Kitahara didn't push his luck by going any deeper. For the next three hours, he remained on the 15th Floor, pacing his movements.
He had already been inside the Dungeon for over five hours. If he continued to descend, he wouldn't be able to make it back before nightfall. Hestia would definitely worry if he didn't return on time.
He set aside three hours for the return journey and dedicated the remaining time to grinding.
The three hours of combat didn't disappoint. Not only did he harvest a mountain of Magic Stones, but his progress also reached a tipping point. After slaying the final Monster, a notification chimed in his mind.
[๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด!! ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐๐ผ๐๐. ๐ฌ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ. ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: ๐ฏ. ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐!!!]
'Panel, draw the Divine Protection!'
[๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด!! ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ณ๐๐น. ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐๐ผ๐๐. ๐ฌ๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป!!]
[๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: ๐๐ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐ฑ!!!]
'Tenfold amplification? My training gains are multiplied by ten?'
'Does that mean the growth of my Falna Status will be ten times faster?'
'Even if I only gain ten points in a day, it becomes a hundred?'
'This is incredible...'
'With this, even if my natural talent is mediocre, I can become a powerhouse in no time!'
Kitahara froze for a moment, stunned by the description, before a wave of pure ecstasy washed over him. He wasn't sure how high his natural ceiling was, or how fast his Status would normally grow during an adventure. But with this Divine Protection, his abilities were guaranteed to skyrocket.
He estimated that even Bell, the protagonist of the original story, wouldn't be able to keep up with him.
Of course, that assumed his talent wasn't complete garbage. If he was truly a lost cause, even a tenfold boost might not be enough to outpace a natural genius.
However, Kitahara didn't think he was that unlucky.
'Time to head back!'
He scooped up the Magic Stones scattered across the floor and began the long trek home. If he delayed any longer, Hestia would probably be pacing in circles with anxiety.
As he walked, he pulled up his Divine Protection Panel to check his progress.
[๐๐ผ๐๐: ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ]
[๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ต๐ผ๐ฒ๐ป๐ถ๐ , ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ, ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐, ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป]
[๐๐๐ฒ๐บ๐: ๐ฆ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ]
[๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐น: ๐ฏ (๐ฌ%)]
The list of protections had grown, but his inventory had shrunk. The longsword he had brought from home was gone. It was a cheap, mass-produced piece of junk, nowhere near the quality of the Short Blade Hestia had given him. It had shattered after a few clashes with the Minotaur, and he had tossed the useless hilt aside.
Even the Light Armor was ruined. It was currently sitting in a scrap heap somewhere in the Dungeon.
Kitahara was down to his black shirt and trousers. Both were shredded and stained. The Short Blade hung at his hip, chipped and worn, looking just as battered as his clothes.
Fighting a Minotaur with starter gear had taken its toll. The only reason the blade hadn't snapped was his combat experience. He had been careful not to strike the beast's bones directly, or it would have shattered into fragments.
As for his clothes... well, fabric didn't stand a chance against a Minotaur's strength.
He had underestimated the climb. Without using the vertical shafts, it took over three hours to reach the surface from the 15th Floor. He had sprinted the entire way, ignoring the Monsters spawning in his path.
By the time he reached the surface, the sky was pitch black. Only a few straggling Adventurers lingered near the entrance of Babel.
His disheveled appearance didn't draw much attention. In Orario, seeing a blood-stained warrior emerging from the tower was a common sight.
Kitahara took a deep breath of the cool night air and started walking toward the plaza. He hadn't gone far when he stopped in his tracks, staring at a figure in the distance.
Sitting on a stone planter at the edge of the Babel plaza was a familiar silhouette.
It was Hestia.
She sat with her chin resting on her hands, her eyes glued to the tower's entrance. Because of the distance and the darkness, she didn't recognize him immediately.
But Kitahara saw her clearly.
A small smile tugged at his lips. He broke into a light jog.
As he got closer, Hestia finally recognized him. Her eyes lit up with pure joy. She scrambled to her feet and sprinted toward him.
"Kitahara! You're finally back!" she screamed. Her twin tails bounced wildly as she ran, along with... other things.
"Yeah, I'm back," he replied with a smile as they met in the middle of the plaza.
"Are you okay? You aren't seriously hurt, are you?" The initial excitement faded into worry as she saw the state of his clothes. She immediately began fussing over him, her hands patting his chest and arms to check for wounds.
"Hey, take it easy. I'm fine," Kitahara laughed, gently catching her hands to stop the frantic searching. "No major injuries. Just some scratches."
"Are you sure?" Hestia looked him in the eye, checking for any signs of pain. When she saw he was still full of energy, she finally let out a sigh of relief. "Good. But we're still going to see Miach. I'll get you some Recovery Potions just in case."
"Yeah, alright. I'll exchange the Magic Stones in a bit and give the money to you."
Kitahara gave a slight nod.
"Mhm, let's go. We should head back first."
Hestia didn't refuse.
She didn't have a single coin to her name. Freeloading off Miach wasn't an option either. He wasn't like Hephaestus... the man was dirt poor and drowning in a massive debt. Even Hestia wasn't thick-skinned enough to take advantage of someone in that state.
She reached out, grabbing Kitahara's hand.
Without another word, she began pulling him toward the Guild headquarters.
Kitahara didn't pull away.
He let her lead the way, following quietly behind.
The two of them moved through the streets, one leading and one following, as they made their way toward the Guild.