I do not own Danmachi or the story made by the original author.
If I have any notes, they will be written at the end of the chapter.
Thank you
The Dream of a Child
On the far outskirts of Orario, may it take weeks on foot or days on horseback, there lived a boy. He was surrounded by the simplicity of a farm with some land for planting and harvesting crops.
Usually, his grandfather would deal with the task of being a farmer, but the boy would from time to time help his grandfather by feeding the livestock or collecting a bucket full of water for both of their daily needs.
He would clean the stables of his grandfather's farm, but he would also help his fellow neighbours in any way he could.
For that, he was known as the kindest child in the village.
He was quite caring for someone his age. He was only 10 years old, but he almost seemed as if he were 16 or 17 based on just his nature to help anyone he could. He was very observant of those around him and it didn't help those around him to stop him from helping in their daily activities.
They would always tell him to go around the village and play with some of the other children, and he would do so, but he would spend most of his time listening to some of the stories the elders of his village told him.
Now these stories were not the most epic ones, nor were they the most adventurous, but he would listen. To him, many of those stories taught him of something new, something from the outside world which he wished to explore one day when he was old enough. However, he would also learn of the value of relationships, friends, love and the joys of travelling as the adults would say, as these were the things that someone should relish before even thinking of exploring the world.
His grandfather was different though, he would tell the young boy of heroes and their tales of strength and courage; how those heroes would discover the mysteries of the world and bask in the glory of victory after saving the girl.
The boy's ruby red eyes would sparkle from the expectations of experiencing such a tale. However, then his grandfather would start losing it and ramble about how he should have a huge harem and how he should flirt with girls. His grandfather would bring out his book on what he called the 'Psychology of Women' whatever that meant and start imparting him with the knowledge of what he should be like around women.
Now, the boy being who he was knew that many of these things would probably take his life. But, there were some things here and there that made sense and even seemed to bring a smile on his face. For example, he was told to always carry a handkerchief just in case a woman needed one or how he should always be willing to lend a hand to a lady in need.
The words themselves made sense, but the malicious grin from his grandfather always made his hair stand from fear of doing something wrong.
Since the boy was so pure, his village knew that his grandfather would need to be punished in some way to keep him in line.
He remembered one time where he was 7 and his grandfather told him about bathing with women. His grandfather took it as a lesson he needed to teach and was about to start peeking on some women near a river, but was straight away caught by those who were used to his antics.
What happened after that was something that would shake his very core; no words were said after he saw his grandfather hung from a tree upside down and used as a stress reliever by the women who he tried to peek at. By the end of it, he was swollen like a ripe tomato. But he never stopped doing the same thing over and over again.
Though, he always loved his grandfather as did the villagers. He always managed to bring a smile on people's faces in some of the village festivals or when he visited his neighbours for a chat.
His grandfather also taught him how to read and write; he would always say that knowing these things was important for an adventurer.
And as such, time flew by as days turned to weeks, weeks turned into a year and a year grew into 2 years.
On the edge of a golden wheat field, where the cold breeze of autumn now turning winter flew by and rustled a tree with some golden-brown leaves dangling from its branches, there sat a boy.
His hair was purer than the snow that was approaching the village in some months' time. His ruby eyes glowed with radiance from the light which reflected off of them. His skin was delicate, but peachy red in some areas from the slight cold that caressed his body. He wore tall, black leather boots with black pants which were tucked in them; he also wore a black woolen shirt which was covered with a plain brown jacket on top.
He was now older, but not old enough to travel the world and become an adventurer as he dreamed of so often.
He held a diary in which he would chronicle his life story about how he led a life of simplicity in the mountains. However, there would come a day when he started to write about his adventures and the stories of what he saw out in the world. For now though, he would only write minimally as his diary would probably become repetitive.
He was about to write something when he heard someone from the village call for him to return home.
"Bell! How long are you going to stay there?! It's cold! Hurry up and come inside. Your grandfather says he wants to talk to you about something."
It's true, it was cold, but not enough to bother him. However he never liked to unnecessarily worry those who were precious to him. They were like family to him since he had no parents or uncles or aunts to care for him, he only had his grandfather.
"I'm coming!"
He quickly closed his diary and sealed it with a thin rope so that the weather did not damage the insides, paper was rare in his village after all.
He quickly patted himself clean from the dirt and ran ahead home. He hoped that his grandfather would begin to teach him about fighting one of these days, he wanted to become strong enough to protect himself.
Yes, this is the story of a boy who wanted to pursue his dreams and wanted to travel the world and face the dungeon... He wanted to be a Hero.
His name was Bell Cranel.
It was around late afternoon when he returned. The golden rays of the sun engulfed his village as everyone was preparing to have a meal after a long day of hard work. He always loved the sight of the villagers as they would be preparing the firewood to cook some meals for their own families.
The aroma of meat, potatoes and so many variants of spices wafted through the air, it gave Bell the usual sensation of home, as if he was being invited by everyone to come join them and have a good meal.
In his case, all of the villagers loved and adored him because of his kind and caring personality.
He always helped wherever he could and attentively listened to his elders' advice. Although there were not that many children, he would always play with them and bring a smile on their faces.
Many of the parents tried to give him something in return, but Bell always blushed and tried to refuse by saying he enjoyed their company and it was never a burden for him. He would end up mentioning that he was only one door away and that they shouldn't worry about anything.
Honestly, his presence was soothing and something precious to the villagers.
As he walked down the bumpy stone path which diverged into other routes for other houses, he noticed and started to see his own house.
