In the midst of the busy street, vendors filled the side street while all kinds of people come and go.
Male warriors with large bulking armor strode down the street, flaunting their weapons as if to show off their might.
Alas, he was put to shame when his foot hit a rock, causing him to tumble to the ground, which garnered the laughter of others.
While at other places, a group consisted of only girls could be seen at a street vendor, trying to negotiate some of the prices while flaunting their charm at the seller.
Unfortunately for them, the seller was not into girls, which caused the girl's group to be speechless.
Busy as it seemed, there were no accidents or any mishap happening on the busy street filled with all kinds of different races.
Humans, demi-humans, elfs, dwarfs and many different species gathered here in the city of Orario because of the existence of one particular underground labyrinth in the centre of the city.
The most known places in the city of Orario, the Dungeon.
And on top of the Dungeon, the tallest structure that could be seen in Orario, the Babel Tower.
At a different part of the street, a male dwarf handling his shop was glaring at a male adventurer that was trying to lower the price of a weapon that was sitting on a table.
"I WILL NOT LOWER THE PRICE." The male dwarf shouted at the adventurer. "Either you buy it or you get out of here!"
Even with all the noisy bantering of the sellers in the shop, no one was complaining or felt irritated by it.
In fact, all of this was part of the daily sightings people would see normally.
Not to say that they were numbed seeing this scene, but it was what made this part of the city of Orario.
Business was flourishing as sellers tried their best to sell their products, adventurers come and go, challenging the dungeon to seek fortunes and glory.
Such was the occurrence in Orario.
Back to the story...
Focusing at a place just south of the city of Orario, an old dwarf with a long dark beard could be seen hammering an iron ore on an anvil.
A furnace could be seen sticking out of the side of the wall.
The walls were built with bricks so the danger of starting a fire was little to none, since bricks don't catch fire easily, non flammable, which was a good material for a blacksmith to create his own house from.
On the scene, the old dwarf was hammering down on a piece of hot iron ore, which he had took out from the furnace.
Soon, the iron ore began to form into a shape.
With its length barely reached 30 celch, it looked like a short sword with a blunt edge.
Just as the old dwarf resumed his work, he saw a shadow of a person in his sight, cursing slightly since he was working.
He didn't want someone to bother his work time.
He looked and saw a boy was standing in front of him, wearing only a white shirt and a short pants, barely reaching the boy's knees.
"(Nice looking clothes, but such things are useless in the Dungeon.)"
And if he guessed right, this person was definitely a novice.
The old dwarf got straight to the point and asked the boy, "You want to purchase something or order some custom made armor?"
"Ah... no sir, sorry... I was just checking around..." The boy replied.
The boy showed a wry smile.
"If that's the case, move away! I'm working!" Said the old dwarf, feeling a bit annoyed.
"Sorry!" The boy said as he bowed down.
The boy moved away from the old dwarf, feeling sorry that he had disturbed the old dwarf.
And also scared of what the old dwarf might do if he angered him, not that he wanted to try his luck.
If he had luck to begin with.
Meanwhile, the old dwarf started hammering, though his eyes still went back at the boy's figure in the distance.
Seeing the figure of the boy disappearing from his view, the old dwarf started to think about something that was bugging him.
"(He doesn't seem to be from here?... Whatever! I need to finish up my work.)"
*clank* *clank* *clank*
--New Scene--
"(Ok... What! The! Heck is this place!?)"
What was going on!?
The boy stood at the side of the street, his eyes darting from left to right, intently looking at the weird spectacles that he saw in his sight.
"(I-Is that dog ears?! And that tail? And-and armor and...)"
He was baffled.
His mind was working at full capacity as he thought of this bizarre scene, looking at anything that might resembled anything that he knew about, like maybe his dad.
Not too sure what to do, he just kept watching at anything that he knew, or if someone knew about him, or maybe talked to him that this was just people dressing for like maybe, Halloween?
And he came up with a conclusion, based on the most convenient and easily accepted explanation that he himself could fully accepted.
This was all just a dream, since dream made sense, right?
"(Pfft! Of course! A dream! What else could this be?)"
Seeing people with cat ears, tails and other kinds of unique appearence, he doubted that he might be mentally ill.
Believing that this was all just a dream, he prepared his right hand and formed a fist.
Maybe the pain from the punched would jolt himself awake to reality.
He had dreams before and knew that startling things would wake him up, like falling from a height.
His right hand extended as far as he could and with a single swift motion, his knuckle connected with his cheek.
Moments later...
Many distanced themselves from a boy that was crouching on the ground while his hand covered his cheek as he writhed in pain.
Some were wondering what was happening, but soon, they lost interest in him as they thought that it was just some idiot.
Several minutes had passed, the boy wore a complicated expression as he started to realize the situation he was facing right now.
Tasting the bitterness of iron due to the blood inside his cheek, he was convinced.
"(This is not a dream... Everything is real... or maybe it was not enough?)"
He looked at his fist and flinched a bit at the pain he was feeling on his face.
"(Nope. The pain is too real.)"
The proof was there, and with a concrete proof (to him at least), he accepted that this was a reality.
Suddenly, his legs went weak, but fortunately, he managed to lean on a wall of one of the building.
Anxious, shocked, stupified.
But the most dominant feelings that he felt currently was fear.
Fear of the unknown.
"(What do I do now? For sure this is not a place that I know about? Did I teleported into another dimension? Did I died? T-this... Sigh... Ok! Calm down! Calm down... First, I got to get some information first. Yup!)"
He took a single deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Feeling the fresh... slightly fresh air, he felt his mind calming down as his body started to relax, albeit still shocked, but the impact had lessen.
With an objective in mind, he stood up and prepared himself to engage in a conversation with the people on the street.
