Chapter 22 - Deep Penetration

The team went down the dungeon together with the Xenos. The huge group scared away most monsters, making the travel go quickly. They did not stop at Rivira, and got all the way down to the 30th floor. The next day, they reached the 50th floor in the afternoon, allowing a quick survey of the labyrinth floors to see whether the dragons were back. As there were no dragon strikes, the assumption was that the virgas were back on the 58th floor.

On the following day, the team headed down the labyrinth, with the vanguard taking care of the virgas and other monsters along the way. Joining the vanguard was Asterius who wanted in on the battles. They quickly reached the 58th floor, which did not change much. There were about 20 virgas, so the fighters cut those down instead of using magic. At that point, the Xenos would remain based on the 58th floor with short patrols down to the 60th floor. The other teams would remain in communication by occulus with Fels, who would stay with the Xenos.

The team continued to head down quickly as there were less encounters than before. When they reached the 70th floor, the smaller team separated off as the main force headed to the 71st floor. The 71st floor still had no farming, but had its fair share of monsters including virgas. Conserving magic when possible, the main fighters cut down the monsters as they explored the floor. There were only a small number of violas and no viscum on the floor. After finding the likely entrance for the 72nd floor, the invisible Asfi did a quick scouting trip.

The 72nd floor was similar to the 71st floor. The fighters battled a reasonable number of monsters, but there were no viscums or anything unusual. By that time, it was getting late so they contacted the smaller team to meet on the 65th floor. Fels also reported that nothing unusual on the 58th floor, so apparently no trap had sprung at this point.

The next morning, the main team again headed back down, and started exploring the 73rd floor, which was similar to the 71st and 72nd. The expansion of the known territory went on until they reached the 80th floor with no sign of Revis, viscums, demi spirits or anything unusual. Then the team realized it was again stretched too thin and a new plan was needed. They headed back up to meet with the smaller team on the 70th level to spend the night.

The next morning, they went back up to the 58th floor. Meeting together with Fels and the Xenos, they decided a new strategy was needed. The Xenos thus headed back to their villages, while the team headed back to the surface. Two days later, they were home.

Chapter 23 - State of Affairs

The historic trip down to the 80th floor was the talk of Orario, but yet they could not find Revis and destroy the jewel fetuses. They also did not have enough resources to go any further, as Orario also needed protection at the same time. After a day to decompress from the trip, there was another big meeting.

Loki "We need to cut off the head of the snake. We need to go deeper"

Finn "We are stretched too thin"

Freya "There are no more allies to be had. Ganesha members need to protect Orario while this is going on"

Hestia "Let's think about what we are trying to prevent - a multiple demi spirit attack in Orario. How do we do that?"

Riveria "Those jewel fetuses are small and easy to smuggle, but they would also need powerful monsters near the surface or on the surface."

Finn "We can extend our perimeter. Instead of the Babel, we can guard entrances to different floors"

Bell "But there are vertical holes also"

Finn "Ideally that would be a floor that monsters do not spawn - so those are 18th and 50th floors"

Tiona "There is the Melen underwater entrance that connects to the 25th floor"

Loki "What you are suggesting is to put an outpost on one of those floors"

Gareth "We can take turns guarding those. We can also have a deep level expedition every month"

Finn "The 18th floor is more viable, but there is the Melen entrance."

Bell "Can we try to plug it from the dungeon side?"

Tiona "We can go take a look"

Loki "None of the monsters that merged with the jewel fetuses are strong swimmers"

Hestia "Which monster can both swim and be a threat on land?"

Finn "Their most reasonable path is through the dungeon or Knossos."

Hermes "Sounds like we patrol the 18th floor"

Freya "We can do these deep expeditions once a month"

Riveria "Once a month down to level 60 or so"

Bell "It would help if the Xenos would also patrol the 18th floor.

