Danmachi, Ch 86-90

Chapter 86 – Damn It! Raul’s Scoring Too Big!

A new recruit.

The elven courtesan immediately shoved her earlier thoughts aside—this was the kind of intel Lady Ishtar would kill to get her hands on.

Her pointed ears trembled with excitement.

“Mr. Raul, is the newcomer as strong as Captain Finn?”

“The newbie and the Captain... yeah, they’re pretty amazing.”

Raul’s tone was light and dreamy, but his words carried no doubt.

“Our new recruit’s really something else. Maybe not quite at the Captain’s level yet, but their abilities are a huge asset to the Familia.”

He paused, struggling to form his words. “The newcomer can, uh... create someone.”

He frowned slightly, his words slurring as he tried to recall. “We don’t know all the details, but Lady Loki made it clear—this newbie’s going to get the same treatment as Ais.”

The same treatment as the Sword Princess?

The elven courtesan’s eyes widened. That was a bombshell.

The “Sword Princess” was the most gifted adventurer in the entire Labyrinth City. She’d reached Level 2 in just a year. Now, at only twelve, she was already Level 5—a record that put her at the top of any Familia she joined.

And now Loki Familia had a newcomer who was being compared to her?

Just imagining what kind of potential that implied made the courtesan’s pulse quicken.

“So strong? A prodigy on the same level as the Sword Princess... what kind of person is this newcomer?”

Raul, still half-lost in the haze of Charm, couldn’t stop himself from talking.

“The newbie, huh... Lady Loki keeps them under tight wraps. None of us really know much. We’ve all been told to keep quiet and make sure no other Familia catches wind of it.”

He chuckled faintly. “But I guess sharing a little won’t hurt. It’s not like we know that much anyway. The rest’s probably only known by the Captain and the higher-ups.”

Information only the Captain’s level would know?

The courtesan’s ears perked up sharply. That was serious intel.

“I heard the newbie can summon really powerful puppets.”

Puppets?

The courtesan blinked, momentarily thrown off. Her imagination raced, trying to understand how something like that could put someone on par with the Sword Princess.

“And they’ve got all kinds of weird abilities. One of them, I think, lets them store stuff inside their puppet.”

Store things inside it? Her eyes widened even more, breath quickening. A space-type ability? If that was real, this was monumental.

And from the way Raul spoke, that wasn’t even the only ability.

No wonder Loki had gone to such lengths to hide the newcomer’s identity. Someone like that couldn’t afford to be seen yet.

“As for the rest, I’ve got no idea,” Raul mumbled. “The newbie’s info’s all classified. You’d have to ask the Captain—or Lady Loki herself.”

That was as far as he could go.

The courtesan understood—this was the limit of what Raul knew. Still, even this much was invaluable. It was the only lead on the mysterious new member of the Loki Familia.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

The rhythmic tapping snapped her out of thought. She quickly grabbed the small pouch at her waist and tapped it lightly against Raul’s nose.

The moment it brushed his skin, his eyes fluttered closed, and he sank into a deep sleep.

Perfect.

The courtesan turned and opened the door.

“...Aisha.”

“Yeah. Liz, I’m here with Lady Ishtar’s orders.”

Aisha stepped inside, her sharp gaze immediately taking in the sight of the unconscious Raul sprawled across the bed. A faint, knowing smile touched her lips.

“Lady Ishtar considers the newcomer’s information top priority. To dig deeper, you’re being assigned to the ‘Extraordinary Man.’”

She leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “From now on, that’s your only focus. Keep him close, take care of him, and pull out as much intel about that newcomer as you can—especially through... personal connections. Maintain them well.”

The courtesan’s expression turned serious. She understood perfectly.

Maintaining that relationship meant one thing—make sure it lasts.

“I understand.”

Aisha nodded slightly. “Good. Do it well.”

She started for the door, then glanced back.

“With the Loki Familia’s newbie showing off more lately, it’s only a matter of time before the secret gets out. That man’s status in the Familia’s not low—he’s our best shot at finding out the truth.”

Her voice softened slightly. “You’ve been given a rare opportunity. If you handle this right, you’ll get what you’ve always wanted.”

