"Hey, you little pallum. Are you seriously telling me there's a Minotaur on this floor? You better not be lying."
On the dungeon's fourth floor, Lili and Bell were leading a well-equipped party of adventurers down toward the fifth floor.
The leader of the group was a tall man in crimson armor, quite famous among Level 2 adventurers. Known as the "Crimson Greatsword Wielder" for his dual-handed sword style, he was reputed to have once fought solo all the way to the 19th floor—a man whose strength matched his fame.
"Adventurer sir! Lili absolutely isn't lying! Please, I beg you—please hurry! Kai-sama is still trapped on the fifth floor! Please save him!"
Running ahead to lead the way, Lili pleaded tearfully, desperation shining in her eyes.
"...Even if you're begging like that, if it's truly a mid-floor Minotaur, then your Level 1 friend is likely already dead."
The man frowned slightly at her anxious and sorrowful face. But as a professional, he said bluntly, "Don't get your hopes up. Still, even if your friend's dead, we'll help you take care of that Minotaur. After all, we did take your money."
After escaping the fifth floor, Lili had first found Bell on the third floor fighting off monsters. She quickly explained what had happened, and they both decided to recruit a strong adventurer party from the Babel Tower square.
Given the urgency, they emptied all the earnings they'd gathered over the past two weeks.
Over 500,000 valis.
It might not compare to the lion's share Kai had taken, but it was still a sizable sum.
While a Minotaur was a mid-level dungeon monster, a single one wasn't a big deal for adventurers above Level 2. That kind of money could easily hire top-tier teams for several days of hunting.
Thanks to that, Lili and Bell were able to hire a powerful and reputable party. After a brief negotiation, both sides agreed, and the group charged into the dungeon toward the fifth floor.
Having taken the payment, the hired adventurers—seasoned veterans—quickly devised dozens of methods to deal with a lone Minotaur. But none of them believed the so-called "Kai-sama" was still alive.
Only those who had reached Level 2 and entered the mid-level dungeons truly understood how terrifying mid-level monsters were.
Hardened shells, thick hides, savage instincts, and stats far beyond lower-level adventurers… Hundreds of adventurers reached Level 2 every year in Orario, but barely a few dozen survived long-term. Most of the rest died to mid-level monsters.
Underestimating their own strength, thinking they could rely on upper-level experience to solo mid-floor beasts—those kinds of fools usually died terribly.
Still, every coin has two sides. While it was unfortunate that Kai, a Level 1 adventurer, ran into a mid-floor monster like a Minotaur, perhaps at least he didn't suffer much…
Then again, if he had been Level 2—
Minotaurs fight like wild bulls: savage and unrelenting. Their first instinct when facing strong foes is to charge and gore them with their horns, ripping them to shreds.
To be disemboweled alive and watch your guts spill out—certainly not a pleasant way to go.
The party quickly reached the stairs to the fifth floor. Some drew weapons, some observed calmly, others grew excited at the money soon to be theirs.
Only Lili and Bell, leading the front, had any intention of saving Kai.
To everyone else, he was already a corpse. And what need was there to save a corpse in a dungeon where even bodies disappeared?
No one believed a mere Level 1 could survive a Minotaur.
Much less… defeat one.
The stairwell ended. The adventurers organized their gear and filed into the fifth floor without hesitation.
They were the backbone of Orario's strength—none feared the so-called Minotaur.
Confident smirks lit up their faces.
But then…
"What the hell… is this?"
Someone whispered, and the unease rippled through everyone.
Upon entering the fifth-floor corridor, they were greeted by a surreal and ghastly scene.
Dark blood splattered across cave walls like twisted murals. The air was thick with the scent of blood, making it hard to breathe.
The ground was piled with monster corpses, fresh enough that the dungeon hadn't started absorbing them yet.
And past those corpses, farther ahead—
A lone adventurer, cutting through a sea of monsters.
No—this wasn't a battle.
It was a one-sided massacre.
He was of average height, with pure black short hair rarely seen in Orario. Dressed in a long black coat, he wielded a pitch-black straight sword, reaping monsters like wheat.
As the adventurers watched his skill and slaughter unfold, they collectively shivered.
Who was this?
Why was he here?
Where was the Minotaur?
Then, a cry full of joy and tears shattered the silence.
"Kai-sama!"
Kai?
The same Kai who was supposed to be dead? The Level 1 adventurer?
