"Ren Isana, you're the absolute worst!"
Inside a massive chamber on the 16th floor, Sora looked at her twisted, mangled weapon and felt like bursting into tears.
She had spent a fortune on this blade, and now? It was essentially scrap metal. Ren had led them into this monster-filled room and then just stood off to the side like he was watching a play.
He had forced the classmates to deal with the monsters themselves, and to make matters worse, he kept venturing outside to pull even more mobs into the room, ramping up the difficulty to an absurd degree.
Consequently, her weapon had finally snapped. She wasn't the only one; almost everyone's equipment was now useless. If there was anyone whose weapon was still functional, it was Ren, Asuna, and their small inner circle. Everyone else was holding literal junk. There was "team cooperation," and then there was whatever sadistic training regime this was.
"Alright, stop whining. I'll forge you a new one once we get back," Ren said, rolling his eyes at Sora's outburst. "Besides, you can't deny that your teamwork has actually improved, right?"
Despite the broken gear, the harvest was undeniable. The group had developed a basic sense of tactical synergy, which was enough to make Ren feel quite satisfied.
His efforts in luring all those monsters hadn't been in vain. Their progress wouldn't have been nearly as rapid otherwise. They were exhausted, sure, but it was all worth it.
"Fine, stop looking like it's a funeral. Clean up, and let's head back," Ren said, gesturing to the floor of the room which was carpeted in Magic Stones.
Though they had only been at it for two or three hours, the monster spawns had been non-stop. Ren's constant pulling meant they had zero downtime. Even when they rested, they had to do so in shifts. That was exactly why their weapons had given out.
The students dragged their weary bodies across the floor to gather the spoils. Once the Magic Stones were piled high, Ren stepped forward.
With a casual wave of his hand, he swept the entire pile into his [Spatial Ring]. He was handling all the stones and materials personally. Everyone knew Ren was going to be the one forging their new gear, and since that required a mountain of materials and Valis, it was easier to let him manage the treasury.
With the cleanup done, Ren began leading the class back toward the upper floors. They didn't have to lift a finger on the way up; Ren personally cut a path through every monster they encountered.
As they reached the higher levels, the crowd of adventurers returning to Orario grew thicker. Ren's group merged with the flow, making it back to the surface just before the Dungeon gates were set to close for the night.
As they emerged, Ren noticed a significant number of people watching them with curious, intense gazes. He knit his brows in annoyance.
What's the deal? Why are we suddenly the center of attention?
He could sense the eyes following them from all corners of the plaza. After a moment of thought, Ren decided not to press the issue. He led the group straight to the Guild to exchange their loot and purchase some supplies.
The Guild was currently at its peak hours. Adventurers fresh from the Dungeon were swarming the hall to turn in their Magic Stones and materials.
"Those of you who aren't carrying materials can wait outside," Ren instructed as they approached the building. "It's too crowded in there. Only those with materials should follow me."
The group nodded, waiting outside while those with Spatial Backpacks followed Ren into the hall.
Ren found a familiar counter and joined the queue. It was the desk manned by Eina Tulle—the same clerk who had assisted them when they first arrived in this world.
After a short wait, it was Ren's turn. Eina blinked in surprise when she saw him; he and his group had certainly left a lasting impression.
"Ren Isana-san? You're back from the Dungeon already? Are you here to process materials? If the volume is high, perhaps we should move to a private room?" Eina glanced at Ren and his companions.
She was well aware that these people possessed spatial storage items, so their haul would be far more than what was visible on their persons.
"That would be a help. Thank you," Ren nodded. He didn't even have to ask; the elf lady was sharp.
"Please wait in the reception room we used before. I'll go get some colleagues to assist with the counting." Eina stood up quickly, calling over another clerk to cover her station.
Ren headed toward the private room. When they arrived, Eina opened the door and ushered them in.
"I have a rather large amount of Magic Stones to process," Ren stated plainly. "Also, I'm looking to put in a bulk order for materials from the Guild."
He listed his requirements and then began releasing the Magic Stones from his storage. The others followed suit, dumping the contents of their Spatial Backpacks onto the floor.
Within seconds, the large room was overflowing with a mountain of Magic Stones. Eina felt a slight headache coming on just looking at the pile. How is there this much?
She had underestimated them. She expected a decent haul, but this was beyond her expectations. "Please... please wait a moment. I definitely need more help for this."
Eina dashed out to find more colleagues. Just how many monsters did these people kill?
"Heehee, she looked totally stunned," Sora giggled, enjoying the reaction. "It's like rolling up to a bank with a literal truckload of coins."
"Other Familias don't bring back everything like we do," Ren explained. "Usually, they only pick the largest, most valuable Magic Stones and leave the rest."
He knew the logistics of it. Long-distance expeditions often ignored low-level stones entirely, only bothering with the high-value drops from the Deep Floors. If their inventory got too full, they'd even toss out lower-tier items. They didn't have the luxury of spatial storage.
Ren's group, however, consisted of multiple "walking warehouses." They were less like adventurers and more like a vacuum cleaner—if it could be exchanged for Valis, it went into the bag. After all, development required capital. Even a mosquito's leg was still meat.
