It was a beautiful, serene day on the surface, and also the Dungeon, the morning sun filtered softly through the windows, the bright light illuminated the aftermath of the previous night's chaotic passion, with pieces of torn fabric scattered carelessly across the wooden floor.
On the bed, the heavy blankets were tangled in a messy piles, spilling partially over the edge and revealing a pair of bare legs tightly intertwined beneath the sheets, still seeking each other's lingering warmth.
— Mnhnn... ah... — A soft, heavy groan escaped Hestia's lips as she arched her back, stretching her arms high above a long with a lazy yawn, her dark hair splayed across the pillows in a wild, chaotic nest.
— Nnh...
As she pulled her arms back down, the tangled blanket slipped over her chest, exposing the bare skin of her shoulders and neck, which were dotted with several small, dark crimson marks, vivid reminders of just how intense his touch had been.
Her eyelashes fluttered open, her eyes remaining entirely unfocused and dazed for a long, silent moment as her mind struggled to piece reality back together.
Once the fog cleared, Hestia carefully rolled onto her side.
Luki and she were sleeping in a spooning position, his arm was still draped heavily over her waist, anchoring her to him even in his sleep.
She tilted her chin up, looking at his sleeping face. With his three eyes tightly shut and ear feathers laying down, trembling with every breath, his features held a soft, almost vulnerable innocence.
A tender, dreamy smile spread across her lips; it was almost ridiculous how harmless he looked right now, considering he had left her body a trembling wreck just hours before.
As she lay there, the physical side effects of their intense, late-night session came rushing back. She felt uncomfortably sticky, reeking of dried sweat, and her legs were incredibly sore in the absolute best way possible. When she tried to twitch her toes, her lower body trembled weakly, begging her to just stay in bed forever.
But reality was calling. Wincing slightly, Hestia began the monumental task of escaping Luki's hold. Gritting her teeth, she reached out, carefully lifting his heavy wrist, being mindful of his small, sensitive wings, as she had come to discover.
— Nn-nh... — she puffed, making a ridiculous, strained grimace as she tried to slide her hips out without making the mattress squeak.
She moved like a clumsy caterpillar. Every time Luki let out a deep sigh, Hestia froze mid-motion, her eyes widening in comical panic. But finally, after what felt like an eternity, she managed to slide completely free.
Moving with silent urgency, she grabbed a large, fluffy pillow and shoved it right into the empty space. Luki stirred for a brief second, squeezing the soft fabric as he nuzzled deeper, completely unaware of the switch.
Sitting up on the edge of the bed, Hestia remained still, trapped in that lazy headspace. She brought her hand to her neck and twisted it slightly, feeling a little pain from the position she slept in,
But coincidentally when she looked down at her lap, she noticed her midsection felt incredibly full and slightly bloated, tight with a heavy warmth.
If she tried to force herself into her usual dress right now, maybe the fabric wouldn't close.
Her cheeks burned bright crimson as the realization clicked. It seemed that Luki's enhanced stamina didn't just apply to his combat skills, and they had made absolutely sure to keep everything inside the appropriate place to avoid a total disaster on the sheets.
— Nnh...
Gripping the bedpost, Hestia forced herself to stand. Her legs wobbled violently, and a strange, damp sensation trickled down between her thighs.
Blushing furiously, she fiercely ignored it and dragged her heavy feet toward the bathroom.
Closing the door, Hestia let out a long breath. She immediately used the toilet, allowing her body to naturally expel the warm excess inside her, bringing a massive wave of physical relief to her aching lower stomach. Once done, she turned to the large wooden bathtub.
She reached down, turning a valve on a small brass device embedded with a glowing blue mana crystal fragment, which instantly heated the water and filled the room with steam.
Hestia stepped into the water with a soft gasp. The heat wrapped around her sore thighs and lower back like a warm embrace. Using a soft cloth and soap, she carefully washed away the sticky layers of sweat until her pale skin was clean.
She soaked for a short while, letting the magical heat soothe the stubborn tightness in her muscles until she finally felt human again.
Stepping out, she dried herself and grabbed a large white towel, wrapping it securely around her chest. However, as she looked around the empty bathroom, a sudden, cold realization hit her.
Since Luki had been resting in the infirmary tent, she had the brilliant idea of taking her clothes there, because she didn't know when he would wake up and refused to leave his side.
