We were quickly allowed into the city of Orario which we arrived at without too much issue. Though getting passed the huge walls wasn't the issue frankly, it was came afterwards that was the issue.
"Lady Tiamat, please sign these agreements that you acknowledge the laws of Orario, and do not plan to burn the city to the ground. Nor partake in evil god activities and disturb Orario's system of governance." The male elf spoke as we had been escorted straight to the Guild.
In order for Tiamat to register herself as a new goddess that was going to be active in Orario and most importantly planning to start an Exploration Familia.
"So, with you just starting out as an I-ranked Familia with a single member, you will be expected to pay a five percent tax rate while you remain an I-ranked Familia. That familia rank will be changing as you register new familia members and your familia reach's lower levels within the dungeon." The elf continued to explain and I nodded in understanding while Tiamat signed off on the paperwork.
"Hmm is there any starter packages for gods who just landed, or likewise new adventurers?" Tiamat asked kindly.
And the elf nodded and said respectfully. "The Guild is willing to gift a new divine who just landed, upwards of thirty thousand Valis and a voucher for a reputable inn where you can spend fifteen thousand of the Valis for a week stay there in order for you to get your feet underyourself."
He took a deep breath and continued. "Though this is for exploration based Familia's which isn't an issue with how you are alreadly signing such paperwork. And I assume you will be wanting a set of starter adventurer gear?" He asked as he looked at me.
I slowly nodded and said. "Yes, I would like a padded leather jacket and pants. I don't need a weapon besides a good butcher knife to extract the monster stones."
The elf nodded and I added on asking for his name while introducing myself though I didn't bother to offer my hand knowing all too well that elves were racist and didn't particularly 'enjoy' touching the lesser races.
The elf gave a wane smile and said calmly. "My name is Riverda Leafwoods. And a starter adventurer set will run you five thousand Valis and you can only buy a whole set which includes a melee weapon and or shield along with the aftermentioned armor you mentioned though shoulder and neck chain mail is also offered."
I didn't really want to invest in a melee weapon when I could be getting weapons and such from my rougelite system... But it would be very fucking awkward if I died because I fucked up using only a small knife to kill monsters. So I said. "Alright I will take a heavier mace if possible as a melee weapon."
As no matter what I did. Having a mace coudn't go wrong basically... Because smashing a monster in the head with a spiked metal ball on the end of a stick would be lethal well into the later floors in case I got fucked over and only rolled for magic shit with my system.
Riverda simply noted down a couple of things before he raised an eyebrow and asked casually. "Ah, also for situations like this Lady Tiamat. We do have a seperate room with a padded bench if you wish to give your first child his Falna?"
Before Tiamat could say anything I said with a small smile. "Getting a falna is a more personal and private thing. I would feel more comfortable outside of such a busy building you understand Tiamat."
And she did easily with her nodding and saying kindly. "Yes I agree with Jake, I do appreciate the voucher though. Is there any other paperwork we need to account for child?" She asked kindly to the elf who had an eyebrow twitch at the motherly tone Tiamat used in calling him a child.
"No... That will not be needed." He said flatly before taking a breath and saying in a business like tone. "Please wait here for a couple of moments. I will be going to get your kit, Mr. Bariss, and your voucher Lady Tiamat."
With that he left the room and for a moment Tiamat was quiet before she looked at me with a raised eyebrow and she said with some amusment. "Are you embarassed to get your falna someone public or something?"
I shook my head and I said honestly. "No... Not exactly embarrassment is the issue, I just know it would gain attention should someone be there and saw my falna."
Her raised eyebrow turned to a slight frown before she smiled softly and I blinked as she came closer on the couch we were sharing and she wrapped and arm around my waist while leaning her head on my shoulder to give me a slight hug.
"I believe you, so I don't mind waiting a few minutes Jake ufufu." She chuckled under her breath before she gave a squeeze around my waist and giving me some space even as Riverda came back.
First he handed Tiamat a small pouch filled with what I imagined was Valis coin like what with what I had. And then he handed me a bundle of soft leather outer clothes which would provide a good bit of protection in the dungeon.
And then finally he handed me a one handed mace with a fist sized metal ball at the top of the mace's handle that had a couple dozen finger thick spikes across the metal ball.
"Thank you for the kit." I said as I especially appreciate the leather backpack the kit came with for carrying monster stones, drops and had a couple padded pockets for having some potions.
I then just paid off the kit's price that way I didn't have to have the Guild garnishing my spoils of war in the dungeon and then Tiamat stretched and said. "Well I am rather tired after all that walking with my mere mortal form. Are we done with with the mortal paperwork and what not young elf?" Tiamat asked kindly.
The elf nodded before he looked to me and said. "Yes that will be all for now. However I do suggest that tommorrow Jake, you come in early and setup an appointment to meet with your designated Guild Associate who will act as your Guild Advisor. You will need to learn the early dungeon layout and other things of course."
"That's fair... Well I will be here tommorrow around let's say ten PM? I will probably need some time to learn how to get around Orario to be honest." I said easily with the elf noting down my time.
And then he said. "Very well, then that will be all. Your guild advisor will be ready to meet you at that point Mr. Bariss."
With that Riverda, got up. Bowed to Tiamat respectfully before leaving the room and I gave Tiamat's knee a soft squeeze before I said. "You ready to go?"
"Yes let's go to the hotel we got the voucher for. I cannot wait to welcome you into my Familia!" Tiamat said excitedly as she took my hand and all but pulled me towards the exit.
It seemed that Tiamat had no compunctions holding my hand as she happily pulled me through the street's of Orario only pausing to happily and kindly ask the locals directions to the hotel she wanted us to head towards.
And it only took us a good five minutes to get to the hotel, as it seemingly was meant to be close enough to the Guild for visiting gods or something. As the moment Tiamat handed over the paper pass to the receptionist, we were given a key and told that we had a week starting tomorrow to live there comfortably with three meals being offered by the hotel.
But that wasn't important at the moment. The maternal form of Tiamat was all but jittering happily with excitment as we went upstairs to the nicer suites and as soon as we got into our room she trilled out excitedly. "Ahhh!"
"Now take off your shirt and let me give you, your falna Jake!" Tiamat said with some embarrassment as her little verbal slip made her flush.
I just inwardly chuckled but said. "Alright alright Tiamat, I am stripping alright."
And she snorted at my teasing tone but she became more serious as I pulled off my shirt and I laid face down on the bed I already checked for things like bed bugs and such.
"Hmm some decent tone in your back." She noted with a small apprecitative hum as she gently brushed her hand from my shoulders down my back to the middle of my back where her fingers laid there for a moment.
I felt her settling onto my back with her soft backside laying just on the back of my own waist as she brought her hands up slowly more to the core of my back.
"My first child, my Familia captain... I will remember you Jake Bariss, no matter if you reincarnate and forget me over a hundred thousand lifetimes stretching millions of years, I will remember you." Tiamat whispered.
Before I could respond to that heavy statement, I gasped as divine ichor dropped onto my mortal skin from Tiamat poking her finger into one of her large horns that hung beside her. "Hmm, Jake Bariss I am happy to-" Tiamat paused as her hands began working to create a Falna on my back.
"Jake... Why does it look like someone put an even more powerful Falna within your very soul? A Falna that is supplied with it's own divinity and only needs lesser magical energy to fill it out?" Tiamat asked slowly.
I exhaled and I explained quietly. "I reincarnated here Tiamat. I died, and then when my soul came to my patron he gave me a new body, put a different Falna inside of me of his own making and told me to become a god by hitting level ten with Gekai's Falna system."
Tiamat was quiet for a long moment before she exhaled and said softly. "I... I am sorry you had to go through that my child. Even if you bear the taint of another god, and their cruel game I will still adore you Jake, You are 'MY' Jake now!" Tiamat said with a force of will that made me shudder.
And not just because of some emotional thing... Now, I could literally taste salty sea water in the air and I could feel that Tiamat was fucking fuming that some asshole god was fucking about with souls in the upper world.
But hey I wasn't going to say anything. As I knew all too well that Danmachi's reincarnation system sucked fucking balls.
Tiamat took a deep breath and said more gently. "Now, lets get your real Falna on you finished alright darling?"
To which I could only nod silently as the primordial goddess hummed softly as she leaned in and carefully put her Falna onto my back while making sure to avoid messing with the system in my soul that was my Roguelike System.
