Finding home in Orario (Patreon)

A/N: Here you go, a rough draft I wrote while I was stuck in the hospital.

Finding Home in Orario

[

Finn Deimne

It had been a long day, and his throat was getting dry. Their recruitment drive had unintentionally caused a disturbance in their part of the city, and it took the whole familia to organize and prepare for the extensive tests. Gareth evaluated those with combat potential, while Riveria did the same with the mages while he handled the interview for those the executives deemed worthy of his time.

It was their goddess’s decision if she would accept them or not, as she listened to each applicant’s story while she lay on the couch drinking her wine or reading a book. He wondered if she was even paying attention, since she never made a sound during the interviews all throughout the day.

These new unblessed adventurers showed potential, though he had admitted to himself that none impressed so far. Their familia was different from all the others.

“I’m bored Finn.”

“Then choose one already.” He massaged his temples and stared at the pile of applicant forms.

“No one caught my attention. I really felt today would be good you know?” Loki was now lying on the couch with her feet propped up on the backrest. “How many are left?”

“Just one.” He sighed in relief. “If you don’t pick one, we just wasted a whole day and everyone will be pissed.”

“They’ll understand.” Loki replied as she waved her hand dismissively. “They have to be special to be part of my familia.”

“Next.” He called out to his door where he knew Raul was standing on the other side to usher in the applicants that passed the assessment test.

The door opened and a young man with brown hair walked in, wearing a simple tunic, a stark contrast to the previous applicants that wore their best robes or armor. He raised an eyebrow and observed the boy who gave one look around the room before his blue eyes landed on his.

“I’m Kanata Rivington.” The applicant stepped forward and gave a short bow of greeting. The boy was quite tall for a thirteen year old human.

“I’m Finn Deimne, captain of the familia.” He answered back and nodded in turn to the greeting. He gestured for the young man to approach and pointed to the chair.

“Have a seat, Mr. Rivington.” He looked at the information sheet on the applicant and continued when the young man made himself comfortable. “Gareth says you have shown a good aptitude for combat skills and you learn quickly.”

He paused, and smiled a bit when the boy remained silent. “Why did you apply to join the familia?”

“I have nowhere else to go.” Kanata Rivington shrugged. “I was told becoming an adventurer means pushing myself to the limit and breaking past them. I want to see how far I can go.”

“Do you have any experience in fighting monsters?” He asked. He noticed Loki had sat up from her ridiculous position and was now listening in to the interview.

“It was just a few raiding goblins on a farm owned by a kind family that took me in.” The young man replied. “There were a few raids by a pack of wolves, but that’s it.”

“And where are you from?” He knew Kanata didn’t look like he was from the far-east, but part of his name sounded like he came from there.

“It’s somewhere far away.” Kanata replied in a wistful tone. “But it’s a place I know I won’t be able to return to.”

“What’s the name of your home?” Loki suddenly asked. His goddess was now standing, but he ignored her as he focused on the interview with the young man.

“There were two places I considered my home for a time.” Kanata replied, and he admired the boy for not showing discomfort by suddenly being addressed by a goddess. “But I was born in a place called England.”

“I haven’t heard of it.” He replied and turned to his goddess, only for Loki to give him a slight nod in the head. It meant that the boy was truthful thus far.

“And what are you expecting here in our familia?”

“I’m just looking for a place to settle down, and see how far I can go as an adventurer.”

His answer was intriguing and so simple, far different from the usual grand statements full of conviction. He was still not sure if the young man would be a good fit and placed his information sheet on the pile that he categorized as to review list. Today was a bust afterall. “Thank you for applying, we will get back to you after…”

“Welcome to my familia Kanata!” Loki suddenly declared with a bright smile.

“What?” He noticed Loki’s eyes had widened a fraction as she moved closer to their applicant. That meant Loki was serious and was not doing one of her usual pranks. He shook his head, wondering why after all these years he still couldn’t get used to Loki’s random bouts of eccentricity. Why did she pick Kanata out of all the other, more promising and experienced candidates?

“Come here and give me a hug!” Loki added with her arms spread wide. He found it funny as Kanata leaned back on his chair looking confused.

“I’m not really much of a hugger.” Kanata replied as he instead stood up and offered a handshake to their goddess. He smiled, knowing Loki wasn’t one for formalities unless they were in public. She must have seen something unique in him to accept this teen in their familia that quickly. Poor Kanata would learn about her unpredictable nature in time.

“Well tough!” Loki ignored the offered hand and hugged the young man, her nose rubbing his chest. “Wow you smell good!”

Kanata was giving him a wide eyed look and he gave their newest member a wry smile in return. “She’s like this when she’s excited. Get used to it from now on, Kanata.”

He didn’t bother adding that Loki usually showed that type of affection to the female members of their familia, though he guessed that Loki found with Kanata’s fair looks attractive as well.

“Let’s not waste anymore time, let’s go to my room and strip!” Loki dragged the protesting Kanata off to her chambers and he sighed in relief. At least the day wasn’t wasted after all. They had a new recruit, though he was far different from the usual applicants.

Kanata was introduced shortly to the gathered familia during dinner, and Raul was assigned to be his trainer until he became more familiar with their daily activities. As expected, none of the higher ranked familia members paid him that much attention aside from short greetings, but their second string members were far more welcoming and immediately engaged him in conversation.

Loki was unusually more boisterous than normal, as she drank even more wine and was now asking questions about Kanata’s combat exam from Gareth. He was now intrigued at what Kanata’s status was and was eager to hear from Loki later.

“Kanata?” Gareth chuckled and shared his observations as he stared at the table for the second string members. “He was one of the earliest to pass through the gate when we opened it this morning. He was always observant on the spars, and allowed the other applicants to proceed first before taking them on.”

“So the kid was studying the opponents?” 

“More like learning from them.” Gareth laughed. “He also studied the basic attack patterns of the assigned examiners and exploited their weakness.”

“That explains a lot.” Loki grinned. He wondered what that meant.

That night as almost everyone except for those on guard duty turned in, he patiently waited with Riveria and Gareth as Loki finally entered his office. She had with him Kanata’s status sheet that he was very curious to see.

“I told you today would be a good day!” Loki bragged and handed the sheet to him. “My instincts are always correct!”

[

Kanata Rivington

Level 1

STR-- I 0

END --I 0

DEX --I 0

AGI  --I 0

MAG -I 0

Skills:

Eidetikos Memoria (Essence Memory) (passive)

Ability to remember and recall visual information with exceptional clarity and accuracy, as if the image were still present before one’s eyes. 

Voluntas Indomita (Indomitable Will) (passive)

Extraordinary capacity to persevere in the face of adversity. Resistance to charms and mind manipulation.

Spells:

Validus (Enchantment) (short chant)

Ability to wield light element enchantment.

Developmental Abilities:

None

[

“This is…” Riveria trailed off, having finished reading Kanata’s sheet over his shoulder. He felt the same, stunned at the paper in his hand. He hadn’t realized the unassuming Kanata had such potential, and his skills were unheard of. He even possessed magic, something that was extremely rare for humans to posses before receiving a blessing.

“So that’s how the kid was able to learn so fast.” Gareth added as he returned to his seat. “This changes how I’ll have him trained then.”

“Right? I’m so excited!” Loki preened.

“Riveria, what do you know of his magic?” He asked the elf who still appeared stunned after reading Kanata’s status. The elf snapped out of her daze and quickly sat down beside their still giddy goddess, who was still on a high due to their good fortune. He knew recruits of Kanata’s caliber were the type gods go to war for, and this one just walked in their home early in the morning. Before the sun had set he was already a part of their familia.

“It’s a rare type of magic, even among the elves.” Riveria replied. “They’re the most fickle, as their manifestation is related to the wielder’s intent and emotions, but from what I know light element magic is very versatile. We’ll only know once we arrange for more specialized training with Kanata.”

He had high expectations of Kanata, that was why he was confused when a month into his training, his progress proved to be slow. His basic abilities were still in the “I” range, despite his regular forays into dungeon with his assigned party. It should have been in the “H” range by now at the very least.  

[

Kanata Rivington

Level 1

STR-- I 42

END --I 65

DEX --I 54

AGI  --I 41

MAG -I 22

]

He looked once again at their rookie’s status sheet after a month of diving into the dungeon almost every day. He was surprised by Kanata’s progress, it was too slow.

He was sparring well for a level 1, and as expected he quickly learned combat moves taught to him by his trainers. That was why he asked for Raul and Anakitty to his office for a meeting with regards to Kanata’s progress. Loki was also present, though she seems unconcerned at their newest recruit’s slow improvement.

“Captain?”

He heard a knock on his door and called out for the two to enter.

“How’s Kanata doing in the dungeon?” He asked once Raul and Anakitty were seated on the couch.

“Uhm yeah he’s doing fine. Nothing to complain about, really.” Raul replied. “Was there something wrong that we did?”

“Nothing of the sort.” He quickly assured the nervous level 3. “I called the both of you to hear your opinion on Kanata’s progress and behavior in the dungeon. So let’s hear it.”

“We mostly just watch him as he kills the monsters and collect the loot. He hunts in the fourth level now.” Raul reported. “His enchantment magic really makes his weapons and armor durable and sharp, perfect for long term expeditions and a great way to save on valis.”

“What about you Anakitty?” He turned to Raul’s partner.

“He’s bored.” Anakitty replied after a moment of thought. Raul looked surprised at his partner’s statement but then his eyes also widened in realization.

“That’s right!” Raul exclaimed. “I just realized now, Kanata doesn’t appear to be struggling at the fourth level today, perhaps we should move to the fifth?”

“Why do you say he’s bored?” He asked Anakitty.

“You can see it in his face, captain. He’s totally calm once he adjusted to the monsters’ speed and strength. Once he learns of a monster’s basic moves and attack patterns he quickly adapts to the situation and kills them in an efficient manner. He’s even trying different fighting styles to make the fights more interesting.”

“I was afraid of this.” He replied and looked to his goddess. For a level 1, Kanata had harvested a good amount of stones, yet his falna’s growth did not reflect that.

“There’s not enough excelia despite the number of monsters he kills.” Loki added. “There isn’t simply a challenge. I have a suggestion Finn, but you wouldn’t like it. But I believe this is the best training method for Kanata if we want him to level up quickly.”

“You’re going to allow him to solo the dungeon?” He already knew the answer. He realized that his suspicions were correct, Kanata’s unique skill was a boon and a curse at the same time. While he quickly learned and adapted in combat, that learning ability also made him gather lesser quality excelia.

He needed to be challenged, and with a higher level adventurer watching over him, it would work even less efficient since the threat of mortal danger would not be there since he knew they would be there to save him if he ran into trouble. They were a familia that was known for cooperation and teamwork, but he knew that sometimes one needed to go on a solo adventure to realize their own strength and learn more about themselves.

“Fine.” He replied after some thought. He knew he couldn’t allow Kanata to join their expedition as a level 1. He would be able to grow faster if he was left alone for now. Riveria said the boy was level headed enough and he agreed with her assessment after a month of observation. Unlike Ais who was careless and single minded in her focus to get stronger, Kanata had that tactical mind behind his reserved and calm personality.

“Just trust Kanata.” Loki added. “He will show you his full potential soon.”

“You know Riveria will worry.”

“I’ll handle her. Don’t worry.” Loki replied.

Riveria Ljos Alf

She had just finished her studies and was heading to a nearby café for an early dinner with Ais, Tiona, Tione and Alicia when her sharp hearing drew her attention to the commotion at the gates. She moved to the door and gasped at the sight she saw.

Kanata, one of their youngest and newest members in the familia stood in front of the gate while the guards kept fussing over the thirteen year old. His armor was damaged in several places and there were blood stains in his torn clothing and bruised face. From what she heard, he was trying to assure his fellow familia members he was fine.

“Kanata! What happened to you?” She stormed over as the assigned guards backed away from Kanata.

“I’m fine, vice-captain.” Kanata’s usually impassive face was replaced by a satisfied one, as the boy who rarely smiled gave her one while showing his busted lower lip. “I had fun in the dungeon today.”

“Fun?” She asked as she narrowed her gaze. A quick healing spell later and Kanata was injury free. His torn clothes with blood stains on them were the only indication he was injured. “Where is Raul?”

“About that.” Kanata scratched the back of his head as he looked around their home, trying to avoid her gaze. “I went to the dungeon alone.”

“You…” She stopped herself from scolding their latest member. She didn’t want to make a scene while they were still visible from the street. This was Ais all over again, and she had enough sleepless nights because of that stubborn girl! “Come with me.”

The Loki familia members avoided her as she headed to Finn’s office, and she them giving pitying looks at Kanata. She ignored them all, as her mind was already planning the punishment she was going to give out to Kanata and his assigned trainer for disobeying familia rules.

“Finn!” She barged into his office and waited for Kanata to step through before she closed the door. She immediately noticed her captain’s reaction, at first surprise, and after a glance at a bloodied Kanata, understanding.

“I can explain this.” Her captain replied in a calm voice and cutting her off from what she was about to say. “Kanata, were you hurt?”

“Not seriously, captain.” Kanata reported. “I treated any serious injuries I sustained, but my armor suffered significant damage.”

“You allowed this?” Riveria hissed. There was a reason rookie members were supervised in their first year in the dungeon and assigned a trainer, to avoid incidents like this. Unlike other familia, they took care of their weakest and supported them until they could stand on their own.

“Yes.” Finn replied with a smile. “Loki suggested it, and I agreed.”

To her irritation, Finn turned away from her and focused his attention back to Kanata. “Did you enjoy you time in the dungeon today?”

“Yes captain.” The young man nodded with surprising enthusiasm. “It was a rewarding experience. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity.”

“What floor did you reach?”

“Seventh.” Kanata reported. “The ants were a formidable challenge, and I ruined my sword with their tough armor.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. Reaching the seventh floor alone as a rookie adventurer with a month’s worth of experience was unheard of. Her temper lessened and she stared at Kanata who removed his chipped sword from its scabbard to show the damage.

“That took quite a beating.” Finn winced in sympathy. An unspoken rule in their familia was that one was responsible for the maintenance and care of their own weapons and equipment. “But I’m sure you won’t have any problems replacing it with the stones you collected.”

“I have enough, and Raul showed me an area in Babel where they sell quality equipment within my budget.”

“Good.” Finn nodded in approval. “Why don’t you get cleaned up and go to Loki afterwards, she’s expecting you.”

“Yes captain.” Kanata quickly turned around and left the office, leaving the two executives alone.

“So.” She began. She wondered what Finn’s excuse was.

“It had to be done.” Finn confessed as he leaned back in his chair. “A month in and he was barely getting any excelia. That skill of his is both a gift and a curse.”

She remembered Kanata’s status and his unique skill, and sat down in the couch as the tension bled off her shoulders. Their rookie was a quick learner, and she rarely had to repeat a lesson twice to him as he instantly picked up and memorized everything he read. It was also the same in combat drills, as he naturally copied the stances and moves his trainers taught him. If he could immediately apply that in the dungeon, then defeating upper level monsters would be fairly easy for him.

“He’s punching above his level.” She mused. “It causes the excelia a normal adventurer usually receives to diminish significantly.”

“That’s what we suspect.” Finn replied. “That’s why I allowed him to start going into the dungeon alone, after a month of training. With his perfect memory, he’ll never get lost in therewith the familia maps he access to and he is surprisingly capable and matore for a rookie adventurer.”

“It’s dangerous, Finn.” She warned him, still worried about the boy’s health.

“I wish we have an appropriate familia member that is a suitable party member for him, but we don’t.” Finn admitted. “Right now, all we can do is trust in Kanata and let him grow. When he reaches level 2, he can challenge more dangerous monsters during our expedition under our supervision.”

“Fine.” She relented.

Finn as always was correct in his theory. Kanata earned a 60 point boost in his basic abilities that day. It was more then he earned during his month.

Three months passed and it was clear from the sparring that he was getting stronger as well. To her disbelief, the speed of his growth was picking up at an alarming rate, as he kept pushing himself to his limits everyday he went into the dungeon. She wondered if he could get close to Ais’ record to level up.

[

Kanata Rivington

The cool morning air felt refreshing as he breathed deeply. He had just finished his exercise routine and continued to walk around the expansive lawn of his familia home to cool down. He had been running regularly for an hour every morning, at first curious about the increase of his stamina compared to his last update.

To see such a leap in his general abilities exhilarated him, and enjoyed the tangible proof that he was stronger than he was last week with the number of laps he could accomplish within the allotted time he set. It was like he was being upgraded with performance parts bit by bit with every status update.

He was finally getting comfortable at his new home and familia, and he wondered if this was the peace he had finally been searching for. Waking up in this world with a youngr body was difficult, and he considered himself lucky to be taken in by a generous farming community that offered him food and shelter in exchange for labor. He enjoyed the simple life there, until he started hearing more about the world outside the small village.

Rumors about the adventurers were rife in the tiny remote village he lived in, and he realized after some time and reflection that he still felt restless at this new place.

He wanted something more, he wanted to utilize all the abilities he had in his past life and realized that his only path in this new world to realize that was to become an adventurer. With the meager savings he had, he paid for his passage and joined a trade caravan that was headed to Orario.

From the gossip shared, he learned there were two rival familias that ruled the city, and he decided to try to apply to one of them, he really didn’t care which. It was only convenient that the gate they passed through was near the Loki familia home called Twilight manor, and there happened to be a recruitment drive in progress. He quickly joined the group waiting outside the gates, and he hoped to get lucky with his impulsive decision.

He knew it would be difficult but it wouldn’t hurt to try and apply. The worst that they could do was to pick someone else, and he was no stranger to rejection.

He was glad in the end that his impulsive decision worked out in the end. He did not think he would enjoy living with the Freya familia and their brutal training methods from what heard of the rumors about the rival familia.

“Kanata! Ready to go?”

He turned to see Raul walking towards him and he shook his head. “Give me ten minutes then I’ll join you.”

Raul had introduced him to the smith who made his armor, and after a short negotiation and an advance payment for his custom order, the contract was signed. Today was the day he would pick up his new armor that was similar in design to Raul’s and he was looking forward to try it on.  The armor pieces he would find in bargain shops were getting worn faster and he needed a durable custom made set if he were to dive deeper into the dungeon.

He quickly rushed his bath and made it back to the yard in record time with his hair still wet.

“Slow down Kanata!” Raul laughed. “Have you even had breakfast yet?”

“This is more important.” He replied. “I’ll have breakfast when we come back.”

“Here.” He was surprised when Raul handed him a paper bag. He looked inside and saw a few pieces of bread.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t worry.” His trainer replied. “I remember how excited I was to pick up my first real set of armor you know? It’s a special day.”

They were lucky that the smith’s workshop opened early, and the female smith Raul introduced him was happy with her new customer’s prompt arrival and his full payment of his order.

“How do you like it?” Raul asked once the smith finished fastening the armor on him. He twisted around and tested his flexibility and found that his movements weren’t hindered at the least. He felt comfortable more than ever before.

“It’s very comfortable.” He smiled though he knew Raul wouldn’t be able to see him since he was now wearing a full close helmet that hid his features. He raised the face plate up and nodded in approval. “This is excellent work.”

“Thank you.” The smith replied. “Now of you go, take care of my work!”

“You sure you want to wear a helmet?” Raul asked once they resumed walking back to Twilight manor. “I used to wear one before, but I stopped using mine early on when it got damaged. It’s too much of a hassle to maintain.”

“I’m sure.” He was pretty used to helmets in his past life after all. Now all he needed was a durable shield and sword, and his equipment would be complete. But he already felt like a true adventurer wearing the comfortable armor set. It fit him like a glove, and there was simply no comparison wearing a custom armor to those he found in shops in bits and pieces.

“You two could be like brothers.” One of the members of the first string, Tiona who was a level 4 teased them once they returned. He didn’t blame her, his armor and Raul’s were similar in design with some small changes since he preferred using a shield and a one handed sword. His new armor now allowed him to attach his round shield on his back when needed.

 He rarely interacted with the renowned first string members. There wasn’t really any animosity, the second string just had a healthy respect for the elite adventurers of their familia, and respect meant maintaining some distance. First string members had their exclusive table during meals, and they were the first to be served food. The executives or Loki often treated them to fancy meals at expensive restaurants.

“Kanata right?” Tiona’s twin, Tione asked as she stepped closer. “Our familia rookie. I rarely get to see you aside from meals.”

 He was not sure how to reply to the amazon and just gave a quick nod. Raul already left his side and his eyes wandered to the table for the second string and saw him sitting beside Anakitty while piling his plate with hot food.

 “I’ve heard you’re really putting in the hours for the dungeon.” Tione added as she eyed his new armor and tapped it with her finger. “Looks fancy, who is your smith?”

“Miss Anna, from the Goibniu familia.” He replied. “Raul introduced me to her.”

“Raul found a different Ana huh?” Tiona teased. “Poor Anakitty.”

“Wait!” Raul had heard Tiona and stood up from his seat.

“Raul you’re going to hurt Anakitty’s feelings!” Tione smiled and gestured to the catgirl sitting beside his trainer. He noticed at that moment that twins were wearing the same teasing grin and wisely stepped back as they playfully teased Raul. He wanted to test his armor right away and headed to the room he shared with Raul to collect some supplies. He would venture deeper, now that he had adequate protection from some of the monsters.

(3 months later)

He could feel his lungs burn as he moved through the dungeon as fast as possible.

He ran, being chased around the mist in the tenth floor. He had experienced being ambushed by monsters before, and successfully used his knowledge of the dungeon to evade his pursuers. Today was a different. The imps were too fast, too numerous, and they were followed by a large band of orcs who were now trying to surround him.

An imp suddenly appeared in front of him from the thick mist and he quickly ran it through with his blade. A second later he continued forward and narrowly dodged a wooden club wielded by an orc that attacked him from the side. He quickly realized that the dungeon was actively trying to kill him as he spotted silhouettes of monsters through the mist that spawned from the ground of the tenth floor.

He heard another group of adventurers ahead of him and veered to another direction, not wanting to dump the monsters chasing him on the unsuspeccting party. It was also called a pass parade, and was heavily frowned upon by other adventurers.

His new direction led him to the edge of the floor, and he was now surrounded by the walls of the dungeon with the monsters approaching him from the front. He clenched his fist in frustration at realizing he was trapped. He refused to die here, and pumped his enchantment magic to the fullest to his armor and weapons with a single one word chant and turned around. He would make his last stand here.

“Validus.”

As the monsters approached and as his enchantment started to cover all of his armor and weapons, he really wished he could attack them on their blind spots. A swift single killing blow was the most efficient, but he didn’t have the ability to do that as of now on the durable Orcs.

As he stayed still and waited for the imminent battle, the group of monsters that pursued him appeared through the mist, but they looked confused. They were looking around, searching the area and he slowly realized they could not spot him. He looked at his own arms and weapons and realized he was nearly invisible, as light bent around him acting as a stealth cloak.

He tested his hand and realized that even while moving, the cloak remained in effect. He looked back at the now group of monsters and stepped forward as he strategized the fastest way to eliminate the group. He had to make it fast since he didn’t know how long this new effect of his enchantment would last.

The imps started dying one after another, their heads falling off their shoulders in quick succession. The other monsters looked around, but they could only see trails of mist moving around them. His counterattack was soon underway, and nearly all of the imps were dead while the orcs roared in confusion and anger at his invisible strikes.

He discovered a flaw with his strategy though, when he attacked his first orc when he pierced its back with his sword. The orc didn’t immediately die, and he realized these monsters had better senses than the imps as they focused on the noise he and the orc made.

His new armor saved him as he felt a vicious attack on his side, launching him far into the mist as his enchantment spell broke. He was lucky though, as he gained some distance from the horde that gave him time reapply his enchantment once again as he remembered the feeling of using his enchantment for this kind of effect. He focused on a different strategy and headed back to the group, focusing on slashing and thrusting on knees and legs as he targeted the orcs’ mobility.

It was a risky tactic as the orcs tended to swing their huge clubs around as they fell down, and more than once he suffered more glancing hits from the desperate monsters. But he persisted, intent on destroying the last of the horde. They were all on their hands and knees, struggling to stand up and it allowed him to target their neck as he started decapitating them one by one. It was gruesome work, but he felt satisfaction as he progressed and honed his swing in an attempt kill them in a single strike and cutting of their heads.

He was gasping for air as the last orc died and he lifted his face plate to take a break and take a moment to gather his bearings. He knew he suffered a few broken ribs and some bruises, but he pushed through the pain since he knew time was of the essence. He would drink his health potions once he finished cutting up the monster stones.

A few minutes later, he started harvesting the monster stones with his dagger. It took him nearly half an hour to finish and pulled the now large sack filled with magic stones over his shoulder. A few potions and he fel the pain in his chest vanish in minutes. It was time to go home and report his discovery to Loki.

[

Finn Deimne

“What? How?” Riveria asked as she read the status sheet in her hands.

Kanata had once again surpassed his expectations. His progress was on par with Ais but the latest update from Kanata surprised him.

[

Kanata Rivington

Level 1

STR-- D 620

END --C 736

DEX --C 701

AGI  -- B 808

MAG -D 674

Skills:

Eidetikos Memoria (Essence Memory) (passive)

Ability to remember and recall visual information with exceptional clarity and accuracy, as if the image were still present before one’s eyes. 

Voluntas Indomita (Indomitable Will) (passive)

Extraordinary capacity to persevere in the face of adversity. Resistance to charms and mind manipulation.

Spells:

Validus (Enchantment) (short chant)

Ability to wield light element enchantment.

Developmental Abilities:

[None

[

He had reached B in agility, while the rest of his basic abilities reached C or D. Seven months as an adventurer, and he already to possessed stats that can be compared to level 1 adventurers with years of experience.

“He’s a part of Loki familia.” He replied to Riveria’s question. “He’s supposed to be exceptional.”

He turned to their goddess who was now being annoying, as she kept hinting about something she discovered about Kanata but refused to divulge. He narrowed his eyes at her, but Loki poked out her tongue against him in defiance.

Kanata was doing well aside from the disastrous first time he allowed the teen to solo the dungeon. He had discreetly observed him from a distance during his first week and left him alone after that after seeing his performance.

The teen was a natural fighter in the dungeon with a good head on his shoulders for tactics and combat. He knew when to retreat, to counter attack, and was always aware of where he was. Riveria calmed down as well once she saw how the amount of injuries he was received lessened as the months passed.

It was sometimes difficult for him to see the fierce and focused Kanata to the passive rookie member in their familia gatherings that preferred to stay in the back, well away from the center of attention. It was if he had a switch when he was in the dungeon and only relaxed when he was at the surface. He was looking forward to seeing Kanata join them in a large expedition.

He calculated the time Balor would regenerate, and there was roughly over six months left. He knew it was a race against the Freya familia to defeat the floor boss, he heard rumors of Ottar challenging the monster rex solo and he was determined to beat them. He wondered if Kanata would level up by that time, because he would allow the teen to join them if he accomplished that feat. He knew it would help immensely in Kanata’s career as adventurer to experience the deep zone first hand.

 “Then tell me of this new ability of his.” He asked.

“You can’t make me!” Loki replied. “It’s a surprise!”

He sighed and shared a glance with Riveria. Their goddess was really annoying, teasing them like that. Now he would spend the rest of the night speculating on Kanata’s new ability.

 “Regarding Kanata…”Riveria looked worried for a moment. “Do you think he has problems interacting with other people?”

“Like Ais you mean?” He knew Ais had some difficulty expressing her feelings in words, but she was different due to a traumatic experience she had when she was a child. But he knew people like Kanata that were naturally quiet and reserved. “He’s friends with Raul and Anakitty and interacts in a daily basis with the others, I don’t see an issue.”

“Some of the girls complained to me that he doesn’t join them in their day off whenever he’s invited to go out and explore the city.” Riveria shared. “But he’s perfectly fine joining Raul and the other men when they go out for food and drinks.”

“It’s his decision if he shares his past with us or not.” He replied gently to Riveria. He admired how the elf always looked out for the youngest members of the familia. “If he decides not to get close to some of our members, as long it doesn’t affect their performances, I see no problem with it.”

 “I’ll have him assigned to that request from the Hephaestus familia.” He added to appease his vice-captain as he wrote additional notes in his log book. It would also be a good idea for Kanata to familiarize himself with an allied familia in preparation for future expeditions anyway. “Let’s see if he warms up to the adventurers near his level.”

“Maybe Kanata will have a new friend soon when she comes over.” Loki said from as she sat from Finn’s desk with a bottle of wine in hand. “You said she’s coming soon right? A level 2?”

“Yes, the school district will be here in a few months. I think she will join us before the ship departs.” Riveria replied. “Kanata won’t be the only rookie around.”

“What’s her name again?” Gareth asked.

“Her name is Lefiya. Lefiya Veridis.” Riveria answered.

[

Tsubaki Collbrande

“I think you’re ready to level up soon.”

Clang.

“But you’re trying moves your own body can barely control.”

Clang.

She absently parried the attack with her own weapon and held out her free hand to catch the edge off the shield aimed at her neck. With a flick of her wrist the shield and the adventurer wielding it flew into the wall, causing a mild tremor from the impact.

She winced as the she heard her foolish but brave sparring partner cough up blood as he struggled to breath. This was the main reason rookies shouldn’t spar with first class adventurers, but she was bored watching over her mining team.

 She was on a break and she decided to indulge the mining team’s request to join them in the dungeon at the last minute. They were joined by a three man team from the Loki familia who was tasked to guard the miners and keep watch over their base. The presence of a Loki familia member alone was enough to deter the more seedy adventurers that enjoyed preying on other less powerful familia. Not that they were powerful on their own, but the mining team currently lacked sufficient guards to secure their camp and the miners.

Their Loki familia flag on the camp besides their own served more as a deterrent and a warning to those that wanted to make trouble.

She heard the guard assigned to the base camp was a promising rookie from Finn, but she had her doubts if he was capable of guarding her fellow familia members. Level 1s were the weakest after all.

She was training her new smiths to mine the basic ore veins commonly found in the eleventh floor. It was a test to evaluate their resourcefulness as well as to train their combat skills against monsters. They couldn’t be proper smiths after all if they don’t know how to wield the weapons and armor they created. Most of the higher level members of their familia were in the midst of time sensitive custom orders, so she decided to escort the newer members to let them gain some experience and knowledge in the dungeon.

They were far too comfortable spending entire weeks inside their forges and workshops that they sometimes forget to train their own combat skills. They should at the very least be able to farm hard armored drops by themselves.

She was expecting to see a timid and nervous adventurer to join their expedition, but instead a young man in a worn armor and suprsingly good quality weapons joined their camp with two of his senior familia members.

She had kept an eye out for their new guard while his two companions joined the miners headed to the floor below and discreetly observed his actions to see what he was made of.

What she saw intrigued her.

This Kanata Rivington was calm and collected, barely changing his expression as they were ambushed by a group of orcs. He did not shy away from combat, and his movements were quick and efficient for his level. He was cold, efficient and calculating in dispatching the monsters something she did not expect from a teen with barely a year’s experience as an adventurer.

He was also a bit of an artist with a pen and paper, (as he explained when asked what he was doing in his breaks) that his captain tasked him to familiarize himself more about every floor in the dungeon, and creating maps was his way to accomplish that. He worked with astonishing speed and skill with the rough maps he drafted, and she soon found herself leaning over his shoulder to watch the image of the floor map take shape on a scrap of paper. He even included quite detailed drawings of the monsters that appeared on this level at the side of the map. She appreciated his artistry since it was also a key part of a smith’s ability in crafting.

That’s why when he asked to spar with her after he finished his own tasks she obliged the teen’s request.

She waited patiently as he drank a potion to heal his injuries and then got into a stance again facing her, indicating he was still up for more beating. Her grin widened at his perseverance. That was one quality she could admire in an adventurer. She teased her sparring partner as she beckoned to him with a finger, and he responded with a full on attack. He was brave, she’d give him that, but he was still foolish to challenge her, a level 5. She was already having a hard time controlling her strength as to not damage his strangely familiar weapons, his poorly maintainedd armor or cause serious injury. 

His one handed sword clashed with hers, and she purposely allowed him to push her back a few steps. She knew from what she observed that he preferred counters so she gave him what he wanted and engaged in a quick exchange of attacks and parries, while she occasionally dodged that round shield that swung towards her while their blades were locked.

As their sparring dragged on, her curiosity grew at the quality of his weapons. The armor he wore was almost scrap in her eye, but the performance of his blade and shield against her piqued her curiosity. They were worn, old but she spotted some details that were somewhat familiar. Could it be?

To test her theory, she cocked her fist back and hit the oncoming shield bash with some strength. If the shield survived intact, she would know the answer despite the faded marks.

As expected, Kanata ate dirt from the impact while the shield remained intact but dented in the middle.

“You’ve got some good quality equipment there, Kanata.” She said after she helped him up. This time she even gave him one of her own high quality potions for him to drink, seeing as he had drained his own stock considerably.

The teen nodded gratefully and lifted his visor and quickly drank the offered health potion. He stretched out his arms and took off his shield from his elft arm.

“It took me a long while to pick this equipment.” Kanata gave a fond smile as he looked at his shield and sword after he had recovered and offered them to her for inspection. “Quality weapons and equipment are hard to find in Orario for my level. Most don’t last even a week inside the dungeon.”

“That’s why crafting familia like ours exists to create these.” She replied as she flicked her finger on the familiar blade causing it chime in a familiar note. “You must have picked real crappy equipment if they don’t even survive a week.”

She took a few swings with the sword as memories of her early days as a smith and adventurer flashed in her head. She held in her hands the reason she was accepted by her goddess and given her blessing. “And these weapons you use were the first weapons I made when I first entered the Hephaestus familia as part of my entrance exam with my goddess. I’m surprised they survived despite all these years. Did you find the sword and shield as a paired set?”

She found his surprised look funny, but her amused smirk changed to match his own fond smile when she heard his reply.

“I found the sword in the back of the second hand shop. The edge had dulled and there was some rust, but I bought some polishing and sharpening stones to bring the sword back its edge. Gareth taught me how to maintain my weapons. The shield I found a month later. It was buried in some bargain sale during a festival, and it just felt right in my arm once I tried it on.” Kanata winced when he saw the dent on shield as he traced it with his fingers. “I hope this can be repaired.”

“I’ll repair them for you. They are one of the first weapons I created in front of my goddess after all.” She offered as she inspected the damage she caused on the shield.

“You will? Thank you! I’ll pay you as soon as I earn the funds to do so!” Kanata had stood up and bowed to her, causing the smiths resting inside the camp to laugh at her. They knew she was uncomfortable at formal situations, those bastards.

“Sit down Kanata. And don’t worry about payment.” She felt uneasy at how earnest those eyes looked at her. She focused instead on the custom armor he worethat really needed some maintenance and upgrades. While it was a good design, it had suffered extensive damage in several places that it hindered his movements.

“You really need better armor, Kanata.” She indicated to the damaged parts of his armor.

“I know.” He admitted with a shrug. “But I have to do with what I currently have. I’ll work on getting better equipment when I earn more valis and this guard duty is a good start. The smith who crafted this set left to travel back to her home village and set up shop there permanently. I’ve been having difficulty finding smiths that can adequately maintain it ever since.”

He explained that his smith’s sudden departure caused some difficulty for him and his trainer Raul. His other familia member Anakitty helped Raul find a new smith, but for a level 1 like him, there were few craftsmen that bothered with custom made orders.

She nodded in understanding, since she knew the difficulty for level 1 adventurers to find smiths willing to work on custom armor. From her perspective as a smith, the effort to craft a personalized custom set for a lowly level 1 adventurer was not worth the effort, since it wasn’t profitable. Her time would be better suited accepting orders from higher level adventurers that needed rare and expensive ores and materials to make.

She observed his face as he stared at his own armor and sighed. Hephaestus always warned her of accepting charity cases, but she felt that there was a reason Kanata wielded the first weapons she ever made.

“I rarely do this, but form a contract with me as your personal smith.” She offered. She liked his character and he was easy to talk to. He was direct and didn’t mince his words. It would also be interesting again to work with a level 1 adventurer and their required equipment. She would only need to basic ores and materials to craft his armor and weapons. The custom orders she had to deal with caused her weeks or months of work, she thought it would be fun to create something in mere days and get immediate feedback afterwards.

She knew it would also be rewarding for her to see his growth grow because of her own craftsmanhip helping him along the way. She knew a promising adventurer when she saw one, and Kanata was standing right in front of her showed that promise. It would also be good for her business to form a friendly relationship with him early on if she was correct in her suspicions.

“It’s obvious to see that you prefer my creations, and its fated for us to work together, don’t you think so?” She asked as she leaned down and observed him with her eye. His blush was adorable.

“I really don’t have the funds, Captain Tsubaki…”

“Let’s worry about that in the details later, but I’ll supply you with custom armor and weapons, but I’m the only one who can maintain them. You help me by creating maps with mining locations as well as helping to guard our craftsmen and smiths when they go here to mine. Sounds good?”

“If you put it that way, then I’ll be stupid if I refused. I’ll also make sure to bring to you rare monster drops that can help your forging.” Kanata suddenly straightened his back and gave her a warm smile that made her realize he was quite handsome if he smiled more often. She knew he would be a heartthrob in a few years. “I’ll work hard to not disappoint you. Thank you for this opportunity and show of trust, Captain Tsubaki.”

She couldn’t stand the sight of his face and looked to the side, why did he have to be that adorable? She just wanted to reach forward and squish his cheeks and mess up his hair. “Be sure that you do. Do you have any preference to the armor style?”

“You’re the expert here captain, but I have some sketches for a design of an armor that I wanted to wear. I really like the design of this sword and shield so I prefer if you retained the orginal design.” Kanata answered. “And if you’re going to craft equipment suited for me, perhaps you should learn more about my own abilities first.”

Her eyes widened a bit in surprise as he showed his enchantment ability on the weapons she made. It seemed Kanata had hidden depths to him that she wasn’t able to see at first glance. This could be interesting.

“Do you have these sketches of this armor you want me to make?”

“I have them at my room.”

“Great. Visit me in my workshop after lunch tomorrow.” She replied. “Let’s see if the designs you have are feasible.”

A day later that she found herself in her personal workshop with Kanata. His drawings were amazingly detailed and exquisite and she had no problems understanding the design and how to craft them. What intrigued her was the design itself. She had never seen that type of armor before in her entire career as a smith and adventurer.

“I’m still puzzled at how you were able to visualize this at all.” She said as she looked at the multiple detailed sketches that were spread out in her table. “So this is the Mandalorian set? What an intriguing name.”

“I have a vivid imagination.” Kanata explained with a shrug though she could see a hint of a blush in his cheeks. Was her new client embarrassed about his own work? “It’s always been a dream of mine to wear this design.”

“Like a childhood fantasy?” She teased.

“Exactly that, captain.” Kanata replied, still wearing a blush on his cheeks.

“I can see some influences from the Corinthian and Greco style in your sketches of the helmet, but the rest of the armor is totally new. We will have to create some mock ups to see that your visibility will not be hampered by the thin slits.” Her mind was already five steps ahead, visualizing the materials, the process and the mechanics of forging his armor. “The face plate’s T-shaped visor would need special materials and treatment, but I know of some translucent alloys that could give the same effect. It will be a bit expensive for you though.”

“I’m willing to work for it.” Kanata replied, and she could hear the determination in his voice. “I’ll volunteer at the next expedition to act as a supporter, I’m sure there will be valuable drops that I can find.”

“Slow down Kanata, that expedition of yours will not be for another few months.” She replied.

“How did you know our schedule captain Tsubaki?”

“Your own captain proposed a joint expedition with my familia.” She explained. “I guess I’ll be seeing you in the expedition then. I’ll hold you to your word that any good drops belong to me.”

“I understand captain.” Kanata replied with a determined nod.

Crafting the armor was enjoyable and the only complicated part of Kanata’s custom order was his unique helmet. She worked quickly and found herself enjoying the process immensely. She started looking forward to Kanata’s daily visits during the week, and started to prepare drinks and snacks when he arrived at his private workshop. His enthusiasm was infectious and she didn’t mind answering a few of his questions.

After fittings and testing of his custom armor and weapons, she would continue to work on her other projects while Kanata started spending more and more time in her workshop. The drinks and snacks turned into meals as her relationship with her new client grew.

“Aren’t you comfortable with your familia home?” She asked one day when she was taking a break. Kanata had brought some dessert for her to enjoy and even brought her favorite drink. “I’m not kicking you out for spending most of your free time here, I’m just curious.”

“My familia’s fine, but I find them to be too chaotic at times.” Kanata admitted after a few minutes of silence. “I find your workshop to be… comforting.”

She raised an eyebrow and stared at Kanata. Her private workshop was smack in the middle of the smith district and peaceful was the farthest she could describe her surroundings. Around her if she focused her senses she could faintly hear the sounds of hammers striking metal from other forges, the hooves of transport animals on cobblestone while pulling wooden carts of material around the district. The loud voices of numerous craftsmen and their customers carried through the open windows to her workshop as they haggled also added to the background noise.

 “You consider this environment comforting?”

“Yes.” Kanata explained while he was staring out at the street. “It reminds me of my old home. The noise, the smoke, the scents and the hustle of people busy at their craft. It’s strangely familiar.”

She felt weirdly touched by his answer and she stopped asking more questions. If Kanata found her workshop to be comforting, she wouldn’t mind him staying longer than normal. He was thoughtful too since he constantly brought her favorite drink and food whenever he visited.

A week later, and the armor set and the weapons were finally finished.

“Take of your clothes and let’s see how it fits.” She ordered. She was eager to see the results of her work, and the armor set hanging on the mannequin wasn’t enough to see display her work in all its glory.

She noted with approval that he didn’t even bat an eye at the prospect of having to strip in front of her as he quickly removed his clothing without any fuss or drama. Even some of the higher level adventurers acted like they were virgins during their first fittings, wasting more of her time.

She broke from her musings and stared at Kanata’s bare torso, and noted his well built frame and muscled limbs. He was not bulky like Ottar, but he was not frail or thin. He was balanced, just like his preferred fighting style with both a sword, and a shield.

“Wear this first.” She handed him a padded shirt, lined with specialized fabric that had heat resistance properties. It had a matching set with the pants as well. She then put on his breastplate with the attached shoulder armor and moved on with his arm guards, explaining the entire process to him.

The process was quick, and she was happy to note she got his measurements exactly right with room to grow if needed. The waist guard was clasped on, followed by the thigh armor and then finally the leg guards that rose up to his knee to allow for them to used as an offensive option if needed. The armored boots followed last.

“Well, how do you feel?” She asked with a smile. He looked even better without his old set of poorly maintained armor. It was like staring at a totally different adventurer.

“I feel comfortable.” Kanata started to stretch and move in various poses. He even jumped up and down and made some sharp kicks. Huh, it looked like he was able to move a little bit faster compared to when they met two weeks before. It looked like he got stronger again for her to notice the difference. “You’re amazing, captain Tsubaki. I can’t feel any restrictions at all.”

 “These are your new shield and sword. You can see they’re similar to your old weapons, but I added a few modifications. I added a longer guard on your new sword, and included an attachment on your shield so you can hang it on your back securely.”

Kanata didn’t need further instruction as he immediately understood the function of her design.  A moment later the shield that was on his left hand was securely and smoothly attached behind his back, just as she designed it to be.

“This will be a useful function in the dungeon if I needed both hands.” Kanata practiced the move a few more times and gave an approving nod. He turned around and she saw him focus on the final piece of his armor that she held. “Amazing…”

“I thought you would like it.” She replied, pleased at Kanata’s reaction. The helmet provided decent protection as it covered the wearer’s entire head. The revolutionary design with the transparent but tough alloy on the T-shaped visor really made use of all of her extensive experience as a smith. She doubted if any other smith aside from her goddess could replicate her technique.

She smiled at the irony, she intended to only use basic materials for Kanata’s new armor, but she ended up getting carried away as she used some of her stock of rare ores. It was worth it though, to see the look of delight in Kanata.

“Put it on. Let’s see the final look.”

Kanata put on the helmet and adjusted it until it was secured around his head. She knew it was a perfect fit, and the lining inside was padded and comfortable. She saw him look around, testing his vision and she stepped back to admire her complete work.

This new mandalorian armor set that she made was tempered a dark gray finish according to Kanata’s wishes. With his face covered, she could only see the shiny T-shaped visor staring back at her. The edges of the armor were painted dark red, and she admitted to herself that that Kanata now looked menacing.

Kanata put on his old gray cloak, and she helped fix the fabric around him to complete the look.

“I can see very well.” Kanata’s voice sounded deeper. “This is perfect Tsubaki.”

“You will certainly create a stir the moment you step out.” She teased.

“Luckily I have ways to avoid all that attention.” Kanata replied. “This is one of my abilities. Please don’t share it with anyone else.”

Intrigued at what she heard, she nodded in agreement. She stepped back in surprise as Kanata slowly vanished from view. She could see a faint ripple in the air and followed the movement. “Kanata? Is that an invisibility spell?” 

“Not true invisibility.” She jumped when she heard his voice beside her. “It’s more of a camouflage, or a stealth cloak.”

Kanata suddenly appeared in front of her and she laughed as he removed the helmet.

“I knew you were something special.” She grinned. She headed to the table and poured drinks for the two of them. It was time to celebrate the success of their collaboration.

[

Kanata Rivington

He moved swiftly along the streets, avoiding the adventurers and civilians alike with caution. He took a turn and used a side street that had less traffic and increased his pace. He was eager to test his armor in the dungeon, but he remembered that Loki instructed him to see her in her rarely used office after his meeting with Tsubaki ended. She had also decided to prank her executives, and asked him to use his cloak effect enchantment to head there undetected.

It was a difficult task to fool a high level adventurer’s senses, but he decided to embrace the challenge. It would be a good use of his stealth abilities when hunting monsters in the dungeon.

Twilight manor soon came into view, and he waited for the perfect opportunity to slip past the guards. At this time of day, she knew some of the second string members would start to head back for the evening meal.  He followed a supporter and slipped past the gates before the guards could close the large metal structures.

He paused and stepped to the side as the level 4s headed to the feasting hall and slowly climbed up the stairs to Loki’s office. He passed by his own captain’s door and finally reached his destination. He wondered if he should knock when he noticed a fellow familia member, carrying a tray filled with snacks head up to the door. He stepped to the side and slipped inside when the door was opened by Loki to allow his fellow familia member in and headed to Loki’s desk. He was thankful for the thick carpet that muffled any sound his boots made.

Inside, Finn was seated on a couch with Riveria beside him. Gareth was standing by the window looking down at the yard. He gently tapped his goddess on the shoulder, and observed Loki momentarily freeze up in surprise.

 “Is something wrong Loki?” Finn asked once the familia member who brought in the snacks left.

“Nothing.” Loki giggled. “I was just surprised, that’s all.”

“Surprised by what?”

“I was expecting him to be here later. But you’re here earlier than expected.” Loki answered. He knew she was directly addressing him.

He noticed that the executives shared confused glances with one another. Loki looked more amused at her prank as she giggled while she sat behind her desk. He noticed her finger point to a spot behind her and he quickly understood and moved behind and to the right of her chair.

 “What are you talking about?” Finn asked. “No one’s here beside us.”

“Oh really?” Loki challenged. “I guess old age is catching up to you Finn, if you couldn’t even sense once of the younger kids pranking you.”

“Prank?” Riveria asked with narrowed eyes.

“Come out.” Loki snapped her fingers, and at her command he complied.

“Yes goddess.” He quickly turned off the enchantment causing the three executives to jump in alarm. His captain Finn had even had a knife in front of him, while Riveria had her staff pointed at his direction.

“You should see the look on your faces!” Loki’s laughter immediately broke the tension.

“Loki? Who is that beside you?” Finn asked as he lowered the knife in his hand.

“Oh that’s just…” He saw Loki stopped speaking when she turned around to look at him. He understood her confusion. It was his first time wearing this armor after all, and no one but Tsubaki had seen it before. He removed his helmet and gave a short nod of his head in greeting to the executives.

“Kanata?” Riveria asked as she dropped her staff on the couch.

“Wow Kanata, is that a new armor design?” Loki immediately jumped up and peered closer at him. She walked around him as she poked his armor and the helmet he held in his right hand. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“I’m guessing this is the surprise you were talking about?” Finn finally relaxed and sat back down while Gareth laughed behind him at the prank they all fell for.

For some strange reason Loki was still fixated on his new equipment. As he answered the questions from the executives about his new ability, Loki was just continued walking around him, staring at him with an unusually focused gaze.

“That’s why I descended here.” The goddess finally smiled. “You mortals are always full of surprises.”

The meeting continued as he demonstrated his ability and explained the duration and limitation of the enchantment.

“This new variation of your light element enchantment magic is intriguing.” His vice-captain Riveria as always turned into a scholar whenever she discussed spells and enchantments.

“His abilities would be quite useful as a scout.” Gareth added. “What do you think Finn?”

“It’s clear Kanata’s enchantment magic will be useful in the future.” He noticed his captain was deep in thought, he knew that meant he was thinking up different strategies and plans in his head.

“Kanata, continue as you have now.” Finn stated. “If you reach level 2, I’ll allow you to join the expedition into the deep floors.”

“Understood captain.” He replied. He hid his excitement at the possibilities. It was rare for adventurers at his level to witness the monsters and floor bosses that he would be expected to face in the future. He also wanted to see the top adventurers in action, to see where he currently stood at.

“And Kanata?”

He turned around just as he was living the office. “Yes captain?”

“Keep doing whatever it is you’re doing. It’s obviously working out for you.”

[

Finn Deimne

“Keep doing what you’re doing?” Gareth laughed once the door closed. “That’s unusual coming from you.”

“He’s right though.” Riveria replied. “Kanata’s enchantment magic is instinctual, much like Ais’ Ariel. It manifests according to his need, there’s no telling what else it’s capable of.”

“We didn’t even tell Ais about her magic when she got her falna.” Gareth replied.

“She was too young to handle that responsibility.” He answered. “Kanata’s older and has proved to be mature enough to wield his magic responsibly. Assigning him in a team will only slow his growth.”

“He needs to discover who he is as an adventurer in the heat of battle, and he’s already showing glimpses of who he can become.” Loki added. “You will continue this set up with him?”

He leaned back and swirled the wine in the glass he held. “His skill and magical ability hinders the excelia he receives when he works with a team. He maximizes his growth and potential when he’s alone.”

“A lone wolf?” Gareth observed.

“Yes, though I’ll still ask him to participate in expeditions, but he won’t be part of any regular group.”

“Won’t that alienate him from the familia?” Riveria asked.

“It won’t bother him. He’s already good friends with a few members of the second string, and he’s formed a good relationship with Tsubaki.” He was surprised when the famous Cyclops accepted Kanata as an exclusive client. He noticed that their rookie was spending more time in the famous smith’s workshop, but it didn’t bother him. They were an allied familia after all, and there were talks about the other familia joining in their expedition.

Kanata Rivington

“A school sponsored expedition trip?” He asked as he stared at the new group of adventurers now populating the dungeon.

They certainly stood out amongst the regular adventurers of Orario, with their pristine white uniforms and exotic weapons and armor.

“It certainly is.” His companion, a level two dwarf named Divar replied.

They had just finished packing up after another mining expedition for the lower level smiths that usually lasted all day. Most of the smiths focused on stockpiling hard armored drops, while a few searched for basic ores that lined the walls of the large twelfth floor.

“You should visit Melen if you have time. That ship of theirs is a wonder to behold.” Divar added. The ship was called the School District, a marvel of magical engineering from what he heard from the other smiths. There were rumors that the legendary leviathan’s drop item was added to the massive ship to increase its speed on the water.

“I’ll try to make time if what you say is true.” He replied. The School District students gave them a quick glance before they continued deeper into the twelfth floor entrance.

“Ready to head back?” Divar always headed to the nearest pub to get drunk after a day of hunting and mining, and he had unfortunately realized going with the dwarf meant not being able to say no to ale. His hangover the day after made him barely functional and caused his own goddess to tease him mercilessly and called him lightweight.

“I’ll stay for a few hours more. I need to get some training in and the silverbacks are a good practice.” It had been a year since he joined his familia and he couldn’t imagine being able to take the silverbacks alone back then. A god’s blessing and constant training pushed him to newer heights.

His latest updates showed him that he was nearing the maximum of his parameters and he was eager to reach the next level soon. Finn and Riveria were astounded at his ability to maximize the experience he gained for all his basic abilities. He didn’t know the full answer, but he knew the strict training he adhered to since he was very young played a part in it.

In his previous life many considered him a genius, but in truth he just practiced more than them. He even practiced before he slept, visualizing the challenges as he replicated the motions in his mind and body. He did the same here in Orario as he accepted his new life as an adventurer.

“Then just be careful down here kid.” Divar patted him on the shoulder with his massive hand. “I can tell you’re nearly there and can handle anything on this floor. Don’t make me come down here and rescue you because you did something stupid.”

“We can’t have that.” He really liked the dwarf’s dry humor. It reminded him of another life he lived.

“No we can’t. And Tsubaki will pound the shit out of me if something happens to her favorite client.” The dwarf squinted at him suspiciously. “You sure you’re not dating her or anything?”

“It’s a strictly business but friendly relationship.” He answered. Well mostly, he didn’t know the fruity drink he shared with her last month had some alcohol spiked in it. Raul said it was addicting when he showed him the bar where it was sold.

He woke up the next morning being hugged to death by the woman, though thankfully they weren’t naked. Tsubaki still teased him about it, but it was mostly that, teasing. He learned early on that people have different kinds of humor after all. He enjoyed her company since they shared so many interests, and her sarcasm, self-depreciating humor and sharp wit really reminded him of his old world.

“I’ll head off then. Maybe I’ll hunt as well on the way up for more booze money. See you in the next expedition!”

The dwarf vanished in the thick fog of the eleventh floor to follow the other members of the Hephaestus familia who had gone ahead. He swung back his face plate on and headed in the opposite direction to hunt for the silverbacks. The fog didn’t bother him at all as he could precisely remember where he was due to his previous exploration of the area and his eidetic memory.

