With a table fully set with the additional guests they were now expecting, it was about time for the familia dinner. And with a door wildly swinging open, Idunn ran inside the home, looked around, and found Hathor.
"Welcome Idunn. It's good to see you again!" Hathor said, hugging Idunn. It was a sight giving lots of people varying thoughts. "Shurry's in the garden with Ardee. They often sit in the trees there eating the fruits while waiting for dinner."
"It's good to see you again as well, Hathor. Thank you for taking such good care of our son. It means… So much."
"Pfft, I know." Hathor giggled. The hug ended, and Hathor noticed Leon. She gave him a knowing smirk. "Not bad Leon. You managed to just barely stay ahead of him. Congrats on reaching level 8."
"Thank you, Lady Hathor." Leon smiled, with a cheerful expectation of what was coming next. And a playful tap later, he blocked Shurry's light kick. "Wow, that's some strength you've got there."
"Thanks! You've gotten stronger too, that kick would have knocked the old you on the ground." Shurry's smile was further enhanced by his expressive tail.
"I don't doubt it. Makes the trouble I went through to get this level up all worth it." He laughed, and rubbed Shurry's head.
"Let's eat! We've got lots of good food tonight!"
"Is there room for Lord Baldr, and Malik?"
"Of course there is!"
…
Baldr and Malik joined them shortly after the food started coming from the kitchen. It was a wild party of a meal. Though Baldr noticed something…
"Hathor, pardon if it's too much, but why does this meal feel like a party here, and more like an execution over there?"
"That's simple. Well, not really. As you can imagine, Shurry has made himself rather well known, and powerful. Evilus is a bunch of cowardly, murderous scumbags. So when the notice he became level 6 went out, they slowed down their operations to whenever he was down deep in the dungeon. My familia's Bokhoir, and Nernatti needed to work with those other two familias to help suppress Evilus." Hathor began, then drank her wine. "This time is different. All of my strongest members are heading down to the dungeon. They won't be coming back without having done something that would level them up."
"I see, so the weight of leveling up is weighing on them?" Baldr noted. Then his eyes widened. "And they're worried for the people who may die without them here to keep Evilus in check… You have good children, Hathor."
Leon looked at Baldr, got a nod, and stood up. "Everyone, might I take but a humble moment of your attention?" Soon a ton of eyes fell upon Leon. "Good, I've heard what you're struggling with. And so, I'll tell you this. Go forward without fearing the events on the surface. I, Leon, the knight of knights, will be remaining here on the surface. And as some added insurance, take my good friend Malik down there with you. You won't have to fear taking too long, because! I! Will! Not! Leave! Without! Him!"
The solemnity of the atmosphere changed to one of cheer, as people raised their glasses for a toast!
"Hell ya! That's something I can drink to!"
"Damn straight!"
"Alright! This time! I swear! I'll reach level 5!"
"Same here!"
"Here here!"
"Over here too!"
"We're all going to level up! Yeah!"
Hathor laughed. "Leon, thanks for that. If there's anything you need, just ask." She then noticed Baldr getting ready. "Seems like it'll be you I pay this debt back to."
"We need to get at least another year's worth of fuel for the ship. Without it… we won't have enough to continue our routine. And, perhaps give Hephaestus a little bit of a break on the price of goods?"
"Wait, the guild wasn't able to supply enough fuel? That's not normal."
"Indeed. I had thought of sending Leon into the dungeon to gather some resources real quick. But I'll adjust that and have the students do everything that they can. I've got a young half-elf now that's really good at managing resources, she'll have a blast with this."
…
A few days later, central square, Hathor familia's strongest, most seasoned members had gathered there, each properly geared for a hell of a fight right away. This would be seen as a waste of effort by most, but it was training. Everything gives Excelia, so live your life, you want to be strong, then be strong! This was the line they lived by. Some were seen chugging down a poison or something else. They were actively doing everything they could to strengthen themselves, and their development abilities. None were scared of others copying them, since without knowing the reason behind it, they'd never manage to get the same gains.
Shurry stood on the top step of the formation, a clear difference from all the other times they'd all gone down together. This was more than enough to indicate that he wasn't the oh shit moment guy, rather he was the crutch they would be leaning on for the duration of the expedition.
"Alrighty! Is everyone ready?"
The powerful battle cries from the Hathor familia's expedition team crushed all other sounds in the immediate area.
"Awesome! Then with your spirits so high, let's go on a hunt! AWOO!!!!"
""AWO AWO AWO!!!""
Shurry turned, leading the mass of adventurers. The formation was clear, Shurry would lead the ground through the paths of the dungeon, hitting all of the best hunting zones. The level 1s, geared up were the next to follow, then their level 2s, followed by level 3s, 4s and then finally the 5s and their helper Malik at level 6.
Ardee, while she wasn't a child of Hathor, she was still in the formation. She wasn't planning to miss the chance to catch up to her sister again. She brought her own fire, lighting a fire under her big sister's butt.
Eventually all of their members had entered the dungeon, and from far away, a pair of elves started to sinisterly laugh, dancing with each other.
"Yay, yay, he's gone now."
"Yep, yep, we can love so many again!"
"Yes, so mean, how come he didn't let us love others? We should love him."
"Oh yes, that's a good idea sister!"
"Let's go, let's go. Erebus will want to hear."
"Why do we have to listen to him anyway? He's so mean, banning us from loving!"
In a room Erebus smirked after hearing the report. "You're so naive, but fine, if you really want to, go ahead, kill as many people as you like. Don't bother with any specific targets, kill anyone you can, keep them distracted from our other prep work."
"YAY! You heard that sister?
"Yes, yes! We can love so many again!"
"I want to love them now!"
"Wait a few days first will you? His range as a level 7 is nothing to sneeze at. He might very well soon break through our doors."
…