Chapter 6: Cornucopia

A different type of wave greeted Hit as he made his way into the bustling establishment, this time a pleasant one. A cornucopia of lovely aromas soothed his senses and washed away the slimy feeling he got from his most recent stalker. Waitresses, dressed in frilly green and white uniforms, flittered between tables. Groups of people sat eating, playing games, and swapping tales.

*Grrrr...* Hit's stomach grumbled.

The food he could see was not unfamiliar to him; it was nearly identical to the dishes in universe 7. Earth food was renowned as the tastiest in the universe; it had even managed to tame a god of destruction into more of a housecat. Hit's sustenance at the orphanage was not terrible, cosmically speaking; however, since most of the universe's inhabitants consumed insects and raw vegetation, that was not a compliment.

One of the waitresses approached Hit, a friendly smile on her face, and a serving board clutched to her chest. "Hello Sir! Welcome to the Hostess of fertility! Where would you like to sit tonight?" She tilted her head innocently.

"Anywhere is fine". Hit was eager to finally take a load off. He had been traipsing around the countryside and Orario all day. A cold shiver slinked down Hit's spine at the woman's gaze, likely an aftershock of his recent stalker.

"Okay! Leave it to me!" The waitress turned around, silver hair awhirl. "Seating one!"

After presumably notifying her supervisor, the girl led Hit to a seat at the front of the restaurant, near the counter. She moved the serving board to her side, dexterously, and pulled a notepad out of her apron. "I'll be serving you tonight, Sir! Syr Flova, a pleasure to meet you."

The former assassin nodded. He had seen the menu, yet did not recognise any of the dishes. "Get me whatever you recommend, and a strong drink".

"Right! I'll be back with your order shortly". The girl took his order form towards the kitchen, a pep in her step.

Once Hit was alone, he carried out his main goal in coming here: eavesdrop on everyone. Akin to meditation, he sat with his eyes closed and arms crossed for some time.

.

..

…

Despite the cacophony around him, Hit managed to pick out some juicy rumours and gossip. The people around him seemed to call themselves 'adventurers' and bragged about their 'statuses' and 'levels'. One feline woman seemed adamant she was close to 'level 2' and achieving the rank of 'high class adventurer'.

Another group competed over who earned the most valis for the day, a Chienthrope coming out on top since he found a 'goblin drop item'. His comrades whinged, and argued that that did not count, as he turned in less 'magic stones' at the guild building.

Off on a faraway table, a young boy whinged that he was still too young to start adventuring. His supposed parents, who seemed rather irresponsible for bringing the youngster into a tavern, promised he could register at the guild on his sixteenth birthday.

Humorously, hit had already begun to cultivate his mythical status here.

"Did you hear? They caught that serial killer..."

"Yeah, apparently, he was raving about a red eyed demon. What a lunatic!"

Hit nodded. In summary, adventurers delved into the dungeon each day to kill creatures who produced stones. These could be exchanged for monetary compensation at the guild building; however, registration was required. Adventurers therefore drove the world economy. 'I wonder what they use the stones for. Energy?'

The few streetlights he passed were not illuminated with fire, and this world was not advanced enough to generate electricity.

Hit attempted to connect the various terms to each other. Perhaps adventurers used the stones or 'drop items' to 'level' themselves up, gaining strength as they dived deeper. He also noticed that the waitresses who scampered around him were far more than they seemed. They were difficult to track, even with his perception.

All except one.

The silver haired waitress placed a steaming plate on Hit's table, bursting with freshly made food. "Here you are, Sir! Tonight's special: citrus roast duck and roast potatoes."

Hit scanned the assortment to make sure nothing was amiss. Satisfied, he replied. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Sir! Let me know if you need anything else!" Syr bowed and left him to enjoy his food.

"I thought I asked for a drink". Hit was not too impressed with the service.

*Bang*

A thud made him look up from his search, as a tall burly woman placed a tankard next to his plate. She wore a blue shirt under her apron, as opposed to the green ones worn by the others. The uniform seemed to strain at the seams in places: she was quite robust.

"Here y'are boyo. I was gonna give you this earlier, but you looked like you didn't want to be disturbed". Her voice was deep, a perpetual smirk on her face.

