On the Dungeon’s Eleventh Floor, several Orcs chased Fujimaru Ritsuka as he ran ahead of them.
Naturally, the one being pursued was not the real Ritsuka, but a clone created through his Noble Phantasm.
Just as he had done on the Sixth Floor, the clone lured the Orcs into a dead end.
Once trapped, it turned around, charged straight into them, and exploded.
The Orcs were reduced to charred fragments within the violent burst of flames.
Only after the fire completely faded did the real Ritsuka emerge from the shadows.
He collected the magic stones scattered across the ground and stuffed them into his pouch.
Feeling its weight in his hand, he nodded with satisfaction.
“That should be enough for today.
I’ve nearly exhausted my magical energy.” His Noble Phantasm combination was extremely useful, but Noble Phantasms still consumed magical energy.
As a mere Level One, even techniques with relatively low costs would drain him after repeated use.
“Besides, it’s almost time to meet my senior for dinner.” This was his first visit to the Dungeon, and he had mainly come to experience it.
He had brought no supplies—not even drinking water.
Now that he had spent enough time exploring, it was time to return.
However, Ritsuka did not immediately head upward.
He continued a little farther, crossed the Eleventh Floor, and briefly stepped onto the Twelfth Floor.
That triggered the system’s achievement for clearing the Eleventh Floor and rewarded him with another three Saint Quartz.
Only then did he turn around and begin his return journey.
Ritsuka could no longer remember exactly how many floors the Dungeon contained.
He only recalled that the anime had shown exploration reaching somewhere around the Fiftieth Floor, mapped by the Loki Familia, Orario’s greatest Dungeon explorers.
The Dungeon resembled an inverted pyramid buried beneath the earth.
The upper floors were the smallest, while each successive floor grew wider and taller.
In the lower regions, entire floors became vast enough for dragons to move freely.
Floors One through Twelve formed the Upper Floors and were suitable for beginners.
Floors Thirteen through Twenty-Four were the Middle Floors, generally explored by Level Two and Level Three adventurers.
Floors Twenty-Five through Thirty-Six were the Lower Floors, intended for adventurers above Level Three.
Even there, the higher an adventurer’s level, the better.
Floors Thirty-Seven through Forty-Nine belonged to the Deep Floors.
Even high-level adventurers needed a full party to explore those regions safely.
On his first day, Ritsuka had already mapped all twelve floors considered suitable for Level One adventurers.
He had only entered the Twelfth Floor and taken a quick look around, but that still counted as unlocking it.
In theory, the Fifth Floor and below were already unsuitable for ordinary Level One beginners exploring alone.
The monsters’ strength and numbers were more than most rookie adventurers could handle without a party.
However, Fujimaru Ritsuka was hardly an ordinary beginner.
He concealed his presence and ignored every newly spawned monster along the return route, refusing to waste time on unnecessary battles.
After a while, Ritsuka safely left the Dungeon and returned to the plaza outside Tower of Babel.
“Well, that timing seems perfect.” After several hours underground, he could finally see the sun again.
It had already sunk halfway behind Orario’s towering outer walls, marking the arrival of dusk.
“I should sell these magic stones at the Guild.” Ritsuka turned around and entered Tower of Babel once more.
This time, rather than heading into the Dungeon, he visited the Adventurers’ Guild office inside the tower.
It was where adventurers registered and exchanged the magic stones they collected for money.
The moment he entered, a familiar voice greeted him.
“Welcome back, Fujimaru Ritsuka-san.” “Hey, I’m back, Eina-san.” Eina Tulle was a receptionist at the Adventurers’ Guild.
Her preferred type of man was apparently someone slightly unreliable who inspired a woman’s protective instincts.
Unfortunately, Ritsuka was not that type.
Eina had handled his registration earlier that day.
As a result, she had also become the adviser responsible for all his future business with the Guild.
“It appears you didn’t encounter any danger in the Dungeon, Fujimaru-san.” Eina saw that not even a speck of dust marked his clothes and nodded in satisfaction.
As an adviser responsible for adventurers’ safety, she strongly believed that adventurers should never recklessly seek danger.
“Could you check how much these magic stones are worth?” Ritsuka handed her the pouch.
Eina accepted it and looked slightly surprised by its weight.
She opened it and poured the magic stones onto the tray before her.
The moment she saw them, her expression froze.
“Fujimaru-san, may I ask how far you went into the Dungeon?” “I reached the Twelfth Floor!” “What?!” Eina let out a sharp scream.
“You went all the way to the Twelfth Floor on your very first visit?!” Her cry drew the attention of everyone in the Guild hall.
“I told you earlier that adventurers must never recklessly endanger themselves!
Going to the Twelfth Floor on your first day was far too dangerous!” “Dangerous?” Ritsuka spread his arms.
“Do I look like someone who encountered anything dangerous?” Eina parted her lips but found herself unable to answer.
He did not merely look unharmed.
He looked as though he had not fought a single battle!
“Don’t worry, Eina-san.
I’m capable of judging whether something is dangerous.” “The Upper Floors aren’t enough to place me in any real danger.” Ritsuka’s relaxed demeanor made it clear that the exploration truly had not pressured him at all.
“Now, could you exchange these for me?
I need the money to buy dinner.” At Ritsuka’s urging, Eina gathered the magic stones and carefully calculated their value.
The final amount came to thirty thousand valis.
“You collected this many magic stones on your first day…
I can hardly imagine what kind of accomplishments you’ll achieve in the future.” Although Eina considered his actions reckless, his haul was undeniably astonishing.
Most Level One adventurers exploring alone earned only a few thousand valis per trip.
Some made merely a few hundred after an entire day.
Ritsuka had earned tens of thousands on his first attempt.
That meant he killed monsters with extraordinary efficiency while remaining so safe that they had seemingly failed to touch him.
Everyone could already see the makings of a future top-class adventurer.
The other adventurers had already been stunned when Eina mentioned the Twelfth Floor.
Hearing the value of his haul shocked them all over again.
They were all Level One, and this had been his first visit.
So why was he so absurdly capable?
Some adventurers, however, felt something was wrong.
The newcomer did not look like someone who had spent hours fighting desperately inside the Dungeon.
His pristine white knight’s uniform also looked extremely expensive.
He resembled a noble from some distant kingdom far more than an ordinary adventurer.
A suspicious thought entered their minds.
Had he paid an experienced party to carry him through the Dungeon?
Countless people across the world dreamed of becoming adventurers, and wealthy nobles occasionally came to Orario merely to experience the lifestyle.
The more they looked at Ritsuka, the more he resembled a rich client who had hired others to do the dangerous work.
Ritsuka did not care what anyone thought.
After thanking Eina, he collected his thirty thousand valis and left the Guild.
He was heading to the Hostess of Fertility to have some fun with his dear senior.
The adventurers watched him leave before quietly discussing the remarkable newcomer.
Many people throughout Orario were already talking about the reborn Astraea Familia, but most adventurers currently visiting the Guild had spent all day inside the Dungeon and had not yet heard the news.
Those who believed Ritsuka was a wealthy client rose and followed him outside.
A rich rookie carrying a large sum of money had appeared right in front of them.
They would never forgive themselves if they failed to take advantage of that opportunity.