Danmachi: Adventuring Till the End!

Orsted and Hestia returned to the church and soon fell asleep.

When they woke up again, it was already the next morning.

Looking at the wisps of morning sunlight streaming through the cracks in the church, Orsted felt a momentary daze.

After shaking off the grogginess, he got up and went to the slightly run-down bathroom to wash up.

Living conditions in this world were far from comparable to those of his previous life.

At least in terms of dental hygiene, they were incomparable. 

The toothbrush, resembling a scrubbing brush, had bristles so hard that it seemed designed to punish one's gums rather than clean them. 

Despite his complaints, Orsted picked up the brush and began brushing his teeth.

After finishing his morning routine, Orsted approached Hestia's bedside. 

She was still deep in sleep. 

As was their habit, he wrote a note and left it on the bedside table before quietly making his way downstairs and leaving the church.

Before leaving, he always left a note for Hestia to reassure her. By now, she had grown accustomed to it.

This was an unspoken rule between Orsted and Hestia.

Orsted was cautious in nature, but it did not dampen his enthusiasm for exploring the Dungeon. 

After all, venturing into it was the fastest way to grow stronger.

For Orsted, who had been an ordinary person in his previous life, the obsession with becoming stronger was undeniable. 

What boy wouldn't dream of possessing immense power?

After leaving the church, Orsted made his way toward Babel. 

The entrance to the Dungeon lay beneath the massive structure, and it was the only known access point aside from the artificial underground passages in Daedalus Street.

Of course, there were rumors of other entrances—such as one sealed beneath the sea by the Poseidon Familia.

After a brisk 20-minute jog, Orsted arrived at Babel. 

However, he didn't head straight into the Dungeon. 

Instead, he made his way to the stores inside babel.

The previous night, Hestia had urged him to upgrade his equipment.

Orsted intended to make good use of the opportunity.

Though it was still early, the shops in Babel were already open. 

Orsted entered a familiar store—one operated by the Hephaestus Familia. 

Given Hestia's friendship with Hephaestus, it was only natural for Orsted to patronize this shop.

Despite the early hour, a few adventurers were already browsing the weapons and armor on display.

Orsted's arrival went unnoticed. 

He moved straight for a specific section of the store. 

The light armor he currently wore was part of a set, consisting of a chest guard, hand guards, and knee guards.

It was lightweight and far less cumbersome than heavy plate armor, making it ideal for adventurer like Orsted. 

The armor was a sleek silver-white, and he had grown quite fond of it.

The set he wore now was the basic version. 

If he wanted something better, he could simply buy a mid-tier version of the same design.

After picking up the new armor, Orsted approached the counter.

"250,000 valis," the shopkeeper said with a polite smile.

Orsted paid the amount and sold his old set back to the shop at a discounted price. 

Hephaestus Familia often recycled used equipment, refurbishing it for resale in a second-hand section.

This practice helped reduce waste and provided affordable gear for newer adventurers who couldn't yet afford good equipment. 

It was an unspoken agreement among the various Familias, and most gods tacitly approved of the arrangement.

Orsted left the store and made his way to the Dungeon entrance. 

By now, a large crowd of adventurers had gathered at the entrance. 

Orsted joined the throng and entered the Dungeon via the spiral staircase.

Once inside, Orsted went straight for the sixth floor. 

His plan was to advance one floor per day, pushing himself until he reached the tenth floor. 

If he felt ready, he might even venture as far as the twelfth floor.

But if he hadn't grown strong enough by then, he would stop and wait until he was prepared to tackle the thirteenth floor and beyond.

After an hour of navigating terrain, Orsted finally arrived at the sixth floor. It wasn't long before he encountered enemies. 

A swarm of kobolds and killer ants emerged from the walls and ceilings, quickly surrounding him.

With all his basic abilities exceeding S—and several even reaching SS—Orsted faced the monsters without fear. 

A brutal massacre ensued. 

The sharp cries of the kobolds echoed through the corridor as Orsted killed them down one after another.

The killer ants fared no better, their bodies littering the ground alongside the shattered remains of magic stones.

After more than twenty minutes, the corridor was silent. 

The ground was strewn with magic stone, and not a single monster remained.

"This floor doesn't seem to challenge me. Maybe I should move deeper."