The Journey Begins in DanMachi

Regardless of whether it carried malice or goodwill, the presence of that gaze was incredibly intense.

It was like some dangerous beast; merely being watched by it caused her body to react instinctively.

She could not judge what kind of attitude the owner of that gaze held toward them.

However, the golden-haired elf was certain of one thing: the owner of that gaze was extremely dangerous.

"Hey! You idiot elf! What are you slacking off for?"

The long-haired beauty beside her, dressed in a kimono and skillfully slicing meat with a blade, looked delicate and pitiful, but the moment she opened her mouth, the texture of her beautiful voice sounded crude and sharp.

The golden-haired elf, who would usually retort immediately upon hearing such words, uncharacteristically did not argue back this time, her azure eyes still scanning the crowd with vigilance.

"Wait, Kaguya, I don't want to fight with you right now. I felt like someone was watching us just now; I don't know if it was someone from the Dark Faction."

Hearing this, the girl in the kimono narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze as dangerous as a blade sweeping across the crowd.

However, after a few passes, the crowd remained as noisy and crowded as ever, with nothing appearing out of the ordinary, so she couldn't help but withdraw her gaze and look at the golden-haired elf with suspicion.

"Hey, don't tell me you've reached your heat cycle but aren't getting satisfied, so you're having hallucinations?"

Even with the golden-haired elf's good temper, she couldn't take that.

Never mind suspecting that the Dark Faction was lurking in the shadows; even if the One-Eyed Black Dragon had descended, she would have fought this sharp-tongued woman first!

"Hey! Kaguya! You bastard! Do you want to fight?!"

"Huh? Do you think you can beat me?"

The surrounding crowd watched the scene, not only showing no fear but instead revealing excited expressions; a few even wanted to applaud and egg them on.

After all, how many things in this world could be more exciting than watching beautiful girls fight at close range?

One can only say that people shouldn't be too well-fed, otherwise, it's hard to imagine how self-destructive they can be.

At the critical moment, a girl with a red ponytail and a cheerful smile squeezed between the two, stopping the fight that was about to break out.

"Alright, alright, Kaguya and Ryu, you two were getting along fine, why are you suddenly arguing again? You know the Loki Familia and the guild seniors are all watching us; doing this will make the Astraea Familia lose points!"

Kaguya flicked her sleeve elegantly and turned to continue slicing ingredients on her own.

The golden-haired elf named Ryu Lion looked at their captain, her eyebrows raised in displeasure.

"Alise! Let me tell you, Kaguya she..."

After a brief explanation, Alise Lovell roughly understood what had happened and subconsciously scanned the crowd as well.

Finding nothing unusual either, she turned to puff out her flat chest beneath her armor and waved at Ryu.

"It must be that you're overthinking it, Ryu. After all, as a world-class beauty like me, it's only natural to be stared at! It's just a pity, I still have to fight to practice the justice of Astraea! I can't respond to their feelings!"

Watching their captain get excited, feel smug, and then fall into regret and sighing all on her own, it wasn't just Kaguya who was speechless; even Ryu completely forgot about the earlier matter, a row of black lines appearing on her fair forehead.

However, Alise was completely oblivious to this, and upon catching a glimpse of an emerald figure out of the corner of her eye, her eyes lit up.

She vaulted over the table and ran straight out of the stall.

"Ah! Isn't that Nine Hell? Long time no see... eh? Who is this little sister?"

Watching their captain completely lose herself the moment she encountered a famous first-class adventurer of the city, the golden-haired elf and the girl in the kimono, who had almost come to blows just moments ago, exchanged a glance and couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

Northeast side of the city, Third District.

Perhaps because of the charity meal drawing pedestrians away, the surroundings seemed somewhat quiet, and even the noisy clamor of the North District felt quite distant.

In a quiet, deserted alley, Noah stopped in his tracks and rubbed his somewhat empty stomach.

With a sigh, he decided to resolve the trouble as quickly as possible so he could find time to get something to eat.

"Come out. How much longer are you going to follow me?"

