Just some rant, mainly for the Wattpad app:
Felt kinda sad today. So it's been two days since my last chapter release and so far, only 11 people have read it.
;-;
My work is also at only 430+ plus views so far. I just can't help but feel a bit underwhelmed from the lack of viewers. Especially when I see other fanfictions who have at least a 1000+ views albeit being younger than my work.
I can't help but ponder, maybe the art cover is similar to a fanfiction that has been in this app for a long time? So when readers browse, they think my work is that other fanfiction that they've already read and just skip over it without reading the summary?
Or
Is it the fact that my fanfic's main focus is my OC? Which made others think "ah, just another self-insert slop."
Maybe I'll try changing the art cover instead. See if it does something.
And oh btw, this rant is mostly for the Wattpad app.
For Webnovel, the response is a bit better. I actually see people sending me powerstones and adding my work to their collection. Thanks for the support.
But meh, I guess if I just grit my teeth and release chapters, it'll gain traction eventually... Right?
I hope so🙏
Imma cling to my "comparison is the thief of joy" a little longer.
Maybe I'll also try posting my work in the "Fanfic Friday" post in the Danmachi community reddit this Friday.
Btw, for every beginning of a chapter, I'll be including how many days it has been. It's mostly based on the timeline part of the Danmachi wiki. It's important for later parts and for me to avoid messing up the timelines.
That's all for now, please enjoy the chapter.
∆∆∆∆
11 Days Before Bell Meets Ais.
The air on the 5th floor was thick with the smell of damp earth and the iron tang of monster blood. For the past week ever since Bell arrived, this had been Yuuya and Bell's office.
[As we can see from the entrance earlier, today's the day the Loki familia goes into their expedition Yuuya.]
'yup,' Yuuya replied. '11 more days before the rabbit finally meets Ais.'
Bell stood over the remains of three Frogs, his breathing heavy but controlled. His new shortsword was held low, and his stance—while still that of a rookie—had lost the frantic, jerky movements of his first day. He looked like an adventurer now, not just a boy in a costume.
"Good," Yuuya said, stepping out from the shadows of a nearby pillar. "Your reaction time is catching up to your instincts. You didn't hesitate when that third one tried to flank you."
Bell wiped sweat from his brow, a grin splitting his face. "Thanks, Yuuya-bro! I really feel like I'm getting the hang of the reach on this blade."
Yuuya looked at the boy for a long moment. It had been five days of intense, focused guidance. He had taught Bell how to breathe, how to read the bulge of the dungeon walls before a spawn, and how to prioritize targets.
He also teached the boy how to use his sword or atleast tried. Why? Well, Yuuya isn't really the best teacher there is. If anything, he sucks at teaching others.
Yuuya can still see Bell's face three days ago. Where Bell looks like he is staring into the great beyond with his goofy polite smile.
All while watching Yuuya try his best to explain and teach him some basic parry, counters, redirection, and etc using the sword.
He was so bad at it that Hestia who was listening to them by that moment to pass time, was staring into her jagamarukun snack as if it was some legendary grimoire that can increase Loki's bust size. Permanently.
Moving on at that time, perhaps the most important development that happened is that because Bell got Liarese Freese much earlier, his growth is faster than your average level 1.
So just in the span of 5 days of Yuuya's so called "teaching", Eina's spartan-like dungeon lessons, and Yuuya's guide, Bell is more than capable enough to venture to the 5th floor alone.
"Bell," Yuuya started. "I've decided. This is the last day I'm acting as your guide."
Bell's smile faltered. "Eh? Did I do something wrong?"
"The opposite. You've learned enough to survive the upper floors. If I keep holding your hand, you'll start relying on my presence instead of your own senses. An adventurer who can't stand alone is just a liability waiting to happen." Yuuya placed a hand on Bell's shoulder. "From tomorrow, you dive solo. Stay on floors one through four for a while. You can also push for floor 5. But don't push any further unless you're 100% confident. Understood?"
Bell looked nervous, but he saw the resolve in Yuuya's visor. He straightened his back. "I understand. I'll prove I can do it on my own!"
"I know you will. Now, get back to the surface. I'm heading deeper. I have my own grind to resume."
"Be careful, Big Brother!" Bell waved, heading back toward the stairs with a new, determined stride.
With Bell safely headed for the surface, Yuuya dropped all pretenses of training speed. He became a blur of silver and blue, tearing through the 6th, 7th, and 8th floors in record time.
He didn't even use Gospel; his raw stats and his Mana Blade were enough to turn everything in his path into ash before they could even shriek.
He also used this opportunity to get used to his maxed out stats. This is because his stats grow is so fast, his body is being left behind. Requiring him to spend some time to get used to his new strength.
