First Dungeon Dive

Preparing to go to the Dungeon turned out to be far easier than expected.

After waking up somewhat earlier than their regular time and having a quick breakfast from what seemed like a small night snack stand in the dinner hall, Gin and Alfia collected their backpacks and put on the armor that they had prepared last night.

However, before they could enter the kitchen and start packing their own lunchboxes, they were greeted with some nice-looking wooden lunchboxes made by Mia Grand herself.

The contents inside were filled with an appetizing and flavorsome food the strong dwarven woman came up with this morning - bacon, sausages, eggs, and some fried mashed potatoes. Everything was covered with some unknown orange sauce that was quite spicy.

"Just don't die on your first day, brats…" was all she said when they happily left the kitchen.

With the armor on them, backpacks on their backs, and tasty lunches prepared, the duo went out of the front gate of the Folkvangr at around 6 am in the morning…

***

The long road to Babel turned out to be much easier than the previous time, even considering the fact that the two had gone out earlier in the day.

The heavy sky above them was very gloomy and cloudy today. The just-risen sun wasn't visible at all, yet it looked like the small line was missing from the overall picture.

This was especially strange since the missing line of clouds was right above the path of the two kids, making it seem like the sky itself was encouraging the two children to go and explore the unknown.

This, combined with some refreshing light breeze and occasional puddles from last night's rain, made it seem like it suddenly was fall.

At some point, Gin even thought that he came back to his hometown on Earth.

'Sigh...'

After closing his eyes and taking a few nostalgic deep breaths, Gin remembered his real goal for today and, with strong determination in his eyes, continued to walk to the Dungeon.

Speaking of the journey itself, it was also made much easier with the help of the Status bestowed by their newfound goddess. Even walking turned out to be far easier than the last time - with their speed almost quadruple that they had before.

In addition to that, their appearance has also changed dramatically - now they didn't look like stray children, but some real adventurers. Having an armory in their familia sure helped a lot at this stage.

Yes, the armor they took today was used by many people before and clearly had signs of serious wear such as scratches, extended cuts, and discoloration, but it looked repaired, and that's all that mattered.

The armor pieces they had put on today were what one of the 5 executives of the Freya Familia, a human frontline powerhouse named Bodvar Bjarki, suggested to them a few days ago.

The main idea was that they clearly were vanguard swordsmen in the making unless proven otherwise, so the armor they wore was on the lighter side than someone on the front line.

Long sleeve chainmail, along with a medieval Viking aketon gambeson underneath it. A robust and sturdy round helmet that had a chainmail attached to itself, going down up to the collarbone level. The thin and breathable yet durable leather pants, along with similar boots and gloves added to the overall picture of a Viking child going on a raid with his father.

The man himself seemed somewhat reliable, although it was hard to say whether he helped them of his own will or was it what Lady Freya asked him to do. His own style was also somewhat on the heavy armor side.

Most likely, their armor was what some prums wore beforehand since not many children join familias at the age similar to them.

Besides, now fully armored, along with some sturdy-looking goatskin leather backpacks, everyone thought they had been looking at some relatively short prum adventurers.

However, the two haven't really paid much attention to the onlookers since they themselves have been immersed in reciting all the details from the notes obtained from the captain.

They had a simple yet ambitious goal for today - to reach the second floor of the dungeon…

***

By the time the two had arrived at the Tower, it was already close to 7 am.

Adventurers of all races had already started walking inside the many entrances on the ground floor, while very rare high-level adventurers were returning from the nightly dungeon sessions. The exploration of the dungeon never stopped, neither during the day nor the night.

Some of the folks headed to their shops on the upper floors, while the majority went underground.

They walked the same distance more than three times faster than before and weren't exhausted at all but rather excited.

A vast, monumental building in front of them was the same Tower that every citizen of Orario saw on a daily basis.

A lid that closed off the invasion of the monsters on the surface.

A place for many peculiar shops and high-end apartments.

Even the Denatus has always been held on the 30th floor of this Tower if Gin's memory was still correct.

Upon taking a heavy breath and walking in alongside other adventurers, Gin and Alfia have finally approached one of the 3 entrances in the middle of the ground floor with their hands tightly holding their swords…

***

"YAAHH!"

A green head flies up in the air.

"Swish!"

Another goblin was beheaded by a young boy.

Their teeth were all sharp, their claws more durable than your average low-quality sword.

Their movements were full of primal ferocity and predator instinct.

Everything looked much worse than Gin expected - even their ugly grins looking to bite the adventurer in the neck highly resembled goblins from the "Goblin Slayer" series.

Just by looking at them, any hesitations Gin had about killing monsters had already disappeared. That, combined with all the stress he had had in the last two weeks, only twisted his childish face into an excited, confident grin.

"Gyiiii!"

"!"

"Raaagghhh!"

"Swish!" "Fwish!" "Schwing!"

The sounds of swords cutting apart what seemed like an endless supply of bloodthirsty goblins were heard from the spot where two stood, back-to-back, near one of the walls of the first floor.

It wasn't so much training as it was a savage massacre of goblins. The magic crystals piled up under the children's feet, seemingly not even affecting the judgment of newly born monsters approaching the duo.

