This was proof of strength and a clear statement of intent.
With the most troublesome matter settled, everything that followed went smoothly.
By the time Haimer led his rather grand procession out of the Guild's doors, the sun was already high in the sky.
"Let's go!"
"Next up, live combat training!"
Tsubaki stretched lazily, her muscles drawing into a powerful arc, then strode forward at the head of the group. Haimer and the girls followed close behind.
They passed through the bustling streets, and before long, the pure white tower rising at the heart of the city, Babylon Tower, claimed everyone's attention as it pierced into the clouds.
The plaza beneath it was packed with people.
This was the heart of Orario, the daily crossroads of every adventurer. Races and Familias gathered here to form parties and trade supplies, the noise of conversation rising and falling in waves.
Most eye-catching of all were the supporters weaving through the crowd with packs nearly larger than their own bodies, calling out as they went.
"Excuse me, over here!"
"Do you need a supporter?"
"You look new, I'll give you a discount! Just five hundred valis!"
"Pick me! I know the upper floors like the back of my hand!"
The moment Tsubaki appeared with such a conspicuous group, bright, polished, utterly unlike ordinary adventurers, and even accompanied by two bears, sharp-eyed supporters swarmed like sharks catching the scent of blood. Smiles plastered on their faces, they hurried over.
Anyone with eyes could tell this was a "rookie party" led by a Level 5. Such groups usually paid well, and with a powerful figure backing them, the risk was minimal. For supporters, it was practically a golden job.
"Go back. Don't waste your time."
"We don't need a supporter."
Before they could get close, Tsubaki shut them down.
It was the attitude of a veteran.
They were only heading to the upper floors, there wouldn't be much loot to carry. Hiring a supporter now would just be throwing money away.
"But" one supporter tried to insist.
"Can't you understand plain speech?"
Tsubaki's single eye narrowed, and just a trace of a first-class adventurer's aura slipped free.
"We're just taking a stroll on the upper floors. If you need someone to carry your bags for that, you might as well quit being an adventurer."
The supporters scattered immediately.
The commission would have been nice, but no one was foolish enough to provoke a Level 5.
"Hah..."
Once they were gone, Tsubaki sighed reining in her presence before turning to Haimer.
"Forgive the harsh tone, Lord Haimer. Letting rookies get used to relying on supporters isn't a good habit."
"And besides… never trust a stranger in the Dungeon."
"If they grow used to placing blind faith in some roadside supporter, one day they'll get stabbed in the back. They won't even know how they died."
"That happens more often than you'd think in Orario."
"She's right," Haimer said with a nod.
After all, he remembered clearly how such things could end. In a place where people risked their lives for money, trust was a luxury.
The group pressed on.
But as they neared the Dungeon entrance, trouble found them anyway.
"Halt!"
Several guards in uniform blocked the way, long spears in hand. They were members of the Ganesha Familia, tasked with maintaining order around the plaza and entrance.
The lead guard eyed the large black bear behind Warabi.
"Adventurers may bring pets, but that bear is too large, and it isn't muzzled. With this many people around, what if it goes berserk?"
The beast stood like a small hill. Upright, it towered over a man. With its heavy armor, it looked less like an animal and more like a moving fortress. The guard's caution was understandable.
Warabi bristled at once.
"Kyoubou isn't dangerous at all!"
"He's very well-behaved!"
"Kyoubou, sit!"
To prove it, she gave the command.
"Rr?"
Sensing the hostility from the two-legged creatures before him, Kyoubou blinked innocently, his beady eyes almost comical, then plopped down with a heavy thud that made the ground tremble.
He scratched his belly with a massive paw and scooted his rear along the floor, looking thoroughly foolish.
The guard stared, speechless.
"I'll vouch for them," Tsubaki said, stepping forward and flashing her identity plate.
"And with a god present, there won't be any trouble."
She gestured toward Haimer.
The guard hesitated. A god's presence was unmistakable in Orario. Combined with Tsubaki's guarantee, that was enough.
He withdrew his spear and stepped aside.
"If Lady Tsubaki and Lord Haimer are present, you may pass. But keep it under control. If anyone gets hurt, Lord Ganesha won't be pleased."
"Appreciate it."
With that, they entered the vast lower hall of Babylon Tower, the gateway to every adventurer's dream.
It was called the Beginning Road.
At the center of the hall yawned a massive circular opening, from which a broad spiral ramp descended into the Dungeon below. This was the only official entrance.
Magic stone lamps glowed along the walls as adventurers streamed in and out.
But as a god, Haimer could not enter the Dungeon proper. He could only escort them to the mouth of the spiral ramp.
Watching the Five Swords and the Empress brimming with anticipation, he nodded.
"Go."
"I'll wait here for good news."
"The rest is up to you."
"Yes, Lord Haimer!"
Kirukiru Amou, Inaba Tsukuyo, and the others answered in unison.
Tsubaki grinned. "Don't worry. I'll bring them back in one piece."
Haimer inclined his head.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
With that, they parted, and the group disappeared around the curve of the descending ramp.
As they moved deeper, the initial excitement gradually cooled, and the stares began to sting.
They stood out too much.
A procession of beautiful girls. Two bears. A blind swordswoman walking with closed eyes. A woman with no visible weapon at all.
Even with a Level 5 leading them, whispers trailed in their wake.
"Hey, look at that."
A few adventurers resting nearby glanced over while polishing their weapons.
"That's Tsubaki from the Hephaestus Familia, right? Big name."
"What's with the girls behind her?"
"And bears? One big, one small?"
"This is ridiculous…"
"They even brought a blind girl down here."
"Probably a bunch of rich brats here to get gilded."
The mutters were hushed, but in the echoing ramp, they carried clearly.
Warabi puffed her cheeks in anger and glared back, though her indignation only earned them a chuckle. Even Kyoubou rumbled low in displeasure.
"Ignore them," Tsubaki said lazily without turning around.
"In the Dungeon, mouths are the most useless things."
"If you want someone to shut up, the only way is to knock their jaw loose with strength."
She glanced back briefly.
"And you are rookies. That's a fact."
"Being looked down on is one of the first lessons."
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