Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for just $7 to get early access to all upcoming chapters!
> Patreon/NegativeTranslations
Currently, there are 50 chapters of this book on my PATREON.
─────
"Finally here. The 18th Floor Safe Zone."
Stepping out of the claustrophobic tunnel, Lucian entered the 18th Floor. Massive glowing crystals studded the high cavern ceiling, illuminating the entire floor as brightly as the surface under a midday sun.
In stark contrast to the damp, oppressive grottos above, this floor was a sprawling, lush forest. Because it was a designated Safe Zone, the Dungeon didn't spawn monsters here, making it an incredibly peaceful sanctuary.
It's a sha I didn't run into a Floor Boss. Goliath holds the 17th Floor. I wonder if my Glory Manifestation could burst it down in a narrow ti window? Lucian pondered.
The difficulty would undoubtedly be steep. Trying to solo Goliath right now would be highly risky.
Combat Deploynt: [Ransotengai], [Three Secrets and Five thods], [Glory Manifestation]. Ransotengai is perfectly optimized; no tweaks needed. The Three Secrets need minor adjustnts, and Glory Manifestation successfully integrated the localized buff feature.
As for my three utility functions, I can seamlessly rge them into the upcoming Ga Board.
EXP processing, inventory, teleportation. Full-map vision, faction tracking, party managent.
By consolidating these features, he would create a highly sophisticated, fully functional UI.
[Ga Board], [Ether Circulation], [Hero's Aptitude]. I'll start drafting the foundational rules for these three as soon as I get back.
The prototype for [Hero's Aptitude] was heavily inspired by Bell's Liaris Freese. While Bell's skill was fueled by pure, unyielding admiration, Lucian's version was fueled entirely by absolute confidence.
Yes. Confidence born entirely from having a broken cheat system.
Even though his current materialized potential couldn't hold a candle to Bell's, and thus couldn't shatter the hard cap of the Falna just yet, it would still function perfectly as a massive multiplier for his stat growth rate.
This field test was a complete success. The only things left untested are my three post-mortem survival trump cards, but I'm perfectly fine leaving those unverified. As long as he was breathing, Lucian had zero desire to experience the sensation of dying.
Taking his ti, Lucian casually explored the 18th Floor, eventually wandering into Rivira—the safe-point town built and managed entirely by adventurers, currently under loose Guild oversight.
Even with the Guild trying to regulate the market and driving out the worst of the black-market thugs, the inflation here was absolutely apocalyptic. Hauling supplies from the surface down to the 18th Floor was a grueling, highly dangerous logistical nightmare. As a result, basic goods cost ten tis their surface price. Conversely, any monster drops or raw materials sold to the local rchants were bought at criminally low rates.
"Nothing else worth seeing," Lucian muttered.
While the scenery on the 18th Floor was undeniably beautiful, it was ultimately just a forest. The only reason adventurers were so awestruck by it was the sheer psychological relief of finding a bright, open sky after spending days trapped in a dark, suffocating labyrinth. Objectively speaking, the landscape itself was fairly standard.
"[Teleportation Network]."
Lucian activated the spell. A flash of light enveloped him, and he instantly reappeared in the courtyard of the Hephaestus Familia headquarters.
Since it was still a few hours before dusk, he returned to his room and imdiately got to work. To prevent himself from hyper-focusing and accidentally skipping als, he coded a simple alarm clock spell that would chi directly in his mind whenever it was ti to eat.
Honestly, the [Rule Creation] ability was terrifyingly versatile. From combat to utility, and straight down to daily lifestyle managent, its applications were limitless.
Ti to eat. As the alarm pinged, Lucian set down his half-finished rule drafts and headed to the cafeteria.
His sprint from Floor 1 to 18 had burned through 80% of his external mana reserves. If he truly wanted to sustain long-term combat operations, finalizing [Ether Circulation] was his absolute highest priority. Technically, he had already drafted the core logic during the few hours since he returned; it just needed final testing and calibration.
