Genichi Lv. 2
Strength: I0 → G245
Endurance: I0 → F312
Dexterity: I0 → G289
Agility: I0 → F357
Magic: I0 → E401
Staring at the freshly written status on the parchment, Genichi's eyes flickered slightly.
One day.
Just one day.
From I0 to an average over 300. Five stats totaling more than 1,600 points.
Growth like that, on any adventurer in Orario, would cause an uproar.
And all of it had been bought with that short, vicious fight to the death with Ryuu Lion.
He hadn't managed to grasp the Boosted Gear's Balance Breaker under that crushing pressure, but a gain of more than 1,600 points was proof enough of how staggering his harvest had been.
Between life and death really did hide the greatest opportunities.
"Genichi."
Demeter's voice came from behind him, carrying a complicated undertone.
Genichi didn't turn around. He simply gave a quiet "Mm" in reply.
"It's almost impossible to believe…" Demeter couldn't hide the awe in her voice. "If your growth data leaked, imagine the shockwaves it would cause."
She had seen too many adventurers' growth trajectories.
Normally, a newbie took months at minimum, often years, to go from Lv. 1 to Lv. 2.
And even among the monster-class prodigies, no one had ever done what Genichi had done: reaching Lv. 2 from nothing in seven days, then in a single day pushing his Lv. 2 base stats to this level.
If those numbers became public, the gods of Orario would go mad.
The gods who craved heroic seeds would swarm like sharks smelling blood.
Threats, bribes, sabotage in the shadows. If it meant prying him out of Demeter's familia, they'd do anything.
And the forces that didn't want to see him grow, Evilus and other hidden hands with their own agendas, would likely try to strangle him in the cradle the moment they learned.
After Demeter finished speaking, silence stretched for a few seconds.
Then her voice came again, this time with a strange tone, so tangled it was almost hard to name.
"However, Genichi… there's something I have to tell you."
Genichi finally turned to look at her. His black eyes were as calm as ever as he waited for her to continue.
Meeting his gaze, something flashed through Demeter's amber eyes, difficult to describe.
"You already have the feat required to level up to Lv. 3."
Genichi's pupils tightened slightly.
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure." Demeter nodded, her golden hair swaying lightly with the motion. "As a Lv. 2, you fought against Ryuu Lion at the peak of Lv. 4. And you did it while she was truly trying to kill you. That battle unquestionably counts as a feat worthy of Lv. 3."
She paused, making her words even clearer.
"In other words, what you're missing now is only status. Once your ability values reach a sufficient level, you can rank up to Lv. 3 at any time."
Genichi was silent for a moment, then asked slowly, "You mean… as soon as my stats are high enough, I can just level up?"
"Yes."
Demeter answered firmly, but there was little joy in her amber eyes. Instead, there was an indescribable complexity.
Because she understood exactly what that meant.
A boy who had been in Orario for less than ten days, who had only truly been an adventurer for a handful of days, was already standing at the threshold of Lv. 3.
All he needed now was time to fill out his status, and he could step through a gate that countless adventurers spent years, even decades, unable to touch.
That pace, in Orario's history, was something only legendary heroes could match.
No. It was even faster than them.
Genichi didn't respond to Demeter's complicated look. He only lowered his head again and stared at the line of numbers that recorded the results of his battle with Ryuu Lion.
As a Lv. 2, fighting the peak of Lv. 4 Ryuu Lion.
If any other Lv. 2 faced the Gale, the elf who had hunted Evilus alone for five years, what would the result be?
Probably no different than a stray dog on the roadside.
Not even fit to serve as a speed bump.
Lv. 2 and Lv. 4 looked like only two levels apart, but in Orario's system, a single level was already a chasm.
Strength, speed, endurance, magic. Every basic parameter leapt qualitatively when you ranked up.
A Lv. 2 challenging a Lv. 4 was, in most cases, just suicide.
Not every adventurer had the talent to fight above their level like that future "rabbit."
But Genichi had done it.
Or rather, he had nearly died, but in the end, he had done it.
Surviving that kind of desperate corner was itself a feat.
The room stayed quiet for a moment.
Then Demeter spoke again, breaking the silence.
"Genichi, you still have two magic slots."
Genichi lifted his head to look at her.
"That means you can still awaken two more spells," Demeter continued, a thoughtful light surfacing in her amber eyes. "So next, I plan to find you two grimoires."
Grimoires.
A precious item that could let an adventurer awaken magic directly.
Among Dungeon adventurers, anything that could grant magic had value comparable to top-tier equipment.
A single grimoire was enough to give an adventurer who had never awakened magic a spell of their own.
Before Demeter could finish, Genichi's brow had already furrowed.
"No."
His voice was absolute, leaving no room for discussion.
Demeter blinked. "Why? You don't want to awaken more magic?"
"Don't draw attention."
Genichi cut her off, a sharp glint passing through his black eyes.
"The most important thing for Demeter Familia right now is keeping a low profile."
Demeter parted her lips, wanting to argue.
Genichi didn't give her the chance.
"You just said it yourself, what happens if my growth data leaks."
His voice lowered, clear and heavy, each word landing in the room like a weight.
"If you suddenly start collecting grimoires, people will notice. And what I need most right now is time."
He looked straight into Demeter's amber eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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