231a―
A/N: Sup guys, wiErD here, and I've got another crossover story for you all. This is a crossover between Fairy Tail and Danmachi. Because of their fantasy-based themes, it gave me a good idea to write a fanfic about it. Plus, a similar story was also made by one of my favs. authors in the site, Maximillian Havisham. Support his/her story as well since this was also an inspiration from his/her work. On a side note, I'll be taking different twists of my own on this story as well.
Have fun and Happy Reading!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for my plots. Everything else is owned by their respective authors. Support the official releases.
- Beginning of an Adventure -
...
"Natsu, I want to build a familia."
"Familia?"
"Not just any familia. I want to create a familia that would cherish others―!
A familia that would look out for each other and care for each other..."
"Will you help me?"
"Of course!"
...
...
The world is full of unknowns.
Unseen lands stretch as far as the horizon, bearing many dangers, mysteries, and discoveries yet to be uncovered. Places where peril waits for any mortal to tread on. Creatures, old as the stones themselves, lie in slumber waiting to be roused by the curious steps of intruders. Where the common eye cannot see, there is a world of unknown.
A world that not many would dare to brave.
Monsters roam around the landscape. Some territorial, and some vicious. They vary in size from small rabbit-like species to massive monstrosities―denizens of both the known and the unknown. Their existence is almost bound to the creation of the world itself. Wherever they go, danger follows them and leave lasting scars and suffering. They pose a great threat to all that is life.
In a time where no heroes nor gods would save them.
The world longed for a savior.
Some would dare take up the mantle however, they are far and few in between. And often lead their lives to an early death.
Yet every once in a while, one takes action. And through action, grants him fame. And through fame, the world remembers him as a legend.
A legend that will be talked about in stories and tales to come that would inspire others.
To challenge and trek upon their arduous journeys, seeking their adventures.
Such people were called... adventurers.
They take on perilous journeys towards the unknown. They engage in a long dance with death. An adventure deemed worthy by the Gods; a trial bestowed on those with the heart to move others, to face overwhelming adversity, and to challenge the world with all their might. A dangerous path that paves many sorrows and tragedies. Yet, it will not stop the courageous, the reckless, or even the foolish from moving forward.
And from then on, at a certain long time ago, the gods from the heavens descended to the Lower World to experience these adventures. The thrilling excitement of their journeys and their stories moved them. Their constant fascination with their children's lives led them to watch and live alongside them. In exchange for that decision, they denied themselves of their divine powers and decided to experience the hardship that the lower world had offered. They swore to follow their oath, having themselves live the life of a mortal. In exchange for that oath, they gave their mortal children "blessings", the power to fight monsters and become their servants that ushered in a new era.
It was at that time the formation of familias was born.
And this is where the story of our adventurer begins.
…
Located beneath the tower of Babel lies the Dungeon. An enormous underground system that spawned monsters since time immemorial. Adventurers brave this massive network of tunnels for a multitude of reasons. Some for valis, some for glory. It is an unknown world located beneath the surface. A variety of ecosystems spanned many floors, each of them expanding ever further than the previous one.
Some say the deepest floors could even be estimated to be as large as a massive city or even bigger. And those were just the charted floors so far.
People have attempted to delve deep to see if it had a bottom floor, yet the difficulties in each floor prevented them from reaching any further. The reason for this is the presence of monsters. The deeper it goes, the harder the monsters become. Unknown species still lurked on the deepest parts, far stronger and deadlier than its previous floor neighbors.
The existence of the Dungeon remains a mystery to this day.
Within this dungeon, a young man with pink hair is seen running through a hall. A scaly scarf is wrapped around his neck as it flutters across a small and dark tunnel―one of the most prominent structures the dungeon mostly made itself out of. The sounds of his footsteps echo with every foot pushing forward as he gives chase to an elusive creature.
"Get back here, you little runt!" His voice resounded across the darkened hall, causing monsters to appear from the walls. He ignored them, seeing they could not catch up to him as he gave further chase.
The subject of his attention was a small creature, almost like a bunny, with red eyes and black fur that enabled it to camouflage in every dark corner of the dungeon. It was so fast and agile that it could disappear on sight within several seconds if one lost attention to it.
It took a small turn to the left, leading to another tunnel. The man followed suit as he kept his eyes locked like a predator.
Soon the creature found itself at a dead end. It stopped in its tracks, leaving it with no way out, except the path from which it entered. It also didn't take long for its pursuer to catch up as he gave out continuous short breaths in between before looking at the creature with an irritated look.
"Gave me quite an exercise..." He said, cracking his knuckles in response. "I suppose I should thank you for that."
His black onyx eyes bore a sharp gaze that the creature took a few steps back, sensing fear in its being.
CREAK* CRACK*
The man's cornering did not last long. Without warning, cracking sounds were heard from the walls as monsters began pouring out from all directions. He instantly recognized them as Kobolds due to their dog-like appearance. They bore sharp claws and gave menacing growls as some form of intimidation. They all began to circle him as more of them came crawling from the wall. Other types like Goblins and Killer Ants also began to appear alongside them, turning the whole situation against the lone adventurer in an instant.
"Oh come on! Why now of all times!?" He groaned angrily as the monsters surrounded him. Panic didn't seem to emanate from his voice, almost as if his situation was more of a hindrance than anything.
Any adventurer going on solo against a horde of monsters was a death wish. Avoiding such a situation was always encouraged. It was one of the basic tenets of adventuring in the Dungeon.
However, there were times when power tramples all matter of logic in the rules of adventuring.
"Well, I guess I could use some warm-up. I haven't been killing more of you lot lately." The man spoke, clasping his arms as he spread out a wide toothy grin. "I'm all fired up!"
As if to respond to his fierce gaze, the monsters all began to lash out against him indiscriminately, raising their razor-sharp claws toward him in a relentless charge. The man jumped high in the air, leaving his original position in a swarm of deadly claws that missed him. While in mid-air, his right fist was immediately coated in fire, swirling around like a raging fireball.
"Blazing Fist!"
Declaring his spell, he descended to the ground in a straight fashion, slamming his fist towards it and causing an explosion within the area. The blast sent many monsters flying with some completely obliterated from the impact and the heat that it caused. Bodies flung around like ragdolls, landing roughly before vanishing into dust. The remaining monsters were in disarray at the explosion which allowed the adventurer to cause more mayhem. A few of them tried to attack once again yet the man was quick with his feet, sweeping to the side to avoid two monsters near him. Their claws barely missed him as they stumbled forward from the failed attempt.
This allowed him to attack their unguarded side as he kneed the first and kicked the other to the rest of the incoming monsters, causing them to fall like piles of wood tumbling over each other.
Not done with the assault, he began to pick two small knives from his waist and threw them at the two nearest monsters. The projectiles hit their marks cleanly as their bodies dissolved into dust.
He then set his sights on the remaining monsters. They were all coming from the entrance which was clamping together as they tried to squeeze into the room. He raised his fists in front of him, assuming a battle stance. As soon as they approached him, he quickly took down each one of them with ease. Using both his fists and legs, he easily dispatched them in quick succession. His reaction was much faster and together with his skilled martial prowess, the monsters could do nothing but watch as their numbers were thinned little by little.
One punch in the face, one swing to the other. Moments later, he was knocking every monster who got close to him with efficiency. While most adventurers fought with their swords and shields as weapons, he was using his body as his weapon. His fists and feet were as deadly as any other weapon when used correctly. The young man was versed in hand-to-hand combat. Furthermore, he was also skilled in other aspects such as strength, speed, durability, and sense.
Given this skill set, a single person could even overpower a crowd of monsters all on his own.
As soon as he took out the monsters near him, he looked over to the last group of monsters at the entrance, prompting him to another stance.
He took a deep breath as he briefly inhaled air into his lungs. Magic began pouring from his body as a spell circle appeared right in front of his mouth. And with just two words, he invoked his spell against the monsters.
"Fire Breath!"
A sea of rampaging fire swept across the area as it engulfed the monsters, burning them out of existence. The area was suddenly consumed in flames as the spell dealt the monsters in one fell swoop. It took several more seconds until the flames finally dissipated into small embers, leaving only a burnt patch of the ground where the monsters once stood.
The man breathed a sigh of relief as soon as the threat was eliminated. A sense of triumph washed over him, earning him a smile in the process.
That was the last of them for now.
Multiple magic stones lay within the room which was left by the defeated monsters. A valuable commodity on the surface.
"I guess that's the last of them..." He said before glancing back to the area where he once confronted the rabbit creature.
"Hmm?" Soon, confusion drew across his face then followed with a silence.
A few moments passed. And then another until his eyes widened as soon as he realized what he had done.
"Oh, crap! I completely forgot about that monster!"
He held his hands over his head in horror, realizing his target was nowhere to be found. It was one of the rare monsters that spawn within this floor and the chance of encountering one was... well, quite rare. To let himself be preoccupied with fighting while completely forgetting about the rare monster, the pinket could only kneel on the ground in despair.
"I got carried away..." He looked back to the place where he fought the monsters.
There was nothing for him to do now that the monster was gone.
It was time to head back. Staying here around longer would cause the monsters to spawn once again.
A resigned look hovered over his face as he decided to loot the magic stones instead and forget about the creature. Three hours of chasing around the dungeon was too much time for him to continue the search. In addition, the numerous tunnels and dead ends would take him several more to track the creature. It wasn't worth the second time. It had been too long since he entered the dungeon.
He ought to return to the surface and call it a day. Otherwise, his goddess might begin to worry about his whereabouts.
