Elsewhere in the city, another familia was undergoing a rather sizable waiting line for their status updates, though this familia had decided on a first come, first served basis. The waiting line was filled with a rather interesting spread of individuals…
Among this line, the level ones in the familia who'd had their first ever expedition this time, despite knowing what was told to them, were incredibly nervous about whether or not it was true… would they really level up from something like that.
"Hey there newbie, what's got you looking like an elephant without a mother?" A man asked one of the timid members in the line.
The one who'd been addressed was a young man, still a boy by every measure, just a boy who'd now lived through the hell of Evilus, and now seen unspeakable horrors deep in the dungeon. His gaze started shifting to the source of the voice, looking up as he did, the form of the one who'd spoken slowly revealing themselves to his eyes. The armor gave him away immediately, it was Hashana, the most powerful man in the familia…
This boy fully expected to gaze upon the stoic and strong willed man who'd seen so much, and done even more. However, instead he saw the young son, now around 3 years old sitting upon his papa's shoulders, and then two babies, one in each arm… the first another son with a light tan, then a daughter who was obviously Ilta's baby, both were born less than 2 months before the expedition.
"I- I…" the boy's voice tried to come out but failed, then he remembered staring down the hellish monster down there in the dungeon, and recovered his voice on his own. "I'm worried I won't level up. I know we only came back because everyone should level up, but I just…"
Hashana laughed so hard he would have stumbled if he'd been a weaker man, and his kids laughed when they saw their papa laughing, the two babies on the other hand were giggling.
"You don't have anything to worry about. If my brother-in-law says you've earned it, you definitely have. He would never lead anyone astray like that. Even before he grew to level 10, he could just sort of tell. Now though, there is no reason to doubt him, since he can see the very souls and status of others now." He laughed intermittently while explaining. "In any case, you have nothing to worry about, I can confirm you've earned the right to level up. Don't worry about it and relax. Focus on what else you want to do, and how to continue improving yourself. Do that, and nothing can stop you."
With the advice given, Hashana smiled and then left to do his own thing… which amounted to being a papa for his kids, while simultaneously hoping for maybe another…
…
The city continued preparing, many people deciding to celebrate the return of the expedition squad. They too had things to cheer for as well, who wouldn't be happy to see a successful expedition into the dungeon. It was a feeling so deep in the city's people now, there were always going to be parties through the streets.
…
In Hephaestus familia, their goddess finished updating many statuses, each and every one of them had leveled up from this, just like how he said they would. Though, being they weren't strictly combatants, many would have their status updated now, let them get used to the power, and then get another update for their level up.
"Tsubaki, you're level 7 now." Hephaestus mentioned, casually sitting in her chair. "Tell me, do you plan on having another child with Leon? Or will you wait?"
"The School District will be returning to the city soon, right?"
"Yes, so you need to make your choices now. I suspect Leon will be making a choice soon as well." She paused and then sighed. "That aside, have you finished with that thing you wanted to make?"
"It is quite the stubborn material. It makes me wonder how strong Origin Wolf truly is… I mean, he broke the creature it came from like it was nothing. Even used the thing, as if it were a giant whip. I've managed to get as far as making it budge. I've got to give it another shot before I can say anything more about it."
"Good, don't lose heart, because when it comes to that material, I get the feeling he's got plenty more interesting materials to work with. I'm excited to see what he'll sell us in the future." She replied, gently touching the right side of her face. "We've already seen some good things come from him… anyway, that's enough talking for now, I don't want to keep you from forging your lover's new sword any longer than I have to."
"Thank you for everything, Lady Hephaestus. I won't lose heart, I plan on letting our little girl add her own little touch to the sword so she'll always be with her father. He'll need it if he leaves the city. To keep those unruly ones in line." Tsubaki said and then left her goddess alone, heading to her forge with a new degree of strength, her spirit was high.
Hephaestus sighed, and entered her special forge, where a chunk of the same material Tsubaki had been trying to forge sat in plain sight upon a work table.
"It really isn't easy to forge Leviathan's Blue Fang, a truly stubborn material. But this is perfect, proof that she's getting there. She is improving her own abilities in ways other than sole reliance on the falna." She spoke to herself, placing a hand on the material in front of her. "I'll forge you into something more, something better than you were. I would forge him replacements, but I get the feeling that, he won't need it…" She smiled, then noticed the still mostly shattered pieces Shurry had all but turned to dust. The smile turned to tears. "He really is the greatest bane of blacksmiths."
…