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

The girl kicked sharply toward her own face, but the God of Martial Arts easily deflected the force with just his hand.

"Too naive."

“Guuuu!?”

"life!"

Chigusa ran towards the girl who had been thrown to the ground. Takemikazuchi not only deflected the upper kick of a Level 2—Level 3 adventurer, but also threw the opponent to the ground; he wiped the sweat from his brow as he looked down at the two girls.

"You still rely a bit on your [ability values], Ming and Qiancao. You must never surrender yourselves to the 'vessel'; you must use your 'heart' to wield them."

"...Yes! Takemikazuchi!"

Ming let Qiancao pull him up quickly, and he knelt on one knee, looking up at the face of the God of War.

Under a cloudless sky, the thriving lawn gleamed in the sunlight, its verdant green shimmering. The location was in the courtyard of the "Kitchen Fire Pavilion".

Mikoto, Sengusa, and Takemikazuchi are using this space to diligently practice their martial arts.

This is intensive training in preparation for the upcoming "expedition".

"Among adventurers, many are manipulated by their [ability stats]... That's what the first-level adventurers seem to say. I agree with that. If you delve into 'technique,' even I can compete with you to a certain extent."

Takemikazuchi was drenched in sweat, while Mikoto and Chigusa were only slightly sweating. In contrast, the two girls were repeatedly thrown to the ground, their bodies covered in grass clippings.

This appearance accurately reflects the situation of both parties.

Compared to their physical abilities, which are sufficient to fight monsters, Takemikazuchi's physical abilities are only at the level of an ordinary person. However, even though the two girls have such abilities (stats), the warrior god can still deflect their attacks and even use the extra strength to throw them away.

Everything depends on "skills and tactics".

His skill is beyond question, coupled with superhuman martial arts, near-predictive judgment, and the ability to manipulate an opponent's actions with a single glance. In terms of "technique" alone, Takemikazuchi, the master of martial arts, possesses skills surpassing even those of a first-class adventurer—martial arts that can truly be called "divine." Like the blacksmiths of all time, he is a being residing in the highest realm, the God of Forging (Hephaestus).

If they were ordered to launch intermittent, continuous attacks, they could likely easily defeat Takemikazuchi. But what they wanted was not an immediate victory.

"[Ability stats] cannot be developed overnight. But—"

"—'Skills and tactics' are a separate matter."

"That's right," said the voice following Takemikazuchi. He nodded.

"Of course, 'skills' cannot be acquired overnight. But as long as you have effort, drive, and a strong belief in achieving your goal... there is still a possibility of learning them."

Seeing Kenjirai shaking his black hair bun, he gripped her hand tightly.

That's right, what she wants is the power to fight against the strong.

What's needed are "skills" to help companions overcome adventures in the vast underground labyrinth.

"I've been teaching you this since we were in the Far East, haven't I? 'Technique' is also a weapon, used to fight opponents stronger than yourself. Most monsters (monsters) are beyond human comprehension just by their physical structure, but... if you use 'technique' at the right time with the right breathing, you can throw even the heaviest body and cleave through even the hardest shell."

After wiping away his sweat, the bare-chested warrior (Takemikazuchi) drew his short sword from the scabbard hanging from his belt.

These are a pair of swords, male and female. The male sword, Tianhua, is paired with the female sword, Dican, which Ming wields, like a married couple.

Takemikazuchi, sword in one hand, assumed a fighting stance towards Mikoto and Chigusa.

"You have made great progress since you were in the Far East. As you wished, I will teach you the physical skills that I was unable to teach you back then—come on."

""yes!""

Two girls ran over, wholeheartedly dedicating their bodies to the intense exercise.

"What are you going to do, big guy?"

Clang, clang, the high-pitched metallic sound rang out incessantly.

The roaring furnace enveloped the "workshop" in unbearable heat. Welf sat steadily before the fire, diligently forging weapons by hammering the refined metal (ingots) placed on the anvil with a red-hot iron hammer.

The cherry blossoms of the Takemikazuchi Familia gaze intently at Welf's retreating figure.

"I want to do everything I can before embarking on this 'expedition'."

The location is inside the Welf Workshop, built in the backyard of the headquarters.

The fiery red glow of the furnace illuminated the dark interior, making it look almost dreamlike.

The young man borrowed a chair and sat down, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Even if we practice martial arts together, it wouldn't make any sense."

"I know."

"It's impossible to be so lucky as to discover any 'skills' or 'magic'."

"I know that too."

Sweat dripped from Welf's chin like rain, while Cherry Blossom, watching nearby, also had beads of sweat on her skin. The sight of the two young people huddled in the "workshop" might have looked a bit like a test of endurance. It was like a scene from a fairy tale, where a hero was trying his best to persuade a stubborn craftsman.

"I am a blacksmith, and I will use my own methods to prepare the best equipment I can make right now, to become a force for those guys."

On the wall next to Welf, there is a rabbit armor made of processed super-hard metal (Dielgen Steel) that has been repaired and maintained.

Not just armor. Greatswords, katanas, spears, arrowheads, throwing weapons, shields, and even a magic sword... all sorts of new weapons that Welf had prepared for Bell or ordered them to prepare were lined up in a row.

Welf, still engrossed in his work, had a sharp and intense gaze.

He raised the sledgehammer high and brought it down.

Whenever this action is repeated, the indoor temperature seems to rise.

"I might be a hindrance in combat, but that's my job. I'll do what I can."

"..."