...
The Labyrinth City of Orario was famous for its underground dungeon. Countless people from all over the world came to this city to become adventurers. Humans, elves, dwarves, pallums, chienthropes, lycanthropes, and even gods themselves all integrated into this famed city.
The Babel Tower sat upon the center which separated the surface and the dungeon. Some say it was built by the first mortals who walked the earth as a testament to their ability to reach the heavens. Others say that it was created as a lid to prevent monsters below from getting to the surface. Despite its convoluted history, the tower stood there to keep away the horrors of the dungeon and display the feat of human ingenuity to construct it. Even from afar, the towering structure could still be seen from a distance.
Many adventurers have explored the seemingly endless labyrinth to gain money and fame. Of course, not everyone wants to become adventurers themselves. The city presents a lot of things to offer to the people settling there. People find great opportunities to start their lives, and there are various things to make a name even without becoming an adventurer.
However, the reputation of an adventurer is much more influential than most because of the existence of the dungeon. Having the power to defeat monsters is one thing, honing it and becoming one of the strongest adventurers is another.
These adventurers brave on dangerous journeys to fight monsters and explore the unknown. Their feats also bring fame and glory to their familia. And subsequently, those people are revered as famous figures in the eyes of many.
Natsu didn't waste time reaching back to the upper floors as he walked along the wide spiral staircase, leading him to the base floor of the Babel Tower. There, countless adventurers come in and go to the dungeon just like him.
The stones in his pocket rattled inside ― adventurers like him don't just slay monsters for the sake of it. Monster drops, especially magic stones are a valuable income. It is the dominant form of exchange currency here in this city.
The Guild handles all sorts of information involving the dungeon in general. Simply put, it holds everything that is connected to the dungeon itself.
Natsu headed towards the northwest of the city where the Guild―specifically its main building was located. He arrived a few minutes later and saw several adventurers who were also trading their magic stones.
"Yo, Eina! I'm back!" He called out from the entrance as soon as his eyes spotted a woman dressed in a uniform just behind one of the counters.
The person in question immediately glanced at him and in return, responded with a friendly smile. She had shoulder-length brown hair and emerald-colored eyes. A pair of glasses was seen in her eyes which adds a bit of charm on her part which Natsu always thought was good-looking for her appearance. Her pointed ears were the prominent features that described her elven kind. Apparently, she was a half-elf, a different race from the elf or the high elf, though the adventurer couldn't distinguish them at all unless someone pointed it out.
Eina shifted her eyes onto him, leaving her papers right in front of her as she greeted the beaming adventurer.
"You're quite early today. Done with your exploration?"
"Yeah! Got enough haul for today's exchange." He grinned. "Got caught up in the fight but I managed to make it somehow," His hand was placed right at the back of his head as he stood in front of her with a sheepish look.
"Were you hurt?"
"Nothing too dangerous. Goddess is usually the one who takes care of that. You know, me being her child and all.
"Well, that's to be expected. Hestia-sama only does that because she worries for you. I mean, you're always been so reckless inside the dungeon. It's natural for her to keep worrying, you know."
"Come on, it's just one time. It's not like I don't know the monsters I'm facing against."
"But still, venturing out alone is quite dangerous and you've been staying longer inside than usual. Even if you're capable, you still have to be careful. You'll never know when things suddenly turn for the worse and you'll get in deep trouble just because you weren't careful enough." Eina reminded.
"I know but I can still handle it. I actually defeated a bunch of monsters earlier. I was at this small dead-end while chasing this rare monster and they just appeared out of nowhere and tried to attack me but I easily beat them."
Eina soon drew a sigh.
"That place you were referring to is just one of the trap areas where monsters spawned spontaneously apart from other places on that dungeon floor."
"O-Oh, is that so?"
"It is! Have you been paying attention to my lessons a few days back?!" She looked at him in a suspicious tone which caused him to sweat nervously from her piercing gaze.
"W-W-Well, somewhat."
It was clear that he may have already forgotten about it.
Seeing the slightly peeved look she was giving, he could only clasp his hands in response.
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I'll try to remember it next time so please no more extra classes!"
...
Eina released another weary sigh. The half-elf couldn't form enough words to reprimand his blunder. And though seeing he was fine, it wasn't enough to assuage her worries.
It had been two months since she became his advisor. And from those times she spent with him, it seemed like she stumbled on a really strange adventurer. One that was so reckless at the start of his days as an adventurer. It was quite fortunate that he didn't get killed in the last month before her first day as his advisor.
She could never forget the first thing she heard from him on how to get to the deeper floors. A great majority of people would ask a variety of things, just not the topic about getting oneself into the bowels of danger.
Eina quickly assorted the young man's character; his brash attitude always got him into trouble no matter where he was. Be it a human or a monster in the dungeon, the hotheaded adventurer had a knack for stirring trouble right into himself. From what she heard, he got into a fight with another adventurer one day. It happened right in front of the Guild headquarters where most people were present during that time. Of course, the Guild had to step in to resolve the conflict and fortunately, there were no penalties issued on both sides.
Needless to say, he made quite an impression starting as a beginner adventurer.
Being his advisor, she needed to prevent any kind of friction between adventurers as much as possible, especially those assigned to her. It was made difficult in Natsu's case, seeing that he got himself into trouble with multiple people even before she became his advisor.
Because of his knack for trouble, people don't hold much positive things about the young man.
Still, there are things she finds good about the adventurer.
Eina knew better than the rumors that depicted him. She could tell from the first day she met him.
Despite his reckless behavior in exploring the dungeon, he is diligent in what he does, though most of it stems from his desire to venture into the dungeon. Natsu comes off as way too wild, both physically and literally. He always has the same glint in his eyes of venturing into the unknown which is the half-elf's constant source having a few sleepless nights all the time.
As for his progress, his growth is something she would call abnormal in a sense. His experience in dealing with monsters doesn't seem new to him.
It baffled her seeing his progress from starting as a newbie suddenly turning out like an experienced one, in a short period as well. She suspected that he may have had some experience fighting monsters before he arrived in Orario.
Her thoughts were soon interrupted as Eina realized that she had been out of her mind once again, failing to notice his call to her and causing her to regain her composure in front of him.
"Listen, Natsu. The dungeon is full of unexpected dangers so you have to learn and think carefully before venturing further down, alright? I know I've said this a couple of times but the dungeon is always dangerous. That's why I'm giving you as much information as you need so it would never come to that. I want you to remember that every time you step inside." She advised. Her tone softened as she gazed at him in reassurance.
"Well, I guess you're right..."
"That's why you have to be prepared for whatever things that might happen in the dungeon. You need to extend your knowledge and learn from experience just before you can venture out to the deeper floors."
"Yes, ma'am."
Eina slightly frowned after seeing his slightly dispirited look. She simply placed a hand over to his head which was hung low.
"You should take it easy, Natsu. Becoming strong doesn't always go by in just a short amount of time. You're always hardworking and that's something that you should be proud of. You can experience a lot of things while doing it at the same time, you know. It is very important for you to return here in one piece because there's someone out there waiting for your return, don't you think? "
"Yes! Of course!"
Eina smiled once more after seeing him finally cheered up. She liked him more this way.
"That's more like it! Now, let's have your magic stones traded and be on your way."
...
After meeting up with Eina, Natsu headed straight down the west road. He passed by establishments that lit up the city at night. Most of them were pubs and taverns that catered to adventurers and folks alike to ease them of a day's work. Continuing his walk without pause, he soon came across a huge area of ruined buildings, a secluded part of Orario that many people rarely traversed due to its location seemingly far from the center. Whether it was a result of mismanagement or some kind of unseen force, the area has been left to the elements since then.
Huge temples were left abandoned, indicating a sign of a bustling area once, now remained naught but a shadow of itself. Nature had taken its course as moss gripped their base foundations. Years of abandonment had left them in disrepair and the number of people wandering in the area was close to none.
The lone adventurer simply went on his way until he found a small church located between huge towering structures.
Like all other buildings, the church was also left in a ruined state. The walls were chipped off from all places and the mosses present within its surfaces were prominent. The interior wasn't as good as its outside appearance either as the place housed several broken benches where it was once seated by patrons from a time long passed.
Once revered as a place of worship, it was nothing more but a wasted space waiting to be enveloped as part of the ruined section of the city itself.
He walked through the broken doors as he silently made his way through the front near the pulpit and into a secret door that led to a basement down below. A series of tight stairways were revealed as the door opened. He walked down and his eyes eventually sighted a small room.
The place was only fitted with a few basic things needed for a person to live. A small bed, a worn-out couch, a wooden table, and several more pieces of furniture. A few candle torches hung from the side of the wall to provide some light. Unlike the previous areas, this one was well maintained.
A smile appeared on Natsu's face as he entered.
"I'm home, Goddess."
"Waaaah, welcome back Natsu! I missed you!" A feminine voice echoed as he saw a silver blur coming right below him, tackling him through his abdomen. Thanks to his past experiences, he was able to maintain his posture as he looked down to greet the person in front of him.
It was a petite girl, probably having a height level just at his chest. She had a pair of blue eyes and black hair that was tied into two twin tails, held by two white-blue bows resembling that of flower petals. Her attire consisted of a white mini dress with a blue ribbon tied around her neck. She also wore a pair of gloves with the same color pattern as her dress.
While she may look like a teen, she is in fact, a goddess as he calls her.
The goddess's name is Hestia―the goddess presiding over the hearth.