Which translates to the fact that she has no clothes now.
Tucking the edge of the towel tighter, Hestia quietly padded back into the bedroom and approached the side of the mattress.
— Luki... hey, wake up... — she whispered affectionately, leaning over him as her damp hair brushed his shoulder.
Luki didn't move a single muscle, buried deep under the heavy blankets.
Hestia hesitated, just looking down at him. Part of her desperately needed him to open his eyes, but he looked so harmless and peaceful right now.
Ultimately, reality won and she reached out, shaking his large shoulder a bit harder.
— Luki, come on, wake up...
A low grunt escaped him. Instead of waking, Luki simply yanked the sheet over his head to block out the light.
— Wake up, I need your help. — Hestia pouted, tugging the blanket.
— Mmh...? — a muffled, questioning mumble came from underneath the fabric.
— We don't have any clothes here. — she stated bluntly.
— Uhm...?! — Luki's voice shot up, laced with surprise and confusion.
— I left all our spare clothes in the infirmary tent to stay by your side yesterday. You remember that sack? — she explained quickly, her cheeks flushing.
Underneath the covers, Luki let out an irritated, dragging groan, already knowing where this was heading.
His senses extended past the thin walls of the apartment, out into the bustling camp. The temporary settlement was practically in pieces; most tents were already dismantled, loaded onto supply wagons as adventurers shouted orders.
Ignoring the general chaos, Luki checked the infirmary tent. His mental map instantly picked up a dense cluster of humanoid shapes moving back and forth inside the cramped space.
— Can't do... people are inside — Luki grunted into his pillow.
— What do we do now? We should already be late, they might leave without us. — Hestia panicked a little, but still lacking the energy to react in her usual exaggerated and playful way.
— Urgh, shut up... — he mumbled groggily.
Luki's large arm shot out from beneath the sheets like a predator and with a single, effortless tug, he yanked her straight back down onto the mattress.
— Ah! Nooooo! Let me go! I just took a bath, and this bed is completely filthy from last night! Luki! — Hestia squealed as she tumbled into his chest, locked into his embrace like a cage.
Luki didn't give her a single shred of attention. He simply tightened his hold, buried his face in the crook of her neck.
— You woke me up. Now deal with it. — Luki rumbled against her skin, his grip tightening.
— Luki! Now I'm going to have to take another bath! — Hestia whined, burying her face in his shoulder.
As they lay there, still basking in the languid morning air, Luki's hands began to slowly trace down her side, smoothing over the warm, soft skin left fresh from her shower.
— Are you feeling okay? — he asked softly, his deep voice dropping to tender tone.
— Aside from the fact that I can barely feel my legs, I feel amazing. And... you could have been a little gentler, you know... It was my first time. — Hestia huffed, though she leaned into his touch.
— Sorry. It was my first time too... I guess I just lost control. — He muttered, looking away slightly.
Hestia pouted, tapping his chest.
— Just be more careful next time!Luki let out a low, amused chuckle, his lips curling into a smug smile.
— Next time, huh...?
Hestia's eyes widened as she realized what she had just admitted, her cheeks burning bright crimson.
She looked up, they stared at each other, the playful bickering completely dissolving into a thick, heavy wave of romance. The affection in the air was tangible, and both knew that if they didn't break eye contact right now, they would definitely end up incredibly late.
But suddenly, Luki's three eyes snapped wide open.
— Be right back.
He vanished into thin air.
Hestia blinked, left sitting there like a complete idiot, staring blankly at the empty space on the mattress where he had just been lying.
But a mere second later, Luki reappeared right beside the bed, standing on the wooden floor and holding a familiar, bulky canvas sack in his hands.
— An opening appeared. Had to snatch it real quick. — he explained with a smirk, tossing the sack onto the bed.
Hestia let out a massive sigh of relief, the tension draining from her shoulders. She slid off the mattress, letting her towel loosen slightly as she looked back at him with a mischievous, playful glint in her eyes.
— Come on, let's take a bath together. — she smiled, pulling his arm toward the door.
Entering the bath, they ended up spending a considerable amount of time in the steaming wooden tub.
What was supposed to be a quick rinse turned into a long, agonizing test of willpower, their hands tracing over each other's damp skin with intentions that were far from pure. Yet, despite the heavy temptation lingering in the misty air, they managed to restrain themselves.
