Chapter 4: Familia
Back within the quiet walls of the ruined church, Tsuna and Hestia sat down to discuss his immediate future.
"First things first," Hestia began, crossing her arms. "Until we figure out a way to get you back to your world, I'm going to have you join my Familia."
"It really is the only logical choice for right now..." Bell agreed with a supportive nod.
"Umm... You mentioned it earlier, but what exactly is a Familia?" Tsuna asked.
"Ah, right. We should probably start with that. But to explain a Familia, I first need to explain the Gods."
"Right... So, you're genuinely a real Goddess...?"
"Yep. In fact, in this world, countless Gods coexist directly alongside mortals."
"Gods are that common here...?"
"Originally, we Gods lived exclusively in a higher realm known as Heaven. We didn't always live down here with the mortals. But honestly, life in Heaven was so eternally boring that we decided to descend to the lower world just for a change of pace."
"You came down here because you were bored!?"
"We couldn't help it! I know it sounds arrogant, but Gods are perfect, transcendent beings. We can do essentially anything with our power, and we lack for nothing. Because of that, nothing was unpredictable or exciting. But the mortals down here are different. They're incomplete, constantly struggling, and restricted by their limitations. That very struggle fascinated us, so we decided to descend and live among them permanently."
"So, basically... the lower world was more entertaining than Heaven, so you all just moved in...?"
"Exactly."
"But if Gods are perfect beings, wouldn't everything just be the exact same down here?"
To Tsuna, an omnipotent being would be omnipotent regardless of where they lived. It seemed like the change of scenery wouldn't fix their boredom.
"That's the catch. When we descend to the lower world, we are strictly forbidden from using our Arcanum—our divine power. There are a few minor exceptions, but if a God uses their true power, they are forcefully deported back to Heaven. So, down here, our physical capabilities are practically identical to normal humans."
"I see..."
"However, there is one divine power we are allowed to use, one that is highly sought after by the people of the lower world: Falna, the blessing of the Gods."
"Falna?"
"By using our blood—Ichor—as a medium, we engrave divine script called Hieroglyphs onto a mortal's back. This unlocks their latent potential. It drastically improves their physical abilities, allows them to level up, and can even awaken special powers known as skills or magic."
"Whoa!? You can actually do that!?"
Tsuna's eyes widened. Just receiving a God's blood was enough to gain superhuman strength. It sounded like something straight out of a comic book.
"Yeah. But Falna is strictly a catalyst. It gives you the foundation, but you don't instantly become a master swordsman overnight. Earning experience, getting stronger, and discovering skills all depends entirely on the individual's hard work."
"So does everyone in this world have this Falna?"
"Not everyone, no. Generally, a God gathers a group of followers and grants them Falna. That organization, that group united under a single God, is what we call a Familia."
"Okay, I get what a Familia is now, but what do they actually do?"
"That completely depends on the Familia. There's no single set purpose. For example, there are commercial Familias that focus on merchants and food production, blacksmithing Familias that forge weapons, and medical Familias that brew potions. It varies wildly. There are even massive State Familias that essentially run entire countries."
"E-Entire countries!?"
The sheer scale of a country being run by a single God's faction blew Tsuna's mind, cementing just how deeply Falna was ingrained in this world's society.
"For the record, we are an exploration-type Familia," Hestia added.
"What does an exploration-type Familia do?"
"Our primary focus is diving into the Dungeon—a massive underground labyrinth—and fighting the monsters that spawn inside."
"M-Monsters!?"
It was crazy enough that Elves and Dwarves existed, but actual monsters too? Tsuna was fully convinced he had somehow been dragged into an RPG.
"Exploration Familias are the most common type here in Orario. It's an incredibly dangerous job with a high risk of death. But if you succeed, you can earn massive amounts of wealth and fame. Those who brave the labyrinth are called Adventurers."
"Adventurers..."
"Don't worry, though. You have a home you need to return to, and people waiting for you. I'm not going to force you to risk your life in the Dungeon. Instead, I'll talk to my boss at my part-time job and see if they can hire you to help out."
"Eh!? A part-time job!? But you're a Goddess!?"
