Strength: I0 → H116 | Endurance: I0 → H121 | Dexterity: I0 → H189 | Agility: I0 → H198 | Magic: I0 → D588
"Training with Tiona and Tione in actual combat sure sped up my own growth. My Status is climbing almost as fast as it did back when I was still Level 1."
"Strength and Endurance barely went up since I didn't directly take part in the fighting, but Dexterity and Agility jumped a lot. Must be from all that running around."
Loki could already picture how Tsuna had been drilling the sisters over the past week. That so-called "joint training" was clearly a lot more intense—and personal—than she'd imagined.
"If Ais finds out, those envious eyes of hers will be burning with jealousy."
Still, even acting as a sparring partner didn't seem to hinder Tsuna's own progress.
In fact, Loki could tell he was holding back his growth on purpose.
But she understood why.
Without enough Excellia, even if one's Status hit the cap, they still couldn't Level Up.
If that was the case, then it made sense for him to develop at a steady pace—to let his growth settle naturally, making it more stable in the long run.
"You can manage your own growth as you see fit," Loki said. "You're not like the others. None of them can break through their stat limits like you can."
She wasn't even remotely worried about his individual progress.
Back at Level 1, she'd already seen enough to know what kind of monster he was. Worrying now would be pointless.
All Loki needed to do was give him a nudge from time to time—make sure he didn't stray off the right path when it mattered most.
"Miss Loki, you trust me a bit too much, don't you?" Tsuna asked wryly.
"What do you think?"
Loki gave his back a playful pat, signaling that the update was over and he could get dressed again.
Once Tsuna had slipped his shirt back on, he turned to see Loki patting the bed beside her. He sat down—and the goddess promptly flopped sideways, resting her head on his lap.
"You just make it too easy to trust you~" she said with a grin.
"You're cautious about everything—more than even Finn."
"Even with power that strong, you never lose your cool or let it cloud your judgment."
"When Finn, Gareth, and Riveria were younger, the three of them used to get into all sorts of reckless nonsense. But you? You've got a power that can rewrite the rules, and you're still more careful than I am."
She didn't think his caution was excessive.
In the current state of the Labyrinth City, that wariness was vital—not just to protect the gods who still lived among mortals, but also to uncover the dark factions hiding in the shadows.
"Our Familia's focus right now is secrecy," Loki continued. "Your abilities have been made public within the Familia, so everyone knows what you can do. But that same knowledge gives them hope. So they're choosing to hide their own true strength—partly to cover for you, and partly to protect that hope."
"For most of those kids, emotional bonds are one thing—but benefits, tangible benefits, speak louder."
That made Tsuna glance down at her, voice thoughtful.
"Miss Loki, isn't that kind of lowering their moral bottom line?"
"It's not a bad thing," Loki countered easily. "Living in the Labyrinth City means you need a bit of self-interest. Besides, they're my kids. What, you think I'd want them handing the hope you gave us to the whole damn city?"
"My children being a little selfish toward outsiders is perfectly normal."
"In fact," she added, smirking, "if any other god in Orario were in my shoes, they'd do the same—hide it rather than flaunt it."
Loki had no patience for the idea that being "calculating" was something shameful. Her Familia's duty was to look out for their own.
Honestly, she preferred that her children be shrewd when dealing with the outside world.
That eased Tsuna's mind.
"Good. For a second, I thought you meant being selfish was a bad thing."
"You worry too much."
Loki rolled her eyes at him. "My kids aren't out there tarnishing our name or cheating people. They're just keeping family secrets to secure bigger advantages. What's wrong with that?"
"Besides, you're the one who started this whole thing. You got any complaints?"
"Of course not."
Why would he? If the Familia wanted to protect his secret, he wasn't about to argue.
Like Loki said, he'd been the one who set this tone in the first place.
Honestly, Tsuna would be thrilled if everyone in the Familia learned to be as cautious as he was.
People needed to keep some cards close to their chest—that's just how survival worked.
"As long as you don't mind," Loki said lazily, "and I don't mind as the Familia's goddess, then there's nothing to worry about."
Just like that, she brushed past the entire question of selfishness. To her, it wasn't even worth fretting over.
"Now," she said, her tone shifting, "about that Dying Will Veins. That's the power Tiona and Tione inherited from you."
"Isn't it… magic?" Tsuna asked.
"Nope." Loki shook her head. "They got a new kind of power from you. Because it came through your guidance, it didn't manifest as magic—it became a skill instead."
"And if you pay attention to the name they received—'Dying Will Veins,' not your 'Dying Will Flame'—you'll see the distinction."
"The difference comes from where that power originates. The root lies in you. What they've obtained is only a fragment of it."
"In essence, though, there's not much separating the two."
The distinction between origin and branch.
The origin was magic. The scattered branches of that same source became skills.
Those branches were still the same fundamental power—but unlike the original source, they couldn't propagate any further.
Loki actually found that reassuring. It meant Tsuna was likely keeping the spread of that power strictly within the Familia.
"So," she asked with a sly grin, "who's your next target? Planning to pass this power on to everyone?"