DanMachi: The Epic of the Heroic Spirits of Emiya Shirou

Judging from Riveria's whereabouts, it's highly likely that Loki's Familia was carrying out a large-scale monster cleanup in the middle levels, causing panic among the monsters, which is why one Minotaur fled to the upper levels.

Riveria must have chased the fleeing monster to the upper level as well. Given the elven princess's character, she would never allow any child to be harmed because of her family's mistake.

"With Riveria watching, you took the opportunity to challenge the Minotaur?" Hephaestus made a reasonable deduction.

“Yes, that’s true.” Shirou nodded.

The goddess was absolutely right; when Emiya slew the Minotaur, "Riviria" was indeed watching from behind.

Hephaestus thought to herself that this was a very clever approach. With high-level adventurers watching, even if the challenge failed, there wouldn't be any irreversible consequences.

"Was it at this time that Riveria set her sights on this child?" Thinking of this, Hephaestus's feelings became complicated again.

“Strange, did you kill the Minotaur all by yourself? If so, you should have leveled up.” Hephaestus realized the blind spot.

Emiya's agility has already reached D-rank, and coupled with his "great achievement" of slaying the Minotaur with Lv.1 strength, although it's impossible to upgrade at this point, he should at least improve his basic abilities first. However, Divine Grace should be showing an "upgradeable" state.

"Perhaps, slaying a Minotaur isn't considered a 'great achievement' for me?" Emiya pondered for a moment, then said somewhat helplessly, "Because of certain reasons, or rather, by borrowing external forces, killing that minotaur was quite easy for me..."

At this point, he also gained some understanding of the concept of "great achievement".

Niran, a Minotaur girl, achieved her "great feat" of leveling up by single-handedly fighting three orcs as the main force, combined with her adventures accumulated in the school district. However, for Emiya, it is probably impossible to accumulate "great feats" from the act of "single-handedly fighting three orcs".

Because it was so easy for him to kill orcs. Orcs were incredibly resilient, but their defenses weren't high enough; they didn't have the tough hide of minotaurs. So even with just a bow and arrow, Emiya could quickly kill a large number of orcs.

As for Koni of the Dwarf race, with his physical attributes and attack power, let alone Lv.1, even Lv.2 would be difficult for him to fight three orcs one-on-one. Fighting one orc at Lv.1 would be a great feat for him.

The standard for "great achievements" is not determined by rank, but by the person. A great achievement is simply a challenge that surpasses oneself.

As for the Minotaur, judging from the surge in his ability stats, he must have gained a lot of high-quality experience points. The Minotaur should be considered a minor achievement, but killing just one is far from enough.

"Apart from magic power, all other basic abilities increased by about 30 points, only magic power saw a sudden surge of nearly 100 points." Emiya immediately understood the reason behind this—

Because it was his first time trying to project a "treasure weapon".

Chapter Thirty Riveria's Trust

Emiya's basic stats have reached the level required for an upgrade. While continuing to hone his abilities, he does indeed need to start considering the acquisition and accumulation of [Great Achievements].

"Actually, with my current abilities, the Minotaur is not an opponent that can be defeated so easily. However, at the time, I had to consider protecting 'Rivia,' so I ended up using unconventional methods," Emiya thought to himself.

The Minotaur's overall abilities completely overwhelm Shirou Emiya at level 1. Even if he is confident that he can win with his swordsmanship, it will inevitably be a long and drawn-out struggle.

However, once he entered that peculiar state with the Sword of Theseus in his hand, the Minotaur posed no threat to him at all, and thus the battle with the Minotaur lost its challenge.

To accumulate great achievements more quickly, one must engage in more difficult battles, and there are no shortcuts.

"Not only 'Great Achievement,' I should also start deliberately training my basic abilities that are weak in certain areas," Shirou thought, looking at his own ability stats.

Despite being a swordsman who primarily fights with a sword, Emiya's basic stats are the complete opposite of those of a vanguard-type adventurer. His weakest stats are strength and agility, while his dexterity and magic stats are exceptionally high.