She smiled faintly. “After all, your race and your abilities are rare, and Lady Ishtar kept you around for a reason.”

The elven courtesan bowed her head deeply.

“Please don’t worry. I won’t waste this chance.”

As one born with the Charm skill, she knew exactly where her strengths lay.

If she used them well, Lady Ishtar’s blessing would finally grant her something far beyond survival—freedom.

After Aisha left, the courtesan slowly turned back toward the bed.

She stared down at the sleeping Raul, her expression a tangle of emotions—then, bit by bit, it hardened into resolve.

She leaned down, her lips close to his ear, and whispered softly:

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Raul... but it seems my freedom can only come through you.”

“I’m a bad woman.”

“Please forgive me. The freedom I want... I can only reach it this way. My body is all I have to offer this world.”

“Please—let me use yours to earn mine.”

“…”

Back in the Loki Familia’s dining hall, the screen had gone dark. But the courtesan’s voice—those last few words—echoed crystal clear through the speakers.

Every male adventurer in the room was frozen, faces twisted with envy, disbelief... and rage.

"DAMN IT! That bastard Raul hit the jackpot!"

Raul had somehow ended up with an elven courtesan who had the Charm skill.

That man had every possible buff stacked on him.

Moments ago, everyone had been laughing at his misfortune.

Now, every last one of them wanted to trade places with him.

Chapter 87: He Actually Believed It!

“It seems Loki really did dig up quite the talented kid.”

Through Ishtar’s little stunt, Hermes had confirmed it for himself.

“The ability to summon Puppets… how fascinating.”

He glanced at the woman beside him. “Asfi, do you think that kind of power is a Skill or Magic?”

Asfi replayed Raul’s earlier words and the explanation about those Puppets in her mind, then replied thoughtfully,

“Lord Hermes, it could be either a Skill or Magic—but if I had to choose, I’d say it’s more likely to be Magic.”

Hermes raised a brow. “Oh? And why’s that?”

“Because, Lord Hermes, you heard what that ‘Extraordinary Man’ said earlier—the Puppets themselves have their own Skills. That means the user can summon different kinds of Puppets. A single Skill couldn’t accurately define so many variations, but a Magic with distinct chants and summoning circles absolutely could.”

“I believe this newcomer uses a highly specialized form of Summoning Magic—one that allows him to call forth different types of Puppets based on the situation, maximizing each one’s unique abilities. It’s kind of like a different version of the ‘Nine Hell.’”

Even with only fragmented information, Asfi managed to piece together a fairly reasonable theory.

“This new adventurer’s Magic likely has a detailed classification system, all unified under the umbrella of ‘Puppet Summoning.’”

“We can’t be sure how many types of Puppets he can summon, but even just the Puppet that could store items, as described by that ‘Extraordinary Man,’ is anything but ordinary.”

“That’s clearly a spatial-type Puppet.”

“And if he can summon one with that kind of ability, then it’s hard not to suspect he’s got other varieties as well.”

“Of course, if Loki’s putting that newcomer on the same level as the Sword Princess, then I’d bet that Summoning Magic of his can call at least two different types of Puppets.”

Hermes listened quietly, and as Asfi spoke, he could tell she was comparing Loki’s new recruit to another “Nine Hell.” But honestly, given what they knew, it wasn’t a bad assumption.

Only someone on that level could possibly be placed alongside Ais Wallenstein, a confirmed Level 5.

And from what that “Extraordinary Man” had said, the Puppets’ abilities were clearly the key to understanding this Summoning Magic.

Each Puppet had its own unique power—and one of them had already been confirmed to have spatial properties.

That alone was enough to suggest that the others might possess equally unorthodox abilities.

Hermes’ inner scale began to tip, swayed by Asfi’s analysis.

“Looks like you might be right. That might be exactly why Loki holds that new kid in such high regard.”

“Lord Hermes, should we increase surveillance on the Loki Familia?” Asfi asked cautiously.

She could feel that her god wanted to uncover the truth about this mysterious newcomer—but Hermes only shook his head with a wry smile.

“No need to tighten the leash on Loki’s brats.”

