[FGO]: 9

Having showcased his exceptional culinary skills, Ryou naturally gained the leverage to negotiate terms. He thus agreed with Mama Mia that he would only take charge of cooking on weekend evenings, leaving the rest of the time for his activities.

While Mama Mia made considerable concessions regarding his schedule, she demonstrated her fierce bargaining skills when it came to his wages, offering him only three times what the other staff earned.

It's important to note that due to a group of pleasure-loving deities descending to the lower world, the status of professions related to enjoyment, such as chefs, musicians, and bartenders, had significantly risen, and their wages had remained high.

Given Ryou's culinary prowess, it's no exaggeration to say that he could earn five to ten times more at a higher-end restaurant.

The reason Ryou chose to stay at the Hostess of Fertility was, of course, to use the tavern's hidden strength and the power behind it to evade the pursuit of the Ishtar Familia.

As for the wages, he didn't care much about them.

Just like in the game, the deeper one ventured into the dungeon, the higher the level of the monsters encountered, and correspondingly, the more valuable the magic stones and other drops became. With his strength comparable to a top-tier level 2 adventurer, going below the 10th floor of the dungeon posed no significant problem, and he might even earn a month's wages in just one day.

However, when it came to arranging his accommodation, Mama Mia was completely unceremonious in tossing him far away.

His dormitory was surprisingly a converted abandoned attic, located on the third floor of the entire dormitory building, while the female staff, including Mama Mia, lived on the second floor, with Mama Mia's room being the first one next to the stairs.

This strict defensive stance was something.

If he weren't outmatched, Ryou would have wanted to ask her, "I'm the head chef! Is it appropriate to treat me like a pervert and make me live in such a place?!"

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to put up with this place for a while. I'll persuade Mama Mia in a bit," said Syr, leading Ryou to the room, clasping her hands together and looking at him apologetically.

Due to long-term disuse, the room was filled with a pungent moldy smell and was covered in dust.

"It's alright," Ryou waved it off.

Having just slept on a pile of straw in a jail cell, this place was already paradise in comparison.

However, Syr, unable to stand it, resolutely stayed to help him clean up the place to a livable state.

After two hours of hard work, the attic finally looked new.

"Thanks for your hard work, Syr," Ryou said, wiping sweat from his forehead and looking at the equally sweaty girl.

"No, no need to thank me."

At that moment, Ryou noticed a smudge of dust on Syr's cheek and naturally helped her wipe it off.

Syr's cheeks immediately turned red all the way to her ears.

"Pl-please rest early," she stammered quickly before fleeing out the door.

Ryou couldn't help but show a wry smile and muttered to himself, "Did she misunderstand something?"

"A beautiful girl throwing herself into your arms. It seems you're quite enjoying yourself, Master," a cool, teasing voice said.

Ryou was startled and looked in the direction of the voice.

There, lazily leaning against the window frame, was the long-unseen Queen of the Land of Shadows. Her crimson eyes sparkled in the twilight as she quietly watched him.

The moonlight was like water, and the beauty was like a painting.

For a moment, Ryou was speechless, as if any noise would ruin the beautiful scene.

After a long while, Ryou exhaled deeply.

"Why are you here?"

His tone was complex, tinged with a bit of anger.

"Didn't we have an agreement? Once you escaped the gladiatorial arena by your strength, I would acknowledge you as my Master," Scáthach said with an indifferent expression.

"So, you're saying I'm your Master now?" Ryou laughed self-mockingly.

"A Master who can't give orders."

Scáthach's expression remained cold in the face of his veiled sarcasm.

"Alright, I give up. Now, can you tell me why you're here?"

Facing those eyes that seemed to see through everything, Ryou declared defeat.

"I've studied that 'Blessing' and made some improvements. Now, I need to inscribe it on you."

Ryou couldn't help but gasp. The 'Blessing' in this world was a miraculous creation by a group of gods, capable of drawing out a person's potential.

And now Scáthach was telling him that not only had she cracked it, but she had also improved it.

It was no surprise, given her mastery of the primordial Runes from the Age of Gods, her wisdom surpassing humans, her ability to slay gods, and her position on the fringes of the world like an abyss.

The Queen of the Land of Shadows lived up to her reputation. Only someone as powerful and wise as her could slay countless gods and reach the realm of divinity.

"What part did you improve?" Ryou asked curiously.

"The 'Blessing' I improved eliminates the need to update your status. It will automatically record your adventures and continuously enhance your body," Scáthach said, as if it were a trivial matter, her tone still cold.

Ryou was utterly stunned. This improvement alone outclassed the gods' 'Blessing' by a mile.

Shishou is invincible!

Ryou now truly understand this phrase. By the way, Scáthach had a fondness for teaching, earning her the affectionate nickname 'Shishou.'

And now, although Scáthach hadn't explicitly said it, she regarded Ryou as her disciple. Ryou could already foresee a challenging future.

