The new adventurer undergoes training, completes the dungeon training, and then starts over.

To confirm the dungeon's condition, Ryu and Reynard accompanied the three from the Pretty Pretty Ladies - Sally, Meg, Naomi, and Gavin - on another dungeon challenge.

After returning to the city, Gavin had voluntarily reported to the Guild about abandoning Ryu.

However, Ryu was both a participant and a mentor, and Gavin's actions were impulsive, driven by a lack of experience and ability as a beginner, so he was let off with a warning.

Ryu, having experienced being abandoned, was furious with the injustice, but also remembered a story from Earth about how it wasn't considered a crime to push someone off a boat in an emergency to save oneself (Carneade's Dilemma). Now, he was calm.

He realized that in a life-or-death situation, impulsive actions done without planning, while not good or recommended, might not be punishable.

Of course, Ryu still couldn't forgive someone who would intentionally sacrifice others, as he had been.

But, since Gavin wasn't satisfied with simply being forgiven, he received a few days of suspension. This was convenient for Ryu, who needed time to adjust the dungeon.

Unfortunately, the news of Gavin trying to use his teammates as bait and escape spread among the adventurers.

Abandoning his comrades. This rumor made it hard for Gavin to find a party. But he seemed to accept this as karma, a consequence of his actions.

Feeling a little pity for him, though it was his own fault, Sally, Meg, and Naomi from the Pretty Pretty Ladies decided to continue as a party with Gavin. Ryu thought that if they added a skilled scout, they would become a formidable team.

Ryu had personally entered the dungeon beforehand to ensure there were no issues. As expected, this team progressed smoothly without any problems.

Following Guild Master Catherine's request, the dungeon was newly adjusted. It started with only weak monsters like goblins and slimes. As the party descended deeper, the number of monsters increased, and more powerful ones appeared.

There were also King-class monsters as bosses, but the Pretty Pretty Ladies and Gavin defeated them without any major trouble.

The beginner training dungeon ended at the eighth floor.

The eighth floor boss was a gathering of all the King-class monsters encountered so far. The difficulty was significantly higher, but clearing it would be considered a sign of a true adventurer.

However, though they fought bravely, the Pretty Pretty Ladies with Gavin couldn't defeat the eighth floor boss.

Ryu, judging the situation as too dangerous, cleared the monsters himself, ending the fight.

This marked the end of the training at the entrance to the eighth floor boss room.

Those who wished to continue beyond that point would have to do so at their own risk.

The Guild also decided that only adventurers deemed skilled enough would be allowed to venture further.

Ryu felt that the eighth floor boss was too difficult for beginners, but Catherine argued that venturing further meant accepting greater risks, and only those who could confidently overcome such challenges were safe enough.

The first group successfully completed the dungeon training. After that, the other participants joined the training, forming their own parties.

However, most of them couldn't reach the eighth floor and ended their training there.

The Pretty Pretty Ladies and Gavin were quite exceptional. They were recognized by the Guild as promising adventurers.

The training finished, Ryu, now with some free time, decided to visit the church. He had been busy with Guild work lately and hadn't had a chance to go.

Ryu could instantly teleport to the church using his transfer magic, but he preferred to walk when there was no urgency. He would collect ingredients and other necessities on his way, storing them in his inventory. He also felt that teleporting directly from point to point would cut him off from important information, like the atmosphere of the city.

As usual, on his way to the church, a man appeared beside him and greeted him.

Man: "Ryuujin, right? Don't stop, I just have something to tell you."

Ryu hadn't noticed the man at all until he was right next to him. If he had malicious intent, Ryu's danger perception would have alerted him. But it didn't, so there was no need for alarm.

Ryu continued walking, listening to the man.

Man: "The Five Black Stars are after you. Be careful."

The man then drifted away from Ryu as quickly as he had appeared. When Ryu asked for his name, the man simply said "Zone" and left.

The Five Black Stars were one of the criminal organizations that had been fighting for territory in the deepest parts of the slums.

There were three criminal organizations - the Four Night Butterflies, the Five Black Stars, and the Silver Wolves - vying for control in the deepest parts of Mirmul's slums. Ryu had crushed the Four Night Butterflies, leaving the remaining space for the Five Black Stars and the Silver Wolves to fight over.

The Five Black Stars, being a martial arts group, were notorious for their ruthlessness and use of violence. They were quickly gaining power after defeating their rivals.

It was natural for the remaining organization to be cautious of someone who had destroyed a rival organization, especially one as powerful as the Four Night Butterflies.

This person had single-handedly crushed a martial arts group that rivaled the Five Black Stars. If they were potentially hostile, it was essential to eliminate them quickly. Or perhaps, an enemy's enemy could become an ally. Joining forces would further strengthen the organization.

The "Silver Wolves" were named after their leader's silver hair. They were a smaller organization, but their leader was said to be incredibly skilled and loyal. They were also known to be well-liked by their members and the general populace.

Ryu remembered that the leader of the Silver Wolves was named Zone.

Perhaps the Silver Wolves had decided to warn Ryu, as they feared the Five Black Stars would try to recruit him.

However, Ryu briefly activated his God's Eye as Zone walked away. He detected no malicious intent in Zone's heart, only good intentions.

Ryu raised his hand slightly to acknowledge Zone as he left. He felt a sense of familiarity with him.

Searching his memory, he remembered meeting Zone in the past.

When Ryu first arrived in Mirmul, he had gotten lost in the slums and was harassed by thugs.

Ryu didn't have anything worth stealing, but that angered them, and one of them pulled out a knife, threatening to stab him.

Just then, a man passing by intervened and saved him. The man with silver hair.

He didn't introduce himself, but left as quickly as he had come, raising his hand in a small gesture, just like today.

So, that was the Silver Wolves, Ryu thought. He understood why they were said to be well-liked.

Ryu went to the church, as usual, bringing sweets. He only had a cup of tea there, but the sister told him that a man had been asking for him several times.

She described him as polite and well-mannered, so Ryu asked if he had silver hair, but she said no.

On his way back from the church, a shady man approached him. He must have been waiting for him.

Man: "You're Ryuujin, right? The one who took down the Four Night Butterflies alone?"

Ryu: "Who are you? What do you want?"

To be continued...

Will he get involved despite being warned to stay away?

Stay tuned!