AN: Hello. This will be a short AN. At the end of the chapter, I will be giving more details of what I've been doing in the story and where I want to take it.
For now, just know that I will be adding a few elements into the world of danmachi. Nothing too big, at least for now. And also, this is important: Bell arrives in Orário earlier than when the LN starts (a month or so). That's it. I hope you enjoy it.
Under the night sky, a boy is walking through a forest. The wind ruffling his white hair and the blood on his face masking his red eyes. He wears leather armor with multiple marks of claws and fangs and carries two knives on his belt. The tiredness of his body is visible, making it clear that he's been fighting for a while. From afar, he glances at a mountain and the entrance to a cave. He won't think twice before getting in, despite the dangers that come with it.
This cave is particularly different from a normal one. The web-like cracks on the ground emanate a strange blue energy, the ceiling has crystals of the same color illuminating tight cavern.
After going a little deeper, the sound of footsteps became audible. Around 7 monsters, most likely goblins, running through the corridors. That was enough for the boy to wield his knives and prepare for the next battle to come.
Hiding himself, his plan is to take them by surprise and eliminate the central figure of the group. By making use of the disarray, he would quickly kill the most dangerous ones - the ones born with natural weapons – and finish the rest of them fighting one goblin at a time.
After a few moments, the green little monsters arrived at his position. The boy named Bell Cranel didn't lose any time and leaped out of his hide and sent a powerful kick in the face of the first one. It wasn't enough to kill it, but that wasn't the objective either. Bell just wanted to get closer to the "leader" and the unfortunate goblin was in his way. Before the group could even react, the neck of the one they should've protected was slashed, turning the monster into ashes. A magic stone was left behind.
Five monsters were left to fight and two of them had weapons, but the group had no coordination. Deciding to make use of his speed, Bell launches himself at full throttle while dodging the swing aimed at his chest. Seeing the opening he stabbed the creature, shattering the magic stone. Without much time to think, as there were 4 more goblins closing in, he assumed a defensive stance and blocked one's attack before kicking it away. Despite not having a weapon their claws can deal quite the damage, so he'll make sure to avoid every attack. Bell then throws the knife on his left hand at the leg of the next goblin, just enough to make it lose its balance and move his attention to the last armed monster, who's about to land him a hit. Without the second weapon, Bell blocks the attack with his left arm. Making use of the opportunity, he grabbed the creature's neck and slammed it on the ground. After craving his knife on the goblin's skull, a small magic stone was left on the floor.
Three more monsters; two of them injured. All that is left is to finish them off and reap the rewards.
'This branch hasn't been particularly active the past months.' He thought.
In the past, Bell had to deal with even greater groups of monsters. This wasn't enough to make sweat.
Branches are the caves and tunnels that can give life to the monsters that exist in this world. Like the main dungeon, under Babel Tower, they are considered to be alive. Changing its maze-like layout from time to time in order to prevent anyone from going too deep, while spawning monsters that, as time passes, learn how to cooperate under a central figure in the group, is its greatest weapon. The monsters spawned from a branch aren't as strong or as smart as the ones from Orario though, and its levels usually go no further than level two. Actually, most of them are goblins and kobolds trying to reach the surface and claim freedom.
The thousands of branches scattered across the world aren't really a threat to the commoners, most of them are kept in check by low-level adventurers and mercenaries, but some monsters still find a way to roam free. Still, the current situation of the world is much better than it was before the descent of the Gods, when powerful monsters left the dungeon and flooded the world with blood. With the bestowment of a falna by the gods, all the different races gained an upper hand in the war. But the world still isn't free of threat, that is why someone needs to fight against them. After two years of this routine, Bell finally decided to take the next step.
After killing the last killer ant at this branch, I start to collect the magic stones and put them in my bag. Today will be my last protecting the village, so I've put more effort and gathered quite a lot of them. Magic stones can be traded for Valis at the guild. However, if you don't have a familia and are registered as an adventurer, you only receive a fraction of what you are supposed to. Still, better than nothing.
Finally leaving the cave, I hear the sound of rain and thunder. It seems that I've spent more time killing those monsters than I realized, but it shouldn't be a surprise. There were 16 killer ants on the last branch. Fortunately, they were scattered through the tunnels, so I didn't have to face them in large groups. I don't think I could win if that were the case.
