"Wardrobe."
Two magic circles enveloped my body before my outfit changed to lighter armor. The full body armor I wore on the middle floors is stored inside my bracelet while connected to the wardrobe spell.
Having exited the middle floors, I am out of the danger zone. The monsters here could be easily handled by myself.
Becoming a High-class Adventurer (Level two) made things easier. For once, my physical prowess that hit the ceiling long ago became stronger.
'If I only had it.'
Zen'in Toji.
The man who came the closest to killing Satoru Gojo. I encountered him on the Shinjuku Train Massacre as a brainless puppet. That fraction of power is enough to take me down with Arbiter.
When I heard some things, I found out that he supposedly broke his 'fate', namely: his body rejecting cursed energy.
Cursed energy is something innate to all humans. To the Japanese inside Tengen's barrier, it holds the most. My parents, younger brother, and Bocchi-chan have it. The only exception is a select few, which included Toji, Maki, and myself.
Not once had I found cursed energy inside my body. I theorized that I might be the same as him–that I could have that insane power of his–but I am wrong. No matter what I did, my bodily strength never increased to that extent.
I did not have the strength the two Zen'in had.
Fortunately, falna changed that situation. I could now grow stronger to be at his level. My appearance might not change, but I am stronger than my past self.
Recalling Hephaestus-sama's words, I shook my head.
'That was why Rethusa-nee did not look like someone who has a monstrous strength.'
With my [Sirius], I should have been comparable to a Level three, yet she defeated me with all my non-lethal tricks. Then again, it is commendable to last against her as a Level two.
"Seiden." (Sacred Lightning.)
Bzzt-!
A lightning bolt went straight at the minotaur's head, turning it into charcoal. After snapping three more times, the recently-spawned minotaur group died.
I gouged out the magic stones on their chest using [Kukyou], one of the kukri knives I forged. The other one was named [Chimei].
When combined, they become [Fatal Void].
Withholding the use of my sword, I continued making my way to the dungeon's exit purely with magic. I could not be considered a legitimate Rank A magician with my mana capacity alone. I am weaker if not for my weapons and insane mana control.
"Having a larger reserve is nice…"
Just by leveling up once, I could already feel the improvements. Both my mental capabilities and mana capacity increased. There's still my improved body.
Surprisingly, it is different from the improvements thanks to my cheat. The limitations that I previously had disappeared.
If I continued this day until I reach the "peak" of this world, would I be strong enough to stop those calamities by myself?
Then again, I would still choose to gather allies while doing so. Fighting alone is stupid. I learned it the hard way. It is also the reason why I have many allies by the third iteration.
My immersion was broken when I reached the 5th floor.
Snap-!
Seeing a little girl being cornered by a goblin, I took the initiative to aim at its chest. With that, the goblin's body turned into black ashes. I can't have a child see a messed up scene even when this world's cruel to its inhabitants.
My gaze met hers.
'...How come?'
There, I saw a familiar sight. A small girl struggling to break free of her 'shackles'. The sight of someone who did not have a proper upbringing and has to take care of everything by herself.
'Wait a minute…'
Her looks clicked into my mind. She is the girl with the signs of 'addiction' a few days ago. Her dull and slightly unresponsive state is commonly caused by such substances. Though, I could see that most of its influence is gone.
I kneeled and held her hand.
"Revelares, Veritas."
Within a second, her bodily functions became huge groups of numbers.
"No brain diseases for the long term… Her blood pressure is high while her muscle mass is low. A typical sign of malnutrition."
While I could not possess Nana-san's insane healing skills, I am well-versed in diagnostics.
After confirming everything was normal, I asked:
"Are you alright?"
For a moment, she could not respond properly.
"A-ah. Yes."
Her tense body slightly relaxed. The hand holding her dagger stopped trembling with the passing minutes. As this happened, I sat beside her.
"What is a kid like you doing here on the fifth floor? Even if you are forced to prowl, you should have gone on the first floor at least."
One must know that adventurers' earning power in Orario is high. Sure, their daily salaries might be used for potions and equipment and their power would be weak, but once they become accustomed to the 1st floor, they could slowly accumulate money.
Their strength might stagnate, but living a stable life is not out of reach.
"I… I don't know."
Huh?
"I wanted to earn money for something."
"That something is more important than your life?"
"In the past… yes."
I felt like I understood her, yet I did not. I gazed at her hazel pupils in an attempt to do so.
"Which familia did you belong to?" I asked.
"...Soma Familia."
Wait.
If… If it's that familia…
The sole familia where the god of wine Soma sells his products. Hephaestus-sama once mentioned that his wine tastes heavenly—that if mortals drank it, there would be some who would die for a sip.
Moreover, Eina-san mentioned this familia quite a few times. Not a single time was it mentioned positively. It was just that there was no solid evidence of their shady dealings, hence they are left freely.
Soon, I asked her some questions such as their usual operations.
'…'
After hearing such things, I became dumbfounded enough as to why the guild left them be.
