"Monster smuggling."
While eating the midnight snack, Isagi informed the elf girl beside him of the results from his investigations over the past few days.
Ryuu was slurping her noodles when she suddenly heard the boy say that, causing her to freeze.
Smuggling... monsters?
"Yeah."
This was what Soma Familia's captain, Zanis Lustra, had said, so it had to be true.
Speaking of which, these thugs were truly capable of every evil under the sun.
From petty theft, robbery, and extortion in the city, to organized [Monster Offerings] in the Dungeon—using specific items to attract large numbers of monsters, bringing them near other adventurer parties fighting monsters, then using items to redirect the monsters' attention to them.
Afterward.
The monsters would devour the adventurers' corpses, but their equipment and accompanying items would be left behind, allowing them to return and loot the bags—a truly despicable act.
However, due to their limited strength, Soma Familia's cooperation with the Dark Familias was quite restricted. They only knew they were conducting [Monster Smuggling] and wanted to collaborate to get a piece of the action.
This was a considerable gain and confirmed Isagi's previous suspicions.
"Let's change our line of thinking, senpai."
"What?"
"The previous Magatsuhi Familia was helping the Dark Familias smuggle, right?"
"That's right!"
"So, no matter what, since they were helping with smuggling, they had to get paid by the Dark Familias."
The cooperation between these Dark Gods wasn't particularly tight-knit; their goals varied, and it was mostly just transactional interests.
"So where does the Dark Familias' money come from? Maybe some merchant guilds are funding them, but in the current situation, that funding is probably quite limited."
"Merchants aren't fools. With the Dark Familias fallen from power, they won't invest large sums anymore."
"So these Dark Familias must have their own money-making business."
"Namely, [Monster Smuggling]."
"But how do they smuggle monsters out of the Dungeon?"
Ryuu was puzzled.
Monsters from the Dungeon could indeed fetch high prices outside the city—especially higher-level, rare monsters, even enhanced species.
Because nations outside the city lacked [Excelia] for training adventurers, purchasing higher-level, rare monsters from the Dungeon was one way to obtain it.
Additionally, places like magic powerhouses apparently needed monsters for various experiments and research.
Some nobles even sought tamers to domesticate them as "pets."
And.
Some monsters had human-like appearances, both male and female, so wealthy merchants and nobles developed interests in that regard...
These were things her former friend Alise had told her.
She and Goddess Astrea had traveled the world before arriving in the city, witnessing all sorts of local customs.
"The Dungeon entrances are guarded by Ganesha Familia soldiers. No matter what, large-bodied monsters couldn't be transported out, right?"
"Yeah..."
Though Ganesha Familia's guards weren't particularly vigilant, they weren't blind. Transporting monsters out of the Dungeon would be too conspicuous!
Could there be Dark Familia moles among them?
Impossible!
From Ryuu's own investigations, none of the members of Orario's strongest Familias—Ganesha, Loki, Freya—had ties to the Dark Familias.
So...
"The Dungeon has other exits."
At this point, even Ryuu felt like she and the boy were daydreaming.
But there were no other possibilities.
"I'll go investigate!"
With a direction now set, the elf girl immediately wanted to act, but Isagi quickly grabbed his fidgety senpai.
"The city is so big. Where do you even start investigating?"
"Uh..."
Right.
Orario wasn't some small place. How was she supposed to investigate secret, undiscovered "Dungeon hidden exits" alone?
"I do have an idea."
"What?!"
"Melen, the port city."
Eh?
She had no idea what the boy meant, but Ryuu obediently pulled up a small stool and sat down, waiting for him to continue.
Clearly.
A certain dwarf senpai had self-awareness; in terms of "wisdom," she was far inferior to her junior. Wuu... though embarrassing, there was no helping it!
But Isagi suddenly stood up.
What a dummy senpai. Sitting at a time like this? Of course it was time to act!
"Let's go! We'll head to the port right now!!!"
"???"
...
Late at night.
The boy and elf girl arrived together for the second time at the seaside town not far outside Orario.
"For monster smuggling, no matter how the Dark Familias get the monsters out of the Dungeon or out of the city, they ultimately have to ship them to countries around the world."
So, either by "land route" or "sea route."
Undoubtedly, the latter was more convenient and faster than the former. Once loaded onto a ship and sailed, no more worries.
More importantly.
The Guild had no jurisdiction in the port.
Isagi had heard this from Goddess Demeter. Melen had a Guild branch, but it was basically managed by the town mayor elected by residents and the sea god Njord, who remained after Poseidon God and his Familia left.
"You suspect Njord God is also involved with the Dark Familias..."
"Just a guess."
Isagi shook his head. Nearby, the town formed around the great lake resembled a curved crescent moon—half bright and bustling, half dim and lifeless.
The dark area was Melen's abandoned shipyard.
Super suspicious at first glance!
Wasn't such a place perfect for hiding smuggled goods?!
Time to move.
Under the night, the boy in a pitch-black cloak and the elf girl in black night clothes silently advanced along the lake edge toward the distant abandoned shipyard.
The continuous rain of recent days had stopped.
The lakeside paths were filled with the damp scent of soil and grass.
Clouds parted, stars and moon peeking through, reflecting on the vast, calm lake surface—a beautiful scene.
Lake Rogna was also a famous scenic spot in the port. Far away, lively figures and street vendors lined the opposite shore.
Unlike this side, which was deathly quiet.
But—
"Isagi, did you hear something?"
"Yeah... seems like..."
