My attempt for a shorter Danmachi piece that I can hopefully actually finish. Intended to be a one-shot, but got too long since I'm not good at brevity. So, it will probably be a three-parter. After that...well, we shall see. Not sure what response this will receive. It's not Bell-centric, or about an SI. This is focused primarily on side characters you might not give much of a crap about.
This first part focuses in on, even a bit of a surprise to myself as I rather planned this piece from end to beginning...Tsubaki Collbrande. One of my hidden favorites of Danmachi, alongside Shakti.
It is astounding how momentous events can come from entirely unrelated things.
Let's consider a Level Up. In Orario, it is an important thing. The point when a mortal blessed with a falna by the gods takes another step towards power and divinity. Something only possibly when a situation that truly forces an adventurer to surpass themselves.
Both the circumstances and the adventurer must align.
So, how does something like a few Ganesha familia members winning a coin toss they should have lost play into this?
Especially when the other adventurer in question isn't even part of the Ganesha familia?
That's the thing about a series of dominoes being knocked over.
Said group of Ganesha adventurers were at the bar blowing off stress due to an upcoming expedition to the Deep Floors. Winning a coin toss so that others bought the next round ensured they got more intoxicated then planned. When they start playing around with the tamed monsters, their intoxication means they end up making mistakes and allowing several out. As Level 5's, they manage to handle it regardless, but a number of monsters were slain and damage to their home – I am Ganesha! – was still inflicted. Their captain, Shakti Varma, knew they needed to be punished. This naturally affected their planned expedition. Despite possessing eleven Level 5's, four being punished still was a disturbingly large portion of their planned combat strength. Enough that, together with a number of smaller incidents that had already been creating problems for Orario's unofficial police force, Shakti decided that delaying the expedition was needed.
Unfortunately, that required further moves. Primarily as the Ganesha Familia had managed to claim rights to kill the Udaeus as it spawned this time. As the Monster Rex only spawns on average every three months, such reservations were a valuable thing. It was an opportunity for familias with suitable first-class adventurers to earn some high-class excelia. The right to slay it was very much a scheduled thing, even if 'complications' were inevitable when dealing with the Dungeon. Slaying the Udaeus quickly and cleanly was, in the mind of the Guild, also a necessity as it cleared the way to the Deep Floors while also lowering the possibility that any familia conflict over the available Monster Rex might become another complication.
Thus, to smooth the current suppression of the Udaeus and also ensure that the Ganesha familia only fell back a few places in line as opposed to going to the back, Shakti had to find a familia willing to switch places.
And there were only a handful of familias in Orario able to tackle the Udaeus on short notice.
The Freya and Loki familias could easily manage it, but they currently monopolized the Balor and so the secondary familias tended to try and look out for each other by at least giving others first shot.
The Ishtar familia declined, needing to muster near the entirety of their Berbera to tackle the Udaeus.
Same was the case with several other options. Many familias only were able to tackle the Udaeus through teaming up with each other. Grouping higher-ranked executives of multiple familia into a single group that transcends each individual familia. Such gatherings – a great mixing of numerous egos and priorities of adventurers and god alike – were not something that could be worked out on the fly.
That left one real option.
"This is turning into a worse and worse deal," Tsubaki grumbled under her breath before grabbing the bottle of alcohol and taking a heavy swig. A hand rose to wipe her mouth after she set it back down. "Shakti owes me for this."
"What was that, captain?"
"Nothing, nothing," she quickly said, swiping her hand to cut off such talk. "Just repeat what you said, Nolan?"
Nolan, a Level 4 with a burn scar on his left cheek, trembled slightly even as he reported clearly, "The monster party managed to catch our entire rear wagon. I was only able to protect and withdraw with the supporters themselves."
"And nothing was spared of the wagon equipment?"
"We used several of the Magic Swords to escape, but everything left behind was gone by the time I returned with Aneth."
"Dammit. That's half of our magic swords," Tsubaki cursed again. "Good job on getting everyone out of there, but I need to think on how to handle this. Give me a minute."
"Yes, captain!"
The Hephaestus familia had enough experience to know that the 'lost' magic swords wouldn't end up used by any monsters, but that was only a slight bright side.
Tsubaki's eye scanned over the expedition that was already showing a loss of morale. One of their four wagons was lost, and only on the 32nd floor. The Dungeon was good at always throwing something to trip expeditions up, it was far rarer for expeditions to go as planned than not, but it never quite made it less a hassle in the moment. It at least wasn't the two wagons carrying their food, potions, camping equipment, and everything that would allow them to last potentially weeks in the Dungeon. That was planned though. There was a reason that those two wagons were kept in the center of their formation, while the wagons with magic swords were in vanguard and rearguard.
While acknowledged as one of the stronger familias in Orario's, that largely rested upon their equipment. When you were able to reliably bring out magic swords in greater quantity than basically anyone else, it had to be accounted for in your strength calculations. It was not an exaggeration to say that with said equipment, most people in the expedition could at least temporarily hit a level higher.
Without it?
A single level 5, four Level 4's, eleven level 3's, and ten experienced level 2's serving as supporters and guards to the wagons.
It was about as minimal a force as one could have and still have a decent chance of reaching the Deep Floors. Too minimal to have the sort of leeway the Dungeon often demanded, but it wasn't like a Smith-type familia like theirs could bring everyone. The fifteen Level 3 and 4's here already constituted three quarters of the familia's high-class adventurers. 90% of those that remained were Level 1's or newer Level 2's.
The magic swords were meant to provide security.
Tsubaki's eye looked over the Level 3's and 4's present before she sighed and muttered, "Udaeus or the lower floors. We only have the magic swords for one."
Tsubaki had killed the Udaeus once with just her own familia members, but that was with magic swords. The usual numbers to fight and overcome the Udaeus reliably was usually four or five Level 5's. Veteran Level 5's typically lowered it to just three. Tsubaki was no fledgling Level 5, but neither was her status pushed to the limit. Level 4's on their own were likely only good for chip damage and distraction, and Level 3's for supporters. At least, if they weren't mages.
Fighting Udaeus with several Level 4's wielding magic swords aiding her and multiple Level 3's serving as supporters?
Possible, if still harrowing and something she's managed only once.
Fighting Udaeus with several Level 4's without magic swords?
Might as well cut out the middleman by killing half of them herself and returning in defeat.
