DanMachi 43

[Rune Master: DanMachi]

- Your proficiency in rune-crafting allows you to create runes at a reduced mana cost.

- Runes and enchantments created by you have a 10% increase in potency, longevity, and durability.

- Gain the ability to inscribe runes on living beings, granting them powerful magical abilities or augmenting their physical abilities.

- Your knowledge of rune-crafting grants you insight into the magical properties of objects, allowing you to identify and analyze magical artifacts with greater ease.

The new title was incredibly powerful, particularly the ability to inscribe runes into living beings. With this ability, I could enhance an individual's physical attributes, grant them special abilities, to even turn them into suicide bombers, or... I freeze midflight as a crazy idea appeared in my mind, my grin widened as I equip the title and swiftly descended to the forest.

[Class: [Hunter] unlocked.]

No that wasn't what I was after, but the thing trying to desperately escape my hold. I stood in the middle of the primordial forest, holding a wriggling bunny by its ears, and I couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of testing my newfound abilities. With a steady hand, I began engraving a sharpness rune into the rabbit's flesh, and as I completed the inscription, the bunny began to emit a blinding light.

Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my hand, causing me to release the rabbit and watch as it bounded away. From a distance, I could see the bunny's jumps shredding through the foliage, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Though it was amusing to watch the creature wreak havoc, I soon realized that its newfound power had drawn the attention of predators.

Before long, a panther appeared, hungry and looking for a quick meal. But as it lunged at the rabbit, its fangs met an unexpected resistance, and with a swift movement, its head was split into small pieces. I couldn't help but be in awe of the destructive power that the bunny now possessed, even if it had attracted unwanted attention.

As I flew back home, I continued my research on unsuspecting creatures. I experimented on various critters with different abilities, imbuing them with increased strength, agility, and durability. As the experiments progressed, my focus turned to imbue spells into these creatures. After several trials and errors, I finally succeeded in imbuing the same runic script as my armor into another rabbit. I was pleased with the outcome of my research and decided to continue my journey home.

After leaving the last bunny's behind, I continued my leisurely flight back home. Despite having the option to use [Blink] or [Flame Travel] to arrive home instantaneously, the sensation of the wind flowing through my hair felt too invigorating to give up so soon. As I soared through the skies, I found it hilarious that the critters I had recently enchanted could now be considered the mightiest creatures in this world. Thankfully, they won't terrorize the population for long. The mana I invested in the enchantments should last only a few days or a week at best.

When I arrived in Orario, it was already late, but the city was still in chaos. The people, now without falna and weakened, were stunned by the recent events. However, many of them managed to pull themselves together and began organizing rescue operations, which unsurprisingly were being led by the remaining members of the Loki familia. After learning about Freya's death, their expedition to the lower floors was cut short and their executives were called back. Luckily, they managed to exit the dungeon just a day before it collapsed.

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind: "Should I offer my help?" My [Seed of Divinity] and [Spec of Divinity] skills allowed me to gather divine energies, but the process required people to worship, revere, or fear me, and this was a perfect opportunity to test it out.

After connecting with Olive using [Link], I simply said "Don't panic." before abruptly cutting off the connection. Despite her multiple attempts to reconnect and inquire about my intentions, I decided to keep her in suspense.

Ascending high into the sky, I headed straight for the city's central point where the fifty-story tower once stood. Upon arriving, I unleashed my full might, shifting my race to that of Renard and boosting my total mana and regeneration by 22.5% and 45% respectively. As [Mana's Blessing] activated, my attributes doubled instantly, although I sensed that after my tier evolution, this wasn't my limit anymore.

My total mana soared to an all-time high of 5.9 million points, with my regeneration rate now at half a million per second. As I emitted an enormous amount of mana, the atmosphere around me vaporized, creating a deafening sound. In the darkness of the night sky, my figure shone like a bright star, illuminating the city below. The citizens began to panic, and I could feel the divine energy accumulating within me. With each point of divinity, I felt my power grow even stronger, causing a grin to spread across my face.

