Chapter 6:
The mission appeared after Yuki finished another goblin hunt.
He had just washed the blood from his hands at a public fountain when the familiar presence settled into his mind.
Calm. Heavy.
[New Mission Issued]
Yuki didn't move at first.
Missions usually came with numbers. Kill counts. Clear conditions. This one felt different.
Mission: Choose a Banner
Objective:
• Join a Familia
• Receive a Falna
Condition:
• Falna must be accepted willingly
• Reward will only activate after the blessing is complete
Reward:
• Mystical Palm Technique (Rank A)
Yuki's breath slowed.
"…A Falna."
He had known this moment would come. Living without one had limits. No matter how careful he was, no matter how sharp his skills became, the gap between him and real adventurers would only grow.
A Falna wasn't just power.
It was legitimacy.
But it was also exposure.
The moment a god placed their mark on him, his abilities would be examined. Skills, growth potential, affinities. Too much, and questions would follow. Dangerous ones.
As if responding to his thoughts, the system added another message.
[System Support Available]
[Certain abilities may be concealed from Falna display.]
Yuki narrowed his eyes.
"…Certain?"
[Confirmed.]
[Elemental Ninjutsu: Water, Wind, Earth – Concealable.]
[Transformation Technique – Concealable.]
Fire Release remained visible. Chakra control. Taijutsu. Physical growth.
Enough to seem talented.
Not enough to seem impossible.
Yuki let out a slow breath.
"Alright," he said. "Then I choose carefully."
Why Loki Familia
Yuki spent three days observing.
Not approaching. Not asking. Just watching.
The Loki Familia stood out immediately.
They weren't the largest. They weren't the loudest. But their members moved with discipline. Even the lower-level adventurers carried themselves like professionals.
And their leaders…
A swordswoman with eyes like cold steel.
A calm elf whose presence pressed down on the air.
A dwarf who laughed loudly and hit just as hard.
They were strong.
More importantly, they were active.
They explored. They fought. They grew.
Loki herself was chaos wrapped in laughter, but her familia wasn't careless. They survived in places others avoided.
"That's where I'll grow," Yuki thought. "And where I'll be overlooked… for now."
On the fourth day, he approached their home.
Meeting a God
The Loki Familia manor was loud.
Arguing voices. Clashing weapons. Laughter echoing through open halls.
Yuki stood at the gate, posture straight, expression calm.
"I want to join," he said to the guard.
Hours later, he stood in a large room filled with presence.
Power.
The air felt heavier than the Dungeon.
Loki sat sprawled across a couch, boots on the table, red hair wild as ever. Her eyes locked onto Yuki immediately.
"Ooooh?" she said, grinning. "You're an interesting one."
Yuki bowed slightly.
"My name is Yuki. I'm an adventurer."
"Aren't they all?" Loki laughed, then leaned forward. "You don't have a Falna. But you smell like you've been bleeding in the Dungeon."
Her eyes sharpened.
"First floor goblins, huh?"
Yuki didn't deny it.
"I survive," he said simply.
Finn spoke next, calm and measured.
"You're young. Unblessed. Yet you've been active underground for some time."
Riveria's gaze lingered on him, sharp enough to peel layers away.
"You're hiding something," she said flatly.
Yuki met her eyes.
"Yes."
Silence followed.
Then Loki burst out laughing.
"I like him already!"
She stood, stretched, and walked over until she was right in front of him.
"You're not scared," she said. "But you're not arrogant either. That's rare."
Her grin widened.
"Alright, kid. Let's see what you really are."
The Falna
Yuki knelt.
Loki's finger pressed against his back.
The moment the Falna settled, it felt nothing like chakra.
It was heavier. Older. Like a history being carved into his bones.
The system activated instantly.
[Falna Detected.]
[Concealment Protocol Active.]
Yuki clenched his jaw as the blessing finished.
When Loki pulled her hand away, glowing symbols faded into his skin.
"Oho?" she muttered.
Finn stepped closer, examining the status.
"High dexterity for a beginner," he said. "Abnormal control. Combat sense… already formed."
Riveria's eyes narrowed.
"No magic listed," she said slowly. "Yet his movement suggests training beyond basic martial arts."
Loki tilted her head.
"…You're weird," she said. Then she smiled brightly. "Perfect."
She clapped her hands.
"Welcome to the Loki Familia, Yuki!"
The Reward
The system didn't wait.
The moment the Falna stabilized, pain bloomed in Yuki's hands.
Not burning.
Warm.
Healing warmth.
Knowledge flowed in. Chakra refined. Control elevated to a new level.
[Reward Acquired: Mystical Palm Technique – Rank A]
Yuki staggered slightly, catching himself.
He understood it instantly.
Chakra woven into his palms. Cellular stimulation. Accelerated recovery. Emergency healing.
Not a miracle.
But close.
"…This changes things," he thought.
Aftermath
That night, Yuki sat alone in his assigned room.
Loki Familia colors hung on the wall.
His status was real now.
But most of his true power remained hidden.
He flexed his hands, faint green chakra flickering for just a moment before vanishing.
Healing in a world where injuries ended careers.
Precision in a familia that pushed deeper every year.
Yuki lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
"I've crossed another line," he murmured.
This time, there was no going back.
He wasn't just surviving Orario anymore.
He had chosen a side.
And quietly, carefully, Yuki began his life under a god's banner.