Hey!
What do you think of the story so far? I tried to make it more serious and complete, avoiding some of the past blunders while making things flow a little more smoothly.
Silver's training is more defined, his abilities are more defined, and the enemies he's meant to face are also a little more defined because of the more detailed world building. I hope that the little conflicts he had seem a little believable, even though he has already committed some mistakes.
And of the mistakes he committed, that they now seem a bit more in-line with the realm of possibilities. I do remember that people in general weren't fans of how he awakened his abilities in the original story.
And while I maintained the general idea of the process, I tried to make it seem more believable.
Silver is more than capable of taking an Orc down, but when his thoughts were disrupted and he was thrown into a slight panic, he momentarily lost control of the situation. Do remember Silver lived almost 130 years with Plasmids, so up until then he had to go through "rehabilitation" on how to do anything without them. I think it's fine to say he did well with what he had.
The female Orc was an oddity to begin with, a rare monster with slightly greater power than the male ones. And had he not been ambushed, the battle would've ended far quicker. Mistakes can be made, but let's hope he doesn't make them anymore.
Thank you for reading, enjoy the chapter!
6.5K Words.
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/A few more hours of running.../
/Slide…/
"Phew… That took longer than expected."
After running for far longer than planned, Silver finally reached the bottom of the mountain path. At this distance, he could now see the massive city walls looming over the horizon.
He looked around, he could see a few villages and other buildings in the distance. He knew those most likely belonged to the people of the Demeter Familia.
The Demeter Familia was mostly known for their produce and for being the major food supplier to all of Orario. The expansive fields of wheat and other farm plants on his way to the walls said all he needed to know about the scope of their operations and influence.
'Reminds me of the modern world… massive fields that stretch far into the distance to feed those megacities… well, Orario is a megacity. It's probably several kilometers across at a minimum…'
"Let's get moving."
Silver snapped his fingers, and a blue wave washed over his body. Throwing all the fatigue away as he took a relaxing breather.
"Much better."
Before he moved, Silver took a moment to ponder, 'Now that I think about it, these powers of mine are more absurd in this world than I thought.'
'The looks on the faces of those bandits… they were shocked beyond belief, as if they had seen a ghost.'
"I didn't come all the way here just to put myself in a shell… but it seems I'll have to tone things down a notch… we'll see."
'I can't work if I keep hiding my abilities, but it should be fine to keep some abilities more… private… Better not to give everyone that big of a scare.'
Silver stretched his back and looked at the rising sun in the distance. Not wanting to arrive by nightfall, he dashed forward.
The victory lap on his journey.
...
"Phew…"
Several hours of running later… Silver now stood before Orario's massive gates… and its equally massive entry lines… He looked at the massive lines leading into the gates, frowning.
'It's quite busy. The city seems to have recovered quite a bit in the last few years. Business is booming… look just how many people are coming in and out… some of these people are wearing outfits I've never seen or heard of before… some of them I can infer where they come from, others not as much.'
He could see people wearing long robes, others covering themselves head to toe in white tunics, strange weapons and armor… even unusual creatures being used to pull their caravans.
Around the entrance, large bazaars had been set up with all kinds of unusual trinkets… although Silver strange why they would set up shop here and not inside. A business tactic?
'… This is just one part of the travellers…' He thought as he looked at the sides, 'Orario is fed by a massive river that cuts through it. It's wide enough for large boats and entire fishing industries to exist on its shores.'
'The rivers feed a massive lake southwest of a rather large port town called Melen… many boats coming from extremely distant places like the extreme north, south, and east will dock there before making way to the city.'
He nodded with a smile, 'Things seem to have settled down nicely. It has been several years since the end of the civil war within the city's streets… It's almost hard to imagine this place was once as dangerous as the Middle Floors.'
Silver looked at the gates towering over him. Dozens upon dozens of meters high… 'Thick stone blocks… there also seems to be a faint magical signature coming off the stone. I wouldn't be surprised if magic had been employed to reinforce them.'
