'System, what was the quest again?'
[Supporter conundrum:
A supporter is great for many things, from harvesting, to a little help in a fight. And most importantly; carrying stuff.
Goal; Hire a supporter.
Reward; Increase in
'Why is my skill faded?'
[The seed has been planted, but it has yet to bloom.]
'Hmmmmmm-'
"Hey, cloaked mister!"
Seraph instantly turned around at the loli-like voice, ready to break in some doors and chew bubble-gum, there was just one problem; He was all out of gum.
But instead it was a small child, well- More like a malnutritioned, or maybe she was- 'Wait- Is that the girl!? This is an amazing discovery! Loli-race girl!'
"Are you looking for a supporter?"
Seraph, not needing to do any facial acting due to the cloak made an elated tone "For a matter of fact I am, how much you want?"
"-Eh, right into payment?"
"Yea, don't like to waste time with small talk, so let's get real. I pay you... 10000 valis a day... with a trail period of three days which will be 5k a day... Your job will be; Carrying food, magic stones, and drops. Does thou agree?"
"Yes?"
So the two entered the dungeon together, with the loli-girl struggling to catch-up to Seraph, playing catch-up constantly "Could we please take a break!?" She said while panting.
He said suddenly "20 minutes, not a second longer." Then leaned on the wall, and just stayed there.
20 minutes later, he regained his senses of the mortal realm, and noticed a close-by group of goblins. He unsheathed his ninjato slightly, and rushed at the three goblins.
The first charged madly at him with a club.
His sword left a path, passing right through the sub-par defense of the goblin, making it disappear in black particles and a magic stone. The next was made quick work of in the same way.
But since he had a slight bit of time, he, with a snap-like motion sheathed his blade. And threw his dagger at the monster's throat, stopping it like you would when a knife blocked your air-way.
And then with a few more steps, his sword left another trail, and the three had died.
[Ninjato mastery (Repeat quest):
Goal; Monsters killed by ninjato 414/10000
Reward; Increased mastery in the usage of the ninjato.]
"The gas economy Jack!" He said randomly.
he waited for a bit while sheathing his weapons, then he continued as he looked at his falna.
=======
Strength; E-432->D-501. Endurance; G-293->F-346. Dexterity; E-412->E-467. Agility; F-387-D-507. Magic; H-142->E-432.
======
The last run had recently finished, and he had re-entered the dungeon with a mission, with a goal! Get to D-rank in every single stat.
Endurance too.
His overall goal being to; 'Get SSS-rank in every stat unlike that total loser who stifled his growth by leveling up before getting there.'
His main quest being;
[Dungeon extermination;
The dungeon is a pest that must be exterminated, by violent means.
Goal; exterminate the dungeon.
Reward;
So he it was his divine duty to kill the dungeon, yea, that sounded good.
Seraph laughed slightly as he crushed the head of a kobold beneath his feet.
Floor 5 now. getting close to 6.
Seraph quickly gave a quick draw-slash to the dead corpse, leaving only the magic stone, which he gulped down, while in the vision of the loli "What did you just do?"
"I swallowed a magic stone."
"Why?!"
"Because I can without any negative side-effects."
"How!?"
"I believe it's because magic stones are magic manifested in the material realm, allowing it to transfrom back into pure mana. Else, where would all the magic-stone waste be. Doesn't it get used as a fuel source?"
"That-! That makes sense... How didn't I realize this..."
"That's because I'm galaxy brain, and you're 0 IQ, down syndrome, retarded loli-race-thingy." Seraph said in a joking tone. He was in a good mood, exalia growth had increased by 5.7%!
He went to the next group, and slashed once, and killed one. Again and again.
His stats were dominating the current competition, so it was time to go down a floor.
"You do know that the 8th and 9th floors are recommended for E-rank and above adventurers, right?"
Seraph understood, his growth had been so slow due to him fighting with noobs as a lvl 100 gang-boss. And that meant it was time for floor 9 action!
[The seed sprouts.]
Seraph glanced at the ominous screen 'Eh, it's probably nothing.'
The cloaked figure really didn't have any interest in this 'Seed' thing, but then he realized;
=======
Name; Seraph.
Strength; D-501. Endurance; F-346. Dexterity; E-467. Agility; D-507. Magic; E-432.
Skill(s);
Magic; [Rift strike]
=======
'Oh great, another skill I can't use!'
A bit later on the 7th floor, he was stopped by an adventurer.
Seraph himself would forgive the loser in the form of a beast guy, if he just let him pick the most efficient option which was no more interaction, but the loser just didn't accept that and tried to talk to Seraph.
Negotiation would be a waste of time, so Seraph just took a few steps forwards.
The beast-thingy was angered that Seraph would just ignore him, and charged. So Seraph threw his dagger at it's eyes.
But the beast man had been an adventurer for quite some time, mostly focusing on the slaying of men, so he knew a thing or two about countering hidden weapons.
Though he did not expect Seraph to be fast enough for him to get into range.
He stopped the dagger, but moments later the world spun.
A crescent of steel passed by his neck, quickly returning to it's scabbard.
Seraph looked at his skill; [
'It seems that it wasn't as useless as I thought.'
Seeing his proficiency in the blade, he had gained confidence at long lost, and took the western long-sword of the beast man. And took a stance.
The 'Wrath stance', a two handed grip, his rear foot faced backwards, the sword hanged down the back past his head, his body leaned backwards.
From there he pushed the sword in an arch over his shoulder, steping forwards all the same, creating a diagonal slash with intense power. This was called the 'Zornhau'.
