All five of Su Mo's basic stats on his back were the same as always—completely maxed out at 9999, overflowing beyond the limits.
Back when he defeated the Floor Boss Udaeus—a powerful Level 6 monster deep within the Dungeon—Su Mo had already accumulated enough experience and achievements to qualify for an upgrade. However, while he had met the requirements to level up, he hadn't reached the threshold for an overflow—a special state where one's accumulated progress exceeds the maximum requirement for the next level. That was precisely why he chose not to level up immediately. He had waited until he had fully absorbed the experience from the God Slayer world before choosing to ascend. Only by leveling up during an overflow could he maximize the benefits and strengthen himself to the fullest.
As for the opportunity to level up, Su Mo never lacked options. Be it deities from the world of Campione or the monsters of the Ultraman Tiga universe, any of them could easily catapult his level to unimaginable heights. That was why he never panicked about his rank. For Su Mo, it was always about laying a solid foundation first. What Hestia didn't know was that even the current pace of Su Mo's advancement was actually deliberately suppressed. If he had chosen to let loose, she'd probably be in shock.
Though even now the news was startling, Hestia didn't seem particularly shaken—perhaps she'd gotten used to it. After all, Su Mo was her adventurer, and his abnormality had long since become something she regarded as normal. So after a moment's pause, she immediately set about updating his status, casually asking, "Su Mo, which development ability do you want to choose this time? You have four options—[Abnormal Resistance], [Mage], [Spear Man], and [Mixing]."
Mixing was a skill usually associated with alchemists and potion-makers, improving one's ability to concoct medicines and elixirs. The other three—he had encountered them before. Normally, development abilities were linked to an adventurer's recent experiences, and Su Mo hadn't been doing anything related to alchemy or pharmaceuticals. So it was a bit strange for [Mixing] to appear at all. Then again, his previously offered skill [Blacksmith] hadn't made much sense either.
Development abilities often appeared randomly, and no consistent rules had been identified yet. Without hesitation, Su Mo made his choice. "I'll take [Mixing]."
The other three held little value for him. [Mixing], on the other hand, had broader applications. Even if he personally didn't specialize in potion-making, one of his counterparts in another world might. It was a utility skill—just like [Blacksmith]—that could be useful across his many identities.
"Got it!" Hestia nodded and got to work. After a flurry of divine script and flickering status light, the update was complete. Su Mo had officially leveled up.
Immediately, he could feel his body strengthen once more. While most adventurers experienced diminishing returns the higher they climbed, Su Mo's growth still felt tangible and powerful. His physical capabilities surged forward, and even his mana—already surpassing that of dragon veins—was noticeably enhanced.
Once the upgrade was complete, Su Mo began organizing the magic stones he had brought back. He picked out a few smaller ones to exchange for valis at the Guild. Neither he nor Hestia needed much spending money, and they still had leftover profits from their fried rice venture. The larger magic stones could be saved for later—like a backup savings account.
"I'm heading out," Su Mo called back as he prepared to leave.
"Okay!" Hestia waved at him lazily. "Be safe! And bring me back some fried potato balls on the way home!"
"No problem," Su Mo replied with a chuckle before stepping out.
Before long, he arrived at the Guild. Inside, Eina was organizing paperwork while occasionally glancing at the clock, clearly anxious about something. Her colleagues exchanged knowing glances, chuckling among themselves.
"Is Eina worried about that handsome rookie from this morning?"
"I'm not!" Eina flailed her hands in denial. "I'm not thinking about Su Mo at all!"
"Hmm?" One of her coworkers grinned slyly. "Funny, I never mentioned his name. Seems like someone's confessing a little too quickly!"
"That's only because Su Mo is the only newbie adventurer I'm responsible for today," she shot back with a sigh. Eina wasn't an idiot—she wasn't about to let them trap her that easily. "And even if I was concerned, it's purely from a professional standpoint. It's my job as a Guild advisor to worry about the safety of new adventurers—not whatever nonsense you're imagining!"
As a half-elf raised in a particularly strict household, Eina considered herself reserved and disciplined. Sure, Su Mo was attractive, but that didn't mean she'd fall head over heels that easily.
Just as she finished defending herself, a familiar voice spoke up behind her. "Weird nonsense? What weird nonsense?"
Eina froze. That voice—too familiar. Slowly, she turned around and, just as she feared, came face-to-face with Su Mo.
"H-Huh… that, that was…" Her face turned crimson in an instant. The words got stuck in her throat, and she nearly began to stutter. "The weird stuff… I mean… um…"
Even with her quick wit, she found herself flustered and completely at a loss for words.
Thankfully, one of her coworkers swooped in to rescue her, giggling as she stepped forward. "It's nothing! Just some girl talk—definitely not something a guy should worry about!"