This was not just about Udaeus either. If anything, the Monster Rex was of middling interest for the Hephaestus familia. They weren't an explorer-type familia, after all. Oh, it served as a good bulky target for those of them of a higher level to test magic swords and their other equipment against, but the Hephaestus familia considered success by different metrics. They were here to be able to collect adamantite, mithril, and other necessities for smithing from the Deep Floors. Everyone was here to be able to gain a supply of such materials for their smithing without needing to buy them from other familias.
And for this group's makeup, magic swords were necessary for them to work in the 40th floor area for long enough to gather enough.
The Udaeus must be defeated, not only to placate the Guild but also to allow access to the 39th floor safe zone. Magic swords were needed to defeat it.
Magic swords were needed for them to survive the deeper floors afterwards to get the materials they needed.
They only had enough magic swords now for one.
"It's our mistake, but Shakti still owes me for this. Not even promising to pick up more metals when their expedition finally heads down will be enough," Tsubaki declared, taking another drink. Polishing off the bottle, she tossed it among the trees before declaring to her familia members gathered, "Well, this sucks, doesn't it guys?"
That got some chuckles.
"Still, I think everyone here is agreed between killing the Udaeus ourselves or getting our smithing materials, right?"
That received easy nods.
"Good. So, we'll continue heading through the Dense Forest Ravine as planned till we hit the 36th floor. Those freed up from guarding that wagon shall spread out. We'll see whose currently operating in this area, and hopefully recruit them to help kill the Udaeus. If we don't find anyone…well, we'll deal with that then."
Tsubaki would prefer at least one other Level 5 with several more Level 4's, something she considers entirely workable considering the usual adventurers in the Great Forest Ravine, but a veteran party of Level 4's with a mage or two might suffice.
"Damn, Dellingr? Hathor? Magni familia is good, but they're only level three," Tsubaki commented as the camp was built around them on the 36th floor and the impromptu scouts for the expedition returned to tell what groups they'd come across.
"Eh, I think they'll do," Aneth said with a shrug, already relaxing with the camp forming. "Not like we have the chance to be picky, right?"
"No, it's a disappointing bunch," Nolan said, sending the orange haired Level 4 a look.
"Why? If they work," Aneth said simply.
"You both have a point," Tsubaki said, quickly cutting off the two Level 4's that weren't guarding the camp. "Dellingr and Magni are too weak. Either leaves me the sole Level 5, and Dellingr only gains us one level 4. If we took them all and gained six level 3's too we'd have a chance, but we'd suffer casualties. The Hathor party. I know the captain and vice-captain are both level 5's, but…"
"Hathor has become the center of a whole number of secondary familias lately," Nolan finished for her.
Tsubaki had less interest in many things that many familia captains would consider essential due to her focus on smithing, but even she wasn't blind.
The five strongest familia in Orario were Freya, Loki, Ganesha, Ishtar, and Hephaestus – in that order.
All five not only had the numbers and first-class adventurers, but also essential roles and niches in Orario that arguably left them the primary familias in Orario – even if the first three were notably stronger.
The familia below them weren't inconsequential though, even if they might have less name recognition. Hathor especially was arguably in sixth or seventh, depending on if one valued their strength or Goibnu's services and recognizability. With two Level 5's as captain and vice-captain, admittedly newer level 5's, they were eying the Ishtar and Hephaestus familias. Still only eyeing because their familias lacked sheer numbers, but that had only led them to gather support elsewhere. Hathor had formed the core of a loose coalition of such secondary familias that in the last year or two had started reaching the Deep Floors and even tackled the Udaeus.
Tsubaki wasn't captain to play politics and she didn't think so little of them to think they'd backstab her, but muddying the waters in such a situation with favors or debts wasn't something to do if she wanted to be able to keep focusing on her smithing.
Make her owe a favor to the Freya or Loki familia any day – At least that wouldn't change much.
…
She might have tempted fate there though.
"I'm sorry, who?"
"Ahem," the scout coughed himself, clearly hesitating in the face of her incredulous response. "The King, captain. Ottar of the Freya familia. He is on the next 37th floor, waiting for the Udaeus to be eliminated so he can descend lower."
"…Ottar?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"…Don't call me ma'am, and give me a minute," Tsubaki quickly said, waving him away and quickly running her hands over her face. She had definitely tempted fate. While thinking that though, she did add on in a mumble, "Okay, I can work with this."
While the Freya familia as a whole was…troublesome, they hadn't ever clashed with the Hephaestus familia. The latter was too comparatively weak and provided too important a service for even that infamously quarrelsome group to make a problem with. Ottar was also one of the more manageable of the familia. Easily better than Vana Freya or the Bringar. Too quiet and monotonous to be personable, but no one who had lived through the Great Feud didn't acknowledge his reliability.
As a familia captain, Tsubaki had also heard that Ottar was willing to do favors. It was rare when someone needed Orario's sole Level 7 enough to then put themselves in debt to him, and thus inevitably Freya, but it did happen. Those who had been around longer in Orario knew so. Tsubaki had her own problems with the King, but…
She raised her head and looked around at the expedition.
It seemed her decision had been made.
"Dammit, get me a scout to carry a message."
There was a reason those who knew of the possibility still avoided seeking Ottar's help, regardless of how much a Level 7 like him could make possible.
Tsubaki was being forcefully reminded of this.
"Captain!"
"I…KNOW," she yelled out, pausing as her entire body tensed. She then dashed as fast as her body could allow, arms also swinging out with her naginata. The blade of her weapon caught on the incoming object, the impact being used to boost her speed just enough that she entirely avoided the blow. Naturally the shockwave of the blow impacting the ground still reached her, sending her flying in a tumble onto the ground, but her durability was good enough that such had little effect. Her hand grasped at the ground, other keeping her weapon clear of the ground – she was NOT stabbing her Benishigure in the ground to stop herself like all those adventurers that then came crying about their weapon wearing out quick. Pain flared in her hand, but she endured it and dug narrow trenches in the ground with her finger till her involuntary tumble came to a halt. She then launched forward, both hands on her naginata. "Hahhhh!"
The boring yet reliable blade of Benishigure dug through bone, driven by all the strength momentum, and skill Tsubaki could muster.
Then it came to a halt.
"Crap," she cursed, jumping back even as she pulled back.
It was only this act that allowed her to create the distance necessary to free her weapon and use its pole in a defensive position before the impact. It was barely enough. Her defensive guard protected her body from the direct impact, but there was no preventing her body being sent flying by what amounted to a giant backhand. In an instant, her entire body covered a hundred meters till a boulder finally brought her to a halt.
