Hello.

It is I, the Author.

I'm here to manage some expectations going forward and clarify some things.

First, while I am a fan of Danmachi and intend to keep this fic relatively faithful to canon in terms of lore, geography and whatnot, I have not read Sword Oratoria or played Danmemo. Or watched the Movie. (I have read the Oratoria manga, so I know some things but not a lot).

I am doing research while writing, but there's a limit to the wiki. So, there may be moments where I accidentally contradict some piece of worldbuilding I didn't know about or was too lazy to dig up.

Second, due to school I think it's unlikely there will be consistent uploads. This is like, seventh on my priority list.

Third, this is my first Danmachi Fic and my first ever on FF. I have no idea how things are supposed to go around here.

Fourth, I SUCK at tenses.

That's about it. Other than that, thank you for the reviews. They were very motivating and Ego-boosting.

Though, I'm just waiting for that one review which will absolutely destroy my writing, make me lose all my self-confidence and leave me a crying mess.

Chapter 2: Under the Invisible and Silent

"Oi, kid, are you sure you wanna get off early? We're still a bit from Orario."

"Yes, this will be fine, ThanK you!"

"Well, if you say so…"

As I wave the carriage off, I reflect on my off pronunciation at the end. Better practice more, I think.

After waiting for the carriage to head down the hill, I check no one's watching and head a little into the forest. Making sure to leave a path, I continue until I'm far enough from the road and proceed to hide behind a bunch of bushes and branches.

Alright, let's try this.

Taking a deep breath, I recite a mantra.

"Detach all sensations, thoughts and emotions, and grasp at the connection of souls, the mortal proof, and feel the connection the Gods above see…"

With a familiar, focused blankness, I grasp for the thread that extends from my soul and pull it closer, taking extra care with every tug to truly understand and experience the sensationless connection.

Once it gets close enough, I visualize a tug—a strong, but gentle and affectionate pull—and guide the end towards me.

…And sure enough, the next moment I feel the familiar weight of the Hestia knife on my hand.

Soul Calling—a special property of Soulbound weapons.

In essence, it allows the item to teleport to the user, usually where they use it most. For my knife, it would be my right hand. You can teleport it to other places in your body, but it'll probably be more difficult. It must be in contact with you upon teleport.

Now that I have my trusty knife in hand, it's time to call my other Soulbound weapon… well, I suppose it's a piece of equipment. The single-handedly agreed upon most universally useful equipment of the future that was also integral in our fight against the Dragon. A masterpiece of smithing and ancient magic, developed in collaboration between Welf and Fels.

Emboldened at my first success, this time I don't go through each motion, instead calling upon the memories of my years of experience and the instant-speed Soul Calling I achieved.

Using a familiar gesture—a tap on the neck with two fingers—I feel an instantaneous pull and afterwards, a soft, blanketing feeling coming to rest on my shoulders.

My only other SoulBound equipment: an All-Purpose Cloak named The Fleece.

A double-sided cloak with one black side and one white side. It has elemental resistance against nearly everything—fire, water, wind, electricity—and a similar level of physical durability, one that even surpasses the goliath scarf I had. It's only nigh-unbreakable so it can technically break, but currently there isn't anyone in Orario with the Skills to.

Alongside being all-in-one protection with nearly every convenient feature a cloak could have, including transforming into a scarf, cape and belt, it has two special powers.

One of which is something Fels called Soul Inhibition.

It's very simple. While I maintain contact with the cloak, no matter the side, the "light" of my soul will be inhibited—or covered—so that it's unnoticeable. Fels initially developed this feature to help me escape Freya, who can see the "light" of mortal souls.

And this cloak, which helped me against Freya before, will help me again.

By keeping it on, I should be able to avoid Freya's notice, thus allowing me to move around unwatched.

After adjusting the cloak, which is a tad too big for my current body, I drop the Hestia knife and do another gesture—a quick brush under my right wrist—and instantly, the knife appears in my right hand.

Good to see I've still got it.

Now prepared, I head back to the road and continue the trek to Orario, making sure to practice my pronunciation and adjust my sensations along the way.

