DanMachi: The Epic of the Heroic Spirits of Emiya Shirou

After a soft sigh, Miyu turned her attention to another issue.

"So, brother, what's the situation between you and Ilya now?"

Emiya Shirou pondered for a moment, seemingly considering how to describe his state.

After a moment, he slowly spoke: "My words are those of a newly born god."

Meiyu: "..."

She took a deep breath and turned her gaze back to Ilya.

Ilya scratched her cheek: "Right now, I'm a god in this world, or according to my brother's standards, I'd be considered a great immortal (quasi-god)?"

Meiyu: "..."

Gods and immortals, what are these things?

A lot must have happened that she doesn't know about.

"Miyu, do you still plan to stay in this world?" Emiya asked softly, changing the subject.

Miyu shook her head, her eyes resolute: "Wherever brother goes, I will go."

Although the world is no longer destined to perish, it is no longer a place of belonging for them.

In this world, apart from siblings, there are no other bonds between them.

They had no reason to stay.

Emiya pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke, asking earnestly:

"Miyu, would you be willing to become my first family member?"

Miyu had no concept of the word "family retinue" and had no idea what it meant.

But this request came from the most important person in her life.

So, without hesitation, she answered, "I do!"

Chapter 377 The New Urban Labyrinth, the Deepest Level of the Underground City

Labyrinth City, Orario.

The stone-paved streets gleamed in the morning light, and a gentle breeze carried the aroma of freshly baked bread from the commercial street across the square.

Along the streets, wooden signs hanging in front of shops swayed gently in the breeze, making soft creaking sounds. Inside jewelry stores, gems and gold and silver ornaments on the counters shimmered in the morning light. Weapon shops displayed exquisite swords and shields, as well as gleaming armor. On the signs of these shops, the emblems of volcanoes and forging hammers were particularly eye-catching.

Inside the tavern in the alley, people were already talking and laughing loudly. Adventurers in long robes left their residences, stepped onto the stone steps leading to the guild, opened their yellowed quest sheets, and selected suitable commissions.

"Ding-a-ling~" The silver bell hanging at the door made a crisp sound.

An elven girl stepped into the jewelry store. Her short, wispy brown hair shone with a soft luster, and her azure eyes were as bright and clear as a lake under the sunlight. The girl was slender and tall, and her every move exuded the elegance and confidence of someone in a superior position.

"Welcome, Lady [Flame Rose], hello." A shop assistant immediately recognized her and greeted her politely.

【Flame Rose】Lefia Viridis, a Level 5, Tier 1 adventurer of the Loki Familia.

After upgrading to Lv.5, Lefia's title changed from "Thousand Fairy" to "Flame Rose".

Lefia, who possesses the Fairy Ring, is known as the "Magic Kaleidoscope" and can wield hundreds of types of magic.

Among them, the two most frequently used and most representative fire spells she employed were [Volley of Fire Javelin] and [High-level Sword of Victory].

The fire magic unleashed by the elven girl was like a magnificent sea of ​​flowers woven from flames. Layers upon layers of crimson petals swept across the land, carrying relentless heat waves. Every wisp of fire was a blazing blade, tearing through the air, scorching everything in its path, devouring everything that stood in its way, and turning the earth into a crimson furnace.

As she cast her spell, the light of the flames shone on her face, and her short, orange-gold hair flew wildly in the heat, like a rose blooming in flames, both beautiful and dangerous.

During a grand assembly of the gods, the deities who witnessed this scene bestowed upon her the title of "Flaming Rose."

"Hello, I'm here to perform weapon maintenance," Lefia said, taking out a staff.

The staff is silver-white with smooth lines, and a red gem is inlaid at the front, with deep red flames constantly dancing inside the gem.

The staff is called "Loki's Eyes" and is Lefia's main weapon.

Orario's jewelry store is different from the outside world. It sells not only luxury jewelry, but also magic gems, magical items, and magical equipment such as staves.

The price of these magical weapons is far beyond that of so-called "luxury goods" that are merely for decoration.

In fact, staves have the highest average price of all weapons; a high-quality stave can cost as much as a whole street of jewelry.

As for the [Vulcan's Gaze] staff in Lefia's hands, it's a national treasure-level weapon. The girl still hasn't finished paying off the debt for purchasing this staff.

"It's in excellent condition; you've used it very carefully." The shop assistant, who was also an appraiser for the Hephaestus Familia, said with a smile after a careful examination.

"Please wait a moment while I perform some basic maintenance on the cane."

Lefia nodded: "Thank you for your help."

The saleswoman took out a set of exquisite tools from under the counter, including a soft fire essence protective cloth, a bottle of clear conditioning oil, and a silver brush engraved with runes.

