King0fP0wers: Knossos is definitely something I want to touch on, as well as the curse of his bloodline. However, since he's been distanced from Orario for so long, it's going to take some time to become prevalent, which buys me sometime to explore his untainted character.

Several days later, 11th Floor

"Hyah!" A dwarf slammed his battle-ax down on an Orc that tried rushing at him.

"Supporter!" He shouted, tossing a magic stone, Silber caught it with both hands before stowing it in his increasingly heavy backpack.

"Dorül!" An elf shouted, rushing towards an Orc that had somehow managed to stealthily come up behind him. With one swift movement, the female elf decapitated the monster and it exploded into ashes.

"Sheesh. Be more careful, this may be the upper levels, but monsters are monsters."

"Why do you think I have you?" Dorül grinned,

"You honestly shouldn't be so relaxed. We're only three people. Or two, I don't think our supporter counts in a combat situation." The elf admonished him, "Speaking of: Silber, how many magic stones is that?"

"Uhm…about thirty-two?" Silber counted,

"I think that's enough Eliana." Dorül leaned onto his axe, "Anymore might be overkill, and we've been here for the better part of the day."

Eliana sighed, sheathing her elven shortsword. "Very well. I suppose we can retire for the day."

Both Silber and Dorül let out a combined sigh of relief as Eliana motioned for them to head up to the surface.

6th Floor

As Silber, Dorül, and Eliana made their way out of the dungeon, they made their way over a natural overpass on the ninth floor, where they heard slashing and warcries from the area below them.

Dorül leaned over the overpass, "Hey…isn't that tomato boy?" He said offhandedly, below them, surely enough there was a white-haired adventurer stabbing and slashing at several frog shooters.

"Come on. We don't have time to gawk at every adventurer we pass." Eliana said dismissively,

"Right right." Dorül fanned himself before proceeding across the overpass.

Silber, however, watched him dispatch one last frog shooter. They briefly locked eyes before Silber rushed across the overpass.

'Just who is he…?' Silber wondered as he rushed into the corridor ahead of him.

For the past few days, such expeditions had become practically a part of Silber's daily routine. While the Hephaistos Familia was technically not required to go down into the dungeon, they still needed certain materials from the dungeon, and expeditions by other Familia's were often too infrequent to provide the steady source of materials necessary.

As the newest member of Hephaistos Familia, Silber had been relegated to a supporter role in this missions, as a way of getting 'practical experience' as Tsubaki put it.

"Oh! You guys are back already?" Hephaistos noted,

"Yep. We brought 32 magic stones." Dorül proclaimed, and on cue, Silber hefted a bag of magic stones from the larger backpack.

Hephaistos let out a small gasp as she stared at the stones, "Great!" She cheered,

Suddenly, without warning, Silber felt hands clutch around his shoulders.

"There's my sparring partner!" Tsubaki wrapped him up in a massive hug from behind.

"T-Tsubaki…I-i can't breathe!" Silber managed to gasp out in the midst of th bear hug,

Tsubaki dropped him, but grabbed him by the hand and practically dragged him away.

"I'm going to borrow him, Hephaistos-sama if you don't mind~!" Tsubaki called out, Hephaistos - in response - sighed and shrugged, which Tsubaki took as a green light to whisk Silber into the next phase of his day.

"Alright. You remember what I taught you yesterday, right?" Tsubaki asked, and Silber nodded, taking up an awkward sword stance.

Tsubaki sighed, "At least you're trying…" She muttered, sighing, she stepped forward and began correcting Silber's various mistakes.

"Move your knee a little outward, it looks like it's broken that way, and it may genuinely end up like that if you don't break that habit."

"You're gripping your sword too tightly, you're wasting energy before the fight even begins."

Tsubaki immediately took to correcting Silber's mistakes even before they began fighting. Finally, after several minutes of verbally berating Silber, Tsubaki finally took up a stance opposite of him and the match began.

Silber stepped forward and swiped at Tsubaki with the training sword, only for her to easily jump back and dodge before she thrusted her own training sword forward, easily passing his feeble parry and striking his shoulder.

"Too slow!" Tsubaki called out, twirling around on one foot and quickly slamming her training sword into his side, sending him sprawling to the side.

Silber coughed several times, but still managed to get up, albeit his side was noticeably in pain.

"Are you alright…?" Tsubaki asked,

"Mhm. Again!" Silber readied himself, this time, his posture was much improved.

"Alright…Here I come!" Tsubaki rushed forward, and their next round began.

"Hm…" Hephaistos placed her hands on his back, taking stock of Silber's newfound Falna and Status.

Silber Perdix

Level 1

Strength: I-50

Endurance: H-133

Dexterity: I-88

Agility: H-101

Skills:

N/A

"Hephaistos-sama, what is my status?" Silber aksed eagerly, looking at her through his goggles.

She smiled at him "Well, your Agility and Dexterity are getting better. Your endurance is growing most impressively. Although your strength could use some work, I'm sure that'll come along with time." She shrugged,

"...And skills?" He asked hopefully,

Hephaistos shook her head, "None yet. Sorry." She handed him the sheet of paper with the status engraved, and Silber's face fell.

"Relax." Hephaistos patted the boy on the head. "These things take time, even leveling up from Level one to Level two can take half a year or more."

Silber nodded, "Thank you, Goddess."

"Anyway, shouldn't you be heading to the forge?" Hephaistos asked, "I'd love to see the newest version of your repeating crossbow."

"Yes, Goddess!" Silber's somber demeanor was entirely forgotten by the excitement of developing and making new weapons. "I'll be off then!"

Hephaistos waved to the boy as he left the room, before sighing to herself.

Hephaistos stood up, approached the window, and turned a single thought over in her mind

'Did you know about this?'

"Ah, Silber!" Welf waved at him, his head bandana soaked with sweat. "Think you can help me here?"

"Sure!" Silber said eagerly,

"Thanks. I need you to hold the blade steady, this is important." Welf told him, and Silber nodded, holding the glowing orange blade by the handle.

As Welf laid down the first few hammer strokes, Silber began to speak. "So, Welf…why'd you join Hephaistos Familia?"

Welf slightly hesitated on the next hammer stroke, before replying: "What's this about?"

Silber shrugged, "I just want to know."

Welf sighed, "Sure, we have time." He began, "Silber, have you ever heard of Shirubamun?"

"Shirubamun?" Silber cocked his head curiously,

"I take that as a no." Welf sighed, "Shirubamun is the only magic sword in existance that doesn't break. Its said to be the only weapon it can rival the divine weapons made by Hephaistos. So far."

"So far? You want to make weapons better than Hephaistos-sama?"

"Yeah. I want to make weapons that are better than Hephaistos's." Welf admitted, "That's my dream."

"...Better than Hephaistos-samas…" Silber muttered,

"Do you think it's silly?" Welf asked,

"O-Of course not!" Silber said profusely,

Welf laughed, "I think I'm starting to see why Hephaistos and Tsubaki like you so much."

They continued forging in silence for a few more seconds, before Silber asked: "...Who made it?"

"Huh?" Welf said curiously,

"Who made Shirubamun?" Silber asked,

Welf looked back towards the sword before replying, "The former captain of Hephaistos Familia." He hammered one more stroke.

"Her name was Hikari Silvermoon."