is it wrong to try to build a criminal Empire?

"I just don't know what to do, Miach!" Hestia cried, clearly drunk.

After storming out of the Church because Bell-kun was being a meanie, she had found herself meeting up with Miach in a small, dimly lit bar.

She was well into her third glass, and her small frame clearly wasn't handling it well. Miach, ever the patient friend, sat with her, offering a gentle smile as he listened to her vent. He didn't mind her cries, and he even tried to cheer her up with some friendly advice.

"Hestia, you know we can't always expect mortals to do exactly as we say," Miach said softly, his voice steady and calming. "They have free will. Sometimes, their nature pushes them to make choices we might not agree with, but that's part of life."

Hestia groaned, her frustration evident. It wasn't that she didn't know all this—it was just that Bell-kun was her first child, and she couldn't help but worry about him. Maybe she was overthinking everything, but she couldn't stop herself.

"I know, Miach, I know..." she muttered, a hiccup escaping between words.

"What did he do, anyway?" Miach asked, his curiosity piqued. He wasn't used to seeing Hestia like this.

Hestia hesitated. She couldn't just tell him the whole truth about Bell's skill. It wasn't that she didn't trust Miach—it was just too dangerous to reveal something like that in public. As Bell would say, that would be "highly foolish."

"I... I can't say exactly," she stammered. "But he did something bad and stupid!"

Miach chuckled, his smile warm and understanding. "It's alright, Hestia. Just give him some time and space. He's still new to adventuring, after all."

If only it were that simple, Hestia thought. But Miach's words did soothe her a little.

"You're right..." she muttered, taking another swig of her drink. But it was clear she'd already had enough for one night.

Miach, always the responsible one, glanced at the time and sighed. "It's getting late, Hestia. And I think you've had enough drinks for tonight. I'll walk you home if you need."

Hestia blinked. Bell-kun must be worried about her by now. Miach was right—it was late.

"I'll manage," she said, slurring her words but standing up, albeit a bit wobbly. "Thanks, though, Miach!"

With a clumsy wave goodbye, she stumbled out of the bar and began her journey back to the Church, her mind spinning with thoughts of Bell-kun and his meanie behavior.

Stepping inside the familiar building, she swayed on her feet. "Bell-kun~ I'm back!" she sang out, her voice laced with drunken cheer as she staggered toward the couch where he usually slept.

With a heavy thump, she collapsed onto it—right on top of him.

"Oof!" came the sound of Bell's voice from underneath her. She had landed her target perfectly.

"You damn brat! What are you doing? Get off me this instance!" Bell growled in annoyance, trying to free himself from under her.

"Stop being a meanie and treat your cute goddess with respect!" she demanded, though her words were slurred and barely coherent.

"Useless goddess..." Bell muttered. His voice was cold, but she barely noticed in her intoxicated state.

Before she could protest again, she felt herself being lifted off him and tossed onto the bed with little effort. She squeaked in surprise but was too drunk to properly react.

"Nooo~ Bell-kun, don't leave me alone!" she whined, her voice trailing off as sleep began to overtake her.

Within moments, Hestia had passed out, her breathing soft and steady as she lay sprawled across the bed.

All For One muttered under his breath, "Damn brat." His irritation was palpable, but he couldn't deal with it now. He too needed rest.

Tomorrow would be eventful.

---

As All For One awoke to the sound of his goddess whining from her hangover, he felt the sharp sting of annoyance. Hestia's complaints were nothing new.

"Bell-kun~ would you get me some water?" Her voice was sickly sweet, a pitiful attempt to sound endearing. Too bad "kindness" wasn't in All For One's vocabulary.

"Get it yourself, brat," he snapped, his tolerance hanging by a thread. he could deal with her more directly—alas, physical rebellion wasn't an option.

"H-horrible! You're a horrible child!" Hestia whined louder, but he brushed her off, already moving toward his gear. He had no time for her theatrics. There was work to do in the dungeon.

Ignoring her further protests, All For One left the church, his mind already on the day's tasks. First, he needed to visit the guild to acquire a proper bag. His current pouch was pitifully small, holding barely enough magic stones to make his trips efficient. If he wanted to progress, he needed to start optimizing.

