In a dark, damp dungeon.
Rhode's face was pale, his lips cracked, and he hugged his knees, weakly leaning against a small fireplace by the wall, his eyes vacant.
The faint bonfire in the fireplace, which seemed as if it could extinguish at any moment, provided him with just enough warmth to keep going.
"Hey, I say, you must be close to giving up by now, right?"
A pink-haired woman, with a red longsword slung over her shoulder, looked down at him with a flirtatious smile.
"It's been almost ten days since that lunatic tied you up here. Is joining our ranks really that difficult for you?"
She glanced around the dungeon, wrinkling her brow in disgust.
This place seemed to have been used as a garbage storage room before.
There were still scattered garbage bags on the floor, and yellowish-green foul water flowed everywhere along the moss-covered floor tiles, filling the air with a putrid stench.
She redirected her gaze to Rhode, who remained silent, a rare hint of curiosity appearing in her crazed eyes.
Though somewhat disheveled, Rhode, imprisoned here, appeared clean and tidy, emitting a fresh scent that was completely out of place with his surroundings.
Despite being a mere mortal who had not received any Grace, he exuded an intriguing aura.
Otherwise, she, a notorious villain, would never have gone to the trouble of risking offending her colleagues to forcibly rescue him from under Witte's blade.
Although Witte's initial anger, followed by a sudden realization and then pity in his eyes for Rhode, seemed to have misunderstood something.
However, the woman, like a bloodthirsty spider, was clearly not a common person who cared about others' opinions.
After all, she was considered an especially dangerous cadre even within the Dark Faction, a pure murderer who had killed the most adventurers within observable range!
—Level 5 Killing Emperor, Valletta Grete!
"I've investigated your information: a foreigner who arrived in Orario a dozen days ago, with a frail, sub-healthy body, weaker than an adult male."
Despite still receiving no response, Valletta's patience with Rhode was exceptionally high, even she herself was somewhat puzzled.
"You tried to join the famous Loki Familia with unrealistic ideas, only to be rejected."
Valletta narrowed her eyes, thinking of the hero who had ruined her plans several times, and sneered.
"Kid, you don't actually believe that a group that outwardly champions justice and bonds, but in reality pursues efficiency and profit, would have the leisure to nurture a newcomer like you, who is clearly without potential or combat ability at first glance, at a time like this, do you?"
"Only we, the darkness that is anathema to the righteous path, accept all comers!"
Rhode's eyelids twitched slightly, and he looked as if he wanted to speak but held back.
He wanted to refute this undeniable truth but couldn't find a suitable excuse.
After all, he had transmigrated to this Orario World. In his previous life, he was just a college graduate otaku. Both his body and potential were mediocre even in his past life. Moreover, this was the adventurer city of the Danmachi World, where strong individuals were everywhere.
The only thing stronger than before his transmigration was probably his inexplicable mastery of the local Orario language.
Thump thump thump—
"Lord, it's almost time."
A restrained voice came from outside the cell.
Valletta's smile instantly turned vicious, and she turned her head, cursing at the cell door.
"Damn it, you piece of shit, didn't I tell you not to rush me?!"
"Ah! Yes, yes…"
"Hmph…"
Valletta took a deep breath, trying to give Rhode what she thought was a kind smile, but which was actually ferocious.
"I'll come back to see you when I return. With me here, they won't dare to touch you for a while."
Perhaps excited by the upcoming grand spectacle, she paused for a moment, uncharacteristically adding a few more words.
"With your intelligence, you should know that in a chaotic and dark world, no one can be trusted. Only by holding power in your own hands will you avoid becoming someone else's pawn."
"You… take care of yourself."
As she turned to leave, her gaze swept over the fireplace, and a sudden doubt arose.
Strange, if she remembered correctly, the firewood there was the same ten days ago. It hasn't burned out yet…
But she quickly dismissed such a minor detail from her mind.
Just as she was about to exit the cell door, a somewhat weak voice sounded behind her.
"Even if you're a venomous spider who wants to hang its prey in a web to savor slowly, at least I'll remember that you saved me."
"Thanks, Valletta."
A cold wind stirred her hair, and Valletta's lips curled slightly.
"You're just a prisoner, yet you're so presumptuous."
"But you should indeed remember well that I, who have trampled and torn apart countless strong individuals, only once had my head messed up to save a fool like you."
With that, Valletta walked out without looking back.
The Dark Faction companions behind her secretly cast envious glances at Rhode in the cell, then followed Valletta, speaking with some indignation.
"That kid is too ungrateful. It's his honor to be invited by you to participate in our great cause. How dare he refuse? I think he should be taught a lesson!"
Valletta suddenly stopped.
The companion behind her almost bumped into her and quickly apologized.
"Ah, sorry, Lady Valletta…"
Valletta slowly turned around, casually raised one hand, and a smile appeared on her face.
"Oh, don't mind it."
The man had just started to smile.
Then.
Valletta drew her longsword with her other hand.
"Ha… Gah, eh… Wh-why…"
The man made a foolish, bewildered sound, his eyes widening in disbelief.
His consciousness ended there.
His throat slit, he made dry, reedy, intermittent sounds, turning into a fountain of red blood before collapsing on the spot.
She shook the blood from her longsword, letting out a cruel laugh.
"Let your life be the compensation, for I am a fellow with no patience or good temper! Hahahahahaha—"
Walking to the end of the dungeon in a cheerful mood, she forcefully pushed open the bronze door.
The white-haired devil immediately cast an irritated glance.
"Too slow!"
Witte, leaning against the wall, smelled blood, narrowed his eyes, and seemed to realize something, his lips curling slightly.
"So noisy, there's no need to be so anxious. As long as we stick to the drama I've planned, even that hypocritical hero won't be able to resist our great cause."
Valletta looked up, spread her arms, full of madness.
"In this hopeless era, we must make those fools remember that this is a hell where there's no time to smile!"
"Minions, the eve of the festival is about to begin!!!"
The members who had long been waiting in the hall let out a thunderous roar, their expressions agitated and faces twisted.
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh! Kill them all!!!"
"…It's starting again."
Ignoring the dust that fell from the wall due to the vibrations, Rhode took out a sharpened small stone from under his butt and continued to carefully polish it.
Although it might be of little use, he had not given up the idea of escaping.
The thought of joining the Dark Faction was ruled out from the start. Not to mention that it was currently the early stage of the Great Conflict, and knowing the future outcome, he would never choose to walk into a dead end.
Even purely for the power of Grace, he couldn't possibly approach those evil gods who were extremely dangerous to him at this time.
After all, he didn't know if they would see through his identity as a transmigrator and do something out of curiosity for the unknown.
Rhode was willing to bet on the righteous gods from the original work, but that didn't mean he wanted to fall into the hands of those evil gods.
Moreover, he was not without a glimmer of hope.
Rhode looked at the translucent screen projected before his eyes, visible only to him.
[Wish System activating…].