Babel, ground floor hall.
At the entrance to [The Starting Road].
This was the throat of all Orario, swallowing and disgorging tens of thousands of desires and dreams every day.
It was dusk at this time,
the hour when Adventurers returned to their nests.
Countless Adventurers who had been struggling in the Dungeon were pouring out along the massive spiraling ramp.
Some looked utterly exhausted but couldn't hide the glee at the corners of their eyes—lucky ones who had found good loot.
Some were covered in blood, being supported or even carried by companions—unfortunate souls who had been harshly taught a lesson by reality.
The smell of sweat, blood, and dust
fermented within this vast space.
However,
on one side of the exit, where the crowd was densest,
an odd vacuum zone had appeared.
Passing Adventurers, when reaching this spot, all acted like startled rabbits, lowering their heads, quickening their steps, afraid to make eye contact with the people here for even a second.
The reason was simple.
Because a great deity was standing there.
—"staff of the elephant god".
—Shakti Falma.
This famous Commander of the Military Police of Orario was standing there fully armed, her face as cold as frost.
She was practically like a "No Entry" warning sign planted by the roadside.
Her very presence radiated an aura of silence.
Coupled with the Black-haired Deity beside her, who, though not in uniform, was holding a long spear and possessed an equally extraordinary demeanor,
this combination,
in the eyes of ordinary Adventurers, looked exactly like they were lying in wait here to arrest some unlucky fugitive.
Who would dare to get close?
Have a death wish?
...
"Mmm... So good! So good!"
Right in this atmosphere where people hardly dared to breathe,
an extremely ill-timed sound of chewing suddenly arose, shattering the solemnity.
Behold,
Hestia was holding a bag of freshly fried potato croquettes.
Her cheeks were puffed up like a hamster's, her eyes squinted shut with bliss.
This was what Heimdall had bought from a roadside stall to stuff her mouth with, to keep her from starving.
Facts proved
that for Hestia, no trouble couldn't be solved with one potato croquette.
If there was, then two.
"Heimdall, Heimdall!"
As soon as Hestia swallowed the food in her mouth, she immediately skewered a golden, crispy croquette with a bamboo stick, stood on tiptoe, and offered it to Heimdall's lips.
"You try it too! This place makes them super delicious! The cream filling is really rich!"
"No, thanks."
"I'm not hungry. You eat it."
Heimdall shook his head, refusing the precarious croquette Hestia offered.
"Hmph... No appreciation for quality."
Hearing this, Hestia muttered discontentedly, but didn't insist. She promptly stuffed the croquette into her own mouth, letting out an immensely satisfied sigh.
"Ah... I'm alive again..."
"If I could eat this every day, I'd even be willing to sleep on the floor in your mansion, Heimdall..."
Just as Hestia was chattering idly,
suddenly,
a commotion arose from deep within the spiraling ramp ahead.
"Make way! Make way!"
"What the hell is that thing?!"
"How did that thing come up from below?!"
The crowded crowd seemed to be forcibly plowed open by some massive object.
Amidst exclamations and curses,
the Adventurers, each wearing startled expressions, scrambled to make way to both sides, forcibly squeezing out a spacious passage.
Immediately after.
Thump.
Thump.
Dull yet powerful footsteps echoed on the flagstones, making the hairs on people's necks stand on end.
A behemoth burst into everyone's view.
It was the Black Bear.
A Black Bear of ridiculously large size.
Its four limbs were as thick as pillars, and every step it took carried the force of a thousand pounds.
But that wasn't the most shocking part.
What made everyone's eyeballs nearly pop out was what it carried on its back.
It was a huge sack, crudely sewn together from the hide of a Level 12 monster—probably a Silverback Gorilla.
It was bulging.
Almost as large as the bear itself.
As the Black Bear moved, a crisp 'clattering' sound came from within the giant sack.
It was the sound of stones colliding with each other.
Crisp.
Dense.
Pleasing to the ear.
To every Adventurer present, this sound was incredibly familiar.
—It was the distinct sound of Magic Stones grinding against each other in a confined space!
"This... this is a Black Bear, right?"
An Adventurer nearby widened his eyes, nearly dropping the half-bag of low-purity Magic Stones he was carrying.
"It's really a Black Bear! How could someone bring such a ferocious beast into the Dungeon?"
