"Whew… finally, back on solid ground. The surface really is more comfortable."
Akira muttered to himself, breathing in the fresh air of Orario as he emerged from the dungeon.
His first destination was none other than the Adventurer's Guild, a powerful and essential organization located within the heart of the iconic Tower of Babel.
The guild had been established by the god Ouranos—the first god to descend to the lower world.
It was through his divine might and tireless efforts that humanity had managed to resist the unending tide of monsters, eventually leading to the creation of Orario.
Deep beneath the guild lay a sacred altar. It was here that Ouranos used his divine authority to suppress the dungeon itself, ensuring that monsters would no longer emerge as wildly on the surface as they once did in ancient times.
For his efforts, he became known as the "Founder God of Orario."
These days, however, Ouranos had adopted a strictly neutral stance, refraining from granting blessings or favor to anyone.
As a result, the guild's workforce consisted primarily of ordinary humans—people without falna—ensuring that there was no bias within the guild.
The guild held authority over all matters related to dungeon exploration. It also possessed the most comprehensive information on dungeon affairs in all of Orario.
In a bid to reduce rookie deaths, the guild assigned advisors to new adventurers to guide them through their early journeys.
After taking a quick shower in the guild's facilities to wash off the blood and grime, Akira headed to the exchange counter.
He traded in two full bags of magic stones and received 20,000 valis in return. With the transaction complete, he stepped out into the city.
It was still early in the day, and Akira, with no pressing agenda, decided to take a stroll through the maze-like streets of Orario.
There was still so much to see—so many sights, wonders, and foreign customs waiting to be explored. A little sightseeing wouldn't hurt, especially after a battle-heavy morning.
Heading west from the Guild Center, Akira wandered toward West Street. He recalled that somewhere around here was the renowned tavern—The Hostess of Fertility.
"Ah, found it."
He murmured with a small grin, spotting the signboard adorned in common script—the very characters he had just started learning to read.
Outside stood a familiar figure, a gray-haired waitress welcoming customers with a soft smile.
Still, Akira had no plans to enter. Without Ryuu, Anya, or Chloe present, it was just another tavern. The only noteworthy figure inside was the tavern's owner, Mia—formerly a powerful level 6 adventurer.
Continuing his exploration, Akira came across a curious building—The Great Goblin Library.
Intrigued, he pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside. The interior was packed with bookshelves towering with countless tomes.
After paying a small fee, he picked up a local favorite: The Argonauts. He flipped through its pages, absorbed by the legendary tale.
Leaving the library, Akira soon found himself standing before one of Orario's most bizarre architectural wonders—The Ganesha Familia Base, otherwise known as "I Am Ganesha."
Yes, that was its official name.
Every coin the familia had saved had gone into this building.
The result?
A monstrous structure shaped like the god Ganesha himself, seated cross-legged. The towering building stood over 30 meters high, with its main entrance awkwardly positioned… right under Ganesha's crotch.
Needless to say, the familia members were endlessly embarrassed by this, and most avoided entering unless absolutely necessary.
Akira stared up at the absurd base and let out a snort, "I am glad the Stardust Garden didn't go with something like this. Entering under a god's crotch? That's just wrong. Now, if it was a goddess… maybe I could enjoy the breeze under her skirt. But a male god? No thanks."
His casual stroll brought him to an exchange and trade market next. Items of all kinds were on display—ranging from weapons and elixirs to raw materials and even furniture.
Just as he was about to head toward the Amor section, Akira heard muffled voices coming from a nearby alley.
"Hey, Lili, how about you lend us that magic of yours for a while?"
"You're just a supporter, right? You wouldn't want to get hurt to the point of being useless, would you? So why don't you hand over everything you've got on you?"
Curious, Akira peeked around the corner.
Two shady-looking men, clearly adventurers, were harassing a young pallum.
One of them held a weapon to her trembling body, while the other was ransacking her backpack. Tears welled in the girl's eyes.
"Tch, as expected. Barely any Valis. Non-adventurers are so poor. But hey, ten thousand Valis is better than nothing. Consider it a donation, alright?" The thug sneered.
They laughed as they prepared to walk away.
Seeing the scene that was unfolding before him, Akira narrowed his eyes. These guys weren't notable adventurers. They weren't even level 2s by the looks of it.
"Heh… and right in front of me too. Looks like it's time for a little justice."
From his backpack, he pulled out a hood and covered his face.
He stepped into the alley amd said, "Hey, you two! Over here!"
Startled, the thug turned—only to find a whirlwind-charged fist flying straight at his face. The blow hit squarely, sending him crashing backward in a heap.
"Who the hell—?!" The other shouted in panic, his instincts screaming at him.
But Akira had already teleported behind him. A swift kick to the head sent him flying into a wall, knocking him out cold.
Just to be sure, Akira landed a solid punch to each of their stomachs.
"Better safe than sorry." He muttered, brushing himself off before turning to the girl.
"You okay? Did they hurt you?"
The pallum girl wiped her eyes, finally realizing the danger had passed.
She said, bowing repeatedly, "I-I'm fine… they only took my Valis. Th-thank you so much for saving me."
Akira replied, scratching his cheek, slightly embarrassed, "Haha, don't worry about it. I'm just a passing adventurer. No need to remember me."
He then knelt to pick up her scattered belongings, helping her repack. But justice wasn't complete just yet.
Akira rifled through the thugs' belongings and found a tidy sum—30,000 Valis.
He handed 20,000 to the girl.
She timidly asked, "B-but… they only stole 10,000 from me. Why are you giving me so much?"
"Heh, consider it compensation for your emotional trauma."
Akira grinned and said, "Besides, now that you've accepted it, we're in this together—you can't report me!"
The girl giggled, blushing faintly. "T-then… could you escort me home?"
"Of course." Akira replied, waving it off.
Before leaving, he turned back to the unconscious thugs. He stripped them of their armor and weapons, leaving them only in their underpants and then destroyed the pile of gear and looked at the money in his hand.