While Alex continued his descent into the dungeon, oblivious to the chaos he had caused, and indifferent even if he had known, for he could always leave and no one could stop him, the Guild Hall gradually filled with victims of Alex and concerned adventurers. The first group wanted to file a complaint against the adventurer who had attacked them in the dungeon. The second group consisted of those who came to observe the spectacle, and the third group comprised serious adventurers who wanted to know who this person was disrupting their livelihoods, aiming to catch him and prevent further trouble.
"Someone needs to help us!" "I want to file a complaint against the adventurer!" "He disrupted my hunt and injured me!"
Various shouts echoed throughout the Guild Hall, causing headaches for the staff. There were so many voices that it was impossible to discern what they were saying. Rehmer, the department head of the Orario Guild, a serious and professional man, struggled to calm the crowd and understand what was happening. However, the group of adventurers continued to shout, making it impossible to make out their words.
Rehmer decided to summon one of the Guild's employees, specifically Rose, a half-wolf girl with long red hair dressed in the Guild's classic attire.
"Rose, quickly go fetch Roiman! Maybe he can quell this disturbance. I'll try to calm them down a bit until you bring the Guildmaster," Rehmer shouted, still attempting to pacify the chaos. Despite Rehmer's responsible and calm demeanor, this situation angered him toward those causing disorder, especially the person responsible for it.
Suddenly, a rough, elderly voice grabbed everyone's attention in the hall.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME?!" yelled Roiman Mardell, the Guildmaster of Orario, an elf and immediate subordinate of the god Uranus. Roiman was an elderly elf with gray hair, green eyes, and a slightly overweight body that made him appear shorter than he actually was. He wore a black Guild suit of much higher quality than that of other employees. His gaze showed that he looked down on everyone, especially the half-elves whom he considered "despicable." The only beings he didn't look down upon were gods and goddesses.
After Roiman's shout, silence fell upon the hall. All eyes turned immediately to the Guildmaster who had entered the room, demanding to know what was happening.
"Now that everyone has settled down, who will answer my question, or do I have to wait here all day?" Roiman said, looking down on the gathered adventurers. "And why is everyone silent? Can no one give me an answer?" he continued.
"Guildmaster, allow me to explain what happened. Most of the adventurers here are directly affected by this situation," said the first victim of Alex, whom he encountered at the start of his crusade. Seeing Roiman's agreement to hear more, he continued, "Here's what happened: my group and I descended to the first floor of the dungeon. As we started moving towards the second floor, we encountered a strange man wearing a mask."
"Go on, don't stop halfway. Or do you intend to narrate your tale all day while we listen?" Roiman interjected, signaling not to waste time and to get to the point, earning nods of approval from other adventurers who had suffered at the hands of the same person and wished to file complaints.
"My apologies, I'll continue. As our group headed towards the second floor, a peculiar man in a white mask without eyes approached us. The mask bore only a smile. This strange man said he was looking for followers of my god. I informed him that I myself was a follower of this god. He mentioned that he was looking for me specifically and then asked a strange question. He inquired if I wished to become a follower of a god with a peculiar name he called the 'Flying Spaghetti Monster.' I replied that I had no intention of following a god with such a strange name. He said my answer was wrong and immediately struck me in the abdomen with an iron rod before disappearing. We haven't seen him since," continued the victim of Alex's crusade.
"Are all the victims of a similar incident gathered in this hall?" Roiman asked, scanning the room filled with people. Some nodded, some shook their heads in denial, and the last group stood with smiles, seemingly there just for amusement and observation.
"Then those who have encountered a similar situation, please speak up so the guild can address this matter," Roiman continued, giving other victims a chance to speak.
"I'll go first. This person asked me some silly question, and after I answered correctly, he immediately struck me," one adventurer said.
"Let me also share. When I encountered this person, he asked me which finger he was showing. I said it was the pinky, but he said it was wrong, calling it the 'left pinky on the right hand.' After that, he struck me and left, saying I should listen better," another added.
