Just as Levi expected, after investing only three martial arts Skill Books in total, the proficiency of 'Cold Edge Martial Arts' on his Character Status reached its limit.
Afterward, he integrated four 3-Star martial skills into it, maxing out the newly generated affix effects.
This entire operation only cost a little over 140 million Valis Vouchers (30 pulls + 50 pulls + 60 pulls). As for the Proficiency Increase Tickets, not only did they not decrease, but with the gacha pulls proceeding, the meter actually spun backwards!
Originally, Levi actually wanted to see if he could add another one or two affixes to his 'Cold Edge Martial Arts'.
But after the skill reached the max level, his soul involuntarily produced a sensation of being bloated.
Clearly, in its 6-Star state, 'Cold Edge Martial Arts' had already reached the limit of what could be borne. Continuing to invest Martial Arts Skill Books would only be a waste.
"Hmm?"
Levi, who had come down from the library to the second floor, suddenly paused.
"Why is it gone?"
"What's gone?"
Alise, who had slept through the entire day, was just stretching her waist and walking out of her room. She asked curiously upon hearing her employer's words.
Levi turned his head to look at the young girl, his expression somewhat peculiar. "Your Astrea Familia's cenotaph... seems to be gone."
"Where would I have a ceno... Huh?!"
Because she had been resurrected for some time, and her daily life—food, clothing, shelter, and transportation—was no different from when she was alive, Alise had evidently forgotten her true situation unless Levi specifically mentioned it.
Hearing this, she was stunned for a moment, but immediately after, a cry of alarm escaped her mouth.
"Are you saying Lyra and the others' graves were dug up?!"
Hearing this sentence, Gojouno Kaguya, who was tidying her appearance before the dressing table in the bedroom, could no longer sit still.
"Wait, what's the situation?!"
Even Daphne, Cassandra, and Liliruca opened their doors one by one, poking out their curious little heads.
Levi spread his hands helplessly. "It means exactly what it says. During the day, I sent my Spirit clones to the Dungeon, thinking to leave spatial marks on several Safe Floors to facilitate direct teleportation later."
"Just now, the clones reached the 18th Floor. I specifically controlled a Spirit to walk toward the location of the Astrea Familia's cenotaph, preparing to leave a mark nearby."
"And then..."
Alise took over the conversation: "And then you found my grave was gone?"
"Yeah."
Alise, Gojouno Kaguya: "..."
Because it was too absurd, the two of them didn't know what expression to make for a moment.
On the contrary, Daphne, Cassandra, and Liliruca, who had heard about the true situation of Alise and Gojouno Kaguya from Levi beforehand, were able to calm down and analyze it at this moment.
"Could it be that someone saw those second-tier weapons and got greedy?"
"Impossible. Second-tier weapons don't have the Indestructible attribute. Let alone the fact that five years have passed, even if they aren't maintained for a few days, they will become dull and rusty. Moreover, the weapons of the former Captain and members of the Astrea Familia are quite famous in Orario. If anyone really dared to pull out the equipment they left behind and use it, the spit of the common people alone would be enough to drown them."
"Then, was it investigators sent by the Guild or other Familias targeting the 'God Descending into the Labyrinth' incident from back then?"
"High probability is no. The Captain mentioned before that the Guild has private soldiers in the Labyrinth. Through them, Lord Ouranos actually knew what the Captain did in the Labyrinth. As for other Familias, if they could really find the cenotaphs of Lady Alise and Lady Gojouno, they wouldn't have waited until now."
"Ahaha, it couldn't possibly be the current members of the Astrea Familia doing it themselves... Er..."
Liliruca froze in place as she spoke.
Not just her, but everyone present slowly came to the realization.
Alise and Gojouno Kaguya looked at each other, then looked at the young man in front of them. "We want to meet with Lady Astrea."
"Allowed." Levi nodded. He had actually long anticipated that his Heroic Spirit Summoning actions would be exposed.
However, he didn't expect Goddess Astrea to pull the firewood from under the pot right from the start.
She had taken away the armaments of the former Astrea Familia members, treating them as catalysts.
"However, the meeting time would best be set for the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow, we have to go down to the Labyrinth to fight the Double-headed Dragon once. After that, I will go with you to visit Goddess Astrea."
"Fine." "No problem."
It was just one night later; Alise and Gojouno Kaguya could afford to wait.
Although the incident of the catalysts used to summon the Astrea Familia being taken away had disrupted Levi's original plan to a certain extent.
But to say something that might sound a bit cold: right now, having obtained the 'Valkyrie · Class Card', he actually no longer lacked helpers for farming gold and materials.
If, when meeting Goddess Astrea next, the other party was willing to let him summon the remaining eight Astrea Familia members...
Then naturally, it would be good for you, good for me, and good for everyone.
Conversely, Levi actually didn't care much.
Compared to him, Alise and Gojouno Kaguya clearly carried a trace of apprehension.
They were somewhat uncertain about exactly what kind of expression Lady Astrea would show upon seeing them in their undead state.
Consequently, they looked distracted throughout dinner.
Fortunately, both women were veteran adventurers; after soaking in a bath in the bathroom, they recovered.
In Alise's words:
"I've already been pulled down from the reincarnation system of Tenkai, and I've even signed a twenty-year employment contract. Even if Lady Astrea isn't happy, I'm not going back."
Gojouno Kaguya stated even more directly:
"I will persuade Lady Astrea to bring out Lyra and the others' weapons."
The gods of the DanMachi world do not fear death because they will not truly perish.
But the humans of the Lower World, even those possessing the status of Heroes, desire their own continued existence in their hearts, even if they don't say it.
In fact, the reason the Evils could resurgence from the ashes of destruction time and again was that the Evil Gods, led by the Death God and Nether God, made promises to make their subordinates happy after entering the reincarnation system or reincarnating.
As for whether they really did so... according to Alise and Gojouno Kaguya's recollections of their groggy state when entering the reincarnation system, presumably, they did not.
At least, it was not the 'happiness' that the humans of the Lower World expected.
After exchanging a few more words with them and confirming that the two girls had indeed calmed down, Levi returned to the bedroom he shared with Hestia.
However, just as he pushed open the door, he revealed an astonished expression.
On the bed located in the corner of the bedroom, a goddess was indeed lying there at this moment.
Yet it was not Hestia, with whom he had shared deep intimacy and knew inside out, but Hephaestus—red-haired, one-eyed, wearing an eyepatch on the right half of her face, cheeks currently flushed crimson, and hands not knowing where to be placed!
____
New Story: FGO: Building a Lostbelt from Scratch, the Winner is Canon
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