Adam Smasher, Level 1 Adventurer, Hestia Familia

Adam
Level 1

Basic Abilities
Strength - H111
Endurance - E496
Dexterity - H108
Agility - H107
Magic - I15

Abilities

Skills

Paradisus Sub Sole Rubro - Unusual Interactions with Charm Effects.

Spells

"You're resting today."

Adam looked up from the page in his hands, dragging a glowering gaze towards the steadfast features of his employer. Sitting on the other side of the outdoor fireplace, having woken up before anyone else, she had decided to update his back-numbers and start throwing her meager weight around. Waving a ladle at him, she continued. "You made plenty of valis yesterday, working so hard, so today you're going to rest and relax."

"I relax by murder." Adam flatly countered, setting the page aside and continuing with his morning stretches. The tiny, fractional reinforcements to his body and constant self-evaluation had finally let him figure out the particulars of the superpower system. As far as he could tell, percentage-based increases to the five categories, ten percent per one hundred points, plus ten percent for merely having the 'falna' on top. "I'll buy an extra healing potion at Blueboy's shop and be ready to go again."

It had taken almost two weeks to gain a roughly fifty percent increase in baseline stamina and durability, and a ten percent increase to everything else, sans that floating bonus. Humans were sufficiently fragile enough that a sixty percent increase in durability and stamina was still vastly worse than the worst borg-frames on the market back home. A Gemini, the least durable frame on the market, could walk through small-arms fire like it was hail.

If he tried that as he was, he would be hamburger meat.

Let alone every other variable that this system measured, assuming he maintained this pace, it would be another eighteen weeks before he got a mere doubling in overall ability. Twice as strong as he currently was was still weaker than his old Samson frame, enough to let him smash the Pigs, but still worse than what he was used to working with.

Ten percent per two weeks of work… he'd need a good four to six more weeks before he reliably one-tap the Pigs with his fists. He could make millions in that time, which left him with millions leftover doing nothing major for him. Unspent money was wasted money, and there were only so many useful things he could get out of enchanted gear from monsters this early on.

"Nope!" She refused, waving a hand and shaking her head. "Your job is to work hard, and my job is to make sure you stay in tip-top shape. No work today, the others can handle it just fine."

If the gun he got was good enough, then that would let him go further down, yes. He would, however, still be limited by how much ammo he could carry, and then possibly by whatever next monster came along that was immune to conventional firearms. He could buy more enchanted gear to hypothetically push down even farther, but that only delayed the two-fold issue he was facing.

The Monsters got stronger the deeper you went. A nebulous claim from guild records that meant little to him without harder numbers to back it up. Actual, functional estimates had to come from his personal scouting, and he had done some already.

He had a good estimate of how superhuman the 'level 4s' were already from the soldiermeat and dogmeat's arm. The murderpit wasn't cleared, which meant that much performance still wasn't enough to get to the bottom. Borg-level frames were not enough on their own, and unless everyone on this planet was a dumbass, basic tactics and skills in borg-level frames weren't either.

Which meant he had to become continually more superhuman to get deeper down, a process that demonstrably took months to do, which led to the second issue. He could only carry so much gear down at a time. He needed to maximize his effective fighting capacity without supply lines, and also construct his own supply lines down…

He grumbled, leaning back against the well and closing his eyes. So much bullshit that he had to handle to keep the murdertrain going. Back with Arasaka, he didn't have to care about any of this shit. They had people to worry about it for him, and all he needed to do was go kill things. "How much was it to buy this lot?"

His employer took a moment to respond. "Hm? Oh, Hep-chan said she'd sell it to me for one-million valis."

One million valis was about… thirty-three thousand eddies? To buy a property within city limits outright? That was incredibly cheap.

"The Familia account should have around nine-hundred thousand in it, take the rest out of my account and buy it." Adam commanded with crossed arms and a raised finger. No need to hold off on buying while it was cheap, the owner might up the price if they wait too long. "We need to renovate and expand the lot."

