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Silver and company descended through the passageways at the other end of the Wall of Grief. A series of long, twisting staircases carved straight through the bedrock, some covered in smooth and moist moss, roots, and small plants.
Stairs not carved by hands but by a force unseen, the Dungeon itself made these passages, welcoming all deeper into its embrace.
It's goals a mystery to all but the Gods who did not share, even amidst their most unmoral, to the mortals who worshiped them. It was up to these countless explorers to reach deeper into the unknown, to bring light into the darkness...
And to uncover the secret of the Dungeon.
The closer they descended, the more plants covered its walls, together with the fresh smell of grass, dirt, and nature.
/Tcha…/
Silver was the first to step out, his greaves landing on a soft patch of dry dirt.
He looked at the ground, the grass had been flattened before the entrance. The traces of numerous adventurers coming in and out of these stairs were evident, and so were the trails they took.
/Shua…/
The cries of birds, the sloshing of water, the glistering gleam of sunlight…
A beautiful world opened before them. Grasslands that blended with wider forests, going up and down hills and mountains. Forests that shone in a pale blue light, giving them an ephemeral feeling.
Above, light peered down from the skies, but upon a closer look, one would notice the ten thousand brilliant crystals bringing light into this world.
Rivers flowed around him, one of them ending at a waterfall. Silver walked forward but stopped beside it, his path reaching its end before an abrupt fall to another thicker, beautiful forest…
/Echo…/
Silver heard faint echoes dissipating in the trees. His eyes narrowed. Did he just hear a monster?
"That's the lower forest, don't go there." Gareth said as he stepped beside him, "While Rivira is a safe place, also called a heaven for adventurers, it would be more accurate to say it's a paradise for monsters."
He looked at large cavernous holes, almost impossible to see from up here, "Monsters from the lower floors climb up the stairs and venture into the forest to eat its fruits. They love it and rarely step out from there, so there isn't much of a reason to go there."
As they spoke, a massive winged beast flew from the forests and vanished into the lower canopies soon after, leaving behind only an aftertaste of what loomed below.
Silver looked to the side, beyond the forests and the massive crystal clusters peeking out from the treetops and grasslands.
A massive tree rose on the eastern side of the island, facing a large lake, its gargantuan canopy wide enough to support an entire city.
(Image)
Silver already expected to see it one day, but he couldn't help but be amazed at the sight.
Beneath the tree, around its trunk and roots, a small city seemed to be under construction. Wooden walls were erected, trees chopped down, and space cleared, and adventurers kept moving left and right, their screams and voices echoing all the way up the ravine they stood.
"Those people don't like it when the monsters are bothered." Gareth added as he crossed his arms
"If they think you've done it, they'll try to rip you off, and if you don't pay them, they'll just raise the prices on ya collectively." Gareth said with a scoff as the others arrived behind them
Tione and Tiona stepped out with Ais behind them. As soon as their feet stepped onto the soft dirt, Tiona exhaled in relief as she stretched her arms, dropping her guard so quickly that even Silver thought it impressive.
"Waaaahh… finally some rest."
Gareth turned around, raising an eyebrow, "Already tired? We've barely even warmed up."
"It's not my body that's tired." She replied awkwardly, eyes darting between Silver and the air as she whistled away
Gareth had nothing to say to that. He instead turned to the side, walking past them as Bete stepped out, hands in his pockets as his eyes and focus were elsewhere.
"Let's go set up camp. The others should be arriving in a few hours."
Tione followed after him, taking a look at the ancient tree, "It's quite foggy today. We can barely see Rivira from here."
"There might be rain today." Gareth added with a nod as he stopped, "Let's hope Finn and the others arrive before that happens."
"The last thing I want to deal with is a moody Riveria. She hates it when her hair gets wet like this."
"Rain? Can rain fall on this floor?" Silver asked curiously as he looked at the sky but saw no clouds
"From time to time water will seep through the ceiling and rain down on the 18th Floor. It's a rather common occurrence in the next half a dozen floors." Gareth replied as he brushed his beard
"They say there are countless passages that connect the surface to the Dungeon. A proof of this is all the water... no one knows where it comes from, yet it always flows down, coming from nowhere and vanishing soon after."
His tone grew heavy, "In deeper floors, the ceiling can be so high clouds will form, but on those floors, it's not rain that pours down."
Silver looked at the ceiling with curiosity. During the day, the crystals would glow and illuminate the entire cavern, and dim at night, simulating the day and night cycle in this distant land.
