Chapter 05

After ascending the steep gray stone stairs that led from the first floor of the dungeon, I arrived in the upper room.

It was a completely different setting: clean and bright, in stark contrast to the dampness and darkness below. Several adventurers chatted and moved around near the entrance.

Without wasting time, I headed towards the left side of the room, where the Item Drops and Magic Stones exchangers were located. I handed over my loot to the man behind the counter: 8,000 valis earned from my expedition to the fifth floor, along with another 3,000 valis in Valis Bags.

I stepped away with a satisfied smile on my face. That amount would be enough to keep Kami-sama happy and satisfied, as well as her generous and exquisite breast, which also needed attention and care.

"Ahem!"

Furthermore, thanks to the numerous battles of the day, I felt that my stats had significantly improved.

[Status]

—Tooru

×Level 1

[Stats]

Strength: 19 (+7)

Endurance: 17 (+5)

Dexterity: 21 (+7)

Agility: 15 (+9)

Magic: 0 (+10)

***

I examined my stats with satisfaction. Each little increase ignited an indescribable excitement in my chest. So far, I only had one item, but its extra bonuses in parentheses already felt like a powerful ally.

"I feel like a video game character. I also want more items. Too bad it's quite difficult for them to drop on the Upper Floors."

On my way back, I bought some delicious-looking lunch from the street vendors. Their aromas made my mouth water. Soon, I arrived at the abandoned church. It was a ghostly area, where no adventurers lived or roamed.

"Kami-sama, I'm here!"

—iTututu!— The sound of footsteps approached rapidly.

"Tooru-kun!" A projectile of black hair crashed into my chest. Kami-sama rubbed her cheeks against me, inhaling my scent.

"Well... Kami-sama."

"How could you leave without telling me?! Tooru-kun, you idiot! I wanted to send you off properly on your first day." She said, sobbing, hitting my chest with her little fists. Tears were about to well up in her crystal blue eyes.

"I apologize for that, I should have let you know. I guess the excitement of the debut clouded my senses."

Her reaction was understandable, after all, I left her asleep without explaining my departure.

"Hmph! Tooru-kun, you dummy!" I smiled awkwardly as I looked at my beloved Kami-sama, who continued to smell my neck.

"I'm sweating right now, so..." I tried to justify myself.

"Fufu~ Tooru-kun, I like your fragrance," she said, with a gentle smile and blushing cheeks. It was a charming gesture that made me feel loved, but...

At least you could wait for me to take a shower! I feel embarrassed too!

However, as if realizing something, Kami-sama let go of me and wrapped her body around mine with a worried expression.

'Kami-sama, it's a little late for that...'

"Don't overexert your body. I don't want to see you hurt," she said softly and concerned.

"Just enough to strengthen myself," I replied with a smile, extending my hand to caress her soft black hair. Feeling her silky hair under my fingers was a comforting sensation.

She smiled foolishly at my caresses.

We walked together into the church, but I noticed her gaze lingering on me. I stopped and looked at her curiously.

"Is something wrong, Kami-sama?"

"Is it just me or do you look more toned?"

"Mm, something like that. Is it because of today's physical exertion? I really don't know." I shrugged without giving further explanation.

My body had gone from extremely thin to having an additional layer of muscle, thanks to the abilities I had acquired. However, I knew that I would still need time to fully recover the blood I had lost.

"Physique doesn't change overnight, you know?"

I settled into the worn-out sofa, placing the bag with our dinner on the table. Kami-sama sat very close, so that her soft breasts nestled around my arm. I was sure she did it on purpose.

"What do you have there?"

My lips curved into a smile as I uncovered the food. Steam filled the air. Kami-sama's little nose crinkled delightfully, lost in the aromas. It was evident that until then, she had survived on simple jagamarukun.

"It smells delicious. Is this for me, Tooru-kun?" She whispered with sparkling eyes. I simply offered a smile and a nod.

Her face lit up, on the verge of tears before taking refuge in my chest.

"Thank you..."

"No need for thanks between us. From now on, I will take care of our daily meals."

"I'm sorry... I can't even help with the basics. I'm a useless goddess; you didn't need to choose me. You should have found a better god, sniff~."

Kami-sama felt such remorse that I couldn't help but be moved. Carrying that burden on her conscience... When you give without receiving anything in return, frustration is inevitable.

I gently lifted her chin, meeting her big blue eyes filled with nervousness.

"Choosing you was the best decision I've ever made. With you by my side, I am truly happy. No, wait, have you forgotten who saved me? It was you," I said as I wiped away her tears with a kiss. "You are my home."

"Tooru-kun... wuah," she sobbed.

At that moment, her attention shifted to the food on the table, and I could see her mouth watering.

—Gururu—

A growl escaped her stomach, and she quickly covered her flushed face with her hands, feeling even more embarrassed.

"Go ahead, it's all yours," I offered.

"But... aren't you going to eat? There's too much for me to enjoy alone," she responded timidly.

