Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)
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CHAPTER START---
---The city of Orario, Tower of Babel, Yang's apartment 7 AM...
*PING PING PING PING PING PING PING PING*
Yang: "Ugh I'm up I'm up."
As Yang shot up in bed he looked around for the noise only to find nobody there. Only a few more times did the sound ring out before Yang realized what was making the noise. 'Ugh, the damn ring'. Quickly taping the face of the ring he lifted it to his head and began speaking as he walked to the lower floor of his apartment.
Yang: "Morning Hephaestus, might I ask what has you waking me up."
Hephaestus: "I've got something for you to do. Since your heading into the dungeon anyway. Get dressed and geared up and come to my office in one hour."
Yang: "Alright, I'll be there."
Hephaestus: "Alright."
After stopping the connection Yang slowly begins to go about his morning routine, tea, shower, getting dressed and checking his gear again before putting it on. He quickly removed his rations from his inventory to check his supply before heading into his kitchen to make a sandwich for breakfast and eating it before walking out the door into the hallway.
Arriving at Hephaestus's office Yang quickly knocked on the door before entering to find Hephaestus hunched over papers signing away at them.
Yang: "Hope I'm not interrupting."
Hephaestus: "Well you're early which is good so have a seat, I'm finishing up looking through the stat sheets for the people you'll be in the dungeon with today."
Yang: "Excuse me?"
Hephaestus: "Have a seat and let me explain."
Yang quietly sits down with a scowl on his face.
Hephaestus: "No I'm not forcing you to join a party, we have some new members and I'd like you to, chaperone them, for lack of a better word to make sure nothing goes wrong."
Yang: "So I'm the babysitter while I wait for my babysitters' gear to get ready."
Hephaestus: "Well that's one way of putting it. They are projected to reach down to floor 14 at the least. 12 members all level 1 some have been in the dungeon before but not all. Most from our familia but some members of the guild will be with you to check on the levels you enter. That's 12 combatants and 2 non-combatants. Think you can handle that?"
Yang: "Ugh yeah, but, why me?"
Hephaestus: "Your name actually carries some value, if you haven't noticed. It'll be good for your perception."
Yang: "So, a publicity stunt?"
Hephaestus: "No, I know you can handle all the upper floors, and covering them while they backtrack to the surface is well within your ability. You don't need to lift a finger unless things go bad, and with 12 fighters nothing should go that bad."
Yang: "Mmm, alright alright. Can I take them to the 18th floor?"
Hephaestus: "They aren't ready for the goliath Yang, if you take them down there and something goes wrong you will face serious punishment."
Yang: "So kill it before they cross to the 18th floor, got it."
Hephaestus: "Just be careful Yang, these people are new and some of them don't even fight."
Yang: "Yeah got it."
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
Hephaestus: "Come in!"
Slowly a short half-elf redhead and a lanky Caucasian man entered the room. The man had a katana on his hip whilst the woman had a sword and shield. As they entered the office 2 guild members with backpacks on followed them in.
Hephaestus: "I'm glad you all on time, I assume you're the captains of your respective parties and the guild. Yang will be supervising your trip down in the dungeon today."
The man with the katana was first to respond followed but the half-elf woman.
Hallan: "It's an honor to meet you. My name is Hallan."
Wynjor: "Hi I'm Wynjor but you can call me Wyn. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."
Yang: "Don't call me sir, we're around the same age."
Wynjor: "Yes sir, uh, I mean yes Yang."
Yang: "Better. Who are you two?"
At this point, both the humans in guild uniforms offered Yang their names.
Ririth: "My name is Ririth, I will be in your care for this trip, please take care of me."
Bizeiros: "My name is Bizeiros, I will be in your care for this trip, please take care of me."
Yang: "Right Riri and Biz. Call me Yang."
Hephaestus: "Well now that you're all acquainted you're free to enter the dungeon at your" discretion.
Yang: "Take me to the rest of your members and let's get going."
Hallan: "Alright follow me."
As Hallan led the group to the base of the Tower of babel and to the entrance of the dungeon the lower level adventurers in the vicinity could be seen sneaking glances at their small group as they walked through the street. Eventually, Yang found himself before the full 2 parties making up 12 adventurers of 1st level and the 2 guild members sent to check the dungeon floors.
Yang: "This this everyone?"
Hallan: "Yes this is everyone."
Yang: "Good morning, my name is Yang Shen, I'll be supervising your delve into the dungeon today. Before we begin, does everyone have camping gear?"
As a response to his question, almost everyone nodded leaving only 2 people without camping gear.
Yang: "Right well everyone needs to have a place to sleep so either figure out who you're sharing a tent with or you should get one before we head in. I'm not a member of your party I'm just there to make sure nothing too bad happens to you. Remember that. What floor are you aiming for today?"
Wynjor(Half-elf woman): "The 15th floor."
Yang: "Hmm, alright. The camping gear is in case we get stuck or we make it to the 18th floor, trust me you'll want it then. Any questions before we get started?"
Out of the entire crowd one hand raised before blurting out "Are you the Elementalist, the record holder?"
Yang: "Yes, I am."
As Yang spoke those 3 words there was a change in the crowd, visible even to him, some of the nervous individuals seem to calm down a bit and even some people nearby immediately turned their heads his way to get a look at him.
Yang: 'Well played Hephaestus, well played'. "Alright let's go, decide your marching order and head out, I'll be in the back protecting the guild members."
The 12 man party then began to make their way towards the 1st-floor entrance with Yang and the guild members walking casually behind them.
Yang: 'I have a feeling this is gonna feel like a long trip'
---Location Unknown...