"So, I don't have time to waste on you."

Like the sound of a hammer raised high and brought down, the tone carried an unshakeable quality.

"Go find someone else," Welf said, still with his back to him.

"Please help me forge weapons."

Sakura then said those words.

Welf shook his shoulder.

"..."

"Not some half-baked weapon, but one that can protect Chigusa or Haruhime. That's what I want... Please."

Sakura's voice also shone with a strength that was no less than his.

Upon hearing this, Welf struck a particularly loud hammer blow, paused his work, put down what he was doing, and turned around.

"Are my custom-made items very expensive?"

grin.

The blacksmith's lips curled into a smile.

Seeing this, Sakura frowned and told him sternly:

"...Give me a discount."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Haruhime, come with me for a moment."

Haruhime was led by the Amazonian warrior Aisha to the library of the "Hearthouse." Since this place was acquired after the occupation of the former headquarters of the Apollo Familia, the books they hadn't disposed of were still stored on the shelves. The atmosphere was like that of a small library.

In the dimly lit room with the curtains tightly drawn, Aisha asked Chunji to sit down in a chair at the large table.

"Excuse me, Sister Aisha... what are you going to do now?"

As she glanced around the library, which she regularly cleaned while doing her maid duties, Aisha placed her personal belongings and her buttocks on the table. She sat down rather undignifiedly at the table diagonally in front of Haruhime, tossing her long black hair, and said casually:

"Of course, it's to give you special training."

"Special...special training?"

Chunji couldn't help but make a strange sound and repeated the story.

A sexy, shrewish woman dressed like a dancer began slapping the fox's ears without any politeness.

"You're the weakest among us, you know that, right?"

“Ugh…”

"You'd better learn some skills before the 'expedition' begins, otherwise you'll really become a burden, okay?"

Haruhime is a supporter and sorcerer. Although she possesses the overpowered technique of level boost, in terms of pure combat strength, she can't even compare to Lily. Aisha's words make a lot of sense.

"But even if I wanted to learn a skill, I don't have the same abilities as Lord Ming and the others..."

Destiny was teaching her battlefield techniques, but she seemed to lack talent and couldn't seem to master them. Even if she trained to the point where she could defeat low-level monsters in the dungeon, it would probably be a drop in the ocean. Seeing Chunji's dejected expression, Aisha said, "You're so dense." She was at her wit's end.

"You're a sorcerer, so it only makes sense for you to use 'magic' strong enough to be called 'sorcery'. From the beginning, no one expected you to clumsily put on a fight scene."

"Uh...so, you want me to undergo 'magic' training and hone my 'magical power'?"

"No, I want you to learn new 'magic'."

Aisha smiled at the astonished Haruhime.

"Skills or magic can't just appear out of nowhere. So we just have to force them out."

Then she slammed her prepared personal belongings—a package—in front of Chunji with a "thud!" and unwrapped the cloth.

Among them was a thick book adorned with intricate patterns.

"This is……!"

"'Grimoire'. I don't know what kind of 'magic' will appear, but it shouldn't be something completely useless."

It is a book of forced manifestation of magic. Even Haruhime, who is unfamiliar with worldly affairs, knows its precious value.

It will never circulate in the general market; it is a truly miraculous magical item that can be called a "dream book".

"Back then, the goddess Ishtar would never let you see the 'magic book' because she was obsessed with the power of level advancement. If a sealed fox-person knew more than two kinds of 'magic,' the shattered 'Killing Stone' would only be able to use one of those powers."

When Aisha talked about the thoughts of the former chief goddess (Ishtar), the fox ears let it go in one ear and out the other.

The "magic book" placed before her made Haruhime gasp, and she timidly raised her head.

"By the way, where did you get this from...?"

"I stole it from the warehouse without the help of the main god and my [kin].

Ouch! Haruhime finally choked.

Aisha waved her hand rudely, as if to say, "Don't mind me."

"It doesn't matter. He took advantage of my vulnerability and is using me as a useful subordinate. It would be a huge loss if I didn't take advantage of this."

The female hero who converted to the Hermes Familia wore a smug expression.

One can imagine that the Hermes Familia must have discovered the loss of valuable books and was in chaos at this time. Although Haruhime knew her from her previous faction (Ishtar Familia), the realization of the audacity of her predecessor, "What should we do...!?" still terrified her.

"Didn't you want to help the little brothers?"

"!"

"Since that's the case, then don't be picky about the methods. What you need now, being weaker than anyone else, is reckless greed."

As she brought her face close, Chunji's eyes widened.

Aisha remained seated at the table, leaning over to look at her from a superior position, and gave a soft laugh as she curved her lips into a smile.

"Hurry up and take a look, let's start training. In just ten days, you should have mastered the effects of 'magic'."

Aisha got off the table, keeping her distance to avoid accidentally stealing the "magic book's" effect.

Haruhime followed the woman who was smiling at her with her gaze, and then pursed her lips as she recalled her conversation with Bell and the others in the living room that evening.

(I am too... I am too, their companion (familia)!)

The girl grabbed the cover of the "magic book" and abruptly turned the pages.

"Miss Eina, could you please teach me about the Great Falls again?"

"Ah, um, okay!"

Bell flipped through the encyclopedia and showed it to Eina, who was sitting in the front seat.

The young half-elf's voice cracked for a moment before she slid her slender fingers across the article on the page.

At the guild headquarters at night, Bell received a personal lecture from Eina in the headquarters archives.