With Scáthach's improved 'Blessing,' would immediately complement the Noble Phantasm Crying Warmonger, significantly accelerating his growth.

Despite her harsh methods, it was undeniable that Scáthach was an excellent teacher.

"Come on!"

Ryou took off his shirt, adopting a look of noble sacrifice.

Scáthach didn't waste any time, pressing him down onto a chair and forcing a drop of blood from her fingertip.

"Wait, are there any side effects?" Ryou asked instinctively.

"It will be very painful," Scáthach replied, her hand already moving to his back as a mysterious and intricate magic circle unfurled.

"Can I call a stop?" Ryou weakly asked.

"You are a warrior. You must endure this pain," Scáthach mercilessly denied his request.

"I, ah!..." Ryou started to speak, but an unbearable wave of pain surged from his back, flooding his entire body.

Scáthach seemed prepared. As soon as he tried to speak, her fingers traced a few lines in the air, causing several intricate runes to flash briefly before the entire room fell silent.

Though he couldn't make a sound, it was evident from his clenched fists and the veins bulging on his exposed upper body, trembling as if in convulsions, that he was in intense pain.

Scáthach seemed to have done something more; despite the continuous pain, Ryou felt as if his body wasn't his own, unable to move at all.

After a long while, the magic circle transformed into a complex pattern centered on the image of two crossed spears, filled with a divine script that only gods could understand—a contract of blessing.

By this time, Ryou was drenched in sweat, looking as though he had just been pulled out of water.

But when he turned his head, he saw the exhausted Queen of the Land of Shadows.

Her red lips were slightly parted, her breath fragrant, her pale face flushed with a sickly red, and beads of sweat trickling down her temples. There was an unmistakable look of fatigue in her eyes.

It seemed that this highly effective, improved blessing had taken a tremendous toll on Scáthach as well.

Seeing the usually formidable Queen of the Land of Shadows showing such a vulnerable side, Ryou felt a warmth rise in his heart.

This feeling of being silently cared for was something he had never experienced, not even from his parents.

"I won't say thank you," Ryou said, adding, "but I owe you one."

"That's given, my Master. But if you want to pay me, then get stronger quickly."

The iron-willed Queen of the Land of Shadows was back, her earlier vulnerability seeming like an illusion.

Without waiting for his response, she lightly leaped, gracefully and swiftly disappearing through the window into the night.

"Sigh~"

Ryou couldn't help but sigh.

In the gladiatorial arena, Ryou had thought a lot. As he calmed down from the anger of Scáthach's ruthless departure, he began to ponder her true intentions.

The results spoke for themselves. In the gladiatorial arena, his strength had increased, and his mindset had gradually transformed into that of a competent warrior.

So, Scáthach's goal was clear. She intended to force him to transform forcibly, both in strength and mentality, through this method.

This is very likely the correct answer.

You should know that the Queen of the Land of Shadows before him is most famous for having trained many legendary heroes, and her method of instruction is the typically harsh Spartan style. Her disciples were often beaten half to death by her.

If the earlier assumptions were mere conjecture, then Scáthach's actions today explained everything.

"What an unforthright queen," Ryou said with a bitter smile.

The favor of beauty is heavy indeed, and now he owed even more.

...

The next day, with the morning sun rising, Ryou followed the crowd to a towering giant tower.

This tower soared into the clouds, and its height appeared to be more than double that of the world's tallest building in some wealthy nation.

In this world where technological levels were entirely ancient, it was nothing short of a miracle among miracles, a true creation of the gods.

In the morning light, a vast number of adventurers flooded into the tower. From Ryou's estimation, there were already over ten thousand people, and this was only a portion of the adventurers.

He could truly feel the bustling prosperity of this labyrinth city.

Following the crowd, he walked into the tower and then descended into the dungeon below via the stairs.

The moment his foot stepped into the dungeon, he immediately felt as if he had entered another world. Although the crowd continued to pour in, the lively noise from outside the tower completely vanished.

As Ryou delved deeper, the crowd began to disperse gradually, and the dungeon seemed like a giant mouth continuously swallowing the lives that intruded.

This dungeon was alive!

Without needing to expand his senses, Ryou could feel the pulsation behind the black stone walls, as if it were a living being.

Crack!

At that moment, the hard stone wall suddenly cracked open, and two creatures that looked like enlarged rats were spat out from the wall.

They were indeed spat out; when the two creatures first appeared, they were curled up like newborns just emerging from the womb.

With a fleeting glance, Ryou saw that behind the stone wall was a blood-red area, resembling the flesh and blood of a living being.

The two creatures hit the ground, and as soon as they opened their eyes, they let out a roar and charged at him.

Ryou snorted coldly, clashed his gloved fists together with a loud clang that sounded like a bell, and sparks flew.

His body slightly crouched, and with a quick step, he shot towards the creatures, then delivered a powerful punch.