…painfully.
"Gah!" she coughed out, entire body radiating pain. Her durability only just enough to escape her spine snapping and ribs cracking, and even her limbs ached from the sudden whiplash. Nonetheless, she caught herself on her feet and refused to allow herself to sink to a knee. Swallowing back blood, she still only let out, "Dammit."
"Captain!"
"Give me a moment! Dance around it," she called out, looking at the only other member of her familia remaining in the fight.
Brennan. Level 4 for three years by this point, with basic abilities averaging in F-rank. Not someone on the edge or even necessarily approaching leveling up, like Aneth and Nolan could be argued, but still reliable in the level. No new Level 4.
Still entirely outmatched in a battle with Udaeus.
"Got it," he called, already running towards the massive form of Udaeus. The upper body of a skeleton that was the Monster Rex of the floor was moving towards Tsubaki, slowly yet insistently. Not to mention menacingly. This provided the opportunity for him to use the chant of his spell, his hammer soon glowing. "Look this way, ya boney bastard!"
The grand hammer of the Hephaestus familia member crashed into the shoulder blade of the Udaeus' back.
BOOM!
BOOM!
The double impact rang out, and even the Udaeus stumbled. That was all though. Not even the spell of Brennan that made a blow land twice in quick succession did more than break off slight chips of the Udaeus' bone. The increased impact also sent him positively flying back too, although that was a good thing.
If nothing else, the move did its job of drawing the Udaeus' glowing red eyes away from Tsubaki.
It gave her several precious moments to take deep breaths, allow the pain to fade, and to reminisce.
The latter made her shoot a glare and a snarl at a figure standing just out of the Udaeus' usual range of interest.
This fucking guy!
Tsubaki truly had forgotten several aspects of Ottar that she shouldn't have. He might be more stoic than most of her familia members and lack their same hostility, but he was still their captain for a reason. Where the Loki familia relied on cooperation and teamwork, the Freya familia countered by simply being hardcore. Obsessive in pushing their limits and enduring pain.
Ottar, as their captain, was secretly the most hardcore of them all.
And she definitely meant that as an insult at this moment.
Our numbers should be enough to at least try? Just two level 5's should be the goal against the Udaeus? What sort of crazy standard are you projecting onto normal adventurers, King?!
Ottar hadn't denied their request for aid outright…but he also apparently also decided to not simply make this quick and easy.
Logically, she understood. Udaeus simply wasn't a proper opponent for him. As a high level 7, the Level 6 Monster Rex wouldn't be a proper source of high-class excelia even if he solo'd it. The magic stone wouldn't be of interest either to someone that was just starting his delve into the Deep Floors, and as a solo adventurer, what he could carry was already limited. Udaeus didn't have a proper drop item either.
That didn't mean Tsubaki hadn't found herself more than irritated when he decided to provide 'support' for her own familia as they targeted the Udaeus. After all, his standards were clearly insane. Deciding that she should stand a chance with the aid of four Level 4's or that veteran Level 5's should attempt to kill the Udaeus with only a single partner – that was just too much. They were a smithing familia! Adventuring was a secondary purpose at best, and for many of them the Dungeon was more a tertiary challenge when they needed to dive themselves for materials or to test weapons.
Some might say having a Level 7 watching over them for protection as they challenged themselves against Udaeus was of incalculable value.
To be able to push and test themselves at 'no risk'.
By this point though, Tsubaki could only glare at him. She'd entered this fight with the four Level 4's of her familia, leaving all the Level 3's to guard their caravan. By this point, two hours in, only Brennan remained. The others had already been saved and evacuated by Ottar, having broken all their weapons against the Udaeus or taken blows that not even that maniac had deemed safe to continue fighting with. Watching Aneth catch spikes that left one leg a bleeding wreck, Nolan take a blow that left him dead unconscious, and Tann break every weapon he'd forged and fail to even scratch the Udaeus had quickly worn away at her patience.
Hearing a cry from Brennan, her eye returned to her final remaining familia member. After the Level 4 made clear he only intended to run from the Monster Rex, it had started sending its spikes. Brennan, not the most nimble of people at the best of times, soon started having his legs take blows even if he wasn't caught out as bad as Aneth had been.
"Right wrist, left shoulder blade, skull, fourth rib," Tsubaki repeated to herself as she finally took a step forward.
She then had to drop down to avoid a sword strike that would have taken her head. She spun around and slipped to the side, opening the way to the spartoi that had crept up on her. A quick thrust of her naginata was blocked and deflected as it raised a kite shield. Any intention to continue was abandoned when she had to leap back to avoid a lance thrust that would have skewered her through the chest.
Dammit, I got too distracted.
She could practically feel Ottar's disapproving look.
She ignored it this time, keeping her eye peeled this time. Two Spartoi had been summoned by the Udaeus, and had come at her from around the boulder in a pincer maneuver. Worse, they had weapons. Spartoi that spawned with weapons were irritating things. They always were smarter. Almost adventurer-like. The worst base monsters one could find in the White Palace.
"C-Captain!"
"I'm coming. You need to last a minute longer," Tsubaki called back at Brennan's cry.
Not taking a moment longer, she dashed at the two monsters. Already having moved to reinforce each other, the lance wielding one did a sharp thrust at her. She flowed around it, the Level 4 monsters not able to match her agility. The sword and shield one moved however to block her. Rather than use her polearm against it, Tsubaki instead surged forward herself till she slammed her shoulder into it. The impact sent it backwards, and created an opening between the two monsters that she slipped into. Her naginata flowed, destroying the sword bearing arm of one. Her upper body also bent to avoid the lance of the other, and her leg shot out to crack its skull with her heel.
The two spartoi were fighting a losing battle, but they didn't relent as they knew their job was merely to delay her from reinforcing Brennan.
And then a third spartoi even appeared.
Because the Dungeon was just like that.
The lancer kept trying to skewer her. The one with only its shield worker to hinder her at every opportunity. The new one with dual daggers just attacked and tried to hem her in against the shield one.
"That's enough of that," she finally declared, catching one dagger in a hand. Ignoring the pain or blood now flowing, she pulled it closer even as she leaped back. Her back hit the shield, jarring her yet also slowing her down till the dagger spartoi she pulled was close enough for her to shift her grip onto its arm. She then twisted her entire body, picking the monster up and throwing it.
Specifically, onto the incoming lance of the final one.
