A long, long time ago, before the gods descended to the Lower World.
This world's Lower World was filled with darkness, despair, madness, and monsters.
At that time, the Dungeon did not have a lid called the Babel, nor did it have gods to suppress it. The monsters in the Dungeon could freely move between floors, even surging out of the ground, causing immense disaster to the humans on the surface.
However, just as hope is hidden within despair, and light must exist in darkness, although humans and various races were oppressed by monsters to the point of having no living space, amidst this immense oppression, some special individuals emerged.
They hunted monsters, fashioned weapons from their claws and fangs, donned sturdy armor, received the blessings of the Fairy Spirits, and led others in resistance against the monsters.
They were called… Heroes.
Due to the birth of Heroes, various races once again reclaimed their habitats, preserving the spark of civilization.
But human strength has its limits. Although there were Heroes, their lifespans were limited, and their numbers were scarce. More people died prematurely before they could develop their potential.
The environment at the time did not allow them enough time to grow slowly, so those who could survive and stand out were undoubtedly the cream of the crop among the surface races.
Later, the gods in Heaven witnessed this scene.
Some gods pitied the people of the Lower World, some wished to witness the potential of the Lower World's inhabitants, some felt a sense of appreciation for talent, and some merely sought more entertainment.
Thus, the gods descended.
They did not directly bestow power upon the people of the Lower World, but instead granted the races of the Lower World an ability called Falna, to help those potential Heroes more quickly uncover their own possibilities.
Then, leading the people of the Lower World, they built a pure white structure at the exit of the Dungeon, the lid of the Dungeon, and also the residence of the gods… Babel.
With this, Ouranos took his seat in the Babel, suppressing the Dungeon with his divine power. The gods also continuously added new floors atop the mortals' achievements, gradually evolving into the towering landmark it is today.
The gods' blessings allowed more qualified individuals to grow, and the heroes who once appeared only once in hundreds of millions of people seemed to become less conspicuous.
However, those with talent are still talented; those born heroes have not disappeared.
It's just that they no longer stood out as prominently as before.
But a golden carp is not meant for a pond; once it encounters wind and cloud, it transforms into a dragon.
At this moment, what appeared before the gods were individuals suspected to be born heroes.
"Born heroes, huh… Then there's nothing we can do."
"Indeed, it's quite normal for born heroes to achieve this."
"Hestia is so lucky to have met so many promising children right after descending."
With Freya's words, the surrounding gods' tone instantly changed, whether because they truly believed Freya's explanation or due to the pressure of the Goddess of Beauty's position.
In any case, the crisis Hestia faced was immediately resolved.
"Alright, since everyone has no problems, let's continue discussing the titles of these children."
Hermes, being a shrewd person, immediately changed the subject.
"First up is Fu Hua, who continuously ascended directly to LV5."
…
The gods' naming session was a series of bickering, with titles being chosen based on the named person's appearance, status, fighting style, and other relevant factors.
Of course, there were also gods who, out of mischief, assigned random titles.
However, after much argument, the titles for the three were decided, and thankfully, they weren't too bizarre.
Fu Hua, having no prior records and possessing great strength despite being unknown before coming to Orario, received the title of [Hermit].
While Bell was a record-breaker for Orario, he was relatively ordinary compared to Takatsuki and the others. However, as a potential hero, the gods could still see his developmental potential, so he received the title of [Little Rookie].
As for Takatsuki…
When Takatsuki's title was being decided, another commotion broke out.
Carrying two supporters deep into the Dungeon, bombing targets several kilometers away, and magic suspected of spatial storage.
Compared to the first two, the latter was more noteworthy.
After all, this magic might break Orario's current rules.
"How much can this child Takatsuki's magic store, Hestia?"
A curious god asked the question everyone wanted to know.
"Hey, hey, that's a violation, you know."
Hermes warned.
One of the gods' rules was that everyone had the right to keep their Familia, ability values, and skills secret.
Of course, if they leaked it themselves or used it where others saw it, that was another matter.
So many people and gods speculated that Takatsuki had the ability to store things in space, but there was no clear evidence.
Therefore, Takatsuki's title stood out from various strange titles such as Archer, Arrowman, Porter, and Super Supporter.
Because both Takatsuki's "fire magic" and the effects produced after shooting arrows were explosions, he ultimately obtained the title of [Blast].
At this point, the three members of the Hestia Familia finally confirmed their titles.
Hestia was also relieved; at least the three people's titles were not unpleasant, and she could go back and give an explanation.
After the Denatus ended, Hestia was somewhat eager to go back and tell the others the good news.
But she was stopped by Loki.
"Don't be in such a hurry to leave, shorty."
"Ugh, Loki, what now?"
Hestia looked at Loki with a disgusted expression and said.
"According to the Guild's request, as one of Orario's largest Familia, you have to go on an expedition every month. Can I borrow your Takatsuki?"
Loki emphasized the words "largest Familia," and her boastful intent was completely undisguised.
Then she saw Hestia looking at her with dead fish eyes: "Our Familia already has a First-Class Adventurer, and even when Takatsuki was LV1, he could go on an expedition alone. Now, with Fu Hua and the others, it's even easier than before. Why would we cooperate with you?"
"And!"
Hestia suddenly leaned forward, getting close to Loki's face: "You! You were so aggressive at the Denatus just now, and now you still want to cooperate! No way!"
"Ahaha, that wasn't it, I thought I was maintaining order."
Loki didn't expect that her momentary search for fun and trouble would bring her some trouble. Originally, she had planned to help the shorty out and gain some favor, but she didn't expect Freya to make a move first, completely disrupting her plan.
Watching Hestia walk away, Loki's narrowed eyes opened slightly, looking towards the upper levels of Babel.
"What is that Freya plotting?"