One of the monster's heads was immediately blown apart by his punch, its body instantly turning into dust that shimmered with magical light before dissipating.

A purple magic stone, about the size of a fingertip, fell to the ground.

Seeing its companion killed instantly, the other rat-man seemed petrified with fear, its body momentarily freezing.

Ryou, however, was unceremonious. He stepped forward and delivered a kick, sending the rat-man crashing into the stone wall like a cannonball, shattering its body. Only a small magic stone remained at the spot.

Ryou brushed off imaginary dust from his clothes, not bothering to pick up the magic stones, and directly headed to the lower levels.

Like gemstones, the larger and clearer a magic stone, the more valuable it is. The quality of a magic stone is directly linked to the strength of the monster it came from. The higher the level of the monster, the higher the quality of the magic stone it drops. Within the same level, the magic stones from boss-like floor masters are of higher quality than those from regular monsters.

These two magic stones could at most be exchanged for a few dozen Valis, which Ryou naturally didn't care for.

"But the blessing improved by Shishou is really strong," Ryou subconsciously touched his back.

In the instant he killed those two monsters, He vaguely felt a subtle energy being absorbed into the blessing's magic circle, which then transformed into a very slight warm current flowing into his body.

This state of constantly feeling oneself getting stronger all the time was truly addictive!

Why are upgrade-type games the most popular? People enjoy that feeling of constantly getting stronger!

Ryou's enthusiasm surged, and his steps quickened involuntarily.

Thus, the monsters along the way immediately met a dire fate, either being blown apart by his punches or being smashed into the walls.

Wherever Ryou passed, he left behind a scattered trail of magic stones.

In just half a day, Ryou had already penetrated the tenth floor.

The environment of this layer took a complete 180-degree turn, changing from narrow pits to a fog-filled wilderness.

There were mainly two types of monsters on this level: one was the half-orc with a wild boar's head, and the other was the kobold, resembling small dogs.

Ryou felt that as he delved deeper, not only did the monsters' strength increase, but the speed and density of the dungeon's monster respawns also kept rising.

Before he knew it, he was surrounded by five or six half-orcs and four kobolds.

However, Ryou's face showed no panic. He directly faced the half-orcs attacks and sent each kobold into the dungeon's embrace with a single punch.

But facing the half-orcs assaults, he did pay a price.

"Not bad, you're quite capable for a fat-headed, big-eared creatures," Ryou spat out a mouthful of blood with a "pa!" and then wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

While he was attacking the kobolds, he was accidentally struck heavily on the back by a half-orc's club, causing him significant internal injuries.

These half-orcs had already developed rudimentary intelligence, knowing how to break dead tree trunks and fashion them into weapons.

Ryou's current basic attributes were starting to make things a bit tricky.

But it was merely tricky, nothing more.

He quickly used a small healing potion provided by the system.

With waves of warmth continuously washing through his body, Ryou immediately felt his internal injuries heal almost completely.

"Let's go again!"

Tossing aside the empty bottle, Ryou charged straight at the half-orcs.

Without the nimble kobolds to interfere, he moved among the half-orcs like a dancer on the edge of a blade, frequently targeting their knee joints.

When a half-orc fell injured, he would immediately hammer its head fiercely.

Using this tactic, Ryou annihilated the five or six half-orcs.

Naturally, he took several heavy blows from the half-orcs during this time, but he relied on the recovery effect of his Noble Phantasm Crying Warmonger combined with healing potions, enduring their attacks to take them down one by one.

Ryou thought briefly.

According to the original work, the dungeon's danger level significantly increased every tenth floor.

On the first twelve floors, a level 1 adventurer could come and go freely even solo. But once reaching the thirteenth floor, even level 2 adventurers needed to act in teams.

Ryou decided to stay on the tenth layer for now and raise his basic attributes, except for magic power, to rank E first.

Ryou drank another bottle of healing potion, recovering while picking up the magic stones that had fallen to the ground.

The price of these magic stones had risen to hundreds of Valis, so he naturally wouldn't waste them. He picked them up and threw them directly into the system's storage space.

It had to be said that the system was indeed a great helper for travel, combat, and other activities. Besides the cards that could instantly boost his strength, such as skills, Noble Phantasms, and Heroic Spirit summoning cards, it was very convenient in other aspects.

The storage space it provided was not only nearly infinite in size but time within it was completely halted. This meant Ryou could stay in the dungeon for as long as he wanted without worrying about supplies.

As Ryou finished clearing the battlefield, his injuries were also 80-90% healed thanks to the combined effects of the healing potion and his Noble Phantasm.

Crack!

At this moment, a huge figure emerged from the thick fog—it was another half-orc.

This half-orc, with a pig's head, had a nasty grin on its face. It casually snapped a dead branch, holding it and continuously tapping it as it approached him.

Ryou's expression turned cold. He took a fighting stance and charged towards the half-orc...