Loki "That does sound reasonable. We need to talk to them about that and the monthly expeditions"

Hermes "I will find Fels"

With that, the meeting was finished. As everyone was leaving, Freya had something to remind Hestia of.

Freya "Oh Hestia, the dungeon battles are over lol"

Hestia "... oh yes you are right"

Freya "So about the compensation... lol"

Hestia "... oh yes..."

That night, Hestia, Bell and Ais had a talk about the compensation.

Ais "Bell is the compensation, right?"

Hestia "Well, yes but he will be her servant for 1 day"

Ais "Oh no, this is bad"

Bell "Oh..."

Hestia "We have to pay up, but we know how to fix Bell now"

Ais "This is horrible"

Bell "Ais, I will be strong"

Ais "Yes, you need to be strong"

Chapter 24 - The Compensation

True to their word, Bell served himself up at the Freya home. Freya had a lot of plans. She wanted to see Bell and Ottar spar. She wanted a romantic dinner and dancing. She wanted a long bath. Oh she had so many things planned she was about to singing...

First, there was the sparring. Bell took turn practicing against the Gulliver brothers and Allen. At level 5, the brothers did not stand a chance. After their defeat, Bell had a better battle against Allen. However, Bell was fighting like a level 7, so Allen was defeated handily. Freya watched gleefully as the hero performed as expected.

After a short break, it was time for Bell and Ottar to spar.

Freya "A nice preview of the battle in 2 months, Bell"

Ottar "Bell, let see what you got"

Bell "I will do my best, Ottar"

Freya thought - now we shall see what Bell has without boosting.

Without argonaut, the fight was pretty close, but Ottar had a clear advantage. After a few minutes, Bell was mostly defending against Ottar's huge sword.

Ottar "Are you going to use your argonaut powers?"

Bell "I dont want an accident"

Ottar "Go ahead, I want see the best you got"

Freya clapped furious as she realized the hero will now try his best.

While not using firebolt, Bell used argonaut to augment his power and speed by charging his arms or legs. That made a big difference, giving him a speed advantage though Ottar was still stronger. After a few minutes of speed vs. power, Freya signaled it was a draw and time for lunch soon.

After sparring, it was time for a bath. As he soaked in the huge bath, Bell prepared himself. Soon enough, the beautiful goddess joined him. As she started washing him, Bell felt waves of embarrassment. But his grandfather called out to him.

Zeus "Bell, dont let the beauty be wasted. Be the boss!"

Hestia "Oh I cannot watch"

Zeus "Be the boss. Be in control instead!"

Listening to his grandfather, Bell suddenly turned around to face the nude goddess, surprising her.

Bell "I will wash you now"

The shocked Freya "Oh what ...?"

Shocked with the turn of events, Freya has never been talked to in such a way. Without more words, Bell started washing Freya, which made her blush with embarrassment. The goddess did not know what to do, but could not resist. As the service continued, Freya could not take the direct confrontation any more. She closed her eyes and turned around. Sensing his advantage, Bell performed a very thorough service, with Freya screaming in utter ecstasy. At the end, Freya was so exhausted that Bell had to carry her away from the bath. After leaving the defeated Freya on her bed, Bell went and got dressed for lunch.

The lunch was amazing with the finest foods that money could buy. Though Freya was late, Bell was chatting with Ottar about fighting techniques. When Freya arrived, she looked flushed in the face but sat next to Bell. Allen and the Gulliver brothers were jealously watching the attention Bell received. However, they were defeated fair and square, so they kept quiet. Freya wanted to know more about Bell's past.

Freya "Tell me more about your grandfather again"

Bell "Well he raised me because my parents died when I was a baby. He took care of me and taught me so much"

Bell went into details about the books they read, how he saved him from a monster, about the stories of heros and what a hero should do...

Freya asked "Describe your grandfather to me"

Bell then described his grandfather's kind face, his gray hair and mustache...

Freya "What happened to him?"

