A ripple in space shimmered above a vast field outside a towering city, the air distorting before two figures emerged from the void. Kaide and Filyn landed gracefully, their boots sinking slightly into the soft grass. The sky above them was a vibrant blue, with a few wispy clouds drifting lazily overhead. Ahead of them loomed Orario, the grand city surrounded by immense stone walls, its centerpiece — a towering monolith known as Babel — piercing the heavens.

Filyn stretched, rolling her shoulders as she surveyed their surroundings.

"So this is the new world we ended up in?"

She mused, hands on her hips.

"Not bad. At least it's not freezing like Lowee."

Kaide took a deep breath, his sharp eyes scanning the city from a distance. The sight of Babel confirmed his suspicions.

"Yeah. . . We've arrived in the world of Danmachi,"

He said.

Filyn turned to him, brow raised.

"Alright, you're gonna have to explain. You obviously know something about this place."

She crossed her arms, her curiosity piqued.

"What exactly are we dealing with here?"

Kaide glanced toward the city gates, watching adventurers and merchants pass through.

"This world revolves around the Dungeon, a massive labyrinth beneath the city where adventurers go to fight monsters, grow stronger, and earn money. Gods from another realm — tenkai — descended here and created Familias — groups of adventurers blessed with divine power."

Filyn hummed thoughtfully.

"Gods, huh? So they're actually walking around and mingling with people just like in Hyperdimension?"

Kaide nodded.

"Yeah, But they've given up most of their divine powers to live among mortals. Instead, they offer blessings, which allow adventurers to gain skills and level up."

Filyn smirked.

"So it's like a living RPG. I think I'm starting to get it."

Then, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"You mentioned we were looking for someone — a smith, right?"

Kaide nodded again, turning his gaze toward the city.

"Hephaestus. She's one of — if not — the best blacksmith in this world, a goddess who leads the Hephaestus Familia. Her smiths create some of the best weapons and armor, and she herself is a master craftsman."

Filyn tilted her head.

"So what's the plan? We just walk up and ask for a meeting? I doubt a high-ranking goddess is gonna take time out of her schedule for a couple of nobodies."

Kaide frowned, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah. . . That's the problem. Even if we could just waltz into her workshop, there's no guarantee she'd be interested in talking to us. We need a way to either prove our worth or get someone influential to introduce us."

Filyn smirked.

"Well, you're the one who knows this world, Kaide. Got any bright ideas?"

Kaide thought for a moment. There were a few possible routes they could take — becoming adventurers and making a name for themselves, finding a connection within the Hephaestus Familia, or maybe even commissioning a weapon to get their foot in the door.

For now, step one was clear.

"We start by getting into Orario,"

He said, adjusting his gear.

"From there, we find a way to reach Hephaestus."

Filyn chuckled.

"Sounds like fun. Let's get moving."

With that, the two began their journey toward the city gates, ready to begin their adventure in the world of Orario.

|♪♪♪♪♪|

Kaide and Filyn had only just begun their trek toward Orario when rustling from the nearby treeline caught their attention. Kaide immediately halted, his instincts flaring as he subtly reached for his weapon. Filyn, picking up on his tension, clicked her tongue.

"Well, that didn't take long,"

She muttered.

Before either of them could act, a group of ragged-looking men stepped onto the road, blocking their path. They were clad in worn armor, their weapons a mix of rusted blades and crude clubs. The leader, a burly man with a thick scar running across his cheek, smirked as he rested a heavy axe on his shoulder.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

He sneered.

"A couple of fresh travelers heading toward Orario? Bad luck for you — this road belongs to us now."

Kaide and Filyn exchanged glances.

Bandits.

Filyn sighed, clearly unimpressed.

"Seriously? We haven't even been here for an hour, and we're already dealing with this?"

Kaide, however, was more focused on the way the bandits held themselves — not with the desperation of starving outlaws, but with the arrogance of men who had seen recent success. He kept his expression neutral as he spoke.

"We're just passing through,"

He said evenly.

"No need to make this difficult."

The scarred leader chuckled.

"Oh, but you see, you're exactly the kind of travelers we like — new, unprepared, and loaded with valuables."

His grin widened as he gestured toward his men.

"Take their stuff. If they behave, maybe we won't rough 'em up too bad."

Filyn sighed dramatically.

"You guys really picked the wrong people to mess with."

The leader raised an eyebrow.

"Big talk. But in case you haven't noticed, there's eight of us and only two of you."

