Disclaimer: I do not own Danmachi or Sword Art Online. This is made for entertainment purposes only.
A 14-year old boy named Bell Cranel is seen taking down a goblin in the 5th floor of the dungeon, a complex labyrinth located below the Babel in the center of the city of Orario. He was originally raised to be a farm boy by his adoptive grandfather as his own origins is unknown, making the old man his only family member. He would often listen to stories that his grandfather would tell him about heroes and what they do for the greater good of ordinary citizens, though he embarrassingly brushes off perverted advice that he tried to pass on to the young boy such as when he told Bell that the key to romance is to peek at girls while bathing. However, after his grandfather mysteriously disappeared, he decided that being a farm boy is not who he is meant to be and decided to become a hero like in the books. As such, he decided to become an adventurer to get one step closer to his dreams.
"Another one down. Looks like I will have enough to give to Kami-sama this time!" Bell said excitingly as he picks up the goblin's magic stone from the ground.
When he first started, no Familia wanted to take him in due to his weak stature until a poor Goddess named Hestia took him in as the first member of her Familia, where his life as an adventurer would begin. At first, possibly due to his grandfather's influence and his naivety, Bell's goals were not exactly pure as he wanted to become a hero for two reasons; one is the more heroic trait of wanting to protect the lives of others, and the other is the non-pure attempt of picking up girls and hoping to start a harem from then on. However, what happens later will change that later goal into something more precious and important to him.
"All right, I better call it a day before I run out of potions. Besides, I should have enough to at least buy something decent to eat for both of us."
Before he can gather the materials collected, he can see other low-level adventurers passing him, running for their lives.
"Huh, what is going on!? Why is everyone panicking and running away!?" Bell becomes anxious as more adventurers pass him.
"Run! Run! There is a Minotaur coming!" One of the retreating adventurers shouted.
Hearing this Bell briefly fell into a state of dispair. "A Minotaur!? But they should be located on the middle floors! Why is there one here on the upper floors!?"
Wanting not to get involved with an opponent that clearly outmatches him in his current state, Bell picked up the bag and prepares to retreat, only to find the Minotaur within his line of sight.
"WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Bell screamed in a high-pitched voice as he ran as fast as he could from the monster, until he ran into a dead-end of the dungeon.
"Oh no. I am trapped."
Bell thought as the Minotaur slowly approaches him to the front.
"Is this really the end? Kami-sama, Ojii-chan, forgive me!"
As Bell prepares to accept his fate, a light suddenly appears on top of the floor and coming out of it is a young girl, looking about a couple of years older than Bell. She has long orange-brownish chestnut hair while wearing what appears to be a knight uniform of red and white color scheme. As she is falling, she opens her eyes, revealing them to be the color of hazel, to see the Minotaur about to kill Bell and, out of instinct, took out her rapier from her sheath and threw it at the beast, piercing its shoulder, but failing to kill it. The girl then lands on the Minotaur, took out her rapier, much to the Minotaur's anguish, jumps off the monster with a flip, and landing in front of Bell, much to the boy's amazement.
"Sugoi..."
With the Minotaur in pain, the monster lowers itself and charges at the girl, hoping to impale her with its horns, only for her to duck from the attack and slash open the Minotaur's chest. Blood squirts out of the chest and sprays both her and Bell, much to the girl's horror, but seeing that the Minotaur is bent on killing both of them, she puts aside her disgust and slashes the monster through the head, finally killing it and causing its body to disappear, much to her relief.
"Who is that girl...?"
Once the battle is over, Bell became briefly entranced at her beauty after seeing her face. However, before the girl can turn around to face him, her body soon collapsed to the ground, causing Bell to reach out before her head hits the ground.
"Hey! Are you alright!? Come on, say something!"
He soon felt relieved after realizing that she has just passed out from exhaustion, but notices that there is no one else since they all retreated from the Minotaur. Not expecting anyone to come pick her up and unable to go to the lower floors, Bell decides to carry her to the Guild by putting her arm above his shoulder. Unknown to him, he was being watched by two people nearby; one of a female figure and one who resembles some kind of beast man in a position that looks like he was holding back his laughter.
"I wonder which Familia she belongs to?"
Bell wondered in his thoughts before moving.
In Orario...