"I thought you were up late again in the dungeon. I was beginning to worry."
"Not this time. I thought about taking it slow for now."
"Well, that's good. I'm glad that you returned home safely. You don't suppose you have any injuries on your exploration today, have you?"
"A little bit of scratch here and there but nothing too dangerous."
"Is that so? Then, I'm glad." Hestia smiled in relief as she let go of her embrace. "Actually, I have some good news for you, Natsu-kun!" She beamed, earning his confusion.
"Good news?"
She nodded in between to confirm his words while also having a confident smile on her face.
"Fufufu... You see, just now, I finally managed to pay off Hephaestus' debt on me."
Apparently, Hestia was indebted to one of the goddesses who helped her during her initial days after descending from the heavens. Even after being given a place to start her own familia, she borrowed money to maintain her living expenses in the meantime. This was before he joined her familia. And with him recently joining hers, the responsibility of paying the debt also landed on his.
Natsu couldn't say he was surprised when he first heard of this but eventually, he started to work hard to pay off her debt and stayed in her familia despite all that.
However, the news of having all of their debts paid also caught his attention.
Unlike before, they cannot use much of their money because of the debt. And the only time they can waste their own is to buy food and other necessities. And now that they're finally free of it, they can finally start focusing on expanding their familia.
The adventurer could not help but break into a smile.
"Seriously?! But how did you get it all paid off?"
Hestia let out a little smug face.
"Fufu... You underestimate a goddess's hard work. I can do more if I decide to put my mind to it. Got extra pay from my work because of it so I managed to pay it all back to Hephaestus sooner than expected. Of course, I still saved some for ourselves."
"So that means we don't have to waste our money on the debt, right?"
"That's right! Starting from now, we can finally earn for our familia."
"Yosh! I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouted excitedly.
Recently, they'd been focusing on making ends meet while paying off the debt which put any plans of earning for the familia on hold. But it looked like they could finally start growing for real. Things should be looking good for them from now on.
"Oh, by the way, I also made some money on my own. I got lucky this day too." Natsu remembered, pulling out two huge pouches which surprised her in the process.
"Wow... 13,000 valis! That's double the earnings you've got. How'd you get all this?"
"Got lucky with the monsters today. There were lots of stones to pick up. We can use this to fix the church if we're going to start now."
"Well, I agree but are you sure you don't want to buy some protection yet? I'm a lot more worried about your current gear right now. Honestly, anything you wear right now is like begging a monster to attack you."
Hestia replied, taking notice of his current outfit which consisted of nothing but a waistcoat and trousers. Aside from the scaly scarf usually wrapped around his neck, he didn't have that much protection which made her slightly worried. The thought of seeing him venturing down to the dungeon every day without any armor on was always a concern on her mind.
"I think I'm fine on my own without wearing one. It's easy to move around without it. Plus, my body's pretty tough so I don't get that injured often." He reassured.
"I know that but still―"
"Don't worry. I've been careful not to get caught with those monsters. Plus, I'm pretty strong, you know." He proudly stated.
"If you say so..." Hestia relented. Knowing what her child was capable of, it's not that she was not confident in his abilities. If anything, he was special.
"That reminds me, can we go check my status for today?"
"Already?"
...
After settling down his belongings, Natsu went over to the side of the couch with his waistcoat off, leaving him semi-naked right in front of Hestia who started examining the status written behind his back.
Hestia could feel her nose bleeding in effect at the sight of the pinket's lean yet muscular structure. She knew he was a bit of a buff person but in every situation she had the chance to witness his form, it made her flustered. Not to mention, Natsu didn't seem affected by being seen through at all nor that he look embarrassed by it.
Goodness... The lower world is full of surprises and irresistible children.
She tried to shake off her current thoughts and began to focus on the hieroglyphs inscribed on his back.
This was the god's blessing, also called, Falna which was a gift from the deities in exchange for their desire to live here in the lower world. Natsu received his falna after joining her familia. All gods' blessings are equal regardless of the god's status and standing in the familia rankings.
By receiving their blessings, people become stronger physically. It also granted them the power of magic among other things. Because of this, many have strived to reach their personal goals; fame, money, and status are among the common things people have tried to achieve.
Hestia gave a drop of blood from her finger with a needle to activate his status. The hieroglyphs on his back soon began to glow in bright blue color which then showed some sort of a rotary wheel floating above it with the numbers of each basic ability he currently has, appearing as well.
...
Natsu Dragneel
Level 1
Strength: E488 – D514
Endurance: D520 – D590
Dexterity: D510 – D577
Agility: E498 – D525
Magic: A844 – A868
Magic
[Flames]
Skill
[...]
...
"Your stats are steadily growing fast as usual. This is some good progress, Natsu!" Hestia beamed delightedly as she finished scanning through the changes and placed a small sheet of paper right on top of his status to copy it down.
It took only a few seconds as the status checking was done. Natsu sat up straight as he looked over to the paper handed to him by his Goddess.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm good. But I don't feel any change even with my stats increasing."
"Well, of course. Our falna works as something akin to a status. It does not give you a bonus like a sudden powerup but it's also not simply acting like a stat sheet. The excelia you accumulate is simply converted into numbers to show that you improved. Imagine doing the same move every day and over time, you become used to it. You make slight adjustments but all in all, you pretty much mastered it. The same way applies when you head to the dungeon and defeat monsters. Even just training can give you results. Although fighting monsters seemed to be the most effective to accumulate more it seems." Hestia explained.
"Hmmm, is that so?"
"See here. Your numbers increased much higher than the other day when you were just training." She pointed out.
"I see."
"Your magic is already nearing S status too. It's quite a rare thing even for mages who constantly use their magic all the time. In addition, your other stats are not falling behind. Usually, mages tend to discard their other stats and focus on honing their magic but you seem to have no problem with it. On top of that, you're fighting barehanded most of the time." Hestia pondered in thought.
"Is that really much of a big deal?"
"It is! Statuses like these are very rare to come by and even some of them eventually turn out to be strong adventurers in the long run. With this kind of improvement, I think you'll be able to become stronger too."
"Strong, huh..."
Natsu wondered for a second as he momentarily gazed up at the ceiling in deep thought. He eventually recalled Eina's words to him back then.
Still, he just couldn't stand looking the same for too long. He wanted to acquire the power he needed to help his familia grow strong and expand within the city.
Numerous other familias acquired high standing and influence in Orario which took years. There were also others just like them who started as small ones. The pinket could recall a few familias that were in good relations with them. And in those familias, even the gods or goddesses themselves had to work to make ends meet.
Adventurers rarely join such small familias since most tend to seek fame by joining well-established or popular ones to make a name for themselves very easily. They simply don't have the time to work hard and do little things that aren't going to help them in their quest to become famous.
Something that Natsu declined to do after coming to this city and meeting Hestia.
Being part of a familia was more than joining a faction of its patron deity. It was also like becoming a family with their gods and goddesses. It was not a simple give-and-take relationship between mortals and gods, although some might see it that way.
To be a child in one's familia is like forming a bond between that god and them.
Though despite knowing all of that, he already considered Hestia as one of his own family. She was one of the people that came into his life and made a great change. He could hardly think about going anywhere without worrying about her. He might as well go as far as calling her a savior. Though it seemed their relationship had grown from that of a god and child to family, much to Hestia's joy.
While the prospect of getting into a better familia would be better, he knew he had chosen the right familia for him.
He couldn't have met a better goddess than her.
"Oh, that reminds me, did you get some interesting quests today?" Natsu spoke, looking at her in anticipation.
"Always never miss that kind of request from you, huh."
Hestia passed another paper from the table as the pinket looked at it to read the contents. "I got the right one just for you."
"Eliminate all monsters in this area." He read through the instructions along with a small map drawn below it. "Sounds like they want to clear another trap area."
"Your preferred kind of quests." Hestia smiled.
"Well, I'm fine with whatever. Just as long as I can beat some monsters."
"Then it's settled! With the debt gone, we might just have our first ever start as familia."
"Alright! I can't wait for the dungeon tomorrow!"
The two of them continued their usual chore for the rest of the night and it wasn't long until it was time for them to sleep and rest for tomorrow.
Natsu faced the ceiling in deep thought as he rested on the couch, thinking about the future ahead.
He gazed towards a small bedroom just right in front of him where he could see Hestia sleeping soundly in her bed. A small blanket was placed on top to protect her from the cold. He, on the other hand, didn't need to bother having one, due to his constitution. He was much less susceptible to cold than a normal human.
Perhaps an innate ability that he had alongside his magic.
"Mhm,~ Natsu-kun. This crepe is sooooo good~" He could hear her mumbling in her sleep.
She must be having a great dream.
The pinket soon turned his gaze back whilst lifting his right hand above him. His face adopted a determined look as he proceeded to sleep the night away.
'For my goddess and our familia... I'll become strong.'
...
Morning came and Natsu already began his venture towards the 7th dungeon floor to start his day. He held onto the quest paper in his hand as he walked through the streets leading to the tower.
After waking up early, he immediately prepared himself as he went outside the church while bidding farewell to his Goddess who was still half-awake throughout the morning. He wanted to get into the dungeon as fast as possible to train himself and gather as much experience as he could get in order to become strong and possibly level up. He didn't bother taking breakfast and simply bolted out with an empty stomach.
He walked through the familiar streets of Orario as several adventurers also began to flood the area.
"Now what should I do for later?" He muttered to himself as he walked wistfully to the streets with a pondering look.