"Yeah, and?"

Filyn smirked, cracking her knuckles.

"I like those odds."

Before tensions could escalate further, one of the bandits — shorter and wiry, with a nervous energy — whispered something into the leader's ear. The scarred man's expression shifted into one of amusement before he looked back at them.

"Well, ain't that interesting?"

He mused.

"Seems like you two might be worth more alive than dead."

Kaide's eyes narrowed.

"What are you getting at?"

The leader smirked.

"We got some time to kill before heading back to our hideout. Why don't we take our new 'friends' along? Show 'em our winnings from yesterday's little raid."

Kaide and Filyn tensed as the bandits closed in, weapons raised — not to kill, but to capture.

|♪♪♪♪♪|

After a short but frustrating trek through dense forest, Kaide and Filyn found themselves led to a concealed bandit camp hidden between rocky cliffs and thick foliage. The area was littered with makeshift tents, crates, and stolen goods. Several more bandits lounged around the camp, drinking and laughing as they went through their latest haul.

The leader swaggered toward a large wooden crate, prying it open with a dagger. Inside were bags of valis, torn adventurer cloaks, and shattered weapons. He grabbed a dented helmet and tossed it toward Kaide's feet.

"Recognize this?" He asked smugly.

Kaide glanced down at the helmet, noting the faded insignia of a Familia — likely belonging to the unfortunate adventurers these bandits had ambushed.

"Caught 'em right after they finished a fight with some monster,"

The leader continued, clearly proud of his band's tactics.

"They were exhausted, low on potions, and easy pickings."

He grinned.

"Honestly, they should've thanked us for putting them out of their misery."

Filyn's eyes darkened.

"You attack people after they've already fought for their lives? You really are bottom-feeders."

One of the bandits growled.

"You got a problem with that, lady?"

Filyn smirked coldly.

"Nah. Just making sure I know exactly what kind of scum we're about to beat into the dirt."

Kaide, meanwhile, was already analyzing their surroundings. There were over a dozen bandits, but their overconfidence meant they weren't properly guarding the area. Their weapons were stolen, their armor mismatched.

'If we play this right. . . we can turn this around.'

The leader, still oblivious to his mistake, grinned at them.

"Enjoy the view while you can. Once we're done deciding how much you're worth, we'll figure out what to do with you."

Kaide and Filyn locked eyes for a brief second, silently coming to the same conclusion.

They wouldn't stay captives for long.

Kaide and Filyn stood still, carefully observing the bandits as they laughed and celebrated their stolen goods. The two had already gathered enough information — now it was time to act.

Kaide subtly raised his wrist, activating his Dimenswatch. A soft, digital chime rang in his mind.

[Cloaking Function Detected: Party-Wide Effect Available. Activate?]

Kaide barely hesitated.

Activate.

In an instant, his body shimmered before vanishing completely from sight. Filyn, standing beside him, smirked as she too disappeared, feeling the effects of the watch's power.

The bandits, oblivious at first, continued their boasting until one of them looked over and froze.

"Uh... boss?"

The nervous bandit from earlier gulped.

"They just—"

He turned back to where their captives had been.

Only empty space remained.

"They're gone!"

Panic spread through the camp. The bandits stumbled over themselves, drawing their weapons and frantically scanning their surroundings.

"What the hell?! Where'd they go!?"

The scarred leader barked, gripping his axe.

"Check the trees! They can't have gone far!"

That was the last order he managed to give before Kaide struck.

From the shadows, Kaide lunged at one of the unsuspecting bandits, knocking him out cold with a swift chop to the neck. His body hit the ground before anyone could react.

Filyn wasted no time, appearing just long enough to drive her knee into another bandit's gut, sending him sprawling onto the dirt.

"Shit! We're under attack!"

The second-in-command, a bulky man wielding twin daggers, spun toward the noise, his instincts sharper than the others.

"They're still here! It's some kinda magic — stay on guard!"

His warning came just in time, as Kaide made a move toward him. The man barely dodged the first strike, countering with a fast slash aimed at Kaide's side. Kaide twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the blade before countering with a solid punch to the man's gut.

Meanwhile, the fourth bandit — a lanky but fast fighter with a long spear — whirled around, jabbing at Filyn as she materialized for an instant. Filyn ducked, feeling the spear graze past her cheek before she retaliated with a well-aimed strike to his ribs.

The rest of the bandits weren't as lucky. Blinded by fear and confusion, they swung wildly at nothing, leaving themselves open. One by one, Kaide and Filyn made quick work of them, knocking them out cold.

