Agony was the only proof that he was still alive.
Su Lun's final memory was anchored to a strange, ancient book in his university library. As a die-hard fan of the Danmachi series and a tabletop RPG enthusiast, he had always possessed an inexplicable obsession with collecting obscure texts on "alchemy" and "magic." The moment his fingertips brushed the silver-embossed parchment of the Codex of the Myriad Laws Abyss, a light erupted from between the pages, swallowing everything. Then came the fall—a never-ending sensation of weightlessness.
And then...
"Cough...!"
A foul liquid choked his nose and mouth as Su Lun snapped his eyes open in the mud. Rainwater, mixed with the acidic stench of rotting waste, flooded his airway. Every cough sent a searing, white-hot pain through his chest. He pushed his upper body up—or rather, tried to; a sickening crack of agony radiated from his left arm as if the bone were displaced, and his ribs hurt so badly his vision began to swim.
"...What's going on?"
His brain was still reeling. He looked down at a puddle beside him and saw a reflection. The face was significantly more youthful, perhaps fifteen or sixteen years old—back to his high school days. His black hair was plastered wet against his forehead, and his skin was as pale as paper. It was a younger version of himself.
He had transmigrated.
When the thought surfaced, he wasn't even particularly surprised; he had imagined similar scenarios countless times while role-playing. What truly made his heart race was his current situation: covered in wounds, lying in a sewage puddle in a narrow alleyway, and the sight of that massive, pure-white tower shimmering in the distance through the night.
"Babel?"
Orario. He had truly arrived in the world of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?. But his starting point wasn't anywhere near the Hestia Familia where the protagonist belonged. Instead, he was surrounded by towering, crumbling alley walls. The cold, the pain, and the weakness of blood loss began to wash over him. The mental fortress of an ordinary college student began to crack.
No, if I panic, I'm dead. He took a deep breath. Su Lun tried to adopt the mindset of one of his RPG characters. First, assess the situation, confirm the environment, find a safe point...
Just then, a burning sensation erupted in the palm of his right hand.
"Sss!"
He lifted his hand and saw deep black lines manifesting under his skin. They swirled and extended, eventually tracing the pattern of an open codex. It was the book he had touched before crossing over. Amidst the stinging pain, a flow of information surged into his mind:
[Compatible Host Detected][Codex of the Myriad Laws Abyss: Binding...][Warning: Physical vessel severely damaged. Mental threshold low.][Binding Complete.]
It wasn't a Falna, nor a skill, but a much older, more independent power system. Su Lun could "feel" it—the illusory codex was hovering in the depths of his consciousness, though it was currently dim and devoid of light.
The sound of boots splashing in water echoed from the mouth of the alley.
"Heh, look what we have here."
Three men blocked his path. They wore tattered leather armor and had glazed, predatory eyes. The leader, a man with a scarred face, grinned to reveal yellowed teeth. "Nice fabric on those clothes, young master. It wasn't very smart to wander into a place like this."
Su Lun's heart tightened. He wanted to retreat, but his broken ribs made it difficult even to stand.
"Not talking?" The scarred man spat and drew a short blade. "Then don't blame us for being unkind."
The blade reflected the distant glow of Babel as it lunged toward Su Lun's chest. In a split second of life or death, instinct overruled logic. Su Lun roared, thrusting his right hand forward:
"Shield!"
The codex pattern in his palm suddenly turned scalding, and a dark light exploded outward.
Whir!
A translucent, curved forcefield expanded in front of him, catching the tip of the blade with ease.
Clang!
The ear-piercing ring of metal on magic echoed. The shock split the skin between the scarred man's thumb and forefinger, nearly sending the blade flying. He stumbled back two steps, his eyes wide with horror. "Ma... Magic?! How is that possible!" Then, a violent rage took over as he shouted, "All of you, get him!"
The other two lunged from the left and right.
Su Lun felt a wave of dizziness, as if his brain were being emptied; the mental strain was too high. But if he stopped, he was dead! He gritted his teeth and pushed his will again: "Shield! Shield!"
Two more barriers manifested on either side, sealing off the attack routes. The burden of casting while heavily injured made his vision turn black. The scarred man's expression shifted repeatedly, but he soon settled into a sneer. "I want to see how long you can hold out!" He could see Su Lun's frailty and raised his knife once more.
The blade grew larger in Su Lun's pupils at a terrifying speed.
"That's enough!"
A clear, sharp shout cut through the noise of the rainy night. A streak of crimson light tore through the alley. The scarred man didn't even see what happened; he only felt a massive impact on his chest. He was sent flying, his back slamming into the brick wall with a sickening crunch of bone. He slid to the ground, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness.