'I wonder how many kilometers we are underground. I should probably update and improve my map models after this is over.' He thought before his gaze fell down on the three
'How did it grow so much? I've never heard of a species like that. Is it a special tree like the ones the Elves are so euphoric about? Or is it something else? A Dungeon-unique plant like the many herbs lying around?'
'Does it have seeds? Fruits?'
As the others passed by him, only Ais stood a little longer. She seemed to want to ask something, but she didn't want to interrupt him.
Deep down, she knew how he felt. She too once came here for the first time, and she too looked around in curiosity… but her feelings then were…
She didn't want to think about them, and neither did she desire to intrude on his moment. So instead, she turned away, her golden hair swaying in the wind.
But Silver caught her attention again, "Hey, do you think I can get a few of those? They are rather interesting and would make a fine decoration in my office…"
(Image)
"… Huh?"
Ais turned back, her mouth agape as she noticed Silver looking at the ceiling.
"It's quite tall… I think we could easily fit more than one Babel here… This means I'm the only one who can go up there, right?"
She thought of a reply but couldn't, he was right as far as she knew. Although being honest, she never even thought of going up there or heard of someone trying to…
She tilted her head, "But what would you do with a crystal that shines in daylight and stays dims during the night on the surface? Isn't the sun and moon enough?"
"It's not about that, though. Alright, I've decided, wait here." Silver said as he started to float
"…"
'I don't think you needed my approval anyway…'
Ais stood there, head tilted upward as she tried to keep track of Silver as he vanished in the lights. The higher he went, the harder it was to keep track of him until he disappeared.
Seeing her narrowing her eyes, Tiona returned, "Ais? Why are you still here? And where's Silver?"
Ais went back and forth between her and the sky, "Up there… for some reason." She added in a low tone as she pointed at the crystals in the sky.
"Huh? You mean up there?" She asked as she narrowed her eyes
"Yes."
"Is there something interesting over there? I never went there before."
Ais shrugged, she didn't know either. If Gareth was here, he'd probably say something along the lines of, "A young boy's desire for exploration, leave him be." or so she thought.
The two stood side by side, waiting, and soon enough, a gleam of light approached them…
Silver returned with a large crystal pillar about his size… It glowed strongly as if Silver was holding an incandescent lightbulb but the size of a person.
Ais and Tione narrowed their eyes as they looked at the crystal, but Tiona soon spoke first, "It's dimmer than I expected."
"Pretty cool, right?" He asked as he tapped the crystal, "It's warm, too."
"Here." He added as he reached for his pockets, "One for each of you." He said as he took two small fingernail-sized crystals
Ais looked down at her crystal, "Thank you?"
"Oh, thank you!" Tiona said as she looked at the crystal, "It's almost like a magic stone, but a bit heavier and brighter."
"But why the big chunk?"
"I don't know, I just felt like taking one. I took the white one but I saw several blue ones too, I think I even saw some other colored crystals up there." Silver replied as he put the bright stone on the ground with a puff of air
He wiped his forehead, "But I left as soon as I could... Up there was quite hot."
He reached out for the crystal and lifted it with telekinesis, "Well then, shall we move on?"
The girls looked at each other before following him deeper into the grasslands.
…
"… This place will do. Boy, dig out the flag from storage and plant it here." Gareth said as he tapped the ground with his feet
Somewhere distant from the entrances to the 17th Floor and close to the exits to the 19th Floor, Gareth stopped.
Ais and the others knew this place, it was their usual camping spot on the 18th Floor.
Not many competed with them for it, there was more then enough space in this area to accommodate for them all.
"On it."
Silver opened his pocket space and stepped inside. Amidst the rows of shelves and boxes, he found a large shaft with a banner wrapped around it.
"Hupp… its heavy…"
A dark metal pole, well over four meters long, he lifted it outside and erected it before Gareth.
The others looked and sighed, they still couldn't get used to those large things coming from nowhere… only Gareth seemed to have grown used to it, while Bete... was nowhere to be seen as expected.
He tapped the ground with his foot, "Plant it right there. After that, we're pitching the tents… what are you doing?" Gareth asked as he looked at Silver
Silver slowly dug the ground to place the pole. He turned back, confused, "Digging?"
Gareth laughed, "Don't get your hands dirty over this. Let me." He said as he stepped forward.
/SLAM!/
He grabbed the banner at around his shoulder height and in one swift motion; he drove the pole through the dirt and bedrock until his hand touched the ground!
Clapping his hands, Gareth nodded to himself, "Now it won't move. We can't have it falling on someone again."
