[ Ding! Congratulations, host. Skill [Insight] successfully activated. Current Level: Lv.1 ]
[ Ding! Congratulations, host. Skill [Godspeed Reflex] successfully activated. Current Level: Lv.1 ]
With the series of system notifications, all the bottom-row skills on the skill tree were now fully unlocked. Four golden passive skills and two bright silver innate passive skills shimmered brilliantly. It looked incredibly impressive.
Admiring the newly lit skill tree for a while, Takashina Kai began reviewing the effects of each new skill.
"[Insight] Lv.1 (0/5000): Slightly increases perception while wielding a sword, enhances combat intuition slightly, slightly increases sixth sense, and slightly raises dodge rate against surprise attacks."
"[Balance] Lv.1 (0/5000): Slightly increases sense of balance while wielding a sword, slightly enhances 3D mobility, slightly raises agility."
"[Godspeed Reflex] Lv.1 (0/5000): Slightly raises agility when using sword techniques, slightly increases evasion rate when receiving sword technique attacks; slightly boosts neural reflexes and enhances combat intuition while wielding a sword."
Looking at these three highly practical passive skills, Kai thought to himself: if he returned to the third floor of the dungeon now, he could easily hold out for another hour.
Only after unlocking all the base skills at the bottom of the skill tree did he finally become a true beginner in the [Black Swordsman] Inheritance.
This was precisely why the system referred to Lv.1 as the stage of "first glimpse through the door."
…
After taking a bath and paying a professional cleaner to wash off the bloodstains from his clothes, Kai exchanged most of the remaining magic stones and materials for valis. Then, he bought a huge load of ingredients and walked out of Babel Tower under the evening glow.
Even though he'd split half of the magic stones and monster drops with Lili before leaving, Kai's remaining share was still incredibly lucrative.
"Please wait a moment, let me check… the total value is… wha—! Ahem, my apologies. The total is 230,000 valis?! Would you like to exchange it all?"
Kai couldn't help but chuckle at the stunned, almost horrified expression on the elven receptionist's face at the guild front desk when she saw the numbers.
At the same time, he was also curious—
Hestia, often teased by other gods as the "poverty goddess" and long accustomed to living frugally—how would she react when she saw this mountain of valis?
Just thinking about it made him feel excited.
Tightening the money pouch at his waist, Kai quickened his pace.
From the Familia housing area near Babel to the outskirts of Orario, he returned to the dilapidated church.
Arms full of food and a few cute trinkets he impulsively bought on the way—things girls might like—Kai was about to push aside the statue blocking the basement door when he noticed it was already ajar, and the basement door was open too.
With his constitution at 10 points, he could vaguely hear voices and laughter from below.
One of Hestia's divine friends?
Raising an eyebrow, Kai didn't think much of it and headed down the stairs.
"Lady Hestia, I'm back..."
But the moment he stepped into the basement, his smile froze.
"...?"
Inside the modest basement, a petite girl sat on the bed, a sweet smile on her pretty face. Her black twin-tails hung behind her, and the backless white dress she wore clung to her petite frame—accentuating a surprisingly full figure.
It was Hestia, as expected.
What he didn't expect, however, was the one sitting beside her and chatting.
Snow-white hair, a gentle and handsome face that unfortunately beat his own ordinary looks, and ragged clothing—
Wasn't this the white-haired brat Bell Cranel?!
What the hell was he doing here?
In an instant, Kai had a dozen thoughts flash through his mind. Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile and looked at Hestia.
"Lady Hestia, this is…?"
"Kai-kun!"
Noticing him at the stairs, Hestia immediately jumped off the bed and ran over barefoot.
"How was it? Your first dungeon run—was it smooth? Are you hurt anywhere? Hungry? Which floor did you reach?"
As she frantically checked him for injuries, Kai shook his head, put down the bags of food, and grabbed her hands to stop her probing.
"I'm fine, Lady Hestia."
"That's good, that's good..."
Relieved, Hestia's face lit up with a happy smile.
"Woohoo! As expected of Kai-kun! You look so at ease!"
"At ease… is a bit of a stretch."
Recalling how he almost got killed by a goblin on his first entry, Kai honestly denied the compliment. Then he turned his gaze to the stiff, nervous Bell Cranel on the sofa.
"Lady Hestia, who's this white-haired kid on the couch?"
White-haired kid…
Bell opened his mouth to protest, but something about Kai's sharp aura made him freeze up.
The man in black before him radiated an invisible pressure—just being looked at felt like being pricked by a blade.
"Oh, you mean him?"
Hestia smiled mysteriously and said, "This boy is Bell—Bell Cranel. I picked him up on my way back this afternoon. He didn't have a Familia yet, so I decided to keep him… Just like you, he's now a member of the Hestia Familia. You two should get along well!"
"What?!"
Kai immediately lost his composure.
"What's wrong, Kai-kun?"
"Ah… nothing..."
Looking again at Bell, who had no idea what was going on, Kai had to marvel at the pull of fate.
