At the Hestia Familia's modest, and steadily collapsing home, the three of them found themselves with little to do. With no urgent quests or errands pressing upon them, they decided to spend the afternoon tidying up their base. Bell took to scrubbing down the kitchen, diligently working his way through the worn countertops and dusty shelves. In the living room, Lili focused on cleaning every corner, determined to make the space a little more livable. Aurelius, ever the helpful companion, assisted Lili with the heavier lifting, stepping in whenever the prum couldn't reach or move something on her own. Despite the state of their home, a quiet sense of companionship filled the air as they worked together.
As they busied themselves cleaning their home, a sudden voice called out from the entrance.
"I'm back!" came Hestia's cheerful tone as she stepped inside, beaming with excitement. "Everyone! I've got great news for all three of you!"
The two in the living room turned toward the entrance, surprised, while Bell rushed in from another room, eyes wide with anticipation.
"Oh! Did the Denatus decide on our titles?" Bell asked, unable to contain his excitement. "What are they? What did we get?!"
Hestia gave them a smug smile, placing her hands on her hips before flashing a proud thumbs-up.
"Hehe~ Simple... but impactful titles!"
"...Eh?" Bell blinked, the wind seeming to leave his sails as his hopeful expression shifted to one of quiet dread. The other two exchanged puzzled glances, still curious.
With a deep breath and dramatic flair, Hestia stepped forward and announced:
"It's..."
________________________
The Hostess of Fertility was alive with chatter and laughter. Adventurers gathered around tables, sharing food, stories, and drink with their companions. It was a cheerful night...or at least it should have been.
That peace was shattered with a thunderous burst of laughter from a certain towering figure at one table, aimed squarely at the silver-haired boy seated across from him.
"PFT! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Aurelius roared, clutching his side. "Rookie Bunny? Seriously? HAHAHAHA!"
Truly, Aurelius was the kind of captain who could lift your spirits, or crush your emotional well-being with the same breath.
Bell Cranel, head buried in the table, let out a pitiful groan. Tears pooled beneath him, soaking the wood as the weight of embarrassment settled in.
"It's not fair…" he muttered dejectedly. "How come you two get cool aliases, and I get something like that…"
Across from him, Lili calmly sipped her water, unfazed by the bunny's despair.
"What do you mean?" she asked in a relaxed tone. "Mine isn't anything special. You're overreacting, Sir Bell."
"Yeah, kid. What the little girl said," Aurelius added with a smirk, still struggling to hold back the aftershocks of laughter. "We're not exactly bestowed a good or cool alias. Don't be such a drama queen."
Bell slowly lifted his head and stared at the two of them with hollow disbelief.
"...Titanborn....Little Juggernaut…"
His voice was flat, void of emotion.
"You're telling me those don't sound cool?"
Aurelius turned to the rabbit with a reassuring smile.
"Relax. It doesn't sound nearly as cool as you think. But compared to yours? Yeah… it's way cooler."
He spoke sincerely.....at first. But then, his expression twisted as he struggled to hold back a laugh.
"Pfft—HAHAHAHAHA!"
Bell pouted, unable to handle the teasing from his captain.
"Mister, that's mean!" he whined, glaring up at the towering figure.
"Lili, don't you think our captain's being a little rude? T_T"
Lili, composed as ever, glanced at Bell. But after a short pause.....
Snort
She couldn't help it either.
"I mean… it is kind of a funny alias," she admitted, trying (and failing) to keep a straight face.
Bell slumped forward, his face pressing against the table as he groaned, "I can't believe this..."
His voice was heavy with despair. "My career is ruined....ToT."
As he wallowed in misery over his newly given title, a soft voice chimed in from beside the trio.
"I actually think your alias sounds pretty good," the voice said, gentle and sincere. "It suits your personality and the way you look, Bell. It's kind of cute, honestly."
The three of them turned toward the source of the voice, instantly recognizing the two figures standing nearby.
