A Miracle for One Alone

Twilight Manor.

The parchment trembled slightly in Loki's hands. The God of Lies stared fixedly at the freshly translated text, the corner of her mouth twitching.

The face that was usually full of laughter and fury now held only a stifled shock and frustration, as though she wanted to curse but had no idea where to begin.

Kashu calmly donned his magic attire, watched his patron deity's face-changing performance, and quipped, "I got whipped by fish for days. Don't tell me my Endurance still hasn't reached Rank B."

Loki first looked down at the parchment, then up at Kashu. After repeating this several times, she let out a long sigh and handed it over.

Kashu Animusphere

LV.1

Strength: A(852)→SSS(1864)

Endurance: G(235)→SS(1075)

Dexterity: B(762)→SSS(1543)

Agility: B(784)→SSS(1582)

Magic: S(959)→SSS(2000)

--Magic--

--Skills--

SSS?

Kashu frowned slightly and tapped the glaring words on the parchment with his fingertip. "Didn't you say basic abilities only go up to Rank S? Did you just make up this SSS?"

"I should be asking what the hell is going on with you!"

Loki instantly blew up, fiercely scratching at her crimson hair as she paced the room in agitation.

"This makes no sense! We gods have been designing Falna for thousands of years, and nothing like this has ever happened. How did everything go haywire with you, brat!?"

Kashu tilted his head at Loki, who was having trouble accepting reality, and wagged a finger. "For a God of Lies, aren't you being a little too naive?"

Loki raised a brow. "Hey, brat, that's deeply disrespectful to me! Even if you're part of my Familia, you're not allowed to talk to me like that!"

Kashu raised a hand and pointed out the window, toward Babel Tower, where the Guild was located in the distance.

"Ability scores are an adventurer's greatest secret. Even when reporting to the Guild, they only submit their feats and level. How can you be sure the other Familias aren't holding something back?"

Loki had merely been thrown off by the never-before-seen SSS-ranked ability scores. With Kashu's reminder, she immediately caught on.

"So you mean..."

"Damn! I knew something was off about that lovestruck pigman! So that's what it was!"

"The lovestruck pigman? You mean Orario's universally acknowledged ultimate weapon?"

Ottar of the Freya Familia, known as the Fierce One, was the strongest adventurer in the entire Dungeon City—and indeed, the entire world.

Kashu had also learned of that man's strength while reviewing information on the Familias.

As Orario's only Level 7, he would not have found it strange if Ottar had truly surpassed the limits of Rank S.

If not for the possibility that a private duel could spark a war between two Familias, Kashu actually wanted to exchange a few moves with him.

Loki saw through Kashu's thoughts as well and hurriedly clapped her hands to divert his attention. "Alright, alright, stop obsessing over things that haven't happened yet. Let's level you up first."

"I think highly of you, brat. You'll definitely surpass that pigman someday."

Kashu nodded. "Then I'll take that as an oracle. Next, I need to choose a Development Ability first, right?"

Development Abilities were special traits that appeared only when an adventurer leveled up. Their types and number depended on what the adventurer had encountered before leveling up.

For example, if someone had encountered many poisonous plants or highly venomous monsters before leveling up, there was a high chance that the Development Ability Abnormal Resistance would appear.

These special traits were similar to Basic Abilities, yet different. While they also required accumulated experience, they would not reset upon leveling up. Instead, they improved slowly.

"Just so you know, you've activated five Development Abilities in total. You'd better think carefully about which one to choose."

Loki's expression was unusually serious as she said this. It was clear that, despite seeming unreliable, this goddess was quite responsible toward her Familia.

Kashu nodded to show that he understood and motioned for Loki to continue.

"First, there's Abnormal Resistance and Hunter. The former is basically a benefit for beginners, while the latter appears after you wipe out a large number of monsters in a short time."

"As for their effects, they make it easier for you to deal with monsters you've defeated before."

"Then there are Swordsman and Mage. Those two Development Abilities are relatively rare."

Loki paused before explaining.

"Swordsman raises your ability scores when you equip sword-type weapons, while Mage strengthens the power and range of magic, reduces consumption, and so on."

Kashu was lowering his head, weighing the pros and cons of the Development Abilities, when he suddenly noticed that Loki had stopped speaking.

"What about the last one?"

Loki's voice lowered. Her gaze sharpened like that of a hawk as it locked tightly onto Kashu.

"The last one—Miracle. It's a Development Ability that has never appeared before."

She took a deep breath, her tone carrying an incredulous certainty.

"I can't figure out its exact effect yet, but I can feel it... It's a power that turns the impossible into possible."

Though the gods had sealed away their divine power, the insight born from ancient times had not disappeared.

Loki was utterly certain that Miracle was a special trait belonging to Kashu alone, a brilliant radiance born from the fierce collision between a soul from another world and a god's Falna.

As a goddess who pursued the unknown and entertainment, she desperately wanted Kashu to choose it, but she restrained the urge to persuade him.

Because from Loki's brief understanding of this brat, he would never pass up something like this.

"Miracle, huh... Then I'll choose this one."

"I've been waiting for you to say that!"

Kashu Animusphere

LV.2

Strength: I(0)

Endurance: I(0)

Dexterity: I(0)

Agility: I(0)

Magic: I(0)→I(1)

Miracle: I

--Magic--

[King's Wind]

[Crystal of Stars]

--Skills--

[Red Dragon Emblem]

[Eternal Blessing of the Star Spirit]

[Brilliant Journey]

opened gates: 1.

are invited to cross the gates between dimensions and traverse the unknown amidst infinity.

Loki: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

Loki's eyes instantly widened round, as though she had discovered the most unbelievable treasure.

She snatched the parchment away, rapidly copied down the new ability information, and bounced in place with excitement.

"Quick, Kashu! Open the gate! Open it right now! I want to visit another world!"

Kashu blanked out for a moment, then raised a hand to suppress Loki, who looked as though she had gone rabid, and patiently persuaded her. "Calm down. A Falna loses its effect when a god returns to Heaven. What do you think will happen to you if you go to another world?"

A bucket of cold water was poured over Loki's excitement, and she immediately thought of her Familia members who were still out on an expedition.

That was right. Once a god left the Lower World, the Falna engraved upon their Familia members would lose its effect.

If she went to another world without a care, the children she had spent so long with would probably all die in the Dungeon.

"Wait, no! If Falna stops working when we aren't in the same world, then how are you supposed to come back?"

The same calm smile remained on Kashu's face. He raised a hand and pointed at [Miracle] on the parchment.

"Don't worry. I'm special."

Then his tone shifted, and a trace of depth flashed through his eyes.

"Besides, even without a god's Falna..."

He paused, calmly stating a fact beneath Loki's incredulous gaze.

"I can still fight."

"Damn... You... I..."

Even the finger Loki pointed at Kashu was trembling.

Her expression was like that of someone who had been starving for three days, only to see a feast laid out before them while tied to a chair—able to look but unable to eat, so frustrated she was about to explode on the spot.