Skills!
Finally, another skill has appeared!
Eiji quickly grasped the parchment, examining it carefully.
The skill named [Sword God] seemed to awaken after the swordsmanship developmental ability reached its peak. It possessed two effects: "All Things Are My Sword" and "Nothing Cannot Be Cut."
It sounded incredibly powerful—the prestige of these two effects was anything but ordinary!
He would have to test it thoroughly later!
"Ah, right, don't forget this section."
Loki suddenly reached over, her fingers prying Eiji's hand aside.
Taking advantage of the chaos, she sneakily groped him again—tonight, she'd be using this hand.
"Your magic slot is empty now."
Loki reminded him with a serious expression.
"Huh?"
Eiji's eyes instantly sharpened.
Too preoccupied to pay attention to Loki's perverted behavior, his gaze immediately locked onto the magic slot.
It was true!
Previously, he had been so focused on the [Sword God] skill that he hadn't noticed—the black bar on his magic slot had disappeared at some point, and now there was an empty slot!
He remembered Finn and the others mentioning before that people of the lower world all possessed some degree of magical talent. After receiving Falna, they would gain one to three empty slots.
The slots represented the number of spells an adventurer could awaken—the better their magical aptitude, the more slots they had.
Elves, with their exceptionally high magic affinity, usually had three slots, each capable of using three or more spells. Even those with the worst aptitude would have at least one slot and one spell.
Yet, Eiji previously had no slots at all—his magic column had even been sealed. Finn and the others once speculated that he had been cursed in the past.
His own guess was that the talent transfer during his reincarnation had completely nullified his magical ability. But now, it had abruptly unsealed... Could it be because of the first effect of [Sword God]?
All Things Are My Sword.
Taken literally, it meant he could treat all things as his sword. Had this skill broken the innate curse that restricted him to only using swords?
Had his magic been unsealed because spells could now be wielded like swords?
That would be incredible!
"But magic... What kind of spell could I awaken?"
Eiji grew excited.
Magic had always been something he deeply desired. Seeing others use spells while he couldn't had always left him feeling unbalanced. Even Bete could use magic—who knew how jealous he had been when he first found out.
"I remember there are still a few grimoires left in the familia. You can take one."
Loki generously indicated that he didn't need to return it.
"Grimoires?"
"Yep. Simply put, they're magic tools that forcibly manifest spells in people. Super expensive—they start at ten million valis apiece!"
"There's actually something this good?!"
Eiji's eyes instantly lit up.
In other words, using a grimoire guaranteed the awakening of a spell!
Best of all, it was free!
Why not take it?
"Loki, are you there? I have something urgent!"
The door was suddenly knocked on frantically.
Then, before Loki could respond, the person outside anxiously pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Loki, the Guild sent people to search all day, and finally—"
Alicia's words abruptly cut off as she froze.
Her gaze locked onto Eiji, who was sitting beside Loki's bed.
To be more precise, it was his bare upper torso after removing his shirt to update his status.
The contours of his muscles flowed smoothly, his tall frame and broad shoulders exuding a strong sense of security. Despite daily sword training that had sculpted eight-pack abs, his entire body inexplicably lacked any roughness—his skin remained delicate and fair, showing no trace of weathering from sun or wind.
Alicia felt the heat in her head rapidly rising.
"Pfft—!"
"Alicia! What's wrong?"
"S-sorry, I got a little... excited..."
Alicia's face flushed crimson as she covered her nose, bright red blood seeping through her fingers.
Loki felt bitter.
So all the beauties I've gathered end up falling for this guy?
"By the way, you mentioned finding something earlier?"
"Ah, right right right!"
Alicia's expression turned serious.
But the two rolled tissues stuffed in her nostrils made it impossible to maintain any gravitas.
"The Guild found the hiding place of Goddess Demeter!"
"Cough cough cough—!"
Eiji suddenly erupted into loud coughing.
"Loki, let me handle Demeter's case!"
He stood up with righteous determination.
After all, it might be Enyo—far too dangerous!
"But going alone seems reckless, no?"
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"
Let me bear this danger alone!
Seeing his insistence, Loki had no choice but to relent.
Eiji took a magic eye crystal and immediately set off for the Beol Mountains in the northern outskirts of the city.
As time passed, the sun gradually sank behind the western mountains, bathing all of Orario in golden twilight.
"Lefiya."
Ais entered the dim room, approaching the girl curled up on the bed.
"We're about to depart... We must eliminate the darkness threatening Orario... Right now, we all need Lefiya's strength..."
Ais struggled for words.
This sort of pre-battle farewell conversation probably wasn't appropriate, but she didn't know how else to rouse Lefiya. Comforting others had never been her forte.
As expected, Lefiya showed no reaction to her words, her eyes still hollow and unfocused.
Ais could only retreat in defeat.
"Still no effect?"
"We're almost out of time!"
Tiona and Tione grew increasingly anxious.
With Riveria's predicted deadline approaching, they couldn't wait any longer.
"Hold on, let me try!"
Just as they were about to give up, Loki suddenly appeared.
Wearing a wry smile, she entered Lefiya's room under the surprised gazes of Ais and the others.
"Lefiya, do you want revenge?"
Loki sat down beside the bed.
Not a trace remained of the elf girl's usual innocent cheerfulness.
Lefiya lifted her head slightly, a faint glimmer of focus appearing in her vacant eyes.
Loki nodded inwardly.
Truthfully, she would have preferred not using revenge to motivate the pure-hearted elf, but circumstances left no choice.
Because now wasn't the time for her to collapse.
"Listen carefully, Lefiya. I'm going to share all the intelligence we've gathered—much of it is speculation from Finn and Eiji, but you must take it all in!"
Loki even adopted a forceful tone.
Several minutes later.
The door creaked open, revealing a pair of eyes brimming with unwavering determination before Ais and the others.
Lefiya stepped out of her room, gripping her staff tightly, but the look in her eyes made Ais hesitate.
"Let's go."
She whispered the words before walking into the unlit depths of the corridor.
"That... is the gaze of an avenger."
Ais murmured softly.
That look was so similar to her own when she had first joined the Loki Familia.