It was none other than Syr Flova, offering her trademark smile, with Ryuu Lion calmly standing beside her.
"Thank you, Miss Syr." Bell said, thanking the grey haired waitress for sympathizing with him.
"Hihihi~ There's no need Bell." Syr said, chuckled a little towards the depressed rabbit.
Lili's eyes lit up the moment the two figures stepped forward and introduced themselves.
"Miss Syr! Miss Ryuu! It's so wonderful to see you both again!" she exclaimed joyfully. Rising from her seat, she offered them a respectful bow. "Thank you again for saving me that day. I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart."
Syr, clearly flustered by the formal gratitude, waved her hands awkwardly in front of her.
"Oh no, no! It was nothing, really!" she said with a nervous laugh. "We were just passing through the alley as a shortcut back to the Hostess. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
But Lili stood upright, her expression firm with sincerity.
"Even if it was by chance, the fact that you stepped in and lent your strength means more to me than I can put into words. That alone deserves my respect." She bowed once more, deeper than before. "So, thank you."
Syr blinked, unsure of how to respond. Her fingers fidgeted at her sides as she looked to Ryuu for help.
Seeing Syr's hesitation, Ryuu stepped forward, her voice calm and composed.
"It's alright, Lili. We acted because it was the right thing to do. You don't need to thank us for that."
Bell and Aurelius, watching the exchange from the side, shared a quick glance, both puzzled by the sudden formality in their usually cheeky prum companion.
Sensing their confusion, Lili took a breath and began recounting everything that had happened to her before she joined the Hestia Familia. Nonetheless, Bell was shocked towards the information as he suddenly gave support towards her. Aurelius, being Aurelius, just gave a thumbs up and a wide smile towards her brave little girl companion.
"Well, we're truly glad to see the three of you together like this," Ryuu said with a gentle smile. "Oh, and congratulations on your level-up, both of you."
"That's right!" Syr added cheerfully. She clasped her hands together before continuing, "Tonight, we'll be celebrating all three of you!"
With practiced ease, Syr and Ryuu placed the drinks down in front of the trio, setting two more for themselves.
The five of them took their seats around the table, the atmosphere warm and light. They each raised their glasses high, smiles on their faces.
"Cheers!" they all exclaimed in unison, the clinking of their drinks echoing the joy shared between friends.
Everybody around them turned to look at the commotion caused by the five, disbelief clear in their expressions at the sight of the three Hestians who had supposedly leveled up.
"Hey, they're the three that leveled in just a month, right?" one of them muttered, eyes wide with skepticism.
"Yeah, that's them, all right," another confirmed, though his tone carried more disbelief than certainty. "I still think they just got lucky. There's no way each of them took down a Level 2 monster on their own."
The whispers grew, a low hum of chatter filled with doubt and envy. People debated among themselves, voices hushed but sharp, questioning the trio's sudden rise—faster than most adventurers, faster even than the Sword Princess herself.
"They're quite… lovely?" Bell said, trying to focus on something positive amid the murmurs, though the awkwardness in his voice was hard to miss.
"A bunch of jealous fools, that's what they are," Lili muttered beside him, her brow twitching as irritation crept into her voice. "They can't stand the fact that we worked harder and rose faster."
Still, the stares and whispered disbelief lingered like a fog, and the trio could feel the weight of the adventurers' envy pressing against their backs.
They continued on chatting, ignoring the gosips around them. While they were leisurely chatting with one another, the conversation naturally shifted to something more relevant,
The Middle Floors.
Ryuu then posed a curious question, "Have the three of you ever ventured into the Middle Floors?"
She asked it with a hint of caution, assuming that they were still newcomers to that part of the Dungeon. Honestly, she expected a simple "no" in return. However, the answer she got wasn't at all what she anticipated.
"No, not yet," Bell answered. "Though our captain here already has."
