By the time Renjiro returned to the surface, more than five hours had passed.
The evening sun dipped low, casting long shadows across Orario.
Most of the Guild staff from the morning shift were already heading home.
Renjiro, however, wasn't careless. He had no intention of revealing either his Spatial Backpack ability, or even Paimon's existence, to too many outsiders.
At least, not in these early stages. For now, secrecy was a far greater asset than risk.
So, before leaving the Dungeon, he had already pulled out all the leftover magic stones (from weapon enhancement fodder) and monster drop materials, stuffed them into a bulky bag, and carried it himself.
Even then, the bag bulged full.
Naturally, he noticed more than a few unfriendly stares from passing adventurers.
After all, as Genshin's Traveler twins, Aether and Lumine came with a built-in danger sense: hostile presences showed as red arrows flashing constantly at the edges of their vision.
But the would-be robbers backed down the instant they saw the Familia crest emblazoned on his bag.
Freya Familia.
No one wanted that kind of trouble.
They knew: facing a monster above your level and dying? At least you'd just been reckless.
But robbing a member of Freya Familia? That was flat-out suicide.
Sure, internal power struggles existed. The stronger you were, the more voice you had within the Familia.
But if anyone dared bring shame to Freya-sama herself, all rivalries would be dropped instantly. They'd unite as one, and the offender's fate would be unspeakable.
As for fakes trying to impersonate members? Those idiots died even more miserably.
In fact, if a true member was robbed, their own seniors might beat them bloody afterward.
So weak you let trash rob you? You've shamed Freya-sama.
That was the mentality.
So no, Renjiro wasn't worried about being robbed.
With Lumine at his side, he walked straight into the Guild's first-floor hall.
The exchange counter sat to the left of the main entrance. Here, adventurers traded in magic stones and monster drops for valis (currency).
The setup resembled a mix of a bank and a pawnshop. You placed your stones on the counter; the staff tallied their worth; then handed over the corresponding valis.
Note: A five-man party of seasoned Lv.1 adventurers usually made around 20–30k valis a day. The exact figure fluctuated, mostly depending on luck.
Dungeon monster spawns were semi-random. Even the Guild's official data could only list approximate regions.
For example: Earth Spirits around the 5th floor and Killer Ants on the 7th floor
You couldn't just camp one corner and expect endless spawns. That was impossible.
Sure, you could lure monsters like Renjiro had, but controlling the numbers was dangerous. Too many gathered at once, and unlike him, most adventurers had no Return to City ability.
A single mistake cost them their lives.
Furthermore, monster drop materials were worth far more than magic stones.
Take a weak Goblin: its stone fetched a few hundred valis, about the price of a specialty dish at a tavern.
But if it dropped, say, a finger bone? That was worth several thousand valis, a tenfold jump.
And that was just a Goblin. Stronger monsters dropped far pricier goods.
The catch: when killed, monsters usually dissolved into black mist. Only rarely did parts of their bodies remain.
Many adventurers could spend half a month killing without seeing a single material drop.
When Renjiro's turn came,
"That'll be 1,395,700 valis."
The nearby adventurers pricked their ears.
This time of evening, the hall was filled mostly with the early in, late out type: low-level adventurers returning from a day-long run.
Their Falna levels were modest, and their daily income even more so.
So hearing a number that high…
The older Guild clerk at the counter offered a kindly warning:
"Young adventurer, if you ever bring in a haul worth over a million again, be sure to meet your advisor in a private booth. It'll save you a lot of trouble."
He wasn't wrong.
Already, Renjiro and Lumine had become the center of attention.
Renjiro raised his voice deliberately:
"Thank you for the advice. But I doubt anyone in Orario is foolish enough to target a member of Freya Familia."
The effect was immediate.
Like the crest on his bag before, his words made would-be thieves scatter ten to one.
Even the smaller, sneakier types backed down quickly.
Glancing around, Renjiro weighed the coin pouch in his hand, smirking inwardly:
Heh. Everyone mocks those who bluff with borrowed power. But everyone also wants the chance to bluff themselves. Damn, this feels good. Saves me the trouble.
================
Half an hour later…
Remembering Ottar's earlier message, Renjiro left the Guild and returned straight to the Babel Tower, which stood directly above the Dungeon.
Soon, he entered the topmost chamber with its vast floor-to-ceiling windows, where Freya had been waiting.
They were alone. Not even Ottar remained.
