CHAPTER 202(6-7-8)

Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)

Discord: https://discord.gg/K7f8qGpvuk

pat.treon:/Keanu_Eugene

CHAPTER START---

Sitting around in Hephaestus's lounge on floor fifty, the Trifecta as well as their captain, Tsubaki, wait quietly for their goddess to update Thalie.

The bright golden glow of her Falna is almost blinding as it illuminates the room, as if they were sitting beside a small sun.

Yang glances over to Welf, the smith was currently sitting opposite him on another couch, an empty seat beside him with Tsubaki off to the side in a single chair quietly observing the ritual. Welf was studying his own status sheet in his hands with a thoughtful expression.

His ritual had been a much more boring affair, the dim blue light of an ordinary Falna preceding the expected level up, making the smith officially the highest leveled blacksmith seeing as he left Tsubaki at level five.

As the bright golden light of Thalie's Falna fades away Hephaestus is left staring at the blessing on her back. Appearing as always, black ink, like a tattoo on the woman's back, two smithing hammers crossed, Hephaestus's sigil. Only this time there was a spear standing between them, Adrestria's mark on her champion.

"All done," Hephaestus says with a deep sigh, "I'm proud of all of you, but I do still loathe the fact that other gods are in your Falna," she says before handing the sheet over to Thalie.

"Thank you," Thalie takes the sheet and pulls her top back down before moving to sit beside Yang.

"You're up Elementalist," Hephaestus says as she motions Yang to sit on the chair in front of her.

"Right," he takes his spot after removing his top.

Hephaestus quirks a brow as she looks at his muscular chest, "that's still there huh..." she motions to the small scar on his chest.

"Never goes away," he mutters while taking his position in front of her.

Staring at his back, for a moment Hephaestus traces a drop of her blood down his spine. A moment later it shimmers a bright white before transitioning into a blood-red matching his Chaos Mark.

Two ram horns appear in the same red at his shoulder blades and curl down to his lower back, Hephaestus's own sigil of the two hammers crossed appearing between them, small enough to comfortably fit together with the horns around them.

The goddess frowns at this display and looks down at his back with scorn and disgust. Shaking her head she looks toward Welf and tries to snap him out of his reading, "Welf, if anything from another god appears on your Falna I will break up with you."

"I already know that," he doesn't even look up from his sheet and simply waves her off.

"Good," Hephaestus says as she begins the ritual.

Feeling Hephaestus's fingers tracing his back Yang looks over to Thalie, seeing the woman entranced by the words on her sheet. "Anything good there Champion?"

"Level up," she says, not paying him much attention as she analyzes her changes.

"You know," Tsubaki speaks up, "you three really take all the fun out of leveling up, it used to be a big deal but now it's just routine," she grumbles.

"It's still amazing," Yang says. "But if you view levels as a stepping stone instead of the end game then that's all they are. Gotta think big picture after all."

"For most people, they are the end game," Tsubaki reminds him.

"Most people don't even understand what Falna is and how it works, plus the systems for adventuring actually hinder the leveling process," he says.

"What do you mean?"

"Enough of that," Hephaestus interrupts them. "Yang, don't say any more about those ideas, I don't want any dangerous trends spreading."

"Right," he says. Looking at his team he sees them now comparing their previous stat sheet to the new ones. "So, you two picking any new names?"

"Champion of War is accurate and simple, I'll stay with it," Thalie says. "My Magic Resistance and Champion's Body increased significantly. I have a new skill but I'm not quite sure what it does..."

"What's the name?" Yang asks, her announcement drawing every eye in the room to her.

"Primal Awareness, what is that?"

"I've got an idea, but we'll need to test it," Yang says. "What about you Welf?"

"I'm dating the god of fire and the forge, Ignis is fine-"

"Good," Hephaestus immediately agrees before he continues.

"Aside from me being level six now, Swordsman is all the way up to rank 'C', I think that puts me above everyone but Thalie in that skill. New skill, Creation and Creator, basically anything I make is much more efficient if I'm using my own magic. So if it takes someone else using, let's say a hundred magic to activate Mosoka, for me it would take fifty, just as an example. Can't exactly put a number on magic like that," he explains before scanning the sheet once more. "Oh, Magic Resistance went up a lot too, and naturally all my stats were maxed out."

"Nice, that should keep you in fights a lot longer than before. Makes sense your Falna would improve your synergy with anything you make since you are a smith after all," Yang says.

"He forgot one thing," Hephaestus says, handing Yang his updated sheet and walking over to sit beside Welf. "Look at the last thing on the sheet Welf."

"Oh, didn't get there yet," he says quietly before scanning the last line. "Hexing?"