A cold voice echoed slowly through the quiet alley, accompanied by the midday breeze.

As the sound dissipated, the steady footsteps of hard leather shoes striking the city's cobblestones slowly began to ring out.

Eyes like those of a beast slowly emerged from the darkness, and the hair, under the sunlight, appeared a vivid, piercing light red. The newcomer was dressed in a tattered undershirt paired with leather pants.

"Ya-le ya-le, kid, I can be certain you've never appeared in Orario before. Are you a newcomer? I'm actually quite curious about you."

Varda Grader scanned the silver-haired boy before her with a gaze that seemed flippant but was actually heavy with caution.

As one of the most important executives in the Dark Faction, despite being dubbed the 'Killing Emperor' due to her insane, bloodthirsty killing intent, she was actually one of the most intelligent and capable leaders within the Dark Faction.

If not for this, she would not have been able to clash with the 'Hero' Finn multiple times since the 'Dark Age' seven years ago without being wiped out.

A few days ago, upon learning that Thanatos had failed to seduce the famous newcomer of the Loki Familia, the 'Doll Princess', and had been attacked by an unknown swordsman suspected to be Level 4 while retreating, Varda had begun her investigation.

After all, with the Zeus Familia and Hera Familia having retreated, and the entire city having only Ottar of the Freya Familia as a Level 6, with no more than ten Level 5s officially recorded by the guild, an adventurer of unknown record and at least Level 4 could potentially turn the tide of battle at a critical moment.

She had arranged for people to search for and monitor similar adventurers throughout the city while activating her intelligence network to see if any new forces had entered Orario.

But, how should she put it?

Because she had the preconceived notion that the opponent was targeting the Dark Faction, Varda had arranged for searches in all the hidden places in the city, but after three or four days, there had been no results.

It wasn't until a member of the Dark Faction saw Noah on the main street that she had a sudden realization, her expression turning grave.

Going against the grain—it seemed this opponent was not simple.

Along the way, Valletta had already prepared for various situations in her mind.

She decided to remain calm, no matter what happened—

"Newcomer? Compared to you, I'm indeed a newcomer, old woman."

Noah glanced sideways at Valletta.

"You're interested in me, but I have no interest in you. In any case, you're just like that perverted purple-haired man, a heretic who blasphemes and usurps the name of the God of Death—"

11 Valletta: Finally found an external brain!

"What?"

Valletta had to admit, she had lost.

Although she had decided to maintain absolute composure no matter what happened during this operation, this silver-haired youth had managed to make her murderous intent flare up with just one sentence.

Her brain didn't have screws, yet she felt a snap sound, as if something had broken.

She, Valletta Grade, was a woman!

Even if she was a murderous maniac, Valletta was still a woman!

The Dark Faction wasn't some church that preached asceticism and the suppression of personal will; on the contrary, it indulged desires.

And any woman who was past the age of innocence, from nine to ninety, hated being called an old woman!

So, Valletta almost wanted to draw her sword and hack the youth in front of her to death.

However, after hearing his second sentence, Valletta forcefully held her hand back.

Because although the tone was light, the arrogant fervor contained within it was very familiar to Valletta.

There was no mistake, wasn't that the devout tone her Dark Faction members often had when taking oaths or praying?

Could it be that this silver-haired youth was also a member of the Dark Faction?

And perhaps a main god's familia that she didn't know?

Valletta didn't think her guess was problematic.

Firstly, there were many main gods in the divine realm, and many were unknown to others. It was likely that even the great god Uranus couldn't recognize all of them.

Perhaps outside the city, there was a main god with ideals very close to the Dark Faction, who had nurtured their own familia and sent them back to Orario.

Secondly, if they were main gods of the Dark Faction, it was normal for them to conceal themselves.

At least, as far as Valletta knew, there was a mastermind in the Dark Faction named Enyo, whom she had only heard of but never seen. It was likely that even other Dark main gods hadn't met her.

Lastly, and most importantly, the silver-haired youth's madness in daring to attack other main gods perfectly matched the temperament of their Dark Faction members.

