Chapter 7

The gravity of levels and such didn't really sink home until I found myself running for my life and away from those plant eating monsters: codenamed, Viola.

It wasn't a bad name per se, it just didn't give it that oomph something that could chow down a level three without problems the presence it deserved. That didn't mean I was underestimating it though, just that hearing about it getting shouted at you just didn't carry that same urgency as something named, oh, I don't know, Venus Carnivore or Purple Maneater.

I for one, was very much in favor of the latter.

The ground thundered with the legless terror's approach. I didn't even fucking know how it moved. Behind, the earlier piece of shit in question was currently spending a casual effort catching up to my sorry ass after Narvi tried—and failed—to kill the thing. Her sword, quite frankly, was useless against the bark or hide of that thing, and we found it prudent not to stick around to check whether we could kill it from the inside or not.

Your narration gets weirder whenever you're about to shit your pants, you know that?

Thanks for pointing it out Loki, now if you'd excuse me, I would rather enjoy my time screaming right now.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

"Shut up Thomas!" Narvi said from behind. "If you have time to scream then you have time to run!"

"My agility is shit!"

"Believe you gosh darn idiot! Believe!"

So yeah, magic. Lefiya was able to take these things out with Riveria's ice spell, but Narvi and I didn't have that option. Now if only my stupid shit of a status gave me some sort of bombardment type spell then maybe I might've been able to do something. But alas, my spells all forced me to come close. Not really something I wanted to be doing right now.

"You're the level four here, shouldn't you have magic?!"

"What the hell do I look like to you, huh?" Pissed would've been an understatement, heck, the lady didn't even seem fazed with exhaustion. "You see my ears? I'm human dammit!" Narvi hopped over the vine the Viola lashed out and swiped at it with her sword, only to have the blade bounce off.

I jumped over the bushes in my way and ducked a too low branch. "I have magic!"

She cocked her head to the side. "Well be my guest and cast it then!"

"But that'd mean I'll have to get close enough to hit it. And it's shit against things stronger than me, much less against targets I couldn't even tickle with a full effort!"

"God, you talk too much!" She batted away a bugbear—that same thing we encountered earlier with the too large head–into the gaping maw chasing us.

It swallowed it whole. On the plus side, no gag reflex! Though that might mean the darn thing had powerful stomach—did it even have a stomach? Whatever, it might have some chamber filled with acids or something. Okay, now that I had a better look—

"Duck!" Narvi said.

My head snapped forward, and I ducked to avoid the falling tree knocked down by a bugbear, almost stumbling when my foot caught on a root but a swift kick from my escort got me back on track. She could've been gentler really.

You really do talk too much, Tom. Even in your head. Seriously, how're you ever gonna get laid like this?

"My virginity isn't a question here right now!"

"What the hell are you even talking about?!"

"Not the time, Narvi!" I hopped over a boulder in the way.

Narvi bashed a—deer? She knocked it good upside, breaking off its horns in the process. "Really?! You're telling me that?!"

"Any skills?!"

"A restraining one, but I can't use it consecutively!"

A gigantic shadow covered the ground we were moving on when a jolt sent me sprawling for a tree.

But, a quick grapple of low lying branch and a quick shift of the hips let me maintain my momentum, seamless and smooth in one fluid motion before landing on my feet without braking stride. Enhanced dexterity was the shit!

I looked back and saw Narvi kick away the Viola's teeth filled grill. About their teeth, what's nice was the flower had this gap between… the teeth on its petals and the inner mouth. It also didn't have a tongue, which was a plus in the off chance Narvi or I got snagged. As long as we could avoid the extreme ends, we had some leeway.

I brought out my pick and hammered this large dragonfly in the eye. It barely flinched, but it was enough to make the damned thing fly into the hungry bastard wanting to eat us. "Where the hell are the level fives when you need them?!" Tione and Tiona already killed these things before, now we just needed them to do it again—if they were here!

Narvi bashed the Viola with her shield, but the thing grabbed on and she had to give up her piece lest she lost her arm. Narvi shot me a dirty look—the kind not meant for the bedroom. "Is this really the time?!"

Then it hit me. I was in the dungeon! Which meant I hadn't broken my streak yet! A tree came down in front and I had to double back just to avoid it. But right behind was the Viola and Narvi.

She leapt forward and caught me by the collar and threw me to the side before landing in a roll right next to me.

"Keep going!" she said, hauling me up and pushing me forward.

"We can't keep this up forever!" I wasn't too winded just yet, and my new skill would help keep that up, but I wasn't getting any faster—though I hopefully wasn't getting any slower either. But if we couldn't land a decisive blow, then we were as good as dead. Narvi's arming sword wasn't enough to do the deed, be it from her strength or sheer quality, but maybe there was a way yet.

Off in the distance, the chaos of Finn, Riveria, and Bete literally tearing up the town threw killer plant body parts flying everywhere, and the survivors from the ruined Riviera had taken to fighting back with a formless mass of bodies, some of them not even armed. They paid no heed to forming ranks, only banding together in their struggling against the stragglers.

"I have an idea!" I said. I unhooked my shield and threw it to Narvi.

She caught it. "I'm listening!"

"I need to run close enough to it so my magic could hit"

"How close?" She bashed a dragonfly in the face, and spun into a slash to disembowel the next bugbear.

"Five meters!"

"No shit?!"

"I know!"

We both dove to either side as a tree exploded into splinters on landing.

I started falling back, taking great care not to slow down too fast.

"I don't like this at all!" she said.

"Hah! You and me both!" Inch by inch I let up on furious pace I was treading, and inch by inch the hairs on my arms and neck rose higher and higher. Here I was, voluntarily risking life and limb just for a chance at biting back, and fuck this was too fucking crazy. Shit, I mean, sure I wanted to finish off something big, but that was under the assumption it wasn't gonna be like this!

Wind brushed against my nape. I dove to the side.

Gigantic jaws enclosed on where I was.

I got back up and bit back the string of curses I wanted to let loose in favor of satisfying my preservation instinct.

