Терминатров Джон Коннорович
I Just Awakened My Sharingan, and You're Telling Me This Is Danmachi

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   webnovel.com
  
   I Just Awakened My Sharingan, and You're Telling Me This Is DanMachi?
   Author: yurayura
   (C) WebNovel
  
   Chapter 1: Night of the Clan Massacre-I Choose to Run!
  
   Scorching flames erupted in midair, blossoming like a blazing sun, twisting and distorting the surrounding air.
   All around was an endless expanse of pure white. No horizon, no sky-just an infinite void reminiscent of Dragon Ball's Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
   Hovering in midair, a countdown steadily ticked away:
   Nearby, the solid ground had turned charred black from the explosion, only to swiftly return to its original state moments later.
   A black-haired youth landed, steam escaping from his lips.
   That attack just now was his third attempt today.
   "My Chakra's finally stabilized."
   Ryota murmured softly, a glint flickering in his eyes.
   With a gentle flip of his wrist, a palm-sized mirror appeared in his hand. He raised it, clearly reflecting his own eyes.
   Within those blood-red pupils, three tomoe slowly rotated, seemingly intertwining fate, cause and effect, and death itself-forming a chillingly ominous pattern.
   Staring at these eyes, both familiar and foreign in the mirror, Ryota fell silent for a few seconds before slowly raising the corner of his mouth in a faint smile:
   "Finally reached three tomoe... At least now I can survive getting out of here."
   Putting the mirror away, he walked toward the floating staircase at the edge of the space.
   The steps were smooth stone slabs suspended in the white void. Though ordinary at first glance, they were among the few tangible objects in this empty dimension.
   Ryota stepped onto the stairs and sat down casually on the third step, legs dangling freely, gazing down into the endless emptiness.
   He slightly raised his right hand, gently pinching his fingers.
   A faint golden glow appeared, and immediately afterward, a simple-looking bento box materialized steadily into his palm.
   Removing the lid, Ryota picked up a piece of fried chicken, placing it into his mouth and chewing carefully. His expression was calm, yet he ate with genuine concentration.
   He ate quietly, gazing out toward the distant void that never seemed to brighten.
   His thoughts drifted gently.
   It had been half a year since he'd transmigrated into the Naruto world.
   Originally, he was just an ordinary, fragile university student. He'd gone downstairs to grab some pork trotter rice and ended up having an intimate encounter with a speeding truck.
   When he regained consciousness, he found himself transported into the world of Naruto.
   The good news: he possessed the obligatory golden finger of every transmigrator-an ability called "All-Encompassing Divine Eye."
   Upon opening his beginner gift pack, he received some Chakra and awakened a single-tomoe Sharingan.
   The bad news: he'd arrived precisely on the night of the Uchiha clan massacre-and worse yet, he found himself directly within the Uchiha Clan Grounds, instantly face-to-face with none other than the Mangeky Sharingan-wielding Uchiha Itachi.
   One-tomoe Sharingan versus Mangeky Sharingan? Wasn't that just asking to be slaughtered?!
   Just when he'd mentally prepared himself for instant death, the system informed him that entering this Trial Space would shield him from external harm.
   The only catch was that he could stay here for just half a year.
   Without a second thought, Ryota accepted immediately.
   He'd already suffered enough getting hit by a truck-no way was he going to end up as another statistic under the Ninja World's number-one family killer.
   Most importantly, he wasn't even a genuine Uchiha!
   So, he decisively chose to hide!
   Maybe it was because he'd always been a compulsive overachiever at school, or perhaps the truck collision had somehow given him a special buff.
   Over the past half-year, Ryota had trained relentlessly, day and night, finally elevating his Sharingan to three tomoe today.
   And now, the countdown in midair was nearing its end.
   Shaking off his thoughts, he ate the last piece of fried chicken, chewing thoughtfully, before muttering softly:
   "Time really flows like water... Let's hope Itachi has left by now. Once it's completely safe, I'll find some small village to settle down and relax!"
   "System, open status panel."
   At his words, a faint blue virtual screen appeared in front of Ryota:
   [All-Encompassing Divine Eye System]
   [Chakra Level]: C (Stable)
   [Chakra Control]: A (Precise Control)
   " Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu (Mastered)
   " Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu (Mastered)
   [Taijutsu]: Basic Combat Arts (Mastered)
   Staring at his status, Ryota sighed softly:
   "Only a C-level Chakra, huh..."
   "But that's understandable. After all, I've never formally studied shinobi knowledge and relied entirely on what the system provided and bits of memory. Reaching C-level is already pretty good."
   "As for Chakra Control, it's probably the result of all the intense training I've done..."
   Those ninjutsu techniques had been rewards from the system.
   His "All-Encompassing Divine Eye" system also included a task function.
   Unlike those lazy systems that just give you "ten-year check-ins" or "idle leveling," this thing felt more like a cold, intelligent guidance terminal.
   Every so often, the system would issue a task.
   The tasks weren't particularly difficult-something like performing one hundred push-ups, one hundred squats, and accurately hitting wooden targets a hundred times consecutively.
   When he'd first seen that mission, he'd almost thought he was becoming Saitama-sensei.
   Still, it had all paid off.
   Upon completing each task, the system would "match" him with battle abilities compatible with his soul structure.
   This was how Ryota unlocked classic ninjutsu like "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu" and "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu" within this trial space.
   Unfortunately, both rewards had been ninjutsu. He had no idea when he'd finally receive a Chakra-level reward.
   "Being able to spit flames is cool and all, but without enough MP, what's the point?"
   Mumbling, he brushed the dust off himself and slowly stood up, looking up at the countdown.
   This marked the end of Ryota's time in the Trial Space.
   As the countdown reached zero, a staircase appeared suspended in the void.
   At the end of these stairs was a floating gate composed of faint golden energy, quietly waiting for Ryota to open it.
   In an instant, his figure appeared below the stairs, and he stepped forward, climbing upward.
   "Bring it on, Uchiha Itachi!"
  
   Chapter 2: Chapter 2: This isn't the Naruto World? What's a Goblin Doing Here?
   Soon enough, Ryota was standing before the door, raising his right hand gently, palm pressing against the golden gate.
   Golden brilliance surged forth, accompanied by energy so intense it seemed to warp space itself, forming a swirling vortex behind the door.
   In the next instant, his body was abruptly pulled in, plunging entirely into the blinding radiance.
   Wind roared past his ears, chaotic streams of energy tugging at his senses.
   Then, everything fell silent.
   Feeling the solid ground beneath his feet, Ryota steadied his breathing and slowly lifted his head.
   Before him stretched an immense cavern, massive beyond comprehension.
   The cave yawned like the gaping maw of some colossal beast, its depths extending endlessly into darkness.
   All around, natural stone walls emitted a faint, gentle phosphorescent blue glow, illuminating without harshness.
   A subtle humidity lingered in the air, mingled with the lingering scent of beasts.
   Occasionally, the ground revealed scratches and peculiar fragments of bone scattered here and there.
   Ryota glanced around, brows furrowing slightly.
   "Looks like... this isn't Konoha."
   "It's not the Uchiha clan's back mountain either, nor does it match the architecture of the Land of Fire."
   He narrowed his eyes slightly, the three tomoe of his Sharingan rotating quietly.
   "System, where the hell did you send me?"
   Yet this time, the system remained silent-no response at all.
   No "ding," no prompts, no explanations.
   It was as if it had never existed, quietly hiding away.
   Ryota's eyebrow twitched slightly.
   Now he felt even stranger.
   This stupid system usually couldn't wait to bombard him with pop-ups. Now it was playing dead?
   He grumbled quietly, withdrawing his gaze. Deciding not to dwell on it, he turned and started heading deeper into the cavern.
   The place was odd, but it didn't feel like an illusion or genjutsu.
   To figure out exactly where he was, he'd have to rely on his own two feet.
   Yet just as he stepped onto the phosphorescent stone ground-
   A sharp sound rang out nearby.
   Ryota's heart tightened. Instantly, he withdrew half a step, turning toward the source of the noise.
   A pair of sinister greenish eyes flickered in the darkness.
   From the corner of the cavern, a figure slowly emerged along the wall.
   Long-limbed, hunched back, wrinkled gray-green skin, and sharp bony claws for hands-
   Its mouth dripped with viscous saliva as it stared fiercely at him.
   There was no intelligence in those eyes, only hunger, ferocity, and instinctive killing intent.
   Ryota froze for a moment.
   "This thing...why does it look so much like a goblin?"
   Before he could ponder further, the monster let out a shrill cry and lunged towards him!
   Ryota snorted coldly, his three tomoe spinning rapidly as his battle instincts instantly kicked in.
   "No idea what you really are. I'll just call you a goblin for now."
   "If I couldn't beat Uchiha Itachi, fine-but you? You think you're enough?"
   As soon as the words fell, his legs pushed off the ground, instantly fracturing the stone beneath him!
   Ryota's figure flashed forward several meters, appearing before the goblin in the blink of an eye!
   The goblin had no time to react, the cruel grin still frozen on its face mid-leap-
   Ryota twisted his shoulder, gathered strength in his right arm, and unleashed a devastating punch!
   The goblin's head exploded like a rotten pumpkin hit by a sledgehammer!
   Blood and brain matter sprayed outward, bones scattering everywhere. Its corpse twitched briefly before collapsing, swiftly dissolving into black ashes and vanishing completely.
   Silence returned once again.
   Ryota shook off his fist casually.
   "This durability...? Even weaker than I expected."
   He glanced down at his knuckles covered in greenish blood, casually wiping it off on his clothes, his expression filled with disgust.
   "This thing's blood...is seriously nasty."
   Just as he was about to turn away and continue exploring deeper into the cavern-
   Out of the corner of his eye, amidst the scattered remains, a faint glimmer caught his attention.
   Ryota turned back, approaching for a closer look.
   It was a crystal shard about the size of a fingernail, irregularly shaped, translucent, with faint energy shimmering slowly within.
   He picked it up, weighing it in his palm.
   Cool to the touch, neither heavy nor particularly light-like some low-level loot dropped in a game.
   But now wasn't the time to analyze it carefully.
   Shrugging slightly, Ryota slipped the crystal into his pocket.
   "Whatever it is, I'll keep it for now."
   With that, he started humming an unfamiliar tune as he continued deeper into the cavern.
   Barely ten minutes passed as he followed the phosphorescent-lit path, before encountering three more goblins.
   The first had barely jumped out from a corner and hadn't even steadied itself when Ryota drove his knee straight into its head, snapping its neck instantly.
   The second leaped down from the wall above, only to be punched straight into the stone wall, not even leaving behind a proper corpse.
   The third tried to ambush him from behind but ended up having its leg grabbed and thrown head-first into a stone pillar, its skull bursting apart like an overripe fruit.
   "Trash mobs...not challenging at all."
   Ryota glanced down at his feet, where three more crystals lay neatly on the ground.
   He didn't bother thinking much about it, casually picking them up as he murmured to himself:
   "Goblins drop magic stones, the principle unknown, function unclear-alright, case closed!"
   Stuffing them all into his pocket, he continued onward, though his pace gradually slowed.
   Because Ryota had begun to realize something.
   This cavern...wasn't quite as simple as he'd initially thought.
   Its layout was incredibly complicated, not only branching off frequently but also filled with countless natural pillars, cliffs, depressions, and interconnected multi-level passages.
   Some parts were so narrow his shoulders nearly brushed the walls, while others were spacious enough to accommodate monsters the size of buildings.
   Several times he was tempted to just fire off a Great Fireball Jutsu and blast a clear path, but he eventually restrained himself.
   Now wasn't the time to act recklessly.
   Though his three-tomoe Sharingan was powerful, his chakra reserves were still limited, and no one knew what else lurked deeper inside.
   Besides, this clearly wasn't the Naruto world.
   In an unfamiliar place like this, who knew if blasting the ceiling might trigger a collapse or attract unwanted attention?
   "Forget it, better stay low-key and cautious."
   Ryota sighed softly, fiddling absently with the crystals in his pocket as he chose a tunnel that didn't seem too narrow and walked in.
  
   Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!
   Ryota hadn't taken many steps before noticing that the ground ahead began to slope downward.
   The previously flat and straight passage suddenly twisted into a downward-spiraling ramp.
   Ryota paused, sweeping his gaze across this abruptly transformed passage. He raised an eyebrow slightly:
   "The passage... changed?"
   "This isn't just a random fork-it looks more like a path leading to the next floor."
   The three tomoe in his Sharingan quietly spun, his vision magnifying and his insight sharpening dramatically.
   Indeed, a deeper world awaited below.
   He remained silent for only a second, then without further hesitation, stepped forward into the descending corridor.
   "Fighting those small fry was getting boring anyway."
   "Maybe the next floor will offer something interesting."
   Before his words fully faded, Ryota's figure vanished into the narrowing tunnel, swiftly entering the second floor.
   Yet shortly after entering the second floor, he quickly lost interest again.
   The so-called "second floor" wasn't nearly as challenging as he'd expected.
   It was almost identical to the first-same rocky walls, same phosphorescent floors and ceilings, same randomly scattered rubble, uneven terrain, and goblins lurking in shadows, thinking they'd hidden themselves well.
   The only noticeable difference was an additional type of monster.
   "What's this thing supposed to be?"
   Ryota stared blankly at the creature for two seconds before speaking expressionlessly:
   He casually named the monster and immediately punched forward, smashing the "kobold's" face straight into the ground.
   Chunks of flesh splattered everywhere, blood pooled across the floor, and half a dog's fang even stuck to the nearby wall.
   "Just as weak as the goblins."
   Ryota stepped forward, picked out the newly dropped magic stone, and stuffed it into his pocket.
   The second floor was effortlessly crushed.
   Then came the third floor, followed by the fourth.
   No ambushes, no coordinated attacks, not even a single formidable enemy that forced Ryota to catch his breath.
   All along the way, he didn't even bother using ninjutsu-simply relying on his fists and feet.
   A casual swing of his fist sent monsters flying into the walls the instant they tried to leap from the shadows.
   Before long, Ryota stopped and glanced down at himself.
   Both his pockets were now bulging with magic stones.
   Every step he took caused the stones to clink together loudly.
   He lifted one pocket with his hand, the corner of his mouth twitching in annoyance.
   "I really should've brought a bag."
   "These monsters are strange too-they disintegrate into black ash immediately after death. Can't even skin them to make a pouch."
   Grumbling to himself, Ryota stretched lazily and prepared to continue onward.
   At that moment, his eyes narrowed slightly.
   The surroundings had changed.
   At first, he thought it was a trick of the lighting, but after taking another step forward, he confirmed it.
   The cave walls up ahead were no longer the usual grayish-brown rock. Instead, they'd quietly shifted to a pale green hue, damp and slightly slick, as if covered by a thin layer of moss.
   Even the ground had grown smoother, with some areas reflecting faint traces of water.
   More importantly, the air itself had changed-damp, stuffy, and carrying a faint, fishy odor.
   "I see. The fifth floor is clearly different from the previous four."
   "Why does this setting feel so familiar?"
   Ryota muttered softly, rapidly scanning through his memories, yet unable to pinpoint exactly where he'd encountered something similar.
   After puzzling over it for a moment without any success, he shook his head decisively, pushing the thought aside.
   "Forget it. I'll worry about it later."
   He stepped forward again, officially entering the fifth floor.
   Barely a few steps in, the ground suddenly trembled slightly.
   Heavy, rhythmic footsteps echoed from deeper within the corridor ahead, rapidly growing louder!
   "Help!! Somebody help us!!"
   "Run faster!! It's an elite monster!!"
   Panicked shouts, frantic footsteps, and gasping breaths mixed together, reverberating through the dim space of the fifth floor.
   Ryota glanced calmly toward the source of the commotion.
   From a shadowy fork in the passage ahead, three figures stumbled out desperately.
   They wore identical leather armor, though each was covered in blood, their faces pale from fear.
   Leading the group was a red-haired young man, gritting his teeth as he supported a girl beside him who had sustained a severe leg injury.
   Trailing behind them was an older man, his entire right arm severed cleanly at the shoulder, leaving a gruesome trail of blood dripping steadily onto the floor.
   "Don't look back! Just run!!"
   They sprinted madly toward Ryota's location, hardly noticing someone standing calmly in the middle of their path.
   Ryota's gaze passed over the fleeing adventurers and settled on the pitch-black humanoid figure chasing after them.
   It had no feet, dragging itself forward swiftly on elongated limbs, its entire body enveloped in distorted black mist, obscuring its features.
   Its unnaturally long arms nearly brushed the ground, each ending in three razor-sharp claws that emitted a shrill metallic scraping noise as they dragged across stone.
   Clack-scritch, scritch, scritch!
   Head lowered ominously, the creature moved with astonishing speed.
   Ryota observed the shadowy form calmly, speaking in an even voice:
   "Long arms, three claws, covered in black mist."
   "Looks kind of like a monster from a horror game I played before."
   "It probably chased you up here from the sixth floor, huh? You guys are brave enough to run all the way to the fifth floor with something like this on your tail... I'll give you credit for guts, at least."
   His body leaned forward slightly, hands swiftly weaving through a series of hand signs:
   "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
  
   Chapter 4: Chapter 4: What the Hell?! This is the DanMachi World?!
   A blazing torrent of fire surged from Ryota's mouth, transforming instantly into a massive fireball nearly two meters wide, roaring through the passageway ahead!
   The fleeing trio felt their scalps tighten, as if a scorching sun had just grazed the tops of their heads!
   A wave of searing heat instantly rushed over them, accompanied by the deafening roar of flames!
   They could even clearly feel their hair sizzling slightly from the scorching blast!
   The fireball slammed violently into the shadowy figure!
   The entire tunnel trembled fiercely for a moment, and with a nauseating burnt stench filling the air, the shadowy creature-originally charging at terrifying speed-didn't even have a second to struggle. It was instantly vaporized into a thin wisp of black ash by the extreme heat!
   At the end of the corridor lay a patch of charred, heat-blasted stone and a lingering smell of burnt flesh.
   Even the floor itself now bore a huge, smoking crater.
   The entire process took less than three seconds.
   The trio was still frozen mid-run, their legs suddenly glued in place, unable to move an inch.
   A brief, deathly silence filled the air.
   Dumbfounded, the three turned their heads stiffly, staring blankly at the empty corridor behind them.
   "The War Shadow... is gone?"
   "An elite monster from the sixth floor... just like that...?"
   "What the hell was that fireball?!"
   The three exchanged bewildered glances, cold sweat trickling down their faces uncontrollably. They completely forgot about the urgency of "running for their lives."
   Standing not far away, Ryota approached slowly, speaking calmly:
   "Finally, I ran into some living people."
   His voice wasn't loud, yet it echoed clearly in the silent tunnel.
   The startled adventurers simultaneously whipped around, finally noticing the youth standing nearby.
   Black hair, crimson eyes, dressed in neat, robe-like clothes-he looked as though he'd just emerged from the flames, exuding an aura of quiet intensity that didn't belong to this floor at all.
   The red-haired youth leading the trio hesitated for two seconds, then gritted his teeth, stepping forward with a trembling voice:
   "S-Senior... We're just an ordinary beginner team... We don't have much Valis on us..."
   The girl and the older man behind him instinctively took a step back, their eyes filled with fear and caution.
   Ryota paused, momentarily stunned, before chuckling softly:
   "Huh? You misunderstood!"
   "I just want to ask you a few questions. I'm not some robber."
   His gaze swept lightly over their torn armor and the wounds still dripping blood, finally resting on a shriveled-up pouch at their waist that presumably once held their coins. He couldn't help but add quietly:
   "You guys... don't exactly look rich anyway."
   The red-haired youth froze, his expression shifting from nervousness to confusion, then finally to embarrassment.
   If we had money, who the hell would risk our lives in the Dungeon?!
   Feeling that standing still was disrespectful, the red-haired youth forced himself to bow deeply toward Ryota, forcing a strained smile onto his face:
   "My name is Lain, Lain Hait."
   "This is our adventurer team... I'm the captain."
   He pointed behind him at the blonde girl whose leg was still bleeding and the older man who was missing an entire arm but still stubbornly standing:
   Both teammates forced weak smiles. Clearly, they hadn't yet recovered from the shock, but at least they'd managed to regain some composure.
   "What questions do you have, Senior? We'll gladly tell you everything we know!"
   Ryota thought for a moment, then asked:
   "Why are you down here? Did you somehow wander in randomly like I did? And what's the name of that monster just now?"
   Hearing this, Lain exchanged bewildered glances with his companions.
   The same thought simultaneously appeared above their heads:
   "Is this senior joking with us?"
   Although puzzled, Lain still replied honestly:
   "We're adventurers belonging to the Freya Familia."
   He paused briefly, pride evident in his tone:
   "Although we're just peripheral members, we're still official adventurers!"
   "We came here because we accepted a quest-escorting a merchant caravan down to the tenth floor. We just never expected to run into that monster on our way back!"
   As he spoke, Lain glanced again toward the charred, blackened spot at the far end of the corridor, awe filling his eyes:
   "The thing you just killed was called a 'War Shadow.'"
   "It's not an ordinary monster-it's an elite creature from the sixth floor. It moves strangely, incredibly fast, and once it locks onto you, escaping is almost impossible."
   "We were truly unlucky to encounter it on the fifth floor..."
   "And then- you just blasted it into oblivion with a single fireball..."
   By the end, even Lain himself was stumbling over his words.
   He gulped nervously and cautiously asked:
   "Senior... which God's Familia do you belong to? After we return to the surface, we'd like to pay our respects and give our thanks-even if it's just offering some drinks..."
   Before Lain could finish speaking, he noticed Ryota suddenly freeze in place.
   Ryota repeated blankly, confusion evident in his eyes.
   Suddenly, he felt as if someone had slammed a hammer against his skull, jolting him awake:
   At the same moment, fragmented memories rapidly pieced themselves together in his mind.
   Gods, Familia, Dungeon, War Shadow...
   And those all-too-familiar goblins, caves, kobolds...
   His eyes widened in shock as the surrounding terrain, the scent in the air, and even the names he'd just heard flooded into his mind, perfectly matching a certain anime he'd watched long ago.
   "Isn't this- 'Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?!'"
   "I'm actually in the DanMachi world?!"
   No wonder these monsters didn't match the Naruto world's style. No wonder this Dungeon felt more and more familiar. No wonder fighting goblins felt like playing a real-life ARPG...
   He'd actually transmigrated into the DanMachi world?!
   "What the hell is wrong with this damned system?! What's this supposed to be-a second transmigration?!"
   Before he could finish complaining, a familiar, cold mechanical voice suddenly rang out clearly in his ears:
   [Ding! Host has completed "Initial World Confirmation."]
   [Main Quest: Stage One activated.]
   [Quest Objective: Join any God's Familia.]
   [Quest Reward: Hidden (Unlocks upon completion).]
   Ryota's mouth twitched sharply:
   "Seriously?! NOW you decide to wake up again?!"
  
   Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Choosing a Familia-Ryota's Current Problem
   The mechanical voice gradually faded from Ryota's ears.
   He rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a dull throbbing in his temples.
   The DanMachi world: gods, Familia, Dungeon...
   He'd transmigrated into Naruto's universe, trained frantically in the Trial Space until he awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, and then the moment he stepped through the door-bam-he ended up in Orario's Babel Tower?
   "This is getting ridiculous."
   Muttering softly, he lifted his head to look at the still-nervous Lain.
   "Hey... Lain, can you do me a favor?"
   "Huh? Of course, Senior! Anything!"
   Lain immediately stood at attention, his face stiffening with tension.
   Ryota coughed lightly, then extended a hand:
   "Could you lend me a bag for storing magic stones?"
   Lain froze for two seconds before hurriedly taking off the backpack slung behind him, holding it out with both hands:
   "H-Here you go! We have extras, take it freely!"
   Ryota accepted the bag and nodded his thanks.
   He raised his eyes, glancing toward the passage behind them:
   "When I came down, I cleared out all the monsters from floors one to four, and even the early areas of the fifth floor."
   "They probably won't respawn for a while, so you should be relatively safe heading back."
   In the DanMachi world, the number of monsters spawning was fixed, with respawn times varying by floor, typically no longer than a day.
   Well... assuming Ryota remembered correctly.
   Lain nodded repeatedly, relief clearly visible in Lia and Lota's faces behind him.
   They were badly wounded; even running into the weakest goblin at this point could mean their deaths.
   "Thank you, Senior! Truly, thank you so much!"
   "We owe you our lives today!"
   Lain bowed deeply once more, then carefully supported his teammates as they began their slow, cautious journey back.
   Ryota watched their retreating figures until they disappeared, then emptied the bulging pockets on either side of his clothes into the borrowed backpack.
   With a sigh, he plopped down on the ground, resting his chin in one hand as he gazed upward at the softly glowing cavern ceiling, thoughts racing through his mind.
   This world was definitely DanMachi, no question about that.
   But... what timeline was he currently in?
   That white-haired, protagonist-like "saintly rabbit," Bell Cranel-had he appeared yet?
   Had Hestia, the clingy goddess with the iconic blue ribbon, descended to the mortal realm already?
   Had she successfully recruited her first Familia member?
   He had absolutely no clue.
   "That's the biggest issue with transmigration."
   "You never know if you arrived before the plot, in the middle, or after it's already ended."
   Ryota sighed softly, rapidly running through various possibilities in his mind, only feeling a growing headache the more he considered it.
   Thinking about Hestia, the goddess with assets that defied gravity, Ryota hesitated briefly before decisively crossing her Familia off his mental list.
   "For now... let's exclude the Hestia Familia."
   "Sure, her unconditional 'I'll-give-you-everything-if-you-even-glance-at-me' affection is tempting, but honestly, I can't handle that."
   "What if I'm just sleeping, and suddenly she prepares an eight-course meal, brings tea, washes my feet, and tearfully confesses her undying love..."
   He rubbed his temples, feeling genuine stress:
   "That's not a Familia-that's a guilt trip."
   "The Freya Familia... also off the table."
   "It's definitely one of Orario's top-tier powers, especially with someone like Ottar, that level-seven superhuman beast."
   Ryota narrowed his eyes slightly,
   "That Familia... to put it nicely, they're fanatically loyal. To put it bluntly, it's basically a cult for obsessive simps."
   "Not to mention, the goddess herself... isn't exactly clean."
   Thus, both "Hestia Familia" and "Freya Familia" were immediately eliminated from Ryota's considerations.
   That left him with three viable options:
   "Hephaestus Familia," "Ganesha Familia," and "Loki Familia."
   These three factions were legitimate powers in Orario, with solid strength, influence, and stability.
   As for those like "Apollo Familia" or "Soma Familia," Ryota didn't even bother considering them.
   One was absurdly flamboyant and notorious for causing trouble, the other was practically a cult brainwashed by booze.
   Oh, and he'd almost forgotten the "Ishtar Familia," full of fierce Amazonian beauties with ample assets.
   As enticing as that might seem to a self-proclaimed man of culture like Ryota, their line of work wasn't exactly clean either. Besides, there was that infamous man-killer among them-just thinking about it sent chills down his spine.
   Shaking his head slightly, Ryota snapped himself back to reality.
   "Let's return to the surface first."
   "I'll scout out a reliable Familia and complete this 'Main Quest' as quickly as possible!"
   Standing up, Ryota walked toward the scorched patch of ground nearby, where he'd incinerated the War Shadow earlier.
   The rock surface still bore scorch marks from the intense heat, yet in the very center of the charred area, a faint blue glow shimmered gently.
   He walked straight over, bent down, and picked up the magic stone, noticeably larger than the ones dropped by goblins, tossing it into his backpack.
   Just as he stood back up, a faint metallic glint at the edge of his vision caught his attention.
   Ryota raised an eyebrow slightly, brushing aside some rubble.
   Underneath was a finger-shaped weapon gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.
   But it felt more like a severed limb from some monster than a forged weapon.
   He picked it up, weighing it thoughtfully:
   "A drop item? If I'm remembering correctly, this thing's called a 'War Shadow's Finger Blade,' right?"
   In this world, monster drops were usually valuable items.
   Anything brought up from the Dungeon could easily be sold in Orario, where guilds and merchant associations specialized in buying such materials.
   Especially items from elite monsters like War Shadows-known as rookie killers-these materials were especially rare.
   Even if they weren't crafted into high-quality weapons, selling them to alchemy workshops for research purposes would fetch a handsome price.
   "No wonder there are so many Dungeon adventurers..."
   Ryota murmured thoughtfully,
   "Resources, a ready market, and a well-established recycling mechanism-all that's missing are adventurers strong enough to survive long enough to bring stuff back."
   He glanced at the bulging backpack, stuffed full of magic stones and loot, jingling with the heavy, satisfying sound of money:
   "Suddenly, joining a Familia doesn't seem so appealing."
   "Maybe... I should just set up a stall instead?"
   Meanwhile, on the Dungeon's sixth floor...
   The Loki Familia members, currently retreating from a failed expedition, slowly advanced forward.
  
   Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Loki Familia on the Return Journey
   "Whew-finally heading home!"
   "Yeah, that Valgang Dragon on the 58th floor was seriously annoying!"
   The speakers were a pair of Amazonian twin sisters. Aside from the older sister having a slightly more voluptuous figure, their clothing and styles were practically identical.
   "I'm sorry, Tione, Tiona."
   Finn Deimne, walking at the front of the group, tilted his head slightly, a bitter smile appearing on his face.
   "I'll take responsibility for this setback. It was my error in judgment that led us prematurely into the 58th floor's battle zone."
   "Oh nooo~~ Captain, you'd never make a mistake~~!"
   Tione, the older sister, instantly switched into fangirl mode, her body twisting uncontrollably as stars practically glittered in her eyes.
   Watching her lovestruck expression, the werewolf Bete couldn't help but roll his eyes.
   But even this tiny gesture didn't escape Tione's notice:
   "Hey, you stupid wolf! What's that supposed to mean?!"
   "My eyes felt itchy, alright?! Got a problem with that?!"
   "You're lying, you definitely-"
   The green-haired elf Riveria interrupted their bickering,
   "Failure is natural. We'll analyze what went wrong this time, and it'll boost our odds of success next time."
   Stopped by their vice-captain, Tione reluctantly folded her arms beneath her impressive assets, glaring fiercely at Bete.
   Bete returned her glare without backing down.
   Clearly accustomed to their daily squabbles, Riveria tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, softly remarking:
   "This month-long expedition... really flew by quickly, didn't it?"
   "Still, about this time-"
   Suddenly, Riveria's words trailed off. She abruptly furrowed her brows, casting an uneasy glance around.
   The dwarf warrior Gareth Landrock, standing beside her, asked:
   "Something feels off. Where exactly are we now?"
   Gareth, the sturdy dwarf carrying a massive battle axe on his back, glanced ahead and replied thoughtfully:
   "We just left the sixth floor, so this should be the fifth."
   Then why was there such a powerful residual magic fluctuation?
   Maybe she was just imagining things...
   At that moment, Tiona suddenly spoke up:
   "Hey, isn't there someone over there?"
   Everyone paused, instinctively looking forward.
   "You must be seeing things, Tiona! Who'd still be down here at this hour?"
   The werewolf Bete twitched his wolf ears irritably.
   "Oh~ I get it. It's probably just some weaklings being chased around by a War Shadow."
   "Seriously, a garbage monster like that being called a 'rookie killer'? Pathetic weaklings shouldn't bother coming down to the Dungeon!"
   Yet before he'd even finished speaking, a flash of golden hair streaked past his vision!
   Finn quickly made a decision:
   "There might be adventurers in danger up ahead."
   "Let's follow Ais and check it out."
   Bete clicked his tongue in annoyance, muttering under his breath:
   "Tch... Always running off at the slightest hint of trouble. When will that girl get over her hero complex?"
   Despite his complaints, his pace didn't slow at all as he followed swiftly behind.
   Thus, the Loki Familia members, previously advancing leisurely, now raced toward the distant figure on the fifth floor.
   Up ahead, Ryota had just finished packing up his loot and had barely taken a few steps when he heard hurried footsteps approaching rapidly from behind.
   Ryota's eyebrow twitched slightly, his face darkening with annoyance:
   "Don't tell me it's another unlucky bunch being chased again? Am I suddenly the Dungeon's resident paramedic?"
   Despite his complaints, his movements didn't hesitate in the slightest.
   He swiftly turned around, slipping into a familiar combat stance:
   "I'll just rescue another group."
   However, the moment he looked clearly ahead-
   The figure had already stopped a short distance away.
   A blonde girl holding a slender sword tilted her head slightly, staring at him with innocent curiosity.
   She didn't speak, just stood quietly, watching him.
   Ryota slowly lowered his hands, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully as he stared into her pale golden eyes:
   "Hmm? She looks... familiar?"
   His mind rapidly searched through his memories for those eyes, that golden hair, and that oddly familiar airheaded expression...
   Then it hit him like lightning:
   Ryota's heart skipped a beat as the realization struck him.
   "Isn't this... the 'Sword Princess' of Loki Familia-Ais Wallenstein?!"
   The three tomoe quietly vanished from his eyes as their gazes met mid-air.
   Several more figures quickly landed behind the blonde swordswoman.
   In an instant, the atmosphere seemed to freeze, an odd, oppressive silence spreading among the Loki Familia adventurers.
   Their eyes simultaneously locked onto the charred area in front of Ryota.
   There, a massive crater several feet deep stretched across the passage floor.
   The edges were still blackened from intense heat, the ground shattered, walls melted, and in some places, the stone had even been completely burned through.
   This level of destruction was far beyond what a normal adventurer could achieve.
   "What the hell happened here? Are we sure this is really the fifth floor?"
   Bete's pupils shrank involuntarily, his face filled with disbelief.
   Finn, the blond-haired Pallum captain, bit his thumb thoughtfully, his eyes darting repeatedly between Ryota and the scorched crater:
   "With destructive power like this... would someone like him even need to be on the fifth floor?"
   "Or is he here specifically to intercept us...?"
   Riveria shook her head gently, focusing her gaze upon the young man standing opposite Ais:
   "That young man doesn't seem hostile."
   "If he was, he wouldn't just be staring at Ais right now. They'd already be fighting."
   Hearing Riveria's conclusion, the others nearby nodded in agreement.
   "If he's not an enemy, then there's no problem! I'll just go ask him myself!"
   Tiona, ever the cheerful and straightforward girl, placed her hands casually behind her back and trotted over toward Ryota.
   Stopping in front of him, she leaned forward slightly, a cheerful smile lighting up her face:
   "Hey there, handsome~ Mind telling me which Familia you're from?"
  
   Chapter 7: Chapter 7: This City is Called Orario!
   "I... don't have a Familia."
   As soon as those words left his mouth, the atmosphere, which had just begun to relax, froze once more.
   Even Finn and Riveria, who had been quietly discussing something, stood rooted to the spot in surprise.
   Gareth scratched his head, wearing an expression clearly saying "Are you messing with me?"
   "Did these old ears hear wrong? Did that lad just say he's Familia-less?"
   Standing right in front of Ryota, Tiona froze for a second, her eyes shining even brighter. She excitedly took a step back and shouted:
   "No Familia? No Falna? No level?!"
   "Don't tell me you came to the Dungeon for sightseeing?"
   As soon as her voice faded, Bete's wolf ears twitched. He snorted dismissively and crossed his arms:
   "Quit joking around. You want me to believe the guy who blew up the fifth floor is just some level-less savage?"
   "This rookie must've read too many comic books!"
   Ryota rubbed his forehead.
   But he also had no idea how to properly explain himself.
   He couldn't exactly strip on the spot to let them check if he had a God's Falna engraved on his back, right?
   "My appearance here was purely accidental. Besides, I'm currently searching for a suitable Familia."
   He tried to make his tone as sincere as possible.
   At the same time, he shifted his gaze back onto Ais, who was still standing in front of him, and slowly said:
   "At least, I have no ill intentions."
   Ais still wore that adorably blank expression, though upon hearing his words, her head tilted slightly further.
   Then she turned around, facing Finn and the others, and softly said:
   It was a short sentence, yet exceptionally firm.
   Everyone was taken aback, exchanging puzzled looks. Even Bete raised an eyebrow and remained silent.
   Riveria stepped forward, standing gently beside Ais, and softly said:
   Ais nodded lightly and turned back toward Finn, rejoining the group.
   Then, the graceful High Elf royal mother-figure waved a hand toward the crowd:
   The young elf girl, who had been staring blankly at Ryota, jolted suddenly, hurriedly running forward:
   "A-ah, I'm here, I'm here!!!"
   Her cheeks flushed as she jogged forward, muttering quietly to herself:
   "Damn it, how did I get so mesmerized?! That human is really handsome..."
   Stopping at the edge of the scorched, cracked pit, the girl known as "Thousand Elf"-though some called her "Magic Idiot"-Lefiya Viridis squatted down and picked up a pinch of warm, burnt soil between her fingers, carefully sensing its residual warmth.
   After a brief moment, she turned to Riveria and nodded.
   Ryota watched this entire scene unfold, a giant question mark forming in his mind.
   What kind of operation is this?
   Is she some kind of human power detector?!
   Riveria's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise after receiving Lefiya's confirmation, and she once again fixed her gaze upon Ryota.
   After a brief pause to consider, she asked:
   "You said you're looking for a suitable Familia?"
   Ryota nodded without hesitation.
   "In that case, let's go."
   "We'll return to the surface together."
   "In Orario-you'll surely find a place you belong."
   Soon, the group ascended the spiraling staircase step by step, emerging from the underground passageway on the first floor of Babel Tower.
   Instantly, a refreshing breeze carrying the scent of sunlight swept over them, entirely different from the humid, oppressive magical atmosphere of the Dungeon.
   "So... this is Orario..."
   Ryota lifted his head, seeing rays of sunlight filtering down from the lofty ceiling of Babel Tower.
   Gradually, the number of people around them increased.
   As soon as Loki Familia appeared, the murmurs from the surrounding crowd took on an excited tone:
   "It's the Loki Familia! And there's Captain Finn!"
   "I see the Sword Princess! Oh heavens, she's so beautiful-"
   "Did they just return from an expedition? Look, look! Isn't that Lady Nine Hells? She's truly worthy of being a High Elf royal!"
   "Who's that pale-skinned kid at the back? I've never seen him before."
   "Shh! Quiet down, he might be Loki Familia's secret weapon!"
   Many people enthusiastically waved and greeted them. A few overly excited adventurers even tried to approach, only to be glared back by a single sharp look from Bete.
   Ryota, who was trailing at the back of the group, frowned slightly.
   His gaze swept over the noisy crowd, and he murmured softly:
   "When I went in earlier... there wasn't a single soul around."
   He carefully recalled the scene when he first entered the Dungeon. At that time, the passageway had been completely empty-so quiet it felt like an abandoned graveyard.
   "Could it be... because it was nighttime when I arrived?"
   He puzzled over this for a while but still couldn't figure it out.
   Eventually, he rubbed his chin and mentally shoved the matter into the "I'll figure it out later" drawer in his brain.
   The crowd grew denser and the daylight outside Babel Tower brighter.
   Walking amidst the group, Ryota felt a bit uncomfortable under the curious gazes cast toward Loki Familia. He couldn't help muttering quietly to himself:
   "This feels kinda awkward."
   He glanced down at his own plain clothing.
   Then at the group around him, all core members of Loki Familia.
   Ryota suddenly felt like an unnecessary accessory.
   So he quickened his pace, circling around to the front of the group, and called out to the two people ahead:
   "Um, excuse me, seniors."
   Finn and Riveria both stopped and turned to look at him.
   Ryota stepped forward, smiling somewhat embarrassedly:
   "I won't be following you guys further. After all, I'm not a member of Loki Familia."
   "I'll just wander around by myself for a bit, get familiar with the city."
   Finn smiled gently and nodded:
   "We'll meet again if fate allows."
   Riveria, still maintaining her cool, elegant demeanor, nodded slightly.
   Ryota glanced briefly toward Ais in the crowd, noticing that the adorable airhead was also quietly watching him.
   Their gazes briefly touched and quickly separated.
   He gave a polite thanks and walked toward the denser part of the crowd.
   Several pairs of eyes quietly watched as Ryota's figure gradually disappeared into the bustling crowd.
   Only after he vanished completely did Finn slowly retract his gaze, speaking softly, seemingly to himself, but also to Riveria:
   "She won't let this kid go easily."
  
   Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Loki Comes Knocking at the Door
   After parting ways with the Loki Familia, Ryota followed the stream of people onto the wide avenue before him.
   The street stretched straight and broad, paved with pristine white stone slabs. Shops lined both sides in neat, orderly rows, and the air was alive with the mingled aromas of grilled meat, spices, and warm sunlight.
   He wandered aimlessly, occasionally glancing up at the towering pinnacle of Babel Tower, or turning his head to observe the vendors enthusiastically hawking their wares. 
   A rare sense of curiosity and freshness shone in his eyes.
   "This place is surprisingly lively."
   If his somewhat blurry memories were accurate, Orario had eight main streets just like this one. 
   Viewed from above, these eight main avenues cut through the city like blades slicing a cake, dividing Orario neatly into eight wedge-shaped districts.
   Currently, he should be on the busiest of them all-the Northern Mainstreet.
   His eyes passed over the street musicians, snack stands, street performers, and couples strolling hand-in-hand beneath the sunshine. Suddenly, a long-forgotten emotion stirred in his chest.
   "Guess I stayed in that trial space for way too long."
   "Now that I'm suddenly back among people, it feels a little weird."
   He found an empty bench and sat down, quietly observing the bustling crowds as he momentarily lost himself in thought.
   Sunlight filtered through the clouds, falling gently onto Ryota's shoulders, warm and comforting.
   "Humans really are social creatures after all..."
   "It's surprising I didn't go crazy after isolating myself for half a year."
   The days spent in the trial space were monotonous, oppressive, and lonely. 
   Each day was nothing but endless training and casting Fire Style jutsu at empty air. 
   To put it bluntly, Ryota could even recite the sound of the wind by heart.
   "Come to think of it, maybe I'm actually a bit scary?"
   He grinned lightly to himself, but his eyes showed a rare, genuine relaxation.
   Ryota sat there for several minutes, gazing up at the sky and watching people pass by, silently immersing himself in the rhythm of the city.
   Only when a passing carriage blocked out the sunlight did he finally rise, stretching his shoulders lightly.
   "Alright, guess it's time to get down to business."
   "First, find a place to stay... Then figure out exactly which 'time anchor' Orario is currently at."
   "Better see if those 'familiar faces' have appeared yet."
   "Only after understanding the situation can I choose a proper Familia."
   "Can't just randomly join one and end up being used as a chess piece by some scheming god. If that happens, all that mental training would've gone to waste."
   Having made up his mind, Ryota turned towards a quieter part of the street. Around a corner of Northern Mainstreet, a peaceful side alley came into view.
   He walked down the paved path for a few dozen meters. Sure enough, at another corner, he spotted a deep-blue wooden signboard adorned with a delicate silver crescent moon design, accompanied by a modest line of words:
   [Moon Pavilion Inn & Restaurant]
   "That's a pretty tasteful name."
   Without hesitation, Ryota pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside.
   Immediately upon entering, a faint, refreshing scent of herbs greeted him.
   Behind the counter, a middle-aged man wearing a deep-green cloak slowly opened his eyes, waking from a half-asleep state. To be precise, a middle-aged elf.
   Ryota approached and spoke first:
   The elf glanced at him briefly, a faint look of disdain flashing through his green-golden eyes, his lips curling slightly downward. Clearly, this prideful elf wasn't particularly fond of humans.
   "One night, 800 Valis. Two nights, 1500."
   Ryota nodded, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out three small magic stones glowing faintly blue and placed them on the counter.
   "Can you exchange these?"
   The elf innkeeper glanced at the stones, confirming their quality before sweeping them into a compartment beneath the counter.
   Ryota inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
   He hadn't yet had time to exchange magic stones for Valis, but earlier on the street he'd noticed many transactions directly using magic stones, meaning these were essentially universal currency. 
   This was useful information discovered by chance.
   However, the flicker of greed in the elf's eyes told Ryota he'd probably lost out a bit on this deal.
   "Looks like exchanging at the Guild would be more cost-effective after all."
   The elf tossed him a small key labeled [202], pointing vaguely behind Ryota.
   "Second floor, second room on your left."
   Ryota took the key, prepared to head upstairs, but paused as he suddenly remembered something.
   "By the way, boss, is there a place nearby that's especially busy or popular?"
   The elf innkeeper replied with disinterest, his tone flat as if reciting from a report:
   "Any excitement you can think of, it's there."
   Ryota thanked him again and turned toward the creaky wooden stairs.
   Climbing the short staircase and rounding a narrow corner, he quickly found his room.
   Inserting the key with a gentle click, the door swung open.
   The room wasn't large, but it was surprisingly tidy.
   Ryota shut the door, took off his outer garment and draped it casually over a chair, before lying down on the bed.
   Hands folded behind his head, he gazed up at the slightly aged yet clean ceiling, gradually relaxing.
   After sleeping on nothing but stone slabs in the trial space, lying on a "bed that bounced a little" felt so nostalgic it was almost moving.
   His consciousness slowly blurred, waves of sleepiness gently washing over him. Just as his eyelids were about to close-
   Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway outside.
   His door, barely closed for a moment, was violently kicked open, slamming against the wall with a resounding crash.
   In an instant, Ryota shot upright, his figure flickering as he entered combat readiness in a heartbeat, the three tomoe in his Sharingan eyes spinning rapidly.
   Standing in the doorway was a figure with vivid red hair, lips curled into a playful grin, hands casually tucked into pockets, giving off a lazy, carefree vibe.
   Yet the most noticeable feature was undoubtedly her permanently narrowed eyes.
   The red-haired woman squinted at Ryota, her lips curving upward slightly:
   "Tsk tsk tsk, no Falna, yet able to blast out a massive crater like that... But she never mentioned you had such pretty eyes."
   "Hey rookie, wanna join my Loki Familia?!"
   Ryota froze in stunned silence for a few seconds.
   Holy crap-Loki herself just came knocking at my door?!
  
   Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Ryota, "Kidnapped" and Taken to Twilight Manor
   Ryota stared blankly at the woman before him, who sported vibrant red hair, permanently narrowed eyes, and a playful smirk.
   The tomoe in his Sharingan slowly faded away, and after carefully scrutinizing the intruder again, he confirmed he wasn't hallucinating.
   A few seconds later, Ryota finally realized that the uninvited guest standing casually in front of him was none other than the Goddess of one of Orario's strongest Familias-Loki herself.
   "Hey, hey, why the silence?"
   Grinning cheerfully, Loki strode into the room without the slightest hesitation, as though it were her own, and plopped down onto the very bed Ryota had just been lying on. 
   She casually crossed her legs and continued:
   "Mama told me you're looking for a Familia?"
   "I personally came here to invite you, so what's with that dumbfounded look?"
   Ryota paused for two seconds before replying:
   "Uh... I'm just thinking about how I'm supposed to pay for that door."
   His gaze landed on the pitiful wooden door, now hanging askew on its hinges, with a sizable chunk of its corner blasted clean off.
   Wasn't there supposed to be some rule preventing gods from using their divine power down here?
   Yet here was the door, practically obliterated by her kick!
   Hearing this, Loki waved dismissively, eyes still squinted in amusement:
   "Relax, put it on my tab! My kids back home break doors way more often than you'd think."
   "Besides, I had to hurry! If another god snatched you up first, I'd be kicking myself for the next hundred years!"
   Before Ryota could respond, Loki suddenly sprang up from the bed with incredible speed. She grabbed hold of his arm and began dragging him toward the door without ceremony.
   "Come on, come on! Enough chit-chat!"
   "You didn't refuse, so that's basically a yes!"
   "Wait wait wait, where exactly are we going?"
   He asked helplessly, stumbling along as Loki dragged him down the stairs.
   "To celebrate, of course! Just follow me!"
   Their footsteps clattered loudly against the wooden staircase, and soon they re-entered the inn's main lobby.
   Standing by the counter, Lefiya saw Ryota's "am I being kidnapped?" expression and couldn't help but giggle.
   Behind the counter, the formerly proud elf innkeeper's expression transformed dramatically when he saw Loki hauling Ryota along. 
   He immediately straightened his back, plastering an overly enthusiastic smile on his face, and even bowed deeply as Loki breezed past:
   "L-Lady Loki! Your presence here honors our humble establishment! Forgive my earlier discourtesy-"
   Loki didn't even glance back, waving her hand casually as she marched out.
   "Y-yes, of course! I'll fix it right away!"
   Ryota had intended to offer an apology to the elf innkeeper. 
   But before he could even open his mouth, Loki seemed to anticipate it, forcefully dragging him outside without giving him a chance to speak. 
   The door slammed shut behind them with a loud bang.
   Inside the lobby, Lefiya took out a small pouch from her pocket, counted out 2,000 Valis, and handed them to the still-stunned elf innkeeper:
   "This is for repairing the door."
   The innkeeper, who had barely processed the reality of "Lady Loki personally visiting," was startled back to his senses. He quickly waved his hands, face filled with surprise and flattery:
   "N-no, I couldn't possibly accept it! Having Lady Loki herself visit is a great honor! A broken door is nothing!"
   "Lady Lefiya... if you could kindly relay to Lady Nine Hells that our humble inn is always awaiting the Loki Familia's visits, I would be truly grateful!"
   Lefiya smiled gently, not saying much, simply nodding:
   With that, she turned and left the inn, following in the direction Loki and Ryota had gone.
   Left behind at the counter, the elf innkeeper carefully tucked the stack of Valis into a wooden box beneath the counter, his face glowing with happiness, as though today was the luckiest day of his life.
   At the northernmost edge of Orario stood an imposing building whose dark copper hues seemed to blend seamlessly into the approaching twilight.
   It was tall and majestic. Though not reaching the dizzying heights of Babel Tower, gazing upwards at it for long still made one's neck ache.
   This was Loki Familia's home base.
   But the citizens of Orario preferred to call it-Twilight Manor.
   And now, Ryota was standing right before its gates.
   He glanced down at his arm, nearly dislocated from Loki's merciless dragging, then up at the grand mansion looming before him, his mouth twitching slightly:
   "I'm still not exactly sure how we got here."
   "Feels like the next thing I know, I'll be signing registration papers and swearing allegiance or something."
   Thinking back, he only remembered struggling briefly outside the inn, and then...
   Then he was hauled along through countless streets and past numerous taverns by Loki, eventually arriving directly at this grand entrance.
   The entire journey had been fully automated navigation-zero chance for resistance.
   The gates swung open with a heavy creak.
   Before him stretched a spacious courtyard paved neatly with red bricks.
   As Ryota followed Loki inside, several Familia members who were training or standing guard immediately took notice of their arrival.
   Their gazes converged upon Ryota, accompanied by murmurs:
   "A newcomer? Brought personally by Lady Loki?"
   "He looks pretty ordinary..."
   "Though his aura isn't like most rookies... maybe he's some runaway noble?"
   Ryota walked forward silently, his mind instinctively analyzing their positions, potential combat strength, and possible countermeasures.
   It was an old habit by now.
   His combat instincts were always switched on.
   After passing through the courtyard and entering the main building, Loki didn't hesitate at all. 
   She stood confidently with hands on hips, tilted her head back, and shouted at the top of her lungs:
   "Everyone get out here!!!"
   "Our Familia's newest member has arrived-!"
  
   Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Joining the Loki Familia!
   As soon as Loki's words fell, people started popping up from all around.
   Ryota stared blankly as a crowd of people dressed in various battle outfits, armored lightly, or even wrapped in towels poked their heads out from every possible direction.
   Within seconds, the previously empty hall was packed full.
   Finn leaped down from the second-floor railing, smiling warmly at Ryota:
   Right behind him was that familiar elf figure, the one Loki frequently referred to as "Mama"-Riveria.
   Riveria stopped beside Finn, her gaze calmly settling on Ryota as she gave a slight nod of greeting.
   Ryota returned the gesture, his eyes swiftly scanning the gathered members.
   However, among the bustling crowd, that familiar golden-haired figure was nowhere to be seen.
   Strange... Ais isn't here.
   Puzzled, he was just about to ask when Loki's distinctive voice rang out beside him:
   "Alright, alright, seems like everyone's pretty much here."
   "Then let's follow the usual tradition!"
   She dramatically waved her hand,
   "We'll have a feast later!!!"
   "We'll drink ourselves silly and welcome our new member-uh..."
   She suddenly paused mid-sentence, squinting back at Ryota with narrowed eyes:
   "What was your name again?"
   Ryota gave her a speechless look.
   Seriously? She didn't even bother asking my name before dragging me into her Familia?
   It seemed the gods of this world were far more casual about recruiting Familia members than he'd imagined.
   And to think he'd been carefully researching Familia data and drafting selection criteria at the inn, meticulously preparing to complete his main quest...
   Turns out he had overthought the whole thing!
   "My name is Ryota," he replied patiently.
   "Oh right, right! That's the name!"
   Loki clapped her hands sharply, spinning around again to face the crowd:
   "We'll drink ourselves silly tonight and welcome our Familia's newest member-Ryota!!"
   "Nobody's allowed to leave sober!"
   Her words instantly sparked cheers from the crowd:
   "We get to drink Lady Loki's booze again tonight!"
   "I'm gonna serve the spiciest Devil Pepper soup to the rookie!"
   At this point, Ryota finally caught on.
   So that's why Loki had rushed so urgently to recruit him-not because of some grand fate or to monopolize talent...
   She just wanted an excuse to throw a drinking party!
   Then again, Loki Familia had always been among his top choices. He'd smoothly completed the main quest without any tedious selection processes.
   Why not just go with the flow?
   Just as he was settling into this idea, Loki's excited voice came again at his side:
   "You still haven't told me-are you willing to join my Familia?"
   You're asking this NOW? Isn't it a bit late for that?!
   "Of course, I'd be honored to join the Loki Familia."
   Loki chuckled mischievously, her normally squinted eyes opening slightly to reveal bright red pupils matching her fiery hair:
   "Then what are we waiting for? Let's begin the ritual!"
   The noisy crowd had quieted down, all eyes watching with anticipation.
   Am I really supposed to undress in front of all these people?
   But on second thought, it wasn't exactly something embarrassing.
   Ryota rubbed his forehead with resignation, his mouth twitching slightly.
   Besides, it's not like I'll lose anything by letting them look.
   Decisively, he removed his outer clothing.
   As his shirt fell away, his lean, perfectly sculpted muscles emerged, forming a classic inverted triangle shape, as if chiseled by a master artisan.
   The crowd instantly fell silent.
   Even the earlier rowdy cheers abruptly ceased.
   Lefiya, who had been holding a cup of water, nearly spilled it as her hand trembled slightly. The tips of her ears flushed bright red.
   Having grown up in the open-minded Wishe Forest, Lefiya didn't share the typical high elf arrogance or cleanliness obsession.
   She genuinely liked humans and enjoyed interacting with them.
   Loki blinked, giving an appreciative whistle:
   "Looks like I've struck gold this time~"
   As she spoke, she extended her hand, accepting a slender silver needle handed over by a nearby member.
   Piercing her fingertip, crimson blood slowly trickled down her pale finger.
   With his memories from Earth, Ryota naturally knew what this ritual entailed, so he quickly turned his back towards her.
   The moment the blood touched his skin, it rapidly spread and moved as if alive.
   In the blink of an eye, the emblem of the Loki Familia emerged clearly on Ryota's back.
   Loki admired her handiwork with satisfaction, even taking the opportunity to sneakily run her hand across Ryota's muscular back before saying:
   "Listen carefully, Ryota."
   "From this moment onward, you're officially a member of my Loki Familia."
   "In Orario, all adventurers' status parameters are activated and recorded through the 'Falna,' with stats ranging from I to S."
   She produced a piece of parchment seemingly from nowhere, preparing to transcribe, but continued talking without pause,
   "Once any of your stats reach 'D500' and you've accumulated sufficient 'Excellia,' you'll qualify for a level-up."
   "Don't think it's easy, though! Even our Ais took a full year to reach Level 2."
   "Many adventurers never manage to cross this barrier their entire lives."
   Loki paused briefly before continuing:
   "Once you meet the requirements, come find me and I'll update your Falna to level you up."
   "Of course, some children in our Familia don't immediately level up, choosing instead to further hone their proficiency before advancing. It's entirely up to you!"
   "In short, just come see me every time you return from the Dungeon to update your Falna!"
   Throughout her explanation, Ryota alternated among "Mm," "Alright," and "Got it."
   He wasn't deliberately dismissing Lady Loki's words; he genuinely had no idea how to tell her that he already knew all these concepts inside out.
   So, he settled for the safest and easiest responses.
   Suddenly, Loki stopped speaking.
   Ryota realized she'd stopped moving her hand and turned his head slightly in confusion:
   Receiving no reply, he turned around fully.
   Only to see Lady Loki-who had been smiling teasingly just moments ago-now frozen in place, her face filled with shock.
   Though her eyes remained squinted, the corners clearly twitched as she stared intensely at the parchment in her hands, looking like she'd just seen a ghost:
   "Is this really... your first time receiving a Falna?"
  
   Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Ryota's First Update!
   Several question marks practically popped out of Ryota's head.
   His entering the Dungeon was purely coincidental, and it truly was his first time receiving a Falna.
   But Loki still wore a suspicious look, scratching her head lightly with a puzzled expression.
   "But... this is kind of weird, don't you think?"
   "And your back is so clean and clear... it definitely looks like your first engraving..."
   She glanced down again at the parchment in her hand, her expression growing even more complicated.
   Finally, she sighed softly, handing the densely written parchment over to Ryota.
   "Alright, take a look yourself."
   "I've translated everything into a language you can read."
   Ryota took it and lowered his eyes to read:
   [Development Abilities]: None
   "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu - Releases a large fireball approximately 3 meters in diameter, dealing area-of-effect damage and inflicting burning effects.
   "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu - Fires multiple flame projectiles locking onto enemies, performing explosive mid-to-long-range magical attacks with extremely high speed.
   All-Encompassing Divine Eye
   "Insight: Significantly improves evasion and accuracy during combat. Greatly increases perception of traps, ambushes, and abnormal conditions.
   "Copy: Temporarily copies and mimics the target's movements or basic combat techniques.
   0Note: Only non-magical combat techniques used by Adventurers can be copied, such as swordsmanship and skills.0
   "Opening: Can perceive enemy intentions during battle, providing early warnings before enemy attacks.
   Staring at his initial status sheet, Ryota remained silent for a moment, finally understanding why Loki had looked so shocked.
   Even with his calm composure, he couldn't help but slightly raise an eyebrow.
   His two "Fire Style" techniques had been categorized under "Ninjutsu Domain," becoming "Magic."
   His Sharingan had been converted into a Skill, further divided into separate abilities.
   So, even though all five of his basic stats were still untouched, just having magic and skills at his initial state was probably incredibly rare throughout all of Orario.
   Ryota lifted his head, finally noticing that Loki had quietly moved between him and the other Familia members, smiling mischievously as she blocked their view.
   Around them, the other Loki Familia members clearly weren't witnessing this scene for the first time.
   They kept a considerate distance of a few meters away, none approaching or attempting to peek.
   The hall, though lively, was oddly disciplined and quiet at this moment.
   It was both a habit and a form of respect.
   After all, the "initial status" was an Adventurer's most crucial secret in this world.
   Loki's usual playful expression was absent, replaced by a rare seriousness:
   "This isn't something to show off."
   "From now on, no matter who you're facing, never reveal the 'Falna Engraving' on your back."
   "And absolutely never casually tell anyone your initial status."
   She tilted her head slightly and asked:
   "Because it'll help me live longer."
   Loki froze for a second, then blinked and broke into a grin:
   "Yo, kiddo, seems like you understand quite a bit."
   With a soft pop, a cluster of ghostly blue light exploded on the parchment, scattering like fireworks.
   As the lingering magic faded away into thin air, it marked the completion of Ryota's final step in officially joining the Loki Familia.
   Loki clapped her hands, instantly reverting to her energetic, cheerful self.
   She turned around, waving enthusiastically at the Familia members behind her, shouting loudly:
   "Bring out the booze! Bring out the meat!"
   "We won't leave until we're completely wasted tonight-!"
   "Celebrating the official entry of our Familia's new member-Ryota!!"
   Cheers erupted throughout the hall, and everyone sprang into action.
   Ryota initially intended to stand up and lend a hand-after all, he'd just joined, and he felt he ought to contribute something.
   But as soon as he moved, a firm hand pressed down gently on his shoulder.
   "Just sit down and relax."
   Turning around, he saw Finn smiling gently at him, speaking with his usual calm warmth:
   "A newcomer should properly enjoy their welcome party."
   "Leave the rest to us old-timers."
   Ryota nodded slightly, feeling a subtle warmth blooming in his chest.
   So this is... what it feels like to be welcomed.
   Soon, deliciously fragrant roasted meats and large barrels of alcohol were brought in wave after wave.
   The long tables were quickly filled, steaming hot dishes piling up until it was hard to tell if this was a Familia headquarters or some rowdy tavern.
   Loki was the first to rush to the table, rolling up her sleeves and gulping down two mouthfuls of booze. Her cheeks instantly flushed red, and she entered her "party mode."
   With their goddess leading the charge, and after returning from the exhausting Expedition-having not relaxed properly for an entire month-everyone finally lowered their guard, releasing their pent-up stress completely.
   Within moments, the entire hall was bustling.
   Laughter, clinking cups, and playful fights over meat mixed together, the atmosphere heating up quickly as if set aflame.
   Ryota initially maintained his composure, sitting straight-backed, smiling politely as he handled everyone's enthusiasm.
   "Drink up! The newbie has to empty his cup!"
   "Try this one! Lady Loki's special brew she's been saving for three years!"
   "Don't just stick to sake; have some fruit wine for a change!"
   "Are you seriously pouring drinks into the newbie like that? He's already had five cups-hey!"
   (He had no idea which girl shouted that.)
   "Too late! The sixth cup is already here!!!"
   Ryota completely lost track of how many drinks he'd been given.
   Empty cups piled high like mountains, and the chicken bones on his plate were stacking into a miniature "tower."
   Fruit wine, sake, strong liquor... drink after drink appeared one after another. Although his smile remained polite, his gaze had already started to drift.
   He couldn't hold on any longer.
   He knew clearly in his heart that he'd embarrass himself if he stayed any longer.
   "Ahem, I'm going to the restroom."
   Saying this, Ryota slipped out from the enthusiastic crowd and quickly left the hall.
   No one stopped him-everyone was too immersed in the festivities, laughter and cheers loud enough to nearly blow the roof off.
   Stepping into the hallway, his steps slightly unsteady, Ryota leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.
   A mechanical voice sounded clearly in his mind.
  
   CREATORS' THOUGHTS
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   Checkout my another fanfic
   Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Sharingan's New Ability, Side Quest Triggered!
   [Ding! Main Quest - Stage One: "Join Any God's Familia" - Completed!]
   In the next instant, Ryota's vision suddenly plunged into darkness.
   Not due to intoxication, but rather an extremely unfamiliar sensation-like his very soul had briefly been pulled into some separate space.
   His ears filled with the ceaseless hum of streaming data.
   Immediately afterward, the mechanical voice spoke again:
   [Reward 1: Sharingan Exclusive Skill "Genjutsu: Sharingan" Unlocked!]
   " "Genjutsu: Sharingan" can be activated simply by making eye contact with a target. Although not overwhelmingly powerful like "Tsukuyomi," it fully maximizes the hypnotic prowess of the Sharingan.
   " By plunging the enemy into illusions and fear, you can strip them of their freedom to act and disrupt their judgment!
   Ryota felt a subtle stir of chakra within him. A slight tension formed between his eyebrows, and a faint thread of mental energy ignited within his consciousness.
   A brand-new sense of perception had quietly been bestowed upon him!
   Before he could fully adjust, the second mechanical announcement immediately followed:
   [Reward 2: "Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes"]
   " Advanced Genjutsu skill.
   " Upon activation, generates a "chain-like" binding construct within the enemy's consciousness, forcibly restraining their mental body and inducing a forced [Paralyzed State] accompanied by momentary loss of control.
   " Binding Duration: 3~6 seconds.
   Ryota felt a jolt in his heart.
   A vivid image flashed through his mind-one deeply imprinted from watching Naruto in his previous life:
   Uchiha Itachi had effortlessly immobilized Orochimaru with a single genjutsu.
   Then Orochimaru had suffered defeat and fled the Akatsuki organization.
   Ryota chuckled softly, his voice carrying an ironic sigh.
   "I trained so desperately, hid so cautiously, all just to avoid running into Uchiha Itachi in the Trial Space."
   "And now, ironically enough, I've gained his genjutsu skill."
   "Life truly has a twisted sense of humor."
   Fate had come full circle.
   In the end, he'd stepped onto the very path he'd once feared.
   But this time, the one wielding the Sharingan, the one who held this genjutsu, was him!
   Just then, a figure staggered drunkenly out from the banquet hall.
   He had black hair, black eyes, spiky hair exposing his forehead, an average build-not fat, not thin-and a typical "background character" face.
   A core member of Loki Familia's second-tier team, level 4, who often served as a supporter to the first-tier members.
   Raul hiccuped, his cheeks flushed red from alcohol. 
   He'd apparently come out for some fresh air and hadn't expected to bump right into Ryota, who was standing in the hallway, lost in thought.
   Raul squinted, then recognized him and immediately gave him a drunken, friendly grin, waving unsteadily:
   "Hey, newbie! You also out here for some fresh air?"
   But at that exact moment, Ryota suddenly looked up.
   His Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly!
   Ryota's heart tightened-but it was already too late!
   Scarlet light quietly emerged, reflected clearly in Raul's blurry eyes.
   In the next second, Raul's movements abruptly halted, his entire body freezing in place like a puppet whose strings had been suddenly cut. His gaze turned instantly vacant.
   Raul's body went limp, his feet slipping, about to crash spectacularly onto the floor!
   Ryota's expression changed drastically. He dashed forward in three quick strides, grasping Raul's shoulder with one hand and supporting his waist with the other, barely saving him from an embarrassing faceplant.
   Ryota cursed quietly, embarrassment flooding his face.
   It really wasn't intentional!
   He'd just been testing out his new Sharingan abilities.
   Still immersed in recalling the mechanics of "Genjutsu: Sharingan," he'd subconsciously gathered a bit of chakra into his eyes, attempting to sense that elusive mental pull.
   Then he'd casually thought to himself:
   "Should I try activating it?"
   The very next second, Raul had stumbled out, drunkenly greeting him with a smile.
   And then-instantly fell under his genjutsu.
   It was all just an absurd coincidence!!
   "Just how sensitive is this skill's activation...? Am I gonna have to start wearing sunglasses everywhere?"
   "If someone happens to make eye contact with me on the street, will they all just collapse on the spot?"
   But Ryota quickly dismissed this ridiculous idea.
   Clearly, he'd just gotten the skill and hadn't controlled it properly yet!
   Meanwhile, Raul-still supported by Ryota-remained in a dazed state, mumbling unintelligible words, clearly trapped in the illusion.
   Ryota sighed helplessly, lightly patting Raul's cheek while whispering urgently:
   "Hey, wake up, wake up! I swear I just glanced at you, brother..."
   Raul shuddered as if jolted by electricity, finally trembling awake.
   He stared blankly for a few seconds, pupils slowly regaining focus, looking dazedly at Ryota in front of him.
   Raul sheepishly scratched his spiky black hair, laughing awkwardly:
   "I-I must've had way too much to drink... I feel like I just had the weirdest nightmare..."
   "In my dream... you turned into a terrifying flame monster, and just a glare from you made me collapse. It felt so real!"
   Ryota forced a smile, "No worries, drinking too much can make you dream of some strange things."
   Internally, he was relieved-Raul had helpfully provided an explanation himself.
   Otherwise, he'd have to rack his brain coming up with some excuse!
   Looking at Raul's innocent face, Ryota felt he genuinely owed the man a favor.
   "Well, I'm gonna head to the restroom first-"
   Raul waved dizzily, stumbling off down the other end of the hallway.
   Only after Raul's figure disappeared around the corner did Ryota finally breathe a sigh of relief, sitting down on the steps and gently rubbing his forehead.
   Just as he was thinking, a crisp "ding" echoed clearly in his ears.
   That familiar mechanical voice sounded once again, clear as an electric current:
   [Side Quest - First Stage Activated!]
   [City Exploration Trial - Lv.1]
   [Quest Objective: Explore Orario's Three Iconic Landmarks (0/3)]
   [Quest Rewards: Large amount of Chakra, Three Basic Jutsu!]
  
   Chapter 13: Chapter 13: All About Orario
   Hearing the familiar mechanical voice in his ears, Ryota paused slightly:
   "The Three Basic Jutsu can also be rewards?"
   Thinking carefully, it actually made sense.
   After he transmigrated, he'd barely taken a few steps before getting thrown straight into that Trial Space, desperately trying to avoid Uchiha Itachi.
   No sky, no earth, no day or night-just a barren, endlessly white void that could drive anyone insane.
   No ninja academy, no instructors, and definitely no regular training schedule.
   Whatever the system offered, he trained.
   In those six months, everything he'd learned revolved solely around "combat efficiency," "power limits," and similar core principles.
   He'd forcibly upgraded his Sharingan from one tomoe all the way to three.
   The two Fire Style jutsu he'd learned had also become second nature.
   But as for the "Transformation Jutsu," "Substitution Jutsu," or "Clone Jutsu,"-those foundational jutsu that even the most basic genin could perform-he genuinely hadn't learned even one.
   In fact, he had almost no concept of them at all!
   Shaking these trivial thoughts from his head, Ryota shifted his attention to the other reward-"a large amount of Chakra."
   "This is the truly useful one."
   Even if he had the Sharingan and Fire Style techniques, without sufficient chakra, it was all meaningless.
   Don't forget, Ryota's current "Chakra Level" was merely at C-rank.
   Not to mention, his Sharingan was an absolute chakra-consuming monster.
   Once activated at the three-tomoe level, it drained chakra every passing second.
   Using Fire Style or genjutsu was like kicking his chakra tank wide open, rapidly depleting his reserves.
   "If I want to truly make use of my current abilities... then increasing my chakra is an absolute priority."
   Ryota couldn't help furrowing his brows slightly,
   "Just what exactly are these 'three iconic landmarks'...?"
   Leaning against the wall, he briefly sank into thought.
   "The quest description doesn't specify clearly... isn't this basically asking me to stumble around blindly?"
   "Am I supposed to run around the entire city knocking on doors until I randomly hit the right spots?"
   He glanced upward at the towering Babel Tower piercing through the clouds, and a faint idea began forming in his mind.
   "I came back from the Dungeon before, passing through Babel Tower's first underground floor, but the quest didn't trigger then."
   "Do I have to revisit it specifically? Or maybe any three famous spots count?"
   Clicking his tongue lightly, Ryota decided to stop guessing.
   "Fine, since there aren't any road signs, I'll just have to map things out myself."
   "I'd better find someone or something to get information about Orario first."
   Ryota wasn't fond of pestering people with endless questions-he always felt slightly embarrassed doing so.
   Reading materials was always the best way.
   Just as he stepped forward, he suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure from the corner of his eye.
   Ais stood quietly by the corner of the hallway, tilting her head slightly.
   She stood there silently, as if she'd been waiting for him all along.
   Ryota wasn't particularly surprised; he nodded to her, greeting warmly:
   "Miss Ais, didn't you join the party?"
   "Mmm... I can't drink alcohol."
   She blinked her beautiful eyes, gazing at Ryota:
   "Welcome to the Familia."
   Pausing briefly, the naturally airheaded girl appeared to carefully consider something before earnestly adding:
   "If you need a sparring partner, you can come find me."
   Seeing her serious expression as she mentioned "sparring," Ryota couldn't help but smile and reply gently:
   "Sure. If I ever need it, I'll definitely ask for your help, Miss Ais."
   "By the way... Does our Familia have a library? Or perhaps an archive room of some sort?"
   Ais blinked, as if confirming this wasn't just an excuse to chat her up, before extending her finger toward the opposite end of the hallway.
   "Turn right, go down the stairs, and it's the room at the very end."
   Ryota glanced in the direction she'd indicated, then quickly headed toward the stairs.
   Ais remained standing in place, watching his departing figure. She seemed to want to say something more, but in the end, she merely blinked softly.
   Accompanied by a faint sound, the wooden door slowly swung open.
   The slightly musty scent of aged paper, mixed with a faint hint of dust, greeted him.
   The Loki Familia's library was far larger than Ryota had expected.
   Long rows of bookshelves stood neatly arranged, stretching toward the far end of his sight.
   Tall rolling ladders leaned against the walls, ornate vaulted chandeliers hung overhead, and plush red carpets lined the silent aisles-all indicating that this place was brimming with information.
   "So, this is the heritage of a top Familia, huh..."
   Ryota murmured softly, stepping among the rows of bookshelves.
   He didn't search aimlessly; instead, he quickly located a yellowed volume by following the labels on the shelves:
   "Common Monster Encyclopedia of the Dungeon."
   Pulling the book out, Ryota sat down at a window-side table and opened it.
   As the aged pages rustled gently under his fingertips, meticulously drawn illustrations appeared before him:
   Goblins, Kobolds, War Shadows, Killer Ants, Needle Rabbits...
   "Tsk... this is quite a lot of information."
   Ryota raised an eyebrow and continued flipping through.
   Page after page, the structure of DanMachi's world gradually became clearer in his mind.
   Indeed, the Dungeon was divided into three primary sections-Upper Floors, Middle Floors, and Lower Floors-as his vague memories indicated.
   Moreover, beyond the Lower Floors, there were also the Deep Floors and even deeper, unknown levels-but information on those was incredibly scarce.
   "So, when I was on the fifth floor earlier, that belonged to the 'Upper Floors'-floors 1 through 12."
   "But once you reach the 'Middle Floors,' the danger index isn't just a linear increase..."
   He quietly moved to another shelf, pulling out a heavy volume bearing Loki Familia's emblem from among a collection of thick expedition logs.
   "Loki Familia Expedition Record, Volume 5."
   Instantly intrigued, he opened it, and familiar names immediately caught his eye:
   Finn, Riveria, Ais, Bete...
   This volume documented their most recent expedition into the Deep Floors.
   ['The expedition squad briefly rested on the 48th Floor, encountered difficulties upon entering the 52nd Floor, temporarily adjusted their route, and ultimately reached the 58th Floor...']
   A sudden thought flashed through Ryota's mind:
   "If I remember correctly, Loki Familia originally explored up to the 59th Floor."
   "In other words, the timeline I've joined Loki Familia is right before the main storyline truly kicks off..."
  
   Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Exploration Progress Increased, Preparing to Set Out!
   After quickly skimming through several more books, Ryota had a significantly deeper understanding of the world of DanMachi.
   The breadth of knowledge gradually filled the gaps between him and this new world.
   Closing the last book, he rubbed his slightly sore eyes and glanced outside the window. Seeing the fading daylight, he figured it was about time.
   Standing up, he returned the books to their shelves and left the library.
   The party had lasted late into the night.
   Though faint lights still flickered from the main hall and occasional chatter drifted up from downstairs, most Familia members had already dispersed-some retiring to rest, others heading out on patrol.
   Thus, the Twilight Manor felt particularly quiet tonight.
   Ryota strolled down the hallway, heading toward the main hall.
   He planned to find Loki or Finn to ask about his accommodations.
   The lingering aroma of stewed meat and alcohol still hung faintly in the air, bringing an oddly relaxing sensation.
   However, the moment he approached, the sight inside made him pause in shock.
   It was practically a battlefield of fallen bodies.
   On tables, chairs, across the floor, and even tucked in corners beneath window sills, sprawled Familia members lay unconscious in every imaginable position.
   Some clutched empty wine jugs tightly; others had chicken bones dangling from their mouths as they snored softly. One even lay face-down on the table, murmuring sleepily: "No more drinks, Captain, please stop..."
   Clearly, the aftershocks of the feast had thoroughly "defeated" these elite adventurers.
   Ryota stood at the entrance, searching for Loki for a long while without success-she had probably been carried back to her own room.
   Just then, his eyes landed on Riveria, seated gracefully at the far side of the long table.
   Unlike the drunken chaos around her, this elegant High Elf calmly held a glass of water, taking small, refined sips.
   Noticing Ryota's presence, she raised her eyes slightly and spoke softly:
   Ryota was momentarily stunned by her composed demeanor.
   "As expected of the royal elf princess," he thought inwardly.
   Even deep into the night, surrounded by drunken comrades, she sat upright and dignified, her voice carrying a naturally graceful aloofness.
   "Ah, it's nothing major."
   Ryota rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
   "I just wanted to ask where my room is."
   Riveria hummed softly, lightly tracing her finger along the rim of her glass. After a brief pause, she replied:
   "Second floor, second room from the left."
   "It's vacant; no one's stayed there for a while."
   Ryota nodded gratefully, decided not to bother her further, and turned toward the stairs.
   He didn't notice that, from beginning to end, the gaze of Loki Familia's elegant "mother figure" never left him.
   The second-floor hallway was silent and peaceful. Occasional candle lamps flickered gently on the walls, casting long, dancing shadows.
   Soon, Ryota found the room Riveria had mentioned-second from the left.
   The door opened, and a faint scent of fresh wood greeted him.
   The room's decor was similar to the inn he'd stayed at on North Street.
   He collapsed onto the bed with a relieved sigh:
   "Finally, I can catch my breath."
   As soon as he closed his eyes, the familiar electronic prompt sounded once again:
   [Ding! Side Quest Progress Updated!]
   [Explore Orario's Three Iconic Landmarks (1/3) - Achieved]
   [Current Location Explored: "Loki Familia - Twilight Manor"]
   [Reward distribution in progress...]
   [Chakra Capacity Increased: +500]
   [System Notice: Chakra increase synchronized; efficiency of certain ninjutsu improved]
   Ryota opened his eyes, staring at the wooden ceiling, and chuckled softly:
   "The 'three iconic landmarks' mentioned in the quest aren't strictly defined."
   He rolled over, gazing out at the starry sky through the window.
   "Orario is huge-gods, Familias, guilds, merchant groups... If it were limited to just three specific places, it would be unreasonable."
   "From the looks of it, the system probably means that as long as the location is sufficiently 'representative,' exploring three such places will complete the quest."
   "Loki Familia is one of Orario's top Familias, so naturally, their headquarters, Twilight Manor, counts as one."
   Reasonable, logical, within expectations.
   Perhaps it was the alcohol finally taking hold again, or the sheer exhaustion from the day's events, but Ryota felt his eyelids growing heavy.
   That night, he slept exceptionally soundly.
   Sunlight streamed through the window, gently landing on Ryota's face.
   He furrowed his brow, even pulling the blanket over his head, but the stubborn ray of light was impossible to escape.
   In the end, he rubbed his eyes and sat up reluctantly, still feeling slightly groggy.
   Probably the lingering effect of the strong drinks from last night, he felt somewhat lightheaded.
   "Damn... they really went all-out with the drinking last night."
   Muttering under his breath, Ryota dressed himself and stepped out of his room.
   Descending to the first-floor main hall-which served as Loki Familia's dining area and common space-he found a completely different scene from last night's chaos.
   Now, the long tables had been cleaned spotless, and a faint aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air.
   It was almost as if the wild party had only been a dream.
   Ryota casually grabbed a tray from the long table and approached the serving counter. 
   Before he could even speak, the cook behind the counter had already placed two slices of toast, a serving of fried eggs, and a few pieces of bacon on his tray, along with a steaming cup of warm milk.
   Incredible-this was more efficient than a robot!
   After expressing his thanks, he took his tray and found a seat. Just as he sat down, a friendly voice called out from across the table:
   "Hey newbie, you're up pretty early!"
   This person... who was he again?
   Ryota desperately searched his memory of last night's events. 
   He vaguely recalled this guy enthusiastically piling chicken legs onto his plate, chanting something like, "One drink makes us pals, two drinks make us brothers."
   But the name? Completely forgotten.
   "Yeah, pretty early. You're early too."
   Ryota maintained a polite smile, vaguely replying.
   The other person didn't seem to notice his discomfort at all, casually munching on bread and asking:
   "So, what's your plan for today? Heading to the guild to register as an adventurer?"
   "Mm," Ryota murmured noncommittally in response.
   He definitely planned to enter the Dungeon-not only to test his newly acquired abilities but also to progress his side quest.
   "Hey, let me give you some advice-don't rush into the Dungeon."
   Chewing on his bread, the other adventurer continued casually:
   "If you really need to go, just stick to the first or second floors for now. Familiarize yourself first."
   "Safety first, got it? The biggest danger for newbies is charging in recklessly."
   "Good advice. I'll keep it in mind."
   Yet, in his mind, yesterday's battle replayed vividly:
   The War Shadow known as the "Rookie Killer," feared by new adventurers throughout Orario, hadn't even managed to open its mouth before getting instantly vaporized by his Great Fireball Jutsu.
   If this guy sitting across from him knew Ryota had effortlessly obliterated that monster, what kind of expression would he make?
   Ryota bit into his bread, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
   "Hmm... it'd probably be quite entertaining."
  
   Chapter 15: Chapter 15: The Hostess of Fertility
   After exchanging a few more casual words, he stood up to take his leave.
   "I'll head out first. Let's grab a drink sometime."
   "Sure thing! Keep it up, rookie!"
   Returning the tray to its original spot, Ryota turned and left.
   Stepping out from the hall and crossing the courtyard paved with red bricks, several Familia members greeted him warmly as he passed by.
   Ryota politely responded to each one.
   Though he hadn't joined long ago, he could already keenly sense the atmosphere of this Familia. Despite their relaxed and casual attitudes, there was a subtle discipline-a professional flavor-in everyone's actions.
   Yet, even upon leaving the courtyard, he hadn't caught sight of Loki, Finn, Riveria, or any of the other core members.
   "They're probably reviewing the failure of the 58th Floor expedition."
   As one of Orario's strongest Familias, even a single defeat would never be taken lightly.
   Review, adjust, and prepare again.
   That was the daily routine of the strong, and also why this Familia stood firm and unwavering.
   "Well, I'm just a rookie anyway. No need to worry about that stuff," he muttered to himself, stepping out through the gates.
   What Ryota didn't know was that Loki had drunk herself silly and hadn't even gotten out of bed yet.
   At a corner near the main road on Orario's West Street-
   Two catgirls and an elf girl, all dressed in their iconic pale-green uniforms with white frilled aprons, stood listlessly in front of the entrance, holding brooms in their hands.
   Anya Fromel shook her head, a faint blush instantly appearing on her delicate face.
   Noticing the curious gazes from passersby, she pouted slightly and muttered in a low voice:
   "If I sneeze one more time, I'll eat this broom, meow!"
   "Don't say something so scary, meow! Anya eating a broom sounds terrifying, meow!"
   Chloe Lolo, the other catgirl beside her, tried to console her.
   As soon as she finished speaking, drowsiness overtook her, and she couldn't help but yawn widely:
   "Mornings in Orario are so chilly, meow. I really want to sleep another five minutes, meow."
   "Pull yourself together, Chloe."
   The serious tone alone made it clear this was the elf girl speaking.
   "Ryuu is always full of energy. I wish I could be like you."
   Chloe lazily held the broom, her tail drooping and swaying behind her. Though she complained, the way she swept the ground was lazy to the extreme.
   Her broom barely touched the ground, hardly disturbing even a speck of dust.
   Ryuu Lion merely glanced at the black-haired catgirl with a cool expression before lowering her head and continuing to sweep.
   She maintained her usual calm and reserved demeanor, as if the surrounding commotion had nothing to do with her.
   "Hey, hey, hey! Look over there, meow!!"
   Chloe abruptly cried out, as if she'd discovered some rare treasure. Holding the broom in one hand, she excitedly pointed toward the street corner with the other, her tail shooting straight up, her voice rising uncontrollably:
   "It's a hand-some-guy, meow!!"
   The instant her voice came out, Anya rushed over to join her:
   "Where, where, where, meow?"
   The two catgirls huddled together, craning their necks toward the street corner.
   Standing there beneath the morning sunlight was a dark-haired young man, seemingly glancing around with a slightly confused expression, clearly searching for something.
   His features were handsome, his bearing clean, and he was dressed neatly and attractively.
   "99.9999%, meow! Totally my type, meow!" Anya earnestly evaluated, tugging at Chloe's sleeve. "You said last night when you were drunk that you like this type, meow!"
   "No, you're the one who said you liked..."
   The two catgirls began arguing back and forth, growing increasingly nonsensical.
   Ryuu Lion, standing to the side, listened helplessly to their chatter, stopped her sweeping, and shook her head gently:
   She didn't say anything further, merely raising her eyes to glance in the direction they'd pointed.
   Whoever could cause these two catgirls to squeal so loudly probably wasn't an ordinary person.
   Through the hazy morning sunlight at the street corner, Ryuu's gaze landed upon the figure standing there-it was Ryota, who had just walked out of the Loki Familia.
   He stood by the sidewalk, looking somewhat tired, yawning widely:
   "Looks like they really went all out last night..."
   "Should I even head to the Dungeon today?"
   Ryuu Lion observed him talking to himself and paused for a moment, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly, almost imperceptibly.
   Even from the stern perspective of an elf, she couldn't help silently marking him with that label.
   Ryota, completely unaware he was being watched, shook his head to clear it and prepared to move forward.
   But the moment he raised his head, a familiar signboard appeared in front of him:
   "The Hostess of Fertility."
   Ryota paused for a second, looking at the wooden sign hanging at the entrance, then at the apron-clad maid girls lazily swaying in the morning breeze.
   "You've got to be kidding me..."
   He narrowed his eyes slightly, carefully scanning the familiar figures standing by the door. The more he looked, the more familiar they seemed.
   Ryota stayed silent for a moment:
   "The Hostess of Fertility... counts as a 'landmark' building, right?"
   "I'm definitely not here to check out girls! This is purely to complete my mission!"
   Putting away his map and recomposing himself, he stepped forward towards the three girls.
  
   Chapter 16: Chapter 16: A Free Drink from Ryuu Lion
   Watching the dark-haired youth approach in the morning sunlight, Anya and Chloe were already excitedly hopping in place.
   "The handsome guy is here, meow meow meow!"
   "If we could meet a handsome guy every day, waking up early to clean wouldn't be so bad, meow! Totally worth it!"
   Chloe eagerly took the initiative, her ears perked straight up, and bounded forward with a dazzling smile:
   "Hi there, handsome young man! You've arrived at the perfect time, meow!"
   She gazed at Ryota with sparkling eyes, her voice soft and sweet with a feline lilt, and gestured gently toward the shop entrance:
   "Would you like to come in for a drink? We're not open yet, but you're getting special treatment, meow~!"
   Ryota blinked, looking at her earnest, expectant smile, then glanced behind her to see Anya enthusiastically holding her broom and forming a heart gesture with her hands.
   He showed a helpless smile:
   "Actually... I just came by to take a quick look."
   Chloe directly ignored his second sentence, nodding seriously as she said,
   "For ordering, just ask us, meow~!"
   "Our service is very attentive, meow!"
   At this moment, Anya had also quickly moved forward, boldly grabbing Ryota's arm without hesitation.
   "Come on, come on, handsome guy, let's chat while we drink, meow~!"
   Ryota had originally planned to visit "The Hostess of Fertility" after returning from the Dungeon, completing the exploration side quest at a more suitable time, and trying their famous beef dish along the way.
   Why were these two catgirls so strong?!!
   "Eh? Wait-wait a second-I really wasn't planning to drink right now..."
   Before he could finish, his other arm was grabbed happily by Chloe. Working seamlessly together with Anya's push-and-pull strategy, the two catgirls forcibly dragged him into the restaurant.
   "Hey, wait, wait... Listen to me..."
   "You're already here, meow~!"
   Ryuu Lion sighed helplessly, gently rubbing her forehead. She picked up the poor abandoned brooms left behind by these two energetic catgirls, then followed them into the tavern.
   The wooden door clicked shut, and immediately soft background music began to play-a gentle, wandering melody from a wooden guitar, a soothing prelude perfectly suited to the early morning.
   Ryota paused for a moment, his gaze following the catgirls as he took in the interior of the tavern.
   It was much more spacious than he had imagined.
   The smooth wooden floor gleamed warmly underfoot, wicker lanterns hung from the ceiling, and the clever blend of metal and wood created a cozy, inviting vintage atmosphere.
   The restaurant was divided into two floors. Seats by the windows were clearly popular among adventurers, and three semicircular tables occupied a cozy corner.
   Ryota was gently but insistently seated by the catgirls, curiously surveying the establishment.
   If he hadn't clearly remembered his side quest City Exploration progress, he might have truly believed he'd come here purely to have an early morning drink...
   Just as the atmosphere finally relaxed, Ryota suddenly realized a serious problem:
   He didn't have a single Valis on him!
   Ryota stiffened for a split second. Although his backpack was filled with Magic Stones, he'd originally intended to visit the Adventurer's Guild today, exchanging the stones for Valis and officially registering as an adventurer.
   Based on his vague impressions of "The Hostess of Fertility," although it had a casual atmosphere, its prices weren't exactly cheap.
   Most importantly, the place only accepted cash Valis transactions. Magic Stones? Sorry, even handing them to the kitchen wouldn't earn him a single plate of beef stew.
   Ryota felt his heart sink.
   Should he... look for a chance to slip away?
   But a quick glance revealed Chloe and Anya already busily preparing with delighted expressions, clearly set on thoroughly entertaining their handsome guest-he even overheard them debating whether to whip up their signature desserts.
   Suddenly, Ryota realized that escaping might prove somewhat difficult.
   While he was silently agonizing, Ryuu Lion quietly approached, placing a glass of clear water gently on the table.
   Ryuu's voice was calm, her blue-green eyes as clear and serene as a forest lake.
   Ryota paused briefly, quickly regaining his composure and politely responding:
   Hearing his reply, the elf girl gave a slight nod. Tapping the table lightly with her slender finger, she spoke softly:
   "If you're a newcomer... I can offer you this first drink on the house."
   Ryota couldn't help but inwardly marvel at her sharp perception.
   She truly lived up to her reputation as the Gale...
   Could she tell his status merely from his aura and demeanor?
   She was incredibly perceptive.
   Still, Ryota didn't intend to take undue advantage of her kindness. Smiling, he said:
   "Then... please bring me your cheapest drink, whatever it is."
   Ryuu didn't say anything more, merely nodded and walked back toward the bar.
   Moments later, she returned carrying a glass filled with a pale blue liquid. The drink shimmered gently, resembling the morning sky illuminated by sunlight:
   "Blue Flower Dew Sake," Ryuu explained quietly, "It's one of our cheapest regular drinks."
   Ryota nodded in gratitude. Without further ado, he lifted the glass and took a cautious sip. Surprisingly refreshing, with a subtle fruity aroma and barely any alcohol taste, it was perfect for the early morning.
   In no time, he finished the entire glass, carefully wiping away the moisture from the rim with his thumb.
   Then, decisively, he stood up.
   He genuinely feared that if he stayed any longer, the two catgirls might enthusiastically serve him some "Today's Limited Special Set." He really couldn't afford that!
   Ryuu Lion watched him quietly and spoke softly:
   "Are you heading to the Guild?"
   Ryuu paused thoughtfully before continuing:
   "When entering the Dungeon for the first time-even if just the upper floors-be sure to stay safe."
   "Remain vigilant, and always keep an eye out for retreat routes."
   Ryota was slightly startled. Looking into the elf girl's calm gaze, he nodded solemnly:
   "Thanks, I'll remember that."
   Wasn't it said elves generally kept their distance from other races?
   Pushing open the door, Ryota stepped out onto the bustling street, now brightening in the morning sunlight.
   He lightly furrowed his brows.
   He couldn't help but feel there were more and more things he didn't quite understand.
   Forget it... At least he had asked for directions and gotten a free, delicious drink.
   Inside the tavern, Ryuu Lion remained standing quietly, watching the figure gradually fade away.
   She, too, had many questions swirling in her mind.
  
   Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Heading to the Adventurer's Guild!
   Ryuu Lion didn't understand-truly didn't understand.
   Clearly, he was just a boy who hadn't even completed his adventurer registration yet.
   Yet, she couldn't associate the word "ordinary" with him at all.
   Even more puzzling to Ryuu was the fact that she didn't dislike Ryota.
   Not even the slightest sense of wariness arose in her heart.
   The instinctive aversion she usually felt when meeting adventurers from other races had inexplicably disappeared when she faced this young man named Ryota.
   She lowered her eyes, gazing quietly at her empty palm.
   After a long moment, a huge question mark appeared silently in her mind.
   Just why exactly was that?
   "Eh? Where did he go, meow?"
   Familiar footsteps approached her from behind. Chloe and Anya bounced back into the front hall, one on the left and one on the right, only to see an empty seat and a lone, empty glass left behind on the table.
   "Didn't he just sit down a few minutes ago, meow?"
   "Did he really leave already, meow?"
   Chloe poked her head out to look around, confirming that Ryota had completely vanished. Immediately, she pursed her lips in disappointment.
   "And besides... he finished the drink. Ryuu, did you take payment from him?"
   Anya blinked innocently, turning toward Ryuu.
   Ryuu Lion calmly picked up the tray, her voice indifferent as she replied:
   Both of their cat ears instantly stood straight up.
   "You treated him, meow?!"
   "Ryuu, you actually offered to treat someone voluntarily, meow?!"
   Ryuu remained perfectly composed, returning the tray to the bar. While adjusting her apron, she explained briefly:
   "He's a newcomer. Where would he get money from?"
   Anya and Chloe exchanged a glance.
   In the next second, strange smiles simultaneously appeared on their faces:
   "Oh my, oh my, so being a 'newcomer' means you get free drinks, meow~"
   "With so many newcomers arriving in Orario every day, why was it this particular handsome guy who got a treat from you, meow?"
   Anya poked Chloe's waist playfully, teasing her friend with a mischievous lilt:
   "Or could it be... that Ryuu also judges people by their looks, meow~?"
   Ryuu stared at them blankly, as if looking at idiots. Just as she opened her mouth to explain, suddenly-
   "What are you two yapping about?! Get back to work!!"
   The true owner of "The Hostess of Fertility," Mia Grand, appeared, dressed in a blue work outfit and white apron, hands on her hips as she glared sternly at the two catgirls slacking off.
   Her booming voice immediately made them behave, answering in unison:
   "Y-yes ma'am! Right away, meow-!"
   The two catgirls wailed mournfully as they dashed back toward the kitchen. Ryuu Lion could only smile faintly and shake her head.
   After leaving "The Hostess of Fertility," just as expected, Ryota soon heard the familiar mechanical voice in his ears:
   [Explore Orario's Three Iconic Landmarks (2/3) " Completed]
   [Chakra Limit Increased: +1000]
   "That went smoother than I expected. Just one more to go."
   He glanced back at the familiar green sign hanging above the tavern's door. The enthusiastic assault from those two catgirls and the serene, quiet gaze from Ryuu Lion as she handed him the drink were still fresh in his mind.
   Blinking, Ryota muttered quietly to himself:
   "I'd better speed things up... Can't afford to get dragged into another 'special service' again."
   Following the directions Ryuu had pointed out before he left, Ryota navigated through winding streets and alleys until he finally reached a wide and neatly paved avenue.
   This was Northwest Main Street-better known as Adventurer Street.
   It was now half-past nine in the morning, the busiest time for adventurers heading into the Dungeon.
   The entire street bustled with noise and activity.
   The shouts of weapon merchants, the lively calls of street vendors, the commanding orders of adventurer parties assembling, all mingled together into a uniquely Orario-style noisy warmth.
   Chaotic, yet brimming with energy.
   Walking leisurely, Ryota scanned the bustling crowd. He quickly noticed many small-statured Pallums weaving expertly through the crowd, each carrying backpacks bigger than themselves.
   This term was well-known throughout Orario.
   Though Pallums generally lacked raw combat prowess, their exceptional agility and quick minds gave them a natural edge. Their precise memory, flexible adaptability, and meticulous control over resources and routes made them indispensable within the Dungeon.
   These qualities made Pallums nearly perfect candidates for the role of Supporter.
   After all, he was an adventurer determined to restore glory to the Pallum race.
   At that moment, a familiar face flashed briefly through Ryota's mind:
   "I wonder how Liliruca is doing now... Is she still in the Soma Familia?"
   He paused, then shook his head forcefully, shaking off these random thoughts.
   "What the heck? I've only been here a few days, and I'm already worrying about other people's fates?"
   He muttered quietly, then raised his eyes again, looking ahead at the grand building constructed from massive white stones.
   The administrative authority overseeing the Dungeon, established by the first god to descend to the lower world, Ouranos.
   It wasn't an exaggeration to say that half of Orario's lifeblood flowed through this building.
   Not only did it manage and regulate the Dungeon, but it also handled practically every aspect of adventurers' daily lives-from exchanging Valis and Magic Stones, assigning quests, to compiling intelligence on Dungeon exploration.
   It was a genuine central hub of the city.
   Following the stream of adventurers, Ryota stepped through the Guild's main entrance.
   Various signs stood prominently in the center of the hall, clearly guiding newcomers so that even first-time visitors wouldn't lose their way.
   Soon, Ryota stood in front of the reception counters.
   There weren't many people waiting in line here-clearly, not every new arrival could easily secure a Familia's Falna and officially register here right away.
   Scanning around briefly, he noticed that the leftmost reception window was currently free.
   He adjusted his steps and approached it directly.
   Seated there was a young human girl with short pink hair, neatly dressed in a clean uniform. Her bright, clear eyes were attentively reviewing a stack of papers in front of her.
   Noticing someone approach, she immediately raised her head and gave him a practiced, friendly smile:
   "Good morning! How may I assist you today?"
   Ryota glanced briefly at her, naturally letting his eyes settle on the name tag pinned neatly to her chest:
   Pink hair, official uniform, gentle smile...
   Hmm... She looked vaguely familiar.
   Hadn't she appeared in one of the original story's scenes?
  
   Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Adventurer Registration and Completing the Side Quest
   "I'd like to register as an adventurer, but..."
   He paused briefly, then slipped off the backpack from his shoulders, rummaged around, and took out a bulging cloth pouch, placing it onto the table.
   "Before that, I'd like to exchange these Magic Stones first."
   Misha Flott had been professionally jotting down his name, but when she realized this young man, who wasn't even a registered adventurer yet, had just casually placed a whole bag of Magic Stones before her, the quill in her hand paused mid-stroke. 
   Her eyes widened slightly in surprise.
   "Ah... Mr. Ryota, may I ask..."
   She cleared her throat softly, her voice tinged with obvious confusion:
   "You said you're here to complete adventurer registration today?"
   "But these Magic Stones are..."
   Ryota nodded matter-of-factly:
   "I got them from killing monsters."
   An awkward silence stretched between them.
   The next moment, she blinked rapidly, her professional smile returning flawlessly-though her voice was half a pitch higher than before:
   "Ah... I-I see, of course."
   ("What's going on here? How can someone who isn't even registered yet be hunting monsters and collecting Magic Stones? Are newcomers these days really that intense?")
   ("Could he be some noble young master out to experience life? But that doesn't quite explain it either!")
   Ryota, oblivious to the pink-haired girl's internal monologue, reached into his bag again and pulled out the War Shadow's Finger Blade he'd obtained earlier, asking casually:
   "By the way, can I sell this as well?"
   Her smile stiffened slightly as her gaze landed on the pitch-black, metallic finger blade. The corner of her mouth began to twitch uncontrollably.
   A material of this quality... How could a newcomer possibly get their hands on it?
   Internally labeling Ryota as a "rich young master," Misha maintained her strained smile and said softly:
   Leading Ryota around the reception desk, the two arrived at the exchange counter located on the right side of the Guild hall.
   Several Guild staff members were already busy at work there. A middle-aged man wearing a monocle sat behind one of the counters. Seeing them approach, he glanced up and nodded briefly:
   "Exchanging Magic Stones?"
   "Yes, it's this gentleman's request," Misha politely introduced, stepping aside to wait patiently.
   Ryota didn't waste time speaking further. He simply handed over the bulging cloth pouch.
   The staff member took the bag, opened it, and poured the Magic Stones onto a tray-like device.
   A magical glow flashed briefly beneath the tray.
   Ryota heard a soft "click," and a black metal box popped out on the other side of the tray.
   Immediately afterward, coins cascaded along a chute, clinking pleasantly as they landed neatly into the box.
   The staff member skillfully drew the box closer, flipped open the lid, and quickly counted the coins, scanning each layer and verifying the total amount.
   After confirming the sum, he efficiently transferred the coins back into the original cloth pouch Ryota had provided. The crisp sound of metal rubbing against fabric gave Ryota a nostalgic satisfaction of a neat transaction.
   The clerk handed back the now-heavy pouch, stating formally:
   "Your total is 10,000 Valis. Please take care."
   Ryota gave a slight nod, lifting the heavy pouch and lightly weighing it in his palm.
   The reassuring heft of the coins felt satisfyingly real.
   Meanwhile, standing quietly to the side, Misha Flott was utterly stunned.
   She blinked repeatedly, staring blankly as Ryota casually tossed the pouch filled with Valis back into his backpack, his expression as relaxed as if he'd merely bought a cup of juice during a leisurely stroll.
   That was ten thousand Valis!
   Misha nearly couldn't resist the urge to cover her face in disbelief.
   To put things into perspective: in Orario, even a fully formed small team of Level 1 adventurers, cautiously exploring the Dungeon's upper floors for an entire day-after splitting the profits, deducting supplies, and equipment maintenance-would only net around twenty thousand to twenty-five thousand Valis at most.
   Yet the boy standing before her-a newcomer who hadn't even officially registered yet-had casually walked away with ten thousand Valis as if it was nothing!
   ["Rich Young Master"] ["Suspected Noble Lineage"] ["Definitely Not Ordinary"]
   Misha mentally added several more labels to Ryota.
   Though numerous questions swirled chaotically in her mind, she continued to maintain her sweet, professional smile as she gently advised:
   "Mr. Ryota, regarding the material in your backpack, I'd recommend visiting the Hephaestus Familia to sell it."
   "Their appraisal and pricing for materials are the most professional and reliable in Orario."
   Misha smiled faintly, gesturing gracefully toward the reception desk:
   "Then, please follow me back to the counter so we can complete your adventurer registration."
   Returning to the counter, Misha skillfully assisted Ryota in filling out the necessary forms.
   However, when she heard him state the name "Loki Familia," the quill in her hand noticeably paused, her expression subtly shifting.
   ["Loki Familia"] ["Absurdly Overpowered Starting Point"]
   Having mentally added yet another label, Misha quickly regained her professional composure. After filling out the paperwork, she looked up and announced:
   "Your registration is now complete, Mr. Ryota."
   Then, she reached to the side and retrieved a brand-new Adventurer's Handbook, presenting it respectfully with both hands.
   "Please take good care of this. You're now officially permitted to enter and explore the Dungeon."
   Ryota took the handbook, nodded appreciatively, and thanked her.
   Just like that-quickly and neatly-he had officially become a registered adventurer.
   At that moment, the familiar mechanical notification rang clearly in his ears:
   [Ding! Side Quest "Explore Orario's Three Iconic Landmarks" Completed!]
   [Reward 1: Basic Ninjutsu-Three Basic Jutsu (Clone Jutsu, Substitution Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu)-Unlocked!]
   [Reward 2: Chakra Limit Increased: +2000!]
   As the notification faded away, Ryota felt a surge as his internal Chakra expanded once again.
   Simultaneously, vast knowledge and techniques regarding these basic ninjutsu swiftly flowed into his memory like streams of light.
   "The Three Basic Jutsu, huh?"
   Ryota whispered quietly to himself.
   He had finally filled in this fundamental gap in his ninja skills.
   "Well then, looks like it's time to head back into the Dungeon and explore again."
   Flipping through the Adventurer's Handbook in his hand, Ryota exited the Adventurer's Guild and set off toward Babel Tower.
  
   Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Returning to the Dungeon-An Irregular Occurrence!
   Ryota had to admit, this little Adventurer's Handbook was far more comprehensive than he'd expected.
   Its contents revolved mainly around the basic knowledge and safety precautions regarding the Dungeon. Terms such as "Irregular Occurrences" and "Enhanced Species" were fully explained in detail.
   However, as he flipped through the handbook, Ryota quickly noticed one small detail.
   The information provided in this handbook was limited exclusively to the Dungeon's "Upper Floors."
   From the first to the twelfth floor, it contained complete descriptions of various monsters, environmental conditions, and recommended equipment loadouts. But the moment it came to the Middle Floors and beyond, the text was abruptly replaced by a long, solid line.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes slightly, though he wasn't particularly surprised.
   After all, his dear goddess had once told him, half-jokingly and half-seriously:
   "Most adventurers remain stuck at Level 1 for their entire lives."
   For them, the upper floors of the Dungeon were expansive enough, and dangerous enough. 
   Knowing too much about what lay deeper would only stir unnecessary fantasies and greed.
   "Sometimes, knowing too much isn't a good thing," Ryota muttered softly, closing the handbook.
   Following the familiar main road, he quickly reached the entrance to Babel Tower's topmost level.
   At this hour, groups of adventurers were already coming and going. When Ryota stepped onto the spiral staircase descending toward the Dungeon, his appearance immediately drew curious gazes from many passersby.
   He wore no heavy armor, had no Supporter carrying supplies or spare weapons, and didn't even possess a decent weapon himself. All he had was a somewhat empty-looking backpack.
   In fact, he was completely bare-handed.
   To adventurers accustomed to standard gear, Ryota's current appearance was nothing short of madness:
   "What's going on? Is he entering the Dungeon empty-handed? Does he have a death wish?"
   "Whose Familia does this rookie belong to? He doesn't even have a sword?"
   "He didn't get drunk, did he?"
   Various whispers spread through the crowd.
   Some voices were curious, others disdainful, and many wore pitying expressions clearly suggesting, "This poor guy is definitely going to get torn apart by monsters."
   However, facing the gazes filled with curiosity, pity, or mockery, Ryota acted as if he heard none of them. Calmly and steadily, he descended circle after circle down the ancient stone steps.
   Soon, he reached the entrance to the First Floor of the Upper Floors. Before him, the same pitch-black cavern stretched into darkness.
   He paused here momentarily.
   Beyond this point was the real Dungeon.
   Standing in the shadowed entrance, he gazed at the dim, tunnel-like passage extending infinitely forward, his eyes flickering slightly.
   For a moment, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.
   Just a few days ago, when he'd awakened in this world after escaping from the Trial Space, Ryota had believed he'd landed somewhere within Konoha Village of the Naruto world-perhaps even encountering that devoted brother, Uchiha Itachi.
   Yet, who could have guessed-
   What awaited him instead was this familiar yet foreign world of DanMachi.
   "Who knows? Maybe one day I'll stumble across another strange portal and return to the Naruto world, fighting Itachi again with our Susanoo clashing head-on..."
   Ryota shook his head, throwing away these absurd thoughts, and stepped decisively into the dark entrance leading toward the Dungeon's First Floor.
   It quickly became apparent that certain battles didn't require any flashy techniques at all.
   The monsters he encountered along the way-whether Goblins or Kobolds-proved incredibly frail.
   Ryota didn't even get a chance to use his newly learned Three Basic Jutsu.
   Armed with nothing but his three-tomoe Sharingan and solid taijutsu, he effortlessly smashed each monster into pieces.
   The sound of Magic Stones falling to the ground became the most frequent background noise during his descent.
   He casually collected the Magic Stones into a simple cloth bag. Carrying this increasingly heavy burden, he swept through the first to fifth floors with near-total ease.
   Soon enough, Ryota arrived at the entrance to the Sixth Floor.
   His backpack had become visibly swollen, the heavy weight pressing down onto his shoulders. Aside from a variety of Magic Stones, it was now filled with basic materials like "Goblin Fang" and "Kobold Nails."
   This wasn't his first time reaching this location.
   When he'd first arrived in this world, it was precisely on the Fifth Floor that he'd encountered the Loki Familia members returning from their failed expedition.
   It was also here that he'd personally defeated the monster adventurers called the "Rookie Killer"-the War Shadow.
   According to the Adventurer's Handbook, exploration between Floors Five to Seven officially required at least one basic ability ranked G or higher, proper weapons and armor, and at least one Supporter to be considered a "qualified" party.
   This was a rule repeatedly emphasized by the Guild and various Familias.
   But... who were these rules made for?
   They were made for the weak.
   Ryota knew clearly that he wasn't someone who needed to rely on such rules.
   He could crush a Goblin with one punch and send a Kobold flying with a simple strike.
   Even a War Shadow had become just another trivial addition to his combat record.
   "Weaklings follow rules; the strong break them."
   Without hesitation, Ryota stepped confidently into the Sixth Floor's dim passageway.
   But as soon as he entered, he immediately sensed something was off.
   The air on the Sixth Floor was noticeably more humid and stifling. The monsters here seemed agitated, respawning far more rapidly than usual.
   Almost every few dozen meters, Ryota encountered fresh monsters appearing from the walls and floors.
   Small reptilian creatures resembling geckos crawled swiftly along the dungeon walls, their movements surprisingly agile.
   Even so, Ryota continued dispatching them effortlessly-one swift kick for each monster.
   After kicking away a charging Dungeon Lizard and splattering it into bloody pieces, he lowered his leg, prepared to move forward again.
   A heavy, thunderous set of footsteps echoed from deeper within the corridor:
   Ryota raised an eyebrow, instantly turning toward the source of the sound.
   From the distant darkness, a hulking, ape-like monster more than two and a half meters tall, its body covered entirely in white fur, lumbered toward him.
   Its thick, powerful arms, razor-sharp claws, and bloodshot, frenzied crimson eyes clearly indicated how dangerous this creature was.
   "Aren't these things supposed to appear only on Floors Eleven and Twelve?"
   A flash of realization crossed Ryota's mind-
   "This is an 'Irregular Occurrence'!"
  
   Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Ryota's First Experience with Genjutsu
   An "Irregular Occurrence" referred to unexpected anomalies within the Dungeon-phenomena that defied common sense and went beyond known information.
   The most common type of Irregular involved monsters exhibiting abilities they shouldn't have, or appearing on floors where they didn't belong.
   Right now, the large, silver-furred ape monster-known as a Silverback-that had appeared before Ryota was precisely such a case.
   This creature normally appeared only on much deeper floors, yet for some unknown reason, it had emerged prematurely here on the Sixth Floor.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes, observing carefully.
   Unlike ordinary monsters that attacked instinctively, this Silverback didn't immediately rush forward. Instead, it stopped about twenty meters away.
   Heavy footsteps echoed through the cavern.
   The Silverback paced slowly back and forth, its blood-red eyes locked intently onto Ryota. Like a seasoned hunter, its movements were cautious and calculating.
   Clearly, this big fellow wasn't the typical monster with brawn but no brains. It possessed a certain degree of intelligence. Its methodical pacing meant it was carefully observing, attempting to find an opening in Ryota's stance.
   Facing this "veteran hunter" attitude, Ryota simply smiled.
   He'd been wanting to test out the new techniques he'd just acquired.
   Whoosh- His hands rapidly formed seals.
   As the hand seals finished, a puff of white smoke erupted beside him. When it cleared, another figure identical to Ryota stood there.
   This was the Clone Jutsu-one of the Three Basic Jutsu.
   Wearing the same clothes, identical in appearance, it was impossible at first glance to discern which was real and which was fake.
   Without hesitation, the clone immediately rushed toward the Silverback!
   The Silverback paused, visibly confused.
   Though it had some intelligence, it couldn't comprehend why its prey had suddenly multiplied into two identical figures. However, it clearly recognized the threat of the figure charging toward it.
   With a thunderous roar, the Silverback pounded its chest and charged forward. Its massive frame created gusts of wind, a fist as huge as a sandbag raised high.
   A dull impact echoed through the cavern.
   In the instant its fist struck, the seemingly-real "human" dissipated into a puff of white smoke, vanishing completely!
   But it quickly regained its composure, beating its chest excitedly once again, its crimson eyes filled with triumph.
   In its mind, the human was nothing special. Just a single punch was enough to make him vanish into thin air!
   However, the Silverback didn't know that the Clone Jutsu-one of the Three Basic Jutsu-was merely an illusory afterimage created by Chakra, possessing no physical form or offensive capability. 
   Its primary purpose was to confuse enemies and disrupt their perception.
   The true Shadow Clone Jutsu, capable of independent combat, was something Ryota hadn't yet mastered.
   Still, seeing the smug, excited expression on the giant ape's face, Ryota couldn't help but chuckle softly:
   "You have intelligence, but not much."
   As his voice faded, the three tomoe in his Sharingan spun rapidly!
   "Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes!"
   The Silverback's movements suddenly froze!
   The giant ape, which had just been roaring and pounding its chest, seemed as if an invisible hand had grasped its throat, rendering it completely motionless. Its eyes rolled upward slightly, its body rigid as stone.
   Within the illusionary space:
   The Silverback was pinned down upon a vast, blood-red wasteland. Thick, illusory stakes pierced through its limbs, binding it tightly to the ground. It struggled desperately, yet was utterly powerless to move.
   Standing before it, Ryota folded his arms calmly, his Sharingan gazing steadily at the enormous beast as he quickly calculated in his mind.
   According to the system's information, under the Sharingan's enhancement, the "Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes" could immobilize enemies for approximately three to six seconds.
   Three seconds was the limit for ordinary fodder. Six seconds was enough to trap most mid-to-low tier powerhouses.
   This Silverback, though an Irregular Occurrence on the Sixth Floor, was essentially equivalent to an elite monster from the Middle Floors around the eleventh or twelfth floor-roughly the strength of an inexperienced Level 2 adventurer.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes slightly.
   "Let's see how long you can last."
   He silently counted the seconds.
   Before he could continue counting, the blood-red illusion shattered like glass, breaking apart instantly with a sharp "crack!"
   As the genjutsu space collapsed, the real-world Silverback trembled violently, knees buckling immediately afterward. Foam spilled from its mouth, and it collapsed onto the ground, unconscious and twitching.
   Ryota scratched his head thoughtfully.
   The outcome was clearly beyond his expectations. He'd assumed it would at least endure four or five seconds, yet this big guy couldn't even survive three seconds before completely breaking down.
   "That's surprisingly fragile."
   Though, thinking about it, this outcome was probably normal.
   Even as an Irregular Occurrence, this Silverback was fundamentally just a Level 2 monster. Facing a high-level genjutsu specialized in mental suppression, holding out for three seconds was already impressive enough.
   After all, even Raul Nord-a Level 4 "Vanargand" of the Loki Familia-had fainted instantly just by making eye contact with Ryota.
   Ryota shook his head lightly, dismissing his thoughts.
   He swiftly formed hand seals again, activating his ninjutsu:
   "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
   A massive, roaring fireball erupted from his mouth.
   With a muffled boom, the Silverback was engulfed entirely by flames, reduced to a pile of charred ashes. All that remained was a crystal-clear Magic Stone lying quietly on the ground.
   Ryota stepped forward, casually picking up the Magic Stone and placing it into his bag.
   Having finished, he continued onward.
   His goal-the Seventh Floor.
   Today, his plan was simple. Now that he'd completed his side quest and claimed the rewards, his next objective was summed up neatly in four simple words:
  
   Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Setting Up a Dungeon Farming Factory!
   Magic stones and monster materials from the Dungeon were the most direct and practical source of income.
   As long as one accumulated enough resources-whether for weapons, armor, or hiring supporters in the future-
   everything could be handled calmly and with ease.
   Ryota had no intention of ever again being in that embarrassing position of having a beautiful elf treat him.
   It was far too humiliating.
   The seventh and sixth floors weren't actually that different.
   They still had those winding, pale-green walls and narrow, damp passageways.
   The real changes would appear on the next level down-the eighth floor.
   There, the terrain and monster distribution would gradually start to differ significantly.
   Ryota silently pondered this while carefully exploring the passage ahead.
   Just as he was debating whether or not to quicken his pace, a sudden, rapid clicking sound reached his ears.
   It was like the grinding of insects, or fingernails scraping harshly against stone.
   Ryota immediately turned towards the sound's source.
   From behind a protruding rock wall ahead, a giant, blood-red ant-like monster slowly emerged, its four sturdy legs supporting a torso topped with two slender, blade-like arms!
   Ryota recognized it immediately-a Killer Ant!
   Alongside the War Shadow, it was considered one of the most dangerous monsters in the Dungeon's upper floors.
   It shared the terrifying nickname of "Rookie Killer."
   However, unlike the solitary and stealthy War Shadow, the Killer Ant possessed another, even more troublesome trait beyond its iron-hard carapace and razor-sharp forelimbs capable of shredding steel.
   When threatened, it emitted an ear-piercing screech to summon nearby comrades for backup!
   One Killer Ant alone might not be so frightening.
   But when they came in swarms, even seasoned adventurer parties would find their scalps tingling!
   This was precisely why they had earned the name "Rookie Killer."
   Surround-and-overwhelm tactics-
   No matter the battlefield, no matter the world, this was always the simplest, most efficient, and most brutal method of slaughter.
   Just as Ryota prepared to attack, his movements suddenly froze.
   A sudden idea flashed through his mind like a lightning bolt!
   His eyes brightened as he quickly calculated:
   If a Killer Ant could summon its companions through its cry,
   Then why should he waste time hunting monsters one by one?
   Why not just control this Killer Ant with genjutsu, have it summon a big group of its friends, and then wipe them all out in one go?!
   Not only would it save time, but he could also harvest a large quantity of magic stones and materials at once!
   It was literally killing two birds with one stone-a guaranteed profit!
   Thinking of this, Ryota couldn't help but tremble with excitement:
   "Today's fortune... is all up to you, my dear ant brothers!"
   He stared intently at the completely unsuspecting Killer Ant.
   Next, he just needed a clean, decisive genjutsu to control it.
   His personal "Dungeon Farming Factory" was about to officially open!
   His Three Tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly!
   In that instant, the Killer Ant in the distance stiffened abruptly.
   Its four powerful legs suddenly gave out, and it collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
   Within the genjutsu illusion, the Killer Ant was plunged into a nightmare.
   Sharp bone stakes pierced its body from every direction, boiling lava poured down from above, and countless illusory enemies lunged at it, teeth and claws bared!
   Under this merciless mental assault, the Killer Ant's instincts were driven to the absolute limit.
   A piercing shriek erupted, sending visible soundwaves radiating outward in all directions!
   Rapid and dense footsteps echoed from the dark tunnels in the distance.
   Ryota lifted his gaze and saw a large swarm of Killer Ants frantically rushing toward him.
   A quick glance showed roughly a dozen of them.
   Ryota's lips curled into a slight smile. Seizing the moment before the Killer Ants got too close,
   he kicked off the ground and leapt into the air, swiftly forming hand seals-
   Taking a deep breath, he concentrated chakra fiercely into his chest:
   "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu-!!"
   Countless tiny fireballs, resembling the seeds of a phoenix flower, erupted from Ryota's mouth!
   The fireballs streaked downward, spreading out in all directions!
   Their wide coverage left the Killer Ants no chance to escape.
   In a continuous series of explosions, the Killer Ants were struck by the dense barrage of fireballs before they even reached halfway.
   Blazing flames ignited their tough carapaces, rapidly charring and cracking under intense heat!
   Within mere seconds, the entire swarm of Killer Ants was swallowed by the flames,
   reduced to blackened ash and glowing hot magic stones!
   A heavy burnt smell permeated the air, flames still flickering across the stone floor.
   Landing steadily, Ryota surveyed the scorched battlefield before him and nodded in satisfaction.
   Dungeon Farming Factory-first trial run: a perfect success!
   He quickly stepped forward, skillfully collecting the scattered magic stones one by one.
   However, just as he was halfway done, the cries of the first Killer Ant he had controlled suddenly ceased.
   Ryota paused, glancing behind him.
   That pitiful Killer Ant was now stiff, completely devoid of any signs of life.
   The mental torture from the genjutsu had literally driven it to death.
   Ryota stood quietly for a few seconds, then rubbed his temples with a helpless chuckle:
   "Tsk, I was originally planning to keep it alive to keep calling more friends... What a pity."
   "Oh well, I'll just find another one."
   Gathering his spirits, he hoisted the heavy bag onto his back and proceeded deeper into the seventh floor.
   There was still plenty of time left-much too soon to stop now!
  
   Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Returning to the Surface, Familiar Faces Again
   For the rest of the day, Ryota continued his monster farming strategy.
   He used Clone Jutsu to lure the Killer Ants closer, then trapped them within a genjutsu illusion using his Sharingan, tormenting them mentally until they emitted shrill cries of agony. As their screams drew more of their kind, he promptly finished them all off with Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu or Great Fireball Jutsu.
   His dungeon farming factory was running at full throttle!
   Wave after wave of monsters were ruthlessly reduced to ashes under his relentless attacks.
   At the same time, as his supply of magic stones steadily increased, he grew so casual about it that he didn't even bother to properly close his backpack, simply stuffing the spoils inside.
   However, as time passed, Ryota gradually noticed something odd.
   The Killer Ants, which had previously gathered within mere minutes, began appearing less and less frequently.
   He frowned slightly, muttering to himself:
   "Could it be... the monsters' spawn rate is slowing down?"
   After a brief moment of thought, Ryota quickly realized the reason.
   He had farmed them too aggressively!
   What normal adventurer would use a method like his?
   Attracting monsters, controlling them, and then wiping them out repeatedly with Fire Style jutsu, wave after wave without pause-
   Even the Dungeon's robust ecosystem would need some breathing room!
   Ryota roughly estimated his haul.
   Today's spoils already vastly exceeded what an average Level 1 adventurer could earn in a whole month.
   If he continued being greedy, not only could it potentially trigger larger-scale irregular events, but he might also attract unwanted attention from the Guild or other Familias.
   He certainly didn't want to cause a huge commotion immediately after joining the Loki Familia.
   "Moderation, moderation..." Ryota chuckled quietly, adjusting the bulging pack on his back as he turned around to retrace his steps.
   As for exploring the eighth floor? There would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
   After all, Orario's Dungeon would never run out of prey.
   Before long, Ryota made his way back from the seventh floor up to the first floor.
   Passing through the familiar dim corridors and ascending the spiraling stone stairs, he smoothly exited the Dungeon through Babel Tower's entrance.
   Looking up, he saw the sky already dyed in the gentle hues of twilight.
   Night slowly spread across the city above him. One by one, the streetlights of Orario flickered to life, casting the entire city in a warm and unique glow.
   "It's already... almost nighttime, huh?"
   Without realizing it, he'd spent the entire day exploring the Dungeon.
   But the most surprising-and delightful-thing was this:
   Despite having continuously used his Sharingan and Fire Style jutsu throughout the day, he still didn't feel particularly tired!
   His chakra continued flowing smoothly, and his mental energy remained abundant.
   As he walked, Ryota pondered thoughtfully:
   "It seems... the Large Chakra Boost reward I received from completing that side quest earlier really made a significant difference."
   With a mental command, his personal status panel appeared before his eyes:
   [All-Encompassing Divine Eye System]
   [Chakra Level]: C ! B+ (Stable)
   [Chakra Control]: A ! A+ (Refined Control)
   " Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu (Mastered)
   " Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu (Mastered)
   " Three Basic Jutsu (Mastered)
   [Taijutsu]: Basic proficiency
   Looking at his updated personal status panel, Ryota felt his mood lighten even further.
   Adjusting the heavy bag on his back, he headed towards the magic stone exchange counters within Babel Tower.
   In Orario, magic stone exchanges weren't limited only to the Adventurer's Guild headquarters.
   Even Babel Tower itself had numerous exchange windows inside.
   Since the exchange rate was identical between the two locations, most adventurers who exited the Dungeon preferred to exchange their spoils directly in Babel Tower-saving both time and effort.
   Only those who needed to handle additional procedures, like submitting quest commissions, would specifically visit the Guild headquarters.
   Along the way, Ryota spotted many other adventurers like himself, each carrying bulging packs and wearing satisfied expressions from their successful hunts.
   The air was tinged with a faint scent of blood and a unique faint glow from scattered magic stone fragments.
   Ryota's appearance quickly drew several curious gazes from nearby adventurers.
   Among the adventurers traveling in small groups of two or three, Ryota stood out conspicuously as a lone individual carrying a sack swollen to the point of distortion.
   Numerous gazes, both open and concealed, fell upon his back like invisible knives.
   Some even carried undisguised greed and malicious calculation.
   Although the Ganesha Familia maintained order within the city, there were always those willing to take dangerous risks.
   Especially for someone like Ryota-young-looking, alone, and clearly carrying a full load-he was practically begging to become a target for greedy eyes.
   The Dungeon's rules were simple and brutal: strength ruled supreme.
   Even above ground, robbery, ambushes, and assassinations...
   These things were still far too common.
   Of course, anyone caught faced severe consequences.
   Yet even so, countless adventurers still took chances every day, hoping to get lucky.
   Ryota coldly glanced at a few figures whose eyes shone with ill intent, snorting softly:
   "Idiots really exist everywhere."
   He was about to approach an empty exchange window when he suddenly heard an urgent and familiar shout coming from behind him:
   Turning slightly, he saw three excited figures quickly running toward him.
   It was none other than Lain's party-the trio he'd previously saved on the Dungeon's fifth floor!
   At the forefront was the red-haired youth, Lain Hait, his face filled with joyful surprise.
   Beside him stood the older adventurer Lota, whose arm was still wrapped in bandages, and Lia, the lightly armored female adventurer. Both wore bright, happy smiles.
   Clearly, they hadn't expected to run into Ryota here.
   The three quickly approached, and Lain grinned widely, calling out:
   "Senior! It's wonderful-we didn't think we'd see you again so soon!"
  
   Chapter 23: Chapter 23: A Day of Rich Harvest, and a New Side Quest!
   Looking at Lain and his teammates, Ryota smiled slightly, nodding gently at the red-haired youth as a greeting.
   Lain scratched the back of his head, appearing a bit embarrassed. After hesitating briefly, he finally spoke up:
   "Um... actually, we've been looking for you this whole time, Senior."
   "Aside from wanting to thank you personally..."
   He paused, his eyes growing increasingly serious.
   "We also have... a favor we'd like to ask of you."
   At the very moment Lain finished speaking, the familiar mechanical voice echoed clearly in Ryota's ear:
   [Ding! Side Quest triggered!]
   [Objective: Complete your first Adventurer's Commission.]
   [Reward: Large Chakra Boost, New Jutsu-'Teleportation Jutsu'!]
   Ryota's eyes flashed with interest.
   Teleportation Jutsu was an extremely high-end basic mobility technique from the Naruto world, achieved by manipulating chakra to instantly move or evade attacks.
   Whether in battle, pursuit, or escape, it held immense practical value.
   Though it might sound like a simple movement skill, when mastered proficiently, Teleportation Jutsu could deliver explosive combat power far surpassing conventional taijutsu!
   Though he already had a vague answer in his heart, Ryota didn't rush to immediately accept.
   Glancing around at the bustling crowd, he quietly said to Lain:
   "There are too many ears around here. Wait until after I've exchanged my magic stones."
   Lain was momentarily stunned, then quickly realized his mistake, an embarrassed expression appearing on his face.
   Indeed, no matter the situation, it shouldn't be discussed openly in front of so many people.
   He scratched his head sheepishly, smiling awkwardly like a child caught misbehaving:
   "Ah, r-right... sorry, I got too eager."
   "We'll wait for you over there, Senior."
   He quickly led Lota and Lia away, retreating to a quiet corner outside the exchange area, where they patiently waited for Ryota.
   Ryota walked briskly to the exchange window. Glancing up, he was surprised to find the staff member behind the counter was the same stern-faced middle-aged man he'd seen at the Adventurer's Guild during the day.
   and both froze simultaneously.
   Ryota couldn't help but wonder inwardly: Are all the exchange clerks copied from the same mold or something? Why do they all look identical?
   The middle-aged man, apparently sensing Ryota's confusion, forced out a stiff explanation, his voice carrying a hint of embarrassment:
   "I was temporarily transferred here to cover today's shift..."
   Ryota didn't inquire further. It didn't matter to him who handled the exchange.
   He swung the large bag off his back and pushed it through the window.
   The exchange process remained unchanged.
   After the familiar sound of magic stones clattering onto the counter, the jingle of coins soon followed.
   A moment later, the middle-aged man returned the neatly tied bag, reciting mechanically:
   "Exchange completed. Your total comes to seventy thousand Valis. Please confirm."
   Ryota still had some additional materials he hadn't yet sold; altogether, today's haul would easily surpass eighty thousand Valis.
   Truly, a day of abundant harvest!
   Ryota gave a brief thanks and swung the coin-filled bag onto his back again.
   Around him, quite a few adventurers were eyeing him greedily, some openly, some covertly.
   But Ryota paid these people no mind, confidently walking toward Lain's party who had been waiting patiently in the distance.
   From afar, seeing Ryota approaching, Lain's team instinctively straightened their backs.
   This unconscious action was the most natural show of respect toward someone stronger.
   Even if Ryota's name had yet to spread throughout Orario,
   anyone who could secure such rich spoils in the Dungeon within such a short time was clearly no ordinary adventurer.
   Furthermore, on the fifth floor, it had been this black-haired senior who had effortlessly saved their lives.
   Thus, the eyes of Lain, Lota, and Lia were filled with genuine respect and admiration.
   Stopping before them, Ryota calmly asked:
   "We... were hoping you could help us with something, Senior."
   "On floors ten to twelve, there's a type of monster known as 'Orcs.'"
   "They're huge, immensely strong, and far more dangerous than the Kobolds or Killer Ants on the upper floors."
   Lain paused for a moment, glancing at Lia beside him, a faint, helpless smile appearing on his lips.
   "The 'Orc Hide' dropped by those Orcs is a crucial material Lia needs for new armor."
   Only now did Ryota notice that Lia's equipment had drastically changed since he'd first met them.
   Her leather armor had a large hole torn through it, leaving her midriff entirely exposed.
   In the Dungeon, having proper gear versus fighting bare-handed were two completely different survival experiences.
   Not every adventurer could be like Ryota, relying solely on personal strength to sweep away all threats.
   Most adventurers needed weapons, armor, and resources slowly accumulated over time to build even the most basic safety net for themselves and their companions.
   Clearly, Lain's party had suffered severely-probably ambushed again by War Shadows during their return escort mission.
   Combined with Lota's injured arm, the team's overall strength had plummeted sharply, leaving them unable to continue Dungeon exploration for the moment.
   Noticing Ryota deep in thought, Lain grew anxious and hastily added:
   "Don't worry, Senior! We wouldn't ask you to go down there for nothing!"
   "I'll officially submit the commission request at the Guild first thing tomorrow morning."
   "The reward will be-twenty thousand Valis!"
   He clenched his teeth and continued earnestly:
   "And any materials or magic stones dropped during the exploration-we won't take a single one!"
   "As long as you can help Lia obtain the 'Orc Hide,' that's enough!"
   In truth, for a small party of four or five adventurers, exploring the upper floors of the Dungeon normally yielded around twenty to twenty-five thousand Valis in a single day.
   So twenty thousand Valis wasn't exactly a generous sum.
   But for Lain's party, it was everything they had.
   They were essentially placing all their remaining funds-every last coin they possessed-into Ryota's hands, betting it all on this single request.
   It was precisely because of this that they appeared especially solemn and nervous.
   If they'd randomly asked any other unfamiliar adventurer, who would willingly venture alone into the tenth floor or deeper?
   That kind of place was no joke-it wasn't something casual adventurers could handle.
   After much deliberation, they'd finally remembered the black-haired youth who had effortlessly slaughtered a War Shadow on the fifth floor.
   The powerful adventurer who had crushed despair the moment he appeared-
   To the three of them, he was their last ray of hope.
  
   Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Lain's Commission and Updating the [Status]
   Seeing Ryota remain silent, Lain quickly spoke again:
   "Senior... if twenty thousand isn't enough, I can also..."
   Before he even finished speaking,
   he had already drawn the sword at his waist,
   holding it reverently with both hands and presenting it to Ryota.
   "This is a Mithril Longsword, an heirloom from my family. It's worth about ten thousand Valis on the market..."
   "Please, you must help us!"
   The air seemed to grow heavy in that instant.
   Lota and Lia nervously clenched their fists, cautiously watching Ryota, as if a single "no" from him would shatter their last hope.
   For adventurers, being unable to enter the Dungeon was essentially losing their means to survive.
   However, Ryota just chuckled lightly and waved his hand dismissively:
   "Alright, alright, put your sword away."
   "I'll accept your commission."
   "Didn't you say it yourself? It's just a single piece of Orc Hide."
   "But... I won't accept a single Valis less than promised!"
   Just these few simple words made the trio's eyes turn red with emotion.
   This kind of strength combined with humility was something they hadn't encountered for a long, long time in this harsh Dungeon city.
   Lain, Lota, and Lia deeply bowed toward Ryota:
   "Thank you so much, Senior!"
   "We truly appreciate it!"
   Ryota smiled faintly. To him, it wasn't really a big deal.
   He'd eventually head down to floors 10-12 anyway. If he could earn money and complete a quest at the same time, why wouldn't he do it?
   Just as he was about to leave, Lain suddenly seemed to recall something, scratching his head awkwardly:
   "Um, Senior... Could you please tell us your name and Familia?"
   "When submitting a designated commission at the Guild, we need to register your information."
   Hearing this, Ryota nodded in understanding:
   "My name is Ryota, a newcomer who just joined the Loki Familia."
   Without further ado, he turned around, adjusting the heavy bag of Valis on his back, and walked toward Twilight Manor.
   Behind him, Lain and his two teammates froze for several seconds.
   The air seemed to freeze in that moment.
   "Oh no... I think we're doomed..."
   Behind Lain, Lia's face went pale with despair.
   "We're from the Freya Familia, and he's from the Loki Familia. How could he possibly help us?"
   Hearing this, Lain's expression also turned grim, but he still tried to reassure her:
   "Senior probably... probably won't mind. We're just low-ranking members on the outskirts, after all."
   Lota and Lia exchanged blank, uncertain glances, their eyes full of worry.
   After parting ways with Lain's group, Ryota returned to Twilight Manor.
   As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, the familiar aroma of stew filled his senses.
   Instinctively looking up, he noticed a slender, graceful elf girl standing in the center of the courtyard, softly murmuring something, as though repeatedly practicing some sort of magical chant.
   Lefiya gently traced intricate runes in the air, her expression deeply focused.
   Sensing Ryota's presence, Lefiya paused her movements, turned toward him, her pointed elf ears twitching slightly as she greeted him warmly:
   "Welcome home, Mr. Ryota."
   "Did today's Dungeon exploration go smoothly?"
   Ryota nodded with a smile:
   Lefiya suddenly blinked curiously, her attention drawn to the bulging, almost distorted bag on Ryota's back.
   "Huh? Mr. Ryota, is that..."
   "Did you buy lots of tasty food?"
   Her voice was soft and gentle, tinged with excitement and anticipation.
   "Not food. It's all Valis."
   A long string of question marks immediately appeared above the elf girl's head.
   That bag was nearly as big as a sack of rice, and it was filled entirely with money?!
   "Where's Lady Loki?" Ryota asked.
   Snapping out of her daze, Lefiya quickly pointed upstairs:
   "She should be in the lounge on the second floor."
   Ryota thanked her and headed upstairs.
   The moment he stepped onto the second floor, a strong scent of alcohol greeted him:
   Following the pungent aroma, he quickly found a slightly ajar door at the end of the hallway.
   He was about to knock when the door opened with a soft "click."
   Standing before him was Riveria, who gently held the doorframe, her emerald eyes filled with warmth:
   "Loki's been waiting for you."
   Entering the room, Ryota immediately noticed two other figures.
   They seemed to be reviewing something carefully, the table scattered with detailed mission logs, Dungeon maps, and various intelligence reports.
   On the opposite side of the table, Loki sprawled lazily in her chair, appearing extremely sleepy.
   But the moment Ryota stepped in, her half-lidded eyes sparkled back to life:
   "Oh~ here he is, finally!"
   Loki jumped up energetically from her chair, smiling and waving cheerfully.
   "Good work today, kid! Here to update your status?"
   Ryota politely nodded toward Finn and Gareth as a greeting.
   Then, placing his heavy bag of Valis on the floor, he turned back toward Loki:
   "Yes, Lady Loki. Today's exploration is finished, so I've come to update my status."
   Loki rubbed her hands eagerly, like a child who'd waited impatiently for this moment.
   "Come on, hurry up! Shirt off, lie down!"
   Although her phrasing was a bit odd, Ryota had gradually gotten used to Loki's eccentric personality.
   He skillfully removed his shirt, turned his back toward Loki, and lay down comfortably.
   Taking the silver needle handed to her by Riveria, Loki pricked her finger lightly, allowing a drop of blood to fall onto Ryota's back.
   Quickly, the intricate script of Ryota's Falna emerged.
   However, at that moment, Loki's cheerful expression abruptly froze.
   She blinked repeatedly, leaning forward to peer closely at the updated information appearing before her.
   After several seconds of stunned silence, she finally managed to squeeze out a single, incredulous sentence from between clenched teeth:
   "Huh? What in the world is this?"
  
   Chapter 25: Chapter 25: A Terrifying Status-Shocking the Big Three!
   Loki slapped her own cheeks lightly, desperately trying to stay clear-headed:
   "What the heck! What the heck! What the actual heck!"
   "What in the world did you do down there?!"
   Ryota was completely baffled, question marks practically floating above his head:
   "Um, Lady Loki, could you translate the status into something I can actually understand?"
   "Alright, hold on a sec..."
   While copying Ryota's updated status onto a piece of parchment, Loki asked casually:
   "Ryota, mind if I show this to my kids?"
   By "kids," she obviously meant the three Familia members in the room.
   Ryota shrugged nonchalantly, responding casually:
   "Sure, I don't mind. After all, I'm just Level 1; there's nothing special about it."
   He might hesitate with others, but these three were the core pillars of the Loki Familia. The idea of betrayal or leaks from them was laughable.
   Thus, he wasn't worried about his status being exposed.
   Loki grinned broadly, feeling even more satisfied with Ryota's attitude.
   After copying everything down, Loki sighed dramatically and handed the parchment to Ryota with a crisp smack:
   "Here, take a good look."
   Ryota lowered his head to glance at the paper, while behind him, Finn and Gareth had already discreetly leaned in closer.
   These two top-tier members of the Loki Familia were perfectly synchronized, their heads popping out from either side of Ryota's shoulders.
   Meanwhile, Riveria stood elegantly to the side, maintaining her cool, dignified posture as always.
   "As expected from an elven royal," Ryota silently admired again, but quickly shifted his focus to the parchment's contents:
   [Development Abilities]: None yet
   " Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu: [Details omitted]
   " Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu: [Details omitted]
   " [New] Three Basic Jutsu: Fusion and application of Clone Jutsu, Transformation Jutsu, and Substitution Jutsu
   " [New] Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes: Creates mental-level "chain-like" bindings, restraining the target's consciousness and forcibly inducing a [Paralysis State] lasting 3-6 seconds
   All-Encompassing Divine Eye
   " Insight: [Details omitted]
   " Copy: [Details omitted]
   " Opening: [Details omitted]
   " [New] Genjutsu: Temporarily drags opponents into an illusory space, interrupting their movements and disrupting their consciousness
   Ryota stared blankly at his status for a moment:
   "Because I unlocked 'Three Basic Jutsu' and 'Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes,' my magic section changed?"
   Thinking about it again, it actually made sense.
   In the Naruto world, techniques were divided into Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu.
   But here, in the DanMachi world, each person's "Magic" slots were strictly limited to three.
   "I've already got Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. If I managed to unlock something like the 'Eight Gates,' would that open up a third 'Taijutsu' slot?"
   "Hmm... Wait, 'Eight Gates' might count as forbidden jutsu."
   As Ryota pulled his thoughts back, he suddenly noticed the strange silence around him.
   Turning his head, he found Finn and Gareth frozen behind him, their expressions as if they'd just seen a ghost.
   Even Riveria, who usually kept her composure perfectly, couldn't help parting her lips slightly, her emerald eyes widening in shock:
   "Two magic slots... at Level 1, no less..."
   "'Three Basic Jutsu,' 'Fire Style'... They sound fascinating."
   To receive genuine praise from Riveria Ljos Alf, known as Orario's strongest mage, was practically unheard of. Especially for a Level 1 rookie adventurer like Ryota.
   "This is insane! My eyes aren't going bad, are they?!"
   Gareth vigorously rubbed his eyes; if Finn hadn't stopped him, he might've pressed his face directly onto the parchment.
   "In all my years, I've never seen stats this outrageous! At this rate, this kid might catch up to Ais within a year!"
   Hearing this, Loki instinctively wanted to refute-after all, Ais was her cherished princess.
   But after another glance at Ryota's terrifying status, she swallowed her words back down.
   Ryota, on the other hand, kept his cool.
   He knew well that the higher one's stats became, the harder further progress would be.
   Not to mention the vague concept of "Excelia." He'd already be more than thankful if he managed to reach Level 2 within a year.
   "But compared to simply leveling up, completing system quests and continuously improving myself might be even more important," Ryota silently concluded.
   Finn, meanwhile, bit lightly on his thumb, his brows furrowing thoughtfully:
   "What intrigues me most is this 'Genjutsu' ability."
   He pondered for a second, then tentatively asked:
   "Ryota, could you try casting your 'Genjutsu' on me?"
   Ryota glanced toward Loki, who was watching him eagerly, clearly having no objection.
   Truthfully, he himself was curious as well.
   After all, Finn was the captain of the Loki Familia, an absolute powerhouse at Level 6.
   Moreover, according to the memories he had, Finn's skill granted him incredibly high resistance to hypnosis and similar mental attacks.
   If even Finn could be affected by his Sharingan genjutsu...
   Ryota took a deep breath, his Three Tomoe Sharingan instantly appearing in his eyes:
   "Please excuse me, Captain Finn."
   The moment he finished speaking, Ryota's gaze locked directly onto Finn's.
   In the next instant, Finn felt his entire body stiffen, as if the very air around him had frozen!
   Yet this sense of paralysis lasted less than half a second. Finn immediately summoned all his willpower and forcefully shook off the invading sensation!
   Panting slightly, he looked up at Ryota, his eyes wide with astonishment and intense curiosity:
   "What incredible force... It actually managed to penetrate my defenses."
   "Try it again! I want to experience that 'Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes' as well!"
   Seeing Finn's eager expression, Loki quickly intervened:
   "Stop, stop, that's enough, Finn! What do you think Ryota is, your personal test dummy?"
   Finn flinched slightly, withdrawing his hand awkwardly and scratching the back of his head:
   "Ah, sorry about that, Ryota. My curiosity got the better of me."
   Ryota smiled, calmly pulling his shirt back on as the three tomoe faded from his eyes.
   Loki waved her hand lazily, leaning back comfortably in her chair:
   "Alright, status update complete. You've worked hard today, Ryota. Go get some rest~"
   "Oh yeah, by the way, how much did you earn today?"
   Ryota picked up the heavy sack of Valis from the floor and replied casually as he walked toward the door:
   "Seventy thousand Valis."
   The room fell once more into stunned silence.
  
   Chapter 26: Chapter 26: The Sword Princess's Adorably Awkward Visit
   After returning to his room, Ryota casually tossed aside his backpack filled with Valis and immediately collapsed onto the bed.
   Today's gains far surpassed his expectations. Exhausted both mentally and physically, he quickly drifted off into a deep sleep.
   The night passed uneventfully.
   The next morning, a refreshing breeze drifted in through the half-open window, carrying with it Orario's unique, sweet fragrance.
   Rubbing his still groggy head and yawning, Ryota walked to the door.
   The moment the door opened, a slender and graceful figure came into view.
   A golden-haired girl, dressed in simple, casual clothing, stood there slightly tilting her head, staring intently at his door.
   Ryota froze mid-step, several question marks popping over his head.
   "Miss Ais? What are you doing standing in front of my door?"
   Ais blinked, staring blankly at Ryota, seemingly at a loss for words.
   Ryota paused to think and quickly understood.
   Last night, after updating his status, his abilities had skyrocketed directly to D-rank. Such absurdly rapid growth had surely spread among the core members of the Loki Familia by now.
   And the golden-haired Sword Princess standing before him was someone famously obsessed with gaining strength.
   Currently, Ais had been stuck at Level 5 for quite some time. After every expedition, the attribute gains she brought back were usually just single-digit increments.
   She was currently trapped in a subtle yet prolonged bottleneck.
   Meanwhile, he, a rookie who had officially joined the Familia just yesterday, had casually gained several hundred points in his stats in a single day.
   It would be stranger if she hadn't felt at least somewhat stimulated by this.
   Of course, this was all Ryota's own speculation. Seeing the golden-haired girl still silently tilting her head, he was about to ask again when Ais finally spoke:
   "How can I... become stronger quickly... like you?"
   Her voice was soft, but it made Ryota's head buzz loudly!
   Ais Wallenstein, the genius of Orario, known as the Sword Princess, stuck at Level 5 and in a bottleneck for ages...
   She had actually come to ask him-a rookie adventurer who'd just registered yesterday and hadn't even warmed up his Adventurer's Handbook yet-how to grow stronger?!
   Wasn't there something seriously wrong with this scenario?!
   The corner of Ryota's mouth twitched slightly. For a moment, he even wondered if he was still dreaming.
   However, looking at the golden-haired girl's clear and utterly serious face-
   Nope, this wasn't a dream.
   Glancing out the window, noting it was still early, Ryota stepped aside to clear the doorway:
   "Standing at the door talking... feels a bit awkward. Come on in."
   Ais nodded once and walked in without hesitation or embarrassment.
   Very naturally, she sat down on Ryota's bed, the very bed he had just slept on, still warm from his body heat.
   Her golden eyes gazed at him intently. 
   She sat upright, looking adorably obedient, exactly like an earnest elementary school student waiting for her teacher to impart some secret technique.
   Ryota was momentarily at a loss for what expression to make.
   After briefly considering, he decided to start from the basics and asked:
   "Did Lady Loki mention my skill to you?"
   Ais obediently nodded at first, but then quickly shook her head, replying earnestly:
   "Loki said... I can't casually tell others."
   Ryota couldn't help but laugh. This natural airheadedness was too obvious!
   He sighed inwardly, though outwardly maintained a gentle smile.
   His eyes narrowed slightly, and in the next instant-
   His pupils transformed into a deep, captivating crimson. Three black tomoe slowly spun within, mesmerizing like a whirlpool.
   Ais's pupils shrank sharply, her body instinctively leaning backward slightly. Her golden eyes widened, filled with shock and disbelief.
   "This is my All-Encompassing Divine Eye. You can think of it as a Visual Magic."
   "Simply put, as long as I keep exploring the Dungeon and accumulating battle experience, this power will grow stronger and stronger over time."
   Ryota wasn't making excuses-this was the genuine conclusion he'd reached after extensive experimentation and practice in the Trial Space.
   The Sharingan was a power that could only truly evolve through constant usage and endless battles.
   Though his rapid growth was partly due to the missions the system provided him, the bulk of his progress was still accumulated through repeated, solitary battles and relentless effort.
   As for higher stages beyond the three-tomoe Sharingan, such as the Mangeky Sharingan or even the Eternal Mangeky Sharingan...
   Ryota had no clue about those right now.
   He didn't want to give Ais false hopes, nor did he wish to deceive this earnest yet somewhat clumsy girl with uncertain fantasies.
   Therefore, every word he spoke came from the bottom of his heart.
   Ais stared at him blankly, as if seeing the boy before her clearly for the very first time. Even her breathing subconsciously quieted.
   At this moment, Ryota could clearly see the faint yet unmistakable emotion rising within the girl's golden eyes-
   Ryota was momentarily stunned, unable to react in time, when the golden-haired girl abruptly lunged toward him!
   Stiffly pressed back against the chair, Ryota found himself face-to-face with those clear golden eyes staring directly at him.
   The distance between them was so close he could almost feel her breath mingling with his own.
   He could even smell the faint, pleasant fragrance from the girl in front of him.
   Wh-what was this supposed to be?
   Was he being... kabedon'd?!
   Ryota's eyebrows twitched uncontrollably. Just as he was about to say something, an ear-piercing scream sounded from the doorway:
   The elf girl Lefiya stood at the door, covering her mouth, her face filled with horror as she stared at the scene inside-
   A scene that was incredibly easy to misunderstand!
   "What's going on what's going on what's going on aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"
   Ais paid no attention to Lefiya, still maintaining that extremely ambiguous distance with Ryota, and added very earnestly:
   "I just wanted... to see more clearly."
   Hearing those words, Lefiya clutched her chest, feeling as if the Ais she had admired for so long had suddenly become incredibly distant...!
  
   Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Lefiya's Request
   Ais slowly stood up, smoothing out her slightly disheveled clothes, but her golden eyes remained fixed on Ryota's face.
   Only after the crimson three-tomoe slowly faded away, returning his eyes to their normal calm black, did she softly say:
   With that, she turned and left without looking back.
   The room fell into a brief silence.
   Standing at the doorway was Lefiya, cheeks puffed up angrily. Her usually gentle and shy little face now resembled a pufferfish inflated with indignation.
   Ryota scratched his head awkwardly and asked:
   "So... did you need something?"
   At his question, Lefiya seemed like she'd been poked in some vital spot; her puffed-up momentum instantly deflated, and she wilted on the spot.
   Her previously angry expression quickly shifted into embarrassment and shyness, as she softly spoke:
   "W-well, um... I heard about you from Lady Riveria..."
   After saying this, Lefiya fell silent again.
   This shy elf girl truly didn't know how to express her request.
   Ryota just quietly looked at her, waiting patiently.
   Perhaps recalling Riveria's words, or perhaps finally gathering her resolve, Lefiya continued:
   "Your stats have been improving extremely fast, and I... I also want to become stronger..."
   "So, if-if you're heading into the Dungeon again today..."
   "Could... Could you please take me along?"
   By the end, Lefiya's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, and the tips of her elf ears were secretly tinged with a delicate blush.
   Ryota suddenly recalled seeing Lefiya last night when he'd returned to Twilight Manor-she had been standing alone, quietly chanting something repeatedly into the empty air.
   At the time, he'd been too preoccupied with quickly updating his Status and collapsing into bed, so he hadn't paid much attention.
   Thinking back now... she must have been practicing her magic chants to improve her casting proficiency.
   In this world of DanMachi, magic was undeniably powerful, but its lengthy chants created dangerous openings during battle.
   For a mage, each casting of a spell was akin to dancing on the edge of a blade.
   To grow stronger, one had to constantly refine their chanting and casting speed under real combat conditions.
   This blushing little elf standing before him had surely summoned all her courage to make this request for precisely that reason.
   Even though he mentally agreed, Ryota still felt a strange sensation inside.
   After all, the elf girl in front of him was a Level 3 adventurer.
   And himself? He'd only just reached the seventh floor. No matter how you looked at it, wasn't this a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut?
   He glanced up at Lefiya, a hint of hesitation between his brows.
   Sensing Ryota's hesitation, Lefiya quickly waved her hands frantically to explain:
   "I-I know I'm Level 3, but..."
   She bit her lip nervously, her elf ears trembling slightly.
   "But when I'm chanting magic and monsters appear, I always... I always get scared."
   "Even though I chant perfectly during practice, when real battles happen, my feet feel like they're nailed to the ground..."
   "That feeling... it's truly terrifying..."
   Ryota paused, remembering his own first time accepting a mission in the Trial Space. That sense of dread and hesitation wasn't something mere words like "effort" or "persistence" could easily overcome.
   "I see. Alright then, no problem. Let's go to the Dungeon together."
   "Th-thank you so much, Mr. Ryota!"
   "'Mr. Ryota' sounds weird. Just call me Ryota."
   He raised a finger, wagging it gently in front of the elf girl.
   "But we'll stick to the upper floors today. I still have a commission to take care of."
   Hearing this, Lefiya's eyes flashed with confusion.
   "Eh? A commission... already on your second day?"
   "Don't worry, it's nothing bad. You'll see soon enough."
   He pointed towards the door:
   "I'll meet you downstairs in a bit. After we leave the Dungeon, I'll treat you to a nice meal."
   Ryota casually put on his coat and said:
   "I earned seventy thousand Valis yesterday. It'd be a waste if I didn't spend some of it on myself, wouldn't it?"
   At these words, Lefiya stood rooted to the spot, staring at him as if she'd been struck by lightning:
   "Sev... seventy thousand?!"
   In a single day, by himself?!
   Only after Ryota had already descended the stairs did she finally cover her mouth in delayed shock:
   "No wonder Miss Ais came to ask him questions... Wait..."
   "That despicable Ryota, getting kabedon'd by Miss Ais! Aaahhhh!!"
   At this very moment, upstairs in Twilight Manor, Loki was leaning by a second-floor window, chin resting on her palm, watching the bustling crowd below. She grinned foolishly, chuckling nonstop:
   "Hehehe, I've struck gold, struck gold~!"
   "Thank goodness I acted quickly, or that pervy goddess might've snatched him away first!"
   The "pervy goddess" she spoke of was naturally Freya.
   Behind her, the Big Three-Finn, Riveria, and Gareth-exchanged helpless glances.
   They could never fully grasp the strange and subtle rivalries between the gods.
   But they had to admit, when it came to recruiting talented individuals, Loki possessed truly uncanny luck.
   Back then, Riveria had joined Loki Familia after Loki and Finn rescued her during an unexpected encounter.
   Gareth's case was similar; a casual offer of strong liquor had been enough to pull him into the fold.
   There was no need to elaborate.
   Her parents had personally entrusted her care to Loki before they passed away.
   And now, they'd gained another monstrous talent: Ryota.
   A rising star whose entire existence, from his name to his incredible potential, was filled with uncertainty and promise.
   Finn withdrew his gaze, rubbing his nose, and asked curiously:
   "I'm also quite puzzled-why hasn't Lady Freya noticed Ryota yet? Isn't she supposed to see through people's souls?"
   Loki snorted dismissively:
   "That woman? Ha! She's probably still busy picking out which poor kid from her Familia she'll favor tonight!"
   "Besides, Ryota's aura isn't her type at all."
   A sly grin curled at her lips.
   "Even if she had noticed him, he'd still end up in our Familia sooner or later!"
   "Someone like Ryota is naturally destined to be part of Loki Familia~!"
   As she finished speaking, an uncontrollable joy flickered in Loki's eyes.
   Finn smiled gently and didn't press further.
   No matter how frivolous or carefree Loki might seem, the love she held for her "children" was unquestionably genuine and profound.
  
   Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Ryota's Confusion, and a Certain Commission!
   Ryota had no idea about the secret discussion currently happening between Loki and her Familia's top three on the second floor.
   He had just finished breakfast and was heading toward the main gate of Twilight Manor to meet Lefiya.
   Today's objective was crystal clear:
   Complete the side quest as soon as possible to unlock Chakra and the Teleportation Jutsu.
   However, a thought suddenly occurred to Ryota.
   "It feels like... I haven't triggered any new main quests for quite a while?"
   He narrowed his eyes slightly, quickly reviewing recent events.
   Since officially joining the Loki Familia, he'd been busy grinding monsters and earning Valis. 
   He'd already triggered two side quests, but the main questline from his 'All-Encompassing Divine Eye' hadn't shown any new signs of activity.
   Main quests usually signaled significant turning points, and their rewards had always been ridiculously generous.
   For instance, after completing his initial main quest of officially joining a Familia, he'd immediately unlocked powerful abilities such as the Sharingan's "Genjutsu" and the "Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes."
   "Perhaps the conditions haven't been met yet? Or maybe the system is preparing something even bigger?"
   Ryota rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
   "Well, no point worrying too much. I'll just wait for the system to pop up the notification."
   Shaking off his thoughts, he quickened his pace toward Twilight Manor's main entrance.
   Not long after, Lefiya appeared within his line of sight, dressed in her practical adventuring gear with her golden hair tied neatly in a high ponytail.
   The elf girl carried a small backpack, visibly relaxing when she spotted Ryota.
   Approaching him, Lefiya curiously examined Ryota and couldn't help but ask:
   "Ryota... aren't you planning on buying anything today? Like armor, or perhaps... a weapon?"
   Her gaze was filled with obvious confusion.
   After all, even the most basic adventurers usually brought at least a short sword into the Dungeon, right?
   Not to mention Ryota had just exchanged seventy thousand Valis yesterday, practically making him a wealthy adventurer overnight.
   Yet here he was, dressed as lightly as humanly possible-
   No armor, not even a single dagger. Was he seriously planning to head into the Dungeon empty-handed?
   Ryota merely chuckled lightly at her concern:
   "No need. Rather, it's you who'll have to work hard today."
   Hearing this, Lefiya's elf ears twitched slightly, and she nodded earnestly.
   Soon, the two made their way through the bustling streets, following the familiar route until they reached the Adventurer's Guild, its white stone building already busy with activity.
   At nine in the morning, adventurers crowded the Guild, bustling about to survive, to chase their dreams, or simply to earn some shining Valis.
   In the world of DanMachi, commissions generally fell into two categories.
   The first were public commissions, tasks openly available for any adventurer. 
   These were typically posted on the Guild's bulletin board-requests such as defeating a certain number of goblins, collecting specific materials, or escorting merchant caravans. 
   Any adventurer who met the requirements could freely accept these tasks, typically awarded on a first-come-first-served basis.
   The second type were designated commissions.
   These commissions specifically targeted particular adventurers or Familias.
   For instance, in the original story, Zeus had privately requested Hermes to investigate Bell Cranel. But that was a matter between gods, naturally bypassing the Guild.
   Still, this kind of designated commission wasn't uncommon in Orario.
   Thinking of this, Ryota smiled slightly.
   Come to think of it, wasn't this technically the first real designated commission he'd ever received?
   Only this time, it wasn't from a god, but from that red-haired youth named Lain.
   After entering the Guild's main hall, Ryota and Lefiya headed towards the reception counter.
   Today's Guild Hall was especially crowded. Adventurers lined up continuously to register, report, or accept quests, forcing the two to patiently queue up at the back.
   After about ten minutes, it was finally their turn.
   "Good morning. How may I help you today?"
   Misha looked up with a professional smile, offering the standard greeting. But when she recognized the young man standing before her, she momentarily froze.
   Misha blinked, quickly recovering with a friendly, professional smile. She then politely inclined her head toward Lefiya.
   As one of the Guild's frontline receptionists, memorizing the key members of major Familias was practically mandatory.
   Especially Loki Familia, one of Orario's strongest factions-the Guild had long since memorized every member's face and details.
   In response to Misha's polite greeting, Lefiya nodded gently in return.
   "Miss Misha, could you please check my designated commission?" Ryota requested.
   Misha instinctively nodded and prepared to dig through the mountain of paperwork piled behind her.
   But barely two seconds later, she suddenly paused.
   Then her head snapped up, round pink eyes widening in disbelief:
   "Wait-?! Didn't you just register as an adventurer yesterday?"
   "How could you possibly have a commission already? And a designated commission at that?"
   "Are you sure... there's no mistake?"
   Normally, it was practically impossible for a rookie adventurer to receive a designated commission.
   After all, such requests implied a certain level of fame or strength.
   Who would specifically seek out an unknown rookie?
   Besides, Misha had personally accompanied Ryota yesterday when he'd exchanged his Magic Stones at the Guild. He'd clearly just been a brand-new adventurer!
   Ryota simply smiled and nodded without further explanation.
   Misha sighed inwardly, thinking it was probably some favor from a well-connected friend.
   Not to mention the elf girl standing next to Ryota was Lefiya-a genuine Level 3 adventurer.
   Mentally adding another layer to Ryota's "wealthy second-generation" label, Misha lowered her head and began searching through the commission records.
   However, after just a brief glance, her eyes widened dramatically, her voice rising involuntarily:
  
   Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Double Side Quests-Back into the Dungeon!
   Misha remained silent for half a second, clearly still hesitant. Finally, she handed over the paper in her hand.
   At the same time, she couldn't help but whisper a sincere warning:
   "Um... Mr. Ryota, I really suggest you reconsider this commission."
   "After all, you're only Level 1. Even with Miss Lefiya from Loki Familia escorting you, it's still extremely dangerous..."
   Ryota accepted the paper and glanced down. Its contents matched exactly what Lain had described earlier.
   The quest itself was straightforward:
   [Commission Objective]: Collect one piece of Orc Hide.
   [Remarks]: Commissioner anonymous; no special requirements.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes slightly. As expected, Lain and his companions hadn't indicated their Familia or identities anywhere on the commission.
   This careful anonymity seemed rather... deliberate.
   "How considerate," he chuckled quietly to himself.
   On second thought, though, it made perfect sense.
   In Orario, Loki Familia and Freya Familia stood as the two strongest factions, their rivalry well-known. Even if the surface appeared calm, there were always underlying tensions and subtle competition.
   Lain and the others were probably concerned that openly revealing their commission might cause unnecessary trouble for Ryota within his Familia.
   Seeing Ryota deep in thought, Misha inwardly sighed with relief.
   "It'd be such a pity if a handsome young man like him died in the Dungeon."
   She mentally congratulated herself on doing another good deed for the day.
   But just as this thought popped into her head, Ryota's clear voice suddenly reached her ears:
   "Thanks for your advice, but I'll take this commission."
   Misha's professional smile froze instantly, her delicate face filling with question marks.
   She swallowed nervously, unwilling to give up, and emphasized again:
   "This commission is no joke! The target is an Orc from floors ten to twelve!"
   "Y-you... Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
   Her anxiety made her voice sharp, involuntarily raising its volume, immediately drawing curious glances from nearby adventurers.
   Seeing her panicked expression, Ryota waved his hand lightly and smiled:
   "It's alright, Miss Misha."
   "With Lefiya here, I'm not gonna die that easily."
   Finishing his sentence, he calmly picked up a quill and signed his name on the commission paper.
   Misha looked helplessly resigned. Eventually, she could only sigh, swiftly handling the paperwork with practiced ease.
   With the commission officially accepted, it was now time to head into the Dungeon.
   As they left the Adventurer's Guild hall, Lefiya's pointed elf ears twitched slightly, and she teased Ryota with a gentle laugh:
   "Even just accepting a simple commission, you already have so many people worried about your safety."
   Ryota simply smiled softly, not denying it.
   Compared to when he'd first transmigrated, having others genuinely care and worry about him was a subtle yet heartwarming change.
   They walked side by side, preparing to quicken their pace toward Babel Tower.
   Just then, a familiar mechanical voice suddenly echoed clearly in Ryota's mind:
   [Ding! Side Quest Triggered!]
   [Quest Objective: Resolve an Irregular situation!]
   [Quest Reward: Massive Chakra boost; B-Rank Jutsu-"Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu"!]
   Ryota paused slightly, then immediately felt a surge of excitement!
   His Chakra Level had already risen to B+ after completing his last side quest.
   And now, he'd finally received a reward worthy of his current strength-a genuine B-Rank Fire Release Jutsu, "Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu."
   The two Fire Release techniques he'd previously mastered were decent, but strictly speaking, they were merely foundational C-Rank Jutsu.
   The techniques that truly separated the strong from the ordinary among shinobi typically began at B-Rank and above!
   "As expected... as my strength grows, the system's rewards scale accordingly."
   However, after his initial excitement faded, Ryota felt a lingering doubt.
   Hadn't he already resolved one "Irregular" situation before?
   The "Silverback" he'd encountered on the sixth floor was exactly that kind of anomaly.
   Moreover, this time he had triggered two side quests simultaneously!
   This "double side-quest" activation had never happened before, even back in his Trial Space experience.
   Previously, quests had always been triggered sequentially, one after another in a linear fashion.
   But now, there was suddenly an overlapping, parallel quest activation.
   "Could it be... that the system's quests change dynamically based on my current environment, relationships, or even future growth trajectory?"
   If that was truly the case, it meant every decision and encounter he made would directly influence the types and rewards of future quests.
   Ryota pondered this briefly, but quickly realized he had no concrete way to verify his theory right now.
   "No use overthinking things. I'll just take it one step at a time."
   Lefiya, noticing his distracted expression, tilted her head slightly and quietly asked:
   "Ryota, is something wrong?"
   "No, nothing. Just got lost in thought for a moment."
   Lefiya blinked, still somewhat puzzled, but didn't press further.
   Soon enough, the two arrived at Babel Tower.
   Descending slowly along the ancient stone staircase, Ryota and Lefiya stopped at the entrance to the Dungeon's first floor.
   The bustling noise from the surface seemed completely isolated here; this was the true entrance to the Dungeon.
   Lefiya's elf ears trembled slightly, and she softly spoke up:
   "Um... Ryota, shouldn't we first establish some basic tactical arrangements?"
   "Like who will take the lead, who's in charge of scouting, our retreat routes in case we encounter groups of monsters, or even contingency plans for Irregular situations..."
   "Even if it's just the upper floors, caution is never misplaced."
   Despite being a Level 3 adventurer, even if this was merely the shallow floors, Lefiya knew very well that any carelessness in the Dungeon could cost lives.
   And the young man beside her was still officially listed at the Guild as a rookie Level 1 adventurer who had registered less than two days ago.
   In the face of the Dungeon's unknown dangers, being cautious was never excessive.
  
   Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Magic Chanting!
   "Don't worry, it'll be fine."
   Ryota waved his hand casually with a reassuring smile.
   "No need to be so nervous-just leave everything to me."
   Despite his confident words, Ryota secretly couldn't help but acknowledge Lefiya's experience. She was indeed an elf mage who had participated in multiple expeditions with Loki Familia.
   Experience was something that couldn't be replaced merely by talent or raw power. Things like formation, vigilance, and scouting-seemingly trivial details-were aspects he'd never considered before.
   It seemed he was still too accustomed to solo battles.
   Hearing Ryota's easygoing reassurance, Lefiya paused briefly. She was about to persuade him again, but quickly remembered Ryota's absurdly rapid growth rate.
   In less than a day, he'd transformed from a complete rookie into a monstrous newcomer quietly discussed throughout Loki Familia.
   Lefiya opened her mouth, but in the end, she only followed behind him, half-believing, half-doubtful.
   Though her heart still fluttered anxiously, she instinctively chose to trust Ryota.
   The two entered the Dungeon, one after the other.
   Lefiya felt slightly dizzy.
   She wasn't exactly sure how they'd gotten here. All she remembered was that whenever a monster appeared, Ryota vanished like a shadow from her side.
   In the next instant, those monsters either exploded from a single punch or shattered beneath one swift kick.
   The entire process was so fast she didn't even have the chance to begin chanting her magic.
   As a Level 3 adventurer, Lefiya felt an absurd sense that she was merely strolling around while clinging to the thigh of a Level 1 rookie.
   And what astonished her most was that Ryota hadn't even seriously exerted himself from start to finish.
   Even when facing dangerous monsters like War Shadows-infamous as "Rookie Killers"-he dispatched them with casual punches, as if this perilous Dungeon, filled with deadly dangers, was nothing more than a slightly oversized bedroom to him.
   Just as Lefiya was still lost in her thoughts, Ryota's voice suddenly rang in her ears:
   The elf girl snapped back to reality, quickly raising her head to look ahead.
   From the shadows not far away, a massive red ant slowly crawled out, a pungent, nauseating scent of blood filling the air.
   Lefiya shook her head to clear it, immediately refocusing her thoughts and adopting a serious expression.
   Killer Ant. She was intimately familiar with this monster.
   With its extremely tough carapace and formidable attacking power, it could even emit a cry to summon nearby companions, quickly swarming adventurers.
   Among upper-floor monsters, it was considered especially dangerous.
   Just as she prepared to chant her magic, Ryota stopped her with a relaxed smile:
   As his words fell, the crimson three-tomoe Sharingan in Ryota's eyes spun rapidly.
   In the next instant, a piercing mental impact shot straight into the Killer Ant!
   The monster, normally vicious and aggressive, suddenly froze in place-as if held firmly by an invisible hand.
   With a dull sound, the Killer Ant collapsed limply to the ground, completely robbed of strength.
   Ryota withdrew his gaze, speaking softly:
   Although she had no idea how Ryota had accomplished this strange feat, Lefiya nodded instinctively, trusting his confident tone.
   She steadied her breathing, magic energy gathering gently in her hands.
   Then, the elf girl's clear and gentle voice echoed softly through the silence of the 7th Floor:
   "[Unleashed beam of light, bow of holy wood-I am the famed archer of the bow.]"
   "[Take aim! Fairy Archer.]"
   "[Pierce through, arrow of certain strike!!]"
   Even though her heart was pounding rapidly, even though she faced a monster that usually required multiple adventurers to defeat-
   With Ryota by her side providing a sense of absolute safety, Lefiya was able for the first time to complete her chant without distraction in real combat.
   A sharp, dazzling golden beam shot forth from Lefiya's fingertips, slicing through the air in a perfectly straight trajectory to strike the immobilized Killer Ant.
   The piercing light instantly penetrated the monster's skull!
   The giant ant's body convulsed violently as its life force rapidly drained away. Within seconds, it lay completely still, dissolving into black ash and vanishing without a trace.
   Ryota applauded cheerfully, smiling warmly at Lefiya:
   "But does magic always require such lengthy chanting every time?"
   The elf girl paused briefly, considering her response before explaining:
   "Lady Riveria once said that the longer and more complex the chant, the more powerful the magic becomes."
   "But there are exceptions."
   "For instance, short-chant magic uses extremely brief chants to cast quickly, ideal for continuous combat."
   "And then there's swift-cast magic, spells you can cast without chanting at all-but those usually require special innate talent."
   After explaining, she tilted her head curiously at Ryota:
   "Ryota, don't you need to chant?"
   Hmm... she didn't understand at all.
   Lefiya scratched her head in confusion, about to ask more when Ryota continued with an amused grin:
   Lefiya nodded obediently.
   "Um, could we try a bit more this time?"
   Lefiya lifted her head proudly, straightening her posture confidently. After her successful chant just now, she felt incredibly powerful!
   "That's good, because coming up next..."
   Ryota narrowed his eyes, gazing toward the shadows as numerous silhouettes began emerging:
   "-There might be quite a few more~"
  
   Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Exhausted Elf Girl
   Lefiya stared blankly, confusion written all over her face.
   Clearly, she hadn't fully grasped what Ryota meant by that casual remark:
   "There might be quite a few...?"
   A fresh set of question marks popped up above the elf girl's head.
   Just at that moment, from the darkness ahead, a faint rustling sound suddenly echoed!
   Immediately afterward, a black shadow leaped out aggressively.
   Lefiya instinctively grew alert, quickly preparing to cast her magic.
   But before she could even begin chanting, Ryota's calm voice sounded beside her:
   "Sorry to interrupt you again."
   Lefiya paused, assuming Ryota was about to do what he'd done previously: immobilize the Killer Ant to let her safely chant and blast it away.
   Thus, the elf girl hastily-but earnestly-insisted:
   "N-no, it's fine! Really, this time... this time there's no need!"
   "I can handle it myself!"
   Ryota simply smiled, shaking his head:
   "No, I'm not helping you this time."
   "This guy is just useful for something else."
   As his words fell, the three-tomoe Sharingan in his eyes spun rapidly, instantly causing the approaching Killer Ant to collapse limply onto the ground.
   "This is exactly the same as before!"
   Seeing this familiar sight, Lefiya anxiously protested:
   "Ryota, you don't have to keep helping me like this, I can-"
   Before she could finish her sentence...
   Crack... crack-crack-crack!!
   The fallen Killer Ant suddenly convulsed violently on the ground!
   Its thick, tough carapace twisted grotesquely, limbs flailing wildly, its entire body writhing as if experiencing unimaginable torture. Its spasms grew increasingly violent!
   An unbearably shrill soundwave exploded outward!
   Visible ripples of sound spread from its body like an alarm bell echoing through the surroundings.
   A meaningful smile curved Ryota's lips.
   From all around them, more rustling sounds started emerging.
   One, two, three... countless dark silhouettes crawled forth from the shadows!
   Dozens of scarlet compound eyes surged toward them like a flood!
   Lefiya finally realized what was happening.
   She stared dumbfounded at the wave of Killer Ants rushing toward them, her expression shifting dramatically.
   Suddenly, she recalled Ryota's earlier casual remark, "There might be quite a few more~".
   "S-so that's what you meant!!"
   Her eyes widened, voice rising several octaves in panic.
   Ryota took a leisurely step back, smiling gently at Lefiya:
   "I'll leave this to you, okay?"
   He said it so casually, as if asking her to pick up a pebble off the ground.
   The elf girl nearly broke into tears, practically shouting back at him:
   "Just one ant already took everything I had!!"
   "How am I supposed to handle this many?!"
   Despite her frantic complaints, Lefiya bit her lip and stood straight, steeling herself.
   Magic energy gathered around her, vibrating softly.
   Ryota stood quietly to the side, watching calmly.
   He didn't help her or intervene.
   His gaze was tranquil and sharp, like a strict instructor silently observing his student step onto the battlefield.
   In Ryota's opinion, true growth never came from the sheltered protection of a greenhouse.
   Lefiya had to experience this overwhelming pressure firsthand, feel the suffocating intensity of a monster swarm bearing down on her.
   Only by forcing herself to chant and release magic under extreme pressure could she truly transform, becoming a warrior capable of standing tall on her own.
   Killer Ants typically appeared between the seventh and ninth floors.
   They had barely set foot on the seventh floor, meaning the eighth and ninth floors would only escalate this brutal, insect-filled siege!
   Yet Ryota seemed to have anticipated everything in advance. He showed no trace of panic, even looking completely at ease.
   Using his Genjutsu to control the battlefield, Ryota occasionally employed subtle mental interference techniques to "torment" an isolated Killer Ant. He deliberately made the monster suffer and cry out in distress, attracting even more ants to gather.
   And whenever large numbers of ants congregated, Lefiya stood at a safe distance, chanting her magic:
   Spell after spell rained down like meteor showers, blasting the entire cavern into fragmented rubble.
   Though she kept complaining "Too many!" and "I can't chant fast enough!", Lefiya gradually began feeling exhilarated with each successful bombardment.
   She quickly realized Ryota's tactics were flawless!
   Not only did he perfectly lure monsters, but he also meticulously calculated their routes, movements, and exact timing!
   Even more astonishingly, Ryota could somehow create identical copies of himself in a way she'd never seen before!
   These shadow clones didn't attack. Instead, they sprinted at high speed, silently stirring chaos among the monsters.
   Like silent decoys, they darted back and forth through the swarm, baiting wave after wave of Killer Ants into clustering tightly together.
   And when the monsters accumulated into the perfect explosive density, Ryota would simply glance her way from afar.
   No words were needed-just a slight nod-and Lefiya instantly understood, chanting, aiming, and unleashing her magic!
   Insect corpses flew everywhere; the stench of burned flesh filled the air.
   Again and again, these perfectly efficient group annihilations silently unfolded between the two, showcasing their remarkable teamwork.
   The eighth floor went like this.
   Soon, the two arrived at the tenth floor.
   This was the true objective of today's commission.
  
   Chapter 32: Chapter 32: An Irregularity Reappears!
   Just like the terrain on the eighth and ninth floors, the tenth floor was also a half-collapsed labyrinth of crumbling walls and ruins, the ground uneven and full of potholes.
   But unlike before, a thin, pale mist was quietly beginning to drift through the air.
   The mist wasn't especially thick, but it curled and roiled along the ground as if it had a will of its own, making the entire tenth floor feel even more gloomy and oppressive.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes, sharply picking up on this subtle change.
   Beside him, Lefiya seemed to recall something as well and murmured,
   "The handbook said... starting from the tenth floor, there can be white mist."
   Ryota hummed in agreement.
   According to the Adventurer's Handbook, it was clearly written that Level 1 adventurers should have at least a Basic Ability of B-rank or higher before exploring floors ten through twelve.
   It wasn't just because the number and strength of monsters here increased dramatically, but also because of irregular phenomena like this mist, treacherous terrain traps, and, most fatally, floor boss-level monsters.
   Without enough strength, charging in recklessly would only turn you into nutrients for the Dungeon!
   Ryota shook the bulging pack on his back, producing a crisp clattering sound.
   That pack was stuffed full of heavy magic stones.
   "The monster we're after this time-the orc-I wonder where it'll show up."
   "We might have to wander around this creepy place for a while."
   Lefiya nodded from the side, her delicate face full of exhaustion, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.
   Hours of intense fighting and repeated magic output had nearly pushed her to her limits.
   If she hadn't taken a recovery potion in advance, she probably would have collapsed back on the ninth floor.
   Even so, there was still a gleam of irrepressible curiosity and awe in her eyes.
   Ryota had been handling almost everything on their way here-pulling monsters, controlling the field, protecting, suppressing, all of it.
   Yet he showed not the slightest sign of fatigue!
   Lefiya couldn't help sighing in her heart:
   "This rookie... is an absolute monster..."
   But she still gritted her teeth and did her best to keep up with Ryota's pace.
   The mist rolled and tumbled, the temperature suddenly dropping.
   The two of them proceeded carefully, the only sounds their own footsteps and each other's.
   They had only gone a few steps when Ryota suddenly halted, narrowed his eyes, and stared into the billowing mist up ahead.
   Lefiya, puzzled, peeked forward, just about to ask when her pupils suddenly shrank!
   In that thick fog, one, two, three...
   Countless pairs of crimson eyes were silently opening!
   At a rough glance, there had to be forty or fifty of them!
   So densely packed, they practically filled the entire misty area ahead!
   Lefiya instinctively backed away several steps, clutching her staff tight.
   "There's way too many of them!"
   Ryota swept his gaze across those restless, blood-red eyes and frowned.
   He felt a powerful sense of wrongness.
   Lefiya's brows also furrowed as she tried to recall the relevant knowledge.
   A moment later, she seemed to remember something, her face paling as she cried out softly,
   Ryota's heart jolted, a spark flashing through his mind.
   An Irregularity?! On the tenth floor?
   For this many monsters to appear at once, clearly not just scattered spawns, but a massive, concentrated surge!
   There was only one piece of intel that matched-
   Also known as a Monster Tide!
   That meant the number of monsters on a floor had suddenly and abnormally exploded, with massive groups spawning all at once and attacking every living thing in the area!
   Once caught in it, even a moment's carelessness could get you torn to shreds!
   It was an absolute death trap!
   "I get it now-the Dungeon must have sensed you were in bad shape, Lefiya, and is trying to drive us into a corner."
   Lefiya nodded, picking up where Ryota left off,
   "Exactly. After all, the Dungeon is alive... Let's retreat for now, Ryota. My condition is pretty bad."
   Hearing this, Ryota didn't move. Instead, his face showed an expression completely opposite to Lefiya's.
   It wasn't nervousness, or fear-
   The corners of Ryota's lips curled upward, his eyes bursting with irrepressible light, like he'd just stumbled on some incredible opportunity!
   "This is a Monster Parade!"
   Ryota muttered under his breath, the grin on his lips growing wider and wider.
   "I ran into an Irregularity once before, and thought it was something you rarely came across..."
   "But to bump into another one today?"
   "Man, talk about good luck."
   Originally, Ryota had only planned to finish up a side quest on this run.
   But now, it looked like his odds of completing two at once had just gone way up!
   Lefiya, standing next to him, was full of question marks.
   "A normal person... after hearing 'Monster Parade'... shouldn't they be scared first?!"
   She twitched at the corners of her eyes, staring at Ryota's barely restrained grin, seriously suspecting this guy had left his brain behind on the upper floors.
   "That excited face of yours... what the heck is wrong with you?! This is an Irregularity! The kind where we could die any second!!"
   Even though she was complaining, Lefiya still resolutely stepped forward, planting herself at Ryota's side.
   She steadied her breathing and said,
   "Ryota, hold them off for me for a bit!"
   Even knowing how dangerous this was, even though her body was already exhausted to its limits, she refused to just dump everything on her partner at a time like this.
   "No need to push yourself."
   "You're already in bad shape."
   "Forcing out another chant would only be more dangerous."
   He turned his head slightly, the three tomoe of his Sharingan spinning wildly.
   "You still haven't seen my magic yet, have you?"
  
   Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Ninjutsu, Ninjutsu, and More Ninjutsu!
   Lefiya froze for a moment.
   That's right! Now that she thought about it carefully, ever since they'd entered the Dungeon - from slaughtering War Shadows, to sweeping through hordes of monsters - even that strange "control" over Killer Ants - she had never heard Ryota chant a spell, let alone sensed any hint of magic from him.
   The boy before her was like a razor-sharp dagger, darting through swarms of monsters, constantly creating the perfect opportunities for himself.
   In Lefiya's eyes, Ryota seemed to rely far more on unimaginable physical prowess and explosive strength to rampage through the Dungeon.
   But now, standing by her side, those scarlet three-tomoe eyes of his were spinning with a near-maniacal pattern, radiating an indescribable pressure:
   Only now did the elven girl realize that everything she'd seen of Ryota up to this point... was merely the tip of the iceberg.
   She nodded, but still looked up at him and spoke gently,
   "But, Ryota, if things really get out of hand-"
   "We have to retreat right away, we absolutely cannot push our luck!"
   A hint of sorrow flashed across her delicate face.
   "If anything happened to you... Lady Loki would probably... probably beat me into the sky!"
   Hearing that, Ryota couldn't help but laugh out loud.
   "Something happening to me? How could that happen?"
   Before Lefiya could even try to stop him, the moment those words fell, his figure vanished with a sharp whoosh.
   Lefiya jumped in shock, stamping her foot anxiously where she stood. She gripped her staff tight and decided she had to do something.
   At the very least, I have to help somehow!
   She took a deep breath and had just started chanting the first verse of her spell when suddenly, from above, Ryota's clear voice rang out:
   "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
   Blazing flames tore through the white mist, a massive fireball streaking through the air like a meteor, crashing down on the monster horde ahead!
   But it didn't end there! Ryota, suspended in midair, paused for an instant, his hands moving so fast they blurred as he formed seals again.
   "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
   Another searing fireball roared downward, swallowing up several monsters that had tried to flee the first inferno!
   "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
   A barrage of flame bullets rained down, explosions chaining together, the fiery light tearing through and scattering the mist on the tenth floor completely.
   Ninjutsu. Ninjutsu. And more ninjutsu!
   In that instant, Lefiya standing behind him nearly forgot how to breathe.
   She watched wide-eyed as the terrifying Irregularity that would strike fear into any adventurer was smashed apart, burned, and dispersed in Ryota's hands as easily as if it were made of clay.
   A one-sided massacre by an absolute powerhouse!
   Time ticked by second after second.
   Lefiya had no idea how much time had passed.
   All she knew was that in front of her, there was nothing but a sea of fire.
   No - it would be more accurate to say that everything she could see was on fire!
   Ryota's fireballs and flame bullets rained down from above as if they were free, unending and relentless.
   Each jutsu he unleashed seemed to stamp a scorching brand upon the Dungeon floor, annihilating every last monster that dared swarm in!
   At one point, Lefiya even wondered if she'd wandered into some kind of out-of-control high-tier magic domain.
   That suffocating heat and crushing sense of pressure from the flames felt like they would burn the breath right out of her.
   At last, with one final Great Fireball, larger and hotter than any before, crashing down, the spot where the Monster Parade had broken out was transformed completely into a crimson hellscape.
   Only when the flames gradually died down, and the scorching air began to settle, did Ryota descend from high above, those scarlet three-tomoe still faintly spinning.
   Landing beside Lefiya, he patted the dust from his clothes and smiled,
   "Lefiya, any more monsters showing up?"
   Lefiya, who was only just recovering from her shock, stammered for a moment, sounding like she was still stuck in that blazing sea of fire.
   She blinked, then hurriedly looked off into the distance.
   What met her eyes was a Dungeon floor already riddled with countless craters, battered beyond recognition.
   Deep and shallow pits stretched everywhere, as if an endless barrage of meteors had slammed down.
   The air was still thick with the stench of charred flesh and the scorching bite of burnt rock.
   "Th-this... this is way too much..."
   With this level of destructive power, forget monsters - even ghosts wouldn't survive!
   Lefiya clutched her head in helplessness.
   She could already imagine that if they kept destroying things like this, it wouldn't be long before a Juggernaut - one of the Dungeon's auto-repair response monsters - would get triggered!
   At that point, she really would break down sobbing on the tenth floor!
   "Ryota... shouldn't we, shouldn't we maybe hold back a bit?"
   "If you keep fighting like this, the Dungeon's definitely going to strike back!"
   Ryota chuckled, not bothering to argue. He strode over to the first crater, starting to harvest the spoils of his rampage with practiced ease.
   He dug out magic stones buried in the scorched dirt, collecting several dozen high-quality ones along with various rare materials dropped from monster corpses.
   All of these could be sold for a hefty price!
   But just as he was about to check the second crater, Ryota suddenly froze, his smile stiffening.
   That was the place where he'd unleashed his strongest wave of Great Fireball and Phoenix Flower Jutsu.
   Now, the entire crater was empty.
   No magic stones, no materials, nothing - only the faint crackle of flames in his ears.
   Ryota fell silent for three seconds, staring at the charred soil, the corners of his mouth twitching twice.
   "Did I... blast all the magic stones to pieces...?"
   In the Dungeon, magic stones were the life core of every monster.
   When monsters died, their bodies would disperse, leaving behind magic stones and, if you were lucky, some materials.
   But some adventurers had been known to strike too hard, accidentally destroying the magic stones as well.
   Clearly, Ryota had just done exactly that.
   He rubbed his chin, and for the first time, a new thought crossed his mind:
   "Maybe... I really should buy a proper weapon?"
   With a sigh, Ryota went on gathering what he could, but several other craters had ended up the same way.
   His income took a huge hit!
   When he finally made his way back to the elf girl's side, he was ready to move on deeper -
   -but Lefiya had completely had enough of his "reckless rampages."
   At her insistent protest, the two of them found a relatively safe clearing and decided to rest for a bit.
   Lefiya stood in front of Ryota, hands on her hips, her pretty little face full of righteous anger:
   "Ryota, from now on, you can't be so reckless anymore!"
   "You, you... even if you want to finish the commission, you have to know when to stop!"
   As soon as those words left her mouth, Lefiya looked like all her strength had suddenly drained away, her body going limp as she pitched forward straight into Ryota's arms.
  
   Chapter 34: Chapter 34: A New Fire Style, the Attack of the Shadow
   Ryota's face changed dramatically. He rushed forward and caught her just in time.
   Feeling the elf girl's weak and rapid breathing, he frowned and quickly checked over Lefiya's condition.
   In moments, he made a judgment.
   "Good, it's just Mind Down."
   Mind Down-when an adventurer's Magic is overused and their mental energy completely drained, leading to confusion or even unconsciousness.
   Come to think of it, Lefiya had been tense and on high alert this entire time. Not only did she have to constantly prepare her chants, she'd had to keep her focus sharp, blasting away the monsters Ryota had piled up for her.
   After so many shocks and in that high-strung state, her mental reserves had finally burned out, and she'd collapsed.
   "If I'd known, I would've made you rest up somewhere safe."
   Ryota sighed, then gently set Lefiya down on a clear spot nearby, even moving over a stone for her to lean against and rest.
   Sitting beside her, Ryota let his gaze drift beyond the heavy mist ahead.
   That was the deeper part of the tenth floor. His expression was unusually calm, as if waiting for something.
   [Ding! Side Quest: Resolve an Irregular-Completed!]
   [Reward One: B-Rank Jutsu-Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu-Unlocked!]
   [Reward Two: Chakra Capacity +2500!]
   That familiar mechanical voice rang in his ears, and a gleam flashed through Ryota's eyes.
   He'd already prepared himself for the Chakra increase.
   But the real prize was the other reward.
   A B-rank Ninjutsu-Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu.
   Compared to Phoenix Flower or Great Fireball, this was a truly mid-tier area-killing technique.
   And it marked a critical step toward a more powerful fighting style.
   Ryota turned to glance at Lefiya, who was sleeping soundly beside him, her delicate face still carrying traces of tension and exhaustion.
   "Forget it, let's head back."
   Rest now, so he could explode with even greater power later.
   "There was no time limit on the commission anyway."
   "And besides, Orcs appear between the tenth and twelfth floors."
   "When she recovers, we can go again."
   Lain's commission was a designated commission, sure, but there was no requirement to finish it today.
   After all, the reason they'd offered a twenty-thousand valis reward wasn't because of urgency, but because they trusted Ryota's strength-he knew that perfectly well.
   "A lot of things in this world only care about results. The process... that's up to me to decide."
   Lefiya's consciousness slowly returned from her fainting spell.
   The first thing she noticed was a gentle, rhythmic swaying, like she was being carried on someone's broad back, rocking lightly with every step.
   Warmth surrounded her body, and her nose was filled with a scent she couldn't quite describe-clean, gentle, and oddly familiar.
   Her cheeks suddenly grew warm, and she forced her eyes open with effort.
   What came into view first was that familiar fringe of black hair.
   Then, as if she'd realized something all of a sudden, Lefiya's face went bright red.
   "Ahhhhh! What is going on?!"
   "Why is Ryota carrying me on his back?!"
   Her shrill scream made Ryota's eardrums ache. He turned his head and said calmly,
   "You're awake? How are you feeling?"
   "You were out cold for quite a while. If I didn't carry you out, what was I supposed to do-leave you on the tenth floor to feed the monsters?"
   As he spoke, he set Lefiya down and let her rest against a stone by the wall.
   The moment the elf girl's feet touched the ground, her whole face seemed to go up in steam, cheeks so red they were about to catch fire.
   She pressed her lips together, then looked around as if realizing something.
   "The path we took to get here," Ryota explained, giving his backpack a pat.
   "A bit further on, and we'll be heading up."
   "Wait-are you saying we're leaving the tenth floor?"
   "Then-what about the commission? We still need to find the Orc Hide!"
   "There's no rush. There was no time deadline on the commission."
   "And besides, you passed out. If I dragged you deeper after that, that would be the real problem."
   "More importantly, today's goal has already been met."
   Lefiya froze for a second, then nodded faintly in understanding.
   She knew that the "goal" Ryota meant wasn't magic stones or monster drops-it was her own growth.
   This newcomer really was looking out for her.
   "No need to be so formal with family," Ryota said with a grin, waving a hand. Then he patted his backpack again.
   "We did pretty well this time, too. How about we split it fifty-fifty?"
   Lefiya shook her head softly at that.
   "You were the one who brought me down here, Ryota. And... I grew a lot from this too."
   "To ask for a share of the valis would really be too much."
   Ryota just shrugged when he saw she was serious.
   "Fine, guess I scored a lucky payday."
   "But dinner's on me tonight-I promised you a feast, remember!"
   The elf girl's long ears twitched, her eyes lighting up instantly as she nodded.
   Just as the two of them were about to move forward again, a sudden pounding sound echoed from behind them.
   A dark shadow came rushing straight toward Ryota's back!
  
   Chapter 35: Chapter 35: The Blessing of the Goddess of Fortune!
   In a flash, Ryota spun around.
   He crossed his arms in an X and braced himself against the incoming shadow head-on.
   A dull impact rang out, and the ferocious shadow was actually forced back several meters, staggering before it came to a stop.
   Ryota shook out his wrists, narrowing his eyes to look at the monster that had been knocked away.
   It was a creature with the giant head of a boar, its skin pitch-black, with massive tusks protruding from the corners of its mouth.
   Standing nearly three meters tall, it wore a tattered pelt wrapped around its waist like a skirt, revealing thick, powerful legs.
   Lefiya hurried over, glancing worriedly at Ryota's arms.
   "I'm fine. This guy actually knows how to ambush-looks like it has some brains."
   "Yes," Lefiya replied, picking up the thread of conversation,
   "Orcs are extremely strong. There are records of even Level 2 adventurers getting knocked out instantly if they take a direct hit. And they have a very strong attack drive-ambushes are their specialty."
   As she spoke, her eyes couldn't help but settle on Ryota's arms.
   Those well-defined arms didn't show the slightest sign of swelling or bruising, not even a scratch.
   It was as if what had blocked the Orc's charge a moment ago wasn't a human, but some kind of weapon forged from steel.
   Who's the real monster here, anyway...
   Lefiya shook her head to clear the thought, then took up her familiar starting stance.
   "Ryota, I'll chant-let's finish this thing!"
   In her mind, Ryota had just used a ton of powerful "magic" spells in a row, and even escorted her through a swarm of monsters-his Mind had to be almost depleted by now.
   Besides, she'd recovered for a while already, so casting another spell wouldn't be too much.
   Now was the time for her to step up.
   But in the next instant, Ryota smiled and said,
   At the same time, the three tomoe spun once again in his eyes.
   "Perfect chance to test out my new move."
   Lefiya froze in place, like something had slammed into her head, her mind buzzing.
   Wait-those massive fireballs and flame bombs that could scorch an entire battlefield just now... weren't his trump card?
   She swallowed hard without realizing it, her gaze drawn unconsciously to Ryota's face.
   That familiar face, at this moment, felt impossibly far away.
   Just how many things is he hiding...?
   Lefiya finally understood why Loki would pay so much attention to this boy who'd only joined the Familia three days ago.
   It wasn't favoritism-he was worth it.
   Even if he'd gone to any other Familia, they'd treat him like their future ace...
   By now, Ryota had already raised his hand, Chakra surging wildly through his body.
   "Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
   With a low shout, crimson flames burst from his mouth, instantly condensing into a roaring fire dragon that lunged forward.
   The dragon-shaped flame pierced straight through the Orc's chest in a blink.
   There was no explosion, no shockwave, no tearing impact.
   In the span of a single breath, the massive boar-headed monster froze in place.
   As the fire dragon burst apart in midair, the Orc's body slowly pitched forward, then slammed to the ground with a heavy thud.
   A gaping, charred hole had been burned right through its chest, smoke still curling out of it. Its life force rapidly faded away until it was nothing but black ash.
   The entire process was blindingly fast.
   Lefiya took quite a while before she could lower her hands.
   That hadn't looked like a fight. It looked more like... an execution.
   This so-called "Fierce Dragon Flame" was in a completely different dimension than any "magic" she had ever seen.
   Even the battle magic she'd witnessed during expeditions had never hit her with such an overwhelming visual impact.
   This guy... there's no way he's really Level 1...
   She glanced at Ryota in disbelief, only to see him casually dust off his hands and walk forward to pick up the dropped Orc Hide and Magic Stone, tossing them into his backpack.
   "Got the goods-let's head out."
   "Today's luck is really not bad."
   Lefiya could only nod like a wind-up doll, her eyes still lingering in the direction where the Orc had fallen, her mind replaying the image of that snapping, clawing fire dragon.
   Her thoughts were already spinning, trying to figure out how she would explain all of this to Ais, Lady Loki, and Lady Riveria once they got back to the Familia.
   He's clearly Level 1, but can crush an entire monster swarm, toss out "magic" without even chanting, and even block an Orc's charge with his bare hands...
   The more she thought about it, the more her scalp tingled, the more she felt like she had just witnessed a complete breakdown of everything she thought she knew.
   Suddenly, as if waking up from a daze, she looked up at Ryota, unable to hide her curiosity.
   "How come your magic... doesn't need a chant?"
   Wait, hadn't she asked this before?
   Ryota paused, about to answer, but then choked a bit.
   For a moment, he genuinely didn't know how to explain "Chakra" to Lefiya, let alone "hand signs" and the way ninjutsu was cast.
   How was he supposed to get a girl from the DanMachi world to understand the logic of Naruto's world? That was harder than breathing fire dragons in front of her.
   While he was still struggling for words, Lefiya suddenly clapped her hands with a loud smack.
   Her face lit up with a look of revelation, and she began talking herself through it like an excited child.
   "You must be using some kind of special rapid-cast magic, right?!"
   "That's amazing, Ryota! So you really have that unique kind of aptitude!"
   Ryota followed along smoothly,
   "Mm... sure, if that's what you think."
   Lefiya looked at him like he was some legendary hero, her eyes sparkling with so much admiration it was practically pouring out of her.
   Seeing her so happy, Ryota silently swallowed down the explanation he'd been about to give.
   As long as she was happy, that was enough.
  
   Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Commission Complete, Time to Buy a Weapon!
   Before long, the two of them retraced their familiar route back from the tenth floor and started heading for the surface.
   When the starlight of the first floor filtered down through Babel Tower, Lefiya's face had regained some color, and her Mind had clearly recovered quite a bit.
   The elf girl was practically bursting with energy, as if on a sugar high, chattering non-stop while they walked.
   "Ryota, do you control your 'magic' with your thoughts?"
   "And what about controlling its range-do you judge that visually?"
   The corners of Ryota's mouth twitched. This magic-obsessed airhead sure has a lot of questions.
   The problem was, he really didn't know how to answer them!
   Still, Ryota didn't seem annoyed, and did his best to condense all the experience he'd built up through countless battles in the Trial Space into simpler, easier-to-understand language for her.
   "Controlling magic and its range... it's not so much about willpower or just aiming with your eyes, as it is about understanding and familiarity."
   Lefiya tilted her head, her face a mask of confusion.
   "It's like your Elf Ring. You can use elven magic with it, but only because you fully understand the effects and chant of the target spell, right? You have to be really familiar with it."
   The elf girl nodded, agreeing without hesitation.
   She didn't even realize how Ryota knew about her magic.
   Truly a magic-obsessed airhead...
   "So that's the point. It's not about thinking really hard, or just eyeballing distance, but how deeply you understand the magic itself."
   "Like the old saying goes: practice makes perfect."
   "Oh, come on! So what you're really saying is I just need to practice more!"
   Lefiya hugged her staff with a sigh.
   "Not everyone is a freakish genius like you, Ryota!"
   Ryota just shrugged with a wry grin, saying nothing.
   Yep. 'Innate talent' is still the simplest and most convenient excuse.
   They climbed the spiral staircase and returned from the first basement floor to the surface.
   Night had fallen. Starlight bathed the two of them, chasing away the chill and blood-scent of the Dungeon that clung to their bodies.
   At the magic stone exchange counter, Ryota shoved his heavy pack across the counter, and the magic stones clattered into the tray.
   The staff there quickly tallied everything up, and before long pushed a bulging pouch of valis back across.
   The clerk glanced up to confirm, and Ryota nodded, slinging the backpack back onto his shoulder as he turned to Lefiya.
   "Not bad, huh? We pulled in 100,000 valis today."
   "You sure you don't want to take half? That's fifty thousand, you know."
   Lefiya didn't even hesitate, waving her hand.
   "What I learned from you today is worth way more than that."
   Her tone was sincere, no exaggeration at all.
   That insight into magic and combat was priceless-no amount of money could replace it.
   Ryota didn't insist, and just teased,
   "Fine then. But if you ever go broke, remember you can come back and sign on as my 'apprentice.'"
   "Who's going broke, you idiot?!"
   "Haha, all right, all right. I need to swing by the Guild and turn in this commission first."
   "Then... I'll head back for now."
   After saying that, she gave a small bow to Ryota.
   "Thank you again for today, Ryota."
   "Hey, no need to thank me-we're from the same Familia, no need to be so polite."
   Lefiya straightened up, nodded gently, then turned to head toward Twilight Manor.
   Ryota watched the elf girl disappear into the bustling crowds, standing there until she vanished completely, before stretching his shoulders.
   "All right, time to hand this in."
   "Wait-crap, I forgot to treat her to that big dinner..."
   Inside the Adventurer's Guild.
   Misha stared at the submission slip on the counter, then at the entire roll of pristine Orc Hide stacked next to it. Her mouth practically twitched into a new dimension.
   She raised her head to look at Ryota, who was grinning back at her with that innocent look, and her eyes practically screamed, What is this?!
   "You... only accepted this commission this morning, didn't you?"
   Ryota nodded as if that were the most normal thing in the world.
   "Pretty efficient, right?"
   Misha took a deep breath, forcing herself to keep up her professional receptionist smile.
   "Mr. Ryota, do you know what the average completion cycle is for a commission on floors 10 through 12?"
   Misha nearly gnashed her teeth.
   "These are monsters from floors 10 to 12! Even a seasoned party would need to scout, confirm, surround, hunt-back and forth at least a couple times, you... you..."
   Misha fell silent for a couple seconds, then stared at Ryota with an oddly dark glint in her eyes.
   "You're still Level 1, right?"
   "Of course. Though probably not for much longer."
   She suddenly realized that maybe, from a certain perspective, this smiling, harmless-looking rookie in front of her... was a monster.
   So she quietly tore up all those mental labels she'd given him before-one by one.
   Only one label remained, growing clearer and clearer: terrifying monster.
   "Congratulations, Mr. Ryota. The commission is officially complete."
   "You can pick up your reward at the payout counter. Oh, and-"
   As she handed him the commission slip, she added,
   "Since this was a designated commission, we'll be marking it on file. If another one like this comes up, you'll be given priority."
   "Of course. I mean, efficiency like yours is pretty rare."
   Ryota nodded lightly, then thanked her, and as if remembering something, looked back over the counter at Misha.
   "By the way, Miss Misha-if I wanted to buy a weapon in Orario, where's the best place to go?"
  
   Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Ryota's First Weapon
   Ever since coming to this world, Ryota had relied purely on taijutsu and Fire Style jutsu to bulldoze his way through the Dungeon.
   His various combo moves left the monsters with no chance to fight back.
   He'd always thought this method was efficient enough.
   Until today-looking at those scorched, smoking craters he'd blasted into the ground, craters where even the magic stones had been vaporized, Ryota felt like his heart was bleeding.
   Completing side quests was one thing, but making money was something he absolutely had to consider.
   Especially in a place like Orario, where "valis is truth," you needed money for everything.
   So after handing in the Orc Hide and confirming the commission was complete, Ryota made a swift decision:
   He needed to buy a weapon.
   Even if it wouldn't be his main attack method, and even though he could still crush monsters barehanded, at least with a weapon he could control his damage output more precisely-and avoid blowing the monsters' magic stones and drop items to ashes.
   And so came that earlier conversation.
   When Ryota had asked, Misha replied,
   "If you're looking for somewhere adventurers go a lot, definitely the ninth floor of Babel Tower."
   "The weapon shops down there usually stock pieces made by apprentice smiths, so the prices are pretty reasonable."
   "Thanks, Miss Misha. I'll go take a look."
   "See you next time, Mr. Ryota."
   Misha responded on autopilot, then lowered her head to keep sorting her documents.
   It wasn't until Ryota's figure had completely vanished into the crowds that she froze, her quill stiff in her hand as she replayed the conversation in her mind.
   He... just asked me where to buy a weapon?
   "W-What?!! So he didn't even have a weapon before?!"
   Misha slumped against the back of her chair, seriously wondering if she ought to file for a transfer.
   He cleared the tenth floor, completed a designated commission, all barehanded... and didn't even have a weapon?!
   She felt like her entire worldview was being turned upside down again.
   "Well... maybe his old weapon broke and he needs to replace it."
   That was the only way she could comfort herself.
   After receiving the commission reward, Ryota didn't hear the familiar mechanical voice in his ear.
   Probably, he guessed, the system would only settle the reward after the Orc Hide reached Lain's hands.
   In a way, this system of his was surprisingly intelligent.
   Not in a hurry to leave the Guild, Ryota took the chance to look up information about Babel Tower, especially the details of its floor structure.
   Even though Misha had told him to go to the ninth floor, he figured it was best to have a mental map, just so he wouldn't end up blundering around like before.
   Before long, Ryota found the relevant information.
   He already knew the first floor of Babel Tower inside and out; every time he entered the Dungeon, he had to pass through there.
   According to the records, floors two and three were dedicated to medical facilities, bathing areas, and other functional services.
   Floors four through eight were occupied by branches of the Hephaestus Familia, specializing in weapons and armor, the absolute pinnacle of forging in all of Orario.
   Above that, from the ninth to the twentieth floor, was a rental zone filled with various shops, with the twentieth floor even hosting a high-end restaurant with a panoramic view of the city, a place where successful adventurers liked to splurge and unwind.
   As for floor twenty-one and above-that was another world entirely.
   Those were the private rooms of the gods, with floor thirty holding the hall for periodic divine conferences, and the top floor being Freya's exclusive residence.
   "So all of Hephaestus Familia's weapons shops are on floors four to eight, huh? No wonder Misha told me to try the ninth floor."
   The Hephaestus Familia's standing in Orario was on par with any battle-oriented Familia.
   Even top-tier adventurers had to line up to order a weapon from them.
   And the price, well... was naturally astronomical. With his current wallet, he was nowhere close to affording one.
   Better to take good advice and go check out the ninth floor first.
   Making his way back to Babel Tower, Ryota arrived on the ninth floor.
   Compared to the functional floors below, this area was clearly more lively and prosperous.
   Glancing around, he picked a weapons shop that looked decent and stepped inside.
   He didn't haggle, and didn't waste time browsing, either. He just slapped down fifteen thousand valis and bought a standard-issue sword the shopkeeper called a "Light Sword."
   Its scabbard was black, the hilt had a hint of gold trim, and the overall lines were simple and clean. Most importantly, it was easy to carry.
   He drew the blade, held it in his hand, and gave it a light flick-cold steel flashed in the air.
   "Calling it a 'Light Sword' sounds lame. Let's just name you 'Kusanagi' instead..."
   Ryota stared at the weapon in his hand, and for some reason, the image of that spiky-haired kid who kept shouting "Brother!" popped into his mind.
   That cold, aloof face-Uchiha Sasuke.
   Ryota couldn't help but chuckle and murmured,
   "Come to think of it, I still haven't met Sasuke yet."
   Collecting his thoughts, he slid the sword back into its sheath, then wandered through a few more nearby shops for a bit.
   He glanced over some displayed armor and other gear, but quickly lost interest.
   Those things might be a lifesaver for other people, but for Ryota, at most... they were just decoration.
   He'd originally planned to dive back into the Dungeon to test out his new "Kusanagi" in live combat.
   But thinking about everything he'd done today-completing a commission, resolving an Irregular, unlocking a new Fire Style technique, and even getting his Chakra flowing more smoothly-
   Ryota was genuinely curious whether his Status had broken through to a new level.
   Yeah, better go back for now.
   Patting the Kusanagi at his waist, he left Babel Tower and started walking toward Twilight Manor.
  
   Chapter 38: Chapter 38: This Whole Audience Thing Feels Kinda Awkward!
   Night had grown deep by the time Ryota reached the familiar doorway of Twilight Manor. As he stepped forward, the familiar mechanical voice finally chimed in his ear:
   [Ding! Side Quest - First Adventurer's Commission - Complete!]
   [Reward 1: Jutsu " Teleportation Jutsu " Unlocked!]
   [Reward 2: Chakra Capacity +2500!]
   "Tch, the Adventurer's Guild is fast, I'll give them that."
   Looking up at the massive mansion, Ryota was about to step inside when a loud, piercing yell rang out from within:
   "Damn wolf, can you shut up already?! You're interrupting our captain's storytime! You want me to slice off your head?!"
   That voice-clearly Tione, the older of the Hiryute Sisters.
   Ryota froze mid-step, the corner of his eye twitching.
   He hadn't even seen anyone yet, but his eardrums were practically under siege.
   He stepped into the courtyard, and immediately spotted the ever-reliable... no, the workhorse of the Loki Familia, Raul, sweating bullets over something.
   When Raul noticed him, he broke into a smile and waved.
   "Yeah, thanks for holding down the fort, Senior Raul."
   Ryota replied politely, then started toward the main hall.
   But as soon as he stepped into the familiar hall, he froze for a moment.
   The atmosphere felt strangely unusual.
   At a glance, nearly all the core members-rarely gathered in one place-were here:
   Loki, sprawled lazily on the couch; Finn, standing nearby, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn't; Riveria, the beautiful ice queen, calmly observing;
   Gareth, Bete, and of course the Hiryute Sisters.
   Even Ais, who usually kept to herself, was sitting quietly on a stool looking uncharacteristically docile.
   However, everyone's eyes were fixated on the center of the hall.
   Standing there was the elf girl who'd only just parted ways with him today, Lefiya.
   At the moment she seemed to be seriously recounting something to the group.
   But the instant Ryota appeared in the doorway, everyone's gazes snapped toward him at once.
   The hall, which had been filled with chatter a moment ago, fell into an almost eerie silence.
   "Uh, hi everyone. I'm back."
   The moment he spoke, the entire hall erupted.
   "Whaaa! Ryota, did you really wipe out all those monsters in the irregular monster tide solo?!"
   "Tch, I'm telling you, Lefiya must be exaggerating!"
   (That voice was obviously Bete's.)
   Everyone was talking over each other, making Ryota's head spin.
   Just as he was about to explain, the Hiryute Sisters, Tione and Tiona, suddenly zipped up to him like lightning.
   One on each side, they locked onto his arms with gleaming eyes like they'd found a sacrifice.
   "Come on! Right this way!"
   Before Ryota could react, they half-dragged, half-carried him right into the center of the group.
   Finn cleared his throat and spoke up.
   "Lefiya just gave us a general rundown of your performance in the Dungeon today."
   "We... have some questions about how fast you're growing."
   He paused, then glanced toward Loki with a smile.
   "So why not update your Status now, while we're all here to witness it?"
   Ryota looked around at the shining, eager eyes of the crowd, then at Loki herself, who was already rubbing her hands together with excitement. His smile started to stiffen.
   "You... wouldn't be refusing your captain's request, would you--?"
   As Tione spoke, a black "flame" seemed to flare behind her.
   The older Hiryute Sisters's face was so dark it looked like a volcano ready to erupt.
   Ryota instinctively shrank back. Man, girls with a crush are terrifying.
   "Aww, Ryota, think of it as giving us a little treat~ everyone's super curious!"
   Tiona chimed in with a carefree grin, clearly used to smoothing over her sister's outbursts.
   Ryota glanced around at the excited Loki, Finn and the others gathered behind her-
   Even Ais had somehow drifted closer, her beautiful eyes filled with... curiosity?
   Wow, so basically I have zero chance of refusing, huh.
   Ryota wasn't worried about revealing his Status.
   After all, these were all Loki Familia's core members-completely trustworthy.
   It was just the idea of being watched like a zoo animal that felt... weird.
   Screw it, I'd have to update it sooner or later anyway.
   Muttering under his breath, Ryota decisively took off his jacket and obediently lay down on the sofa, exposing his well-toned back.
   "Lady Loki, if you would."
   Loki stepped forward gleefully, nicking her fingertip with a blade. A droplet of blood fell with a soft splat.
   In the next instant, the divine writing of the Status began to shine across his back.
   The hall fell silent for a moment.
   Loki had been wearing a look of gleeful "mystery box" excitement, but when the lines of text fully emerged, even this goddess, who'd lived for untold millennia, froze as if she'd been turned to stone.
   In the world of DanMachi, a person's Status was recorded in sacred divine script that only gods could read completely-though some mortals, like Riveria, could understand bits and pieces.
   Standing next to Loki, Finn noticed her stunned expression and nudged her gently.
   The red-haired goddess jolted like she'd been zapped, nearly sending her quill flying.
   She hurriedly began copying down the densely packed, even more absurdly updated Status onto a prepared parchment, stroke by careful stroke.
   Ryota could clearly see her hand trembling as she wrote.
   Finally, with the last line done, she very carefully handed the parchment to Ryota, then stepped back with a flourish, grinning like she'd just unveiled a masterpiece.
   "Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on our Familia's very own monster's latest Status!"
  
   Chapter 39: Chapter 39: SS-Grade Status - Ais Wants a Spar?
   The moment Loki's words fell, everyone in the main hall surged forward at once.
   "Outta the way, outta the way, I'm looking first!"
   The Hiryute Sisters flanked Ryota on either side, poking their heads in.
   "You two idiots! You're bashing my skull in!"
   Bete rubbed his aching head, but still tried to crane his neck forward.
   Gareth clicked his tongue and squeezed one eye through a gap, while Finn hurriedly leaned closer as well.
   Even Riveria, usually so composed, couldn't help bending slightly forward, her graceful eyes fixed on the parchment.
   And the one closest to Ryota-Ais-was practically leaning over his shoulder, her nose almost brushing his ear. The sheer intensity of her gaze made Ryota stiffen instinctively.
   Okay, no wonder Lefiya was staring at him earlier like she'd overdosed on something.
   Sensing Ryota's awkwardness, the blonde girl merely glanced at him, then focused once more on the parchment without even pulling back.
   He could even catch a faint sweet scent from her, but soon enough, all his attention was consumed by the words laid out before him:
   " Strength: D517 ! SS1010
   " Endurance: D517 ! SS1010
   " Dexterity: D517 ! SS1010
   [Development Abilities]: None yet
   " Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu - [Details omitted]
   " Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu - [Details omitted]
   " Three Basic Jutsu - [Details omitted]
   " [New] Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu - Summons a "Flame Dragon" with powerful piercing and burning force, capable of hitting multiple targets in a straight line, with an area-of-effect explosive impact.
   " [New] Teleportation Jutsu - Extreme short-term body acceleration, using controlled leg strength to move at high speed, allowing the user to instantly close the distance with an enemy or retreat.
   [Note: Teleportation Jutsu is not true spatial teleportation, but a peak-speed technique.]
   " Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes - [Details omitted]
   All-Encompassing Divine Eye
   " Insight - [Details omitted]
   " Copy - [Details omitted]
   " Opening - [Details omitted]
   " Genjutsu - [Details omitted]
   The hall went dead silent.
   Everyone's eyes locked on that parchment, their faces looking less like they were reading a rookie Lv.1 status sheet and more like they'd just seen a divine judgment handed down from the heavens.
   That silence stretched on for a solid minute.
   "Th-this... SS or whatever, there's no way that's real!!"
   Lefiya, who had been secretly pouting over how close Ryota was to Ais earlier, had already flung that sour feeling straight out of her head.
   In her mind right now, only those two letters-SS-were echoing like a war drum.
   At her outburst, everyone else seemed to snap out of a genjutsu, staring at Ryota like they'd seen a ghost.
   If it had just been S-rank across the board, it wouldn't have been this shocking.
   After all, Freya Familia's "Juggernaut" Ottar had once set that bar.
   Full attributes at double S!
   That was a monstrous growth record never before heard of, so shocking even the Big Three momentarily lost their words.
   Finn was the first to recover.
   In the blink of an eye he moved to the hall's doorway, slammed the doors shut with a crisp bang, then turned around with a grave look.
   "From this moment on, no one is to speak of this outside these walls."
   "Ryota's status info is absolutely top secret. Not a single hint of it leaves this room."
   Everyone nodded, no arguments.
   It wasn't an order. It was a shared, ironclad understanding.
   They all knew that if the enemy learned about this kind of monster, the trouble it would bring would be unimaginable.
   "Aww, Finn, you're being too cautious. This is obviously a good thing!"
   Loki leaned back on the sofa, grinning at Ryota.
   "Ryota's growth this fast is incredible for the Loki Familia. I have a hunch you'll be an irreplaceable part of our next expedition."
   Ryota was about to say something modest, but Riveria cut in.
   "Ryota, how is your magic control progressing?"
   She fixed him with that aristocratic, elven stare.
   "I think from now on you should join Lefiya and me for lessons."
   Holy crap, that's what elven royalty intimidation feels like?
   No time to even think, huh.
   Still, being trained by Orario's strongest mage? Only benefits there.
   "Of course, it would be my honor, Lady Riveria."
   As soon as he finished, Loki picked up the parchment. A faint blue light shimmered around it before it crumbled away like a feather, scattering as tiny starlike motes in the air.
   At the same time, the tense, frozen silence finally began to ease.
   Everyone had gathered for this moment, to witness just what kind of monster-class rookie Ryota really was.
   Now that truth was laid bare, whether they felt shocked or awed, they had no choice but to bury the storm in their hearts.
   As Finn and Gareth headed up to the second floor, the rest of the group also began to disperse.
   Soon, only Ryota, Ais, and Loki-who was debating whether to pour herself a drink-remained in the hall.
   Just as Ryota was about to get up, a voice came from right in front of him:
   "Could you... spar with me?"
   Ryota blinked, raising his eyes to meet a pair of golden ones.
   Ais Wallenstein, who at some point had stepped directly in front of him.
   Her tone was calm, utterly devoid of excess emotion, but there was a subtle flame dancing in her eyes that made her intentions crystal clear.
  
   Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Then Let's Check Out Hephaestus's Place!
   Ryota looked into those golden eyes.
   Clear, focused, even carrying a hint of... unease.
   In that instant, he realized this genius girl, hailed as the Sword Princess, was nervously and carefully asking him for a response.
   Ais Wallenstein is worried I might say no?
   As soon as that thought surfaced, Ryota felt her steady gaze grow even more intense-like a silent child who didn't know how to speak, forcing her yearning into the other person's heart with her eyes alone.
   Just as the mood was starting to get a little awkward, a familiar voice cut in:
   "Heehee, you know, it's super rare for our little Ais to ask for a spar herself!"
   Loki had somehow snuck up beside them.
   "If you dare turn her down, I'll crack open your skull, got it?!"
   He'd heard rumors before about how ridiculously doting Loki was toward Ais.
   Judging by this reaction, those rumors were clearly the real deal.
   Not that Ryota had any intention of refusing anyway. He wasn't stupid enough to pass up a chance to spar with a level 5.
   Besides, he was almost certain that if he dared say no, Ais would probably camp outside his door all night with those puppy eyes.
   Right as he agreed, he saw Ais's eyes brighten ever so slightly, and she gave a small "Mm."
   Then her gaze drifted downward, landing on the Kusanagi Sword at his hip.
   Ryota instinctively wanted to say no.
   A real blade, even in a spar, was asking for trouble.
   But just as he opened his mouth, Ais tilted her head slightly and continued:
   "Could you... show me your sword? So I can choose a similar one."
   Ryota's mouth twitched as he looked down at the sword at his waist, suddenly feeling a bit reluctant to draw it.
   Was that really a question? Felt more like an order.
   "But let me say this up front-the sword's not exactly high-end."
   Ryota sighed, then unsheathed the Kusanagi Sword. A crisp clang rang out.
   But the instant the blade came completely free-
   The Kusanagi Sword broke cleanly in half, clattering to the floor in two pieces.
   They both stared at the broken sword. Ryota's face slowly turned blank, but deep down, his heart was bleeding.
   Fifteen thousand! That thing cost fifteen thousand valis!!
   "What the hell... it wasn't like this before?!"
   Loki leaned over, took one look at the sword now in two parts on the ground, and froze for a second before bursting out laughing.
   "Pfft-hahaha! Looks like you got ripped off, Ryota! But hey, that's pretty normal!"
   As soon as she finished, Loki spun on her heel and huffed her way upstairs, only to come back down moments later, arms full of weapons, gasping for breath.
   "Here we go, here we go! You two pick something from these-I remember these came over from Hephaestus's place!"
   She dumped the pile of swords onto the floor with a thunk.
   "They're not anything fancy, but the quality's decent enough!"
   "These are all standard training weapons from apprentice smiths at Hephaestus's workshop!"
   Ryota looked down and saw that among the heap, several swords looked exactly the same as the Kusanagi Sword that had just snapped, identical in appearance and proportions.
   As expected of Lady Loki...
   He was torn between laughing and crying.
   If he'd known he could get freebies here, that fifteen thousand felt like a total waste.
   Ais, meanwhile, calmly picked up a practice sword from the pile. She gave it a few swings, tested its balance and weight, then nodded slightly.
   Seeing that, Ryota crouched down too, grabbed a random sword from the pile, and gave it a few trial swings-
   It broke in half immediately.
   Ryota frowned and grabbed a second one.
   His expression went from calm, to frozen, to a sort of blank disbelief.
   By the time every single sword in front of him had "nobly sacrificed themselves," only the one in Ais's hand remained intact, standing alone in the stillness.
   Loki stared at the field of broken blades littering the floor, scratching her head.
   After a few seconds of awkward silence, she finally spoke up.
   "Yeah... I think I see the problem here."
   "Ryota, your status is double-S across the board. At that level-"
   "Ordinary, mass-produced blacksmith swords just... can't handle you."
   "Ais had the same issue back in the day. Normal rapiers couldn't take the stress of her sword skills- they'd shatter after a couple of swings."
   "In the end, she had to get one personally forged by Goibniu before she got her current blade, the Desperate."
   Ryota had heard of that sword before.
   Desperate- valued at a staggering ninety-nine million valis, with a rare "Unbreakable" trait.
   And more importantly, it was one of Ais's mainstay weapons during expeditions and battles, one of the few that could withstand the insane power of her techniques.
   Even so, that famous sword still needed to go back to Goibniu Familia every so often for deep maintenance and reforging.
   "So... I'm basically 'too broke to match my own strength'?"
   He stared at the graveyard of broken blades and felt a twinge of ridiculousness.
   "Since you're having the same problem Ais had- I'll write you a letter tomorrow. Go pay a visit to Hephaestus Familia, and order a blade that's made just for you."
   Ryota nodded and gave a polite thanks.
   "That would really help, Lady Loki."
   He did genuinely need a proper weapon.
   But the next moment, Ryota noticed that Ais, standing off to the side, wore a look of visible disappointment.
   Her head hung slightly, fingertips tracing the hilt of her sword, and in those golden eyes was an unmistakable sense of regret.
   Clearly- the spar she'd looked forward to was now impossible.
   "Once I get my own custom weapon, I'll come spar with you first thing."
   Ais blinked, then nodded obediently, giving a sincere "Mm."
   Her expression was practically like an honor-student getting praised by her teacher.
   Loki, watching this, suddenly had a face full of twitching stress lines.
   "Since when was my little Ais this obedient?!"
  
   Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Freya, Goddess of Beauty - The Wheel of Fate Begins to Turn
   As night deepened, starlight spilled across the sky, casting a hazy silver veil over all of Orario.
   At the very top floor of Babel Tower, the lights shone brightly, exuding a mysterious, divine grandeur that seemed wholly removed from the mortal world.
   This was the most luxurious dwelling in all of Orario.
   Before a giant arched floor-to-ceiling window stood a graceful silhouette.
   Every subtle movement of hers carried a suffocating allure, yet at the same time radiated a sacred, untouchable nobility unique to the gods.
   That face- peerless, devastatingly beautiful- was enough to make any living being fall to their knees.
   A black-and-gold form-fitting gown clung perfectly to every curve of her sculpted body, accentuating it like a work of art.
   The pale skin that occasionally showed through the seams of the dress was dreamlike, enough to hook a person's soul.
   It was a temptation that needed no words, making hearts pound simply at its presence.
   Freya, Goddess of Beauty.
   Among the gods, she was the incarnation of desire itself.
   Her eyes were fixed on the direction of the Twilight Manor, far across the city.
   Through the night, it was as if she could already see that faint spark of fire hidden in the human world below.
   "At last you've appeared..."
   "You've finally appeared..."
   Her voice was so soft it was almost a dreamlike murmur.
   Behind her, a red-haired youth, Lain Hait, knelt on the floor, his entire body trembling.
   As a member of the Freya Familia, it was rare for him to see this goddess-so lofty and high above-show an expression like this.
   Excitement, yearning, delight...
   It wasn't the look of someone coveting an object. It was the look of a predator who had spotted a rare and precious prey.
   His voice shook uncontrollably, with beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down his forehead like a waterfall.
   "You said... his name is Ryota, correct?"
   Freya slowly turned, smiling as she approached.
   She leaned down, a long, slender finger hooking under Lain's chin, her red lips parting as she whispered in a tone as intimate as a lover's breath:
   "Lain, could you... do me a little favor?"
   Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the entire room in a warm golden glow.
   Ryota sat up from bed, still savoring the relaxed feeling of waking naturally. He yawned and stretched lazily.
   As he casually reached for his clothes and put them on, his gaze happened to fall on the table nearby-
   There, lying quietly, was the empty scabbard.
   A dull ache rose in his chest again.
   That Kusanagi Sword had cost him fifteen thousand valis, only to snap in half within seconds of being drawn. Talk about a short-lived blade.
   He let out a wry chuckle and shook his head, then walked over to the window and opened it to let in some fresh air.
   According to what Loki had told him last night, he wouldn't need to explore the Dungeon today.
   Instead, he had to find Loki to get that handwritten letter, then make his way to the Hephaestus Familia to meet the goddess who oversaw Orario's greatest smithing guild-Hephaestus herself.
   "The wealthiest goddess in Orario..."
   "Why am I kinda looking forward to it?"
   Pushing open his door, Ryota stepped downstairs. The moment he looked up, he was drawn to a familiar figure not far away.
   Golden hair swayed faintly in the morning light, attached to a slender yet powerful figure that was meticulously swinging a wooden practice sword.
   It was said she had kept up this kind of training for seven or eight years without fail, no matter the weather.
   But today... she seemed to have started even earlier than usual.
   Sensing Ryota's gaze, Ais paused her sword swings and turned slightly to look at him.
   Then she sheathed the wooden sword at her waist and walked over.
   Stopping before him, Ais reached into her pouch and took out a letter pinned with a feather, bearing the unique seal of the Loki Familia. She handed it to Ryota.
   "Loki... asked me to pass this on."
   "She... didn't get up today."
   Ryota knew this must be the "recommendation letter" Loki had mentioned last night. Accepting it, he gave a polite thanks.
   He was just about to leave when he noticed Ais hadn't moved.
   Her gaze wavered a bit, as if she was hesitating, trying to find the right words.
   After a moment, Ais spoke softly.
   Ryota froze for a second. He understood that this awkward princess of few words- the Sword Princess -was clumsily trying to express her hopes.
   A shrill, glass-shattering scream suddenly pierced the morning calm behind them.
   Ryota reflexively covered his ears.
   Aside from Loki, who was still probably sleeping, there was only one other person in their Familia capable of producing such a shriek this early in the day.
   Sure enough, when he looked back-
   There at the main hall entrance stood the elf girl Lefiya, her face burning red like she'd just stumbled into a scandalous murder scene.
   "Lady Ais... Lady Ais actually... told Ryota to come back soon?!"
   "Uuuu... is this the legendary gentle morning farewell?!"
   "But why isn't the one getting that farewell me?!"
   Your yuri flag is showing way too obviously, Lefiya...
   Ignoring Lefiya, who had gone completely into meltdown mode, Ryota tucked the letter into his breast pocket and gave Ais a gentle nod.
   Mission accomplished, Ais turned and headed back to the courtyard center to resume her sword drills.
   Ryota watched Lefiya, still fuming and storming toward him, and decided to skip breakfast altogether, slipping out of the Twilight Manor as fast as he could.
   And the moment he stepped outside, a mechanical chime rang in his ear:
   [Ding! The Wheel of Fate begins to turn-]
   [Main Quest " Phase Two Activated]
  
   Chapter 42: Chapter 42: A Main Quest Appears!
   [Ding! The Wheel of Fate begins to turn-]
   [Main Quest: Phase Two Activated]
   [Quest Name: Pawn of Fate]
   [Quest Description: Your threads of destiny have begun to cross. You must make a choice: conceal yourself, or face them head-on.]
   [Completion Condition: Respond to contact from the Freya Familia, and successfully resolve or directly confront one Familia "conflict."]
   The mechanical voice in his ear came quickly, then faded just as fast.
   Ryota listened, utterly baffled.
   "Contact from the Freya Familia... hmm, I get that part."
   "Isn't Lain one of their members?"
   He rubbed his chin, thinking it over.
   "Maybe he'll show up again, trying to pull me into some mission... I guess that counts as contact?"
   "But the second half... what exactly does 'Familia conflict' mean?"
   In Ryota's understanding, a "Familia conflict" could only mean one of two things:
   One, a low-level skirmish-like escort jobs overlapping, fighting over resources, bickering about trade commissions, that kind of petty squabble.
   Or two... a full-blown War Game.
   "I only just joined the Loki Familia, haven't even memorized everyone's names yet, and now I might get dragged into a war between Familias?"
   "This storyline... is moving a bit too fast, don't you think?"
   Though he complained aloud, deep down Ryota knew the truth.
   If the system flagged this as a main quest, then this so-called "conflict" wouldn't just be a simple shouting match.
   "But... Freya, that crazy woman who can see people's souls, when exactly did she set her eyes on me?"
   He really didn't think there was anything that remarkable about himself, even as a transmigrator.
   "If the enemy comes, I'll block them; if water floods in, I'll dam it. That's all there is to it."
   Tossing those messy thoughts aside, Ryota picked up the pace toward his destination.
   Before long, he arrived at the home of the Hephaestus Familia.
   As one of the absolute top-tier smithing Familias in Orario-no, in the entire world of DanMachi-the Hephaestus Familia practically defined the phrase "elite weaponry."
   An entire stretch of Northeast Mainstreet was basically their territory.
   Here, smithies, material suppliers, alchemy facilities, and even warehouses managed by the Guild were packed together.
   Their headquarters, of course, was nestled at the very heart of the forging district.
   While crossing the main avenue through the industrial sector, Ryota casually asked a dwarf craftsman hauling supplies for directions, then headed for a red-brick building at the far east end.
   As soon as he approached, the mechanical chime sounded in his ear again:
   [Ding-Main Branch Quest Triggered!]
   [Master the Smithing Skill (0/1), Incomplete, Reward Unknown.]
   [Personally forge a weapon (0/1), Incomplete, Reward Unknown.]
   Ryota froze in his tracks, instantly noticing the catch.
   "Hold on... this isn't just some random side quest?"
   This one very clearly stated-[Main Branch Quest].
   "So that means... it's tightly tied to the main quest?"
   Ryota quickly sorted out the logic in his head.
   The main quest was [Respond to contact from the Freya Familia], but the key point was "conflict."
   And now this branch that basically forced him to learn smithing skills was quite obviously a preparation step for "combat power enhancement."
   This wasn't about learning to hammer iron for fun. It was paving the road for a showdown.
   "This system is determined to mold me into a one-man army, huh?"
   Though he grumbled, Ryota knew perfectly well:
   As long as it was tied to a main quest, the system's rewards... had never disappointed him before.
   Just as Ryota was pondering how to complete these new objectives, footsteps approached.
   A guard posted at the headquarters gate walked over and addressed him.
   "Hello, this is the headquarters of the Hephaestus Familia. Do you have business here?"
   Ryota snapped out of his thoughts and politely answered,
   "I'd like to see Lady Hephaestus."
   The moment those words left his mouth, the guard's expression clearly shifted to one of skepticism.
   After all, as the most prestigious and renowned smithing Familia in all of Orario, the Hephaestus Familia saw an endless stream of visitors every day-Adventurers, merchants, noble envoys, you name it.
   At their doorstep, the routine triple rejection happened so often it practically became part of the daily scenery.
   Meet Lady Hephaestus? Anyone who wanted that usually had to schedule six months in advance, submit paperwork, and pass three separate layers of screening before they might-just might-get a "please wait for notice" response.
   And now this kid, dressed casually and with a baby face, had the nerve to waltz up and just ask to see the goddess? He had to be lost.
   With that thought, the guard was about to break out his well-practiced "triple rejection" speech when Ryota calmly pulled a letter from his pouch.
   "Could you please deliver this? Tell her that Lady Loki sent me."
   The guard froze, eyes flicking to the feather and seal on the envelope.
   He swallowed hard, his professional aloofness slipping a little as he quickly asked,
   "Ryota, a new member of the Loki Familia."
   Watching the guard's changing expression, Ryota couldn't help thinking that having a Familia name in Orario was basically a universal passkey.
   "Understood. Mr. Ryota, please wait just a moment while I report in!"
   With that, the guard hurriedly disappeared inside.
   True to their reputation for efficiency, even a guard at the Hephaestus Familia moved fast.
   Ryota hadn't been waiting long before he saw a woman coming his way-short black hair, an eyepatch over her left eye, and an absolutely jaw-dropping figure that could only be described as... spectacular.
  
   Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The Blue Ribbon and the Red-Haired Goddess
   As a young woman with features reminiscent of the Far East, Tsubaki was in fact not a pure-blooded human, but a half-dwarf born of a human and a dwarf.
   Maybe because her human bloodline was stronger, there was hardly a trace of the typical dwarf features on her-no stocky limbs, instead she was long-limbed and well-proportioned.
   But what drew the eye most was, without question, her absolutely exaggerated curves.
   Even Ryota, who considered himself pretty well-traveled, couldn't help averting his gaze for a second-it was just too overwhelming.
   Tsubaki might have been a woman, but among the smithing maniacs of the Hephaestus Familia, she was not only an Adventurer at level 5, but also stood at the absolute peak of the Familia's forging craft.
   Dressed in a crimson short hakama with a distinctly Eastern style, Tsubaki stopped in front of Ryota.
   "So you're... Ryota, the new recruit from the Loki Familia?"
   "You look smaller than I imagined. Loki's been talking about you nonstop lately, saying stuff like 'found a treasure' and 'we're gonna strike it rich.'"
   As one of the most powerful Familia forces in all of Orario, the Loki Familia boasted countless Adventurers and overwhelming strength, and its need for weapons and equipment was easily the largest in the entire Dungeon City.
   Although Hephaestus herself was best friends with Hestia , she and Loki weren't on bad terms either-instead, they had that kind of bickering, teasing, but ultimately reliable "old rival" sort of bond.
   Besides, plenty of members of the Loki Familia had signed exclusive contracts with the smiths in the Hephaestus Familia.
   "Lady Loki was just joking. I'm just a normal rookie."
   "A rookie that Loki herself brags about doesn't come by often, you know~"
   Tsubaki placed a hand on her hip, which made her proud assets bounce noticeably. She then gave Ryota a thorough up-and-down once more.
   "Nice aura. No wonder Loki has her eye on you."
   Her expression beneath the eyepatch seemed to relax just a bit.
   "Come on in. Our Lady Hephaestus doesn't really like seeing people, but since Loki personally sent you, she actually agreed this time, which is a first."
   Ryota nodded and followed behind her.
   Walking into the Hephaestus Familia headquarters, everything he saw along the way matched the rumors of the strongest smithing Familia perfectly-if anything, it was even more impressive in person.
   The constant clang clang of metal striking metal never stopped ringing through the halls.
   Before long, the two of them stopped in front of a wooden door engraved with [H?].
   Tsubaki knocked lightly, unhurried, and called out:
   "Hephaestus, I brought the guest."
   A slightly low female voice came from inside, and only then did Tsubaki push the door open. Ryota stepped in after her.
   The room wasn't at all as flashy or luxurious as Ryota had pictured. Instead, it was simple, even spartan.
   Metal shelves lined the walls, neatly stacked with half-finished weapons and design blueprints, though the faint tang of rust in the air was a bit hard for Ryota to get used to.
   But in the next moment, a figure inside the room instantly drew all his attention.
   The Goddess of Smithing-Hephaestus.
   Just as he'd seen in the anime, she had that familiar mane of red hair, wore a plain men's white button-down shirt, and had a somewhat androgynous style that nonetheless carried a unique kind of beauty.
   And... the "deep canyon" visible from her neckline made Ryota steal a couple of extra glances.
   A strange thought suddenly popped into his mind:
   "Does the entire Hephaestus Familia... come standard with huge busts?"
   Unlike Tsubaki, who wore her eyepatch on her left eye, Hephaestus had hers on her right, leaving her uncovered left eye gleaming with a ruby-like glow as she fixed her gaze on Ryota's face.
   That look was like she was examining a rare, precious specimen.
   After a moment, this red-haired onee-san slowly spoke, giving her first assessment.
   Before Ryota could say anything, Hephaestus tapped lightly on Loki's handwritten letter sitting on her desk.
   "I read the letter. Loki says you need a weapon of your own?"
   "You know what it costs for me to make one, right?"
   As she spoke, the red-haired goddess shifted position, crossing one long leg over the other, resting her elbow on her knee, and leaning back in her chair, staring straight at Ryota.
   Just as Ryota was about to answer-
   Suddenly there was an urgent knock on the door, followed by a young, slightly shrill voice from outside:
   "Hephaestus! Hephaestus! Are you there? Are you there?!"
   Ryota raised an eyebrow. That voice sounded... kind of familiar.
   Hephaestus's mouth twitched, her face darkening with a few black lines of frustration.
   "Didn't I tell her to come at night?"
   Tsubaki, however, just laughed and stepped forward to open the door.
   "Coming, coming! Lady Hestia, please slow down, you're going to break the door!"
   Ryota turned to look, and what met his eyes was a petite "girl" with a trace of baby fat still on her cheeks, blinking her big blue eyes like a startled rabbit.
   Her long twin tails were tied up with blue-and-white ribbons into a shape resembling floppy dog ears, dangling all the way down to her waist.
   But the most impossible-to-ignore feature was that figure, wildly disproportionate to her small frame.
   And that trademark blue ribbon stretched diagonally from beneath her arms, lifting an almost gravity-defying, beautifully curved line.
   Hestia blinked her big sapphire eyes at Ryota, and suddenly, as if remembering something, her expression changed in an instant.
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   Chapter 44: Chapter 44: A Battlefield of Love? Ryota's Request
   Hearing those words, Ryota smiled and nodded gently.
   "Yes, Lady Hestia, I'm Ryota."
   But just as he was about to continue, the blue-ribbon goddess's expression suddenly changed.
   And then, in front of everyone, she collapsed to the ground with a thump, a look of visible sorrow spreading across her face.
   Hestia hugged her knees and mumbled in a low voice,
   "Damn that flat-chested witch, damn that flat-chested witch..."
   "Why is she able to recruit such a good Familia member... uuuu..."
   Ryota's head filled with question marks. What kind of drama was this supposed to be? He'd never even met Hestia before, had he?
   "Lady Hestia, what's going on...?"
   "You really don't remember me?! You really don't remember me?!"
   Hestia's big blue eyes looked up at him, brimming with accusation.
   "I saw you before on Northern Mainstreet! You-why did you walk so fast, then even went and joined that flat-chested witch's Familia?!"
   Ryota tried to think back but came up blank.
   "Northern Mainstreet? Um... Lady Hestia, I'm afraid I don't recall."
   "Uuuu... you actually forgot our first meeting!"
   Hestia's little face drooped.
   "That time when you were on your way to the Moon Pavilion, didn't you smell the scent of fried potato balls at all?"
   Ryota froze for a moment. What kind of logic was that supposed to be?!
   Back then, after he'd returned from the Dungeon for the first time, his mind had been filled with nothing but how to complete the main quest-who had time to sniff out whether there were fried potato balls in the air or not?!
   "Ah... I see, you mean you were near the Moon Pavilion that day too, Lady Hestia?"
   "That's right! That time!"
   Hestia nodded repeatedly,
   "I could tell at a glance you were a top-tier genius, I was going to approach you, but... but the fried potato balls were just too delicious..."
   "If only I'd eaten a little less, uuuu... if you'd joined my Hestia Familia sooner, I could've trampled that flat-chested witch under my feet long ago!"
   "Now it's too late, everything's too late... uuuu..."
   Watching this blue-ribbon goddess drown in her own heartbreak, Ryota was half amused and half helpless, completely at a loss for how to comfort her.
   If he actually told her that he'd already crossed out the Hestia Familia in his mind from the start, would this little loli goddess faint on the spot?
   Hestia suddenly jumped to her feet and strode right up to Ryota.
   Her petite frame tilted her head back to look at him, her cheeks tinged pink with excitement.
   Ryota instinctively stepped back half a step, but then forced himself to stop.
   Close enough that he could catch the faint, pleasant fragrance coming off her body.
   While Ryota was momentarily distracted, Hestia abruptly raised her hand and, with an overly serious expression, declared,
   "Ryota, quit the Loki Familia! Come join my Hestia Familia! I'll update your Status every day, feed you fried potato balls, room and board included!"
   For a second, the entire room went completely still.
   Hephaestus, who had been quietly sitting behind them, froze, a throbbing vein pulsing on her forehead.
   She took a few deep breaths, and with the look of someone who'd seen this countless times before, sighed tiredly,
   Standing nearby, Tsubaki couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing with a pfft:
   "Oh my, Lady Hestia, you're trying to poach someone already?"
   Ryota was just about to open his mouth to politely decline, running calculations on how best to reject her without crushing her feelings.
   After all, this goddess was so honest and straightforward it left him completely unprepared.
   Who the heck tries to make someone leave their Familia the very first time they meet them?!
   Just as he was about to speak, a familiar voice sounded from the doorway.
   "Well well, you little shorty, you actually dare poach from me? You've got some nerve!"
   In all of Orario, the only one who would dare call Hestia a "little shorty" like that-was Loki.
   "Hmph! What are you doing here, you flat-chested witch!"
   "I only slept in a bit, and already you're trying to steal my precious find?"
   Loki stepped into the room, standing beside Ryota.
   "This one's the same as my dear Ais, you hear me? Not for sale! So you, you unclaimed little-shorty-"
   At those words, Ryota's lips twitched ever so slightly.
   He caught the key bit of information hidden behind Loki's teasing tone.
   "So Bell Cranel... hasn't shown up yet? Or maybe-he doesn't even exist in this world?"
   He let his gaze drift over Hestia once more.
   Sure enough, this blue-ribbon loli goddess, inexplicably appearing here at the Hephaestus headquarters, was still in her "no supporters, living in a basement, surviving on fried potato balls" phase.
   The story's timeline was even earlier than he'd thought.
   At his side, the two goddesses were still bickering.
   "Who are you calling unclaimed! I am the goddess who will one day recruit the greatest Familia in the world! Just wait and see, you flat-chested witch!"
   Hestia put her hands on her hips, puffing up her chest in a futile attempt to beat Loki in the intimidation department.
   "By the time you manage that, Ryota here will have already conquered Orario twice over."
   "You-! Just you wait! I will steal him away!"
   "Better fix up your basement's ventilation first!"
   "Argh! Flat-chested witch, go die!"
   "Too bad I won't, and I'll bring Ryota to come taunt you at your basement door every single day!"
   Watching the two goddesses, who were getting more and more fired up, Ryota wisely took two steps back.
   So this was what people called a battlefield of love?
   The air between Hestia and Loki was practically sparking now, and they were even starting to physically push each other.
   The red-haired onee-san who had been silent all this time finally couldn't take it anymore. She shouted,
   "That's enough, you two!"
   Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a certain divine authority belonging to the Goddess of Smithing.
   Hestia and Loki both froze, their mouths still twitching, but they wisely shut up. Only their eyes continued to shoot sparks at each other.
   Sighing, Hephaestus finally turned her attention back to Ryota.
   "So? You came here to see me-what kind of weapon do you want?"
   Ryota shook his head lightly.
   "I want to learn smithing."
   The room instantly fell into a deathly silence again.
   Everyone's eyes locked on Ryota.
   Someone from the Loki Familia... wanted to learn the skills of the Hephaestus Familia?
   What kind of bizarre twist was that supposed to be?
   Loki stepped up and placed a hand on Ryota's forehead.
   "No fever. So why are you talking nonsense?"
  
   Chapter 45: Chapter 45: On the Matter of Learning Smithing
   Ryota gently pushed her hand away, trying his best to look serious.
   "I'm not running a fever, Lady Loki. I mean it."
   Hephaestus shifted in her seat, then asked,
   That one line didn't just stun Loki, it even left Hestia and Tsubaki momentarily speechless.
   "Sure, I've joined the Loki Familia, but the daily expenses are still sky-high..."
   "So after thinking it over, I figured smithing is a good way to keep the money flowing long-term."
   He spread his hands, wearing the expression of someone being very honest and practical.
   "Besides, there's no way I can afford to commission a personal weapon from you, Lady Hephaestus. So-looks like I'll just have to make one myself."
   The way Ryota said it sounded perfectly logical, leaving everyone in the room without much of a retort.
   Money, after all, was a universal truth in any world.
   The Loki Familia might be a household name in Orario, but every time they launched a deep Dungeon expedition, the valis they burned could be measured in the tens of thousands.
   Potions, weapons wearing out, frontline logistics, and support-one expedition alone could eat up enough to make even Loki break into a cold sweat.
   Finn had more than once suggested going to the Guild to talk to Royman Mardeel-known to everyone as "the Guild's pig"-about sharing some of those costs.
   After all, a Dungeon expedition wasn't a burden one Familia should shoulder alone.
   So, in this moment, Ryota's reasoning-though a bit "unique"-felt strangely reasonable.
   Hestia clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling like she'd just seen some miraculous lifeform.
   "So handsome, so strong, knows how to smith, and can make money... uuuu, isn't this the perfect Familia member?!"
   "How could I, Hestia, have not met you just a little earlier-!"
   Seeing this dangerous blue-ribbon goddess stealthily inching closer again, Loki stepped forward, blocked the space between them, and shot Hestia a glare before turning to Ryota.
   "Ryota, you'd better think twice about this whole smithing thing."
   "I think you should at least tell her what you need, and as for the money..."
   Loki really wanted to say she'd cover it for him, but the words stopped in her throat.
   Ryota had only been in the Familia for less than a month, and while he already enjoyed "core member" treatment on the inside, to outsiders, he was still just a fresh face.
   If word got out that she, Loki, had paid a fortune to have Hephaestus personally forge a weapon for a rookie-
   All those older members who'd been with the Familia for years would probably grumble.
   After all, aside from a few people who knew Ryota was a "dual S-rank in all attributes" monster, the rest of the Familia still had no idea.
   Sensing Loki's dilemma, Ryota just smiled and waved a hand.
   "Smithing really isn't that big of a deal for me."
   If anyone else had said that, it would've sounded like the bragging of some clueless rookie.
   His Sharingan was, after all, the ultimate eye technique said to be able to "copy everything."
   Once upon a time, Kakashi Hatake, the famous Copy Ninja, had mimicked thousands of jutsu with just a single Sharingan.
   With both of his eyes, every skill, every movement, was laid bare before him.
   As long as he saw it once, no matter how complex, he was confident he could replicate it-and even surpass the original.
   His Sharingan was never just for show.
   Hearing this, Hephaestus and Tsubaki exchanged a glance and ended up giving Ryota a long, searching look.
   Then, in both of their eyes, the same word appeared:
   They'd seen too many eager "newbies" before, heard too many loud boasts about "I think I can do it."
   If everyone could just casually say smithing was easy, then forge weapons on par with the Hephaestus Familia, well-
   Their entire top-tier smithing Familia would have long since shut down and gone to sell fried potato balls on Northern Mainstreet instead!
   Still, Hephaestus didn't outright crush his "naive confidence" on the spot.
   Instead, she slid a glance toward Tsubaki beside her.
   Tsubaki immediately understood, flashing a trademark grin.
   "If you're really not afraid of hard work, come learn with me for a couple of days and see how you do."
   "Don't say Lady Hephaestus never gave you a chance."
   "But... let me make one thing clear up front."
   Tsubaki leaned in close, and the air around her seemed to shift with a faint pressure beneath her eyepatch.
   "Smithing is not something you can master just by throwing a bit of hot-blooded enthusiasm at it."
   "Don't go crying and begging to quit halfway through."
   Ryota nodded, and was just about to ask when he should start, when the loli goddess's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts:
   "That's too much trouble!"
   Hestia balled up her fists, her cheeks flushed as if she'd made a monumental decision, and declared in a loud voice,
   "I-I might be a little poor right now, but I can borrow money! I'll make sure Ryota gets the best weapon ever forged!"
   Before Ryota could react, Loki, face twitching with frustration, lunged forward, claws out, pinning the blue-ribbon goddess in place.
   "My Ryota hasn't even said he wants to switch Familias yet, and you're already throwing yourself at him?!"
   "This is called an investment, okay?! You flat-chested witch! Let me go!"
   "Investment my foot-get out of here and calm down!"
   Loki dragged and wrestled Hestia all the way to the door.
   In moments, only Ryota, Hephaestus, and Tsubaki were left in the room, the air suddenly a lot quieter.
   Tsubaki laughed, her impressive assets bouncing as she shook, and teased Ryota with a grin,
   "You're really... quite the popular one, huh?"
   "Alright, come to the forge in a bit. We'll start with the basics."
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   Chapter 46: Chapter 46: New Rewards, Ryota's Speculation
   Three days flew by in the blink of an eye.
   Ryota spent nearly every waking moment inside the Hephaestus Familia's forge.
   From dawn till deep into the night, he didn't even bother going back to Twilight Manor to sleep, instead napping in a corner of the workshop's small storeroom, waking up and diving right back into work.
   After half a year in the Trial Space, Ryota had "evolved."
   This level of intensity was child's play for him.
   At first, Tsubaki was actually a bit pleased to see his sheer drive.
   -Young people should have guts, after all!
   But as time went on, and she watched Ryota controlling the temperature with one hand while flipping searing hot billets with the other, her feeling shifted from pleased to outright speechless.
   Or more precisely, her eye beneath the eyepatch was practically twitching apart.
   Her original plan had been to supervise and guide him, but she couldn't even remember when that flipped, leaving her acting more like a sparring partner and examiner.
   Every day, Ryota repeated the cycle of hammering, shaping, grinding, and quenching, with techniques improving so fast even the veteran smiths on the sidelines were left gaping.
   What shocked Tsubaki the most was that pair of dark red-glowing eyes. All it took was for him to stare at the forge for ten seconds, and he could precisely grasp subtle temperature changes, force distribution, and all sorts of advanced skills.
   For a brief moment, Tsubaki felt like her own years of forging experience were being completely made into a joke by this kid.
   Ryota himself, however, was completely unfazed.
   Head lowered, he was lost in deep thought.
   "If I channel chakra through my hands, it feels easier than purely relying on arm strength..."
   "Fire Style... maybe that could be used as a heat source?"
   "Feels like I've pretty much picked Miss Tsubaki's skills clean already."
   As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Ryota's hammer came crashing down.
   Sparks burst from the searing forge. The sharp, bell-like strike rang throughout the entire workshop like a declaration - Ryota's first finished weapon was complete!
   He straightened up, took a steady breath, and fixed his eyes on the still-warm short sword before him.
   Its lines were crisp and sharp, the design simple yet full of character.
   "But it feels like... it could be even better."
   At that moment, Tsubaki, who had been frozen in place, finally snapped out of it.
   She rushed over, eyes sparkling as they roved across Ryota's work.
   Once it had completely cooled, she snatched up the short sword, flipped it around a few times in her hands, then looked at him.
   "Ha... kid, you really are a monster!"
   "With this level of finish and strength, you could sell this at a storefront for at least ten thousand valis!"
   Ryota froze for a second, propped his chin on one hand,
   The words not satisfied were practically stamped on his face.
   Tsubaki saw that look and couldn't help laughing in disbelief.
   "Listen, you seriously have no idea what it means to be naturally gifted, do you?"
   "I'm telling you - for your first ever forging to fetch that kind of price already puts you at genius level!"
   "You know how many smiths hammer away for decades and maybe manage to produce something worth five thousand valis at best?"
   "And you've only been at it three days!"
   Ryota gave a sheepish grin and was just about to speak when that familiar mechanical voice chimed in by his ear:
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest: Master Smithing Skill - Complete!]
   [Reward settlement in progress-]
   [Reward One: Dryoku +10%!]
   [Reward Two: Chakra cap +1000!]
   Ryota was stunned, giant question marks popping up in his head.
   He'd definitely heard the term before, but in his system, he'd never seen a reward listing Dryoku as a numerical boost.
   Even after he'd struggled for half a year in the Trial Space, grinding his Sharingan from one tomoe to three tomoe, he'd never seen a reward like this.
   "What is this... a 'hidden reward'?"
   He stood there dazed for a few seconds until a flash of realization struck through his mind like lightning. His expression shifted.
   "If my Dryoku just increased... does that mean - I'm getting closer to the next level of the Sharingan?"
   Those four words exploded in Ryota's head, and his eyes turned serious.
   If the tomoe forms were the pass to open the road of the Sharingan, then the Mangeky was the true forbidden power, capable of rewriting fate and dominating the battlefield!
   So Ryota boldly guessed that these branch quest rewards were very likely laying the groundwork for a greater main quest reward down the line!
   And because Ryota had just forged his first weapon, the next reward announcement arrived right behind it:
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest: Forge a Weapon with Your Own Hands - Complete!]
   [Reward settlement in progress-]
   [Reward One: Dryoku +10%!]
   [Reward Two: Chakra cap +1000!]
   As the mechanical voice finally faded, a subtle, powerful surge began welling up inside Ryota's body.
   Within his pupils, the familiar three tomoe began spinning madly, as if drawn by some invisible gravity, unleashing an oppressive presence.
   It was like a cultivation novel, at the very moment you were about to break through your realm's bottleneck, the world's energy automatically converged around you, your spirit elevated.
   A kind of indescribable dimensional ascension.
   "So... this is what a Dryoku transformation feels like?"
   Ryota fully immersed himself in that steadily rising sense of heightened perception, nearly forgetting he was still standing in the Hephaestus Familia's workshop.
   Until Tsubaki's slightly exasperated voice pulled him back to reality:
   "Hey, hey, don't space out, kid."
   "Have you thought of a name for your first sword?"
   Ryota came back to himself, glanced down at the short sword still in Tsubaki's hand, and after a moment's thought, answered,
   "Let's call it... Short Sword No. 1."
   Tsubaki's once-expectant face instantly darkened, the corners of her mouth twitching violently.
   "You're forging weapons here, not hawking fried potato balls on the street!!!"
   "Your first sword, and you name it 'No. 1'... does that mean you plan to make ninety-nine more after this?"
   Ryota nodded, deadly serious.
   "If there's time, I don't see why not."
  
   Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Chakra and Forging Technique Experiments!
   While his hands were still feeling hot and practiced, Ryota dug in and hammered out another three short swords.
   By the time half a morning had passed, counting in the previous "Short Sword No. 1," he'd already forged a total of four weapons.
   Every single one was good enough to be put on the market for sale.
   At the entrance of the forge, Hephaestus, with her uncovered crimson eye, stared at Ryota's tirelessly swinging arms for a solid three minutes-completely speechless.
   When she finally saw Ryota show no sign of resting and even looked ready to start another blade, she stepped forward with Tsubaki and spoke up:
   "Are you trying to make my entire Familia's forge go out of business?"
   Ryota looked back over his shoulder and flashed her a grin.
   "You're exaggerating, Lady Hephaestus. I just found my rhythm again, so I wanted to get in a few more reps."
   Hephaestus couldn't help but study him for another couple of seconds.
   If Tsubaki hadn't personally told her about this kid's downright monstrous talent, she might have actually been fooled by that humble attitude of his.
   She had been about to say something else when, in the next moment, Ryota suddenly grabbed all of the finished short swords and-with a loud clatter-threw them straight back into the furnace!
   Tsubaki's face changed on the spot, and she nearly dove over to save the swords.
   "Have you lost your mind?! Those were fully finished short swords worth ten thousand valis each! That's four of them-forty thousand-just burned up in one go! Are you crazy?!"
   An average smith might not make forty thousand in an entire year.
   And this kid had just finished four fresh, sellable weapons, and then whoosh tossed them into the fire like garbage!
   Hephaestus was surprised too, but she noticed Ryota wasn't saying a word.
   He simply stood before the furnace, staring intently, as if waiting for something.
   It wasn't impulsive, nor reckless, nor just on a whim-
   That absolutely still and focused gaze made both Hephaestus and Tsubaki instinctively quiet down.
   In the vast forging hall, only the crackle and roar of the flames could be heard.
   The two master smiths exchanged a look, both reading the same confusion in each other's eyes.
   Their attention returned to the young man before them, and for some reason, a faint sense of anticipation started rising in their hearts-
   Ryota, what exactly are you trying to do?
   About three minutes later, Ryota suddenly stepped forward and pulled the molten metal of the swords out from the blazing furnace in one go.
   A wave of scorching heat shot out in a fiery burst, but he didn't even pause. The hammer pounded down on the still-glowing mass:
   Clang! Clang, clang, clang!!
   Tsubaki finally caught on, her mouth twitching.
   "This kid... he's reforging them?"
   Hephaestus, worthy of her title as the Goddess of Smithing, only needed a glance to see through Ryota's intention.
   "Mmm. He wants to melt down those short swords and reforge them into a higher-grade longsword. Not a bad idea."
   The red-haired goddess gently shook her head.
   "Yeah, those short swords were each worth over ten thousand valis... if he wanted a longsword, he could have just started fresh with new stock. Why melt down all four?"
   She honestly couldn't wrap her head around it-why this forging genius would insist on taking such a roundabout path.
   Their conversation of course made it to Ryota's ears, but he didn't answer. He simply kept his head down, hammering away at the slowly taking-shape longsword.
   The final strike fell, and a longsword, roughly matching the Kusanagi Sword he'd bought on the ninth floor of Babel, was complete.
   A moment later, the metal quickly cooled, and Ryota reached out to lift it.
   He weighed it in his palm a couple of times, nodded with satisfaction.
   Tsubaki and Hephaestus came closer, leaning in for a better look.
   The sword's blade was a pale white, its surface showing subtle patterns left by quenching, giving it a far more refined look than the short swords. But-
   "Well... aside from being prettier, it's nothing special," Tsubaki remarked, hands on her hips, estimating,
   "At best worth thirty thousand valis. A bit pricier than the short swords, sure, but you burned four of them as raw material. You're still down ten thousand overall."
   But the moment her words fell-
   A rush of searing hot air erupted from the blade!
   Along the sword's quiet spine, tongues of crimson flame suddenly curled and danced, almost alive as they rolled and twisted through the air.
   Tsubaki and Hephaestus both froze, their pupils shrinking in shock.
   Especially Hephaestus, the Goddess of Smithing whose skills outshone all other gods, locked eyes on the longsword in Ryota's hand like she'd just seen a priceless treasure. Her breathing even grew subtly restrained.
   Those flames snaked through the air, raising the workshop's temperature higher and higher, until the whole place was blanketed in an oppressive, almost terrifying pressure.
   After a long, tense moment, Hephaestus finally forced out words, her voice trembling ever so slightly, as if asking permission:
   "...Is this... a magic sword?"
   In Orario, "magic swords" referred to weapons that could instantly cast magic.
   The wielder didn't need to chant, didn't use stamina or Mind; the weapon itself unleashed the magic.
   But the sword in Ryota's hand wasn't that kind of "magic sword."
   The flames coating its blade were his own doing-
   More precisely, Ryota had forcibly infused his own chakra into the blade.
   Just like how, in the original series, Uchiha Sasuke could channel Lightning Style chakra through the Kusanagi Sword.
   Ryota had drawn on that exact principle.
   Except instead of "immediate infusion," he'd chosen to inject that power right from the forging stage-carefully and stably, from the moment the metal first took shape.
   So to Hephaestus and Tsubaki, it looked like he was just hammering out a normal steel blank, one blow after the other.
   But in truth, each strike had been a means to "fuse" his own power invisibly into the blade's very framework.
   Originally, he'd only meant to test the idea-
   Who could have guessed it would work perfectly on the first try?
   The sword was not without flaws.
   It hadn't used any high-grade materials, just the remelted short swords.
   But for now, it was more than enough for Ryota's needs.
   Snapping out of his thoughts, Ryota chuckled and replied,
   "Sort of a magic sword, I guess, but I'm the only one who can use it."
   Hephaestus felt her mind go fuzzy all of a sudden.
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   Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Return to Twilight Manor
   The red-haired goddess was left with a head full of question marks, her ruby-red eye locked onto that longsword still radiating waves of heat.
   She couldn't make sense of what Ryota was saying.
   But as a god who had lived for countless millions of years, Hephaestus had seen countless incredible forging techniques.
   She could say with confidence that the aura coming from this weapon, so similar in appearance to the Kusanagi Sword, was extremely close to that of a magic sword.
   In every outward sense, it fit the definition of a magic sword perfectly.
   And yet, deep down, something about it just felt off.
   Exactly what was wrong, even the Goddess of Smithing couldn't quite put into words at that moment.
   It was like an old-school craftsman staring at blueprints, only to discover someone had used a completely unfamiliar, wildly unconventional, brand-new set of techniques.
   Seeing the confusion in Hephaestus's eyes, Ryota spoke up.
   "Mm... it's a bit complicated to explain. In short, this sword isn't what you'd call a 'magic sword,' Lady Hephaestus."
   "And like I said earlier, this sword only works properly in my hands."
   It wasn't Ryota trying to sound mysterious or spouting nonsense.
   This thing really wouldn't work for anyone else!
   No chakra, no A+ level chakra control like his, and all you'd get would be a "hot iron stick" that happened to look fancy.
   But from an outsider's point of view...
   That performance, that effect, that overwhelming presence-didn't it basically look like a magic sword?
   Maybe even more dangerous than most magic swords.
   So no wonder Hephaestus and Tsubaki were so shocked.
   Hearing his explanation, Hephaestus let out a soft hum, then simply stopped asking. She told Ryota to make sure he got some rest, and left the workshop with Tsubaki in tow.
   Tsubaki stretched out, her muscles finally relaxing after an entire day of tension.
   "That kid... really is a monster. Less than three days, and he's managed to forge something on par with a magic sword."
   "If word of this got out, all of Orario would go nuts over him."
   She shook her head, still reeling from it all.
   "Give him another three months of forging, who even knows what he might turn into?"
   The moment she said that, Hephaestus, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped.
   Her uncovered eye landed on the Familia crest marked with the unique symbol, and she murmured:
   "...I should find a chance to have a proper talk with Loki."
   Tsubaki tried to remember. Hadn't they already discussed all the orders with the Loki Familia?
   "Figure out what it would take to trade Ryota away from Loki's side."
   Crazy. They were all going crazy!
   These gods-every last one of them-were going crazy over one Adventurer!
   Inside the workshop, Ryota had no idea the red-haired goddess had set her sights on him.
   Right now he was sitting on a bench, still holding the Kusanagi Sword.
   "At last, the mission's complete."
   He'd picked up forging skills, and secured a weapon. His objective at the Hephaestus Familia had been fully accomplished.
   It wasn't like he'd come to become an apprentice smith. This had only been to knock out those two main branch quests from the system.
   His fingers gently traced the faint glow dancing across the blade's spine, and his mind flashed to a certain golden-haired girl's eager expression.
   "Breaking promises doesn't suit me."
   With that, Ryota stood up, slotted the longsword into its custom scabbard on his back, gave the place a quick tidy-up, and finally pushed the door open to leave.
   He followed the familiar streets, passing rows of buildings, until he completely left the Hephaestus Familia's territory and began heading toward Twilight Manor.
   Soon enough, he was standing outside that familiar building.
   "It was only three days, but it felt like a whole reincarnation cycle."
   He patted some dust from his clothes, just about to step forward-when a familiar mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his ear:
   [Ding-Main Branch Quest Triggered!]
   [Defeat an Adventurer above Level 3 (0/1), incomplete, reward unknown]
   [Provide a combat power boost to any member of your current Familia (0/1), incomplete, reward unknown]
   Ryota's gaze fell slightly, eyes resting on the stone steps below him.
   Defeat an Adventurer above Level 3-that he could understand.
   That golden-haired girl was still waiting for a sparring match, after all. Ryota was confident he could beat her.
   And if the worst came to worst, if he got beaten to a pulp, he could always go find the honest Raul to tick the quest box.
   But that second quest-Provide a combat power boost to a Familia member...
   That sounded... suspiciously vague.
   "Boost their combat power? Like giving them gear, or taking them to grind in the Dungeon?"
   "Or maybe... like before, helping Lefiya work through her mental block?"
   Ryota murmured to himself, thoughts running in all directions.
   Judging by the system's habitually fuzzy wording, this so-called "combat boost" might not just be about a raw stat increase.
   It could mean a mental breakthrough, a leap in technique, or even a timely assist or rescue-all of those seemed to fit.
   "So in other words... there might be tons of ways to finish it?"
   "Whatever. I'll find Ais first."
   With that, Ryota quit worrying and stepped straight into Twilight Manor.
  
   Chapter 49: Chapter 49: That Silly Elf, Lefiya
   A familiar atmosphere washed over him.
   Up on the second floor of the hall, he could faintly make out a few figures - most likely Finn, Gareth, and the other core members, already preparing for the next expedition.
   Near the practice yard, a few more Familia members were sparring, honing their skills.
   The Familia, having awoken again, was once more lively and running smoothly.
   Ryota turned, scanning the area, but didn't see that familiar head of golden hair. Just as he was about to ask someone, he suddenly felt a sharp wave of killing intent behind him.
   He turned around to see Lefiya standing at the edge of the corridor, hands on her hips, her elf eyes practically burning with visible fury.
   Ryota scratched the back of his head and gave her a harmless, sunny grin as he stepped forward to greet her.
   "Hey, Lefiya, long time no see?"
   Lefiya turned her head away, but the words still shot straight at him.
   "You vanished off the face of the earth for three days! Is it that hard to come back here and sleep? You think the Dungeon doesn't need you anymore?!"
   Ryota let out an awkward laugh, pointing at the longsword on his back.
   "No, no, these past few days I was over at the Hephaestus Familia, picking up a bit of forging."
   The elf girl's voice hitched, her wide, pretty eyes going even wider.
   "You went to the Hephaestus Familia to learn forging??"
   "Blacksmithing, sword-smithing, quenching... I tried it all. Made a few short swords too, and then fused them into this."
   He drew the longsword from his back and gave it a little flourish in front of her.
   "What do you think? I named it Kusanagi."
   Lefiya stared at him in shock, then at that perfect-looking longsword - so flawless it felt unreal. She was completely speechless.
   You made this in just three days??
   Her eyes went from stunned, to disbelieving, to something faintly... envious.
   "You... you really can do everything, can't you?"
   Ryota smiled without denying it, and instead asked:
   "So, were you waiting here for me? Did you need something?"
   "Hmph - w-who was waiting for you?!"
   Lefiya jerked her face away, arms crossing tight over her chest, her tone as awkward as if she was reading off a poorly rehearsed script.
   "Ais asked me to keep an eye out for you in case you came back, and I had to fulfill Lady Ais's request, obviously!"
   "Ohhh~~ I see how it is."
   Ryota looked at her pointedly, amused to see her slender elf ears going slightly pink.
   But he didn't expose her, only smiled and asked:
   "So where is Ais? I actually need to talk to her."
   "Mm... ever since you weren't around here at Twilight Manor, Lady Ais has hardly come by the main hall either. I think she's probably in the back courtyard - she trains there a lot. You can check there."
   Ryota nodded, thanked her, and was about to head for the courtyard when he paused, turning back to ask:
   "By the way, Lefiya, have you been short on any gear lately?"
   "Eh? Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
   "Well, I picked up forging, right? Figured maybe I could get in some practice for the Familia members."
   "Your weapon, is already good enough... so maybe you could use some armor?"
   "I-I don't really need anything..."
   Lefiya lowered her voice, looking a bit conflicted.
   "During expeditions, I... hardly get a chance to fight anyway."
   Ryota clapped his hands together decisively.
   "In that case, you'll need a full-body set of armor to protect you. Settled!"
   Lefiya looked up, momentarily dazed.
   He's... going to make me equipment? Custom-made, just for me?
   In that instant, something seemed to gently stir inside her heart - a warmth, a sweetness, a surprising, indescribable little thrill.
   "Oh right, make sure you have the money ready. My forging is expensive, you know."
   In that moment, all the sweetness in her heart came crashing down, like a dream violently drop-kicked off its pedestal.
   All those pink, sparkly bubbles in her head popped on the spot.
   "I don't want your armor!!"
   The elf girl stomped her foot, cheeks puffing up in a fury, and spun around to storm away.
   Ryota just grinned. Lefiya really was pretty fun to tease.
   Sheathing Kusanagi again, he headed for the back courtyard.
   Passing through the corridor, he emerged into the rear yard of Twilight Manor.
   Sunlight dappled the slate floor through the leaves of the trees, and the place was so quiet he could hear the faint rustling of wind.
   His gaze immediately settled on a familiar silhouette ahead.
   On the steps, a golden-haired girl sat quietly, a wooden practice sword resting by her side. 
   She was leaning forward slightly, elbows propped on her knees, staring into the distance, lost in thought - or maybe just daydreaming.
   Usually expressionless, she somehow seemed even more quietly beautiful from this side view, in a way words couldn't capture.
   Ryota stepped forward and called out:
   The familiar voice made the girl start slightly. She turned her head, those golden eyes meeting his across the air.
   She didn't reply right away, just blinked a couple of times as if returning from a faraway thought, then gave a small "Mm."
   She took a moment to think, then slowly said,
   Ais's gaze paused on Ryota's face for a moment, then shifted up to the sword handle peeking over his shoulder.
   "I mean, I went to all the trouble of visiting the Hephaestus Familia - had to bring something back to show for it, right?"
   Ais simply nodded again, then lowered her head to pick up the wooden sword at her side.
   No unnecessary chatter, no explanations.
   She stood up, gripping the practice sword, her clear golden eyes fixed calmly on Ryota, her face steady and composed - but that alone was enough to say:
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   Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Everyone's Doubts, and Ais's Surprise!
   Ryota's gaze fell on the wooden sword in Ais's hand.
   So she's really going to start like this?
   A wooden sword, seriously?
   But then, following the line of her arms back to her face, he froze.
   In those clear golden eyes, there was no hint of scorn or laziness.
   On the contrary - he saw something there he couldn't quite put into words.
   A heat so intense it seemed to boil away the ocean, despite being buried deep beneath the surface.
   Along with it was something else: a long-repressed desire, now finally given a place to break free, almost overflowing from her eyes.
   This wooden sword wasn't some sign of looking down on him.
   It was simply the closest thing to her hand - something she'd grabbed on pure instinct.
   She wasn't taking him lightly at all.
   She was answering her own inner longing in the most direct way.
   Ryota had just opened his mouth to say something, when suddenly a cheerful voice called out from behind him:
   "Oh my, oh my, sneaking off here for a sparring match and not even inviting me to watch? You're breaking my heart, you know!"
   He turned to see that at some point, the open space nearby had filled with people.
   Standing right in front was Loki, one hand lazily resting on her hip, that trademark grin on her face.
   Behind her, the entire core lineup of the Loki Familia had shown up.
   The Big Three, Bete, the Hiryute Sisters...
   A whole line of them, like some kind of organized cheering section that had been rehearsing for this.
   "Damn... Monster rookie versus the Sword Princess - talk about hype."
   Finn crossed his arms, eyes darting back and forth between Ryota and Ais.
   Recalling that dizzy spell he'd had after looking Ryota in the eye last time, the brave little Pallum couldn't help but turn to Riveria and ask:
   "Riveria, isn't it illegal in Orario to use magic in the city? How come nothing happens to Ryota?"
   The elven mage glanced ahead and replied calmly,
   "If you can instant-cast without chanting, you can do the same."
   Finn scratched his head, lost for words.
   Being able to fire off magic just by looking? Yeah, no chance.
   "Tch, just another greenhorn... if he lasts three strikes against Ais, that's a win already."
   Bete scoffed, his tone dripping with contempt and mockery.
   Yet his eyes - they never looked away from Ryota for even a second.
   Classic tsundere behavior, right there.
   All around, the rest of the group were chatting and commenting, but nearly everyone had the same one-sided prediction.
   No matter how strong Ryota was, he was still LV.1.
   Ais was LV.5 - the Sword Princess herself, a genius who'd been on countless expeditions and was famous all over Orario.
   No chance - you might as well stamp those two words right on Ryota's forehead.
   A little ways behind the crowd, Lefiya's expression was complicated.
   Her lips were tightly pressed together, eyes locked on the two figures in the courtyard.
   She was still a little mad about how Ryota had teased her before, yet right now, she couldn't even feel the slightest hint of anger.
   Miss Ais was her role model. Someone she respected and admired deeply.
   Ryota was the man who kept upending everything she thought she knew, again and again.
   For a moment, a strange sense of conflict stirred in her chest.
   Who... am I even supposed to cheer for?
   The buzz and chatter around them didn't reach Ais's ears.
   She suddenly stepped forward a few paces, then bent to pick up a cloth-wrapped longsword resting on the ground nearby.
   As the cloth fell away, a blade as white as fresh snow gleamed in the sunlight.
   Ryota's eyes flickered in recognition.
   That wasn't Ais's usual "Desperate." . That sword had been sent to Goibniu's workshop for its routine maintenance and tuning.
   Instead, she was wielding a slender, exquisitely engraved stand-in blade.
   "A substitute weapon, huh..."
   Ryota drew Kusanagi from his back while eyeing the faint silver markings on its hilt, a hazy memory popping into his head.
   If I remember right, that was one of Goibniu's early prototypes. Retail price... around forty million valis, wasn't it?
   His eyelid twitched a little at the thought.
   Ais's "backup sword" alone was a piece that would bankrupt an entire Familia. Talk about the perks of being a top-tier adventurer.
   Compared to the casual look she'd had picking up the wooden sword, the second that shining white blade appeared, her entire aura seemed to shift -
   The sharpness of the Sword Princess had returned.
   "Miss Ais's serious face..."
   Lefiya's eyes filled with something almost devout as she watched, though the faint blush on her cheeks was definitely off.
   "Heh, Ryota's about to get wrecked! Our Miss Ais is totally in 'serious mode' now," Loki chuckled, then turned her head to shout,
   "Hey, Raul! Make sure you've got some healing potions ready for Ryota. We can't let our precious gem get broken!"
   Raul straightened up as if someone had rammed a spear down his back, voice cracking with tension.
   "Yes! Understood, Lady Loki!"
   So loud, even the Hiryute Sisterss jumped in surprise.
   But right as Raul finished his sentence -
   No warnings, no flashy build-up, no melodramatic tension.
   As if they'd agreed wordlessly, in perfect sync, the two figures shot forward at the exact same moment.
   In the stunned eyes of the watching crowd, they collided in the center of the yard with a speed no one could follow.
   Sparks burst out. Light and shadow danced wildly.
   Loki whistled through her teeth, squinting in delight.
   "Not even a second in and they're already going this hard... looks like I wasn't wrong about that kid."
   One by one, the grins faded from the others' faces as they collectively held their breath.
   They could tell - right here and now, both Ryota and Ais Wallenstein were going all out.
   Their movements grew faster and faster.
   At first, the clang of their blades colliding left short pauses between each impact.
   But before long, those gaps vanished entirely, merging into an unbroken torrent of steel crashing together.
   Just hearing that rhythm was enough to make your heart pound, like a torrential storm hammering down on a rooftop, fierce and relentless.
   But then, Finn suddenly sensed something off.
   "Huh? What's wrong, Captain?"
   Tione rose on her tiptoes to peek out,
   "It looks awesome to me!"
   "It is awesome," Finn replied, biting his thumb, his expression growing heavier,
   "But don't you see... their rhythm is too similar."
   Tione tilted her head, puzzled.
   Bete's wolf ears twitched twice.
   "This rookie's got some chops."
   Hearing that, Tione finally noticed it too.
   In the ring, Ryota and Ais - every swing, every step, even the angles of their dodges and turns - were perfectly in sync, like mirrored dancers.
   It didn't look like a fight between enemies.
   It looked like two figures performing the same sword dance with the same shared will.
   "It almost feels like... Ais is fighting against her own shadow,"
   Tiona's voice rang out, sending a jolt of realization through everyone around her.
   Ryota - he'd actually synced up with Ais to this degree?
   That wasn't something you could do with just raw speed.
   It meant he had completely read her breathing rhythm, her footwork patterns, her sword habits, even - her entire combat thought process.
   Within that dizzying dance of blades, Ais suddenly lunged with a fierce thrust -
   comment
   But in the same instant, Ryota shifted his body just slightly to the side, smoothly dodging and then counter-thrusting in return, matching her movement with a precision so perfect it was chilling.
   In that moment, for the very first time in this duel, Ais's eyes wavered.
   She looked genuinely surprised.
  
   Chapter 51: Chapter 51: The Burning Kusanagi Sword - Ryota's Victory!
   The two of them kept moving at blistering speed across the courtyard, their blades clashing like a raging storm.
   Every collision rang with the sharp scream of metal, every dodge so perfectly timed it was as if they could see through each other's thoughts.
   Even in this dizzying, almost inhuman contest, neither side could break the stalemate.
   Only the craters left on the ground and the clouds of dust swirling around them proved just how far beyond normal this battle had gone.
   Standing at the front of the crowd, Loki clutched her forehead, her face written all over with confusion and disbelief.
   She muttered under her breath, sounding like she was about to crack.
   "An LV.1 and an LV.5 can fight like this?"
   Staring at those two silhouettes flashing through the dust, Loki's eyebrows were tied in knots, her face twisted in an expression of are you kidding me right now?
   "I've been alive for billions of years and I've never even heard of something like this!"
   She really, truly, could not understand it.
   Ais was LV.5, the Sword Princess, a legendary champion who'd been through hundreds of battles without a scratch.
   That kid, with a bit of a youthful look still on his face, a newbie who'd only awakened his Falna not long ago - an LV.1, yet he wasn't falling behind at all. In fact-
   He was starting to look more and more like... another Ais.
   "This kid... what kind of monster is he..."
   Loki whispered, her expression so tangled it was like witnessing a miracle even the gods couldn't explain.
   A sharper, harsher metallic shriek rang out.
   With one final collision of their power, the two figures were flung apart, each skidding back several paces.
   Swords held low, feet rooted to the ground.
   Ryota came to a stop, steadying his breathing.
   Opposite him, Ais's eyes burned with a battle thrill she hadn't felt in ages.
   She watched him for a moment, then tilted her head slightly, her voice quiet but tinged with curiosity.
   Ais's ultra-short-chant magic.
   In an instant, it could wrap her in a boost to offense, defense, speed, and maneuverability - even grant her brief flight.
   A true dream buff for a combat-type adventurer.
   In Orario, magic was strictly controlled, though not completely forbidden.
   After all, Orario was a labyrinth city, but not every street was a battlefield.
   There were civilians living here, raising families, running shops, living peaceful, ordinary lives without Falna.
   Any magic with large-scale destructive power, if fired off in the city, could mean-
   At best, a Guild bounty and prison time.
   At worst, exile from Orario forever.
   It wasn't a written law so much as a code, forged by gods, the Guild, and every Familia over generations of coexisting.
   An unspoken rule, but one no one dared break.
   However, a self-targeting boost magic like Ariel was in a different category -
   No widespread damage, no risk to bystanders.
   In internal training or sparring, it was a gray area, quietly tolerated so long as you didn't go too far.
   Ryota didn't answer right away.
   Instead, he glanced over at Loki among the crowd.
   Loki's eyes narrowed just a bit, but she didn't seem bothered.
   She was about to give a reply when Riveria's calm voice interrupted from beside her.
   "Loki, there's no need for that."
   Riveria's gaze was steady, carrying the serene caution of a high elf.
   "This is just a spar, not a fight to the death. If Ais uses magic... and something goes wrong, it won't end well for anyone."
   Her eyes shifted toward Ryota in the ring.
   "Ryota is certainly strong - stronger than any of us expected. But no matter how strong... he cannot possibly surpass Ais with Ariel activated."
   She wasn't underestimating Ryota.
   As a top-class mage and the Loki Familia's vice-captain, she simply knew exactly what Ais was like with Ariel engaged.
   "Mm... you have a point, Mama. Maybe-"
   But before she could finish, Ryota spoke up.
   "It's fine. Go ahead, Ais - use it."
   The reason he'd looked toward Loki was because she was his god, after all.
   If he was going to go all out here, he needed her permission.
   And since Loki hadn't said no, that meant she'd given him the green light.
   As for Riveria's concerns - those were just worries for his safety.
   "You can use your magic," Ryota said with a grin,
   "But- I'll be using my own means too."
   Ais tilted her head, a faint question flickering in her eyes.
   Clearly, she hadn't understood.
   She thought it was just a normal sparring adjustment, not catching the deeper meaning behind his words.
   Ryota didn't bother to explain.
   He simply flicked the Kusanagi Sword up, holding it level across his chest.
   At the same time, the three tomoe in his eyes began to whirl at high speed.
   A wave of blazing crimson flame erupted along the blade of the Kusanagi Sword!
   The tongues of fire writhed upward inch by inch, the searing heatwave forcing away the dust around him in an instant.
   A faint ring of scorched marks appeared under his feet, and even the air itself shimmered from the intense burn.
   Ais's golden eyes shrank, her heartbeat picking up despite being no stranger to combat.
   In the crowd, every single person froze as if turned to stone, their expressions going stiff.
   Finn stared blankly at the sword wrapped in flame for a good few seconds, then smacked himself hard across the face.
   "That sword... is it a magic sword?"
   "Did Hephaestus give it to him? No, that's impossible..."
   He shook his head on reflex, logic quickly shooting down the idea.
   "I'm being stupid. No one just gives someone a magic sword..."
   "But then... how the hell do you explain this?"
   The Pallum famed for keeping a cool head even on expeditions found his brain blue-screening for the first time.
   "It doesn't feel like a magic sword... more like an extension of Ryota's own ability?"
   Riveria, worthy of the Nine Hells name, saw through it in a single glance.
   But even she was left mystified - it was neither magic sword nor spell, nor anything that fit any known framework.
   Yet the sheer pressure radiating from it made her eyebrows knit together.
   In all her long memory, she had never seen an LV.1 brandish a sword that made her feel this kind of dread.
   Loki slapped her own forehead, shaking off the jumbled thoughts flying through her mind.
   She threw up her hands and shouted toward the ring:
   "Ais, Ryota! Make sure you two stay safe, alright? I don't want to be picking up any corpses!"
   That line made Lefiya's face instantly drain of color.
   "L-Lady Loki! Don't say things like that!"
   In the ring, Ryota smiled and said,
   "Feels like this is the right moment, huh, Ais? How about we settle this in one strike?"
   Ais lifted her head, golden eyes locking onto his.
   After half a second, she gave a soft "mm" in reply.
   Then she leaned forward slightly, whispering under her breath.
   A silent shockwave burst from her feet.
   Magic wrapped around her like silver threads, flooding every part of her with raw power, speed, strength, agility -
   In that instant, it all woke up.
   They launched at each other at the exact same moment, slamming together in the center of the courtyard!
   Steel shrieked against steel, the ground cracking beneath their feet in a spiderweb of fractures.
   But this world-shaking clash lasted barely a second.
   After a single exchange, they broke apart again, each retreating a few steps to the edges of their ring.
   It was as if all the air had been sucked away, a silence so deep it felt like the world itself had stopped.
   No one even dared to breathe.
   Loki, Finn, Riveria... even loudmouthed Tiona looked like she'd been nailed to the spot.
   Every sound was crushed under that moment.
   Then, in the next instant-
   A dull, brittle snap echoed out.
   Everyone's eyes shot toward the center of the courtyard.
   Ais's substitute longsword - the one she'd used in place of Desperate - had a single, clear fracture running through it.
   Then a second. Then a third...
   The blade split down the middle, a faint tink as silver shards clattered to the stone floor, coming to a dead stillness.
   A single drop of blood slid down from Ais's fingertip, hitting the ground and blooming into a tiny, dark red flower.
   Opposite her, Ryota still held his sword at the ready.
   The Kusanagi Sword was still blazing, its blade now crawling with cracks as if it would shatter at any moment.
   But that red flame - it hadn't faded one bit.
   On the contrary, it burned even hotter, like a greedy beast thirsting for destruction and victory.
   But in that moment, who had won and who had lost was already obvious.
   Ais stood there silently, the glow of Ariel already dimming.
   She lifted her hand, staring at the bead of fresh blood on her fingertip.
   Then she lowered her head for a moment, thinking, before lifting her gaze back to Ryota.
   In those golden eyes, there was no regret, no anger, no shame.
   Only... a kind of shock and confusion that no words could capture.
   Ais opened her mouth, trying to speak, but found that for the first time, she had no idea what to say.
   She had never even considered the possibility of losing.
   Let alone - losing to an LV.1, having her sword broken to pieces.
   Ryota stared at the shattered sword littering the ground, black lines running down his face.
   Forty million - that thing cost forty million, dammit!
   Loki won't make me pay for it, right? Right?!
   He was just about to open his mouth, hoping to break the weird, heavy silence.
   "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!"
   A shrill scream suddenly pierced the air behind them.
   Loki came charging over like a lunatic:
   "Y-y-y-y-your hand's bleeding! What are we gonna dooooo?! Does it hurt?! Is the bone broken?! Should we cut it off and get you a new one?!"
   Ais had been about to say "it's fine," but seeing Loki screaming like a banshee, she fell silent instead, just shaking her head softly, her eyes drifting off into the distance like her soul had left her body.
   Ryota, meanwhile, quietly stepped back half a pace, trying to play off his attempt to speak as just stretching his shoulders.
   No one stopped Loki's meltdown, because at that moment, she was the voice of the entire Loki Familia's rawest emotions:
   They had never imagined Ais could lose.
   Right then, a familiar mechanical voice rang in Ryota's ears:
   [Ding! Chakra Nature has changed!]
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest: Defeat an LV.3+ Adventurer completed!]
   [Reward One: Dryoku +10%!] [Dryoku= Eye/Visual Power]
   [Reward Two: Chakra cap +4000!]
   [Reward Three: A-Rank Jutsu Lightning Style: Chidori unlocked!]
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura :)
  
   Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Lightning-Style Chakra, and Loki Knocks on the Door
   After the mechanical voice in his ear faded, Ryota lowered his head to look at his hand, feeling the chakra flowing through his body.
   It was fuller now - far more so than even the previous surge.
   An increase of 4000 to his chakra cap was no small thing.
   On top of that, the boost to his Dryoku was significant enough that the familiar dizziness and slight visual shock from his Sharingan appeared for a moment and then vanished again.
   But within the three-tomoe Sharingan, there was a power pressing to break through - something faintly approaching the Mangeky.
   And then there was the Lightning-nature chakra.
   In the system of the Naruto world, Lightning-nature chakra had some unique properties.
   It dispersed easily, making it especially effective in medium- or long-range ninjutsu.
   In particular, if infused into metal weapons, it could massively increase lethality, not only improving destructive power, but also causing a shocking, paralyzing effect that greatly restricted an opponent's movements.
   At the core of Lightning Release was transforming the chakra's nature -
   By compressing and concentrating Lightning-nature chakra into a single part of the body, then unleashing it through high-frequency vibration and energy release, one could create a current with tremendous penetration force, forming powerful offensive or defensive Lightning-style jutsu.
   Unlike Fire Release, with its area-of-effect burning damage, Lightning Release leaned more toward pinpoint strikes and high-speed thrusts.
   Especially when combined with taijutsu, it could raise instantaneous attack bursts to their absolute limit, like a lightning-flash surprise assault.
   This A-rank technique focused Lightning-nature chakra into the palm, compressing it and vibrating it at high speed to form a ball of electricity that let out a sharp, birdlike cry as it pierced forward, making for a highly lethal penetration jutsu.
   And with the Sharingan to overcome Chidori's blind spot during the charge, it essentially became a one-hit-kill technique.
   Now, Ryota possessed not only the wide-area suppression and burning control of Fire Release, but also the piercing and paralyzing thrust of Lightning Release.
   Fire and lightning, twin chakra natures - combined with the Sharingan's vision, and the Kusanagi Sword as a medium...
   Ryota lowered his gaze to the Kusanagi Sword in his hand, already entertaining the thought of adding lightning to its power.
   Lightning... Lightning Flame Sword?
   Why did that name feel vaguely inappropriate somehow?
   Shaking those weird thoughts out of his mind, Ryota continued pondering.
   Clearly, the rewards from this quest were way beyond what he'd expected.
   It didn't take him long to figure out why.
   Defeating an adventurer of LV.3 or higher - that was the quest description.
   But he, as an LV.1, had beaten Ais Wallenstein, an LV.5!
   Between their levels was a massive gap, not to mention Ais was one of Loki Familia's aces, a genius girl famous throughout Orario.
   If word of that got out, it would shake any Familia to its core.
   And beyond that, this wasn't just a random challenge; it was a Main Branch Quest, with strong ties to the main storyline.
   Thinking about it that way, Ryota let out a breath of relief.
   "A generous reward... makes sense, I guess."
   As the thought crossed his mind, his personal system panel popped up in front of him:
   [All-Encompassing Divine Eye System]
   [Chakra Level]: B !A+ (stable)
   [Chakra Control]: A+ !S (precise mastery)
   [Chakra Natures]: Fire, Lightning
   Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu (mastered)
   Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu (mastered)
   Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu (mastered)
   Three Basic Jutsu (mastered)
   Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes (mastered)
   Lightning Style: Chidori (mastered)
   Teleportation Jutsu (mastered)
   [Taijutsu]: Basic Combat Arts (mastered)
   "After dumping so much chakra into the fight."
   Closing the virtual panel, Ryota casually sheathed the Kusanagi Sword.
   But the moment he lifted his head, he realized the Loki Familia crowd behind Loki was staring straight at him in dead silence.
   In the very front, Finn was chewing on his thumb, brows knit tight, his sharp gaze scanning Ryota up and down.
   Beside him, Riveria's eyes were slightly narrowed, her expression more complex and hesitant than usual.
   She stared at Ryota for several seconds, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately falling silent - unsure even where to begin.
   Even Bete, who was always putting on a rough, sloppy act, stood there biting down on his teeth, head lowered as he stole glances at Ryota, practically fuming.
   As for the rest, each wore a different face -
   But none of them were looking at him like a normal person anymore.
   They were staring at him like he was something that broke the very laws of nature.
   Ryota was already wondering if he should find a chance to slip away.
   He was genuinely worried they might tie him up next second and spend three days dissecting him.
   Just as he was about to bolt, a familiar silhouette stepped over.
   She stood right in front of him, staring at him dead-on.
   The blonde Princess Doll didn't say anything, her usual blank expression on her face.
   But those clear golden eyes held a faint, subtle shift in emotion.
   She watched Ryota quietly for a moment, then reached out, gently tapping her finger against his chest as if checking something.
   Ryota froze, then let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.
   "I'm fine. Tough as nails, you know."
   Ais didn't reply, just kept staring.
   Then she blinked, and in those normally distant eyes, a trace of confusion appeared - mixed with a ripple of something even she herself might not have noticed.
   Ryota's presence had changed again.
   Not just a recovery of stamina or condition, but a deeper shift -
   It was as if, with just that one strike, this man had grown even stronger.
   Her mind flashed back to that night in her room, when she'd asked him how he got so strong.
   In plain words, he'd said as long as he kept exploring the Dungeon, accumulating combat experience, his power would grow over time.
   Back then, she'd only taken it as a casual remark, but now, remembering it -
   It didn't sound like an exaggeration or a metaphor anymore.
   Looking at Ryota, Ais's gaze began to change.
   From simple curiosity, to a quiet emotion she couldn't even name.
   "Hey, hey, hey, that's enough!"
   Loki huffed as she stepped up, face scrunched in fake annoyance.
   "You trying to steal away our Ais or what?!"
   "If you ever dare leave our Familia, I'll be the first one chasing you down!"
   She said it through gritted teeth, but the way she looked at Ryota completely gave her away.
   Those narrowed eyes were overflowing with approval, no attempt to hide it.
   The look she gave Ryota was like evaluating a future trump card, or calculating how to lock this monster-grade gem firmly into her own vault.
   It was so painfully clear -
   Her mouth might complain, but her heart had already claimed him as one of their own.
   Ryota, of course, caught onto Loki's complicated attitude, and chuckled softly.
   But in the next instant, his heart seized up.
   A wave of killing intent slammed in from his left.
   Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Lefiya in the crowd, fists clenched, teeth grinding, eyes practically shooting fire.
   It was like she had a whole string of floating captions above her head:
   - How dare you hurt Lady Ais!
   - Why does Lady Ais care about you?
   - You... you damn LV.1 bastard!
   The sheer level of resentful flame behind her glare nearly blinded Ryota on the spot.
   His neck shrank back, and with a quick "gotta run" excuse to Loki and the others, he turned on his heel and bolted for the front courtyard.
   Ais stood there, watching Ryota dash away, unmoving for a long moment.
   Loki's heart tightened seeing the look on her face.
   Oh no, oh no, Ais's about to fall for him, isn't she?!
   Or is she having a breakdown from losing to an LV.1?!
   The more Loki thought, the more panicked she felt, and she hurried forward.
   "Ais, don't worry, it's fine, that guy's just a monster, besides, it was just a spar!"
   "Come on, come on, let's go eat something yummy!"
   Ais slowly came back to her senses, looking up at Loki and saying,
   Ais glanced at her own right hand, then softly added,
   "I forgot to ask him to pay me back."
   Loki's face twitched violently.
   "That sword-don't tell me that was the spare Goibniu made for you? The one that cost forty million valis?!"
   "It's fine. I'll pay for it for him."
   Her vision went black and she almost fainted on the spot.
   "Y-y-you'll pay for him?! That was forty million!"
   Ais only gave a quiet "mm," then turned and walked away.
   Behind her, Loki nearly collapsed bawling on the ground for three hundred rounds.
   This wasn't being conned out of money - this was being conned out of her heart!
   The night passed without incident. The Orario breeze blew away the last bit of lingering heat from the day, and the waves that had rocked Twilight Manor slowly calmed.
   At dawn the next day, with the streets still quiet, Ryota was already up early.
   After washing up, he stood at the window, looking ahead.
   Today - he wasn't planning on going to the Dungeon.
   Instead, he was ready to tackle the second Main Branch Quest objective:
   [Provide a combat power boost for any member of the current Familia (0/1), incomplete, reward unknown]
   Ryota tapped his fingers lightly against the wooden window frame, thinking fast.
   "The simplest way to complete this... would be to team up with someone and help them out in a real fight."
   But there was a problem -
   Reality wouldn't allow that.
   Just picking a random Familia member, then teaming up, fighting, mentoring them?
   That was way too suspicious. Way too easy to expose him.
   So far, there were only a handful of core members in Loki Familia Ryota trusted.
   He'd already helped Lefiya conquer her mental block, but the others...
   Other than Raul, who was LV.4, the rest were veteran LV.6 powerhouses.
   Those small fries in the upper floors - they could squash them with a flick, Ryota wouldn't even be able to help at all.
   "Then there's only one choice."
   "If I can't go with them into the Dungeon, then I'll just give them gear!"
   He wasn't sure if the system would count that as "combat power boost."
   But Ryota had always been a man of action - when in doubt, do it first and see what happens.
   His gaze dropped to the Kusanagi Sword leaning in the corner.
   That head-on clash with Ais yesterday, even though he'd won, had cost him dearly.
   The Kusanagi Sword was now riddled with cracks, the blade clearly on the verge of shattering.
   Time to find it a replacement.
   Ryota turned, grabbed his coat, swung on his backpack, and checked the valis inside.
   "First, head to the Adventurer's Guild trading center-"
   "See if there's any usable materials I can scoop up."
   "Then go to the Hephaestus Familia."
   "It's about time to forge something new."
   Ryota was just about to grab the doorknob when-
   A familiar voice called through the door:
   "Want me to update your status?"
  
   Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Stepping into LV.2, Multiple Development Abilities
   Ryota's hand paused for a moment, blinking in surprise.
   Lady Loki, up this early? And even knocking on his door in person?
   This goddess of theirs might look carefree on the surface, but was a textbook hands-off manager. She only helped update Status when someone came to her, never making house calls herself like this.
   But on second thought, Ryota got it.
   "Well, I've been buried over at the Hephaestus Familia for three days hammering away..."
   "And the moment I got back, I had that spar with Ais."
   If it weren't for the All-Encompassing Divine Eye letting him check his personal status board, he'd have practically forgotten about Falna altogether.
   "Yeah, guess it's been a while since I last updated."
   He reached out and opened the door. Outside stood Loki alone, one hand on her hip, smiling broadly.
   "You're up, huh? I was starting to wonder if you were still sleeping and was about to come back later."
   "Lady Loki, you're up early."
   "Hehe, well, I was thinking about you, and then I just couldn't sleep!"
   She muttered with a grin, squinting her eyes.
   "My hands are itching, c'mon, let me see just how much you've changed."
   "Alright, I'll leave it to you, Lady Loki."
   Ryota turned back toward the table, unbuttoned his shirt, and sat down, baring his back to the air.
   Loki stepped forward, skillfully pricking her fingertip with a fine needle.
   As a bead of divine blood fell, the familiar inscription began to rapidly appear across Ryota's back.
   One page after another of data unfurled automatically, numbers cascading like a waterfall before Loki's eyes.
   She'd tried to mentally prepare herself, but seeing Ryota's stats with her own eyes still made her mouth drop into a perfect O.
   "Whoa, whoa, whoa... am I... am I seeing things?!"
   She leaned closer, even rubbing her eyes for good measure.
   No matter how much she rubbed, though, those numbers didn't change.
   "I swore I told myself to brace for this, but... but still..."
   She shook her head helplessly, staring at the flood of data.
   "You really aren't going to walk a normal path, are you?"
   Though she said that, her eyes shone with unconcealed pride.
   That unmistakable joy of seeing her sapling grow into a towering tree - it was written all over her smiling face.
   "You flatter me, Lady Loki. So, what's the verdict?"
   She deftly drew out a parchment, quickly copying down the flood of stats from Ryota's back.
   Then with a snap, she tossed her quill onto the table, opened the parchment, and slid it over to him.
   "I mean, I'm fresh out of facial expressions at this point, but try not to scare yourself."
   " Strength: SS1010-SSS1999
   " Endurance: SS1010-SSS1999
   " Dexterity: SS1010-SSS1999
   " Agility: SS1010-SSS1999
   [Development Abilities]: None
   " Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu, Three Basic Jutsu, Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu, Teleportation Jutsu
   " [New]Lightning Style: Chidori - concentrates high-intensity current in the palm, thrusts forward with powerful piercing force.
   " Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes
   [All-Encompassing Divine Eye]:
   Insight, Copy, Opening, Genjutsu
   Ryota rested his chin on his hand, glancing at his numbers.
   "1999, huh... broke into triple-S?"
   The instant those words fell, Loki sitting next to him froze slightly, the corner of her eye twitching toward his profile.
   Is this kid... disappointed the numbers are too low?
   Come on, his double-S stats were already insane before - now he'd reached SSS!
   Not just Loki Familia - in all of Orario, no one had ever seen a Status Board like this!
   It was a result that had surpassed the limits of every mortal in the lower world!
   But Ryota's tone sounded like he was reading off a bad test score.
   Loki was stunned at first, then on second thought felt oddly reassured.
   This is what a monster's mindset looks like, huh.
   A child who always aimed higher - that was a good thing!
   Thinking that, Loki's grin returned to her face as usual.
   Of course, she didn't realize she'd totally misunderstood Ryota.
   He wasn't disappointed in the numbers.
   What had made his expression shift was the realization of what he'd been sensing lately - that strange feeling of power constantly stirring awake.
   Ever since he'd completed his first Main Branch Quest and got that Dryoku boost,
   Ryota had vaguely felt like something in him was being elevated across the board by some systematic force.
   At first he thought it was just an illusion from his Sharingan upgrades - but now, seeing these jaw-dropping stats on the parchment, he finally got it:
   He'd already reached the "threshold" for leveling up.
   No, not just the threshold - he was practically standing on top of it.
   That sense of power about to break free wasn't a trick of the mind - it was reality telling him you should have advanced long ago.
   Ryota looked at the parchment, eyes narrowing slightly.
   "In that case, there's no point in forcing myself to stay LV.1 any longer."
   It wasn't just a matter of numbers anymore; his growth had reached a point where it needed to shift gears.
   As for the Excelia required to level up? That was the last thing he needed to worry about.
   Everything he'd done so far was enough to make the whole of Orario tremble.
   With that thought, Ryota turned to Loki's smiling face and said,
   "Lady Loki, let's level me up."
   "Hehehe, I was just waiting for you to say that!"
   Loki rubbed her hands together in a giddy "fly-hand" motion, stepping up behind him to start fiddling with something on his back.
   A series of ding ding ding sounds rang out.
   The numbers began spinning wildly, finally clicking to a stop.
   That marked Ryota's first-ever level-up - from a lower-ranked adventurer to a proper upper-ranked one.
   "Pretty incredible, huh? Never thought you'd break into LV.2 in less than a month."
   Loki clapped her hands, beaming.
   "Kicking in that door back then was the best decision I ever made in this lifetime."
   Hearing all that praise, Ryota scratched his cheek a little awkwardly.
   "Let me check your development abilities next-"
   "Oh ho, there's quite a few!"
   Loki closed her eyes, then rattled off:
   "Fist Fighter, Crush, Mystery, Blacksmith, Magic Resistance - five total!"
   "Mystery is super rare, so I suggest you go with that one."
   She opened her eyes again, gazing at him with an affectionate grin.
   "Of course, that's just my two valis."
   "You're my kid, and I'll support you no matter what you pick!"
   Mystery - true to Loki's words, it was one of the rarest Development Abilities in all of Orario, with fewer than five people ever earning it.
   That wasn't just rare; it was a genuine mark of being extraordinary.
   At the same time, his attention was drawn to the second option - Blacksmith.
   For Ryota, that had a ton of practical value, letting him craft weapons and armor for tremendous gains.
   Still, the rarer something was, the more valuable it became.
   After three seconds of hesitation, he made a decisive choice.
   "Alright then - I'll go with Mystery."
   Loki pressed her fingers to the Falna on his back, a faint glow rising from her touch as she worked with practiced ease.
   "You really are the type that makes people grind their teeth in jealousy."
   "Not just pulling multiple development abilities, but actually drawing Mystery? If I could, I'd stick you in a shrine and worship you!"
   Loki's sigh was half-laugh, half-sincere, unable to hide her excitement and pride.
   But then, in the next second, she abruptly changed her tone, sneaking a glance at Ryota with a hint of forced nonchalance.
   "Don't you go switching Familias on me, Ryota - I'd hate to see you leave."
   Whoa, that sense of crisis showed up fast, huh?
   Looked like that blue-ribbon goddess really had given even the bold and brash Loki a scare.
   After all, Hestia's "I'd give everything for you" style was a hellish test for any man's self-control.
   Ryota tilted his head to look at Loki, wondering if she'd forgotten something.
   Changing Familias - that wasn't something you could just decide on a whim.
   You needed both gods to sign off on it, or it was impossible.
   "Relax, Lady Loki. Changing Familias... if you don't sign off on it, I can't go anywhere."
   Loki blinked, then realized what he meant, scowling hard.
   "Y-you... don't joke about stuff like that!"
   "I was still in shock from that freak-show status board of yours, alright! My brain short-circuited - totally normal!!"
   Grumbling, she gave his Falna inscription one last tap, letting her divine power seal it shut as its glow slowly faded.
   "All done, it's recorded."
   She handed him the freshly updated parchment.
   "Welcome to the family's brand-new LV.2!"
   [Development Ability]: Mystery
   Loki stretched, then reminded him,
   "Ryota, you'd better take it easy today."
   "Normally, adventurers right after leveling up go through a short adjustment period, and you're no exception."
   "Your nerves, your muscle coordination, your mind's control over the new strength - all of it needs time to synchronize."
   "In other words, right now your body is probably in overload mode."
   Her tone was unusually serious, even those squinting eyes showing a rare glimmer of caution.
   "Fighting will help you adapt eventually, but-"
   Before she could finish, Ryota had already shouldered his pack and was briskly heading for the door, waving a hand without looking back.
   "Gotta run, Lady Loki - things to do!"
   He could barely wait to see what kind of forging he'd manage now with Mystery boosting him.
   Loki's mouth twitched, her arm still half-raised trying to stop him, frozen in midair for a moment.
   "You little brat, you just finished leveling up!!"
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura and one extra chapter for 100 Powerstones :)
  
   Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Heading to the Guild, A New Commission?
   Mystery - this Development Ability was so rare in the recorded history of Orario that its official description alone was enough to set people's imaginations alight:
   [Permits the activation of miracles and the creation of magic items.]
   In Ryota's memory, the best-known example was Asfi Al Andromeda of the Hermes Familia, a living legend of Mystery.
   Her creations were countless and beyond imagination.
   In Ryota's mind, Mystery was not merely about extending magic. It was the marriage of creativity and miracles.
   True Mystery was never just a power boost in battle. It was a key - a key to break through conventions and overturn rules.
   And at that moment, his instincts were screaming at him:
   Is Mystery... really just for making magic tools?
   Compared to patching together items with materials and magic triggers, what he was truly familiar with was forging - merging chakra into weapons.
   He could feel it: there was a profound resonance between Mystery and his own smithing skills.
   Maybe he could forge weapons with special effects - even weapons with their own will.
   Or create artifacts that transcended the very logic of Orario's established magic system.
   For example... a cursed sword that could repair itself and grow stronger by drinking blood.
   Or a belt that could store jutsu formulas.
   Or even a breastplate that released genjutsu illusions on command...
   "Whoa, whoa, whoa... okay, cut it out, that's getting way too crazy."
   Ryota scratched his head and shook off those bizarre ideas.
   First things first - he needed to head to the Guild's trading center and buy materials.
   "Steady and methodical - that's my motto."
   Orario at dawn was still drowsy and half-asleep.
   The streets were misty with early dew, dampening the cobbled stones so that every step felt a little slick.
   Since it was so early, the usual flood of adventurers hadn't yet begun. 
   Only a handful of merchants were up and about, pushing carts of vegetables, fruit, and bread slowly through the alleys.
   The air carried the faint aroma of bread, fresh grass, and cool dew.
   Less noise, more peace - a rare stillness.
   Ryota actually enjoyed that quiet. As he walked, his mind turned calmly and unhurriedly.
   Loki had warned him that adventurers usually had an adjustment period after leveling up.
   No dizziness, no wobbly steps - if anything, he was moving more steadily than before.
   He could even pick out the faint cough of someone far down the street with perfect clarity.
   "...No sign of that 'adjustment period' Loki mentioned."
   He thought about it for a moment and came up with two possible explanations:
   First, the thick chakra within his body was circulating with perfect stability, woven like an invisible net that bound all that power firmly in place.
   Second... well, it probably had to do with his freakishly resilient body.
   After being transported here, bonded with a system, training like mad in the Trial Space, and refining everything with his Sharingan -
   His entire body had already been "rebuilt" several times, far beyond what an ordinary adventurer could ever dream of.
   In other words - his "level up" was basically just another layer of self-adaptation.
   Turning these ideas over in his mind, Ryota soon arrived at his destination.
   The Adventurer's Guild, that familiar and dignified building, stood quietly in the morning light.
   He followed a small stream of early risers and pushed open the door. The entrance bell let out a soft, familiar chime.
   Even at this early hour, the lobby was already bustling with adventurers handling their business.
   Ryota quickly made his way to the reception counter - and sometimes fate just had a funny sense of humor.
   The one on duty was the same pink-haired human girl as always - Misha Flott.
   She was carefully filling out some paperwork with a feather pen, but looked up the moment she spotted him, flashing a bright, familiar smile.
   "Ah, Mister Ryota! Long time no see."
   "Good morning, Miss Misha."
   Misha blinked, sizing him up with those bright eyes of hers.
   She was a human, not a member of any Familia, so her perception wasn't as sharp as an elf's or a dwarf's.
   But after working at the Guild for years and meeting countless adventurers, she'd long since honed a receptionist's intuition.
   And today - Ryota felt different.
   She couldn't quite say what had changed.
   His aura? His expression? His steps? His breathing?
   All familiar - yet subtly different.
   Like a melody played in a new key: the tune was still the same, but every note now rang sharper and clearer.
   A quiet but undeniable sense of pressure radiated from him.
   Misha couldn't help but mutter in her heart:
   ...Mister Ryota really feels different today, doesn't he?
   She glanced down at the Loki Familia's record sheet.
   It still showed Ryota as LV.1.
   Of course, he'd only advanced to LV.2 this very morning, and the Guild's records hadn't been updated yet - that kind of lag was common with active Familias.
   But if she'd known this seemingly fresh rookie had leveled up from LV.1 to LV.2 in under a month...
   Her professional smile might have cracked on the spot.
   Forcing down her faint sense of unease, Misha smiled brightly.
   "What can I help you with today, Mister Ryota?"
   "I mainly want to head over to the trading area, see if they have any good smithing materials."
   "The trading area, right..."
   Misha nodded, just about to say more when Ryota added,
   "Oh - by the way, is there any paperwork I need to go in there?"
   She froze for a moment, then instinctively glanced at the sword hilt sticking out behind Ryota's shoulder - the Kusanagi Sword.
   A trace of confusion flickered through her mind:
   Since when did the Loki Familia have a member who could smith? Shouldn't that sort of material-buying be what the Hephaestus Familia does all the time?
   Even though she wasn't a fighter herself, receptionists were expected to understand each Familia's roster.
   The Loki Familia was known for its overwhelming combat might, overflowing with powerful warriors - but it didn't have any serious crafters.
   Yet here was Ryota, with a weapon like that, asking about forging materials - he definitely didn't look like some dabbler playing at a hobby.
   Still, Misha didn't press, maintaining perfect professional courtesy as she rummaged through a drawer.
   "Please wait just a moment, I'll get you a pass for the trading area."
   After a moment, she pulled out a document stamped with the Guild's crest and handed it over.
   "Take this to the clerk over there and they'll let you through."
   Ryota took it, glanced over it, and nodded.
   Then, under her puzzled gaze, he turned and walked away, following the wooden directional signs toward the Guild's trading area.
   As befitted one of Orario's most powerful organizations, the Adventurer's Guild's trading sector absolutely lived up to its reputation.
   Clean, bright halls, neatly categorized supply counters, a strictly managed resource system - every service was efficient and professional.
   Here, if you had the valis, there was basically nothing you couldn't buy.
   Ryota moved through the rows with machine-like precision, sweeping up goods without pause.
   He'd just spent three days practically living in the forge at the Hephaestus Familia, hammering away day and night.
   Besides forging some basic weapons with his own hands, he'd memorized the uses, elemental properties, and fusion thresholds of countless materials.
   So facing these fully stocked counters, he had no hesitation whatsoever, picking out targets with surgical accuracy:
   Metal Rabbit Fur, mithril ingots, mystic crystals... and plenty of other odds and ends with hidden potential.
   Ryota didn't hold back at all.
   If it looked even remotely useful in the future, he threw it into his pile.
   Forging was the foundation for his future.
   And Mystery was the key to unlocking that foundation.
   So to him - every single valis he spent now was a guaranteed investment.
   Before long, the staff behind the counters were sweating bullets, staring at the five entire sacks of materials Ryota had stacked up.
   Even veteran adventurers above LV.3 rarely bought this ridiculously much in one trip.
   But Ryota calmly counted out valis, one handful, two handfuls, three handfuls...
   Until the last coin clinked into the payment tray.
   The sound fell, and his money pouch collapsed, empty.
   Ryota looked down. Totally empty.
   The funds he'd saved through Dungeon fighting, commissions, and selling magic stones - all gone in this one huge haul.
   There were even some rare materials he'd wanted, but he could only stare at their price tags in frustration.
   In the end, he had to compromise and swap them for cheaper substitutes.
   After paying the last valis, Ryota gave the stuffed-to-bursting supply bag a pat and let out a long breath.
   He was now, in every sense of the word - back to zero.
   He couldn't even find a piece of candy if he looked.
   "...Completely stripped down."
   Ryota chuckled, shaking his head.
   He hefted the heavy sacks and turned to leave the trading area, heading toward the Guild's exit.
   But just as he stepped through the doorway, a soft but slightly urgent voice called from behind him.
   "Please wait, Mister Ryota!"
   Ryota paused and glanced back.
   He saw a tall, well-proportioned woman hurrying toward him. Under her thin-rimmed glasses, her eyes shone a gentle, rational shade of green.
   Her uniform traced a calm, elegant silhouette, radiating a composed and friendly aura.
   Ryota recognized her instantly.
   One of the Guild's most popular half-elf receptionists, practically a beacon of guidance for new adventurers.
   She must have jogged over, because her chest rose and fell with each breath, her breathing still slightly uneven.
   Once she reached Ryota, she steadied herself and put on her usual soft, impeccable smile.
   "Huff... sorry to keep you waiting. I'm Eina Tulle."
   She spoke gently, then pulled a piece of paper from the folder she carried and handed it over.
   "Mister Ryota, you've triggered a new commission. Misha forgot to mention it, so I hurried to catch you."
   "-It's a designated commission."
   Ryota raised an eyebrow, reaching out for the paper -
   when suddenly, in his ear, that familiar mechanical voice rang out:
   [Ding-Main Branch Quest triggered!]
   [Defeat a Minotaur solo (0/1), incomplete, reward unknown]
  
   Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Ryota the Tryhard King - A Gift for Ais
   The mechanical notification cut off abruptly, the voice fading into silence.
   But Ryota's fingers stayed frozen on the edge of that commission slip, unmoving for a long while.
   His eyes dimmed slightly as he fell into a deep, quiet contemplation.
   The moment he heard that name, the first thing that came to mind was that famous "bull-headed monster."
   This quest in front of him, though, was clearly marked as a Main Branch Quest, and it specifically required him to defeat it alone.
   That could only mean one thing, the one trained personally by Ottar -
   The Minotaur that, in the original story, drove Bell Cranel to the brink of death.
   The one destined to be a stepping stone for forging heroes - a savage, pure warrior of a monster.
   Ryota pulled himself out of these thoughts and found Eina still looking quietly at him, a hint of confusion in her eyes.
   "Sorry, Miss Eina, I got a little distracted there," he said, finally taking the commission slip from her hand.
   He lowered his gaze, reading the neat writing on the page:
   [Commission Name]: Rare Monster Infant Dragon Tracking & Resource Collection
   [Commission Objective]: Acquire the tooth of a Infant Dragon, a special material.
   [Commission Reward]: 80,000-150,000 valis. If you collect other materials, such as the Infant Dragon's hide, additional bonuses will be awarded depending on the results.
   [Notes]: It is recommended to form a party for this commission. Although the target is on the upper floors, the rare species' movements are extremely unpredictable - proceed with caution.
   Ryota's eyes moved steadily down the page.
   Clear information, well-defined goals, even a carefully noted reward range.
   Far more organized than Lain Hait's "help me" style commission from before.
   But Ryota's brow twitched ever so slightly.
   He'd only reached LV.2 this very morning.
   Yet this commission had already been registered with the Guild before today - Eina had just "not had time to inform him" and chased him down.
   This quest had been prepared for him while he was still LV.1.
   And the target was a Infant Dragon, a rare species on the upper floors.
   Ryota was no stranger to Infant Dragons. The Loki Familia's records described them in detail.
   They were among the most dangerous upper-floor monsters, with strength, speed, durability, and resistance all exceeding normal monsters on the same floor - strong enough to rival some LV.2 adventurers.
   And this commission didn't just want a kill. It wanted the "tooth" - a special part that was almost impossible to obtain without killing the creature.
   That meant he'd have to challenge the creature directly.
   The objective was crystal clear, the reward tempting, and they'd even thoughtfully reminded him to bring a team.
   But in essence, it was asking an LV.1 to take on a battle fit for an LV.2.
   Ryota's mind settled on a conclusion.
   This wasn't a coincidence - it was bait.
   And whoever posted this commission... seemed to know him very well.
   They knew Ryota wouldn't turn it down, or rather, that he couldn't turn it down.
   Just then, Eina's voice interrupted his thoughts.
   "Even though this commission is specifically addressed to you... I really think you should consider turning it down."
   She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her pointed ear, paused, then continued,
   "This quest - its rank, its objective, and the fact that it involves a rare species... the risk is simply too high for someone who's just reached LV.1."
   She glanced toward the counter with a worried look.
   "Misha mentioned earlier... that you haven't formed a party yet, correct?"
   "Tracking a rare species alone on floors 11 to 12, without any backup or support... that's just..."
   Eina didn't finish the sentence harshly, but the worry in her tone was unmistakable.
   Ryota smiled. He knew this half-elf truly cared about him.
   "It's fine. I'll take this commission."
   Eina froze, like she'd been hit with a paralysis spell.
   A moment later, a flurry of question marks practically popped up over her head.
   Wait, seriously? After all my warnings... he just... said yes?
   An LV.1 going after a rare monster? Are you kidding me?!
   Her mouth opened, trying to argue again, but seeing Ryota's calm, reassuring smile...
   Eina found herself at a loss for words.
   She was about to say, "At least bring a party with you!" when Ryota suddenly raised a hand and waved cheerfully.
   "See you next time, Miss Eina. I've got to get moving."
   And without giving her a chance to react, he turned and strode quickly toward the Guild doors.
   Eina reached out reflexively, but caught nothing but air.
   She let out a quiet breath, watching Ryota's back as he left, her expression complicated.
   After a while, she whispered,
   "At least... come back alive, okay?"
   Then she turned and returned to the counter.
   Misha glanced at her with a grin.
   Eina forced a bitter smile and shook her head.
   "He wouldn't budge at all."
   "I don't know what he's thinking, trying to go after a rare species as an LV.1... especially a terrifying Infant Dragon..."
   The more she thought about it, the more absurd it seemed, and the worry in her voice only grew.
   But Misha just spread her hands with a "you should know this by now" expression and sighed.
   "Mister Ryota's always like that, you know~"
   "If he ever actually acted normal, that would be the real surprise."
   Still, her eyes couldn't help drifting toward the direction Ryota had left, and she sighed softly.
   "I get this feeling... he'll keep giving us surprises for a long time to come."
   Eina glanced at her, nodding faintly.
   "As long as he doesn't give us a heart attack, I'll be grateful."
   "Oh right - do we know who submitted this commission?"
   Anonymous, after all, only meant "anonymous to the public." The Guild staff still had access to that information.
   When Eina asked, Misha quickly checked and replied,
   "Hmm... it's that red-haired boy from before - Lain Hait."
   "Huh, I didn't even notice he was with the Freya Familia."
   Eina tilted her head thoughtfully but didn't say anything.
   Ryota hefted his heavy load of materials and left the Guild, striding briskly down the familiar cobbled streets.
   Before long, he arrived at the main gates of the Hephaestus Familia headquarters.
   The guards had long since recognized him and simply nodded politely, letting him pass without question.
   Ryota nodded back courteously, then stepped straight inside.
   Passing through the familiar hallways, he headed directly for that all-too-familiar forge and dove right in.
   Clang! Bang! Clang! Bang!
   A series of sharp, rhythmic hammer strikes rang out across the silent morning forge, carrying a sense of urgency with each blow.
   "Whew... let's start with the mithril ingots, check their reaction and fusion rate."
   "During that spar with Ais, I realized the Kusanagi Sword has weaknesses besides its poor chakra flow - its durability needs work too... gotta fix that."
   Inside the forge, Ryota kept swinging the hammer, moving like a possessed artisan machine, utterly immersed in his work.
   The furnace roared back to life, sending waves of magma-like heat rolling through the room, lighting up the three tomoe spinning faintly in his eyes.
   The forge's door was flung wide open.
   "Hey! Who the hell is forging at this ungodly hour?!"
   Tsubaki, with her hair still in a messy nest, stared at the blazing forge at full blast and Ryota hammering away like a wind-up doll, her eyelid twitching madly.
   "I thought a ghost had broken into the workshop!"
   "Who pissed you off this time? Lighting the forge at six in the morning?!"
   Ryota didn't even look up. He just grinned.
   "Good morning, Miss Tsubaki."
   "No one pissed me off - I just got inspired."
   Inspiration? You call this night-raid-level hammering inspiration?!
   She yawned a huge yawn, still half-asleep, the corners of her eyes glistening.
   "Jeez... you even turned blacksmithing into a grind fest..."
   She shook her head in disbelief, but finally surrendered to reality, closing the forge door with a soft clack.
   Before she left, she mumbled drowsily under her breath,
   "Fine, fine, knock yourself out. You'll figure out rest when you collapse."
   Then she shuffled away in her slippers to go catch more sleep.
   Inside the forge, Ryota was alone once more.
   The fire roared. Sweat evaporated. Chakra threaded through his fingers like silk.
   Every strike, every rune etched into the metal was honed with millimeter-perfect precision.
   Finally, when the last piece of mithril was inlaid, the chakra-guiding channels completed, and the runes shimmered across the sword's body-
   The forging was finished.
   The temperature of the forge gradually fell, the blazing glow fading away.
   Ryota didn't rush. He simply stood to the side, eyes fixed on the thin blade cooling in the furnace.
   Only when the final metallic ringing quieted and the searing heat fully dispersed, leaving a faint mist above the steel -
   did Ryota slowly step forward and reach for the newborn weapon.
   The sword was entirely silver-white, long and slender, with faint patterns winding subtly down the spine of the blade.
   At a glance, it looked nearly identical to Ais's Desperate - almost indistinguishable.
   But this was Ryota's handcrafted masterpiece, polished to perfection with every scrap of skill he possessed.
   It had been forged from mithril ingots and mystic crystals, fused with searing flame, guided by his own chakra, and refined with the Sharingan's flawless insight.
   And most important of all...
   Ryota blinked, looking down at the blade and gently running his finger along its surface.
   That wasn't something he had consciously added.
   It was a property the sword itself had spontaneously awakened after forging, thanks to the effects of Mystery.
   He tried swinging it lightly.
   The moment the blade sliced through the air, there was barely any drag at all. Even the rebound from the strike was smoothed out by the sword's own nature, as if he was slicing through air with nothing but thought.
   He murmured, giving his wrist a subtle twist and sending the blade through another flawless cut.
   It didn't feel like a sword at all.
   More like an extension of his own body, responding without the slightest hesitation.
   That "agility" trait had been pushed to the absolute limit in this weapon.
   "Perfect - this'll make a great gift for Ais. Otherwise there's no way I could justify that 40 million valis price tag."
   "As for the name... I'll let her pick."
   Ryota chuckled softly, carefully sliding the blade into a special scabbard and hanging it on the wall.
   "Next up... I need to forge a weapon just for me."
   He turned his gaze toward the pile of materials stacked on the table, a rough plan already forming in his mind.
  
   Chapter 56: Chapter 56: A Finished Commission, and a Shocked Mama
   The steady ring of hammer strikes once again echoed through the forge.
   Ryota didn't rest - in fact, he never even considered resting.
   The sword for (compensating) Ais was done, so next on the agenda was forging a weapon truly his own.
   At the iron table stacked with materials, Ryota carefully picked out the three rarest items he'd bought from the Adventurer's Guild marketplace.
   These were the keystones he'd saved specifically to forge his ultimate sword.
   This time, he wasn't trying to replicate anything - he was determined to create a Kusanagi Sword that was completely, unmistakably his.
   Flames surged, the forge temperature pushed to its limit.
   Lightning-nature chakra flowed through his palm, sinking into the molten metal, interwoven with fire-nature chakra. Before the sword blank had even taken shape, he was already "pre-injecting" the dual chakra elements.
   It was an incredibly dangerous, brutally demanding technique.
   Anyone else attempting it would have ended up with a ruined blank or a catastrophic forge explosion.
   But Ryota was perfectly calm.
   His chakra control, refined by countless hours of observing, refining, and forging with the Sharingan, had reached a near-superhuman level. Every thread of chakra he fed in was as precise as if it had been calculated by a machine.
   He even began weaving circuits inside the sword's spine with lightning chakra, while sculpting explosive strike trajectories into the blade edge with fire chakra.
   As the final hammer blow fell, the entire sword quivered. A mingling crimson and azure glow flowed down the newly formed blade.
   Ryota lifted this new Kusanagi Sword from the anvil.
   Compared to the standard model he'd used at the start, its entire construction had changed dramatically.
   Even without testing it in battle, his instincts told him straight away -
   this new Kusanagi Sword could fully channel both his fire and lightning-nature chakra.
   "I remember Sasuke had a move called Chidori Blade,"
   "basically pouring lightning-nature chakra into the edge to boost cutting power and penetration."
   "So that means unlocking lightning chakra should let me expand into a bunch of new hybrid ninja arts and weapon forms."
   He nodded in satisfaction, then reached out to pick up the Kusanagi Sword.
   The moment it settled in his grip, Ryota's eyes showed a flicker of surprise.
   But he quickly realized what it was.
   It wasn't that the sword had become physically heavy -
   it was power flowing through it.
   Not a drag on his wrist, but a sense of surging force from deep inside the blade's core.
   The effect of the Mystery development ability had activated again, granting the sword a new trait - Strength.
   "Interesting - the opposite of the Agility attribute I gave Ais's sword."
   He gave the blade a light swing.
   A dull, resonant sound rippled through the air, as if even the atmosphere had been compressed by the weight of that slash.
   Instead of the light, quick profile of the previous sword, this one was built for heavy, steady, explosive power.
   Ryota suddenly pictured that blue-haired woman in glasses from the Hermes Familia.
   "Tch... I guess I can understand why Asfi gets so obsessed with all those weird experiments."
   "This feels just like opening a loot box."
   Clearly he had hammered out every strike with his own two hands - yet the final traits that emerged always carried these delightfully unexpected surprises.
   And they all tied back to Mystery.
   They weren't pre-programmed results, but rather some kind of "fate" hidden inside the metal, revealing itself only at the end.
   The thrill of discovering that unknown...
   Ryota stretched, casting a glance outside the window.
   "It's already... noon, huh."
   Time had flown faster than he realized.
   But being so deeply absorbed, you could easily forget hours were slipping by.
   While his hands were still feeling good, he'd originally planned to forge something else - maybe a gift for a certain blockheaded elf girl who'd been glaring at him lately.
   "A belt? Or maybe a breastplate? Elves usually have lower defense, right? Those might be good..."
   He mulled it over while walking toward the table of materials.
   But the moment he got close enough to see clearly, Ryota froze in place.
   All that was left were a few scraps and corners - nothing even remotely usable for a new piece.
   He looked over at the torn-up cloth sacks, the empty bottles, and a heap of metal shavings in the corner, and felt a stab of heartbreak in his chest.
   "I dumped all that valis into this... and only got two swords out of it?"
   Ryota couldn't believe it.
   He'd never imagined he could be both so productive... and so good at going broke.
   "Next time I head into the Dungeon, I better scavenge as much as possible..."
   Since he was out of materials, there was no point lingering.
   After tidying up the forge, Ryota strapped both swords to his back - officially wrapping up this "luxury" forging session.
   Originally, he'd thought about asking Tsubaki if the Hephaestus Familia had any cheap but usable leftovers lying around.
   After all, he was completely broke, and restocking through purchases was basically a pipe dream.
   But just a few steps out the door, he was struck by a far scarier thought:
   If Tsubaki, that blacksmith demon, got a look at his new swords, she'd absolutely grill him for every last detail.
   Ryota stopped dead in his tracks, spun around.
   "Better to finish that Designated Commission, and maybe grab some loot in the Dungeon while I'm at it."
   "If I'm lucky, maybe there'll even be an Irregular event, like a Monster Tide or something."
   After all, once you were down there, magic stones and monster materials were as good as cash.
   And that young dragon... could turn out to be one hell of a resource stash, too.
   With that, he gave up on finding Tsubaki, tugged at the swords on his back, and headed out of the Hephaestus Familia headquarters with a determined sigh.
   It didn't take long before Ryota reached his next stop.
   The moment he stepped into Twilight Manor, his eyes landed on a familiar silhouette lounging on the main hall's couch.
   Loki had her legs propped up, staring at the ceiling with a bored expression.
   Hearing the door open, her fox-like ears twitched, and she practically jumped up with a grin.
   "Well, well, if it isn't Ryota-boy!"
   "What've you been up to all morning, huh? Finn and the others are off doing their own thing - I'm so bored I'm about to rot!"
   She circled around Ryota with a playful gleam in her eyes, then suddenly stopped when she noticed the two swords crossed on his back.
   "Huh? You went forging at Hephaestus's place again?"
   Ryota gave a simple "mm" in reply, then pulled the slender sword from his back and handed it toward Loki.
   "This one's for Ais," he said.
   "Do you know where she is right now?"
   No sooner had the words left his mouth than Loki's face darkened with a visible black aura, arms crossed, fuming.
   "A sword gift? I knew you were trying to get some alone time with our dear Ais!"
   "Not a chance! I'm going with you - don't even think about sneaking off for any romantic nonsense!"
   With that, she practically glued herself to Ryota's side, dragging him toward the backyard.
   "No way I'm letting you have some private moment - we're going together!"
   Ryota could only laugh helplessly and let her pull him along.
   The Twilight Manor's backyard was as calm and quiet as ever.
   As before, the Princess Ais sat under the shade of a tree, propping her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
   Behind her, Mama Riveria leaned against the trunk, head lowered in quiet contemplation.
   The moment they sensed Ryota and Loki arriving, they both looked up.
   Standing in front of the blonde girl, Ryota didn't waste any words.
   He simply offered the sword to the freshly risen Ais.
   "Ais - this is for you," he said.
   "Consider it compensation. It's not worth forty million valis, but it should serve you well."
   Ais tilted her head, her golden eyes settling on the silver-sheened slender sword.
   She reached out, took hold of the hilt, and the moment her fingers wrapped around it, she felt an almost tailor-made familiarity in its grip.
   Before she could say anything, Loki jumped in,
   "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a sec, Ryota - you actually made a sword?! I thought you were joking!"
   "Ais isn't just going to use any random sword you throw at her, you know!"
   Loki clearly didn't trust Ryota's forging skills one bit.
   "Look, if you wanted to give her something, you'd have been better off with some red bean cream-filled fried potato balls - those are Ais's favorite!"
   You couldn't exactly blame Loki for doubting him.
   After all, Ais's usual sword, the Desperate, was a legendary one-of-a-kind masterpiece forged personally by Goibniu, worth ninety-nine million valis.
   Even her backup sword was a custom weapon worth forty million - though it had already been destroyed.
   Any sword that could make it into Ais's "arsenal" was a pinnacle of craftsmanship, born of a master smith's blood, sweat, and tears.
   He'd only been apprenticing with the Hephaestus Familia for a single week.
   Sure, that pseudo-magic sword of his the other day had surprised Loki -
   but that was a special case, only suitable for a LV.1... well, LV.2 now, but still a rookie.
   Ryota, being no fool, could hear the skepticism woven through Loki's teasing. He didn't bother explaining, just smiled and said,
   "Got it, Lady Loki - I'll remember the fried potato balls next time."
   Ais, however, ignored her goddess completely.
   Lowering her head, she focused intently on this sword, so similar in shape to her usual Desperate, yet clearly lighter and more nimble.
   A clear, piercing sound split the air as Ais gave the sword a gentle flick.
   As the blade cut through, even the air seemed to ripple and tear with delicate waves.
   In that moment, a vivid gleam of surprise lit up Ais's golden eyes.
   Riveria, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward and asked softly,
   "Ais - may I take a look at it?"
   Ais said nothing, merely looked up at Ryota.
   That look wasn't refusal, but a subtle confirmation of permission.
   "Don't look at me, Ais - it's yours now."
   At that, Ais nodded, and handed the sword to Riveria.
   The moment Riveria took the weapon, her expression froze.
   As if she were holding a feather.
   Even without being a smith, she could sense that this sword was far from ordinary.
   Riveria lifted her gaze, her tone uncharacteristically serious.
   "I remember you saying this morning... that Ryota's development ability was Mystery, correct?"
   "Yeah, that super-rare one - why?"
   Riveria glanced once more at the sword in her hands, then at Ryota, and spoke slowly,
   "Have him make custom gear for every single member of our Familia."
   Ryota was about to protest - "If you just pay me, I'll do it anyway, you don't have to lock me up" -
   when suddenly, that familiar mechanical chime echoed in his ear.
   This time, it was a mission completion notice:
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest: Provide a power boost to any member of your Familia - Completed!]
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   Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Ais's Party Request? Heading to the Dungeon!
   [Reward settlement in progress-]
   [Reward 1: Dryoku +10%!]
   [Reward 2: Unique Ninjutsu - Puppet Master Jutsu!]
   [Reward 3: Summoning Puppet - Karasu!]
   Note: Karasu is an offensive-type puppet, capable of long-range remote control, and can be used in battle, reconnaissance, and mission assistance.
   "Puppet Master Jutsu? The puppet techniques of the Hidden Sand?!"
   Ryota froze for a second, and a name instantly popped into his mind-
   The Second Kazekage, Shamon.
   It was that Kage-level powerhouse who had developed this unique system of puppet techniques, propelling the Land of Wind into the ranks of the Five Great Nations.
   It wasn't an exaggeration to call puppet techniques the ultimate art of chakra control.
   As that thought settled, Ryota felt as if some mental floodgate had been flung wide open, and countless bits of strange yet familiar jutsu knowledge surged into him like a tide.
   How to form chakra threads, the skeletal connection mechanisms of puppets, chakra-splitting techniques for controlling multiple puppets...
   Every piece of knowledge etched itself into his mind as if carved in stone.
   Once the initial excitement wore off, Ryota felt a trace of confusion.
   "The chakra capacity boost reward... didn't show up this time..."
   Normally, every time he completed a side quest or branch quest, the system would reliably hand him one thing: a chakra cap bonus.
   Ever since he'd gotten the system, this reward had never been missing, practically a standard allocation.
   But this time, it had been completely replaced by this high-level, unfamiliar jutsu - Puppet Master Jutsu.
   "Could it be that the Mystery development ability is changing the system's reward logic?"
   The second he thought that, Ryota found it perfectly reasonable.
   After all, his All-Encompassing Divine Eye system always did a matching check after every quest completion.
   That matching check determined which kind of combat skill best suited Ryota's current soul structure.
   And with the emergence of his Mystery development ability, the system must have reconstructed its matching model, deciding that Ryota now needed a more diversified fighting style.
   "So from this point on, the system's best-fit rewards might not be raw chakra reserves anymore..."
   Once he understood that, Ryota had to admit - this system was scary smart.
   Not only could it dynamically adapt its rewards based on his current condition, it even took development abilities from the DanMachi world into account.
   At the same time, Ryota could clearly sense, deep in his mental sea, a summoned puppet with three eyes and four arms - Karasu - floating quietly.
   With just one thought, he could instantly summon it right in front of him.
   "If... I modified it with forging skills, and boosted it with the Mystery development ability..."
   "That would be a real surprise reward..."
   A grin slipped across his lips.
   At that point, Karasu wouldn't just be a puppet anymore.
   It could become a fully autonomous combat unit, with smart command responses, loaded with remote-release jutsu and chakra trajectory calculations - a tactical-grade killing weapon!
   "With something like that, once I get into the Dungeon, I could just find a safe spot and let it do the clearing for me. The efficiency would be through the roof!"
   Clearing out monsters, gathering materials, hauling loot - all in one smooth operation.
   Like bringing an MMORPG cheat plugin straight into Orario.
   "But... to actually make that happen, I'll have to stockpile a ton of materials first."
   Ryota came back to his senses - and what he saw made his scalp prickle.
   Besides Loki, Riveria, and Ais,
   somehow Finn, Bete, and a bunch of others had showed up, too.
   Do these people have a telepathic link or something?!
   The core members of the Loki Familia were all staring at him,
   like a pack of wolves eyeing fresh prey - or a bunch of collectors spotting a priceless treasure.
   Riveria, seeing that everyone had arrived, finally spoke up.
   "Loki, why not set up a forging workshop and just put him in there?"
   Finn nodded with a bright smile, clearly approving.
   "I checked out that sword. Mystery as a development ability is incredible. Ryota, I'd like you to work with us and make each of us a custom piece to match our combat styles."
   It was a pseudo-magic sword, after all, and with both captains vouching for its quality, who wouldn't want one?
   Ryota's mouth twitched hard.
   "So you're planning to toss me in a blacksmith's dungeon and work me until my soul leaves my body, is that it?"
   "And even if we're all family here, we still have to settle the bill properly, don't you think?"
   Riveria didn't even blink before replying,
   "Name your price. As long as it's reasonable, we'll pay. Just get us the gear on schedule."
   Finn and Gareth simply nodded silently.
   Bete still wore his usual "I don't buy your hype" scowl, but his eyes were firmly glued to the swords strapped to Ryota's back.
   Even Lefiya was muttering softly behind him,
   "If Ryota's willing... I could save up months of living expenses..."
   And the Hiryute Sisterss?
   They were practically devouring him with their gazes, one step away from pouncing.
   As for Ais... she was still under the tree, staring blankly at her new sword.
   "Good grief, am I the only broke guy in this whole Familia?"
   Everyone else goes downstairs to train in the morning - he goes down to mine for resources.
   Everyone else fights to level up - he fights to gather materials.
   Everyone else comes home to eat - he comes home to hammer metal.
   -This round, this round, was pure "skill turned him into a workaholic robot."
   Even as he grumbled with that look of "you're all squeezing me dry," Ryota was secretly overjoyed.
   Originally he'd figured that "providing a combat boost for a Familia member" meant crafting a piece for each of the Three Captains, or at least cycling through the whole main squad.
   But turns out, just one sword for Ais had made the system ding.
   That proved his guess - the system's evaluation standard was based on whether he really boosted someone's power, not on cranking out a ton of equipment.
   In other words, quality could trump quantity as long as it was effective.
   So under Loki's hammer-blow of a final ruling, Ryota's forging commission was formally, "legally" confirmed.
   One million valis as a "labor fee" for each of the Three Captains,
   and fifty thousand valis minimum for other core members like Lefiya, Bete, the Hiryute Sisterss, etc.
   Of course, that was just the base price.
   Any extra complex or advanced customization would be "negotiated separately."
   Materials? Provided entirely by the Familia.
   Blueprints and requirements? Would be delivered to his door tomorrow morning.
   Ryota's only job was summed up in two words: produce results.
   Looking at this whole group of "clients" with a complicated expression, Ryota honestly wondered if he should just register a signboard - "Ryota's Smithy, open for business."
   Still, a finished quest, rewards in hand, and a new income source - he had to admit, it wasn't bad.
   As the excited chatter gradually faded, Ryota was left alone, ready to head back to his room and get his stuff in order for his trip to the Dungeon.
   At that moment, Ais approached him holding her brand new sword.
   "To the Dungeon. I've got a new commission to take care of."
   Ais tilted her head, a faint gleam of expectation and curiosity in her eyes.
   For a second, Ryota almost agreed.
   Having the Sword Princess on your team was the ultimate cheat code.
   But sadly, this mission required him to make the kill alone.
   So he could only give her a slightly apologetic smile.
   "Sorry, Ais - this one's a bit special."
   Ais froze, clearly surprised by the rejection.
   But she quickly caught on, giving a small nod.
   She answered quietly, taking half a step back and not asking anything further.
   Ryota didn't explain either - he just lifted his Kusanagi Sword with a grin.
   "Make sure you give that sword a name. When I get back, we'll push it to its limits together."
   A flicker of excitement lit up in the golden-haired girl's eyes again. She nodded obediently.
   "Be safe. Come back soon."
   As soon as Ais finished speaking, a murderous aura slammed into him from behind.
   "You've been alone with Lady Ais this whole time?!"
   No surprises - Loki and Lefiya had come charging back.
   Ryota shrank his neck in, kicked off the ground, and slipped past them like a shadow, appearing in front of Twilight Manor's main doors with only one parting shout:
   "I've got a quest to handle - see you!"
   After leaving Twilight Manor, Ryota didn't stop for even a second.
   He secured the Kusanagi Sword at his waist and moved quickly through the streets, heading straight for Babel Tower.
   Soon, he stepped inside, climbing the familiar spiral staircase to begin today's mission.
   The rock walls glistened with a damp sheen, occasional drips echoing in his ears, mingled with the distant growls of monsters moving through the dark.
   He glanced at the ground, then looked ahead into the pitch-black tunnel.
   "Target's the 11th to 12th floors..."
   "Might as well warm up first."
   Muttering to himself, he formed a hand sign.
   A puff of white smoke appeared, and Karasu materialized in front of him.
   Ryota nodded in satisfaction, raising his right hand. His five fingers spread, delicate threads of chakra energy extending from his fingertips to connect tightly with Karasu's back.
   But the next instant, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
   Not physically heavy, but the "control load" was enormous.
   Four arms, three eyes, dozens of controllable joints, plus all the special internal mechanisms, ejectors, and storage modules - all of it fed back into his nervous system.
   Even with his chakra already at A+ rank, he could only manage the most basic hovering and turning at first.
   "This is way harder than I thought!"
   He grit his teeth, forcing himself to focus, and made Karasu raise its right arm-
   A small kunai fired from its fingertip, shooting straight into a goblin's forehead ahead of them, pinning it to the cave wall in one neat stroke.
   The goblin collapsed to the ground, twitching twice before going still.
   "At least the firepower's fine."
   Ryota knew full well that if he wanted to truly harness this puppet's power, it would take a lot more practice than what he had now.
   "Looks like I'm gonna have to train with it as I push forward."
   With that, he manipulated Karasu and headed deeper into the Dungeon.
  
   Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Deeper Exploration - The Emergence of a Special Quest!
   Following the dim, shadowy tunnel, Ryota continued pushing deeper.
   From the first to the fourth floor, the monsters were hardly a threat: goblins, kobolds, Dungeon lizards - these barely counted as opponents to him now.
   So he didn't even bother fighting personally.
   Almost every battle was handled by Karasu, floating ahead of him.
   At first, there was a noticeable delay in the chakra thread controls - the puppet's arms and visual feed would often fall out of sync, and a couple Dungeon lizards nearly escaped because of it.
   But Ryota made note of every error, continuously analyzing the lag between motion feedback and chakra return flow with his Sharingan.
   He treated the act of "operating" like a form of combat training, using each live encounter to rapidly transform the Puppet Master Jutsu knowledge flooding his mind into true muscle memory and reflex.
   His command delay dropped from one second to half a second, then down to 0.2 seconds.
   Instead of a single chakra thread controlling the puppet's core, he'd now split them into four, separately managing its limbs.
   By the time he reached the fifth floor, he was nearly able to have the puppet carry out automatic attacks with jutsu finishing moves on its own.
   All it took was the twitch of a finger, and Karasu would lunge forward, blades sliding out from its forearms, spinning like a windmill to shred several kobolds that came swarming in.
   Then, in a single pivot, its shoulder mechanism would launch a chain, pinning a Frog Shooter sneaking up from afar straight to the wall.
   Every motion was clean, with not a hint of waste.
   Standing in the rear, Ryota murmured to himself:
   "The first to fifth floors will count as my trial run."
   One thing that especially satisfied him was how Karasu, despite its terrifying killing power and ruthless precision, struck perfectly at the threshold of "lethal but not explosive."
   It would sever arteries and pierce hearts with surgical efficiency, without wasting a single drop of blood.
   Compared to the memory of blasting apart a Monster Tide with Fire Style jutsu and turning all the magic stones to ash, Ryota still winced at the thought of that gut-wrenching loss.
   Yeah, he'd wiped the enemies out clean, but all those magic stones had burned to dust.
   That kind of total loss still gave him post-traumatic stress to this day.
   "Money... I really need more money..."
   He sighed, flexing his fingertips.
   Receiving the command, Karasu acted like a perfectly trained pack mule, stooping to gather up every magic stone, bone, claw, and even reusable teeth lying on the ground.
   Its multi-jointed mechanical arms moved so dexterously it was almost like watching a professional butcher prepping meat, grabbing, sorting, and stacking items before depositing them into the backpack slung on Ryota's back.
   That backpack, reinforced and oversized, was something Ryota had snagged from the Hephaestus Familia's forge before leaving -
   perfect for "frontline resource collection" in the Dungeon.
   Once he felt he'd scrounged about everything from the fifth floor, Ryota had Karasu continue forward.
   For the sixth and seventh floors, he fell into a pattern of "see, slash, loot, pack" in an endless cycle.
   Karasu turned into a fully activated battlefield sweeper, slicing down every monster in its path with perfect precision and then cleaning up the loot afterward.
   He just stood a few meters back, gently twitching the chakra threads, barely breaking a sweat.
   On those floors, he also encountered his old "friends" - the Killer Ants.
   From there, it was a routine he could run in his sleep:
   Activate genjutsu - break their spirits - lure in reinforcements.
   The familiar three-stage kill sequence turned the Dungeon into his personal monster factory once again.
   This time, however, he didn't even need to draw his sword.
   The newly-deployed "all-in-one Dungeon workhorse," Karasu, took care of everything.
   Pausing in front of the path to the tenth floor, Ryota glanced into the thick mist ahead.
   His backpack was already stuffed to the point the straps were starting to deform under the weight of materials and magic stones.
   "Why does it still feel like not enough?"
   He raised a hand, recalling Karasu back to his mindscape, then took a moment to rest at the corridor's entrance.
   Even though this trip had been smooth and satisfying,
   Ryota knew perfectly well that Karasu's overall efficiency wasn't as high as he'd hoped.
   Sure, it had solid precision, stable chakra flow, and integrated ranged, melee, harvest, and cleanup modules -
   but its overall strength was still just that of a "basic offensive puppet."
   Nowhere near the kind of power that could dominate an entire battlefield.
   It didn't have the Magnet Type Iron Sand of the Third Kazekage puppet, nor the venom-loaded blade traps of Hiruko, and certainly no flight turbines or chakra burst cores.
   Karasu was more like a practical cleaning tool, not a war machine.
   Ryota understood this perfectly - that wasn't Karasu's fault, but rather:
   "The system just gave me a base model to start with."
   Still, deep down, he had a feeling - someday he'd get new puppets.
   Not just one or two, but an entire puppet army.
   He'd manipulate chakra threads like a Spider King, commanding hundreds of mechanisms on the battlefield, realizing a true hundred-machine grand performance.
   That would be Ryota's real, fully-automated Dungeon conquest style.
   Thinking of that, he let a grin slip across his lips and refocused on the dark entrance to the tenth floor.
   "I'd better take care of the Infant Dragon, and maybe hunt down a Minotaur too."
   Ryota was no stranger to the tenth floor.
   Not long ago, he'd explored it together with Lefiya.
   And once his Sharingan was activated, the white fog filling the cave became nearly transparent in his vision.
   So even though the tenth to twelfth floors were infamous for their fog labyrinth and a nightmare for most adventurers, to Ryota they were basically an open book.
   But just as he thought he'd push forward smoothly and spot a clue to his mission target,
   the moment he entered the eleventh floor, a strange silence stopped him cold.
   Normally, as the floors got deeper, the monster density should rise dramatically.
   But here, it was getting quieter and quieter.
   Ryota instinctively frowned. Something was off.
   The mist on the eleventh floor had thickened even further, practically forming a gel-like mass you could see hanging in the air.
   Ordinarily, the eleventh floor marked the territory of rare species, with far more aggressive monsters and faster respawns.
   Especially a "Infant Dragon" class creature - it should have sensed an intruder and responded almost immediately.
   But now the entire place was eerily silent.
   No monster cries, no echoes of fighting, only the faint tap of his own footsteps on the stone, like he was stepping into a space that had been deliberately cleared out.
   "Is this the work of a rare monster?"
   Ryota was just about to investigate further, when all of a sudden, footsteps echoed through the suffocating fog ahead.
   His eyes sharpened, and with a soft shing, he drew the Kusanagi Sword, its blade stirring a faint air current that blew the mist outward.
   Narrowing his eyes, he focused on the silhouette forming in the fog.
   The figure gradually came into view, footsteps hurried, like they'd jogged over.
   Moments later, the person stepped out of the haze - red hair, a familiar face, and a bright smile across it.
   The red-haired boy walked up, panting, face lit with irrepressible delight.
   "Ha... ha... Senior! I can't believe I ran into you here!"
   Ryota blinked, but kept a firm grip on his sword.
   "Lain?! What are you doing here?"
   Lain raised a hand to wipe sweat from his brow.
   "I took a commission, supposed to only reach the tenth floor. But then Lia and Lota wanted to explore a bit further, so I came with them to the eleventh."
   He pulled a resigned, slightly annoyed expression and went on:
   "But we got separated almost right away - the fog's so thick I completely lost my bearings..."
   "If I hadn't run into you by sheer luck, I'd probably still be wandering in circles right now. You're a lifesaver, Senior."
   His tone was casual, even laced with a playful note, as though he'd really just gotten separated and randomly bumped into a friend.
   Yet Ryota watched him, listening to every syllable, every breath.
   From the delight to the tension to the frustration to the relief, every shift in Lain's expression, every pause, was so perfectly timed it felt scripted.
   That kind of "natural" was the most unnatural thing of all.
   Besides, there were contradictions in his words that Ryota couldn't ignore.
   Even if he didn't know Lain's exact level, anyone taking an escort quest down to the tenth floor had to be at least near LV.2.
   And someone that capable, a party core member, would really just go along with "let's check a deeper floor" on a whim?
   Into the eleventh floor, where rare species might appear?
   That did not match the Lain he knew at all.
   "...This is wrong. Way too wrong."
   Questions flashed one after another through Ryota's mind.
   Then, in the next instant, a spark went off inside him.
   Like a taut string had been suddenly plucked, an electric jolt shot through his nerves.
   Lain... was from the Freya Familia.
   His heart gave a heavy thump, pupils contracting sharply.
   Of course he knew that fact - he just hadn't connected it to the present moment.
   But now, linking together "that weird smile," "those out-of-character choices," "that flawless conversation flow"...
   There was only one possible explanation.
   This guy... he's been charmed, hasn't he?
   Freya's charm - a mental domination technique so absolute it overwrote a person's will.
   Not simple control, but a subtle, total rewriting of their devotion, making her their "one and only."
   If Lain had truly suffered a deep charm implantation, then his smile, his tone, even his timing...
   all of it was a carefully arranged lure.
   And the target of that script, obviously, was himself.
   Ryota thought of the main quest, then of the Minotaur mentioned in the branch quest,
   and as the clues connected, it was like a hundred arrows silently pointed toward a single name.
   That god with a control obsession so strong she saw all of Orario as her chessboard -
   the Goddess of Beauty, Freya.
   At that precise moment, a shock ran through Ryota's entire body.
   In his ear, a mechanical chime rang out, but this time the voice was different - colder, heavier, with an oppressive edge:
   [Main Branch Special Quest Activated-]
   [Name]: The Scales of Choice
   [Objective]: Lain Hait is currently under deep charm implantation. Please make your decision:
   [A: Kill the target, severing divine domination for a guaranteed clean result.]
   [B: Save the target, forcibly break the charm and restore their true self.]
   [Quest Reward]: Unknown, will be comprehensively judged based on the chosen path and execution process.
   This kind of notification had never appeared since he'd gotten the system!
   No more linear progress - this was a crossroads of fate.
   One side, a clean cut to erase the threat.
   The other, a plunge into the tangled swamp of breaking a mental hold.
   He looked at Lain, still smiling at him like a friend.
   "Freya... what the hell are you trying to pull?"
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   Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Salvation or Death?
   Ryota's expression grew more and more complicated as he looked at Lain, his thoughts turning heavy.
   Even though he hadn't lived through something as horrific as the Uchiha Clan Massacre, his half-year in the Trial Space had already forged a much harder heart.
   But that didn't mean he was some butcher who'd swing his blade on a whim.
   He was the one who'd pulled Lain's party out of a hopeless situation not that long ago.
   And now, he was supposed to kill the red-haired boy he'd once saved with his own hands?
   Ryota couldn't help but curse under his breath.
   His fingertips had already settled on the sword hilt, but he couldn't draw it.
   Looking at that familiar face, no matter how he tried, he just couldn't summon the intent to kill.
   Right then, Lain spoke up.
   "Senior, back then... if you hadn't finished that commission, our party probably wouldn't have made it."
   "That orc hide you brought in-Lia spent days fixing up our beat-up armor with it."
   "Honestly, we were already prepared to never go into the Dungeon again."
   "So no matter what other people think, to us, you're a lifesaver."
   Seeing Ryota's blank face, Lain scratched his head with an awkward grin, realizing he was sounding way too sentimental.
   Those words were delivered so naturally, so perfectly timed.
   Perfectly aimed at that softest spot in Ryota's heart-
   Those who save lives should not become executioners.
   But the next second, a new thought crashed into Ryota's mind.
   The system prompt had said:
   The reward will be comprehensively judged based on the chosen path and execution process.
   Did that mean-the harder the choice, the greater the reward?
   Or that the quicker and cleaner he completed the task, the higher the evaluation?
   Ryota narrowed his eyes, staring at Lain's smiling face, weighing his options in a flash.
   Save-extremely risky, he'd have to break through Freya's charm structure, but if he succeeded, the reward could be far beyond expectations.
   Like a test: would you take the easy road, or shoulder the burden for a true breakthrough?
   Ryota let out a faint chuckle.
   "So that's how it is, huh, system? You sure know how to play the hero route scoring game..."
   In truth, he'd already made up his mind long ago.
   Even though Lain was under deep charm implantation, his mind twisted by someone else's will-
   Ryota still couldn't kill the red-haired boy in front of him.
   Not because he was softhearted, but because Lain was innocent.
   He hadn't betrayed anyone.
   All he'd done was accept a commission and ended up getting dragged into a divine power struggle as collateral damage.
   At the end of the day, Lain was just a normal adventurer.
   And now fate expected Ryota to choose between "save" or "kill"?
   He made up his mind in an instant and selected [Option B].
   Ryota pulled his fingers away from the sword hilt and looked back at Lain.
   Lain looked startled but quickly nodded, hurrying after him.
   The two figures moved through the dense fog, one leading, one following.
   Soon after, Ryota led him to an open area.
   The mist here was still thick, but with the Sharingan, he could make sure nothing was hiding nearby.
   "Senior, uh... why did we stop here all of a sudden?"
   Ryota didn't answer right away. He turned around and, after a few seconds, spoke.
   "Lain, lately... have you felt anything strange? Like, your emotions, your memories, or-whenever you face certain people, do you feel compelled to obey them?"
   Lain froze, clearly not understanding.
   "No, nothing like that... well, maybe I spaced out a bit on the tenth floor, but it's not-why?"
   Ryota stared into his eyes, the three-tomoe Sharingan spinning gently.
   He could tell-Lain himself had no idea.
   Ryota searched his memory.
   Unlike surface-level visual charm, Freya's deep charm worked on the subconscious.
   She didn't need to forcibly order you around, or use words to brainwash you.
   She just planted a tiny seed in your heart-
   That seed wasn't a command. It was a desire, a choice you thought you'd made yourself.
   His behavior, his speech patterns, his emotional flow, even his logic, had been ever-so-slightly nudged onto a preset track.
   Worse still, those under the charm would regard Freya as the supreme beauty, naturally seeing her as someone to follow, even willing to throw away their own identity and offer everything, including their free will, to the Goddess of Beauty.
   It wasn't even affection.
   It was an almost parasitic obsession and worship.
   That was why so many of the Freya Familia acted like fanatical zealots (or downright bootlickers).
   At present, only three people were known to resist Freya's charm: the loli goddess Hestia, her bestie Artemis, and the never-seen Athena.
   Ryota looked at Lain, who was staring back at him blankly.
   In that instant, a spark went off in his brain.
   Charm worked on the mind-
   Genjutsu also worked on the mind-
   That sounded like the same playing field, didn't it?
   Both were forms of informational interference. One was divine suppression, the other chakra manipulation.
   "If the principles are similar, then in theory... I can counter it the same way."
   Ryota rapidly reviewed everything he knew about dispelling genjutsu.
   In the shinobi world, there were three main methods to break illusions:
   Have a comrade inject chakra to break the flow
   Or use immense willpower to break free on your own
   His eyes were clear, emotions steady, showing no sign of direct control.
   And that was the scariest part-charm wasn't control, but a subtle change.
   Clearly, the third method was out. Lain couldn't do that.
   The first wouldn't work either, since the charm had already embedded itself in his subconscious. Blocking his senses now was pointless.
   "That leaves only the second option."
   Ryota would use his own chakra to shatter the chains on Lain's mind!
   As he raised his right hand, Lain looked completely lost.
   With that, Ryota lifted his fingertip and touched Lain's forehead.
   Instantly, chakra rippled outward like water.
   Ryota could sense clearly how his chakra flowed through Lain's mindscape, navigating through layers of ego, subconscious, and emotional sea, until it finally reached a hazy, silvery-gray barrier.
   Like divinity frozen in the fog.
   That was the imprint of Freya's will.
   But surprisingly, that barrier wasn't solid.
   It felt like a crystal screen that would shatter at the slightest push-no violent rejection, no fierce struggle.
   This charm... wasn't reinforced?
   Freya had every reason to tighten her grip, yet she hadn't.
   Ryota couldn't figure out why, but it made him even more cautious.
   Still, it was exactly this weakness that let him pierce through the spiritual fog in seconds!
   No time to overthink. His chakra turned into a blade and slashed through that barrier!
   An almost imperceptible sound.
   Lain's pupils shrank, the light in them suddenly dimming, and a wave of exhaustion swept over him.
   His mouth opened slightly, body swaying, and then he collapsed straight into Ryota's arms.
   Ryota quickly stepped forward, lowering him gently.
   Looking down, he saw Lain had gone completely limp, face pale, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
   His body had no wounds, but mentally, he looked completely hollowed out.
   Ryota frowned, then carefully laid him flat and checked his breathing. Only then did his heart settle.
   Yeah, that was his own chakra's doing.
   After all, chakra from the shinobi world was a higher-order power compared to this world.
   Whether it was Fire Style, the Sharingan, or the Mangeky Sharingan he might unlock someday-
   they all represented the overwhelming force of the shinobi world.
   Even using just a tiny bit of it, from the perspective of this world's physiology, was like getting hit by a truck.
   "Good thing I only used a guiding flow... if I'd dumped it all in like a real genjutsu battle..."
   "Lain might've straight-up exploded."
   Chakra, once expanded beyond the shinobi framework, had a terrifyingly overwhelming presence compared to this world's systems.
   It wasn't just a combat cheat code-
   it was practically a high-dimensional interference tool, and if he wasn't careful, it could warp this entire world's rules and balance.
   Ryota lowered his gaze to Lain, making sure his breathing was calm, then slowly stood up.
   No familiar [ding] sounded in his ear.
   Ryota paused, understanding immediately.
   -The system didn't consider the mission complete yet.
   Clearly, in its judgment criteria, breaking the charm alone wasn't enough. Saving Lain meant seeing him regain his consciousness.
   Otherwise, a temporary release didn't count as true salvation.
   "I'll have to wait for him to wake up."
   Ryota let out a long breath, but he wasn't worried.
   He'd already handled the hardest part of this special quest-Freya's charm.
   The rest was just a matter of time.
   "In that case, I'd better get him out first."
   He had no intention of dragging an unconscious Lain deeper into the Dungeon.
   Whether it was a Infant Dragon or a Minotaur, those were no walk in the park, and carrying dead weight would only make things worse.
   Ryota slung the Kusanagi Sword across his back and helped Lain to his feet.
   "Let's get you out of here first."
   "I'm actually kind of curious what reward this special quest will cough up."
   He'd only taken two steps forward when suddenly the dense fog ahead exploded outward with a loud boom.
   A deep, crushing thud-thud-thud of footsteps came rumbling from the breach.
   Ryota's head snapped up toward the sound.
   The fog rolled and parted, revealing a gigantic black shadow striding forward.
   It was nearly twice as large as a normal monster, its entire body clad in thick muscle and dark gray hide, bull-headed and red-eyed.
   But this wasn't the "standard" kind Bell had once fought on his first encounter-
   This one, whether by size, aura, or the sheer intimidation pouring off its body, was no average adventurer's match.
   It was more like some kind of battle weapon, specially strengthened and trained!
   "How the hell did Ottar train up this monster?"
   Ryota muttered, then carefully laid the unconscious Lain behind a rock for safety and stepped forward.
   The Kusanagi Sword flashed free, lightning and fire chakra swirling tightly around its blade.
   Staring down that monstrous bull-headed beast towering like a small mountain, Ryota gave the sword a casual swing.
   "I was wondering where I'd find you, big guy."
  
   Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Evolving Eye - Mangeky of the Left
   Ryota glanced to the side at the still-unconscious red-haired boy.
   "Why did this Minotaur wait around for so long, only to pop up right after I broke Lain's charm?"
   The timing was too perfect, the direction too precise, the target... far too specific.
   This wasn't a random encounter at all - it was more like some kind of trigger mechanism.
   His mind flashed through what he knew of Freya's charm, and Lain's strange behavior earlier.
   A moment later, Ryota came up with a theory that fit almost all the evidence.
   "Don't tell me - this Minotaur was using Lain as its marker?"
   Not following him, but locking on.
   It had treated Lain as some kind of "target beacon" and waited in hiding.
   Once Lain got close to Ryota, it would automatically launch an attack.
   "Lain was looking for me the whole time... while the Minotaur was lying in wait."
   No wonder Lain never mentioned anything about a Minotaur -
   he probably didn't even know this giant thing was here.
   Ryota's thoughts moved fast, the three tomoe of his Sharingan spinning at high speed, almost completely breaking down the logic of the situation.
   But soon he raised an eyebrow and shook all that out of his head.
   "Forget it. Whether this was Freya's doing or not... it doesn't matter right now."
   "The only thing that matters is this monster in front of me."
   He steadied his breathing and tightened his grip on the Kusanagi Sword.
   "Take down this big guy first, then get Lain out of here."
   "Both objectives - I have to complete them."
   The moment those words left his lips-
   the Minotaur roared, its blood-red bull eyes locked straight onto Ryota.
   Its prey had finally appeared. The pent-up killing intent burst forth all at once.
   In the next instant, the Minotaur stomped the ground, its massive frame shooting forward like a cannonball, a huge axe gripped in its hands, charging straight for Ryota.
   Ryota didn't back down. He charged right at the monster head-on.
   Two tremendous forces collided in the middle of the clearing.
   At the same time, the Kusanagi Sword began to blaze with lightning.
   Visible arcs of electricity, like wild serpents, crackled down the sword's blade and in the blink of an eye wrapped around the Minotaur's axe!
   The current jumped along the metal, hissing and snapping across its arms, its chest, even its head!
   A muffled roar tore from the Minotaur's throat.
   Its huge body seized up violently, a numb, stabbing pain exploding from its limbs as its muscles spasmed all at once, forcing it to stagger backward several steps.
   Ryota landed, skidding a pace to bleed off the impact, the Kusanagi Sword still humming with residual lightning.
   "This power... easily at least Level 3."
   "Ottar... really went all-out."
   "Throwing something two whole levels above me, who's supposed to be a Level 1 rookie - they sure think highly of me."
   If it had been an ordinary adventurer, the difference in fighting power would have crushed them before they could even react.
   Unfortunately for the Minotaur-
   Ryota was no ordinary adventurer.
   "Even if I'm still Level 1..."
   "I have more than enough ways to send it packing."
   Then Ryota leaned forward slightly, his left arm hanging loose, palm spread open, faint sparks gathering at his fingertips.
   Like breaking glass, like thunderclouds bellowing, a fierce sound of lightning roared through the air.
   Concentrated lightning gathered in his left palm, pure, violent, and sharper than any blade, giving off a shrill, high-frequency chirping - like a thousand birds beating their wings at once.
   Even the Minotaur flinched, a brief flicker of wariness flashing across those crimson bull eyes!
   It... subconsciously stepped back half a pace.
   But in the next moment, as if something snapped inside it, seeing Ryota's slim figure and unthreatening aura, its wild nature roared back, overpowering its reason.
   It bellowed again, rearing up for a savage charge.
   But the very next second as it lifted its axe-
   Ryota's form vanished from sight, leaving only the ripping thunderclap behind.
   The Minotaur didn't even have time to see what hit it. All it felt was a sudden chill in its chest, followed by an explosion of searing pain where its heart should be.
   It struggled to look down -
   there was a blood-soaked hole punched clean through its chest, the scorched edges still crackling with leftover lightning, like it had been run through with a thunder spear.
   The giant frame swayed for a moment, then crashed to the ground!
   Its massive body kept twitching on the ground, a final reflex of its dying nervous system.
   So fast that the Minotaur's body hadn't even reacted before it was already dead.
   A few seconds later, the leftover lightning dispersed completely, and the colossal corpse began to crumble apart, turning into a cloud of pitch-black ash that scattered through the Dungeon like drifting dust.
   -With that, the Minotaur was truly dead.
   In the silence that followed, a familiar mechanical chime suddenly sounded in Ryota's ear:
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest - solo kill of the Minotaur complete!]
   [Reward 1: Dryoku +10%!]
   [Reward 2: Chakra Capacity +1000!]
   A-rank Technique - Lightning Style: Chidori Stream unlocked
   A-rank Technique - Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear unlocked ]
   Ryota nodded slightly, a hint of understanding in his eyes.
   "Back to the roots again, huh..."
   Any mission tied directly to combat usually unlocked new ninjutsu.
   Whereas those focused on forging or Familia support tended to unlock things like Puppet Master Jutsu.
   "Tch, figures. This thing's basically railroading me into becoming an all-rounder."
   Ryota let out a chuckle, shifting his attention to the two newly unlocked Lightning Style techniques.
   Both were advanced branches of Chidori, developed by Uchiha Sasuke during live combat.
   Chidori Stream focused more on lightning defense and area control.
   While Chidori Sharp Spear extended Lightning Style chakra into a long-range piercing spear, with powerful paralysis and penetration effects - coupled with the Sharingan's insight, it was practically guaranteed to hit.
   "Not bad. Now I've got both control and ranged offense covered."
   Ryota still dreamed of mastering that ultimate, overwhelming Lightning Style Sasuke had poured his soul into - Kirin.
   That was the true power that could change the entire flow of battle in a single strike.
   Pulling his thoughts back, Ryota turned around, lifting a foot to go retrieve Lain.
   But just as he stepped forward-
   His left eye suddenly exploded with a pain so intense it felt like someone was drilling straight through his brain!
   It was as if something inside his eyeball was being ripped apart from deep within!
   He staggered two steps, then collapsed to his knees.
   The Kusanagi Sword clattered to the ground as he clutched his left eye, pain so vicious he couldn't even form words, his breathing turning ragged.
   The agony flooded over him like a tidal wave, except this time, it wasn't a chakra surge - it was his eye itself changing!
   The Sharingan - evolving to a new stage!
   The instant that realization hit him-
   it felt like his entire mind was being pulverized by a drill, the world spinning wildly around him.
   "Damn it... this is the Dungeon."
   "If I pass out now, I'm dead."
   His consciousness felt like it was being torn in half by the pain and vertigo, while his left eye's pupil was transforming into a black hole, devouring his chakra, breaking down, growing, shattering and rebuilding all at once!
   Ryota fought to keep his shaking body under control, grabbed the Kusanagi Sword from the floor, and stabbed it into the ground with a sharp clang.
   The blade bit into the stone with a clear, ringing note.
   He gripped the hilt with white-knuckled force, leaning on the sword, willing himself not to collapse.
   But the pain kept going, his left eye feeling like it was being burned by fire, torn apart by lightning, chakra draining out of him by the second, and his mind slowly fading.
   "If... if this keeps up, and monsters show up..."
   Ryota gritted his teeth, fighting through the waves of agony rolling through his brain, and forced a single thought-
   With a soft pop, Karasu's puppet body appeared at his side.
   Ryota, still clutching the Kusanagi Sword, lifted his trembling right hand and forced threads of chakra into the puppet's joints, making it hover and lock into position above him.
   That effort drained the last of his strength. Cold sweat dripped from his chin to the floor, the sword hilt creaking from how tightly he gripped it.
   The puppet creaked around with a faint whir, its four arms spreading out, like a guardian holding vigil over Ryota.
   His breathing grew more and more ragged, his skull feeling like it was about to split.
   "If I black out now, this eye's mutation will swallow me whole."
   He desperately mobilized every shred of his chakra, channeling precise threads of it into the meridians around his left eye, trying to stabilize the rampaging "Visual Jutsu awakening."
   His Sharingan spun violently, the three tomoe whirling so fast they looked like they were merging, then breaking apart, recombining over and over.
   This wasn't simple fatigue or normal Sharingan strain-
   Evolving to an even higher stage of the pupil!
   But at the same time, the spiritual and chakra burden of that evolution was pushing him to his absolute limit!
   "Hurry... hurry up and finish already..."
   He could feel it - at the very center of his left eye, something new was about to be born!
   He had no idea how long it lasted -
   a minute, five minutes, maybe even hours -
   before that bone-deep, soul-scorching pain finally, slowly began to fade.
   It felt as if some ancient seal had been torn open, leaving behind nothing but a hollow, shaking quiet.
   Ryota's whole body was drenched in sweat.
   His hair clung to his pale cheeks, his clothes stuck to his back and chest like he'd just been dragged out of a freezing pond.
   He rested there for a full two minutes before he finally managed to pull the Kusanagi Sword from the stone.
   Then he turned it, using its reflective blade to look at his own face.
   his left eye was no longer the triple tomoe.
   Instead, it was pitch-black, with a dark, circular ring.
   At its center, a complex, icy-cold hexagram pattern was etched in, faintly showing a shape reminiscent of a shuriken.
   But no matter how you described it -
   the Mangeky Sharingan - had awakened!
   Ryota stared blankly at the slowly turning new pattern in his left eye.
   A seal of hexagrams and shuriken twining together, every rotation seemingly peeling away some hidden barrier deep inside his soul.
   "My Mangeky... on the left side..."
   He murmured softly, voice trembling with disbelief and also with the relief of a destiny finally coming full circle.
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   Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Flaming Infant Dragon - A Power Worthy of the Mangeky
   In the world of Naruto, the evolution from the Sharingan to the Mangeky Sharingan was, at its core, a burst of extreme negative emotion.
   Killing someone dear with one's own hands, witnessing the death of a loved one with unbearable helplessness, or plunging into utter despair - those were the triggers.
   It wasn't a simple mutation of chakra, but an awakening born from deep scars on the soul.
   Yet here in this world of Orario, where the rules were completely different, Ryota had no cherished family, nor had he witnessed the death of someone precious.
   But what he did carry was the weight of a soul from another dimension, a sense of rejection from this plane, and the accumulated experience and crushing loneliness earned through countless battles in the Trial Space.
   All of it... had converged into the searing, almost inhuman pain that tormented his eye.
   Ryota understood very well that this pain - the kind that pierced down to his very bones, stabbing straight through his soul - was the price of "awakening" in this world:
   "The logic of the Sharingan is to forge power through pain."
   "And even here, the Naruto rules don't change."
   As for why it had triggered so suddenly just now, Ryota thought it over and more or less grasped it.
   This wasn't a random coincidence, or some blessing from fate.
   It was the inevitable result of the steps he'd taken to reach this critical point.
   "Five Main Branch Quests..."
   "Every one of them awarded me increases to my Dryoku."
   Chakra boosts aside, his dryoku - his Dryoku - had accumulated a full 50% along the way.
   That went far beyond mere enhanced perception or sharper eyesight.
   It was a fundamental, deep-layer activation of the Sharingan's potential.
   All of that power had been fed into him, quest after quest, like water into a reservoir.
   Add to that all his real combat use of the Sharingan, and the overlapping, building, critical mass had finally exploded!
   It was as if the burning line of fire that had torn through his left eye in that instant had long since crept to the edge of his soul.
   In the end, before Ryota could even brace himself, the three tomoe had forcibly broken through their limits and evolved.
   Ryota reached up, gently touching the skin around his left eye, where the burning ache still lingered.
   "At least the result turned out well."
   With a self-mocking chuckle, he lifted his head, his gaze once more falling on the Kusanagi Sword's reflection to admire the new eye.
   It wasn't a normal Mangeky pattern at all.
   Instead - two different shapes overlapped and intertwined within it.
   One was a sharply symmetrical triple-blade structure, like a shuriken; the other was a six-pointed star, yin and yang locked together.
   They were like two marks from different souls, different wills, not conflicting, but tangled around each other in their rotation.
   "...What is this supposed to mean?"
   Ryota furrowed his brow, filled with deep confusion.
   He certainly knew the Mangeky Sharingan's patterns were unique to each user - that was basically canon in the Naruto world.
   Even if the official materials never spelled out pattern equals ability,
   every Naruto fan understood: the pattern mirrored a person's unique soul and obsession.
   Ryota's left eye held a pattern that was a fusion of Sasuke's and Itachi's Mangeky marks?
   Head swimming with questions, Ryota brought up his info panel with a thought:
   [All-Encompassing Divine Eye System]
   [Chakra Level]: A+ (Stable - Absolute Stable Law-Rank)
   [Chakra Control]: S Rank (High-Precision Mastery)
   [Chakra Nature]: Fire, Lightning
   [Sharingan]: Mangeky Sharingan (Left), Three Tomoe (Right)
   Omitted (already listed before~)
   Lightning Style: Chidori Stream
   Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear
   The moment he read the last two characters, Ryota's face changed in an instant.
   He blurted out the word almost reflexively, unable to hide the shock in his voice.
   Sure, he'd suspected awakening the Mangeky Sharingan would grant him new abilities.
   But never in a million years did he think it would be Amaterasu -
   the black flames that burned anything and everything, which could not be extinguished until the target was completely reduced to ash!
   "Then... what about Tsukuyomi? Why isn't it there?"
   "Maybe it's a reward for the next quest?"
   Ryota's heart churned with speculation, but before he could think too deeply, his eyes landed on another tiny but intensely conspicuous line of text-
   Absolute Stable Law-Rank.
   That was the second change that made Ryota's expression turn completely serious.
   "Absolute stable... law-rank...?"
   His chakra had evolved from its normal flowing, scattered form into a new state of constant stability, no longer disrupted by external influences.
   In other words, his chakra had entered an entirely new realm.
   This chakra would no longer spiral out of control, no longer be affected by emotional swings, and even under the strain of advanced jutsu or brutal combat, he would not collapse from exhaustion.
   "That's not a buff - that's... an evolution."
   "The system is setting me up, tuning my chakra to handle something as extreme as Amaterasu!"
   Ryota turned his head to glance at the reflection of his right eye in the sword blade.
   That was still a steadily spinning three-tomoe Sharingan.
   Compared to the left eye, which had already stepped into the "Mangeky" domain, the right eye remained at the level of a high-tier Sharingan.
   "I've awakened one eye - the road ahead will be much easier."
   He understood now how the Mangeky's logic worked, and the system's rules as well.
   Complete quests, reach goals, build up chakra, raise Dryoku...
   None of that was just numbers; it was preparing the "heat" needed for the next eye.
   "The left eye awoke after completing five quests and reaching +50% Dryoku."
   "So the right eye... once its Dryoku hits 100%, it'll naturally awaken."
   And when that day came, Ryota would have both Mangeky Sharingan.
   One-eyed Mangeky meant awakening.
   Two-eyed Mangeky - was the true, perfected form!
   He was absolutely clear that would be another transformative milestone.
   Beyond Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, or even Kamui-
   Sliding the Kusanagi Sword back into its sheath, Ryota gathered his thoughts.
   He formed a hand seal, and the puppet Karasu hovering overhead dissolved into a black shadow, whooshing back into his mindscape.
   The mission was done, the evolution complete. It was time to leave.
   As for commissions or contracts - those could wait.
   Besides, he had basically swept floors one through ten this time, so at least he'd pocketed tens of thousands of valis worth of loot.
   Turning to the still-unconscious Lain, Ryota bent down and reached out to lift him up.
   "Come on, let's get you back-"
   Before he could finish, the entire floor suddenly shook!
   It was as if some massive creature had rammed up from below.
   In that instant, the air on the eleventh floor seemed to change.
   It wasn't the typical agitation of a monster waking, nor the collapse of terrain - it was a skin-crawling sense of oppression, spreading through the area.
   Another thunderous crash rang out, scattering the distant mist along the horizon.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes, and saw a sleek, snow-white dragon streaking toward him at high speed.
   Its body wasn't huge, barely half as big as that earlier Minotaur.
   But just on its four limbs, its speed was frighteningly fast.
   "Its aura... something's off..."
   Ryota's eyes glimmered, and he blurted out:
   "A rare species! One of the top-tier monsters on the upper floors - a Infant Dragon!"
   "My fight with the Minotaur must've woken this guy up."
   His face broke into a grin of excitement.
   "Perfect. A payday walking straight to me - who am I to refuse?!"
   He lowered the freshly-lifted Lain back to the ground, turned to face the Infant Dragon, and instinctively reached for the Kusanagi Sword.
   But just as he was about to draw it, his movement froze.
   The six-pointed star and shuriken motif in his left eye began to slowly spin, as that familiar yet strange energy welled up from deep in his eye socket.
   "Still not used to this..."
   He left the sword sheathed, took a step forward, and let the white dragon come barreling closer.
   Feeling the right moment arrive, his left pupil contracted sharply, and he shouted-
   The air itself seemed to freeze in that instant, then tear apart!
   Time felt like it slowed for a heartbeat.
   The charging Infant Dragon hadn't even had time to react before a muffled pop rang out.
   On one side of its body, black flames silently burst into being!
   This was the flame of Amaterasu - the inextinguishable black fire!
   It ignored physical and magical resistance, needed no spark, was unmoved by the wind, and once marked, it would burn until the target was reduced to nothing.
   The Infant Dragon howled in agony, stumbling wildly out of control.
   It thrashed and smashed against the ground, trying to snuff out the sudden blaze.
   The black flames clung to it like a curse, burning hotter and wilder!
   In moments, the Amaterasu flames spread like a black plague, devouring every inch of the Infant Dragon's flesh.
   Just a few seconds later, there was a quiet pop.
   The upper-floor apex monster, a rare Infant Dragon, finally gave up its struggle and went still, utterly consumed!
   At the same time, Ryota's body shuddered violently.
   His left eye began to throb, and a thin line of blood trickled from the corner, sliding down his pale cheek to splash on the stone floor.
   "Even I... can't escape the backlash, huh..."
   The Mangeky Sharingan was never a perfect power.
   It was not only a symbol of "strength," but also a chain of "consequence."
   Overuse would damage one's vision, drain one's spirit, and could even lead to permanent blindness.
   Even Ryota, with chakra reserves and physical toughness far beyond any normal human, was still flesh - he couldn't carry that burden forever.
   Because he knew all too well the terrible price of the Mangeky Sharingan, Ryota's desire for the Eternal Mangeky Sharingan - that perfected state which could break free of all side effects and lock his djutsu at their peak - only burned stronger.
   He wiped away the blood from his left eye, lifted Lain up again, and walked toward the Infant Dragon's smoldering remains.
   "Let's head back to the surface first. Next time, I'll push even deeper..."
  
   Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Back to the Surface - Lain Awakens
   In the distance, the scorched and cracked ground left behind by Amaterasu was littered with only a few monster materials and a magic stone, scattered across the blackened earth.
   A faint, skin-prickling heat still lingered in the air.
   Ryota stepped forward, picked up the crystalline magic stone, and gathered a few pieces of rare, silvery material into his pack.
   Glancing down to check, he confirmed the commission's requested Infant Dragon fangs/tooth were among them.
   In the Dungeon, the monster count was generally fixed.
   Even though their respawn points couldn't be precisely predicted, each floor's respawn intervals followed a set rhythm, rarely exceeding a day.
   When Ryota descended earlier, he'd basically bulldozed through everything, sweeping away every monster along the way.
   So the return trip was smoother than he'd expected.
   Apart from the occasional splatter of blood or a shattered skeleton, the entire passage was eerily quiet.
   Supporting Lain, Ryota stepped onto the spiral staircase and began the climb upward.
   At last, the space opened up before them, and the dome overhead flooded the Babel Tower's entrance with light.
   They had finally left the Dungeon.
   Ryota turned to look at Lain, who was still out cold, and couldn't help but frown.
   "Why aren't you awake yet?"
   He was genuinely stumped.
   He'd assumed breaking the charm with just a touch of chakra would only knock Lain out for a short while - yet this guy was still limp as a sack of potatoes, not even letting out a groan.
   "Dude, you'd better not go and die on me!"
   With a long sigh, Ryota started worrying about another problem.
   -He didn't know any medical ninjutsu.
   Even the most basic healing Jutsu was completely beyond him.
   If Lain stayed unconscious, his special mission would go up in smoke.
   According to the system prompt, the task was to forcibly break the charm's domination and restore Lain's true will.
   He had certainly broken the charm - but Lain's mind still seemed stuck on a loading screen. What the hell was that supposed to mean?
   Ryota massaged his temples, racking his brain for another solution.
   It was obvious now that Lain's coma wasn't some simple collapse or a momentary mental shock.
   His one-shot "Naruto-style reboot" had been way too intense.
   That overwhelming chakra, stronger than an entire local system tier, had rampaged through Lain's mindscape, smashing Freya's charm - but at a cost.
   Normal healing spells wouldn't cut it. Potions only treated physical injuries.
   And Lain's state was, at its root, a matter of his spirit and mana circuits having been torn apart. Sending him to a regular medic would be pointless - leave him like this long enough, and he might actually get stuck on the "loading screen" for real.
   "Maybe I need someone who can use healing magic..."
   A familiar figure popped into Ryota's head.
   Airmid Teasanare of the Dian Cecht Familia, known as the Saint of the Battlefield, the strongest healer in all of Orario - no question.
   Her unique magic, Dia Fratel, was basically an overpowered cheat-level recovery spell.
   It could heal wounds, restore stamina, purge poisons, break curses, all in one.
   On top of that, the caster could choose to focus those effects individually - "heal," "detox," or "dispel."
   It even worked on multiple people and had a persistent healing aura.
   There was no exaggeration in saying that, on the battlefield, she alone could sustain an entire team's survival and endurance.
   In other words, she was a one-woman squad.
   "Can't believe I almost forgot about one of the top three cheat-level characters."
   Now with a target in mind, Ryota didn't bother exchanging his magic stones. He shouldered his bulging backpack and hurried off with Lain in tow.
   The Dian Cecht Familia's headquarters, the Dian Cecht Pharmacy, stood on Adventurers' Street.
   It was a striking building, made of pristine white stone stacked in perfect order, resembling a sacred cathedral.
   On its door was the Familia's crest - a pure white orb encircled by a wreath of green herbs, a symbol of healing and purification.
   Soon, Ryota was standing before its grand entrance.
   Covered in Dungeon grime, he could only think of one thing:
   I have to get Lain to wake up.
   Before he could even knock, the door creaked open, and a gentle voice called out:
   "Welcome to the Dian Cecht Pharmacy. How may I help you?"
   Ryota followed the voice and saw a young woman in a white uniform with gold trim.
   Silvery hair flowed smoothly over her shoulders, and her amethyst eyes blinked like delicate gemstones.
   Her features were refined, her aura calm and soothing - like a saint from a painting come to life.
   But what stood out most was her height -
   giving off an irresistible head-patting vibe.
   Ryota refocused himself and spoke up:
   "Miss Airmid, I'm Ryota from the Loki Familia. My friend has collapsed, and the situation's a bit unusual. Could I ask for your help?"
   But the instant he finished, Airmid froze.
   Her amethyst eyes widened slightly, staring straight at Ryota:
   That clean, sharp-edged face, still carrying the fierce energy of battle, yet so handsome it was almost unfair.
   Oh no... oh no... this is totally my type...
   An inexplicable voice echoed in her mind, and she blanked out on the spot.
   Ryota, seeing her motionless, waved a finger in front of her eyes.
   "Eep?! I-I'm here! Sorry!"
   Airmid jolted back to life, her cheeks flushing a bright pink, and her voice shrank half a tone.
   "P-please come in... I'll check right away."
   Blushing furiously, she turned around to lead them inside.
   Though her movements were awkward with embarrassment, she quickly regained the steady professionalism of a healer.
   As they walked down the corridor toward a treatment room, Airmid suddenly turned her head and asked:
   "You're from the Loki Familia, right? So why are you bringing in... a member of the Freya Familia?"
   Ryota paused for a second.
   "Mhm, that's Lain from the Freya Familia, isn't it?"
   "That red hair really stands out - plus, he's practically a regular here. I couldn't forget even if I tried."
   "Their team always seems short on money, taking any commission regardless of difficulty. Every time they come back, they're covered in wounds inside and out."
   "So most of their earnings go to potions and treatment. Lain... he pushes himself surprisingly hard."
   Ryota nodded silently, not saying a word.
   He finally understood why Lain had seemed so sincere during that last commission.
   And he realized the so-called "debt of gratitude" might have just been one more layer of loyalty to his teammates.
   Once they entered a private treatment room, Airmid bent down to check Lain's condition.
   Within just a few seconds, her brow furrowed.
   Airmid lifted her head, amethyst eyes filled with rare seriousness.
   What she sensed from Lain showed no external injuries, no internal damage, not even any mana imbalance.
   It was like his soul had been put on pause, his entire being locked in a deep dream.
   Even Airmid, who had seen countless cases, felt question marks floating above her head.
   She was about to ask Ryota if he knew anything about this unusual state, but before she could speak, he said:
   "Miss Airmid, please use your magic."
   She nodded instinctively, but then froze mid-sentence.
   Because she suddenly remembered... money.
   One of the Dian Cecht Familia's rules was "magic is equivalent exchange."
   Even Airmid couldn't ignore that policy.
   No matter who it was, once they accepted treatment, they had to pay.
   It wasn't cruelty, but the doctrine of Dian Cecht himself:
   The power to heal is a gift - but also a trade.
   Recalling her god's constant grin about "monetizing life-saving" left Airmid's face a bit pained.
   She looked up at Ryota's impossibly handsome features, then at his dusty but well-kept adventurer's clothes, and those clear, serious eyes...
   She couldn't bring herself to say it.
   By "policy," her spell's price should be at least a hundred thousand valis.
   Airmid stammered, unsure how to begin.
   But Ryota was too sharp to miss that expression of hers, so conflicted he half expected smoke to rise from her head.
   After all, Dian Cecht had tried to auction off Airmid's healing magic like a product before...
   Ryota dropped his heavy backpack onto the floor, then unzipped it with a loud rip, revealing it stuffed to the brim with magic stones and rare materials.
   He looked Airmid straight in the eye.
   "These materials and stones have to be worth over a hundred thousand valis, easy."
   "Can I use them to cover the treatment for now, Miss Airmid?"
   Airmid, who had been nervously clutching her uniform, widened her eyes in surprise, staring at the pile of valuable loot.
   So... this is what an adventurer's like?
   Whether or not it really was worth a hundred thousand valis didn't even cross her mind.
   If he said it was enough, then it was enough!
   She nodded obediently, stepped forward, and took up a familiar casting stance, murmuring softly:
   "Healing droplets, tears of light, eternal sanctuary. Compose a medicinal...
   In the name of all that is holy - I heal you"
   As the final syllable fell,
   a white diamond-shaped magic circle flared to life under her feet.
   At the same time, a gentle wave of light flowed from her palm, settling softly over Lain, wrapping him in a soothing glow.
   The light circulated, and within a few heartbeats-
   Lain's body suddenly twitched. His tightly shut eyelids fluttered.
   A faint sound escaped his throat, and then he opened his eyes, gazing dazedly at the ceiling, his brow creased in confusion.
   Almost at that same moment, Ryota's ears picked up a familiar mechanical chime:
   [Ding! Target has been forcibly freed from charm domination and regained true consciousness.]
   [Main Branch Quest "Scales of Choice" completed!]
   [Reward calculation in progress-]
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   Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Freya and Ottar - A True Confrontation
   [Reward calculation in progress-]
   [Reward 1: Dryoku +20%!] [Dryoku = Visual/Eye Power]
   [Reward 2: Chakra capacity +10,000!]
   [Reward 3: Sage Jutsu Chakra +10%!]
   His pupils contracted sharply, and he fell into a brief daze, his face a mix of shock and disbelief.
   "Ten thousand points added to my chakra pool..."
   He'd guessed that a special mission reward would return to the source, since saving Lain was, in essence, a high-intensity battle of the mind. A combat-oriented reward made sense.
   But - these numbers were ridiculous!
   "Now another 20%... meaning I only need 30% more to unlock my Mangeky Sharingan in my right eye?"
   "So finishing one special mission equals two branch missions!"
   Ryota could practically feel it - a sense of something about to break through in his right eye, hovering at the very edge of his awareness.
   But what truly made his breathing quicken and his expression change was the third reward:
   In the Naruto universe, Sage Jutsu Chakra was not something ordinary people could just pick up and use. 
   It came from extracting and fusing natural energy, requiring a special body constitution and fine control. Otherwise, you'd get devoured by nature's power, ending up frogified, petrified, or worse.
   Yet the system just dropped a 10% preloaded quota on him.
   "No training with the Toad Style, no Snake Style, no need for Hashirama Cells... and I can directly tap into 10% Sage Jutsu Chakra?"
   Ryota sucked in a cold breath.
   That was practically going from mortal straight to god-tier in one jump!
   And this wasn't some passive bonus - it was a usable "energy pool" right away!
   If he ever ran low on chakra or hit the limits of battle, this tiny bit of Sage Jutsu Chakra could become an ace in the hole.
   In fact, once he unlocked his Mangeky in both eyes, Ryota could even pull off a "Susanoo plus Sage Mode" combo!
   Do you even understand what invincible means?!
   Of course, using Sage Jutsu Chakra had one extremely crucial prerequisite - a massive chakra reserve to hold it in check.
   Because Sage Chakra contained tons of natural elements.
   If you didn't have enough base chakra to suppress it, you'd end up getting turned to stone, blown apart, and wouldn't even need a grave.
   Which explained why the system had first given him a +10,000 chakra cap.
   Piecing it together, Ryota arched an eyebrow.
   "This system... is basically a terrifyingly precise machine."
   "Boosting Dryoku, expanding energy reserves, introducing Sage Chakra - step by step, each stage fits perfectly with the next."
   He suddenly realized that ever since arriving in this world, the system had never given him anything "random."
   It was more like a guide, meticulously crafting him a promotion path to climb to ever higher levels.
   Every reward, an evolution.
   Just then, a voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
   He snapped back to the present, looking at Lain, who was blinking in confusion and fatigue.
   Back in the Dungeon, those swirling suspicions about Freya had already faded from his mind.
   Ryota thought for a moment, then held back from directly asking if Lain remembered the charm's details.
   "Just get some good rest. But..."
   "If you ever decide to leave the Freya Familia - you might consider joining us in Loki Familia."
   Freya Familia was powerful, sure, but its members were locked in constant scheming, backstabbing, and even cursing each other - all just to catch Freya's eye.
   Ryota really couldn't understand that mindset. Why did they all insist on acting like such pathetic lapdogs?
   Lain opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.
   Even as a low-ranking member, he knew all too well how chaotic things were inside the Freya Familia.
   After a long silence, the red-haired boy simply nodded and answered softly,
   "I understand, Senior... I'll think about it."
   Ryota gave his shoulder a reassuring pat.
   "Just rest here for now, don't overthink it."
   Then he turned to look at Airmid, sitting on a bench across the treatment room.
   The silver-haired girl was lightly holding her forehead, her amethyst eyes glimmering with fatigue.
   To outsiders, it looked like her healing magic was just a moment's work.
   But only Airmid knew that in those short seconds, she had compressed and released all of her mana to awaken Lain from that soul-deep stasis.
   Which left her mana pool completely drained.
   If Airmid ever found out that Lain's coma was caused by Ryota pushing in just a hint of chakra, she might die of exasperation.
   She stared blankly at her fingertips, as if trying to recover that way.
   Ryota stepped forward and spoke gently.
   "Miss Airmid, thank you so much for your help."
   "Saying it so formally makes me embarrassed..."
   Her cheeks went pink, and her gaze landed on Ryota's face before darting away again.
   "Let Lain stay here for a few days to rest. I'll cover his medical expenses."
   Ryota pointed to the backpack next to him.
   "These magic stones, minus the payment for your treatment just now - I'll leave the rest as a deposit, and I'll bring another batch tomorrow."
   Airmid gave a small "mm" of agreement.
   Ryota didn't stand on ceremony, crouched down, and poured the contents of the pack into the treatment room's collection bag. The clinking of magic stones rang out as they tumbled together.
   Only, after dumping everything out, he carefully picked out a slender, white-glowing fang.
   That was the Infant Dragon's fang - the critical target item for the commission.
   "Can't leave this behind," he muttered, putting it back into his pack before turning to nod at Airmid.
   "I'll head off, then. Please look after Lain for me."
   Airmid stood up, clasped her hands behind her back, and watched him go, replying in a soft voice,
   By the time Ryota stepped out of the Dian Cecht Pharmacy, night had already fallen.
   Orario's nighttime always carried a special kind of charm.
   The moon hung high, casting its silver glow, stars glittered against the deep blue sky, and the magic-stone lanterns lining the street glowed with a soft, reassuring light.
   Standing on the steps, Ryota looked up at the night sky.
   "Still... never enough time."
   Ever since arriving in this world, he'd felt like he was a cog in a relentless machine, pushed to keep moving by each breakthrough, each mission.
   No breathing room, no turning back.
   But even so, he'd never once stopped.
   He never wanted to feel that moment again - being sent to the Trial Space by Uchiha Itachi for not being strong enough.
   He shook his head, tossing those thoughts aside, and headed toward the Adventurer's Guild.
   "Time to wrap up this quest and get some real sleep!"
   He'd only just stepped into a dim alley when Ryota's brow suddenly furrowed-
   A chilling instinct stabbed through his spine like a needle.
   Reacting on pure reflex, he kicked off the ground and leapt back several meters.
   His left eye's Mangeky Sharingan and right eye's Three Tomoe Sharingan spun furiously.
   From the still shadows of the nearby buildings, a tall, graceful figure slowly emerged.
   Moonlight fell on her face, so flawless it looked more like a divine statue than a human being.
   Behind her, a hulking man over two meters tall, with a build like living granite, followed close behind.
   Ryota's pupils shrank in an instant - he recognized them at once.
   The Goddess of Beauty, Freya.
   And - the mightiest warrior of Freya Familia, Orario's one and only Level 7, known as the city's ultimate weapon, Ottar.
   Ryota drew the Kusanagi Sword from his back.
   The moment the blade left the scabbard, thunder hissed, flames danced, and the blade's power twisted the night wind around it.
   Yet Freya merely covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh, showing no concern for Ryota's wariness. She stepped forward with an unhurried grace.
   "No need to be so tense."
   "This evening is just... a private meeting."
   "No one will interrupt us."
   Only then did Ryota notice how deathly silent everything was around them.
   This alley, not far from the Adventurer's Guild, should have had footsteps or merchants' wagons clattering by, even at night.
   But now, there was only dead stillness.
   Before he could think more, Freya spoke again.
   "Lain completed his task well."
   "But what surprised me - even that Minotaur couldn't stop you."
   Her voice sounded like praise, yet at the same time a dreamlike murmur.
   "You really are, just as I saw it, the most perfect work of art."
   As her words fell, Freya's body began to tremble - an uncontrolled, almost delirious movement.
   In those gray eyes burned a possessiveness, a heat so intense it bordered on madness.
   The way she stared at Ryota felt like silken threads trying to wrap around him, sharp enough to make his scalp prickle.
   "'Sticky'" didn't even begin to describe that gaze - it was more like she was admiring a priceless, personal treasure, already fantasizing about how to keep it for herself.
   "But Ryota- you still aren't mine."
   "And that... is hard for me to accept."
   Freya took another step forward.
   "Become one of the men who stand behind me, just like Ottar..."
   Ryota's eyes narrowed, and deep in his mind, a familiar voice seemed to chime in again:
   [Quest condition: Respond to contact from the Freya Familia, and successfully resolve or directly confront one Familia conflict.]
   "So the 'contact and conflict' mentioned in the main quest..."
   "It was talking about Freya herself this whole time?!"
   Not Lain, not the Minotaur, not any other subordinate - but the sickeningly obsessed Goddess of Beauty right in front of him!
   The true "choice" of this quest was hidden in her invitation:
   - Accept, and he'd submit willingly, thereby "resolving" the conflict.
   - Refuse, and he'd stand against her directly.
   In other words, Ryota's next answer would determine whether the quest succeeded, and from another angle, might reshape the entire power dynamic of Orario going forward.
   Right now, he was standing at another crossroads of fate.
  
   Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Completion of the Main Quest - Ridiculously Generous Rewards
   Ryota just looked straight at Freya, not immediately responding to her invitation to join her Familia. Instead, he asked,
   "You mentioned Lain just now... was he acting on your orders?"
   Freya's lips curled into a subtle smile, her face carrying a hint of amusement as she replied,
   "Orders? Oh, no, nothing of the sort. I merely spoke with him once at the top of Babel Tower, exchanged a few casual words... I never commanded him to do anything."
   Ryota silently studied that impossibly perfect face, his mind racing to cross-reference everything he knew about her.
   Gods were forbidden from using their divine powers in the mortal realm.
   That rule, he understood very well. Once descended, all gods had to seal away their divine authority, placing themselves under strict limitations.
   They could not interfere with fate, could not alter the world, could not perform true "miracles."
   And precisely because of that, the so-called "charm" Freya wielded had never really been divine power at all, but rather an innate force tied to her very existence as the Goddess of Beauty.
   She didn't deliberately charm people. From her perspective, there was no "charm" happening at all.
   Just by standing there, saying a few words, smiling a little, she could cause someone like Lain to surrender utterly.
   No manipulative scheme, no elaborate conspiracy - simply the overwhelming gap between a god's nature and a mortal's resistance.
   Which explained why Ryota had been able to so easily break through the veil of charm wrapped around Lain's heart.
   If Lain really had approached him under Freya's direct orders - even if he'd only just woken up from being charmed - Ryota would have drawn his sword without hesitation and cut him down on the spot.
   Being charmed without knowing it was innocence.
   But knowingly submitting to a god and betraying him - that was an enemy.
   Ryota let out a silent sigh in his heart.
   "Good thing he was just a pitiful pawn."
   He was also grateful, in hindsight, that he had trusted his own instincts.
   Freya, meanwhile, just kept smiling, completely unbothered by whatever turmoil might be spinning through Ryota's head.
   She stepped closer, as if she were admiring some precious treasure that would one day belong to her:
   "So, Ryota, you still haven't answered me."
   "Join me. Only with you will the Freya Familia be truly complete."
   As Freya drew nearer and nearer-
   A blur sliced through the night air.
   Ryota's figure had already leapt to the rooftop several meters away, his crimson Sharingan turning slowly in the darkness.
   "I could never betray Loki."
   "And I don't want to join the Freya Familia."
   Below, Freya paused, though the smile on her lips didn't fade. In fact, she seemed even more delighted, as if she'd predicted exactly this answer.
   Behind her, the mighty Ottar frowned.
   Ryota's sudden disappearance and reappearance felt like he had simply "skipped" through space - even a Level 7 like Ottar hadn't seen a hint of it coming.
   There hadn't been any trace of magic, nor the brief chant of a quick spell.
   "Magic...? Or some kind of skill?"
   "No... I've never seen anything like that."
   For the first time, Ottar looked at the boy above with genuine confusion.
   Freya lifted her head, not angry at all, but smiling ever more brilliantly, a light flaring in her gray eyes - the light of a deep, instinctive desire to conquer.
   Gazing at Ryota with eyes that seemed able to devour his very soul, she spoke softly, almost like handing down a sentence from the heavens:
   "I will do it in Orario's way, through Familia against Familia..."
   As soon as the words fell, Ryota felt his heart tighten.
   This was the conflict mentioned in the main quest!
   Freya raised one graceful, pale finger and pointed up at him:
   "Ryota, you will belong to me."
   "Even if Loki herself stands in front of me, she won't be able to stop it."
   With that, Freya turned and left.
   Ottar stood there for a moment in silence, then raised his head to meet Ryota's gaze.
   Their eyes locked across the night.
   Then Ottar silently followed Freya, vanishing into the shadows at the end of the alley.
   Silence returned to the street like a death shroud.
   Ryota lowered his head, quietly watching the direction they had gone.
   In that moment, something deep in his heart seemed to settle.
   He realized that he had now stepped fully into the eye of Orario's storm.
   No longer just an Adventurer, no longer an outsider, but a fuse in the gods' power struggle.
   And the horn of the War Game had already begun to sound, faintly, in the darkness.
   Sliding the Kusanagi Sword back into its scabbard - click.
   The sound of the blade locking home echoed through the silent night.
   Ryota was about to head back to report to Loki and the others about what had happened tonight, when a familiar mechanical chime rang in his ears:
   [Ding-Main Quest completed!]
   [Quest Name: Respond to contact from the Freya Familia, and successfully resolve or directly confront one Familia conflict]
   [Quest Evaluation: Perfect Completion!]
   [Reward calculation in progress-]
   Ryota murmured, standing atop the rooftop with the night wind ruffling his clothes, calmly waiting for the system's rewards to process.
   The only sound was the whisper of the breeze.
   He wasn't in a hurry. Instead, he reviewed the entire mission in his mind.
   At some point, he had become Freya's target.
   Then Lain had appeared, charmed, manipulated, Freya's first chess piece on the board.
   And tonight, there was the face-to-face confrontation, the invitation straight from a god's own lips, the presence of Ottar - and Ryota had refused to back down or compromise.
   One invisible thread linked all these scenes together.
   Only now did the main quest's true design become clear.
   The system had never demanded he "solve" the conflict. It hadn't asked him to win a War Game, nor to defeat Ottar.
   It only required one thing - to respond.
   Whether by resolving or by resisting, in joining or in refusing, he had chosen the latter.
   Time passed, second by second, and the system's settlement seemed slower than usual.
   After about five minutes, that familiar ding finally arrived.
   Except this time, there were a lot of dings:
   [Ding! Mangeky Sharingan in both eyes fully unlocked - Tsukuyomi, Kamui, Susanoo unlocked.]
   [Ding! Reward calculation complete-]
   [Reward 1: Dryoku +50%!]
   [Reward 2: Chakra limit +50,000!]
   [Reward 3: Hashirama Cell Integration +10%!]
   [Reward 4: Scroll of Sealing "1]
   A string of messages exploded through his mind, leaving Ryota stunned for several seconds before he could gather his wits.
   It was like stumbling into a treasure vault stuffed with mountains of gold, not even knowing where to start hauling it away.
   "Better go one at a time... I can't even process all this..."
   "Dryoku +50%? Wasn't it supposed to be +30%?"
   Ryota drew the Kusanagi Sword again, tilting the blade to catch the moonlight, letting it reflect into his eyes.
   He slowly looked at his right eye-
   In his pupil, a brand-new Mangeky pattern was turning gently.
   Unlike the complex, sharp design of his left eye, the right eye's pattern was even wilder, even more striking.
   Three symmetrical, blade-like red marks spread out around the pupil to form a spinning wheel of blades.
   "Obito Uchiha's Mangeky..."
   He frowned a little, murmuring under his breath,
   Lifting his finger, he touched the corner of his right eye and rubbed it a bit.
   Nothing - not even the slightest sting.
   "This is nothing like when I first awakened the Mangeky in my left eye... back then it felt like someone was drilling an awl through my soul, I nearly passed out."
   But now, even after this evolution, his right eye felt eerily calm, as if it had always been like this.
   "Must be because my Dryoku had built up so much."
   "With how precise this system is, that excess 20% probably took the damage for me."
   "I'll check my status panel later."
   He decided not to dwell on how smoothly the eye technique had evolved, instead shifting his attention to the third reward from the quest's settlement.
   Hashirama Senju - the "God of Shinobi" in the Naruto world, the only man who could utterly crush Uchiha Madara with sheer power alone.
   Wood Style, Sage Mode... a mess of abilities that practically spelled "cheat code" in his very bones.
   In the Naruto world, there were very few who could handle Hashirama Cells.
   Even Shimura Danzo had needed eleven Sharingan eyes to balance the Hashirama Cells transplanted into his right arm.
   And madmen like Kabuto or Orochimaru, who basically lived in their labs, still didn't dare to casually implant them after years of study.
   Because - Hashirama Cells were essentially semi-living tissue, with terrifying devouring and overriding properties, and even the slightest mistake meant instant death.
   And now, Ryota had already integrated 10% of them.
   He closed his eyes, carefully feeling the changes within-
   In the depths of his mental sea, a gentle yet vigorous vitality was flowing steadily.
   It wasn't as sharp as chakra, nor as aggressive as mental energy. It felt more like a "source of life," nourishing, repairing, even expanding his body's limits.
   Not just a boost to his physical strength - even the flow of chakra, the speed of recovery, everything was smoother, more abundant than before.
   Though he hadn't yet awakened any Wood Style powers, Ryota was certain-
   Hashirama Cell fusion was a long-term growth process.
   As long as he kept completing missions and earning rewards, unlocking Wood Style in the future was only a matter of time.
   "Adding in that Sage Jutsu Chakra from before..."
   "What would you even call that? Susanoo + Giant Buddha + Sage Mode combo?"
   "Damn, I'm basically stacking every buff there is, huh?"
   But after the excitement, Ryota quickly calmed down.
   "Sage Chakra, Susanoo, Kamui... they're not some cooldown-limited game skills."
   The stronger you were, the more you had to spend.
   Every one of these powers came with a price. Even if his chakra reserves were bigger now, his recovery rate faster, he couldn't just spam jutsu across all of Orario like it was free.
   "I still haven't tested how much chakra Susanoo, Tsukuyomi, or Kamui will burn, but just using Amaterasu on that Infant Dragon already made my eye bleed."
   "Let alone I don't have the Eternal Mangeky yet... if I push too hard, I might go blind tomorrow."
   "Abusing these powers will just get me killed."
   Ryota had always been cautious.
   True strength wasn't about flipping on every cheat you had, but knowing when to use them, and when to hide them.
   Collecting his thoughts, Ryota flipped his wrist, summoning a pale white mist in his palm.
   A deep purple scroll appeared, its surface bound with heavy sealing runes, faint chakra ripples dancing around it.
   "Let's see what you really are."
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   Chapter 65: Chapter 65: About Letting the DanMachi World Taste Pain
   Ryota looked down at the scroll in his hand.
   It didn't resemble the usual book-style ninja scrolls of the shinobi world, meant to be leafed through. Instead, it felt more like a single-use item.
   "It's not meant to be read..."
   "More like a triggered knowledge seal?"
   He carefully probed it with his chakra, and the next second, the entire scroll seemed to fulfill its purpose and automatically unsealed itself.
   With a crisp click, the lock on the scroll gave way, and a cloud of white mist unfurled before Ryota's eyes.
   A moment later, countless intricate jutsu structures surged into his mind like a raging torrent.
   Not in any form of "reading," but through a direct soul-memory imprint, like being force-fed knowledge.
   It was as if an entire forbidden-jutsu research team had crammed decades of experience and breakthroughs into one compressed package and stuffed it straight into his head.
   Moments later, a name burned itself into Ryota's consciousness, as though branded there:
   Forbidden Jutsu: Reanimation - Advanced Version
   He'd heard of this thing before; in the shinobi world, it was considered one of the most influential jutsu ever devised, reshaping the entire shinobi power balance.
   It forcibly recalled the souls of the dead from the Pure Land and anchored them to a vessel, letting them return to the living world in an "undying" form.
   But now, this version the system had provided carried an extra tag - Advanced Version?
   "This thing can be upgraded??"
   He focused, and the stream of knowledge embedded in his mind projected outward like a phantom screen, unfolding rapidly before him.
   Breakdowns of the technique, curse-mark structures, substitute mediums, soul-anchoring patterns... even annotations about improvements over the original Reanimation Jutsu.
   As he scanned through it in detail, Ryota's pupils contracted sharply.
   The biggest difference in this advanced version wasn't in combat prowess - it was in removing all restrictions!
   It no longer required any genetic material left behind by the deceased; it could be constructed purely through chakra.
   And once these "reanimated" bodies were completed, they would retain their original abilities and obey Ryota alone, without any risk of being broken or released.
   Ryota was utterly stunned.
   "This isn't even Reanimation anymore... this is basically molding clay figures!"
   He couldn't help but mutter under his breath,
   "If I use this jutsu... does that mean I could bring those guys from the shinobi world into the DanMachi world?"
   "Holy shit... how is this even a human-level technique?!"
   With a flick of intent, the phantom panel flipped to the next page.
   One by one, a string of familiar names appeared before him:
   [Forbidden Jutsu: Reanimation - Advanced Version]
   Uchiha Madara - required chakra: 1,000,000
   Hashirama Senju - required chakra: 1,000,000
   Tobirama Senju - required chakra: 1,000,000
   "Damn! Not a single one I can build?!"
   Ryota cursed in pure frustration.
   "And look at these, goddamn, each one needs a million?! I've only got eighty-two thousand!"
   "How many centuries will it take me to manage that? Is this some kind of cosmic joke?!"
   He might have been ranting, but after a moment Ryota had to admit - it made sense.
   His eyes returned to that soul list, lingering on the first line, Uchiha Madara's name.
   The system hadn't specified which version of Madara, but Ryota knew full well-
   If it was Madara in Six Paths Mode, that wasn't "combat power," that was straight-up a natural disaster.
   "One Chibaku Tensei, and he'd probably collapse the entire first floor of the Dungeon along with Babel Tower..."
   "Freya hasn't even started yet, and I'd blow up Orario myself."
   He rubbed his temples, letting out a sigh.
   "Thinking about it like that... maybe it's reasonable that the chakra requirement is so insane."
   "System's probably worried I'd break the DanMachi world if I went nuts."
   Even a spirit on the level of Obito Uchiha, once constructed, could probably use genjutsu to instantly crush half a Familia's will to fight.
   Ryota swept his gaze back over the panel, eyes flicking across Hashirama, Tobirama, and for the first time, he actually felt a bit of excitement:
   "If I really could build a Hashirama someday, and then learn Wood Style myself..."
   "Two Great Buddha statues clapping palms together - what a scene that'd be..."
   He laughed out loud at his own thought.
   Just as he was about to close the virtual panel and head back to Twilight Manor-
   [Hidden Quest triggered-]
   [Name]: Pain's Judgment of Six Paths
   [Quest Objective]: Summon the Six Paths of Pain and let the DanMachi world experience true pain.
   Ryota lifted a hand to rub his forehead, feeling a chill go down his scalp.
   One mission after another - was the system really not planning to let him rest?
   Who was the real grind lord here?!
   Still, since a Hidden Quest had appeared, Ryota had no reason to refuse.
   This was one of those fate-branching opportunities, and also a clear sign that even better rewards might be on the way - he'd long since understood the system's pattern.
   He brought up the [Construction Panel] again, flipping to the [Locked] section.
   For Pain's Six Paths, aside from Deva Path, every other path required 200,000 chakra to construct.
   Deva Path alone needed 500,000 chakra.
   Ryota did a quick mental calculation - completing this quest would cost 1.5 million chakra altogether.
   Forget 1.5 million - he didn't even have fifty valis in his pocket right now.
   "How the hell is anyone supposed to afford this? Is there a loan program?!"
   Complaints aside, he understood perfectly that it wasn't impossible.
   As long as he managed the tempo well, kept pushing through the main quest, its branches, and side tasks, the chakra rewards would inevitably keep growing.
   Ryota drew a deep breath, exhaled, and watched the fading virtual panel dissolve into the night.
   He'd sorted through the rewards, understood the forbidden jutsu, and accepted that the future would be, well, "painful" to say the least - but right now...
   "I need to focus on the present."
   He lightly pushed off the roof, landing on the street below.
   "Six Paths or Sage Mode, whatever - before I do anything else, I need to go home and sleep."
   "I'll turn in the quest materials tomorrow."
   Ryota tidied himself up, then headed down Adventurer Main Street toward Twilight Manor.
   Soon enough, he reached the familiar front door, but as he approached, he couldn't help but frown.
   The atmosphere outside wasn't exactly silent, but it was definitely off.
   Normally, even this late, there'd be a bit of rowdy noise leaking from inside.
   Tonight, though, the entire building felt wrapped in a strange, oppressive stillness.
   It was... restrained, frozen, almost eerie.
   Ryota stepped forward and pushed the door open.
   As the door creaked, every eye in the Familia's main hall snapped toward him at once.
   Finn, Riveria, Ais, Lefiya...
   All the core members of the Loki Familia were present.
   Even Loki herself, usually smiling with those squinting eyes, sat on the couch in silence, arms folded, dead serious.
   The mood... was far too heavy.
   Ryota stepped into the hall, scanning the room, and looked to Finn, who was walking toward him.
   Finn stopped, gave Ryota a complicated look, and finally said,
   "Freya... plans to challenge us to a War Game."
   Ryota let out a small laugh.
   "She already got approval from the Guild?"
   Finn shook his head and lifted a letter in his hand, bearing the Freya Familia's seal.
   "They just sent this for now, saying they'll submit the formal application tomorrow, along with Freya's demands if she wins."
   "Let me guess-if she wins, I have to join her Familia, right?"
   This time, it was Finn's turn to stare at him in confusion. How the heck did this kid know that?
   "And if we win? What's our condition?"
   That one simple question made the entire hall go dead silent.
   Finn was so stunned, he actually bit his thumb in disbelief - it was the first time he'd heard anyone talk so casually about a War Game with Freya's Familia.
   He stood there for a couple of seconds, then finally muttered,
   That was something he'd never dared even think about.
   Because no one really believed they could defeat Freya Familia head-on in a War Game.
   Freya's power was simply overwhelming.
   Ottar, that Level 7 monster, was bad enough, but add Allen, Hedin, Hogni - those three top-tier Level 6 adventurers, each of whom could be the main pillar of any other Familia.
   And that was just the front line.
   Freya Familia altogether had over a hundred Adventurers, not to mention non-combatants and believers.
   If you counted everyone, it was a force of more than five thousand.
   When it came to healers, absolutely vital in war, Freya Familia's lineup was basically luxurious.
   No Familia in all of Orario had more or stronger healers than them.
   On paper, Loki Familia simply couldn't match them.
   And their own core members had just come back from an expedition.
   Their strength and stamina were still recovering, leaving them in worse shape than Freya Familia.
   The War Game hadn't even started, but everyone in the room had already silently accepted one truth-
   Victory wasn't on the table.
   Until Ryota spoke those words, and that taut string that had nearly snapped in the air seemed to ease just a bit.
   Loki abruptly stood up from the couch, arms crossed, snorting in pure disdain:
   "Hand over Ryota? That lovesick goddess-she's dreaming!"
   "She thinks we'll cave? Fat chance! Not in this lifetime!"
   "Tomorrow I'm going to the Denatus and asking her straight to her face what she means by this!"
   When Loki mentioned the Denatus, she meant the official meeting held before any War Game began.
   There, the gods would decide the form of the War Game, the victory conditions, and the demands for both winner and loser.
   "That woman's insane! Two of Orario's biggest factions going to war over this, what a joke!"
   Finn rubbed his temples, feeling a massive headache brewing.
   "It's fine, Captain Finn."
   Ryota slipped off his pack and set it down.
   "A War Game, huh? Sounds fun."
   The whole group looked at Ryota like he'd grown a second head - most of all, they looked downright terrified.
  
   Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Ais's Words, the Third Stage of the Main Quest Activates!
   Inside the hall, everyone's gaze fell on Ryota, their eyes a jumble of doubt, fear, shock... and even a bit of powerless hope.
   The three commanders were all silent. Even the normally carefree Tiona and Tione looked grave.
   Lefiya bit her lip, looking like she wanted to say something but didn't dare.
   The doll-like princess, Ais, tilted her head, her brilliant eyes fixated on Ryota with relentless focus.
   Raul and Bete also lowered their heads, staying quiet.
   Obviously, in their minds, Ryota's earlier words had gone in one ear and out the other.
   Or rather, in their view, he was just a black-haired boy who'd joined the Familia less than a month ago - too naive to understand.
   Because War Games... involved far too many things.
   For decades, the Loki Familia and Freya Familia - two of Orario's most powerful factions - had been locked in overt and covert struggles over who was truly "number one."
   But if they lost this War Game-
   The result wouldn't just be losing Ryota, their promising new star.
   It would stamp the Loki Familia with the humiliating mark of "eternal second place."
   In Orario, where strength was everything, that stain would be permanent. It would damage their ability to recruit members, shift Adventurer resources away from them, and erode their intimidation power - a lethal blow.
   If they lost, the Loki Familia would no longer be considered Freya's equal, but reduced to her backdrop.
   In a way, this War Game was a gamble on the entire Familia's future.
   Ryota took in the increasingly suffocating atmosphere, the dark, heavy faces all around him, as if these people were already composing their last wills in their heads.
   He scratched the back of his head, an awkward smile on his face.
   It wasn't that he wasn't taking this seriously - on the contrary, he was extremely confident.
   After all, War Games were always the same types: a 1v1 duel, a siege battle...
   Those rules were basically child's play in front of his system.
   If this had been in the past - sure, he'd have no confidence, especially when faced with a Level 7 monster like Ottar, one of Orario's undisputed powerhouses.
   He had dual Mangeky Sharingan, Sage Jutsu Chakra, Hashirama Cells, Susanoo...
   He was a "remastered otherworld ninja" with every cheat buff imaginable.
   Not to mention that world-ending Reanimation jutsu tucked away in his mind.
   If he still feared some so-called War Game, Ryota might as well go farm vegetables for a living.
   The problem was... he couldn't explain any of this.
   What was he supposed to tell them?
   That he'd just triggered a Hidden Quest to summon the entire Six Paths of Pain into this world?
   That he could solo a Minotaur and a Infant Dragon with one casual swing?
   That he was planning to summon two giant Buddha hands to clap together on Orario's city walls someday?
   If he tried saying that out loud, Loki would probably drag him straight to the Dian Cecht Pharmacy to check if he'd fried his brain.
   So all he could do was watch as everyone put on their "final meal before execution" expressions, his smile twitching at the corners.
   A million times he wanted to say you guys are really overthinking it, but the words simply wouldn't come out.
   That feeling of being basically invincible, yet having your teammates treat you like a dead man walking...
   It was honestly too much to bear.
   Loki, seeing the mood sink further and further, finally waved her hand and addressed them all:
   "What's with those faces, huh? Ryota's still here, isn't he?"
   "Go rest. We'll deal with tomorrow when it comes."
   Hearing that, everyone slowly filed out.
   The oppressive tension in the air seemed to lift a little, the heaviness draining away bit by bit.
   But there was still one person left.
   Ais was still sitting on the bench, her golden eyes locked on Ryota.
   She neither spoke nor moved a single inch.
   Loki leaned closer, trying to steer things along.
   "Ais, we've gotta have a private word with Ryota, okay?"
   But before Loki could even finish, Ais stood up, stepped right in front of Ryota, and declared:
   Then, without another word, she turned and headed into the courtyard.
   Ryota watched the golden-haired girl's silhouette disappear down the corridor - no need to guess, she'd gone to train again.
   "Maybe I should spar with Ais... to help her trust me?"
   Off to the side, Loki sprouted visible stress lines on her forehead.
   "What is up with that girl today?!"
   "All these years, I've never heard her say anything like that!"
   Loki grumbled, still sneaking glances at Ryota with a look like she wanted to hit him but couldn't bring herself to.
   She scratched her head, trying to shake loose the mess of emotions threatening to explode.
   Then she flopped back on the couch, arms folded, staring Ryota down for a few seconds before speaking again:
   "Freya isn't kidding around."
   "Back in the heavens, she was exactly the same - doing whatever she wanted, no one could rein her in. Always pulling stunts none of us could predict."
   "If she'd wanted someone else, we might've just gritted our teeth and handed them over."
   "What if she wanted Ais?"
   Ryota shrugged, laughing a little.
   Across from him, Loki massaged her temples and went on:
   "Most likely the Guild will send word tomorrow morning."
   "So we'll take you, Finn, and the others to hear exactly what Freya wants."
   She stood up, motioning for Ryota to lie down.
   "You went down to the Dungeon again today, right? Come on, let me update your status."
   "If we really lose, I might never get to feel this nice solid back again!"
   Ryota couldn't help laughing.
   "That's one way to put it..."
   Still, he pulled off his shirt and lay down on the sofa.
   The moment he settled in, he felt warm blood trickling across his back, bringing a faint, ticklish sting.
   Behind him, waves of magic rippled outward, gradually forming letters only Loki could decipher.
   She watched the numbers appear, the corners of her mouth twitching, wanting to say something - but she swallowed it down, then sighed deeply.
   Her expression had gone stiff, almost blank, as she mechanically copied down the data onto parchment, then handed it over.
   "For real, if I didn't check on you every day, I'd swear you were cheating."
   Ryota grinned, accepting the parchment and glancing over it:
   [Development Ability]: Mystery H
   Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu, Three Basic Jutsu, Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu, Lightning Style: Chidori
   [New]Lightning Style: Chidori Stream: releases widespread lightning for area attacks, can also be used defensively.
   [New]Lightning Style: Chidori Sharp Spear: transforms Chidori into a long-spear shape, longer range but lower power.
   [New]Puppet Master Jutsu: controlling puppets to fight.
   Demonic Illusions: Shackle Stakes
   [New]Tsukuyomi: pulls the target's mind into an illusion world where the pain they suffer is identical to real pain.
   [All-Encompassing Divine Eye]
   Insight, Copy, Opening, Genjutsu
   [New]Amaterasu: unleashes massive black flames that burn until the target is reduced to ash.
   [New]Kamui: freely shift between real space and a different dimension, can also pull enemies into the alternate space, and allows the user to phase through attacks.
   [New]Susanoo: awakens deep soul power, manifesting a godlike warrior avatar with tremendous defense and destructive force.
   Reading over his own report card, Ryota was very satisfied.
   Sage Jutsu Chakra and Hashirama Cells, things buried in his bloodline, not showing up was perfectly normal.
   As for the ninjutsu and genjutsu, he was already well aware of them.
   But what made Ryota happiest was that the hardest development ability to raise - Mystery - was finally progressing steadily.
   Loki sprawled across the sofa, legs dangling off the armrest, yawning as she teased him in her usual lazy tone:
   "I've always wondered, Ryota - every time you update your status, there's another pile of weird new stuff: skills, magic, enough to open a whole shop with... but I won't ask why."
   "As long as you come home alive, as long as you can stand here in front of me... no matter what you turn into, I'm satisfied."
   Ryota was briefly stunned, then let out a quiet "mm" in reply.
   Looking at this usually sloppy, mischievous goddess showing such simple, weighty emotion -
   That silent trust and acceptance -
   Maybe that was exactly why he'd chosen to join the Loki Familia back then.
   "Alright, alright, status update's done - go get some rest in your room."
   "Tomorrow we've gotta drag you to the Denatus... you know, I was actually planning to get you a proper title at that meeting, but then Freya just had to butt in and ruin the whole thing."
   The "Denatus" she mentioned was the regular gathering of Orario's gods every three months, where they traded gossip, shared intel, and granted Adventurers their new titles after leveling up.
   That was where Ais's "Sword Princess," and Bell - that hopeless white-haired mother-con protagonist not in this world - got his "Little Rookie" title.
   But compared to a War Game, those leisurely, gossipy god meetings had to step aside.
   "Ah, but hey - once we win the War Game, I'll get you an even cooler title!"
   "How about 'Loki Familia's Black-Haired Hottie,' sound good?"
   "I think you should probably run that by Finn first, Lady Loki."
   Because there was no way he was trusting your weird sense of humor!
   Back in his room, shutting the door behind him, Ryota finally felt all the tension that had been wound up all day slowly relax.
   He tossed his pack aside, flopped face-first onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling.
   Loki Familia versus Freya Familia, the ultimate clash between two of Orario's most powerful factions.
   If they lost, it wouldn't just be about a "title." It would be their entire reputation, standing, resources - their future for decades to come, all on the line.
   And every bit of that pressure was falling on his shoulders alone.
   "Man... talk about pressure."
   He sighed, but at the same time, a smile crept onto his lips.
   Because deep down, he was excited.
   It was like destiny itself had built him the biggest stage imaginable, a place to show off everything he had.
   As he was thinking this, that familiar mechanical voice rang out in his mind, completely without warning:
   [Ding- Wheel of Fate begins to spin-]
   [Main Quest Stage Three activated]
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura and one extra chapter at 150 Powerstones :)
  
   Chapter 67: Chapter 67: A Boiling Orario and a Calm Ryota
   [Ding- Wheel of Fate begins to spin-]
   [Main Quest Stage Three activated]
   [Quest Name]: Hero of the Seat Above the Gods
   [Quest Description]: You are no longer a mere bystander to fate. Under the games of the gods, every step you take has become a deciding factor in Orario's future course.
   [Completion Condition]: Raise your current Familia to become Orario's true number one faction.
   The mechanical voice rang briefly in his ears and then vanished.
   The room fell silent again, but Ryota felt no drowsiness. Lying there staring at the ceiling, thoughts flooded through his mind like the tide.
   The first main quest had been to join a Familia - that was his starting point in this world, a sense of identity, a place to belong, the prologue to an Adventurer's journey.
   The second main quest was to stand up and fight head-on, to break free from being a pawn in the gods' games and become a wild card on the stage.
   And now the third main quest - to lead a Familia and change the entire balance of power in the city.
   "Every main quest from the system is built around me, from establishing an identity, to breaking free of destiny, and now to reconstructing power."
   He was being recognized by this world as a "player" qualified to overturn its rules.
   Ryota got up, walked over to the window, and looked out over the city bathed in moonlight.
   In the distance, the Babel Tower still stood proud, piercing the clouds above.
   "To become number one..."
   He whispered, his knuckles tapping rhythmically against the window frame.
   The goal of this main quest was still vague.
   It didn't tell him "what to do," only "what result to achieve."
   "Is beating the Freya Familia enough?"
   In today's Orario, there were only a few truly powerful Familia.
   The Hephaestus Familia focused on smithing, the Ganesha Familia was tasked by the Guild with keeping the peace, and then there was the Ishtar Familia over in the Pleasure Quarter...
   None of them had any real conflict or interest clash with the Loki Familia.
   And in terms of sheer power or size, they were far below the Loki Familia.
   "As for the Zeus Familia... and the Hera Familia..."
   Ryota's eyes lifted, gazing toward the tip of Babel half-hidden in the night, and he laughed lightly:
   "Come on, if those two Familia were still in Orario, this quest would never have been issued like this!"
   Of course he knew what those two once-legendary "strongest Familia" represented.
   Zeus Familia's Maxim, Zald, Hera Familia's Level 9 CaptainLevel 9 Empress... any one of them was a monster in their own right.
   In those two Familia, a Level 6 was basically a nobody, and Level 7s or 8s were all over the place.
   -But unfortunately, they were history.
   After failing to defeat the Black Dragon, they'd been driven out of Orario and had vanished ever since.
   "Right now, this city really only has the Freya Familia left."
   Meaning, if they could win the War Game, if they could beat Freya-
   No matter in prestige, morale, Adventurer evaluations, or even the divine ranking of Familia power, the Loki Familia would completely overshadow their rivals.
   "But... is that really the peak?"
   Ryota murmured, a faint crease forming between his brows.
   A Familia that truly stood at the summit wouldn't just be stronger than others.
   It had to be able to uphold the city's order steadily and for the long term.
   It had to be able to push deep into the middle floors - or even the lower floors - on an Expedition, and bring back miracles capable of reshaping Orario.
   It had to be able to stand alone against massive crises, without relying on others to shield it.
   Through strength, discipline, scale, and spirit, it had to earn the respect of the gods and every citizen.
   "Maybe... that's the system's real standard."
   Whatever the ultimate bar might be, the first step was crystal clear: beat the Freya Familia in the War Game!
   The night passed without incident.
   By the next morning, as soon as Ryota came downstairs, he noticed how unusually quiet the entire Twilight Manor felt.
   The hall was completely empty, the only sound the chilly morning breeze stirring the curtains by the door.
   He paused, about to check the backyard, when he saw a familiar figure standing by the steps outside.
   The elf girl had her hands clasped in front of her, as if she'd been waiting a long time. The moment she saw Ryota appear, her eyes brightened and she hurried over.
   She was breathing a bit hard, but quickly continued,
   "Lady Loki and the others already left for the Adventurers' Guild to attend the Denatus."
   Ryota blinked, then instantly understood.
   "Oh, so Freya submitted the War Game application already."
   "Yes. The Guild's staff brought the news early this morning - they've already approved the War Game proposal."
   "Lady Loki wanted you to rest a bit more, so she didn't let us wake you."
   Ryota hummed in acknowledgement.
   "Now that you're awake, Lady Loki said to have you come to the Guild in an hour to attend the meeting."
   Ryota was just about to step past her when he noticed Lefiya still standing there, not moving, so he asked:
   "What's wrong? You're not going?"
   The elf girl stood in place, eyes flickering with hesitation and worry.
   She gripped the hem of her robe, as if wrestling with something she'd been holding back.
   "Um... if you really do have to leave the Loki Familia... please... please come back to visit sometimes, okay?"
   Ryota tilted his head, several question marks practically popping up over his face:
   "Leave? Hold on - the fight hasn't even started yet, why are you already shipping me off?"
   Laughing helplessly, he reached out and ruffled the silly elf's head a few times, his voice gentle:
   "Don't worry, I'm not planning on leaving."
   "You know what I'm capable of, don't you?"
   With that, he stepped out toward the front door of Twilight Manor.
   Lefiya stayed rooted to the spot, still feeling the lingering warmth of Ryota's hand on her head.
   She clapped her hands over her flushed face, practically steaming,
   "I-I just got... got head-patted to death?!"
   Ryota completely tuned out the elf's embarrassed scream behind him, pretending he hadn't heard a thing, and slung his pack over his shoulder, heading toward the Adventurers' Guild.
   After coming out of the Dungeon yesterday and running into Freya, he hadn't even had time to submit the designated commission's materials.
   That was a solid 80,000 valis in reward money - he had to get it changed before replenishing his supplies.
   He'd already burned through the Dungeon's magic stones he'd scavenged to heal up Lain.
   If this kept up, he'd be stuck living on bread and milk from the Familia's pantry every day.
   However, he'd barely stepped away from Twilight Manor when he noticed something strange.
   Orario was incredibly lively today.
   Every street and alley was even more packed than usual, and Adventurer's Main Street was practically overflowing.
   The air was no longer filled with merchant cries and haggling, but with an electric wave of excitement and chatter:
   "Did you hear? The Loki Familia and the Freya Familia are gonna fight!"
   "A War Game! You almost never see one of those anymore, and between these two? Man, this is gonna be wild!"
   "Freya's got Ottar, y'know. Loki's screwed this time... I'm putting 5,000 valis on Freya!"
   "Don't bet too fast. Word is that black-haired rookie in the Loki Familia's been making big moves lately..."
   "You mean that guy named... Ryo something? Freya personally called him out!"
   "Yeah, that's the one! You think this is, like, the gods fighting over a man?"
   "C'mon, Freya's the goddess of beauty - you think she's short on men? It's about who gets to rule Orario!"
   Gossip rolled through the city like an unstoppable tide.
   Ryota walked calmly through the crowds, expression completely flat.
   A War Game, to the gods, was the ultimate form of entertainment.
   To the people of the lower world, it was a festival, a celebration that drew every eye.
   No matter where you went, this War Game was guaranteed to become the hottest topic in Orario for months, maybe even years.
   After squeezing through the packed throng, Ryota finally stumbled through the doors of the Adventurers' Guild.
   But the sight that greeted him made him freeze.
   Unexpectedly, the reception counters - usually lined with long queues - were practically deserted.
   Instead, the Magic Stone Exchange counters were so packed they were overflowing.
   Every window had a line twisting around the hall, filled with Adventurers hauling out their life savings by the bagful, exchanging them all for hard valis so they could bet on the War Game's outcome.
   Ryota watched, the corner of his mouth twitching.
   "Man... did I just give Orario a GDP boost?"
   He spotted his old friend Misha and hurried over, calling out:
   "Misha, I'm here to complete a commission."
   As he spoke, he shrugged off his pack, took out a silvery, sharp-looking piece of bone - a Infant Dragon's fang - and handed it over.
   Misha, who'd been spacing out, jolted back to life the moment she saw Ryota, her pink eyes going wider than a magic stone:
   She looked around in a panic, making sure no one was eavesdropping, then leaned forward across the counter and dropped her voice as low as possible:
   "Do you have any idea what kind of situation you're in right now?!"
   "Lady Freya has her eye on you!! They even triggered a War Game! This whole city is going nuts about it!"
   She kept glancing nervously from side to side, terrified someone might overhear.
   "And you still have the nerve to waltz in here submitting commission materials?!"
   Misha reached over and grabbed his sleeve,
   "Are you crazy?! Get back to the Loki Familia and lay low! If you wait any longer, Freya's simps - no, I mean her Familia - will storm in here to kill you!"
   Ryota couldn't help but laugh at how flustered she was. He gently pushed the Infant Dragon fang closer to her and said,
   "Relax, Misha. I haven't lost my mind."
   "Money comes first, right?"
   Misha was so stunned she froze for a solid two seconds, then sighed.
   "Your guts are even bigger than the Dungeon itself..."
   "Fine, I'll register this - but seriously, you need to get back. Stop flaunting yourself, okay?"
   She carefully collected the materials, scribbled down the commission completion record, then handed Ryota a slip.
   "For the valis, just bring this to the exchange window later to collect."
   With that, he turned and headed deeper into the Guild toward the hall reserved for the Denatus.
   Misha watched his back recede, eventually sighing again with helpless resignation.
   "Agh! I knew it... never listens. Such a pain..."
   She absently picked up the Loki Familia's registry booklet, intending to record Ryota's commission - but the moment her eyes landed on the "Lv." column, she froze solid.
   She couldn't believe her eyes, checked it three more times, and even rubbed them just to be sure.
   "When did he level up?! He's only been registered for, what, a month?!"
   Misha gave a bitter laugh.
   "No wonder Lady Freya wants him."
   Slumping back against the counter, she gazed at the ceiling and muttered to herself:
   "If I were a god, I'd steal him too..."
  
   Chapter 68: Chapter 68: The Denatus - A New Format for the War Game?
   Ryota had no idea what complicated, helpless feelings Misha might have been sighing over behind his back.
   His entire focus was already on the Denatus taking place just beyond that door.
   Before long, he passed through the inner corridor of the Guild and arrived at a heavy door carved with intricate patterns. He reached out and pushed.
   The door slowly opened, revealing a spacious meeting chamber shaped like a semicircular theater.
   At its center stood a long stone table.
   On either side of that table sat the stars of this War Game - Loki and Freya.
   Standing beside Loki was the heroic Finn.
   And at Freya's side, as always, was her strongest - Ottar.
   Ryota stepped into the chamber, letting his eyes sweep up to the gallery above.
   He instantly spotted familiar faces - Hephaestus and Hestia, sitting shoulder to shoulder and murmuring about something.
   Further along were gods he hadn't met in person but recognized at a glance from his past life's memories:
   Apollo with his red hair and red eyes; Soma with his outlandish style; and even Ishtar, the goddess who ruled over Orario's largest pleasure district.
   Other gods Ryota didn't recognize also filled the seats.
   It was obvious this "war" had already become more than just a contest between Familia - it was a grand festival for all the gods of Orario.
   A bit below the stands, Ais, Lefiya, Riveria, and several other key members of the Loki Familia sat quietly in their places.
   The moment Ryota stepped in, the hushed conversations in the chamber abruptly fell silent, as if someone had hit pause.
   Every single gaze turned to him at once.
   Everyone was desperate to see just what kind of person could make Freya risk starting an entire War Game just to claim this black-haired boy.
   Ryota ignored those stares, giving a small nod toward the petite goddess Hestia and the red-haired Hephaestus in the gallery, then glanced at Ais below before finally making his way over to Loki.
   That simple motion was immediately picked up by Hestia, who looked as though she'd been shot through with a lightning bolt of excitement:
   "Did you see?! Did you see?! Ryota nodded at me!!"
   She shook Hephaestus's arm with so much force she nearly toppled over, her small face bright with excitement and hopeless infatuation.
   Hephaestus sighed with a thoroughly exasperated look, catching the smaller goddess with one hand to stop her from falling, scolding her with a hint of annoyance:
   "Okay, okay, it was just a nod - he's not confessing his love to you, so sit still."
   But Hestia didn't listen at all. She was completely immersed in the joy of "he noticed me!"
   That was, until her eyes drifted down to where Freya sat.
   A second later, her face puffed up like an angry hamster, round and steaming:
   "That vixen Freya! Trying to steal him with a War Game? How shameless can you get?!"
   She clenched her tiny fist and shook it down at Freya furiously,
   "How dare you use that kind of underhanded trick to take my Ryota away!"
   "It should be - pro-per - up-right - courtship!"
   "...That's still pretty shameless, you know."
   Hephaestus sweat-dropped so hard she nearly facepalmed, inching her seat a little further away from this love-crazed little goddess.
   Hestia ignored her completely, muttering under her breath:
   "In any case, Ryota, I'm on your side!"
   Though that last line was so small, only Hephaestus could actually hear it.
   While the little goddess was causing her cheerful but faintly hostile stir, Ryota had already moved over to where Loki and Finn were standing, quietly waiting for the meeting to begin.
   Not long after, a rotund figure came waddling forward from behind.
   The true power holder of the Guild - nicknamed the Guild's Pig.
   That "Pig" had less to do with his shape and more with the nature of his character.
   Since Ouranos had been spending all his years meditating and praying under the Guild's underground altar to keep the Dungeon in check, all daily administration, judgments, and resource allocation had fallen to Royman.
   His reputation - even among the gods - was dreadful.
   Lavish lifestyle, wasting mountains of gold, bribing his way to power, and showing absolute indifference to others' lives.
   That was pretty much the universal opinion of Orario's Adventurers about him.
   Even the usually kind and mild-mannered Riveria had once publicly called him a disgrace to the entire elven race.
   But no matter what you thought of his personal morality, his power was real.
   Whether the council's votes passed, whether the War Game was approved, whether Guild funds got moved - all of it was in his hands.
   "Hehehe, most honored gods, sorry to keep you waiting."
   He gave a clumsy little bow and stepped to the center of the table, smiling and scanning both sides with narrowed eyes.
   "Today is a grand day for Orario, don't you think?"
   "Lady Loki, Lady Freya, your War Game application was formally approved last night."
   "Now, all that remains is to settle on the format and the conditions for victory."
   With that, he plopped his pudgy hand down on the table.
   "Please present your proposals."
   Freya leaned forward slightly, her gray eyes swirling, finally locking onto Ryota as she spoke first.
   "The Guild, or rather... all of Orario, probably already knows."
   She lifted her slim hand, and with no hint of concealment, pointed directly at Ryota beside Loki.
   She tilted her head a fraction, glancing at Loki's squinty-eyed grin.
   "The rules, the format - you decide. I have no preference."
   It sounded supremely condescending, but it was also completely honest.
   As the goddess of the Freya Familia, she had never once concerned herself with the "process."
   She only ever named her "desire."
   How it was to be done, who carried it out, what it would cost - she neither asked nor cared to know.
   All she ever wanted was the result.
   Loki clicked her tongue, like she'd expected Freya to pull exactly this stunt:
   "This woman, as usual... plays by no rules at all."
   Finn nodded, pulling a neatly folded sheet of parchment from his belt pouch.
   It was covered in line after line of cramped writing.
   The plan they'd drawn up last night on the second floor - a joint draft from the Big Three of the Loki Familia, with Loki herself included.
   No one had dared to dream they could actually win at first, but Ryota's one casual remark - "what if we did win?" - had forced them to consider it seriously.
   If they really pulled it off, what would they demand from Freya?
   How much in resources, how many people transferred, even whether they'd get the right to handle Ottar - everything was written out on that plan.
   After all, in a War Game, the losing side had to accept any conditions set by the winner.
   Finn was about to step forward and present that proposal to Royman.
   A familiar, mechanical voice suddenly echoed in Ryota's mind:
   [Ding- Main Branch Quest triggered!]
   [Defeat Ottar (0/1), incomplete, reward unknown]
   [Ding- Main Branch Quest triggered!]
   [Participate in a siege battle and lead your side to victory (0/1), incomplete, reward unknown]
   Ryota froze for a second, frowning slightly.
   "Two main branch quests..."
   "But two completely different War Game formats?"
   The first quest, "Defeat Ottar," was clearly about a one-on-one duel.
   That was the classic, most straightforward style of War Game, decided by personal strength.
   But the second one was "siege battle" - which demanded not only power, but soldiers, tactics, strategy, and coordination.
   It was the most complicated, most all-around test of a Familia's capability.
   "But the War Game rules have always been that there's only one format."
   "One match, one set of rules."
   Ryota's eyes shifted toward the parchment Finn was holding.
   He'd glanced over it earlier by chance, and the top line was crystal clear:
   [War Format: Single Combat]
   [Proposed Fighter: Riveria Ljos Alf]
   It was logical, after all - Riveria, the Mama, was recognized as the strongest in the entire Loki Familia.
   "But if it really is a Single Combat, then I can't finish either of these quests, can I?!"
   After half a year in the Trial Space, Ryota understood the system's quirks inside out.
   He knew - if a quest was blocked, the system would never move on to the next stage.
   Even if it had started giving him multiple quests at once, its underlying logic hadn't changed.
   If he missed this, his growth would be stuck forever!
   Meaning even with Sage Jutsu Chakra and Hashirama Cells, he'd be frozen at ten percent progress!
   Not to mention Reanimation, the Six Paths of Pain, the Eternal Mangeky Sharingan, or maybe even the Rinnegan someday - everything would be off the table!
   No way could he allow that!
   Steeling himself, Ryota called out:
   "Captain Finn, please hold on!"
   Finn, who had just stepped forward, stopped, still holding the folded draft.
   He turned to Ryota, confused:
   Ryota didn't answer him, but instead leaned closer to Loki and spoke in a low voice:
   "Lady Loki, may I say something?"
   Loki raised an eyebrow, studying him for a moment before finally nodding.
   Ryota stepped forward, under the entire room's gaze, and faced Freya.
   "I'd like this War Game... to be decided in two rounds," he said clearly.
   "First round, a siege battle!"
   "Second round, a one-on-one duel!"
   Loki's face changed dramatically, and she shot up from her seat, about to protest - but Freya beat her to it, chuckling.
   A playful sparkle flickered through her gray eyes.
   "Ryota, that sounds a little tricky to settle. What if each side wins one round - how would you decide who truly wins?"
   She tilted her head, as if humoring a stubborn child.
   "You're not asking for a draw, are you?"
   "If each side wins one round - then we of the Loki Familia will count it as a loss!"
   The moment those words dropped, it was like the entire chamber froze solid.
   Everyone's brains short-circuited in unison.
   Even Finn, always so calm, went pale in shock.
   Up in the gallery, Ais and the others jumped to their feet, staring wide-eyed at Ryota below.
   Even Ottar, usually stone-faced, couldn't help but furrow his brow slightly.
   Freya blinked, then smiled even more brightly.
   Loki felt something in her heart break with a sharp crack, as if something important had just shattered.
   She nearly had to bite her tongue, twitching as she looked at Ryota:
   Ryota ignored Loki completely, staring straight at Freya with burning determination:
   "Lady Freya, what do you think?"
  
   Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Freya's Decision
   The whole room went dead silent, you could have heard a pin drop.
   Up in the gallery, Hestia stared blankly at Ryota below, so stunned she even forgot to let go of Hephaestus's arm.
   A moment later, her face seemed to be forced into fast-forward, leaping from shock straight into- total meltdown.
   "It's over, it's over, it's OVER!!!"
   She clutched her head, nearly knocking poor Hephaestus over in the process.
   "That idiot! That complete idiot!! All he had to do was one match, and now he's asking for an extra round?! And he wants to count a 1:1 tie as a loss?! Isn't he just giving himself away?!"
   "Uuuuuu... he's going to end up in Freya's Familia... uwaaaaa..."
   Beside her, Hephaestus gave Ryota a silent look, opening her mouth as if to say something, but in the end could only sigh and shake her head.
   She couldn't help but wonder - if that kid really ended up in Freya's Familia, would he still come by to help her at the forge?
   The blue-ribboned goddess and the red-haired goddess's little outburst shattered the hush in the gallery, and the place immediately exploded:
   "He's finished, that kid's completely lost it."
   "A siege battle? And two rounds?"
   "Hestia's right, he's basically volunteering to lose!"
   "Why doesn't he just change his god and be done with it? Why even bother with a War Game?"
   Down in the chamber, the gods were also muttering among themselves, full of disbelief and confusion.
   No one could understand Ryota's choice.
   After all, the gap between Loki Familia and Freya Familia was no secret.
   Whether it was numbers, the strength of their members, or the exhaustion of Loki Familia after their expedition -
   Every factor stacked up so much that Loki, Finn, and the others had ruled out a siege battle from the start.
   They had deliberated, discussed through the night, and finally decided on a one-on-one match, putting forth Riveria.
   As Orario's strongest mage," she could wield attack, defense, and healing magic, connecting up to nine chants in sequence.
   Even against Ottar, a level 7, she might have stood a chance.
   But now Ryota had thrown all of that away - and even added a two-round victory condition.
   As if that wasn't enough, he'd made it so a 1:1 result counted as a loss!
   Finn's eye twitched violently, while Loki felt like her entire brain was buzzing.
   Even Ottar across the table was staring at Ryota with a puzzled look, recalling how this kid had once pulled off a Teleportation Jutsu right under his nose.
   Her smile was more dazzling than anyone else's right then.
   Propping her chin on one hand, she leaned forward, letting those impressive assets nearly deform against the table, then spoke gently:
   "You're interesting, Ryota."
   "You realize this means you have no chance to win, don't you? Or could it be..."
   A faint blush rose to Freya's cheeks.
   "...that you spent all night thinking about it, and decided to join my Familia after all?"
   "If that's the case, I can withdraw my War Game application right now. After all, my objective is only you."
   Looking at Freya's openly flirtatious expression, Ryota shook his head.
   "I just think - Loki Familia won't lose even one match against you."
   As soon as those words fell, the room, which had just started buzzing again after Ryota's proposal, froze once more like death itself had swept through.
   Every god, every mortal, every gaze felt like they'd been slapped, stunned solid.
   Even Freya's smile stiffened ever so slightly the moment she heard that.
   The pink flush on her cheeks froze too, and the ripples in her eyes seemed to stop dead.
   In the gallery, Lefiya's mouth turned into a giant "O," and she took a long time to squeak out a line:
   "Ryota... did he cook his brain or something?"
   Bete crossed his arms, his wolf ears flicking in disbelief, then looked toward Ais, who had stayed silent the whole time.
   "Ais, maybe you should go down there and try to talk some sense into him?"
   Ais didn't even need to think, shaking her head at once.
   Those two words from the Sword Princess slammed Bete's mouth shut completely.
   He turned back to Ryota and just gave a helpless shake of his head.
   Below, Finn's eyes sharpened, and he was just about to step forward to say something, when Loki's voice called him back:
   He stopped and looked toward Loki.
   There, the goddess of the entire Loki Familia had snapped out of her shock -
   In its place was an expression of deadly seriousness.
   She shook her head at Finn without a word.
   And in that moment, this heroic Pallum understood Loki's message:
   Freya slowly rose to her feet and stepped closer to Ryota.
   Once there, she just stood, staring straight into his eyes.
   Those gray pupils held no hint of teasing or amusement, only a focused, almost predatory intensity... and something searching.
   He stared back into the goddess of beauty's eyes, unwavering, unflinching.
   At length, Freya finally turned to the side and looked at the frozen Royman, the Guild's representative, and spoke:
   "I accept Loki Familia's proposal."
   "The War Game will be two rounds - a siege battle and a duel."
   Freya shifted the conversation.
   "The first round will be a duel."
   "Ryota, you won't refuse me that, will you?"
   Ryota raised an eyebrow at those words.
   So Freya was planning to use Ottar as a hammer to lock in that first victory, huh?
   After all, a 1:1 result still meant her Familia won.
   Whereas in a siege battle, there were too many uncertainties.
   Even a 99% win rate still carried that 1% risk of losing.
   But Ryota nodded, replying calmly:
   Royman hurriedly scribbled everything down with his quill on the document in front of him.
   Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he looked up at Ryota.
   "If Freya Familia wins, the condition is that you, Sir Ryota, transfer from Loki Familia to Freya Familia."
   "So if Loki Familia wins, what would be your demand?"
   Ryota was about to answer, but Freya beat him to it, speaking for him:
   "If Freya Familia loses..."
   She shifted her gaze back to Ryota.
   "...I will personally disband my Familia."
   The moment those words landed, the entire chamber erupted!
   A surge of gasps, whispers, shock, and flat-out disbelief went off like an explosion!
   Freya ignored every bit of it.
   Her eyes stayed locked on Ryota the whole time, burning with an intensity she could not hide.
   It was a blazing, nearly air-igniting obsession.
   In Freya's heart, coming to the mortal world had never been about worship or faith.
   She was a goddess of beauty, a being who pursued ultimate pleasure and fulfillment in body, soul, and spirit.
   And now, she had found it.
   Not in Ottar, her level 7 champion.
   Not in those petty believers who fought over her.
   If she could not claim him as her own, then everything she had built meant nothing.
   That was the truest thought in Freya's heart.
   Ryota looked at those eyes, burning with scorching desire, and couldn't help letting a grin tug at his lips.
   He had actually been wondering whether to propose Freya disband her Familia if she lost -
   Only to have her volunteer it herself.
   Turning his head, he spoke to Royman:
   "The War Game will be best-of-two, the first round - duel."
   "The date, five days from now."
   "Please have the Guild make all necessary preparations."
   Royman blinked a few times, then seemed to remember he was the chair of this meeting. His double chin jiggled as he nodded rapidly:
   "U-understood! I'll make the arrangements right away!"
   Up in the gallery, the gods were all facepalming, trying to process the sheer flood of insanity they'd just heard.
   They were nuts, all of them.
   The possibility of Freya Familia disbanding - that was even bigger than when Zeus and Hera had been driven out of Orario.
   But Hestia suddenly jumped up, bracing her hands against the railing of the gallery, eyes sparkling as she shouted down:
   "So cooool - Ryota you better win! Win and I'll date you!!"
   Hephaestus grabbed her back into her seat, scowling hard.
   Freya, listening to the noise from the stands, smiled softly.
   "Then, see you in five days-Ryota."
   With that, she turned and left.
   Ottar followed wordlessly behind, his massive frame briefly blocking the light from the chamber doors until the two of them disappeared from view, and the room brightened again.
   Loki got up, her squinty eyes forming crescent moons, half-laughing, half-exasperated as she stared at Ryota:
   "Say, Ryota, if you end up going to Freya Familia, I'm going to miss you for a long, long time~"
   "At night I'll be hugging an Ais body pillow, crying my eyes out, you know~"
   Ryota chuckled lightly, not answering out loud, though his eyes teased back a silent reply:
   Like you aren't hugging it anyway at night!
   Loki shrugged, then waved to the gallery above.
   "Everyone - five days from now, come watch the show!"
   With that she strode away, Finn following behind, though as he passed Ryota, he looked up and said:
   "Don't worry. We've got five days - we'll definitely win the first match."
   Mm... honestly, I wasn't that worried in the first place.
   But Ryota still nodded with a smile.
   As the Guild's official announcement went public, all of Orario was whipped into another frenzy.
   In a flash, the words "War Game" lit up every street and alley, and the once-peaceful city was sucked into a tornado of celebration and wild speculation.
   Adventurers argued passionately on the corners, while merchants rushed to adjust prices and stock up.
   Even the tavern bards started composing new ballads, singing of the "Fate Duel under the Gods" between Freya and Loki.
   In the secret underground gambling dens, the odds changed instantly.
   Originally, the two Familia had been at about 6:4, close to 50-50.
   But after this news broke, Freya Familia's odds fell to practically nothing - 1:1.1!
   Meanwhile, Loki Familia's odds went insane - a jaw-dropping 1:200!
   Those absurd odds pretty much announced Orario's opinion: there was no suspense about this War Game.
   Ryota had caught a bit of gossip about all these crazy bets.
   At that moment, he had just walked out the Guild's front doors, a breeze brushing against his face.
   He looked up at the sky and whispered softly:
   "One to two hundred, huh..."
   "So if I win, will the Orario casinos have to pay out so hard they lose their shirts?"
   comment
   Chuckling, Ryota turned and started walking toward Twilight Manor.
   He needed to talk to Loki about some ideas he had for that first match.
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura :)
  
   Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Ryota's Proposal - Challenging Riveria!
   Before long, Ryota arrived at Twilight Manor.
   Just as he stepped into the courtyard, he caught sight of a familiar flash of blonde.
   Ais was standing there quietly, that slender rapier he'd forged for her - the one imbued with Agility - hanging at her waist.
   It was clear the Sword Princess had been waiting a while.
   Ryota had just opened his mouth to greet her when Ais spoke first:
   "Yeah, the first match is in five days."
   Ais nodded, then lightly brushed her fingertips along her sword. A moment later, her voice carried more warmth than usual:
   A question mark seemed to pop up over Ryota's head.
   "The sense of bottleneck... it's gone."
   Ais spoke in her usual calm, measured tone, though there was a faint ripple of emotion in it this time.
   "This sword suits me. It made me realize what I was missing."
   "I'm going... to the Dungeon, to fight a Floor Boss."
   "I think I'm ready to evolve."
   Ryota was momentarily stunned. The usually reticent Sword Princess was speaking this much for once.
   When she said "evolve," it was obvious what she meant: leveling up.
   In the original timeline, Ais had once gone alone to the 37th floor, single-handedly defeating the Floor Boss Udaeus, and officially crossed the threshold into level 6, placing her among the best in all of Orario.
   Such urgency to level up now...
   "She wants to take Riveria's place and fight Ottar?!"
   Even though Ais was currently only level 5, she was the Loki Familia's genius Sword Princess - her combat ability far surpassed her formal level.
   If she made it to level 6, then even against Ottar, she'd stand a fighting chance.
   This doll-faced, soft-spoken Sword Princess was doing everything in her power, in her own way, to help Ryota.
   Looking at her, Ryota felt a surge of warmth flood his chest.
   She wasn't good with words, and she wasn't good at showing emotions - but she would act, clearly and decisively, to express what she felt.
   Just like now, choosing to descend into the Dungeon alone, only so she might be able to help him in five days.
   Soloing a Floor Boss was an extreme risk for anyone.
   Especially when the Loki Familia had only just returned from a large-scale expedition.
   In terms of stamina, gear, even mental state, everyone was still in recovery.
   At best, Ais had barely rested for a month.
   Challenging a Floor Boss now was basically dancing on the edge of a blade.
   With that in mind, Ryota spoke softly:
   "Ais, let me handle the first match of the War Game."
   The blonde girl, in the middle of adjusting her equipment, froze.
   She looked up, tilting her head, a massive question mark practically appearing above her face.
   In those clear golden eyes, Ryota could read one loud question - You? Fight Ottar? Are you for real?
   "...What's with that look?"
   Ryota's mouth twitched, but Ais still looked utterly puzzled, as if she couldn't believe her ears.
   Faced with those gold eyes brimming with confusion, Ryota really couldn't handle that level 2 challenges level 7 expression any longer, so he hurriedly changed the subject:
   "Did you ever give this sword a name?"
   When he'd finished forging the rapier, he hadn't dared name it himself, leaving that sense of ceremony entirely to her.
   Hearing his question, Ais glanced at the sword on her hip, then paused, her cheeks taking on a rare hint of pink.
   She avoided Ryota's gaze, almost like she was worried he'd read her thoughts, and murmured in a soft voice:
   Ais lowered her lashes, speaking even more quietly:
   "When the wind blows... it echoes."
   Ryota let out a soft laugh, looking at the sword, then back at the girl in front of him.
   "Good name. It really suits you."
   "Perfect, I need to speak with them."
   With that, Ryota started climbing the stairs.
   Ais hesitated a moment, then obediently followed behind him.
   On the surface she looked as calm as always, but inside her mind was a flood of question marks.
   She was dying to know why Ryota would say he wanted to go up against Ottar personally.
   Level 2 against level 7? That was just absurd.
   So the two of them, one after the other, went up the stairs to Twilight Manor's second floor.
   As soon as they reached the top, Ryota heard Finn's voice.
   As Loki Familia's captain, the Pallum hero was in the middle of discussing tactics with Riveria.
   Reminders about how she should maintain healing magic, how defense spells had to stay up before casting offensive magic - things like that.
   Twilight Manor's second floor was filled with a tense, heavy air that day, nothing like its usual light-hearted atmosphere.
   Stopping before the meeting room, Ryota knocked and called out:
   The war room, busy with tactical discussion, went briefly quiet. At Loki's "Come in," Ryota pushed open the door.
   Inside were Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and of course Loki herself.
   "Ryota, you're here, and..."
   The moment Loki's eyes fell on the obediently waiting golden-haired girl behind him, her smile froze, and her entire expression turned black.
   "...You two alone again, huh?!"
   She let out a low "hmph hmph hmph" of complaint through her nose, but seeing those two side by side, with their weirdly compatible aura, she couldn't even think of what to say next.
   Finn stepped in to smooth things over, chuckling:
   "Good timing. Ryota, Ais, come take a look at the battle plan we've drawn up."
   As Ryota walked in, his eyes were drawn at once to the large operations table in the center.
   Spread across it were sheets of parchment marked with a dizzying amount of data:
   Ottar's fighting habits, his favored rhythms, match histories for comparison...
   Even his Skills were listed out in detail.
   Ryota couldn't help admiring it all deep inside:
   This is what it means to be a top Familia.
   They'd analyzed even Orario's strongest warrior down to the smallest detail.
   All of it was to find even the tiniest sliver of victory, pouring in every drop of information and wisdom they had.
   Even with just a 1% chance of success, Finn and the others never gave up - they just got more cautious, more thorough, trying to push everything to the limit.
   Finn picked up one sheet from the table and began:
   "I was thinking of having Riveria take the first-"
   He hadn't even finished before Ryota interrupted:
   "Sorry to cut you off, Captain Finn."
   "I'd like to take the first match."
   The entire room went so quiet you could hear the leaves rustling outside.
   Several seconds later, Riveria finally blinked and asked, confused:
   "...What did you just say?"
   "I want to take the first match."
   Finn frowned at once, shaking his head almost reflexively:
   Loki stood up then too, for once putting away her usual carefree grin, giving Ryota a complicated look:
   "Ryota, we know you're no ordinary kid..."
   "There are just too many variables in a duel. We're not about to gamble your life."
   Honestly, you couldn't blame them for trying to stop him.
   Even if Ryota was a genius, even if he'd gone from level 1 to level 2 in less than a month -
   In Orario, level was everything.
   Every rank-up was a rebirth through death, a culmination of time, experience, understanding, and growth.
   Level 7... that was the pinnacle of this city.
   And Ottar wasn't just any level 7. He'd once defeated a level 7 named Zald while still only level 6 himself (though the other had gone easy on him).
   Silence descended once more.
   Everyone in the room looked at Ryota, their eyes filled not with scorn, but deep, heartfelt worry and concern.
   That wasn't a fight. That was suicide.
   No one wanted him to die.
   -Even a crippling injury would be enough to end the rise of this genius for good.
   "Then please, Lady Riveria," Ryota looked directly at her,
   "Whoever wins will face Ottar."
   Loki's jaw dropped, like someone had smacked her with a club, leaving her stunned for a good few seconds.
   Then she looked at Ryota with an expression of total disbelief.
   For a moment, she genuinely considered dragging him off to the Dian Cecht Pharmacy for a full "mental-soothing magic" workup to check if he'd fried his brain training too hard.
   "Ryota, did you... get hit with some kind of mental spell or something?"
   Ais, who had been quietly standing behind him, froze as well.
   The blonde girl hadn't expected Ryota to try to seize the right to fight Ottar this way.
   She was about to speak up, but in the end fell silent, stepping back half a pace and leaving the choice to Riveria.
   Ever since completing those wild, over-the-top quests and collecting those insane rewards, Ryota had never really had a chance to test how strong he'd actually become.
   Sage Jutsu Chakra, the Mangeky in both eyes, Hashirama Cells...
   All of that was like a volcano buried inside him, waiting to erupt.
   And now - was the moment to let it.
   If he didn't fight someone within the Familia and earn their full acknowledgment, no one would ever agree to let him represent them against the mighty Ottar.
   And the system's quest would stay stuck there, forever.
   So right here, in front of him, the Loki Familia's strongest "Nine Hells" Riveria -
   she was the perfect trial by fire.
   If he couldn't beat a level 6, then what was the point of even dreaming of beating a level 7 like Ottar?
   Ryota smiled faintly, looking at the ever-cool, ever-dignified high elf, and spoke softly:
   "Please go all out, Lady Riveria."
  
