Early morning light filtered through the basement window.
Leon woke before dawn from habit. He sat up slowly, listening. Above him, he could hear soft breathing—Hestia was still asleep somewhere in the church. Good. She'd been so excited last night that she'd probably stayed up late.
He moved through his morning forms quietly, careful not to make noise. The movements centered his mind and prepared his body. When finished, he washed, dressed, and checked his equipment. Hunting knife, bow, quiver with arrows. Everything in order.
But they had no food.
Leon counted his remaining coins. Enough for ingredients. He could cook something simple—better than spending money at a tavern. He'd noticed a market area yesterday while exploring the city.
He climbed the stairs carefully, avoiding the creaky spots, and slipped out of the church.
---
The morning market was already busy.
Vendors called out their wares, customers haggled, and the smell of fresh bread filled the air. Leon moved through the crowd with purpose, selecting what he needed. Eggs, vegetables, a small loaf of bread, some cheese. Simple ingredients, but enough for a good breakfast.
He paid the vendors, stored everything in his pack, and returned to the church.
Inside, he found the small kitchen area Hestia had shown him yesterday. It was basic—a simple stove, a few pots and pans, some plates. But Leon had cooked with less.
He lit the stove, cracked eggs into a pan, and began preparing breakfast. Scrambled eggs with vegetables, toasted bread, cheese on the side. Nothing fancy, but it would be warm and filling.
The smell of cooking food filled the church.
Upstairs, he heard movement. Footsteps on the stairs, then Hestia appeared, rubbing her eyes. Her hair was messy, her dress wrinkled from sleep.
"Leon?" She blinked at him. "What are you doing up so early?"
"Making breakfast."
Hestia's eyes widened. "You're cooking? For me?"
"For both of us."
She walked over to the stove, staring at the food. "I can't remember the last time someone cooked for me." Her voice was soft. "Most gods expect their children to serve them. You didn't have to do this."
"We're family, aren't we? Family takes care of each other."
Hestia's eyes got watery. "You're going to make me cry again."
"Please don't. The food will get cold."
She laughed and wiped her eyes. "Okay, okay. Let's eat!"
They sat together at the small table Leon had cleaned. Hestia took a bite and her expression lit up. "This is delicious! Where did you learn to cook like this?"
"My grandfather taught me. When he got sick, I had to cook for both of us."
"Well, he taught you well." Hestia ate with clear enjoyment. "You know, Leon, I was worried about taking care of you. I don't have much money, and I can't cook very well. But you're taking care of me instead."
"It's no burden."
"Still." She smiled warmly. "Thank you."
They finished breakfast in comfortable silence. When done, Leon cleaned the dishes while Hestia got properly dressed and fixed her hair.
"So," she said, returning to the kitchen. "What's your plan for today?"
"I need to register with the Guild officially. Then I'll enter the Dungeon."
Hestia's expression became worried. "Your first dive. Are you sure you're ready?"
"I'll start slow. Just the first floor. Learn the patterns."
"Promise me you'll be careful. And come back before dark."
"I promise."
---
The Guild headquarters was busy when they arrived.
Adventurers filled the main hall, registering kills, collecting bounties, or planning their dives. Hestia led Leon to a counter staffed by a half-elf woman with brown hair and glasses. Her nameplate read "Eina Tulle."
"Good morning," Eina said professionally. "How can I help you?"
"Good morning!" Hestia beamed. "I'm Hestia, and this is Leon Fury. He just joined my Familia yesterday. We need to register him as an adventurer."
Eina's eyebrows rose slightly. "Hestia Familia? I don't have that in my records yet."
"We're brand new! Leon is my first member!"
"I see." Eina pulled out a registration form. "Congratulations on forming your Familia." She looked at Leon. "Name?"
"Leon Fury."
"Age?"
"Seventeen."
"Race?"
"Human."
"Level and basic stats?"
Hestia pulled out the paper with Leon's status. "Level 1. His stats are quite good for a new adventurer!"
Eina read the sheet, and her eyes widened. "These stats... Mr. Fury, do you have prior combat experience?"
"I'm a hunter. I grew up tracking and fighting animals."
"That explains the high Dexterity and Agility." Eina made notes on her form. "And you have three skills already? That's extremely rare."
"So I've been told."
Eina studied him for a moment, then set down her pen. "Mr. Fury, I'll be assigned as your Guild advisor. That means I'll help you understand the Dungeon, track your progress, and provide guidance. Is this your first time diving?"
"Yes."
"Then I need to give you the standard safety briefing." She pulled out a map of the upper floors. "The Dungeon has rules you must follow. Never dive alone if you can help it—parties are safer. Always bring spare weapons. Never go deeper than your level can handle. And most importantly, never underestimate the monsters."
Leon nodded, absorbing the information.
"Floor one contains primarily goblins," Eina continued. "They're weak individually but dangerous in packs. They use crude weapons and basic tactics. Floor two has more goblins plus kobolds, which are smarter. Floor three introduces War Shadows, which are fast and aggressive."
"I've read about them in a dungeon guide."
"Good. But reading and experiencing are different." Eina's expression was serious. "I've seen many skilled fighters die in the Dungeon because they underestimated it. Please, Mr. Fury, be extremely careful on your first dive."
"I will."
Eina signed his registration form and handed him an adventurer card. "This grants you legal access to the Dungeon. Welcome to the Guild, Mr. Fury. Please don't become a statistic."
"I'll do my best."
---
Babel Tower rose impossibly high, its white stone gleaming in the afternoon sun.
Leon stood at its base, looking up. Around him, adventurers came and went—some entering the tower fresh and eager, others emerging exhausted and bloodied. This was the rhythm of Orario. Descend, fight, return. Repeat until you died or grew strong enough to survive.