It was a fairly decent house, a small house where one could always feel cosy and safe. There was a garden which was now losing its life as winter approached but would be reborn anew when spring gushed forth. There was a wooden fence around the garden which represented the boundaries of his house, a few wooden boards were missing from the fence, but it was still sturdy enough to last a while without repairs. Attached to it was a small gate that led to the entrance of a small stony path, and beyond it, a wooden door which was protected by a shade. The shade was also made of wood supported by 2 beams so that those knocking on their door would not be drenched or simmered hot while waiting for someone to open the door.
The roof was made of wooden boards which were then encased in long strands of hay and then roped all together to secure it. This would prevent any damage to the wood and prevent any leaks from causing trouble for a long time.
From one of the chimneys, he could see some grey coloured smoke rising, which meant that his grandfather was cooking something up for them.
He went inside and sat down on a wooden chair to catch his breath and then see what was happening in the house. His grandfather then came out of the kitchen and was a bit surprised to see Bell already return home since he knew how his grandson would always roam around the village, trying to help others.
"Ah, Bell. Good to see you! So how is my grandson doing. Have you managed to swoop the ladies off their feet yet?"
Bell blushed from his grandpa's greeting as he always said something embarrassing to him. Bell cleared his throat, he was somewhat used to this and instinctively straightened himself up and began to greet his grandpa back.
"Yeah, I'm great grandpa and would you stop saying those things. You know what happens if someone hears you talk that way. Don't you remember last time!"
Bell tried to stop his grandfather many times, but always failed in the end. To be honest, his appearance didn't help as it made him look like he was pouting or making childish demands.
"Bell… A man's dream is a harem! There is no life without romance!"
Bell by the end of this would always be tired and just accepted his defeat against his grandfather. He may not agree with the first half of his declaration, however, the second half was something he valued. It's not that he thought necessarily of romance the way his grandfather did, yet, he did want to fall in love one day and have someone who loved him the same.
Having more than one wife was not something that really bothered or interested him, but a harem, no way!
"Grandpa…."
His grandfather smiled at him after he realised Bell eventually gave up and lost the conversation, so he went back into the kitchen and then came out with 2 plates; he then brought something which was hidden under a blue and white checkered cloth.
Bell could tell that whatever was underneath was going to be delicious, he could practically smell the spices even though his grandfather had just opened the kitchen door. When the veil was lifted, Bell could see what was underneath. Golden crust shimmered as its outer crust was delicately breaking off, revealing how well baked it was.
However, it was what was underneath the layer of crust that made Bell's stomach growl. Bell knew what this dish was since it was one of his favourites.
"Behold! My new and improved, super secret, Special Golden Meat Pie! Revel in its glory!"
Bell eyes sparkled and he almost stood up in cheeriness as he imagined what he was about to feast on. What made him even more excited was the fact that his grandfather just said it was a new and improved recipe.
"Oh my Gods!"
Bell's thoughts were all over the place as he didn't even realise that his mouth began to drool a bit. Bell's grandfather looked at his grandson's face and began to laugh.
"Hahahahaha! Well then Bell, seeing that you are dying to eat your grandpa's food, let's dig in!"
"Hooray!" Bell exclaimed. No matter how much more mature he seemed than other kids, he was still a 12 year old who still had so much to see and wonder about.
Bell's grandfather began to cut the pie into slices and gave the first piece to his grandson; Bell thanked him and began to eat. They both spent their dinner in laughter and talks of fables, legends and dreams.
It was now evening and both grandparent and grandson were finished eating their fill of that delicious pie. Bell began to clean the table and his grandfather started to light the candles in the house since it was getting dark.
A new sort of atmosphere was made when the candles were lit up. Unlike the sunlight, the candles gave an inviting comfort and it reassured a person that they were in safe hands and that they could rest easy.
Bell washed the dishes while his grandfather started to read a book which he easily recognised. It was a story that his grandfather had told him many times throughout his life and one he oddly enough admired in some way.
It was the tale of the 'Argonaut'.
It wasn't like the other heroic tales his grandfather told him about, in fact, it was the complete opposite. The 'Argonaut' was someone akin to a fool who dreamed of adventure, but along the way, he was fooled, deceived and even saved by the princess in the end. Although, there was something about this story that Bell never found right, it was like a gut feeling told him that something was missing from this story.
Nevertheless, he still treasured the story. He liked how the 'Argonaut' had made friends along his journey, even though he failed time and time again to do anything the 'heroic way' like all those other legends. It made him think that even though the 'Argonaut' was a fool who failed many times on his journey, he still became a legend.
It made him hope.
He hoped that if someone like 'Argonaut the Fool' could begin his own adventure, then someone like him, a lonely farm boy who lived in the distant mountains away from the world, could also do the same.
It's why he liked the story.
It wasn't his favourite story. Bell wished to be stronger like those who could face dragons and become the strongest, but this story made him hope that even someone like him could be a hero.
Bell inwardly smiled when he thought about his own dreams and how he will one day leave to begin something new. Bell's grandfather noticed Bell's smile and finally closed his book and called out to him.
"Bell, are you done washing the dishes?"
"Yes grandpa, I just finished."
"Good. I wanted to talk to you about something so when you are done, come sit next to me."
Bell just assumed that maybe his grandfather wanted to talk about another tale or repeat a story that Bell had not heard in some time. So Bell found 2 clean cups and filled them with water as he and his grandfather had often become thirsty when discussing the many heroic stories that were narrated .
He placed both cups on the table and found a chair to sit opposite to his grandfather, ready to hear what he wanted to narrate this time.
"Bell, what is your dream?"
Bell was a bit confused about the question since he had already told his grandfather about his dreams. So he gave the same answer he had given many other times before.
"I-I want to become strong and travel the world. I want to become someone who helps others when they are in trouble… I wish to be a hero."
Bell slightly blushed as he was embarrassed about telling his dream to someone, since he was at an age where many kids would forget about being a hero. It was rare to find someone who was like him, someone who had the same dream.
