The Goddess suddenly turned and walked briskly toward a chest in the corner of the room. She unlocked it and took out a deep purple crystal—a tool used for testing Mana.
"I need to perform an actual test." Astraea handed the crystal over. "Just use your simplest spell. Anything will do."
Su Lun took the crystal; it was cold to the touch. After a moment's thought, he chose the most basic cantrip: Prestidigitation.
"Prestidigitation!"
With a single thought, Mana surged from within his body. The crystal instantly glowed with a soft white light. Su Lun's eyes widened slightly. This felt completely different from the D&D rules he knew. There were no material components, no complex gestures, and no need to connect to a "Weave." It felt as though as long as he "willed" it, spoke the name, and paid a bit of mental and magical energy, the spell was complete.
Astraea observed closely. "The consumption is very low, but the effect is certainly there. Now, try using that 'Metamagic' you mentioned to enhance it."
Su Lun shifted his intent again, applying Empower Spell. The light suddenly brightened, becoming more than fifty percent stronger than before.
"Incredible," Astraea whispered. "To increase a spell's power in this world, one must either raise their Magic stat, develop a new spell, or spend a long time chanting to accumulate energy. What you just did... it's a completely different matter."
She set the crystal down and picked up the parchment again, her gaze lingering on the line: Cannot be fully negated by conventional magic resistance.
"Many monsters in the Dungeon have resistances," the Goddess explained. "Especially those in the deeper floors—some are even completely immune to certain attributes. But if this description is true..."
She didn't finish the sentence, but Su Lun understood. Against enemies with high magic resistance, he would have a massive advantage. Astraea paused, a flash of realization in her eyes.
"Furthermore, as you Level up, the 'Otherworld Codex' will unlock more spells... This means your growth will be in tiers, rather than a smooth curve."
She carefully placed the parchment back on the table, folding her hands over her chest—a posture she assumed when deep in thought.
"Su Lun," her voice was gentle yet firm, "your potential may be higher than any adventurer in the history of Orario. At least among the absolute peak, having three skills, a complete foreign magic system, and two skills specifically designed to optimize it... 'Genius' isn't a strong enough word to describe you."
"But potential does not equal strength. Orario has seen too many fallen geniuses. No one has walked your path before, so there is no experience to draw from. Moreover, the more unique you are, the easier it is to become a target."
She began to pace back and forth.
"The Gods pursue 'entertainment,' and to them, you might be too interesting."
Su Lun nodded. "I understand. Until I am strong enough, I need to hide part of it."
"Not entirely," Astraea countered, shaking her head. "If you hide too deeply, you lose the chance to grow. A Familia needs resources, and resources are earned through performance. You must show enough talent to be valued, but not so much that you invite disaster."
"As for Metamagic and Multicasting," she continued, "do not use them in public for now. During internal Familia training, you can practice them as appropriate."
She walked back to the table and began writing rapidly. "Based on your traits, I've set a preliminary plan for you. First, familiarize yourself with your spells—focus on those suitable for daily life and auxiliary combat. Second, pick a few reliable spells as your mains; considering the Dungeon environment, prioritize direct damage, crowd control, or protection. Simultaneously, you must begin physical training. A Mage like you is most vulnerable when an enemy gets in your face."
Finishing, she handed the plan to Su Lun. "Finally, and most importantly, gain Excelia as quickly as possible. Starting tomorrow, I will have the seniors in the Familia take you to train, familiarize you with combat, and accumulate experience."
Su Lun took the plan. It was packed: morning drills, magic training, theoretical research... He had a strange feeling. Normally, most Gods in Danmachi didn't really get involved in the nitty-gritty, but the Goddess before him was taking full responsibility for him. It gave him a sense of déjà vu, like being back in high school with a dedicated homeroom teacher.
"Lady Astraea," Su Lun looked up, "you seem to have accepted all this remarkably quickly."
The Goddess smiled, seeming slightly amused by his question. "Su Lun, I am the Goddess of Justice. The first principle of justice is 'understanding'."
She didn't elaborate, but Su Lun understood perfectly. Justice meant understanding differences, understanding uniqueness, and understanding that the world has more than one face. She looked out the window, her gaze seemingly piercing through the night to see the undercurrents of Orario.
"This city is prosperous on the surface, but restless underneath. Familia rivalries, the games of the Gods, the fangs of Evilus, and the unknowns in the depths of the Dungeon... we need new strength, new possibilities."
She turned her gaze back to him. "And you, Su Lun, are that possibility. I won't force a heavy mission upon you, but you must understand that as long as you keep growing, your uniqueness might be the very variable this world needs."
She placed her hand on Su Lun's shoulder again, her gesture solemn. "In the name of Astraea, Goddess of Justice: regardless of where you come from or what your abilities are, as long as your heart turns toward justice, I will always guide your path."
Looking at that smile, Su Lun's heart skipped a beat. For a college student who had never had a girlfriend in his past life, the beauty of the Goddess before him was practically a "foul." Snapping back to reality, he realized that the entire Astraea Familia... seemed to be composed entirely of beautiful girls.
Astraea opened another book and began explaining common Dungeon monsters, their weaknesses, and magical countermeasures. Su Lun listened intently, occasionally asking questions. They talked for nearly two hours until the night was deep.
As they wrapped up, Astraea suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question. "Su Lun, in your world, what is justice?"