'Orario was once the bastion of modern times. It was used to lay siege to all the monsters of the continent following the Dungeon's seal. These walls needed to be strong enough to block massive armies of monsters and even flying ones… so they had to be tall.'
'Some monsters were massive too… if they weren't reinforced with magic though, they wouldn't be able to resist strikes of anything comparable to a Level-3 onward… maybe only a little.'
"… Is the line even moving? At this rate I might not get by nightfall…"
Silver knew getting entry into the city would be a hassle. The city had many enemies, not only had it just gone through a horrific civil war that took the lives of probably tens if not hundreds of thousands, they also had to worry about other external threats such as the Ares Familia in the far northern empire, who constantly attacked the city with their massive armies… albeit they failed every time…
His grandparents used to talk about such events… it happened at least three times throughout their stay in Orario.
For such reasons and more, they needed to check everyone's identity before they entered the city. For Silver at least, he didn't believe he was going to have an issue. The Familia his parents and grandparents had joined was allied with Orario, and they already had all of his documentation ready long before he departed.
Such things had to be prepared early, and even if that wasn't enough, which was a rather significant possibility, Silver wouldn't mind waiting a few days if it must… maybe that was why there were so many people lying around the place.
"It seems… I'll be here for a while."
Silver sighed and put his hands on his back. It seems he'd have to wait standing…
...
The minutes passed as Silver observed his surroundings. Half an hour later, someone approached him from the side.
An Elven lady with dark circles approached Silver with a clear, tired expression. She wore a black vest and pants with a white long-sleeve shirt with a winter cloak around her neck. From what he could tell given what he knew, it was a variation of the standard employee uniform of the Guild, probably given the fact winter was coming.
The Guild is an organization that manages Familias within Orario and provides services to adventurers. They are the government in a sense, for they "rule" Orario.
With most of the city's economy centered on the Dungeon, being the organization in charge of overseeing such endeavors, the Guild possessed immense political power despite not being a Familia nor possessing armed soldiers.
They serve as a mediating force in the conflicts between the gods. If one were to ask who the true ruler of the city is, one would probably list the bigger and strongest Familias. But even those legendary Familias only own portions of the city, with the biggest of them all having influence over entire districts.
However, even having such influence meant little, for in the face of the combined power of everyone else, there was no one who could claim superiority over all… not anymore at least…
The Guild succeeded a group of people who fought the monsters in the Dungeon without God's Grace long ago. But how they came to be the organization they were now… that was another story altogether.
Their primary goal is to manage the monster threat created in the Dungeon, usually infringing on whatever issue associated with it for the well-being of all.
Aside from this, the Guild buys magic stones, dropped loot, adventurer-created maps of the dungeon, and some other things like providing equipment and training to new adventurers who are just starting out… all for the sake of maintaining the Dungeon business and economy.
… which was easy to do when you had the de facto authority to monopolize the trade of magic stones… which was a fact accepted and even enforced by other Familias.
The elven lady stopped beside him, adjusting her glasses as she exhaled loudly, "Excuse-me. Are you a merchant, a new citizen, a registered adventurer, or none of the above? Please make it quick, no backstories, punctual and clear so we can avoid work…"
Silver felt pity for the girl, "I should be classified as a new citizen, I imagine."
She pointed to his left, "Then please go towards that line over there."
"Thank you, miss." Silver said with a small bow before he left
"Next… Are you a merchant, a new citizen…"
She didn't even look at him before moving on to the next in line…
"At least this line looks more manageable..."
Silver arrived on his now much smaller line and waited with his arms crossed. It didn't take long for another girl to approach him. This time it was a very short girl with brown hair. By the looks of it, she was a Pallum.
Pallums were humans of small height… that was it.