"That was a stupid plan!" Narvi said just in front of me.

"Fuck me!" I fell back again and grit my teeth. "Madness!" I burst into a plume of shadows, my entire body plunged in black.

"What the hell is that?!"

"My magic!" This was simply insurance in the hopes I could burn away some of this bastard's strength if it came down to a clutch. I slowly let it gain on me again, hoping against hope the shroud of shadows could help me feel the thing's attacks that much earlier.

"Taken from the peace of home."

"You can do concurrent chanting?!"

I wanted to say something but that wasn't how magic worked—I shot her a dirty look, but she didn't even budge. I forgot I couldn't show any facial features when this shroud was on. "I now stand beyond the veil."

The wind kicked up behind.

I waited at the last moment—and side stepped.

A boulder of a thing cast me aside and my world erupted into a world of pain—but the black of Despair had caught onto the beast.

And just before the end, I pushed in as much mana as I could muster into the spell. "The aberrant demands reparation!"

Black light extended outward, Narvi just outside its range—but the Viola's head was the only thing I hit and—a great wave of relief seeped into me. Holy shit that worked! The pain from my side barely registered anymore.

"Woah!" Narvi said. "But it didn't kill it!"

"I expected as much, I was planning on keeping this up until Daffyd and the others came."

"Assuming you had the time." Narvi jumped ahead, sword forward and stabbed into another bugbear's head before kicking it back into the Violas, that gobbled it up without missing a beat.

"Better this than nothing." I fell back and restarted my chanting.

"With hope, there won't be another Viola until—"

A Violas burst out of the ground and threw Narvi into the air, my buckler caught in the plant beast's maw. She blocked it just in time to avoid it taking off most of her upper body, and she was now keeping its mouth open with her arms and legs.

"You just had to jinx it, didn't you?!"

"Shut it!" Narvi pushed away from the beast and jumped against its jaws after it clamped down, barely avoiding the other Viola when it bit down on where she was. The two beasts entangling one another, she then ran along its length before she was surrounded by a swirl of blue light. Whatever it was then shifted to her sword, wrapping it in layers of string-like light.

She struck her blade where the two beasts met—and the light from her expanded and wrapped themselves around the two. Narvi then jumped away from the two Violas still thrashing at each other.

"You should've used that earlier!"

"I can't use it again and again dammit! And we were doing just fine earlier!"

"Fine my ass! No, we weren't!"

I went along with her and escaped.

#

After another couple of minutes running to whatever open space there was left, Narvi and I eventually stopped at some cliff overlooking the entrance after clearing it of monsters. Just the regular garden variety ones, not the killer plant ones.

We caught our breath in great heaves, and there were no better words to describe the majesty at how Riveria's magic cut swathes through the Violas' ranks, her fire burning through their lines and overshadowing the light of the crystals above. Nine Hell, she was called, famed for the nine magics she could cast where three was the norm. And ny hitting three spells also meant I'd already hit the cap—barring any bullshit.

Where the fires raged, there also followed these roaring pillars of flame shooting out like spears. It could only have been Bete and his greaves. Tsubaki got into explaining to me the sorts of miracles mithril could do given enough effort. Flosvirt, Bete's custom weapons, were one of her better works, able to take magic in and redirect it. It was effective enough, given how strong Bete's legs were, and I guess magic at least had some mass for his kicks to add to the magic's striking power.

And then there was Finn.

I'd seen Gareth manhandle an orc before, and it was impressive, but this, this was just too much.

One reasonable half of the eighteenth floor was engulfed in flames, while the other had a Viola violently swinging back and forth exactly like a whip. The head would snap left and right, its petals and teeth hitting its fellow monsters with quick lashes and sending its brethren reeling. Their bodies were sturdy as hell, Narvi and I could attest to that with our bodies, but Finn just took the cake with it.

All that happened before our eyes as the survivors of Rivira fought on, but try as they might, their ranks thinned with each Viola that emerged. And for each one they killed, countless others would pay the cost

A breeze blew in with a solemn whisper, the only thing signifying the real passage of time.

It passed like sand against the beach, coming in tidbits of things happening here and there. Finn's makeshift weapons would give way. He would pick up another. The fire storms raged with a practiced rhythm, rising and falling like the breath of some giant, and Bete's plumes spread out from wherever the magic circle would appear.

It went on, fire and smoke threatening to fill the floor as more monsters died.

Eventually, the chaos softened to a murmur, with the scattered skirmishes now favoring the few people still standing. Riveria tapered off wither her spells—because it was the better conclusion compared to her falling in battle here. And Bete's borrowed flames died out as the few Violas remaining were eventually rounded up.

Well below our spot, by the land masses that led to the entrance of the now gone town, bodies littered the ground together with ripped off limbs and swathes of blood and guts. We only got away because there was only one Viola chasing us for the most part before another crashed in, but the town and its people had to deal with the brunt of the invasion before we got here.

Rivira's people fought back even if they were outmatched—whether they knew it or not—and brought down a fair number of the deeper than deep floor monsters. It was commendable, but at too high a cost.

"Narvi," I called out to her. "We should go and check things out."

She nodded, only clutching tighter onto my shield and her sword. "Let's go."

"But before that, let's at least check first. Better we find out early if those Violas are still there."

"Right," she said, readying her gear.

I called on the magic within, letting it well up and fill my limbs before saying, "Madness."

I burst into a shroud of black mist.

We waited for a good long minute.

Nothing happened.

Our eyes met. I nodded to her. She nodded back. "Come on," she said.

We made our way down with caution, fast enough to make good time but not too fast that we might've found a nasty surprise. Narvi took point while I kept up Despair like a grim beacon for the Violas to find us. Better the enemy we were expecting than the one we weren't.

Headless torsos, missing arms and legs, and dismembered limbs littered the ground with an appropriate smattering of blood here and there. The smell of iron was thick in the air, and the shit mixing in made it all the worse. The two of us made sure not to step on anything.