"Jake... I am thinking I am going to go back to Tenkai to kill whoever messed with you when my Familia time in Gekai is finished." Tiamat said in a deadpan voice.
"What now?" I asked with trepidation as I wondered how my sponsor made my Quazar powers appear on my falna.
Tiamat was silent for a moment as she pushed a piece of paper to my back with a tinge of heat running through me as she copied the falna to the paper. "You can see for yourself... If it wasn't for how Ishtar is alreadly here, I would have thought she would have done it with her domains of fertility and war haaaa." Tiamat sighed in exasperation.
With Tiamat off my backside I was able to roll over and sit up with Tiamat giving me my falna with a deadpan star and I looked at my Falna with my own eyebrow twitching as I read it.
[Jake Barris
Level 1
Strength 0 I
Endurance 0 I
Dexterity 0 I
Agility 0 I
Magic 0 I
Development Abilities- 0
--------
[The Infinite Growth Armory and Magical College- Lvl 0
Body Enhancements-0
Weapons- 0
Relics- 0
Summons- 0
Upgrades/Evolutions to weapons and relics- 0]
--------
Skills-
Quazar of the Periodic Table- Allows the extraction and consumption of Soma/Breast Milk of any sentient female being which will either unlock an element on the periodic table for the User to use as a Quazar would. Or it would fill the Quazar with pure life energy 'Soma' to manifest and create the elements of the Periodic table they have unlocked previously.
Unlocked elements- 0
Bountiful Harvests- Women that act as the Maria with the user repeatedly, regardless of their race, age, or health will have their body adjusted to more properly produce and store Soma within themselves for their Quazar partner to safely extract it from them
Magic- 0]
"Yeah... This is certainly something." I said with a wry smile as I didn't expect the second skill. But it was certainly good as I knew that drawing Soma from a human woman at least. Would put strain on them if I did it repeatedly.
Tiamat was quiet for a moment before she grabbed my wrist making me look up from the falna to her. "Jake... Did you, no I mean." Tiamat had a small frown on her face as she considered something and I had no doubt that it was about the skill I had.
She finally smiled with a wry smile before she asked gently. "Jake. Would you like to try to take this Soma from me?"
I blinked as I honestly didn't think she would just offer it. I imagined I would have to court her and get past the almost indulgent care she alreadly had for me that was creeping towards a somewhat motherly feel.
I most certainly wasn't against getting my face into Tiamat's tits. Far from it, but I did have a single very poignant question to ask her. "Would that be alright for you, I don't want you to feel pressured to do so? And would it be safe for me to drink from a goddess?" I asked the real question.
She seemingly considered the question before she squeezed my hand and she said with a gentle smile. "I am the primordial goddess of life Jake Bariss. This... Is something that in my core, I desire haha." She said with a slight flush and my lips twitched as I was reminder how Danmachi gods very explicity coudn't have children.
I took a deep breath and I said truthfully. "Tiamat, I was... Obviously led to you by fate or another force. If you are willing to allow me this blessing beyond your falna I would be beyond happy... Truly happy." I added jokingly making Tiamat roll her eyes knowing at what I was getting at.
My eyes slid to her very ample breasts and she giggled at knowing exactly where my eyes had slid and for a moment Tiamat was silent and as my eyes went back up to hers. I was just lost in her X shaped pink pupils as she seemingly looked into my soul for something.
Until she finally closed her eyes and she picked at the top of her dress she had descended down from Tenkai in and she then pulled it down to her waist as she pulled her arms out of her dress.
Which exposed her large tear drop filled breasts to face. "Well Jake, please partake in my essence. I am... Very interest to see if you can with how I am a goddess ufufu."
With her very clear encouragement, I didn't question her any further. I carefully pulled the goddess into my lap with her giggling at my actions as I almost chastely wrapped my arms around her waist if it wasn't for how I instantly buried my face into one of her almost too large tits.
And Tiamat's giggles abruptly paused as my mouth pulled at her nipple and hot actually somewhat salty milk filled my mouth. But it wasn't like someone just dropped a bunch of salt into a cup of warm milk.
No it was almost like a sea salt ice cream or somethat was the perfect tempature and made into pure liquid goodness that filled my body with a primordial warmth of life that made me sag into Tiamat with my arms tightening around her.
"Oh... This is just wrong for a goddess to do this. And you just aren't fair young man. How will your mortal lover handle you in the future" Tiamat scolded in a breathy whisper as she possesively cradled my head in her breast.
Soma was literally the best drink I had ever had, it was the warmest most fulfilling sensation that filled my stomach with so much warmth. And the fact that the life essence filled milk was coming from a goddess of life itself?
I could feel something inside of myself popping and all of a sudden I could feel the difference in myself. I could feel the 'Sodium' surrounding me. And more importantly how to manifest it from the Soma that was filling inside my body.
Quazar's didn't just manifest their elements though. They could do wonderful, terrible, and great things with there powers that went beyond the pale. As I knew in my very soul that I could do things like solidifying and manipulating the salt inside of people's blood and making salt/sodium constructs.
Then there was my memories of other examples of what crazy Quazar's could do in Seikon No Quazar, like how the Gold Quazar had made himself immortal so long as any gold remained on planet earth. He had infected the concept of gold so completely that he literally ressurected Jesus Christ with his powers.
How was ressurecting people with the power of 'Gold' related? I had no fucking clue but you could get very conceptual with the elements to say the least.
I finally broke off of Tiamat with a heavy exhale as she giggled and pulled my face betwee her bare breasts. "Oh no you don't you don't get to make me. A goddess of motherhood who never had children lactate and just let go of me. As your goddess... I demand cuddles in repayment!"
"Mnomph?!?" I muttered between the sweet soft swells of her tits that were covering my face and mouth.
And Tiamat wisely replied in a perfectly logical manner. "Mumble mumble indeed Jake. Now, shush for a bit."
She gave me a slight nudge I and took the que to what she wanted and fell back slowly with Tiamat laying atop my form. As there was something I never considered when it came to Tiamat. She had to lay on her stomach due to her large horns coming out of the back of her head.
"Hmm, you make for a good pillow as well. Taking you into my Familia was indeed a wise decision for me to make ufufu." Tiamat giggled and I made another series of mumbling noises as I considered some things.
I may have died previously drowning on the titty milk... Was it so bad to die, being smothered in the titties of the goddess of life Tiamat?
Seemingly understanding my puny mortal needs Tiamat shifted so she could lay her head on my chest with myself being able to properly breath finally with a soft inhale ringing out that made Tiamat snort at how exaggerated it was.
And for a moment we were just silent, sharing warmth as friends, lovers? Maybe more as I coudn't hope to understand the mind of a divine let alone a normal woman. I had no idea what was going on in her head frankly.
Finally Tiamat hummed and I said quietly. "Well... You gave me the element of Sodium."
There was a pause before Tiamat giggled and said. "Are you calling me salty Jake?"
I coudn't help but give Tiamat's ass a spank making her make a 'Hnn!' noise as I said with adoration. "Yes, but only in the best way. It was like a sea salt ice cream that was just... Melted in my mouth perfecty honestly."
Tiamat was quiet before she just silently gave me a squeeze and then she said quietly. "Hmm... I see, well get some sleep Jake. Go to sleep, we will have much to do tommorrow."
To say the least... Tiamat didn't let me leave the bed as she used me as a snuggle pillow, and I wasn't particularly in a hurry to just throw her off of me.
-
The next morning I awoke to Tiamat gently rolling off me while humming some tune under her breath and I yawned softly as I felt my body adjusting to not having Tiamat's weight on it anymore.
"So are you planning to spend the rest of the day in the dungeon Jake?" Tiamat asked gently.
I shrugged and said past another yawn as I turned the shrug into a light stretch. "After I get a lesson on the dungeon's layout and such probably yeah. What's your plans for today Tiamat?" I asked curiously.
She gave a small smile before she said simply. "Oh, I will probably be going to meet my niece Ereshkigal who I know is here in Orario." She seemed to consider things before she shrugged and added. "Oh, and I think my old friend Medusa and her sisters are also within the city."
I blinked hearing that, as I didn't expect to hear about the Gorgon goddesses. But either way I said with a smile. "Sound's good, here I have a bit of extra money. So you can buy yourself lunch and such if you need."