"Maybe I could go for the 13th floor... Ah, but Eina wouldn't be happy about it once she heard about it, though."
He sighed for a moment, muttering on his own until a voice caused him to stop.
"Um, excuse me. Is this yours?"
A feminine voice resounded from behind as Natsu glanced around and saw a woman standing near him.
She was a human girl with bluish-gray hair that she kept tied under a small knot in a ponytail style. Her eyes were the same color as her hair and she had a light peachy-colored smooth skin. She bore a cute face that could almost charm any man if one took a better look. Not to mention, she wore a leaf-colored maid outfit with a pair of brown boots and black stockings.
A cute town maiden of some sort. Natsu imagined.
For a moment he thought about distancing a bit due to how close their faces were. The girl didn't seem to mind the closeness which he found a bit weird for some reason since he was a stranger to her.
However, his attention soon turned toward the item in her hand.
"A magic stone?"
"You dropped it. It's yours, right? Here." The girl spoke, her voice sounded soothing as he scratched his head after taking the stone from her.
He was pretty sure that he traded all of the magic stones yesterday. Rather than that, he didn't hear anything falling out of his pocket. She might be mistaking him for someone else. Still, no one was there to claim it so he eventually accepted the stone from her. Finders keepers it is.
"Thank you. Sorry to bother you. I guess I'm gonna need to buy a new bag." He laughed dryly.
"Ah, it's nothing. I'm happy to be of help." The girl smiled warmly in response.
"I see. Then, I'll be on my way. Thanks again!" He was about to sprint ahead until she called her back.
"Wait!"
"Yes?"
"Umm... Are you an adventurer?"
"Well, yeah. Why do you ask?"
"Wait a moment here." She said as she took off towards inside a pub that was in front of him. It was also at this moment that he finally realized that he was indeed standing in front of it. He was so focused on the dungeon that he didn't pay heed to his surroundings until he met that girl.
Nevertheless, he could only tilt his head in confusion as he waited for her outside.
A few seconds later, she came back carrying some sort of lunch wrapped in a cloth in her hands.
"Here!" She hastily handed it to him without hesitation. This made him even more confused.
"Uhhh, why are you giving this to me?"
"Well, I just noticed you've been clutching your stomach when you passed by so..."
The pinket was surprised by her attentiveness. Did it really look like he hadn't gotten anything to eat just now? Or was that probably because he just couldn't hide his hunger and she happened to see it at the right moment?
Either way, having a free meal is not something he would immediately decline.
"T-Thanks, I guess..." Natsu reluctantly accepted the lunch box as he held it in his hands.
"It's no problem! An adventurer should always be prepared before setting out, right? An empty stomach could be dangerous during a crucial moment."
"R-Really? I didn't know that." Natsu said so in surprise. He might need to put a reminder not to set out with an empty stomach after all. "You saved me there. Thank you again, really!"
"You're welcome. Oh, but in exchange, make sure you come to eat here sometime, alright?"
"Huh? Okay, I guess..."
"It's a promise, alright?"
"Well, it's not like it's going to hurt to visit here. Sure, I'll come by later."
"Thank you!" She seemed pleased by his response.
"Ah, it's already this late. Sorry, I'm going on ahead. See ya later!"
Looking at the time, Natsu eventually made for a sprint towards the dungeon, leaving the girl behind who gazed at his disappearing figure in the distance.
"Ah, I forgot to ask his name..." She mumbled as she stood there for a few moments before a voice called her back inside the pub.
"Hey, Syr! What are you standing there for? It's almost time for the opening."
"Y-Yes, I'm coming!" She replied before turning back to the direction where the pinket had run off.
'Pink hair, huh?'
...
The dungeon was always teeming with monsters. The walls spawned them at a certain amount of time, patrolling the hallways and attacking wandering adventurers who came into contact with them. With each deeper floor, the interval of the spawning slowly decreases, making it difficult to travel down each floor and sparing no time for adventurers to catch their breath. Not to mention, the level of difficulty of the monsters themselves also changes on each floor as well.
On the upper floors though, it was not much difficult.
Natsu easily made his way down to the 7th floor. It didn't take him much time to finally reach the designated location. The space within the area, however, was much more spacious than the tunnels he ventured.
"Hmm... I guess this should be the place." He stopped, taking a look at the paper for directions and scouting around the place to see if there was anything unusual.
There was no sight of any monsters in the vicinity just yet but the silence gave him a bit of a tense feeling as if something was about to happen any second now.
CREAK* CRACK* CRACK*
Sure enough, the walls began spewing out monsters as they spawned right out of the surface from all sides. It looked as if his arrival triggered the trap. Even the ceiling was crawling with large ants as they all descended to the ground and surrounded the lone adventurer in just several seconds.
"Killer Ants, huh? This should be a piece of cake." He tugged the paper right down to his pocket and moved into a stance as the giant ants slowly approached him from both sides. Mandibles clashed as if awaiting to sink through human flesh. A choir of hissing sounds reverberated through the room.
For a normal adventurer, this would be very difficult to fight through but Natsu already exceeded the abilities needed in this current dungeon floor as shown by his subsequent delving down to the 9th floor.
Still, it would be foolish to think that he still had the advantage in this situation.
Unlike many of the monsters on the 7th floor, Killer Ants were dangerous not by their capabilities but by their numbers. They usually attack in large groups which made it difficult for rookie adventurers who could only handle two or three monsters at the same time. Even worse, they could release pheromones that could attract more of their kind to assist them in a fight when they were on the verge of death.
They are the first of the monsters that the Guild put a notice on for new adventurers to be the wariest of. Coupled with the dungeon floor's narrow and tight passageways, it is extremely difficult to avoid their encounter most of the time. New adventurers who have come across these creatures with no knowledge often lose their lives being swarmed by them.
The only effective strategy is to kill these creatures as fast as possible before they can attract more of them.
Unfortunately for them, Natsu had a knack for making his fights short and explosive... literally.
The long adventurer coated both his arms in flames as he faced the Killer Ants fearlessly. His eyes lit up ready to face the monsters in front of him. Readiness drew across his expression as he let out a cry.
"I'm all fired up!"
Without a moment's gaze, the pinket fearlessly charged in as he blasted several Killer Ants away with his flame-coated fist. The giant ants were swatted away like flies as Natsu punched through with his magic, incinerating them that came into contact with his flames. Any attempt to get close to him was treated with a dose of fire and heat. Melting carcasses flew in the air and the sound of battle commenced.
Despite all the overwhelming advantage he had over them, their numbers continued to increase as more Killer Ants appeared from the tunnel as well, increasing the overall number of monsters within the room.
Natsu needed to prioritize taking many in a single move so he intoned his spell.
"Fire Breath!" He shot a wave of fire towards the entrance where most of the monsters were confined due to the tight space, decimating most of them that were trying to enter the room. He sprinted fast towards the direction of his spell as the other monsters tried to chase him down from behind.
Arriving at a corner, he jumped high and ran through the side of the wall swiftly before jumping himself away in mid-air, looking down at the swarm of ants looking up at him collectively. He clasped both his hands ablaze as he formed a medium-sized fireball and flung it down towards them.
"Flaming Ball!"
The monsters below were left to watch as the blazing fireball descended before engulfing them in a fiery explosion. A shockwave was felt as the explosion shone for a while before fading as he landed down on the burnt ground where the monsters once stood. His eyes soon turned over to another mob of monsters charging in his position.
At that moment, he began to collect air into his lungs once again as flames circled in his mouth. His black onyx eyes glared next to the advancing monster as he let loose the flames in his mouth.
"Fire Breath!"
Another spell engulfed the powerless Killer Ants as they stood witness in a sea of flames before dying. Their bodies evaporated at the intense heat as the temperature rose in the vicinity, turning the ground into a smoking field. The spell raged for a moment before dissipating, leaving a few scattered embers alongside the remains of the magic stones they left behind.
He heaved a sigh of relief as soon as there were no signs of any monsters spawning.
"Mission accomplished." He huffed in triumph. It'll probably take some time for it to spawn monsters again. At least, this part of the area won't pose any dangers for wandering adventurers for a long while.
The narrow passage also helped him group them closely for his magic to finish them off. It was certainly better than picking them off one by one in a wide area, although he would have no problems doing it.
He grabbed whatever leftover stones he could pick up from the fight and began journeying back to the surface.
Looks like his dungeon exploring will be short for today.
The fight took some significant portion of his magic so it might be a risk trying to venture down any further. Plus, he didn't bring anything aside from some valis and emergency potions to heal his injuries for the quest.
Making his way to the 5th dungeon floor, Natsu simply trudged along the path leading back to the upper floor with his mind thinking of today's dungeon exploring. The number of magic stones he got from the trap could roughly cover the same earnings he got from yesterday. For rookie adventurers, it was considered lucky to earn this kind of valis even as a group. Anyone would be amazed if they managed to earn the amount he was getting and that's to say that he was still a solo adventurer.
Still, it would be nice if he had a party to help him.
"Party, huh?" He muttered the words under his breath.
Eina had told him multiple times that being alone would not be enough, especially on the deeper floors where monsters were in leagues better than the ones he was fighting at the moment.
Forming a party was a basic tactic and necessity for those who wanted to venture deeper into the dungeon where monsters were getting stronger for just one person. Most of the adventurers would form a party with one another instead of going solo. Even the strongest familias had their own parties that consisted of more than just two or three people, all of which were at the same level as the other. An expedition by a familia would've consisted of fifty or so but that was only possible for bigger familia than theirs.