The second-in-command let out a furious growl, realizing they were losing.

"You damn—"

His words were cut short as Kaide appeared right in front of him, delivering a final, powerful kick to the side of his head. The man crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

The fourth bandit staggered back, panting.

"Damn monsters—"

Filyn didn't let him finish. She grabbed his spear mid-thrust, yanked it forward, and drove her fist into his jaw. He collapsed like a ragdoll.

Silence filled the camp.

Kaide exhaled, scanning the now unconscious bandits sprawled across the ground.

"That went smoother than expected."

Filyn cracked her knuckles.

"Yeah, but those two were a pain."

She glanced at the second and fourth bandits, unconscious but still breathing.

"They had decent skills for a bunch of lowlifes."

With the fight over, the two worked quickly, tying up the bandits with whatever rope they could find. Once they were secured, Kaide's eyes drifted back to the crates of stolen goods.

"We might as well take the loot,"

He muttered.

"No sense in leaving it here."

Filyn grinned.

"Now you're talking."

Kaide opened a few of the bags, confirming their contents — gold coins, potions, weapons, a safe, and. . . a book? He pulled it out, dusting off the leather-bound cover. A faint magical energy pulsed from within.

"A grimoire?"

He muttered.

Filyn peered over.

"Huh. Guess those adventurers they robbed were carrying something good after all."

Kaide stored the book away, making a mental note to examine it later. Then, an idea struck him.

"Dimenswatch,"

He said aloud, lifting his wrist.

"Do you have an inventory function?"

[Affirmative. Dimensional Storage Available. Would you like to store items?]

Kaide smirked.

Convenient.

With a thought, the stolen goods vanished into his storage, safely secured. However, he left the Familia-marked items behind, stacking them in a visible pile.

Filyn raised a brow.

"Not taking those?"

Kaide shook his head.

"These belong to the adventurers they attacked. We'll bring them to Orario's guards — the Ganesha Familia. They can handle it."

Filyn whistled.

"So we're playing the good guys, huh?"

Kaide shrugged.

"It gets us in the city without trouble, and it puts these idiots where they belong."

She grinned.

"Works for me."

With their job done, the two adventurers hoisted the unconscious bandits onto a makeshift cart, ready to deliver them to justice. Their arrival in Orario was about to be far more interesting than they originally planned.

Dragging eight unconscious bandits along a dirt road was not how Kaide and Filyn had expected to make their entrance into Orario.

|♪♪♪♪♪|

The sun had risen higher in the sky, casting long shadows over the winding path that led toward the city's massive gates. Despite the inconvenience, their mood was surprisingly light — after all, they had not only taken care of the bandits but had also secured a sizable haul of stolen goods.

Filyn sighed, adjusting her grip on the makeshift rope they used to drag their captives.

"You know, I feel like we should've just sold these guys somewhere. There's gotta be a market for trash like this, right?"

Kaide chuckled.

"Tempting, but I'd rather not start off our time here with illegal dealings. Besides, turning them in gets us brownie points from the Ganesha Familia's. It's better to be on their good side."

She smirked.

"Oh? Already planning on getting in good with the authorities?"

"More like playing it safe,"

Kaide admitted.

"We don't know what era we've landed in. If this is before canon, then the Zeus and Hera Familias might still be around. If it's during, then the Loki and Freya Familias will be running the show. Either way, making unnecessary enemies would be a bad idea."

Filyn hummed in thought.

"Fair point. But that brings up the real question — how the hell are we supposed to meet Hephaestus? We can't exactly just knock on her door and ask for a chat."

Kaide frowned.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that. The Hephaestus Familia is one of the biggest in Orario, but they mainly deal with forging weapons. We'd need some kind of in — either a connection or a way to get noticed."

Filyn raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

Kaide considered their options.

"We could commission a custom weapon — something high-end that only her Familia could craft. But that would cost a ridiculous amount of valis."

"Valis? Is that their currency? Either Way I Pass,"

Filyn said immediately.

"No way I'm blowing all our cash on a maybe."

Kaide nodded.

"The other option is proving ourselves. If we make a name for ourselves as adventurers, someone from the Hephaestus Familia might take notice. But that takes time."

Filyn rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, too slow."

Kaide smirked.

"The fastest way would be gaining a favor from a well-known Familia. If someone with influence introduces us, Hephaestus is more likely to meet with us directly."

Filyn crossed her arms.