"HEXING?!" Tsubaki almost falls out of her seat at the reveal.

The Trifecta looks at both her and Hephaestus in confusion before Welf speaks up, "what the hell is Hexing?"

"I've never even heard of that skill," Thalie says.

"It's a rarity even in Althena, the city of mages," Hephaestus explains. "Maybe one in ten million adventurers have it. Think, enchanting but more...wicked. Cuts made by the weapon can't be healed, every slash cuts into the target's magic or stamina, that kind of thing."

"Now the only thing missing is Mixing," Tsubaki says. "If he had the Mixing ability he could make potions and just replace everyone that makes gear. I honestly feel like none of you realize how humiliating it is to be captain but fourth strongest in my familia, I'm the only person in the world with this problem," Tsubaki whines.

"Atleast you don't have to worry about your title being stolen," Welf points out. "Those two aren't smiths and I hate paperwork."

"I guess that's true," Tsubaki relents, moving her gaze over to Yang, "so what fresh headache did your Falna give us this time?"

STAT SHEET START---

NAME: Yang Shen (The Elementalist)

Level 8: 100th Floor Monster-Rex Tiamat/Safi'Jiva.

Stats(Before Reset): STR=SSS DEX=SSS AGI=SSS MAG=SSS END=SSS

Stats(Now level 8 ): STR=I DEX=I AGI=I MAG=I END=I

Magic:

---Storage(Its essential video game inventory)

Allows the user to store a limited amount of inanimate items.

---Elementalist (Obtained at level 2)

Allows the user to channel certain elemental magic through their body and manipulate the elements to their whim, however, the user can take damage from these elements.

Skills:

---Elemental Resistance(Obtained at level 2)-[Level 10/10]

Taking elements damage develops resistance to these elements over time.

---Elemental Healing(Obtained at level 2)-[Level 10/10]

Pre-requisite skill 'Elemental Resistance'.Allows the uses to transfer some of the resisted elemental energy into health.

---Hunter(Obtained at level 2)

Improves abilities against monsters that the user has fought before and gained experience from.

---War Mage(Unique ability variant)(Obtained at level 2)-[Level 10/10]

Amplifies the user's magic and reduces the cost and strain on the mind and body.

---Unarmed Strikes(Obtained level 2)-[Level 10/10]

All unarmed strike damage is boosted

---Mage Armor(Obtained through stress at level 2)-[Level 10/10]

Envelops the user in magic amplifying defense and unarmed strike damage with elemental damage.

---Kinetic Exchange(Obtained Level 3)-[Level 10/10]

Whilst moving in mage armor acceleration and momentum are amplified when added to melee damage. Recoil and backlash from this are greatly reduced on the user's body. Whilst this skill has no set limit the user's capabilities of achieving velocity and taking damage are the limits.

---Elemental Absorption(Obtained at level 3)-[Level 10/10]

Transfers some of the elemental magic that damages the user into mana for the user. (For the damage that he DOES NOT resist only. So after he resists the damage some of the damage he takes will give him mana but it will still damage him to be clear)

---Greater Spirit Healing(Unique Variant, Obtained level 3)[Level 10/10]

Automatically begins to restore mind/mana.

---Adrenal Overdrive(Obtained at level 5)[Level 8/10]

Adrenaline Increases stats and causes battle mania status effect, no active trigger.

---Tough(Obtained at level 8)[Level 1/10]

Improves physical stats.

---CHAOS BLESSING

Strength

Defiance

STAT SHEET END---

"Uh, just got something call Tough, constant physical stat boost. Everything else is the same," Yang says.

"Huh?" Tsubaki gawks at him. "Guess I won't need those painkillers I bough huh, well this is good news at least."

"I suppose this means my familia is currently the strongest in the world," Hephaestus says with a devious smile. "I can't wait to rub this in Freya's face...and the boost it will have to our weapon sales will be great too," she says. Everyone in the room could almost see the Valis symbol shining in her eyes.

"Moments like these make me really glad I don't sell to the public," Welf says with a tired sigh, "I can't imagine all the headaches figuring out how much to prices my current creations at would cause..."

"Speaking of headaches," Hephaestus looks directly at Yang, "mister Elementalist, care to give the full report on your expedition, I don't really care about much other than that day I couldn't get in touch with all of you, and for that, you will be treating us all to dinner, by the way, I'll choose the restaurant..." she says with a sinister smile.

Tsubaki feels a creeping chill down her smile," ugh, the last time she punished me and made me take her there I was in debt for months," she grumbles.

"Relax Tsubaki," Hephaestus leans back in her seat and rest her head on Welf's shoulder. "This is Yang Shen we're talking about, what's a night at The Midas Touch to him..."

END CHAPTER---