Chapter 15: Adventuring

"Hey everybody, I brought some fruits." Ray arrived with a basket and Lars started eating them without a care on the world.

'This guy is really confident...' Lyd, Fels, and Airmid all thought at the same time.

While Alfia nodded at his display of dominance. So she also ate some of the peculiar fruits.

"Some adventurers might accept you, like us. But the majority will kill you on sight. So don't have any bright ideas. I'm warning you." Lars chewed on an orange grape.

"He's correct, don't trust anyone. If we were malicious, we would have wiped you out in a heartbeat." Alfia gave Lyd a scenario.

And he paled when he thought of Alfia appearing in the hidden villages to raze it to the ground.

They'll be sitting ducks. "Lyd, they are correct. Inform everyone that not all adventurers are like them." Fels said with a serious tone.

"I understand..." Lyd nodded with a grave expression, his brethren and sisters' lives was on the line.

"Now that we took care of that, we have to first make sure you won't get annihilated by the first expedition that large familias launch." Lars looked at Fels.

"Lars, your plan will be implemented immediately. The guild will give you a special pass to sell things at a premium price.

And warehouses where equipment and raw materials to build a city will be given to you as payment." Fels liked his idea.

"That's just the start, please look for adventurers that can be trusted as well. I'll also do it of course." Lars wanted more personnel.

Fels nodded and Lars pointed at Airmid. "Airmid is a special case, we don't want to kidnap people if possible."

He smiled wryly and Airmid rolled her eyes. "That is for the best." Fels went quiet after that, remembering that they kidnapped Airmid.

Which wasn't going to be sustainable at all. And they just might poach someone who will report them once they arrive at the surface again.

"Do you have that magic artifact that Lyd has? Give one to Alfia, Airmid, and me. We will be going to the surface. And we can contact the city if needed." Lars wanted one.

"It is expensive, but it can be arranged. I can see the importance of you having them." Fels agreed easily.

Information is power. And the 39th floor is a bit too deep. Alfia is the only one who can warn Monstro in time if ever there's an emergency.

Something that they can't afford. Because if a familia like the Loki familia arrives at the 39th floor without any warning, they will be exterminated without Alfia.

And she would inevitably go to the surface or dive deeper in the dungeon so she could level up.

They talked specifics and Lars decided to bring Airmid to Demeter for now.

"I'll be powerleveling Airmid, it's best if she gets a developmental ability that focuses on making potions and healing." Lars wanted to have a resident doctor.

The xenos are going to fight tooth and nail in the dungeon to get more magic stones. They were their life line.

Get a low amount of it, they will be weak. Losing the chance to fortify Monstro and receive equipment.

Fels might be able to give them some pieces of gear from time to time. But the sage doesn't have Hephaestus or the smithing familias on their payroll.

"Then we shall meet again later, it was a pleasure to meet you." Fels stood up and the sage started to walk back to Orario.

"Come, Airmid. We need to go to Demeter by using the Alfia express." Lars looked at Alfia and he raised his arm like a child that wants to be carried.

Alfia's eyebrow twitched and the vein on her forehead bulged. "Alfia express you say?"

"Un, the great Alfia-sama is our only way to get to the surface, praise the Alfia express." Lars nodded sagely.

"Hah, shut up and prepare yourself." Alfia sighed. Airmid and Lyd looked at him weirdly.

'The balls on this guy... Even Fels that didn't look simple were shocked when they saw her.' The two of them remembered what Fels said.

And Alfia's monikers was simply on another level. Even the strongest adventurer on Orario who's legit; Ottar, the king.

His moniker makes him seem human. While Alfia's was a monster with no equal.

"Wait!" Airmid still hasn't prepared herself, but Alfia didn't give her a chance.

They were then delivered by the Alfia express towards the surface.

"Alfia, I think we'll stay here on Orario for the moment. Demeter will welcome us to the wheat manor." Lars informed her.

"Hmph, good. I'm not your ride to and from home." Alfia snorted.

"But what about the crops and magic stones?" Airmid asked and Lars forgot about that.

"Yeah, about that... Praise the Alfia express, I'll be counting on you." Lars bowed at her and she clicked her tongue.

"Fine, but it's because the magic stones will lose their magic if they are left hanging out for too long." Alfia rolled her eyes.

"Well, that went well." Lars nodded as he saw Alfia disappear like a ghost. She could be elusive as hell.

"I still don't know how you can treat her like that. She's extremely infamous, the calamitous talent." Airmid shuddered just saying her moniker.

How strong? How talented? How much better must you compared to everyone must one be be to be called that by the gods? While basically being half dead.

"Well, she's a person for one. Being fearful of her will just make her annoyed. Though that woman has a sadistic side." Lars frowned.

His body could still remember the beatings it received under the guise of training. Though he did improve like crazy.

A year ago, he was just a guy. Now he could fight exceptionally well. Alfia's dynamic vision let her correct all of his incorrect movements.

"We also share a bond I guess? We only had each other for a pretty long time. But that's a story for another time, let's go to the Wheat manor." Lars started walking.

The Demeter familia's estate is up north of Orario. As an agricultural familia, they also had land at the outskirts.

Fields and farms that sustain Orario was located there. And the Demeter familia can be categorized as a C-class familia.

Which is pretty decent. But take them away? Orario will be plunged into despair. In just a week, riots and anarchy will consume the city.

