I Just Awakened My Sharingan, and You're Telling Me This Is DanMachi?

"?!!"

Ryota's face changed dramatically. He rushed forward and caught her just in time.

Feeling the elf girl's weak and rapid breathing, he frowned and quickly checked over Lefiya's condition.

In moments, he made a judgment.

"Good, it's just Mind Down."

Mind Down—when an adventurer's Magic is overused and their mental energy completely drained, leading to confusion or even unconsciousness.

Come to think of it, Lefiya had been tense and on high alert this entire time. Not only did she have to constantly prepare her chants, she'd had to keep her focus sharp, blasting away the monsters Ryota had piled up for her.

After so many shocks and in that high-strung state, her mental reserves had finally burned out, and she'd collapsed.

"If I'd known, I would've made you rest up somewhere safe."

Ryota sighed, then gently set Lefiya down on a clear spot nearby, even moving over a stone for her to lean against and rest.

Sitting beside her, Ryota let his gaze drift beyond the heavy mist ahead.

That was the deeper part of the tenth floor. His expression was unusually calm, as if waiting for something.

Finally—

[Ding! Side Quest: Resolve an Irregular—Completed!]

[Reward Settling—]

[Reward One: B-Rank Jutsu—Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu—Unlocked!]

[Reward Two: Chakra Capacity +2500!]

That familiar mechanical voice rang in his ears, and a gleam flashed through Ryota's eyes.

"It's here."

He'd already prepared himself for the Chakra increase.

But the real prize was the other reward.

A B-rank Ninjutsu—Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame Jutsu.

Compared to Phoenix Flower or Great Fireball, this was a truly mid-tier area-killing technique.

And it marked a critical step toward a more powerful fighting style.

Should he keep going?

Ryota turned to glance at Lefiya, who was sleeping soundly beside him, her delicate face still carrying traces of tension and exhaustion.

"Forget it, let's head back."

Rest now, so he could explode with even greater power later.

"There was no time limit on the commission anyway."

"And besides, Orcs appear between the tenth and twelfth floors."

"When she recovers, we can go again."

Lain's commission was a designated commission, sure, but there was no requirement to finish it today.

After all, the reason they'd offered a twenty-thousand valis reward wasn't because of urgency, but because they trusted Ryota's strength—he knew that perfectly well.

"A lot of things in this world only care about results. The process... that's up to me to decide."

…

Lefiya's consciousness slowly returned from her fainting spell.

The first thing she noticed was a gentle, rhythmic swaying, like she was being carried on someone's broad back, rocking lightly with every step.

Warmth surrounded her body, and her nose was filled with a scent she couldn't quite describe—clean, gentle, and oddly familiar.

Was that Ryota's scent?

Her cheeks suddenly grew warm, and she forced her eyes open with effort.

What came into view first was that familiar fringe of black hair.

Then, as if she'd realized something all of a sudden, Lefiya's face went bright red.

"Ahhhhh! What is going on?!"

"Why is Ryota carrying me on his back?!"

Her shrill scream made Ryota's eardrums ache. He turned his head and said calmly,

"You're awake? How are you feeling?"

"You were out cold for quite a while. If I didn't carry you out, what was I supposed to do—leave you on the tenth floor to feed the monsters?"

As he spoke, he set Lefiya down and let her rest against a stone by the wall.

The moment the elf girl's feet touched the ground, her whole face seemed to go up in steam, cheeks so red they were about to catch fire.

She pressed her lips together, then looked around as if realizing something.

"…Where is this?"

"The path we took to get here," Ryota explained, giving his backpack a pat.

"A bit further on, and we'll be heading up."

"Wait—are you saying we're leaving the tenth floor?"

Lefiya's eyes widened.

"Then—what about the commission? We still need to find the Orc Hide!"

"There's no rush. There was no time deadline on the commission."

Ryota paused,

"And besides, you passed out. If I dragged you deeper after that, that would be the real problem."

"More importantly, today's goal has already been met."

Lefiya froze for a second, then nodded faintly in understanding.

She knew that the "goal" Ryota meant wasn't magic stones or monster drops—it was her own growth.

This newcomer really was looking out for her.

"Thank you, Ryota."

"No need to be so formal with family," Ryota said with a grin, waving a hand. Then he patted his backpack again.

"We did pretty well this time, too. How about we split it fifty-fifty?"

Lefiya shook her head softly at that.

"You were the one who brought me down here, Ryota. And… I grew a lot from this too."

"To ask for a share of the valis would really be too much."

Ryota just shrugged when he saw she was serious.

"Fine, guess I scored a lucky payday."

"But dinner's on me tonight—I promised you a feast, remember!"

The elf girl's long ears twitched, her eyes lighting up instantly as she nodded.

Just as the two of them were about to move forward again, a sudden pounding sound echoed from behind them.

A dark shadow came rushing straight toward Ryota's back!