She first gently brushed the grooves of the staff to remove any dust or impurities that might have accumulated. Next, she lightly applied the maintenance oil to the staff and then carefully wiped it with a fire-resistant cloth to ensure that every inch of the surface received adequate care.

"Alright." After a moment, the shop assistant handed the staff back to Lefia: "That's fine."

Lefia smiled and thanked her, then accepted the staff.

Stepping out of the gem shop, the hustle and bustle of the street hit me.

This street is under the jurisdiction of the Hephaestus Familia, and all kinds of equipment shops line both sides of the street, from blacksmith shops run by dwarven craftsmen to magic workshops operated by elves.

After the Tower of Babel was rebuilt, the flagship store of the Hephaestus Familia moved there, where the equipment was of the highest quality; however, the high prices deterred many people.

In comparison, the shops on this street are not as large, but they also offer many high-quality items at reasonable prices. If you want to find practical and affordable gear, you should come here to browse carefully.

"Sister Alicia, I've taken care of things here," Lefia said as she walked over to her companion.

Loki Familia adventurer, Level 7 [Ice Rose] Alicia Forrestlet, is standing in front of the shop window of the neighboring equipment store, admiring an exquisite outfit.

She was tall and elegant, with long orange-gold hair cascading down like a waterfall, the ends of which were slightly curled and shimmered softly in the sunlight.

Compared to before, Alicia's hair has grown longer, from waist-length to knee-length, with smooth, watery strands that sway gently with her breath.

also--

Lefia secretly observed Alicia's chest, a hint of envy flashing in her eyes.

Alicia possessed the most voluptuous breasts among the relatively slender elves, and now, Lefia keenly sensed that Alicia's "stats" seemed to have increased again.

Hearing Lefia's voice, Alicia turned her head and brushed her long hair behind her ear: "It's still early, let's go get a cup of coffee."

Lefia nodded, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes: "Yes, let's go to the [Visher] Cafe. Although the location has changed, the taste is still the same."

At this point, a year had passed since the "Battle of the Black Dragon," and Orario had been rebuilt.

The newly reborn Orario boasts wider streets and more magnificent buildings. The elf girls have gradually grown accustomed to the city's new look and adapted to the new pace of life.

Throughout the year, the Loki Familia remained focused on their expedition to the dungeons. They advanced to the seventy-first floor, equaling the previous record set by the Zeus and Hera Families.

However, unlike in the past, while the monsters in today's dungeons haven't become weaker, the overall environment is no longer as hostile, making expeditions significantly easier. Therefore, many believe that the records of Zeus and Hera's Familia are still more valuable.

Now, Loki's Familia, like Zeus's and Hera's Familia before them, is blocked outside the gates of the seventy-first floor and cannot go to the seventy-second floor.

A "key" is needed to open that door; however, Zeus and Hera's Familia had already searched the area around the seventieth floor without finding any clues. Loki's Familia also tried, but to no avail.

As for the idea of ​​digging through the ground of the seventy-first floor to reach the seventy-second floor, both clans had tried it, but it was not feasible. The permafrost in that area was as hard as the hardest metal, "Dry Steel," making digging extremely difficult.

Moreover, even if some parts are dug up with great effort, the floors are restored at an astonishing speed.

Furthermore, it is uncertain whether they can actually reach the next level. During the last expedition, the Loki Familia broke through the ground dozens of meters deep, but still did not reach the seventy-second level.

As for forcibly breaking down the door, they had tried. But even when Riveria, at level 8, unleashed magic powerful enough to severely injure the black dragon, the door remained unmoved and completely undamaged.

Three days ago, the last expedition had just ended. At this moment, Captain Finn, Vice Captain Riveria, and Angie were working hard to investigate clues about the key. Meanwhile, Lefia and Alicia were taking advantage of this brief respite to enjoy a rare vacation.

Soon, they arrived at [Visher]. This was a café run by an elf, and its interior was decorated with a forest atmosphere. Lush vines wrapped around the wooden beams and pillars, and warm sunlight streamed through translucent crystals, making one feel as if they were in the depths of a tranquil forest. The air was filled with the faint fragrance of flowers and herbs, and the fresh scent of dew lingered in the air.

This is a favorite resting place for elves in the labyrinthine city.

In [Vishle], Lefia and her companions unexpectedly spotted several familiar figures.

【Starry Night】Ryu Ryo, 【Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox】Sanjou Haruhime, and 【Lijie】Aisha Belka.

Alicia waved to them and walked over.

"Ryu, long time no see. Congratulations on your level up," Alicia said with a smile.

【Starry Night】Ryu Leon, Orario's third Lv.8 adventurer, currently the strongest in the city.