It bought her time to grab the edge of the shield, wrenching it down with pure force. Still in the way of her naginata, she just threw her head forward to crash into its own in a headbutt. A trickle of blood flowed down her forehead, but her grip on the shield remained and now she forced it aside enough for a series of thrusts to thoroughly defeat it. The final lancer Spartoi tried to surge forward, but she met it with extreme prejudice now that it was alone.
"Coming," she called as she now sped towards where her poor comrade was rapidly being boxed in by the spikes of the Udaeus.
The Udaeus pulled an arm back though, its black energy gathering noticeably. Tsubaki jumped, coming down with her naginata pulled back for a thrust with all her force. The Udaeus did not change its target though, and it hit a moment faster than Tsubaki. Brennan managed to dodge to avoid the full might of the blow, but even being clipped made his let out a cry of pain even as her now flew through the air without the strength to try to correct.
Tsubaki's own blow then landed, stabbing right where Brennan had previously landed his blow on its shoulder blade. Unlike his blow, her blow at least created several noticeable cracks. The Monster Rex's head turned, fixing its red eyes on her.
It still had the awareness to throw a blow at Brennan.
Not half as powerful as its previous, but still enough to crush the Level 4 that wasn't able to defend himself.
Tsubaki was helpless.
Ottar was not.
A blur to her eye, likely unseeable by anyone not a first-class adventurer, covered the distance to Brennan. Ottar's massive form then appeared, having already snatched the injured adventurer under an arm. The incoming blow of the Udaeus wasn't dodged though. Ottar just raised his free arm.
And just batted the blow away to deflect it.
It caused even the Udaeus to lose balance momentarily, which Tsubaki used to launch several more attacks. More than enough for Ottar to disappear from the battlefield, returning Brennan to the expedition where he could be treated with healing potions. Tsubaki had to focus on herself though.
Her barrage of strikes on the damaged shoulder blade of the Udaeus created more cracks, but failed to break it. She then had to retreat when it turned. She soon found herself forced to dart around the battlefield as it shot spikes at her through the floor.
It launched a blow, and all she could do was dodge.
A weaker strike allowed a counterattack, and her naginata once again bit into the wrist she'd targeted earlier.
Another spike was dodged.
Dammit, two more Spartoi arrived.
A spike hit her leg as she dispatched them, and a strong follow up blow of the Monster Rex sent her flying into another boulder.
More spikes.
More spikes.
More spikes.
Pants shredded and blood flowing down her legs, she could only let our a war cry and send a thrust to meet the blow sent by the Udaeus once her mobility was destroyed.
Cracks formed on its hands.
Tsubaki, the loser of the clash, was sent flying back into another boulder.
This time she fell to her knees, coughing a mouthful of blood. Feeling her arms protested, one dislocated by the clash of strikes. Just trying to straighten her back sent a cry from her lips.
The Udaeus sent more spikes, and she wouldn't be able to escape with merely minor wounds to her legs this time.
She suddenly found herself looking at a broad back though. Ottar made no noise as he raised a great hammer overhead. He did grunt though as he brought it down to meet the row of spikes surging towards them.
The ground shook and Tsubaki had to place a hand on the ground just to catch herself.
"Your strikes lack decisiveness. You are too used to utilizing magic swords to overwhelm any defense you struggle again," Ottar's stoic voice spoke up, naturally unbothered by the results of his strike.
"He…he…sorry that not all of us have leveled up each time with S rank in Strength," she got out raggedly after several moments of breathing. "You expect…too much."
Her pause was also now from seeing the result of Ottar's attack. Great clouds of dust still hung in the air, but the shockwave had largely blown it away. It revealed that far from merely stopping the attack magic of the Udaeus before it hit them, he had outright blown it away. Everything of the ground in front of Ottar to the Udaeus had been wiped away to form a trench that cracked and broke the ground. Even the Udaeus stopped momentarily at the result of the counter.
Even with Tsubaki receiving more bang for her buck in Strength due to her father's dwarf blood, it was still hard to believe that this was the result of a regular attack.
No wonder his standards were so ridiculous.
This was a different breed of first-class adventurer to herself.
"It's not a matter of basic abilities. It's the will in your strikes," Ottar continued in a wooden tone though, clearly not registering Tsubaki's internal feelings. "Your weapon and strength are both enough to strike proper blows, but you lack decisiveness. The determination to strike deep despite the risk."
She rolled her eye here, finally snapping, "Well, I'll take that under advisement. Now, how about you stop watching and finish this, since we've lost."
"…you have stamina remaining," Ottar said after a pause, and suddenly Tsubaki had to catch something. An elixir. "Take that. I'll give you a minute."
"You…" Tsubaki spoke, only trailing off out of disbelief.
Was he serious?
I turned out that yes…he was serious.
Four more hours passed.
It was ridiculous. Monster Rex battles never lasted this long. Weren't supposed to last this long. True, no one who could reach the Deep Floors could survive if they didn't have the ability to basically fight continuously in the Dungeon for a day and night, and still keep fighting the next day without sleep. It was just necessary demands to traverse the Dungeon. Monster Rex battles weren't such endurance battles though. If your group wasn't able to defeat the Monster Rex in the first hour or two, it meant you were in over your head and it was time to retreat.
Not to mention that Ottar once again did his best to interfere as little as possible.
No one solo'd Monster Rex's! It just wasn't done. If you were strong enough to solo a Monster Rex, then you should be operating twenty floors deeper anyways. Groups of people a level or two lower than the Monster Rex teaming up for reliable high-class excelia was just how they were handled.
"Right wrist, left shoulder blade, skull, fourth rib."
Yet, Tsubaki could only repeat those four points and keep fighting.
Even someone a smith first and adventurer accidentally like her could only survive to reach the level she had because she was able at times to acknowledge that the only choice was to fight.
And maybe survive.
'Right wrist, left shoulder blade, skull, fourth rib."
She was sent tumbling, but she also struck back with each blow.
The right wrist of the Udaeus shattered, the repeated blows to that specific area finally breaking through. It was a difference, but only a minor one. It's reach was lowered, but it just started using the radius and ulna as both for clubbing blows but also a makeshift spears.
"Left shoulder blade, skull, fourth rib."
Her ability to target the weakened shoulder blade was lowered. Now alone, she lacked the agility to reach its back. A shame as breaking that weakened bone would cripple the movement of its left arm.
One attempt too many to gain the Udaeus' rear for that strike left her smacked out of midair.
