Ren Isana pulled out his phone and sent a message directly to Maya, letting her know he had a batch of excellent merchandise on hand—and that it was brought over by people from another world.
It didn't take long for a reply to pop up. She told him to head straight to the factory; she was already on her way there to wait for them.
"All set. Let's go. I'll head downstairs and help you guys bring your things," Ren Isana said, packing up his own belongings and gesturing for Hestia to head out.
Hestia hurriedly stood up and followed him out of the classroom, with the rest of the group trailing right behind them.
When they arrived downstairs, Ren looked at the luggage Ais and the others had brought. It was quite a haul. Without a moment's hesitation, he stored everything inside his Spatial Ring.
"Let's go. We're heading straight to the factory," he announced, stepping out. Ais and the others quickly hurried to keep up.
Leading the group, Ren Isana walked out of the school grounds and onto the streets. Lefiya and the others looked around in absolute awe. The environment here was completely different from their world—some of the buildings were impossibly tall!
As they walked outside and took in the roadside scenery and the distant skyscrapers, Ais and the others widened their eyes. To them, the structures looked like a series of Babel Towers. And what were those iron boxes occasionally zooming past on the road? Were those carriages? Taking in the sights, the DanMachi natives couldn't help but gasp in constant amazement.
"Um... Ren," Naaza suddenly trotted up to his side and asked, "Do you know where Lord Miach went?"
She hadn't forgotten about her god, but now that everyone was leaving, what were they supposed to do about him?
"Don't worry. He's over in the director's office chatting with our principal," Ren replied. "Now that he can use his Divine Power again, you don't have to worry about him losing track of us."
As he said this, he cast a pointed glance at Hestia. That little goddess had managed to run straight to his apartment on her own back then. Since Naaza bore Miach's Falna, it would be incredibly easy for him to track her down.
Hearing this, Naaza blinked in surprise before letting out a sigh of relief. That made sense. If Miach wanted to find them, it would be a piece of cake. With her worries put to rest, she began looking around with eager curiosity.
Ren's large entourage marched grandly toward Maya's factory. When they passed by her storefront, the doors were already shuttered—unsurprisingly, Maya was likely already waiting for them at the factory.
Ais and the others continued to take in their surroundings as they walked. Today was truly an eye-opening experience. No matter how they looked at it, this world was vastly superior to theirs. The streets were spotless, and there were no foul odors in the air.
Back in Orario, outside of the main central district, the city was actually quite filthy and constantly reeked of sweat. It was a highly unpleasant aspect of their home, but this world had none of that. Just by looking at the complexions of the passing pedestrians, it was obvious that the people here lived incredibly happy lives. It was a wonderful world.
After observing in silence for a while, Riveria came to a firm conclusion: they had definitely come to the right place.
Ren soon led the group to Maya's factory. Having just been here yesterday, they were naturally familiar with the route.
Maya and Jimmy were already waiting by the factory entrance. Seeing Ren's group approach, the couple stepped forward to greet them, Maya's eyes already locking onto the new faces walking alongside the students.
"Little Ren, you really know how to surprise me," Maya said, walking up with a beaming smile.
Just yesterday, Jimmy had been lamenting how great it would be to get his hands on more high-tier materials, and today, Ren was delivering them right to their doorstep. It was like a gift falling straight from the heavens.
"Maya, let me introduce you," Ren began, gesturing to the newcomers. "These are Riveria, Ais, and Lefiya—dependents of the Loki Familia. This is Tsubaki, a dependent of the Goddess of Forging. And this is Naaza, a dependent of the God of Healing."
At the mention of the Goddess of Forging's Familia, Jimmy's eyes instantly lit up. His gaze locked onto Tsubaki and her group. *A Familia dedicated to the Goddess of Forging? Then they must be incredible blacksmiths!*
"Hello there, I'm Maya. Please, come on in," Maya greeted warmly, ushering everyone into the factory.
Sora immediately bounded over, chattering excitedly beside Maya. "Maya, Maya! Change of plans! We're here to order Spatial Backpacks today! We might need a whole bunch of them. Can you get them for us all at once?"
Hearing this, Maya looked surprised. "Why the sudden change of heart? Are you looking to buy on credit? I can definitely get them, but it'll take a little time."
Sora frantically shook her head. Credit? No, no, no! They would never buy on credit! They were about to be rich! Just as she was about to explain, a chorus of text message chimes rang out from several phones.
Sora's eyes sparkled at the sound. She hurriedly pulled out her phone, checked the screen, and let out a cheeky grin. "We're paying in full! We've got money now! We got a massive bonus for our otherworldly exploration!"
Sora was grinning from ear to ear, her heart pounding with excitement. She wasn't the only one—the rest of the classmates were equally thrilled. Many of them had never seen so many zeros in their bank accounts in their entire lives. You'd probably only see numbers like that in very specific places!
Hearing about the otherworldly exploration reward, realization dawned on Maya. She looked at the students with an amused smile. "Ah, I remember now. The first batch of pioneers to explore a newly discovered world does indeed receive a special bonus. It seems the things you brought back were quite valuable."
