The Journey Begins in DanMachi

This was a stone-built structure, much like the other buildings in the vicinity, extending backward to a second floor.

If one had to point out a difference, it was that the scale was several times larger than any other tavern.

Furthermore, its location near Babel Square was undoubtedly a prime spot, perfectly positioned to attract adventurers looking to gorge themselves on food and drink after a long day of combat.

Without the backing of a major power, it would likely be difficult to hold such a location securely based on money alone.

Perhaps this was the reason the tavern dared to remain open even after all the others had closed.

Regardless, as long as I can get a meal, that's all that matters.

But when Noah stepped through the entrance, he saw waitresses already clearing tables and sweeping the floor; there wasn't a single customer in the tavern.

Don't tell me I'm that unlucky?

"Um, adventurer-sama?"

As Noah stood there in hesitation, a soft voice came from behind, causing him to turn around slowly.

It was a human girl wearing a pale-leaf-colored pinafore dress that reached below her knees, with a clean white apron tied over it.

Her light gray hair was tied into a bun at the back of her head with a tail hanging below, and combined with a lace headband, she looked just like a waitress from some restaurant.

Her face was fair and delicate, and her gray eyes, matching her hair, looked innocent and cute.

"Um, adventurer-sama, did you just return from the Dungeon? You seem to be heavily injured; did something happen?"

Noah sized the girl up for a moment, instinctively feeling that her gaze was a bit strange, but he didn't have the energy to dwell on it now.

"Are you still open?"

"Ah! Of course! Though there might not be much in the way of ingredients left. Adventurer-sama, what would you like to eat?"

Guided by the gray-haired girl, Noah went to a window seat and sat down at a table that hadn't been cleared yet.

Opening his money pouch, Noah didn't bother counting; he just grabbed a large handful and placed it on the table.

"Arrange whatever you have for me, but keep it light. No roasted meat, make it a stew instead. Don't put any alcohol in the cooking, and also..."

Under the gray-haired girl's curious gaze, Noah fell silent for a moment, his eyes shifting elsewhere.

"Do you have any desserts?"

The gray-haired girl turned her head, offering an apologetic smile to the waitresses who were frantically shaking their heads and pressing their hands together in prayer.

"Um, it seems we still have a few portions of caramel pudding, honey cake, and strawberry yogurt—"

Before the gray-haired girl could finish, Noah interrupted her.

"Bring me everything you have."

The gray-haired girl's eyes widened instantly, and she looked at the young man before her with suspicion and surprise.

"Eh? Everything? That's over ten portions?"

"Yes, everything. If it's not enough money, I'll pay the rest later."

Seeing Noah's firm resolve, the gray-haired girl had no choice but to nod, albeit hesitantly.

"Alright then. Would the guest like something to drink? Our red wine and mead are highly acclaimed, and we also have a drink that is ice-cold upon entry but becomes very potent once swallowed..."

814 Jiu Ling San Qi Jiu Bo

"Do you have any other drinks?"

"Well, we do have some lemonade, tomato juice, mixed fruit juice, and Orbu Spring Water—"

"Fruit juice will do."

The gray-haired girl subconsciously studied the young man in front of her.

Although his pale face showed signs of youth, he should at least be sixteen or seventeen, right?

Covered in blood and possessing a cold temperament, yet he loves sweets and doesn't drink alcohol...

How should I put it? Is he unexpectedly a bit cute?

"Then, please wait a moment, guest."

Biting her lip, the gray-haired girl maintained a sweet smile and slowly retreated.

Soon, a large pot of steaming cream stew, noodles coated in bright red meat sauce, and seven or eight other dishes, along with a vegetable salad and desserts, were brought to the table.

Although this was clearly not an amount of food an ordinary person could consume, especially given Noah's lean build, it wasn't apparent that he was a big eater.

However, since he was an adventurer, having a massive appetite was quite normal, and the girls had long since grown accustomed to it.

Picking up the pale green fruit juice, Noah took a sip and set it down, then pulled the Panacea from his pocket.

Through the ornate, transparent bottle, one could see that two-thirds of the iridescent liquid remained.

The other third had been used by Noah in the Dungeon to recover from external wounds and a bit of mana; otherwise, he feared he truly wouldn't have made it out of that hellish place.

As for why he didn't drink the rest to recover his internal injuries, that was for another reason—

With a grave expression, he opened the cap, and a heavy medicinal scent wafted out, nearly making Noah gag.

Don't let the potent recovery effects or the beautiful color fool you; the taste was absolutely stomach-churning.

The flavor was not just bitter; it was sour, salty, even sweet and astringent. One sip made it feel as if his soul were about to leap out of his body.

Rumor had it that the potion was intentionally made this repulsive to prevent people from drinking it like a beverage when bored... but Noah felt it was just laziness on the alchemist's part!

Taking a deep breath, Noah tilted his head back and downed the remaining potion in one gulp. Before his tongue could react, he grabbed his fruit juice and swallowed hard, washing the taste down.

After panting for a good while, Noah finally let out a sigh of relief and began to eat with gusto.

In the tavern's kitchen, the waitresses hid behind the door, peeking out to observe the only customer in the dining hall, occasionally giggling and whispering to one another.

"Hey, did you see that? The way he drank the Panacea, he's just like a little kid."

"And he's already finished three cakes and two puddings. How is it that he likes sweets even more than the girls do?"