"…"
'Sometimes I forget this guy is Level 6. He might just have enough physical strength to trip Babel over… or that big tree in the distance.'
Dusting his hands, Gareth turned to Silver while the others stood around them, "Now go grab the tents. We're going to surprise the others with a half-decent camp."
Silver cleaned his hands as well with a towel, but Gareth's words got his attention, "Surprise?"
"How do you think our previous expeditions went? Usually all we do is carve the path and wait for the others. We usually don't even rush ahead this far at all."
"This is the first time we're doing something like this, so we might as well go all in and give them a shock!"
Tiona smiled, "Now that you say it, they'll be taken aback, won't they?"
Tione nodded on the side as Ais imagined them arriving…
Bete remained silent, sitting on a rock with his arms crossed, he remained pensive and distant.
/Slap!/
Gareth slapped Silver's back, almost making him trip over, "Then? Don't you already know where the tents are stored? The faster we finish this, the faster we can rest."
Silver had nothing to say, and like that, they began raising camp!
The ground was cleared and compacted, the tents were raised and pinned to the ground, one by one. They sorted everything out.
Silver and Gareth did most of the job, however… but not because the others didn't want to work. Silver could easily assemble every tent with telekinesis alone, and far faster than any of them could even if they wanted to help.
Even with all their power, they all possessed an incredible weakness when it came to this simple yet essential task... they were all small!
Only Bete could help Silver set them up properly, but he didn't seem to be in the mood... thus all they could do was sit back and enjoy the show.
Silver put the tents together, and Gareth shoved the pins down with his feet, often tying knots and other loose ends to make sure nothing would come undone.
The trio were given tea and other food items as they rested, while Bete did whatever he felt like this. He mostly remained in deep thought, probably still thinking about how his reality and everything he knew about adventurers had crashed down around him.
In half an hour, they had raised over a dozen tents, and Gareth even thought about pushing things a bit further and unloading more of their cargo… but in the end, he opted not to.
The others needed something to do after all…
Around an hour later, the group still waited for the others to arrive…
…
"… It burned again." Tiona muttered
Her sister was perplexed, "Is this even possible? We were watching it this time, how can it burn so quickly?"
"…"
Ais was shaken, her expression hollow…
Before them was a large magic oven. Atop it, a wide metal pan with cooking oil fried multiple balls of mashed potatoes, sizzling and bubbling as their aroma spread in the air.
Besides the oven was a table and the subject of their confusion… a plate with a dozen potato pops of varying colors, mostly brown to black…
"This is actually impressive in its own way." Silver added as he scratched his chin, an awkward expression on his face as he looked at them
He put a plate full of ready to fry potato pops on the table. After setting down their camp, Silver thought it would be a good idea to cook some food, so he took out a magic oven and kitchen set and put it somewhere around the camp's center.
While he prepared the potato pops, peeling and seasoning them, the trio would fry them over, or so was the idea… Gareth loved it actually, a healthy team effort, he thought...
They accepted it rather easily without much resistance, it seemed they too were somewhat interested in cooking.
Thinking about the single minute he wasn't looking, Silver frowned, "How can you burn them three times over? The oil isn't even that hot…"
He stopped talking as he turned to the side, noticing Ais' expression.
Ais sulked, this only made her more upset, "It's the pan's fault." She declared, unwilling to accept reality.
"Ahhh… Ais angry." Tiona said as she sighed
Tione stepped forward, "Let me try this time."
""…""
Ais and Tiona glared at her and then each other… "#!! I know how to cook the basics! How do I expect that I, someone aiming to be Captain's wife, can't do something as simple as frying some potatoes?!"
…
/Shaa…/
"It burned." Tiona said as she looked at the charred black pops
'It might be even worse then Ais'...'
"Uggggg…"
Tione was on her knees as she held one of the blackened pops.
Meanwhile, Ais stood on the side, smiling. She felt vindicated for her past mistakes.
Her smile was so sincere and full of emotion that even Silver couldn't help feeling captivated by it…
Somewhere along the line, she had taken off her mask. No one seemed to bother, and neither did she, which came to show how comfortable she felt right now.
As for poor Bete who was dying to know why she had a mask in the first place... he was far too busy with his own delusions to notice.
"Why are you smiling?!" Tione asked as she jumped at Ais, only for her to turn around and run, a grin on her face
The two began running around the camp like children.
Silver sighed. He had watched it all, and he fully understood what had gone wrong each time they burned the food, but chose not to interfere, "You guys… it isn't that complicated."
'How can they get something so simple wrong multiple times?'