Stepping outside, I felt the rain wet my hair and face. At the moment it isn't so bad, considering I was drenched in monster's blood. And so, I start walking towards the village while thinking about tomorrow and the day after. It has been two years since grandfather died, since then I've been stuck in my routine of clearing the branches and ending the threats that are close by. I've been focused on becoming stronger, but now I feel that I've reached my limit, and the only way to keep improving is to head myself to the Labyrinth City Orario. So that's what I'm about to do.
By the time of his arrival at the settlement, all the villagers were already inside their homes. This was a common occurrence for Bell, so he didn't expect to find anyone awake and outside, especially on a rainy night.
After entering the wooden house, Bell took off his armor and equipment to wash himself clean. He was tired but would eat and finish packing up before rest. Now going to sleep, he thought about all of the training he endured in the past 7 years and his dream to become an adventurer – no, to become a hero – and wondered if he was truly ready; Ready to meet the expectations of his grandfather and honor his memory.
'Yes, I couldn't be more prepared. Not sure the harem thing, though.' He thought and then closed his eyes.
It didn't take long for the morning sun to rise and the sunlight to penetrate the curtains of his bedroom. Despite having only a few hours of rest, he judged that there would be time for that later. It would be a 3-week trip to Orario, after all. But first, he would have to make a 5-hours hike to the next town, Janer, and take a wagon that was already arranged in advance. Checking up his luggage, Bell makes sure nothing was forgotten and begins to prepare for the trip. After eating, he puts on his clean leather armor and goes to his cabinet, where lies the most important thing for the travel.
From there, he takes two pouches. One has the cumulative sum of 833.000 valis, something he has gathered with the trade of magic stones across the years. The other has the month's magic stones to be traded for. As the nearest town, where a guild outpost is located, is so far away from the village, he couldn't afford to trade the magic stones every day or every week. So, he chose to do it once a month instead.
Leaving the house, the white-haired boy says goodbye to the villagers along the way. Now he's heading to the home of the village's elder, Emyr.
The farm village in itself is quite simple, mostly made of wood. The residents live off agriculture. In short, life here is quite peaceful. But the boy craves for something more.
"Emyr-sama, may I come in?" Knocking on the door, Bell calls for the elder. In the past, he often received precious advices from him, so he'd like to at least give a proper farewell.
"Come in Bell, I have been waiting for you." The man spoke.
Opening the door, he was greeted with a warm smile. Something Bell didn't hesitate to return.
"I am surprised you are still around, I thought you would have left first thing in the morning." The elder voiced a question.
Emyr actually knows the answer, but he would like to hear it.
"haha, I was too tired and overslept, I guess." The boy said.
"You have been pushing yourself too hard, Bell. When you arrive in Orario, take your time. Find a home you'll be conformable with. This will be very important." Emyr suggested.
"Yes, I'll heed your advice."
"But the most important thing, Bell. Don't let what happened then define you. Take this opportunity to have a fresh start. And fight to protect your new familia."
Yes.
Bell remembers.
The screams and howls. Sounds of fangs and claws colliding with flesh and blood. The monsters feasting on the bodies of his friends. Everything happened while the 8 years old boy was in hiding. All he could do was pathetically cry and cover his ears. It seemed like an eternity before all sound came to a halt and the adults came to kill irregulars from the breach.
At the time, the kids were near the waterfall. It seemed perfectly safe, as they had visited the place multiple times before. But when the irregulars broke through the defense, hell was unleashed. Out of 9 children, Bell, the youngest one, was the sole survivor of the attack, as he was the only one who could hide beneath a rock.
Striving to be stronger, Bell started to train in combat, body, and mind. He needed to somehow deal with the anger and frustration but he didn't want to change who he was either. This was the only way.
Six years after, he received the news that his grandfather was also killed by monsters. He remembered then, how powerless he was. Too weak to protect anyone. His grandfather was his only living relative. Bell never met his mother or his father. Because they were hardly ever mentioned, he assumed something bad had happened. And so, when he couldn't even protect the one who was the most important person to him, he felt ashamed and took a step further. He started to act as the first line of defense against monsters, hunting them in their own turf.
Yes, the reason he didn't go to Orario much earlier was because of the shame and guilt, he didn't want to make the same mistake again. So, he would at least protect those he could.
"Bell, you don't have to worry about us. We have more than enough to protect ourselves." Said the elder while walking towards the exit.
"I understand." The boy then lets out a heavy sigh. "Are you sure you don't need any more valis, Emyr-sama? I still have quite a bit."
"Oh, believe me. You will need it, so save it for yourself, young man." Emyr advised.
"Thank you, for everything." Said the boy, with a bow.