Thinking about it made him realize just how difficult an adventurer could be when facing more powerful monsters that could kill in a single swipe. He was aware of the advice given to him a few weeks back since it proved beneficial for him to have at least one to accompany him.
―Unfortunately, this would be a hard endeavor for the pinket.
He didn't know anybody except his Goddess and a few good people whom he met. Most of them were not adventurers or at least used to so he couldn't invite them to his party. He had some connections with other familias and made good friends with them but that's about it. Plus, his reputation among his fellow adventurers wasn't that great so it was no surprise no one wanted to have him in their party.
And so that led to him running solo for a long while. It was the status quo of his adventures so far. But even so, he would have to change it sooner or later. Despite his abilities, the lower dungeon floors would be too much for just one adventurer.
The salmon-haired adventurer released a disappointed sigh.
'Getting to the top looks harder than it seems...'
He occupied himself with other things in his mind until he began to notice something off.
'Hmm? Strange. Is it just my imagination?' He thought as soon as he noticed the lack of monsters spawning in his vicinity. The spawn rate of these monsters was not that fast but not too long either.
He thought that it must be the work of another party that came here recently. However, he didn't spot anyone coming his way. Meaning he could've encountered that party by now but he didn't see anyone pass by.
Could it be a returning group just like him?
He was about to end his assumption when he heard a roar coming from the tunnels further ahead.
ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR*
This was the first time he heard a roar in these parts. He stopped for a moment to carefully observe the unusual noise and its source. There were numerous corners in this part of the passage so it was hard to pinpoint exactly where it originated.
Then a scream was heard from one of the tunnels he just walked by, prompting him to change his direction.
'A scream?' The adventurer didn't even need to hesitate as he ran towards the source to find out.
As he neared it, he began to hear a familiar roar―
RRROOOOAAAAARRRRR*
He heard it loud and clear, it was the sound of a monster, but nothing he had familiarized himself with before. He ignored the anomaly and decided to push on. Turning to a corner, he found himself in a section of the tunnel. It didn't take long for him to finally reach the scene as he saw three adventurers being cornered by a monster. Two of them were male and the other was a petite girl; the latter seemed to be their supporter, judging from the huge backpack hoisted on her back.
However, Natsu's eyes widened in disbelief as soon as his gaze turned towards the other presence.
"A minotaur?!"
'Why is there a minotaur on the upper floors?'
His focus on the monster was briefly cut short as he concentrated on the adventurers who were trying to fend it off.
"Get away!"
One of the adventurers tried to push back in a hopeless attempt. There was clear panic in him that he was dangerously flinging his sword in front without any regard to the other two behind him. This action was soon cut short as he was simply tossed away to the side with a single fist from the minotaur. It looked straight to the other two who witnessed their comrade get swatted away like nothing.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeek―!" The two could only cower in fear as the minotaur stood in front of them, growling viciously.
The towering biped monster was ready to clasp its giant fists towards them.
Natsu wasted no time delivering a flaming kick towards the minotaur's face, causing it to tumble to the side. He had entered the fray without thinking about what to do in such a situation. He spared no hesitation and decided to confront it against his advice and his safety.
'There was no way I could leave it as it is!'
The minotaur stumbled away at a fair distance as the lone adventurer landed on his feet, putting himself between them and the monster. The force of the blow caused it to fall on its back and was now trying to get itself back up.
"You guys alright?!" Natsu turned towards the two still-frozen adventurers who immediately snapped out of their daze and could only nod in response to his question.
RRRRROOOOOAAAAARRRRRR*
Their moment of relief was suddenly cut short by a chilling presence as they heard a menacing roar from the minotaur who stood up from its feet and glared at the culprit who just attacked it in the face. It let out another roar towards him in response.
The other two were easily overwhelmed by fear from its dreadful presence as they could watch its red-glowing eyes, ready to crush them without a second thought.
Natsu, on the other hand, had no idea how such a monster could've made it onto the upper floors but he had little time to think about it as it slowly resumed its approach towards them. He wanted to make sure that he got its attention solely on him.
Turning towards the still-conscious two, he began to issue his orders.
"Hey, you two. Go get your friend over there and head back to the surface. I'll try to distract this thing until you can escape, alright?"
"H-Hey, don't tell you're going to fight that thing. It's too strong! It's a monster from the 17th floor. You're no match for that thing!"
"Well it is certainly strong but that doesn't mean I don't have a chance."
"Are you crazy?! You're gonna get killed!"
"I don't plan on dying yet but I also don't plan on leaving you guys out here. NOW GO!" Without giving them a chance to answer, the pinket dashed towards the monster in full throttle. This was a new kind of monster that he never encountered before. Knowing that it came from the 17th floor, he could only see this thing as highly dangerous.
However, despite the impending danger in front of him, the lone adventurer answered with a fierce gaze.
"I'm all fired up!"
The minotaur raised its fist and tried to slam the approaching opponent down but Natsu was able to dodge to the side as the fist connected to the ground, missing him in the process. This gave him a chance to attack as he set his right fist ablaze and punched the minotaur squarely to the side of its abdomen.
The monster howled in pain as it was forced to stumble and glared at its opponent in anger.
Natsu couldn't hide his surprise as his fist only managed to stun the monster albeit momentarily. Any monsters he encountered so far would've been folded ages ago. Not to mention, its resilience to compose itself. He couldn't tell if his attack was weak or if the monster was strong.
One thing is for sure. He finds himself at a disadvantage.
"Man, you're a pretty tough one. I'll give you that."
The minotaur answered back with a deadly backswing that shocked the adventurer even more as he barely managed to dodge the large fist aimed at him. Natsu fell back a distance with a somersault, giving him a fair distance away from it. He quickly assessed that he would've knocked himself out if he failed to dodge it. He crouched, watching the minotaur stand in front of him with an imposing stance.
This monster is beyond anything he had encountered yet.
'So this is the difference between this and them.'
An understanding of thought but also a frustrating display of the reality of his current self in the face of such adversity.
Yet despite this difference in strength, a smirk was forming on his lips. The adventurer never fell under the growing pressure. He never let his fear paralyze him.
Any adventurer would've turned tail and avoided the situation entirely, but not him. He couldn't let that happen. No matter how small his odds were, he would jump into the fray without care. Reckless, foolish, and defiant; it's all the opposite of a calm and collected adventurer. All those warnings he'd been given, he disregarded it. All to save those three strangers.
Because that's the kind of adventurer he wanted to be.
The minotaur gave another roar as it charged towards him at full speed with its horns. Natsu never avoided the charge and decided to confront it as he proceeded to press both his hands against its head, carefully avoiding its deadly tips, and to try and stop the charge. However, the force of the attack was too much for him to handle as his feet skidded away and lost their hold, causing him to slowly skid towards the wall behind him. The pinket gritted his teeth as he found himself being forced into a corner, struggling from the minotaur's charge against him.
Probably one of the most reckless decisions he had made today.
If he fails to get out of the way, he will not have enough room to slip away. He'd be crushed into a corner.
It looks like he'll have to do it even more recklessly.
"Don't you underestimate me!"
Shouting in defiance, Natsu poured effort towards his hands as he tried to lift the minotaur off its feet to stop its charge. Flames engulfed his body as he channeled magic all over him to force the monster to move away from the searing heat. At the same time, the flames began to offset the relentless charge as he firmly strengthened his hands and feet to stop the attack.
His feet finally came to a stop, stopping the minotaur's charge as well. The flames on his body quickly dissipated and at the same time, the minotaur was slowly floating off-balance from its feet.
The two onlookers were left in wide shock as they saw him lifting the minotaur off its feet with his arms. A newbie adventurer wouldn't be able to do such a feat due to its massive weight. For them to see someone stopping a minotaur with just his bare hands was unbelievable.
The monster in question was left in a confused state as it tried to wriggle its way from its tormentor. However, Natsu spared no second and decided to fling the monster right back to the ground with an even greater force.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
He slammed the monster down, causing a dust cloud around the vicinity.
The monster could only howl in pain as it tried desperately to stand up again but it could only watch as Natsu enveloped himself in flames once more and with a flame-clad fist hanging over him.
"Flaming Fist!" He sent another punch towards its abdomen, sending enough powerful force that sunk the minotaur's body further into the ground. A small dusty explosion resulted once more and the ground shook at the force of the punch.
A couple of seconds passed and the dust began to settle. The wailing roar died down, leaving a medium-sized crater where the minotaur lay unmoving.
Natsu stood right near the defeated monster as he gave heavy pants after consecutively using his magic. The flames eventually vanished from his body as he poured a lot of his magic power into that one punch. The strain on his body immediately kicked in as he knelt on the ground in exhaustion.
Lifting that monster was definitely a hell lot of effort to do. It was pretty stupid of him to take it head-on since he could've collapsed under its weight if he wasn't physically strong enough.
However, just as their battle was thought to be over, he immediately noticed a twitch coming from the lying monster. He widened his eyes in realization as soon as the minotaur slowly began to rise to its feet and growled once more. Its red eyes spun awake and his body though visibly wounded, managed to get up almost immediately.
"Damn... I-It wasn't enough." He cursed inwardly as he now felt powerless after exhausting his magical reserves.
Worse, he was in a bad position as he lay next to it with nothing but his exhausted state.
Natsu forced his strained body up but the effects of his depleting magic were already settling in. Forcing his magic any further would cause his mind to shut off and would leave him at its mercy.
"Tch, guess there's no choice!"
