Denatus

After DM15 and SO12, there was yet another Denatus. With the large number of members leveling, Hestia was quite the life of the party. Unfortunately for Hestia, she also had to protect many members from getting unacceptable names.

Loki "I think we should give Hestia's children some fun names"

Hestia "Flatsy, how dare you threaten my children!"

Hermes "Fun is good!"

Hestia "I am going to pulverize you later"

Hermes starts to back off knowing the beating he may receive. At the same time, Miach and Take voiced their support of Hestia. As it seemed that the tide was turning in Hestia's favor, Freya got up to speak while all the male gods had stars in their eyes...

Freya "I am also in favor of giving fun names for Hestia's children. Afterall, they are ranking up and need to remember that they need to keep us entertained"

Hestia thought "Oh no"

With Freya and Loki joining forces, most of the other gods did not object as the naming proceeded...

Ganesha led as he was chair today "First it is Liliruca Arde"

Loki "Hmm, something fun. How about Sexy Ears?"

Hestia "No! I object"

Freya "Come on Hestia, we are going to having something fun"

Freya "How about Fluffy Ears?"

Hestia thought "I am losing, but I must protect Bell even if Lili is sacrificed"

Hestia "I will allow it if I have more say for my other members"

Loki "Come on, we will give more fun names for all your members"

Freya "I agree with Loki"

Take "Hestia should have some say in this process"

Miach "I also support Hestia's position"

Ganesha "Hestia has 3 members leveling. Instead of having more say for the remaining 2, we compromise for 1 remaining member"

Hestia "Fine, but I get to choose which one"

Ganesha "Yes, and I am Ganesha"

Hestia thought "Haruhime and Lili will be sacrificed. I have no choice..."

As a result, Lili became Fluffy Ears and Haruhime became Sexy Ears, while Bell had a respectable name in Rabbit Hero.

Despite the agreement, there was much friction because Loki wanted to call Bell Silly Rabbit and Freya wanted to name Bell Freya's Pet. As Loki and Hestia argued, the tension almost resulted in a war game, though calmer heads prevailed. Nevertheless, there would still be a tournament between the Hestia familia and the Loki familia. This would not have the normal serious consequences, except the losing goddess would have to personally serve the winning goddess for 1 week.

Given the difference in strength of the two familias, Loki allowed Hestia to choose the type of tournament as well as the time. Hestia selected a round robin with 3 members of each familia, and the tournament would take place in 10 days.

That evening, there was much sadness at the Hearth Manor.

Lili "Fluffy Ears! How incredibly humiliating!"

Haruhime crying "Sexy Ears! All the gods will still think I serve Ishtar"

Welf "And a tournament with Loki Familia, we are going to get slaughtered"

As Bell tried to calm his members, he realized he is probably going to have to battle Ais, and that brought excitement, sadness and concern at the time.

Allies

The news of the Tournament spread quickly. The next day brought a visitor to the Hearth Manor, an elf who the familia was well familiar with.

Ryuu "Goddess Hestia, I would like to join your familia and help with the tournament. My status is convertible"

Hestia "Ryuu, you are welcome to join, but what about the Hostess?"

Ryuu "Mia allowed me to work half-time to enable me to adventure"

Bell "Wow, that is great Ryuu, welcome"

Hestia "Welcome to the familia, let me give you your falna now"

After the conversion, Hestia confirmed that Ryuu reached level 5. This gave them hope as they now have two 1st class adventurers. However, it was still a massive mismatch because Loki would likely choose Finn, Ais and another level 6...

At that point, another unexpected guest arrived at the door. It was Syr!

Syr smiled "Well, Ryuu, you are going to spend more time with Bell?"

With her ears burning red, Ryuu "Syr, I want to help with the tournament"

Syr "I understand. I was sent here to pass along a message from Goddess Freya"

Hestia "Freya"

Syr "Yes, she wanted to make an offer that you cannot refuse. Goddess Hestia, please go to her familia, and bring the 3 adventurers that you want to be trained"

Everyone "!"

Hestia "How would I repay her for such an offer?"

Syr "She is not expecting any payment. She just wanted a more entertaining tournament for her personal enjoyment"

Hestia thought "Freya must be up to no good, but we are desperate"

Hestia "Great, we will go there after lunch"

After some mild teasing of her elf friend, Syr told them that she will pass the message to Freya.

Hestia thought "This opportunity is risky, but Bell can benefit a great deal from such training"

They then decided the 3 members will be Bell, Ryuu and Welf. Bell would be counted on to win, while Ryuu would at least give her opponent a good fight. Welf, with his unbreakable magic sword, would go for 1 huge blast before his likely defeat. Unfortunately, Haruhime's magic cannot be utilized in the tournament as Bete was aware of the boosting after their previous battle.

Arrangement of Convenience

Hestia, Bell, Ryuu and Welf headed to Freya's compound, with Lili also joining the party so Hestia would have an ally during the training. When they arrived, the guards were expecting them, and they were led to Freya, with Ottar by her side.

Freya "Hestia welcome. So you have decided to accept my offer"

Hestia "I want to attend all of Bell's training"

Freya "Well, we can drink together while they train"

Hestia "That is great. Would it be alright if Lili joins us."

Freya pointing to Syr "Sure, my daughter will also join us"

Syr's relationship with Freya was a shock to Bell, but Syr smiled at him to indicate everything is good.

Freya "So Ottar can train the Little Rookie, while one of my level 6 will start with the elf. There is not much I can do with your level 2 smith. I will assign a level 4 to spar with him"

While Bell was amazed with Freya's beauty, he did want to thank her "Goddess Freya, I want to thank you for your generosity"

Freya "Well, you do not need to be concerned with any debts. I would like a better tournament"

As the fighters went to train, Freya, Hestia, Lili and Syr watched while enjoying their drinks. Hestia was really glad that Lili was there as Lili and Syr were well matched in smarts.

While Allen had Ryuu at a big disadvantage and Welf was quickly knocked out, all eyes were on Bell and Ottar. While Bell fought much better than a typical level 5, Ottar was much stronger and faster than him. As a result, it was a real beating, and Ottar was clearly not going all out. Bell had to take recovery potions frequently as the beating continued for a couple hours.

After a long break, the training continued after Hestia gave Bell an update. Ryuu continued to train with Allen while Welf continued to be beat up by the level 4. However, Bell trained instead with the sword-wielding Gulliver brother. Apparently Freya wanted to confirm that Bell was stronger than an experienced level 5. Indeed Freya's suspicion was confirmed. This gave hope as Bell was clearly stronger than an advanced level 5. After defeating one brother, Bell fought the brother with the hammer. That was an even easier win for Bell as he was much faster than the new opponent. As Bell proceeded to defeat every brother, it was time for another break and another update from Hestia.

