Shortly after Leon's seven-member party left the plaza, another massive group arrived at the entrance to Babel, rapidly assembling into formation.
Passing adventurers gathered in twos and threes, stealing glances at the procession and whispering among themselves.
"Holy shit... look at the size of that group. Which Familia is that? There's so many of them!"
A more seasoned-looking adventurer nearby shot him a glance and snorted.
"Bro, you new here or what?"
"Huh? Wha... how'd you know?"
"Forget not recognizing the famous Loki Familia. One look at that starter gear and anyone can tell you're fresh off the boat."
"Ugh, is it that obvious..."
"Anyone who's been in Orario more than a couple days knows what's going on right now. Only greenhorns like you would come poking around at a time like this."
"Alright, fine... I heard the tales of heroes, got all fired up, and ran here from the countryside to become an adventurer."
"Hey man, since you're so experienced, mind telling me... who's that elf beauty over there? Hnngh... she's gorgeous!"
"'Hnngh'?"
The veteran adventurer followed the kid's lovestruck gaze, and the moment he spotted the elf in question, he laughed out loud.
He looked the newcomer up and down with an amused expression until the poor guy was squirming, then finally spoke with a crooked grin.
"What, you got your eye on her?"
The newcomer nodded frantically.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! She's stunning! The figure, the face, and especially that noble, ice-cold aura, it's just so..."
The veteran let out a dry laugh and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Kid, ambition's great and all, but you gotta know your limits. Seriously."
"You have any idea who that is?"
"That's one of Loki Familia's Big Three. An elven princess of royal blood. Peak Level 5. The strongest mage in the entire city. Lady Riveria."
"And you think you've got a shot? Ha... you wouldn't live to see tomorrow's sunrise."
"Wh... what?!"
"Level 5? Elven royalty? L-Loki Familia?!"
"Heh, didn't your Guild advisor or your god bother to tell you who not to mess with in Orario? Step on the wrong toes and even your patron god won't be able to save you!"
"This city runs deep, kid... real deep."
With that, the veteran gave him one last pat on the shoulder, flashed a meaningful smile, cast another glance at the assembled force of over a hundred adventurers, and disappeared into the crowd.
Loki Familia launching an Expedition now? Better get to the Guild and find out what's going on...
...
"Finn, you actually talked Royman into this? How the hell did he agree to an Expedition this big? Nobody knows the current situation better than you guys. Should I call this bold, or do you just not give a damn about Evilus?"
If Leon had been here, he would've recognized the speaker immediately.
None other than Tsubaki Collbrande, someone their group had a deep history with.
Today she wore a set of lightweight custom armor, two katanas strapped at her waist, making it clear she wasn't just a master smith but a formidable dual-wielding fighter in her own right.
Faced with Tsubaki's ribbing, Finn spread his hands with a pained smile.
"Well, we poured every last val into this and took on a mountain of debt on top of that. Every day we delay, the losses pile up. We're already four days behind schedule, and even those four days have put enough pressure on us that even Loki Familia is starting to buckle."
Tsubaki considered this for a moment.
"So..."
"If we don't go on this Expedition, Loki Familia gets crushed under the debt. But if we do go, we have to watch our backs for Evilus."
"Damned if you do, damned if you don't."
Finn looked around at the Familia members bustling with preparations, and at the handful of new recruits who'd just joined, faces bright with eagerness. He let out a long sigh.
"Exactly. The last attack cost us a chunk of our Expedition supplies, which is why we wanted Hephaestus Familia on board."
"With top-tier smiths like you along, our equipment attrition drops way down. Enough to see us through to our objective."
Tsubaki pressed her lips together, thinking about the cooperation contract the two Familias had struck, and pushed further.
"Even if it means giving up new materials from uncharted territory? You realize that's not exactly pocket change."
Finn met her eyes with a grave expression, his tone dead serious.
"Doesn't matter. They're just materials. Once we reach unexplored floors, we'll have plenty of ways to make up the losses from other sources."
"But only if we succeed."
While they were talking, the elf and the dwarf walked over side by side.
"Finn, we're just about ready."
"Right. Then the rest is my job!"
They watched as Finn took up the Fortia Spear, hopped nimbly onto a supply crate, and prepared to address the troops. Gareth stroked his great beard and chuckled.
"Crafty little Pallum, always with the theatrics."
Riveria leaned on her priceless supreme-grade staff and gave a cold huff.
"Still better than Freya Familia's circus act."
"Heh... fair point."
The thought of all the stunts that "rival" Familia had pulled on their own Expeditions drew quiet laughter from the group.
The Dungeon. Middle Floors. Floor 16.
As they pressed deeper, the cavern labyrinth grew steadily darker. But in contrast, that cramped, constricted feeling from the tight corridors above had vanished entirely.
Ceilings soaring over ten meters high. Wide-open passages. Massive chambers.
Every time he hit this stretch, the same thought ran through his head: only on Floor 16 and below did a mage finally get room to work. None of those cramped, twisting corridors from the upper floors that turned kiting a swarm into a nightmare.
He'd barely finished sizing up the passage when his answer came, not in anyone's voice but in a fast, wet rhythm of blades carving through flesh.
By the time he looked up, the whole party, Persephone included, was already in the thick of it.
"One, two, three... well damn. It's been a while, but the Dungeon sure hasn't lost its enthusiasm for welcoming adventurers."
Over a hundred Minotaurs had burst from the walls on both sides, boxing the party into the center of the corridor.
Not so long ago, a swarm this size would've been his cue to turn and leave.
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