The Journey Begins in DanMachi

"Stop!"

"Don't come any closer!!"

Explaining would clearly be a hassle, and he would definitely be extorted, but there was no time for nonsense now.

Upon landing, Noah set down the bundle containing the three small ones, supported Ryu with one arm, and drew his sword with the other.

Accompanied by a crackle of electricity and a blinding flash of light, a slash detonated against the distant cliff face, creating a massive explosion that echoed throughout the entire Eighteenth Floor.

"I am a member of the Loki Familia! We were just attacked by the Dark Faction, and my friend is injured! We need your help! I ask you all to lend a hand!"

Looking at Noah, who was radiating such a chill that he seemed to be saying, 'If you don't help me, none of you are leaving,' a faint glimmer appeared in Ryu's eyes.

67 How can you slander someone out of thin air?!

The slash, with power comparable to artillery magic, silenced the hundreds of adventurers in Rivira, with only the lingering echoes of the explosion filling the void.

Nearly a minute passed before hushed whispers began to rise from all directions.

"Loki Familia? Never seen him."

"Was that magic instant-cast? Isn't that power a bit too broken? Was that commotion just now caused by this kid?"

"Oh! I saw him with Nine Hell at the Guild last time; he must be a newcomer to the Loki Familia, alright."

"A newcomer? You're telling me this is a newcomer? I feel like he could kill me in a second!"

"But that is definitely Gale of the Astraea Familia, there's no mistake about that! She broke the bones of Oli and his men not long ago!"

The commotion ended as a muscular man wearing a black eyepatch stepped forward, and the surrounding adventurers turned their gazes toward him as if acknowledging him as their leader.

"I am Bors Elder, what do you—"

A piercing, imposing gaze swept over him, and Bors immediately wore an expression of having given up on pursuing the matter.

"—need?"

Since you're so formidable, we won't ask whether you're really from the Loki Familia or not; let's just assume you are.

Sheathing his sword, Noah picked Ryu up again to slow the rate of blood loss.

Sensing the message conveyed by the man's expression, Noah didn't dwell on it; as long as the items were available, that was all that mattered.

"Anti-curse items. My companion was attacked by a cursed weapon, and there is an incurable curse on the wound!"

Glancing at the wound on Ryu's abdomen—which she was holding, yet blood still flowed incessantly between her fingers—Bors rubbed his chin.

"Anti-curse items? Those are extremely precious."

Sensing a hint of haggling, Noah narrowed his eyes slightly, scanning Bors and the others.

"You should know the Killing Emperor of the Dark Faction, right?"

"What?! Was it her who attacked you just now?"

The news that the most notorious murderess in the Dark Faction had appeared on the Eighteenth Floor sent a chilling tremor through the crowd.

"Don't worry, she's already been reduced to charcoal. What you need to consider is another question—do you think I'm easier to talk to than Valetta?"

The boy's implication was that he had already killed Valetta—the adventurers, bombarded by this news, hadn't even reacted before they were blanketed by a cold, murderous intent.

"Whatever the cost, if you heal my friend, there will be a generous reward. But if I find out later that you were holding out on me, none of you will be getting out of here alive..."

The bone-chilling killing intent struck, making Bors, a Level 3, shiver instantly. He hurriedly dismissed the subconscious greed he had accumulated over the years.

In their line of work, the most important thing was to learn how to read the wind and judge people accordingly; otherwise, you wouldn't even know how you died.

They dared to challenge the Guild and even extort the Freya Familia, Loki Familia, and Astraea Familia—the city's powerful factions—only because those powerful familias were composed of 'good people.'

But looking at the silver-haired boy in front of them, one could tell just by his eyes that he was a ruthless character who killed without blinking.

How did someone like this get into the Loki Familia? Shouldn't he be in the Dark Faction?

"I! I understand! Hey! You lot! It's time to show the camaraderie of city adventurers! This is a hero who risked his life to uphold the justice of the city! Bring out the good stuff immediately! If I find out anyone is holding back, don't ever think about stepping foot in Rivira again for the rest of your lives!"