Stepping out of the water, they quickly dried off, threw on their clothes, ate something real quick and prepped to finally face the surface world.
...
As they arrived at the bustling square where the caravan was prepping for departure, they were immediately met by a tall, heavily armed goddess leaning against a supply crate.
— Well, look who finally decided to join the living! — Hephaestus greeted them, a smug, knowing smirk spreading across her lips as her single visible eye locked onto the pair. — Judging by how late you two are, I'd say someone had quite a busy night...
Hestia instantly froze, her face flushing a dangerous shade of crimson.
— H-Hephaestus?! How on earth you know that?! — She stammered in complete embarrassment, her voice cracking slightly.
Hephaestus let out a dry, amused chuckle, casually raising a finger to point at her own neck.
— It's not exactly hard to guess when you have such pale skin, Hestia. You might want to cover up, before showing it off to the whole camp.
Hestia's eyes widened. She instinctively clapped both hands over her throat, the realization hitting her like a stray firebolt. In her chaotic, panicked rush back in the bedroom, she had grabbed a dress with a much wider, lower-cut neckline, leaving all of Luki's red marks completely exposed to the open air.
— Luki! — Hestia shrieked in absolute fury, whirling around toward him.
— Hey, wait, I didn't mean t-
— Shut up! This is all your fault! This is all your fault! — she yelled, relentlessly throwing small, frustrated punches against his hard chest.
Luki offered no resistance, simply wincing slightly and dodging her small fists while keeping a sheepish, apologetic grin on his face.
— Hey, Luki-kun! Over here! — A loud, booming shout cut through the goddess's tantrum.
Finn was waving his hand, gesturing firmly for Luki to join them, standing near the front of the main supply wagon and surrounded by several other powerful-looking high-tier adventurers.
Luki cleared his throat, a look of profound relief spreading across his face, setting his sword and other belongings down on the ground nearby as he took a tactical step back, moving away from Hestia's small fists.
— Well, ladies, duty calls. I'll leave you goddesses to your busines. Please excuse me and thank you! — Luki smiled sheepishly, giving the two deities a polite nod.
Before Hestia could grab his arm or complain any further, Luki turned on his heel and quickly marched over to the strategy meeting, leaving the blushing goddess to deal with Hephaestus's endless teasing all by herself.
Luki approached the large wooden table, offering a respectful nod as he drew near.
— Glad you could join us, Luki-kun. — Finn greeted him with a warm, professional smile, stepping aside to make room for him.
— Let me introduce everyone. These are the captains of the other Familias still present in the camp. This is... — Finn went on to briefly introduce each person at the table.
Luki exchanged polite nods and generic pleasantries with them, but truth be told, he wasn't paying much attention, knowing he would probably never see any of their faces again after today.
The only true powerhouse he recognized instantly was Ottar. However, when Luki offered a polite nod in his direction, the massive Boaz captain didn't even bother to return the gesture, remaining as stoic and unreadable as a stone statue.
— We are making some final adjustments to the travel route. — Finn explained, tapping a specific line on the tactical map. — We've decided to use a specific shortcut to expedite the return. I wanted to hear your opinion on this, Luki-kun.
Luki scratched the back of his neck, feeling a bit out of his depth.
— To be honest, Captain Finn, I don't know much about these large-scale logistics and shits. It's probably best to leave that kind of decision to you guys. — Luki admitted sheepishly.
Finn let out a small, encouraging chuckle.
— Don't worry about that, just share whatever comes to your mind. As a Familia captain yourself, you'll have to get used to this side of the job sooner or later.
Finn then began to introduce Luki to the core concepts of strategy. Acting almost like a patient professor, he broke down every detail in a clear, concise manner. He explained exactly why he chose that specific formation, the reasoning behind the vanguard placement, why they needed to rest at those intervals, and how to balance the stamina of the wounded.
Luki tried his absolute best to focus on the lecture. He genuinely did. But the sheer volume of technical information felt like an intense mental assault. At one point, he was entirely convinced that his Skill was the only thing preventing him from falling asleep
Once the explanation finally concluded, Finn's expression turned slightly more serious, leading into the ultimate question, and likely the real reason he had called Luki over in the first place.
— So, Luki-kun. I need to ask. Are you willing to join the active escort duty and help defend the perimeter, or would you prefer to spend the trip resting inside one of the main carriages?