Bell's grandfather smiled as he was happy that someone still wanted to be a hero in an age where Gods had descended and no longer pushed themselves for heroic acts. They only pushed themselves so that they could enter the dungeon in the centre of the world, Orario and prove their worth as the strongest.
Now there was nothing wrong with being the strongest, yet, it was still sad to see that heroes slowly but surely died off.
'Bell, do you really want to be a hero?" his grandfather asked.
There was a serious tone in his voice that Bell did not miss. He felt that his grandfather was almost testing his resolve, to see whether he had the courage to face someone who would deny his dream.
Still, Bell was a bit overwhelmed with his grandfather's sudden mood change and only nodded resolutely. He then saw his grandfather smile endearingly, as if he had made his grandpa truly happy with his answer.
"Hahahaha! Good answer Bell! I knew you would dream of becoming someone great to take all the ladies for yourself!"
The tension immediately lifted as his grandfather had made an uproar. Bell almost fell out of his chair trying to question why his grandfather always did this to him.
"Grandpa…."
Bell somewhat smiled wearily at his grandfather's antics as he always managed to uplift the mood somehow with just a single comment. He also wanted to be the same and bring a smile to people's faces, though, not by saying what his grandfather always said to him.
"Bell, do you want to start training to become an adventurer?"
Bell's eyes immediately opened in shock from what he had just heard.
"Training? No way… Is he serious?!"
"R-really?!"
Bell couldn't really think of any words to describe what he felt. He had been asking his grandfather for a couple of years now to teach him about the world and how to fight; he was always met with rejection since his grandfather told him that he was too young. But now…
"If you agree, know that I will be harsh and I won't hold back. You will have to wake up early everyday and you will be in a lot of pain from training. Since you already have a sharp mind, teaching you about the world will be the least of your problems. So then, are you ready?"
Bell took a deep breath and exhaled in order to calm down. He knew that his grandfather was serious because in his gut, he felt that this decision was something that would determine who he would be from now on. A crossroad in a hero's journey in which he had to now choose where he wanted to go.
He loved his village. It was relatively small with a population less than 100 people. Even so, he loved every villager as they were like family to him, people who he could always turn to when he needed to be comforted.
He liked to listen to the adults' stories of what their life was like and how he always helped in any way he could. He would play with the children and tell them the stories his grandfather also told him. He was not that much older than any of them, but they all treated him like a big brother in a sense, as such, he felt as though he had a responsibility to look after them.
Yet he still wanted to achieve his dream. He wanted to be a hero.
With no doubts holding him back anymore, he resolved himself to becoming the hero he always wished to be.
"Grandpa, please train me to become stronger."
Bell's grandfather saw the sincerity in Bell's eyes and it made him remember another young man he used to watch. He remembered the young man who was in many ways different to Bell, but the determination to save the world from evil drove him to overcome many tragedies and hardships, all while smiling at the impossible in front of him.
That boy became a beacon for those who came after him.
He became the miracle that even startled the Gods.
"Right then. Bell, we will begin training from tomorrow. Be out of bed before sunrise and we will continue from there."
At his grandfather's agreement, Bell got up and headed towards the front door in complete silence. His grandfather wondered where he was going as it was almost dark, but there was still some light so he was not as worried. Besides, the villagers had lit some candles outside their homes, so everything looked so peaceful and calming. There was no need to worry.
Bell left his home and began to take a stroll along the pathed road. As he walked, a drop of water fell near his left boot and he started to sniffle; as the saying went, 'the dam broke'.
He was by himself as everyone else was inside their homes at this time, so he began crying. He held his voice in so no one could hear him, but the tears would continue falling…
It was getting dark so Bell started to return home. He just hoped that his grandfather would not notice his cheeks coloured red and slightly puffy eyes from crying. He didn't see his grandfather so he thought that he probably went to bed or went to finish some work for the day.
Bell headed to his room and swiftly changed his clothes and went to bed. He was tired and needed some rest for the following morning, he would begin training tomorrow, so he had to be ready.
Slowly his eyes began to drift away into slumber and he would soon be sleeping.
Bell's eyes suddenly shot open from the cold, no, freezing water that was mercilessly tossed on him. He immediately jolted out of bed and took a deep gulp of air from the trauma he just felt; he coughed out instinctively to make sure nothing went into his lungs.
He looked around and saw his grandfather with a wooden bucket in his hands.
"First rule of adventuring. Always be alert, you never know when a monster could attack you."
Bell just had a face of dumbfoundment as everything just happened so fast. Nothing came out of his mouth.
"Hurry up and have breakfast Bell, today we will learn about the grand city of Orario."
Bell snapped out of his shock and hurriedly changed his clothes so that he could begin his lesson. He was going to get through this no matter what, there was no way he was willing to waste this chance.
When Bell came downstairs, he noticed that his grandfather was preparing breakfast for them and that he had 2 black eyes and 2 swollen cheeks. He felt as if he shouldn't ask since he had already guessed what could have happened, his grandfather's personality was known all over the village. It was no surprise as to what could have happened.
He still asked though.
"Grandpa, what happened to your face?"
There was an eerie silence that filled their house and then there came a sudden response.
"Nothing your great grandpa can't handle, my boy."
There was a cheeriness in his voice that was usually there, but for some reason, Bell felt the need to gulp as he couldn't understand where this feeling of revenge was coming from.
Honestly, the grandfather just sighed by how innocent his grandson seemed.
"Why did I have to get a beating? I didn't even do anything... Yet."
Last night when Bell left to go on a stroll, one of the children in the village was looking out of her window when she saw Bell crying; the girl straight away left to tell her mother that her big brother was crying.
Now because Bell was doted on by the entire village, especially the women, the mother went to check and saw the boy walking away with tears in his eyes. The woman straight away assumed that the boy's grandfather did or told him something which made him cry.