Different from those with physical disorders, or other species which had slight physical characteristics, Pallums had all their physical proportions in line with those of an ordinary human but were about 15 to 30 centimeters smaller than the human average… at least that was what his grandparent's told him about.
Silver had never seen a Pallum… in fact, he had never seen 95% of all species before him. Most of the time, the travelers passing by his village were all humans, rarely would there be someone with unique features.
Even if they did pass by, with the fact he spent 80% of the time between sleeps training and studying, it was hard for him to ever stop by to say hi…
Silver was a tall man for his age, well over 1.75 meters tall. This height alone made him taller than 60% of the surrounding people. And those who were taller than him weren't even human.
If he didn't pay close attention, he would've assumed this lady was a kid, but upon a closer look, it was all too obvious that this was a woman… just a short woman for his size.
'Pallums do look exactly like humans…' He thought as he looked at her, 'Although they do have a difference from us.' he added as his thoughts strayed…
Pallums were weaker than Humans… so much so that an adult pallum might lose in a context of strength against a human teenager. And given humans were one of the weakest races around, this made Pallums the official weakest race of them all… which led to no small amount of suffering throughout their existence.
In any case, the lady wore the same guild clothing as the Elven lady, showing she was a member of the Guild.
"Hello miss." He said with a smile as he greeted her
She smiled as she raised an eyebrow, "Oh? That's quite rare. Normally, someone would comment on my height first before anything else."
"Miss, you are pretty tall for a Pallum..."
(Image)
"And who told you I was a Pallum!" She said with frustration in her eyes as she crossed her arms
Silver was… momentarily stunned. She was right, he had been defeated… "You aren't? Then accept my apologies." He replied apologetically as he bowed to her… although he could still see her even if he bent down that much…
"Ahh…"
She opened her mouth to say something, but seeing his sincere face, she stopped.
In an awkward tone, she tried to brush things off with an awkward smile, "HA!... most get embarrassed when I do this little show… just look at me, there's no girl this cute in the city!"
"…"
Silver had the urge to joke around, but he kept quiet…
"AHEM!… Let's not make this complicated. Identity and name."
"Of course… give me a moment."
Silver complied and gave her some papers from his backpack, which he had taken out of the storage space prior to reaching the gates.
He couldn't just cast 'magic' in the middle of everyone, right?
She read his documents and frowned, "You are from… Jium Village? In the north?"
"No, I am from Guyrt Village, slightly northeast, close to Seolo forest at the foot of the Beol Mountains."
He wanted to roll his eyes, 'Pretty terrible way to test me, lady... it's almost as if you aren't even trying.'
"Alright, alright… Everything seems fine, the bulb didn't light up anyway." She said as she looked at a small lamp hanging on her chest
Silver narrowed at that. He had completely overlooked the fact that she might be carrying such a magic item. It seemed her poor attempt at testing him hadn't been that bad after all.
"Just some questions before I can let you go." She said as she took out a wooden clipboard from a small bag on her waist
"Sure."
"Your age?"
"Seventeen, turning eighteen at the new year. First of January."
She looked at him up and down as she raised an eyebrow, "You look older than I expected. And here I thought about inviting you for a drink at the bar… bah!"
/Scribble…/
"…"
'Is that a good or bad sign?'
He was indeed very handsome, with his dark hair and silver eyes.
(Image??)
Silver gave her his best smile, "I am just a little mature."
She was momentarily stunned, "C-Cough!… Ahem… Parents' names?"
"Marcus Esca and Rubia Esca."
/Scribble…/
"Are you from a Familia?"
"No."
She wrote his response on the clipboard as she continued, "Then please go to the closest Guild branch if you are considering becoming an adventurer."
"Do you have combat experience?"
"Yes, I do."
"What kind?"
This seemed to be a rather important question for her eyes narrowed… he could imagine why that was the case.
"Well… I used to hunt monsters near my village with my family. Mostly Goblins, but oftentimes other monsters made their way down, so we had to take them down as well."