"You allowed yourself to be lured into targeting an area wrongly," Ottar said as he caught her, another elixir used. "You were drawn there by your familia member landing a strike, but didn't consider accessibility and vulnerability."
True.
"Skull, fourth rib."
There was a general strategy to tackle the Udaeus, like all the Monster Rex's. Break one of its arms. Lower its ability to strike. Then hit the skull. While it isn't defeated till the magic stone is broken or removed, the Udaeus' movements became slower and less coordinated the more damage the skull underwent. Then you attempted to pierce its thick, magically reinforced rib cage to get to the magic stone.
Nolan had managed to crack the fourth rib in the same strike that left him vulnerable to the counterblow that had removed him from the battle.
Striking the skull on a monster as large as the Udaeus was hard. Tsubaki didn't have such great Agility to manage that. Nor the allies to distract it and leave a path opened.
Charging up its arm with a defiant scream failed as it shook her off, her falling onto spikes and leaving her feet bloody.
Throwing her Benishigure allowed it to connect, but it was deflected while only chipping at the thick skull and her attempt to run and reclaim it left her dodging the spikes once again that nonetheless left her bleeding throughout her entire left side.
Just getting pissed and trying furiously to just destroy the other hand as it threw a punch at her left her once again flying back.
Finally, she fell to both knees. Only instinct kept her hand grasping her weapon. Her other arm was hanging limp again, dislocated in the clash. Blood was flowing into her one eye, even if she had to ignore it to see anything. Merely trying to stand made her scream in pain, feeling like her spine would break if she tried to move any further.
"Left hand, skull, fourth rib."
She still spoke thus, even as she stood up regardless of her spine's cracking protests.
Even she didn't know why. She knew how this was going, as the Udaeus approached slowly – as if savoring the victory that has been delayed so long. Tsubaki didn't have the sort of agility to attack where she wanted. She didn't have the sheer offensive power to turn any actual openings into battle-changing results.
How long was this Udaeus going to take?
She raised Benishigure, the weapon that hadn't yet chipped and been worn the only thing the only thing that might provide some comfort to her.
Did a monster have the sort of awareness and intent to draw things out simply to give it all a more menacing air?
Apparently, yes. For the Udaeus stopped just outside its own range. It didn't even send spikes at her again. Instead, its remaining arm rose. A sudden pillar of black also rose from the ground. No, not a pillar.
A sword?
Grasping its new weapon, the Udaeus lifted it up and brought it down right on top of her.
The loudest noise yet erupted in the battlefield.
…
Huh, she must have taken a blow to the head as she forgot about Ottar in that final stretch.
The King stood before her once again, back almost appearing like a shield for her. His arms were raised, holding a sword. A sword that had blocked the massive black blade of the now armed Udaeus.
Although, as Tsubaki looked around, she had to acknowledge that blocking so had only really helped her. The ground all around had been stripped clean by the force of the blow. A great triangle that spread out from the Udaeus' blade, flattening everything at least one hundred meters in front of it. The spot where she was a sole spot unmarked.
"To draw a blade…Interesting," Ottar's low voice spoke, now looking intently at the Monster Rex. Shifting his blade, he threw it back. The Udaeus retreated slightly, seemingly remembering the other adventurer here as well. It allowed Ottar to turn slightly to look at Tsubaki and say, "Your stamina is drained. That is enough. You even showed me something more interesting than I'd imagined."
Yeah.
Even as she sunk to her knees again, Tsubaki was thinking on how she'd never known the Udaeus might draw a weapon like it's smaller versions, the spartoi, were known to.
Ottar was looking back at the Monster Rex now too, eyes fixed on its sword.
"Sterling compassion, golden plains."
As soon as the chant started up, the Udaeus let out a vicious cry. By this level, every monster knew what said chants meant. Knew this was the time to attack.
"It is my fate to serve as a brute of war."
The Udaeus struck with its blade. Again and again. Each blow impacting with force that shook the ground and let off shockwaves. Yet, Ottar endured it all. Without moving his feet, an unbreakable defense unfurled. A combination of vast strength, agility, and skill allowing him to block or parry every blow. It made the Udaeus shriek even louder, enough that lower ranked adventurers might have had their eardrums burst from the assault.
"Run through, carrying the-"
The Udaeus struck even more ferociously. Its dis-handed right arm shot forward like a spear at Ottar. Removing a hand from his sword, Ottar caught the blow in one hand. Yet here, even he grunted and his feet slid across the ground. It also left his sword being wielded one handed, which the Udaeus took advantage of with a cry. Its sword came down in a blow as heavy as it could give.
Ottar's knee hit the ground.
Yet, the truth was quickly shown. While on one knee, the sword of the Monster Rex had also been stopped. His right arm had bent under the force of the strike, but he had come up with another way to reinforce it. With blade handle grasped in one hand, the blunt side further up now rested on the nape of his neck. A neck which was seemingly strong and firm enough to now hold the full weight of the Udaeus back when combined with his other hand still holding its other arm back.
His eyes seemed to leak red light and smoke for an instant.
"-divine will of the goddess!"
Golden light that had been gathering around his sword now flowed outwards, almost engulfing his entire body. It spurred him to move. In an act almost casual, he shifted his shoulder while tilting his head. This allowed the Udaeus' blade to slide off to the side, and Ottar's own blade seemingly shifted into a strike of his own as it passed over his own head.
"Hildis Vini!"
It was just one slash.
Yet, it almost felt ridiculous to classify it as such. A golden shockwave shot out with the slice. Catching the Udaeus with a largely horizontal strike, from the upper part of its right arm to the elbow of its left arm. The thick black bones of the Udaeus were cut through, not even its thick ribcage able to resist the cut. Its ribs were cut through, and magic stone shattered in half. It's left arm was cut too, leaving the black sword to drop onto the ground.
It was just one slash.
Yet Tsubaki watched as the Udaeus just…fell apart, bones degrading into little shards of bone that themselves started turning to dust.
"Can I create a magic sword capable of matching that?" Tsubaki absently asked, head feeling light and airy.
"I would prefer you try to match it with your own strength, although such a magic sword might be interesting to match," Ottar commented, having heard even as he walked to the dropped sword. He reached down, easily lifting up the massively oversized sword. Six meters was just too large, even for someone as large as him. Perched on his shoulder, he looked back at her and added, "Regardless, this was worth ensuring you experienced this adventure."