"Oh? I didn't know my delinquent was so interested in interior decoration! Interested in girly hobbies like that?" His employer smiled at him, waiting for him to react, and face falling into a pout when he only stared blankly. "You're supposed to say something like 'I'm not!' with a blushy face, you know?" She grumbled at him.

"We have an empty central chamber with a fireplace on the backwall, two bedrooms on the second floor, a watch-tower with nothing in it, a basement with nothing in it, and a backyard with a well." Adam listed off the rooms, counting on his fingers as he went. As he went along, Tatertit's face drooped more and more until she was looking at the ground and twiddling her fingers.

"Y-yeah…"

"I'm running into a roadblock." Adam grumbled out.

"Oh, the orcs, right? Lili-chan mentioned something like that. You're spending entirely too much money on a new fancy toy to get over them."

"It's not the pigs or the gun, it's the numbers." Adam pointed a thumb at his back with a glower. "They're going up too slow, and the monsters keep getting better. These beginner gains are wearing off."

"You're frustrated that you're not getting stronger any faster." Tatertits replied with an understanding nod.

"I could buy new equipment all I want, but the issue is my frame. It's not good enough, and I can't afford to replace it with something better." Adam growled with a furrowed brow.

"You just have to keep working at it, Adam, you'll get stronger and stronger as you go."

"And in the meanwhile, we're left with millions of valis doing nothing." Adam looked up to the sky for a moment, noting the clouds and frowning. "I'm hitting the limit for how good the local gear can make me, so we're expanding outwards."

"Ah! You want to recruit more members?" She was real damn cheery about that, wasn't she?

"Five more, so we can get a second active killteam equipped and delving." He raised a hand. "We'll need a proper barracks to put them all in, equipment, contracts for food supply, and potentially another member of logistics staff to help you and halfbrat."

"That sounds wonderful!"

Adam silently pointed a finger at the church. Tatertits followed his finger, before flinching.

"Ah… Yes, we'll need to renovate first."

"We need to buy the lot first."

"Yep… But don't change the topic mister! No delving for you today, I need you to be at one-hundred percent!"

Adam grunted, pushing off the well and forcing his legs to keep him balanced as he moved. "I need a pen and paper."

Tatertits followed him as he moved, starting to pile bricks up on the ground in a particular manner. "Why's that?" She asked.

"I need to write a new recruit primer." Otherwise they'd be using spears like clubs again. Also maybe an order-letter to send to whoever made those guns he had heard about. Finished gathering the bricks, he forced himself back and up to look upon what he had created.

A crude pile of bricks in a roughly square-shape.

He exhaled heavily. More things to get in working order.

"We're going shopping today. We need a table."

"And chairs!" She cheered, bouncing up from her place on the floor, stumbling once with widely-waving arms. She straightened up and hopped over to the backdoor of the church. "I'll go wake up the others for breakfast, you're mine today Adam!"

Wonderful. He stared at the doorway for a moment, Running through what other tasks he would need to get handled today.

"She's a bit late for that, isn't she?" Shortstack called out with faint amusement.

Adam considered her for a moment, before moving to the door himself. "Eighteen drops right?"

Shortstack leaned up, a look of suspicion and surprise on her face. "F-fifteen actually, for the armor, right?"

"Got enough yesterday." He ignored the look of astonishment on her face as he entered the doorway, looking for the bag of drops they had been gathering to hand over.

—

"You're going down without me today." Adam said between spoonfuls of meatfuel, ignoring the eyes that turned to him. "Scappy is in charge, Pipsqueak is second-in-command."

"Oh, are you still worn out from yesterday?" Scrappy replied, ignoring the glare Adam turned to him. "Or is there something else that needs doing?" The other brats stayed quiet, immersed in their own meals or the lure of more rest. Lazyasses.

