Chapter 1: A Whole New World

I had just finished the most recent volume of "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?" and I couldn't wait to start the next one to see what adventures awaited Bell and his friends in the dungeon. The cliffhanger at the end left me eager to find out how they would overcome their latest challenge. But in the end, I am human and need to rest; it is already 4 a.m., and I have to get up for work at 7. I grabbed a glass of water and set it on my nightstand before finally crawling into bed. Screech!!! CAW! CAW!! CAW!! I heard the sound of crows outside my window, a sure sign that morning was approaching, but I opened my eyes and saw that I was under trees. Wait what!! I get up and look around, and I seem to be in a forest!

My first assumption is that someone had to have kidnapped me because I don't have any friends that would joke with me like this. I started to walk east since I noticed some moss and figured that was the direction that would lead me out of the forest. I walked for about 20 minutes before I decided I should try to climb a tree to see if I could see any civilizations. After a few tumbles and broken branches, I finally reached the top of the tree and couldn't believe what I was seeing. It looked to be a huge tower that went into the sky and disappeared into the clouds. I could also see the top of the walls that seemed to surround it. I could also faintly make out the look of a gate that seemed to be around 400 yards or so ahead of me. I'm amazed that I wasn't able to see this in the forest, but the coverage of leaves must have been blocking my view. The sight of the tower and walls made me curious to explore further and see what lay beyond the gate. After another 15 minutes of running, I was getting close and needed to rest a bit before interacting with whoever was here.

I finally made my way to the gate, and I had begun to realize that this might be the world of Danmachi. I didn't get my hopes up just yet. I approached the open gate and found a line of people waiting to get in. I waited 10 minutes before it was my turn, and I said, How can I get to the Pantheon? The guard said, Welcome to Orario, a young adventurer. You look like a new face around here; the pantheon is just up ahead; you will need to take the first left you see and then head straight until you see a place called Hostess of Fertility," and then it will be down the road to the right." I followed the directions and arrived at the pantheon. I was amazed when I saw Ais and a few of the Loki families eating at the "Hostess of Fertility.". Anyway, I went inside the Pantheon and found the receptionist. She was strikingly beautiful, with long, flowing hair and piercing blue eyes. She greeted me warmly and asked me if I was a new adventurer. I told her that I was and would like to receive any information I could on familias. She told me to wait one minute, and she would find me an advisor to talk to.

The advisor arrived shortly after, and I couldn't believe my luck when I saw the mature beauty she hid. I knew this had to be Eina. We went back to her office, and she started to tell me about a few of the guilds. She said the Loki family is hard to get into, but once you are in, you cannot get out. The Hephaestus family is known for their exceptional craftsmanship, and the Freya family is rumored to have a powerful magic user. I knew that I wouldn't join those last two, but the Loki family would allow me to get close to Ais. But I think that I could grow stronger if I trained without anyone to rely on. I asked Eina if there were any goddesses that were looking to make a family or needed a supporter, and she told me about Hestia.

I got the directions from the church and went to meet the goddess of hearth, or home. I arrived at the run-down church and knocked but got no reply. It was probably 5 p.m., and I figured she should be getting close to being down at work. I decided to wait a little while longer. After 30 minutes, I finally saw the Loli walking this way. She was holding a small bag and seemed to be in a hurry. She asked me what it was that I wanted. I explained my situation and how I was seeking guidance and support from Hestia. She listened attentively and then invited me inside the church to discuss further. As we sat down, she began to share with me the ways in which Hestia could provide comfort and assistance in times of need. She also told me that right now she doesn't have any members in her family, but I knew this would change soon if Ais was here. That must mean Bell should be getting to the city soon.

After this, we went to the couch in the living room, and she asked me to take off my shirt so she could grant me a falna. What skill would I have, if any? I was starting to get nervous. She started the process by pricking her finger to put a drop of blood on my back. After hearing it land and a few seconds passing, I felt a sudden surge of power rush through my body. And she gasped! I asked what was wrong, and the only thing she said was, "You're not human!"