Danmachi: Strongest Familia

The labyrinthine city of Orario, home to the famed dungeon, is where the gods themselves gather. Massive, fortified walls surround the city, where beings of every race live in harmony, flourishing under the divine blessings bestowed by the gods. United, these families have together forged an era of prosperity.

In the courtyard of a grand villa, a man whose entire form seemed to radiate light basked in the midday sun, eyes half-closed in contentment.

"Ah, it's been a while since I checked in with my main self. How've things been lately?"

A monotonous voice echoed in his mind, pulling him back to awareness. With a sigh, he opened his eyes, slightly annoyed.

Just my luck. I was right on the edge of falling asleep.

Who's intruding on my personal domain? A private space should be just that—private.

He glanced around in confusion but found no one; everything appeared exactly as it should, with no trace of any intruder. 

"Must be drifting off," he murmured to himself.

This man was Sol. His original name had faded into obscurity with the passage of time. Sol was, in truth, a time traveler who had acquired the legendary powers of the Star-Forging Dragon King on his journey.

In this unfamiliar world, Sol chose to adopt the name of the Star-Forging Dragon King. He had little idea of where he had landed; he only knew that his arrival had taken place in the godly realm of this world. Though unfamiliar with this new domain, his divine power—courtesy of the Star-Casting Dragon King's template—was real enough, allowing him to settle in the god realm without issue.

To blend in, Sol fabricated an elaborate persona, even crafting an identity and background to avoid suspicion.

Yet, he soon realized these so-called gods were largely uninterested in his identity; after lifetimes of existence, they seemed indifferent to new arrivals. Though they welcomed him at first, the warmth of their greetings faded after just a few decades.

Through his integration with the local deities, Sol gradually learned much about this world and its divine denizens. Among these discoveries was the realization that these gods were truly immortal.

This immortality was absolute; they could not die, even by choice. With little concern for worldly matters, they passed the time by sleeping, meeting, and indulging in whatever could stave off their boredom.

Thanks to his powerful Aurelion template, Sol soon earned the moniker "The Strongest Male God" among his peers, gaining respect and renown in the god realm. But as his 200th birthday approached, he found himself growing increasingly indifferent to the activities of the gods.

Even the allure of the goddesses waned for him, as the same few faces quickly became tiresome. Life drifted by in a routine of endless days, many of which Sol spent in slumber.

Though his strength continued to grow with time, opportunities to use it were few and far between in the god realm. As for the other gods, those who dared challenge him were swiftly defeated.

But, really, in a realm where no one could die and restraint wasn't needed, they made ideal practice dummies.

One day, however, the gods discovered a way to descend to the mortal world.

After countless eons of stillness, the God Realm suddenly burst into activity. With a newfound fervor, the gods assembled to draft a set of rules, and soon after, they could hardly contain their excitement as they prepared to enter the human realm.

This marked the beginning of the Familia era, infusing the world below with fresh energy and competition.

Yet, Sol, the protagonist of this tale, missed the initial opportunity to descend. Having fallen into one of his usual naps to pass the time, he was absent when the gods made their grand entrance into the human world.

In the scramble for lower-realm resources, no god was particularly keen to make room for Sol. But just before another goddess, who had once shared Sol's bed hundreds of years prior, departed to the human world, she decided to wake him, perhaps out of a lingering fondness. Sol, grateful for her intervention, owed her a debt of thanks. Her name was Astraea, one of Sol's favored goddess companions.

When he finally arrived in the lower realm, Sol discovered he was already a step behind. Most prime candidates from various races had been recruited by gods who had arrived earlier. Left with fewer choices, he focused his attention on less sought-after groups.

"Never seen a pig, but I know one when I see it," he mused, eyeing his prospects.

With a keen awareness of this foreign world, Sol eventually set his sights on the elves, a race known for keeping themselves hidden, which left them largely unclaimed by other gods. He managed to gather a Familia of elves and gained eligibility to compete in the "game" of godly influence.

---

Now, five or six years have passed since Sol left the God Realm, and his elven Familia has flourished quietly in Orario. Day-to-day management has become routine, with little for him to oversee personally.

The eras of the Zeus and Hera Familias have ended, and now the Loki and Freya Familias dominate Orario's power structure. The Sol Familia, though smaller, took a highly selective, elite approach, recruiting only the most skilled elves.

Led by Riveria Ljos Alf, who is an impressive LV5 on paper (though closer to LV6 in ability), the Familia consists of 20 members: ten at LV2, seven at LV3, and three at LV4. These elves, each adept at magic thanks to Sol's rigorous training, were brought from the remote Alfheim forests.

Despite being restricted from using divine powers directly, the gods retained some skills unique to their domains. Sol's martial arts, Hephaestus' forging techniques, and Soma's divine brewing skills, for instance, were unaffected. Sol, by virtue of his Aurelion template, had knowledge from Valoran's mystical lore and imparted magic and rune skills to his followers, especially to Riveria, who was learning the ancient runes.

Though relatively small, the Sol Familia ranks among Orario's strongest. In fact, his magic-users are second to none, and Riveria herself is widely regarded as one of Orario's most powerful magisters.

Following the black dragon crusade, both the Zeus and Hera Familias had been wiped out, leaving Orario's defenses weaker than before. In the golden age of these two Familias, they had claimed all the brightest newcomers, leaving others to pick through the remaining talent. With their departure, Orario's balance shifted, leaving the dark faction to gain strength.

In recent times, the influx of new adventurers has dwindled, leaving Orario's Familias wondering where to find fresh talent to sustain their ranks. Without new blood, the game itself is at risk of stagnation.