21 The Dian Cecht Pharmacy!
Chapter 21: The Dian Cecht Pharmacy!
A month after that incident, Shiro spent most of his time leveling up in the dungeon, advancing their exploration to the 16th floor, along with Lefiya.
Monsters appearing after the 12th floor, many with Lv2 strength, provided Shiro with decent experience points/excelia.
While Lefiya couldn't train as effectively on the upper and middle floors, Shiro's [Companion's Bond] skill kept her growth of ability values from falling too far behind.
Despite the lingering fear of monsters, she was now able to confront them directly, albeit only lower-level ones, but it was a form of progress nonetheless.
Torajirou Shiro Lv1
Strength: A830→S954
Endurance: A810→S920
Dexterity: A880→S990
Agility: A870→S980
Magic: S990→SSS1200
Skills: [Desperado] [Celestial Star Spirit's Protection] [Intuition] [Companion's Bond]
"It really happened."
Loki, holding the parchment with Shiro's status, was amazed.
A few days ago, when his magic level had just reached S rank, Shiro had asked Loki about the limits of an adventurer.
Loki explained that the highest confirmed ability value of an adventurer was currently S999.
"Then I just have to go beyond the limit!" Shiro had declared like a hot-blooded protagonist.
Loki knew he was serious.
'If he cannot even surpass the limits of an adventurer, how could he claim to surpass the gods in the future?'
Witnessing Shiro break a record unbroken since the descent of the gods, Loki felt a surge of nostalgia.
Loki then burned the parchment showing Shiro's status.
"Now you can prepare to level up."
While the increase in ability values significantly improves physical fitness, it pales in comparison to the enhancements from leveling up.
If improving ability values is about unleashing one's potential, then leveling up is about gradually sublimating a person's essence to a near-godly state.
Rumors say that Lv10 is the domain of gods.
But rumors are just rumors.
"Lv10 can reach the domain of gods? How is that possible?"
Shiro, when asking Loki, heard a scoff in response.
"Why do you think the highest record is Lv9?"
Indeed, since the gods descended, humans have never reached Lv10, with the latest record being the legendary Lv9 "Empress."
"If Lv1 to Lv2 is about surpassing one's limits to enhance their potential, then Lv9 is the absolute limit of human possibility."
Loki revealed the harsh truth to Shiro.
"The gods have never acknowledged Lv10 as divinity because we understand humans' need for hope."
"If we told people the highest they could ever achieve was Lv9, countless would give up the profession of being an adventurer. The benevolent gods hide this fact to avoid hurting their children, while the malevolent ones enjoy watching a person strive their entire life only to realize they can never reach their goal."
Loki wore a malicious smile.
Although she was very fond of her own children, she was still the goddess of trickery.
"What it takes to reach the level of gods, I'm not sure, since the essence of gods is special. There is no distinction between good and evil in gods."
Good and evil are standards set by human moral concepts.
Gods are divided into benevolent and malevolent based on these standards.
Some gods believe returning to death is the ultimate form of love for humanity, while others prefer to watch their children grow on their own.
Their feelings towards humanity are essentially the same; it's just that humans can't accept the former.
Since descending to the lower world, gods have been acting according to their nature: Hermes in trading and traveling, Hephaestus in leading her family to forge equipment for adventurers, and Loki's archenemy Hestia is... well, selling Jagamarukun.
Loki's current behavior might also be just a facade.
This is the nature of gods, and to become like them, one must acquire something similar.
But this is irrelevant to Shiro now.
After listening to Loki and keeping her words in mind, Shiro began to contemplate leveling up.
To level up, one needs ordinary excelia and high-quality excelia, the latter also being known as "great deeds," which, as the name suggests, involve doing something remarkably impressive.
The simplest way is to defeat opponents stronger than oneself.
The strongest opponent Shiro has defeated so far was a Lv4 adventurer, Raul, and that was when the opponent didn't go all out.
Clearly, achieving a great deed would require an opponent of this caliber.
So the target was clear—the floor boss of the 17th floor, Goliath, having Lv4 strength.
But before embarking on his adventure, proper preparations were necessary.
With that thought, Shiro went to a potion shop.
The shop's name was 'Dian Cecht Pharmacy'.
Operated by the Dian Cecht Familia, who specialize in pharmaceuticals and medical care, it frequently collaborated with Loki Familia on tasks like gathering materials.
"Welcome, what can I do for you?"
With long silver-white hair falling to her waist and mysterious purple eyes, the attendant looked elegant yet professional in her healer's uniform – white accented with blue, yellow, and a small red tie.
She was known as [Dea Saint] Amid Teasanare.
She possessed an amazing magic known as [Dia Fratel], which could heal wounds, restore energy, purify abnormalities, and remove curses simultaneously.
This magic could impressively heal entire groups.
Additionally, it left a lingering buff that provided gradual healing for any injuries sustained afterward.
"I'm a new member of Loki Familia, Torajirou Shiro."
Shiro introduced himself politely, knowing well not to offend a healer, as one might need their help in the future.
The attendant paused, then a slight smile formed on her lips.
"Oh, a new member of Loki Familia?"
Somehow, Shiro sensed a hint of resentment in her otherwise mild smile, similar to the expressions he saw on other adventurers when they were dividing the loot.
Regretting mentioning his Familia name, Shiro hesitated to say something.
"100,000 valis."
She quoted the price with a hint of malice.
"But I haven't said anything yet!"
"New adventurers typically come to buy potions or ask for healing. You look healthy, so you must be here for potions. Based on the income of a new adventurer, a fair price would be 100,000 valis."
Amid laid out her reasoning with years of experience as a pharmacist, her smile growing brighter, not sure if it was because she had guessed correctly or because she could finally get back at Loki Familia for something.
After all, Loki Familia had often cheated her when they were selling materials from the dungeon.
Based on the typical earnings of a new adventurer, Amid decided to seek a bit of revenge, raising the price by about 10% for the newbie, just enough to let Loki Familia know that she, the Dea Saint, was not to be trifled with.
Seeing her confident smile, Shiro considered his past earnings from fighting in the dungeon and decided to give the Dea Saint a small shock from another world.
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