"What? Planning another expedition already?"
Yami couldn't help but exclaim as he stood in the weapon shop on Adventurer Avenue, his surprise clear on his face as he looked at Finn and the others standing before him.
It wasn't his fault, really. It hadn't been that long since Loki Familia's last expedition, and from what he'd heard, it hadn't gone particularly well. They'd barely returned with anything of value, and it could almost be called a loss.
Had the First Familia really recovered so quickly? That was definitely surprising!
But, when he thought about it, it made sense. In the original story, there was only about a ten-day gap between the two expeditions of the Loki Familia. With his intervention, it was only natural that things would change.
After all, the most dedicated familia in Orario was undoubtedly the Loki Familia. They were the only ones who treated raiding the dungeon as their mission. While their motives weren't entirely pure—they sought fame as much as anything else—they were still far ahead of the other familias.
"That's right, Mr. Yami," Finn replied, noticing Yami's surprise. His voice was calm, but filled with unwavering determination. "We're planning a second expedition. Although we encountered some difficulties during our last expedition and had to return early, with a lot of our resources lost, our familia has recovered during this time."
"So, we plan to dive into the dungeon again. We must break through that unknown floor, in the name of our God Loki! Additionally, under your guidance, Ais and Tiona have grown stronger. I believe that no matter what happens this time, we'll be able to handle it with ease."
Confidence radiated from Finn, filling the room. But Yami's expression quickly turned odd. It seemed like they were tempting fate.
Others might not know the details, but he certainly did. Even if there were some slight changes in timing, what was meant to happen would inevitably come to pass.
He feared this expedition might end in failure again. But Finn was right about one thing—they were bound to break some records. How many exactly, only the Adventurers' Guild would know for sure. There had been quite a few adventurers of level 8 or even 9 in the past. Yami found it hard to believe that adventurers with such strength would only reach the fifty-ninth floor.
It was probably better not to burst that bubble.
"So, are you here to ask the Hephaestus Familia for support again?" Yami asked.
"Yes," Finn replied solemnly. "Last time, we realized just how crucial craftsmen are to an expedition. Learning from that experience, we're formally requesting support from the Hephaestus Familia."
Finn stood up from his chair, his expression serious. "We need the support of many skilled artisans. And as for compensation, rest assured, we'll make sure you're more than satisfied."
The wealthy Loki Familia had made a very generous offer, leaving Goddess Hephaestus with little reason to refuse.
In fact, Finn had already met with the red-haired goddess beforehand to discuss this. She hadn't refused but hadn't agreed outright either. She didn't want to make decisions for her children, so she left it up to Finn to negotiate with the familia members. If they agreed, there would be no issue.
"I see, I understand the situation."
Yami wasn't particularly interested in the Loki Familia's invitation for support. With his strength, he could freely come and go in the dungeon without facing any real danger. Even if he encountered the legendary Black Dragon, it would be the same.
But Tsubaki didn't have that kind of strength. Although she was a level 5 adventurer, she was primarily a smith and not as powerful in combat as one might expect. The ultra-deep floors were too dangerous for her, even if she was accompanied by members of the Loki Familia.
What's more, this time, there would likely be other blacksmiths joining as well. Even though Yami didn't know them well, they were still part of his familia. For the sake of Tsubaki and Goddess Hephaestus, they needed protection too.
This is probably what it means to be human. Unless you can truly be alone, without any connections to anyone or anything, you will always end up entangled in endless troubles. Very few people can remain indifferent to that.
"I'll agree to support you," Yami said. "As for the payment, it's the same as last time. You'll need to discuss that with Hephaestus-sama; I'm just here to provide the help."
"That's wonderful!" A faint smile appeared on Finn's face as soon as Yami agreed. Not only him but also Ais, Riveria, and the others behind him visibly relaxed. With the addition of strong external support, they felt more assured about both the equipment repairs and the safety of their team in case of emergencies.
The Loki Familia was strong, but not invincible. At least, they could no longer be considered a "double king" familia. Nowadays, Orario likely only had one such familia—the Hephaestus Familia. So, for the sake of survival, relying on strength alone wasn't enough; building good relationships with the strong was equally important.
"What's the exact departure time?" Tsubaki, who had been silent up until now, asked the most important question.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Isn't that a bit rushed?" Tsubaki frowned slightly.
Finn's expression turned apologetic. "I apologize. We initially planned to purchase all our supplies by tomorrow night, but we finished earlier than expected. So, we decided to move the departure time up a bit. If it's too inconvenient, the main group can head into the dungeon first, and you can join us later. With Mr. Yami and Tsubaki leading, you won't face any obstacles. What do you think?"
Finn seemed genuinely concerned that his request might be too much, so he offered a compromise. But Yami shook his head slowly.
"No need for that. Tomorrow will work."
"I don't have any issues on my end. Captain Tsubaki, can you gather the others in short notice?" Yami asked.
Tsubaki thought for a moment before nodding. "I'll ask them right away. There shouldn't be any major issues."
"In that case, I'll leave it to you," Finn said. "We still have some preparations to make for the expedition, so we'll take our leave now. We'll gather at the dungeon entrance tomorrow morning."
"No problem."
With that, Finn and the others from the Loki Familia left the weapon shop. Tsubaki quickly headed towards Babel Tower to gather the blacksmiths who were interested in joining the expedition.
As for Yami, he was the most relaxed of them all at this point.