Freya "So Bell should only train with Ottar and level 6."

Hestia "Agreed. May be he should train with the level 6 who is beating up Ryuu"

Freya "I think that is a good idea."

After making the decision, Bell would spar with Allen Fromel while Ryuu would train with the Gulliver brother with the sword. However, Welf's training was done for the day after he was thoroughly beaten up by the level 4.

Bell's training with Allen was useful, but Allen's nasty personality gave an edge to the training. An experienced level 6, Allen was stronger and faster than Bell, and Allen beat up Bell pretty good. This was however a good benchmark for Bell as Finn, Gareth and Ais were expected to be equal or stronger than Allen. After an hour of sparring with Allen, Freya saw enough and allowed Bell another break and another update.

After some food and rest, Freya had Bell spar against Ottar for the final training session of the day. What amazed everyone was the improvement that was clearly visible. Ottar was still much faster and stronger, but Bell started to respond better to Ottar's attacks, which made Hestia very pleased. On the inside, Freya was thoroughly enjoying Bell's clear soul shining brightly from the training. Freya also told them to keep the training confidential because she wanted to see Loki's surprise reaction in the tournament. After the training, the final update showed that Bell got about an amazing 5% into level 5.

The Hestia familia group thanked Freya and went out to dinner at the Hostess. They wanted to have a nice dinner after a very interesting day. Some relaxation was definitely needed as training will start again tomorrow morning.

Hostess

The dinner at the Hostess was really good, and they were really hungry. Syr also went over to join them as she enjoyed teasing her elf friend.

Hestia "Syr, what is your relationship with Lady Freya"

Syr "Goddess Freya adopted me when I was very young. My parents died, and she apparently thought my soul was interesting"

Bell "That is wonderful. She is a really nice goddess"

Syr "Goddess Freya is very kind to me, and always took care of me and protected me. She treats me like her own daughter."

Ryuu "I did not know that either"

Syr teased "So Ryuu, you are going to sleep in the same home as Bell and his friends"

That brought a blush to Ryuu's cheeks, as it reminded her of the 37th floor. Unfortunately Syr does not miss anything and continued to push her advantage.

Syr "It seems you are closer to Bell after the adventure. You never told me what happened in the dungeon"

Ryuu with bright red ears "It was very difficult. Bell saved me several times."

Syr "So that makes Bell your hero"

That made Bell and Ryuu both embarrassed. For Ryuu, having a hero had a special meaning. For Bell, the praise was very embarrassing even if he did not understand Syr's innuendo. However, Hestia was not pleased with the way the conversation was going and threaten Bell about cheating again.

As the meal continued, Mia came by.

Mia "It is good to see you up and about, Bell"

Bell "Mia, thank you."

Mia "Bell, I heard you are secretly training with Ottar"

Bell whispered "Yes, Goddess Freya asked us to keep it a secret"

Mia whispered "Yes I understand. Ottar is the King for many reasons, and you can learn a lot from him beyond pure strength."

Bell did not really understand what that meant, and Mia told him to also pay attention to Ottar's approach to battle. As they continued to talk, another large group came in for dinner. It was the Loki executives! Loki marched in with Finn, Riveria, Ais, Gareth, Bete, Tiona and Tione.

When Hestia and Loki saw each other, it was time for another confrontation... The confrontation started with sharp words, then progressed to hair pulling to an outright battle on the floor. Having seen enough, Mia stepped in and punished both goddesses. With the familia members stepping in to keep control of the situation, Ais came over to the Hestia table to talk to Bell.

Ais "Hi Bell"

Bell "Hi Ais, how are you?"

Ais "I am fine. It looks like we will have to battle soon"

Bell "I expected that you would be one of the three"

Ais "Yes it will be Finn, Bete and me"

Bell "I look forward to sparring with you."

Ais "I am sorry we have to fight, but I also look forward to sparring with you."

Hestia noticed the good mood between the two and stepped in.

Hestia "Bell, you are not allow to flirt with Wallenwhatisit, who is our enemy. When you spar, there will be no touching except the sparring. Especially nothing like a lap pillow for the loser. Do you understand me?"

As Hestia continued to yell at Bell and Ais, the other members smiled at the humor of the situation. The close relationship was also noticed by Syr and Ryuu, which filled them with jealousy.

Syr smiled "Yes, no lap pillow for you from Ais, but you can keep giving me lap pillows!"

That brought a huge reaction from Hestia, who now is focused on yet another competitor.

Hestia "Bell, you cheater!"

Bell "But she was not feeling well"

Hestia "Bell, no lap pillows for anyone except me!"

Syr fought back "Bell, we can also hold hands if you like"

Hestia showing Bell maternal affection "Bell, no touching for anyone except me!"

Syr realized she made enough of an impact, so she decided to leave Bell to Hestia's punishment. Ais also decided she had to go back to her familia's table.

After dinner, Bell and his friends headed back to their home. They wanted to go to sleep early as training starts before sunrise tomorrow...

The Second Day

Bell, Hestia, Welf, Ryuu and Lili returned to the Freya complex the next morning. Just like the first day, Freya and Syr were both there along with the trainers.

Freya was really happy as she was enjoying the training process. Beyond the ability to play with Bell's training, she got to see the pure clear soul up close and respond to her plans. Also, Bell's embarrassment in response to her beauty was also quite enjoyable. Hestia, ever the vigiliant one, also noticed Bell's response to Freya's beauty, and always tried to limit the amount of time that Bell looked directly at Freya.

Training again started with Bell vs. Ottar, Ryuu vs. Allen and Welf vs. level 4. Freya had Ottar and Bell battled without weapons mostly to get Bell used to Ottar's' superior speed. Bell was clearly faster than the 1st day and responded better to Ottar's attacks. While still getting the crap beat out of him, each fight brought improvements, whether it was recognizing the attack or delivering a stronger block or attack. However, without weapons, Ottar was able to go harder at Bell, which eventually resulted in knocking Bell out after about 10 minutes.

As everyone went to check on Bell, Syr and Hestia rushed to give him a lap pillow. As they both were dizzy from literally running into each other, Freya took full advantage and gave Bell a lap pillow, making her entire familia very jealous.

With Freya's first mover advantage, Hestia and Syr helplessly watched the lap pillow. Freya, with her flushed cheeks, did look like she was enjoying the lap pillow immensely.

As Bell rested on her lap, Freya also found Bell's white hair irresistible and started to comb through his hair with her bare hand. The warmth from the goddess and the comfort of her lap did contribute to Bell's recovery and he soon started to wake up.