Gathering information by socializing was one way to obtain some information that might help him to know more of this place.
As he took one step, a commotion had occured, attracting his attention.
People were focussing at something that was running on the street as most of their heads were looking at a specific direction, which allowed him to know the source of their attention.
He looked at the figure that was clad in red, running on the street, leaving a trail of red liquid on the ground.
That was when the boy's eyes opened wide.
Another shocking truth struck him again, halting him to a stop.
His mouth open and close just like a fish gasping for air.
"No way..." He muttered, completely immersed on looking onto the figure clad in red.
The boy in red was Bell Cranell, an adventurer, a hero, a fictional character in the 'Danmachi universe'.
He wouldn't mistaken Bell for anyone else.
Who would anyway?
"(Wait... Bell should be going to the Guild, right? Wait! I should follow him!)"
--New Scene--
A mighty building stood in the mid-south of the city, where adventurers came to trade their findings in the dungeon in exchanged for valis, the currency used in this world.
Instead of the basic door, a large hole was built in the wall of the building and thus, it became the main entrance for adventurers to come into the building.
The large hole also helped to minimize crowding as this building was an important place for adventurers to trade their crystal obtained from monsters for valis.
At that time, a female half elf was carrying a stack of papers, which looked like a hassle, and her expression could tell that.
Just from her appearance alone, one would recognized her as an executive of the Guild.
There was a name tag with the words Eina Tullen on her shirt.
"Eina-san!!!"
Hearing the familiar sound, she replied back, "Bell-"
Before she even finished her sentence, she started to scream, dropping the stacks of paper on the ground.
"EEEEKKK!!!"
Seeing Bell soaked in blood made her scream due to the visual impact, but fortunately, Eina still managed to hold on to her consciousness.
Seeing him in red while running towards her with his innocent smile, Eina was rendered speechless.
Suddenly, she exploded in an emotional way, her eyes radiated a fury like no other, that the people nearby were intimidated, even though they were adventurers.
"W-WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO YOU BELL!!!" Eina screamed at the boy in front of her.
His stature became smaller as Eina's voice boomed inside the Guild.
As Bell was being scolded by the female half elf, a boy went unnoticed as everyone's attention was solely at Bell, clad in red, which made for an amusing rumour or two.
Since the Guild was not busy, there were less adventurers that frequented in the Guild, and so it was easier for the boy to meet one of the receptionist.
"Can I register to become an adventurer?" The boy asked the receptionist.
The male receptionist looked at the boy in front of him, wearing only a shirt and a short pants down to his knees.
It made him wonder, whether this boy was stupid or brave.
He didn't see any kind of armor or weapons on him.
"Well, to start with... You're from which familia?" He stamped a paper as he questioned the boy.
"...I don't have any familia..." the boy said, prompting the man to stop working.
"...Oi oi oi... Don't joke around here. You're trying to be an adventurer without any divine blessing? That's just plain suicidal!" The male receptionist rubbed his forehead as he tried to think about the boy. "Find yourself a familia first, and then you go and find me again. Okay?"
"Okay..." The boy replied with a weak voice.
--New Scene--
A boy was seen walking from one place to another, seeking for a familia to join, since he was told by the receptionist to find one.
Seeing how vast the city was, he sighed.
"(Today's going to be a long~ day...)" He thought.
Walking around the city, he was quite lost due to how vast the city was.
He saw one of the deity and made his approached.
"Umm... can I join your familia?"
"Sorry, I'm not planning to take one for now."
Sometimes, the boy had mistook a person as a goddess.
"Can I join your familia?"
"I'm an adventurer... "
"Uwa! Sorry!" The boy seek forgiveness at the woman.
Sometimes, words such as "when you're strong enough, I will reconsider!" Or "get some item first." were being said to the boy.
The boy started to feel fatigue, plus, he didn't eat any food during the day, which left him with almost an empty tank in his energy.
Countless approached had been made by the boy, but luck was not on his side.
Unfortunately, he failed to join a familia.
It was not like every familia rejected his request, but the familia that was willing to take him in had some kind of a shady atmosphere surrounding them.
Although it was a good opportunity, for safety purposes, he gave up the chance.
He was not that desperate.
And now he needed to find another way to survive, since he was penniless, homeless, and lack of energy.
Time passed by as the sun slowly moved towards the horizon.
He looked a little bit pale due to the nonstop searched for a familia to join.
At least he tried.
The sun was setting down as the temperature started to mellow down, street light lit up, embracing the street with light, giving vision for the people in the cool night.
The moon rose up the sky, setting a serene sight for the people as the moonlight gave shadows to some of the tall buildings in Orario.
Stalls that were once filled with items and people were now empty.
Only a few people walked down the street, some were couples going for a walked, while others were just people strolling around to find a place of entertainment.
Since it was night, people that were passing by the empty stalls didn't see a pitiful figure, crouching down in a sitting position.
*rumble* *rumble* *rumble*
"(Uuuuuuu I'm hungryyy...)"
Pitiful as he seemed, his life was not in danger, it was only that he was hungry, due to not eating any food during the day.
Suddenly, the bright moon disappeared from sight as dark cloud approaches.
Immediately, rain started to fall down heavily, decreasing the already cool temperature further.
At that time, a small figure holding an umbrella was cheerfully walking by, humming a cheerful melody as her chest swayed from left to right and vice versa.
That little figure was none other than Hestia, the loli Goddess.
"Hum~ hum~ hum~"
And like other people, Hestia didn't notice a boy that was sitting under the rain, next to one of the stall.
Unfortunately, the boy was too preoccupied, and rather weak to give attention to his surrounding.
So, the two missed each other.
The boy looked up as the rains poured down on his face, and trailed off onto his figure.
And from the looks of the weather, the night would be unforgiving.
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