Silver smiled, thinking about the past, "My grandparents were adventurers, so they taught me everything I know. We hunted all kinds of things that stepped out of the core of the mountains."
"Kobolds… giant bats… those red ants… Orcs…"
As Silver listed a series of monsters, she nodded each time as she checked the truth device. But against her expectations, it didn't react at all.
"… and, uh… hum… there were other cases, but those monsters were too strong for me. My grandparents took care of most of them, but I guess it would count that I saw them in combat?" He asked with a shrug as he pondered deeply
"I-I suppose…"
'This guy… does he hail from a family of knights or something?…'
Silver was very proud of his efforts as he kept talking. Wanting to share with others the fruits of his suffering, "Well… my greatest achievement was that I once hunted a Silverback near my village."
/Silence…/
The guild lady looked at the truth device, but it did not trigger… not even a slight flash of light.
"That's all... quite interesting… for the next question…"
/GRAB!/
"Hm?"
All of a sudden, someone held onto his shoulder. Silver turned around to see a burly man with wide shoulders. He was even taller than Silver.
"Hey there! You kid? Hunted a Silverback? A monster rivaling a decent level two adventurer? HA!! Don't make me laugh!"
"What's the problem? It's not a particularly difficult creature to hunt when isolated…" He replied as he looked at the hand on his shoulder
"HAHAHA! Look at him trying to impress the girl!" The man said as his grip over Silver's shoulder tightened
The Guild lady tapped his waist, "Hey… there is no need for this, you know…"
"Hm?"
'Why doesn't she just speak up then?… Ah, right… the Guild has no armed forces. This lady is probably just a normal person. If she steps now and ends up struck, it could be devastating.'
'People might say she's overlooking her duties, but if she gets hurt from this, few people will actually bother to help her… Let's just be the bigger man and not let this affect her.'
Silver rolled his eyes, "Whatever you feel is right, man… Can we move on?"
/Grab!/
His hold on his arm grew even heavier… it was beginning to bother him.
"HAHAHA! He doesn't even have the balls to admit it! Look, everyone!"
"..."
'This guy is getting on my nerves… grandfather said adventurers had quite the strong pride and many were often mentally sensitive or worse because of the constant life and death struggles at the Dungeon… those that lost their friends and family were often even worse. I should avoid getting involved with such people.'
'But really… doesn't he have anything better to do? Even if I were lying, why would you get in the way of a teenager trying to act cool in front of a girl?… She doesn't look like his girlfriend, and he's too big for her…'
Silver was getting tired of this situation.
/Laughther…/
Just when he thought things were going to end, his friends joined in to laugh at him… but he ignored them by turning back to the lady.
"What was your next question…"
/PULL!!/
But the man pulled him back, forcing him to face them again as he said:
"Go home! You damned country bumpkin! You still smell your mother's tits!"
""HAHAHA!""
"#!!"
'You did it now. Strike one, two, and three. No more chances for you.'
He turned to the girl again, "What happens when a fight breaks out around here?"
She looked around as she looked for the city guards, but when she found none she sighed, "... Depending on the scale and reason, you will pay a fine… but I don't recommend it…"
"It'll be over quickly." Silver said as he pushed the man's back off his shoulder
"Ohhhh… Look at him, guys! At least you have the balls, brat! But piss off! I am a certified Level 1 adventurer. Just step aside and get out!"
But when he noticed that Silver had no intention of moving, he spat in front of him unceremoniously, "Pfft!"
The burly man shrugged with mockery on his lips before cracking his knuckles, "Let's keep this short, brat. Consider it a welcome to Orario!"
"Yeah… Thank you for welcoming me. Can we get this done with?"
"Hooo… I was planning to leave you with only minor bruises, but I think a broken nose will fit perfectly in that delicate face of yours!"
/FWOOSH!/
He raised his hands and punched forward with incredible speed! Silver, however, easily evaded and ducked the speedy punch while delivering a straight jab… straight to his balls!