He spent an hour in his exercise, tanking blows from the silverbacks he encountered with his shield when he couldn’t avoid their coordinated attacks. They usually appeared in packs of three, and he had just finished the third group in the floor. He had just finished pulling out the stone from the silverback corpse when a large explosion and a strong gust of wind broke the silence of the floor. He could hear screaming and shouts of help and decided to investigate.

[

Lefiya Viridis

They were a group of six students when they descended the dungeon for the day. Her squad, a mixture of her and another level 2 and four level 1 rookie adventurers wanted to tackle an infant dragon. They were confident of their capabilities, and they wanted to prove to the other squads that they too belonged to the school.

They finally found one and cornered it at the far edge of the floor where there was less chance of someone stealing their prey.

It was easy.

Her magic was able to blast monsters apart with a single spell, and their journey to the eleventh floor was relaxed. The other level two was primarily a healer, so it was mostly up to her to take on the stronger monsters if the rookies had difficulties.

They passed by a mining group from the Hephaestus familia as each of the squads separated to hunt their own targets, with the recent updated map they purchased from the guild showing the area where infant dragons would likely spawn.

She could even call the infant dragon cute, as they toyed with it. She had already weakened the monster after it took on a direct hit from her spell, and the rookies danced around it, inflicting shallow cuts on its legs and body.

The infant dragon let out a painful screech and she wondered why its orange scales started to shift to red.

The next thing she saw was the rookies flying away as they were swiped by its tail, and she saw its suddenly red eyes staring at her. She forgot to look at its mouth that had opened, but she was able to dodge the sudden attack at the last moment, but she was still caught by the explosion as it hit the ground right next to her. Her whole body was engulfed in the explosion and she felt her body being tossed into the air before a hard surface met her entire back. She could feel and hear her ribs break.

She felt blinding pain all over, and she could only open one of her eyes. She heard the screams amidst the ringing in her head and struggled to regain her bearings. With her blurry vision she could see her fellow level 3 rescue the others as she dragged their broken bodies out of danger. One of the rookies was able to get up from the tail swipe and helped their healer and provided a distraction. It wasn’t enough, the infant dragon was now quicker, and a minute later they heard another explosion and a terrified scream of pain.

They were now grouped together, and she could feel the healer was trying to use her magic to heal her. Her breathing was getting shallower, and the healing magic only allowed her to remain conscious longer to feel the pain around her body. She could even smell her charred skin as tears fell down her cheeks.

The infant dragon’s figure could be seen moving back to their position through the fog and she knew only the healer might survive today. She could already hear from the whimpers of pain from the others that they too had come to the same conclusion.

She felt foolish.

“Go… get… help.” She tried to smile to their healer.

“No! I won’t abandon you!”

“It’s the only way. At least one of us can survive.” The other rookie who had a broken leg added in a resigned tone.

“I… I can’t!” Her fellow elf cried. Mira was too loyal sometimes.

“Look!” One of the rookies pointed out and suddenly a figure appeared before them through the thick mist.

He looked like he stepped out straight from the fantasy novels she read, wearing armor she had never seen before. Fashioned in a gray helmet and armor with a gray cloak on his back, they could not make out his features due to his strange helmet while he briefly observed them for a moment.

He picked up a discarded spear from their group and tossed a few vials of healing elixirs that Mira caught. The spear flashed a golden color for a moment, but she wasn’t sure if she was hallucinating.

 “I’ll try to lead away the infant dragon.” The voice from their rescuer sounded deep and metallic. “Try your best to survive.”

The figure charged at the now visible infant dragon, with spear and shield in his hand. She felt the elixir flow through her mouth as Mira poured the vial to her lips and immediately her breathing eased a bit. She was able to raise her head higher to see the battle as Mira cradled her head on her lap and applied her healing magic.

This new adventurer was clearly stronger than their rookies, and she realized with a sigh of relief that he must be at the same level as her. He was trying to distract the dragon but it seemed reluctant to move away from their group.

She hoped her rescuer would be up to the task, she knew this would be a tough battle.

Kanata Rivington

He tried to lead it away, but it turned around and focused its attention to the injured group of students. He knew he wouldn’t be able to use his camouflage since it would immediately turn back. He needed the infant dragon to focus all its attention on him.

“Always maintain your distance.”

  The dragon was fast, the tail even faster. He dodged away from the dragon’s charge and movement from his right caught his attention. He barely raised his shield in time to block the tail and the impact caused him to roll down the floor while his spear flew away from his hand and into the fog.

“Always move. You will make a harder target.”

  As his body stopped rolling he quickly got on his feet and continued to move, and the spot he vacated a second later was hit by a fireball. The infant dragon was relentless and cunning as well, not giving him time to regain his bearings.

He stabbed with his sword, but his strike didn’t dig deep enough to cause serious injury and narrowly avoided the dragon’s claws as he leaped back. He tried again to go around the dragon, but it continued to turn around, refusing to present its back to him. Its tail lashed out and he ducked, and he was thankful as his shield blocked the fireball that followed.

  The deadly dance continued for a few more minutes and he knew he wouldn’t be able to last longer at this rate and decided on a strategy. He had already had an idea of the infant dragon’s reach, speed and mobility after dodging from its attacks for the last few minutes. He stepped to the side to avoid another fire ball and then jumped up to deftly avoid the tail swipe. He ran full sprint, faster than he had ever moved before as he pushed past the limits of his body.

“Validus.”

  The sword in his hand, already enchanted by his magic, glowed brighter as he repeatedly cast the enchantment on it multiple times. He felt the strain in his head as a result, but pushed past the blinding pain and ran up to the dragon.

He saw one of its legs preparing to swipe him and he timed it perfectly and dived underneath the infant dragon and slashed at the monster’s weaker underbelly with his sword. He moved quickly, and attacked everything within his reach from its softer underbelly to its legs and joints.

“Weaken their mobility. Identify their weak points.”

The dragon roared in pain as his sword penetrated easily through its skin, and as it prepared to move he struck his sword deep into the monster’s underbelly right up to the hilt. The infant dragon, blinded by the pain it was feeling, made things worse for itself as it moved, creating a deep long gash in its body.

Its jerky movements however caused Kanata to lose his hold on his sword since its handle was soaked with blood and it was lodged deep inside the dragon. Without a weapon, he tried to create space again but he was blasted back to the wall by its tail. His shield had fractured by taking the brunt of the power from the attack and he knew it wouldn’t survive another head on collision.

The dragon, now fully enraged ran to him, its speed slower than before. He could see flames building from the back of its throat and he knew it was preparing to cast another fireball.

“Be aware of your surroundings. Use your environment to aid you.”

He looked around for options and spotted another spear beside him, and realized he had landed near the group he intended to save. Without any options left, he grabbed the spear and stood up and faced the charging dragon, hoping that his shield could withstand one last attack.

“When going in for the killing blow, make sure it has no time to counter attack”

He gripped the spear tightly with his hand as he observed the rampaging dragon. Forcing the very last of his meager reserves, he infused both his shield and spear with his magic and hoped it would be enough.

He felt heat as his arm buckled from the impact from the fire ball but his shield held. His vision now obscured by flame and smoke, he lined up the spear to where he visualized the dragon’s position was and aimed it at the right moment and held on to it in a desperate grip. He smiled in satisfaction when he felt the spear buckle and bend but it held true as it pierced deep inside scale and flesh and bone.

The infant dragon gave one last cry before it felt limp, its massive body only held up by the spear that it impaled itself with. He took a deep breath and slowly moved to take out his sword stuck on the belly of the monster. A quick flick and it was cleaned of blood and he put it back on his sheathe. He took out a mind potion and a moment later his darkening vision grew clearer, he knew he was moments away from a mind down.

He drank one more to be sure and put back his helmet and headed back to the group of students he had rescued. They seemed clustered around one of their own, a young badly burned female elf who was staring at him with grateful eyes. Her smile and the color of her eyes reminded him of his mother’s, trying to appear stronger for her companions as she slowly grew weaker.

Her mother.

He was sitting in the hospital, his fingers intertwined with hers. She was deathly pale, but she still gave him that beautiful smile only reserved for him. He had been sitting, no living here for a month, motoring championships be damned. Offers of sponsorships, scholarships, all of them he ignored as he stayed by her side, keeping her company. The doctors and nurses conveniently forgot to remind him of the visiting hours.

Her illness was sudden, and now incurable. She was at the late stages and had hours to live. He hoped that he could will some of his strength to flow from their intertwined hands to hers, but it didn’t work.

He kept trying anyway.

“I love you, Kanata.” were her last words. He wasn’t sure if she heard his reply as she closed her eyes, but the smile remained as she faded and breathed her last.

“Are you okay?”

“Sir Adventurer?”

He snapped out of his daze and realized he must be standing still for a minute, and that must have caused the other students to worry.

“I’m fine, how is she?” He asked.

“My magic couldn’t heal all of her injuries.” The female elf looked ashamed as tears poured down her face. “The healing elixirs didn’t work that well either. We need a higher grade potion but that’s time we can’t afford to waste.”

He kneeled down beside the girl who still gave that smile to her companions. Her eyes landed on his and he heard her faint words of thanks as she slowly faded.

With memories of his mother fresh on his mind, he held her hand to give her some comfort in her last moments, it was the least that he could do. He remembered the same feeling he had back then, but he suddenly felt her weak grip grow stronger in his. He heard gasps around him and saw the girl and the burns on her skin heal at amazing rate as a faint gold energy surrounded her and realized he had unconsciously cast his enchantment spell, normally used for his equipment flow through her.

It consumed his mind energy faster compared to his usual enchantment, and he struggled to maintain the flow now that he could see it was healing her. Thankfully the spell ended a few seconds later and he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t know he could do that.

He realized Riveria was right about his magic being instinctive. He wondered if he could ask lessons from the only other adventurer in his familia who had similar abilities.

“Did you see that?”

“That was a high level healing spell!”

“And without a chant as well!”

“Who is he?”

“Can you stand?” He asked the newly healed elf. They were still in the dungeon, and he was not confident he had enough reserves to protect the injured party as he now felt his own injuries. He was also distracted at this new effect of light enchantment. He focused for a moment as he remembered the sensation from earlier and his magic once again covered his body. Slowly the injuries he received from the infant dragon started to heal. He cut off the flow once he felt his breathing ease significantly.

“Ah yes.” The elf nodded, still bewildered that she looked far better than her companions, when moments before she was on the verge of dying. He noted that aside from her burned clothes, she looked perfectly healthy. “Thank you for saving us. I am in your debt!”

“I’m just glad I was here in time.” He took off his robe and allowed the girl to wear it to cover her modesty.

The other elf girl that he identified was the party’s healer continued applying her own healing spell to the rest of their party, their previous pristine white uniforms now torn, bloodied and blackened with soot.

He wanted to take a long nap after this, after a hearty meal, but first they needed to get to the surface. They were in an isolated area of the floor, and they needed to head to the main passage to avoid anymore unexpected surprises. The dungeon had the nasty habit of taking advantage when one was in their most vulnerable state.

He retrieved his borrowed spear, and the body of the infant dragon vanished, leaving behind a large stone and a horn as its monster drop. He knew Tsubaki would be pleased with such a rare monster drop since she constantly experimented on different alloys and mixtures. She might even forgive him for his now barely usable shield.

He was forced to defend the injured party when a large number of orcs suddenly appeared in the distance. Thankfully Lefiya volunteered to back him up, and her powerful spells was enough to allow him to finish the stragglers in his exhausted state. He was hoping there weren’t going to be anymore ambushes because he could not guarantee that he could keep the entire party safe at this rate. His reflexes weren’t as fast as he normally was as he was getting injured from blows he usually countered or dodged with ease.

Monsters again appeared as the dungeon made its malevolent presence felt as it spawned monster after monster to kill them. Some of the students were falling to despair and fear, but he persevered and focused on killing the monsters in front of him.

He just wanted to sleep but he kept on fighting to keep the injured party behind him safe. Lefiya’s stamina had long run out and she had to settle for being an extra pair of eyes to watch his back as he took on a group of silverbacks. The rest didn’t fare any better, their injuries hampered their movements, making them liabilities than assets.

They were lucky when thirty minutes later and they were still dealing with their injuries that members of the school district appeared through the fog in the distance. He watched as the students ran to their classmates and he stepped towards the mist back and made his own way home to rest.

[

Lefiya Viridis

“We’re safe!”

 Mira cheered along with the rookies, but she didn’t join them. One of their own had died, and she felt that it would be disrespectful to celebrate despite his noble sacrifice. Her fellow students in the other squads rushed to take care of their injuries, and while others formed a perimeter around them to keep an eye out for monsters.

She looked back to thank their rescuer when she realized he was missing.

“Where is he?” She asked.

“Who are you looking for, Lefiya?” Her senior classmate asked.

“There… there was an adventurer, he saved us from the irregular infant dragon.” She explained as she turned around looking for any sign of their savior through the mist.

“Really? An irregular infant dragon?” Their senior suddenly looked tense.

“He killed it, and fought waves of monsters that ambushed us as we tried to leave.” She replied.

 “And he healed Lefiya.” Mira added, as she too looked at her surroundings, looking for their hero. “He just vanished.”

“Are you sure you’re not just hallucinating?” One of the other students asked.

“He gave me this to wear.” Lefiya showed the cloak. “It was after he healed my injuries, since the dragon burned most of my clothes.”

“I didn’t see any sign of anyone here and there was only one passageway in and out of this floor.” The senior student replied. “Let’s head back to the surface, and report this incident to the guild.”

“So who was our savior then?” One of the injured adventurers asked. “I’m sure he was real…”

“Maybe he’s some type of ghost or spirit.” His friend replied who she knew like to spread gossip around the ship. “The soul of a deceased but noble adventurer that appeared in the dungeon to save us, and vanish once he knew we were safe.”

They were quickly led up to the surface and into the hospital of the Dian Ceht familia for further treatment. They were visited by the guild representatives and the faculty of their school district. They were each interviewed and made to write an incident report, explaining in full detail the events that transpired.

“Have you found him? The adventurer that saved us?” She asked a guild employee that introduced herself as Rose Fannett once she submitted the paper. “I’d like to thank him personally.”

“I’m sorry, but we couldn’t match a level 2 adventurer in our records with your description.” The employee replied. “A combat capable adventurer with a powerful healing spell would have been noted by the guild. We’re still investigating the matter.”

“I see.”  She stared at the worn cloak hanging off the chair beside her table, determined to return it back to its owner. She leaned back down on her bed as she reviewed the events that led to this moment. She had realized a powerful and frightening lesson today. The dungeon was a frightening and terrible place, one not be underestimated at all. She remembered the despair and terror her classmates felt, and she nearly succumbed to despair if not for the valiant hero fighting to protect them.

She was now fully committed to her decision to join the Loki familia after what happened, any doubts that lingered about living in Orario erased from her mind. She wanted to get stronger, and she never wanted to become a burden to anyone ever again. 

Staying with the school district would only slow her growth, and even worse, retain the mindset like her other classmates about their overconfidence in the dungeon as they treated it as a simple excursion. Her squad treated an important training lesson meant to sharpen their resolve into a picnic and paid a heavy price for it by losing a classmate. She knew joining a powerful familia under princess Riveria’s tutelage will help her master her magic and reach her goal.

She didn’t want to be weak anymore.

[

Raul Nord

He looked up when he saw Kanata enter the room and immediately noticed the battle damage in his unique armor. His roommate looked exhausted as he slowly removed his armor piece by piece and noted the bloodstains and scratches on its surface.

“Tough day?” He asked as he handed a glass of water to the level 1.

“I got ambushed.” Kanata replied and quickly finished the offered drink. “Thanks Raul.”

“Don’t mention it. What happened?” He asked. He knew how capable Kanata was, and he was already as skilled as some of the level 2 adventurers in the familia. He hadn’t seen Kanata suffer this amount of injury in months.

“Found a lost group of students from the school district. I helped them out a bit.”

He remembered the news of the massive ship that docked in the port of Melen and the students they would be expected to encounter in the upper floors of the dungeon. Their captain gave the team leaders a short briefing on what to expect, and gave them instructions to help out the students if they saw them in trouble.

“Good work. Have you reported it to the captain?” He asked.

“Not yet, but I’ll visit our goddess after I take bath.”

“I’ll wait for you downstairs. Join us for dinner, Anakitty and some of the others are planning to have dinner in a pub nearby. You look like you need it.”

Kanata looked like he wanted to decline and he stood up and put an arm around his shoulder.

“C’mon, it’s just us. It will be a nice relaxing affair.” He knew Kanata tended to bow out of noisy crowds. He didn’t blame the teen, since he knew since the first day he met him that Kanata preferred to avoid crowded establishments.

“Thanks Raul.” Kanata replied. “I’ll make it quick.”

“See you in an hour.” He called out as Kanata headed to the baths.

Kanata looked better once he came down, and he felt something was different from Kanata but couldn’t put a finger to it. He still looked tired, but he noticed he was more alert and his movements steady and composed.

 “Did you receive a good amount of excelia?” He asked.

“You could say that.” Kanata replied with a slight smile.

“Hey there he is!”They both heard Anakitty from across the courtyard in front of the establishment frequented mostly by their second string members. The Snaptun Bar and Café was simple and comfortable and its prices were reasonable compared to the more famous establishments.

“You even brought Kanata with you!” Anakitty said in delight. “Good job Raul!”

“He looked like he needed to relax.” He replied.

“Is that Kanata?” He noticed Narvi in the large table they had reserved standing up and looking at their direction.

“I don’t believe it!” Narvi quickly attached herself to Kanata’s side and guided him to a seat beside hers. “You really must join us more often Kanata.”

“I’ve been a bit busy.” Kanata replied with a smile. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s like I haven’t seen you in weeks!” Narvi replied. “Elfy was even worried about how you’re doing, weren’t you Elfy?”

He watched Elfy, a mage of their second string, blush when Kanata turned his gaze towards her. He knew about her crush on Kanata, but the teen never indicated any interest beyond friendship with her.

“Shut up Narvi!”

“That’s enough.” He interrupted the two girls, knowing they could spend half the night arguing. “I promised Kanata a relaxing dinner with friends, so don’t bother him too much. Let’s order our food and drinks!”

He smiled as Kanata nodded gratefully in his direction and waved over a waiter to take their order. The simple dinner continued through the night, and he was happy to see everyone was relaxed and satisfied. He had even been drawn into an interesting conversation with Kanata and Cruz on the merits of armor in the dungeon and what design was best suited for certain floors.

Cruz Bussell had started thinking of wearing a helmet again, and he and Kanata were on opposite sides of the argument.

“Cruz is primarily a front line fighter.” Kanata shared his opinion. “I think it will be beneficial to start wearing a helmet for the added protection.”

“You’re a level 3 now.” Raul replied. “It will mostly be a hindrance when you fight against stronger monsters. Besides, it severely limits your vision.”

“It won’t if you pick a good design.”

“Not everyone has an exclusive contract with the Cyclops to be their personal smith.” He teased the teen. “I still can’t believe you’re that lucky to have her forge your weapons and equipment.”

“I heard from my smith that you spend a lot of time in her office.” Cruz leaned closer. “Are you and the Cyclops, you know, going out?”

“Where did you hear that?” Kanata asked.

“You know smiths love to gossip as much as they love crafting weapons and armor.” Raul added.

“We’re just really good friends.” Kanata answered. “She reminds me of a person I know back in my former home. I know I’m lucky that she gave me the opportunity to work with her.”

“Really lucky.” Cruz nodded his head. “You know half the smiths have a crush on the Cyclops.”

“She is pretty.” Kanata agreed as he took a sip of his ale.

 Raul looked up in interest, since he knew it was the first time he heard his friend express any sort of compliment to the opposite sex. Their conversation was interrupted as a new group of adventurers entered the establishment with news from the guild.

Narvi quickly moved to the bar to listen in to the rumor, and after a few minutes headed back to their table to share what she heard.

“The guild said there’s an incident in the dungeon. One of the students from the school district was killed by a monster.”

“What floor were they in, and what monster could do that to a squad?” Raul asked.

“Aren’t school district students supposed to be well trained?” Cruz added.

“They say an irregular infant dragon overwhelmed a team with two level 2 adventurers and killed a level 1.” Narvi replied. “But listen to this, the students reported that another adventurer rescued them and defeated the infant dragon with a spear. That unknown adventurer was said to have a powerful healing spell that saved one of the students from dying.”

Raul stared at Kanata as he quickly realized the incident Kanata reported must have been connected to the latest gossip. Kanata met his stare and gave a subtle shake of his head, and he knew that meant he had to keep his suspicions to himself for now.

“Wow! A melee combatant and also a capable healer?” Elfy mused. “Those types of adventurers are rare. What was the level of that adventurer?”

“They weren’t sure, but the survivors said he must be at the least a level 2.” Narvi replied.

Raul finally realized what was different with Kanata when he joined them for dinner. His friend must have finally reached level 2, and had unlocked a new ability in the process. An irregular dragon was surely a level 3, and even he would have to focus to defeat that type of monster. There was a reason an infant dragon was considered an unofficial floor boss in the upper floors.

“Congratulations Kanata.” He mouthed to his roommate and lifted a mug of ale as a toast to his achievement. Kanata mirrored his actions and raised a mug in turn and emptied its contents in one gulp.

[

Loki

She stared at the new status sheet and handed over to Kanata.

[

Kanata Rivington

Level 1  > 2

STR-- A 892 > I 0

END --S 941 > I 0

DEX –A 845 > I 0

AGI  -- S 923 > I 0

MAG -SS 1072 > I 0

Skills:

Eidetikos Memoria (Essence Memory) (passive)

Ability to remember and recall visual information with exceptional clarity and accuracy, as if the image were still present before one’s eyes. 

Voluntas Indomita (Indomitable Will) (passive)

Extraordinary capacity to persevere in the face of adversity. Resistance to charms and mind manipulation.

Spells:

Validus (Enchantment) (short chant)

Ability to wield light element enchantment.

Developmental Abilities:

Spirit Healing H

[

Loki

 “Congratulations.”

Kanata reached level 2 in a year. It was an indication of his potential, since she knew only talented adventurers were capable of reaching level 2 in such a short time. She knew only the Gale Wind and her Ais, the Sword Princess had achieved such an incredible feat.  “You nearly reached S in all your basic abilities.”

She met Kanata at the gates once he returned from dinner with his fellow second string members and directed him to Finn’s office to wait for the executives to return from their task at Melen.

She couldn’t wait to see the faces of her captain and the others once they hear the full story of Kanata’s adventure. “Go and pick up some snacks and drink and we’ll wait for them there.”

She was halfway through the plate of cheese biscuits when her executives arrived with their new recruit in tow. Finn entered his office, his face calm and wearing a serene smile while Riveria ushered in her companion to the office.

She watched with satisfaction as Kanata’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw Lefiya, their new recruit to the familia. The brown haired elf was clutching a familiar looking cloak as she looked around the room, only pausing for a moment to stare at Kanata before her eyes landed on hers.

“Lefiya right?” She asked with a smile. “I’m the goddess Loki. Welcome to my familia.”

“Goddess Loki!” The girl immediately bowed in respect. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to join your familia!”

“You’re welcome.” She stood up and observed the girl, she had a pretty face and a good figure, though she didn’t like the girl’s modest outfit, she could barely see any skin with her conservatively fashioned dress. “Have a seat.”

The new arrivals settled down, with Finn moving to his chair behind the desk, while Riveria and Lefiya sat on the couch opposite where she and Kanata sat.

“You took your time, Finn.” She looked at her captain. “I thought you would bring Lefiya here hours ago.”

“There were some complications.” Her captain replied, and she saw how his eyes darted quickly to Kanata and back to hers. She knew Finn would connect the dots quickly.

“Oh?”

“There was an incident in the dungeon with the school district students and their excursion to the dungeon.” Riveria reported and placed a comforting hand on the younger elf’s shoulder. “Lefiya’s party was involved and there was a casualty.”

She noticed Lefiya grip the cloak tighter on her lap and she felt some pity for the girl. “What happened?”

“Go on.” Riveria gave the younger elf a nod of encouragement.

“We were ambushed by an irregular infant dragon.” She noticed that the girl’s voice trembled as she spoke. It was clear that the events she experienced that morning still haunted her in some fashion. “It transformed right before our eyes, its orange scales turning to red.”

The events she shared was captivating, and it was clear the girl was having difficulty with the messier details but she admired how Lefiya put on a brave face and forced herself to continue. Her smile grew a bit bigger as she occasionally looked at Kanata who shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Her captain remained silent and only observed those who were present in his office while Riveria asked the relevant questions. 

“So this mysterious adventurer wearing a strange armor defeated the dragon.” She summarized and took a quick glance at Kanata. She noticed that her vice-captain had also realized there were only so few adventurers that fit Lefiya’s description, and only one of them would immediately vanish after making sure the students were safe just to avoid attention.

“And he healed you with a powerful healing spell?”

“Yes goddess. He even defended us from the waves of monsters as the dungeon tried to prevent our escape.” The girl replied. “He… he even gave me his own cloak to wear since my clothes were burned by the infant dragon.”

Lefiya presented the familiar cloak and she chuckled when Riveria’s eyes widened in surprise.

“But that’s….”

“Hey Kanata, I think someone found your cloak.” She giggled as everyone in the room focused their attention on the young man on the opposite end of the couch. He looked uncomfortable at the sudden attention, especially with Lefiya’s wide eyed stare.

“I was relieved I was able to save the rest of your party.” Kanata focused on the girl and tried to give her a nod of greeting. “There wasn’t enough time to introduce ourselves properly due to the emergency. I’m Kanata Rivington, nice to meet you.”

Lefiya’s eyes started to water and she suddenly jumped out of her seat and into Kanata’s arms. The young man looked surprised and she laughed as he tried to awkwardly pat the young elf on the back to comfort her.

It took a few minutes for Lefiya to completely calm down, but she remained seated beside Kanata as she shyly presented his cloak for him to take back.

“You can do healing magic Kanata?” Riveria asked.

“I just discovered this aspect of my enchantment magic when I healed Lefiya from her injuries.” He replied.

“So you’re the mysterious adventurer the guild is looking for.” Finn said from his desk wearing a satisfied expression, and she knew he was happy all his assumptions were accurate.

“So Kanata was this... Ghost? Riveria asked.

“I like the sound of that name.” She mused. “Maybe I’ll suggest that on the Denatus for your first alias.”

As she predicted, Finn leaned forward in excitement upon hearing the news. “You’re level 2?”

“I did.” Kanata replied. “My updated status sheet is on your desk, Captain.”

Finn quickly snatched a sheet of paper from a stack and started reviewing Kanata’s new status. A genuine smile grew from his face as he took in the new information. “This is a remarkable achievement, and you really maximized your basic abilities.”

“Wait, you were just a level 1 when you rescued us?” Lefiya gasped in shock. She didn’t know if it was possible, but the girl’s gaze grew in intensity as she looked at her savior. She was pretty sure Kanata had gained another admirer.

“Uhmm yes.” He replied as he tried to avoid Lefiya’s intense stare.

“We will have a meeting about your magic, Kanata.” Riveria stated. “I’m curious to see the potency of your healing ability.”

“Let’s talk about Kanata’s abilities later.” She stood and headed to the door. “Follow me Lefiya, I’ll give you my falna in my room.”

“Of course!” The elf jumped to her feet in excitement and quickly followed her. She noticed that the girl did stop by the door for a moment to give Kanata one last look before she continued forward.

Dinner that night with her children was more festive for two reasons, to celebrate Kanata’s achievement and to welcome Lefiya to their familia. She noticed that many of her first string members were surprised at Kanata’s feat, as he came quite close to officially beating Ais’ record. She noticed some of her level 4s were giving Kanata speculative looks.

She understood their reaction, since extremely talented adventurers usually reached level 2 in one or two years and Kanata’s achievement spoke volumes of his potential to rise up the ranks quickly. Even the twins and Ais were now paying some attention to Kanata and she knew for certain one of those three would ask Kanata for a spar the next morning.

Her mind wandered to the preparations for the next Denatus. She really wanted Kanata to have a good alias, and mentally reviewed the list of gods that owed her some favors. She would call on them soon. Her child deserves a proper alias deserving of his character and ability.

[

Riveria

“Validus.”

A bright yellow light surrounded Tiona, and slowly her bruises vanished from her skin, injuries she sustained when she sparred with her sister.

“It’s more difficult.” Kanata admitted as he breathed deeply. “The consumption of mind is faster.”

“That’s so cool Kanata!” Tiona jumped up and down in excitement. “I felt a warm sensation all over my body before the aches vanished!”

“I’m next!” Her sister Tione stepped closer to Kanata, impatient for her turn to be experimented with Kanata’s new ability. Behind her Ais and Bete watched their magic lesson with some interest.

“So a higher level adventurer affects the healing rate and consumption.” She theorized as she observed Kanata heal Tione’s injuries. She could see beads of sweat start to form on Kanata’s forehead, and she realized he was reaching his limits with the consecutive healing spells she asked him to perform.

“Let’s take a break.” She called out.

They had set up a large blanket for a picnic. Around them the rest of the familia lounged around, relaxing or eating their own snacks around the yard.

“How can Kanata do that?” Lefiya asked. She had been shadowing Riveria all week during her training. “Cast a healing spell with just one chant.”

“In some ways, Kanata’s light enchantment is similar to Ais’ Ariel, her wind element enchantment.” Riveria explained. She suspected that Kanata’s Eidetikos memoria skill played a part for Kanata’s ability to use complex spells, but she needed more data to prove her theory.

The executives had decided to form a temporary vanguard team with Bete, Ais, the twins, Kanata and now Lefiya in the upcoming expedition. The picnic and magic lesson today was part of their plan for the two level 2s to get acquainted with the level 4s in the group.

Bete was staring with a frown at Kanata and Lefiya, but thankfully held back any insulting comments. She knew he was disappointed since he was not assigned as the party leader of the group. That honor was assigned to Tione.

They also had another objective with the formation of the new team. The level 4s in the group were in the verge of leveling up and required only a grand feat to become first class adventurers.

Bete and Ais would be the primary damage dealers, while Tiona and Tione would be their back up. Lefiya would provide ranged attacks as their mage, while Kanata would take the role of primary supporter of the group.

With Kanata and Lefiya’s healing abilities, she was confident they could handle the two floor bosses their party was tasked to take on.

“What else can you do Kanata?” Tiona asked.

“Aside from healing, my light enchantment magic can reinforce equipment and weapons and increase their durability.” Kanata explained.

“So you’re like a mage but your enchantment magic is best suited for melee combat.” Tione observed.

“Mind if I test that out?” Bete suddenly asked. He produced a pair of identical daggers and handed one to Kanata to enchant.

The dagger flashed yellow for a moment and he handed back the dagger to the werewolf. Bete stood up and hit both daggers into a boulder nearby. The enchanted dagger buried itself deep into the hard surface right up to the hilt, while the other dagger shattered from the impact.

“That’s useful.” Bete admitted. “How long does your enchantment last?”

“Thirty minutes before the enchantment ends.” Kanata replied. “I’m not sure about the duration on higher quality weapons, Tsubaki said that weapons forged with rare alloys like mithril would hold the enchantment better. It also takes a lot mind to cast my enchantment on them.”

She raised an eyebrow at how Kanata spoke with the captain of the Hephaestus familia with such familiarity. She had heard from Loki that the two had unexpectedly formed a friendly relationship, with her goddess admitting she had never seen Kanata that friendly and open with anyone before.

“That’s really convenient!” Tiona gushed as she displayed her over sized two handed weapon. “My Ursa is really expensive to maintain!”

“So are you happy with your party Bete?” She asked the werewolf. “Are you confident on the challenge assigned to your party?”

“I’m fine with it.” Bete replied. “I need to see those two in action first. We’ll be sparring in the afternoon, so don’t eat a lot. I guarantee you you’ll both puke your guts as soon as I’m done with you.”

Tione as team leader nodded her head in agreement. They needed to see the capabilities of the two before they could trust their backs to them.

She watched the spars from the shade of a large tree and tilted her head when she heard the sound of familiar footsteps. She didn’t need to turn around to know Finn was beside him.

“This is a pretty ambitious plan Finn.” She commented.

“They’re the group with the fastest increase in excelia.” The captain of the familia replied. “We need them to get stronger fast. I’m hoping they will reach level 5 in this expedition.”

“We could have assigned Alicia in place of Lefiya for support.” She pointed out.

“That would present less of a challenge and would lessen the excelia gained by those four.” Finn replied. “Lefiya also needs to gain experience fast. Her abilities are too powerful for her level to normally face, just like Kanata. They need a more difficult challenge.”

The two executives watched as Lefiya as Kanata went through numerous spars with their new party members. She winced at the harsh and almost brutal attacks the two suffered, but she knew they would need the conditioning for the dungeon.

She watched as Kanata healed Lefiya’s broken ribs and defended her from Ais’ relentless attacks, buying her time to finish her chant.

“Wynn Fimbulvetr!”

“Elf ring.” Riveria smiled at the rare magical ability Lefiya displayed. Her magic allowed her to duplicate an infinite amount of spells, an incredible ability that would allow her to reach far. She was confident Lefiya would surpass her in the future.

A burst of pure magic lashed out from the ring of energy that formed around her and Kanata. Ais immediately dodged the white sparkling energy, but it continued to chase her everywhere she moved.

She saw Ais’ widen in shock as a shield suddenly struck her from the side, revealing Kanata who suddenly faded into view. By now nearly all of their familia had stopped what they were doing and was now watching the two on one sparring match.

“Ghost indeed.” Finn remarked as he sat down beside her.

Ais  had stumbled to the ground from the surprise attack and was finally hit by Lefiya’s spell. She wasn’t worried though, as the dust cleared revealing Ais who was now surrounded by her wind enchantment magic that protected her from the worst of the spells’s effect.

The sword princess immediately rushed Kanata, and the young man immediately struggled at the onslaught as he exchanged several parries and slashes with Ais. They fought a running battle, when Kanata suddenly faded from view at the last moment as he ducked under Ais’ sword, before another spell rushed at Ais surprising the girl.

They have good coordination.” She observed.

Kanata had baited Ais and blocked her line of sight, allowing Lefiya to cast her spell to target her. The sword princess dodged the spell with a display of speed and acrobatics, and headed for Lefiya who suddenly panicked at the sight of the rushing adventurer and stopped her follow up chant.

“She needs to fix that.” She added. The girl needed to learn chanting while moving in battle. She also noticed that Lediya tended to lose her focus when faced with imminent danger, and from experience she knew that weakness could mean the difference between victory and bitter defeat.

Kanata’s shield suddenly blocked the thrust from Ais’s sword as he appeared in front of Lefiya.

“If Lefiya trusted that Kanata would protect her, she would have cast another spell by now.” Finn observed.

“Another subject we need to train her with.” Riveria replied. “I thought the school district focuses on teamwork.”

“Are you disappointed in Lefiya’s showing?” Finn asked and she knew he was teasing her.

“I’m not. I just expected more from her, she’s already a level 2.” She replied. She looked to Finn who tried to hide his laugh by pretending to cough.

“Riveria, I think Lefiya is doing very well. She just needs to gain some experience. I think the problem is you’re unconsciously comparing her to the last rookie we accepted.”

“What do you mean? That doesn’t even make…” She trailed off when she remembered Kanata Rivington during his first month at the familia. He had been easy to train, and was quick to pick up on tactics and teamwork. The training exercises revealed that he could work with any lower level team without any difficulty in integration.

“Kanata.”  She breathed out and focused once again on the sparring match in front of her.

The new level 2 countered Ais’s attacks with a thrust of his own sword but it seemed like their opponent was finally done playing around. Ais twisted in mid air as wisps of wind energy surrounded her, allowing her to dodge Kanata’s attacks. Her elbow hit Kanata in the side with enough power that it threw him across the sparring ring. Her follow up kick knocked out Lefiya into unconsciousness moments later.

“Can’t believe those two gave you trouble.” Bete teased. “You’re slipping Ais.”

“We’re here to train them, not overwhelm them with our strength.” Tione answered back for the blonde. “Besides, Kanata nearly got you as well.”

“It’s a sneaky ability.” Bete replied with a huff. “But he didn’t even touch me, unlike you three.”

The three continued to argue back and forth, and she saw Kanata slowly limp back into the center of the sparring area and to wake Lefiya. Ais had unexpectedly helped him by fetching his sword and shield for him.

“This just might work.” She said as she exchanged a satisfied smile with Finn.

[

Loki

The last Denatus was normally boring, as her fellow gods had already made agreements, finished private dealings among themselves in the last three. All of them knew that this was just a formality, and thus used their boredom to create even more and more creative aliases for the other gods’ children just to see that god’s reaction. Last year’s meeting of the gods was hilarious, as a way to fight off boredom a group of male gods had started competing for the most ridiculous name for a hard working adventurer of a low level familia.

She joined in of course, proud of her accomplishment at beating the group with her own suggestion. The new level 2 named Dennis, was given the alias Dungeon Diving Diver.

Their god and their familia immediately set out of Orario for a year-long expedition, but she knew it was just to spare the child from embarrassment.

 She was pretty sure that particular adventurer was the one staring at her with dead eyes, when she was on her way to a pub yesterday when she encountered the small familia, having just got back from their trip abroad.

Of course she had to shout out a welcome for all the adventurers on the streets to hear using his alias.

Dungeon Diving Diver, we missed you!

This time however rumors caused more excitement among the gods. This newfound interest could lead to several ways, from private dealings, negotiations and trades to even out right war games if a god wanted to have a promising child in his or her familia.

The rumors were about the latest incident from the kids at the School District. Deaths were not that common but it does happen from time to time but the manner of their survival was the most interesting thing. Gods loves their heroes, and the noble actions of one unknown child caused them to look more into the gossip.

It was a great mystery, and she giggled in enjoyment as she knew the whole story and who the mysterious and valiant hero that saved the poor students from a brutal fate.

She finally raised her head as the meeting moved on to the topic she was waiting for. Ganesha was the most popular choice as the mediator of the Denatus. His voice was loud for everyone to hear clearly even without his magical microphone. His familia was powerful enough that he couldn’t be intimidated easily, and he had friendly relations with herself and Freya that conflicts between them were rare.

“I am GANESHA!”

She tuned out his booming voice and focused back on getting juicy gossip straight from the source, but the goddess of the forge remained tight lipped. There were rumors of her child and Hephaestus’ own captain getting together in a more intimate fashion and she wanted to learn more. Kanata’s supposed affair with another familia captain was one of the rumors she was interested in.

“The next adventurer that awaits an alias is a level two elf…”

“Capable of thousands of spells…”

She glanced at Hephaestus who was seated beside her to gain firsthand knowledge, but so far the woman was proving to be stubborn. She teased, joked and threatened, but she couldn’t even make the goddess of the forge to look her way, as she preferred to politely converse with poor old Miach who was seated on her other side.

“Elf maid!”

“Elf Doll!”

“One elf army!”

“Thousand Elf!”

She heard her name being called and she looked back at Ganesha who was now grinning at her direction. “It looks like Loki has no objections then! Thousand Elf it is!”

Wait, what? She looked around, and saw the god that she teased last year giving her a satisfied smile. Uh oh. Well, Thousand Elf didn’t sound too bad. She waved her hand at the god that thought he had been able to take his revenge and called out a thank you. The smug smile turned into a scowl.

There were a few adventurers in discussion, until finally the topic moved on to the last adventurer on the list, once again a child in her familia.

“Another child of Loki, who reached level two in a year, nearly matching the Sword Princess’ record!” Ganesha exclaimed. “He is capable of light enchantment magic, Kanata Rivington!”

Several names were tossed around, and she narrowed her eyes as even Freya joined in on the fun. She was not amused with the slut’s suggestion of Boy Toy.

“That’s enough.” She called out. “I already decided a good name for him. Please name him the Ghost.”

“Sounds ominous Loki.” Freya called out. “Anything you would like to share about him?”

“He’s pretty special, like all my children are.” She proudly answered. “But his abilities, which I would not of course elaborate here, he reminds me of a Ghost.”

“Have it your way.” Her rival replied and she inwardly breathed out a sigh of relief. “But I’d like to meet this one in the future. He seems interesting.”

Oh great. Freya suddenly has the hots for Kanata. She knew that for any other gods, they would be worried when Freya showed any interest in their children. But not her.

“You wish.” She scoffed.

“Don’t be like that Loki.” Freya pleaded with a smile. “I just want to meet him in person.”

“Not going to happen, so what are you going to do about it?” She asked as she stared back at Freya. The other gods by now had become silent as they observed her and the other goddess.

“You’re so selfish Loki.” Freya pouted and leaned back in her seat. She knew that meant her rival had backed down, and she nodded her head in satisfaction.

No one wanted a war after the chaos Evilus caused. Poor Astraea.

[

Finn

Their Grand Expedition was finally underway. He named it that way because of their objective, to reach the floors not visited since the old ruling familias left nearly a decade ago.

Rows of adventurers stood in attention in three distinct groups in front of their home, Twilight Manor. Loki was standing beside him as he reviewed the adventurers under his command. To ensure his goddess protection, Riveria’s fairy force, a group composed of elf mages and swordsmen would guard her in their home.

The vanguard, led by Tione would lead the way until they reached the deep floors. This was a test of their capabilities, and they would be taking the lead in confronting the first two floor boss in the hopes that they would level up.

He headed the main group with Riveria, and the support group followed them with Gareth leading them. They were more numerous than usual, as a contingent of Hephaestus’s familia had joined them led by Tsubaki. She had joined his main group, while her other familia members stuck with their support group, dragging carts and supplies.

The long march to the dungeon proceeded as usual, with ordinary citizens and adventurers alike watching and cheering as they made their way to the dungeon. There was little ceremony as each group entered one by one in five minute intervals as he instructed them. By his calculations they should be able to reach the wall of grief in time to watch his vanguard deal with the goliath.

“You’re not joining the vanguard?”

He looked up to see Tsubaki was walking beside him. “I’m giving the level 4s a test. I moved a few members over to the first string to see if they can handle the pressure.”

“You’re allowing them to take the goliath on their own?” Tsubaki asked.

“They should be able to handle it easily.” He replied with confidence. “I assigned them to deal with the Amphisbaema as well.”

“You’re crazy.” Tsubaki shook her head. “That monster rex is a level 6, you should at least allow one of your executives to help.”

“I’m saving our strength for Udaeus and Balor.” He replied. “This expedition is meant to swipe away all the floor bosses in one clean sweep. Consider it a show of force for our rivals and a display of our strength.”

“I’m eager to test my strength and my Benishigure against those infamous floor bosses too.” Tsubaki replied. “Those monster drops should have amazing properties.”

“You’re more than welcome to join us.” Finn replied. “Your attack power will significantly decrease the time it takes to defeat them, especially Balor.”

“It’s that bad?”

“Worse. The beast is at the very least, a level 7, or even 8.” He replied. “I’ll choose from the level 4s and 3s based on their performance if they can join us in taking down that boss. This time I want to take down that monster rex without any significant injuries or losses for my familia.”

“Revenge huh.” Tsubaki mused as she absently punched a war shadow as they reached the fifth floor.

“I’m here for payback.”

Their journey to the seventeenth floor continued without any issue, and within two hours they reached the large chamber leading to the eighteenth floor. He immediately felt the vibrations before he heard the sound of combat and hastened his step to see the battle. Beside him the rest of the familia spread out on the rocky ledge overlooking the wall of grief.

From what he observed, the Goliath was on its last legs. It had numerous injuries as the four adventurers of the vanguard continued to dart in and out of the monster rex’s reach.

Behind the four adventurers, Kanata was in front of Lefiya who was casting spell after spell. He had his shield out, protecting the elf from the debris that headed their way from the battle.

“Kanata!” He heard Bete yell out, causing the newly promoted adventurer to vanish from his position. He watched with interest as Bete suddenly moved through the goliath’s legs. He jumped up and landed on a familiar round shield that just appeared and held up by Kanata. His sharp eyes saw the glow of an enchantment spell transfer from the shield to Bete’s mithril boots.

In a coordinated motion, Kanata pushed up Bete with his shield and he heard an audible grunt of effort from the teen. Bete jumped in time, increasing the height he was able to achieve from the boost as he reached a height far above the Goliath’s head. As the werewolf descended from his jump, his mithril boots began to emit a yellow aura as he unleashed a powerful kick on the back of the goliath’s head.

The enchantment in the mithril boots allowed Bete to pulverize parts of the Goliath’s head from the impact. It was a good tactic, it was rare that the goliath had to look up to defend itself from attack and Bete used that to his advantage. The floor boss fell to its knees and slowly collapsed on the ground, causing the whole chamber to shake from the impact.

Without wasting anytime, Ais appeared and launched her sword deep into the goliath’s exposed back, followed by Tiona’s Ursa. Their combined attacks soon reached a critical point in the goliath’s body and it slowly started to dissolve into ash.

“Time! Lefiya how long did it take?” Bete asked.

“Thirty seven minutes!” The elf yelled back.

“Hah!” Bete nearly howled in victory. He hadn’t seen the werewolf that happy before. “Pay up Tione! I told you we can do it in under forty five minutes!”

“You got lucky.” Tione replied, obviously displeased at losing a bet. “The goliath was barely doing anything, I’ve seen stronger versions before.”

“Don’t be a sore loser sister!” Tiona joined in, dragging Ais along with her towards Lefiya’s position. “A bet’s a bet. Besides, we did good didn’t we Ais?”

“We were efficient.” The blonde girl replied.

“We kicked ass!” Bete said proudly and even ruffled Lefiya’s hair in a rare show of affection.

“Bete! Not my hair!”

“You have to learn not to be too concerned about your appearance in the dungeon.” The werewolf replied. “Consider this a lesson.”

“Well done.” He decided to step in to stop the group from their banter. He couldn’t allow the support group to reach their position, causing a standstill in the passageway.

“Captain!” Tione as predicted looked delighted when she saw him. “Did you see out fight? I was…”

“I did. You did great, all of you.” He cut the girl off and continued giving out orders. “Tione, have your party look for a suitable camping spot. We’ll take care of the monster drop.”

He nodded in satisfaction as his familia hurried to fulfill his orders. The main force followed the vanguard, while he remained on the side with Tsubaki to wait for the support group to appear.

“Maybe they do stand a chance against the Amphisbaema.” Tsubaki observed. “That’s quite an elite unit you’re forming.”

“They’re the future of the Loki familia.” He replied proudly. With this team behind him, he knew he would be able to surpass the Zeus familia.

The camp tents were erected quickly as everyone started with their own assigned duties. Food was being prepared and trees were cut down to serves as benches around the large camp fire in the center of their camp.

He watched from a distance as adventurers of various familia passed through the entrance leading up to the surface. They were stuck as they waited for a large familia to defeat the Goliath that was blocking their path. Other adventurers started to descend as well as they headed deeper into the dungeon.

“Captain, the team leaders are gathered at the command tent.” Raul reported.

“Thank you.” He replied. “Make sure to secure the perimeter of the camp.”

“Yes captain!”

The meeting commenced once he joined the team leaders in the tent. The plan was for them to push through all the way to the twenty-eighth floor safety point which he estimated would take two days. They would rest there to recover and leave the lower level adventurers and a part of their logistics then venture into the deep floors.

A camp would be established in the thirty-ninth floor before the vanguard would continue with a few select supporters, mages and healers to accompany them.

The final camp would be established in the fiftieth floor, their primary goal and it was agreed by everyone that they would tentatively try to reach as far as their logistics could safely allow them to, before turning back. While the main strike force was busy, the miners would continue with their own objectives with a group of level three to guard them.

“If there are no objections, I believe I’ll bring Kanata and Lefiya to act as the supporters for the strike force for Udaeus and Balor.” Finn addressed the team leaders calmly listening in the meeting. “There is considerable danger, but I’m confident in our abilities to protect the two.”

“I’ll keep an eye on them for you and act as a rear guard.” Tsubaki offered.

“No, your combat power would be needed at the front.” Finn thought of the roster and decided to add a few more members that would take on Balor. “I’ll ask Raul and Anakitty to join the rear guard.”

“If there are no more concerns, I suggest we join the others for dinner.” He dismissed his team leaders and followed his own suggestion.

[

Kanata Rivington

He knew the pace the expedition set would not allow any level one to keep up and finally understood Finn’s insistence for him to reach level 2. His familia ran a tight ship, and he appreciated the efficiency of how the executives planned the expedition up to the smallest detail. He took note of every path they took and strategy against various monsters and was amazed at their progress and speed. He had only visited the eighteenth floor a few times, and now he was heading deeper than ever before.

He participated in combat in the tree labyrinth that consisted of the nineteenth to the twenty fourth floor, a jungle maze that was filled with poisonous flying insects and plants. He had been told by Tione that the many adventurers frequently hunted in this area, but despite that even today there were still large unexplored areas of the tree labyrinth. He knew he would focus his exploration here in the near future. He now had the ability to explore the area on his own.

His experiments upon the discovery of his ability to heal with only his spell were going well. With the help of Riveria, he was able to lessen the load on his mind if he focused his spell on the specific injury, both on his own body or others. It felt strange not to consume health potions anymore when he went into the dungeon, but he felt lucky at how versatile his spell really was. He wasn’t limited to a single role anymore, and could act as support if needed.

He had finished sketching the last of his personal maps with a small lamp lighting his tent, but he would make even more detailed sketches when he went back to the surface. There were areas that looked like they were possible mining sites from what he observed earlier. He decided to show his drawing with Tsubaki to ask for her opinion, but the smith had disappeared in the command tent for a meeting.

“Kanata!”

He looked up from his drawings and saw a head poking inside the tent. “Tsubaki, can I help you?”

“We’re having a drink! Don’t sulk alone inside your tent!” The woman was relentless as always. She was having fun with her smiths after a hard march, and they were joined by members of the Loki familia that enjoyed a drink as well.

He had just finished his tasks and the smell of the meat beckoned to him despite having finished his own dinner an hour ago. Tsubaki’s pouting added to the nail in the coffin and he knew he would get drunk tonight despite his best efforts. It was time to relax and unwind, he decided.

He had been feeling a lot of pressure in the last few months after all.

He left his tent, one among dozens in the outer ring of the camp of the Loki familia. He noted the planned arrangements of tents, with the large command tent in the very center of the camp, surrounded by the level 4’s tents. The closer they were to the center, the higher their level was.

Tsubaki boasted of the rare monster meat dishes not found anywhere else but in the dungeon, and he was looking forward to taste the local dungeon delicacies that only adventurers were capable of sourcing. Not only were tasty dishes one of his guilty pleasures, but learning new skills to survive in the dungeon was always welcomed. He never had monster meat before after all. He watched as a few adventurers expertly cut the monster meat into manageable parts and started roasting their meat into the fire.

Barrels of drinks were opened and soon he found himself drinking from a mug as he listened to the bizarre and funny stories about the dungeon from his companions.

He had a respectable tolerance for alcohol, but keeping up with Tsubaki was impossible as the night wore on. He enjoyed the impromptu celebration though, a marking point that they were two weeks in on their projected month-long expedition.

  His fellow familia members told him he was a happy but quiet drunk when inebriated, and he drank more ale or wine as more and more adventurers talked with him, curious about his recent level up and abilities. Hours later he could barely remember their faces as he staggered towards his own tent, and he didn’t question the warm and sweaty body he felt beside him on his bedroll.

Tsubaki’s drunken face appeared in front of him, and he decided to pay her back for all her teasing and wandering hands during his fittings for his armor. On impulse his own hand groped her bountiful chest as his lips locked with hers. She needed to learn that even he had limits.

The smith’s eyes widened in surprise before a predatory smile formed on her face after their kiss ended. “You do know what this means, handsome.”

“I do. But we’re still friends tomorrow morning.” He teased back.

“I’ll promise not to break you too much.” Tsubaki leaned forward and intertwined her fingers with his above his head.

It was time to get laid in this world, and he was thankful that he had healing magic that could repair bones, muscle and tissue in moments. He personally knew how strong Tsubaki was even if she was holding back.

He woke up with hair tickling his face and saw his bed partner snoring peacefully on his chest. His hands were hugging her waist while their legs were tangled together amidst the sheets. Light filtered through the tent flap and he realized it was morning.

His headache made itself known as soon as he tried to move, and it felt like his head was on an anvil in Tsubaki’s workshop as she pounded his skull with her hammer. His throat was dry and even the small beam of light that filtered through the tent felt like needles piercing his eyes.

He tested his enchantment spell, and after feeling a brief drain in his mind energy he immediately felt better.

“What was that?” He felt Tsubaki move around his arms. “Fuck! My head’s killing me.”

Tsubaki obviously sensed his magic and it caused her to awaken. She groaned and buried her head deeper towards the crook of his neck when she realized she wasn’t in any danger.

“If you promise not to tell others, I’ll get rid of your hangover.” He whispered in her ear. He always liked her scent, of smoke, leather, and her own unique scent. It made her feel familiar to him in some way.

“I promise.” Tsubaki murmured.

He laughed and closed his eyes in concentration for a moment and whispered. “Validus”

A faint golden light surrounded Tsubaki. It lasted for roughly three seconds and she immediately sighed in relief and he felt her body relax against his.

“Wow. That’s a rush.” Tsubaki stared at him with clear gratitude written on her face. “Remind me to bring you to every party I go to from now on. That was fucking amazing.”

“You said that to me several times last night.” He didn’t mean to brag, but to keep up with Tsubaki was something he was proud of. He didn’t remember everything in clear detail, but he knew he healed himself a couple of times throughout the night when she became too enthusiastic and forgot to hold back.

“That you did.” He felt Tsubaki reach down and touch both their sexes that were still pressed together, and then showed him the sticky fluids on her fingers from the result of her exploration. “Up for another round before we get serious?”

He answered her by pinning her to the ground amidst her peals of laughter. He wanted to be the one on top this time.

[

Lefiya

She was scared.

The Goliath was one thing, but the Amphisbaema was a totally different beast. She was standing on the shore with Kanata as her party members jumped around the exposed wooden roots that jutted out from the surface of the water to engage the floor boss.