"Gyshaaaa—!" an ugly scream of a nasty creature attacking Gin from the flank was heard when he was parrying the attack from another one; however, not a moment later, a young sword maiden jumped and cut the green monster in half midair.

"!"

"Whip!"

The boy turned around and cut yet another grotesque being into two neat parts with a single move.

Whatever they were engaging in today was far more brutal than their regular training.

The spot they found was right near the spawning wall, somewhat far away from the regular wide road to the second floor.

The so-called "road" itself was just a long strip of land where there were no goblins or kobolds at all due to the fact that all the adventurers going deeper were nonchalantly slaughtering them like flies on their way down. It was a good resting spot, and no one seemed to bother anyone since the traffic there was just slightly lower than on either one of the Main Streets of Orario.

After killing monsters for several hours, with plentiful magic crystals collected, the two have decided to take a small break and eat at one of the unoccupied spots near the "road."

To Gin's surprise, the food was still a little warm and was as mouth-watering as when they were looking at it inside the kitchen.

After taking off their helmets and backpacks, the two sat down near the lonely, dried-up tree and started their first lunch in the last two weeks…

"...Gin," Alfia said, after stabilizing her breath from the battle and taking a few bites of bacon from her lunchbox.

"Mm-hmm?" he replied, with his mouth already full of delicious fried mashed potatoes. Only to immediately swallow afterward to continue with the conversation.

"What do you think Meteria is doing right now?" the older sister asked since she never stopped thinking about the younger sibling she highly cared about.

"...Heh," he replied with a smile before sighing and looking upwards at the ceiling. "Probably reading something in silence… Remember she told you that not many people actually do come to the library."

"Yes… Ehem… Do you think she is lonely out there?" the small girl asked with genuine concern while taking another bite.

"Sigh… I think she probably is," he said, what truly was on his mind. "Likely thinking about something bad happening to us in the dungeon today, ha-ha."

"Hey! Don't laugh at her, Gin," Alfia immediately said with a strong protective tone. "She is very worried about us. We should be happy."

"I didn't laugh at her, Alfia," Gin explained himself. "I'm just happy that there is a person out there who cares about us."

"Mm-hmm," she replied, still processing the last phrase and slightly nodding, now more satisfied with the wording of her friend.

"Besides, don't we worry about her as well? We should probably buy something for her on our way back today."

"Maybe something tasty?"

"Food…?" Gin mused before remembering that Meteria was said to enjoy delicious food much more than other things in canon. "I think it is a good idea… Maybe, we can even do a small party in the library today."

"A party?"

"The first day in the dungeon is something worth celebrating, yes."

"Well… okay…" Alfia agreed since she felt somewhat guilty about going to the dungeon without Meteria, even if she knew it was very hard or almost impossible for her. She loved her sibling to an unimaginable degree, and even the idea that she would have something that Meteria won't already made a small loli visibly distressed.

After that, the two spent some time in silence before Alfia asked Gin a question:

"How long before we go back?"

"We should get a watch next time... I have no idea..."

"We must come back before the sunset, so we can have dinner together with Meteria."

"Yep," Gin replied. "Now, let's go back to the ground level to see if there are any watches there somewhere on the wall. Worst case, we should walk outside and look where the sun is, and then we will know how much time we have left here today."

"Are we going back when the sun would be going down?"

"Well... a little earlier than that since we also have to go to the Guild to sell the magic crystals... but pretty much around that time, yes."

"Okay… then let's go back…." Alfia said before she started putting her now empty lunchbox back inside the backpack and her helmet back on.

***

"Why did I get such a stupid task. Did I not work well enough at the front gate?"

"Now I have to watch these stupid brats not get themselves killed in the dungeon… How can they even get killed on the first floor?!"

"..."

"..."

"Not bad coordination. Are these really the new kids who came two weeks ago…"

"The chainmail everywhere, though… Should've probably worn leather armor instead."

"..."

"..."

"They didn't even bring a watch - is this the new generation of Freya Familia?"

"..."

"..."

"Well, they certainly can survive on their own here. Even if they get hit by one of the goblins, the armor on them would be enough to protect the vital organs… besides, they evade too much - how do you get the dexterity by evading? Pfff, know-nothing brats."

"..."

"..."

"Second floor on the first day…? Not bad - at least the brats have some ambition, although it doesn't match their abilities yet. Especially considering how they barely ran away from that huge kobold."

"..."

"..."

"Since they are already leaving the dungeon, doesn't that mean my task is now completed…? I should be able to come back and get some training before the sunset… It's not like anything can happen to these brats on their way back…."

***

Late afternoon, the Guild's Headquarters.

The magnificent, giant pantheon that was the lobby of the building stretched far and wide on the North West Main Street.

The white marble floor accommodated the adventurers of all races who swarmed the advisors and item collection personnel at this time. The tide of adventurers brought numerous magic crystals and rare drop items to exchange them for the hefty sums of Valis. Many came back with whatever their quests required them to find, while others came to flirt with their hot advisors.

The duo of young adventurers wasn't slacking today either - bringing backpacks full of magic crystals and two relatively common drop items, Goblin claws.