"Ara ara, cold on the outside but childish on the inside. Could he be someone who left his hometown to come to Orario? I wonder if he feels lonely and empty at night... This child, he feels so delicious, guhehe—"

"Hey, Syr, what do you think?"

Having been observing that lonely back, the gray-haired girl was caught off guard by her companion's sudden shift in focus, her eyes widening.

"Eh? What?"

"Honestly, Syr, stop playing dumb. You've been staring at him so intently, haven't you? Could it be?"

"What are you talking about, you're annoying! Get back to work, or Mama Mia will be furious when she gets back!"

"Syr is just changing the subject again!"

By the time Noah had eaten his fill, the plates stacked on the table were as tall as he was sitting down. As expected, he had to pay a significant extra fee, emptying half of his coin purse instantly.

However, Noah was quite satisfied with the tavern's cuisine, making the slightly high price acceptable, so he even packed some food to go.

"The customer certainly has a healthy appetite! I should be able to get a nice bonus for this!"

The girl's display of calculated shrewdness, paired with her delicate features, didn't feel annoying at all; instead, it stirred a sense of helpless indulgence.

Noah merely glanced at her before withdrawing his gaze.

"In this city, are there any facilities like libraries or archives?"

Hearing this question, the gray-haired girl gave Noah a deep look before tapping her fair finger against her lips, appearing to ponder for a moment.

"Hmm, as far as I know, the largest archive would be the 'Gnome's Great Library' in the eastern part of the city, run by the gnomes! The gnomes are confident that they house every book in the world there!"

Having found his target, Noah nodded and stood up.

"Then, thank you."

Watching the silver-haired boy's lonely figure slowly disappear into the rainy night, the gray-haired girl couldn't help but tilt her head.

8 A Soul Filled with Darkness

Outside the glass wall, the Labyrinth City was shrouded in a cold, misty drizzle.

High atop the tower, which offered a panoramic view of the scenery, the silver-haired goddess blinked and rose from her seat, her purple eyes gazing into the distance.

The Boar Warrior, standing like a giant wall behind her, was startled by the movement. "Lady Goddess?"

"Such... such a complex soul."

Even for a goddess of omniscience, she found herself bewildered by the sight before her.

Freya had seen the souls of countless denizens of the lower world: some utterly mundane, some filled with greed, some great and dazzling, some pure and untainted, and others fallen and insane.

But this was the first time she had ever seen a soul like the silver-haired boy's.

What Freya loved were clean, pure, and dazzling souls.

And this silver-haired boy's soul?

It was not pure, not clean, and certainly not dazzling.

On the contrary, it was filled with negative darkness: pain, despair, sorrow, murderous intent, and hatred.

To use an analogy, if what Freya loved was a bright, clear, sharp new sword, then this boy's soul was an old blade—pitted, dim, covered in dust, and stained with blood and rust after countless battles and slaughters.

Based on the experience and conclusions drawn from the countless souls Freya had seen over the years, souls tainted by darkness were usually mediocre, filthy, and eyesores.

But, should she say it was typical of the lower-world beings who possessed infinite possibilities?

Although the silver-haired boy's soul was filled with various forms of negative darkness, it was devoid of any filthy desires. Thus, it did not appear chaotic or murky; rather, it was strangely pure.

In other words, although this person carried the weight of immense slaughter, sorrow, and pain, almost none of it was driven by his own desires.

No desire for power.

No desire for wealth.

No desire for lust.

Then, for whom did he kill? For whom did he grieve? For whom did he suffer?

Aside from that small appetite for food, one could barely see any personal desires in this silver-haired boy...

No, that wasn't right. It wasn't that there were none.

Noticing something unusual, Freya furrowed her brows and looked closer.

Deep within the darkness of that soul, a singularly pure desire lay dormant.

Was it arrogance, or perhaps rebellion?

Freya sensed something akin to an unyielding defiance—a desperate urge to break free from all shackles, to refuse submission to any soul, and to transcend everything that existed.

With just a single glance, that ferocious battle intent, burning like thunderous flames, stung her with such intensity that she was forced to avert her gaze.

"Orario seems to have become quite interesting..."

Lifting a glass of red wine, the goddess took a slow sip, a look of genuine pleasure gracing her features.

After several consecutive days of rain, the Labyrinth City Orario finally welcomed clear skies, and the somber atmosphere caused by the recent Dungeon riots and the chaos of the Dark Faction had eased significantly.

Around midday, Noah stepped out of the Gnome Grand Library located in the eastern part of the city, wandering slowly through the streets.

Over the past few days, Noah had scoured various historical records in the library, managing to piece together a rough timeline of this world's history.

The age of monsters, when beasts roamed the continent and humanity huddled in ancient royal capitals...

The age of heroes, ignited by the one known as the 'clown' Argonaut and carried forward by the Fianna Knights...

The age of gods, when the deities descended, collapsed the high towers, bestowed their blessings, and constructed Babel...

And finally, the Three Great Quests—the world's strongest adventurer parties, two of which had been annihilated, while the last remained to threaten the world, plunging Orario into the current dark turmoil.

If that system wanted him to save the world, it likely meant he had to defeat the Sky King, the One-Eyed Black Dragon, right?

However, that was still far too distant for the current Noah.

Besides, there was no point in agonizing over it; it was simply a matter of either killing the black dragon or being killed by it.