   Chapter 71: Chapter 71: The Terrifying Might of Susanoo!
   "Lady Riveria, please go all out."
   "Go... go all out? Do you even know what you're saying, you little brat?!"
   Loki's face had turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, hands wildly rubbing her temples as she muttered to herself,
   "Not only is he challenging Mama, an LV.6... he's asking her to go all out? Are we about to lose a precious kid from our Familia?!"
   Beside her, Finn bit down on his thumb, frowning so hard it hurt, shooting Riveria repeated glances full of desperate "please don't listen to him" signals.
   Even Ais, standing in the back, couldn't help stepping forward to try to dissuade Riveria from taking Ryota's words seriously.
   As the person closest to Riveria in the Familia, Ais knew exactly how powerful the Nine Hells truly was.
   It wasn't just a question of overwhelming spellpower or physical skill, but the way she combined complex "spell structures" with chained chants - a true work of art.
   Attack, defense, healing.
   Three categories of magic, each of which Riveria could weave through three separate phases of casting!
   That was exactly why she had earned the name "Nine Hells."
   Mama Riveria was the magic pillar that had always stood at the vanguard during expeditions!
   If she got serious, even Ais herself might not withstand the onslaught of her magical torrent.
   Loki stepped forward, already halfway pushing Ryota toward the exit,
   "No way, no way, Ryota, you're coming with me to the infirmary right now - you've obviously burned out your brain with a fever!"
   But just then, Riveria suddenly spoke up:
   She looked into Ryota's clear, unwavering eyes, a barely visible ripple stirring deep within her gaze.
   That wasn't the recklessness of a fool, nor the arrogance of someone blinded by pride.
   It was something else - a confidence that only someone who truly possessed power could show.
   It was exactly the same expression Ais had worn the first time she faced a monster.
   Riveria recalled that calm, blazing light in Ais's eyes back then, and now... she saw it again in Ryota.
   So she decided: he needed to try.
   At the very least, it might shatter these unrealistic ideas in his mind.
   "This isn't a joke, Ryota!"
   "We've only just raised this genius up with so much care - what if you get hurt?"
   On the way down from the second floor to the backyard, Loki had no idea how many times she'd repeated herself, but the meaning was always the same:
   Forget fighting Riveria or Ottar, just go explore the Dungeon properly, that's plenty.
   Even Finn had joined in, trying to talk him out of it.
   But surrounded on all sides by their worried voices, Ryota only smiled and calmly replied,
   "Don't worry, it's just a spar, not a real fight. I know my limits."
   Loki was so furious at his calm-maniac attitude she nearly exploded,
   "Limits? If you knew your limits, you wouldn't say crap like that!"
   Seeing Ryota still smiling like nothing could shake him, Loki crossed her arms, absolutely fuming,
   "Fine, fine, go ahead - after Riveria knocks you out, I'll save the trouble of dragging you to bed!"
   Though she said that, Loki kept winking frantically at Riveria, practically begging her to take it easy.
   Unfortunately, that kind of secret eye talk was completely useless.
   Soon, the group arrived at the backyard practice grounds of Twilight Manor, where quite a few Familia members had already gathered.
   Lefiya, the Hiryute Sisterss, Bete, and Raul all showed up, clearly having heard about this ridiculous "Ryota challenges Riveria" news.
   "Lady Ais, um, is Ryota actually serious about this?"
   Lefiya had already lost count of how many times she'd stood in this backyard, bearing witness to Ryota's string of outrageous stunts.
   Ais let out a quiet mm, then replied,
   "He doesn't look like he's joking."
   Riveria stepped to the center of the field, fixing her gaze on Ryota opposite her.
   "Magic is forbidden inside Orario's city walls, so I will only use defensive magic."
   "You attack. If you can break through my defenses, you win."
   Vas Windheim - that was Riveria's offensive magic.
   Each stage of it could cover a vast area, completely unsuited for use inside Orario.
   Even a simple test cast could flatten Twilight Manor's entire backyard.
   So, she had chosen defense.
   Back when Ryota had sparred with Ais, Riveria had watched the whole thing.
   Ryota's speed, reflexes, technique - all of it was beyond what any normal LV.1 or LV.2 could manage.
   That match had planted the seeds of curiosity in her heart.
   So now, she was giving Ryota this chance - and perhaps giving herself an answer too.
   "Understood, Lady Riveria."
   Riveria wasted no time, raising her staff, and beginning her chant.
   At the same moment, her magic began to weave:
   As the final syllable left her lips, a visible cloak of light swiftly wrapped around her body.
   This was Riveria's defensive spell, capable of healing her body while also strengthening both her physical and magical resistances.
   A thin layer of radiant light clung to her like rippling water, as if blessed by holy spirits, and even the mere trace of mana it released filled everyone present with an oppressive awe.
   This - this was the power of level 6.
   "Tch, looks like that last expedition made Mama even stronger."
   Hearing Riveria declare she wouldn't attack, Loki finally let out a sigh of relief, slipping into spectator mode,
   "If he can break that... hell, I'd gladly tear down this backyard myself!"
   "Riveria's defensive magic isn't something you can compare to ordinary barriers."
   Bete and the others shared the same sentiment.
   In the center of the practice grounds, Ryota stared at that shimmering light cloak, the corner of his mouth curling slightly.
   And in the very next instant-
   his eyes narrowed sharply, his pupils twisting into a strange, complex pattern.
   Dual Mangeky Sharingan - fully unleashed!
   It felt like a monstrous power was slowly waking inside him, the ground quivering, and the air around him itself seemed to tear apart.
   "What... what is going on?!"
   Finn gripped the railing in front of him, brow tightly furrowed.
   Lefiya behind him had gone completely pale, stammering,
   "M-magic? Is that Ryota's magic?!"
   Riveria in the center of the field immediately sensed something was wrong. Her eyes hardened as she started a new chant on the spot:
   Assemble, breath of the land - my name is Alf
   The syllables poured out at incredible speed, and the gathered magic wove itself into a second, veil-like protective barrier slowly blooming around her.
   This was the second-tier of Riveria's defensive spells, known for being able to repel virtually all enemy attacks.
   At the same time, Ryota murmured softly,
   "Susanoo - initial form."
   A massive arm and ribcage of blue-violet chakra burst forth, wrapping around Ryota with terrifying speed.
   Crack-crack-crack-crack-!!
   As the skeletal structure finished forming, the flagstones beneath Ryota's feet began to splinter, spiderweb cracks spreading across the entire backyard.
   Then he lunged, wielding that enormous chakra arm toward Riveria.
   Riveria's pupils contracted, mana surging like a tide!
   An intricate, ancient magic circle bloomed at her feet, its power gathering from every direction,
   -Dance around spirit of the atmosphere, lord of light
   Contract with the guardian of the forest, and envelop us with the song of the land-
   Surround us become a great barrier of forest light and protect us-my name is Alf!
   As she completed the chant, a massive hemispherical barrier sprang up, a crystal-clear magical dome that enveloped her completely!
   Riveria's strongest, third-tier defensive magic!
   The colossal chakra hand slammed down on the dome!
   A fracture appeared on the barrier's surface, but barely half a second later, Riveria's formidable mana control smoothed it out like rippling water.
   Still, in the middle of the barrier, Riveria frowned deeply,
   That destructive force...
   Just a single impact had been enough to break through its integrity.
   Meanwhile, Ryota raised an eyebrow slightly and murmured,
   "I underestimated you... Lady Riveria."
   With a skin-crawling sound of twisting bone, the chakra construct around Ryota began to rapidly transform!
   The blue-violet ribcage squirmed like something alive, rising behind him into the shape of a gigantic half-torso skeleton!
   Where there had been one giant chakra hand before, a second one appeared in the blink of an eye!
   With Ryota's command, the two massive hands swung forward simultaneously, striking at the barrier from both sides.
   A thunderous impact rattled the entire courtyard, fences around them collapsing, broken stones and dust flying.
   Riveria's third-tier barrier, unable to withstand such terrifying force from both directions, shattered like glass!
   Mana exploded outward in a shockwave, forcing Riveria to stagger back several steps!
   Her feet sank into the ground, her robes whipped around her wildly, her chest heaving, her face filled with pure shock and disbelief.
   Riveria's eyes were locked on the enormous skeletal phantom, and on the boy below, whose gaze was still so calm - even with a faint smile on his lips.
   Far off, Finn almost bit his own thumb clean through, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
   Bete, Gareth, the Hiryute Sisterss - they were all frozen on the spot like statues.
   Even Ais, who rarely made any expression at all, had her mouth hanging open in a huge O.
   As for Loki, she stood there in a daze for several seconds before finally croaking out from her throat,
   "O-our Ryota... is he really Level 2?!?!"
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   Chapter 72: Chapter 72: The Lineup Is Set-The War Game Draws Near!
   Ryota reached up and touched the corner of his left eye.
   -No pain, and no familiar trace of blood.
   The side effects he'd felt the first time he used the Mangeky Sharingan hadn't appeared.
   That crushing sense of Chakra depletion he'd been bracing for also never came.
   Ryota quickly realized it was thanks to the Hashirama Cells within him quietly working their magic.
   Even a mere 10% fusion of the so-called "God of Shinobi's" cells was enough to grant him enhanced cell activity, mental endurance, and Chakra recovery, completely suppressing the Mangeky Sharingan's side effects.
   But what truly surprised him was another, gentler, deeper Chakra stirring inside him.
   Like a vast reservoir, it supported his body in absolute silence.
   From first summoning Susanoo's initial form to switching up to the first form had taken him barely thirty seconds.
   Ryota had been fully prepared to collapse, or at least feel half-crippled from exhaustion.
   But instead, he was still standing tall, breathing steady, not even a hint of shortness of breath!
   "...These two cheats stacked together really are broken as hell."
   But Ryota didn't let himself get complacent, not for a second.
   Feeling the Mangeky Sharingan still gently spinning in his eyes, a deeper desire burned within him.
   -This isn't the finish line.
   Even with Hashirama Cells and Sage Jutsu Chakra right now, even if he could stably command Susanoo's first form already, Ryota knew that was only a temporary tolerance granted by those two incomplete boosts.
   They weren't enough to rest on.
   Because Djutsu he carried were simply too many.
   Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Kamui, Susanoo...
   And in the future, maybe even more.
   If he wanted to wield all of those freely, there was no way 10% would cut it.
   Dual Mangeky isn't the end.
   What Ryota truly sought had never been just this much power.
   He was after a far higher summit.
   The Eternal Mangeky Sharingan, the Rinnegan, maybe even the Karma from Boruto's era.
   Not just to keep the Dryoku from devouring his own body, but to push these ultimate Dojutsu to a more complete, more terrifying, more unstoppable dimension!
   That was the ladder of evolution.
   The only road to stand at the pinnacle.
   No matter if he was in the shinobi world or here in Orario, he had to keep climbing, step by step.
   He exhaled slowly, letting the thought fade.
   At the same time, the Chakra skeleton behind him crumbled apart, dissolving on the breeze.
   He glanced around and finally noticed the Twilight Manor's backyard was a total wreck.
   Cracks spidered across the ground, debris everywhere, like a small battlefield had swept through.
   Riveria stood across from him, silent, deep in thought, still processing what had just happened.
   And farther away, Loki, Finn, and the other core Familia members kept their silence too-so quiet you could have heard a single drop of water stir a hurricane.
   Even their breathing was hushed.
   Their eyes on Ryota weren't just full of awe or admiration anymore.
   It was the look one gave a monster.
   This black-haired boy they'd watched climb from Level 1 with their own eyes-had just shown them a completely different realm of power.
   A long moment passed before Finn finally broke the stillness, turning slightly to murmur,
   "...Has Ryota updated his status recently?"
   Loki looked like she'd just been struck by lightning, blinking before she answered,
   "Updated? Uh... yeah, just yesterday."
   She still sounded a bit dazed.
   "He's still Level 2, stats just reached C across the board."
   He raised a hand to scratch at his head, like if he didn't dig deep enough to spark fire, he wouldn't be able to untangle this mess.
   "You sure you didn't copy it down wrong?"
   "Probably... maybe... should be right?"
   Finn glanced down at the scorched, shattered flagstones, then over at Riveria, who still had a grave expression on her face.
   This was the Nine Hells, who had just deployed a third-tier defensive spell.
   And she hadn't even gotten the chance to finish reacting before those twin giant hands smacked it into pieces.
   "I already can't make sense of Ryota anymore..."
   Finn muttered, eyes still full of shock.
   If only he were a master of human anatomy-he'd grab Ryota and study him for years without a second thought.
   Nearby, Lefiya leaned close to Loki, whispering nervously,
   "Just now... with that huge impact, isn't it kind of violating Orario's ban on magic use?"
   As soon as she said that, everyone seemed to remember, and turned to look at the backyard's ruins.
   If you didn't know better, you'd swear someone had just fired off a large-area magic blast here.
   Loki waved her hand dismissively, acting like it was no big deal.
   "No worries, if anyone asks, we'll take the blame-just say Bete did it."
   Next to her, the completely confused Bete sprouted giant question marks over his head.
   He pointed at himself, face turning green,
   "I didn't say a single word this whole time, how's this my fault?!"
   "You've got a bad temper, you're loud, it's only natural you take the fall~"
   Bete opened his mouth, then shut it again with a cold snort, turning away in frustration.
   Meanwhile Ais kept blinking those pretty eyes, staring intently at Ryota down below.
   She tilted her head slightly, murmuring under her breath,
   "...A giant skeleton, huh."
   The golden-haired girl's eyes locked on Ryota, shining with a rare seriousness and something like fire.
   She couldn't help recalling that day, sparring with him in the backyard, still vivid in her memory.
   Back then, Ryota had already matched her in speed, reaction, even swordsmanship.
   If he'd used that giant skeleton back then...
   Her thoughts drifted off.
   She tried to picture it but came up blank.
   Yeah, no way to imagine that.
   Far off, Ryota stepped up to Riveria, smiling.
   "Lady Riveria, I'll represent the Loki Familia in the first War Game match five days from now."
   The ice-cold beauty looked at him, still with her trademark poker face.
   She answered softly, almost like she was accepting him, or perhaps acknowledging him.
   But then, as if remembering something, Riveria's gaze shifted toward the battle-scarred ground, and she suddenly asked,
   "Can it get even bigger?"
   Ryota nodded, replying gently,
   In the shinobi world, Susanoo was never a single form.
   It was a layered, godlike power, the ultimate manifestation of the Mangeky Sharingan.
   From a simple skeletal framework, to a half-skeleton, to armored forms with weaponry, until finally-
   Of course, the higher you climbed, the more monstrous the Chakra cost.
   Ryota hadn't even tried to push it further yet.
   After all, this was only a qualification match, not a fight to the death.
   Riveria nodded faintly, a complicated look crossing her face.
   She still couldn't fully understand how Ryota had summoned that enormous skeleton warrior.
   But her instincts as a mage told her-
   That power had a clear progression system, just like her magic, with a first stage, second stage, and third stage.
   It was just that his source was different.
   His came from something deeper, more primal, etched into blood, soul, even the very blueprint of his being.
   As she watched Ryota walking off toward Loki, Riveria felt a spark of relief.
   Relief that he wasn't an enemy, but an ally.
   Even if he was still just Level 2 right now, she had a creeping certainty.
   This boy would become the Loki Familia's sharpest sword in the future-
   no, even Orario's most world-shaking variable.
   She whispered softly to herself,
   "Thank goodness... he's on our side."
   This sparring match that had overturned everyone's understanding ended in a silence too heavy to describe.
   But from that moment on, no one dared question Ryota's right to fight a 1v1 match.
   As for victory or defeat-
   that would only be revealed five days later.
   Night fell, and everyone drifted away.
   Back in his room, Ryota finally let out a long sigh of relief.
   He took off his outer clothes, leaned the Kusanagi Sword against the bedside, then flopped onto the mattress, and in just a few minutes fell into a deep sleep.
   He slept so soundly, even his usual battle-honed vigilance melted away.
   As the first light of dawn stretched across Orario, climbing over the rooftops of Twilight Manor and bathing every inch of the city in warmth, a new day quietly began.
   At that moment, atop Babel Tower, the morning sun poured through the crystal-clear floor-to-ceiling windows, sketching a razor-sharp silhouette of the city.
   Freya stood there, eyes locked toward Twilight Manor, perfectly still.
   Behind her, the great doors opened, and the sound of footsteps followed.
   Ottar's voice reached Freya's ears.
   "The challenger slot has been confirmed."
   Freya didn't turn around, as if she had already guessed,
   "It's the Nine Hells, isn't it?"
   Freya tilted her head slightly, her expression freezing for an instant before quickly recovering.
   Ottar reported truthfully.
   The instant that name reached her ears, she spun around, a flicker of undeniable surprise crossing those beautiful eyes.
   A moment later, Freya seemed to understand, covering her mouth with a soft laugh,
   She lifted a hand, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
   "He wants to be defeated by me in front of all of Orario, does he?"
   "And then, as a defeated man, join my Familia?"
   "...even the way he offers himself up is so entertaining."
   Ottar said nothing, his face showing not even the slightest emotion.
   Freya, however, as if savoring some delicious treat, turned back to stare out the window again.
   "Ryota, Ryota... just how many surprises will you bring me?"
  
   Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Hermes Tries to Mediate, but Ryota Refuses
   Ryota had no idea that up at the top of Babel Tower, the Seductress Goddess was currently interpreting every single one of his actions with a logic so twisted it bordered on riddles.
   If he'd known that trying to secure a spot in the War Game had been read as "offering himself up through defeat"... the veins on his forehead might have stretched all the way down to his chin.
   Coming down from the second floor, Ryota greeted a few Familia members who were eating breakfast, then hurried out of Twilight Manor.
   "Today... I'd better drop by Hephaestus' place."
   He muttered under his breath, as his mind brushed across Karasu floating deep in his consciousness.
   While he walked, Ryota lowered his head in thought.
   "Karasu... definitely needs a proper upgrade."
   As a combat puppet, Karasu did have decent attack and support functions, but with time, its "basic model" had clearly fallen behind.
   Granted, in the upcoming 1v1, the puppet probably wouldn't see much use, but in the second round's Siege Battle, its value could skyrocket.
   They still hadn't decided which Familia would attack and which would defend, but in either role, the Karasu could be a crucial asset.
   "And with my current Mystery ability," he mused, "I might even be able to do something really wild with it..."
   Ryota had a gut feeling that if he managed to beat Ottar in the duel, Freya would immediately push for the second match, giving the Loki Familia zero time to catch their breath.
   So in these next five days, he had to get everything ready.
   He soon arrived at the headquarters of the Hephaestus Familia.
   Compared to the noisy streets outside, the forge was steeped in its usual rhythm of hammering and fire.
   At the entrance, a guard stiffened to attention the instant he saw Ryota.
   After all, just a while ago, this was the only outsider who would crawl into the forge before sunrise, working harder than the Hephaestus smiths themselves.
   Of course, it wasn't just his streak of "working from dawn" that earned their respect-his name had already spread through all of Orario.
   The guard gave him a respectful bow, voice tinged with deference.
   Ryota nodded back with a smile, then headed straight to the forge room that had been set aside for him.
   He pushed open the heavy door, wasting no time as he raised a hand to summon Karasu.
   Spreading his fingers, Chakra threads lashed forward like guided cables, threading right into the puppet's body.
   As soon as his Chakra began to flow, synchronizing with the principles of Puppet Master Jutsu burned into his mind, Karasu's structure started rattling apart on its own, piece by piece.
   Every single joint, every energy-conduction line, every carved channel laid out before Ryota like an intricate blueprint, familiar to the point of muscle memory.
   "It's time to give you some new parts."
   He opened his backpack and pulled out a big pile of metal scraps borrowed from the Loki Familia.
   Though cheap, for Ryota they were perfect to experiment with his Mystery growth skill.
   The hammering, the hiss of the forge, soon rang out through the heated workshop.
   Not long after, the door suddenly swung open from outside, stirring the warm, smoky air.
   Ryota's hands paused, and he instinctively turned his head.
   Standing there were three figures.
   Leading the group was a man with short blonde hair, equally striking orange eyes, and a feathered hat perched at an angle.
   To his left stood a blue-haired girl wearing a white cloak and gold-rimmed glasses.
   Ryota raised an eyebrow as the red-haired goddess stepped in, casually closing the door behind her.
   Leaning against the frame, Hephaestus spoke up,
   "Someone's looking for Orario's new hotshot. They went to Twilight Manor and couldn't find you, and Loki just offhandedly said you were probably hiding out here tinkering... and, well, they guessed right."
   Ryota followed her gaze to the orange-haired man, sized him up, then chuckled.
   "Lord Hermes, what can I do for you?"
   "Oh my, you recognized me right away," Hermes laughed, tipping his hat.
   "To be spotted so quickly by you, it's this god's honor, truly."
   Ryota waved him off humbly, then shifted his attention to the blue-haired girl beside him.
   "'Lady' sounds so stiff. Just call me Asfi."
   She pushed up her glasses, but her eyes went straight past Ryota to Karasu laid out on the workbench.
   She stepped forward, leaning in to examine it, and after only a few seconds couldn't hold back her praise.
   "You made this? It's... it's incredibly precise!"
   Then she nodded thoughtfully, almost as if she'd expected it, before turning to Ryota.
   "Your development ability is Mystery, right? But somehow... it feels even more interesting than mine."
   Ryota froze for half a second, sneaking a glance at Hephaestus, silently cursing-Loki, do you have to run your mouth about everything?
   Still, he shrugged it off.
   Honestly, it wasn't surprising the Hermes Familia had caught on.
   This Familia looked normal enough on the surface, but that was all an act.
   He'd have his own Familia members downplay their real skills, even lie about which floors they'd explored in the Dungeon, all to avoid Guild taxes and keep a low profile.
   They were, without a doubt, the Familia that best understood how to hide their claws.
   So Ryota wasn't surprised Asfi already knew about his development ability.
   He turned back to Hermes.
   "What brings you here? Surely you didn't come just to watch me work?"
   Hearing that, Hermes stepped forward a bit, his tone growing more serious.
   "This time, I'm here to mediate between your Loki Familia and the Freya Familia over the War Game."
   "Freya has always been, well... let's say, willful, but a War Game involves way too many parties."
   "The rivalries between gods, the interests of the Familia, even Orario's future power balance-if it gets out of control, things could turn ugly."
   "If you'd be willing to back down, I could try to persuade Freya to withdraw her challenge."
   Ryota narrowed his eyes, glancing between Hermes and Asfi.
   "If that's the case... then, Lord Hermes, why didn't you come try to mediate sooner?"
   The moment he asked, Hermes's smile stiffened, a faint, embarrassed blush creeping onto his face.
   "Ahem, well, actually, I-"
   "It's all because of Lord Hermes himself!"
   Asfi cut him off with a deadpan look and a bit of clenched-teeth frustration, as if she wanted to take a bite out of him.
   Though she didn't explain, Ryota could easily guess why.
   Considering Hermes' reputation in the original-how his favorite activity was peeping on divine and mortal women bathing, and constantly getting caught red-handed-
   Ryota lowered his head, picked up his hammer again, and lightly tapped on the puppet's parts, answering without hesitation,
   The workshop's air froze instantly.
   Even Hephaestus raised an eyebrow, unable to hide her surprise.
   Hermes was the first to recover, his voice filled with confusion.
   "This is no trivial matter, Ryota!"
   "If the mediation goes through, you wouldn't have to join the Freya Familia, and you could save the Loki Familia from the costs of a War Game-wouldn't that be better?"
   Ryota didn't answer right away, continuing to focus on the puppet core's components. After a few more seconds, he looked up, eyes bright and burning.
   "Lord Hermes... do you really think the Loki Familia will lose?"
   Hermes opened his mouth, then swallowed the rest of his words.
   He sighed, a rare look of sincerity crossing his face.
   "I just feel that... if you represent the Loki Familia, you have absolutely-no chance of winning."
   "Your opponent is Ottar."
   At those words, even Hephaestus straightened from where she'd been leaning, her eyes going wide.
   "Wait, you mean... Ryota's the one fighting?"
   "You've already decided the lineup?"
   Of course she hadn't heard-the War Game rosters usually weren't officially announced by the Guild until midday, and it was still early morning.
   The red-haired goddess looked genuinely worried, striding over to Ryota with a deep frown.
   "Ryota, are you serious? Even if you've grown this fast, you're only Level 2... Level 2 against Level 7, that's just-"
   "But hey, doesn't the idea of challenging a Level 7 get your blood pumping?"
   As soon as he said that, the entire workshop fell silent.
   Hephaestus opened her mouth, but in the end, just sighed and leaned back against the doorframe again.
   "...You really are just like Loki's crew."
   He hadn't expected his mediation attempt to end so quickly-
   or rather, to end in total failure.
   "I guess I'd better go talk to Freya then."
   He adjusted the tilt of his hat slightly, but his tone still held a trace of caution.
   "Still, Ryota... even if you won't accept mediation, I hope you'll withdraw from the 1v1."
   "As long as the War Game hasn't officially started, the participants can still be changed."
   He looked straight at Ryota, genuine concern shining through.
   "The Guild does everything it can to keep injuries low during these Familia clashes, but a War Game is still a War Game."
   "Ottar... won't hold back."
   Hearing that, Ryota paused in his work, then cracked a big grin.
   I was hoping he wouldn't."
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   Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Making Ottar Taste Despair-That's My Plan
   Hearing those words, Hermes felt his brain buzz like it had been struck by lightning.
   His lips parted, wanting to say a few more words of persuasion, but the moment he saw Ryota's calm, deep eyes-completely free of hesitation, arrogance, or recklessness-his voice got stuck in his throat.
   There was only a quiet, composed confidence there.
   The kind of composure born from true mastery of power.
   Hermes muttered, brow furrowed with complicated emotions.
   After a moment's thought, he finally sighed, waving a hand.
   He didn't press the matter further, simply turned and nodded at Asfi.
   The blue-haired girl pushed up her glasses, took one more look at Ryota, then glanced at Karasu, which was still lying in pieces on the workbench. A spark of intense interest flickered in her eyes.
   "Next time," she said softly,
   "you'll have to show me the finished version, okay?"
   "Of course. As long as you don't mind a rough build, I can even show you its internals next time."
   Something like this puppet-neither driven by a magic stone nor classifiable as a standard magic item-had never appeared before in this world.
   For someone like Asfi, who made magic gear for a living, it was practically a treasure trove.
   Her eyes brightened, and she looked like she wanted to ask more, but Hermes coughed lightly beside her, pulling her back to reality.
   With some reluctance, she waved.
   With that, she followed Hermes out of the forge.
   The workshop grew quiet once more, leaving only the half-cooled steel on the anvil and the crackling furnace.
   Hephaestus didn't leave right away. Instead, she stood there, quietly watching Ryota work on the disassembled Karasu. Then she let out a soft laugh.
   "So, have you thought about what your life in the Freya Familia is going to be like?"
   Ryota froze, then looked up, exasperated.
   "Why is even Lady Hephaestus saying that?"
   "No one expects you to win, that's just reality."
   Hephaestus shrugged, the mature charm of the red-haired goddess practically overflowing in that moment.
   "This forge room will be yours from now on. If you ever need materials, just come to me."
   Ryota's eyes lit up immediately.
   "Then I want a few things right now!"
   He thought for a second, then rattled off a list of materials perfect for enhancing puppets.
   The corners of her mouth twitched, and she stared at him for a moment before sighing deeply.
   "Is it possible," she said,
   "that I was just being polite?"
   Ryota put on his best harmless, innocent smile.
   "In times like these, you never know-turning down a god's polite offer might shave ten years off your life."
   Hephaestus rolled her eyes, but in the end, she didn't refuse.
   "Fine. Write a list. I'll have someone pick it up later and bring the materials over."
   "But only this once! Although..."
   Seeing the sly grin slowly spread across the goddess's face, Ryota felt a chill down his spine.
   "But if you join my Familia, you can use as many materials as you want. I'd even smooth things over with Freya for you."
   There it is! She showed her dagger!
   He was about to refuse, but before he could say anything, the grin on Hephaestus' face turned playful, like she'd already predicted exactly how he'd react.
   "Kidding, kidding. I'll still get you those materials. Now get back to work."
   With that, she turned, pushed open the forge door, and left.
   Walking a few steps down the main hall of the Hephaestus Familia's headquarters, Hephaestus lifted her head to gaze at the Orario skyline, softly murmuring,
   "If only I'd been on Northern Mainstreet that day..."
   "Ryota of the Hephaestus Familia... doesn't sound too bad."
   Three days flew by in a blur.
   During those days, Ryota was practically glued to the forge at the Hephaestus Familia.
   The piles of materials around him silently grew higher and higher.
   Hephaestus' so-called "just this once" had, in some sense, turned into the biggest lie of those three days.
   Every morning, Ryota would scribble down a new materials list, and by afternoon, sweaty porters would haul in fresh deliveries, including rare alloys and advanced magic components, with a loud bang bang bang.
   "Um... Lady Hephaestus really meant for me to have all this?"
   Ryota had to ask for confirmation, only to get a wry smile in response from the manager.
   "She said if you needed it, then you needed it."
   Was this really just this once, or an unlimited supply?
   As for whether these materials were racking up some hidden debt-he really didn't dare ask.
   But since they were there, of course he'd use them.
   Ryota quietly sighed about how hard it was to repay favors, then doubled down on his work.
   With a final strike of his hammer, a crisp, steady clang rang out.
   Sparks danced, and the upgraded puppet Karasu was at last complete.
   It stood silently on the anvil. At first glance, it didn't look that different from the earlier three-eyed, four-armed weird puppet, still carrying that blend of creepy and mechanical beauty.
   But on closer inspection-
   Its chest now housed a faintly glowing pale blue core.
   It was a high-purity magic crystal, structured almost exactly like the Arc Reactor from Ryota's past life on Earth.
   At its center, a gentle but pulsing ring of light rotated, transmitting a stable flow of energy, like a heartbeat.
   Infused with his Mystery development ability, its function had been tuned to Power.
   Just like the hidden property of Ryota's Kusanagi Sword.
   His eyes shifted to Karasu's four arms.
   Those had been reforged by his own hands, each one inlaid with guiding seals for Lightning Style chakra and slots for Fire Style chakra.
   Ryota could now flood this puppet with either lightning or fire chakra at any time, and then, thanks to the core's power, push its might to a whole new level!
   Ryota looked down at the Karasu in his hands. He still hadn't figured out how to fully embed ninjutsu inside a puppet.
   "Time... there's never enough time."
   He stored the Karasu back, then glanced out the window.
   Outside the forge, Orario shimmered with gentle lantern light. In the distance came a few muffled dog barks and the faint strings of a bard's song drifting out of a tavern.
   Tomorrow would mark the official start of the first round of the War Game!
   Ryota stood, stretched his back, and tidied up the forge.
   "No telling when I'll be back next."
   He chuckled softly, then pushed open the door and stepped into the night.
   As he left the Hephaestus Familia, he noticed the streets of Orario seemed unusually restless.
   It was like a fever had begun to spread through the crowds.
   Tavern doors stood wide open, drunkards yelling about "the bets" and "Ryota."
   Peddlers hawked War Game good-luck charms mixed in with their usual wares.
   Even the posters slapped on the walls showed a dramatic showdown portrait of him versus Ottar, with huge bold letters:
   A Battle of Fate! Orario's Ultimate Duel!
   He suddenly had the illusion he wasn't in Orario anymore, but had somehow crossed into an entertainment-world timeline that survived on hype alone.
   "This is getting ridiculous..."
   He shook his head and picked up the pace toward Twilight Manor.
   The moment he stepped through the doors, he spotted those familiar faces sprawled around the lobby sofas.
   Loki was slumped against the cushions, yawning over and over. Finn looked dead tired, like life had punched him three times in a row. Even Lady Riveria was rubbing at her eyes.
   As for the others, Bete, the Hiryute Sisters, Lefiya-they were all drooping, on the verge of nodding off.
   The only one still as composed as ever was the doll-like princess, Ais.
   The blonde girl sat straight-backed on a bench, unmoving, staring at the front door.
   As soon as she saw Ryota, she tilted her head slightly and spoke in a soft voice.
   Hearing that, everyone practically whooshed to their feet at the same time.
   "Ryota, you're finally back!"
   Finn rushed over, holding a massive stack of papers, and shoved them into Ryota's arms before he could even stand steady.
   "These are all the tactical scenarios you might use in tomorrow's battle! Gareth, Riveria, and I spent three days straight working them out!"
   "Every page simulates Ottar's attack patterns, his preferred moves, and possible counters you could try..."
   Ryota stood there dumbfounded, staring at the mountain of documents.
   A second later, Loki also stepped forward, wearing a rare look of total seriousness.
   "And Ryota, we have one favor to ask..."
   "That giant skeleton, you know, the one that smashed Riveria's defense magic in one blow... could you maybe... use that at the very end?"
   "We get it, that's your trump card, right?"
   "Better to keep a trump card for the finish, yeah?"
   In Orario, trump cards had nothing to do with Falna blessings, but were rather moves Adventurers developed on their own-skills, magic, or techniques honed through training or experience, usually for finishing blows.
   Though Loki was a bit off on one point-
   Ryota had more than just one trump card.
   He looked down at the tactical mountain in his arms, then at the haggard, sleep-deprived war freaks in front of him, and asked,
   "So... none of you have slept these past few days?"
   "Sleep? You're asking about sleep?"
   Loki's hair practically stood on end.
   "You really think a War Game is a game?!"
   "You just tossed us a 'sure, put me in,' then ran off to hammer steel! We tried to find you, but Miss Ais here blocked us."
   She shot a resentful look at Ais, who was still watching Ryota with bright, unwavering eyes, and a few more stress lines appeared on her forehead.
   "With you gone, the only thing we could do was work out strategy for you!"
   "So hurry up and go through those papers, then tell us what you think."
   it's time to make Ottar taste despair."
  
   Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Round One - Ottar vs. Ryota!
   As sunlight streamed through the gap in the window and warmed his face, Ryota finally opened his eyes.
   He stared at the ceiling in silence for a few seconds before getting up to dress.
   Walking to the window, he looked outside.
   In the distance, Babel Tower soared into the sky, like a giant pillar piercing the heavens.
   Everything looked so familiar, yet somehow so alien.
   For a moment, he almost felt dazed.
   If it weren't for the faint sounds of people talking outside, he might have thought today was just another ordinary day.
   "The first round of the War Game, huh..."
   He murmured softly to himself.
   By all rights, this was the kind of moment that could decide the fate of the Loki Familia, reshape the balance of Orario, and even determine where he himself would belong in the future.
   Anyone - no matter how composed - should have felt at least a sliver of tension.
   In his heart, there was only a calm so steady it felt almost unnatural.
   As if, from the moment he set foot in this world, everything had already been foreseen, already set on its rails.
   His destiny would not lose control today.
   And his enemy... would not win.
   "The sun's up," he said with a sudden, gentle smile, looking into the orange-gold light.
   This War Game was a spectacle Orario had not witnessed in countless years.
   Not just for the combatants themselves, but for the watching crowds, and even for the gods observing from on high, everyone knew - this was more than a simple War Game.
   It was practically a divine gladiatorial match, with dignity and fate on the line.
   Loki Familia versus Freya Familia.
   The two greatest, most legendary Familias in all of Orario.
   Once allies who had driven the Zeus Familia and Hera Familia out of the city together, now they stood opposed.
   And these two gods were icons of popularity both in the god's realm and the mortal world.
   Since the day before, a specialized battlefield had already been set up around Babel Tower.
   Magic projection screens for observing the match, and live relay spells covering the entire city, were all in place.
   The entire city seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for this showdown.
   Yet popularity was one thing - hype was one thing -
   No one really believed in Loki Familia's chances.
   More precisely, no one believed in the one representing Loki - Ryota.
   Freya Familia's champion was the Strongest, Ottar, Orario's only Level 7, whose power had long since transcended any human benchmark.
   Meanwhile, Loki Familia's representative had never changed, even up to the final moment before the match.
   That same person - the one Freya herself had "handpicked," the one whom the entire city gossiped had seduced a goddess with his looks, was only Level 2.
   So, as the betting houses closed their books, Loki Familia's odds had exploded to a ridiculous 1:500.
   They were all sure this would be a one-sided massacre.
   that the person they all doubted, all speculated about, all declared "destined to lose,"
   was already quietly walking toward the arena.
   And destiny had never cared about the voice of the majority.
   Inside the Guild's secret chamber, a space built like a half-circle amphitheater.
   This was where the previous Denatus had gathered, now repurposed as the gods' viewing area.
   The air was thick with divine power, and several light-screens hovered overhead, projecting real-time images of the battlefield.
   Loki was lounging near the front, legs crossed and leaning back in her seat.
   Beside her sat Hephaestus, and on her other Hestia, who was practically bouncing around:
   "Where's Ryota? Where's Ryota?!"
   Hestia leaned so far over the railing her big eyes practically fused with the screen, like a mother searching for a lost child.
   "The match is about to start and he's still not here!"
   "What are you getting so worked up for? Our kid just left the house two minutes ago - takes a little time to walk over, you know?"
   "He should be here by now! What if some crazy Freya fan snatched him off the street?!"
   "Are you a grade-school mom picking up her kid? If he can be kidnapped, then our Familia might as well quit adventuring altogether."
   Hestia was about to snap back when a slightly lazy voice chimed in behind them:
   "Oh dear, oh dear, Ryota is probably on his way. You know, he is the star of the show today."
   The three of them turned to see Hermes, with his trademark feathered hat perched on his head.
   Loki shifted her posture.
   "Didn't you try to mediate this mess a few days ago?"
   "Your Ryota was too stubborn. Mediation failed, what can I say?"
   Hermes shrugged with a carefree grin.
   "And I'm not so thick-headed, you know."
   He pointed up at the projection screens overhead.
   "These city-wide viewing spells - they only exist because I built them with Ouranos' permission."
   "Without me, you think you'd have this?"
   Hephaestus gave him a sidelong glance and sighed with a hint of mockery.
   "Of course you'd know how to play with these illusions. Back in-"
   "Okay okay Hephaestus, I was wrong, alright?!"
   Hermes quickly raised his hands in surrender.
   "I just thought for an unprecedented War Game like this, the audience deserved to see everything, right? Especially since the main star is Ryota, the one who turned me down..."
   His smile never changed, but his tone dropped ever so slightly.
   "I'm actually looking forward to the shock he'll bring."
   "You really care more than anyone else, acting like you don't."
   "But he's right! Ryota is the hero today - everyone should be able to see him clearly!"
   "Can you make a close-up? Like, right on his face?"
   Farther along the stands, the rest of Orario's gods had already gathered.
   But unlike the other gods who arrived in groups, she sat alone, wearing that familiar gentle smile, her eyes locked on the screen.
   Waiting for him to step onto the stage, waiting for fate to set the "work of art" she'd chosen right before her.
   In other areas of the gallery, gods like Apollo, Ishtar, and Miach had clustered up with their friends.
   Some laughed and made bets, some scoffed, some just watched in silence.
   The whole place felt like the calm before a festival.
   About five minutes later, the projection screen rippled, like the surface of water brushed by a fingertip, and a figure slowly sharpened into view.
   Ryota stepped into the center of the arena, looking up at a place that was built to rival a Roman colosseum, raising one eyebrow.
   "Gotta hand it to them, they went all-out with the decorations."
   The Guild staff had told him on his way here:
   In a duel War Game, both sides were allowed to use any magic or Skills they possessed.
   Because of that, the temporary arena had been reinforced with multiple defensive barriers, strong enough to withstand almost any attack.
   this was going to be a no-holds-barred, fight-to-the-finish battle.
   Of course, if someone surrendered ahead of time, they'd be spared.
   Ryota glanced up at the huge barrier shimmering in midair, then spoke softly.
   "So... you're saying I can cut loose today?"
   Then, noticing the projection screen, he laughed and gave a little wave.
   In the audience section, Hestia practically tackled Hephaestus' arm, her voice going nuclear.
   "Ahhh - it's Ryota!! He's waving at me!!!"
   Hephaestus raised one hand to keep the excited little goddess from jumping off the balcony, but even she couldn't help smiling a bit as she kept her eyes fixed on Ryota.
   Below the gods' viewing platform, in the seats reserved for the Loki Familia, the core members were gathered together.
   Finn looked up at the screen, seeing the familiar black-haired youth wave to the camera, and let out a small laugh.
   "He doesn't look like someone about to fight Ottar..."
   "Standing there like he's taking a Sunday stroll."
   Then Finn seemed to remember something and turned to Riveria.
   "By the way... did he ever actually look at those plans the three of us made?"
   Riveria's expression didn't change, her voice calm as she countered.
   Finn scratched his head, sighing helplessly.
   "Well, guess we pulled an all-nighter for nothing."
   While they whispered among themselves, the image on the screen suddenly shifted.
   Heavy footsteps echoed from the other end of the arena.
   A man so big he nearly filled the entire frame appeared.
   Massive, solid, like a living bronze fortress - Ottar the Strongest.
   Ryota's eyes narrowed, and his right hand reached for his back.
   The Kusanagi Sword slid from its sheath, letting out a crisp metallic note.
   At the same time, his normal pupils turned instantly into the glowing crimson of the Mangeky Sharingan.
   Ottar, of course, saw the change in Ryota's eyes, but didn't seem to care, and spoke in a low voice.
   He pulled the giant sword from his back.
   "Defeat you. And bring you back."
   Ryota stared at this mountain of a man, ignoring his muttered words, the corners of his mouth curving upward.
   "If I can beat this guy-"
   "I'll complete my Main Branch Quest."
   "Really can't wait to see the next reward."
   In the same instant, both figures vanished from where they stood!
   The ground exploded with a deafening roar, the air itself seemed to rip apart in a savage shockwave, and the magic barriers compressed to their absolute limit!
   In that moment, all of Orario - even the gods watching from their high seats - couldn't tell who had moved first.
   They only saw two blurs, appearing and disappearing, crashing together at the heart of the arena!
   On one side, a blade worth four hundred million valis, forged by Goibniu himself around the core of the Udaeus' Black Sword!
   On the other, the Kusanagi Sword, blazing with lightning and fire!
   Black clashed against crimson electricity, brute force against razor-sharp ferocity.
   The first round of the War Game had officially begun!
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura :)
  
   Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Sage Mode with Susanoo, Don't You Get It?
   Inside the secret chamber - no, more accurately - throughout all of Orario, it felt as though someone had hit the pause button.
   Whether it was the gods in the stands, the elves, the pallums, the humans scattered through the streets, even those battered and bruised adventurer parties just returning from the Dungeon - everyone, without exception, froze in place, eyes locked on the projection screens.
   Their mouths hung open, yet no words came out.
   Fast. It was far too fast!
   On the screens, no one could even see the figures clearly. All they could catch were occasional sparks bursting in random corners.
   Those flashes and deafening crashes were the aftermath of their weapons clashing.
   Two shadows wove around the arena, crossing in a blur of afterimages.
   Debris on the ground ricocheted like it was caught in a downpour, sending shockwaves rippling visibly through the air.
   Everyone held their breath, but more than that, confusion and disbelief filled their faces.
   Up in the viewing stands, Hermes' mouth twitched uncontrollably.
   "Are you screwing with me...?"
   As Orario's unrivaled intelligence broker - a man who even kept secret ties with the banished Zeus - Hermes knew better than anyone just how terrifying Ottar truly was.
   That overwhelming strength, that crushing pressure, he had seen it more than once, and every time left a mark.
   But right now, in front of him, this youth named Ryota, this supposed Level 2 -
   yes, the Guild documents spelled it out in black and white: Level 2 -
   was trading blows with Ottar, sending sparks flying.
   Speed, power, reflexes - not suppressed at all. In fact, in some brief exchanges, he was even pressing Ottar back!
   Hermes subconsciously muttered, eyes glued to the black-haired blur flickering across the screen at a speed beyond reason.
   This wasn't just withstanding Ottar's blows.
   Other gods began to notice something was off too, their expressions shifting from casual to deeply unsettled.
   Apollo slammed a fist on the stone bench and cursed.
   "I put a fortune on Ottar! Would he hurry up and smash that brat already?!"
   But he wasn't the only one. More and more gods were turning pale.
   In the divine realm, money might be just a number.
   But down here in the mortal world, money was the backbone of any Familia.
   Sure, Freya Familia's odds were terrible, but even scraps were still meat on the bone - it was practically free money!
   There were plenty of gods who'd bet big on Freya.
   But now, what was supposed to be an easy, one-sided massacre...
   had turned into a fifty-fifty fight?
   Unlike the panicked or restless gods around her, Freya's expression never changed.
   She rested her chin on one hand, eyes locked on the screen, that long, molten gaze coiling around Ryota's every movement.
   Even if the youth's figure only flashed by for an instant, even if it was just a glimpse of his profile, a strand of hair - she watched, enraptured.
   Freya didn't consider it. She never had.
   At this moment, her eyes burned hotter than the projection screen itself.
   A dull impact rattled from the arena.
   Two silhouettes collided at the center, then both skidded back, stopping at opposite ends of the coliseum floor.
   Ottar stood on a pile of shattered stone, the Supreme Black Sword drooping at his side.
   For the first time, the strongest of Orario showed a hint of raw confusion and wariness on his face.
   This was wrong - so very wrong!
   How could a Level 2 keep up with him?!
   Every swing, Ottar thought Ryota would buckle.
   But Ryota didn't just block him - he returned the force, again and again!
   each of Ryota's blows was getting heavier, stronger, sharper.
   It was like fighting a monster that evolved with every clash.
   A memory flashed through Ottar's mind - the face of Zald, an opponent he had once defeated.
   Zald's Skill, let him grow stronger by devouring his enemies.
   The mightier the prey, the greater the boost.
   But this boy in front of him -
   he wasn't devouring anyone.
   He was growing stronger through the fight itself.
   Like a blade that only got sharper with every swing.
   Ottar had never faced an enemy like this.
   Suddenly, a jolt of electricity sparked through his mind.
   "Could it be... he has a Skill like mine?"
   Ryota raised an eyebrow at that, of course knowing what Ottar meant.
   But Ryota didn't bother answering.
   What was this, a shounen anime where people stand around explaining their powers mid-fight?
   Even if he explained, would Ottar even get it?
   Across from him, Ottar seemed to think he'd figured something out. His face tightened, his eyes gleaming with a savage light.
   He understood that this boy - Ryota - couldn't be fought with normal means.
   Ottar exhaled, then lowered his stance.
   At that moment, the ground under his feet began to quake, as if it couldn't bear his presence.
   In the blink of an eye, Ottar's entire body expanded, muscles swelling with impossible force.
   his teeth lengthened into wicked fangs, and his eyes narrowed into glowing slits.
   The aura rolling off him turned wild, feral, terrifying.
   Ryota's Mangeky Sharingan spun like a vortex.
   He'd seen this in the intel reports -
   Ottar's second Skill: Vana Arganture!
   By transforming into a beast, Ottar unleashed an ancient, primeval power from within, turning himself into a true war machine with unstoppable destructive might and insane regeneration.
   Right now, Ottar was no longer a man.
   He was a humanoid beast whose very instinct was war.
   In the secret chamber, Lefiya's eyes went wide at that monstrous transformation. She turned to the wolf-boy beside her and asked in a hushed voice:
   "Bete, is this like your??"
   As a werewolf, Bete naturally had a beast transformation skill.
   He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and snorted.
   "My skill only works under moonlight, with strict conditions."
   "But that guy's? It lights up the beast inside him anytime, anywhere, no matter the environment."
   Finn, chewing his thumb, jumped in.
   "But Vana Arganture isn't without consequences."
   "Every time he uses it, it puts an enormous burden on his body and mind."
   Lefiya's eyes went even wider.
   "Because he has another Skill - Stortus Ottar."
   "The burden of Vana Arganture gets canceled out by Stortus Ottar, creating a delicate equilibrium."
   Finn paused, as if delivering an unshakable truth:
   "That's Ottar. The only Level 7 in Orario, Freya Familia's ultimate trump card."
   As the beast in human skin completed its transformation on the projection screen, the entire atmosphere seemed to ignite.
   High above, the gods who'd been quietly gossiping suddenly sat bolt upright, their faces split by manic grins as they rooted for Freya Familia:
   "This is Ottar's true form!"
   "That damn brat Ryota's finished!"
   "Freya's victory is assured!"
   All around Orario - in inns, on the streets, in taverns - the crowd watching the screens went wild as well.
   "Beast mode? That's terrifying!"
   "Man, Ryota's handsome and all, but he's about to get smashed."
   "Genius is genius, but against a monster? No contest."
   Some cheered, some worried.
   Hestia was clinging to the railing, her beautiful eyes full of worry. She turned to Loki and whispered urgently:
   "Hey!! does Ryota have anything else? Can he transform too?"
   "How could our kid not have a trump card?"
   Loki tried to stay confident, but seeing Ottar's aura, practically hitting Level 8 in that beast state, she felt a chill.
   "B-but... I don't know if he can stand up to that..."
   Hestia stomped her foot in frustration.
   "Get Hermes to send a message inside! Have Ryota surrender - at least keep him alive!"
   For the first time, this little goddess had scolded Loki so harshly that Loki actually forgot to sass back.
   Hephaestus and Hermes exchanged a glance, and in each other's eyes, they saw the same worry for Ryota.
   Much as they didn't want to admit it...
   Ryota's odds were now basically zero.
   Inside the projection, Ottar moved.
   The instant he charged, the entire floor caved in.
   His speed was several times - no, dozens of times - faster than before!
   That massive Supreme Black Sword tore straight for Ryota's throat!
   But just as the blade was about to connect-
   The air twisted violently!
   Ryota's right eye spun like a whirlpool, and in an instant, his entire body seemed to vanish into another dimension!
   The giant sword smashed down, carving a trench so deep it vanished into the earth.
   Ottar froze, his slit pupils shrinking.
   "Magic without a chant?!"
   The air warped again with a buzzing sound, and Ryota reappeared atop a stone pillar dozens of meters away, steady as could be.
   He looked down on Ottar and grinned.
   "But transformations? Yeah, I've got those too."
   An overwhelming surge of chakra burst from Ryota's body, instantly crushing the pillar to powder.
   Then, blue-violet chakra began to swirl, tearing the air, condensing -
   First, a massive rib cage formed around him, protecting him. Then, muscle fibers and tendons took shape, sketching out its outline.
   The initial stage of Susanoo - complete in a heartbeat!
   "Still missing some intimidation factor... guess I'll push it further!"
   The chakra continued flooding out, making the rib cage squirm and grow.
   In the blink of an eye, a gigantic skeleton wrapped Ryota inside.
   He swung its two arms experimentally, but his face clearly said "not good enough."
   "Doesn't feel threatening enough. Let's take it one step more!"
   As he spoke, the blue-violet chakra exploded outward again, sprouting enormous energy wings from the skeleton's back, its arms doubling from two to four, each gripping a chakra blade that swung wildly.
   But Ryota wasn't finished.
   Susanoo's third stage was fully realized!
   A colossal chakra giant, nearly scraping the arena's dome, loomed before everyone's eyes.
   At the giant's head, Ryota looked down like a god gazing upon mortals.
   Even in full beast mode, his mind seemed struck by lightning, completely unable to move.
   For the first time, he truly felt what it meant to stand before an unbeatable power.
   "Don't look so shocked. I still wanna try this next."
   Ryota flashed a grin from within Susanoo's skull-like head, turning his wrist.
   A glow of Sage Jutsu Chakra erupted from his hand.
   "Sage Mode layered over Susanoo!"
  
   Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Sage-Mode Susanoo, Ottar's Crushing Defeat!
   As Ryota slammed his palm down, the swirl of Sage Jutsu Chakra in his hand ignited like a fuse, racing across the skeletal frame and giant arms of Susanoo in an instant.
   The blue-violet chakra tangled and fused with the golden Sage energy, a furious clash of powers surging across the titan.
   That already towering chakra giant began a second - almost evolutionary - transformation under the infusion of Sage energy.
   Mystical runes, reminiscent of nature's own markings, started glowing across its outer shell. The chakra on its surface flowed in rhythmic pulses, flashing as if it was breathing.
   Both arms took on a rocky, earthlike texture while still exuding a current of roaring thunder and flame.
   The chakra wings on its back transformed into golden, spirit-charged ribbons, fluttering like the wings of an angel of apocalypse.
   On its helmeted face, savage and ancient beastly patterns emerged, and deep in its eye sockets, a fierce golden-purple light burned brightly.
   the true Sage-Mode Susanoo descended!
   Back in the original series, that edgelord Sasuke had activated his full-body Susanoo by absorbing and adapting to Jugo's Curse Mark, painting strange markings all over it.
   But to Ryota's mind, that was just a half-baked, nature-energy-fused gimmick.
   How could that be called a real Sage-Mode Susanoo?
   His Sage Chakra was the purest - completely without any impurities!
   His Susanoo deserved to be called a true Sage-Mode Susanoo!
   all of Orario was plunged once again into a deathly silence.
   If, moments before, Ryota's clash with Ottar had left people frozen in shock and disbelief...
   this towering giant, covered in chakra-and-nature-patterned armor, blazing with gold and purple brilliance like a war god -
   had absolutely shattered their worldview!
   Before the light screens, whether gods or mortals, everyone wore the exact same expression:
   Slack-jawed. Numb. Questioning reality.
   "Is this... really something a Level 2 can do?!!!"
   "What the hell even is that giant? Why wasn't there a Guild record on this? What are they even paid for?!"
   "C-can Ottar even hold his own against that thing?"
   Up in the gods' stands, where they'd just been happily debating what to splurge on with their winnings, every god had gone dead silent.
   Silence blanketed them all.
   Hestia smacked her own chubby cheeks, trying to wake herself up, then turned to Loki.
   "Hey, you flat-chest, this was the trump card you meant?"
   "You're asking me? Who the hell do I ask? I've never even seen this thing before!"
   Loki vividly remembered last night, during Ryota's sparring with Mama, there'd only been, what, a half-formed skeletal giant?
   But now this thing not only had legs to stand upright...
   it even had patterns on it!
   Down below, Riveria was on the verge of a full mental breakdown.
   Having gone toe-to-toe with that skeletal giant herself, she'd felt its terror firsthand.
   As the famed Nine Hells, Orario's strongest mage, she had convinced herself Ryota's strange "magic" - or rather, technique - could at most match a three-stage invocation, about equal to one of her chants.
   But this - a standing, fully armored, rune-etched giant towering in the arena, whose mere footsteps rattled the barriers - now appeared before her eyes:
   "Don't tell me... there's a fourth stage... even a fifth stage...?"
   The elven royal clutched at her brow, utterly dazed.
   Behind her, poor Lefiya was already beyond shocked into numbness.
   Her mind flashed back to when they were in the Dungeon, how she'd proudly told Ryota to "cover her" while she stood behind him chanting.
   it felt like she'd signed her own death warrant.
   "What... did I even say to him back then..."
   Lefiya's face flushed bright red, all the way to the pointed tips of her ears, as a slideshow of memories from their Dungeon run played through her mind.
   The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to crawl under her seat and disappear.
   Seeing Lefiya steaming like a kettle, Bete's wolf ears twitched a little.
   He looked over at the blonde girl whose pupils were contracting in disbelief and asked:
   "Ais... if you'd fought that thing back then, do you think you'd stand a chance?"
   At that, Ais tilted her head, her eyes glittering with a very peculiar light.
   It wasn't doubt. It wasn't hesitation.
   It was the kind of look you gave to an absolute idiot.
   She just stared at Bete, silently.
   Under that death stare, a chill ran up Bete's spine and all the way to the back of his head, forcing him to look away and mutter:
   "...Fine, pretend I didn't ask."
   Off to the side, honest Raul mumbled softly:
   "Senior Bete's questions really are... as profound as ever..."
   Bete's ears twitched, and he growled:
   "You shut it, you rookie!!"
   Ottar's entire body was tense, his pupils shrunk to pinpricks.
   He was a true warrior, Orario's only Level 7.
   But in that moment, standing before the giant Sage-Mode Susanoo, for the first time he felt-
   Ottar gripped the Supreme Black Sword tighter, trembling, and couldn't help taking a step back.
   a divine face burned into his mind, a face carved into his very soul like a sacred brand.
   He was Freya's sword, a warrior born for Freya.
   The fight wasn't over - how could he collapse now?!
   Ottar roared, his fighting spirit blazing anew, then launched himself forward with an explosive stomp!
   The ground crumbled beneath his feet as he charged, stone shards flying. He gripped his massive sword tight, aiming straight at the giant!
   His target was not Ryota.
   It was the Susanoo's knee joint!
   "First, I'll drag you down from up there!"
   Like a wild beast, Ottar hacked away at the giant's legs, slashing with such speed the human eye couldn't even follow, the Supreme Black Sword leaving afterimages as it tore through the air.
   Steel and chakra shell clashed again and again, sending deafening shockwaves through the stadium.
   Ryota's Sage-Mode Susanoo's defense was not something brute strength or skill could break through.
   This wasn't ordinary armor.
   It was a shell formed by ultra-concentrated Sage Jutsu Chakra!
   No matter how long Ottar rained down blows - whether thirty seconds or a full minute -
   eventually he had to stop, drenched in sweat and gasping desperately for air.
   He glanced down at his palms, now cracked and bleeding.
   And that towering chakra giant -
   hadn't even lost a single fragment.
   From atop Susanoo's head, Ryota looked down at Ottar, eyes carrying a faint note of regret.
   "The power of a lovestruck fool... really is impressive."
   As soon as those words fell, one of Susanoo's enormous chakra arms slowly lifted, spinning the chakra blade it held once, before letting it fade away into starlight.
   The next instant, that enormous sage-marked fist was raised high!
   Like a meteor crashing to earth, it came down with a shockwave that seemed to rip the air itself apart!
   The entire arena quaked, shockwaves surging outward like a tide.
   in that moment, all color vanished from his sight, leaving only blackness.
   Without any suspense, he was smashed straight into the ground by that punch!
   Ottar, known as Orario's strongest force, its only Level 7, a man regarded by the gods as an unshakable mountain -
   couldn't even take a single punch from Ryota!
   His once-mighty body was now like a shattered porcelain doll, embedded in the massive crater left by the fist, motionless and unconscious.
   In the stands, Hermes glanced down at his betting slip - stacked on Ottar - and sighed under his breath:
   "Ah crap... Asfi's gonna yell at me again..."
   Before he could finish, he shot to his feet, face suddenly pale.
   "The barrier... it's breaking!"
   The magic barrier shielding the arena, under the force of Ryota's punch, was warping and fracturing before their very eyes!
   Ripples spread out from the point of impact, warping the air like glass about to shatter, creating a terrifying sonic shock pattern.
   As Hermes clenched his teeth, ready to break the rules and use divine power without Ouranos's approval to stabilize the barrier-
   Standing atop Susanoo's brow, he lifted a hand, fingers closing together in a calm grip.
   That one, seemingly gentle motion was like grabbing hold of the entire arena's core.
   In the next instant, the tsunami-like shockwaves froze, as if someone had hit pause.
   And then- complete silence.
   The twisted air returned to normal, the barrier's splitting seams smoothed over like ironed cloth, and even that bone-deep howl of energy seemed to be sealed in a bottomless abyss.
   Hermes, who'd been braced to intervene, froze mid-motion, his face completely blank.
   "No way... you... ah whatever..."
   High above, Susanoo began to dissolve.
   The rib cage fell apart, the chakra light streaming away, drifting down like stardust over the arena.
   Ryota landed smoothly, letting out a long breath, hand on the hilt of his sword, a faint dizziness in his eyes.
   After all, this wasn't some normal skill spam, but a triple-layered combination: Kamui, Susanoo, and Sage Jutsu Chakra all at once.
   "...A bit dizzy, but I can still stand."
   He stepped toward the giant crater, looking down at the unconscious Ottar without a word.
   Whether Ottar lived or died wasn't his concern.
   This was a War Game, and at its heart, still war.
   If it had been Ryota lying there, Ottar would probably have finished him off to make sure he stayed down.
   So Ryota had given it everything, no holding back.
   No matter what, he'd won.
   As a Level 2, he'd one-punched a Level 7.
   No one noticed, but up in the gods' stands, Freya quietly closed her eyes, the corners of her lips curling into a smile that was equal parts satisfied and mad.
   "Phew... first round's over. Time to head back."
   Ryota stretched lazily, about to turn and leave, when the mechanical voice rang out in his ear:
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest: Defeat the Warrior Ottar - complete!]
   [Reward calculation in progress--]
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura :)
  
   Chapter 78: Chapter 78: The Third Kazekage Puppet, and Freya's Proposal!
   [Reward settlement in progress--]
   [Reward 1: Dryoku +10%!]
   [Reward 2: Chakra capacity +150,000!]
   [Reward 3: Human Puppet: Third Kazekage]
   The mechanical voice in Ryota's ear slowly faded.
   But he stood there rooted to the spot, an expression of sheer bewilderment plastered across his face.
   An increase in dryoku, sure, he could understand that - it was practically standard at this point.
   But a 150,000 chakra boost? Wasn't that a bit too generous?
   And then there was the Human Puppet: Third Kazekage?
   That was a monster capable of wielding the Magnet Style: Iron Sand from its lifetime!
   "...This is way too freakin' over the top."
   He even started to suspect the system had accidentally sent him the rewards for the next main quest.
   But a moment later, he shook off those doubts.
   This was already the third stage of the main quest.
   And the string of cheats stacked in Ryota's body was completely insane:
   Susanoo, Sage Jutsu Chakra, Hashirama Cells...
   He was carrying seven or eight separate battle systems on one person, all perfectly usable and functional.
   With a growth curve this monstrous, if they didn't give him more chakra, he'd practically explode.
   Plus, he'd literally just crushed Orario's only Level 7 before the eyes of the entire city, while still a mere Level 2.
   Stack all those factors together, and these absurd rewards were unexpected but not completely unreasonable.
   "Good thing I stepped up and blocked Finn."
   "And good thing Lady Loki had absolute faith in me."
   "Otherwise this huge wave of rewards would've had nothing to do with me."
   Ryota glanced at the Third Kazekage, floating quietly in his mental space, then at the Karasu gleaming on his chest.
   His heart suddenly twinged.
   He'd spent three days and nights with bloodshot eyes, hammering away until literal sparks were flying-
   only for the system to just pop out a finished "ultimate weapon," complete with a Kekkei Genkai no less.
   "Guess it's true what they say - compared to cheats, your hard work is worth jack shit."
   Sliding the Kusanagi Sword back into its scabbard, Ryota looked over the arena, now left cratered and barely recognizable by his final punch.
   Then he glanced again at Ottar, still embedded in that fist-shaped imprint, and muttered:
   "Huh? Did I forget to use Amaterasu or Tsukuyomi?"
   "Damn, having too many cheats is its own problem."
   If Ottar had still been conscious right now and heard that line, he'd probably have puked blood on the spot.
   Dusting off his clothes, Ryota finally stepped toward the shattered main gate.
   On that side, a group of medics was already racing in - a support team specially assigned by the Guild.
   No one had expected that the one who'd fall would be Freya Familia's champion.
   But even if he had only a single breath left, the Guild would spare no effort to save him.
   That wasn't just respect for the strong - it was critical for keeping order in Orario.
   As Ryota passed them, one of the medics jogged over, stopping in front of him, and asked in a shaky voice,
   "M-Mr. Ryota...do you need treatment?"
   He pointed casually toward Ottar, still buried in the crater.
   "Save your strength for that guy."
   In fact, right after finishing his clash with Ottar, Ryota had felt a moment of dizziness and weakness in his body.
   But then the system dropped that "+150,000 chakra" line like a miracle cure, and it was as if someone had poured an entire ocean inside him.
   That feeling of a full chakra bar was honestly even better than a bowl of pork rice with two braised eggs on top.
   The medic froze for a second, staring blankly at Ryota's face for three whole seconds before snapping back to reality:
   He turned and sprinted toward Ottar, but only one thought was echoing through his mind:
   The Loki Familia had raised an absolute monster.
   A Level 2? Crushing a Level 7 so easily?
   Walking away from the fight without a drop of blood spilled, not even short of breath, then telling them to "save their strength" for the other guy?
   If that wasn't a monster, then it could only be...a god-forged monster.
   it also marked the end of round one of the War Game.
   And this victory, without question, belonged to Ryota - and to the Loki Familia!
   As Ryota's silhouette faded from the projection screens, all of Orario finally snapped out of its stunned trance.
   And the next moment, a tidal wave of shock ripped through every street and alley like a flash flood!
   The man who stood at the absolute peak of Orario, known as "King," had actually been one-punched into the ground by a Level 2 rookie in the first round of the War Game!
   Just pure, overwhelming force, leaving him no chance to fight back at all!
   "He- holy shit, Ottar lost! How the hell could Ottar lose?!"
   "That wasn't a loss - that was a total beatdown! Didn't you see? He couldn't even scratch that giant's leg!!"
   "Loki Familia really are lunatics! They sent a Level 2 up there and actually won?!"
   "I'm ruined...my valis...all gone..."
   Inside the underworld gambling dens, countless bosses who'd bet on Freya's victory had gone pale, their throats dry as if they'd swallowed sand.
   Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, a few "madmen" who'd bet on Loki Familia, after a moment of dumbstruck silence, suddenly exploded in hysterical celebration:
   "Holy shit, we won!!! I'm rich! RICH, I TELL YOU-!!!"
   At 1:500 odds, even a single valis wager would net you five hundred back!
   And it was all thanks to that black-haired boy called Ryota.
   Back in the gods' chamber, Hestia was clinging to Hephaestus's arm, jumping up and down while screaming, sending her generous assets bouncing wildly:
   "Ryota is the best!!! We wonnnnnn!!!"
   The red-haired goddess was being yanked around so hard she forgot to even struggle.
   Her one exposed ruby eye was filled with total shock.
   After a moment, she came to her senses, grabbed the now completely hysterical Hestia, and shoved her back into her seat with a sigh.
   "You idiot, there's still another round!"
   Hestia pouted, cheeks puffed up.
   "So what! We won one already, can't I celebrate a little?!"
   That utterly self-righteous look made Hephaestus's eyebrow twitch, but she finally just sighed and let it go.
   Honestly, the only person in all of Orario who could hold down this little goddess was probably Hephaestus.
   Partly because they'd been close since the days of the divine realm, and partly because whenever Hestia was out of money for food, she was the first one to come crying to Hephaestus for a loan -
   though "loan" usually meant more of a one-sided announcement.
   "You can celebrate, but wait until the second round is over to go nuts."
   Hephaestus turned, about to say something to Loki, when she suddenly noticed Freya rising from her seat.
   That peerlessly beautiful goddess was slowly descending the viewing platform.
   On her face, she still wore that gentle, serene smile, as if the total destruction of Ottar just now had absolutely nothing to do with her.
   She ignored the shocked, fearful eyes around her, paying no mind to the whispers of the other gods.
   Freya stepped down the stone steps of the stands, walking straight toward Royman at the arena's edge.
   "...Tch. I can tell just by looking, she's up to no good."
   Loki wiped the grin from her face, turning toward Hephaestus, Hestia, and Hermes, then added:
   Without waiting for an answer, she bolted down the steps.
   The three gods exchanged a glance, then also stood up and followed.
   Royman watched her approach, feeling an invisible weight pressing down on his shoulders like a mountain.
   He stammered, his fat body creaking to its feet, cold sweat dripping down his face:
   "Is there... something I can do for you?"
   Freya stopped in front of him, speaking lazily:
   "About the second-round siege match, I have a small suggestion about the rules - I'd like them modified."
   Royman froze, about to ask, when the sound of many footsteps came from behind.
   He turned his head and saw Loki arriving with Hestia, Hephaestus, and Hermes close behind.
   Following them were Finn, Riveria, Ais, and the other core members of the Loki Familia.
   In contrast, Freya stood completely alone.
   The contrast was painfully obvious.
   Freya, of course, noticed Loki's arrival. She smiled faintly and said:
   "I heard you wanted to change the rules, so of course I had to come hear it myself."
   She glanced at Royman's utterly confused face and snorted:
   "Who knows if you'll end up charming this big dumb pig."
   Royman forced an awkward laugh and didn't dare talk back.
   "I wouldn't do such a thing," Freya went on calmly,
   "I simply hope... that for the second-round siege match, Ryota will not be allowed to use any of the skills or magic he displayed today."
   "What kind of nonsense proposal is that? You're obviously targeting our kid!"
   Hestia also stomped forward, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed red:
   "You-you shameless woman!!"
   "Ryota even agreed to your ridiculous tie-counts-as-loss condition! And now that he beat that filthy lovestruck mutt, you want to add more rules?!"
   Freya's gentle smile didn't fade.
   "Don't be so hasty, let me finish."
   "If your Loki Familia agrees to this condition, then I will have Ottar sit out the siege round."
   Before they could reply, Freya continued:
   "Even though Ottar lost, he is still Orario's only Level 7."
   "And from what I sense, he isn't dead - it's just a matter of time before he recovers."
   Freya paused, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear,
   "In a siege, Ottar could simply avoid Ryota altogether. That would put you at a disadvantage whether you were attacking or defending."
   "Don't forget - if the score is 1:1, then we win."
   "I'm not banning Ryota from all magic and skills, only the ones he used today."
   "So looking at it fairly... you're still coming out ahead."
   Loki's expression turned pitch-black, and she glared:
   "Do you even hear yourself-"
   But before she could finish, a familiar voice spoke up behind her:
   "Lady Loki, I think that proposal is fine."
  
   Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Fame in Orario, the Hidden Quest Progresses
   As Ryota's voice fell, the huge secret chamber once again felt as if someone had pressed a mute button.
   All the gods instinctively turned to look at the black-haired boy walking slowly in.
   Countless gazes gathered on Ryota - some filled with jealousy, some with shock, some with complicated emotions...
   But most of all, there was the same kind of resentment and teeth-grinding hate shown by Apollo -
   because it was this kid who'd just made them lose their shirts, down to their underwear!
   At this moment, Apollo had long since lost any semblance of a dignified god.
   Having lost so much money, a vein was twitching on his forehead as he frantically calculated which of his followers he could squeeze for valis first to recover his losses.
   And the other gods who had heavily bet on the Freya Familia didn't look any better - each face as bitter as if they'd just eaten shit.
   When Loki and the others turned and saw Ryota walking their way, a smile reappeared on Loki's face.
   "Ryota, how come you finished so-"
   But she didn't even get the words out before Hestia jumped the line:
   The little goddess practically looked like she'd been starving for ages and had finally seen food.
   She was just about to pounce on Ryota when Hephaestus grabbed her by the collar from behind.
   "You blockhead, are you losing your mind? At least look at the situation!"
   Scolded, Hestia shrank back, but her big shining eyes kept firmly locked on Ryota.
   And that burning-hot gaze-
   no, better to say it was borderline melting-
   there was another one like it.
   From Freya, standing all alone on the opposite side.
   As she saw the adventurer she had dreamed of returning alive,
   her gaze looked upon him like a priceless treasure, like the only salvation woven into her destiny.
   She couldn't help but smile, those gray eyes brimming with a hunger and fervor that could no longer be hidden.
   That wasn't the look of a rival, of a defeated opponent - it was the look of someone who only cared about him.
   Stopping in place, Ryota nodded politely to everyone, counting it as a greeting, then turned toward Freya and spoke:
   "Lady Freya. As long as I don't use any of the magic or skills I showed today in the next round's siege match, Ottar won't take the field, right?"
   "If you have any other requests, Ryota, I'm happy to listen."
   In today's fight with Ottar, he hadn't actually used that many abilities.
   Mainly Susanoo, Sage Jutsu Chakra, and the Kamui.
   Beyond that, tons of his trump cards were still hidden.
   He hadn't even touched his most basic Fire Style or Lightning Style jutsu.
   Let alone the Third Kazekage he'd just gotten from the system, or devastating powers like Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi.
   In short, Ryota still had plenty of cards up his sleeve.
   Not that anyone present could have known that, of course.
   At this point, Loki couldn't hold back anymore, stepping forward and shouting:
   "What kind of crap rule is this? Ryota's eyes are his magic, what do you expect him to do, gouge them out before a siege match?!"
   Freya folded her arms under her magnificent bust, squeezing out an eye-popping canyon as she spoke calmly:
   "Why would I ever do something so cruel to Ryota? Of course those eyes don't count."
   "I love those eyes too, after all..."
   Hearing that, Ryota completely understood.
   What Freya was truly afraid of was Susanoo.
   That terrifying chakra giant that had one-shot Ottar.
   If he unleashed that blue-violet monster again in the siege, it would basically be the same as dropping a calamity of war onto the field.
   That wouldn't be a clash between Familias anymore - it would be a natural disaster.
   Of course she wouldn't tolerate seeing that again.
   "So even a god can be afraid of something..."
   "I wonder what kind of face she'll make once she sees my other trump cards?"
   Loki didn't say anything more, and everyone else behind her fell silent as well.
   All eyes focused on Ryota, waiting for the boy who had defeated a Level 7 to make the final decision for the Loki Familia.
   Ryota looked at Freya and said softly:
   "but I have a condition of my own."
   "This is a War Game. It should at least be fair."
   "You name one condition, then I name one condition. Seems reasonable, right?"
   Freya, as if she'd already expected this, nodded gracefully:
   "Very well then... in the siege match, the Loki Familia will take the role of the attacking side."
   As soon as Ryota finished saying that, the previously noisy secret chamber fell silent once more.
   Finn's pupils shrank, Ais tilted her head, and Lefiya nearly blurted out a shriek.
   Even Riveria looked utterly baffled.
   Even Hestia, standing off to the side with her hands still planted on her hips, froze completely, mouth hanging open for ages.
   Loki stared at Ryota, her voice floating a bit:
   "Ryota, did I... did I hear you right?"
   "Trust me, Lady Loki. Our Familia will choose to attack."
   When Ryota confirmed it again, Freya's smile finally vanished.
   Her brows rose slightly, and for the first time, she showed a hint of genuine surprise before this boy.
   Freya repeated it, like she needed to make sure she'd heard correctly.
   And in the stands, the gods began to stir:
   "A siege match, the attacking side's difficulty is easily many times higher than defending!"
   "Wasn't it supposed to be decided by lottery? Why did he just pick it outright?"
   The chatter swelled, growing more and more heated.
   Even the veteran gods who'd seen countless War Games couldn't help but frown.
   Hermes, who had stayed quiet until now, fell deep into thought, tapping his chin while staring at Ryota with a gaze as though he were a riddle no one had cracked in a thousand years.
   Everyone knew that in a War Game's siege match, attacking was far harder than defending.
   That was an unspoken, thoroughly proven iron law.
   There was a time limit on the siege.
   The attackers had to do three things within that limit:
   Break through the outer defense, crush the defending forces, and achieve their final objective.
   This meant the attacking side was under triple pressure right from the start -
   time, tactics, and resources.
   They couldn't go slow, couldn't probe cautiously, couldn't play safe - they had to drive like an arrow straight through a breach and take it all in one stroke.
   If they let the defenders drag out the pace, they'd be doomed to a string of defeats, picked off one by one.
   Not to mention the defenders usually held the terrain advantage, could prepare traps ahead of time, build layered blockades, and shift reinforcements flexibly as needed.
   That meant every moment of hesitation, every single mistake by the attackers, would be magnified a hundredfold!
   Of course, in theory, there were ways to break through -
   for example, if the attackers had overwhelming numbers or the defenders were stretched thin.
   But this time, that didn't apply at all.
   Who in Orario didn't know how terrifying the Freya Familia was?
   They were the largest Familia in the entire city.
   Freya smiled brilliantly, her gaze growing even hotter and hazier, as if she might devour Ryota whole the next second.
   "I'm falling for you even more, Ryota."
   "Three days from now, the second round begins."
   Royman's throat bobbed a few times before he quickly bowed in reply:
   This woman had never intended to give the Loki Familia a moment's rest.
   He'd asked for five days, but she had forced it down to three on the spot.
   Clearly Ottar's defeat had given her a sense of urgency.
   And combined with the growing obsession in her heart, there was no way she'd accept losing twice in a row.
   She had to take a point in the second round's siege match to tie the score.
   As long as she managed a draw, she could fully claim Ryota as her own!
   And so, under this man's name, all of Orario was set ablaze.
   Ryota, a Level 2, had publicly defeated Ottar, a Level 7.
   That disaster-level battle had shattered the city's very perception of power.
   That sight of the Susanoo towering in the arena, blasting Ottar away, would forever go down in Orario's history books.
   From that moment on, "Ryota" became a burning meteor, slicing across the night sky, lighting up all of Orario.
   Yet behind that brilliance, the siege match in three days loomed.
   That night, when the Guild made an official announcement confirming the second round's schedule and the siege format,
   No one could have imagined that the attacking side would be the Loki Familia!
   "What the hell? Loki Familia chose to attack? Did they lose the lottery?"
   "That's Freya Familia, man - they're huge, how do you even break through their lines?"
   "Pfft, who cares? With Ryota's giant skeleton monster, Loki Familia might just pull it off!"
   But just as support for the Loki Familia was about to surge,
   a wave of "rumors" started to spread through the city from who-knows-where:
   "I heard Ryota's giant skeleton can't be used again."
   "Yeah, totally confirmed. Word is the kid's been out cold for a whole night! Nobody knows if he'll even be awake in three days for the siege!"
   "Tch! He blew all his trump cards fighting Ottar, didn't he?"
   It was obvious enough where these rumors had started.
   The Freya Familia was quietly waging a propaganda war.
   This time, they didn't just want to win-
   they wanted to crush the Loki Familia utterly, stomp them into the dirt.
   So the once "invincible" Ryota in the eyes of the masses suddenly turned into a "cornered madman."
   Even many Loki Familia supporters started to waver.
   No one could be sure what other trump cards Ryota might have left.
   Or rather - maybe he didn't have any left at all.
   Some self-proclaimed Guild insiders even concluded with confidence:
   "Ryota is at best a Level 2. That victory over Ottar? A desperate all-or-nothing gamble, that's all."
   In an instant, the voices of doubt and ridicule came pouring in from every direction like a tidal wave.
   And the young man at the center of all these rumors -
   Because right now, he was lying in a bedroom in Twilight Manor, wrestling with a very real bout of choice paralysis:
   "I had 80,000 chakra before, then another 150,000 after clearing the main branch quest."
   "That's enough to awaken almost everyone except the Six Paths of the Sage."
   With a thought, a virtual menu popped up in front of Ryota:
   [Forbidden Jutsu: Reanimation - Advanced Version]
   [Current chakra: 232,300]
   [Available to construct]:
   Asura Path, required chakra: 200,000
   Human Path, required chakra: 200,000
   Looking at the list of possible summons, Ryota felt his head spinning.
   "After busting my ass to finish a mission, I can only unlock one of these?"
   "When the hell will I finally get to summon Uchiha Madara to come dance with me?"
   But grumbling aside, he still had to make progress on his plans.
   At last, his eyes fell on the name "Animal Path."
   "Summoned beasts and such... nothing better for sowing chaos in a siege."
   Ryota stood up, then whispered:
   "Reanimation, construct Animal Path!"
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   Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Idiot Elf and the Puppet Princess... Their Demands Are Exactly the Same?
   In the world of Naruto, among the Six Paths of Pain, excluding the Deva Path, the one ranked strongest was actually the Asura Path.
   That guy, with his whole body remade into mechanical components loaded with all kinds of missiles and weaponry, was a walking engine of war in every sense.
   Ryota, in the end, did not choose the Asura Path.
   He chose the Animal Path.
   Not because it was stronger, but because it was far more suited to coordinated team combat.
   Three days later, when the siege match began, he would already have the puppet weapon known as the "strongest Kazekage"-the Third Kazekage-at his side.
   Its Magnet Style: Iron Sand, capable of covering half a battlefield with its area-of-effect abilities, would undoubtedly be the key to breaking through.
   Although Ottar couldn't take part in the siege, Ryota, ever cautious, still had to plan for the worst with the Third Kazekage on his side.
   No matter how powerful an attacker, you still needed cover and suppression.
   And the Animal Path was precisely there to provide that space control and tempo support.
   Ranked just behind the Asura Path for offensive capability among the Six Paths, the Animal Path boasted a huge variety of summoned beasts.
   Even more crucially, the Animal Path's tactical mobility was incredible, and the summoned beasts weren't limited to being controlled by just a single person.
   Ryota could deploy them to cooperate with the Loki Familia's other members.
   he summoned them, and everyone benefitted!
   "In a siege match, it's never about who hits hardest - it's about who can hold on the longest, who can create chaos the fastest."
   "I don't just want to win - I want the Loki Familia to suffer the fewest casualties possible. Ideally, none at all."
   About five minutes later, a feedback signal rippled through his sea of consciousness.
   His first experience with advanced Reanimation was complete.
   Without hesitation, Ryota formed hand seals at lightning speed:
   As his hands came together, the air in front of him suddenly twisted!
   A burst of white mist exploded outward, sending a shockwave rippling through the room.
   The mist dissipated quickly, revealing a slender figure in Ryota's line of sight.
   It was a woman in an Akatsuki black cloak, tall and slim, with short orange hair.
   A few black metal piercings were set into either side of her cheeks, but what surprised Ryota most was-
   the woman's eyes were not the characteristic Rinnegan of the Six Paths of Pain.
   They were identical to his own Mangeky Sharingan!
   Ryota narrowed his eyes slightly, murmuring:
   "An advanced version of Reanimation, huh... so smart?"
   Obviously, this female Animal Path had been created using Ryota's own chakra as a core, molded by the advanced Reanimation jutsu.
   Since he carried the Mangeky Sharingan, then of course this "Animal Path" would inherit his Djutsu.
   Suddenly, Ryota thought of a weird question:
   "Wait a second - if I awaken the Rinnegan later, then use Reanimation on Uchiha Madara... would he have the Eternal Mangeky or the Rinnegan?"
   "Does this advanced Reanimation always scale with my own abilities?"
   He puzzled over it for a while but gave up trying to figure it out.
   After all, he couldn't exactly "afford" Uchiha Madara right now.
   He refocused on the woman in front of him.
   According to the knowledge in his head, these "Paths of Pain," or rather these "Reanimated Puppets," retained their original appearance and powers but had no soul or consciousness of their own, following only Ryota's commands.
   As if responding to Ryota's call, the woman tilted her head.
   With a mechanical reboot-like whir, the red-and-black Mangeky Sharingan in her eyes began to spin slowly.
   For a few seconds, the very air in the room seemed to freeze.
   Then Ajisai dropped to one knee, bowing respectfully.
   [Ding! Summon the Six Paths of Pain and let the DanMachi world experience true pain progress updated: (1/6)]
   Ryota nodded in satisfaction, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly.
   "I wonder what it'll look like when Pain shows up with his bags of rice..."
   Pulling back his thoughts, he took a close look at Ajisai, the female Animal Path, in front of him.
   "Mm, as expected of a reanimated weapon. Steady, obedient."
   "If you really think about this jutsu..."
   "It's no wonder it turned entire battlefields upside down in the Naruto world."
   "Reviving the dead, unafraid of pain, unafraid of death, retaining their jutsu... a perfect army tactic."
   He shook his head, marveling once again at just how insane the Naruto world's concept of war really was, then shifted to more practical matters.
   He was about to check the Animal Path's summoning list to see if it matched what he remembered, when-
   Three sharp knocks on the door broke the silence.
   Ryota raised an eyebrow and looked over.
   Even through the door, he could hear the faint, anxious breathing.
   A moment later, the voice of the elven girl came through, cautious and hesitant:
   "Um... Ryota, are you free right now?"
   Ryota paused, then waved a hand.
   Ajisai stood, her figure flickering before vanishing into the shadows.
   Only a faint swirl of residual chakra energy lingered in the room.
   Ryota stepped forward and opened the door.
   Lefiya looked up and froze on the spot the moment she saw him.
   Because she could still clearly sense a strange, dangerous presence lingering in the room behind him.
   That aura felt neither human, nor like any monster or known magic signature.
   Lefiya couldn't even put it into words.
   It was an indescribable pressure, the kind that cornered your very soul, and even its leftover traces made her want to flee.
   After all, Lefiya was no ordinary mage.
   She was the Thousand Elf.
   Even if Ryota always teased her as the "idiot elf,"
   the truth was, ever since joining the Familia, she'd trained constantly with Riveria by her side.
   Plus after their journey together into the Dungeon, she'd broken free of her past traumas.
   So by now, her sense for magic flow had advanced by leaps and bounds.
   That was exactly why, the moment she got close to this room, she could instantly detect that unsettling presence.
   But now, with the door open, she saw only Ryota standing there, looking a bit sleepy and disheveled.
   Question marks practically popped above the elf girl's head.
   Ryota finally spoke, snapping her out of her spinning thoughts.
   Lefiya regained her senses, her expression faltering as she nervously lowered her head, stammering:
   "I-I heard that... um, that people were saying you... you collapsed."
   "So you came all this way just to check if I was dead or alive?"
   "T-That's not what I meant!"
   Lefiya frantically waved her hands,
   "I just... I came to see if you were okay... and, um, to make sure..."
   Ryota shot her a sidelong glance.
   "You really buy into those rumors?"
   Lefiya froze, unable to deny that yes, she had been influenced by them.
   After all, the rumors had been incredibly convincing!
   Things like "he collapsed after the battle," or "side effects from the skeleton giant"...
   Even Hephaestus and Hestia had come to ask a few questions about him last night.
   As a sensitive, worry-prone elf girl, hearing that kind of talk over and over had left her uneasy.
   Just as she was fumbling for how to explain, Ryota reached out and gently ruffled her hair, speaking softly:
   "How could I possibly collapse? Relax."
   Feeling that familiar warmth on her head, Lefiya went blank.
   That tone, that voice, that reassuring touch-
   it was just like all the fantasies she'd replayed in her mind countless times.
   Her face went bright red, all the way from her ears to the base of her neck!
   It was another- another- another- head-pat kill shot-!
   Her entire body froze up like she'd been hit with some paralyzing technique, unable to even form proper words.
   Ryota looked at her reaction, amused.
   "You're even worse than last time."
   "W-What do you mean, worse than last time?!"
   Lefiya practically leapt up, waving her hands wildly to try to shield her head, but also unwilling to actually push his hand away, leaving her spinning in place like a frantic kitten:
   "T-This is way too unfair!!"
   "Do you even realize how embarrassing it is for an elf to have her head touched- especially by a guy?!"
   Ryota shrugged and finally let go.
   "But if you keep blushing like a tomato, people are going to think I'm bullying you."
   Lefiya stomped her foot in a mix of shame and frustration, puffing up like a bristling kitten.
   But those eyes couldn't hide the excitement and happiness sparkling deep inside.
   After letting her cool off a bit, Ryota asked:
   "So, be honest - what did you actually come for?"
   Busted on the spot, Lefiya flinched, her already-rosy face turning an even deeper shade of red.
   She lowered her head and said in a tiny voice:
   "I... I want to join the siege match in three days."
   Ryota blinked, genuinely surprised.
   Before he could say anything, Lefiya quickly continued, voice trembling but determined:
   "On the expedition, I was always the one being protected."
   "But this time, it's about you - about our entire Familia."
   "I want to help, too. So I was hoping, in these next few days, maybe I could... reach Level 4."
   As she spoke, she lifted her head.
   Those usually timid green eyes were unexpectedly firm and resolute.
   Ryota paused, momentarily taken aback.
   He could read the subtext easily enough.
   -She wanted him to take her into the Dungeon again.
   "These days I've been busy with War Game stuff. Ever since I dealt with that Minotaur, I haven't even gone back to the Dungeon."
   "To be honest, I've only made it to the eleventh floor."
   "I haven't even stepped into the middle floors yet."
   Lefiya lowered her head, but her voice didn't falter:
   "But when you took me before... I improved so fast."
   "Even if it's just the upper floors, I want to try."
   Ryota looked at her for a few seconds, then nodded.
   "Alright. Then this time, we'll aim for the middle floors."
   Lefiya's eyes lit up, her lips curling in a smile that couldn't hide her joy.
   With a flourish, she pulled out a piece of finely crafted protective gear from behind her like a magician.
   "You had this ready in advance?"
   "U-Um... it was... just in case, that's all..."
   Lefiya hugged the cloak close, eyes darting around, but the grin on her face was wider than a double-barreled shotgun.
   Ryota was just about to say something when he felt another pair of eyes on him from down the hall.
   Ais was poking her head around the corridor corner, spying in their direction.
   The Sword Princess clearly hadn't learned how to hide her presence yet.
   Ryota froze for a second.
   Lefiya straightened up stiffly, blurting out as if to beat Ais to the punch:
   "Miss Ais and I - we both feel the same way!"
   Ryota didn't even know who to complain at first.
   He glanced down at the cloak in Lefiya's arms again.
   At that moment, a strange sense of foreboding crept over him.
   Like he'd stepped onto a pirate ship with no way back -
   the ticket was stamped, the cannons loaded, the oars tied to his hands, all at once.
   Ais walked over from the corridor, speaking softly:
   Ryota glanced at her, then at Lefiya's barely hidden grin.
   "What is this, the Loki Familia's expedition squad?"
   Lefiya covered her mouth and laughed, while Ais calmly answered:
   "We're here to support you."
   "Or rather... to learn from you."
   Damn. They really weren't going to give him a chance to argue, huh?
  
   Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Fight On, Girls!
   The night passed without incident.
   Sunlight streamed through the window, spilling onto the bed.
   Ryota opened his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.
   "Two days left until the second round of the War Game."
   He sat up, got dressed, and muttered softly to himself, "Two days will pass in the blink of an eye."
   Ryota knew very well-even if he didn't bother to ask what Loki, Finn, and the rest of the Familia were doing right now, or get involved in the logistics of the siege preparations-this War Game wasn't going to be simple.
   This time, the scope of the War Game was way too broad.
   It wasn't like the first round's simple "1v1" duel.
   A siege meant full-scale group combat, all-out opposition, and domino-like consequences.
   If they failed to take the stronghold, they wouldn't just lose the game-the Loki Familia's reputation, resources, and morale in all of Orario would take a massive hit.
   Ryota shook off the stray thoughts and rubbed his temples.
   "I'll do what I can. If I can help the Loki Familia suffer a little less damage, that's already something."
   He understood perfectly: this wasn't a battle that one person could win alone.
   But at the same time, he also knew-deep down-that the deciding factor in this siege still rested on his shoulders.
   That's precisely why he hadn't turned down Lefiya's request to come along.
   And he didn't stop Ais from tagging along either.
   Bringing them both into the Dungeon wasn't just for "sparring practice."
   A test for things that needed to be fully verified before the War Game began.
   On one hand, he needed to test out the Human Puppet: Third Kazekage he'd just acquired.
   After all, his Susanoo was currently banned from use.
   If he relied solely on Fire Style and Lightning Style, the efficiency would be way too low.
   And in a siege battle, time was life-every second was precious.
   In Ryota's eyes, the Third Kazekage was a tactical weapon that could deliver tremendous value.
   With both suppression and crowd control abilities, the puppet was a key component of his siege strategy.
   His Kekkei Genkai-Magnet Style: Iron Sand-could freely manipulate anything containing iron, even controlling the iron particles in sand and dust.
   It could be reshaped into countless forms for offense and defense, making it one of Sunagakure's most terrifying weapons.
   But Ryota hadn't tested it in actual combat yet.
   On the other hand, he also wanted to test Ajisai's summoned beast army.
   On paper, these summoned units seemed perfect.
   But Ryota knew well-coordination was everything.
   Especially when working with people like Ais, the Sword Princess, and Lefiya, a high-level Mage.
   If the summons couldn't keep up with their combat tempo, or worse, if they disrupted the flow of battle, they'd do more harm than good, slowing down the entire team's advance.
   Some things sound great in theory.
   But reality usually has sharp edges.
   Whether he could actually execute the ideal battle rhythm and achieve seamless coordination between "human and jutsu," "human and beast"-that wasn't something he could verify on paper.
   It had to be tested live.
   That's why Ryota brought them into the Dungeon.
   Not just to help Lefiya level up.
   Not just to humor Ais's "I want to support you."
   It was to drill for the real War Game!
   To minimize every possible mistake in the coming siege, and to do his utmost to reduce the Loki Familia's losses.
   After coming downstairs from the second floor and greeting a few Familia members, Ryota stepped out of the Twilight Manor.
   Waiting for him by the front gates were two familiar figures who'd clearly been standing there for a while.
   She still wore the silver-white lightweight breastplate personally designed by Loki. At her waist hung the slender sword Ryota had given her-a gift made with his own hands.
   In her arms, she held the Forest's Teardrop staff-a symbol of elven magic lineage.
   Her equipment hadn't changed either: the same lightweight protective spell-robe and multilayered magic cloak she'd worn last time Ryota took her into the Dungeon.
   But compared to Ais's usual calm and steady expression, Lefiya was practically glowing.
   Her eyes sparkled like twin stars. She clutched her staff so tightly her hands trembled slightly, looking just like one of those rookie idols on a variety show back on Earth, trying to hold back an excited "I've debuted!"
   Was it because she was going into the Dungeon with Ais?
   Or was it because she was going with him?
   Ryota couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, remembering that in the original story, this yuri elf had been forcibly "turned straight" by Bell's Saintly White Hair aura.
   Thinking about her performance yesterday, she already showed faint signs of being "bent back" by him.
   Amused by the thought, Ryota took a few steps forward and casually said, "You're here early."
   Ais nodded lightly, her voice soft: "Not really. We've only been waiting three minutes."
   Ryota smiled. "Alright, let's go."
   "Today I'm going to let you two experience something new."
   At that, both girls blinked in surprise.
   "Something new?" Lefiya repeated.
   Ais tilted her head slightly, equally puzzled.
   As veteran expedition members of the Loki Familia, they'd already explored the upper and even middle floors of the Dungeon countless times.
   Elite monsters, rare variants, Floor Bosses, Irregulars...
   They practically had the entire 1st to 17th floors memorized.
   Even the "easily overlooked ecosystem details" were etched in their minds.
   What could possibly be new to them?
   Especially the upper floors, where newbie adventurers clustered-it held no novelty at all for a Level 3 and Level 5 adventurer.
   "Don't tell me... you're going to summon that giant skeleton and have us ride on its shoulders?"
   Lefiya's imagination always took weird turns.
   Ais thought for a second and replied seriously, "I wouldn't dare sit on that."
   Honestly, she thought Lefiya might have a point.
   Their conversation made Ryota pinch the bridge of his nose.
   These two airheads... what are they even thinking?
   As they left the Twilight Manor and made their way toward Babel, Ryota quickly noticed the stares.
   The eyes of the crowd converged on him like a tide.
   From the stalls and taverns lining the streets.
   From the passersby, adventurers, merchants-even the windows of distant towers.
   Everyone's gaze was like a silent spotlight, focused entirely on him.
   Whispers rippled through the crowd:
   "Look, look-that's him! Ryota!"
   "The guy who beat Ottar? I thought he passed out after that fight?"
   "And the two behind him-that's the Sword Princess and the Thousand Elf from the Loki Familia?!"
   "Wait, are they going into the Dungeon together? Is this some kind of recovery training?"
   All kinds of chatter buzzed in his ears, leaving Ryota a little helpless.
   "Should've used the Transformation Jutsu..."
   Ever since he defeated Ottar, Level 2 versus Level 7 victory, all those headlines had completely taken over the Adventurer Caf"s' gossip rankings.
   Plus, with the Kusanagi Sword on his back, his black hair and face were too recognizable-laying low was basically impossible.
   He wasn't walking around with just anyone. He had Ais and Lefiya at his side-two of the Loki Familia's most popular adventurers, combining beauty and strength.
   At this point, Adventurer Street was practically clogged with gawkers.
   The flood of stares and voices made Lefiya feel like she was about to combust.
   She hugged her staff tighter, her lips maintaining the polite elven smile she always wore, but the tips of her ears were so red they looked ready to bleed.
   She was a proud elf, sure-not the type who hated humans, and she was willing to interact with them.
   But that didn't mean she liked being under the spotlight.
   Having all eyes focused on her made her heart race, her breathing tighten.
   "Am I... too eye-catching?"
   "Is it because of Ais? Or Ryota? Or did I forget to fasten a button?"
   "What do I do, what do I do..."
   She kept walking, frantically repeating in her mind:
   Ais, on the other hand, remained perfectly composed, as if the stares didn't exist.
   From time to time, though, she'd glance at Ryota beside her.
   In those golden eyes, there was only quiet focus-and a hint of curiosity.
   "...Something new. What could it be?"
   She didn't ask out loud, but Ryota sensed the question all the same.
   Soon, the three of them reached Babel.
   They descended the spiral staircase into the first floor of the Dungeon.
   Familiar cavern walls greeted them.
   Lefiya patted her chest, letting out a breath.
   "The first floor feels friendlier than those adventurers' eyes did."
   For the first time, the elf girl found the Dungeon more comforting than the surface.
   Ais didn't stop walking, clearly planning to head straight for the deeper floors.
   Ryota reached out, stopping her.
   Ais tilted her head, gold eyes blinking in confusion as if silently asking:
   "Is there something special about the first floor?"
   Instead, he walked a few steps forward to a clear patch of ground, focused his mind-
   A dull boom exploded in the air.
   The atmosphere froze for a moment. The temperature dropped a degree.
   Ais's pupils shrank. Her hand tightened on Feather's Echo, her slender sword.
   Her body leaned forward instinctively, muscles coiling as if preparing to sprint.
   She felt something-something Ryota was summoning from behind him.
   It wasn't the aura of a monster, nor the usual adventurer's presence.
   It was an indescribable pressure.
   Silent, profound, deathly still. Hiding a terrifying killing intent.
   A harsh sound echoed as a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
   Grayish-white skin. Blue hair, yellow eyes. Dressed in a long white cloak.
   Lefiya gasped, eyes wide.
   Ais didn't answer. She stepped forward, but when she caught Ryota's gaze, she stopped.
   In just two seconds, trust bloomed silently between them.
   Ais sheathed her sword and stood back, watching the figure approach.
   The figure floated silently beside Ryota, unmoving.
   Ryota looked at the two girls and said, "Let me introduce him."
   "This is the Human Puppet: Third Kazekage."
   "Your task today is simple-just land a single hit on him."
   Silence hung in the air for two seconds.
   Ais and Lefiya both froze.
   Lefiya practically had three giant question marks pop out of her head.
   "Is this... training? Or an actual battle?"
   Ais blinked, eyes cautiously studying the still Kazekage.
   "You can think of him as something I forged."
   Totally made that up. No way he was gonna say it was a system gift.
   Lefiya propped her chin with one hand.
   "I get it-Ryota made us a practice dummy."
   "But the name's so weird! Kazekage? Third? Sounds like some noble title... or maybe a sect elder or something..."
   "Alright, alright, don't get stuck on the details."
   "Remember the task-land one hit, and I'll activate the next phase."
   Lefiya blinked, then chuckled.
   Hugging her staff, eyes crinkling, she teased:
   "So this is the 'new' experience you mentioned?"
   "Ryota, are you secretly looking down on me and Miss Ais?"
   Her expression practically screamed, I see through your tricks.
   "Landing a hit... I won't even need to chant a spell!"
   "I could just... actually, I could probably just bonk him with my staff and-"
   Before she could finish, Ais nodded and-rarely-spoke up:
   "...Indeed. He looks weak."
   Her golden eyes calmly studied the unmoving puppet.
   No arrogance, no disdain-just a simple statement of fact, based on her Sword Princess instincts.
   "Aura... like an empty shell."
   She raised her hand, drawing Feather's Echo-the slender sword Ryota had made for her-which rang softly in the air.
   "Just one hit, and we pass your test, right?"
   "Exactly. Ready to start?"
   "I suggest you go all out."
   Before his words even finished, the Third Kazekage's blue eyes flashed.
   In the next second, under Ryota's control, the puppet's hands formed rapid seals.
   "Magnet Style: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
   The ground behind them suddenly trembled.
   A black tide of iron sand surged forth, appearing from nowhere like a conjuring trick.
   The sand rolled like crashing waves, piling into walls of pitch-black metal dust.
   The pressure in the air skyrocketed.
   With a smile, Ryota pointed forward.
   The sea of iron sand instantly transformed into countless needles, shooting straight toward Ais and Lefiya!
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   Chapter 82: Chapter 82: A Strange Scene in the Dungeon-Ais Riding a Summoned Beast!
   Time ticked away, second by second.
   Lefiya and Ais had no idea how much time had passed.
   All they knew was that from the moment Ryota gave the order, they hadn't stopped moving-not for a single second.
   They'd been constantly running, constantly dodging.
   Forget landing a hit on that guy-they couldn't even get close!
   At this point, the two of them genuinely suspected they'd run across every inch of the Dungeon's first floor.
   No matter how many tricks Lefiya and Ais pulled out, the waves of iron sand kept coming at them like they had eyes of their own-wave after wave, relentless and unending.
   "Why does this sand feel infinite?!"
   Lefiya finally couldn't hold back and let out a protest. Her breathing was ragged from the relentless sprinting.
   "Doesn't this guy ever get tired?!"
   Ais didn't answer, but her face was already sheened with sweat.
   The pressure from the Third Kazekage wasn't just about the sheer amount of iron sand-it was about the suffocating rhythm he imposed.
   Whenever she tried to leap, sand would rain down from above.
   When she aimed to thrust forward, the sand would cut in from the side.
   Everything was too precise. So precise, it didn't even feel like a technique.
   It felt more like... a war machine executing a programmed annihilation sequence-calculating a thousand moves ahead and executing with zero emotion.
   Lefiya gritted her teeth, sweat dripping down her forehead.
   "...What the hell did you create?!"
   From a distance, Ryota watched the two girls panting and still sprinting around the field. His lips curled into a meaningful smile.
   But behind that smile, a rare sense of awe stirred in his heart.
   The Third Kazekage... really lived up to the legend.
   "Sasori of the Red Sand's greatest masterpiece..."
   Ryota gave a mental command, his gaze sweeping over the puppet controlling the iron sand, quietly marveling.
   "Compared to those puppets that need constant real-time feedback like Karasu, this is on a whole other level."
   "It's more like... I just issue a tactical command, and it executes along the optimal path automatically."
   Precise. Cold. Mechanized to the extreme.
   Third Kazekage was pure war incarnate.
   But what surprised Ryota even more wasn't just how smoothly he could control it.
   It was that terrifying Kekkei Genkai-Magnet Style.
   "Iron sand that ignores terrain, automatically locks down targets, can detonate in controlled areas, comes with its own corrosive damage... Offense, defense, suppression, area denial-it does it all."
   "This isn't a hybrid. It's a tactical all-rounder."
   The Third Kazekage didn't need emotion or judgment.
   Once a target was locked, he would deliver the most efficient strike in the shortest time.
   Back in the Naruto world, the real Third Kazekage had a rare constitution-he could refine his Chakra into magnetic force.
   That's what allowed him to control iron sand like a living weapon, shifting it into limitless forms for both attack and defense, creating overwhelming tactical control on the battlefield.
   Those were just the basics.
   What made him truly fearsome was that once the sand infiltrated a living body or puppet structure, it would cause interference-ultimately paralyzing the target completely.
   But under Ryota's precise control, the Third Kazekage mostly focused on sealing off escape routes.
   If Ryota let him fully unleash his usual combat style, tens of thousands of iron sand needles wouldn't just be chasing them-they'd already be lying flat on the ground.
   "I can't actually let you two get hurt, you know."
   Ryota chuckled softly, then twitched his fingers.
   The Third Kazekage received his command, forming rapid hand seals. The iron sand around him churned again.
   "Magnet Style: Iron Sand Spear."
   The iron sand, like a tide beneath their feet, suddenly surged upward.
   The airborne sand spun and condensed at high speed, forming a massive triangular pyramid in just seconds.
   The sharp edges of the pyramid tore through the air with an ear-piercing screech.
   Lefiya looked up sharply, her pupils contracting as she saw the enormous black pyramid looming overhead.
   "What the hell is that?!"
   "Wasn't it just needles?!"
   In front of her, Ais finally looked up too. Her clear golden eyes lit up with battle intent.
   She gripped her sword and murmured softly:
   Her Quick Chant-Ariel-activated instantly.
   Countless buffs wrapped around Ais.
   Her aura skyrocketed, and then she leapt into the air, becoming a streak of silver light!
   Ais's Feather's Echo struck the very center of the pyramid with pinpoint accuracy.
   No shattering. No recoil. Not even a ripple.
   The massive iron sand construct floated above her like an immovable sky, cold and indifferent.
   Ais landed silently, sword tip grazing the ground.
   She stood there in a daze for a few seconds.
   In that moment, the Loki Familia's ace-the Sword Princess of Orario, the prodigy girl-felt something she'd never known before.
   I can't beat this. I really can't.
   Nearby, Lefiya was frozen in place.
   She had just watched Ais leap up, land a full-power strike on that looming iron pyramid-and not even make it tremble.
   The elf girl collapsed onto the ground, hugging her staff and screaming.
   "What the hell is this?!"
   "This is just bullying us!!!"
   Her eyes went red with frustration. This unwinnable "fight" had pushed Lefiya to her emotional limit.
   "Ryota, you liar! You said we were exploring the Dungeon, but really-you just wanted to watch us get stomped!!!"
   She waved her staff like the pyramid was something Ryota had personally thrown at her.
   Meanwhile, Ryota just chuckled, completely unfazed by the dumb elf's outburst.
   "Oops. Guess I've been found out."
   His goal had already been achieved.
   Throughout this entire suppressive trial, he'd fully mastered the control rhythm and output cadence of the Third Kazekage.
   Now he had a much clearer grasp of this puppet's battlefield potential.
   With his task complete, it was time to give the two girls a little reward.
   "Since you both stuck it out this long-"
   "Let me give you some help!"
   The moment his words fell-
   A subtle sound came from the shadow behind him.
   Then, the shadow rippled as if something was pushing it open.
   In the next second, a tall figure stepped silently from the darkness.
   Ajisai, the female Path of the Beast, approached Ryota, knelt on one knee, and bowed her head.
   In that instant, Ais and Lefiya's eyes widened in shock.
   Lefiya shot to her feet. She could sense it-this wasn't a monster, nor an adventurer, nor an ordinary puppet.
   It was a different kind of existence entirely-deeper, more complex.
   Ais tilted her head slightly. Whatever Lefiya sensed, she could feel too.
   Unlike the Third Kazekage's cold, mechanical calm, this woman's aura made her heart race.
   It wasn't killing intent. It wasn't suppression.
   It was the sensation of her very soul being stared at.
   And the most shocking part-
   That woman's eyes glowed red, exactly like Ryota's.
   "This is my other partner-Ajisai."
   After the introduction, he glanced at the kneeling Animal Path.
   She instantly received her master's tactical intent.
   She lifted her head, formed rapid hand seals, and whispered:
   "Summoning Jutsu: Giant Drill-Beaked Bird."
   With a sudden palm strike to the ground, a plume of white smoke exploded in front of her.
   The fog was torn apart by an updraft.
   A massive, gray-feathered bird with a menacing aura burst from the mist, circling once in the air before landing precisely in front of Ais.
   Ais instinctively reached for her sword-but the bird didn't attack.
   Instead, it bowed slightly, signaling for her to mount.
   But Ajisai wasn't done. Her hands formed seals again.
   "Summoning Jutsu: Giant Panda."
   A sudden rushing sound came from overhead. A massive gray-white stone panda dropped from the sky like a conjuring trick.
   It landed heavily in front of Lefiya, kicking up rubble and dust, then spread its arms wide, shielding her completely.
   The elf girl froze, lips slightly parted, staring blankly at the hulking creature in front of her.
   Meanwhile, Ais gazed at the bird bowing its head, her expression complicated-shock, caution, and a flicker of... excitement.
   Ryota's voice drifted into their ears.
   "Lefiya, focus on chanting."
   But as seasoned expedition veterans, they only hesitated for a second before snapping into action.
   Ais tapped her toes and landed smoothly on the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird's back.
   With a flap of its gray wings, the bird let out a resonant cry and shot into the sky.
   Wind whipped at her face, golden hair streaming behind her-it was her first time fighting from the air.
   On the ground, protected by the Giant Panda, Lefiya finally stopped running.
   She raised her Forest's Teardrop staff, magic gathering at its tip.
   "Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow"
   "Shoot, sniper of the fairies."
   "Penetrate, arrow of absolute accuracy!"
   The moment the chant ended-
   A searing white light arrow shot toward the Third Kazekage.
   At the same time, high above, Ais and the bird dove from the sky.
   She kicked off the bird's back, Feather's Echo gleaming as she plunged downward.
   Ais chose to attack in perfect sync with Lefiya's arrow.
   The Third Kazekage, of course, detected the coordinated assault.
   Chakra surged within him, iron sand rising like a wave to form a shield.
   But the moment he raised his hands-the arrow struck first.
   An explosion rocked the field. The half-formed iron sand shield shattered under Lefiya's Arcs Ray, leaving a crack wide open.
   Ais seized the moment, diving through the gap.
   Feather's Echo slashed hard, striking the edge of the Kazekage's shoulder.
   The cold, mechanical puppet staggered back several steps.
   Though she hadn't broken through the iron sand armor completely, it was the first time they'd forced that "moving battlefield" to reveal an opening.
   That strike marked the completion of Ryota's "mission."
   Ais landed silently, eyes lifting to watch the bird still circling above.
   The wind had died down, the magical currents faded.
   But her thoughts refused to settle.
   Sure, they'd "completed the task."
   But Ais knew-the credit didn't belong to her.
   It was the bird, the panda.
   It was Ryota's summoned tactical weapons, things she'd never heard of before.
   She had merely stood atop the monster Ryota constructed-that's what let her land the blow.
   A swirl of emotions welled up in her chest, too complicated to untangle.
   Footsteps approached. Lefiya ran over, standing beside her.
   Neither of them spoke. Neither of them looked at the other.
   They just stared at the Third Kazekage, who had steadied himself after being forced back, and at the bird flying far and then circling back.
   That feeling was hard to describe.
   Moments ago, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't even touch him.
   Now, with just two of Ryota's summons, they'd done it easily.
   It wasn't bitterness. It wasn't envy.
   It was a kind of tightness in the chest, a thousand words stuck in the throat.
   Maybe it was about recognizing the gap.
   Maybe it was awe at Ryota's mysterious "power system."
   Or maybe... they were wondering:
   What would it be like to fight alongside Ryota for real?
   Silence stretched between them.
   But it wasn't hollow silence-it was a quiet filled with the weight of emotion neither could put into words.
   After a long while, Lefiya finally whispered:
   "How many trump cards do you still have up your sleeve, Ryota?"
  
   Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Leveling Up the Girls-The Loki Familia in an Uproar
   After finishing their test run with Ryota's full assistance, the trio continued deeper into the Dungeon.
   Well, strictly speaking, it was actually five people.
   For Ais and Lefiya, this trip was nothing short of a world-shattering experience. A complete overhaul of everything they thought they knew.
   They watched the Third Kazekage summon strange weapons again and again-massive cylinders, rectangular prisms, iron walls-all constructed from iron sand.
   Whenever one of these constructs appeared, entire groups of monsters were instantly ground into powder.
   Elite monsters? Same result.
   They thought that had to be the limit.
   But what happened next made them realize they still didn't understand the meaning of "fully automated."
   After a battle ended, Ryota snapped his fingers.
   The next second, a new puppet dropped down from the shadow above him-Karasu.
   It didn't waste any movements. The moment it activated, it leaped into the battlefield debris with all four arms unfurling, quickly sweeping through the aftermath.
   Magic stones, materials-all methodically packed into the backpack it carried.
   Any unlucky monsters still clinging to life? Karasu snapped their necks on the spot.
   Ais and Lefiya watched the whole thing.
   Their expressions morphed from initial shock, to dazed confusion, to full-on existential crisis.
   On the bright side, though, the girls also got to experience what rapid dungeon traversal really meant.
   Beneath them was a Giant Crustacean, a massive summoning beast with a thick carapace and two enormous claws.
   Thanks to the beast's speed, the group quickly reached the twelfth floor.
   The layout was already starting to change. The once uniform circular tunnels began to shift into varied elevations and layered platforms.
   Beyond this point was what all adventurers called the middle floors-the danger zone.
   From the thirteenth floor down, the Dungeon's ecosystem transforms.
   Twisting vertical tunnels, labyrinthine fog corridors, sudden sinkholes and vertical drops...
   The light grew dimmer. Moist air condensed along the rocky walls. A faint mildew smell lingered in the air, and with every breath came the weighty feeling of being swallowed by the depths.
   This was the middle floors-the true test of an adventurer's "overall capabilities."
   Crush, crush, and crush again.
   Whether it was being swarmed by Hellhounds, ambushed by Minotaurs, or mobbed by dozens of tiger monsters...
   Under the coordinated attacks of the Third Kazekage and Ajisai, everything collapsed without suspense.
   The seventeenth floor, also known as the Wall of Grief.
   In an open clearing, the colossal corpse of the Goliath toppled with a resounding crash.
   Its entire body was riddled with ragged holes from the iron sand needles, its chest pierced clean through, and a straight, narrow hole bored through its neck.
   That was the result of the Third Kazekage's Magnet Style-Iron Sand, driven with pinpoint accuracy through the Goliath's skull.
   Not far away, Ryota yawned lazily from atop the Giant Crustacean.
   "Mm... guess that's about enough."
   He glanced up at the blood-splattered wall, then at the Goliath's remains gradually turning to black ash.
   "Beyond here is the eighteenth floor-the safe zone."
   "Not much point going any further."
   He had no plans to push deeper.
   After all, he'd already gotten what he came for.
   Real combat data for the Third Kazekage, summoning coordination practice with Ajisai, and even some special training for Ais and Lefiya.
   Whether or not they could break through their bottlenecks... well, that was up to them.
   All things considered, there was no need to waste more resources or stamina venturing past the eighteenth floor.
   Hearing this, Lefiya, sitting to Ryota's left, held her forehead with one hand, looking dazed.
   She felt like she'd need half a month just to mentally process everything that happened today.
   Being crushed repeatedly by the so-called "Third Kazekage" was bad enough.
   But then she ended up sitting on some hell-crab summon and watching a Goliath get its head punctured in one shot. Instant kill.
   "This was supposed to be a Dungeon trial run... How did it turn into a live demonstration of pure destruction?"
   Her face was full of confusion, helplessness, and the feeling that she no longer understood Ryota at all.
   At this point, she wouldn't be surprised if the moment either of them said, "Let's go deeper," Ryota would happily lead them straight to the nineteenth floor-or even into the deep floors.
   Traps? Random dungeon anomalies? Sudden tunnel collapses?
   All of that was just background noise compared to "units of that caliber."
   Ryota wasn't stopping at the seventeenth floor because they "couldn't handle it," or because he was "out of energy," or even because they were low on supplies.
   It was simply a matter of-
   Beyond here was the eighteenth floor-the safe zone.
   Once you crossed that line, turning back wouldn't be so easy.
   Continuing further would mean missing out on the War Game preparation period entirely.
   And the reason Ryota was stopping now was simple:
   It wasn't that they couldn't win-it was that he couldn't afford to mess up the War Game schedule.
   Thinking of this, Lefiya glanced over at him.
   The black-haired boy sat on the Giant Crustacean's back, yawning, completely casual-like the fights today weren't nearly intense enough.
   In that moment, Lefiya felt something almost unreal.
   The distance between her and Ryota wasn't just about combat strength or experience anymore.
   It was... a difference in dimension.
   As for Ais, her clear golden eyes kept scanning the surroundings, as if looking for something.
   Ryota noticed and tilted his head.
   Ais looked at him seriously.
   Ryota blinked, then realized.
   "Oh, you mean the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird? I sent it back. Why?"
   Ais tilted her head slightly, thinking for a moment, then spoke softly:
   Ryota was still processing when Lefiya, who'd been in a daze, suddenly shot up like she'd been electrocuted, question marks practically popping out of her head.
   Who? What? Miss Ais, could you clarify that please?!
   Ais, completely oblivious to how suggestive her words sounded, just calmly repeated:
   Lefiya completely exploded, pointing at Ryota, grinding her teeth.
   "Y-y-you-you're a pervert!!!"
   "You even dragged Miss Ais into this-"
   "Wait! Hold on! How is this my fault?!"
   "Ohhh, I thought you meant you wanted to ride-"
   Before Ryota could finish, Lefiya let out a furious shout:
   "Shut up, shut up, shut up!!!"
   The trip back went surprisingly smoothly, as if the whole Dungeon was politely stepping aside for them.
   Ryota satisfied Ais's "little hobby."
   The golden-haired girl sat cross-legged on the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird's back, her usually stoic eyes shimmering with a rare glint of happiness.
   She almost never showed her emotions openly.
   But right now, her gaze said it all.
   Meanwhile, Ryota rode the Giant Crustacean with the grumpy elf girl sitting behind him.
   Lefiya's eyes were still brimming with murderous intent.
   Looks like that half-finished joke really pissed her off.
   After passing through layer after layer of corridors, they returned to the familiar first floor.
   Ais landed gracefully from the sky, her golden eyes lingering as she watched the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird circle above, reluctant to say goodbye.
   Ryota smiled slightly, then gave a mental command.
   The Third Kazekage's body trembled and dissolved into white smoke.
   Ajisai followed, bowing slightly before vanishing in a puff of mist.
   All the summoned beasts disappeared too, fading into smoke as if they had never existed.
   No footprints. No magic residue. Not even a speck of iron sand left behind.
   Lefiya murmured, patting her forehead.
   A few seconds later, Ais whispered,
   Ryota turned and chuckled.
   "If you like it, I'll have the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird take you flying again next time."
   His tone was casual, but there was a hint of fondness in it.
   Ais nodded obediently, softly answering, "Mm."
   Just as the atmosphere was starting to get a little... complicated-
   Lefiya crossed her arms, cheeks puffed out.
   "I'm telling Lady Loki when we get back!"
   "I'm gonna tell her you've been flirting with Miss Ais!!"
   Ryota shrugged, hands out in an innocent gesture.
   "Y-you-you're a huge pervert!!"
   Lefiya stomped her feet, practically fuming, while Ryota just watched her with a quiet smile, not bothering to correct her.
   "Alright, let's head back to Twilight Manor!"
   After leaving the Dungeon, night had fallen.
   Ryota swung by the exchange counter at Babel Tower to cash in the magic stones.
   When the staff handed him a bag filled with 100,000 valis, he nodded in satisfaction.
   But just as he turned to speak to the two girls, they shut him down instantly.
   Ais spoke first, calm as ever.
   "Yeah, yeah! We were just tag-alongs this time!"
   Lefiya chimed in, openly admitting it-though her tone still had a bit of tsundere bite to it.
   "We were basically spectators. We don't deserve a share."
   Ryota looked at them, chuckled softly, and didn't push it.
   After all, in the entire Loki Familia, he was probably the only broke one anyway.
   Leaving Babel Tower, the three of them made their way back to Twilight Manor.
   The moment they walked through the door, Lefiya and Ais both went upstairs.
   According to them, they had a strange feeling in their bodies and wanted to check in with Loki to update their Falna and see if anything changed.
   Watching them disappear up the stairs, Ryota didn't think too much of it and headed straight to his room.
   The door closed. He flopped onto the bed.
   Staring at the ceiling, Ryota rubbed his temples, his mind still spinning.
   "Feels like... something's missing. But what?"
   He turned his head, looking out over Orario cloaked in night.
   The streets glowed with lanterns, and Babel Tower's silhouette shimmered beneath the stars.
   "The second round of the War Game is coming."
   He exhaled, ready to close his eyes for a quick nap, let his thoughts drift-
   Suddenly, there was a rapid, urgent knock at his door. Not the casual kind of knock, but the kind that said something big just happened.
   Ryota raised an eyebrow, got up, and opened the door.
   The hallway was packed. Absolutely packed.
   Finn, Riveria, Gareth-all of the Loki Familia's core members were there.
   Loki squeezed through the crowd, stared straight at Ryota, and said,
   "Ryota, spill it. What the hell did you do?"
   "Why did my Ais and Lefiya suddenly level up at the same time?!"
   Ryota blinked, completely stunned.
   His eyes went blank for a second. He blurted out,
   "Huh? But they barely did anything today."
   "...Wait, is it because I didn't give them any money? They got that mad? No way, right?"
   Riveria narrowed her eyes at him, speaking slowly.
   "Loki just updated Ais and Lefiya's Falna."
   "Lefiya advanced to Level 4."
   "Ais advanced to Level 6."
   "They've both been stuck at their bottlenecks for a long time, so..."
   Ryota cut in, finally catching on.
   "So you're asking me how that happened?"
   Riveria nodded, her eyes sharp as ever. The whole group stared at Ryota like he was some kind of human-shaped cheat code.
   After two seconds of silence, Ryota said,
   "I really didn't do anything..."
   "I just had Ais and Lefiya hit a sandbag, and Ais rode the bird twice..."
   Loki's eyes bulged as she interrupted,
   "What the hell did you do to my Ais?!"
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura and one extra chapter at 250 Powerstones
  
   Chapter 84: Chapter 84: Consecutive rank up, Shocking Everyone!
   Listening to Loki screech in his ear, Ryota's face twitched into a deadpan stare.
   What the hell is going on in their heads?
   At this point, he honestly didn't even know what tone to use to explain the sheer absurdity of everyone's train of thought.
   He was just about to clarify that the "bird" he mentioned wasn't that kind of bird, when suddenly, two familiar footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway.
   Everyone turned their heads.
   Ais and Lefiya walked in, one after the other.
   The moment they appeared, a subtle but unmistakable pressure radiated from their bodies-something that all the battle-hardened veterans in the room instantly noticed.
   That wasn't just the result of training.
   That was the unmistakable sensation of a level-up. A literal leap in tier.
   Especially Lefiya-she'd been stuck at Level 3 for ages.
   She'd joined expeditions, crawled through the Dungeon, trained relentlessly... yet somehow, just one trip down today and she comes back breaking through?
   Everyone instinctively turned their gazes toward Ryota, eyes locked on him like a pack of predators.
   It was as if the moment he said, "I have no idea," they'd tie him to a chair and interrogate him on the spot.
   Ryota glanced at the stares piercing him like x-rays, his mouth twitching slightly. He didn't speak right away.
   To be fair, he was a bit confused too.
   But not completely clueless.
   In this world, Excelia-the deeds that fuel growth-are the core of level advancement.
   It's often described as an ambiguous, almost abstract concept of achievement.
   But at its core, it's basically experience points.
   Except this isn't about killing a certain number of monsters. It's about pushing beyond your limits.
   In Orario, the most common examples are blacksmiths forging weapons that exceed their current skill, or Supporters leading parties into floors they have no business visiting.
   Even just surviving one minute in a fight where the gap in strength is huge can become the trigger for growth.
   In short, Excelia is a mental and physical breakthrough born from challenging one's own limits.
   So what did Ais and Lefiya actually do today?
   They didn't deal any damage. They didn't land any finishing blows.
   Sure, it was technically a puppet, but Ryota knew better than anyone-that thing was absolutely Kage-level.
   With Magnet Style: Iron Sand, massive tactical suppression capabilities, and the ability to fight multiple opponents at once, the Third Kazekage was one of Ryota's trump cards-essentially a one-man portable battlefield.
   And let's not forget Ajisai's summoned beasts.
   Put all that together, and these two girls had just undergone a mental and physical pressure test unlike anything they'd ever experienced.
   They weren't fighting the Kazekage.
   They were fighting their own limits.
   But does that mean anyone in the Familia could just spar with the Kazekage and immediately level up?
   Both Ais and Lefiya had already been stuck at their bottlenecks for a long time.
   Their Excelia was nearly maxed out. They just needed a final trigger.
   It was a combination of factors, a perfect storm of timing and opportunity, that let them break through today.
   So really, saying it was "sudden" wasn't quite accurate.
   With this realization, Ryota understood.
   He was just about to explain all this properly when-
   Loki cut him off again, squinting at him with those mischievous eyes.
   "So if Miss Ais and Lefiya leveled up under your guidance, doesn't that mean..."
   Her voice dropped, eyes narrowing like a cat about to pounce.
   Ryota's face froze, mouth twitching like he'd just misheard.
   Wasn't that topic shift a little too fast?
   Not that Loki's curiosity was strange.
   After all, it had taken Ryota less than a month to go from Level 1 to Level 2.
   He'd defeated Ottar-the so-called strongest in Orario, a Level 7-in the War Game.
   Then, in the Dungeon, he'd killed a Goliath right in front of Ais and Lefiya, using only a puppet.
   These weren't just minor achievements you could casually brush off.
   In DanMachi's Falna system, every battle, every breakthrough, every action that defies logic converts into Excelia.
   And knowing Loki's keen yet totally irreverent perspective, she probably figured Ryota's Excelia count was already about to explode.
   So the moment she brought it up, everyone else's attention immediately shifted gears.
   Finn smiled knowingly, crossing his arms and speaking in a soft tone.
   "We're all friends here."
   "Ryota, why don't you strip down-let Loki check it out?"
   The room's atmosphere instantly lit up like wildfire.
   "Don't be shy! It's not like we haven't seen it before!"
   "Tch, newbie, stop acting so coy!"
   Even Ais tilted her head, golden eyes shining with open curiosity and a hint of excitement.
   "Ryota's level-up... looking forward to it."
   Ryota let out a long sigh, his face somewhere between resignation and full-on giving up.
   Back when he first joined the Loki Familia, he'd already experienced updating his Status in front of everyone.
   Now it was happening again-and this time they were even more fired up about it.
   But in the end, he didn't refuse.
   They were all his people, after all.
   And honestly, he hadn't updated his Falna in a while. He was a little curious too.
   Soon, the group made a dramatic procession down from the second floor, gathering in a half-circle around the first-floor lounge at Twilight Manor.
   Ryota lay on the sofa, exposing his back, waiting for Loki to begin the ritual.
   "Hehe, I've been looking forward to this!"
   Loki rubbed her hands together like a scheming fly, then took the silver needle Lefiya handed her and pricked her fingertip.
   A drop of divine blood fell onto Ryota's back and spread quickly.
   Light flashed. Loki leaned in to take a look, clicking her tongue.
   "Last time you were still at C, right? Hasn't even been that many days..."
   She mumbled as she scribbled furiously with a feather pen, recording everything onto parchment.
   A moment later, Ryota's "report card" was complete:
   " Strength: C777 ! SSS1999
   " Endurance: C777 ! SSS1999
   " Dexterity: C777 ! SSS1999
   " Agility: C777 ! SSS1999
   [Development Abilities]: Mystery H ! Mystery G
   Everyone leaned in, their faces a mix of shock and-somehow-acceptance.
   Like, yeah. Of course it's like this. That's just how it is with monsters like him.
   Loki looked around, clearly satisfied with everyone's reactions, but she still turned back to Ryota.
   "So? Want me to level you up now?"
   Honestly, he didn't care much about the level itself.
   Most of his power came from his eyes and his... let's call them "external plugins."
   Even at Level 2, he could take down Ottar. He could kill a Floor Boss.
   In this world, you play by its rules.
   In Orario, levels aren't just numbers. They're tiers of existence.
   The number of high-level Adventurers in a Familia is the single biggest measure of strength.
   Even just the title makes a difference.
   It affects morale, intimidation, War Games-it all matters.
   Ryota understood that better than anyone.
   With his response, Loki perked up and got to work, her fingers quickly tracing over Ryota's back.
   The sound of a completed level-up echoed. Loki clapped her hands, ready to ask which Development Abilities he wanted.
   The numbers, which had already stopped, suddenly started rolling again!
   Loki's hand froze midair, staring dumbfounded at the swirling lights on Ryota's back.
   "Wait, wait-this isn't normal!!"
   Finn immediately realized something was wrong and stepped forward.
   "Loki! What's going on?!"
   But Loki was practically petrified, staring at the glowing Falna.
   Her eyes weren't teasing anymore. They weren't curious, or shocked, or gossiping.
   They were filled with something pure and unfiltered-
   Her voice came out from deep in her throat, so quiet it was barely audible.
   "Consecutive... Consecutive rank up!!"
   The moment the words dropped, everyone's minds collectively exploded.
   A wave of pressure shot from the soles of their feet to the tops of their heads.
   It felt like hearing news of a god's death-or that someone had just defied fate itself.
   Those words hit harder than any magic spell.
   This wasn't just a normal level-up.
   It meant-ascending two levels at once.
   Everyone's faces froze in place.
   Even the Big Three, who'd seen countless miracles, looked like they'd witnessed something that shouldn't exist.
   In the original story, only one person had ever done it.
   She'd spent five whole years, fighting one life-or-death battle after another, accumulating the kind of Excelia that even gods mourned.
   Eventually, she broke her limit in a single update, leaping from Level 4 to Level 6.
   Astraea hadn't even returned yet. Ryuu was still stuck at Level 4.
   That miracle? It hadn't happened.
   Consecutive rank up shouldn't exist.
   And yet-it happened. To Ryota.
   While everyone was still frozen in shock, Ryota, still lying on the sofa, suddenly spoke.
   "So this is... Consecutive rank up?"
   "Guess it's easier than I thought."
   As soon as he said that, the whole room collectively face-faulted.
   Loki was the only one who managed to keep moving, though her heart was still pounding. She quickly continued the level-up process.
   "Phew... Kid, you're not giving me surprises anymore. You're giving me heart attacks!"
   "But I'm happy. Our Familia just got another Level 4."
   "Other than the Fist Fighter, Crush, Blacksmith, and Magic Resistance, you've unlocked two new ones-Swordsman and Spirit Healing."
   "Blacksmith and Swordsman."
   Loki shot him a look, as if she'd expected that.
   "So you're picking Blacksmith, huh? Guess that means you'll vanish for days again."
   "Looks like I'd better set up a forge for you soon. That damn midget's always sneaking off to Hephaestus Familia anyway."
   A moment later, she unrolled a fresh parchment, and everyone immediately crowded around to look.
   " Endurance: SSS1999 ! i0
   " Dexterity: SSS1999 ! i0
   [Development Abilities]: Mystery G, Blacksmith I, Swordsman I
   Such an overpowered sheet left everyone shaking their heads, not even knowing what expression to make anymore.
   "Alright, alright, break it up! Everyone disperse!"
   "Consecutive rank up can cause side effects-Ais, Lefiya, you two go rest too."
   "The day after tomorrow is the War Game!"
   Soon, the huge lounge was empty, leaving just Ryota and Loki.
   Watching him still staring off into space, Loki grinned.
   "Don't worry. I've got some confidence in this siege battle. It's just breaking down a door, right?"
   Ryota smiled faintly but said nothing.
   For some reason, his mind flashed to that green-haired elf at The Hostess of Fertility-the one who had bought him a drink.
   At the same time, at the very top of Babel Tower-
   Freya stood silently, gazing toward Twilight Manor.
   Behind her, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed softly.
  
   Chapter 85: Chapter 85: About That "Outside Help" Thing
   Freya stood quietly by the floor-to-ceiling window, her gray pupils gazing far into the distance, eyes locked firmly in the direction of Twilight Manor.
   Footsteps echoed behind her, steady and in perfect rhythm.
   More precisely, it was the sound of three people walking together.
   Freya didn't turn around. She simply spoke in a soft voice.
   The man in the center, his cat ears twitching slightly, replied:
   "With Heith's treatment, he's recovering well."
   "He's already up and walking."
   The speaker was none other than Allen Fromel, vice-captain of the Freya Familia.
   As a cat person, he was renowned for his agility and speed, often called the fastest in the city.
   And the "Heith" he mentioned referred to is healer whose skills were just slightly below Airmid's-one of the so-called "Big Three" of Orario's healing scene.
   Standing to Allen's left and right were two elven men.
   On the left: Hedin Selland.
   Freya Familia's strategist. Master of battlefield tactics and deployment. In private, some gods even whispered that he was "another Finn."
   On the right: his complete opposite-a man whose lips were forever curved in a mocking smirk-Hogni Ragnar.
   The two of them, one white, one black, one calm, one manic.
   If Hedin embodied rationality and strategy, Hogni was the incarnation of madness and bloodlust.
   These three, aside from Ottar the Level 7, were the core of Freya Familia's battle force. All of them were Level 6.
   In any ordinary Familia, any one of them would be enough to hold up half the sky.
   After a moment of thought, Allen spoke again.
   "The battlefield provided by the Guild has been fully prepared."
   "Terrain divisions, barrier anchors, and the assessments of both sides are all in place."
   "Our personnel are in position and deployment has begun as planned."
   His voice paused briefly, as if he had something more to say.
   Freya only let out a soft hum in response. She didn't ask for details, nor did she press him about that "but."
   Just like her earlier inquiry about Ottar-that casual "how is he?" wasn't born from any real concern. It was just a symbolic check-in, like flipping through a maintenance report for a tool of war.
   Freya had no interest in outcomes or strategies.
   Her focus was only on one person.
   The one who had driven her to start this War Game.
   Her voice was gentle, like murmuring to the wind.
   She remained still, her gaze locked onto Twilight Manor, unwavering.
   Even though night had fallen, Freya could still "sense" the subtle, restless aura over there-that wave of energy she couldn't ignore.
   Like the sun dipping into the sea, leaving behind one final glimmer of gold.
   It tugged at her heart, disrupting her stillness.
   And in that moment of silence-
   Hogni suddenly spread his arms wide.
   "Freya, aren't we overthinking this?"
   "There's no need for all these fancy deployments. When the time comes, we just charge in-"
   "Grab that kid and rub his face into the ground!"
   He grinned, eyes flashing with a fanatical light.
   "Didn't they ban Ryota's giant skeleton?"
   "The field, the rules, the whole setup-it's all a stage designed for the Freya Familia!"
   "Victory is already-what? Ninety-nine point nine percent guaranteed? No-hell, it's basically one hundred!"
   He raised his hands high, like a prophet proclaiming victory before the battle even began.
   Allen frowned but said nothing.
   Hedin stood silently at the side, his gaze quietly drifting toward Freya.
   But the goddess of beauty continued staring into the distance, offering no response.
   Because, strictly speaking, Hogni wasn't wrong.
   The Loki Familia had chosen to attack, and Ryota's skeletal giant was banned from use.
   The battlefield was selected by the Guild, but Freya's side had pre-arranged it as their own personal "hunting ground."
   Ryota leveling up to Level 4, Ais and Lefiya's sudden breakthroughs-none of that had been made public.
   Meanwhile, Freya Familia had already deployed three Level 6 elites and a vast number of other members into position.
   From any angle, this was a battle with no chance of losing.
   Hogni's dramatic, declaration now hung awkwardly in the air, weighed down by the stillness.
   His raised arms slowly lowered, the grin on his face stiffening just a bit as he sensed the anticlimactic shift in mood.
   He was just about to say something else to break the silence when Allen cut in first.
   Without waiting for a reply, he turned and left.
   Hogni's mouth twitched, but with Hedin also turning away, he had no choice but to follow, hands waving lazily as he strolled toward the door.
   Their footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
   Soon, the vast room was left with only Freya, standing alone.
   Her eyes, seemingly capable of seeing through fate itself, remained fixed on Twilight Manor.
   "The Freya Familia... losing again, huh?"
   "If something like that actually happens..."
   "Then I guess... I'll just surrender to you completely, Ryota."
   There was only one day left until the second War Game-the final round, the siege battle.
   After two days of relative calm, Orario stirred once more.
   And this time, the commotion was bigger than ever.
   In the streets and alleys, Adventurers clustered in groups, whispering the latest War Game rumors.
   The taverns were packed every night, with underground betting pools quietly posting odds, updating them constantly.
   A torrent of speculation about who would win or lose spread through the city like wildfire.
   "Loki Familia? Win a siege? Yeah right!"
   "They won the first round, so what? If Freya wins this next one, it's all over!"
   "Is it true Ryota can't use that skeletal giant anymore? Did the Guild actually restrict it?"
   "Officially? No. But... you know how it is."
   Behind this swelling undercurrent was a rumor that had quietly become accepted as fact:
   Ryota could no longer use the skeletal giant.
   That bit of gossip spread like a virus through the city.
   The Guild hadn't issued any formal restriction, but between the underworld's whispers, informants, and street gossip, Orario had simply... decided it was true.
   Because it was exactly the kind of "reasonable setup" most people wanted to believe.
   If that battlefield-destroying catastrophe was off the table, then the War Game could finally return to normal logic.
   Freya Familia had every advantage-timing, terrain, numbers, and the luxury of defense.
   Even with the Big Three and the Sword Princess, Loki Familia was stuck attacking, forced to adapt.
   With things like this, the public's confidence swung back toward Freya Familia like a crashing tide.
   Those who briefly supported Loki Familia after the first match began to waver, while Freya's supporters reclaimed the momentum.
   Ryota's "miracle" started being questioned.
   Freya's "glory" was once again held high.
   Everyone knew-the first round was a test. A piece of history.
   But the second round? That was the real battle for victory.
   Yet at the center of all this swirling chaos, Ryota himself was quietly walking toward Hephaestus Familia's headquarters with a bag slung over his shoulder.
   As if the rest of the world had nothing to do with him.
   In fact, Loki had been strongly against him going out-or even moving around at all.
   In this world, Adventurers who leveled up usually experienced physical discomfort afterward.
   It was like the soul had been stretched, while the body was still catching up-a kind of existential dissonance.
   And Ryota's Consecutive rank up? That was unheard of.
   From Loki's perspective, he should've just stayed in Twilight Manor and rested.
   But Ryota felt nothing like that.
   He understood why-his system architecture was different.
   The Falna was just an overlay. His core power came from "another world."
   So while Loki and Finn discussed tomorrow's siege battle, Ryota quietly slipped out the back door of Twilight Manor.
   "One day left until the War Game."
   "Perfect time to test out my new ability."
   He avoided the main roads, weaving through back alleys he knew well.
   After several twists and turns, he reached the district where Hephaestus Familia's headquarters was located.
   Just as he was about to turn the final corner, Ryota stopped.
   At the end of the narrow alley, he spotted a familiar figure.
   A green-haired elf maid had been waiting for him.
   She took a few steps forward, as if she'd been there for a while.
   Stopping at a polite distance, she spoke softly:
   "Mr. Ryota. Long time no see."
   "Yeah, Miss Ryuu. I don't drink much, so I rarely visit the tavern."
   His eyes fell on the girl in front of him-the Gale, Ryuu Lion.
   She was supposed to be the one to achieve Consecutive rank up.
   And yet he'd quietly snatched that title away.
   "Miss Ryuu, you're not here just to say hi, are you?"
   Ryuu gave a quiet hum and said:
   "I wanted to remind you of something."
   "In War Game rules, besides Familia members-"
   "The deity can also appoint one outside supporter."
   "Has Lady Loki... forgotten that?"
   Ryota blinked, surprised.
   He hadn't expected Ryuu Lion to remind him of that, let alone in this way.
   Elves were known for their pride and exclusivity, especially toward other races.
   But the girl before him showed no trace of arrogance.
   Her tone carried only sincere, restrained concern.
   "...So even Miss Ryuu thinks..."
   "...that the Loki Familia can't win?"
   Ryuu didn't answer. She simply stayed silent.
   Ryota chuckled, looking at her.
   "I think you'd make a perfect outside supporter."
   Ryuu froze, stunned for a moment before speaking.
   "You... you know about that?"
   "I've heard a bit about the Astrea Familia."
   "But don't worry-I'm not with the Guild, nor am I some gossiping busybody."
   Ryuu's eyes dimmed a little.
   It was his calm, "I already know" attitude that cut her the deepest.
   Her fingers clenched slightly, her voice laced with bitter self-mockery.
   "...A vengeful elf like me... is worth being an outside supporter?"
   It sounded like she was asking Ryota-but really, she was asking herself.
   "If it were me standing in your place back then, I would've summoned the skeletal giant, ripped all their heads off-"
   "And made chamber pots out of them. The longer I used them, the better."
   His tone was so calm, yet every word was like a bloodstained dagger, slicing straight through the past no one dared mention.
   "I really admire what you did, Miss Ryuu."
   Ryuu's body trembled, as if something had struck the softest part of her heart.
   She looked up sharply, staring into Ryota's smiling face.
   His eyes were clear-impossibly clear.
   In them, she saw no pity, no fear, no condescension.
   Only one thing: Understanding.
   True, unreserved, standing-in-her-shoes kind of understanding.
   For the first time, the ice-cold elf's face showed a trace of panic.
   Ryota waved casually, stepping past her and continuing forward.
   "As for outside support-Loki Familia doesn't need it."
   "Knowing Lady Loki, she wouldn't ask for it anyway."
   He tilted his head slightly.
   "If you've got some spare cash, Miss Ryuu, you might want to bet on the Loki Familia."
   "Odds are something like 1 to 105 right now."
   With that, he disappeared down the alley.
   Leaving Ryuu Lion standing alone, a quiet sound echoing in her chest.
   Not logic-but something long buried.
   A desire, long dormant, finally stirring again.
  
   Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Second Round of the War Game-Ryota Doesn't Show Up?
   For Ryota, today wasn't exactly fulfilling, but it wasn't wasted either.
   To be precise, it was a day of repetitive, mechanical labor-monotonous on the surface, but laced with a subtle sense of "fun."
   The entire day, he was immersed in the clanging of metal and the glow of the forge.
   No battles, no tense atmosphere, no one pressuring him to make decisions.
   Just a hammer, iron, sparks, and the familiar rhythm of his own swinging arms.
   He lifted his hammer, eyes gleaming with a strange light.
   "It's like when you first learn a skill in a game and suddenly get a +10% proficiency buff."
   His hammer swings grew smoother, the movements even steadier than during combat.
   The flow of Chakra through his arms formed a subtle feedback loop with the metal, guiding each strike. Before he knew it, the piece of bluish-silver ore on the anvil had turned into a delicate Chakra ring.
   It didn't look like much, but it could pass as an accessory. And wearing it actually felt pretty good.
   "Agility again? Am I destined to get stuck with this stat?"
   Ryota rubbed his chin, tossed the ring into his pocket.
   For the next few hours, he made a few more little trinkets.
   Reproductions of kunai, shuriken, ninja swords-stuff straight out of the Naruto world.
   Nothing game-breaking, but for the upcoming siege battle, they were better than nothing.
   Finally, night fell completely.
   Ryota wiped the sweat from his brow, bare-chested, then slipped back into his familiar outfit.
   He was about to shut down the forge and leave the workshop when-
   Light, cautious footsteps sounded outside the door.
   Ryota paused, raising an eyebrow.
   That footstep pattern... Why so sneaky?
   This was the headquarters of the Hephaestus Familia. Smiths were constantly coming and going.
   He was just about to open the door and check it out when-
   A faint sound came from the high ventilation window beside him.
   A head poked out from the edge of the window, peeking inside all stealthy-like.
   The moment Ryota saw that signature accessory, his guarded expression instantly shifted to helpless amusement.
   "Your stealth skills are way too lousy."
   He chuckled and opened the door.
   Standing outside was none other than the twin-tailed, ocean-blue-eyed, impossibly well-endowed little goddess-Hestia.
   "What brings you here this late? Midnight inspection?"
   Caught red-handed, the little goddess puffed out her cheeks, her eyes darting about, her posture shifting from upright to fidgety in an instant.
   She looked up at Ryota, pouting with a face that clearly said I didn't want to do this either.
   "Hmph! What are you so happy about, huh?!"
   "I-I was just... just passing by, okay?!"
   Ryota eyed her suspicious, guilty posture and asked lazily:
   "How did you know I was here?"
   Her momentum collapsed instantly. Hands on her hips, she let out a dramatic sigh and rattled off at lightning speed:
   "Everyone in Orario's saying you collapsed! That they had to get people to resuscitate you! Some folks are even betting you won't make it through tomorrow's siege battle!"
   "I went to find you, but that damn flat-chested Loki wouldn't let me in!"
   "Said something about 'resting' and 'do not disturb'-"
   She mimicked Loki's tone, voice high-pitched and exaggerated, making Ryota chuckle softly.
   "I had no choice, so I went to find Hephaestus."
   "But as soon as I stepped into the courtyard here, I heard the sound of hammering!"
   "I thought-no way, no way-"
   She clapped her hands, eyes lighting up.
   "See?! This is destiny, Ryota!!!"
   By the end, Hestia's face was practically glowing with cosmic-level excitement, hands clasped together, eyes sparkling like pink stars.
   Ryota looked at her, thoroughly amused.
   "Man... Freya Familia sure knows how to play the media game."
   "Making up stories about me passing out?"
   "It's not that dramatic."
   Hestia didn't look relieved at all. In fact, she puffed her cheeks even harder.
   Then she suddenly stepped forward, her tone serious.
   "That skeletal giant of yours."
   "You're really not gonna use it?"
   "This is a War Game. I have to respect the rules."
   Her eyes widened, hands on her hips.
   "You actually took that seriously?!"
   "Who cares about some dumb rule that vixen made up?!"
   "Just summon it already, stomp her little simp squad, crush that vice-captain of hers-"
   "And then drag Freya herself out-string her up on the city walls!!"
   "Let all of Orario know Ryota is the best!!! The strongest!!! The most-"
   Her voice kept rising, words spilling out faster and faster, her gestures getting more and more over-the-top.
   He genuinely had no idea how to respond.
   Watching this tiny goddess seriously strategize her "Hang Freya Plan," Ryota experienced, for the first time, the soul-crushing sensation of losing a verbal exchange.
   He was about to change the subject, but before he could say anything, Hestia's mood flipped again.
   One second she was scheming enthusiastically, the next her face crumpled, her eyes rimmed red.
   "If you don't use the giant..."
   "Loki Familia has fewer people than Freya Familia..."
   "Doesn't that mean... you're definitely gonna lose?!"
   Her eyes brimmed with visible anxiety and frustration.
   "If you lose, that vixen's gonna take you away!"
   "And then... lock you up in some dark little room at the top of Babel Tower..."
   "You'll get drained every day, end up with dark circles under your eyes, clutching your waist, staring out the curtains toward Orario..."
   He stared at the little goddess who had completely spiraled into her own doujinshi scenario, his expression reaching peak awkwardness.
   "Where is this even going? And who said Loki Familia is gonna lose?"
   Hestia looked up at him, eyes earnest, carrying that inexplicable divine stubbornness.
   "I'm just worried about you!"
   "Are you really not gonna use the giant?"
   "You don't understand, to me-you're precious. Special."
   "If Freya takes you away... I'll... I'll-"
   Her lips quivered, her voice faded to a whisper. Then she crashed into Ryota's chest, clutching his shirt tightly.
   Feeling the full-force impact of her Grand Canyon-level cleavage, Ryota looked down at the tiny goddess clinging to him and sighed softly.
   "Even without the skeletal giant, I'm not gonna lose."
   The night passed without further incident.
   Orario woke from its slumber.
   Today was the second round of the War Game-the siege battle.
   Unlike the previous one-on-one match, this was a full-scale, all-out war. The decisive round that would determine whether Freya Familia or Loki Familia came out on top.
   A battle with everything on the line-honor, pride, even personal freedom.
   From early morning, the streets and alleys of Orario were packed to bursting with Adventurers and spectators.
   Adventurer Street was always crowded, but this? This was unprecedented in years.
   The taverns were so packed people were climbing onto windowsills just to watch.
   Shouts, arguments, gossip, betting-it all surged like a tidal wave.
   Like in the first match, light screens displaying real-time footage appeared across the entire city.
   Everyone was watching, waiting for the War Game to begin.
   At the same time, away from the crowds, in the Guild's secret chamber, most of Orario's gods had gathered.
   Unlike the first round, no Loki Familia members were present below.
   On the high platform, Loki sat lazily in her seat, squinting at the screen showing the siege fortress.
   It was a battlefield approved by Ouranos and built by Hermes-a massive stone fortress, magic barriers, complex defense mechanisms-every bit as oppressive as the real thing.
   Beside her sat Hephaestus and Hestia, her longtime friends.
   Unusually, the tiny goddess was completely silent today, staring intently at the screen.
   All three of them knew-this battle would decide Ryota's fate. Who he belonged to.
   That guy was off doing his usual "now you see me, now you don't." He'd probably pop up any second.
   Loki glanced over at Freya, who was seated at the other side of the gods' section, and spoke slowly:
   "This siege battle, the Guild didn't tweak the rules much."
   "Break into the main castle and plant the flag within an hour-that's the win condition."
   "There's one new clause. No killing allowed."
   Hephaestus nodded slightly.
   "A War Game between gods-real deaths would be too much of a mess."
   "The Guild's just doing what it has to."
   "Yeah, that's what the rules say."
   Her eyes swept over the labyrinthine defenses and the silently waiting Freya Familia forces on the screen.
   She narrowed her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
   "With a battle this big, you telling me no one's gonna die?"
   "Magic, traps, mechanical devices..."
   "Tch. That clause is basically bullshit."
   "The Guild knows it too-that's why they left themselves an out. 'No killing,' huh?"
   "Dead men don't talk anyway."
   Hestia and Hephaestus stayed quiet, not replying.
   The feed switched to the attacking side's formation.
   The advancing team moved in perfect sync, stepping into the siege battlefield's starting zone.
   At the front was Finn, captain of Loki Familia. Beside him stood Riveria and Gareth Landrock.
   The Big Three led the charge, followed by Ais, Lefiya, Bete, and the other core members.
   Behind them were Loki Familia's various Level 1 to Level 3 members.
   Hestia's eyes darted back and forth, scanning the entire formation.
   From front line to middle ranks, from main force to ranged support, she checked again and again.
   She suddenly sat bolt upright, hands gripping the armrests, her voice panicked.
   "Why isn't he in the shot?!"
   Her outburst startled Hephaestus, and even the gods sitting at various corners of the chamber looked up, eyes locking onto the constantly updating screen.
   Their expressions began to shift.
   From confusion, to realization, then to a subtle understanding.
   At the same time-not just in the Guild.
   Out in the streets, in the taverns and gambling dens of Orario-
   Everyone watching started to notice the same thing.
   "Wait a second... where's Ryota?"
   "Loki Familia-why isn't he there?"
   "Isn't he supposed to be the main force? Why's the main force not on the field?"
   The crowd stirred, murmurs spreading like wildfire.
   Some tried to tell themselves it was just a camera angle problem, but the screen updated over and over, switching viewpoints, and still-no sign of Ryota.
   Someone in the crowd whispered:
   "Could it be... that rumor was true?"
   "Not only can Ryota not summon the giant, but he can't even go to the battlefield?"
   That sentence spread through Orario like Fire.
   "No wonder the cameras never caught him..."
   "If he's not even fighting, what's the point?!"
   "This is over. Loki Familia's gonna lose for sure!"
   "Freya Familia's defending with dozens of people, and Loki's side lost their ace-who's gonna break through?"
   "Freya's won! It's a slaughter!"
   "Quick, cash out your Freya bets! Don't waste time watching!"
   A sense of preordained outcome was quietly taking shape among the spectators and gods alike.
   They started to believe this War Game was nothing more than a formality-a guaranteed victory for Freya Familia.
   As for Ryota, the monster who'd shocked the gods in round one?
   Now it seemed like he couldn't even step onto the field.
   As everyone's expectations shifted from hope to resignation-
   A massive drumbeat exploded from the screen.
   The second round of the War Game-the siege battle-had begun!
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   Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Hell?! This Thing's Even Stronger Than the Skeletal Giant?!
   At that moment, the light screens floating over Orario abruptly zoomed in, as if responding to some divine command.
   The light screens above the city trembled like a galaxy in motion, finally locking onto the frontlines of Loki Familia's formation.
   Everyone expected that in the next second, the battle would explode into action-chants flying, fire blasting, sudden assaults kicking off.
   But instead, Riveria Ljos Alf, the Nine Hells, took a step forward, raised her staff, and began to chant:
   "-Assemble, breath of the land - my name is Alf."
   "-Dance around spirit of the atmosphere, lord of light..."
   As her chant rang out, the air around them seemed to freeze.
   Magic surged across the ground like a rushing tide, expanding from Loki Familia's front line, spreading outward.
   The next instant, a barrier shot up-click, click, click-linking together piece by piece to form a solid wall, protecting the entire Loki Familia force.
   Clearly, this wasn't an attack.
   Loki Familia, the attacking side, opened the siege battle with... a defensive magic formation?
   In the crowd, Bete Loga tilted his head slightly, lowering his voice to the girl beside him.
   "Ais, you're sure that kid Ryota told us to hold position first?"
   The blonde girl said nothing. She just stared silently at the massive fortress wrapped in magical defenses in the distance.
   Her silence was the answer.
   Bete frowned, about to say more, but was cut off by the elven girl in robes standing behind them.
   "No need to get so worked up~"
   Lefiya tilted her head, smiling.
   "Lord Bete, just wait a little longer."
   "You'll understand soon~"
   Bete shot her a look, then let out a cold snort, saying nothing else.
   Something felt off, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
   And it wasn't just Loki Familia feeling weird-Freya Familia was completely baffled too.
   Atop the towering city walls, three figures stood side by side.
   Allen Fromel, the vice-captain, scanned the Loki Familia formation-lined up perfectly, yet making no move to attack. He couldn't help but whisper:
   "...What the hell are they doing?"
   "They're wasting precious attack time. What's their game?"
   He was obviously directing the question at Hedin Selland, the white-robed strategist beside him, a commander with tactical acumen rivaling Finn's.
   "No worries. Time is on our side."
   "A siege battle always favors the defenders. The more time they waste, the better for us."
   Hedin paused, then added calmly:
   "The barrier's up. The traps are set. All we have to do is wait."
   "Every second they delay burns more of their own stamina."
   Allen nodded slightly, but he still couldn't shake a bad feeling. He glanced to the left.
   "Too bad we can't send someone to scout the flanks... Something feels off."
   Meanwhile, Hogni Ragnar tapped his fingers impatiently on the hilt of his sword Victim Abyss, face twisted with frustration.
   "Where the hell is that Ryota guy?!"
   "Isn't he supposed to be the strongest?"
   "Then get out here already and fight me!!"
   Hedin didn't even look back.
   Hogni grinned wide, his sharp teeth on full display.
   "I've been hyped since last night!"
   At the same time, the spectators in Orario buzzed with confusion.
   "What's Loki Familia doing? Shouldn't the attacking side be blasting through by now?"
   "Who teaches tactics like this? Attackers starting with defense magic???"
   "C'mon, isn't it obvious? They're stalling! Ryota's not here, and Loki Familia can't exactly surrender outright. So they're just tossing out some magic to save face and waiting for the timer to run out."
   In the Guild's secret chamber, Hephaestus frowned and turned to Loki.
   "Don't look at me like that, I've got no clue!"
   "Finn and the others spent three whole days running simulations, rehearsals, all sorts of strategies."
   "Then last night, Ryota came in and overturned everything with just two sentences."
   "Don't ask me what exactly he said. I wasn't paying attention."
   "But Miss Ais and Lefiya actually backed him up, which, you know, I can't say no to Miss Ais."
   "And Ryota's always pulling off miracles, so of course I trust them unconditionally~"
   Hearing this, Hephaestus's face twitched, black lines creeping across her forehead.
   "You... You do realize the attackers are on a time limit, right? Freya's side would love to just sit here and stall."
   "If you run out of time and Ryota's out of play, you're screwed."
   Loki was about to explain, but before she could get a word out-
   The little goddess literally sprang out of her chair, shouting:
   "What kind of garbage god are you, huh?!"
   "And Ryota still hasn't shown up, and you don't know why either?!"
   "We should just recruit Ryota into the Hestia Familia already!"
   Loki's ears were ringing from her yelling, and she frantically waved her hands.
   "Tch! Like you could handle someone like Ryota in your tiny Familia!"
   "Who are you calling tiny, you flat-chested twig-!!"
   As the two of them bickered and shouted-
   The corner of the light screen suddenly flickered.
   At the edge of the battlefield, unnoticed by most, Ryota was casually strolling toward Loki Familia's formation.
   Flanking him on either side were the Third Kazekage and Ajisai, the Animal Path.
   He wasn't coming from the frontlines, nor from the battle tunnels, nor making some flashy entrance with ninjutsu.
   He was walking in like a student who'd overslept and was sneaking in through the back door of the exam hall.
   The light screen, as if with a will of its own, zoomed in on him.
   And finally, his figure appeared clearly over all of Orario.
   On the ramparts, Hogni's eyes went wide.
   In the Guild chamber, Hestia leapt up, eyes shining.
   But Ryota himself wasn't influenced by the tension in the air at all.
   He strolled along, casually glancing toward Freya Familia in the distance.
   That fortress was massive, practically a miniature military city.
   Ryota smacked his lips and muttered to himself:
   "...Damn, Freya Familia really is loaded."
   "The cost of building something like that could fund a small Familia."
   "All for a War Game, huh? They're really willing to burn Valis."
   "...Unlike us in Loki Familia."
   "More like unlike me, the broke one."
   Ryota chuckled softly, his eyes briefly lighting up.
   "If any of this survives the battle intact, maybe I can flip it for some cash later?"
   With that thought, he refocused, leading the Third Kazekage and Ajisai toward the front lines.
   As he reached the vanguard, everyone turned to look at him, the long-overdue main character finally arriving.
   Finn was the first to speak, chuckling as he teased:
   "Thought you weren't coming, Ryota."
   His gaze shifted to the figures flanking Ryota.
   "So these are the... 'items' Ais and Lefiya mentioned you forged?"
   "Yeah. Third Kazekage and Ajisai."
   Finn nodded, half-understanding, and continued:
   "Riveria's barrier is up, and we're almost set."
   "Next, we'll unleash some ranged magic to probe their defenses, try to open a breach."
   But before he could finish, Ryota smiled and shook his head.
   "Forget the ranged magic for now."
   "You guys just stay inside Lady Riveria's barrier and hold formation."
   Everyone in Loki Familia was frozen in place.
   "...Wait, you mean-you're going to attack the fortress alone?"
   "Well, not exactly alone."
   Ryota tilted his head toward the Third Kazekage and Ajisai, who stood silently at his sides.
   "I've got two assistants."
   With that, Ryota casually strode forward.
   Finn opened his mouth to stop him, but before he could even get a word out, Ryota had already vanished, like he'd teleported, appearing dozens of meters ahead-right near the front lines.
   Finn's heart clenched. He quickly turned to Riveria, ready to tell her to expand the defensive barrier to cover Ryota.
   But just then, he saw the Third Kazekage move.
   A mechanical sound clicked from within his body, and his blue-green eyes lit up.
   The Third Kazekage's hands formed a rapid sequence of hand signs.
   "Magnet Style: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
   He suddenly dropped to one knee, pressing his hands to the ground.
   The earth trembled, the entire battlefield shuddering.
   Countless grains of black iron sand surged out of the ground, from cracks, even from the air itself, flooding like a tide.
   The Third Kazekage kept weaving hand signs.
   "Magnet Style: Iron Sand Spear!"
   The iron sand spun wildly in the air, twisting, intertwining, stacking layer by layer.
   Before everyone's eyes, it condensed at visible speed into a massive triangular shaped weapon.
   It hovered midair like a colossal obsidian spike, rotating silently, the air around it hissing and crackling.
   On the city walls, Allen's cat ears twitched. He glanced at the giant iron construct in the sky and chuckled.
   "...What is that? Some new magic?"
   "Looks flashy, but... one of those isn't gonna cut it."
   "You think our defenses are made of paper?"
   His tone was relaxed, dismissive, clearly not taking it seriously.
   But Hedin didn't respond.
   The elven tactician frowned, a chill crawling up his spine.
   That sixth sense unique to battlefield commanders screamed in warning.
   He stared hard at the still-spinning iron spear, his voice low and grave.
   Hedin's voice dropped further, his tone tense.
   "But I feel like we shouldn't let that thing drop."
   Allen didn't press further. He just tilted his chin toward the right flank.
   That tiny gesture triggered a pre-set tactical response.
   The next second, dozens of Freya Familia Adventurers surged with magical energy.
   The fortress's defenders were already on high alert.
   Now, like parts of a machine, they began chanting in unison.
   Streams of light gathered in the sky, transforming into a barrage of magic artillery-dozens of spells arcing toward the iron spear like shooting stars.
   Allen stood atop the wall and smirked.
   "Well, since you're worried-"
   "Let's just blow it up first."
   But just as the Freya Familia's combined magical assault closed within ten meters of the iron spear-
   The Third Kazekage formed hand seals again.
   "Magnet Style: Iron Sand Wall!"
   With his jutsu complete, countless iron sands surged from the ground and air, rolling like black waves.
   In the blink of an eye, a towering black wall rose up in front of Ryota.
   The first wave of magical blasts smashed into the iron sand wall, exploding in bursts of light.
   But the wall didn't budge-not a scratch, not a dent.
   The second wave, the third wave-
   All of it swallowed like stones into the sea, vanishing without a trace.
   Allen's pupils shrank to pinpoints. He froze in place.
   Hedin stared at the Third Kazekage, silent for a long moment, then finally squeezed out a sentence through clenched teeth.
   "...Why does it feel even scarier than that skeletal giant?"
   His voice carried an unmistakable weight.
   But before the words had fully landed-
   No, just his finger moved.
   His hand, hanging loosely at his side, twitched-index finger curling slightly.
   And in that instant, the massive iron triangular spear hanging in the sky accelerated.
   Like a meteor, it crashed straight toward Freya Familia's main gate.
   Where it passed, the air itself split apart, leaving streaks of black.
   Hedin's expression changed drastically. He whipped his arm up.
   A thunderous crash shook the heavens.
   The iron spear smashed into the fortress gate.
   The sound of shattering glass echoed through the battlefield.
   The first defensive barrier over the main gate shattered instantly, like it wasn't even there.
   And the massive iron prism?
   It was just inches away from the gate.
  
   Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu-The Collapse of Freya Familia!
   The massive iron sand spear continued to grind forward with the momentum of having shattered the barrier, crushing everything in its path.
   Magic trembled like a flickering candle, and the entire outer defensive array of the fortress crumbled at a speed visible to the naked eye.
   "No-not just broke! It's still pushing!!"
   The citizens of Orario watching the battle let out cries of shock, while the members of Freya Familia atop the walls all turned pale.
   But what no one expected was-that disaster had only just begun.
   In the distance, Ryota narrowed his eyes slightly.
   Watching the iron sand spear gnaw away at the fortress gate, its speed just a bit too slow for his liking, he frowned.
   With a thought, the Third Kazekage beside him received the command and swiftly formed hand signs.
   "Magnet Style: Iron Sand Gathering!"
   Two even larger shadows condensed in the sky in the blink of an eye, flanking the iron triangular spear on either side.
   Three colossal constructs of iron sand loomed in the sky, like divine instruments of destruction descending from the heavens, all locking onto Freya Familia's main fortress wall.
   A sound that tore through the heavens erupted, a deafening roar that shattered the air itself.
   All three constructs came crashing down simultaneously. In that instant, the entire battlefield was swallowed by an oppressive shadow of death.
   The earth quaked, mountains trembled, and iron sand surged into a black tsunami.
   That towering, supposedly indestructible main wall of the fortress-didn't even have time to groan before it was pulverized into rubble.
   And this was only the first minute since Ryota had made his move.
   The dust had yet to settle, but the world was already plunged into suffocating silence.
   The gods' spectator seats were speechless, the screens in Orario broadcast to the masses showed only stunned faces.
   Even the rowdiest taverns were so silent you could hear a pin drop.
   Everyone just stared, wide-eyed, at the smoldering ruins left by the three iron sand constructs.
   The city gate? What damn city gate?
   There wasn't even a fortress left!
   Now fully exposed before Loki Familia was Freya Familia-completely defenseless.
   Members of both sides stood there, staring at each other through the settling dust.
   At the center of their gazes stood Ryota, lips curved in a faint smirk.
   He stood quietly, with the Third Kazekage and Ajisai behind him.
   It was as if he wasn't just a participant in this War Game-
   Even breathing felt like it might disturb this black-haired boy.
   No one knew how much time passed.
   Allen Fromel, the vice-captain, finally snapped out of it. His face pale, he shook his head like waking from a nightmare.
   "We spent three whole days building that fortress..."
   "Nearly used up all of Freya Familia's resources..."
   "And it didn't even last... a minute?"
   He couldn't even comprehend it.
   This wasn't just breaking a defensive line-this was ripping out Freya Familia's confidence and pride by the roots, stomping it into the dirt.
   Meanwhile, in the Guild secret viewing chamber, the gods were no better.
   The supposed calm observers were now just as shaken and chaotic as the mortals.
   Loki sat in the main seat, her mouth stuck in an "O" shape for half a minute straight.
   Her usually narrowed eyes had widened.
   Clearly, as Ryota's god, she had no clue what her own child was capable of.
   "This... uh... Why do I feel like I have no idea what's going on?"
   Just as the oppressive silence settled over the room, a sudden roar shattered it.
   Everyone froze, all eyes turning to the source of the voice.
   It was Apollo, standing with his face flushed red, finger trembling as he pointed at the destruction displayed on the screen.
   "Loki Familia is breaking the rules!!"
   "The War Game clearly states only one outside supporter is allowed!"
   "But that Ryota-he brought two! Two!!"
   "That orange-haired woman, and that blue-haired guy!! How many extra members is that?! Count them yourselves!!"
   "They should be disqualified! Disqualified!!"
   Clearly, this guy had bet big on Freya Familia.
   The gods' seats burst into a commotion. Everyone glanced at each other, whispering.
   "...Apollo might have a point?"
   "Those two are definitely not members of Loki Familia."
   "If they're cheating in a War Game, the Guild has to intervene, right?"
   The seeds of doubt, ignited by Apollo's shouting, began to spread like wildfire.
   But just then, Hestia suddenly stood up, pointing straight at the gods across from her.
   "Apollo, you don't know crap!!"
   "Those aren't outsiders! Those are battle puppets Ryota forged himself!!"
   "You're telling me that black iron triangle of death that flattened the fortress is... a toy?!"
   For two seconds, the room fell dead silent-then it exploded.
   "Lady Hestia, do you even believe what you're saying?"
   "Just because you're friends with Loki doesn't mean you can make stuff up! Did you even think before you spoke?!"
   "I'm with Apollo on this one! Disqualify them! Disqualify them!"
   The divine seats were thrown into rare chaos.
   The gods argued nonstop, while Royman Mardeel below looked like his soul was about to leave his body.
   This War Game was supposed to be entertainment for the gods-a playful gamble.
   But now? They were about to change the outcome of the match?! That was unheard of.
   Royman swallowed hard, sweat pouring down his forehead, and nervously glanced at Freya seated above.
   His eyes were full of pleading-and fear.
   He really, really didn't want to offend either side.
   Because he couldn't afford to offend either side!
   On one hand, there was Ryota, the monster turning this War Game into a siege warfare simulator, representing Loki Familia, already halfway to becoming Orario's top Familia.
   On the other hand, Freya Familia still had Ottar and an army of elites. Even if they lost, a dead camel was still bigger than a horse!
   Royman's body trembled, his fat jiggling as he wiped sweat from his brow.
   Just when he was about to break down, Freya's voice finally rang out.
   "Those two... are not Adventurers."
   "So they don't count as outside support."
   The room fell silent again.
   All the gods could tell-Freya wasn't defending Loki.
   She was defending Ryota's right to fight.
   This wasn't about rules. It was obsession.
   An obsession to let him fully display all of his power.
   "If you want to stop the match just because of this level of suppression..."
   "Wouldn't that be... boring?"
   Freya shifted her posture, resting her chin on one hand, her eyes gleaming with that predatory heat once more.
   "Loki Familia hasn't planted their flag yet. Who said Freya Familia has lost?"
   The victory condition in a siege isn't just breaking the walls.
   They had to get inside and plant the flag.
   Breaking the fortress was just step one.
   The real fight, the battle for the main keep, was where the blood and steel would clash.
   No matter how strong Ryota was, he was just one person.
   And deep in the fortress, Freya Familia still had plenty of elite forces stationed.
   After all, Freya Familia was still the largest Familia in Orario.
   Seeing the gods' mood lighten, Hestia slammed her hands on the table in frustration.
   She was about to stand up and scold them when suddenly-the screen flickered.
   The members of both Familias, stunned by the destruction, finally came to their senses amidst the swirling iron sand.
   "I'll leave command to you."
   Allen spun his silver spear twice.
   "When the time comes, take out that Ryota."
   "Half-dead is fine, don't actually kill him. Freya won't like that."
   Hedin said nothing. He simply nodded.
   His gaze cut through the dust and locked onto the black-haired boy in the distance.
   In Freya Familia, aside from Ottar, Hedin Selland was their brightest star.
   On the battlefield, his tactical mind was nearly equal to Finn's.
   In terms of magic control, he possessed more Mind than Riveria herself, with even sharper and wider magical control.
   He was, in theory, the strongest mage among Orario's current Adventurers.
   But Hedin wasn't just a rear-line caster.
   His swordsmanship and combat skills were enough for frontline solo battles.
   Even rarer, he could use short-chant spells and parallel chanting-managing two techniques at once.
   It wasn't an exaggeration to call Hedin an all-around magic swordsman commander.
   "Time to take care of that little bastard."
   Hogni grinned, baring his teeth. This was what he'd been waiting for!
   The two Level 6s dashed out at once, closing in on Ryota fast.
   In the distance, Finn noticed immediately.
   Ais and Bete stepped forward in unison, assuming familiar combat stances.
   "Don't let them get close-"
   But Finn's words froze in his throat.
   Because Ryota suddenly looked up.
   His Mangeky Sharingan spun madly.
   His lips parted, murmuring softly.
   In an instant, a pitch-black flame silently appeared in midair.
   Like the tongue of hellfire, it sprang into existence and wrapped itself around Allen's left arm.
   Allen's movement stalled. Before he could react, the black flame surged up his shoulder.
   That wasn't normal fire-it was the black flame of Amaterasu!
   Allen's arm burned violently, the black fire scything through his flesh like a reaper's blade.
   "What the hell is this?!"
   Hogni's eyes went wide, jerking his body to the side to dodge.
   He couldn't even see how the flame had appeared.
   "This bastard doesn't even need a chant?!"
   He was Level 6-one of Freya Familia's elites.
   He would never allow himself to falter out of fear.
   "If I cut him down, that black fire will disappear on its own-!!"
   Gritting his teeth, Hogni charged again.
   But at that moment, Ryota looked at him.
   Those Mangeky Sharingan spun, locking onto him.
   Hogni's heart skipped a beat. He felt something was off.
   Before he could stop, Ryota whispered two words.
   Hogni's vision collapsed.
   The wind stopped. Sound stopped.
   He was crucified on a massive cross, arms pinned, completely immobile.
   Before him, countless figures appeared.
   Each one was Ryota, each holding a Kusanagi Sword.
   "Welcome to seventy-two hours of judgment."
   The first sword pierced his right shoulder.
   The second went through his thigh.
   Hogni's eyes bulged, his throat tearing in a scream:
   Sword after sword rained down, stabbing into him again and again.
   Inside the illusion, hundreds of Ryotas took turns stabbing into every nerve of his body.
   In the real world, Hogni froze.
   He was suspended mid-charge, body locked in place, his sword Victim Abyss slipping from his hand, eyes hollow, lips trembling.
   He stood ten meters from Ryota, completely motionless.
   As if his soul had been ripped from his body.
   One was devoured by black flame.
   The other trapped in Tsukuyomi.
   Two Level 6s of Freya Familia-both wiped out by Ryota's djutsu,.
   And Ryota didn't even pause.
   He simply tilted his head and said:
   The Animal Path girl nodded, then swiftly formed hand signs.
   "Summoning Jutsu: Giant Multi-Headed Dog!"
   "Summoning Jutsu: Giant Crustacean!"
   From the mist, enormous and terrifying figures emerged.
   The Multi-Headed Dog. The Giant Crustacean. The Giant Drill-Beaked Bird...
   Eight summon beasts surged forth, like hell's minions unleashed.
   This wasn't a battle-it was a massacre.
   A pure, overwhelming, absolute suppression!
   Freya Familia's defense line completely collapsed.
   The remaining Adventurers, still confused by the shock, finally realized what was happening as the summoned beasts loomed.
   Some who had just charged forward now thought of retreat.
   It wasn't cowardice-they'd simply understood.
   This wasn't a "War Game."
   This was a "Demon Lord Raid."
   And the Demon Lord brought eight mini-bosses.
   Above, watching their forces scatter, Hedin's face finally changed.
   He realized-the battle was completely out of control.
   Freya Familia... was about to lose.
  
   Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Freya Familia Disbanded-Mission Complete!
   Hedin cursed under his breath, but he wasn't about to give up.
   Even if it was just to buy time, to salvage a shred of dignity-he had to unleash this final strike.
   Taking a deep breath, he gripped his double edged magic staff, Dizaria, and began his chant:
   "Fight eternally, immortal soldiers of lightning!"
   Hundreds of compressed thunder spheres shot toward Ryota with the force of sonic booms, shrieking through the air.
   But just then, a figure dove down from the sky.
   Hedin snapped his head up, eyes widening.
   At some point, a golden-haired girl had appeared on the back of the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird.
   Ais leaned forward slightly, her voice soft as she whispered:
   She leapt, weaving through the storm of lightning spheres like a phantom, her sword Feather's Echo slicing through the air.
   Each orb of lightning exploded the instant her blade tip pierced it.
   Brilliant bursts of light lit up the sky like fireworks, echoing with sharp pops and crackles.
   Ais landed gracefully back onto the Giant Drill-Beaked Bird's back.
   Her eyes locked onto the main keep ahead. One girl, one beast-they surged toward the inner fortress.
   Hedin stood atop the shattered wall, frozen in place.
   His mind roared in chaos, but his body refused to respond.
   Her movements, her speed, that precision...
   "When... when did she reach Level 6?!"
   That thought barely had time to form before the ground quaked again.
   The eight summoned beasts flooded through the gates like a doomsday torrent.
   Behind them, Ryota walked forward at a steady pace.
   And further back-the main force of Loki Familia, led by the three executives, charging into the city in unison.
   At that moment, the battle was no longer in question.
   Hogni still stood there, rooted in place like a broken puppet, his soul trapped in Tsukuyomi, suffering endlessly.
   Allen lay crumpled on the ground, black flames faintly flickering over his body, gnawing away at him-life or death uncertain.
   Hedin tried to raise Dizaria, to chant again.
   But his hands trembled. Under such immense pressure, even his magic circuits faltered.
   This fight... no longer mattered.
   After a brief struggle, he finally lowered his weapon.
   Closing his eyes, he whispered:
   Ryota stood atop the broken walls. He took the victory flag Finn handed him and drove it hard into the central tower of the main keep.
   The flag snapped open in the wind, its emblem of victory flying high.
   Gods, Adventurers, everyone alike-staring through the broadcast screens, watching that flag flutter, fell into dead silence.
   From the start of the War Game, from the moment Ryota had stepped onto the field-
   From the breaking of the city gates, to the instant two Level 6s were defeated.
   From the eight summoned beasts storming the fortress, to Finn handing over the victory flag.
   The entire process had taken... barely fifteen minutes.
   Freya Familia's casualties?
   All they knew was-Loki Familia hadn't lost a single person.
   Not even a proper chant or spell had been cast by most.
   This second round of the War Game wasn't even a Familia vs. Familia battle.
   It was Ryota's solo show.
   From start to finish, he was the one who pushed the entire match forward.
   He destroyed the main gate.
   He suppressed Freya Familia's strongest.
   He-alone-took on the entirety of Freya Familia!
   On the streets, people raced to spread the news, as if humanity had just discovered fire for the first time:
   "We won!! Loki Familia won!!!"
   "Holy shit-is this something a human can do?!"
   "We've witnessed history..."
   The gambling dens collapsed under the weight of their losses.
   "Pay up!! I won, damn it!!"
   "I'm ruined... I bet everything I had on Freya..."
   "Same here, bro. Same here..."
   But amidst the cheers and despair, a thought quietly crept into everyone's mind:
   Ryota never even used that rumored skeletal giant.
   And even without it, he still trampled the strongest Familia in Orario underfoot.
   The name Ryota would go down in Orario's history-forever.
   At that very moment, inside the Guild's secret chamber.
   The War Game had long been declared over, but the screen still hovered in the air, frozen on the moment of victory.
   On screen, Ryota wore an easy, confident smile, casually explaining something to Finn.
   The little Pallum leader was biting his thumb, trying to wrap his head around concepts like "Third Kazekage" and "Summoning Beasts."
   Ryota's expression wasn't like someone who had just won a War Game.
   More like a bored teenager wrapping up a dull afternoon.
   On the other side of the seats, Freya sat quietly.
   She lifted her chin slightly, slender fingers propping up her face, her eyes-those eyes that seemed to see through all things-locked tightly onto that figure in the screen.
   Still the high and mighty Goddess of Beauty.
   But now she looked more like a girl who had finally met her destined one.
   Her smile held satisfaction-and danger.
   "As expected... You're still the one who fascinates me the most, Ryota."
   Suddenly, the screen in the air flickered a few times.
   With a soft pfft, the image went dark. The screen vanished.
   The War Game was over. No need for a live broadcast anymore.
   The chamber fell silent for a moment.
   Loki collapsed into her seat like a sack of potatoes, frantically fanning herself.
   "It's over... finally over..."
   She looked like a commander after a grueling battle, completely drained.
   "Why do I feel more exhausted than the kids?!"
   Next to her, Hephaestus chuckled softly, saying nothing. Her lips curved into a small smile, her eyes reflecting quiet wonder.
   Hestia, on the other hand, was bouncing in her chair, legs shaking with excitement.
   "Aaaaahhh, this is perfect!!"
   "Ryota doesn't have to join Freya Familia!"
   "He's about to become part of my Hestia Familia!!!"
   At those words, Loki bolted upright.
   "...What did you just say?"
   She grabbed Hestia's head, pressing down hard.
   "You little shrimp, what nonsense are you spouting?"
   "Whose Ryota? He's obviously ours!"
   Hestia flailed like mad, waving her arms wildly.
   "You damn flat-chest!! Ryota hugged me-has he hugged you?!"
   "Make him transfer! You don't deserve him!!"
   Loki rolled her eyes, pure disbelief written all over her face.
   "Pfft, get lost, shrimp. Come back after you get your first member."
   The two of them argued louder and louder, eventually breaking into a full-on scuffle right there in the seats.
   The red-haired goddess quietly took a few steps back, pretending not to know them.
   Before long, footsteps echoed in the chamber.
   Everyone turned to look at the entrance.
   Ryota walked in with Finn, Ais, and the others.
   The Third Kazekage and Ajisai were already gone.
   The entire chamber fell silent.
   Even Loki and Hestia froze mid-fight, their scene suddenly paused like a stage play.
   Both of them hurried down from the stands and rushed toward Ryota.
   "Ryota, are you feeling okay anywhere?"
   Loki circled around him, scanning him nervously.
   "Lady Loki, you're worrying too much. I'm perfectly fine."
   "Lady Hestia, Lady Hephaestus-you're here too."
   At the mention of her name, the little goddess shot up straight, stars in her eyes, arms raised high, her voice ringing out:
   "You're amazing, Ryota! I officially request to live with you for an entire year-as emotional compensation!!"
   This goddess... seems even more aggressive than in the original story?
   "Shut your mouth, youu!!"
   "You don't even have a Familia! Where are you gonna put him, huh?! At least follow the order of things!"
   "You always say I don't have a Familia? Well now I do! Ryota, hurry up and switch over!"
   "I didn't agree to that, dammit!!"
   The two were about to brawl again when footsteps sounded from the platform.
   Loki and Hestia both looked up.
   Freya stood before them, just like after the first round's defeat-alone.
   She didn't speak right away.
   Her eyes, still burning with that intense, unrestrained desire, locked onto Ryota.
   After a long pause, she finally spoke:
   "The War Game-Freya Familia has lost."
   She glanced around at everyone, then turned to Royman.
   "I will honor the agreement. I'll disband my Familia."
   Her words fell, and everyone-except Ryota-couldn't help but react.
   Who would've thought? One of Orario's strongest Familias... reduced to this.
   "I... will not leave Orario."
   With that, she gave Ryota a long look, then slowly turned and walked toward the exit.
   Ryota stood still, watching her back, a slight frown forming.
   "Is she planning to charm the entire city?"
   "Or... does she have something else in mind?"
   No one knew-not even Ryota.
   The black-haired boy who always appeared in full control...
   At this moment, for the first time, felt a strange sense of unease.
   This grand spectacle, watched, bet on, and debated by all of Orario's gods and mortals alike-
   Had ended with Loki Familia's victory.
   Ryota, still officially Level 2, used the terrifying Susanoo to one-punch Ottar, a Level 7.
   The second round: Siege battle.
   With Susanoo and Kamui banned, he relied on the Third Kazekage and a summoned army to crush defenses, break the walls, and plant the flag.
   Two straight wins. Zero casualties. Total domination.
   This War Game, which nearly everyone had predicted as "0% chance for Loki Familia to win,"
   Had completely flipped Orario's expectations under Ryota's lead.
   Wine glasses shattered in taverns, gamblers cried in the streets, countless gods went bankrupt.
   The front of Twilight Manor was packed with Adventurers begging to join Loki Familia.
   The title of Orario's strongest Familia-was no longer Freya Familia's.
   It now belonged, completely, to Loki Familia.
   And the one who made all this happen-Ryota-
   Was currently lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, quietly waiting for his mission rewards.
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest Objective: Participate in the siege and lead your side to victory-Complete!]
   [Reward 1: Dryoku +10%!]
   [Reward 2: Chakra Capacity +200,000!]
   [Reward 3: Sage Jutsu Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 4: Hashirama Cells +10%!]
   [Reward 5: Inferno Style: Flame Control-Unlocked!]
   [Reward 6: Scroll of Sealing x1!]
   Ryota shot upright, eyes wide, doubting his life choices.
   He checked the rewards list in his mind over and over again, no less than three times.
   "This is... the reward for a branch quest???"
   He waited for a moment, but no new mechanical voice came.
   Even though he had led Loki Familia to overwhelming victory in both rounds, crushed Freya Familia-
   Even though the disbanding of Freya Familia would officially begin tomorrow-
   Loki Familia was already Orario's number one.
   So why... wasn't the Main Quest completed?
   Could it be that this victory... wasn't the true "ascension" yet?
   Did the first seat require more than just wins? Was there some kind of multidimensional evaluation?
   "...Forget it. No point thinking about it."
   Ryota shook his head, flipped his wrist, and summoned the Scroll of Sealing into his hand.
   "Let's see what surprise you're going to give me."
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura 
  
   Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Flying Raijin Jutsu-Victory Banquet!
   Just like before, Ryota slowly channeled his chakra into the scroll.
   The scroll trembled slightly, and with a soft click, countless complex jutsu formulas surged into Ryota's mind like a torrential flood.
   Strings of information rapidly restructured, assembling into a single name:
   Forbidden Jutsu: Flying Raijin Jutsu-Advanced Version
   Ryota froze for a few seconds, then quickly realized something was off.
   "Flying Raijin Jutsu? I remember this is classified as an S-rank space-time jutsu, right?"
   "Why is it labeled as a forbidden jutsu now?"
   In the officially published Databook, S-rank techniques are defined as ultimate-level, high-difficulty jutsu.
   Sealing Jutsu: Reaper Death Seal, Reanimation, Immortality Jutsu...
   All of these world-breaking techniques are S-rank.
   And Flying Raijin is the first S-rank space-time jutsu in the Naruto universe.
   It's the Yellow Flash's-no, wait...
   It's Namikaze Minato's signature move, the legendary skill that turned the tide of the Third Great Ninja War single-handedly.
   Because it stacks "S-rank," "Secret Technique," "Ultimate Move," and all sorts of other buffs, it was always destined to be a jutsu that wasn't easy to master.
   But thinking about it, with how ridiculously broken Flying Raijin is, it's no surprise Kishimoto wouldn't let just anyone learn it.
   Otherwise, if a bunch of people started teleporting around like it's Dragon Ball, the whole world would fall apart.
   Ryota shifted his gaze to the three words at the end of the jutsu:
   His brow twitched, and a row of question marks practically popped out above his head.
   "Wait... Flying Raijin can be upgraded??"
   With that thought, he immediately pulled up its description and started skimming through it.
   Before long, the room fell into a strange silence.
   It wasn't shock. It wasn't joy.
   It was that kind of silence where you just... don't know what to say.
   Everyone knows-Flying Raijin is a top-tier jutsu, but it's not without weaknesses.
   The core issue is the marker's perception-you need to sense the marker before you can teleport.
   If you can't sense it, the jutsu's useless.
   Also, if the marker is destroyed or hidden in another dimension, you're screwed.
   For example, when Obito became the Ten-Tails' Jinchriki, he forcibly erased Minato's seal mark from his body.
   That's the limit of the original Flying Raijin-the biggest risk.
   But now, the advanced version Ryota just unlocked?
   It erased all of those weaknesses in one go.
   No prep time. As long as the marker exists, you can teleport instantly.
   No chant, no warning, no casting animation-just pure space-jumping.
   Take the siege battle, for example: if Ryota had placed a marker in the city's core before the War Game started, he could've teleported Ajisai straight to the rear in one second.
   That would've literally been a speedrun strategy-a one-minute clear.
   Ryota laid back down on the bed, hands behind his head, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
   "In the ninja world, only jutsu inventors like Tobirama Senju and prodigies like Namikaze Minato could master this. Both of them were Kage-level."
   "But in Orario-a world where everyone still runs on foot... calling this 'forbidden jutsu' is actually kinda conservative."
   But then Ryota's expression shifted as another thought hit him.
   "Wait... what if I use Flying Raijin for expeditions?"
   Doesn't matter if you're a small Familia or top-tier forces like Loki Familia or Freya Familia.
   Every Dungeon dive is a massive resource and manpower gamble.
   Supplies, detours, logistics, equipment wear and tear-it's all linked together.
   Even veteran groups like Loki Familia need months to recover after each expedition.
   But if he planted markers in the middle and deep levels...
   Ryota flipped his wrist, and the kunai he'd commissioned from the Hephaestus Familia appeared in his hand.
   "No need to loop back. No need to reorganize teams. No need for long rests."
   "If I leave a marker on the 50th floor, I can depart from the surface today, and in the next second I'm in front of a monster horde-kick their asses, then come back and take a shower."
   His eyes gleamed brighter.
   "It's not just tactical ambushes. I could restructure the entire cost of expeditions."
   "Hell, I could even complete small-scale expeditions solo."
   Suddenly, he remembered the still-unfinished third phase of his Main Quest.
   They'd won the War Game, and Freya Familia had disbanded.
   But according to the system-that still wasn't enough.
   Just like Ryota had suspected, completing the Main Quest wasn't about simple victories.
   It was about comprehensive, multidimensional evaluation.
   Freya Familia's deepest known exploration was the 58th floor.
   Ryota had a strong gut feeling-that was the last barrier blocking him from the "Top Seat."
   If Loki Familia wanted to truly surpass the shadow Freya left behind,
   They'd have to break that record-and far exceed it.
   And with Flying Raijin, this ultimate combination of strategy, efficiency, and mobility?
   If they could dominate in combat power, exploration depth, and logistics at the same time-
   Then the title of "Number One Familia" would be solid. Unshakable.
   Of course-that was still just Ryota's guess.
   "Dreams are sweet. Reality's a slap in the face."
   "Only way to find out is to do it myself."
   He sat up from the bed, fingers lightly rubbing the kunai.
   The moment he spoke, a golden formula lit up, spiraling around the kunai's handle.
   Ryota casually flicked it-thunk! The kunai stabbed into the shadowed part of the floor nearby.
   The air seemed to tear. The surrounding scenery blurred.
   In the time it takes to breathe, Ryota was already at the kunai's location.
   It was like he'd completed a space-time jump.
   Looking down at the ground, then at his now-empty hand, a faint gleam flickered in his eyes.
   "...It's really teleportation."
   "And there's literally no delay."
   He bent down, picked up the kunai.
   "I'm the caster, so teleporting myself is no problem."
   "But... can I take people with me?"
   In the original, Tobirama used Flying Raijin to move people all the time during battles.
   Even in the Nine-Tails incident, Minato teleported with Naruto, Kushina-and even Kurama when it was about to fire a Tailed Beast Bomb.
   "As long as I have enough chakra, I can carry people-or even giant targets like Tailed Beasts."
   Ryota weighed the kunai in his hand thoughtfully.
   He had both Hashirama Cells and Sage Chakra.
   "Looks like I'll need to find time to drag Ais and Lefiya out for a test flight."
   The moment that thought crossed his mind, a familiar system notification rang in his ears.
   [Ding-Main Branch Quest Activated!]
   [Participate in an expedition and return safely (0/1). Incomplete. Reward: Unknown.]
   "Welp, new job popped up again."
   Ryota chuckled, just about to flop back into bed for a nap when-knock knock knock-someone tapped at the door.
   But this time, it wasn't Lefiya or Ais.
   It was his own goddess, Loki.
   "Don't sleep! Come celebrate at the banquet!"
   Front of The Hostess of Fertility.
   "Ah! It's Lady Loki, nya!"
   Anya, the catgirl hostess, was completely flustered as she saw the group from Loki Familia arrive.
   Especially when her gaze landed on that familiar-yet-different black-haired boy.
   Her cat ears twitched violently.
   Anya's eyes widened like saucers, her voice suddenly an octave higher.
   She remembered the time she'd spotted this handsome guy, dragged him into the tavern, and basically tried sell him drinks.
   Poor catgirl's heart thudded wildly.
   This was the man who had crushed Freya Familia in the War Game-Ryota!
   The monster who blew down the main castle gate without even breaking a sweat, nya!
   And now this black-haired boy stood at the center of Loki Familia's core members.
   Everyone's attention revolved around him.
   That aura, that setup, that presence...
   Anya's little brain went into overdrive, running triple-speed inner drama:
   Bringing so many people... he's not here for revenge, right, nya!?
   Should I go get Mama Mia for backup, nya!?
   Where the hell did Chloe run off to, nya!?
   Her mind had already staged half an episode of The Hostess of Fertility Falls Tonight.
   Ryota noticed her panic and smiled.
   "Long time no see, Miss Anya."
   "P-Please forgive me, nya!!!"
   "About that day-it wasn't on purpose, nya!! I was just doing business!! I'm not really a boy-crazy cat, nya!!!"
   Loki narrowed her eyes, giving Ryota a teasing look.
   "Ryota, are you secretly a reincarnated succubus or something?"
   "Why does everyone you meet turn red?"
   "You already roped in Lefiya, and now even the cat-eared girls are falling for you?"
   Lefiya's face turned beet red.
   "L-Lady Loki, p-please don't say that!"
   Loki burst into laughter, while Ryota's mouth twitched, a dark line crossing his face.
   At that moment-click-the door to The Hostess of Fertility opened from the inside.
   Ryuu Lion stepped out, her gaze calmly sweeping over the group, lingering briefly on Ryota.
   She didn't say much, just gave a polite bow.
   "Your seats are ready. This way, please."
   Loki instantly switched modes, raising both hands high, her whole face practically screaming, we're getting smashed tonight.
   "We're drinking till the sun comes up!!!"
   She dashed inside like a gust of wind.
   "Come on, Ryota, let's relax tonight."
   Finn smiled, leading Riveria and the others after her.
   The tavern erupted into a festive clamor.
   Soon, only Ryota and Ryuu were left at the entrance.
   After a brief pause, Ryuu softly spoke.
   "...Congratulations, Mr. Ryota."
   She didn't use flowery words or exaggerated praise.
   Just a simple sentence-yet it carried genuine, heartfelt recognition.
   After a moment, Ryota added:
   "Last time, you covered my bill."
   "This time, it's my treat."
   Ryuu instinctively opened her mouth to decline, but for some reason, the words "I still have work" never came out.
   After a moment of hesitation, something stirred inside her.
   Almost reflexively, she nodded.
  
   Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Undercurrents in Orario? Ishtar in Panic
   "Welcome to the Hostess of Fertility, nya!"
   The other catgirl, Chloe Lolo, was clearly a bit more composed than Anya Fromel-though only just a bit.
   She spotted Ryota among the crowd, along with Anya, who had completely frozen beside him, and Ryuu Lion, whose expression remained as emotionless as ever but whose eyes betrayed a faint flicker of anticipation.
   Chloe scratched her head and muttered, "Something feels off..." before turning around to lead the group toward a space where three large round tables had been pushed together.
   "Whoa, hey! That's the Loki Familia!"
   "That's basically their entire main force!"
   As one of the liveliest taverns in Orario, the Hostess of Fertility was packed to the brim.
   Plenty of adventurers who were eating and drinking instinctively paused and turned their gazes toward the new arrivals.
   Especially when they saw the Loki Familia's core members-or more precisely, when they saw Ryota.
   The tavern went quiet for just a moment... then erupted into murmurs.
   Shock, awe, admiration, envy...
   A torrent of emotions rippled through the air:
   "That black-haired kid... that's Ryota, right?!"
   "I'm looking at the real deal! I put down big money on Loki Familia and made bank-gonna sneak them a drink later."
   "The Guild already put out an announcement-Freya Familia's disbanding tomorrow. Looks like Loki Familia's gonna be the undisputed top dog in Orario!"
   Naturally, all of this chatter was picked up loud and clear by Loki. 
   She turned to Finn beside her, grinning mischievously.
   "Hey, gotta say, it's the first time I've ever been the center of attention like this~"
   Finn looked up at her and shot her down without mercy.
   "Yeah, right. You've been alive for like, what, a billion years?"
   "Tch~ No sense of romance at all, you pint-sized prude."
   Loki didn't seem bothered. She just shrugged and grinned even wider.
   Soon, the group settled into the large central table.
   Ais had been trying to quietly sit next to Ryota, but Loki, sharp-eyed and quick-handed, yanked her away before she could.
   Before long, drinks and food were brought over by the catgirls.
   Ryota wasn't much of a drinker, but Loki kept nudging him to have a few, so he reluctantly sipped some fruit wine here and there.
   Next to him, Lefiya was already pink-cheeked and looking like she might pass out at any moment.
   Across the table, Bete swirled his wooden mug, his wolf ears twitching as he looked over at Ryota and asked,
   "Hey, rookie-Ryota-what are you planning to do next?"
   As one of the Loki Familia's veteran Level 6s, Bete didn't want to admit it, but even he knew: these days, everything in their Familia revolved around Ryota.
   "Rest for a couple days. Do some forging. I've been going nonstop lately-it's exhausting."
   Ryota didn't mention the Flying Raijin Jutsu-he hadn't even tested it yet.
   He knew better than to reveal his hand before it was ready.
   "Bete wasn't asking about that~"
   Loki cut in with a sly grin, her expression pure mischief.
   "What he really wanted to know... was whether you're planning to stir up something spicy here in Orario~ Like, say-heh heh heh."
   "Oi oi oi! Loki, don't put words in my mouth!"
   Bete practically leapt out of his seat, ears twitching violently.
   "That's not what I meant at all! Don't make stuff up!"
   "Something... spicy?" Ryota blinked and lowered his head in thought.
   Suddenly, a certain anime from his past life on Earth came to mind-High School DxD.
   The catchphrase echoed in his mind:
   I'm gonna be the Harem King.
   Hmm... with a troublemaker goddess, you had to use troublemaker logic.
   So Ryota smiled and said:
   "Well, I was thinking... maybe I'll start a harem?"
   "Gather all the girls I like, help them live together in harmony and happiness."
   "It's probably even harder than exploring the deep floors of the Dungeon-but also way more fun, right?"
   The moment he finished speaking, the entire tavern fell silent.
   "Did I hear that right?! A harem!? He said harem, right?!"
   "HAHAHA! Now that's a hero an adventurer can respect!!!"
   "Brothers!! Raise your glasses for that line!!!"
   Cheers, whistles, and the clinking of mugs rang out through the tavern.
   Adventurers lifted their drinks and shouted slogans like "Long live Lord Ryota!" and "The ultimate manly dream!" as the atmosphere hit a fever pitch.
   But in the middle of all that noise-
   A sharp sound cut through the chaos.
   The glass in the hand of a certain blonde girl had developed a clear fracture.
   A visible flame-yes, a flame-seemed to burn behind Ais's back.
   "A-Ais, you... you need to calm down!" Loki's face went pale.
   "Which bastard gave my Ais booze?!"
   Riveria calmly set down her cup and said coolly,
   "Ais didn't drink anything."
   "Someone just said something incredibly stupid."
   Ryota opened his mouth to explain-that it was just a joke! He was just trying to liven up the mood!
   Before he could say a word, though, he felt an even hotter flame from the other side.
   He turned his head slowly-
   And saw magical energy behind Lefiya practically take shape-towering like an inferno.
   She was smiling ever so "gracefully," her lips curved in a "gentle yet deadly" arc.
   Something's wrong. That's killing intent!
   "I... I need some fresh air."
   And just like that, he shot toward the exit like his feet were greased lightning-even Bete raised an eyebrow at his speed.
   Outside the tavern, the night was deep.
   Ryota had barely stepped through the door when he heard a voice behind him:
   "A harem, huh... Bold idea."
   Okay then! Another wave of killing intent.
   This tavern was terrifying!
   Ryota scratched his head awkwardly.
   "It was a joke. I swear it was just a joke... Miss Ryuu, don't misunderstand."
   Ryuu didn't say anything. Instead, she held out a drink.
   The same drink she'd bought him the very first time they met.
   Ryota stared at the cup, then glanced at Ryuu's calm face.
   "...Weren't I the one who was supposed to buy you a drink?"
   "Now you're the one buying?"
   Ryuu didn't reply. She just tilted her head slightly, gesturing with her eyes.
   Unable to refuse the elf girl's kindness, Ryota took the cup.
   "...Put it on Lady Loki's tab."
   The drink tasted the same as ever-light, fruity, and sweet. Just like he remembered.
   He said softly, maybe to Ryuu, maybe to himself.
   The night wind blew gently. The bustle of Orario felt far away, cut off at the end of the street.
   The two of them stood there outside the tavern, side by side, saying nothing.
   As Ryota drained his cup, Ryuu finally broke the silence.
   Ryota chuckled, half-jokingly,
   "If you're ever thinking about joining a Familia... Loki Familia's not a bad option."
   Ryuu didn't answer right away. She looked down, was quiet for a few seconds, then slowly shook her head-and then nodded.
   "...So is that a no, or a yes?"
   A faint smile curved Ryuu's lips-a rare sight.
   Ryota didn't press further. He just stared out into the night, lost in thought.
   Inside a dim and luxurious room, the air was thick with the cloying blend of incense and cigarette smoke-sweet, decadent, and a little suffocating.
   Under the golden glow of a hanging lamp, Ishtar lounged lazily on the sofa, her long legs draped casually over the edge.
   Behind her on the bed, a man lay sprawled out, face pale and froth clinging to the corners of his mouth. Clearly unconscious.
   The lingering energy in the room made it clear just how brutal this "trial" had been.
   Just then, the door creaked open.
   A tall-no, burly-woman walked in.
   Despite her female clothing, her grotesquely distorted proportions made her utterly incompatible with the word "beauty."
   Her broad face was lined with coarse wrinkles, and the only thing that glittered in it was a pair of predatory eyes.
   Phryne Jamil-the infamous man-killer.
   "Lady Kali replied... she agreed to join us... in attacking-"
   She honestly didn't know how to explain the absurdity of this belated response.
   Ishtar snorted, eyes flashing with disdain.
   She'd been planning this for a year now.
   As a fellow goddess of beauty, she knew full well:
   If she wanted to shake Freya's standing in Orario, her own Familia alone wasn't nearly enough.
   So she'd set her sights further-on another god known for bloodshed and battle: Kali.
   One secret letter after another, hidden in offerings alongside Magic Stones and mountains of Valis, had been smuggled southeast.
   Each envoy she sent was a powerful warrior from the Ishtar Familia.
   Every one of them made their request as a warrior would, swearing by their Familia to ask Kali to strike together.
   At first, the Kali Familia had been suspicious.
   They'd received "alliances" before-usually weaklings pretending to be strong, trying to bait them into traps.
   Ishtar's letters had seemed like more of the same. They were tossed into the fire unread.
   But then, one envoy came with no letter.
   She came bearing high-level gear.
   The kind of weapon even a Level 5 would envy.
   And after that, every offering became more lavish, each message more sincere, each envoy stronger than the last.
   These women weren't begging for help-they were warriors offering their strength to other warriors.
   Eventually, Kali understood.
   Ishtar wasn't just writing letters-she was proving her resolve through action and sacrifice.
   The desire to fight worthy enemies was in Kali Familia's very blood.
   And Freya Familia? The pinnacle of strength.
   "After all those letters, begging her to join us against Freya... she finally replies-after Freya Familia's already disbanded?!"
   "What the hell is going on in that woman's head?!"
   Ishtar spat on the ground, eyes burning with frustration.
   The room's pressure dropped.
   Still, despite her curses, a flicker of unease crept into her eyes.
   She remembered the War Game. That "monster" who had silenced all of Orario.
   That name had become one of Orario's most taboo topics.
   Ishtar sat up straighter on the sofa, crossing her legs. The flirtatious gleam was gone from her face-replaced by wariness and gravity.
   If they'd ambushed Freya with Kali's help, maybe they could've taken a bite.
   "Pick a fight with Loki Familia?"
   Ishtar let out a bitter laugh-only to feel a chill run down her spine.
   "That wouldn't be an ambush. That'd be suicide-marching my head straight into his blade."
   She waved Phryne off impatiently.
   "Tell that crazy woman to go back. I don't want the gifts either. Just stay out of Orario."
   "I'll stick to my little corner and enjoy my pleasures."
   Phryne hesitated for a few seconds, then muttered,
   "Kali Familia's already here."
   "And it's not an envoy. Not even just her Familia."
   "Kali herself came in person."
   Ishtar shot off the sofa like a spring, her abundant chest bouncing dramatically.
   Phryne licked her cracked lips and repeated,
   "Kali. With two Familia members-both Level 6. They're probably already in Orario."
   Ishtar froze for a beat. Then exploded.
   "She's out of her damn mind! What is she doing, showing up now of all times?!"
   "Don't tell me-she's planning to mess with Loki Familia?!"
   Phryne said nothing. Which was basically a yes.
   Ishtar's temple bulged. She screeched,
   "Damn it! She's not helping-she's throwing me into the fire!"
   "Freya's barely gone, and my ties with Loki are already on thin ice. If people think I sent this gang of maniacs to cause trouble-"
   "Ryota's gonna summon some colossal skeleton monster and flatten the red-light district!!"
   She stormed around the room in a frenzy, her robe slipping off her shoulders, completely forgotten.
   "Quick! Put someone on them! Don't let them get within a block of Loki Familia!"
   "If all else fails, lure them to the ity of Night-throw some hot guys at them!"
   "I swear to you, Phryne-if Ryota so much as glances our way over this-"
   "Even if Aisha strips down and begs on her knees, she won't be able to save the damn brothel from getting leveled!!"
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   Chapter 92: Chapter 92: The Enthusiastic Loki Familia, and Freya at the Door?
   Ryota had no idea how he made it back to Twilight Manor.
   All he remembered was Loki's drunken voice buzzing in his ears the whole way home, practically rupturing his eardrums.
   Behind him, Ais and Lefiya tailed closely the entire time, eyes locked on him like death rays-brimming with murderous intent.
   "I told you it was just a joke!"
   Ryota didn't even know how many times he'd tried to explain himself at this point.
   But every time the words left his mouth, Ais's golden eyes stabbed straight into his soul like knives, and Lefiya's lips curled into a polite smile that looked ready to murder someone-namely, him.
   -Yeah right. Like we're buying that.
   Even when he raised three fingers and swore to the heavens that he was just trying to lighten the mood after a high-stress battle, that he never meant anything by it, that he was just going along with Loki's antics...
   The two girls still gave him matching "keep digging, clown" looks.
   What truly broke Ryota's spirit, though-
   Was that even Riveria, ever the calm and reasonable one, was now looking at him differently.
   Not with anger or indifference... but with this quiet, resigned expression. As if to say, Men. Of course.
   Ryota could feel cold sweat trickling down his back just from her gaze.
   Collapsed on his bed, staring at the ceiling, he let out a long sigh.
   "All this... just for a joke? Why does it feel scarier than going toe-to-toe with the entire Freya Familia?"
   The sun rose over the horizon, and Orario stirred to life once more.
   The noise of adventurers returning to the Dungeon, shops setting up for business, merchants pushing carts through the alleys-all of it slowly returned to normal.
   But everyone knew: today's Orario was no longer the same as yesterday's.
   Because just after dawn, the Guild released a bombshell announcement:
   The Freya Familia... had been disbanded.
   No more knights who struck fear into every other Familia.
   No more Ottar, the living embodiment of divine pressure.
   That towering force, once perched at the summit of Orario, had been wiped away overnight by the hand of its own goddess.
   Just as she had promised. Just as she had told that boy.
   The moment the news hit, it was as if the city had been struck by a second earthquake.
   Shock. Uproar. Confusion. Disbelief.
   "Wait, Freya Familia actually disbanded?!"
   "No way. That's insane. Loki Familia must be laughing their asses off right now!"
   "Man, I was seriously considering joining Freya Familia... Guess I'll aim for Loki Familia now."
   "As if they'd take you, you narcissistic idiot."
   People argued, speculated-but in the end, all conversations circled back to a single name:
   The man who shattered the balance between gods, who toppled Orario's mightiest Familia, who single-handedly won the War Game.
   Everyone finally understood: this black-haired boy was no longer just the rising star of the Loki Familia, no longer just a miracle-working "monster."
   He was the variable that had upended all of Orario.
   A human powerful enough to make even the gods take notice.
   And every choice he made now-was shaping the future of the city itself.
   Or rather, from the very beginning, he'd never put much stock in those grandiose titles or the so-called honor others assigned him.
   "Number one in Orario," "the human who moved the gods"-those were just empty shells.
   What he pursued wasn't fame or worship.
   Real strength. Power that could crush enemies, force gods to take him seriously. Power that would keep him from ever again being dragged to the edge of death-like in that suffocating Trial Space.
   "I'll never... let myself be pushed that far again by a mourning-suit-wearing Itachi."
   Ryota stared at the ceiling.
   "That version of me, barely clinging to life in that hellhole, is already gone."
   With a slightly dramatic flair, he finished his monologue and got dressed.
   "Time to hit the Dungeon."
   Last time, while exploring with Ais and Lefiya, he'd made it to the seventeenth floor.
   Next up was the eighteenth-one of the few safe zones in the Dungeon and a perfect place to establish a marker.
   The town of Rivira, built by adventurers on that floor, was expensive, sure-but in terms of order and structure, it wasn't much different from Orario itself.
   Occasional monster attacks still happened, but in the chaos of the Dungeon, having a reliable outpost was already a miracle.
   Just as he was about to leave his room, Ryota paused.
   "...It's been a while since I looked at my personal status board."
   Ever since rushing from Level 2 all the way to Level 4, things had been moving so fast he hadn't even glanced at his own stat sheet.
   Now seemed like a good time to do a bit of maintenance before heading out.
   "And that hidden quest... the main branch quest updated so fast, I almost forgot."
   Sitting back down on the bed, Ryota focused his mind. His status screen materialized before him.
   [All-Encompassing Divine Eye System]
   [Chakra Level]: A+ to S-rank (Stable Absolute Law Tier)
   [Chakra Control]: S to S+ (Precision Mastery)
   [Chakra Nature]: Fire, Lightning
   [Sharingan]: Mangeky Sharingan (Both Eyes)
   (omitted-the same stuff as before~)
   Inferno Style: Flame Control
   [Taijutsu]: (also omitted)
   "Oh?" Ryota raised an eyebrow. "I've reached the S-rank boundary, huh."
   Ever since he hit Phase 3 of the main quest, even side quests were dishing out tens of thousands of chakra.
   But Ryota didn't let his guard down.
   Leveling was like grinding mobs-the farther you got, the more chakra you needed.
   He pulled up the Reanimation Jutsu menu and "purchased" the Asura Path-second only to Deva Path in the Six Paths of Pain.
   But he didn't plan to use it yet.
   The Asura Path was way too destructive, built for massive area-of-effect explosions.
   If he went overboard and ended up triggering a Juggernaut in the Dungeon... that'd be a nightmare.
   [Ding! Task Progress: "Make the DanMachi World Feel Pain" (2/6)]
   Ryota nodded in satisfaction.
   "Not bad. Four more to go..."
   He turned his gaze to his pack.
   Then his eyes lit up, and the Mangeky Sharingan flared.
   With that, his entire bag-stuffed with heavy Valis, rations, and water-twisted out of reality and vanished into his personal Kamui dimension.
   Inside that space wasn't just money and survival gear.
   It also held the kunai, shuriken, and other tools he forged while working with the Hephaestus Familia.
   Neatly arranged in the darkness, like a vast private warehouse.
   If the rest of the Loki Familia ever found out he had a cheat ability like this, their expressions would be legendary enough to write into poetry.
   After all, in Expeditions, supplies were life or death.
   According to the Loki Familia's expedition records, there was a time on the thirty-seventh floor when a member got splashed with poisonous blood while fighting a dark green dragon.
   They'd already run out of antidotes.
   That adventurer didn't live to see dawn.
   "If I'd been there, maybe they could've made it."
   Shaking off the thought, Ryota pushed open the door and headed downstairs.
   He had barely stepped into the lobby before stopping dead in his tracks.
   The room was full-every major member of the Loki Familia standing at attention: Ais, Lefiya, Bete...
   Even the elusive Big Three had shown up.
   They were all staring at him, eyes practically glowing.
   Something was definitely off.
   Right then, the smell of booze wafted in.
   Loki wandered in from the front door, yawning and looking like she'd just been dragged out of bed.
   She rubbed her eyes and gave him a bleary once-over.
   "You're heading to the Dungeon, yeah?"
   "Perfect. The kids all wanna go with you."
   "The last time you took Ais and Lefiya, they came back and leveled up."
   "Look at their faces-they're burning with hope~"
   These people... they were treating him like some kind of walking Level-Up Machine!
   Over there, Bete kept his usual scowl, but his twitching ears betrayed his excitement.
   Tiona and Tione were practically sparkling, their faces screaming pick me.
   Even Ais and Lefiya, despite still being a little annoyed about yesterday, were eyeing him like he was a jackpot.
   Finn, their tiny Pallum leader, stepped forward with a warm smile.
   "Ryota, I trust you're used to leading parties by now?"
   Ryota gave a small, resigned smile.
   "Sorry, everyone. I really can't today."
   "I've got to run a test."
   "It'll help a lot with our Familia's next expedition."
   Immediately, cartoonishly large question marks popped up over everyone's heads.
   Even Loki sobered up a little, squinting at him.
   "Ryota, did you hit your head? Expeditions aren't War Games. You'll be facing monsters that don't do strategy."
   Finn nodded solemnly, picking up the thread.
   "Ryota, you truly did the impossible in the War Game. But Expeditions are a different beast entirely."
   "Logistics, personnel, supplies... even one misstep can doom the entire operation."
   "Especially for us. The depths we go to, the strength of the monsters-raw power alone won't cut it."
   The others all nodded in agreement, giving him complex looks.
   You might be a monster, sure-but don't take Expeditions lightly!
   Ryota stayed quiet for a few seconds.
   He wasn't trying to hide anything-it was just... this jutsu was too overpowered.
   No matter how he tried to explain it, it always circled back to the Flying Raijin Jutsu. The ultimate ninja teleportation hack.
   And it wasn't that he didn't want to bring others down with him.
   It was that he hadn't even figured the jutsu out yet.
   If someone got hurt because of his experiments, that would be on him.
   Caution had always been his way.
   So he stopped struggling and just smiled, shrugging.
   "Tomorrow, I'll head back down with Ais and Lefiya."
   "When they return, they'll tell you if it was worth it."
   The crowd blinked in surprise.
   A light flickered in Ais's golden eyes.
   Lefiya instinctively straightened her back, her expression erupting into barely contained joy, her lips curling up.
   Ryota... had chosen them again.
   "Well then... I'll be off?"
   "Tch. This kid," Loki muttered, stroking her chin. "Fine. Let's see if you can surprise us tomorrow."
   Ryota nodded, not bothering to linger.
   He turned and headed for the manor's front gate.
   But the moment he stepped outside, his brow furrowed.
   As the home of Orario's hottest new power, Twilight Manor had recently become even more crowded than the Guild itself.
   Since the War Game ended, the area outside had been flooded-wannabe adventurers hoping to join, merchants looking to strike deals, spies from other Familias...
   The street ahead was dead still.
   No voices. No footsteps. Not even the wind seemed to move.
   Ryota looked up and focused his gaze.
   Two figures were walking toward him.
   As soon as he saw their faces, he froze, murmuring to himself-
   "...Seriously? They're blocking my front door now?"
   It was none other than the goddess of beauty, Freya.
   And Ottar, her mighty right hand.
  
   Chapter 93: Chapter 93: What Kind of Crazy Plotline Is This? Yellow Flash Ryota!
   The two stopped in front of Ryota.
   Freya's gaze landed squarely on him.
   As always, her look held that undisguised "desire"-a hunter's craving mixed with possessive lust.
   Ryota felt a chill run down his spine and asked, "Lady Freya... you haven't left yet?"
   In the original story, Apollo had instigated a War Game to steal the "saintly silver-haired boy" Bell. After losing, he was forced to disband his Familia and ultimately left Orario.
   In fact, when a god's Familia is disbanded, they almost always choose to leave the city and start over elsewhere. Even if they aren't formally exiled, they usually leave on their own and vanish quietly.
   As for when they might return?
   Maybe hundreds of years later. Maybe thousands.
   By then, when the world has forgotten their names, they reenter Orario under a different guise.
   After all, the one thing the gods have in abundance... is time.
   "Leave? Ryota, is your memory really that bad?"
   Freya covered her mouth with a soft laugh.
   "I said I wouldn't leave. Orario still has someone I want to keep watching. Why would I go?"
   Ryota went silent for a few seconds, his eyes flickering before he looked at her and asked, "So what did you come to me for?"
   As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously shifted to the man standing behind her-Ottar.
   This was the same man who'd gone head-to-head with him in the War Game and ended up getting one-shotted by Ryota's Susanoo-enhanced punch.
   Now, the guy stood there tall and steady, not a scratch on him. Not even his aura seemed the slightest bit off.
   What the hell? This guy recovers way too fast.
   That punch was full power-he hadn't held back!
   Then again... even if Freya Familia was disbanded, this LV.7 powerhouse was still a top-tier force.
   The Guild must've stepped in to help.
   "As you can see, I kept my promise. Freya Familia has disbanded."
   "But... there are still some followers, like Hedin and the others, who refused to leave me."
   "Though they're no longer part of my Familia, they're still willing to follow my will."
   She paused, staring at Ryota. After a few seconds, she continued,
   "I'd like the Loki Familia to take them in."
   That completely threw him.
   Since when did the losing side try to shove their people into the winner's camp?
   And what kind of logic was that-"they still obey my will, so I'm giving them to Loki Familia"?
   Was this some DanMachi version of Infernal Affairs?
   Freya seemed to see right through his thoughts, and her smile deepened.
   "Relax. I'll make sure they wholeheartedly follow the Loki Familia. Besides..."
   "I'm only making this request because of you... not because of Loki."
   Ryota stayed quiet and kept listening.
   "You're all about to head out on an expedition, aren't you? These people are elites, veterans who've survived deep-floor battles."
   "You of all people should know exactly how valuable they are."
   Those were warriors who'd made it back from the fiftieth floor-and even deeper.
   Any Familia would break the bank to get their hands on assets like that. The problem was-
   How could Freya say, with a straight face, "I'm not doing this for Loki, I'm doing it for you"?
   Just as Ryota was about to say, "This isn't my decision to make," Freya suddenly added,
   "Also, there's something else."
   Her expression grew a bit more serious, prompting Ryota to raise an eyebrow.
   "Huh?! What did you just say?"
   Ryota's head was practically swimming with question marks.
   "Not as Freya, the goddess," she clarified. "But... as a bystander."
   Her tone was uncharacteristically serious. Even the usual smile had vanished from her face.
   "A god who simply wants to witness your journey."
   Ryota's expression froze.
   "You're saying... you, Freya, want to come with me?"
   "A god wants to be my tagalong??"
   -Was this some DanMachi spinoff called 'The Goddess Became My Sidekick'?
   This plotline was getting out of hand!
   "Well, I wouldn't call it 'tagalong.'"
   Freya's signature smile returned.
   "As for the Dungeon and such, I'll leave Ottar to accompany you. I'll wait here in Orario, at Twilight Manor, for you to come home."
   Ryota couldn't hold it in anymore and let out a full-on curse.
   His face was practically broadcasting "I don't get it but I'm utterly shook."
   Instinctively, he looked up at the sky, like he was checking if the sun was rising backwards in Orario today.
   A goddess as a tagalong. A Level 7 as a bodyguard?
   This wasn't "ridiculous." This was "the world's gone mad."
   He wouldn't even be surprised if, in a few days, gossip spread through Orario that Ryota seduced Freya and took Ottar with him too...
   Without a second thought, Ryota waved his hand and refused.
   "Whatever's going on with those followers, it's not my call."
   "I'm not a god. I don't get a say."
   "And you know full well that when someone leaves a Familia, they can't join a new one for a year."
   "Who's to say your people won't switch sides in that time? If something goes wrong, I'm not taking the fall."
   "As for that whole 'goddess traveling with me' thing..."
   His eyes sharpened, and his tone turned crisp and decisive.
   With that, Ryota didn't give Freya a chance to respond. He turned and walked away without even a glance back.
   Freya stood silently at the entrance of Twilight Manor, watching Ryota's retreating figure. Slowly, the corners of her lips curled up.
   It wasn't a disappointed smile.
   It was the kind of smile that said, "I knew I chose the right one."
   "But... that's exactly the kind of man worth falling for."
   She didn't chase after him. She didn't call out.
   She simply lifted a hand and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
   Standing there, Freya looked every bit like a gentle maiden, quietly waiting for her beloved to come home.
   "I'll be right here... waiting for you to come home."
   Meanwhile, footsteps followed behind Ryota.
   He tilted his head slightly and saw Ottar's stone-faced expression, silently tailing him.
   "Why are you following me?"
   Ottar paused for a moment and answered,
   "Freya told me to protect you."
   "...You really take orders, huh?"
   "I only listen to Freya."
   Forget it. Not worth arguing.
   Once they got into the Dungeon, he'd find a way to ditch the guy.
   Worst case, he'd use Susanoo to tie him up and toss him out.
   And so, the two of them-one ahead, one behind-headed toward Babel Tower.
   Adventurer's Street was bustling with noise.
   But the moment Ryota and Ottar appeared, the lively street went silent, like someone hit a mute button.
   The hush didn't even last three seconds.
   "Hey-isn't that Ryota?! And who's that behind him?"
   "Are you stupid? That's Ottar! Captain of Freya Familia, a Level 7 monster!"
   "Holy crap! Seriously?! Ottar?! But I thought Freya Familia disbanded! Why's he still tagging along?!"
   "Don't tell me... Lady Freya had second thoughts? Sent Ottar to off Ryota in the Dungeon?!"
   Within moments, voices exploded on both sides of the street.
   He could feel it now-nine out of ten gazes were filled with "epic battle incoming" anticipation.
   Pausing in his steps, Ryota turned and muttered under his breath,
   "Ottar, could you... maybe walk a little ahead? Stop sticking so close?"
   "My mission is to guard, not to follow."
   "Do you have any idea how creepy that sounds?!"
   And so, under the wide-eyed, tension-filled stares of everyone on Adventurer's Street-
   Ryota and Ottar, in a "pre-battle" formation, descended the spiral steps into the Dungeon's first floor...
   The moment Ryota stepped into the Dungeon, he didn't hesitate.
   His right eye spun, activating the Mangeky Sharingan in an instant.
   The air twisted faintly, and his entire body vanished from the spot.
   Ottar halted, scanning the passageway.
   But it was empty. Ryota was nowhere to be seen.
   Frowning slightly, he murmured,
   He thought for a moment, looked around at the empty tunnel, then glanced down at the ground and remained silent.
   Finally, this Level 7 warrior stood tall, turned toward the entrance, and expressionlessly declared:
   "...I'll just wait here for him to come back."
   And so, aboveground, Freya sat on a small stool in front of Twilight Manor, waiting for Ryota to "come home."
   At the Dungeon's entrance, Ottar stood with arms crossed, silently guarding the threshold, also waiting for Ryota to "come back."
   The scene was so bizarre that Ryota honestly didn't know where to even begin complaining.
   Seventeenth Floor of the Dungeon, near the Wall of Grief,
   From Kamui's pocket dimension, Ryota drew a kunai, his fingertips glowing gold as he inscribed the Flying Raijin formula on the handle with practiced ease.
   Before him stood a tiger beast-roughly as strong as a Minotaur.
   Ryota raised his arm and with a whoosh, hurled the kunai forward.
   It sliced through the air in an arc, only for the tiger monster to dodge it with an agile sidestep.
   The monster let out a contemptuous roar, as if mocking Ryota's pitiful attack.
   A streak of yellow light.
   Before the monster's roar even ended, Ryota had already appeared behind it like a ghost.
   The Kusanagi Sword slid from its sheath.
   The monster that mocked him one second became black ash the next.
   Ryota stood still, gazing at the kunai etched with the Flying Raijin formula on the ground. He murmured,
   "Mark, lock-on, teleport, kill-"
   "I've been using this exact sequence since Floor One."
   "It's no exaggeration to say I'm just as proficient with this jutsu now as its inventor, Tobirama."
   Ryota flipped his wrist, and three more kunai appeared in a flash.
   "Flying Raijin: Level Two."
   He casually flicked one, and the kunai streaked through the air toward a shadow 4.2 meters ahead.
   Before it even landed, Ryota's figure had already flickered and reappeared there.
   Crouching down, he retrieved the kunai and embedded it into the rocky wall.
   He muttered to himself, scanning the area to ensure the kunai was hidden well enough to avoid being damaged.
   He'd repeated this process over a dozen times already.
   From Floor One to Floor Sixteen, he'd selected a hidden spot on each level to plant a kunai engraved with the Flying Raijin formula.
   This wasn't just about setting up tactical points.
   It was the quiet formation of a massive spatial teleportation network throughout the Dungeon.
   In his mind, each kunai lit up like a star, layer by layer, stretching from the surface all the way to the Seventeenth Floor.
   With a single thought, he could arrive anywhere instantly.
   This was the true purpose of the Flying Raijin Jutsu.
   Ryota had turned Floors 1 through 17 of the Dungeon into his personal war map.
   "From now on, when I say I'm going home... I can actually go home."
   Dusting himself off, Ryota continued toward the safe zone on the Eighteenth Floor.
   Meanwhile, on the Northwest Mainstreet aboveground...
   The goddess Kali had arrived in Orario, curiously taking in the city's sights with two voluptuous Amazon girls in tow.
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   Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Kali Familia-Wanna Come Home With Me?
   Goddess Kali narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze sweeping across the towering Babel Tower as if appraising a sleeping behemoth.
   "The atmosphere here... it's calmer than I expected."
   Standing to her left, Argana Kalif furrowed her brows. Her tanned skin shimmered healthily under the sunlight, and paired with her short white hair and sharp gaze, she exuded untamed ferocity from head to toe.
   "Lady Kali, I still believe... there was no need for you to come in person."
   She glanced at the deity beside her, a trace of concern flickering in her eyes.
   On the right, Bache Kalif-her face obscured by a black mask-spoke with a voice lower than Argana's, laced with a cold, killing intent.
   "The dissolution of the Freya Familia has indeed thrown our plans off course."
   "But the top Familia in Orario now seems to be the Loki Familia. That guy named Ryota is said to be their main force."
   "If we challenge him instead, it might be even more fitting to awaken Telskyura's pride."
   They came from the southeastern peninsula nation of Telskyura-a country of war, through and through.
   After Kali arrived there, she personally shaped it into a nation ruled by a Familia.
   Its citizens were entirely Amazons-mostly women-who revered strength and lived for combat from birth.
   As for men, they were nothing more than tools for reproduction in that land.
   In the scarlet land stained with endless war, the center of the country was a massive circular arena. Day and night, it echoed with beastly roars and the clash of steel.
   In other nations, the arena might be a festival amusement. In Telskyura, it was life itself.
   The rules of Telskyura were simple: only those who survived were worthy of a name.
   Every day, countless slaves, prisoners, beasts, and even fellow Amazons were thrown into the arena, to be "cleansed" by young Amazonian warriors.
   Killing someone meant getting closer to food, resources, equipment-even higher rank within the Familia.
   And the source of it all stood before them now: a cloaked goddess with a dangerous smirk tugging at her lips-Kali.
   The embodiment of war and slaughter, the goddess of ecstasy and rage.
   In her doctrine, only transcendence through killing was considered true evolution.
   Telskyura had no Dungeon, no magic stone economy, no party-based expeditions.
   Their sole method of leveling up was PVP.
   Kill the enemy. Absorb Excelia from their corpse.
   As a result, nearly all Amazons of Telskyura were born warriors-trained in brutal close-quarters combat, adept in head-on confrontation. There was no flair to their techniques, only blood and fists.
   Kali chuckled softly, raising a hand to brush aside the strands falling across her brow.
   "No more Freya Familia? Then we'll go after the Loki Familia. No Loki Familia? We'll just find the next one."
   She shot a glance at the two LV.6 girls beside her and murmured,
   "On the way here, I asked some bastard about that Ryota guy. They say he can summon a skeletal giant and control sand."
   "A guy like that... don't you think I should see him for myself?"
   Argana and Bache exchanged a glance and fell silent.
   They were wild and proud, but never reckless.
   Kali suddenly tilted her head, a crazed grin blooming on her face.
   "If we manage to capture him and bring him back to serve as breeding stock for our future generations... wouldn't that be lovely?"
   The expressions of the two Amazoness warriors turned awkward in an instant, their faces flushed as they protested stiffly.
   "That... doesn't seem like an appropriate reason."
   "Wait, don't tell me-you came to Orario just for that?!"
   "Ahhh, you two have no sense of humor."
   Kali let out a long yawn.
   "So the Loki Familia lives in that, what was it... Twilight Manor?"
   Bache gave a low grunt of confirmation.
   "Yes. I suggest we find Goddess Ishtar first, and then-"
   "Don't you two want to see Tione and Tiona again?"
   Ryota had no idea that, once again, he'd been randomly targeted.
   And this time, by a deranged goddess who wanted to drag him off as "breeding stock."
   At this moment, he was stepping into the nineteenth floor of the Dungeon.
   According to Orario's records, floors nineteen through twenty-four were collectively known as the Large Tree Labyrinth.
   Unlike the damp, dark tunnels of the upper floors, this layer felt like the inside of a massive tree.
   The floor, walls, and ceiling were all made of tangled wooden structures, resembling natural passageways carved through some colossal plant.
   The ground was carpeted with luminous blue moss. It wasn't phosphorescence-it was a type of living plant that radiated stable magic energy.
   "Prettier than I expected."
   Every so often, the buzzing of insect wings brushing air would reach his ears.
   This floor was teeming with insect-type monsters-tough exoskeletons, overwhelming in number.
   But for Ryota, they were little more than target dummies for testing his Flying Raijin jutsu.
   Unhurriedly, he retrieved a kunai from his personal dimensional space, ran his fingertip along it, and etched the formula.
   He drove the kunai-now glowing faint yellow-into a moss-covered stone and nodded in satisfaction.
   This floor held a wide variety of magical plants, many of which were key ingredients for antidotes, healing potions, and even rare elixirs.
   Because of that, the Guild issued numerous collection quests here year-round. Traffic was heavy, and bold gatherer teams often ventured in.
   Ryota's purpose was both to explore and to test the long-distance stability of Flying Raijin.
   For the next stretch of time, Ryota darted between the vine-entangled corridors, focusing on harvesting materials he remembered from Guild lists.
   He picked each one efficiently, making sure none went to waste.
   And after every collection, he casually flicked them into Kamui's pocket dimension.
   Within that seemingly bottomless space, little hills of loot were starting to pile up.
   "Going even better than I thought."
   "No deviation in Flying Raijin's anchors. Kamui's space is still stable. Perfect."
   He looked ahead at the dense tangle of glowing vines and figured he'd done enough.
   With a thought, the map composed of his jutsu anchors lit up in his mind.
   Floor 1, Floor 2... Floor 18, Floor 19.
   Just to be safe in case any dumb monster destroyed a kunai anchor, Ryota had used the "rich guy method"-he marked every single floor.
   The marks glittered in his mind like stars in a constellation.
   "Let's test stability on return."
   He flicked his fingers, mentally locking onto his anchor on Floor 18.
   The air trembled faintly as space peeled open.
   Ryota vanished from the vines of the Large Tree Labyrinth.
   With a soft pop, he reappeared on the outskirts of the safety zone outside Rivira Town on the eighteenth floor.
   No imbalance. No lag. No deviation. A perfect teleport.
   He looked up at the light bouncing off the blue crystals above and smiled.
   "Nice, nice. Chakra consumption is way lower than I expected."
   No sooner had the words left his mouth than he moved again, without pause. A slight flick of his finger-
   In the blink of an eye, he was on Floor 16.
   He didn't even land properly before shifting again-Floor 13!
   Ryota zipped through the Dungeon, barely touching the ground as he leapt from anchor to anchor.
   After each jump, he silently assessed chakra fluctuations.
   Even with five, even seven consecutive jumps, his chakra only vibrated slightly-no instability.
   Landing on a clear patch of Floor 5, he mused,
   "It's the Hashirama cells. My stamina and recovery are through the roof."
   "And since Sage Jutsu chakra holds way more than standard ninja systems, Flying Raijin's high cost for others is just... my normal walking speed."
   "Forget expeditions. If I lay enough anchors, I could solo the whole Dungeon."
   With another pulse of chakra-shhhk-he was back on Floor 1.
   He stood in the familiar entry corridor, surrounded by a few new adventurers excitedly studying the map.
   They stared blankly at the black-haired boy who had just appeared out of thin air.
   "Is... is that Lord Ryota?"
   "Holy crap, it's really him!"
   "Dude, shut up! You want the skeleton giant to crush you?!"
   "Seriously, man-Ottar the LV.7 is with him! Have you ever seen that kind of squad?!"
   Naturally, Ryota heard all of it.
   His mouth twitched as he muttered helplessly,
   "Why do I sound scarier than the Black Dragon now?"
   "'Crush into powder'? Do I look like that kind of guy?"
   But just as he was grumbling, he froze.
   "Wait... did they say Ottar?"
   A rare flicker of genuine caution appeared on Ryota's usually composed face.
   "Crap... don't tell me that guy is still-"
   Before he could finish, a massive shadow loomed in front of him.
   That emotionless face stared straight at him, still carrying that absurdly expensive four-hundred-million-Valis greatsword.
   Ryota looked utterly done with life.
   "...Why are you still waiting here? I told you not to follow me."
   "Freya told me to follow you, so I'm following you."
   "Your goddess made a Level 7 stick to me like a keychain-what even is that logic?!"
   "...Fine, whatever. Do what you want."
   Ryota was too tired to argue with the man who practically had "LOYALTY IS EVERYTHING" tattooed on his forehead.
   Besides, with Kamui, he could vanish in a flash anytime he wanted.
   "Why should one overworked guy make another's life harder?"
   If anything, there were perks.
   As Ryota and Ottar walked toward the Dungeon exit, all the adventurers who'd gathered around instinctively cleared a path.
   No shouting, no jostling, not a single extra word.
   Everyone just stared at them with a look that said, "Boss is clocking out. Quiet, please."
   As Ryota and Ottar stepped out into Orario's night-
   The sky was drenched in deep indigo, stars blinking, the moon cold and clear.
   Ottar remained silent, trailing like an unshakable wall of stone.
   Ryota squinted up at the sky and murmured,
   He didn't head straight to the Guild to trade his loot. With Kamui's storage, the day's haul would keep just fine.
   Right now, all he wanted was to head back to Twilight Manor and share today's test results-especially Flying Raijin's performance-with the Loki Familia.
   They wound their way through alleys and side streets until they were just one block away from Twilight Manor.
   Two figures darted out from the shadows on either side of the street.
   Ryota raised an eyebrow. His Mangeky Sharingan activated instantly as he looked up.
   "Amazoness? You looking for Tione and Tiona?"
   You couldn't blame him for recognizing them instantly.
   With their skin tone, outfits, and those deep canyons, they were hard to miss.
   Especially under the moonlight. Somehow, they looked even bigger.
   Before he could finish the thought, a voice rang out from the distance.
   "Heading to Twilight Manor this late? You must be Ryota, huh?"
   Goddess Kali stepped out slowly, her eyes gleaming with curiosity and heat, like a predator eyeing fresh meat-or a collector selecting her next "specimen."
   "Quite the cutie! Yep, I choose you!"
   She tilted her head, smiling so brightly it was almost horrifying.
   "Wanna come be our stud horse?"
  
   Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Ottar the Bodyguard, Freya's Fury!
   Staring at that beaming, increasingly suspicious smile, Ryota's brain short-circuited for a solid few seconds.
   He repeated the phrase like he was double-checking whether he'd heard wrong.
   But the Goddess Kali just tilted her head expectantly, clearly waiting for him to nod.
   Ryota's mouth twitched. Instinctively, he sifted through fragments of memory:
   In the original story, the Kali Familia had indeed made contact and carried out secret dealings with the Ishtar Familia.
   The day before the War Game, the Freya Familia had been ambushed by Kali's forces.
   But now, long before any of that could unfold, he himself had already crushed the Freya Familia. Their entire power structure had been wiped from Orario by his own hand.
   And yet-these lunatics were suddenly appearing on the streets of Orario.
   And by some cosmic joke, the one they stopped... was him, Ryota.
   While he was on his way back to Twilight Manor, no less.
   The timing, the target, the method-everything about this reeked of trouble.
   "Could it be... with the Freya Familia gone, they've turned their eyes toward the Loki Familia now?"
   Ryota clicked his tongue inwardly.
   He glanced at the two Amazonian girls behind the goddess, their clefts of cleavage so deep they looked like natural chasms.
   Two Level 6s-not exactly overwhelming.
   Then again, considering Telskyura was a remote, isolationist country with a near total lockout policy, it stood to reason that intel about them was scarce.
   Probably went both ways-their knowledge of the outside world must be just as limited.
   What really baffled Ryota, though, was how Ishtar had even managed to find such a deranged Familia and rope them into some kind of alliance.
   He sighed. There was a hint of helplessness in his breath.
   He hadn't planned to get dragged into any of this chaotic nonsense.
   His main quest wasn't done yet. The side quest was only halfway through. The expedition planning was at a critical stage...
   All things considered, he was the busiest one here!
   Unfortunately, reality didn't care about his schedule. Those battle-crazed maniacs were already standing in his way.
   "Of course. Orario can't go one damn day without chaos."
   Ryota tilted his head slightly, eyeing the two girls closing in on him, then glanced at the lust-drenched gaze of the tilted-headed Kali.
   He muttered under his breath,
   "Screw it. Not worth explaining anything."
   The Goddess Kali chuckled softly when she heard that.
   "You're what now... Level 4, right?"
   "Argana and Bache aren't just your average Level 6s. I personally pulled them from blood-soaked arenas-they're my finest warriors!"
   "You stand no chance against them."
   From her perspective, a Level 4 up against two elite Level 6s was just asking for death.
   "The only thing you've got going for you... is your brute strength."
   Ryota's patience had run out. His pupils constricted sharply as the Mangeky Sharingan began to whirl.
   Just as he was about to cast Tsukuyomi and package the two Amazons into an illusionary hell-
   The ground behind him suddenly quaked.
   A towering black figure shot past him in an instant.
   With a single step, the very air exploded around him as he lunged toward Bache on the left.
   The Amazonian girl didn't even have time to react before she was sent flying into a stone pillar at the edge of the street, instantly knocked out.
   On the right, Argana barely had time to flinch before a massive iron grip clamped down on her shoulder.
   The next second-another thunderous slam.
   Ottar crushed her straight into the stone-paved street.
   It all happened in less than a second.
   Two elite Level 6 Amazons, utterly demolished.
   Silence fell across the street.
   The Goddess Kali blinked. Her once-predatory smile slowly stiffened.
   Ottar, still silent, walked back to Ryota's side and resumed his statue-like stance.
   Under the flickering light of a magic stone lamp, Kali finally saw the man clearly.
   Her pupils shrank. Her voice trembled with a hint of panic.
   "Ottar... you're-Ottar of the Freya Familia!"
   "What are you doing with this kid?!"
   Obviously, Ottar had zero interest in answering her.
   Ryota, meanwhile, glanced at the two girls now lying unconscious and foaming at the mouth, and sighed.
   "Tch. That was a bit much, don't you think..."
   He looked toward the stunned Goddess Kali, unsure how to proceed.
   In Orario, attacking a god-or even just laying a hand on one-was a serious crime.
   Especially now that he was representing the Loki Familia. Everything he did could impact more than just himself.
   So, Ryota kept it simple.
   "Take your two girls and go home."
   "I'll chalk this up to cultural ignorance-your first visit to a foreign country."
   He had just taken a few steps when familiar footsteps echoed from the end of the street.
   He turned, and sure enough-it was Freya.
   Under the night sky and the soft glow of lights, she stood before him with that signature, seductive smile.
   "Ryota, are you alright?"
   "I didn't even get a chance to lift a finger."
   "Ottar handled both Level 6s before I could do anything. How could I be hurt?"
   Freya chuckled. Her gaze burned like she was admiring a finely crafted sculpture of her own making.
   But the moment she did, the warmth of the love goddess vanished.
   In its place surged a divine pressure that made the blood freeze in one's veins.
   She stepped toward Kali, who still stood frozen. Her ash-gray eyes turned glacial, seething with rage.
   Kali's lips moved, but she was still stunned by what had just happened.
   Snapping back to her senses, she averted her gaze and murmured,
   Freya didn't spare her another glance.
   "Ottar. Get Hedin and the others. We're paying a visit to the Pleasure Quarter."
   "Anyone who dares attack Ryota has to pay the price."
   Ottar nodded and vanished.
   Ryota stood frozen for half a second.
   Pleasure Quarter? Isn't that Ishtar Familia territory?
   Just as he took a step forward, Freya stopped and turned, her world-shaking beauty once again softened by a warm smile.
   "Loki's probably been waiting for you inside for ages. Go on back."
   "As for Ishtar... leave her to me."
   Ryota blinked, a dozen question marks popping into his head.
   What kind of bossy CEO script was this? "I'll take you home while I personally handle your problems"?
   He couldn't help twitching his mouth, but in the end, he just shook his head.
   Still, Ryota didn't ask any more questions.
   He had his own mission, an expedition to prepare for, and objectives to move forward.
   Whatever Freya planned to do in the Pleasure Quarter was her business.
   It wasn't like he ordered her to raze the Ishtar Familia. Even if she did, it had nothing to do with him.
   Shrugging, Ryota turned and walked quickly toward Twilight Manor.
   The street was now deserted-save for the two collapsed girls twitching on either side, and the stone-stiff Goddess Kali standing in place.
   Unlike the tense atmosphere outside, Twilight Manor was buzzing with its usual energy.
   Familia members moved supplies in the lobby or clustered around information boards in animated discussions. Footsteps and chatter filled the air.
   Ryota weaved through the crowd, nodding in greeting to passing comrades.
   Soon, he climbed the stairs to the second floor, walked through the corridor, and stopped in front of a very familiar door.
   This was where Loki and the high-ranking members usually gathered.
   He raised his hand and knocked.
   A pause, then Loki's unmistakable voice called out.
   "Ryota? That you? Come in, come in-we were just talking about you!"
   Ryota smiled and opened the door.
   Inside were the usual three executives and Loki herself-plus one additional presence: Ais, staring blankly from the sofa.
   The rest of the core members were nowhere to be seen.
   When she spotted Ryota, a spark lit in Ais's eyes and she gave him a small nod.
   He nodded back before his eyes fell on the stack of documents on the table. The top pages bore a clear title:
   [Freya Familia High-Level Combat Power Summary]
   Combat Orientation, Party Compatibility...
   He was about to speak, but Loki beat him to it.
   "You know what that crazy woman did today?"
   "You mean Goddess Freya? She was waiting at my door this morning-with Ottar, no less."
   "Ha! I knew you'd know something!"
   Loki slapped her thigh with a scowl.
   "Her face was smiling so hard it gave me goosebumps! You know what she said? She said she wants to give us some of Freya Familia's combat power."
   "Said it was to help us with our expedition."
   Ryota just chuckled, not answering.
   Loki pouted and tossed a sheet of paper at him.
   He caught it instinctively. It was a detailed profile:
   The same edgy elf who'd once shouted battle cries atop the city wall-only to be instantly frozen in place by Ryota's Tsukuyomi.
   "...Seriously, what's Freya up to?"
   "She disbanded her Familia, and now she's hovering around us?"
   Finn gnawed at his thumb, looking conflicted.
   "Plenty on this list have expedition experience. If she's sincere, they could fill some gaps."
   The Pallum turned to Ryota.
   Not just him-everyone in the room: Loki, Riveria, Gareth, even Ais on the sofa, were now looking at him.
   With Ryota's monstrous growth rate, his status in the Familia was far beyond ordinary.
   Even Loki often consulted him before making big decisions.
   Ryota didn't rush to speak. He placed Hogni's profile back on the table, paused for a few seconds, and said,
   "I think we should be cautious."
   "The Freya Familia is strong, yes-but inside, it's a mess. Everyone knows their members regularly backstab each other."
   "Besides, these Level 6 elites... they're not loyal to the Familia. They're loyal to Freya herself."
   "Even if they follow orders now, one word from her, and they'll flip in an instant."
   Ryota stared at the documents. Freya's words echoed in his head: "Not for Loki-for you."
   A chill crawled up his spine.
   That woman... was dangerously obsessed.
   Loki leaned back in her chair, kicking her legs.
   "Unless what?" Ryota asked instinctively.
   Loki's grin turned mischievous. Her Trickster Goddess mode had activated.
   "Unless you offer yourself to Freya. Make her listen to you."
   "Then we'd get a bunch of Level 6s for free! Perfect ending, right?"
   Ryota's mouth twitched. His whole face darkened.
   "Lady Loki, you're... a damn genius."
   Finn cleared his throat, holding back laughter as he pretended to flip through papers.
   Riveria and Gareth tried not to laugh too. Only Ais tilted her head, as if she wanted to say something.
   ...Wait, did the puppet princess actually take that seriously?
   "Alright, alright, enough jokes," Loki said, waving her hand. She stacked the Freya Familia files and tossed them straight into the wastebasket.
   "Tell the Guild-we're not taking any of them."
   "With Ryota alone, we've already got more than enough power. Why bring in unstable elements?"
   Finn chuckled and nodded. Riveria followed suit.
   "That is a safer choice."
   The mood returned to normal. Loki turned to Ryota, eyes gleaming with interest.
   "Alright, alright-spill it. You've been out all day. What kind of test were you up to?"
   "I've been dying to see your so-called surprise!"
   Ryota smirked. With a flick of his wrist, a kunai appeared in his palm.
   Only this one glowed faintly gold at the hilt.
   He waved it in front of them, lips curling into a mysterious smile.
   "You'll find out soon enough."
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   Chapter 96: Chapter 96: The Two Girls Clinging to Ryota
   In the rear courtyard of the Loki Familia manor, a gentle night breeze drifted through the air.
   Ais, Lefiya, Tiona, Tione, Bete, Finn, Riveria-nearly all the key members of the Familia-had gathered in a circle, their eyes locked onto the kunai in Ryota's hand, which gleamed faintly with a golden light.
   Tiona tilted her head and couldn't help asking,
   "So... what's so special about it? Looks like an ordinary weapon to me."
   "Did you enchant it with some kind of magic, Ryota?"
   Lefiya blinked her beautiful eyes, trying to use her unique magic-sensing abilities to analyze it-
   But... completely useless.
   "If it's just a regular weapon, don't keep us guessing, Ryota."
   Bete stood with his arms crossed, wolf ears twitching nonstop.
   If it were anyone else standing in front of him, he would've walked away already.
   Loki narrowed her eyes in amusement, resting her chin in her hands as she smiled playfully.
   "I'm really curious. What are you up to now? Don't tell me... it's another one of those tricks that'll shake all of Orario?"
   Ryota didn't answer. He simply smiled and casually tossed the kunai forward.
   It arced through the air before thunking into a tree at the far corner of the courtyard.
   Finn hadn't even finished speaking-
   Ryota's figure flickered and vanished on the spot!
   Before anyone could even react, a sharp whistle cut through the air from the direction of the kunai-
   And in the next instant, Ryota was already standing precisely where the kunai had landed.
   Finn was the first to speak, his voice soft but loud enough for everyone to hear.
   And that one sentence perfectly captured the thoughts running through everyone's mind.
   The courtyard fell utterly silent.
   The Hiryute sisters stood frozen in place, mouths slightly agape.
   Bete's brow twitched. He glanced at the tree where the kunai was embedded, then back at Ryota standing there, his face a mix of shock and confusion.
   "That was... movement? No, it didn't look like movement at all!"
   "But he definitely disappeared, and then reappeared by the kunai...!"
   Lefiya's voice trembled, rising in pitch with growing disbelief.
   "Miss Ais, did you catch anything?"
   Ais shook her head, her golden eyes narrowing with rare uncertainty.
   Keep in mind, some of those present were Level 6 Adventurers.
   Finn, Gareth, Riveria-even Ais herself-possessed speed and perception far beyond the norm.
   At that moment, even though everyone had been staring directly at Ryota, not a single person had seen how he vanished!
   There was no windup, no chant, no leap, no turn, no running start.
   He had simply-disappeared.
   And then reappeared several dozen meters away.
   That kind of distance... even a full-speed dash from a Level 6 wouldn't be instantaneous, much less leave no trace behind.
   Not a single footprint. Not even a single blade of grass disturbed.
   Ryota bent down, pulled the kunai from the tree, and gave it a casual shake.
   The golden glow at the handle still shimmered faintly in the dark, almost dazzling in its brilliance.
   He stood up, smiling as he looked at the group.
   "That was the result of my testing today."
   "And also... my new magical invention."
   He paused, lips curving into a playful grin.
   "I call it-Flying Raijin Jutsu."
   Finn repeated the name instinctively, rolling the words on his tongue.
   "Doesn't really sound like something you'd name," Lefiya muttered under her breath, though her eyes remained glued to the kunai in Ryota's hand.
   "I thought you were going to explain the theory behind it..." Riveria finally spoke up. Her elven eyes shimmered with a fervor even stronger than when she'd witnessed that skeletal giant Ryota had summoned before.
   "The theory? Oh, that's easy," Ryota said breezily. "You just mark one spot here, mark another spot there... and you can travel between them!"
   It sounded light and casual, but Finn suddenly jerked his head up.
   He began gnawing on his thumb again, eyes gleaming with intensity.
   The Pallum had instantly picked up on the crucial phrasing in Ryota's explanation.
   "Ryota... if I'm not wrong, you mean-"
   He didn't finish the sentence, but everyone knew what he was asking.
   And once again, all eyes were on Ryota, as though studying some unknown creature.
   Ryota only chuckled, said nothing more.
   He casually stabbed the kunai into the ground-
   And with a sharp "whoosh!"
   He vanished again, without a trace, like a drop of water melting into a lake.
   Everyone instinctively glanced around-but as before, saw nothing, no signs, no trails.
   Then, about thirty seconds later, a faint rush of air sounded, and Ryota reappeared, this time holding a still-steaming, jet-black bone blade in his hand.
   He tossed it, and the blade rolled a few times before coming to a stop right at Finn's feet.
   "A War Shadow's Finger Blade," Ryota said calmly.
   Finn instinctively bent down to pick it up.
   At a glance, his expression changed.
   "This... this is a drop material from a War Shadow-and those only appear in the Dungeon!"
   He looked up sharply, eyes wide with disbelief.
   "You disappeared just moments ago... and it hasn't even been a full minute!"
   "You went to the Dungeon?"
   "And killed a War Shadow?!"
   "That's the result of my entire day's testing."
   "Something that could... completely change how the Loki Familia does Expeditions."
   His voice was calm-like he was describing something as mundane as eating breakfast.
   But to everyone else, it hit like a thunderclap.
   -Leaving from Twilight Manor, slaying a War Shadow in the Dungeon, and returning... in under thirty seconds.
   Calling it a "miracle" didn't do it justice.
   It was structural upheaval.
   Like when humanity first learned to use fire. Like the day horse-drawn carriages gave way to steam engines.
   It was a paradigm shift that shattered the very foundation of dungeon strategy.
   No one spoke. Their thoughts swirled with more than just "he's strong"-it was a tangled knot of shock, awe, and the inability to even process what had just happened.
   Then Loki stepped forward, eyes wide.
   "Wait... can it carry other people?!"
   But even before anyone could answer, she shook her head and muttered,
   "No, wait... even if it can't, it doesn't matter."
   "Even if it's just used to transport supplies... that alone makes you the cornerstone of every Expedition from now on, Ryota."
   "Wait, wait-Ryota, does this Jutsu have a range limit?"
   "Does it require line of sight? Landmarks? A mana stream connection?"
   Because she realized even she didn't know what to ask anymore.
   She wasn't tongue-tied. She just genuinely didn't know where to begin.
   But deep down, Loki understood something with perfect clarity.
   Ryota was no longer just a member of their Familia.
   He was the axis around which the entire Familia's rhythm, strategy, and even victory or defeat could pivot.
   Finn gave a soft chuckle, as though finally recovering from the shock.
   He looked at Ryota and asked,
   "Then I'll ask on Loki's behalf-"
   "Can you bring others with you?"
   The room fell silent again.
   Every gaze locked onto Ryota.
   Ryota smiled and retrieved the kunai.
   "That's what I'll be testing tomorrow."
   "I plan to take Ais and Lefiya into the Dungeon and do a full multi-point marking and group transport test."
   He paused, eyes brimming with confidence.
   Ais and Lefiya both looked up at the same time.
   Though Ryota had already told them he'd be bringing them into the Dungeon, they hadn't realized... they'd be test pilots for this?
   Questions filled their heads-but beyond the confusion, their eyes sparkled with something else entirely: anticipation.
   After all, who wouldn't want to personally experience the thrill of descending into the Dungeon-not by walking, not by trudging through labyrinthine corridors-but with a single breath, from surface to depth?
   It was a dream, an impossible fantasy for any Adventurer.
   Night slowly settled over Orario.
   And that night, Twilight Manor was quieter than usual.
   No training noise. No drinking. Even Gareth, who usually snored the loudest, seemed to sleep soundly.
   Everyone drifted off with a strange, indescribable sense of satisfaction and awe.
   And at the center of it all-Ryota-slept the soundest of them all.
   Just a clear and simple preparation for "tomorrow."
   From behind the southeastern towers of Orario, golden light spilled onto the streets and windowsills. The city stirred once more.
   Inside the Loki Familia's lounge, Lefiya sat clutching her staff, perched on the sofa, eyes filled with nervous excitement.
   She'd gotten up early, washed up, even tied her hair extra neatly to avoid being late.
   "Today... I mustn't screw up... I have to stay calm, poised, and act like a proper, mature mage...!"
   She whispered affirmations to herself while constantly glancing toward the staircase.
   Then she sensed something, turned her head-
   And found Ais already sitting not far away.
   Hugging her knees, eyes quietly watching the sunrise through the window.
   Leaning beside her was the Feather's Echo Ryota had given her.
   "Eh... Miss Ais, when did you get here?!"
   Ais turned her head, voice calm.
   "I wanted... to try it early."
   She murmured, but her eyes blazed with fervor.
   Lefiya's jaw dropped open.
   Suddenly, today's competition felt ten times-no, a hundred times more intense than before.
   Footsteps echoed from the stairs above.
   "Ryota Ryota, when are we leaving? Is it time yet?"
   The moment she spotted him, Lefiya leapt up like a staff surging with mana overload.
   Her eyes practically sparkled, her words coming out faster than a spell chant.
   Ryota yawned, slowly walking down the stairs. Then he stopped.
   Looking at the two girls already fully prepared, he rubbed his temple.
   "You two... what time did you even wake up?"
   Ais tilted her head, gave him a simple glance, and replied,
   "I just got here! But Miss Ais was even earlier!"
   Ryota glanced out the window-it was barely light out.
   Then he looked at the two overly eager, ultra-motivated girls and realized something.
   The Loki Familia's culture of "intense internal competition"... might've started spreading from him.
   He raised a hand, beckoning to them.
   Ais and Lefiya exchanged a glance. Confused, but obedient, they stepped forward.
   A huge question mark practically popped out of Lefiya's head. Her elven ears twitched uncontrollably.
   She stammered, face frozen like she'd been struck by lightning.
   But Ais didn't hesitate. She stepped forward like she'd been waiting for this moment, slipping into Ryota's arms-
   And even snuggled closer to his chest.
   She stared wide-eyed as Ais nestled quietly into Ryota's arms.
   Her mind blanked, cheeks burning crimson.
   In the main hall of Twilight Manor!
   People could come down those side stairs at any moment!
   If someone saw her and Miss Ais both hugging Ryota-
   But... if Ais was hugging him and she wasn't...
   Wouldn't that mean she was falling behind!?
   Biting her lip, Lefiya blushed harder and cautiously wrapped her arms around Ryota's other arm.
   "J-Just this once... It's nothing! Just for the experiment!"
   She mumbled like a mosquito and avoided looking anywhere.
   Ryota looked at the two girls clinging to him-one naturally cuddled up, the other radiating like an overheated magic core-and let out a soft laugh.
   With those words, he whispered:
   In a flash of light, the three of them vanished from the spot.
  
   Chapter 97: Chapter 97: The Flickering Dungeon and the Upcoming Expedition!
   The sensation began with a faint weightlessness creeping up from their feet-as if some unseen force were pulling them through space itself.
   In the very next instant, their surroundings changed abruptly.
   One moment they'd been standing in the main hall of Twilight Manor, and now, they found themselves in a dim, rocky corridor.
   Above them stretched a natural stone ceiling, and the air around them was thick with the faint stench of blood and the clammy smell of damp earth.
   In the distance came the shrill screeches of goblins, punctuated occasionally by the footsteps and whispers of adventurers.
   There was no mistaking it-they were on the first floor of the Dungeon.
   Lefiya's eyes widened, her staff nearly slipping from her grasp.
   She glanced around instinctively, her face full of confusion.
   Ais blinked as well, her golden eyes narrowing slightly-but she quickly regained her composure.
   Raising her head to examine the familiar passageway, she murmured under her breath,
   Ryota let out a breath of relief.
   By all logic, teleporting two people at once-even with a space-time ninjutsu like the Flying Raijin Jutsu-should've put some strain on him.
   After all, it wasn't just about moving from one place to another.
   There were factors like spatial folding, dimensional jumping, jutsu anchors, and simultaneous chakra regulation at play.
   But in practice? Ryota didn't feel the slightest bit fatigued.
   His breathing was steady, his chakra flowing smoothly through his body-it was as effortless as taking a stroll after waking up.
   "These Hashirama Cells really are cheating," he thought to himself.
   "Combined with Sage Jutsu Chakra, I can even perform group teleportation without any strain?"
   That sparked a wild idea in his mind-
   "...What if, next time, I just bring the entire core force of the Loki Familia straight into the eighteenth floor?"
   A grin tugged at Ryota's lips.
   If he could really pull off teleportation on that scale, then the concept of "expedition" for the Loki Familia might need a complete rewrite.
   The thought alone sent a thrill through him.
   He looked down at the two girls in his arms and chuckled.
   "You're both holding on pretty tight, huh?"
   The moment the words left his mouth, the flush that had just returned to Lefiya's face exploded into a deep scarlet.
   "I-I-I didn't mean to! It was the landing, the momentum, and then-and then-!"
   She fumbled through her excuse while clumsily adjusting her armor, feet shuffling in embarrassment.
   Ais, on the other hand, was much calmer. She said nothing, made no sudden movements-just gently slipped out of Ryota's arms and stood upright.
   Her expression remained as composed and distant as ever, like a doll princess... though behind her eyes was a flicker of subtle embarrassment-and perhaps reluctance.
   "Knew it..." Ryota teased silently. The Flying Raijin Jutsu didn't cost much chakra at all, but these two side effects sure were something to handle.
   Shifting his gaze from the girls, Ryota turned to the dark corridor stretching ahead.
   "We stopped at the eighteenth floor last time."
   "Yesterday, I made it to the nineteenth alone to test the Flying Raijin. Today, I plan to go even deeper."
   "How deep are you planning to go?" Lefiya asked, her voice soft beside him.
   Ryota thought for a moment.
   "Let's clear the lower levels."
   In Dungeon terms, the "lower levels" referred to floors 25 through 36.
   This zone marked the true threshold of life-and-death trials for any adventurer who had made it past the middle levels.
   Floors 25 to 27 were known as the Water City, an expansive underground region dominated by waterfalls.
   The entire area was eternally damp, filled with mud, flowing currents, and thick mist. Most striking was the enormous waterfall that spanned 400 meters wide-its full length was beyond measure.
   Water-element monsters roamed freely here.
   Without a stable party and solid experience, one could easily be swept away by the current and lose all sense of direction.
   The 28th floor was a Safe Zone, but compared to the 18th, it was smaller and more cramped.
   Adventurers typically used it as a supply point, to rest and sort through loot.
   Further down, the 29th through 32nd floors were known as the Dense Forest Ravine.
   Similar to the Large Tree Labyrinth on the 19th floor, but even more intricate and dangerous.
   Sunlight never reached these depths. Only the bioluminescence of underground creatures provided a dim, eerie glow.
   Towering five-meter-tall red carnivorous dinosaurs called Bloodsaurus roamed here, along with highly magic-resistant man-eating plants.
   Each floor conquered represented a new limit surpassed.
   Even though Ryota had a whole arsenal of "cheats"-the Mangeky Sharingan, Flying Raijin Jutsu, Sage Jutsu Chakra, Hashirama Cells-he never once underestimated the living Dungeon.
   Despite now being a Level 4 adventurer whose combat strength exceeded that of most Level 5s, even 6s-even Ottar had lost to him-his deepest reach had only been the 19th floor.
   Not because he couldn't go deeper.
   But because he didn't dare rush in.
   Cautious by nature, Ryota understood that fighting people was one thing-he could rely on tactics, emotional fluctuations, weaknesses.
   But the Dungeon was different-
   It felt nothing. Showed no mercy. Offered no luck.
   The Dungeon was a devourer.
   It didn't care who you were, how glorious your name or title.
   One misstep-a shaky breath, a poor decision-and it would swallow you and your whole team whole.
   The stronger you were, the more reverence you needed.
   That was a lesson Ryota had engraved into his heart.
   "Hold on to me again. I'll take you... even deeper."
   Both Lefiya and Ais were momentarily stunned.
   But after their first "test flight," they were far less shy than before.
   Still, a faint blush crept onto both their faces.
   Lefiya nodded quietly with a flushed face, hugging her staff tightly as she edged closer.
   Ais didn't say a word-just stepped up naturally and leaned into him like it was second nature.
   Ryota activated the jutsu with a thought-
   The trio vanished in the blink of an eye.
   A massive spray of water exploded as a towering monster crashed to the ground.
   Ryota stood atop a wet rock wall, casually flicking his burning Kusanagi Sword, embers and blood still clinging to its edge.
   At his feet lay the body of a rare monster that only spawned once a month-this floor's boss: Amphisbaena.
   Its right head was crimson, its left sapphire-blue; both eyes rolled back, and a clean slice across its neck had neatly severed its enormous body.
   The monster was a true anomaly-capable of moving freely between floors.
   Its right head emitted a red poison mist laced with magic-perfect for disruption;
   The left could breathe blue flames that burned even on water-perfect for suppression.
   Its necks lashed like whips, and it could launch ambushes from beneath the water without warning.
   The Guild had rated it a Level 6 threat-the most dangerous monster in the area, without question.
   But even so, it hadn't lasted three rounds against Ryota.
   He knelt, picking up its magic stone.
   With his other hand, he extracted a rare item-Amphisbaena's Dragon Liver.
   His right eye spun-the black spiral of Kamui forming in his palm.
   The magic stone and itwm vanished into his Kamui space, not even a trace of residual heat left behind.
   Lefiya and Ais had long lost count of how many times they'd witnessed this spectacle.
   "...Just how many trump cards does Ryota have?"
   Ais tilted her head slightly at the question but didn't look away from him.
   After a moment of silence, she shook her head slowly.
   For once, confusion and focus danced in the golden-haired girl's eyes.
   From the 19th to the 27th floor, Ryota hadn't slowed for a second.
   It was like he had already downloaded the Dungeon's entire map into his mind-every step was precise, every movement perfect.
   To keep the girls from feeling like mere spectators, Ryota had even handed them several kunai marked with his Flying Raijin formula.
   "You two shouldn't just stand around. Find some good spots and set up some markers."
   Lefiya sighed. It felt like she was just clinging to a powerhouse for dear life.
   But on second thought... that didn't sound so bad.
   She pointed toward a protruding stone pillar.
   Ais nodded lightly, leaping up to drive the glowing golden kunai deep into the rock.
   From then on, everything felt almost dreamlike in its smoothness.
   Mark. Mark. And mark again.
   Every floor, every key passage, every safe landing point.
   Kunai whistled through the air, their golden seals glowing like stars buried in the Dungeon's shadows.
   Until they reached the 36th floor.
   There was no light here. Even the phosphorescent moss had thinned to almost nothing.
   Only the occasional monster growl in the distance reminded them that they were still inside the living Dungeon.
   Ais stepped onto a flat patch of earth and drove the final kunai into the ground.
   A faint golden glow flashed-marker complete.
   Not far away, Ryota exhaled deeply as he watched.
   He looked up at the impossibly high ceiling overhead. The deeper one went, the more the Dungeon resisted intruders.
   But now-from floor one to thirty-six-Ryota's anchor network was complete.
   Perhaps no one else in this world could "traverse the Dungeon with a single thought" quite like he could.
   "Good work, both of you," he said softly.
   Lefiya waved him off. Over time, the emotional knots in this silly elf's heart had quietly unraveled.
   Of course, it was all thanks to Ryota.
   "You call this hard work? If all expeditions were this easy, I'd happily go every day!"
   She laughed, gazing at the last glowing kunai in the distance, a thrill she couldn't hide dancing in her eyes.
   "Next time, can I take a swing at the monsters too?"
   Ryota chuckled and shrugged.
   "Only if you can reach them before I do."
   Lefiya pouted, hugging her staff tighter as she inched closer to Ryota's side.
   Ais had already moved, sliding into his arms with practiced ease.
   As natural as breathing-as if this were some kind of ritual between them.
   Lefiya blinked, her cheeks turning pink again. After a brief hesitation, she gently grabbed Ryota's arm as well.
   Her face was red enough to cook an egg on, but she still whispered,
   Ryota couldn't help but smile.
   A flash of golden light-and the three of them vanished from the 36th floor.
   At the entrance to the Dungeon's first floor, a quiet ripple of space pulsed open, and the trio reappeared.
   "Alright, let's head back to Twilight Manor."
   Ryota stretched lazily, leading the two girls out of the Dungeon.
   In the depths of the Pleasure Quarter, within a chamber soaked in temptation and decadence-
   A sharp crack rang through the air, momentarily freezing everything in place.
   Ishtar clutched her cheek, the corners of her eyes wet with rage and humiliation.
   But when she looked up-and saw Ottar standing coldly behind Freya, flanked by Hedin, Hogni, and other former Freya Familia elites-all of that fury was instantly swallowed back down.
   She glared at Freya and snarled,
   "You lunatic! Are you out of your mind, barging into my district like this?!"
   Freya didn't even glance at her. She calmly brushed a strand of hair from her face and said,
   "Touch Ryota again, and I'll send you back to the heavens myself."
   Ishtar's chest heaved with fury.
   But it was just that-fury, and nothing more.
   "You want that man too, don't you?" she spat, gritting her teeth as Freya turned to leave.
   "Don't you want to steal him back from Loki's people?"
   Freya paused mid-step, then slowly turned her head with a cryptic smile.
   "It's just... the time isn't right yet."
   No one noticed the glint in the goddess's eyes-a flicker of charm rippling through the air like a seductive wave.
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   Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Preparations Before the Expedition-Full Familia Warp!
   Ryota had no idea that madwoman Freya was once again brewing some shady scheme down on Pleasure Quarters.
   At the moment, he was sitting on a sofa inside Twilight Manor, arms folded, watching a certain high-energy elf girl bouncing around the hall with a helpless expression on his face.
   "It's true! It really happened! Ryota just went whoosh-and boom! Miss Ais and I were instantly transported to the first floor of the Dungeon!"
   Lefiya waved her arms excitedly, her eyes sparkling, so thrilled she looked like she might burst.
   "And then whoosh again-we landed on the nineteenth floor!"
   "You don't understand! It was all at once! No tunnels, no climbing, no in-between, no traps!"
   "It was like... like he tore open a hole in space itself!"
   Even Finn, the Pallum, forgot to chew his thumb. His mouth hung open in a daze, his whole face screaming, Did I just miss the birth of a new era?
   "From the first floor... to the nineteenth? Are you sure?"
   Riveria frowned, trying to make sense of something that completely broke all known logic.
   But she knew Lefiya too well. This overly earnest, magic-charged idiot couldn't even tell a white lie without blushing. And this time, she'd delivered the whole thing like a practiced speech.
   Riveria turned her head to the blond girl beside her.
   "Ais. Is what Lefiya said true?"
   Ais nodded without hesitation.
   As if worried that wasn't enough, she added softly, "It's true."
   The calmness in her voice somehow carried a weight that silenced the room instantly.
   Everyone's eyes snapped to Ryota, who was currently yawning lazily in the corner, looking as laid-back as ever.
   Loki propped her chin on one hand and broke the silence.
   "So... you mean you can bring people with you?"
   Ryota gave a light hum in response. "Tested it all day-carrying Lefiya and Ais didn't burden me at all."
   He glanced around at the visibly excited core members of the Loki Familia, then added:
   "But whether I can take all of you at once... honestly, I'm not sure."
   Finn seemed to remember something and immediately asked,
   "How did you carry Ais and Lefiya? Did it need a chant or something? Can you walk us through the process?"
   As expected of Loki Familia's captain-always asking the exact questions everyone wanted answers to.
   The others leaned in, their eyes shining, clearly waiting for Ryota's explanation.
   But Ais tilted her head slightly, averting her eyes, a faint, barely noticeable blush coloring her face.
   Lefiya, meanwhile, went bright red in an instant and flailed her arms.
   "Captain Finn, th-that part doesn't really need to be discussed, right?!"
   Loki's hair practically stood on end.
   "You what?! You held our dear Ais?!"
   The goddess of mischief wore an odd mix of shock, heartbreak, and indignation on her face.
   "Wasn't Captain Finn asking how I did it? I'm just telling the truth."
   Loki opened her mouth but failed to form words. 
   She glanced at Ryota's utterly unbothered expression, then at Ais's usually blank face that now had a clear flush to it, and felt something tighten in her chest. She almost forgot to breathe.
   Finally, she slumped back onto the sofa in defeat, glaring at Ryota with her signature squinty eyes-the kind of look you give a dangerous animal you're not sure you should lock up or set free.
   Finn blinked, then chuckled.
   "Oh, so it's physical contact teleportation? Makes sense, I suppose."
   Tiona lit up with excitement.
   "Whoa-then can I hold you and jump to the thirtieth floor?! I wanna try!"
   Tione jumped in immediately.
   Lefiya darted forward, arms out protectively in front of Ryota like she was shielding a cub.
   "You can't just hug him like it's nothing!"
   "Ohhh~ So Lefiya wants Ryota all to herself now? Our dumb elf's gotten bold~"
   Watching the whole scene devolve into chaos, Ryota simply chuckled and looked out the window.
   Time to move forward with the expedition plans.
   The next three days were the busiest the Loki Familia-or all of Orario, really-had ever been.
   Though the War Game had ended, its shockwaves were far from settling.
   The Freya Familia was disbanded. Completely. Irrevocably.
   And though Loki Familia never explicitly laid claim to Freya's assets and resources, Orario's unspoken rule was crystal clear: the victor takes all.
   With the Guild's subtle nudging and silent approval, everything from Freya Familia's storage depots, training grounds, underground reserves-even their outer business connections and trade contracts-began funneling toward the Loki Familia at breakneck speed.
   As for the adventurers who had once served under Freya? They were all flatly rejected-thanks to Ryota's decisive veto.
   And after Lefiya's passionate, starry-eyed "testimonial"-plus that one solemn nod from Ais-they were now hailed as the Familia's top "Flying Raijin testers," their word practically law.
   Their descriptions were simple, but the unhidden glow in their eyes and subtle shift in tone had completely sold Loki and the core members
   So, after a full day and night of closed-door discussion-
   The Loki Familia made its decision:
   "The expedition resumes!"
   This time, it wasn't just another reputation-building run or a tactical scouting mission for new resource points.
   No. This was the real deal.
   One goal, and one goal only: reach the fifty-eighth floor!
   Back then, Finn and the others had barely made it there before being forced to retreat. A goddamn Valgang Dragon, followed by a logistical collapse, had crushed their ambitious plans.
   But now, everything was different.
   Freya Familia's entire resource network was theirs.
   Ryota, a one-man powerhouse, had joined their ranks.
   And the Flying Raijin? It completely rewrote the rules of Dungeon expeditions.
   No more supply issues. Combat strength at an all-time high. Even resupply could be done instantly.
   All these seemingly impossible advantages had been fused together by one man.
   So from Loki to the Three Captains, down to every last member of the Familia-no one doubted the decision.
   This expedition wasn't just about surpassing Freya Familia's old records.
   It was about smashing through the invisible ceiling that had loomed over all Familias since the departure of the Zeus and Hera Familias-the legendary upper limit.
   While the Familia was busy preparing, Ryota-the "hardcore workaholic"-wasn't slacking off either.
   He practically nailed himself inside the forge Hephaestus Familia had provided, catching sleep by leaning against the wall when necessary.
   Echoed day and night with the clang of metal.
   As for materials? All sourced from the now-defunct Freya Familia.
   Rare ores, scales and fangs from deep-Dungeon monsters-each was disassembled, fused, and reforged in Ryota's hands into powerful, deadly gear.
   Hephaestus Familia was Orario's undisputed master of forging.
   And yet, even the red-haired goddess herself had to admit after a few days:
   "This kid's... totally insane."
   By now, Ryota's Kamui space had turned into a full-blown armory, overflowing with weapons and supplies.
   With one last hammer strike, the metallic clang echoed through the forge long after it landed.
   Ryota exhaled, setting his tongs and hammer aside on a nearby rack, and gazed out the window.
   Orario's streets were quiet and dimly lit.
   Tomorrow was expedition day.
   Without lingering, Ryota slung on his jacket, stored the freshly-forged kunai into Kamui space, and stepped outside the forge.
   Click. The door swung open.
   Just like the past few nights, two familiar figures stood waiting.
   Freya sat on a long bench she'd somehow dragged over, basking in the moonlight and night breeze.
   Her smoky-gray eyes, radiating that magnetic allure, locked onto Ryota the instant he stepped out.
   Beside her, Ottar stood silent and still, like a living statue.
   Ryota glanced at them but said nothing.
   Truthfully, he was used to it by now.
   Freya, that crazy goddess, refused to eat or drink-just sat there watching his door like a hawk.
   Not even Hephaestus could talk her down.
   Still, her weird obsession had one upside: it gave the Loki Familia some breathing room.
   After all, with a beauty goddess guarding your doorstep, the Guild workers delivering supplies probably tripped over their own feet just walking past.
   And honestly, who else but Ryota could make a god and a Level 7 powerhouse willingly stand watch like door guards?
   "You two don't sleep or what?" Ryota asked, his tone laced with mild exasperation.
   "We didn't want to disturb your work, so we waited out here," Freya replied, smiling as she stood.
   "Now that you've come out, I feel relieved."
   "Be careful during the expedition tomorrow, Ryota."
   He waved a hand as he walked past, sighing.
   "If you're really that worried, why not just leave Orario already? Watching me all day-it's kinda creepy."
   "I'm not leaving. My business here isn't done."
   That made Ryota pause. He turned his head and asked,
   "...What are you planning?"
   "You'll know once you return from the expedition."
   Freya's smile turned impossibly gentle.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes. He had a feeling there was more to her words than she let on.
   But then again, this was Freya.
   Trying to make sense of her logic was a losing game from the start.
   Suddenly, he remembered something.
   "What about Kali and those two girls? Did you lock them up or something?"
   "Nope~ They're still in Orario. But I have no idea where."
   Ryota gave a noncommittal hum.
   Better if they stayed hidden. Those three were walking trauma for Tione and Tiona.
   Shaking his head, he stopped thinking about it and headed toward the Hephaestus Familia's front gate.
   Time to return to Twilight Manor.
   Tomorrow's expedition was the real deal.
   Freya stood silently in the night wind, eyes following Ryota's silhouette until it vanished into the darkness.
   "...What do you think it'd be like if Ryota joined our Familia?"
   Ottar blinked and looked at her, hesitation briefly flashing across his face before he murmured,
   Hearing that, Freya's lips curved into a deep, meaningful smile.
   She stepped forward and whispered, half to Ottar, half to herself:
   "Only someone like him... deserves me."
   The night passed quietly.
   Dawn broke, though Orario's streets still slumbered.
   Twilight Manor, however, was already fully lit.
   Ryota descended the stairs from the second floor, his ever-present backpack slung across one shoulder.
   In the main hall, the Three Captains, Tiona, Tione, Bete, Ais, and the other core members had been waiting for some time.
   As soon as he appeared, all eyes turned to him.
   Loki stepped forward first. For once, she dropped her usual nonchalance and spoke with rare seriousness.
   "Ryota, I know you've got a lot of tricks up your sleeve, but promise me one thing-"
   She paused, her squinty eyes narrowing even more than usual.
   "No matter what happens, don't push yourself too far. If things get dangerous, put yourself first. Got it?"
   Ryota looked at her-at that genuine concern in her eyes-and smiled, nodding.
   "Don't worry, Lady Loki."
   "I value my life more than anyone."
   Loki gave a soft "hmph" and stepped back to make room.
   That's when a flash of gold streaked past her.
   Ais had darted straight into Ryota's arms.
   Loki froze in place, mid-step, her brain stalling.
   Before she could react, Finn and the others surged forward like seasoned veterans, quickly clustering around Ryota like they'd done this a hundred times.
   "All right, everyone grab tight!"
   "Hey, who stepped on my foot?!"
   "Stop pushing! I was here first!"
   "Ryota, are you sure you can carry all of us? Should we split into two groups?"
   Watching this squad of elite adventurers crowd in like kids at a bungee jump station, Ryota's mouth twitched.
   Everyone shouted, "Ready!"
   A ripple of golden space distortion spread out like a wave, and in the blink of an eye, the entire squad vanished from sight.
   The grand hall of Twilight Manor was suddenly empty, save for one person.
   Loki, still frozen in place.
   She slumped back onto the couch, blankly staring at the ceiling.
   Her mind kept replaying the moment Ais dove into Ryota's chest without hesitation.
   "Ais... You actually did that right in front of me..."
   She hugged a pillow to her chest, eyes hollow.
   "...Why do I feel like crying but the tears won't come?"
  
   Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Juggernaut from the Deep Floors of the Dungeon!
   The sense of weightlessness came suddenly-but disappeared just as fast.
   In the span of a single breath-
   The moment their feet touched solid ground again, the entire group was already standing on the first floor of the Dungeon.
   Finn jerked his head up, scanning the surroundings. After confirming he was completely unharmed, he tapped his temple with a dazed expression.
   This wasn't a small group of two or three-it was an entire squad of the Familia's core combat force.
   And yet they had just been carried-yes, carried-like groceries in a basket, straight from Twilight Manor into the Dungeon by Ryota.
   If he hadn't experienced it himself, he would've bet his life that such a thing was impossible.
   Next to him, Riveria, Gareth, and the others stood in stunned silence, their eyes filled with disbelief.
   Only Ais and Lefiya, who had already experienced the strange sensation of flying before, looked relatively calm.
   While they were still dazed, a few adventurers nearby were also startled by the sudden commotion.
   "Wait, wait, did a whole group of people just appear out of thin air?!"
   "No... no way, that's the Loki Familia!!"
   "You're kidding, right? Is this an illusion?!"
   "There's no way the entire Loki Familia just materialized on the first floor. Are you messing with me?"
   "But look at their faces... They look so confused... Don't tell me it's their first time on the first floor?"
   As they watched the imposing, visibly shaken members of the Loki Familia, the other adventurers around them collectively questioned their reality.
   Meanwhile, Ryota simply lifted his gaze forward and quickly scanned the chakra flow within his body.
   No fatigue, no weakness, not even the slightest discomfort.
   It seemed his previous concerns had been unfounded.
   He'd assumed that transporting an entire team via space-time ninjutsu-even with the support of Hashirama's cells and Sage Chakra-would incur some kind of burden.
   Just in case, he had chosen the first floor for testing.
   After all, even Second Hokage Tobirama had rarely, if ever, used the Flying Raijin Jutsu on such a scale or frequency.
   The sensation was nearly identical to when he'd only brought Ais and Lefiya.
   This must be the power of cheats!
   "Ryota, are you... really okay?" Lefiya couldn't help but speak up. She'd been watching him closely, afraid he was just putting up a strong front.
   "I'm great-feeling as fresh as ever."
   As he spoke, he gestured for everyone to regroup.
   "Come on, gather up. We're jumping straight to the thirty-sixth floor."
   The moment the words left his mouth, everyone turned to him in unison.
   "Ryota, don't you think you're rushing it a bit?" Finn reached out to stop him, concern in his voice.
   "Even if this Flying Raijin Jutsu of yours is some kind of magic, it still counts as magic, right? The mental toll must be huge."
   "I was already stunned you could jump from the surface to the first floor. And now you want to go straight to the thirty-sixth? Are you sure your body can handle that? Don't push yourself."
   Riveria chimed in, nodding along like a worried mother.
   "Casting high-intensity magic consecutively could lead to a Mind Down. If you collapse-"
   Before she could finish, everyone else joined in to try and stop him.
   Even Ais had a rare flicker of concern in her eyes.
   Ryota stood there, looking at all the worried faces around him. He raised a hand and gave an "OK" sign.
   "For me, this kind of strain is nothing."
   Finn opened his mouth but didn't say anything. He just gave a wry smile and lowered his hand.
   "...You're the only person in this team whose abilities I just can't wrap my head around."
   Ryota shrugged, turned to face the others, and grinned even wider.
   "So-everyone, hold on tight."
   Just like before, the first to dive into his arms was Ais.
   Hot on her heels was the classic tsundere elf girl.
   Lefiya muttered "For the expedition, for the expedition..." under her breath, like she was trying to justify her actions as she slipped in beside him.
   Just as Ryota was about to say "Alright, that's enough," two more shadows pounced from either side.
   "Ryota~ I wanna try this teleport thing too!"
   Tione and Tiona squeezed in on either side, giggling as they playfully jostled for space-each trying to get even closer.
   Feeling the overwhelming pressure of multiple "deep valleys" smashing against his chest, Ryota nearly forgot how to say the words "Flying Raijin."
   Only after everyone else had stepped in and placed a hand on him did he finally murmur the familiar incantation:
   Golden light tore through space again, and in a burst of softness and embarrassment, the entire group vanished from the first floor of the Dungeon.
   Dungeon, Thirty-Seventh Floor.
   This layer, classified as part of the Deep Floors, was completely unlike the damp, dim atmosphere of the middle floors.
   The walls, floors, and ceiling were all made of smooth white crystal, giving the illusion of some divine labyrinth rather than a cavernous underground.
   Towering archways, crisscrossing maze-like corridors, and staircases that seemed to stretch into infinity.
   From above, the central chamber was composed of five massive concentric circular walls, spiraling inward like a fortress within a fortress.
   These were numbered from the outermost to innermost: Walls Five through One.
   Inside the First Wall lay the deepest point of this floor-the Throne Room.
   Radiating outward were the Beast Room, Soldier Room, Warrior Room, and Knight Room.
   The farther from the throne, the wider and simpler the corridors became.
   But the closer one drew to the throne, the more complex and disorienting the labyrinth became-as if designed to wear down challengers' minds and bodies until they were deemed "worthy" to face the king.
   And sleeping within that Throne Room was this floor's boss-Udaeus.
   In the original timeline, Ais had slain Udaeus solo as a Level 5, marking her breakthrough to Level 6.
   But now, thanks to Ryota's help, the golden-haired girl had already reached Level 6 in advance.
   At this moment, atop the tall outer walls of the Thirty-Seventh Floor, the Big Three stood with Ryota, gazing down at the battlefield below, which was lit with fire and streaked with flashes of light.
   Inside the Throne Room, Ais's figure danced around her opponent, each strike aimed with precision at Udaeus's weak points.
   Lefiya stood a safe distance behind her, chanting continuously to provide uninterrupted support.
   Their coordination was seamless-as if they saw this infamous floor boss as little more than a training dummy.
   Ryota turned to Finn with a smile.
   "Sure you don't want me to step in?"
   Finn shook his head without hesitation.
   "You're our secret weapon for this expedition."
   "No way we let you waste that now."
   After a short pause, he added, "A Level 6 and a Level 4 are more than enough to handle this brute."
   "And once we've placed the mark, we'll move on just like you said."
   Ryota nodded. No objections.
   As Finn-and the rest of the Loki Familia-saw it, the "main quest" of this expedition was to reach the Fifty-Eighth Floor.
   And the "side quest" was to help Ryota place teleportation marks on each floor.
   The ultimate goal: transform the Dungeon into a network of instant transport hubs for the Loki Familia.
   Though the battle below looked intense, that was mostly for show.
   In truth, Udaeus had been on the defensive since the fight began.
   Lefiya pushed off with both feet and leapt backward, raising her wand-Forest's Teardrop-as she began a new chant:
   "O proud warriors, O snipers of the forest..."
   As her chant ended, Lefiya unleashed her area-of-effect fire magic, Fusillade Fallarica.
   Countless lances of flame rained down from the sky, covering every inch of Udaeus's territory!
   Even as the explosions echoed, a golden streak shot through the firelight.
   Ais darted into Udaeus's blind spot. With a clear ring, her sword Feather's Echo came down hard on the back of his neck!
   A heavy shudder shook the entire Throne Room.
   The next second, the hulking figure collapsed in a heap, a cloud of dust billowing up.
   The mighty floor boss finally disintegrated into black ash.
   "Tch, that dumb elf is getting good."
   Ever since Ryota helped her overcome her inner demons, the "Thousand Elf" had been growing rapidly into one of the strongest mages.
   As the battle ended, Finn gave Bete a subtle glance. The werewolf immediately understood, stomped once, and vanished in a blur.
   Moments later, he reappeared near a rocky outcropping, jamming a kunai glowing with golden light into the wall.
   Another Flying Raijin mark was set.
   Finn looked at the black ash drifting in the air and the now-silent Throne Room before turning and waving down to the girls below.
   "Ais, Lefiya! Over here!"
   The two girls came bounding over, excitement still lingering on their faces.
   Finn smiled and turned to Ryota.
   "Let's move on to the Thirty-Eighth Floor."
   "Thirty-Ninth is a safe zone-we can rest up there."
   "What do you think, Ryota?"
   Ryota nodded. No objections.
   In his mind, expeditions like this-high risk, low reward, but strategically necessary-were old news for the Loki Familia.
   But just as Ais, Lefiya, and Bete rejoined the group-
   The ground suddenly trembled with a deafening roar, like something crying out from the depths.
   Rocks crumbled, dust exploded outward, and from the rear of the now-silent Throne Room came a hideous grinding noise.
   Finn jerked his head up, eyes filled with confusion.
   Before he could speak, Riveria's face paled as she instantly raised her staff.
   "This is bad. Irregular!"
   She reflexively began chanting a large-scale defensive spell.
   "Wait, isn't that a bit much? This kind of tremor-this is the first time we've ever-"
   Before Tiona could finish, a sharp crack echoed out.
   The floor of the Throne Room split open!
   Dark energy surged out like a tide.
   A massive black form began slithering out from the crack.
   Thick limbs. Razor-sharp claws. Eyes glowing red.
   Ryota's eyes snapped into Mangeky Sharingan, locking onto the emerging shape.
   His brow twitched. His voice was calm but probing.
   The Irregular Juggernaut-Dungeon's automatic defense response to catastrophic damage.
   Everyone knew: the Dungeon in DanMachi wasn't just a place. It was alive.
   After battles, it would repair itself rapidly and pause monster spawning in that zone.
   But if the destruction was too great-dense, excessive, beyond the limit-
   Then the Dungeon would "create" a Juggernaut.
   A living embodiment of its will, with only one goal:
   To hunt down and kill every adventurer responsible for "excessive damage."
   The deeper the floor where it appeared, the stronger the Juggernaut.
   In the source material, a Juggernaut had once spawned on Floor 27 and chased down Liliruca and Ryuu.
   They were now on Floor Thirty-Seven-a Deep Floor.
   This Juggernaut was a Deep Floor Enhanced Variant.
   Far stronger than the one Ryuu had faced-by several orders of magnitude.
   Ryota recalled Lefiya's earlier spell. Though large-scale, it hadn't been destructive enough to trigger a Juggernaut.
   There was no way her attack alone could've provoked this kind of response.
   "Then what the hell caused it...?"
   His gaze drifted to the kunai lodged in the wall, glowing faintly with golden light.
   The spatial fluctuation from the Flying Raijin Jutsu mark shimmered with each chakra pulse-gently warping the structure of the surrounding space.
   And in that moment, Ryota realized-
   "Shit. It's not Lefiya. It's me..."
   Images flashed through his mind-every kunai he'd embedded across the floors:
   First floor. Tenth. Twentieth. Thirty-seventh.
   Each one laced with the Flying Raijin formula.
   He'd been so proud of his wealthy man's strategy, thinking it was the safest method.
   He finally understood: he'd been unknowingly treating the Dungeon like a giant magic circuit board.
   Like hammering a nail into someone's back every few steps.
   And now, that "someone" was pissed.
   "The Dungeon is conscious... and it's rejecting me."
   "The Juggernaut is its immune response."
   And the kunai Bete had just planted?
   That was the final straw that tripped the Dungeon's "rage switch" and triggered the unprecedented awakening of this Deep Floor Juggernaut.
   Beside him, Finn's face tightened as his mind raced to plot an escape route. He shouted:
   "Everyone! Evacuate the combat zone!"
   "Keep moving-don't get stuck fighting it head-on!"
   As the others prepared to retreat, Ryota shook his head, flipped his wrist, and summoned the Kusanagi Sword.
   "Captain Finn, you all wait here."
   Finn froze. "Ryota, that thing is a Juggernaut. You should-"
   "I dug this hole. I'll be the one to fill it."
  
