"Soul," "Destruction," and "Time" were all rare Development Abilities—and each of them fit perfectly with Bell's current path of growth.
There was no doubt that all three were viable options, the best choices he could possibly make.
The question now was simply which to choose first.
The path of "Destruction" was straightforward enough—it focused purely on increasing one's destructive power.
But precisely because it was so direct, Bell felt that wasn't what he needed most right now. What he wanted were hidden cards to strengthen his foundation—something like "Time" or "Soul."
He turned his thoughts toward the Development Ability of "Time."
'Space is already under my control. If I can also master time, it might broaden my range of techniques. Time and space are inherently linked—perhaps they could even enhance each other.'
From that standpoint, "Time" definitely deserved consideration.
However, "Time" shared the same issue as "Destruction." Bell already had plenty of trump cards and offensive methods at his disposal.
Maybe he'd need more in the future, but for now, he wasn't lacking in that department.
It was "Soul" that truly drew his attention—it made him think of the souls of gods and the spirits.
The greatest challenge ahead was the gods of Evilus, so his first priority should be to develop something that targeted divine souls directly.
If he could attack the soul of a god, then the next time he faced one, he wouldn't be forced into such a defensive position. It would also give him more options against Spirits.
After all, intimidation was never a good strategy.
The best power is the kind that rests in your own hands.
At that moment, Bell made his choice.
"Hestia, choose 'Soul.'"
Hestia wasn't surprised in the least.
"Got it. 'Soul'... inscribed."
After confirming the divine script was properly written, Hestia pressed the glowing Status sheet back into Bell's back and sealed it within his Falna.
"All right, Bell, hurry up and get dressed. Otherwise, these girls won't be able to keep their eyes to themselves."
As she spoke, Hestia shot a sharp glare at Loki, who was still staring.
If Loki hadn't still been slumped weakly on the sofa, Hestia would've gladly taught her a lesson with her fingers—right in the eyes.
Loki snorted softly. She wasn't as shallow as that shorty made her out to be.
She casually wiped away the bit of drool at the corner of her mouth. Good—none had fallen.
Bell's mouth twitched.
'Seriously… did Loki and I swap roles in this story?'
Still grumbling inwardly, he quickly dressed himself. Within seconds, the clothes he had stored in four-dimensional space were back on.
After all, a guy had to protect himself when surrounded by goddesses.
He'd already fallen into one of Hephaestus's traps once—no way he'd let that happen a second time.
Once everyone was settled again, the four goddesses and Bell took their seats.
"So, that's the situation with Bell."
Hestia spoke openly. There was no point hiding it—it was better to lay everything on the table.
"Freya, what do you think of Bell's current strength?"
Loki and Hephaestus both turned to Freya, their attention fixed squarely on her.
"It's completely beyond my expectations."
Freya's gaze turned to Bell, her tone carrying genuine admiration.
"I knew Bell's rapid growth was aided by a special skill, but I never imagined it was 'Early Bloomer'. Gaining double the experience when facing powerful foes… now I finally understand why he levels up so quickly—and why he always manages to earn enough Excelia."
"You're saying... Bell's Excelia are doubled too?"
"What else did you think?"
Seeing Hestia's stunned face, Freya couldn't help but be a little exasperated by her cluelessness. She even rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by Hestia's lack of awareness.
"I've always acknowledged Bell's talent—and his growth rate is nothing short of astonishing. Reaching Level 6 in under a year, and with every stat exceeding its limits... but Excelia isn't the same as normal experience."
"Excelia are special points gained when adventurers defeat monsters stronger than themselves. The higher one's level, the more Excelia they need—and the less they can actually acquire."
"That's precisely why Orario is facing such a shortage of new elites."
"My child, Ottar, has already maxed out his stats at Level 7. He's fought Floor Bosses one-on-one multiple times, yet even now he hasn't earned enough Excelia to advance further."
Freya used her own child as a benchmark, but she didn't stop there—she gestured toward Loki.
"Loki's three children are the same. They all possess exceptional talent and have completed their stat accumulation at Level 6. But no matter how many Floor Bosses they kill, they still can't gather enough Excelia to level up."
"That's what it means to lack the necessary Excelia. The stronger an adventurer becomes, the closer they approach the upper limits—and the harder it is to earn those Feats."
"If Loki's three children hadn't been manipulated by Bell's strategy, they wouldn't have gathered enough Excelia for their upgrades either."
Her words carried weight, but Loki didn't deny it.
Finn and the others truly struggled to take that final step. It wasn't from lack of effort—it was simply because gaining Excelia becomes brutally difficult at higher levels.
Hestia and Hephaestus both fell silent, deep in thought.
Freya continued.
"But Bell is entirely different. Within just a single year, he not only maxed out his stats but also accumulated enough Excelia to qualify for another level-up."
"Perhaps every time he gained Excelia, it was by overcoming opponents far stronger than himself. But he's never once been stopped by a lack of Excelia. That's why I'm certain—even his Excelia are affected by 'Early Bloomer'."
After finishing her analysis of his Excelia, Freya paused briefly before shifting back to the topic of Bell's strength.
"If we don't take into account Bell's magic, skills, or divine authority, then purely in terms of power... he's already close to Ottar."
...
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