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The 50th floor of the dungeon. In the current era, this was the deepest level reached by Orario's Familias—a feat achieved only through a joint expedition by the Freya and Loki Familias—along with elite members from other groups, including the Yahweh Familia.
No single Familia had reached this depth yet.
Mika was the first!
"Back on the 50th floor, huh?" He murmured, a smile playing on his lips as he looked around at the familiar surroundings—He had fond memories of that joint expedition; it had been a valuable experience.
As he walked through the lush vegetation of the 50th floor, memories of that time resurfaced.
"I wonder when the other Familias will reach this depth again," he mused.
Orario was now ruled by three dominant powers: the Freya Familia, with their Level 7 Ottar and numerous Level 6s; the Loki Familia, with their three Level 6s; and the Yahweh Familia, with Mika, their sole Level 6.
Of course, this was just the public perception.
The Yahweh Familia's true strength had never been fully revealed.
After all, Mika's own power, enhanced by his Cosmo and other abilities—now surpassed even most Level 7s, though his official Falna level was still 6, about to reach 7.
In his mind, the Yahweh Familia surpassed even Freya and Loki. And it was those two Familias that were expected to lead Orario's future dungeon expeditions.
However, they hadn't reached this level yet.
After all, before the decisive battle against the dark faction, the Loki Familia only had three Level 5 adventurers.
And the Freya Familia—despite their immense power, rarely prioritized dungeon exploration. In a Familia where every member was a potential rival in love—all vying for Freya's affection—true cooperation on a long-term expedition was difficult to achieve, unless it was a direct order from the Goddess herself.
Their earlier participation in the joint expedition had been solely due to Freya's command. After all, the enemy—former members of the Zeus and Hera Familias, were a threat she couldn't ignore.
She wouldn't allow them to regain their former glory. However, her usual focus was on collecting—interesting souls, not exploring the dungeon. Her gaze was fixed on the surface world, not its depths.
Therefore, neither Familia had reached this level yet—But Mika knew it was only a matter of time. They had all grown stronger during the recent war.
———
"Time to head back." Mika paused at the entrance to the 51st floor, then turned back.
He had no desire to explore further; he would return to the deeper levels with his companions. A solitary expedition held no appeal. The same applied to the Quest to slay the Black Dragon.
Of the three Great Quests—only the Black Dragon remained. The other two—the Leviathan and the Behemoth—had been slain by the Hera and Zeus Familias, respectively, before their downfall.
And it was during an expedition to slay the Black Dragon that Mika's parents had perished. He had vowed to avenge them, a feat he could now easily achieve.
However, he hesitated.
Simply obliterating the Black Dragon—it didn't feel—right.
The Black Dragon, the monster that had destroyed Orario's strongest Familia, was a legendary figure.
With the other two Great Quests already completed, the Zeus and Hera Familias' legacies were secured, their names etched in history.
The Black Dragon quest, however, held even greater significance, its eventual conquest destined to become a pivotal moment in Orario's history—a heroic tale passed down through generations.
And Mika wanted that tale to be—grand, not a footnote about how easily the current generation had surpassed the previous one. He didn't want to diminish his parents' sacrifice.
He wanted to honor their memory by proving that the current generation wasn't just stronger, but also more—heroic.
Therefore, the Black Dragon's defeat had to be a momentous event, a grand spectacle.
"So, what's your plan?" Alfia asked, appearing beside him.
"I'm going to—Create heroes." A smile played on his lips as he thought of the adventurers he had met in Orario—those with the potential for greatness. "I'll train them, nurture them, guide them, until they become the strongest heroes this world has ever seen."
"And then—with this army of champions—we will face the Black Dragon. And in that battle…we will etch our names in legend."
He paused, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "While this world is shared by Gods and Humans, it's Humanity's stories that truly shine. This—is their stage."
"The Argonauts, you mean?" Alfia murmured, understanding his ambition.
Mika knew the legend of Jason and the Argonauts—the fifty Heroes who sailed on the Argo to retrieve the Golden Fleece.
Among them were legendary figures like Heracles.
Of course, this was the Greek myth from his previous life.
However, a similar tale existed in this world as well. While he didn't know which version Alfia was referring to—he knew she understood his intentions:
To gather the greatest heroes and create a stage for them to shine, to achieve victory and etch their names in legend.
This was his goal.