Bell "Mom"

Maternal Freya "No I am not your mom, but do you want some warm milk?"

Bell "Ais"

Jealous Freya "I am not Ais"

Bell "Am I dreaming"

Happy Freya "You can call this a dream"

Bell then realized whose lap he was on, making him sweat profusely. At that point, Hestia stepped in and dragged the cheater up, leaving a slightly blushing Freya in a very content state.

Bell and Ottar started sparring again. The rabbit continued to be beat up, but with every practice, a small but noticeable amount of progress was made. After a couple hours, they took a break for potions and an update, which verified continued progress at the continued high rate.

After the break, Bell sparred with Allen, Ryuu was trained by another Gulliver brother while Welf got a break from his severe beating. Bell's progress was more evident with Allen as they were sparring substantially more evenly. While Bell was still beaten badly, he was able to block essentially all of Allen's attacks and got more counters in. After an hour, it was time for lunch.

At lunch, Hestia gave Bell another quick update to confirm the improvement, which also gave her an excuse to monopolize Bell for lunch. Realizing Hestia's strategy, Freya allowed Hestia to have her time with Bell, but also distracted them from their time together by asking questions.

Freya "Bell, you are making phenomenal progress."

Bell "Goddess Freya, thank you. I have a lot further to go"

Freya "Your progress is remarkable, but it may still be impossible to catch up to Finn and Ais Wallenstein before the tournament"

Hestia "Well, Bell always finds a way. I have confidence in him"

Freya "Bell, you can train more here, but why not go into the dungeon to grow faster?"

Hestia "But there would be a lot of time wasted in the upper floors"

Freya "If Ottar were to go along, you could very quickly get to the useful floors. Ottar, are there any floor bosses available?"

Ottar "No one has defeated Udaeus since he respawned last week"

Hestia "Bell is going to fight that monster?"

Ottar "Ais Wallenstein reached level 6 after defeating Udaeus by herself"

Hestia "If Wallenwhatisit can do it, Bell can do it"

Freya thought while smiling "Ottar, you are a genius"

Bell thought "If I can defeat Udaeus, I would belong by her side!"

Freya "Ottar can also insure Bell's safety if Udaeus proves too much."

Hestia "Fine, that makes sense."

Freya "To allow for enough time, you should leave tomorrow morning."

Hestia "Agreed"

After lunch, training continued with an Ottar session, then an Allen session and then a final Ottar session. The last update of the day indicated that Bell was about 10% into level 5, a fine result.

After that, the Hestia group went home to dinner, and everyone would meet at the Babel at sunrise the next day.

Adventure

The Hestia familia members arrived at the Babel, where they saw Ottar near the entrance. As agreed, they would not travel with Ottar, but instead he would follow them to avoid other adventurers from realizing that something was going on between the two familias. While they were on the adventure, Hestia would wait at home with members of the Take familia and Miach familia helping guard the Hearth Manor.

The trip down the dungeon was extremely different from their previous trip that nearly resulted in the deaths of all the familia members. With 2 level 5 and 3 level 2, the Hestia members confidently and quickly descended into the dungeon. Thus, Ottar did not even have to step in to expedite matters. The formation had Bell as the vanguard, Ryuu as the rear guard and the three level 2 in the middle. With Ottar trailing them, they could focus on what was upfront as they were quite confident that no significant monsters will attack them from behind.

The trip was not eventful. There were a group of minos but Bell made quick work of those. They did get the opportunity to test out Haruhime's new shield spell against some hell hounds before Welf made them self-destruct. After a few hours, they reached Riviria and stopped off to eat lunch. During the entire time, they did not see Ottar. They also did not realize that something invisible to their left appeared to be following them.

After lunch, the group continued to quickly descend. A nest of hornets kept Bell busy for a bit until he blew up the entire nest, while Ryuu guarded the level 2 members. Very soon, they reached the water city which brought back their fresh memories of the amphisbuena and juggernaut. Though this time, there was no calamity or floor bosses to be had. Also Bell's added level as well as Ryuu's added level made these levels a relative walk in the park. Welf did get to fire off his unbreakable magic sword, while Haruhime lent some of her magic when she also held on to the handle.

As they started the deep floors, Ottar joined in their formation. Bell and Ryuu both served in the vanguard while Ottar stayed near the 3 level 2. They defeated various monsters including a good number of bloodsaurus, Loup Garou and skull sheep. However, the extra level made a huge difference. Finally they reached level 35 and decided to spend the night there. Bell, Ryuu and Ottar took turns with the night watch, but did not have any serious threat to deal with.

The next morning, it was time for their goal, the enormous skeleton monster boss of the 37th floor. They did enter a colosseum on the 37th floor. However, Bell and Ryuu were able to clear their path out of the large room. The group then quickly reached the throne room of the boss.

After Bell and Ryuu had a short break and a couple potions, Ottar signaled for them to start. The plan was for Ryuu to keep the other monsters occupied while Bell battles the boss. Bell charged towards the udaesus, which caused the floor spikes to appear. Well versed in Udaeus' standard attacks, Bell was prepared and avoided the spikes. Having charged for 1 minute, Bell fired the argonaut firebolt at the boss, destroying a portion of its arm. That seemed to have made the monster angry...

The angry boss then summoned its enormous black sword, as it only have done so previously against Ais. As the monster swung its sword, Bell had to go on the defensive. He jumped, avoided and tried to outrun the bosses' attacks. The tenth swing of the enormous black sword did graze Bell, knocking him against the wall. As the spikes headed towards Bell, he was able to collect himself and continued to avoid the monster's attacks.

As the enormous sword chased Bell across the room, Bell was able to charge for another minute before he launched another argonaut firebolt. This spell was able to destroy many ribs on the monster, making it slower. With now an opportunity to attack the boss head-on, Bell continue to run until he had charged for 2 minutes. At which point, he activated argo vesta. The firey sword then impacted on Udaeus' arm that was holding on to the giant black sword. The resulting explosion destroyed most of that arm, effectively disarming Udaeus. But the boss was still able to summon more spikes, and so Bell was continuously attacked. Being able to avoid these attacks, Bell was able to charge another minute before unleashing another argonaut firebolt that destroyed much of the remaining monster. With the boss unable to move, Bell jumped on to its magic stone and destroyed it with the Hestia Knife.

Having matched Ais' level 6 feat, Bell was extremely happy and went back up to the surface with his group. Ottar was pretty impressed but he remained his usual stoic self. He did give Bell a few more pointers in having confidence in oneself and to attack without thinking about the Xenos. They reached the surface around midnight and returned to the Hestia home.