— What, what? Oh, yes, of course, fight, yes, yes, no problem. — He said, finally waking from his stupor, not that he had fallen asleep, of course.
Finn tilted his head, giving him a considerate look.
— You know, it's perfectly fine if you choose to decline. Nobody here will judge you after everything you've been through. Although, I won't deny that having your strength on the field would be a massive relief for everyone.
Luki smiled, a confident glint returning to his eyes.
— Seriously, Captain, it's completely fine. If there's one thing I am definitely not right now, it's tired.
Finn nodded in satisfaction, wrapping up the meeting as the captains dispersed to their respective units.
Within minutes, the final orders echoed across the cavernous safe zone. The massive wooden gates of the settlement groaned open, and the long, heavily guarded caravan slowly began its march, leaving the safety of the 18th floor behind as they plunged into the dark tunnels heading toward the surface.
...
— Hold the line! Don't let them breach the flank!
— Vanguard, push forward! Arching fire from the rear, now!
Shouts and generic battle cries echoed through the Middle Labyrinth walls, only drowned out by the metallic clashing of steel against bone and the wet slashes of blades.
Across the wide corridor, a dense formation of high-tier adventurers moved like an immense, unstoppable meat grinder. They slaughtered waves of spawning monsters from all sides, creating an absolute wall of defense that prevented a single creature from even scratching the long caravan of wagons lumbering behind them.
This was Luki's first time witnessing a situation like this. Being in a Middle Floor surrounded by such a massive number of top-tier adventurers was eye-opening. He stared, completely transfixed, watching them fight in perfect, fluid synchronicity.
Every single person covered their specific role as if they were nothing more than gears inside a well-oiled, highly complex machine, everything moving so-
'Booooring...' he thought, casually sidestepping a monster he had never even seen before and effortlessly lopping its head off with a lazy flick of his wrist.
Luki had a massive, sour scowl plastered all over his face. The reality of the situation was finally sinking in: he couldn't do things his own way here. He couldn't just lose his mind, rush ahead, and go completely wild into the thick of the horde.
Even though he had assured Finn that he was perfectly fine and bursting with energy, the captain had still placed him in a much safer, defensive position near the inner perimeter.
Because of that, Luki was basically just standing around, bored out of his mind, only putting down the occasional stray monster that managed to slip past the frontline defense.
'Man, this sucks, I want to actually do something. I want to move around, I want to fight, I want to collect loot, I want to get lost, fall into an unexpected trap... okay, maybe that last one is stretching it a bit, but still! Anything is better than standing here doing absolutely nothing.' Luki grumbled to himself, his eyes scanning the chaotic battlefield with sheer boredom.
Unable to contain his pent-up frustration any longer, Luki aggressively kicked the stone floor beneath his boots.
The sheer force of his strike ripped a sharp, heavy chunk of rock straight out of the ground. The jagged shard went flying at blinding speed, whizzing directly between the heads of several frontline adventurers without touching a single hair on them.
The projectile hit its mark perfectly, completely shattering the skull of a Hellhound that was just about to breathe a deadly torrent of fire toward a certain, completely unimportant white-haired adventurer nearby.
— GOL!!!!! — Luki pumped his fist, celebrating kill, overexaggerating a bit, before instantly slumping back into his crushing boredom.
With absolutely nothing else to do, he could only stand there, watching the frontlines with pure envy.
But as his eyes wandered across the chaotic battlefield, he spotted something that genuinely surprised him.
— Hephaestus-sama?! What are you doing out here?! — Luki blurted out, his eyes widening.
Ahead of him, Hephaestus finished crushing the skull of a nearby monster with a brutal, heavy swing of her massive war hammer, and then wiped the sweat from her brow with her gauntleted hand.
Turning around to face him, a confident, knowing smirk spread across her lips.
— What's the matter, kid? Never seen a goddess hold her own in a fight before?
— Go back to the safety of the carriage! Gods aren't even allowed to use their powers inside the Dungeon! — Luki urged, entirely overreacting as he gestured wildly with his hands.
Hephaestus casually waved her hand, completely dismissing his panic.
— Oh, relax, everything is perfectly fine. I'm not using a single drop of divine power or anything forbidden. This is just a little bonus that we gods get from having high-level captains like my Tsubaki. — She chuckled, giving him a reassuring look.