It was rare to see Bell cry. It wasn't because something was wrong with him but because there was never any reason for him to cry. He was always a happy child who helped others and received some treats in return, he only really ever cried if he was injured and no one ever bullied him. So to see the boy's tears along with her built up rage for the old geezer's lecherous behaviour, it made her furious.
The woman burst through her door and told her fellow women of what she saw. Everyone reacted the same. When there were enough women in their group, they marched towards the old man's house and knocked on the door really hard.
When Bell's grandfather heard the knocks, he opened the door and saw a luscious number of women right at his door.
He thought it was his lucky day.
He turned on his manly charm and began to ask the ladies of their visit so late at night.
"So what do I owe the pleasure of so many ladies visiting me this late at night?" he said with a smile.
He buried himself even deeper as the way he made that comment made the women's veins bulge from their forehead out of even more anger.
Then the mother who was in front raised her hand and grabbed the old man's head like a hawk, hunting for her prey. Then she squeezed… Really hard.
The old man began to beg for mercy and demanded to know why he was being tortured.
"Aagghhh! Why! I haven't even done anything ye-OWOWOWOW!
"You sly geezer, what did you do to Bell…"
Her voice was cold, very cold. You could tell she and the others were actually enjoying this as they seriously wanted revenge.
"I-I haven't done anything, he was fine when he left-OWOWOW!"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?!"
"Nothing! I just told him that I would train him to be an adventurer."
The women somewhat calmed down after hearing that. They knew Bell wanted to one day leave the village and venture out into the open world… But then it suddenly clicked.
'Did this geezer just say that HE would train the boy about being an adventurer?'
The mother, as well as the entire village knew what this man was like. How he would flirt with any woman and spy on them while they were taking a bath.
The mother was now standing on her mental limit. Out of a dangerous curiosity, she asked what she needed to know just in case the old man in front of her never had any ulterior motive.
"By any chance, you weren't going to teach him about your lecherous behaviour called 'romance', were you?"
By this point, Bell's grandfather was just silent. He admitted in his head that he needed to teach the boy about having a harem and how he should flirt with many women, the boy's looks would get him far. However, remembering the current situation he was in…
He needed a way out!
He started to attempt an escape against the woman's grip, but no matter how much he struggled, he realised that there never was a way out... Only despair.
The army of women realised his feeble attempts of escape and smiled wickedly. Oh they were going to enjoy this.
Bell's bad example of a guardian was hauled out of his home and dragged along the stoned path of their village for everyone to see.
The commotion caused by the mother when she knocked on everyone's doors caused the nearby men to watch the entire scene unfold from inside their houses.
All they could respond with was with horror.
They saw the anger on the women's faces, the blazing hot torches that were raised in the air and an old man who was indiscriminately dragged along the cold floor, begging for salvation.
'Women are scary.' was what they all thought.
As the old man recalled last night while eating breakfast, he shivered. But there was no stopping him in his search for his utopia.
And so he laughed.
"Hahahaha!"
Bell was a bit startled by his grandfather's sudden laughter, but that emotion was brushed off by his grandfather noticing his reaction.
"Oh don't worry. I am just remembering old times."
Both of them finally finished their breakfast and began to prepare for today's lesson. Bell was told to bring some books that were on his grandfather's shelf and place them on the table.
Bell was first given a book on the history of Orario while his grandfather didn't need one. He discovered that there was a dungeon from which the strongest of monsters were born, nothing like the monsters that people faced on the surface. The dungeon was once upon a time the cause for all the destruction in the world, but was then by the united efforts of man and beastfolk, sealed away so that nothing could escape it.
Eventually, a city was built on top of the dungeon and the concept of 'adventurers' was born after the Gods began to descend on Earth. They granted their power in the form of 'Falna' and people would be gifted even more based on the experiences its users faced. Oranous was the first God to arrive and he offered his prayers to keep the dungeon at bay.
The lesson continued from morning till afternoon. Bell learned many things but was too exhausted to even recall any of it. After the lesson finished, Bell was told to revise and remember what he was taught and was also given a book on the kingdom of Rakia.
"Bell, I want you to memorise both of these books by tomorrow."
"What!?"
Bell was already lost on the first book, so imagining himself trying to memorise a second book just made his brain overload.
"Calm down Bell, I know you can do it. You do want to become a strong adventurer don't you?"
His grandfather's words made him recollect himself and focus on what he always wanted to do.
"I will do my best!" said Bell with a new found resolve.
The boy rushed into his room and began reading his books, completely immersed in what he was doing. He started by first reading the book on Rakia; what he found amazed him to no end.
To think Rakia, being as big as it was, had never been able to defeat Orario even once. This is what it meant to stand on top of the world, Orario, the beginning and end of any worthy adventurer.
He began comparing some of the details in the books as he became fascinated the more he read. However there was one thing that intrigued him the most, it was Magic. A gift which is said to completely turn the tide of battle in its user's favour, a miracle bestowed by the Gods themselves.
It was something he always wanted.
If the stories his grandfather told him anything though, it was that Humans were the least likely bunch to learn any magic. The only way it was possible to even wield it was either through the Spirits which descended in the times of old to aid heroes or by reading a grimoire which was insanely expensive.
He remembered one time when his grandfather had shown him how many zeroes were needed to even buy a grimoire. He fainted. How could anyone own that much money?!
There was also the option of a magic sword, a weapon which innately carried magic and could be wielded by any person. Though it was a bit depressing to own one since they end up shattering after their reserves dry up and they are expensive in their own right as well. Was it impossible to create a magic sword that would not shatter?
The idea seemed possible in his head but he was not a blacksmith, so he wouldn't know.
Time flew by and it was almost evening. Bell's grandfather had called him to have something to eat, however he never replied back; so he went upstairs to see what he was doing and as soon as he opened the door, he saw Bell sleeping.
