[Runes: 72,580]
Looking at the string of numbers, the corners of Linn's mouth couldn't help but curl upward.
As expected, the native monsters in the Dungeon yielded a significantly higher amount of Runes.
Linn rubbed his hands together and expertly opened his attribute panel with a thought.
[Level: Lv.1] [Strength: A 886] [Endurance: S 999] [Dexterity: S 999] [Agility: S 999] [Magic: D 500]
Wait...
"That's strange. Why is everything stopping at 999?"
He first dumped his points into Strength and Magic to bring them over 900.
[Strength: S 986] [Magic: S 900]
But when he tried to continue adding points, nothing happened.
"Huh?"
He froze for a moment and tried again.
"Go on, move! Level up!"
But no matter how he focused his will, the numbers behind the attributes remained bolted in place at "999." The plus buttons next to them had turned a gray, unselectable hue.
"Damn it, don't tell me 999 actually is the cap?" Linn's heart skipped a beat.
All his attributes seemed to have made a pact; they had hit an invisible wall just one step away from breaking into four digits.
Linn frowned. This was completely different from his experience playing the game. In the Lands Between, hitting 99 in an attribute was something that only happened in the late game. Furthermore, compared to the attributes Ais displayed in her normal state, this 999 was still worlds apart in terms of actual performance.
Just as he was lost in confusion, a line of blurred text composed of flickering embers slowly emerged in the center of the Bonfire interface. It carried an ancient, vaguely malicious cadence:
"The power borne by a mortal vessel has reached its limit. To break the cage, one must seek the shadows of the Great Runes."
"Great Runes..."
Linn chewed on the words, and his expression shifted from confusion to realization.
He understood now. This damn system had imported the mechanics of the Lands Between wholesale. To continue growing stronger, Runes alone were no longer enough.
Just like when he had challenged Godrick the Grafted or Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon, he had to find the "Demigods" of this world, seize their Great Runes, and use them to unlock further progress. (In the game, one needs two Great Runes just to enter the Royal Capital.)
"The problem is... where are the 'Demigods' of this world?" Linn scratched his head, feeling a headache coming on. "Do they spawn in the Dungeon?"
"Tsk, what a pain." Linn clicked his tongue. The good mood from his overnight windfall was instantly dampened. "Tomorrow, it's time to head a bit deeper."
The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced the morning mist and illuminated the spire of Babel, the training grounds of the Loki Familia's headquarters, "Twilight Manor," were already echoing with thunderous booms.
"HRAAAAH—!"
Bete Loga was stripped to the waist, his lean, muscular torso slick with a mix of sweat and dust. He wasn't using any weapons; instead, he used his armored fists and feet to relentlessly batter a massive, specially-made sandbag.
The bag was sewn from multiple layers of dragon hide and filled with high-density metallic sand. Every strike produced a dull, thunderous roar that seemed to make the entire training ground tremble.
Since returning from that humiliating expedition—and especially since that inexplicable confrontation at the Guild's entrance a few days ago—Bete had been training like a madman. His training volume was higher than ever before, and the intensity had reached a level bordering on self-harm.
BANG!
With one final, heavy spinning kick, the resilient dragon-hide sandbag finally reached its limit. With an ear-grating tear, the metallic sand spilled out across the floor.
Bete panted heavily, his golden wolf-like eyes burning with suppressed irritability and rage.
Over the past few days, that black-haired kid's face kept flashing through his mind. Or rather, not just the face, but that damn, ridiculously small, battered iron round shield.
He couldn't wrap his head around it.
He was the "Flashing Wolf," a Level 5 adventurer. Even if he hadn't put his full strength into that kick, it absolutely wasn't something a Level 1 could withstand. Yet, the boy had simply raised that shield with effortless grace, and Bete's massive force had vanished like a drop of water into the ocean.
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
How could a Level 1 rookie, who didn't even belong to a Familia, block him like that?
"Hey, hey, Bete. You trying to tear down the training grounds or what?"
A lighthearted female voice drifted from the side. Tione, the elder of the Amazon sisters, leaned against the railing of the training ground with her arms crossed, watching him with amusement.
"Going crazy first thing in the morning... did Ais reject you again?" Tiona, the younger sister, added with an innocent-sounding jab.
"Shut up! You're annoying!" Bete growled without looking back, irritably clawing through his grayish-white hair.
He grabbed a nearby towel and wiped his face haphazardly, but the image in his mind refused to fade.
It was the shield.
Right, there has to be something wrong with that shield!
It definitely wasn't a normal shield. It had to be some kind of rare magic item with a special effect that reflected physical attacks. That kid was just lucky enough to find a treasure like that.
Yes, that must be it!
After days of self-doubt and mental reconstruction, Bete had finally found the perfect excuse for his failure. This excuse allowed his battered pride a small bit of breathing room.
But an excuse wasn't enough. He had to personally shatter that kid's turtle shell. He would use the fists he was so proud of to smash that insufferably calm face to pulp!
He was going to take back the dignity he had lost!
"You two," Bete turned abruptly, his golden pupils locked onto the Amazon sisters. "Do you know where that black-haired brat lives?"
"Huh? Which black-haired brat?" Tiona tilted her head.
Tione, however, seemed to remember something, and a playful smirk played on her lips. "Oh? Are you talking about the boy who was with Ais? Don't tell me you're going after her for real now? Do you see him as a love rival?"
Tione gave him a malicious, knowing grin.
"I said shut up!" Bete's face darkened. "I just want to 'consult' him on the construction of that shield of his!"
"Sure, sure, 'consult,'" Tione laughed until she shook. "But we don't know. You'd be better off asking Ais; she seems quite interested in that rookie."
"Ais?"
Hearing that name, Bete's expression became even more complex. He remembered the way Ais had looked at the boy—it was a look of pure curiosity and investigation toward an unknown powerhouse.
Ais had never looked at him that way.
A nameless fire surged from the depths of his heart, incinerating his remaining logic.
"Tsk!"
Bete clicked his tongue in annoyance and slammed his towel onto the ground. Without another word, he turned and stormed toward the gates of Twilight Manor.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Tiona shouted.
"To find someone!"
Bete's voice drifted back from the distance, carrying a tone of absolute resolve.
He had decided. Even if he had to flip all of Orario upside down, he was going to drag that bastard Linn out!
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Danmachi: My Primary God is Hidetaka Miyazaki? (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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