In this era where gods were the absolute center, almost no one dared to disrespect them.

Those who dared to attack gods, even to kill them, were rare even within the Dark Faction.

Compared to the audacious act of god-killing, attacking someone from the same Dark Faction wasn't much—Valletta had killed her own members who were foolish and beyond saving when her temper flared.

Thinking this, Valletta suppressed herself and maintained her composure.

"Kid, is your main god also a god who holds the same beliefs as us?"

Noah's eyes widened as if insulted, and he glared at Valletta fiercely, filled with killing intent.

"Don't you dare lump us together! Here and in the heavens, the only one qualified to wield the authority of death and be called the God of Death is my god! All others are heretics! I will execute all you heretics one day!"

Although she was directly threatened, Valletta's killing intent dissipated, and she even felt like laughing.

She was certain, this guy was one of the Dark Faction members.

Moreover, he was an even more extreme, more fanatical, and more insane fanatic than herself, or any Dark Faction member she had ever met.

His faith was so devout and extreme that he couldn't tolerate other Dark main gods who also held the authority of death.

After all, Valletta had heard many times that heretics were more detestable than infidels.

Thinking this, Valletta's mind became active, and her gaze towards the silver-haired youth changed.

No one knew how bitter Valletta felt, surrounded by a bunch of idiot teammates!

If half the intelligence of the City Guild faction was provided by Finn Deimne, then Valletta had provided at least two-thirds of the Dark Faction's intelligence!

Moreover, even if people from other familias lacked brains, they at least wouldn't drag Finn down.

And within the Dark Faction, where lunatics were everywhere, let alone participating in planning, just being able to execute a plan properly without going berserk midway counted as an elite member.

Valletta truly needed a smart teammate to lighten her burden!

Having hostility wasn't a problem; didn't the Loki Familia and Freya Familia almost fight every time they met?

Nowadays, it's not about fearing god-like opponents, but pig-like teammates.

Because smart people can make deals and be predicted, but fools are completely unpredictable when they act foolishly!

Well! Let's test him!

"Eliminate us? Children nowadays are truly laughable. They know nothing yet dare to speak so boldly. Even the City Guild wouldn't dare say that!"

As if feeling slighted and indignant, Noah snorted and slightly raised his chin.

"That is merely because they are foolish. They leave their weaknesses and vital points right in front of everyone, yet they have no idea how to resolve them."

Valletta raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Oh? And you know? Don't tell me you're just guessing?"

"Guessing? Don't make me laugh! First of all, where does your food come from? Aside from those fat-headed idiots, there is no one else who could evade the Guild's inspections and supply you with provisions!"

Valletta narrowed her eyes slightly, her lips curling into a crescent shape.

Although Orario flourished and prospered by monopolizing magic stone craftsmanship, it could not escape the inherent flaws of a large city: due to a lack of farmland and a massive population, the food supply had to rely entirely on the outside world.

In this regard, even the Dark Faction was no exception.

While it was possible to create one or two small-scale access tunnels within the vast city, they were far from sufficient to provide the supplies needed for hundreds or thousands of people to survive.

The Dark Faction was able to obtain such supplies by relying on merchants.

These were the major merchants who reaped enormous profits by selling Orario's magic stone crafts across the world and bringing various goods into the dungeon city.

The only motivation that could drive these merchants to act was profit, and the reason they supported the Dark Faction was naturally the same.

Although Orario allowed the trade of various monster drops and the sale of magic stone crafts, it strictly monopolized the commercial circulation of raw magic stones.

This was because if a monster consumed too many magic stones, it would become an Irregular, posing a massive threat.

Even in the Dungeon, where the levels of adventurers were generally high, the appearance of an Irregular caused heavy casualties every time, let alone in the outside world, where combat strength was generally lower than that of Orario.

Monopolizing the sale of magic stones, much like prohibiting high-level adventurers from leaving at will, were both measures taken by the City Guild to prevent harm from being brought to the outside world.