“After all, that ‘Extraordinary Man’ entered the Pleasure Quarter today. Once he returns tomorrow, Loki will definitely find out. And once she does, she’ll investigate. With how shrewd she is, she’ll realize we’ve been moving pieces behind the scenes.”

“That’ll just make her hide that kid even better.”

“Of course, if Loki predicts that and decides to do the opposite, well… then I’ll just have to rely on Ishtar’s efforts.”

Hermes didn’t mind losing a round or two.

What he wanted was to see what kind of storm this newcomer would stir up in the Labyrinth City.

If that boy truly was extraordinary, then sooner or later, he’d step into Orario’s spotlight.

Or maybe Ishtar would drag him out first.

Either way, Hermes wasn’t going to tempt fate.

He preferred to stay neutral.

Inside Loki’s quarters, the goddess lounged lazily on her bed, legs draped across Tsuna’s lap.

“The bait’s been dropped, and Raul’s already spilled the intel. Now all that’s left is to let the other gods fill in the blanks with their own imaginations.”

Tsuna gently massaged her foot, his voice calm. "When Raul returns tomorrow, we'll give him a token punishment—just enough to wrap up this little information leak neatly. After that, we'll keep using him as a messenger. The rest… I'll leave to you, Miss Loki."

“Of course, of course.”

Just thinking about Ishtar flaunting her supposed victory made Loki grin like a fox.

“When the truth finally hits her in the face, when she realizes she’s been dancing to my tune the whole time... ah, I can’t wait to see her expression.”

“Let her gloat for now. When the truth comes out, I wanna see if she’s still laughing then.”

I doubt it.

When she realizes every move she made was anticipated—and that every little scheme of hers was under Loki’s gaze from the start—no god could keep smiling through that.

Except Loki herself, of course.

At this point, Tsuna had fully settled into his rhythm in this world.

He’d survived the initial adjustment phase. Now came the growth arc.

“The next half-year will be all about development for you guys,” Loki said, her tone shifting slightly.

“The next Expedition’s at least six months away, maybe even a year. After the Dark Faction’s exposure, every Familia heading into the Dungeon will be on high alert. They won’t be easy to ambush again.”

“Those remnants will keep hiding down there—but they won’t be acting as recklessly as before.”

“By the way, any idea if those stragglers are still alive?”

“They are,” Tsuna replied confidently.

“The ringleader’s a beast tamer, and he’s got Lambton. Escaping alone wouldn’t be hard for someone like him.”

“Tch. What a waste.”

Loki clicked her tongue, irritation flickering in her eyes.

"Still, dragging out that damn Juggernaut… ugh, that was disgusting."

She grimaced just thinking about it. The very idea of that thing crawling around made her skin crawl.

“If the Dark Faction pulls that stunt again, I swear I’ll puke.”

Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Loki sat up, her crimson eyes gleaming.

“So, I’m leaving the next part to you.”

“Make sure Finn and the others get strong enough to deal with that bastard.”

"Don't worry," Tsuna said with an easy smile. "I'll give them plenty of opportunities to encounter the Juggernaut firsthand. I imagine Riveria will be the first to really hate it."

“Pfft—!”

Loki couldn’t help bursting out laughing at the thought.

“Riveria and Juggernaut, huh? What a terrible matchup.”

“Her strongest magic getting completely countered—oh, she’s gonna be livid.”

The image of the ever-composed Riveria losing her cool was enough to make Loki snicker even harder.

Honestly, watching her vice-captain’s misfortune might’ve been Loki’s favorite form of entertainment.

Chapter 88: I’m Sorry, Mr. Raul

“???”

What the hell?

Raul blinked awake, still tangled in soft sheets. The fog in his head began to clear, replaced by the aching emptiness in his body.

Ugh, my back... it’s sore.

As a Level 4 adventurer, this was definitely a first. It wasn’t the usual exhaustion from battle—it was something else entirely. A deeper, melting kind of fatigue born from... far more intimate exertion.

Then, all at once, the memories of last night came rushing back.

Not just the fragments from yesterday, but the parts that had been altered too.

“W–Wait, what the hell?!”