Burnt grass crunched beneath us as the sting of carbon burned my nose. It was better than the shit, but we didn't have much choice. Something twinkled from the corner of my vision and I crouched down on the damp ground to pick it up—a dirt covered orange-hued magic stone. I expected as much, but a quick look had the ground reflecting the light above, showing the way to a few more stones.

"Narvi," I said, showing her the stone. "Might as well make it worth our time, right?"

That's nasty.

I know, but we might find a use for these yet.

Narvi nodded without question, her eyes locked straight at the prize. We set about our task with reverence for the fallen we were treading on, and it was a sobering dread to be alive and standing here now. I talked a big game about becoming a stain somewhere, but I'd always said so in jest. Seeing this though, it just hit you someway else. And really, the smell of shit and blood wasn't something to get used to at all.

"Hrrk."

I turned back with my pick out—and saw Narvi emptying her stomach at the ground, her cleaner hand covering her nose where she could.

"I can't do this," she said, shaking her head. Then took off for some burnt trees away from the carnage. Narvi hurled some more, hands clutched against her stomach.

"I got this," I called out to her with a wave.

There was so much littering the ground, both crystals and guts, a testament to the numbers that fell. I didn't really know how many familias were active up in Orario, but there were enough in Rivira to make up a sizeable town and a just as grand mess like what I was standing on. I crouched down to fulfill my self-imposed labor and picked up stones wherever the light shone.

I dug into the dirt with my fingers—and got a piece of bone, maybe from a finger. It was still a bit wet and caked in dirt. I threw it away.

You don't have to do this if you don't want to, Tom.

I know, but every bit helps.

A handful of stones is enough.

If I stopped seeing the stones then I'd have to look at the people.

It was a large field we were on and I was combing the place for stones the size of a clenched fist. It wasn't too hard once I got into the rhythm, and my pick was pretty good for reaching out with. The smell, was better left ignored, but after a thorough search, I had to take off my tunic underneath just so I could have a makeshift sack to carry all the stones in. Pointless it may be, but I knew for a fact these things packed in either more magic per volume or some higher quality of mana or whatever. Why else would they be a different color? End game shit couldn't be crafted without the proper end game materials after all.

"Thomas!" a gruff voice called out.

I looked up from the ground and saw Daffyd and the others, Brynmor, Cadoc, Claire, Arcs. I pointed at where Narvi was sitting on a burnt tree stump and saw Cynthia, Lloyd, and Riine.

Daffyd ran towards me, his short dwarven legs gracefully treading over the slick dirt and carbonized foliage. "What are you doing there?"

"Gathering materials."

He shook his head, his short ginger beard reminiscent of the stones in my sack. "Come on, we should go meet with Finn and the others."

Cadoc raised his hand and from it shot out a bright red light high into the air.

Daffyd picked me up from my armpits before taking the sack into his own hands. "I'll take care of these," he said. "And, you, err, try and stay upwind?"

I shrugged. "Those stones are important pieces of evidence." Heck, I'd eat them if it could add to my status, but that was just wishful thinking.

At least wash them first before you try.

Of course, I'm not that stupid.

"Just," Daffyd said, "let's just go."

He pulled me by the shoulders, but I couldn't help another look back. And it was a satisfying sight to see the field I was on devoid of any shining pieces. How many I collected, I wasn't too sure. But it was enough.

A distance away, another red light shot into the air.

"They're over there!" Cadoc said.

Our group crossed the newly formed gorge of glassed earth. On the other side, the survivors of Rivira had already restarted on recovering their losses. Some of them were trawling the heaps of rubble for whatever was useful, and even more were helping the others dress their wounds. People were dashing left and right with basins of water hastily cut up from the unburnt trees nearby. And already, lumber was being processed for building just next to that.

It was an efficiency born from experience, and surprisingly enough the people didn't look too bothered. Sad perhaps for the dead, but they didn't have those glazed over stares.

I guess it came with spending a lot of time here in the eighteenth floor, to the extent that some of them might have even been living here if some of the pale complexions were anything to go by. The light from the crystals above didn't give off heat, which probably meant we were only getting that visible portion of light and could just as easily have indicated a lack of higher wavelengths. Heck, who was I to say what was what in the Dungeon.

It didn't take long to find Finn and the other two.

They were seated together around a fire with a simple meal cooking between the three. Finn and Bete were eating from a stew with a few bits of meat while Riveria had a small platter of fruits of strange colors and shapes. Their gear had seen better days too, that was for sure. Riveria's staff was in pristine condition, but her robes were dirty and stained, and it was a disturbing sight to her so haggard. Her light green hair clung to her skin, and her immaculate expression was marred by a smudge or two.

Bete, was for all intents and purposes mangy and singed, and his armor pieces were cracked in places—no doubt needing a full course of loving from Tsubaki, not to mention a great deal of cash too.

And Finn, he didn't have his spear anymore. His leathers were scratched and what places those left uncovered were bruised and scratched. He wasn't bleeding though, but the heavy careful breaths weren't too easy to swallow. Not from him like this.

"Hey," I said. "We're alive." I gestured at our group.

Finn looked at me while Bete scrunched his nose and Riveria frowned. "You look like shit," Finn said.

"I might've stepped on a turd or two."

Daffyd shook his head, and the girls made a solid effort not to look my way. It also didn't help that all of them were giving me a wide berth even as we walked through what remained of the town.

The parrum pursed his lips. "Let's leave it at that."

I sat down near him as the others with me went to tend to Riveria and Bete. Claire, Cynthia, and Riine, didn't have much with them, but they borrowed a bit of water nearby for the lady to refresh herself with. And Bete probably needed a bath and some brushing, but his fur—I mean hair would be good as new after a bit of elbow grease and a really stiff scrubbing.

"How're you holding up?"

Finn flexed his arm. "Tired, but at least I got to see how much I could do." He bit his lip. "I just wish I could've done more." He looked me up from the toes to my head. "You have blood on you."

"It's not his," Narvi said. She held her mouth in a panic, then shuddered. "Ugh, that was so bad."

"What in the name of hell were you doing?" Finn said.

"That's not important right now."