The remaining two froze in their tracks.
At the mouth of the alley, a petite figure stood silhouetted against the light. A fiery-red high ponytail whipped in the night wind, raindrops dripping from the ends of her hair. She looked no older than twelve or thirteen, yet she wore well-fitted light armor, and the longsword at her waist remained in its sheath.
"Remnants of Evilus." The girl's voice was crisp and powerful, her green eyes burning with cold fury. "I am Alise Lovell, Captain of the Astraea Familia! In the name of the Goddess, I shall execute justice here!"
"A-Astraea Familia..." The two turned to flee.
The girl was faster. Without drawing her sword, she used the scabbard as a staff, her figure blurring like the wind as she swept past them. Precise strikes landed on the sides of their necks, efficient and clean.
"Done!"
Alise spun around stylishly to sheathe her weapon, only for the scabbard to thud loudly against her own calf. "Ow, ow, ow..."
Grimacing as she rubbed her leg, she nonetheless trotted over to Su Lun and knelt beside him. "Hey! Are you okay? Were those shields just now instant-cast magic? That was incredible! And it looked like you cast them simultaneously..."
Su Lun opened his mouth to speak, but his overtaxed mental strength finally hit its limit.
Astraea Familia... That Alise?
Fragments of information from the original story flashed through his chaotic thoughts before darkness rushed in like a tide, swallowing his last bit of consciousness.
The first thing to return was his hearing.
"It doesn't make sense. With this level of mental exhaustion, an ordinary person should be dead." A female voice spoke.
Su Lun opened his eyes, seeing a ceiling first.
"You're awake?" The voice came from beside the bed.
Su Lun turned his gaze and saw an Elf sitting in a chair. She wore simple white clothes, and an open book rested on her lap. Her blue eyes were clear and calm. Most striking were her ears—slender and long, peeking through her hair.
"I am Ryuu Lion." She closed her book and stood up, her movements slow and elegant. "This is the medical ward of the Astraea Familia's 'Stardust Garden.' You have been unconscious for three days."
She walked to a table and picked up a bowl of steaming medicinal broth. She seemed briefly annoyed with herself for not being steady enough, but she quickly regained her composure. She placed the bowl on the nightstand within Su Lun's reach, maintaining a polite distance.
"Your external wounds have been treated, but your mental exhaustion is severe. This medicine will help stabilize your spirit." She paused, her gaze falling on Su Lun's bandaged right hand. "Our Captain checked your status. It seems... you have not received a Falna from any deity?"
Su Lun propped himself up and took the bowl, the warmth seeping into his palms.
"Thank you. My name is Su Lun."
He took a sip; the bitter liquid made him wince. "I don't have a Falna. My power... comes from a different system."
Ryuu was silent for a moment. Her expression didn't change much, but confusion flickered in her blue eyes.
"Magic that does not rely on a Falna," she repeated softly, as if weighing the concept. "For a human to use magic like that is practically a reversal of common sense."
Just then, the door was pulled open with a clack!
"Ah! You're awake!" A fiery-red ponytail leaped into view first.
Alise poked half her body into the room, a brilliant smile on her face and a half-eaten apple in her hand. Seeing Ryuu, she naturally leaned over and playfully bumped shoulders with the Elf. "Ryuu really was keeping watch here, wasn't she~" Then she turned to Su Lun.
Alise's chewing slowed down. "Eh? Su Lun, you really haven't received a Falna? Then how did you use that magic? It was so cool!"
She stepped into the room, her brow furrowing slightly as her expression turned serious. "Wait, no, this isn't just about it being cool. No Falna means no Status, no Levels. How did you fight with those injuries? Could your body even handle the backlash?"
"Hmph, just as I thought."
A voice with a cold, sharp texture came from the doorway. A black-haired girl leaned against the frame, wearing an elegant kimono with a long blade at her waist. She had her arms crossed and her gaze was sharp, but her exquisite kimono and lovely features created a subtle contrast with her scrutinizing posture.
"Gojouno Kaguya." She introduced herself, though her tone remained distant. "A body without a Falna using magic that defies logic. This is no longer just 'rare'—it is an anomaly."
She took a step forward, the hem of her kimono shifting gracefully. Her posture held a deliberate, classical elegance that clashed with her blunt words. "Your very existence challenges the common sense of the Lower World. I am quite curious... where exactly do you come from? Or rather... do you even belong to the Lower World?"
