The demon monk in the second dimension

And now the already expensive hotel and supply prices have almost doubled!

None of them intended to be taken advantage of, so they had already prepared various medicines and supplies.

The four men sat around a fire, on which sat a pot simmering a fresh creamy mushroom and jerky soup.

The dungeon not only produces monsters, but also many delicious vegetables and fruits that are not found on the surface, which are popular with many people.

For example, these mushrooms with a slightly creamy flavor are widely distributed in this forest and were freshly picked by the four of them.

Xia Zhi ladled out a bowl of hot mushroom and dried meat soup and soaked the prepared dry food, namely bread, in the soup.

Once the hard bread is soaked in the mushroom soup until it becomes soft and tender, the rich aroma of wheat and meat blend together. Taking a bite of the soft bread and then a sip of the tender mushroom soup, even Tiona, Ais, and Lefia, who are tasting it for the first time, show expressions of delight.

"Delicious! So delicious! I never imagined that bread that's so dry and hard, the kind you could use as a stick, could taste so good!"

Tiona ate the soft bread with a look of surprise on her face.

Xia Zhi glanced at the food stuck in the fire.

When they gathered, Lefia was carrying a big bag, and Xia Zhi wondered what was inside.

The result was creamy red bean flavored potato balls, large chunks of roast meat, a sweet and fluffy cake, and toast that tasted ten times better than dry and hard wheat bread.

As expected of adventurers from the Loki Familia, even their rations for entering the dungeon are so particular.

If Xia Zhi is alone, it's okay not to bring food.

The minotaurs are so big and fat that Xia Zhi can survive by drinking their blood and eating their flesh.

After enjoying the delicious mushroom and dried meat soup that Xia Zhi made, Lefia also shared the grilled meat she brought with him.

This isn't the salted jerky used for seasoning during the summer solstice. Instead, it involves marinating a whole piece of snowflake beef, coating it with honey, roasting it evenly over a fire, and finally wrapping it in parchment paper to protect its flavor from diminishing over time.

When heated slightly by the fire, a rich, sweet aroma of honey wafts out.

The fat melts and flows onto the surface of the roasted meat, sliding down the wooden sticks, making it incredibly tempting.

Xia Zhi estimated that even ordinary Loki Familia adventurers wouldn't use this ridiculously expensive item as rations after entering the dungeon.

It's probably because of the presence of Tiona and Ais, both Level 5, that the Loki Familia's mess hall prepares this kind of dry food that looks very difficult to make.

Amazonians don't have the concept of not speaking while eating or sleeping.

While eating the barbecue, Tiona praised Xia Zhi.

"Xia Zhi, you're really amazing. As a Level 1 adventurer, your leather armor is just ordinary stuff, but you didn't seem to get hurt at all when you dealt with so many minotaurs and silver-toothed lions. No wonder I saw you come to the dungeon without even bringing healing potions."

Xia Zhi thought to himself that this was because no matter what kind of injury it was, it was a minor injury that healed.

If I were seriously injured, I would basically die, and medicine would be useless!

"I often use my defensive skills and some techniques to withstand blows, at most I suffer some minor flesh wounds."

Xia Zhi cut off a piece of sizzling, fatty roasted meat with a knife and put it in his mouth, saying modestly.

"It works well against low-level monsters, but it's ineffective against high-level monsters or magic."

"At this rate, Xia Zhi, you'll be leveling up soon, right? You might even break Miss Ais's record of leveling up from LV1 to LV2 in just one year."

Lefia looked at Xia Zhi with some envy.

Because Xia Zhi had saved her before, she became much closer to him.

"I also want to upgrade as soon as possible."

Ais, who was sitting next to her, swallowed the potato ball in her mouth and nodded.

"Me too. I've been stuck at LV5 for a long time."

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Xia Zhi, as if Xia Zhi had a way to help her level up.

"You are all high-level adventurers, so leveling up is certainly not that simple."

Xia Zhi slurped down a mouthful of mushroom soup, chewed on bread and roast meat, and reminded Ais.

"You haven't leveled up yet, probably because you haven't accumulated enough merit. Try using the weakness attack I taught you to take on the floor boss of the next level one-on-one."

Chapter 216 Divine Encounters and Titles

"Shall we challenge the floor master?"

Ais remembered Xia Zhi's words and nodded silently.

For adventurers to level up, they must first accumulate at least C-level experience in every skill except magic.

Then you also need to achieve enough "merits".

For example, defeating a large number of monsters in a short period of time, or defeating monsters of a higher level than yourself.

For example, after defeating the Minotaur, Bell leveled up from LV1 to LV2.

Lefia opened her mouth, intending to say that it was dangerous.

Seeing Ais's resolute expression, she didn't speak, but just thought about it.

"When we get back, we should talk to Riveria's mother and ask her, or Finn, Grace, or the others to go with Ais."

The night passed quickly.

The next morning, after having fried potato balls and small cakes for breakfast, Xia Zhi led the three of them to the cenotaph of the Astrea Familia.