"I also encountered this person. He asked me why the sky is blue. I replied that I didn't know, and he immediately struck me, saying 'you should know, it's basic,' then left me lying on the dungeon floor."
The more Roiman listened to the adventurers, the more he realized the absurdity of the situation. Placing a hand on his wrinkled forehead, he asked, "So, in summary, you've all encountered a strange adventurer who attacked you and then left without further explanation?" Seeing all the victims nodding in agreement, he continued, "If he attacked you, why are you all in good health? I don't see any of you injured," Roiman observed the adventurers, hoping to spot any signs of physical harm, but all he saw were headaches.
When he struck me with his stick, he said it only brings pain but doesn't cause any damage," after these words from the adventurer, Roiman became even more doubtful about the sanity of those gathered. He was ready to believe they had inhaled something in the dungeon rather than that a madman with silly questions had attacked them. But seeing that all of them unanimously claimed they had been attacked, and observing how the commotion started again, he posed the most rational question:
"So what do you want to do? File a complaint against a person whose face you haven't even seen?" Roiman asked, presenting his argument. After his words, all adventurers fell silent and pondered how they could file a complaint against someone whose face they hadn't even seen. The silence continued until one of the adventurers made a proposal.
"I suggest we gather a squad to capture this guy and bring him to the guild so the guild can deal with him. Delving into the dungeon is our job, some of us have families to feed, and this person is causing us trouble. What if there's a breakthrough and no adventurers are nearby, resulting in many deaths?" one of the adventurers began, pretending to be concerned about the safety of those around. Those who heard his words nodded in agreement. However, he had his own greedy motives: he wanted to take everything that belonged to Alex, believing that the rod with which he struck adventurers was worth a lot of money. With his words, he managed to deceive many, but not the guild workers who had seen many people in their line of work. Seeing that his plan had succeeded, he gathered a group and set off in search of Alex.
Meanwhile, in the dungeon...
As Alex descended deeper into the dungeon, unaware that a punitive squad was trailing him, he continued to seek out new victims. Even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared. Wandering through the corridors of the fifth floor and humming a famous pirate song, he stumbled upon a strange empty room. In this room, he found a child unconscious and decided to approach to check if everything was alright. Despite being selfish, Alex still helped when he could, understanding that goodness needed to be backed by strength and influence.
In his previous world, Alex possessed neither. He was an ordinary person who had withdrawn from society, spending his time at home immersed in video games and books. However, upon entering this world, he gained power that gave him freedom of action and the ability to protect loved ones, who eventually became his family. Alex always resented powerless heroes who constantly got into trouble, endangering those around them. He didn't want to be like them and strived for strength that would help him defend himself and his loved ones.
Lost in his memories, Alex decided to help the child and asked how they ended up in the dungeon.
"Hey, kid, how are you? Are you okay? I've treated you, can you stand?" Alex said, noticing the child beginning to regain consciousness. He wanted to find out how the child ended up in such a place. "Do you understand that the dungeon isn't for children? How did you get here?"
"Who are you? Are you an angel? Did I die?" the child asked, seeing Alex's unusual attire and thinking they had arrived in heaven.
"I'm sorry, of course, but I'm not an angel, I'm a demon," Alex replied, noticing that the child was behaving strangely after waking up. Hearing his words, the child began to cry, thinking she had ended up in hell, recalling her sins and the deceived adventurers, hoping for peace after death. Seeing that the child misunderstood him, Alex decided to explain the situation.
"Wait, don't cry. You're not dead, I was just joking. I've treated you, and now we're talking. There's no need to panic, I won't harm you. Just calm down for now, and then we'll talk," Alex said, trying to calm the child. Seeing the child starting to calm down, he tried to understand who was before him. Because of the dirt on her face, he couldn't make out her features, but he understood she was a girl.
"Why are you here alone?" Alex asked, waiting for an answer and hoping to understand how to help the child.
"I see you've finally calmed down. Maybe now you can tell me why you ended up in such a dangerous situation in the dungeon?" Alex said, handing her a handkerchief to wipe her face.