The boy and elf girl walking side by side suddenly looked toward the great lake. Sure enough, ripples spread across the previously calm surface.
Something underwater?
Just as they thought that, suddenly, a massive monster burst through the surface. Accompanied by a sickly sweet, unpleasant aura and strange hisses, it lunged—not at them, but straight at Isagi.
"?"
What the heck?
Weren't his skills only effective in the Dungeon? Why were outside monsters hating him too?!
And what even was this thing? Way too ugly!
Neither Isagi nor Ryuu had seen or heard of the monster before them.
It resembled a giant sea serpent or vines, covered in sticky deep green hues. At its head was a blooming flower and a spiked, opening-and-closing maw.
Man-eating flower?
"—One two three four five six..."
One after another, bizarre monsters emerged from the water, all targeting Isagi clearly as they swarmed.
To this.
While swiftly dodging attacks, Isagi leaped up, drew the Glimmer Greatsword from his cloak, swung it, and lightning flashed instantly.
[Ba's Thunder]!
At the same time, on the other side, Ryuu began chanting her magic.
"—The distant forest canopy, infinite stars embedded in the endless night sky..."
Chanting while fighting the monsters with her wooden sword.
[Concurrent Chanting] was child's play for the elf girl magic swordsman.
Thus, amid thunderous roars.
Green orbs of varying sizes gradually orbited her body.
"Come, wandering wind, traveling wanderer. Soar the skies, race the wilds, faster than all things. Shine with stellar glory to smite foes!"
"[Arcs Ray]!"
The orbs sought their targets, exploding in the man-eating flowers' obvious weak point maws.
Meanwhile, Isagi, who had controlled the field with lightning.
Landed, swiftly stowed his weapon, drew the greatbow "Machine Gun No. 1" and repeater staff, then unleashed a technique that could be called "forbidden."
This was [Hundred Arms · Bow of Continuous Fire]!
The barrage of light rays instantly engulfed all monsters before them. These massive targets were perfect.
Piercing, scorching, tearing!
Monster flesh rained down. Among it, Ryuu keenly spotted something, leaped up, and extracted massive Magic Stones from several mangled bodies.
Thus.
Everything turned to ash and dispersed.
"How could such monsters be in the port..."
At the same time.
Isagi saw the approaching elf girl holding a strange Magic Stone.
"?"
Under the night.
The brilliant blue-purple Magic Stone sparkled with an eerie hue, completely unlike any he'd seen before...
"Magic Stones are an energy source."
In the vast workshop filled with bottles, jars, and oddities everywhere.
Cecil stood before the furnace, where inside the blazing flames, pink flesh gradually writhed into form.
This was forged with the "Meat Cup Princess's heart" Isagi brought back earlier as core, with the girl and Fels investing many materials—including the subsequent Primordial Residues the boy brought—to create an impending "weapon."
Or rather, [Mystery Item].
Cecil hadn't expected the black-robed figure, always concealing their face, to be the legendary Sage who mastered [Mystery] to its pinnacle.
The great mage who once created the "Philosopher's Stone" granting eternal life—an ancient being over eight hundred years old!
Thus, the body under the robe was now a skeleton.
"Everything about monsters revolves around the Magic Stone, so once it leaves the body or shatters, their existence turns to ash."
"The city, through Magic Stone research, has derived some ways to harness this energy."
This was one of Orario's greatest inventions—
[Magic Stone Technology].
"But Magic Stones can't be used to craft adventurer equipment."
Cecil, as a smith, explained.
"Indeed, because we haven't mastered converting Magic Stone energy into forms for attack or defense, like [Magic]."
"[Magic] is formless; it must be shaped into various attributes to gain offensive or defensive effects."
Magic Stones undoubtedly held some power.
Monsters growing stronger by devouring them proved it, but humans, unlike monsters, couldn't wield it.
"But the things Isagi brought can."
This was the key point of the boy's special materials and Primordial Residues from the Dungeon.
They were essentially special "Magic Stones" already imbued with traits and power, like "fire-attribute" magic that could scorch foes with heat or explode...
Cecil understood; for example, the [Pandora's Shadow] cloak Isagi now wore was essentially a massive Magic Stone with the power called [No Light].
And what she and Fels were forging now, the mystery creation with [Flesh and Blood] power, was the same.
This was a brand-new, great discovery!
"Alright, that's enough for today."
Fels said, so Cecil bid farewell to the "long-lived" elder and left the workshop, walking the long street under the night toward home.
The late night was very quiet.
The girl was still thinking that Isagi would soon head back to the Dungeon, so she needed to hurry and inspect all his equipment.
Maybe start tonight; nothing else pressing anyway.
In her thoughts.
As she was about to cross Central Park to the other main street, the girl saw people emerging one after another from the Dungeon.
That was...
Loki Familia had returned from expedition, and not only that—several executives from Freya Familia too.
Captain Ottar, vice-captain Allen Fromel, and two other Lv. 6 adventurers: [Black Spirit Magic Swordsman] Hogni Ragnar and [White Spirit Magic Staff] Hedin Selland.
Orario's strongest adventurers inexplicably gathered here.
But incredibly, many were injured. Loki Familia's expedition party even had several members carried on stretchers, bodies blackened and bruised, as if afflicted by severe poison...
Did something happen on the expedition?
Cecil wondered, then spotted Goddess Freya descending from Babel via elevator, along with her other adventurers.
And as captain [Champion] Ottar knelt in salute to the goddess, he took from his waist pouch a massive, brilliantly colored blue-purple Magic Stone radiating eerie light...
…
___
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