The first thing Lei noticed was the earthy smell of damp soil. His eyes fluttered open to a canopy of leaves dancing in the morning breeze, sunlight filtering through in scattered rays. This wasn't his bed.
He sat up, leaves and twigs falling from his clothes. The forest around him seemed ordinary enough, but the air felt different—charged with something he couldn't quite explain. A distant bell tolled, and through a gap in the trees, he caught a glimpse of something that made his breath catch: a massive white tower piercing the clouds.
It was something familiar - a look alike of a tower he saw in the anime before falling asleep -Danmachi Tower Of Babel
Following a worn path through the forest, he reached a road leading to a massive gate which he could see even from far away. As he moved on the dirt road, bits and pieces, words like Orario, adventurer , familia, gods graced his ears from the passing carts moving towards the city.
"So it really happened," Lei muttered, brushing dirt from his shirt. "I'm in the world of gods and monsters."
Lei's mind raced with everything he knew about this world. Adventurers, Familias, the Dungeon—and most importantly, the dangers. His heart sank, first thing that came to his mind wasn't adventure, nor beauties or power but fear, not from monsters but from gods and humans who wield extraordnary powers, he need protection, and fast, not just from monsters, but from certain gods whose attention he'd rather avoid(Freya).
The road opened up to reveal Orario in all its glory. The massive walls rose before him, ancient and imposing, while Babel Tower dominated the skyline like a sword thrust into the heavens. Adventurers and merchants streamed through the gates, some wearing armor, others in simple leather with worn weapons at their sides.
"First things first," Lei said to himself as he joined the crowd entering the city. "I need a Familia."
Lei waited at end of the line to enter. there were about 20 people in front of him a few with carriage filled with goods and the rest seemed adventures with weapons at their side. As the line moved he drifted into his thoughts, he'd already eliminated several options. Hestia Familia, while welcoming, was too small and too closely tied to Bell Cranel a trouble magnet. Others were either too dangerous like soma or too small . The ones that stood out were : Loki, Hephaistus and Ganesha but considering he might get the attention of Freya as at least his soul isn't from this world Loki seems to be an obvious choice - Strong, established, and most importantly, known for protecting their own.
"Paper please" the voice of guard at the gate brought him out of his musings
"Yes?" asked Lei
"Identification papers?" asked the guard again a bit annoyed making Lei awkwardly look at him, let alone identification papers he didn't even have a valis on him.
Lie looked up at the stern-faced guard. "I... I don't have any papers."
The guard's expression hardened. "No papers? Then there's an entrance fee of 1000 valis for unregistered visitors."
"I don't have any money either," Lie admitted, keeping his voice steady despite the growing tension. Several people in line behind him started grumbling.
"No papers, no money?" The guard's hand rested on his sword hilt. "Then why should I let you into the city, we don't need more beggars go back kid.?"
Lei straightened his posture, meeting the guard's eyes. "I'm here to become an adventurer. To join a Familia and make my way into the Dungeon."
"Ha!" The guard barked out a laugh. "You and half the street rats in Orario. What makes you think you would be different from a dead corpse ?"
"Because I know exactly what I'm walking into," Lei replied calmly even though he didn't. "I'm not here chasing glory or dreams of being a hero. The Dungeon is dangerous—it kills the unprepared and the foolish. I plan to be neither." He gestured to the other adventurers passing through. "Look at their eyes. Half of them are seeing gold, the other half fame. Me? I see a chance to survive."
The guard studied him for a long moment, then glanced at his partner. "What do you think, Marcus?"
The second guard shrugged. "Kid knows more than most who come through. At least he's honest about it."
"Alright," the first guard sighed putting a valis from his pocket and giving lie a temporary permit , stepping aside. "But remember this kindness. The next time you pass through these gates, you better have proper papers or coin."
"Thank you," Lei said with a slight bow. "I won't forget it, also could you give me a paper and a quill?"
As he passed through the massive gates with a note he wrote, the guard called after him: "And kid? Whatever Familia you join... make it a good one. The weak ones don't last long in this city."