All of his companions from the world of Fate were staying in the One Piece world. Kanae and Shinobu had teamed up with the Hestia Familia and ventured into the dungeon. With Kagaya and Kamado Tanjuro's recovery, the Demon Slayer Corps wasn't in such urgent need of assistance, but they still had to repay the materials they'd purchased from Yami. So, the members of the Hestia Familia continued to spend their days in the dungeon.
But it's worth noting that since almost all the remaining members of the Demon Slayer Corps had been brought to Orario, the Hestia Familia had begun to thrive. It was a clear example of how, when one person achieves something great, it can elevate those around them.
Maybe that saying is a bit exaggerated, but in essence, it's true.
"As a result, I messed around, and now I'm the only one left… really…"
"Forget it. I might as well take this opportunity to report to Ouranos about the Xenos, before he starts thinking I killed all those guys."
Remembering that he hadn't yet discussed things with Ouranos, Yami slowly stood up. Returning to a place once visited isn't that much trouble.
With a thought, he activated his spatial abilities. Yami vanished instantly and reappeared in the familiar underground chamber.
Even as the light shifted to darkness, the dim environment around him didn't affect his vision. Everything in the shadows was perfectly clear.
Looking up at Ouranos seated on his throne, Yami allowed a faint smile to form on his face.
"God Ouranos, it's been a while. Recently, I—"
"Hm?!"
Before he could finish speaking, Yami frowned. He sensed the sound of something cutting through the air near his ear and instinctively stepped back. A skeletal hand flashed before his eyes, the breeze brushing his hair.
Having missed his strike, Fels prepared to attack again. But before he could move, his body was completely immobilized. Despite no visible restraints, no matter how hard Fels tried, he couldn't move an inch, his body twisting helplessly in mid-air.
"So, why attack me, Fels?" Yami asked, his face puzzled as he looked at the skeletal figure before him. "We don't have any enmity, do we? Is this how you treat your allies?"
Without waiting for Fels to respond, Yami's gaze shifted back to Ouranos.
"Was this your command, God Ouranos? Are you canceling our agreement? If so, why not just say it outright? Was it necessary for Fels to attack me? You should know he's not my match."
Seeing the situation escalate, Ouranos could no longer remain silent.
"Sigh."
The great god sighed helplessly, then spoke up. "This is all a misunderstanding. Release Fels, and let's clear things up face to face."
"Since you've asked, God Ouranos, I'll let it go this time. But if Fels insists on being stubborn, even if it means offending the Adventurers' Guild, I'll have no choice but to refuse further collaboration," Yami said, squinting his eyes and stating his bottom line.
With a slight wave of his right hand, Fels was instantly freed from the spatial restraints and fell to the ground. As he prepared to get up and make another move, Ouranos spoke again.
"Enough, Fels! Will you not even follow my orders?" His commanding voice, laced with divine power, echoed through the chamber, causing Fels to freeze in place, his magical energy fluctuating wildly.
After a moment, Fels finally lowered her hand. "Understood, Ouranos-sama. I'll listen to his explanation."
Yami scoffed but didn't press the issue. The atmosphere in the room grew tense. Ouranos, seeing that neither side was willing to speak first, decided to break the silence.
"Alright, since we're all here, let's talk this out."
"Yami, Fels went to the dungeon yesterday and found that the Xenos had completely vanished. He searched the Great Tree Labyrinth but couldn't find a trace. Can you explain what's going on?"
With no outsiders present, Ouranos didn't hesitate to get straight to the point. Hearing this, Fels turned his gaze to Yami, waiting to hear his explanation.
"Is that all?" Yami's reaction was rather calm. He found it disappointing that Fels had attacked him over the Xenos' disappearance. Was the so-called 'sage' unable to remain composed?
Jumping to conclusions without any investigation—how ridiculous.
"I came here today precisely to inform you about this matter," Yami began. "But it seems that without someone else to vouch for me, my words alone might not be enough. So, I'll let someone you trust explain."
Without waiting for Ouranos to respond, Yami disappeared. When he reappeared, he wasn't alone.
Beside him stood Ray, a siren.
"Ray, you're alive? What about the others?" Fels asked urgently.
The siren gave a slight bow before raising her head to explain. She recounted the recent events, including the existence of another world, leaving nothing out. Ouranos and Fels listened in astonishment. Once she finished, they both sighed in relief, the looks they gave Yami now filled with complex emotions.
"I'm truly sorry, Yami. We wrongly accused you. Thank you for helping the Xenos," Ouranos apologized, his tone sincere. As a god who knew how to admit his mistakes, he didn't hesitate to apologize when necessary.
Hearing this, Yami merely smirked. "Hmph, no need for formalities. I keep my promises. If you have further questions, you can ask Ray. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave. Also, I probably won't be around much in the near future—I'm joining the Loki Familia's expedition tomorrow. We can talk more when I return."
Though he'd received an apology, Yami didn't soften his demeanor towards Fels and Ouranos. The two didn't take it to heart, understanding that they were in the wrong today and letting Yami vent was only fair. Unfortunately, this meant they'd have to wait to satisfy their curiosity about the other world.
"No problem," Ouranos replied. "I'll entrust you with this mysterious matter. During the expedition, keep an eye on the Loki Familia. There may be more at play."
"I know what to do," Yami replied.
With that, he nodded slightly to Ray. In the next moment, his figure vanished once more.