"Oh?" Ryuu uttered in surprise. Her gaze shifted toward the towering figure beside Bell. "I thought you would've waited until your companions were ready."
Aurelius grinned and shrugged. "I only go as far as the twelfth floor when I'm with them. When I'm alone? I've been down to the fifteenth. I could've gone further, but at the time, I didn't really have the chance to."
Ryuu, upon hearing that, was genuinely shocked. "The fifteenth floor? Alone?!" she repeated, barely able to hide her disbelief.
"Hard to believe, huh?" Aurelius said with a cocky grin plastered across his face. "Well, I don't really care if you believe it or not. Honestly? I bet there ain't a single level 2, besides these two here, who can go down that far by themselves. Hahaha!" he laughed, loud and proud, practically mocking the other adventurers around them.
The surrounding adventurers didn't take his words kindly, especially one particular member of Ogma Familia sitting at the next table over.
"Tch. Acting tough, huh, kid?" the man muttered as he stood up and began walking toward them. "You think we're some kind of joke to you?"
The group turned their attention to the man now approaching.
"And who might you be, old man?" Aurelius asked, mocking him with a sly smile.
"The name's Mord, brat. Remember it," he snapped. "Maybe we should team up, go further down and see who's actually tough."
He paused and glanced toward the two waitresses, eyes narrowing as a lewd grin spread across his face.
"Plus..." he added, "We can share the elf girl together. Don't you think?"
Ryuu's expression darkened immediately. She was about to step forward and put Mord in his place, but Aurelius was quicker to act.
"Look, I'm arrogant and cocky, I know that," Aurelius said, rising from his seat and striding over toward Mord. "But there's one thing I always live by..."
As he came to a halt right in front of Mord, the towering titan's presence loomed large. His golden eyes glowed, practically burning with intensity. A wide smile splatter on his face as he sees himself a victim to put it in place.
"Show and uphold that pride of yours," he said, voice steady, eyes unblinking.
Mord hesitated for a moment, slightly taken aback by the sheer pressure coming off the younger man. But pride, or foolishness, kept him standing.
"Heh, like you're gonna do anything," Mord spat, trying to hide his unease. "You just hit level two a week ago. You really think you can take us on?"
Aurelius's grin only grew wider.
"Then go ahead," he said, spreading his arms slightly. "Try to land a blow on me."
"What?" Mord asked, confused.
"You heard me, old man," Aurelius said, voice lowering just a bit. "You said I ain't shit, right? Then land a hit. Prove it. I'll judge if you're the real deal or just all bark and no bite."
"You little—!" Mord growled, swinging without hesitation and driving his fist into Aurelius's abdomen.
Mord smiled, thinking that he had landed a painful blow on the titan. Though, to his dismay, things didn't go as he intended.
"?!"
Upon a closer look, he realized something dreadful. He hadn't made the titan stagger from pain, nor did he even flinch.
"Heh, I was expecting more, really," Aurelius said with a mocking grin. "But you were just barking all this time after all."
Seeing this, Mord was now visibly terrified, the realization of his situation dawning on him. Aurelius then calmly raised his hands, fully intending to grab Mord's head like it was nothing more than a melon.
However…
BOOM
A loud crash echoed through the tavern. Everyone's attention immediately turned toward the bar counter.
There stood Mia Grand, towering in her fury, having just smashed the table clean in half with a single blow.
"If you punks wanna start a fight, then DON'T!" Mia barked, her voice booming with authority. She wasn't just warning Mord and Aurelius, she was warning everyone in the establishment. "This place is for food and drinks only! Anythin' else? OUTSIDE!"
Mord, now pale as a ghost from the sheer rage radiating from Mia, quickly prompted his lackeys to scram.
"C'mon, l-let's go!" he stammered.
"Pay up first!" Mia snapped, glaring at them.
"Y-Yes!" Mord and his gang blurted in unison before hurriedly tossing a bag of coins onto the table and rushing out with tails between their legs.