His head was on the desk with the 2 books he was given acting as a cushion and his arms were also lying on the table.
He approached the boy to wake him up but ended up pausing himself after seeing another book on the table, it was a brown notebook with strings used to join the pages. Interestingly enough, it had some rather fascinating things written in it.
It surprised him to see that the child had not only understood the history of the 2 books, but he began to compare the timelines and dates of certain events which took place in them. On top of that, there were also notes on how he planned to visit the 2 lands and even learn something from them.
In all honesty, he never expected Bell to be this keen when it came to learning, he was young, but he also knew that the child was righteous. If it came down to him facing someone who used their minds rather than their fists, Bell would undoubtedly lose. He would most likely need to find a friend who knew their way around things for that.
However, he had a hunch that Bell was able to absorb knowledge like a sponge in water. Sure he may not be able to use that knowledge to his advantage as well as others, but even so, his nature to learn and take in what he needs will become his greatest asset in surviving the odds.
Bell was actually starting to remind the old man of Alfia, and she was a completely different monster all together. It's a shame she left with Zard when Bell was around 5, but their illness was not going to cure itself.
They had to succeed so that the last hero could be born.
Anyway, the old man then flipped to the next page and saw something which made him grin with excitement. It was a page with the title of 'Magic'.
Bell wanted to learn magic and he wanted to find a way to do so on his journey. He had probably assumed that the Crozzo's or the Elves could help him in some shape or form to attain some understanding of magic.
"I guess I have to work around my lessons a bit."
He placed the book down and began to wake Bell up, he needed to eat something or he would not have the strength to keep up for tomorrow.
When it came to training his body, Bell was basically told to do everything manually and the hardest way he could find. If he needed to collect firewood, he would first have to drag the whole tree trunk back home and then chop it into smaller pieces. If he needed water, he would have to run and collect his own water to use in big and heavy buckets and then run back.
He would have probably collapsed if it were not for the people who cheered for him as he passed them by. The villagers who he considered family believed in him to do something that they couldn't; because of that, he always felt more motivated to achieve the impossible, to push himself beyond his limits.
Many of the male adults would help him by participating in his training sessions at the request of his grandfather. The plan was for Bell to face everyone all at once using his own wooden sword against theirs and the number of people facing him would be random, it depended on who was able to come. The village children would always cheer for him from the sidelines and say he was the 'coolest person ever' and that he could beat everyone.
In the beginning, he lost every time. However, over the course of a few months, he began to see what was happening and actually managed to counter-strike his opponents. The children would cheer for him even more and he would start blushing from all the praise.
His grandfather would also prepare a few wrestling matches with, again, him vs everyone else, because as he said:
"There are times when you are cornered and have no escape route, what do you do, Bell? It's simple… You make a path! Push, push harder than everyone else!"
There were so many times where everyone just jumped on him and literally made a mountain with him on the bottom. However, he became stronger and eventually was able to barely push away those who surrounded him. By the end of it all, everyone would have a good laugh and eat a meal together, they would also tease Bell about how strong he was becoming and that they should probably bring more people to fight him.
Bell would reminisce these moments as he would one day have to leave for his journey. There was still a while before he left, yet he couldn't help being a little hard on himself.
2 years later
Bell was now 14 and he had grown taller, more leaner and muscular. He looked as if he would hit it off well with the ladies, however, he was too kind and pure for such relationships.
He had overall worn the same clothes as his younger self but he now had a longer coat that reached his thighs with some black leather stitched to the coat's right shoulder and long black gloves.
Although, he had been in a somewhat of a downward spiral for the past few months now and the reason for that was simple, His grandfather had passed away.
The news reached him so unexpectedly that he couldn't even make sense of anything.
His grandfather had been trying to save a young boy from some goblins they encountered. As a result, the boy was safe, however his grandfather had been killed by those damn goblins.
The situation became even more traumatising for him as he was told that his grandfather's body had been tossed into a deep cavern, so they couldn't even retrieve his body. He was mad at himself that even though he had trained for so many years, he was able to do nothing.
He holed himself in his house until starvation had forced him to come back outside. The villagers would give him food as they still loved him as if he were their own child, yet they still felt as though he was being too hard on himself.
He would smile from time to time and wave at the children who had grown alongside him. He would still feel lonely though as he kept remembering his time with his grandfather.
One day, he was sitting with one of the elders of the village after they had called him to talk to him about how he was doing. Bell had mentioned how he was doing fine even though he wasn't, he didn't want the elder to worry about him. The elder had then asked Bell to stay for dinner, which he reluctantly agreed to since he wasn't really hungry ever since his grandfather had died.
However his eyes had opened wide when he recognised the smell that was coming from the kitchen. When the food was placed on the table, a lump began to form on his throat as he remembered all the times his grandpa had made this dish.
It was the same golden crust on top which had been baked to perfection. The inside was filled with the same aromas of various spices that he remembered his grandpa had used. It was his 'super secret, Special Golden Meat Pie' that he loved so much.
"Well then, have a bite and tell me how it tastes."
Bell had begun to cut the pie in slices and gave one slice to the elder and one for himself. He began to break a piece off to have a bite and when it entered his mouth, he chewed.
He then took another bite and another and another. His eyes had become watery and eventually began to leak. No words were said and only tears had continued to flow.
"I had asked your grandpa before he died to teach me on how to make this pie when he came by to visit. It took me a while, but I eventually managed to do it. So, how was it?"
Bell eventually stopped crying and wiped his tears away to give a reply.
"It was delicious, thank you."
Bell bowed to the elder who had given him the best meal he had in a while.