As they chatted, Eina returned with three colleagues. The newcomers were equally floored by the sight, but they got to work immediately. They brought in large crates and began weighing the stones. The Guild used a standardized weight-based valuation for bulk exchanges, which sped things up significantly. The monster materials, however, were more tedious.
Those had to be categorized and cross-referenced with the Guild's current buy-back rates. Ren and the others stepped in to help sort the items, and Sora even went outside to grab a few more classmates to assist.
With everyone pitching in, the entire haul was tallied in just half an hour. Eina looked at the final data on her clipboard and breathed an audible sigh of amazement. "This is truly incredible. Ren Isana-san, the total value of your haul is 9.53 million Valis."
Ren nodded and spoke up. "In that case, please convert the total into materials. I need a specific list for weapon forging."
He rattled off a long list of mineral and reagent names. Eina took diligent notes, reading the list back to him once he was finished to ensure accuracy.
"You intend to spend the entire 9.53 million on these materials?" she asked to confirm.
Ren nodded. "Actually, make it an even 10 million. I'll pay the difference."
He wasn't even sure if this would be enough. He had actually held back some of the rarer materials for himself; otherwise, the payout would have been even higher. But since they picked up every bit of "trash" they found, the volume was staggering. Most Familias would be thrilled to bring back a few million after a multi-day trip, and that was before factoring in their expenses.
"Very well, I understand. I'll have the staff prepare the order," Eina said before heading out.
About ten minutes later, Eina returned. "Ren Isana-san, if you would follow me? The items are ready, but because of the volume, you'll need to collect them from the warehouse."
The group followed her to the Guild's rear storage area, where Eina had already organized the materials into large crates. She went over the prices and quantities one last time, and once Ren confirmed everything was correct, he swept the crates into his storage.
By the time they finished, night had fully fallen. Ren and Asuna bid Eina farewell. "Thank you for your hard work, Eina-san. We'll be taking our leave."
"You're very welcome, Ren Isana-san. I hope your next harvest is even more fruitful," Eina replied with a gentle smile, seeing them out before returning to her desk.
Outside, the waiting classmates were restless, some of them swatting at mosquitoes. Once Ren confirmed everyone was present, he gave the order. "Let's go. Back to the Familia."
He led the way toward the Hestia Familia's headquarters, the rest of the class following close behind.
Despite the hour, Orario was at its most vibrant. Adventurers back from the Dungeon were packed into taverns, drinking and laughing. The scents of roasted meat and ale filled the streets. Night was the time for adventurers to let loose—especially those who had been underground for weeks.
The Pleasure Quarter was undoubtedly doing a roaring trade, though Ren didn't care to wonder how many customers those girls handled in a night.
The group ignored the noise and headed toward the outskirts of the East District. Though several restaurant owners tried to scout them as they passed, Ren and the others ignored the invitations.
As they walked, Ren suddenly felt a burning gaze land on him. He knit his brows in a sharp frown.
He turned his head toward the top of Babel Tower. The others looked confused. "What is it?" Asuna asked.
Ren shook his head and kept walking. "Nothing. I just feel like someone is watching us."
He knew exactly who it was. There wasn't anyone else besides Freya who would stare with that mix of "burning heat" and "creepy voyeurism."
The group frowned. An enemy? But they quickly put it out of their minds. If someone attacked, they'd just kill them.
"So brilliant... ah... ha... hahahaha...!"
At the very top of Babel Tower, Freya was slumped on the floor in a "duck sit." The expensive carpet beneath her was already soaked through.
As for how it got wet? Don't you worry about it.
Freya covered her eyes, her body trembling violently. Tears fell uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes, her entire being reduced to a puddle of mush.
Just one look—that was all it took for her eyes to reach their limit. Her body, too. She had never seen such a brilliant soul or such terrifying talent. How could a human possess talent so great that even the gods would feel envy?
Hestia, Loki, and Hephaestus-sama could all see Ren's potential, but Freya possessed "eyes" that could see the very essence of a soul. To her, Ren was like a flashbang—utterly blinding in his radiance.
With just that one glance, she had completely "arrived." Freya remained slumped there for a long time before she finally managed to stagger to her feet. Though she desperately wanted to claim him as her own, Ren's status made her hesitate.
He was an otherworlder, and he was protected by those two dangerous women. Those were just the ones she knew about; who knew how many more were hiding in the shadows?
Perhaps Ouranos knew. Without his permission, these people couldn't have entered the city so easily. Because of all these factors, Freya didn't dare make a move yet.
But... maybe I can get some fools to test the waters.
Freya pondered the idea as she headed toward the bath. If she couldn't get a taste of that "fragrance," she truly wouldn't be able to rest.
Ren knew nothing of the goddess's plight. Even though he knew she was watching, he didn't care. With Natsuki Minamiya and the others around, plus their "safety rope" to their home world, Ren felt no fear.
Worst case scenario, he'd trigger the return magic and go home. Once he leveled up enough, anyone he couldn't beat now would be in for a world of pain later.
Ren arrived back at the Familia manor with his classmates. Hestia-sama was already waiting by the gate, her neck craned as she looked for them. When she saw their silhouettes in the dark, she immediately rushed out, shouting for the cooks to start serving dinner.
The petite goddess ran up to them, a bright smile on her face. Seeing that Ren was uninjured and that none of the others were "red-lined" or wounded, her smile grew even wider.