Even though he'd joined Hestia's Familia before Bell this time, that white-haired protagonist still ended up picked up by Hestia like in the original story.
So this is the power of main character plot armor, huh...
And Bell, under Kai's intense stare, straightened up in panic.
Did I do something wrong? Why is he staring at me like that?
Should I say something? He seems so scary...
Is this the senior of my Familia? He's terrifying! What do I do?
Help me, goddess!
Bell turned his gaze toward Hestia, pleading silently for rescue.
However…
"Oooh! Beef! Look at the marbling—it's perfect! Even a minotaur wouldn't grow meat like this!"
Rummaging through Kai's bags full of high-grade ingredients, Hestia was completely starry-eyed. She hadn't eaten proper meat in months.
She didn't even notice Bell's cry for help.
"Come on, white-haired brat, I'm not going to eat you. What are you so scared of?"
Seeing Bell's panic, Kai smirked. He figured he might be fighting alongside this kid in the future—and in a place as dangerous as the dungeon, he needed to see if the kid had what it took.
So he kept a serious face and asked coldly, "Listen up, kid. I'll ask you once. Why do you want to join a Familia? The dungeon is no playground."
To ensure his voice sounded cold enough, Kai even activated his Sword Pressure.
Instantly, an aura like sharp blades emanated from him.
Bell, facing it head-on, turned pale. His heartbeat even skipped a beat.
"B-Because… I… want to..."
Bell clenched his teeth and forced himself not to show weakness.
"...I want to be more manly, more handsome and reliable... I want to meet girls in the dungeon…"
"What?"
"And… create my own hero's tale!"
Under the Sword Pressure, Bell couldn't think—he just blurted out his deepest desire.
Looking into Bell's clear and determined eyes, Kai could tell he was sincere.
Become stronger through adventure. Meet different types of beautiful girls. Become a hero.
This kid really meant it from the heart.
So this is the power of a protagonist… even his dream of building a harem sounds so noble and pure.
Kai chuckled and turned off his pressure.
Sure, the idea was childish, but this straightforward, earnest kid wasn't half bad.
Seeing Kai finally smile and the pressure vanish, Bell breathed a sigh of relief and slumped down from his ramrod posture.
"Hey now, don't relax just yet. You may have passed my test, but the real challenge lies ahead—the dungeon will be the one to judge you."
"Eh? That was a test?"
Seeing Bell's shocked expression, Kai couldn't help but tease, "Don't act all innocent now. Tomorrow morning, you're coming with me into the dungeon. Be prepared, white-haired brat!"
"Yes, I will!"
Bell nodded seriously—then frowned, a bit miffed.
"Senpai, I'm not called white-haired brat!"
"I'm not your senpai either."
Glancing at Bell's bright white hair, Kai smirked.
"White-haired brat, can you cook?"
"Just regular home-style food… I can manage."
"Then come help out."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Satisfied, Kai picked up the food bags and headed upstairs.
Since the basement had limited space, they'd have to cook in the church above.
…
The next day.
In the dungeon's third floor, Kai gripped his black sword tightly. Drops of dark red blood ran down the blade, reflecting the hellish scene around him.
Every inch of the cave was soaked in monster blood. Severed limbs and crushed corpses—goblins, bugbears, moths, stingers—piled like mountains. There were twice as many monsters as yesterday.
With a flick, Kai cleared the blood off his blade and sighed at the lost potential.
If only he had extracted all those magic stones… how much valis would that have fetched? He could probably afford a better place for Hestia to live.
Maybe… it's time to find a supporter?
As he pondered hiring someone to help gather stones, Kai quickly left the third floor before the next wave of monsters spawned.
Coming up from the stairwell to the second floor, he saw Bell fighting two goblins with a dagger, holding his own quite well.
"White-haired brat, if you keep stalling, I'm leaving you behind!"
Kai stood at the stairs to the first floor. Though his words were harsh, his hand was already on his sword hilt—ready to jump in if Bell couldn't handle it.
"W-Wait! Please, just a bit longer!"
Bell yelped as he fought harder. Though his form got sloppier under pressure, goblins weren't high-level enemies. He barely managed to hold them off.
A few moments later, Bell pulled his dagger from a goblin's chest and waved proudly to Kai.
"I did it, senpai!"
That morning, Kai had brought Bell into the dungeon. Just like the day before, Kai encountered no monsters on the first floor—but as soon as they hit the second, they met an old friend.
Goblins.
Seeing them, Kai shamelessly pushed Bell to handle them alone while he returned to his hunting ground on the third floor.
"Hmph, you've still got a long way to go, white-haired brat."
Choosing to forget how he was nearly killed by a goblin on his own first day, Kai released his grip on his sword and stuffed his hand into his coat pocket as he walked toward the stairs.
Behind him, Bell gripped his blood-stained dagger tightly, eyes burning with determination.
Someday… someday I'll make you call me by name, not white-haired brat… senpai!
After battling in the dungeon for almost the entire morning, both Bell and Kai were feeling worn out. So instead of heading back into the dungeon after lunch, they sat down in the plaza outside Babel, watching passersby and chatting.