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

Kaide gestured toward the bandits.

"This is a start. If we hand them over to the Ganesha Familia and help them out, we might get a chance to build connections. Plus, Ganesha is all about keeping order in Orario — helping them could put us on the radar of other Familias."

Filyn considered his words before nodding.

"Alright. That works — for now. But if we don't get results, we try something more direct."

Kaide chuckled.

"Like what, storming their forge and demanding an audience?"

Filyn grinned.

"If it comes to that, maybe."

The two continued down the road, dragging their cargo behind them. With a solid plan forming, their entry into Orario was shaping up to be more than just an introduction — it was the first step toward something bigger.

"Anyway, what was that cloaking you did back there?"

Filyn looked at kaide with annoyance.

"It would've been useful during the Mall attack you know?"

Kaide refrained from commenting since he was too busy dragging the bandits on the road. The girl fumed in anger as her companion ignored her concerns. One of these days she would make him pay.

|♪♪♪♪♪|

The sun had long since dipped below the horizon as Kaide and Filyn approached the towering gates of Orario. The lights of the city twinkled in the distance, a beacon of civilization amid the sprawling wilderness. The city's walls loomed high above them, and the sound of distant voices, chattering merchants, and the hustle and bustle of adventurers filled the air.

The bandits they had captured were growing heavier with every step, and both Kaide and Filyn could feel the weariness in their legs. They were close — so close to the city that they could almost taste it. But just as they neared the gatehouse, a familiar sight caught their attention: the guards standing tall in front of the gates.

One of the guards noticed them immediately, his sharp eyes scanning the group of bandits, still unconscious and slung along the road. He raised a hand, signaling for his comrades to approach.

"Hey! What's this? You've got a lot of people with you, and they look like they've seen better days,"

The guard called out.

Kaide and Filyn came to a stop, the sound of the bandits' dragging echoing in the evening air.

"We found these bandits outside the city, along with their loot,"

Kaide said calmly, gesturing to the unconscious men.

"They attacked a group of adventurers yesterday and took their gear."

The guard's expression darkened as he eyed the unconscious bandits more closely. Then, his eyes flickered back to Kaide and Filyn.

"Those look like the same men who've been causing problems in the city's outskirts. We've been hearing reports about missing adventurers. . . You two mind coming with us?"

Filyn raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean, 'missing adventurers'?"

The guard glanced at the others, and within moments, another squad of Ganesha Familia members arrived — strong-looking men and women who clearly had the experience of handling situations like this. The group of bandits was quickly collected, their hands bound and their bodies dragged toward the waiting transport.

"This group's been causing trouble for a while now. Disappearances near the guild's questing areas outside Orario,"

The lead Ganesha Familia member explained, his voice grave.

"We've been investigating for a few days now, but we were still short on evidence. This might just be the break we needed."

Kaide nodded.

"We're not looking for any reward. We just want to get them off the streets."

He met the guard's gaze.

"But if you need us for any questions, we'll cooperate."

The guard gave a respectful nod.

"We appreciate that. For now, though, we'll need you to come with us. The captain will want to speak with you. You've helped us, but there's still a lot to figure out about what this bandit group's been up to."

Filyn exchanged a glance with Kaide before shrugging.

"Sure. We're not exactly in a hurry."

With that, they were led through the gates of Orario. The path was illuminated by lanterns hanging from the walls, and the distant sound of the city's life continued around them. As they walked, Kaide couldn't help but notice the sharp-eyed Ganesha Familia members watching them closely.

The journey led them to a sturdy stone building that looked as if it had seen more than its fair share of action. Inside, a dimly lit hallway stretched out before them. They were led down into a small room with no windows — just simple wooden chairs, a table, and a few flickering candles.

Kaide and Filyn were guided to separate corners of the room, with a guard standing watch. The door shut behind them with a soft thud. The smell of ink and parchment lingered in the air, and Kaide glanced around, trying to get a sense of the situation.

"Looks like this is where we wait,"

Filyn muttered, casually leaning against the wall.

Kaide simply nodded, his mind still churning through the possibilities. They had already made an impact with the Ganesha Familia, but what else did they need to prove to get closer to Hephaestus?

Before he could voice his thoughts, the door creaked open.

|♪♪♪♪♪|

Chapter 13

Arrival in Danmachi

3347 Words

A/N:

I have no excuse for forgetting to update a 2 days ago other than I forgot since I've been doing another project alongside this. I would still be updating tomorrow eitherway.