One wrong move and they would slip and fall into the water where the monsters in the lake would immediately attack them, not to mention the monster rex itself.

She knew the rest of her familia was watching their performance and that even made her nervous.

“We’ll be fine.” She turned to Kanata who was standing slightly ahead of her at the edge of the lake. “Just the remember the plan and we’ll be fine.”

“Thanks Kanata.” She marveled at how calm and composed Kanata was. She was disappointed that she couldn’t see his face due to his helmet, but she knew that handsome face was calm and focused. She decided to copy his example and observed the battle.

Tiona and Ais had teamed up to deal with one head of the monster while Tione and Bete handled the other. Their goal was to lure the monster closer to the beach where she would launch her spells in an attempt to disable its movements.

A monster fish suddenly jumped out of the water to attack them, but it was immediately sliced in two by Kanata. She didn’t even see him move. He casually kicked the corpse of the monster back into the water where she saw ripples on the surface, telling her there were more monsters waiting underneath the surface.

 “They need more space for movement.” She heard Kanata and noticed that the rest of their party members aside from Ais were having difficulty maneuvering against the floor boss.

“Can you target the wooden roots on the roof of the cavern?”

She glanced at the where Kanat pointed at and nodded her head. She closed her eyes and started to chant her spell. She felt the magic circles formed around her as her magic began to build up. Her eyes opened and aimed her staff at her target.

“Fusillade Fallarica!”

Streams of fire erupted from the magic circles she summoned and moved like ribbons towards the roof. Multiple explosions echoed around the chamber as large pieces of wood began to fall on the lake.

She noticed her party members started to use more of the floating wood to land in and launch their attacks on the floor boss as they found more space to move around the monster rex. Minutes passed as slowly Amphisbaema started to move closer.

“It’s working!” She exclaimed.

“Yes, but they’re still having difficulty.” Kanata replied.

The right head of the monster suddenly released its famous crimson mist that diffuses magic around the area. Bete, Tiona and Tione and easily maneuvered around the monster, but Ais suddenly had her wind enchantment interrupted and she lost purchase in the air and began to fall.

She was again amazed at Kanata as he hurled his round shield to an area right below Ais. She was amazed at her companion’s accuracy and timing as his shield appeared at the right moment before Ais could fall in the water.

Ais noticed the shield appear beneath her and used the split second chance to jump off the shield and into another safer location. The shield continued on its altered trajectory and imbedded itself on a thick root.

Blue flames erupted from the left head and caused the area around the floor boss to erupt in a fiery inferno. Her companions started to retreat back to their position as the Amphisbaema dived under the water to follow them.

“This is it! Lefiya!”

She immediately followed Kanata’s warning as she started her chant. A large magic circle appeared on the shore as magical energy began to build up.

The Amphisbaema burst from the surface of the water, and she immediatey launched her spell. Hail Dust, a spell she was taught by Alicia. Tiny orbs of magic hit the water around the floor boss, instantly freezing the area. Their companions immediately leaped into action, as they focused on the head capable of releasing the magic nullifying red mist.

Bete’s powerful kick caused the monster’s head to fall on the shore. She saw Ais immediately capitalized on the vulnerability as her follow up attack made a deep gash in the neck. Without even giving the monster even a second to recover, Tiona with her large axe followed up with a decapitating strike.

The remaining head retaliated as it unleashed a large stream of blue fire all around itself. She ducked as streams of hot blue flame passed over her head as the Amphisbaema attacked everything around it. She felt herself being picked and moved to a safer location further back.

Tione, in an incredible display of athleticism and coordination ran up the length of the neck of the remaining head. She mercilessly buried her twin daggers into each eye before jumping off, causing the monster rex to lose its vision as it roared in pain.

Ais again made the initial attack as she dodged and weaved through the streams of blue flame. Her sword pierced deep inside the monster’s neck while Tiona and Tione attacked the floor boss from the other side. Bete came last and hit the top of the monster’s head with a powerful kick, forcing it to the ground with a mighty crash.

With a dying groan, the Amphisbaema finally died as its last head chopped off from its massive body. She heard cheers behind her and realized they had an audience watching their battle, she had forgotten as she was too focused on the timing of her spells.

Her team looked a little singed but she was glad they didn’t suffer any significant injuries. She shyly accepted the praise the twins gave her as they patted her shoulder and head.

“Those were powerful spells! Are you sure you’re just a level 2?” Tione teased.

“Nice job on giving us more floating platforms to maneuver.” Bete gave one of his rare praises. “That floor boss was a real pain to deal with.”

“It was Kanata’s idea to target the roots in the ceiling.” She replied.

“Yeah? Good call, Kanata.” Bete added. “Your enchantment worked on the beast as expected. There’s not even a hint of damage or scratch on my Flosvirt!”

She knew Bete was very proud of his mithril boots. She looked around and realized one member is missing. “Where’s Ais?”

“She was just here a moment ago.” Tiona replied. “Oh there she is!”

They all turned to Ais who was walking back from the shore. She was carrying Kanata’s shield, and she realized the blonde must have retrieved it from where it was stuck after his throw.

“Why do you have that with you?” Tione asked.

“Kanata threw it under me as I fell.” Ais calmly replied as she gave a nod to Kanata and handed back his shield.

“Thank you for getting it Ais.”

“It was the least I can do.” The blonde took a loose lock of her long blonde hair and tucked it behind her ear. She noticed that the famous Sword Princess looked a bit uncomfortable as she spoke to Kanata. “Thank you for saving me from falling into the lake.”

“You’re welcome Ais.”

Their captain and the rest of the executives quickly approached them with proud smiles on all their faces.

“At this rate, we won’t be needed for the battle for Udaeus!” Gareth joked. “Congratulations, all of you!”

“That was an exceptional display of teamwork.” Finn added. “Each of you did your part above my expectations. Your feat only convinced me to make this a more permanent grouping.”

“I don’t have any problems with that.” Bete replied after a moment. “These two carry their own weight anyway.”

“Then it’s settled.” Finn declared. “Expect to receive more quests from the guild soon, since I’m planning to send your party as the familia representative.”

“Bring it on.” Bete replied.

She watched as teams of supporters dragged the body of Amphisbamea to shore and she joined her squad as they rested on the side. She looked for Kanata among the group until she spotted him speaking with his personal smith and the captain of the Hephaestus familia, Tsubaki.

She narrowed her eyes as she noticed how relaxed he was, he even pulled off his helmet to speak better with her. She saw Tsubaki reach down and hug Kanata and pushed his head to her chest as she ruffled his hair. She ignored the strange sensation in her chest, though she felt a bit hurt that he wasn’t as relaxed when he was with her.

“Don’t worry about it.”

She jumped when she heard Tione’s voice beside her. She realized she was staring too long in Kanata’s direction and turned her head to look back at the carcass of Amphisbaema as it was harvested.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Kanata.” Tione replied. “He’s really aloof and a bit distant to everyone ever since we recruited him.”

“He doesn’t seem to be aloof to her.” She stated.

“I really thought he wasn’t into girls. Many did express interest early on, but he never showed any interest.” Tione mused. “I guess he likes older, mature women!”

“Stop joking Tione! I think they’re just good friends!” Tiona joined in, and she jumped in her seat for second time in surprise. She didn’t even realize someone was eavesdropping in their conversation. “I mean, I heard they really hit it off when they first met. She even formed an exclusive contract with him, and she’s the best smith in Orario!”

“Friends? Don’t spout that shit.” Bete added and she swiftly turned her head to his direction. She forgot werewolves have excellent hearing. “They sure were acting friendly on the eighteenth floor. They were too loud. That naughty kid.”

“You mean…” She heard Tione gasp. She didn’t understand what they were talking about.

“They sure did. For hours.” Bete nodded with a grin. “Kanata reeked of her scent despite his attempts to wash up in the stream. Really thought he was a wimp at first, but that kid’s living his life a real man should.”

“That’s bold of them to the deed in the dungeon.” Tione giggled. “Have to admit the danger adds a certain appeal. Do you think the captain would also…”

“Keep dreaming, Tione.” Her twin interrupted her. She knew her party leader had a thing for captain Finn. “You know the main reason that settlement in the eighteenth floor was built mostly due to adventurers needing a place for fucking in privacy. I admit it certainly helps takes the edge off when you spend too much time in the dungeon.”

She slowly realized what they were talking about and she felt her face warm up in embarrassment and disbelief. How were they so casual about sex? She looked at the twins’s scanty outfits and remembered they were amazons, and it was part of their culture. She looked at Ais, and noticed the blonde girl looked totally lost.

“What was Tsubaki and Kanata doing that was loud and naughty?” Ais asked.

The group fell silent as they stared at each other. She knew no one was willing to explain it to their blonde teammate, and they were all hoping one of them would take the lead and explain the nature of their conversation to her. Sadly no one was that brave.

“Is Kanata doing something bad?” Ais asked again as she tilted her head, clearly confused.

“You deal with this.” Bete jumped off the rock he was sitting on and quickly retreated.

[

Kanata Rivington

He realized early on that the privilege of being allowed to join the Loki familia expedition as a level 2 right up to the deep levels was something he should grateful for. Very few could see the most powerful adventurers of Orario up close as they used their abilities as they pushed themselves to their limits.

He watched in awe as the executives finally unleashed their true power, and their moves were so fast that he could barely see them in action. Finn was a blur of spears, taking on entire hordes with ease. Gareth was a powerful behemoth whose swings pulverized massive monsters from the impact of his axe. And then there was Riveria.

Riveria’s magic was terrifying. He couldn’t fathom such destructive power originated from the slender body of the green haired elf.

Finn had allowed his new vanguard that included him to take on the previous floor boss, Amphisbaena. It took them almost an hour of combat, but they finally took it down from a combination attack from Ais and Bete.

The monster rex Udaeus of the thirty-seventh floor was on another order of magnitude in strength. This time the executives stepped in and displayed their full capabilities. Gareth was an impressive tank that took on Udaeus attack’s head on in a display of strength and durability. Riveria was on the backline as she prepared her powerful spells from a distance with Lefiya aiding her. Finn darted in and out, causing crippling attacks while he commanded the rest of the party to deal with the summoned spartoi guards of the floor boss.

He was like a conductor, controlling the flow of battle against the monster rex and its guards.

He felt truly useless this time, as he just dodged and weaved from the spartoi’s attacks, each of them with a strength that matched the average level four adventurer. He felt he could take out one or two of them in a solo fight as long as he avoided direct hits, but they tended to move in groups and launch coordinated attacks that were deadly to any adventurer lower than level 4 if they were caught out of position.

Tsubaki pursued a group of spartoi that was starting to surround them, each swing of her blade tearing apart whole groups of the massed soldiers in an impressive display of accuracy and strength.

Riveria’s spell chant was finally completed and a magical array began to form around Udaeus. Finn had shouted for everyone to evacuate the area of effect and then the famed Wynn Fimbulvetr activated.

White and cold.

That was all he could see as he saw snowflakes fall down his face. The cold mist from the spell dispersed revealing that Udaeus was encased in ice, along with most of his summoned spartoi guards. The rest were quickly taken care of by Ais and Bete. A moment later cracks appeared on the massive block of ice and it shattered in a violent burst, taking along the monster rex trapped within it into pieces.

“That was a good workout.” Captain Finn praised the group, and he managed to catch himself from letting his mouth fall to the floor. That was just a workout? He was beginning to understand the sheer difference in power between each level. The level 6 executives looked like they barely broke a sweat while the level four group of Ais, Tiona, Tione and Bete were breathing hard from combat.

They took advantage of taking out a floor boss since its own chamber turned into a temporary rest stop devoid of monsters until it reincarnated again. Usually other weaker familias took used the opportunity of the disappearance of the floor boss blocking their way to explore the deeper floors.

 The next destination was the safe zone of the fiftieth floor, but they had to deal with Balor first. He was a bit worried that Udaeus might suddenly appear while they camped in its chamber, but Finn even explained that floor boss would spawn again in six months.

He noticed the shift in the mood among the elite party grow somber as they went down deeper. The higher level adventurers started to focus more as the monsters they encountered were stronger and the friendly banter between as they slew monsters became less frequent.

The oppressive aura of the dungeon was noticeable, as it sometimes played with his own senses as he heard whispers in his ear that he couldn’t understand. He sometimes started to hallucinate about monster ambushes, but his own focus helped him realize that this was just his own fear that was being enhanced by the dungeon’s sinister aura. The dungeon wanted him to fall into despair, with no hope to leave alive on his own.  He realized that an adventurer going this deep needed a strong mind as well as a powerful body to survive.

He was among the four adventurers left that were below level 4 as they split of the main group and they acted as supporters, distributing potions, food and water whenever there was a break from fighting. Lefiya, Raul and Anakitty were helpful and he followed the examples of the two level 3 as they tried to be less of a burden for the main line fighters. It was harder than it looked, and he now appreciated at how important a supporter’s role is in a party.

The most challenging part was maintaining discipline, as he wanted to join the battle and contribute, but he knew he would only cause trouble for the others if he acted on his impulses. Supplies were strictly rationed now, and getting severely injured and wasting precious potions would cause the entire expedition to fail.

The level 4 adventurers took turns resting, and he was fascinated at their ability to fall asleep within seconds while their own comrades fought. He couldn’t fathom doing the same, and he realized they must have complete confidence in their familia to protect them in their most vulnerable state.

The three executives and Tsubaki barely took a break at all, as they stood guard to protect the whole party. Their endurance and stamina simply eclipsed anything he ever saw before and he didn’t realize a high level adventurer could fight for hours and maintain their incredible pace.

Their party reached soon reached an enormous cavern and Finn turned around to address them.

“This is the third time the Loki familia will face the Balor.” Finn’s voice had that quality that practically forced everyone to pay attention to him. Though he stood smallest among the group, the impression he felt was like he was staring up at the pallum as he towered over them with his commanding presence.

“The last few times we defeated, but it left us in a state that didn’t allow us to explore past the fiftieth floor longer than we would have liked. We also lost some dear friends.” Finn paused for a moment in remembrance of the fallen before he continued his speech. “This time, we will dominate the battle. Follow my instructions! Trust me and I will lead you all to victory!”

He looked around as his fellow familia cheered, drawn in by Finn’s speech. The pallum was quite a charismatic leader and strategist in his opinion. His captain reminded him of a figure his mentor often talked about in his old world.

The executives didn’t bother with additional orders as they burst into the Balor’s chamber to draw its attention. The level 4 members and Tsubaki followed soon after, scattering to either follow Gareth or Finn’s lead. He stood near Riviera at the back, but his eyes strayed towards the infamous Balor.

It was terrifying to look at.

It was monstrous, its massive body dominating half of the large cavern. It had dark grey skin, with a muscular chest and powerful arms with long bony protrusions all along its elbows. Its waist had many bony spikes up to the rest of its long body that was supported by four massive and spiked legs and a long, bony thick tail.

Its neck was elongated and ended up into a smaller head full of spikes, with a single mouth. He wondered if it was blind since he couldn’t see its eyes. It was like a giant mutated centaur that came straight from hell but its proportions were distorted and twisted.

The Balor quickly reacted to the presence of the attacking adventurers as the skin and bony plates on its chest rippled and shifted, and he saw a large red eye appear. Oh, there it was. It could see after all.

It had to have excellent hearing and senses as it easily avoided even the blind attacks of Ais and Tione from behind. Bete and Tiona were trying to deal with its tail first while Gareth, Tsubaki and Finn took the monster head on. The impacts from the blows shook the cavern and he struggled to stand as the earth shook from battle.

Rocks and debris hit him and he used his shield to block the rest. It had been a minute since the battle began and he soon felt the buildup of magic behind him, as finally Nine Hell finished her chant. She had obviously charged it to its maximum, as the magical circle that appeared around Balor was brighter and looked more complex than in the previous floor boss.

The attack team all moved back as one, as the spell took effect. Ice and cold winds started to form around Balor, and the monster rex tried to fight off the spell as it dislodged the chunks of ice forming around its body. But it was futile, as more ice formed and soon the monster was completely encased in ice. Unlike Udaeus, the Balor’s eyes remained active as it glowed red.

The chamber was deathly cold from the spell and he was glad he had a cloak on, as he saw Anakitty shivering from the effects of the spell.

“We only have five minutes.” He heard Riveria whisper, and he realized she was still controlling the spell with sheer concentration. Lefiya started her own ice spell to increase the effects of Riveria’s magic.

“That’s more than enough.” Finn replied. They soon distributed the high elixirs reserved for this battle, and the injuries the party suffered healed quickly. The combatants all drank water and finished strips of dried and smoked meat and then went back to their positions without prompting.

When Balor finally broke free from its prison, it was Riveria’s turn as she took a mind potion and started on her own meal pack. Her spell clearly had an effect, since he noticed that Balor was slower than usual, and it began to take more damage despite its regenerative ability. Finn was relentless as he turned into a whirlwind of spears as he inflicted the most damage to the floor boss.

Lefiya continued to cast her spells, though he noticed that her attack was less effective compared to Riveria’s but it did help in giving their attack force some support.

“That boss is a tank.” He heard Raul comment from beside him.

“And it moves fast for its size.” Anakitty shivered in fear for a moment. He knew it was her first time seeing the Balor and it looked to him that his fellow supporter felt intimidated by its appearance and abilities. He couldn’t blame her, he felt the same.

“It’s tough and has strong regeneration.” Riveria added. “This battle will take the longest. Please be on your guard.”

He knew it was a polite way of saying to cut the chit chat and he focused back on the battle. It took three more rounds of freezing, and they were nearly an hour into the battle when Balor revealed another ability he knew Finn was not prepared for.

The monster just timed it right after it broke free from its ice prison. Motes of energy started to form its open mouth while its massive tail suddenly plunged into the ground, causing thousands of bony spikes to erupt all around it from the ground taking the melee combatants by surprise. It disrupted the flow of the attack and scattered the adventurers into different directions. It even reached them, and one struck Riveria through her thigh, causing the elf to scream in pain. Lefiya suffered a similar injury as she a spike pierced her side. He was lucky, as the bony spike pierced only his arm.

He quickly noticed what the Balor was aiming for and it was right at their position at the end of the chamber, more specifically Riveria. He realized that the monster rex was learning and judged Riveria to be its most dangerous opponent.

He knew it was useless to dodge at this point and he heard the frantic shouts from Finn while he observed the elf beside him start a chant for a shield spell in a race to defend against the imminent attack.

Not willing to leave Riveria and Lefiya to their fate, he poured all of his mind and power into his shield and jumped in front of her just as the Balor fired a stream of purple energy. Then he felt his shield arm buckle and strain but he felt Riveria’s arms supporting his back as purple flames engulfed them.

“Hold on Kanata!” He heard his vice-captain scream behind him.

Finn

His thumb had had been throbbing after their last rest break. He made the mistake of ignoring the sensation, excited to finally defeat the Balor without any incident since their battle with the monster rex was going well as he planned. They had all suffered injuries, but not to the point that they were taken out of the fight and the healing potions took care of any wounds.

The first encounter with Balor had caused his familia their elders, older members of the Loki familia that sacrificed their lives to give them a chance to survive. They had killed it, but without any healing elixirs or potions left and Riveria knocked out, they quickly succumbed to their injuries. He remembered the long treck back to the surface carrying their bodies. It was a dark day in their familia.

The second battle against Balor was for revenge, and he suffered many injuries along with Gareth to give time for Riveria to finish the floor boss. He had pierced its massive eye while Gareth chopped off its tail, both of them ignoring their injuries as they fought for the memory of their fallen elders.

It took several days of her healing and potions to restore them both along with their party, but by that time they had run out of supplies and were forced to turn back early.  

The third time was supposed to be easier. They were stronger now, and with the level fours giving respectable damage to the monster. He believed their elite party with the addition of Tsubaki would quickly overwhelm the Balor within an hour, and initially it looked like they were ahead of schedule. He even brought more healing supplies than necessary, and  two level 2  adventurers with remarkable healing magic to make sure any injured member could quickly return to the battle, rather than relying on Riveria alone. She needed to focus on dealing damage.

He could only look on in horror as he found his vice-captain and her apprentice in the center of the Balor’s attack, pinned down to the ground by thin bony spikes that erupted from the ground.

Gareth was in the opposite side of the monster, and he could be the only one who could reasonably tank the monster’s attack and survive. The supporters around Riveria started to move to dodge the icoming attack, but Kanata for some reason was not moving.

Mere seconds passed, and his vision was soon obstructed by the explosion of purple flames that erupted from Riveria’s position as the stream of energy from the monster rex continued. He could hear the angry shouts and screams from the rest of his familia as they all stared in shock and horror.

Rage started to consume him and he started to move back into position to get revenge when he heard Gareth’s booming laughter amidst the chaos and explosions. He thought his friend had lost his mind at seeing the death of their friend, until he looked back and saw Kanata, Lefiya and Riveria encompassed in a golden translucent barrier, still alive and not burned after the surprise attack. Kanata was half crouched as he held his shield with two hands in a defensive position to cover the two mages and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. 

Kanata once again stepped up when needed, like he did when his team faced Amphisbaema. He had been watching the team’s performance closely, and was impressed the most by Kanata’s intelligence and quick thinking. He must have helped Riveria in some fashion, buying enough time for their vice-captain to cast a barrier.

He felt a large amount of magic gather and it looked like Riveria was pissed, as a magical circle, far different from the one before appeared around Balor. He knew this spell and he shouted for the other to create distance as soon as possible. The annihilation magic from Riveria was unrelenting, and it looked like she poured a considerable portion of her reserves and a full chant to power it.

The lightning strikes were fast and relentless and targeted the open wounds of the monster that they had already inflicted on it. Chunks of bone and flesh and muscle blew apart from the hits, creating even more wounds for the magical spell to target.

The spell lasted for over a minute amidst the Balor’s agonized roars until it finally collapsed, burnt and smoking on the ground. The forest of bone spikes quickly crumbled to dust and there was a moment of silence before everyone gave out a mighty cheer.

Balor’s corpse started to vanish and he wiped his forehead that was covered in sweat. He joined the party as they all ran towards Riveria’s position, the girls jockeying for position to get a better look at their vice-captain while Ais was hugging Riveria’s fiercely from behind. He understood the girl’s actions, since he thought he had lost her too.

He found Riveria and a worried Lefiya beside her cradling an unconscious Kanata on her lap, her leg miraculously healed aside from the hole on her robes. Lefiya looked to be healed as well, the blood stains in her dress the only indication she was injured. Kanata’s helmet was removed, showing his pale, relaxed face covered in sweat and soot.

“I told him we would be fine.” She spoke in an annoyed tone that he knew meant that she was more concerned than angry. “This stubborn idiot used the last of his reserves to heal my leg and Lefiya’s injury and forgot to heal his own wounds.”

He appreciated Kanata’s gesture and made a note to give the young adventurer a proper reward for his healing. He knew the injury looked serious when he first saw the bony spike hit Riveria, it had pierced through her whole thigh after all. Recovery from a mind zero state was faster than a deep injury that must have pierced muscle, nerves and even bone. Kanata once again had made a smart decision.

“It was a good thing you were able to finish your shield spell.” He smiled at one of his oldest friends. “I didn’t know that you could chant and cast that fast.”

“I could have, If I wasn’t distracted from the surprise attack.” Riveria admitted. “Kanata’s the one who cast that spell. He saved our lives.”

He knew his eyes had widened in shock when he heard her reply, since almost everyone was wearing the same expression. He shook his head in disbelief as they began to carry Riveria’s savior to the new safety point. Kanata’s light enchantment magic was getting ridiculous. It had revealed another rare ability.

Their Ghost was really coming along, he knew many of their higher level members had started to look favorably on the teen and had high expectations for him. His latest action impressed many of them, with more than one volunteer offering to carry him back to their camp for treatment. In the end Gareth was the one who carried an unconscious Kanata to the next rest point.

Their much smaller camp was quickly set up in the fiftieth floor. The level fours started to hunt whatever available creatures that lived on the floor that were suited eating to bolster their supplies with Tsubaki to keep an eye on them.

Kanata was still sleeping, but he remained unconscious even after Anakitty made him swallow a mind potion. It was Riveria that told her not to give him anymore as the young man just needed to rest.

“He pushed past his limits.” He listened as Riveria gave her assessment on his condition. In the end he was the only one unconscious in the entire party. “I think he even looked surprised at the effects of his enchantment spell, whatever that was.”

 “His new defense enchantment appears to be stronger than Ais’ Ariel.” Riveria continued. “You could say they’re almost exact opposites, Ais with her powerful offense and movements speed while Kanata’s magic helps him with his reinforcement, healing and now defense.”

“I’m thinking of bringing him with us for the adventurer’s request.” Finn shared. He had seen enough and judged Kanata to be worthy of leading their second tier unit in the future. He just needed more experience, and he decided to train the teen personally during the rest of the expedition to help him grow.

“With Cadmus?” Gareth stroked his beard, a habit he knew the dwarf had when he was deep in thought. “He should be fine, as long as he stays far away from the black rhinos that we will have to deal with.”

“I’ll have Lefiya stay with me back in camp for defense in case we are overrun.” Riveria added. 

“Her spells should be enough to deal with a large herd.” He agreed. “Tsubaki also wanted to participate, and she said didn’t mind not getting any share of the drop. She just wanted more commitment from us to help with their mining expeditions in the future.”

“Our second string could easily handle that.” Gareth replied. “Her aid with Cadmus would be invaluable and might even allow us to stay longer in the area for exploration if we use fewer resources in the fight.”

“So that leaves us two, Tsubaki, Tiona, Ais and Kanata.” He counted of the mentioned adventurers with his fingers. “That’s more than enough fire power and support for the quest. Tione and Bete will guard the tunnels and act as an early warning for the camp.”

“Then let’s get ready.” Gareth replied. “We will split into two groups?”

“I’ll take Kanata and Tsubaki.” He replied. “You’re with Ais and Tiona. We will each take a different path to the Cadmus springs, whoever gets there first will lead the dragon away, while the other group secures as much water as we can from the spring.”

“Just watch out for Ais.” Riveria reminded them of the girl’s tendencies to rush forward without thought of her safety.

“I’ll keep an eye out for her.” Gareth promised with a nod.

He found it amusing that a day later when Kanata had woken up, he had somehow triggered Riveria’s maternal instincts towards him, like she did with Ais. She constantly fussed about his health and his diet as well and often sat beside him during meals to inquire about his state.

Bete had of course teased Kanata about Riveria’s mothering attitude, but the young man took it all in stride and he showed amazing composure from the increased attention he received. He remained respectful and courteous, and seemingly knew the right words to say as if he had experience dealing with elderly, emotional and overbearing women.

Not that Riveria was old, no he couldn’t think that.

Their trek for the Cadmus spring water quest went underway while the rest of their familia fulfilled their own duties alongside the miners from Hephaestus. The fiftieth floor held a vast treasure full of rare ores and materials, and they wanted to exploit it as much as possible.

Riveria had remained behind to oversee the camp. Bete and Tione naturally protested at being left behind, but they needed the two to remain to lead their defense in case the floor was invaded.

He kept Kanata by his side, as he pointed out the various paths that led to the famous’ dragon’s lair.

“So he’s not a floor boss, Captain?” Kanata asked. He was explaining the details of the quest to Kanata as they headed to their objective. The teen rarely asked questions and he only listened to what he had to say as he pointed out his observations and the resulting decisions he made.

“No,  but it’s even stronger that Udaeus.” He explained. “Like all dragon species, it’s cunning and fast for its size. Observe the battle and I want to hear your thoughts on the operation when we get back.”

“We will split up here.” Gareth called out from the head of the group.

“This will be a running battle, mostly with the black rhinos. Try to keep up.” He ordered. “Kanata, please add your enchantment to our weapons and yours. Their durability is one of the highest your will ever face here in the deep zone besides the floor bosses. So if you have to attack a monster, use your most powerful move or just evade them all together. This is as dangerous as it gets for you, so remain sharp and always be aware of your surroundings.”

“Yes captain.” Kanata gave a nod of determination, and he smiled in approval at the courage the level 2 adventurer had. His spears and Tsubaki’s sword glowed with enchantment magic briefly as Kanata applied his spell on their team and soon they took a path different from the other group.

They sprinted through the narrow corridors, as black rhinos started to appear ahead of them. His spear pierced through the thick armors easily, with Tsubaki beside him with her weapon killing several of the monsters with each swing of her sword. Kanata was running right behind them, ducking and dodging the monsters attacks but not engaging at all.

It took them roughly ten minutes as he led them through the path, taking several turns until they reached the large lair where he knew the spring was located. Ahead of them the Cadmus dragon was slowly standing up as it spotted them.

It was a massive dragon, twice the size of green variant found in the tree labyrinth, with thick gray scales and razor sharp claws the size of swords.

“Tsubaki! Follow my lead!” He headed to the dragon and easily dodged the massive fireball it launched from its mouth and tried to lure it to the far side of the lair. The large tail swung towards Tsubaki but the smith was able to parry the blow with her blade.

They were chased by the dragon around the lair and he was glad of Kanata’s camouflage enchantment as it meant he didn’t have to worry about him. He knew the teen was following him, as he heard his footsteps through the rocky terrain. He judged the distance was far enough that the battle wouldn’t destroy the water from the spring and turned to face their target.

He side stepped a swipe from its tail and pinned the appendage to the ground with one of his spears. The dragon turned around to throw a fireball at him when Tsubaki attacked from the other side, cutting off one the horns on its head with a slash of her blade.

He was about to attack its body with his remaining spear when Gareth suddenly appeared and delivered a powerful swing of his axe and buried his blade on the dragon’s chest. Tiona and Ais appeared beside him as they launched their attacks on the dragon, catching it off guard.

“You got the water?” He asked.

“No!” Gareth yelled back. “The path was caved in so we had to turn around!”

“Kanata!” He called out, confident that the Ghost was nearby and listening to them. “Get to the spring and collect as many vials of water as you can!”

He saw a flicker of movement amidst the fireballs launched by the angry dragon. The pseudo monster rex was fast, but under the combined attacks of his familia and Tsubaki, it began to suffer more injuries as the battle dragged on. They did not allow the dragon any time to recover and it gave a deafening roar in frustration.

His spear finally pierced its neck, causing it too screech in pain tried to remove the embedded spear as it violently shook its head from side to side. Ais suddenly appeared ahead of him, wind swirling around her as she made countless slashes of her blade at the dragon. Tiona hacked at the dragon’s back with her massive weapon Urga while Tsubaki concentrated on its tail.

The dragon was moving slower, but it was still standing despite the injuries it suffered. The spear he embedded in its neck made it difficult for the dragon to aim its fireballs, and it a last desperate move it started to set on fire its surroundings.

He moved forward with his remaining spear and dodged the dragon’s swipes and the stream of fire from its mouth and finally delivered a powerful thrust of his spear deep in its chest. Gareth followed after and kicked the end of the spear deeper inside its body. The dragon let out a pained howl and it slowly took a few steps back before it finally fell to the ground.

The rest of his team took advantage of the opportunity and poured on their attacks, until the Cadmus dragon finally died under the assault.

“That was one tough bastard.” Tsubaki said as she pulled her sword from the monster’s body. “When you said it’s practically like a floor boss, I had doubts, but now I believe it’s tougher than Udaeus.”

“It’s known as one of the most powerful regular monsters for a reason.” He replied. His smile widened when he the rare drop item that appeared from killing the Cadmus dragon. “Now that will increase our profits significantly.”

Cadmus skin was highly sought after, as it contained incredible defensive properties, suitable for crafting top tier armor.

“Make sure you sell it to my familia first.” Tsubaki replied as she admired the skin.

“I’ll even give you a discount.” He replied. Tsubaki at least deserved it after her contribution to slay the beast.

“It’s as tough as I remembered.” Gareth pulled his axe that was buried deep in its chest with a grunt.

 Kanata suddenly materialized in front of them with a leather satchel in his arm.

“How many did you get?” He asked.

“Three and a half flasks before the spring ran out.” The level 2 reported.

“And the Dian Ceht familia was only asking for two flasks.” Gareth laughed. “Well done Kanata!”

“It’s not over yet. We have to pass through the gauntlet of black rhinos first.” He reminded the team.

They all took up their positions in the formation again. The Cadmus dragon skin was rolled up and stuffed in Kanata’s backpack with the flasks of spring water. He took up a position in the front with Ais, with Tiona behind him. Kanata would be protected in the center with Tsubaki and Gareth acting as the rear guard.

“Let’s move. I’d like to get to camp before dinner.” He ordered.

They returned back to the fiftieth floor and they were spotted almost immediately by Tione and Bete who were standing guard in the entrance.

“Was there any trouble?”

“A few black rhinos wandered in.” Bete reported. “Not enough to alarm the camp. I took them down easily.”

“I remember you have to ask for my help.” Tione added. “Didn’t a few get past you?”

“Shut up! I could have caught them easily!” Bete growled. “I was preserving my strength!”

He ignored the arguments and led the group back into the camp. There was a loud cheer when the sentries spotted their arrival. Kanata quickly stored the high value loot in his tent, while the rest of the group hurried to the table that had food ready for them to eat.

“How did he do?” He heard Riveria ask once he was seated in front of the fire. He watched the newly formed vanguard as they shared stories of their adventure with the rest of the familia. Kanata was missing though, until he spotted him sitting beside Tsubaki.

“He did well. He was the one to collect the spring water and collected almost four flasks.”

“Four!” Riveria looked amazed. “That means we can sell the excess to other businesses.”

“The dragon also dropped its skin when we killed it.” He reported. “This will be our most profitable expedition to date.”

Overall the mood of the familia was positive, as they were all in relatively unexplored territory and setting a new record since the old ruling familias left. Tsubaki was even able to mine a few high quality ores from the veins she discovered, and used Kanata as her personal supporter to carry all her samples and loot.

Their progress stopped at the fifty-second floor, when he sensed the attacks coming from below, as ridiculous as it may sound. Great streams of fire erupted from the floor and they all retreated back to the safety of the passageway.

“We must be at the edge of the Dragon’s Vase.” He said aloud to his party. From the texts he studied from the guild, it was said that the powerful Valgang dragons of the fifty-eighth floor could sense an adventurer’s presence and could launch attacks so powerful that they could breach through several floors to reach them all the way to the fifty-second floor.

He took Bete with him, one of the fastest in their familia and they both ran through the floor to try and map out a path that directed them to the next floor, while the rest of the party waited by the entrance. He knew he would be focused in mapping out this new area before the floor bosses respawned again.

They managed to return, again dodging the fiery blasts coming from below and they rested back at their camp. They had a small celebration upon accomplishing and even exceeding all of their target objectives, and the profits they would earn from the expedition.

He spent the rest of the way up and realized what they needed to explore more of the dungeon. He needed to memorize the path through the Dragon’s vase. They needed Kanata to get stronger, fast. His enchantment spell was versatile for scouting, healing and defense and his focused mindset had proven that he was an important member of the familia.

The level four group of Ais, Bete, Tiona and Tione need to increase their levels, although he was pretty sure a few of them had accomplished that feat during the expedition. They would also need to invite Tsubaki back for the next deep expedition. Her experience and skill proved valuable and she was reliable in combat. Her willingness to keep their weapons in good order while in the dungeon was a bonus.

He would need to increase the supporters that would join them, but they needed to be strong enough to avoid danger on their own, but still retain the discipline and mental fortitude like Raul, Anakitty and Kanata possessed.

With a properly prepared elite team, he knew he would be able to surpass the Zeus familia, and stamp his own name. A pallum captain that led an elite team and established new records in the dungeon sounds nice and was perfect for the history books.

A week later the joint Familia expedition returned to the surface, greeted by the rest of the city. The adventurers from the other familia usually reported ahead when they encountered the advance scouts of the Loki familia and they must have told the rest of the city. He felt proud to lead such a group and smiled and waved at the adventurers and civilians that cheered their procession along their path back to the twilight manor.

He was eager for a hot nice bath, since he knew the next few days would be filled with meetings with the guild, status updates from Loki as well as individual assessments on their performance for each member of the familia that participated in the expedition.

Overall, the great expedition led by their familia with support from an allied familia was a resounding success.

[

Riveria

 “Thank you for coming, Lady Riveria. And it’s good to see you again, Ais.”

“Mmmmph.” She really needed to teach Ais some manners about not speaking while her mouth was full. She asked Ais to join her when she made her way back to the manor for Kanata’s magical training after spending time around the city to purchase her own supplies.

“I did say I would give you instructions on the use of magic.” She placed a hand on Air’s shoulder. “I brought Ais here since she has a similar type of magic like yours.”

“Ariel, a wind enchantment type with a variety of uses.” Kanata replied, looking pensive for a moment. “You believe my enchantment magic can also boost my movements and attack power?”

“That’s what we’re here to find out.” She replied. They moved to a shaded part of the yard where a table and four chairs were set up. She found that Kanata preferred her classes outside the classroom. She was starting to understand his preference as a cooling breeze circled around her.

“Would you mind telling me more of your magic?” She asked once they were all seated.

 “At first I thought it was an enchantment spell that increases the durability of my weapons and armor, but I discovered it could bend the light around me and hide me from sight. Months later I unknowingly healed Lefiya when I first met her.”

“And when we were in the dungeon, your magic produced a powerful shield that repelled the attack of Balor.” She remembered the golden dome that formed from his shield and protected them from the hellish purple flames. “Do you think that your enchantment magic responds to your feelings?”

“Oh. I never considered that.” Kanata looked ashamed for some reason, and she guessed he overlooked the property of his magic.

“It’s the light element. Validus is a light element enchantment spell.” She explained. “I know of only one other adventurer who has a somewhat similar magic to yours, but I heard she retired.”

 “Would you please give me a step by step demonstration? And a description of your mindset when you perform your magic?” She asked.

“Sure.” Kanata stood up and removed a wooden training sword from a nearby weapons rack. “I first pour my magic through sword by chanting the word Validus.”

The wooden sword acquired a golden aura before it vanished. “I can either set how long the enchantment will last, or how powerful it would be by instinct. But If I cast too much magic on a wooden sword, it shatters.”

“By instinct you say?” She glanced at Ais who was now paying attention to their conversation.

“Yes, but I found that equipment made of higher quality materials can absorb more of my magic, and the enchantment to strengthen them last stronger as well. It also varies in density.”

“I see. And what about your shield spell?” She asked. “Have you tried casting it again since Balor?”

“I did but I couldn’t explain why it feels weaker when I don’t have a physical shield with me.” Kanata confessed. “Look. Validus”

A small golden barrier appeared before them, and she immediately observed the glowing shield that emanated from his hand. Without warning, she hit the glowing barrier with her fist, shattering it upon impact.

“It’s as I expected.” She continued after her audience recovered from her quick actions. “Kanata, Ais’ Ariel acts through her emotion and desires. It’s instinctive for her to use it as well.”

The blone haired girl nodded her head and without prompting activated her own magic.

“It’s as Riveria said.” The blonde answered as translucent streams of green elemental magic surrounded her, causing her long blond hair to sway in the wind of her own control. “I control its power depending on the strength of my opponent and what I need to defeat them.”

“She could also use her Ariel magic to increase her magic several fold as well as coat her body and weapons with it.”  She said as Ais gave a quick demonstration, quickly moving through the yard in a blink of an eye. “She can use it as a shield as well, but it’s not as strong as yours. It merely blunts the incoming attacks.”

“Amazing.” Kanata looked stunned as he observed Ais’ mastery of her wind element magic.

Ais appeared before them, sweating a bit after her display of the full range of her capability. She raised an eyebrow when Kanata asked for permission to hold her hand.

“May I?”

A quick nod from her and Ais placed her hand on his. A glow soon surrounded the girl, causing the normally expressionless eyes to widen in disbelief.

“What did you do?” Ais asked.

“Do you feel better?” Kanata asked once his spell ended. “I used my light element magic on you, willing it to heal any injuries you might have to restore you to your full potential. I imagine moving like that can cause some strain on your body.”

“It does.” Ais looked adorable as she tested the effects of Kanata’s spell, even jumping for a bit on her toes and rotating her arms and neck. “I feel better than ever. Thanks.”

“Would you mind trying it on me?” She asked, intrigued by Ai’s reactions. A quick healing spell later, and she felt refreshed, like she didn’t stay up late last night reading magical texts.

“Amazing…” She could feel the clarity in her mind, like she had just meditated in her private grove back at her home in the forests. Kanata’s enchantment pulsed within her, strengthening her and she knew without a doubt that if she cast a magical spell, its effects would be stronger than normal.

She was suddenly lost in thought as she knew this was no ordinary healing magic, despite how powerful it was. It went far deeper than that. It was like she experienced a magical buff on her abilities. She wanted to test her spells, but she knew the yard wouldn’t survive its effects. She finally understood Kanata’s enchantment magic. He was capable of amplifying the magic and abilities of others.

He was the ultimate support.

“Lady Riveria?”

“You look weird.” She hard Ais’ voice and looked to the girl who was staring at her in confusion.

“I’m sorry?”

“You were like this.” Ais gave a creepy smile that was disturbing and unnatural on the girl’s face. She could hear Kanata trying to tamp down his own laughter and ignored him.

“I’m sorry, I just got distracted for a moment.” She admitted. “I just realized some properties of Kanata’s enchantment magic and how they could be of use. Why don’t we test that theory?”

She had the two teens stand up and they headed to the more secluded part of their training yard, well away from prying eyes and ears of their rivals.

“This will just be a test, so I want your observations.” She faced the two teens and crossed her arms. “Unless I tell you, this has to remain a top executive secret. Only Finn, Gareth and Loki can know, do you understand?”

“Yes vice-captain.”

“I understand.”

“Good.” She nodded in approval. “Kanata, cast your healing enchantment on Ais, but will your emotions to want her to be in her best condition. Ais, summon your wind enchantment and tell me how you feel after Kanata applies his spell on you.”

“Tempest.” Ais summoned her magic and the familiar wind energy started to surround her.

“Kanata.”

Kanata reached for Ais arm and the girl placed her small palm on top of his outstretched hand.

“Validus.”

A faint yellow light started to circle around the translucent green magical ribbons of Ais’ wind magic. The girl look stunned as the results as she stared at her arms and the magic that swirled around her.

“How do you feel?”  She asked.

“Powerful.” Ais replied, and the wind around them increased in intensity. “It’s easier to control as well.”

“Why don’t you try to move with your top speed.” She suggested. The girl nodded and soon vanished from their sight. She was amazed as she was barely able to track the girl’s movements.

Ais soon appeared in front of them, wearing a strange smile. “I’m faster now.”

“What does this mean, vice-captain?” Kanata asked.

“Your healing enchantment has a hidden property we didn’t notice before.” She explained. “As long as you want the target of your spell to get stronger, your light enchantment temporarily increases their own magic to the full potential of their current level.”

“So there’s no increased offensive ability or movement speed for me?” She could see Kanata was joking and played along.

“I guess you have to train that like the rest of us. Poor Kanata.” She replied.

“Don’t worry, vice-captain, I’m willing to put in the effort.” Kanata replied. “I like going fast.”

“Kanata.” Ais suddenly stepped forward, breaking the light hearted moment.

“Yes Ais?”

“You’re my new roommate. Move in with me.” Ais turned around and faced her, and she could see determination written on the girl’s face. “He’s my new training partner.”

“Ais, no.” She sighed. “Boy and girls should not sleep in the same room. It’s inappropriate.”

“Why? Kanata and Cyclops sleep in the same tent.” The girl answered. “Bete told me.”

She stared at Kanata and narrowed her gaze. The teen conveniently started to observe the grass around their yard. She didn’t realize they were that interesting. “Oh really? What else did Bete say?”

“He said they were loud and naughty. Tiona and Tione didn’t want to share more and left.” The girl continued.

 “Well Kanata, do you?” She turned back to the other teen and found him missing. She looked around and there was no sign of him in the empty training yard.

“You can’t hide forever Kanata!” She called out. She found the situation amusing but couldn’t show her emotions to them. She didn’t want to ruin her image after all.

“Did I do something wrong?” She heard Ais ask.

“You didn’t Ais.” She led the girl to a nearby bench. She knew the reason why Ais wanted Kanata to move in to her room. “Listen, I know you feel like Kanata’s magic is a way to make you stronger faster.”

“But it does.” Ais replied. “I could still feel it.”

“It’s a temporary boost in your ability and magic.” She replied. “It’s not permanent. Sure it might be useful, but you’re borrowing someone else’s power, not your own.”

“But mama…”

She let the name slide for the moment and hugged the girl to her side. “True power comes from within. Always remember that Ais. Besides, I’m sure Kanata will agree to accompany you in the dungeon from time to time.”

“Now it’s time to freshen up. If I remember correctly you have a meeting with Loki.”

“Do you think I reached level 5?” She knew the girl was worried about her progress after Bete reached level 5. The werewolf was unbearably smug for the last couple of days.

“Who knows?” She smiled and guided the blonde back to the manor.

[

Tsubaki Collbrande

“You know I don’t mind you staying over, but aren’t you over reacting?” She asked her friend who was sitting on the table located at the far end of her private workshop. He was focused on adding the last details of the maps he drew that he gathered from the recent expedition.

“You don’t know here.” Kanata replied. “She has this… reputation in the familia. No one wants to annoy her, even goddess and Loki.”

“So we sleep together from time to time.” She replied. “What’s the big deal about that?”

“I agree. But it is to some people.”

“Prudes.” She snorted in amusement and headed over to her friend and client and leaned over his shoulder to take a look at his work. “Have you finished the maps I wanted?”

“Just about.” Kanata replied as he finished a few marks on the elaborate map he made. She notice him lean back and used her breasts as support for his head and fondly stroked his hair.

“What are the colors for?” She asked.

“They’re color coded according to the type of ores you need.” Kanata replied and she noticed him relax and momentarily close his eyes. “Red is for unconfirmed locations, I explained the system on the side of the map.”

“You even included the locations of known monster locations and their threat assessment. Impressive.” She admired the detailed work, happy that Kanata continued to give her the best effort possible in creating the floor maps for mining locations. That was why she admired her client as they shared similar philosophies when it came to hard work and training.

“These maps and the knowledge they contain are extremely valuable. I have to designate them as a top secret of the familia and hand them over to my goddess.”

“It’s yours. I’ll always uphold our deal.”

“I know. C’mon, I just purchased a new mattress. It’s said to be good for the back, why don’t we test it out?” She grinned. “I need to show you my appreciation anyway.”

She was on top of Kanata, and he was deep inside of her on their second round when she noticed movement in her workshop. She looked to the table and saw her goddess sitting on the chair as she carefully reviewed the map Kanata made.

Being watched by her goddess only increased her arousal as she slammed her hips harder to take more of Kanata inside her.

“You need to finish soon Tsubaki, we’re called to the guild for a meeting.” Hephaestus stated.

Kanata immediately stopped and looked wide eyes at her goddess.

“Relax, she said to finish soon.” She said to her bed partner.

As expected Hephaestus didn’t appear to be bothered by their state as she continued to analyze the maps.

“I didn’t realize we have detailed maps up to the fiftieth floor.” She saw her goddess Hephaestus staring at Kanata and she was amused at how confused and nervous he was. She understood his predicament though, being caught by her goddess with his cock buried deep inside her was awkward to say the least. “Is this your work?”

“Yes… goddess Hephaestus.”

“Kanata, right? I heard a lot about you from my captain.”

It had to be one of the most strange and bizarre introductions between a mortal and a goddess in her opinion. It was the most entertaining as well, since she knew her goddess didn’t care for her activities outside of the familia.

“Thank you, nice to meet you as well. I’m sorry about this…” She felt Kanata’s cock twitch inside her and she slowly rotated her hips in response.

“What are you sorry about? I barged in without any warning, I apologize. Besides, I respect the effort and dedication you made with these maps you created.” Hephaestus replied. She could see her goddess was fighting the urge to laugh. “I would have been happy to accept you as pary of my familia. It’ a pity Loki found you first.”

“Thank you goddess.” Kanata replied.

“Well then, finish up quickly. You’ll have plenty of time for that later.” Hephaestus replied as she stood up. “I’ll take these maps with me to the office Tsubaki. I’ll wait for you there and then head to the guild.”

“Yes goddess.” She replied as she bounced a couple of times to maintain Kanata’s erection.

“You too Kanata. I think the guild summoned your familia as well, so you might as well join us.” Hephaestus left the workshop and locked the door behind her.

“That was awkward.” She grinned as she stared at Kanata.

“That was humiliating.”

“Humiliating? I’m the one on top with my tits out for everyone to see! Be glad I hid your cock inside me.”She replied. “C’mon, goddess said we have to finish quickly. Are you about to finish?”

“I’m strangely aroused.” Kanata admitted. That was one thing he liked about Kanata, he was honest and direct with her.

“Then let’s finish together. I got wet like a faucet from being watched.” She leaned in and captured his lips with hers.

The walk to the guild was not as tense as Kanata’s initial meeting with her goddess. Hephaestus admitted that she played a prank on them and apologized after. She then proceeded to ask questions about her client as she quietly listened in since she knew most of his answers anyway.

“You’re almost as busy as my captain.” Hephaestus remarked once she heard about Kanata’s morning routine. “I can see why she took a liking to you. And you do this every day even in your rest days?”

“Yes goddess. I think it’s essential to observe my current limits, and exercise is a good way to measure my abilities.” He replied. “The data I gathered helps me to guide what I should work on between falna updates with my goddess.”

“So you must be using this method to maximize all your basic abilities.” She heard her goddess’ tone of approval in her reply.

“That’s correct.”

“So do you have plans to continue this method?”

“I plan to reach for the very top.” Kanata replied, and she knew he wasn’t bragging. She knew he wouldn’t stay idle as a level 2 for long. She started to wonder though why she remained a level 5 for so long.

They reached the guild office and inside a meeting room she saw the executive of the Loki familia along with their goddess.

“Hephaestus! I’ve been waiting for you!” Loki sauntered over as she waved in greeting. “I can see you brought the Cyclops and… Kanata? What are you doing here?”

“I found him busy with Tsubaki at her private workshop, so I brought him over.” Hephaestus replied. “I was reviewing the maps he made, he’s very skilled.”

“Kanata.” Riveria gave the teen a once over and beckoned him closer.  She gave him an encouraging squeeze on his shoulder and nudged him forward while they waited for the meeting to start.

Royman Mardeel quickly entered the room and gave a polite bow of greetings to the two goddesses. He then turned and to face the rest of the room and beckoned them to take their seats.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice.” Mardeel explained. “I’m afraid the directive came from Lord Ouranos himself.”

“That’s fine, what does the old man want?” Loki asked.

“Before we begin, we seem to have a member here. Is he cleared to hear sensitive information?” The old elf stared at Kanata who clearly stood out from the rest of the leaders.

She observed as the Loki executives shared looks and gave a nod to their goddess who was watching them.

“It’s fine.” Loki waved her hand as if she was physically dismissing Mardeel’s concern away. “Kanata’s loyal and he knows how to keep quiet. Don’t you, Kanata?”

“I do goddess. Thank you for the show of trust.” Kanata replied as he stood up. “However, I don’t want to impose, this is clearly for the leadership and our goddesses. I’d like to step out and wait for you in the lobby.”

“If that’s what you want. I’ll see you in a bit Kanata.” Loki replied.

“What a strange young man.” Mardeel said once Kanata stepped out of the meeting room and closed the thick wooden door behind him.

“That’s the Ghost for you.” Loki answered. “He always does things that will surprise you.”

“Oh! So that was the Ghost.” Mardeel exclaimed.

“You’ve heard of him?” Hephaestus asked.

“Oh yes, we took interest in your child when he reached level 2 within a year. We always pay greater attention to those adventurers that show great potential.” Mardeel replied. “We even suspect that he was involved in a certain incident some time ago with the school district.”

She realized what Mardeel was implying and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. She already knew Kanata saved those students from the irregular infant dragon. As a show of respect towards Kanata, she never asked, even when she saw his healing abilities in action during the recent expedition. There was an unspoken understanding between her and the Loki familia executives, and she wasn’t keen on losing that.

“Spill it Royman, what do you want?” Loki asked.

“We do suspect that the Ghost was the one that saved those students on the tenth floor. What we are curious about is why he did not take credit for his noble actions.”

Her goddess turned to her with clear question in her eyes and she simply smiled in turn. “It wasn’t my secret to tell, goddess.”

“Kanata’s not a fan of being the center of attention.” Finn answered. “How is this related to whatever it is you called us here for?”

“Nothing at all! I was just expressing my curiosity.” Mardeel replied with a laugh. She didn’t believe him for a second. “The reason we asked you to come is because we have recently reviewed your reports and realized you entered the deep zone.”

 “So what of it?” Loki asked.

“There’s a policy in place in the guild regarding the deep zone, which consists of the fiftieth floor and beyond. We ask that you and your respective familias suppress any information regarding what you discovered there. In short, we’d like for the both of your familias to keep it to yourselves.”

“I was able to borrow the classified texts from the guild before the expedition.” Finn leaned forward in interest. “What changed?”

“It’s because your familia is one of the strongest in Orario that we gave you that consideration.” Mardeel answered. “However for the rest of the familias in the city, we want to limit any information on the deep zone so that they wouldn’t lose hope. There are things deep in the dungeon that could break even the most courageous of adventurers. You surely understand this, having experienced it firsthand.”

She felt a gaze upon her and saw Finn looking at her. She gave him a nod and turned back her attention to Mardeel.

“Very well. If that’s Lord Ouranous wants, then we will limit the information on the deep zone.” Finn answered. “Captain Tsubaki also agrees with me.”

“Excellent! You may continue delving deep into the dungeon as you wish, and we welcome any new discoveries you made. I thank you for your cooperation.”

“There’s more, isn’t it?” Loki asked.

“Very astute goddess Loki.” Mardeel replied. “However this next topic is for the Loki familia, but it is not considered a sensitive matter so the goddess Hephaestus can stay if she wishes.”

“I’m here anyway. I might as well listen in.” Her goddess replied.

“Very well.” Mardeel unrolled a large map and placed in the center of the table. “I’m afraid the Rakia army is invading again.”