"I'd say it was," Daffyd said. "He was crawling all over the battlefield collecting magic stones."

Finn raised a brow.

"Where the dead were," Narvi added.

"Oh," Finn said. He narrowed his eyes at me. "Tom?"

"We can't deny these stones are significant."

"And what did Loki say?"

You kinda have a point, but still.

"She said it was a little much."

"Gee ya think?" Bete said.

I waved a hand dismissively. "Bah, whatever. The quest?"

Finn shook his head, and took out the yellow flag. "I made sure to wave this around as asked, but no one came."

"Maybe we should make one more round of the town before leaving?"

He sighed. "We already did."

"Oh."

"In hindsight, we went into this too fast too soon."

"We were told it was urgent," I said. "And we were also contacted by some unknown person who knew me of all people. That was pretty serious, I'd say. Especially if they knew more."

"You're not wrong," he said. Finn looked around, his gaze stopping at the scattered peoples and rubble. "And we got to do something here at least."

"Small victories, Finn. We take what we can get."

He chuckled. "It's been too long since I've felt like this."

"I figure magic has a tendency to make you feel not as mortal."

Finn smiled. "Not much point staying here then," he said, standing up.

I stood up after him. "Err, shouldn't we like at least tell someone we're leaving or something?"

"Why bother?" he said. "Bors is already gone anyway."

"Who now?"

Finn shook his head.

#

The trek back up was a silent affair with little more than small talk to keep the gloom away.

Rivira was a complete disaster, and the numbers dead from the tragedy were sure to be felt above ground soon enough. How that would translate though, was anyone's guess. One thing was for sure, whatever transpired here was a lot bigger than we thought. The attack was premeditated was what Finn and I could gather from the survivor's stories, the Violas just appeared out of nowhere and suddenly everything went out of whack.

But things only got worse after Bors ordered Rivira's gates closed in order to find the culprit who killed this Hasharna guy. Things were fine after the closing, but another hour or so later and the Violas got to doing what they did best.

Some part at the back of my mind couldn't help but feel this massacre was a failure on our part, but we could only do so much. If any, I felt we were just for insurance. That Fels character was already aware of what was happening, else he wouldn't have worded his message the way he did. But he wasn't the one to instigate the attack, or at least, I don't think he was.

Simply because there were very few people and familias in Orario with the means and motive to pull off such a thing.

When we got back, it was only about four in the afternoon.

Loki welcomed us together with Gareth, the only other person left in the famila since everyone else had yet to return.

"You all did well down there," she said.

"It wasn't pretty," Finn said.

"I know," Loki followed-up. She walked over to Finn and gave him a tight hug. "You did your best."

The parrum let out a long breath. "Having Thomas around is really convenient." He looked back and gave me a smile.

"Just doing my job, Finn."

Loki sneered. "His narrations are shit."

"I can't imagine having to hear Thomas's thoughts like that at all times," Narvi said with a grim tone.

"Just imagine hearing his and Loki's," Riveria added all haughty.

Everyone there and Loki nodded.

"Hey! That included you!"

"At least I admit to being unreliable."

"Nonsense! I'm a reliable narrator!"

That got a few laughs from the others.

"Come along then," Gareth said with a wave. "The baths are waiting, and the food is hot."

No one said no to that.

Loki hosed me down herself before she let me set food in the house, and it wasn't comforting how much gunk she had to blast away before the water even started to clear. She didn't say anything, and neither did I. When she let me go, I went straight up to my room for a hot shower.

The manor was equipped with a common bath and individual and shared rooms also had them. Loki was very adamant about having them so people could refresh themselves before they went into the living areas. And everyone appreciated her for it—despite the obvious drawbacks. Soap was also provided for, just like most of the necessities to daily life like the food and cooking and magic stone refills.

But I didn't like the idea of shared nudity, so I still favored my own place.

I had my armor hanging just outside my room to dry and the clothes I wore under already in the trash. It wasn't worth the effort of washing those out, might as well just get new ones at that modern goods store I went to before. I sat on my bed and looked into the mirror. Were my eyes always that tired? I inched closer and felt my thinned cheeks, the skin dry and flaky.

A frown reflected from the mirror.

I took a deep breath. How long ago have I been here again? Less than a week if I remembered right. My palms were cracked, the skin broken in places, the nails chipped, and my feet were callused. I brought my legs up on the bed, my knees and elbows were just as rough. My chest and arms and thighs were all pale, or at least paler than I remembered them, the veins showing just underneath.

But it was all for the only cause that mattered.

I slapped some sense back into myself. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. Perhaps back home that was an absolute, but here, the body could be exploited better with the falna. I still had a long way to go, but the little extras I put on would eventually pile up.

I clenched my fist hard. Hard enough to further open the cracks in my palm, enough to make my tendons and muscles tense. It was a solid fist as sturdy as a rock and I felt like I could crush stone with it.

The face in the mirror was fierce. Gaunt, but driven with resolve.

I joined the others downstairs and helped welcome everyone back with bowls of soup. The familia's dedicated cooks didn't pull any stops with serving up a storm, and the people who'd gone down to collect money and supplies trickled in piece-wise as the story of Rivira's tragedy was passed around between tables.

Rakta, Zena, and Lara and their groups were the first ones to get back and without any losses besides a few potions. Their gathering runs had their bags filled to bursting with all sorts of loot: hides, landform weapons, crystals and such from the twenties. Everyone was formed into large groups capable of diving deep enough to count, but we still took composition into account for which floors they could manage safely.

Finn kept a close watch on the people who came in, his eyes darting between each one who took a seat. Riveria part of the table attracted the female elves, and Gareth was living it up with Brynmor and his brothers.

Bete was skulking around the outskirts of the dining hall but he was here nonetheless.

Aiz, Nicole and Alma's groups came back with smaller hauls, but they had the higher levelled people. Aiz's group was self-explanatory, but the latter two had the highest number of level threes and fours than the earlier groups and so they were able to dive by the thirties. They also reported that Udaeus had already respawned so we could take that into account in the near future.