With a deep breath, I activated the skill [Illusion Creation]. I focused intently, carefully shaping the illusion around me with precision and care. The first thing I created was a swirling vortex of light, which I decorated with bolts of lightning, just to add a bit of show.

Next, I gradually transformed the vortex of light into a stunning image of a towering angel, standing a staggering fifty feet tall. I took great care in crafting the illusion, ensuring that every detail was perfect. The angel had twelve beautiful white wings, each one glinting brilliantly in the light. It bore my own face and was clad in a magnificent suit of golden armor. In its hand, it held a gleaming lance of purest light. Finally, over its head, a large golden halo appeared, radiating out a holy light.

[IMG]

As I surveyed my handiwork, I felt a rush of power surge through my body. The divinity within me spiked dramatically, and I could sense that the creatures below were beginning to feel a deep sense of awe and fear at the sight of me.

"Silence" The power of my voice, enhanced by the skills [Siren's Voice], [Sonic Attack], and [Phoenix Song], echoed through the world with effortless ease. The very air seemed to tremble and warp under the weight of my words until finally, all was still.

With a deep breath, I activated [Focus], and called upon the aid of [Archive] to begin weaving a new spell. Millions upon millions of points of mana flowed into the incantation, and as I worked, nine massive circles began to form in the sky over the city. As the spell slowly condensed, it began to consume massive amounts of mana from the world itself, drawing it in from the surrounding area. The air crackled with energy, and the ground trembled as the spell grew stronger. I could feel the raw power coursing through it, and I knew that once the spell was complete, the availability of mana in the world would drop by a few percent.

Despite the cost, I continued to pour more mana into the spell, focusing on maintaining its integrity and ensuring its success. Sweat dripped down my face as I concentrated, my mind locked in a state of intense focus. The world around me seemed to fade away as I poured all my energy into the spell, willing it to succeed.

As I weaved the spell, I felt a new surge of divinity coursing through me, [Speck of Divinity] and [Seed of Divinity] within me began to thrum with newfound energy. I carefully channeled every last bit of my minuscule divine power into the spell and watched with satisfaction as the once-blue hue of the incantation began to shift and shimmer, transforming into a brilliant, radiant gold.

The power of my spell was undeniable, and I knew that this would be a moment that the world would never forget. With the last of the temporal runes set, the spell finally clicked into place, and I made my announcement to the world with a casual wave of my lance.

"Grand Restore."

[Skill: [Divine Empowerment] unlocked]

The very fabric of the world quaked in protest as I unleashed my spell. Golden chains materialized above me, a clear sign that my actions were violating the very laws of the world. But I had foreseen this, and I knew that I could not let such minor details stand in the way of my grand plan.

A golden bubble shimmered into existence around the town, a barrier that cut it off from the rest of the world. Within the bubble, time seemed to speed up at an incredible rate, while the movements of the chains outside of the bubble slowed to a snail's pace.

A brilliant light erupted forth, bathing the town in a warm, golden glow. The very air thrummed with the power of the spell, as it set about restoring the town to its former glory. As a movie played backwards, buildings that had crumbled to dust were rebuilt, piece by piece. The ground mended itself, sealing the hole shut and the tower rose from its ruins, restored to its former glory. Souls were pulled back from the great cycle of reincarnation and placed back into their own bodies, healed and whole once more.

Injuries that had moments before appeared life-threatening began to close up in a blink of an eye. Cuts and gashes on skin sealed shut, bones that were once shattered and broken realigned and mended seamlessly, and organs that had ceased to function began to work again. The people of the town who moments before were in agony, now stood up with a look of shock and amazement on their faces as they realized they were completely healed.

However, the gods and the dungeon remained as they were, their divine presence and danger forever barred from the land of mortals.

As the golden light of the spell began to fade, and the world outside the bubble continued to move at a crawl, I gazed out at the town that had been restored to its former glory. With a sense of determination, I equipped my [Agent of Change] title and I spoke to the world at large, my voice echoing across the bubble.