Dexterity is the primary attribute required for forging, while magic power is the result of Emiya's extensive use of Unlimited Blade Works for projection. Following the advice of the goddess and Captain Tsubaki, he trains these two as his core abilities.

This is also the fighting style of the Heroic Spirit Emiya (Archer). Compared to heroes from ancient times or even the legends of the Age of Gods, Emiya has no advantage in terms of physical abilities such as strength, endurance, and agility. His strength lies in his endless [methods].

No matter what kind of enemy he faces, he can always find a way to counter them, which is why Emiya can always achieve brilliant results with an unimpressive stat sheet.

However, Emiya also truly understood that if the foundational power was too weak, no matter how many techniques one possessed, one would inevitably encounter an insurmountable barrier. Moreover, many techniques themselves required power as a foundation to be executed.

It's like comparing the Heroic Spirit Emiya (Archer) to the Heroic Spirit Hercules (Archer). If the Emiya of the previous life could have reached the latter's level, he wouldn't have been powerless to help his sister when she was hurt.

Therefore, having received such miraculous power as the "gift of the gods," Emiya would certainly seize this opportunity.

"It's time to start deliberate training for different basic abilities. Strength and agility should be improved to at least C level, preferably B level."

"Shirou's will seems stronger than ever before." The boy's figure was reflected in Hephaestus's eyes, and the goddess sighed, "Is this the power of love?"

I feel like all I can do is respect and offer my blessings to this goddess. But speaking of which, the brave and determined young man and the dignified and elegant elven princess seem to taste... kind of delicious, don't they?

·

Loki Familia, Twilight Mansion

Captain Finn was processing the backlog of documents from the clan's expedition in the meeting room, while Riveria was reading a book while waiting for Ais, who had not yet returned.

"Achoo, achoo." Riveria sneezed twice in a row.

"What's wrong, Riveria? Have you caught a cold?" Finn asked with concern.

“My nose is just a little itchy. At our level, we’re immune to colds... Achoo!” Riveria said, then couldn’t help but sneeze again.

She covered her mouth and nose with her hand from the side, trying her best to suppress the sound. As expected of the elven royal family, even her sneezing demeanor was dignified and elegant.

“You’re worried about Ais, aren’t you?” Finn shook his head and pointed out.

“No, that naughty boy, what’s there to worry about?” Riveria said seriously.

Finn looked at the other person: "You haven't turned a single page of that book in your hand all day."

Rivera finally realized her lapse in composure and let out a long sigh: "Well, I was worried about Ais."

The slender elven ears drooped down on both sides, reflecting the owner's disappointed mood. Riveria gently brushed her emerald hair with one hand, twirling the strands around her fair fingers.

A hint of sorrow appeared on the elven beauty's peerless face, a face that even the gods envied.

"That child is still as stubborn as before, and her obsession has never diminished."

Finn and Riveria both knew that Ais harbored an extremely strong hatred for the Black Dragon, to the point of obsession or even a tragic wish.

This hatred even manifested in her skills—

【Avenger】

It greatly enhances attack power against all monster-type enemies, and further enhances attack power against dragon-type monsters. The enhancement effect varies depending on the degree of hatred; the stronger the hatred, the greater the effect.

This is Ais's unique skill, and the source of her great strength and rapid level advancement. Whenever facing monsters, Ais can unleash combat power beyond her current level.

【Avenger】is praised by the goddess Loki as the strongest offensive skill in the history of the lower realms. However, Riveria and the others also know that this skill reflects Ais's insecure state of mind.

During the last expedition, Ais lost her mind when facing the enhanced dragon-type monsters and abandoned the group to pursue them alone, which directly led to the failure of the expedition. Riveria was furious about this, but in fact, she was more worried about Ais than angry.

Riveria didn't want Ais to become a monster controlled by hatred, and she was even more worried that Ais would eventually "break herself" because she was fighting too hard.

“It might sound a bit ungrateful, but sometimes I really wish Ais was just an ordinary girl, without such a terrifying talent, and without the ‘Avenger’,” Riveria said, speaking her mind.