You've got to be kidding.
A Level 1 fighting a Minotaur? And winning?
Let alone fighting off this many monsters at once?
That sword speed… faster than most Level 2s. His agility had to be C-rank or higher…
A Level 1 with C-rank agility?
And that swordsmanship—it made them tremble just watching it. Every strike was flawless and filled with terrifying killing intent. Even lifelong master swordsmen might not match that precision.
How could that man be just a Level 1?
Kai looked over and smiled.
"Lili, what are you spacing out for? Get to work!"
"..."
Lili's joy at seeing him alive instantly cooled.
Frowning, she kicked Bell.
"Ow—! Why'd you kick me again?!"
Bell rubbed his shin, fuming at her constant violence.
"No reason. I'm just in a bad mood and wanted to kick something."
Muttering, Lili pulled out her dagger and began extracting magic stones from the corpses.
Then she glared at Bell again.
"What're you staring at? Get moving!"
"Oh, right!"
Bell nodded quickly and joined her.
…
Since slaying the Minotaur on the fifth floor, Kai had become famous.
Perhaps spurred by witnessing a Level 1 soloing monsters, those hired adventurers began spreading tales upon their return to Orario—glorifying Kai into a god of war.
Fighting Minotaurs alone, killing monsters by the dozens, crushing Level 4s and 5s with a glance… the stories quickly became ridiculous.
Thanks to those rumors, Kai nearly became the laughingstock of the city.
But what really made him famous was this:
He had reached Level 2.
Actually, Kai had already received a system prompt upon slaying the Minotaur—he had earned enough "great deeds" to qualify for a level-up and was asked if he wanted to ascend.
However, since level-ups usually required a god to update your status, Kai held off and waited to return to Hestia.
From joining the Hestia Familia and receiving her blessing, to becoming a Level 2 adventurer—it had taken Kai just over two weeks.
Previously, the fastest recorded level-up had been one year, set by Loki Familia's Sword Princess, Aiz Wallenstein. That had shocked the entire city and even caused global ripples.
Kai crushed that record.
He was now the talk of the city.
People began calling him:
Hestia's Young Blade.
When Kai heard this shameful nickname from Bell, he nearly stormed into the street swinging his sword in rage.
What the hell? A full-grown man—Young Blade?! Seriously?!
Still, no one else seemed to mind. Most even thought it sounded cool.
Regardless, Kai was now famous.
His feat had even been confirmed by a beastman girl who claimed to have witnessed it firsthand.
Nicknames like "Slayer of the Upper Floors," "Monster Hunter," and "Black Demon" began circulating.
Though the next gods' banquet hadn't arrived yet, many speculated about what title he'd be granted.
Some merchants even started gambling rings in the black market, taking bets on Kai's future title. One robed little brat with glowing red eyes reportedly showed up daily, throwing down thousands of valis like it was pocket change…
At the center of all this, Kai continued his simple routine: church, tavern, dungeon.
The more he explored the [Black Swordsman] class, the more he felt intoxicated by the sword.
It awakened something in him—a pure joy from every swing, as though his soul rejoiced in battle.
Now at Level 2, his physical stats were rising, though slowly without system boosts. Gaining even a single point took days, sometimes over a week.
Still, his progress with the [Black Swordsman] class was smooth. As his understanding deepened, the sharp aura that once radiated from him began to settle.
Not gone—just hidden.
Like a sword returned to its sheath, quietly honing its edge.
A month passed.
In the outer slums, a church with brown walls and a steeple stood bathed in morning light, giving off a dreamlike glow.
Inside, a statue of Hestia stood at the altar in a posture of blessing—identical in face to the goddess herself.
Kai sat cross-legged in a pew, eyes closed, wearing his familiar black coat and blade. But now, he emanated a deep and solemn presence.
Knock knock knock—
Footsteps echoed on the stairs behind the altar.
Kai opened his eyes just as the small form of Hestia appeared.
Unlike her usual casual clothes, today she wore formal attire. Her pure white gown highlighted her petite but curvaceous figure.
Today was the quarterly [Banquet of the Gods].
Bathed in the morning sun, Hestia looked more divine and breathtaking than ever.
Even though they'd spent countless days together, Kai still found himself breathless.
This wasn't just beauty—it was divinity, grace, soul-stirring perfection.
After a brief daze, he smiled.
"Good morning, Lady Hestia."