As he walked through the streets of Orario, his thoughts wandered back to Eina's lesson from yesterday. She had mentioned the increase of monsters on the fourth and fifth floors. The monsters themselves—goblins, kobolds—weren't much of a threat, but their numbers were higher. Newbie adventurers hesitated at that jump; the difference between facing four monsters at once versus seven or more was apparently daunting to the weak-willed. He found it amusing.

there was the matter of the dungeon lizards. Eina had mentioned them as a sneaky headache, though All For One had yet to encounter one. They preferred ambushes, and their cores were worth slightly more than the usual green brats and Stray dogs. He would need to keep an eye out for them.

Arriving at the guild, All For One quickly spotted Eina at her usual counter, busy with paperwork. He approached and called out to her.

"Hello there."

She jumped slightly before looking up, surprised. "Oh! Bell, I thought you were heading straight to the dungeon today?"

"I was, but I need a larger bag for the magic stones. This pouch," he said, showing her the small, worn pouch, "is far too small. Does the guild provide bags?"

Eina nodded in understanding. "Of course! I'll get one for you right away." She disappeared into the back and returned a few minutes later with a brown leather bag. It wasn't too large, but it was sturdy—perfectly sized for someone of his level.

"Here you go! This just came in from one of our commissioned order to the smiths," she said, handing him the bag. All For One examined it briefly. No zipper, just a simple button closure. Zippers must not exist in this world. It would do for now.

"Just sign here and pay the required fee," Eina added, handing him a paper. He quickly signed and handed over 1500 valis. Adventuring equipment was outrageously expensive, but he could afford it for now.

As she finished processing the transaction, Eina looked up again. "While you're here, Bell, would you like to open a guild account?"

A guild account?

"We at the guild provide Familias and adventurers with a private safe to store their Familia Earnings. The adventurer and their Familia members can pay for products through special papers given by the guild after the account has been successfully made. It's a safer way to store your earnings from the dungeon." she elaborated further. Using simple terms for him to understand, not like he already hasn't.

It sounded like a primitive version of a bank account—something that would be useful for long-term.

"Yes, I would like that," he replied, it'll be most useful and more secure. thinking quickly. He also added "Can you make two accounts? One for my familia and one for myself." The last thing he wanted was Hestia having unfettered access to his funds. He couldn't trust that foolish goddess with his money.

"Of course," Eina said with a nod. "We'll split your earnings between the two accounts. Just sign here." his familia money is his business money, so it's not a problem to split his earnings. She handed him two more papers, which he skimmed before signing. There was a small fee for each deposit he make, but that was a trivial matter.

"I'll make sure everything is set up by the time you return from the dungeon," Eina said with a smile. "Good luck, Bell! Have a successful dive."

With that, All For One left the guild, the new bag slung over his shoulder. Now, fully prepared, he was ready for his third dive into the dungeon.

---

A large brown lizard clung to the ceiling, newly born from the depths of the dungeon. Like all monsters, it instinctively knew its role: stay hidden, wait for an ambush, and strike anything that moved. Its task was simple, yet vital, to surprise adventurers from above and killing them or injuring them before they could react.

As it crawled along the dark ceiling of the cave-like structure, the sounds of battle reached its ears-its fellow monsters were fighting. The lizard made its way silently toward the noise, careful not to alert the invader, sensing an opportunity. A kobold lay burnt and crumpled below, its magic stone still untouched. Perfect. The lizard positioned itself directly above, waiting for the foolish adventurer to claim the prize. It would jump at just the right moment and take his head off in one swift bite.

The footsteps grew closer, and soon the lizard's reptilian eyes saw its target-a white-haired human, the one responsible for the death of it's fellow monsters below. The lizard leapt from the ceiling, aiming directly for the human's head, jaws wide to crush his skull.

But this was no ordinary adventurer.

With a lazy motion, All For One raised his sword. The lizard's eyes widened in its final moments, realizing too late that it had made a fatal error. Its gaping mouth met the sword's sharp end, impaling it through the brain. Before it could register the pain, its body dissolved into a cloud of ash, leaving behind only its magic stone.

"So, this is the dungeon lizard Eina was talking about?" he muttered, unimpressed.