Ren was slightly taken aback. "The first batch of explorers gets a reward? Has this sort of thing happened before?"
If Maya knew about this, was that how she got her start too? Ren couldn't help but wonder. *Is this basically a first-clear reward?*
"That's right. That's exactly how your Jimmy and I made our first pot of gold," Maya said, a nostalgic sigh escaping her lips. "Back then, we managed to bring back a significant amount of precious knowledge, and we were heavily rewarded for it."
To the higher-ups, knowledge was priceless. As long as you could bring back something of true value from a newly explored world, the authorities would never be stingy with their rewards. If Sora hadn't mentioned it, Maya would have completely forgotten about this tradition.
Mostly because the number of people capable of earning such a reward was incredibly small. It made perfect sense that Ren and his classmates, being the first to travel to that world, would receive such a massive payout.
After Maya's explanation, everything clicked into place for the students. So Maya had received a pioneer reward too! No wonder she was so extraordinary.
Ren's curiosity about Maya's true identity only grew. Could she be one of Shizuka Hiratsuka's old classmates too? Unable to hold back, he asked, "Maya, do you know Shizuka Hiratsuka?"
Maya immediately giggled. "Of course I know her! We were classmates, actually. That old hag still hasn't managed to get married even at thirty."
Ren was utterly speechless. *Is it really okay to say that out loud? If you said that to her face, she'd probably beat you to death, right?* He didn't even know how to respond, though judging by her tone, it didn't seem like they were on bad terms. It sounded more like the merciless teasing of close friends.
"So Maya and Ms. Hiratsuka were classmates!" the students exclaimed in sudden realization. To think there was such a connection! It really felt like they were running into acquaintances everywhere they went.
"If she heard you badmouthing her in front of her own students, she'd probably try to fight you," Jimmy remarked, giving his wife a deadpan look. The dynamic between those two women was truly bizarre.
Chatting amiably, the group made their way into the factory. Once inside, Ren retrieved Riveria and the others' luggage from his storage. Riveria and her group immediately sorted out the materials they wanted to sell and handed them over to Maya and Jimmy.
Since these materials were of a much higher tier than the ones Ren had brought previously, Jimmy personally stepped up to negotiate the prices with Riveria. Meanwhile, the rest of the students gathered around Maya to finalize their Spatial Backpack orders.
With their funds secured, everyone eagerly paid their deposits. Every student who didn't already own a Spatial Backpack ordered one. A significant chunk of their one-hundred-million bonus was spent in a flash, but the remaining funds were more than enough to settle their families and cover their living expenses.
This money was likely distributed with exactly this purpose in mind. After all, once they headed off to Nexus Island, they might not be able to return home for a very long time. Having this kind of financial cushion eliminated any lingering worries they had about their families.
Once Jimmy finalized the pricing, Riveria had him transfer the funds directly into Ren's account, as the DanMachi natives didn't possess bank cards or identification in this world yet.
They would have to wait until tomorrow to process their paperwork, so keeping the money with Ren was the safest bet for now. Even after deducting the cost of several Spatial Backpacks, Riveria's group netted over five hundred million. It was a staggering testament to the sheer quality of the high-tier materials they had brought.
Aside from Riveria's haul, Tsubaki's group also raked in over two hundred million. Only Naaza refrained from selling anything. Her Familia's expertise lay in medicine, not monster drops. If she needed money, she could easily just sell a few potion formulas.
Not to mention, Miach had come along as well. Securing funding for his Familia would be a walk in the park. Ren was confident that Director Ken would make all the necessary arrangements; it wasn't something Ren needed to worry about. Would a God of Healing who had regained his Divine Power ever be strapped for cash?
People would probably be lining up around the block just to throw money at him!
Because of this, when Ren placed the orders for the Spatial Backpacks, he casually ordered one for Miss Naaza as well. The cost was pocket change to him anyway.
When Maya heard that Ren was ordering a Spatial Backpack for Naaza, she couldn't help but ask, "Did Miss Naaza come here all by herself?"
She found the situation a bit odd. Three gods had sent their dependents over, but while the Loki and Hephaestus Familias had brought quite a few people, the God of Healing's Familia only had a single representative?
"Lord Miach came over as well. He's currently with Director Ken," Ren replied honestly. Since Maya was Shizuka Hiratsuka's best friend and former classmate, it stood to reason that she might also be one of Director Ken's former students.
The moment the words left his mouth, Maya gasped in shock. "The God of Healing is with Director Ken?! Does that mean... can Director Ken's condition finally be cured?!"
Her reaction perfectly confirmed Ren's suspicions, while also explaining how Maya was always so well-informed about the school's internal affairs.
"He's already been treated," Ren explained, giving her a brief rundown of the director's situation. "Though it will take about a month for him to make a complete recovery."
Hearing Ren's explanation, a brilliant smile broke out across Maya's face. "Only a month? That's incredibly fast! I understand now. In that case, there's no need to pay for Naaza's bag. Just come back in three days!"