Hit grasped the mug, pleased it felt nice and cool. "Thanks." He brought it up to his mouth and took a sip. 'Ahhhh... The journey was worth it just for this'.

Hit was supremely grateful that alcohol was not restricted to people of a certain age here.

The towering woman picked up an empty glass and began wiping it down. "Not very talkative, are ya? You a new adventurer? Ya seem a little too young; shouldn't you be with an adult?"

A tick mark appeared on Hit's forehead. "I am an adult."

The woman grinned. "Touchy too... You know Syr? Don't see her this enthusiastic very often..."

Hit looked at her uncaringly. "No." He dismissed her presence and went to pick up his cutlery. "Now if you don't mind, I enjoy eating my meals in peace."

The sturdy woman chuckled at his sternness and went to pour someone else a beverage. "Fine, fine...".

Hit cut a piece off the roast bird on his plate and tasted it. His eyes widened. 'This is delicious! I should have dined when I visited Earth.' He struggled not to lose his composure as he quickly devoured his meal. When the plate was bare, he put his knife and fork down and sat back, humming contentedly.

His bubbly waitress appeared behind him, yet again. "Finished already? I'm glad you liked it!"

Hit nodded. "It was the best dish I have ever savoured".

Syr smiled brightly at this. "We aim to please! Our chef Mary is the best in all of Orario!" A brief awkward pause passed. Their personalities were quite distinct.

"May I sit next to you?". Syr gave him puppy-dog eyes.

Hit was in a very good mood, since his meal was quite filling. 'I guess she might know something useful. I can't arouse suspicion though'. "Do what you want". He allowed her request.

"Thank you!". Syr sat down gently, her long skirt cascading around the chair.

Floorboards creaked as the bartender rejoined them. "Syr, why are you sat with a customer?" The imposing woman looked at her petite waitress, sternly.

Syr brought her hands together in prayer. "It's my break Mama. Can I please sit here... Just for today?"

She gave 'Mama' a pleading look that forced her to finally give in. "Fine."

Syr relaxed into her seat. "Than..."

"But you're working two shifts tomorrow." Mama cut in before the overworked girl could show her gratitude.

The poor girl's shoulders drooped. "Yes Mama..."

"Good." Her supervisor walked off and gave the two some privacy.

Hit began the conversation, a rarity for him. "That was your mother, I take it?"

Syr laughed, covering her mouth. "Hahaha! No, no... She's my boss! Her name's Mia Grand, but we call her Mama Mia".

Hit took a swig of his drink. "My condolences..."

The girl recovered from her laughing fit and acknowledged Hit's sympathy. "Thanks, but it's not that bad; I love working here after all!".

The former assassin wasn't all that convinced, since he had never stayed in one place for long. "This place would bore me quickly".

Syr shook her head. "There's something new to look forward to every day! The more people that gather in one place, the more amazing stories I get to hear."

"Gossipers have their uses." Hit had learned a lot from these drunkards. Thankfully, at least when the agent's effects were harmful, Hit was highly resistant to drugs and poisons. Mithridatism, the consumption of increasing doses of poisonous substances, had conferred this property to his new body. He still enjoyed the taste of beer and wine though.

Syr held a finger to her lips in thought. "I guess so... Are you new here Mr..."

... A brief pause ticked by.

"Hit. You can call me Hit", the mysterious boy picked up where she left off.

"Hit... That's an unusual name. Or is it your alias?" Syr tilted her head, confused.

'Another unknown term. I'll just have to roll with it'. Hit really wished there was a library he could seclude himself in. Hit took another sip. "It is what you can refer to me as. Nothing more."

"Oooohh... Mysterious. Hehe". A name that sent shivers down the spines of billions now had virtually no effect, eliciting giggles from his conversation partner.

Hit frowned, yet pushed himself to keep the chat going. "...Yes, I'm a relatively new adventurer here. This place is impressive... it must have a rich history". 'Something vague should get this chatterbox going', Hit thought shrewdly.

It seems his plan worked as Syr launched herself into a monologue. "Yes, it does! Most of the city was built by unblessed humans thousands of years ago. The tower used to be pretty small, but the gods blew it right up!" She demonstrated the explosion by moving her hands outwards from an imaginary epicentre.