Mia then turned her fiery gaze toward the titan still standing in the middle of the tavern.
"And you, ya darn brat!" she growled. "Your bill, and yours alone, for tonight's gonna be double for stirrin' up trouble in my place."
Aurelius scoffed at the declaration, muttering under his breath, "Tch. Party pooper."
"What was that?!" Mia said sharply, squinting at him with suspicion.
"Nothing. You're hearing things, hag," Aurelius replied as he casually picked at his ears, acting as though they were still ringing from the yelling he just endured.
Mia exhaled deeply, shaking her head in disbelief. "Kids these days, I swear…"
Despite the brief tension, the celebration slowly resumed. There was a bit of unease at first, but the warmth and liveliness that the tavern was known for gradually returned, as it always did. The clinking of mugs, laughter, and the scent of fresh food soon drowned out any memory of the scuffle.
With that, two weeks has passed in the blink of an eye.
________________________
...
"Ottarl."
"Yes, goddess."
"If you were to go toe-to-toe with him, who would win?"
"....I would...."
...
"….though, if he levels up again, he may be able to pose a challenge."
...
"Is there something that you wanted me to do goddess?"
"No. Let's see where this goes. Besides, I can't have that golden one be my only source of interest. The pure one, the bright, white one, that is where my true attention lies."
"Although," she added with a soft chuckle, "I didn't expect her to become so….stunningly beautiful."
...
"So, do keep that rabbit and the prum in the right path. When the time comes, I'll have all three of them."
...
"...Understood goddess. Your wish is my command."
...
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the spires of Orario. From atop the Tower of Babel, the view was breathtaking. But her gaze wasn't on the city below, it was fixed elsewhere.
She was watching something far more captivating.
A wicked, lewd like smile was present on her face.
"Magnificent."
________________________
Aurelius, ever the early bird, was now up from his sleep.
He let out a long yawn and a good stretch as he pulled himself into a sitting position atop the sofa he had been sleeping on.
"That was a good sleep. Wish I had more of these," Aurelius muttered to himself, thinking back on the two weeks that had already passed. "Man, two weeks already, huh? How time flies by."
He rose from his makeshift bed and began to prepare for today's dungeon dive, his motions steady but relaxed, a quiet rhythm born from routine.
For the past two weeks, the trio had been diving into the middle floors of the Dungeon. The first week saw them exploring the 12th to the 14th floor. Since two of them hadn't ventured into the lowest of the upper floors before, it made sense to spend some time getting familiar with the terrain and monsters. Still, that detour only lasted a day. By then, they had decided it was time to prioritize the real objective: the middle floors.
During the second week, their attention shifted toward the 15th floor. Short, calculated trips were made. Both Bell and Lili, still riding the momentum from their battle with the minotaurs, urged their captain for a deeper challenge. Their resolve was clear, and Aurelius, recognizing their determination, agreed.
And so, the Hestia Familia made it as far as the 15th floor. A new record for them, an important step forward.
Until today, that is.
"We'll be heading into the dungeon now," Aurelius said to the duo, his tone calm yet firm. "For today, we're descending all the way down to the sixteenth floor, so stay sharp and be prepared for anything."
Bell and Lili gazed upon their captain, a flicker of hesitation lingering in their expressions.
"What is it, you two?" Aurelius asked, his brow slightly furrowed in confusion at the sudden awkwardness they were showing. "Are you two alright? The way you're staring at me like that….it's kind of creeping me out."
"Well," Lili said, taking the initiative first. "We're thinking about heading towards Babel to get ourselves some new equipment."
"New equipment?" Aurelius asked, curious about the sudden suggestion. He tilted his head slightly and followed up with another question. "Aren't your weapons good already?"
"Mine is more than fine, really," Bell replied, then gestured toward Lili. "But Lili, on the other hand, is in need of a new spear."
