The Ganesha Familia stands as one of the largest and most formidable powers in Orario. Unlike other branches that focus their efforts on independent dives into the Dungeon, they serve as the city's official public security force. Under the direct mandate of the Guild, they are the iron hand that maintains civic order.
Boasting the highest membership count in the city—including eleven Level 5 adventurers—the Ganesha Familia possesses a military strength that is as vast as it is balanced. This makes them far better suited for stabilizing the urban sprawl than for the singular pursuit of dungeoneering.
While groups like the Loki or Freya Familias often move according to their own agendas, Ganesha's followers are strictly beholden to the Guild's regulations. Their god, Ganesha, harbors such an immense love for the people of Orario that he has dedicated his entire strength to their protection, choosing the safety of the masses over the personal glory of the deep floors.
That night, during a routine patrol, the unit suddenly caught the sharp, metallic tang of copper in the air—the unmistakable scent of blood. It was a sensory feat common among their kind; after all, an adventurer's five senses are sharpened every time their Status is updated with gathered Excelia.
Following the scent led them to a tavern that was eerily silent. It was a glaring anomaly for this hour of the night, a time when adventurers usually gathered in raucous crowds to toast to their survival.
The patrol leader, a man clad in armor bearing the elephant crest, stepped forward and drew his sword.
"Freeze! You are under the jurisdiction of the Ganesha Familia." He barked. "Put your hands behind your head and submit to arrest immediately!"
Charlie let out a soft sigh. He met the gaze of the line of adventurers before him without a flicker of intimidation.
"Let it go." Charlie said calmly. "Since you're the ones upholding justice around here, I'd rather not hurt you."
Having no desire to start a feud with the famously upright Ganesha Familia, Charlie decided to make his exit.
Hearing his dismissive tone, the patrolmen immediately realized the figure before them intended to flee.
"He's bolting! Take him down!" the leader shouted.
*SWISH!*
Unfortunately for them, Charlie was faster—by a landslide. Activating his «Hundred Gauntlets» skill, he manipulated the very threads of causality to mimic the effect of instant teleportation. In a heartbeat, he vanished from their sight, leaving nothing behind but a faint, dying breeze.
"Damn it! He's gone!"
"Quick, check the tavern!"
They wasted no time, storming into the building in search of clues. But the moment they crossed the threshold, they were brought to a dead stop.
The officers who had kicked in the battered wooden door froze mid-step. The stern, disciplined expressions on their faces drained of color, replaced by masks of pure, unadulterated horror.
"Good gods... what happened in here?"
The scene before them transcended the worst imaginings of a mere bar fight. The room was a graveyard of slumped bodies, cooling in a thick, sprawling lake of blood. The stench of iron was so heavy it felt like a physical weight against their throats.
Even as seasoned adventurers, they were shaken. Dozens of men had been put down with such lethal precision, and in such a terrifyingly short window of time.
"This wasn't a fight." The patrol leader muttered, staring in grim fascination at the corpse of the gang leader, who lay dead with a dagger buried perfectly in the center of his forehead. "This was a slaughter."
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
In the heart of the South Main Street, the air hummed with the glow of multi-colored magic stone lamps. Exotic architecture lined the streets, flaunting a level of opulence that bordered on the vulgar.
The Casino Row of the Entertainment District was a labyrinth of gambling dens. Many of these establishments, founded by foreign nations and city-states, came equipped with their own sprawling luxury hotels.
"This is it. El Dorado Resort."
Blending seamlessly into the crowd of the elite, Charlie had traded his traveling gear for a well-tailored tuxedo. He maintained his glamour magic, however, keeping his face masked to ensure his identity as a Level 6 adventurer remained a secret. With a steady gait and his chin held high, he walked through the massive, heavily guarded double doors.
Beyond the grand entrance hall lay a vista of sheer decadence. Vibrant carpets muffled the footsteps of dwarves, elves, humans, and gods—every race imaginable—as they drifted between tables with stacks of tokens clutched in their hands.
The snap of cards, the whir of roulette wheels, and the rhythmic rattle of dice creating fortunes or ruin in an instant formed a symphony of organized chaos. In the corners, strange mechanical contraptions from distant lands hummed and chimed. The air was a thick cocktail of triumphant cheers and the hollow sighs of the unlucky, all bathed in a brilliance that made the center of the resort a spectacle to behold.
It was the kind of sight that could make a man in financial ruin faint on the spot. Sums of money that could support a family for a year were tossed away on a single hand. This accelerated flow of capital, fueled by astronomical stakes, was the casino's primary engine—and the source of a profit so gargantuan that even the Guild found it difficult to interfere.
Charlie even spotted a god in casual attire trying to pocket a handful of tokens from an unsuspecting gambler. Before the deity could slip away, however, an eagle-eyed Ganesha guard intercepted him. With a polite, practiced smile, the guard escorted the god toward a back room to "settle the matter" in private.
With the full backing of Orario's veteran adventurers, the security at El Dorado was flawless. There was no room for amateur trickery under such professional scrutiny.
(Well, rescuing Anna in a crowd like this shouldn't be hard,) Charlie thought, taking a sip of a drink from a passing waiter's tray. (But my goal isn't just a rescue. I need to rip this problem out by the roots.)
He knew he needed to cause a disturbance large enough to lure his target out. But the security was airtight. If he moved without a calculated plan, he'd only put the Ganesha guards on high alert and ruin his own maneuverability.
(For now, let's keep scouting.)
Charlie began a leisurely stroll, silently mapping every corner of the resort. The place was a joint operation between Orario and the Entertainment District, and the majority of the guards wore the proud crest of the Ganesha Familia. They were stationed with mathematical precision, watching every table and machine with sharp, predatory eyes.
Every area followed the same security pattern—except for one door.
At the far end of the main hall stood an entrance guarded with far more intensity. Unlike the rest of the staff, the two sentries posted there wore no Familia insignia at all, projecting an aura that was both mysterious and exclusionary.
Through the power of his Senrigan, Charlie knew for a fact: the people responsible for Anna's kidnapping were right behind that door.
Rumors he'd picked up earlier suggested that anyone entering that room for the first time had to undergo a "baptism." Charlie suspected it was some kind of trial or ritual—a filter designed by their dark gambling ring to ensure only those "worthy" entered the inner circle.
🎇Keep reading and support this story on Ko-fi:
📎Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/lovefanfiction or bit.ly/4sbFiOM
✅More early access chapters from WebNovel
✅5 translated fanfic chapters & 1-2 new original fanfic chapters every day (Monday-Saturday), exclusive on Ko-fi.
Thank you so much for your incredible support!