“So it’s our turn now?” Loki asked.

“Yes. The guild officially requests your assistance to lead a force to counter the invading army. We would prefer if you cut them off in this pass, before they can ransack the villages and towns in the area.”

 She stared at the map and focused on one village where she knew their supply of wood and coal came from. Their caravan was late by nearly a week, and she had a hard time looking for other sources ever since.

“I’m afraid you’re too late for that.” She stated and pressed her index finger to the village in question. “The caravan carrying wood and coal is late for nearly a week. They even have a small guard force to fight against surface monsters but they never arrived later than a day.”

“You suspect they were ambushed?” Finn asked.

“That’s my theory.” She replied.

“Then we must move even faster!” Mardeel exclaimed. “Goddess Loki, how soon can you send your forces north?”

“We can send the vanguard today.” Finn suggested. “I think it’s a great opportunity for them.”

“Shouldn’t you accompany them?” She asked her fellow captain. “At the very least a first class adventurer should be nearby in case things go south.”

“Who says they’re not first class adventurers?” Loki asked.

“They reached level 5?” She asked. She only gained a respectable amount of excelia during the expedition. She didn’t let it bother her at first, but seeing Kanata’s growth every time she spent any time with him made her feel that familiar ache. She didn’t want to be left behind.

“Oh yeah. Those troublesome four leveled up to five within days of one another.” Loki replied. “Ais and Bete reached level 5 during the expedition. Tiona and Tione killed the Goliath on their way up and broke through their limits.”

She wondered what she could do to reach level 6. She had never aspired to reach that level before, since she was content with what she achieved. But after meeting Kanata and spending time with him and his familia, she felt that she was missing something.

“I’ll send them out within the day.” Finn stated to Mardeel. “The rest of the familia will mobilize and move out two days after.”

“Thank you Captain Finn.”Mardeel replied. “The guild will assist in the procurement of your supplies.”

“Who else will assist in the defense of the city?” Loki asked.

“Your familia will directly engage the invading army.” Mardeel replied. “Lord Ganesha’s familia will guard the walls. I have yet to send out a call for any large or medium sized familia to assist you.”

“Don’t bother.” Hephaestus stepped in to her surprise. “I know we’re a crafting familia, but this is our home as well. I know my captain wants to join your mission.”

“It’s also a great opportunity to assess their weaponry and equipment.” She added.

“We’ll be proud to have you stand beside us.” Finn declared.

 “I guess are children are getting along.” Loki grinned as she stared at her goddess.

“You have no idea.” Hephaestus muttered back, and she tried to control her reaction as the rest of the room looked at her goddess with confusion.

“Goddess!” She whispered.

“What?” Hephaestus looked back at her with a raised eyebrow. “The two exclusive clients you have are Loki’s kids right?”

“That’s correct goddess Hephaestus.” Gareth answered. “I often find Kanata in the Cyclop’s workshop whenever I have my weapons and armor serviced.”

“See?” Hephaestus gave her a teasing grin. “Let’s go head and let Loki and her kids plan the logistics. I know it’s going to be a headache with such short notice.”

“I agree. I’ll have to stay up all night to plan the rest.” Finn replied and turned to Mardeel. “Do you have any intelligence reports on the army’s movements and composition?”

“I’ll send them to Twilight manor within the hour once we finished compiling them.” The old elf promised.

“Thank you.” Finn stood up and she saw the excitement in the pallum’s eyes. She knew that meant the captain of the Loki familia was once again planning to use the opportunity to increase their reputation in the city.

She followed her goddess in silence as they headed back to their district. She was deep in thought about her own progress as an adventurer when her goddess interrupted her from her musings.

“Is it serious?”

“Goddess?”

“Is it serious?” Hephaestus repeated the question as she stared back at her with her single eye. “With the boy. Have you fallen in love?”

“We’re just friends!” She replied and tried to laugh off how uncomfortable she felt under the gaze of her goddess. “We’re pretty casual about it.”

“You didn’t answer my question, but oh well.” Hephaestus replied and resumed her walk back to their home. “Just be careful. Love is painful.”

Finn Deimne

He stared at the map and placed smaller red statues that each represented a force of 1000 soldiers. There were ten statues at the northern pass, the only gap that separated the Beol mountain range and the Alf mountains and the only area an army can pass through safely.

He knew by now that based from Tsubaki’s suspicions that the army had crossed it but he needed to know more.

His vanguard needed to depart within the hour and stop the army’s leading elements from ransacking more of the villages north and east of Orario but he also wanted to find where their base of operation was located.

He knew they couldn’t move an army that large just by carrying what they needed. He needed another set of eyes, someone with that was observant, independent and reasonably skilled for this particular mission. He also needed someone that was not yet known to their enemy to better infiltrate their ranks. That was why he asked the guild for help for his plan, and thankfully they responded quickly.

“They’re here Finn.” Riveria reported.

“Let them in.”

The new level 5s of their familia went inside his office and with a wave of his hand they all took their seats on the couch and nearby chairs.

“I apologize I summoned you during your rest day, but there are some developments that needed your attention.” He began. “Rakia is once again in invading the city, and this time with a force of ten thousand soldiers. I’m sending the four of you to head them off, and you will need to depart within the hour.”

“Just the four of us?” Tione asked.

“Lefiya needs to be with the main force.” He explained. “I’ll have you move in pairs, your priority is to stop their leading elements and buy us enough time by creating chaos within their ranks to assemble here.”

He pointed to the grids on the map where he decided to face the entirety of the Rakia invasion army with his fully mobilized familia.

“Tsubaki will lead a squad of level 3s and 2s with her and wait here on the right flank. Riveria and Gareth will lead the center, while I will position my own squad here on the left flank.” He began to place colored pins on the map to indicate the positions he desired for his forces to take.

“The guild will also inform us if there will be other familia that will mobilize to support us in the field. Shakti will concentrate her forces on the walls and entrances on the north and eastern side. I’ve been informed that Ottar will send his forces on the south and west gates as a protective measure.”

“Tione, you will lead the vanguard. You’ve done well leading your party in the expedition, I expect you to do the same here.” He informed the amazon who immediately blushed at his praise. 

“I won’t let you down, captain!” Tione replied and raised her fist on her chest as a form of salute which he responded by giving a nod of acknowledgement.

“Try to help the villagers if they’re under attack.” He added. “Are there any questions?”

He was surprised when Ais raised her hand.

“Yes Ais?”

“Will Kanata join us?” The blonde girl asked.

 “He has a different mission than yours. He already left for his own mission.” He replied. He noted the disappointment on Ais’ face and he looked at Riveria for an explanation.

“I’ll tell you later.” Riveria replied.

“If that’s all, I suggest you gather your equipment and supplies. You need to head out within the hour. Make the familia proud!”

Kanata Rivington

He spent the rest of the day moving around the enemy camp. It was almost like a tent city, with how big it was. Soldiers in matching armor constantly patrolled the perimeter, while adventurers serving subordinate gods to the Ares familia continued to stream inside in batches.

He carefully slipped through the patrolling guards as he entered his tent that he pitched with the group of merchants and artisans that followed after the army.  

“Ghost, reporting to the captain.” He whispered to the oddly shaped crystal called an occulus that the guild supplied him for the mission.

He waited patiently for half a minute and then a familiar voice emitted from the occulus.

“Report, Ghost.”

“I have found the main camp. Located in Grid 3, position 4. Estimated troop numbers, two thousand regular soldiers. Unexpected presence of a large group of adventurers from several subordinate familias detected.”

He waited this time for nearly a minute before he heard the response.

“Understood. Take priority of analyzing the number of adventurers and their levels. Have you detected the presence of any gods?”

“Spotted Ares familia command tent in the center of camp.”

“Try to get in, and take note of the gods presents. This is a priority objective.”

 “Affirmative. Ghost out.” He pushed a button on the silver case that surrounded the crystal, rendering it mute and unable to transmit any sound and what he guessed was essentially turning it off.

He sighed and carefully placed the occulus back under his shirt. It had been fashioned like a necklace with a silver chain, which was convenient for him to make sure it was not misplaced. Finn had reminded him to take great care of the rare magical artifact.

He felt vulnerable without his armor, only wearing what the mysterious Hermes familia member gave him as part of his cover. He was now a bard from the Far east, looking to earn some valis in the war camp of the Rakia empire.

He looked out the prop he was supplied with, a stringed instrument similar in shape to a guitar of his old world. He knew he had some hours to wait until the entertainers were called in so he tuned the instrument as he absently plucked its strings. He really wasn’t a musician, but he did learn a few songs growing up.

He was eating a quick meal from a food stall when he was suddenly approached by a pair of soldiers in elaborate armor.

“Hey you!” He quickly turned around and put down his bowl of stew.

“Yes?”

“You’re a bard right? Where’s your instrument?” The soldier demanded.

“It’s in my tent. I’m just finishing my meal.”

“Well hurry up! We need entertainment for the visiting gods that arrived to support the soldiers! Even Lord Ares is present!”

“Really?” He felt his heart beat faster, he knew this would be a unique opportunity to gather more information, but he wasn’t a musician.

“Yes! So you should feel honored! Each musician has the honor of performing one song each so make sure to prepare well.” The soldier suggested and gave him a hard pat on the back a he left.

He quickly finished his meal and returned to the tent, wondering what he should do. They did say only one song was required. He strummed his instrument and nodded in satisfaction when it was in tune.

Finn Deimne

Loki and Hephaestus were in the tent with him and the executives in the command tent of the Loki familia. Their own camp was situated on top of the hill, while the entire strength of the Loki familia was spread out to face the invading army.

Bete had reported that they had spotted the enemy cavalry and they were not yet spotted, but that news was dampened his good mood was his report of half a dozen villages that were razed to the ground.

Kanata’s intelligence gathering had proved fruitful, as it allowed him to change the deployment of his forces under his command. He was troubled though by the Kanata’s report at the arrival of enemy familias subordinate to Ares. There were intelligence reports that a few of the captains were at level 3.

“Greetings!”

He looked up and nodded in greeting at the arrival of Hermes with Asfi Andromeda, captain of his familia.

“Hermes. Did you get bored in the other tent?” Loki asked.

“I did.” Hermes admitted without any shame. “Those other merchant gods were concerned about the loss of profits against the actual invading army at our doorstep.”

“We both know they’re just here as a token force. They don’t expect their children to participate in any actual combat.” Hephaestus added.

“That’s true. They did make a request though.” Hermes took the offered glass of wine from Riveria and gave a smile in turn. “They requested that we don’t inflict too much casualties.”

“They really said that?”  Loki asked in disbelief.

“They say it’s bad for business.” Hermes shook his head in disappointment. “That’s why I came here! So what’s new?”

“Our scout infiltrated the enemy camp.” Finn reported. “We’re waiting for his report if there are gods present in there.”

“Good idea.” Hermes nodded in approval. “That way we can really see who were up against. Has the agent reported in yet?”

They were answered when the occulus on the table emitted the sound of what he guessed were Rakian soldiers accosting their scout.

“You made him a bard as his cover identity?” Hermes asked his captain as he laughed. “What if he was suddenly asked to actually perform?”

“He looked too young to be anything else!” Andromeda replied and he noticed that her cheeks had reddened in embarrassment.

“That’s funny, to think Kanata would actually sing.” Loki giggled. “He’s too shy to do that!”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure he would just be ignored instead of actually performing in front of the enemy camp.” Hermes stated.

“Well hurry up! We need entertainment for the visiting gods that arrived to support the soldiers! Even Lord Ares is present!”

“What were you saying Hermes?” Loki asked.

“This is serious. Kanata will be forced to abandon his mission.” Hephaestus warned her fellow gods.

They all listened in as they heard Kanata started to pluck his musical instrument.

“He’s not serious, is he?” Riveria asked. “He’s actually going to play?”

“Maybe he knows at least one song.” Gareth suggested.

He frowned with worry. He hadn’t prepared Kanata for this type of infiltration. He wanted to call Kanata and tell him to run, but that would just reveal to the enemy that they were prepared for their invasion and were setting a trap for them.

The entire tent was silent as they focused on what they heard from the Occulus. From what they heard, Kanata was now inside the tent along with several musicians. The sounds of drunken men in revelry could be heard, as they boasted of their courage and what they would do once they reached Orario.

He listened as music played in the background as several musicians took their turn, but judging from the loud conversations they heard, the performance of the musicians were mostly ignored.

“That’s Ares.” Hermes reported when they heard another voice speak.

“We will surely defeat them! A surprise attack on their walls will weaken their spirits! Imagine the panic and chaos that will ensue!”

“Still an arrogant idiot.” Loki commented.

They followed closely the events they heard, and he was sure he was holding his breath when a servant announced that it was Kanata Katagiri’s turn, a bard from the far east.

He leaned closer to the table where the occulus was on top of, and noticed that everyone in the room was doing the same thing.

The sounds of an unfamiliar but catchy upbeat tune came from the occulus. It sounded to him that Kanata was using a stringed instrument to create the music and beat. A few more beats later he clearly heard Kanata’s loud and clear voice.

Hammer to Fall!

Here we stand, or here we fall!

History won’t care at all

Make the bed, light the light

Lady Mercy won’t be home tonight.

“Is that Kanata singing?” Loki exclaimed, looking delighted.

“It is! Now shut up!” Hephaestus replied.

You don’t waste no time at all

Don’t hear the bell but you answer the call

It comes to you as to us all

Yeah we’re just waiting for the hammer to fall

“This is incredible.” He heard Tsubaki whisper.

He noticed Gareth was tapping his fingers on the table, adding a beat to what they were all hearing.

Every Night, and every day

A little piece of you is falling away

But lift your face, the western way

Build your muscles as your body decays

Tow your line and play their game

Yeah let the numbness cover it all

Until one day they call your name

You know it’s time for the hammer to fall

“I never knew he was such a poet.” He heard Riveria murmur.

He looked around and noticed the gods were listening intently to the music, and now even his vanguard, having finished their mission had entered the tent and were quietly listening to the impromptu perfomance.

“Hey is that Kanata singing?” Tiona asked.

“Shhhh!” Tsubaki glared at the amazon to keep her quiet.

Rich or poor or famous

For your truth it’s all the same

Yeah baby (Oh no, oh no)

Lock your door but rain is pouring

Through your window pane (oh no)

Baby, baby now your struggle is all in vain

For he who grew up tall and proud

In the shadow of the mushroom cloud

Convinced our voices can’t be heard

We just want to scream it louder

And louder and louder

What the hell we fighting for?

Oh just surrender and it won’t hurt at all

Just got time to say your prayers

While you’re waiting

For the hammer to, hammer to fall.

The musical instrument continued to play the now familiar and upbeat tune for a few more moments. After it finished, there was a moment of silence before an eruption of noise came from the occulus.

The audience Kanata had played for clearly enjoyed his performance, as they continued to clap and cheer and even whistle.

“Katagiri, is it?” They heard Ares’ voice once again.

“Yes Lord Ares.”

 “That’s an interesting song.” Ares replied. “Can you tell me about it?”

“The essence of the song is mostly for us mortals. It’s a message.”

“And what is that message?” The god of war asked.

“Hammer to Fall is about life and death, and being aware of death as being part of life” They heard Kanata’s explanation and it caused everyone in their own tent to be more focused.

“Thank you for your performance.” Ares replied. “Have a copy of your song written down and hand it to my servant. You will be rewarded for your performance tonight.”

They listened to several compliments from the soldiers and adventurers, and the most persistent were the musicians who asked for a written copy of his music. There was silence for nearly half an hour and he noticed his familia was eagerly talking about Kanata’s musical ability.

“That idiot didn’t tell me he could sing like that.” Bete replied.

“I like the message of the song. He has a way with the lyrics.” Tsubaki added.

They finally heard back from Kanata, and they all listened to his report on what he saw inside the tent.

“I think I heard Phobos’ voice in there.” Hermes added.

“Good work Kanata. Are you on your way now to the extraction point?” He asked.

“Yes captain.”

“By the way, that was a good performance.” He added. He could hear the muffled sounds of amusement and laughter around the tent and he waved his hand to tell them to be more discreet.

“You… you heard that?”

He smiled when he heard the fear in Kanata’s voice.

“You’re holding out on us Kanata. I never thought you were selfish.” Loki scolded her child. “Who knew you were that talented at writing music?”

“I didn’t create that song.” Kanata replied, his tone unusually somber. “I learned it from the Queen.”

“Queen who?”

“Just the queen.” Kanata repeated. “It was the only song I committed to heart. It was my mother’s favorite… before she perished.”

“I understand Kanata.” Loki replied. “I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Thank you goddess.”

“That went well.” Hephaestus announced, breaking the awkward moment inside the tent.

“I never knew the kid has such a past.” Loki sighed. “He refuses to speak more about it, and I have to respect that.”

“So does that mean Kanata is secretly a prince?” Tiona asked.

“It makes sense.” Tione replied in support of her twin’s theory. “He committed a song to heart about life and death from a queen, and it must have been her favorite composition before she died.”

“So we now have two royals in the familia.” Gareth teased Riveria. “You’re not the only runaway heir to some far away kingdom?”

He noticed Hermes laugh at the joke while his captain started coughing.

“I’ll roast you alive.” Riveria threatened the dwarf.

He thought there were enough surprises for this campaign as he prepared his forces to ambush the invading army. The pieces nearly in place and the invading army was still unaware that they were walking into his trap. He was proven wrong when he was summoned to an emergency meeting with the captain of the Hermes familia.

“It’s about Ghost.”Andromeda looked stressed and he offered for her to sit, but his fellow captain refused.

“We don’t have time. The extraction point where I met him was a recently destroyed village.” Andromeda reported.

“What’s the problem then?” He asked.

“It’s the same village where he lived before he headed to Orario.” Andromeda answered. “Captain Finn, it doesn’t look good. There were bodies left in that ruin, men, women, even children. Ghost took one look around, gave the occulus back to me and strapped in his armor and weapons that he hid nearby and started to move in the opposite direction.”

“Did you try to stop him?”

“He just vanished and didn’t respond to my orders. I tried to follow him but it was difficult to track his movements.” The level 4 captain of the Hermes familia looked frustrated. “But I saw the anger in his eyes before he put on the helmet. I’m afraid he might do something he might regret later on.”

“Show me where he was headed.” He frowned when Andromeda pointed to the north-east direction.

“Then there’s no choice then. We launch the counter attack ahead of schedule.” He ordered as he sent runners to the various groups for his instructions. “Try and fly back to the extraction point and see where he’s headed.”

“I will be back if I discover something.” Andromeda placed the occulus back on the table, and he knew it was the same one Kanata used to report on troop movements and their composition when he infiltrated the enemy camp. “I’ll use this one to realy any new information.”

“Understood.”

Their ambush was a success. Gareth’s massive attack destroyed any cavalry force that came near him as he physically destroyed the landscape. His new level 5s were immovable anchors of defense spread throughout their lines, while Lefiya with a contingent of mages continued to cast spell after spell along the front lines. The soldiers started to fear whenever she appeared in the battlefield and they would immediately try to retreat back to their lines.

The armored soldiers had scattered, but he wondered about the adventurers Kanata detected when he infiltrated their camp. They were not in the field.

He was staring at the map, trying to figure out Kanata’s movements when the rest of his team leaders entered the command tent. The three gods also followed the group inside, intent on listening in on the meeting.

“Where’s Kanata?” Tsubaki asked as she looked around. “He should be here by now.”

“That’s the problem.” He replied. “Kanata’s gone rogue. His extraction point to meet up with Captain Andromeda did not go as planned. The village where they met was the place he lived in before he became an adventurer.”

“What happened?” Loki asked.

“The village was burned to the ground. There were no survivors… even the women and children.”

“Fuck.” Loki suddenly cursed. “Kid’s going on a rampage.”

“Do we know who committed this atrocity?” Hephaestus demanded.

“I sent Andromeda to scout for his location. This may give us more intelligence on why the enemy familias did not appear in the battlefield like we expected.” He reported.

He kept walking back and forth around the camp, patiently waiting for news as his forces continued to encircle the enemy.

“There were tracks from the village leading back to direction of an enemy famila camp when I flew around to try and stop Ghost. I saw the flag of the Phobos familia in the distance.” Andromeda’s voice reported an hour later from the Ocullus.

“What more can you tell us?” He asked.

“I see familias heading back north. It seems like they received word of the ambush on the main army and decided to turn back rather than support the soldiers.”

“And Kanata?” He asked. “Have you seen any sign of him?”

“I haven’t. Wait.” He waited patiently for a few minutes then heard the woman’s voice again. “Something’s happening in their familia camp. Someone’s attacking them! It’s the Ghost!”

“We’ll head out as soon as possible.” He ordered. “Try and keep your distance.”

He led his fastest members to Kanata’s last known location and left Riveria in charge of the familia as they faced the stubborn Rakian army.

He was moving at speeds he only used in the dungeon, and that meant there only two in their familia could keep up with his pace, Ais and Bete. They had already passed by Andromeda’s flying form that they used as a marker minutes ago. Her flying equipment allowed her to move fast, but not at the speeds a first class adventurer was truly capable of.

He started to spot familiar landmarks that he reviewed on the map and finally found the enemy familia camp. What he saw was pure carnage. Nearly thirty corpses of dead adventurers littered the ground. All of their faces were contorted in fear, an ironic sight considering who their god was and what his domain was supposed to be.

“Captain, look!” Bete pointed out and he followed to where the werewolf pointed at. There in trees besides the camp they could spot a dozen adventurers running away in fear. They appeared to be panicking as they ran in random directions, screaming in fear as if a monster was hot on their heels.

“Damn, the kid’s brutal.” Bete observed.

“Let’s go.” He ordered.

By the time they jumped out on the ridge, six more of the adventurers lay dead and they were now near enough to listen to what they were saying as they ran.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” An adventurer wailed. “I didn’t mean to! Hrkkk”

“Please let me live!” Another added before he suddenly fell as if his he was a puppet with his strings cut.

“Ghost! That’s enough!” He called out. He tried to follow any sound he heard, but the remaining survivors were making too much of a ruckus.

“Is that the Loki familia?” An adventurer asked. “Please help hskk!”

His throat was cut wide open and he dropped to the ground as he grabbed his throat in a futile attempt to remain alive.

“You enjoyed it didn’t you?” They heard Kanata’s muffled voice echoe around the still air.

“It made you feel powerful.” Another adventurer fell. He noticed a particularly tall male adventurer in high quality armor standing his ground looking around. He noticed Ais had drawn her sword but he grabbed her elbow.

“This is his fight.” Finn said softly.

 “Damn you! You coward!” The large adventurer taunted. “Hiding in the shadows like an assassin as you killed my men?

“You ordered it didn’t you? Slaughtering that village?” He heard Kanata’s voice ask in the still air.

“What of it?” What he assumed to be the captain of the Phobos familia sneered. “I had to show my men the power of our god!”

“You were there. I recognized your face.” Kanata suddenly materialized a dozen feet away from the enemy captain. His armor was drenched in blood and sustained damage. “When I sang that song for your god and Ares.”

“What the fuck are you talking about…” The captain trailed off when Kanata removed his battered and blood splattered helmet, showing a sweaty and bruised face. “You’re that bard!”

“It’s time for the hammer to fall.” Kanata started to move towards the man.

He knew the enemy familia captain was a level 3. He was faster and stronger than Kanata, but Ghost did not give any ground. He matched the more powerful adventurer swing for swing, hit for hit. He had not seen Kanata fight this seriously before.

His normally calm face had shifted to a cold and deadly look and he admitted that it was unsettling to finally see an angry Kanata Rivington. His fighting style had changed. He was less concerned about evading injuries and was more focused in dealing lethal attacks.

He winced when the enemy captain’s dagger pierced Kanata’s stomach, but the level 2 responded when he countered by holding on to the arm that had the dagger buried in his body and delivered a brutal head butt on the man’s nose.

The enemy adventurer let go off his dagger as clutched his nose while Kanata calmly pulled the dagger out of his stomach. A brief glow of magic and the wound was healed, and now the man was without any weapon while Kanata held a dagger and his sword.

“What are you?” The captain asked as he saw Kanata’s magic in action.

“Your death.” Kanata ran straight towards the man, but without a weapon, he was unable to defend himself from Kanata’s merciless attacks. His arms were cut at elbow, and he finally fell to his knees as he started to sob.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please let me live!” The captain begged as Kanata stood before him, the dagger and the sword positioned in his exposed neck.

“You didn’t show them any mercy. You shall have none.” A brutal move a moment later, Kanata decapitated the familia captain. His head fell to the ground, his face twisted in fear and horror.

Kanata just stood still for the moment, and he watched the teen’s impassive face. He quickly stepped forward and noticed Kanata had not moved as he held his weapons in his hands.

“You really should listen to your captain’s orders, Kanata.” He said as he moved beside the teen.

“I’m sorry captain.”

“What’s done is done. Pick up your gear and let’s see if we can find anything in the enemy camp before we leave.” He ordered.

He didn’t mind Kanata as he stood unmoving in the center of the clearing. He knew the teen was having an internal struggle and decided to give him some space. There were enough questions for later.

They found written instructions from their god as well as receipts of payment from Ares for their participation in the war. There were a dozen Crozzo blades in a chest, and he quickly had Bete bundle them up for transport. 

Ais was quiet as always, but she showed her own way of caring as she constantly fed Kanata stash of snacks. Kanata responded to the kind gesture with a smile to the blonde, and he gave a sigh of relief as Kanata started to come back to himself.

They set a relaxed pace back to the camp when Bete suddenly spoke out to show his support in his own way. “You’re not a monster, Ghost.” The werewolf said. “Anyone says otherwise, and I’ll beat them up.”

“Thank you Bete.” Kanata replied.

“Heh.” He chuckled at Bete’s show of compassion.

“Hey you laughing at me captain?” The werewolf demanded. That was unexpected.

“I’m just happy at such a show of unity.” He replied with a smile.

The return back to the tent coincided with Rakia’s retreat as Ares finally backed down after a day. Majority of his soldiers were injured and reports from Andromeda stated that their camp were overflowing with injured soldiers.

He still assigned a force to keep watch over the pass until the enemy empire packed up and a day later they were headed back to Orario.

There was some good news. Kanata and Lefiya had reached level 3 when Loki updated their status inside her private tent.

[

Kanata Rivington

Level 2  > 3

STR-- A 874 > I 0

END --S 981 > I 0

DEX –B 789 > I 0

AGI  -- S 981 > I 0

MAG -SS 1096 > I 0

Skills:

Eidetikos Memoria (Essence Memory) (passive)

Ability to remember and recall visual information with exceptional clarity and accuracy, as if the image were still present before one’s eyes. 

Voluntas Indomita (Indomitable Will) (passive)

Extraordinary capacity to persevere in the face of adversity. Resistance to charms and mind manipulation.

Spells:

Validus (Enchantment) (short chant)

Ability to wield light element enchantment.

Developmetal Abilities:

Spirit Healing H

Strong Defense H

[

While he could understand Lefiya’s level up, since she was a level 2 long before she joined the familia, Kanata’s level up to 3 in a year was truly astonishing. It made him feel a certain pressure from the teen to reach achieve his own level up. He knew Riveria and Gareth felt the same.

Loki was smug all throughout the march back to Orario, and he shared her feelings of pride for their familia. They were far stronger now, with four new level 5s and two level 3s added to their ranks that showed exceptional talent.

 He watched as Kanata spent most of his time beside Tsubaki as he used her as a shield from the all the attention directed at him. Many rumors had circulated around the familia and the allied army about their Ghost. He was pretty they would reach the rest of the city even before they entered the gates.

He waved and cheered as a crowd of civilians and adventurers erupted in cheers as they passed through. He even spotted a few gods and goddesses waving at them, thanking their familia for lending their strength in defense of the city.

They were right of course, since it was his familia that took on the brunt of the enemy army’s attack. The other familias aside from Hephaestus and Hermes barely contributed, and just took care of the stragglers that headed to their direction.

Tsubaki had even caught a squad of mercenary adventurers as they chased a defecting red headed soldier. Hephaestus took care of the incident herself with Tsubaki, and he was surprised when the goddess of the forge took in the young man to her familia.

He found himself walking near Tsubaki when he heard something interesting as she spoke to the new recruit.

“That’s him! The specter.” The red haired man pointed to Kanata who was still wearing his damaged but now clean armor and tattered cloak.

“The specter? You must be mistaken.” Tsubaki laughed. “I know that adventurer Welf. He’s a close friend and my client.”

“My mistake then.” The young man called Welf replied. “When I saw the armor, I thought it was him that the mercenaries and soldiers talked about.”

“Who is this specter?” Tsubaki asked.

“I just heard rumors from the fleeing mercenaries before I left the camp.” Welf rubbed his arms to ward of the cold as he shared what he heard. “They say he’s a spirit of vengeance that was summoned by the dead villagers when the Phobos familia slaughtered their village to the last child.”

“He sings to you at first a song about life and death as a warning, before he hunts you down.” Welf continued. “I’m not sure if what I heard is correct, but I know the Phobos familia. They’re only a few survivors left when I saw them wander in the main camp from a familia of adventurers that numbered in the sixties with level 2 members and a level 3 Captain.”

“What did the survivors say?”

“They said the specter hunted them in their own camp and they were forced to flee to safety. The survivors said they only heard the screams of their comrades before they were killed without mercy. The specter was rumored to wear a strange armor never before seen, with a tattered gray cloak and wields a sword and shield.”

“I understand your confusion.” He could see Tsubaki was thoroughly amused at the story. “I’m afraid that’s not the specter, we call him the Ghost.”

He saw Welf give his new captain a suspicious glance. “You’re joking with me, aren’t you? That’s basically the same thing!”

“Who knows?” The Cyclops laughed. “Do you want to meet the Ghost?”

“Sure.” Welf replied. “I want to take a closer look at his armor and helmet anyway. It’s not like the he’s that specter from the rumors. He couldn’t be that adventurer that slaughtered an entire familia on his own.”

[

Tsubaki Collbrande

She closely watched as Kanata walked around the new armor set she crafted. She had used a higher grade of materials this time, which should suit him even he reached level 4. Knowing Kanata, she had little doubt he would achieve even that in the near future.

The Mandalorian Specter armor was similar in design to his old set, but it had a distinct dark grey color, a result of the alloys she used. On the right pauldron, the emblem of the Loki familia was engraved and painted with red paint.

“Do you like it?” She asked once he completed his inspection.

“It’s amazing.” Kanata replied as he touched the chest armor with his fingers. “How did you create this so quickly?”

“It’s simple.” She hopped off the bench and stood beside him as they admired her work together. “I started working on during my free time. It was a matter of time until you outgrew your old equipment.”

She raised an eyebrow when Kanata gave her a warm smile. He had been so distant lately after the incident with Rakia. It was a relief to see this part of Kanata that she knew, the one that was her close friend and lover.

“I need a favor though.” She moved closer and grasped his hands with hers. “It will be dangerous for you as well, but I needed to do this. I know I’m asking a lot.”

“Please tell me.”

“I want to… defeat… Udaeus alone.” She replied. “I need you to keep the guards back.”

“When do you want to go?” She smiled at his quick reply. There was no hesitation in his voice.

“As soon as possible.” She replied. “I already prepared supplies in advance.”

“Then I guess this is the perfect time to test this new armor.”

“Shouldn’t you inform your captain first?” She asked as she started to store the gathered supplies inside her large backpack.

“The captain has encouraged me to lay low for the moment.” He replied. “My actions caused some controversy with my familia. One god even proposed to have me blacklisted from the guild.”

“That’s stupid.” She replied. “That god probably lost some business when the Phobos familia dissolved.”

“That’s what Loki thought of as well. The merchant familias can be a bit greedy and unreliable.” He observed.

“Those gods have no real loyalties.” She explained. “That’s why they even asked your familia to spare the enemy soldiers’ lives. Proposing to have you blacklisted is probably their retaliation for their lost profits.”

“That and Phobos was the primary buyer of their wares.” Hephaestus said from the door. The goddess of the forge gave Kanata a nod of greeting which was quickly returned.

“Are you all set?” Her goddess asked.

“Yes goddess.” She replied. She had expressed her desire to level up to 6. Her stats were already in the A and B, but she just needed one big push to break through. They had a long conversation that night and finally with some reluctance her goddess gave her permission.

“Kanata’s coming too.” She added. She immediately noticed her goddess’ somber mood change.

“That’s good to hear.” Hephaestus replied. “You better get back soon, It’s supposed to be your job training the rookies.”

“Sure sure.” She was happy to see her goddess was back to teasing her, which meant she now felt better about her situation. “But I don’t see you taking that much time training a rookie before. Is he that good or he’s just eye candy?”

She laughed when she saw the blush on her goddess face. It was fun for their roles to be reversed. Their new rookie, Welf Crozzo had a noticeable crush on their goddess. Everyone in their familia could see it, and their goddess was flustered at the attention.

“Take care of my Tsubaki for me, will you Kanata?” Hephaestus asked.

“I’ll keep an eye on her, goddess.” Kanata replied and put on his new helmet.

“Shall we?” She asked once she carried the large back pack on her back, along with her Benishigure and a back up weapon.

“I’ll be right behind you.” Kanata replied as he slowly vanished from view.

“You know people might start thinking I’m crazy if they see me talking to myself.” She muttered as she stepped outside the door of her workshop.

[

Kanata Rivington

It was a surreal experience for him to face monsters that he initially struggled with last month that he now treated like goblins and kobolds of the first few floors. His new level 3 status vastly increased all of his parameters, and when before he would carefully kill hellhounds one monster at a time, he could now easily engage a pack and come out without any injury.

“How’s that?” He asked Tsubaki. She had agreed with his proposal to take the lead right up to Udaeus’ chamber. It was meant to fully test his new level and current limits of his abilities.

“Hmmm, you’re still moving around too much, but this is good progress. “ Tsubaki observed.

It was easier to dodge their attacks, they seemed to have become slower and weaker in his eyes, but in his head he knew it was just him that suddenly shot up in power. Finn had advised him earlier to go on a solo dive in the dungeon to get a handle of his new level and power.

He agreed with his captain, he first needed to test the limits of his own speed, strength, reflexes and endurance. As such, he now used the opportunity provided by Tsubaki and set a challenge to see how far he could dive in the dungeon and so far he was breezing through the middle floors, and he was already near the wall of grief even a few hours before lunch.

A quick meal in the eighteenth floor with Tsubaki cooking her specialty dishes and they continued to the tree labyrinth, and they stuck to the more established routes. The hornets gave him some trouble, but with his increase in agility and strength, his sword quickly made short work on the flying monsters before they burst through.

 They were relentless in their pursuit and it took him an hour to finally finish the last of the persistent hornets while Tsubaki watched from a safe distance. They took a wide route to avoid their nest, and rested for a few minutes to patch up the wounds he suffered and the poison he got stung with. Fortunately the antidote worked quickly and they continued going deeper, and until they reached his objective. Tsubaki agreed to stay back and only watch, and he was alone when stepped into the clearing.

 It was large dragon, over twice the size of an infant dragon. Its scales were deep green, and its long body and tail curled around a tree with pink and purple leaves. The tree sparkled in the light due to the jeweled fruit gems that grew from its branches and he knew this was one of the fabled treasure trees.

Mages valued the trees since they were capable of producing the unique gems that channeled and amplified there spells, and it was a common practice to place a gem on their staff or other equipment.

With a deep breath he stepped forward and faced his next challenge. On paper the goliath and this green dragon were similar in strength, but he considered the monster before him more dangerous. He could see the intelligence and cunning in its eyes as it observed him, while the goliath was more of a mindless brute.

The dragon quickly got up on its feet and it spread out its large wings in a display of dominance. Its loud roar shook the trees around them, but he remained in place, waiting for it to move as he prepared the spear he brought for this occasion. He knew he would need the range to slay this monster.

The dragon quickly jumped into the air and circled around his position, and he moved at once as he noticed it spit balls of fire his way. His arm buckled as a fireball hit his shield, but he continued to move, jumping off trees and boulders as it began to pursue him.

He noticed it grew more aggressive when he changed directions and moved closer to the tree, and realized the dragon was trying to force him away from the area. He quickly spun on his heel and leaped back, and jumped high enough to get a clear shot while dodging another fireball.

With his spear in hand, he threw it directly towards his target, and watched as his empowered weapon shoot up into the sky in a blur. His aim was near perfect as it hit the joint of its left wing, and the dragon screeched in pain as it quickly circled down, unable to maintain its altitude due to its injury. He quickly moved towards the falling figure, ready to capitalize the situation now that it was on the ground.

 It landed on its feet and curled around with the intention to pull the spear out of its body when he started to charge the monster, drawing its attention. He noticed that the dragon seemed more irritated than hurt as it turned back to face him.

It opened its mouth and he could see the build-up of fire down its throat. His shield quickly blocked the flames and from its surface a protective light barrier grew. He was surprised that he to keep feeding more energy into his barrier and realized that the dragon did not just launch a fireball but a long torrent of flames. It was now a battle of attrition.

He quickly backed away when he felt the vibrations from the ground, his vision blocked by the flames that licked his barrier. It wasn’t enough though and he was glad he had still maintained his shield when it shattered as the dragon swung one of its limbs lined with sharp claws the size of daggers at him.

He had nearly fallen from its trap, he realized as he began to circle it, and the dragon responded as it also moved to keep him in its sights. He ran again and vanished from view, he knew any killing blow would have to be done up close.

The dragon tried to search for him, but he continued to pile on wounds on the dragon from his surprise attacks. There were several close calls, and he knew he would have suffered severe burns by now if it weren’t for his armor he was caught by an unexpected fireball.

The green dragon had good aim and instincts, and but he felt that he couldn’t back off now because of the initial advantage he had by forcing to the monster to fight on the ground. He knew he wouldn’t be able to find another opportunity as good as this one.

He quickly decided that he needed a distraction to deliver a killing blow. He tanked one of the fireballs with his shield and deflected it to the ground. The explosion masked his location and he threw his cloak out of the dust and charged forward as he slowly vanished from the dragons sight.

As expected the dragon’s focus was on his cloak that was still in the air. With a grunt he put all of his strength into the shield and hit the end of the spear that was still buried on the dragon’s side and forced it deep into its body like a hammer hitting a nail.

The dragon immediately shrieked in agony and he quickly grabbed hold of the end spear that was still sticking out and held on as the monster trashed and buckled in pain on the ground. He poured his light enchantment into the spear and caused it to erupt with energy and exploded causing devastating wounds inside its body. The dragon stilled and slowly fell to its side, finally dead. He had done it.

It took him nearly half an hour to recover his expended energy and cure his wounds with the help of potions and his healing magic. The dragon had dropped its skin along with its stone and he collected it along with the gems that grew from the tree. His pack was half filled with loot, and he decided to head back to where Tsubaki waited. He knew she would please with the green dragon skin.

Someone had killed the Amphisbaena. Its carcass still floated on the water with its belly cut open and both of its head missing. The monsters in the water were consuming the floor boss’ carcass, and that meant the one who killed it didn’t bother to take out its stone. He guessed it must have been a day or longer after he observed the state of the carcass and the signs of battle in the area was already repaired by the dungeon.

“We should hurry if someone else is aiming for Udaeus.” Tsubaki suggested and he quickly agreed and they minimized their breaks as they increased their pace. They reached the twenty-eighth floor safety point and spotted tents in the distance and realized who had killed the Amphisbaea.

There was no mistaking it, with their flag of a joker hanging over their tent. It was his familia.

 “I don’t see the executives.” Tsubaki observed as they watched from their vantage point. “It’s your second string. I can see Raul down there.”

“It must be their own expediton.” He observed.

“Do you want to say hi?” Tsubaki asked. “Their camp looks to be set up, with food roasting over the fire.”

“We could save the time.” He agreed and jumped down the hill. The sentries were surprised by his appearance before they lowered their weapons.

“You scared me Kanata.” The guard he recognized to be Cruz added. “Are you joining us?”

“I’m with captain Tsubaki right now for a field test of my new armor and equipment.” He explained.

“Well you might as well join us since we’ll be here for a while. There’s plenty of food to share.”

“What happened?”

“We hunted down the Amphisbaema and proceeded here to hunt bloodsaurus to maximize our income. Problem is Anakitty got poisoned and poison’s particularly strong. We’re about to send a team to the surface for help when you came along.” Cruz explained.

“Kanata! Captain Tsubaki!”

Raul had spotted them and quickly rushed to greet them.

“Raul, heard Anakitty got poisoned?” He asked.

“It’s bad.” Raul’s face was filled with worry for his partner. “She barely responds to the Line’s healing magic. The antidotes aren’t working either.”

“Why don’t I take a look?” He stepped inside the tent to see Anakitty on a cot being tended by Line.

“Kanata! Thank heavens you’re here!” Line looked relieved. He sat on the ground besides Anakitty and noticed she was warm to the touch. Her breathing was shallow and there was sweat all over her body.

“How long has she been like this?”

“She said she felt herself being stung when we were clearing out some ground for a camp. It’s three hours. The poison is unusually fast acting.”

“Validus.”

He closed his eyes and felt the surge of his magic. With his hands on Anakitty’s forehead and hands, he let his enchantment flow to Anakitty’s body. He heard a gasp but ignored it, as he felt some resistance in her body as it tried to reject his light enchantment. His magic surged and the resistance faded away and his enchantment quickly began to take effect.

He let enchantment fade and tried to stand, but he suddenly felt dizzy. An arm quickly helped him and prevented him from falling to the ground.

“Thank you Kanata.” Line whispered. They both stared at Anakitty who was now looked healthier and was breathing better.

A mind potion later and he and Tsubaki quickly settled inside the Loki familia camp. He was hungry and was enjoying his meal and the ambiance around him. The second string group led by Raul were in good spirits as one of their own was no longer in danger, and they didn’t have to cancel their expedition early.

“Of course you can leave your loot here.” Raul replied when he asked if they could leave part of their luggage inside the camp and later retrieve it. “We’ll be here for a week hunting bloodsaurus. Their drops sell very well.”

“Any team really benefits from your presence.” Tsubaki murmured from beside him as they prepared to sleep for the night. They noticed the stares as they entered their shared tent together, but he didn’t hear any teasing outside.

“I just got lucky.” He replied as he pulled her closer to his body. He stuck his nose behind her ear and relished her scent. “Let’s get some sleep. We have to leave early tomorrow.”

They felt refreshed and ready for their journey to the deep floors when they woke up. They left while most of the camp were still sleeping and headed deeper into the dense forest ravine that reached up to the thirty-sixth floor.

The dense forest ravine felt like he was thrust back in time, as dinosaur looking monsters roamed the area. The bloodsaurus was slow but it took a lot of hits to take it down.

They finally crossed the threshold of the deep floors when they reached the thirty-seventh floor. The feeling he experienced before when he reached the deep floors was unlike before. There was still the aura of menace that he felt despite the silence but it was more muted.

Lizardmen and Barbarians patrolled the paths and they now hid in the shadows, unwilling to fight them in large groups to preserve their stamina. The spartoi he observed acted more like soldiers than monsters, as they moved in a systematic pattern rather than random movements of traditional monsters.

He finally found a lone spartoi that carried a kite shield and sword, and quickly engaged it in battle. They were nearly equal in strength and speed, and he found that his opponent behaved more like an adventurer than a monster. It knew when to evade or when to press its attack.

He soon realized the true danger of the spartoi was its learning ability. It was getting better and better with swordplay after every exchange. He quickly enchanted his sword a few times and shattered his opponent’s blade with a powerful swing. A swift kick later and he shattered the spartoi’s stone with a swift thrust to its ribcage.

He now realized his mistake, and breathed a sigh of relief. Each and every attack of his should be a killing blow. He couldn’t afford anything less than his full commitment if he wanted to survive. So far he had been treating this dive with Tsubaki as more of an experiment, and realized he had the wrong mindset. Tsubaki must have seen the realization in his face when she smiled and nodded in approval.

“You finally get it.” The smith remarked.

He realized that now was not the time to experiment, but to fully utilize all of his knowledge, skill and power and determine his current limits as a level 3. With renewed resolve, he pressed forward with Tsubaki beside him, his goal to reach the chamber of the Udaeus and protect his friend while she faced her own adventure.

Every monster he encountered had to be swiftly eliminated in the thirty-seventh floor. Spartoi learned quickly from exchanges and became harder to defeat as the fight went on longer. The peluda would just launch wave after wave of poisoned needles that even high level adventurers could easily succumb to if they didn’t have a high level antidote. The barbarians tended to make loud noises that echoed through the rocky corridors, attracting the attention of other monsters.

He was thankful that they could slip past some of the monsters as they hid in the shadows for minutes at a time to rest. He remembered the near constant fighting for hours when he was with the elite party of his familia, they were only able to rest if someone else stood guard to protect them.

The chamber to the floor boss lay ahead, and he narrowed his eyes as he prepared to face the floor boss once again. He placed down his supply packs near the entrance as Tsubaki walked forward without hesitation, immediately gaining the monster’s attention. She tossed her own backpack at a ledge where he guessed she planned to move close to once she ran out of potions.

The huge skeletal body of the floor boss moved and Tsubaki ran straight towards Udaeus, Benishigure in her hands.

Tsubaki’s adventure had started. Summoned spartoi warriors started to appear around her, and he quickly jumped into their group to gain their attention. It was now his job to protect her.

Time passed quickly, as numerous spartoi warriors littered the ground dead. He wasn’t able to observe Tsubaki’s fight, since his opponents required his focus. It was a difficult position, as the spartoi constantly worked to surround him and pin him down.  

He would vanish when he was surrounded and resumed his attack on their flanks. He didn’t know how long he was running, but he started feeling thirsty as his muscles started to ache from the constant movement. He couldn’t even afford to stop since he knew he would be overwhelmed by the dozens of spartoi warriors.

Ahead Tsubaki was still dealing with Udaeus, every impact from her sword shook the large chamber.

He spotted a group of spartoi behind him trying to target Tsubaki and he quickly ran after them. He knew Tsubaki would not be able to finish the floor boss if she was distracted. She needed a fair fight.

“Validus”

His shield and sword emitted golden auras as he once again cast his enchantment and launched himself at the spartoi, determined to buy time for Tsubaki. He zoned in on his own battle, determined to finish the summoned warriors as quickly as possible. He stabbed, he slashed and he parried. His shield sounded like a drum as it constantly blocked sword strikes. He felt stinging bites of pain as he barely evaded their attacks while their blades pierced his armor and caused bleeding all over his body.

He was slowly being pushed back and he fought back with increased intensity, annoyed at how he was being herded by the spartoi. Decapitated heads flew as he pushed himself to move faster. Ribcages were crush as he lashed out with his shield to hit those that tried to attack him from his blind spots. He wanted to heal himself but he knew he would need his mind for Tsubaki later.

Suddenly there were no more opponents left and he realized he was able to defeat the group though he suffered injuries with numerous cuts in his arms and legs. He turned back and observed his friend as she fought with all that she had in her adventure.

Her tattered clothes were stained with her own blood, and it was clear to him that she was injured in several places. Her left hand hung limp on her body, and he could see it was broken in several places.

The Udaeus had also suffered damage, and he was surprised when he noticed that the large skeleton boss wielded a large black blade, different from when they first encountered it. His first instinct was to rush in and help her, but held himself back when he saw her face, filled with determination and a grim smile.

It took considerable from his part to hold himself back as he realized this fight was special for Tsubaki, she had her reasons why she headed to his floor all alone and without support. Tsubaki left out a scream of pain and rage when the monster rex impaled her with a bony spine through her shoulder and leg. She retaliated with a snarl and cleaved the monster boss’ neck, decapitating the monster but it came with a cost as her blade also shattered.

He watched with pride as Tsubaki slowly limped forward and reached the monster’s chest, and with her broken blade she battered the large monster stone with desperate swings. Udaeus was still alive, as the decapitated head’s eyes still glowed menacing red. He had to admire his friend’s determination, and she was rewarded as the large purple core finally shattered from her assault and the corpse of Udaeus slowly vanished, leaving behind the black blade as its monster drop and stone.

She fell to the ground unconscious after, with the chamber now eerily quiet.

He was thankful for Riveria’s lessons, as he was now using them to treat Tsubaki. He had to first carefully remove her torn clothing to assess the extent of her injuries and realized it was far worse than he first thought. He was amzed at her resilience at being able to fight in her state. He arranged her limbs properly and used his high quality potions to pour on the deeper wounds.

He took a deep breath, glad that with the death of Udaeus the chamber they were in now acted as a temporary safe zone. He focused his magic on his hands and touched Tsubaki’s shattered left arm and shoulder.

“Validus.”

He could instinctively feel that he needed an enormous amount of mind to heal Tsubaki’s arm as the shattered bones fused back together. Nerves and muscles were slowly restored and her skin was now smooth, free from any wounds and bruises.

He let out a gasp as his spell finally ended and he smiled in satisfaction when he saw the result. He quickly finished a mind potion and resumed his healing, first focusing on the serious injuries, with her broken ribs and ruptured organs. She must have taken a direct blow from the monster to have that kind of injury. Her legs were next, as he repaired several hairline fractures and he was amazed that she was able to stand and fight while they were in that state.

It took nearly thirty minutes and he used half of his potion reserves to fully heal her. With her torn and destroyed clothes, he decided to wrap her chest with his supply of bandages. The cloak she wore he knew could be salvaged and he wrapped her body with it and headed to the side wall to make camp, away from the entrance to the chamber to avoid attracting the attention of the monsters.

He quickly made a fire to ward off the cold from her ruined clothes and used bandages and made Tsubaki drink from his supply of water, and was relieved to see her swallow. He knew she would fine now and relaxed, moving into a state of light sleep where he could recover his energy and rest his mind.

He woke up when he felt movement on his lap and noticed Tsubaki had begun to wake up.

Tsubaki

She felt warm, like she had woken up from a nice long nap after a day in the forge. She stretched and groaned in pleasure, feeling the muscles and ligaments pop. She opened her eye and wondered why she was sleeping on the rocky floor, covered by her cloak.

Her recent memories rushed in her head and her eye widened in shock. She quickly sat up and looked around the empty and peaceful chamber of Udaeus’ chamber.

“Careful, I just healed you injuries.”

She turned around and realized the pillow she was using was Kanata’s lap. She stared at him with confusion for a moment, as her mind analyzed the situation she was in. They were alone, and that meant Kanata had finished the spartoi guards all by himself. They had done it.

“How long was I asleep?”

“Two hours, give or take. You did well.” She stared at his face as he gave her a smile.

“Thank you Kanata, for trusting me.” She whispered. She had done it, she had defeated Udaeus alone. She even made a discovery as Udaeus apparently summons a black sword when challenged solo.

“Thank you for defeating Udaeus.” He replied. “You know I wouldn’t be able to go back to surface if you perished.”

She widened her eyes when she realized that fact. Kanata was always so composed and level headed, that she sometimes forgot he was just a newly promoted level 3. Even with his stealth skill, she knew his magic wouldn’t even last all the way back to the twenty eight floor without her support.

“You knew that fact, and you still agreed to accompany me?” She asked.

“Of course.” He replied and stroked her hair to show his affection and emphasize his point. “I trusted you, like you trusted me. It’s like we’re fated to meet.”

She smiled when she remembered their first meeting where she discovered he had been wielding the very first weapons she crafted in Orario. “Yeah, we’re fated to meet.”

“Is that why you didn’t ask any further questions about my decision to solo Udaeus?” She sat up and turned to face her friend. “Because you trusted me that much?”

 “You don’t have to explain it to me you know.” He replied, and the frown eased of her face. “I know heading here with just the two of u was dangerous. I didn’t have to fight the green dragon in the tree labyrinth, but I decided to face it anyway. It wasn’t smart or sensible, but I had to do it.”

“Like something deep inside you compelled you to press forward.” She shook her head in amazement as Kanata voiced her own thoughts. “That’s why I enjoyed spending time with you even when we first met. There are some things we both instinctively understand that doesn’t need any more words of explanation.”

“I wasn’t able to watch most of your fight with Udaeus. Did he use that spike attack again?”

“Those things were annoying!” She complained and went back to her earlier position and used Kanata’s thighs as her pillow. “And did you know Udaeus could summon a black sword? That was cheating!”

“I know, and when you finished it off, it dropped this.” He pointed to a jagged black blade beside his pack along with Udaeus’ stone. “This drop must be extremely valuable.”

She quickly grabbed the black blade and inspected it with her trained eye from her position. “Hmm, maybe this could serve as base for the replacement for my poor Benishigure.”

“It certainly looks like it’s made of a strong alloy.” He started to stroke her hair again and she felt sleepy at the relaxing feeling.

“Do you have your pack with you?” He asked. “I couldn’t find your supplies anywhere in the chamber.”

“The Udaeus destroyed it early on the fight.” She scowled as she remembered the monster had pulverized her pack when it failed to hit her with its fist.

“Your robe was all I could salvage, I’m sorry for using the rest of your ruined clothes to start a fire. I needed to warm you up.” He sounded embarrassed and she smiled when she spotted his flushed face.

“That’s fine.” She looked under her robes that served as a blanket and noticed she was practically naked aside from the bandages. Even her hakama was missing, revealing her bare smooth and more importantly uninjured legs. 

“I don’t mind getting naked for you in the dungeon, but claiming that my clothes were too ruined too use is really a weak excuse. So you want to do it now that we’re alone?” She really enjoyed teasing Kanata, he pretended he wasn’t bothered by any of it until he hit his limit.

 She laughed when she felt a sensation behind her head and realized she must have hit him right in the spot. She was just teasing, but she wouldn’t mind having a go with Kanata in Udaeus’ chamber. Who else could claim they have done the deed so deep in the dungeon? She sat up and began to carefully remove the bandages around her breasts so that Kanata wouldn’t have to tear it off when they started their fun. It was a great way to celebrate their achievement.

They tried to be quiet at first, so that they could hear footsteps of incoming adventurers. The last thing she wanted was to be on all fours as Kanata plowed her from behind while Shakti Varna with a patrol group from Ganesha familia walked in. Thirty minutes in and they were moaning in pleasure, uncaring of who could hear them, be it monster or adventurer.   