Because of the "Battle of the Black Dragon," Ryu achieved a great feat that was enough to level up. Not long ago, her stats also successfully reached the critical point—Strength D, Endurance S, Dexterity S, Agility S, and Magic S. Ryu completed her upgrade with these stats.

After the upgrade, Ryu received three challenges from a fellow powerhouse, Lv.8 [Fierce Warrior] Ota.

In the end, Liu won all three battles, further reducing Ottara's already pitifully low PVP win rate.

Not only Ryu, but most of the adventurers who participated in the Black Dragon War gained achievements that allowed them to break through their own limits. Alicia was no exception, successfully leveling up to Lv.7 thanks to the achievements she gained in that battle.

However, not everyone can achieve a breakthrough immediately.

For example, Ais Wallenstein, the Sword Maiden of the Loki Familia, has already met the requirements for leveling up thanks to her performance in the "Battle of the Black Dragons".

However, the girl's stats were not high enough to satisfy Ais, so she remained at Lv.7 and did not level up.

As for the two adventurers who have already reached the pinnacle—[The Mighty] Ota and [The Queen of the End] Riveria—they are also stuck at Lv.8 and have not yet reached the next level.

As a pure warrior, Ota displayed astonishing combat prowess in the battle against the Black Dragon. However, Ota's fighting style limited the great achievements he could accumulate in such a massive war.

For him, more opportunities are needed to take him to the next level.

Riveria, on the other hand, had already accumulated enough achievements. However, due to "certain reasons," she had been recuperating for more than half a year, during which time she was unable to participate in expeditions, causing her abilities to stagnate.

Currently, Riveria's magic power has not yet broken through to A-rank, so she is not in a hurry to do so.

"Long time no see. Your expedition is over. How has Princess Riveria been lately?" Ryu asked.

Two months ago, Riveria finished her recuperation, returned to the ranks of adventurers, and participated in the Loki Familia's expedition.

“Princess Riveria is as perfect as ever,” Alicia said. “Moreover, with Lady Tiamat’s help in taking care of the children, we can go on our expedition with complete peace of mind.”

"I see... I'm so envious." Ryu gently stroked the coffee cup with her fingertips and said softly.

“Yes.” Alicia nodded seriously, and Haruhime sighed in agreement.

Knowing what they were envious of, Lefia remained silent and simply took a quiet sip of her coffee.

"Is that kind of thing... really that blissful..." Lefia lowered her eyes, her thoughts drifting away as she recalled Princess Riveria's smile from that time.

However, what impressed Lefia even more than Princess Riveria's gentle smile was Loki's state that day—he laughed so hard he could barely breathe, he was so excited he was pounding the floor, and he was so happy he wanted to run naked in the Familia's territory.

Lefia will probably never forget the goddess's almost ecstatic expression.

"By the way, Aisha, are you still with the Ganesha Familia?" Alicia asked casually, glancing at the Heroine opposite her.

“I’ve quit.” Aisha waved her hand. “The work of a military policeman is really not suitable for me.”

She raised her coffee cup and took a small sip: "Now that I've transferred to the Demeter Familia, I don't plan to change again in the future."

Not long ago, Aisha Belka successfully leveled up to Lv.5, officially entering the ranks of first-level adventurers.

With her strength, over 90% of Orario's Familias would be willing to accept her, allowing her to freely choose the most suitable ally.

However, she ultimately chose the Demeter family, which was the most peaceful and had the fewest restrictions.

Upon hearing this, Alicia looked enlightened. The goddess Demeter and Ryu were extremely close, and now that Aisha had gone to this clan, it was no wonder they were gathered together.

“I remember that time we fought against Black Goliath, it was all together,” Aisha said with a light laugh, her tone filled with emotion.

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent for a moment, their faces showing a nostalgic expression.

Back then, Ryu's title was "Swift Wind," and her level was only Lv.4. Now, she stands at the pinnacle of Orario, becoming Lv.8 "Star," the strongest adventurer in the city.

As for the others present, Alicia climbed from Lv.4 to Lv.7, Lefia grew from Lv.2 when she first entered the dungeon to Lv.5, Haruhime also jumped from Lv.1 to Lv.4, and Aisha herself went from Lv.3 to Lv.5.

Looking back now, I realize that it was a long time ago. Yet, the memories are still vividly etched in my mind, as if it happened just yesterday.

"How nostalgic," Alicia sighed softly.

also--

"I don't know, how is he?" Liu said softly.

In that battle, there was another person fighting alongside them.

He once stood in front of them, burning with a will more intense than anyone else's, facing endless and powerful enemies.

Chunji raised her head, her golden fox ears perked up, her voice firm and her gaze unwavering: "Master will definitely come back!"

“The goddess herself said so,” she added.