Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

"You misunderstand. The gods' 'blessing' is merely a catalyst... simply an opportunity."

Loki, who was watching from the sidelines, spoke up to deny Finn's mutterings.

"Whether it's your physical strength or your five senses that are as sharp as blades, they are all the power that lies dormant within you. I'm just slightly awakening it."

As she explained what "God's grace" meant, she clasped her hands behind her head and smiled smugly, as if it were all thanks to her.

"I remember you can get rewards from monsters around here, right? Since this is a memorable debut battle for your clan, you'll have to buy me a drink later! Finn~~! Even a god would be delighted to be treated to drinks by a cute kid~~!"

"I'll treat you however I want, but I'd much rather you stay obediently in the village..."

Speaking of this god, not only does he wave his hands and shout "Go! Go!", but he also stands swaggering in the center of the battlefield, which makes him a target of monsters many times, forcing Finn to only respond with a wry smile and constantly cover him from the side.

After taking down a whole group of "Earth Spirits," he easily dispatched the "Fighting Boar" monster that was charging at Loki with a single blow.

(Hmm~ Finn is really strong. I should say, outstanding. Even though I'm not a martial god, I can tell he's studied "combat techniques" rather than simply relying on his "ability points" to fight.)

The marksmanship was so exquisite that even Loki, who had only come out of curiosity, could see it.

Even with the "gift of God," facing more than ten enemies at the same time should still put one in a tough fight.

However, Finn completely disregarded his opponent, effortlessly wielding a spear more than twice his height, displaying a truly warrior-like demeanor. Even disregarding his recently acquired [ability stats], it's undeniable that he possesses considerable strength.

The key point is that his small body contains the courage that the Lilliputians have lost since ancient times.

"Ooh ooh ooh ooh!?"

The ape monster "Silverback" let out a sharp, piercing scream.

This marks the end of the battle.

Finn swung his blood-stained gun forcefully, shaking off the blood that was on it.

"Shall we call this a day?"

"Oh, you've worked hard! So, what are your thoughts on this debut battle?"

"I can feel the difference in power between myself and my former self. I used to think that the rumors about children who gained [ability points] being able to defeat monsters were just hearsay, but now I have a different opinion."

Finn, having calmed his breathing, responded to Loki and began collecting the spoils.

When he dug out a tiny "magic stone," smaller than a little fingernail, from the monster's chest, the corpse instantly turned to dust.

The "core" of a surface monster is much smaller than that of a labyrinth (primitive) monster, so no matter how many you collect, you won't get much money. But at least you have some leverage to negotiate with merchants. The important thing is to avoid the danger of ignoring the monster's remains.

Finn expertly retrieved monster claws and pelts from the dust heap—items that were far more valuable than "magic stones"—and were known as "dropped items."

"Hey Finn, can I ask you something?"

"What is it, Loki?"

"You said your ambition is to become a hero among the Lilliputians, right?"

"Although it's a bit inappropriate to say it like that, it's correct in principle."

"If that's the case, why don't you immediately find a [Family] to join? After all, gaining 'Blessings' allows you to quickly become stronger, doesn't it?"

"Divine Grace" can awaken the latent abilities within the human body in the lower realms, the most crucial of which is the development gained through [Experience Points].

By gradually cultivating "capacity" through updating [ability values], one will gain "growth" that could never be achieved even in a lifetime. Including leveling up, this can free humanity from the shackles called limits, and if described in an exaggerated way, it can even help people gain infinite possibilities.

In response to Loki's question, Finn, who had been squatting next to the corpse (monster), stood up.

"I believe that the first thing to do is to cultivate the spirit... that is, the mind that is not swayed by 'capacity' and firmly believe that doing so will ultimately lead to a faster rise to the top."

"Oh?"

"Besides etiquette and miscellaneous knowledge, as for combat-related 'skills and combat methods'... Over the past four years, I visited a monk who was practicing in the deep mountains and became her apprentice. And then... let me think, I want to try and see what level I can reach before I have received 'blessing'."

In short, it's about understanding one's own "capacity" and using that understanding to explore future possibilities.

Finn concluded with this statement.

Loki, staring at Finn's profile, couldn't help but widen one eye slightly.

(This child is truly different from other children!)

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe it as being separated by only a thin line.

Most people in the lower realms easily become complacent because they have gained [ability points].

To paraphrase a common saying among adventurers in the dungeon city of Orario, it's like being "led by the nose by your [ability stats]".

Unlike the average person who becomes arrogant and overconfident after unleashing their potential, Finn first honed his inner self, suppressed any thoughts of haste, and only chose the most appropriate method after clearly seeing his ultimate goal. And this mindset was correct.

To put it metaphorically, Finn Dimna has already reached a point where he is no longer in a position to face the challenges that adventurers in the labyrinth city of Orario often encounter.

In the past, novice adventurers who relied too much on their [ability stats] would eventually suffer from the lack of combat skills to hone; on the other hand, this little human has accumulated ample knowledge and experience, coupled with the various skills he has cultivated, giving him the ability to directly face difficulties.

Even if a novice adventurer with astonishing growth rate were to emerge out of nowhere, it would ultimately be Finn, who has laid a solid foundation, who would be able to conquer dungeons more steadily, quickly, and smoothly. He not only restrained his arrogance and conceit, but also mastered his mind and body like a first-class warrior, knowing how to cultivate both "capacity" and "mind."

"...This initial entry bonus (starting benefits) seems a bit too extravagant."