Their ascent was more cautious but she felt confident with Kanata beside her. He still had half of his emergency potion supplies and rations. She used the black blade as a temporary weapon by attaching it to the handle of her broken sword to allow her hand to grip it. It was a bit unwieldy, but she adjusted, and the blade proved how deadly it was as it easily carved through spartoi and barbarians with ease.

She must have enjoyed testing the makeshift weapon too much when she was ambushed by a peluda, and one of the poisoned needles struck her leg. Luckily Kanata was there, and his powerful healing magic easily purged the poison and healed her injury. She really couldn’t think of anyone better by her side.

She observed her friend’s own movements against the deep floor monsters and nodded in approval at the noticeable change in his combat style. He normally poked and prodded a monster with tentative swings or thrusts of his sword to observe them before launching his own counter attack. Now he was deadlier, his strikes lethal as he aimed for weak spots to finish a monster as quickly as possible.

They rested on the twenty-eight floor for nearly two days, spending time with the Loki familia. Anakitty had personally thanked Kanata when she saw him enter the camp. She felt a bit possessive with Kanata as she kept him inside her for most of the night. He must have emptied himself three times that night but she didn’t care. She didn’t like how the cat girl sidled up to Kanata and touched his arms and chest. It was a coincidence that his neck was covered by a red hickey.

 They took back their stored loot, and after a round of farewells made their journey back to the surface.

Two days later they encountered a lone adventurer on the eleventh floor, she looked to be a level one adventurer that was cornered by an infant dragon. The girl was lucky that she heard her cries, and Kanata was able to kill the dragon with a single attack from the back as he decapitated the dragon.

The girl was still crying but extremely grateful. She explained that she had been separated from her party due to an ambush of silverbacks, and she and Kanata had to slow their pace to accommodate the poor traumatized girl.

As they reached the surface, she made Kanata promise to visit her tomorrow and headed to Etna to visit her goddess. She was given strange looks by her fellow smiths at her strange appearance, but she really didn’t care what they thought.

Her goddess was waiting for her, and she quickly removed her robe, eager to have her falna updated. Hephaestus didn’t even say a word aside from a quick hug of welcome, since she already knew what she came here for.

There was a minute of silence and then she felt the change.

“Congratulations!”

She turned around and looked at her goddess looking as happy as she was. Hephaestus handed her status sheet and she grinned at what she saw on the paper. She was now a level 6, and she also gained a new development ability and skill. It was perfect to compliment her blacksmith skill, she decided. She couldn’t wait to test out this new ability by creating a new weapon for herself. She was a step closer to creating a weapon that would surpass her goddess’ creations.

The most important part was she wouldn’t be left behind by Kanata anymore.

[

Eina Tulle

“Eina! Eina!”

She looked up from the documents she was reviewing and massaged her temples when she heard her name being called. She gave an apologetic look to the person across from the table and turned to her energetic advisee.

“Maris, you know you don’t have to shout.” She scolded her advisee. The girl was brimming with energy as she reached the booth where she was sitting, breathing hard as if she ran all the way here from the dungeon.

“I just came from the dungeon. You won’t believe what happened!” Oh, so  she did come from the dungeon. She gave Maris a once over and sighed when she noted she wasn’t injured, just a bit dirty.

“Maris, I’m in the middle of an important meeting. I’ll join you in ten minutes, you can just sit over…”

“I got chased by an infant dragon! Our party was ambushed by orcs and we had to split up!” The girl blurted out. Whatever she was about stay was immediately forgotten as she focused back to the girl. She wondered why she was smiling and not shaking in terror. “I almost died, but then guess what happened?”

“What!?”

She wondered if the girl finally lost her mind. Being ambushed by orcs and an encounter with an infant dragon was a worst case scenario for any adventurer of Maris’ level. It was a miracle she was unharmed if what she said was true, but she knew Maris didn’t have a habit of lying. Why was she so happy?

“I got rescued by a member of the Loki familia! It was so awesome!” Maris beamed. She even sat by her side on the booth and draped herself over her shoulders, ignoring the fact that she was still covered in grime and dust. “I thought I was dead and suddenly the dragon was beheaded. Then this adventurer in strange armor asked I was fine.”

“Loki familia ?” She finally understood why Maris was filling so giddy. An encounter with the famous familia was certainly unforgettable, especially if they saved her life. She was just glad it one of their members encountered her student, they were known for being noble and heroic.

“I must thank them then.” She decided to visit her mother’s dear friend Riveria, vice-captain of the Loki famili to relay her gratitude. “Did you know the name of the adventurer that saved you?”

“No, he was wearing a strange armor that covered him from head to toe. But he did have the symbol of their familia engraved in his armor.” Maris replied. “He was accompanied by an amazon, I think.”

“I’m glad you’re alright Maris. I’ll have a talk with your team though. I don’t like the fact that they abandoned you when you were all ambushed.”

[

Kanata Rivington

He frowned as he stared at his hands. He wasn’t even breathing that hard after his hour long run around the yard.

“You’re going to create a moat around the manor if you keep doing that you know.”

He turned around to see Loki walking towards him. “Goddess, good morning.”

“Good morning Kanata!” His goddess looked around the yard, seemingly fascinated.

“So this is how it looks like so early in the morning.” She walked around looking as the early morning mist drifted around them. “I can see why you wake up so early in the morning. This is kinda peaceful.”

“Do you need something goddess?” He asked.

“I just heard some interesting news from Raul the other night. He said he saw you with Tsubaki in the dungeon.”

“Yes. I accompanied captain Tsubaki on a personal quest. She wished to challenge Udaeus on her own.” He replied.

“It was big news in the Denatus. The Cyclops is now a level 6. Hephaestus was really proud.” Loki stated. “Heard that you played a big part in that battle, and also saved Anakitty who got poisoned buy some unknown insect monster. Thanks for that.”

“Anyway, the reason I’m here is because I wanted to update your status.” Her goddess declared. “So c’mon! Shirt up!”

He followed Loki’s order and turned around, removed his shirt and sat on the ground. He wanted to have his falna updated, but the ten slots per day set by Loki were quickly taken for the week, and he was waiting for a new sign-up sheet to be posted.

“Thank you goddess. I know you’re busy…”

“You’re my child Kanata.” Loki quickly interrupted him so he remained silent. “The familia’s all fired up after the series of level ups so there are more requests than usual. I don’t want to impede your growth by not updating your Falna when I know how hard you work every day. Besides, I want to see a glimpse on what happened during that fight.”

He felt a warm sensation on his back as his status updated.

“That was intense Kanata! Didn’t know you had that in you! Oh wow! Look at them tits!”

He should have realized his goddess focused on that. He realized early on that his goddess was well meaning pervert, and she habitually measured the breasts of those gullible enough or slow enough to react to her wandering hands. He was glad he was a male, they certainly have it easier compared to the women of the familia.

“You made a big jump in only a month’s work. No wonder you can level up in a year.” She heard Loki as she transferred the data on a piece of paper. “Here, take a look.”

[

Kanata Rivington

Level  3

STR-- G 302

END --F 443

DEX –G 332

AGI  -- F 463

MAG – F 497

Skills:

Eidetikos Memoria (Essence Memory) (passive)

Ability to remember and recall visual information with exceptional clarity and accuracy, as if the image were still present before one’s eyes. 

Voluntas Indomita (Indomitable Will) (passive)

Extraordinary capacity to persevere in the face of adversity. Resistance to charms and mind manipulation.

Spells:

Validus (Enchantment) (short chant)

Ability to wield light element enchantment.

Developmetal Abilities:

Spirit Healing G

Strong Defense H

[

“So why are you working so hard? Your contributions to the familia coffers are way higher than normal. You’re even surpassing some of the level 5s.” Loki asked as she watched him stretch and cool down from his morning exercise.

He had been hunting the most profitable targets that his abilities would allow him to. The guild had started to invite him in their private rooms whenever he appeared with a sack of loot.

“I’ve been saving up for a big purchase.” He replied.

“Why don’t you tell about while we get some breakfast snacks? I just know the place!” Loki started to drag him outside the gates.

“Goddess, I need to take a shower first…”

“Nonsense! You don’t stink so you’re fine.” Loki replied as she dragged him with her as they headed down the street. Stall owners were starting to open, and the smell of baked bread filled the air. His stomach grumbled causing Loki to laugh.

“See? I knew you’d like it!” They were sitting on a bench as they both ate freshly baked bread with butter and sugar. “Now why don’t you tell me what you’ve been saving up for?”

“I just realized what’s missing in to use my abilities to their full potential.” He replied. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while.”

“What is it, tell me?”

“I lacked a ranged attack move.” He replied. “It takes me longer to deal with highly mobile and flying monsters. I also believe it will help boost my offensive options when it’s combined with my cloak spell.”

“I see your point.” Loki stared at a magic shop that was further down the street. “So you’re saving up for a grimoire. Yeah, those things are expensive, the cheapest one I know was sold off for 200 million valis.”

“And I bet you’d want a short chant magic as well, and those could go upwards to 400 million.” Loki added. “Is that about right?”

“Yes goddess.”

“You know I’d love to help you, but you know my policy. But I admire your determination.” Loki replied. He noticed that his goddess looked to be struggling with a decision. He waited patiently in silence as he let her brood for a few more minutes.

“Ah screw it! Maybe this can help you. And the payout is substantial.” She sighed and leaned back on the chair. “Hermes has been pestering me about you ever since the Rakian invasion. I’ve been blowing him off, but if you really need the valis, I guess I could allow it.”

“What does Lord Hermes want?” He asked.

“This time he wants you to join his captain on a scouting mission. The guild is backing him on this one, to investigate and gather intelligence of a certain monster.”

“It’s a dangerous mission, and I don’t want any of my kids near that thing.” Loki replied, and he was struck at how serious she was.

“What kind of monster is it?” He asked, curious at what type of monster that could threaten even their familia.

“One of the oldest, before we even descended from the heavens.” Loki replied. “I don’t know exactly why Hermes requested you specifically. My guess is you impressed him with your performance in the invasion. So would you do it?”

“It’s a scouting mission, right goddess? We’re not expected to fight this monster on our own?”

“Heavens no.” Loki replied. “There’s a familia uniquely suited to that, and I think you’re going to scout for them and back them up if needed.”

“What’s the familia called?” He never heard of a familia that was suited to fight legendary monsters. Were they stronger than their familia?

“They’re the Artemis familia, led by the bitchiest goddess you will ever meet.” Loki replied with clear distaste in her tone.

[

Asfi Al Andromeda

They had been travelling weeks, and they finally reached the town where she knew the Artemis familia were waiting for them. She quickly gave instructions for her partner in the mission to hang back and wait for her signal.

She quickly spotted where the goddess was staying when she saw a red haired woman standing outside an inn with a group of female adventurers.

“Rethusa!” She called out, and the level 3 captain of the Artemis familia waved back.

“Perseus!” The captain greeted her once the red haired woman was within hearing distance. She saw a few familiar faces in the group of female adventurers as they followed their captain.

“You made good time.” Rethusa added, looking pleased. “I thought we would head out without any support from Orario.”

“We left as soon as we received the message. If it’s really what goddess Aretemis suspect it is…” She couldn’t fathom a monster of caliber being unleashed into the world.

“She has sharp instincts, and that’s why I sent the message right away even if we didn’t have any solid proof.” Rethusa replied. “Wait, you said we…?”

“Since it’s this is serious, I requested from Lord Hermes to acquire the services of what I believe is one of the best scouts in Orario.” She replied. “We were incredibly lucky he accepted, he’s usually busy in the dungeon with his familia.”

“A man?” She noticed Rethusa purse her lips in distaste. “What’s his familia?”

“He’s from the Loki familia. A level 3 adventurer, called the Ghost.”

“Cute name.” Rethusa replied. “Where is he?”

She raised her hand and snapped her fingers. She heard gasps from the other adventurers as Rethusa jumped back, her hand on the handle of her dagger. She understood their reactions, since she also felt the same when she stared at Kanata Rivington in his updated armor. That helmet covered his whole head, and she never knew what he was feeling or even if he was looking at her.

“You called for me, captain Andromeda?” Even his normal voice was muffled, causing it to sound deeper and metallic, adding to his intimidation factor.

“Ghost, I want you to meet captain Rethusa of the Artemis Familia. She’s a level 3 like you.” She introduced the two.

“Ghost indeed.” Rethusa remarked as she sheathed her dagger. She was amused when she saw Rethusa tried to intimidate Kanata by staring him down, but she knew that wouldn’t work. The weeks travelling with Kanata told her a lot about the young man’s personality. He wasn’t one to be easily intimidated.

“We better head inside and meet your goddess.” She suggested, trying to break the one sided staring contest.

“Fine, but once inside I want you to remove your helmet and introduce yourself properly in front of the goddess.” Rethusa replied. She had to stop from showing her smile when Kanata just nodded his head in understanding.

Artemis was seated by the window, and the goddess smiled when she saw her enter the inn.

“Perseus, it’s been so long since I last saw you.” The woman’s voice was warm and welcoming.

“It’s good to see you again, Lady Artemis.” She replied politely.

“Is Hermes doing well?”

“He’s…” She tried to think of a way to speak of her god without ruining his reputation.

“Say no more.” Artemis replied with a laugh. “I guess he didn’t change at all.”

The goddess stood up and paused when she saw Kanata step into the room, followed by members of her familia.

“And who is this?” She noticed that her voice was now colder, more aloof and distant.

“My partner I requested for this mission. He’s known as Ghost from the Loki familia.” She introduced her companion. Kanata removed his helmet, revealing a handsome face with steel blue eyes. She noted with amusement the reactions from a few of the female adventurers around the room as they gasped in surprise. She understood the confusion, who knew a handsome man was beneath that intimidating armor.

“Kanata Rivington, I’m also called the Ghost.” Her partner introduced himself with a short nod.

“I see. Welcome to my familia then, Ghost.” Artemis replied and returned back to her seat.

She knew why Artemis wasn’t that popular in Orario, she was too biased against men. She looked at Kanata and when he noticed her staring at him, she smiled in sympathy. She knew it wouldn’t be a pleasant experience for him working with the Artemis familia.

They quickly settled in. Her quarters were large with a private bathroom and she spent a long soak washing away the dirt and grime that accumulated from weeks of travelling. There was also the peace, there was a reason why she accepted long term missions. It gave her an excuse to avoid her manipulative and perverted god.

A soft knock roused her from her position. She quickly donned a bathrobe and opened the door.

“Kanata? What are you doing here?” She asked.

“I’ve been told there weren’t any rooms available in the inn. I’m planning to sleep outside and pitch a tent, but could I bother you and use your bathroom?”

Her eyes narrowed in annoyance at how Kanata was being treated in his first day. She grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.

“Asfi?” She had told him a week ago to call her by his first name after he had proven to be an acceptable travelling companion. He was polite, courteous and more importantly respected her privacy.

“What were you doing outside all this time? You should have told me sooner!” She scolded Kanata.

“I didn’t want to impose.”

“Idiot, were partners here. We look out for each other.” She replied as she took his backpack and stored it on the wall beside hers. “You’re staying in this room, but you’re sleeping in the couch.”

“Thank you Asfi.”

She was getting annoyed as the days passed. They were headed to the abandoned world, a place in the south east of the continent where monsters rampaged unopposed. It was there that Artemis sensed the beast was held.

The Artemis familia was efficient and appeared competent. What caused her annoyance was how they treated Ghost. They ignored him, and she had to make sure he had his share of the meals as he was often forgotten in the background.

She was worried for her partner. He was closing himself from the outside as a reaction to the treatment, far from the smart and laid back travelling companion she knew when they set out from Orario. There were days that he rarely spoke more than a dozen words as they travelled deeper into the desolate land.

“Where’s the man?” She looked up as Rethusa sat down beside her.

“He said he will patrol the surroundings to make sure there are no surprises when we sleep.” She replied.

“Could he even identify tracks of the monsters?” Rethusa asked. Beside the captain of the Artemis familia a few of the others laughed at her statement.

“He should.” She replied. “He’s one of the most promising adventurers in Orario. You do know he reached level 3 in three years? That’s one level up every year.”

“I didn’t know that…”

“He’s part of the Loki familia’ elite force when he was just a level 2. He went down into deep zone past the fiftieth floor and fought against Balor. What floor did you reach again?” She asked.

No one replied to her question and she continued speaking. “Trained by the braver himself, I suspect he’s grooming him for leadership of the familia. You know that Cadmus water spring you requested from the guild? He was the one to collect it on the fifty-first floor.”

“I…”

“You do know he personally killed the entire Phobos familia when he found out they massacred the village he was from as a level 2.” She continued. “Eighty adventurers. A level 3 captain and a bunch of level 2s. That feat allowed him to reach level 3, and that was just a few months ago.”

“So don’t question my partner again, Rethusa.” She finished. “He deserves your respect at the very least for his restraint for how you are treating him. Lesser men would have broken long ago. I’ve seen it. He can easily kill all of you, as simple and as quickly like this.”

She snapped her fingers and stood up. Silence surrounded her as she glared at the women who sat around her in front of the fire. She glanced at Rethusa, but the familia captain remained silent as she looked out into the night. She saw movement from the tent and knew their goddess heard her words.

She moved to the tent she shared with Kanata and tucked in for the night, relieved that she was able to release her emotions.

She saw Kanata was treated better, but there was now a clear distance between her and the rest of the familia. Adventurers she knew avoided speaking to her for more than a few sentences. Rethusa never approached her again during meal times, but she was fine with that. Her focus was the mission and her partner’s safety.

On the seventh day upon entering the abandoned world they the ruins of an ancient city covered in mist. They all followed Artemis when the goddess stopped when they entered courtyard. She suddenly heard a familiar voice as Kanata shouted ahead of them.

“Ambush!”

“Defensive formation! Protect the goddess!” Rethusa called out. The familia immediately formed a circle around their goddess. She took out a pair of dagger and looked around her surroundings.

From the mist numerous shapes appeared around them. Scorpions of various sizes, the largest the size of a horse started to swarm them. Arrows were soon released and the battle commenced. She took part where the fighting was heaviest. Some of the monsters were powerful and she judged them to be at a minotaur’s level of strength.

Artemis was taking part in the fight as she held the north. She held their left flank and noticed Rethusa fighting on the right. She saw the familia members were having difficulty on the south. They were slowly being pushed back.

Suddenly she saw the figure of Kanata appear in the south and she breathed a sigh of relief and focused on her own fight.

As their defensive perimeter stabilized, the familia started to fight better, shoulder to shoulder. Their mages started the chants, and soon magic spells rained down fire on the invading insects.

“Hold steady!” Artemis shouted.

They were suffering injuries, but slowly the trickle of monsters slowed down. The last monster was killed by Rethusa as she cut the scorpion monster cleanly in two.

“We must head to a more defensible position.” Artemis called out. “I can feel the monster is desperate to prevent us from sealing him back to his prison.”

They found a collapsed temple that sat on a hill and moved quickly to that area. They started to erect their tents and a fire was lit at the very center.

“We’ve suffered some injuries.” Rethusa approached her. It was the first time the captain spoke to her in days. “Thankfully we have antidotes in stock, but I fear we will run out soon of this continues.”

“Hold off on the antidotes.” She suggested. “Bring your injured members to me.”

“You have healing magic?” Rethusa asked.

“No, but Kanata does.”

Six girls were injured, and Kanata for once wasn’t regarded with suspicion and clear derision. He had removed his helmet, revealing a sweaty face.

“Validus.”

Gasps were heard around the camp as the entire familia watched her partner’s healing magic in action. She was impressed with its effectiveness, as wounds quickly closed and the poison purged from their bodies.

“Light element.”

She looked to her side and she was surprised to see Artemis watching Kanata’s actions. “Lady Artemis?”

“Your partner wields the light element magic. It’s fascinating to see it once again.” Artemis replied. “I didn’t realize he has that ability. It seems fates are on our side in this mission.”

“What do you mean goddess?” Rethusa asked.

“Antares is born of chaos and darkness. If not for Ghost, I doubt the poison would be purged from your sisters’ bodies.” Artemis explained. “Light is the opposite of darkness after all.”

  They were ambushed a few more times as they neared the center of the ancient city. By now Kanata was treated as an invaluable member of the group, the exact opposite what he experienced a week ago.

“I admire your control of your emotions.” She said to him that night before they went to sleep. “Not everyone would be so forgiving for how they were treated.”

“It’s fine. I didn’t let it affect me because I knew those girls were just following their goddess. They’re love for their goddess is a bit misguided, that’s all. It causes us to do foolish things.”

“Love huh. Did you also do foolish things because of it? She asked.

“I did. I regret it now.” Kanata replied. “I stopped believing in it.”

“Really?” She raised her head to get a better look but Kanata had rolled over to his side, his back facing hers. She had no idea her partner was a pessimist.

“Really. It it’s a painful and insidious emotion. I don’t want to experience it ever again.”

She woke up the next morning, and her thoughts still lingered on her conversation with Kanata. She stared at her partner in a new light, and decided to give him some space for the day.

They had reached the city center, and the surroundings were eerily quiet. The wind was still and the mist had thickened considerably.

“His prison is there.” Artemis pointed to a passageway that looked like it would lead them underneath the city. Torches were passed around and Kanata entered first, his torch held in front of him.

She followed after him, with Rethusa and Artemis following after. As soon as Artemis passed an archway, a wall suddenly fell down cutting them from the rest of the familia. They could hear shouts and pounding from the other side of the wall as dark shadows started to appear from the darkness.

“It’s trying to trap us.” Artemis observed as she prepared her spear. “We have no choice then. It will be up to the four of us to check on Antares’ seal. It must have weakened considerably to allow him this much influence in the world.”

While the scorpions were numerous, it was easier to defend against them in the narrow passageway. Unlike the dungeon where the monsters can spawn from every surface, even the ceiling, here they just had to defend their front position.

Kanata acted as a tank as they hacked their way through the mass. She guarded the left while Rethusa took care of the right. Behind them Artemis with long reach of her spear took care of the scorpions that tried to jump over their defense.

It was slow progress, and even she as a level 4 was feeling the strain. Rethusa was breathing hard, and Artemis appeared to be reaching the end of her endurance.

“There!” Artemis pointed to the light at the end of the tunnel. The monsters before them fought even harder, and even larger scorpions started to appear, far larger than what they previously fought.

“Kanata! You have a shield spell, right?” She asked.

“How did you know that?”

“Never mind that. Cast it once I throw this bomb!” She replied. She quickly reached for the device of her own creation underneath her cloak. It was circular in design, like a giant marble. She threw it at the far end of the tunnel and landed on the spot she had aimed for maximum coverage.

“Do it!” She yelled.

A translucent golden dome appeared from Kanata’s shield and it arrived right on time as her device ignited. Even through Kanata’s shield, she felt the vibrations as a massive explosion ripped through the tunnel. The green flames quickly turned the scorpions to ash in seconds. Kanata’s shield blocked the flames, and she saw the strain in Kanata’s face as the fires swirled around them.

It took several seconds until the flames gave out. Kanata fell to his knees, breathing deeply.

“What was that?” He asked her. “That… that was stronger than the Balor’s fire attack.”

She raised an eyebrow in interest. Kanata may have contributed more in the defeat of Balor than what was reported. His shield spell was incredibly strong, and didn’t require a chant to activate.

“I crafted it myself it’s a bomb I use for desperate situations.” She replied.

Rethusa generously gave Kanata a mind potion to drink. They took a break for a few minutes to recover their breath and soothe their parched throats. She didn’t have an idea on how long they were fighting.

Refreshed, they exited the long passageway and came to a large underground structure. In the very center was a stone and metal structure with runes carved on the surface. Parts of it were broken, but most were still standing. Within it was a large otherworldly creature, shaped like a giant scorpion but with far too many limbs and far too many razor sharp claws. It had a large tail, and that was the only part of its body not covered by the prison.

The end of the tail could not be seen, since it twisting and moving under the ground. Around it were thousands of eggs, presumably the origin of the hordes of scorpions.

“Your bomb must have burned off the last of its offspring. Antares is trying to break free.” Artemis observed. “We won’t be able to reseal him. The only option is to destroy him completely, leaving no trace of him in this world.”

“But goddess, you can’t wield the spear’s full strength with your limited power.” Rethusa protested.

“I’ll have to use my divine power. Better this than have the whole world be engulfed in Antares’ shadow.”

“But goddess, you told us if a god uses their power here…”

“Then we will be sent back to our domains right away.” Artemis repeated. “There’s no choice in the matter Rethusa. I have to do this.”

 “Lady Artemis, you said your current power is limited and would not be enough to finish Antares, correct?” Kanata suddenly asked.

“Yes Ghost. Why ask?”

“Please use your most powerful attack without using your divine power, and allow me to aid you.”

“Are you sure, Ghost?” Artemis asked.

“I’m not.” Kanata replied. “I just have this feeling, Lady Artemis.”

The goddess of the hunt stared at Kanata for a moment and nodded her head, clearly coming to a decision.

“Very well, I will trust you on this, Kanata Rivington.” The goddess replied. She held the spear out for Kanata to hold, and together they pointed it to Antares. The monster clearly felt the threat as its tail moved in a frenzied manner. The eggs connected to the tail all started to hatch.

“Kanata! Artemis!” She called out a warning.

The spear held in Artemis and Kanata’s hands glowed blue as glyphs and symbols appeared on it shaft. She could feel an enormous amount of magic and energy started to gather on the spear’s tip.

“This is my maximum output, Kanata.” Artemis breathed out. Translucent yellow energy suddenly covered the spear and Artemis herself, surprising the goddess.

The light blue energy of the spear slowly turned to gold and finally to a blinding bright white light.

“This is….” Artemis whispered in disbelief.

“This… is what I was planning.” Kanata asked between deep breaths. It was clear he was struggling with what he was doing.

“This is enough.” Artemis smiled and aimed one last time at Antares and unleashed the power of her spear.

A dazzling beam erupted from the point of the spear and quickly engulfed Antares. The prison broke quickly and soon the ancient monster was engulfed in the attack. It tried to move but it was futile, but she was impressed with its initial resistance to the powerful magic.

Slowly its black shell covered in red veins started to disintegrate from the unrelenting power of the spear. She watched with amazement at the powerful display of magic, and noticed that the eggs that started to hatch stop. One by one they exploded, revealing dead bodies of scorpion monsters.

Antares was defiant to the last as it screeched in anger. Seconds passed by until its defenses were fully overcome and the rest of its body started to disintegrate at a much faster rate.

“Hold on Kanata!” She heard Artemis shout.

The attack reached its peak, and soon the final wails of the ancient monster was heard before it was fully vaporized by the attack.

“We… we did it.” Artemis whispered as she fell to her knees. Beside her Kanata had collapsed to the ground, unconscious. She quickly rushed beside him to check on his status. He removed his helmet to see he was barely breathing.

“He gave everything.” She heard Artemis, but she was too focused pouring a mind potion down through her partner’s lips. She raised his head and upper body when he didn’t swallow to help the potion pour down his throat.

“What was that?” Rethusa asked in disbelief.

“I have no idea.” She replied. She still didn’t fully understand what she saw, but she guessed that Kanata somehow enhanced the goddess’ attack using his own enchantment.

“Let’s rest here for the moment.” Artemis suggested. “I believe the threat has passed.”

The journey back to the surface of the ancient city was less difficult. There were no monsters to block their paths, she only had to carry her larger partner with the help of Rethusa. They quickly reached the entrance where they found the rest of the familia had managed break through the wall.

It took them a week to head back to the town from the abandoned world. The mist was dispersing, and she could even feel the sunlight peeking through the clouds. It was as if spring had started to come back to the once barren, desolate land.

Kanata remained unconscious for the rest of the journey, but she was thankful that the once hostile familia was taking good care of him. Either Rethusa or Artemis shared his heroic deeds during the confrontation with Antares. She still couldn’t believe they won, if not for Artemis and Kanata she was sure their world would have been overrun by the insect type monsters.

When Kanata finally woke up, the familia decided to finally celebrate their accomplishment. She saw Artemis was in remarkably good spirits, she had even taken to feeding Kanata while he remained confined to his bed.

“How are you holding up?” She asked once they were alone in the room of the inn where they initially started their quest to seal Antares.

“Sore and light headed.” Kanata replied. “I wouldn’t be able to function properly for a week at least.”

“Then we will stay here until you’re fit for travel.” She replied. “So you better stay in bed. No exercising!”

“I know better than to do that.” Kanata laughed then winced.

“Do you require anything else?” She asked as she stood up from her seat, satisfied that her partner for this mission was healing properly.

“If it’s possible, can I borrow a pen and some paper?”

“Writing reports already?” She teased.

“Not exactly.” Kanata replied.

It turned out Kanata was quite the artist. She started to wonder what her partner couldn’t do. She admired his sketches, though she felt a bit disturbed at how accurate his drawing was when he sketched Antares.

The familia members continued to visit him, and Artemis always brought something for him to eat to recover his health faster.

 “Is that my spear?” She asked once she saw a sketch of her weapon.

“Yes goddess.” Kanata replied and handed the paper to her.

“Remarkable detail.” She said as she admired the drawing. “So what are your plans now, Kanata?”

She noted that Artemis never referred to Kanata with his alias ever since their successful mission. She realized the goddess known for distaste of men had experienced some profound change.

“That’s up to the mission leader, Asfi.” Kanata replied.

“I’m just waiting for him to get strong enough to travel before we head back to Orario.” She answered.

“That’s it?” Artemis asked. “No parades and celebrations in your honor?”

“No. We accepted the mission knowing the need for secrecy.” She replied.

“I was thinking of inviting you over to visit my sister.” Artemis suggested. “She would have loved to meet you.”

“I’m sorry goddess. But we’re expected back in the city.” Kanata replied. “I did enjoy spending time with you and your familia. Thank you for your generosity and for taking care of me.”

“I should be the one thanking you, Kanata.” Artemis replied. She leaned down and gave a gentle kiss on Kanata’s forehead. “I really wished you were my Orion, but I still have to wait for him.”

“Goddess?”

“Meeting you made me feel more optimistic. You will see me soon, Kanata.” Artemis quickly left the room after a brief nod of farewell to her.

The Artemis familia left that morning, leaving the inn more peaceful. She refused Kanata’s offer to move to another room since she insisted on taking care of him since he was still weakened. On Kanata’s fifth day into recovery, she judged him well enough to travel. She was impressed with ability recover his strength, she knew other adventurers that would be confined to bed for months if that happened to them.

Two weeks later they quickly slipped through the gates of the city. They didn’t head to their respective familia homes, but were instructed by Shakti Varna herself to head straight to Babel.

“Ghost, Perseus.”

They both turned around, surprised when a cloaked figure appeared behind them at  private room in Babel.

“I am Lord Ouranos’ agent.” The cloaked being replied. “You may call me Fels.”

“You’re here for our report?” She asked.

“No.” The being replied. “I am here for your rewards. Follow.”

They followed the mysterious cloaked figure, as she exchanged confused glances with Kanata. By now she was an expert of reading his body language even through his helmet. They followed Fels through a series of corridors, where the pleasant wooden panel walls and the brightly lit corridors turned to heavy stone walls and dim lighting.

“These parts used to be a prison. It is now one of our vaults.” Fels informed them, as the figure seemingly read their mind. It opened a door and revealed the vast of treasure, equipment and rare loot contents inside.

“You may choose 3 items to bring out of the room. Only one of each item classification.” Fels informed them before the figure moved to the side to let them in. “Take as much time as you wish.”

Kanata had even removed his helmet to look more closely at the items in display. She was excited as she identified artifacts that were clearly made with a power similar to her own.

[

Kanata Rivington

Grimoires.

Rows and rows of grimoires, containing a variety of spells. He looked to the descriptions in cards written above each book and began to browse for his preference. He walked around, overwhelmed by the possibilities as names of spells and their descriptions flashed in his mind.

“Would you care for some assistance?”

He jumped back, startled at the appearance of Fels and his or her otherworldly voice.

“I apologize.” Fels gave a short bow. “I sensed you were having difficulty at what grimoire to choose.”

“I initially accepted the quest with the Hermes familia to earn enough valis to but one of these.” He explained. “I’m just surprised that my projected timeline of acquiring a grimoire has shortened from a few years of hunting and selling monster drops and stones to this.”

“Yes, I can see that could be overwhelming.” The hooded figure nodded. “Allow me to help you then. You must have some idea of what spell you are looking to acquire?”

“I need something that gives me range. Preferably a short chant, and goes well with my ability.”

“Yes, your light element magic.” Fels replied.

“You know about me?” He asked.

“We have been keeping an eye on you since you since the incident with irregular infant dragon.” Fels answered as he led him to a bookshelf in the other end of the room. A skeletal hand pulled a grimoire from the shelf and presented it to him.

“Lumine Impetum, it is a short chant spell with light elemental magic with exceptional range and attack power.” Fels explained. “It has been gathering dust for hundreds of years. I believe this will be suited to your needs.”

“This… this is perfect.” He whispered as he read the description on the book.

“Excellent, now for your next two items?”

He looked around the room and thought of what else that he needed to supplement his abilities for the dungeon. He remembered the difficulties he encountered during their quest to seal Antares and decided to try his luck. “I supposed you have a device or an artifact that can enhance my vision in the darkness?”

“I am beginning to see now what you have in mind.” He wasn’t sure, but it sounded like the robed figure was amused for some reason.

“This will suit you well.” Fels said as he lifted a thin band made of glass. I believe this is perfect for your current helmet design. If you will permit me?”

He looked at the helmet tucked under his arm and handed it to his guide. The skeletal hands carefully placed the artifact inside his helmet and it briefly emitted an orange light before he heard a snap. He looked inside and noticed that the thin band of glass was attached to his visor as if it was fused directly with Tsubaki’s work. 

“It can be easily removed and attached to other helmet designs.” Fels added. “Why don’t you try it on?”

He put on the helmet and looked around in delight. What was once a dim room was bright and clear with a slight tinge of green tint.

“Remarkable.” He whispered. With this he knew would no longer have any issues with regards to monsters hiding in dark for ambushes.

He looked around the room once more, looking for anything else he might use. He walked around a corner and nearly ran into a mannequin. He paused for a moment and ignored the armor it had on, and focused on the large dark grey cloak that hung from its shoulders.

“Is something amusing?” He asked when he heard chuckles from the skeleton. Even the laughter sounded unnatural to his ears.

“Forgive me. I’m just amazed and also amused on how you run into these situations. You want to know more about the cloak?”

“Yes please.”

“Very well. This cloak is made of an irregular goliath. It’s also known as a black goliath.”

“Floor bosses can become irregulars?” He didn’t know monster rex were capable of that. They were already too powerful from his experience.

“Anything can happen in the dungeon under the right circumstances.” Fels answered. “The only certainty is that the dungeon will always surprise you.”

“That’s true. The dungeon tends to show its true nature when we’re at our most vulnerable state. It always lulls you into a false sense of security until it finds a weakness to exploit.”

“Spoken like one who has survived numerous dangers in the dungeon. I hope you would not be too overconfident with your new abilities and items?” Fels asked.

“Not one bit.”

“Then I’ll explain the properties of the cloak. It’s extremely durable with strong defensive properties. With its magic resistance, it is comparable to a salamander wool cloak in terms of heat resistance. Would you like to take this as your final item reward?”

“I do.” He replied and carefully removed the cloak from the mannequin. Seeing he was still wearing his tattered gray cloak, he removed it and quickly placed the cloak over his armor. It was far larger than he preferred and took it off again.

“I’m done, thank you for your help Fels. I appreciate it.” He said to the robed skeleton.

“You’re welcome, Ghost.” Fels replied. “It seems your companion is not yet finished with her selection. I suggest you wait outside while I help her.”

It had been a few minutes but Asfi had not yet appeared through the door. He spotted a stone bench and decided to read the grimoire, since he was excited to learn a new ability. As soon as he opened the book and started reading the first page, he forgot everything else and blacked out.

“Kanata! Kanata! Wake up!”

He woke up and spotted Asfi looking over him. He sat up and looked around and noticed their guide Fels was standing by the entrance to the vault.

“You really couldn’t wait with that grimoire?” Asfi asked.

“I believe it was a wise decision. The grimoire that he held was extremely fragile due to its age as well as expensive.  I would be concerned if he risked bringing it out into the city streets without adequate preparations.”

“What’s done is done.” Asfi replied. “Thank you for your assistance, Fels.”

“You’re welcome, Perseus.” Fels replied. They both watched as the robed figure melted into the shadows.

He watched Fels’ disappearance and he had to admit it had a certain cool factor. He wondered if he could do the same when he was rudely interrupted.

“Don’t.” Asfi replied with a huff.

“What? You don’t even know what I’m thinking.” He replied.

“I’ve been your partner for nearly six months.” Asfi replied. “Of course I know what you’re thinking.”

“You have to admit it did look cool.” He replied. His form started to vanish after a whispered word when his level 4 friend smacked him at the side of his head, breaking the enchantment.

“I said don’t.” Asfi warned. “If you start doing that again I swear I won’t save you the next time you’re trapped by a pack of amazons.”

He shivered at the memory of the incident. They were on route to meet up with Artemis and stopped by a town that had plenty of amazons wandering around. He was thankful for Asfi’s intervention or he wouldn’t have survived with his dignity and sanity intact.

They soon reached the base of the tower and realized that the sun had just set.

“This is it. I’ll see you again Kanata?” Asfi asked as she turned to face him.

“Of course. I’ll be sure to visit from time to time.” He replied as he removed his helmet to show her how serious he was. “You were a great partner for the extended mission.”

“You as well.” He was surprised for a moment when Asfi unexpectedly leaned in and gave him a quick hug. He knew she wasn’t much of a hugger like he was. He responded by hugging her back in turn as the contact lasted for a few more seconds. “If there are more long duration missions I’ll be sure to ask you first.”

“And I’ll try to make time of you need me.” He replied.

The captain of the Hermes familia gave him a smile and flew through the air.

“Show off!” He called out. His form vanished as he activated enchantment, it wouldn’t do for his partner to be the only one with a cool exit.

He marveled at the sights his new night vision ability afforded him. There were no shadows, he could clearly see adventurers hiding and lurking in the darkened alleys as he made his way through the streets to his familia home. A flicker of movement caught his attention and saw a pair of Ganesha familia members conducting their patrol among the roofs.

Before long he finally reached Twilight manor and he removed his enchantment once he reached the shadows of a nearby building across the street. He wondered how long it would take for his familia members to spot him and it and he nearly laughed when they jumped up in surprise when they spotted him walking across the street.

“By the goddess! Who is that?” A guard shouted.

“Sound the alarm… wait! Hey it’s Kanata!” A second guard called out.

“What are you doing scaring us like that?” The first guard complained as he opened the gate.

“I was just trying to see how long it would take for you to spot me. Your reaction time is pretty fast.” He replied as he removed his helmet briefly so he can be properly identified.

“Good to have you back Kanata.” The second guard added. “Go on, dinner should have just started. There are a few new faces that you will see. We just finished another recruitment drive.”

“Rookies?” He asked.

“Yup, but they didn’t start unblessed like you. A pair of level 2s I think, girls that transferred from another familia.”

“I see. I’ll head on inside. Thank you for the welcome.” He waved as he passed the guard house.

He opened the heavy wooden door and intended to head to his shared room with Raul when someone spotted him from the corridor leading to the dining hall.

“Hey look who is back!” Tiona shouted attracting the attention of the familia. He was quickly dragged into view and spotted his familia happily eating dinner. He was greeted by his familia members and he responded by raising a hand to wave back.

At the head of the hall were the table for Loki and the executives, he saw his captain was staring at him with a smile and a wave of greeting. He gave then head table a nod and headed to a vacant seat at the table with the second string members. He took off his helmet and set it on the ground while he stared at the array of dishes, wondering what he should pick first.

He had speared a roasted bird and was happily digging in to his meal when he noticed most of the table was staring at him. He swallowed what he was chewing and looked around. “Is there something on my face?”

“Nothing. It’s just that you’ve been gone for so long. A few of us were getting worried despite the captain’s assurances.” Anakitty replied.

“Thank you, but you didn’t have to worry.” He replied and resumed eating. He didn’t realize how famished he was. He could sense people were still staring at him but he ignored them and focused on his meal.

He was nearly finished when he noticed that two new faces were looking at him across the table. Two girls, an elf with brown hair and a girl with red hair. They quickly looked away when they noticed he was staring back and quickly whispered to Elfy.

“Hah! I won!” Anakitty replied when she leaned over to listen to the whispers.

“It’s not fair!” Elfy complained. The two new girls quickly blushed and stared at their laps.

“Hey Raul.” He greeted his roommate and former trainer. “Sorry for not greeting you earlier, I didn’t realize I was that hungry.”

“It’s no problem Kanata.” Raul replied. “You look good.”

“I do?” He asked. “You don’t have to mess with me. I know I look like a mess with how long I’ve been on the road.”

“I’m not sure about that.” Elfy replied. He noticed she was staring at him intently. “You look more… mature. Rugged and manly.”

“That’s funny.” He replied in a dry tone at Elfy’s joke. “What was the bet for?”

“We had a bet about who the rookies will express interest first on the second string table.” Elfy replied. “I thought they would ask about Arcs, but then someone unexpectedly turned up and stole the show.”

“Your faith was just weak, Elfy. True K-fans do not waver.” Anakitty proclaimed.

“What are K-fans?” He asked.

“Oh… look at the time. IbettergoseeyagoodtohaveyoubackKanata!” Anakitty vanished from the table and looked at Raul for some form of explanation.

“You don’t want to know.” Raul replied to his questioning gaze. It was good to be back, but his familia could get really weird sometimes. He looked up and noticed that Loki was missing from the head table. He wondered where she was, she was usually present for every evening meal with the familia. He could have sword he had seen her seated at the center when he arrived.

“Kanata!”

He heard his goddess voice from between his legs. Loki appeared from under the table and tackled him off his seat to the ground. “I missed you!!! No more long term secret missions in some far away and dangerous place, okay?”

“Thank you goddess.” He replied to her hair as she hugged him tightly. “But you do know what you said was just meant for you and the captain right?”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about that. Don’t worry though, our familia aren’t tattletales!” Loki laughed as she sat up on his legs. “Ready for an update later?”

“Yes goddess.”

“Good.” Loki replied. “Come up to Finn’s office when you’re finished settling down. I want to hear it all.”

He really missed the large baths of his familia home. The hot water relaxed his tired muscles and joints, weary from the weeks of travel. Travelling carts had notorious suspensions and he could feel every bump and pothole on the dirt packed road. He knew if he didn’t have a falna he wouldn’t be able to walk due to the amount of vibration his body experienced for weeks of constant travel.

He traveled to the familiar carpeted hallway and knocked on his captain’s door. He was expecting Loki and the three executives to be present, but he was surprised to see the rest of the level 5s sitting inside the room.

“There have been some changes in the structure of the familia while you were gone.” Finn answered his unasked question. “Ais, Tiona, Tione and Bete are now executives of the familia.

“Congratulations.” He said to the group.

“Hey Kanata!” Tione greeted him. “Come sit beside us!”

“Let the man choose where he wants to sit.” Bete replied. The werewolf turned his gaze at him with curious eyes. “How have you been Ghost? You looked to be growing up fast.”

“Did I really change that much?” He asked.

“You’re losing some of that baby fat.” Riveria observed from her seat. “That’s why many of the familia were staring at you. They were just surprised.”

“Kanata.” He looked over and saw Ais was patting a seat beside her on the couch. He move to sit beside the blonde girl and gave her a friendly greeting.

“So tell me the whole story. Include all details okay?” Loki asked.

“Yes goddess.” He replied and turned to the executives who were patiently waiting for his story.

“It began when I realized that I needed to earn more valis so that I could purchase a grimoire.”

“What for?” Tiona asked. “Your magic is already plenty strong and useful.”

“I needed an option for a range attack. I theorized if I combine my cloaking spell with a range attack, it will be effective in the dungeon. I believe it will help me against flying monsters or for ambushes against stronger monsters or even a floor boss.”

“I see the merit in your idea.” Finn added.

“This is when the goddess suggested I accept an offer from the guild for a long term quest. The reward was worth enough valis that would take years of effort. I couldn’t ignore the opportunity if I wanted to increase my offensive capabilities.”

“So why did the guild ask for you specifically?” Riveria asked.

“They requested it for Lord Hermes behalf. More specifically, it was Perseus who wanted me to accompany her. We worked together briefly in the recent Rakia invasion.”

“She wanted your scouting abilities.” Gareth observed.

“Yes. It was then after the briefing that I learned about our mission, to locate the Artemis familia and provide assistance in their time sensitive mission.”

“Artemis familia?” Tione asked. “Aren’t they a man hating familia that hunts surface monsters all over the continent?”

“They are, and initially I was not given a warm welcome by their goddess and their familia.”

“That bitch.”He heard Loki mutter and continued.

“Artemis reported that one of the ancient monsters was trying to break loose from its seal. It was a monster even older than the three great quests since this monster didn’t even originate from the dungeon.”

“What monster was it?” Finn leaned forward in interest.

He looked around and noticed the whole room was hanging on his every word.

“It was Antares, an ancient monster born of chaos and darkness. It was sealed thousands of years ago.” He replied.

“There’s a reason I didn’t tell you this part Finn.” Loki suddenly spoke up. “If you knew of this monster’s existence, you would be tempted to face it yourself.”

“The Artemis familia are at best, a medium size familia with a level 3 captain.” Finn replied. “I believe a squad of our second string would still eclipse them in strength. I don’t see why they were asked by the guild to face this threat and not our familia.”

“She’s the goddess of the hunt for a reason.” Loki answered as she rolled her eyes. “Artemis has this spear that’s deadly to any monster it hits. One hit, and that’s it. It’s forged in the heavens and only she can wield its strength without using her divine power.”

“I see.” Finn replied. He noticed his captain did not look satisfied with the answer.

“She’s uniquely suited to face this threat, but her familia that supports her lacked the strength. I believe part of it is due to her aversion to men.” He continued.  

“That bitch kicks out girls that fall in love with men, even if they show potential and talent.”  Loki remarked.

“Artemis led us to the abandoned world in the southern end of the continent. She sensed Antares was imprisoned there.”

“That’s a dangerous place for adventurers.” Riveria commented. “I even heard stories of entire familias heading in and being swallowed by the mist, never to come out.”

“There were dangerous monsters in those ruins. I constantly patrolled at night to keep the camp safe. I killed some monsters as powerful as spartoi or barbarians every night while we travelled.” Only Asfi knew why he patrolled their camp every night during their incursion into the abandoned world. As far as he knew the girls of the Artemis familia did not suspect what was going on.

“It was a week inside the abandoned world that we were first ambushed by monsters spawned by Antares. Hundreds of level 2 or 3 scorpion monsters whose poison was potent enough that normal antidotes or healing spells didn’t work.”

“So you acted as both a front line fighter and a healer?” Riveria asked.

“Yes, only my healing abilities could counter the poison produced by creatures of darkness.” He answered. “We were attacked constantly as we headed deeper into the city. Artemis finally located the entrance to the prison. It was a long underground tunnel leading to vast chamber under the city center.”

“What happened next?” Tiona asked.

“I was the scout, so I entered first, followed by Perseus, Rethusa and Artemis. The monster must have sensed the presence of divinity since it quickly separated us from the rest of the familia. We got trapped in that tunnel while monsters ambushed us.”

“That’s not good. How long did you fight through the tunnel?” Finn asked.

“I lost track of time, the tunnel seemed endless, and the scorpions kept on attacking. We pushed through, and as we neared the end of it, Perseus threw a device that she personally crafted and that caused a massive explosion that wiped out the monsters in the entire tunnel as well as the elite guards guarding the chamber. I used my shield spell to protect us from the explosion.”

“What was in the chamber?” Bete asked.

“A large nest and Antares’ prison. We finally saw the seal structure, and the monster trapped within it.” He took out his sketches from his satchel and passed it to Loki.

“That’s creepy.” Loki commented when she saw the sketch and quickly passed it to Finn.

“Its tail was partially free from the seals. We observed that the tail was giving birth to eggs in large batches and was working to weaken its seal by spreading its influence around. You can see that in the sketches.”

“So Artemis used her spear and then problem solved?” Loki asked.

“If only we were that lucky. No, she sensed the power of Antares and realized she needed to use the full destructive power of her spear, and to do that she needed to use her divine powers.”

“Then that would mean…” Riveria whispered. “That would mean she was prepared to sacrifice herself to destroy this monster.”

“She was, until I suggested I give her a boost first of her strongest attack with the spear that did not require her unleashing her arcanum.”

“What boost?” Finn asked and he notice him lean forward in interest.

“Kanata through his enchantment magic posses the ability that can temporarily increase the magical abilities of the recipient to their maximum potential of their current level. We already tested it with Ais’ Ariel.” Riveria reported.

“Wow Kanata, I didn’t realize you’re capable of buffing people’s abilties!” Tiona exclaimed. “We should head to the dungeon tomorrow! I want to see that ability in action!”

“I buffed the spear and Artemis and used up all my mind and then some.” He shared as memories of the event flashed through his head. “I woke up a week later, back in the town we came from.” 

“So you killed it then with Artemis?” Finn asked.

“Not kill, but obliterate so that not a single shred or aspect of the monster remained, that’s what Artemis told me when I woke up. Every aspect of Antares was destroyed, erased from existence and giving him no chance to reform and wreak havoc again. Artemis invited me to visit her sister Athena, but we had to decline.” He replied. “Afterwards it took me another week that I could finally stand up without getting dizzy. We parted ways with their familia after that. While we made our way home, we continued to complete minor quests until we reached Orario.”

“So how much was your reward?” Finn asked.

“I got a grimoire as a reward from the guild.” He answered with a smile.

“Wait what?”

“Hey that’s unfair! I want a grimoire reward too!”

“So what type of Grimoire did you get?” Riveria asked. “Do you need help in absorbing it?”

“You will see once Loki updates my status. I already used the grimoire.” He replied.

“Well hurry up then! Get off your shirt!” Loki ordered.

“Right here goddess?” He asked.

“You’re a man aren’t you?” Loki asked.

He shrugged and removed his shirt and turned his torso so that he was facing Ais while his back faced Loki.

“Kanata.” The blonde eyed his torso and stared straight at his face. “You grew up.”

“You too Ais.” He replied.

“WOW! Kanata just wow! Hahahahaha!” Loki laughed as she waved a paper that contained his status. He noticed that Finn immediately snatched it from her fingers. He didn’t even see his captain move from his chair.

[

Kanata Rivington

Level  3>4

STR-- G 302 > B 783

END --F 443 > S 904

DEX –G 332 > B 722

AGI  -- F 463 > A 894

MAG – F 497 > SS 1029

Skills:

Eidetikos Memoria (Essence Memory) (passive)

Ability to remember and recall visual information with exceptional clarity and accuracy, as if the image were still present before one’s eyes. 

Voluntas Indomita (Indomitable Will) (passive)

Extraordinary capacity to persevere in the face of adversity. Resistance to charms and mind manipulation.

Spells:

Validus (Enchantment) (short chant)

Ability to wield light element enchantment.

Lumine Impetum (short chant spell - Lux)

Releases a single lance of light element energy

Developmetal Abilities:

Spirit Healing F

Strong Defense G

Supreme Light H

[

“What is it? Did I get a good boost in excelia?” He asked as he put on his shirt. As his head poked through the hole of his shirt, he noticed everyone else had abandoned their seats. He turned around and saw them clustered around Finn, their faces squished together as they all tried to read his status all at the same time.

“No.” Finn replied in a strange tone. “You leveled up to 4.”

“But it’s been barely 9 months since I reached level 3.” He replied. He knew his captain was just joking.

“What did you do again when you reached level 3?” Bete asked, his eyes refusing to leave the paper.

“I agreed to accompany Tsubaki while she faced Udaeus solo, on the condition I take the lead going there.”

“Go on.” Tione replied.

“So I defeated the Green dragon on the tree labyrinth. It’s more dangerous than the Goliath by the way.”

“Okay.” Ais replied as she nodded her head.

“Fought my way down until we reached Udaeus. I took care of the spartoi summons while Tsubaki faced Udaeus.”

“That’s stupid but okay.” Tiona replied.

“I healed Tsubaki from her injuries. I then fought all the way back to the surface. I also healed Anakitty from that strange poison when I met her group in the twenty-eighth floor.”

“What else?” “Gareth asked.

“I went down the thirty-seventh floor solo to hunt for drops, since they have better prices and I did that for a month when I first tried to earn enough money for a grimoire.”

“Continue.”Finn ordered.

“Joined up with Perseus and encountered a bunch of different quests for six months. You already know about Antares and our expedition to the abandoned world. That’s basically it.”

“I see.”Riveria nodded her head.

There was an awkward silence in the office as they all stared at him with narrowed eyes.

“You’re nuts.” Riveria stated, breaking the awkward silence inside the office.

 “No wonder you broke through!”  Gareth shook his head.

“He constantly exercises every morning to see if there are improvements from the previous update.” Finn added.

“That’s it! Kanata! Show me your training routine in the morning! I’ll do mine in the evening!” Bete demanded. “I won’t let this brat catch up to me!”

“That brat is as tall as you.” Tione pointed out.

“Don’t care!” Bete snapped. “He’s still a brat!”

“Hey. Hey.” He looked to the side to see Ais staring at him as she tugged on his shirt. “You’re my supporter tomorrow. Be early.”

The sword princess went to the door, but before she left, she turned around and gave him what he thought was her attempt at intimidation by narrowing her eyes.

“Executive’s order.” The blonde girl stated with a nod before she turned around and left.

“Did Ais just pull rank on Kanata?” Tiona asked.

He watched as Loki leaned back in her chair and enjoyed the ruckus made by the executives.  

[

Tsubaki Collbrande

She focused on the ingot, carefully hammering it into shape. It had taken many months of experimentation and testing, but she finally found the proper ratio to use the materials from Udaeus’ black sword into her new personal weapon. It would be the rebirth of Benishigure.