Deciding to risk another spell, Natsu flared up in flames again. He tried to keep his focus and locked his eyes on the minotaur with an increased focus of mind. He saw the monster lifting its two hands clasped together, seemingly to pound him down until a flash went by and easily drew itself between him and the monster.
Natsu couldn't follow through the number of slashes that followed afterward as his eyes widened over to the sight of the minotaur being eviscerated in the blink of an eye. Blood splattered on the wall as pieces of flesh were cut into little pieces before vanishing into thin air, leaving behind its magic stone afterward.
In a sudden turn of events, the roar of the fearless monster was suddenly snuffed out.
As soon as he finally registered what just happened, his eyes turned towards a lone figure standing next to the defeated monster. Her golden hair fluttered across the battlefield as she gracefully brandished her sword and placed it back from its hilt. Her battle attire consisted of a head guard located over her head and a breastplate together with arm guards, hip guards, and knee guards. Covering her legs was a pair of long blue boots where the knee guards were located.
Natsu could feel a strong presence emanating from her. Compared to his, hers was like a force of nature. Even the two wounded party members were dumbfounded at her appearance.
It was then that the woman herself started to look over in their direction, specifically at him for some reason.
"Ah..."
The pink-haired boy could only voice his confounded surprise as soon as their eyes met. All his exhaustion went away and his mind was free to focus elsewhere, but the woman's piercing gaze caught his breath. A sense of humility washed over him, though only for a moment as his mind soon snapped back to the two adventurers tending to their injured member. And without a moment sooner, he got up, made a short nod, and rushed to them, leaving the woman on her own whose eyes never left his figure.
The woman seemed to react slightly bit after the pinket abruptly cut off their gaze and watched him run towards the injured party. A perplexed expression was seen on her face until several voices called her from the opposite side of the tunnel.
"Oi, Aiz! Are you finished yet?! We're regrouping with the expedition group once we're done here!"
"Aiz! Let's head back. Riveria might scold us for staying around for too long."
Two of her companions called out from the other direction. One of them sprinted over to her after failing to hear a response from the golden-haired knight.
"What's wrong, Aiz? Is there something on your mind?"
"Tiona..."
"Come on, let's head back. The others are waiting for you."
"Just now, that boy..."
"Boy?"
"No. It's nothing."
...
The day progressed smoothly without any problems as Natsu finally made it back and reported back to the Guild about what happened.
"Natsu!"
Eina called out as soon as she saw him standing at the counter, seemingly waiting for her. She recently returned after relaying the report she got from him about the events that transpired on the 5th floor.
"Ah, Eina. How's the report going?"
"It's been taken care of. Apparently, one of the leading familias that were sent in the expedition caused the minotaurs to flee to the upper floors by accident. They managed to wipe them all out before they could encounter any more adventurers from above." She explained.
"Well, one of them did." Natsu corrected, crossing his arms.
"I'm really worried, you know. After hearing that you confronted a minotaur alone, I thought the worst had happened. I told you to be careful before, right?!" She exclaimed in worry.
"It's fine. It's been taken care of." He replied. "Stole my kill though."
"That's your takeaway from all this?!"
"I mean, I just couldn't leave it alone, can I? Those adventurers wouldn't be able to save themselves in time if I didn't intervene." He reasoned.
"Even so, that was reckless. A distraction would be enough. I can't believe that you actually fought it alone."
"It's not like I could've done worse. If anything, I just bought some time until those people arrived."
"Well, that's certainly true but you have to consider your safety too. Who knows if you were critically injured in that fight or worse..."
"Right, right. Sorry for confronting it alone but I don't want to stand there and let those people get killed. I still don't think it was right to turn down any help when it matters." Natsu sighed with an upset look.
Eina could only look at the pinket in concern but eventually softened her expression after hearing those words from him. "That's just like you, Natsu."
"You're not mad?"
"Well, I still am but it's hard to stay mad after knowing your reason." She paused. "How can I say it? You always say things straightforwardly. Always reaching a hand to people when it mattered. It's always been like that, isn't it?" Eina softly smiled, which caused him to slightly blush in response.
"I-Is that so? Anyway, I'm really sorry about what happened. I'll try to be more careful next time." He apologized this time.
"Hnn... I understand." She nodded. "I couldn't blame you anymore on that matter anyway. It was actually the expedition familia's fault for causing that incident. Thankfully, no one was severely hurt in the process. And with your efforts earlier, no lives were lost."
"Thanks, Eina."
It seemed like the issue was now under wraps.
"Leaving that aside now, how did the quest go?"
"Ah, that. I already went to the client to get the reward." He reported.
"That's great! Now let's get those magic stones traded." She urged him to follow as they tried to make their way over to the exchange counter until Natsu asked again.
"Hey so, I wanna ask about something, Eina."
"What is it?"
"Do you know any female adventurer with golden hair?"
"Eh? Why do you ask?" She was taken back by surprise as soon as he asked about it.
"Well, one of the adventurers that took care of that minotaur was that woman. I just wanna know her name since she saved us."
"Well, there are many adventurers with golden hair. Can you give more details about this person you're referring to?"
"Hmm... Let's see... She wears armor and some guards on her head, arms, and knees. She also had these long blue boots―"
"Ah, you must be referring to Aiz Wallenstein." She immediately realized. Natsu could only tilt his head in confusion at the sudden reply.
"Aiz what again?"
"Aiz Wallenstein."
"What a weird name..." Natsu pondered in thought.
"It's not like yours are any different too, you know." She teased.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Natsu Dragneel... It's not a name that you can come across around these parts, don't you think?"
"My name's not that weird. What about yours, huh?!"
Natsu pointed accusingly at Eina who simply giggled at his antics.
"Fufu... Now, now. Leaving that aside, why do you want to know about her?"
"Ah, nothing in particular. I just wanted to know how strong she is."
At that question, Eina's giggling expression suddenly vanished and was replaced with a rather serious look towards the sweating pinket who noticed the sudden change of atmosphere around her.
"Don't tell me―you're thinking of challenging her to a fight, aren't you?"
"A-Ah... That―W-Well, not kind of like that. I-I just want to test out how strong she is." He poorly excused himself as Eina could see through his expression.
"Natsu... Don't even think about challenging her right off the bat. There's a difference between picking a fight against someone with no affiliation at all and someone with a high reputation. She's one of the strongest adventurers who is currently leading the expedition to explore the uncharted dungeon floors. In addition, she is part of the two leading and influential familias in Orario." She warned.
"R-Really? I didn't know that."
Eina held her hands to her head tiredly. Why was she still surprised?
"Anyways, I'd advise not to get too much involved with her. Provoking her meant provoking the entirety of the Loki Familia. Plus, she's not the only strong person there. There are others too."
"Heeeeeeeh? That's kinda cool. Can I join them?"
"Haaah?! Aren't you already with Goddess Hestia?! Don't tell me you're that kind of person, Natsu?!"
"Just kidding! Calm down. I would never leave my goddess over something like that." Natsu reassured as he passed his remark as a mere joke that only made Eina sweatdrop in response.
"Muuoo... That's not something to laugh about, you know. If Hestia-sama catches you saying that..."
"Alright then. I won't joke about it."
After a few minutes of talking, they eventually parted ways as Natsu traded all his magic stones and went ahead.
Eina stood at the entrance, observing him as he disappeared into the distance. A smile was seen on her face as she watched him.
They exchanged their last pleasantries and soon, the pinket had already gone away.
The half-elf made a huge sigh of relief as soon as she finished her report. The events from earlier still rattled her but it seemed like nothing really changed and Natsu seemed fine despite the whole ordeal placed upon him. It was quite an unfortunate thing that happened to him but hearing his side of the story made her feel reassured of his safety. It seemed that her teachings to him about the dungeon did go well for him. He remembered her advice and even managed to save a life or two.
Things would've gone in a more gruesome way but her fears became unfounded when she learned of his actions in that situation. Reckless as he had been, it was a matter of personal choice that brought him to confront a monster stronger than him. It was a mix of luck and happenstance that he was able to walk away alive in that situation if the report of the Sword Princess was anything to go by.
She could already imagine him grumbling about not being able to defeat the monster to Hestia any time now. Still, she was relieved to see him alive and well. Those were the only things she could ask for in that situation.
"You two are getting quite along too well."
A feminine voice soon cut through her train of thought as Eina turned towards one of her co-workers who was approaching her.
"Misha."
Calling the name of the pink-haired woman standing beside her, Eina looked towards her in mild surprise as soon as she came into view. "What's the matter?"
"Fufu... Still hard on him as always, Eina-chan."
"It's for his own good. But no matter how I try, he always gets too reckless. I wonder how he would be able to handle his own without my help." She breathed in exhaustion as she released all the tension from her body to relax.
"Are you sure that's the only reason?" Misha asked teasingly which caused the half-elf to look at her in confusion.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Come on, you can share it with me. He's probably the only one you pay the most attention to out of the adventurers you're assigned with. I mean, you're probably too concerned for him that you don't want him missing every single piece of advice relating to the dungeon."
"Well, of course, I am. I'm his advisor after all so I had every right to be worried all the time."
"Uh huh... You just don't see it from my point of view. Not to mention, the closeness you two have for each other even though it's just been a few months. Quite the development there, I tell you. At this rate, someone might just get the wrong idea."
Hearing that, Eina couldn't help but blush as she tried to recompose herself in the process.
"W-W-What are you talking about?! I-It's not like that!"
"Awww... Eina-chan is sure uptight about her feelings."