For Riveria, Ais was like her daughter. More than achieving fame and success, Riveria hoped that Ais could grow up healthy and safe.

“Ais is special, you should understand that…” Finn stopped there: “By the way, did Ais go to the dungeon today?”

"Yes, she did finish writing the self-criticism and copied the clan rules ten times." As she said this, Riveria's eyes narrowed slightly, and she couldn't help but clench her fists.

Ais went to the dungeon early this morning, but it wasn't until Riveria checked it during the day that she discovered that the second half of Ais's self-criticism was complete nonsense, like a dream made up while half-asleep.

Moreover, some of them contain unpleasant statements such as "Rivieria has gotten a lot more wrinkles because of me."

I felt that my affection for my "daughter" had faded considerably, replaced by a desire to pick up the copper-headed leather belt and the wet leather whip.

"Is it really a good idea to let Ais go alone without anyone watching her?" Finn rested his chin on his hand. "Aren't you worried that Ais will sneak off to the lower levels?"

"Ais has already made a promise with me that she will listen to me this time."

Riveria closed the book, her eyes filled with determination: "I believe in Ais!"

Chapter Thirty-One: The Right Way to Revitalize a Clan

“I also believe in Ais.” Finn said freely, “Not only Ais, but I believe in every child in the Familia. They may be very young now, but sooner or later, they will reach a level that even we have surpassed in the past.”

Riveria couldn't help but tease, "Then when that time comes, we can put down our duties, and you can finally get what you want and build a huge harem, right?"

“That’s right.” Finn answered earnestly, “My dream has always been to revitalize the dwarf race, and for that, successors with courage and will are essential.”

And having my own offspring inherit the great cause of the Lilliputian race's revival is undoubtedly the best choice. Therefore, a harem is essential, and I am still diligently searching for outstanding Lilliputian women.”

Like most male adventurers in Orario, Finn also has the desire for a "harem," but his situation is somewhat special. Finn's "harem" plan is just one part of realizing his grander ideal of racial revitalization.

Therefore, Finn only intends to accept women of his own kind, the "little people," even though he is actually popular among other races, especially the Amazons.

From a rational perspective, Finn's idea makes perfect sense; the prerequisite for racial revitalization is a sufficient number of its own people. As the most powerful and famous dwarf race in the world, Finn intends to lead by example.

The wrong approach to revitalizing a family is: monogamy and only children.

The correct approach: Have many wives and concubines, and the family will flourish.

“It’s quite impressive that you can say such things so openly,” Riveria commented. “By the way, you’ve been staring at that letter since earlier. Is something important?”

Finn folded the envelope in his hand and handed it to Riveria: "To be honest, it's something quite important. Take a look."

The pure white letter paper had a gilded emblem printed on the back, depicting a volcano and two interlocking forging hammers—the emblem of the Hephaestus Familia.

"Contact with the Hephaestus Familia?" Riveria took the letter. "Aside from joint expeditions, we don't have much in common with the Hephaestus Familia."

In terms of equipment manufacturing and repair, the Loki Familia mainly collaborates with the Granuit Familia. The Granuit Familia is smaller in scale and not good at manufacturing standard equipment, but they have more experience in the field of advanced equipment customization.

“It’s more accurate to call it an announcement than a contact,” Finn said. “The Hephaestus Familia certainly not only notified us.”

Riveria opened the letter and began to read its contents. Soon, her pupils contracted slightly, and her expression revealed obvious surprise.

“This thing… if it’s real, it has the potential to change the landscape of the city,” Riveria said in a surprised tone.

“Ah, yes, the Hephaestus Familia, they have truly created something extraordinary.” Finn nodded in agreement.

The letter introduces the latest masterpiece of Tsubaki Kobrand, the leader of Hephaestus and also the city's strongest blacksmith—the [Demon Sword: Spiral Sword].