Because they supply the city the majority of its food stuffs. Even if all of the potion makers, smiths, and artisans disappear from Orario, it will still continue.

But if the Demeter familia goes poof. Orario comes along with it in less than a month.

She's actually an untouchable goddess in the city. Not even Evilus dares to attack her. And they've attacked S rank familias like the Freya and Loki familias.

Because if they truly want to cause discord and chaos to the maximum, taking her out is the best option.

"Here we are!" Lars pointed at a manor that looked like a summer home.

"So this is the Demeter familia? I've heard that they have thousands of members." Airmid rubbed her chin.

"Yeah, but the members don't get status updates much. After all, they're farmers." Lars shrugged.

Because handling that many familia members will be exhausting.

And Demeter would have to shed a decent amount of blood too if they all wanted status updates.

They were then met by a man who looked like a typical farmer. "Hey, young'uns. Whatcha doing here?"

He asked with a kind smile and Lars thought that entering Demeter's familia was a good decision.

"Hey, old man! I'm actually new here. And I'm recommending her to the goddess. She makes a mean potion." Lars laughed.

"A potion you say? Well, there are some accidents here and there. Demeter-sama is in the lobby, you won't miss her." The farmer laughed.

"You're quite sociable, huh?" Airmid who was a bit too stiff couldn't imagine being like that.

"Just think of others as your fellow humans. But be wary still, humans are very complicated creatures." Lars warned her.

They then entered the manor and Lars quickly found the voluptuous woman.

"Demeter~ she's here, my friend; Airmid Teasanare." Lars introduced her and Airmid waved shyly.

"Ara? You disappeared suddenly, Lars. I thought you were loitering around." Demeter chuckled.

She then looked at Airmid and she smiled softly. "Lars has told me about you, child. Do you want to join my familia?" Demeter asked.

"Y-yes, I want to." She nodded and Airmid really wanted to be in a familia.

Because she wants to develop her skills as a doctor and potion maker. So it didn't really matter if she was in a familia that specialized in it or not.

Lars and Alfia will be providing her with everything she needs anyways. Ingredients that might be rarer even.

As Alfia can dive deep into the dungeon without any problems.

"Then let's give you a falna." Demeter clapped and she guided Airmid towards her room.

After waiting a while, Lars saw Airmid with her paper and he looked at it.

"Hey, reading other people's status is rude." Demeter chided him.

"Ohh, really? Don't worry, it's just a bunch of zeroes~" Lars took a look, and it really was just a bunch of zero stats.

Except her skill; Dia Fratel. He didn't know what it meant, but he was sure that she would tell him later.

"Come on Airmid, let's go dungeon diving!" Lars smiled at her.

He has never went dungeon diving. And it excited him to no end. Adventuring is a man's romance.

"You need equipment first." Demeter sighed at him and he grinned.

"Don't worry, Demeter. I have some for Airmid." Lars took out some armor for newbs and he gave her a spear.

After all, stabbing things is much easier than swinging a sword or a cudgel.

"Isn't she going to be a doctor?" Demeter asked, confused on why he was arming her like that.

Lars looked at her like she was stupid. But he then remembered that this wasn't like an rpg at all.

And Alfia is an irregular amongst irregular just like him who raises stats equally.

"Ahhh, a doctor that can't fight. Is going to be just a waste of space in the dungeon right? Well, she'll learn today." Lars smiled.

Airmid shuddered, but she held onto her basic, steel spear tightly.

He didn't want her to breeze through everything with the equipment for level 3's.

'This excelia is a crap system... Experience has a shitty condition to be achieved. You can't just grind like a true gamer here.' Lars clicked his tongue.

Airmid gulped and Demeter sighed. "Lars, you do know that potion makers and doctors don't dungeon dive right?"

Demeter gave him an incredulous look and he snorted. "That's what they like to say. The effects of it can be seen easily too. Adventurers die a lot.

If a competent healer dives in the dungeon and groups don't just rely on potions, lethalities will be cut down by at least 50% in my estimates."

Lars huffed. "Potions are consumables, magic? It can be replenished. And everyone can save potions for true emergencies where a healer can't heal people."

"But isn't that because healers are rare?" Airmid raised a good point and Demeter nodded.

"Then supporters that are focused on healing will do. People look down on supporters too much. They are an integral part of the team." Lars sighed.

Adventurers of Orario thinks that supporters are leeches or something. Which is true in some cases.

But based on Alfia's stories about the supporters of the Zeus and Hera familias that were level 4's or 5's.

They let the whole familia dive deep into the dungeon. They're the secret to their expedition's success, actually.

Because people can't fight without food, water, and supplies. They're the logistics of the team.

"Enough about that though, let's go dive in the dungeon!" Lars pulled her arm and they went towards the dungeon.

"Hah, he's too energetic... But, I do wish that he'd just stay like that. I can't let him meet with foul gods and goddesses." Demeter bit her lip.

Or else, his skill; Typhon, might activate. She then remembered its description.

Typhon: The promised enemy of heaven. The arrogance of the gods have gone on for too long. The time is nigh, and the emperor of monsters shall usurp heaven and earth.

__

Thanks for reading everyone, as for his skill Typhon. It has been influenced by the dungeon. Because he was technically born in it.

And it imbued its will into him to create a skill that reflects the dungeon's hatred against the gods. Anyways, ciao.