Lei's eyes darted around the bustling city, taking in the sights and sounds with bewildered curiosity. The streets were lined with shops of all shapes and sizes, each adorned with the name and emblem of the Familia that owned them. Groups of adventurers, merchants, and citizens bustled through the main street, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Excuse me," Lei called out to a passing merchant carrying a stack of goods, "Can you tell me where Loki Familia headquarters is? I have a letter for the Goddess Loki."
The mansion of Loki Familia loomed before him, its architecture a testament to their power and wealth. Two guards stood at attention, their equipment marking them as adventurers.
"Can you give this to Goddess Loki," Lie said as he approached the guards with measured confidence. From his pocket, he produced a folded paper. "It's regarding joining the Familia."
"Kid the recruitment into the familia is done through official channels, go to the guild to apply"
"I know but, I am broke with no place to stay, tell you what, if I ended up joining then I will give you two 10% of my earning for a year, do it for me please?"
The guard looked at him weirdly, this was the first time they saw someone like him, usually these homeless guys either begs or boast about them, it was the first time someone was trying something like this.
The two guard looked at each other and shrugged, it was just delivering a paper , its not like it would do anything to the goddess, so one of them took the paper and headed inside. If the kid did joined it would be their profit if not there is nothing to lose. Besides their goddess is quiet easygoing and enjoys fun, may be she would like this unusal kid.
Lie waited, watching the sun crawl across the sky. An hour passed before the gates opened again, revealing a figure that made him straighten his spine. Goddess Loki sauntered out, his letter in one hand and a playful smirk on her face.
"So," she drawled, red eyes gleaming with mischief, "you're the one offering monthly Soma wine?" She waved the letter. "Pretty bold bribe, kiddo. You know how rare that stuff is?"
Lie bowed slightly. "I will try my best, Goddess Loki. And for someone at the bottom the only way is up right?."
"Hmm." Loki circled him once, twice. "You're interesting. Most kids come begging with dreams of being heroes. You are the first to bribe a god." She stopped in front of him with eyes narrowed.
"But why us?"she asked.
"Seems like the best choice for both growth and protection, and I have reason to believe the I would need both" replied lei honestly as he looked at the goddess in front of him, afterall you can't lie in front of gods.
"Ho? Secrets huh?..i like those but who would harm a kid like you?" asked loki with her brows raised just a bit.
"Don't know, I don't have any enemies neither am I a fugitive of sorts, its just gut feeling so I hope you could give me a place"said Lei as he bowed a bit.
Loki looked at Lei a bit more seriously, she didn't doubt his words, gut feeling? Finn is best example for it…sometime there is just something mortals can feel, 'unknown' is something every god like to persue, the possibility of mortals,
" Interesting , com on in kid, I hope you give me surprises in the future" said Loki as she gave him a playful wink and headed in.
The ceremony room was simple but elegant. Lie lay face-down on a stone bench, shirt removed, as Loki pricked her finger and let divine blood fall upon his back.
"Let's see what we've got here..." she muttered, then sucked in a sharp breath as she read his status "Well, well, well..."
Lie felt it too—a surge of power unlike anything he'd imagined, information automatically flooding his mind. Three skills awakening simultaneously, each one resonating with the others like bells of different tones creating a perfect harmony.
"The Fool, The Door, and The Error," Loki read aloud, her voice carrying a mix of amazement and concern. "Each having a sub skill and 9 blank slots, no magic slot either? Kid, what exactly are you?"
Lie smiled into the stone bench..realizing that he has his own golden finger from the information in his head . "Just someone looking for a place to belong, Goddess Loki."
But they both knew that wasn't entirely true. As the status magic settled into his back, Lie could feel the power of his skills taking root. The Fool with its Seer sequence, The Door with its Apprentice sequence, and The Error with its Marauder sequence—each marked with the number 9, each holding possibilities he had yet to manifest.
His journey in Orario had begun, and with it, the wheels of fate started turning in new and unexpected ways.