Overjoyed by the miraculous news, Maya outright waived Naaza's fee, deciding to gift the bag to her personally. Furthermore, she resolved to immediately demand the entire stock of Spatial Backpacks from her supplier. She was absolutely certain *that guy* would hand them over without a fuss!
Ren looked at her in confusion. "That fast? Didn't you say yesterday that it would take up to a month to gather this many?"
"The situation is completely different now!" Maya declared with absolute confidence. "If that guy dares to hold out on me now, he's dead meat!"
Since this involved Director Ken's savior, if her supplier dared to utter a single word of refusal, she would gladly help him arrange his funeral.
Ren nodded thoughtfully, not pressing the issue further. It seemed the person crafting the Spatial Backpacks was yet another acquaintance. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had somehow stumbled into a very exclusive, highly connected circle.
Having finalized the arrangements with Maya, Ren turned his attention back to the rest of the group. Jimmy was currently deep in conversation with Tsubaki, while the other students had wandered outside to look around the premises.
Seeing that Ren had finished his business, Tsubaki walked over. "Mr. Ren, I've decided to establish a partnership with this facility. Moving forward, we'll borrow this workshop to forge our weapons and sell them through their distribution channels."
Tsubaki quickly outlined her plan. After learning about the factory's operations—specifically that they owned numerous storefronts elsewhere and even exported weapons to other worlds—she had immediately decided to collaborate with them. It was the perfect way to build the Hephaestus Familia's reputation and establish a firm foothold in this new world.
Naturally, Jimmy was more than happy to agree. It was a win-win situation. He was desperate to improve his craft, and having a master blacksmith from the Goddess of Forging's Familia working in his shop would undoubtedly elevate his own forging techniques.
Though slightly surprised by how quickly she had made the decision, Ren didn't object. "That's entirely up to you," he said simply.
He had no intention of interfering. How they chose to develop their Familia in this world was their own internal business.
Tsubaki nodded, officially cementing the partnership on the spot. They could iron out the finer details later.
With all their objectives completed, Ren prepared to head out. He turned to Maya. "Maya, we'll be taking our leave now. I still need to take Riveria and the others out to buy some necessities."
Maya nodded with a warm smile. "Come visit whenever you have free time. And if you ever need any help, don't hesitate to ask."
Ren nodded and called out to the rest of the group to pack up. Once they were outside the factory, Ren addressed his classmates. "Alright, everyone, head on home. Come back to Maya's shop in three days to pick up your Spatial Backpacks. Once we have our gear, we'll head straight into the Dungeon."
Starting tomorrow, attending regular classes was completely optional. They were free to do whatever they wanted. Now that everyone was flush with cash, they could go buy houses, buy cars for their families, or whatever else they needed to settle their affairs.
The classmates nodded in agreement and began dispersing, heading their separate ways. Ren, meanwhile, led Hestia, Ais, and the rest of the DanMachi natives back toward his apartment building.
"Once we get everyone settled in, Asuna, I'll leave it to you to take Ais and the girls out to buy clothes and daily necessities. I won't tag along for that," Ren instructed on the way back.
Since they had just arrived in this world, there was a mountain of things they needed to prepare. These three days of downtime were the perfect opportunity to get them fully equipped before they ventured into this world's Dungeon. Asuna naturally had no objections.
The group soon arrived at the apartment complex. Ren spoke with the property management and retrieved the keys for their respective rooms. Between Ren and Asuna's floors, they had essentially booked out the entire two levels for their group.
After getting everyone settled into their new rooms, Ren took Bell Cranel out to buy his necessities, while Asuna led Ais and the rest of the girls on their own shopping trip. The two groups split up and began their respective errands.
"Lord Ren, is this city the center of the world, just like Orario?" Bell asked, his eyes wide with wonder as he took in the bustling streets. He was endlessly curious about everything around him.
"Just call me Ren," he corrected with an amused smile. "And no, this isn't the center of the world. There are plenty of cities far more advanced than this one. This is just an ordinary city."
Bell was absolutely floored. *This is just an ordinary city?! Then how incredible must the center of the world be?!* The sheer scale of this new reality was blowing his mind.
"Come on. Let's go buy you some clothes and daily necessities first, and then I'll take you to get a haircut," Ren said, patting the boy on the head and gesturing for him to keep up.
Currently, Bell was still wearing his casual clothes from his home world, which made him stick out like a sore thumb in a modern metropolis. Along the way, quite a few pedestrians had cast curious glances in his direction. He was simply too conspicuous.
"Okay, Ren! I'll leave it all to you!" Bell nodded eagerly, perfectly willing to follow Ren's lead.
Under Ren's guidance, Bell picked out a sizable wardrobe and all the daily items he would need. Ren conveniently tossed all the purchases into his Spatial Ring as they went. Once the shopping was done, Ren took him to a salon for a proper haircut. After getting trimmed up and changing into his new modern clothes, Bell finally looked the part of a normal, modern-day middle schooler.
With Bell's errands sorted, Ren took the boy to a restaurant for a hearty lunch before heading back to the apartment. As for Asuna and the girls, Ren didn't bother checking up on them. Shopping with a large group of girls was always a massive hassle—he fully expected them to be out until nightfall.