They found Hestia was still awake, and she quickly gave Bell an update. They were really pleased to find that Bell was almost half-way into level 5. In those 2 days, he killed over 300 monsters as well as the monster rex. With 6 more days, Bell still have a lot of time to make progress before the tournament.

That evening, Asfi reported Bell's progress to Hermes, earning her a pat on the head.

Hermes thought "Well, is that not interesting, the Hestia familia in an alliance with the Freya familia against the Loki familia. What will Loki think when she finds out. And the hero has defeated Udaesus, matching the Kenki's incredible feat. This tournament is going to be very interesting."

Asfi "Are you going to cause more trouble between Hestia, Loki and Freya? This is a really dangerous situation", earning her another pet on the head as Hermes pondered the interesting options and insane reactions.

That evening, Loki met with Finn, Riveria and Gareth.

Loki "There is no way itsy-bitsy can beat us"

Riveria "I do not see any path to victory for them either"

Finn "I have learned never to underestimate Bell and the Hestia familia."

Loki "True, I would hate to be in Apollo's shoes, but the stakes are not that severe"

Riveria "Though it would be interesting to see Loki serving Hestia lol", getting a good laugh also out of Finn and Gareth.

With their decision was to send Finn, Ais and Bete against the Hestia members, Finn would get Bell first to try for the quick knockout. Bete would get the lowest ranking member, while Ais would be the last goalkeeper to fight Bell if he progresses that far.

However, at that late hour, a girl with golden hair was seen leaving the Freya home.

Progress

The next morning, Hestia, Bell, Lili, Welf and Ryuu again went to the Freya complex. Freya was a bit late, but Syr and Ottar were already waiting for them.

Ottar "We should start. Lady Freya wanted Allen to fight Bell first to assess the improvement from defeating udaesus."

With Bell and Hestia in agreement, the sparring started. While Ryuu again fought with a Gulliver brother and Welf fought with a level 4, Bell squared off against Allen.

The difference in the battle with Allen was substantial. Instead of being outmatched, Bell was fighting evenly with Allen, which made Allen very annoyed and fight even harder. With neither gaining an advantage, the sparring continued for an hour. At that point, Freya joined Hestia, Lily and Syr to watch the training.

Freya "Well, Bell is quite the star"

Hestia proudly "Yes he is"

Freya "So he has caught up to an advanced level 6 in 5 days"

Hestia "We may have a chance!"

Freya smiled "I would like to visit if you win. We could enjoy tea together with Loki serving us."

Hestia smiled "That sounds like a good idea" thinking about other types of fun and humiliation that could be had.

As the fierce sparring continued between Allen and Bell, Allen's frustration was becoming more and more obvious. Only 3 days ago, he was beating the crap out of Bell, but yet after the boy went into the dungeon and solo'ed udaesus. And now, they are fighting evenly. Even Allen knew what this meant, that Bell will soon leave him in the dust. In 6 months of time, the boy has matched all his training and sacrifice for a decade. It is no wonder his goddess is captivated by the boy, which made it even worse.

After about 2 hours of sparring, it was time for a break. After recovery potions and a quick update, it was time for more training. This time, Bell would spar with Ottar while Ryuu sparred with Allen. In the meantime, Welf gets a longer break as his beating continued to be pretty ugly.

Bell's session with Ottar went better. He was clearly faster and stronger than 3 days ago, and the amount of difference was even difficult for Ottar to comprehend. Nevertheless, Ottar continued to be much stronger and faster, but the mismatch was far less severe than when training started. Bell was able to block almost all of Ottar's attacks though once in a while, an attack would still get through and batter Bell against the wall.

For Bell, he was also noticing his improved ability, and he was able to follow Ottar's attacks and started to think about a counter attack. Every time he was knocked down and needed a recovery potion, he came back stronger. His brilliance was shining more and more, which triggered Freya to almost scream out loud with intense pleasure. As it was, Hestia, Lili, Syr and Freya were glued to their seats amazed by the sparring between the teacher and the pupil. After another hour of training, it was time for lunch and yet another quick update. Hestia was planning to lose a lot of blood to buy Bell-kun every tiny bit of advantage she could.

With only 5 more days before the deadline, the discussion at lunch focused on what else could be done. Anticipating Bell's progress, Freya shocked everyone by suggesting that Bell should fight 2 Gulliver brothers at the same time once he has surpassed Allen. While a reasonable thought based on logic, it was clear that Freya considered that to be imminent.

After the lunch break, Bell started sparring with Allen again. After about another 30 minutes, Bell managed his first hit on Allen, knocking the cat-person down. Furious at the continuing turn of events, Allen attacked viciously, but as Freya predicted, Bell continued to gain and surpass Allen. By the end of 2 hours of training, Bell had knocked down Allen 5 times.

After another short break, recovery potions and another update, Bell started to spar with Ottar again. Of course, it continued to be a mismatch in both strength and speed. But then again, every time he is knocked down, Bell continued just to get a tiny bit better.

Freya "One day, Bell will be the King"

Hestia proudly "I do not doubt it. Bell works super hard."

Freya to Syr "Please bring that item to me" and Syr left the viewing area.

A little while later, Syr returned with an amulet that looked similar to the one she gave Bell for the Apollo war games.

Freya "Hestia, this amulet helps the wearer maintain his stamina. It is only good for one day when it is worn. Bell should only wear it on the day of the tournament"

Hestia "Freya, thank you. You could give this to Bell yourself."

Freya "I will give this to you under one condition - that you tell Bell the amulet is a gift from you"

Everyone "!"

Hestia "Why?"

Freya "I have my reasons but you must agreed to it"

Hestia "If it will help Bell, of course I will agree to it. Thank you."

Lili and Hestia gave each other a strange look but also realized they would have to discuss it later. After 2 hours were over, it was time for a short break and yet another update. The final training would involve Bell sparring against 2 Gulliver brothers, the one with the sword and the one with a spear.

The sparring against 2 level 5 opponents did not go well for Bell. He was all defensive, and was continuously knocked down. After 10 minutes of battering, they had to take a break and give him a recovery potion. The next 10 minutes did not go any better, resulting in a knock-out.

As the 4 ladies raced towards Bell, Syr somehow won the battle and was able to give Bell a lap pillow. Freya was fine with it, but Hestia and Lili were extremely frustrated. Syr pushed her advantage by petting Bell on the head, fueling enormous jealousy from the loli goddess and the loli supporter. Nevertheless, they suffered the frustration but immediately yanked Bell off the lap when he woke up.

For the rest of the hour, the beating continued. But Bell endured it, and he did learned to defend just a little better. At that point, the day of training was done, and Hestia did another update that showed Bell was about half way into level 5. It was then time to go home.