After handing over the money Tiamat after taking it giggled and said. "Oh dear, you just shared a bed with me last night, and now you are entrusting your funds to me. Am I already your wife ufufu."
I coudn't help a small flush at how she teasingly asked that.
"Don't get so excited Tiamat" I patted her head and then I continued. "And stay away from Ishtar until you talk to Ereshkigal and others."
Tiamat gave me a dull look before she sighed and said with a pout. "Fine! I will at least talk with Eresh for now."
With that I gave Tiamat a final pat on the head and said. "Alright, I will head on now. So I will see you here later in the afternoon then?"
The goddess finally having finished brushing her hair said kindly. "Yes of course dear. So make sure you be careful in the dungeon."
With that all said, I left the room and headed towards the Guild where I reported my name and was told that I was supposed to meet my Guild, Dungeon Advisor in a couple minutes within a meeting room.
"Jake Bariss, I am to be your Dungeon Advisor." An energetic voice spoke as she pushed open the room to the meeting room I was waiting in and I raised an eyebrow at the dungeon advisor I had gotten.
A new elf this time very much female with blond hair and green eyes walked into the room. "Hello, my name is Shera Greenwood. I had a slot open for a new client and I was assigned to you."
I nodded. "Hello, so how is this going to go?" I asked respectfully as Shera moved a bundle of papers between us onto the table that seperated us.
She then pulled several paper's aside and I raised an eyebrow as the papers depicted highly detailed pictures of goblins and kobolds in particular along with some anatomy details about them.
"So for the first four levels of the dungeon, all you will see is Goblins and Kobolds with the rare Dungeon Lizard as well." Shera started as she pointed at the two pictures before pulling another picture out that depicted the Dungeon Lizard.
"Both Goblins and Kobolds have their magic stone right in the center of their chest right next to where their hearts typically are. So it's for the best that you... Cut their stomachs open and push up through their ribs to pull out their magic stones." Shera explained.
And she continued to explain about the dungeon monsters, how they Goblins were cruel and cowardly at times if you got into a killing streak before their eyes and would often run to find a larger group of their kind. While Kobolds were noted as being more pack oriented and having stronger senses and could smell and hear me often from several dungeon hallways away.
"Dungeon Lizard's are always solitary hunters though, and due to their small size they mostly like to drop down onto people from the roof of the dungeon." Shera 'happily' explained to me in a voice I realized quickly was her default and that she was kinda... Ditsy.
Thankfully although she was rather ditsy, she seemed to have everything completely memorized that she needed to tell me. Though... With my new skill, I coudn't help but notice her very large breasts and wonder if she would allow me to unlock a new element.
But that was a line of thought I didn't entertain too much as I questioned her about the dungeon layout for the first few four levels. Which was all she was willing to explain to me seeing as I literally got my falna yesterday... Which fair enough.
I shoudn't waste my Soma using my Quazar powers as it wasn't at all a renewable resource within myself. If I wanted more Soma, I needed to literally take it from the tap as it were.
"Alright, so beyond the dungeon monsters themselves. What else do I need to worry about?" I asked curiously as I was curious if there was any differences in this form of Danmachi. I knew 'some' things were different from how Tiamat mentioned Ereshkigal and the Gorgon sisters.
But that didn't mean much. Danmachi itself wasn't exactly well known for it's world building.
For all I knew, Freya wasn't the queen of Orario and instead Hepheastus and the other crafting Familia's had the city within a cock cage due to their total control of Adventurer grade weapons and such.
Back to the topic at hand. As Shera stretched a bit making her large breasts bounce in the motion within her Guild style suit. "Oh yeah! Well besides the monsters within the dungeon... Uhm it's not good but basically you need to consider every other adventurer down there as a possible enemy!"
I blinked at the blithe way she said it without any hesitation besides just spitting it out. So I raised an eyebrow and said slowly. "You are saying that-"
And she cut me off and with suprising seriousness from the elf who had previously been a bit ditsy. As she said firmly. "Jake, there is alot of unspoke rules within the dungeon. Like not passing a horde of monsters onto another group. But there is no real rules within the dungeon. So long as no one survives to report anything to the Guild. And even then... At best the Guild can fine an offending Familia and that's it."
I blew out some air and I asked bluntly. "Out of a hundred adventurers who die in the dungeon. How many of them die due to another adventurer?"
Shera gave a weak smile before saying quietly. "Well for one... More than a hundred adventurers die or are reported missing in the dungeon a day. So we cannot say if other adventurers are killing them as obviously the bodies aren't being returned as the monsters consume them quickly. But we think the numbers are around one in three adventurer deaths in the upper floors being done by rival adventurers."
I exhaled hearing that information as although I knew even in canon it was fucking on sight when members of the Freya and Loki saw each other in the dungeon sometimes. But alot of times in Bell's POV things were very much white washed.
"Alright, thank you for that information. Is there anything else I need to know?" I asked curiously.
Shera nodded and said formally. "Yes, the Guild does have maps of the dungeon up and to the tenth floor available for free to new Familia's. But you will only get the maps for floors one through four for the first week."
"I understand, though I am curious. Where can I buy the maps to the deeper floors. I am not going to go there obviously!" I finished firmly seeing Shera's eyes tighten before she giggled at my end point.
She then twirled her hair as she shifted and she said slightly awkwardly. "Well Jake, at the tenth floor and past it. The dungeon floors are much large. Larger than the city of Orario itself on average taking in the whole floor into account. So we don't have in depth maps and only have general maps that lead to the next floor."
She took a deep breath and said with a wry smile. "Your best bet for better maps is getting them from a trusted Familia who your diety is friends with. As the Familia's the deeper they go, have less interactions with the Guide beyond paying their taxes as we can't control them."
"Well thank you very much for all the help and information." I said firmly as I stood up and took the fold out maps into my leather backpack I got from the adventurer starter kit.
Shera giggled and said happily. "Good! I am happy you are so kind and haven't been weird as I heard my friend say that humans are always trying to touch an elf's ears!"
I blinked at that and said with a wry smile. "Oh no, that is rather deviant behavior haha." I laughed at the end jokingly as I left the room while Shera got her paperwork back together with her calling out.
"I have an open slot for more lessons tommorrow after lunch if you want more lessons and in depth dungeon lessons!" She said excitedly and after a moment of thought. I nodded and said I would be there after lunch time.
Well now with the map of 'Dungeon-Chan' secured. It was time for me to get into Dungeon-Chan's bowels and deal with her antibodies/monsters to aquire all the good loot. All so I could support my big titty goddess who was obviously a bleeding heart.
'Well I asked for a loving and accepting goddess from my sponsor. If I have to help her support and open an orphanage, that isn't too bad.' I mused as I made my way towards the dungeon that was below the giant tower of Babel and just down the road from the Guild.
The dungeon entrance had several smaller parties milling around in front of the massive circular staircase leading down into the dungeon. And to the side I saw a cargo elevator that would take people and cargo down into the dungeon for a 'modest' fee of five thousand fucking Valis per ride.
'Maybe the other Familia's truly have something going when the Guild is gouging them so much.' I thought as I saw an adventurer standing next to the guild employee who was in charge of collecting the toll for use of the two elevators.
Then again. I did look into the prices of monster stones, and once you got down to the floors near Riviria, each basic monster stone was worth on average typically at least a couple thousand Valis with Minotaur monster stones in particular being worth four thousand each.
But that had one... Minor issue. Monster stones most certainly had weight and volume especially the bigger ones so I could only carry so much even if I could get down to that level. Which led me to another thought...
"I wonder if I can make up my own party?" I mused to myself with a soft hum of thought as I made my way down into the dungeon. Though I didn't plan on snagging Lillie or anything. As she was troublesome to say the least.
So either I would need to help Tiamat expand the familia as trusting other Familia's was likely... A bad idea while we didn't have our feet underneath us yet. Or I would need to trust randoms like Lillie who could easily betray me in the dungeon and just dissapear.
No, my best bet was to help Tiamat expand the Familia, only those people were who I could truly trust down in the dungeon, because at the end of the day. Should something happen to me, they would need to see Tiamat at the end of the day. And no mortal can lie to a divine in this world.
A few minutes of walking later I reached the bottom of the stairs leading into the dungeon, and the stark silence of being so deep underground hit my subconcious like a truck as I followed the line of adventurers going into the dungeon with the vast majority heading off towards the deeper floors.