"Now go, or else you will be late for your carriage, hahaha." He pointed out.
With this command, the white-haired boy ran towards the next town filled with determination. After reaching this far, he wouldn't disappoint those who believed in him.
The trip to the small town of Janer was uneventful, only a small encounter with a group of kobolds occurred along the way. Coming to this place so many times, Bell learned which routes he should take to tackle the monsters or to avoid them. Arriving in the town, the boy walks to the guild's outpost, where the magic stones could be exchanged. After entering the building, greets the blonde-haired girl at the reception.
"Hello, Gina-san." He greeted.
Hearing the familiar voice, the guild's employee turns to see the white-haired boy with a dazzling smile on his face.
"Oh! Good evening, Bell-san." Her greeting was a surprising one. The happy smile she had turned into a bitter not long after. She was happy to see him, but she knew what that meant.
"I guess this is the last time, huh? You're heading to Orario today." She lamented.
"Don't worry, Gina. I promise to come by. And you are free to visit me as well. Once I find a familia, I'll send you a letter." Comforted Bell.
His tenderness was enough to dispel her worries. They had become good friends with the short interactions they had.
"hmph. You better! Now come on, let's trade your magic stones."
Already with the tax for not being a registered adventurer, the pouch of magic stones was worth 44.863 valis. Initially, he would just carry the stones to Orario and trade them once he was properly registered, but he didn't like the idea of carrying them for 3 weeks just because of the 25% that is taken by the guild. On top of that, because of the nature of the dungeon under the Babel Tower, to dissuade the people from entering without authorization, only 30% of the amount is paid to adventurers without proper registration. Higher penalties may also be applied depending on the situation. The guild wouldn't encourage risky behavior.
'I wonder how much I could make in the dungeon. Maybe I could even double it.' Thought Bell.
The monsters from the dungeon were physically stronger, even if they are of the same kind. But that also means that the magic stones are of better quality. Bell also wouldn't need to wander from breach to breach in search of them, as even in the upper levels, they are spawned more often.
"Thanks, Gina. I'm sorry for not talking more, the carriage just might leave without me." Bell said, apologetically, while putting the valis on his bag.
"hah, that wouldn't be so bad! But fine, I'll let you slide this time." She playfully said.
After saying goodbyes, Bell arrived at the meeting point. His journey to the Labyrinth City is about to start.
After a 3 weeks trip, the Labyrinth City Orario is finally coming to view. Bell Cranel has been sleeping on the wagon for the last 5 hours. Knowing that close to the city the roads usually safe, he decided to rest as much as could before his arrival. Orario is a big city after all and there is a lot he would have to do, especially on his first day in the city.
"All right, boy! You should wake up now." Spoke the driver, with a smirk crept on his face.
Slowly opening his eyes only to be met by the bright light of the sun, Bell started to observe the scenery. It would still take around twenty minutes to reach it, but the massive walls surrounding the city are visible, and they are nothing like he's seen before.
"Thanks for waking me up, sir. I really wanted to see this." The smile on his face doing nothing to hide his excitement.
"Heh. No problem, kid. Are you sure you still want to become an adventurer, though? It won't be easy you know."
The friendly warnings have been heard all the way through, more times than he could count. Apparently, his looks weren't that of a typical adventurer, but Bell decided to take the words the best way he could, as it wouldn't hurt to be cautious. Despite this, he wouldn't back down now.
"That right. I can't give up on my dream just because it won't be easy, can I?" Just like all the times before, his rebuttal was done without hesitation, determination clear in his eyes.
*sigh* "There is no changing you then, just make sure to stay alive." Despite the disappointment in his words, his face showed a big smile. He understood that the young boy craved for adventure and nothing would stop him.
After continuing the journey in comfortable silence for a couple more minutes, Bell decided to speak.
"Sir, could you drop me here? Please." The boy politely asked.
"huh? Don't you want me to take you to the entrance?" Doubt visible in his voice.
"There is one more thing I'd like to do before that." Said the white-haired boy, while glancing at a mountain cliff just a little to the east.
"I understand. Well, our paths diverge here, I suppose. Good luck on your journey." The wagon now fully stopping on the dirt road and giving him permission to jump off.
"Thank you, sir. For your words and your service." Said the boy while throwing a pouch valis to the driver. "21.000 valis, as promised."
"yes, yes. This is enough. Remember, you must pay a fee to enter the city as well." The man commented.
"Goodbye, sir. I will be off now." He gave a small bow before the wagon started to move again with a small wave from the driver.