He pointed at Lili's worn-out spear, its chipped blade and scratched shaft showing clear signs of long use. Aurelius took one glance at the weapon and nodded, agreeing with the suggestion.
"I see," Aurelius said, acknowledging their reasoning. "In that case, I'll be heading to the Dungeon alone then."
"We're so sorry, Captain!" Lili said quickly, bowing deeply in apology. "We promise to follow you again tomorrow!"
Bell followed suit, bowing just as apologetically beside her.
"It's fine," Aurelius said, gently patting the top of the prum's head. "Knowing when to restock supplies or replace your equipment, and having the discipline to hold off on Dungeon diving when you're unprepared, that's a good habit to develop. It shows maturity, and that you know not to push yourselves recklessly, no matter how strong you are."
"Unless you're like me of course, HAHAHA!"
Bell and Lili straightened up and nodded firmly. "Understood, Captain!"
"Alright, I'll be going now," Aurelius said as he turned towards the exit, adjusting his gear as he went. "Oh, and notify the goddess that I'll be entering the Dungeon solo today."
With that, Aurelius left the room, the faint echo of his footsteps fading down the hallway. Behind him, he could hear the two responding in unison, affirming their understanding of his orders.
Aurelius went straight toward the dungeon, wasting no time on miscellaneous things and focusing solely on his goal to grind.
Once he entered the dungeon, he made his way directly to the 15th floor, ignoring the idle hunting of weaker monsters along the way. His objective was clear, and he wasn't going to let anything slow him down.
After arriving at the 15th floor, he cut through the monsters with ruthless efficiency, slaying anything that dared to block his path. His movements were sharp and deliberate, his focus unwavering as he pressed on toward his intended destination, the next floor.
The 16th floor.
Upon arriving, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. The layout wasn't anything surprising, more or less the same as the previous floor, just with a few extra steps and turns to it.
"I bet the monsters here are the same," Aurelius muttered, summarizing the floor's mob spawns with a glance. "Hellhounds, Ligerfangs, and Minotaurs. Nothing new." He sighed as a look of boredom settled on his face.
He proceeded through the floor, dispatching yet more of the same monsters. While the spawn rate was noticeably higher than the 15th floor, it wasn't enough to slow down the titan's relentless rampage. He was a force moving through the dungeon, grinding Excelia without pause.
After a while, maybe a couple of hours, of hunting and clearing wave after wave of enemies, Aurelius turned around, heading back toward the path that led to the surface. But as he moved, a lingering thought crept into his mind.
"I wonder… what does the Big Wall of Despair look like?" he said, curiosity rising at the thought. "It'd be interesting to see it for myself. I don't exactly remember how the layout of the floor boss chamber in the middle floors looked like."
His eyes shifted toward the path that led to the 17th floor. The deeper level called to him, not with a roar, but with a whisper of intrigue.
"Should I take a peek at it?" he said, half to himself, half to the quiet air around him. The temptation was real, and after a brief moment of hesitation, he gave in with a shrug. "Meh, the worst thing that could happen is me going up against it. Nothing to worry about."
With that, Aurelius stepped toward the entrance of the 17th floor. It looked like a smooth slide leading deeper into the heart of the Dungeon. The unknown awaited him, but he didn't flinch.
Once he arrived, he was in awe at how spacious the floor was.
"By the little goddess, this floor is huge!" Aurelius said, looking around the vast expanse where the supposed floor boss of the Middle Floors resided
The Goliath.
He waited for a while, eyes scanning every corner of the grand chamber, patiently anticipating the boss's appearance. But no matter how long he waited, the monster didn't show.
"Maybe the Loki Familia killed it?" he muttered to himself, slight disappointment lacing his voice. "If I remember correctly, they went on an expedition down to the 59th floor and probably took down this huge sucker."
He crossed his arms and sighed.
"A shame. I could've had myself an early level-up here."
Aurelius continued looking around, taking in the floor's surroundings. The cavernous ceiling, the echoing silence, and the sheer scale of the area all made it feel like standing in a coliseum built by the gods.