"Don't even bother, those girls are a lost cause." Gareth said as he stepped closer
"You're back, Gareth!" Tiona said with a smile as she turned around
Gareth had left moments before to set up another flag near the entrance he knew Finn and the others would take so they wouldn't miss their camp.
It was hard to in the first place, Finn alone would possibly find them as soon as he stepped down, but just in case in they needed it...
He also felt good planting another flag down, although this is something he wouldn't reveal easily, much less to Loki herself.
"They were all taught by Riveria, they're as far from an ideal wife as you can imagine. It's already impressive they can fold their own clothes."
"Rude!" Tiona exclaimed as she crossed her arms and puffed
"Buwahaha! You're not one to talk. Even now I hear you leave your room in a mess."
"Haa? Who said that?!"
"Your sister."
Tiona looked away, embarrassed, "Ehhh…"
"…"
'So it isn't a lie, huh…'
Gareth walked past them, clasping his hands in expectation "So? Anything for me to eat? You've been cooking for a little while."
Silver smiled helplessly as he stepped before the oven, "I'll fry these up and put them up for you. Do you want a drink too?"
"No. I don't drink while on work. Let's leave that for when we're at the bar."
"Sure thing."
He then looked to the side… Bete could still be seen sitting on the tall boulder overlooking the 18th Floor.
He stood there in silence, hair flying in the wind as his gaze drifted with the echoes of the forest...
"How long is he going to stay like that? Is he being dramatic for the sake of it?"
Gareth chuckled, "He does that sometimes, yes. But this isn't it… you just gave him one hell of a shock."
"You guys are fine though?"
"I'm not fine!" Tiona exclaimed as she raised her hand, but was promptly ignored
Gareth's words stuck as he was about to say them, but after a moment, he replied, "Your words mean… a bit more to Bete than everyone else."
"He's just a little more sensitive when it comes to that. He has a troubled past…"
"Shut the hell up, old man." Bete exclaimed as his ears twitched
Even from up there and away from the camp, he could hear Gareth speak as if he were beside him.
But the middle-aged dwarf only exhaled through his nose, tilting his head to face him, "Stop being all gloomy and come grab something to eat."
Bete clicked his tongue and jumped away from them, vanishing into the precipice and the forest beyond.
"And there he goes… I can't understand him sometimes… most of the time." Tiona said as she looked at the boulder
"… Is he in his edgy phase?" Silver asked as he turned to Gareth
"Wha…? Pfft! Buwahaha! Don't let him hear that one!" He replied as he laughed out loud
"Edgy phase… Loki said that once before, that Bete never grew out of it. That's a memory I forgot I had."
"It's nothing of the sort, just ignore him. He's the kind of boy that sorts himself out on his own."
He sat down next to them on a tree stump, "Now, are we eating or…"
/THUD!/
""…""
Everyone turned to the side to see Ais and Tione fall on the dirt, their hair and clothes mangled…
They raised their heads to look at them, embarrassed.
"Sigh… these ones are a whole other heap of trouble…" Gareth said as he looked away
…
The group sat down to eat the potato pops after Silver fried them. And Ais finally seemed to have a pleased expression on her face.
They enjoyed their light meal with little chatter, but as they finished it, Tione broke the silence:
"Since we're done here, I'll be taking a shower. My hair's a mess and the last thing I want is for captain to see me like this."
"I'll go with you. A quick shower after a meal is quite nice."
Ais looked at her hair, taking a small twig from it before sighing. She wiped her lips and nodded at her, "Me too."
As Tione walked away, she turned to Silver with a small smile, "Don't even think about peeking, else I'll cut it off, kay~?"
Silver smiled drily, "I don't have a death wish… go have fun." He added as he waved his hand at them.
He continued, "Shouldn't you all be worried about him instead? I imagine you'll be showering in a nearby river."
Tione scoffed, "He knows better than to peek at us. Last time he tried, Riveria froze him in an ice block, and at the time he wasn't even closing to sneaking in a peek."
"..."
Silver had nothing else to say, and just like that, the three ladies vanished into the woods.
"… I'll give it to them, you need courage to shower in a place like this…"
"You get used to it. When dealing with large groups, basic hygiene like this becomes way more than just a necessity, it's a matter of morality. And the girls take it very seriously."
Gareth shoved another potato pop into his mouth, thinking about the past, "When we were still starting, Finn once asked our teachers why they'd stop in seemingly dangerous places to splash water onto their bodies… before being threatened by a furious Amazon, hohoho…"
"And while we don't do that, the lesson remains. Finn has to consider all variables, and amidst those, making sure our female members' needs are accounted for is of utmost importance... else they get very... gloomy."