Their hauls were littered with large crystalline bones and dragon fangs.

The results overall were pretty good even if I didn't have a way of estimating the total income. Gareth then directed everyone's spoils to the vaults for safekeeping.

This way of doing things made the most sense if we were purely in it as a money making racket, but the Guild had a tight hold on Orario's economy. Even if we sold our goods to familias directly, the flow of money would still reflect on the reports the mercantile familias were required to submit to the tax office, putting two and two together after that was all a matter of cross-referencing with who went down last, and eventually this little slip would show up at our doorstep asking if we came into any recent fortunes.

It was a very efficient system that aimed to maintain the balance of Orario's fragile and very liquid economy.

There also existed the requirements for exploration familias to keep on pushing further and further down the Dungeon. Hence, why everyone seems to need to keep going down despite the perfectly reasonable method of amassing enough riches to retire before they were thirty.

Night fell, and the hall finally saw the return of everyone safe and sound, but dinner time wasn't the same lively affair.

Finn stood atop the main table overlooking everyone. "Settle down," he said.

The small talk flitting back and forth slowed to a stop.

"We've all heard of what happened to Rivira by now," he said. "And we know now that whoever is behind this is ready to do whatever it takes."

Nods all around. Aiz clenched her fist next to me. Lili and I were in the same table as Finn and the others. Me, because of my fortuitous relationship with Loki—probably. And Lili, because she was designated as Finn's heir, and her training was to start tomorrow. Loki had also already updated her status to bear the mark of the clown.

"Loki has called for a meeting with the gods tomorrow as an emergency measure for whatever is happening. This is intended to share information between the gods so that we may either find the culprit, or form some action in response.

"Because of this, we will hold take extra safety measures for any activities in the Dungeon for the next few days until we get settled on an agreement. Anyone who wishes to go down must be accompanied by at least three level fours. I'll trust everyone to settle your own groups."

No one said anything after that, and the night ended with a somber tone.

#

Level 1

Strength = F 312 -> F 334

Endurance = F 347 -> F 392

Dexterity = E 482 -> D 501

Agility = G 237 -> F 302

Magic = D 589 -> C 624

Madness Spectrum = I

Tranquil Intervention = I

World Walker = I

Fated Actor = I

Magic

Answered Prayer = Allows two-way communication with one's patron god or goddess with Mind consumption based on distance. Chantless Magic.

Despair = An enchant magic that steeps the user's attacks with the chaos of the World Boundary and enfeebles targets when attacked. Has a chance to inflict madness, fear, or confusion. Chant: "Madness"

Saudade = An area of effect drain spell that takes the magic and life force contained in all within range and transfers it to the user. Targets stronger than the user are able to resist having their magic and life stolen. Has a five-meter radius, and a chance to inflict madness, fear, or confusion. Chant: "Taken from the peace of home / I now stand beyond the veil / The aberrant demands reparation"

Skill

Babel Jack = Allows automatic translation of written and verbal information to some understandable form to the user.

Enabler = Increases magic by an exceptional amount in a pinch and causes magic damage to siphon life force.

Mania = Increases endurance the longer one stays in battle and gradually wears off after.

#

The morning was quiet, but it was the kind of quiet just before the fan caught on fire after shit got into the motors.

One second I was eating breakfast, and the next I knew I was already standing next to Finn as Loki's other escort to the emergency meeting. I wanted to argue Riveria was the better choice, but Loki and Finn preferred my pessimism with dealing with the other gods.

"I'm so fucked."

"Relax Tom," Finn said, "all you need to do is frown and look unfriendly."

"Good cop bad cop only works from a position of power. We are so not in a position of power right now."

"Dude, we have the other level seven," Loki said with a smug smile. "Live a little."

The meeting place was in Freya's mansion because it was the single most secure place in Orario. Loki begrudgingly trusted her whimsical sister to stay true to her desires, which was to collect strong people. She couldn't do that if everyone was dead, hence, it wasn't Freya.

Freya's mansion, Folvangr, which was also more tastefully named compared to the semi-edgy Twilight Manor, was this oasis of greenery and marble that marked the end of South Main street and was smack dab in the middle of the business district. There were fruit bearing trees I recognized like apples and oranges at the courtyard, and well trimmed hedges shaped like warriors in battle by the gardens. The mansion was also surrounded by thick masonry and wrought iron fittings of complex floral designs, not really for defending against adventurers but simply to show off.

Every inch of this place just screamed bling.

We were standing just to the right of Freya who was guarded by Ottar and some runarl guy with a mask, and to our immediate left was Hephaestus with Tsubaki and some other dwarf I hadn't met yet.

The polished floor reflected my frown.

As far as we knew, us three familias were the only ones innocent. Freya because Loki'd already heard her piece, and Hephaestus because she was trusted by both us and Freya. We brought her into the loop after bringing up the matter with the former. From these two, a few gods with smaller familias were also vouched for: Hestia, Miach, Takemikazuchi, Goibniu, Dian Cecht, to name a few. Soma we didn't even bother with, those guys couldn't even fight their way down to the eighteenth floor.

Our minimum for suspicion was any familia with level fours and up, and anyone else below that was highly unlikely. Familias who'd fallen from grace were also within our strike zone because of the history with the Eviluz. However, it would've been in bad taste to invite just the ones we suspected, and it'd help our cause to get on everyone's good graces by sharing what information we could. At the very least, if they didn't want to ally, then they could stay out of the way.

The list for suspects was still rather large: Ishtar, Ganesha—whom the three gods immediately rejected but I argued still to keep him on to be sure—Demeter, to name the more familiar ones, then Sekhmet, Tialoc, Kovas, and Pele. There were others too, but their forces had at most a couple or three level fours and no more after that.

Riveria, Gareth, Aiz, Tiona, Tione, and Bete were all waiting with the rest of Freya's executives: five level sixes, and eleven level fives, to spring the trap I hoped we didn't have to use today. Just the numbers of those first-class adventurers already had me shaking in my boots, and what more was how Freya familia's average level was three compared to our two.

Long story short, never fuck with Freya.