"Adventure?" Tsubaki repeated at that, suddenly finding herself laughing despite not knowing why. "Haha! You consider this an adventure. Hehe, oh, my sides hurt but I can't stop laughing. Hahahaha!"
Two weeks later
Tsubaki was no longer laughing.
Two weeks had given her plenty of time to work her way through what happened on that every odd occasion. To dwell on several points as well. After all, Ottar had promptly left after providing one final elixir.
To the surface, despite his earlier intent to delve after Udaeus' defeat.
It really had made the time the expedition stayed on the 40th floor comparatively routine. She had managed to keep her head. While the rest of the expedition hadn't gone entirely smoothly, it had been the normal sort of rough. Not 'Level 7 decides you should fight Udaeus till you drop' rough. The exact sort of difficulties they had preserved the magic swords for.
Ultimately, they managed to get enough materials to fill the quota they were going down for…with a bit extra.
Thus, most of the familia members of the expedition returned eagerly, knowing they had secured enough private stash to spend some time working on their own personal projects without issue.
Most.
"You all had a rough time," Hephaestus commented as she sat behind Tsubaki, hand trailing over her back. The goddess of the familia granting those who participated a status update. "Most were happy, but a few weren't so eager to talk to me even as it was clear they were anxious to get back to work."
"Yeah, don't think any of Nolan, Aneth, Brennan, or Tann are feeling too great," Tsubaki muttered. "Tann's already beating himself up that all his weapons broke on the Udaeus.
"Well, he could improve further," her goddess commented casually. "And how about you? Being smacked around by a Monster Rex doesn't become more bearable simply from a single level difference."
"Gah, I'm pissed," she retorted back, scowling. "Who decides for someone else that it is time for them to fight a losing battle against a Monster Rex?"
"The King, apparently. Especially when you asked him for help," Hephaestus reminded. "And before we continue on this topic, best give you your status update."
Tsubaki pulled back, and took the sheet handed to her.
Basic Abilities:
Strength: C616 - C634
Endurance: D560 - D590
Dexterity: D520 - D531
Agility: E487 - D501
Magic: H143 - H144
Developmental Abilities:
Blacksmith: E
Spearman: H
Magic Resistance: G
Metalworking: I
Skills
Vulca Reverie
Magic
Hearth Kiln
"Not bad," she muttered to herself.
Agility reached D, although unsurprisingly it was Endurance which had the most gain. Although she quickly dissected it all while remembering her previous levels. Agility would slow to a crawl by this point, although she'd still be able to progress a bit more in Strength, Endurance, and Dexterity before the same slowdown occurred there. Magic…that was more dependent on if she found the desire to train that. Just an inevitable effect of one's sole spell being all but useless in 99% of circumstances.
And as she had long since given up hope she'd get a more useful second spell, magic was a largely extraneous stat for her.
"74 points gained," Hephaestus mused, mysterious smile on her face. "Haven't had a gain like that since the Great Feud."
The point made Tsubaki grimace as she really didn't want to have reason to believe that the fight with Udaeus had been…productive.
It was true though. Over double, approaching three times, the gain as the last expedition of the familia. That had been a year ago as well, and even that gain had been higher than many experienced.
The Hephaestus familia didn't often do such expeditions on their own, after all. More often they merely accompanied other familias while acting as smithing supporters. They weren't an Exploration-type familia, so they didn't have some quote of dives the Guild demanded. Only lower leveled smiths of the familia generally needed to harvest from the Dungeon for funds. Level 1's generally produced cheap scrap equipment unless they had prior training, and Level 2's were generally still figuring out how to use the developmental ability Blacksmith capably. Level 3 was the golden spot for smiths. By that point, they could rather reliably break even financially just from their smithing work. Earn enough from sales to buy material to smith new equipment to sell. Most smith-adventurers never progressed beyond that point. Those who did generally did so from unexpected circumstances or innate talent as adventurers.
Those like Tsubaki who barely gave any thought to adventuring yet floated to Level 5 were exceedingly rare.
It was why even seven years after leveling up, she still could have stat gains like this from a hard battle.
"I care more about the reserve I've now got for my projects," Tsubaki finally declared, nodding firmly.
"Heh, you probably aren't alone in that," Hephaestus acknowledged.
Higher leveled smiths generally only went on expedition when they had in mind some personal projects or experimentation that wouldn't break even, after all.
Tossing the sheet into a nearby fire, Tsubaki lifted her arms to stretch.
She then froze as she remembered something though, slowly turning to her goddess and asking, "What did you want to discuss that you felt I needed to see those gains first?"
Hephaestus smiled.
Tsubaki glared.
Ottar was remarkably unbothered.
So was Hephaestus, if one was commenting on such.
Her own goddess!
Eventually she sighed though, and took a drink of alcohol before asking, "Is there a reason you requested Ottar come join us, Lady Hephaestus?"
"He dropped by when he returned to the surface to explain to me the main points of what happened," the goddess easily explained.
"I also showed Lady Hephaestus the Black Sword drop of the Udaeus," Ottar stiffly claimed.
"It was quite an interesting find. I haven't heard of such a drop before. Is it facing a primarily solo opponent or a battle being dragged out so long that spurs it to use a weapon?" Hephaestus considered aloud.
Ottar just continued, hardly acknowledging such questions, "I also requested she use it to forge a weapon for me."
"Ah ha, a mistake. Lady Hephaestus only creates weapons for the familia to compare ourselves to. She doesn't give them to adventurers," Tsubaki crowed out teasingly, wagging a finger at Ottar. It was good being in a situation where even Orario's strongest adventurer couldn't pick a fight without serious consequences.
Hephaestus nodded at Tsubaki's point and added, "Another reason I called him here when you returned. Figured you two needed to have a quick discussion."
"Ah, yes. Thank you, Lady Hephaestus," Tsubaki acknowledged, nodding happily at her goddess. Not even the lure of the Black Sword drop would be enough for Tsubaki to go to the madhouse that was Folkvangr. Turning back to Ottar, her voice now dropped to a low, husky drawl that had always tended to work well when selling to male adventurers, "Now, I do believe I owe you a favor for assisting with Udaeus. While not as I intended, you did follow through. I believe I can give you a great deal off a commission using that drop to forge a weapon."
That Black Sword drop was potentially a better crafting material than anything else she had available. Not only were quite a few higher leveled monster drops like for the Cadmus or Volgang dragons often hides or scales better suited for armor, but even those that lent themselves to weapons were rarely metallic in nature like that Black Sword. The potential differences that didn't require infusion…her mind was already racing!