"Welcome to the Era of Man," I declared, my voice filled with conviction. "No longer shall you be at the mercy of the gods and goddesses. From now on you are the masters of our own fate, and you will not allow yourselves to be at the mercy of those who would use you as pawns in their never-ending games. Tread forward with new resolve, as a new world awaits you."

As my words echoed throughout the bubble, I could feel the weight of history shifting beneath me. The world was changing, and I was the one at the forefront of that change. The people of the town looked up at me with awe and wonder, kneeling and praying to me, and I felt the divinity in me reach new heights. I could feel the power of the spell slowly dissipating, and I knew that the bubble would soon be gone, but the impact of my actions would be felt for years to come.

I release all of my activated skills and disappear from the night sky, leaving behind a subtle golden aura that gradually faded away. The world rumbled, as if annoyed, and the golden chains pulled back without being able to accomplish their task. I smile at that sight and utilize the [Flame Travel] ability, then I reappear in my backyard, where Olivia and the girls had been standing, engrossed in the spectacle for quite some time.

With a playful grin, I ask, "Well, what do you think of my performance?" Their jaws hang open in disbelief, and they don't respond verbally. Instead, they rush over to me and envelop me in a group hug, their emotions overflowing with excitement and wonder.

Olivia pulls up to my ear and with a husky tone whispers. "You're getting a reward for this."

As my smile widens, I realize that sometimes it's worth being the good guy, even if my actions weren't entirely selfless. Although I felt exhausted from the long day, I knew I couldn't leave this world just yet, as I had made a promise to Olivia. So addressing two teenagers, I explain, "I'm not sure if Olivia has mentioned it, but we'll be leaving soon. Before we go, though, I have a little gift for you. Let's head inside, it won't take long."

Once we returned to the living room, I instructed the girls to uncover their backs, causing them to blush and shy away. Olivia gave me a disapproving glare, but I simply rolled my eyes and transmitted my new title's information to her. It took her only a moment to realize what I had planned, her eyes went wide and she swiftly helped the girls undress. With that, I re-equipped my [Rune Master: DanMachi] title and mounted the blushing Haruhime back.

Carving the runes onto her back only took a few minutes, despite her moaning, ragged breaths, and spasms as my mana and divine energy entered her body, slowing the process down. Lily was more manageable, and in an effort to remain quiet, she bit her lips and buried her face in a pillow.

Once I completed the enchantment process, I allowed the girls to put on their clothes. Although they were both extremely embarrassed, as was Olivia after watching the process, I ignored their discomfort and addressed the room.

"You may already feel it, but I've added a new tattoo to your back, let's call it Falna 2.0," I announced, receiving nods from the people around me. "The energy I invested in it will keep it active for about two centuries, so you don't have to worry about losing it. Now, let's talk about what it does."

Using [Illusion Creation], I displayed an image of the segmented enchantment. "Each of these runes," I said, pointing to the sides of the hexagon, "represents strength, durability, agility, and mana, with the last two being special ones." I paused, waiting for questions, but receiving none, I continued. "By inserting mana into any of those segments, you can increase your speed, strength, or durability, and for the mana one, you can draw out mana, creating an additional reservoir that will fill up over time on its own. Depending on how much mana you put into those runes, your strength, durability, or speed will increase proportionally. Keep in mind that you'll need to raise both strength and durability, or agility and durability, to avoid accidentally injuring yourself. Understood?" I received nods all around, so I continued my explanation.

"The hexagon has a passive spell on its bottom that prevents sickness and enhances physical regeneration. It also has a defensive enchantment that activates automatically when your life is in danger. On the top of the hexagon, there is a spell with a pocket dimension that can store items. You can insert mana into the hexagon and think about storing an item, your hand is touching and it will be deposited into it. To retrieve it you insert mana into that part of the hexagon and think of the item, it will appear in your hands. The top also houses the [Link] spell that enables telepathic communication with anyone in the world by imagining their face and inserting mana into it. Lastly, I created a similar skill to my [Celestial Eyes] and placed it on the top of the hexagon, the spell will scan everything in a kilometer radius and inform you about enemies or dangers around you. It's a watered-down version of the original, but it will serve you pretty well." The shocked look on all three of their faces was worth both the research on the poor critters and the invested divine energy.