Hestia stood beside him, fidgeting nervously. "You have everything you need?"
"Yes."
"Knife, bow, arrows?"
"Yes."
"And you'll be careful?"
"Yes, Hestia."
She grabbed his hand. "I mean it, Leon. Come back safe. I just got my first child—I don't want to lose you on day one."
Leon looked down at the small goddess. Her eyes were genuinely worried. "I'll come back. I promise."
"Okay." She squeezed his hand, then let go. "Go. Show the Dungeon what Hestia Familia can do."
Leon nodded and walked toward the entrance.
Inside Babel, the entrance to the Dungeon was unmistakable. A massive spiral staircase descended into the earth, wide enough for dozens of people to walk side by side. Adventurers streamed down, their voices echoing off the stone walls.
Leon joined the flow, descending into darkness.
---
The first floor of the Dungeon was different from what Leon expected.
The walls weren't stone or earth—they were something else. Smooth, almost organic, with a faint blue glow that provided dim light. The air was cool and carried a strange smell, like minerals and something alive.
The corridor stretched ahead, branching into multiple paths. Other adventurers moved through the space, some in parties, some alone. The sound of combat echoed from deeper passages—steel on steel, shouts, the screech of monsters.
Leon moved away from the main group, choosing a quieter side passage. He wanted to encounter monsters without interference, to learn their patterns himself.
He walked slowly, all senses alert. His hand rested near his knife. His breathing was controlled, steady.
Then he heard it. A high-pitched chatter, aggressive and excited.
Leon stopped, listening. The sound came from around the corner ahead. He moved to the wall, peered around carefully.
A goblin.
It was exactly as the books described—small, hunched, with green-gray skin and yellow eyes. It wore ragged clothes and carried a crude knife. The creature was alone, wandering the corridor randomly, chattering to itself.
Leon studied it. The goblin's movements were erratic, but there was a pattern. It would walk a few steps, pause, sniff the air, then continue. No real awareness of its surroundings. Pure instinct.
He nocked an arrow, drew his bow, and aimed.
The goblin turned at the sound of the bowstring.
Leon released.
The arrow struck the goblin's shoulder. It shrieked, stumbled, but didn't go down. Instead, it charged directly at Leon with surprising speed, knife raised.
Leon stepped aside smoothly, letting momentum carry the goblin past. As it stumbled, he drew his hunting knife and struck—a precise cut to the back of the neck, severing the spine.
The goblin collapsed, twitched once, then went still.
Leon watched it carefully. After a moment, the corpse began to dissolve into black ash, leaving behind a small purple crystal.
A magic stone.
Leon picked it up, examining it. Warm to the touch, humming with faint energy. This was what adventurers collected—the Dungeon's currency, the proof of their kills.
He stored the stone in his pouch and continued forward.
---
Over the next few hours, Leon encountered five more goblins.
Each time, he learned something new. Goblins were aggressive but stupid. They charged in straight lines, easy to dodge. Their crude weapons had limited reach. They couldn't adapt—if a tactic failed once, they'd try the exact same thing again.
But they were faster than he expected and stronger than they looked. His first arrow rarely killed them outright. They could take multiple wounds and keep fighting.
After the sixth goblin, Leon paused to assess.
His bow was useful for first strikes but not decisive enough. The arrows couldn't penetrate deeply enough to kill quickly. His knife work was effective, but it required closing distance, which added risk.
He needed better equipment. A proper sword or spear for reliable kills. Better armor for protection.
But for now, this would do. He was learning, adapting, understanding the Dungeon's rhythm.
Leon continued deeper into the first floor, hunting methodically.
---
Evening approached when Leon finally emerged from Babel.
He was tired but uninjured. His pouch held twelve magic stones—not a fortune, but decent for a first dive. More importantly, he'd learned the basics. How monsters spawned, how they fought, how the Dungeon felt.
Hestia was waiting near the entrance, pacing nervously. When she saw Leon, her face lit up with relief.
"Leon! You're back!" She rushed over, looking him up and down. "Are you hurt? Did anything happen?"
"I'm fine. Just tired."
"How did it go?"
"I killed twelve goblins. Learned their patterns. No major problems."
Hestia's eyes widened. "Twelve on your first dive? That's impressive!" Then her expression became worried again. "But you look exhausted. Let's go home. You need food and rest."
They walked back to the church together, Hestia chattering about her day while Leon listened quietly. The evening air was cool, the streets less crowded than earlier.
At the church, Leon exchanged his magic stones at a nearby shop, earning enough coin for tomorrow's needs. Then they returned home.
"I'll cook dinner," Leon said.
"You cooked breakfast too! Let me do something!"
"Can you cook?"
Hestia hesitated. "Well... not really. But I can try!"
"I'll cook. You can help by cleaning."
She pouted but agreed.
Over dinner—simple stew made from market ingredients—Hestia updated his status. His stats had increased slightly from the day's combat. Not much, but noticeable growth.
"This is just the beginning," Hestia said, studying the numbers. "You're going to become so strong, Leon. I just know it."
Leon looked at his goddess, her eyes bright with belief and excitement. She had complete faith in him, despite having just met him yesterday.
"I'll do my best," he said.
"I know you will." She smiled. "That's why I chose you. Well, technically you chose me, but still!"
That night, Leon lay in his basement room, thinking about the day.
His first dive had been successful. He'd learned the basics, earned some coin, and come back uninjured. Tomorrow, he'd dive again, go deeper, push further.
This was the beginning. The first step on a long journey.
And for the first time in either life, he wasn't walking that path alone.
Leon closed his eyes and slept deeply, dreamlessly, at peace.