After realizing where they were, the three of them and Xia Zhi mourned silently for a while before packing up and leaving the eighteenth floor.

Ais and Lefia continued their exploration downwards, intending to stay on the 27th floor.

This floor begins to feature monsters comparable to LV3 adventurers, which are not too weak for Ais and can also help train Lefia.

The lily fairy was overjoyed!

Tiona still remembered that Xia Zhi had a bounty on her body, and she stayed with Xia Zhi.

The four stayed in the underground city for three days, and when their food supplies were about to run out, they decided to return to the surface.

……

Summer Solstice returned to Earth and found no one at home.

There was only a note left on the table.

"I'm going to the Divine Assembly. Look forward to seeing your title! (*^▽^*)"

Every month, the guild organizes a divine meeting where the gods discuss and bestow titles upon adventurers who successfully leveled up in the previous month.

Because of the gods' nature of enjoying a good show, the naming process will be exceptionally brutal.

It would be better if you got a title like "Heavy Hammer" or "Fast Sword" that you could at least accept.

What I fear most is being given despicable titles like "tomboy" or "sissy"!

Once a clan reports the level up of one of its adventurers to the guild, the title will also be announced.

That would be a social disaster where the title would spread throughout the entire Orario!

In this process, powerful clans will receive preferential treatment.

For example, no one dares to mess around with the Loki Familia, Freya Familia, Hephaestus Familia, or Gubernium Familia.

Otherwise, you'll be targeted in dungeons, or face exorbitant price increases when buying weapons and equipment!

But for some weaker clans, well, I'm sorry!

However, once the adventurer levels up again, the title will be reconsidered.

This kind of "title-based death" behavior only occurs at LV2. The gods won't play such jokes on LV3, second-tier adventurers.

In fact, several victims had already emerged before the title of "Summer Solstice" was even brought up for discussion.

The spirits of these clans cried out, "My child, the spirits have disgraced you," but they could not stop the shameful title from being bestowed upon them.

It wasn't until the guild staff brought up the topic of Summer Solstice that the discussion began.

"Astraea Familia, Summer Solstice, LV2. Adventurer registration period - ten days?"

All the gods then turned their attention to Astraea, and the scene fell silent.

Freya smiled at Astrea, her beautiful demeanor captivating countless gods.

"Astraea, it is your child."

Astraea smiled gently, radiating an aura of older sisterly tolerance, and nodded.

"Yes. So please be kind enough to do it."

All the gods know that, because of what happened five years ago, Astrea's Familia was basically destroyed, and she herself left Orario.

But for some reason, Astraea suddenly returned this time.

A spot in Orario, from the realm of the gods, is hard to come by. Aside from the one chance that every god is guaranteed, other methods require a considerable price to pay.

And is the "ten-day registration period" really true?

Is it really possible for someone to upgrade from LV1 to LV2 in just ten days?

The gods believed that although Xia Zhi had only been registered with the Adventurers' Guild for ten days, it did not mean that he had only received divine favor for ten days.

The other person was probably already a top-tier LV1 adventurer when they arrived in Orario, and they just recently leveled up.

As they were pondering, Loki suddenly spoke.

"Astraea, do you have any suggestions of your own?"

The hall fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

The gods were all puzzled.

Is Loki going to side with Astraea this time?

Upon returning to Orario, the Astrea Familia allied with the Loki Familia?

The gods speculated about a great deal of information, but dared not speak it aloud.

Astraea nodded to Loki and spoke.

"If you don't mind, then use [Swordsman]."

"A swordsman?"

The title seems strange to some.

"Does this seem to be closer to the title used in the immortal realm?"

"Summer Solstice? That name sounds like something from the celestial realm!"

The gods only sealed their divine power, not their intelligence.

When Astraea said that, they all realized that Xia Zhi might not be a child born and raised in the lower realm.

Takemikazuchi looked at Astraea with great surprise.

"Astraea, you actually managed to bring in outside help from over there?"

"It was Athena who helped me. She was worried that if I came back alone, I wouldn't be bullied without a strong enough kin. Athena also helped me get this spot."

When Astraea said this, the other gods understood.

Although Athena is not the queen of the gods in Greek mythology, she is exceptionally powerful and has a wide circle of friends.

For her, getting a spot in Orario and getting help from the Celestials who always looked down on Orario's simple and brutal monster-slaying leveling-up mode were not difficult tasks.

Once the "background" of the summer solstice is revealed, there are far fewer gods who want to cause trouble.

As is well known, protecting one's own is one of the fundamental elements of Eastern immortals.

You're having a good time now, but be careful! In a few hundred years, you'll be blocked at your doorstep by other people's parents and won't dare to come out, becoming a laughing stock in the heavens!

Even if some fearless gods intended to target them, they remained silent when they thought of the Loki Familia's apparent allegiance to the Astrea Familia.

Thus, the name of the summer solstice was established.

……

"A swordsman?"

When Astraea returned and heard the title, Xia Zhi, who was sharpening her axe, looked up and smiled.

"Perhaps the Sword Demon suits me better than this."