Preparation Complete

"Where is this? How did I end up here?"

Gently raising his arm to rest his hand on his forehead, Shirou Emiya stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling above him, still half-asleep and muttering to himself in a daze.

But he quickly snapped awake, recalling the sequence of events.

"So they got me drunk and sent me back? What a bunch of animals, they really poured it down my throat!"

Though he grumbled under his breath, a broad smile spread across Shirou Emiya's face as he sat up.

How long had it been since he'd felt this way? Ever since Miyu was taken away by Julian, his home had been left with only him, alone and isolated.

And loneliness is hard on anyone, let alone Shirou Emiya, who was born for a life full of bustle and warmth.

According to the flow of Shirou Emiya's fate, if he had no one left to care for, he would become Archer, heading toward a bitter end of regret.

But whether he chose Saber, Rin Tohsaka, or Sakura Matou, he would never become Archer.

That was why he genuinely loved the liveliness of this Familia.

It was also the reason that other version of him had chosen Loki Familia in the first place—it felt more like a family here.

Sitting up from the bed, feeling the warmth of sunlight streaming through the window onto his skin, Shirou Emiya glanced around the somewhat bare room and chuckled lightly. "Looks like I'll have to set up the room myself, but first, I'd better go get my gear!"

Last night's banquet wasn't just about drinking; Shirou Emiya had also learned from the senior members of the Familia about some of the benefits for newcomers.

First was funding. Any new member could receive a starting fund of up to one hundred thousand Valis to purchase equipment, improving their chances of survival and efficiency in leveling up.

Under normal circumstances, a starting fund of one hundred thousand Valis was more than enough for a newcomer. In special cases, they could borrow extra Valis from the Familia, but anything beyond the initial amount had to be repaid.

After all, a Familia raised comrades to fight together, not freeloaders who only took without giving.

Next was combat training.

But Shirou Emiya didn't need that—he was no pure rookie with zero experience.

Finally, there was knowledge and information.

Within Loki Familia, there was a massive underground library filled with all kinds of books and records for members to study.

Shirou Emiya planned to dive into that thoroughly later.

After tidying up a bit, he headed to the main hall and received his starting funds—one hundred thousand Valis—from the senior member in charge of finances.

Don't think one hundred thousand Valis is a lot. For reference, at the tavern "The Hostess of Fertility," where the original protagonist often went, a single meal could cost over a thousand Valis.

One hundred thousand Valis was barely a month's worth of food money.

Though it wasn't much, it was enough to buy beginner gear, and for Shirou Emiya, it was more than sufficient.

With his Projection Magic, Shirou Emiya didn't need to buy high-quality weapons, which were usually the biggest expense when gearing up.

He also didn't need to wear armor.

Shirou Emiya only planned to buy a set of leather armor. Even if he later needed to wear armor, it would be light armor that didn't hinder his movement.

Beyond that, just in case, he needed a backup weapon.

After all, the Dungeon was full of dangers, and the most notorious was the Abnormal Situation.

No one knew when they might encounter an Abnormal Situation. If one happened on his way back, he could easily run out of magic and lose his weapons.

So a spare weapon was necessary.

Arriving at the shop recommended by his Familia senior, Shirou Emiya announced the name of Loki Familia and quickly completed his purchases.

A set of leather armor, a spare short sword, and a backpack—that was all the gear Shirou Emiya bought.

After exchanging the remaining funds for some practical potions, he finished all his preparations.

As for his room? That could wait until he had money to decorate it!

After finishing his shopping, Shirou Emiya took the chance to wander around the area a bit. After all, Orario was so vast that one day wasn't enough to explore it all.

It wasn't until evening that he returned to Loki Familia's base, Twilight Manor.

"So, how is it? Orario's beautiful, isn't it?"

Loki, lounging in the courtyard to enjoy the cool air, spotted Shirou Emiya's returning figure and waved, calling out to him.

"Yeah, Orario really does have a unique kind of beauty compared to other cities."

Of course, Shirou Emiya had never seen any other cities in this world, so his comparison was with the city he'd lived in before—Fuyuki City.

Compared to a modern metropolis, Orario, filled with gods, indeed had a distinct charm.

"Right? In this world, the most beautiful place is still Orario!"

Laughing cheerfully, Loki patted Shirou Emiya on the shoulder and continued, "Since you've got your gear ready, when are you planning to head into the Dungeon?"

Because of their patron gods' differing wills, each Familia developed in its own direction. Some specialized in selling potions, others in selling alcohol, and some even ran brothels. Loki Familia's focus was exploring the Dungeon.

"I'll wait a couple more days. I plan to spend that time in the underground library looking up some materials about the Dungeon. After all, knowing yourself and your enemy leads to victory every time!"

"Is that so? As long as you have a plan, that's fine! Then I won't keep you—go eat dinner."

Watching Loki wave him off and settle back into the chair to enjoy the breeze, Shirou Emiya smiled and headed back to his room.

"I can't help but feel like Lady Loki and Fuji-nee are kind of similar."

Shirou Emiya shook his head, brushing off the thought of comparing Fuji-nee to Loki, then stowed his backpack in his room and headed to the cafeteria for a meal.

After all, no matter what, eating comes first.

Two days later, with all preparations complete, Shirou Emiya left Twilight Manor early in the morning and set off alone into the dungeon.

The reason he went solo was that he had turned down his seniors' offers to accompany him. Though some had planned to help him get acclimated, Shirou Emiya was no true rookie.

Having grown through the Holy Grail War, his body might still be flesh and blood, but his combat experience and methods were far from what a genuine LV.1 could match.

After sparring with his seniors, Shirou Emiya had earned the right to go it alone.

Now, with the main force away on an expedition, he could be considered one of the stronger members of the familia.

Of course, that was without activating his Reality Marble.

Walking along the somewhat quiet streets, Shirou Emiya savored the stillness of the moment—but it was only temporary.

As he drew closer to the Tower of Babel, the number of pedestrians increased. They were all fully equipped adventurers and supporters.

As for support crew to back him up, Shirou Emiya didn't need any; he could handle that role himself.

When he reached the Tower of Babel, the area was already packed with a surging crowd. Many adventurers gathered in small groups, as if waiting for their teammates.

Some wore relaxed expressions, while others were weighed down with tension. But regardless of their mood, they were all fully armed.

After all, no one could afford to underestimate the dungeon. In the labyrinth, any lapse in focus could mean death.

"Hah!"

Letting out a soft breath, Shirou Emiya pushed through the crowd and arrived at the dungeon entrance.

It was a massive opening, like a well. Using a man-made device similar to a construction elevator, Shirou Emiya descended into the hole alongside many other adventurers.

After winding down a spiral staircase, he finally reached the first floor of the dungeon.

Standing before the entrance, Shirou Emiya took a brief look around, then pulled a headband from his backpack and put it on.

Paired with his red leather armor, at that moment, he felt as if he had returned to the Holy Grail War of his memories.

"Projection, start!"

The familiar sensation returned to his hands as Gan Jiang and Mo Ye were firmly gripped in Shirou Emiya's grasp.

"Now it's time for battle."