The Danmachi world wasn't like his previous one, it didn't have much in the way of nightlife. The only entertainment for adventurers were taverns, casinos, and the pleasure district.
Xyros wasn't interested in any of that.
After the intense training and the satisfying meal, he fell asleep on the sofa early. He woke naturally with his internal clock the next morning.
When he'd brought up going to the Dungeon last night, Hestia hadn't refused.
She'd just laid down some ground rules:
If he encountered monsters, don't push himself. If he had to use his [Rebirth] skill, evacuate the Dungeon immediately.
If necessary, ask other adventurers for help.
Xyros had no problem with that. Surviving was the only way to have a future. He got up from the sofa and glanced at the beautiful goddess sleeping soundly in the bed.
Her sleeping position was… far from elegant.
By the time he'd finished up in the bathroom and came back, Hestia was already awake.
"Good morning, Lady Hestia."
"Morning to you too."
The goddess stretched lazily, her perfect figure straining against her dress. "Heading to the Dungeon this early?"
"An early start."
"If I run into trouble, I can retreat early and still have time to train afterward."
Xyros took his weapons and armor from the storage chest. But when it came to actually putting them on, he ran into a very obvious problem.
For a modern person, this was… a bit much.
Seeing his struggle, Hestia came over, stood on her tiptoes, and helped him adjust everything until all the gear was properly fitted.
Satisfied, she dusted off her hands, then suddenly remembered something.
"Here's money for breakfast. You need to be in top form for the Dungeon."
"…"
Xyros looked down at the copper coins pressed into his palm, then at Hestia who could barely take care of herself but gave him everything she had.
This time, he didn't say thank you.
Once he truly got the hang of Dungeon exploration, then he could actually start repaying her.
They left the dorms together. The morning sun had already burned away the chill and mist, warming him pleasantly.
They walked along the bustling adventurer's street toward the central tower, Babel.
But as they passed the Hephaestus Arms branch, the goddess said she wanted to see her friend, gave him an encouraging word, and slipped inside.
Xyros knew exactly why.
He bought some fried potato balls from a street stall for breakfast, then merged with the growing crowd of adventurers heading toward Babel.
Heading into the unknown Dungeon for the first time? He'd be lying if he said he wasn't nervous.
Encountering monsters that only existed in fantasy worlds in his previous life…
Not to mention the fact that these monsters were all enhanced by the "Dungeon's Hatred." Xyros had to constantly steady himself, finally making a decision.
"Time to play it safe."
Arriving at the central plaza before Babel, he looked around. Even at this early hour, the number of adventurers gathered here was staggering.
They traveled in groups, chatting amongst themselves.
This was probably what it was like joining a mature, established Familia. New adventurers didn't have to fight alone in the Dungeon.
Following a veteran Familia party gave you room to grow safely.
The Hestia Familia couldn't offer those conditions. As the sole member carrying his goddess's hopes and dreams,
there wasn't much Xyros could do right now.
In the hellish difficulty of "Souls-like Dungeon" mode, he just had to explore as safely as possible, grow stronger, and earn money to ease Hestia's burden.
"Familia development…"
"Worry about that once I can survive the Dungeon!"
After the Ganesha guards verified his adventurer ID, Xyros followed the main tide of adventurers down the spiral staircase toward the Dungeon.
First stop: the safe zone, the "Starting Path."
Looking around, it was a very typical cave environment. The only light came from faintly glowing lantern fruits on the walls, just enough to keep from getting lost.
The complex layout of the starting floor split up the adventurer flow. Even their footsteps were swallowed by the empty tunnels.
But.
The moment Xyros set foot here, his [Cheating Outlander] skill made him feel a faint sense of unease.
"Please don't tell me there's a boss camping the entrance."
Knowing the nature of damn Souls games,
plus the fact that the Dungeon in this world was alive, Xyros couldn't help but twitch. He reached down and drew the short sword from his belt.
In the dim light of the lantern fruits, the cold gleam of the blade offered him a sliver of security.
He was already here!
He couldn't just turn back before he'd even started.
He took a deep breath to steady himself, then pressed forward despite the Dungeon's hatred. Passing through the Starting Path, the stairwell leading to the 1st floor came into view.
"Hopefully this goes smoothly."
Nothing unusual happened on the way to the 1st floor.
Xyros's surroundings hadn't changed much either, though compared to the spacious Starting Path, the passage here was noticeably narrower.
The short sword Hestia had prepared for him would be perfect in these tight quarters.
But before he could even catch his breath, at the turn of the cave, a monster was already waiting for him. A special kind of Goblin.
Compared to Guild staffer Eina's description—
Normal Goblins were only about forty or fifty centimeters tall, ordinary monsters that even a stray dog could kick to death. This one in front of him was significantly larger.
Nearly a meter in height.
Among Goblins, this guy was practically a jock.
But that wasn't all.
The biggest difference was its appearance. Unlike those rag-clad Goblins wielding wooden clubs or stone axes, this one was… unique.
Compared to mindless low-tier monsters driven only by slaughter, its crimson eyes were noticeably calmer.
It wore a strange, light brown coat. A necklace of teeth and bone fragments was wrapped around its forehead. In its hand, it held a curved blade.
A poorly maintained curved blade, with visible nicks along the edge.
"You gotta be kidding me…"
"Which Souls game starts you off with an elite monster camping the entrance?"
This fully-armed Goblin monster, if placed in a "Souls-like game," would probably be on the level of a stray dog.
But compared to its own kind, it was a genuine elite.
He was almost grateful it wasn't a Goblin with a bow, hiding in the shadows like a dirty camper, waiting to ambush him right here on the stairs.
Otherwise, his precious [Rebirth] charges would have been wasted right here!
Following Takemikazuchi's guidance, Xyros gripped his short sword in both hands and assumed a combat stance. He steadied his nerves as best he could, not rushing to attack.
The elite Goblin, however, seemed less patient.
Driven by intense hatred, as if it possessed actual combat skills, this "giant" among its kind charged first.
"Then let's see what you're made of!!"