'Stealing, blackmail… and addiction.'
Behold, the Gekai version of drug cartels. Except, the drug is a completely legal product: Soma's wine.
This girl… Lili, she said that Soma did not care about his familia. Often, it was run by someone else. Just from this fact alone, I could form an image of their god.
He is a dastardly incompetent one.
Even if he did not seek this result, knowing the fact that he left everything as it is is just as worse as committing evil deeds yourself.
Silence in the face of evil is evil itself.
With my golden rule infringed, my chest felt slightly heavier than before.
I am not a hero of justice.
I am not a saint.
I am doing this merely for my self-satisfaction.
Thinking about these words, I finally decided.
I am going to dive into this shithole myself.
*****
'This man.'
Now and then, the girl's gaze went to the boy in front. He easily finished off the surrounding monsters with a single spell, in turn protecting her when they made their way to the dungeon's entrance.
At first, she was fearful. Such a person had enough power to end her little life. When she woke up from that 'dream', she realized her life's worth.
It is not something worthy of that damn wine.
She did not know when, but she became 'addicted' to its taste–to the heaven that it brought whenever drank by her. To her world full of suffering, it is the only time she felt 'liberated'.
Hence, she did everything to meet her familia's quota. She became a supporter of adventurer parties. She carried their loot and gave them provisions, nothing else. She was like a machine that did everything for that wine.
She did not have much trouble thanks to her skill, but she soon ran into trouble. One of the parties that she joined hunted on the ninth floor, only to be nearly killed by a swarm of Killer Ants.
Everyone ran for their life, which led to the feeble supporter being left alone. She even abandoned her huge bag worth thousands of valis to escape but to no avail. Her weak level 1 status could not survive on the fifth floor.
That is, until he saved her.
He healed her injuries and accompanied her for a brief moment. He even expressed some concerns as to why she was here. With him being her savior, she told him everything.
From how her goal was formulated up until her current situation.
"You suffered enough."
With those words, he helped her reach the entrance. He also told her several tips on dungeon exploration.
What's more, he handed out more than ten thousand valis. His next words shocked her, though.
"Live in an inn first." He said. "If you need some work, come find me within the next three days at Hephaestus Familia's North-west store."
"Hephaestus Familia?!"
"I am a smith."
Shocked, she looked at the boy, only to see his small stature. He did not have the huge muscles that belonged to the dwarves or the physique of an adult man!
"You should not judge a book by its cover. If a kid has the status of a level 1oneadventurer, he would be strong enough to wield a clamp and hammer."
"I-I see."
Her eyes darted around quickly as she tried to hide her embarrassment. All she ever learned are the repetitive actions she did to earn money. Thus, she was lacking knowledge in many areas.
Right now, she missed the huge robe that she used as a supporter. At least, she could have hidden her face with it.
What she did not know was that Nobu saw everything. His keen eyesight would not miss her expressions. Furthermore, he also used his [Cleanse] spell on her. As a result, her reddened face could be seen.
If she knew about it, she would have been more embarrassed.
Just as he was about to escort her outside, he heard a loud shout.
"Help..!"
A bloodied man ran swiftly to the dungeon's entrance. Bright red blood covered his entire body. His broken arm swayed limply as he ran.
Immediately, a denser smell of iron permeated the entrance.
"What happened?!"
"P-pass parades!"
"Pass parades?"
Many adventurers became bewildered upon hearing it.
'Pass parades.' Nobu thought. 'How unfortunate.'
Pass Parade. It is an act of passing the horde of monsters to another party. In Orario's unspoken rules, doing a pass parade is highly frowned upon. If it becomes public, every single adventurer in Orario would hate them.
After all, who would like a person who passes an aggro of a monster horde which could cause huge losses and even deaths?
'He is a victim of—'
Nobu's thoughts were cut off as he heard the man's statement.
"Those insane bastards deliberately did pass parades on the 27th floor! The fuckers who survived in the dark age!" The man said exasperatedly. "Right now, the entire 27th floor is a mess!"
While saying these, the man nearly collapsed. Only through the help of several kind-hearted adventurers was he successfully brought to the healers' tent.
"Evilus? Their remnants are still causing trouble!"
"They did not stop at their attempt to destroy Orario four years ago. I wonder what's going on inside their heads…"
"Evilus bastards… I wish they are wiped out back then..!"
While most adventurers expressed their anger, not much went to the 27th floor. If there are pass parades enough to obliterate teams of level 3's and level 4's, why would they venture there?
In the end, many adventurers seek practical benefits, not heroism.
"Mister..?"
For a moment, Nobu's golden pupils flashed a deadly glare before being reined in. Though, the girl felt it.
"I'm sorry. I nearly lost control." He apologized. "Go ahead to the surface first. Do remember what I have said today."
"Yes… What about you?"
"I have some matter to deal with."
*****
Evilus.