Bell said "He did not come home one day and I was told he was killed by a monster"

Freya "Tell me about your relationship with the sword princess."

Bell then told her about the circumstances of how they met, the minotaur, how he wanted to be able to stand next to her, how she is an airhead, how she is really kind...

Freya "So you are in love with Ais"

Bell "Yes"

That directly stabbed Freya in the heart but she could tell Bell was sincere. The only male that has defeated her is in love with someone else. But she carried on gracefully the rest of the lunch. After lunch was more sparring again.

Sparring two Gulliver brothers at a time was a better battle. However, experienced eyes could tell that Bell was improving as the day went on. After battling the different brothers, Bell had another session with Allen, who fared even worse than in the morning. At the end, Allen was so frustrated that he left for the dungeon.

After a short break, it was another sparring session with Ottar. Using argonaut from the start, the battle was special. Watching intently, Freya could see Bell's adjustments. The argonaut charges were better timed, resulting in small improvements in speed and power. Though Ottar still had more power, the results were noticeable. After a longer match, neither combatant had a clear score, but Bell's speed made it almost impossible for Ottar's strikes to even get close.

Satisfied with the results, Freya declared the battle another draw. As Bell went to the bath, Freya had a short chat with Ottar.

Ottar "I will not be able to beat him in 2 months."

Freya "Yes, he has caught up, and he is growing right in front of our eyes"

Ottar "I am sorry Lady Freya, but he is special"

Freya "Yes but a match is still scheduled, so I expect you to do your best"

Ottar "My lady, I will do my best to protect your honor"

Freya thinking - oh my, I am going to be Hestia's servant for one month.

With that, Freya went to the bath. This time she really wanted to win. To get a rise, her towel dropped when their eyes met. The beautiful goddess refused to lose.

Freya "Bell, I will wash you first"

Knowing the goddess wants to regain the upper hand, Bell allowed her to take her best shot. The washing was thorough and deliberate, but Bell held tight to his control with clenched fists. While his heart raced, he only thought of his promise to Ais to keep the faith. While the service went on and on, Bell still kept his wits. Seeing that Bell maintained control, Freya was desperately trying to find a way to score. However, after the service was done, it was clear Bell won. It was then Freya's turn to be washed. She held her head up high as the washing proceeded. Just like Bell, she fought with all her will. As Freya held on tight to the railings, the hero showed her what he learned from the morning. After a few minutes, Freya was beaten. She again closed her eyes and turned around, prompting an even more thorough washing. Realizing victory was decided, Freya finally let go and enjoyed the washing. By the end, Bell had to carry the exhausted Freya again to her bed.

After getting dressed, Bell enjoyed the view of Orario from her balcony. As he sipped a cup of tea, he quietly savored his victory. He beat Freya in her own battlefield. Zeus was also congratulating him in his head, calling him "champ", while Hestia was saying "I created a monster".

It was then time for dinner. In a small restaurant in the far side of town, Freya and Bell enjoyed an amazing meal. Freya did not say a lot, but she wanted to know more about Bell's grandfather. Bell then told her about how they lived together, the cooking, the laughter, all the books, all the happiness, more about how to be a hero,... This all convinced Freya there was more to Bell's grandfather.

Freya "What do you know about Zeus"

Bell "I know the Zeus familia and the Hera familia were the most powerful until they were defeated by the Black Dragon"

Freya "Did your grandfather tell you much about Zeus"

Bell "No, that never came up"

Freya "How about the Black Dragon"

Bell "Not more than what was in the books"

Freya "Who told you about Zeus"

Bell "Hermes told me about Zeus and the battle with the Black Dragon"

Freya was then satisfied, and the person to interrogate is Hermes. After dinner was dancing, making everyone in the restaurant green with envy. However, with a new air of confidence, Bell handled the dances well, making everyone even more jealous. After dinner, it was time for a soak in the hot tub.

