GUARDIAN OF THE MARVEL REALM

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As a repeated limited-time dungeon copy, the "World of the Dungeon" had appeared many times. Shen He and her party were now recognized regulars in the Labyrinth City of Orario.

After Shen He successfully broke through the 40th floor of the dungeon, the residential surface zones of Orario officially became accessible to her party.

"It seems the Familia War is finally over."

Shen He strolled along the war-battered streets of Orario with Jeanne d'Arc and Erina Nakiri. The others—including Skye, Qi Mu Nanzi, and Natasha Romanoff—had already descended into the deeper layers of the dungeon to farm rare monster cores.

This marked Shen He's first venture into a surface city in this world. Collapsed homes lined the path. Blue cobblestones cracked with burn marks and impact craters still bore witness to the recent Familia conflict. In the wake of that violent struggle, dominant forces like the Zeus Familia and the Hera Familia had been forcefully expelled from Orario.

"Wow, wow—!"

Erina clung tightly to Jeanne's hand, her eyes wide with suppressed cries of panic. Even after receiving a briefing from Coulson's compiled database—integrated into Chaldea's knowledge module—it was difficult to stay composed when surrounded by such a variety of fantastical non-humans.

The real thing wasn't like anime at all. Kobolds, minotaurs, and lizardmen weren't adorable mascots—they were towering, snarling, muscle-bound threats. Seeing one up close for the first time was traumatizing for most outsiders.

"Excuse me," Shen He said, stopping a passing Amazonian warrior clad in a distinctly cultural battle outfit. "Can you tell me where to find the Loki Familia's compound?"

"The Loki Familia?"

The Amazonian warrior—bronzed skin, lean figure, and combat-ready demeanor—arched an eyebrow. In Orario, it was rare for someone not to know the location of one of the top Familia compounds.

She gave Shen He and Jeanne a quick glance. Recognition sparked in her eyes.

"You guys... are you the ones they call the 'Mob-Clearing Squad'?"

"Ugh..." Shen He winced and gave a helpless nod. "If possible, could you not use that nickname?"

The epithet—originally meant for advanced adventurers who "spawn-farmed" low-level monsters—had clung to them persistently. Their strategy of obliterating mobs in floors well below their true strength didn't help. But that limitation stemmed from system restrictions on instance-level progression—not something easy to explain to the inhabitants of Orario.

"The Loki Familia's in a unique situation right now," the Amazon said cautiously. "Why do you need to see us?"

"'Us'?" Shen He echoed, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her. Short black hair, angular jaw, toned arms, and a familiar face.

"You're... Diona?"

The Amazon's brow twitched.

The Loki Familia had only a handful of well-known Amazons—most notably the twin sisters Tiona and Tione Hiryute. They were nearly identical but distinguishable by, well, certain physical traits.

"You're rude," Diona snapped, straightening her stance as if to prove her confidence. Like all Amazon warriors, she took pride in her physique—and Shen He's faint, scrutinizing glance hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Apologies." Shen He bowed slightly. "Didn't expect to bump into a Loki Familia member this fast. We've worked with your group before on material exchanges. This time, I came with a commission. We're not bringing a full team—just the three of us."

"I remember the Captain mentioning something like that," Diona admitted, relaxing a little. She glanced over Jeanne and Erina, then nodded. "It's not protocol to refuse a commission outright. Follow me—but keep it respectful."

As they walked, Shen He continued, "So the Familia War's officially ended?"

"Yeah. Ended in exile for some. Those two big-name Familia—Zeus and Hera—got kicked out. Honestly, they were asking for it. Too much arrogance. Gods who settle in Orario should know better."

"We don't live in Orario full-time," Shen He explained. "We've been operating independently from Chaldea's detached base, so we avoided getting drawn into the conflict. That's why we're a bit out of the loop."

"That explains it." Diona stretched her arms behind her head. "You folks are pretty suspicious, though."

"We all have our secrets," Shen He said with a small smirk.

Soon, they arrived at the Loki Familia base—a sprawling castle complex built near the dungeon's main entrance. Its scale and position were enough to reflect the Familia's vast resources and political clout.

Either Diona had signaled ahead, or their visit had already been expected. For when they approached, none other than Captain Finn Deimne himself was already standing at the gates.

"Commander Shen He," Finn greeted, his tone polite but measured.

Despite the unknown deity behind Shen He's squad, Finn had long recognized them as a wildcard force with rising power. And standing before her now, he could clearly feel that her strength had taken another leap.

"Loli?" Erina whispered in surprise, blinking at Finn's compact frame.

"Captain Finn is a warrior, not a mascot," Shen He chided, flicking her forehead lightly.

"It's alright," Finn said good-naturedly. "Happens more often than you'd think. Please—come in."

They entered the Loki Familia's grand hall. An elven adventurer brought tea, though the place seemed sparsely populated. Shen He's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Captain Finn," she asked, "you're wounded, aren't you?"

His posture was flawless, but Jeanne had already picked up on it. The holy energy within her could detect not just blood, but the subtle fluctuation of magical depletion. Finn was not only injured—his mana was suppressed.

"Just a scratch," Finn deflected.

"Jeanne," Shen He said.

"Understood."

Jeanne rose and extended her hands. Her palms emitted a soft, white light—a Divine Healing Aura that glowed with pure holiness. It was unlike standard Orario healing spells.

Finn tried to decline politely—but the second her magic touched him, his body relaxed involuntarily. The pain dulled. The tension bled away. His breath steadied.

Such high-level holy restoration magic… her power was on par with an Archbishop or higher.

"Thank you," Finn said, bowing his head. Then he leaned forward, his tone more serious. "Commander Shen He, I'd like to request your assistance. One of our key members—Lefiya Viridis—is badly wounded. Our magic casters can't fully restore her."

"Lefiya?" Shen He's eyes flickered. "The Nine Demon Fairy?"

That explained everything. If the Familia's main caster was injured, then no internal recovery spells could cover the rest. Their reliance on outside help indicated a rare break in protocol—and trust extended toward Shen He.

Perfect.

It meant they could proceed with the next phase of their plan.

"No problem," Shen He nodded to Jeanne, then turned back to Finn. "As for our commission—we'll need some deep-level dungeon materials, as well as a few exotic ingredients."

"Ingredients?" Finn repeated.

Shen He reached into her storage ring and pulled out a steaming dish—a crimson stew, bubbling slightly with thick gravy and spices.

The fragrance wafted instantly through the room, rich and mouthwatering. Finn blinked, briefly losing composure.

"Burgundy Beast Stew," Shen He said calmly. "Cooked using a recipe from Nakiri Erina. We're testing dungeon monster edibility compatibility—plus the dish doubles as high-magic-recovery rations. A good incentive."

Finn raised an eyebrow. "You're feeding... dogs?"

"No," Shen He said with a grin. "We're training hellhounds in the dungeon. The stew's our fuel. Think of it as... culinary bonding."

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