The one who wiped out the familia of Lady Artemis' friend. It is the reason why they continued their stay in Orario instead of journeying through Gekai.
Even the remnants of this organization wiped out a bunch of level 4's and level 3's, it is currently dangerous for the Artemis Familia to be involved in them.
Hephaestus-sama also told me of their overwhelming might four years ago. They had caused enough destruction to thrash the entirety of Orario. She also mentioned that they have at least one suspected Level 7 whose identity is unknown.
If not for the combined forces of Orario, they might not have been able to prevent their plans.
"Another plan, huh."
I checked the enlarged space inside my bracelet and saw dozens of potions and a dozen High Potions. My spare weapons are also here, including a few one-time catalysts for my escape routes.
What I lack is food, however. I planned to return to the surface today, but my plans changed.
'I might not have another chance.'
For weeks, I tried to look for their traces, only to no avail. They are extremely good at hiding. If the top familias could not find them, how could I hope to do so? Thanks to my magic weapons, I may have expanded my social network, but it is still not large enough.
Then again, this is a hazardous maneuver.
Click-!
I checked the barrel of my handgun and saw no problems. I viewed the remaining bullets stored in many cartridges. Each of them has the might of a Level 3's attack. If I use the magic imbued in the handgun, it might be effective against level 4's.
As long as I capture a member of Evilus, they would confess everything. If not…
Let's just say that my spells could do the talking.
It didn't take long for me to return to the Riviria. At this moment, however, it reeked of blood.
Dozens of lucky adventurers were seen in the streets. Desperately, they looked for healing potions.
Most of them have varying wounds on their body ranging from long cuts to severed arms.
"D-damn! Even the monster rex began wreaking havoc!"
"Fuck! I am not strong enough…"
"Please…"
I heard a cacophony of despair as I passed through the village.
'Even the 27th floor monster rex is included..?'
A moment of hesitation passed through me. The 27th floor's monster rex—Amphisbaena—is a level 6 water-based monster. It is similar to a river dragon that leverages its advantageous aquatic terrain.
If I faced it, I would most likely receive a severe injury. Even die if I am unlucky enough.
'Should I continue..?'
My main objective is the Evilus members. I need to find the reason behind Astraea Familia's death. Only they could provide such information.
Then again, this is extremely dangerous. One misstep and I am fucked, literally.
'...'
I thought of the most useful spell in my arsenal. It has a long casting time, but it will allow me to control the battlefield, or at least a part of it. Fortunately, the casting time could be resolved with a spell catalyst.
Coupled with my other weapons, I might have a chance inside this slaughter zone.
Exiting the village, I continued my descent to the dungeon. I arrived at the sight of the 19th floor which is full of green.
Swiftly, my vision changed. It is now filled with water.
The 25th floor.
"Volumen nox." (Veil of the Night.)
I cast my stealth spell before I resolved myself.
'I will escape after catching an Evilus member. I don't want to make everyone worry again.'
*****
"Damn youuu!!!"
Hum.
The descending sword was caught with a gauntlet. Cracks spread from its center until it broke off completely.
With a punch, the adventurer was sent flying.
"Keuhk!"
Disoriented, he tried to stand up, only for a swathe of harpies to come after him.
"No—Argh!"
The man felt the pain of his flesh being torn apart with sharp beaks. From his arms to his internal organs, nothing was left. He only died after a minute of this horrifying experience.
As for the white-haired man, he was long gone. Along with him are several Evilus members who regrouped after spreading chaos to this floor.
"Jon is dead but the monster rex is reeled in."
"A worthy sacrifice."
The white-haired man smiled sadistically as he looked at his surroundings. Blood was splattered everywhere along with dozens of corpses. Each of them has missing features due to being bitten off by several monsters.
Blood pooled under those corpses as it showed signs of coagulation—an indicator of how many people were slaughtered today.
Roar-!
Suddenly, they heard a loud roar. It is going right into them, which made some tremble with fear. Their previous mocking smiles were no longer present.
Soon, they saw what was coming. A 20-meter tall white dragon. Its two heads locked onto a man swimming in the sea of water. Unfortunately, that man was going after them.
"So it's you bastards!!"
He was the sole survivor of his familia. Knowing that he would die, he decided to "attract" the monster rex and look for the members of Evilus. With the shouts from some adventurers, he pinpointed them with their known feats—they would only be the ones crazy enough to pull this stunt off.
"YOU'RE GOING TO DIE WITH ME!"
"Crazy bastard."
With a serious look, Olivas Act began to run for his life.
"Slow them down."
"W-what?"
He took out a glass vial and uncorked it. The moment he did so, their bodies weakened.
"W-why..?"
"Expendables such as you could easily be replaced in the future."
Internally, he felt grateful that he readied for such a thing. He first spread out a dormant substance before activating it with another. Just by that, he earned capable cannon fodders.
He, a mere Level 3, had naturally prepared himself for the great plan today.
"Try to live."
Thus, Olivas Act began to run for his life.