Finally, I seperated off from the main line of adventurers heading deeper into the dungeon as I headed off into a side tunnel as I had already mostly memorized the map of the first floor's winding maze of tunnels at least in terms of how to get back to the main tunnel.
The tunnels for the dungeon's uppermost floors weren't that big honestly. A solid seven maybe eight meters across and five meters talls with rough walls that held bright orange torchs that the dungeon itself seemingly maintained for some reason.
I held up a hand and I pulled at the Soma within myself and from within my hand came a large triangle shaped dagger of the metal Sodium that with my will floated in the air. "Sodium is a rather soft metal... I shoudn't use it for too harsh of combat." I mused.
As Sodium had the juxitpoistion of being very weak in tensile strength. But also was highly reactive with a powerful energy retention rate.
That reminder of how extremly reactive pure Sodium was made me pause as I held up the dagger. "Wait... If I stab this into a living being. Woudn't the Sodium as per usual explode on contact with the water inside of a living being?"
Did I just come up with shit bolter weapons due to how the sodium would explode within a target? Though that relied very much on the Sodium actually getting into the bloodstream of a target.
I shrugged and then went deeper down the tunnel where I found my first dungeon monster. And all too quickly I saw how this goblin was much different from the goblins of the surface world.
This one actually had some muscle tone, and it's eyes glowed, literally glowed bright red with the rumored hate and bloodlust the dungeon had for all sentient life.
"So the goblin's born here, are born/created at the peak of their abilitity. Rather than being born on the surface and having all kinds of nutrient and other factors that change their possible growth." I mused as I helfted the mace I got from the guild.
The lone goblin squealed and just flipped me off making me pause as the bastard ran off down the tunnel deeper into the dungeon.
"This... This is totally a trap isn't it?" I asked myself rhetorically as I recalled how Shera explained how the goblins did have a cunning cruelness within themselves.
Which left one question... Do I wander into the trap of what was likely going to be a group of goblins?
I took a deep breath as I wasn't far from the main tunnel, and I was literally at full stores basically of my Soma so if needed I could use it to get myself out of a bind easily.
So I walked down the tunnel towards where the goblin had run away from and then once again paused as I realized their trap. "Is it just me or ar you fuckers too smart?" I asked with a frown as there was six goblins but also two 'human' corpses stacked atop one another with a younger girl with bloodied blond hair thrown atop the pile with stone daggers impaling her hands and legs.
Fun fact, when pure Sodium is stabbed into a source of water. It violently boils the surrounding flesh, organs, and literally explodes. With my fear of the Sodium metals soft metal structure being too soft at least when it came to goblins not being an issue.
The knife flew with my will into one of the six goblins's chest at high speed and the 'Pure' magically enhanced sodium reacted to the water within the goblins blood as it slammed hom into his body. And then with a loud Crack! of an explosion. The knife fucking exploded like a grenade inside of the poor bastard.
And the goblin's body exploded into smoke as the explosion also seemingly destroyed it's magical stone and the sight made the five goblins freeze one of their compatriots just exploding into bloody giblets that was breaking down into smoke.
I didn't give the goblins any time to adjust themselves as I stomped towards the nearest one and even as it awoke from it's shock it coudn't back pedal quick enough as a heavy metal spiked ball.
Just smashed into it's face with a loud wet cracking noise as it's skull gave way to my powerful downward blow.
The other goblins had gotten back into their swing of things and one of them went for the girl that was impaled with several stone daggers and what not but seeing that the bloodied blond was still alive even if her companions almost certainly weren't.
I created several more small dagger spikes of sodium that shot forward and slammed into the goblin making it explode like the first one did when the sodium exploded within itself.
With a big of thought to that process while the other goblins were charging straight for me. I covered the top of the mace with a large ball of Sodium and although I could use my control over Sodium to make it weightless for me.
Another ten pounds of mass on the end of my mace made the force of my blow even greater as I shattered the ribs of goblin that came diving at my knees to bring me down.
Another goblin leaped onto my side and it's clawed hands tried climbing up to gouge at my face but I just smashed it in the face with the shaft of my mace making it's cheek bone make a cracking noise with the sharp blow I gave it with no hesitation.
"Fucking little shits, get off of me!" I snapped out with frustration as I coudn't wind up a good blow so I dipped more into my Soma and I manifested a glove of the metal to fit around my fist in which I then smashed into the face of the goblin with my free hand that wasn't holding the mace.
And that was how I got rid of the last two goblins, I would smash them with my fist that was basically a 'slightly' softer hammer. And then with my other hand I would smash their heads in with my mace.
With the goblins dead, I obviously went to check the bloodied blond girl who I realized had been impaled on her friends who were most certainly dead as their faces and throats had been gnawed off by the goblins who had seemingly jumped them.
'This is danmachi, not a hentai setting. The monsters at least here in the dungeon are more busy killing adventurers even if the goblins likely used this girl's screams to attrack more adventurers maybe.' I mused to myself as I pulled the girl off the pile of corpses and set her to the side so I could inspect her.
She was wearing what was once probably a nice blue, and white with gold tinge robe and her breathing was weak as large gashes covered her arms and legs while both her legs and arms had a sizable wide puncture wound where the goblins had shanked her.
'Do I wake her up? Or just take her out of the dungeon?' I mused before I shrugged and leaned in as my Guild adventurer kit did come with some bandages and a shit tier healing potion.
So I first tightly bound up those wounds before I tilted her head up and gently poured the potion into her mouth before grimacing as I couldn't get her to drink the potion. "Fuck it, worth a try." I muttered as I sure as hell didn't know the way to massage a thick potion down someone's throat.
I took the rest of the potion into my mouth which tasted quite firmly of terrible medicine and I pushed the potion into her mouth while pinching her nose shut with a couple fingers.
And my idea worked as she sharply inhaled and gagged back into my mouth as she swallowed part of the potion down wrong but hey so long as the potion was being absorbed into her body it worked.
Soft hands pushed my chest and I leaned back wiping off my mouth as the girl stared at me blankly with blue eyes that were filled with fear. "Sorry, I needed you to swallow the potion I gave you." I said with another cough to the side as I tried to get her spit out of my mouth.
She was silent as she stared back at her companions and said quietly. "We used to kill goblins and other small monsters back in our home town... The Guild said that monsters here in the dungeon were stronger, but not more than three times stronger then the surface monsters."
I paused hearing that and I never really considered that when I already had a Falna and the boost that came with being a Quazar.
"Wait, do you not have a Falna?" I questioned quickly as I caught onto that as I think that three girls if they had a Falna should have been able to take on half a dozen goblins if they actually had any experience.
The blond girl looked down in shame before whispering. "No... We came to Orario trying to join a Familia, but we coudn't find one to join in time and we were running out of money." She shuddered at something but still continued. "So we decided to try to kill goblins on the first floor."
She hissed with pain with tears leaking from her form as she tried to get up but failed as her body was still bleeding and she was obviously weak even with the potion I fed her. "My friends... Are they? I am a healer so please check them!"
I swallowed some bile as I looked at their ruined faces and throats as in the whole while they hadn't so much as twitched. But I took a breath and said with forced calm. "Alright, let me check if they have a heartbeat at the least. So you said you are a healer? They are rather rare even in Orario, so why couldn't you join a familia with such a talent?"
I held in a grimace as I ignored the gore covering the base of their necks as I felt for a pulse counting for up to twenty seconds for each girl that had most assuredly died via of blood loss.
The blond remained silent for a long moment before I stood back up properly and shook my head clear in her eyes meaning that they were very much dead. And for a moment the girl just looked down before she said softly with defeat.
"Because I didn't want to leave my friends behind... The Familia's didn't want to take on a healer that requires a long chant to heal a very small wound, and also take on two more younger girls without notable skills."
I nodded in understanding as I knew that magic outside of the Falna was possible but it was normally far weaker, and required a great deal of preparation or a patron like a spirit.
"I am sorry for your loss... Want me to bring you up out of the dungeon? I asked quietly as I came back over to her and noted how her weapon was a staff while her other friend had a knuckle wraps while the last one had a small sword and a larger bag which probably carried their savings and such.
She gave a weak chuckle and said. Why do... Yes, I would appreciate that, my friends wouldn't want me to just die here."
I remained silent and just stared at her for a moment before asking bluntly. "What is your name?"