Hit scoffed to himself. 'As flashy and uncaring as ever... I would appreciate their powers being sealed, if it weren't for the fact that they're utterly worthless as rivals. A half measure would have been nice.'

Syr finished her brief history lesson, a distant look in her eyes. "Then the gods made the one we see today, using their arcanum".

Hit's interest was piqued by her last word. 'Arcanum? Must be a power restricted to the gods here. Or maybe an ability similar to the supreme Kais' creation. I'll have to investigate that.'

Hit decided to get an answer to his most pressing query. "Does anyone live near the top? Or is it just more of the usual facilities?" He obviously had no idea what the usual facilities were, and simply phrased his questions to make them sound natural.

Syr thought for a moment. "I think it's just homes for the gods past the eighth floor. If you're talking about the highest storey, that would be Goddess Freya's home. She runs the most powerful familia in Orario."

Hit's crimson eyes flashed. 'A Goddess. That pressure wasn't normal, it was an ability of some kind. Shouldn't something like that be sealed away?' Hit thought back to Champa's reaction when his team lost the tournament of destroyers. The fat cat saw mortals as nothing but toys to bat around, threatening to dispose of them in his temper tantrum. 'Hmph. It was a mistake to think the gods here would keep their promises or hold a shred of honour.'

Champa's volatile response was partially Hit's fault, he admitted, sheepishly. How could he have known that that Monaka fellow would be so weak?

Back to reality, Syr took the reins of the conversation. "Why do you ask?" Her 'innocent girl' persona dimmed a little as she took a more serious look; only someone as experienced as Hit could tell the minute difference.

He ignored her change in mood. "Just curious; It gets monotonous living here".

Syr regained her joviality. "I see... Moving back to you, Mr Hit, what brought you here? What familia did you end up picking?"

Hit quirked a brow. 'Familia...? Sounds like a word for family... I'll force some details out of her.' "I came here to seek strength. As for my familia... Why do you ask? This is a place of rest; shouldn't we forget about our commitments?" Hit faked a puzzled look to complete the ruse.

"Well, this is definitely the best place in the world to get stronger!", Syr remarked; it was the only dungeon city in the world after all. The waitress' brow furrowed, and her eyes reflected a sense of concern for Hit's well-being. "Does your familia stress you out? Choosing a good one is super important! From the god you serve, the kind of work you do, to the people you work with. It's a huge decision!"

Hit's eyes sparkled. 'Bingo. Looks like they're just groups these 'adventurers' work in. They serve gods? Doesn't sound very appealing...' Hit felt that he had a pretty good picture of what life was like in this city now, at least on the surface.

He gave a noncommittal answer to the girl's question. "I guess I do regret it somewhat. I'll have to make a decision soon." However, Hit was rather contemplative on the inside.

'I want to do some more research before I involve myself, in any way, with these 'familia'. How am I going to make money here without being an adventurer though? Damn, I should have taken that elf bastard's wallet.'

Syr leaned towards Hit a bit and lowered her voice, as if she was telling him a secret. "Well, you can always talk to the guild if you want to switch over; only one god's consent is needed. If you want to get stronger, ask for a list of the strongest familia."

"Thanks for the advice". Hit became more wary of the young girl's presence and shied away, making Syr giggle.

He thought of what to ask her next. 'There's still my money issue... I only have around 5500 valis on me. If I sneak into the dungeon, I could get some of those stones, but how would I exchange them without being registered to a familia?'

Hit was experiencing with the underground networks of many planets in his universe, often having to track down mob bosses and human traffickers embedded within them. 'Maybe there's a fence I can use to trade illegal goods. Now... What would be the best place to hide clandestine activities here...'

Hit's eyes twinkled. 'The dungeon! It must be nearly impossible to maintain order down there. There must be some sort of outpost.'

Something moved rhythmically in Hit's vision.

"Mr Hit?... Are you there, Mr Hit?" Syr was waving a hand in front of his face, thinking he was delirious.

Hit shook his head. "I was lost in thought."

Syr tittered, emanating a soothing hum. "I think someone's starting to feel the alcohol."

Hit sighed, he had only had one drink. "Back to our talk... My familia is looking to do our first long journey soon. What's the most time you have heard anyone spend down in the dungeon? Are there many permanent settlements?"

