"This skill really is absurd."
Loki couldn't help recalling the moment Tsunayoshi Sawada had fallen from the sky—a literal crash landing from another world, right before her eyes.
To think that ability belonged to one of the beasts created by that skill… it made even a goddess like her feel her worldview shifting.
"He's got way more secrets than I thought," she murmured, watching the faint glow fade from his back. "And the weight behind them's way heavier than I expected."
"The power in him isn't something granted by Falna—it existed before he ever received it. The Falna just turned it into visible data."
For an ordinary person, a Falna was a massive blessing. For someone talented, it made their potential manifest early. But for a person who'd already realized that potential, it simply quantified what was already there.
The first two types were common enough. The third? In all her time walking the lower world, Loki had only ever seen one case—Tsunayoshi Sawada.
Add to that the fact that he was an otherworlder with who-knew-how-many hidden powers, and it wasn't hard to see why Loki's interest in him was anything but ordinary.
She patted his bare back lightly. "All done. You can put your clothes back on now."
"Oh."
Tsuna quickly slipped his shirt back on. He had no idea what Loki had just done. All he'd seen was a flash of bright light behind him, but he hadn't felt anything strange—no physical change, no mental shift.
It was weird. He'd expected a contract to at least feel binding somehow.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a hand clapped him on the back.
"Still thinking about whether the contract's gonna restrict you?"
"…Yeah. I figured there'd be some kind of limitation. But I can't feel anything at all."
"Of course you can't. You think I'd let you notice it that easily?"
"Eh?"
Tsuna blinked in surprise.
"Wait, Miss Loki—you said this was a contract. Aren't contracts supposed to have restrictions?"
"I said it was a contract, and you actually believed me?"
"Yeah."
Loki stared at him, then groaned under her breath. She'd been joking, but he'd taken her words at face value.
This kid really didn't have much guile, did he? Loki sighed softly.
"Fine, let me explain properly. What we formed just now is a kind of contract—but more accurately, it's a Falna. It's the divine blessing gods give to mortals, meant to guide and awaken their hidden potential. Those who receive it stop being ordinary and become members of a Familia."
"So this Falna… it's basically a guiding force?"
"Exactly."
Loki smiled, pleased that he caught on quickly.
"Falna helps mortals grow faster. For those who can't awaken their talent on their own, it acts like a divine booster. It also lets ordinary people turn their potential into numbers they can actually see."
"As long as they keep working hard, they'll grow stronger. And once they see that growth, it pushes them to work even harder. That's what Falna does."
Quantifying one's abilities—now that was a powerful concept. Tsuna could see why it was considered such a gift.
Ordinary people could never compare to geniuses in raw talent, but Falna gave them a way to close the gap. That alone made it an incredible system.
He'd never believed the world was fair to begin with.
It was obvious—life wasn't equal. Talent, birth, and social status were all unfair advantages. That was the reality of existence.
But Falna… Falna could bridge that gap. In its own way, it was a miracle of balance.
Still, the word nagged at him. Falna… why does that sound so familiar?
It wasn't from here. He was sure he'd heard it somewhere else before—but no matter how hard he tried, the memory wouldn't surface.
Later. I'll think about it later. Tsuna shook his head, pushing the thought aside.
"Anyway," Loki said, stretching. "We'll talk more once we're out of here. I'm meeting with Finn and the others soon—you're coming too."
"Me?"
"Of course. You're the main topic. How am I supposed to explain everything without you there? Besides, you're our Familia's new key player. You'll need to show them what you can do if you want those resources you asked for."
Tsuna nodded slightly. That part made sense.
"All right, don't turn around yet. I need to get changed."
He heard her footsteps retreat behind him, and only then did his tense shoulders finally relax.
Finally gone.
He'd been stiff the whole time—kind of hard not to be, considering he'd literally fallen from the sky, seen her naked, and then held a full conversation afterward.
Well, that confirms it—Loki definitely isn't a normal woman.
That Falna thing isn't normal either. No ordinary person could bestow something like that. It must be tied to her divine status.
And she said I'm key to her Familia's future… yeah. No matter the world, you've gotta prove your worth if you want real support.
Nothing surprising there.
Still, information about this world's limited. I'll have to pay close attention at that meeting with Loki and Finn.
He took a deep breath, mentally piecing together the chaotic threads of his situation.
Getting home wasn't the priority right now.
He knew he wouldn't find a way back anytime soon—it was a long-term goal.
What mattered was how to achieve his short-term ones along the way.
Learning about this world. Understanding his current circumstances. Using the resources Loki provided to strengthen himself.
That was his small goal—the first step on the road home.
And the first thing I need to figure out… is the Loki Familia itself.