"I assure you," Ottar said, "no harm shall befall anyone in lady Freya's presence."

"Thomas," Freya said, "please be sure to keep your eyes open. I'll be counting on you." She smiled a little my way.

"I'll do my best." I sighed.

"You know lady Freya?" Tsubaki said with a smile.

"Over dinner, yeah."

"You have a lot of friends in high places, Tom," Hephaestus said.

"Yeah, you and Tsubaki included."

The latter shot me a wink.

"They're here," Finn said, and at once the hall went silent.

The doors opened, and in came an eclectic parade of people and gods dressed in clothes that had no unifying era or cut or design. There were those decked out in heavy jewelry or those in thin veils where I saw more than I normally ought to. All the gods had perfect bodies even if their ages seemed here and there. Their adventurer guards sometimes wore the same out of place styles, and even more wore something more comfortable for moving in. Wary eyes darted left and right, and more than a few expressed surprise at meeting mine.

Finn had already spent a long time with Loki, and these guards I assumed were more likely to be a god's highest levelled child, mostly the captains of the familias and their vice captains. Because really, who in their right mind would bring a level one to one of these things?

Yes, Loki was banking on the culprit not making a scene, and it made sense too, but it was my ass on the line here during an event I had no real power to change.

Gods filled in the seats we laid out in a circle while their guards stood on either side of them. Just from this, the different allegiances could already be seen to some extent, though the riff-raff male gods who kept giving Freya undisguised looks sat to her immediate left.

"Hoho, Lady Freya's looking fine as always!"

"Are they gonna be serving any food?"

"I am Ganesha!"

"Who's that nerd behind Loki?"

"Them headlights on the pirate, grandeur!"

Loki, what the fuck.

Just bear with it for now.

"I heard the Braver just reached level seven, we should take this chance to think of a new name for him!"

"Ottar's still the king, so maybe… the prince? He's tiny after all."

"Where's the bathroom?"

Loki ran me through with their names once I described where they sat: Kutkh, Set, Khaldi, Inara, Mayari, Dewi Ratih, Lugh, Verethragna, the names went on. Thankfully though, none of their guards gave off the same pressure Ottar did.

"Look at that fine piece of ass behind Loki!"

"He has this delicious look to him like everyone here's less than dirt!"

"Damn that's hot!"

"I wonder if he likes it nasty?"

Loki? Really, what the fuck?

You lose if you mind them.

"So, the three biggest familias have something brewing, eh?"

"I don't know about Hephaistos and Freya, but anything with Loki involved is bound to be a laugh!"

"What the hell? Hestia's here?"

The well-endowed loli walked in sweating buckets and fidgeting, and next to her was some white-haired kid. She only had one person with her. Together with them were Miach, who also only had one person, and Takemikazuchi who had a tall guy and a girl in a ponytail.

Heads up Tom, burn that kid's image into your head.

Which one?

Hestia's kid, he's the one Freya's after.

Elaborate?

You don't wanna know.

Noted.

Hestia took a seat next to Hephaestus, then after her was Miach, Takemikazuchi, Hermes, Dionysius, Goibniu, the ones we'd ruled out. Loki also pointed out our prime suspects: Ganesha with the elephant mask, Demeter in the toga whose chest might spill out at any moment, Ishtar who kept giving Freya the stink eye, Kovas in the pointed metal helmet, Sekhmet the blonde with the cat eye mascara, Tialoc in the colorful dress of geometric designs, and Pele in the flower crown.

Once everyone got to their seats, Freya stood. "Welcome everyone," she said with a smile. "We would like to share what we know with you regarding the events that transpired during the Monster Feria, and now has taken Rivira from us, though we all know that place would survive."

A few nervous chuckles made its rounds.

"But the matter stands that a tragedy has occurred. And who are to take this sitting down?"

"That's right!"

"I am Ganesha!"

"We're gods dammit! Nobody takes from us unless we're cool with it!"

"Who do we burn?"

"Yeah! Time for the pitchforks!"

That got a laugh from the lot of them.

Idiots, the lot of them.

Geez, I get you gods don't really die, but damn.

Some of them are just in it for the shits and giggles.

I didn't want to believe, but shit.

Freya clapped her hands once or twice. "Now now," she said, and the slight catch to her voice was enough to silence the little shits. "I'd be terribly sad if any of my children were to suffer for what happened and may happen."

"You guys think there's a mastermind?"

"What do you mean? Of course, there'd be a mastermind!"

"Time to get the hero to slay the demon lord!"

"But what if… it was a god that was the demon lord?!"

The circle broke into a commotion with people accusing others left and right and shouting and screaming, another two gods ended up in a fist fight that had their children, or captains whatever, cluelessly try and break up the fight only to end up dragging another three into the scuffle.

Ottar cleared his throat.

The commotion stopped cold.

"Everyone," Freya said without mirth. "Return to your seats."

Yelps sounded out from her fanboys and the gods who got into the fist fight started behaving, the relief clear on all the mortal's faces.

"This is getting us nowhere," Loki said.

"It was a disaster waiting to happen," Hephaestus added.

"Ara, now I feel like having my children let loose a bit," Freya said.

""""We'll behave!""""

"Oh," Freya said, "a shame perhaps."

""""Please continue!""""

I get your point now about the other gods… good thing I met you first.

And don't you forget it.

"I'll be passing the floor now to Loki," Freya said. "Listen to her." She smiled. "Alright?"

""""Yes!""""

Gotta hand it to Freya, she really knows how to get a crowd eating out the palms of her hands.

Just the male population though.

It's just the men who're that stupid. The women have more sense.

Hmm, yeah, not even gonna argue. I agree completely.

Loki stood up. "Listen up you sorry lot," she said. "Those beasties that showed up in Rivira and the Feria were the same things, Finn here was the one to put an end to that little fiasco, and I'm willing to bet things have yet to get better."

There were outcries and lament at what was revealed, and more than a few were just itching to make a scene. I kept close watch on our suspects, but none were yet to give anything away. Ganesha… was crying.