In a way, she was glad for her personal project, since it kept her busy for weeks. It also allowed her to focus on something else while Kanata was on a long term mission.

He was now back and appeared in her workshop within a week of returning in Orario. Her friend and client even brought gifts, rare materials and monster drops from the places he visited around the continent. She smiled, Kanata really knew her well.

It was painfully slow and a challenging process to turn Udaeus’ black sword into a useful billet. She doubted she would be able to do it alone as a level 5, but once she reached level 6 it became easier.

There was a knock on her door but she ignored it. The persistent knocking continued and then the door opened.

“Go away, I’m busy.” She called out.

“I’m sorry Tsubaki, but I’m looking for Kanata.” She recognized Tione’s voice but she continued to work on the billet and refused to turn around.

“Why do you think he’s here?” She asked.

“You’re close with him, so we figured he might come here.” This time she heard Tiona’s voice.

“Well he’s not here in my forge. So go away!” She yelled. “And close the door behind you!”

“Sorry Tsubaki!”

She continued hammering the billet for a few more minutes until she was satisfied with its shape. She placed it to the side to cool down and placed a new billet to the forge to heat it up. The alloy that was made up of Udaeus black sword took hours to heat up properly before she could work on them. She knew her order of coal had now surpassed the budget for her food with rate of consumption she had.

“They’re gone.” She called out.

“Thanks for covering for me Tsubaki.” Kanata called out from where he hid in her private room above the workshop

“I didn’t technically lie to them. You were hiding on my bed, not in the forge.” She replied. “What did you do stir them into a frenzy?”

“They were present when Loki updated my status. I reached level 4.”

“You what?” She stared at her friend and lover in confusion.

“I said I’m level 4 now.” He repeated again.

“Yeah, that was their reaction as well.” Her lover added.

“Congratulations!” She swept him into a tight hug that was quickly retuned. “How did you do it?”

“Our adventure together at the start with Udaeus gave me a big boost.” He answered. “The rest, well you know almost all of it.”

“How much do you still need?” She asked. She could offer him a loan, but she knew he wouldn’t accept it anyway.

“I don’t need to earn that much anymore. The guild reward was more than enough.” Kanata replied with a smile and showed an empty but ancient looking book.

“You already absorbed the grimoire? Tell me!” She demanded.

“It’s a light attack based magic spell with a short chant.” He replied.

“Can you show it to me here?”

“No, I still can’t control its strength. The penetrating power is overwhelming.” Kanata revealed.

“That makes me even more curious.” She was intrigued at Kanata’s new spell for him to use those typed of words. Her lover wasn’t a man prone to exaggeration.

“I want to show you something else.” Kanata offered his helmet to her and she looked up at him in confusion. “Put it on and you will see.”

She shrugged and put on the helmet. She breathed in, taking in Kanata’s unique and familiar scent. She looked around her workshop and realized it was bright. Too bright. There was even a slight tinge of green in her now enhanced vision.

“Is this…?”

“An enchanted lens that allows me to see in darkness? It is.” Kanata replied. “It’s easily detachable. You can see how it attached to the visor.”

She quickly removed the helmet and peered inside her work. She noticed it immediately as she caressed its surface.

“It’s part of the reward from the guild from the quest I accomplished.” Kanata replied. “This is the last part of the reward. Here take a look.”

A dark gray , almost charcoal in color cloak was placed on the table. She stood up and touched the material. She couldn’t recognize it but she knew it was made from some type of hide. It was too soft and flexible for it to be from a dragon. That was the reason those hides were used for lining of armor and equipment and not clothing themselves. They were too uncomfortable to wear on skin.

“I was told it was made from the drop item of an irregular goliath.” Kanata continued. “The cloak’s a bit large for my tastes and I prefer a more streamlined and minimal one like your original design. Do you think we can use this material? I’d prefer if you use it as additional armor for yourself.”

“There’s more than enough material here for that.” She replied. “Are you sure you want to do that Kanata? This material is extremely rare.”

“I can’t think of a better use of this material than to protect you.” Kanata was staring at her again with that sincerity.

“What do you have in mind?” She asked.

“If there are enough materials left, perhaps a vest?” He suggested. “Gloves, leggings, even a whole set for you as some sort of battle outfit. Something that’s appropriate for you since you dislike wearing armor.”

“Perhaps.” She mused. “Or maybe you want a design that is something more… revealing?”

She saw his eyes immediately flick towards her bountiful chest. It was a characteristic of her body she once found annoying as it hindered her when she worked. Now though, she really enjoyed having assets that easily claims Kanata’s attention with barely any effort. She slowly unwrapped the white cloth that bound her breasts, her eye staring straight at her lover and watching intently for his reaction. She saw him lick his lips once she felt the air cares her hard nipples and moved closer to him.

“Let’s go to bed Kanata. I have yet to see the stamina of a level 4.”

[

Kanata Rivington

Reaching level 4 was more problematic than he anticipated. His recent level up once again caused Finn to reorganize their teams and handed command of a team that included the two rookies over to him.

“It’s for training.” Finn replied once they met at his office. “You have more responsibilities in the familia as a new level 4. More of our familia will look up to you for leadership and guidance. This assignment is to prepare you for that.”

“It will cut down on my training.” He replied.

“It’s only for a month.” Finn looked unusually happy as he piled on more paperwork into his hands. “These are guild request forms, requisition forms from our quarter master. Here is the required quota and the projected profits. Here’s a list of preferred buyers from our dungeon harvest. You can pass by the guild to see if there are quests that’s suited to what you need.”

“Is that all captain?” He asked as he held the stack of papers.

“One last thing.” His captain’s smile vanished as he became serious for a moment. “I heard from Loki that the Freya familia will conduct a few expeditions in the dungeon. Just be prepared for them in case they try anything. We won’t look for fights, but we don’t back down if we’re challenged.”

“I understand captain. I’ll keep an eye out for my team.”

He turned around and headed to his newly assigned room and began to review the documents. He first checked on the line up of his team, and quickly memorized their names. He began to write notes on a separate piece of paper of what he remembered were the characteristics of each of his team members.  

An hour later he submitted the required paperwork to the guild while they were still open and hurried over to collect the supplies from the familia quartermaster. The old dwarf happily taught him the ropes and he appreciated the kind gesture by giving the old dwarf a bottle of wine from the vineyards of Solingen. He acquired the small crate of bottles as a token of gratitude from a merchant that he and Asfi rescued from an ambush from bandits.

Judging by the delighted look on the dwarf’ face, he knew he made the right decision.

“Keep safe Kanata!” The old dwarf called out as he left.

He exited the yard and spotted the group of five adventurer that he would lead. Thankfully Finn placed Orba in his team, and he knew the beast man to be competent and serious in his tasks. The shy Rakta was also part of the team along with Elffy to act as their mage. The new members, Cynthia, the elf would act as their healer while Sharon, red headed human teen was reported to be good with a bow and daggers.

The newly formed group had gathered in a circle as they talked with one another. Around the yard several other teams did the same as they familiarized themselves with the reshuffling. He realized he was the only team leader present and quickly headed to his team to get a head start.

“Who do you think our team leader will be?” He heard Elffy ask aloud. “I hope it’s Anakitty.”

“It’s going to be me.” He replied, causing the girl to jump up in fright.

“Don’t do that Kanata!” Elffy pointed at him with an accusing finger. “You don’t have to act like a Ghost all the time you know!”

He ignored the mage amidst the laughter and addressed his new team while he removed his helmet to so that they could see how serious he was. They noticed him staring and quickly fell silent staring at him.

“We’re the newly formed team 6. I will be leading this unit.” He stated. “Orba will be second in command. If I’m not present, listen to him. Elffy, you’re our mage. Rakta, I look forward to working with you.”

The bunny girl immediately blushed as he addressed her directly.

“Cynthia, Sharon, I know you’re rookies to the familia, but you’re experienced enough to know the dangers of the dungeon. Do not underestimate the dungeon. That’s my only rule in this team. Do you understand?”

“Yes team leader!” They all yelled out, catching the attention of the other groups waiting for their team leaders.

“Just call me Kanata, or Ghost. Let’s head out. You’re on point Sharon, I want to see how you fight.” He ordered. He was not used to addressing a crowd and giving speeches, but he forced himself anyway to fulfill his role.

“Yes Kanata!” The redhead replied.

“Then lead the way.” He replied as he put on his helmet.

They soon reached the upper floors, and he watched Sharon’s performance closely. She only hesitated when they reached the tenth floor as the mist started to thicken.

“Don’t be too nervous. Focus on your other senses if your vision is limited.” He suggested to the rookies. He didn’t have to step in even once as they traveled down the middle floors. They took a short lunch at the eighteenth floor before they continued to their target floor, the twenty-eight rest point.

It was a favorite camping ground location for many of the larger and more powerful familia due to its location. Just past the water city floors, it provided a reasonable jump off point to the deep forest ravine and the deep floors.

They quickly made camp and prepared for the night. He assigned a schedule for guarding the camp, and decided to choose the least desired shift for himself to help his team rest better. It had been a challenging descent for a few of them.

“We should be able to hunt a good amount today.” He remarked as they headed to the deeper floors. “We’re early compared to the other teams.”

“The fifty bloodsaurus stones and its occasional drop of hide will make this profitable.” Orba agreed as they reviewed the quota Finn set for their team. “Anything else is just a bonus.”

He and Orba stood at the front to act as tanks. He assigned Rakta act as their back up and had Sharon and Elffy act as their range support. Cynthia stood with them as the team healer.

Their first bloodaurus stood a little over thirteen feet. It immediately charged towards them and decided to see what his team was capable of. “Get ready!”

He and Orba faced the monster head on and attracted it attention. They easily avoided its snapping jaws, since both of them were level 4s. The bloodsaurus was a monster comparable with a level 3 adventurer’s strength and they both didn’t have a problem avoiding its attacks or tanking the tail swipe when necessary.

Arrows from Sharon hit the monster’s neck, and it was quickly followed by a streak of light from Elffy’s spell. He noticed before that Elffy, their level 3 mage had unusually powerful spells for her level. He was not surprised when the single spell was enough to take the monster down.

“Come here Sharon, Cynthia.” He called out. “I’ll show you how to quickly get a monster stone.”

He explained the trick Tione showed with before when acted as her supporter. With a suitable long dagger and the right spot between its third and fourth rib, he could easily retrieve its stone and pop it out as long as he was careful.

“The flick is the hardest.” He explained. With a deft twist to his wrist, his blade dug out the monster stone and it was released with a short pop. The monster’s corpse immediately dissolved right after that.

“We got its hide as a drop too.” Obbar reported. “Lucky.”

“Forty-nine more to go.” Elffy added with excitement.

They were able to hunt eight more bloodsaurus and picked up another drop item. As the lights in the dungeon darkened they returned to the twenty-eighth floor to their original camp.

“We’ll take shifts the next time we go.” He informed the team once they were having dinner. “Obbar will lead the first squad, while I remain here with the second squad to guard our camp and loot.”

As everyone nodded in agreement he handed out the roster under the two teams. With Obbar, he decided to assign Rakta and Cynthia. That left him with Sharon and Elffy.

“It’s a good roster.” Obbar remarked as the beast man reviewed the list. “This way, we both have healers in our squads.”

“Try to encourage Cynthia to act as your range support. I know she has an offensive spell with her.” He suggested.

“Understood.” Orbba nodded in agreement.

Their hunts continued the next day, and they were well over half of the required quota when he spotted Raul’s team heading in their direction.

“Kanata! Mind if we take a break here?” Raul asked once they reached our camp.

“Head right in and take a break. What took you so long?” He asked. “He had expected some friendly competition between them to act as motivation, and that was the reason he pushed for his team to travel so quickly to reach the twenty-eight floor.

“Someone forgot to file their papers on time.” Anakitty complained. The rest of his team looked pissed as well, judging from their annoyed faces.

“They were closed when I arrived there.” He saw Raul rubbed the back of his head in shame. “I had to wait for them to open the next morning.”

“You might as well pitch your tents here and there’s still plenty of space available. We’re nearly finished with our quota, and I believe we will be finished in the next few days.”

“Thanks Kanata.” Raul sighed and headed inside the camp. He gave nods of greetings to his fellow familia members as they followed their leader inside carrying their own supplies.

They had killed fifty of the bloodsaurus, but his squad of three decided to continue their shift to maximize their profits. While Orbba guarded their now larger camp, he continued hunting down the dinosaur-like monsters with the two girls who were proving to be good at teamwork. Sharon’s skill with a bow and a melee weapon convinced Elffy she would be protected while she completed her magical spell chants.

Sharon trusted him and Elffy to watch to protect her back from flanking attacks and their efficiency increased due to their newfound synergy. This time though they were ambushed by a large group of bloosaurus, unusual for a monster that always attacked alone.

“Elffy!” He called the mage’s name and blocked the tail of a bloodsaurus who tried to flank him. His sword pierced its neck and he quickly moved to cover Sharon who was nearly bitten by a smaller bloodsaurus that moved to attack from her blind spot. Its jaws met his shield, and a quick thrust of his sword pierced its head from underneath its jaw.

Their mage finally finished her incantation and unleashed a firestorm around them. The remaining bloodsaurus that ambushed their squad roared in agony as they slowly fell to the ground one after the other.

“What do you think? Pretty good if I say so myself?” Elffy turned around to give him a wink. His eyes widened in surprise when he spotted a shadow that suddenly loomed over her. He could see her face twist in fear and horror as a large bloodsaurus was about to bite her head.

“Lux!” He whispered and held out his right hand. A beam of light lanced out from his palm and struck the bloodsaurus right in the center of its head, causing it to explode in a shower of blood. He quickly looked around for more threats and lowered his weapons when he realized the bloodsaurus were all killed.

“Shit. Thank you Kanata.” Elffy whispered.

“You’re welcome. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He replied. That was too close for comfort. He decided to cut their shift short and it looked like Elffy needed to take a break due to the close call.

“We’re done here. Let’s head back to camp after we harvest these.” He gestured to the eight bloodsaurus bodies on the ground. “I’ll keep watch so you don’t have to worry.”

“Thank you Kanata.” Sharon replied and quickly removed her dagger and approached the nearest corpse. He moved closer to the pair, and kept watch as they moved from corpse to corpse.

They were back in the twenty-eight floor when he spotted a commotion in their camp. He led his squad quickly to the familiar clearing, and his eyes narrowed at what he saw. A group of Freya familia adventurers were standing outside their camp, their numbers twice than theirs even if they included Raul’s group.

He quickly made a gesture for the two girls to remain silent and stay at their current location behind him and slowly vanished from view as his enchantment magic activated with a whisper.

[

Raul Nord

Their hunt was going well despite the initial delay. Kanata’s generous offer to share their camp saved them a half a day’s work of creating their own and as two days passed they were halfway on their quota. Kanata had chosen a good location for their camp, since it was barely a ten minute walk to the entrance to the floors below, while it maintained a good defensible position.

It was this reason that before they set out, he quickly spotted the familiar flag of the Freya familia as their members came into view, wearing their white and lilac uniforms.

“This is our spot.” He recognized this group’s leader, a level 4 half pallum named Van.

“You don’t own this spot, and we got here first.” He replied in an even tone. Around him he could sense the rest of his familia gather behind him to show their support.

“Let’s not make this into a fight.” Van smiled and he resisted the urge to punch the arrogant bastard. “You’re clearly outmatched and outclassed. I would hate this to turn into an embarrassment for your goddess, when we throw you out of the dungeon tied up and naked for the rest of Orario to see.”

He looked back at his fellow familia and received determined nods of support. With renewed courage he placed a hand on his sword, showing he was prepared to fight. “We maybe outnumbered, but we will make you pay if you try something with us.”

“Oh?” Van raised an eyebrow while the adventurers behind him laughed. “What are you going to do about it?”

“What are you going to do about it?”

He watched in surprise as an arm appeared and draped itself across the half-pallum’s shoulder. Kanata’s form in his menacing armor suddenly appeared within the Freya familia party’s ranks. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his fellow member. Another level 4 was welcome, and he knew Kanata could punch above his level when needed.

“What?” He saw Van look up in confusion, only for the expression on the half pallum’s face to shrink back when he saw his reflection on the helmet’s polished visor tiled down and staring at him from such a close distance.

“You! You’re the Ghost!” Van slapped the arm away and jumped back to his team.

He admired Kanata as his fellow level 4 merely crossed his arms, looking unbothered even if he was in the midst of a rival familia’s party members.

“Tell me, what are you going to do about it?” He heard Kanata ask again.

“I… I…” Van tried to reply, but Kanata’s intimidation tactic had clearly worked. He knew Van was caught by surprise.

“I hate for Lady Freya to be disappointed by her children’s actions.” Kanata remarked as if he was talking to himself in a calm voice as he took one step closer to Van who shrunk back to the ranks of his party members.

“You wouldn’t want that, don’t you?” Kanata once again addressed Van directly, while the rest of the Freya familia gave each other confused and worried looks.

“Fine! Keep the damn spot!” Van hissed and led his group away quickly.

“Kanata that was…” He was about to head over to his friend when Kanata raised an arm for him to stop.

He noticed Kanata was staring up in the trees that surrounded the clearing. He followed his gaze but he couldn’t see anything through the shadows caused by the thick canopy.

“Had fun?” Kanata asked out loud.

“You knew we were here along didn’t you?” He saw the Gulliver brothers step forward from the shadows that hid their presence.

He stepped back to the camp, now worried with their appearance. They were now facing four first class adventurers. Their force consisted of him, Anakitty, Orbba and Kanata as the level 4s. The rest of their teams were composed of level 3s and 2s. They could reasonably give a proper fight against a single level 5, but there are four of them at the present and these infamous brothers were known for their teamwork. 

“Nice job scaring of little Van.” One of the brothers replied as they all jumped down as one and quickly surrounded Kanata.

“But by your actions, we are obliged to respond to protect our goddess’ honor.”

“Are you protecting your familia’s reputation or your Lady Freya’s honor?” Kanata asked.

“Lady Freya’s of course.” The pallum with the massive axe replied.

“And Van will be disciplined.” Another brother added.

“But now we just want to teach you a lesson.”

“And what lesson would that be? I’m curious to know.”

They all turned around to follow the familiar voice and saw Bete squatting on top of a thick tree branch. He saw Ais, Tiona and Tione emerge from the shadows in a similar way to the Gulliver brother’s earlier appearance.

The Guilliver brothers looked surprised and stared at one another while he and the rest of the familia moved to encircle the four pallums. There was a quiet moment as everyone appeared to be preparing for combat until a voice broke the tension.

“Go.” Kanata replied calmly.

The Gulliver brothers quickly vanished without a word.

He relaxed and sighed in relief and the rest of their familia fanned out to welcome the newely arrived group.

“Thank Loki you’re here.” He said to Tione.

“Finn sent us to check on the teams.” Tione explained. “It’s a good thing we did, that could have gotten ugly.”

“I spotted another group heading away from this camp.” Bete observed. “Did they cause trouble?”

“They tried to take our camp through intimidation and their numbers.” He replied. “But Kanata suddenly appeared and scared the crap out of Van.”

“Did you see his face?” Anakitty snickered in amusement. “He looked like he saw a ghost!”

“In this instance he did!” Orbba added as he laughed.

“They were really bold this time. It’s as if they were looking for a fight.” He heard Kanata discuss the events with Tione.

Despite being rival familias, they rarely resorted to violence and only settled for intimidating glares whenever they passed each other inside the dungeon.

“This is a serious incident that could have easily led to war.” He joined the two other team leaders and added his opinion. “We need to report this incident to captain Finn.”

“What about our quotas?” Anakitty asked.

“We will help you out.” Tiona offered as she stretched her arms. “Just the bloodsaurus right? How many left?”

“Just sixteen more.” He replied. “But that’s too much. We really can stay here while you report the incident to the captain.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Tiona replied cheerfully. “I could use the workout, but I do need a suitable supporter that can keep up with me.”

The amazon turned to Kanata and without any warning she grabbed his arm and quickly dragged him with her into the lower levels.

“Let’s go Kanata!” The amazon shouted with glee and she laughed as she disappeared into the distance.

“Hey unfair! I wanted to train with him!” Tione pouted and turned to Ais. “She’s going to get into a lot of trouble, Riveria already told us to… Ais? Where did she go?”

“She ran after Tiona and Kanata.” He replied.

“That’s it! I’ll report them all to the captain for disobeying orders!” Tione fumed.

“Hey Raul, what kind of food do you have in the camp?” Bete suddenly asked. “I’m starving.”

“Hang on Bete, the others were just about to prepare some Bloodsaurus steaks when those bastards disturbed us.”

“Really? That’s awesome!” The werewolf replied, looking happy as his tail wagged behind him.

His familia was filled with eccentric personalities, but he had long accepted this fact. He couldn’t imagine being in any other familia.

[

Finn Deimne

“It could have been much worse.” Riveria spoke up once the three team leaders left the office. They had listed to the reports from the three group leaders for and quickly dismissed them, finding no fault in their actions.

He had even praised the trio for remaining calm end maintaining a cool head. Raul could have  spoken harsher, provoking Van’s party into attacking. Kanata could have attacked their party leader but refrained from doing so and merely resorted in calling their bluff with an impressive display of his ability.

Tione could have easily attacked without any thought once she saw Kanata was surrounded by the Gulliver brothers.

He was glad he picked his leaders carefully. He made a note to give them more lessons in the future.

“It could have easily escalated with one wrong move.” Gareth added.

“It could have, but it didn’t.” He replied. “But now we all know the instigators were. We just showed we won’t back down.”

“How were the new arrangements?” Riveria asked.

“Surprisingly good.” He replied. “Kanata, he’s a natural leader. I spoke with rookies and the veterans of team 6 and they have nothing but praise for his dedication to his position.”

The door opened and he turned to Loki who looked thrilled. He knew she just came back from a meeting with Freya in the guild head office to clear the air of the recent incident.

“Freya apologized.” Their goddess reported with glee. “She said some of her more excitable children needed further training and instruction. If that’s not a code word for punishment, I don’t know what is.”

“Serves them right, all that just to steal some camping ground?” Gareth snorted in disbelief. “Even we don’t do that to lesser familias. We always rely on our strength and ability.”

“And that’s what made her displeased.” Loki added. “Ottar didn’t look happy either. I don’t want to be that person when he arrives back at Folkvangr.”

“Any other news?” He asked.

“There’s supposed to be a god and his small familia from the far-east that’s planning to move here.” She replied. “Of course the guild always welcomes new gods, but they’re requesting help for this one. His familia are still young and they need a suitable escort to get here.”

“And to hear all of this news from such far away distances means messengers, and that involves the Hermes familia.” He theorized.

“You got it. Three guesses who they requested to join their captain to escort this familia back here.” Loki asked playfully.

“Too easy. They want Kanata again, don’t they?” Gareth asked.

“I don’t know what the boy fed that captain, but she requested his services again.” Loki muttered. “This long term mission is supposed to take around six months at least.”

“That’s too long.”

He ran a few plans in his head. Kanata had no problems reintegrating back to the familia after he returned from his first long term mission with the Hermes familia. While he was missed by his friends and comrades due to his prolonged absence, it only drove them to work harder in the dungeon. His two closest friends in the familia, Anakitty and Raul had reached level 4.

 Their yard was no longer quiet in the mornings due to more and more people staring their own morning exercises, in attempt to emulate his rapid growth. While their results weren’t that dramatic compared to Kanata’s, he could already see promising results from their effort.

His first stint as a team leader convinced him that he was more than ready to take up a more leading role in the future. He knew Kanata was the primary reason his familia and their rivals didn’t come to blows this time.

“What is the timeline for this mission, Loki?” He asked.

“If we agree to it, then Kanata and Perseus will set out in a month’s time. Apparently there are some minor quests they’re tasked to do along the way to the far east.”

“There’s no combat situations that you’re aware of?” He asked.

“Aside from the usual bandits and surface monsters, I don’t expect him to encounter anything remotely as dangerous compared to his last mission.” She replied. “It’s mostly deliveries of packages and messages.

“And the rewards?” He asked. Their share from Kanata’s payout was enough to secure his contribution for the next three years even as a level 4.

“This is why I even considered it. Look at these terms the guild gave me.” Loki handed out a sheet of paper containing the proposal. “Tempting isn’t it?”

His eyes widened at what he read. “Tax exemption for a year?”

“And more information about the deep zone. Complete maps of the Dragon’s Vase all the way to the fifty-ninth floor.” Loki added.

“It’s a foolish decision to deny their request then. With this…” He whispered as he again read the terms of the contract again to be sure. “We can finally breach floor 60 and surpass the Zeus familia.”

[

Asfi Al Andromeda

“Kanata! I’m glad you’re here. Have a seat and relax for a bit.” Hermes waved her mission partner over to take a seat beside her god. Kanata accepted the offer and took a chair while he removed his helmet. As expected the curious members of her familia crowded around the infamous Ghost.

She quickly gathered the sealed envelopes and tucked them beneath her coat. With her large backpack secure, she stood up and turned around and handed the other backpack to Kanata.

“It’s all in there, and I arranged a few extra rations.” She added. Kanata nodded and put on the backpack and headed to the door.

“Get back safe Asfi.” Hermes waved goodbye as they left the Hermes familia home. This time they would travel with a caravan towards their first stop, a delivery mission for a certain old farmer, what she knew to be Hermes’ close friend.

They joined the last carriage of the caravan, which was thankfully reserved for the two of them aside from some supplies. They passed the city gates quickly, their passes from the guild allowing the merchant caravan to move through, bypassing the inspection from the Ganesha gate guards.

She looked at Kanata and opened a book, daring him to say anything. Her companion pulled a sheet of paper and smiled at her before he focused on his own task. She let the silence hang and enjoyed the quiet moments. It wasn’t awkward to remain quiet around Kanata, it was one the main reasons why she asked for him again specifically.

They slept inside the carriage as it rained nearly every day during their first week. They were ambushed a few nights later by a band of goblins, but the rest of the civilians and guards did not even realize they were in danger due to the Ghost.

“Have you mastered the spell?” She asked during their seventh day. She had seen Kanata practice his spell every night when most of the caravan was asleep. The lances of light that erupted from his hand varied in power and size.

“Not quite.” Kanata replied. “It’s more difficult than it seems for such a simple spell. I have a problem controlling the strength, intensity, duration and speed of the spell. But I can use it for combat without harming my teammates.”

“To most that would mean they mastered the spell.” She observed. “But not for you, mister I have to understand every variable.”

“What about your own rewards, have you dissected the artifacts you picked?” He asked.

“Some, a few were surprisingly simple. The last one is giving me a headache.” She pulled out a silver pocket watch attached to a silver chain and handed it to Kanata.

“A simple pocket watch?” He observed the case and pushed the button. It swung open, displaying on one side the face of the watch and on the other, a silver mirror with strange runes etched around its perimeter.

“It’s supposed to be a communication tool but with a mirror attached.” Asfi explained.

“So it’s like talking to someone through a mirror?” Once again she was surprised at how Kanata was able to quickly grasp a foreign concept. It was if he grew around devices similar to this.

“Yes, how did you…”

“I’ve used the occulus, remember?” Kanata replied. “It would only be a matter of time until some other crafter would think of adding a visual function to it, and I figured a mirror would be a good addition.”

“I don’t think so.” She replied as she watched him play around with the artifact. “Do you have an idea why there’s an engraved set of numbers etched on the case? I’ve spent months thinking what they could be possibly used for and came up empty.”

He looked closer and ran his finger at the barely legible numbers etched on the surface. “My guess is this is like a personal security lock. You said this was ancient artifact. How old?”

“A thousand years at least.” She replied. “Even before the gods descended. What has the numbers got to do with communication?”

“My guess is it’s a code. What if these aren’t paired like the occulus, but were widely available for use back then?”

“So the numbers are more like a code for a specific vault, except this time for secure communication.” Her eyes lit up as she realized what was missing for months. “Kanata you’re a genius!”

“I just got lucky. It reminded me of a child’s toy once.” He replied and handed back the pocket watch to her. She fiddled with it the entire afternoon, gaining more and more insights about the device from her discussion with Kanata.   

They soon reached a village and the merchant caravan stopped by the main street leading to the village hall. They all quickly went down and she had Kanata follow her to complete their first mission.

He followed her around the area until they finally reached a small farm with a modest cottage on top of a meadow. “Stay here, and don’t speak unless you’re directly spoken to.”

 He nodded and followed behind her, acting as her guard.

A tall powerfully built man wearing a simple vest and a large farmer’s hat was working in a field. She saw what could be the farmer’s grandson with white hair playing with a wooden sword in the distance as he clumsily swung his weapon to fight against an imaginary foe.

The farmer had immediately noticed their approach and dropped his plow and headed towards the fence to meet them.

“Greetings brave adventurers!” The man called out, and she gave a polite nod in turn.

“A mutual friend asks me to deliver this to you.” She replied and handed the farmer a packet of letters wrapped in leather and secured with a cord.

“And how is our friend doing?” The farmer inquired once he took the package.

“He’s doing well, always chasing after heroes and their grand adventures.”

“I see.” The farmer replied. He stared at the two of them with a smile for a few moments and then quickly turned around. “Tell your friend that I’ll see him again soon.”

“I will.” She replied. With the mission complete, she turned around and headed back to the village center.

“Don’t ask and don’t tell. But those are strange code words.” Her partner remarked.

“I’m not the one who made them.” She replied. “Next is to hunt down a monster den deep in the woods. Reports indicate that they’re a large pack of kobolds, and they’re active at night.”

“We could take them out at night, and follow the survivors back to their den.” Kanata suggested.

“Then we need to set up a base in preparation. Sadly there’s no inn here.” She looked around the modest village as the inhabitants traded with the stalls opened by the merchants.

“At the back of the carriage or tents?”

“Tents, I want to stretch for once.” That and she would sleep better without hearing the snores of the other merchants and the carriage driver.

They waited for the day to end, and Kanata donned his armor and weapons once the sky turned dark.

“I can take to the skies and scout from above. If I see any movement you may see me dive into that direction.” They looked down upon a rough map of the area and made notes of potential den locations. Kanata would watch at the edge of the village near the live stock and head off any monsters that attempted to attack and cross the fences.

She flewly in lazy circles above the edge of the village and watched Kanata, but she could barely see him in the dark due to his gray armor and cloak.  Suddenly she noticed movement in the trees as dark shadows appeared, moving quickly towards the fence that contained the livestock.

Kanata was suddenly moving and she swooped down for a closer look. There was already a trail of dead kobolds left from Kanata’s wake, as the level 4 adventurer displayed his cold efficiency in combat that she had known him for.

The kobolds noticed their numbers had thinned and started to run back to the trees. Kanata quickly followed the monsters and she soon lost track of her team mate as she flew over. She could still hear the sounds of pain and fear from the kobolds and she knew Kanata was hunting them in the shadows one by one. She flew ahead to the direction where the kobolds were running to and spotted an entrance to an undergroud cave, nearly hidden by the dense vegetation around it. She circled around its position, hoping Kanata would spot her.

The sound of the kobolds dying increased and she finally saw Kanata’s figure burst from the bushes, his armor shining in the moonlight due to the wet blood splattered on it. He was chasing after a trio of kobolds and she swooped in and killed the leading two monsters with her dagger.

The third died as it was about to reach the mouth of the cave as beam of light pierced through its chest. It collapsed after it let out a whimper of pain and quickly died.

“You’r e getting a better handle on that spell, from what I see.” She observed once she landed.

“Thanks.” Kanata replied. He didn’t sound tired from the nearly half an hour long running battle. “Is this the den?”

“They were running towards this direction when I spotted the cave.” She replied.

“Do you want to come down with me, or do you want to wait here?”

She considered her options and decided to stay. She was confident Kanata could handle anything in the underground cave. She walked around the perimeter and patiently waited.

It was nearly fiften minutes since Kanata headed inside, and she was tempted to follow him when she felt the ground shake beneath her feet. She peered at the cave entrance when she suddenly felt an arm grab her waist and pulled her far from where she was standing mere moments ago.

“What happened?” She asked once she saw the familiar armor as she was carried away.

“Later!”

Giant fissures formed in the forest floor as trees fell down by the dozens exposing their roots. The cave started to move until a large object started to rise up through the dirt. The earth shook beneath their feet as a massive stone golem finally emerged from the dust and the debris. It towered far above the forest canopy, seemingly like a moving living mountain with massive arms and feet.

“What did you do?” She asked as they ran away from the golem. She had never seen a monster that was so huge before.

“I think I woke something up!” He yelled back while they ran as debris rained down upon them.

“We have to lead it away from the village!” She called out, and Kanata immediately responded by shifting his direction to the right and deeper into the forest. They felt the vibrations in their feet and they knew the massive golem was following them.

“Any ideas?” She asked and chanced to look back over her shoulder. The monster was following them, the red eyes on its jagged head focused on them with frightening intensity.

“Fly overhead!” He answered back. “See if we can trap it somewhere and then take it down, that’s our only chance!”

“Understood!” Within a few seconds she was flying through the air as she avoided the trees and branches on her way up. She increased her speed once she flew past the forest canopy. Minutes passed and she scanned the ground, frantically looking for any suitable location that would fit Kanata’s plan.

A large chasm appeared when she flew past the forest. She turned around for a second look and quickly realized it was deep enough to contain the golem. She didn’t have any difficulty trying to find Kanata, the towering figure of the monster was easy to see even with her limited vision.

She flew back and quickly spotted Kanata running ahead of the golem, dodging its fists as it attempted to flatten him.  She landed ahead of him and quickly hit her stride and matched Kanata’s pace and headed to the direction of the deep chasm.

Several minutes of frantic running and dodging passed and she called out for Kanata to jump ahead of her when they approached the cliff. He followed her command and jumped through the air without hesitation. She quickly jumped after him and activated her flew after her partner as he fell. Her arms quickly caught him from the back and with some effort she flew them both out of the chasm and into the other side.

She quickly turned around to face the golem and noticed Kanata had his right arm up in front of him with his palm facing the golem. A lance of bright white light shot out from his palm and punched through the evening mist and hit the golem at its center within a second. They heard the ominous groan of the golem as it brushed off the attack and continued to move towards them.

She prepared her bombs and waited as the monstrous stone creature loomed closer and closer with every step. Kanata continued to fire off his light spell to bait their pursuer and the golem finally reached the edge of the chasm. It took another step and she threw her bombs at the cliff face, It caused the ground beneath the golem to collapse and it slowly tipped over and started to fall.

“Let’s finish it.” Kanata gave her a nod and jumped first towards the falling golem. She followed after her partner, with one of her specialized bombs in hand.

A large explosion rattled her ears as the golem fell to the chasm floor and she saw Kanata jumping down the edges to follow where the monster had landed. It seemed that it had broken one massive leg from the fall, but it was still active as it turned and focused on them with its red glowing eyes.

Kanata finally reached the golem and once again streaks of light burst out from his hand as she noticed him aim for it head in a constant barrage. One of the light spears shot through one of the golem’s red eyes that looked to be made of some crystal and shattered. It roared in anger and she followed her partner’s lead and threw a bomb on its mouth when it opened it in anger.

“Stay back!” She yelled out and flew away from the golem. Kanata jumped away from the monster and ran down its massive arms to safety. The bomb finally detonated and its explosion made it look like the golem was spitting out green fire from its mouth while a part of its jaw was had broken off.

The golem hobbled towards where she landed beside Kanata and she threw a few more bombs, this time targeting its chest. The explosion shook the bottom of the chasm and she held up her arms in front of her to shield her from the debris from the explosion. Kanata launched another spell and hit the remaining red eye, causing it to shatter into dust. The Golem, now blind, started to trash around, hitting the walls of the ravine as it searched for them.

“It’s too tough!” She called out.

“Wait, I see something! There’s a bit of crystal peeking out of its chest! ” Kanata pointed out. “Throw a couple of your bombs to that area to expose it!”

“On it!” She took flight once more and with a few more of her bombs in hand she launched them towards the golem. She was rocked back in the air from the resulting explosion but managed to stay afloat and headed back to Kanata.

“Did it work?” She asked. She still struggled to see from the dim light of the chasm and the dust the picked up from the results of her bombs.

“Yes! But I think I would need to get close to it to ensure a good hit!” Kanata started to run up to the thrashing golem and managed to duck and weave through its flailing limbs and falling rocks. He nimbly jumped from surface to surface of the golem and soon reached its chest. With his hand close to his target he cast his spell once more.

She covered her eye and saw Kanata was pushed back from the explosion but she could now see the tip of the crystal clearly protruding from the golem’s chest. She watched Kanata as he jumped up into a ledge above the golem and launched his new spell again and again, raining lances of light at the golem’s chest every few seconds. She flew above the golem and dropped a few more of her bombs to help her partner.

She had only a bomb left, when a thicker beam of light shot out from Kanata’s hand and it she saw it pierce clearly through the crystal in an amazing display of accuracy. She didn’t know how Kanata managed the precise shot amidst the flailing arms and the dust in the air from the battle.

“One more!” She called out. She could see the crystal had already cracks in its surface.

Another beam shot out and the crystal finally shattered, causing the golem to stop moving immediately. She released a sigh of relief when she realized they finally defeated it. She flew to Kanata’s side and landed on the ledge he was perched on.

“Think you can fly me up?” She heard him ask as he removed his helmet. “I’m too tired to climb up right now.”

“Later.” She replied as she sat down beside him and offered her water skin for him to drink. Flying using her creations also consumed her mind and she felt the need to take a long nap once they got back.

Once they regained back some of their stamina and mind thanks to their potions, they briefly rested and moved to a more stable position besides the golem’s body. She looked up saw the gray sky and realized it was now early morning. They had nearly spent nearly the entire night hunting the kobolds and now this golem. She was curious about the creature, and wondered about where it had come from.

“There’s no magic stone.” Kanata reported after he took a closer look at its head and chest. “I’ll gather some samples. Maybe Tsubaki can tell me more about its properties and reveal its origins.”

“I’ll take some as well.” She replied. “I’ve never seen such a large golem before.”

“It dwarfs even the flame rocks of the forty-fourth floor. “ Kanata observed. “It’s even more massive than Balor.”

“The Balor is nearly this big?” She asked. She knew about the famous floor boss, but seeing a monster of comparable size really gave her a good idea at how terrifying the monster rex of the forty-ninth floor was. Only the strongest familias could even hope to reach the monster, let alone defeat it, and there were often casualties as a result from battles.

“Is Balor’s defense as strong as this golem?” She asked.

“Far stronger.” Kanata replied as he collected a few more pieces of the golem that had silver and blue colored veins within it.

“I doubt your bombs or my attacks would even penetrate Balor’s skin. We could maybe give it a scratch if we really tried hard.” Her partner continued, and she knew he wasn’t joking. “But it’s also powerful and quick for its size. You would need a group of first class adventurers to deal with it, and a powerful single attack that can finish it in one hit. Otherwise it will just regenerate its wounds within seconds.”

“Seconds.” She whispered.

He nodded to confirm what he said earlier. “This golem, I think is comparable to the Goliath, or maybe the Amphisbaema in its defense. It’s just really, really big and that makes it more difficult. Imagine if this was a floor boss in the seventeenth floor. We got lucky that we injured its foot from the fall and there was a chasm to trap it.”

“I see.” She replied, glad that Kanata’s explanation gave her some real base points to compare herself with the floor bosses. She wondered if she could lead her familia and hunt the Amphisbaema, if what Kanata said about its defense was real.

The talk that morning was about the tremors felt by the villagers late last night, but she and Kanata remained tight lipped about the whole affair when questioned. They took longer naps to recover from the unexpected battle that day and in the next morning their caravan finally packed up and started heading east.

Three weeks into their journey and she pointed to Kanata that they had finally reached the city kingdom of Altena. Their trade caravan was approached by a patrol of soldiers in horseback, wearing bronze armor and helms with blue capes.

After a brief inspection of their goods and travel documents they were allowed to proceed inside the large bustling city. They reached a decent inn and she laughed when Kanata expressed his excitement for a proper shower since she was looking forward to the exact same thing for the past few weeks. The schedule of their trade caravan would mean they would be able to stay for a week, and she was looking forward to visiting to the great library located at the center of the city.

The next morning she quickly headed to the famous landmark with Kanata who decided to accompany her.

“Have you been here before?” He asked.

“Twice, this is my third time visiting the great library.” They quickly joined a line heading to the entrance. She spent almost the entire morning inside the library, while Kanata only spent an hour before he decided to explore the city.

They met back in the inn for their noon meal while they shared stories of what they found interesting.

“The guild library doesn’t hold a candle to Altena.” The only problem was only a third of the books were allowed for the general public to access. “What have you found in your stroll Kanata?”

“The food is basically the same as in Orario.” It was one of the few guilty pleasures that she knew Kanata indulged on. He was particular on his food and enjoyed trying out new snacks to try.

“I visited the large coliseum but it was closed when I visited because they were preparing for a yearly tournament that would start tomorrow. It’s called the Altena games.” He shared. “The place looked busy, it seems like this is a big event for the city.”

 “Do you want to check it out?” She asked.

“Why not? We have an entire week to explore before the caravan finishes their business.”

“Great! I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow. Let’s have breakfast near the coliseum.”

They had a breakfast of vegetables and meat wrapped in some sort of flat bread that they ate while they walked around the large round structure of the coliseum. There were several posters on various walls advertising the events that would be held, from archery contests, sparring displays and even a gladiator style event where a warrior would face monsters, similar to Orario’s monsterferia.

“Do you want to join?” She asked Kanata as she pointed at a line where interested individuals may sign up to challenge the roster of monsters. She could see various types of adventurers in varying armor and weapons.

“I’m here to relax, not to participate in some games.” He replied.

“Fine, let’s get good seats before they’re all taken.”

The coliseum was filling up pretty quickly, but they were able to find good seats by sitting right at the edge closest to the arena floor. She realized that seats in the middle and upper levels were more popular with the least desired ones was closest to the ring.

“I’d seat further back if I were you.” A guard suggested who was standing nearby.

“Why is that?” She asked.

“The first day is only for the warriors against monsters. The fights are gruesome, and there are even a few instances of monsters breaking loose and jumping into the stands.” The guard explained. “It’s the main reason we’re stationed around the ring in case anything happens.”

“We’ll be fine.” She assured the guard who shrugged and returned to his post a dozen feet away from them. 

The opening ceremony started with great fanfare, and she even spotted the goddess Athena sitting inside her own elevated section accompanied by her servants and guests. Soon the first warrior walked into the arena with a shield and spear to the cheers of the crowd.

A pack of six kobolds poured out from a raised gate and immediately rushed towards the warrior. She could barely hear herself think due to the roar from the crowd. To her eyes the warrior was a level 1. He looked to be skilled enough to fight a kobold, but he started having trouble as he suffered more and more injuries.

He had killed three kobolds while the remaining monsters stalked around him.

“He’s slowing down, getting weaker from his injuries.” Kanata observed.

As Kanata predicted, the man was jumped by all three kobolds at the same time and he screamed in terror as they bit and clawed at his limbs. A magic circle suddenly appeared above the man and from it came three fireballs that quickly targeted the remaining kobolds. The burned monsters fell to the ground immediately while soldiers rushed inside the arena floor to take care of the severely injured warrior.

Around them she noticed the crowd react as coins were passed from around, and she realized the people were making bets with the fight. They watched a dozen more fights, and to her eyes none caught her interest. A few warriors and even an amazon won in their matches, but to her they became boring.

Kanata however remained focused and she quickly asked what caught his attention.

“The magic.” He replied. “I’m impressed by the accuracy and power of the spell.”

“It’s a simple fire spell.” She observed.

“Yes, but whoever is controlling the magic could alter it, depending on the strength and number of monsters present.” Kanata replied. “I’m observing the variations of their use, maybe they could help with my own control.”

The final fight for that morning was for a party of four adventurers. She noticed these warriors had far better equipment and armor than the rest that they have seen.

A large gate opened, and a dozen familiar monsters appeared.

“Loup Garou.” She whispered.

“They look similar to their dungeon counterparts.” She heard Kanata speak out. “I’d say they’re larger.

The humanoid monsters with a wolf’s head attacked in a well coordinated move. Some distracted the adventurers while the others fought directly. The party of four managed to kill one of the monsters, and that only enraged the rest of the pack.

The party panicked when their mage was ambushed from behind. Before the tank could react,  he was hit at the side by one of the larger monsters and tumbled out of formation. Sensing weakness in their prey, the monsters attacked as one.

A large magical circle once again appeared over the area. The fire spells rained down on the wolf monsters, but most avoided it and scattered in different directions. Screams began from the crowd as the wolf monsters tried climbing on the walls trying to escape.

In their section, she noticed four of the larger wolf monsters from the pack were headed in their direction.

“Stay back! Head to safety!” The guard ordered as he prepared his spear and shield to face them. He was quickly joined by five of his fellow guards in preparation for the monsters’ attempts to escape.

A blur suddenly appeared above the ranks of soldiers and crashed around them. A loup garou used its fellow pack member as a jumping board to increase the height of his jump.

“Aghh!!” The guard who warned them earlier screamed as the monster bit into his shoulder. They shared a glance and quickly jumped into a defensive position. Being the only two audience members seated near the area, the monster quickly targeted them as it jumped from the injured guards towards them. Behind three more luop garou appeared over the wall separating the arena and the stands.

Her ears were assaulted  by the screams of the crowd as they panicked. She spotted the mages positioned beside the goddess were casting spells at the rampaging monsters in the arena as they continued to protect the injured adventurers.

The large loup garou’s neck stalking towards her suddenly crashed back to the wall it had jumped over. It let out a pained yelp of pain and closed its eyes and she saw that Kanata had hit the monster with his leg.

She quickly joined his side, and the remaining three monsters stepped back as they advanced.

“What happened?”

“Look at those two!”

“How did they do that?”

She ignored the questions from the guards and audience as she focused on the remaining monsters. She shared a glance with Kanata and she pulled out a pair of short daggers and tossed one of them to her partner.

They made quick work if the monsters in record time as their speed and strength outclassed their opponents.

“Please help the others!” One of the surviving guards begged them as the guard pointed at the other parts of the area.

“Lets’ circle around and meet up.” She didn’t have to wait as Kanata quickly ran to around the stands and took out the few monsters rampaging among the crowd with quick and deadly hits with the dagger. She mirrored her actions and made a sweep on the other side, but there were fewer monsters in her area. One loup garou was even defeated by a group of adventurers who were part of the audience.

As she ran she saw Kanata doing the same, and she saw his quick, agile movements dealing quick killing blows as he encountered the pack. They met in the middle, both their daggers red with blood.

“I think that’s the last of them.” Kanata reported. She could see some of the audience and soldiers were pointing fingers in their direction. “Do you want to head back now? I don’t want to be near this when they clean up this mess.”

“We better go.” They quickly pulled their hoods up and joined the panicked crowds as they ran to the exits.

Once they reached the inn around ten minutes later, the universal truth that rumor and gossip was faster than any adventurer was proven once again when they heard about the incident in the coliseum. They quickly sat at the bar and ordered drinks to cool down.

“I thought they prepared better this year?” She listened in as the innkeeper served drinks from behind the bar.

“They were supposed to.” An elf in mage robes replied. “A company of soldiers even served as guards and were stationed around the arena.”

“Is it the same as last year?” The older man shook his head sadly. “They never learn. How many died this time around?”

“That’s what’s surprising. There were only two casualties. I think there were more capable warriors in the crowd today, and some were able to provide back up to the guards.”

“That’s good at least. They should have stationed mages around the perimeter too the next time…”

A green haired woman rushed into the room, breathing hard. “You’ll never guess what happened!”

“We already heard!” The elf mage replied.

“Well there’s a juicy gossip I heard from the soldiers that got injured.” The woman continued. “The loup garou pack was taken down by just a single adventurer!”

“That’s impossible.” The innkeeper scoffed in disbelief. “No one could be that powerful to take on an entire pack!”

“Actually I heard it was two adventurers, a man and a woman.” Another voice spoke up, this time a girl in mage robes. “My master told me he spotted them circling around the stands, taking down monster after monster as they passed. He was standing in Lady Athena’s private section.”

“Is that true Colette?” The innkeeper asked.

“That’s what he saw.” The mage answered.

She didn’t leave the inn that afternoon as she just read a few magic books she purchased. Kanata was sleeping in the next room, though they agreed to have dinner in the inn in about an hour.

As they went down the stairs, she noticed that the pub was unusually quiet. She immediately saw the reason when she spotted a man in an elaborate gray and blue armor speaking with the innkeeper.

There were at least ten soldiers inside the pub, men and women in fancy armor and blue capes decorated with silver thread. Their presence had caused the regulars to leave or hunker down in their seats with lowered heads as to not draw attention to themselves.

“Those two, captain. They arrived with a caravan a few days ago.” He heard the innkeeper point at them. Instantly the entire room focused their attention on them.

“Greetings.” The captain quickly headed in their direction and she noticed the men and women with him immediately fanned out to encircle them. She gave a look at Kanata and he shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. She sighed, she knew that meant he wanted her to take the lead on this one.

“Greetings captain, what can we do for you?” She asked.

“First, you are not in trouble, so you may relax.” They were already relaxed, but she wondered why the captain had to say that. “We are just investigating a sensitive matter related to the incident this morning.”

“I see. What do you want to know?”

“The innkeeper says you’re adventurers assigned to protect a trade caravan heading to Solingen.” The captain began. “Are you by any chance the two adventurers seen by several witnesses killing the loup garou pack?”

There were no reason to deny it, and judging by the look on the captain’s face he already knew the answer to his question and was just confirming his suspicions. “We did. We didn’t want the audience or the soldiers to get hurt if we could do something about it. My partner and I helped but we stepped in knowing we’re not expecting any form of reward.” 

“Lady Athena disagrees.” The captain replied with a wry smile. “She invites the two of you to dine with her tonight to show her appreciation.”

“I’m afraid we don’t have suitable clothing to wear for such an occasion.” She replied.

“Your adventurer outfits will suffice. Take your time. We will wait while you change.”

She hid her amusement when the soldiers spotted them coming down the stairs. While her outfit may blend in Altena, Kanata’s was certainly eye catching. That was the primary reason he stored parts of his armor in his pack.

Wearing the full outfit again and freshly cleaned and polished, his dark gray armor gleamed from the lanterns overhead. His helmet drew the most attention, as it added a menacing aura to his look. The men and women looked apprehensive as they observed the Ghost in detail.

“If you would follow me.” The captain instructed and turned around to march back outside.

They travelled swiftly in formation, and many citizens paused to stare at them with surprise as they headed to the goddess’ home.

She expected the march to be quiet, but the guards around them bickered and argued while trying to keep their voices down. Finally the captain lost his patience and told them to shut up.

“What have happened to you?” The captain rounded on his men. “You’re embarrassing the goddess in front of her guests.”

“Julian is being stupid captain.” A female soldier replied. “He says that one of our guests is the specter.”

“That again?” The captain scoffed and resumed walking, leading them to the goddess’ home. “Those are just rumors. Those Rakia soldiers you’re friends with are clearly making fun of you.”

“What rumors?” Kanata asked.

“That an adventurer wearing a strange armor killed the entire Phobos familia that was filled with level 2 and 3 adventurers on his own. A total of… how many was it Julian?”

“Eighty bodies Captain.” The soldier replied.

“Eighty dead adventurers, slaughtered to the last man, when they decided to invade Orario.” The captain continued.

“It was forty-three.”

“Could you please repeat that?” The captain asked.

“I killed forty-three that day.” Kanata replied calmly. Even she felt goose bumps on her skin when she saw how calmly he spoke, but she couldn’t see his expression due to his helmet and that only added to his intimidating aura.

“That was you?” Julian whispered and she could clearly see the wide eyes on the soldier.

“Yes, they slaughtered the village where I previously lived before I became an adventurer in Orario. They left no survivors, so I decided to teach them a lesson on fear.” Kanata continued. “I don’t know that they called me the Ghost though.”

“Who… who are you again… sir?” The captain asked. She could see he was fighting hard to keep his composure. “I’m called the Ghost. I’m a level 4 of the Loki familia.”

“Loki familia?”

She could understand their shock. The top familias rarely leave Orario, but being part of the most powerful familia in the world whose power could rival entire kingdoms made them famous. While not all the members are known, she knew the names of the Braver, Nine Hell, Eigarm and even the Sword Princess. They were regarded as legends, one that they would never even expect to meet in their lifetime.

It seemed that Kanata’s had his own fame grow without him realizing it outside of Orario.

“Level 4?”  She heard a woman squeak.

“I didn’t realize we we’re hosting such a famous and powerful adventurer.” The captain replied.

“I’m not the only one. She’s Perseus, the level 4 captain of the Hermes familia.” Kanata placed a hand on her shoulder as he introduced her.

“Perseus?”

“The Perseus!!”

“I think we better send a runner to relay this information to the goddess ahead of our arrival.” The captain stated. “He quickly ordered Julian and the female soldier he was arguing with to run ahead to relay the new information.

After a ten minute walk they reached the large home of the goddess Athena. It was a large structure, built on top of a hill overlooking the city. It had its own moats and tall white walls to protect it.

“Welcome to Partheia!” The captain declared once they stood in front of the gates.

They were soon introduced to the goddess Athena. She was sitting on her marble throne, wearing a smile on her face. Behind her stood two guards, clad in armor, shields and spears.

“Greetings, Perseus, Ghost.” The goddess stood up and stepped down the steps leading to her throne.

“Thank you for inviting us, Lady Athena.” She replied with a bow of greeting that was followed by Kanata.

“I know you’re hungry, so let’s discuss what I have to say in a more informal fashion.” Athena replied and led them to a large veranda overlooking the city. There were table and chairs prepared, and freshly cooked dishes of a wide variety on the table.

“I initially planned a feast in the banquet hall, but when I learned your names, I’ve been told you prefer a more informal setting.” Athena continued. “Please, help yourselves.”

The meal was sumptuous, and there was polite small talk as they ate. Athena asked the two of them about the impressions about her city.

“Initially I wanted to reward the two of you by offering a place in my familia.” Athena stated once they finished their desserts. “I can see now no matter my offer, you won’t accept a transfer.”