The "Demon Sword" is a weapon that is valued by all members of Orario, regardless of their size or status, because it has two extremely important characteristics: it does not consume the adventurer's magic power and it can be cast instantly. It is often used as a trump card or a key item to save lives.

Even the Loki Familia, which boasts a group of elven mages led by Riveria, the strongest mage in the city, prepares a large number of magic swords for each expedition. This is because even someone as powerful as Riveria still needs to chant to cast spells, and the more powerful the spell, the longer the chanting time.

While the power of the Demon Sword is far inferior to that of a high-level mage's cannon fire, its attacks are instantaneous and can be used even by the weakest support member in the team.

Even the lowest quality magic sword, which can only fire a few fireballs, costs tens or even millions of falies, while high-level magic swords can easily cost tens of millions of falies.

The most powerful offensive magic sword ever seen in Orario is a work forged by the "One-Eyed Master" Tsubaki. Its power is equivalent to a Lv.4 mage's magic cannon attack, and it costs around 40 million falies. Moreover, it is extremely rare and difficult to find.

Now, the magic sword produced by the Hephaestus Familia has finally achieved a breakthrough, and a qualitative leap at that—

The [Magic Sword - Spiral Sword] can be used three times. Its power is equivalent to a Lv.5 mage's wide-area attack magic. It can be channeled to overload, increasing magic output. In exchange for a more powerful attack, all uses can be consumed at once.

Its power is equivalent to a Lv.6 mage's long-chantment wide-area annihilation spell.

"If it's true, this is too exaggerated. A powerful, wide-area annihilation magic that doesn't require 'chanting'..." As a mage known for her magical power, Riveria felt particularly complicated.

“This is the result of the goddess Hephaestus’s assessment, it must be true. We have no doubt about the judgment of the god of forging,” Finn said.

“You realized it too, didn’t you, Riveria?”

"Yes, if we had this 'demon sword,' our expedition would surely have reached a much higher level."

"but..."

"Ah, I understand..."

The Loki Familia's leader and deputy leader exchanged a glance, remaining silent and unable to voice the frustrating conclusion—they couldn't afford it.

The Loki Familia, being primarily exploratory, doesn't have much of an advantage in terms of economic strength. Even if they earn money from each expedition, they quickly invest it in their members in various ways, thus enhancing the Familia's strength.

Moreover, not every expedition yields a profit. The last expedition was an example; due to Ais's loss of control, not only did we not make any money, we also lost a considerable amount.

Hephaestus's letter was not only sent to Loki's Familia, but also to other Familias who had the ability and desire to purchase the Demon Sword.

Finn could roughly think of several: not only powerful and influential families like the Loki Familia, Freya Familia, and Ganesha Familia, but also families with strong economic power like the Ishtar Familia and the Deankait Familia.

The Ishtar Familia runs an entertainment district, while the Deankat Familia runs a hospital. The Loki Familia may be powerful, but when it comes to making money, they can't compete with the Ishtar Familia no matter how hard they try.

Riveria sighed, "Hephaestus's cunning tactic of letting the various clans bid against each other to gain the highest profit is truly sly."

Finn: "Because unlike regular equipment, this is a seller's market where they have a complete advantage."

"I don't know how many of these magic swords the Hephaestus Familia made, but there's only one on the shelf."

“Let’s try our best, no matter what. A level 6 magic sword is incredibly important to our expedition.” Finn said, rubbing his slightly sore right thumb. “I have a feeling this [Magic Sword] might be the prelude to a new era.”

Chapter Thirty-Two: Everyday Life and Dates

A whooshing sound came from the dawn sky.

The occasional piercing sound, resembling a grass flute or a bird's song, shook the silent darkness with a melody created by the gust of wind whipped up by a wooden sword.

A corner of the town where the moon has already set and the sun has yet to rise.

A slender female elf wielded a wooden sword that was almost as long as she was.

Her movements wielding the wooden sword contrasted sharply with her slender limbs, displaying both agility and sharpness. She began with a standard slash from top to bottom, followed by a twist of the wooden sword, unleashing an upward slash and a kasaya slash comparable to a sword-drawing technique.