Walking towards his new objective, the rabbit-like boy found himself in the midst of a forest. The gentle breeze blowing his hair and the early morning sunlight creeping through the leaves gave a pleasant feeling. He couldn't help but feel optimistic.
'This is going to be a great day.' he thought while smiling slightly.
It didn't take long for him to reach the top of the cliff and the view that came with it. It was outstanding. The Labyrinth City, reaching as far as the eye can see and beyond. So massive and with so many buildings and streets that the name starts to make sense. Larger streets starting from the wall all the way to the center of Orario divide the city into smaller sections. At the very center, towering over the city, Babel is standing so high that it can pierce through the clouds.
He had heard the stories from travelers and merchants, but even now he couldn't help but forget to breathe. The sounds coming out of the city only added to the view. It was said that Orario extended across 10,7 km in diameter and had a populace of around 1.2 million inhabitants. He couldn't imagine what it was like just from numbers alone, but now the answer was in front of his eyes.
Breaking through the awe, Bell looks at the closest city gate where he could see hundreds of merchants and regular people waiting to get in. It was a good idea to get a panoramic view of Orario, now he knew what to do next. While sorting his thoughts, Bell Cranel walks towards his new home.
Closer to the city walls, the different lines at the gate call my attention. The merchants appear to be on a special queue. People without a load are also sorted by gender. Arriving at the appropriate line, I see different races of humans and demi-humans waiting for their turn. The variety is far greater than I expected, as I used to live on a human settling, I wonder how will be my experience with them.
After about 15 minutes in line, my turn is getting closer and I feel two presences walking behind me.
"Hahh, what a beautiful day! Don't you think so, Asfi?" Exclaimed a man with a smooth voice.
"I guess." The girl replied nonchalantly.
Turning my head to look at the scene, I see a slender white man with blonde hair looking at the blue sky. His right hand on his hat while protecting his eyes from the sunlight. Behind him, a beautiful girl who seems to be in her early twenties seems to be observing me. She has short aqua-blue hair and cyan eyes behind a pair of glasses. A white cape that reaches her feet covers her body. A serious expression on her face. I can't help but agree with his statement, the day truly is beautiful.
"Hello, young man. This seems to be your first time in the Labyrinth City." Now directing his words towards me, the man spoke with a smirk.
"huh? How can you tell, sir?" Is it that obvious? I wonder.
"hah! Your young age and the luggage you carry tip you off!" He says while making a triumphant pose.
'So that's how it is.' I thought.
"As this is your first time, I really recommend that you visit the Entertainment District in the southeast of Orario. I promise you won't regret it! Hahaha!" A mischievous smile plastered on the blonde man's face.
The Entertainment District is so famous that even I heard about it, but I didn't think it would be a place you can recommend to a strange. Is this how people normally behave in the city? The blue-haired visibly embarrassed though, so that might not be the case. Somehow, this man reminds me of grandfather.
"hm. I'll think about it, I suppose" My meek smile doing nothing but contradict my words, but he seemed satisfied nonetheless.
"Next in line, please!" Spoke a city guard, claiming my attention.
"It seems to be your turn now, young man. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll meet again" He said, whispering the last past.
And so, after giving the girl one last glance, I start walking towards the gate.
"Is this your first time in Orario, sir?" The guard asked.
"Yes." Confirmed Bell.
"Why do you wish to enter the city?"
"I want to become an adventurer." As I said those words, I saw him looking at me suspiciously. He was wearing silver armor and, on top of it, a piece of red fabric with a white symbol of a Staff inside a sun ring. It must be the Emblem of a God in charge with the protection of Orario.
"Fill out these papers then take a step forward for inspection. The fee to enter the city is 15.000 valis, you must pay it on the left counter."
The process to enter the city was quite simple, only a few pieces of information like name, age, current familia and where I came from was required. At the counter, I was offered a map of the city for an additional price of 950 valis. I didn't hesitate to take it. This being such a big city, I'm sure it'll prove quite useful. Now I'm taking my first step inside the walls. Looking at the map, I think it is best is to find a place where I can stay for a few days, at least until I find myself a familia. And so, I start wandering through the streets of Orario, enjoying these first moments as much as I can.
The streets of Orario couldn't be livelier, especially in this part of the city. Bell was walking along the west-main street, an immense straight line linking the city walls to the Babel Tower, located at the center of Orario. There is a total of 8 main streets each of them about 5 km long, effectively dividing The Labyrinth City into 8 districts equal in size and shape. The area Bell is currently in is a commercial part of the city, so he is now in search of his next destination. Looking at the map he bought, Bell saw, scattered around the city, places marked in red. They are bars, cafes, restaurants… Places where you can eat. Several of them are located along the West-main street.