Syr was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of questions. "Umm... Well... I think the longest expeditions can take a few weeks, when going down to the deep floors. You'll find temporary camps in safe zones, but permanent ones?"

Syr strained herself, thinking the best she could. "The only one I can think of is Rivira, a town build by adventurers. It's still dangerous though; I heard they've had to rebuild it over three hundred times!"

Hit smiled internally, feeling quite good about himself. 'Perfect. Surely there's an underground trading ring there. Maybe I won't need to rely on these gods after all; simply cut them out of the process.'

"Thanks, our... expedition should only last a day or two. Also, do you know where the nearest library is?"

Syr looked puzzled. "Didn't your advisor tell you, Mr Hit? They're taught to give beginners a tour of the guild when they sign up..."

Hit nearly flinched at his mistake. 'Oops. I guess I was bound to make a small slip up eventually.'

Syr picked up the change to Hit's tempo as he stalled in place.

The boy quickly thought up an alibi. "No, I didn't pay much attention to them when I joined."

Syr got angry then, although she looked quite adorable rather than intimidating. It was like dealing with an annoyed kitten or puppy; it wasn't very effective. "That's not good enough, Mr Hit! It's dangerous down there, you need to take better care of yourself."

'What a strange girl, why does she care about me so much. Hang on...' Hit realised he had been chatting with her for quite some time. The bar was much emptier now than it was before. Things had been going well... too well. 'I'm just a random traveller. Also, I'm not exactly pleasant to talk to. Something's not adding up.'

Hit turned back to the table, uncertain about her intentions. He felt like she had been interrogating him as well. "It's not your concern."

Syr puffed up her cheeks. "Hmph... fine, Mr grumpy pants!".

Hit smirked a little before returning to his scowling expression. "I think it's time for me to leave, although I do not know where to."

"What do you mean, Mr Hit? Aren't you going back to your familia?" Syr's eyes twinkled as if she had learned something important.

Hit hid behind another excuse. "...I've had a bit of a... falling out with my 'familia'". The word was still a little foreign to his tongue.

Syr looked outside and raised a hand to her mouth in surprise at how dark it was. "Oh! I'm so sorry Mr Hit! I kept you here for far too long."

"It's fine. Where is the nearest hotel or guest house?" Hit had neglected to find one himself. Why would a nomadic man like him seek out such a place, when there were so many other interesting sights?

Syr hit her palm with a fist: she had a eureka moment. "You could always stay here; we have a few spare rooms we rent out sometimes!"

Floorboards creaked behind the chatting couple.

"Don't go making promises that aren't yours to make, girlie". Mama Mia was quite intimidating as she stared the smaller girl down.

"...But Mama, it's my fault. If I hadn't kept him chatting, Mr Hit could have found somewhere to stay. We can't just let him sleep on the streets!" Syr got up and pleaded Hit's case.

The older woman sighed and held her head, exasperated. "You can be a real pain sometimes, ya know that".

Syr looked down, fiddling with her fingers. "...sorry...".

Turning to Hit, Mia Grand sized the boy up. She seemed quite reluctant to the idea of living under the same roof as him. "Fine, you can stay..." The towering chief leaned forward a little before she spoke next. A dark look appeared on her face, eyes shining out like sentry lamps. "But if you try any funny business with my girls…"

She tightened her palms around the bar's edge, emitting a strained sound that betrayed a vice-like grip. "…I'll break yer legs".

Hit was a little disgusted at the prospect. "Hmph. I'm not interested in courting children."

Mia's sinister grin and deadly look vanished. "…You're a kid yerself, boyo", she said blankly.

Hit grumbled and took another swill of his drink.

Mia shook her head and went on to list his expenses. "I'll be charging you 1000 valis a night to stay here. Your meal tonight set you back 700 valis."

'What!? That's outrageous!' Hit nearly spat his drink out; a single night would burn through nearly a third of his savings. As usual, he did not show his shock outwardly. "That's a little steep, don't you think?"

The woman leaned on the counter, looking like a sly fox. "What? I thought you'd have a good idea of how much it'd be. You've been here a while, haven't ya?" Mia's eyes glinted in knowing: she had been eavesdropping on the eavesdropper.