/Crunch!/
""Uhhh…""
All of the men observing the fight flinched as they witnessed that… because they knew Silver did not hold back.
"Ah… ahh… AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
/SMACK!/
As he bent his back from the back, tears flowing from his eyes as he gasped for air, Silver held his hair pulled!
/Crunch!/
"Say hi to my knee." Silver muttered as he slammed his knee against the man's face
/THUD!/
The man fell on the floor, unconscious, bleeding considerably.
Silver proceeded to spit in his face, "Pfft!" before turning around and returning to the line.
"Next question?" He asked as he reached for his ears to clean them
"W-Well..."
'The guards… where are the guards…?'
She could tell things were far from over. The burly man's friends, seeing him on the ground, were quick to step forward, "YOU BASTARD! YOU THINK YOU CAN…"
"WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?!"
Finally, the guards arrived. One of them looked at the Guild worker and at the people on the ground, then finally at Silver standing in line with a carefree expression.
She was quick to clarify the situation, "Those guys are causing trouble, please take them away… and that one on the ground as well."
"Understood. Clear away! Do not resist!" He exclaimed as he stepped forward
As the other guards circled the tense adventurers, the first guard said, "I will now take them to detention, excuse me."
He and some other guards picked the adventurers up and dragged them against their will to a small entrance to the side of the wall.
"Efficient… So, are there any more questions? Can we add this to my portfolio? This is my first time facing an adventurer."
"Huh… Y-Yes? YES! Let's uh… continue!"
She returned to her clipboard, "You said you once hunted a silverback. It's not that I doubt you, but… if you can provide proof…"
"If you say so... here. I hope this is enough." He said as he took off his cloak
He showed her the white vest he was wearing under his cloak. To make one of these, you need at least two Silverback pelt drops. For even one to drop was rare, so to get enough, one had to either be very lucky… or to hunt several.
"I also have the magic stones if that isn't enough for you."
"Th-Thank you… They're real."
"Of course they're real. I'm no liar… Can I ask why this is important?"
"We… we use this information when an adventurer asks for a Familia. We crosscheck his achievements with the requirements and focus of multiple Familias until we find one that fits them… then we schedule a meetup so both can get to know each other."
"I see. It's a little more complicated than I thought."
/Scribble…/
"Alright… are your parents adventurers?"
"Yes… Level 1 farmers, from the Boreas Familia… they're quite new in my area. They provide protection for several villages and towns at the foot of the mountains where I lived."
"Pfft! S-Say that from the beginning!" She exclaimed as her delusions of his past were shattered…
/Scribble…/
Her angry face as she wrote down on the clipboard was quite cute…
"… Are there any more questions?"
/Scribble…/
/Scribble…/
She wrote a few more things on the clipboard before pulling a golden stamp and pressing it against the paper, "No… You are free to go." She said as she gave Silver a certificate
"Thank you, and sorry for the trouble earlier." Silver replied as he gave her a nod, turning around as he made way to the gates
"Make sure to pass by the Guild to have your papers updated and to confirm your identity!" She exclaimed as she waved at him from afar
"I will."
She smile for a moment, turning around as she put another paper on her clipboard… before she stopped, stunned.
"... W-Wait!"
But Silver was already gone.
'D-Dammit! I should've… shit! If I could become his advisor…'
An advisor is exactly that — someone trained to give guidance to an adventurer so they don't die too early due to lacking tutoring. Guild staff usually seek training from a famous adventurer since doing so could significantly boost their salary and position.
Such a shame thought… she was a bit too slow to make a proposition.
…
Silver approached the gates. He could now see the city beyond…
The guards stopped him in place, "Papers, please."
"Here it is."
The guard barely even looked at the paper. He probably saw the commotion in the distance… "Remember to go to the Guild if you are planning to become an adventurer. You can also buy maps and information there."