   Chapter 100: Chapter 100: So Thorough There's Not Even a Scrap Left?!
   Everyone was momentarily stunned.
   While the appearance of a Juggernaut was extremely rare, it wasn't unheard of.
   During a previous expedition, the Loki Familia had also encountered one-though that time, it was in the lower floors. 
   The cause had been a large-scale explosion that severely damaged the Dungeon's structure, which then triggered the Dungeon's retaliatory response.
   Now, with this sudden deep-floor Juggernaut, the group couldn't help but make the connection.
   Though Finn couldn't fully grasp the implication behind Ryota's words, he still offered reassurance:
   "Ryota, don't say things like that. We're a team."
   "Even if this monster is tough, it's not unbeatable."
   "As long as we divide our firepower properly and fight while retreating, we can take it down-though it might cost us some time."
   But Ryota shook his head.
   "Captain Finn, you know that's not what I'm worried about."
   "This is a Juggernaut born from the deep floors-it's not like the ones in the lower floors that you can slowly chip away at."
   "If we try to fight while retreating, it'll never stop chasing us."
   "Even if we manage to kill it, the cost will be steep. Most importantly, we'll waste far too much time."
   "That's why... we need to erase it completely-until there's not even a scrap left."
   The group fell silent at Ryota's assessment.
   Even Riveria and Gareth, both seasoned veterans of multiple expeditions, couldn't hide the heaviness in their expressions.
   Tactically speaking, a hit-and-run approach was usually the safest method, keeping risks manageable-against normal enemies, that is.
   But this thing was no ordinary monster. It was a killing machine crafted by the Dungeon itself-a manifestation of the Dungeon's will.
   It wasn't designed to fight, but to purge.
   It didn't roar or posture when it appeared-its first action was to lock onto Ryota and the others' position.
   As long as they lived-as long as there were invaders on this floor-it wouldn't stop.
   And worse yet, the Juggernaut could consume other monsters to regenerate itself.
   One slip-up, and the consequences would be catastrophic.
   "Let's not forget, our goal is to break through to the fifty-eighth floor. We're not here just to get stalled by a Juggernaut."
   After a few seconds of silence, Finn was the first to respond. His voice carried a note of apology and self-reproach.
   "...Understood, Ryota. I didn't consider everything."
   "So what's the plan? Do you want us to cover you while you use that... skeletal giant?"
   That skeleton-just thinking about it made even a seasoned Level 6 like Finn shudder.
   Next to him, Lefiya spoke up as well.
   "Or... how about that Third Kazekage guy? He looked really strong too."
   But Ryota shook his head.
   "And I don't need the Third Kazekage either."
   Before his words had even finished-
   The Juggernaut suddenly sprang forward, its limbs pounding the ground with deafening force as it charged straight at them!
   At Finn's signal, Mama prepared to chant-but Ryota, standing beside her, simply raised a hand and whispered softly:
   A pulse of soul-shaking energy swept through the air.
   A black shadow dropped from the sky.
   Under the stunned gazes of everyone present, that descending figure bent its legs mid-air, gathering all its mass and strength into a single blow-
   And smashed its knees down onto the Juggernaut's skull!
   The Juggernaut's body folded into a V-shape from the impact and slammed into the ground with devastating force.
   Rocks flew, dust billowed.
   The entire battlefield fell silent once more, with only a massive crater left behind.
   Through the swirling dust, a dark figure leapt from the pit.
   click click click click click-!
   That chilling sound of mechanical limbs shifting echoed across the field.
   At Ryota's signal, the Asura Path's form twisted grotesquely. Metal frameworks expanded wildly, six arms and three faces emerging in an instant.
   With a shrill hiss of compressed air, all six arms raised simultaneously, aiming at the smoking crater.
   In just one second-six artillery blasts.
   Then a second volley. A third. Mechanical arms rotated in synchronized waves.
   Blazing light erupted. Deafening explosions roared across the entirety of the thirty-seventh floor like an apocalyptic barrage wiping the world clean.
   Lefiya stood frozen, staring at the bombardment.
   Compared to this, her earlier spell-Fusillade Fallarica-was a joke. This wasn't even in the same league.
   And it still wasn't over!
   Just when everyone thought the attack had ended, the Asura Path lowered its head, and-clack-its skull opened up.
   A blinding blue-white light gathered at its head and then-
   A laser beam the size of a giant pillar blasted into the crater!
   The entire thirty-seventh floor quaked. It felt like even the Dungeon itself was trembling in fear.
   No one knew how long it lasted-it felt like an eternity.
   Eventually, the rumbling underfoot faded into silence.
   The air was thick with the stench of scorched metal, but the suffocating pressure had dissipated like a receding tide.
   No movement came from the pit.
   A black shadow vanished from the edge of the crater and landed silently before Ryota.
   The Asura Path had returned to its humanoid form. Its eyes glinted coldly as it knelt on one knee and reported respectfully:
   "Target eliminated, Master."
   If a Juggernaut could survive that level of bombardment, it'd be a damn ghost.
   Finn, Riveria, and the others-
   Were all completely petrified.
   Like statues frozen in time, they stared blankly at the scene before them.
   Riveria was the first to find her voice again, speaking in a dry, uncertain tone.
   "His name is Asura Path. Long-range fire support type."
   Then, as if remembering something, Ryota added:
   "He's the same type as that you saw before-the one that summoned beasts."
   "There are four more like him."
   Finn stepped forward slowly, still looking dazed.
   He stood at the edge of the crater and peered down.
   Yep. Not even a trace left.
   Black smoke still lingered, and the ground looked like it had been baptized by the end of days.
   After a few seconds of silence, Finn suddenly understood what Ryota meant by 'not even a scrap left.'
   There probably wasn't even a particle of its aura left in the air!
   Tiona blinked and sidled up to Ryota, whispering:
   "Ryota, seriously-are you secretly raising an army of monsters or something?"
   Ryota shrugged and chuckled.
   "Come on now, don't say that. I'm just trying to finish the expedition."
   Ais stood quietly off to the side, her gaze fixed on Ryota's profile, a strange emotion flickering in her golden eyes.
   She was already Level 6, and she'd thought that was strong enough to fight beside this black-haired boy.
   She was still so far behind him.
   So far that he felt... completely out of reach.
   At that moment, Riveria furrowed her brows, as if suddenly remembering something.
   "You just had the Asura Path unleash hell for almost a full minute... Wouldn't that level of destruction risk triggering another Irregular?"
   "Like... a second Juggernaut, but stronger?"
   The moment she said that, everyone's expressions changed.
   If another one appeared, this would turn into a full-on apocalyptic survival scenario.
   But Ryota just smiled, as if he'd been waiting for someone to ask that.
   He dusted off his hands and replied:
   "Relax. Before I gave the Asura Path the order, I already told him to go easy."
   "That laser cannon? If I let it go all-out, it could burn straight through this entire floor."
   "And if that happened, forget an Irregular-the whole Dungeon would go berserk."
   "I only told him to eliminate the Juggernaut, not collapse the thirty-seventh floor."
   He pointed to the crater.
   "The Asura Path's entire attack range was carefully confined to that pit. He avoided all key structures and didn't trigger any chain collapses."
   "So no, there won't be another Irregular."
   Then, with a sheepish grin:
   "I still have a healthy respect for the Dungeon, you know?"
   Everyone stared at Ryota like he was some sort of monster.
   Even taking down a monster had to be this meticulously planned?
   Every move, every detail-Ryota had calculated everything from the start.
   He wasn't just strong-he was the kind of strong that stayed three steps ahead and ten times more precise than you.
   Finn rejoined the group, sighing with deep emotion:
   "Having you in our Familia... is truly our greatest blessing."
   Ryota smiled and didn't deny it.
   The Loki Familia really knew how to offer emotional support.
   Perhaps it was because Ryota had annihilated the deep-floor Juggernaut in such an absurdly over-the-top fashion, but the Dungeon fell eerily silent afterward.
   The expedition through the thirty-eighth floor went surprisingly smoothly.
   It was as if the entire maze had gone quiet out of fear of something-or someone.
   Every monster they encountered was swiftly taken out by Ais and the others.
   But this time, Ryota didn't leave a marker on the thirty-eighth floor.
   Instead, he placed the day's second kunai on the safe zone of the thirty-ninth floor.
   As for the next few floors-
   From the fortieth to the forty-third, Ryota didn't set up any new Flying Raijin marks.
   First, the terrain on those floors was far too complicated. Some areas didn't even have stable landing points.
   Second, the floors themselves were enormous.
   For regions nearly the size of the Orario city center, it just wasn't worth the effort.
   Who knew if the Dungeon might get pissed off again and throw another ridiculous Irregular at them?
   Caution had always been Ryota's guiding principle in life.
   Even with all his cheat-like powers, he never let his guard down.
   Not until they reached the forty-ninth floor.
   The floor boss there was named Balor.
   Interesting fact: this monster had once fought Ottar in a one-on-one duel.
   That was back when Ottar was still Level 6. Out of boredom, he had ventured into the deep floors alone.
   He battled Balor on this floor for three straight days and nights-yet the fight ended in a draw.
   But this time was different.
   This time, Balor wasn't facing Ottar alone, but an entire crew of Level 6 elites like Ais and Bete.
   And in the end, under a single blow from Ryota's summoned Susanoo-
   The monster that had terrified countless adventurers was reduced to a pile of black ash, scattered on the wind.
   The fiftieth floor safe zone.
   Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting mottled patterns on the forest floor.
   The towering trees surrounding them reminded Ryota of the eighteenth floor-it felt like a hidden paradise.
   Leaning against the trunk of a massive tree, Ryota closed his eyes and rested for a while.
   Not far off, Ais approached, carrying a simple portable meal in her hands.
   She bent slightly and handed it to him.
   Ryota accepted it with a smile and a nod.
   Ais didn't say anything, simply sitting down beside him.
   After a moment's hesitation, the golden-haired girl rested her head gently on Ryota's shoulder. Her movements were careful and slightly stiff, the kind unique to girls her age.
   Ryota glanced sideways at her, then subtly relaxed his shoulder to let her rest more comfortably.
   "What are you thinking about?" Ais asked suddenly.
   "...Starting from the fifty-second floor up to the fifty-eighth," Ryota said quietly, his gaze drifting off into the distance.
   "We'll start seeing that Valgang Dragon bastard."
   "That thing's fireballs can ignore floor boundaries-it can attack from across layers."
   The reason the Loki Familia had never been able to get past the fifty-eighth floor was, in large part, because of that Valgang Dragon.
   "If we can take it down, then the fifty-eighth floor will be ours."
   "But no point thinking too far ahead."
   "Let's rest well tonight and aim to clear it tomorrow."
   Ais let out a soft "mm" and leaned into him a little more.
   They sat together in silence, the forest's noise fading into the background, leaving only the whisper of the wind and the quiet rhythm of two steady heartbeats.
   Ryota knew that starting from the fifty-second floor, things wouldn't be so easy anymore.
   He would need to use even more of his hidden cards to push the Loki Familia to the true summit.
   "The reward for the third-stage main quest... I can't wait."
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   Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Buff Stacking Madness
   Ryota pulled out a kunai that shimmered with a faint golden light from inside his cloak and carefully embedded it into the base of the tree where he'd leaned shoulder-to-shoulder with Ais the day before.
   Then, without wasting a moment, he broke into a jog and followed the Loki Familia's expedition team into the fifty-first floor.
   This level was completely different, monster-infested deep floors they'd traversed before.
   The fifty-first floor was an enormous special zone..
   The walls, floors, and ceiling were all flat, smooth, and pale gray-like stone that had been meticulously sanded down.
   The passageways were eerily symmetrical, filled with intersections and sharp turns. 
   Every chamber looked deliberately engineered, devoid of any of the rough, organic feeling one would expect from natural caves.
   The sheer artificiality of the place gave off a deeply unsettling vibe.
   "Back to this damn place again..."
   Bete scowled at the unnaturally perfect walls on either side and muttered under his breath, "Everything here pisses me off."
   The others didn't comment, but their expressions weren't any brighter.
   It was a visceral kind of disgust-one that came from deep within.
   As they advanced deeper into the fifty-first floor, Ryota quickly picked up on what made this area so different from the rest of the deep floors.
   Though the terrain retained the same oppressive, white labyrinthine architecture that looked like it was built by machines, every turn and junction hid ambush points teeming with monsters.
   They were tricky opponents, but against a coordinated assault from several Level 6 adventurers, they were dispatched one by one without much trouble.
   What was strange, however, was the complete absence of the floor boss-Cadmus.
   The Adventurers' Guild had only scant, almost vague records on the fifty-first floor's boss, Cadmus.
   What little was commonly known was that its appearance was always accompanied by the emergence of a unique spring.
   Rumor had it that beneath the spring lay a treasure trove of rare loot, the stuff of adventurers' dreams.
   And Cadmus was the "guardian" of that treasure trove.
   Its appearance was said to be an immutable law of nature-anyone who dared to covet the spring would inevitably face this beast's wrath.
   As for how powerful it was, all they knew was that it was far stronger than Udaeus from the thirty-seventh floor. Whether it could outmatch Balor from the forty-ninth, though-that remained unknown.
   Ryota cast a sideways glance at the blonde girl beside him.
   Ais was staring ahead into the empty corridor, a faint shadow of disappointment flickering in her golden eyes.
   He couldn't help but chuckle softly and teased in a low voice, "Disappointed you didn't get to fight?"
   Ais didn't reply, but the subtle dip of her lashes said enough.
   Ryota shook his head with a smile. "Floor bosses don't have fixed respawn times. It's possible the Freya Familia already took it out not long ago."
   He paused, then added in a quieter tone, "Though... less fighting is actually a good thing for us."
   Ais pressed her lips together, then gave a light "Mm" in acknowledgment.
   Yeah, for someone with such a cool and stoic exterior, the Sword Princess sure had an overwhelming thirst for battle.
   With no floor boss to stop them, the Loki Familia stepped into the fifty-second floor.
   The moment they entered, Ryota furrowed his brow slightly.
   It was still the same artificial, stone-hewn maze. But compared to the fifty-first floor, the space here had become noticeably narrower.
   The corridors that could once accommodate three people side by side now forced the team to tighten formation, drawing closer together.
   From the fifty-second to the fifty-eighth floor, this entire stretch had a single name: the Dragon's Vase.
   And it wasn't just a dramatic title.
   This was the domain of a truly terrifying creature-one that, standing on two legs, could reach ten meters tall, its body cloaked in blood-red scales: the Valgang Dragon.
   Ryota looked up, eyes scanning the narrow tunnels and the dim yellowish walls. The whole floor was... too quiet.
   At that moment, Lefiya spoke up in a hushed tone.
   "During our last expedition... we made it to the fifty-seventh floor."
   "But the moment we stepped into the fifty-eighth, the Valgang Dragon appeared."
   "It blasted us with a single breath attack. We were flipped upside down. If Lady Riveria hadn't reacted fast enough, we probably wouldn't have made it out."
   She looked up at Ryota, her eyes filled with a complicated emotion.
   "And that thing-it's not just any monster. It's intelligent."
   "It could've ambushed us way back on the fifty-second floor when we were most vulnerable... but it waited until we were deep in and worn out."
   "It was like... laying bait, stringing us along, waiting until we were tired and careless to deliver a fatal blow."
   Ryota nodded silently after hearing her explanation.
   The Dungeon was a living thing, after all. Monsters developing intelligence wasn't unheard of.
   The deeper one ventured, the more common it became to encounter monsters with sentience.
   The team pressed forward. 
   The narrow, twisting passages were marked with charred scars on the ground-evidence of large-scale magic battles. But strangely, the Dungeon seemed to have "healed" itself, gradually erasing the damage.
   Finn led at the front. He was just about to signal the group to pause for a brief log update when-
   A violent tremor erupted beneath their feet!
   Not from the ceiling, not from the walls-but from directly below them!
   Dust exploded into the air as pebbles tumbled down around them.
   "What the hell?!" Lefiya shouted, her face pale. "No, that doesn't feel right!"
   In the next instant, a deep roar echoed up from the depths of the quake.
   Ryota's warning came just in time-everyone leapt back in unison, moving like afterimages as they shot away or vaulted into the air.
   A column of blistering dragonfire erupted from a jagged crack in the ground!
   The searing energy wave gouged a massive hole into the stone floor.
   Scorching heat surged out in all directions, warping the air itself.
   Everyone landed hard but steady, their faces grim.
   Lefiya gasped for air, eyes locked on the spot they'd just been standing. Her pupils shrank in horror.
   "...If any regular adventurer took that hit, they'd be nothing but ash right now."
   Finn's voice rang out sharply as he stared into the fissure ahead.
   There, a pair of blood-red draconic eyes emerged slowly from the pitch-black depths.
   Its massive head swayed, then two spiked wings spread wide-releasing a terrifying aura of pressure.
   Another deafening roar rocked the entire fifty-second floor!
   "This damn thing..." Finn muttered, his face darker than ever.
   Ryota's eyes snapped into focus. In an instant, his Mangeky Sharingan appeared.
   The crimson glow of his eyes was sharp and menacing in the dimly lit Dungeon.
   This... was what he'd been waiting for.
   The appearance of the Valgang Dragon wasn't just a looming crisis-it was the pivotal moment he'd already foreseen.
   His gut was screaming at him, loud and clear-
   If he could just take this thing's head off, the main quest... and even its branch paths... would all be cleared.
   Ryota launched himself into the air with a sudden burst of speed.
   And the moment he left the ground-the entire space seemed to freeze.
   Blue-violet rib bones began to form in the air around him, rising rapidly with his soaring figure.
   In the blink of an eye, the initial form of Susanoo had already taken shape.
   Its towering presence crashed into the stone ceiling, cracks spiderwebbing across it from the impact.
   Its monstrous outline and the surge of concentrated chakra sent shockwaves through everyone's nerves.
   They'd seen Ryota's skeletal titan before.
   But never from this close-and their hearts couldn't help but race.
   "Cover him!" Finn bellowed immediately.
   "His Susanoo needs time to evolve-"
   But the Pallum leader didn't get to finish before Ryota's voice cut through the air:
   "-No need, Captain Finn."
   Everyone froze, instinctively turning their eyes skyward.
   The skeletal giant, ribcage and single arm exposed, suddenly began to shift.
   Chakra surged through the air as its structure rebuilt itself in a blur of light and shadow!
   CRACK-CRACK CRACK CRACK!!!
   The ribs that encased Ryota rapidly extended outward.
   Arms, legs, a full torso...
   Like it was being reforged in real time-in just a few breaths-
   A complete-body Susanoo, tens of meters tall and clad in glowing chakra armor, now stood on the fifty-second floor!
   The surrounding teammates-Loki Familia's Big Three, Ais, and the rest-were frozen in place.
   They looked up at Ryota, standing atop Susanoo's head, completely at a loss for words.
   Under the sheer weight of the complete-body Susanoo, the floor of the fifty-second level began collapsing.
   Deep below on the fifty-eighth floor, the Valgang Dragon instinctively backed away. For the first time, a primal wariness-and killing intent-lit up in its scarlet eyes.
   But Ryota, still mid-air, wasn't done yet.
   He raised his hand, palm facing down, and slammed it downward-!
   In an instant, a storm of even greater, more savage chakra erupted from his body!
   WHOOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!!
   Sage Jutsu Chakra surged like a tidal wave, forming golden markings that crawled rapidly across Susanoo's limbs, chest, and head.
   This evolution came even faster than before.
   Susanoo no longer felt like mere armor-it now radiated divinity, a war god born for destruction.
   The Valgang Dragon looked up at the descending titan. Its pupils changed color completely.
   Its gaze was consumed by instinctive fear and an almost unwilling acknowledgment of the overwhelming pressure.
   In the next second, Susanoo's colossal blade cleaved through the air-aimed straight at the dragon's skull!
   The Valgang Dragon roared in defiance, its crimson eyes flashing with the final burst of madness and desperation.
   It threw back its head and opened its massive maw-
   A torrent of searing dragonfire surged toward Ryota's Susanoo.
   The colossal blade of Susanoo sliced it in two!
   Like a curtain being ripped apart, the flames scattered to either side.
   And in the very next moment-
   The chakra blade came down on the dragon's body!
   Its prized crimson scales, tough enough to shrug off magic, shattered like brittle paper under the blow.
   The Valgang Dragon let out a bone-chilling scream, but before the sound had fully left its throat-
   It was cleaved clean in two from head to tail, split by a single slash of Susanoo's sword!
   At that same moment, standing atop Susanoo's head, Ryota heard a long-awaited mechanical chime ring in his ears:
   [Ding-Main Quest Complete!]
   [Completion Requirement]: Lead your Familia to become Orario's true top-tier power.
   [Quest Status]: Perfect Completion!
   [Reward Calculation in Progress-]
  
   Chapter 102: Chapter 102: A Strange Reward, and Ryota's Confusion
   The mechanical voice in his ears abruptly cut off.
   He wasn't unfamiliar with this.
   He'd experienced the same kind of delay when the rewards were being tallied for completing the second phase of the main quest.
   "Another perfect score... I wonder if the reward will be more generous this time."
   Standing atop the massive skull, Ryota looked down at the Valgang Dragon below, which was rapidly disintegrating into black ash. His expression was blank.
   The dragon that had haunted the nightmares of countless Adventurers was now reduced to little more than a bug splattered underfoot.
   It didn't even feel like he'd just slain the "apex predator from Floors 52 to 58"-more like he'd wiped away a stubborn speck of dust.
   A violent tremor rumbled above Ryota's head.
   The entire floor of the 52nd level of the Dungeon began to groan in protest, as if it were about to collapse under its own weight.
   "Shit, I forgot about this part!"
   Everyone knew Valgang Dragons weren't your average monsters. It was the most ferocious creature in the Dragon's Vase, that prowled between Floors 52 and 58.
   Aside from its towering body, it possessed a nearly precognitive sensory instinct: any living being that entered the Dragon's Vase would be immediately detected.
   So the moment the Loki Familia stepped into Floor 52, it had already opened its massive maw.
   Its scorching breath, so hot it could warp space, erupted from the depths of Floor 58 like a volcanic explosion, blasting straight through Floors 57, 56, 55...
   All the way to the ground of Floor 52!
   And on top of that came Ryota's fully manifested Susanoo-towering higher, exuding pressure far more intense than the Valgang Dragon itself.
   Floor 52 couldn't take it anymore.
   The sound of collapse echoed like the overture to death.
   The entire geologic layer shook violently. 
   The stone cracked apart in vast swaths. 
   The once-stable floor split like shattered porcelain, and chunks of floating terrain lost support and tumbled into the depths below.
   At that moment, the members of the Loki Familia, still reeling from the shock of Ryota's one-hit dragon slay, finally snapped out of it.
   "Wh...what's that noise?"
   "The floor's collapsing!!"
   By the time they realized the ground beneath them was quaking, it was already a moment too late.
   Finn's face twisted in alarm.
   The platform he stood on gave out completely. His body lost balance and plummeted downward.
   Tione cried out, instinctively leaping to catch his arm.
   But the moment she moved, the ground beneath her crumbled too. A wave of vertigo hit as her whole body was hurled downward.
   Tiona gritted her teeth and cursed, but there was no stopping the fall.
   Meanwhile, Ais noticed the fractures widening beneath her feet and tried to use the rubble to stabilize herself, flashing from spot to spot-but the collapse was far faster than she anticipated.
   "Don't panic! Adjust your posture!"
   "Shift your center of gravity-look down!!"
   Riveria's voice rang out.
   But the entire 52nd floor had become a maelstrom of falling debris. Even for a Level 6 like her, it was impossible to stay steady amid the chaos.
   Everyone was caught mid-fall in this disintegrating sky.
   A massive left hand of Susanoo suddenly shot upward from below!
   With a series of muffled impacts, the three executives-Finn, Gareth, Riveria-along with Ais, Lefiya, and others, were all caught firmly in its palm.
   That overwhelming power was both solid and gentle, instantly neutralizing the sensation of freefall.
   Ryota's voice rang out from the center of Susanoo's forehead.
   A brilliant yellow flash zipped through the air, slicing across crumbling stone, thick fog, and shattered debris.
   Before anyone could react, space around them blurred. It felt like their very souls were being forcibly yanked from their bodies.
   The next moment, Susanoo-along with everyone in its palm-vanished in a thunderous burst.
   Only a faint trace of distorted light was left behind, quickly consumed by the storm of collapse.
   To be precise, it was Flying Raijin activated within a fully manifested Susanoo infused with Sage Chakra!
   Dungeon, Floor 50. Safe Zone.
   As everyone's consciousness reassembled, their vision gradually stabilized.
   Lefiya clutched her staff tightly, her voice trembling.
   As a mage, she was never good at handling sudden freefalls like that.
   It was the first time the elven girl had truly tasted the breath of death.
   This wasn't some minor mishap where you fall a few floors in the upper levels.
   This was a plummet through hell, starting from Floor 52 and crashing all the way down to 58!
   Everyone else seemed to have collectively suffered "spatial shock"-their minds still muddled.
   Finn, Riveria, Gareth-they all stared blankly around them.
   Ais looked down at the massive Chakra hand she was still sitting on, not yet withdrawn.
   The bluish-violet glow of Chakra bathed everyone around.
   It was as if the entire fall and explosion had been a hallucination.
   An overwhelming mix of emotions crashed down on everyone like a cold tide.
   No one spoke. No one moved.
   They just sat there, staring at the hand that had saved them all... and the towering form of Susanoo in the distance... and the boy who stood high above, looking down at them.
   Ais looked up. Her golden eyes reflected his lone, proud figure.
   Her throat trembled slightly-but she couldn't say a word.
   She wanted to ask something, but had no idea what.
   Lefiya, standing off to the side, gripped her cloak tightly over her chest. A whirlwind of emotion churned inside her.
   It wasn't fear. It wasn't shame.
   It was the overwhelming powerlessness of a witness.
   She had seen it with her own eyes. The Valgang Dragon-whose breath alone had once driven the entire Loki Familia into full retreat-
   Didn't even survive a single attack from Ryota.
   There hadn't even been a real "fight." 
   The whole floor had just... collapsed.
   Finn looked around at his teammates, all unscathed.
   He let out a wry laugh and shook his head.
   "So... is that it? We're done?"
   "Was this really an expedition? Or did we just go out for a stroll?"
   Even the ever-composed Riveria remained silent.
   Finn trembled slightly, slipping into his old habit of gnawing his thumb.
   As captain of the Loki Familia, he'd run countless simulations of the Valgang Dragon in his mind-analyzing its patterns, resistances, power.
   He'd crafted over a hundred tactical formations, multiple contingency retreats, backup plans within backup plans.
   Ryota jumped down, and within one minute: one slash, one pressure wave, one collapse.
   The dragon died. The floor broke. Everyone got rescued.
   It was like some kind of all-inclusive "Slay-a-Dragon" service.
   For a moment, he didn't know whether to celebrate his Familia's safety... or question his entire approach to strategy and leadership.
   After a long silence, the small Pallum captain muttered under his breath-though it sounded like he was speaking to everyone:
   "...Maybe we need to reassess this expedition's difficulty rating."
   Everyone's expressions shifted at that.
   But before anyone could respond, the giant Chakra hand slowly descended.
   After gently lowering them to the ground, the stream of Chakra light quickly dispersed.
   And as if its mission were complete, the towering godlike figure of Susanoo dissolved before their eyes-disintegrating into a shower of blue sparks that floated silently through the calm air of Floor 50.
   Once on the ground, Ryota glanced around.
   Seeing all those familiar faces still sitting there dazed, he gave a small, amused smile.
   "Why aren't you standing?"
   His voice wasn't loud, but it shattered the silence like a hammer through glass.
   "I-I'm fine! Just a little... overwhelmed..."
   "Er, uh... the floor's kinda soft? Surprisingly comfy..."
   "Haha, that palm was pretty stable actually..."
   The responses were scattered and awkward as everyone scrambled to their feet.
   But even after standing, they remained quiet.
   Not because they didn't want to talk.
   But because they were still trying to process the unfathomable shock.
   If before they had considered Ryota "gifted," "full of potential," or "promising"...
   He didn't even seem human.
   It was like a god had wrapped itself in mortal flesh to come "experience life."
   Ryota could see the change in their eyes-but this time, he didn't break the silence.
   He simply stood there with a relaxed smile, watching as everyone stood there dazed, wide-eyed, dumbfounded.
   He appreciated this kind of silence.
   Because he knew: the deepest awe couldn't be put into words.
   And while they were still processing, he took a moment to check his own condition.
   Outwardly calm, but inwardly turbulent.
   But not physical fatigue-mental strain.
   To force his Susanoo from its initial form all the way to a fully manifested version in one go-especially with Sage Mode infused-was a massive drain on his mental energy.
   That was just who Ryota was.
   If he made a move, it was always with full force.
   He didn't hold back against the Valgang Dragon.
   And afterward, he maintained Susanoo's full form to carry the others and execute a Flying Raijin teleportation.
   Anyone else would've passed out.
   Or more likely, blacked out mid-air.
   But he didn't-not even his breathing had faltered.
   Because within Ryota's body, two completely different yet perfectly compatible forces flowed in harmony:
   Hashirama Cells and Sage Jutsu Chakra.
   These two cheats had formed a delicate balance within him, like twin engines that never shut down-interweaving and complementing each other.
   So even if he expended massive amounts of energy, he wouldn't experience the usual post-battle crash.
   Unless he were forced into hundreds of days of non-stop combat.
   Soft footsteps approached. Ais slowly stepped forward, stopping in front of Ryota.
   She simply walked into his arms.
   His gaze fell upon the soft golden strands of hair by her shoulder, and the faintly lowered face nestled against his chest.
   Ais's hug wasn't romantic, but it was sincere.
   And somehow, it made the air around them feel gentler than ever before.
   She had seen it clearly-the flicker of exhaustion deep in Ryota's eyes.
   No matter how powerful he was, to Ais... he was still a person. Someone who got tired.
   Lefiya stood off to the side, wanting to say something too-but upon seeing Ais take the initiative and hug him, she hesitated.
   In the end, she could only smile faintly-equal parts disappointed and admiring.
   "You dummy. Next time, get in there faster."
   Ryota lifted his hand and gently patted Ais's back.
   Everything was eerily quiet.
   They just watched in silence.
   A moment later, Ryota said softly:
   "I'm fine. Really, it was nothing."
   The instant the words fell, the mood was completely shattered.
   "Huh? You're really fine? Then do that big hand thing again! I wanna sit in it!"
   Tiona jumped out, eyes sparkling.
   "Yeah, that full-body one-can you summon it again? I wanna see if all four swords actually work!"
   "And that Flying Raijin... can you use it to hop back to Orario real quick? I wanna grab dessert and come back!"
   "Shut up, idiot... he just finished fighting. Let him catch his breath."
   Tione grumbled, though she couldn't suppress her smile.
   Tiona scratched her head, completely unfazed.
   "Hehe, I was just kidding... but come on, you wanna sit in that big hand again too, don't you?"
   "...Not gonna lie, it was pretty cool."
   These two polar-opposite sisters had an uncanny knack for shattering any heavy atmosphere with their bluntness-no matter the situation.
   Finn looked at the group, smiling.
   "Whatever the process, this expedition... is officially over."
   It didn't matter how much of the terrain had collapsed, how easily the monster was killed, whether the battle plans had been followed, or if the team stuck to its original route.
   The result was the same: they were alive. They'd completed their goal. They'd conquered Floor 58.
   Even if that victory came solely from a god in human skin steamrolling everything.
   It still belonged to the entire Loki Familia.
   "We've got a lot to explain to Loki when we get back."
   Riveria massaged her brow.
   "You mean the mission report?"
   Tiona was practically vibrating with excitement.
   "Or... the part where Ais hugged Ryota?"
   "You better hope Loki doesn't beat you to death."
   Tiona shrank back slightly at that.
   Everyone in the Familia knew how obsessed Loki was with Ais.
   And now she was wrapped around Ryota.
   If Loki saw this... who knew what face she'd make?
   "Ryota, could I trouble you to use Flying Raijin again and take us home?"
   "Yes! Straight to Twilight Manor, please!"
   "Better yet, drop us right at Loki's front door! I wanna see her face when she finds out you soloed the dragon-"
   "No, no! Make it the Guild entrance! That'd be way funnier!"
   The group laughed and joked, full of anticipation.
   He stood there, unmoving. His eyes suddenly contracted sharply-out of his control.
   Ais noticed the shift in him and called out softly.
   But Ryota didn't seem to hear.
   Because just then, the reward summary finally arrived in his ears:
   [Ding! Reward calculation complete-]
   [Reward 1: Dryoku +80%!]
   Eternal Mangeky Sharingan fully awakened!
   [Reward 2: Chakra capacity +200,000!]
   [Reward 3: Chakra Fruit "1!]
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   Chapter 103: Chapter 103: The Chakra Fruit and Nine-Tails Chakra-Phase Four?!
   After the system notification ended, a moment of silence followed.
   Ryota stood still, his eyes flickering slightly, though mentally he was in complete upheaval.
   Waited to see if the system would spit out a fourth, maybe even a fifth reward.
   The rewards for the third phase of the main quest ended with just those three.
   Aside from the two clearly "standard" rewards of Djutsu enhancement and Chakra capacity...
   The Chakra Fruit was the real boss drop.
   For once, a rare emotion surged within him-hesitation.
   Since arriving in the world of DanMachi, the fast-paced quests and constant battles had long conditioned him to accept reward screens like clockwork.
   And while each round had its surprises, this one hit differently.
   That final line in the rewards list landed like a meteor, smashing into the deepest part of his psyche.
   Those words carried immense weight.
   It wasn't just a cool item name. It represented the origin of all Chakra.
   "No way... it really is... that fruit?"
   Frowning, he was just about to open up the system description for details when he suddenly felt a light poke from Ais, still in his arms.
   Ryota blinked and looked down.
   Ais didn't speak, but her clear golden eyes stared quietly up at him, filled with visible concern.
   And that was when Ryota finally noticed-Finn, Riveria, Gareth, the Hiryute sisters, Bete... they had all gathered around him, each wearing a complicated expression.
   Though their faces differed, the same underlying tension and unease was clear.
   "Ryota... you looked awful just now."
   The Pallum captain took a step forward.
   "Is it the back-to-back battles? Or using that giant skeletal to teleport all of us-did it exhaust your mind?"
   Finn waved a finger in front of Ryota's face.
   "How many fingers am I holding up?"
   "Oh crap, he's not responding!"
   "It's definitely mental fatigue! Riveria!"
   Riveria rushed over, raising her staff.
   The elven royal's voice turned uncharacteristically gentle:
   "Don't push yourself, Ryota."
   "I'll cast a recovery spell."
   But just as she began chanting, Ryota smiled and waved her off.
   "I just... spaced out a little."
   Yeah, no one was buying that.
   Ais held him tighter and murmured softly:
   "You don't have to force yourself. We... we'll take you back to Orario."
   Her voice was light, almost dreamily slow.
   But only Ryota could feel the firmness in her arms. The sincerity was undeniable.
   He really was fine. Heck, he could do another lap around Floor 58 if needed.
   He couldn't exactly tell them, "Sorry, I just mentally crashed for a second because I got handed a literal world-breaking Chakra Fruit."
   That'd definitely make them think he was mentally fried.
   Looking around at Ais in his arms, Riveria reluctantly pulling back her magic, Lefiya inching over anxiously...
   And Finn giving him that "If you collapse, I have no idea how to explain this to the gods" kind of look...
   He even vaguely heard someone whisper a line of comfort:
   "You've done more than enough... now let us protect you for once."
   A quiet warmth spread in Ryota's chest.
   What he'd built wasn't just respect.
   It was something rarer-trust and belonging.
   Wasn't that what he'd come to Orario searching for in the first place? A Familia he could call home?
   Snapping out of his thoughts, Ryota let out a chuckle and finally spoke:
   "Alright, alright, quit looking at me like I'm about to drop dead."
   He lifted a hand and beckoned.
   "Gather in. Let's go home."
   They exchanged looks. After several long seconds of scrutinizing him from head to toe and confirming he really didn't seem out of sorts, they gradually stepped in.
   "Well, if you do faint, I'll carry you back."
   "Healing magic's not a problem for me."
   Ryota looked at the group closing in around him. They were all top-tier Adventurers-people who could easily handle a floor boss alone.
   Yet now they crowded around like they were worried they'd lose their favorite plushie.
   He muttered under his breath, though the grin tugging at his lips was impossible to hide.
   With a stomp, Ryota shouted:
   In an instant, a golden flash drew a line across reality, splitting the air as everyone vanished together.
   Even the atmosphere gave off a faint slicing crack.
   And where they had stood-
   Only the base of a tree remained, empty now, with a kunai embedded in the earth still trembling faintly.
   The usually rowdy base of the Loki Familia was oddly quiet today.
   Loki herself sat sprawled across a couch in the main hall, legs kicked up. She'd just raised a massive foam-topped beer barrel to her lips-about to sip, or to be more precise, gulp down a celebratory gallon.
   "Wonder how my kids are doing down in the Dungeon..."
   "Every time I start thinking about 'em, I get the urge to drink."
   She sighed "sadly," lifting her drink for a long swig.
   A flash of golden light erupted in the center of the hall with zero warning.
   Loki's vision whited out. It was like getting punched in the eyes by a high-powered light filter.
   As the light faded and her vision slowly focused...
   She saw a crowd of familiar figures calmly standing in the middle of the room. Not a single one missing.
   The Three Executives. Bete. Lefiya...
   And standing front and center, with a faint smile on his lips...
   Loki's eye twitched, gaze snapping to one specific spot.
   And there she saw Ais-golden-haired and cool-eyed-nestled naturally, almost effortlessly, into Ryota's chest.
   No wait-it was more than that. She was half-leaning, half-melting into him. Practically embedded!
   My Ais... is clinging again?!
   "AIS WHEN DID YOU-YOU-YOU GET IN HIS ARMS AGAIN!!!"
   Her brain momentarily short-circuited before she exploded:
   "WAIT WAIT WAIT!!! YOU GUYS JUST WENT DOWN YESTERDAY!!!"
   "From departure to return... it's not even been TWO DAMN DAYS!!"
   Everyone exchanged glances.
   Finn cleared his throat, looking more than a little conflicted.
   "I'll explain later. Honestly, I... don't even know where to start. Need to organize my thoughts."
   Ais completely ignored Loki's howls of emotional devastation.
   She simply stepped away from Ryota-smooth and efficient, but with the tiniest hint of reluctance.
   Then she looked up and said gently:
   -Yeah, it was about time to dig into the whole Chakra Fruit situation.
   He nodded at the group, then turned to Loki and casually waved a hand.
   "Lady Loki, I'll be heading to my room."
   A simple, everyday gesture to most.
   But to Loki, that wave was pure provocation.
   Especially since, right after he did it, Ais stayed put-watching him go with a look in her eyes so soft it was almost imperceptible.
   At that moment, Loki felt something inside her snap with an audible "crack."
   "WAS THAT A FAREWELL WAVE OR A DECLARATION OF WAR?!"
   "YOU DID NOT JUST-ON MY TURF-WAVE LIKE YOU'RE CLAIMING AIS AS YOUR CO-CAPTAIN?!"
   "YOU-YOU PLAN TO STEAL HER AWAY AND START YOUR OWN FAMILIA DON'T YOU?! AAAARGHHH!!!"
   Loki was practically rolling on the floor in the hall.
   Still, tantrum or not, as she grumbled about "traitors," "abductions," and "Ais being stolen," she eventually settled back on the couch.
   The self-proclaimed Trickster who had been wound up tight... finally exhaled.
   Her eyes swept over her Familia-all present, all upright, though showing signs of fatigue.
   Not a scratch on them. Everyone accounted for.
   No matter how absurd, chaotic, or wildly unexpected the expedition had gone...
   The ending was the same: they came home.
   She set down her half-empty beer.
   The fiery chaos in her chest began to calm, replaced by the composed stillness a god ought to have.
   "Finn. Start talking. What the hell happened down there?"
   At the same time, Ryota had returned to his room.
   He'd barely shut the door and come to a stop when the familiar system voice rang out in his mind:
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest: Participate in an Expedition and Return Safely-Completed!]
   [Reward: Special Kurama's Chakra +10%!]
   No. No, no, this didn't feel right.
   He'd expected standard rewards: more Dryoku, Chakra capacity, maybe a boost to Hashirama Cells or Sage Chakra.
   But none of those appeared.
   Instead... Kurama's Chakra?
   By now, he'd already awakened his Eternal Mangeky Sharingan.
   Logically, the next progression should've been toward the most powerful Djutsu-the Rinnegan.
   Sharingan... Mangeky... Eternal Mangeky...
   Every evolution had marked a leap in both his strength and spirit.
   That long-awaited next step... didn't come?!
   An unacceptable thought flashed through his mind like lightning:
   "Has my Sharingan path... already hit its limit?"
   Ryota's brows furrowed, his disbelief clear.
   He didn't want to believe it. He couldn't.
   He muttered to himself and shook his head, forcing away the wave of intrusive thoughts.
   Then, taking a deep breath, he focused on the object floating within his mental space-
   Its dark purple surface swirled with patterns like ancient vortexes containing endless knowledge.
   Its strange, glowing veins pulsed faintly, as if echoing the remnants of a lost age.
   [Analyze Target: Chakra Fruit]
   The system responded instantly.
   Golden text floated into view:
   A fruit born of the God Tree.
   It possesses the ability to override natural laws and forcibly evolve the essence of power itself.
   Once consumed, the user undergoes a cross-dimensional evolution.
   Upon completion, the user will gain access to the highest form of the Sharingan-the Rinnegan. 
   The fusion process is irreversible. Choose wisely.
   The Chakra Fruit and the Rinnegan were deeply connected.
   You could even say... this was the only shortcut.
   The logic here was the same.
   No elaborate rituals or external factors needed.
   Ryota's gaze slid toward that line: [Fusion is irreversible].
   The system hadn't said what would happen if the fusion failed...
   And more importantly, he had no idea-
   Whether this was a guaranteed miracle, or a divine punishment determined by sheer luck.
   "Damn system... it's playing into my overly cautious nature."
   Clicking his tongue, Ryota glanced once more at the fruit, still silently rotating deep within his mindscape.
   After a few seconds of staring, a slow smirk curled his lips.
   "Fortune favors the bold. I refuse to believe eating this thing'll just kill me on the spot."
   With that, Ryota flipped his wrist.
   The Chakra Fruit appeared in his palm.
   No hesitation. No deep breath. No ceremonial prep.
   He just lifted his hand, tilted his head back, and-
   The fruit slid down smoothly, with no texture, no chewing.
   No pain, no dizziness, not even a twinge of discomfort.
   "Bro, don't tell me it bugged out?"
   Just then, the mechanical voice returned:
   [Ding-Wheel of Fate begins to spin-]
   [Main Quest Phase Four Activated]
  
   Chapter 104: Chapter 104: An Absurd Fourth Stage-Fusing with the Nine-Tails' Chakra!
   [Ding-Wheel of Fate is spinning-]
   [Main Quest: Fourth Stage Activated]
   [Quest Title]: The Final Answer of the World
   [Quest Description]: You have overcome countless trials and reshaped the landscape of Orario. Now, it's your turn to stand at the pinnacle of this world and become the Supreme One-transcending even the gods.
   [Completion Requirement]: Establish a singular belief system as a non-divine being, replace the existing divine order, forge a new worldview, and gain the recognition of the entire DanMachi world.
   The moment the system's notification rang in his head, his mind felt like someone had slammed the pause button. It took a few full seconds before his brain could reboot.
   His eye twitched, and his pupils began to shrink uncontrollably.
   Ryota's mind rapidly flashed through everything that had happened since arriving in this world.
   He'd joined the Loki Familia as an Adventurer, starting from scratch in a land he didn't belong to.
   He had once been nothing more than a pawn in the games of the gods, but had led his Familia to victory in a War Game and cleared the 58th floor-a floor even the Loki Familia had never broken through.
   That much, he could understand. He'd lived it.
   But now the system was telling him-
   He had to establish a singular belief system as a non-god?
   And get the entire world to recognize it?
   "What the hell is this?!"
   "This isn't a main quest-this is a damn world reset!"
   From establishing identity,
   to breaking free from fate;
   from shattering the rules,
   And now, to ascend to the highest peak.
   This so-called main quest path was both crystal clear and maddeningly vague.
   Ryota rubbed his temples.
   -Just a few lines, yet the amount of information packed into them was absolutely ridiculous.
   And let's be real-this wasn't some low-magic, low-power fantasy setting.
   A world where gods walked among mortals, and a living Dungeon existed beneath their feet.
   The deities only came down because the heavens were too boring. But that didn't mean the gods were powerless decorations.
   That establish a singular belief system and replace the divine order objective?
   Ryota could only think one thing:
   Are you freaking kidding me?!
   Even if you put the gods aside for a moment, this world had one more terrifying threat looming over everything-
   That thing wasn't some mid-tier boss. It was a cataclysm-level threat.
   It annihilated every elite in the Hera Familia and the Zeus Familia.
   Back then, the two most powerful Familia had joined forces-complete with Level 9s and 8s among their ranks.
   And the result? Not even bones were left.
   Worse yet, the Black Dragon wasn't just any monster-it was created by the Dungeon itself, and completely immune to divine power.
   It possessed strength far beyond the imaginable and could command the entire dragon species. A true, bonafide "Dragon King."
   Sure, it had escaped a thousand years ago, and Albert-Ais's father-managed to destroy one of its eyes. Eventually, it was sealed away in the Dragon's Valley by the ancient elf Aria, who sacrificed herself to do so.
   But make no mistake-it was still absurdly powerful.
   Ryota looked up at the empty ceiling above and twitched the corner of his mouth.
   Right now, the Loki Familia had only reached the 58th floor.
   There were still many levels of unexplored depths between them and that nightmare.
   Any way you looked at it, it was a journey with no visible end.
   He sprawled out on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and sighed.
   "...System, could you not drop all the pressure on me at once?"
   Even as he complained aloud, Ryota had already begun calculating in his heart.
   No matter how insane or unreasonable the system's quests were, work still needed to be done.
   These threads tangled together like a vast, inescapable web-a trap set by fate itself.
   "I need to figure out the right place to start..."
   "A non-god creating a Falna system? That's impossible!"
   "Do I need to leave the Loki Familia first?"
   But just as Ryota was feeling completely lost-
   [Ding-Chakra Fruit fusion progress +1%]
   Ryota practically shot up straight in bed.
   A scorching heat stirred deep in his consciousness, like a sealed flame had just flickered to life.
   He flipped his wrist and held up a mirror.
   Reflected within wasn't just the familiar, complex pattern of the Eternal Mangeky Sharingan.
   At the very center of his pupils-faintly-a rippling pattern was beginning to surface.
   It looked like some deliberately hidden symbol, slowly rising from the depths of his awareness.
   Sure enough, as his emotions shifted, that pattern trembled slightly, as if reacting to his realization.
   He murmured under his breath.
   "All I did was think about how to approach the main quest."
   Standing by the window, he tapped his fingers unconsciously.
   "But the fusion progress still increased by 1%."
   He quickly reviewed every detail of what had just happened, trying to find the link.
   At that exact moment, he had been contemplating how to tackle the absurd yet colossal objective of the singular belief system.
   "This thing... is a hidden passive quest?"
   "As long as I make a certain shift in perception?"
   "Or-so long as I'm thinking and working toward the right path of fate..."
   "The fusion progress increases-naturally?"
   But then, a more conventional theory came to mind.
   "Or maybe it's just one of those passive time-based systems?"
   "Like a countdown-it'll keep increasing no matter what I do, and eventually power me up."
   He considered both possibilities carefully-then tossed out the second one.
   He knew his system way too well.
   This thing was even more hardcore than he was!
   Besides, that feeling just now wasn't some timer ticking up. It didn't feel like passively gaining XP either.
   "Like it's... evaluating whether I'm aligning with its standards."
   Ryota looked down at the Chakra swirling in his palm and took a deep breath.
   "So in other words-every meaningful moment of growth, every breakthrough, insight, or choice..."
   With that thought, his eyes sharpened.
   The Chakra Fruit fusion wasn't just a basic exchange mechanism-it was a higher-level transformation, deeply tied to his will.
   Speculation was fine and all.
   But dreams remained dreams until you acted.
   He had to knock on the door himself to know what lay beyond.
   "If growth is the key to awakening it-then let's test that now."
   With that, he focused his consciousness on the third-stage reward-the special Nine-Tails Chakra.
   A reward from the previous branch quest.
   The system had simply summarized it as "+10%," but Ryota knew that figure was deceptive.
   Tailed Beast Chakra was fundamentally different from Hashirama Cells or Sage Chakra.
   This stuff was alive. It had a will of its own!
   And the Nine-Tails wasn't just any Tailed Beast-it was the king of them all, with the greatest Chakra reserves, the most destructive combat power, and the hardest to tame.
   In the original series, it was central to the entire Naruto storyline.
   From a feral beast inside young Naruto to an eventual comrade and source of strength.
   Everyone knew-its power could raze nations.
   And right now, it was sleeping inside Ryota.
   So quiet... it was like a beast that had already been killed.
   But Ryota knew better. It wasn't dead.
   Watching him-its new host-deciding whether he was worthy of receiving its power.
   Ryota slowly closed his eyes.
   "Let's see what you're really like."
   His awareness sank abruptly, like his soul had been yanked into an invisible current.
   Ryota was flung from a rift in space.
   As he opened his eyes, damp air greeted him instantly.
   Drip... drip... the sound of water droplets echoed around him.
   The light was dim. A faint Chakra mist drifted in the air.
   Everything around him was pitch black. Nothing on either side.
   He stepped forward, and the water rippled beneath his foot.
   Then, he looked up-and saw a scene he couldn't be more familiar with.
   Directly ahead stood a giant seal gate.
   Massive bars crisscrossed into a cage, a sealing tag with the word "Seal" glowing red at its center.
   Behind the bars, a colossal beast lay curled up, dozing.
   Its massive fox body was covered in thick orange fur.
   Nine enormous tails coiled like mountains around it, rising and falling with every breath.
   Ryota stopped, staring at the legendary monster inside.
   As if sensing an unfamiliar presence, the beast suddenly opened its eyes.
   Two vertical crimson pupils, like blood-red stars, snapped open!
   The space around him trembled.
   That gaze-brimming with destruction and distrust-pierced through the bars and locked onto Ryota.
   Kurama blinked. Its expression was filled with the typical pride and impatience of a Tailed Beast.
   It tilted its head and said,
   "I was dragged here for no damn reason."
   "I don't see any familiar faces, and you... you don't even have that guy's scent."
   Its pupils narrowed coldly.
   "Why the hell am I here?"
   This Kurama was from right before the system forcibly extracted and transferred it.
   In other words, its consciousness was still stuck in the moment it had just been sealed.
   It didn't know him. Didn't recognize this world.
   As for power-well, that depended on who wielded it.
   Realizing this, Ryota's lips curled into a cold smile.
   "If this were before, I might've needed some talk-no-jutsu... but now?"
   Whether it was his Eternal Mangeky Sharingan or the various cheats in his body-
   Any one of them was enough to deal with this freshly dragged-in Nine-Tails.
   Back then, even Uchiha Madara had easily controlled Kurama with just the Mangeky Sharingan. Compared to that, Ryota now was in a whole other league.
   More complete. More powerful.
   That familiar black pattern spun rapidly within his pupils!
   The Eternal Mangeky Sharingan activated instantly.
   Kurama looked confused, wondering what this punk was up to.
   And locked eyes with Ryota.
   The entire mental space froze as if forcibly locked by a divine law!
   Kurama's vertical pupils contracted violently.
   Then, under Ryota's gaze, they cracked-
   And transformed into the exact same Mangeky pattern as Ryota's!
   Those blood-red spirals slowly turned, like a mirror reflecting its master's will.
   In that instant, it felt its will stripped away, suppressed, and rewritten.
   This wasn't mind control. This was domination.
   Not genjutsu submission, but instinctive acknowledgment-
   That the man standing before it was on a higher tier.
   The arrogant, defiant expression vanished.
   No more pride. No more the bone-deep contempt of a Tailed Beast.
   What replaced it-was rare, absolute submission.
   Ryota's eyes dimmed slightly, a faint smile curling on his lips.
   The mental space shattered like glass.
   Ryota opened his eyes-back in his familiar room.
   With those words, the 10% Nine-Tails Chakra stirred.
   A golden, glowing chakra quickly wrapped around his right arm.
   Ryota looked at his hand, feeling the energy pulse through his muscles and nerves.
   "...Definitely a different sensation. I wonder what it'll feel like layered over my Susanoo."
   "As for letting the Nine-Tails show up in the DanMachi world..."
   "Well, let's save that for when we run into the Black Dragon-give that guy a taste of a Tailed Beast Bomb!"
   As Ryota sank back into bed, the mechanical voice rang out again-this time, two at once:
   [Ding-Chakra Fruit fusion progress +9%]
   [Ding-Abilities Unlocked: Rinnegan Perception, Universal Pull]
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura 
  
   Chapter 105: Chapter 105: What Did You Say? I'm a Member of the Freya Familia?!
   He could clearly feel it. Just moments ago, when he subdued Kurama in the consciousness space, that faint trace of Rinnegan energy-it wasn't just an illusion anymore. It was real.
   A true unlocking of authority.
   Instinctively, his eyes flicked to the first new ability:
   A familiar glint flickered in Ryota's eyes.
   "Pain's signature move, huh?"
   "Draws targets straight to you like a magnet, centering on your own position... Doesn't matter how much they resist. As long as they're within range, one pull and they're caught."
   He tested the flow of his chakra.
   "This one's a killer move."
   "Not only interrupts actions, but forces repositioning, controls the tempo... Totally catches the enemy off guard."
   "Just this one skill alone is worth the price."
   He chuckled, a flicker of excitement lighting his eyes.
   But then, he noticed another entry listed in the system:
   His brows knit as he quickly searched his memory-
   That name... didn't seem to have any clear depiction in the original Naruto series.
   "...Rinnegan Perception? Where the hell did this come from? Doesn't ring a bell."
   He immediately pulled up the detailed description:
   Allows the user to perceive the fundamental flow of all energies in space, including chakra, magic, etc.
   "A perception-type ability, huh?"
   In a world where gods existed, many "non-physical attacks" couldn't be sensed through sight or hearing alone.
   Up till now, he'd just tanked those with raw system resistance. But with this ability?
   He could preemptively detect them-or even trace them back to the source and eliminate them?
   "If I'd had this power back then..."
   "I wouldn't have needed to force chakra into Lain's body to shatter Freya's charm with brute force."
   "I could've directly locked onto the source of the mental corruption and severed it with precision."
   That thought brought a trace of emotion to Ryota's eyes.
   But quickly, he shook his head with a laugh.
   "Either way, this is good news."
   "You can never have too many powerful abilities."
   "Better to have and not need."
   He reclined back on the bed, feeling the steady flow of Kurama's chakra in his body and the faint, spiderweb-like network of [Rinnegan Perception] spreading outward. A satisfied smile curled at his lips.
   A familiar phrase flashed across his mind.
   He murmured, then suddenly sat up, his expression shifting rapidly.
   "Rinnegan... the Six Paths..."
   In an instant, a scene surfaced in his mind:
   In the original Naruto, Uchiha Madara stood atop the God Tree, casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi, blanketing the entire shinobi world in illusion-plunging them all into dream.
   The world became an "ideal dream."
   Not a tool for battle or destruction-but a godlike jutsu that ruled consciousness, rewrote memories, and twisted reality itself.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes, a deep gleam in them:
   The Rinnegan had never been just about combat.
   It was about authority-over the very logic of the world.
   At that moment, like lightning, a thought struck him.
   "Main Quest, Stage Four... Final Answer of the World..."
   "Establish a unique belief system as a non-divine entity, overthrow the old divine order, define a new world paradigm, and gain global recognition-"
   He slowly lowered his head, murmuring aloud:
   "The entire main quest... is guiding me toward..."
   "Using the Infinite Tsukuyomi-to pull the entire DanMachi world into my ideal dreamscape?"
   His eyes widened, as though a vortex were spinning silently behind him.
   It was something far more dangerous-perfect, closed-loop logic.
   If he used Infinite Tsukuyomi to trap every god, every Familia, every civilian in his own dream world-
   If, within that dream, everyone remembered the same truth:
   That he was the Supreme One.
   That Ryota was the true master of this world.
   That divinity was no longer something granted from above-but something defined by him-
   Then it wouldn't be tyranny.
   It would be universal consensus.
   "Belief system? A single Tsukuyomi and everyone remembers I'm the one true god."
   "Divine authority structure? I define the rules now. Anyone else who dares call themselves a god-has their memories rewritten by Tsukuyomi."
   "Global recognition? Piece of cake."
   "I'll make everyone... dream of the same god."
   He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let his awareness drift among progress bars and waves of Rinnegan energy.
   "The endgame of the main quest isn't victory."
   Suddenly, everything made sense.
   "Stage One: Join a Familia and gain identity and belonging...
   Stage Two: Escape the gods' chessboard...
   Stage Three: Begin constructing a power structure...
   Stage Four: Define a new world..."
   "And the Infinite Tsukuyomi... just happens to fulfill all of that."
   It hit him like a freight train:
   What he needed to do next... was crystal clear.
   All he had to do was keep progressing the fusion, slowly awakening the Rinnegan-until his eyes fully transformed.
   Take hold of this world called DanMachi.
   Still, he knew full well-even if the main quest was nudging him this way, he wouldn't let the story follow Naruto's original tragic arc.
   "The God Tree... is just a vessel."
   "I won't let it descend like in canon and turn everyone into soulless White Zetsu."
   "I'm not Kaguya, or Obito, or Madara-those guys shoved the world into silence."
   He let out a soft chuckle.
   "If I'm going to use Infinite Tsukuyomi, it's going to be my version."
   "Not a dream that robs people of freedom-"
   "But one that unifies memory, and establishes a shared world view."
   He exhaled, and his gaze settled back into calm.
   "I have my direction now."
   "All that's left is to follow it through."
   [Ding-Chakra Fruit Fusion Progress +1%]
   The system notification chimed in his ear. Ryota smiled.
   "Knowledge really is power."
   Once you understand everything, it's no longer groping in the dark or brute-forcing the path forward. Now, he could simply ride the current.
   He laid back down again. The various cheats and hacks in his body maintained an almost decadent balance.
   As the thoughts drifted away, Ryota's eyelids began to grow heavy.
   He closed his eyes-and fell into a deep sleep.
   At the very top of Babel Tower.
   This place had once symbolized the absolute dominance of the Freya Familia-though now, at least officially, it had been forcibly dissolved.
   Yet the luxurious top-floor suite remained untouched.
   Today, Freya had not visited the Hephaestus Familia, nor had she shown up outside Twilight Manor to ambush him.
   She simply stood before the enormous window, gazing in the direction of Twilight Manor, her face adorned with that same familiar smile.
   No hostility. No anger. Not even impatience.
   Pure, intense smile of desire.
   As though she were awaiting some fated reunion.
   Freya's voice drifted out, as if whispering to Ottar behind her-or maybe just speaking to herself.
   "That child has changed a lot lately."
   "Created some strange new magic, helped the Loki Familia complete their expedition... Just thinking about it makes me all giddy."
   She gave an involuntary little wiggle as she spoke.
   Night had fully descended outside. Starlight began to glitter across the sky.
   And then, the Goddess of Beauty in Orario offered an even gentler smile-like someone who had just received the perfect festival invitation:
   "Tomorrow is the day you and I meet again, Ryota."
   He hurried down from the second floor, looking unusually refreshed.
   Subduing Kurama yesterday, and increasing the Rinnegan fusion progress, hadn't exhausted him at all. On the contrary-it left his whole body feeling lighter.
   As if his blood and bones had been reforged by some divine force.
   "Chakra flow, sensory perception, mental endurance... all stable. If I can push the fusion a little further, even better."
   He was considering heading over to spar with Ais, see if the heat of battle would help accelerate his fusion rate.
   But the moment he stepped outside, he noticed that Twilight Manor was unusually busy.
   People bustled through the main hall.
   Gareth was hauling boxes, Lefiya was double-checking materials, and Finn was discussing a Guild-sent inventory list with Riveria. Even the usually doll-like Ais had been roped into doing manual labor.
   A few Guild personnel were also present, logging the goods.
   Ryota glanced at the boxes. Written on the side:
   [Origin: Freya Familia Resource Transfer - Batch 2]
   "Ugh... another gift from her?"
   Ryota raised an eyebrow slightly.
   He didn't say anything. Just smiled faintly, greeted the others, and gave up on the idea of sparring.
   With a thought, a flicker of golden light appeared around him.
   His body vanished instantly.
   The next moment, Ryota reappeared on the twenty-fifth floor of the Dungeon.
   "There was something weird going on with the teleport marker I set up on floor twenty-six."
   He glanced at the mental "map" in his mind.
   "I noticed it yesterday. Feels like it got disrupted... maybe swept away by water pressure."
   "If I don't have a marker there, it'll mess up teleport coordination during expeditions. I need to fix it."
   He looked toward the entrance to floor twenty-six.
   "Alright... one more trip."
   Soon, Ryota stepped onto the twenty-sixth floor.
   As one of the famous "Water City" layers, rivers crisscrossed everywhere.
   And most of the monsters lurked underwater.
   Suddenly, a ripple from [Rinnegan Perception] stirred in his mind.
   "Hah. You're trying to ambush me?"
   He raised his hand, a flash of violet gleaming in his eyes:
   The air compressed in an instant, and a powerful gravitational vortex erupted outward from Ryota's position. A stream beneath the river twisted violently, and a shadow was yanked clean from the riverbed!
   The monster barely broke the surface before-
   Ryota's Kusanagi Sword was already drawn. The blade sliced through the air and plunged cleanly into the monster's chest.
   It twitched twice-then crumbled into black ash and vanished.
   Ryota caught the falling magic stone, tucked it into his pocket, and nodded in satisfaction.
   "This ability-really handy."
   "It's just like fishing."
   He sheathed the sword over his back and muttered:
   "Next time I'll try pulling one in and zapping it with Lightning Style..."
   "What would that be? Monster BBQ?!"
   He even nodded seriously at his own joke.
   Like he was naming a new signature move for his battle log.
   Humming a tune, Ryota strolled over to the spot where he'd once embedded a Flying Raijin kunai.
   It was a stone pillar on a high platform.
   He'd chosen it carefully-both for visibility and tactical positioning.
   But now, the pillar was bare. The kunai was gone.
   Ryota scanned the area. The water erosion was clear-looked like the whole thing had been washed away.
   He shook his head, then looked up slightly. His eyes settled on a cliff face about ten meters above the original spot.
   Better visibility. More stable terrain. Less erosion.
   As he spoke, his right hand flipped-and a special kunai inscribed with the Flying Raijin formula appeared in his palm.
   The kunai shot out and embedded itself precisely into the rock wall. Ryota clapped his hands and nodded at it.
   Since he was already here, he casually cleaned out a few monsters lurking nearby.
   Crackling Lightning Style arced through the air as he waited for the system prompt.
   He fell silent, staring at the black-ash remains at his feet, propping his chin in one hand.
   "This place... has become a starter zone."
   He murmured with a touch of clarity-and a bit of resignation.
   "This whole layer's already been cleared by the system."
   "Just like in an RPG-if you're max level and still grinding wild boars in the beginner area, no matter how stylish the moves, you're not getting EXP."
   He shook his head and gave a helpless laugh.
   "Looks like I'll have to go deeper to push the fusion forward."
   With that, he prepared to activate the teleport mark and return to Twilight Manor to rest.
   He scanned quickly-and realized the Flying Raijin kunai he'd planted at Twilight Manor... was gone.
   "My marker... disappeared?"
   "How is that even possible?"
   "I only left Twilight Manor for a few hours... half a day at most."
   "Sure, it's just a regular kunai, but everyone-Ais and the others-they all know it's my marker."
   "Did someone accidentally move it while shifting boxes?"
   The next instant, Ryota vanished again, reappearing on the first floor of the Dungeon.
   The humidity vanished. Fewer monsters. Around him, only small groups of lower-level adventurers roamed.
   Ryota decided to walk back to Twilight Manor himself, see what had gone wrong.
   But just two steps in, a startled voice called out behind him:
   "Yeah! That's Ryota from the Freya Familia!!"
   Ryota paused mid-step, frowning.
   "That's him! Don't you know? He led the War Game that helped Freya defeat the Loki Familia!"
   "Loki Familia might not have disbanded, but they're stuck in second place forever now!"
   "Damn... what a monster. He actually beat the Loki Familia..."
   Ryota slowly turned his head, scanning the adventurers who were whispering among themselves, utterly bewildered.
   "I'm what now-Freya Familia?! Me?!"
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   Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Freya's Charm Enchants the Entire City!
   Ryota darted forward in three quick steps and asked the adventurer who had just spoken:
   "Freya Familia? I'm with Freya Familia?"
   The adventurers, initially excited at seeing one of Orario's biggest celebrities walking toward them, suddenly looked confused by Ryota's reaction.
   They exchanged glances. On every face was the same look of bafflement, as if they'd just been asked a completely nonsensical question.
   The one in front scratched his head, hesitating for a few seconds before replying cautiously:
   "Uh... s-senior... you've always been a member of Freya Familia, haven't you?"
   "Isn't that... like, totally normal?"
   "Yeah, you're the hero who led Freya Familia to victory against Loki Familia in the War Game!"
   "We all thought you were going to be Lady Freya's second-in-command after that!"
   Every word felt like it was reconstructing a past that Ryota had never lived through.
   "...I fought for Freya in the War Game?"
   But the adventurers looked just as serious, their expressions tinged with hesitation and confusion, as if they couldn't understand why reality itself was being questioned.
   "Senior... are you feeling okay?"
   "Did you maybe overdo it in the Dungeon?"
   Ryota was about to press further when-
   Rinnegan Perception quietly activated.
   An invisible ripple radiated from his mind. The world around him didn't change visually, but the "filter" over reality had clearly shifted.
   In his sensory field, the mental energy inside the adventurers in front of him became clearly visible, like streams of glowing current.
   This wasn't just the observation power of the Sharingan-it was layered with the Rinnegan's deep-read capabilities, capable of perceiving the very structure of the soul.
   In each of their minds, Ryota saw a faint, misty thread of energy lingering just above their consciousness.
   It wasn't their own aura. Nor was it divine Falna granted by a god.
   It was some sort of subtle, flexible psychic influence-drifting gently along their cognitive pathways.
   Thin and fine like a strand of silk, it quietly wrapped itself around their mental core.
   Not brute-force mind control.
   But more like ivy, softly and naturally reshaping their understanding of the world.
   One name surfaced in his mind, more familiar to him than any other:
   The Goddess of Beauty-Freya.
   In this world, Freya's charm was never just simple illusion or coercive mind control.
   Her power didn't erase memories with brute force.
   Instead, she used divinity as the catalyst and desire as the medium, subtly replacing your interpretation of your memories' meaning.
   So you'd "remember" everything... but believe a different version was the truth.
   She didn't change what happened. She didn't erase facts. She just tampered with the key part:
   Who you believed did what. Who you believed it belonged to.
   Everyone still remembered Ryota leading Loki Familia to victory in the War Game.
   But now, all of Orario had begun to believe-
   -"That was Freya Familia's victory."
   -"Ryota belongs to Freya."
   This wasn't hypnosis. It was a belief substitution.
   A cognitive feedback loop, constructed through divine charm and the restructuring of mental architecture.
   At the extreme, Freya could even rebuild a person's spiritual anchor-make them truly believe:
   "I exist for Lady Freya."
   That's why her Familia was filled with so many obsessive followers.
   It wasn't mere admiration. It wasn't just aligning with self-interest.
   They simply didn't realize their mental anchors had already been swapped.
   In their hearts, they genuinely believed:
   "The purpose of my existence is to serve Lady Freya."
   A deeply guided, authentic illusion.
   Until everyone in the city naturally, rationally, and unquestioningly accepted a false reality.
   In the original story, Freya used this exact power of charm to make all of Orario take it for granted that Bell Cranel-the saintly silver-haired virgin-was a member of her Familia.
   In the entire world of DanMachi, only three goddesses and that non-existent saintly protagonist were immune to Freya's charm.
   As for why Ryota hadn't fallen under her spell?
   He didn't belong to this world.
   His power system was Sharingan, Sage Jutsu Chakra, and Hashirama Cells.
   Every single one of those was a foreign force, utterly outside the rules of the DanMachi universe.
   So no matter how powerful Freya's charm was-even if it could erode an entire city and reshape everyone's cognition-it couldn't touch the spiritual core of someone who was a foreign element to this world.
   More precisely, it couldn't affect him.
   It was like two incompatible systems: one running the "DanMachi OS," and the other a "Naruto World Cheat Engine."
   Ryota was a misplaced variable in the code.
   Not rejected-just never listed in the logic tree in the first place.
   And that's exactly why he could stand outside the storm and see the truth for what it was.
   After the War Game ended, Freya had been decisively defeated 2-0.
   But her only request had been to personally disband her Familia.
   She didn't ask to return to the divine realm. She wasn't exiled from Orario.
   At the time, everyone thought she was bowing out gracefully-preserving a shred of divine dignity.
   "She was already making her move back then."
   Even if she lost the war. Even if her Familia was gone. Even if her faith crumbled.
   As long as she remained in Orario, she could unleash her charm at any time.
   Not to "form a new Familia," but to reshape those she fancied into her Familia members.
   "That crazy woman never planned on losing from the start."
   "She just chose a different way... to take me."
   Space twisted like it had been torn open. Ryota's figure vanished instantly.
   The adventurers he'd left behind stared blankly, question marks practically stamped on their faces.
   "So that's the world of the strong? Even leaving the scene isn't normal!"
   They all muttered in awe, marveling that they'd finally seen one of Orario's elites in person-completely unaware that their "memories" no longer belonged to the true version of the world.
   The air shimmered faintly.
   Ryota appeared out of nowhere in a familiar forge room belonging to Hephaestus Familia.
   He walked over and picked up a kunai lying in the corner, marked with the Flying Raijin technique.
   To his eyes-or rather, throughout all of Orario-countless lines stretched invisibly through the space.
   Narrowing his eyes, he ran a finger along the kunai's edge.
   "She really did charm the whole damn city."
   "I was actually planning to wait until the fusion was done... then unleash an [Infinite Tsukuyomi] and pull all of DanMachi into my world."
   "But turns out that crazy woman beat me to it."
   "Stupid method, but the goal's kinda the same."
   "Shame this world's rules don't allow gods to be killed..."
   "Otherwise I'd go carve a few lines across that pretty little canyon of hers."
   His attitude toward Freya could be summed up in two words: absolute revulsion.
   Not because he was some chaste, pure-hearted romantic hero who'd drop dead at divine contact.
   Hell no. He'd transmigrated into the DanMachi world. What pure romance?
   Of course it was harem all the way!
   But only if he wanted it.
   One day she fancies you, she'll pour out her divine charm and go to any length to make you hers.
   But the moment you lose that spark of divinity she sees?
   She'd turn on a dime and go hunt the next shiny young thing.
   Freya's colorful reputation back in the heaven.
   Just thinking about it made Ryota sick to his stomach.
   Still, all grumbling aside, solving the current problem came first.
   Ryota thought for a moment.
   What if he went full-power now and stormed Freya's manor-the old base of her Familia?
   It wasn't that he couldn't do it.
   With Susanoo, Universal Pull, Flying Raijin...
   Any one of those techniques could wreak catastrophic havoc on Orario.
   But the question was-would that actually solve the problem?
   "Killing Freya, or severing the source of the charm directly."
   "But if I make a move on her..."
   "Ouranos-the one suppressing the Dungeon-won't stand by. Those heavenly gods might even band together and brand me a rule-breaker."
   "Then I won't just be up against a god..."
   "I'll be up against the entire divine hierarchy."
   "A real powerhouse lives like a god within the system of power. Not some lunatic flipping the whole damn table."
   He glanced at the kunai in his hand.
   "Killing her-does it even help my main quest progress?"
   "The fusion won't accelerate. The mission won't complete. If anything, I might trigger a world-class 'Enemy of the Gods' status early."
   "That only leaves one path."
   "Bit by bit, I'll dismantle her charm."
   "Start with the smallest threads. Snip them one by one, until she can't touch a thing."
   The moment he finished that thought, a familiar mechanical voice echoed in his ear:
   [Ding-Main Branch Quest Triggered!]
   [Awaken key individuals to their true understanding of your affiliation (0/3)]
   [Current Status: Incomplete]
   The quest sounded simple enough, but Ryota quickly ran through it in his mind and realized:
   "...It's the same logic as the earlier Orario exploration."
   "It's not fixed on three specific people. Doesn't have to be three big names."
   "Anyone with a real connection to me-if I can wake them from the charm and restore their true memory of me, that counts as one."
   Almost instinctively, two faces appeared in Ryota's mind-clumsy elf Lefiya, and blonde girl Ais.
   "Those two are a must. As for the third... maybe Ryuu Lion? Or-"
   Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door, cutting off his thoughts.
   Moments later, the heavy forge door creaked open.
   Red-haired goddess Hephaestus walked in, but her expression was nothing like before.
   "Freya sent someone here looking for you again."
   Her tone was cold, distant. She slammed a bill down on the table with a "smack."
   "Make sure you clean up when you leave."
   "And don't forget to pay the usage fee."
   That was not how Hephaestus used to act.
   Back when he first revealed his forging skills and mysterious development abilities, her ruby-red eye practically sparkled with excitement.
   He'd mooched off who-knows-how-many rare forging materials here, and Hephaestus always helped him personally find the best furnace-even while shaking her head.
   Polite tone. Clear distance. She even wanted him to pay a "facility fee" by the rules?
   Ryota looked down at the invoice and shook his head lightly.
   This "charm" business was turning into a mini-Infinite Tsukuyomi.
   Even gods could have their attitude anchors toward people subtly altered.
   He looked at Hephaestus's single visible red eye and smiled faintly.
   The quest required three-but it never said only three.
   "Then let's start with you, Lady Hephaestus."
   "...Time to snip the first thread."
  
   Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Infiltrating Twilight Manor-Face-to-Face with Ais!
   Back then, in order to complete a certain special mission, Ryota had cut off Freya's charm.
   At the time, he had poured his Chakra into Lain Hait's consciousness.
   Using the most brutal method possible, he forcefully shattered that mental manipulation-causing poor Lain to pass out on the spot.
   If not for one of his top-tier hacks-Airmid-Lain might not have even woken up.
   Freya's charm had been passive.
   It was just a lingering thread, a remnant someone picked up unintentionally.
   Now, Freya had made her move directly-actively enchanting the entirety of Orario.
   "...Not the same level of charm anymore."
   Even though the Rinnegan in Ryota's possession was still in its infant stage-fusion progress just barely at 11%-
   Not even a half-finished product yet.
   But still, it was the pinnacle of dojutsu from the world of Naruto.
   Even just a sliver of it could pierce through layers the divine structure of DanMachi could never hope to conceal.
   The next moment, Ryota's pupils shrank.
   Hephaestus's outline remained unchanged, but to Ryota's eyes, the "threads" on her body instantly magnified like fiber-optic cables under a microscope.
   Those once-hair-thin strands of charm now appeared massive and vivid before him.
   He could even see the impression Hephaestus had of him inside her mind-
   Memories that had once been crystal clear were now being overwritten, thread by thread, inch by inch, by those threads of charm.
   Blurring. Distorting. Slowly shifting toward the definition of "one of Freya's people."
   "Damn it... why don't I have Kotoamatsukami? Then I could just control Freya directly-who needs Infinite Tsukuyomi!"
   Muttering to himself at the terrifying strength of the charm, Ryota didn't hesitate. He focused his thoughts.
   A soft but crisp snap rang out, like the severing of a central control cable in a precision machine.
   The most crucial thread of charm inside Hephaestus was cleanly severed by the Rinnegan.
   Hephaestus's body jolted.
   She staggered back half a step, breath catching, a bead of cold sweat appearing at her brow.
   Her divine aura flared out of control for two seconds before gradually stabilizing.
   The red-haired goddess lifted her head. The ruby eye that met Ryota's gaze was no longer cold or guarded.
   Instead, it held a mix of warmth, curiosity, and familiarity that hadn't been seen in a long time.
   Hephaestus frowned, her voice tinged with confusion and uncertainty, like someone trying to claw their way out of a dream-struggling to piece together the blurred memory fragments in her mind.
   [Ding-Quest Progress Updated]
   [Awaken key individuals to their true understanding of your affiliation (1/3)]
   A smile crept back onto Ryota's lips as he looked at her.
   "How does it feel to be factory-reset?"
   Hephaestus blinked, still dazed, her gaze clouded with lingering confusion.
   "Lady Hephaestus, have you... noticed anything off about Orario today?"
   Hephaestus lowered her head, thinking for a few seconds, then slowly replied:
   "Today... hmm, there was something strange."
   "This morning... the Guild broadcasted announcements across every major street."
   "They used amplification stones, so practically the entire city heard it."
   Ryota's eyes narrowed slightly.
   Hephaestus lifted a hand and rubbed her temple.
   "I didn't catch all the details, but I remember they mentioned something about the official members of Freya Familia."
   "Apparently, some people had seen Ottar and the others at Pleasure Quarter a few days ago, and rumors started circulating that Freya had gone mad and was going to attack the Ishtar Familia."
   "This broadcast was meant to dispel those rumors, and at the end..."
   Hephaestus's voice cut off.
   Her expression changed. She suddenly looked up at Ryota, as though she'd just remembered something deeply illogical.
   "They mentioned... your name."
   "And after that... my head started feeling strange."
   The next moment, Hephaestus's pupils contracted, and she sucked in a sharp breath.
   "She charmed-the entire city of Orario?!"
   Ryota chuckled and nodded.
   "As far as everyone's concerned right now, I'm a member of Freya Familia."
   Hephaestus's expression twisted. She pressed one hand to her forehead, leaning against the wall, at a loss for words.
   After a moment of silence, she let out a long sigh.
   "You know we gods are forbidden from using divine power down here."
   "But Freya's charm... strictly speaking, it isn't divine power."
   "That thing is her own unique ability."
   "Even in the heaven, no one really understands how it works."
   "The scariest part is-it leaves no trace."
   "Even if you went to Ouranos, it wouldn't help."
   Ryota nodded. He knew that perfectly well.
   Freya's charm wasn't a system skill or magic-it was her.
   Trying to counter it through mechanics or techniques was pretty much impossible.
   Suddenly, Hephaestus looked up again, realization hitting her. She stared at Ryota in confusion.
   "Then how... how did I break free?"
   "No one else here but the two of us."
   Hephaestus froze, her ruby eye widening several sizes.
   You did it?! You did it?!
   She couldn't even find the words or tone to express how utterly shocked she was.
   A human... broke a god's charm?
   She stared at the black-haired boy in front of her, taking several deep breaths before finally forcing her shock and disoriented thoughts back down.
   After a few seconds of silence, she asked again:
   "So... what's your plan now?"
   "You're really going to go one by one, thread by thread?"
   "That'll take forever, won't it?!"
   Hephaestus nodded, not pressing further.
   She looked at the boy who shouldered everything alone, and for a brief moment, her heart ached. Her voice softened.
   "Ryota, don't push yourself too hard."
   "I know you can do the impossible, but... you're still human."
   She paused, then said seriously:
   "If it really comes to it, I'll go talk to Freya-"
   "I'll use some of Hephaestus Familia's assets... to buy you back."
   Ryota was momentarily stunned.
   A warmth bloomed in his chest.
   This was the real Hephaestus.
   Not the cool, bureaucratic redhead under Freya's charm.
   But the passionate, tsundere goddess who had once lent him her forge, who lit up watching him forge weapons, who gritted her teeth while handing over rare materials-warning him to pay her back someday.
   There was no way she'd have said something like that while under the charm.
   But right now, she was ready to offer up everything just to "ransom" him back.
   Ryota's gaze softened, but he still shook his head.
   "This is nothing I can't handle."
   Hephaestus opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but when she saw the calm look on his face, she finally sighed.
   She looked around the forge room and added:
   "I won't let anyone else in here."
   "Come whenever you like."
   Ryota casually picked up the bill on the table and waved it in front of her.
   "So, Lady Hephaestus... about this usage fee-still charging me?"
   She blinked, then realized he was teasing her. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she snatched the invoice from his hand-ripping it to shreds.
   "You little brat, you're joking with me now?!"
   "Go on, get outta here! Don't waste time!"
   "Ottar's still waiting at the gate!"
   Ryota chuckled and finally pushed open the door, making his way toward the front gate of Hephaestus Familia.
   Only when his silhouette disappeared into the distance-
   Did the red-haired goddess in the forge room finally move again.
   Ryota had just stepped out of the main building and hadn't even reached the gate when he saw a familiar figure.
   Ottar stood silently outside under the night sky, as still as a statue.
   Ryota didn't stop walking. He glanced at Ottar from the corner of his eye.
   Rinnegan Perception activated quietly.
   Sure enough, on Ottar's massive frame, a nearly invisible thread of charm floated, anchored deep in his sea of consciousness.
   In the original story, when Freya unleashed her city-wide charm, she'd excluded her own Familia members.
   Those people were already pathologically loyal.
   "Oh? Even Ottar's been charmed?"
   There was only one explanation:
   This time, Freya wasn't just charming Orario to bring him in.
   She wanted everyone to believe Ryota belonged solely to Freya Familia.
   Including her simps-no, her Familia.
   As he neared the gate, Ottar noticed him and spoke:
   "All core members of Freya Familia have been recalled to the Folkvangr."
   "Freya wishes for us to gather this evening-"
   Ryota didn't let him finish. He cut him off with two words:
   He wasn't used to people disobeying Freya's "requests."
   Even if that person was the key to winning the War Game.
   Even if he was currently Orario's biggest star.
   After a few seconds of silence, Ottar said:
   "You don't have a choice."
   As he spoke, his right hand landed firmly on Ryota's shoulder.
   It was a move meant to stop him from walking away.
   Freya's orders-no matter what they were-Ottar would carry them out.
   And he had to carry them out.
   Feeling the heavy grip on his shoulder, Ryota turned his head.
   Sharingan flared to life.
   In that instant, his eyes were no longer calm or amused.
   They were pure, razor-sharp killing intent.
   Those scarlet pupils lit up like blades in the dark.
   Ottar's pupils contracted!
   It was just one words. Nothing more.
   But when they reached his ears, it was like an ice dagger piercing his chest, sending a chill straight to his heart.
   Ottar felt the cold shoot from his feet to the top of his head, and his body instinctively recoiled.
   He hesitated for a second.
   Then silently let go of Ryota's shoulder.
   Ryota didn't look back. He kept walking, speaking as he went:
   "Don't bother me unless it's important."
   He stared at the retreating figure, brows furrowed, face complex.
   Something... is really not right.
   That fear, that instinctive dread-wasn't just a reaction to power.
   He was Ottar, Orario's acknowledged LV.7 top adventurer, standing at the peak.
   He'd seen monsters beyond counting, and his mental fortitude was unshakable.
   But just now, he'd genuinely wanted to run.
   Like he was facing someone who could crush him to dust the moment they made a move.
   "How... how is this possible...?"
   Ryota had no idea that Ottar was spiraling into existential confusion behind him.
   Just a moment ago, Ryota had indeed considered killing him on the spot.
   Killing Ottar wouldn't accomplish anything. It wouldn't solve the real issue.
   Right now, completing the Main Branch Quest and progressing his fusion mattered far more.
   He didn't head for the Folkvangr.
   Instead, after a series of quick turns, he emerged onto a quiet street-and there it was:
   Ryota instinctively lifted a foot to step forward-then paused.
   A sharp, ironic truth flashed through his mind.
   To the rest of the city... he no longer belonged to Loki Familia.
   If he walked through the front door like this, it'd only cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
   The last thing he wanted was to be surrounded by his former allies with drawn weapons.
   He sighed, turned around, and circled to the side.
   A few steps later, he scaled the outer wall and slipped in through the back of Twilight Manor.
   The night wind brushed the courtyard, casting a silver sheen over the ground.
   As he stepped into the familiar rear garden, Ryota looked up-
   And saw a figure sitting quietly on the far stone steps.
   Legs hugged to her knees.
   A familiar figure. A familiar pose.
   Her golden hair swayed irregularly in the breeze. She stared into the distance, as if deep in thought-or waiting.
   He could see clearly: the threads wrapped around Ais were different from those on Hephaestus or Ottar.
   More intricate. More complex.
   It was obvious Freya had layered a deeper enchantment over the entire Loki Familia.
   Ryota was just about to begin "cutting threads."
   And then-the golden-haired girl stirred.
   She shuddered slightly, then abruptly turned her head, locking eyes with Ryota's exact position.
   The moment their gazes met, Ryota instinctively opened his mouth to speak.
   But in the very next instant-
   Ais leapt to her feet, as if waking from a trance.
   Her figure vanished, sprinting straight toward him!
   In her hand-was none other than the Feather's Echo, the blade Ryota had forged with his own hands... and gifted to her.
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   Chapter 108: Chapter 108: A Presence More Reliable Than a God
   As she dashed forward, Ais drew Feather's Echo from its sheath.
   The glint of steel flashed, and the wind roared in response!
   Ryota called out instinctively, but what met him was a slash of sword light, aimed mercilessly at his right shoulder!
   Kamui activated. Ryota's figure vanished, reappearing several dozen meters away from Ais.
   Watching the blonde girl prepare for a second strike, he sighed, a hint of helplessness flashing across his face.
   There was no way he could bring himself to attack Ais.
   Even something as simple as blocking her strike-he just couldn't do it.
   "Looks like there's only one option left."
   The Chakra around Ryota's body exploded into a frenzy!
   With a low, rumbling sound, golden energy surged from his body, bursting outward into the night.
   -It was Nine-Tails Chakra!
   Golden Chakra roared and rumbled as it condensed in an instant into a massive Chakra hand, lunging straight at Ais.
   Ais's expression shifted slightly. Her body instinctively stepped back half a pace, just about to chant to buff herself.
   But just as the chant reached her throat, before she could speak a word, she felt her whole body lift off the ground-suspended in the air like a feather.
   A flicker of surprise and confusion flashed in her golden eyes. She clearly hadn't expected Ryota to have such a bizarre technique.
   With a twist of his wrist, Ryota hurled a kunai marked with the Flying Raijin Formula, embedding it into the ground.
   "Ais, hang in there for a sec."
   As soon as the thought crossed his mind-
   The space quivered, a golden flash erupted!
   Ryota and Ais vanished from the twilight-shrouded backyard of the Twilight Manor.
   Not long after they left, space trembled again in Hephaestus Familia's forge.
   With the signature flash of the Flying Raijin Formula, Ryota reappeared, bringing Ais along with him.
   Ais was still being held mid-air by the massive Chakra hand formed from Nine-Tails Chakra. Though she had no idea what was going on, she was still struggling against the restraint.
   But Ryota could clearly see the rage and resistance burning in her golden eyes.
   He had no doubt-if he let her go right now, the next thing greeting him would be Feather's Echo stabbed straight through his chest.
   His gaze darkened slightly, and he muttered to himself with a curse:
   "When I activate Infinite Tsukuyomi, I'm gonna make Freya lick my shoes every day..."
   He didn't speak further, not even bothering to try soothing Ais.
   Instead, he activated Rinnegan Perception.
   In his vision, the threads of charm entangled deep within Ais's consciousness were instantly revealed.
   Like a surgeon with decades of experience, he struck with precision-snap! The thread was cut clean.
   In that single breath, Ais's golden eyes shrank sharply!
   The fury burning in her gaze wavered, and her pupils refocused on Ryota.
   In the next second, her entire aura settled back into calm.
   Like a taut bowstring forcibly twisted out of shape suddenly snapping back to its original curve.
   [Ding-Quest progress updated]
   [Awaken key individuals to their true understanding of your affiliation (2/3)]
   The system's mechanical voice signaled success. Only then did Ryota release the golden hand formed of Nine-Tails Chakra.
   Ais landed on the stone floor of the forge.
   She lowered her gaze to her hands, then looked back up at Ryota.
   The wildness in her eyes was gone-no more madness, no more resistance. Only familiarity remained.
   Ryota was about to speak, perhaps ask her something.
   But to his surprise, Ais suddenly stepped forward and walked into his embrace.
   She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. It was as if she were seeking reassurance, grounding herself in the warmth of something familiar to calm the chaos in her newly recovered mind.
   Ryota froze for a moment, then raised his hand to gently pat her back.
   He could feel her trembling slightly-not out of fear, but more like an emotional recoil from suppressing everything for far too long.
   Ryota paused, lowering his head to look at the blonde girl in his arms, surprise flashing in his eyes.
   He hadn't said a single word, yet she already saw through it?
   As expected of the No.1 in his harem (loud and proud).
   Ais didn't react much to that, simply stepping back from his embrace.
   Gripping Feather's Echo tightly, she glanced down at the blade, as though confirming something.
   Then, she turned and headed straight for the forge's exit.
   Ryota blinked, eyes widening as he quickly reached out and pulled her back.
   He looked down at Feather's Echo in her hands, then at her face-calm, serene... and brimming with murderous intent.
   This girl was clearly about to go cut down a god!!
   Ryota quickly dragged her back, both hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her obviously fuming little head with nothing but eye contact.
   After a good bit of back-and-forth and a few seconds of silence, Ais finally gave a soft "Mm," temporarily suppressing her fury.
   "You going to lift everyone into the air one by one like this?"
   Ryota twitched. Why did that sound so violently phrased?
   "Want me to go tie a few up and bring them back?"
   Looking at the deadly serious expression on the blonde girl's face, Ryota rubbed his forehead with a wry smile before saying:
   With that, he offered no further explanation and vanished in a blur.
   Ten seconds later, Ryota reappeared in the forge.
   This time, however, the massive golden Chakra hand in his right hand was clutching a wildly struggling... elven girl.
   "Let me go, you damned Freya lackey!!"
   "Just because the Loki Familia lost the War Game doesn't mean you can treat us like this!"
   "Waaahh! Put me down!! Do you have any idea how disrespectful this is to an elf?!"
   Lefiya thrashed more and more violently in the golden palm.
   "And here I was telling Miss Ais how handsome you were!"
   "And this is what you really are! You, you-!!"
   Ryota twitched, just about to say something, when the furious elf suddenly paused, her gaze locking onto someone else in the room.
   She stared dead-on at Ais, who was calmly sitting on a stool, quietly wiping her sword.
   "What are you doing here?!"
   Lefiya's face was filled with shock. Her eyes darted between Ryota and Ais, her voice rising half a pitch:
   "Did he capture you too?!"
   "He didn't do anything to you, did he?!"
   He turned to Ais with a sigh of resignation.
   "Is she always this loud?"
   Ais pondered for two seconds, then nodded seriously:
   "Mm... maybe... all elves are like this?"
   "Probably a racial thing."
   Completely ignoring Lefiya's yapping, Ryota became a surgical expert once more, operating on the dumb elf.
   With a snap of the thread, the power of charm faded from Lefiya's mental sea.
   Her resistance stopped. Her expression shifted from teeth-gritting fury to utter bewilderment.
   Then came a sudden and rapid return of clarity.
   The dumb elf blinked at her hands, then at Ryota, then at Ais.
   That face, which just moments ago had maxed out its rage stat, suddenly flushed crimson.
   And then, in the next instant, she burst into tears in the golden Chakra hand!
   "I knew something was weird at the Twilight Manor today!"
   "It's because you weren't there, waaahhh!!!"
   "You-you didn't even say goodbye before... before Freya kidnapped you!"
   "I thought you really changed, waaahhhh!!!"
   At the same time, the system's mechanical voice chimed in again:
   [Ding! Main branch quest "Awaken key individuals to their true understanding of your affiliation" complete!]
   [Reward 1: Special Nine-Tails Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 2: Sage Jutsu Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 3: Hashirama Cells +10%!]
   [Reward 4: Kekkei Genkai Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence unlocked!]
   [Reward 5: Chakra capacity +200,000!]
   A barrage of system notifications exploded in his ears-an absolutely luxurious reward set.
   But Ryota's expression didn't budge an inch.
   "This is already Phase 5,"
   "If the rewards weren't this good, I'd be calling bullshit on you, System."
   Shifting his gaze, Ryota looked down at his palm.
   Chakra surged quietly. A greenish wooden pattern began to spread across the back of his hand, like a forest taking root, like life awakening.
   This was the first Wood Style jutsu he had truly mastered.
   This jutsu could instantly summon countless towering trees...
   And those trees weren't just for show-they were real, usable weapons!
   Offense, defense, control-it could do it all!
   Ryota narrowed his eyes. Inside him, the resonance between Hashirama Cells, Sage Chakra, and Nine-Tails Chakra grew stronger, as if completing a long-lost power circuit.
   But what he truly looked forward to wasn't the Wood Style.
   It was the fusion progress to come!
   Sure enough, in the next second, the system voice returned:
   [Ding-Chakra Fruit Fusion Progress +9%]
   Then-silence. No follow-up.
   Ryota waited two seconds. Then two more.
   Only Lefiya's sniffling after crying and the sound of his own fingers tapping the table filled the silence.
   His brow furrowed slightly, a trace of doubt rising in his heart.
   [Fusion progress at 20%], and a main branch quest completed perfectly.
   Before, moments like this always came with new skills or powers.
   But this time, the system just... stopped?
   No new Rinnegan abilities, not even a minor one.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes, his mind racing through the system's usual logic.
   Then, a possibility surfaced.
   "Could it be... waiting for something?"
   In other words, maybe the system was holding off on the next reward because he was about to enter the "next phase."
   And that reward wouldn't be just another jutsu-it would be a game-changing power-up.
   If the system was keeping quiet now, there could only be two reasons:
   It was prepping something huge.
   Ryota exhaled slowly. Whether his guess was right or not, he didn't intend to dwell.
   The fusion had definitely progressed.
   The Rinnegan's aura in his eyes grew denser-like a rising sun still below the horizon, slowly but surely being born.
   And once that sun rose, he could cast the entire world of Orario into an eternal moonlit night.
   Once that point was reached, he wouldn't hesitate to activate Infinite Tsukuyomi.
   To rewrite this Freya-twisted Orario from the ground up.
   Whether to restore or remake it-
   He just wanted the world to return to the version that belonged to him.
   His thoughts settled, Ryota looked at the two girls in front of him.
   Lefiya's eyes were still red, tears clinging to her lashes.
   Ais sat beside her, gently patting her back, occasionally offering quiet words of comfort.
   It was a peaceful scene-so peaceful, it felt like everything was already over.
   Until the elven girl noticed Ryota watching her and looked up, her voice still slightly nasal:
   "Ryota, how... how did you find out?"
   "I mean, Freya's charm is so strong... even Lady Loki didn't notice."
   Ais looked up too, glancing at Ryota with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
   Charm was a power that even gods couldn't resist.
   Yet Ryota not only resisted-it seemed like he could cut through it.
   What kind of absurd ability was that?
   Facing their inquisitive gazes, Ryota just smiled faintly and pointed to his eyes.
   "It's because of these eyes."
   Almost reflexively, Ais and Lefiya both looked.
   They were met with an utterly calm pair of black eyes.
   But in the very next second, a familiar red-and-black pattern began to slowly spin deep within his pupils.
   And within those rotating tomoe... faint ripple patterns began to emerge.
   "My djutsu is constantly evolving,"
   "To Freya's charm... I'm basically immune."
   Just one sentence, yet it left both girls completely stunned.
   Lefiya opened her mouth, but no words came.
   Ais stared blankly at his eyes, as if trying to see what was hidden in the swirl of tomoe.
   After a long moment, both of them slowly nodded.
   Though they didn't completely understand what "djutsu" meant, thinking back to all the mind-blowing feats Ryota had pulled off-
   Those eyes really did seem like they possessed a power beyond all restraint.
   And for a brief moment, in both their eyes, a new light appeared.
   It wasn't just admiration.
   A silent, soul-deep, nearly instinctual reverence and belief.
   Their god Loki had descended upon Orario as a divine being.
   But at this moment, the smiling boy before them...
   Seemed more reliable than any god.
  
   Chapter 109: Chapter 109: The Folkvangr-Do You Even Understand the Power of the Rinnegan?!
   Standing before him were two girls-
   One with red-rimmed eyes, tears still hanging in the corners, but a smile tugging at her lips.
   The other usually quiet as still water, now had a gaze so intense it looked like she was about to tattoo "You are my faith" across her forehead.
   Ryota suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
   "...If you two keep looking at me like that, I might get the wrong idea, you know."
   He scratched his head reflexively. If this kept up...
   Who needed Infinite Tsukuyomi?
   Just whip up a classic "hero saves the damsel" scenario, and these girls would be clinging to him like their lives depended on it...
   At this rate, he might even purify the charm just by sheer virtue of being himself.
   He knew very well that while this kind of small-scale devotion was precious, it was still just a localized effect.
   Freya's charm was still active, and the perception of the entire city had been altered.
   He could sever three threads, but he couldn't tug every soul back into place, one by one.
   If he truly wanted to restore Orario to its original state...
   If he wanted to complete his Main Quest...
   There was only one move left-Infinite Tsukuyomi.
   Ryota pushed the thought aside and looked at the two girls who were still caught up in their emotions.
   "I'll take you both back to Twilight Manor first. As for Lady Loki... let's keep her in the dark for now."
   "Then I'm heading over to the Folkvangr."
   As soon as the words left his mouth, the tension in the room spiked again.
   Lefiya's expression changed drastically. Her eyes widened, and her face turned even paler than before.
   "Y-You're going to see Freya?!"
   The elf girl's voice cracked with panic.
   "W-What if she realizes you're not under her charm and decides to keep you there?!"
   "Or-or if she forces her charm on you and parades you in the central plaza declaring you're her property-!"
   "I-I think it's absolutely a bad idea for you to go alone!!"
   Ais beside her looked like she was about to nod in agreement, but just as the words reached her lips, she stopped.
   She seemed to recall something, staring at Ryota's smiling face for a long moment in silence.
   It was an expression she knew all too well.
   Not the smug grin of a fool, but the quiet confidence of someone who truly knew what they were doing.
   Ryota raised a hand and ruffled Lefiya's head with a smile.
   "I should at least find out why she's been turning the city upside down looking for me. She even had Ottar standing guard at Hephaestus's place."
   "And besides... trying to 'keep' me?"
   "They don't have what it takes."
   Before he'd even finished speaking, his hand was already ruffling the poor elf's head with practiced ease.
   Lefiya froze. Her long elven ears perked up instantly, and her face turned redder than a ripe apple.
   "And in front of Lady Ais no less... y-you can't just...!"
   She protested in a tiny voice but didn't actually push away the "offending" hand.
   Instead, she sat stiffly on the bench, her eyes darting everywhere, even the tips of her ears flushing pink with embarrassment.
   Just then, the previously quiet blonde girl lifted her head.
   In her golden eyes was the reflection of Ryota, Lefiya-and the hand gently ruffling her friend's hair.
   Ais blinked once, tilted her head slightly... and ever so subtly leaned a step closer to Ryota.
   She didn't say anything, but those clear eyes, bright as the stars, were filled with longing.
   Ryota glanced down, meeting her gaze-
   He chuckled softly and reached up with his other hand to stroke her silky golden hair.
   Ais let out a small, content hum.
   And realizing Lefiya was right beside her, the doll-like Sword Princess's cheeks turned ever so slightly pink.
   Even so, she didn't move away-in fact, she leaned in even closer.
   Lefiya, watching this unfold beside her, turned a deeper shade of red, looking like she was about to combust.
   "Ugh, n-no fair... even Lady Ais is joining in... that's cheating..."
   She muttered under her breath, trying to sound indignant, but deep down she was grinning like an idiot.
   "It's about time. Let's get you both home."
   With a smooth motion, he pulled the two girls into his arms, one on each side.
   In the next instant, a flash of yellow light lit up the room.
   Flying Raijin Jutsu-activated.
   Their figures vanished from Hephaestus Familia's forge in a blink.
   In the backyard of Twilight Manor-
   Light flashed by the steps, and in the next moment, Ryota, Ais, and Lefiya landed smoothly on the ground.
   Ryota exhaled, releasing the girls from his arms. He glanced at the place he had called home for so long.
   Then he turned to the two girls and said gently:
   "Don't tell Lady Loki about tonight. Or anyone else in the Familia."
   "That includes anything about the charm-and me."
   Lefiya blinked, still a bit confused, but nodded quickly and earnestly.
   "Understood. I won't say a word."
   Ais, standing beside her, gave Ryota a long look, then nodded silently.
   That quiet but resolute expression said everything she needed to.
   Ryota smiled at them both.
   "It'll all be over soon. I promise."
   As his words faded into the night, his eyes flashed-
   And his figure vanished into the darkness like a shadow never meant to exist.
   Ais and Lefiya were just about to head back to their rooms when familiar footsteps echoed behind them.
   Loki strolled over from the front yard, arms behind her head. She glanced between the two girls and grinned.
   "What are you two doing out here in the backyard this late, spacing out?"
   Lefiya blinked and replied quickly:
   "Just chatting with Miss Ais~"
   "What about? I wanna hear too, I wanna hear!"
   Clearly, anything involving her precious Ais instantly piqued her curiosity.
   She stepped forward eagerly, ready to press for details-but suddenly paused, her expression changing subtly.
   "You're not still talking about that guy who beat our Familia, are you?"
   "Sure, he's strong. Handsome, too, I'll give you that. The guy can definitely fight."
   "But let me be honest here-Lefiya, you should probably just give up."
   Couldn't really blame Loki for thinking that.
   After all, Lefiya had very openly said Ryota was handsome before.
   "But he's part of Freya Familia. Their main guy! And don't forget-we got stomped by him in that War Game."
   "If you're seriously crushing on him, I honestly don't know what to do with you."
   Loki hadn't even finished teasing before the elf girl beside her went beet red.
   "T-That's not what I meant at all!!"
   She blurted it out, then immediately turned and bolted down the hallway.
   "Whoa, already flustered?"
   "Ah, youth, sweet youth~"
   As one of Orario's premier mischief gods, Loki's favorite pastime was teasing her own Familia.
   Especially the ones with a little crush-those were the best targets.
   Unfortunately, just as she was getting into the groove, Ais suddenly moved too.
   Loki turned, about to speak, when the blonde girl zipped off silently in the direction of the front yard.
   Loki stood there, staring at the two retreating backs, blinking.
   She scratched her head and muttered:
   "Why do I feel like... everyone's acting kinda weird tonight?"
   "Whatever. I'll just grab a drink and call it."
   "Ryota, huh... tsk... that's a hell of a name."
   She let out a chuckle, humming a tuneless melody as she wandered off toward her room.
   Once nearly abandoned due to the War Game, the courtyard was once again lit by warm lanterns.
   Ryota stood before the main gate, gaze calm and unreadable as it swept over the unfamiliar door.
   Freya had called back nearly all of her Familia's core members.
   Ottar, Hedin, Hogni, Heith...
   Ryota could sense each and every one of them clearly.
   They were all waiting in the main hall.
   Except for one-Vice-Captain Allen was missing.
   Not that Ryota was surprised.
   No amount of charm magic could undo time.
   That guy took a direct hit from Amaterasu during the War Game.
   Whether he was dead or not... Ryota didn't really care.
   The moment he stepped through the gate, a figure in the hall rose sharply.
   Freya's gaze locked onto him like a lover reunited after a long journey, soft and unwavering.
   But that very look sent shockwaves through the rest of the hall.
   Hedin, Hogni, Heith-several high-level members who'd been murmuring among themselves-
   All froze the moment Freya stood up, her eyes brimming with affection.
   That wasn't the kindness a god shows their follower-it was the look one gives their master returning home!
   The Folkvangr was Freya's domain.
   Freya Familia was built on worship and desire for her.
   And yet now, they were all waiting for... a man to return home?
   Someone thought it, but no one dared say it aloud.
   Freya stepped forward and said gently:
   Ryota stared at her with a blank expression.
   The mood in the hall shifted instantly.
   But Freya didn't hesitate.
   "Ryota, now that you're back-let me update your Status."
   Black lines practically appeared on his face.
   He'd originally planned to crash at Hephaestus's forge tonight.
   But if Ottar was still standing there like a statue-and dragging Hephaestus Familia into this mess...
   And now, staring at Freya, who looked like she'd melt just from looking at him-
   He figured he might as well go sleep in the Dungeon with the monsters.
   "No thanks. I don't think that's necessary."
   "If there's nothing else, I'm going to go stay at an inn. This place gives me the creeps."
   The moment those words left his lips, Freya's expression changed. Her smile wavered for the first time.
   But before she could finish, Hogni, who had been silent all this time, suddenly stepped forward.
   "Freya is your goddess. She gave you her blessing. She built this Familia."
   "Even if you performed well in the War Game and led us to victory, that doesn't give you the right to speak to a god this way!"
   "Do you even understand what it means to be part of this Familia?!"
   His voice rang out across the hall.
   But Ryota didn't respond.
   He simply looked up and locked eyes with Hogni.
   "This guy... even after taking my Tsukuyomi head-on, he still doesn't get it, huh?"
   His eyes snapped open wide!
   The Eternal Mangeky Sharingan surged into existence-its pattern merged with the already 20%-integrated Rinnegan.
   An overwhelming pressure exploded from his body, as if the very laws of the world had been torn.
   He didn't need to raise his voice.
   Just those eyes-staring-were like staring into a bottomless abyss, a void that could devour souls.
   Silence engulfed the hall.
   Fear seeped into every heart.
   Even if they'd forgotten the true War Game under the spell of charm...
   That soul-deep dread could never be erased!
   Just one look-and everyone's legs went weak.
   This... was the power of the Rinnegan!
  
   Chapter 110: Chapter 110: A Summons from Ouranos?
   Inside the Folkvangr, the air itself seemed frozen.
   No one dared move. Even breathing too heavily felt like a sin.
   Ryota hadn't released any killing intent, nor had he prepared any technique-but just the slow, hypnotic rotation of his Eternal Mangeky Sharingan was enough to drag every soul in the room, inch by inch, into an abyss.
   Hedin, Hogni, and the other Freya Familia members stood pale-faced.
   Even Ottar, Level 7, had his pupils contracting involuntarily.
   According to their memories, Ryota was their hero-the one who led Freya to victory in the War Game.
   But now, this so-called "hero" stood before them as something far more terrifying. A calamity.
   And clearly, this wasn't some feeling instilled by Freya's charm.
   No, this was the lingering echo etched into their souls from the real War Game.
   Their memories might have been scrambled, but their bodies still remembered-those earth-shattering attacks, those soul-crushing techniques-buried deep in muscle memory.
   They didn't even understand why they were afraid.
   Not a single person dared make a sound.
   Then-Freya's voice shattered the heavy silence.
   "Ryota, I had Ottar call you back to update your Status."
   "But if you're not interested for now, that's fine."
   Ryota remained where he stood, looking at that ever-smiling, flawless face.
   Freya's expression remained serene-gentle, poised-but it made Ryota frown slightly.
   This crazy woman was up to something again.
   Those lust-filled gray eyes were hiding far too much.
   "There's something else."
   "Allen can no longer serve as the vice-captain of Freya Familia."
   "So, I'd like you to take his place."
   The moment she finished speaking, the Folkvangr was plunged into another deathly silence.
   Ryota was stunned for a moment.
   But not nearly as shocked as everyone else in the room.
   "This has to be a joke..."
   "Sure, he won the War Game, but still..."
   Hogni's mouth was open in disbelief, Hedin's brow furrowed into a knot, and even Ottar remained silent, a flicker of doubt crossing his face.
   This wasn't just any promotion.
   Freya Familia was the top Familia in Orario.
   The vice-captain was second only to Ottar in status-a symbol of the Familia itself.
   And now she wanted to hand that role to a Level 4 kid who half of them weren't even sure actually belonged to their Familia?
   Ryota stared at Freya for a long time. The Eternal Mangeky spun slowly in his eyes.
   Finally, he said in a low voice:
   two simple words-but they hit like thunder, shaking everyone to their core.
   The room fell into stunned silence.
   Everyone glanced at one another in disbelief, as if the phrase "I refuse" had short-circuited their brains.
   Even Freya's eternal smile froze for a split second.
   That always-calm, always-indulgent expression faltered for the first time.
   Around her, Hogni, Hedin, and Heith looked like they'd just heard the gods curse.
   Their faces cycled through shock, confusion, disbelief... until finally landing on absolute incredulity.
   -Refusing a Status update?
   -Refusing to become the vice-captain of Freya Familia??
   Either one of those things could start a citywide scandal in Orario.
   There were people who'd give everything just to become an affiliate of Freya Familia.
   Countless Familia members toiled day and night in the Dungeon for even the slimmest chance of having their Status updated by her hand.
   And now this black-haired boy had refused her-twice-in the span of two minutes.
   And he'd done it in front of her. In front of all of them.
   Ryota withdrew his gaze. The Eternal Mangeky Sharingan slowly calmed in his eyes.
   "If that's all, I'm leaving."
   And with that, he turned and walked toward the front doors of the Folkvangr.
   The most sacred hall in Orario-in his eyes, it was filth.
   He reached the threshold, paused, then added over his shoulder:
   "Don't send anyone after me again."
   His words were spoken lightly, but they sent another jolt through the room.
   A clear sign that Ryota had no regard whatsoever for the so-called "honor" of being in the top Familia.
   This return had only one purpose-for him to make himself clear.
   Otherwise, Ottar would just keep blocking the forge gates of Hephaestus Familia like he had today, planted like a tree.
   Ryota didn't bother explaining anything else. He stepped through the doors and vanished into the night.
   Not Hedin, not Hogni, not Heith-not even Ottar.
   They all stood there as if watching a dream dissolve.
   A Level 4 rookie had just rejected Freya twice. 
   And then warned them not to bother him again.
   But the most insane part?
   No one even dared to chase him.
   Only Freya-her gaze fixed on the direction he'd disappeared-smiled wider and wider.
   "...You really are the one I've set my eyes on."
   Freya finally turned away and sank into the couch in the center of the hall.
   One elbow resting on the armrest, head slightly tilted, eyes never straying from the door.
   As if the warmth of Ryota's presence still lingered in the space beyond it.
   She stared, saying nothing.
   Had that boy... truly been affected by her charm?
   No. Something didn't add up. None of it made sense.
   Freya knew better than anyone how absurdly potent her charm was. It wasn't simple seduction or manipulation-it was a projection of divine nature itself.
   In this world, aside from the three gods still keeping their chastity vows, there wasn't a single god or race that could remain unaffected by her charm.
   Even Ouranos, Orario's founding god, couldn't resist if she got close enough.
   First, he avoided her altogether while staying at Hephaestus Familia.
   Then, he outright rejected her in the Folkvangr.
   Then, to top it all off, he said, "Don't bother me again," and walked away without a backward glance.
   That wasn't something someone under her spell would ever do.
   "Could it be... he was never charmed at all?"
   "But how is that possible?"
   But she quickly shook her head, discarding that idea.
   That little blue-ribbon goddess was probably still in her basement, spacing out after selling fried potato balls.
   "Even if he's originally from Loki Familia, there's no reason he'd be this resistant to me..."
   She thought hard, lost in a spiral of questions. At last, she came back to herself and spoke:
   "But don't be too obvious about it."
   Ottar, who had silently stood beside her the entire time, paused-then slowly nodded.
   Freya's flawless face still wore its usual soft smile.
   But beneath that smile, something had already begun to stir.
   A dangerous, wordless obsession.
   The kind of craving only a god feels toward a prey they cannot control.
   The kind of mystery that makes you fall deeper the longer you stare into it.
   Ryota walked through the shadowed streets of Orario, completely unaware that his "I refuse" had just flipped the Folkvangr upside down.
   Or rather, even if he had known, he wouldn't have cared.
   So Freya was starting to get suspicious?
   If she'd truly been fooled by his "acting," that would've been far too easy.
   Ryota's lips curled slightly, his eyes clear and calm.
   "She can be suspicious all she wants."
   "But she won't figure out what I'm really after."
   [Ding-Fusion Progress +2%]
   [Current Fusion Progress: 22%]
   The familiar mechanical chime rang in his ears.
   Ryota paused in his step. The smile at the corner of his lips deepened.
   "Looks like... refusing the vice-captain role also counts toward fusion progress."
   He rolled his wrist experimentally, sensing that his Chakra and Rinnegan were more fluid and synchronized than ever before.
   That overwhelming power was growing-rapidly.
   Not with Freya, but with the very perception of Orario itself.
   Freya was charming the city's collective consensus.
   And Ryota? He would reshape that reality with the power of the Rinnegan.
   "Let's see who wins, you crazy woman."
   "One more step closer to the world of dreams."
   Ryota was just about to use Flying Raijin to return to his temporary base at Hephaestus Familia when-
   A subtle ripple in space trembled from the shadows ahead.
   From the far end of the street, a figure cloaked in black emerged.
   It wasn't a person-it was like a fragment of the night itself stitched into shape.
   But Ryota recognized him instantly.
   -Violet, deep, as if they could see through all things.
   The elusive man before him was one of the most special members of the Guild's inner circle.
   Ouranos's right-hand man-or perhaps more accurately, his personal mercenary.
   He was the one who took the Mystery Development Ability to its absolute peak.
   Fels raised his head slowly. Under the hood, those glowing eyes locked on Ryota.
   "Ryota, Ouranos wants to see you."
   Ryota didn't respond right away.
   He narrowed his eyes, sizing the man up.
   Ouranos wants to see me? Could it be about Freya's charm engulfing the city?
   But that didn't sound right. In the original timeline, Ouranos couldn't care less about that kind of nonsense.
   His entire purpose-his reason for still existing-was to monitor and suppress the Dungeon.
   Ryota's eyes narrowed slightly as a thought flickered across his mind.
   "The Dungeon... is acting up?"
   His memory jumped back to that recent expedition.
   That battle with the Valgang Dragon had been... excessive, to say the least.
   He hadn't just sliced that thing from skull to tailbone-he'd also dragged the entire Loki Familia party from the 52nd Floor all the way down to the 58th.
   That wasn't "collateral damage."
   That was full-blown tectonic destruction.
   And the Dungeon... was alive. It was a living being.
   Ryota glanced sideways at Fels.
   He silently wondered to himself.
   Or had a mutation occurred?
   A dozen chaotic thoughts surged through his mind.
   At last, he gave a slight nod.
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   Chapter 111: Chapter 111: The Deal with Ouranos, and a New Rinnegan Ability!
   Fels led the way, with Ryota following closely behind.
   They walked through the alleys in the Seventh District, eventually arriving at an ancient stone statue, so weathered and eroded it was almost unrecognizable.
   Fels came to a halt, raised his gloved hand-ink-black and etched with arcane patterns-and pressed lightly on an inconspicuous depression beside the statue.
   A mechanical sound echoed from behind the statue.
   A moment later, the stone wall seemed to be drawn apart by some invisible force, slowly sliding open to reveal a deep passageway covered in dense, glowing runes.
   "Please follow me," said Fels.
   With that, he stepped into the passage.
   Ryota gathered his thoughts, then flickered forward and vanished inside as well.
   The tunnel was long and narrow, cold air swirling through it. 
   The ancient runes carved into the walls shimmered faintly with a dark golden glow, pulsing as if alive.
   They didn't know how long they had walked until a light finally emerged ahead. At last, they reached the end.
   It was an enormous underground hall.
   The ceiling soared high above, supported by a dozen massive stone pillars, each crowned with roaring flames.
   At the very center lay a smooth, open floor.
   And at the far end, on a raised platform, sat an old man clad in a black robe, eyes closed in meditation.
   The god known as the "Founder of Orario."
   Hidden for years within the deepest altar below the Guild, he used his divine might to suppress the Dungeon, preventing monsters from spilling onto the surface as they once had in the ancient times, maintaining balance and order in the world of DanMachi.
   He was more than a symbol of the Guild-he was Orario's oldest god.
   A hoarse, ancient voice echoed through the grand chamber:
   His gaze was calm, but his demeanor unusually solemn.
   Even now, with the Rinnegan, Kurama's chakra, Sage Mode, Susanoo...
   Any one of those would be enough to shake Orario to its core.
   Yet facing this old man, Ryota still held deep respect.
   This neutral god, who protected the DanMachi world, bore everything silently.
   Without him, this world might have long since descended into chaos.
   What's more, Ouranos was the only god capable of using divine power on the surface.
   He was the Neutral God, the Pillar of Orario, and the only one untouched by Freya's charms.
   Back during the War Game, it was only with his approval that Hermes had been able to project the entire match onto Orario using divine power.
   The old man seated on the stone throne spoke again:
   "Ryota, I hope you'll do me a favor."
   Ryota raised an eyebrow, just about to speak, when Ouranos continued:
   "Or rather... this is a formal commission issued under my name."
   "I hope you'll go to the Dungeon on my behalf."
   "Because... something has changed down there."
   Ryota's expression shifted.
   Even though he'd already had his suspicions, hearing this confirmation stirred an unfamiliar sense of unease deep within him.
   Could it really be... because I went too hard down there?
   Ouranos seemed to read Ryota's thoughts, his voice calm as he said:
   "You know about the three major Adventurer's Commissions, don't you?"
   Rather than "commissions," they were more like three monsters.
   "Ever since the gods descended, those three missions were classified as impossible to complete."
   Ouranos slowly raised his hand, and a faint light appeared in his palm.
   "The first, Behemoth-slain by the Zeus Familia."
   "The second, Leviathan-sealed and eventually defeated by the Hera Familia."
   His tone suddenly changed.
   "The third, the Black Dragon."
   "In that battle, Zeus and Hera's Familias joined forces... and were utterly annihilated."
   "The Black Dragon remains sealed. It is still the last unfulfilled ultimate commission in this world."
   He paused, his tone growing increasingly grave.
   "And the unrest in the Dungeon began intensifying shortly after your return from that expedition."
   "The seal is weakening. The Black Dragon has awakened."
   Trying to process what he had just heard.
   He'd thought the ruckus he caused had, at most, stirred up monsters on the sixth stratum.
   But now Ouranos was telling him that the Black Dragon-the final commission sealed on the 100th floor of the Dungeon-was awake.
   All I did was slay one dragon... and that somehow woke up the bottom-floor boss? That's ridiculous...
   "That expedition of yours was indeed one of the triggers," said Ouranos. "But not the only one."
   "The imbalance among the gods, the Dungeon's long-repressed fury... all of it has weakened the seal."
   "The Black Dragon's restlessness is the result of many forces intertwining."
   Hearing this, Ryota's gaze flickered. He asked the most practical question on his mind:
   "What do you want me to do about it?"
   Ouranos fell silent for a moment, then smiled.
   A god's smile-an uncommon sight.
   "Gods can see through people."
   "But-I can't see through you."
   He fixed his gaze on Ryota.
   "There's something on you... like a fog, a veil."
   "And that's exactly why I believe-you might be someone outside this world's fate."
   "That's why I want you to go into the Dungeon."
   Ouranos leaned back into his stone throne.
   "...To a place no one has set foot in since the fall of Zeus and Hera's Familias-"
   Ryota shook his head without a moment's hesitation.
   Ouranos blinked in surprise, looking up at him.
   Even Fels, hidden in the shadows, froze for a few seconds.
   Standing in the shifting light between the pillars, Ryota's face was expressionless.
   "You want me, an LV.4, to solo past the 59th floor?"
   "I may be arrogant, but I'm not stupid."
   His voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly through the vast hall.
   "And let's not pretend you don't know what's happening in Orario right now, Lord Ouranos."
   "Even if I made it through the 59th floor-hell, even the 61st."
   "Guess who's going to take the credit in the end?"
   A sarcastic curve tugged at Ryota's lips.
   "Lord Ouranos, do I look like the kind of sucker who lets others leech off my achievements and reputation?"
   He had never hidden his disdain and cold indifference toward the Freya Familia.
   From ignoring them outright during his first Familia selection to rejecting both the status update and vice-captain role.
   It wasn't about emotion-it was about principle.
   Or rather, a soul-deep rejection of Freya herself.
   Besides, he was part of the Loki Familia.
   And more importantly, he still had his ultimate goal: Infinite Tsukuyomi.
   Ryota looked up at Ouranos and continued:
   "This isn't something I should be doing."
   "At least, not right now."
   Just then, Ouranos spoke again:
   "What if I promised to support everything you're about to do? Would you still refuse?"
   Ouranos... knows what I'm planning?
   Did he see through the Infinite Tsukuyomi?
   But before he could think it through, Ouranos continued:
   "I don't know what's on your mind. Nor will I intervene in what's happening in Orario."
   "My duty lies with the Dungeon. That's all."
   He suddenly understood the unsaid meaning in Ouranos' words.
   No action. No interference. No stance.
   And Ryota knew very well-this old man on the throne was no ordinary god.
   He was the first god. The one who introduced the Falna to the lower world. The architect of the DanMachi system. The origin of all "divine authority."
   If Ryota ever completed his fusion progress, triggered Infinite Tsukuyomi, pulled all of Orario into a new world, rebuilt its order, and forged a new system of singular faith...
   And Ouranos decided to step in at that moment...
   Everything would become unpredictable.
   This was a god who could erase another deity with a single thought.
   And Ryota hated unpredictability more than anything.
   But now, in his words, Ryota heard something unmistakable-
   Or perhaps, Ouranos was offering him a key.
   In the name of the oldest god of DanMachi, Ouranos had opened the door to Ryota's next phase.
   He was the one who guarded the Dungeon's balance.
   And Ryota would be the one to break the old order and build a new world from the ground up.
   In this false world, eroded by charm and twisted consensus, he would use the truth reflected in the Rinnegan to rip through Orario's illusion.
   After a long pause, Ryota let out a slow breath.
   He understood now-this was a deal.
   A mutually beneficial deal.
   "As for your concern-about the Freya Familia taking all the glory," Ouranos added,
   "I'll issue an official joint investigation commission under the Guild's name."
   "That way, even if you do everything, the credit will be shared-reasonably-between the Freya Familia and the others."
   He paused, his voice carrying a weighty undertone.
   "Of course, the true merit... will be remembered on the correct side of history."
   Ryota chuckled and looked at the old man on the throne.
   "Pleasure doing business, Lord Ouranos."
   As his words fell, a familiar mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
   Only this time, two different prompts rang out simultaneously:
   [Ding-Fusion Progress +3%]
   [Current Fusion Progress: 25%]
   [Ding-New Ability Unlocked: Takami Musubinokami]
   [Ding-Main Branch Quest Triggered!]
   [Explore the Dungeon's Glacier Territory and return safely]
   [Current Status: Incomplete]
   Nineteenth Floor of the Dungeon, Large Tree Labyrinth.
   "Ryota... are you sure? You really want me to attack you?"
   Lefiya clutched the Forest's Teardrop in her hands, several large question marks practically floating above her head, her voice laced with hesitation and uncertainty.
   As she spoke, she sneaked a glance at the blonde girl beside her.
   Ais tilted her head slightly, also waiting for Ryota's response. Her clear golden eyes practically said, "I don't really get it either."
   Standing some distance away, Ryota's eyes shimmered faintly with violet ripple patterns. He smiled and nodded.
   "Go all out. Don't hold back."
   Lefiya nodded obediently.
   Her gaze sharpened. She raised her staff high, and magic surged forth like a rising tide.
   As the final line of the chant dropped, a massive arrow of light-formed entirely from Elven magic-hurtled toward Ryota.
   He stood exactly where he was.
   Until the arrow came within a few meters-
   He raised his right hand, and an overwhelming gravitational vortex erupted outward.
   The next second, the massive magic arrow, which should've exploded on impact, suddenly froze in midair, then reversed course as if forcibly pulled, spiraling into the vortex in his palm and disappearing completely!
   But in the next instant, Ryota casually flicked his left hand.
   The magic arrow he had just absorbed reformed, compressed, and reconstructed in his palm.
   A blinding arrow of mana, many times stronger than the original, burst from his hand and blasted into the distance.
   The explosion shook the air. The shockwave rippled out with such force that even Ais had to shift her body slightly to brace against it.
   Ryota shook out his hand and nodded in satisfaction.
   "Takami Musubinokami. A unique ability of the Momoshiki Rinnegan. Not bad at all."
  
   Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Commission for the Fifty-Ninth Floor!
   Takami Musubinokami-one of the core abilities of the Momoshiki Rinnegan.
   It operated on a closed-loop mechanism of absorption, analysis, amplification, and release, enabling an incredibly efficient cycle of energy use during combat.
   However, unlike in the original series, where Momoshiki had the Rinnegan embedded in each palm-right for absorption, left for release-Ryota wasn't bound by that limiting structure.
   To him, absorbing and releasing were merely extensions of his will.
   All it took was a simple gesture, like lifting a palm, and he could swallow Lefiya's magic whole. Then, with a casual flick, he could unleash it again-amplified to multiple times its original power.
   It all happened in the space of a single thought.
   Not far away, the rocky wall of the Large Tree Labyrinth still smoked, a massive pit gouged deep into the stone.
   Lefiya stared blankly at the crater, a string of giant question marks practically popping above her head.
   She ran over to Ryota, blinking rapidly. "Ryota, was that your new ability? How were you able to absorb my spell?!"
   Ryota nodded calmly. "Yeah. It's a power that lets me take in a magic and send it right back-just with more firepower."
   "Even more?!" Lefiya's mouth hung open, her face practically shouting, Why have I never heard of anything like that?!
   Next to her, Ais's golden eyes fixed on Ryota without blinking, a subtle gleam shining through her usually placid gaze.
   Both girls looked at him, and in their eyes was a familiar glow-
   And it wasn't the shy, hesitant kind-it was blatant, pure, and unfiltered, more direct than ever before.
   They'd long since lost that feeling.
   Ever since that expedition with Ryota-since the very moment Freya's charm had been severed before their eyes-the way they viewed him had subtly shifted.
   He wasn't just a "strong comrade," or some "powerful Adventurer."
   He was one of the only people in that warped world who remained awake.
   That feeling-of being dragged out of a dream, of being saved-was something no amount of awe could surpass.
   And combined with the almost inhuman powers Ryota had displayed since then, their emotions toward him had gradually distilled down to a single, unified signal.
   At this point, to Ryota, these two girls were emotional lighthouses-sending only one message:
   Whatever you say is right. Whatever you do, we believe in you.
   It was no longer trust born of logic or reason.
   It was the kind of faith that came after being crushed by overwhelming strength-
   Simple. Brutal. Unshakable.
   Ryota waved his hand lightly with a relaxed smile. "You got the Guild's secret commission too, right?"
   That snapped Ais and Lefiya out of their daze. The awe on their faces vanished, replaced by much more serious expressions.
   Ais nodded. Lefiya hugged her staff closer and stepped forward, speaking softly:
   "We got it. Last night, Lady Loki gathered all the core members and explained the mission."
   She hesitated, then added a bit awkwardly:
   "You know... the Loki Familia's pretty broke right now."
   "Because of that woman's charm, everyone in the Familia just automatically assumed we lost the War Game terribly. We were even getting ready to pay that compensation fee..."
   "But the reward for this Guild commission is huge. Mountains of Valis. Even though Lady Loki grumbled about having to work with the Freya Familia, she still agreed."
   "In other words, the Loki Familia... is about to fight alongside the Freya Familia."
   Ais added quietly, "It's task collaboration, not Familia collaboration. That's what Loki said."
   Ryota listened to their slightly complicated report with a faint, unreadable smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
   Exactly as he'd expected.
   Lefiya looked at the black-haired boy's smirk and asked in a small voice:
   "Ryota, this secret commission from the Guild... was it your idea?"
   "Did you go to Lord Ouranos, set this whole thing up as a mission to gather us together, and plan to cut the Freya Familia's strings in one go?"
   Ryota froze for a second, equal parts amused and exasperated by the elf's wild theory.
   "If I really had that kind of power, I'd be sitting on the divine throne by now, wouldn't I?"
   Still, he didn't bother hiding anything. He gave them a simple rundown of what had happened the last couple of days with Ouranos:
   The summons from Ouranos. 
   The signs that one of the Three Great Commissions-the Black Dragon-was awakening. And the Guild's decision to initiate a joint investigation.
   He laid it all out in a logical, step-by-step manner. Sounded totally reasonable.
   Only Ryota himself knew what parts he'd glossed over:
   Like the god-tier "immunity" Ouranos had silently granted him.
   Or the fact that the true history behind this mission-was something he planned to rewrite.
   Ais and Lefiya didn't question it. They didn't care what had been omitted.
   If Ryota said it, they believed it.
   Though when Ais heard the words "Black Dragon," her expression twitched. A murderous glint flashed in her eyes.
   Ryota called her name gently, then reached out and patted her head.
   Under the power of the patented Head Pat Suppression Jutsu, the murderous intent visibly faded, inch by inch.
   Ais lowered her head and gave a soft "Mm."
   Lefiya looked on with both resignation and jealousy, but said nothing.
   Once the mood settled, Ryota spoke again.
   "The Guild made the commission public, but realistically... from the standpoint of resources, strength, and willingness..."
   He shrugged with a chuckle.
   "It's pretty much just the Loki Familia and the Freya Familia who'll take it seriously."
   "So then-see you in the Dungeon."
   Lefiya let out a surprised "Eh?" Ais also looked up on instinct.
   Their eyes met, then turned back to Ryota-now carrying a tangle of unspoken emotions.
   They were used to it by now.
   Used to having that black-haired boy beside them in the Labyrinth.
   Used to his towering Susanoo shielding them in battle.
   And now... they were going to head into the Dungeon separately?
   Ais frowned. Lefiya pouted and muttered under her breath:
   "Don't go rushing too far ahead. Ais and I still want to see that new ability of yours!"
   Ryota had just opened his mouth to respond-smile still lingering-when Lefiya suddenly perked up as if remembering something.
   "Oh, right! Yesterday Lady Hestia came looking for Lady Loki. She kept bringing up your name!"
   Ryota had been so caught up testing his new power these past two days, he'd nearly forgotten about the petite, well-endowed, constantly-yelling-to-move-in-together little goddess.
   The memory of her flustered, red-faced confession brought a chuckle to his lips.
   "Lady Hestia seemed just fine. But in front of Lady Loki, she kept insisting you're with the Loki Familia, not the Freya Familia. Said she'd find a way to prove it or something..."
   "Well..." Lefiya shrugged. "Lady Loki thought she was just being ridiculous. Said something like, 'Shorty, you been eating too many fried potato balls?'"
   Ais's face softened with a trace of nostalgia. She murmured, "She was serious, though."
   Ryota knew Hestia hadn't been charmed. But being alone, with no one believing her... yeah, that was rough.
   "Lady Hestia might be... immune to Freya's charm?"
   Ryota nodded. "Freya's charm really doesn't work on her."
   Lefiya's eyes lit up like she'd just found a lifeline.
   "Then isn't that perfect?! If Lady Hestia helps us, we can restore Orario to normal! She's a goddess, and charm doesn't affect her, she could definitely-"
   Ryota cut her off immediately.
   Lefiya froze. Ais lifted her head slightly. Both looked at him, puzzled.
   "It's not that she won't help," Ryota sighed. "It's that her way just... isn't viable."
   He thought back to how Hestia had handled it in the original timeline.
   A desperate, last-resort plan.
   "That was the worst-case scenario."
   Ryota looked at the two girls and said slowly,
   "Hestia's method is too slow. Too complicated. It requires too much."
   "You both know-the Freya Familia is the top Familia in Orario right now."
   "No matter how smart or capable Hestia is, she can't just rip Freya's charm out of Orario inch by inch without triggering a full-blown war."
   Hestia was alone. No Familia, no backup. Even with her immunity to charm, expecting her to dismantle an entire citywide network of seduction and manipulation...
   Ais spoke softly, "Then... what do we do?"
   He lifted his head, eyes seeming to pierce through the branches of the Labyrinth above, looking to the sky beyond.
   "I have a feeling... after this, everything will finally end."
   Of all Orario, only two Familias responded to Ouranos's commission.
   The Freya Familia and the Loki Familia.
   Two of the most powerful forces in the city, both stepping forward for this Guild-led "exploration mission."
   The Freya Familia's reason was simple.
   Freya herself intended to use this opportunity to exhaust Ryota.
   Just like she had done to Bell in the original story.
   Let Hedin push him again and again, grind down his spirit and resolve, then move in and seduce him completely.
   Only this time, the target was Ryota-and the tactics had shifted.
   She was still the master of the board.
   She'd even accepted that Ryota hadn't fully fallen under her spell.
   But she wasn't in a rush. She would wait.
   She would push him to the edge during this expedition to the fifty-ninth floor-
   Then strike at his one moment of weakness and complete the divine induction.
   Besides, the Freya Familia had no room to refuse.
   As the top Familia in Orario, if they dodged such a public mission, charm or not, their reputation would crack.
   The Loki Familia's reasons, as Lefiya had said, were simpler: money.
   After being branded the losers of the War Game, support had dried up, and their prestige had taken a hit.
   But their belief in Dungeon exploration had never wavered.
   And with the Guild offering rewards this generous, it was a deal no Familia could ignore.
   Even if it meant cooperating with the Freya Familia.
   So in the end, the announcement went out, and the city trembled.
   Everyone believed it-the Freya and Loki Familias would undertake a historic expedition together.
   And Ryota, the true orchestrator of it all, simply smiled.
   This mission, hailed as the "start of a new age of expeditions," would completely change under his hand.
   It was the prelude to the awakening of the Rinnegan.
   Everything was leading to that final dream under moonlight-
   At this moment, Ryota stood with the Freya Familia, staring up at the all-too-familiar Babel Tower.
   Beside him stood Freya's finest: Ottar, Hogni, Heith-all elite among elites.
   Around them, the people of Orario cheered and cried out:
   "It's the Freya Familia!"
   "They're heading into the Dungeon!"
   "For the safety of Orario!"
   "So cool... is that Ryota walking in front?"
   Ryota listened to their voices, expression utterly unreadable.
   To the people of Orario, no matter how dazzling Ryota's past feats had been, today he walked under the name of the Freya Familia.
   This was charm-this was the false consensus of the world.
   Of course he despised Freya. Despised how she replaced logic with charm, manipulated destiny with seduction.
   But for now, he would walk alongside them.
   Today was the beginning of their journey into the Dungeon.
   And it would be the final stroke on the canvas of the DanMachi world.
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   Chapter 113: Chapter 113: How Many Floors Can a Sack of Rice Reach? Let DanMachi Taste True Pain!
   After the entirety of Freya Familia entered the Dungeon, a second group slowly advanced not far behind them.
   Leading the charge was the Pallum captain, Finn. His eyes swept over the familiar yet strangely distant back ahead.
   After a few seconds of thought, he turned to Riveria beside him and asked quietly,
   "That's him, right? Ryota?"
   Finn let out a short laugh.
   "For a rookie's first expedition, that's some serious nerve. What a terrifying newcomer."
   Thinking back to the war game-the vision of that enormous skeletal figure descending like a god-Finn still felt his scalp tingle.
   After a brief pause, Finn said slowly,
   "Let's keep our distance from Freya Familia."
   "Who knows if they'll use this opportunity to pull something on us."
   Riveria hummed softly in agreement.
   "Loki said the same. We're here to make money this time. Let them do the heavy lifting. We'll handle support."
   Farther back in the formation, Ais and Lefiya walked side by side.
   The two exchanged a glance.
   Of course they knew who that person ahead was.
   And they knew Ryota wasn't really their "enemy"-not outwardly, at least.
   Ais and Lefiya both shook their heads faintly, their eyes tinged with helplessness and frustration.
   Even if they knew the truth, so what?
   In a world shrouded by Freya's charm, truth itself had become the hardest thing to believe in.
   They said nothing more. In silent understanding, they followed the rest of Loki Familia into Babel.
   At the same time, Ryota, who had just entered the first floor of the Dungeon, was deep in thought, calculating his cheat-system upgrades.
   "Eternal Mangeky techniques... aside from Kotoamatsukami, I've basically unlocked all of them."
   "Sage Chakra and Hashirama Cells are both at 30%."
   "Nine-Tails Chakra... that's at 10%."
   "And as for total Chakra reserves-"
   Suddenly, as if something dawned on him, Ryota snapped back to reality.
   "Shit! I almost forgot about that quest!"
   With a thought, a interface only he could see popped up before his eyes:
   [Forbidden Jutsu: Reanimation - Advanced Version]
   [Current Chakra: 500,001]
   Pain Six Paths: Asura Path
   Pain Six Paths: Animal Path
   [Available for Construction]:
   Pain Six Paths: Preta Path - Requires 200,000 Chakra
   Pain Six Paths: Deva Path - Requires 500,000 Chakra
   Staring at the translucent screen in front of him and that glowing gold number, Ryota nearly slapped his own forehead out of reflex.
   But then excitement quickly took over.
   "So I've finally reached this point..."
   He raised his head and looked at the number [Chakra Reserves: 500,001] displayed on the panel. A smile curled up at the corners of his mouth.
   Ever since unlocking the Asura Path, his attention had been pulled away by Freya's charm, the Rinnegan fusion, the branching main quest, and the chaos enveloping Orario. 
   He hadn't had a moment to check the progress of this special task.
   Only now did he realize that this ace in the hole he'd long left brewing had reached a truly shocking level.
   "500,000 Chakra... enough to awaken the Deva Path."
   In the Pain Six Paths, the true core was the Deva Path.
   It was the main combat body that wielded the Rinnegan's fundamental powers-Universal Pull, Almighty Push, and Planetary Devastation. It also possessed overwhelming physical prowess and battlefield control.
   Even though Ryota's Rinnegan fusion was only at 20%, his past experience showed that these reincarnated bodies could fully replicate his powers.
   Though they relied on his dojutsu, even a Deva Path at just 20% Rinnegan progression would be far beyond what an average Adventurer could handle.
   Ryota narrowed his eyes and muttered inwardly,
   "Once I get to the 59th floor... that's when you'll all start feeling pain."
   With a thought, he confirmed the Deva Path purchase, and immediately a mechanical voice echoed in his ears:
   [Ding! Pain Six Paths - Let DanMachi Taste Pain quest progress updated: (3/6)]
   Three more to go. Almost there...
   Ryota tossed the system voice to the back of his mind and continued forward.
   This time, however, he wasn't flashing around with Flying Raijin like before.
   Not that he couldn't-he just didn't feel like it.
   This bunch from Freya Familia wasn't even worthy of seeing his trump cards.
   Besides, the upper floors were hardly a challenge for them.
   Bodyguards? That just made things easier.
   So Ryota half-squinted and trailed along behind the group, occasionally glancing up at the glowing reflections from the ceiling's magic stones, mentally planning his fusion route and the Rinnegan's next stage. Up ahead...
   Whenever monsters appeared, the first to charge wasn't Hedin, nor Hogni.
   The LV.7-Orario's strongest.
   He led the way, demolishing monsters one by one with his fists.
   It was a nonstop action showcase, as if he wanted to hog every single fight.
   Watching this "battle performance," Ryota couldn't help twitching at the corner of his mouth.
   He was starting to wonder if this guy had been sent by Freya to protect him.
   "With Freya's personality, shouldn't she be trying to wear me down?"
   "Don't tell me Ottar's just too dumb and misunderstood the assignment."
   Back when Ryota led the Loki Familia expedition, they practically wiped out every floor boss along the way.
   And floor bosses didn't respawn on a reliable schedule-sometimes they'd take days, other times months.
   Clearly, both Loki and Freya Familia had gotten the super slow respawn variety this time.
   Thus, the entire journey was smooth sailing-hardly any resistance at all.
   The combined expedition team arrived at the farthest depths of the 58th floor, standing before a gate considered taboo by all of Orario's Adventurers.
   Beyond it lay the chilling unknown-
   According to expedition notes left behind by the Zeus Familia, the 59th floor of the Dungeon marked the beginning of what they called the "Glacier Territory."
   The entire region was buried in eternal frost and blizzards.
   Glacial lakes, frozen streams, endless snowfields, and remnants of coniferous forests crisscrossed the landscape.
   The freezing temperatures, combined with magic pollution, were so intense they could practically freeze your breath.
   This frozen plain extended at least to the 61st floor, though no one had ever confirmed its true boundary.
   Because-long, long ago, the 59th floor wasn't like this.
   It used to be a thriving deep-forest region.
   Until the fateful clash between Aria and the Black Dragon.
   Countless high-level monsters perished in that battle.
   Afterwards, the 59th floor became what it is now.
   The lush woodlands were incinerated by the Black Dragon's breath, leaving only desolation in its wake.
   As for the monsters within, only one species was known: the massive plant-type creature called Titan Alm.
   This thing possessed limited self-awareness and devoured anything that moved-enemy or ally, it didn't care.
   Even scarier, Titan Alm was just one of the very few monsters ever recorded from the Glacier Territory.
   The rest... complete mystery.
   Even the Guild's official archives had barely a few scattered notes past the 59th floor-plus one ominous line:
   "Beyond the 59th floor, it is no longer the Dungeon. It is the surface of a nightmare."
   The group stopped at the boundary of the 58th floor, staring into the frozen domain that led to "nightmare."
   In the silence, Ottar-walking in the lead-suddenly turned slightly to Ryota beside him.
   "From here on... you're on your own."
   Ryota froze, eyes flicking to the LV.7 warrior.
   That one sentence held a wealth of meaning.
   Since entering the Dungeon, he'd always been in the center of Freya Familia's protection.
   They hadn't let him fight, hadn't let him get hurt, even subtly steered him away from danger.
   -They were shielding him?
   And now Ottar's "on your own" was essentially the end of that protection.
   Freya... actually gave Ottar that order?
   "What the hell is that crazy woman planning?"
   Ottar, receiving no reply, also fell silent. He stepped forward into the entrance of the 59th floor.
   Following him were Hedin, Hogni, and the other core members of Freya Familia.
   As their figures were swallowed by the ice mist, Ryota glanced back.
   Not far away, Loki Familia was making final preparations.
   Lefiya and Ais stood in the center of the group, silently watching him.
   Ryota smiled softly, then stepped into the 59th floor.
   In that instant-the wind cut like blades!
   The cold air pierced straight into his bones, stinging his scalp!
   The ground beneath his feet wasn't rock but thick ice, glowing faintly blue. In the depths beneath the translucent sheet, shadowy forms slithered...
   He'd only taken a few steps when Ottar abruptly stopped, brows furrowed-then-
   With a shriek of shattering ice, a gaping maw burst from below the surface.
   But Ottar reacted instantly-legs kicking off the ground as his whole body shot upward.
   Before the massive jaws could snap shut, a second figure surged forward. Hedin raised his Dizaria high, launching into an ultra-short chant:
   Hundreds of lightning orbs rained down from above, blasting straight into that bloody maw.
   Titan Alm's massive form writhed in the fog. The petal-shaped jaw that should've been scorched to ash merely twitched-and came out completely unharmed!
   If something on the 59th floor could be one-shotted, it wouldn't be on the 59th floor.
   Hedin tried to pull back, but it was too late.
   The colossal beast twisted, its giant maw opened wide, lunging at him.
   Ottar's eyes sharpened, preparing to leap-but right then-
   "Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence."
   A low murmur echoed from behind Hedin.
   In the blink of an eye, the icy land trembled. From the cracks in the barren ice, green sprouts suddenly shot out!
   Crack-crack crack crack!!!
   The ground split apart wildly. One, two, dozens of colossal trees tore their way out from beneath the glacier like awakening titans!
   Thick trunks twisted and coiled. Branches lashed out like chains. In an instant, they seized Titan Alm mid-lunge and lifted it high into the air!
   Before its jaws could close, vines wrapped around them, yanking them wider and wider to the breaking point.
   A shrill roar erupted from Titan Alm-but the trees smothered the sound, crushing it completely!
   Hedin regained his balance and turned-only to see Ryota standing calmly, the crimson glow of his Mangeky Sharingan piercing through the white frost like blood.
   "What... kind of power is that?"
   Hedin was stunned. Ottar was stunned. Even the just-arrived Loki Familia members hadn't finished stepping onto the 59th floor before they were floored!
   He summoned a whole forest... in an instant?
   Was this guy even human?!
   "What the hell is going on?"
   "Wasn't this supposed to be Glacier Territory? What's with the trees?"
   "Wait... did Ryota make that happen?"
   Voices buzzed in Ryota's ears.
   Some in awe, some admiring-but mostly confused.
   Because Ryota had a strong feeling that the monsters on this floor... would greatly boost his Rinnegan fusion progress!
   Of course, that was just his hunch.
   But he was the kind of guy who acted on instinct.
   The air churned violently. Rings of shockwaves burst outward.
   Under everyone's stunned gaze, the space behind Ryota darkened-and a towering figure slowly emerged.
   Pain Six Paths: Deva Path!
   It didn't speak. But the instant it appeared, the air pressure across the entire glacier corridor plummeted, like divine will had descended.
   Ottar stared, throat dry.
   Hedin, fresh from the brink of death, grew visibly serious.
   The Deva Path dropped to one knee before Ryota and spoke in a low voice:
   Ryota nodded, lifting his right hand to point at the still-struggling Titan Alm bound by Deep Forest Emergence:
   The Deva Path shot up into the air and murmured:
   The air twisted and warped. The entire 59th floor trembled!
   An indescribable repulsive force exploded outward.
   Titan Alm, which had been struggling desperately, was torn from the ground and flung into the sky-then, with a deafening crack, it was pulverized into meat paste.
   A true, ground-shaking, overwhelming instant kill.
   The entire floor fell silent as the grave.
  
   Chapter 114: Chapter 114: The Crushed Fifty-Ninth Floor
   The snowstorm on the fifty-ninth floor seemed to freeze still in that moment.
   The vast expanse was plunged into deathly silence.
   Even the biting wind seemed stunned by the scene before it, pausing mid-air.
   Hedin's pupils shrank sharply, the muscles in his face tightening on instinct.
   The usually expressionless Ottar, for once, showed a rare flicker of gravity.
   And the always overdramatic Hogni couldn't help but take a step back.
   He struggled to raise his head-though he only met the eyes of that black-robed figure in midair for a second, it felt as though some giant beast had locked onto him. 
   Cold sweat immediately streamed from his temples, trailing down his jaw.
   His voice trembled, squeezing out from the depths of his throat:
   "What... what the hell is that...?"
   Everyone instinctively turned their gaze to Ryota, then lifted their heads toward the black-robed man looking down on them from above.
   That presence-just standing there-was enough to make everyone feel like they were suffocating.
   At that moment, the entire Freya Familia was overcome by a soul-deep, primal fear!
   Farther away, the Loki Familia exchanged glances with each other.
   Their expressions were nearly identical: shock, confusion, and even... dread.
   Lefiya stood slack-jawed, forgetting to blink. She turned her head toward the blonde girl beside her, who was just as stunned:
   Though Ais remained silent, a flicker like starlight sparked in her eyes.
   She remembered their first sparring match-back then, he was someone she could still imagine defeating.
   The boy standing ahead in the whirling snowstorm looked like a god descended to earth, radiating a pressure that demanded submission from all things.
   Meanwhile, the core members of the Freya Familia were caught in even more tangled emotions-
   They had already accepted Ryota's "joining" them as the outcome of the War Game victory.
   But seeing him now wield such overwhelming power, the seed of fear buried deep in their hearts was sprouting like wildfire!
   All eyes turned to the black-haired boy standing alone in the snow.
   He stood there, calm and composed.
   But in that moment, everyone present had the same thought:
   "This... isn't even human."
   As emotions peaked, a familiar system notification echoed in Ryota's ear:
   [Ding-Fusion Progress +1%]
   [Current Fusion Progress: 26%]
   Ryota's heart leapt with joy.
   The system prompt still echoed in his ears, but his thoughts were already spinning at full speed.
   A new floor, new monsters.
   To the current world of DanMachi, this was a forbidden zone, an unknown.
   But to him-Ryota-it was the most precious kind of resource.
   "Just killing one Titan Alm earned me a 1% fusion boost."
   "Even though it only took one move for me."
   "But in the eyes of the system, this counts as pioneering uncharted territory."
   His eyes gleamed faintly. In his pupils, the faint pattern of the Rinnegan shimmered, distorting the air around him.
   "Back on the surface, I was racking my brain on how to cut corners... thinking of ways to speed up the fusion progress."
   "This is the perfect training ground."
   A smirk curled on Ryota's lips.
   He'd never been one for mindless grinding, but this time-
   These 59th to 61st Dungeon floors were like a Rinnegan evolution instance crafted just for him by fate.
   "The stronger the monsters, the faster the progress."
   "The deeper the chaos, the clearer my world becomes."
   Under the shocked and disbelieving gazes of the others, Ryota calmly stepped forward.
   Deva Path floating above him silently followed.
   Not far away, through the mist of the frozen plains, a twisted figure came charging toward them.
   Another Titan Alm was approaching fast.
   And for the next hour, an eerie silence reigned among the group.
   It wasn't the silence of coordinated battle, nor the awkward silence of strangers.
   It was the kind of silence born from utter speechlessness-when words fail to describe the magnitude of what one's witnessing.
   The number of Titan Alms on the 59th floor was far greater than anyone had expected.
   One after another, they erupted from the ice, from fissures, each one roaring with ferocity, tearing through the air in brutal charges.
   But they were all wiped out.
   Every time one appeared, it didn't even have time to open its mouth before Deva Path raised its hand and, without a sound, blew it apart into a mist of frozen shards and blood.
   Even those that slipped out of the blast radius would be sucked toward its palm and crushed into gore seconds later.
   Complete and utter annihilation.
   Even the elite members of Freya Familia found themselves collectively speechless.
   And those of Loki Familia who had just caught up at the rear-fell silent too.
   Because what they were seeing... was not something human Adventurers were capable of.
   This wasn't combat-it was a purge.
   A divine judgment passed down upon mortals-
   And the one wielding that judgment was Ryota, the boy immune to Freya's charm, unreadable even to the Guild.
   Under the pressure of this advance, the 59th floor slowly lost all its terrifying aura.
   No roars, no counterattacks, no struggle.
   Only snow and flesh, crushed into oblivion by the force of the Rinnegan.
   As they advanced deeper, it felt like the 59th floor had been fully cleared.
   Aside from the biting wind, there hadn't even been a single magic chant uttered.
   Because there hadn't been any need.
   As they neared the entrance to the 60th floor, Hedin turned his head and asked Ottar in a low voice:
   "...Is Freya's plan really going to work?"
   Ottar was silent for several seconds, his eyes never leaving the boy single-handedly fighting an army.
   His words were quiet-but they made Hedin freeze completely.
   Freya's most loyal warrior, the strongest force in all of Orario, Level 7.
   He would rather die than fail her orders.
   He had chosen to abandon them.
   Just as Ryota had guessed, Freya's plan had been to wear him down through this expedition, then use her charm once more to finally ensnare him.
   She knew well that the earlier floors were child's play for Ryota.
   That's why she set the grind point at the unknown 59th floor.
   She'd even ordered Ottar and the others to protect him as much as possible.
   That explained why the Freya Familia had stayed so close to him up until now.
   Forget wearing him down-Ryota hadn't even changed his breathing rhythm.
   Ottar finally tore his gaze away from the boy and shook his head:
   "...Let's proceed to the 60th floor. We'll explain things to Freya when we return."
   As Deva Path crushed another Titan Alm into mist with a thunderous blast, no mechanical voice echoed in Ryota's ears.
   As expected-it hit the cap.
   Initially, one kill gave him 1%.
   But now, even after ten kills, there wasn't even a blip.
   The system's limit threshold had been triggered.
   If it let him endlessly farm monsters, he could probably max out fusion within a few floors.
   Ryota glanced at the "39%" displayed on his status panel.
   "In less than an hour, I've already reached nearly halfway."
   "This is... more than satisfactory."
   He looked ahead, toward the entrance to the 60th floor.
   But he didn't rush forward.
   Instead, he looked up at the black-robed figure hovering above him-Deva Path.
   The figure said nothing. It didn't need to.
   The instant Ryota raised his eyes, Deva Path's form blurred and vanished into the air, leaving only residual shockwaves behind.
   Though its eyes were not true Rinnegan, but Eternal Mangeky Sharingan-
   Ryota knew that hidden pulse of Rinnegan energy was no illusion.
   Even if it was a summoned form with only a fragmented eye, it still possessed high-level execution capability.
   Especially with its three signature moves-Almighty Push, Universal Pull, Planetary Devastation-all intact, though their scale and range were limited.
   But that was more than enough.
   Against the monsters of the 59th floor, he hadn't even needed to lift a finger.
   With the Deva Path's disappearance, a certain oppressive weight seemed to lift from the entire floor.
   Everyone let out a collective breath at the same time.
   The pressure that black-robed figure radiated-though not hostile-was more unbearable than open hostility.
   At that moment, Ryota turned and asked casually:
   His question didn't just prompt a reaction from the Freya Familia-even the Loki Familia watching from afar shook their heads in unison.
   In that moment, both Familias fell into perfect silence.
   No one mentioned being rivals. No one spoke of cooperation.
   It was like a mutual, unspeakable defeat.
   Because everyone understood-at this point in the expedition, both the Loki Familia and the Freya Familia were nothing more than spectators riding Ryota's coattails.
   Some even wondered what the point of their presence was anymore.
   And the black-haired boy leading them at the front simply hummed softly and stepped into the 60th floor.
   In the blink of an eye, the world before them changed dramatically.
   The frozen expanse vanished without a trace.
   Before them stretched an endless rainforest.
   Ryota's steps slowed slightly, eyes narrowing.
   Behind him, Hedin-just stepping onto the 60th floor-stared in shock at the sudden shift and murmured:
   "This... this isn't glacial anymore?"
   Finn frowned, quickly pulling a weathered parchment from his satchel.
   It was compiled by the Guild and Loki Familia.
   He glanced down at it, then looked around:
   Floors 59-61: Glacier Territory. Dominated by icy plains, snow valleys, and frozen lakes. Populated by extreme cold-region creatures and frost-aligned monsters.
   "No... this isn't an ice-field structure at all... this looks more like a jungle?"
   Ryota's eyes flickered with doubt as he heard that.
   A sudden burst of sound-vines ripping through the earth!
   Off to the side of the Loki Familia, a five-meter-tall plant burst from the ground.
   A blood-red bud split open to reveal rows of razor-sharp fangs.
   Before anyone could react, Ais stepped forward.
   The blonde girl held Feather's Echo in hand and whispered softly:
   In the next instant, a silver-white light burst forth!
   And in the same instant that the flower monster opened its maw-
   It was sliced clean in half by a diagonal arc of steel.
   It writhed briefly, then collapsed with a thud and crumbled into ash.
   "Why are there plant-type monsters here too?"
   Ais frowned slightly, sword still in hand.
   Ryota glanced at her, just about to continue forward-
   Because the ground was trembling.
   No-not just the ground-the entire forest floor was shaking.
   With deep, heavy footsteps, something was charging toward them from the depths of the 60th floor.
   In the blink of an eye, a tall, lithe figure burst from the jungle and appeared before the group.
   Her shape was nearly identical to that of a human.
   Those eyes emitted an eerie violet-blue glow, pulsing strangely.
   For a moment, the entire group fell into stunned silence.
   "No... her aura isn't human..."
   "She's not an Adventurer!!"
   As everyone was still stunned by her human-like appearance, she slowly raised her head.
   Her gaze-cold, scorching, laced with hatred and madness-locked squarely onto the blonde girl from the Loki Familia.
   Staring at this creature that was both human and not, Ryota tilted his head in confusion:
   "What the hell is going on?"
   Suddenly, a mechanical voice rang out in his ear:
   [Ding-Main Branch Quest Triggered]
   [Quest Objective]: Eliminate a Demi Spirit (0/1)
   Ryota froze for a few seconds-then suddenly understood:
   "So this change in terrain was caused by Demi Spirit's main body before?"
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   Chapter 115: Chapter 115: I Really Did Control You
   Ryota scrutinized the humanoid figure before him.
   In body shape, skin tone, and facial features, she was exactly like the legendary Spirit.
   But the momentary ripple of power that had leaked from her, and the mechanical voice that had echoed in his ears, told Ryota one thing: this was only a avatar.
   "Good. If it had been the real body..."
   He remembered it vividly-according to the original DanMachi story, Corrupted Spirit could wield six different elemental spirit magics.
   Not as terrifying as the Black Dragon, perhaps, but still a nightmare for many Adventurers.
   So even if this wasn't the true body, it was still a terrifying presence.
   "To drag down the entire 60th Floor, twist the terrain, and turn a glacial region into a dense forest..."
   "That kind of power... can't be underestimated."
   "As for why avatr of Corrupted Spirit would show up here..."
   Out of the corner of his eye, Ryota glanced at Ais standing behind him. The answer was already clear in his mind.
   Ais's very existence was an anomaly the Corrupted Spirit could never ignore.
   "Though Corrupted Spirit mastered six elemental spirit magics..."
   "There's one she didn't have-wind."
   And the golden-haired girl behind him was the descendant of the Wind Spirit, born with Spirit blood in her veins, inherently capable of manipulating wind.
   That Wind Magic she used to buff herself was the clearest manifestation of her soul and bloodline.
   The Corrupted Spirit was incomplete.
   And Ais was the "final fragment" missing from that whole.
   That was why, the moment Ais struck down the Flower Monster, the deep-buried avatar of the Corrupted Spirit had suddenly been stirred-
   Breaking free from the Dungeon, returning to the surface,
   To devour the last inheritor of wind-blood,
   To complete her true "self."
   These two goals had been the Corrupted Spirit's obsession for countless years.
   The clone before them, though not her true body, undoubtedly carried fragments of her will-and her core purpose.
   And it wasn't just Ryota. Members of both the Loki and Freya Familias around them had begun to sense something was off.
   "It's... the Corrupted Spirit?!"
   "I thought she disappeared long ago?!"
   Everyone's expressions shifted, tension rising like a tidal wave.
   Even if it was only a clone, the sheer aura the Corrupted Spirit emitted was enough to chill them to the bone.
   Especially here-on the 60th Floor!
   With its unfamiliar terrain and oppressive atmosphere, no one dared let down their guard.
   Even Finn, usually the picture of calm, furrowed his brow in rare unease.
   "This thing... is going to be a problem..."
   He muttered under his breath.
   "And... her target seems to be Ais."
   With that reminder, the members of the Loki Familia instinctively tightened formation around Ais, edging closer to her.
   Feeling the gaze of Demi Spirit settle on her, Ais gripped Feather's Echo tightly.
   A strange feeling churned in her chest.
   But the Loki Familia wasn't just any group-they had been through multiple Expeditions.
   Finn, as the leader, instantly ran through terrain layout, chant shielding positions, retreat routes, and possible suppression tactics in his head. He was just about to speak and issue commands-
   Before the sound could fully register, her figure-moving faster than the eye could follow-slipped past the Freya Familia's vanguard with ghostlike grace!
   Ottar and the others barely had time to react before the slender, eerie silhouette was already lunging straight toward Ais.
   A blaring alarm went off in Ais's mind.
   She instinctively stepped forward, raising Feather's Echo, preparing a super-short chant.
   Just as Demi Spirit's form closed in on her-
   She suddenly froze in place!
   As if some invisible "thing" had yanked her from behind, her body was abruptly dragged backward, flung through the air in reverse.
   The scene was so abrupt, so illogical, that it defied the rhythm of battle.
   The Freya Familia stood stunned. The Loki Familia was even more baffled.
   "What the hell?! What is she doing?!"
   "Why the hell is she flying backward?!"
   "Did she change targets?!"
   Everyone's gaze turned simultaneously in the direction demi spirit had been flung.
   There, the eerie figure hovered in midair for a few seconds before landing squarely in front of Ryota.
   Ryota stood with one arm raised high.
   The gesture-the power-the irresistible suction...
   It was all painfully familiar.
   Riveria froze. Her mind was flooded with the memory of those surreal events on the 59th Floor.
   Her eyes narrowed sharply as she gasped aloud:
   "...That black-robed figure from before-he used this move too."
   "The one that pulled monsters straight toward him-"
   The moment the words left her lips, everyone froze, expressions shifting to stunned revelation.
   "You're saying... that black-robed guy... was a part of Ryota?"
   Silence fell. Every eye turned toward Ryota.
   The raised right arm. The rotating pupil in his eye...
   In an instant, everyone realized:
   All this about Expeditions, about team coordination, about the Freya and Loki Familias joining forces-
   It was all just stage dressing in front of him.
   With a single move, he'd locked down Demi Spirit.
   Just how many trump cards did this guy have?!
   Demi Spirit flailed in midair, trying to break free from the pull.
   But the more she struggled, the stronger the force became.
   "She's a monster, right? Even if she's a clone..."
   "I think... you'll do nicely."
   With a thought, golden Nine-Tails chakra surged from his back, forming a massive golden hand.
   The fingers extended, forcibly stabilizing Demi Spirit's trembling head-
   Forcing her beautiful, almost bewitching face to look him dead in the eye.
   Eternal Mangeky Sharingan, activated!
   Demi Spirit's body jolted violently.
   Her previously writhing, resisting body went still in an instant.
   Her pupils still held traces of greed toward Ais, of rage at the world-
   But those emotions shattered like fragile glass under Ryota's gaze, crumbling piece by piece.
   Until finally, the eyes that once brimmed with obsession were calm.
   Like the surface of a lake after a storm-utterly still, without a ripple.
   Everyone was dumbfounded.
   Even the seasoned Loki Familia, even the Freya Familia with a Level 7 member among them-none could speak.
   They'd seen that Demi Spirit flash past the Freya Familia in the blink of an eye.
   There was no exaggeration-this monster was at least Level 6. Maybe even stronger.
   Ryota released his grip and gently lowered Demi Spirit to the ground.
   "What are you planning to do?"
   "Do you want us... to help finish her off?"
   The Freya Familia instinctively stepped back, while the Loki side raised their weapons in ready stance.
   If Ryota so much as nodded, a barrage of magic would rain down immediately.
   But then Lefiya noticed something, breaking the tension-
   "Her eyes... Why are they different?!"
   Everyone blinked, looking toward the just-landed monster.
   And instantly, their scalps went numb.
   Those once eerie, unfathomable eyes now bore the exact same Eternal Mangeky pattern as Ryota's.
   And with that, he began walking into the depths of the forest ahead.
   What was even more shocking-
   The once-crazed, monstrous Corrupted Spirit avatar now followed behind him like a docile bodyguard, silent and obedient.
   The image was too surreal. A creature powerful enough to reshape the entire 60th Floor was now... his pet?
   "...Just who the hell is this guy..."
   Someone muttered the question aloud.
   But no one could answer. No one dared.
   Was that Ryota could no longer be defined as just part of someone's Familia.
   Watching his retreating back, they all found themselves subconsciously following.
   No, it felt more like... submission to absolute power.
   In that moment, there was no more "Freya Familia" or "Loki Familia."
   There was only one truth-they were all just "audience" to Ryota's exploration.
   Ahead, Ryota walked slowly, waiting for the system to process the branch mission.
   [Eliminate a Demi Spirit (0/1)]
   It was a mission assigned by the system, though it hadn't specified a method.
   "'Eliminate' could mean a lot of things."
   The most straightforward was to kill.
   But Ryota wasn't in a hurry.
   "Deva Path is useful, but it's too destructive."
   "This is the 60th Floor-we're close to the 61st. If I accidentally unseal something..."
   He wasn't about to fight the Black Dragon right now.
   So this clone, though it had some degree of autonomy, was far weaker than the main body-just weak enough to be tamed.
   Rather than destroy her, it made far more sense to subdue her and make her serve him.
   "Dungeon exploration really ought to be automated..."
   He didn't even look back, but he could sense the calm, utterly obedient soul of the Demi Spirit behind him.
   Just like... when he'd completely tamed Kurama.
   Kurama was a beast. Demi Spirit was a beast too.
   And if the system didn't accept this as "eliminated"?
   Well, he could always twist her head off later. Ryota wasn't short on options.
   A series of heavy explosions echoed from deep in the forest.
   The Loki and Freya Familia members tensed immediately, snapping into formation before they could even identify the threat.
   Hogni instinctively drew his blade.
   But then, they all froze-
   Ryota kept walking, but the clone behind him vanished.
   She disappeared from sight, and seconds later, thunderous impacts rang out in the distance.
   Chunks of bloody corpses were flung through the air, disintegrating into black ash.
   Demi Spirit returned to Ryota's side as if nothing had happened, silently resuming her position behind him.
   From departure, to execution, to rejoining-
   The whole process took less than five seconds.
   Hedin didn't even want to talk anymore. He just looked up at the sky.
   Ottar's Adam's apple bobbed. Watching Demi Spirit quietly return to Ryota's side, he finally couldn't hold it in anymore:
   "Are you... having her clear the path?"
   "She's not clearing the path. This is automated exploration."
   The entrance to the 61st Floor lay just ahead.
   A cold wind drifted up from below, tinged with unease, as if whispering... or warning.
   But more terrifying than the chill was how effortlessly they had cleared the last two floors.
   -The 59th, swept clean by the black-robed Deva Path Ryota summoned. The monsters didn't even get a scream out before turning to ash.
   -The 60th, where Demi Spirit silently dispatched every hostile entity with frightening precision.
   This wasn't an Expedition.
   It felt more like watching a "god" patrol the borders of his domain.
   "Is this really an Expedition?"
   Finn stood at the rear, staring at Ryota's back, then at the yawning entrance ahead.
   He knew full well-this wasn't an Expedition anymore.
   The system hadn't issued the mission completion tone, but Ryota wasn't worried. He turned his head slightly and said:
   "This next floor... it's the one where the Guild said the seal's weakening, right?"
   Ottar nodded, voice tinged with something like... reverence.
   "Once we finish exploring the 61st Floor, we can head back."
   With that, Ryota stepped into the 61st Floor.
   Demi Spirit followed close behind.
  