Despite both of them being covered in blood, Bell soon started attracting attention when other people in the city sees him carrying a beautiful unconscious girl, causing some to gossip and whisper, but ignores them in favor of not dropping her.
"Well, I don't blame them. Having such a cute girl next to me is bound to attract some attention, but still..."
Bell looks at the girl's sleeping face.
"I will remember to thank her for saving me once she wakes up."
It didn't take long for Bell to reach the Guild. As soon as he steps inside, his half-elf advisor behind the desk immediately takes notice of the two and rushes to greet him.
"Bell-kun! Welcome ba...!" It didn't take long for her to notice the girl hanging off of his shoulder and that they are both covered in Minotaur blood.
"Eina-san, this adventurer needs help now!" Bell screamed.
"H-Hai!" Eina responded and had the girl taken to a medical facility specifically made for adventurers.
After getting the girl checked in to a room, Eina and Bell head outside to the waiting area until the mages finished healing and examining her. Surprised by the sudden turn of events, Eina turns towards Bell.
"Bell-kun, what exactly happened in the dungeon?"
"I was fighting monsters in the upper floors when I saw adventurers suddenly running for their lives. It later turns out that what they were running from was a Minotaur." Before Bell could continue, Eina suddenly interrupted him out of surprise.
"A Minotaur in the upper floors!? But how!?"
"I don't know how it got there. It just showed up. It chased me until I was backed into a corner then all of a sudden, this girl suddenly shows herself in a flash of light and easily took care of the Minotaur, though it did spray blood on the both of us."
Bell made an embarrassed laugh as Eina listens to his story.
"Anyway, after the Minotaur was defeated, she suddenly collapsed and since most of the adventurers in the upper floors retreated, I had to take her out of the dungeon before anymore monsters show up and here we are."
"I see. You must have been very lucky she came as she did, but where did that girl come from?"
"I don't know either. I am hoping to ask her once she wakes up."
Before he could continue, one of the female mages rushed towards them. "The girl is awake and our staff is having trouble dealing with her!"
"WHAT!?" Both Eina and Bell yelled.
"Just come with me and see if you can calm her down!"
"Hai!" The three of them then rushed to the girl's room.
When they opened the door, they see the girl arguing with some of the mages in charge of caring for her.
"W-What is going on with her!?" Eina asked in a panic.
"We started asking her some questions such as her name and which Familia she is from and when she couldn't answer some of them she started to panic a bit and began to argue with the nurses. Since you are the one who found her, we figured since you are the people who found her, you two might be able to calm her down."
"But we only found her! We are just as lost about this as you are!" Eina explained.
"Just try at least! She isn't the only one here with needs and she is disturbing our other patients! Please!" The nurse begged.
Eina sighs and nods to the mage's request. "Fine. Bell-kun, let's try and calm her down."
"H-Hai!" Bell responded.
Eina and Bell then approached the girl, who took notice of them and soon started to calm down after recognizing the boy that she saved earlier.
"Hello there Miss. I heard that you've saved my client Bell and there is something he would like to say to you." Eina then turns to Bell, who shyly approaches the girl.
"Um, my name is Bell Cranel. About the Minotaur incident earlier. Thank you very much for saving my life!" Bell bowed to the girl, much to her surprise.
"No, you have nothing to thank me for. I am just not the type who abandon those in trouble. Speaking of which, are you okay? The Minotaur didn't get you, right?"
"No, you saved me before he can attack. The blood was the Minotaur's from when you sliced his chest so again, thank you very much." Bell bowed again, causing Asuna to get flustered.
"Okay enough! It's embarrassing if you suddenly bow to me like that!"
"Sorry. Um, I heard that you were having trouble with some of the nurses here. Is something wrong?"
Asuna then lowers her head. "I tried asking questions to the nurses, but they keep giving me answers that I don't understand. They told me that I am in a city called Orario, but such a place wasn't built on the map of this game!"
"Game!? What are you talking about!?" Eina asked.
"This is the world of Sword Art Online right!? If so, then Orario doesn't even exist, because the developers of this game didn't include such a town!"
"Sword Art On-wha? Developers? Miss, I am afraid I don't know what you are talking about. We haven't even heard such words before so I am pretty sure that there is no such place named Sword Art On- or what you called it. I am sorry. Where you are from must be a completely different world from here."