This dungeon was pitiful. Here he was, at the end of the fourth floor, and the most this so-called 'deathtrap' could throw at him were green brats, dogs, and a clumsy lizard that couldn't even stay quiet while performing its one function- climbing walls. The incompetence of these creatures was staggering.

He picked the magic stone up and proceeded to the fifth floor, where he hoped to find something even remotely challenging. The fourth floor had been a disappointment, with only minor increases in monster numbers, and the creatures had started to cooperate more. The walls seemed to randomly spawn both goblins and kobolds now, unlike the earlier floors, where only one type of monster would appear at a time.

On the fifth floor, the dungeon's structure became more complicated, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. The real challenge lay in navigation; adventurers could easily get lost here if they lacked a strong sense of direction. But All For One had more important things to focus on, like the group of monsters ahead.

five goblins and three kobolds. He also heard a lizard moving above, but he didn't give it time.

Without waiting for the monsters to attack, he sheathed his sword and broke into a sprint, muttering a single word: "Fireball."

A glowing orb of flame shot from his hand, this one stronger than his less concentrated ones, it collided with two goblins who were standing too close together. Their screams of agony were cut short as they turned to dust.

The remaining monsters charged, but All For One was faster. He ducked under a kobold's claw swipe, driving his sword through the creature's heart, killing it instantly. The next goblin was too close for a proper sword strike, so All For One pulled the guild-issued dagger he had taken from the dead adventurer and stabbed the green brat through the skull.

"Four down, five left," he muttered, rolling aside as a lizard dropped from the ceiling, trying to ambush him.

Another "Fireball" sent, ending it's life before it can run again to a wall. Annoying pest.

The remaining monsters shrieked at him, their pathetic attempts to intimidate him falling flat. All For One smirked.

He charged the nearest kobold, and the beast foolishly mirrored his move. Just as the monster raised its claws to slash, he parried the strike with his sword and plunged his dagger through its eye, killing it instantly.

The last kobold tried to pounce on him from above, mimicking the lizards' ambush strategy. How laughable. The monster missed entirely, landing where All For One had been moments before. He swiftly sliced it apart with both blades, its body disintegrating before it even hit the ground.

That left only two goblins. They were too cowardly to attack, yet too driven by their base instincts to flee. He ended them easily, hurling a rock at one to distract the other before skewering them both with a single strike. More dust. More stones.

All For One stood still for a moment, catching his breath. His body ached slightly.

"Maybe that's enough for today," he muttered, gathering up the magic stones. Thirty-eight in total, and his new bag was only half full. He could collect more, but it would be wise to update his status before pushing any further. His body needed to keep up with his growing ambitions.

Satisfied with his progress, he began making his way out of the dungeon.

Unbeknownst to him-or perhaps entirely known-he was being watched. A small figure, carrying a bag far too large for its frame, observed him from a safe distance.

"Brat, come here!" a voice called from farther down the passage. The figure hurried away toward the voice, leaving All For One to continue his journey, undisturbed for now.

---

Cashing out his thirty-eight stones, All For One's total earnings came to exactly 46,200 valis. The dungeon lizard's core was worth 1,500, which wasn't much of a jump in price. Still, he hadn't encountered many of them, and they were easy kills.

Splitting the profits in half—one portion for the Familia account and one for himself—left him with 23,100 valis. Combined with his remaining funds, he now sat comfortably with 42,000 valis. Well Enough to buy some armor, though he didn't really need it. But he preferred being prepared, unlike that time with All Might.

Eina seemed to agree. "Yes! I highly recommend investing in some armor, Bell! You have enough for it."

He smirked slightly, mentally deciding to use the Familia fund for this expense. Why use his personal earnings when he had access to other resources?

Greedy? That's literally his money.

"I'll take a look at the market," he said nonchalantly, before switching topics. "Now, Eina, are you open for a new lesson? I'm curious about these 'newbie killers' I've heard some adventurers talk about."

Eina perked up. "Of course, follow me!" She led him to their usual table, where she would give him one of her detailed lectures, and he would listen patiently, soaking in every bit of information. It was time for another productive lesson.

---

Later, as hunger set in, All For One made his way toward the last establishment he'd visited—the one where that Syr girl worked at. The food had been good enough, which was better than he could say for the fried potatoes Hestia offered.