"I don't mind taking a shower either. I do just fine with a wet towel, but wetting my feet in a cool river isn't too bad."
Silver continued to clean the table, "I imagine it becomes difficult to remain decently clean deeper in the Dungeon..."
Gareth sighed as he thought about it, putting his food down.
"At the Lower Floors, it is exceptionally so… so much so we often stay days without showering. In fact, I'll take this chance to warn ya… don't ever mention anything of the sort when we're down there."
"It's a silent rule, don't complain about the smell… that is, if you don't want two dozen angry elves to look at ya with burning eyes, hohoho!"
"You won't be going that far with us this time, but you'll be welcoming us when we return... so remember not to mention it when you do."
"Noted." Silver added with a smile as he finished cleaning the oven and utensils
"Since we're doing nothing, how about we trade some stories?" Gareth asked as he crossed his arms
"I don't know if I have much to share, my life was quite simple."
Gareth raised an eyebrow, "It couldn't have been just that if it led to someone like you."
"Fair enough. I am quite exceptional after all."
Gareth rolled his eyes, "So?"
"Fine… I'll start."
"Let's see… my story began when I was about three…"
Silver and Gareth exchanged stories for the next few minutes, waiting for time to pass.
With Bete nowhere to be seen, and the girls showering, they stood by themselves for the next few minutes, and even when they returned, they continued, the girls standing next to them, listening.
Like that, time passed, and before long, several hours had passed since the expedition began.
…
As the Loki Familia entered the Dungeon under the cheering and envious gazes of many…
"… Are you sure this is the path, my child?" A deity asked his children as he watched the heroes of the present march onward, somewhere beyond sight
His child, a beautiful elf with long green hair, smiled at the crowd as they screamed and fueled their heroes down another expedition with their admiration.
"Perhaps not the most correct one, but it is the one I've chosen." He replied, ready to leave
"We've had this conversation before, I'm not about to reignite a discussion that ended a decade ago."
"… I'm just saying that now that we're here, after spending weeks in this city, have you not come to reconsider your options?"
"No." He declared without hesitation, "However…" He looked at the people standing on the streets, some with their children, having brought them here only to show them the Loki Familia as they entered the Dungeon
"I have modified my plans."
Deucalion smiled, satisfied, "That is enough for me. Too much disaster has befallen these people, more conflict is not what we need to overcome this trial."
"That's where our thoughts differ." The elf said as his gaze turned firm, "Conflict drives people forward, its is an indispensable motivation that makes them strive to straighten things out, and seek better conditions."
"The two Gods of the past understood that and taught their children to always enforce conflict. The Heroes of old pushed, stomped, and mocked all those beneath them… but they were always there, watching."
"Rise, they would say. Rise and come beat me up, they expected… and many did. They kept rising, pushing further and further and further… and here you see the result of that."
"There was no room for evil, yet that era bred countless champions. The moment they vanished, evil burst from the cracks, and the era they built almost collapsed right then and there."
The deity's gaze sharpened, "Doesn't that say something about their system?"
The elf turned around to face his deity, "The Heroes of today, who are they?" He asked, his voice growing heavy, "That's right, they're the ones who faced them, who were beaten down again and again until their bodies bled."
"A lot of time has passed." Deucalion said as his gaze softened, "New seedlings have sprouted. It's not all there is…"
"But that's all they are. The seeds of the seeds of the trees they nurtured. They do not understand conflict, they live in a caricature world of their own design."
Deucalion frowned, but did not protest, "You may be right, but they still struggle. Their problems remain, just in another form. The Heroes of the past also went through these issues also, just on their own accord."
"… But their issues aren't enough to produce a Hero… a true Hero." The elf said as he walked past Deucalion, staring at the streets, "If facing the Dungeon and the issues it gives were enough, then they wouldn't have failed."
"The Dungeon made an unbeatable monster per its own rules. Those who play its game will only see perdition at the end of their path."
"Those who survived that encounter continue to seek their own answers. One sought to push for innovation in his great search for the one True Hero, and another gazed at the Dungeon and challenged it, intending to dismantle it piece by piece."
"And I choose my own path."
"To create this ideal being, the Dungeon alone is not enough."
"… Sigh… do you know how much trouble this act of yours will cause? What am I even to say to the others?" Deucalion asked as he sighed out loud
The elf chuckled, "Just say they can bring their complaints to me."