I think my messy sensations may be a result of suddenly going from my adult, high-level body to my younger, unleveled body, in which case it's just a matter of adjusting.

Practicing knife swings on the way, I put one foot in front of the other and travel down the road at a pace I am completely unaccustomed to—in the future I would've blitzed by in an instant—but determined to walk this path, I continue on.

"…"

"…Yeah, it isn't as overwhelming the second time."

After paying my fee and entering Orario, I find myself being… ambivalent.

There's no awe—this is my home, after all—, no nervousness—I've encountered far too much for that— and no elation.

Just determination.

Passing by some shiny-eyed newcomers, I head off the main path and into the alleys. If I head straight down from the entrance, I'll cross paths with the Benevolent Mistress: can't have that. Even with the Fleece equipped, I should avoid Syr as much as possible.

As the various exotic, traditional and fledgling buildings pass by in a familiar order, I find myself reminiscing of my actual first day in Orario—bumbling around with wide-eyed excitement, nearly tripping over with glee over every little thing…

I was really excitable.

Even in the future I found the people's excitement and vitality—the Orario staple—to be very infectious, but right now, as I step further away from the main road and into the winding, shady streets, it all feels… distant.

I give myself a small pinch. This is no time to be distracted.

Now that I'm in Orario, there's one thing I should accomplish as soon as possible.

Refocused, I begin walking in earnest, flitting through the alleyways and streets with an experienced gait. Even with knowing all the shortcuts it's a very long walk, and it's only when sweat starts to drench my hair and back that my first destination comes into view: the Dian Chet Familia's pharmacy.

Finding a nice, shady corner to catch my breath, I give a glance around me. There's lots of people, as expected, and I have a few eyes on me from my white cloak. It is a very stand-out colour, so that's not surprising.

Now that I've found some shade, I take off the Fleece—making sure to maintain contact with my hand—lift my shirt and tie it around my hip, transforming it into a belt.

Now a bit less conspicuous, I wait in the shade for a while before going on the move again. After heading down a few more alleyways, I find a nice, hidden corner away from onlookers.

Alright, let's do this…

Making sure no one's around, I grab the Fleece and turn it inside-out so the black side is facing out—

And the instant I do, my arm—no, my whole body—disappears.

Perfect.

The Second special ability of the Fleece, Invisibility.

Activated only when the black side is facing out, instead of just becoming invisible it turns your whole body—including clothes—invisible. You can think of it as an aura of invisibility with me as the center.

And thanks to it being Soulbound, it only applies to me and no one else.

With these two abilities, invisibility and soul inhibition, I should be able to accomplish what I want despite my lacking dexterity.

Giving myself a slight pinch, the mismatched sensation I feel reminds me of the unbelievable situation and strengthens my resolve.

Well, let's do this…

As time passes and vitality fades, it becomes night. And as night came, so did silence as pubs began kicking people out and people returned to their lodgings to sleep.

Even in the sleepless Orario there were moments of silence, of quiet preparation, trepidation and expectation. And now, at the peak of night, this quiet time was approaching.

However, this faint silence should not be misunderstood. For even without the clear vitality of the day, Orario, even at its quietest, was alive. And one building stood out, alongside others, as clear proof of this fact:

The Guild.

It was a place that almost never knew silence. Even long into the ungodly hours of the day, even after all the Adventurers have gone to sleep and even after the sky turned pitch black, there was always someone. A guild receptionist of a nighttime species, organizing records from the day. An overworked, extremely sleepy guard, mourning the lack of progress with his favourite guild receptionist. A party who just returned after losing track of time in the deep winding expanse of the dungeon, dragging themselves to the guild to submit a request before the deadline. A workaholic, sleeping in the office to avoid returning to her messy, lonely apartment.

Even in near pitch-darkness, lit only by scant candles and light crystals, the Guild was very much alive. After all, the Guild was known as one of Orario's unsleeping pillars, alongside the Pleasure Quarter and the Dungeon. Active throughout and ever constant.

Of course, that did not mean it wasn't quiet.