"My stomach is already satisfied. We can save the leftovers for later."

Gratefully nodding, she took a chicken drumstick and skillfully tore it apart with her teeth.

Her blue eyes sparkled like stars. She increased the speed at which she devoured the food as if there were no tomorrow. My fears of her choking were just fleeting worries.

She soon devoured all the food on the table.

Kami-sama melted into the sofa as she rubbed her belly. Despite her petite figure, her stomach wasn't bulging.

"It was delicious. Thank you for taking care of me, Tooru-kun."

A bright smile made my heart smile with satisfaction. I shook my head and wiped Kami-sama's cheek with my fingers.

"I'm glad you liked it. I promise to keep doing it."

Softly, my fingers slid through Kami-sama's silky hair. Unable to resist, she settled in my lap, seeking warmth and refuge against my chest.

My arms wrapped gently around her waist, and I couldn't help but notice how incredibly pleasurable the softness of her ass felt. I felt my excitement grow; my member was eager to be released, but I bit my lips hard to restrain myself.

"How did it go in the dungeon?" She asked, trying to change the subject. "It's your first day after all."

"It was harder than I expected at first. Especially the first death. The sight of blood was shocking. But I think, for my first time, I did well."

"You must have reached the second floor, right?" She showed understanding in her voice.

The second floor. That was the usual limit for novice adventurers venturing into the dungeon.

But I wasn't a common adventurer.

"I descended to the fifth floor. I didn't encounter any obstacles that prevented me from continuing."

"What?!" Kami-sama exclaimed, pulling away from me to look at me in surprise. "That's impossible! You don't have the abilities to protect yourself at those depths!"

Her concern was understandable, as she was unaware of the existence of my System. Perhaps I should tell her about my ability... though she would soon find out when she checked my Status. I wondered if my basic attributes would go up beyond the simple System increase. It would be a pleasant surprise.

Kami-sama searched for answers in my face. She seemed quite anxious.

"As you can see, I'm still kicking," I joked.

"That's not the problem, idiot! What am I supposed to do if you don't come back? That's scary!"

I sighed softly and caressed her plump cheek. It seemed she needed more reassurance.

"I told you, not even Death could keep me from you. Even if you want to be rid of me, I won't abandon you," I promised solemnly. "Hestia, I hope you're ready to spend the rest of your days by my side."

I laughed gently at her reddened face. Though I hadn't meant to confess, she seemed happy, so I didn't push further.

***

With her delicate face creased with worry, Hestia looked at Tooru from behind.

"T-Tooru-kun..."

Her anxious voice made Tooru turn his head up, meeting Hestia's horrified gaze.

"Is something wrong, Kami-sama? Is there a problem with my status?"

"Your Status is gone! I can't see it!"

"What?!" Tooru exclaimed in surprise. He quickly summoned his system interface and, after a few seconds, sighed in relief to find everything was fine.

However, his status still didn't appear for Hestia. The marks that should identify him as a member of the Hestia Familia had disappeared.

Hestia rubbed her eyes persistently; she was as unbelieving as she could be. Her blood dripped onto Tooru's skin, but still nothing appeared after the characters dissolved.

She panicked. She was his goddess and should know every detail about him to protect him, but how could she do that without knowing his stats? What if something happened to him? Her small hands trembled.

When Tooru noticed Hestia's lost gaze, he turned completely towards her.

"Kami-sama, are you okay? Can you tell me what's really going on?"

Tooru's gaze locked onto Hestia's big blue eyes. Despite the seriousness of the moment, a blush spread across Hestia's cheeks as she noticed Tooru's intense gaze fixed on her ample breasts, which were just centimeters away from his face.

However, Hestia didn't seem bothered; her heart raced with happiness at being seen as a woman rather than an unattainable goddess. But there were more urgent matters to attend to.

"T-Tooru-kun, I don't know how to tell you this..." Hestia began with a trembling voice. "As a new goddess in Genkai and you being my first 'Familia,' I lack experience... It's the first time I've faced something like this, and the other gods haven't mentioned it either... But... your Status has basically disappeared."

As she made the revelation, the goddess felt herself cowering. She feared seeing Tooru's reaction to such disheartening news. Though he remained silent.

"I know it's hard to accept," Hestia continued with a soft voice. "But I don't know what else to do... If you enter the dungeon like this..."

He would die. Yet, those words couldn't escape her lips.

Hestia bit her lip forcefully, holding back tears, and closed her eyes in despair. She felt like a useless goddess who had failed her only Familia member. Why had she come to this mortal plane if she couldn't even protect Tooru?

"I see," was all he said.

"What do you mean, 'I see'?!" Hestia exclaimed, opening her eyes as she hit his chest. "I wasn't joking! Without a solution, you won't be able to return to the dungeon!"

She took Tooru's face in her hands to make him look at her. But no matter how she looked into his eyes, she found no trace of disturbance. His calmness was so unsettling that Hestia felt confused.