Sachel he was only able to push into a single new level, even if they’d kept training beyond that in the hopes of lowering her next threshold, while Valaria continued to keep up with her previous trend of withstanding his mental training the longest, showing her worth as the high priestess of Myriad to claim three for herself, even if it left her completely drained by the end.

Really, the entire crowd had managed it far better than he’d been expecting. His ability to force them to level seemed to have improved with his mind but even then, everyone got two, even if that was where the majority of them stopped. They couldn’t quit so easily though, not when, from their perspective, they were one-on-one with someone who was destined to join their god’s ranks who’d just given a small speech about the value of improving.

Still, the drop off there was steep with more than half of them quitting after that, content to take that growth and keep working on their own from there, especially when Ben assured them that so long as he could, he’d help them again in the future.

Of those who kept up longer, worshipers gaining a third level before quitting made up the majority of the rest, or it would have, barring one specific group. The demidemons.

A species that had been created by their evil gods to focus on giving faith in a way that went beyond any other race and do little more than what they’d need to in order to sustain themselves so they could continue to do so, that race was particularly suited to long bouts of work and training and in the confines of his mind where their thoughts were sped up and their bodies couldn’t be exhausted they particularly shined. 

Seventh, eighth, even ninth levels were gained among them, with even the children there able to reach the fifth without complaint before they’d needed to stop, leaving Ben’s eyes alight for the results. As complicated as their origins may have been, they were showing what fools any god too proud to claim them for their own were, and to Myriad’s benefit. They loved that cube and were loyal for the grace and mercy they’d been shown, leading to levels of effort their old gods could have only dreamed of.

Toltho was one of them to reach that barrier, as were the rest of the surviving priests and it was clear none wanted to stop, not when they felt so close, even if they didn’t have it in them to say it when Ben brought each of their training sessions to an end, leaving him to give a small laugh for each of them as he explained the reason behind it while they were still in his head.

“I could work to awaken you now but it’s better if I wait. You all already know there’s a lot of power to be gained for such a thing, I just want to make sure you get even more. The only trade-off is you need a bit of patience.”

When he put it like that, how could they argue? Even then he was thinking of them, trying to help them gain more than they could alone and once everyone was done he released them from his mind, letting them open their eyes for the surprise waiting beyond, with the building they were in completely changed.

While Ben had covered it where he thought he needed to and added other artistic flourishes to try to keep it from being gaudy, in the time he’d been working on them all he’d covered every surface with soul crystals and then added more beyond, replacing pews entirely with the magic material to give faith to their god from the countless souls it all contained, even if those within didn’t know that. To them, it was more like they’d been transported to a completely different location; it was impossible to immediately realize that the building itself had just been changed, while Ben went back to the podium and gave a small bow.

“All of you have worked hard and I hope you’ll keep doing so, if not for yourselves then for our god. Do your best to make Myriad proud, you all have the tools to go beyond what any of you think you can.”

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“Here, you should eat something,” Ben said after everyone else had left, handing Valaria a plate and water from his ring. Sachel had been given the role of leading the demidemons back to Stonewall but it was clear even when he’d been training her that Valaria had pushed herself too hard, wanting the strength he could offer and would have kept going if he hadn't stopped her, leaving the priestess with a pounding migraine by the end that she’d managed to hide until everyone else left.

 “I’m fine.”

“You’re not, I should have stopped you sooner. From my own experiences, I’m comfortable saying you’ll be feeling this for a day or two so make sure you take it easy in that time.”

With the levels to her connect, he’d also raised her mental expansion, it getting to the ninth level being what pushed him to stop but seeing the result of it, he couldn't deny he should have ended things sooner. While not to the same extent as some of the changes that he’d suffered through while his various mind skills had been growing together, it seemed Valaria was dealing with the aftereffects of her mind changing too much, too quickly. Even if it wouldn’t be nearly as long for her to heal from like some of his worst experiences had taken, it would still be a very unpleasant couple of days.

Still, she shook her head, immediately regretting that action as she mumbled instead. “It was a good opportunity, I couldn’t pass it up.”

“And this is a good meal, you shouldn’t pass it up either,” He said as he wafted it under her nose, seeing it twitch from the smell alone as she perked up a little and took the plate, beginning to nibble away at it.

“Delicious.”

“Yeah, everything I make is,” He laughed. “But Valaria, you don’t need to be in such a rush. Whatever speed you can go at, if you want to grow then I’ll help you, it’s as simple as that.”

“I couldn’t possibly impose-”

“Who’s imposing? I offered and you’re the high priestess of our god. You aren’t below me in any way so don’t worry about the small things and just ask for help if you want to improve.”

“I’m pretty sure I am below you since you’re going to become a god yourself.”

“That right there is called sweating the small stuff and so not the point. You want to improve then let me or Myriad know and we’ll sort out a time for it. Obviously not immediately, you officially need to wait for your brain to heal a bit and I need to see if I can finish a little something to try and get you and some others the most out of any help I can give, but I will help you grow connect as far as possible if that’s what you want.”

“...If you’re really willing to go so far then I’ll humbly accept-” She started with a bow before letting out a small yip as he flicked her head.

“Not. Above. You. If you’re going to thank me then do it the way you'd thank a coworker or a pal, got it?”

“Ahem, got it,” She said, rubbing her now sorer head. “Thank you, Ben. I really appreciate that you’d take the time to help me improve.”

