Journey to Planar World

"So…" Charlie muttered softly.

His expression remained calm, showing no trace of surprise. After all, he already knew the Guild wasn't as pristine as it appeared.

For instance, the Guild concealed the fact that Floor 71 was the deepest floor ever explored by Hera Familia and Zeus Familia. To the public, the deepest known floor was Floor 59, reached by Loki Familia.

Whatever the Guild's reasons for hiding this truth, it didn't change the fact that they were deceiving the public. So, Charlie had anticipated the Guild had other secrets.

"You don't seem surprised." Ouranos observed, his eyes narrowing slightly. Charlie's composure was somewhat unexpected. "As far as I know, even Hera Familia doesn't know about the Juggernaut."

"What does that monster have to do with me?"

Realizing lying to a god was futile, Charlie redirected the conversation.

"Of course, it has to do with you. After all, not long ago, you fought and defeated it."

"Huh?"

Charlie frowned. He had just said he didn't know of a monster called Juggernaut. Hearing Ouranos claim he had fought it left him confused.

"Try to recall the monster that left a deep impression on Floor 37." Ouranos prompted, his voice carrying a slight nudge.

"The monster on Floor 37…"

Suddenly, an image flashed in Charlie's mind. A creature far stronger than the others on that floor, completely absent from Hera Familia's monster encyclopedia.

"It seems you remember. Its skeletal appearance, with a long, slender body, a large skull-like head with bony ridges, and an armored, lengthy tail. Its arms are long and multi-jointed with sharp claws, while its legs are long and powerful, with glowing red lights in its eye sockets. That is the Juggernaut."

Ouranos described the Juggernaut's form in detail, confirming Charlie's memory.

"The Juggernaut serves as the Dungeon's defense mechanism, eliminating adventurers. It can appear anywhere except the Upper Floors and is activated to eradicate threats. Its attack power is immense, comparable to a Floor Boss, but its defense is relatively weak."

"The Juggernaut can absorb other monsters, potentially gaining additional abilities or increasing its size and strength, as seen when it merges monsters into itself."

"Normally, the Dungeon wouldn't spawn a Juggernaut, an aggressive anomaly. Specific conditions are required to trigger its appearance."

"Charlie, do you know what those conditions are?"

After speaking at length, Ouranos posed a question to Charlie.

"I don't know." Charlie answered honestly.

He hadn't even known about the Juggernaut's existence before, so how could he know the conditions triggering its appearance?

One thing was certain, though: he hadn't intentionally triggered those conditions. This was evident from the Juggernaut's appearance on Floor 37, where he was at the time.

Detecting no deception in Charlie's response, Ouranos felt slightly more at ease.

(So, Charlie's appearance was purely an accident caused by ignorance, just like when Rudra Familia trapped Astraea Familia, triggering the Juggernaut's first appearance,) Ouranos thought to himself.

"The Juggernaut only appears when severe damage occurs in the Dungeon. In other words, when the Dungeon's natural regeneration fails to keep up with the damage. The Juggernaut's role is like an antibody in the human body, eliminating parasites."

"The Juggernaut's strength depends on the floor where it spawns, with those from the Lower Floors being weaker than those from the Deep Floors. For example, the Juggernaut that annihilated Astraea Familia on Floor 37. This means you, Charlie Avalon, defeated the Juggernaut that destroyed Astraea Familia."

There was genuine admiration in Ouranos's tone.

As a god overseeing the Dungeon, he knew how terrifying the Juggernaut was. Even Astraea Familia, one of the top Familias of its time, fell into despair facing that Juggernaut, with only one member surviving.

Yet Charlie, alone, defeated the Juggernaut that had wiped out Astraea Familia in the past.

It should be noted that Astraea Familia's lineup when facing the Juggernaut consisted of Second-Class Adventurers. Even so, they were obliterated.

From this perspective, Charlie's strength was clearly extraordinary.

"Astraea Familia was annihilated by the Juggernaut…?"

Charlie was shocked to hear this news.

"I heard Astraea resides in your home. It seems she hasn't told you about her Familia's history. Well, that's normal. Some memories are better kept hidden."

"Charlie, my purpose in summoning you here is singular: keep the Juggernaut's existence a secret. Don't tell anyone about that monster."

"Though the conditions for triggering a Juggernaut are stringent, they're not impossible. If others learn of the Juggernaut's existence, it's possible those with malicious intent could exploit it for their own gain. We must prevent another tragedy like Astraea Familia's."

Finally, Ouranos revealed his true intention.

"Understood, I'll keep the Juggernaut a secret." Charlie agreed without hesitation. He fully understood the implications of the monster's existence and the potential disaster it could cause if the information fell into the wrong hands.

"Good, you understand. That's all. You may go."

Satisfied, having detected no trace of deceit in Charlie, Ouranos nodded.

"Farewell, God Ouranos."

Charlie gave a slight, respectful bow, then turned and led Aishia and Est out of the hidden chamber, stepping back into the dimly lit Guild corridor.

"…"

After their figures vanished into the corridor, Ouranos's voice echoed softly in the silent chamber, more like a whisper to himself.

"Spirits, huh… At best, Charlie Avalon is the hero who will end this world's threats."

A sincere hope radiated from his words, a hope placed on the shoulders of the mysterious young man from Hera Familia.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Unaware of the immense expectations placed on him by Ouranos—and perhaps by certain other gods—Charlie continued his walk toward his home, Empyrean Citadel.

The late afternoon in Orario had its own charm. The sky was painted with gradients of orange and purple, casting a warm glow on the dense stone buildings.

The slowly setting sun created long shadows in the narrow alleys and bustling plazas. The aroma of food from various eateries began to fill the air.

The streets grew crowded with adventurers returning from the Dungeon. Some still wore dirty armor, while others had shed theirs, enjoying cold drinks in taverns.

The sounds of laughter and lively chatter mixed with the melodies of street musicians starting to perform heroic songs.

In the distance, Babel Tower loomed high, its peak still bathed in the last rays of sunlight, standing like a beacon of hope at the world's center.

Arriving at Empyrean Citadel, Charlie pushed open the door. The moment it swung open, he was greeted by the soft, warm voice of the goddess who had been awaiting his return.

"Welcome back, Charlie, Aishia, Est." Astraea greeted, sitting calmly in a cushioned chair, sipping her afternoon tea.

"…"

Charlie paused for a moment, slightly dazed. It had been a long time since anyone welcomed him home.

A faint melancholic feeling enveloped his heart, reminding him of times long past, before all this had happened.

"Charlie?"

Noticing Charlie's daydreaming, Aishia gently tugged at her master's arm, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Charlie flinched slightly, then a faint, genuine smile appeared on his face.

"I'm home."

With steps that felt lighter, Charlie walked inside, leaving Orario's hustle and bustle behind the door, toward the simple warmth awaiting him.