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Finn scratched his head in mild exasperation, his sharp eyes fixed on Riveria. For the first time, he saw the ever-steady Nine Hell Princess looking utterly distracted, her composure slipping away like a soul adrift.
She was lost in thought, her slender fingers brushing her lips, a faint, bewildering smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. If she weren't Orario's mightiest mage, Finn might have suspected she'd fallen prey to some sinister charm spell.
"Riveria, what's your take on Yuto?" he asked, his brow creasing as he repeated himself.
"I…" Riveria blinked, snapping back to the present. "I think our Familia should keep engaging with him. In the future, the Hestia Familia might just be our most reliable ally."
Finn's frown deepened. "But what about Ais? Are you sure about this?"
Riveria's cheeks flushed faintly, a rare crack in her poised facade. She'd raised Ais like her own daughter, yet her stance had shifted overnight. "I met him last night," she admitted. "I don't think he's interested in Ais. It might be someone else he likes."
Her words lingered, heavy with implication. To anyone versed in matters of the heart, the prim and virtuous Nine Hell Princess was clearly smitten. Unfortunately, Finn and Gareth, both perennial bachelors and pillars of the Loki Familia, were clueless. They exchanged puzzled glances, shrugged, and nodded in reluctant agreement. If Riveria, Ais's closest confidante, approved of Yuto, what more could they say? With that, the topic of Yuto, the Familia's latest hot gossip, seemed settled.
Finn sighed, casting a casual glance around the dining hall. His eyes widened slightly. "Huh? Where's Lefiya? She didn't come for breakfast today?" He chuckled. "That's rare. She's usually attached to Ais's hip."
...
Meanwhile, the Adventurer's Guild buzzed with its usual chaos. Yuto stepped inside, no longer clad in modern casuals but dressed in era-appropriate adventurer gear. The change made him blend into the crowd, though his presence still drew subtle stares.
He approached a familiar counter where Eina stood, her refined beauty and dignified air as striking as ever. Her emerald eyes lit up when she saw him, and she stepped forward with a warm smile. "It's been a few days, Yuto. Have you joined a Familia yet?"
"Yep, I have," he replied, his gaze lingering on her curvaceous form, accentuated by her guild uniform. "Miss Eina, do you have a map of the Dungeon's middle floors?"
Her smile faded, replaced by a flicker of concern. "Why do you need that? You're only Level 1. The middle floors, from 13 to 24, are treacherous. Poisonous monsters, traps, sprawling tree labyrinths… even Level 2 teams get trapped there forever."
Yuto's expression turned wry. Without a map, his plan to speedrun the Dungeon would stall. He aimed to pull off a solo clear, an unheard-of feat to draw the gods' attention. Killing one was his endgame, but the guild's strict map policies were a hurdle.
Eina's gentle demeanor hardened with worry, and the surrounding adventurers, self-proclaimed guardians of the guild's sweetheart, bristled at his audacity.
"Who's this kid, upsetting Miss Eina?" one grumbled.
"A Level 1 taking on the middle floors solo? He's either fearless or foolish," another sneered.
"Youth these days," an older adventurer sighed. "I was reckless once too. Age catches up, though."
The guild erupted in murmurs, some mocking, others dismissive. Yuto had no patience for their games. With a cold snort, he summoned the Sea of Life. Crimson waves surged forth, whipping the air into a howling tempest. The blood-red tide roared like a dragon, silencing the room instantly. Every eye turned to him, wide with dread.
Monstrous remains materialized from the sea, Minotaurs from the 17th floor, their hulking corpses thudding to the ground. "A few days ago, I cleared the 15th floor and wiped out every Minotaur that escaped from the 17th," Yuto said, his voice icy. "Now, can I have that map?"
The guild fell silent, the air thick with tension. Adventurers who'd scoffed moments ago now stared in disbelief. "No way… a Level 1 took down 17th-floor monsters?" one stammered. "He's the Ghost Slayer!" another gasped, recalling the tale of a team slaughtered, with only one survivor fleeing Orario in terror.
Yuto took the map from Eina's stunned grasp, flashed her a playful wink, and walked out, leaving the guild in awed silence.
…..
At Babel Tower's entrance, Yuto joined the queue, his eyes catching an orange-haired elf clutching her staff with a tense, determined look. Lefiya, the "Saffron Fairy" or "Magic Idiot," was unmistakable. He recalled her struggles during the last expedition, her failure to master parallel chanting, crippled by her fear of monsters. It gnawed at her pride, driving her here to conquer it.
…..
Inside the Dungeon, Yuto powered through the early floors, soon catching up to Lefiya. She was mid-chant, her voice trembling as monsters closed in. "Arcs Ray!"
Her spell erupted in a frantic burst, barely holding the beasts at bay. Yuto watched, noting her rigid stance and wide, fearful eyes. She was still casting from a fixed position.
She was a vulnerable target without her team.
"Lefiya?" he called.
"Eek!" She jumped, her body stiffening. Spotting him, she shot him an irritated glare. "You! Why do you move so quietly? Don't you know it's dangerous to interrupt a caster in combat?"
"Sorry," he said, his tone dripping with mock sincerity. He stepped closer. "Haven't you noticed the monsters piling up around you?"
"W-who says I haven't?" she huffed, puffing out her chest to hide her panic. "I'm just… gathering them to wipe them out at once!"
"You're too scared to move, stuck defending from one spot. That won't do," he countered. "Keep this up, and they'll overwhelm you."
Yuto's lips curved into a slow smile. "You'll never crack parallel chanting like that."
Lefiya's heart pounded so loud she half-expected him to hear it. "You… you actually know how to do that?"
He met her gaze without flinching. "I can teach you, if you're brave enough."
"Really?" Hope sparked in her gaze.
"Of course." His grin turned wicked as he activated Scapegoat, a skill from Kiritsugu Emiya. With a flick of his hand, he tossed her near a monster pack.
The beasts' eyes locked onto her, and they charged. "W-what did you do?!" she shrieked. "Why are they all after me?!"
"Fear's the best teacher," Yuto replied, his voice cold. "Pick up your staff and cast. Don't worry, if they rip you apart, I can patch you back up."
His ruthless words left her teary-eyed and trembling, but with monsters closing in and his unrelenting stare behind her, she had no choice. Gritting her teeth, she raised her staff and chanted, desperation sharpening her focus.
Arcane light flared, and with a cry, she unleashed Volley Fire Javelin. Flaming spears rained down, blasting the monsters into ash. Forced to move under pressure, she'd done it; parallel chanting.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, but a flicker of triumph shone in her eyes.
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