Fron looked at Loki with a numb expression, emotions mixed with anticipation and dread.
"Ah, your title is-"
--------------------------
On the giant bulletin board at the headquarters of the Adventurer's Guild.
In the very center, a large notice was posted.
The main feature is a portrait of a person, with a simple description in the common language below, as well as a list of achievements.
In the usually noisy hall, a pin drop could be heard at this moment.
Intelligence personnel from various factions and familias, as well as passing adventurers, were all silent, one could even hear the hurried breathing of others.
...
[Fron Argon, Loki Familia.]
[Successfully defeated the 17th-floor Lv.5 mutated 'Floor Boss' Goliath alone.]
[Level: Lv.3]"
[Alias : Flame Demon]
...
A certain adventurer muttered the words written above...
Then, this overwhelming piece of information, like a spark to a fuse, exploded into chaos.
"Lv.3??? Is the guild blatantly trying to fool us? They must be hiding the real info! If he only leveled up to Lv.3 after soloing a Lv.5 floor boss, doesn't that mean he was only Lv.2 at the time?!"
"This is f***ing ridiculous, what kind of joke is this?!"
"Loki Familia needs to give us an explanation!"
Then, just as someone finished their aggressive complaint, a nearby adventurer mocked them with disdain:
"You're going to demand an explanation from Loki Familia? Are you trying to kill me with laughter so you can inherit my savings in the goblin bank?"
"Why don't you go ask that person in Freya Familia instead? Know your own damn weight."
"Idiot."
"..."
"You... you all..."
"Newbie, huh? Just explore the dungeon, earn money, gradually grow stronger, and have a couple of drinks at the tavern at night, live the sweet life! You really trying to get yourself killed? Sigh."
Someone patted him on the shoulder, a mix of pity and exasperation.
"..."
To these low-level adventurers, Loki Familia was a colossal force.
The whole familia had dozens of members, all of them upper-tier adventurers.
Rank-wise, entry-level members or rookies were typically Lv.2, rookie group leaders Lv.3, above that was the second echelon, generally Lv.4.
Lv.5 were considered executives, and the leaders were Lv.6.
That's more or less the structure.
In other words, Fron had risen from a support role to an entry-level adventurer and now qualified to serve as a squad leader.
...
『Twilight Manor』
"[Flame Demon]? What kind of stupid nickname is that, sounds like a factory product."
Fron's face twisted.
Loki, crossing her legs and squinting her eyes, snorted:
"That's the power of my influence. If it weren't for me, hmph... don't even dream of such a plain nickname, you could've ended up with something like [Black Flame Blaster] or [Night's Boosted Fighter]!"
"..."
Fron's veins bulged on the back of his hand, and the shield uniform he was wearing crumpled like paper.
"Sigh..."
In the end, under the divine pressure of the gods, he lowered his head.
"I really like it, the nickname Flame Demon."
Ais tilted her body 8 degrees, raised her head slightly, and looked at Fron with golden eyes, saying the words that shattered Loki's heart.
"Ah, well, if that's the case... I guess it's fine."
Two-faced dog!
Crack, just like the wine glass in her hand, Loki's mental state broke.
As for Lefiya, standing nearby, she felt as though her tiny body was about to split apart.
"Ugh... Miss Ais."
"What's wrong, Lefiya!"
"Ah... n-nothing!"
'Yes, Fron is also someone I admire, just like Miss Ais! And... Fron's level has already caught up to mine, I need to work even harder!'
"Alright everyone, time to talk business."
The Pallum leader clapped his hands, pulling everyone's attention back.
"The date for the next 'Expedition' has been set, it'll be in five days!"
"--!"
Everyone looked excited and ready to go, as if they already knew.
Only Fron was completely lost.
"Speaking of which, Fron probably doesn't know yet, you'll be joining us this time. You're qualified!"
"Huh?"
Finn smiled at him, then looked around at everyone:
"This was agreed upon by me, Riveria, and Gareth, and we also consulted all the executives, the decision was unanimous."
Then he added a small joke:
"It'd be weirder if it hadn't passed, right everyone?"
"Of course! Fron's heroic battle against Goliath is still fresh in my mind, it was so cool, like an ancient hero from a myth!"
Tiona clung to his arm like a puppy, rubbing up and down excitedly.
This innocent and lively personality... it's impossible to get mad at her.
Ais' eyes also sparkled with an indescribable light. 'Could he be my hero?'
Fron's heart choked up, tears threatening to fall. "Thank you all for recognizing me, I'll do my best!"
Bete crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, turning his face aside with a poisonous remark:
"Tch, weakling, don't slow us down, or I'll kill you."
"Whoa, i-it's happening! Fron's tsundere wolf!"
"Shut it, you Amazoness! Speak normal damn words!"
"Who's scared of who! I'll fight you with one hand!"
"I'll fight you with both hands tied!"
Everyone: "..." We're getting sidetracked here.
"Alright alright, that's enough. Now let's talk about the expedition plan in detail. This concerns all of you."
"First, the objective, this time we're heading to the 52nd floor."
"The last expedition failed at the 49th floor due to an unexpected 'Monster Party' incident, which caused chaos in the 'Great Wilderness,' collapsing the vanguard line and leading to disorganized defeat."
"This time, we absolutely must not repeat that mistake. We need to reserve enough battle power to deal with any 'abnormal situations' in the dungeon."
"Also, let me be clear, if any of you executives go off on your own like last time to fight solo, I will take action. Understood?"
"Don't worry, Captain~~~~~ I'll keep an eye on them."
"..." It's because you go berserk that I have headaches!
Tione is usually pretty reliable, and she's calm in battle.
It's just... once she sees something that rubs her the wrong way, she snaps.
Compared to her innocent and cheerful sister, she's a real battle maniac.
"Alright, use these days to prepare. Make sure your weapons and supplies are well stocked, the familia is under heavy financial pressure right now."
To put it bluntly, the familia was out of money.
That's normal though, just do the math.
A large number of backup weapons for combat members, great swords, spears, shields, etc., all of top-tier quality, with a starting price in the tens of millions.
Deep-level monsters are mostly giant types, and they wear down weapons fast.
You think the wear-and-tear from hacking a Almiraj is the same as slashing at a Goliath?
In intense battles, a single weapon isn't enough for top-tier adventurers, unless they use weapons with the "Indestructible" property, sacrificing attack power.