She paused as she froze at the pain of moving her legs and she looked back at me and said quietly. "Filia, my name is just Filia no last name."
I got up and then went over to her friends and I could feel her eyes boring into my back as I pulled off the slightly shredded cloth bag that carried their saving and some monster stones within it.
Then I grabbed the small sword and knuckle wraps before putting them in the bag after wrapping the blade of the sword up in a shirt that was in the bag. "Here... You probably are going to need some money once you get topside. My name is Jake Bariss as well."
I then dropped off the bag near her to make sure I didn't steal anything while she couldn't see. And then I quickly grabbed the monster stones from the goblins corpses.
And I couldn't help but note, how I could feel the ability to absorb the magic stones in order to ignite my Roguelike system. But I pushed down the thought as I came back to the girl.
I asked kindly. "Can I carry you out of the dungeon now Filia?"
She gave me a long look before she asked me softly. "Are you going to ask for favors after this? The Apollo familia offered to take us in, but it was all to clear the god wanted more than just us joining his familia."
My lips twitched and I replied honestly. "Filia, you are cute. But no I would never demand favors for saving someone's life when I could."
Besides just in doing a good deed, there was always the fact that doing heroic and great things like saving a damsel in the dungeon would obviously make my stats grow faster!
So with a slight grunt of effort I picked up the girl in a princess carry as any other holds would hurt her more. And although holding her like this took both of my arms... I didn't need my hands free to shoot a small arrow of Sodium at high speeds at someone.
"I am not too heavy with the bag?" Filia asked with a slight flush as she obviously tried to divert the topic and I could tell she was rather shy.
And with all the pride of a man who would carry more than their normal gym lifting max in order to not need to make another trip to get more groceries from their car. I said proudly. "Nope you don't weigh a thing. Now lets get you to the hospital."
Coming out towards the main tunnel a Kobold tried to come out from another tunnel but another adventurer just laughed and grabbed the monster by its head and smashed it into a wall with the armored man giving me a thumbs up. "Haha good catch newbie!"
The man was assuredly probably level two maybe even level three with how he casually jumped forward a solid dozen meters in but a moment and smashed the monster's head in so I just nodded and said with a waggle of my eyebrows. "Yup got the best haul obviously."
And I continued making my way through the main tunnel leading back up to the surface with the dungeon monsters normally staying away from the obvious death tunnel with the literal thousands of adventurers going through there every hour.
Once we got onto the stairs, I began climbing them with a bit more strain as carrying her up like five hundred meters of stairs definitely putting some strain on me.
"Thank you for helping me Jake." Filia muttered quietly as we passed by the other adventurer's and I grunted in response as I couldn't help but note myself that this was definitely a 'thankless' task.
Sure I had her appreciation but it was obviously going to cut into my time in the dungeon. But leaving her to die wouldn't be a good thing at all so I just powered on. I had taken her as my responsibility.
And she remained silent until we reached the end of the stairs and I was quickly waved on by a Guild member who was a male human from the looks of things who said. "Take her to the clinic over to the right. The people taking the lift sent word of you coming up."
"Thanks." I said simply and went over to the clinic and I was soon able to drop her off onto a gurney with her taking my arm into her hands despite the clear agony it must have caused her to do so with the fucking hole in her hands from the goblins.
"Wait... I have to repay you, our teacher always told us to never leave debts unpaid." She said with her eyes unfocusing as she gazed at me.
I could feel her blood seeping through the bandage I had wrapped around her hands so I said patiently. "My goddess and I are living at the Noble Dancer Inn for the rest of the week. If you can find us there, then our meeting can continue Filia."
With that, Filia relaxed and I carefully folded her arm back onto the gurney as some volunteer healers from what seemed like the guild and the Dian Chet familia took her away.
And I didn't get any acknowledgment from the people who wheeled her away so I just shrugged and continued on. Heading outside of the Tower of Babel to refill my water canteen and wash off the blood from my hands in a nearby bathroom.
Once I did that, I took a seat on a small bench as I centered myself, and after a moment of thought I dug into my own bag as adventurers passed by and went into the dungeon.
I stuck my hands into the pocket I had buried the the monster stones I had gotten and I took a breath as I pulled at the monster's stones.
[Roguelite System Activated... Level 2 Reached!]
[Rolling...]
My eyes widened as the system rolled for me and I got three options as I rolled first into the Magicraft tab- Which obviously first gave me an option to roll a staff which I needed to obviously roll as I can't use anything from Magicraft without the staff.
[Deed Witness- Makes all spells and magical effects even cast by other wands or magical tools larger by 50 percent size-wise with zero mana cost increase]
[Swift Spellblade- Increases User's by 40 percent, also increases spell formation speed by 25 percent.]
[Crystal Shaper- All monsters killed by this wand, have a twenty percent chance to teleport two monster stones from the single monster, and their drop items directly into the user's bag or storage unit.]
"Damn, this is a tough one," I muttered as in reality all three options were fairly decent if not very useful even if they weren't the super powerful offensive wands available in Magicraft.
So after a moment of thought, I decided that although the Deed Witness wand had some of the better long-term potential for myself. The reality was that having the Swift Spellblade as an actual weapon was for the best.
As although otherwise the Crystal Shaper staff would be very useful... I didn't have any way to protect myself should people see monsters just explode randomly, when I didn't destroy their monster stones.
So with a mental thought I picked the Swift Spellblade and I blinked ready for it to fall into my bag hidden from view...
But instead I coudn't help a wide smile as it seemed that the system came with a small inventory that could only store the items I got from the system within itself.
"Well that's convienent. Now lets see what else I got?" I mused as I refocused on the system as it rolled still within the Magicraft side and I paused as it rolled into offensive spells thankfully. But I was a bit stunned as it rolled a higher tier spell then I though I could get so early.
"Well Flying Sword is a definite yes, even if Black Hole, and Laser are decent spells... Though Black Hole is a complete mana sink honestly." I muttered to myself with a shrug as I picked the Flying Sword Spell.
And like I expected, it fell into my System Inventory, but with it's unique status as a Magicraft spell I could move the spell into one of the eight available slots for spells, and add-ons for the Swiftblade Wand.
With that done... I got up and decided that getting back into the dungeon was exactly what I needed to do. "Now... Let's just hope I don't run into yet another damsel in distress." I muttered with a wry grin as I made my way down to the dungeon.
-
Across the city, Tiamat herself was hovering over one of her favored adopted daughters seeing as gods coudn't truly reproduce besides making shards of themselves in spirits. "Mommmm! I am doing well as you can see!"
Ereshkigal with her blond hair and crimson bloody eyes was looking at her adoptive mother with embarrassment as Tiamat giggled happily and wrapped up the shorter more petite goddess in a tight hug.
Ereshkigal screamed helplessly as her familia captain watched with a wry smile before shaking her head and leaving with a happy. "Have fun with your 'mother' Ereshkigal. And don't give her any of the Familia's money!" Rin Tohsaka yelled before she slammed the door closed.
Tiamat gave a light chuckle and let go of her totally 'secretly' favorite daughter with Ereshkigal making a series of completely unreasonable motions as though Tiamat's hugs were actually dangerous.
"So when did you arrive here in Orario? Was it you that landed outside of Orario actually yesterday?" Ereshkigal asked with some excitement as she folded an arm over her chest.
Tiamat hearing the excitment in the normally shy and anti-social goddess coudn't help a wide grin as she was happy to see having a Familia was helping Ereshkigal become more social.
"Yes Eresh, I landed here just yesterday. And I was saved and escorted by a handsome, gentleman who became my first Familia member." Tiamat happily explained though she did skip over the whole... Episode she shared with Jake last night.
Ereshkigal nodded before tilting her head to the side and saying. "So is he a good catch? Or did he just save you gallantly so you took him in, mother?"
At the wonderful summary that the goddess of death made. Tiamat just giggled and placed a hand over her much more ample chest and said happily. "Oh, it was a most exciting meeting to say the least. But he... Well, he is special to me haha."
"Well that is good, and you are letting him into the dungeon so soon though? Does he have combat training and or any teammates?" Ereshkigal asked with a frown.
Tiamat paused before she grimaced and admitted honestly. "I just arrived in Orario, Eresh. I haven't had time too look for any new members. That and I am not sure where to find more members of value."
