Chapter 13: The Second Week – Ranks, Riches, and New Horizons
The first week had been proof that survival was possible. The second week would be proof that real progress was within reach. Driven by the previous day's gains and the unparalleled security of his new armor, Hikigaya Hachiman plunged into an even more intense training regimen. The routine was spartan: wake up at first light, disentangle himself from a sleepy Aqua, swallow a quick meal, and head to the Dungeon, only returning at nightfall, exhausted but loaded with spoils.
The first two days were dedicated to total immersion on the sixth floor. He was no longer just reacting to War Shadows and Frog Shooters; he was actively hunting them, learning to anticipate their movements, to exploit their weaknesses. Hephaestus's armor absorbed the blows that got through, giving him the confidence to refine his own techniques – how to use his projected sword, the timing of reinforcement with Trace On, the strategic use of the floor's verdant terrain. He was turning danger into experience, solidifying his mastery over that level.
Then, over the next five days, he pushed forward. The seventh floor tested him with the swarming tactics and corrosive acid of the Killer Ants. The eighth floor challenged him with the debilitating powder and erratic flight of the Purple Moths. And finally, the ninth floor demanded quick reflexes to handle the speed and projectiles of the Needle Rabbits and the deceptive beauty of the Blue Papilios. The initial adaptation was, as expected, difficult. The monsters were stronger, faster, and employed more complex tactics than anything he had faced before. The corridors seemed more treacherous, the ambushes more frequent.
It was on these deeper floors that Hephaestus's gift proved its invaluable worth. 'Without this armor, I'd be dead. Or at least seriously injured every day,' Hachiman concluded on more than one occasion, as he wiped monster remains from a greave or saw a deep scratch on the breastplate where a Killer Ant's claw or a Needle Rabbit's spine had been stopped. The almost impenetrable protection (by the standards of those floors) allowed him to be bolder. He could afford to take a hit to create an opening, he could face larger groups than he would have dared before, he could focus on learning enemy patterns without the constant fear of a disabling injury. The armor didn't make him invincible, but it gave him the margin for error needed to survive, learn, and crucially, hunt much more.
His daily routine was a tiring but highly productive cycle. Hours in the Dungeon fighting increasingly difficult monsters, maximizing 'A Loner's Protection' with intense focus on surviving and winning -> Dragging himself to the Guild at dusk, each day with a heavier bag of higher quality magic stones -> Exchanging the spoils with Misha at the counter (he noticed her glances becoming slightly more surprised each day at the quantity and quality a solo Level 1 was bringing in) -> Receiving increasingly large amounts of Valis -> Returning home, handing over a significant portion to Aqua (who, with more abundant funds, was becoming surprisingly efficient at keeping the pantry stocked and even made some minor improvements to the hovel) -> Quick cleanup, meal, status update, and collapse onto the mattress to repeat it all.
On the evening of the seventh day of this second week, Hachiman sat on the floor of the hovel, feeling an exhaustion that penetrated to his bones, but also a sense of accomplishment. He had brought in the last haul of Valis for the week. Doing the math, even after deducting the growing costs of food (Aqua insisted on better ingredients now), additional house repairs, and perhaps some cheap healing potions he started carrying as a precaution, the gross total he had farmed that week was impressive. 'Two hundred fifty thousand Valis... in seven days.' It was almost ten times what he had made in the entire previous week. The difference was absurd and owed almost entirely to the armor and his ability to hunt efficiently on floors 7 through 9.
"Aqua, update," he asked, his voice hoarse with fatigue.
Aqua, who was happily counting some coins he had given her for 'personal expenses', approached and performed the ritual. The blue light shone, updating the Falna on his back. Hachiman picked up his makeshift mirror, eager and a little nervous to see the numerical results of that brutal week.
Hikigaya Hachiman Level: 1 (Initial Status of the Week: Str:H-178, End:H-193, Dex:H-158, Agi:H-170, Mag:G-305)
Strength: F-338 (Gain of +160) Endurance: F-363 (Gain of +170) Dexterity: F-303 (Gain of +145) Agility: F-325 (Gain of +155) Magic: D-555 (Gain of +250)
Magic:
[Unlimited Blade Works] (Hidden) Skill:
[A Loner's Protection] (Hidden) Development Ability:
[Blacksmith: I]
Hachiman stared at the numbers, then checked the Rank letters. 'F... F in all basic stats. I broke through the entire G Rank in one week.' Endurance was at the top of Rank F, close to E. Dexterity and Agility had also broken the 300-point barrier. Gains were between 145 and 170 points in each basic attribute, a direct result of the constant fight against stronger monsters. But the most impressive was Magic. 'D-555'. He had gained exactly 250 points, completely crossing Rank F and solidly entering Rank D. 'All this still at Level 1.'
A wave of genuine satisfaction washed over him, chasing away some of the fatigue. He was content. The monumental effort had been worth it. The progress was undeniable and rapid, much faster than he would have dared to expect. 'The combination of the Skill, Trace On, and the armor... is working really well.' He felt the real strength in his muscles, the endurance that allowed him to fight longer, the magic pulsing with more vigor.
He mentally prepared for the next day. With stats in Rank F and D, perhaps it was time to think about going even deeper. Or maybe... maybe it was time to consider the possibility of leveling up. He still didn't know what the exact trigger was, but he felt that at this rate, it shouldn't be too far off. The journey was long, but he was advancing by leaps and bounds.