———
Having decided on his next course of action, Mika began his ascent. He wouldn't explore the deeper levels of the dungeon alone; he would return with his companions. A solitary journey held no appeal.
Unlike his earlier, careful descent, his return was swift, a blur of motion as he flew towards the surface, his presence concealed. He didn't want to startle the other adventurers.
He quickly reached the surface.
———
"Welcome back," He said, greeting Airmid and Mellie.
"Welcome back? You were with us the whole time, weren't you?"
Mellie retorted, glaring at him playfully.
This was the longest they had been apart since she joined the Yahweh Familia. While Mika could control the flow of time during his travels—he had left them in the One Piece world for years...
"Don't be angry, Mellie," Airmid said, gently placing a hand on her arm. While she, too, had never been separated from Mika for so long—she understood his reasons—his concerns.
"Yes, yes, you two are so close," Mellie said, rolling her eyes, though she understood his reasons. As the Familia's strategist, she knew why he had chosen to travel alone. However, their playful banter was a familiar—comfortable routine—often mediated by Airmid.
"Alright, alright, I was wrong," Mika said, raising his hands in mock surrender. This wasn't the time for arguments; they had just been reunited after a long separation.
Airmid and Mellie smiled, relieved.
"It's good to see the three of you getting along," Yahweh said, joining them. "Come, let's eat. I'm eager to hear about your adventures."
"We want to hear about yours as well."
"We'll all share our stories, one by one," she said with a smile.
They headed towards the dining hall.
———
The Yahweh Familia was larger now.
Besides the original four—Mika, Yahweh, Airmid, and Mellie—there was also Alfia, now a spirit; Saori Kido, the reincarnated Athena; and Ayu—the Teigu.
The seven of them sat around the table, enjoying their meal and sharing stories.
At Mellie's request, Mika began, recounting his adventures in the [High School DxD] and [Saint Seiya] worlds.
"Worlds of Gods and devils—how exciting!" Mellie exclaimed.
Even Airmid's eyes sparkled with interest—After all, he had encountered Power Systems capable of Fighting even The Gods—and Artifacts that could grant immortality.
It was like something out of a dream—Gods, Devils, Angels, Dragons—Mika's adventures were far more thrilling than they could have imagined.
———
"So, Airmid and I will travel to Sanctuary—Master the Seventh Sense—and become the Pisces and Sagittarius Gold Saints?" Mellie asked excitedly. The prospect of wielding such power was incredibly tempting.
"That's right," Mika chuckled. "Our gracious Athena is even willing to—bend the rules a bit for you. Therefore, out of respect for her—curiosity, perhaps you should share your adventures as well?"
Mellie turned to Saori, who was indeed looking at them expectantly. She smiled and began her story, recounting their time in the world of One Piece:
Pirates, Marines, the World Government, the Revolutionary Army—the familiar figures of that vast ocean.
Mika nodded; It seemed little had changed since his last visit—though there were details he wasn't aware of. After all, his knowledge of that world was limited. He was far more interested in their experiences. As they spoke, he pieced together their journey.
Upon arriving in that world, they had appeared near Luffy, witnessing firsthand the brutality of pirates—Therefore, they had decided to join the Marines.
However, having joined the Marines, they quickly discovered the—flaws within the organization, having been assigned to the very base where Zoro had been imprisoned. They had secretly taken control of it.
Mellie, initially unconcerned by the Marines' internal issues—after all, every large organization had its share of corrupt individuals—After further investigation into the world's power structure, realized the true nature of the problem.
The Marines were merely a tool of the World Government, a vast, seemingly democratic organization whose true rulers, the Celestial Dragons, maintained a system of slavery. This moral ambiguity made their position—complicated.
She had Airmid and Esdeath focus on rising through the ranks of the Marines, while she infiltrated the World Government.
With her intelligence and ability to subtly manipulate others—she had quickly gained influence, her position rising steadily.
Airmid and Esdeath's rapid advancement within the Marines had been aided by Mellie's carefully crafted backstory:
They were from a small, isolated island, trained in martial arts by their grandfather until his recent death.
This fabricated history—combined with Mellie's subtle mental manipulations of the island's inhabitants—had ensured their cover story was flawless, facilitating their rise through the ranks.
Of course, Mellie's influence within the World Government—subtly directing resources and recognition towards them—had also played a part. Thanks to their combined efforts, they had thrived in the world of One Piece.
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