Ereshkigal was silent for a long moment before she took a deep breath and explained. "Mother, my familia is on the smaller side due to them being my apprentices and working my mortuary. I found my members via finding people who had lost their loved ones and they find their purpose in working with me in escorting the dead's souls to Tenkai."
Tiamat nodded and then said slowly. "So, I should look for mothers, and orphans who need my love and care!"
A soft facepalm rang out as Ereshkigal muttered and then she took a deep breath and said with amusement. "Sure mother. If that makes you happy then go ahead. But you probably need help if you want to protect the orphanage you no doubt plan to create."
Tiamat outright frowned at that and said slowly with a pressure filling the air. "Who would dare harm the children under my care?"
And Ereshkigal said bluntly. "Too many to note, our fellows gods will take them as servants barely not called slaves to avoid Orario's rules. Ishtar and other divines of beauty and love will mentally shred them with their charm... You need strength to protect yourself and yours Tiamat."
"Strength that will come exculsively in the form of your Familia, Tiamat. You can't use your divinity and status to keep other's back with how your Arcanuem is sealed."
There was a long pause as Tiamat seemingly absorbed that information. Then she smiled but it was a colder thing as she said as it carried the wrath of a scorned mother. "Then I will have to recruit more members then. And I will crush anyone who dares to harm those under my umbrella."
Ereshkigal just shook her head and said bluntly. "You and any familia you build, have a long way to go before you are untouchable."
The goddess of death took a deep breath and said with a wry smile. "Alright, now lets move onto a lighter topic alright? So what are you working towards as a familia, mother?"
The conversation quickly shifted as Tiamat lowered her angry expression and said after a breath. "Well, I will be dabbling in the Dungeon Exploration side of things. While my true hope lies in opening an orphanage to help take care of the lost children of the world."
Ereshkigal shook her head with a wry smile before she said with amusement. "Well, I am happy with what I got here. Taking care of corpses and helping to guide their souls is far easier than raising the young mortals for sure haha."
-
Meanwhile...
"You get a sword to the face! You get a sword to the face! You all fucking get swords to the face!" I yelled out as a dozen goblins burst out from around a corner at hearing me come closer to the four-way road.
The Flying Sword spell was very self-explanatory. It created solid mana constructs in the form of ornate swords. And while I could force them to fly around me as a form of blade armor wall, as the swords were a good four feet long.
They were best suited in just shooting off at high speeds and impaling any poor bastard that got within my sight and in the case of the goblins and kobolds? Well, they were perfect targets for practicing my aiming with the Flying Sword spell.
As the spell didn't have me micro-manage the control of the spell. I basically just mentally pointed it where it should go, and then the swords would shoot off at high speeds at where I wanted.
But even though the Flying Sword spell was powerful, I was well aware it was because of how my wand was able to regnerate mana on it's own. It was able to regenerate mana from the surrounding mana-filled air of the dungeon, as well as taking it from myself.
So I wasn't nearly struggling with mana when a single large sword shooting into a monster would do very lethal damage to it allowing me to finish it off with my mace and then work to extract the monster stones by hand.
But the best part of the Flying Sword spell, was how that the flying swords didn't just break apart over time. They stuck around... Basically indefinitely.
And they were fucking awesome flying around me at the ready!
"That should be enough monster stones for a level. And also have enough for a bit of money." I mused with some annoyance as I realized something very important about my powers...
My powers and growth was literally powered by potential money. So the quicker I wanted to grow, the less money I was bringing in. And right now I coudn't exactly mono-focus on my growth when I was homeless.
[Rolling...]
[Stygian Blade- Stabbing the sword into the ground creates a shockwave that scales with Strength.]
[Malphon Twin Fists- Gives the user access to a swift but short dash that increases all damage and makes user invulnerable during the dash towards target.]
[Strength Bonus Lv1- Strength is multiplied by 5 percent. Strength stats in Falna grows by 5 percent.]
I paused at reading the list and for a moment I was confused on why there was a random growth skill of a sort right there. But I then noticed how the weapons from Hades was colored orange as though to call them legendary. But the skill was only blue for rare.
"Well... I have no idea when I am going to roll a literal divine weapon again. So I should take the Hades weapon." I mused so I took a deep breath and then I picked the Stygius Blade as I could still use my Swiftblade Wand in my off-hand.
The moment the Stygian Blade landed in my hands I knew I was hooked as it... It just fit perfectly into my hands. And I realized that the sword was most definetly mine now as it quickly shifted from the form of Zagreus's aspect with the sword changing into my own aspect.
The 'Jake' aspect of the Stygian Blade was a hand an a half-long falchion with a thicker tip and a long handle that could allow me to dual hand the sword to land more punishing blows.
The blade itself was dark black metal with bloody veins seemingly running across the blade and I couldn't help but wonder how alive this sword was... And whether it would begin talking to me or something.
But I just took a deep breath as landing a divine weapon used by the Greek Gods to slay the Titan's in the world of Hades was something I couldn't deny... Though I couldn't help an amused thought that the system was being weird in giving this to me so quickly.
"Whelp back to farming. I need to get money as I refuse to be homeless... Let alone make my goddess homeless." I muttered as I pushed off the wall I was leaning on as I had went to the second floor to get some slightly better monster stones.
A few minutes later, I got to put the Stygian Blade to the test as a trio of Kobolds which were bipedal wolf-like creatures came charging around the corner of a tunnel having caught my scent.
I waited for them to close in and then I stabbed the Stygian Blade into the ground with all my might and a loud boom rang out as a bloody wave of black and red energy shot out from the ground and became a wave that smashed into the surrounding walls and the monsters in front of me.
"Did the sword turn into a budget Zangetsu?" I muttered as I realized the wave of energy was similar to a Bankai Getsuga Tensho. But Ichigo's being pure spiritual pressure and such nonsense wasn't the same as mine seemingly was a magical force... Or maybe even divinity?
I couldn't be sure honestly. But I could feel the sword seemingly assessing it's own use making my lips twitch as I wondered if I could take it to Hepheastus to have her upgrade it like getting Deadelus Hammers could upgrade them in the Hades game.
But then I paused... And the scowled as I realized something crucial. "You little shit... You destroyed the monster stones!"
The wave of energy had destroyed the bodies of the kobolds so throughly that there was only the fading smoke of the monsters having had their monster stones destroyed.
"Well looks like its back to use the-" I muttered before pausing as a male scream rang out.
I paused hearing the male scream... Then I shrugged as I was feeling pretty invincible with my Flying Sword spell and my literal divine sword in hand.
I quickly jogged through the dungeon and realized through the winding twist and turns of the upper floor, that I had returned to the main tunnel line leading to the upper and lower levels. As it was easily told due to the marks in the floor that came about, due to the carriages leading from the surface down to Rivira that came through each day.
And I ran down the hallway towards the source of another scream in another hallway making me think. 'Damn, screams carry far... I wonder if the dungeon deliberately made the acoustics that way to fuck with people.'
But just past the curve of the tunnel I found the source of the screams. And I paused alongside the source of the reason the man who was screaming.
It was a woman with long purple hair and bright purple eyes and she gazed at me coldly as she flicked her entirely too damned long katana that wasn't something a low level should have with blood droplets hitting the wall audibly as she sheathed her sword.
"Are you with these bandits?" She asked quietly and I took in the men who had all but one been cut down to a man and I said with a slight swallow as she was seemingly a favor of cutting people clean in half at various angles.
"No... No, I am not with these people." I said with her gaze taking me in for a long minute before her wrist flicked and her sheathed katana hit the man who had been screaming and had lost his lower waist in the head.
And as the sheathed sword hit the man in the head, I knew then and there that this crazy chick was fucking strong as his head literally just exploded into a bloody mess.
The woman who was in a completely different situation then Fila earlier just tilted her head to the side and said in a soft monotone. "Ahh... That's good, do you know the way back to the surface?"
I stared at the woman I fully recognized as someone looking literally like Acheron, and I said slowly. "Uhh yes? We are right next to the main tunnel leading to the first floor."
The Acheron-looking woman just nodded and said calmly. "Then, please lead me up to the surface before I forget where I was going... You can have whatever these guys have if you want as well."
I just gave her a look and asked flatly. "You aren't going to try to kill me or something?"
And she just blinked and said with no emotion. "No, I will be forgetting about these people in the next five minutes due to a curse I have. And won't remember them for another twenty four hours and the memory will be faded. So go ahead and take whatever."