“Our loyalty is to our gods, Lady Athena.” She replied.

“I understand. I’m just frustrated, Orario holds the best adventurers. If I had a child with your caliber the event this morning wouldn’t have happened in the first place.” She added. “I’ve been thinking of increasing the strength and skill of my children, but to do that I have to move to Orario, and I’m not prepared to that yet.”

“How so Lady Athena?” She asked.

“Politics of course.” She replied with a bitter smile. “I can’t compete yet with the gods in that city. I don’t have the patience to deal with their interference.”

“Goddess, you mentioned earlier that someone told you about our preference?” Kanata asked.

“Yes. My sister Artemis, she spoke to me of your heroic deeds and valor, Kanata Rivington.” Athena replied. “You saved my sister and her children, and earlier today you aided the citizens of my city, so I will in turn give the both of you an unrestricted pass to the great library during your stay here.”

“Thank you goddess!” She was delighted at what she heard. She couldn’t wait to read the ancient scrolls and tomes.

“It’s my pleasure.” Athena replied with a smile. “Now, do you perhaps enjoy coffee?”

[

Kanata Rivington

He didn’t realize Asfi could be so childish. His partner for the mission was usually calm, witty and remarkably composed even in stressful situations. Today he watched as she stomped through her room, tossing clothes and items into her pack.

He could see how frustrated she was, and he knew a large part of it was due to them leaving in a few hours, and that meant leaving the city of Altena and its great library.

“Stop thinking!” Asfi rounded on him and gave him her best glare. Unfortunately it just looked adorable on her, like a little girl that was told she could not have a pony.

“Why are you smiling? You’re mocking me aren’t you?” She asked.

It took an hour for Asfi to pack, and he watched her wistful face as she stared back at the city as they left with the caravan.

“We can pass by here on our return back to Orario.” He offered.

“We could, but we will no longer have that unlimited pass to the library.” Asfi sighed in disappointment.

She was still moody in the next few days, but her spirits lifted when they arrived at Solingen, the city of smiths.

The city was vast, nearly the size of Altena. Numerous chimneys dotted the city, and he saw plenty of armory and equipment shops on their way to their inn.

“Now look who’s excited.” Asfi observed from beside him. “And you teased me the other day that I was like a child on a candy shop.”

“Technically we’re all children in our gods’ eyes. And these…” He waved a hand to the beautiful weapons and armor on display. “… are pretty sweet.”

“Smart ass.” She grumbled. “Let’s accomplish our task here first, before you wander off.”

She led him to an address in the outskirts of the city after they secured their rooms. The building they visited was modest, a simple wooden two floor structure with a small courtyard. They passed through the open gates and she knocked on the door and they waited only for a few seconds before they heard a response.

“I said you’ll get your order when I’m finished! Now buzz off!” They heard a female voice shout through the door. She ignored his amused smile and knocked again, this time much harder.

“I swear Ban, if you came here just to…” The door opened, revealing a blue haired teen wearing an apron.

“Oh, you’re not Ban.” The girl stated.

“We aren’t.” Asfi replied. “Is Lady Astraea in?”

“What business do you have with her?” The girl narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms defensively and he noticed the girls’ grip on her hammer had tightened.

“We’re here to deliver a message from the guild in Orario.” Asfi replied calmly.

“Let them in, Cecil. I recognize Perseus’ voice.” Another female voice came from the room. “I’m sure they’re not here to cause trouble.”

“As you wish, goddess.” The girl named Cecil reluctantly stepped to the side, though he noticed that the girl still held her hammer by her side.

“Lady Astraea.” Asfi took the lead and bowed in greeting. “It’s good to see you again. I have a message for you.”

“It’s good to see you to Perseus.” The brown haired goddess replied. He had met plenty of goddess in his new life, but this woman was particularly beautiful. She had a regal aura while she wore a smile and gentle blue eyes. “Have a seat, please. I’m sure you’re both tired and famished by coming all the way here.”

“Thank you goddess.” Asfi replied and sat in front of a small table with four chairs. He decided to remain standing since he knew this would only be a short meeting and only moved closer to the wall while he looked around the workshop. The place was small, far different from Tsubaki’s but he recognized the same general lay out in the design.

The goddess Astraea quickly brought a pitcher of water and cups and placed a plate of biscuits on the table before taking a seat herself.

“And who have we here?” Astraea’s eyes locked to his for a few seconds before they turned back to his companion. “A new child of Hermes?”

“He’s from the Loki familia, Lady Astraea.” Asfi replied as she pulled out the letter and handed it to the goddess. The goddess took it, but her attention remained focused on him.

“You look strong, but I don’t recognize you. When did you join your familia?” The goddess asked.

“I entered Orario nearly four years ago, Lady Astraea.” He replied.

“A level 3?” The goddess guessed.

“Level 4.”  He shook his head and replied. He noticed Astraea’s expression changed instantly to surprise at his reply. He could understand her surprise. His captain Finn had constantly informed him that the rate of his growth was impossible.

 “Incredible. Loki found a promising child.” Astraea breathed out. “And what are you called?”

“They gave me the alias called Ghost, Lady Astraea.” He replied. He heard an audible gasp behind him and saw Cecil staring at him with wide eyes.

“Lady Astraea! The Ghost! He’s in our workshop!” Cecil nearly shouted as she jumped up and down and dropping the hammer to the ground in excitement. “Can you bring your armor next time?”

“I’ve heard of you.” Astraea replied as she held up a hand to calm the girl down. “You certainly taught Phobos and his children a harsh lesson. Did you regret it?”

He narrowed his eyes at the reminder. He didn’t enjoy killing, but he had learned early on that it was a necessary part of life as an adventurer. He wondered why Astraea was bringing it up now.

“I regret not being able to stop them in time.” He replied as he stared at the goddess and forced his features to not show any emotion. “They didn’t even have any shame or regret for their cowardly and merciless acts. They just wanted their victims to revel in fear in honor of their god as they slaughtered everyone in the village that took me in.”

 “I apologize for asking such an insensitive question.” Astraea bowed her head in apology. “Clearly you are still affected by the events.”

“I don’t think it will ever go away, goddess.” He replied, staring unflinchingly straight to Astraea’s eyes to convey how serious he was. “We just learn to live with what happened and accept it.”

“Yes, I believe you’re right.” The goddess replied while her eyes sparkled as they filled with unshed tears. Was she about to cry? He quickly turned to Asfi for help.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Lady Astraea. We have other tasks to prepare for.” His partner broke the silence in the room and he slowly breathed out in relief. Asfi mentioned that she needed to confirm the booking on their ship at the docks after this meeting, so they had a valid excuse to leave.

“Of course, but If can I make one request?” Astraea asked.

“What is it goddess?”

“I’m going to write a letter, I hope you can give it to her, Perseus.”

“Of course. I will deliver the letter to her personally once we get back to Orario.” Asfi replied immediately.

“Tell me where you are staying, and I will visit you tonight and hand over the letter.” Astraea offered.

“Or you can come back here.” Cecil suggested and turned to look at him. “With the Ghost wearing his armor. I can service your equipment for a small fee if you like.”

“I’m sorry. But I have an exclusive contract with my smith.” He explained “She’s the only one who can craft and maintain my armor and weapons.”

 “We’ll visit you later after dinner.” Astraea called out as they left.

“And make sure you’re wearing your armor when we come by!” Cecil added with a shout.

“That part in the end was awkward.” He said as they headed to the docks.

“Your actions reminded her of her last child in Orario.” Asfi looked sad for a moment, and he wondered what her history was with the goddess they just met.

“She has a familia member in Orario that finished an entire familia too?” He asked in a dry tone.

“Yes, the Rudra familia.” Asfi replied. He looked at her and realized she wasn’t joking.

“You’re kidding.” He had to ask just to be sure.

“No. And she’s a level 4, just like you.” Asfi replied. “I guess she’s retired now as an adventurer.”

“What happened to Astraea’s familia?” He asked.

The answer he heard was troubling and he finally understood why Astraea acted that way with him. His presence and actions must have reminded her of her sole child in Orario. “How come my goddess and the executives didn’t share this with me before?”

“It was a terrible period in the city, and people lived in fear for they life every day.” She replied. “I guess they prefer not to remember those dark times.”

He suddenly felt guilty for assuming the worst in Astraea. He could empathize with her at the feelings of loss and betrayal. He knew those emotions intimately, and that was why he hated that emotion - love.

That night when the goddess visited, he wore his distinct armor to please her child as they met in Asfi’s larger room. He watched as Cecil inspected his armor and weapons with a frightening intensity.

“Who… who is your smith, Ghost?” Cecil asked.

“She’s my friend, Tsubaki.” He answered. “You can also call her the Cyclops.”

“The captain of the Hephaestus familia is your personal smith?” Cecil stared at him wide her mouth wide open.

“We’re good friends.” He explained. “She took me in with an exclusive contract when I was just a level 1. You’ll like her, she’s nice.”

“She’s only nice to you Kanata.” Asfi said from the table where she sat with Astraea drinking tea. “She’s bloodthirsty and unforgiving to those that want discounts and miss their payments.”

“Really? She always upgrades my equipment without me even asking for it. I find what you said hard to believe.” He answered.

“Can… can you introduce me to her?” Cecil asked.

“Sure, when you visit Orario in the future.”

They spent a quiet night with a simple dinner in Asfi’s room with their guests. While Cecil was speaking with his partner about crafting artifacts, he approached Astraea and sat down in the empty seat across from her.

“There’s something I’d like to ask Goddess.”

“What is it?”

“I’d like to be the one to deliver your letter to your child in Orario.” He replied.

“Why?” Astraea was looking out the window, and he knew she was relieving bad memories again.

“Think of it as a form of apology from me, for thinking you had another agenda for asking me those questions this morning.” He answered. “I’d like to talk to her. I hope she will be receptive to talk to someone who did the same thing as her. The guilt bothered me for a while until my friends and familia helped me through it.”

“And she’s alone in that city.” Astraea finished his line of thought. “Oh Ryuu...”

“Very well, you have my blessings. I know you are doing this because you’re watching out for my child for me. Thank you, Ghost.”

“Call me Kanata, Lady Astraea.” He replied, smiling at the beautiful goddess.

“Then call me Astraea then.” The goddess replied. “Now, before you meet Ryuu, let me share with you a few stories about her…”

[

Asfi Andromea

“I think you’re my unlucky charm.” She said to Kanata. “I never had so much trouble in a mission before.”

“You’re just thinking it.” Her partner replied.

“Oh? And what about that?” Asfi pointed at the mass of tentacles that was currently wrapped around the ship they were on. The crew was busy fending off the monster, as the mages on board cast fire spells while the sailors jabbed spears into the writhing tentacles.

“Let’s just help out.” Kanata replied and pulled out his sword and joined in with the crew. She looked around and spotted the captain fighting alone near the port side of the ship and drew her dagger to join him.

“Drive them off the deck!” The captain shouted. The crew responded with renewed courage as more and more tentacles started to withdraw from the deck.

A tentacle was chopped off and that caused the monster stuck to the ship to completely withdraw. She had to hold on to the railings as the ship swayed when the monster jumped from its side and dived back into the ocean.

“Stupid krakens.” The ship captain muttered.

“Does this happen often?” She asked as she stood beside him on the railings, watching the sea for any signs of the sea monster.

“Every year.” The captain replied with a scowl. “They’re menaces.”

“I told you it wasn’t my fault.” She jumped when heard Kanata’s voice behind her.  

She ignored Kanata and focused her attention on the sea as the ship began to pick up speed after it was attacked. “How long until we reach the islands?”

“Shouldn’t be long now.” The captain replied squinted ahead and pointed ahead. “There, you can see the shapes of the far east islands ahead. We’ll probably dock at around noon at the speed we’re going.”

“Thank you captain.” She headed to her cabin, ready to go back to sleep which had been interrupted by the sudden ambush of the krakens. She had stayed up late reading a few books she picked up in Altena and woke up irritated and grumpy when her nap was cut short.

“I’ll stay up here. I’ll wake you up when we’re near.”

“Thank you Kanata.” She replied. She made a note to do something nice for her partner once they reached the islands. She knew she wasn’t the best to be around in the past few days due to her hang ups at leaving Altena. It hurt her to leave all that knowledge behind.

As her head hit the pillow, she made a note to treat Kanata to a fancy meal once they reached land.

She instantly regretted her decision as she stared at Kanata as they ate their dinner in a far east restaurant. She had never seen Kanata to be this enthusiastic and open before.

“Try this Asfi, it’s really good.” Kanata held out a piece of battered shrimp between two wooden sticks he held securely in his hand.

“Say ahhh….” Kanata pushed the food he had closer to her.

“I can feed myself.” She replied and reluctantly opened her mouth and leaned forward to take a bite from the food Kanata offered. She chewed for a moment and her eyes lit up. It was good, just as Kanata said.

She swallowed and took a sip of the bitter yet pleasant tea that was served for free with their meals.

“It’s good. Thanks Kanata.” She added. Kanata’s smile increased further, reminding her that her mission partner was pretty still pretty young despite his level.

“And thank you for the treat.” Kanata replied. “The food in the far east alone is worth the trouble we had to endure to get here.”

“Only you Kanata.” She shook her head in disbelief. “You’re familiar with the food and customs of this place. I assume you came from one of these islands?”

“They just share similar traditions, but no.” Kanata replied as his expression changed to a more neutral look. “I once thought I found a permanent home there, but I guess it was not to be, and I ended up here.”

She changed the subject when she saw the bittersweet smile in his expression. “How about this tea we were served with, what is it called?”

“That’s called a rice tea. It’s very good with meals since it refreshes your palette.” Kanata explained.

The beds were strange too, as they were expected to sleep on the floor on mats. She was pretty sure Kanata was at least born in the far east since he helped prepare her bed when he pulled out blankets, pillows and a folded mattress from a cabinet in her room.

“The innkeeper said they have a hot spring here, so I will head there to relax. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Wait! I’ll join you. A hot soak sounds nice after three days on a ship.”

“The hot springs is a mixed bath, so you might see both genders in there.” Kanata looked uncomfortable as he stared at her. “If you decide to join, you can just wear a towel to cover yourself in the water.”

“There’s no women only baths?” She asked.

“There are, but for the hot springs it’s for everyone.” He replied.

She took a deep breath and gathered her courage. “Fine, I’ll do as you say.”

“Great! I’ll see you there.” Her partner replied and left her alone in her room.

She knew she was blushing as she she slipped off her robe and stepped out into the hot springs covered only in a towel. She spotted Kanata rinsing himself in a shower area, and then headed to the hot springs. Thankfully there were barely any people, only another couple that were seated in the far corner of the large pool.

The water hid the woman’s modesty, but she could clearly see the man beside holding with his hands around her chest. What were they… oh.

She followed Kanata’s actions and allowed the showerhead to rinse her body. After a good minute under the water, she waded into the pool and decided to seat near Kanata. As the hot water reached her shoulders, she unconsciously groaned in satisfaction.

“It’s good right?” She turned to Kanata who was leaning back on the stone wall. His eyes were focused on the clear night sky above, adding to the relaxing atmosphere of the place.

“It’s amazing. I’m even contemplating if we could have something like this added to the traveler’s inn.” She replied as her body slowly relaxed. The pent up stress and worries seemed to have melted away and she started to observe the stars like Kanata.

“You do that and you might find me in your familia home every night.” Kanata replied.

“You don’t like the familia baths?”

“They’re nice, but I prefer this design.” She looked around the rocky pool as water trickled down gently from a bamboo pipe inside the rocks. Around her were various plants and small trees and a privacy fence to surround the entire area.

“I just might.” She replied. “This will be a hit in Orario.”

She suddenly felt foolish for almost rejecting Kanata’s invitation. She would be sure to soak in every night while they in the far east as they waited for the god to arrive with his familia. They waited for another week, not that they minded as they both greatly enjoyed the port city.

With Kanata’s help she was able to purchase comfortable robes to sleep in, and amazing food to consume. The rice tea was her favorite drink at the moment.

She was writing reports to Hermes when she heard a commotion at the entrance of the hot spring inn. She stared out of the window of her room overlooking the street and spotted a group of young adventurers that surrounded a well built male god. Finally.

They could have left immediately, but the god insisted that they stay for a night. She spent the rest of time speaking with the god about the perils of the journey they would be expected to face.

 “My captain insisted he can protect our familia, but my instincts told me that I would need additional aid.” Takemikazuchi stated.

“Your instincts are correct. There are reports of bandits and rogue adventurers, some even level 2 that would prey on those weaker than them. Your large group may provide a tempting target.”

“You’re that confident of your abilities?” The captain, a tall muscular teen called Ouka asked.

“We can handle any possible threats.” She stared at Ouka with a sharp and confident look. “Ghost and I are level 4.”

“I see. I must thank the guild then for sending us two powerful adventurers to protect us. Your familia must be strong to send both their captain and vice-captain on a long term escort mission.”

“We’re from different familia.” She explained. She noticed Ouka had quickly backed off and his posturing to appear intimidating stopped. “I’m the captain of my familia, and Ghost is from the Loki familia who generously allowed him to accompany me on this mission.”

“Loki familia, interesting.” The god mused. “Even I heard of the Braver. Are you part of his main force, Ghost?”

“I’m just a second string member Lord Tekemikazuchi.” Kanata replied. “His vanguard consists of the level 5s.”

 “I hope my familia grows just as strong in the future. I have high expectations for my children.”

Their travel back to the Orario was the complete opposite of the first part of their journey. Their presence, Kanata in his intimidating armor walking at the very front of their procession served as a powerful deterrent to other adventurers or bandits that they encountered along the road.

Takemikazuchi’s familia of six were active and well trained by their god. They had even insisted in facing monsters that attempted to ambush them, though she or Kanata kept a close eye on them but did not interfere further.

At night Kanata would still practiced his spell, Lumine Impetum. She had gotten so used to seeing the streaks of light at night that she sometimes watched them as she fell asleep.

“You’re like a machine with your training.” She observed one night as she watched Kanata practice his spell. She had to admit his constant practice for months while they were on the road had paid off. He could vary the size, speed and power of his attack, and she watched him develop that control through sheer stubbornness.

His movements were faster too, he was now capable of firing the spell either with his right or left hand. It was a nasty surprise that she realized when she got hit by his attack during one of their spars.

One interesting development was when Kanata joined the Takemikazuchi’s in their training sessions. The far east god was incredible in his technique and knowledge, and she even watched carefully as the god sparred with Kanata in unarmed combat, since Kanata was too strong for the other familia, even Ouka.

It was also nice to watch to see them fight, especially after they both removed their shirts from being too sweaty. Kanata was really coming along as he lost more of that baby fat and his toned and defined body that was well proportioned. She knew the girls of the familia also enjoyed the show.

“Not everything is about power, Kanata.” Takemikazuchi lectured. “Timing, technique and leverage plays a key part.”

He moved, it was not fast to her eyes but she could call it elegant. The fluid motion of his body suddenly caught Kanata by surprise and tossed him into the ground.

“As you can see. With proper training, you can use the strength of your opponent against theirs.” The god continued lecturing. “Do you see children?”

“Yes Lord!” Ouka replied with a shout. She knew he was inspired at the sight of his god taking down a second class adventurer.

“Again!” Takemikazuchi ordered and Kanata quickly moved to the stance his new sparring instructor showed him.

 If there was one thing she learned about Kanata since she had met him, it was that her partner thrived and enjoyed training and the challenge. She could sometimes see the gleam in his eyes when faced with an obstacle. He had proven it with his near mastery of his range spell, and now with the regular sparring sessions with Takemikazuchi.

He was thoughtful as well, as he repaid Takemikazuchi’s generosity by training the gods’ familia about Orario. He even produced notes after the first night that the god started to train him, showing the level 1s where they could purchase the best armor and weapons that were still affordable. What floors and areas that had the best hunting spots and what monster drops that sold the highest amount of valis.

The last part was received with clear gratitude by the familia, they both learned they moved to Orario to earn money to help support their shrine in the far east.

“Just watch out for some adventurers.” Kanata shared with Ouka and Mikoto after his spar with their god. He headed to a nearby stream with her to wash up and clean their clothes and was joined by the two.

“They will try to trick you, lead your deaths and steal your loot and equipment.” Kanata continued. “They will even lead a large amount of monsters towards you while you’re busy fighting your own opponents.”

“Such cowardice!” Mikoto replied with anger evident in her voice. The swordswoman in her opinion was the most talented of Takemikazuchi’s children. She showed the most potential even as a level 1.

“Sometimes they’re desperate to survive.” Kanata explained. “This leads to what I told you about the dungeon. I have a rule when I go down to hunt for monsters and their drops. Never underestimate the dungeon, the moment that you, the moment you think things couldn’t get worse, it will. You have to be prepared for that, not just in your skills but in your mindset.”

“We already faced danger many times, Kanata.” Ouka replied.

“I’m not belittling your experience, but the dungeon loves overconfidence. It enjoys seeing us give up the will to fight. Despair and fear are the true killers of the dungeon.”

She didn’t know Kanata could be so poetic and passionate, and started to wonder if she could invite Kanata with her and her familia in an expedition. He did mention that the Amphisbaema was similar in strength to the massive golem they faced. She felt that it could be a good opportunity for her familia to grow after seeing Kanata in action.

“They are wise words from a veteran in the dungeon.” Takemikazuchi appeared from the bushes and joined them on the shore of the stream. “Be sure to take them to heart, children.”

They stopped by Altena once again to resupply, and to her delight goddess Athena generously allowed her to use the unrestricted pass to the great library. Kanata accepted a private duel against Athena’s familia captain who was also a level 4. She didn’t see all of their fights aside from the first one, where she quickly noticed the difference in his movements against the female captain.

She realized that he was applying techniques and moves he leraned from Takemikazuchi against his opponent, slightly refining his fighting style with the sword and shield. He won the first round and he returned every night exhausted but in good spirits.

They continued after a week of rest, with Kanata sparring almost every night with Takemikazuchi. He was stubborn, but she had to have seen him eat dirt from Takemikazuchi more than two dozen times by now in their unarmed sparring.

Their fights became more serious, once Takemikazuchi learned Kanata could heal the both of them from injuries. She could remember that god had broken Kanata’s arm in one sparring session but her partner continued to fight with his remaining limb. She had to step in before the fight got out of hand.

 He also asked Kanata to heal his familia when they suffered a harsher training regime from their god. She was pretty sure Ouka and his familia would easily breeze through the upper floors with the training they received. Every week when their falna was updated they became a little bit stronger and faster.

They caravan increased their pace once they saw vague silhouette in the sky, towering everything around it. They crested a hill and she finally saw the city she called her home.

“Welcome to Orario.” She said to the awestruck members of the Takemikazuchi familia. “The city of heroes.”

Merchants waiting to get inside the city grumbled and complained when their carriages completely ignored the line. Ganesha guards attempted to confront them, but backed down when she presented the papers that was signed by their own captain.

“We will lead you to the guild office. From there, our mission will be complete.” She explained to the group.

“We thank you for aid, Asfi, Kanata.” Takemikazuchi gave a warm smile to the both of them. “Please visit us when we get settled.”

“We will drop by. It has been our pleasure.” She replied.

They quickly reached the front of the guild headquarters, and she guided them inside the building.  With that, the two waved their farewells and headed to outside to the street.

“Are you heading home or do you want to get a drink?” She asked.

“A drink? Don’t we have to deliver the last message?”

“You said you want to meet her, don’t you?”  She smiled and guided him to a certain pub where the infamous Gale Wind, the surviving child of Astraea in Orario worked.

“We’re still closed! I’m sorry but we will open in an hour” A cat woman called out as she was wiping the tables. “Oh! It’s you Perseus! I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“I just returned after an extended mission Chloe.” She replied. “We’re here to deliver a letter.”

“Oh? And who is the message for?” She heard Mia Grand’s voice call out from behind the bar.

“It’s a delicate topic, Miss Grand. Would it be possible to borrow the private room for a moment with Ryuu?” She asked. The dwarf’s eyebrows lifted in intrigue when she mentioned the elf’s name.

“You kids in Hermes’ familia are too secretive. Fine.” Mia led them to a private room. “I’ll bring Ryuu there. Do you want anything to drink or eat? You look like you just came back from a long trip.”

“Please. Send whatever you think is best.” She replied with a grateful nod. The dwarf nodded in turn and gave Kanata a curious glance before she left for the kitchen.

“The infamous Gale Wind works here?” Kanata asked. “I’ve never been here before, although the first string members are regulars of this place.”

“Their prices are expensive, but the food selection and quality are one of the best in the city.” She replied.

“How could they afford to do that?” Kanata asked.

“They have the best looking girls.” She replied, and laughed when Kanata gave her a confused look.

“No, tell me the truth.”

“It is the truth.” She continued. “I know some members of my own familia visit here so that they can look at Syr, Ryuu and the other girls. That and this location is basically in the center of everything and convenient to visit.”

“Really?”

“It’s a short walk to get here from the dungeon and the guild. It’s also located along one of the major streets of the city.” She explained. “If I were to start a business, I’d look for a location similar to this.”

“Are you serious about that hot spring addition to your familia home?” Kanata asked. She remembered that they had joked before of adding a new feature to increase business in the Traveler’s inn.

“I might be. Interested?” She teased.

“I could help you finance it. I still have the money I initially saved up for to buy a grimoire.”

The door opened and Mia came in, followed by a confused looking elf. They both carried trays of food and drink and set them on the table.

“Here, some snacks and drinks for the two of you.” Mia Grand quickly left the room and closed the door behind her.

“Perseus.” Ryuu sat in front of a chair across from her and Kanata. “Just Asfi, please. This is Kanata Rivington, my mission partner for the duration of the mission that we just finished.”

The blonde elf leaned back and she noticed that her eyes narrowed as she observed her companion.

“What is it you wanted to talk about?” Her voice sounded cold and distant than what she remembered.

“We just came back from a mission. We encountered someone who wanted you to receive this.” Kanata answered and handed an envelope.

Ryuu looked hesitant and slowly accepted the letter but didn’t open it. “All of this just for a letter?”

“I met Lady Astraea.” Kanata spoke calmly, but she could see his simple statement shocked Ryuu as she crumpled the letter in her hand without realizing it. “We met her in Solingen when we delivered messages to her from the guild. She asked us to give that to you. I also asked her to talk to you as well.”

“Lady Astraea?” Ryuu whispered. She looked at her hands and she saw the surprise in the elf’s face when she realized what she did with her hand. She quickly smoothed out the crumpled envelope. “How is she? When? Is she doing well?”

“She’s doing well. She has a new member in your familia, a smith called Cecil.” She answered, and she could see the relief in the elf’s expression.

“When she realized who I was, she asked me questions.” Kanata continued. “Personal questions. I thought she was doing it on purpose because of some scheme she planned, but I later realized she was just worried for you. Astraea said I reminded her of you.”

“And who are you?” She asked.

“I’m Kanata Rivington, also known as the Ghost of the Loki familia.”

“You!” Ryuu whispered and her eyes widened in shock. “I heard about… about what you did.”

“I killed most of the Phobos familia.” Kanata shared. “I did it as revenge, and also as a lesson to them for what they did. Astraea asked me about it and what I felt after.”

“It’s not the same…” Ryuu shook her head. “I killed not just fighters, but anyone connected to them. Their suppliers, their contacts, the merchants…”

“Who were supporting Evilus behind the scenes.” She replied. “There’s a reason why my familia or the top familias moved to collect the bounty on you. We all knew the truth, and what you did was necessary.”

“When I completed eradicating the Phobos familia, my familia and friends were there to help me go through and accept what I did.” Kanata continued. “I just want to say, that I’m here if you ever want to talk about it.”

“Why?” The elf whispered and she could see the elf was confused.

“I like Astraea. Her compassion despite the loss she experienced. It was something I can relate with.” Kanata explained. “I also heard from her that you also reached Level 2 within a year, and you’re the only adventurer I know besides Ais to achieve that aside from me.”

“I’m retired.” The elf replied. “I don’t hunt in the dungeon anymore.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t keep your skills sharp.” Kanata replied. “You’re the only other person beside me that wields light element enchantment magic. Astraea told me that after she saw my abilities.”

“You also wield light enchantment?” Ryuu asked.

“I do. Aside from a friend you can talk to, I believe I’ll make a good sparring partner for you.” Kanata offered. “We’re even on the same level.”

“I will think about it.” The elf replied. “Thank you Ghost.”

“Call me Kanata, and you’re welcome. Just think about it, and you can always send me a message in Twilight manor. I don’t think I’ll accept long term missions for a while.”

 “You and me both.” She joined in. “Now let’s eat, while we ask you to confirm all the embarrassing stories your goddess shared with us.”

“What?” She found it amusing as the elf’s face turned red in embarrassment.

They nearly finished their snacks, the mood in the room light and enjoyable. Ryuu asked stories about their travels and experiences while the elf shared stories about her own journey outside Orario.

They were interrupted when a gray haired girl rushed inside the room without knocking on the door.

“Ryuu!” The girl rushed to the elf’s side. “I heard from Chole that you had guests! You never have guests, ever! I thought you were in trouble!”

“I’m fine Syr.” She could see how uncomfortable the elf felt as she was hugged by the other girl. “I was just talking with Asfi and Kanata.”

“Oh my.” Syr breathed out.

She had seen many women react to Kanata in various ways. Syr’s reaction was the most evident that she had a deep crush on her companion.

“Syr? Syr?” Ryuu continued to shake the girl back to attention, but the girl continued to watch Kanata in a daze.

“I’ll head back to my home. I’ll see you later Asfi, Ryuu.” Kanata quickly left, clearly uncomfortable at the attention he received from the girl.

Syr snapped out the moment Kanata closed the door. “Oh! I’m sorry!”

“What happened to you?” Ryuu asked in worry.

“It’s just…” She saw the pure bliss in the girl’s expression. “He’s so beautiful. Who is he?”

She laughed when she heard that, and she quickly noticed that it attracted the attention of the two women.

“What’s so funny, Perseus?” Syr demanded.

“It’s just that guy doesn’t believe in love.” She replied. She couldn’t wait and tease Kanata that he was called beautiful the next time he met him. “Trust me. You’re just wasting your time with him.”

“Is that a challenge?” Syr asked.

“No, not at all.” She replied as she stood up and left a bag valis in payment for their food and drink. “I’ve been with him in outside in Orario for months, nearly a year if you count all our time together. He has abandoned love. You’d be better off being his friend than pursing anything romantic with him.”

“I better report to Hermes.” She bid farewell and headed home.

“Abandoned love huh?” Her sharp hearing caught Syr’s reply. “Then it is a challenge.”[

Kanata Rivington

“Look who is finally back from vacation.” He looked up to see Bete standing outside his room. “C’mon Ghost, with me. Loki has been waiting the moment she heard news that your trade caravan returned back to the city.”

“What’s this all about?” He asked the werewolf who looked eager for some reason.

“You’ll see.”

He quickly followed Bete towards Finn’s office, and he entered the room to see his goddess and the executives waiting for him. He wondered why they were so eager to see him, when he suddenly remembered the last time he was in a similar situation.

“Kanataaaa!” Loki launched herself at him, and he quickly caught his goddess before she could fall on the floor. As her goddess hugged him in the waist with her head buried in his chest he quickly patted his eccentric goddess on the back.

“I don’t think I reached level 5 this time.” He stated before anyone else could get a word in. “Our missions weren’t that exciting, just regular surface monsters.”

“Oh. That’s a bummer.” Tiona replied. “I even made a bet for your level up.”

“You made a bet on my growth?” He asked as he carried Loki on his arms in a princess carry and deposited her on the couch.

“We all did.” Gareth laughed. “The betting pool has gotten big as your scheduled date of arrival drew closer.”

“Welcome back Kanata.” Captain Finn welcomed him and he quickly shook the hand of his captain.

“Thank you captain.” He replied. “It’s good to be back. I missed the city.”

“You know the drill.” Loki commanded and he quickly removed his shirt. He looked up once his shirt was removed by Tiona who whistled.

“Damn Kanata.” The amazon replied. “You’re really filling up nicely. I like it.”

He suddenly felt a warm sensation on his back and a moment later the temperature increased engulfed his entire body. It was like his body was submerged in hot water, it was painful and pleasurable at the same time. The sensation slowly vanished and he looked up to see everyone in the room was quiet.

“Well?” Bete asked impatiently. “Did the he do it or not?”

“He did.” He heard Loki reply. “You’re a monster Kanata!”

Everyone in the room was silent for a moment before they all reacted. He noticed two distinct reactions. Bete and Tione looked annoyed, while Tiona and Gareth cheered and even hugged each other screaming they were rich.

His captain Finn was looking at him with a sharp expression and Riveria was shaking her head, clearly embarrassed by the immaturity shown. Ais was another matter. She was staring at him, a determined expression on her face.

Loki immediately ran out of the office, unable to contain her excitement. He could still hear her voice shouting about his level up. He wondered how he was able to achieve this feat this time. He tried to recall what he did, and suddenly it all clicked into place.

[

Kanata Rivington

Level  4 > 5

STR--  B 783 > S 921

END –S904 > S 991

DEX – B 722 > A 872

AGI  -- A 894 > S 994

MAG – SS 1029 > SS 1081

Skills:

Eidetikos Memoria (Essence Memory) (passive)

Ability to remember and recall visual information with exceptional clarity and accuracy, as if the image were still present before one’s eyes. 

Voluntas Indomita (Indomitable Will) (passive)

Extraordinary capacity to persevere in the face of adversity. Resistance to charms and mind manipulation.

Spells:

Validus (Enchantment) (short chant)

Ability to wield light element enchantment.

Lumine Impetum (short chant spell - Lux)

Releases a single lance of light element energy

Developmetal Abilities:

Spirit Healing F

Strong Defense G

Supreme Light G

Shielder H

He had been training almost harder than the last time he was in mission with Asfi. From his obsession to perfect his acquired spell, to sparring with the Athena familia captain and her officers regularly and the months of hand to hand combat with Takemikazuchi must have pushed him to a new level. There were also the occasional sparring sessions with Asfi, fighting with the swift Perseus honed his spell to aim at fast moving targets.

“You understand now how you did it, don’t you?” Finn must have been watching him closely.

“Yes captain. While there were fewer monsters that I fought on this last mission, I was training and sparring the whole time against different opponents.”

“I see.” Finn replied. His captain seemed to be deep in thought for a minute and he waited patiently for him to speak again. “It’s been a while since we had a proper spar. Why don’t we have a bout in the dungeon, to help you get a hold of your new level?”

“Yes captain. Thank you.” He replied with a bow.

“Don’t thank me yet. It will be a serious fight, I won’t be holding back. I want to see the full extent of your abilities.” The pallum replied. “Don’t look at me like that Ais. It’s my decision as captain. You’ll get your turn.”

“Finn?  Are you sure about this?” He heard Riveria ask. He heard the others were furiously whispering behind him.

“The captain’s fighting Kanata!”

“I can’t wait to watch this!”

“I want to fight him too!”

“I’m pretty sure.” His captain nodded. “Get some rest. We’ll head to the dungeon tomorrow morning. We don’t want to alarm the city if I let loose in the arena.”

“Damn! This is exciting!”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight! I can’t wait for tomorrow!”

“Yes captain. I’ll just visit Tsubaki to show her at some strange ores I found.” He replied.

“Really? Where did you find it?” Finn asked. He admired how his captain pretended his junior executives weren’t taking bets for their upcoming duel.

“Perseus and I encountered a large golem made of this ore near a village, about two weeks of travel from the city.” He replied. “I must have awakened it when I chased down a pack of kobolds down their den underground.”

“Do you have the samples now?” He asked.

He quickly brought a few fist sized rocks and placed them on Finn’s deck. Gareth leaned closer to look, and he saw the dwarf was astonished as he observed the ore in his large hands.

“How large was this golem, Kanata?” Gareth asked.

“As tall as Balor.” He replied. “Twice as massive. It took us the whole night with Perseus’ help to bring it down. It was as tough as the Amphisbaema.”

“This is adamantite and orichalum.” Gareth informed him. “These are rare and valuable ores that can only be mined in the deeper floors. You say that golem was made out of this stuff?”

“I did. We were lucky to trap it in a nearby chasm. That was where we took it down.”

“This drop loot rightfully belongs to you and Perseus.” Finn replied. “Do you remember where its remains are?”

“I can draw a map for you captain.” He answered.

“I’ll ask Loki to talk to Hermes and Hephaestus about the distribution of shares.” Finn replied. “We’ll make a large amount of money with this.”

He made his way to Hephaestus’ workshop after the meeting, and accepted the congratulations and pats on the back from his familia along the way. He felt happy with his level up, and was eager to see his performance against his captain tomorrow.

Along the way he spotted the creepy gray haired girl at a distance and he swiftly moved to the shadows and activated his cloak enchantment. He had enough of fawning girls in his old life. He didn’t want to experience that again in this new world. They only brought trouble.

He breathed a sigh of relief when her eyes moved past him, clearly looking for someone. He increased his pace and five minutes later entered the familiar workshop of his friend. He heard her working, so he locked the door and headed to the table of the far end to take a look around.

There were new armor and weapons of the highest quality stored around the walls, clearly waiting for their clients to pick them up. He spotted the familiar wooden armor stand where his old armor was placed. He noticed it was polish and repaired with great care along with its shield and sword.

A familiar pair of arms hugged him from behind and a familiar scent reached his nose. He leaned back as Tsubaki hugged him from behind.

“Welcome back Kanata.” Tsubaki whispered in his ear. “Did you miss me?”

“I sure did. And I even brought gifts.” He replied once the hug ended.

Tsubaki quickly opened the sack and her expert eye analyzed the ores contained inside. “Orichalum and Adamantite. And there’s another ore… I’m not familiar with this.”

“Where did you find this?”

“It’s two weeks from here, but I’m sure you can get there faster with your own carts. It’s from a massive golem as big as Balor.” He replied. “According to our contract, you have a big share of the remains of this golem. I’m sure Loki will be contacting your goddess about it.”

“Are you telling me you found me a pile of rare ores the size of a hill somewhere near the city?” Tsubaki asked. “And we don’t even have to go to the deep floors of the dungeon to mine it?”

“Yes.” He replied. He wasn’t surprised when Tsubaki tackled him to the floor. He knew how much his smith loves rare and high quality drops.

“You did remember to lock the door on your way in right?” Tsubaki asked as she straddled him while she started removing the bindings on her chest.

He nodded as his eyes focused on her bountiful breasts. Tsubaki soon leaned in for a kiss as his desire overtook him.

“You bastard.” Tsubaki whispered as she took deep breathes of air on the floor beside him hours later. “You should have told me you reached level 5 first before you nearly fucked me to death.”

“In my defense.” He replied as he panted and wiped the sweat that threatened to fall on his eyes from his forehead. “You jumped me before I could tell you. I forgot how distracting you were.”

“Heh. Congratuations Kanata.” She replied, and he could see the pride and sincerity in her eyes. “It looks like I need to make a new set of armor suitable for you again.”

 [

Finn Deimne

Ever since he became captain, he never experienced outright mutiny from familia under his command. They were some cases like disobedience, like Ais or Bete, but he knew they didn’t directly disobey his authority because they wanted to, but because of circumstances. That generally made their punishment from him to be light, from simple mandated time off from the dungeon or lecturing them, reminding them about the values they treasured and encouraged in the familia – teamwork.

He generally gave a big amount of leeway for his familia to act as they saw fit, firmly believing that real heroes should have the freedom to forge their own legends.

This time he wondered why a good amount of his subordinates were dressed like they were going to an expedition when it was the entire familia’s rest day. Did they not receive and understand his orders properly?

“And where are all of you going today?” He asked the assembled adventurers. At the very front were the level 5 executives, along with the level 4 team leaders with their level 3 squads. Even the 11 elves of the fairy force were there including Lefiya.

“Just around captain.” Tione replied with a giggle. “I was planning to do a nice and easy stroll in the dungeon today.”

“And it coincides with the fact that I announced my duel with Kanata, and only Riveria and Gareth can watch our match?” He asked.

“It’s just a coincidence.” Tiona added.

“Coincidence, right.” He replied. He looked for support but even Loki was ignoring him.

“I told you they wouldn’t listen.” Riveria whispered from beside him.

“Fine. Make the arrangements on who will stay behind.” He ordered.

He made his way down the dungeon. He informed Kanata that their fight would be on the large space on the seventeenth floor. Some of the caverns away from the wall of grief were wide enough for a proper fight, and the floor was entirely made out of bedrock. Any monster that spawned wouldn’t be a problem for either of them.

He focused his thoughts on the upcoming fight, excited to see the true capabilities of his newest executive. With Kanata joining their ranks in first tier, they really had a good chance now against their rivals if a war broke out between them.

He quickly reached the seventeenth floor, and headed to a path that led away from the wall of grief. He finally saw his opponent in the upcoming duel standing silently in the middle of the large cavern in his armor and cloak with his weapons held at his side.

He had to admit Kanata cut an imposing figure, and he felt his heart beat faster in excitement.

“You know what to do.” He told his two companions and jumped down to the floor and walked closer to Kanata.

“I look forward to seeing your abilities. Be warned Kanata, I won’t use any moves to target your head, but anywhere else is a valid target. This will be a general assessment of your full capabilities in combat, so fight with your full strength because I won’t hold back.”

“Understood captain.” His opponent replied and got into a ready stance. He prepared his two spears and crossed them behind his back in preparation.

“Start!” They both heard Riveria shout and they instantly moved towards each other.

His spear met Kanata’s shield, and the impact caused a shockwave to erupt from their contact. His opponent was pushed back a dozen steps, and he took advantage of the space given and moved to engage once again.

He observed with keen eyes as Kanata was instantly on defensive. He wisely parried his spear thrusts, and realized Kanata was taking measure of his strength and adjusting to it. He waited for Kanata’s inevitable counter attack, knowing the teen’s tendency to study his opponent before targeting their weakness.

His spearhead clashed with Kanata’s sword as he continued to push his opponent back. A shift of his weight allowed him to dodge the edge of Kanata’s round shield and kicked him on his side. He was impressed when Kanata absorbed his kick and countered with a knee aimed at his head.

He quickly disengaged and made a series of flips back. While in the air he spotted Kanata raise his hand and narrowly dodged a lance of light that erupted from his hand. His eyes widened in surprise at the speed and accuracy of Kanata’s range attack as he hopped back, avoiding several more streaks of light that headed in his direction.

His heart beat faster and realized Kanata purposely aimed a barrage at him to disguise the fact that he purposely caused the visibility in the arena to lessen due to the amount of dust from the explosions. As expected he couldn’t see or sense Kanata anywhere.

A whistling sound reached his ears and he immediately jumped back to evade the sword swing, but the follow up from Kanata’s shield caught him in the air, causing him to hit and tumble along the ground. He stood up and smiled as he felt the blood on his lips.

The first blood was to Kanata, and it was time to get serious. His opponent wasn’t a simple warrior, but a cunning, calculating adventurer that he tutored personally for years. If Kanata wanted to limit his vision, then that meant he wanted to get up close.

He swung his spear hard, causing the dust to disperse quickly. He caught side of a ripple in the air and quickly launched in its direction, as a grin started to form in his face. The lance of light he expected he batted away easily with his spear as his eyes finally locked on to the blurry form of the Ghost.

His spear lashed out and he heard Kanata grunt as he appeared in front of him. The teen jumped back, clearly wounded on the shoulder from his attack, but he pressed forward, not allowing him to gain any ground. Kanata suffered another wound to his thigh as he dodged and weaved around him, but his opponent continued to fight back despite the wounds he suffered.

He suffered a cut to the cheek from Kanata’s blade, and countered by hitting him with his fist. He felt the armor break from the impact, and suffered a retaliatory bash to his head from the shield. He ignored the pain and pressed forward, laughing as the fight intensified.

A powerful lance of light hit the ground between them, and the explosion forced them apart. Before his very eyes he saw Kanata’s wounds heal in a few moments. This was fun! He ran forward again and he aimed his spear at Kanata’s chest while grinning in delight.

A translucent barrier appeared around Kanata from his raised shield, and the impact of his spear caused a powerful explosion of air from the impact that ruffled his hair. The shield held, but he continued his attack, battering his opponent down as the ground around them shake and give way from the impact.

The shield suddenly vanished when he was mid strike, causing him to lose his balance for a moment. A sword immediately bit his side, and he countered with the butt of his spear by hitting Kanata on the side of his head.

His opponent flew to the wall from the strength of his strike, but he did not find Kanata after the dust settled. A beam of light lashed out from beside him and he bent his knees to avoid the attack. Several more attacks followed from different directions, and he analyzed the pattern as he avoided and twisted his body to evade them all. It was time to force Kanata to stop hiding and he quickly threw his spear to a spot he calculated after the latest lance of light nearly hit him.

Kanata’s form immediately appeared, his spear embedded firmly on his stomach through his armor.  His opponent pulled out his spear and he decided to press forward before he could heal his wounds. It was one of the weaknesses he knew about Kanata’s abilities, he could only use one facet of his enchantment magic at a time.

Kanata valiantly tried to hold his ground, but he suffered more hits from his spears. Barely standing, Kanata tried one last attack with his hand but his wrist snapped as his spear hit his arm before he could launch a spell. He twisted his torso to gain momentum and a final strike with the shaft on Kanata’s head knocked him to the ground, finally unconscious.

He breathed deeply as the fight ended and heard footsteps running towards him. He spotted Riveria looking concerned as she kneeled down beside Kanata, a magical chant on her lips to heal the teen.

“You look like you had fun.” Gareth said to him as he handed him a potion. He quickly drank it and sighed in relief as his own wounds started to heal. A few more potions were passed, this time he poured it directly to the wounds Kanata caused.

“It was a good fight.” He agreed, watching as the rest of the familia moved closer.

He looked back as Riveria’s healing spell took effect and a magic circle formed around Kanata. “He suffered a lot of injuries.” She observed.

“Captain! That was so awesome!”

“You were so amazing! That fight was epic!”

“He’s a tricky opponent to fight.” He admitted. “He doesn’t back down at all and showed no hesitation from the start.”

“I could see that.” Riveria replied. “Either he’s insane or incredibly brave to face you head on. You even activate Hell Finegas.”

“I did? I didn’t even realize.” He admitted, surprised that he was forced to use his magic.

“You were even laughing and grinning as you cut him down.” Gareth shook his head in disbelief. “That naturally overwhelmed the poor kid. Brave though.”

Riveria’s healing spell had finished its effect, and she had removed Kanata’s helm, revealing blood all over the teens face. He suddenly wondered if he went overboard in the fight.

“I’ll bring him back up to the manor to recover.” Gareth picked up the unconscious form of Kanata and put his helmet and weapons on his own pack. “I owe him, since I won again! Hehe!”

“You made a bet again?” He asked.

“Yes. This time on how long Kanata will last against you.” He replied. “I bet the kid would last 15 minutes.”

“How long did he last?” He asked. He lost track of time with his fight Kanata.

“Sixteen minutes.” Gareth replied as he headed back to the surface while their familia continued to exchange money between them.

“You certainly gained some good quality excelia.” Loki commented after she updated his status. “Fifty points in total, just from that fight.”

“It’s more than what I usually gain in a familia expedition.” He replied, shocked at his progress, he couldn’t believe fighting a level 5 would allow him to gain so much excelia.

“From what I heard from the rest of the kids, it was an amazing spar, but it’s too dangerous.” Loki took the sheet from his back and handed it to him to review.

“I know.”He replied as his eyes reviewed the data. He had reached S in agility. “It would be too dangerous and damaging for anyone else. Brutal fights against each other is not our way of gaining strength, and only I and Kanata could handle that level of intensity.”

“How so?” Loki asked.

“Didn’t you notice?” He asked. “Kanata’s used to competition, but he doesn’t hold grudges if he lost. He has a unique mindset to not take it personally and he always has full control of his body and abilities. That fact gave me confidence that our fight will not get out of control, and I was right.”

“I couldn’t say the same for the others, aside from Riveria and Gareth.” He continued.

“Tell that to them.” Loki laughed. “The kids are lining up to take on Kanata.”

“I wouldn’t forbid the executives if they want to and Kanata agrees, but I’ll impose a direct order for them not to take things too far. They might lose control of themselves in a fight, and I’m worried for Ais particularly.”

“She’s pushing herself harder than normal.” Loki added.

“We’ll keep a closer eye on her. The twins already know my instructions.” He replied.

[

Ais Wallenstein

She watched the fight closely between Kanata and Finn and felt irritated by what she saw. Kanata was only a level 1 when she met him, and she had just reached level 4. Now he was at her level, fighting the captain head on and displaying incredible abilities and fighting skill and technique.

“Riveria, am I not working hard enough?” She asked Riveria once they were back at Twilight manor.

“You’re one of our most hard working members in this familia. You hold the record for the fastest level up to 2.” Riveria replied. “Your growth is astonishing to say the least to reach your level at your age.”

“But Kanata has caught up to me.” She replied and looked down on her lap. “Am I doing things wrong?”

“Everyone has their own pace.” Riveria reminded her. “You shouldn’t rush to obtain strength.”

“But Kanata…”

“Kanata isn’t just focused in obtaining strength. He didn’t reach level 5 because he pushed himself to achieve it, that wasn’t his aim at all. You saw his surprise when Loki updated his falna didn’t you?”

“I did.” She replied. She clearly remembered that meeting, Tiona, Tione and Bete set up a betting poolif Kanata would level up when he returned from his mission. She could remember the shock and feeling of resentment and jealousy towards Kanata for his progress while hers slowed down. “What did he do differently?”

“He focused on living his life and taking advantage of the opportunities he was given. He didn’t let them pass by, while only focusing on becoming stronger.” 

“I don’t understand.” She admitted. What Riveria said was very confusing. She enjoyed hunting monsters and overcoming the challenge they presented. All of her training and practice and the countless hours in the dungeon were for one goal, taking revenge on the monster that took her away from her parents. What else was missing?

“I’ll tell you what.” Riveria sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes for a moment to enjoy the sensation of Riveria’s fingers gently running through her scalp.

“You’re originally not part of the team, Finn wanted you and Bete to stay in the surface while the twins and Kanata map out the dragon’s vase in preparation for our next large expedition.”

She opened her mouth to protest but Riveria held up a hand to stop her from speaking.

“I’ll ask him to include you in the scouting team, and use the opportunity to observe Kanata, and to get to know him better. Maybe you’ll understand what I’m talking about.” Riveria added.

“Thank you!” She immediately hugged her mother figure in gratitude. She didn’t want to be left out, fearing that even the twins would surpass her.

 “This will be a scouting mission only, and Tione will be the team leader.” Riveria gave her a serious look. “I expect you to follow her orders, because if you don’t, Finn will surely ban you from the dungeon for a month to teach you a lesson. Even I don’t have the authority to countermand his orders.”

“I understand.” She replied. “When do we leave?”

“We’re waiting for Kanata’s armor and equipment to be finished after Finn damaged his previous set.” Riveria replied. “Prepare your weapons and armor and make sure they’re in good condition. Stock up on high quality potions, this is scouting mission so you and team will be running light and fast. Don’t tell the others yet, understood?”

“Yes Riveria.” She couldn’t wait to head to the unexplored depths. Who knows, maybe she could find a challenge that would allow her to reach level 6? She needed to head to her smith to have her sword checked and serviced, and secure a back up weapon as well.

[

Kanata Rivington

“I’ve made some changes, but I think you’ll like it.”

He observed the unveiled Mandalorian Wraith armor and admired the sharp lines and the polished light gray surface with the engraved dark red highlights. The contrast was certainly eye catching but not loud. He took a closer look and narrowed his eyes at the dark red highlights that bordered parts of the armor.

“Is this… mithril?” He asked.

“You’ve got sharp eyes Kanata.” Tsubaki replied. “Yes, I treated them to have that shade of red. Subtle and muted, just the way you like it.”

“You know me too well.” He replied. “It’s marvelous.”

“This is your first class armor.” She smiled fondly as she reached out and touched the helmet. “It’s made of the highest quality ores. You wouldn’t normally be able to afford it, but someone found a literal hill made out of that ores and handed most of that supply to me.”

“The quarry is going well?” He asked.

The Hephaestus familia with a few teams from Loki set out to immediately stake a claim and mine the remains of the ancient golem once the deal was finalized. Tsubaki led the mining team of her familia with a few smiths, followed by Kanata and Raul’s team to guard the site.

It took them just four days to reach the chasm, and another two days to assemble a lift mechanism to transport the mined ores back up the surface. Without any dungeon monsters to worry about ambushing them, the operation went smoothly.

They left after a week, with nearly half of the remains of the golem transported back to the Hephaestus familia warehouses. Raul and his team with Anakitty stayed behind until the mining team was finished with their work, enjoying the change of scenery outside the city.

Tsubaki immediately set to work with his armor, and he helped her by acting as his assistant by preparing her meals, cleaning up and sometimes warming her bed if she needed to release her stress and relax. She refused to let him near the forge to see the process since she wanted him to see only the final product.

With that, he was relegated to the other half of the workshop and her sleeping quarters at the second floor. Tsubaki worked in his armor for nearly two weeks, and in that time he barely slept in his room at Twilight manor.

“Divar said they’re nearly done and are already packing up some of their equipment.” Tsubaki replied.

“You know the drill, Kanata. Strip.”

“All the way?” He teased.

“Funny. We have that time for later.” Tsubaki playfully fondled him by inserting her hand through his waist. “Ohhh someone has a hard on. Is that for me or for your first custom made first class armor?”

“Why can’t it be both?” He asked as he endured her teasing for another minute. Once he was as hard as stone her hands left him. He knew she enjoyed leaving him hanging at times.

He quickly placed the armor on, familiar with the process that he could do it in his sleep. The helmet was the final piece and he finally put it on. He tested his movements and relished the experience of wearing armor again in a month after his previous armor was damaged beyond repair.

“As always, its perfect.” He twisted and turned, trying to get a feel for the new armor and found no issues. The armor fit well and was comfortable.