After listening to Eina, Asuna soon manages to fit the pieces together in her head. She attempts to open her inventory, but to no avail and now realizes she is in a world separate from her origin and looks down in despair.
"So I am in a different world...I am no longer in the game...or my home...my friends...they are gone...Yui...Kirito..." Tears started swelling in Asuna's eyes at the possibility of being unable to return to her original world and see her loved ones.
Unable bear witness to a crying girl any longer, Bell moves forward and puts his right hand on hers to comfort her. "Hey Miss, I may not know where you are from, but I know what is like to have your whole world torn from you. That is why I swear to you that I will help you find a way back, even if I have to go down all the way to the final floors of the dungeon to do so. I promise that you will see your home and your loved ones so please don't cry."
"Bell..." Seeing Bell's resolve made Asuna smile a little as she wipes her tears.
"Bell, I swear, a lot of girls will be coming for you if you keep acting like that. I just hope you don't become reckless while doing so."
Eina said in her thoughts as she let out a small laugh at her shy client managing to comfort a stronger warrior.
"By the way, I am Eina Tulle, a receptionist at the Guild and Bell's advisor. May I ask for your name?" Eina said with a gentle smile.
"...Asuna...Yuuki Asuna."
"Well then Asuna, once you are feeling better, we can go to the Guild so that we can have both of our questions answered there, alright?"
Asuna nodded. "Thank you."
At the Guild...
Asuna is currently getting registered at the Guild as she answers questions for Eina and vice versa.
"So you've never heard of a Familia or Orario at all before coming here just now right?"
"No, and for Gods to be the leaders of different Familias is unbelievable. You are telling me that deities can take on physical forms?"
"Indeed. It is how the town of Orario was founded in the first place, though the Gods might go back to Heaven if violations do occur, which is why to minimize trouble, they are not allowed to go the dungeons nor can they be allowed to use their divine powers most of the time. So the Gods and Goddesses you seek look no different than a normal human."
"And you are telling me that nonhuman races and magic in this world are very common, right?"
"Yes. I myself am a Half-Elf so it shouldn't be a surprise that they exist."
Listening to all of these new concepts almost overwhelmed Asuna, but Eina and Bell knew that taking things slow is the best option for her since she is a foreigner of this unknown world.
"By the way, you told me that the dungeon in your world is something created by humans?"
"Yes, but the dungeon is a fake compared to here. It is more like getting the experience of being in a dungeon, but none of it was real as our bodies would just be lying in bed while our consciousness is somewhere else." Asuna explained.
"Amazing...for humans to be able to make this sort of thing. I really wonder what your world is like."
"Trust me. If you managed to go there, you will have the same reaction as me earlier."
"That's true." Both Eina and Asuna shared a laugh.
Bell smiled seeing that Asuna has befriended Eina almost immediately after getting to know each other. Eina then receives a card from her co-worker and handed to Asuna.
"Your registration is complete. Now that you are eligible to become an adventurer, can you tell me which Familia you would consider joining?"
Not knowing any Familias or the Gods and Goddesses who lead them, that question caused Asuna to be lost in thought as she tries to think very hard where she would like to go. She then looks at Bell and remembered what he said at the facility.
"Um, Bell, you are in a Familia, right?"
"HA!? ME!? Yes, but surely there are better Familias out there! My Familia is poor because I am currently the only member and only Level 1!"
"I think it is best to start out small, especially since I am in a world unknown to me. It will overwhelm me even more taking in everything at once so I will be comfortable with the person who promised me to find my way home."
"Well Bell-kun, you are only an adventurer for fifteen days and you already have a girl living with you." Eina teased.
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Both Asuna and Bell yelled, attracting unwanted attention.
Both of them then face each other and turned red, but for Asuna, the situation become more mentally troubling for her.
"I am already in a relationship with Kirito. If such a misunderstanding continues, I don't know what I would do."
Bell, on the other hand, had different thoughts.
"I am glad I got a potential Familia member, but for such a beautiful girl to be living with us, I got a feeling Kami-sama won't be happy. I have to make sure to keep my promise to Asuna-san."