I shrugged as she seemingly caught up to how I was clearly a bit un-nerved so she just stepped back from the sliced apart corpses. So... I just went and looted the coin purses, checked their boots for more money and collected their weapons to sell for money.
"So what's your name?" I asked curiously.
And the woman stilled at the question before she hummed and said with some amusement. "I didn't think you would actually ask to share names... But either way. My name is Acheron."
I just nodded as I pushed down any thoughts I had as I realized that I wouldn't be surprised if my Sponsor sprinkled in some extra waifus or expies just to fuck with me. As he certainly got entirely too many laughs out of seeing how I died previously.
"My name is Jake-" I spoke and before I could continue, she raised up a hand and said in amusement.
"I am sorry, but I will likely forget you soon enough. Let's just keep walking Jake."
I shrugged and with Acheron at my side I kept walking as now with the loot from the five guys that Acheron butchered frankly... I had enough monster stones to turn in for a pretty penny to say nothing of their money.
And for a few minutes, we were quietly walking through the dungeon. Until Acheron paused and I tensed as she gave me an introspective look. "Who are you?" She asked curiously and I realized this must have been the curse she was taking about.
For a moment I was stunned at the utter ignorance in her eyes as she stared at me. And I coudn't help a joke as I said. "Your husband!"
And I couldn't help a laugh as Acheron stepped away in surprise making me chuckle. "Hahaha, I bet you won't forget that so easily. Anyway yeah, I am leading you out of the dungeon."
With that, I stepped away and continued leaving as I knew Acheron was a bit too much of a tough nut to crack.
And Acheron was silent even for the next five minutes as she just followed me out of the dungeon.
Once we reached the end of the dungeon, I just turned to Acheron and I said. "Alright Acheron, I wish you the best and good luck with your own dungeon explorations."
She just nodded with a slight tilt to the head as she looked at me in some confusion and a hint of emotion I couldn't tell before she said quietly. "Yes, I wish you the best in your dungeon exploration as well."
And then I just watched... Watched as Acheron in those tight-ass jean short shorts left and my goddess her ass was perfect.
'Alright, time for me to go home.' I mused with a slight grunt of effort as I made my way towards the guild to cash in my loot.
After getting to the Guild, I saw Shera actually opening up a new line as I came in. So I joined the line with her quickly getting the first guy out of the way with her happily explaining in her sorta airheaded way how the Guild counted out earnings. "Just pour and dump all your monster stones out! Lord Ouranos made a system that sorts them all out nice and easy for us haha."
With my earnings dumped into the large tray that got passed over to the other side of the cage. Shera quickly sorted out, packaged, and bundled up my earnings as she happily explained. "Here ya go! You had a couple of goblin fangs and a kobold claw, so you had a lucky first day huh!"
I nodded and said with a wry smile. "Yeah... They just fell into my lap basically." As they most certainly did as I got those item drops from the corpses of the men Acheron killed who were probably trying to rob her.
'Love to see her leave... And loved even more seeing her go.' I mused before shaking the thought aside as Shera coughed and looking around she passed me a note that made raise an eyebrow.
"Uhm, a human girl with blond hair passed me this note for you. She only left a message that she is making her way to your inn or something with me after she found out I was your Guild contact?" Shera said with a small frown.
I gave a slight hum as I thought it was almost certainly Filia who sent that... So I just nodded and said with a light smile. "Thank you for remembering the message Shera. And I will be here promptly for that next lesson tommorrow, I wish you a good rest of the day as she passed me back my sack filled with Valis coins.
"Yup! See ya tomorrow Jake!" Shera said excitedly waving me away with her bountiful elf tits bouncing in the tight guild suit outfit she was wearing.
And the sight made me mutter within myself. 'I am spending too time looking at tits after sucking on my goddesses tits... I need to chill the hell out.' I thought before mentally pausing as I was forced to recall that part of my growth required me to get Soma from other women to unlock more elements.
Soooo the hunt for titties was a path to 'Ultimate power' for me. Or in other words... The harem must grow!
With my bag filled with a decent hault for the day, I came to the inn we were comped for the rest of the week, and already I saw how Tiamat was talking to Filia, the healer girl I saved earlier as they shared a booth and meal together.
I first got myself a fresh drink and a sandwich from the innkeeper and I made my way over to the girls and I spoke curiously. "Filia, what are you doing walking around? You were rather hurt."
Filia squirmed a bit and said quietly. "I- I didn't want to miss you, and your goddess. As I forgot how long you were going to be here... But its fine! I was able to heal my legs enough si I could walk fine!"
I focused on how Tiamat was actually feeding Filia and then how Filia's hand was covered in thick bandages so that the holes in her hand could properly heal.
But I just shook my head and said. "Well, you are here haha. Anyway, my goddess Tiamat. How was your day as mine was certainly rather eventful."
Tiamat gave me a soft indulgent smile before she spoke gently. "Oh, I spent some time with one of my adorable adopted daughters, Ereshkigal. She is doing rather well, and besides that... Well I spent some time taking in Orario. Seeing if I could find anyone to recruit."
I raised an eyebrow at her being so much of a go-getter and I asked curiously. "Did you find any prospective recruits?"
Tiamat giggled and she pat Filia's head making her bounce in place and look up at Tiamat with wondering eyes as she watched the goddess hand leave her head with a pout. "Yeahhh, of course I did! We found her actually, I am taking little Filia here into our Familia! You having a healer to watch your back is for the best of course Jake."
I nodded as that was true enough. I doubted I would have many chances with my Rogue-like system to actually get healing abilities. And as for my Quazar abilities... Maybe if I got lucky and unlocked the element of Carbon or Iron I could heal myself? Maybe... I had no idea honestly.
"So you decided to join my little Familia, Filia?" I asked the more petite blond softly.
Filia finished eating the bite of the sandwich that Tiamat was holding up and then she said quietly. "I... I still want to be an adventurer you know. Me and my friends came to Orario to do just that. And I don't want to give up on that dream."
Filia bit her lower lip before she looked at Tiamat and said quietly. "And, Lady Tiamat has been nothing but kind to me."
I shrugged and then I said with an easy smile as this worked out for me. "Well if Tiamat accepts you and you didn't lie to her at any point. Then I will happily welcome you to the Familia."
With that, we moved to lighter topics where I gave Tiamat some of the money I earned while I also gave her a chore and job for her to find us a larger townhouse or something that we could rent so I... And Filia would have time build up money to buy a place.
"Buying habitable property in Orario is extremely expensive Jake, I talked with Ereshkigal about it, and the best thing to do. Is to buy a lot where a house or whatever was destroyed before building a new home there." Tiamat explained with a small frown.
I hummed as I doubted very much that I could easily snag a Jack Bird or three... So outright buying a property that had a livable compound on it was a waste of time and effort.
But then Tiamat continued with some hesitancy. "I was thinking Jake, that we should buy up some of the ruined property in the temple district as the gods have long abandoned living in temples. And with some effort we can build up a good orphanage there as the district is as far away as possible from the Redlight District and the cheapest district to buy land in."
A grunt of thought escaped me as I wondered if Bell and Hestia had even met yet... But I asked calmly next. "How much for a decent lot of land, and I assume you plan to work on building the orphanage and our living quarters in segments right?"
Tiamat nodded in relief at seeing me being right with her plan. As she was well aware that this wasn't the easiest path of things to go on. No, this was a more difficult path as we would have to juggle taking care of any kids that Tiamat picked up along with my own dungeon work.
"For a five-acre lot that needs to be cleared of a collapsed temple, its three hundred thousand Valis. And the structure's basement and foundation is fine thankfully! But as for building in segments like you said... Well, it's still rather expensive haha." Tiamat said weakly making me sigh.
As I got lucky bringing in all that extra loot from the bums that Acheron kill and even if I sold those shit extra weapons I got as well. I was still looking at around probably twenty-five thousand valis being made today and like half of that was from the weapons.
One man in the dungeon without a supporter to get the monster stones was slow... Especially with the fact that I was killing monsters on the top floors and their monster stones weren't particularly worth much.
"Alright Tiamat, its going to be slow. I can't make that much money and Filia, you aren't a support are you?" I asked with a wry smile.
Filia flushed and with her head shrinking into her shoulders she said quietly. "When I was with my... Friends, I was mostly on watch duty, I can try! But uhm I am not too strong so I don't think I can carry those big packs real supporters have."