"You can ask for directions once you're inside, but be careful not to wander too far from the major streets. Many streets and areas are private land."
"Thanks!"
With a small smile, Silver stepped foot inside the city of legend!
...
"This is it."
'According to the signs… this must be the Nother entrance. From what I know, one of the strongest Familias of Orario resides somewhere around here… the Demeter Familia as well…'
"The Loki Familia…"
The northern entrance was bustling with activity; dozens of stores selling all kinds of items, from food to more sophisticated traveling supplies.
Everywhere he looked, Silver could see the emblems of dozens of Familias hung on each stall and shop's entrance. But the ones he saw the most were those of the Loki Familia.
'Orario has four major entrances in the four cardinal directions, and four minor entrances in between. Each of those entrances has a road connecting it to the other side of the city, passing through the center where Babel stands, dividing the city into eight district sections like a pizza.'
The major roads were usually filled with stores and inns for the travelers coming into the city, but the start of the northern road wasn't entirely like that.
Very close to the northern gates was the Loki Familia's headquarters. So many of the surrounding establishments were made to support it. Potion shops, herb shops, warehouses, training areas, etc.
"I can't quite see the tower's base from here… too many people and commotion on the road." He said as he squinted his eyes
'Loki Familia huh… since I'm here, I could pass by and see if they're recruiting.' He thought as he went down the road
His destination was obviously the Guild. He needed a map and a recommendation of an inn since he didn't know the layout of the area. His grandparents shared some things with him, but after so many decades, the city was utterly unrecognizable.
He needed some directions so he could settle down and start learning the ropes… If possible, he would even buy a house… he had the money, it was only a matter of being given the chance.
"Speaking of that... I should go exchange my stuff for currency…"
'My grandparents gave me quite a lot of funds, including many of the magic stones and even some drop items they acquired over the decades of hunting.'
'While many of those materials were just turned into items and sold, I still have many left to be processed… I could also sell those items since I have some of the ones they didn't sell with me.'
'I also have extra currency, but not from this city. Traveling merchants wouldn't have Valis after all…'
"If I sell my magic stones… they should net a few million, no?"
'It's technically a lifetime of accumulation, so it's understandable.'
Silver went down the path with a faint smile on his face. During his walk, he saw many unique individuals. Be them Elves, Humans, or even Dwarves… he even saw multiple types of demi-humans like Cow and Cat people...
Perhaps he even saw some gods ... but his grandpa said some gods could hide their divine presence, allowing them to mingle with the population.
Orario had hundreds of gods within its walls, but in a city with more than a million citizens, keeping track of a few notable individuals was borderline impossible.
Silver wasn't in a hurry though; he walked around with interest, stopping by and enjoying the scenery like a country-bumpkin… he cared not for what others thought of him.
Right now, he was enjoying this cultural masterpiece.
...
He went down the road, inspecting status, stalls, checking prices, and getting to understand the overall culture and atmosphere of the city.
"Expensive… this single dagger costs three million Valis? Man… smiths sure are living the good life around here." Silver muttered as he looked at a shop's glass panel
'Not to say the quality, shape, and size of this glass… I heard from gramps that the Gods brought with them a technological revolution in the world, and that was a thousand years ago… even if the gods related to technology or specific crafts took longer to descend, it makes me wonder why everything still looks so… archaic.'
'Maybe I should visit the industrial sector of the city when I have the time. Maybe I could order some machines for experiment… it would be nice to know just how advanced their technology is.'
"In the first place, just how capable would a God related to technology even be? Do they control the flow of advancement of humankind, or are they learning and developing new things as time passes?" He wondered as he looked at his reflection in the clear glass
'I was under the impression they already knew it all, but if that's the case some things wouldn't make sense… maybe the gods like the current aesthetic and wish to maintain it? But I wonder how they can make something like this yet can't figure out basic electricity…'
Most things one might associate with that were instead powered by the energy within magic stones. That's why the Guild held a monopoly over them, for they held the monopoly over the production of items reliant on magic stones.