That evening, Hestia and Lili discussed the amulet. After Hestia assured Lili that the amulet was what Freya said it was, Lili calmed down as she was worried about some strange trickery. However, the two were perplexed why Freya did not want Bell to know that the amulet was from her, and they wanted to know what exactly was Freya's endgame.

At the Hermes home, Hermes and Asfi discussed the ongoing interactions between the Freya familia and the Hestia familia. While Hermes' concern was Bell becoming a hero, he did believe that the Loki familia was the most important familia for Bell to be allied with due to their superior mages. However, they could only keep observing and had to wait for an opportunity to change the situation. Asfi pounded Hermes over and over again to force him to recognize the potential consequences of being discovered. Asfi was really worried and knew that Hermes could not afford any mistake.

At the Twilight Manor, Ais and Finn were practicing for the potential matchup with the rabbit. With Bete being the fastest, Bete had to play the role of Bell, which pleased wolvie to no end. As Loki, Riveria and Gareth watched on, they were trying to come up with a scenario in which they could lose. After hours of arguing, the only such scenario they could come up with is a defection or betrayal. However, they were convinced that Ais would not betray them, even for the rabbit.

5 Days Before the Tournament

The next morning, with Welf deciding to create a new weapon, only Bell, Hestia, Ryuu and Lili returned to the Freya complex. Freya, Ottar and Syr were again waiting for them in the viewing area.

Freya "Good morning"

Everyone "Good morning"

Freya "If we continue on this path, Bell should be able to defeat everyone but the Kenki"

Hestia "We know she is strong, but Finn is an advanced level 6 while she leveled only recently."

Ottar "It is her wind that makes the Kenki so powerful and almost fight at a level above"

Everyone "!"

Ottar "The wind magic makes her much faster, provides a defensive barrier, and is an attack by itself"

Freya "Fighting multiple Gulliver brothers at a time prepares for the speed. Fighting Ottar prepares for the power. But the entire package is an unique challenge."

Ottar "You need to be able to use your own special attack just as the Kenki uses the wind. The same attack you used to defeat Udaesus. Your attack requires time to gather your strength. You must find a way to gather your strength while defending against her wind"

Bell "But I must charge up and rapid attacks prevent the charging"

Ottar "You must find a way!"

Freya "When you spar with the Gulliver brothers and Ottar, you must practice the use of your special attack"

Bell "Yes I understand"

After the talk, the training started. Bell started with the same 2 Gulliver brothers, while Ryuu trained with Allen.

Following the suggestions from Freya and Ottar, Bell looked for a way to charge argonaut, even if it was only 2 seconds or 3 seconds. Instead of just defending, he looked for opportunities to hit and run. Thus, Bell tried various tactics involving firebolt, rabbit combinations and escape. He was faster than they were, but with 2 attackers, it was nearly impossible to hit and run. Nevertheless, he continued to look for an opportunity by taking more chances. Taking those chances did result in Bell getting hit more often. After only an hour, a break was needed for potion and update.

The training then resumed again. Bell continued to try different ways of using rabbit combinations, firebolt and escape for another hour. Near the end of the session, he finally hit upon something that brought him a second of physical gap with his opponents. That single second of charging translated into an attack that knocked one of the opponents off balance, buying him another second of charging. This was clearly progress, and the balance of the fight had shifted. This was noticed by Freya, Hestia and Ottar, though Syr and Lili could simply not follow the action to that level of detail.

After another break of potions and updating, it was time for training with Ottar. The same tactic was a disaster against Ottar, and Bell was immediately knocked out. This time, the race to the lap pillow was a draw between Lili and Syr, who had to share the rabbit. Thus, one provided the lap while one stroked his hair.

When training resumed, Bell continued to try different tactics, but Ottar was simply too fast and too strong for these change in tactics. Bell was beaten and beaten again and again. After an hour with no success, it was time for lunch.

Freya "It seems it is premature to try to do anything fancy against Ottar. Perhaps we should focus on fighting the Gulliver Brothers and increase the number of opponents when he is able."

Hestia "He seemed to be catching on against them. So let's build on success as you have suggested"

Ottar "Bell, you should also practice by yourself attacking with only a short time to gather your force"

After lunch, Bell worked on short-term charging with firebolt and with his physical attacks. He was not used to it, so the practice did maximize his output and also made it more consistent. This charging practice did use a lot of mind, and he had to take a potion break after an hour.

After potions and yet another update, Bell sparred against the 2 Gulliver brothers again. He was able to follow the earlier strategy and was able to knock the brothers off their positions sufficiently to consistently allow a second of charging. After an hour of the sparring, the consistent hammering slowed down the brother to the point that Bell was able to charge even more. This vicious cycle resulted in a cascading failure for the brothers at the end.

During the potion and updating break, Freya had Ottar add an additional brother to make it 3 versus 1. Bell had to fight simultaneously against a sword, a spear and a hammer.

The balance of power quickly shifted against Bell. He was again beaten down. There was no time for charging at all, and he was back to being all defensive. While he was not knocked out, it was an ugly fight for him. By the end of the session, Bell was barely able to walk as the beating was constant and harsh. The last update did show that Bell was ~55% into level 5, which was hard to believe for even Hestia who was used to Bell's accelerated growth.

Freya "Well we know where we are starting off tomorrow"

Hestia "Yes this is definitely the hairy edge where he needs to train at"

Bell "Yes, I will do my best tomorrow"

When they returned to the Hearth Manor, Welf had created a new unbreakable magic sword to counter Ais' advantage using drop items and metals they found on their recent dungeon trip. They now have their own wind magic.

That evening, Bell continued to train his short charge attacks, both firebolt and physical attacks. With the amount of mind needed, he had to stop several times for potion breaks. Hestia and the familia watched as he trained into the night, trying to protect his goddess from an unpleasant fate at the hands of Loki.

From a nearby tree, Hermes and Asfi watched on. They did notice the white particles forming around Bell for a short time before the launching of the spells and attacks. Though they did not understand the significance of the practice for the tournament. Without an opportunity to interfere, Hermes had to be satisfied being sidelined for the moment.

At the Twilight Manor, Ais and Finn continued to practice against Bete. However, his thumb was hurting more and more, but he could not figure out exactly what his thumb was telling him.

The New Sword

4 days before the tournament, the same group met again in the morning to resume training. Bell sparred against the 3 brothers, while Ryuu fought Allen and Welf was bashed by the level 4.

Freya "Bell is doing a little better against the 3"

Ottar "His progress continues to be tremendous, but he is still unable to get off his special technique"

Hestia "Give him time"

At that point, they noticed Ryuu's use of the wind magic sword, which also surprised Allen.