"I wonder," he said aloud, "when will it respawn?"
"In two days."
A sudden voice answered from behind.
"In two days, the Goliath will return."
Aurelius turned sharply, the deep voice familiar. Behind him stood a figure almost his size, broad, armored, and stoic.
"Ah. We meet again," Aurelius said with a wide grin. There was no mistaking that presence.
"Ottarl, King of Orario."
The Level 7 adventurer looked at him with his ever-stern expression, unshaken by the greeting.
"It's been a while too, Titanborn," Ottarl replied, voice like stone.
They stared at each other for a moment, unmoving. An intense silence hung in the air, thick, despite the chasm of five levels between them. Not out of animosity, but mutual respect....and curiosity.
"So," Aurelius finally said, narrowing his eyes slightly, "why is it that I keep bumping into you more often than not? Does your goddess want something from me?"
"No," Ottarl replied without hesitation, his tone flat as ever. "I'm headed for the Deep Floors. Training."
Aurelius raised a brow and smirked. "Let me guess. Balor?"
"Yes."
Aurelius gave a low whistle, impressed. "Well, good luck then. I myself wanted to beat the crap out of this floor boss, but since he ain't showing up for another two days, I'm heading back."
With that, Aurelius turned and began walking toward the tunnel that led to the 16th floor. His footsteps echoed lightly in the massive chamber. But as he passed Ottarl, he suddenly stopped.
"Hey, Boar," he called, not turning around.
Ottarl shifted his gaze slightly toward the titan.
Aurelius cracked his knuckles and smirked. "When I hit level four, how about we have a little spar, eh?"
Ottarl didn't turn, but after a moment, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Sure, kid," he said. "Don't make me wait too long."
"HAHAHAHA! You won't have to!" Aurelius bellowed, laughing heartily as he walked off, leaving the silent warrior behind in the vast stillness of the 17th floor.
________________________
After a while, Aurelius finally arrived home. As he stepped through the doorway, he was warmly greeted by the members of his Familia.
"Welcome back, Aurelius," Hestia said, smiling up at her towering child. "How was the Dungeon today? These two said you went down to the 16th floor."
"Eh, nothing new really," Aurelius replied, a note of boredom and disappointment clear in his voice. "It's not all that different from the 15th floor."
Lili, hearing this, couldn't help but interject, crossing her arms with an incredulous look. "Of course you'd say that, Sir Aurelius. Only you would call the middle floors a warm-up session, even though you're still Level 2."
"Heh," Aurelius chuckled, a prideful grin stretching across his face. "I wouldn't be captain if I were weak, now would I? Aren't I great?"
Lili let out a sigh of defeat, unable to argue with her captain's antics. "Yes, Captain," she said, resigned but amused.
"Anyway, enough about that," Aurelius said, waving his hand to shift the conversation. "How was your shopping trip today?"
Bell's eyes lit up at the mention, clearly excited to share. "It was fun!" he said with a bright, cheerful smile. "Lili finally got herself a good spear!"
He eagerly pointed toward the brand-new weapon leaning against the wall. Aurelius tilted his head with interest and turned to Lili.
"Can I see it, Lili?"
"Yeah, sure, Sir Aurelius," she said, walking over to where the spear was resting. She picked it up and brought it over, offering it to her captain with both hands.
Aurelius accepted it carefully, examining its weight and craftsmanship with an appraising eye.
Upon further inspection of the spear, he noticed something peculiar etched into its shaft.
"Welf Crozzo?" Aurelius muttered, a bit surprised at the name inscribed onto the weapon.
"Yeah!" Bell replied, clearly excited for some reason. "He's the guy who made my armor. We actually got to meet him in person today!"
"Oh?" Aurelius said, brows raised. "Really now?"
"Yeah," Lili added, a soft smile forming on her face. "He's a cool guy, to be honest. His craftsmanship is excellent for a Level 2. The spear's pretty light, and it's the perfect length for me."
