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Chapter 56: The Anomaly
"No, really, Miss Eina."
Seated on the sofa, Hyacine swung her legs—clad in white silk stockings—back and forth. She wagged a finger with a playful grin, testifying on Aiden's behalf. "Everything Aiden said is true. We were all there. Besides, the Takemikazuchi Familia can vouch for us too."
"It's not that I don't believe you, Mr. Aiden..." Eina rubbed her temples, letting out a pained groan. "It's just... this is simply too unbelievable. And how on earth am I supposed to write this report?"
She trusted Aiden and Hyacine. Based on her understanding of the Focalors Familia, they weren't the type to make baseless claims or exaggerate. The fact that the Takemikazuchi Familia could provide cross-verification only solidified their claim.
The problem remained: how was she supposed to document this?
[Adventurer Aiden, Lv. 1. Reached the 12th Floor of the Dungeon in under one month. Solo killed a Lv. 2 monster. Level up successful.]
If this file were released to the public, it would cause an absolute uproar.
Those reckless novice adventurers, ignorant of their own limits and dreaming of overnight fame, would likely see this as a standard to emulate. They would rush in droves to challenge high-level monsters, and the result would be no different from mass suicide.
That was the last thing the Guild wanted to see.
Eventually, after a fierce internal struggle, Eina dutifully completed the record. She wrote down Aiden's experiences word for word, clearly marking every detail.
As for how to handle this file, that was no longer a decision for a mere clerk like her; that was something for the Guild's higher-ups to worry about.
Carrying the file, which felt as heavy as lead, she knocked on her supervisor's door.
The result was exactly as she had anticipated.
When she returned to the consultation room, she brought back the Guild's final decision.
Aiden's adventure data and level-up records were to be sealed at the highest level of security, classified as confidential, and strictly prohibited from being leaked.
"Just as I feared," Eina sighed, explaining the situation to Aiden. "The Guild's upper management believes that publishing your experience right now would cause massive trouble. Most adventurers would try to imitate you and get themselves killed one by one. So, until a suitable method of disclosure is found, your deeds will not be publicized."
Then, a smile returned to her face. "However, the good news is that because a High-Class Adventurer has been born within your ranks, the Focalors Familia's evaluation grade in the Guild has increased. You've jumped two ranks, from I to G. Congratulations."
An increase in Familia rank meant greater weight within the Guild. For a newborn Familia, this was a tangible benefit. The higher the rank, the more information they could access from the Guild's archives—data that was previously confidential, such as details on the deeper levels of the Dungeon, would now be available to them.
"In addition," Eina continued, "although you have reached Lv. 2 and technically should receive your own alias, the Denatus—the gathering of gods—was just held last month. The next one isn't for another two months. Your title will be decided by the gods then. Only after that will the Guild officially post your level-up news on the bulletin board alongside other adventurers promoting in the same period. It's the Guild's way of promoting outstanding adventurers, making you known throughout Orario, and perhaps the world."
"Two months from now? That works," Aiden replied.
To Eina's surprise, Aiden wasn't disappointed. Instead, he seemed relieved.
He nodded, accepting the arrangement happily.
Two months was enough time for a lot to happen. By then, he might already be Lv. 3, or even higher. The stronger he was, the more weight he would carry in the eyes of the gods, and the title they bestowed might actually be decent.
Aiden knew the gods' nature all too well.
Those high-and-mighty deities loved nothing more than to make fun of members from new, small Familias. Even for a major event like leveling up, the titles they granted were often products of their twisted sense of humor—each one more shameful than the last.
Unless one belonged to a powerful faction like the Loki or Freya Familia—groups that made other gods wary enough to behave—the titles proposed were rarely normal or imposing. Or, like the "Braver" Finn Deimne, one had to rely on personal achievements and their Familia's influence to actively demand a specific title from their patron deity.
So, not getting a title immediately was actually a good thing for Aiden.
The mere thought of the humiliating, edgy titles that might be slapped onto him—like [Holy Dragon Knight of the Dawn], [Ultimate Bottom], or even [Hilichurl Killer]—made cold sweat run down his back.
Walking out the door with that kind of title would be absolutely mortifying, even for him. After all, once an adventurer received an alias, people would use it instead of their real name in most situations.
He didn't want to walk down the street in the future and hear someone shout, "Hey, look, it's the Hilichurl Killer!"
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The air on the 12th Floor of the Dungeon always carried a unique, stagnant dampness.
The light here came from sporadic patches of phosphorescent moss on the rock walls—dim and hazy, coating everything in an unreal mist. The ground was no longer the relatively flat stone pavement of the upper floors but rugged rock and soil, requiring constant attention to one's footing.
The party of four from the Focalors Familia had just finished a battle with several Rock Shield Hilichurls and was moving along a narrow passage toward the entrance to the 13th Floor.
"According to the map Miss Eina gave us, once we pass that corner ahead, we should reach 'The First Line' connecting to the Middle Floors," Robin said, walking in the center of the formation. She kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings while checking the simple map in her hand.
"Finally, the Middle Floors," Tifa said from the front, tightening her grip on her combat gloves. There was a hint of anticipation in her tone. "I heard the monster strength there takes a qualitative leap."
However, when they rounded the final rock wall, the sight before them made everyone freeze.
The expected massive cavern entrance leading down was nowhere to be seen. In its place was a blue-purple vortex, about the height of two people, emitting a ghostly glow.
It floated silently in mid-air. Its surface rippled like a calm lake disturbed by a stone, sending out rings of mysterious light that made the surrounding rock walls flicker between brightness and shadow.
A peculiar energy fluctuation, one that did not belong to the Dungeon, slowly radiated from the vortex's center.
"This... what is this?" Hyacine blinked, hugging a dozing Little Ica in her arms. Her face was written with confusion. "Miss Eina's data didn't mention anything like this at the entrance between the 12th and 13th floors."
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