"This Status... joining my Familia might actually be a waste of your talents." Hephaestus looked at Lucian, who was awkwardly clutching her blanket, her expression turning rather peculiar.
She was the Goddess of Forging and Fire; naturally, her Familia mbers were blacksmiths, making them a forging-focused faction. Although the Falna bestowed by all gods was fundantally the sa, carving it required a drop of the patron deity's blood. The divine blood of different gods would subtly influence the talents and growth directions of their dependents.
But Lucian... he was far too much of an anomaly.
"Does this an I've awakened a magic spell or a skill?" Lucian asked tentatively.
"See for yourself... Never mind, I'll just read it to you," Hephaestus said, massaging her temples. She figured he wouldn't be able to read Koine anyway, so she had no choice but to dictate it.
[Na: Lucian]
[Level: 1]
[Strength: I0]
[Endurance: I0]
[Dexterity: I0]
[Agility: I0]
[Magic: I0]
[Magic: Magic Creation, Annihilation Maker, Rule Creation]
[Magic Creation]
[• Creation Magic]
[• Magic Calculation]
[• Cast magic through imagination.]
[Annihilation Maker]
[• Creation Magic]
[• Create magic beasts through imagination.]
[• Magic beasts can be temporary or permanent creations.]
[Rule Creation]
[• Creation Magic]
[• Ability to establish rules.]
[• The rule's effect is directly proportional to its completeness, and inversely proportional to the power gap between the user and the target.]
[Skills: None]
Three spells, zero skills. The anomaly lay entirely within that magic trinity. However, considering his otherworldly origins, it made perfect sense to Hephaestus.
She had previously deduced that Lucian grew up in a peaceful environnt, had a comfortable life, and possessed a vibrant imagination. The awakening of magic relied not only on innate talent but also on personal interests and self-identity. A rich inner world was indeed highly conducive to manifesting magic.
In this world, magic was fundantally powered by ntal energy. His vast imagination granted him an incredibly high aptitude for magic. The absolute limit for spell slots unlocked by the Falna was three.
Lucian had hit that cap imdiately, awakening three separate spells. He was nothing short of a top-tier prodigy, built to be a dedicated mage.
Absolutely busted. Hearing Hephaestus read his status, Lucian could hardly contain his excitent. I'm going to be overpowered!
Truth be told, Lucian was a fanfiction author back in his original world. Right before falling asleep, he had been researching the Longinus gears from the High School DxD universe.
[Annihilation Maker]. This Longinus had left a deep impression on him because it was an incredibly flashy and powerful tool in the canon story, yet its original user had utterly failed to tap into its true potential. That lingering fascination was likely the very reason this specific magic had awakened.
It was mostly because the original host was just a child; after all, Annihilation Maker was a top-tier Longinus with unparalleled capabilities. However, now that it was in Lucian's hands, there was a stark difference between a magic spell and a divine artifact.
The artifact was a miraculous weapon forged by the God of the Bible after studying the dream powers of the True Red Dragon God Emperor. With a high-tier Longinus like that, even a novice could eventually produce Level 7 monsters, and it wouldn't take long to create beasts rivaling the power of the Black Dragon. Once the Balance Breaker was achieved, it could trigger a world-ending stampede, steamrolling the Dungeon with ease.
But magic was different. It was strictly bound by the user's ntal reserves and output limits. Being able to punch one or two levels above one's weight class was already considered phenonal.
Even so, Lucian's mind was already racing with endless possibilities. And the subsequent [Magic Creation] and [Rule Creation] literally opened the gates to the realm of gods for him.
A flood of ideas surged into his thoughts. Hephaestus didn't interrupt his silent revelation. She waited until he was done processing, then, realizing just how chaotic their current situation was, finally said, "Anyway, let's get you settled first. I'll go find you so proper clothes."
"About that..." Lucian paused, then whispered, "[Annihilation Maker]."
With a flash of light, Lucian was enveloped in a pitch-black liquid that quickly solidified into a sleek, dark outfit. This was the [Sli Armant], a creation modeled after the signature gear of a certain shadow-brokering edgelord.
Molding a magic beast into clothing through pure imagination... ridiculously convenient. It fit perfectly and was incredibly comfortable. If he wanted to make it a permanent creation, he would have to downgrade its performance slightly, and it would instantly drain 85% of his mind.
"Works like a charm!" Lucian felt a surge of confidence. After a brief mont of thought, he cast the spell again. "[Annihilation Maker: Translation Bug]."
A small, pale caterpillar materialized, clamping onto his earlobe to form a snug, living ring. It was a magic beast explicitly designed to automatically translate languages.
"You've already figured out how to use them." Hephaestus was genuinely surprised. The boy was far more adaptable than she had anticipated.
Typically, magic required chanting, but there were exceptions where spells erged without one—just like the original protagonist, Bell Cranel's, Firebolt. The na itself acted as the chant. Clearly, Lucian's magic operated on a similar principle. Moreover, his application of the spells was incredibly inventive. It seed she wouldn't need to worry about guiding his magic developnt at all.
"Get up," Hephaestus ordered gently. "I'll arrange a room for you. Don't get your hopes up, though. Our Familia just moved to Orario, so the headquarters might not be as luxurious as what you're used to."
"I have no right to complain," Lucian said as he sat up, offering a warm smile. "Thank you very much, Hephaestus."
"Mhm." She nodded. Then, pausing for a mont, she fixed him with a serious stare. "And one more thing. Do not breathe a word of what happened earlier."
"What happened earlier?" Lucian feigned complete ignorance.
Seeing that he understood perfectly and was just showing his discretion, Hephaestus nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, let's go."
But the mont she opened the door, Hephaestus froze.
Standing right there, fist raised to knock, was a tanned woman with an eyepatch over her left eye—a sharp, contrasting mirror image of the goddess herself.
"Lady Hephaestus, I have—huh, who's this?" The tanned woman stared at Lucian in shock. "Why is there a man in your room?"
Hephaestus wanted to bury her face in her hands. This was absolute social suicide. She had been so focused on sorting Lucian out that she hadn't even made the bed... a rare oversight for the notoriously tidy goddess. There were too many glaring red flags in the room. Right after demanding his silence, they had been caught red-handed. She was dood!
"Hello! I'm the newest mber of the Hephaestus Familia. I just received my Falna." Lucian smiled smoothly, extending a hand. "I look forward to working with you. May I have your na?"
Lucian's quick thinking successfully diverted the woman's attention. Blinking in surprise, she reached out and shook his hand.
Her hand was rough and calloused, completely unlike Lucian's, which lacked the ruggedness of a blacksmith. As a high-class adventurer, her vitality would eventually smooth out those calluses, but right now, compared to her, Lucian felt distinctly fragile.
"This humble servant is Tsubaki Collbrande, Captain of the Hephaestus Familia!" Tsubaki let out a hearty laugh. "Welco to the crew, rookie."
Tsubaki was a boisterous half-dwarf. Thanks to her human heritage, she lacked the stocky, broad build typical of her kin. Of course, that slender figure was exactly why she was often 'envied' and ostracized by other dwarves.
. . .
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