"You can't take over this entire city by yourself. I'll say it again, it's not that your decision is incorrect, I just think its hasty…"
"But we don't have the time!" He screamed, the mere wave of his hand blowing a wind current so strong it blasted Deucalion's hair back
The deity barely moved, gazing at his child with a stoic expression.
"I can't take this city alone, you're right… but I don't have to."
"… Aetos…"
"All we have to do is push them, just like in the past."
He walked out of the room, "I'm going to make them remember how things used to be."
Leaving behind the worried deity, Aetos left the room.
The deity put his hand on his hair, "I always knew this day would come… and I still can't believe now's the time."
"Everyone will curse me for this…"
Deucalion left the room soon after.
…
/Step…/
"… You're here." Aetos claimed as he walked down the streets
A tall man approached him, "The day has come."
Several others were next to him, waiting in silence for his words.
"… It'll be dangerous. Some of you might die."
He looked at each of them, "There'll be no turning back once we're there."
""…""
/Silence…/
Aetos sighed, perhaps now he understood his deity a bit more…
He turned around, continuing down his path, "Just a reminder, I do not wish to trigger a full-scale war."
"We must keep things within an acceptable margin even if some of us die. Otherwise it'll be truly in vain."
""Yes, captain!""
"Stay sharp… and let's go greet our neighbors." He added as a grin took over his face
The elites of the Deucalion Familia marched onward through Orario, making way to the South.
…
In the Southern District, opposed to the Twilight Manor, stood a massive plot of land.
White golden walls secluded a patch of hills and gardens, a white golden temple rising at its center…
An emblem stood at its gates, the head of a valkyrie, where two guards remained, fully armored.
(Image)
"Stop! Identify yourselves!" One of them exclaimed, extreme aggression in his tone as he pointed his spear at the man without a shred of hesitation
Aetos, a cape covering his head, stepped forward, "We're here to meet your executives. Would you mind notifying them of that?"
The man snickered, not even bothering to confirm the veracity of his statement, "Piss off! This isn't the place for the likes of you!"
"No one can come here and demand to see our superiors, only lady Freya in all her glory has the authority to demand such a thing!" The other claimed as he slammed his spear on the ground
"I thought as much." Aetos said as he sighed faintly
"The devotion every child of the Freya Familia has for her is well known." One of the people following Aetos mentioned with a chuckle, almost in a mocking tone
"What did you say?!"
"~Rest—until the battle ends~"
""?!""
The two guards immediately knew what was going on as soon as Aetos raised his hand. But it was too late by then.
His chanting was simply too fast…
"Lethe Catapasis." Aetos declared as a purplish magic circle with golden tints flared beneath him
/Thud!/
The two guards fell asleep almost instantly, giving way for the others to press onward.
…
They stepped into a grand entrance akin to that of a large white temple. They followed the path amidst statues and fountains, stepping into a more open field.
(Image)
"This much should suffice." Aetos said as he waited
/FWOOSH!/
/CLANG!/
A spear broke through the air as if it were puncturing space itself! Its speed was so immense that it slammed onto its target and fell to the ground before sound even reached them.
Aetos casually parried the spear with his rapier, forcing it down with a flick of his wrist, causing it to puncture straight into the solid marble underneath.
"Who the hell are you fuckers?" An arrogant voice echoed from above
/Land…/
A Demi-human landed before them. Black hair, cat ears, and an extremely fierce expression. A man whose very presence seems violent, as if he could explode at any moment.
This man was well-known across Orario and even the continent.
One of the executives of the Freya Familia and one of the strongest adventurers alive, Allen Fromel, hailed as the fastest man in Orario, and by elimination, the world!
As he stepped forward, dozens more followed. They circled them on all sides, standing on windows, pillars, and more.
The pressure of a hundred adventurers between Levels 2 and 4 bore down on them at the same time. But none of them seemed to bother about that.
What they cared about were those of unique attires, for in the Freya Familia, only their executives were allowed to ditch their uniform in the face of uniqueness.
"Intruders!" A young Pallum said as he dashed beside Allen
"Heretics!" Another Pallum, a carbon copy of the first, voiced as he stood beside the first one
"Imbeciles!"
"Fools looking to die." Said a third, followed by a fourth Pallum
Four individuals with near-identical faces, the only difference being the color of their eyes. They were respectively, light blue, yellow, green, and red.
Those could only be the Gulliver Brothers, Alfrigg, Dvalinn, Berling, and Grer! The strongest Pallums, second only to Finn!
All Level 5!
"Why do you always act without thinking? Look at what you did to the floor, you stupid fool!" Another voice echoed within the manor
A man calmly walked from within. A man with white, almost translucent skin, with golden hair that fell down his back to his waist, accompanied by ember-like coral-colored eyes.