"Calm down you two, I am just joking. You don't really have to be in a relationship to be in the same Familia, but you do have to learn how to get along with one another. So do you choose to be in Bell's Familia?"
"...Yes, my decision has not changed."
"Very well. Bell-kun, have Asuna-san introduced to your Goddess and convince her to be in the Familia."
"Hai, Eina-san. See you later!"
"Take care Bell-kun, Asuna-san."
"Yes, will do." Asuna waved goodbye as she followed Bell.
"If Asuna can defeat a Minotaur easily, then I am sure she can protect Bell."
Eina become lost in her train of thoughts until her co-worker, Misha, snapped her out of it, much to her embarrassment.
In front of an abandoned church...
Bell introduced Asuna to his and his Goddess' home, much to Asuna's shock. "You two live in an abandoned church!? I know that you said you Familia is poor and I understand that the church is usually a good setting for deities, but why is it abandoned!? Does she not have any worshippers!?"
"Like I said, our Familia is poor due to me being low-level and the only member. Even Kami-sama is working part-time jobs to make ends meet."
Asuna then smacks her face with the palm of her hand. "A Goddess working a part-time job...that is something beyond my imagination."
"Sorry, but I did mention that you can join other Familias back at the Guild."
"No, I'd still rather be with people I know rather than to live in a big house where you do not know how other members will treat newbies."
"Good point."
"You do promise me that if I joined your Familia, you would help me find my way home, right?"
Bell nodded. "Of course! I will not go back on such a promise!"
"Then I trust you. Its not like I can trust anyone else other than Eina-san. By the way, this place has a bath at least, right?"
"This much we have or Kami-sama would complain about being dirty." Bell laughed.
Asuna sighs in relief. "Well, let's go in."
"Hai." Both Bell and Asuna then make their way into the church where the former led her into the staircase leading to the basement.
"Kami-sama! I am back!"
As soon as Bell shouted, a petite girl with black hair in twin tails, wearing a somewhat revealing white mini-dress shows up in front of him and Asuna, showing a cute smile.
"Bell-kun! Welcome ba-GEH!" The girl noticed Asuna standing right next to Bell and her smile immediately turns into a frown.
Asuna, on the other hand, is surprised to see that his Goddess looks just like a young girl, abit with large breasts currently held up by a blue ribbon.
"Um Kami-sama, this is Yuuki Asuna, she is an adventurer new to Orario and was recommended by Eina-san to join the Familia."
"HAH!? There is no way I will let such a girl join our Familia! She is brainwashing you Bell-kun! Manipulating you so that she can take you away from me!"
Asuna twitched at all the baseless accusations the small girl is throwing at her and steps in. "There is no way I would do such a thing! The reason I am joining this Familia is because I am new to this place and Bell promised me to find my way back home and to my loved ones. I will trust Bell as a friend only so you don't have to worry, but for you to behave like this, are you really a Goddess or just a spoiled brat pretending to be one?"
That statement only made Hestia more angry. "GAH! Bell-kun, kick her out! Kick her out!"
"Kami-sama, we can't! Without us, she might end up in a Familia that will take advantage of her naivety! If we refuse, it could affect how potential future members will see us! Do you want us to continue to remain like this!? She can help!"
After the Goddess calms down, Bell turns to Asuna. "Sorry about that. Kami-sama's name is Hestia, the head of the Hestia Familia and she is indeed a Goddess despite how she looks."
"I see. Fine, Hestia, I know that you are afraid of me taking Bell away, but rest assured that my goal is to go back to where I am from and I can also help you with your financial situation. Can I join your Familia for those reasons at least?" Asuna asked in a calmer tone.
After thinking a little Hestia sighs. "Fine, if it's for that, you can join. I really need new members anyway. Just remember what I said regarding Bell-kun!"
"What have I gotten myself into?" Asuna said to herself.
Hestia then turns to Bell. "Bell-kun, head outside of the room for a little bit. I am going to open her status."
"Hai Kami-sama!" Just like that Bell left the room.
Asuna became confused. "Hmm? Open my status?"
"I need to open your status so that you can become officially a member of my Familia as well as to check how strong you are. All Gods and Goddesses are able to do that to the members of their Familia."
"I see." Asuna becomes a little excited to be able to see her status since coming here, hoping that Hestia can give her that option again.