"Listen Bell, I have lived much longer than you have and have lost many of my loved ones. However, that's what it means to grow old, people tend to have many heart breaks as the years go by. You are going to have to stop blaming yourself for something which was not in your control. Let it go."
Bell carefully listened to his words as he would listen to many others in the same way. He knew what the elder was saying was true, nevertheless, it still hurt.
"Bell, do you not remember the promise you made. You said you wanted to travel the world, become an adventurer and be a hero. Nothing has changed, everyone in this village still believes in you and your dream, your dream has changed us for the better. Everyone is still waiting for you to begin your story."
The boy was still in his chair, contemplating the words he had just heard, thinking about his grandfather and what he did for him so that he could chase his dream.
Bell then finally stood up and bowed as a sign of good gesture for treating him to such a meal.
"Thank you for your words, you have given me a lot to think about."
It was a quick response that had more meaning than what it actually showed. The elder was about to stop the boy until he himself paused for a moment to see the child's expression.
It was a smile, a genuine smile which enveloped a sense of warmth for those who saw it and his eyes had displayed more life than they ever had in the past few months. The elder realised that he no longer had any reason to worry, Bell was going to be okay.
Bell had returned home after meeting with the elder and sat down on his grandfather's chair. He started to remember how he would be sitting in the chair which was opposite to him and listen as his grandfather had told him stories of legendary heroes.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a book. The book was in relatively good condition even though his grandfather had read from it so many times. It had a few pages that had been stitched together with a brown leather cover and back. On the front cover, there was an image of a Minotaur holding a sword, the colour had faded from the image over time, but there were still some greens, yellows and reds still present in patches.
However, it was the title that really caught his attention.
"The Argonaut."
He nostalgically smiled as he remembered the story from when he was a young age. His eyes now gained some resolve and he started to question himself.
"What the hell am I doing... Did I not want to be a hero?! Did I not want to become someone strong, someone who helped others while he fought against the impossible?!"
Bell started to curse himself because of how much time he had wasted. He looked at himself and realised how much weaker he had become, how much strength he'd lost. It was still daytime so everyone was most likely awake; he decided what he was going to do.
He left his home with such vigour that everyone who saw him was actually second guessing as to who was passing them by. They had gotten so used to seeing Bell so tired and exhausted that they forgot how pure and determined he actually was when he was chasing his goals. It felt as if he was sending shockwaves of energy with each step he took. Naturally, everyone's eyes followed where he was going.
Bell finally reached the entrance of the village, which had also been the highest point because of the wooden arch the villagers had built for the entrance. He climbed on top of the wooden arch and took a deep gulp of air before speaking.
"EVERYONE! I'M SORRY!"
His voice echoed throughout the valley where their village resided, causing everyone to become silent and listen to the young man's speech.
"I'M SORRY FOR EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS!"
"I LOCKED MYSELF INSIDE MY HOUSE AND I NEVER APPROACHED ANYONE FOR HELP, EVEN THOUGH YOU ALL HAVE DONE AND HAVE BEEN DOING SO MUCH FOR ME!"
Everyone could clearly hear the pain with which Bell spoke. They immediately gathered around the village entrance, wishing to hear more of what the young man had to say.
When Bell saw the crowd, tears began to fall out of his eyes as he truly felt sorry for what he had done to them. However, he continued to speak, there was still much to say.
"I ASK EVERYONE TO FORGIVE ME."
The villagers had been silent for a while, but eventually, they had also started to break. One and then two sniffles could be heard before a bunch of people began crying. Although not all of them cried, they were genuinely heartbroken by Bell's apology.
"You jerk, what do you think family is for!? Come down here and face us like a man!"
Someone from the crowd had spoken. It was a young adult who was around 5 years older than Bell, he was one of the people who had helped Bell train during their sword fights and wrestling matches. He, like many others, was inspired by how hard Bell had worked to chase his dream of becoming an adventurer.
When everyone had trained with Bell, they would eat a hearty meal under the night sky around a warm campfire, joking and cheering about how much fun they had together. They considered Bell to be like a little brother.
Bell flinched at the man's words but started to climb down the arch. With his head down in shame, he was waiting for some sort of insult to be hurled his way, but that never happened.
All too suddenly a lot of people bundled around Bell and gave him a hug to which he then openly cried. He was just too pure and innocent not to forgive.
After realising what happened, Bell then declared something else.
"I know this may be rude to ask of me but… I wish to begin my training again!"
Many of the men who had trained with Bell began to smile about how they were going to begin fighting again after quite some time. Even though Bell had locked himself in his house, many of the men had continued to train after being inspired by Bell's resolve. They knew he was going to begin training again, they just didn't know when.
The women had managed to listen to their conversation and began preparing themselves for the coming days as well.
"I guess we will have to keep you well fed then. We don't want you dropping like flies now do we?"
Some of the men had begun to blush, including Bell, knowing that what the woman had said was true. They were not going to argue either, especially after seeing how scary they could be when they witnessed the 'witch trials' of Bell's grandfather. It still gives them shivers just from remembering it.
"So, how long do you plan to train for, Bell." Someone had asked from within the crowd.
Bell had already known how long he needed to recover his full strength again, as such, he replied without hesitation.
"3 months. In 3 months, I will have recovered what I lost during my huge gap in training and then, I will finally leave to start my journey."
Everyone listened as they knew that Bell was going to finally leave for his journey. Nothing would hold him back anymore.
For the next 3 months, Bell had pushed himself beyond his natural limits. He studied whenever he had free time, and he revised all he had learnt about the many countries and lands spread across the world and their unique cultures that had given them individual advantages over each other.
May it be in firepower, magic, combat or technology, he memorised everything that these countries had to offer. He was planning on learning from these different nations so that he was ready to challenge the very pinnacle of the world, Orario.
