Roy had been incredibly busy. Setting up the ambush for his unknown enemies, scouting the Orario terrain, testing the Shikon Jewel, buying massive amounts of supplies...
He even went to the Ganesha Familia to drop a hint, trying to prevent casualties from a monster outbreak. But honestly, he didn't think it would do much. He had no proof—only Cassandra's vague "prophetic dreams." The festival wouldn't be stopped for such a reason, and Ganesha wouldn't mobilize a massive force on a whim.
Amidst the hustle, two days flew by. Finally, Monsterphilia arrived. Roy felt a trace of exhaustion, but everything was set. He had barely made it.
The only regret was that he hadn't reached Level 4. He estimated he still needed 1,500 more attribute points to reach his limit. With only two days, he couldn't grind that much even if he didn't sleep. Besides, "Divine Descent" had drained him, and he needed to save his energy for the real fight.
But he wasn't too worried. He had the Synchronization Contract! He could borrow Ryu's Level 5 stats. Plus, he had three Level 6 powerhouses from the Loki Familia as back-up. He wanted to see who dared to crawl out of the shadows today.
At the gates of the Stardust Garden, Roy faced a small dilemma.
"Mr. Roy, please take us with you!" Cassandra clutched his sleeve.
Roy hesitated. The plan was for him and Ryu to go out and draw out the enemies while Daphne and Cassandra stayed to protect Lady Astraea.
"Cassandra, don't be ridiculous," Daphne said, pulling her back. They knew how hard Roy had worked to clear the hidden threats; they didn't want anyone messing up his plans.
Roy looked at Cassandra, a strange light in his eyes. Even today, he couldn't understand the abstract poems of her prophecy. "Did you see something new?"
Cassandra's eyes lit up as she spoke haltingly, "The previous vision was incomplete. I... I dreamed more."
Roy felt a shiver. The future was like a thick fog. Every choice led to new changes. Like before, Cassandra couldn't express the new prophecy in clear words, but the sense of danger was growing as the festival started.
"Fine. You're coming!" Roy decided. It was better to keep the Great Prophet where he could see her. Cassandra breathed a sigh of relief.
Roy told Ryu and Astraea. Naturally, they didn't object. The group left the Stardust Garden. Aside from necessary armor, their weapons were stored in Roy's ring. To an outsider, they looked like any other group out for a stroll.
Lady Astraea was stunning in a blue-and-white flowing gown that accentuated her figure, her brown hair cascading like a waterfall. Her blue eyes sparkled as a faint smile played on her lips—elegant, noble, and radiating a natural beauty even with her divine aura suppressed.
Ryu was in her simple vest and coat, her golden hair in a ponytail. Her clear, cold face and indifferent gaze were enough to send certain gods into a frenzy of excitement. Her slender legs in white boots moved with a swift, decisive stride.Daphne and Cassandra were young, only fourteen years old, but they were already blossoming into beautiful girls with distinct charms.
As the group walked down the street, their "head-turn" rate was nearly 100%. This wasn't just because of the Astraea Familia's recent fame, but also because of the sheer density of beautiful girls in their ranks. It was a sight to behold.
Almost every male adventurer had bloodshot eyes, filled with envy and spite as they glared at the only male in the group—Roy—wishing they could take his place. Meanwhile, the female adventurers focused entirely on Roy, their eyes practically turning into hearts.
Orario never lacked for entertainment. Busy-bodies had been privately compiling various rankings:
Thanks to his record-breaking leveling speed, Roy held the #1 spot on the "Adventurer with the Most Potential" list. As long as he remained alive, he would likely dominate that spot forever.
Having brought the Soma Familia to heel and holding vast wealth, he was ranked #9 on Orario's "Strongest Rich & Handsome" list and #7 on the "Man Most Women Want to Marry" list.
The only people ranked ahead of Roy were veteran legends like Finn, Ottar, Leon Vadenberg, or certain gods. Following the back-to-back defeat of three Familias, the Astraea Familia's reputation had skyrocketed, rivaling its peak years. Naturally, this attracted a flood of applicants, all of whom were rejected without exception.
Astraea's standards weren't "harsh"—one simply had to possess a heart of true justice. However, finding such a person in the chaotic melting pot of Orario was as difficult as awakening a rare skill. Even at their peak, they only had eleven members; Astraea's principle was "quality over quantity." Since she was also a "go-with-the-flow" type who never actively recruited, the Familia remained small.
Though she couldn't literally see the color of a soul, she could sense intent. Those clamoring to join now were clearly chasing profit and fame. After all, where were they when the Astraea Familia had been nearly wiped out?
Peak years bring hypocritical followers...
There is a saying: If you weren't there for the fall, don't be there for the rise. Astraea had not forgotten that during their darkest hour, only Roy stood by them.
For Roy, the small numbers were a blessing. Too many members meant too many eyes; his secrets would inevitably leak, and if that happened, he would be forced to semi-retire from the Stardust Garden to maintain his cover.
Lady Astraea smiled. "How rare. This is one of our few 'team-building' outings, isn't it?"
Since the revival of the Familia, their only celebration had been a brief gathering at a pub after their expedition—which was interrupted by Riveria and Aiz. Daphne and Cassandra wore wry smiles. This particular "team-building" felt a little more dangerous than usual!
"My deepest apologies, Lady Astraea," Ryu whispered, feeling guilty for involving her goddess in such a risky situation.
"It's fine, it's fine," Astraea comforted her with a smile. As a goddess, how could she stand behind her beloved children?
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Danmachi : Starting with an Elf (378 Chapter – Ongoing)
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