   Chapter 116: Chapter 116: A Swarm of Valgang Dragons, the Black Dragon's Aura!
   Stepping inside, Ryota frowned slightly as he gazed upon the icy landscape before him, where time itself seemed to have frozen.
   Unlike the vast frozen plains of the fifty-ninth floor, this space felt more like a small pocket forcibly wedged between two floors.
   Looking up, the surrounding walls weren't the usual rocky terrain found throughout the Dungeon.
   Instead, they were composed of neatly stacked crystalline ice, arranged with almost surgical precision in symmetrical geometric patterns-like a sealed chamber used in a ritual.
   The entire space was no larger than a hundred meters across, but its chill surpassed that of any floor they'd encountered so far.
   More importantly, it didn't match the structure of the sixty-first floor, nor did it feel like an extension of the sixtieth.
   It was more like... a makeshift gap, forcibly "squeezed" between two layers.
   A rift conjured by power-an unnatural remnant that shouldn't exist, and yet, here it was.
   Ryota searched through hazy memories in his mind:
   "Is this... Thalia's Ice Garden?"
   Footsteps approached from behind as the members of the Loki Familia and Freya Familia began filing into the icy domain.
   The moment Ais stepped in, a flicker of something strange passed over her otherwise composed face.
   She furrowed her brows slightly-there was a stirring deep in her chest, like something was agitating her heart.
   Lefiya hurried up beside her and asked in a low voice.
   "It's nothing. Just... feels a little stifling."
   Just then, Demi Spirit that had been silently trailing behind Ryota suddenly moved.
   She bolted toward the deepest part of the icy garden at high speed.
   "But there aren't any signs of monsters here, are there?"
   The thought had barely crossed Ryota's mind when-bang! A dull, heavy thud echoed out.
   Barely ten meters ahead, Demi Spirit's body suddenly exploded right before everyone's eyes, disintegrating into black ash that scattered into the air.
   Lefiya's pupils contracted.
   "An explosion? Did it self-destruct?!"
   Ottar tilted his head, looking at Ryota with confusion.
   Ryota shook his head and said calmly:
   "Not a self-destruction. It was crushed... by something."
   At the same time, the mechanical voice sounded in his ear:
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest: Eliminate a Demi Spirit - Complete!]
   [Reward 1: Special Nine-Tails Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 2: Sage Jutsu Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 3: Hashirama Cells +10%!]
   [Reward 4: Kekkei Genkai Unlocked - Wood Style: Deep Forest Bloom!]
   [Reward 5: Chakra Capacity +200,000!]
   "So as my Hashirama Cells accumulate, the rewards are shifting toward Wood Style..."
   Ryota looked around at the icy expanse before him, suddenly realizing that Wood Style might be especially effective here.
   Returning to his senses, he turned to face the others and said steadily:
   "This place isn't the sixty-first floor. Don't linger."
   The moment he said that, everyone's expression changed.
   They had all sensed that this space was unusually strange.
   But hearing Ryota confirm it wasn't the sixty-first floor sent a jolt through their hearts.
   Not a floor? Then what was it?
   But before anyone could ponder further, an unusual aura suddenly spread from up ahead.
   The frigid, bone-chilling air abruptly spiked in temperature.
   The frosty mist began to boil, frozen vapor started to melt, and the snow under their feet sizzled with sharp hissing sounds!
   Ryota's head snapped up, his Eternal Mangeky Sharingan spinning rapidly.
   In the distance, a crimson flame burst forth into the sky, roaring as it surged toward them like a dragon's fury!
   "Is that-dragon breath?!"
   "How is that possible?! This is the sixty-first floor! How could something like that be here-?!"
   The torrent of dragonfire swept forth like a raging flood, packed with overwhelming force.
   Everyone's faces paled-there was no room to dodge in such a confined space.
   Ais, seeing the black-haired boy standing at the front, launched forward without hesitation.
   Lefiya bit her lip hard and followed right behind her.
   After all, Ryota was at the front-he would be the first to take the brunt of that dragon's breath.
   Finn's face twisted in alarm. What the hell were they doing?!
   Beside him, Riveria was already raising her staff, beginning a chant to form a defensive barrier.
   But just as the incantation reached her lips, Ryota moved.
   With a sudden leap, he raised his right hand-and reached straight toward the incoming inferno!
   The raging dragonfire collided with his palm-and in the next instant, like a furious dragon having its throat ripped open, the flames were sucked in, swallowed whole.
   Like they'd been devoured by a black hole!
   "Wh-what... just happened?!"
   "What the hell is going on?!"
   Before anyone could snap out of their shock, Ryota lifted his left hand once more:
   An even more powerful torrent of dragonfire erupted from his left palm.
   The searing flames condensed into a divine spear in midair-and launched right back the way it came.
   A deafening explosion shattered the darkness.
   Shockwaves pulsed outward in waves, rising like mushroom clouds.
   A massive object crashed down with a resounding impact, shaking the entire Ice Garden.
   Everyone turned toward the sound.
   In the swirling haze of dissipating fire, a massive dark figure slammed to the ground, smoke still curling from its body.
   Finn squinted, his voice trembling in disbelief:
   Ais and Lefiya, having halted their rush once the threat was neutralized, exchanged a glance-both of them full of questions.
   Lefiya clutched her staff, her mind reeling.
   "A monster from the fifty-eighth floor? Why is it here?"
   "Isn't it supposed to only appear in the Dragon's Vase region, between floors fifty-two to fifty-eight?! How could it-"
   She trailed off as she noticed no one responding.
   Everyone was staring at Ryota.
   More precisely, they were staring at the black-haired boy who had leapt into the air, absorbed the dragonfire into his hand, then unleashed it back-obliterating the Valgang Dragon in a single strike.
   Ottar's facial muscles twitched involuntarily.
   Hedin stood there with his mouth open, speechless.
   Hogni was frozen stiff, forgetting even how to unleash his usual flamboyant tone.
   The entire Freya Familia had fallen silent.
   They knew all too well what a Valgang Dragon was.
   A dragon. The King of the fifty-eighth floor. A catastrophe from the Dragon's Vase.
   It couldn't even struggle before Ryota?
   Even Finn from the Loki Familia was biting down on his thumb, unable to make sense of it. His voice wavered:
   "And that ability... the one that absorbed the attack and countered it... what even is that?"
   He voiced the question everyone was thinking.
   But Ryota had no time to answer. The mechanical voice was back in his ear:
   [Ding-Fusion Progress +11%]
   [Current Fusion Progress: 50%]
   [Ding-Unlocked Abilities: Rinnegan Intimidation, Super Almighty Push, Planetary Devastation]
   Ryota looked at the Valgang Dragon disintegrating into ash, his heart surging with excitement.
   The purple ripple pattern deep within his Eternal Mangeky Sharingan had become more pronounced.
   From the monsters on the sixtieth floor to the just-completed branch quest-it had all added up, finally pushing that 39% to 50%.
   He'd known all along that this system was stingy as hell.
   Back when it hit 39%, it hadn't given a single reward-probably holding it all back for a giant unlock all at once.
   "Super Almighty Push" and "Planetary Devastation"-now those were familiar names.
   He'd seen the former used by the Six Paths before.
   But the "Super" prefix? That meant this version was on steroids.
   Full boost to range, power, suppression-it was the kind of move that could flip an entire battlefield in one go.
   And Planetary Devastation-well, that was the showstopper.
   Ryota muttered, looking at the last newly unlocked ability:
   [Rinnegan Intimidation]. (I don't really remember if this ability of Momoshiki even had a name... so I'm just using a fan-made one for now)
   A unique ability of Momoshiki's Rinnegan.
   It unleashes a 360-degree omnidirectional shockwave of blade-like chakra, centered on the user, with devastating destructive force.
   The members of the Freya and Loki Familia were still stuck in stunned silence from that "reverse dragonfire" moment.
   But Ryota acted as though nothing had happened, simply thinking to himself:
   He was just about to tell everyone to keep moving, when-
   The ground of the Ice Garden suddenly began to tremble violently again.
   The booming echoed up from deep underground.
   Everyone instinctively gripped their weapons, their faces darkening.
   Hedin was the first to shout, pointing behind Ryota.
   Ryota turned around-and saw that the scorched shadows left by the dragonfire were churning and writhing.
   Like the earth itself was about to vomit up something forbidden.
   Louder than before, dozens of massive figures stomped forth from the shadows!
   No-an entire horde of Valgang Dragons!
   "No way... This can't be!!"
   "Wasn't there supposed to be only one?! The Dragon's Vase area of the fifty-eighth floor never spawns more than one!!"
   Finn's face drained of all color. His first instinct was to roar:
   "Everyone, prepare to retreat!"
   Ottar immediately turned to the Freya Familia:
   No one wanted to face down an entire group of Valgang Dragons.
   As those towering monster emerged one after another from the shadows, a single truth became clear to everyone present-
   This wasn't a battle. This was a massacre.
   "Retreat! Retreat, now!!"
   Finn was shouting, nearly foaming at the mouth as he jabbed a finger toward the corridor behind them, cursing under his breath:
   "Damn it! Just one floor to go! Just one more and we're there! And now this damn place turns out to be a rift layer?!"
   "Why the hell did this happen to us?!"
   Lefiya's face had gone ghost-white. Her earlier awe had turned to sheer terror.
   She gripped her staff with trembling hands, and her gaze involuntarily flicked to the boy still standing unmoved at the front.
   Ais, too, furrowed her brows and glanced back at Ryota. Her lips moved, but she said nothing in the end.
   "We have to retreat-now!"
   Ottar's face was grim as iron. He'd already taken a few steps back, leading the Freya Familia in a hasty retreat, their faces stricken with panic.
   They knew-even for the mighty Freya Familia, not one among them could stand against this many Valgang Dragons.
   But soon, they realized-Ryota hadn't moved.
   Amid the chaos and despair, he was the only one who hadn't taken a single step back.
   "He's lost it, hasn't he?!"
   "He's seriously planning to hold them off alone?! What, does he think this is some kind of War Game?!"
   Hogni grit his teeth, shouting:
   "That crazy brat-what the hell is he thinking?! Trying to be some kind of savior?!"
   "Forget Freya's mission-we're out of here!"
   But no one could answer him, because everyone else was retreating.
   Ryota's eyes spun slowly, red and purple lights intertwining within his Eternal Mangeky Sharingan.
   The dragon horde had arrived.
   A rift suddenly tore open behind the horde!
   From it surged an indescribable, ancient aura, crashing down like a tidal wave!
   Ryota's calm face twisted sharply.
   He turned toward the source of the aura.
   It wasn't a hallucination, wasn't a mistake.
   Only the Black Dragon could emit an aura like that.
   The ultimate catastrophe that even the combined might of Zeus and Hera couldn't defeat-the being that had plunged the entire world of Orario into darkness.
   "These Valgang Dragons... suddenly appearing here..."
   At that moment, Ryota finally understood:
   "They were summoned by the Black Dragon?!"
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   Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Return to the Surface, Progress Surging Forward
   Among the Three Great Quests of the DanMachi world, the Black Dragon remains the final, unfinished task. Its very existence represents one of the greatest calamities in the Lower World.
   It isn't a brute like Behemoth, nor a seaborne tyrant like Leviathan.
   Not only does it possess power rivaling the gods themselves, but it also holds absolute dominion over all dragonkind.
   The swarm of Valgang Dragons flooding in from the Dragon's Vase on the 58th Floor was the most direct proof of that.
   It wasn't attracting them. It wasn't controlling them. It was commanding them.
   This was no coincidence, no "environmental reaction."
   This was a test from the Black Dragon.
   It was opening one eye, perched at the edge of awakening, and gazing out from afar.
   It had sensed Ryota's terrifying power, sensed the gathering of countless powerful beings on this floor.
   And so, it issued an order-mobilizing the Valgang Dragons from the 58th Floor to converge here.
   That alone confirmed one thing: Ouranos' perception had not been mistaken.
   The seal really was compromised.
   At the very least, it had granted the Black Dragon a fleeting opportunity to break free.
   Ryota stared at the colossal beasts before him. Each of their steps made the entire glacial field quake beneath them.
   Behind him, everyone's expressions changed drastically.
   They had no idea what Ryota was thinking, but they all knew one thing-if they didn't leave now, none of them were getting out.
   "Are you insane?! That's a whole swarm of dragons-Valgang Dragons!"
   "You can't take them all on alone!!"
   Voices rose in a desperate chorus.
   Just then, a figure darted forward.
   She completely ignored Finn and Riveria's shouts from behind, sprinting straight to Ryota's side and grabbing his wrist.
   Before she could finish her sentence, Ryota turned to face her.
   His eyes-those blood-red pupils-were faintly etched with a ring of violet.
   He gently patted Ais's hand where it clutched his arm, smiling as he said:
   She looked up, instinctively turning her gaze forward-
   Blazing dragonfire was gathering in the mouths of the Valgang Dragons.
   Flames that could swallow their entire Expedition team whole.
   "No... This level of power-we can't possibly stop it!"
   The golden-haired girl tried once more to dissuade him, but before the words left her mouth-
   Ryota vanished from where he stood.
   In the blink of an eye, he appeared in the open space ahead.
   Without hesitation, he formed a rapid series of hand signs:
   "-Wood Style: Deep Forest Bloom!"
   The moment the words left his mouth, the ground thundered in response!
   The earth split like a spiderweb. With a deafening roar, countless thick black roots burst from the ground, sprawling outward in all directions!
   Branches sprouted and twisted rapidly, entwining together. In the blink of an eye, the entire icy plain transformed into a bizarre, eerie forest!
   At the tops of these trees, enormous flowers began to bloom one after another.
   A deep, slithering noise echoed through the clearing.
   The next instant, the giant blossoms opened wide, unleashing clouds of pale white pollen toward the advancing Valgang Dragon swarm!
   The dragons, just moments from unleashing their fiery breath, suddenly paused as the first wave of pollen swept over them.
   Then their heads drooped, eyes glazed.
   One after another, the Valgang Dragons began to stagger, wobble, and retreat unsteadily-like drunkards reeling on their feet. Some even collapsed with a heavy thud, completely incapacitated.
   They couldn't even muster their dragonfire.
   They'd been forcibly paralyzed.
   That was the true power of Deep Forest Bloom.
   Behind him, the retreating Adventurers came to a sudden halt.
   Someone turned back first, and soon every gaze was locked on the surreal spectacle before them.
   "They... they're all down?"
   "This... how is this possible?! What did Ryota do?!"
   The massive Valgang Dragons were falling like dominos in the midst of that forest.
   It was as if their will to fight had been completely erased-their very consciousness dissolving into haze.
   Hedin's throat bobbed, his voice hoarse.
   "That's an entire swarm of Valgang Dragons..."
   "How could they not even withstand one move?"
   Their initial confusion was quickly devoured by overwhelming disbelief.
   Ais stared blankly at Ryota's lone figure standing before the forest, lips parted, whispering to herself:
   Even Finn, Ottar, and Riveria-veteran Adventurers at the pinnacle of Orario-fell into collective silence.
   That frantic retreat earlier...
   Might've been completely unnecessary.
   The word "shock" hung like lead in everyone's hearts.
   But just as they were reeling from the overwhelming display of Deep Forest Bloom-
   He slowly rose into the air, lifted by a visible storm of energy.
   Every pair of eyes locked onto him once more.
   His Eternal Mangeky Sharingan glared coldly at the awakening, flailing Valgang Dragons-at the shadowy rift behind them.
   A wisp of black energy seeped endlessly from the crack in the world.
   The origin of the greatest calamity in this world.
   Ryota muttered to himself:
   "So you've poked your head out."
   "Let me shove you right back in."
   The heavens and earth shook in an instant!
   Chakra surged toward Ryota like a gathering storm, and the world itself seemed to warp and twist, the air crumpling like cloth.
   Ryota lowered his right hand slightly:
   Space exploded outward from Ryota's position!
   A massive circular shockwave rippled across the landscape-an unstoppable, all-consuming force of repulsion sweeping through the entire forest!
   Air shredded apart. The ground was obliterated.
   The Valgang Dragons, barely lifting their heads to fight back, were hurled away before they could even twitch.
   BOOM! BOOM-BOOM! BOOOOOM!!
   Under the awestruck, unmoving gazes of the crowd, the towering dragons-ten meters tall-were pulverized like ants, disintegrating into black ash.
   The rift in the seal behind them warped violently.
   Another thunderous impact.
   Fissure spasmed violently, then slammed shut.
   The entire Ice Garden looked like it had been blasted clean by a tidal wave of divine power-utterly devastated.
   So fast they hadn't even completed a full breath cycle.
   They saw Ryota soar into the air, then raise a hand.
   Then the forest collapsed.
   The Valgang Dragons were crushed like bugs in midair, one after another, turning to ash.
   Then the sealing rift let out a low thump-like the world's heartbeat skipping a beat-
   No. It returned to "normal."
   Finn murmured instinctively.
   Ottar's fists remained clenched, but he hadn't lowered them.
   Lefiya stood frozen in place, lips trembling, unable to make a sound.
   Ais tilted her head back, eyes still wide with disbelief, staring at the now-empty sky.
   They stood there on the leveled remains of the Ice Garden, staring at the clearing, watching Ryota descend from the sky.
   There was only one conclusion-
   The Valgang Dragons were gone.
   The space... had returned to "normal."
   Landing softly, Ryota looked down at the scorched, flattened earth beneath his feet, as if confirming something. Then his gaze flicked to the now-closed rift not far away.
   Only then did he turn back, eyes sweeping across the two Familia teams standing in a line behind him.
   "No need to go to the 61st Floor."
   "The Guild's commission is complete."
   The moment his voice fell, everyone stood dumbfounded.
   Hedin's expression looked like jammed gears-shock, confusion, awe, and blankness all stuck together. Even his voice was frozen.
   Lefiya had been about to ask, "What did you just do?"
   But the words caught in her throat, like a fishbone she couldn't spit out.
   Not because she was afraid-but because there were no words to describe what they'd just witnessed.
   That kind of annihilating power. That mythic, apocalyptic scene.
   The word "shocking" didn't even come close anymore.
   Yet Ryota just brushed the dust from his hands, smiled faintly, and began walking back the way they'd come.
   It wasn't until he had gone quite far that Finn finally spoke up, half to himself:
   "He... just saved all of us, didn't he?"
   But everyone knew the truth.
   As soon as they left the 60th Floor, the mechanical voice returned to Ryota's ear:
   [Ding! Main Branch Quest: Explore the Glacier Territory and Return Safely - Completed!]
   [Reward 1: Special Nine-Tails Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 2: Sage Jutsu Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 3: Hashirama Cells +10%!]
   [Reward 4: Kekkei Genkai Unlocked: Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu!]
   [Reward 5: Chakra Capacity +200,000!]
   Ryota didn't pause his stride, though his eyes flickered slightly.
   He turned back briefly to glance at the two teams trailing behind him.
   Silence and numbness had settled over them all.
   No one spoke. No one cheered.
   As if that world-ending disaster they'd just witnessed... had never happened.
   But the shattered ice, the scorched ground, and the utter absence of any draconic presence said otherwise.
   "So this is the meaning of the Fusion..."
   [Current Fusion Progress: 80%]
   [Ding-New Abilities Unlocked: Tengai Shinsei, Thousand Paper Crane Teleportation, Amenotejikara, Summoning Jutsu: Gedo Statue]
   A torrent of new power surged into Ryota's body.
   "It's close. Everything is close."
   This expedition into the Glacier Territory-from crushing Titan Alm, to subduing Demi Spirit, to slamming the Black Dragon's seal shut with Super Almighty Push...
   You could say he had completed everyone's mission by himself.
   It was time to move on to the next step.
   But for now, he only said one thing:
   "Let's return to the safe zone on the 50th Floor and rest."
   They just nodded mechanically, as if finally given direction.
   And so the long column-Loki Familia, Freya Familia, and the one figure at the very front-
   In the howling winds of the Dungeon's depths, began their journey home.
   No one noticed the violet glow in Ryota's Sharingan had grown even deeper.
  
   Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Freya's Second Attempt-A Statue?!
   At the top of Babel Tower, before the windows.
   Silver hair fell gently down her shoulders, divine robes rustling in the breeze.
   Freya stood at the highest point in the city, gazing down at Orario. But her exquisitely beautiful face-so often smiling-was, for once, devoid of its usual charm.
   Her eyes no longer held the usual seductive gentleness and fervor, but a cloud of frustration and unease that refused to dissipate.
   In the still air behind her, it was as if Ottar's voice still lingered:
   "...He didn't show a single sign of exhaustion."
   "He bulldozed his way up from the fifty-ninth floor, even wiped out the entire swarm of Valgang Dragons..."
   "Freya, the plan failed. We didn't manage to wear him down as intended."
   Letting out a breath, Freya sank back onto the crimson leather sofa behind her.
   Propping her cheek on one hand, she stared off into the distance, murmuring softly:
   Freya had thought that this "expedition" would be enough to drain that man completely.
   Then, at the moment his guard was down, she'd deliver the "final blow" herself.
   But Ottar had brought her an unexpected truth-
   Ryota had become even stronger than he was during the War Game.
   Not only was he not exhausted, he even seemed to have full control over that terrifying power-so naturally that it instilled instinctive dread.
   "Could it be you really weren't charmed, Ryota...?"
   In the depths of the goddess of beauty's eyes stirred an unusual trace of panic.
   His body, mind, and soul-every part of him!
   She couldn't accept losing her hold on Ryota. She simply couldn't accept it!
   Suppressing the roiling emotions within, Freya turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on the silent Ottar behind her.
   But just as the words left her lips, she suddenly seemed to think of something and changed her tone:
   "No... forget it. I'll go myself."
   The moment those words landed, the room grew noticeably quieter.
   Ottar kept his head bowed and said nothing.
   Of course he understood what Freya meant.
   As Orario's LV.7, he still couldn't summon Ryota.
   Ever since they'd ventured into the Dungeon together and he had witnessed feats that no human should be capable of, Ottar had understood one thing:
   That boy was no longer someone he could predict, assess, or even converse with.
   He might not even have the courage to look him directly in the eyes anymore.
   Freya's lips curled faintly, and deep within her eyes flickered a tangle of complex emotions.
   Infatuation, yearning, obsession-
   And the collapse of her need for control.
   She stood up and walked to the door.
   This time, she would uncover the truth herself.
   A crisp sound of mechanisms shifting rang out sharply in the quiet night.
   Then, a heavy stone wall slowly moved aside, revealing the hidden exit of a secret tunnel.
   Ryota stepped out of the shadows, stretching lazily as if the cataclysmic Dungeon battle he'd just fought had been nothing more than a long, boring stroll.
   "Orario air really does feel nicer."
   He murmured to himself. He'd originally planned to teleport straight to Hephaestus's forge for a quick nap, but on second thought, he decided to take a walk instead.
   After emerging from the Dungeon, he'd been stopped by Fels and met with Ouranos.
   All the running around had left his head overheated. A bit of cool night air might help.
   So he began strolling slowly in the direction of the Hephaestus Familia, following the street as he wandered into the night.
   Yet deep in his consciousness, Ouranos's heavy, resonant words continued to echo:
   "You completed the mission, and your performance was outstanding... but the Black Dragon's silence may be only temporary."
   Ouranos hadn't spelled it out, but Ryota could hear the faint unease in the old god's tone.
   Yes-though the seal had stabilized again, that crack on the sixty-first floor-pulsing faintly like a heartbeat-told Ryota one undeniable truth:
   The Black Dragon hadn't given up.
   It was waiting, biding its time for the next chance to break free.
   It could be tomorrow-or right now.
   "Hmph... I'll be the one to end this commission."
   Ryota patted his forehead lightly.
   "This new DanMachi world... sure is exciting."
   He zigzagged through the streets of Orario.
   The Hephaestus Familia headquarters was just across the next block.
   But just then, Ryota suddenly stopped walking.
   It was as if the entire city of Orario had stopped breathing in that instant.
   His brows furrowed slightly as he looked toward the end of the street.
   There, from the shadows ahead, a figure slowly emerged.
   No doubt about it-it was Freya.
   She walked toward him, step by step, until she stood directly in front of him.
   The two locked eyes in silence.
   "Ryota, you... weren't charmed, right?"
   Ryota gave her a glance, then replied:
   "You already know. Why bother asking?"
   Freya's lips curled slightly, her expression somewhere between a smile and not. She stared at him as though trying to peer into his heart through his silence.
   "Then why did you go into the Dungeon?"
   "Why complete the Guild's commission under the Freya Familia's name?"
   Or rather, he didn't know how to respond.
   Should he say it was to complete the mission? That he had struck a deal with Ouranos?
   He'd probably be mistaken for a lunatic...
   But his silence was like a single drop of water falling into a still lake-rippling straight through Freya's heart.
   Her eyes lit up, a joy and conviction she couldn't hide blooming at the corners of her mouth and eyes.
   "You accepted the expedition because of the Freya Familia, didn't you?"
   Ryota's brow twitched, his expression turning to one of are you serious right now?
   "What nonsense are you spouting?"
   But Freya acted like she hadn't heard him and smiled to herself.
   "Ryota, deep down... you've always been watching me, haven't you?"
   A faint blush crept up Freya's cheeks, her lips curving gently.
   She locked eyes with Ryota, her gaze gradually softening into a girlish shyness and hopefulness.
   "I don't know why you weren't charmed."
   "But you clearly knew everything that had happened. Yet you didn't try to return to the Loki Familia to completely cut ties with me."
   "Instead, you followed Ottar and the others into the Dungeon, completed Ouranos's commission, and now all of Orario... is singing praises of the Freya Familia's achievement."
   Her voice grew quieter the more she spoke, the blush on her face deepening, her gaze shifting from probing to fervent.
   "This is... your way of expressing it, isn't it?"
   "Using actions-to show how much you care?"
   "So it really was... for me, right?"
   She stepped closer, her voice as tender as a lover's whisper, yet trembling like a first confession.
   Her voice quivered with something she could no longer restrain.
   "I'll give you everything right now."
   "As long as you say yes."
   But just before her dream could be realized, Ryota spoke.
   "You've got it all wrong, Freya."
   Freya froze, her smile solidifying in place.
   "I hate the Freya Familia."
   He paused for emphasis, as if worried the lunatic in front of him hadn't heard clearly.
   The air froze in that instant.
   Freya's body trembled slightly, the motion she'd been about to make forward stuck in place.
   It was like being slapped awake-or thrown into an ice bath.
   The bashful girl-like expression on her face shattered into fractured confusion and loneliness.
   Ryota tilted his head, the purple glow of his nearly-complete Rinnegan gleaming starkly against the night.
   "Don't flatter yourself."
   "No-soon, I'll destroy this false world you've built."
   Freya stood there, stunned.
   She stared blankly at Ryota, the color draining from her face all at once.
   Each of his cold, cutting words pierced straight into her heart like a blade.
   Freya instinctively stumbled back two steps.
   It took everything she had just to keep from collapsing on the spot.
   But still, her body trembled uncontrollably.
   Those eyes-the ones she'd gazed into so many times-now looked so foreign, so cold, so utterly distant.
   That wasn't the Ryota she remembered.
   That was someone she'd never truly had in her grasp.
   She whispered, her voice no longer like a goddess, but like a lost, panicked girl.
   "You really... think that, Ryota?"
   Ryota didn't reply. He simply stared at her with cold detachment.
   Freya bit her lip and said:
   "Don't you realize? With just a word from me, all of Orario... the entire city, would turn against you!"
   "No matter how strong you are, they'll hunt you down, surround you, hate you!"
   In that moment, she wasn't a high-and-mighty goddess-
   But just a woman-terrified of losing control, terrified of losing someone.
   Ryota continued to look at her quietly, the Rinnegan in his eyes void of anger or pity-only a chilling, absolute scorn.
   With that, Ryota turned and walked toward the Hephaestus Familia.
   Freya simply stood there, staring at his gradually retreating figure.
   She was Freya-the goddess of beauty who could make mortals, gods, even whole cities fall at her feet.
   He had never once put her on a pedestal.
   Not even from the beginning.
   It was only when his figure finally disappeared into the night that Freya slowly looked away.
   The girlish panic and broken expression on her face faded as if they'd never been there.
   She lowered her head slightly, hair falling over her eyes to hide all emotion.
   "...You hate charm, hate the Freya Familia, hate this false world."
   "Then I'll make you-you-lift it to the divine throne with your own hands."
   "The more you resist, the more I want to make sure you-can never escape."
   She whispered his name like an incantation.
   The night breeze stirred.
   At the peak of Babel Tower, the goddess raised her head once more.
   Gone from her gray eyes was love.
   What replaced it was possession, obsession-
   The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window into the Hephaestus Familia's forge.
   The metal on the anvil hadn't yet warmed. The furnace hadn't been lit. But someone was already awake in the spacious workshop.
   He sat motionless on a bench in the corner, staring at the ceiling.
   He looked like he was zoning out, but his mind hadn't stopped turning for a second.
   Though he hadn't slept a wink, his eyes showed no signs of fatigue.
   "I've pretty much acquired all the Rinnegan abilities."
   "I even got a good chunk of Wood Style."
   The one thing he wanted most-Infinite Tsukuyomi-still hadn't appeared.
   "Do I have to beat the Black Dragon for the remaining 20%?"
   "Or... do I have to slay a god? Kill Freya?"
   "I'm being too impatient."
   He thought back over everything that had happened these past few days.
   From the moment he ate the Chakra Fruit until now-it had only been five days.
   Yet in those five days, he had:
   "Cut" the charm strings of Hephaestus, Ais, and Lefiya;
   Treated the fifty-ninth floor like the first and swept it clean;
   Controlled a Demi Spirit and made it his puppet;
   Reinforced the seal on the Black Dragon and held off the Valgang Dragon swarm;
   And singlehandedly integrated the expeditions of both the Loki and Freya Familia.
   This level of progress was downright absurd.
   "Just wait a little longer."
   "The system wouldn't have set this up without a follow-through."
   He had just started to stand when the door suddenly clicked open.
   Hephaestus hadn't even entered yet, but her voice came first:
   Hephaestus shrugged, her tone odd and slightly repressed:
   "You've been named a divine envoy-and not just any envoy, but Freya's exclusive one."
   "She's building a statue of you, Ryota, right in Central Square beneath Babel Tower."
   The air went silent for three full seconds.
   He was completely stunned.
   He had to ask again-he thought he'd misheard.
   But Hephaestus only nodded.
   "Tomorrow-no, construction starts today. It's expected to be finished by this afternoon."
   "What did you promise her? It's beneath Babel Tower! Every Adventurer passing by will see your statue!"
   This lunatic woman... what the hell was she playing at?
   The next second, the system prompt quietly chimed-
   [Ding-Main Branch Quest Triggered]
   [Objective]: Destroy the statue Freya is building in Central Square (0/1)
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   Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Collapse-Get Ready to Enter the World of Infinite Tsukuyomi!
   The mechanical voice in his ear came and went swiftly.
   Ryota fell silent for a few seconds, thoughts racing through his mind.
   He repeated it internally, a hint of doubt in his tone.
   The mission sounded absurdly simple.
   And that-more than anything-set off alarm bells in Ryota's mind.
   "No combat requirements."
   "It doesn't even ask me to kill Freya."
   But the more he thought about it, the darker his expression grew.
   This wasn't some midnight stealth mission where he could just sneak into the central plaza and smash a rock.
   Ryota turned his head to look out the window.
   His eyes landed on the towering structure that stood in the heart of Orario-Babel Tower.
   Building a statue seemed like a ceremonial act, an honor.
   But Ryota knew full well-that woman never did anything meaningless.
   Suddenly, a jolt of realization shot through his mind.
   The people of Orario were already under Freya's charm.
   They'd fully accepted the idea that he belonged to the Freya Familia.
   If the statue was just about reinforcing that idea, it wouldn't be necessary. She already had everyone under her spell.
   But Freya still built it anyway.
   Not for the people-for him.
   Their encounter last night made one thing painfully clear to Freya: her charm didn't work on him.
   She couldn't control Ryota-not even Ottar could.
   So Freya needed a "nail" to pin him to the role of "Freya Familia."
   And Ryota's system-it wasn't sentimental.
   It was a cold, mechanical thing.
   Every mission it issued had a clear purpose.
   To the system, this statue wasn't just a structure. It was the physical manifestation of Freya's enchantment. A banner she planted in his name.
   That's why this main quest branch had triggered.
   Ryota had a powerful hunch: destroying that statue would complete the final fusion.
   And activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
   The moment he understood, a subtle smirk curved at the corner of his lips.
   Hephaestus caught the cold glint in that otherwise calm smile and froze for a moment before asking:
   "What are you going to do?"
   The red-haired goddess furrowed her brow.
   "Did Freya figure out you weren't charmed? So she staged this whole thing on purpose-"
   "She wants to show you that even if you've broken free from her control, all of Orario already sees you as hers."
   Her tone was calm, but each word cut like a knife.
   A god understood another god best.
   She'd seen through Freya's entire act at a glance.
   Ryota nodded, not denying it.
   "So I'll just get rid of that damn thing."
   "Ryota, don't be rash. The central plaza is the heart of Orario."
   "It's right under Babel Tower. Magic use is strictly forbidden. Even for you, there's no way you can-"
   Hephaestus looked into his eyes-now faintly glowing with a purple sheen. She opened her mouth to say something but ultimately held it in.
   After several seconds of silence, she let out a soft sigh and nodded.
   "Once you decide something, no one can stop you."
   There was no point trying to talk him down.
   This boy was no longer the quiet newcomer she'd once seen in her forge.
   The presence he carried now... surpassed even the gods.
   "When will you make your move?"
   "Tonight. When the moon rises."
   But Orario had yet to fall silent.
   Since morning, the central plaza had been packed.
   Adventurers and civilians alike swarmed in just to catch a glimpse of a statue unlike any before.
   Dozens of meters tall, it towered beneath Babel Tower, gazing down over all of Orario, bathed in the light of dawn, like a divine messenger descended to earth.
   And the most shocking part-it wasn't Ottar's likeness, or any god's.
   A "Freya rising star" who'd just steamrolled the entire Loki Familia in a War Game.
   The statue was built in Freya's name. Its inscription read:
   [The Messenger of the Goddess of Beauty, descended upon the mortal realm, protecting Orario with unmatched power.]
   [A tribute to Freya's most perfect choice.]
   The streets buzzed with chatter:
   "This must be a divine recognition, right? Freya sees him as her envoy?"
   "Is this kid gonna replace Ottar outright...?"
   "Holy crap, this statue is insane-feels like the whole plaza is bowing to him!"
   "But... why him? He's not even Level 5!"
   "You don't get it. Did you even see that War Game? That fight was way beyond level-based combat..."
   "Most importantly-he's hot."
   More and more people began laying flowers before the statue, offering prayers, even copying its pose.
   A quasi-religious fervor was spreading across the city.
   "So unfair... this is just plain coercion..."
   Far off in the distance, Lefiya hugged her knees, sitting on a bench with her cheeks puffed, glaring unhappily at the towering statue.
   Ryota's expression carved into stone was deep and indifferent-perfectly capturing his usual calm demeanor. Even the intricate patterns of the Sharingan were etched with precision.
   Lefiya pouted. "...They don't even know what Ryota thinks, and they just assume he belongs to Freya."
   "Freya is just... way too much."
   Ais, sitting beside her, said nothing.
   She simply tilted her head back, staring up at the cold statue. Its face reflected in her golden eyes, her expression calm-yet inexplicably conflicted.
   After a long silence, Ais spoke softly:
   "...He probably doesn't like things like this."
   At the top of Babel Tower, Freya looked down at the gathering crowds, a smile once again spreading across her lips.
   "If you won't accept my charm... then I'll make the whole world fall for you."
   "If you won't admit you're mine... then I'll make everyone else believe you are."
   "Ryota, this is true enchantment."
   Behind her stood the core members of the Freya Familia.
   Ottar stood in silence, with Hedin, Hogni, and the others flanking him, their expressions somewhat strained.
   Freya turned her head slightly and asked,
   "He's still at the Hephaestus Familia. Hasn't left all day."
   Freya hummed in response, but her gaze never strayed from the statue.
   Her eyes darkened for a moment.
   Her mind involuntarily replayed the things Ryota had said the night before.
   A sharp pain pierced her chest.
   She was the goddess of beauty. Yet for the first time, someone had used the word "disgusting" to pierce through the divinity she was so proud of.
   "Let's go visit him later."
   Her voice softened again into a smile.
   "At the very least, I want him to see the statue I made for him with his own eyes."
   "I think... he'll be very happy."
   The others lifted their eyes to look at Freya's back.
   After a long silence, they simply nodded.
   A silver moon hung high, casting a soft, dreamy veil over all of Orario.
   The central plaza no longer bustled like it had during the day.
   A few Ganesha Familia patrols passed by, giving the towering statue a respectful glance before moving on.
   On a bench near the edge of the plaza, Ais and Lefiya had been sitting for some time.
   From the moment the sun had set until now under the full moon, several hours had passed.
   Lefiya clutched her staff, her initial anxiety having faded into fatigue, then into confusion.
   Ais lifted her gaze slightly, stared at the statue for a while, then finally nodded.
   But the next second, footsteps echoed from the far end of the street behind them.
   Both girls turned instinctively.
   Under the moonlight, the black-haired boy slowly appeared, walking into the plaza against the light.
   A glimmer sparked in Ais's eyes. Lefiya let out a reflexive gasp.
   That figure didn't quicken his pace or say a word.
   He simply walked, step by step, toward the statue that stood at the heart of Orario-born of worship, crowned by belief.
   Atop Babel Tower, Freya and the others immediately noticed Ryota standing in front of the statue.
   She blinked in surprise, then smiled.
   "So he's finally come to see it..."
   She didn't finish her sentence.
   Ryota lifted his right hand.
   And casually curled his fingers into a fist.
   No preamble, no chant, no overwhelming magical surge-just a casual squeeze.
   But with that single motion-
   That towering statue, crafted by top artisans, emitted a sharp sound of fracturing stone.
   Far above, Freya's smile froze. Her pupils shrank.
   The second, deeper rumble followed.
   The statue's proud upper half was torn apart by an unseen force. Cracks spiderwebbed across the stone surface before the entire upper body broke off.
   Lefiya's eyes went wide, her voice trembling.
   Even Ais was stunned. What just happened!?
   Under the night sky, Ryota slowly levitated into the air, the upper half of the statue floating before him.
   Ryota raised both hands again.
   A thunderous roar echoed.
   The lower half of the statue wrenched itself free-base, pedestal, and all-soared skyward.
   All of Orario jolted awake in disbelief.
   "Isn't that... the statue Freya built?!"
   "That guy... is that Ryota?!"
   "What the hell is he doing-ripping up his own statue?!"
   In the sea of stunned gazes, Ryota hovered in the air, his eyes calmly sweeping across the plaza.
   With those words, he brought his palms together.
   The statue was instantly pulverized in midair, reduced to clouds of stone dust that rained down like ash.
   Too fast for Freya atop Babel, Ais and Lefiya on the bench, or any citizen of Orario to even blink.
   The Statue that had symbolized glory and devotion-
   Was obliterated before tens of thousands of eyes.
   Under the moonlight, it became a dazzling yet ironic spectacle.
   "He's insane! That was the highest honor imaginable!"
   "That's not the issue-he destroyed it right at the foot of Babel!"
   "This is blasphemy! A rebellion against Freya!"
   "A lunatic... a complete lunatic..."
   Cries of disbelief echoed through every corner of Orario.
   But Ryota ignored them all.
   He shut out the noise, then lowered his gaze to the two girls on the bench.
   Both Ais and Lefiya stared at him, utterly dumbfounded.
   Then Ryota looked up again, toward the far-off Twilight Manor.
   And finally-the familiar mechanical voice rang out:
   [Ding! Main quest branch: Destroy the statue Freya is building in Central Square-complete!]
   [Reward 1: Special Nine-Tails Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 2: Sage Jutsu Chakra +10%!]
   [Reward 3: Hashirama Cells +10%!]
   [Reward 4: Kekkei Genkai unlocked-Wood Style: Wood Human Jutsu!]
   [Reward 5: Chakra capacity +200,000!]
   [Ding-Fusion progress +20%]
   [Current fusion progress: 100%]
   [Ding! All abilities of the Rinnegan-fully unlocked.]
   As the mechanical voice faded-
   Ryota's pupils shrank as the Eternal Mangeky Sharingan began to spin rapidly.
   Faster and faster-one rotation, two, three...
   Purple patterns bloomed from the center of his eyes, covering and reshaping them completely!
   A sharp, buzzing roar erupted around him.
   Waves of dark-purple chakra exploded from his body, coiling around him and distorting the night sky itself.
   Atop Babel, Freya's expression turned to horror. That pressure-she had never felt anything like it.
   It wasn't something a Level 5... or even a Level 7... could possibly wield.
   It was power born from the very laws of existence. A force that made even gods instinctively tremble.
   "The Rinnegan... is complete."
   Ryota touched his eye sockets lightly, then lifted his gaze to the full moon in the sky and murmured:
  
   Chapter 120: Chapter 120: This Is My DanMachi!
   The moment Ryota's words fell, the rings at the center of his Rinnegan suddenly contracted!
   An invisible wave of mental energy burst outward from Ryota as the epicenter, spreading across the sky as though a strange power had been imposed upon it.
   In an instant, it became the projection of his pupil!
   Countless rippling lines of dojutsu spread in every direction, their patterns reflected upon the moon above.
   It was a pale violet light.
   More solemn than any god, more terrifying than any magic-this power washed over all of Orario, and even the entire world of DanMachi!
   In that instant, every living being-whether God, Familia member, or ordinary mortal-
   As long as they stood beneath the moonlight, their eyes went blank and their minds were pulled into an illusion.
   On the streets, citizens who had been staring at the destroyed statue now sat limply on the ground, dazed.
   Inside Babel Tower, Freya's expression changed sharply. She had just opened her mouth to speak when her body froze in place, her pupils reflecting that eerie violet moon.
   Ottar, Hedin, Finn, Riveria...
   All of them locked in place as though frozen in time, slipping into dream worlds of their own.
   This... was the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
   The genjutsu hailed in the Naruto world as "world-ending."
   It projects the caster's genjutsu upon the moon, plunging all living beings into a dream where they experience their deepest desires, before the God Tree absorbs their chakra, leaving them hanging on its branches as "White Zetsu."
   But that was Kaguya tsutsuki's weaponized Infinite Tsukuyomi-
   He gazed at the figures falling into illusions beneath the moonlight-familiar and unfamiliar faces alike, people who had once been bewitched, deceived, stripped of their will.
   "Turn them into White Zetsu?"
   Ryota murmured softly, a cold smile tugging at his lips.
   "No... I don't want them as weapons."
   "I want them to become-a part of my world."
   So the very first thing he did upon fusing the Rinnegan... was examine the structure of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
   The absurd framework that used the God Tree as a medium and hanging people as a means-he dismantled it entirely and rebuilt it from scratch.
   Ryota possessed the purest Rinnegan.
   From Sasuke's Amenotejikara, to Momoshiki's Takami Musubinokami, Nagato's Almighty Push...
   The power of gods-all for his use.
   He was not Madara. He did not wish to freeze the world in stillness.
   He was the one who would restart it.
   The reconstructed Infinite Tsukuyomi-
   No God Tree, no White Zetsu, no chakra being stripped away.
   It was no longer a jutsu of "world destruction," but...
   The starting point of "recreation."
   Ryota had not forgotten his main quest:
   [Establish the sole faith system as a mortal replace the existing divine authority structure, and create a new worldview recognized by the entire DanMachi world.]
   So at the very moment he fused the Rinnegan-
   At the instant violet light surged forth, tearing open heaven and earth in his sight-
   He began reconstructing the Infinite Tsukuyomi's very core.
   This dream would not be one of comfort.
   It would be a baptism called "Truth."
   All of Orario, indeed the entire world of DanMachi, all bathed in the moonlight, sank into slumber.
   But in that dream, they did not see paradise, nor the illusions of their desires fulfilled.
   They saw the reality of the War Game. Ryota leading the Loki Familia on expedition. How Freya dressed her conquest and possessiveness in the pretty trappings of love...
   And when the dream finally shattered and people opened their eyes-
   They were stunned to realize-nothing had changed.
   Ais and Lefiya's affection for Ryota...
   The bond between Loki Familia and Ryota...
   The pink-haired human girl in the Guild, Misha, still nursing her crush on him...
   Even the Falna system still existed.
   Only now... the source of that system was Ryota, not Ouranos.
   In other words, Ryota could update any adventurer's Status.
   Of course, to avoid working himself to death, the gods' Familias still existed.
   The gods still remained in the heavens. Monsters and the Dungeon had not vanished.
   The world itself... had not changed.
   But deep in everyone's memories, the instinctive reverence they once held for the gods-
   Not a god, but beyond a god.
   No longer "the boy of Freya Familia."
   He was now the origin of a new faith for the DanMachi world.
   Time trickled onward, second by second.
   All of Orario, indeed the entire DanMachi world, seemed to have been put on pause.
   Air stilled, the wind and clouds ceased to move. Even the moonlight above hung frozen in the night sky.
   No one spoke. No one moved. All was still.
   No one knew how long had passed-five minutes, ten, half an hour.
   Until a crisp chime rang in Ryota's ears:
   [Ding-Main Quest, Phase Four Complete!]
   [Quest Name]: The World's Final Answer
   [Quest Evaluation]: Perfect Completion!
   As Ryota waited in silence-
   A faint sound rose from below.
   Ais's fingers twitched before she slowly lifted her head, gazing up at the figure in the sky.
   Next to her, Lefiya awoke with a start, blinking in bewilderment at her surroundings.
   The world began to flow again. Wind stirred, firelight flickered, the shadows of Babel stretched once more.
   Ryota descended slowly from the air, the swirling violet-black chakra around him fading away, leaving only those divine Rinnegan eyes quietly watching all below.
   The instant his feet touched the ground, Ais and Lefiya rushed forward at the same time.
   They flung themselves into his arms, clinging to him as though afraid he would vanish at any moment.
   In their eyes, that pure, primal affection still burned-
   But now there was something else.
   A reverence beyond love. A wordless faith.
   He was no longer merely a comrade who had fought beside them.
   He was the god they would willingly protect with their lives.
   Ryota chuckled softly, patting their shoulders.
   His voice was quiet, yet somehow carried a calming magic.
   Above them, the full moon hung high-
   But the silver disc now bore faint, mysterious markings-the pattern of the Rinnegan and Sharingan.
   Ryota's mark, etched into the sky of this world.
   But only he could see it.
   "...Strange," Lefiya murmured, rubbing her temple, a confused look crossing her face.
   "I feel like... I had a long, weird dream."
   "I dreamed you became part of Freya Familia... and took us into the Dungeon?"
   "Mm... I think I dreamed the same thing."
   Ryota said nothing, just smiled faintly.
   Lefiya waved her hands quickly, as if shooing the thought away.
   "Oh, come on, no way! Ryota doesn't belong to any Familia!"
   "Even Lady Loki says Ryota may not be a god, but he's a being greater than Lord Ouranos!"
   "And Freya Familia's been disbanded for ages! Freya herself was banished from Orario... nobody even knows where she is now."
   Ais nodded again, her expression quiet-half in recollection, half in confirmation.
   Everything... had been remade.
   This was the world he wanted-
   Not a divine hierarchy, but a reality that belonged solely to Ryota.
   He glanced toward the top of Babel Tower.
   The divine chamber that once belonged to Freya was long empty.
   Where in the world of DanMachi she was now-or if she'd been sent back to the heavens-
   What did it matter to Ryota?
   He thought the words, about to step away-when he felt a sudden weight slam into his back.
   A small, all-too-familiar figure had appeared out of nowhere, latching onto him.
   "Mr. Ryota-! I finally found you!!"
   The little goddess who once proclaimed Fried potato balls forever! was now clinging to him like a koala, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
   "...When did you get here?"
   "You said you'd treat me to fried potato balls!"
   "And you promised me ten! I remember it perfectly!"
   Ryota couldn't help but laugh aloud.
   The world... had finally returned to how it should be.
   Feeling the Divine deep valley pressing into his back, Ryota didn't bother setting the little goddess down.
   He patted her head, glanced at Ais and Lefiya beside him, and said slowly:
   "Today's fried potato balls are on me."
   Three days later, Orario.
   The sun shone bright, the streets bustled as before.
   No one spoke of the statue that had collapsed overnight.
   No one questioned why Freya had suddenly "left" Orario.
   It was as if everyone had simply awoken from a "dream," continuing their daily lives as adventurers, citizens-pieces of the city.
   The Loki Familia busied themselves with a new expedition.
   Ouranos still maintained the Dungeon from below.
   Everything seemed the same-but only Ryota knew the world had changed.
   At that moment, atop Orario's highest point, in the chamber of Babel Tower, Ryota slowly opened his eyes.
   He lay on a bed more luxurious than any temple's, with familiar, warm breaths on either side.
   On his left was Ais, curled up, a faint smile at her lips as though reliving a pleasant dream.
   On his right was Lefiya, the foolish elf's face flushed red even in deep sleep.
   And sprawled atop his chest-Hestia, her small face buried, snoring softly, murmuring in her sleep:
   "Fried potato balls... fried potato balls..."
   Ryota gently moved her aside, only for the blue-ribboned goddess to cling back like an octopus.
   Over the past three days, she'd gotten used to using him as her personal pillow.
   To avoid waking her, Ryota worked his arms free like solving a puzzle, then carefully slipped out his legs.
   After some effort, he finally escaped the warm trap.
   If the three of them had anything in common-it was that none of them were wearing clothes.
   Ryota grabbed a pair of sleep pants and pulled them on, leaving his upper body bare as he stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling windows.
   He looked down at Orario waking below, feeling the power flowing through the air-
   A Falna system higher than the gods, a power truly his own.
   Silent, yet permeating the city.
   Nameless, yet embedded deep in every heart.
   At this moment, Ryota was no one's Familia member, no god's emissary.
   He was Ryota-Orario's light of the future, the core of a new faith for this world.
   And the jaw-dropping rewards for Main Quest Phase Four had been fully calculated the night before.
   He'd simply been too "occupied" to check.
   But the power was undeniably there.
   The Phase Four rewards were lavish.
   Nine-Tails chakra, Sage chakra, and Hashirama cells-the classic trio.
   A chakra cap boosted by six hundred thousand. Wood Style: Laughing Buddha Jutsu and Cutting Sprigs Jutsu.
   But these were secondary to Ryota.
   With a thought, a golden phantom door appeared before him, visible only to himself.
   It floated in the void, identical to the gate he'd seen in the Trial Space.
   Ancient, indecipherable runes covered it. The frame seemed forged from the very rules of the universe, of a substance not belonging to the DanMachi world, exuding an indescribable depth.
   This was the true core of the Phase Four reward.
   What lay beyond the door? Ryota didn't know.
   It could be a new world, or the origin of another identity.
   But he had no intention of opening it yet.
   "DanMachi's not done yet."
   "There are things I need to wrap up."
   He dismissed the golden door and summoned a new virtual frame:
   [Forbidden Jutsu: Reanimation - Advanced Version]
   [Current Chakra: 1,030,000]
   Pain's Six Paths - Asura Path
   Pain's Six Paths - Animal Path
   Pain's Six Paths - Deva Path
   [Available to Construct]:
   Uchiha Madara - Cost: 1,000,000 Chakra
   Senju Hashirama - Cost: 1,000,000 Chakra
   Senju Tobirama - Cost: 1,000,000 Chakra
   "Uchiha Madara... come out and meet me."
   With that, Ryota lightly tapped forward.
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   Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Descend, Uchiha Madara!
   As Ryota's hand came down-
   In that instant, the space around him shattered like glass.
   Golden and violet fractures spread outward in jagged lines, accompanied by a deep, resonant hum.
   The air seemed to come alive. The laws of the world broke apart and reformed in the blink of an eye, as though something was pushing through the seams of time and space, awakening from a distant shore.
   Ryota instantly realized what was happening. He glanced over his shoulder toward the wide bed behind him.
   Ais, Lefiya, and Hestia were still fast asleep, breathing evenly.
   "...I almost blew up the bedroom."
   A vein twitched on his temple.
   Then, with a thought-shff!
   The next second, his figure vanished from the top of Babel Tower.
   When his senses returned, he was already standing on the Ninth Floor of the Dungeon.
   Even though Ryota was now the supreme being of this world...
   He was merely someone who had trampled the gods beneath his feet.
   Even with the power to rewrite the world in his hands-
   The air around him began to shudder violently, as if something was about to be torn away from this world by sheer force.
   A dull boom rang out, like a god knocking on the door of the world, echoing across the Ninth Floor's empty expanse.
   From the stillness of the Dungeon, a figure stepped out of the void.
   A tight black combat suit, layered with deep red armor plates. That unmistakably wild mane of hair.
   His expression was sharp and arrogant, his very presence radiating overwhelming pressure.
   After scanning this unfamiliar Dungeon, his gaze finally fell on Ryota.
   Ryota didn't answer. He only locked eyes with the man.
   Those eyes-the rippled pattern of the Rinnegan-
   Purple light swirling, identical to his own.
   Ryota gave a satisfied nod.
   He drew his gaze away from Uchiha Madara's Rinnegan.
   As the creator of these reincarnated beings, Ryota had no fear that Madara would reverse-engineer the jutsu and break free like in the original timeline.
   His Reanimation was nothing like the perfected version Kabuto had used.
   This was an advanced Reanimation.
   The Madara before him wasn't a bound soul forced into servitude-he was a king born for battle.
   A being Ryota had spent a full one million chakra points to "exchange" from the system.
   His reanimated body was no pale, withered shell-it was brimming with flesh and blood, even stronger than in life.
   And the Rinnegan in his eyes?
   They came from Ryota himself.
   Ryota was just about to send Madara back when the latter glanced down at the ground, then at the Dungeon monsters wandering nearby.
   In a voice devoid of emotion, he asked:
   "Shall I take care of them?"
   Ryota nodded lightly. "Go."
   Madara's figure blurred into a streak of black, ripping through the air.
   No Susanoo, no jutsu-just raw taijutsu and killing intent. With each step, he left craters in the ground like meteors striking the earth.
   Explosions echoed one after another.
   Before Ryota's eyes, the entire Ninth Floor became Madara's personal training ground.
   The wandering monsters didn't even have time to cry out before they were pulverized into ash.
   Within a few breaths, Madara was back before him-armor spotless.
   Looking down at Ryota, he said flatly:
   "These creatures are even weaker than the Allied Shinobi Forces."
   Ryota chuckled. "Don't worry-there's a bigger one waiting."
   Madara didn't respond-just gave a calm nod. But deep in his eyes, a flicker of battle-lust glimmered.
   Standing on the shattered ground of the Ninth Floor, Ryota looked ahead.
   The Orario world's endgame was near.
   Tasks, enemies, temptations... all resolved.
   Only one remained-the Black Dragon.
   "Once the Black Dragon dies, I can open the gate."
   It wouldn't just be a portal-it would be a dimensional shift.
   Once he took that step, a completely new world awaited.
   He could bring Ais, Lefiya, Hestia...
   And the new order he had built... to a stage truly worthy of them.
   "The main world must be spotless."
   "And right now, the only stain left... is the Black Dragon."
   From the moment he'd awakened the Sharingan, from the moment he grasped the Rinnegan's power-
   This world had been slowly breaking and reshaping beneath his feet.
   But that creature, buried deep underground-the ultimate being even Zeus and Hera failed to defeat-remained a poisonous thorn in the Dungeon's heart.
   "I didn't bother with you before because I had to clean up the surface first."
   Madara, arms crossed, seemed to sense his intent. He nodded slightly.
   No wasted words, no needless emotion-
   Just the perfect unity of command and obedience.
   That dragon-the one even Hera and Zeus, together, couldn't slay-
   Would become the Dungeon's final sacrifice. And for Madara, it would be both his first and last battlefield in this world.
   Ryota sat on the familiar sofa in the hall.
   Opposite him were familiar faces-Loki, Finn, Ais, and others.
   With Freya banished from Orario, the Loki Familia had become the city's most powerful group.
   Loki stared at him for a long moment before finally speaking.
   "Ryota... you're really going after the Black Dragon?"
   The words shattered the brief silence in the room.
   "That's one of the Three Great Quests."
   "The ultimate mission even the Zeus and Hera Familias failed to complete."
   "Don't you think you should reconsider?"
   "I know what you're worried about."
   "But I'm not taking you with me."
   "This isn't an expedition. It's not a quest. Not an adventure."
   "This is my own final chapter to finish."
   He gestured with his hands.
   "How should I put it... like a story you've been writing for years-"
   "I want to turn the last page myself."
   The group's expressions varied, but every pair of eyes was heavy with concern-especially at the thought of him facing the Black Dragon alone.
   Loki rubbed her forehead, then glanced at Finn.
   He immediately caught on and gave a small nod.
   The Pallum captain rose to his feet and said steadily:
   "Ryota, there's no way we're letting you do this alone."
   "The Loki Familia will go with you."
   "That creature is this world's ultimate calamity-we must face it together."
   "This isn't a burden-it's an honor."
   Ryota blinked. He hadn't expected that.
   He'd planned to end things himself. Only he had combat power on Madara's level; anyone else would just be along for the ride.
   But then his gaze fell on Ais.
   The girl stood silently, her eyes fixed on him-complex, unreadable.
   Yet within them, he saw the burning heat, the trembling need, the stubborn resolve.
   Her deepest scar... had always been the Black Dragon.
   If she could witness its end with her own eyes-perhaps she could finally find release, and be reborn.
   With that thought, Ryota nodded.
   "...I hadn't planned to bring you."
   "It's not a matter of trust-I just didn't want you getting hurt."
   "But if it's for yourselves... and to truly put an end to it-"
   "Then let's go together."
   The words seemed to freeze the air for a beat.
   But Loki's sharp eyes caught a detail.
   Her gaze swept over Ryota, Ais, and Lefiya.
   Then, as if a thought struck her, she asked:
   "Come to think of it-these past three days-"
   "Ais hasn't come home, Lefiya's been skipping training with Mama, and that little shrimp from the fried potato stand on North Main has vanished too."
   "And you've been missing as well."
   "Where exactly did you all go?"
   Lefiya's face flushed bright red in an instant. She practically retracted into her clothes like an ostrich.
   The wide bed, the soft blankets, pressed close on both sides... three days lost in bliss.
   She felt like steam was pouring out of her ears.
   "D-didn't go anywhere... just... just training..."
   Ais didn't flush as hard, but her gaze drifted away, a faint pink coloring her ears.
   If Loki looked closely, she might even catch the rare hint of shyness in those normally calm golden eyes.
   Ryota cleared his throat twice, forcibly dragging the atmosphere back.
   "I was training Ais and Lefiya for a few days."
   Loki raised a brow, staring at him with a knowing look.
   "Training? Three days and nights of training?"
   "Doesn't sound quite right to me."
   Ryota's smile turned awkward.
   "Uh... come to think of it, Hephaestus... yeah, the forge-she's got something for me to handle."
   Before anyone could respond, he was already halfway out the door.
   It was still swinging when his voice floated back in from outside:
   "We go into the Dungeon... and end the Black Dragon!"
   But Ryota didn't head for the Hephaestus Familia.
   That excuse was just to shake Loki off his trail.
   Turning a corner, he slipped through the bustling streets until he stopped before a familiar tavern.
   The Hostess of Fertility.
   "Can't forget our green-haired elf, now."
   With that, he pushed the door open.
  
   Chapter 122: Chapter 122: The Ever-Ascending Ryuu Lion, the Killing Machine Uchiha Madara
   The crisp chime of the bell over the door was immediately followed by the heady scent of ale and roasting meat washing over him.
   The moment Ryota stepped across the threshold, Anya's cat ears twitched and she turned her head.
   Her golden feline eyes widened, blinking in disbelief.
   A heartbeat later, Chloe-balancing a wooden tray on the other side-also looked over.
   The two froze for less than a second.
   "You finally came, nya!!"
   Anya was the first to dart over, latching onto Ryota's left arm with practiced agility.
   "We were just saying we haven't seen you around lately, nya~"
   Chloe followed close behind, slipping in at his right arm with a sunny smile.
   "Mama Mia said Mr. Ryota's probably been hidden away by some goddess, nya~~"
   "What would you like to drink today, nya~?"
   One on the left, one on the right-their welcome was smooth and well-rehearsed.
   But this kind of reception? In all of Orario, only Ryota ever got it.
   And yet, as he entered, the tavern's boisterous chatter slowly ebbed without anyone noticing.
   A wooden mug froze midair. A drunkard calling for another plate went silent.
   All around, hands stilled as every eye turned toward the doorway.
   Strangely enough, there wasn't a trace of jealousy in their gazes.
   Even seeing the two catgirls clinging to him like devoted little birds, not a single patron showed the faintest displeasure.
   Their eyes held only two things-admiration and longing.
   Ryota, of course, paid the stares no mind. Or rather, he'd long grown used to them.
   "Been a while, Miss Anya, Miss Chloe."
   He didn't shake off the soft warmth pressed against him from both sides.
   "But I'm not here for drinks today."
   He paused, glanced toward a certain spot in the tavern, and asked softly-
   The question made both catgirls blink in surprise.
   "So you're here for Lion, nya!"
   Anya's ears drooped, her voice full of mock grievance.
   Chloe pulled an exaggerated heartbroken maiden face.
   "And here we thought you came just to see us..."
   "Alright, alright, drop the act."
   Ryota shook his head, half amused.
   "I'll treat you to a meal next time, alright?"
   Anya's eyes lit up instantly. Chloe's gaze sharpened with matching expectation.
   Just then, the faint sound of footsteps crossed the wooden floor.
   Through the crowd came a green-haired elf, carrying a tray of drinks from the kitchen. She stopped before him.
   Her voice was calm as ever, laced with that cool, distant air unique to elves.
   But Ryota caught it-the fleeting ripple of tenderness in her eyes.
   Not cold. Not perfunctory.
   Something warmer, buried deep.
   "Let's talk in the back. Too many ears here."
   Ryuu didn't ask why-just nodded and turned, leading him toward the depths of the tavern.
   The moment Ryota followed, two melodramatic wails rose behind him-
   "The handsome guy's been taken away, nya!"
   "When did the aloof type get so popular, nya?!"
   Grumbling aside, there wasn't a hint of hostility in their eyes.
   They were about to sneak after them to eavesdrop when a wave of killing intent washed over their backs.
   Ears twitching hard, the pair turned to find Mama Mia looming behind them, hands on hips.
   "There's still plenty of work left. If you've got time to meddle with customers... you can spend the night scrubbing barrels."
   They scurried back behind the counter, working faster than anyone.
   Meanwhile, Ryota had just sat down. Before Ryuu could speak, he got there first-
   "The Loki Familia is planning a new expedition."
   It felt like the Loki Familia was always on an expedition. And at an absurd pace, too.
   "More precisely-" Ryota paused.
   "This time... it's to slay the Black Dragon."
   Ryuu froze, brow furrowing as she seemed to realize where he was going. She quickly shook her head.
   "I know what you want to say, Mr. Ryota. But-"
   "Sorry to interrupt, Miss Ryuu."
   "No-more accurately... I should call you Gale."
   He met her clear, lake-green eyes and said quietly-
   "Don't you... want to see the eighteenth floor again?"
   In an instant, a long-forgotten jolt of lightning shot through her mind.
   That name, that sealed memory, that buried past-
   Came rushing back all at once.
   Ryuu stared at the black-haired boy smiling faintly before her. It was a long moment before she asked softly-
   "...Do you know what day it is today?"
   Ryota didn't answer right away. After a brief silence, he nodded.
   At that, Ryuu's fingers trembled.
   In all of Orario, in all of the Dungeon-only she remembered today.
   Yet this boy she'd met only a handful of times... knew as well.
   Every year, on this day, she descended alone to the eighteenth floor.
   Deep in its quiet expanse lay a place no god had ever discovered-
   Where she had buried the keepsakes the comrades she had lost.
   An altar she had built with her own hands.
   A nightmare she could never move past.
   Memories pressed close, and Ryuu fought to steady herself.
   Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, then exhaled.
   She repeated it three times before her heartbeat eased.
   "Even as outside support, if I joined the Loki Familia's expedition, I'd just be a burden."
   Ryota looked at her as though he'd expected the answer.
   "Would you mind leaving here with me for a bit first?"
   The question stilled her.
   She stared at him, caught off guard.
   There was no frivolity in his eyes. No pity.
   Only a sincere invitation-
   A quiet, steadfast warmth that refused to let her bear her pain alone.
   After a few moments of silence, Ryuu slowly nodded.
   Ryota smiled and extended his hand, palm up.
   Ryuu hesitated for a moment, staring at it, before slowly placing her own hand into his.
   Warmth enveloped her long-cold fingertips.
   In the next instant, a brilliant yellow light flared around them.
   Before Ryuu could react, the power wrapped completely around her.
   The light flashed and was gone-in the noisy tavern, the two of them had vanished without a trace.
   When her senses returned, Ryuu found herself standing inside the divine chamber at the very top of Babel Tower.
   "This is... the top of Babel Tower?"
   She glanced around instinctively, still dazed and not quite able to process what had happened.
   She had been in The Hostess of Fertility just a moment ago, and in the blink of an eye...
   But her confusion was quickly interrupted by a familiar voice.
   Standing behind her, Ryota smiled.
   "Let me... update your Status."
   It was like her mind short-circuited, going completely blank.
   Ryota could update someone's Status?
   Wasn't that a privilege reserved only for a god?
   But the voice, the tone, the calm confidence in his words...
   It was exactly like when Lady Astraea used to lean over her back.
   The question slipped out under her breath.
   Her eyes wavered. Ever since she had been separated from Astraea, her Status had never been updated.
   She had refused to entrust her fate to anyone ever again.
   And yet... she lifted her head to look at Ryota.
   The black-haired boy's gaze held no frivolity, no pity-only a quiet, steady focus.
   Ryuu lowered her head and bit her lip.
   Her mind was full of questions, but for some reason... her feet moved on their own.
   Until she stood before him, eyes unsteady, the faintest blush coloring her cheeks.
   "If you're not comfortable, I can handle it myself."
   She hesitated, then turned her back to him. Slowly, she loosened her upper garments, revealing her slender back.
   Her pale skin carried the unique, almost sacred beauty of the elves.
   Ryuu lowered her head slightly, hands clasped before her chest, her face flushed, saying nothing.
   It had been so long since she had bared her back to anyone.
   But in this moment, she entrusted it once more.
   Standing behind her, Ryota let a drop of his own blood fall onto her back.
   A strange heat spread from where it touched, deepening the redness on her cheeks.
   A moment later, Ryota finished and handed her the note with her ability scores written down.
   "Consecutive rank up, huh? Shame that title's already been taken by me."
   She didn't understand what he meant, but after dressing, she accepted the paper and looked down.
   Development Abilities: Hunter G, Abnormal Resistance G, Magic Resistance I, Mage I, Chain Attack I
   Ryuu murmured, staring at the sheet in her hand. Her eyes were distant, disbelief flickering there.
   She had thought she would never meet anyone who could update her Status again. Never imagined she could break past the wall of Level Five.
   This moment wasn't just about a rise in level-it felt like...
   For the first time in her life, someone had truly given her a push forward.
   "This way, you can't call yourself a burden anymore, right?"
   Ryuu didn't answer at once. She stood in silence for a moment, then suddenly looked up at him with determination.
   "When we face the Black Dragon... I'll fight too."
   "Do your best. That's enough."
   His reason for coming here wasn't just to "recruit" her.
   He'd always felt that Ryuu shouldn't have to carry so much alone.
   If he'd gone through what she had, he would probably have been even more extreme, more ruthless.
   With that thought, he suddenly said-
   "I'll have the Guild rescind it."
   "What you did all those years... was right. No one just proved it for you."
   Her calm expression cracked instantly, as though he had struck her at her most vulnerable point.
   Her voice trembled, the sound of someone fighting desperately to keep control.
   Her nose stung, and tears burst forth, streaming down her cheeks.
   In that moment, it was as if years of pain and guilt finally found release-her fa"ade, her strength, all crumbling away.
   Ryota held her gently and murmured-
   Dungeon, Safe Zone on the Fiftieth Floor.
   Within the oppressive stone walls, the Loki Familia's expedition team was taking a short break.
   Or rather-every pair of eyes was fixed on the man standing ahead of them, arms crossed, completely still.
   Finn and the others looked at his back, unsure what to even call the feeling inside them.
   Shock? Fear? Bewilderment?
   Because this man-this "Uchiha Madara" Ryota had brought-had been fighting in a way no human could comprehend since they entered the Dungeon.
   Like an unstoppable war machine, crushing everything in his path.
   No fatigue. No pause. Not a single wasted motion.
   Even when facing a Floor Boss-class monster, he simply formed hand seals and murmured-
   "Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence."
   Trees burst from the ground, crushing the monster with ease-then he moved on to the next floor.
   Worse still, to the team's collective unease, Madara could summon the same skeletal giant as Ryota... only in a different color.
   The others were shaken, but Ryuu-having just joined the party-was already questioning her existence.
   "There's... no chance for me to even act..."
   Finn chuckled beside her.
   "Do you know what our role is?"
   "Just follow Ryota and take a walk."
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   Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Monster Tide-Do You Want to Dance Too?
   Previously, Ryota had led the elites of the Loki Familia and the Freya Familia deep beneath the fifty-ninth floor of the Dungeon, entering the interstitial zone known as the Thalia's Ice Garden.
   That time, it had been Ouranos himself who entrusted the mission to him.
   So, once the quest was completed, Ryota had chosen to end that joint expedition.
   The sixtieth floor had become their stopping point.
   But now, the time had come.
   This time, they crossed the Thalia's Ice Garden once again and stepped onto the sixty-first floor.
   Everyone understood-this was neither a Guild mission nor some token expedition.
   Their target-or rather, Ryota's true target-was the Black Dragon.
   The same calamity that had destroyed the strongest Familias of Zeus and Hera in the Dungeon's history, and which still lurked deep within the abyss.
   The sixty-first floor wasn't as strange or extreme as the group had imagined.
   In fact, its terrain was quite similar to that of the fifty-ninth floor-
   An endless expanse of snow and ice.
   Blizzards howled across a world of white, the ground beneath them a layer of ice several meters thick.
   In the distance, they could faintly see ruin-like landforms of glaciers, cliffs, and crystalline formations. The sky was shrouded in a silver-white mist, like an eternal polar night.
   But the more "familiar" it seemed, the more it set everyone on edge.
   Finn stepped forward a few paces, standing in the heart of the snowstorm, and spoke in a low voice:
   "According to all current Guild records, the Black Dragon's lair should be on the one-hundredth floor."
   "But starting from the sixty-first floor down, the data is almost nonexistent."
   "No maps, no monster information-not even surviving eyewitnesses."
   He paused, turning to Ryota.
   "Ryota... how do we proceed?"
   That question made everyone turn their eyes toward the black-haired boy.
   They all knew full well-this young man was the true core of the party.
   Gazing out over the frozen wasteland where time itself seemed to stand still, Ryota thought for a moment before speaking:
   "It's not all the way down to the hundredth. I've got a feeling the Black Dragon is somewhere within the next few floors."
   "So... we explore one floor at a time."
   "Skipping floors isn't realistic-it'll provoke the Dungeon's retaliation."
   The moment his words landed, everyone froze.
   Floor-skipping was not an unfamiliar term to adventurers.
   In the middle floors, for example, around the thirteenth and fourteenth floors, there were natural "traps" that sometimes caused the unlucky-or lucky-to drop straight from one floor to a deeper one.
   Some even did it intentionally to dive faster.
   It was dangerous, sure, but the Guild had long since categorized it as a known variable.
   This was the sixty-first floor!
   The deeper you went, the more unknowns there were.
   To skip floors here? That was the kind of idea only a lunatic would suggest!
   Hearing it from Ryota somehow made it sound reasonable.
   Even if the words themselves still sounded insane, the way he said them, calm and matter-of-fact, made it feel like just another viable option.
   "Don't give me that look."
   Noticing the way everyone was staring at him-like he was some rare monster-Ryota gave a helpless shrug, a faint smile on his lips.
   "I was just talking off the top of my head."
   After a pause, he glanced out over the empty ice plain.
   "For now-let's clear this place first."
   The words had barely left his mouth when-
   Thud... thud... thud-thud-thud!!
   The ground began to tremble slightly, followed by a deepening rhythm of heavy impacts, like countless massive weights slamming into the earth.
   Everyone's expression hardened as they braced themselves.
   "They're here," Finn murmured.
   Following the source of the vibrations, they looked up-
   And through the swirling snow and mist, a pair of scarlet eyes emerged.
   A moment later, a hulking monster, several meters tall, with enormous stone wings and a body formed entirely of layered gray-white rock, burst forth from the blizzard.
   Its jagged stone face twisted in a snarl, and its mouth let out a low, guttural roar.
   Finn's eyes narrowed in instant recognition-
   But then his pupils contracted sharply.
   Because following behind it wasn't one... but many.
   A tide of gargoyles poured from the snow and fog, their wingbeats sending waves through the snowdrifts, their rocky bodies thundering as they charged.
   Those red eyes, burning like countless candles, stretched in unbroken lines across the frozen plain, a sea of crimson light that seemed to swallow the land whole.
   "This scale... this isn't just group behavior-it's an Irregular?!"
   Ryota stood at the very front, tilting his head slightly toward someone not far beside him.
   Uchiha Madara stepped forward.
   But just as his foot touched the ice, Finn's voice rang out sharply from behind:
   "Tell him to hold up-there are too many!"
   As soon as Finn spoke, the others joined in.
   "He's right-this is an Irregular-scale monster tide."
   Riveria followed with a grave expression.
   "We should deal with it together."
   "The numbers are... off," Ais said, her golden eyes narrowing with both battle intent and caution.
   "It's like... the entire sixty-first floor has been mobilized."
   Ryuu, standing beside Ryota, spoke softly.
   "You're not seriously thinking of having him take on a monster tide of this scale alone, are you?"
   All eyes were on Ryota, waiting for his answer.
   Ever since they had entered the Dungeon, Ryota hadn't used Flying Raijin to leap between points. Instead, he'd opted for a more... straightforward approach-
   Madara at the front, bulldozing everything in their path.
   They had all seen his power firsthand.
   From the very first floor, Madara alone had been enough to sweep it clean.
   When his Susanoo manifested, not even magic stones remained in his wake.
   This was an Irregular on the deep floors-a living tide of gargoyles surging across the cracked ice fields, so massive even the blizzard parted before it.
   Ryota just smiled faintly at their concerns.
   His gaze stayed fixed on the front, where the towering blue chakra giant had already begun to take shape amid the flying snow.
   "He enjoys this kind of warm-up."
   And just as his words fell-
   A muffled burst of energy exploded across the snowy plain.
   In the next instant, blue chakra erupted violently from within Uchiha Madara's body.
   A towering blue war god, more than ten meters tall, appeared out of thin air.
   Within the colossal silhouette of Susanoo, Madara stood at its core.
   Before anyone could even take in the details of Susanoo's form-whoosh!
   Madara's figure vanished in a blur.
   In the blink of an eye, he was above the swarm of gargoyles surging toward them like a black tide.
   The gargoyles instinctively sensed the presence of a monster so terrifying it made their very souls tremble. 
   One by one, they lifted their heads toward the black-haired, armor-clad figure in the sky.
   As intelligent creatures of the sixty-first floor, a few reacted first, roaring as they lunged at him.
   But they were far too slow.
   With just a casual swing of Susanoo's massive blue arm-
   The three gargoyles that had leapt up never even got close; they were crushed into pieces midair, ground to dust in an instant-no screams, no struggle, only immediate annihilation.
   "Oh? Attacking me first?"
   "You... want to dance too?"
   Madara laughed, then drove Susanoo into a dive straight toward the ground.
   The impact of his landing obliterated over a hundred gargoyles at once, carving a crater a hundred meters wide into the icy plain.
   There was no flourish to his movements-each strike was swift, clean, and absolute: a swing, a sweep, a stomp, an explosion.
   Susanoo's arms swept through the monster horde, each blow harvesting dozens of lives.
   Like waves cleaved apart by a blade, the dense mass of gargoyles was cleared away in swaths. Shattered stone, broken wings, and powdered magic stones drifted in the wind and snow.
   It was slaughter-pure and one-sided.
   One minute in, nine-tenths of the monsters were gone.
   Two minutes in, the remaining gargoyles were in total disarray.
   The coordinated swarm from moments ago was gone; none could even step within half a pace of Ryota's group.
   Snow still fell. The wind still howled.
   But the monster tide-an apocalyptic sight moments before-was wiped clean in less than two minutes.
   The ground was fractured. The air shimmered with the glittering dust of shattered magic stones, the debris drifting like a snow of death.
   And everyone... stood silent, mouths agape, words frozen.
   Lefiya's voice had gone beyond awe into utter speechlessness.
   Even the three leaders of the Loki Familia stood petrified, dazed beyond thought.
   This was something more monstrous than any monster.
   "That was... an Irregular."
   Finn bit down on his thumb.
   "And not just any Irregular-the most dangerous kind... a Monster Tide."
   Ais gazed silently at Madara standing in the center of the icefield, Susanoo's blue form still looming above him.
   "I've never... seen anyone fight like that before," Ryuu murmured, her voice so soft it was nearly swallowed by the wind, yet everyone heard it.
   She had once thought Ryota was the limit of what she could comprehend.
   He was the one who commanded the limit.
   With a soft rumble, the towering Susanoo began to dissolve, blue chakra scattering into the air like rain of light.
   Madara stepped forward into the snowstorm.
   A moment later, he was beside Ryota again.
   Just standing there, like a mountain none could climb.
   Everyone's gaze shifted to him, their expressions tangled-shock, fear, curiosity, awe-but most of all, silence.
   This man radiated an indescribable pressure. His mere presence could crush the will to fight from an entire squad.
   And the most chilling thought of all-he was merely one of Ryota's subordinates.
   They could not forget: Ryota didn't only have Uchiha Madara.
   He also commanded the Deva Path, the Third Kazekage, the Asura Path, and the Animal Path-capable of summoning eight giant beasts at once.
   Each one was a walking calamity.
   And all of them belonged to Ryota.
   To that black-haired boy who always wore a lazy smile.
   There were no words left to describe him. Genius and monster were far too small.
   No one knew how many trump cards he still held.
   The silence stretched, the memory of the impossible battle still hanging over them-
   Until Ryota turned his head and said,
   Everyone stirred as if waking from a trance, nodding mechanically and adjusting their gear in numb motions.
   They all understood-when traveling with a companion like this, every tactic, every plan, every preparation had to be redefined.
   Perhaps... this was what it felt like to travel with a monster.
   Because of the recent Irregular, an entire Monster Tide had been wiped out by Madara, cutting the monster density on the sixty-first floor to a fraction of normal.
   The icefield that should have been filled with ambushes was now eerily quiet.
   They advanced quickly to the floor's end with almost no resistance.
   Ryota stopped at the edge, glancing down into the depths.
   "The sixty-second floor, huh..."
   He stepped forward without hesitation.
   Then the three captains, Ais, and the others.
   She turned for one last look at the sixty-first floor, her eyes complicated.
   "No wonder Finn called it a stroll..."
   "This was even easier than a stroll."
   Upon entering the sixty-second floor, Ryota-leading the way-frowned, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.
   This was no icy wasteland.
   No wind. No snow. No landmarks.
   Only endless darkness, as if the space itself had been swallowed by something that devoured even light.
   A realm utterly different from the frozen plains above-like stepping from the Arctic into a bottomless abyss. The air was still, heavy, and cold with death.
   Visibility was near zero.
   Unconsciously, the group slowed their pace, following Ryota deeper in.
   A dragon's roar thundered from the depths.
   Low. Furious. Overwhelming.
   The sheer pressure shook the sixty-second floor itself.
   Everyone froze, instinctively looking toward the sound.
   "Could it be... a Valgang Dragon?!"
   "It's not the Valgang Dragon."
   His thoughts cut off abruptly.
   That pressure-both familiar and alien. That roar, like a bellow at fate itself. That deep, soul-piercing voice...
   A chilling thought struck him, his pupils contracting sharply.
  
   Chapter 124: Chapter 124: You've Gotta Be Kidding Me!! The Black Dragon's Being Toyed With?
   The moment Finn's words fell, the entire party fell silent.
   Riveria was the first to instinctively speak up in rebuttal:
   "Impossible! That can't be the Black Dragon!"
   "It's supposed to be on the hundredth floor!"
   The Black Dragon-every adventurer in Orario carried its shadow deep in their hearts.
   It was the ultimate nightmare, the one quest out of the Three Great Quests that had never been completed.
   One by one, all eyes turned toward the man at the very front-Ryota.
   No one said another word. They were all waiting for him to speak.
   Ryota's gaze was fixed ahead, into that dense darkness-so thick it was almost tangible. His Rinnegan glimmered with a violet light.
   After a moment, he finally spoke:
   Everyone's expression darkened. Even with all the mental preparation in the world, the moment Ryota actually said "it's that thing," the oppressive weight of staring down the end itself sent a violent shiver through every one of them.
   After all, the Black Dragon was the ultimate calamity-one even the combined might of the Zeus Familia and Hera Familia had failed to slay.
   But unlike the others, whose faces had paled and whose hearts were shaken, Ryota's expression was unnervingly calm. He was deep in thought.
   The Black Dragon, showing up on the sixty-second floor?
   Its true body was sealed away in the Dragon's Valley on the hundredth floor. That place had been locked away by the ancient great spirit Aria herself, burning both her life and soul to weave the spatial seal with her own hands.
   It was, in every way, the Dungeon's end point.
   A being like that had no reason to appear on the sixty-second floor.
   Unless-there was only one explanation-the seal had failed again.
   And this time, the failure was far more catastrophic than any in the past.
   Ryota's mind spun rapidly, piecing together fragments and details.
   When he'd led the Loki Familia and Freya Familia on that deep-floor expedition... below the fifty-ninth floor, they'd first stepped into the zone called Ice Garden.
   In fulfilling Ouranos's commission, he'd driven back the Valgang Dragon swarm and then slammed shut the suddenly exposed seal.
   It had solved the immediate crisis... but it had also stirred up a far greater commotion.
   Aria's seal had already been weakened by time.
   And it had only been a week since their last descent into the Dungeon.
   Ryota glanced sideways at the silent figure standing beside him-Uchiha Madara.
   A man with the Rinnegan, whose chakra density surpassed even the deep-floor magic-an "otherworldly god-tier combatant."
   And Ryota himself, fused with the Chakra Fruit, Sage Jutsu chakra, and Hashirama's cells, carried within him a power beyond this world.
   Together, they were like a living fuse dropped into the Abyss.
   It was inevitable: the long-faltering seal had shattered the moment they set foot there again.
   And what split wasn't just the space-it was the wrath that had been suppressed for countless years.
   The Black Dragon, master of calamity, buried beneath the hundredth floor-sealed away by the combined might of heroes, gods, and an entire era-had finally broken free.
   It had ripped through its bindings, twisted its way upward from the hundredth floor, and emerged on the sixty-second.
   This boundless dark domain-without borders, without light, without warmth-was the purest expression of its rage.
   Ryota's gaze shifted to Ais.
   Around her, a faint black gale was rising.
   It wasn't ordinary magic fluctuation.
   It was resonance-born of a Skill.
   Ais's unique skill-massively increasing her damage against all monsters, and overwhelmingly so against dragons.
   The cost, however, was steep: her mind would be corroded by hatred.
   Now, with the Black Dragon's arrival, that buried hatred in her was stirring, threatening to slip beyond her control.
   Ryota frowned, stepping toward her.
   He reached out, and gently rested his hand on her head.
   The simple gesture was enough to still the gale.
   Ais blinked, looking up at him.
   The searing anger in her eyes seemed to be pressed down by something warm, subsiding rapidly.
   The black wind swirling around her dissipated.
   She was silent for a few seconds, then gave a small nod.
   She stepped back, entrusting the hatred she'd carried for years to the one person she trusted most.
   Ryota tilted his head slightly, then stepped forward.
   He walked straight into that tidal darkness, the Rinnegan pulsing faintly with each step, locking onto the Black Dragon deep within.
   Madara followed without a word, like a shadow.
   Then Finn bit down hard and called out:
   "Ryota! Let's go together-"
   This was the Black Dragon-the ultimate calamity that had annihilated the united Zeus and Hera Familias.
   The one existence deemed "should not exist," the deepest fear in the world of DanMachi.
   And Ryota... was going to solo it?
   No-he was going in with only Madara, into the nightmare's heart?
   "You... you're going to fight the Black Dragon alone?"
   Finn gave voice to what everyone was thinking.
   Ryota didn't stop walking. He glanced back at them with a grin.
   "Not alone. I've got Madara, don't I?"
   They all blinked, still processing the words-
   A deep, drawn-out dragon's roar rolled from the depths of the darkness.
   Fury. Contempt. The primal instinct of a higher lifeform looking down from above.
   Every hair stood on end. Hearts clenched tight.
   From that solid wall of darkness, a colossal head emerged.
   Black scales like forged meteorite, cracked and scorched.
   From between the plates seeped red firelight, the air around it burning like the flames of Hell.
   And one of its eyes... was an empty socket.
   The very one Ais's father, the hero, had pierced in their final battle.
   That old wound was a brand upon its face, a testament to the slaughter and hatred of the past.
   It didn't attack immediately.
   Instead, its single blood-red eye swept over the group.
   That single glance was enough to make them all step back several paces.
   The pressure was suffocating.
   Like the weight of the heavens pressing down... like the gaze of Death itself.
   It was an overwhelming, irresistible pressure-something one could no more defy than a natural disaster or divine judgment.
   Not an enemy... but the hand of fate itself.
   The air thickened; magic felt frozen and heavy.
   Everyone stood rooted in place, barely daring to breathe.
   The Black Dragon's lone pupil lingered on Ais for a long time.
   It was as if it were remembering... or confirming.
   Suddenly, a low rumble rose from deep in its throat.
   It moved-not hesitating, not testing-charging straight ahead.
   Its target was clear. Ais.
   No matter the cost, it would erase this familiar, hated bloodline from the world.
   The sheer force of its pounce felt like it could tear the very fabric of space.
   Finn's shout tore out of him as he stepped forward-
   A flash of blue light appeared.
   The Black Dragon jerked to a halt and looked down-
   At some point, a massive blue Chakra hand had reached in from the side, fingers splayed wide, clamping tightly around its body.
   Bone-shattering cracks mixed with the hum of Chakra. That indomitable body of calamity was... pinned in place.
   The dragon's blood-red eye shrank to a slit.
   It tried to thrash forward-but it couldn't move an inch.
   That body, which could crush anything, was now locked as if in the grip of an invisible giant.
   The more it struggled, the tighter the blue hand squeezed.
   The sound was like rock breaking apart. The dragon's massive frame let out a guttural roar of pain.
   It had never imagined being overpowered.
   Standing inside the fully manifested Susanoo, Madara Uchiha looked down on the beast and snorted.
   Everyone froze, still reeling from the sight-how could Madara summon a gigantic skeletal warrior identical to Ryota's?
   From the darkness in the distance, a familiar voice rang out:
   Madara gave a small nod. Susanoo's massive arm swung, hurling the Black Dragon like a ragdoll into the distance.
   Its enormous body tumbled and spun through the air, the force of tens of tons flinging it hundreds of meters.
   Its single eye blazed with fury and confusion-it had no time to react to what came next.
   Because the next instant, it stopped midair-caught again.
   This time, the grip was even stronger. The pressure even greater.
   So great the bones across its entire body popped and groaned.
   With all its might, the Black Dragon forced its head up-
   To see an even larger, brighter Chakra hand holding it effortlessly aloft.
   A Susanoo-bigger, brighter, and far more oppressive than Madara's.
   Its pupil shrank sharply. A furious roar escaped its throat,
   But before it could struggle, the ground trembled again.
   Beside Ryota's Susanoo, a godlike figure wrought from the pure essence of nature rose from the earth.
   Wood Style: Wood Human Jutsu!
   Suspended in the air, Ryota guided the colossal arm of his full-body Susanoo, infused with Sage Chakra and Nine-Tails Chakra, staring at the dragon still thrashing in his grip.
   With a flick of his arm, he hurled the Black Dragon straight toward the Wood Human!
   The beast tumbled through the air a few times, barely processing what was happening, before the wooden giant caught it neatly.
   The Wood Human tilted its head slightly, as if thinking-
   It mimicked Ryota's motion, throwing the Black Dragon right back toward Madara.
   Madara caught it one-handed without even flinching-then promptly flung it back.
   A calamity once feared as the ultimate end of the world was now being tossed back and forth between three titans like a ragdoll!
   Ryota to Wood Human. Wood Human to Madara. Madara back to Ryota.
   The entire party had gone rigid, like they'd been hit with a mass Paralysis spell.
   The Big Three, Lefiya, Ais, Ryuu...
   One by one, their faces were locked in a blend of triple-layered confusion, heavy shock, and far too many question marks.
   "No, that's... the Black Dragon."
   Finn could feel his temple throbbing.
   "They're... using the Black Dragon as a ball?"
   Even after everything they'd seen of Ryota and Madara's strength,
   Watching them play catch with the Black Dragon like it was a toy sent a shiver through their souls.
   That was the Black Dragon!
   And now it was being used for a game of toss?!
   The Black Dragon itself was utterly stunned.
   It had forgotten to roar, its single eye flickering with disbelief, rage, and utter confusion.
   It hadn't even gotten to attack once.
   Hadn't unleashed its legendary Dungeon-piercing breath even once and it had already been tossed around several times!
   Catching the beast one last time, Ryota looked down at its thrashing form and his expression... was almost bored.
   He twisted his wrist and gave a sharp throw-
   Hurling the Black Dragon high into the air.
   At his word, the violet-blue Susanoo raised both arms, its colossal Chakra blades gleaming high overhead.
   At the same moment, Madara's blue Susanoo mirrored him, already charged to strike.
   The Wood Human, too, followed suit.
   All three moved in unison, Striking from three directions at once.
   The Black Dragon barely registered what was happening, its pupil shrinking in panic as it tried to dodge but
   Their combined assault sealed every escape.
   No evasion. No resistance. No breath.
   The heavens shook. The entire 62nd floor quaked violently.
   Three titanic forces converged in midair, weaving into a storm of pure destruction-Tearing the Black Dragon's body apart.
   The world itself seemed to collapse. That vast, terrifying body.
   Shredded into fragments under the joint strike of three godlike powers.
   Everyone stood slack-jawed, forgetting to breathe.
   They... what had they just seen?
   The Black Dragon-shattered into pieces?
   Not wounded. Not driven off.
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   Chapter 125: Chapter 125: The Golden Door Opens-Where Is This New World?
   It was as if the entire world had caved in. The Black Dragon's massive, terrifying body shattered completely under the combined assault of three Gods' powers.
   The oppressive darkness that had smothered the sixty-second floor was ripped away at its roots in an instant.
   Even as the echoes of the explosion rolled across the distance, the sky was still littered with fragments of scales and the searing aftertaste of magic.
   But the battle... was over.
   The Black Dragon was gone-blown to pieces.
   Below, the entire party stood in dead silence. No one moved, their breathing half a beat slow.
   They... hadn't even processed what had just happened.
   From the moment the Black Dragon appeared, to being tossed around like a toy, to getting pinned from three sides and hacked apart.
   The whole thing hadn't even lasted five minutes.
   It was over so fast, no one had even gotten into the rhythm of battle before the enemy ceased to exist.
   And this was the Black Dragon-the hardest, most hopeless of the three Great Quests.
   The calamity that had buried an entire era.
   They'd thought Ryota charging out to fight it alone was outrageous enough.
   It didn't even get the chance to attack... before being instantly killed?!
   Ais stared blankly at the monster that had haunted her nightmares countless times, now nothing but drifting fragments turning to black ash. Her mind went white.
   No one answered. No one dared believe it was real.
   It wasn't until Ryota withdrew Susanoo, the Wood Human crumbling to dust, and walked back toward the group with Madara that they snapped back to reality.
   "I... I'm not dreaming, right?"
   "What the hell... what just happened?"
   "Lefiya, pinch me. I think I'm dizzy!"
   Madara swept his gaze over the slowly fading remains, let out a derisive snort, and said:
   The battle that had been, in their hearts, a final-chapter climax... ended like this.
   Under the triple assault of Ryota, Uchiha Madara, and the Wood Human, the so-called disaster had been beaten, killed, and humiliated all at once-its curtain falling like the end of some absurd farce.
   And in the wake of this so-called Calamity's utter death, the darkness blanketing the sixty-second floor began to change.
   Like a shattered dream, the space rippled, the night-like gloom receding.
   Faint beams of white light seeped down from the heights, and visibility slowly cleared.
   For the first time, the sixty-second floor's true form was revealed in full to their eyes.
   And there, in the growing light, Ryota stood upon the fractured earth, gazing into the distance, eyes deep.
   He turned slowly, smiling at the stunned faces behind him.
   "I'll leave the rest of the exploration to you."
   Finn's brow furrowed, a bad premonition creeping in.
   "Ryota... where are you going?"
   Ryota said nothing. He only looked up at the brightening sky and exhaled.
   He felt it was time to see the next world.
   There was nothing left here that could make him stronger.
   In the days that followed, Orario boiled over.
   No-more precisely, the entire world of the Dungeon was in an uproar!
   At first, the events of the sixty-second floor that day were not widely known.
   But as adventurers trickled back to the surface, the news spread like wildfire-needing no deliberate broadcast, more like a drop of blood in water, instantly dyeing the whole city red.
   "Did you hear? The Black Dragon's dead!"
   "You're kidding-that's one of the Three Great Quests!"
   "It's true! Completely blown to bits!"
   "The Loki Familia! They're the ones who cleared it!"
   "Wrong-under Ryota's lead, the Loki Familia cleared it!"
   From street corners to market stalls, talk exploded overnight-shock, disbelief, then fevered excitement, and finally pure worship.
   The Adventurer's Guild even rushed to issue an official statement, sealed with their crest, formally declaring the final Great Quest-"Slay the Black Dragon"-completed.
   One sheet of parchment threw the world into unprecedented chaos.
   The regret of the Zeus and Hera Familias' fall, the lament for the end of the Age of Heroes-shattered in an instant!
   Some raised their mugs in taverns, others sang songs of heroes in the squares...
   The name "Ryota" rose beyond the realm of mortals-or even Gods-becoming legend itself.
   But that didn't stop the people from worshiping him with fervor and devotion.
   His deeds became poetry, murals, songs.
   Some adventurers even dislocated their shoulders trying to mimic his sword stances...
   In short-Ryota's name now resounded across the entire world of the Dungeon.
   A few days after the Dragon-Slaying Battle, in the topmost chamber of Babel Tower-
   Ryota stood before the floor-to-ceiling window.
   Below him, Orario roared with celebration.
   The city's bell towers rang, banners hung from temples, countless adventurers reveled in the streets.
   The Guild's entrance was mobbed, adventurers swarming for a glimpse of the man who had completed all three Great Quests.
   But Ryota didn't care for crowds. He simply watched quietly, a faint, ambiguous smile at the corner of his lips.
   Inside the room, the atmosphere was entirely different.
   On the luxurious bed, besides the previous occupants-Ais, Lefiya, and Hestia-there was now another familiar figure.
   The green-haired elf lay at the edge of the bed, having found her own "peace" here.
   Hestia hugged a pillow in the corner, muttering under her breath:
   "Why am I pushed to the edge again...?!"
   Lefiya still looked ready to faint, pink bubbles floating in her mind as she stole glances at Ryota, face buried almost entirely in the blanket.
   Ais, half-lying, half-sitting, gazed at the figure by the window, deep in thought.
   "Seriously," Hestia suddenly said,
   "Ryotaa, are you just going to stand there looking at the view and ignore us?"
   "With the mood we've got here, why don't we do something? A hero's kiss, a victory hug, or maybe all four of us watching the moon together?"
   Ryota heard the teasing from behind, the corner of his mouth lifting, but he didn't turn-only smiled.
   Then, a pair of arms quietly wrapped around his waist from behind.
   Ais rested her face against his back and asked:
   "That golden door you mentioned-"
   Ryota's gaze flickered. He had never planned to hide it from Ais and the others.
   Not that he could, anyway.
   These past few days, Ryota had been studying the reward from the fourth stage of the system's quest.
   From its appearance and the system's description, it was clearly no ordinary teleportation ability.
   It didn't lead to some floor of the Dungeon, some instance, or some spatial rift.
   It led to another world-an entirely new dimension, a whole new universe.
   The door wasn't fully open yet, but the system had already given him a few hints:
   [Host may guide its opening and perform World Jump.]
   [Permission: May bring others along.]
   [Number of companions: ? (Locked)]
   [Destination coordinates: ? (Undisclosed)]
   In other words, this was, in the truest sense, a journey into the unknown.
   And the most crucial part-Ryota could bring others along.
   But how many? Would they arrive safely?
   Beyond that door... was it paradise, or hell?
   Ryota lifted a hand, covering Ais's fingers where they were clasped around him, and smiled.
   "The door isn't fully open yet," he said.
   He paused, tilting his head slightly to glance at the face behind him-serious in a way that felt almost out of place.
   Ais nodded without a moment's hesitation.
   No why, no explanations. Her answer came as naturally as all those countless times she had fought side by side with Ryota over the years.
   At that moment, the other three women on the bed stirred.
   Hestia sat hugging her knees, cheek resting on her legs, grumbling with clear dissatisfaction.
   "Hey, hey, hey, you can't just leave a Goddess behind for something like this! I'm coming too!"
   Lefiya, face crimson, stole a glance as she stammered,
   "I-I can... record the magical fluctuations and ecological data of another world... that's... kind of useful..."
   Ryuu said nothing, but rose from the bed, slipping on a thin robe. She stepped to Ryota's side, her gaze speaking for her with absolute clarity-
   Ryota narrowed his eyes slightly, turning his gaze back out to the streets of Orario, alive with celebration.
   In the distance, the city roared. The festivities had yet to die down.
   The people sang of heroes, the taverns cried out his name, the Guild rewrote the annals of history.
   But the man who had truly changed everything was already gone from their sight.
   He simply stood there, watching the horizon, watching the sky, waiting for the next stop that belonged to him.
   "Rest for two more days," he said.
   "We'll go see it together."
   Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
   Outside, the world raged with excitement, but the top floor of Babel Tower remained oddly quiet.
   Ryota, Ais, Lefiya, Hestia, and Ryuu never stepped beyond the door.
   They simply "fought" within, over and over, and when exhausted, sat together by the window, staring at the shifting daylight in silence.
   Time didn't slow in the presence of glory, nor did it pause in anticipation of the coming adventure.
   When the sun rose for the third time, heralding a new day, Ryota finally stood, pulling on that familiar coat.
   He glanced back at the four women in the room and smiled faintly.
   The five of them left Babel Tower.
   As usual, they passed through familiar streets, down quiet alleys untouched by crowds, heading toward Twilight Manor.
   By the time they arrived, the courtyard was already full.
   Loki-the very same Goddess who had first met Ryota upon his arrival in this world-was waving enthusiastically.
   The moment she caught sight of Ais's slightly flushed face, a few thick black lines appeared on the prankster Goddess's brow.
   "Well, well! The little Goddess showed up too?"
   "This Goddess is here as a favor to you, you flat-chested hag!"
   "You looking for a fight, shorty?!"
   Behind them, the Big Three, Bete, the Amazonian sisters, and the rest of the Loki Familia's main force were all present.
   Not far off, Hephaestus's red hair blazed in the sunlight, her queenly aura as forceful as ever, the corner of her lips curved in an almost-hidden smile.
   Arms folded, she glanced at Ryota and teased,
   "Finally decided to come down from the tower?"
   On the other side, the rarely-seen Hermes sat on the steps, idly spinning his feathered cap in hand.
   "I hear you're leaving," he said. "No way I'd miss a send-off like this."
   Clearly, they had all received Ryota's message.
   Of course, what he'd told them was simply that he'd discovered a new place through the power in his body and planned to check it out.
   He hadn't mentioned the system.
   Ryota's eyes swept over the crowd-familiar faces, comrades who had fought beside him, Gods who had quietly supported him all along.
   "Why the grim faces? I'm not going off to die."
   At those words, the lively, half-joking mood evaporated in an instant.
   Because none of them knew where Ryota was going, or if he would return safely.
   There was no set date for his return, no promise of the future, not even a sure "see you next time."
   They understood. And because they understood, they stayed silent.
   It wasn't "grim." It was genuine reluctance to let go.
   Ryota opened his mouth, intending to say something to lighten the mood.
   But just as he was about to throw out a line like "I'll buy you all drinks when I get back," a sudden thought struck him.
   The system... had never once said anything about whether he could come back.
   Sure, his gut told him he'd definitely return.
   But that was just-instinct.
   The road home might very well lie hidden behind that still-unopened golden door.
   He fell silent for a moment.
   Then, Ryota said nothing more.
   He simply raised his hand, focusing his will.
   In the next instant, golden light surged skyward in the center of Twilight Manor's courtyard.
   All eyes rose, drawn irresistibly to the radiance.
   In the heart of that golden pillar, a slowly rotating portal began to take shape.
   It stood three meters high, woven from countless divine runes and seals, its edges inlaid with symbols like distant stars-an ancient pass for something beyond comprehension.
   When the door fully formed, the entire courtyard fell into a moment of breathless silence.
   And the instant Ryota glimpsed the world beyond, his pupils contracted sharply.
   "...The hell-why is it this place?!"
  
   Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Starting from Commanding the Uchiha Clan!
   Before Ryota's eyes, a virtual system interface appeared-something only he could see:
   [Ding-Host has completed all Main Quests in the DanMachi world!]
   [Ding-Golden Door detected as activated. Coordinate analysis complete!]
   [Companions Allowed]: 1 (expandable)
   [Next World]: Naruto World
   This world is a "Replica World" and supports return to the main world, DanMachi.
   The system has bound the DanMachi world as the main anchor point, allowing free return from the Replica World.
   Ryota froze, staring at the lines of text projected across his retina, silent for several seconds.
   Beside him, Ais sensed something was off and asked softly,
   Back then, to avoid Uchiha Itachi's massacre in the Hidden Leaf, he had hidden himself away in the Trial Space for half a year.
   When the countdown ended, he had arrived in the DanMachi world,
   A completely foreign world.
   No ninjutsu. No summoning Jutsu. No Great Nations.
   Yet here, by following the system's quests, he had risen from the very bottom as an adventurer, step by step climbing to the realm of gods.
   Susanoo, Reanimation, Flying Raijin, Rinnegan...
   Powers long divorced from the DanMachi's original framework had ultimately paved his own "path beyond limits."
   And now, having used Infinite Tsukuyomi to create a world of his own, leading the Loki Familia to complete the hardest of the Three Great Quests-
   He truly stood at the peak of this world.
   Only for the system to tell him-
   The next stop is the Naruto World.
   "...I almost forgot-that's where I ran from."
   A flood of emotions surged-unease, anger, confusion, battle-lust... and even a faint obsession to end it all.
   He steadied his breathing, and moments later, those Rinnegan eyes were calm as still water.
   "If the path loops back in the end"
   "then I'll finish it for good."
   The golden-glowing panel revealed little, as always.
   Which point in the timeline was the Naruto World at?
   The chaotic Boruto era? The dark days of old?
   More importantly-would it be that night? The one so familiar it chilled his bones-The Uchiha Clan Massacre?
   Or had the system fixed the temporal anchor to the exact moment he had left?
   Even standing atop the peak, Ryota couldn't know.
   He gazed silently into the depths of the portal.
   The swirling chaos there held a mix of familiarity and alienness, as if stepping through would bring back the sound of crackling flames on that night.
   In the past, he might have hesitated-perhaps even feared it.
   The Rinnegan turned slowly, countless powers flowing through him.
   Those forces he'd once only dreamed of wielding were now his standard loadout.
   What had once been terror was now... trivial.
   "If it's still the massacre night..."
   His voice was soft, his eyes calm but glinting with a hidden edge.
   "In that case, I'll just take the Naruto World for myself."
   The Naruto World had the tsutsuki Clan.
   That supreme bloodline hidden in the shadows of the shinobi world was one of the power sources Ryota desired most.
   Especially the power of the Kma.
   A tool of domination, a key to power.
   For Ryota, something to dissect, to use, and even to turn back upon its wielder-another system cheat.
   He was already climbing the steps toward godhood. Sage Jutsu, Rinnegan, Susanoo...
   All just the foundation modules of his power structure.
   The Kma would be a new authority-melding divinity, soul, body, and consciousness into one.
   If he could obtain it, integrate it fully, and break it down-
   His strength would surpass the limits of his current system.
   That was his true goal for this trip.
   Not to return to Naruto-But to rule it completely.
   Of course, none of this was known to those around him.
   Golden light swirled around the door as Ryota stood silent before it.
   The others waited quietly-no one disturbed him.
   Until finally, Ais, standing closest, spoke in a gentle voice.
   He came back to himself, glanced at her, and smiled faintly with a shake of his head.
   "...Just that this time, I can only take one person."
   The moment those words fell, the air grew noticeably quieter.
   Ryuu frowned slightly, but said nothing.
   They had all assumed this would be like their Dungeon expeditions,
   Going together, shoulder to shoulder, into some unknown place.
   Now Ryota was saying he could only take a single companion.
   That restriction was far too unusual.
   And the reason they didn't react immediately-Was because Ryota had never told them the truth.
   He had never explained what lay beyond that golden door, never mentioned world jump.
   So to them, the door was simply something Ryota had created with his power-an unexplored forbidden zone somewhere in the DanMachi world.
   The idea of "another world" was far beyond their comprehension-and far too absurd.
   Though their minds were full of questions, none of them pressed him.
   And then, almost as if by instinct, everyone's eyes turned to Ais, standing beside Ryota.
   Without a doubt, Ais was the person Ryota fought alongside most often,
   and the one who understood his movements and fought in sync with him better than anyone else.
   Hestia glanced at Ais and let out a small huff. She wanted to go too, but knowing she had no real combat ability, all she could do was vent her dissatisfaction in this petty way.
   Lefiya's lips trembled slightly, but in the end she didn't say the words "I want to go too."
   Ryuu tilted her head ever so slightly, her eyes narrowing. She showed no outward emotion, yet her gaze never left him.
   Everyone knew-if Ryota could only take one person, Ais was the most suitable choice.
   Well... everyone except Loki:
   "Oi, oi, oi-what's with those looks? Why is everyone staring at my Ais?!"
   "Ryota, how about you take mama instead? Or Finn? Or Gareth?"
   "Stop staring at my Ais already!!"
   Unfortunately for the goddess of pranks, Ryota ignored her rambling completely.
   He only swept his gaze over the group, the corners of his lips slowly lifting.
   He'd just been wondering how to choose from among them-only to find they'd already made the choice for him.
   This... this was the harem crowning their own queen!
   Turning to Ais, Ryota didn't hesitate any longer.
   He stepped forward, took her hand, and made the mental choice of "Yes" before speaking aloud:
   Ais answered softly with a quiet "Mm" and obediently followed Ryota forward.
   The golden light of the portal rippled gently, like water breaking open.
   Under the gaze of everyone present, the two stepped through.
   In the next instant, the golden glow sealed shut and the gate dissolved,
   leaving only fading afterlight-and Loki's howling voice echoing through the courtyard:
   "Ahhhhhh!! That brat didn't listen to a single word I said!!!"
   "How am I supposed to live without my Ais?!"
   Ryota felt his consciousness briefly pulled away-just like the severing sensation when using the Flying Raijin Jutsu.
   It was as if his soul and body drifted apart for a moment in the seams of space.
   But soon, his existence condensed again. His senses returned, and his vision cleared.
   He opened his eyes and looked around.
   Beneath his feet lay a road paved with dirt and gravel. Not far away stood weathered wooden fences.
   The air lacked Orario's flow of magic power, replaced instead by a steady yet irregular current of energy.
   Narrowing his eyes, he looked ahead.
   "This is... the architecture style of the Land of Fire."
   Low gray-tiled rooftops, plain wooden walls, faint traces of traditional courtyards, Everything proclaimed that this was no corner of the DanMachi's world.
   His gaze traveled over the rooftops.
   In the distance loomed a massive rocky cliff, carved with enormous human faces.
   The symbol of Konoha, and the highest honor for countless Leaf shinobi.
   "In other words... this is Konoha Village."
   "And we're... right at the main gate?"
   He was a little surprised. He'd expected to be sent to the Uchiha Clan Grounds on the night of the massacre, the moment he had left.
   Instead, he'd arrived at the village entrance?
   Ais stepped up beside him, her eyes following his line of sight.
   As she looked at the village gate and Hokage Rock in the distance, a faint discomfort flickered across her brow. She murmured quietly:
   "This place... feels strange."
   She didn't know the history or origins of this land-not even its name.
   But here, in this completely foreign place, she felt an oppressive sensation-a bizarre blend of familiarity and rejection.
   Ryota simply patted her hand. This was expected.
   Chakra as an energy system was a higher-dimensional force compared to the DanMachi's.
   For someone like Ais who had never experienced it, stepping into this world and feeling discomfort was perfectly normal.
   He withdrew his gaze. A faint ripple of the Rinnegan's light purple rings flashed in his eyes before vanishing, replaced by ordinary black pupils.
   In this world, revealing the Rinnegan would be far too conspicuous.
   The tsutsuki were lurking in the shadows, after all-keeping a low profile was the safest approach.
   And from his experience with the system, main quests in new worlds rarely kept him waiting.
   "It's late," he said quietly.
   "We can't linger near the village gate."
   "...Let's find somewhere to settle first."
   With the timeline still unclear, Ryota had no intention of venturing into the heart of the village recklessly.
   If Konoha mistook them for spies, even though he no longer feared any Kage-level opponent, unnecessary trouble was still worth avoiding.
   Ais didn't object-she only nodded.
   Ryota looked toward the distant farmlands and forest. It was a long-abandoned area on Konoha's outskirts-perfect for hiding their presence.
   He was just about to lead Ais away when-
   [Ding! Main Quest Phase One activated]
   [Quest Description]: You are about to face the name you once fled from. You are no longer a mere avenger, nor a survivor-you are the master of destiny, not its passive recipient.
   [Quest Objective]: Take control of the Uchiha Clan.
   [Quest Reward]: Hidden (revealed upon completion)
   Ryota froze for half a second.
   "Take control... of the Uchiha Clan?"
   "So that means... it's not the night of the massacre yet?!"
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   Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Then Let's Take the Uchiha to See the Dungeon!
   The mechanical voice in his ears gradually faded away, but a tide of indescribable, tangled emotions surged in Ryota's heart.
   If the mission was to "take control," that meant the Uchiha Clan still existed.
   If they still existed, then the tragedy of their massacre had yet to occur.
   That meant the current timeline Ryota found himself in had to be before Year 58 of Konoha.
   Itachi had yet to make his move, Danz was still lurking in the shadows, and the Third Hokage had not yet completely lost himself in his tolerance for power.
   The Uchiha had not yet been pushed to the breaking point-branded as the inevitable spark for simply a coup."
   "Everything hasn't started yet."
   Ryota gazed toward the distant, unreachable village beneath the night sky, his eyes growing deeper and darker.
   If he could seize control of the Uchiha... then every step that followed, he could guide the course of fate himself.
   "Starting with the Uchiha... swallow Konoha whole."
   "From Konoha's position, declare war on the Four Great Nations and launch an entirely new Shinobi World War."
   The hidden members of the tsutsuki Clan would be forced to reveal themselves ahead of schedule.
   At that point, Ryota could attempt to strip away their Kma and merge it with himself.
   "I could even enslave the tsutsuki Clan."
   "Make those so-called gods into my mounts on the road to transcendence."
   But Ryota's ambition didn't stop there.
   An even more distant, yet increasingly vivid image formed in his mind-far beyond simply absorbing the Uchiha, controlling Konoha, and enslaving the tsutsuki:
   "If I can completely seize control of the Uchiha Clan and finish the Main Quest..."
   "Then maybe... I could bring them into the DanMachi's world."
   "Or... I could reconstruct that golden door in reverse-and let the Loki Familia descend into the shinobi world."
   If that succeeded, it would mean the boundary between the two worlds would be broken!
   "At that point, there would be nothing separating them."
   "I could plant Flying Raijin markers throughout the shinobi world, then use the golden door as a relay, creating a seamless return loop."
   In Ryota's eyes, the Hokage Rock shimmered in the night.
   But to him, it was nothing more than the starting point for something that would soon be under his control.
   "I'll build a Familia that spans across worlds."
   "I'll raise my divine domain in the shinobi world as well."
   "From the DanMachi's side... I'll steamroll the world of Naruto."
   Taking a deep breath, Ryota forcibly calmed the sudden rush of excitement pounding in his chest.
   He raised his hand and lightly clenched his fingers.
   The space around them rippled, the wind tearing open with a sharp sound.
   In the next instant, he and Ais vanished from where they stood.
   When they reappeared, they were in a dense forest several kilometers outside Konoha's borders.
   Ais had long since grown used to Ryota's methods that defied common sense and wasn't all that surprised.
   She only lifted her gaze, taking in the unfamiliar and tranquil woods before her, and asked softly,
   "Ryota... this isn't our world, is it?"
   Ryota nodded, his expression more serious than usual.
   "Ais, I need to tell you about this world."
   "This is a place called..."
   When Ryota spoke the final word, Ais showed no particular emotional reaction-just a quiet, acknowledging "Mm."
   Then she tilted her head slightly and asked,
   "So... now you're going to take control of this... Uchiha Clan?"
   "But it won't stop at just one clan."
   He was about to elaborate further, but Ais suddenly cut in:
   "Then... which is stronger? The Uchiha Clan, or the Black Dragon?"
   Ryota paused, thinking it over in his head.
   The current Uchiha Clan... as far as he knew, their strongest would be at the Mangeky level-capable of manifesting Susanoo.
   In his eyes now, that wasn't all that troublesome.
   Smiling faintly, he replied in a low voice,
   "The Black Dragon's stronger, of course."
   Hearing that, Ais didn't say anything more, but the faint trace of worry in her eyes quietly faded away.
   Meanwhile, in Konoha-inside the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
   Under the night sky, the clan's iconic central building glowed faintly with firelight.
   Inside its main hall, the atmosphere was so tense it could have frozen the air.
   Uchiha Fugaku stood at the very center, his eyes filled with suppressed anger.
   Across from him, an elderly clan elder with a full head of white hair slammed the table in agitation:
   "Fugaku! Open your eyes and look around!"
   "Konoha's suspicion and suppression of us has reached an unbearable level!"
   "The Nine-Tails' Rampage had nothing to do with us, yet the entire clan was pushed into the spotlight!"
   "First, they banished us to the edge of the village like we were some plague to be quarantined, then they crammed every young man who awakened the Sharingan into the Police Force-"
   His beard bristled as he barked,
   "What the hell is that?!"
   "That's like forcing a butcher who slaughters cows every day to go catch minnows!"
   Behind him, quite a few middle-aged Uchiha shinobi frowned deeply, but nodded in quiet agreement, muttering under their breath:
   "Yeah... the missions lately are getting more and more pointless. Feels like house arrest."
   "All these young men's combat instincts are rotting away-they have no chance to join the village's primary battle forces."
   "Forget the Will of Fire... there's no place for us in it at all."
   This kind of collective pressure campaign played out in the Uchiha Clan almost every day, becoming a staple act in clan meetings.
   Fugaku stood in the center, silent, eyes lowered, enduring the crushing pressure from all directions.
   He wasn't just the head of the Uchiha-he was also a jnin of Konoha and a member of the village leadership.
   Ever since the Night of the Nine-Tails, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had chosen to avoid addressing the real problem, while Shimura Danz applied covert pressure.
   All the suspicion and blame had been quietly dumped onto the Uchiha Clan's shoulders.
   They had been driven to the outskirts of Konoha, their people concentrated in the Police Force, their intelligence flow cut off, funds restricted, and mission authority stripped away...
   Step by step, the Uchiha were being isolated-dismantled piece by piece.
   "We have to seize power ourselves!"
   "We can't wait any longer!"
   "Fugaku! You're the clan head-you have to decide!!"
   The tide of anger surged toward him.
   Fugaku looked up wearily, gazing at the gathered clansmen.
   At this moment, the people in the hall had already split into three distinct factions.
   On the far left stood the Hawk Faction.
   Their eyes blazed with hatred and fighting spirit, their stance summed up in one word: revolt.
   In truth, ever since the days of Uchiha Madara, the Hawks had always existed.
   It was only after the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, had crushed them completely that they'd fallen silent for decades.
   That silence had persisted even through the reign of the Third Hokage and the tenure of Namikaze Minato.
   But after the Nine-Tails' Rampage, the Uchiha's standing in Konoha plummeted. When the Third Hokage returned to power and joined forces with Danz to launch an aggressive, systematic suppression of the clan-
   The Hawks finally broke their silence.
   Right now, within the Uchiha Clan, the Hawk Faction made up at least sixty percent of its core force.
   They were the youngest awakeners, the clan's strongest combat elites-and also the most restless group of all.
   In the center stood the Dove Faction.
   They preached peace and endurance, putting the clan's long-term survival above all else. 
   Mostly elders and aged veterans who had lived through the First and Second Hokage's eras, they'd seen enough chaos, blood, and destruction to last a lifetime. 
   All they wanted now was to grow old quietly within Konoha, keeping the clan far from the whirlpool of politics.
   But as time passed, their voices grew weaker.
   On the far right stood the Moderates.
   As their name implied, they wavered between both sides-constantly weighing their choices, unwilling to state their position lightly. They resented the suppression from Konoha's leadership but also feared the consequences of true rebellion.
   And standing at the very center of this deadlock was the clan head, Uchiha Fugaku-the most crucial figure in this question of whether to move or not.
   With just one nod from him, the Hawks would charge forward without hesitation, the Doves would be unable to dissuade them, and the Moderates would side with whichever group seemed most likely to prevail.
   In short, Uchiha Fugaku was the balance point upon which the clan's fate rested.
   Once again, all eyes turned to him.
   Fugaku drew in a deep breath and said slowly,
   "...Give me a little more time."
   "Now is not the right moment."
   His voice wasn't loud, but it carried through the hall. Yet before he could continue-
   The surroundings suddenly fell silent.
   Not because of his words. Not because someone barked a command.
   But because of an abrupt, unnatural stillness that descended over the entire space.
   In the next moment, nearly every clansman who had awakened the Sharingan turned their heads toward the door in unison.
   It was as if they were being drawn by an invisible force... or rather, responding to an instinct buried deep in their blood.
   The sensation was indescribable, irresistible-like something was calling to them.
   In just a few breaths, the Hawks, Doves, and Moderates alike were frozen in place.
   Even Fugaku's pupils contracted sharply, a sudden tremor of Chakra rippling uncontrollably through his body.
   His brows furrowed. He was about to send someone to check if an intruder had arrived-
   Footsteps echoed from outside the hall, each one clear and sharp in the oppressive silence, grating against everyone's nerves.
   A second later, shadows fell across the doorway as two figures stepped inside.
   Leading was a black-haired, black-eyed young man with a calm expression. At his side walked a golden-haired girl.
   Fugaku's brows knit together. He opened his mouth to speak-
   Only for a harsh voice to cut him off:
   "Where'd this stray brat come from?! This is the Uchiha Clan's grounds-who gave you permission to enter?!"
   It was the same white-haired elder who had been shouting at Fugaku earlier, his tone dripping with undisguised anger and disdain.
   Eyes blazing, he stepped forward half a pace and jabbed a finger at Ryota, his voice carrying the oppressive pride of an old, battle-hardened elite:
   A dull explosion rang out, like something rupturing in the air.
   Every pair of eyes shrank in shock as the elder's head burst apart in an instant!
   No warning. No hand signs. No surge of Chakra. Not even the faintest hint of an attack trajectory.
   His head simply burst like an overripe watermelon-spraying blood and bone fragments into the air for all to see.
   The headless body toppled to the floor, blood pooling across the polished wooden boards in vivid, jarring red.
   The Hawks' most radical young shinobi, the Doves' elders, even Fugaku himself-all stood in momentary shock.
   No one had seen how it was done.
   No one had sensed even the slightest ripple of Chakra.
   This wasn't ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu.
   This was... something that existed beyond the very rules of the shinobi world-an overwhelming display of absolute dominance.
   Silence. Confusion. Astonishment...
   But whatever the emotion, in the end it all distilled into one thing: fear.
   That white-haired elder had been a Two-Tomoe Sharingan wielder-someone with reaction speed and insight far beyond the norm, a veteran whose strength ranked among the higher tier of the old guard.
   Yet he hadn't moved a muscle before being killed outright.
   Like an ant crushed beneath the finger of a god.
   It was power-pure and absolute. A strike from a dimension above their own.
   And while the weight of that dread still pressed against every heart-
   Forcing down all emotion, he stopped a few paces from Ryota and asked quietly,
   "Were... you sent by the Hokage?"
   The moment the words left his lips, the mood shifted.
   Many in the room grew visibly more guarded.
   If this truly was some plot of Sarutobi Hiruzen's, then things were about to spiral completely out of control.
   But Ryota only let out a cold snort, as if he'd just heard an unfunny joke.
   "He's not worthy to give me orders."
   His dark eyes swept across the crowd, and he spoke slowly:
   "I will be the head of the Uchiha Clan."
   The declaration cracked like thunder. The room erupted.
   Fear was obliterated, replaced instantly by rage, disbelief, and defiance:
   "What did you just say?! A brat without a Sharingan wants to be clan head?!"
   "You kill someone the moment you walk in-what the hell are you?!"
   All around, the tomoe of the Sharingan began to spin, killing intent flaring.
   Terrifying as that earlier strike had been, Ryota's words had shredded the last of their restraint.
   If just anyone could call themselves the Uchiha Clan's leader, then they'd have no face left to show in Konoha-or the shinobi world at large.
   But Ryota only stood there, watching the flood of fury with cool detachment. His lips curled in faint contempt.
   "Is that what you mean by this... thing?"
   His eyes changed in an instant, violet light swirling as a rippling pattern bloomed within.
   The Rinnegan stared back at them.
   The hall fell silent once more.
  
   Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Engraving the Falna - The Konoha Leadership's Meeting!
   Silence blanketed the hall.
   Those who had been shouting moments ago instinctively stepped back, the fury on their faces instantly replaced by shock.
   The Rinnegan... it's actually the Rinnegan?!
   Wasn't this... a djutsu that only existed in legend?
   How could it appear in this boy's eyes?
   In an instant, countless Sharingan-wielding clansmen felt their pride shatter, suppressed by something that came from the depths of their souls.
   They had always taken pride in the Sharingan, believing the Eternal Mangeky was the absolute pinnacle-the ultimate form of the Uchiha bloodline.
   But now, this youth-who hadn't even awakened the Sharingan-looked down on them all with a single glance.
   Fugaku stared fixedly at those violet eyes, his heart pounding wildly, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.
   He wanted to speak, but no words would come.
   The only sound in the hall was Ryota's footsteps.
   He walked past Fugaku and sat on the stone seat that symbolized the head of the Uchiha Clan, looking down at the crowd of uneasy, fearful eyes.
   No one answered. Not because they hadn't heard-because no one dared.
   The silence pressed in, the air almost solid.
   Until Fugaku slowly turned around. Yet in the end, he did not waste time with the meaningless "Who are you?"
   He looked at Ryota and finally spoke:
   "You want to be clan head... What is it you're really after?"
   "The Uchiha have never wronged you."
   In Fugaku's mind, a being this strong-if he truly bore malice-could simply destroy them, or intimidate them into submission, or even wipe them out outright. There was no need to take the step of declaring himself clan head and assuming their authority.
   So he had to ask. He had to know the man's true purpose.
   Ryota only smiled-there was irony in it, and a clarity that was almost cruel.
   "You think I actually care about this so-called position?"
   Seated on the stone chair, his voice was quiet, but each word was like a blade:
   "If I wanted to-I could kill every single one of you right now."
   "Not because I'm merciful... but because you still have value."
   The words dropped like a boulder into the stifling air, making every face tighten. Yet no one dared to retort as they had before.
   Ryota rose to his feet, the purple glow of the Rinnegan glaring in the dim hall.
   "...the Uchiha Clan will be annihilated."
   "Men, women, children-none will be spared."
   The hall erupted with sharp intakes of breath, expressions frozen in disbelief.
   "What nonsense are you spouting?!"
   Some shouted in rage, some questioned, some clung desperately to reason-
   But in more eyes than not, confusion and fear began to surface.
   "The one pulling the strings is Shimura Danz."
   "You think you've been biding your time in the Police Force... but in truth, you've been nothing more than meat on the chopping block."
   His lips curled into a cold sneer as his gaze swept the crowd:
   "And as for this so-called Will of Fire you speak of..."
   "A clan this large, wiped from existence-do you really think the Third Hokage hasn't been nudging it along from behind the scenes?"
   "You think he truly knows nothing? That he can't stop it?"
   "He simply doesn't want to stop it."
   "Because he needs a stable overall picture... and you aren't part of that picture."
   The words dropped, and the hall's temperature seemed to plummet.
   It was enough to overturn their understanding, their beliefs-perhaps even the meaning of their lives.
   And the worst part was, they couldn't refute it.
   The cold shoulders, the ostracism, the constant reassignments, the restrictions over the years...
   Every fragment now slotted into place, forming a complete picture within Ryota's speech.
   And they suddenly realized a truth too cruel to accept-
   They'd been sentenced to death long ago. The blade just hadn't fallen yet.
   Ryota's gaze swept the room before finally settling on Fugaku.
   "...He hasn't been back to the clan much lately, has he?"
   Fugaku blinked, momentarily unsure of Ryota's intent, but still answered reflexively:
   "...Yes. His missions have been frequent lately. He hasn't returned often."
   A mocking light glinted in Ryota's eyes, as if he were watching a bird fly straight into a snare.
   "...on the night of the massacre..."
   "...whose hand held the blade?"
   The words struck Fugaku like a thunderclap. His expression froze, his body locked in place.
   His pupils shrank violently, his throat constricting as if something were stuck there.
   "You... what did you just say..."
   Instinctively, he rejected the thought-rejected even imagining the possibility.
   "That's my son... there's no way-"
   "...what did you just say..."
   Fugaku's voice trembled, as if the very declaration was erasing the ground beneath him.
   "That's my son... there's no way-"
   He muttered low, hoping for a denial from Ryota. But all he got was a cold snort.
   Ryota spared no more words for the clan head whose face had gone ashen. The Rinnegan turned, fixing instead on a man standing to the right of the crowd.
   Ryota remembered him-Uchiha Setsuna.
   A jnin of the Uchiha, a member of the Konoha Military Police Force, a Hawk through and through.
   Ryota's voice was flat, but left no room for refusal.
   Setsuna hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward.
   "Take off your shirt. Show me your back."
   The sudden request made Setsuna blink, stunned.
   Ryota only tilted his chin slightly, eyes narrowing.
   Setsuna swallowed hard, a prickle of unease crawling up his spine. But faced with those Rinnegan eyes, he didn't dare disobey. His voice shook.
   He slowly removed his shirt, baring his back.
   Dozens of eyes followed the movement, unsure what Ryota intended.
   Ryota stepped down from the stone seat, raising a single finger.
   A faint line opened on his fingertip, a single drop of blood welling up.
   It fell onto the very center of Setsuna's back-
   The entire hall seemed to suddenly ignite with an unseen force, the air thick with a mysterious, almost divine aura.
   The moment that drop of blood seeped into Uchiha Setsuna's skin, vine-like patterns began spreading rapidly across his back.
   It wasn't a curse mark, nor was it any kind of sealing jutsu-it was an ancient, profound structure, spiraling outward. At its center, a scarlet light pulsed irregularly, like the beat of a heart.
   And the instant those markings appeared, Ryota's eyes were filled with Uchiha Setsuna's personal Status:
   [Status]: Strength: i0, Endurance: i0, Dexterity: i0, Agility: i0, Magic: i0
   [Development Abilities]: None
   A flicker of satisfaction passed through Ryota's gaze as he looked over the data.
   The system's Main Quest was to [Take control of the Uchiha Clan], but it had never specified how that control should be achieved.
   He knew that relying solely on force, slaughter, and intimidation could indeed crush the clan in an instant-could even grind them into dust and swallow them whole.
   But that method wasn't just inefficient-it would also trigger the system's rejection.
   That wouldn't be "control." It would be "annihilation."
   What the system wanted was sustained, controllable consolidation of power-order, structure, integration.
   And so, after some thought, he came up with a solution: introducing the Falna system from Orario's world.
   But unlike the blessings bestowed by the gods, the Falna he gave was a version reconstructed by his own hand.
   In addition to Ability Scores, there was one core rule:
   Those who receive my blessing will have their strength remade by me, and their fate shall be mine to command.
   In other words, it was an enhanced version of the Falna system.
   Once branded with the Falna Engraving, not only would their growth be tied to Ryota, but their very right to live-and even their free will-would belong to him.
   While in the Naruto world, shinobi didn't grow through abstract things like Excelia or Level Ups, the power Ryota was granting wasn't just a numerical status-it was something far more potent.
   So, from Setsuna's perspective, the instant the markings appeared, a warm current surged through his limbs. His Chakra began flowing with unprecedented ease, and he could feel a strange power slowly expanding inside him.
   Setsuna's voice was hoarse, laced with shock.
   Ryota looked at him and said slowly:
   "This is my gift to you."
   "Accept it, and your limit will no longer be the Three Tomoe, nor even the Mangeky Sharingan."
   "It could even be... the Rinnegan."
   Looking down at the countless pairs of eyes filled with fear and astonishment, Ryota continued:
   "From now on, you can perform the Falna Engraving in my place."
   "If I did each one myself, I'd die of exhaustion sooner or later."
   "Though you won't need to cut your finger-just place your palm on their back."
   At his words, the hall broke into another wave of murmurs. Instinctively, all eyes turned to Setsuna, their gazes filled with hesitation, doubt, and an uneasy wariness.
   Then Ryota's tone suddenly shifted:
   "Everyone is required to receive it."
   "Anyone who refuses-just kill them."
   The moment those words fell, the hall seemed to grow even colder.
   The corpse of the white-haired elder from earlier was still lying there, not yet cold. Everyone knew the boy would not repeat himself, nor issue a verbal warning.
   "I understand, Lord Ryota!"
   It wasn't flattery, nor an attempt to curry favor-it was submission from the depths of the soul.
   From the moment Ryota's blood merged with him and branded the Familia seal, Setsuna had lost the possibility of defying him.
   This was not genjutsu, nor brainwashing-it was a reconstruction of the very logic of his soul.
   From that instant onward, his existence revolved around a single core:
   To carry out Ryota's will.
   He could no longer feel fear, nor hesitation-only excitement and a burning sense of purpose.
   Ryota cast a glance at Uchiha Fugaku, still standing there dumbfounded, and his expression twisted with open disdain.
   Konoha Village, central district.
   A towering red cylindrical building rose here, its imposing presence overlooking the entire settlement.
   It stood like a silent totem, the very symbol of Konoha's highest authority.
   This was the hall every shinobi dreamed of setting foot in, the pinnacle of countless careers-and also the invisible heart that kept the village's political machinery running.
   Even the shinobi patrolling outside the building weren't ordinary guards, but elite operatives selected and tested from the ANBU.
   At this very moment, inside the Hokage Tower's conference room-
   Four elderly figures sat around a round table, each with a different expression.
   At the head sat an old man in the Hokage's robes.
   Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes were lowered, his gaze deep and unreadable.
   He looked like nothing more than an aging villager-yet in truth, he was the man who had ruled Konoha for decades.
   Directly across from him sat Shimura Danz, eyes closed as if resting.
   Beside him were two elders with solemn expressions-Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
   Konoha's power structure had always been complex.
   By Hiruzen's generation, with the postwar structure firmly in place, there were many matters he could no longer decide alone.
   After a long silence, shrouded in drifting smoke, Hiruzen finally spoke in a slow, measured voice:
   He paused, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the others.
   "What is your opinion... on wiping out the Uchiha?"
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   Chapter 129: Chapter 129: What the hell? How do you have Susanoo?!
   After saying that, Sarutobi Hiruzen set down the pipe in his hand.
   This wasn't the first time they'd discussed this subject.
   In fact, they'd already met dozens of times just this month.
   The participants never changed. The only thing that did was the ever-growing stack of papers on the table-while the weariness in Sarutobi's eyes grew heavier and heavier.
   At first, the topic had been whether to impose sanctions on the Uchiha.
   Then it shifted to whether they should guard against a possible coup.
   After that, whether they needed to secretly monitor them.
   And now, the entire focus of the meeting had boiled down to one thing-how to wipe out the Uchiha Clan entirely.
   Sarutobi knew all too well that his once-firm plans for a peaceful resolution and gradual dismantling had been quietly torn apart in a flurry of heated arguments and classified reports.
   And the man pushing it all forward was the one sitting across from him in quiet contemplation-Shimura Danz.
   This old comrade-in-arms-his constant rival-was using his Root (Foundation) to silently steer the will of Konoha straight toward an irreversible abyss.
   Suddenly, Utatane Koharu lifted her head, her gaze sweeping over Sarutobi's face as she spoke slowly:
   "What's there to debate?"
   "Everyone has their own agenda. No one wants to be the one sticking their neck out."
   "That's the Uchiha we're talking about!"
   At that, Sarutobi's brows drew together.
   His drifting thoughts were pulled back to the present. He could only pick his pipe back up in silence, drawing a deep breath, the smoke curling above his head.
   "...Then... let's wait a little longer."
   "Wait? How much longer are you planning to wait?"
   Danz, who had kept his eyes closed this whole time, finally opened them.
   "Konoha is already a village on edge."
   "The Uchiha, who are supposed to guard our streets, have shut themselves away in their clan grounds-skulking in the dark with suspicious movements."
   "That the Uchiha have already gathered in secret, ready to rebel any day now."
   "You say wait. But tell me-"
   "How much longer will you keep waiting?"
   The meeting room fell into silence again.
   That relentless question of Danz's stabbed into Sarutobi's heart like an icy awl.
   It was a long while before he raised his head, staring at his one-eyed, unyielding rival.
   "...This way, no one wins."
   "Still the same indecisive monkey, aren't you?"
   Danz's voice rose, sharp with frustration.
   "You try to protect everything-and in the end, you protect nothing."
   He shot to his feet and turned toward the doors.
   "Just wait for the result. Everything I do is for Konoha."
   But he hadn't taken two steps before-
   A deafening crack sounded behind him.
   Sarutobi's palm had slammed down, shattering the massive round wooden table into splinters.
   Shards flew, dust rising.
   "Danz!" Sarutobi's voice was a low growl.
   "In Konoha, I am the Hokage!"
   "You'd better not forget that!!"
   Koharu and Mitokado Homura both tensed, ready to step in before things escalated further, but Danz was already striding away.
   And as he walked, he tossed back:
   "Of course I know you're the Hokage."
   "But you... are already old."
   With that, he left the room.
   Meanwhile, in the Uchiha Clan Grounds, the great hall had shed its former oppressive gloom.
   Now, the sacred heart of Uchiha territory was lit by wave after wave of strange, shimmering light.
   With each resonating surge of energy, the moment Uchiha Setsuna pressed his palm to a clansman's back, golden divine markings bloomed from the point of contact, curling out like vines before settling into a mysterious emblem-the mark of the Falna.
   At the very center of the hall, Ryota sat upon the stone seat that once belonged to Uchiha Fugaku, expression calm.
   On either side of him, three full rows of clansmen had already received the Falna.
   They stood tall, eyes burning with a fervor that was no longer just fear-it was reverence.
   If they had once obeyed out of intimidation, now it was something deeper-an instinctive worship.
   Ryota hadn't explained much, but those with the Falna engraved on their backs already understood.
   They were no longer "tools" to be manipulated by Konoha's leadership.
   They were now the Familia of a god-the true rebirth of the Uchiha's power.
   The first to receive the blessing were already testing the changes in their bodies.
   If their Chakra had once been "1,"
   A surge of vitality, doubled perception, vastly heightened control...
   This wasn't a gradual gain from training-it was an overhaul at the very core.
   "My... my Sharingan feels sharper..."
   "The Chakra inside me... it's like it's growing on its own... that's impossible..."
   "Is this... the power of a god...?"
   Quiet murmurs rippled, but no one dared raise their voice. Every so often, eyes flicked to the black-haired boy on the stone seat.
   Even veteran jnin who'd fought through wars and never truly bowed to any clan head-had no objections now.
   Every gaze shone with something called faith.
   The Uchiha were no longer the vast force of the warring era.
   Years of suppression and marginalization had diminished their numbers, forcing them to gather within their grounds and cease expanding outward.
   That was why the process of engraving the Falna did not last long.
   When the final flash of light faded, Uchiha Setsuna lowered his hand, wiping sweat from his brow-but his face was flushed with excitement.
   He steadied his breathing, hurried to the stone seat, and bowed respectfully.
   "Clan Head, all blessings have been engraved! Except..."
   His eyes drifted to the side.
   In a corner of the hall sat one man in silence-Uchiha Fugaku.
   Once the clan head. Now, an observer.
   His gaze was lowered, his presence still and silent as stone.
   Ryota looked at the man who once held the highest seat, just about to speak-
   The hall fell silent. Every pair of eyes turned toward that familiar figure.
   Setsuna didn't move. He looked to Ryota instead.
   One shake of the new clan head's head, and he'd cut the old one down where he sat.
   But Ryota's voice came instead:
   Setsuna nodded and stepped forward, standing behind Fugaku.
   Fugaku said nothing-just pulled his shirt higher to bare his back.
   Setsuna lifted his right hand and pressed his palm to the center of Fugaku's spine.
   The golden light flared again, divine lines rippling from Setsuna's palm to twine across Fugaku's back.
   But this time, the resonance was far stronger!
   Fugaku's whole body jolted, pupils shrinking sharply.
   His Chakra exploded like a detonated charge.
   As one of the clan's top fighters-a wielder of the Mangeky Sharingan-he had believed he'd reached the peak of his power.
   But the instant that light covered his back, he felt his Mangeky ignite with a divine engine.
   His hands trembled slightly as he raised them, feeling the torrential energy coursing through him.
   His Mangeky spun open on instinct, the blood-red glow now faintly wreathed in a deeper, swirling shadow.
   He had never felt so close to the threshold of eternity.
   Fugaku stared at his hands in disbelief before slowly lifting his gaze to Ryota on the stone seat.
   And in that moment, he understood.
   This boy sat there not just because of strength-he had brought the Uchiha an entirely new future.
   His lips parted, but words caught in his throat.
   After a pause, emotions swirling in his eyes, Fugaku stepped forward until he stood below the stone seat, looking up at the new clan head.
   He hesitated for a long time before finally asking quietly:
   Uchiha Fugaku's voice wasn't loud, yet it stilled the entire hall once again.
   Everyone knew Uchiha Itachi was one of the clan's most brilliant prodigies.
   At such a young age, he'd already joined the Anbu on sheer ability alone. Even among Konoha's upper echelons, he was one of the few Uchiha deemed trustworthy.
   He carried a near-pathological maturity and composure. After witnessing the death of his closest friend, Uchiha Shisui, he had awakened the Mangeky Sharingan.
   If not for the sudden appearance of the black-haired boy before them, Itachi would have been the obvious heir in everyone's mind.
   In the past, anyone who dared question him would have been drowned out by the protests and scorn of the clan, young and old alike.
   Every gaze turned to Ryota-steady, unwavering-waiting for his judgment on Uchiha Itachi.
   Ryota only smiled faintly, as though he'd just heard an amusing question.
   He rose to his feet, a hint of mockery and playfulness glinting in his eyes.
   "Uchiha Fugaku... you really are hopelessly foolish."
   Then he lifted his head, his gaze drifting toward the great doors of the hall.
   "Or better yet... why don't you ask him yourself?"
   Everyone followed his line of sight.
   At some point, a lone figure had appeared in the doorway.
   Uchiha Itachi stood there in his Anbu uniform, tall and lean, eyes cold beneath the shadow of his fringe.
   In his sockets, the crimson of a Three Tomoe Sharingan spun slowly-emotionless whirlpools that swept across every face in the hall.
   His gaze settled on Ryota upon the stone seat... then swept over his gathered kin.
   A moment later, his hand reached behind his back, fingers curling around the hilt of his blade.
   He drew the blade in a reverse grip.
   Hearts lurched, as if struck by an unseen blow.
   "Itachi... you'd really raise your blade against the clan?!"
   "Clan Head was right... this guy really is insane!"
   No one had truly believed Uchiha Itachi could become a lapdog of Konoha. But the cold, unblinking eyes before them-and the naked blade in his hand-spoke louder than words.
   The chorus of voices reached his ears, making him pause for just a moment.
   His eyes drifted toward the black-haired boy on the stone seat. A strange, inexplicable unease stirred in his chest.
   "Clan Head... isn't that supposed to be my father?"
   His brows knit together. He shifted his footing, preparing to step forward-
   A sudden arc of killing light swept across his vision.
   His reflexes flared-instinct snapping him into motion.
   Steel rang on steel as his blade met the attack with a sharp clang.
   Sparks burst, and he finally saw his attacker.
   Uchiha Setsuna-the one who had been engraving the Falna into their clan member moments earlier.
   Now, Chakra surged from him in waves, far stronger than before. His Three Tomoe blazed with unrestrained killing intent.
   "To show your face in front of the Clan Head?!"
   "I'll cut you down right here!"
   Without another word, Setsuna swung again.
   His rage wasn't just for the drawn blade-it was the release of a long-misdirected trust.
   The instinctive retaliation of a clansman against a traitor.
   The inborn judgment of a god's familia upon one who had abandoned them.
   But just as his edge was about to fall-
   Itachi's form vanished, leaving only an afterimage.
   He reappeared at the far right of the hall, eyes scanning those familiar-yet-changed faces.
   And a deep frown settled on his brow.
   Something about their Chakra... was wrong.
   He could feel it. The aura of his kin was completely unlike what he remembered.
   It wasn't a mere gain from training-it was a transformation from the roots upward.
   How could such a change happen overnight?
   His frown deepened, unable to make sense of it.
   "...I should take out the key one first."
   His eyes fixed once more on Ryota in the center of the hall.
   For some reason, ever since this person appeared, nothing had been within his control.
   He couldn't wait any longer-there were people waiting for him.
   His weight shifted forward, ready to strike-
   The air itself shuddered.
   A soul-crushing pressure erupted from behind Ryota.
   Itachi's pupils shrank; his body locked in place.
   A suffocating force, as though stopping his very heartbeat, rolled over him.
   A colossal arm-big enough to blot out the light-emerged from behind Ryota.
   Blue-violet Chakra condensed into armor plates, an overwhelming defense spoken of only in legend.
   "How the hell do you have Susanoo?!"
  