I exhaled and held out my hands before I noticed them having finished eating. "So Tiamat, have you given Filia your Falna yet?"
Tiamat blinked before giggling and saying in amusement. "Nope! I wanted to see how you reacted to Filia being here first. But you obviously are A-Ok for her to join the Familia. So Filia want to head upstairs so I can give you, your falna?"
Filia hurriedly nodded and I gave a chuckle at the sight of the adorable girl carefully following Tiamat out of the booth. "Alright, you two have fun. I am going to go on a little walk, hell maybe if I am lucky... I will run into some other heroine to save and be able to take on as a supporter." I finished with only Tiamat and Filia hearing and earning a giggle from Tiamat.
Tiamat then gave Filia a soft nudge to get moving and I noted the patrons especially the men of the inn's restaurant giving Tiamat looks of lust as she was truly a beautiful woman even if I saw several of them get a bit weirded out by her giant horns.
I got up from my booth after finishing up my meal and I walked outside of the inn with a pep in my step. 'Now Jake... Where can I find some trustworthy people to recruit for the familia?' I mused as that was the winning question.
If I had like another decent combatant and a supporter for the party. That would be a perfect four man party. Though a long-ranged combatant besides myself would also be nice in an archer or something.
My musing thoughts carried me as I walked around Orario as I knew Tiamat was in full mother mode as she was giving Filia her Falna and probably smothering her with super hugs after learning how she was an orphan.
I paused as I realized I had walked into a more... Asian style part of Orario with the shops fading away into tea houses, asian restaurant and old style Asian homes with thin but walls surrounding their compound to give them privacy.
"Huh. Might as well fill up on a bit of street food." I muttered to myself with a shrug as I walked down into an alleyway that opened up into a sort of market that had loads of beautiful paper bag-covered candles lightning up the square hanging from ropes above the market.
I went and got myself a platter of some fresh diced up chicken that came with a large scoop of rice and a large wooden cup of water that I took over to a nearby table.
And as I was sitting at the table and eating, I noticed how a good number of the people. Making up the majority actually of the people in the market were various forms of beastkin actually.
Then with how many people were in the marketplace I wasn't suprised when a feminine voice spoke out. "Excuse me, do you mind if me and family sit next to you?"
I blinked before I mentally affirmed that my sponsor most fucking certainly messed with this world as I realized just now that Filia was the healer/nun girl from Goblin Slayer, as I recognized these... Three that came around all to damned easy.
"Uhm yeah go ahead. I just saw an open table and took it." I said to Ganyu who asked with a small smile as three beautiful women took seats across from me on the bench I had taken.
All three women were some of the most beautiful waifus from Genshin Impact even if you didn't like the game. You couldn't deny that Ganyu, Shenhe, and their adoptive mother were great beauties."
After the three sat down. Cloud Retainer being their adoptive mother cleared her throat and spoke with a formal tone. "Hello young man, My name is Xianyun and I am curious, how long have you been in Orario?"
I blinked at the question before shrugging and answering honestly. "Literally just got into Orario yesterday with my goddess as I found her when she landed here in Genkai yesterday. And it's nice to meet you, my name is Jake Bariss." I said as I put down my fork to take a drink.
The three ladies paused at hearing my answer with Xianyun humming and saying. "I see, we also just arrived here in Orario today from the Northern Dragon Mountains. Even still, you have been here longer then us, do you have any advice?"
I was a bit surprised she asked for advice in general but I shrugged and after giving the three women a clear look, I said bluntly. "Stay far away from the Entertainment District. God's of love, beauty, and other such domains can Charm and control your mind."
The three looked a bit non-plussed and clearly disgusted my warning but I continued. "As for other advice... If you plan to join an established Familia, goodluck unless you have some very particular and valuable skills. As most Familia that are well established like to pick their recruits from their familia's own children."
And finally I said slowly. "And in my first day in the dungeon, I saw more than a dozen people dead on the first couple floors... So you need to be well prepared the danger of the dungeon."
I ducked down to continue eating my food and the three also ate their food silently for a moment before Ganyu with her having much smaller horns then Tiamat spoke quietly. "Well thank you for the valuable information Jake, my name is Ganyu and this is my sister Shenhe next to me."
Shenhe just nodded to me silently but I knew she was a quiet girl so I didn't take offence to it.
Though I raised an eyebrow as Xianyun asked curiously. "You do seem rather knowledgeable about Orario though Jake, so do you have any suggestions for Familia's try to join for an artificer and enchanter like myself?"
That was a valuable skill indeed as despite in canon Danmachi ignoring enchantments for some stupid ass reason as they wanted to simp for blacksmiths.
I had no doubt they had more value in this reality as the entire world used Monster Stones 'mined' from the dungeon to power the magi-tech that made this world close to a first world in comforts.
"Well... It depends miss Xianyun. Do you want to join a Familia of crafters, or a dungeon exploration Familia? And I imagine you wish to stick with your family as well." I said with a shrug.
Shenhe instead spoke as she stated. "Dungeon Exploration Familia. We want to become strong."
I tilted my head to the side slightly and said. "Well... Haha there's always my brand new Familia with Tiamat the goddess of motherhood and life itself. Other than her, hmm if you are talented or strong enough. I highly recommend Ganesha as he is a god of the people and despite being a bit of weirdo he is one of the better gods."
Ganesha without a doubt was a very good god. Though I was a bit curious if weird OC/Expie gods were somehow in here as well... Hell I wouldn't be surprised if Ereshkigal was actually a Rin face from Fate.
Hell... Maybe if I was lucky maybe even Ishtar would also be swapped out by my sponsor into her Fate equivalent as I didn't even want to backhand the Danmachi version of Ishtar out of fear of catching an STI.
"Ohh? Tiamat is the goddess of motherhood and wants to be a dungeon exploration Familia?" Xianyun asked in some confusion but still clear interest.
I shrugged as I took another bite of my food before saying. "Well, its Orario. I am currently the captain and we only recruited another young woman who has some skill in healing later today. I want to get the funds for her to be able to open an orphanage. And plus, I am very good at killing monsters it turns out."
In a blink Shenhe had tilted her head and her soft multicolor eyes stabbed into mine as she asked quietly. "How good are you? How strong are you?"
Ganyu and both Xianyun side-eyed at Shenhe, with eyes that clearly had a bit of hesitance with my eyes catching in the corner of my vision as Xianyun took out some thin red ropes from out of her purse.
But, I held firm and I met Shenhe's gaze and said calmly. "In short burst's I can kill monsters faster than level three's." And that wasn't a lie as should I just dump all my mana and the mana already in my wand. I could do a good deal of damage and kill a large number of monsters.
To say nothing of me just spamming the literal divine attack that was my Stygian Sword.
There was a pause as Shenhe looked at me with something... Dark in her eyes as Ganyu and Xianyun remained silent for a moment before Xianyun went to speak soothingly. "Shenhe, please continue eating dear. You need your strength for tomorrow when we go looking for a Familia."
Instead, Shenhe just shook her head and said bluntly. "No, I am good now. Jake, fight me. His familia is small and us joining it will allow us to make up the core of it. And if you lose, you will give the position of captain to my moth- Master."
I raised an eyebrow as I gave the three women a look of 'What the fuck?' With Ganyu literally face palming and whining into the hand as Xianyun seemed to be counting internally as she had her eyes closed.
But after a moment of thought... I decide.
Fuck it. I was down to get impaled on a spear if I had things right in order to gain a trio of extremely talented companions.
"Fine. I will accept the fight right now then, we can literally walk out of the city gate and we can duel then." I said standing up as I realized that Shenhe was still a battle maniac of sorts and I knew how to handle them.
I just needed to prove my strength to them. And I saw as Shenhe reached behind her and screwed together three poll pieces with a spearhead with her saying with heat in her voice. "Lead on then Jake."
Though I still looked at Ganyu and Xianyun who looked helpless but Ganyu took a deep breath and said with a weak smile.
"Well mother, we know Shenhe is a good judge of character at least?"
And Xianyun just nodded and said with a sigh. "Very well, I will also go along with this bet. Shenhe, you are not allowed to cripple or harm him to badly as he will become our companion."
My confidence took a bit of a hit as Shenhe said calmly. "I am aware Master, I will make sure he can heal in a few days at most."