"Doesn't it attack people?"
"Isn't that beside the point?!"
Another companion swallowed hard, staring fixedly at the giant sack, his gaze revealing unconcealed greed.
"Judging by that sound... could it be filled entirely with Magic Stones?!"
"Are you kidding me... How many monsters would they have to kill to fill a bag that big?!"
The surrounding Adventurers all widened their eyes, jaws dropping to the floor.
In this city where Magic Stones were the source of energy and the basis of currency,
This dense, crisp collision sound was more melodious than any music in the world.
It was the sound of gold coins dropping into a bag!
It was the sound of wealth!
And so,
Under the shocked gazes of the crowd,
A group of people gradually emerged from the shadow behind the Black Bear.
Tsubaki.
Kirukiru Amou.
Inaba Tsukiyo.
Rin.
And several other young women.
Although the equipment on each of them was stained with some still-wet blood, emitting a faint, fishy odor,
They were unharmed.
They didn't even show any obvious signs of fatigue.
Especially the figure walking at the very front.
—The leader of the Hephaestus Familia, Tsubaki Cobrand.
...
"Haa—!"
As soon as she stepped out of the passage,
Tsubaki stretched widely, and her joints let out a crisp sound like popping beans.
"As expected, the air up here smells better."
Tsubaki forcefully patted the back of her neck, as if trying to shake off the musty smell clinging to her from the Dungeon.
Then,
She looked up, and her single eye scanned the crowd, quickly locking onto Heimdall standing not far away, her eyes lighting up.
Originally,
According to Tsubaki's expectation,
She was impatient to see the expression on this Lord's face when he saw that massive bag of spoils.
It must be very amusing, right?
After all,
Even she, a seasoned Lv. 5 who had seen it all, was startled by the efficiency of these newcomers, who had swept through the area this afternoon like a swarm of locusts.
Just a few hours ago, this was a group that would draw pointing fingers.
Now, they had returned fully loaded.
This contrast was enough to shock many people.
She had even prepared the triumphant tone she would use to boast to Heimdall.
However,
When her gaze truly focused,
The smile on her face froze instantly.
Or more accurately,
It was when she noticed a figure standing next to Heimdall.
Deep blue short hair.
Impeccably neat standard armor.
Specially made metal gauntlets.
And that recognizable, stern face.
—The leader of the Ganesha Familia!
—The 'staff of the elephant god,' Shakti Falma, no doubt!
"..."
Tsubaki's single eye widened abruptly.
As an old hand who had mixed in Orario for many years, and also a Familia leader,
She naturally understood the weight of this Captain of the Military Police.
Whenever she appeared fully armed, it meant absolutely nothing good was happening.
Either a riot had broken out somewhere,
Or some unlucky person had committed a crime and was about to be arrested.
Now,
This harbinger of trouble stood motionless beside Heimdall, the two not even five steps apart.
This positioning...
Could something have happened?!
"..."
Tsubaki's heart immediately sank.
...
Fortunately, Heimdall walked up to meet them upon seeing them.
"You worked hard, everyone."
Heimdall had a gentle smile on his face, his gaze sweeping over the women before finally landing on the giant sack, nodding with satisfaction.
"It seems you had quite the harvest."
"Lord God!"
Seeing Heimdall approach, Kirukiru Amou and Inaba Tsukiyo and the others immediately bowed in greeting.
"Mm."
"You all worked hard, welcome back~"
Heimdall responded with a light smile, then noticed Tsubaki, who was still bewildered.
"What's wrong, Miss Tsubaki?"
"You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Uh..."
Tsubaki snapped back to reality, awkwardly scratching her messy hair, her eyes shifting strangely between Heimdall and Shakti.
"Um... Lord Heimdall."
Tsubaki pointed to Shakti standing silently beside him.
"Captain Shakti, you should know her, right?"
"Of course I know her..."
Tsubaki's mouth twitched.
Who in Orario didn't recognize that face?
"I'm just... very curious why she is here?"
"And also..."
She was practically tailing Heimdall.
This was too bizarre.
"As for Captain Shakti,"
"She was specially commissioned by Ganesha today to protect my safety."
"Protect your safety?"
Tsubaki was stunned.
What kind of Deity needed the Captain of the Military Police to protect them?!
-------------------------------
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