Raul froze. He couldn’t believe it—he’d actually spent the night in the Pleasure Quarter. Worse, his first time had been with... an elf.

He dared a glance to his side. The beautiful elven woman was still sleeping peacefully, her face calm and serene.

“What do I do...?”

Raul had no idea how to handle this. He’d never been in a situation like this before—hell, he wasn’t even sure what kind of situation this was.

“Wait, wasn’t I supposed to be here delivering information for Lady Loki?!”

“So how the hell did I end up in bed with an elven courtesan?!”

His thoughts were a mess. He didn’t know what to believe anymore. Yet the memories from last night were vivid, undeniable.

All he wanted now was to understand what the hell had happened.

But with the elf still asleep beside him, Raul decided it was safer not to move. He shut his eyes again, pretending to still be asleep.

“Mr. Raul.”

A gentle voice called to him.

“Mr. Raul.”

The second call finally pulled him out of his daze. He opened his eyes slowly—and nearly stopped breathing.

The elf beside him was awake, looking at him with a tired, slightly pale face. But even so, she looked even more beautiful than she had last night.

“!?”

Raul shot upright in a panic—only for the motion to yank the blanket down. The sheet slipped off the woman’s bare shoulders, and his pupils dilated instantly.

“Pffft!”

Too delicate. Too pale. Too soft. Too much.

A rush of blood surged straight to his nose, spraying out in a crimson fountain.

Sure, he was technically an adult now, but that didn’t mean he was ready for this. Especially when everything had happened in a haze. His body reacted on pure instinct.

And that reaction made the elven courtesan flinch in surprise.

“Mr. Raul!”

She moved toward him, but Raul quickly clamped a hand over his nose and waved her back. His eyes accidentally flicked down her body again—and that only made the nosebleed worse.

“W–Wait, wait, I’m fine! I’m fine!” he stammered, voice muffled through his hand. “Just... got a little too much heat built up, that’s all.”

He desperately averted his gaze, trying not to look anywhere dangerous.

The elf blinked in confusion, then followed his line of sight down—and when realization dawned, she chuckled softly.

“I understand. Mr. Raul, you can... handle it yourself.”

Smiling faintly, she pulled the blanket up again, covering her bare skin.

It took Raul several minutes to finally stop the bleeding. He splashed cold water on his face, cleaned up, and came back looking sheepish. The elf sat quietly on the bed, cheeks faintly flushed.

“S–Sorry, I, uh... still don’t know your name,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Lise. Lise Isilma.”

“Miss Lise... about last night, we—”

“Mr. Raul,” she interrupted gently, “since I came to the Pleasure Quarter and became a courtesan... you were my first client.”

“!?”

Raul’s expression froze. Shock, disbelief, and something dangerously close to joy flickered across his face.

Lise didn’t seem surprised. She simply smiled—a small, sad smile.

“Mr. Raul doesn’t believe me?”

“N–No, that’s not it! I just... it’s hard to believe. I mean, you’re so beautiful, Miss Lise. I didn’t think someone like you would ever—”

His words trailed off. His mind was still scrambled.

She wasn’t just beautiful—she was an elf. Proud, elegant, untouchable. Elves were practically royalty compared to humans. For one to end up working in the Pleasure Quarter was unthinkable.

But the moment an elf entered that place, she could no longer carry her pride. And that lack of arrogance—that fragile elegance—only made her all the more irresistible to men.

Lise’s smile didn’t fade. “It’s because I was special... that I was able to keep my purity until now.”

“Or,” she added quietly, “would Mr. Raul like to confirm it himself?”

Raul’s face went crimson as he waved his hands frantically. “N–No! That’s not—no need for that!”

Lise chuckled softly, then lifted the blanket. A dark, dried stain marked the sheet—definitely not from his nosebleed.

Raul froze, eyes wide. He stared at the mark, then at her tired but gentle face.

Did I... was I that rough?

“Mr. Raul,” she said softly, “would you be willing to buy me?”

Her voice trembled ever so slightly.

Raul swallowed hard, then nodded without hesitation. “Miss Lise, I’ll do it.”

“Mr. Raul, you still have a choice,” she murmured. “I’m far more expensive than you think.”

