The four of them had dinner together that night, and Hestia celebrated the occasion by opening a bottle of fine wine from the Apollo Familia's cellar.
As time passed and the air grew faintly tinged with drunkenness, the conversation at the table became more relaxed and intimate. At some point, Cassandra ended up falling asleep, her head resting on the long wooden table.
Meanwhile, Hestia listened attentively to Daphne's observations about the current state of their newly formed familia.
It was a peaceful and warm first night for the Hestia Familia, marked by laughter, stories, and unspoken promises for an uncertain future.
In the days that followed, Daphne and Cassandra busied themselves organizing the belongings inherited from the Apollo Familia. Yuri, as was his habit, dove alone into the depths of the Dungeon.
With his stats already nearing their maximum limits and after two nonstop days exploring more than thirty floors of the Dungeon, Yuri decided to take a rare day off on the 18th floor—the famous safe zone.
He barely had time to enjoy it. The moment he fell asleep in an inn room, he was awakened by shouting, hurried footsteps, and an unusual commotion for that floor.
"Everyone, head to the square immediately for inspection by the Loki Familia and the Sword Princess!"
The rough voice of an adventurer echoed through the underground city. With an irritated expression, Yuri got up and put on a black cloak, frowning as he felt a strange but familiar sense of unease.
Blending into the crowd, he listened carefully to the surrounding conversations.
A renowned level 4 adventurer had been brutally murdered the night before. The crime, committed in the heart of the safe zone, had thrown everyone into a panic. The idea that a killer capable of slaying a level 4 adventurer was on the loose made even veteran adventurers hesitate to leave their rooms.
However, witnesses had reported seeing the man enter a hotel with a hooded woman. After investigation, the scene suggested that the woman had killed him, possibly for an item he was carrying.
Now, level 5 members of the Loki Familia, alongside Rivera City's administrator Perth Elder, were organizing a thorough manhunt for the suspect. They gathered everyone in the city, collected information, and began their search.
With little else to do, Yuri approached the center of the plaza, where the victim's body awaited burial.
The corpse was imposing, dark-skinned and muscular. He was shirtless, his limbs sprawled grotesquely. His head had been crushed—reduced to an unrecognizable pulp. Brain fragments and flesh were scattered across a pool of thick, dark blood.
Yuri stared at the pitiful state of the body and the missing head, then looked around the plaza on the 18th floor—and suddenly remembered something.
He recalled the parallel spin-off to the main story: Sword Oratoria. In that arc, the god Dionysus was revealed as the mastermind behind a series of dark events, all starting with the delivery of a [Fallen Immortal Essence] on the 18th floor.
The "Fallen Immortal Essence" was essentially the corrupted remnant of a divine spirit fallen from grace—a degenerate and dark form of spiritual life.
It was a parasitic entity or magical core capable of fusing with monsters, people, or clones, granting them extreme power while also corrupting them entirely.
A tool of manipulation used by the secret faction aligned with the god Dionysus.
It was the source of abnormal monsters and high-level clones, including the fallen spirit clone that appeared during the 18th Floor Incident.
It served as a catalyst for the creation of abominations—monsters far more intelligent and dangerous.
When integrated with a host body, it drastically increased their power, capable of producing enemies at level 5 or even level 6.
It was a central part of the dark faction's plan to destabilize Orario and the Dungeon by manipulating the very essence of the world.
During that incident... level 5 monsters appeared in droves. There was even a clone of a Fallen Immortal Spirit at level 6... and a culprit with nearly level 6 strength.
Yuri clenched his fists.
His stats were nearly maxed out. If he could defeat that clone, he might finally reach level 4.
Lifting his gaze, he carefully scanned the crowd for anyone matching the culprit living in his memory.
That's when, on the other side of the plaza, Ais Wallenstein's sharp eyes caught sight of something strange: a girl with light brown skin, carrying a small suitcase. Her eyes darted around in fear and anxiety. Ais stopped.
"Lady Ais?" murmured Lefiya, noticing that Ais had frozen in place.
The dog-girl stood out among the crowd. Trembling, she took a few steps back and, seizing the moment of general distraction, bolted out of the plaza.
"After her!" said Ais.
"Right!" Lefiya nodded.
There was no way Ais would let such a suspicious person escape.
Ais called to Lefiya, who responded with a nod, and the two of them picked up the pace to catch the girl.
At that exact moment, another figure quietly emerged from the crowd—a man clad in heavy armor. His ordinary appearance drew no attention. But Yuri, seeing him move away and raise something to his mouth—a whistle-like object—felt a chill down his spine.
He's going to release the monsters.
Without hesitation, Yuri flung back his cloak, turned to the surroundings, and shouted:
"Tiona! Tione! Get ready! We're about to be attacked by monsters!!"
As he said this, his body flashed with electricity, and he shot off like lightning toward the nearest ridge.
Riveria and the other adventurers, hearing his warning and recognizing his strength, didn't question him. They gathered quickly and prepared for battle.
And just as predicted, moments after Yuri vanished, the ground of the safe zone trembled.
Monsters. Lots of them.
As if pulled straight from the depths of the Dungeon, a horde of monstrous creatures stormed the 18th floor—a place that was never supposed to know battle.
(End of Chapter)
I literally only realized what was wrong in the last chapters I just posted now hehe
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."