When it was their turn in the line, the two emptied the contents of their backpacks inside the collection box, letting all the magic crystals get appraised by the Guild's personnel before a young elf returned with a bag of coins in her hand.

"Here is your money - 8,300 Valis," a beautiful female elf with the name tag "Sophie" replied.

"Thanks, beautiful elf sister," he replied.

"Bye, bye," the elf only replied, with a playful smile on her face, while winking to a small human child in front of her, not really wanting to pursue the conversation and tired from the exhausting day at work.

Often serious, yet sometimes childish, Alfia immediately started overthinking the conversation she had just heard:

''Sister…? Does Gin have an elf sister that I don't know about… Should I introduce myself…'

The boy with the money bag in his hands, and the girl, deep in her thoughts, have approached the Guild's announcement bulletin board at some point.

'Let's take a look….' Gin thought before walking along the long boards filled with all types of advertisements, requests, information about the new items on sale, and even sightings of rare monsters.

"Delivery to Rivira… Missing children… Strange noises near the… Multiple supporters are needed for a deep floors expedition, in case you are… Will buy 26th-floor drop item…."

'Doesn't look that different from what I've expected,' Gin thought before looking at Alfia, who was also carefully reading the announcements on the board.

"Did you find something interesting?" he asked, with his head slightly raised.

"Interesting?" she replied. "I think everything here is for people who are much stronger than us. Especially this quest."

"Let me take a look… Strange noises near the Beol Mountains? This sounds dangerous, to be honest…." he said, before a short silence ensued, after which a girl took the boy's hand and looked at him with a nervous look.

"Gin…" she called him with a questioning glare and a captivating voice.

"Hmmm?"

"Are we going to do these quests later?"

"No, I just wanted to see what quests they have here," he said while taking her hand and leading her on their way out of the Guild's building. "Let's go back to the manor."

"Um-hum…" she nodded and followed him, for some reason happy inside that they went farther away from that silver-haired elf girl.

"Let's just not forget to buy some food for Meteria…." Gin reminded in an enthusiastic tone before he and Alfia started looking at the different stalls and shops that appeared along their way back…

***

"Lord Apollo, I don't know why you are doing this… but all your orders are absolute for me…." Adonis, a Level 5 captain of the Apollo Familia, declared with his eyes already on the target.

The famous favorite male lover of the eccentric god stood tall inside one of the rooms of the shady building somewhere at the intersection of South Main Street and a sketchy dark alley. The picture seen through the window showed a duo of two young armored children walking with their hands together, with a boy practically pulling the tired girl behind him.

The place chosen for ambushing and kidnapping children was perfect since the sight there was blocked from many sides by the numerous stalls selling all types of food found around the world. Even the rarest deserts from the Altena kingdom were found there as well.

It was because of the word "Altena" that the young boy immediately took an interest in the one particular dessert stall located further away. However, when he and the girl walked off the South Main Street to approach it, their luck for the day had been finally depleted.

"Take the boy and the girl."

A gruff voice commanded the shadows in the dark…

***

"What is it, Meteria?" Freya gently asked when a girl she recently took an interest in entered her chamber's door after getting permission.

"Lady Freya, Gin and Alfia haven't returned from the dungeon, and the dinner is already almost over. I am very worried about them."

"Alfia and Gin haven't come back…" she said, remarkably perplexed, while immediately thinking of all possibilities of what could be the reason for such an occasion.

Not even several seconds later, she kindly smiled and replied to a white-haired girl in a motherly voice. "Thanks, Meteria. I promise I will find them. You can go back."

"Thank you, Lady Freya," the young girl gratefully replied and deeply bowed. "I-I really appreciate it."

When the door closed behind the sudden visitor, the goddess immediately frowned, rang a special bell, and called for her today's protective entourage…

"Malika."

"Yes, Lady Freya," a dark female shadow slowly emerging from the shadows replied.

"I want you to find whoever has been assigned to look after the kids in the dungeon today and bring them to me. Also, tell other executives not to leave the Folkvangr today."

Goddess's every word was resolute and determined, her voice icy enough to make the strongest adventurers tremble with fear.

"Your wish is my command," the Level 5 Amazoness replied with a tone of absolute obedience before darting off outside the room. Only the tiny lightning sparkles were visible in the place where she had just been standing at…

***

Sometime later, somewhere underground.

"My Holy Ambrosia, look what we've got here… The sacrifices are all ready…" a young, blue-haired woman holding a whip in one hand and the wine glass in the other said while sitting on an exquisite throne in a dark, gloomy room.

Crack!

Crack!

Crack!

"Did I do a good job, my mistress?" a man asked, both scared and excited from the sight of the dominant beauty in front of him. Little saliva dripping from his mouth.

"Yes, you did a good job," she said before gently kissing him on the lips and, immediately afterward, using her white robe's sleeve to wipe her mouth of the foul-tasting smell.

'But you are still nothing more than trash when compared to him…' she thought while starting to smile and patting her belly with a happy expression on her face, only for it to turn vicious and hungry for revenge in the next second.

"It's all for you, my mistress," a red-haired madman in love, now on his knees, replied, his eyes full of desire and lust.