He couldn’t help but laugh weakly.

Yeah. He knew that already.

Her reddened eyes gave her away—she’d been crying. And Raul realized he’d just stumbled into something impossible.

Buying a courtesan’s freedom wasn’t unheard of in the Pleasure Quarter, but it wasn’t easy either.

Still—this woman had given him her first time. An elf, of all people. How could he walk away now?

He knew it was crazy. Stupid, even. But for once, he wanted to be stupid.

“Don’t worry,” he said, straightening up. “I’ve saved plenty as a Level 4 adventurer.”

He thought of the money he’d been hoarding for a Grimoire. Screw it—he’d use it to buy her freedom instead.

He quickly started dressing, tightening his gear with new determination.

“Miss Lise, get dressed too. Let’s go see Lady Ishtar right now.”

Watching him rush around with such earnestness, Lise’s eyes grew wet again.

A courtesan’s redemption—her release—was almost unheard of. And she, more than anyone, knew that.

Even if she’d kept her purity all this time... it wouldn’t have mattered if fate hadn’t sent Raul her way.

Because she wasn’t free. She was one of Lady Ishtar’s special projects—a tool, a pawn in the goddess’s schemes.

Raul might think he was saving her... but she knew the truth.

She was only ever meant to be used against him.

I’m sorry, Mr. Raul.

Chapter 89: The Meaning of Strengthening

Another crisp morning.

Even though it was just as hot outside as usual, the room remained pleasantly cool—so when Tsuna opened his eyes, it was in comfort, not heat.

Lying in bed, Tsuna turned his head toward the door with a puzzled look.

“What’s going on lately? Why’s someone waiting outside my door every morning?”

Yesterday, it had been Tiona, Tione, and Ais.

The day before that—also Tiona and Tione.

He sighed, shaking his head. Still, he got up and walked straight to the door.

“Ais?”

Standing outside was Ais Wallenstein, dressed in her usual white bodysuit.

She stood there quietly, blank expression as ever, making Tsuna momentarily unsure what to say.

“You’re here early again?”

“Mm. Yesterday, things were busy. I thought you might be free today.”

That answer caught Tsuna off guard.

“Ais, next time, just tell me if you need something. You don’t have to wait at my door every morning.”

“Oh.”

She nodded obediently.

“I wanted to ask about the Strengthening Plan. Loki said... I’m not included.”

Her tone was calm, but Tsuna could tell—her desire to grow stronger hadn’t faded one bit. Still, the anxiety that used to gnaw at her had softened.

There was a different kind of light in her golden eyes now—reflected figures of two people dear to her. Her lips parted slightly.

“And... the World of Dreams. I want to go there again.”

“Strength” and “the World of Dreams.”

Tsuna understood immediately why she’d been standing at his door so early.

Still, he had to explain.

“The World of Dreams isn’t something you can just enter freely,” he said gently. “Even though I’ve set it up so people won’t confuse dreams with reality, going in too often can make someone addicted to the peace and beauty there.”

“So I can’t let you enter casually.”

The disappointment in Ais’s expression was plain as day.

Becoming stronger was important—but being able to see her parents again in the World of Dreams meant even more.

Unfortunately, the only one who could send her there refused to do so. Just like Loki had warned her.

“Then... what should I do to get in?” she asked softly.

“Ais, the World of Dreams was meant to ease your anxiety about your strength,” Tsuna explained. “Back then, your mental state was fragile, so I sent you there to help you find balance—to ease that fear.”

“But I never intended for you to stay there.”

“If you immerse yourself too deeply in that dream, you’ll get stuck in the past. And what about the people waiting for you in the real world?”

Riveria...

The first person Ais thought of was Riveria.

Ever since she’d been rescued, Riveria had been the one taking care of her, watching over her with a calm strength Ais couldn’t quite comprehend.

And not just Riveria—she had friends waiting for her too.

The mother and father in her dreams were frozen in time. But the people outside... they were living now.

I can’t stay in the World of Dreams forever.

Ais realized that on her own.

“Maybe... occasionally? Just once in a while?” she asked hopefully.

“Occasionally is fine.”

That small permission was enough to lift her spirits.