"And my child Hashana was also killed in that tragedy! I demand payment in blood for that! I, Ganesha, pledge my power to you if you will help me avenge my child."

"Yeah but we still suspect you for the Feria!"

"Bunch of tamers! And he probably has a bondage fetish too!"

"That was a little out of left field."

"Eh, it's Ganesha, what'd you expect?"

"That makes sense to me, screw you Dumbo!"

Ottar cleared his throat, and the crowds went silent.

"You should teach me how to do that sometime," Finn said with a chuckle.

The king shrugged.

"I, Ganesha, sincerely declare to you all, that the events at the Feria were not orchestrated by neither I nor my children, but I still apologize for the incident. That was our responsibility, and that someone was able to sneak in those Violas was an insult to my name as the lord of hosts."

"Ganesha didn't do it," Loki said, "he's too stupid to pull it off."

"I, Ganesha, take offense at that."

"Yeah, but Loki wasn't wrong."

"That's right, Ganesha's got a mortal fetish! He'd never kill in cold blood."

"I, Ganesha, find this train of thought disturbing."

"Shut yet traps!" Loki said. "Bah, my familia also encountered some new types of monsters during our last expedition to the fiftieth floor, I figured you guys might want to have a look at what we found."

Finn produced four orange stones and passed them around to the congregation.

"We found those differently colored stones in the monsters, and I trust you lot won't incite a panic with this. I already got Ouranos's permission to share my findings with you idiots, but don't go spouting out and shit. The culprit might still be one of us, and the culprit might also be none of us. We'd best avoid letting an outsider know we're in the know now. Capisci?"

Scattered yesses came back, some "oh noes" mixed in.

"Something's stirring in the dungeon, and all your children ought to tread carefully these next few days until the matter's taken care of."

Ishtar stood up. "And we're supposed to assume you three are innocent?"

"Why else would we share the information?" Loki said with a shrug.

Ishtar raised a brow. "To get us off you trail? We all already know those Violas are about as strong as a level four, and who best to get the deed done than Loki and Freya?"

"Was that an accusation, Ishtar?" Freya asked with a smile.

Ishtar crossed her arms. "If the shot fits, right?"

"I am to assume that you, Loki, and Freya are in an alliance, yes?" Takemikazuchi said.

Loki and Freya shared a look, Freya raised a brow and Loki hung her head. "Yes," Loki said, "we are."

I'd much rather not though!

Dude, they're our best allies yet.

"Thank you," Takemikazuchi said—that was too long name to say all the time, so I'll just call him Take moving forward. "Then why would Finn stop the tragedy in the eighteenth?"

"Potato buns has a point!"

"I didn't think that kimono fetishist had it in him!"

"When are we gonna eat?"

Ishtar took her seat.

"I guess that answers that question," Loki said with a smug smile.

What's her problem?

She wants to be the most beautiful, but Freya has a solid lead, she's also a shitty person—and I'm comparing her to Freya.

Fair point.

"Any more takers?" Loki said.

"I have something to say," Ganesha said. "I… am Ganesha."

"Sit down dammit!"

Ganesha sat down.

Loki ended the meeting there and most of everyone left, most of them laughing like it was nothing at all. There were a few serious looks here and there and some hushed discussions, but ultimately, all I could rule out was that no one reacted unexpectedly, and that I was sure now that Ganesha and Ishtar didn't do it. The former because, he was Ganesha, and the latter because the attack would've been made directly at Freya if she had that much power.

When the last to leave had exited, the doors to the hall were closed.

"As expected," Loki said. "No one cracked."

"Gods are such fickle beings," Freya said.

"I'd say, those guys back there had sticks up their butts, maybe spiked."

Tsubaki and the dwarf laughed, and Hephaestus pursed her lips. Freya chuckled lightly, and Ottar and the mask dude didn't react one bit.

"I'm rather amazed you can speak like that against the gods," Hephaestus said. "Normally a child wouldn't have the will to do so." She raised an eyebrow at Loki. "Something else you might want to tell us, Loki?"

Freya hummed. "Thomas has a mind link with my dear sister," she said with a smile. "It makes him… rather interesting."

Hephaestus rubbed her chin. "Like an oracle?"

Loki shook her hand in front of her. "More or less."

Is it fine to let them know?

It's Hephaistos, if she gives us a discount for it then all the better, right?

Your call then.

"They do that a lot," Freya added. "Talk in their heads."

Hephaestus snickered. "No wonder he didn't care about Hestia."

"Our next course of action then?" Freya asked.

"Nothing," I said.

Finn nodded.

"Oh?" Freya gestured for me to go on.

"We're at an impasse right now where we don't know who the culprit or culprits are, and we also have no means of finding them. We're completely dependent on reacting to whatever move this entity will pull off next. There's the possibility of sending a massive force down the Dungeon to explore the lead we found in the fiftieth floor, but doing so would thin our forces here topside."

"Topside?" Hephaestus narrowed her eye at me. "Impasse?"

Loki smiled at her.

"I see," Freya said.

"Eh? What'd I say?"

"Tom, those words you said only gained traction around the nineteenth century from your world."

"You, sly fox," Freya cooed. "My lucky sister picked up someone interesting."

"He's mine, Freya!"

"Oh, I know, and I'm not too interested in someone with such a… dark color, though I guess a deep black is also a purity in itself."

"Was it just me or was what she said really ominous?"

"You're from another world." Hephaestus said. She wiped her face with her palm.

"Hmm, I'm not following," Tsubaki said with a nod. She looked at her dwarf friend who shrugged back.

"Does Ouranos know about Thomas?" Freya asked.

"I'd had no reason to tell him," Loki said.

"Let's keep it that way for now," Freya said. "I agree the Guild isn't behind these events, but the old man's still hiding quite a few things from us."

"That old coot?" Hephaestus rested her head on her wrist. "Please tell me you two aren't planning a coup."

"We're not planning a coup," Loki said, annoyed.

"I'd rather hear it from Freya," Hephaestus said.

"Heh, I like her."