He wore a black battle tunic along with a white cape and a white belt, both with gold embroidery that was also reflected on his glasses.
An elf of immense beautiful, far above even for Elven standards. His features were so delicate he could be likened to a woman, something even the Gods admired him for it.
Out of the executives present, he was the only one in a combat ready state.
This man was Hedin Sellan, one of the strongest magic casters in Orario!
"Humph."
Allen merely snorted at his commentary, don't giving a single care more than needed as he kept his eyes focused on the man who parried his spear.
He held nothing back when he threw it, yet it was deflected so easily, and by a thin blade no less.
Hedin did not bother with him for even a second, looking straight at the people who invaded their holy land, "I imagine there needs no explanation for what will happen to you all following this moment." He said in a heavy and commanding tone as he put his staff down.
"But meaningless bloodshed would only stain these steps. Such dirt cannot be allowed on the holy ground she treads on, so I'll give you the option to step aside and die elsewhere."
The others didn't seem pleased with that decision, "And who said we would let them walk aside?" One of the Pallum brothers complained as he crossed his arms
"That's right."
"You don't order us!"
But the last one thought differently, "… A battle here would only damage her esteemed home, I would rather not stain these holy grounds." The last Pallum added as he looked away.
""…""
The other three looked at their fourth brother with a mix of complaints, as if he were their greatest betrayer.
"At least one of you is sensible."
"Enough of this crap, she'll understand if a few of these statues shatter. I doubt she gives a crap anyway." Allen snickered as he clenched his hands
"… You're all as I heard." Aetos said as he took out his hood, revealing his face to them
"!"
Hedin was the first to react, the bright emerald hair coupled with his long ears was noticed at once, and immediately after, his tone changed.
His eyes opened wide with surprise, his expression changing from a split second as he struggled to maintain composure, "You… its been…"
"Decades." Aetos mentioned as he gave him a nod, "A long time indeed, even for us."
As soon as everyone noticed the shift in Hedin's tone, the next to react were the elves around them.
The mark of royalty was prevalent in the man, and even though their allegiance was to their deity, many of them still carried a deep sense of respect for the Elven royalty that ruled their great forests.
It was a small and courteous bow, but Hedin expressed courtesy to the man, "Aetos Ljos Alf, brother of the High Elven King. I, Hildrsleif, greet you, in the name of Goddess Freya."
"There is no need for such formality, Hedin. We both aspired to become greater than just royalty, so we shouldn't bind ourselves to it anymore."
He looked around, "The reception is a bit more than I expected, but I'm to blame. I should've notified you in advance."
"Enough of this nonsense. If you aren't moving, I am." Allen said as someone gave him another spear
But just when Allen was about to command them all to strike, Aetos interrupted him, "I challenge you to a duel."
""!""
"Not only me, but each one following me will do the same to one of your own."
"And what makes you think we'll accept such? You've invaded our home, defiled our sacred grounds, injured our own, and mocked our rules."
Aetos smiled, "I heard the strong make the rules here. I came here to challenge the strongest, but if you don't feel like it, then I'll go to the Loki Familia…"
/FWOOSH!/
/CLANG!/
Allen dashed forth, eyes wide open as he clenched his teeth, "Don't you dare mention those losers here."
His spear was blocked by a large blade held by a tall man behind Aetos, "You'll be facing me, young one." The man said as his hoodie was blown off, revealing his face.
/Clang!/
Allen's spear was pushed back by the burly man with a single push of his arm. Even if Allen hadn't placed all his power into it, being overpowered like this left him momentarily stunned.
"This is absurd." One of the Pallum brothers said as they witnessed the act
"Illogical."
"Maddening…"
"Daring."
"A challenge, you say?" Hedin asked as he adjusted his glasses, "Give me one reason to accept such a ridiculous proposal."
Aetos laughed, "If you're all scared, just say so."
"I heard all you guys do here is fight, so I came here. Was I wrong to believe there were warriors here?"
/Silence…/
The tension in the air was so palpable it seemed as if it was about to solidify.
A hundred bloodthirsty adventurers stared down at them like a bunch of hawks eyeing dying prey, yet none of them showed a single reaction.
Aetos stepped forward, staring at the beastman with his arms crossed, "So? Who'll be my opponent?"
Allen grit his teeth so hard they could hear them grit, "You're looking at him."
"Don't even think about it, Allen. Do you even understand who you're trying to challenge here, you damn ignorant mutt?"
Allen finally lost it, "Shut the hell up!"