She wasn’t sure what “occasionally” meant, but it was better than being shut out completely.

“As for the Strengthening Plan,” Tsuna continued, “you were always included. That plan was made for all of you.”

Ais blinked, staring at him blankly for a few seconds before her expression flattened again.

“Loki... bad.”

The one who’d told her she wasn’t part of the plan had been Loki.

If Tsuna said otherwise, then Loki must’ve lied.

“Have you eaten breakfast yet?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No.”

“Then wait for me. Let’s eat together.”

“Mm.”

Tsuna went back inside, changed out of his sleepwear, washed up quickly, and returned. Together, he and Ais headed for the dining hall.

They were early, but the kitchen had been up even earlier.

After ordering breakfast, the two of them sat at an empty table.

“So,” Ais began, “what exactly is the Strengthening Plan?”

“Loki didn’t tell you anything about it?”

“No.”

Tsuna sighed, thinking for a moment before explaining.

“The Strengthening Plan is designed to target each person’s current weaknesses.”

“Finn, Gareth, and Riveria each have their specialties. When the three of them fight together, they can exceed their theoretical limits. But if they’re forced apart, each one becomes vulnerable in specific ways.”

“So this plan focuses on that—on specialized training to cover those weaknesses.”

Ais listened carefully this time, her brows slightly furrowed in concentration.

“So it’s to strengthen what we’re bad at... to handle more complicated fights,” she murmured.

“Exactly.” Tsuna nodded. “Your situation’s actually better than theirs.”

“You specialize in enhancement-type magic. You can precisely control your mana output, amplify your enchantments, and your chant time is extremely short. That means you can switch between ranged and close combat freely—that’s your biggest advantage.”

“But your weaknesses are physical strength and endurance. So your training will focus on improving both.”

Tsuna pointed to her wrist.

“The Gravity Bracelet I gave you is key to that. It applies full-body pressure, forcing your muscles to adapt and grow stronger. The rest of your regimen will revolve around weighted training.”

“And it’s not just you—Riveria, Finn, even Gareth have areas they need to patch up.”

“Gareth too?” Ais tilted her head, surprised.

“Yeah. For him, it’s about pushing his strength and endurance to the absolute limit, and then raising his agility and dexterity ceiling. Once adventurers reach a certain level, growth has to be balanced, not just focused on one field.”

“The areas you’re good at should be pushed to their limits. The areas you’re weak in—you fill those gaps. That’s what high-level adventurers must do.”

That, Tsuna believed, was the essence of true advancement.

Low-level adventurers could afford to specialize. But once you climbed high enough, specialization just made you predictable—an easy target.

So when you reached that height, what mattered most was balance—patching your flaws until even your weaknesses could hold their own.

That was the real meaning behind the Strengthening Plan.

Chapter 90 – The Training Space for Combat and Fundamentals

After finishing breakfast in the dining hall, Tsuna returned to his room and began sketching out ideas for a new Training Space.

Unlike the relaxed atmosphere of the living quarters, this one would be dedicated purely to physical conditioning.

“I’ll need a combat zone too—somewhere Finn and the others can fight monsters that exploit their weaknesses. The entire place has to be extremely durable… ideally with a self-repairing feature.”

A training field that kept breaking down after every battle would be a pain to maintain.

What Tsuna wanted was a space that could take a beating and rebuild itself automatically. Otherwise, he’d have to waste time fixing it every few days instead of focusing on the important stuff.

As for the environment…

The image of the Large Tree Labyrinth came to mind.

That floor was infamous for its harsh, oppressive terrain. Even so, its conditions were somewhat restrained compared to what it could be.

So what if he recreated that environment inside the Training Space?

Fighting monsters that targeted your specific weaknesses while surrounded by extreme natural conditions—it’d skyrocket the difficulty in one go.

Still, the Large Tree Labyrinth’s ecosystem was about as brutal as it got.

Tsuna nodded to himself. “Yeah, that’s perfect for the combat zone.”

Next came the other part.

“I’ll also need a space for daily training.”

“The basic training zone doesn’t need much—just a separate area where people can eat and rest. Hmm… separate living quarters for men and women, of course.”