"Shut it you," Loki said. "On that note, might as well talk business while we're here."

"Wait, shouldn't we tell the others they can relax now though? Aiz and the others and Freya's people might still be all tense and stuff."

"Thomas," Freya said, "be sure to watch how you talk in front of the other gods, please? I'd rather my sister not be plagued by those… flies who want a piece of the pie."

"D-did you just call me a cow pie?"

Freya laughed like a hundred tinkling bells.

"I'm not so sure I still want to be in this alliance," Hephaestus said.

#

After the meeting, we had Tione, Tiona, and Bete escort Hephaestus back to her home, while the rest of us made our way back to the manor.

The real reason we set the meeting was to paint a target on our backs, Freya's and ours. Hephaestus agreed to it, thankfully, but it came with the trade-off that we'd need to provide their place with extra protection. Ever the doting older sister, Freya volunteered her people—since she had enough of them—to take care of the protection detail.

Our job then, was to go down to the fiftieth floor and scout the place out in case we really needed to deploy a sizeable force down the Dungeon.

It didn't sit well with anyone to do so, however, because it sounded exactly like how the greater familias of old died out: namely, the Odin and Zeus familias. It was after they'd failed big time in the Dungeon that started their eventual downfall, and that what was happening now seemed way too suspicious and timely.

Some guy comes in from a different world, weird shit started happening in the Dungeon. We've said it before, and we weren't just being paranoid when we pointed out how the timing was so on point. We also shared with Freya and Hephaestus our dealings with this Fels character, and how big of a reward was offered on a successful run.

We got home to a lively living room with the familia going about their usual daily business. Some were chatting, some were training, and then there was Lefiya who was nose deep into her books. The cooks were already starting their dinner time preparations, and Raul was off by the tree carving up a stray branch while Rakta was teaching Cruz how to crochet.

At least now I knew where Loki's crocheted rabbit came from.

I went up to my room to pick up my gear, so I could go down the Dungeon again, and Gareth was already ready to go since he had his gear with him. I was coming down the stairs when someone grabbed me by the shoulders.

I found myself face to face with Aiz, my back to the wall. Pretty sure she wasn't even eighteen yet, but we were still the same height. I was pretty short for a dude, and she just had to remind me.

"Thomas," she said, "you fought the infant dragon by yourself?"

I looked around, there wasn't anyone nearby. I was pretty sure I wasn't supposed to tell her I did that. At least, not if Gareth's tone yesterday was anything to go by. "Umm, no?"

"You're lying." If it was ever possible to be glared at with a neutral expression, she made it happen. It was a strange dissonance that made me want to give her a pat on the head and cower at the same time.

Uhh, Loki, bit of help. Aiz wants me to answer her whether I soloed the infant dragon or not.

Oof, alright, I'll send Gareth up.

Please hurry.

"Thomas?" Gareth said from down stairs.

Aiz narrowed her eyes at me before running down the hallway and jumping out the window, but not before shooting me another blank glare.

Gareth came up from the stairs. "Good work holding out, Tom."

"Why's she acting up all of a sudden?"

"She found out you'd been fighting everything up to the twelfth floor, maybe from someone in the familia."

"She cornered me."

"Aye, she sometimes gets like that when she's found something interesting." Gareth slapped me in the back. "Let's just get to killin' monsters for now, I'd rather drown out these worries with something more productive."

"That's not a healthy way of dealing with your problems Gareth."

"Aye, but at least you're a level one."

"Good point."

We went down the Dungeon together with Lili and Finn, and the former was equipped with a short sword and a buckler just like I was at first. She was also wearing some spare armor from Finn, I guessed. We split off by the first floor so Lili could get started on her own, while Gareth and I went straight for the eleventh floor—and perhaps it was luck or whatever, but the infant dragon was there again.

But it was already getting swarmed by a party—and I think those were the guys Takemikazuchi was with? I recognized the red shoulder guard the girl in the ponytail was wearing.

We moved on and went for the twelfth floor with the silverbacks, so I could get used to fighting without relying on sight too much. An indispensable skill, Gareth called it. He then stepped away to give me space.

I took out my pick and short sword. "Madness."

The first roar signified the start of the gauntlet, as I leapt towards the source.

Hack, slash, smash, pull, latch, stab. It was a simple collection of movements practiced over the last few days with each swing becoming more familiar than the last. When the silverbacks would punch, the hammer head smashed against their fingers and fists. When they went for a body check I'd latch onto them and stab them full of holes. When they went for a bite, a quick pick to the noggin or stab through the throat would greet them. When they kicked, I'd slash against their knees or tendons and break away, ready for them to come back slower.

Methodical dismantling wasn't as exciting, but it was thrilling nonetheless because of the control I could exert. It wasn't on the level of dancing around my opponent, but to direct the monsters' movements somewhat depending on what wounds I inflicted or how much of their attacks I tanked was still a revelation.

But it wasn't giving me the experience I needed, I think. As the battle went on, the more wounds I inflicted on them also meant Despair's effects would have higher chances of taking hold, and screaming monkeys were not as fun dealing with. Easy to find in the low visibility, yes, but it kind of defeated the purpose. Also, letting battles drag on for too long made my endurance rise so now even if the monkeys were punching I'd just take it without minding and payback their puny scratches with a stab of the sword or pick.

It cheapened the gauntlets I put myself through the longer they went.

I ducked a punch and countered with the hammer.

"Taken from the peace of home."

I stabbed a monkey through the gut.

"I now stand beyond the veil."

I smashed a head away.

"The aberrant demands reparation."

Black light exploded.

The bodies littering the ground disappeared, and my magic and stamina refreshed. Long protracted battles were my schtick, and doing this now wasn't gonna help me too much in the long run, though it did help me find more creative ways with which to strike or evade.

I slipped by a punch and stabbed the armpit of the monkey it was attached to before picking it in the ribs. I stepped back and took a hit to the chest before countering with a smash upside the hide, the other monkey started foaming in the mouth before a slash at the neck had it screaming through the bubbles.

Perhaps it was time to move to the thirteenth floor?