fell at once. He clutched his head and groaned.

"That is a death flag. It is absolutely a death flag."

"Death flag?" Eina tilted her head in confusion.

"What is that?" Then her gaze dropped.

"Wait. Where is your equipment? You are not planning to enter the Dungeon like that, are you?" Only then did she properly notice that Cael wore nothing but odd, thin clothing and carried a longsword that looked more decorative than practical.

"Uh..." Cael froze. Eina understood his expression immediately. Her eyes slowly grew cold behind her glasses. Her face became frighteningly serious, and an overwhelming pressure burst from her as she slapped the tea table.

"I knew it. No. Absolutely not!"