The blacksmith girl had immense strength her hand slammed down so hard the table thudded loudly.
But seeing her puffed-up expression like a wife whose husband had run off with someone else Shaka didn't know what to say.
"I was here first! If anyone is joining the familia, Its gotta be me first!" Cecil stated
For two years, Cecil had worked toward becoming the strongest blacksmith, resisting Astraea's persuasion until Shaka, a rival, appeared. That's when she finally wavered.
She had long since been won over by Astraea's character and was willing to work for the goddess's wish. Even if "justice" had nothing to do with being a blacksmith.
Astraea hadn't expected Shaka's arrival to change Cecil. She clasped her hands and smiled:
"That's wonderful! Then you and this…"
"Shaka."
"…Shaka-chan can join together, right today."
The goddess's smile was enchanting, like spring flowers blooming slowly. Truly a god… so beautiful!
But the girl still had her hands on her hips, turned away from Shaka, and muttered:
"I was here first! Whether it's being invited, or taking care of Lady Astraea!"
So? Shaka was confused.
"So… the captain of the new Astraea Familia has to be me! Got it?!" Cecil suddenly leaned down, pointing a finger in front of his face.
But you're a blacksmith… Shaka didn't understand her obsession, but he didn't care about the title. He held out his hand readily. "Deal."
--------------
Soon after.
Cecil walked out of the back room with a proud grin, her chin held high:
"Your turn."
"You seem in a good mood," Shaka said. "Awaken a good skill?"
"Hehe, secret! Remember call me Captain from now on!" Cecil beamed.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm going in now."
Cutting off the pouting girl's self-satisfaction, Shaka pushed the door open.
Astraea was already sitting by the window. She patted the sheet gently. "Take your shirt off."
You sound like a wife guiding her husband on their wedding night… Shaka knew she needed to drip divine blood onto his back, so he didn't object. "Ahem. Alright."
After lying down shirtless, Astraea asked casually, as if in passing:
"Even though you joined because of the 'Stars,' and I know your true intention, there's still one question I want to ask."
"What is it?" Shaka looked up into her eyes.
"What does 'justice' mean to you?"
Before inscribing the Wings of Justice, Astraea still wanted to know his thoughts even if his dream was about the "Stars."
Shaka was silent, hesitating for a long time. Finally, he buried his face in the pillow as if giving up, his voice muffled:
"I don't know. Justice is different for everyone, right? To be honest, I've never thought about it much."
As an "ordinary" high school student, there had been very little "evil" around him and thus very little "justice" to oppose it. If there was any, it was just small things like school bullying.
For example…
In elementary school, he'd beaten up boys who teased Shoko Nishimiya, fished Menma out of the river when she fell in, and kept in touch with Konno Yuuki after she was forced to drop out due to her incomplete immune system disease…
But…
That's not justice in the general sense!
"To me… a harem! That's a man's justice! I want everyone to become my wings and live happily!"
Hiding under the covers, his voice was firm as if he'd embraced the embarrassment. The ears sticking out were bright red, as if painful memories were flooding back.
Yes, elementary school Shaka had been obsessed with harem fantasies, trying to win over girls' hearts.
But now…
He twisted his body like a creature whose cringey past had been exposed. So embarrassing, so embarrassing, so embarrassing!
But it wasn't his first social death and this was probably normal in front of gods. Soon, he calmed down and peeked out from behind the pillow.
A gentle smile was on Astraea's face.
"Justice… is as numerous as the stars in the sky. There was once a child who said beauty is justice too. A harem… it's not very proper, but it passes, I suppose."
In her heart, Shaka's image overlapped with her late captain. If that child had been a boy, he might have also sought a "harem" or perhaps he would have already achieved it.
"Hey, Shaka-chan… did you choose me because you see me as someone to court too?"
Suddenly, she stroked his head, teasing him. When his face turned bright red like a treasure she'd found she slowly dripped her divine blood onto his back.
A white light burst forth, and the "Falna" composed of sacred characters was inscribed by the goddess. This is Falna: the ability to manifest physical data, allowing the host to break through body and soul limits and elevate their "vessel."
Compared to other powers, this growth was slow but it was an improvement in "talent." In a xianxia world, this would be transforming one's spiritual root; in DanMachi terms, raising one's Level drew humans infinitely closer to gods.
The gods of DanMachi were "weak," but their lifespans were hundreds of millions of years. For Shaka's wish of a "harem," that was more than enough.
As Astraea laid a parchment on his back, the sacred-character stats were translated into common language and handed to him. Looking at the complex modified English…
You might as well have given me the sacred characters at least those feel like a dialect of my old world, he thought.
After a while, he translated his own stats:
Shaka
LV.1
Strength: 10 | Endurance: 10 | Dexterity: 10 | Agility: 10 | Magic: 10
Magic
[Descent] Gate Master
- Space, summoning, and construction magic.
- Consumes mental energy to temporarily open a spatial rift, summoning objects/creatures briefly via a medium.
- Gate size depends on magic consumed.
- Can permanently consumeother stats for permanent summoning.
Incantation: "Foundation of the world, end of time and space—dual fortune is inevitable. Shine, heroes of all realms! Hear the Descendant's call! Stars, gather here!"
Counter-Incantation: "The world has rejected me."
Skills
[Mystery Longing]
- Advanced mastery of mystery (proficiency increases faster for mystery-related abilities).
- Qualifies for the developmental abilities
[Mystery].
- [Mystery] proficiency receives bonus effects based on longing intensity and object.
[Wings of Justice]
- Inherits stats from fellow familia members.
- Inherited attributes depend on the other person's favorability.
- Inheritance range: 0%–50%