"I took it to the Goibnu familia after Lady Hephaestus refused."
"With it's quality, I am thinking I can make you something a step above even…what I made…for…"
Tsubaki's voice trailed off as Ottar's claim ran through her head, and her head slowly turned to look at him with a dead eye.
"…what?"
"Goibnu accepted a weapon commission using the Black Sword, with himself contributing," Ottar blankly announced, clearly uncaring of how she was looking at him.
"Why?!" she demanded, standing and slamming her palms on the table. "For him to be personally involved, he probably doubled the price?! I would have knocked off half the price in comparison!"
"Money is less important than the final quality," he stated as if it was obvious.
…
And dammit, it was obvious. This was Ottar. The King. The adventurer rumored to have reached the 58th floor on solo dives. While solo obviously meant he didn't have the supporters or wagons to carry out larger amounts of magic stones and drops, he could still focus on the highest value pieces. He was really the only option Orario had for supplying finds from the 50th floor and lower that didn't also require financing a whole expedition with supplies, potions, and time spent. While no one in Orario would think money was his top priority, she still didn't doubt he could spend hundreds of millions of valis without worry.
"Why won't you buy from me? Especially here?!" she railed, quickly gulping down her entire mug of alcohol in one push. She slammed it down. "Especially here?! That Black Sword drop, when am I going to get a chance to experiment with something like that again?!"
"As you can tell, Tsubaki was no doubt eager to try and craft using that drop," Hephaestus pointed out, even if the look she sent to Ottar also seemed to imply she would have wanted to see how working it turned out to be.
Ottar grunted, eventually retorting shortly, "Even if she believes she has a claim on the drop despite my killing Udaeus, she owed a favor that I would have been willing to use on-"
"I only owe you a favor when it's related to working on that sword," Tsubaki burst out, pouring more alcohol and quickly downing it. "Otherwise, you hardly did what I requested in return for a favor."
She knew she was being petty here, but she couldn't help it.
Not often given a reason to interact with Ottar, this was an opportunity for her. Being the highest-level smith in Orario had both perks and demerits. What quality of equipment was possible for a person to forge was inevitably tied to their level, despite it arguably being based solely on skill. Many higher-quality materials from the Deeper floors required increasing strength to pound into shape, and the highest growth in crafting developmental abilities like Blacksmith came from working with higher quality material. So, achieving higher ranks in those DA's required working with better materials, materials that required higher levels and status.
Starting out, most blacksmith-adventurers produced equipment lower than their level. That shifted as they spent years training and refining basic skills as well as gaining useful crafting DA's. Someone able to craft equipment a full level higher than them was considered a great blacksmith, and anything higher than that was generally a masterpiece of that smith that they could only do several times in their life…or a smith of legendary skill.
Tsubaki was the only mortal smith in Orario able to craft high-Level 6 tier equipment alone.
Unfortunately, that left a very small portion of customers for such gear. Hephaestus was very particular about not giving adventurers equipment above their level, after all. Even her own Benishigure was very carefully crafted for her own abilities, compared to what she could make. That meant there were a grand total of seven adventurers in Orario who could arguably buy the best she could produce. Materials necessary for such gear could also only be melted down and reforged a small number of times. So, unless they were purchased, every single piece of equipment she forged that truly tested the limits of her skill would cost her tens of millions of valis.
And not all of those seven adventurers did purchase her gear.
Riveria and Hedin both tended to call on Altena, and their hundreds of dedicated mages and researchers, since they wielded magic staves and forewent armor.
Goibnu was an even harsher competitor. While the Goibnu familia were generally lower leveled than the Hephaestus familia, even less 'adventurers' than the latter, they did compensate elsewhere. They cooperated. Unlike Hephaestus who provided an unreachable standard for them to aim for and guided each of them as an independent blacksmith, Goibnu often had his familia work together on larger projects. Each lending their own specialization to the larger whole.
Not to mention that while he held back, Goibnu would occasionally accept commissions for him to add onto personally.
Finn of Loki and Allen of Freya had commissioned their spears from them, while Hogni his cursed sword from her. Armor was more mixed. They were small potatoes though. They didn't tend to break their weapons or gear often. Gareth bought more gear as a tank than all of them together, and she'd gone to great lengths to get him exclusively buying from her even if she effectively gave up any profits in return for being able to craft more equipment of such quality.
Ottar was basically another Gareth. With the difficulty of him buying equipment equal to his level, he was always working with underwhelming gear in relation. He didn't wear armor, but none of his weapons lasted a month. That he just bought whatever weapons he could from either her or the Goibnu familia without care was something she wanted to end.
Thus, beyond just losing an opportunity to finally try and genuinely create a masterpiece that pushed into Level 7 territory, she lost the chance to subconsciously have him thinking that her weapon was the most reliable one he had.
"You are lucky that I got some extra stats because of you, even if that isn't near enough to make up for not being able to smith that drop," Tsubaki growled at him, although she then poured a second mug of alcohol. "Cheers to me losing an opportunity."
She drank, but Ottar didn't.
"What? Haven't you ever celebrated a battle alongside others?" she asked, sending him a look even as she drank hers. "Come on, drink. ~Drink~ Or are you not thankful to have received an unknown drop item?"
She wasn't sure whether to be amused or annoyed that the man appeared most off-balance by this than anything.
Just shaking her head in amusement, Hephaestus clearly decided to end the awkward moment by pointing, "I'm sure you'll be able to have the chance to work the Black Sword drop eventually, Tsubaki. Three months if I remember correctly."
That made Tsubaki perk up, replying, "You're right. Loki familia have the next claim to the Udaeus."
That made Ottar frown and speak up, "Is it possible to refrain from informing them? I would even be willing to spend the favor there."
That made Tsubaki turn on him, eye narrowed. She grasped what he meant. Ottar wasn't necessarily petty, even if she didn't know him well, but the competition between the city's two top familia's had the tendency to elevate even petty issues into larger problems. The secret that the Udaeus had a drop item and conjecture on how to gain it was a valuable secret. The Loki familia were likely the only other familia than Freya that could use that knowledge too. Whether it required solo'ing the Udaeus or drawing the fight out long enough, it would require a Level 6 to be reliable.