“Of course. Now, do you think you can walk?”

“Mmh, I feel like I’m going to be unsteady on my feet for a while.”

“Alright then, come on, I’ll make sure you get home safely.”

----------------------------------------

Late though he already was, he made a small pitstop on the way back, going to the Stonewall church to finish tiling it and replacing what decorations he could with more of the ensouled crystal for what extra bit of faith it would give, finishing the second church of his god in its entirety and needing only to make time to do the Allfaith branch from there.

But I should probably be careful with that for now. He told himself on his way back home. I already played pretty fast and loose going to the magic towers the other day. Even if the odds were slim, it was possible I could have run into Verbum. Don’t want to risk running into Yuzu quite yet either, but… This next level is still taking way longer than I’d hoped.

While he wouldn’t exactly say that Quox had been holding up well from what Ben was subjecting him to, he’d at least managed for a while, keeping his sanity for a few thousand years and only going truly mad after twenty thousand, but now what Ben was doing was more akin to chipping away at that insanity, eroding that being of everything he was or could be as he slowly lost more and more of himself.

And when there’s nothing left… Well, I’ll figure it out.

He had a few more options after all, even if it worked out worse than he’d been hoping but until he got another level, that would be a future worry as he opened the door and let himself inside, joining the rest where they waited.

Sonya wasn’t home yet, Ben was sure she was making time to visit his teacher out wherever the gods had the yeti working but the other three were there, even if only one was awake.

With Mora asleep on Thera’s legs while Abel napped on her shoulder, it seemed his girlfriend was trapped there, even if it made a cute scene and left him to exaggeratedly frame it with his fingers before materializing a picture of it while she rolled her eyes.

“You’re late.”

“Yeah, sorry. I trained them all like I’d planned but Valaria went way too hard on it. She’s currently dealing with a bit of the same problems I had when I raised my mind skills too much. And here? What’s going on?”

“Mmh, Mora was feeling a bit sick from today, I won’t go into details but a smell got to him so he needed to rest his stomach a bit and it sounds like your little apprentice showed Abel no mercy while she was playing with her. I tried my best to reassure her and well, it ended like this.”

“Ha, now who’s adopting her?” He teased, getting a second eye roll for the comment.

“Still you, I’m just helping. I was just rubbing her head but she didn’t want me to stop and I guess it relaxed her.”

“Hmm, I’ve gotten some pretty strong reactions ruffling her hair too. She might be a bit touch-starved.”

Well, if people think you’re going to try and bite into them, that’s going to happen,” She pointed out. “You should consider mentioning that to her later.”

“I’m pretty comfortable saying that she knows, she just doesn’t care. Or is just trying to find people who’ll let her have some bites while also letting her spend time with them?”

“Then I think that works out to just you.”

“I mean, it is kind of neat to find out how much I’m able to strengthen her with a bit of blood.”

“That’s because you’re insane, but fine,” She sighed. “I think I’m getting used to how comfortable you are with the idea of people wanting bites out of you.”

“I really wouldn’t call it comfort.”

“You let Abel.”

“That’s a trade off, it makes her substantially stronger if I give her a bit and you’re here to heal me.”

“You let Mercy.”

“When I did it was because she was going to either go insane from hunger or starve to death.”

“You let Greed.”

“Similar reason, only more traumatic for both of us.”

“Flavour enhancement.”

“Low blow but that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Yeah? Tell me, mister expert on skills the world over, do you know about anyone else who’s ever gotten it?”

“...I mean, just because I haven’t seen or read about anyone with it, doesn’t mean they don’t exist. And not only is there literally at least two different races on this planet whose young need to eat their parents to one extent or another, I grew up on a world with internet access. You aren’t going to convince me that there isn’t a certain subset of the global population that’s way too into the idea of being eaten, there’s no way I’m the first person to get this skill.”

“Well, I guess we’ll know if you ever awaken it.”

“Never gonna happen.”

“Your optimism is cute,” She quietly giggled. “But unfortunately for you, it doesn’t take being your girlfriend to know you get curious. What are you going to do when you finally finish all of your jobs and only have entrée left? You really expect me to believe you aren’t going to get curious about what a job no one’s ever had before is going to do for you?”

“Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter, how big of a difference can it even make?”

“Ben, when you kiss me after you get a level, I can tell the difference.”

“...Well, that was a small little psychological blow I wasn’t expecting to deal with today,” He muttered while she did her best to hold back her laughter, lest she wake the other two. “Let’s put a small pin in traumatizing me for a minute. So did you end up succeeding in helping her get over losing?”

“I mean, maybe? I think she listened at least, not super sure if she’s going to take what I said to heart but I tried my best.”

“No, that’s more than good enough, thanks.”

“You can thank me by starting dinner, I’m starving but not exactly in a position to help.”

“Ha, yeah, I’ll do that. Need anything first? How long have you been stuck there?”

“Over an hour.”

“You can wake them, you know?”

“Mmh, I’d feel bad. I’ll wake them when food is ready, so…”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be quick,” He laughed, feeling mostly good. Beyond the small bit of psychological torment his girlfriend had inflicted on him, it had been a good day, ending on a good meal would be the perfect way to finish it.

And then after, I can see if Thera’s talk with her helped Abel with the whole ‘accepting the occasional defeat’ thing.