Lost in thought, Lucian grabbed his tray and sat down in a quiet corner.
"How was it?"
A figure gracefully slid into the seat across from him. Hephaestus offered a gentle, inquiring smile.
"Not bad. Easy enough," Lucian replied casually.
"Easy, huh...?" Hephaestus's expression turned slightly complicated.
Leaving aside his absurd combat magic that entirely negated the typical disadvantages of a rookie, Lucian essentially operated with the combat intuition of a seasoned veteran. His custom loadout granted him an overwhelming advantage over any normal beginner. Even strictly looking at his utility magic—an infinite spatial inventory and instant teleportation—those abilities alone were considered literal divine miracles by the standards of this world.
"Can you update my status tonight? I think my stats should have seen a decent spike," Lucian requested.
"Alright," Hephaestus agreed simply.
Watching Lucian absently eat his food, his eyes slightly glazed over as he was clearly lost in complex thought, the corners of Hephaestus's lips unconsciously curled up.
His adaptability was far greater than she had ever anticipated. She was absolutely certain that no matter where he was dropped—as long as he survived the initial landing—he would thrive. The fact that he had manifested in her bedroom of all places truly felt like a profound blessing of fate.
To think she would encounter such a wonderful anomaly.
A warm, bubbly feeling filled her chest, quickly followed by a far more delicate, lingering thought.
Co to think of it... what does he actually think of ?
That question had been gnawing at the back of her mind for days. Ever since their chaotic first encounter, Lucian had never once complinted her appearance, nor had he ever voiced his true opinion of her. He treated her with a very casual, steady calmness.
While that easygoing respect was refreshing, Hephaestus couldn't help but wish for sothing slightly more... forward.
Am I... falling for a child of the lower world? She definitely harbored strong affection for him. And the fact that those feelings were leaning in a romantic direction was exactly why she was so flustered!
Hephaestus found herself completely spacing out.
"Pardon the intrusion."
After dinner, Lucian followed Hephaestus back to her private room.
"Make yourself comfortable," Hephaestus said, walking over to her cabinet to retrieve the silver needle.
Lucian didn't stand on ceremony; he sat directly on the edge of her bed.
Thinking back to their first eting, Lucian had been far more brazen. She knew it had been a complete accident, but seeing him casually sitting on her bed now... did it an sothing more?
Hephaestus's thoughts imdiately began spiraling again.
"I'm ready when you are."
Seeing that she had the needle prepared, Lucian took off his shirt and lay flat on his stomach, exposing his back.
Snapping out of her daze, Hephaestus pricked her index finger. A single drop of perfectly clear, divine blood welled up and fell onto his skin. Instantly, his back illuminated with a soft light, projecting the emblem of her Familia.
It depicted two crossed forging hamrs set against the backdrop of an erupting volcano—a perfect representation of her divine authority. As the Goddess of Forging and Fire, her domain was intrinsically tied to hamrs and flas. Back in Heaven, she commanded a colossal volcano directly linked to the celestial ley lines, which served as her personal workshop.
[Na: Lucian]
[Level: 1]
[Strength: I21~I54]
[Endurance: I25~I83]
[Dexterity: I11~I49]
[Agility: I8~I34]
[Magic: H184~G248]
[Magic: Magic Creation, Annihilation Maker, Rule Creation]
[Skills: None]
The custom skills Lucian engineered were not formally recorded in the Falna's skill slots. In truth, while there was no theoretical hard cap on the number of skills an adventurer could acquire, it was incredibly rare to see soone with more than five. Most elites only possessed one or two. The sheer volu and quality of an individual's skills were the ultimate reflection of their innate talent.
─────
Support this fanfict by leaving Positive Review, Comnts, and Power Stones.
For Advance Chapters:
Currently, There are now 50 chapters of this fanfic on my Patreon.
> Patreon/NegativeTranslations
Currently, there are 50 chapters of this book on my PATREON.
User Comments
0 comments from readers