By the time he reached the 10th floor—the misty, fog-shrouded Mist Labyrinth—he slowed down. Something was different.
The usual chaotic sounds of monsters were replaced by a rhythmic, metallic clanking.
A heavy, organized march.
Yuuya moved to the edge of a large cavern and looked down. Emerged from the fog was a sight that usually signaled another achievement that will shake Orario. That is, considering nothing goes wrong.
A massive column of warriors, hundreds strong, was moving with military precision. At the front were standard-bearers carrying a flag with the silhouette of a laughing jester.
The Loki Familia.
[Oho,] the System hummed. [The heavy hitters are moving. This isn't a stroll; this is a full-scale Expedition to the Deep Floors. Look at the baggage train—they're planning to stay down there for weeks.]
"Too bad, this expedition of theirs will fail."
Yuuya stayed perched on a rock formation, his cloak drawn tight. He watched as the elite of the city passed by. He saw the "Braver" Finn Deimne, his spear resting casually on his shoulder. He saw the "Nine Hell" Riveria Ljos Alf, her presence radiating a calm, terrifying amount of mana.
And then, he saw her.
Moving near the front of the vanguard was a girl with hair like spun gold and eyes the color of a sunset. She moved with a grace that made the stone floor seem like a ballroom. Ais Wallenstein. The Sword Princess.
[Careful, Commander,] the System whispered. [Their scouts are top-tier. If you stare too long, the 'Nine Hell' is going to notice a Level 2 ghost watching them from.]
Yuuya didn't look away. He observed the way they moved—the absolute confidence, the lack of wasted motion. This was the peak of what an adventurer could be.
But as he watched Ais, he realized something. In eleven days, a Minotaur from this very expedition's failure would escape and find its way to the 5th floor. It was supposed to be the moment Bell's life changed forever.
But Bell's fate already changed the moment this world chooses a different path.
Bell made a promise to someone which causes him to awaken Liaris Freese earlier than planned.
"This might not be too bad for the rabbit after all," Yuuya said. "He'll have two goals to achieve."
[Yup. A crush to the sword princess, wanting to stand beside her, and most importantly, to become a hero. To fulfill his promise to whoever he made that promise with.]
As the tail end of the Loki Familia passed into the fog toward the 11th floor, the 10th floor returned to its eerie silence.
Yuuya stood on the precipice of the 10th floor, watching the golden tide of the Loki Familia disappear into the mist. He could have turned back. He could have stayed in the middle floors, safely grinding away at his stats.
But he also have his motives why he is tagging along with them. And it has something to do with his stats.
"Progress has been rather, kinda slow..." Said Yuuya. Remembering his excelia points from the system. "My current excelia is sitting at 1,062,000 out of 2,000,000. Last time it was sitting around 1,056,983. I only gained 5,000 excelia in the span of 5 days."
Yuuya has hit the wall.
[Well what do you expect? You already maxed out anything.] Said the system. [Haven't I tell you? This is the safe choice. Of course there is gonna be a catch.]
"So there aren't really any other option huh."
[Yes. This isn't some afk grind type kind of game where you'll leave your character at a level 1 and come back an hour later with it now being a level 30.] The system scoffed. [You gotta work your ass for it if you want it. Fight the Goliath by yourself if you want to break the wall.]
"It's not like I don't want to fight it right now. It's just that, I've been busy teaching Bell for the past few days." Yuuya replied as he started walking to follow the Loki familia. "So just in case something goes wrong, Bell won't lose a limb or two at the very least."
[Then just wait until the interval is up and Goliath respawns again.] The system replied. [There is no hurt in taking your time. You just died and reincarnated in this world a month ago.]
An Silverback appeared in front of Yuuya but he quickly kills it with a gospel.
"I suppose so. I'll tag along for now to see the Goliath by my own eyes. After that, I'll continue until the 22nd floor to earn some money."
Then with a surge of speed, Yuuya goes on the pursuit of the Loki familia. He didn't follow the main path; he stayed in the shadows of the cavern walls, moving through the blind spots that even the Loki Familia's rear guard might miss.
The next few floors were a masterclass in efficiency. The Loki Familia didn't fight monsters; they erased them. Any creature that spawned was met with a hail of arrows or a flurry of strikes before it could even draw breath.
Yuuya trailed them through the 11th, 12th, and 13th floors. He stayed far enough back to avoid Riveria's mana-sensing, but close enough to watch the coordination. He was impressed, but not intimidated.
It even surprises Yuuya himself how quickly his body and mind adapts to anything that concerns combat or involved physicality. But outside of that? He is no less than a normal human being.
By the time they reached the 17th floor, the atmosphere changed. The heat rose, and the air grew heavy with the smell of old stone and ancient malice.
The Great Wall of Grief.