At the same time, he was reviewing the notes he had taken specifically on magic. His grandfather for some reason had begun to teach him a lot about magic and how it worked. Now he knew that the chances of him being able use magic were very slim, but he was still grateful that his grandfather was willing to teach him about its concepts.
"Bell, when it comes to magic, not everyone can have it, especially humans. Even the Beastfolk such as Werewolves or other races such as the Dwarves or Pallums will rarely have magic that is used in the way that an Elf can use it. In time, when you see it, you will know what I'm talking about. If I had to give an example… Ah, did you know that there is a type of magic that can be used to disguise someone?"
Bell had recalled what his grandfather had been teaching him. To Bell, the thought that someone could disguise themselves using magic did not come as a big surprise, after all, to him magic was something that made the impossible possible. But now that he actually thought about it, it was actually quite the big revelation for him.
Normally, he thought that magic could only be used as a means to fight like the way the heroes used it in their stories. But to think that there were so many variants of magic, the thought made him even more excited. He began to wonder if different cultures affected what type of magic a person could use.
He knew that Development Abilities that came from being blessed by Falna was definitely affected by culture. His grandfather had explained to him that different mindsets resulted in different abilities to manifest as the body, in a sense would try to find a way to make an individual's style of living easier or better for them.
"Bell, I have taught you what Development Abilities are, so what do you think of them?"
Bell had been a bit confused by the question but he gave the best answer he could think of.
"I think Development Abilities are something people obtain when they fight and then level up; then based on their experiences as fighters, they get to choose which Development Ability they want to support them."
"You are not wrong Bell, but that is not the entirety of it. You do need to level up to gain a development ability, but you don't have to necessarily fight for a specific type of development ability."
"There are many blacksmiths for example who have a development ability called 'Blacksmith'. Do you know why? It's because they spent their entire time forging weapons. So it pushes them to create better weapons."
Even though he could go around guessing these types of things, they wouldn't matter until he actually found a God or Goddess and became a part of their familia. It was something for when he probably reached Orario.
For now though, he had to keep up with his training.
"What's the matter Bell, don't tell me you actually thought you could beat us!"
Bell was now clashing wooden sticks against thirty of his fellow villagers who seemed to be taunting his lack of ability, pushing him to his physical limits while at the same time motivating him to go beyond what he thinks he can do.
The villagers had almost memorised what Bell's grandfather had taught them to do when sparring with Bell. They would taunt him so that he would not be so gullible against other people and make rash decisions, whilst at the same time completely surrounding him so that he could start thinking in critical situations.
They had been clashing their weapons since sunrise and had not stopped ever since. It was almost midday now, so the exhaustion could clearly be seen on many of the villagers and Bell. In fact, at least 10 of them had already fallen due to the level of fatigue they were facing, but there were still 20 of them left, albeit in the process of almost fainting themselves.
Bell had been gasping for every drop of air his lungs could take in. His body was filled with small bruises that he had received because of his carelessness and if he had to be honest, he was probably going to die from how hard and fast his heart was beating.
He never gave up though. It was his own fault that he had become this weak, he was going to have to make up for it.
Bell began to rise as he willed himself to fight against his opponents who were not going to hold back. He stood tall as he shouted a battle cry that would send a hint of fear to those who were not on his side.
"AAHHHHHHHH!"
"Everyone get ready! He's coming!"
The villagers had tensed up from the sheer dominance Bell was portraying but snapped out of that trance when they realised that this was his final stand against them. In other words, he planned to take them down in one fell swoop.
Bell rushed into the fray and began to heavily advance through the villagers' ranks. It was instinct rather than rational thought that led him and directed his swings, he was too exhausted to even think of anything at this point. But even so, he kept running forward.
He meant to keep going, he meant to keep swinging, but his body rejected anymore of his behaviour and shut down entirely.
Everything went black… He had collapsed.
When the villagers saw him fall, they had realised what had happened. They were more surprised by how long it took for him to even fall.
Yet, when they had realised what had happened, the adrenaline in their bodies that had been acting as pain killers subsided.
The overwhelming fatigue caused all of them to plummet on the ground, they moaned and gasped in pain. They were all panting for fresh air.
"Hehe... I can't believe we won…"
Hah… Won? If you mean getting beaten up by a kid no older than 14 is winning,... Did you hit your head too hard?"
Everyone started to laugh from the friendly banter that they were hearing but immediately regretted it as the pain from fighting for this long caused them to curl up into a ball to lessen the pain.
"Man I'm hungry…"
That one comment made everyone who was writhing in pain on the ground realise that they were hungry too. Funnily enough, a barrage of hunger pangs could soon be heard as everyone started to chuckle from how silly the situation seemed.
No one could tell which person would begin speaking as they were so tired, but they couldn't be bothered to turn their heads. They just stared at the clear blue sky that held a brilliance to it, and would count the distant clouds that would shade them from the sun. A cool breeze would follow which would make the fallen wish for some of the gentle heat the sun had provided before it was blocked.
"Can anyone move?" someone had asked.
"No." was the reply given in unison by those who were still left conscious.
Then one of them reminded them of what they had to do tomorrow. It made even the toughest of them despair at the thought.
"Don't we have to wrestle with Bell tomorrow as well?"
No one wanted to reply as they really just imagined how they would like to take a week off…
From everything, but that was not going to happen anytime soon.
Eventually, they all had just drifted to sleep as no one had said anything anymore to keep them awake.
3 months had passed by like it was nothing.
The village had now been celebrating the coming of summer as grass lushed green and small but gentle buds of fruits began to grow on the surrounding vegetation.
In the middle of it all, children had been running around as they were playing tag to see who was the fastest. Adults were laughing and having competitions to see who could eat the most honey or fruits, they did have a bountiful harvest this year, so they enjoyed it to their fill.
Some of the villagers were finishing the decorations of the village centre and their homes as they were going to toast to a wondrous summer they all had this year.