"Is that so?" Aurelius said, a pleased expression crossing his face at her satisfaction. "Great to hear, little girl."
'So, they've met him in the end huh? Albeit with Lili this time.' Aurelius thought.
He then handed the spear back to its rightful owner before turning toward the group with a more serious expression. There was something else he had on his mind.
"Goddess," Aurelius called out, addressing his deity with a firm tone. "I want to update my status."
"Oh?" Hestia uttered, blinking in confusion at the sudden request from her giant child. "I thought you wanted to hold off until you could level up with it."
"Actually… I think it's time for that," Aurelius said, his voice steady and certain.
The three before him looked at each other, surprised by his sudden shift.
"Woah!" Bell exclaimed. "Is it time already, Mister? It's only been three weeks since you leveled up!"
"Yeah, Sir Aurelius," Lili added, her tone filled with both concern and curiosity. "Is it really that time?"
Aurelius nodded, his gaze unwavering. "I won't wait any longer."
Hestia's expression softened with curiosity as she tried to understand his resolve. "So, how exactly are you going to do it?"
Aurelius inhaled deeply, his chest rising and falling slowly before he spoke.
"I'll take down the Floor Boss, the Goliath. Two days from now."
Silence followed.
The three of them froze, wide-eyed in disbelief. Defeating a Floor Boss? On the 17th floor? As a Level 2?
"Are you sure, Aurelius?" Hestia asked, a worried tremor in her voice. "Isn't that a bit dangerous? Even for you?"
"I need to do this," Aurelius replied, his tone unwavering. "I can't keep hauling stat points forever. Though grinding has its merits, sometimes… it's just better to level up when the time feels right. My stats are already high. Taking down the Goliath is within my reach."
'It's also because that I can't wait any longer to get Reinforcement >o<' Aurelius thought.
The room fell into a thoughtful silence. Though the idea sounded reckless, they could feel the sincerity in his conviction.
"Alright then, Aurelius," Hestia said, her eyes glowing with admiration and determination. "Let us see how far you've gone now."
Bell and Lili both nodded in agreement, eager and a bit anxious to witness their captain's progress.
Without another word, Aurelius took off his shirt, revealing the blank slate of his back. Hestia gently placed her hand upon it, her fingers glowing faintly as the process began like usual.
Moments passed. The light faded. She smiled.
"Here you go, Aurelius," she said, handing him the freshly imprinted status sheet, pride beaming on her face. "I believe you are ready for it."
Aurelius accepted the paper, unfolding it carefully. Bell and Lili leaned in, eyes wide with anticipation, as the three of them peered into its contents, numbers and letters that spoke of the quiet storm building beneath Aurelius's calm surface.
________________________
AURELIUS
LVL 2
STR > SSS 2045 ---> SSS 2523
END > SSS 1992 ---> SSS 2491
DEX > S 912 ---> S 999
AGI > S 901 ---> S 999
MAG > SSS 1497 ---> SSS 1742
MAGIC:
- TAUNT
- RULERS AUTHORITY
SKILL:
- VIRTRUS TRANCENDENS
- IUSIURANDUM GOLIATHIS
- POTENS VOLUNTAS
DEVELOPMENT ABILITIES:
________________________
The two beside the titan were shocked. Seeing the status of their captain would never feel normal to them. Yet, what they failed to realize was that they themselves were far from normal.
"Aurelius," Hestia called out to the titan, her voice clear and firm.
Aurelius turned his gaze toward his goddess. Her face was serious, yet softened by a gentle smile.
"I wish you the best of luck," Hestia said warmly, the weight of her faith behind her words. Beside her, Bell and Lili both nodded, their eyes filled with admiration and trust for the titan before them.
Aurelius smiled, a calm confidence radiating from him as he spoke.
"Don't worry. This Familia will soon have itself a Level 3."