Freya "That is a special weapon. I see that it converts the user's magic ability into wind magic"

Ottar "The sword launches multiple wind attacks, but it does not break"

Hestia proudly "That makes Welf special"

Freya "I see that."

Ottar "That may give Bell a counter to the Kenki"

Hestia "Fight wind with wind"

Ottar "You could counteract Kenki's wind with a wind from the opposite direction."

Hestia "Even if Ais' wind is stronger, you could make her much less powerful and slower"

Freya "Bell needs to practice with that sword"

Ottar "Allow Bell time to adapt to the 3 opponents before adding the magic sword"

Hestia "Agreed"

As the group continued to watch, Bell was starting to make some progress for defending against the 3 opponents. By the end of session, the beating was far less severe, with Bell able to defend against almost all the attacks. Although he was still totally defensive, unable to mount any counterattack.

At the same time, the wind sword did give Ryuu a slight improvement, but Allen the advanced level 6 still dominated the battle. Unfortunately, Welf was still beaten down and needed a long rest.

After the rest and update, it was more of the same training with the same trainers.

Lili "Even Lili can tell Bell-sama is doing better"

Freya "Yes, but still unable to counterattack"

Hestia "Freya, thank you for this training. It has made a huge difference"

Freya "It is my pleasure as I get to watch the boy up close and experience the stunning progress"

Ottar "See, Bell just made his first counter attack"

Hestia "Yes, clear progress."

Syr "Bell is a hero and so special"

Hestia "Yes, my Bell is so special"

Syr "My Bell is special also" making Hestia fume!

Freya laughed "Let's drink to a victory over Ais Wallenstein"

Everyone cheered to that battle cry, and Hestia was secretly gratified that her chief competition is now the enemy. Meanwhile, Freya continued to take in the beautiful clear soul as it shines and shines.

After the counterattack observation by Ottar, Bell continued to progress through the session. By the end, he was able to offer better resistance and no longer getting beaten down.

It was time for lunch, potions and updating. The lunch today was special as Syr went back to the hostess to bring back Mia's special pasta and fried fish. While the food at the Freya home was good, it was not at the level of Mia's specials. As they ate, they started talking about the wind sword.

Ottar "You will soon need to train with the wind sword. If you can stop or slow down Kenki's wind, you will gain a big advantage."

Freya "The sword princess would also be unprepared to discover that her magic is compromised. That is when you need to use your special attack."

Bell agreed, but it was hard for him to join in the discussion to bring down Ais, his love, savior and idol.

Hestia noticed Bell's mood and decided to press her advantage "Bell, make sure you put that Wallenwhatisit in her place. You are the hero and she goes back to Loki"

Bell nodded in a melancholy way, which was noticed by everyone.

Lili "Bell-sama, no second thoughts. Remember it is Hestia-sama's honor that you are defending"

Syr "If you win, I will give you a reward", instantly making Hestia and Lili worried and Bell blush.

After lunch, Ottar wanted to check Bell's progress by having him fight against 2 brothers instead of 3. With all the progress, Bell was able to put both brothers on the defensive quickly. The practice with the short-charge attacks also translated to quick powerful strikes that put the 2 brothers deeper in the hole. Very quickly, 1 second charge bought time for 2 second charges, to 3 second charges. With 3 seconds, the brothers were pushed back very badly.

After about 30 minutes of practice, Ottar changed back to 3 brothers. The battle had become much more even, though the 3 opponents still had the advantage. With the ability to launch more and more counterattacks, Bell was heading quickly to parity. By the end of the session, he was starting to be able to use firebolt and rabbit combinations despite fighting 3 opponents.

After another break of potions and updating, Freya had Bell train with Ottar to see if he could get off any of his special attacks. Unfortunately, Ottar was still too fast and too powerful. He was still unable to create enough gap to launch his magic or charge for even 1 second. Nevertheless, it was no longer a horrible beating as he tried to create the spacing needed. After an hour, it was time to go home, and Bell reached ~60% into level 5.

That night, Bell continued to work on his charging and started to practice with the wind sword. However, the longer sword was not natural for the rabbit, and he was not able to effectively dual wield a sword and the Hestia Knife.

Hermes and Asfi continued to monitor his practice. They were surprised by Bell's dual wielding of a sword and a knife, but could not figure out what the motivation was.

At the Twilight Manor, Finn's thumb was now throbbing, and he was getting worried about the battle with the rabbit. He shared his concerns with Riveria, but neither could convert the throbbing concern into a plan of action.

3 Days Before the Tournament

After one week of training, the 3 Hestia members have been preparing non-stop. In the morning, Welf again decided to work on a weapon and stayed at the home. Meanwhile Hestia, Bell, Ryuu and Lili arrived at the Freya complex.

Freya "I see the smith is working on another weapon"

Hestia "Yes he had an idea and started working really early in the morning"

Ottar "Bell should start against the 3 brother again. I believe he will be able to show significant progress today"

Ottar was correct. Being able to use firebolt and rabbit combinations made a big difference. That allowed Bell to search for a strategy that gets him the physical gap for a second of charging. As he continued to mix it up during the sparring, he found a couple sequences that allowed him to charge. Once he could charge, the resulting firebolt or physical attack then gave him the advantage to charge up more. By the end of the 2 hour session, he was regularly using attacks with a second of charging. However, with 3 opponents, pushing 1 back did not easily translate to gaining even more time for charging. That was a big difference that could require much more practicing to figure out.

After a potions and updating break, it was more of the same with the 3 opponents. Having improved to the point of launching 1 second attacks, Bell continued to come at the brothers with the pounding from the argonaut infused firebolt and physical attacks. After an hour of the same, the punishment was taking a toll on the brothers. Freya decided it was time for a short break to give them some recovery potions. Another hour of training predictably continued the trend. Bell had the upper hand, and was starting to bash the 3 brothers what attacks with up to 2 seconds of charging. At that point, it was time for lunch, potions and yet another update.

Ottar "Lady Freya, Bell should be able to take on the pallum at this point. The Kenki may still have the advantage with the wind"

Freya "I think it is time to see Bell with the wind sword"

Hestia "Bell was able to use the sword with his knife, but it was not that natural"

Bell "I could practice with it and see if it gets better"

Ottar "A knife and a sword together is not a natural combination. You could try it but also try the sword by itself", which made Hestia somewhat sad.

After lunch, Bell tried dual-wielding the sword and the knife, but the results were not good. Despite the advantage of the magic sword, the unnatural situation actually made Bell slower. In fact, he did worse against the 3 opponents even after 2 hours of sparring.

After another potion and update break, Bell tried to use just the sword. The results were better, but the benefit from the magic sword was compromised by Bell's lack of training with the sword. Freya saw enough after 30 minutes, and Bell went back to the Hestia knife.

