On the way

"What the..-"

Quickly getting up, Levi rapidly paced toward the bathroom.

"Syllia, my stats are one everywhere, is-"

Levi stepped in front of the bathroom, raising his eyes from his profile window.

Bewildered, Levi unconsciously closed his profile while he stared at the scene before him.

The whole room was enshrouded in a thick mist from the water evaporating. 

Syllia's conjured water was a ball floating above her head. It was continuously flowing down her body, while the ball never got any smaller.

As water streamed down her hair, Levi realized it looked longer than he thought. Her blond curls straightened by the weight of water reached the middle of her back. 

He was surprised by how pale her back appeared, seemingly velvet, yet Levi couldn't quite tell if it was water giving that effect.

Mesmerized, his eyes traced her figure downward. From her shoulders to her back, her narrow waist led Levi's eyes further down.

Despite her tiny upper body, Syllia's legs were larger, starting with her thighs. Her calves had a decent form, showing she had spent part of her life walking or running.

While her skin was light and fair, a rosy undertone beautifully contrasted her body. 

As she turned her slender body, Levi caught a glimpse of heaven as he stepped back swiftly, resting his back against the wall next to the doorway.

"Levi? You said something?"

Levi's hand reposed on his heart as he felt it pumping faster.

"It's all good," shakingly said Levi.

Taking a few steps back toward the bed, he once again sat on it.

He tried thinking about his stats, shaking off the previous thoughts that clouded his mind.

Looking again at his profile, he noticed the only effect listed under 'passives'.

[Dragged Below]

What does it do?

Using his finger, he tried tapping the passive but nothing happened.

"What are you doing?" asked Syllia as she walked out of the bathroom.

Levi furtively looked at her, quickly getting back to his screen.

"Well, all my stats are at one. Is that how everyone starts?"

Syllia's eyebrows furrowed.

"You're sure? Show me," she said.

She sat next to him, Levi could smell flowery undertones as she inched closer to see the profile opened.

"What's the passive?" she asked.

"Not sure, it doesn't say anything."

"It's probably what's affecting your stats... We'll ask Joh later."

"So I take it it's not a good thing?" asked Levi while looking at her.

A worried expression was quickly dissimulated as she answered.

"Well, it does go from one to ten..."

Levi raised both eyebrows as he took the news.

"One to ten?" he said in a small outburst, "That's literally the worst it could be. Raising those will take a while..."

Syllia's voice made a high-pitched noise as she interjected.

"Well..... Stats in this world are based on your starting values... Going from F rank to G rank would multiply those stats," explained Syllia as she tried to be as calm and reassuring as possible, "So... If someone had ten multiplied by two, compared to your one..."

"...I'll never catch up."

A dark and heavy atmosphere filled the room, as Levi sat with the news.

Syllia quickly got up. 

"Don't worry, Joh used to be an adventurer. Maybe he'll know what to do," she said as she extended her hand toward him.

Taking her hand, Levi got up while staying silent in thought.

"Let's get going right away," said Syllia.

For the first time, Levi just realized she had changed into a different dress. 

A delightful black and purple dress that stopped down to her knees. She had stockings and low heels, which were perfectly paired.

"You... look amazing, really," said Levi in one breath.

"Just happened to be what I found first, not wearing this for you," she replied, as her cheeks became a shade of pink. "But thanks."

After locking the door behind them, they quickly went down the stairs as they made their way toward the street.

The inn's outside tables were all filled, the waitresses scurrying between tables to take and deliver orders as fast as they could.

"This place becomes quite busy during the night. Hopefully, we'll be able to sleep through the ruckus," said Syllia.

"I'm just happy to have a place to sleep," said Levi as he noticed the adventurers were still at their table, drinking and eating.

They seemed to have a good time, he thought, as some mugs were piling on in the middle of the table. 

The female wearing leather armor rested her head on the table, as the others were still conversing.

The three of them promptly turned their head toward Syllia and him as he was looking at them.

Quickly catching up to Syllia, he walked next to her making sure he'd avoid staring at anyone else.

As they reached the street, they turned left, going toward the Blacksmith district.

"Hey, you, the apostle," loudly said a voice behind Levi.

Turning around, Levi was met with the three adventurers.

"I told you he was an apostle," said one of them. At his belt, two large daggers could be distinguished as he was talking to the man in plate armor. 

The other one who wore leather had no obvious weapons, while the one in steel left his two-handed sword at the table.

"I guess my friend was right. What God do you belong to? Our party could use someone like you, you're probably from the mass summoning but it's fine. We'll train you," said the leader wearing steel.

The party that was unsettling moments ago was now pretty friendly. 

Their serious expression at the table left him tense, but as they talked, they were quite respectful and amicable. 

The biggest of them, which towered above him, had the smile of a 'papa bear', he thought.

Syllia, who was still beside him, used her elbow to hit Levi's arm.

Looking at her, he noticed she was signaling to keep walking, as she tugged on his hand.

 "Ah, sorry, didn't realize you were on a date with the pretty lady. Well, we'll be here if you change your mind, the night's still young," he added, proceeding with a loud laugh.

"Ah, well I'm an apostle of the 'Goddess of the Depths'. I still don't know much about this world, but I'll give it a thought. Learning a thing or two from experienced adventurers-" replied Levi.

"We'll be on our way, not interested," she loudly said as she was pulling Levi away with her.

"Sorry," said Levi as he slightly stumbled, turning around to follow her.

After taking a few steps, Levi felt something powerfully grabbing his wrist.

While Syllia was in front of him, pulling his hand, something was pulling him in the opposite direction.

He didn't have time to even turn around, as his body was violently propelled onto a table on the side of another business.

The table broke, as it was dragged a meter back with Levi, pushing everything in its path as some people screamed.