"I ended up in this situation because my group abandoned me and left me here to die," the child replied, taking the handkerchief that Alex offered and began wiping her face.
"And anyway, why should you care what happened to me? People like me are always treated like this. Who cares whether a helper like me is alive or dead? Everyone doesn't care about the helpers," she continued, starting to cry again.
"My name is Lyliruka, and I'm an assistant who helps adventurers collect dropped items from monsters. In this situation, I ended up because many monsters emerged from the walls, and my group left me here to die," said Lyliruka, pulling back her hood. Alex saw a cute face with brown hair and brown eyes, reflecting experience and suffering.
"So tell me, Lili, why is such a young child like you in the dungeon instead of enjoying a normal childhood?" Alex asked, curious about her situation.
"I'm not a child, I'm already 15 years old, and I'm this small because I'm from the hobbit race. I'm in the dungeon because I have no one else to rely on," replied Lili, annoyed at being called small.
"Alright, alright, you're grown up. So, since you're a hobbit, do you know a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who lives under a hill?" Alex asked, intending to lift Lili's spirits.
"Bilbo? Who's that? I've never heard of him. And what does 'lives under a hill' mean?" asked a bewildered Lili, clearly forgetting the situation they were in.
"(Chuckling) I'll tell you the story of that brave hobbit sometime. But now tell me, Lili, do you want to get revenge on those who wronged you?" Alex asked, seeing that Lili had completely calmed down.
"What do you mean by revenge? Are you suggesting we kill them? Why would you even want to help me? I'm a stranger to you," Lili said, doubting what she heard.
"I said 'get revenge,' not 'kill.' Those are two different things. And as for why help? Why not? I'm doing this because I want to, nothing more," Alex replied, shrugging.
"So what revenge are you talking about then?" asked Lili, unaware of where this assistance might lead her.
"It's quite simple, my little helper. We'll catch up to them, and then we'll beat them until your anger subsides and you feel better," said Alex, standing up from where he was sitting.
"Now you need different clothes," Alex said, transforming Lily's attire into something resembling his own. Instead of pants, he created a long, loose skirt that reached her knees and a pair of comfortable shoes suitable for navigating dungeons. Upon noticing the changes, Lily called Alex a "pervert" for changing her outfit. After a moment of contemplation, she inspected the new clothes and was surprised by how soft and comfortable they were.
"So, my little helper, take this mask to avoid being recognized. It's always wise to conceal your face when doing something risky," Alex said, handing Lily a mask resembling his own but with red cheeks instead of a smile. Lily took the mask with puzzlement and sighed, realizing she was getting herself into an unpleasant situation. She put on the mask and used her abilities to transform her appearance from a hobbit into a cat-girl.
Noticing the change, Alex tried to touch her ears, for which he received a slap on the hands as Lily ordered him not to touch her ears. Shrugging, he suggested they go seek revenge.
"Hey, Lily, are those them? The group that abandoned you?" Alex asked, pointing to a group sitting slightly apart. Lily nodded, confirming it was them.
"Alright, take this and this, and do as I do. And most importantly, don't get nervous. I'll help you vent your anger," Alex said, handing Lily a pocket shocker and leaflets that said "Say Cheese." Lily put the shocker in her pocket and took the leaflets, still unsure about her savior's words. Seeing him already walking towards the group of adventurers, she decided to follow him, ready for anything.
"Good day, young people, what a beautiful day, isn't it?" Alex began, approaching the group of adventurers and catching their attention. "I would like to invite you to join the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Our god is peaceful and forgiving, requiring no sacrifices or prayers in his honor; he just wants his followers to be happy," he continued, addressing the adventurers.
Upon hearing those words, Lily began to doubt whether following him was worth it, but she remained nearby to support him.
"What nonsense are you spouting? What Flying Spaghetti Monster? What god?" protested one of the adventurers.
"Exactly, we've never heard of a god with that name. Stop talking nonsense and get out of here before it's too late," added another.