And on this very day, at the most silent hour of Orario, a certain White-Haired boy stepped into the Guild.

A large portion of the reception hall was vacant and pitch silent, exuding a delicate atmosphere that could be pierced with a single sound. Yet, somehow, the boy seemed to meld right in, simply passing through as if he wasn't there.

With silent steps he carefully pushed and prodded a receptionist's desk with his gloved hands, doing so for a few minutes before moving on to the next desk. He continued doing this until he found one that seemed to satisfy him, and after peeking over to inspect papers scattered about, he slowly lifted himself over.

He was slow. Impossibly slow, to the point of near-stillness. However, once he crossed the gap, he moved quickly, stepping on one uncovered portion of the desk before letting his foot down on the floor.

He moved faster after crossing the threshold, no longer forced to blend into that silent atmosphere. Here, there were workers filing papers, accountants counting up cores and currency, profilers organizing Adventurer records… silent work, but work nonetheless. And among the meek sound of filing paper, his own meek footsteps blended in.

He made his way across the meder-tall filing cabinets with a knowing stride that seemed confident in its destination. Such so that he passed several Guild Workers without even breaking stride, only sparing a half-second, cautious glance.

He moved so naturally and confidently, as if he belonged and even owned the place. It was to the point that, even if he weren't invisible, his sheer nonchalance would've excused his presence to the more inattentive or unquestioning Workers.

And in his confident stride, he soon passed the filing cabinets and reached the Guild backrooms, a place of infinite documentation that could make even the most dedicated scholar go insane.

Flitting past several rooms, he boy found himself descending a wide flight of stairs. Unlike the rest of the Guild, this place was lit exclusively by candles and was composed of bricks that unevenly protruded in places.

It reeked of age. A smell and atmosphere that made one uncomfortable, whether out of respect for its history or from the palpable magnitude of its longevity. The Guild Workers certainly found it unnerving and preferred to keep away, though none dared to criticize the place.

All this, and it was only a stairway. A dimly lit, almost decrepit stairway at that.

All this, just from coming somewhat near the residing place of a certain Deity.

Even the boy—who was in reality a man with experience rivaling legends—found himself slowing down despite his hurry.

These stairs were not for something so… mortal as running.

And so, the boy walked down the winding, ancient stairway until the light of the crystals faded far behind him, and by that time…

He reached his destination.

And immediately, he went down on one knee and took off his cloak, revealing himself to the silent God.

He knew that, even without the cloak, there was no way Freya could see him down here. Not in his chambers, and not in his presence.

A deity over two meders tall when standing, he excluded an intensity, a presence and a divine authority that were in a league of their own, unmatched by other deities. And under his gaze, which showed the barest of movement, the boy bowed.

"Lord Ouranos, forgive my intrusion."

He began tentatively but dared not to stop, for he knew he would have to make his point quickly. Otherwise, the familiar presence flitting by the roof would certainly crush him dead or, more likely, lock him up.

"My name is Bell Cranel, and I—

Daring to take a glance, he looked up and locked eyes with the imposing deity, trying to convey whatever honesty and truth the God couldn't already tell.

—have come from the future."

"…"

A thick silence surrounds me as Ouranos-sama meets my eyes and words directly but does not respond.

However, can tell Fels, at least, is stirring from the roof.

Either way, I have to continue. The fact that a Mortal cannot lie to a God is decent proof, but now I have to prove I'm not crazy.

"Please observe this cloak and knife." I say, calling the Hestia Knife into my hand and laying them both down on the ground. "These are articles I owned in the future and are connected to me by my soul. When I woke up in this time, just four days ago, I found I could call them, and they appeared as you can currently see. This equipment uses techniques and knowledge from the future, and there likely isn't a single comparable article in this time."

I point to the Fleece. "This cloak, in particular, was made in collaboration with Fels and has the ability to turn me invisible and cover the light of my soul."

I point to the Hesita Knife. "And this knife was crafted by Hephaistos-Sama, by the request of my Goddess. Though I do not have the sheath with her signature on it, she would most likely recognize it as her own work."

I stand up.