Then, giving Eina a subtle push forward, she added with a grin, "More importantly, Eina's been worried sick about you all morning. You know, since it was your first real Dungeon run and all."
"I appreciate Miss Eina's concern," Su Mo responded with a gentle smile, letting the earlier awkwardness slide. "Thanks to the starter gear you gave me, everything went smoothly. I didn't run into any danger."
Of course, the equipment hadn't really seen any action—but Su Mo wasn't the type to ignore someone's kindness. Eina's help had been genuine, and he owed her at least some gratitude.
"Actually," he continued, "I remember I promised to treat you to a meal. How about today?"
He wasn't worried about Hestia. She had her own ways of getting food, and even if she whined a little when he got home, that was just part of her charm. Nothing serious.
Eina hesitated for a moment, then, with a bit of encouragement from her gleeful coworkers, she took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright."
The two didn't head out immediately, though. Su Mo still had magic stones to exchange. Eina, handing off the remainder of her work to her colleagues—who were now openly enjoying the spectacle—chose to accompany him to the exchange booth.
The Exchange Booth—the place where magic stones were converted into valis—was the financial heart of an adventurer's livelihood. Slay monsters, collect magic stones, trade them in. Rinse and repeat. That was the basic cycle of Dungeon life.
The Guild would buy up the magic stones in bulk and then resell them to various Familia and merchant groups as raw materials for crafting magical tools.
Magic stones had incredibly wide applications in Orario—almost akin to how electricity functioned in modern society. From lighting fixtures to cooking stoves and other basic utilities, many were powered by the energy within these stones. Even enchanted weapons like magic swords and magic staves used magic stones as a core component during their forging.
On the way to the Exchange, Eina turned to Su Mo and said cheerfully, "Congratulations on completing your first day of adventuring!"
"As for the treat you mentioned, there's no need to waste money on a fancy restaurant or anything extravagant. I think a simple snack stand will do just fine."
From Eina's perspective, a rookie adventurer wouldn't earn much on their first day anyway. Even if Su Mo was holding back his true strength, it was still his first time entering the dungeon. The results wouldn't be too different from any other beginner. Sure, he didn't look injured, but that only reinforced her assumption that he had been entirely focused on staying safe rather than slaying monsters efficiently. Compared to seasoned adventurers, his monster-hunting rate was bound to be lower. That meant his haul of magic stones probably wouldn't amount to much.
Being the thoughtful person she was, Eina didn't want Su Mo to feel obligated to spend his hard-earned money just to buy her a meal. There was even a chance he'd dip into his savings. Sure, she knew Su Mo had earned quite a bit from running his store in the past, but expecting him to touch his savings for a meal invitation was a bit too much in her opinion. After all, this was just the beginning of his journey. The days ahead would be long and demanding, and he would definitely need better weapons and armor to protect himself. Spending money elsewhere right now just didn't make sense.
Hearing her suggestion, Su Mo blinked. "Wouldn't treating you to a meal at a snack stand come off as disrespectful? You went out of your way to help me buy my beginner gear—it must've cost you quite a bit."
Eina shook her head immediately. "Don't worry about that at all!"
Although she was genuinely happy that Su Mo remembered and appreciated her help, she actually hoped he'd be a bit more oblivious at times. "I work at the Guild, and honestly, I don't have many opportunities to spend money anyway. Rather than treating me now, I'd prefer if you used that money to make yourself safer."
Su Mo raised an eyebrow at her overly generous reasoning, his expression turning slightly odd. In his heart, one thought became increasingly certain—this woman's after my body! She's even trying to buy her way into my heart!
Ah... the burden of being handsome. Not everyone would understand.
Still, considering Eina's looks, it wasn't exactly a bad thing. Su Mo wasn't going to turn her down.
By that point, the two had already arrived at the Exchange. Su Mo handed over the small pouch filled with magic stones through the window.
Next to him, Eina fell silent for a couple of seconds. Reflecting on what she'd just said, she suddenly realized something—her earlier reasoning didn't really hold water. Spending her own money to buy gear for an adventurer was completely outside the scope of her responsibilities as a Guild advisor. A bit flustered, she quickly shifted the topic to avoid any suspicion about her true intentions.
"Usually, new adventurers don't make much on their first day," she said. "So don't get discouraged, Su Mo. Everyone starts the same way—usually only about a thousand valis or so. But once you get the hang of it, your earnings will definitely go up!"
She clenched her fist, trying to encourage him with a cheerful smile.
But hearing her say that, Su Mo's expression stiffened.
Only about a thousand valis for beginners?
Was it really that little?
If that was the case, then even though he had tried to hold back and not take too much... the amount he'd brought back might still be a bit overboard.