The expedition halted. At the center of the massive cavern, the wall began to crack. Massive chunks of stone fell like rain, and a roar that vibrated in Yuuya's very marrow echoed through the floor.
The Monster Rex: Goliath.
"Form up!" Finn Deimne's voice pierced through the roar, calm and absolute. "Shield-guard to the front! Archers, aim for the joints! Ais, Tiona, Tione—prepare for the opening!"
Yuuya watched from a distance.
The Goliath was a towering titan of flesh and spite, a Level 4 nightmare that stood twice the size of a building. Normally, this was the Loki Familia's play. But something was off.
[Yuuya, look at the wall.]
He saw it. The wall wasn't just birthing the Goliath. A secondary tremor was shaking the floor. From the surrounding corridors, a massive swarm of hellhounds and minotaurs flood the chamber, threatening to encircle the Loki Familia's baggage train while the elites were occupied with the boss.
"Well this isn't normal." Yuuya muttered. "The Goliath isn't usually the type to spawn minions."
[If those minotaurs and hellhounds hit the supporters, the expedition's supplies are gone. It will turn into a retreat real quick.]
Yuuya looked at his broken hilt. Then he looked at the swarm of monsters closing in on the vulnerable rear guard.
"I suppose it's time to earn my keep."
Just as a group of hellhounds are about to incinerate a terrified group of Level 1 supporters, the air in front of them suddenly shivered.
•Gospel.•
A violent thrum echoed through the cavern, drowning out the Goliath's roar for a split second. The group of hellhounds didn't just die the moment the sound waves hit them. Their bodies contorted for a second as it started bleeding from its mouth, eyes, and ears before its whole body exploded and turned into ash a second later.
A testament to his 3000 point magic stat backed with his development ability.
The supporters gasped, looking around for their savior, but all they saw was a blur of silver armor moving through the fog.
Yuuya didn't stop. He moved like a ghost through the rear lines. Every time a monster got too close to the non-combatants, a silent ripple of air would delete them.
From the front lines, Riveria paused her chant for a fraction of a second, her sharp elven ears twitching. She felt a strange resonance—a magic that felt like it shouldn't belong in this current era.
"Finn! Someone is in the rear!" she called out.
"Ignore it for now! Focus on the Rex!" Finn shouted back, though his eyes narrowed as he glanced toward the mist.
Yuuya realized he couldn't stay hidden forever if he wanted to be effective. He drew his hilt, and the blue Mana Blade erupted, casting a ghostly light against his silver armor. He leapt from the shadows, landing directly between a charging Minotaur and the baggage wagons.
With a horizontal slash, he cleaved the beast in two, its hide offering no more resistance than paper against his energy blade.
"Who is that?!" one of the Loki members shouted. "Is he a solo?"
Yuuya didn't answer. He looked toward the Goliath, which was currently swatting at Ais and the twins. The beast was regeneratively superior today—a Semi-Black variant, just as the System had warned him. Its wounds were closing as fast as the Sword Princess could open them.
They will eventually overwhelm it yes, but it's gonna take a bit longer than usual.
"They're going to be here all day at this rate," Yuuya muttered.
He then positioned himself behind the Goliath, pointed his palm toward its massive, exposed heel, and then casted his magic.
•Gospel.•
THWUMP.
The invisible block of sound struck the Goliath's achilles tendon with the force of a falling star. The giant stumbled, its massive leg buckling as the bone within shattered. But it's not enough.
Faced with this predicament, Yuuya didn't panic. Instead, he gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands.
Inhaled plenty of air, and then exploded forward as he performs a horizontal slash to the Goliath's achilles. Slicing it clean off and for good measure, he casted one more gospel towards it.
Which finally made the Goliath fall to its knees. Which made so much dust it obstructed the view of others.
But one thing is for sure. They were given an opportunity and that is the opening they needed.
"Now!" Finn shouted, seized by the opportunity. "Ais! Finishing blow!"
Ais didn't hesitate. She became a golden streak, her rapier glowing with the wind of Ariel as she drove her blade through the Goliath's magic stone.
The effect is immediate. The Goliath dissolved into a mountain of ash with one last roar.
The Loki Familia immediately scanning the room for the person who had provided the opening.
As the dust from the Goliath's disintegration and its fall slowly settles, the atmosphere in the cavern shifted from combat to guarded suspicion. The elites of the Loki Familia—Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and the executive trio of Ais and the Amazon twins—had circled the Yuuya before the echoes of the battle had truly faded.
Yuuya stood perfectly still, his broken hilt back at his waist, his posture relaxed despite being surrounded by the strongest adventurers in Orario.