He stepped back and looked at the distance he had traveled in the last two hours or so… "Man… it must be a pain to be a member of the Loki Familia, having to walk from here to Babel every time they want to raid the Dungeon."
'It's one to two hours of walking while carrying armor and supplies… maybe they have their own transport wagons, but that wouldn't make things that much faster... not in this crowd.'
'Then again, maybe they can rent houses near the tower? But then why have their main castle this far down the road… ahh, whatever.'
He looked over the line of buildings, spotting a tall castle poking out between the houses, "Should I pass by the castle since I'm nearby? Maybe they…"
(Image)
"YOU FUCKER!" Someone screamed on the other side of the road
"Oh, shit…"
Silver turned around and gathered around the small crowd. He soon found the source of the commotion.
A human man, his expression buried in his immense fury, could be seen pointing at a handsome elf in undergarments. On his side was a beautiful cat girl, also in undergarments as she hid her body in a blanket behind the door leading to their home…
Silver flinched when he saw the situation, "I don't like where this is going... that guy looks about he's…"
And as he feared, the man exploded! "IS THIS HOW YOU REPAY ME FIYIN?!"
"After I save your FUCKING life in the Dungeon three times! When I bring you home to treat YOUR wounds… and risk MY LIFE in the Dungeon to pay for YOUR treatment…"
"YOU REPAY ME BY SLEEPING WITH MY WIFE?!"
"…"
The Elf didnt look that perturbed in the least as he looked at the man, "It's not our fault Frederic, it was just the moment and some alcohol…"
This only seemed to make the man angrier, "THE MOMENT?! THE ALCOHOL?! Look at yourself! What are you even doing here then?!"
He turned to the catgirl, "AND YOU! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?!"
"Damn…" Silver muttered out loud as he crossed his arms
'That woman… she doesn't look bothered at all…'
"This is... Frederic…" She said as she hid behind the door
This, however, was the tilting point for the Elf who also raised his voice, "I will say it then! Frederic! Me and Li have been in a relationship for the past year! It's all because you are a useless piece of shit that can not level up!"
"You've stayed at Level 1 for almost five years now! I am already Level 3 on my way to Level 4 Loire is Level 2 almost Level 3 herself!"
"You can not do anything in the dungeons anymore, much less give what she deserves with that meager pay. You are holding her back with your meager talent."
"You didn't even hold a proper marriage because you didn't have the money. Now… GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!"
"You… You…"
He seemed to be about to burst!
But instead of attacking, he just passed out on the floor from anger.
"Heh. Truly trash." The elf said as he turned around and entered the house
The Catwoman showed a look of disgust to the man before closing the door violently.
"H-Holy shit… I mean… Goddamn… shit, I shouldn't say that… such a slut…" The man next to Silver said as he put his hand over his mouth, absolutely shocked
Silver was surprised as well, not even saying a word; this would be a top-tier drama back in Rapture… he could almost envision the plot for one of his novels already…
The man couldn't keep himself quiet though, "... Damn. Poor guy, to think all of this happened because he saved that guy… He should've just left him behind."
"Then again, if she acted like this now… she would've done the same later with another guy. It was only a matter of time. At least now he can put it all behind him and start again." He added as he shook his head in pity
Silver turned to him, "Is this common around here?"
The man had golden eyes and shoulder-length light brown hair. He was wearing a piece of medium armor covering the chest, shoulder, and some parts of his legs and arms as he carried a spear on his back.
He also had furry ears, a beastman, although of what kind…
"Common?… On this scale? No… but this reason? Quite common… this is the fifth time this year alone I'm hearing about a couple breaking up due to such reasons… though it's hard to say if that is better than hearing about couples being broken apart because of a death in the Dungeon."