"I'm going to have to deny that myself, Sir Ottar," her goddess spoke up though, taking a sip of wine. Her eye remained fixed on him though, and she made the act and her words feel undeniable. "Tsubaki might owe you a favor, but this is too much. You're talking about the difference between potentially working on said drop once a year vs every two years, and you already showed that we can't expect the Freya familia to only bring it to us."
Ottar's frown deepened, but after a moment of meeting the goddess' eyes he grunted simply in acknowledgement.
"Good," Hephaestus continued, clapping her hands with a smile. "Now, I think it best we finish our business. Since Tsubaki owes you a favor, I would prefer if you make the request now. I dislike being in debt, even on behalf of my familia captain."
Ottar didn't appear too interested, standing and merely stating, "I would ask Miss Collbrande work towards leveling up, if I must ask for anything from her."
"Eh," Tsubaki let out involuntarily at that.
…
"Level up? Just like that?" she asked after a moment's silence.
"You are not ready yet, but you are not far off with effort. You also should have gained some high-class excelia from that fight with the Udaeus," Ottar spoke simply. "If you wish for me to specifically commission from you, pushing yourself to the next step is the only option."
Tsubaki raised an eyebrow towards him before turning to send a look at her goddess.
"I really hope you realize it doesn't work like that," Tsubaki slowly spoke, as if testing his reaction. "You don't just…choose to level up."
"I would disagree," Ottar had the audacity to claim, face not even shifting.
"Not something even you can just definitively declare and expect people to accept though," Tsubaki pointed out wryly.
"Especially for Tsubaki, as I shall inform you simply that you might be outside your expertise since Tsubaki is a smith at her core," Hephaestus said, finger running along the rim of her wine glass. "I doubt you even understand how she last leveled up."
Likely true, as Tsubaki had leveled up to 5 during the Great Feud. Oh, she hadn't had any big, dramatic fight like many of the others. She had participated at times, but almost entirely in a supportive role. No, she had been more valued for what she produced than her fighting skills.
For those seven days, she hadn't once slept. She just smithed, went out to fight occasionally when necessary, and then returned to smithing. Trying desperately to stem the tide of damage to their equipment stores that those days of defeat and constant enemy harassment had brought.
Apparently, seven days of working straight had counted as a great feat fit for leveling up.
Not something she was of a mind to match, much less take a step further as would be needed.
The memory of those days...she had to fight back a shiver and rather gladly shoved those memories away.
"Exactly. My father was a level 6 in the familia, but he leveled up in his mid-40's," Tsubaki added, frowning a bit at the memory of her father that had been dragged along and lost together with the Zeus and Hera familias in the Grand Quests. "I am not behind him in progress."
Honestly, five years of slowly gaining high-class excelia wasn't more than she found reasonable.
"Is your only goal to not fall behind your father, or to surpass him?" Ottar spoke, one of the few adventurers yet alive that likely remembered him.
It made Tsubaki partially crush her mug in her hand as her gaze on him sharpened.
"I would have you speak carefully to my familia members, Sir Ottar. My smiths do not necessarily need your assistance to develop," Hephaestus spoke, seemingly not pleased either. What familia captains said to each other did have further implications than they would otherwise, and their two familia's were not close enough for a great deal to be waved off. "I would also remind you that the number of level 6's alive is in the single digits, and all but one leveled up during the Great Feud alongside Tsubaki. None have leveled up in the time since."
…
"And to make clear, you too leveled up during the Feud and have yet to level up again."
Wow, that sent even Tsubaki blinking as she sent her goddess a look.
Suppose the call for her to try leveling up, and all the danger that entailed, really hadn't pleased her goddess.
Ottar appeared remarkably unmoved by the sudden shift to hostility, even if he was likely used to it with his own familia.
"I intend to," he instead claimed, staring at them stoically. "That dive, I intended to move on to confront Balor. I intend to defeat it…and make that my great feat."
Now, even her goddess was left blinking in shock.
"I pulled back for the sake of that Black Sword drop, and to forge a new weapon," he informed them. "Once it is finished, I shall delve again. I shall fight Balor, and take the next step."
He seemingly felt no more need to say anything, and turned to leave.
Tsubaki couldn't help standing up though, demanding loudly, "Balor?! You're going to try and solo Balor?!"
He had easily handled Udaeus, but that was indicative of little. Udaeus was Level 6, and relatively straight forward an opponent – at least before it suddenly revealed the Black Sword. Balor was Level 7, and like Amphisbaena possessed characteristics that arguably made it a Level 8 in actuality. It was an enemy that you had to be level 5 just to stand on the same field as.
Beyond that, Balor was…damn if she knew why, but there was an extra air to that monster. Some ancient tale that made the whispers about it even more ominous and fearful. It was the strongest monster besides the Three Great Beasts the world knew.
The Loki familia had only even attempted to tackle it just over two years ago, several months after all their new execs all leveled up. Three comparatively veteran Level 6's and four talented Level 5's. They had failed the first time, fleeing and returning with harrowed looks on their faces. Only the second time, ten months later, did they first defeat it. Only once more had they defeated it since, near half a year ago. Even the Freya familia used comparable numbers, only not needing Ottar the last two times. Monster Rex's were also just better tackled in groups.
"Level 7 or not, do you actually think that's an enemy you can beat?!" she asked.
That stopped him, and he peaked over his shoulder at her.
"No…and that's the point."
He then left.
Tsubaki paused, considered, and then looked at her goddess before asking, "He's not going to go and get himself killed, is he?"
"Who knows?" her goddess asked, mouth twisting slightly.
It was hard to imagine Ottar dying. It was rumored that he'd leveled up with S rank in endurance since Level 1, and that he even had a skill related to it. Yet, if there was an enemy available in Orario which made him dying more likely than not, it was Balor.
"What the hell is that guy doing?" she finally asked, collapsing back into his chair.
"Trying to level up, it seems," her goddess muttered.
"That's…y-you can't level up like…that," Tsubaki argued, voice hesitating now.
"Really?" Hephaestus said, now suddenly looking at Tsubaki in a way that made her squirm. "Maybe not, but…maybe that one is one of the few who can. We'll see."
That made Tsubaki gape, but finally she just shook her head.
Recent events had been too weird, and it was time to get things back to normal.
For a POV that I hadn't originally planned, I ended up spending a bit too much time fleshing out Tsubaki's circumstances. Eh, I like Tsubaki and I barely ever see her focused on. I'm fine giving her a few extra thousand words.
And next part will be from Ottar's POV, and I think you should be able to guess what the bulk of his part will be focused on.