Adam scowled to show his disapproval, before raising three fingers. "Three things. First, a test to see how you brats do without me. Second, we need to buy some actual furniture for this place. Third, our Employer has demanded I take the day off."

"You make it sound so clinical…" Tatertits mumbled at him with puffed up cheeks.

"I see, so I'm in charge huh…?" Scrappy replied, raising a hand to his chin and considering that for a moment. Nodding to himself, he raised his head and gave a thumbs up. "I'll do my best to keep everyone safe then!"

"Your job is to keep them alive and make money. Keeping them safe ain't on the list."

"Well I mean, bruises and cuts are expected I suppose, we are fighting monsters after all." Scrappy corrected himself, scratching the back of his neck. Nodding his head from side to side, he amended his statement. "I'll make sure we kill lots of monsters and everyone comes back in one piece!"

That's more like it. Adam gave an agreeable grunt through the food in his mouth.

"...Where's Coco-chan…?" Foxbrat muttered sleepily, chewing on the end of her spoon for a moment, before realizing it was empty again.

"I asked her to go out and buy a healing potion for Adam-kun from Miach-kun." Tatertits explained. "She should be back soon."

Foxbrat gave an understanding mumble, bringing another spoonful up to her lips and blowing for a moment. Adam watched idly as she misjudged the blow and splattered half the spoonful out back down into her bowl, only then putting the food into her mouth.

He had an unimpressed look on his face as he held the bowl out for seconds. Fueltank was only partially filled. Tatertits happily ladled more out into the bowl before handing it back to him.

"Ah, we need to restock on potions for the delve today, don't we? I'll make a note of that." Scrappy muttered.

"Ten healing, five antidote potions, five ant-balms." Pipsqueak dutifully called out. "I can remember if you want me to, Bell-sama."

"Ah, that'll be helpful! Thank you Lili-chan!"

"So how far are we going down today, Bell-han?" Bunnybrat chimed in, one ear twitching. "Are we gonna fight hordes of monsters and make boastful taunts like Big Boss taught us?"

"We're definitely going to make heroic boasts, yeah." Scrappy responded immediately, then slowing down as he considered the next questions. "As for hordes of monsters… It might be good to hold off on the ant farming today. None of us can kill them as fast as Senpai can so they might overwhelm us. We can probably handle the pantry if we use Momiji-chan's spell again though, so we can try that."

"My magic is ready!" Foxbrat perked up, banishing sleep for an instant to wave her spoon in the air, then returning to her sleepy smile and slumped posture. The very image of combat readiness, that one.

"...Are you sure?" Pipsqueak calmly asked with a raised brow.

"Yu-" Foxbrat's reply was cut off with a massive yawn, before she finished. "-yyyyuuup!"

"Any advice Senpai?" Scrappy asked more directly.

"We've been doing this for two weeks now brat. Just do what we've been doing." Adam grumbled out, finishing his second bowl and holding it out again.

"I can do that!" Scrappy ginned. "I've been working on my 'one liners' like you said. I'll try them out today and report back."

Before Adam could respond there was a knock at the door. He frowned, knowing his frame was in poor condition, but pushed himself up regardless. Strong impressions were important, and he was the only one in this entire child soldier brigade that could actually pull off a mean look. Walking to the door, he opened it and tensed himself to dodge just in case.

They needed a camera or something to check the entrance, this was entirely too insecure.

There was a young woman at the door, standing next to the Halfbrat. Halfbrat was clutching a healing potion to her chest and looking about nervously.

Golden brown hair tied back in a high ponytail, bangs tied off into braids and numerous locks extending out like false ears. Blue-gray eyes. Half of a cape hanging off one shoulder, a white shirt, a skirt, and five total plates of armor hanging off her body. Most notably was the three-pronged spear she carried.

As she was far shorter than he was, maybe about five-foot-five, she had to step and lean back to make eye-contact with him.

"This is the Hestia Home, correct?" The woman asked with a serious expression.