Hit gave her an icy look; some of the waitresses were put on edge. 'These people are more worrisome than I thought.'

A hand reached into Hit's coin bag and placed the required amount of valis on the table. 'There, take it', Hit spat out. 'Whatever, I'll just have to speed up my progress'.

As Mia picked up the coins, biting one to check its veracity, Hit tried to negotiate a better price. "What time do you begin serving breakfast?"

Mia looked at him professionally. "Seven o'clock sharp"

"Then that won't be necessary. Cut that out of the price". Hit hoped this would remove a large chunk.

"Hm? Ya like to sleep in?". Mia quirked a brow, an adventurer needed plenty of fuel to start the day.

Hit looked at her emptily, he was getting tired of talking.

Getting no response, Mia allowed the compromise. "In that case, it'll be 800 valis a night. Take it or leave it."

"Deal". Hit couldn't be bothered to argue any longer or go anywhere else this late at night.

Mia clapped her hands together to bring the staff to order. "It's getting late, and we need ta clean up, so Ryuu will take ya to your room. Introductions can come tomorrow." She held a hand out towards a green haired woman to her left.

Putting her hands on her hips, Mia gave the lithe girl her marching orders. "Show our guest to room three, make sure he gets there safely".

"Yes, Mama Mia". The girl bowed perfectly, allowing dagger-like ears to pierce through her short silky locks, revealing her status as an elf. She spoke to Hit emotionlessly; it was like dealing with a doppelganger. "Please follow me". With that, the elf walked onwards and up a flight of stairs. Hit strode after her.

Syr waved after them. "Goodnight, Hit! Sweet dreams!"

Ryuu a good eye on her follower as they made their way down the upstairs hallway. "This is where you will be staying: room three." She handed Hit a key, which he took with a nod.

Ryuu's eyes remained on the potential threat as she directed her hands down the corridor. "You can find a bathroom and shower room at the end of the hall".

"Right..." Hit kept his guard up around the phlegmatic person. He felt that she was one of the most dangerous beings he had met so far, along with most of the other waitresses. 'I wonder if she sees humans as inferior too.'

"Please enjoy your stay." The aloof woman bowed curtly and waltzed away.

Hit shook his head and walked into the room, locking the door behind him. 'Who cares what she thinks... I just want to go to sleep.'

His heart-to-heart with Syr had drained him far more than any cosmos-shaking battle. 'Ughhh... I haven't talked like that in ages... literally.' Hit let himself fall onto the soft bed below.

'At least I now know where the library is. Dammit.' Hit thought back the guild; it held most of the facilities and items he desired. 'Why do those bastards have to monopolise everything. All I want is to go down, kill some monsters, make some money, and go home. Why is that so complicated?'

Hit unpacked his belongings and went to freshen up, before snuggling back into bed. 'I'll just have to get stronger in the dungeon and sneak in.'

The mattress was so incredibly soft that it hugged Hit until he was in the land of nod.

A green haired elf bit at her nail as she descended onto the floor below. She had been staring at a strange purple haired teen for some time, even before she was assigned as his guide. Shockingly, the stranger had noticed her gaze nearly instantly, his body twitching towards her direction each time she peered at him for too long. For the life of her, she could not understand how he did it. The person's eyes were closed as he sat there in silence, looking like a statue, with only faint breathing giving him away.

"He's dangerous." Ryuu finally made it back to her friends and warned her commander. Ryuu Lion was very familiar with lowlifes from the underworld. This 'Hit' person did not speak crassly like they did, but he had similar mannerisms.

Mia huffed to herself. "I know, and an excellent liar too. We'll all have to keep an eye on him." A tick mark grew on her forehead as she became noticeably angry. "Of course, there's no way I'd take him in, if it weren't for a certain air head's stupidity!"

"Mama..." The silver eyed 'air head' moaned at her new nickname.

Unfortunately for her, Mia was not done. "Also! I think I'll make that four shifts tomorrow; that was the longest break any of my girls have ever had!"

"MAMA!" Syr wailed as her workload piled up. It was worth it though; she had learned a lot about the strange newcomer. Thus ended the first meeting between two actors, both able to briefly glimpse behind each other's masks.