As they spoke, Luki's caught a shadow moving in the corner of his vision. He raised his arm and threw his massive Zweihänder forward.
Without breaking eye contact with Luki, Hephaestus simply took a casual step to the side.
The heavy blade whizzed past her cheek, perfectly impaling a stealthy monster that was trying to sneak up on her from behind.
Then, in one fluid, breathtaking sequence, Hephaestus spun on her heel. The tip of her armored boot kicked the guard of the sword with perfect precision, sending the Zweihänder spinning safely right back into Luki's waiting grip.
Completing the momentum of her elegant spin, her heavy hammer came crashing down, pulverizing another monster that was just beginning to claw its way out of the stone floor.
— Explain... — Luki requested, casually bringing his giant blade down to bisect an oncoming monster.
— It's simple. — Hephaestus explained, blocking a heavy strike from a larger beast with the shaft of her hammer and immediately crushing its knee. — We gods can mirror the strength of our Familia's captain. The level, the stats, the skills, even the magic. That's why a captain is so vital. It's not just about logistics, strategic leadership, or interpersonal skills. A strong captain means a strong god. And a strong god is much harder to assassinate and send back to Tenkai while the rest of the Familia is away down in the Dungeon.
To emphasize her point, she casually pointed her free hand off to the side, right over Luki's shoulder.
Luki followed her gaze and spotted the unmistakable figure of Takemikazuchi cutting through a thick pack of monsters. Blood spurted from severed necks and severed heads went flying through the air at an unbelievable, blinding speed.
Free from the constraints of his usual quiet demeanor, the deity looked like a true, terrifying God of War on the battlefield.
— Ah... I didn't know that. Honestly, I just thought you gods were basically glorified, walking Falna update stations. — Luki muttered, shifting his footing to impale a charging beast through the chest without even looking at it.
Hephaestus let out a sharp, mocking laugh, bringing her hammer down to pulverize another target.
— And that's exactly why! Do you really think the most spoiled, prideful gods in existence would just sit around with their thumbs up their asses while mortals have all the fun? Just waiting around to give you a nice back rub? Who's the servant here?!
It actually made perfect sense when Luki thought about it. The gods had descended to the mortal world precisely because they were bored and desperately seeking entertainment. It was completely naive to think they would limit themselves to a boring tradition of merely serving as passive tools for human advancement.
Not only would that be a massive waste of whatever innate abilities a god possessed, like Freya's charm, Hephaestus's smithing or Takemikazuchi war-god-things, it was also incredibly disrespectful.
Just as Hephaestus said, who was the real servant in that relationship? The mortal who gets to run wild, hoarding wealth and immense power, or the once-omnipotent god who has to massage their back every other day?
— But how does that even work? How does it not trigger the Dungeon?
Hephaestus stopped for a brief second, raising a skeptical eyebrow at him.
— Where exactly do you think all that power of yours came from in the first place? — she countered flatly.
Luki blinked, his third eye giving a small, embarrassed twitch.
— Ah. Right. Stupid question. — he muttered.
The logic was entirely foolproof. If the gods possessed the ability to grant Falna to mortals and allow them to break their natural limits using divine blessings, then it was painfully obvious they could easily do the exact same thing to themselves without needing a stupid tribal tattoo drawn on their own backs.
Luki was suddenly feeling incredibly dumb for not realizing something so remarkably simple before.
Whoosh!
Luki ducked as Hephaestus's massive war hammer whizzed directly over his bent spine, completely obliterating a stealthy monster that had managed to sneak up right behind him.
— Furthermore, what's with 'Hephaestus-sama'? After a few months holed up in your burrow, we're no longer friends by any chance? Forget about those honorifics. — Hephaestus teased with a confident smirk, resting the heavy weapon back on her shoulder.
— Ah, sorry, Hephaestus-san-
— Huh??? — Hephaestus glared, narrowing her single eye.
— Right, right... just Hephaestus. But just to be clear, I saw that monster coming anyway. — Luki answered sheepishly, clearing his throat to hide his embarrassment.
Hephaestus let out a loud, hearty laugh at his stubbornness.
With the explanation out of the way, the temporary duo fell into a comfortable, unspoken rhythm, returning to the tedious task of slaughtering the endless waves of monsters in total, casual silence.