The revelation that a divine being worked a mundane part-time job was profoundly jarring.
"Gods come in all shapes and sizes! Some of us work shifts at food stalls, some sit on golden thrones ruling over mansions, and some just lock themselves in their rooms and play games all day! Heck, I can't even stand up to my boss at work!"
I-I really didn't need to know that...
In Tsuna's mind, a God was a majestic, awe-inspiring entity. Hearing that this Goddess got chewed out by her retail manager was a reality check he wasn't prepared for.
"Also, I forgot to ask earlier," Hestia said, shifting the topic. "Do you remember exactly what happened right before you arrived here?"
"Umm, let's see... I was walking home after my training with Reborn... and then this weird, square device fell on my head..."
"A square device?"
"Yeah. When I touched it, it started glowing like crazy... and the next thing I knew, I was lying in front of this church..."
Tsuna finished recounting the events leading up to his arrival. From his story, Hestia deduced that the mysterious square device was undeniably the cause of his transportation to this world.
"I see. Then it's highly likely that device is the reason you were transported here."
"Bell-kun, did you see a square machine lying around him when you found him?"
"No, I didn't see anything like that... The only thing near him was his bag..."
"It's possible the device materialized somewhere else in the city. I'll ask around my network and see if any of the regulars at work have heard rumors about it."
"Thank you."
"We still have a lot of ground to cover, but we can handle the rest later. First things first, I need to update your status and grant you my Falna, officially making you a member of the Hestia Famili—"
"Wait! Goddess, this is really bad!"
"What's wrong, Bell-kun?"
Hestia had been rolling up her sleeves, eager to gain a new Familia member, but Bell suddenly panicked, his face draining of color. Hestia blinked at him, entirely confused.
"Tsunayoshi-san didn't go through the proper immigration procedures at the gates! And he wasn't born in Orario either! If we just register him right now, he'll be flagged as an illegal immigrant and immediately deported from the city!"
"O-Oh crap! You're right!"
"Ehhhh!? You've got to be kidding me!!"
Hestia clutched her head as the gravity of the oversight hit her. Tsuna let out a miserable wail. Being stranded in another world was bad enough, but now he was an international criminal on top of it?
"This is definitely a problem..." Hestia muttered, pacing back and forth. "Even if we hide him, if the Guild finds out, it's game over..."
She racked her brain, desperate to find a loophole that would let Tsuna stay legally.
"We have no choice. We'll have to go negotiate directly with Ouranos..."
"Ouranos?"
"He's the God who founded Orario. We'll bypass the standard channels, explain your entire situation directly to him, and ask for special permission to let you stay."
"So... whether I end up homeless in the wilderness or not depends entirely on this Ouranos guy?"
"Ouranos is the founder, but he doesn't actively rule the city like a tyrant. His philosophy is 'reign, but do not govern.' He's remarkably level-headed and won't make unreasonable demands just for his own amusement. I'm sure he'll at least hear us out."
"Eh... but even if I tell him I'm from another world, there's no way he's actually going to believe me..."
"You don't need to worry about that. We Gods can instinctively tell when a mortal of the lower world is lying. He'll know you're telling the truth. The real problem is actually getting an audience with him."
"Because he's the founder, it's super hard to meet him?"
"Exactly. To see Ouranos, we need explicit permission from the Guild's executives. Since I'm a Goddess, they might give me some leeway, but you're a human with no official backing. Since we can't tell the Guild staff you're from another world—because they wouldn't believe you—we just have to demand a meeting without giving a reason. And the odds of them allowing that are astronomically low."
"But it's our only option, right?"
"Yeah. I won't sugarcoat it, the situation is grim. If the staff gets suspicious and runs a background check on you before we reach Ouranos, your status as an illegal immigrant will be exposed, and you'll be exiled from Orario. It's a massive gamble."
"..."
Tsuna fell silent, weighing the massive risks of attempting to bluff their way into the Guild's deepest sanctum.
"I'll do it," Tsuna said, his eyes hardening with sudden resolve. "Sitting around doing nothing won't fix anything."
"Alright! If you're resolved, then let's get moving immediately, Tsunayoshi-kun!"
"Right!"