"…So what? White-haired brat, you're actually into the older-sister type?"
"Isn't that obvious?" Bell's face turned red, but he insisted, "When it comes to a woman's most attractive feature, of course it's… the chest!"
Despite his innocent appearance, Bell's views on men and women were surprisingly mature for his age. But his perspective wasn't driven by lust—it was more like a righteous belief. Because of that, it didn't come off as disgusting at all; in fact, it made him seem honest and likable.
A natural lady-killer—regardless of age.
"Hmph, so you're a boob guy, huh? Figures you're just a snot-nosed brat. Even your taste in women is shallow."
"L-Liking boobs isn't wrong, is it?!"
Even though there were no women nearby, Bell still turned beet red just saying the word "boobs," clearly uncomfortable discussing such things in public.
But soon enough, he fought back, cheeks flushed as he glared at Takashina Kai. "Since you think my standards are shallow, what about you, senpai? What kind of woman is your ideal?"
"Hmph, that's why I say you're just a dumb little brat—only immature kids ask dumb questions like that."
"Immature…?"
"That's right. Immature."
Takashina Kai glanced at him. Seeing how seriously Bell was listening, he suddenly felt a guilty urge to corrupt the poor kid. But he continued, "Listen up, white-haired brat… Only naive and simple-minded kids like you get caught up in choosing one or the other. A real man—like me—chooses everything!"
"E-Everything?!"
Bell's eyes lit up like he had just seen the truth of the universe. This one line had answered a lifelong question that had plagued him for years.
"Whether it's a clumsy rookie adventurer, a cute barmaid, a clueless elven princess, or a lone warrior goddess standing at the peak of strength… wanting to grow closer to cute girls, building relationships with beauties of different races, even seeking a harem… there's nothing wrong with that! If women show their affection, how can a true man only choose one and cast the others aside?" Takashina lectured with passionate righteousness, eyes full of meaning. "So? Do you see how immature you are now?"
"You're right… Compared to you, senpai, I really am too immature!"
"Everyone makes mistakes, white-haired brat. You've got a lot to learn… hmm?"
While chatting idly, Takashina suddenly noticed a familiar figure in the crowd being dragged away forcefully by several people.
Now that Bell had officially joined the Hestia Familia, according to the original storyline, the anime plot should be starting soon, right?
After a brief pause, Takashina wiped the grin off his face and spoke seriously. "Hey, white-haired brat, I just remembered something urgent. Stay right here and don't wander off—I'll be back soon."
Without explaining, he bolted off, disappearing in a flash with full use of his agility stat.
…
In a dark alley outside the Soma Familia, several men surrounded a small figure cloaked in an ivory robe. Their faces were twisted with menace and contempt.
"Lili, let's skip the pleasantries. Hand over the goods, or do we have to take them by force?"
The bearded man in front looked down at her with a sneer. "If we rough you up, you won't be able to return to the dungeon for days. You know what to do, right?"
Lili trembled, her hands clutching her coin pouch tightly, knuckles turning white. Still, she clung to a shred of hope—they might just be bluffing.
Taking a deep breath to steady her voice, she said, "I don't know what you're talking about. But if you leave now, I'll forget everything and won't report this to Soma-sama. Now move, I have work to do."
She stepped forward and pushed, but the man didn't budge.
"Lili, you're a clever kid, so why can't you read the room right now?"
The man chuckled. "You thought you were being sneaky last night, sneaking back late—but someone was already watching you. And today you snuck out again first thing in the morning. With that much money, it's no wonder people are jealous… but no worries. That money's about to be ours."
Lili's mind reeled, but she quickly regained composure.
If she couldn't keep the valis, fine.
But they weren't going to take it without paying a price.
"If you want it that badly…"
Without screaming or threatening, Lili calmly pulled out two fat coin pouches. "Come and get it yourselves."
The thugs' breathing grew heavier at the sight of those pouches, and the bearded man lunged greedily.
But Lili's hidden smile twisted dangerously in the shadow of her hood.
Just then—
"Yo, fellas. What's the game here?"
A familiar voice fell from above, and Lili's eyes widened with joy.
Hope.
The men scowled and looked up.
Perched casually on a wire strung between the buildings was a man dressed in all black—hair, coat, pants—his entire figure shrouded in darkness.
Can someone really perch there?
Before they could react, the man leapt, his black coat fluttering like a raven's wings, and landed right between Lili and her assailants.
"Who the hell are you, sticking your nose in this?!"
It was obvious now—this man was here to help Lili.
The air grew tense.
But the man in black—Takashina Kai—only smiled and said cheerfully, "We meet again, support girl. But your situation looks kinda rough."
"Isn't that obvious… or are you just here to mock me, Takashina-dono?"
Lili emphasized "dono" sarcastically. Takashina just laughed.
"Still as prickly as ever, Lili."
He drew his sword.
A jet-black blade that matched its master.
The black sword sliced through the air—and brought an end to daylight.
To their daylight.