Seeing Bors and the Rivira merchants bustling about enthusiastically, Ryu recalled the various grievances her own Familia had suffered upon arriving here, and her heart felt unbalanced; she even forgot the shyness of being carried bridal-style in public.

"Wh-why? When we came here, we were extorted mercilessly!!"

"Because I know how to reason with them."

Holding Ryu, Noah calmed down and walked toward an inn.

"Reason? They know how to reason?"

"Of course. Everyone has their own logic. It's just that for some, logic is money; for others, it's the sword; and for some, it's justice. So, you have to learn to speak to people in their own language, you know?"

Although she didn't quite understand, Ryu nodded blankly, like a child receiving an introductory lesson.

However, recalling the cold, ruthless demeanor Noah had just displayed, which was so different from before, her attention suddenly drifted.

So, the way you act in front of me... is that because you think I'm easy to bully?!

A sense of indignation at being underestimated welled up in her heart, making Ryu puff out her cheeks with the urge to bite Noah.

But as she fumed, her anger suddenly dissipated.

Forget it. If I hadn't been bullied by these Rivira adventurers and forced to return to the surface early, perhaps I never would have met this guy...

The weakness and dizziness brought on by blood loss caused the girl's consciousness to blur and drift. She couldn't help but gently close her eyes, leaning against Noah's chest while listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat and breathing.

Surprisingly—though perhaps not entirely unexpectedly—the curse-breaking potions, rare materials, and healing magic provided by the adventurers of Rivira had absolutely no effect on the curse afflicting Ryu.

"Th-this, there's nothing we can do! We've used mermaid blood, unicorn horns, and even ultra-rare items! We really brought out everything we had! I swear!"

Watching Barth panic, sweat beading on his forehead, Noah simply waved a hand to cut him off.

"It's fine. I know you did your best. I don't blame you. You can leave now; I'll remember to pay you for your efforts."

Once Barth had left and silence reclaimed the room, Noah, who had been deep in thought, suddenly noticed Ryu staring at him with her sky-blue eyes, much like a child waiting for a meal at the dinner table.

"Are you not going to be a little nervous? If we don't find a way soon, you might actually die, you know."

Ryu removed her mask, tilting her head in confusion.

"Why should I be nervous? You're the one trying to figure it out, aren't you? Or are you planning to let me die? If you do, I won't let you off even in death!"

"Is it possible that this wound is on your stomach, and not mine?"

The strangely familiar phrasing left both of them in silence. Before Ryu could even offer a smile, Noah narrowed his eyes.

"Tell me, you trust me this much—could it be that you've fallen for me at first sight?"

Before she could even manage a smile, Ryu's face flushed bright red, and a vein even began to throb on her fair forehead.

"You! How can you slander my innocence like that?"

"Hmph, better if you haven't. After all, most so-called love at first sight is just lust for one's appearance!"

Without waiting for Ryu to retort, Noah removed his gauntlet and touched a bit of the blood staining the elf's exposed abdomen.

"I can indeed save you, but whether you can accept the method is entirely up to you."

Then, Ryu watched as Noah placed the finger stained with her blood into his mouth.

At this moment, Ais was wandering through the festival.

The Dungeon restores its own terrain, making it impossible to level the ground or construct buildings.

The inns in Rivira are, in reality, nothing more than spacious, relatively flat natural caverns.

As for the cave where Noah and Ryu were currently staying, the ceiling was quite high, and with the lighting and the blue crystals embedded in the cracks of the walls, the claustrophobic feeling typical of a cave was not very noticeable.

However, no matter how spacious the room, it felt suffocating to Ryu right now.

Although her abdomen had long since gone numb from the pain of the curse-ridden wound, she still felt a tingling sensation spread through most of her body the moment Noah's finger touched her.

Especially seeing Noah put his blood-stained finger into his mouth—it made her feel exceptionally ashamed.