As he approached the "Hostess of Fertility," he couldn't help but find the name weird.

The moment he stepped inside, a cat-eared girl with a tail approached him. Tomura's favorite, he thought with mild amusement.

"Hello, nya~ Table for one, nya~?" she meowed between sentences.

"Yes," he answered stoically, giving nothing more.

"Follow me, nya~," she said, leading him to a table. The constant "nya" was already starting to wear on his nerves.

After sitting down, he ordered meat soup and a beer. Might as well enjoy myself today with a drink.

He wasn't waiting long before a familiar voice called out to him.

"Bell! I'm so glad you came back!" Syr appeared beside him, her smile as persistent as ever. Why was it that women always seemed to sneak up on him unnoticed?

He gave her a hum and a nod, not bothering to engage in conversation.

"So, Bell, how was your day?" she asked, undeterred by his lack of interest.

"Fine," he replied, offering nothing more.

Soon, the blonde elf from before brought his food, giving him a "Enjoy your meal" before walking away. She was eyeing him oddly. Maybe it was this elven pride he was hearing about? Did I do something to make her hate me?

Syr, meanwhile, pouted. "Hey, Bell-kun, why aren't you looking at me? Do you like looking at Ryuu more than me?" she teased with a small whine.

He didn't even bother responding with a glance. "Maybe stop being a nuisance, and I'll consider glancing your way," he replied. This cliché was getting annoying.

"That's horrible! Why are you so cruel to girls?" she continued, feigning tears in her eyes.

What is it with women calling him an enemy of womankind?

He sighed, choosing to ignore her continued babbling and focused on finishing his meal. As he was on his second beer, her remembered something he wanted to ask about.

"Syr, what do you know about the Soma Familia?" he asked suddenly, causing her to pause and look at him with slight confusion.

"Now you talk to me? Only because you need my infinite wisdom? How ungentlemanly of you, Bell-kun~," she said, smirking.

This girl.

He made a move to stand, and her expression quickly changed to panic.

"W-wait, wait! I was joking, okay!? You want to know about the Soma Familia? I know plenty!" she quickly said, her earlier teasing gone.

Well, that was easy.

---

According to Syr, the Soma Familia was little more than a group of fanatics—worshippers of a drink made by their god rather than the god himself. The "divine" drink they revered had turned the Familia into little more than an organized cult, driven by a singular obsession: obtaining enough wealth to taste the beverage again. This fixation led many to ambush adventurers, murder them, and steal whatever they could.

They were disliked by most, and their primary source of income came from selling drinks. Though they had dungeon divers, their reputation for ambushing Level Ones and robbing them blind was widely known.

An informative conversation overall. He might have to repay Syr's help in some way—perhaps a glance in her direction next time he was at the tavern would suffice.

These were the thoughts running through All For One's mind as he made his way back to the Familia's dilapidated church. The moment he entered, Hestia greeted him with an overly loud, "Welcome back, Bell-kun!"

Dragging himself to the bed, he took off his shirt. "Update me," he grumbled, getting straight to the point.

"Sigh, fine," Hestia responded. This time, she didn't try any antics. That's an improvement, he thought dryly.

The familiar magical sensation tingled over his back, and soon a sheet was pressed against his skin. Hestia handed it over, and as he scanned the paper, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

---

Bell Cranel, Level 1 Adventurer

Strength: 19 I → 31 I

Endurance: 10 I → 18 I

Dexterity: 12 I → 21 I

Agility: 16 I → 32 I

Magic: 15 I → 25 I

Skills:

All For One, Fireball

---

"Why the sudden jump in status?" he asked, still observing the unusual gains.

Hestia looked confused but then smiled brightly. "Not sure, but that just means you're working really hard! My cute child is so dedicated!" she said, reaching out to pinch his cheek.

He slapped her hand away and moved to the couch without another word.

"Bad child! No hurting the goddess! Bad child!" Hestia whined from her spot, back to her usual antics.

Ignoring her, he settled into the couch, his mind already on tomorrow's plans. Rest was a priority.

---

AN: I'm rewatching danmachi so I won't screw up the timeline and characters.

I'm cooking something hopefully good for the next chapter.