   Chapter 130: Chapter 130: The Night of the Massacre?
   Blue-violet Chakra surged from Ryota's body.
   Before the eyes of everyone present, it condensed rapidly into a massive hand-its form not even fully skeletal yet.
   It couldn't even be called the complete initial stage of Susanoo.
   And yet, even in this incomplete shape, the pressure it exuded descended like the will of a god, plunging the hall into an instant, suffocating silence.
   That giant blue hand stretched across the ceiling, looming above every clan member's head, as though a simple clench could reduce the entire Uchiha Clan Grounds to dust.
   Everyone stood frozen, shock, fear, and confusion etched across their faces.
   For a moment, they couldn't even comprehend what they were seeing.
   This wasn't a power they associated with the Sharingan-not even the domain of the Mangeky.
   It felt more like a casual strike from a god, crushing everything within the realm of mortals.
   At the door, Itachi's eyes widened in disbelief, pupils contracting hard.
   "You don't even have a Mangeky Sharingan!!"
   In that instant, the composure he'd cultivated for years nearly shattered.
   No-this was wrong. Completely wrong.
   He knew the Uchiha's legacy better than anyone: Susanoo was one of the ultimate powers of the Mangeky Sharingan.
   Even he had only reached it after Shisui's death-when his spirit teetered on the brink of collapse.
   He wasn't even Uchiha. He didn't have the Mangeky.
   And yet he could summon Susanoo at will!
   And this wasn't any Susanoo he knew-
   Just a single hand, and the crushing pressure was enough to make him feel like he couldn't breathe.
   But before he could finish, his eyes froze.
   The Clan Head everyone was looking at-his eyes had changed.
   The black pupils had, at some point, turned a deep violet, and within that violet swirled concentric ripple patterns.
   Itachi's face paled in shock, and he instinctively stepped back, even forgetting to breathe.
   In that instant, Itachi's mind went completely blank.
   Susanoo... that overwhelming Chakra presence... and now-
   The legendary ultimate djutsu: the Rinnegan.
   Just what was this black-haired boy?
   A god? A demon? Or something that didn't even belong to this world?
   And in that oppressive stillness-
   A faint murmur slipped through the air:
   Before anyone could react, a golden figure shot forward!
   In a single breath, Ais was in front of Uchiha Itachi.
   Itachi's face twisted, a surge of danger flooding his senses.
   He started to swing his blade to block-
   A sharp stab of pain tore through his right arm as a slender silver blade pierced it clean through!
   Ais's eyes held no emotion-only a battle will honed to the extreme.
   Itachi gritted his teeth, his pupils twisting into the Mangeky Sharingan.
   But before he could even unleash a jutsu-
   The blue hand descended from above the instant that thought formed.
   Ryota's Susanoo hand closed around Itachi in a crushing grip.
   No matter how Itachi struggled, he couldn't break free.
   "You were going to use a djutsu?"
   Ryota gazed down at the figure pinned in his grasp, his voice laced with mocking amusement.
   "Or were you planning to unleash-Susanoo?"
   His tone wasn't loud, but every word peeled back Itachi's thoughts, exposing his entire hand.
   In that moment, Uchiha Itachi was like a sheet of paper before him.
   His body thrashed on instinct, but no matter how he moved or how much Chakra he poured out, that giant hand didn't budge-
   As if it was binding not only his body, but his soul and will as well.
   Completely stripped of his defenses-his foundation crushed beneath absolute dominance.
   And it had all happened too quickly; his djutsu hadn't even activated before it was utterly shut down.
   The hall was deathly quiet.
   The Uchiha standing around Ryota made no sound-no cheers, no outrage.
   But in their eyes, beneath the silence, was a tidal wave of shock and upheaval.
   "...That's Uchiha Itachi..." someone thought to themselves.
   The boy hailed as the strongest heir of the Uchiha, who had joined Konoha's Anbu at a young age, awakened the Mangeky, moved among the high council, and made his name known throughout the ninja world.
   They had once pinned all their hope, pride, and even survival on him.
   And now... this same boy couldn't even withstand the sword of the golden-haired girl at Ryota's side!
   If even she was this formidable-what of the boy who controlled Susanoo, wielded the Rinnegan, and cowed the entire hall with nothing more than a smile?
   The clan's eyes gradually converged on the figure seated calmly before the stone chair, looking down on everything with detached composure.
   He hadn't drawn a weapon. He hadn't taken a single step.
   And yet, he had crushed the Uchiha's greatest heir without leaving him any room to fight back.
   Fear, awe, confusion... all of it twisted together into something called reverence.
   And in that stunned silence, Uchiha Fugaku stood motionless.
   His lips parted, eyes filled with a mix of emotions as they rested on the figure caught in midair.
   That was his son-his pride-hailed as a genius and entrusted with the clan's future.
   He wanted to step forward, to speak on Itachi's behalf.
   To plead for mercy... to beg for his release...
   But as soon as his foot moved, he stopped.
   His eyes swept over the blue giant hand hovering behind Ryota... over Ais, still poised to strike at a moment's notice... over the silent clan members whose faces were etched with shock.
   Itachi's betrayal was a fact.
   And his own weakness and compromise as clan head-that too was a fact.
   If even Itachi dared to come into the clan grounds with a blade in hand to carry out an order to wipe them out-
   What right did he have to speak on his behalf?
   Fugaku gave a bitter laugh, murmuring under his breath:
   "Even if I used my Mangeky Sharingan, the next one being crushed in midair... would probably be me."
   More than that, Fugaku knew full well that Ryota had already personally engraved a Falna onto him.
   Though the golden marking was hidden beneath his clothes, he could clearly feel that if this boy ever felt the urge to kill him, with just a thought, this so-called former clan head would burst apart on the spot-nothing left but a cloud of blood.
   No chance to resist at all.
   Uchiha Fugaku looked at Ryota, his heart falling into silence.
   Ryota, however, turned his cold gaze on him and said:
   "The reason the Uchiha Clan ended up on the road to annihilation... you deserve much of the credit."
   The words made Fugaku's whole body tremble, yet he couldn't refute them.
   Because he knew-Ryota wasn't wrong.
   Itachi showing up here tonight was clearly to carry out the massacre.
   If Fugaku faced his own son, the odds were high he'd simply stand there and wait for death.
   As for the other clansmen, they'd only fall even faster.
   The more he thought about it, the darker Fugaku's expression grew. He simply lowered his head and stayed silent.
   Ryota didn't bother with him any further, turning his gaze back to Uchiha Itachi, still trapped in the giant hand of Susanoo.
   Itachi was still struggling, though his body was already exhausted.
   "To be precise, it should be that idiot Obito-he's waiting for you not far from the village, isn't he?"
   The icy composure in Itachi's eyes shattered in an instant, replaced by shock and trembling.
   His voice was hoarse, the words incomplete, as if he couldn't even form a proper sentence-only managing to rasp a few questioning fragments, as though demanding to know how Ryota could possibly know.
   Ryota didn't explain. He simply gave a casual flick of his hand-
   The blue-violet giant hand of Susanoo slammed downward.
   The entire hall shook, the ground bursting open into a massive crater.
   Uchiha Itachi was smashed into the floor, completely unconscious.
   His ANBU uniform was torn to shreds, his long blade broken, his body lying in the dust.
   Ryota withdrew Susanoo, the oppressive blue-violet Chakra gradually fading away.
   He glanced at the unconscious Itachi buried in the dirt and said offhandedly:
   "That guy's half-dead already."
   His tone carried no emotion, as though the one lying there wasn't the Uchiha's future, wasn't the genius boy's betrayal and struggle-
   But simply a failed product worth harvesting for spare parts.
   Uchiha Setsuna froze for a moment, a flicker of confusion and hesitation flashing across his face.
   But when he caught Ryota's gaze, he immediately nodded and strode forward.
   He drew a kunai, flipping his wrist.
   With a sharp, tearing sound, Uchiha Itachi let out a sudden, instinctive howl of pain.
   It was the final cry before death, a last spasm of struggle.
   His eyeballs were ripped out.
   And so, the tragic son of the Uchiha who, in the original tale, bore hidden burdens and sacrificed himself for the so-called peace-
   Couldn't even speak of his burden before, on this night, losing all meaning to his existence.
   Uchiha Setsuna cupped the pair of eyes in his hands, carefully placing them into a cloth pouch before handing it to Ryota.
   Ryota hefted the pouch in his hand, then lightly tossed it upward.
   Before anyone could react-
   Ryota's right eye trembled, a vortex rippling into existence.
   Space warped and collapsed, an invisible whirlpool opening like an endless abyss.
   In the blink of an eye, the cloth pouch was swallowed into another dimension.
   "Eyes from the Naruto world..."
   "They're always plug-and-play."
   "Keeping them can't hurt."
   Then, as if remembering something, Ryota added:
   "...Time to deal with those two waiting to pick up the scraps."
   The clansmen glanced at each other, not understanding, but instinctively followed his gaze.
   Ryota's eyes were fixed far beyond the clan grounds.
   On a rocky rise not far from the Uchiha Clan Grounds, Shimura Danz stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes locked on the section of the grounds cloaked in night.
   His brow furrowed as he muttered to himself:
   From the moment Itachi slipped into the clan grounds, too much time had passed. Aside from the violent tremor earlier, the entire place had fallen utterly still.
   No explosions, no sounds of fighting, not even the commotion of clansmen fleeing in fear.
   It was as if the entire Uchiha Clan had fallen into complete deathly silence.
   Just then, a shadow took form behind him.
   A Root operative bowed low and spoke quietly:
   "No abnormal reports so far. Everything is proceeding in silence."
   "Itachi... hasn't acted yet?"
   "Based on current intel, it appears not."
   The Root member hesitated for a moment.
   "Perhaps he encountered some... obstruction-"
   Danz snapped his sleeve.
   "The Uchiha Clan? Stop Itachi?"
   "They're just cornered beasts-they can't make any real waves!"
   After a moment of silence, Danz's tone turned cold:
   "Take men inside. Check it out."
   The Root member stiffened for a moment, but didn't dare argue, bowing respectfully:
   His figure melted back into the darkness.
   Danz remained where he was, staring hard at the grounds below, though a faint unease began to stir in his chest-one he had never felt before.
   His brow knit tighter and tighter.
   The plan was supposed to be foolproof.
   As long as Uchiha Itachi acted-
   As long as the clansmen were all wiped out-
   As long as his people appeared in the clan grounds at just the right moment...
   Then all that would remain would be to harvest the spoils.
   Greed gleamed in Danz's eyes, and the bandaged arm beneath his cloak twitched.
   That arm wasn't ordinary-it held the cells of Hashirama Senju, one of the most dangerous powers in the shinobi world.
   Though he had transplanted Hashirama's cells, he could never fully control them.
   The power was too great-unrestrained, it would consume him.
   The only thing that could suppress, balance, and keep it in check-was the Sharingan.
   His orchestration of the massacre wasn't for so-called political stability, nor the legitimacy of the Will of Fire-it was to fulfill his own ambitions.
   But now, this eerie silence was stirring that long-suppressed unease once more.
   "Then the problem... is who?"
   As suspicion filled his mind-
   Footsteps rang out suddenly behind him.
   His expression darkened as he turned-
   And the arm bound in layer upon layer of sealing bandages suddenly began to thrash violently!
   The savagery and life force suppressed for so long seemed, in that instant, to be overwhelmed by some crushing force.
   They were trembling, swelling, recoiling-no, it was like they were instinctively sensing the source.
   Danz's pupils contracted sharply, alarms blaring in his mind.
   He clamped down on the seal with his right hand, the entire arm thrashing like a wild beast:
   "What's going on... it's afraid?"
   "The Hashirama cells... actually rejecting... someone approaching?"
   And saw a black-haired boy emerging slowly from the night.
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   Chapter 131: Chapter 131: Confused Obito - Why Is Pain Here?
   The sound of footsteps in the darkness ahead grew clearer.
   Ryota walked toward him step by step until he finally stopped in front of Shimura Danz.
   Beside him trailed the Princess.
   Ais studied the bandage-wrapped old man before her.
   After a moment, she tilted her head.
   "This man... is he an enemy too?"
   Ryota gave a half-smile and nodded.
   Ais let out an "Oh," then looked Danz over more carefully.
   Her slender brows knit slightly, as if she were trying to sense his Chakra.
   After a few seconds, she gave a quiet verdict:
   "He feels... kind of weak."
   The moment the words fell, the air went still.
   Danz's face froze, the corner of his eye twitching.
   He, the Shadow of Konoha, ruler of Root, wielder of the darkest and most secret power in the village-someone even Sarutobi Hiruzen had to tread carefully around-
   To have a pair of kids barely in their teens dismiss him so casually as kind of weak?
   This wasn't just an insult.
   It was utter, naked contempt.
   Already irritated by Uchiha Itachi's delay in carrying out the massacre, Danz's expression darkened further.
   But he was no reckless fool.
   He was Shimura Danz-Konoha's shadow, the old fox who had survived the Third Hokage and all the great clans.
   Even through his rising anger, he forced down the urge to lash out, choosing instead to scrutinize the boy and girl before him.
   The boy-black hair, black eyes.
   The girl-blonde hair, golden eyes.
   Both carried the air of seasoned fighters, but no matter how he looked, they didn't seem like Uchihas.
   No clan crest, no family markings, no Sharingan-
   Not even a trace of that particular Uchiha pride.
   They felt more like lofty hunters-hunters who belonged to no clan at all.
   Suspicion flickered in Danz's eyes as he rasped,
   "Then... which clan do you belong to? And why have you come to the Uchiha Clan Grounds tonight?"
   Ryota didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned to Ais with a smile.
   "He says we're not Uchiha."
   Ais tilted her head slightly.
   "Weren't you planning to wipe out the clan?"
   A flash of cold light passed through Danz's eyes.
   He hadn't expected the boy to say "wipe out the clan" so bluntly in the open.
   "You little punk, what nonsense are you spouting?!"
   Ryota ignored him, pointing to himself.
   "I'm the head of the Uchiha Clan."
   Danz's pupils shrank, the wrinkles on his face pulling taut.
   Before he could say more, Ryota flipped his wrist and produced a cloth-wrapped bundle with a thud in his palm.
   Slowly, he opened it, holding it up where Danz could see.
   "As for your precious Uchiha Itachi?"
   "And the man himself-already dead."
   "If you came to collect the body, you're too late."
   The pair of crimson pupils gleamed in the night, strikingly vivid.
   The instant Danz saw them, something inside him seemed to snap cleanly in two.
   No mistake-absolutely no mistake.
   Those were the scarlet eyes he knew as well as his own reflection, the eyes he had coveted countless times in his dreams.
   The perfect "vessel" he had researched, monitored, and calculated for years.
   And now... here they were before him-yet not his.
   What crushed him wasn't even the eyes themselves.
   It was this: The Uchiha Massacre had failed.
   Itachi was dead. The entire meticulously planned scheme-emotional manipulation, timing, post-battle cleanup-had collapsed completely.
   "What about my right arm?!"
   "Who will suppress the backlash from the Hashirama cells?!"
   "And my plan for those dozens of Sharingan-where do I get them now?!"
   Each thought stabbed into Danz's mind like a needle, shattering what patience remained.
   He could no longer contain himself.
   "Those eyes should have been mine! The Uchiha should all be dead! That was my board, my game!"
   Danz roared, his Chakra flaring sharply.
   But Ryota ignored his anger, casually tossing the eyes away-vanishing them into his Kamui space once more.
   He was just about to speak when several black shadows shot in from the darkness, landing behind him.
   At their head was Uchiha Setsuna, barely hiding the excitement in his expression.
   In each hand he held a blood-soaked head, followed by several Uchiha clansmen carrying equally grisly trophies-
   Like a squad of cleaners who had just finished mopping up.
   Setsuna dropped to one knee, tossing the heads forward and bowing his head respectfully.
   Setsuna's eyes lit up as he shook his head.
   "Everyone's gotten stronger!"
   The clansmen behind him beamed with pride.
   They had never imagined that just a single Falna engraving could push their strength, speed, and reflexes to new heights.
   Tonight, their opponents were the dreaded Root operatives-once feared throughout Konoha and even the entire shinobi world.
   Nothing but a heap of worthless corpses.
   Meanwhile, Danz's pupils contracted sharply.
   His gaze dropped to the heads rolling across the ground, and he recognized one-the mask shattered to reveal half a face.
   An old operative of Root, one of his best in infiltration and assassination, a man who had served him for years and been trained by his own hand.
   Now, his severed head lay tossed at Danz's feet like a hunting prize.
   And worse-these were Uchiha.
   Uchiha who should have been eradicated.
   "This... this is impossible!!"
   Danz snarled through clenched teeth, veins bulging at his temple.
   With a roar, he flashed through hand signs.
   "Wind Style: Vacuum Blast-!"
   In the next instant, accompanied by a deep, resonating tremor of Chakra, he suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a series of visible, high-pressure wind blades.
   The blades spun through the air, racing toward Ryota, Ais, and the gathered Uchiha at terrifying speed.
   Uchiha Setsuna's expression changed drastically. Almost without thinking, he stepped forward, Chakra surging violently as he prepared to use his own body to shield Ryota and Ais.
   But just as the wind blades were about to strike-
   A figure descended like a judge from the heavens, landing on the open ground before them.
   He raised his right hand, extended his fingers forward, and gave a light squeeze.
   The air itself quivered, and those incoming Vacuum Blasts seemed to be caught in an invisible gravitational grip.
   In the next moment, the entire barrage of wind blades was crushed into powder midair, scattering into countless streams of harmless airflow that quickly dissipated into the night.
   Setsuna froze in place, and the Uchiha behind him were stunned for several seconds.
   That was Danz's killing move-shattered so effortlessly?!
   Just how many trump cards does our Clan Head have?!
   Even Danz himself was stunned, the weathered skin of his face twitching faintly.
   That had been his full-power strike-fast and devastating.
   He had no idea how many shinobi had fallen to that technique, yet now...
   It hadn't lasted even a second before this man casually crushed it?!
   And worse-this man had appeared without warning...
   Danz's eyes locked on the silent figure, and then-his heart jolted violently!
   Those concentric ripples in the man's eyes made his mind stall for several seconds.
   He instinctively took a step back, ready to trigger his next jutsu-
   Before the words left his mouth, Danz's body jerked violently!
   An irresistible suction swept in from ahead, like the unseen hand of a god seizing his very soul.
   He was yanked forward, dragged toward the Deva Path like a ragdoll.
   Fury and panic twisted Danz's face as the Hashirama cells in his right arm writhed frantically.
   The cells in his arm swelled grotesquely, the already swollen, monstrous limb splitting open with countless root-like cracks.
   A massive pillar of living wood erupted from his arm, roaring toward the Deva Path with crushing force.
   But Pain's expression remained indifferent. He merely raised one hand, spread his fingers, and squeezed once more.
   The raging wooden pillar was torn into several massive chunks midair.
   Even so, the blow bought Danz a brief moment to breathe.
   He landed heavily, one knee on the ground, his forehead slick with cold sweat as he gulped in ragged breaths.
   That oppressive force... that helplessness... it felt as though his very soul was being sucked from the battlefield.
   "What the hell is going on...?"
   His gaze locked on the calm-faced Pain ahead, then shifted toward Ryota-still standing nearby without moving an inch.
   Say what you will about his reputation as the Scapegoat Kage, Danz's strength was solidly at the Kage level.
   He'd faced death before, but this time... he could feel it approaching, stripping away even the chance to resist.
   A fierce urge to retreat welled up inside him.
   "Withdraw first. Survival comes first!"
   If he could just escape this area, there was still a sliver of hope.
   But the moment he gathered Chakra, the Deva Path appeared in front of him-instantaneously.
   Danz's face changed drastically, his body instinctively leaning back to pull away-
   Only for the Deva Path's quiet voice to brush his ears:
   A pitch-black sphere shot into Danz's chest, trailing a spray of black-and-red blood mist.
   Agony ripped through him, nearly shattering his nerves, as the orb exited his body, arcing behind him before detonating.
   Flames, rubble, and dust erupted skyward.
   Danz's body was hurled several meters, slamming to the ground. Blood poured from his mouth as he twitched uncontrollably.
   Ryota's gaze fell on the trembling form sprawled in the dirt.
   Half of Danz's face was caked with blood and grime, his eyes glazed.
   But Ryota knew perfectly well-he wasn't truly dead yet.
   That disgusting Hashirama-cell arm of his contained numerous Sharingan stolen from slain Uchiha, enough to trigger the forbidden jutsu Izanagi.
   As long as he drew breath, he could rewrite reality, altering the outcome to escape death.
   His Sharingan would run out eventually-and Ryota could kill him as many times as it took.
   Turning away, Ryota glanced at Setsuna and the others.
   "You all head back first."
   The words snapped them from the shock of witnessing a battle beyond shinobi comprehension. They gave Danz one last glance, then bowed their heads.
   In a flicker of movement, they vanished into the night.
   "Come on. We have an old friend to visit."
   Ais blinked, asking nothing, and followed at his side.
   Behind them, the Deva Path still stood silently.
   As a reanimated puppet personally crafted by Ryota, he had already received his orders:
   "The Sharingan in Danz's arm-none can remain."
   "He'll use Izanagi. I'll leave the cleanup to you."
   Stepping forward, Pain looked down at Danz's gradually fading form, raising his hand to launch a fresh assault.
   On a towering tree not far away, a figure blended almost seamlessly into the night, standing at its peak.
   Behind a tiger-striped mask, Uchiha Obito's pupils contracted sharply.
   He had seen every moment of Pain's battle with Danz.
   But beyond the shock, confusion filled his mind.
   "How could he possibly be here?!"
   "What the hell is Nagato playing at?!"
  
   Chapter 132: Chapter 132: A Broken Obito - Time to Show You Uchiha Madara!
   Uchiha Obito stood on the branch, completely motionless.
   But beneath the mask, his expression was already twisted with shock, disbelief, and simmering fury.
   "That's... Pain, no doubt about it..."
   "Yes... the Deva Path's body..."
   "But how could he possibly be here?!"
   Obito's right eye twitched uncontrollably, his Sharingan trembling in its socket, his Chakra roiling in chaotic waves under the strain of his emotions.
   He knew all too well the structure of that "Deva Path" - crafted from Yahiko's corpse by Nagato, representing the will of a god and command over all things.
   That body should be stationed permanently in Amegakure, obeying only Nagato's orders.
   And now? It was standing in the middle of the Uchiha Clan Grounds?!
   "The Akatsuki's plan is still in its early stages. Nagato's far too cautious - he'd never act so recklessly!"
   Ever since Yahiko had fallen into Hanz and Danz's trap, breaking Nagato beyond repair, Obito had been there, subtly guiding him, helping to reshape Akatsuki into its new form - twisting its ideal of "peace" into the extreme doctrine of "forcing the world to understand through pain."
   And as the one pulling the strings from the shadows - Uchiha Obito - he had already secured Nagato's cooperation under the guise of Madara, turning the Tailed Beast Plan into the lynchpin of his Project "Tsuki no Me blueprint.
   Yet now, the most powerful puppet in Nagato's arsenal was here, fighting in a battle Obito had never authorized.
   "Did Nagato act on his own?"
   "Or... has someone stolen control of the Deva Path?"
   "No... Nagato has the Rinnegan. In theory, that shouldn't even be possible..."
   "Unless... Nagato found out Danz was behind Yahiko's death back then?"
   The thought flashed through his mind - only for him to dismiss it immediately.
   "If it were revenge, he would've acted long ago, not waited until now."
   "And this timing is too damn strange..."
   "Right on the night Itachi and I agreed to the Uchiha purge?"
   It felt like his skull had been stuffed with water, every thought colliding into the next, tangling into chaos.
   "Calm down... I have to calm down..."
   Obito's gaze flickered beneath the mask. This wasn't the first time he'd faced a messy situation, but this time... this time he truly felt out of his depth.
   Everything was in disarray -
   The sudden appearance of the Deva Path,
   The purge plan teetering on the brink of collapse,
   Even Danz being completely overwhelmed.
   He suddenly remembered - during that earlier battle, there had been two figures behind the Deva Path, neither of whom had lifted a finger.
   A black-haired boy and a blonde-haired girl.
   The boy's aura and attire couldn't have been more ordinary, yet the Deva Path had personally moved to protect them, to fight for them, to clean up their enemies.
   Could that... even be possible?
   A pulse throbbed in Obito's temple. A chilling sense of danger crept up his spine.
   "...Could Pain be here because of them?"
   He looked again toward the distance - the Deva Path was still pressing Danz down, but the two were gone.
   His instincts screamed at him:
   "Stay any longer and you'll be exposed!"
   Logic pulled him toward retreat.
   Greed pinned him in place.
   Obito still didn't want to give up on gathering intel - especially on Uchiha Itachi.
   That genius, with whom he had struck the Uchiha purge agreement, was the perfect candidate for Akatsuki's core.
   But in the end, reason triumphed over desire.
   Itachi wasn't the only "genius." Another one would appear in the shinobi world eventually.
   He couldn't risk everything on tonight.
   Too much was riding on him -
   The world Rin had dreamed of...
   With that decision made, he began to activate Kamui.
   But just as half his body began to phase into the other dimension-
   A voice sounded behind him, abrupt and unhurried:
   "What are you doing here?"
   Obito froze where he stood.
   He whipped around, locking onto the source of the voice.
   Two figures stood in the shadows between the trees - the same two he'd seen earlier in the battle at the Clan Grounds.
   When had they gotten here?
   How did he know my name?!
   "Brat... what did you just say?!"
   Obito's wrist flicked, and three kunai whistled through the night toward Ryota's face.
   Three crisp impacts rang out in the forest.
   Before they could even reach Ryota, the kunai snapped midair, scattering into glittering shards across the ground.
   Ais sheathed her thin sword, Feather's Echo, and fixed her eyes on Obito's silhouette in the treetops, already poised in her familiar opening stance.
   One signal from Ryota and she'd strike.
   Beneath the mask, Obito's expression finally shifted completely.
   When the blonde girl had cut the kunai so casually, he had already sensed something wrong.
   She had almost no Chakra signature at all - as though she wasn't even part of this world's shinobi system.
   "Taijutsu type? No... she's nothing like a ninja."
   His gaze shifted to the black-haired boy beside her.
   Ryota hadn't moved an inch, only wearing a faint smile - yet Obito felt an oppressive weight pressing down on him.
   The words were barely out before he instinctively stepped back.
   Because he had just seen Ryota's eyes.
   Eyes that didn't belong to the normal order of this world.
   Purple, with rippling concentric rings-
   Ryota's lips curved slightly, his gaze lifting just enough for the violet light to gleam cold in the dark.
   Obito's heart lurched painfully in his chest. He had seen the Rinnegan before - but there was only one wielder, Nagato.
   Nagato, the human vessel Obito had cultivated and entrusted with executing the plan.
   Another Rinnegan, right in front of him.
   And... the aura this Rinnegan gave off was far stronger - dozens, maybe hundreds of times stronger - than Nagato's.
   Obito's mind went blank, his throat tightening.
   He even forgot to think about the most critical question - how this black-haired boy knew his real name.
   "Interested in letting me carve my Falna into you?"
   Obito blinked, brows furrowing, mind scrambling for any scrap of information on the word.
   Nothing - not from the archives of the Great Nations, not from Madara's scrolls. The term had never appeared before.
   Yet somehow, hearing it from this boy's mouth stirred an inexplicable, primal sense of fear... and reverence.
   A tremor ran through his body.
   But Ryota's eyes held no killing intent - only a faint, almost pitying look.
   He could kill Obito in an instant, crush half his body without effort.
   But this man... Ryota knew everything about his past.
   From being crushed under rock, to being saved by Madara, to watching Rin die by the hands of his dearest friend, and finally choosing something as boneheaded as the Tsuki no Me just to bring her back into the world.
   "Kamui hides no tears-wherever you look, there's Rin."
   "Mm... although, yeah, making your own teacher sick to his stomach like that is pretty scummy."
   Obito was silent for a few seconds before letting out a cold snort, his tone edged with repressed irritation.
   "I'm leaving. You think you can stop me?"
   Even Minato had needed several exchanges the first time they fought just to figure it out.
   This brat in front of him-was he supposed to be stronger than Minato?
   Ryota still didn't move from his spot, but the smile on his face gradually faded. His patience was wearing thin.
   "Creating a world with only Rin..."
   "In the end, isn't that just a load of crap?"
   "You want to fulfill a dream?"
   "But you don't even know who that dream really belongs to."
   "When the time comes, your so-called plan will just be Black Zetsu's wedding dress for Kaguya's resurrection."
   "Oh? Or do you actually want Kaguya to keep your bed warm?"
   The instant the words left his mouth-
   A surge of killing intent erupted from Uchiha Obito!
   In that moment, Chakra seemed to flood back under his mask, the air itself tearing apart with a crackling snap!
   "Rin is not someone you can insult!!!"
   The eyes beneath the mask all but spewed blood.
   Ryota could see it clearly-he'd lost control of his emotions.
   The "Rin" in Obito's heart was his faith, his everything.
   Even if that faith was wrong, even if the dream was false, the moment someone mentioned her name, he would pounce like a rabid dog.
   Obito's gaze twisted completely, his scarlet Mangeky Sharingan spinning madly, the lines of his face beneath the mask warping in rage.
   "Fire Style: Bomb Blast Dance!!"
   In an instant, the air around him warped and twisted at a terrifying speed, wind spiraling into a vortex like an eye that could swallow everything.
   Then Obito drew in a deep breath, his chest swelling-
   Flames roared from his mouth, shaped by the wind into a scorching, spinning tornado.
   Wind and fire entwined into a spiraling pillar of blazing destruction,
   a man-made calamity hurtling straight toward Ryota and Ais under the night sky!
   "Die, you little brat!!!"
   At that moment, Obito didn't look like he was fighting to defeat an enemy-he was venting a pain and hatred that could never heal.
   Hatred toward fate, rejection of reality, and the desperate defense of "Rin."
   Facing one of Obito's killing moves, Ryota simply moved a thought.
   A shadow swept out from behind him.
   Uchiha Madara raised his right arm and-
   The blazing spiral of fire was smashed apart by an invisible force!
   Not blocked, not extinguished-
   but erased from the world entirely, like dust swatted from the air.
   The flames vanished, the air collapsed, the shockwave faded into lingering traces.
   Obito was left utterly stunned.
   It wasn't the fact that his killing move had been broken-though it was powerful, he knew the black-haired boy wasn't ordinary.
   What froze his mind was the figure emerging from behind the flames.
   That face-so familiar it was carved into his soul.
   His voice trembled beneath the mask, as if he were staring at a phantom that shouldn't exist.
   His pupils shrank violently, his body instinctively retreating a few steps.
   He had seen Madara die with his own eyes, heard him entrust the plan to him, personally inherited the name "Uchiha Madara"...
   And now, this man was standing right in front of him?
   For the first time, real fear gripped Obito's heart.
   From the sudden appearance of the Deva Path, to that absurdly strong unknown blonde girl, and now...
   Even Uchiha Madara was standing against him?
   Madara folded his arms, studying Obito before letting out a cold snort.
   "Interesting. Are you my clansman?"
   "You raised a hand against my master."
   "...That, I will not forgive."
   The words detonated in Obito's mind.
   Who the hell was he calling "master"?!
   Obito's gaze snapped toward Ryota.
   He was Madara's master???
   Uchiha Madara-the man once called the strongest alongside Senju Hashirama in the shinobi era.
   The source of Obito's ambition, his plans, even his power-everything traced back to Madara!
   And now, this legendary man had just called someone else "master"?!
   "What the hell is going on...?"
   Madara ignored Obito's shock, turning his head toward Ryota and speaking with a respectful tone.
   "Shall I rip his head off?"
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   Chapter 133: Chapter 133: The Third Hokage's Wrath-Annihilate the Uchiha Clan?!
   The moment he heard those words, Uchiha Obito's instincts screamed danger.
   He couldn't win-absolutely couldn't win!
   A boy with the Rinnegan was already terrifying enough, and now Uchiha Madara had shown up? This wasn't a fight-it was suicide!
   The tomoe in Obito's Mangeky Sharingan had only just begun to spin, the warped air of space-time distortion just starting to appear-
   His entire body was slammed into the ground like a rag doll!
   The earth cracked open, dust exploding upward as a spiderweb of fractures spread out in an instant.
   Through the haze of debris, half of Obito's mask was shattered, revealing blood at the corner of his mouth and eyes wide with shock.
   Kamui hadn't gone off in time!
   No-he hadn't even been given the chance to use it!
   "H-How... how is this possible...?"
   Madara pressed one hand firmly on him and said,
   Obito's face went pale. The crushing force on him was so immense that even the ground beneath him groaned and splintered under the pressure.
   Ryota walked forward at an unhurried pace, looking down at the man pinned so completely to the earth that even Kamui was useless. His voice was calm and deliberate.
   "If you hadn't just raised a hand against me..."
   "I might have considered letting you lead the Uchiha Clan."
   He paused, the faint smile at the corner of his lips fading. His eyes, once holding a glimmer of pity, now shone with a suffocating chill.
   Turning away, he led Ais toward the distant Uchiha Clan Grounds.
   There was no anger in his tone, no compassion-only a verdict of absolute denial.
   "You won't get that chance."
   The moment the words left his mouth-
   The ground shook again, the spiderweb cracks widening.
   Madara plucked one of Obito's eyes from its socket, slipped it into a cloth pouch, and tossed it to Ryota. He shook the blood from his hand.
   On the ground, Obito's head had been reduced to a pool of gore.
   The man who had sparked the Fourth Great Ninja War in the original timeline, the one who had orchestrated the Akatsuki and the Project Tsuki no Me from the shadows, the man who clung his entire life to the false dream of "a world with Rin"-
   Now lay dead at the hands of the very mentor who had once saved him.
   The irony was almost cruel. Saved by Uchiha Madara back then-erased by Uchiha Madara now.
   "Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
   A torrent of flames like a crashing ocean poured from Madara's mouth, completely engulfing Obito's body.
   Only the crackling roar of fire whispered into the night, the air thick with the stench of scorched flesh and clotted blood.
   This was the smell of human remains burning to carbon under an unrelenting blaze.
   When the flames had consumed the body that had once upended the entire shinobi world, Madara finally lifted his head, glanced toward Ryota, and then vanished into the night like a shadow.
   The fire still licked at the earth, but the battle was over.
   Standing at Ryota's side, Ais tilted her head slightly, her gaze drifting to the smoldering remains behind them.
   Ryota noticed the shift in her expression and spoke softly.
   "Do you... think I'm cruel?"
   Ais shook her head without the slightest hesitation.
   "Ryota said it before-this is the shinobi world. A cruel place."
   "Just like... the Dungeon."
   "They... are all monsters."
   Ryota blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
   So this doll-like princess really did have an unusual way of thinking.
   He reached out and ruffled her hair.
   "Here, there are only enemies-no allies."
   [Ding-Main Quest, Phase One: Completed!]
   [Quest Objective]: Take control of the Uchiha Clan
   [Quest Rating]: Perfect Completion!
   Reward 1: +300,000 Chakra Capacity
   Reward 2: +10% Special Nine-Tails Chakra, Sage Jutsu Chakra, and Hashirama Cells
   Reward 3: Golden Gate can now carry 1-2 companions
   Reward 4: +10% Kokugan progress
   [Ding! Daikokuten Unlocked!]
   The mechanical voice came swiftly and vanished just as fast.
   Ryota's pupils contracted sharply!
   A strange, alien energy stirred from somewhere deep within his soul, awakening like molten lava surging in his eye sockets.
   It wasn't the pulse of the Rinnegan, nor the churn of Kurama's chakra, Sage Chakra, or Hashirama Cells within his body.
   It was an indescribable dominating will, condensing in his eyes into a pattern governed by some unknown law.
   It sent an icy shiver through the heart-an instinctive fear of something beyond comprehension.
   The sensation lasted only a few seconds.
   When the energy finally settled, a thin golden film coated Ryota's right eye. If one looked closely, eight faint triangular marks circled the pupil of his Rinnegan.
   "Didn't expect... it would be this."
   Ryota took a moment to search his mind for the memories tied to this eye.
   The Kokugan-a djutsu originating from the tsutsuki Clan, classified among the god-tiers.
   It possessed two known abilities: Sukunahikona and Daikokuten.
   The one he had unlocked this time was the latter.
   Put simply, Daikokuten was a time-stopped subspace. It could store objects and retrieve them at will-
   Similar in concept to Kamui's pocket dimension, yet fundamentally different.
   Anything drawn into Daikokuten, if alive, would be forced into a time-stop state.
   Inside, time was completely frozen-consciousness halted, movement sealed, energy stilled-like being locked forever in a bubble of unmoving reality.
   That was what made Daikokuten one of the most inescapable sealing abilities in existence.
   Even more terrifying was its long-range visual transmission feature.
   Anything within Ryota's line of sight-skills, weapons, even people-could be transported into Daikokuten's frozen dimension with nothing more than a glance.
   Control through the eye, sealing by the gods.
   One glare, and the enemy would be bound for eternity.
   What surprised Ryota was that he had unlocked Daikokuten at only 10% Kokugan progress.
   So what would happen at 100%?
   Would the Kokugan evolve into a god technique that could rewrite the very laws of time? Or something divine enough to suppress the entire world with a single gaze, nullifying all things?
   For a long moment, Ryota said nothing.
   Not because he was shaken-but because, for the first time, the unknown filled him with anticipation.
   This power was too strange, too far beyond the reach of mortals.
   "Kokugan... just how far can you go?"
   Murmuring to himself, his gaze fell upon a rock in the distance.
   In the next second, the rock vanished soundlessly from the world, as though erased from existence.
   In truth, it had been drawn into Daikokuten's still dimension, where time had sealed it away forever.
   The moment the thought surfaced, Daikokuten activated.
   Ryota's lips slowly curved upward, a glint of something almost playful flashing in his eyes.
   Ais, standing beside him, seemed to sense the change in him as well.
   She tilted her head slightly but didn't ask.
   Because to Ais, no matter how much stronger, stranger, or more distant Ryota became, it was only natural.
   He was never someone you could simply call a "monster" to begin with.
   Ryota's gaze shifted suddenly toward the distance. After a moment, he smiled and said,
   "...Word just came back from Deva Path-Danz is dead."
   Ais gave a soft "Mm," as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
   And in that instant, Ryota finally understood something.
   -In the Main Quest, the so-called control of the Uchiha wasn't just about taking the seat of clan head.
   More importantly, it was about bringing a complete end to the "deadlock" that threatened the very survival of the Uchiha Clan.
   Not just unifying them internally, but wiping out every hidden cancer-like Danz, Itachi, and Obito-root and all.
   "...As expected, my system is as exacting as ever."
   He murmured the words without the slightest trace of dissatisfaction-in fact, there was a note of appreciation in his tone.
   Because only such "exacting" standards were worthy of his ambition and the future he envisioned.
   This wasn't some simple dungeon raid.
   It was the step-by-step takeover of the world-reshaping the balance, smoothing out the folds of fate.
   The true road of a ruler.
   Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building in Konoha...
   Sarutobi Hiruzen's pipe clicked softly as he puffed on it, pacing back and forth across the hall.
   The Third Hokage's eyes were filled with fatigue and unease.
   The repeated tremors from the direction of the Uchiha Clan Grounds had set all of Konoha trembling.
   He had an ominous feeling in his gut but couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong.
   Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the hall.
   He spun around abruptly and, without even waiting for the person to enter, strode straight toward the door.
   The door swung open. A ninja in full ANBU gear saw Hiruzen and hesitated without speaking.
   "...Lord Danz is confirmed dead."
   The ANBU operative paused.
   "Root... is nearly annihilated."
   Hiruzen felt as though his head had exploded with a deafening boom, the pipe slipping from his fingers and hitting the floor.
   His body staggered, and he had to grab the wall to steady himself.
   His eyes went wide, his voice breaking from the surge of emotion.
   "Danz... is dead?! Root... gone?!"
   The ANBU lowered his head in silence-yet his silence was already the clearest answer.
   It was as if Hiruzen's heart had been gripped by an iron claw, leaving him briefly dazed.
   He drew several deep breaths before fixing his gaze on the operative.
   The ANBU hesitated for a moment before slowly shaking his head.
   "The Uchiha's presence... has completely changed."
   There was a strange, almost inexplicable fear in his voice.
   "The moment our people entered the clan grounds, it was like stones sinking into the ocean-not a single trace of them came back."
   "Then how do you know Danz's dead?"
   The ANBU answered quietly,
   "One of Root's own escaped from inside. He said Lord Danz had failed, the plan had collapsed."
   "The moment he said it... he died."
   Silence fell over the hall like a heavy shroud.
   Hiruzen returned to the Hokage's seat, sinking into it with a frown so deep it seemed locked in place.
   "So Danz really did make his move..."
   "But after he went in... he never came out."
   "What on earth happened... inside the Uchiha Clan?"
   His voice wasn't even directed at anyone-more like he was asking himself.
   A suffocating sense of danger crept along his spine like a venomous snake.
   Feeling restless, he reached for his pipe, only to realize his long-time companion was now nothing but shattered fragments on the floor.
   After a moment's thought, he looked to the ANBU operative before him.
   "Summon the heads of every major clan in Konoha. All of them."
   Only after the ANBU had fully disappeared did Hiruzen slowly rise, walking to the window to gaze toward the silent, dark stretch where the Uchiha Clan Grounds lay.
   The news weighed heavier than he had imagined.
   Though they had often disagreed, Hiruzen knew all too well that Danz was Konoha's true "shadow."
   He had done countless dirty jobs, borne endless blame, and handled innumerable matters the Hokage could not openly touch.
   Many grim but necessary decisions had been carried out by him.
   Danz stood in the shade of Konoha's great tree-an indispensable existence.
   And now Root was gone as well.
   That Danz had spent decades honing had been obliterated, dying alongside him within the Uchiha's territory.
   No matter the truth, no matter what had really happened inside... with the bodies lying there, with Root destroyed, the Uchiha Clan could never escape suspicion.
   Hiruzen's teeth ground together as he cursed under his breath.
   This was no longer the simple matter of the Uchiha planning a coup.
   This was shaking the very foundation of Konoha's power structure.
   "We can't hesitate any longer."
   Settling back into the Hokage's seat, his eyes turned to ice.
   "The Uchiha's blood must be spilled at the foot of the Hokage Rock!"
  
   Chapter 134: Chapter 134: The Clumsy Elf's Journey in the Shinobi World
   Deep within the Uchiha Clan Grounds, in the basement beneath Naka Shrine-
   Ryota stood before the stone tablet that the Uchiha had long revered as their spiritual symbol, the one said to bear the Sage of Six Paths' message.
   His face was expressionless.
   In his eyes, it was nothing more than a worthless rock.
   A tool of deification, used and twisted by false gods and hidden manipulators, had no right to exist.
   The next moment, he lifted his right hand slightly and closed his fingers.
   With a crisp shatter, the "Uchiha Stone Tablet"-altered countless times in secret by Black Zetsu and long since strayed from the Sage's original intent-crumbled instantly to dust.
   Powder scattered, and the basement filled with the dry scent of stone dust.
   Standing behind Ryota, Uchiha Fugaku's expression was complicated, his brows knotted with hesitation.
   He opened his mouth, but in the end couldn't bring himself to stop it. He could only watch as Ryota destroyed the symbol their clan had guarded for generations.
   Fugaku felt he had to say something.
   "This stone tablet... yes, it's been manipulated, but... doing this, isn't it..."
   Ryota couldn't be bothered to explain. Without even looking back, he cut him off:
   Fugaku blinked, then lowered his head.
   "The Falna engraving is complete."
   "He received the Grace without issue."
   "It's just..." Fugaku hesitated for a moment.
   "I haven't told him about Itachi's death."
   Only then did Ryota turn his head, a mocking smile tugging at his lips.
   "And how exactly do you plan to tell him?"
   The question was like a knife, driving straight into Fugaku's heart.
   He lowered his gaze in silence.
   Before this "new clan head," whose power was such that even he could not meet his eyes, Fugaku found himself without an answer.
   Ryota glanced at his hesitating look and gave a low chuckle.
   "Killing you-or killing every last Uchiha-is just a passing thought for me."
   "You should know exactly what to say. I don't like knives in my back."
   Fugaku's expression changed instantly, and he quickly bowed his head.
   "Clan Head, I'll tell Sasuke myself-Itachi was a traitor to the Uchiha!"
   "I'll also tell him the truth about Konoha as it is now, so he understands the situation and stops clinging to fantasies."
   "As for that so-called 'Will of Fire'..."
   "It's nothing but a domestication technique dressed up in the robes of righteousness."
   "A joke born to protect those in power."
   With that, Ryota turned and strode out of the basement.
   Only Fugaku remained, staring at the shattered dust of the tablet, his face a storm of emotions, wordless for a long time.
   Stepping out from underground, Ryota had barely taken a few steps when Uchiha Inabi approached at a brisk pace.
   Inabi lowered his voice, speaking rapidly.
   "Just got intel-the heads of the Hyga Clan, the Shimura Clan, the Nara Clan, and several other major families are all gathered at the Hokage Building."
   "From the looks of it, they're holding a high-level meeting, likely targeting our Uchiha Clan."
   Ryota nodded, his expression unmoved.
   "Tell our people to stay inside for now."
   "Follow the previous plan and tighten security."
   "No Uchiha leaves without permission."
   "And no one from outside sets foot inside the clan grounds."
   A cold gleam flashed in Inabi's eyes. His figure flickered-and he was gone.
   In truth, Ryota didn't care in the slightest what Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others were plotting.
   To him, Konoha's so-called "high-level meetings" weren't even worth a sidelong glance.
   "Ryota, what are we doing now?"
   Ais stepped up to him and asked quietly.
   "Are we going to that Hokage Building?"
   Ryota's familiar smile returned, and he shook his head.
   "Let's head back first. This time, I can bring one more person over."
   Ais tilted her head. She still didn't fully understand what "two worlds" meant, but hearing that another companion could join them in the Shinobi World, a spark of excitement lit her golden eyes.
   After all, everything here was so cold and unfeeling.
   Having another familiar face nearby would be a good thing.
   "Yeah. Who do you think we should bring?"
   "After all, you're the one in charge here."
   A faint blush colored Ais's cheeks, but she still took his question seriously.
   After a brief moment of thought, the blonde girl answered softly:
   "Why? Because you both like it when I pat your heads?"
   At that, Ais's face flushed again, a faint red blooming across her cheeks. She pressed her lips together and said nothing, turning her gaze aside a little awkwardly.
   Still, she maintained her thoughtful air and added:
   "People here seem to value... large-scale attacks."
   "Lefiya's magic would work well in this kind of environment."
   Ryota smiled and nodded. He thought the same.
   Though he often teased Lefiya as a clumsy elf, she'd been learning under Riveria's level of tutelage for a long time.
   And with her ability to use Elf Ring, that summoning-type magic, once she entered combat she'd be a formidable force.
   "Then it's decided. Let's bring Lefiya over to have some fun in the Shinobi World!"
   With that, Ryota swept his hand through the air.
   A familiar golden light spread from his palm, slowly tracing the outline of an ancient, solemn archway before them.
   "Come on, let's go pick up the clumsy elf."
   The next moment, the two stepped through the golden gate side by side.
   Lefiya's mouth formed a perfect "O," her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
   She stood there frozen, as if she hadn't quite heard what Ryota had just said.
   "Eh-eh-eh-eh?! Wh-what did you just say?!"
   "Really? Really?! I can go with you... and Lady Ais... to that... nin-something place?! For real?!"
   Lefiya practically lunged forward, her face coming dangerously close to Ryota's.
   Her blue eyes sparkled with excitement, her expression screaming please tell me I'm not dreaming.
   Ryota chuckled and reached out to tap her forehead.
   "Of course it's real. It was Ais's idea."
   Lefiya's cheeks flushed instantly, but instead of backing away, she looked even more delighted.
   As an elf, she wasn't particularly prejudiced toward other races.
   But when it came to physical contact, she was still rather sensitive.
   However, after those "battles" during their days in Babel Tower, she'd long grown accustomed to Ryota's various ways of handling her.
   "T-that's wonderful...! I'll do my best not to hold anyone back!"
   Where there was joy, there was also... displeasure.
   In this case, two people were wearing identical Not Happy expressions.
   Across from them, the petite goddess had her arms crossed, her cheeks puffed out like a bun.
   "Ryota, seriously! Not picking me again?!"
   Beside her, Loki already had an exasperated look etched all over her face.
   "This brat-first he runs off with my Ais, now he's trying to take my Lefiya too?"
   Hestia turned her head at that, looking at Loki.
   To her surprise, the usually irritating rival actually seemed... a little agreeable today.
   "Hmph. Looks like you're not feeling so great yourself."
   Two goddesses who were usually like oil and water suddenly found themselves, for this moment, standing on the same side-united by a common grievance.
   Ryota pretended not to hear the muttered complaints from behind him, acting like he was already used to their unspoken arrangement of you gripe, I take your people anyway.
   Instead, his gaze shifted to Ryuu Lion, seated on the sofa to his right.
   Though she still wore that same "keep your distance" expression, the subtle softness and trust hidden in her eyes did not escape Ryota's notice.
   "Anything unusual lately?"
   Ryuu paused for a moment, thinking seriously before shaking her head slowly.
   "Nothing out of the ordinary."
   "Though the Black Dragon has been dealt with... the unrest in the Dungeon's deeper floors has only grown stronger."
   "Finn and the others have been busy dealing with it."
   "...Next time, I'll take you with me."
   Ryuu's eyes flickered at his words, but she only nodded. Still, her body seemed to relax a little.
   Even if she once carried obsessions, even if she bore wounds... once she had entrusted her heart and soul completely, obedience had seeped into her very bones.
   Ryota rose from the sofa and stretched lazily, sweeping his gaze over the others in the hall before giving a small nod to the two goddesses.
   "Lady Loki, Lady Hestia, I'll be heading out."
   Loki let out a huff and turned away, clearly still sulking.
   "Knew you were here just to snatch people. What do you think our Familia is, a talent shop?"
   Ryota scratched his head awkwardly.
   If she knew her precious Ais had already been completely molded into his shape, she'd probably blow a gasket on the spot.
   Before Ryota had even finished speaking, little goddess lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his waist.
   "Ryota, can't you stay a few more days? You come and go so quickly-it's too cruel!"
   She looked up at him, her eyes full of pitiful pleading.
   Ryota could only shake his head with a helpless smile.
   "There are still matters I haven't settled over there. I really can't stay away."
   He gave her head a gentle pat.
   "Don't worry, it won't be long before I have everything handled."
   It was true that the golden gate allowed him to travel freely between worlds.
   But the two worlds' time flowed in sync.
   A day spent there meant a day passed here.
   While the situation in the world of DanMachi had stabilized, the Naruto world was still rife with undercurrents.
   Hestia's lips pursed into a small pout, her quiet "oh..." tinged with disappointment.
   Still, she wasn't an unreasonable goddess.
   She knew full well that this young man's existence had long surpassed the bounds of a single city, a single land-perhaps even this world itself.
   Suddenly, as if remembering something, she muttered softly:
   "Then next time you come back, you have to take me to the top of Babel Tower."
   "Of course. Next time we'll stay a few days longer."
   That brightened the little goddess considerably.
   "What's this about the top of Babel Tower?"
   Loki suddenly interjected, narrowing her eyes at Hestia with suspicion.
   Hestia stiffened instantly, as though a secret had been exposed.
   "None of your business! You flat-chested hag!"
   "Oh? I wasn't even interested before, but now I have to know."
   "What's up there? Don't tell me you've hidden some secret Ryota hideout?"
   "Not telling you! Doesn't concern you one bit!"
   "Don't think I'll back down just because this is your turf!"
   "Back down? You can't even reach my chin-what am I supposed to be afraid of?"
   "Who says I can't? You just stand there and I'll-"
   As the two goddesses veered straight into "war mode" again, Ryota didn't even bother trying to mediate.
   With a casual wave of his hand, a golden gate unfolded before the three of them.
   "Time to see what tricks that old coot Sarutobi Hiruzen is planning."
   Guys, I just uploaded another Danmachi fic! Make sure to check it out, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
   So this one's about Keyaru from Redo of Healer getting transmigrated into the world of Danmachi! With his old healing powers, do you guys think he'll finally make healers great again in Orario? And like... would he actually ask Ais, 'Would you like this rod... or my rod?' LMAO
   Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura
  
   CREATORS' THOUGHTS
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yurayura
   Guys, I just uploaded another Danmachi fic! Make sure to check it out, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
   Chapter 135: Chapter 135: I Killed Him-So What Can You Do About It?
   With a flash of light, the three figures passed through the golden gate.
   The next instant, they were back within the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
   It was daytime now, yet the atmosphere across the compound felt tense and heavy.
   From time to time, shadows flickered past-Uchiha clansmen, moving quickly.
   Lefiya's eyes widened as she curiously took in everything around her.
   "So this is the world behind the gate?" she murmured.
   "The air feels... so heavy."
   Ryota chuckled, then explained:
   "This is the shinobi world. It's completely different from ours. No gods, no order like in Orario, and no Dungeon."
   Lefiya listened with rapt attention, her delicate face gradually taking on a dazed expression.
   "So... you mean, there's no Guild here?"
   Ryota lightly tapped her on the head, smiling.
   "You're missing the point, aren't you?"
   "Uu..." Lefiya rubbed her head, muttering softly,
   "I just... can't quite picture it, that's all."
   Before the words even faded-
   A figure leapt down from the rooftops, followed closely by another who landed beside him.
   Uchiha Setsuna and Uchiha Inabi both bowed low.
   Ryota's gaze swept over them.
   Setsuna stepped forward slightly.
   "The Hokage... Sarutobi Hiruzen, wishes to see you."
   "Oh?" Ryota arched a brow.
   "In his eyes, he probably just wants to see the Uchiha clan head, doesn't he?"
   Setsuna hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
   Exactly as Ryota had expected. With Danz dead and Root destroyed, Sarutobi could no longer sit still.
   The strange part, though, was that this time the messenger wasn't from the ANBU.
   Setsuna glanced at Inabi, who added:
   "Clan Head, the one sent here wasn't ANBU, nor a Hokage guard. It was the head of the Hyga clan, Hyga Hiashi."
   Ryota's eyes narrowed slightly.
   The Hyga-one of Konoha's oldest noble families, holders of the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai.
   "So the old man knows sending ANBU here would just get them slaughtered. Instead, he sends a clan head?"
   "Overly cautious, aren't we?"
   "At the compound gate," Setsuna replied. "With three attendants, waiting for your response."
   "Fine. I'll go meet him."
   Setsuna and Inabi opened their mouths to object, but Ryota raised a hand, cutting them off.
   The words died in their throats. They nodded instead.
   Ryota strode forward, Ais and Lefiya walking on either side of him.
   After a few steps, Lefiya blinked up at him, asking,
   "Um... what exactly does 'clan head' mean? Is it like a captain?"
   "Something like that," Ryota replied with a nod.
   "But a clan head isn't just about leading charges. He carries the fate of an entire family."
   "And right now, the entire Uchiha clan has received Ryota's Falna. It's basically become one huge Familia."
   "Ehh?" Lefiya gasped, staring at him in shock.
   "Then-that means... you're their god, aren't you?!"
   Ryota shrugged, neither confirming nor denying, but clearly amused.
   Soon, the three passed through the clan's buildings and reached the gate.
   Torches flared outside, illuminating four silhouettes.
   As Setsuna and Inabi had said, it was Hyga Hiashi himself, flanked by three Hyga clansmen in traditional shinobi garb.
   When Hiashi saw Ryota approaching with two young women, his brows furrowed in confusion.
   As Ryota drew nearer, he asked:
   "And you are? Where is Uchiha Fugaku? I came to see the Uchiha clan head."
   To Hiashi, the boy before him-judging by build, demeanor, and attire-looked no different from a regular villager.
   No headband. No symbols of Konoha.
   Most telling of all, his eyes were dark, showing no trace of the Sharingan.
   Suspicion deepened. His gaze slid past Ryota to the two girls behind him, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
   These two... clearly weren't from the shinobi world.
   "I'm the Uchiha clan head. Lead the way."
   The words instantly froze the air.
   Hiashi blinked in shock, as did the three Hyga behind him. Their eyes widened with the same expression-Are you kidding me?
   This boy, who didn't even look like a shinobi, the Uchiha clan head?
   "...Who did you say you were?" Hiashi's frown deepened, suspicion plain on his face.
   It had to be a provocation. Even here at the Uchiha compound gates, he refused to believe it.
   But bound by the Hokage's orders, he suppressed his anger and gestured to one of his men.
   The Hyga clansman stepped forward, tone sharp and dismissive.
   "Brat, don't waste our time. Fetch Uchiha Fugaku, now!"
   "Say another ridiculous word, and we're done here!"
   In Konoha, the Uchiha were already in a precarious position.
   Danz's death and the annihilation of Root had ignited long-standing tensions.
   With Hiruzen fanning the flames, overnight the Uchiha had become synonymous with "traitors-in-waiting" and "the village's cancer."
   As Hiashi's personal guard, this Hyga clearly looked down on them.
   He didn't just scorn Ryota as some unknown boy-he dismissed the very name Uchiha.
   "What's wrong with your clan? Sending a kid to mess with us?"
   "Trying to stall for time? Planning to run?"
   Ryota simply turned his head and looked at him.
   Just a glance-plain, unremarkable.
   The air tore. The Hyga froze mid-step, then vanished with a snap, as though erased from existence.
   Hiashi's pupils shrank. He stumbled back in horror.
   "You-what did you do to him?!"
   "He was too noisy," Ryota said calmly, his gaze never wavering.
   "If he won't lead the way, he can reflect inside Daikokuten instead."
   Hiashi blinked, mind racing through every jutsu and term he knew.
   Before he could even ask, his eyes met Ryota's.
   And in that gaze-endless, devouring darkness.
   Alarm bells screamed in his mind.
   Hiashi shuddered violently, cold sweat dripping down his face.
   "You... you're really the Uchiha clan head?"
   The air thickened, oppressive.
   Veins bulged at Hiashi's temple, but at last he gritted his teeth and turned.
   Guided by Hiashi, the three of them crossed Konoha's streets and reached the Hokage Building.
   The night was deep, the tower's shadow stretching long in the moonlight.
   Ryota looked briefly toward the Hokage Rock. His face betrayed no emotion.
   Soon, they entered the great hall.
   But unlike Ryota had expected, it wasn't filled with Clan Heads.
   The vast council chamber was empty.
   No Hyga, no Nara, no Yamanaka, no Shimura.
   Only one figure sat waiting at the head seat, draped in the Hokage's robes.
   The old man's bloodshot eyes fixed on Ryota and the two girls as they entered.
   "Lord Hokage, I've brought the Uchiha clan head," Hiashi said tersely.
   He frowned at Hiruzen, then at Ryota. His lips twitched, but he forced himself silent.
   That erased Hyga had been a branch family member? He could have accepted that.
   But this one had been main family-purest bloodline.
   To see him snuffed out, without so much as a word... Hiashi's rage burned like fire.
   This debt will be paid, one day.
   Leaving in seething silence, he departed.
   Alone with Ryota now, Hiruzen studied him.
   For a moment, he was genuinely taken aback.
   And yet, the aura around him, that gaze looking down on all-unmistakable.
   Not a boy. A power out of place in this age.
   The Hokage wasted no time with pleasantries.
   "Danz and Root," he said.
   Ryota raised his eyes. Instead of answering, he looked around the empty chamber.
   "But if I recall... you gathered all the other clan heads tonight, didn't you?"
   He paused, then smiled faintly.
   "So you ask me what happened?"
   "Hiruzen... you already know the answer."
   The Hokage was silent for a moment.
   Indeed, Ryota was right. He hadn't summoned the Uchiha clan head here for explanations.
   He wanted to show everyone in Konoha that all of this-everything-was done for the village.
   Yes, Danz had his faults. But he was Konoha's shadow.
   Yes, Root's methods were ruthless. But they had won countless victories.
   And now both were gone. Someone had to be held accountable.
   At last, Hiruzen raised his head, fixing Ryota with a hard stare.
   "It was the Uchiha who killed Shimura Danz, who wiped out Root?"
   Just as Ryota opened his mouth to reply-
   The mechanical voice rang out once more.
   [Ding! Main Quest, Phase Two Activated]
   Konoha's foundation is shaken. The Hokage's authority is no longer untouchable.
   Danz's death and Root's destruction have unleashed waves throughout the village.
   Now, before all eyes, you are no longer a bystander-you are the ruler reshaping order.
   Unite the clan. Command the council. Seize the ANBU. Weaken the Hokage. Undermine the "Will of Fire"!
   [Quest Objective]: Take control of Konoha.
   [Quest Reward]: Hidden (unlocked upon completion).
   When the voice faded, Ryota smiled.
   "That's right. I killed them."
   His words rang cold and clear through the chamber.
   "So what can you do about it?"
  
   Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Representing the Uchiha-Declaring War on Konoha!
   No, more accurately, he was stunned.
   He had expected the boy, at the very least, to act like the scheming clan heads of old-dodging the issue, twisting words, trying to excuse the Uchiha.
   But never had he imagined that Ryota would simply... admit it.
   No hesitation, no fear. His lips even curved with a smile, as though he were speaking of something trivial.
   Hiruzen's mouth opened reflexively, but it felt like his throat was blocked, leaving him unable to form words.
   Before he could recover, Ryota's voice rang out again:
   "On behalf of the Uchiha clan-"
   "I hereby declare war on Konoha."
   Hiruzen's mind roared. For a moment, he nearly toppled from his seat.
   "Do you have any idea what you're saying?!"
   "A clan declaring war on the village? Are you insane?! Do you even understand what that means?!"
   His voice finally returned, but it came as a hoarse shout, filled with disbelief, his eyes bulging.
   This wasn't rebellion. This wasn't a coup. It was a hundred times, a thousand times more serious!
   Not even in Hashirama's time had anyone dared to utter such words!
   Yes, Hiruzen had long since made up his mind, had quietly woven his net, planning to eradicate the Uchiha at the "proper" moment.
   He had ANBU prepared. He had secured alliances with the great clans. Under coercion and bargaining, even the Hyga had reluctantly agreed.
   Just a few more days, and he could have moved under the banner of "Uchiha treason," righteously issuing the extermination order.
   Hiruzen's whole body shook, his heart twisting with rage and confusion.
   This wasn't in the plan. This wasn't under his control.
   He was the one meant to strike. He was supposed to push the Uchiha into a corner. He was the Hokage-the supreme hand steering Konoha.
   This upstart "young clan head," this outsider who hadn't even shown a Sharingan, had not only admitted to killing Danz but had publicly declared war against the entire village!
   This was trampling the Hokage's authority. It was spitting on the order Konoha had built for decades!
   Hiruzen lurched to his feet.
   "I want to see Uchiha Fugaku! You cannot represent the Uchiha!"
   Ryota chuckled, his laugh low and mocking.
   He looked at Hiruzen's twisted, furious face and spoke calmly:
   "Whoever you summon won't matter. Uchiha Fugaku, Uchiha Setsuna, Uchiha Inabi... the entire clan-"
   "They answer only to me now."
   "And your so-called Will of Fire?"
   "To me, it looks more like a mangy stray dog, clinging to life by the roadside."
   Hiruzen's face contorted, rage blazing. He opened his mouth to retort-but Ryota spoke again, cutting him off.
   "Still... I'm not unreasonable."
   "If you consider stepping down as Hokage, withdrawing from power..."
   "Then I might take back my declaration of war."
   "I'd be willing to grant you-and Konoha-a dignified ending."
   His voice wasn't loud, but it rumbled through the empty council chamber like thunder.
   Hiruzen's mind went blank.
   The Hokage of Konoha-being forced into this position, by an "Uchiha clan head" who had appeared from nowhere?
   Hiruzen's fury exploded. His palm slammed onto the round table before him, shattering it to pieces.
   His eyes blazed, locking onto Ryota. His breath was heavy, his body weakened with age-but still he clung to the authority of Hokage, to the fury of Konoha's leader.
   "Konoha will never agree!"
   "If you turn back now, there is still time!"
   Ryota tilted his head slightly, lips curved in that same easy smile.
   "Relax. I won't flatten Konoha like Pain did."
   "After all... this will be my base of operations in the future."
   "I actually like it here. Good location."
   That was the final straw.
   Hiruzen's fury erupted, his voice echoing madly through the Hokage Tower:
   "You'll regret this, Ryota!"
   "You'll regret it for the rest of your life!!"
   The rage in his voice was unhinged, stripped of all the dignity of a Hokage.
   His fists trembled under his sleeves.
   Originally, he had planned to move in three days-ANBU and the allied clans, united in one great purge of the Uchiha.
   But now, this boy had come forward brazenly, admitting to Danz's death, to Root's destruction, even daring to declare himself the Hokage's replacement!
   -And for his own last shred of dignity.
   The Uchiha extermination plan had to begin ahead of schedule.
   Ryota, watching Hiruzen's rage-twisted face, felt his patience thinning.
   He would have liked nothing more than to crush Hiruzen's skull right then.
   But that would likely jeopardize the main quest.
   Slaughtering the village was easy. But to seize it, to replace the Will of Fire with his own vision-that would take time.
   So, instead, he waved a hand and turned toward the door, Ais and Lefiya at his side.
   "Oh, and make sure to bring the Sarutobi clan too. I'd rather not waste the trip myself."
   The fury that had just settled in Hiruzen's chest flared again like wildfire.
   Not only had Ryota challenged Konoha itself, he was now casually threatening to annihilate his own clan.
   Madman. A complete madman.
   "You'll regret this... you will regret this..."
   Silence fell over the chamber.
   Hiruzen sucked in breath after breath, forcing down the rage.
   He looked ten years older, but the fire in his eyes only burned brighter.
   He lifted his head, calling toward the door:
   With a sharp command, the doors creaked open.
   One after another, figures entered.
   Hyga Hiashi, Nara Shikaku...
   The village's true backbone.
   Hiruzen's gaze swept across them. Then he spoke.
   "You all heard what that boy just said."
   "Tomorrow night. We exterminate the Uchiha."
   They had all heard Ryota's words, clear as day, through the doors.
   On behalf of the Uchiha, I declare war on Konoha.
   This wasn't rumor. It wasn't an angry slip.
   It was rebellion, spoken aloud, to the Hokage's face.
   The clan heads exchanged glances. Their brows were heavy, but their eyes were cold. Some even gleamed with barely contained killing intent.
   Ryota hadn't just delivered a declaration of war. He had thrust a knife directly at Konoha's heart.
   If they didn't kill him-didn't kill the Uchiha-then the village's entire ruling order would collapse.
   That could not be allowed.
   The Uchiha eyes, their rare bloodline-what of it?
   Root may have fallen, but ANBU remained. The clans united. A thousand shinobi could march.
   The Uchiha could not withstand that.
   Hiruzen drew a deep breath, his voice low and final:
   "Mobilize every clan. Consolidate the ANBU. Gather every force at our disposal."
   "Tomorrow night, we march on the Uchiha compound."
   After leaving the Hokage Tower, Ryota, Ais, and Lefiya walked back toward the Uchiha grounds.
   The streets were lively, but it felt like two worlds split apart.
   On one side, bustling crowds. On the other, a creeping silence, following in their wake.
   Villagers began to set down their work, pretending to tend stalls or turning to leave.
   But their eyes, every one of them, followed the three.
   Cold. Distant. Suspicious.
   Ais remained calm, her golden eyes still and unfazed. She had long grown used to stares, whether curious or hateful. None of it touched her heart.
   But Lefiya was clearly less comfortable.
   She drew closer to Ryota, her voice barely above a whisper.
   "Are the Uchiha... bad people?"
   "Why does everyone look at us like that?"
   Ryota ruffled the dumb elf's hair gently, his tone soft.
   "This world has never been black and white."
   "Good people make mistakes. Bad people shed tears."
   "Do you think the Uchiha are bad, Lefiya?"
   She shook her head so hard her pointed ears quivered.
   "Your Familia could never be bad!"
   Then she turned, glaring at the villagers with their cold stares.
   "It's not us who are bad-it's them!"
   Hearing Lefiya's indignant cry, Ryota's lips curled faintly.
   He hadn't intended to turn her into a cold-blooded killer-that wasn't her nature.
   But some truths couldn't be explained. They had to be lived.
   And Konoha, this village that prided itself on its "Will," was the perfect crucible.
   As the three stepped back into the Uchiha grounds, the familiar red fan crest came into view.
   Waiting at the gate was Uchiha Fugaku, with Setsuna and Inabi close behind.
   Fugaku's tone carried urgency.
   "Hiruzen has already begun moving. Our spies report that nearly every clan's elites have been mobilized, gathering behind the Hokage Tower."
   "By dawn tomorrow, they'll launch their assault on our grounds."
   Ryota only gave a soft "hm" in response, then asked suddenly:
   He had assumed Ryota's first move upon returning would be to arrange defenses, perhaps even prepare for evacuation.
   But asking about Sasuke...?
   Still, he answered reflexively:
   "Have him come see me when there's time. I have words for him."
   Fugaku hesitated, then pressed:
   "Clan Head... should we not prepare some defenses? This time, it's a joint assault by the great clans... we..."
   Ryota glanced at him, then said:
   "Don't worry. A handful of clans-"
   "Nothing worth worrying about."
   Fugaku, Setsuna, and Inabi all froze, stunned, confusion practically sprouting question marks over their heads.
   A handful of clans? Nothing to worry about?
   How did those two statements even go together?!
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   Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Nine-Tails?! Where Did the Nine-Tails Come From?
   The night passed without incident.
   At dawn, as the first light brushed the horizon, deep within the Uchiha Clan Grounds, Ryota slowly opened his eyes.
   Morning sunlight streamed through the window, spilling into the quiet room.
   Turning his head, he saw Ais and Lefiya lying peacefully at his sides, faint blushes still on their cheeks, their bodies half-concealed beneath a thin blanket that hinted at every graceful curve beneath.
   Ryota gazed up at the ceiling, muttering to himself:
   "This... might be the first time I've slept soundly in the ninja world."
   He rose slowly, tugged the blanket up to properly cover the two girls, and left them undisturbed.
   The very first time he'd arrived in this world had been after his intimate encounter with a dump truck.
   What should have been his beginner's grace period of transmigration had instead dumped him right in the middle of the "Night of the Uchiha Massacre."
   Desperate to survive, he'd hurried into the system's Trial Space.
   He had struggled there for over half a year before being dropped into Orario.
   And in that world, he had felt like a wound-up clockwork toy, never stopping for even a moment.
   Now, back once again in the shinobi world, he had already slain Danz and seized control of the Uchiha.
   "Fate... really is an incomprehensible thing."
   Without disturbing the two resting girls, Ryota quietly shut the door behind him and stepped outside.
   The morning breeze carried a chill, brushing across the gravel and stone slabs of the courtyard, pricking the skin awake.
   Three figures appeared in the courtyard almost at once.
   Uchiha Fugaku, with Setsuna and Inabi right behind him.
   Their faces were tight with fatigue, eyes bloodshot and heavy. Clearly, none of them had slept a wink the night before.
   Fugaku was the first to speak, though his voice rasped from exhaustion.
   Ryota glanced over them, his lips curling in a faint, amused smile.
   "You three look like you just crawled back from the battlefield."
   Fugaku let out a bitter laugh.
   "Ah... the atmosphere in the clan was far too heavy. Not just us-no one managed to sleep last night."
   A shinobi's body might endure sleepless nights, but no amount of conditioning could suppress that kind of mental pressure.
   It was no wonder Fugaku carried such an expression.
   After all, their opponent was the entirety of Konoha.
   The Third Hokage, the Hyga, the Nara... nearly every clan in the village had gathered. Just in sheer numbers, the gap was overwhelming.
   And the Uchiha? How many did they really have?
   Even with Ryota's Falna blessing every clan member, boosting their power far beyond what they had ever known... even with their wills drawn tighter together through that faint, unspoken divine link...
   That gnawing unease from deep within still corroded them like a tide.
   Yet despite that crushing disparity, not a single traitor had emerged. No one tried to flee.
   Still, every Uchiha couldn't help but wonder: Can we really win?
   The thought weighed heavy in Fugaku's eyes. He lowered his head, silent for a long while, until at last it simply sank.
   He had once been clan head, the pillar who had watched the Uchiha through each step of their decline.
   He knew too well: in the shinobi world, so-called "justice" and "order" were nothing but synonyms for strength.
   And just then-Ryota chuckled.
   "You bow your head like that-are you thinking... or just waiting to die?"
   That calm, offhanded question struck like thunder.
   Fugaku's head jerked up, his gaze meeting Ryota's clear yet fathomless eyes.
   There was no anger, no mockery-only a steady, unshakable confidence. A power that seemed to have already seen through everything.
   "Tell me," Ryota said, turning his gaze outward.
   "What's the situation with Sarutobi Hiruzen?"
   Fugaku sucked in a breath, forced his heart steady, and answered gravely:
   "Judging by their movements... the assault will likely begin tonight."
   "Good. That suits me perfectly."
   "Bring a few elites and come with me."
   Fugaku responded instinctively-then froze, realization dawning.
   "Clan Head... leave? Where to?"
   Not only Fugaku-Setsuna and Inabi also blinked in confusion.
   At the very brink of annihilation, everyone wanted nothing more than to fortify the clan grounds to the utmost.
   And now their clan head wanted to leave?
   They were still gaping when Ryota spoke again.
   "What? You'd rather see the Uchiha grounds left in ruins?"
   Their eyes widened, pupils shrinking almost in unison.
   -He wanted to strike first?!
   Until now, they had all assumed today's battle would be a grim defense, holding the line until the very last breath.
   But Ryota intended to do the opposite.
   "Clan Head, you mean..." Inabi's voice trembled as he spoke.
   "Instead of holding the clan grounds... we move first?"
   Footsteps approached from behind-Ais and Lefiya, already equipped and prepared.
   They had heard Ryota's plan the night before.
   Ryota looked back to Fugaku.
   The words hung heavy in the air.
   Fugaku's face changed, shock flashing clear as day.
   "Ten... just ten people?"
   "And you want to attack?!"
   At first, he thought Ryota meant a scouting party. Or perhaps some attempt at negotiation.
   But no-the unshakable certainty in Ryota's voice told him otherwise.
   Against the whole of Konoha, with only ten.
   "Clan Head..." Fugaku swallowed hard, forcing the words out.
   "The Hokage isn't alone. The great clans stand with him... hundreds of shinobi at least. And us... ten?"
   Ryota nodded, his smile unchanged.
   "Precisely. Because they have hundreds, we don't need more than that."
   The hell kind of logic is that?!
   Fugaku's mouth opened, but in the end, he didn't argue.
   Setsuna and Inabi exchanged grim looks, then darted off to select the ten elites.
   But before they had gone more than a few steps-
   An explosion thundered from the direction of the clan's main gate, shaking the entire compound.
   The three froze, whipping around in shock.
   Ryota lifted his eyes toward the rising dust and rumbled softly:
   "So the old man really couldn't wait."
   He began walking toward the gate.
   "Clan Head!" Fugaku called, frowning deeply, voice low and tight.
   "We'll rally the clan-prepare for battle!"
   Ryota didn't look back, only lifted a hand in casual dismissal.
   The three exchanged heavy glances, then vanished in a blur toward the compound's heart.
   Not far from the Uchiha grounds, on a ridge cloaked in morning mist, killing intent hung thick in the air.
   Sarutobi Hiruzen stood at the cliff's edge, Hokage robes draped about him, gazing down at the Uchiha compound.
   His old, clouded eyes showed no hesitation.
   To his left and right stood Hyga Hiashi and Nara Shikaku.
   Behind them, the clan heads of Konoha.
   In the distance, rumbles shook the ground.
   The Sarutobi clan had begun the first assault, hurling wave after wave of fire jutsu at the compound's edge.
   Hiashi's eyes narrowed as he watched one corner of the Uchiha district already consumed by flame.
   "Lord Hokage... isn't this excessive?"
   "The Uchiha already number so few. And yet you've mobilized nearly the whole of Konoha. Isn't this... overkill?"
   "And if other nations sense this much disturbance... they'll think something catastrophic has happened inside Konoha."
   But Hiruzen only shook his head.
   "Hiashi, you're still too naive."
   "All of Konoha-no, all of the shinobi world-already knows Danz died in the Uchiha compound."
   "How many eyes are on us right now?"
   "If we quietly dispatched a handful of assassins to erase the Uchiha, wouldn't that look like cowardice?"
   "I need the world to see. That even the once-proud Uchiha, even with the Sharingan-if they defy the village's will, they'll be crushed all the same."
   His voice hardened, sharp as steel.
   "This isn't the extermination of a clan."
   "Konoha does not tolerate defiance."
   "Taking this chance to display our strength is no weakness."
   The clan heads fell silent for several seconds.
   Because Hiruzen's words weren't wrong.
   The death of Danz wasn't just another casualty. It was the fall of a Kage-level power.
   News of that would spread like wildfire through the hidden villages.
   And though the shinobi world looked peaceful, beneath the surface currents surged.
   If they erased the Uchiha in secret, suspicion would fester.
   Better to make a show of it. Root out the clan in broad daylight, scorch the earth, and reestablish the Will of Fire's authority with thunderous force.
   Using Danz's death as justification, the slaughter of the Uchiha became not only righteous but necessary.
   Hiruzen's gaze hardened as he watched the flames rising.
   But before the words had fully left his lips-
   A deafening roar erupted from within the Uchiha grounds.
   Not from Sarutobi flames.
   The gathered shinobi turned, confusion flashing.
   A pillar of blinding red light speared into the sky.
   Before anyone could react, the sheer pressure slammed across the battlefield, forcing even jnin to their knees, chests constricted.
   Nine tails, swaying and writhing behind it.
   Hiashi's eyes went wide, his voice breaking.
   "Impossible...! The Nine-Tails should still be sealed in its jinchriki-how can it be here, in the Uchiha grounds?!"
   Hiruzen's eyes bulged, his old body leaning forward as his heart lurched.
   "That chakra-something's wrong!!!"
   Clan heads. Elite shinobi. All of them, no matter how battle-hardened, stood locked in utter shock.
   Appearing in the Uchiha compound?!
  
   Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Sarutobi Hiruzen's Life-or-Death Gamble
   Everyone knew-after the Nine-Tails' Rampage.
   That calamity which shook all of Konoha had only been quelled through the life-sacrificing struggle of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.
   That night, the Fourth Hokage and his wife fell, Konoha suffered devastating losses, and the Nine-Tails' chakra was finally sealed inside the newborn Naruto Uzumaki.
   From that day forward, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who once again shouldered the mantle of Hokage, treated the Jinchuriki's safety as the highest priority. He even personally ordered that Naruto be placed under strict, around-the-clock surveillance.
   ANBU guarded him nearly twenty-four hours a day.
   What he ate, where he went, who he spoke with-everything was recorded in detail.
   "Why is there a Nine-Tails inside the Uchiha Clan Grounds?!"
   Hiruzen's mind reeled, his thoughts crashing into one another.
   "Something's wrong-something's very wrong!"
   His old eyes locked on the rampaging giant fox, his voice trembling despite himself:
   "Naruto hasn't left the village... the ANBU's reports haven't been mistaken... so where did this Nine-Tails come from?!"
   Beside him, Nara Shikaku's brows furrowed, his mind racing.
   "Even if it's genjutsu, no one could maintain an illusion of this scale... besides, that's genuine Nine-Tails chakra!"
   "But how could two Nine-Tails exist in the shinobi world?!"
   There was no time left to think-
   The massive beast lunged forward, barreling toward the Sarutobi clan.
   "Retreat! Retreat-fall back, now!!"
   The squad leader's command had barely left his mouth before the enormous claws slammed down.
   Over a dozen Sarutobi elites were crushed into nothing but a bloody mist without even a scream, leaving a deep gash across the earth where the claws struck!
   The formation instantly collapsed into chaos. The Sarutobi shinobi, who had just been setting their lines, now fled in panic.
   But the Nine-Tails was the king of the Tailed Beasts. These shinobi could never match its speed.
   Every sweep of its claws erased another cluster of Sarutobi lives.
   From the distant platform, the Third Hokage's heart bled, his eyes twitching.
   But he was Hokage-he forced his emotions down, straightened, and bellowed:
   "Move!! Support them!! We cannot let history repeat itself!"
   "Remember the price we paid during the Nine-Tails' Rampage!!"
   His roar snapped everyone awake.
   What had begun as a mission to annihilate the Uchiha had now turned into a desperate life-and-death battle against the Nine-Tails itself!
   "Activate Byakugan! Support the Sarutobi!"
   "Everyone, assemble! With me-move to assist!"
   "I'll evacuate the villagers nearby!"
   In an instant, the clans gathered for the Uchiha extermination transformed into an emergency task force against the reappearance of the Nine-Tails.
   And in the midst of the chaos and despair-
   Ryota stood upon the high platform of the Uchiha Clan Grounds, watching the rampaging beast with the faint curl of a smile on his lips.
   At his side, Ais's golden eyes reflected the massive figure of the Nine-Tails. She asked softly:
   "What is that...? Is it some kind of monster from this world?"
   Lefiya stepped closer, her voice trembling as she added:
   "Ryota... this creature is different from what we saw in the Dungeon before."
   "Did you really... summon this thing?"
   Clearly, the monstrous fox had shaken the two girls so deeply that they struggled to even put their feelings into words.
   "Mm. Same as Madara, same as Pain... but the Nine-Tails is a little different. It's a part of me."
   Ais and Lefiya nodded, half-understanding, half-bewildered.
   This was, in truth, the first time he had ever fully released the Nine-Tails from within his body.
   With each mission he completed, the Nine-Tails' chakra inside him had steadily grown stronger.
   And Naruto's Nine-Tails still existed as well-only dormant in slumber.
   But a thought stirred in Ryota's heart: if both versions of the Nine-Tails' chakra could exist at once... didn't that mean they could potentially be fused?
   That Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra could be absorbed into his own?
   The potential within those two was practically tailor-made for Familia templates.
   "They'd both make excellent Familia members."
   A strange glint flickered in Ryota's eyes.
   "Once things are settled in Konoha..."
   "It'll be time to meet those two children."
   Just as he pulled his thoughts back, hurried footsteps rushed up behind him.
   Uchiha Fugaku arrived with over a dozen elites in tow. Yet the moment they caught sight of the battlefield ahead, they froze, nearly collapsing to their knees.
   "Clan Head... is that the Nine-Tails...? The Nine-Tails?!"
   His voice shook as he stared wide-eyed at the colossal beast tearing through the battlefield.
   That familiar silhouette, that ocean-like surge of chakra, those nine tails of calamity...
   There was no doubt. It was the legendary King of Tailed Beasts.
   Ryota's voice carried a teasing edge, but it thundered like lightning in Fugaku's mind.
   "But... but it's helping us?"
   "No... no, wait. It hasn't touched the clan grounds at all. It's avoided every inch of the compound, it's... it's fighting alongside us?!"
   Fugaku felt his vision swim, nearly fainting on the spot.
   This wasn't just a battlefield tactic-
   This was control over the Nine-Tails!
   The same Nine-Tails that had nearly destroyed Konoha, now weaponized to crush their enemies!
   "Impossible... this is impossible..."
   "The Nine-Tails... being used by us Uchiha...?"
   And yet, there it was, rampaging across the battlefield, ripping through Konoha's attack lines, shattering the Sarutobi defenses.
   Ryota glanced at the clan members standing behind Fugaku, each one bearing the Three Tomoe Sharingan.
   "Have them prepare to sweep the battlefield."
   "Anything useful, bring it back. In times like these, resourcefulness matters."
   The Uchiha stared blankly.
   "Clean... clean up the battlefield?"
   "You mean... we're leaving the clan grounds?"
   Outside their gates, the Nine-Tails and Konoha's shinobi were locked in a life-and-death clash. If they walked out there casually, wasn't that suicide?
   But Ryota spoke so lightly, as though the battlefield were nothing more than a garden after the lawn had been cut.
   "Go on. The Nine-Tails will protect you."
   The first young Uchiha clenched his teeth and answered, then the second, then the third.
   The doubts that had plagued them-the sleepless worry of whether the Uchiha could survive at all-were swept away. Flames lit their eyes anew.
   With the Nine-Tails on their side, how could they possibly lose?!
   In a blur, the figures dashed out, streaks of motion racing toward the battlefield.
   Only Ryota, Ais, and Lefiya remained behind.
   Lefiya tugged at his sleeve.
   "Do you need me to do anything?"
   Ryota smiled at her, turning to meet those earnest eyes.
   "Of course I need you, Lefiya."
   A thunderous sound split the skies.
   Ais and Lefiya both snapped their heads upward.
   From within the flames, the Monkey King Enma leapt high, cradling Sarutobi Hiruzen in its great hands.
   On Enma's palm, the old Hokage's hands blurred through seals, each movement strengthening the ghastly specter looming behind him.
   The Sealing Jutsu: Reaper Death Seal.
   Hiruzen was preparing to gamble his life, to seal away the rampaging Nine-Tails once and for all!
   Ryota had already foreseen this moment. He turned his head toward the elf girl beside him.
   "Use your magic. Target him."
   Lefiya nodded, lifting her staff as her voice carried the chant:
   "Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree-"
   "I am the expert of the bow. Shoot, sniper of the fairies. Penetrate, arrow of absolute accuracy!"
   With the final words, her spell ignited into an Arcs Ray, a blazing arrow of light streaking straight for Hiruzen.
   At that moment, Hiruzen's focus was locked on the Reaper Death Seal. His entire being had narrowed to that single task, his vision filled only with the raging Nine-Tails.
   An alien energy, nothing like chakra, jolted his senses.
   A dazzling arrow of light hurtled straight for his face.
   Hiruzen's eyes widened. In that split-second between life and death, he twisted desperately aside.
   The arrow skimmed past his cheek.
   But Enma, holding him aloft, was not so lucky.
   The Monkey King gave a cry of pain before bursting into a puff of white smoke.
   Without Enma, Hiruzen plummeted, landing heavily on the ground, his face etched with shock.
   "What was that ninjutsu? Why have I never seen it before?!"
   But he had no time to dwell on it.
   That single arrow hadn't only struck Enma-it had shattered the rhythm of the battlefield.
   Hiruzen barely regained his footing when an oppressive force bore down upon him.
   The colossal Nine-Tails ignored everything else, charging straight for him.
   "This beast is even more troublesome than before!"
   A twitch pulled at the corner of his eye. Something wasn't right.
   The Nine-Tails, the most savage of Tailed Beasts, should have been a mindless whirlwind of destruction.
   Every time it avoided the clan grounds with uncanny precision. Not a single brick disturbed, not a single tile broken.
   Even against waves of ninjutsu from the shinobi forces, it needed only a flick of its tails to swat them aside.
   This wasn't a rampaging beast.
   Every movement, every claw swipe, every roar carried deliberate intent!
   "What's happening... why is this worse-far worse-than that night?!"
   Cold sweat streamed down Hiruzen's face.
   That night, he had seen Minato and Kushina give their lives to subdue the Nine-Tails and seal it away.
   But this-this Nine-Tails wasn't in a frenzy.
   It was fighting like a trained shinobi.
   A weapon, wielded under orders.
   "This... this can't be..."
   He muttered, but there was no time left.
   The Nine-Tails' claws crashed down.
   The ground erupted, earth and dust blasting skyward.
   Hiruzen barely evaded, forcing himself to resume the seals for the Reaper Death Seal.
   That had been Minato's final weapon. He had dragged the Nine-Tails' yin chakra into the Reaper's belly, dying alongside it.
   Then sealed the yang chakra into newborn Naruto with the Eight Trigrams Seal.
   That battle had been both sacrifice and legacy.
   But Hiruzen had no legacy left.
   If he used the Reaper Death Seal now, he could only drag both halves of the Nine-Tails' chakra into himself.
   A storm of power so violent that even touching it was like knives scraping bone. To seal it entirely...
   It wasn't sealing. It was suicide.
   "So it's come to this after all..."
   His eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted in pain.
   He was the Third Hokage, the protector of Konoha.
   He had once watched Minato sacrifice his life to suppress the Nine-Tails.
   But unlike Minato, he had no successor. No future.
   Only his own death to gamble on a sliver of hope.
   He forced his hands through the signs, his body trembling, blood dripping from his lips.
   The Reaper's specter grew clearer, its fangs and tongue stretching wide, awaiting its next sacrifice.
   Followed by a voice, smooth and mocking.
   "A life for a life, Sarutobi Hiruzen?"
   "But I'm afraid I won't be giving you that chance..."
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   Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Who's Sealing Who? That's Still Up in the Air!
   Sarutobi Hiruzen jerked his head around. From the clearing smoke, Ryota emerged slowly, flanked by Ais and Lefiya.
   He froze completely, his whole body trembling.
   Hiruzen's eyes locked onto the three figures walking toward him, especially the black-haired boy in the lead.
   Countless thoughts tore through his mind.
   He remembered Ryota's declaration of war between the Uchiha and Konoha.
   He remembered Shimura Danz's death-even with his Kage-level strength-and the Root annihilated within the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
   Back then, Hiruzen had thought it was just the Uchiha struggling again, that this new clan head had gone mad.
   That massive fox, bellowing wildly yet deliberately sparing the Uchiha Clan Grounds, was tearing apart the defensive lines of Konoha's great clans.
   Not genjutsu. Not a puppet. A real Tailed Beast with overwhelming chakra, capable of leveling everything in its path.
   And that beast... was obeying the boy's orders.
   Hiruzen muttered, the muscles on his face twitching violently, his reason beginning to crack.
   "The Nine-Tails is still sealed in the jinchuriki... how could you possibly...?"
   "Don't tell me... you can control the Nine-Tails?!"
   "No, no! That's impossible-it's impossible!!"
   He staggered back step by step, his worldview shattering, his lifelong beliefs crumbling before his eyes.
   When he looked up again, all trace of the Hokage's composure was gone.
   In its place: shock, fury, and chaos he couldn't accept.
   His voice broke into a roar:
   Ryota only answered with a mocking smile.
   "I'm the head of the Uchiha Clan."
   Hiruzen sucked in several deep breaths, then suddenly seemed to understand.
   "I get it now... the Nine-Tails-it's your doing!"
   "Just like the rampage years ago... you want to destroy Konoha too, don't you?!"
   "Destroy Konoha? You're flattering yourself."
   He raised his hand, pointing off into the distance.
   "Konoha will be my territory from now on."
   "In fact, the entire shinobi world will be mine to command."
   With a furious roar, Hiruzen sprang into the air.
   Behind him, the specter of the Reaper grew sharper and sharper.
   "I will never let you destroy Konoha!!"
   The surviving Konoha shinobi all looked up at the figure rising skyward.
   At last, they understood the Hokage's resolve.
   "Lord Hokage is moving... thank goodness!"
   "No... that's the Reaper Death Seal... a jutsu that trades life for life...!"
   "Lord Hokage is going with the resolve to die!!"
   Nearby, Hyga Hiashi and Nara Shikaku also sensed the anomaly in the skies. Their eyes met, both reading the same shock in the other's gaze.
   "...The Reaper Death Seal?" Hiashi muttered.
   "He's going to follow the Fourth's example... life for life."
   Shikaku's eyes darkened. As Konoha's strategist, he understood what this meant all too well.
   The Hokage's death would leave a vacuum.
   Before, at least Danz had been alive.
   Even if the Third had fallen, Danz could have temporarily seized authority, stabilizing the situation.
   With Danz dead and the Third about to follow-
   Konoha would be left with only fragmented clans and a generation of unprepared youths.
   The village would collapse into chaos.
   Shikaku's fists clenched unconsciously, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
   Hiashi's expression turned grim. Even with his stern, hard nature, he couldn't ignore the severity.
   The Hokage's seat, once empty-especially now, under both internal turmoil and external threat-would shatter Konoha in an instant.
   "...We have to stop him." Shikaku said quietly.
   "Even Lord Hokage cannot die right now."
   But Hiashi only shook his head bitterly.
   "It's too late... the Reaper Death Seal is already complete."
   Above them, Hiruzen's hands finished the last seal.
   The Reaper's phantom form had fully manifested, its arms spread wide, reaching for the Nine-Tails.
   "The only thing left-" Hiashi's voice was heavy, "is to protect Lord Hokage until he completes the seal!"
   "As long as the Nine-Tails is sealed, the Uchiha will lose their trump card. Then we can wipe them out in one stroke!"
   "Only then... will Lord Hokage's death mean something!!"
   Shikaku stayed silent for a moment, then finally nodded.
   "Block any interference from the Uchiha-no matter the cost!!"
   The elites of every clan surged forward like a tide, charging straight for the Nine-Tails.
   Chakra flared, dozens of jutsu filled the sky.
   To them, it was a scene of tragic determination.
   To Ryota, it was nothing but a swarm of fools.
   Standing amid the firelight, he grinned.
   Not with mockery. Not with pity. But with the cold detachment of someone who had already seen through everything.
   "With just these people, they think they can oppose me?"
   He stepped forward, and the Nine-Tails responded instantly to his will, lashing out in a frenzy.
   "These so-called elites chose to hunt the Uchiha... then their fate can only be to turn into dust."
   "Not everyone is worthy of receiving my Falna."
   In the distance, the Konoha forces charged the beast with suicidal resolve.
   But Ryota's gaze never lingered on them for even a second.
   His eyes fixed on the airborne Hiruzen, already nearing his limit.
   "...But first, let's deal with you."
   A glint flashed in Ryota's eyes.
   "So, the Reaper Death Seal, huh?"
   "Who's sealing who... that's still up for debate."
   In midair, Hiruzen's body froze as though something had forcibly severed his connection to reality itself.
   Just an eerie, razor-thin sound.
   And then, before the eyes of all...
   Sarutobi Hiruzen vanished.
   Without warning. Without even the faintest ripple of chakra.
   As though he had never existed.
   Countless shinobi stopped mid-handseal, their fingers stiff in unfinished jutsu.
   Hiashi's eyes went wide, forgetting that his Byakugan was still active.
   Shikaku's kunai halted mid-swing.
   Every clan head-Yamanaka, Aburame, Inuzuka-stared blankly at the empty sky.
   That had been the Third Hokage's place.
   That had been where the Reaper Death Seal was in motion.
   How long did the silence last? No one knew.
   It was as if time itself had frozen.
   Until finally, Shikaku forced his head to turn, his face pale, his throat dry as he rasped:
   The words were quiet, but they crashed into every heart.
   Hiashi clenched his teeth, shaking his head slowly. His Byakugan chakra surged to the limit, veins crawling like webs at the corners of his eyes.
   His voice was low, trembling with undisguisable fear.
   "I... can't see anything at all."
   "His chakra, his body-not a trace remains."
   "It's as if... he was completely erased from this world."
   Even Hiashi's pride couldn't hide the tremor in his voice.
   Because everyone knew-the Byakugan was not an ordinary sensory technique.
   It was one of the highest-level Kekkei Genkai.
   It could see through, track chakra, perceive every detail within a kilometer.
   And yet now-he saw nothing.
   This wasn't "concealment" or "hiding."
   This was true disappearance.
   The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was gone.
   No mark. No shadow. Erased by some force beyond the shinobi world's laws.
   All eyes turned, as if pulled, toward the boy still standing at the edge of the ruins.
   Ryota's eyes still shimmered with a black, unfathomable glow, his expression cold and divine as he looked down at them all.
   In the deathly silence, his voice rose, like the whisper of death itself:
   "Even now, you're still clinging to thoughts of your Third Hokage?"
   "Perhaps you should worry more about yourselves..."
   The Nine-Tails' bellow shook the battlefield.
   Its massive head reared, eyes locking onto the dense mass of Konoha forces.
   Chakra swelled violently, condensing into its maw.
   Between its jagged fangs, a black sphere slowly spun into form.
   The true art of destruction.
   Hiashi's face drained of color.
   "No! It's the Tailed Beast Bomb!! Retreat-retreat now!!"
   Shikaku's expression also darkened. This wasn't any ordinary jutsu.
   This was a weapon that could obliterate mountains, erase entire villages.
   Everyone realized it. Even the clan heads and elite forces were nothing but ants before this.
   "Retreat! Everyone retreat-now!!"
   Shinobi scattered in all directions, leaping desperately away.
   But Ryota's expression never changed.
   "Do you really think you can run?"
   "Death... is the only release you'll get."
   The air itself split as the Tailed Beast Bomb tore free.
   Wherever it passed, the land and sky warped.
   No Fourth Hokage's Flying Raijin.
   No Third Hokage's Reaper Death Seal.
   No power remained to stop it.
   The heart of the fleeing crowd.
   "Find cover!! Anything-!!"
   "It's the Tailed Beast Bomb!!"
   Their screams echoed across the battlefield.
   But none could outrun the judgment of the King of Tailed Beasts.
   The explosion swallowed the land whole.
   A cataclysmic shockwave rolled out, ring after ring of destruction flattening everything in sight.
   The air itself tore apart.
   The ground split open, fire and dust churned together with blood into a colossal mushroom cloud that blotted the sky.
   The cries of pain lasted only seconds-before silence.
   The central battlefield was gone, reduced to a vast crater of scorched earth. Not a single corpse remained whole.
  
   Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Ascending Over Konoha, Changes in the Akatsuki's Plans
   The Tailed Beast Bomb Kurama unleashed was no ordinary Tailed Beast Bomb.
   That Kurama was no ordinary Kurama.
   From the moment its chakra surged outward, it was already completely different from the arrogant, savage Nine-Tails recorded in history-one that knew nothing but slaughter.
   This was a higher, more ordered, more will-driven "power of destruction."
   Because this Nine-Tails was born from Ryota himself.
   It was a terrifying beast that carried all the "hacks" hidden within Ryota's body.
   Now, it stood at the edge of the Uchiha Clan Grounds, nine tails swaying irregularly in the air.
   Its eyes held no rage, no madness-only suffocating, ice-cold reason.
   The shockwave from the Tailed Beast Bomb sent rolling waves of heat and pressure crashing outward.
   In mere moments, the ground was torn apart, stones turned to dust, flesh mingled with scorched soil, and blood rained down across the battlefield.
   This wasn't simply destruction.
   The elite formation of Konoha stationed at the perimeter was obliterated in an instant-no ranks left intact, no shinobi left standing.
   And yet, a handful of iron-willed, quick-reacting shinobi still clawed their way out of the "hell."
   Ryota strode forward slowly, his gaze fixed on the smoking rubble that crumbled without end.
   A moment later, a broken figure crawled out from the ruins with agonizing effort.
   His right arm had been obliterated in the blast, only his left still barely able to mold chakra.
   Half his face was blown into mangled flesh, but his Byakugan remained open wide, bloodshot veins spreading like cracks.
   "Oh? You're... still alive?"
   "I underestimated you. That Byakugan of yours is still-"
   Before he could finish, Hiashi roared, chakra surging into his left palm.
   Blue light burst forth, fueled by the rage of a dying man, and he drove it straight for Ryota's face.
   That furious strike had only just begun to rise when-
   A flash of gold streaked past.
   The next instant, Hiashi froze in place.
   His pupils dilated, his mind unable to process what had happened.
   His head soared skyward, carving a grotesque arc before landing with a dull roll across the shattered stones.
   On the ground, a long smear of blood stretched bright and obscene.
   His ruined body still held its attacking stance, arm raised high, chakra blazing-
   Standing at Ryota's side, Ais flicked the blood from Feather's Echo, her golden eyes filled with faint disgust as she glanced at the headless corpse.
   Ryota tilted his head toward her.
   Those clear golden eyes carried no emotion. She lowered them slightly, calmly wiping her blade clean.
   Ryota clearly remembered: in Orario, whether Ais or any adventurer, no matter how cold or taciturn, they all abided by one unbreakable law-
   Adventurers must not kill each other.
   It was the Guild's iron rule, the very bottom line of Dungeon order.
   And Ais, the Sword Princess herself, though she had cut down countless monsters in the Dungeon, had never once raised her blade against a human.
   Yet today, she severed the head of a man-
   Not a monster. Not a beast. But a leader of Konoha. The head of the Hyga Clan, Hyga Hiashi.
   Sensing Ryota's eyes on her, Ais tilted her head.
   "Since they're monsters, they should be cut down."
   Her tone carried no anger, no hatred-just a calm statement of fact.
   The same way she once spoke of slaying beasts in the Dungeon.
   Ryota blinked. He had wondered if Ais, facing human blood for the first time in this world, might waver.
   Clearly, he had worried for nothing.
   At the side, Lefiya puffed her cheeks in protest at the two exchanging such obvious glances.
   "That's not fair, Ais! You were too fast!"
   "I was going to chant... but you didn't even leave me a target!"
   "Next time you have to save one for me, or I'm seriously going to complain!"
   He thought Ais' indifference was bad enough, but Lefiya was even worse.
   Were they seriously treating the shinobi world like it was just another Dungeon floor?
   Did they really see these Konoha elites as nothing but "upper-tier mobs"?
   Though he thought so, Ryota's gaze lingered on the two of them.
   The more he looked, the more they resembled beautiful, lethal weapons-slaughter machines wrapped in the skin of pretty girls.
   Beautiful killing machines. He supposed he could live with that.
   Soon, several figures emerged from the scorched battlefield's edge-Uchiha Fugaku, followed by his clansmen.
   Their faces were painted with shock and disbelief.
   "And from the Nine-Tails itself?!"
   As Uchiha, they all remembered the Nine-Tails' attack years ago. Even though their clan had been pushed to the outskirts during that night, the shadow of that disaster had carved itself into Konoha's history.
   But the destructive power just now... was even greater than their memories.
   Fugaku swallowed hard as he looked at Hiashi's decapitated body.
   Then his eyes turned to Ryota, filled with awe.
   The ground quaked violently as a massive figure emerged from the smoke.
   Each step of its colossal claws sent tremors through the earth.
   "It's coming back! The Nine-Tails is coming again!"
   "Protect the Clan Head!!"
   Fugaku's pupils shrank. He spread his arms wide, shouting:
   "All of you! Protect the Clan Head!!"
   Several Uchiha rushed forward, shielding Ryota, Ais, and Lefiya.
   But Ryota only waved them off with a smile.
   The massive Nine-Tails loomed before them like a mountain.
   It raised its head and let out a low growl, then-before their stunned eyes-bowed down, rubbing its head against Ryota's cheek.
   Gentle. Affectionate. Like an oversized cat.
   The battlefield fell into silence.
   Even Ais and Lefiya blinked in surprise. Fugaku and his clansmen nearly popped their eyes out.
   Before they could cry out-
   A cloud of white smoke burst forth.
   And the Nine-Tails vanished.
   Gone as if it had never existed.
   The shinobi stood frozen-not at its disappearance, but at what they had just witnessed.
   That was the Nine-Tails. The apex of Tailed Beasts.
   A beast whose Tailed Beast Bomb had erased both shinobi and battlefield alike.
   And it had just... nuzzled its master's cheek before quietly leaving?
   What kind of joke was this?!
   Fugaku stood dumbfounded. His clansmen had forgotten to breathe.
   "Was... was that really the Nine-Tails?"
   "Somebody-please tell me I'm not insane..."
   "I just saw it lick our Clan Head's face... I'm not hallucinating, right?"
   "That wasn't licking. That was... cuddling, wasn't it?"
   The whole scene was unbearably surreal.
   The Uchiha who moments ago had sworn to die protecting Ryota now exchanged bewildered glances, as if convinced they were trapped in genjutsu.
   "Disperse. Don't just stand there."
   With a thought, the air behind him warped and twisted.
   Two figures appeared: the Animal Path and the Asura Path of the Six Paths of Pain.
   The moment they materialized, Fugaku and the others instinctively stepped back.
   Even the smallest movement radiated enough pressure to crush them into blood mist.
   Ryota looked at them and spoke calmly:
   "These two will assist you."
   "Purge the ones in the village who are in the way."
   Fugaku was about to nod, almost eager-until Ryota's next words froze him.
   "Konoha will be our base from now on."
   "You should know what that means."
   Fugaku blinked. Then it clicked.
   Ryota didn't mean blind slaughter. Not petty revenge. Not reducing Konoha to rubble.
   Cut down those loyal to the Third Hokage, to Danz, those stubborn relics who clung to the "Will of Fire."
   Then stabilize the clans, soothe the citizens, and embed Uchiha's authority into Konoha's bones.
   Transform Konoha not into ruins... but into Ryota's possession.
   Fugaku lowered his head in thought. When he raised it again, his expression was solemn.
   Ryota watched them disappear into the smoke and ruins. Only when their figures faded completely did he stretch and let his sharp aura ease.
   "If only everything could be as easy as crushing the Third."
   His tone carried rare weariness, yet also mocking lightness.
   Ryota knew well-he was destruction incarnate, the pivot upon which worlds could fall and rise.
   But ruling and killing were not the same.
   Leaving Fugaku alive had been a strategic decision.
   For all his compromises and survival amidst the Third, Danz, and the Will of Fire zealots, Fugaku had proven he knew balance, stability, and sacrifice far better than most fools.
   Ryota would never underestimate those "old foxes."
   Killing the Third was easy.
   Claiming his authority, making Konoha truly obey-
   That required more than raw power.
   The Will of Fire, that brainwashed faith of blind loyalty, couldn't be erased in a day.
   His eyes swept the battlefield: scorched earth, shattered headbands, lingering chakra.
   All signs of an era's end.
   Konoha's old age was dead.
   And Ryota's "Familia Era" was only just beginning.
   The village of endless rain.
   Dark clouds smothered the skies, silver sheets pounding down without end.
   High above the tallest black spire, the sound of fluttering paper filled the air.
   Sheets of white paper converged midair, swirling into the form of a woman.
   Konan frowned as she stepped onto the highest walkway, gazing at the figure standing at the edge of the tower, letting the rain soak through him.
   Yahiko's body-now the Deva Path of Pain.
   At her words, the Deva Path turned his head slightly, Rinnegan gleaming in the rain.
   Konan's "he" referred, of course, to Uchiha Obito.
   After a long pause, Konan spoke:
   "Konoha... seems to have changed."
   The Deva Path's gaze sharpened, his aura shifting slightly.
   "...It's connected to the Nine-Tails."
   "The intel isn't clear. It seems the Nine-Tails went berserk and launched a massive attack in the heart of Konoha."
   The Deva Path fell silent for several seconds.
   "The Nine-Tails... went berserk?"
   For the first time, a strange expression flickered across his usually impassive face.
   He slowly closed his eyes, running through the timeline of the Akatsuki's grand plan in his mind.
   "Our plan-move it forward."
   Konan began, but the Deva Path cut her off.
   "Call them. All of them."
   "This time, we mobilize in full."
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   Chapter 141: Chapter 141: The Way to Break the Shackles of the World
   Ryota had no idea what was happening.
   Or rather, he simply didn't care.
   Even if the all-out mobilization order had been issued in Amegakure, even if a storm that could overturn the entire shinobi world was already brewing...
   At this very moment, Ryota was calmly seated in the hall atop the Hokage Tower, the one that had once belonged to the Third Hokage.
   Ais tilted her head, quietly watching the scenery outside the window. Lefiya looked drowsy, fighting to keep her eyes open.
   And just as Ryota had predicted, Uchiha Fugaku's decision to stay behind was already paying off.
   This man's nature was indeed soft, indecisive. In the original story, he was even labeled "the most spineless Uchiha clan head."
   But that was only because he had been bound-by identity, by position, and most importantly, by the lack of power behind him.
   Now, things were different.
   Behind Fugaku stood Ryota, the man with countless cheats at his disposal.
   The "new god" who could, in a single day, flatten Konoha, erase the Third Hokage, and slaughter the entire leadership.
   Fugaku no longer needed to weigh factions, no longer needed to fear Danz or the Hokage, nor suppress the fury of his own clan.
   He had only one task now: carry out orders.
   And this task, Fugaku executed faster than Ryota had ever expected.
   He had assumed it would take ten days, maybe half a month, to transition power smoothly.
   But it had taken only five.
   In just five days, Fugaku had dragged Konoha up from smoldering ruins, from the brink of collapse, and forcibly reshaped it into a new regime-"stable on the surface, orderly in appearance."
   -Konoha no longer had a Hokage.
   -And no one dared even mention Hokage.
   Every shinobi, every civilian, accepted a simple truth: Konoha's new ruler was the Uchiha clan head.
   The few clans that had survived, after losing their leaders and their main fighting strength, had no power to resist.
   First, Fugaku appeased the people by sending shinobi to handle disaster relief. Then, with two of Ryota's Six Paths Puppets standing watch, any hint of defiance was smothered into silence.
   Threats, promises, incentives, warnings...
   Every tool of a seasoned politician, Fugaku wielded flawlessly.
   Footsteps echoed briskly outside the hall.
   The door opened, and Fugaku's slightly hurried voice followed:
   "Konoha's internal situation has stabilized. The remnants of the great clans have been absorbed and consolidated... but-"
   He strode forward, drew a sealed scroll from his pouch, and presented it with both hands.
   "This intelligence report just arrived. News of Konoha's upheaval has already spread to the other great villages."
   Ryota accepted the scroll, unrolled it, and scanned the dense lines of script:
   Iwagakure: mobilizing three Anbu squads, suspected to be moving toward the Land of Fire.
   Kumogakure: war readiness state, with multiple Raikage's personal units gone missing.
   Sunagakure: reacting slowest, but puppet brigades are being redeployed. Destination unknown.
   Ryota paused, glanced at Fugaku, and chuckled:
   "Seems they're all coming straight for Konoha."
   "So eager, these old men?"
   "That Tailed Beast Bomb nearly erased Konoha's entire center. It couldn't be hidden, even if we tried."
   Ryota didn't reply, just turned his eyes back to the scroll.
   The shinobi world might look peaceful on the surface, but every village constantly watched the others.
   Show the slightest weakness, and they'd pounce without hesitation.
   Fifty years of Konoha's history, beginning with the first Nine-Tails' rampage. Back then, it had been Kirigakure that struck first. Too bad they hadn't accounted for Shisui's cheat-like presence.
   Now, history was repeating itself. Another Nine-Tails disaster. From the outside, Konoha had fallen into chaos: Hokage dead, leadership wiped out.
   To any observer, Konoha was finished.
   A fat fish on the chopping block-who wouldn't want a bite?
   And above all, the Nine-Tails.
   The Tailed Beast's power was the ultimate weapon all villages craved and feared.
   In the past, Jinchriki had been unstable-berserk, uncontrollable, dangerous to their hosts.
   But with time, the technique had matured. Villages were learning to use Tailed Beasts not as gambles, but as strategic weapons.
   And the Nine-Tails-the strongest of them all-was the only one capable of leveling an entire village on its own.
   To fully control it would be a game-changer, a trump card that could shift the entire balance of power.
   That's why these "advance squads" had been dispatched. Not just to exploit Konoha's weakness, but to seize the Nine-Tails.
   Only they had miscalculated.
   The Nine-Tails was already Ryota's property.
   At his whim, it could appear anywhere, anytime.
   Ryota suddenly looked up, as if recalling something.
   "By the way-Naruto. How is he?"
   Fugaku froze, then quickly answered:
   When Ryota had the Nine-Tails unleash its Tailed Beast Bomb, Naruto had collapsed in that very instant-as if his consciousness had been snuffed out. Fugaku had only discovered him later, back at his home.
   But according to the medics, there was no danger to his life.
   Ryota nodded. He could already guess.
   Most likely, his own Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb had stirred the Nine-Tails sealed within Naruto.
   The boy was still young, with neither bond nor control over the beast inside him. Being shaken by its chakra was inevitable.
   Ryota waved a hand dismissively.
   Fugaku bowed respectfully and left in haste.
   As the footsteps faded, silence returned to the room.
   Ryota leaned back in his chair, fingers idly tapping the armrest.
   The main quest was still incomplete.
   And yet, by all appearances, Konoha lay crushed beneath his heel:
   The Third Hokage slain, the council annihilated, the clans destroyed or subdued. Nothing seemed unstable.
   "So why... hasn't the system triggered?"
   "Why is the quest progress still stuck?"
   He narrowed his eyes, sifting rapidly through possibilities.
   Fugaku? No-the man's loyalty was beyond doubt.
   The scattered survivors? No-mere fish that could make no waves.
   Then suddenly, a name flashed in his mind.
   But the thought was dismissed almost instantly.
   "No. The Nine-Tails inside him is still sealed. My Nine-Tails has been fused with me for ages. That kid hasn't even sensed his seal properly, let alone controlled it. He's no threat."
   If not that, then there was only one explanation.
   "The quest's definition is to control Konoha. But what is true control?"
   "Eliminating the leadership? I've done that."
   Suppressing the clans? Done."
   "Winning the people's loyalty? ...Maybe not."
   His gaze darkened, his voice dropping to a mutter:
   "Perhaps... the system demands not just conquest, but stability."
   "True, lasting stability."
   It was maddeningly abstract. The system gave no hints.
   "I have to get Konoha functioning again?"
   The thought made Ryota chuckle softly, eyes glinting with irony.
   "What a hassle... Do I really have to be Hokage?"
   As Ryota pondered the shifting future, Ais quietly approached.
   She rested her head against his chest, speaking softly:
   "...Are you worried about something?"
   Ryota stroked her hair and smiled.
   "Nothing serious. Just... deciding how to keep this place running."
   "Rebuild Konoha?" Ais tilted her face up, golden eyes intent.
   "Though on paper I hold power, this place is crumbling in every sense. Building a system of my own is trickier than I thought."
   Ais was silent for a moment, then suddenly suggested:
   "Then why not bring Finn and the others here?"
   Ryota froze, then his eyes lit up.
   Finn's leadership, Riveria's training, the Hiryute Sister' combat prowess...
   If they were here in the shinobi world, a new Familia-style system would be far more reliable than any Konoha jnin or chnin.
   That would be the true cornerstone he could trust!
   But then his brow creased again.
   "...The problem is, how to bring them here?"
   The Golden Gate could only carry two companions across worlds.
   Even with all his cheats, he couldn't bypass that limit. It wasn't chakra that bound him, but the very barrier of dimensions.
   As Ryota sat frowning, straining to think of a way past the Golden Gate's restrictions-
   A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his ears.
   [Main Branch Quest Triggered!]
   [Quest Name]: Blood Inheritance of Asura and Indra
   [Quest Description]: In the shinobi world, only the power of the First Sons can break the shackles of the world.
   [Quest Objective]: Indra's Chakra Reincarnate 0/1, Asura's Chakra Reincarnate 0/1
   So this was the key to breaking the Golden Gate's limits?!
   Not brute force, but through accepting two opposing bloodlines-using their fused wills as an anchor to forge his own [Divine Authority]!
   Uchiha and Senju, Indra and Asura.
   They were the perfect vessels for his Familia template!
   A slow smile curved Ryota's lips.
   "So, taming those two brats... was inevitable after all."
   He turned his gaze toward the direction of Konoha.
   Naruto, lying unconscious, was the perfect opportunity.
   And Sasuke... perhaps it was time he learned what true Uchiha pride meant.
   "Time to ignite the fire of their destiny."
  
   Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Kakuzu and Hidan Invade Konoha
   As hope flickered in Ryota's eyes, memories of those two "brothers" slowly resurfaced in his mind.
   The history of the shinobi world began with the Sage of Six Paths, tsutsuki Hagoromo.
   As the progenitor of all shinobi, he spread chakra among humankind, striving for peace and establishing the first semblance of order.
   But that order never carried over to his two sons.
   His eldest, Indra, a prodigy of unmatched talent, believed in the creed that "power is everything." He inherited Hagoromo's formidable visual chakra-the progenitor of the Sharingan.
   His younger, Asura, gentle and clumsy yet steadfast, upheld the creed of "love and peace." He inherited Hagoromo's body chakra, which later became the foundation of the Senju and Uzumaki bloodlines.
   The brothers, who should have ruled together, instead clashed and ultimately severed all ties.
   Yet this feud never truly ended-
   Across countless generations, their struggle lived on, reincarnated into new vessels, continuing the ancient conflict and unbroken cycle:
   The previous reincarnation of Indra's chakra was Uchiha Madara, and the one who now bears it is Uchiha Sasuke.
   The previous reincarnation of Asura's chakra was Senju Hashirama, and the one who now bears it is Naruto Uzumaki.
   This was destiny's cycle, the obsession of the shinobi world's will.
   And what Ryota needed now was to sever this endless fate and draw both bloodlines of destiny into his own Familia system.
   As for how to do it... the method was simple.
   Once branded with his Falna Engraving, they would belong to his Familia-
   their souls and bloodlines cut off from their former fate, reborn as Ryota's loyal warriors.
   Though nominally already counted among his Familia, the system had not yet marked the task as complete. That fact revealed the key issue.
   "...Sasuke carries Fugaku's Falna mark."
   "That won't do. I need to erase the old mark myself and redo it."
   Only then would Indra's reincarnation truly come under his banner.
   As for the other-Naruto was still unconscious, his condition unknown, but that made it the perfect chance.
   "Since he's not awake yet, I might as well pay him a visit."
   A smile tugged at Ryota's lips. It was about time he visited the old friend sealed inside Naruto.
   He patted Ais's head, running his fingers gently through her golden hair.
   "You two stay here and wait for me."
   "If Fugaku comes looking for me, just say I'm not around."
   "Mm." Ais gave a quiet nod.
   A flash of light swept through the room, and silence followed.
   Lefiya stirred, blinking groggily as her cheeks flushed, still caught in half-sleep.
   "Lady Ais... where's Ryota?"
   She rubbed her eyes, staring blankly at the now-empty room.
   Ais didn't reply. She simply stood at the window, gazing toward some faraway horizon.
   The air rippled, like water disturbed by a stone.
   In the next moment, Ryota appeared above Naruto's home.
   Everything was as it had always been, just like in the anime-unchanged.
   But as he stepped forward, his brow furrowed.
   The scent wasn't from mere injury-it was the stench of death.
   His focus sharpened, his will spreading outward, blanketing the whole street.
   At once, he felt it-an abrupt fracture.
   Specifically, the sensation of Falna bonds being severed.
   Within his Familia system, Ryota could sense the state of every member. Their deaths resonated on a soul-deep level.
   "What's going on? Konoha was already stabilized, and Fugaku reported no anomalies..."
   Ryota's thought flickered.
   Far away, the eyes of the Asura Path and Animal Path flared with light as they received his command.
   The Asura Path turned to Fugaku, who had only just sat down to rest.
   "Two Uchiha have been killed. Near Naruto's home."
   With that, both paths vanished in a puff.
   Fugaku shot to his feet, face paling.
   He had already restructured Konoha's defenses-how could anyone kill under his nose? And Uchiha no less?!
   At his shout, several Uchiha elites rushed in.
   "Come with me! Protect the clan head!"
   Meanwhile, Ryota stepped into Naruto's home.
   It was as simple and tidy as always, nothing out of place-even the curtains hung the same way.
   The lingering stench of blood, mingled with faint traces of chakra, made Ryota's chest tighten.
   His mind replayed the sensation of those two slain Uchiha.
   Blood. Naruto missing. Familia bonds broken.
   This was a calculated move.
   His eyes hardened. The Rinnegan surfaced, six rings spreading outward in black.
   Everything revealed itself.
   He turned, vision extending beyond sight.
   And then-his gaze locked onto the forest several kilometers away.
   Two figures raced through the trees. One carried the limp body of Naruto.
   They wore black cloaks with red clouds, faces shadowed by straw hats. Their steps left not a trace of dust.
   Ryota's pupils narrowed. He recognized those uniforms immediately.
   His expression turned cold, tinged with surprise-and amusement.
   "This chakra... familiar. Who are you?"
   Without hesitation, his body vanished in a ripple of space.
   Two figures darted through the forest.
   On the left, one carried Naruto, lips twisted in a cruel grin. His slicked-back gray hair whipped in the wind, and around his neck dangled a rosary with the emblem. Purple-gray eyes gleamed with fanatical fervor.
   "Ahhh... what a delicious scent. This brat's got that thing sealed inside him, doesn't he?"
   He licked his lips, eyes alight with madness.
   "To think I can offer the Nine-Tails to Lord Jashin...! I can't wait for the ritual, ahahaha!!"
   Hidan-the Akatsuki's most deranged zealot.
   Beside him strode a cold, hooded man, his black cloak hiding a body that writhed faintly with threads beneath the skin, chakra of multiple natures coursing within.
   "Our mission is to take the Nine-Tails' vessel. Not to waste time on your sacrifices."
   This was Kakuzu-the other half of Akatsuki's immortal duo. The miser shinobi with five hearts and mastery of five elements.
   He glanced at Naruto's limp form in Hidan's grip, his voice sharp.
   "Were it not for Pain's direct order, I wouldn't waste time coming to Konoha for this."
   "The Nine-Tails is trouble."
   Hidan snorted, his grin manic.
   "You're scared he'll go berserk? I'm immortal, what do I care! And look-he hasn't gone berserk, has he?"
   "This village's a wreck anyway. We waltzed in and barely anyone stood in our way."
   Kakuzu shot him a sidelong glare.
   But Hidan just swung Naruto like a sack of grain, laughing with bloodthirst.
   "Tch. You're too cautious, Kakuzu. Isn't this the perfect time? Kill a bunch of brats, have a grand sacrifice-Lord Jashin would be pleased!"
   "We came for the Nine-Tails, not to topple Konoha. Don't underestimate this place."
   "Ha!" Hidan barked. "After that explosion? This village is finished. Their elites are ash-bodies scattered! If Naruto wasn't in such a special spot, even the vessel would've been blown to dust!"
   His grin widened, both regretful and exhilarated.
   "Ah, if only we'd come sooner. Imagine bathing in all that blood... a perfect ritual..."
   Kakuzu's brow furrowed, unease flickering. Something that could obliterate Konoha's entire leadership in one blast was no trivial matter.
   "Keep yapping and I won't bother saving you when you actually die."
   "Cheh." Hidan chuckled, but fell quiet.
   The two pressed on swiftly.
   Kakuzu's instincts screamed.
   "Earth Style: Iron Skin!"
   His arm hardened to black stone just as-
   An immense force smashed into him, shattering the ground and sending shockwaves through the trees.
   Kakuzu staggered back three steps, his arm numb.
   Hidan sprang back with Naruto, widening the gap.
   When he saw their attacker, he froze, eyes bulging.
   For a moment, he just stared-then roared, enraged:
   "What the hell?! Bastard, you've got the wrong guy! We're Akatsuki!!"
   The only reply was a thunderous crash as a colossal stone panda landed before them, shaking the forest floor.
   Hidan cursed, leaping away to Kakuzu's side.
   He gawked at the massive beast, baffled.
   Before he could process it, footsteps sounded.
   The Animal Path-emerged from behind the beast.
   Both Hidan and Kakuzu stiffened, the same thought flashing through their minds:
   "Oi oi oi, Asura Path and Animal Path both showing up? Did we get marked as traitors?!"
   "This is your fault! You and your damn side jobs pissed Pain off!!"
   "Idiot. These aren't the Pain's Six Paths we know."
   Hidan blinked, then narrowed his eyes.
   "...Yeah. They're different."
   These two radiated the Rinnegan's aura, but they weren't mere extensions. They were... independent.
   And their eyes-within the familiar gray-purple rings, faint triangular marks pulsed in a circular pattern.
   Hidan's jaw dropped. Then he broke into a crazed grin.
   "Ooohhh! Interesting! Someone else with the Rinnegan besides that lunatic?!"
   He licked his lips, tossing Naruto aside.
   "These two-mine!! Time for a sacrifice!!"
   With a mad laugh, he charged, scythe gleaming-
   The crushing pressure didn't come from the two before him. It came from behind them.
   Hidan's pupils shrank. His heart skipped a beat. A cold dread spread from his gut to his skull.
   The air behind the two Paths split open.
   And a figure stepped out.
   No chakra flared. No killing intent radiated.
   Yet the world itself seemed to bend around him.
   A presence beyond the shinobi system.
   "...Another one?" Hidan muttered, scythe faltering.
   Kakuzu's expression darkened.
   "So brazen, sneaking into Konoha to abduct someone..."
   Ryota's voice cut through the forest, calm and cold.
   "And the one you dared to take... is the Nine-Tails."
   "Akatsuki... have you all gone mad?"
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   Chapter 143: Chapter 143: Hidan Blows Apart, Kakuzu Trembles
   The words had barely fallen when Hidan and Kakuzu exchanged a glance, both their eyes filled with unease and confusion.
   The figure who walked out slowly from behind the Asura Path and Animal Path wasn't tall, nor was he clad in the metal-pierced garb of the Six Paths of Pain.
   On the contrary, he looked like the most ordinary boy imaginable.
   Hidan blinked, his face twitching with disbelief, lips curling into a crooked grin.
   "Kakuzu, don't you think this kid looks... way too normal?"
   Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, staring at Ryota for a long moment before frowning.
   "His chakra flow is weak. So faint... it's practically nonexistent."
   Hidan scratched the back of his head, expression growing stranger by the second.
   But then where the hell had that crushing, kneel-you-to-the-floor pressure just now come from?
   He cast a glance at the Asura Path and Animal Path, doubt flickering in his eyes.
   There was no way that suffocating aura had come from these fake Paths of Pain... right?
   Several figures descended from above, landing before Ryota, shielding him behind their backs.
   At their head stood Uchiha Fugaku, Mangeky Sharingan slowly spinning in his eyes.
   Behind him gathered elite members of the Uchiha clan.
   Fugaku swept the area in an instant, his gaze locking on the two strange intruders.
   When his eyes fell on Naruto, tossed aside unconscious, his face tightened.
   His failure. His negligence. He had to act, had to redeem himself in the eyes of the clan's head!
   That thought had barely formed when Hidan suddenly burst into manic laughter.
   His eyes shone with sick excitement.
   "That suffocating pressure just now-it came from you bastards, didn't it?"
   He twirled his triple-bladed scythe with glee, grinning wide.
   "I remember you-you're Uchiha Fugaku, aren't you? Looks like you might actually be worth something."
   "The Mangeky Sharingan, huh..."
   Kakuzu finally spoke, voice calm and cold.
   "The Uchiha clan... troublesome, but not insurmountable."
   "Their eyes should fetch a fine price."
   In the eyes of Kakuzu and Hidan, the black-haired boy standing under the Uchiha's protection was nothing but an irrelevant backdrop.
   That dreadful, bone-deep pressure couldn't possibly have come from him.
   "No wonder it felt like sleep paralysis just now. Turns out it was this old geezer's trick."
   "Click, click, click... the Mangeky. You Uchiha sure are a pain in the ass."
   To them, Ryota was the one being protected-not the threat.
   The real danger was Fugaku and his Mangeky Sharingan.
   Hidan flipped his scythe around, eyes burning with frenzy.
   "You, old man! Let me offer up those eyes of yours to Lord Jashin!!"
   With a roar, he lunged forward, body blurring into an afterimage as he charged straight for Fugaku.
   But before he could take his third step-he froze.
   From the knee down, his right leg had exploded.
   Without warning, without a wound, it simply burst apart. Flesh and bone shattered in an instant, fragments scattering through the air and splattering wetly across the ground.
   Even stranger-there was no pain.
   As if the body wasn't even his own.
   Hidan toppled with a thud, his body collapsing like a cut kite.
   Blood spurted violently from the stump of his leg, soaking his pants crimson.
   And locked eyes with the black-haired boy who had been standing quietly behind Fugaku.
   Once so ordinary as to be invisible, his eyes now glowed with silent menace.
   Before Hidan could react, his left arm detonated. Blood and bone sprayed like a fountain, severed flesh spinning across the ground.
   The madness and bravado on his face drained away, replaced by stunned terror.
   Hidan was immortal-death meant nothing to him.
   And this... this wasn't pain. This was being torn apart without warning, without cause, without escape.
   Even Kakuzu's expression darkened.
   He knew Hidan's limits. Immortality wasn't invincibility.
   Hidan could endure pain, could keep fighting even impaled, even dismembered-he could stitch himself back together with threads.
   That was why they were called the Immortal Duo.
   But now-his leg, his arm-hadn't been cut or torn.
   They had exploded from within, reduced to mangled chunks of meat and shattered bone.
   "Damn it... I can't stitch him back from that..."
   For the first time, Kakuzu felt a twinge of genuine dread.
   Fugaku's pupils shrank, his own face paling with awe.
   He didn't know who these bizarre intruders were-but for them to so easily bypass Konoha's defenses, bypass the Uchiha's watch... they were no small threat.
   The Uchiha weren't fodder. Under Ryota's Falna, their power had soared; many had already awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan. They were Konoha's core strength.
   And yet, in front of this boy-
   Not even a scream. Just instant mutilation.
   "So this... is the clan head's true power?"
   Fugaku's throat trembled with a whisper.
   Behind him, the other Uchiha shinobi had gone pale.
   Kakuzu's pupils shrank violently, horror creeping into his face.
   Fugaku had addressed this boy-this unremarkable-looking youth-as "Clan Head."
   Uchiha Fugaku had called him that.
   At first, Kakuzu thought he'd misheard. But then he saw the reverence in Fugaku's Mangeky eyes, saw the instinctive bows of the other Uchiha.
   This black-haired boy wasn't just the Uchiha clan's leader-
   A cold chill crawled up Kakuzu's spine, freezing his breath.
   This wasn't just divine power. This was worship. The whole Uchiha clan bent to him, obeyed him, would die for him.
   Kakuzu's eyelid twitched violently. For the first time in years, he felt regret.
   Maybe stepping into Konoha had been a colossal mistake.
   Beside him, Hidan twisted what was left of his torso, pale and sweating buckets, yet still managing to grit his teeth.
   "If you can move... stitch me up..."
   His gaze stayed locked on Ryota-
   Those Rinnegan eyes staring back at him in silence.
   Not human. Not anything mortal. Something higher.
   And Kakuzu realized-he didn't belong to himself anymore.
   The decision blazed in his mind-
   No warning. No cry. Just a sudden burst of gore, his skull shattering into a cloud of blood mist.
   His body twitched headless for a moment, then collapsed, blood spraying patterns across the dirt.
   Kakuzu's pupils contracted sharply, but he no longer cared for his partner.
   "I can't fight this... it's impossible!"
   His mind howled, instincts screaming. Chakra flared wildly as all five hearts roared in unison, and he bolted forward at full speed.
   But Hidan's death lingered in his mind-instant obliteration, beyond reason, beyond any technique he knew.
   This wasn't a foe he could fight.
   "Don't look back... don't look back or I'll die..."
   He had barely taken a few steps-
   A terrifying pull slammed into him from behind.
   Kakuzu's body jerked upward, yanked clean off the ground, dragged backward like a puppet on invisible strings-straight toward Ryota.
   He thrashed, chakra erupting, black threads whipping wildly like tentacles. His hearts pumped furiously, muscles strained-
   The pull was unstoppable, like being dragged into a black hole.
   Kakuzu crashed into the ground before Ryota.
   Before he could rise, his gaze locked on a figure standing above him-
   Eyes familiar. Too familiar.
   The Rinnegan of Deva Path, Pain himself.
   Hope flared in Kakuzu's chest.
   He didn't notice the lack of the Akatsuki cloak, nor the absence of Nagato's chakra signature.
   All he saw was salvation.
   "Deva Path! Quick-take them down! Those fakes, and that black-haired kid-They're monsters! Hidan's already dead!!"
   His voice grew frantic, almost joyful, like a drowning man spotting a lifeline.
   Those Rinnegan eyes empty, emotionless. Not even anger-just cold appraisal.
   Kakuzu's voice faltered. His pupils trembled. Something was wrong.
   It wasn't the eyes. Not the chakra.
   The weight pressing on his soul.
   Realization hit like ice water, freezing him to the core.
   This wasn't Nagato's Deva Path.
   The air itself sank heavy, and from the Deva Path's palm, crushing power erupted.
   Kakuzu convulsed. Before he could resist, he was ripped forward again-
   His chest slammed into the Deva Path's palm, held fast in an unbreakable grip.
   "Damn... let me go! Who the hell are you?!"
   The Deva Path's eyes never wavered, holding him aloft like prey.
   And then Ryota stepped forward, his voice falling like a verdict.
   "Akatsuki... did they only send you?"
  
   Chapter 144: Chapter 144: An Unexpected Surprise-The Nine-Tails' Chakra Reaches Perfection!
   Kakuzu thrashed desperately, trying to unleash his Earth Grudge Jutsu, but the Universal Pull from the Deva Path's hand crushed him in place.
   "Animal Path... Asura Path... and now even the Deva Path..."
   Kakuzu's eyes locked on that expressionless face-
   That was the strongest among the Six Paths of Pain, the Deva Path. He remembered it vividly.
   How could the Deva Path be here!?
   Yahiko's corpse-Nagato alone should have it!
   His thoughts collapsed into chaos.
   But at that moment, though the face was identical to the one etched into his memory, within those familiar Rinnegan eyes shimmered faint, symmetrical triangular marks in sets of eight.
   This wasn't Nagato's Deva Path.
   This couldn't be reproduced.
   "...Who the hell are you...?"
   Kakuzu's voice rasped, trembling with dread.
   Ryota didn't answer. He simply willed it.
   A dull detonation erupted within Kakuzu's body.
   One of his hearts was crushed from the inside by an unseen power.
   Blood burst from his lips, his pupils contracting violently as his face turned deathly pale.
   He carried five hearts within him-five chakra natures, five lives. The shinobi world had long dubbed him "the man who lives as long as the earth and sky."
   As long as he could swap hearts, he was immortal.
   And yet, now, for the first time, he felt the certainty of death with a single strike.
   Ryota still gave no answer. His gaze stayed calm as his will shifted again.
   At last Kakuzu understood.
   Ryota wasn't attacking him-
   He was stripping away his very existence.
   Kakuzu looked down at his own hands, once able to tear through enemies with ease, now trembling uncontrollably.
   This body-was rotting for the first time, in the truest sense.
   "D-don't... don't do it again...!"
   "The Akatsuki are all here-Pain's Six Paths, Konan, Zetsu, Sasori..."
   Kakuzu, ever the master of selling out his comrades, spilled everything.
   Or rather-there had never really been a plan.
   Akatsuki's real goal was to destroy Konoha. Seizing the Nine-Tails was just a "side mission."
   Ryota stood unmoving, expression blank as he listened.
   The silence that followed was suffocating.
   His Rinnegan gleamed faintly.
   From the Hokage's death to the Nine-Tails' rampage-everything had fallen neatly into Akatsuki's sight.
   He recalled the Tailed Beast Bomb he himself had unleashed. That blast truly had the power to shake the shinobi world's foundation.
   And the system's main quest, still incomplete...
   "Controlling Konoha" wasn't the end.
   Maintaining order in Konoha after the chaos of the Tailed Beast attack-that was the true requirement.
   And now, with Akatsuki forced into the open early, the quest had reached its climax.
   In the original timeline, Akatsuki should only just be laying out their Tailed Beast plans, not yet taking action.
   But Ryota had disrupted that.
   The Tailed Beast Bomb destroyed Konoha's surface and ignited fear across the world.
   Too bad-they'd picked the wrong target.
   The instant those words left Ryota's lips, Kakuzu's three remaining hearts seized in terror.
   "I... I told you everything... I-"
   Before he could finish, his body convulsed violently.
   The first heart burst. Then the second. Then the third.
   Blood poured from his orifices as the once-proud gleam in his eyes dulled, his vision blurring.
   He collapsed bonelessly to the ground, lifeless.
   The man who had boasted of living as long as the heavens and earth hadn't even managed to use a single jutsu before Ryota reduced him to pulp.
   The Deva Path stepped forward, standing before Kakuzu's corpse.
   Those cold, pitiless Rinnegan eyes had never flickered once.
   Slowly, he raised a hand, fingers spreading toward the corpse-then clenched.
   A warped spatial wave rippled outward as Kakuzu's body exploded from within, fragments scattering to the winds before all who watched.
   The Deva Path vanished with a whisper.
   Almost simultaneously, the Asura Path and Animal Path beside Ryota shimmered and dissolved into fading phantoms.
   The stench of blood lingered thick in the air.
   It took more than ten seconds before anyone moved.
   Uchiha Fugaku swallowed hard. Watching Ryota step toward the unconscious Naruto, he rushed forward, dropped to one knee, and bowed his head.
   "This was my negligence... letting these two infiltrate Konoha, nearly taking the Nine-Tails' jinchriki away."
   The other Uchiha hurriedly dropped to their knees, fear plain on their faces.
   Ryota only waved a hand dismissively.
   "They weren't opponents you could have stopped."
   "Akatsuki isn't just those two."
   He glanced down at Naruto, confirming the boy was merely unconscious and otherwise unharmed, then continued:
   "Konoha's defenses aren't enough anymore."
   "Go to the Hokage Building. Find Ais."
   Fugaku blinked, then quickly bowed again and left with the others.
   Once they were gone, Ryota knelt beside Naruto, studying his still face.
   He raised his right hand and pressed two fingers to the boy's forehead.
   Channeling chakra, he closed his eyes, following the pathways into Naruto's inner world.
   The instant he entered, a massive, violent chakra surged toward him.
   Fury, hatred, killing intent-it all blended into a storm that churned through Naruto's mindscape.
   Ryota's eyes snapped open. He snorted coldly.
   "...So it's already this restless, huh..."
   The Nine-Tails slammed against its seal, its blood-red vertical pupils glaring murderously from behind the iron bars.
   In the shinobi world, Tailed Beasts were called "weapons."
   But in truth, they were chakra lifeforms, fully sentient and intelligent.
   The stronger the beast, the sharper its instincts-and the more keenly it sensed anomalies.
   And the Nine-Tails, strongest of them all, bowed to no one.
   Now, within Naruto's body, it felt that familiar aura again-the essence of its own chakra radiating in the outside world.
   The Nine-Tails was enraged.
   It realized-there was a second version of itself.
   To it, that chakra was blasphemy.
   It slammed itself against the seal, forcing its chakra outward.
   Not to kill Naruto-if the host died, so did it.
   But enough to knock the boy unconscious.
   Ryota's lips curled in disdain.
   This beast was really taking itself too seriously.
   He focused, gathering the golden chakra of the Nine-Tails within himself until it shimmered at his fingertip.
   He pressed his hand to Naruto's brow.
   The violent Nine-Tails chakra inside Naruto fell silent, like a raging beast soothed.
   Because it had felt it-power more pure, more overwhelming than its own.
   The Nine-Tails' chakra within Naruto began pouring out wildly, surging toward Ryota's fingertip.
   Ryota smirked. So that was it-the beast wanted to see who dared mock it.
   It amused him. His intent had only been to calm it, to let Naruto wake.
   But now it wanted to challenge him?
   "You ungrateful beast. If you're so desperate..."
   At his command, the Nine-Tails' chakra tore free from Naruto, flooding into Ryota's body.
   In an instant, the air behind him twisted like boiling water.
   Scarlet light condensed into nine spectral tails.
   Ryota's face remained calm.
   He looked down at his palm, sensing his chakra flow.
   At the moment Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra entered him, the already near-perfect fusion within Ryota surged past its final barrier.
   Like the last drop filling a brimming cup-
   His chakra system was complete.
   That sense of maxed-out power was clearer than ever before.
   Not the wild flood of when he first gained it.
   Not the exhilarating surge of breaking a new boundary.
   This was like a bottomless furnace, swallowing the Tailed Beast's might in perfect, serene harmony.
   From the silence emanated overwhelming strength.
   [Nine-Tails Chakra Fusion: 100% (Maxed)]
   [Status Updated: Master of the Nine-Tails]
   [Note: The Nine-Tails' chakra has fully merged with the host. Naruto's Nine-Tails consciousness will no longer exist independently.]
   Ryota was briefly speechless.
   He'd only meant to stabilize the chakra to wake Naruto, since the beast rejected his presence so violently.
   Yet this had become the final piece of the puzzle.
   "It was mine to begin with."
   The Nine-Tails' chakra wasn't a copy, wasn't a fragment, wasn't a knockoff.
   It was the purest, most original essence.
   And now, with Naruto's portion restored, the fusion was complete.
   This was the true meaning of Master of the Nine-Tails.
   Ryota glanced at the unconscious boy, then pressed a hand to his chest.
   "Relax. I'm not some bastard who steals a host's Tailed Beast."
   "You're just... not ready to handle it yet."
   With that, a faint chakra flowed into Naruto's body-Ryota's own, carefully reshaped to replace what had left.
   It wouldn't grant him the Nine-Tails' power, but it would be enough to let Naruto awaken, and continue training in the future-
   Without becoming an empty shell.
   "Time to wake up, Naruto..."
  
   Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Naruto's Change, and Sasuke's First Meeting
   What happened next went far more smoothly than Ryota had anticipated.
   As that gentle chakra flowed into his body, Naruto stirred a little before those unmistakable, bright blue eyes slowly opened.
   He blinked in confusion, his tone hesitant, but the words "Lord Ryota" slipped from his lips almost instinctively.
   He had never actually met Ryota.
   But from the moment that strangely pure, almost primordial Nine-Tails chakra had poured into him, it was as if something deep in his consciousness had been awakened.
   He sensed something both familiar and foreign-
   As though a part of himself was overlapping and fusing with another complete whole.
   That sensation was one he had never experienced before.
   And now, standing before him was a black-haired boy who looked utterly ordinary... yet made Naruto feel an awe that welled up from the very depths of his soul.
   "Ah... Lord Ryota, I... what's going on?"
   Ryota didn't answer directly. Instead, he raised his hand and gently patted Naruto on the head.
   "You'll understand in time."
   "But for now, don't think too much."
   Naruto opened his mouth, but in the end didn't press the question-he only nodded silently.
   His instincts told him this black-haired boy wouldn't harm him.
   In fact, he might be the very person who had saved him from the brink of death.
   Even though Ryota carried none of the usual sense of gentleness, strangely enough, being near him gave Naruto a rare feeling of security.
   Then Ryota pressed his right hand against Naruto's chest.
   In the next instant, faint golden patterns spilled from his palm. They looked like the characters of some ancient covenant, appearing across Naruto's chest before slowly gathering into a complete Falna engraving.
   It was a power system utterly different from the one of Orario's world, yet under Ryota's control, it merged seamlessly with Naruto's body.
   [Ding! Asura's Chakra Reincarnate: (1/1)]
   The mechanical voice hadn't even faded when Naruto's startled voice broke in first:
   He could clearly feel it-where once there had been only emptiness, now something new filled that void. A fresh power, stabilizing his chakra flow in a way he had never known.
   "A Falna," Ryota said calmly.
   "From this moment on, you are also one of my Familia."
   Naruto repeated the words under his breath, his face full of confusion.
   But then-something strange happened.
   As soon as Ryota injected that mysterious "Falna" into him, Naruto realized in shock that the clumsy, uncontrollable grasp he'd always had over his chakra... had vanished in an instant!
   "Th-this... this can't be real!"
   His eyes widened as he stared at his own outstretched hands, his voice trembling with disbelief.
   "A Falna is essentially a system of authority granted by the gods. It strengthens your body, sharpens your spirit, and even guides you in how to wield your power."
   "You were never lacking in chakra. What you lacked... was a vessel to contain it."
   As he spoke, his gaze deepened, as though piercing straight into Naruto's loneliness and yearning.
   "You have a vessel. And a path."
   "From today onward, your chakra will never again be a curse."
   Naruto stared at him, stunned, and to his own surprise, his eyes grew wet.
   For the first time, he felt that someone didn't shun him for the dangerous power inside him.
   Instead, this person gave him acknowledgment-
   Naruto lifted his head carefully, his eyes full of hope, with just a touch of nervousness.
   "Does this mean... I can really be considered a ninja now?"
   Ryota smiled again, reaching out to pat his head once more.
   "Next, I'll have Fugaku and the others teach you some ninjutsu."
   Naruto froze, and the image flashed in his mind of that sharp-eyed, silent man with strange red eyes that glowed faintly in the sockets, a man who always looked like he could pierce straight through you.
   "That scary red-eyed uncle?"
   Naruto swallowed hard and muttered under his breath,
   "The one who looks really terrifying..."
   So in Naruto's mind, the Sharingan was directly linked to "scary," huh?
   Still, the fact that he remembered Uchiha Fugaku at once meant he hadn't slacked off in the "training" Ryota had arranged for him.
   "There's nothing to be afraid of. You'll come to understand in time."
   Naruto suddenly seemed to realize something.
   "So... that uncle is one of Lord Ryota's people?"
   Hearing that, Naruto's worries instantly faded away.
   If the scary red-eyed uncle was one of Lord Ryota's people, then there was nothing to fear at all!
   "Alright! Then I'll train hard!"
   Naruto clenched his tiny fists tight, his expression dead serious.
   "I'll definitely become... a ninja you can be proud of!"
   Ryota saw the light burning in the boy's eyes, and his own gaze flickered.
   Of course he knew this innocent, passionate child before him was destined to become the "Light of Konoha."
   But right now, he was simply a newly blessed member of his Familia, setting foot on the path of shinobi for the first time.
   Ryota nodded with a smile.
   "Come on. Let's go meet your new friend."
   Naruto barely had time to speak before-
   The world seemed to twist. Space itself tightened as if wrung by an invisible hand, then snapped back all at once!
   A wave of dizziness hit Naruto, making him instinctively shut his eyes.
   When he opened them again, he was standing in a place he had never seen before.
   A breeze brushed past, carrying the rustle of leaves.
   Under his feet lay a stone-paved path. Not far away stood rows of houses.
   This was the Uchiha Clan Grounds.
   Naruto stared blankly at the scene, his mind slow to catch up-until he noticed a boy sitting on the stone steps ahead, chin resting in his hands, looking faintly sullen.
   The boy, too, noticed the sudden presence.
   He blinked, then upon seeing who had arrived, sprang up at once.
   Sasuke's voice was clear, tinged with reverence and nervous tension. He strode quickly forward, then bowed deeply before Ryota, his tone firm and crisp:
   "Clan Head, what brings you here?"
   He looked at Ryota, then at Sasuke, utterly bewildered.
   Ryota only smiled faintly, calm as ever, and nodded.
   His gaze lingered on Sasuke for a moment, carrying a hint of satisfaction.
   "Looks like Fugaku explained things to you properly."
   Sasuke straightened, his tone steady with a maturity far beyond his years.
   "Yes. Father has made everything clear. The Clan Head is our pillar, our future."
   Ryota waved a hand lightly.
   "Enough, no need to be so stiff."
   "Step forward. I'll reconstruct your Falna."
  
   Chapter 146: Chapter 146: What the Hell? Three Tomoe Right Off the Bat?!
   Sasuke froze for a few seconds at those words.
   He unconsciously stepped forward, but just as he was about to get close to Ryota, he suddenly felt a faint ripple-
   Not from the Clan Head himself, but... from Naruto at his side!
   Sasuke's gaze shifted quietly, landing on Naruto.
   That grinning, carefree-looking boy was radiating a pulse of power that made Sasuke's heart skip a beat.
   It was something completely unfamiliar to him. But it was purer than his own Chakra, more stable, and even more immense!
   Sasuke's pupils shrank slightly, his expression turning heavy. He could feel it.
   That power-like a flood-settled deep within Naruto, circulating, nourishing, building. It was as though Naruto had... been reforged with an entirely new "core."
   In comparison, the "Falna" carved into Sasuke's body felt scattered, crude, even weak.
   That contrast stirred up something complicated inside him.
   Ever since the day he heard with his own ears that his brother-Uchiha Itachi, the one he'd admired and chased after-was in fact a traitor to the clan, Sasuke's world had collapsed in part.
   Itachi had been his faith, the back he had vowed to catch up to no matter what.
   But when that faith crumbled, darkness flooded the boy's heart.
   It was his father, Uchiha Fugaku, who pulled him back from the abyss.
   It was the elders of the clan who guided him, one after another, telling him of the hidden truths behind Itachi's actions.
   And it was that day-the day he received the baptism of the Falna-that hope finally sparked in his heart.
   He had direction again. A new goal.
   The young Clan Head who had emerged out of nowhere, reuniting a clan on the verge of splintering, who possessed strength and wisdom enough to make even the elders bow their heads-Ryota had a charisma and vision Sasuke had never seen before.
   His shadow had quietly filled the void left in Sasuke's heart when Itachi fell.
   When Sasuke looked at this outsider named "Naruto," standing beside Ryota with such a complete, overwhelming Falna-
   Deep inside, that nerve called "competitive spirit" flared to life without warning!
   He doesn't inherit the Sharingan?
   Then why... why does he have that kind of explosive power?
   Sasuke whispered the name, his eyes lighting up with a spark ignited by battle lust.
   Ryota saw it all. His face remained calm, but the smile tugging at his lips deepened.
   Of course he knew. This wasn't ordinary competitiveness, nor just the instinctive urge to fight.
   It was a bond rooted deep in the soul, an unbreakable thread-
   A line of fate that had tied Asura and Indra together across countless lives.
   Even in this world, that thread... had quietly reconnected.
   "Fate really is stubborn..." Ryota thought.
   Different world, different identities, different positions. Yet Asura and Indra's souls still drew to each other-
   Linked by bonds, resonating through battle.
   Even if they quarreled, even if they clashed to the death, in the end they would always stand side by side.
   "...Sickeningly obsessive, really."
   His eyes carried a shade of criticism, but far more appreciation.
   He had always hated the shinobi world's twisted obsession with blowing themselves up, preaching about sacrifice and legacy at every turn.
   Among all those "twisted" shinobi, they were the two pillars most worth cultivating.
   "They're not normal," Ryota thought.
   "But what I need... are people who aren't normal."
   Just as he was about to speak, Sasuke took a step forward.
   "Clan Head," Sasuke said firmly, "I'm ready."
   Ryota nodded in satisfaction, then raised his hand.
   At his fingertip swirled a pale-blue energy, shimmering like starlight, radiating a divine force that transcended shinobi law.
   He touched his finger lightly to Sasuke's brow.
   It was as if some invisible barrier had been ripped open, a vast torrent of power surging wildly through Sasuke's body!
   In the blink of an eye, that power had raced across every part of him.
   Sasuke grunted, feeling a surge of both strange and familiar energy erupting within.
   The Falna his father, Uchiha Fugaku, had engraved onto him-the source of his power-began to fracture under this overwhelming force.
   With a sound sharp yet subtle, the imprint given by his father shattered completely!
   Sasuke's whole body shuddered. Then-
   Where the old mark had been, glowing like a blazing forge, a new, impossibly intricate sigil reformed!
   This was the Falna Ryota himself had carved, far beyond any blessing a god of Orario could bestow.
   Compared to Fugaku's gift, its strength was in a league of its own!
   Sasuke lowered his gaze to his hands.
   His fingers trembled-not from fear, but from an overwhelming sensation both alien and innate, rushing through him at terrifying speed.
   It was indescribable power, like fire buried deep in his bloodline finally awakened.
   In the depths of his spirit, something shattered!
   At that instant, Sasuke's head snapped up.
   He saw a light piercing into his consciousness.
   The mark of the Uchiha, the echo of destiny.
   The "flame of blood" he could touch without ever enduring the massacre.
   Sasuke's eyes transformed.
   The air seemed to crack with a snap.
   His pupils now bore black tomoe, circling slowly, radiating crushing pressure.
   Naruto's jaw dropped, his smile vanishing mid-laugh as the shock left him speechless.
   Ryota wasn't surprised. In fact, his eyes gleamed knowingly.
   "He's awakened," he said softly.
   The second tomoe emerged!
   Sasuke's body jolted, wracked by an intense mental shock, but stabilized quickly. The power in his eyes kept climbing!
   Until the third tomoe appeared, locking into place-
   The Three Tomoe Sharingan, complete!
   Sasuke muttered in disbelief, his eyes wide, a fervor he'd never felt before blazing within them.
   As a son of the Uchiha, he knew well: the Sharingan could only awaken through overwhelming emotional upheaval and mental strain.
   He had assumed he wouldn't awaken it so soon.
   But here-at the very moment Ryota engraved his Falna-his bloodline was ignited!
   In Ryota's ears, a long-lost cold, mechanical chime echoed.
   [Main Branch Quest Complete!]
   [Quest Name]: Blood Inheritance of Asura and Indra
   [Quest Evaluation]: Perfect
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