For the last hour of training for the day, it was Bell vs. Ottar. Bell had clearly progressed from the day before. However, Ottar was still too fast and too powerful, and Bell was still unable to create a meaningful separation to charge for even 1 second. By the end of the day, the final update reviewed that Bell was ~65% into level 5, as the phenomenal progress continued at the same torrid pace.

When they returned to the Hearth Manor, Welf was waiting with a new weapon and a big smile. As if he had already predicted the results of the day, Welf had created an unbreakable magic dagger for Bell from the remaining materials.

Welf "This also has the wind magic, but it may be more natural for you"

Bell "Welf thank you"

Hestia "Welf, you get a reward for that"

Welf "I would like a date with Hephaestus as my reward"

Hestia "I will get you that date even if I have to beg for 1 week!"

Haruhime "Lady Hestia, that would be too extreme" as everyone laughed.

That evening, Bell started practicing with the Hestia Knife and the new dagger. The improvement was instant though Bell continued to practice until the early morning...

Still monitoring, Hermes and Asfi were happy with the change of weapons. They completely did not understand the reason for the knife/sword combination.

At the Twilight Manor, Finn's thumb continued to throb, but there was nothing he could do. They trained and they prepared as much as they could, but the 3 senior executives realized their fate and Loki's honor hanged in the balance with the rabbit's unique skills and the Kenki's wind.

The Final 2 Days Before the Tournament

The next morning, Hestia, Bell, Welf, Lili and Ryuu all returned to the Freya complex. Freya and Ottar were surprised with the new magic dagger, but it made sense. They were also impressed that Welf was able to predict the need for the dagger.

Training started with Bell vs. the same 3 brothers. The dual daggers made a huge difference. Bell had them at the defensive pretty quickly. And the wind magic also helped as Bell adjusted to actual combat with the new dagger and its magic. In particular, he often used the wind magic in a defensive manner. That was based on Ottar's suggestion for using the wind magic to counter Ais' magic in a defensive manner, similar to a shield.

After an hour, the 3 opponents were bashed pretty badly, and Freya saw little reason to continue the same sparring. While on the potions and update break, the discussion was on what to do next.

Ottar "We can have the rabbit battle all 4 brothers"

Freya "That makes sense, but he should also practice against you"

Ottar "Practicing against me would be incremental, but he may take some time to again adjust to an added opponent"

Hestia "That makes sense. Let's see how Bell does against all 4"

After the break, the 4 Gulliver Brothers ganged up on Bell, though it was not as bad as when they first added the third brother. Bell was bashed somewhat, but he was able to defend pretty well against all 4 opponents.

Ottar "The dual-wielding knives are a big improvement. The wind magic is adding a substantial amount of defensive value."

Freya "Yes, the boy is fighting 4 first class adventurers after only 6 months. Truly remarkable"

Lili "We are going to beat that Wallenwhatisit"

Hestia smiled "I have wonderful plans for Loki"

At the end of the session, Bell was still all-defensive, but he was able to handle the attacks pretty well. For lunch, Syr went back to the Hostess to bring back some special items again. This time it was more pasta as well as Mia's baked chicken with spicy sauce.

After the lunch, Bell went right back to training with all 4 brothers. Bell was still trying to find an opening to charge his attack, but that was quite difficult with all 4 of them covering for each other. By the end of another 2 hours, Bell was able to fight pretty evenly with them, but simply did not have an opening to charge up.

During the break, everyone discussed what to do next.

Freya "We should go back to training with Ottar. Even though Ottar is more powerful, Ottar is the closest equivalent of Kenki in terms of strength and speed."

Ottar "Lady Freya, I have to agree. The rabbit can now fight all 4 brothers evenly, but the situation may not be representative any more with all 4 opponents"

Hestia "Yes, I hope Bell can make some progress here"

Syr "Bell, you fight so brilliantly.", embarrassing Bell.

Lili "Bell-sama, Lili is also impressed with your abilities", further turning the rabbit bright red.

After lunch, Bell sparred with Ottar. Just as before, Bell had clearly progressed. Just as before, Ottar continued to be too fast and too powerful. However, the two warriors went at each other all afternoon. Even at the end of the day, Bell was still unable to gain any separation to charge. He was still improving though, and he reached ~70% into level 5 with 1 remaining day to train before the big tournament.

On the final day of training, it was more of the same training. It was Bell against Ottar all day. Bell still was unable to get off an argonaut charge against Ottar. Ottar still had a big advantage in speed and particularly in strength. But the rabbit had drastically narrowed the gap. It was obvious to all that the next big step may be when Bell reaches level 6, which he was already 75% of the way there as of the final update.

Dinner was served at the Freya home that evening. No one could predict the outcome, but the results from the 10 days of training were phenomenal. A celebration was in order. Freya had one of the finest restaurants cook a special meal for the group. During the amazing meal, everyone talked about the accomplishments over the brief period.

Freya "Bell, you are truly brilliant. I cannot wait to watch your battle tomorrow"

Embarrassed Bell "Thank you Lady Freya, that means a lot to me"

Hestia "Bell, you are going to beat the Loki adventurers including that Wallenwhatisit"

Lili "Bell-sama, Lili will be praying to Hestia for you"

Freya "Bell, what drives you so hard?"

Bell "I guess I have a goal that I want to reach no matter what", drawing a sad response from Hestia and Lili.

Freya noticed the reaction and questioned further "What is that goal Bell?"

Embarrassed Bell knowing he could not lie "Well Ais saved me when I started out, and I wanted to be able to catch up to her"

Freya "I see. I think you may have just done that. Congratulations."

Freya "What happens once you have attained your goal, if you defeat her tomorrow?

Bell "I really have not thought that far. I guess things happened so fast that I did not have a lot of time to think about what is next"

Freya "Well, here is a worth-while goal. I want to finish the final quest of the 3 Grand Quests. Would you like to join us in this goal"

Bell "Lady Freya, it is such an honor for you to ask me."

Hestia interjected "But no one knows where the dragon is. And no one knows how to defeat it"

Freya "Well, my familia is interested in completing this quest. We would be interested in having Bell join, or even members of the Loki familia."

Bell "Well, I am certainly interested", worrying Hestia and Lili.

Freya raised her glass "Well we can discuss that after your victory!"

Hestia "To victory over Loki and Wallenwhatisit"

Lili "To victory"

As everyone cheered, Bell still felt uncomfortable with making Ais the enemy. Nevertheless, he went along and hope that tomorrow would result in better relations by having better communications with the Loki familia.

That night, Bell only practiced for an hour to stay fresh for the upcoming battle. Welf and Ryuu also rested in preparation of the tournment.