"I suggest you worry about your own matters rather than looking at other's relationships. You still have a pile of papers to sign later, just so you know."
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaa! Why did you remind me about that?!"
"No can do. You're going to finish it all before the day ends, understand?!" Eina ordered which caused her to bow her head in depression.
"Uwaaaa! Eina-chan's so mean!"
The rest of the day went by as the two co-workers continued their duties until night descended once again.
...
Natsu walked through the busy streets of the West Main as most of the pubs and shops were located there. By far among the four Main streets of Orario, it was usually the most populated. Adventurers and other people walked through this street to enjoy a nice meal throughout the exhausting adventure from the dungeon. It also served as a way to cool off after a seemingly dangerous venture.
He arrived at the pub where he encountered the waitress that morning. He looked over at the sign which read the pub's name.
"Hostess of Fertility, huh?"
He peered at the entrance, seeing different people eating and drinking inside, possibly spending their night celebrating with others.
He clutched onto his scarf before walking inside. He mentally readied himself as he planted his foot at the entrance―
"Ah, you're that adventurer from last time! Welcome!"
Out of nowhere, a voice suddenly came from the side of the entrance, surprising the pinket to the point of a scare as he let out a short yelp after failing to see the girl.
"Y-You're the girl from last time."
"Yes!" She beamed. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Syr Flover. You are?"
"Natsu Dragneel. Natsu is fine." He answered, finally composed.
"Then, Natsu-san. How about you take a look inside? We have food and drinks here for everyone." Syr smiled as she gestured for him to walk inside.
"Thanks. I was getting hungry, anyways."
The two then went inside and Natsu took a vacant seat near the bar counter and began ordering his meal for tonight.
It didn't take long as his food was served right on the table. The smell of the aroma entered his nose, smelling its tasty flavor. He took a spoon and a knife and sliced down a piece of meat to eat it.
"Delicious!" In just a few moments, he began to chomp down his food as he kept on eating like a hungry wolf.
"N-Natsu-san, you might need to take it slow for a bit!" Syr, who was somehow standing right next to him, spoke after observing his eating habits. A visible face of surprise was seen on her as he looked at her to reply.
"Swowwy, it's jhust delicious fur mesh..."
He gobbled food into his mouth which made her giggle despite the silly response.
"Oh, so you're that boy Syr was talking about earlier."
It was then another voice was heard as the two glanced towards a large woman wearing a blue waitress uniform, much different from the other waitresses. She had brown eyes and long brown hair that was usually tied around the back of her head. She also had a rather muscular body compared to the rest of the waitresses.
She placed another bowl of meat right next to the pinket as she approached his table.
"You know about me?"
"Of course, you were Syr's main topic throughout the day when you were out in the dungeon."
A blush crept right into the grey-haired woman's cheeks as she peevishly looked at the giant woman in protest.
"I-It's nothing like that, Mama Mia!"
"I don't get it," Natsu murmured in between their conversation until Mia finally gazed at him carefully as if she were observing him.
"It's pretty rare for someone to have pink hair. You're not from around here, aren't you?" She asked.
"Yeah. I came to this city to become an adventurer."
"Very much like the people who came to visit this city as well. It seems most of them aspired to become one after settling inside."
"Is that so? Do people want to become adventurers the first time they get here?"
"That's right. It is Orario after all. Adventurers are the main selling point here. Most folks around here probably had become adventurers at some point in their lives." She said proudly. "On the other hand, be sure to pay up all your orders. Don't let any single food left on your plate and absolutely no refills or else…"
For a moment, a chill went up in his spine as soon as he noticed her tone of voice briefly changed at the last part. He might need to put up a mental note on not messing with this woman or any of the workers in this place.
Still, that pressure was something else. It's too strong, much like that Ais girl when he saw her in action. Was this giant woman just a waiter or what?
"Y-Yes... sure. I'll do just that." He agreed which somehow calmed the woman.
"That's the spirit! Syr will accompany you now. Be sure to thank her later for waiting for you all day, alright?" And with that, Mia walked back to the other counter but not while before putting down another set of food right next to him which he didn't order.
Natsu immediately knew why Syr would invite him here.
"1,300 valis worth of food for tonight!? Goddess isn't going to like this." He sighed as he realized he was far too down to decline all the food in front of him and simply started eating. Good thing he was hungry but he had to consider his funds.
"Sorry about that. Mama Mia tends to talk a lot when new customers come to the pub."
"Don't worry about it. Though I don't wanna know what would happen if I get into her bad side." He shuddered.
"Oh, you noticed?" She giggled.
"It's not funny. She's too scary."
"I wouldn't say it out loud if I were you. She doesn't like anyone talking behind her back, you know." Syr warned.
"I'll just keep it to myself then."
"So how do you feel about the place?"
"Pretty nice. A little bit lively here too. Makes me want to return here because of the food. I might just forgive you for forcing another bowl of meal on my table though."
"Heeeeeh, but it was not me who placed that on your table." She whined cutely. Natsu couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or genuine but her demeanor was akin to that of a cunning girl. Though not in a way that could jeopardize someone at least to him personally. She probably liked teasing him this way.
"Yeah right. I can't really complain about that size of a woman if I tried. I don't want to get squashed flat. Is she a giant of something?"
"Nope. You might not believe it but Mama Mia is a dwarf." She smiled, not noticing the incredulous look that went over the pinket's face after hearing that piece of information.
"What. Did. You. Just. Say?"
"She's a dwarf."
"Seriously?"
She nodded.
"I-I see. I guess I'll try to be extra careful when meeting different people. For sure, I thought she was a giant."
"Where did you even think about something like that?" Syr sweatdropped.
"That reminds me, can I invite my Goddess here too if I have time? I'm thinking of showing her some awesome food here." As he said that, Syr could only giggle in delight from his response before speaking.
"No problem! I'm actually curious what kind of familia you are in."
"It's not that great if you're looking for famous ones. But I'll make it popular soon enough." He declared with pride.
"Heeeeh... Then, you'll be visiting us from now on?"
"Of course. Food's great here. I'd like to have a try on one of your spicy ones next time."
"I'm glad to hear that!"
Natsu could not help but feel a bit confused by Syr's overjoyed expression.
Still, he appreciates her kindness, and seeing her happy somehow makes him kind of relieved in some sort of way.
After a few minutes of eating in the pub, he eventually bade his farewell to Syr as he stood right outside the entrance.
"Thanks for the meal, Syr. That was great!"
"I-It's nothing worth thanking me really. I just want the customers to feel accommodated after a day's worth of work. You looked like you've been through today so I thought about looking after you for a while." She said.
"Well, today's a bit different than normal. I had a good time." He grinned widely.
"You don't have to go that far, Natsu-san." She answered with a flustered expression as she turned her gaze away from him in embarrassment.
"Well then, I'd better get going. Take care, Syr." He pressed a hand wave towards her as he proceeded to walk back to his home until she called him back.
"Natsu-san!"
"Hmm?"
"Are you coming by to the pub tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"Then, can you come by early in the morning?"
"Sure, no problem. I'll stop by before heading to the dungeon." Hearing those words, Syr could only smile light-heartedly as she gazed at the pinket in joy, waving by as she watched him slowly disappear from her view.
"Thank you, Natsu-san."
...
Natsu eventually arrived back at the abandoned church and went to meet with Hestia as he walked down to the secret basement where he saw his Goddess dusting off the dirt from the walls to maintain the cleanliness of the place.
As soon as he arrived, she launched herself towards him once again.
"Ah, Natsu-kun! Good evening! You're quite late today. Did something happen in the dungeon? I had to eat somewhere since you didn't come back on time." She began asking different questions, most of them concerning his well-being.
"Well, I got pulled along in this pub and got a taste of their food. I kinda lost track of time. Sorry." He apologized.
"It's fine. We just recently paid our debt and we're already used to getting leftovers from my work. So I tried to indulge myself a little too." Hestia confessed.
"Really? I was about to ask if we can eat somewhere together from now on."
"Wha―Really?!"
"Yeah. Aren't you getting bored eating in the same place?"
"Well, sometimes. But..." The goddess went silent as if there was something she was thinking about deeply.
"You don't want to go eat outside with me?"
"O―OF COURSE NOT! I-I mean... Isn't that practically a date?"
Natsu could only tilt his head in confusion as he watched her continue to ramble about something going out together with only the two of them in some tall place in the middle of the night.
"Well, as long as we get to eat more food then yeah."
"I-I see..." Hestia's mood immediately sank. "That's where you're going at it..."
"I also got my reward money from the quest." He continued, pulling another large pouch which lightened her mood.
"Piece a cake for you then?"
"Not a single scratch!" He said proudly.
"You're really getting the hang of it. You're also getting stronger by the day. I wouldn't be surprised if you could level up any time now..." Hestia paused. "Is something wrong?" She stared noticing a rather solemn look on his face as his gaze went seemingly off into space.
"Huh? Uh, no. I was just thinking."
"Oh?" Hestia mused.
"Well, sort of, I guess. Just had something to think about today." Natsu muttered, glancing at his goddess with a faint smile before returning to his previous gaze.
The events that transpired in his fight with the minotaur and the overwhelming gap he had with that girl brought some realization of his current self. His efforts while looking steady, were seemingly lacking to get even stronger.
Arriving in Orario changed his perspective. He once believed that his strength was something exceptional but traveling into this city made him realize that he was not anything special.
That girl was immensely strong no doubt. The difference was night and day between them. He only managed to barely make it but that girl obliterated that monster like it was nothing. He was sure that she was several levels higher than him.
