Then.
His expression settled, becoming solemn.
Since he was entering into a pact, he naturally had to show the proper sincerity as a god.
Haimo raised his hand and took a specially made fine needle from his pocket.
The needle lightly pricked his fingertip.
"Hiss..."
A vivid crimson drop of blood slowly welled from Haimo's fingertip.
It was not mortal blood.
It was "divine power"-sealing godly might within it and connecting the laws of Heaven and the lower world.
Haimo bent down.
He held the "Divine Blood" suspended above Tsukuyo Inaba's smooth, jade-like back.
"Drip."
The droplet fell.
It merged into her body.
"Ah!"
Tsukuyo Inaba's body shuddered violently, and both her hands clutched the bedsheet beneath her.
In an instant.
"Humm-"
A luminous glow burst forth.
Before their eyes.
A deep crimson light spread across Tsukuyo Inaba's previously flawless back.
The light was not a chaotic jumble.
Under the guidance of Haimo's divine power.
At last.
It transformed into rows of intricate, sacred script, along with a unique familia emblem representing the [Haimo Familia].
They were etched deep into the girl's back.
The sight.
Left the girls around them dumbfounded.
At its core, the so-called falna was a back door a god opened in a mortal's body using their own blood.
Through that door, the possibilities mortals could neither see nor touch-possibilities shackled firmly by their flesh-were given tangible form as readily understandable data.
Just as memories had been nothing but chaotic fragments before humans invented writing.
Only with writing could human civilization be passed down.
With falna, mortal growth followed the same principle: it was no longer some vague, elusive feeling, but a string of visible data.
Living beings were always fanatically obsessed with quantifying everything.
From measuring wealth with seashells, to dividing time with hourglasses, to judging intelligence with scores.
As though something only became worth understanding once it was turned into a number.
The gods of the lower world were the ultimate practitioners of this perverse pastime.
They crammed the weight of souls, the limits of flesh, and even the paths of fate into that tiny engraving on a person's back, turning it all into a game of rising numbers.
"Done."
Haimo moved off Tsukuyo Inaba's back.
He casually picked up a sheet of parchment and copied the data revealed on her back onto it, showing it to the others as well.
"This is Tsukuyo's current status."
[Name]: Tsukuyo Inaba [Race]: Human [Level]: Lv.1 [Ability scores]: Strength: I0 / Endurance: I0 / Dexterity: I0 / Agility: I0 / Magic: I0 [Development abilities]: None [Magic]: None [Skills]: "Calamity Child" "Fleeting Splendor" "Short-Lived Sword Demon"
At the sight of that string of zeroes, Sasamori Aya could not help raising an eyebrow.
"Aside from her skills, everything is either zero or none?"
"This is the so-called falna?"
"Hold on."
Haimo pointed at the letters on the parchment.
"In Orario, when familia members first receive a god's falna, their ability scores are all zero by the gods' measures, whether they were mighty warriors who could face ten thousand men or scholars too weak to truss a chicken."
"Everyone starts with I0 in every ability score, and the ranks go I, H, G... all the way to S..."
"I represents 0-99, H represents 100-199... and so on, with S representing 900-999."
"This is the mountain you'll have to climb."
"Every increase in a score means you've surpassed your past self."
"And once one of your scores reaches rank D, meaning 500 or higher, and you've accomplished a feat great enough to make even the gods take notice, you can break through your body's limits and level up to Lv.2."
"However..."
At this point, Haimo changed tack.
"Although you can level up at rank D, I'd still recommend training your ability scores to at least A, or 800, or even S, or 900 and above, before considering it."
"After all, in this world, potential has a finite capacity."
"These ability scores are your foundation."
"The deeper the foundation, the higher you can build."
"A Lv.2 who leveled up with S in every stat can easily crush a Lv.2 who leveled up with all D ranks. That gap only grows exponentially as their levels rise."
"So adventurers who rush to level up for the sake of speed are destined to be nothing more than the base of this enormous pyramid."
The girls nodded, only half understanding.
Great feats and the like still sounded far off.
But not falling behind at the starting line was an idea these fiercely competitive girls understood better than anything.
"Besides."
"Apart from these basic scores."
"The most important part is this."
Haimo's finger came to rest at the very bottom of the parchment.
[Skills].
There.
The lines beneath Tsukuyo Inaba's three skills seemed to radiate a chilling aura.
Skills were things that could give physical traits, experiences, and even the soul's desires tangible form as special effects.
As for Tsukuyo Inaba's three skills.
Even Haimo, who knew her background, was deeply shocked.
Skills: "Calamity Child" In exchange for permanently losing [Sight], [Hearing] and [Perception] undergo an extraordinary enhancement. Greatly increases the ability to detect killing intent, presences, and preparatory movements. Guarantees eligibility to awaken the rare development ability [Mind's Eye]. In combat, grants a very high chance of identifying openings in an enemy's movements, conferring the [Preemptive strike] effect. In dark environments, all ability scores receive an additional bonus. "Fleeting Splendor" When attacking with a sword draw, [Agility] and [Strength] receive an instant, explosive boost. The magnitude of the boost is directly proportional to the time spent charging. As a cost, the body briefly becomes rigid after the burst. "Short-Lived Sword Demon" Greatly reduces the growth rate of [Endurance], making it extremely difficult to improve. In exchange, doubles the rate of proficiency gain for [Agility] and [Dexterity].
Looking at those three skills.
Even though Haimo had been mentally prepared, his pupils could not help contracting slightly.
"What a..."
"Truly extreme stat sheet."
Haimo murmured in wonder, his fingers gently brushing over the words.
Tsukuyo Inaba's origins were no secret to Haimo.
She was a child born of intergenerational inbreeding within the bloodline of the siblings Narukami Tadayoshi and Inaba Kogetsu.
Fate had robbed her of her sight and her healthy constitution, leaving her like a sickly flower that could wither at any moment.
But.
When God closed a door.
Life would always do everything it could to smash a hole through the wall in order to survive.
Tsukuyo Inaba was the truest embodiment of that struggle.
Those three skills perfectly encapsulated her life.
Especially [Calamity Child] and [Short-Lived Sword Demon].
They had practically carved her fate into her soul.
Greatly reduced endurance growth?
That was fine.
If her body was fragile and couldn't withstand a single blow.
Then she would slit her enemy's throat before they could strike!
Chapter 20: The Empress-Sasamori Aya, a Blade Incarnate
"Extreme?"
"Lord Haimo..."
"Does that mean Tsukuyo's aptitude is too poor?"
Hearing Haimo's meaningful assessment, Tsukuyo Inaba, who had remained lying facedown on the bed, gave a slight twitch of her expressive ears.
Although her expression was hidden from view.