The person in front of me is a master marksman who, despite being only Lv.1, possesses extensive knowledge, "skills and combat capabilities".

This made Loki think that this child was really reliable.

At the same time, I vaguely felt that it was too unchallenging.

The reason is that Finn is "so perfect that Loki doesn't need to help him at all."

The common joy of embarking on an adventure and growing from scratch is no longer available.

This was Loki's only regret.

"...Well, having a powerful familia is always the best thing, and... Finn's marriage plan (laughs) is still a long way from being realized~"

Loki had a change of heart.

A vulgar smile, unbecoming of her goddess status and no different from that of a lecherous old man, appeared on her face.

"Finn, when are you planning to go after your first love, Melissa?"

"Your question came out of nowhere..."

"No, that's not true. If she's willing to become your partner, there's a very high chance she'll join your [Family]. For us, the most important thing right now is to increase our companions, right?"

Loki, seeing that the post-war proceedings were over, pestered his only remaining family member to inquire about the situation.

Faced with her cheesy, sly grin, Finn simply shrugged and threw his hands up as if in surrender.

"Anyway, you really want to ask Melissa out, don't you? No lie works before God~"

"Loki...you're not wrong, but could you please not push me so hard?"

"I believe Melissa is also interested in you~ If you directly suggest, 'Please have my baby!', she'll definitely agree sweetly~ Hehehe~"

"Loki, your wording is way too blunt..."

Finn couldn't help but smile wryly, somewhat regretting that he shouldn't have revealed his ambition to Loki so early.

After dealing with the God's teasing for a while, he suddenly glanced around.

"...Hmm~~"

"What’s wrong with you?"

The situation at the scene was not much different from before; all that could be seen were mounds of earth of various sizes left behind by the monster's death.

Loki tilted his head in bewilderment as Finn began to observe his surroundings.

"The merchant who made this request said that the monsters on the mountain have become very rampant, and have even come down to the foot of the mountain to attack travelers or caravans."

"Yes, I did mention it."

"If it's the work of the same race, then there's nothing suspicious... On the contrary, if it's a group of monsters with different habits attacking, and the attacks happen quite frequently, then something is amiss."

Finn defeated various monsters here, including the "Sword-horned Deer," "Earth Spirit," "Fighting Boar," and "Silverback Ape."

Loki immediately understood what Finn meant.

The "monster's behavior pattern" in this mountain seems to violate the normal norms of the lower world.

The little boy quietly licked his right thumb.

"There are two main possibilities for this situation. The first is that he is angry because his territory has been damaged. The second is—"

A loud booming sound came from the foot of the mountain.

This temporarily interrupted Finn's words.

"...A powerful monster is leading a rebellion."

Finn ignored Loki, who was startled and suddenly looked up, and quickly ran to the edge of the cliff, looking down at the foot of the mountain.

The dwarfs, who possessed exceptional eyesight among the demi-humans, instantly grasped the current situation.

The only village located at the foot of the mountain is "Prebrica".

The village's outer walls have been damaged.

The monster army is attacking the village from all sides.

"Hey, Finn, could it be...?"

"Yes, just as you imagined."

Monsters are attacking human villages.

Loki now had a serious expression, while Finn saw with his blue eyes that a huge creature had invaded the village.

"Judging from this situation, the monsters in the mountains are all under the command of that troublesome monster."

Although that monster cannot be called the Lone Monster Rex—

In principle, Finn was indeed right.

His right thumb was in excruciating pain.

It was as if the pain was a warning to him, "Never fight him."

Through the "intuition" gained through his thumb, he repeatedly emphasized that it was a threat that he (Finn) could not handle.

"...What do you plan to do?"

Finn felt Loki's gaze as he looked at his profile while asking the question, and looked down at his right hand—then clenched it into a fist along with his aching thumb.

As he decided to smash the alarm, images of his hometown, which had been attacked four years ago, and his parents returning to the heavens to protect him flashed through his mind.

All sorts of emotions from back then instantly flooded my mind.

The "courage" to make up his mind not to repeat the same mistakes cried out in his heart.

"Does this even need to be asked?"

If you see someone in distress and don't offer a helping hand, how can you call yourself a beacon of light (Finn)?

Finn's golden hair swayed gently with his movements as he smiled at his god.

"Let's go, let's save the village."

The village, which should have been peaceful and tranquil, was now filled with the roars of monsters.

"Ooh o ...

"Aa ...

The village of Prebrica is gripped by unprecedented panic.

A horde of monsters suddenly descended the mountain to attack. Faced with this unprecedented onslaught, the low stone walls proved utterly ineffective. The deployed guards crumbled in no time, allowing the monsters to pour into the village.

The scene in the village could only be described as tragic. Destroyed windmills and wooden houses with gaping holes were everywhere. Flags displayed to celebrate the harvest festival were torn to shreds and trampled on the ground. The screams of the villagers echoed throughout the village.

Hordes of monsters of all kinds destroyed buildings along the way and attacked fleeing civilians.

"Ah, ahhh...!"

Melissa, a little girl, collapsed to her knees by the roadside, her legs giving way.

Urged on by the tavern owner, who sensed something was wrong, she rushed out of the shop in a daze, only to see familiar neighbors crying and screaming, as well as a large number of monsters baring their teeth at them.

The monster swung its claws, and blood and tears splattered.

The sounds of buildings being damaged and cries for help could be heard incessantly.

Looking around, one sees innocent lives lying everywhere.

The little girl, who had no time to escape, was bound by the scene before her.