"So, it wasn't all just a dream..."
As Charlie opened his eyes, he was disappointed to see an unfamiliar ceiling.
His hope that all the tragedies he had experienced were merely a nightmare did not come true.
He couldn't help but accept the fact that he had reincarnated into the Danmachi world, in the body of Karasuki Rio.
"Am I the only one disappointed to be reincarnated into an anime world?"
Taking a deep breath and exhaling it, Charlie tried to suppress the sadness in his heart.
"How long will I wallow in sadness? Dinda would be angry if she knew."
Thinking of his wife in his previous life, Charlie's mood improved slightly.
Tidying up the bed, he wanted to wash his face before starting his day. But he was disappointed to find there were no bathroom facilities. The house only had two rooms, a kitchen, and a living room.
"Don't gods need to use the toilet?" Charlie wondered.
Bored with the stagnant and eternal nature of Heaven, the gods descended to the human world to seek excitement and change. They sealed their Arcanum to live like ordinary humans, requiring sleep and food as well.
"Never mind, don't overthink it. I'm worried that asking about this topic to Goddess Hera might offend her."
No longer interested in whether gods go to the toilet or not, Charlie went to the river.
Passing through the busy streets, he arrived at the lakeside.
"There are a lot of people here."
Charlie noticed that many women were using the lake water to wash clothes, children were playing and swimming, people were fishing, and fishermen were preparing their gear before heading out to work.
In short, the life of the people in Melen City was very dependent on the lake.
"Let's find a spot a little farther away."
His sixth sense had awakened since he learned to use Spirit Art the day before, and Charlie could sense that some women were occasionally sneaking glances at him.
It was undeniable, he was currently very handsome!
Just relying on his looks, he could become a gigolo and depend on wealthy women to support his life.
Even so, Charlie wasn't proud of his good looks. After all, this wasn't his original face, but Rio's. Moreover, he wasn't interested in shallow women who only liked men based on appearance.
"Beauty and handsomeness will ultimately fade with age, only the feeling of love can endure the test of time."
"Dinda... If all women had your mindset, there wouldn't be a single single man in this world."
"Sigh..."
Over a small incident, Charlie inadvertently remembered a quote from his wife.
"Just an hour, I've loved you in my heart. But for me, forgetting you will take a lifetime... 🎵🎶"
While singing melancholic lyrics that reflected his heart, he walked to a secluded spot. Then, he took off all his clothes and jumped into the water.
The coolness of the lake water in the morning slightly cleared his mind, improving his mood a little.
"Fuah... The water is so fresh, with no harmful substances mixed in from factory waste."
It was very difficult to find a source of water that was still pure, as lakes and rivers in Indonesia had been polluted by environmental waste. This was Charlie's first time finding a lake so clear that the bottom could be seen.
"Danger is approaching."
While he was enjoying his swim, his sharp perception sensed something approaching in the water.
"Physical Enchant."
Not daring to be careless, Charlie used the only Spirit Art ability he had mastered.
Not only did it strengthen the body, but Physical Enchant also provided comprehensive buffs, including visual and auditory enhancement.
Squinting his eyes, he could see the figure of a creature swimming towards him.
It was a 10-meter-long monster with a snake-like head and light green scales.
Last night, Charlie and Hera talked until late at night. Hera had given him knowledge that might be useful to him, including an introduction to and description of monsters, particularly those that often appeared in Melen City.
"Aqua Serpent!"
"Fighting without weapons in the water isn't to my advantage, I need to get out!"
Physical Enchant made Charlie swim incredibly fast, enough to shame an Olympic gold medalist.
But the water was the Aqua Serpent's domain; how could a Level 1 adventurer outpace it?
It took only three seconds for the Aqua Serpent to catch up.
"Since I can't run, I'll fight."
Facing a monster resembling an ancient crocodile, there was no fear in Charlie's eyes.
At worst, he would just die. After all, life-and-death situations had already become part of his daily routine.
*SPLASH*
The Aqua Serpent leaped out of the water, opening its mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth, ready to swallow the human in front of it in one gulp.
"You're too greedy."
Not only did Charlie not retreat, but he also calculated in his mind and positioned himself to be swallowed without being scratched by the Aqua Serpent's teeth.
Without any resistance, he was swallowed whole by the Aqua Serpent.
*SPLASH*
A powerful splash occurred as the Aqua Serpent entered the water. Before it could find a place to digest its prey, its body trembled violently.
The Aqua Serpent felt pain from within its body. No matter how much it struggled, it was in vain.
The next second, the Aqua Serpent stopped moving.
*BAAMMM*
A white hand pierced through the Aqua Serpent's stomach, revealing Charlie's figure, covered in stomach acid, after making a tear in the Aqua Serpent's belly.
Swimming to the surface of the lake, he took in the fresh air.
"Haah... Haah... Haah..."
"That was really dangerous."
"According to Hera, the Aqua Serpent is a monster that appears in the Water City on Dungeon floors 25-27. Although monsters outside the Dungeon are only descendants of those that escaped from the Dungeon in the past, and their strength isn't as great as those in the Dungeon, the Aqua Serpent isn't a monster that can be defeated by a Level 1 adventurer."
"My decision to kill it from the inside was the right one. No matter how tough the Aqua Serpent's exterior defense is, its internal body is still fragile."
Staring at the Aqua Serpent's corpse floating in the water, Charlie quickly swam to the shore. He was worried that other monsters would come because of the Aqua Serpent's blood.
"Encountering a monster while bathing, my bad luck is just the same as before."
After putting his clothes back on, Charlie lamented the misfortune that had just befallen him.
It's worth noting that 15 years ago, Zeus Familia and Hera Familia defeated Leviathan, one of the Three Great Quests.
The Three Great Quests refer to slaying the three strongest monsters in history that ever escaped from the Dungeon: Behemoth, Leviathan, and One-Eyed Black Dragon.
Among the Three Great Quests, only the One-Eyed Black Dragon had not been defeated; instead, the main members of the Hera and Zeus Familia were annihilated.
"Even with Njord Familia and Poseidon Familia guarding Melen City, Lake Lolog isn't entirely free of monsters. Well, that makes sense. After all, beneath the lake, there's a seal blocking the tunnel leading to the Lower Floors of the Dungeon."
Now Charlie understood why people only carried out activities in areas designated by the two Familias. It was to ensure their safety in case they were attacked by monsters.
"I wonder how much Excelia I gained after killing the Aqua Serpent. Let's ask Goddess Hera to update my status later."
With no other business at the lake, he intended to return home, but suddenly he felt a stomachache.
"Oh no, where should I go to defecate?"