Ryuu inconspicuously stepped forward half a pace, shielding Su Lun from Kaguya's gaze.
"Kaguya, you are being too aggressive." She turned back to Su Lun, her tone grave. "Su Lun, it is not that we distrust you, but the Falna is the universal path for the children of the Lower World to gain power and explore the Dungeon. Your situation is unheard of." She paused. "This could bring you unnecessary attention... even danger."
"Danger? Mmm, that's true~" A petite figure had appeared out of nowhere, crouching by the small cabinet next to the bed. Lyra, a Pallum girl with short pink hair, rested her chin on her hand.
Her eyes curved into crescents. "Without a Falna, the Gods can't update your status. You can't register with the Guild, and other Familias will look at you like you're a monster." She tilted her head, continuing in a curious tone, "And... if your magic really is completely independent of the Falna system, then to certain Gods or Familias, you would be an incredibly precious 'research specimen'~"
Lyra's words made Alise's brow knit tight. She looked at Su Lun, her eyes full of unhidden worry. "Lyra is right... this is too dangerous, and it's impossible to explain. Su Lun, you might not fully realize how serious this is..."
Kaguya glanced over, a mocking expression curling her lips. "In short, your presence is a massive mystery and a potential source of trouble." She lifted her chin slightly, her tone poised even as her words remained sharp. "I believe that sheltering you means our Familia must bear an extra, unnecessary risk. Especially when..."
Kaguya's gaze swept over Ryuu. "...certain useless Elves might naively believe that the word 'justice' alone can solve everything."
Ryuu's ears twitched slightly, but her blue eyes met Kaguya's calmly. "I am not useless. And justice is the very foundation of our Familia's existence. Vice-Captain Kaguya should know that better than anyone."
"Ha." Kaguya gave a light huff and didn't pursue the point, turning her attention back to Su Lun. "Therefore, you had best provide a more convincing explanation. Otherwise, as Vice-Captain, it is difficult for me to agree to letting an anomaly of unknown origins remain at our headquarters."
Four pairs of eyes focused on him.
Su Lun put down the medicinal bowl and remained silent for a moment. They were right. In this world, the Falna was the absolute mainstream. Theoretically, ancient heroes could gain magic by receiving a Spirit's blessing or consuming Spirit blood, but that was ancient history.
But I am an exception.
Gojouno Kaguya was indeed as sharp as she was in the original story, but her opposition was rooted in her concern for the Familia.
And Ryuu...
"I understand your doubts," he said, his voice calm. "Regarding the Falna, I truly do not have one. My power system is different, and I cannot reveal more—it involves secrets of my homeland. The only thing I can guarantee is that I did not come here with ill intent." He looked up, meeting their gazes. "If my presence brings risk to the Familia, I can leave."
"No!" Alise barked back almost instantly. She clenched her fists, her red ponytail swaying with her excitement. "Your wounds aren't even healed! And we're the ones who rescued you! The Astraea Familia doesn't abandon people in need just because there 'might be trouble'!" Her voice was resolute. She shot Kaguya a glare. "Kaguya! That's not what justice is! And I trust Ryuu's judgment!"
Ryuu simply sighed softly and looked at Kaguya with a serious expression. "Kaguya, I understand your concerns. But throwing someone out who is still injured and clearly burdened with secrets might actually invite greater trouble and danger. At least until the situation is clarified, providing sanctuary is the choice more aligned with 'justice'."
Kaguya turned her face away, silent for a moment. When she spoke again, her tone was still cold, but the edge was gone. "If the Captain insists... I have nothing more to say." Her gaze swept over Su Lun, her words laced with reservation. "However, Captain, and you useless Elf Ryuu, please remain vigilant. Mark my words: anomalies often invite further anomalies. I only hope I am overthinking this."
Lyra smiled and waved her hand. "Since the Captain has spoken~ but Mr. Su Lun, during your recovery, you might have to endure a bit of our 'concern' and observation?"
The room fell quiet once more.
Su Lun leaned back against the headboard, looking out the window. The silhouette of Babel was clear in the morning light. The Astraea Familia was still here. He mentally calculated the timeline. If the "Familia of Justice" still existed and hadn't been wiped out, and they all looked so young... then it was at least nine years before the start of the original story.
About ten minutes later, the door was gently pushed open again.
Ryuu stood at the door. Her expression was still calm, but there was a deeper look in her eyes.
"Can you walk?" she asked, her voice slightly softer than before.
Su Lun nodded, carefully shifting his body.
"Lady Astraea wishes to see you alone."
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Danmachi: My Magic Style is Different from Yours
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