Danmachi: Is It Wrong to Be the Main Character in Orario?

The Deep Floors' "White Palace" was certainly a major challenge, even for the Loki Familia.

Even seasoned adventurers had to tread carefully here—one misstep and things could spiral out of control fast.

Still, for the top-tier members of the Loki Familia, the White Palace wasn't much of a concern.

After all, with four Level 6s, three Level 5s, and even a Level 3 elf capable of overpowering monsters above her level, it was hard to imagine the upper ranks of the Loki Familia getting into trouble here.

Unless it was the unknown threat they were currently considering—the issue of the "Spirit Fetus"—there was little that could truly threaten them in this area.

That's why the upper echelon didn't take the White Palace too seriously.

Even so, they still kept an eye out, just to make sure their juniors didn't run into unnecessary danger.

This was, after all, meant to be a training ground for adventurers above Level 2—not a place for them to die.

"This is the advantage of being part of a major Familia..."

Watching from the sidelines, Bell couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and envy.

A large Familia had the resources to offer its members far more opportunities to grow. As long as you had the talent and showed your potential, there'd never be a shortage of support.

'No wonder the Loki Familia is a place every adventurer dreams of joining. With a Familia this big and so many resources, even someone with just a bit of talent could probably be raised to Level 3.'

For a talented adventurer, reaching Level 3 was only a matter of time.

If you had the ability and the Familia had the resources, success was practically guaranteed.

Even Bell had to admit—he was jealous.

After all, the Hestia Familia had started with nothing. Forget resources—just surviving the Dungeon was already a gamble that depended entirely on one's own talent.

Bell's journey had been far from easy.

He had a system, but it needed significant investment to truly develop.

In the beginning, his progress was painfully slow.

Before he got Runes, all he had was luck—scraping together enough money from the Dungeon to get by.

If it had been any other average adventurer in his shoes, they probably would've jumped ship to another Familia within two days.

The resources of the Loki Familia were seriously enviable.

Still, Bell was just musing—he wasn't truly jealous of them.

Now, thanks to the power of Runes, he had secured a wealth of resources—enough that even compared to the Loki Familia, he wasn't lacking in the slightest.

After that passing thought, Bell turned his focus to the "White Palace."

'Something about the atmosphere here really is off.'

With senses far beyond those of ordinary people, Bell could perceive even the faintest disturbances.

'There are eyes in the White Palace... looks like that saying wasn't just for show.'

Yes—Bell could clearly feel the sensation of being watched.

However, he had been concealing his presence the entire time and hadn't been detected by whoever those eyes belonged to.

And the owner of that gaze was likely not just the Dungeon—it might also include the Guild and even the Black Dragon.

In other words, the eyes of three separate forces were always fixed on the Deep Floors. That constant observation was likely the source of the unease every adventurer felt here.

The stronger the adventurer, the more intense their reaction—because their sharpened senses were genuinely warning them: something was watching.

And that feeling wasn't wrong.

In truth, the sensation of being watched wasn't limited to the "White Palace." Every floor of the Dungeon held a similar, strange presence.

But in the White Palace, the sheer concentration of "eyes" was far greater—enough that adventurers could tangibly feel the discomfort.

With that thought in mind, Bell carefully stepped out of the barrier.

In that very moment, two powerful gazes turned toward him.

...

In the deepest part of the Dungeon, within a space of pure white, a jet-black dragon suddenly opened its eyes.

Both of its wings had been broken, blood still seeping from the wounds.

Yet this eerie white space absorbed the blood as soon as it hit the floor, as if it were never there.

No one knew how long the Black Dragon had been bleeding.

But despite its injuries, there was not the slightest hint of weakness in its body. If anything, it seemed to be in peak condition.

Its golden, vertical-slit pupils radiated a mix of wild instinct and unmistakable intellect—quickly consumed by a rising battle lust.

The dragon opened its maw, and a roar thundered through the entire Dungeon—echoing all the way to Orario itself.

"ROAR!!!!!"

"ROAR!!!!!"

The deafening dragon's cry shook the Dungeon to its core.

A suffocating pressure surged upward from the depths.

"...!?"

Every adventurer below Level 5 in both the Loki and Hephaestus Familias collapsed under the pressure, unable to resist as their bodies gave out.

Even those above Level 5 clenched their jaws tightly, struggling to remain upright.

But the sheer force of that roar crushed the breath from their lungs.

Anyone with half a brain knew exactly what that sound meant.

It was the Black Dragon—the last of the Three Great Quests. The one monster that had never been defeated, not even by Zeus's Familia or Hera's.

Everyone had heard the tales: that the deepest part of the Dungeon was where the Black Dragon slept. But no one had ever reached it. No one knew if it was true.

Until now.

Today, they had their answer.

The Black Dragon—the very one that nearly wiped out the Zeus and Hera Familias—had always been here, in the depths.

It was still alive.

And far too lively.

"Aaaahhh!"

Finn clenched his teeth, forcing himself to resist the pressure, though his body trembled uncontrollably.

Gareth gripped his axe tightly, his dwarf-forged body straining to endure the crushing force.

Riveria, less resilient in body as a mage, endured a far harsher mental assault—a kind of suppression born from the very difference in species.

Ais, who had just reached Level 6, wasn't faring much better. The roar hadn't happened nearby—it had come from the distant, lowest depths. And still, it pressed down on her with nearly unbearable force.

The roar of the Black Dragon sent every monster in the Dungeon sprawling flat on the ground. Even the Dungeon itself momentarily ceased producing monsters.

Had it not, even a few monsters in this state might have been enough to completely wipe out the Loki Familia.

Only one person remained mostly unaffected.

And that person had already begun quietly deploying a barrier.

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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