But before she could cry out, she felt a strange transformation occur within Noah, and she couldn't help but widen her eyes.

His short silver hair did not grow longer, and his fair skin did not change color. Aside from his azure eyes, which reminded one of a glacier, turning into the crimson hue of rubies, there were no other anomalies in Noah's appearance.

Even so, the clear, refined aura radiating from him became deep and enigmatic.

It was like a veil of mist under the moonlight—indistinct, yet possessing a charm so captivating it could make one lose their soul and be unable to pull themselves away.

Even the scent he carried changed from refreshing and clear to something intoxicating and alluring.

It made Ryu's body, which had been cold from blood loss, grow faintly warm, and her consciousness began to drift.

In Ryu's understanding, the most similar phenomenon was "beastification."

This is a phenomenon that occurs only in a few types of beast-kin. Beyond the disadvantage of heightened bestial instincts and diminished reason, it grants a massive boost to strength, stamina, speed, and even defense—in short, an all-around enhancement excluding magic.

Among all forms of beastification, the conditions for a werewolf are the most stringent, yet the most powerful.

Because the condition for a werewolf's beastification is to bathe in moonlight—but where could one find the moon inside the Dungeon?

Even on the surface, the sky has its clear and rainy days, and the moon has its phases; a moonlit night is not always available.

However, the physical prowess of a werewolf under the moonlight is considered to surpass all other races.

Within the Astraea Familia, if one were to choose another vice-captain besides Alise and Kaguya, the universally acknowledged candidate would be the werewolf Neesh.

Ryu had witnessed Neesh after her beastification under the moonlight; not to mention the strength that was already far beyond her own, even the last advantage Ryu held—agility—was completely neutralized.

Ryu didn't know if Noah's combat power had increased.

But she could clearly feel the sense of danger emanating from him—or rather, it was more like a siren blaring in her mind!

This danger was not the danger of a warrior, but the danger of a woman!

"You... what is happening to you?"

Pulling out his sword to use as a mirror, Noah blinked his crimson eyes, feeling the various changes as his bloodline was activated by the elf's blood.

But aside from a slight mental excitement and his body feeling warm, he didn't seem to notice anything else unusual.

"Hmm, a vampire? I can't really say for sure. This is the first time this change has occurred."

After looking for a moment, Noah tossed the sword aside and blinked at Ryu, his gaze appearing somewhat bewitching.

"But no matter what, as long as I can save you, that's all that matters."

A vampire?

Save... save me?

Ryu couldn't hear what Noah was saying, but upon meeting his gaze, she instinctively covered her neck and the wound on her lower abdomen, which had begun to feel cold.

"W-what do you mean?"

"I can construct a circuit by exchanging bodily fluids with a woman to enhance our mutual magic. I also feel that my magic can break this curse; as long as I infuse my magic into your body, the curse will naturally be lifted!"

Exchange bodily fluids?!

For a pure elf, this term was as stimulating as downing a large bottle of flammable, high-proof liquor in one go!

Her pale face turned crimson in an instant. The half-dead Ryu suddenly jolted upright as if struck by a miraculous recovery, desperate to flee the room.

But no sooner had she straightened her waist than Noah pressed her back onto the bed.

Not only that, but Noah grabbed her wrists, pinning them to either side of her head as he half-sat atop the elf.

Although she had been held by Noah before, the implications of being held versus being pinned to the bed like this were entirely different.

"W-what, what are you trying to do?"

Feeling his intense masculine scent, Ryu couldn't even muster the strength to struggle, let alone resist.

Not only did her face flush a rose-tinted hue, but even her delicate, pointed elven ears turned red, and a thick mist of tears welled up in her sky-blue eyes.

"L-let me go immediately, o-otherwise I will..."

Though her small mouth issued a threat, her voice was so soft and sweet that even Noah couldn't help but feel his bones go weak.

Elves really are fragrant; her blood must be sweet.