We remained in this realm for a few additional days to provide emotional support to the girls, help them acclimate to their newfound abilities, and allow me to finish and duplicate the Runic Index. This effort also had a positive impact on Olivia's emotional well-being, as before she was not in the best place. Once we had accomplished all of these tasks, we assembled in the living room where I distributed their books and converted 17,442 UC, bringing our wallet down to a total of 200,000. I gave each of the girls more than 300 million Valis, causing their eyes to almost pop out of their heads when they saw the immense wealth they were about to receive. However, despite the large sum, it only amounted to approximately one million dollars.

"Don't use it up all at once, it might seem like a lot, but it would be smart to invest it into something. I suggest farming especially now that people will need to learn how to live their lives without the help of falna, and food might be scarce at the start without Demeter. Additionally, the house is rented and paid for, for the next year. You can stay here if you want." After receiving an understanding nod from the two tearing up girls, I move towards Olive and say. "So with all of that out of the way, we'll see each other girls. We'll come by to check up on you, but take care of yourselves."

Despite my attempts to avoid it, I was unable to escape the emotional goodbyes, tearful hugs, and snot-covered shirt. I placated the girls with a kiss on the cheek, hugs, and head pats before grabbing onto Olivia's hand and [Blink]in us to a safe location far away from Orario, and shouting "Eject".

{Total Extraction Price: 2,219 WP} [Accept?]

'Yes.'

{Items extracted 2,219 WP deduced from your account.}

{No other foreign items detected}

{Ejection commencing.}

{05:00}

{04:59}

{04:58}

.

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{00:02}

{00:01}

With a touch of sarcasm, I exclaim, "Home sweet home," and Olivia responds with a snort of agreement. Judging from her expression, she seems down with our departure, but I'll address that later.

"Hi, Index it's good to see you again!" I greeted the golden book.

{Welcome back Andrew and Olivia. I hope your journey was enjoyable and fruitful.}

"Hi, Index." Olivia awkwardly waves at Index, who responds with a friendly gesture by flipping its pages back and forth, in an attempt at waving back.

"You bet it was!" I answer.

Index replies with a simple, {Good to hear.} indicating that the conversation has come to an end.

I turn to Olivia, who's looking up at me with inquisitive eyes and pulling on my sleeve. "So what are our plans from now on?" She asks.

"Go to our room, clean up, change clothes, and go get something to eat? After that decide on the system upgrades we're getting."

"Sure." Despite Olivia's nonchalant response, I sense a tinge of sadness in her about leaving DanMachi behind so hastily.

"You can visit them, whenever you want," I said patting her head.

A small smile appears on her face and she asks. "Really?"

"Yeah," I say and we head upstairs. Our room was just as we left it, my trunk stood right in the middle of the room and I couldn't hold myself back. I practically blinked to its side and hugged it.

"I missed you so much, little guy!" Olivia giggle next to me pulling me out of my heartfelt reunion, and a pout formed on my face. "Don't interrupt a man and his trunk!" I said, before opening the top and walking inside. We took a bath and changed outfits to something more comfortable, then visited the Restaurant. After some chatting, 35 WP, and an extensive meal with only the two of us in an empty restaurant, we head back to the room.

[Divine Empowerment LVL: N/A]

- Allows the empowerment of skills, abilities, or spells with divine energy, increasing their effects by a full tier.

As we lay on the bed I gave my latest skill a quick glance and then turned to Olive and suggested, "Let's see what new systems we can get. We have 102,856 WP to spend." Some of my ideas were quickly dismissed for good reasons, and we spent the next two hours debating on what to get, before deciding to sleep on it.