"Anyway, take off your shirt and lay on your stomach on that couch. Your stats will show up on your back."
"Huh!?" Asuna is again surprised by that sudden order.
"It is the only way for adventurers to know how strong they have become and to get stronger. Why do you think I send Bell-kun outside of the room?"
"Ah, understood."
Asuna decides to follow through with it without asking anymore questions and lays on top the couch on her stomach. Hestia then climbs on and pricks her finger before sliding it on Asuna's back, causing her to moan a little. The Goddess then places a piece of paper before twirling her finger once more on it. After a few more seconds, the process is done and Hestia gets off of Asuna.
"I am done, you can sit up now."
Asuna does so and puts her shirt back on. She then notices Hestia staring intensely at the paper. "Um, is everything alright?"
"Hey Asuna, are you sure that you are new to Orario?" Hestia asked in a serious tone.
"Yes, I only arrived to this world less than a day ago. Is there something wrong with my stats?"
Hestia then handed over the paper to Asuna. Her stats read:
Level 4:
Strength: E86
Endurance: G187
Dexterity: D73
Agility: D249
Magic: I34
Abnormal Resistance: H
Healing Powers: H
At first, Asuna was in disbelief over what she sees as being very low level until Hestia begins explaining. "Being a Level 4 makes you a second class adventurer among the three classes. Bell-kun is only Level 1 so that makes him a third class adventurer. For you to be able to start being an adventurer as a Level 4 is a very big head start and quite unreal."
"If that's the case, what is the highest level an adventurer can reach?"
"I am not sure myself, but the highest level adventurer in Orario currently is from the Freya Familia and he is a Level 7 and the only one in this city."
Hearing this makes Asuna a little happy that she is a fairly high level. "It must be from all of the adventuring I have done back home. The experience must have added it."
"I guess that is possible. Before I let Bell-kun back in, can you promise me one thing?"
"Hmm?"
"Despite being low level, Bell-kun has a tendency to be reckless, going lower in the dungeon to floors that people of his stats are not ready for. Can you please protect him in case something happens?"
Asuna smiles at her new Goddess. "Of course."
Hestia smiles back at Asuna. "Alright, Bell-kun, you can come back in."
"Hai!" Bell then opens the door to see a smiling Asuna in front of him.
"Um, Asuna-san?"
"Bell, let us both become top adventurers." Asuna then held out her hand.
Seeing her resolve, Bell smiled and shakes her hand. "Yeah."
However, Hestia imagines the handshake as a sign of their relationship and snaps. "GAH! BOTH OF YOU LET GO! HOLDING HANDS IS NOT ALLOWED!"
"EH!?" Both of them immediately let go, but after seeing Hestia misunderstanding the situation, they then looked at each other before laughing, much to the Goddess' dismay.
While Asuna isn't sure whether she will be able to go back home or not, it is moments like this that she looks forward to in the new world.
This is a pilot chapter of the new fanfic titled "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Asuna from a Dungeon?" which follows Asuna suddenly transported from SAO to the world of Danmachi where she learns to adapt and eventually assists Bell into becoming a true adventurer while trying to find a way home. Just so you know, this is a Bell x Asuna fanfic since there are so many Kirito x Asuna fanfics even in crossovers, which I wasn't really fond off in the original anime and light novel (which I didn't watch fully so forgive me for mistakes), but was okay with the pairing in the Progressive series. I chose the pairing to make something a little different. Don't worry, Asuna will still have some of her tsundere traits. What makes this more ironic is that in the anime, Kirito's voice actor is the same as Bell's and Asuna's voice actor is the same as Eina's so it makes sense that Asuna and Eina would become good friends. Anyway, let me know in the reviews if you want me to delay my current fanfics to make another chapter of this, especially since this is only a pilot chapter. If not, I will scrap it until after finishing the next chapter of one of my current fanfics.
Update: Although the main pairing will be Bell x Asuna, I will not bash the original Kirito x Asuna pairing. Their relationship will be mentioned as a conflicting plot point in this fanfic and I will not break them off in a disrespectful way like making them hate one another. Even though I am not too fond of the pairing, I respect it nonetheless, so I think it will be an insult to myself if I would ever write that they hate each other from now on just because Bell becomes the main guy.