Still monitoring, Hermes and Asfi were unsure of the progress for the rabbit. Though they were pretty sure that the progress was pretty substantial.

At the Twilight Manor, Finn, Riveria and Gareth watched Ais and Bete train against each other. Finn's thumb hurt more than ever, but he only had 1 more day to suffer.

Tournament Has Arrived

It was the day of the big tournament. The main announcer was again Ibri, though they replaced Ganesha with Hephaestus for commentary.

The stadium was packed with fans that were mostly pro-Loki. As such, the Loki familia received huge cheers when they entered. In contrast, there were only a few Little Rookie cheers when the Hestia familia entered. The biased fans did annoy Hestia, but she vowed that Bell was about to win over many fans.

Ibri got down to business quickly as he introduced Loki and Hestia, who spoke for their familias. The 2 sides were seated on opposite ends of the colosseum, and both goddesses were able to stay with their familias as their images were broadcasted all over the colosseum and all over Orario.

Ibri "Today, we are gathered for a friendly tournament between the famous and magnificent Loki familia and the upstart but rapidly advancing Hestia familia. The goddess of the winning familia will receive the personal services of the losing familia's goddess for 1 week. There is no other reward or penalty."

Ibri "First, there will be a fun part of the tournament to get everyone in the mood. This fun part features a game called Pie Thief. The game will be played by the captains of the 2 familias, Finn Deimne and Bell Cranel. After the game, the contestants will receive medical care if needed from the Dian Cecht familia located near the action, and then we will get to our main event between the 2 familias."

Ibri "The goal of the Pie Thief game is to steal as many pies as possible within 10 minutes without getting caught. However, the Boss is in the kitchen and if she catches you, you will have to fight your way out of punishment. Anyone who defeats the Boss within the time limit gets a reward of 10 extra pies. No weapons are allowed except for whatever is in the kitchen. Both captains have 10 minutes to steal pies from the Hostess of Fertility. Hidden behind those curtains, the Hostess has been borrowed for this game. And finally, the winning captain can donate all the pies to the charity of his choice!"

With the added game, the crowd went wild thinking about Mia's role in the game. Perhaps it was something they all wanted to do. Perhaps they were hoping for someone defeating Mia. However, Asfi was surprised by the weird game but suspected Hermes was up to no good.

Asfi "Did you create this insane game?"

Hermes "I always wanted to steal food from Mia lol"

Asfi "You are unbelievable."

Hermes "Mia is getting a huge payment for lending the Hostess for the game. Also, stealing Mia's pies may be a good use of Hades' Hat"

Asfi "You will not use serious equipment for this nonsense!"

Hermes patted her on the head which made Asfi even more annoyed.

Ibri "So Finn Deimne will get the first crack at Momma Mia's pies. As you can see now that the curtains have been lifted, the outer walls of the Hostess have been removed so you can see inside. You can also see that Momma Mia is cooking, but there are over 100 pies all around the kitchen area. For those of you who are going to place bets, this is your last chance"

Ibri "Ok, Finn, please get in position behind the walled area."

Ibri "3-2-1- go"

With the start, Finn sneaked behind Mia's view. He quickly stole 2 pies and ran to deposit the pies behind the walled area. It was tricky because Mia is aware of the thief so he has to run behind her back while using various kitchen benches, furniture and counters as cover. Noticing that 2 pies were stolen, Mia started actively searching for the thief.

After 3 minutes, Finn had banked 8 pies behind the wall, which drew a lot of applause from the crowd. His familia was really enjoying the show, and Tione was cheering her love on. Loki was ROTFLOL and even Lefiya was laughing at the spectacle. Bell watched how skillful Finn was so he was now feeling the pressure to beat Finn's number.

After 5 minutes, Finn had banked 14 pies behind the wall. Momma was looking really angry as she could not find the thief. There was a moment where it looked like Momma found Finn, but he was too fast and agile, managing to hide behind a few tables.

After 7 minutes, Finn had banked 20 pies, making Momma even angrier. As Mia ran around the kitchen looking for the thief, Finn continued to utilize his superior speed and agility in avoiding the Boss. Finally, at the time limit, Finn had banked an amazing 28 pies, making Bell's job really difficult.

Ibri "Let's put together our hands together for Captain Finn Deimne for an amazing loot of 28 pies"

Ibri "Now it is Bell Cranel's turn. We will first replace the pies so Bell gets the same opportunity as Finn"

Hestia to Lili "Bell has his work cut out for him"

Lili smiled "Don't worry. This is perfect for his Escape"

After the pies were replaced, Bell took his position behind the wall. Ibri then gave him the go-ahead and the pie thief started his villainy.

Bell was absolutely amazing as the pie thief. After 2 minutes, Bell had already banked 8 pies behind the wall, which started to get Tione and Loki worried. Hestia and her familia were really amazed by Bell's speed running around the kitchen. Welf was talking about Bell's second occupation. Even the Loki familia were amazed at Bell's skill.

Fed up with losing pies to the thief, Mia already started running around the kitchen. Despite the difficult circumstances, Bell had banked 15 pies within 4 minutes and 19 pies within 5 minutes.

Completely frustrated, Momma then started kicking the furniture and knocked over a couple counters. This posed a difficult problem as Bell no longer had enough places to hide as he ran around the kitchen. Nevertheless, he was still able to bank 22 pies in less than 6 minutes.

However, at the 6th minute mark, Momma was finally able to discover Bell's location with the lack of cover, and the battle was on. Knives went flying. Furniture went flying. It was the big battle that many wanted to see!

As they each grasped kitchen knives for their battle, it completely captured the audience's attention. Everyone forgot to cheer, and instead the quiet crowd was focused solely on Mia's power and the rabbit's quickness. However, kitchen knives quickly broke, and it was down to hand to hand combat.

Bell knew he had to move quickly as he was behind in pies with less than 4 minutes to defeat Mia. Advanced adventurers could tell Mia was fighting at an advanced level 6 even though she was out of practice. And everyone was equally amazed that the battle was pretty even.

With only 1 minute left, Bell had to use his skills. Using his speed to get to her side, he was able to throw a thick blueberry pie in her face. Even though Mia threw the pie off, the thick blueberry sauce effectively blinded her, enabling Bell to deliver a punch with a 10 second charge, knocking Mia out!

Ibri "Wow, can you believe it? Captain Bell Cranel knocked out Momma Mia within the time limit. That gives Hestia team a total Pie Count of 32. Team Hestia wins!"

The crowd applauded loudly as everyone seemed to enjoy the game. Bell was given a couple potions while Mia was helped off the field.

Ibri "After a 10 minute break, the main event will start!"