Ever since being blessed by falna, he thought he would be able to catch up to those people in a short time. However, a few months had gone by and he still felt like he was still what he once was before. He was struck by the reality of these gaps once, though he quickly got back up and decided to strive for something greater. It was one of the reasons why he stayed.
Yet, the scene of that encounter made him realize even more that there was yet to be done.
"Goddess, can I ask something?"
Hestia halted, her face dawned a slightly worried look and her voice drowned in silence as she saw his confused expression carried uncertainty. Still, she entertained to answer back. "What is it, Natsu?"
"How can I become stronger fast?"
Hestia hesitated for a moment. She knew well of her child's fixation on his goal. Like many others, he was inspired by the adventurers before him. However, it was more to the side of wanting to compare himself to them. The goddess thought it was childish but it was also endearing to see him pick himself up and strive to become stronger, even though he realized the immense gap those adventurers had from him. Perhaps something happened that got him to thinking of his current position as an adventurer.
"I don't think I can answer that, Natsu. As I told you before, my falna does not grant any shortcuts to becoming stronger. That goes with the rest of the gods in this world." She replied as well as reminding him of her blessing to him. "Adventurers take a lot of time to become what they are today. Years of constant effort and exploring the dungeon gave them power. You know this, right?"
"I guess so..." Natsu's eyes drooped. "It's just that... I feel like starting late in this whole thing. Maybe if I grew up here when I was a child, I might be able to have a chance."
"Well, let me ask you something. Why do you want to become strong that badly?"
"Of course, it's because I want to help our familia to rise..." He paused. "And also to find Igneel."
"To find your dad, is it?"
"Yeah, I figured that if I become famous enough, he might get word of me somewhere."
"But you've been searching ever since."
"Well, it hasn't stopped me from trying."
"Then why not can you do the same when striving to become stronger?"
"Well, that's..." There was a pause in his line of thinking. Natsu felt like he couldn't come up with a proper response. Her question made him think why that was the case all of a sudden. It had never occurred to him to think back on all those times he saw other adventurers. Perhaps this was the first time he was shown closely his lack of experience compared to those of higher levels.
All those talks of first-class adventurers from other people. He never once spared a glimpse of the action as he confidently thought that he could get to their level soon enough. That moment with that warrior made him realize that more clearly.
So much so that he could not imagine feeling frustrated just like that time during his continued search for Igneel.
His face drew a complicated look, revealing his current feelings in that situation.
But just then, he noticed a reaching hand of his goddess onto his own. Hestia sat beside him with a comforting look.
"I know it's difficult to see yourself right now in this place of many extraordinary people. Even I feel the same as you, Natsu." She said, leaning her head towards his shoulder.
"You too?"
"Yeah. I just recently came down, remember? There are other gods out there who went down here earlier than I did. Hephaestus has a big familia of smiths with her. Takemikazuchi came here recently and somehow managed to get more members than I did. Heck, even Loki has that familia of hers running the whole expedition thing together with that Freya too. I really missed a headstart, you know."
"I see," Natsu answered.
"Of course, there was that time when I freeloaded with Hephy for a while. Thinking back on it now, I felt like I was a different person back then." Hestia muttered solemnly.
"Goddess..."
"No one wanted to join my familia. I honestly don't know how to recruit people since I basically have nothing to offer." She paused. "But then, I met you."
Her eyes turned towards his. "When you joined my familia, I felt like I was achieving something great. You gave this good-for-nothing goddess a chance. You didn't turn me away and stuck with me despite my position. You never pitied me. Instead, you worked hard even now to show our familia has something to offer. At that moment, I knew that when you became my first child, I made a wonderful choice. That's why decided to change myself. Seeing you continuously work hard for me makes me want to work hard too. Even it takes a while to see our familia in the eyes of many. Seeing you striving for more makes me happy."
Hestia smiled. "That is why... don't let these feelings stop you from trying. It's okay to feel down but always pick yourself up. Remember why you keep on trying." She paused. "There's no need to rush, Natsu. After all, you did not come this far just to feel like that. You said it yourself always."
"I'm all fired up, huh..." Natsu muttered.
"What do we say in the face of impossible odds?"
"I'm all fired up!" He raised his voice proudly.
"Now that's more like it!"
Hestia smiled as soon he regained his spirit. It honestly brought her joy that he was able to pick himself up from a slump. Many adventurers would suffer a sense of loss in their purpose after realizing that their efforts weren't enough. The road to becoming a first-class adventurer was extremely difficult. Many would simply give up the chase. Worse, they would lose their lives in the process. She had heard many stories of many people ending up this way.
She worried that Natsu would carry this fixation into obsession one day. But seeing him contemplate this time around brought some sense of relief. Acknowledging his current position would definitely help him in the future.
It seemed like his growth was starting to show. Despite her words, the goddess knew that his growth was already more exceptional than most.
It was too fast. A few months of starting was already considered a miracle. If his status was anything to go by, his growth was rising at an unprecedented speed. She had done some digging on the history of adventurers leveling up and their growth level. If compared to the pinket, his improvement beats that even of the famed Kenki.
There is a system that evaluates each familia's rankings based on the number of members and levels. The Hestia Familia are labeled to be in the lowest rank of F due to having only one member. One cannot simply rank up with just a member's level. It also needs a lot of other people to raise it further to become strong and influential.
Perhaps it was time to take the next step.
"Alright. It seems like you've been thinking about it for quite some time too so I think I should also focus on this matter as well. It's time we find some recruits for our familia."
"Recruiting, huh? Sounds like a piece of cake."
"If it that were easy, I would've gotten at least five or more like Take, you know. You have to take into consideration of our familia's reputation."
"I figured it's not a lot even now."
"Well, true since we're focusing on paying my debts." She winced before continuing. "But now that we have the valis, we can start by improving our base of operations. We'll start from there and gradually decorate some things while also earning for ourselves. A debt-free familia is always preferred by most."
"What about recruiting people?" Natsu asked.
"I'll leave the recruiting to you but―" She paused.
"But?"
"You have to consider the criteria of that person you're going to recruit."
"Huh? What sort of criteria?" He tilted his head in confusion.
"First, it doesn't have to be a female."
"Uhh, what? Why?" He asked but she ignored it and continued further.
"Second, if it does happen to be a female, you'll have to introduce me to her so I can tell if she had any motives for making a move on you, clear?"
"I don't get the second one but I'll make sure to introduce her to you." Despite her ridiculous conditions, Natsu nodded at her instructions before hearing something from her mumble.
"Muooo... It would've been fine if it's just the two of us for a little longer."
"Do you really think so, Goddess?"
"A-Ah, eh? F-Forgot what I said!"
"Soooo... that's all?"
"Yup. Oh, and Natsu..." She called as soon as she managed to regain her composure.
"Yeah?"
"Just make sure to be careful out there alright? All of this would come to nothing if you didn't come back. I don't want you to go. I don't want to lose you, Natsu. I don't want to be alone again. That's why..."
"Of course. I always promise to come back here, remember?" Natsu answered with a warm gaze, causing her to blush."
"I see..." Hestia smiled. "I'm glad."
...
After discussing their matters, the two began their usual status checking as Hestia proceeded to update his current abilities.
"You know, it's been a while since you last updated your status in a row. Most of the time, you would only want them checked once every three days."
"Well, I've been wanting to improve a bit further myself. Plus, this is still a basic procedure for a status check, right?"
"Well, that's true for most of the beginners but those with higher levels update their status rarely since it's kinda hard to earn that much improvement as they level up at that point." Hestia continued as she focused on the hieroglyphs being shown to her. "Though I wouldn't say the same to you on that matter."
"What do you mean?"
"It's nothing to worry about." She continued analyzing until her eyes suddenly widened in shock. "E-Eh?"
"What's wrong, Goddess?"
Natsu noticed the shocked look on her face, prompting him to ask but it was ignored as Hestia was seemingly occupied with the results of his status for some reason.
Meanwhile, Hestia blinked her eyes just to see if she was not hallucinating about the results of her child's growth.
'W-What is this? J-Just how―'
She hid her astonishment inside her thoughts. Her eyes peered across the sheet, looking through the changes that just happened. She then turned to focus more on his other abilities which had a rather unusual change from the ones she updated yesterday.
'This kind of improvement... This is impossible!'
...
Natsu Dragneel
Level 1
Strength: D514 – B701
Endurance: D590 – C655
Dexterity: D577 – C610
Agility: D525 – C628
Magic: A868 – S901
Magic
[Fire Dragon Slayer]
Skill
[Flames of Emotion]
...
A/N: And here's the first chapter for you guys. This is my own take of the two crossover stories so there's still a lot of things needed to be tweaked. The major plotlines from both Danmachi, Sword Oratoria and FT as well will be included in time with some changes to fit into the story's mixed world of fantasies.
While I liked the other DanmachixFT crossover, I think there's too much foreshadowing of mysteries circling around Natsu and that's interesting for some. Plus, the power levels seemed OP in a sense (though I'm not actually that far off). That's why I thought about having a similar story but it would focus more on a beginner scale (including my own set of plots of course).
Also, I know there will be also a talk of other characters from FT being brought up to me in time since much of the characters of the story takes on most to Danmachi. Don't worry, there will be some characters that will be introduced at a later time in order to fit into the story while at the same time, preventing too much character flooding.
And lastly, you'll know damn well that it is a harem so that's that. I'll see you guys in the next chapter.
- The wiErDos send their regards...