"Savage World", "Heavenly Wings", "Beer House", "Fruits & Chickens" and "Burger King" are some of the establishment's names. Bell continued scanning until he found something interesting; "Hostess of Fertility".
"hm. It isn't too far from here. I should check it out." He thought.
Decided, he started heading for the place. He was about to cover 3 km in distance, but that wouldn't be much trouble for him and it would be nice to be in a more central part of the city, closer to the guild.
Arriving at the site, he saw the back of a girl with a tied gray hair. She was wearing a plain green dress with a white apron on the top – a waitress uniform -. The girl was cleaning the street in front of the pub.
"Excuse me, Miss?" Bell called.
She rapidly turned to face to face the boy. When their eyes met, hers widened in surprise. Losing her balance, she slipped backward.
Bell grabbed the girl's waist before she hit the ground.
"I'm sorry for scaring you, Miss. Are you alright?" He asked, helping her stand.
"Huh? Oh, no! It was my fault for being so careless. Thanks." said the girl, a huge blush was visible on her face. "By the way. I am Syr Flova. Call me Syr." She smiled, regaining her composure.
"Nice to meet you Syr-san. I'm Bell. Bell Cranel." He greeted.
"So, how may I help you? Could it be that you are a customer? I haven't seen you around though." Syr inquired.
"Yes. I've just arrived in Orario, so I was looking for a place to eat." The boy replied.
"Oh! You've arrived at the right place, Bell-san. Come in, we still have a few tables. I'll personally serve you." Syr announced, opening the door to the Hostess of Fertility.
"Alright, that would be great." Smiled Bell.
When he crossed the door, several waitresses were directing their gaze towards him, there were two cat people and a human. The one who called the most attention though was a big woman behind the counter.
"That's Mia Grand. Everyone just calls her Mamma Mia." spoke the gray-haired girl, noting his stare. "Come on, I'll bring you to your table."
After sitting down, Bell looked at the menu and decided on a light breakfast: Eggs and bacon along with hot coffee. Soon after, Syr came back with his order and placed it on his table.
"Enjoy your breakfast, Bell-san!" exclaimed Syr, while turning to leave.
"Syr-san." Bell spoke, softly.
"Yes?" She said, doubt in her voice.
"Would you mind sitting with me?" He asked.
"eh?" She blurted.
"You see, I still don't know much about Orario. It would be nice if I get to know more about it." He explained.
"Of course! I'll make sure to tell you everything there is to know." Beamed Syr.
Bell then asked for more details about the regions of the city and the familias of Orario. He certainly knew about the more famous ones, but still not enough. She couldn't say much about that either, but every bit of information was valuable. Bell then proceeded to ask about inns and hotels of the city, he would need a place to sleep, after all.
After finishing his breakfast, Bell paid for the food - which costed 1.190 valis -. It was more expensive than he expected. But he was in Orario, everything more expensive. Promising Syr to come back in the future, as a way of saying thanks, he left the pub. The place he's heading now is called "Lodging of Lust", a hotel recommended by Syr.
By afternoon, Bell had already found a comfortable place to sleep. The agreed value was 6.400 valis per night. The cost was certainly high but, hopefully, he wouldn't need to stay there for a long time. The prices in Orario were higher than outside the city, that he already knew. But now, with more information, Bell could determine how much it cost to live in the Labyrinth City.
A room for the night. Three meals per day. Cost of repairs and maintenance of weapons and armor. The price of items like potions and antidots were still a mystery, but he would probably need to gain around 20.000 valis per day while tackling the dungeon. That is far more than could ever make on the branches. The recurring expense could be lower, though. If he was to search for lower quality food and cheaper inn, he could probably reduce the expenses to about 12.000. But that was a problem for some other time. Bell still had a large amount of valis and the living cost in Orario should be reduced once he found a familia.
Arriving at the guild's headquarters Bell Cranel walked to a balcony, where he would make the first procedures to becoming an adventurer. There, he met a werewolf beauty. Her long fire-red hair perfectly combined with her golden eyes. Her bored expression barely changed since the boy arrived.
"Welcome." She spoke.
"My name is Bell Cranel. I want to register myself as an adventurer." Bell said.