In a dimly lit room, a large hulking figure could be seen sitting on a couch wearing a fine suit with a crest of a half-goat half-man figure on his shoulder. He appears to be 7ft tall and extremely muscular dwarfing the only other people in the room. With his face in the light, 2 large horns can be seen protruding from his forehead and curling like rams horns as he lays on the couch waiting for the duo who are standing before him to speak.
Ottar: "Lady Freya would like a word with you, Lord Orcus."
Orcus: "Do not speak to me mortal, step forward and state your purpose hag."
At his tone and choice of words, some of the muscles in Freya's face clenched as did Ottar's fists at his side but neither made any move of aggression.
Freya: "I haven't seen you in so long and you call me, the goddess of beauty, a hag, how rude of you Orcus."
Orcus: "All I see is a hag that controls the minds of weaklings, tell me I'm wrong, hag."
Freya: Nervously looks up at Orcus, she begins to speak, "... I've come to call in the favor you owe me for our last transaction Orcus."
Orcus: "Hmm, to think I would owe such a vile woman after the failure that deal was, state your wants and leave me be."
Freya: "I need you to call for a 'Challenge of Orcus' and invite Hephaestus's Yang Shen to participate."
As Freya finished speaking Orcus stood up from his seat and now loomed over both her and Ottar.
Orcus: "YOU DARE MAKE SUCH A BOLD REQUEST! YOU DARE MOCK MY CHALLENGE BY USING IT FOR YOUR STUPID GAMES WITH MORTALS! WHY SHOULDN'T I SEND YOU BACK TO HEAVEN THIS INSTANT!"
At this question, Freya, to Ottar's complete surprise took a few steps back.
Freya: "Be-Because you are a warrior, the MOST honorable warrior. You know my claim is true, or would you rather fall back on your oath."
Orcus: "Mmm, true. Do you understand the implication of such an act, especially now? When Ouranos first descended my brother and I follow him. This challenge has not been used since then to force mortals to become stronger, and now you wish for it to be used in your politics. Why should I not summon your mightiest warriors as well as this Yang Shen to participate. I would leave you 99 swords less."
Freya: "That would only further sully your name, is that something you are willing to do to spite me Orcus."
Orcus: "Mmm, it has never been this tempting to do such a thing. Take your whore and leave mortal, begone from my presence."
At his words, Ottar's fist tightened but he and Freya turned on their heels and began to exit. On her way out Freya couldn't help but take one last verbal jab at Orcus however.
Freya: "You call me a whore, but you would have given me all your power at one point Orcus."
Orcus: "Yes, but I grew to overcome your charm, and a goddess of beauty without her charms is just a common whore."
Visible hurt could be seen on Freya's face as he reminded her of that. The man who could have guaranteed her the absolute strongest familia but she simply couldn't charm him. He had laid with her and still, she got nothing but nights of pleasure from him all because of the chaos in his being negating her charm. Freya quickly made her exit and journeyed back to her familia compound with Ottar by her side leaving Orcus to ponder his next step.
With frustration visible on his face Orcus looked to the ceiling and in one breath shouted, "Ouranos I need an audience!", but a moment later he received a simple reply in the form of "Granted".
---Dungeon, Floor 9...
A group of 12 adventurers can be seen fighting off yet another hoard of goblins and kobolds. At the entrance to this champer leaning against the wall stand an extremely bored Yang as well as the members of the Guild in his charge taking notes of the monsters and environment.
Yang: "Well, at least they're a big group so clearing monsters is fast."
At this point, it had already been 3 hours since entering the dungeon and Yang had yet to lift a finger. He simply observed how the party worked together from the sidelines and stayed vigilant for any surprises. Soon enough the party was ready to move onto the 10th floor of the dungeon dragging the bored Yang behind them from room to room as they cleared it.
---Ouranos room...
Sitting atop a throne in a dimly lit room is the regal and old figure of the very first god to descend to this world Ouranos. Standing before is Orcus a god how descended almost as quickly, but for 2 completely different purposes.
Ouranos: "Why do you seek an audience Orcus?"
Orcus: "Heh, is that how you greet a fellow primordial Ouranos, I'm sure you know why I'm here."
Ouranos: "I'm hopeful that I'm wrong."
Orcus: "Since when are you wrong, I'm issuing a 'Challenge of Orcus'."
Upon hearing those words Ouranos's forehead crinkled as his brows furrowed at Orcus. Ouranos pondered for a long moment before he calmly spoke.
Ouranos: "While I have no right to stop you, I must ask that you DO NOT do this. This world no longer needs your challenges to find worthy warriors Orcus. The familias are doing quite fine on their own."
Orcus: "I do not need to explain myself to anyone Ouranos, I came here out of courtesy."
Ouranos: "Orcus, if you do this there will be no place for you here. The other gods will not stand idle after the challenge."
Orcus: "I've had my time with the mortals Ouranos, I doubt those cowardly gods would let me rest after this anyway. I'll go home and finally get some peace."
Ouranos: "Very well then, but allow me to place one restriction, the dungeon has changed, familias can not survive without their executive members, they are off-limits. Now when shall your challenge be announced?"
Orcus: "After I'm reacquainted with the current generation."
Ouranos: "Very well. Goodbye Orcus."
With their conversation over, the primordials parted ways. Knowing Orcus cannot be stopped from issuing his challenge, Ouranos considers his options. 'Hmm, saving the executives truly was the best choice, but now that the familias aren't always at war, how will they react to so many of their friends dying' he thought as a grim look overtook his face.
END CHAPTER---