"I don't remember inviting a solo to our party," Finn Deimne said, his thumb resting on the shaft of his spear. His blue eyes were sharp, scanning Yuuya for a Familia emblem. "But I also don't remember the 17th floor spawning a Level 4 powerhouse out of thin air to save our rear guard."
"I wasn't saving your rear guard, Braver," Yuuya's voice rumbled, muffled by his helmet but carrying a weight that made the surrounding Level 4s tense. "I was clearing the path I intended to walk. You just happened to be in the middle of it."
"A bold claim for someone without a visible emblem," Gareth huffed, though he lowered his axe. "Though your help with that Goliath's leg... that was a fine bit of timing, lad."
"Thanks for the support earlier. My name is Finn. Also known as the Braver of the Loki familia." Finn said, offering a handshake.
"Names Yuuya. Yuuya Mitsukuji. I belong to the Hestia familia." Replied Yuuya as he shakes hand with Finn.
"Hestia familia? That's a new name."
"Yeah. My familia is just recently formed. We only have two members for now. Myself included."
"Ah I see, that's why I haven't heard it before. So what's your plan from here?"
"You could say I was just gonna tag along until the 20th floor."
"Then after that, you'll go solo on that floor?"
"Yes."
"Well ain't you impressive. What level are you?"
"Somewhere around where I can confidently claim that I can roam the 20th solo."
With the introductions and small talk done, they began the transition toward the 18th-floor entrance—the safe zone of Under Resort—the group naturally comes closer around Yuuya. They moved with the professional rhythm of an expedition, but every eye was on the stranger in the silver plate.
Riveria Ljos Alf, the High Elf and the city's premier mage, walked closest to him. Her gaze wasn't just curious; it was piercing.
"That magic earlier," Riveria started, her voice melodic but heavy with authority. "I felt the resonance of your magic. It didn't just vibrate the air, it silenced it. There was a coldness to it—a vacuum of sound. The last time I felt that was 7 years ago."
Yuuya didn't look at her, keeping his eyes on the path ahead. "You have good ears, Ms. Riveria."
"It felt... eerily similar to the 'Silence' of the Hera Familia," she continued, her eyes narrowing. "A magic that belonged to a woman known as the 'Maiden of Silence' if that rings a bell to you. How does a solo adventure come into possession of a magic similar to her...?"
The air between them grew heavy. Ais tilted her head, her golden eyes fixed on Yuuya's visor.
Yuuya stopped walking just as they reached the trees of the 18th floor. He turned slightly, meeting Riveria's gaze through the slit of his helmet.
"I would be lying if I said I didn't know who she was. After all, she belongs to the Hera familia, one of the most powerful familias that ever existed." Yuuya replied.
Silence returned to the group as they waited for Yuuya's next words.
"What I can tell you is that I manifested it the moment I reached Level 2." Yuuya lied smoothly. "Or at least something similar to it if that helps you sleep better at night. But hey, who am I to complain? Maybe I just know her so much that it gave me a magic a similar to her. The Falna gives what it gives. Whether it's a cheap copy of a legend or just a trick of the air... That's all you need to know. I'm just a guy trying to make enough valis to let my Goddess enjoy her fried snacks."
Finn let out a short, surprised laugh. "A Level 2? You expect us to believe a Level 2 just battered a Goliath's achilles tendon with a single word and then proceed to cut it clean off?"
"Hey I didn't say I was a level 2 nor claim that I was." Yuuya shrugged. "All I said is that I'm somewhere where I can go confidently by myself and that I gained my magic when I became level 2." Yuuya lies again.
'Though he is correct, I am a level 2. Just not your typical one that is. Meh, details.' Thought Yuuya.
"Believe what you want, Braver." Yuuya replied, casually dismissing the subject with a carefree tone before turning back toward the path. "I'm accompanying you as far as the 20th. Consider it a mutual-benefit agreement. I provide extra security for your baggage train, and you provide a nice, clear path for me to scout the lower floors. No more questions about my cards, and I won't ask why your Sword Princess looks like she wants to duel me every five seconds."
Ais blinked, her hand twitching toward the hilt of Desperate. She didn't want to duel him out of malice; she was simply drawn to the sheer, compressed strength she felt radiating off him.
"Fair enough," Finn decided, his interest piqued but his pragmatism winning out. "If a 'Level 2' who is obviously not a level 2 wants to help guard one of the best-funded expedition in the city for free, I'd be a poor captain to say no. Just stay where we can see you, Yuuya.
[Well color me impressed.] the System whispered in Yuuya's head. [You've got the Nine Hell herself suspecting you're a walking ghost story. You really know how to make an impression.]
'I'm bound to meet them anyways later on.' Yuuya thought as they descended further into the glowing beauty of the 18th floor. 'There's nothing bad with introducing myself early.'
∆∆∆∆