One of the strongest cuts in german swordsmanship.
It was even more powerful with his falna, such power caused the resounding sound of air being cut.
Seeing his power, Seraph couldn't help but smile while thinking of the possibilities "Come on! We've got shit to do!"
The beast girl loli and the cloaked figure about three days later left the dungeon. The loli tired out from being overworked, while the cloaked figure was as if nothing had happened, even if he hadn't had a meal for three days.
He threw the 15k of valis into the hands of the loli supporter, and then sold all his magic stones for a total of about 42k.
He enjoyed the fact he had that much coin, and ate the same amount of food to sustain his mortal coil for the next three days as he had bought last time.
He then went to a book store, and found the book he was looking for 'Magical application'.
It may sound like it's 'Magic 101' but said fancy, but remember that magic stones are used as an energy source. This was about something Seraph called 'Artificy', a rare art forgotten by most. Since there hasn't been anything to do with warfare for a while.
How did Seraph know this? Because when he entered and asked if there was a book about making those lamps. And the librarian went on a long spiel, an old man librarian.
The moment Seraph heard where it was he picked it out of the book store and asked how much it costed to buy "Well, the real question is; what are you going to use the supreme art of applied magic for?"
Seraph cringed at 'Applied magic' "First; It's artificy now, the art of artificy which is used to create artifacts that are powered by magic stones. And what am I going to use it for? The answers obvious; I'm going to make what ever fits my fancy.
If I want to make a sword that can gain an elemental effect temporarily by using magic stones, I'll make it!
If I want to make a bomb that uses magic stones to split an atom, causing an explosion that turns the affected area into an inhospitable wasteland for generations, I'll make it a reality!
If I want to make a cloak that makes me invisible, to give to a pervert so that he can watch women change in whatever place they do that, I'll invent it!"
Seraph took a deep breath, and calmed back down. He had seen the wasted potential of artificy, it was literally used to make some trashy appliances. Garbage disposal, lamps, water filtration, the water system, not toilets though.
They still used outhouses and buckets.
The only slightly acceptable use was the lighter, though it was more a fire starter. Making a certain flame, it was kind-off like the fire-starter of a lighter, the one you use to light the gas of a lighter.
Anyways, it was very convenient.
The old man cackeled "Kekeke, you've got the right mind-set kid!" It seems he really liked Seraph's answer "Others say applied magi-" "-Artificy." "Yes... 'Artificy'- Is only to be used for the good of the people, saying that it is not made for warefare! I, William Bonopar, reject this notion!"
Seraph was nodding slightly, this was going to the path of free stuff or world-building "They are just willfully ignorant to what... Artificy is meant for!"
"Sooooo?"
"I'll let you have if for ten-thousand valis."
"Easy." He took out a hand-full of valis out of his bag "That should be enough, correct?"
"Yes."
So Seraph left with the book, reading it calmly. It was highly interesting, especially the way you can make channels with indentation or copper wire.
There was already a light schematic inside with an explanation on how it worked, but suddenly someone called from behind him "Hey!"
He turned his head, and exclaimed a slightly loud "Oh, It's you." For you to understand why she's here, breathing heavily with anger and hatred. You'll need a flash back.
---------
"What? I can't be registered if I don't say from which familia I'm from?"
"Yes, sir. That is not allowed. All adventurers are part of a familia, and you are not allowed to hide from which familia you are if you wish to register as one."
Seraph found no point in arguing his point, and sighed "Fine, I'll tell you- I'm from the Hestia familia."
---------
"-Eh? I don't have anyone in my familia." Hestia said to the red-haired with an eye-patch.
Hephestus sighed "Really? Because in the records of the adventurer's guild your familia has an actual member. Called 'Der Führer'."
Hestia was pressing x to doubt excessively "Give me that," She looked the official record of her familia and it's members "What?!?!"
---------
"Loli-hearth girl that was eaten by Chronos and then beaten out of his stomach by zeus! Wait- that's actual greek mythology, not this half-assed god mix infront of me."
"What did you say!?"
"That I'm better than you in every way?"
"No! The thing befor!- Wait what?!"
"Your here to complain about my using of your familia as a cover, correct?"
"Don't change the subject! What did you say!?"
"That you were eaten by your father as a child?"
"What!?"
"Yea, it was crazy! You see, your father Chronos was foretold to be dethroned by one of his off-spring, just like his father before him. So he ate all who had his blood, instead of not having children. But his sister, who was also his wife, didn't like that, so he fed him a stone instead of his last son, Zeus, king of the sky.
Then Zeus went on to kill chronos, then Hades and Poseidon came out, with you too!"
"I-I don't think that happened."
"Of course it didn't sweetie, to you at least. The real you was effected by that, not the loli-god you are now."
"Why... Why are you dissing me so much? I know that I was angry and offensive, but it's as if I personally attacked you."
"In Genkai, the gods there are keeping the guiding of souls in order and shit. You, who left there for this shit-hole, is abandoning your duty as a god. Your basically an entitled child thinking 'I'm so great, why would I need to work? I'm going to play in the garden, I'm sure all the others will be sure to fill in for me'."
Seraph clicked his tongue, and took some valis from his bag "Here, buy yourself something nice, and never bother me again. If you don't want to be put into the ground emotionally." Though Seraph then smaked his lips "Or... You may be a subject of my 'Purification'."
Seraph then walked away, but then waved good bye at the god at his back "Oh yea, there's going to be this white-haired simp with red eyes with a one in every stat. He'll get this broken skill 'Realis freese' or something. It's overpowered, far too powerful really."