End

"... That will have to wait at least a day or two. Let me first satisfy the other Familia that are waiting for me..."

He would have accompanied her now, but he first wanted to clean up the mess he created before even thinking of heading into another one...

"...I understand, Ryuu-dono. I won't ask you to go right now. Meanwhile, we will keep listening to any news that may reach us. Although there is not much hope for that, we can't just sit idly...!"

Her determination earned a nod from Ryuu. She had been searching for a lost loved one for an indeterminate amount of time without any leads. Every additional day must have been torture for her. However, he knew that prioritizing her needs would not benefit him in any way, so he remained resolute.

"Then, once I am confident I can give it my attention, I will take you there."

It almost sounded like Ryuu was asking Mikoto out for a date of some sort, though this 'date'...would soon have shocking consequences even he could not predict...

As Ryuu left the Takemikazuchi Familia with Hermes, the latter chose for the first time to 'speak' with him.

"The Ishtar Familia is scheming something. Searching for this lady could potentially lead to you becoming embroiled in their plans..."

He remembered a specific conversation with that Goddess concerning a 'special' item he could obtain...

However, Ryuu simply chuckled at the warning.

"When one warrior requests something from another, it's tough to turn them down. But I wouldn't do it for just anyone. I admire Yamato Mikoto or Finn Deimne's steadfast desire to protect from the depths of their hearts. There are times when personal gain is not the driving force behind their actions, and to me, that represents true beauty."

Ryuu had grown accustomed to dealing with individuals who only acted for their own benefit. They could present themselves as honorable warriors, but their insatiable greed was always evident to him.

Due to many conditions, he had learned to prioritize his benefit above all else, even if it meant sacrificing his emotions. He had become so entrenched in this mindset that he felt his heart had turned into a frozen abyss. However, there were now two exceptions to this rule…

Ryuu admired Mikoto's pure heart and unwavering desire to protect…

"I See. Indeed, I can agree with you" Hermes replied, shaking his head as he continued on with his 'work'.

As Ryuu led various Familias into the Dungeon, rumors circulated among the adventurers that he had started a sort of free ride service, taking one Familia into the Dungeon for a few hours and returning with them sporting triumphant smiles and overflowing bags of Valis.

The news caused a stir among the adventurers, with some even speculating that he had stumbled upon some kind of secret passage or treasure trove. But despite the speculation, Ryuu remained tight-lipped and continued with his 'distribution' of benefits...

"...As always, Ryuu-san is doing ridiculous things"

Misha Flott whispered with a tiny smile, shaking her head before clearing her mind of any unnecessary thoughts. However, she was interrupted by a familiar voice before she could do that.

"Hee..Misha-san, it seems you've finally got your own story? Why don't you share it with me?" A certain brown-haired half-Elf teased, causing a slight tremble to run up Misha's spine.

"E-Eina-san! I-I did not have anything of the sort!" Misha protested, her face reddening at the teasing.

"Heeeh...then what were you whispering so lovingly to yourself...?" Eina whispered, imitating Misha's behavior.

Misha had no reply, knowing deep down that her affection for Ryuu had grown significantly after their last interactions but unwilling to admit it openly.

New events unfolded in locations Ryuu was unaware of while he spent two whole days helping Familia after Familia descend into the Dungeon.

He left some Familia waiting on the 18th floor while he "unofficially" explored the 19th floor, ignoring any monster apart from those with a tiny amount of Dragon Bloodline, as subjugating 'chickens' was nothing but a small matter for him.

As Ganesha gazed upon the 100 cages now filled with tamed monsters, a look of bitter resignation washed over his face.

"I had hoped he would keep his promise, but to do it in just four days..."

He knew that Ryuu was an anomaly that Orario had never seen before… He would never allow his Familia to act against him, as such a move would only bring about a catastrophe that not even he could mend.

With this, Ryuu had finally fulfilled all of his obligations, ending the tumultuous matter that had arisen in the first few days of his arrival in the city. After a moment of calm, however, Apocalypse would again descend as this was not something anyone could stop, as such were the workings of destiny…!

Though the person in question couldn't care less for now, his face holding a smile as he heard Hestia shouting "Welcome Back Home!" with a huge smile of her own.

"Yes, I'm home. It's good to be back. How was Luna's training while I was gone?"

The two started conversing as Ryuu greeted his subordinate with a pat on her draconic head, causing the latter to feel even more motivated to continue training. However, Ryuu stopped her as she had been training non-stop for two days.

"Luna, you need to stop training now. Intensive training like this can do more harm than good if you don't take breaks to let your body absorb the gains properly. I'll take you to the Dungeon tomorrow after I resolve some matters, and we can continue training then."

Luna nodded excitedly, feeling like she was reaching a new 'level' in her training. Ryuu omitted that this stage usually took years to reach for Dragons with 'ordinary' bloodlines like hers. But with the help of the Magic Stones, Luna would be the first dragon in existence to bypass the natural stages a normal Dragon should follow!

While consuming Magic Stones could boost his power in the same way, it would be detrimental to Ryuu's abilities in the long run as it would dilute the purity of his bloodline. Maintaining it was crucial in ensuring he could harness its full potential in the future.

However, it posed no threat to Luna. In fact, a single drop of Ryuu's pure blood could easily disintegrate any impurities, allowing her to reach new heights of power, though she had to survive the will inside it first...

"By the way, Ryuu, since you went in the Dungeon so many times and killed a lot of monsters, I'm sure it's better for us to upgrade your Status..."

Her words interrupted the discussion as she prepared herself for what she would see once his status was upgraded...

"Indeed, Hestia-sama. Let's upgrade it."

He glanced at Luna with a meaningful glance, telling her to prepare herself as she would soon join in this activity too, though this did not elicit any special reaction as her desire for power was what mattered the most.

'I will not disappoint you, Master...'

Luna's unwavering loyalty to Ryuu shone brightly as she firmly believed that supporting her master in any way she could was her ultimate purpose. Though their relationship as a servant and master may have changed after Ryuu welcomed her into his 'Lineage', Luna's desire to do everything in her power to help Ryuu achieve his goals remained unchanged. She held him dear to her heart and would always consider him her master, no matter what…