However, they were also reminiscing about a certain boy who had now become a young man and was finally about to leave the village he had always called home. They were going to miss him as they knew it would feel empty without him around, yet they knew that he was meant to be out in the world.
He had already delayed everything long enough.
Out in the distant golden-wheat field, where a lone tree stood tall with brilliant green leaves, there was a now young man leaning on the trunk of that tree.
He was holding a book which had a brown cover, it was held together with some brown rope going through the self made holes in the pages. It was not the most prestigious book he had ever seen since his grandfather had many other well crafted books on his shelves, but it worked for him as he was always going to be on the move from now on.
His hair was purer than the whitest snow and his ruby red eyes which once held the sparkles of a child now glowed crimson from the crystallization of conviction.
He had been waiting for this moment for a long time now… Today was his last day in the village.
He had realised that he had been sitting in the field for quite a while now so he decided it was time to head home. He couldn't wait for the festival to begin so he hurried back.
By the time he arrived back in the village, it was still early afternoon and the sun was still shining. He could hear the adults laughing and the children screaming and it made him glad to be able to witness everyone he loved so carefree.
Everyone had eventually seen Bell return so they had called out to him to join them in their games and competitions. He agreed and played against many of the villagers in many competitions.
It was now evening by the time Bell had finished spending his day in fun.
The village had a tradition of preparing a huge feast in which the entire village would participate in. They had already set the tables which the villagers had brought out of their homes and were only waiting for the huge pots filled with different dishes to arrive.
Bell was sitting with the children as they wanted to eat with him, he couldn't refuse their looks from earlier so he sighed in defeat and agreed with them.
The villagers were having a chat with each other in their own groups, but their attention then shifted to the clanking of metal pots that they could hear from the distance. Bell realised that the food was coming and had gotten up from his seat to help distribute the food. He helped carry the pots as they were quite heavy to deal with, but was told to sit down before he started to place any food on the table.
He insisted that it wasn't any issue for him to help but he ended up receiving a glare in return. After feeling a bit embarrassed from the looks of the villagers after they started to stare at his situation, he went back to his seat and just stayed quiet.
When everything was ready, everyone waited for the elders to begin eating so that they could also begin. However, one of the elders had stood up with a cup of wine that was made using the grapes the village had harvested this year.
Bell knew this elder as it was the same one who made him his favourite pie and had encouraged him to move on from his grandfather's death. Everyone's attention had turned to him as began to say something.
"We thank the Gods who have provided us with another bountiful harvest this year and we shall continue to do so for as long as we live."
The elder had begun his speech with something the village knew all too well, as these words had always been repeated each year. However, they knew that this year's speech would add something different to it.
"We have all worked hard like so many years before so that we could build a new home in a place which is distant from others. We may be a small village, but we have treated each other as if we were family for a long time."
The villagers were listening to the elderly man's speech as they took in his words with smiles, yet it felt as if they were waiting for something to be said; Bell on the other hand was dealing with the kids. They were not messing around but they still fidgeted, Bell would calm them down as he knew that they were hungry; he could understand as he himself was hungry, nevertheless, since he was older, he was more patient.
"But before we begin our meal, I would like to wish my heartfelt gratitude to you, Bell."
Bell had suddenly heard his name being called out and was wide eyed when he saw the nostalgic smiles on the rest of the villagers' complexions. He was embarrassed by all the stares he felt, but soon after, he realised that this would be his last meal with them for quite a while. He himself did not know when he would return, it could be months or even years before he sees them again
"Bell, you have always been a kind person who has always helped around the village and you have inspired us to believe in a life that extends beyond this valley. We have seen you train in the most insane ways one could even begin to imagine, you have your grandfather to thank for that."
Everyone chuckled at what Bell's grandfather had done for the boy. He had forced Bell to push himself so that he could take a stand against the world and challenged him to overcome all that it was required to become an adventurer. In their eyes, Bell's grandfather had done a fine job.
"Even so, when your grandfather had died, you finally picked yourself back up and ran forward towards your dream."
"Bell, we are lucky to have met a child like you, thank you for everything."
Bell was completely silent after he heard all of what the elder had to say and he was on the verge of crying. He held his tears back as he wanted to show everyone that he was going to be okay and that they did not have to worry about him anymore. However, that still did not prevent a sniffle or two from escaping.
He controlled himself and stood up, he glanced around to see everyone was smiling at him. It was a look that told him that they were fulfilled with how he had grown; they had never felt more content with anything than they had spending their time watching him live his life to the fullest.
"Y-you don't have to thank me! If anything, knowing that you will be waiting for me to return is more than enough…"
Bell's words had come out with a genuine trust that he held for his village; it made some of the villagers turn away in embarrassment. His words had really touched all of their hearts as they now knew that Bell would keep his promise to return home one day, that he wouldn't forget about them.
"Well seeing that I have kept the children waiting, let us toast to Bell's journey and begin the feast!"
The elder raised his cup after Bell had spoken and everyone followed.
"To Bell and his new beginning!"
"HOORAY!" Everyone cheered along as they began to eat the delicious food in front of them.
And so they laughed and laughed under the star-lit sky which watched over them, not knowing that a star had fallen.
It was a star that had marked the descent of a Goddess; who would one day share her fate with a young hero from the distant mountains.
Hey there everyone!
I have been reading fanfictions for a while now and am now happy to say that I enjoyed the different ideas people came up with about their favourite series.
So, I decided that I should also give a try to writing my own fanfic from one of my own favourite series, Danmachi.
I would love to hear everyone's reviews about the story so no holding back.
Also, if anyone is wondering as to why this chapter is fast paced, it's because this is sort of like an introduction on my take on Bell Cranel's past life in the village.
Thank you for your time.