"Mm. Lower the pressure, accept smaller gains, but let more people withstand it."
Tione knew most of the familia's roster. Unlike the Astraea Familia's all-elite lineup, Loki Familia still had a large base of Level 1 and Level 2 adventurers. Even with Tsuna easing the strain on expeditions, they still needed to cultivate the lower tiers. Only by raising them could they further reduce expedition pressure and grow the mid-core of the familia.
"Tione, how many low-level members do we have?"
"Sixty percent… maybe seventy."
Tsuna finally grasped how many low-level adventurers Loki Familia actually had.
"That's far more than I imagined."
"We're already normal by Orario's standards," Tione said. When she first came to the city and joined Loki Familia, she'd learned how few high-level adventurers remained and realized the golden age had passed.
"Citywide, adventurers are about sixty percent of the population—but ninety percent of those are Level 1. Only ten percent reach Level 2 or above. Yes, part of that is simply the sheer number of ordinary citizens—but it doesn't hide the poor overall quality among adventurers."
"The reason likely ties back to the Great Strife three years ago. Too many died then. If that cohort had lived, Level 1s wouldn't dominate the ratio this hard."
The Great Strife…
Tsuna turned the words over in his mind. In that era, the evil god Erebus, with the former heroes Silence and Gluttony, gave Orario a chance at the future. The casualties were enormous—but hope was reborn. Freya Familia's Level 7 and Loki Familia's three Level 6s were all nurtured by that time.
Which proved a harsher point: true salvation never depended on the many. On the eve of doomsday, the ones who could walk ahead of everyone were still the precious few. Hence Orario's current malaise.
The golden age is gone. Freya and Loki Familias are its afterglow.
For the first time, Tsuna truly framed the problem. The shiny surface of the era was stretched thin. No wonder so many former world-saving heroes were reincarnating—another salvation round.
And my side's story isn't so different, either.
He thought of the Tenth Vongola, a young mirror of the First; the finale had felt rushed. The "noodle-obsessed puppeteer" behind it all wouldn't just let go so easily. And that "Night Flame," like a movie gimmick stapled onto the seven skies to conveniently stabilize the world—dubious at best.
Is 7 to the 3rd really that important?
Create a world with seven smashable stones?
I have doubts.
He shelved the metaverse musings and focused back on the table.
"Tsuna?"
"I'm listening."
"Is the glut of low-level adventurers because they can't raise parameters?" Tione asked.
"Mm. Most people try to promote as soon as they meet the minimum and have a deed worthy of it," she said, a hint of helplessness in her voice. "But in reality, most can't even reach those minimums."
As a natural talent, she found it hard to grasp why so many never reached the baseline—even within Loki Familia.
"That's because everyone's gifts differ, Tione—"
Finn arrived mid-thought, joined by Riveria and Gareth. They'd heard enough to understand: Tsuna intended to pull the entire familia upward. That had always been their responsibility, yet their personal limits made it impossible.
A newcomer, not even a month in, had found a path forward. Uncopyable, yes—because the solution sprang from his own power—but still a path.
"Captain," Tione started to rise, but Finn motioned her down and took the seat beside Tsuna.
"Planning to take the whole familia forward?"
"Finn, you make it sound like I actually have that kind of ability."
"No—you do."
Tsuna's reflexive denial met Finn's steady certainty. Finn didn't believe Tsuna's arrival was an accident. Perhaps he'd come specifically to bring hope to a world trending downward.
The fated 'child of a hero' who would one day stride the stage—Finn wasn't content to wait on that. Even if that prodigy would grow at incredible speed, Tsuna already possessed qualities that mattered now. He even knew a "future story's" rough shape. Given the choice, Finn would seize the present opportunity.
"Compared to the 'hero's child' from your story, I trust your ability more," Finn said.
"I feel the same," Riveria added. "What you've shown—ability, imagination, execution—far exceeds my expectations. More importantly, you're not climbing alone; you're pulling everyone with you. You're better suited to this role."
Gareth nodded. "Agreed."
(End of Chapter)
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