“There are linings I put in that will help you in the water city as well as in hot and cold conditions.” Tsubaki explained. “If you’re acting as the primary scout for the next expedition, you might need it from the notes Finn shared with me.”

“The glacier territory, but first we have to verify the dragon’s vase and see how touch these valgang dragons are.”

“Can I see your own fighting outfit?” He asked.

“I finished it months ago.” She replied. “I never had a chance to wear it since the initial fitting.”

“Can I see you wear it?”

“You just want to see me strip and wear the sexy outfit for you, don’t you?” Tsubaki asked while she held her arms under her chest, lifting her breasts together for him to admire.

“Yes.” He replied honestly.”I’m also curious about it, and I wanted to spar with you again.”

“Fine. I like putting on a show now and then.” Tsubaki replied and headed to her personal cabinet and pulled out a package wrapped in a white cloth.

Tsubaki sensually put on a show, as she slowly stripped her clothes, enjoying his reaction. She put on black short skirt first that reached to her mid thigh, followed by the sleeveless vest that showed the top part of her cleavage and her navel.

The boots that reached past her knees came next, followed by the gloves that reached past her elbow. The gray outfit, lined with special materials and from the skin of the black goliath, showed off her voluptuous figure while providing adequate protection.

Tsubaki modeled for him, moving in various poses and finally turning around and bending forward at the waist to show she “forgot” to wear her panties.

“Well?” Tsubaki asked while raising an eyebrow as she looked over her shoulder at him with a heated look. She spread her legs further and exposed her dripping sex to him. “Aren’t you going to come in?”

He quickly unzipped his pants and went inside her.

[

Tione Hiryute

She was summoned by her beloved captain and she immediately rushed to his door. The fight on seventeenth floor really showcased his incredible fighting ability, and she had been dripping wet with arousal every time she recalled the duel.

She was grateful to Kanata for displaying incredible skill and courage to face their gorgeous captain, forcing him to reveal his true nature. An unbeatable and relentless warrior with killer instincts beneath that calm and angelic face.

“You called for me captain?” She asked shyly. She bent her forward and folded her arms under her chest so that he could see her breasts better. She was sure he would lose control one day and ravish her.

“Thank you for coming Tione, have a seat. We’re still waiting one more person for this meeting.” Finn replied without looking up, and she knew he was busy reviewing their budget for that month. He was such a hard working captain, looking out for all of them.

She heard a knock and waited for the captain to give her a nod, and she quickly opened the door.

“Kanata! You’re part of this meeting?” She asked.

“Hi Tione. You called for me captain?” The young man asked.

“Come in, I have a briefing for the two of you.” Her dear captain Finn unexpectedly hopped down from his chair and joined them on the couch. She was disappointed that he chose to seat across from them while he rolled out several maps on the table.

“This is the map supplied by the guild for the dragon’s vase, floors fifty-two to fifty-nine.” Finn stated, tracing his finger to the marked red line that showed a path through the maze like floors. Tione, I want you to lead a scouting party and confirm the map’s accuracy. Your mission is to prepare for our large expedition next year.”

“Yes captain!” She was delighted at the show of trust given to her.

“Kanata, you will join her. You have good memory and I expect your report if the map and the path indicated is accurate or not. I trust your judgement on the matter.” Finn continued.

“I understand Captain.” Kanata replied. “Who will be part of the team?”

“Originally, I wanted you to move fast and quick for this mission so Tiona would also join your scouting mission.” Her captain explained. “However, I decided to add Ais to the roster. Please look out for her.”

“We will captain.” She replied.

“You have a month to accomplish this before Balor appears, so I expect you to complete the mission in three weeks at the most. If you fail to return in that time, I’ll assume it was a mission failure scenario and will launch a rescue force to get to you.” Finn unexpectedly smiled at the both of them. “But I don’t expect that. Kanata take care of them, you’ll be the healer and range support. You will act as Tione’s second in command.”

She was thrilled to have Kanata as part of the team, with him she felt more confident at completing the mission. With Kanata’s wide range of abilities, she knew a scouting force made up of level 5s would be able to head to head to the unexplored depths.

“Remember, this is a scouting mission, not an expedition.” Finn reminded them once again. “You’ll depart in two days, so prepare your equipment and call a meeting with your team for a briefing.”

She decided to assign Kanata the briefing, and she found out that their new level 5 was very thorough and exact in his information. It wasn’t even boring, as the Ghost gave a rough estimate that projected they would be finished in two weeks if their scouting mission went well. He even wrote down how long they stay for every rest stop, how long they would sleep and the rotation of their guard duty.

It was fascinating to see a glimpse of how Kanata’s mind work, and she wondered if that helped him reach level 5 so soon.

Bete as predicted complained at being left out, but the werewolf calmed down when their captain informed him of his role as part of the rescue force in case things went wrong for the scouting party.

The next day, they all assembled at front of the manor waiting for the last member of their group to arrive. She looked up to see Kanata descending down the stairs, wearing his new armor and helmet.

His new outfit was a stark contrast to his previous one, with the polished gray alloy trimmed with red.”Sorry for the delay, the captain has additional instructions.”

“We’re still early!” She replied. “Let’s be off!”

They aimed to eat their breakfast at the eighteenth floor, and she was pretty sure their speed down the floors to their first stop was some sort of record. Other adventurers jumped in surprise as they passed them in a blur, and they even ignored the monsters that tried to attack them.

She assigned Ais to the front, with her behind the sword princess. Kanata was behind her as their party healer and range support, while her twin protected their rear. They had a late breakfast at the eighteenth floor and didn’t bother to set up tents since Kanata projected they would be able to camp on the twenty-eight floor to sleep there and rest. Their rush through the water city was exciting, and was beginning to enjoy having Kanata as a range support and Ais as their front line combatant.

Between the two, their pace was impressive as Ais was able to cut down any monster that attempted to ambush them without slowing. Kanata’s range spell struck down monsters that ambushed them from above. The iguazu did not even had a chance to form up and attack them, vaporized by the accurate spells of Kanata.

They had a nice dinner of bloodsaurus steaks when they reached the twenty eight floor. While she and her twin was busy setting up their small camp, Ais and Kanata hunted their dinner to save on supplies for later.

“It’s strange.” Her sister commented as she set up the twins. “I really enjoy this pace. I felt totally at ease and comfortable.”

“That’s due to Kanata’s and the captain’s meticulous planning.” She replied. “You should have seen those two as they discussed this scouting mission.”

“So is Captain Finn grooming Kanata for leadership in the future?”

“Probably.” She replied. “I’ve never seen the captain so animated when planning the mission. I think he enjoyed Kanata’s input.”

“He’s a good leader I guess.” Her sister observed. “Won’t that make you sad though, the thought of the captain retiring?”

 “If the captain retires, he’ll have more time with me to make babies.” She imagined they would be blond kids, powerful and deadly and intelligent like their mommy and daddy.  She tuned out her sister’s reply as she got lost in her fantasy.

“Food’s here!”

She snapped out of her dream and saw Kanata and Ais carrying slabs of meat stuck to a long wooden pole carried by the two on both ends.

“We got ambushed.” Ais reported. “We got lucky.”

She giggled at Ais and handed over the prepared sticks. “Let’s roast em! I’m hungry from all that running!”

The air soon smelled of cooked meat, and they were all happily eating large portions to restore their stamina. A few of the steaks were being smoked for their breakfast the next day.

“Couldn’t we leave early?” Ais asked the next morning. The blonde was already prepared with her tent and supplies packed.

“We can’t.” She replied. “We need to keep to a schedule.”

“How come?” Ais asked, and she inwardly hid her groan of frustration. She spotted Kanata stretching after he had just come out of his own tent.

“Kanata! Come help me out here!” She called out.

“What do you need Tione?”

“Ais here want to depart now.” She answered. “Please explain to her why we need to stick the schedule, while I go look for some more bloodsaurus to hunt and smoke them for when we pack up. I get hungry quickly when I’m fighting.”

“See ya!” She waved while she dragged her still sleepy sister down to the lower floor.

[

Ais Wallenstein

She stared expectantly at Kanata,waiting for his explanation. It seemed simple to her, to rush through and map the path their familia will take later then rush back out. It was simple. She didn’t know why Tione had difficulty answering her question.

“You want to go ahead now right?” Kanata asked.

“Yes.”

“We finally rested four hours ago after a fast descent into the dungeon where we pushed our stamina.” He explained as he sat down to tend to the dying fire with a stick. He shifted a few pieces of wood to keep the fire going.

“I feel recovered now.” She replied.  “I feel fine.”

“But what about the rest of us who needs to rest more?” He asked.

She tilted her head in thought, and nodded in acceptance. “I see,”

“It’s called pacing yourself.” Kanata explained. “Our next leg is to reach the thirty-ninth floor, and that will test most of our endurance. We will try to avoid battle if we can, but we’ll have to face constant monsters attacks. We need to be in top shape, physically and mentally before we depart.”

She took it all in, his words and reasoning. It did make sense in some way.

“It’s similar to the concept of breaking past our current limits to level up.” He continued, and she immediately focused back on him.

“What do you mean?” She sat down on the log in front of him to listen better to what he had to say.

“Instead of rushing to the next level, we have to see our current limitations and work on them. You see this fire? If I didn’t shift more wood and added new fuel, it would just burn out.” Kanata replied. “You have to have the proper mindset and desire to focus on yourself before you attempt to break your limits. That’s my experience at least.”

“And this… pause to reflect and analyze yourself allowed you to reach level 5?” She asked.

“I didn’t even mean to reach level 5. I was working with what I felt I lacked as a level 4 and the skills I needed to improve on. A far east god that’s an expert on all forms of combat gave me lessons for months as we travelled back to Orario. I occasionally exercised with my mission partner and discovered some of my weaknesses through her. The spell I acquired through a falna, I constantly practiced it every day to try and master it completely.” Kanata explained. “My partner helped me fine tune that spell for fast moving targets. Sometimes you need to step back and seek out others to see what you currently lack.”

“When you feel you’ve reached your goal for that level, all your efforts will give you the confidence to reach for new limits.” Kanata continued speaking and she found herself staring straight at his eyes. “Ultimately, you need to know yourself and what you are as a person and an adventurer.”

She pondered what he said, trying to match her experiences with his explanations. Some fit, but she had some difficulty with the rest.

“Could you, write that for me?” She asked.

“What I just said?”

“Yes.” She nodded. She wanted to read them again to better understand his words. What ultimately struck her though was his advice to know herself both as a person and an adventurer.

“Uhmm okay. I will write them down when we finish the mission.”

“Okay.” She added a new log to the fire. She knew she had a lot to think about while they were still resting.

A day later she was breathing hard, tired from the constant battle. They were ambushed by a pack of peluda and Kanata had to cast his shield to protect them from the sudden attack. The powerful spell allowed them to regroup, and she and Tione made quick work as they attacked the monster from the flanks.

“We’re nearly there.” She heard Tione as they resumed their journey to the thirty-eight floor. She was glad they rested before this leg of the journey. She didn’t even realize how exhausted she was.

 “Uhmm Kanata, sorry but I got tagged.” Tione showed her leg with a poisoned needle of a peluda stuck in her thigh.

“I’ll take care of it. It’s not a bother Tione.” He quickly got to work, while she stood guard around their supporter.

“There. Good as new.” Kanata finished his healing magic and beckoned to Ais to come closer.

“I’m not injured.” She replied.

“I know, but I have a good amount of mind left. It will be a waste not to use it on you.”  Kanata replied as he put hand on hers.

She felt a warm sensation spread throughout her body from Kanata’s hand. Her exhaustion vanished, as well as the aches and pains she was feeling in her arms and legs. “Thank you.”

“Your turn next Tiona.” Kanata turned to their rear guard.

“Best supporter ever!” Tiona declared and she firmly agreed with the amazon’s statement. She felt that she could fight non-stop for another day.

“Okay, let’s push forward. Watch out for the spartoi and perdula packs!” Tione announced. “Let’s get to it!”

The four moved to their position and charged through the tunnel. Patrolling monsters tried to ambush them, but their renewed strength and stamina allowed their party to fight off the ambushes.

Her mind focused on the targets ahead of her, killing monster after monster as they sprinted to the rest point. They burst through the rest point after decimitaing a large group of spartoi that stood near the entrance.

“Rest point!” Tiona said happily after she took off the heavy backpack that she carried and Kanata did the same with his own backpack.

“We’ll each take turns on guard duty.” Tione instructed. “Kanata take a nap while we set up the tents. I’ll set up yours first.”

“But Tione I can still help out..”

“No buts. It’s my command as party leader.” Tione replied immediately. “I know you’re exhausted carrying our packs and healing and refreshing our stamina for an entire day. Not to mention that shield spell that saved us from being turned to pincushions from that pack of perdula emerging from the roof.”

“Yes Tione.” Kanata removed his helmet, revealing a tired and sweaty face. She was surprised to see how exhausted Kanata was, and soon realized he was just a fresh level 5, while she and the twins had over two years to increase their basic abilities.

Without a word she helped Tione fix Kanata’s tent into place while Tiona started a camp fire for their party. They managed to coax a sleepy Kanata to crawl inside his tent and continued with the camp chores.

“Hey Tione, Ais?” Tiona whispered and she moved closer to her friend, away from Kanata’s tent where he was sleeping.

“Yes Tiona?” She asked.

“I’m thinking we should divide watch duty between us three, what do you think?” Tiona proposed.

“Planning to give your prince there some extra nap time? Tione leaned, and she realized the amazon was teasing her sister.

“He might hear you!” Tiona hissed.

“Why do you call Kanata prince?” She asked. “Is that Kanata’s new alias, similar to mine?”

“No.” Tione laughed in reply. “Loki said in last denatus that they couldn’t agree on a new alias for him, so he’s still called the Ghost.”

“It’s an alias the K-fans made for him.” Tione continued as she fought off a blushing Tiona who was trying to put her ona headlock.

“Keep quiet sister!”

“What’s a K-fan?” She asked. She was learning all sorts of things today about their reclusive team mate.

“They call themselves that. Girls that admire him from a distance. Kanata fans, K-fans for short.” Tione replied. “My sister here is one of the founding members…uhkkk!”

“Don’t listen to her Ais.” Tiona had stuffed her sister’s mouth full of dried meat to shut her up. “Rumors about his royal lienage was due to that day when he performed a song taught to him by his mother he called a queen.”

“Hammer to fall.” She remembered that day and that catchy tune. She also like the lyrics and was looking forward for a time for Kanata to sing it in person. Sadly that time never came as Kanata was soon assigned long duration missions away from the city.

“That’s right. Some of us think he’s an exiled prince of a kingdom destroyed by monsters.” Tiona added. “And the reason he keeps accepting those long term missions was to visit the ruins of his home.”

She was struck with how similar Kanata’s history with hers and she felt sympathy for her teammate. She vaguely remembered Kanata mentioning that he watched his mother the queen perish in front of him, and that song he performed was a tribute to her memory.

“Are these K-fans competing for Kanata?” She asked.

“Oh no.” Tiona laughed along with a recovered Tione. “If they did there would be a massive fight inside Twilight manor.”

“It’s just a form of admiration and to watch him from a distance. Anakitty had already accepted the fact that he wasn’t interested in girls.” Tiona explained.

“Unless you’re an older and more mature one-eyed smith.” Tione giggled.

Right. She remembered the conversation about how Kanata was very close to the captain of the Hephaestus familia.

“Tiona.” She turned to face the amazon.

“Yes Ais?”

“Pleae accept my application for the group K-fans.” She stated.

“Wait! Why?” Tiona asked, looking utterly shocked.

“I also admire him for a distance.” She explained. “Do we have membership fees?”

She wondered why Tiona and Tione continued to look at her like she told them she wanted a massage from Loki.

That night, the last shift before mornining broke was her shift. She watched the fire and prodded the wood closer to the flame to make sure it didn’t burn out. Her hearing caught the sound of movement to see Kanata walking towards her.

“Kanata, your food is over there.” She pointed to the sticks of cooked meat by the fire.

“Thank you Ais, I’ll take it from here.”

“No. Eat and then sleep.” She ordered. “Tione’s orders.”

“But it’s my turn on the watch.”

“We changed the roster so you can rest a full night.” She explained.

“I’ll just accompany you then.” Kanata sat beside her on the log and they both watched the fire for a few minutes.

“Kanata?” She turned around to ask the question burning inside her ever since she was reminded of his tragic history. “What can you remember of your mother?”

She was surprised at seeing the soft and gentle smile on his face. She finally understood the existence of the K-fans group.

“She was beautiful. She was brave and strong.” Kanata replied. “She’s the reason why I am here today.”

“It’s the same for me.” She replied.

“How do you honor her memory?” He asked. The question caught her by surprise and she froze from taking another bite of her meal.

“I…. I don’t know.” She admitted.

“I understand the trauma of forgetting the positive memories you have with your family.” Kanata replied. “I remember my mother loved to paint, she was also gifted in music. What about yours?

She closed her eyes and suddenly remembered a hazy scene. Her mother was dancing on top of a grassy hill with her. “She loved to dance.”

“Treasure those memories.” Kanata advised. “Don’t let them fade.”

She nodded and wiped a few tears in her eyes. When she looked up Kanata was gone, but she suddenly felt a warm blanket wrap around her shoulder.

“Get some rest.” He sat beside her again. “I’ll stay up here with you until the other wake up.”

She nodded and stifled a yawn. That talk with Kanata was tiring, but also she felt the weight in her heart lighten. She leaned her head against his side and relaxed at the warmth of the fire and the comforting embrace of the blanket.

She woke up to see Tiona and Tione looking at her and she stretched her arms and yawned.

“Good morning Ais!” Tiona greeted her with a wicked smile. “You sure move fast don’t you?”

“She looked around and felt the warm pillow beneath her shift. She looked to the side and realized she was sleeping on Kanata’s lap. He too was smiling at her as he absently ate a piece of roasted meat skewered by a stick.

She yawned again and sat up.

“Come on, it’s time to freshen up!” Tiona and Tione suddenly dragged her to a nearby stream.

She was interrogated, and she answered all their questions as best she can, although she was confused at how they teased her with Kanata. She wondered if this was part of the K-fans initiation.

Their next target was the fiftieth safety point, and their group, refreshed and energized once more, started the next leg. They took care this time to hide from the monsters, and Kanata acted as scout.

She watched the Ghost in action for the first time as he led them around different routes to avoid the large groups of fomoires and rock monsters that wandered the passageways. Kanata would scout first while they kept to the shadows and came back to signal them if the route was clear or not.

Kanata would swiftly take out monsters along their route, without causing a large commotion to attract the other monsters. He was truly like a ghost, vanishing and reappearing behind monsters to kill them in swift and deadly strikes. They were on guard as constanty, instantly killing any monsters that spawned in their location.

She was surprised that despite their pace appearing to be slow, they were actually faster compared to a regular familia expedition. Tione had to eplain to her that they didn’t have to fight for hours at a time just to advance with Kanata guiding them through.

They rested two at a time while the other two were alert and on guard and this time she was partnered with Tiona. They rarely spoke during the thirty minutes the rest of their party rested, but she found their presence comforting when it was her turn to rest.

“We’re near Balor’s area.” Kanata whispered to the group.

“Make a run for it?” Tiona asked.

“It’s the only choice, there’s too many Fomoire’s out there.” Kanata reported.

“Let me face them head on.” She suggested.

“Okay, but let Kanata buff you.” Tione agreed.

The plan was set in motion and she jumped towards the monsters, her boosted wind enchantment swirling around her in ribbons of green. A powerful thick lance of light hit the area where she was about to land, causing a large explosion that gave her enough space to maneuver before she landed.

Her sword flashed and she moved with a speed she never experienced before. Her enchantment magic moved to her will and desires, and dozens of monsters died by the second from her onslaught.

Tiona rushed in and created a trail of dead monsters from her Urga and quickly made her way to the entrance of the fiftieth floor, followed by Tione who protected her sister’s back.

“Now Ais!” She heard Tione shout and she used her enchantment magic to move through the air and land beside the two amazons at the entrance of the safety point/ Before the monsters could focus on their location, A powerful lance of light speared through the group of fomoires, attracting the attention of the rest of the horde. Kanata appeared in his armor and faced the rushing monsters with his shield and sword in hand.

“Let’s go quickly before they notice us!” Tione quickly dragged her deeper to the tunnel leading to the safety point. The three of them stood on guard at the entrance, and she could see the tense expressions on the amazon sisters as they listened to the distant sounds of battle.

“He’ll be fine.” Tione whispered but to Ais it looked like their party leader was assuring herself more than for the rest of the party.

“Should I go back?” She offered as she held her sword at the ready.

“He’ll be fine. It’s Kanata.” Tiona answered.

Her hearing picked up the sound of footsteps and she sighed in relief when Kanata’s figure appeared.

“I’m glad that worked.” Kanata sheathed his sword and took off the backpack. “It took longer than expected. I had to lure them out back to the main floor before I gave them the slip.”

“At least the insane plan of yours worked.” Tione remarked.

They headed to the familiar camping spot on top of a plateau and picked a camping spot hidden by vegetation. Kanata dug a fire pit to limit their visibility to monsters that wandered into the safety point and prepared their rations.

She was disappointed that the last of the bloodsaurus smoked meat was gone, but remembered that there were plenty of prey in this floor.

“We’ll have to stock up on rations while we’re on this floor. This will be our base for the next few days while we mapped out the dragon’s vase.” Tione stated.

They quickly set up their one man tents and prepared for dinner. This time Kanata hunted their food with Tiona.

They rested their tired bodies for nearly a full day as they took turns keeping watch on their hidden camp. So far no monsters were sighted, but they all refused to lax their guard. She really appreciated her teammates. They were reliable and dependable.

“I bet Bete is still annoyed.” Tione giggled. The werewolf had thrown a tantrum at being excluded from the mission.

“He’s not really good for small scouting parties.” Tiona added. “That werewolf doesn’t know subtlety if it him in the face. Who howls when they’re killing monsters?”

“His howl does echo through the passageways and attracts even more monsters.” She added. She didn’t complain about that though, since she enjoyed killing even more monsters.

“We got here in a week.” Tione observed. “I think that’s has to be a new record.”

“I think it is.” Kanata agreed.

“Captain Finn will be pleased. Oh Tione! You’ve done the familia proud. Here is your reward!” Tione rubbed her thighs together, and she knew that meant that the amazon was off to her fantasy land.

“There she goes.” Tiona sighed.

The next day, they formulated a plan for scouting the new areas. There were disagreements at first, but finally they all reluctantly agreed that Kanata would scout the passagewats to the fifty-eight floor, their objective of the mission.

They all didn’t like the idea to send Kanata alone, but admitted that he had the best opportunity to scout the path safely and verify the maps authenticity.

They watched his figure vanish in the darkness as the ghost courageously moved to finish their mission.

“If he isn’t back in two days, we’ll seatch for him.” Tione promised. She patted their team leader on the shoulder to comfort her.

“Kanata’s strong. He will succeed.” She whispered. They spent the rest of the time restless. Tensions were high with worry for Kanata. She distracted herself by hunting their prey on the fiftieth floor, they had so much in stock that Tione told her to stop. She then resorted to gathering firewood, until it became a large pile beside their tents.

On the second day, she watched as Tione started punching a large tree to relive some stress. Tiona was carving a sculpture of what she claimed was Kanata’s statue. She paced outside the tunnel leading to the lower floors until Tione had to fetch her back to camp.

The second day was nearly over when Kanata finally appeared in their camp. She could see the immediate relief on everyone’s faces as their missing team mate appeared, exhausted but uninjured.

Kanata slept for a few hours before he went to a nearby to wash himself from the soot and grime that accumulated in last few days. She had to agree with his insistence of cleaning up first, since he smelled of smoke and burnt wood.

“The paths are accurate.” Kanata drew his own version of the map that afternoon on a large wooden stump that acted as their table. “But it’s a maze down there, very deadly if you even miss one turn.”

“How large is it?” Tione asked.

“The floors fifty-two to fifty-eight are roughly the size of this rest point.” Kanata replied. “I discovered a few alternate routes, but they take longer to get around.”

“What about the valgang dragons?” She asked.

“They’re relentless. You have to constantly be on the move or else they will lock on your position.” Kanata pointed to shaded areas on the map of the maze. “These can be considered rest stops. The dragons do not fire if your reach these areas, but they’re very small.”

“So if we come here next time, we’ll be likely sleeping on the floors to save space.” Tiona mused. “That sounds comfortable.”

“I took a quick look inside the fifty eight floor.” Kanata continued. “It’s like a large rectangular dessert full of sand that’s twice the size of Orario by my estimates. The dragons roam around and launch their powerful attacks from there.”

“How many did you see?” Tione asked.

“Hundreds. Ten meters tall when they stand on their hind legs. I saw a few that look even taller, but I didn’t dare get a closer look, since I discovered they could even sense me despite my cloaking enchantment.”

“Is that the reason you smelled like a piece of grilled juicy steak earlier?” She asked.

“Yes Ais, I got nearly roasted by a dragon but got singed instead.” Kanata replied. “Thank you for noticing.”

“You’re welcome.” She replied, wondering why the twins were laughing. Getting burned was not a joke.

Their mission accomplished faster than usual, they were in high spirits when they resumed their journey to the surface. They suffered and struggled during different legs of the journey, but were finally able to relax when they reached the twenty-eight floor.

Tione was excited, since that meant only a full day’s travel until they reached the surface. One again they feasted on Bloodsaurus steak, but for reason they were teasing Kanata with it.

She didn’t understand why Tiona kept calling Kanata a juicy piece of steak. The next morning they continued to move up, encountering more and more adventurers or parties along the way. They were given wide berths as expected, but she didn’t understand the looks of anger directed at their supporter. She stood by his side and stared back at the adventurers from other familias, sending a message that Kanata was under her protection.

“Ais I miss you!” She quicky avoided the hug as they enetered te mansion, and she expected Loki to fall to the ground. Kanata unexpectedly scooped up their goddess before her face ate the dirt.

“Thank you Kanata!” Loki hugged his armored body. “I missed you too! You’re so sweet!”

“It looks like a successful mission, as I expected.” Finn greeted their group from the top of the stairs. “Relax and take a bath, we will have a meeting after lunch.”

She enjoyed a long soak with Tiona and Tione. She listened in and added her own comments as they discussed their journey. Soon the other members of the familia joined them I the pool to listen to their adventure.

“Anakitty, we have a new member!” Tiona declared.

“Who? Ais” The cat woman’s eyes widened and her ears perked up. “No way!”

“Way!” Tiona confirmed. “She even slept on his lap when it was her turn to sentry duty!”

“How did that happen?”

“It’s Kanata being Kanata.” Tione replied. She was confused when Anakitty nodded in understanding.

“I see.”

“What does that mean?” She asked.

“It’s when our prince does something unexpectedy sweet and kind without expecting anything in turn.” Tiona elaborated. “Like what he did with you when he put his blanket on your shoulders, and allowed you to sleep and took up your responsibility to watch over the camp.”

“Awww.”

“That’s too adorable.”

“The prince and the sword princess”

“Loki familia royalty!”

“But I don’t have romantic feelings for Kanata.” She explained when she heard the coments about the two of them. She certainly was not a princess, and what does shipping mean? She didn’t own a boat. “I only admire him from a distance.”

“Then you’re an ideal member of K-fan!” Anakitty declared. “Welcome to our ranks, sister!”

A sumptuous meal was prepared in celebration for their success and she quickly picked her favorites. She was reminiscing the time they spent in the dungeon and she started to ponder Kanata’s words that resonated the most to her.

She needed to know herself as a person and as an adventurer, like wood that was prepared for the fire. She looked at the fried potato wedges and happily speared one with a fork and quickly chewed it in her mouth as she savored the taste. She liked potato snacks. That was one. What was next? She needed to make a list.

[

Tione Hiryute

She arrived early, because she wanted to say something first before the other members of the scouting party arrived. Her handsome and dreamy Finn was seated behind his desk, while Riveria and Gareth were seated on each of the two couches in the office.

“Tione? You’re early.” Riveria looked up from drinking her tea as she entered the captain’s office.

“I just have something to say before the others get here.” She replied. “If you don’t mind.”

She looked at captain Finn and saw she had her attention, and she smiled and sat on his desk. “Honestly captain, you should have assigned Kanata as the party leader from the start.”

“What did he do?” Gareth asked. She noticed Finn was observing her with a keen eye, and she tried to remember the notable events of the entire mission.

“He acted as supporter for healing and range attacks in the first half of the mission, and saved our butts from an ambush from a pack of Peludas. I even got poisoned once, but thankfully I didn’t have to use any antidotes because of his healing spell. We avoided that potential headache.” She reported. While she could function despite the poison, it would severely hamper her fighting ability.

“He honestly took over on the second half.” She continued. “I saw no reason to reject his ideas.”

“That’s part of being a leader Tione.” Her captain spoke for the first time since she entered the room. “I placed you in charge because I know you would be open to ideas from your team, and not rush through with your own plan without listening to others. You did good.”

“Thanks captain.” She felt embarrassed by his praise but felt that she didn’t deserve it. “Kanata did better.”

“It’s not a competition Tione.” Riveria reminded her.

“I know, I know.” She replied. “It’s just that a big part to the success of our record breaking scouting mission was due to the Ghost.”

“And here is the rest of your team.” Finn spoke up as the door once again opened, revealing the rest of the scouting mission and Bete.

She recited the notable events of the mission, and Finn was intrigued by their tactic on the last push to get to the fiftieth floor rest point. Moving in stealth and taking longer routes actually saved time rather than engaging monsters head on in battle.

She recounted the last hurdle with the horde of fomoire blocking their path and the combination attack they decided to use.

“Impressive.” Gareth laughed when he heard her speak about Ais’ boosted tempest thanks too Kanata’s buff. “I’d love to see that in action.”

“It’s your turn Kanata.” She called out to her second.

Kanata was prepared and handed the maps he made from memory. She had seen him toil at the sheets of paper on their breaks during their return to the surface.

“The guild routes are accurate captain.” Kanata pointed out possible routes and rest points where he was never attacked by the valgang dragons. “The mazes are confusing, and one wrong turn could prove deadly to a large party.”

“Being shot at by the dragons would make things even more difficult.” Gareth observed. “This part is going to be tricky.”

“And we have to move fast before the dragons can lock on our location. It will be a marathon to reach the fifty-eight floor in a series of mazes per floor where the walls and the floor look all the same. Anyone not familiar with the roiute could get easily lost in there even without the dragons to worry.” Kanata continued speaking.

“And the fifty-eight floor?” Captain Finn asked.

“It’s a desert environment. Filled with valgang dragons, ten meters tall when they’re standing. The chamber is a third of the height of Babel tower, so we must assume they will take flight and bombard as from above.”

“I’ve also spotted scorpions moving under the sand. I only saw one as it jumped out of a sand dune before it dived to another. They’re the size of a peluda.” Kanata finished his report and sat back down beside Ais.

“Well done all of you. Take a three day vacation. You all earned it.”

Captain Finn was such a generous leader.

[

Loki

She watched with delight as her escort fot the party continued to fuss over his tie.

“Goddess? Do I have to wear this?”

“It’s a formal affair Kanata.” She replied. “You can remove it once the dancing starts, but not before. I need you to be seen in your best formal clothes. It’s time to show you off!”

She grinned as the K-fans covertly observed her and her escort as they made their way to the carriage outside the door. Kanata opened the door for her and she nodded in approval and stepped inside.

“What’s this party for goddess?” Kanata asked.

“It’s an annual event thrown by Ganesha every year. Most of the Gods attend with one of their children. You’ll like it, there’s good food and even a live band!” It was also the event where the gods made private deals and negotiated contracts.

They reached the massive Gaesha home in fifteen minutes and Kanata escorted her through the gates and inside the massive manor.

“I am Ganesha!” Ganesha greeted them at the door. Beside him was his captain, Shakti Varna wearing a form fitting dress and she admired the captain’s figure for a brief moment.

They quickly drew attention and she preened at the praise from other gods when they entered the large ballroom.

“Is that the Ghost Loki?”

“Yes! My newest level 5.” She replied proudly. She toured him to the other gods watched in satisfaction as she saw the envy and longing they have on their faces when they saw her level 5 escort.

“Hey Loki.” She turned around and waved at Hephaestus. She noticed she was accompanied by Tsubaki, wearing a revealing dress with a plunging neckline and a high slit.

“Hephaestus!” She moved closer and pulled Kanata with her.

“Lady Hephaestus, Captain Tsubaki.” Kanata greeted politely.

“You dress up well Kanata.” Tsubaki observed, and she smiled wider and pushed her escort to the Cyclops. She let the two mingle and focused on her peers.

 “Has Freya made an appearance?” She asked.

“I haven’t seen her. Maybe she’s not coming.” Hephaestus replied.

“Her? Pass up the chance to scout children she likes to add to her collection?” Loki scoffed. “She wouldn’t be able to resist this. She’ll make an appearance tonight.”

“Have you agreed to the changes in the guild’s proposal?” Hephaestus asked. She frowned and tried to remember the details of letter she received from the guild.

“I’m not too fond of it and Finn agrees that we don’t need to add more familia to our joint expedition.”

“I agree with you. It will be harder to integrate new familia, they’ll just be liabilities rather than an asset. Tsubaki also agrees.” Hephaestus replied with a nod. “Speaking of, where did my captain go?”

“She seems to have vanished with Kanata while were talking. They’ll probably find some private area to make out. Those two couldn’t be more subtle if they tried. That was fuck me eyes if I ever saw one.” She snickered at the discomfort on Hephaestus face.

She wandered around and made deals or rejected proposal with other gods and goddesses that approached her.

“We’re not babysitters so that your kids can claim they have gone to the deep floors, Apollo.” She rolled his eyes at the god’s proposal to join her upcoming expedition. “Find someone else to trick why don’t you? And I don’t want to see your group trailing mine, we’re not saving them if something happens.”

Passing by the balcony, she spotted Kanata sitting beside Tsubaki on a piano bench. Their clothes were rumpled, and she could easily spot that Tsubaki no longer wore her underwear as the panty line of her dress was gone. She moved closer, careful not to give away her position as she hid among the curtains.

“Do you play this?” Tsubaki askednas she opened the fallboard, revealing pristine piano keys.

“I know a few songs from when my mother taught me.” She heard Kanata reply. She saw her child press a few keys and the sound from the piano was crisp and clear.

“Can you play a song for me?” Tsubaki asked. She noticed the two were drinking wine, and from what she observed they had nearly finished their drink. “The gods are all in that area on the other side of the building. Only a few people are here.”

“I won’t sing.” Kanata answered. “But I can play a melody for you.”

“Tell me what it is about.”

Kanata seemed to think hard for nearly a minute, and then she saw his eyes light up.

“It’s called Flowers. It’s a song about heroes and conflict.” Kanata replied. “I haven’t played the piano in years, so expect some mistakes.”

“Don’t you think you should sing?” Tsubaki asked. “If the the explanation is that deep, I’d rather hear the words and the music together.”

“Tsubaki, I’m not a musician.”

“If you do this then....” She covered her mouth and watched as Tsubaki whisepered in his ear, and she saw how his eyes widened in shock.

“You would do that? All for a song?” Kanata asked.

“Yes, and I’ll even wear that for you.” Tsubaki replied, and even she could see the red flush on the smith’s face.

She saw Kanata look around for a few moments to see if anyone was near their area, causing her to hide deeper among the curtains. He turned back to the piano, satisfied they didn’t have an audience, and pressed his fingers on the keys while Tsubaki stood up to and moved to the railing of the balcony, wine glasses in each hand.

She had to admit the scene looked romantic even to her with the night sky and the stars as their background.

A melancholic tune began to fill the air and she was immediately captivated by the unfamiliar music. Kanata’s fingers showed impressive dexterity as he masterfully pressed keys to produce the repetitive tune. A few haunting notes later Kanata opened his mouth and began to sing. His voice was soft, pure and vulnerable.

[Flowers- Hana Hope english version]

“In the silence of a world wearing a veil of misty rainSuddenly, I saw how cold the face of truth could be.I've been wondering, how far beyond the sky the clouds will goHolding no more than their own weight.”

She was struck speechless at the lyrics and the depths of the song. She moved closer, eager to hear more. She ignored the noise behind her as she was immediately entranced by her child’s performance.“Countless voices in the air, clash in conflict here and there.And the scarlet life within us shower down upon the ground.What is the reason why? For whatever we desireWe keep searching, for something else to sacrifice, every time?”

She breathed faster as the tempo increased and she felt her heartbeat increase as well. What was this song? She saw Tsubaki was utterly captivated, her mouth was partially open in surprise and wine pouring down thestone floor as she forgot to hold the glasses properly upright. Kanata’s hands danced across the keys as he continued singing.

“The flowers swaying helplesslyThe wind is raging endlesslyWhat else shall we let goTo live our lives the only way we knew?”

The birds are soaring in the skySo high above us all, we who cannot flyWe dragged our wounds behind usAnd kept walking on”

Kanata’s voice increased in pitch and he carried it well. The melody from the piano continued to add a heavy weight in contrast to Kanata’s gentle voice. She remembered her other children that had fallen before, and the struggles her familia encountered before they reached their current standing. She suddenly wanted to hug Riveria, Gareth and Finn.

The music returned to the original simple melody at the start of the song. She watched Kanata with a bittersweet smile. Her child was so complex among all of her familia, his hidden past and the secrets he kept locked inside his heart sometimes unleashes unforgettable moments like these.“When the virtue you believe in is somebody else's viceThey collide and call upon the shadows in the darkAnd amidst it all, my eyesThey keep on searching for the factsSo I hold up a light on my way”“Through the emptiest of nights, ones that freeze you to your bonesIf we stay together closely, we will see the morning lightWhat is the reason why, we can't stop this chain of hurtHow much longer will we relive the past the same, memoriesAnd keep walking on”

She remembered every struggle and hardship everytime time she updated the falna of her children. Their struggles and determination to succeed in the dungeon. The song had fully captured their struggles and victories, and the unity and teamwork of her familia.

The simple melody returned, and she liked how it returns to its simple tune after every verse. It allowed her to fully absorb the words and the music. She finally looked behind her tand realized a good number of gods and their children were standing behind her, listening to her child’s performance.“Somewhere far beyond the skylineSomeone whose name we don't even knowHolds a fire inside their heart that burns them from within.That color, and the pain that it causedWe already know it, we've seen it growSoon, the path we walk will intertwine”

The melody picked up and Kanata’s voice grew louder, and she knew the song was ending soon. She didn’t want the music to end. Her children were indeed like flowers in the song.

“Like flowers swaying helplesslyLike winds that sweep across the greenWhat else shall we pursueTo live our lives the way we wanted to?

“Unlike the birds that soar the skyWe have no wings, and though we won't learn to flyWe stand above the earth nowAnd keep walking onTrusting it allAnd keep walking on”

There were so many things to ponder and understand. They were indeed like birds, watching above as their children struggled every day.

The moment the last note, a deafening applause and cheers erupted behind her. She was clapping as well as Kanata jumped up in surprise and realized he and Tsubaki had an audience.

“A WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE!”

Ganesha bellowed, tears flowing down the god’s mask to his chin. “The Ghost, everyone!”

Kanata looked wide eyed and his eyes quickly caught hers. She mouthed bow, Kanata, since the applause continued.

Kanata bowed stiffly, and the applause increased as the gods rushed the previously empty balcony to surround Kanata and Tsubaki.

His child complained and said he didn’t want to be in crowds, but it was his own damn fault now. She grinned, as gods and goddesses continued to surround her child. It was a good way to introduce Kanata as a first class adventurer to the city. He was her familia’s wild card after all.

“That song is interesting. I was immediately drawn in.” Hephaestus stood beside her.

“How long were you here?” She asked.

“We all heard a faint but beautiful melody carry through.” The tall goddess replied. “One by one we all followed the music and found you spying on your child and my captain. It was a beautiful sight.”

“It reminded me of why we came down here.” Hermes suddenly appeared beside them with his captain Pereus by his side. He had a strange look and a whistful smile as he stared at her child.  “I wish I can hear it again along with his first song. The kid should have a concert in the future.”

 “Indeed.” They all turned around in surprise to see Freya wiping tears from her eyes. A large shadow behind her stepped forward, revealing her captain Ottar.

“What a magnificent performance.” Freya continued speaking. She was smiling openly, her eyes locked to the figure surrounded by the gods on the balcony. “I never realized your child has such a gift Loki. And you say he performed another song before Hermes? I must listen to it as well.”

“What are you doing here Freya?” She asked as she narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

“I was walking by when I heard an unfamiliar music. Of course I had to investigate, and I’m glad I did. That song brought a gust of fresh air into this boring existence. I feel…. I feel renewed.” Freya laughed, actually laughed, unguarded and free. She noticed the Freya’s captain was even surprised by his goddess.

“Goddess?” For the first time she saw the unflappable Ottar look bewildered.

“Come Ottar.” Freya walked out of the hall and she noticed that the crazy bitch had a spring in her step.

“What just happened?” Hephaestus asked the question in everyone’s mind.

“Kanata’s song must have finally made her insane.” She mused.

“Or she’s already insane and the song reminded her she was crazy.” Hermes added.

[

Freya

She hummed the melody as best as she can remember. Sadly she arrived a bit late to the impromptu performance.

“Did you enjoy the song Ottar?” She asked.

“It’s fitting tribute for us warriors, goddess.” Her captain replied.

She sat on her throne, deep in thought about Kanata. She was determined to repay him.

The music she heard reminded her how wonderful and fleeting the lives of her children were, like flowers. It gave her hope that a flower she was waiting for was about to bloom, her dear Odr.

Sadly she made a bad impression on Kanata when she first met him, since she was so distracted by his beautiful, yet damaged soul. She couldn’t use her usual methods, since he was already a first class adventurer from a rival familia and didn’t need any help from her.  A sudden realization came to her, to repay Kanata’s gift. She would heal his soul and make him believe in love again.

She could see he was nearly there with the Cyclops, yet she noticed he still had barriers to true intimacy. She wondered if the smith was a good fit for him, and realized she had a far better candidate in mind.

It would be her experiment on mortal love, she decided with Kanata Rivington as the focus.

[

Loki Deimne

He heard about Kanata debut and his performance. It was all over the city. Letters of requests for a repeat performance piled up on his desk, and he was tempted to scoop them up and throw them all in the fireplace.

But as bad as it was for him, he knew Kanata had it worse. Their new level 5 even hid from his fellow familia as they pestered him continuously about his impromptu concert. He hadn’t even seen a glimpse of the Ghost in three days and knew the young man was using his ability to hide from everyone.

Renditions of his song were already popular in pubs and taverns, as some gods were able to memorize the tune and the lyrics. He even caught Riveria humming the tune one time when she was reading in the library.

The hidden group within the familia that called themselve K-fans were even worse, as they finally became public, to the complete embarrassment of Kanata.

“It is a beautiful song.” Riveria reminded him as he wrote another letter declining the invitation for Kanata to perform his music.

“It is.” He did not deny that the words and the music also struck a chord within him, but it left a bitter feeling in his heart. The rest of his familia were all striving to be heroes, he manufactured his own ascent to fame through carefully planned decisions and actions. He was the exact opposite of Kanata.

Elves, dwarves and humans had renowned heroes. He wanted the pallum race to a figure head to look up to, and strive to emulate and even surpass- him.

“The lyrics are beautifully written too.” Riveria added.

“If you look at it from another angle, we’re really just flowers compared to the gods and their immortality.” Gareth shared his own thoughts. “Where’s the goddess by the way?”

“She’s on the Denatus…” He replied and looked at the clock on his office. “-which should be finished by now. I wonder what’s taking so long?”

His answer came from Loki who barged into the room, looking satisfied as she came back from the meeting.

“It’s as you expected Finn.” Loki shared. “They all focused on Kanata this time. Deliberations for his new alias alone took over an hour!”

“What’s his new alias?” He asked.

“They called him the Silent Artist.” Loki scowled. “It’s because of his continued silence from numerous requests for him to perform again. I know it sounds stupid, so I’m still calling him Ghost.”

“I don’t know, it still somehow fits him.” He observed.

“How so?” Gareth asked.

“You’ve seen the maps he created right? The level of detail and quality is on par with official guild scribes.” He explained. “I know he designed his own armor, and he’s gifted in writing and performing music. Silent Artist doesn’t sound too bad, it’s just another aspect of the legend he is creating.”

“Now that you think about it, you’re right.” Riveria answered. “It’s somehow fitting for his new name to be somewhat similar to hers, the Silence considering his talent.”

“She’s on another level, that monster.” Gareth replied.

“He still has room to grow.” He admitted.

“Do we allow that growth through, or we control it?” Loki suddenly asked.

“What d o you mean Loki? We always encourage growth and progress for our familia.” Riveria replied.

“Kanata’s different, remember?” Loki looked at them as she partially opened her eyes. “Ever since the first month, his Eidetikos ability is also his curse. His growth up to now is because we set him free to discover and hunt on his own.”

“So he won’t be part of the vanguard?” Riveria asked. “I must protest Loki! His ability is too invaluable in the dungeon!”

“He’ll be part of the vanguard for the large expeditions.” Loki replied. “But for daily dives with a party? I think he’ll do better on his own. It has worked before.”

“What are you planning Loki?” He asked his goddess.

“I feel like we would need the full strength of our familia soon. And I want everyone to grow as fast as possible, even you three. I’m still waiting for that level seven.” Loki replied. “I can feel the threat coming soon.”

He did not argue with his goddess, her instincts were always accurate. “Very well, I won’t assign him to any group. He’ll be free to do his own exploration. We will summon him for when we really need him, like this upcoming joint expedition.”

“I’ll feel better for the vanguard if they have Kanata with them.” Riveria added. “What did Tiona call him again?”

He smiled as he remembered the nickname Tiona gave Kanata.

“The ultimate supporter.”

[

Yamato Mikoto

“Behind you!”

She quickly pivoted and her blade seveted the orc’s arm trying to ambush her. The orc let out an anguished scream and she quickly decapitated it with a powerful two handed slash to its neck.

“That’s the last.” She breathed out.

“Good work.” Ouka patted her in the shoulder as the rest of their party collected the stones and drops from the monsters. She and Ouka kept a wary eye out for any signs of danger.

According to their god, they were making excellent progress in the dungeon. This was the first time they had ventured into the tenth floor, to see if they were capable of dealing with the monsters of the floor.

“We’ll make a good profit today.” Chigusa said happily as she finally collected the final stone.

“But we cannot stay here any longer.” Ouka replied. “We’re consuming too many potions just to stay here. We need to head back to the ninth floor in the next dive.”

“I understand, but it’s harder to collect stones from those Ants.” Asuka complained.

Their party of six started their treck back to the surface after a full day in the dungeon, their packs were full of loot and monster drops.

“What do we have here, a party of newbies?” They heard a voice and she immediately raised her sword in the direction of the sound. A trio of adventurers came into view, two humans and a beast man wearing arrogant expressions on their faces.

“Hand over the loot, and we’ll let you pass.” The leader of the trio stepped forward and held out his arm. “C’mon, we haven’t got all day.”

“You’re dreaming.” Ouka boldly stepped forward and pointed his massive axe in front of them. She quickly stepped forward with her blade, ready to attack at any sign of violence. “Scram.”

“Cocky shits.” The leader spat on the ground. “Don’t say we didn’t warn you. We’re from the Soma familia so you better watch your back.”

The adventurers from the Soma familia turned back and left in a different direction, away from the path to the surface. They cautiously headed back up, wary for any ambushes.

They were near the stairs to the eight floor when she heard Chigusa call out a warning. She turned and her eyes widened in shock to see the trio running towards them while a massive horde of ants trailing behind them.

“Run!” Ouka! Shouted, but the path was suddenly blocked as an explosion erupted ahead of them. The three adventurers from before were laughing as they swiftly turned right and disappeared to another path.

They attempted to follo but the ants were already upon them. She stood her ground along with Ouka and her other party member while the rest ran behind them for cover. Chigusa’s arrorws flew between them and hit the leading ants in the head.

Her sword flashed in the air as she attempted to fight the monsters in front of her. After dealing with an ant two immediately replaced it, and she winced as a sharp pincer took a bite of her foot. Her sword pierced its head, and she cut in half the other ant that tried to bite her other leg. Another ant crawled on top of the dead bodies of its fellow monster and its mandible closed in on her neck. Her sword arm was bit by another ant and she could hear the screams of her party.

A lance of light suddenly pierced the horde of ants, causing them to scatter in different directions. She suddenly saw a gray blur as decapitated ant heads started to fly in the air.  Around her party, the ants were killed in quick succession, the last ant dying as its head was pierced by a one handed sword.

Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, the rest of the ant horde died as a powerful lance of light rushed in their direction and the resulting explosion obliterated their bodies.

“Are you well Mikoto?”

She looked up and saw her reflection on the strangely familiar polished visor. She took in the rest of the figure and saw the familiar armor design and realized who was in front of her.

“Kanata.” She breathed a sigh of relief. They were saved.

“I heard a commotion when I was on my way up.” Kanata explained as he kneeled down and put his hands on her leg. A familiar warm sensation filled her body and her wounds started to heal quickly. She watched as Kanata healed Ouka next, followed by the rest of her comrades. They had all suffered injuries from the surprise attack.

“Thank you Ghost.” Ouka replied, testing his injured limbs and quickly picked up his axe. She did the same and sheathed her sword.

“I thought we would meet our end here today. I am in your debt, Kanata.” She bowed deeply to show her gratitude.

“We’re friends, and that what friends do.” Kanata replied. “What happened?”

“We were pass paraded by the Soma familia. They tried to take our loot and we refused.” She replied. Her grip on her sword tightened, she was angry at the diplay of dishonorable behavior. She wanted payback.

“Do you know where they ran off to?” Kanata asked.

“They ran to that path.” Chigusa pointed to the intersection.

“They’re probably assembling a party to clean this up and loot your bodies.” Kanata replied. “Lets collect the loot here and cut them off.”

“But Kanata, how will we be able to catch up with them?” She asked as she along with her party started collecting the stones from the ants.

“Simple, they blocked off this path, the quickest route up to the eight floor.” Kanata replied. He turned towards them and asked. “Have you collected the stones?”

At receiving affirmative nods, he turned back to the collapsed passageway blocked by fallen rocks and cocked his fist back and punched the obstacle. The impact from his armored fist caused a shockwave that ruffled her clothes and she quickly held up a hand to protect her eyes from the wind it generated.

The dust settled and she now saw a cleared passageway, with their friend and trainer the Ghost standing calmly in the middle. She was in awe at the display of strength, and realized the massaive gap between her and a first class adventurer.

“Let’s go teach them a lesson.” Kanata announced and started walking ahead. She quickly caught up with him, trying to compare in her head the friendly and diligent adventurer to this awe inspiring figure clad in armor.

He had shared many lessons with her along with Perseus. His advice was extremely useful. They found honest smiths to service their weapons and merchants that sold quality food at reasonable rates. The hunting spots he shared along with the map to their locations were invaluable, and that allowed them to minimize any conflict with less than honorable adventurers. Their party of six was usually more than enough, but this was the first time they were specifically targeted.

A few minutes of walking and they reached the entrance to the eight floor where they heard sounds of laughter.

“Are you sure those far east brats are dead?”

“I’m pretty sure. That was a large horde I gathered.” A familiar voice replied.

“Then let’s head back before another group finds the the loot. This will fill up our quotas.”

They finally reached the area and she saw a party of eight adventurers, and she quickly identified the three of the members. Angry at the fate she nearly suffered from, she quickly walked to their group and pointed her sword at them.

“You will pay for what you’ve done you dishonorable fiends!” She declared. She barely noticed Ouka and her familia coming up beside her.

“We will get our revenge.” Ouka added as he slammed his weapon on the ground.

“Oh look, they’re still alive.” The leader asked. “How’d you get here so quick?”

“No matter! That’s just less work for us.” The beast man replied and pointed a dagger in her direction. “We can kill the rest, but I want a shot at that beauty.”

“Foul creatures!” She snarled at their threat. “I’d rather die!”

“You’re outnumbered here, pretty girl and no witnesses around. Who’s going to see otherwise?” The beast man laughed.

“I will.” Kanata’s familiar voice replied and that snapped her out of her rage. She looked around and realized Kanata was no longer with their formation. She spotted him as he appeared behind the Soma party, and immediately noticed the looks of fear and terror from the other party.

“Ghost!” The leader moved back and fell to the ground.

“I remember your face.” The Ghost tilted his helmet, showing he was focused on the leader. “You tried to rob me afew times when I was a level 1.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to.” The leader wailed. “Forgive me! I’ll change my ways!”

“Too late for that. You just tried to kill some friends of mine.” The ghost vanished ans she struggled to keep track of his movements. The party of eight tried to run but they were immeditaley struck down one by one. Their weapons shattered and their packs were destroyed by powerful punches from Kanata.

She finally understood why he was called the Ghost, as he vanished into thin air and appeared in another location to take out another target in ablink of an eye. Less than a minute later and the eight adventurers were unconscious on the ground.

“Kanata?” She approached the armored figured surrounded by unconscious bodies. “What do we do?”

“I destoyed their supplies and broke their weapons.” Kanata replied. “Let’s leave them to their fate in the dungeon.”

The remaining journey to the surface was faster with a first class adventurer backing them up. He didn’t participate directly in combat, but his mere presence gave the rest of her party increased confidence to take on groups of monsters with little fear for their life.

Their packs were bursting when they reached the surface, and she sighed in relief and turned to her savior. “Thank you Kanata. I really appreciate the help today.”

“Like I said, we’re friends.” He replied and and was about to leave when she stopped him.

“Kanata! Would you like to join us for dinner?” She asked.

“I’m expected back Mikoto, I’m sorry but I’ll have to….”

“I’m cooking!” She interrupted him, determined to show her gratitude. She notice Kanata’s helmet in his direction.

“Far east food?”

“We’re having chasu-don!” She nodded eagerly.

“Is that the rice with the roasted pork fillet?” He asked.

“Yes! And Gyoza!”

“Thank you. I accept your invitation.” Kanata replied immediately.