Freya wanted to give it one more try, as she started washing Bell. Though Bell had the upper hand with Liaris Freese on his side, Freya tried hard and then tried even harder. However, Bell maintained his composure. Unable to get a rise in Bell, Freya had to endure her turn on being washed. Freya bravely tried to withstand the onslaught, but again gave in after a few minutes. She screamed like a schoolgirl as Bell continued his service. Confident with his abilities, Bell allowed Freya sometime to regain her composure, and then it was yet another round. After submission into bliss, Bell allowed her more time to try again. Yet again, her charm powers failed to overcome Liaris Freese. With yet another defeat, Bell became naughty and gave her a lap pillow. Determined to try again, Freya eventually got up and attempted more. As Bell became amused by her stubbornness, it simply made Freya want to win even more. Allowing Freya another try with a handicap, Bell relaxed and closed his eyes. While the experience was enjoyable, Freya was simply unable to break through. After giving her enough time, Bell again washed Freya but this time with no mercy, leaving her attendants outside the bathroom unsure whether to assist or just continue to grin and bear it.

As the titanic battles continued for hours, it was getting late. Despite Freya's endurance and strength of character, Bell had simply surpassed her. Freya even considered releasing her divine powers to get an advantage but she had too much pride to do so. To leave no doubt, Bell continued while she begged for mercy. In the end, Freya was exhausted and literally fell asleep as he carried her off to her bed again. Satisfied that the battle was won definitively, Bell went off to his guest room to sleep. He was tired from the battles but quite pleased about the results.

The next morning, Freya and Bell had breakfast and she thanked him for spending the day with her. She was embarrassed about her defeat but realized that Bell is now the champion. When Bell got back to the Hestia home, Hestia and Ais were waiting eagerly. Bell happily walked in and the two gals checked him out carefully. That night, Ais received the same washing that defeated Freya. While enjoyable, it made her wonder what went on at the Freya mansion.

Chapter 25 - History

Another meeting was arranged with the Xenos at the Babel's dungeon entrance. With the Ganesha members sealing off the area, the meeting started early in the morning to minimize disruptions to commerce. With the latest information being no signs of Revis or demi spirits, the discussion centered on what to do.

Finn "We want to rotate teams on the 18th floor to prevent an attack. It would help us if you were willing to move to the floor, and it would also be safer for you"

Lyd "I dont mind moving, but how long is this high alert going to last?"

Loki "We do not know. As far as I am concerned, the situation will last as long as the threat has not been eliminated"

Asterius "I would like to fight, but the enemy is hiding"

Ganesha "6 demi spirits would be an enormous force, but we can beat them together"

Gros "They can have more than 6, right?"

Hermes "We do not know how many. But if I have to guess, they are starting with at least 6"

Riveria "We will be making a deep level mission every month, and your participation would help."

Asterius "How deep would you go"

Freya "At least to the 60th floor, may be deeper to the 80th floor"

Finn "We do not want them to restart their farming"

Lyd "We could participate in such a common defense situation"

Gros "How are we going to prevent fights with Rivira and other residents"

Ganesha "The guild is going to officially recognize the Xenos, and we are going to declare a truce"

Lyd "Wow, I never thought I would see the day"

After the agreement, a lot of work was needed. The guild called a meeting requiring the attendance of all adventurers. In the meeting, many were shocked at the idea of intelligent monsters though there were rumors of such. After the threat of Revis and Enyo was made public, there were many calls for a mission to wipe them out. However, with the constraints on resources, no one had a better idea than the 'containment' strategy. There was a sense of panic when told that even the combined forces of all the 1st class adventurers could not accomplish such a mission. For the public, the idea of the jewel fetuses was very unnerving, but again there was no solution beyond the containment strategy. When told of the truce with the Xenos, the adventurers and Rivira residents asked "how are you supposed to tell a normal monster from a Xenos". The public was told that the details would be worked out with the Xenos, but that there will be safe zones for the Xenos including their villages.