"My friends, I mean you no harm," Alex said, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "My assistant will hand you a leaflet, and you can see for yourselves," he continued, indicating for Lily to give the leaflet to the adventurers. Lily did so and returned to Alex, awaiting further instructions. But what she witnessed next shook her heart.
"It just says 'Say Cheese'," she observed.
"That's right, you bastard. Now smile for the 'Camera'," said Alex, delivering an instantaneous blow to the person who received the leaflet, shocking the rest of the team. "Oh my god, what's that over there?" he continued, pointing in another direction. One of the adventurers, seeing nothing where Alex pointed, was about to say there was nothing there, but as he turned back, he received Alex's "Burying Strike". The last adventurer standing attempted to flee but was halted by a shock from Alex. As he prepared to pursue, he saw Lily stunning the final one.
"See, I told you it would be easier than it seemed," Alex said, approaching the dazed Lily, who continued to stare blankly at the adventurer from whom white smoke billowed. "Now, my little helper, we need to move on to enlighten these uneducated adventurers and set them on the right path," he added, snapping Lily out of her stupor. She still held the shocker in her hand, unable to believe such a small thing could knock out a level two adventurer.
"Alright, let's go, my little helper, we've got plenty to do," said Alex. Lily snapped out of her daze and followed him until they heard approaching voices.
Alex initially thought it was a new group of victims for his adventures, but it turned out to be the opposite. It was a punitive squad of adventurers who had suffered from his pranks.
"There he is! Get him!"
"Yeah, that's the one who attacked us! Grab him!"
"But he's not alone, there's someone else with him!"
"Who cares, get them both!"
Shouting, the approaching group of adventurers arrived to arrest Alex. In this situation, Alex did the right thing — "Look, it's Superman!" he shouted, pointing behind the enraged group of adventurers and distracting their attention. Seeing them turn, he grabbed Lily and bolted for the nearest corner to hide.
"Superman? Who's that?"
"I don't know, do you know?"
"Idiots, he's distracting us to escape," the head adventurer angrily said, noticing Alex disappearing. "Start the chase!"
Alex was about to turn the corner when he heard behind him, "Surprise, motherfucker!" and took a heavy blow to his face, knocking him unconscious.
As soon as Alex noticed the enraged crowd, he shouted the first thing that came to mind. "Run, 'Bilbo', they've found us!" said Alex, grabbing Lily, who was stunned by the whole situation. They dashed around the nearest corner. Alex noticed the crowd was distracted and hid behind the corner, preparing for a strike and awaiting the first unfortunate adventurer who would chase after them.
Spotting his first victim, he yelled a famous phrase from his previous world: "Surprise, motherfucker!" Alex struck with such force that the poor soul was thrown back into the crowd, knocking down anyone trying to follow. Realizing he had caused enough chaos among them, he grabbed Lily and decided to flee, understanding he had sinned enough.
Using teleportation, they found themselves in an empty room on the first floor of the dungeon. Alex sighed, realizing they wouldn't have more time for mischief.
"Too bad, I would have liked to have more fun, but it's not possible anymore," said Alex, changing back into his usual clothes and switching Lily back into hers.
"You-y-y-you!" Lily started pointing at the one hiding under the mask.
"Stop pointing, it's impolite," said Alex, pushing Lily's hand away from him.
"You're that 'Crazy Rookie' who leveled up the fastest. Why do you even need this?" exclaimed Lily, continuing to point at Alex.
"Yes, I'm that guy. And I do this simply for revenge against those who gave me stupid nicknames. There's no deeper reason," replied Alex, shrugging.
"Oh god, what have I gotten myself into," said Lily, putting her hand to her forehead.
"You haven't gotten into anything. No one saw your face. And if anything happens, I can protect you. Just say the word if you need help," Alex calmly replied. Lily looked at him suspiciously.
"Alright, my little helper, after such a tough day, we need some food. Coming?" said Alex, leaving the room and beckoning Lily to follow. She shook her head and went after her new strange friend.
To be continued...