“And the main thing is that the environment itself has to put constant pressure on the body.”

Stats could only increase once someone hit their limits—that was the foundation of growth. Tsuna had already figured out how to make that happen.

Gravity was one of the best ways to push the body beyond its comfort zone. A high-gravity field would force muscles to work harder with every movement.

Even a simple one-times gravity increase, if maintained for long periods, would gradually wear down the body and force adaptation.

“Besides gravity, I’ll need extreme environmental factors to push their endurance further.”

Suddenly, a pristine white temple appeared in his mind’s eye.

“The Room of Spirit and Time… now that’s a great idea.”

The legendary training chamber from Dragon Ball—one year inside equals a single day outside. Though, it came with a strict two-day entry limit. Stay longer, and the door would close forever, isolating you in a pocket dimension.

“Still, I shouldn’t add time acceleration just yet.”

“An environment that harsh would already put tremendous mental strain on anyone who stayed inside too long.”

“And if I set the gravity too high from the start, normal people wouldn’t last even an hour.”

“If the body can’t withstand the pressure, it could easily lead to unnecessary deaths.”

Considering how much free time they had lately, and the mental toll that blank white space could cause, there was no real need to mess with time flow for now. Extreme gravity settings would also need fine-tuning.

The environment, though—that could be brutal. After all, physical suffering was part of reaching one’s limits.

But mental collapse? That was where he drew the line.

Each session would probably last at least half a day, with a full-day cooldown period between uses.

Tsuna wasn’t about to treat them like Saiyans—those monsters could just think themselves stronger. Humans didn’t get that luxury.

“Alright, that should do it.”

Two large white doors slowly materialized before him.

“Next step is just setting these up in a fixed room.”

“Oh, right. I’ll also need to add identity-based access.”

If someone stumbled into this space by accident, it’d be a disaster—especially if they weren’t part of the Loki Familia.

With that thought, Tsuna waved his hand, erasing the unfinished doors.

Defective products had to be scrapped immediately. No need to expose unnecessary details about his abilities.

“I’ll need some of Miss Loki’s blood as the identification marker.”

Different Familias had different divine bloodlines, and each god’s essence was unique. The divine blood that carried their Falna served as a perfect identifier.

With that decided, Tsuna left his room and walked toward Loki’s quarters.

Pop pop pop!

He knocked, but the door was opened by someone else—Astraea.

“Goddess Astraea.”

“Oh, it’s you.”

Seeing the boy who had rescued her children, Astraea blinked in mild surprise before her expression softened into a warm smile.

“I never got the chance to thank you properly,” she said. “You saved my girls from real danger. I’m truly grateful.”

Tsuna returned her gratitude with a polite nod.

“Goddess Astraea, it was nothing. I only acted because I happened to hear your voice that night.”

“If not for that, I never would’ve gone into the deeper floors at all—let alone had the chance to bring them back.”

And that was true. He might’ve been the one who did the rescuing, but the cost had fallen on Astraea herself.

She’d sacrificed her own independence to become Loki’s subordinate deity, and her Familia had been absorbed into the Loki Familia.

In truth, once Astraea had done that, the Astraea Familia had effectively stepped off the stage of the Labyrinth City.

It hadn’t been a small price to pay.

Stepping inside, Tsuna found Loki lounging about, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

“Tsuna, what brings you here this time?” she asked with a grin.

“It’s about the Strengthening Plan,” Tsuna said straight to the point.

“I’ve finished preparing the Training Spaces.”

“One is for practical combat—where they’ll face monsters designed around their weaknesses. The environment inside is modeled after the Large Tree Labyrinth.”

“Like I mentioned before, I plan to recreate the black goblins and the Juggernaut we encountered during the last Expedition. Finn and the others will use them for real combat drills.”

“The second is for daily physical training. It focuses on improving their Status—featuring extreme survival conditions, massive day-night temperature shifts, and adjustable gravity levels. It’s meant to push the human body to its absolute limit and accelerate growth.”

One for combat, one for daily grind—Tsuna had covered every base.

Loki’s grin widened, her eyes sparkling with interest.

“Tsuna, take me and Astraea to see it later, alright?”