This ocean of experience(excelia)—just how much would it boost his stats and level? Hajime couldn't even guess.
In all of Orario's recorded history, probably no adventurer at Level 1 had ever earned experience equivalent to defeating monsters on par with gods.
But he had.
And it was all thanks to himself… or rather, versions of himself.
Thinking of that, Hajime couldn't help but marvel at his own brilliance.
"No doubt about it—I'm amazing."
"…"
Tiga Hajime gave him a speechless side glance.
"Those two monsters were clearly my kills, okay? Even if we're technically the same person."
"Anyway," Campione Hajime asked curiously, "which familia did you join?"
"Of course I joined Hestia Familia," Danmachi Hajime said without hesitation.
"Why not Loki Familia then?" Campione Hajime asked. "Sure, Hestia's cute and all, but Loki Familia would give you way more support to grow stronger."
"I'm curious too," said Fairy Tail Hajime.
"The divine blessing itself is the same regardless of which god gives it, but a bigger familia like Loki's offers safety, experienced teammates, and better resources. It's clearly the smarter choice, especially before getting a cheat ability like ours."
Before receiving the cheat power, joining a strong familia like Loki's made far more sense.
Even if Hestia was adorable, Loki Familia had girls like Ais and Lefiya too.
For a newbie adventurer, Loki Familia was objectively the better path.
"You all make good points," said Danmachi Hajime with a helpless shrug. "But you're missing one crucial detail."
"Getting into Loki Familia is insanely competitive. I was just an average guy who hadn't even killed a chicken. No way I'd get accepted."
"I did try to apply at first, but I didn't even pass the first round of their screening."
"Ah, that makes sense," Campione Hajime nodded. "Loki Familia is the top in Orario, after all. No way they'd take just anyone."
"And their core members are all trained from childhood. It would be tough to get in now," added Tiga Hajime.
No wonder Bell kept running into walls in the original story—joining a familia wasn't as easy as it looked.
Fairy Tail Hajime paused for a moment, then smirked mischievously.
"So you're saying you only went to Hestia because Loki turned you down? Hestia was just the backup?"
"Tch! Hestia is not a backup!" Danmachi Hajime shot back. "I'm absolutely devoted to the my goddess!"
"Oh?" Campione Hajime raised an eyebrow. "Devoted as in… no plans for a harem? You're not going to flirt with any other girls?"
The other Hajimes gave him an impressed look.
Could they really be that pure-hearted?
Danmachi Hajime coughed awkwardly.
"Come on, don't make me sound like some playboy. I'm definitely not that kind of guy!"
Then he paused and added:
"But… if someone happens to fall for my dazzling personality and radiant soul, and they insist on being with me… I mean, I wouldn't want to hurt a girl's feelings, right?"
"Tch—"
The other Hajimes instantly gave him a collective look of disdain.
Saying it so nicely didn't change the fact that he wanted a harem.
"What's with those looks?"
Danmachi Hajime refused to back down.
"We're the same person, remember? If I'm a perv, then so are you. Don't act like you don't think the same way!"
"Hey! Don't go spreading lies that damage my reputation!" shouted Campione Hajime. "I officially deny being an old lech!"
"So you admit you're a young lech then?" Fairy Tail Hajime groaned, covering his face.
"Every time I look at you people, I feel ashamed to share the same face. And yet… I'm also a degenerate, so I guess I'm lucky I don't have to worry about being corrupted by you guys."
"…"
Tiga Hajime sighed as the others bickered.
"Alright, enough already. Let's get back to the point."
"Looking at things now, joining Hestia Familia might actually be the better outcome."
"With Hestia's personality, even if you suddenly undergo miraculous changes or gain absurd power, she'll always be on your side. Loki cares about her familia too, but she's not as unconditionally supportive."
An experience gain this massive would definitely attract divine attention.
Thankfully, Hestia could be trusted completely.
"Exactly," Danmachi Hajime nodded firmly. "She might seem useless at times, but when it really counts, she's the most reliable."
None of the other Hajimes disagreed.
After a bit more discussion, Danmachi Hajime gave everyone a nod and exited the Fog Space.