Seeing the two agree to the third contract he proposed, Levi decided to stop while he was ahead.
He didn't add any more harsh terms like 'if you reveal your identity during the contract period, your work time or ransom will double.'
Instead, he added a few small perks.
For example, during the work period, accommodation, meals, and potion costs would be free, and there would be several organized outings each month by the familia.
Once the discussions were complete, the parchment in front of Levi was filled with many common and divine words, with a blank space mysteriously left under each line of divine text.
After signing 'Levi Bright' under 'Party A:', he handed the pen and paper to the girls.
Aris glanced over the contents of the parchment and quickly wrote her name.
Gojou Yoru Kaguya checked more carefully: "What does your last line, 'The contract is established, and those who break it shall suffer the punishment of eating rocks,' mean?"
Levi smiled: "It's literal."
"This contract is currently just a verbal agreement witnessed by Hestia and doesn't have any real binding effect. The reason we can sit here and talk calmly is that I'm providing the magic to sustain you. But in the future, well, who knows."
Gojou Yoru Kaguya: "..."
She had many words of rebuttal in mind, but upon reconsideration, she wasn't planning to break the contract, so she didn't dwell on the topic.
She also signed her name.
"Well then, here's to a pleasant cooperation."
Levi stood up and extended his hand to the two girls.
Aris and Gojou Yoru Kaguya mimicked his gesture, extending their right arms.
After shaking hands, Levi said, "For the time being, you two might need to be roommates and share a bedroom, but this issue will be resolved soon. The new base..."
He looked at the twin-tailed goddess beside him.
Receiving her lover's gaze, Hestia added, "About a week ago, I used the money you gave me to buy the land for the new base. Afterward, I contacted craftsmen from the Goibniu Familia through Hephaestus's connections to expedite the construction of the new base."
"According to the current progress, the residential part of the new base should be completed in about two weeks. By then, everyone will have their own bedroom."
"The work area will take a bit longer due to the additional facilities, but it shouldn't exceed a month."
Aris and Gojou Yoru Kaguya didn't mind sharing a room.
However, they wouldn't refuse the offer of a relatively private bedroom.
As for the wait before that...
"Kaguya, please take care of me during this time~"
"You too, don't hog the blanket while sleeping."
────────────────────────────────────────
My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Danmachi : I'm Surrounded by Goddesses (132 Chapters, Ongoing)
────────────────────────────────────────
...
Because the basement had poor soundproofing, Levi didn't stick around with Hestia as he usually did after returning from the dungeon.
The next day, he got up early, first preparing breakfast for everyone at the base, then heading alone to the dilapidated church on the surface.
He then opened his inventory and took out the two 'Skill Upgrade Cards' he had obtained after defeating the two-headed dragon.
[Main Quest 2: Challenge and defeat the 37th-floor boss, Udaeus. Reward: Skill Upgrade Card x3.]
Levi planned to use the first upgrade card on 'Magic Release: Ice.'
For this, he spent 60,000, 70,000, 140,000, 70,000, and 60,000 valis, drawing five 3-star Magic Tomes from the Danmachi pool, along with two Development Ability Activation Coupons.
[Luck h→Luck g (Guaranteed draw count -15, base up probability for corresponding item after designation +30%)]
This wasn't the first time 'Magic Release' had advanced.
However, the last time, when it reached 4-star (-), 'Magic Release' had regressed to 'Proficient' after upgrading to 'Magic Release: Ice.'
Levi had to use over 300 proficiency enhancement coupons to bring it back to max level.
But this time...
After the five Magic Tomes turned into fuel and merged into his body, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Then, a burning sensation, similar to inheriting a magic crest, replaced the pain.As time passed, the sensation gradually spread across Levi's entire left chest. Confident in his pay-to-win system, Levi remained calm, adjusting his breathing while waiting for the magic upgrade to complete.
About ten minutes later, the initial burning sensation began to subside. Then, the surrounding areas followed suit, one circle at a time, until the last trace of discomfort in his left chest vanished:
[Mana Release · Ice · 5 Stars (-) → Mana Core · Ice · 6 Stars (-)]
[No Chant]
[Permanent Passive: All stats except mana significantly increased (+1000), mana recovery greatly enhanced]
[Other effects unchanged]
"!!!"
Even though Levi had mentally prepared himself, understanding that the newly upgraded 6-star magic would be formidable, he couldn't help but feel a slight tremor in his pupils upon seeing the skill description on his character panel.
The Mana Core had only one additional effect compared to Mana Release. However, this effect signified a stable increase in his combat power by one level! If actively activated, it could further boost his four-dimensional attributes, excluding mana, by 2000 points each!
In the world of DanMachi, an adventurer's battle is essentially a battle of total ability values. If one's ability values meet the standard, fighting above one's level becomes naturally achievable. Conversely, if one upgrades immediately after reaching only D or C in each level, it might become challenging to defeat even monsters of the same level by the time they reach LV3 or LV4.
Last night, after hearing from Hephaestus that Freya had set her sights on him and had even sent several Familia members as reinforcements for Apollo, Levi wasn't worried about losing the War Game. However, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of concern. Defeating Apollo never equated to defeating Freya. If she decided to disregard her dignity and commanded her Familia to intervene personally, Levi would likely have no choice but to grab Hestia and flee Orario.
Even with the trump card of the "Orion Class Card," Levi believed he could only barely hold his own against Ottar. However, the opposition had allies. LV6 adventurers like Allen, Hedin, and Hogni, and the LV5 Gulliver Brothers, who could rival LV6 adventurers when fighting together, posed a significant threat. There were also numerous LV4 and LV3 adventurers...
Levi was confident he could easily defeat or even eliminate any of these individuals. But if they united, his chances of victory would approach zero. Fortunately, perhaps due to the newly acquired development ability "Luck" working behind the scenes, or maybe because the advancement path of Mana Release had been predetermined, Levi ultimately gained the right to say "no" to Orario's strongest Familia after consuming five magic books and one skill upgrade card.