Adam glared down for a moment, evaluating the situation. Turning to the Halfbrat, he ignored the woman for a moment. "Oi, Brat, who's the woman?"

The woman narrowed her eyes at him as the Halfbrat answered, nervously grabbing at the hem of her maid dress. "There were big people trying to take the guild slip you gave me, Mister Adam. Miss Drake scared them off and walked me to Mister Miach's shop and back home."

Ah, so she had done him a favor, now was just what she wanted as payment. He grunted and held out a hand, which Halfbrat quickly deposited the potion vial into and scrambled past him into the house behind.

Quickly drinking the vial, he ignored the meat screaming and turned his attention back towards the woman. Putting the vial in a pocket and crossing his arms, he leaned against the doorframe. "Alright, what's your price?"

"Pardon?" She asked with a disgruntled expression.

"You know how this works, woman. You kept one of the brats from being robbed, and we both know it wasn't out of the kindness of your heart." Adam explained gruffly, waving a hand in a 'calm down' manner. "You want something, so out with it."

"As a matter of fact, I did it because it was the right thing to do." She glared at him. "What kind of knight sits back and watches an injustice occur?"

Note to self, he couldn't send the brats out alone, they couldn't stand up for themselves apparently, and being weak drew the moralists out of the woodwork. "Life ain't a fairytale woman, stop trying to convince me you don't want anything. Now tell me what it is so I can hand it over or tell you to fuck off."

"I-"

"You helped Coco-chan!" Tatertits interrupted, appearing at the door with a bright smile and a hand on his hip. He glared at the offending appendage. His employer ignored his smoldering anger and continued to address the woman at the door. "She told me about it, so on behalf of the Hestia Familia, thank you!"

The woman turned towards Tatertits, surprised by the tonal whiplash for a moment, before her expression eased out into a soft smile. "I was glad to help, I strive to be a true knight, and seeing a damsel wasn't something I could ignore."

"We're having breakfast right now, it's just beef and potato stew, but would you like to join us?" Tatertits offered. Adam scowled to convey how bad the idea was to the woman standing at the door. She didn't even notice his expression, instead pausing briefly and sniffing an expression of hunger flashing across her face.

"P-potato…?" Proving that it didn't just happen in cartoons, a thin trail of drool escaped the corner of her mouth. Coming back to herself and wiping her back with the back of one hand, she shook her head quickly. "A-ah, no. I couldn't impose like that. I didn't do it for any kind of rewa-"

She was cut off by the immense growl of her stomach. Tatertits' smile widened into an impish expression as the woman's face twisted into a sheepish look, twiddling her thumbs and flushing.

His own expression, he could tell, was one of resigned contempt.

"...If it really wouldn't be a bother, perhaps…" The woman responded after a moment, eyes darting to the side and shoulders hunched inwards. "...Perhaps I could indulge in a single bowl…"

"Then welcome to the Hestia Home! I'm Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth! Pleased to meet you!"

"Ah! Oriana Drake! Knight-Aspirant! Pleased to meet you!"

A pause. Tatertits elbowed him in the side. He snorted and ignored it, turning around and walking into the church again. "Adam Smasher. Try anything and I'll slaughter you." He warned with a glance over his shoulder and glare at the woman.

She frowned, before nodding decisively and stepping through the threshold. Setting her spear by the doorway, she was pulled into another conversation by the quickly-crowding brats come to needlessly thank her.

Adam made a note to check on the rules regarding killing people who enter your property. There were usually allowances for things like that.

He slumped down in his spot by the hearth, and kept the stranger in his peripherals.

"...actually came to Orario to join a familia…"

"...Here's your bowl! It's still warm…"

"...Ah, it's delicious! I love it…"

"...You know we're actually looking for new…"

"...Oh! Well… I'd hate to impose but…"

Adam frowned. Were they going to recruit every new member through potatoes? This was starting to form a pattern.