Renjiro canceled his disguise with a whispered chant. The light of Starfire's Flowing Light faded, and his true form appeared.
He stepped forward slowly.
"You've reaped quite a harvest these past few days?"
Freya sat on her throne before the great window, a wine glass balanced in her right hand, legs crossed with habitual elegance.
From here, the view was spectacular. The Babel Tower's height surpassed even Orario's radius.
From that throne, one could look down upon the entire city, a vision fit for a sovereign.
She turned to him lazily, eyes glimmering.
"Ottar told me. Your very first dive reached the 7th floor, where you exploited the Killer Ants' traits to repeatedly trigger Monster Feasts."
Adventurer's Note: A Monster Feast is when, in one area, a sudden mass of monsters spawn or gather. It's classified as an irregular event, often fatal for adventurers.
For most, intentionally triggering one was pure suicide.
But Freya knew Renjiro had too many BUG-level abilities.
Even just his Return to City was priceless.
Were it not a self-only power, she would already be planning an expedition. If Ottar could reach Lv.8, or if she gained another Lv.7, the days of Orario's two great Familias would end. The Loki Familia would be outmatched.
Still, Hero's Domain class achievements were no easy feat.
And Freya's relations with Loki weren't truly hostile. For now, she had no need to rush.
Especially not with Renjiro's potential.
"The upper floors' Monster Feasts weren't very dangerous," Renjiro said casually. "The haul was… decent enough."
He lifted the coin pouch Paimon had tucked into his Spatial Backpack.
"Truth is, I'm a bit of a foodie. First time I've made this much money, and I just want a good meal. I hear Orario's full of specialties."
Freya's lips curved with interest.
"Oh? In that case, I know just the place. But before that…"
She set down her wine glass, gesturing to the spot before her.
"Let's update your Falna. I'm very curious just how much you've grown in your 'first week.'"
Her gaze lingered on him, sultry and teasing, her lips brushing her tongue with allure.
Renjiro sighed, stepping back a half pace.
"Can we not do this, big sis?"
She froze a little.
"…What did you just call me?"
Her expression shifted oddly, not quite displeased, not quite pleased.
Unsure, Renjiro tested:
"Freya-sama…?"
She considered, then shook her head.
"No… I rather like the first one. From now on, I'll allow it. My adorable little brother."
Then, gesturing again:
"Now, let's handle business first. We can talk afterward."
This time, her tone carried less dangerous playfulness.
Reluctantly, Renjiro complied. He lifted his shirt, revealing the sealed Falna crest upon his back.
A drop of divine blood fell. The sigil shimmered, and light spread across his skin.
Freya began recording the updates.
================
Status: Renjiro
Level: 1
Stats:
STR: i-0 → h-123
END: i-0 → h-139
DEX: i-0 → h-171
AGI: i-0 → h-165
MAG: i-0 → d-590
Skills:
Starry Abyss
Magic:
Paimon Time
Genshin Descent
Starfire's Flowing Light
================
"Over a thousand points' growth in just seven days?" Freya's brows rose. "Even for Lv.1… That's almost on par with Ottar's growth back then."
Ottar, the current Strongest of Orario, the only Lv.7 in the world. His natural talent was beyond question.
For Renjiro to nearly match that speed, terrifying indeed.
Of course, Renjiro knew the truth.
Without cheats like One Mind–style skills, his own base talent ranked among the weaker.
His growth now was purely thanks to the Genshin System, and, perhaps, a little bit of grinding addict's spirit.
With Starfire's Flowing Light perfectly integrated into this world's power system, he could attempt feats no other Lv.1 adventurer dared dream of.
After all, who else had ever triggered a Monster Feast in a 7th-floor dead end on their very first dive?
Not even high-stat Lv.1s would dare it.
And those Killer Ants? Even one or two usually required a seasoned Lv.1 to defeat.
Not all Lv.1s were created equal. There was a world of difference between a fresh blessing recipient and a Lv.1 maxed with full S-rank stats.
================
Notes
Monster Feasts – Irregular Dungeon events where a mass of monsters spawn at once. Usually a death trap.
Falna Update – Gods inscribe a blessing (Falna) on the back of their Familia members. Stats grow with effort, and updates reveal exact numbers.
Stat Ranks – Letter grades (i → h → g → … → S → SS → etc.) with numbers showing growth within the rank. Higher letters = stronger.
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