"I don't particularly listen to such depressing stories though… Haaa… What a bad way to start the day." He spat out as he brushed his hair
Silver crossed his arms, "It's technically his fault for choosing such a terrible woman to be his wife and man to be his friend."
"You're absolutely right, but that isn't something we can control sometimes… People change over time, be it for the better or for the worse."
Silver smirked, "So the safe option is to just not have a girlfriend?"
He laughed, "If only I could say yes. Unfortunately, I already have someone I love, and I damn fucking pray that a situation like this never happens to me… I'm not quite ready to give up on it all. I hope you're not quite like that either."
"Not yet, I have many years ahead of me… Amen, brother."
"What is Amen?"
Silver frowned… "It's uh… a word from my homeland for… agreement..."
"Oh! Then amen it is!... Say… From your clothes and questions I take you're a new adventurer, right?"
"Adventurer to be… I was just going to the Guild when this unfortunate occurrence came to my attention."
The boy looked at Silver before giving him some advice, "I can tell you're trained. Some details are hard to hide… If you have the money, you should get a high-quality piece of chest armor. That alone saved the lives of many newbies in the past."
He looked at his sword, "A spear is also good at the start, and I don't say that because I use one… The Upper Floors can be quite narrow, so a longsword like yours can get in the way… nothing you can't overcome though."
He raised his finger, "But the most important thing is to try to build a party."
"Let's see… if you have some funds left, you should get a potion. They can be quite pricey to newcomers, but they can and most likely will save your life one day… maybe even a limb."
"You can also join a Familia and train for a while before going down there… I don't think you need it, but getting used to the blessing takes a while… and trust me, that makes quite the difference." He said honestly as he gave him a nod
"Thank you for the tip. I appreciate the gesture, really." Said Silver as he extended his hand to him
"Its nothing! Name's Cruz Bussel. Hope I see you around often…"
(Image)
"Same, name's Silver, Mellios Silver."
He smiled, "Is that because of your eyes? Well, silver is indeed a rare eye color for humans to have..."
"What about you? You seem like an adventurer yourself."
"Oh, me?… It's nothing impressive… just your ordinary Level 4 adventurer of the Loki Familia." He said with some pride as he scratched his nose
Silver raised his arms, surrendering, "Alright, man… no need to flaunt it like that. I admit defeat." as he laughed.
"But you said Loki Familia?"
"Yeah, what?… Interested in joining?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow, "Well… I certainly wouldn't mind another guy joining our ranks… things are already difficult for us as it is."
"Pardon?"
"N-Nothing… well… if you're interested, just pass by the castle and ask the guards for me. We usually don't take direct introductions, but it's all relative, I guess."
"Relative?"
"Our Goddess man… she…"
He looked left and right before whispering, "She's very picky when it comes to men…"
"…"
He then laughed awkwardly and helplessly, "But when it comes to women… if they're pretty, she won't even test them… if they're pretty and capable then she'll parade them around all the time. Whenever one like that joins, she won't shut up for a whole month, and it's honestly exhausting."
"If you think you can handle a goddess that just won't stop poking you around… then feel free to join us I guess… warm meals, nice rooms, good people… honestly there's nothing we can't offer that another Familia can't already." He said with a shrug after he thought about it for a while
"But she will work you out alright… but I guess that's her charm. We're a Familia, a proper one… if you're interested, you know where to find us… that big ol' castle over there."
"Yeah… I'll be on my way now. Check the city out for a while longer… thanks for the advice, Bussel."
"Man! Drop that formality… no one calls me damn Bussel anymore…"
"Fine, Cruz." He replied as he held his hand
"Well then… see you around. Until next time, Silver."
Silver gave him a nod, and they parted ways. Meanwhile, Frederic had just recovered on the ground… with a resolute gaze, he left the plaza towards the alleys, never to be seen again…
As for Silver, he continued on his way to the Guild, there was still a lot of ground to cover.
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Notes
Thanks for reading!
Peace.