And so, the Plot Moves Forward. (10.1)

...

The fight against the Goliath went smoothly, as expected. Between Cranel's Argonaut, Challia's own magic, and my own spells, the Goliath went down after about an hour of sustained fighting. Given the fact all the fighters involved, save for Mikoto and Crozzo, were experienced in prolonged combat, it wasn't as terrible as it sounded. The fighters shifted the attention of the Goliath individually while the three of us bombarded it with spells. Once it was crippled enough, Cranel simply dispatched it with a Magic Sword enhanced by his Argonaut Skill.

I didn't have to waste my time using Mend or Nourish after the fight. The fact that we didn't have to use a single Health Potion after the fight was an added bonus as well. Better for our bottom line, especially since the Goliath's Monster Crystal wasn't worth very much, even if we decided to cart it all the way up to the surface instead of just selling it at our destination. I supposed that we just had to do some serious farming in the Dungeon before exiting it.

Still, despite all of our success, I didn't feel well about our unscathed victory against the Colossal Titan's full-skinned cousin. Pay-to-win items and absurd skills aside, it wasn't the dangerous affair that I expected Cranel to Level Up from doing. Hell, I'm sure that Nelly, Laulos, and Erisuis weren't levelling up from that fight. Fat chance of it happening to me. Crozzo was most assuredly worried that he wouldn't be getting his third Level either, given how easy the fight was.

If that wasn't a climactic boss fight that I expected Cranel to become more powerful from… then what was? Needless to say, it was quite an accomplishment for a Level 2 of just a few weeks to kill a Goliath, but given the mechanical, formulaic nature of our fight… well, it wouldn't have been fun to watch or read about. There was no danger, especially given the fact that Viridis and Hiryute were at our backs, acting as a Level 4 and Level 5 safety net, respectively.

Also, since I didn't end up using my newest weapon, it was obvious that something terrible was going to happen. No way in hell something like what I was carrying on my back, a massive object wrapped in white cloth, wouldn't get dramatically unwrapped in the middle of a pitched battle. Zaimokuza absolutely loved unveiling shitty, overpowered weapons in the middle of combat to show that a character is 'cunning' for 'thinking ahead.' It really just wasn't Zaimokuza's style to not gratify himself with completely overblown, inexplicable fight scenes that the hero or his party were somehow prepared for.

So, even as we entered Under Resort and my student's basked in its safety and beauty, I couldn't help but keep my guard up.

...

"Congratulations on your first boss kill, everyone!" Hiryute, as expected of her tomboy warrior archetype, was very pleased by the destruction of the Goliath. As we were all gathered around a table in the singular inn of Under Resort's Adventurer Town, the Amazon had already bought three rounds of drinks for the entire bar and raised several toasts. Though how the short-haired amazon chose to lean against me was somewhat odd, it was clear that given the flush on her face she was slightly inebriated. "Great work, everybody! It was an amazing fight!"

"I-indeed, it was an exceptional method of taking care of the G-goliath." Despite the fact Viridis was stumbling on her words, she was not drunk at all. It seems that becoming higher in level didn't somehow raise someone's confidence. Though, I had to admit that the long-haired, blonde elf was probably much, much stronger now. She was being more careful in her actions, acting as though the world was made of glass. "Y-you all destroyed it nearly as quickly as we usually do!"

"To be compared to the Loki Familia in terms of proficiency is an immense amount of praise." Challia mused thoughtfully over her cup of tea. Of all of us, even Viridis, she was the most prim and properly dressed. Given the rough nature of the town, the black-haired elf was ignoring more than a few stares… or returning them with glares and a pointed comment that could pierce a man's heart. I supposed that, despite her casual air, the elf of Dionysus was pleased with her part in the fight and didn't want her good mood sullied by cat calls. "Thank you very much, Viridis-sama."

"Uwa… there's no need to speak to me so formally…" Viridis protested weakly, flushing lightly as she offered a smile. The blonde elf played with a lock of her hair, probably trying to hide the red on her cheeks. Oh, I already know how this little routine was going to go. Star-struck rookie meets the shy prodigy. Standard anime skit. "We're the same age, after all."

"I cannot possibly do so." As expected, Challia rejected the offering without an ounce of hesitation. The ebon-haired elf seemed to be brimming with the resolve to crush Viridis's hopes of having a friendship! What can the recent Level 4 do in order to make herself seem less untouchable and more open!? Find out next time! "I respect you too much to refer to you as such, Viridis-sama."

