And Phryne herself was showcasing a terrifying level of suppression that rivaled a genuine Level 6. It was completely beyond the realm of Level 5.
"This doesn't match the Guild's data at all. Did they falsify their levels?" Hyacine guessed softly. "There have always been rumors that the Ishtar Familia lied about their ranks, but the Guild could never find solid proof."
"To keep it a secret from the Guild for this long... that's seriously impressive," Alise marveled.
However, Aiden's gaze wasn't fixed on the bloody slaughter unfolding in the lake. His eyes drifted past the frenzied Amazon warriors and landed on the distant shoreline.
There, an Amazon was standing guard, closely protecting a solitary figure. The person was draped head-to-toe in a large black cloak, keeping their face completely hidden. But right within the shadow of the cloak's hem, a fluffy, half-hidden fox tail swayed gently.
With just one look, Aiden pieced everything together.
Sanjouno Haruhime. The courtesan-in-training of the Ishtar Familia, wielder of the absolutely broken level-boosting magic, [Uchide no Kozuchi]. They hadn't falsified their levels at all. Just like Robin, she was using a spell to temporarily ascend their ranks.
"Jeanne," Aiden whispered.
"True Name Discernment." Jeanne understood immediately. Golden light flashed in her eyes as she focused on the protected figure by the shore. A moment later, she pulled her gaze back and spoke softly to the group. "They aren't faking their levels. On that Renard girl by the shore, I see a level-boosting magic called [Uchide no Kozuchi]. The effect is... it temporarily raises an adventurer's rank."
Hearing that, realization dawned on the entire party.
"So it's the exact same type of magic as Robin's," Hyacine realized.
Ryuu and Alise looked deeply shocked. Having fought alongside her, they obviously knew that Robin possessed [Vox Harmonique, Opus Cosmique], an ability so strong it bordered on cheating. They just never expected there to be a second person in Orario with that kind of terrifying power.
"Wow... it really is a big world out there. Nothing is impossible, huh?" Alise muttered, watching as the golden-buffed Amazons pushed the Floor Boss to the absolute brink.
"Let's go. No need to invite trouble," Aiden said, taking one last look at the battlefield—which was rapidly reaching its conclusion—before decisively turning away.
Carelessly leaking the core secrets of a massive faction like the Ishtar Familia was highly unwise. Their influence in Orario was deep-rooted and heavily entangled. The Focalors Familia had neither the desire nor the necessity to provoke that kind of headache right now.
As for the Renard girl named Sanjouno Haruhime... Aiden knew the score. Trapped in the Ishtar Familia's Pleasure Quarter, her fate was essentially sealed. She was destined to be the sacrificial pawn Ishtar would ruthlessly throw away the moment she officially launched her war against Freya.
But he was in no rush to intervene. Ishtar wasn't going to execute her grand scheme just yet, giving him plenty of time to carefully arrange his pieces. Furthermore, Haruhime's level-boosting [Uchide no Kozuchi] largely overlapped with Robin's [Vox Harmonique, Opus Cosmique]—in fact, it could even be considered a lesser substitute.
Aiden had no burning obsession with acquiring her ability. He would let nature take its course.
The group quietly bypassed the fierce battle and made their way back up to the higher floors. When they passed through the 17th Floor, they noticed that the Goliath—the Monster Rex that usually lorded over the area—was completely missing. Only the scarred, devastated remnants of a battlefield remained. Who knows which powerful Familia had swept through and cleared it out.
Returning to the surface, the familiar warmth of the sun made everyone instinctively squint.
They didn't waste any time and headed straight for the Guild Headquarters. First, Aiden traded in the drops and a small portion of the magic stones from their expedition for Valis at the exchange counter. While his Intertwined Fate system demanded an astronomical number of magic stones, he always made sure to trade a reasonable amount at the Guild to maintain a cover. After all, the Guild was the only official channel for cashing in magic stones in Orario. If a Familia consistently returned from deep expeditions without depositing a single stone, it would quickly draw unwanted attention from watchful eyes.
After finishing the paperwork, he led the group over to Eina Tulle, who was busy at her counter. He smiled, exchanged some quick pleasantries, promised to catch up properly next time, and then everyone headed back to their Familia home.
That night, inside Palais Mermonia, a highly enthusiastic Furina hosted a status update ceremony for the triumphant expedition team.
As the goddess's fingertips traced lightly over Aiden's back, sacred text surfaced and flowed, finally locking into a brand-new, brilliant character under his Level row.
—[Lv. 5]
From the day he received his Falna and set foot in Orario, barely half a year had passed. Yet, in that incredibly short span of time, he had gone from a completely unknown commoner to a First-Class adventurer, standing at the absolute apex of the world's hierarchy.
First thing the next morning, Aiden headed to the Guild alone to find Eina.
"Eina, I'm here to update my adventurer level information."
"Right away, Mr. Aiden! Please hand me your Guild Card and— Ehh?!"
Eina took the document Aiden handed her. She had started with her usual professional smile, but the moment her eyes locked onto the glaring "Lv. 5" written on the page, her smile instantly froze, followed by a gasp of pure disbelief.
Her voice hadn't been incredibly loud, but in the quiet Guild lobby, it was sharp enough to instantly draw the stares of the surrounding staff and adventurers.
Eina's face went completely pale. She quickly clamped both hands over her mouth and, without a single word of explanation, grabbed Aiden by the wrist and violently dragged him into one of the private consultation rooms.
"M-Mr. Aiden... is... is this real? Did you really... reach Level 5?!"
After repeatedly verifying the authenticity of the information, Eina's initial shock slowly subsided, completely replaced by a pure, heartfelt wave of excitement and joy. She was genuinely thrilled for him. This was a First-Class adventurer—a powerhouse whose numbers could be counted on two hands across the entire world!
"Of course. We finished the update last night. I leveled up successfully," Aiden said, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"That's wonderful! I need to report this immediately!" Eina rushed out of the room in an absolute frenzy. Aiden didn't mind, simply picking up his teacup and taking a slow sip.
Meanwhile, in the deepest, lightless depths of the Guild Headquarters—the Prayer Room.
The black-robed Fels appeared without a sound, delivering the newly acquired intelligence to Ouranos, who sat at the center of the chamber.
The ancient god, who kept his eyes shut in eternal prayer, slowly opened them. A hint of a smile flickered within eyes that had witnessed ten thousand years of history, and the deep wrinkles on his weathered face seemed to ease ever so slightly.
He was extremely satisfied with Aiden's growth.
"Half a year... from a mere mortal to Level 5 in half a year... What an absolutely astonishing speed," Fels's voice trembled with barely concealed excitement. "Ouranos, the lower world... perhaps there truly is hope. Defeating the One-Eyed Black Dragon might not be an unreachable dream anymore."
In his mind's eye, Fels almost saw the phantoms of the past. The terrifyingly rapid growth of the Focalors Familia, standing alongside the already apex-tier Loki and Freya Familias... It reminded him of the golden age of the Zeus and Hera Familias.
Perhaps Orario was on the verge of returning to that peak era of countless legends and heroes. What the Zeus and Hera Familias failed to achieve, these successors might actually accomplish.
Of course, Fels knew full well that the current three great Familias were still miles behind those two legendary factions in terms of raw power and historical foundation. But they were still growing. The future was limitless.
───
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