Su Lun thought for a moment. "It's everyone getting what they deserve. It's the balance between the strong and the weak. It's equality under the rules."
Astraea nodded, then shook her head. "That is a part of justice. But here, in a world where Gods walk, justice has another meaning—giving every soul the chance to bloom, regardless of where they come from or what power they hold."
She stopped at the door, giving him a final piece of advice. "Training begins tomorrow morning. Get some good rest tonight. Adapt to your new body, your new power, and..."
She smiled slightly. "...this new world."
Su Lun walked out of the room and encountered Kaguya and Ryuu in the hallway.
"Yo, you're out?" a playful voice called out. Kaguya was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Her gaze fell on the parchment in his hand. "Let me see..." She stepped closer, scanned the page, and let out a light chuckle. "Allowed to cast a special system of magic... Hah. Kid, tell me the truth—are you sure you aren't the bastard child of some Great God sent down in secret?"
Bastard child? Su Lun blinked before realizing this was Kaguya's exaggerated way of testing him. He stayed calm. "I don't think so. I'm just lucky?"
"Lucky?" Kaguya raised an eyebrow, her finger pointing vaguely at a spot on the parchment. " 'Cannot be fully negated by conventional magic resistance.' Boy, do you know how many Mages get headaches from those hard-shelled creeps in the middle floors? Your luck is a bit terrifying."
At that moment, Ryuu walked quietly from the other end of the hallway. Hearing Kaguya's words, she sighed softly. "Kaguya, mind your words." She looked at Su Lun. Her expression had returned to its usual cool composure, but Su Lun still caught a glint of curiosity in her eyes.
"I'm just telling the truth." Kaguya shrugged and didn't press further, turning to Ryuu instead. "What do you think, Ryuu? This kid's skills?"
Ryuu took on a thoughtful expression. She had only been in Orario for two years, but she knew that the vast majority of adventurers were Level 1, and most had no skills or magic at all. A "monster" like Su Lun, who had three skills and one spell at Level 1—not to mention a unique magic system—was unheard of. Ryuu looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Just then, Astraea's gentle yet authoritative voice drifted from inside the room. "The training tomorrow morning is in your hands. Ryuu, you are responsible for basic physical conditioning and magic theory guidance. Kaguya will also train Su Lun... stay mindful of your limits."
"Yes, Lady Astraea." Ryuu gave a serious, slight bow.
"Oh my, to be specifically cautioned by the Goddess herself... I'm truly hurt." Kaguya feigned a hurt expression, but the upward curve of her lips betrayed her; she clearly found this task interesting.
"But Su Lun," she stepped closer, lowering her voice, "I really want to know if this 'Multicasting' of yours can use two completely different spells at once. For instance, holding a water shield with your left hand to block an attack while your right hand cooks up a fireball to smash into someone's face?"
Using different spells simultaneously? Su Lun instinctively began to think about it. In D&D rules, that usually required specific feats or class features. But here, he seemed to have broken some of those rules. He answered cautiously, "I haven't tried it yet. In that emergency earlier, I only used two Shield spells at once."
Ryuu shot Kaguya a sharp look and said to Su Lun, "You don't need the answer now, and certainly don't go trying it recklessly on your own. What Kaguya mentioned is a challenge you might face in the future, not your current focus. What you need to do now is raise your basic stats."
"I know, I know. You useless Elf, you're always so stiff." Kaguya waved her hand as her figure began to fade into the shadows of the hall. "Let's go, kid. Alise has been hacking away at the wooden stakes in the training ground for three days. She's probably chopped half of them down by now, just waiting for you to wake up so she can pester you with questions."
Su Lun followed the two toward the courtyard. He felt a bit apprehensive about how the other members would view him—a man who had suddenly joined their ranks carrying such secrets.
In the training yard, eleven girls were already waiting. Hearing footsteps, all their gazes shifted toward him at once.
"Su Lun!" Alise was the first to charge over like a wild boar. "It's so good that you're okay! Did the Falna go smoothly? I heard Miss Ryuu whisper that you have some really incredible skills—"
"Alise." Ryuu's gaze cut Alise off. "Per the Goddess's orders, the details of Su Lun's skills are on a need-to-know basis. This is for his safety and the safety of the Familia."
"Ah! Right, right! I almost forgot!" Alise slapped her forehead, her smile growing even brighter. She turned to Su Lun and extended her hand. "Anyway, welcome to the Astraea Familia! From today on, we're comrades who will fight side-by-side in the Dungeon and watch each other's backs! Please take care of me!"
Looking at her sincere, enthusiastic smile, most of the apprehension in Su Lun's heart vanished. He shook her hand. "I look forward to working with you, Captain Alise."
Behind Alise, the petite Lyra poked her head out curiously to inspect him; Noin and Neze nodded with smiles. Astree leaned against a wall, scanning Su Lun with a scrutinizing gaze, though there was no malice in it. Iska, Maryu, and the others also offered friendly or curious looks.
Ryuu stepped in front of the group. "Everyone," she said with a hint of anticipation, "this is Su Lun, our new comrade."
She stepped slightly to the side, letting the moonlight illuminate him. "From this day forward, he shall walk with us in this Labyrinth City, practicing the path of Justice that we believe in."
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours (30 Chapters – Ongoing)
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