"The man before you is the older brother of the current High Elven King. Even forty years ago, he was already hailed as a First Class adventurer, having gone beyond Level 5."
"A man who has studied combat for over a hundred years… and one of the few known to carry the same light that muscle head does."
"!"
That was the only time Allen reacted with anything but anger. Showing momentary shock at the mention of the technique.
He gave Allen a deep look, "With your measly abilities, I fear you'll only embarrass yourself before not only royalty but everyone else. So to avoid throwing dirt on our Familia's prestige, I had to step forward."
Tapping his own chest, Hedin volunteered, "I believe I'm a better candidate for this duel. I shall carry the Familia's prestige with the appropriate weight it deserves."
"#!! If you wanted to die first, you could've just said so." Allen replied as his forehead tensed so much it turned red
"Yeah, who do you think you are?!"
"Four-eyed snob!"
"Arrogant king of the shitter!"
The fourth brother, clearly the most sensible of the lot, was just as pissed as them, but in the end, all he could do was sigh at the situation.
If Hedin of all people was putting this much time to praise someone else's ability, he knew full well they were beyond his scope to battle.
It was shameful, which was why the best course of action was to just keep quiet.
""…""
Everyone, including the members of the Deucalion Familia watched in wonder as the executives of the Freya Familia seemingly began eating at each other.
Visibly upset at their words, Hedin held it in and retained his composure, "It's a blessing that idiot isn't here to add on to your lack of manners." He said as he pushed his glasses back.
"Hogni, isn't it? A shame, I remember when that child was born. Last time we met, he was still..."
Aetos did not continue, he knew how sensitive this subject was for Hedin, and that it was best left aside.
While he said that, Hedin seemed to have an idea, smiling, "Since you're so keen on fighting first, then go on, but remember."
"Lady Freya is always watching."
Allen did not give a shit about what he had to say, he merely pointed his spear forward, and the duel was henceforth accepted!
…
"… It seems like something unusual is happening back at Folkvangr." Freya said as she raised an eyebrow, a tint of surprise and expectation in her tone
A shadow stepped into the light, a hulking figure making itself present before the peerless goddess, "Are they fighting again? I told them to hold it in, their fights are too costly on the Familia's expenses." Ottar said with his usual stoic face, not even a tint of surprise in his tone as he tucked his arms behind his back.
"Ottar." Freya said with a slightly amused, yet helpless smile, "Just because there's trouble at home, it doesn't mean they're fighting. Have more faith in them." She added, almost pouting playfully
"My sincere apologies, I'll watch my assumptions from now on."
Freya breathed through her mouth, sighing at her child's seriousness in the face of her light joke.
But she couldn't deny him either, those children were truly tricky to deal with.
'It's too difficult for poor Ottar. Trying to keep them reigned in while also performing his duties as the Familia's captain sure tires him, even if he doesn't like to show.'
She smiled, 'Maybe I should advance my plans and have him join. If I put him under Ottar, then I'm sure most of those issues will be resolved. He's far more cooperative than the others after all…'
'Maybe Ottar will finally have the chance to act as a senior to a junior.' She thought as her gleeful smile turned into girlish chuckles, something she never showed anyone.
"It's nothing of the sort. Unusual guests have arrived and they're trying to welcome them, that's all."
Ottar thought for a good two minutes before he replied, almost hesitating with each word, "… Did they break anything?"
"Ottar! What did I just tell you!"
"My sincere and complete apologies."
"Sigh… Hedin is with them, he would never let them loose in the manor like that."
'Although they did break something...'
"That what is the issue?"
Freya's smile deepened, "Well… something quite entertaining has blessed us, and just in time as we wait for him to come face to face with our little gift." She added as she stepped out of her chair.
She approached the large glass wall that gave way to Orario, watching the world beneath her with her glistening eyes…
"Let's give them some time. I want to see how they do it without their captain."
"No matter the issue, they can solve it. They're competent enough." Ottar said as he testified to the skills of his companions… although he'd never call them that even on his deathbed
"Maybe." She said as she touched the window before looking back at Ottar, "But maybe not."
She hummed as she thought about this matter deeply, it wasn't every day such a sight blessed her eyes.
"Should I thank Loki for this show, I wonder?" She questioned as she tilted her head cutely, "Or maybe… I should thank him." He said as her gaze fell to the feet on Babel
There, another deity's eyes locked with hers, staring at her from below.
…
/Meanwhile…/
The first scouts descended to the 18th Floor, signaling the Loki Familia's arrival on the Under Resort!
…
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Notes