Keyaru's memory wasn't bad. The moment he heard the girl's bright voice, he could guess who it was without turning around.
Syr.
Orario's biggest walking landmine.
He didn't make a show of keeping his distance—moving weird would only attract attention. He turned and saw a gray-haired girl in the Hostess of Fertility leaf-green maid uniform and a white lace headband.
Setting her "identity" aside, Syr's looks were top tier—fresh, gentle, a little mischievous, like the girl next door. If you didn't know how DanMachi's setting worked, it'd be easy to let the little head do the thinking. There's a reason she's the poster girl.
Keyaru kept it casual. "Morning. Isn't that my line? You're on shift this early?"
"Can't be helped." She smiled, eyes curving like crescent moons. "Lots of ingredients need prep. Anyway, it's not like the restaurant's more dangerous than an adventurer's day."
At the same time she quietly sized him up. The pale gray in her eyes seemed to pierce right through. The moment she sensed that hint of gloom and murk, most of her interest evaporated.
"I won't keep you then, adventurer. If I'm late Mama Mia will scold me again. If you celebrate sometime, remember to pick our place~"
…
Keyaru watched her quick, light steps as she left, and felt his guard ease. The reason for the caution was simple: right now he didn't have the power to resist the beauty goddess Freya's temptations.
In the original: to recruit Bell, whose soul shone pure white, she was willing to charm all of Orario—and later even launched a War Game. A god like that is impossible to predict.
So he'd avoid contact as much as possible. He tossed the clutter of thoughts aside and got back to the day's main quest.
Dungeon run.
First, though, lunch supplies.
"Keep it simple."
Whole-wheat bread was cheap but hard to choke down—the dark, heavy look of it killed his appetite. After a quick scan, he bought a pre-made chicken stir-fried pasta. He packed it into the cloth sack on his back and followed the growing stream of adventurers toward Babel in the central plaza.
The Ganesha Familia guards were keeping order. No Liliruca dogging him today; after a short line he reached the spiral down to the Beginning Road.
"Before I go in—today's goals."
"Stats first—how many casts of 'Heal' I can afford hinges on that. Secondary: develop derivative abilities."
Focusing on derivatives would slow floor progress a bit. But early development means early payoff; "Transformation" and "Corruption" could advance together. The first he'd grope toward by trial and error.
As for "Corruption"—
The only testbed that came to mind was the Dungeon, and the targets wouldn't be people but monsters—enemies by definition. Human trials in Orario? If that ever got out, never mind his own fate—Hestia would be dragged down with him.
"Monsters are perfect…"
As long as he restrained them, they were ready-made test material.
With that settled, Keyaru moved quickly through the starter floor and onto Floor 1. Thanks to yesterday's first dive, he'd acclimated to the layout. Unlike others, he didn't rush deeper. He wanted weak, controllable monsters first.
Goblins came to mind—feeble, easy to kill. Outside the Dungeon they were straight pests.
Using that kind of consumable for experiments? Double the payoff.
Lantern fruit glowed faintly on the walls. In the dim light, hearing mattered most. He kept moving until a faint patter of footsteps reached him from ahead. That wasn't the tread of an adventurer. He drew his short sword.
Just as he expected—several low, green figures with spiked clubs emerged from the dark.
"Not bad."
His gaze stayed even. He didn't need them all for "materials"—the Dungeon would supply plenty more. He readied himself. From a bow step he coiled and sprang; after a few status updates his speed was on par with a sprinter in his old world. In a burst he closed ten meters and hit the pack.
With technique etched into muscle memory, he moved with ease even under a swarm. Each swing went for a vital; the keen edge lopped heads clean. Even when they struck back, he answered in the shortest beat and cut every goblin down. Then he looked to the last one—a lone straggler with a club who suddenly wanted to run.
"You."
He had no softness for monsters on the other side—and he wasn't into cruelty for cruelty's sake either. He had the "feel" of the short sword now; the blade felt like an extension of his body. Each cut sheared into goblin flesh—but he stopped short of a killing stroke.
In the end—
He looked down at the goblin on the ground, limbs severed, a quivering stump. Holding back his disgust at the stench, he crouched as the goblin snapped at him, feral rage flaring—then ignored it and thought about how to deploy "Corruption."
In modern terms: use a different kind of energy to inflict irreversible damage to an enemy's organs.
"I get the theory."
"So how do I actually do it?"
The Redo of Healer's kit was already odd in DanMachi—and there wasn't exactly a manual for "Corruption" here. Keyaru frowned. Then, staring at the goblin sprawled on the floor, a bold idea took hold.
Hypothesis:
If he kept compressing Heal's energy, could the instant of release rip the target's cells apart?
"Screw it—let's try."