"Lord Ouranos, I come bearing information: knowledge about the dungeon and what is happening at the lowest floors. Information about the One-Eyed Black Dragon and what it has been doing the past 1000 years. Information about a new threat, one that has its sights pointed at the Gods themselves."

"I understand I sound unbelievable and insane, but please, observe these articles, observe my words and even my soul, be it necessary—and I beg of you, please listen to what I have to say."

"All I wish for, Lord Ouranos, is to protect my family and defeat the enemies that threaten Orario and the whole world by proxy."

"Please, Ouranous-sama, protector and administrator of the Genkai—"

"Please, heed my words."

As I go silent, head down, neck outstretched, vulnerable in betrayal of all my instincts, an internal mess of nervousness—

In this clutter of emotions and silence, I see a hand reach for the cloak and knife.

Fels.

Picked up, they silently turn in Fel's ghostly, draped hand as eyeless sockets inspect every last inch of them.

Eventually, Fels turns to face Ouranos-sama and gives what I can only assume a nod—though I feel there was more communication, a secret language between two ageless beings.

"…"

I look up to face a set of eyes. Piercing. Massive. Powerful. Quiet. Silent.

Wise.

"…You speak the Truth."

And finally, after so long, I'm greeted by the familiar sound of Ouranos-sama's voice.

"However."

"Something eludes your mention."

"Why."

"Have you broken in alone?"

"Is your Goddess not Trustworthy?"

After he finishes and leaves a clear pause for my response, I get up.

Certainly, if I had joined Hestia-sama's Familia first, told her about everything then hand her lead me to Ouranos-sama, I could've avoided all of this.

However… I can't.

"Ouranos-sama, the answer is simple."

I can't. Not in good conscience. Not while knowing everything that comes after. Not when she doesn't even remember who I am.

"I…"

I can't subject her to that danger. Especially since, at this time, she doesn't even know me. I can't, when getting involved with me might possibly be a death sentence. Not when I promised to protect her.

That's why I…

"…wish to join the Ouranos Familia."

…can't join the Hestia Familia.

Future Profile: The Fleece

All-purpose protective equipment with resistances against nearly every element imaginable, alongside impressive physical durability.

The original prototype was developed by Welf Crozzo and was first used by Bell Cranel.

It is said Welf Crozzo combined the likes of undine cloth, salamander wool and Goliath cloth to make the first prototype, giving it physical durability and resistance to fire and aquatic elements.

The method he used to meld these materials in such perfect synergy is unknown, and no smith has ever been able to replicate it. Thus, it is suspected his Crozzo bloodline was integral to the process, though in what way is a secret known only to the Hestia Familia.

At the request of the Guild, Welf Crozzo began mass production of the Fleece to outfit the High-Tier adventurers who would fight against the Black Dragon and the Scarless. It is during this period—though this part is not public knowledge—that the smith began working in collaboration with the Sage Fels. It was through their collaboration, alongside guild funding, that the improved Fleece, with nearly every imaginable resistance, Invisibility and Soul Inhibition was created.

However, due to the cost of production, not every cloak was outfitted with Invisibility and Soul Inhibition. The cloaks with these additions, nicknamed the Golden Fleece among knowers, were only given to trusted individuals and were SoulBound to each one of them. Most only possessed standard-issue Fleece with elemental resistance and physical durability.

For the Familias taking an active role against the Scarless, secondary members were outfitted with a standard-issue Fleece cloak alongside another cloak that provided lesser invisibility and soul inhibition. These secondary invisibility cloaks were tied to a specific Familia and could only be used by its members, a smithing technique inspired from Bell Cranel's Hestia Knife.

This Familia-tying technique, later coined Yiothesia, was also applied to standard-issue Fleece to prevent them from being stolen by the Scarless. However, the Yiothesia process proved ineffective at reducing the physical attributes of an article when used by a non-Familia member. Thus, articles of Fleece were still stolen and used by the Scarless, though it was slightly less effective in their hands.

As for the Golden Fleece, the Scarless have only managed to steal one article.

The Fleece is completely ineffective against the Black Dragon's flames and Claws.