"Uwaa…" Viridis pulled off the 'depressed and despondent' look very easily. Downcast features, sagging shoulders, and her small cry of concentrated cuteness painted the very picture of a depressed elf. I knew that I'd trip a flag by helping her out or referring to her with her first name, but I knew better than to do so. My apologies Viridis, despite the fact you're the nicest elf I've ever met, I must allow you to suffer being the comedic relief for the time being. "…You really don't need to at all…"

Arde was speaking with Cranel, Mikoto, and Erisuis. The three of them were probably discussing something along the lines of setting up a celebration party at the Abandoned Church. Something that I looked forward to going to, of course. No reason for me to be missing from that place at all. Definitely going to be the life of that party. Challia, having finished Viridis off, was speaking with Crozzo regarding getting an outfit like her own but reinforced like ours. The red-haired blacksmith seemed to be looking forward to the challenge of making a dress that could turn aside knives and swords with ease. At this point, I'm sure that Crozzo's going to be known as a tailor rather than a Blacksmith. Nelly and Laulos were debating in regards to weaponry rather loudly. Hunk of sharpened metal against fists clad in metal, hmmm, I wonder which one of them was going to 'win' this time around? Hiryute was completely lost in the celebration, laughing and being chummy with other tables.

Overall, it was the very picture of a group of well-adjusted social people… people who were living the lives of successful, well-acquainted adventurers in Orario. Companions, friends, and teammates that relied on one another simply lavishing in their victory.

So, of course, I had to excuse myself before I got too involved.

…

Rivira is a seedy town, no matter how someone looked at it, but there was no denying that it wasn't a sturdy and well-kept one. Most of the people living in it were criminals or lone wolves, but nonetheless they worked together for the sake of staying alive in the Dungeon. Even if the 18th Floor is clear of monsters, they still streamed into the Floor from the adjacent floors. Working together, the various Level 2s and 3s in the city are a hardy, cunning bunch in order to scrape out a living within the Dungeon. They mostly got by because Level 4s and above used the place as a staging area to gather money from the Deep Floors. Despite their differences, they were a close-knit and wary bunch that made sure to keep an eye out for trouble.

So, it wasn't at all surprising that I, as the leader of a small group of adventurers that took down the Goliath, would be approached by its leader.

"Hikigaya, right?" Bors Elder was a muscle-bound, short haired man with an eyepatch. His voice reminded me of grinding gravel. Still, his approach was a quiet one, I hadn't noticed him coming until he was just a few meters away. That short of a distance could be crossed in less than a second by either one of us. The man was definitely a very experienced, skilled Level 3. Still, despite his quiet approach and gruff attitude he didn't have any weapons on his person, and he raised a glass towards me before standing to my right with his other hand in his pocket. Trying to be cool, eh? "Heard a lot about you from your students. You're taller than I expected. Younger, too. They make it sound like you're an old man, y'know?"

"..." Small talk, I supposed that I picked up a bit of it over the last few years. Still, I had to wonder if there was an unknown conversation going over my head. Some conversation between men that I was missing? A code between men that I was meant to understand behind his little questions and comments that led to nothing? I wasn't very good at small talk. I preferred ordering people around or just telling them what I thought. So, I decided against 'beating around the bush.' "You want something, Elder-san?"

"Straight to the point, aren't you? Can't blame you for that, I suppose." Elder gave a grunt, pulled his bottle away from his lips, and shook his head. I noticed that the bottle was still full. Definitely more clever than I originally thought, given that I almost thought that he was actually, slightly drunk. "I'll just tell it to you straight then: you're doing good work, kid." He jammed a meaty, large thumb into his chest. "I've seen a lot of young, cocky, and stupid adventurers in my day, and those students of yours are something else. It's-."

"I'm not taking in any students at the moment." I read between the lines. I saw the concern in Elder's face. Not for himself, but for another person. I saw it often enough on Hestia's face as she looked at Cranel's back. I connected one clue with another and I knew what he wanted. Unfortunately, for him, I didn't feel the need to make any more lives more difficult by taking in another student. My own included. I was going to leave this world. I needed to stop making so many attachments to it. "Sorry, but I'm busy."

"Even for an old friend, Hikigaya-kun?"

That voice made my heart stop many times before, so it was no surprise that it made it do so again. Though it was impossible, she was there in front of me. As always, there was a smile on her face and a slight flush to her cheeks. The ends of her hair were curled and wavy, even as it was cut shorter than it used to be. It was her. Dark, amber eyes, familiar, warm, and entreating, met my own. Instead of a Kaihin Sougou High School uniform, she wore an armored vest and boots over a tunic and leggings with swords at her sides, a bow at her back, and a slender, metallic whip at her belt.

"What..." My tongue felt like a lead weight. I didn't know what to feel. Was I supposed to be happy since I wasn't alone? Horrified by the fact that others could be here? "How?"

"H-hilarious, Hikigaya. Ha ha… ha…" My classmate in Elementary school, fellow Japanese native, and first love answered with a slow, measured shake of her head, an attempt at a chuckle, and a faltering smile. Despite the strong front she put up, I saw that her resolve was weakening. She stepped forward, only to almost fall forward. I caught her. The grip she had on my arms was almost painful, but it only brought to mind that this was undoubtedly real. There was moisture in her eyes as she met my gaze again. "I-I w-was hoping you'd know, y'know?"

Undoubtedly, the person in my arms was Kaori Orimoto.

I was still reeling from the revelation, when suddenly a pillar of light smashed into the Crystal roof of the Dungeon, and the sky began to crack apart.

Twin roars, familiar but more impossibly powerful, invaded Under Resort from a pair of maws coming forth from the cracks.

…