Chapter Summaries

A shadow-wielding stranger was transported to Orario as the Dungeon began experiencing an unusual monster rampage. After learning about the city and its familias, he tested his powers in a tavern and attracted the attention of a woman from the Loki Familia.

• The stranger activated an ancient magic circle with his shadow power and was swallowed by a fissure.
• Monsters rampaged through the Dungeon, and Finn suspected a crack had formed in a deep seal.
• An adventurer found the stranger unconscious on the Dungeon's second floor and carried him to the entrance of Orario.
• The stranger declined Hestia's invitation to join her familia and went to the Labyrinth Home to learn about the city.
• When a blond Apollo Familia adventurer tried to grab him, the stranger used his shadow to trip him without being noticed.
• A blond woman from the Loki Familia watched the stranger in the tavern, and their brief exchange left him wondering whether she had warned or invited him.

The narrator visited the Adventurers Guild, where Eina explained that adventurers needed to join a familia to enter the Dungeon and receive Falna. After reviewing recruitment notices and considering the Hermes Familia, the narrator left to continue searching for a suitable familia.

• The narrator followed adventurers into the Guild and asked Eina how to become an adventurer.
• Eina explained that Dungeon explorers had to join a familia and receive Falna from its god.
• The narrator declined Eina’s offer of a recommendation and studied the familia recruitment notices.
• A man invited the narrator to consider the Hermes Familia, praising Lord Hermes as tolerant.
• The narrator considered the Hermes Familia’s discreet information network, then left the Guild to keep searching.

Cid Kagenou joined Hermes's Familia after a trial in the Dungeon revealed a strange crystal and drew the attention of unknown adventurers. With Hermes holding the crystal and Cid newly granted Falna, Cid prepared to begin acting under his new identity.

• Cid met Hermes's messenger at a tavern and was invited to meet Hermes for a trial.
• Hermes sent Cid and Asfi to investigate abnormal monsters on the Dungeon's tenth floor.
• Cid used shadows to defeat the monsters and found a black-purple crystal linked to strange runes.
• Unknown adventurers tried to seize the crystal, but Cid restrained them and learned they were following orders from superiors.
• Asfi brought the crystal to Hermes, who said it was connected to recent rumors.
• Cid accepted Hermes's invitation, registered as Cid Kagenou, and received Falna as a member of the Hermes Familia.

Hestia told Bell about a calm, black-haired newcomer who had refused to join her Familia, leaving Bell curious about him. Bell explored the Dungeon, rescued an inexperienced adventurer on the middle floors, and returned home safely without encountering the newcomer.

• Hestia told Bell that a distinctive black-haired newcomer had turned down her offer to join the Familia.
• Bell went alone to the Dungeon after Eina warned him about the dangers of the middle floors and gave him a marked map.
• Bell defeated monsters on the eleventh floor and rescued a low-level adventurer from two werewolf-type monsters.
• Bell gave the adventurer a recovery potion and warned him not to venture onto the middle floors alone.
• Bell told Hestia about the rescue, and they wondered whether the black-haired newcomer had found a Familia.

Bell trained with Ais and asked whether she had encountered the mysterious black-haired newcomer. Ais described sensing a monster-like aura from him, leaving Bell determined to learn whether the man was a friend or foe.

• Bell practiced against a wooden dummy, and Ais told him his movements were too stiff.
• Bell sparred with Ais for nearly half an hour but could not break through her defense; she advised him to move more flexibly and rely less on momentum.
• Bell asked Ais whether she had seen anyone unusual in Orario, and she described a black-haired man who watched everyone in a tavern.
• Ais said the man had a monster-like aura but showed no hostility, and she warned Bell to be careful if he met him.
• Bell resolved to uncover the newcomer’s secret if he saw him again.

Cid tried to adjust his behavior in Orario so he could blend in as an inconspicuous mob character, but his staged attempts to join two street emergencies drew admiration instead. After his second failed intervention, he left the market, realizing he had overdone it again.

• Cid reflected on how his information-gathering had attracted attention and decided to change his approach.
• Cid followed a beastman thief but staged a fall before reaching the alley, and bystanders praised him for trying to help.
• Cid overheard pedestrians calling him impressive and ducked into a tavern to rethink his strategy.
• Cid staged another fall while pretending to stop a runaway carriage, knocking over a fruit stall as a burly man halted the horse.
• Cid heard the crowd praise his courage and left the market, inwardly admitting that he had overdone his performance.

An inconspicuous adventurer heard reports of monsters turning violent on the twelfth floor and went to investigate after learning Bell Cranel was in danger. After watching Bell’s party battle a black dragon-man, he encountered and killed a red one, then found a chaotic crystal resembling one he had discovered before.

• The narrator heard that monsters on the twelfth floor were growing violent and suspected the changes were connected to the crystals he had found in the Dungeon.
• After an adventurer reported that Bell Cranel was surrounded, the narrator followed the would-be rescuers to the twelfth floor.
• The narrator watched Bell and his temporary teammates fight a black dragon-man that dodged attacks and breathed fire.
• The narrator left Bell’s battle and encountered a red dragon-man that breathed eerie blue flames.
• The narrator trapped and killed the red dragon-man with a shadow dagger, then picked up the red-and-blue crystal it left behind.

Cid Kagenou reported the twelfth-floor anomalies to Hermes, then agreed to update his stats and discovered he had reached Level 2 with unprecedented SS attributes, an unreadable magic stat, and the skills Mob Character A and Atomic. Hermes promised to keep the results private, leaving Cid curious about using Atomic in this world while still committed to staying in the shadows.

• Cid told Hermes about the black-winged dragonman, blue-flamed monster, and crystal on the twelfth floor, and Hermes ordered Asfi to investigate.
• Hermes suggested updating Cid’s stats, and Cid agreed.
• Cid’s status sheet showed he had reached Level 2, with SS Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Dexterity, unreadable Magic, and the skills Mob Character A and Atomic.
• Hermes compared Cid’s growth to Bell’s and said he would keep Cid’s stats off the Guild notice board and from other adventurers.
• Hermes offered to arrange a dazzling stage if Cid ever wanted attention, while Cid resolved to remain a background character for now.

Cid met Alpha in the Dungeon and learned that Shadow Garden was investigating the Cult’s plan to open a gateway between worlds. After playing along with Alpha’s belief that he had activated the magic circle as part of a plan, he sent her to continue investigating and considered that the rest of Shadow Garden might be gathering in this world.

• Cid found monster remains in the Dungeon and encountered Alpha, who had been tracking the Cult.
• Alpha told Cid that the Cult had allied with evil organizations in this world and planned to use a magic circle to open a gateway to other worlds.
• Alpha believed Cid had activated the magic circle to lure out the Cult, and Cid played along with her explanation.
• Cid ordered Alpha to continue investigating in secret and not act without his orders.
• Alpha said she had joined a small Familia and would report any information about the other Shadow Garden members.
• Alpha told Cid not to shoulder everything alone, then left as Cid considered his next moves.