He was confused about her apathetic attitude, but shrugged off. The werewolf observed him for a few seconds, before reaching out for some papers and placing it on the desk.
"Fill out." She instructed.
Her tone wasn't that of anger or annoyance. Just boredom.
After a few moments, Bell returned the papers after completing everything he could. The receptionist then proceeded to analyze his form.
There were blank spaces where there should be information about his parents, residence in Orario, and… Familia.
Rose blinked a few times.
"You… Don't have a familia?" She asked, perplexed.
"Yeah, I was hoping that I could learn more about them at the guild." Bell nodded.
"I see." The werewolf then left her station, coming back a few minutes later. She then stared at him for a few moments. "My name is Rose Fannett. I'll be your advisor from now on." She sighed.
"I can't complete your registration until you find yourself a familia." Rose continued. "This should help you with that." She said while giving the boy a register book.
The book had hundreds of pages and basic information about all the familias currently in Orario. This would be of big help for someone who wouldn't even know where to start.
"Until you join a familia you can't go to the dungeon." finished Rose.
"What?" The question escaped the boy's lips.
"What?" She puzzled.
"I can't go to the dungeon?" He asked.
She blinked.
"Would you really go there without a falna?" The werewolf questioned.
She was incredulous at the thought that someone would be so reckless.
"Maybe." He shrugged.
"No." She denied.
Her tone was fiercer, even her expression changed a little.
"I already have experience." He stated.
"Yeah, let me guess. You went into a breach, and now you think you're ready to challenge the dungeon. Am I right?" Rose inquired.
"Well, I-" He started, before being interrupted.
"Out of the question." She denied it, leaving no room for debate.
"Fine." He said, accepting the situation.
All he had to do, in the end, was get a falna. "How hard could it be?" Thinking that, Bell started scanning the registry. He was looking for an appropriate familia to join. Many names passed through his eyes. Familias ranging from the most powerful one to the weakest. Tens of hundreds of gods and goddesses were present in Orario, the boy was fated to be with one of them.
While scanning the mid-tier familias, something caught his eyes. Asfi Al Andromeda "Perseus", Captain of Hermes Familia.
'Could it be…' He hesitantly thought. 'Well, it doesn't matter.' He concluded.
"Rose-san?" The boy called.
"Huh?" She uttered.
"Can I keep this for a while?" Bell asked, while pointing at the book.
"Whatever. Just make sure to bring it back." Rose replied, with her usual boredom.
"Well. See you next time, then. Goodbye, Rose-san." Bell smiled.
Rose sighed. Her eyes were glued on the white-haired boy, watching his movements until he left the guild.
Stepping outside the guild, Bell Cranel felt a tingling sensation in his body. Like there was someone staring at the back of his head. Instinctively, Bell turned his head towards the top of the Babel Tower. The strange feeling then disappeared. Bell didn't feel any ill intent from it, but it was a feeling he couldn't identify.
"Maybe I am imagining things." He thought, shrugging off.
Now having made the first step to become an adventurer, and with a parchment about the familias of Orario, Bell would start looking for a familia. He thought that the most important thing was to find one that would fit his values. He wouldn't want to lose himself and he wasn't naïve to think that all Gods were good. He didn't make a point of joining a big one, though. And so, he started looking at the mid-tier familas.
Ra, Thor, Ushas, Quiateot, and Dali are deities that seem to have a good relationship with the guild and the citizens of Orario. He should start there. If nothing works out, then he would keep looking. There were tens of mid-tier familias, one of them should be the right one. Low-tier familias weren't discarded though, but as there was so many of them and so little information, it would be best to keep it on hold.
High-tier familias like Shamash, Durga, Ganesha, and Loki didn't seem like a bad option either but word is that they avoided recruiting a level 1. There is not much information about Camazotz, his familia appear to be the most isolated and mysterious one from the S tier. Freya Familia, for some reason, seemed to be the most feared. Even out of Orario people would recommend staying away from them. Bell didn't think much of it and would decide it himself.
The white-haired boy started walking through the streets of Orario. He already had a new destination in mind. Quiateot was the closes familia headquarters from the guild's location. He would start there.
In another part of the city, at the top of the Babel Tower, the Goddess of Beauty, Freya, was staring at a white-haired boy. She has platinum-silver long hair, smooth unlike any other. Her violet-purple eyes complement her absolute perfection. A snow-white skin and her body perfectly balanced were under her revealing set of black and red clothes.
The place – no, the throne room – she was in, was befitting of the Goddess from the most powerful familia in Orario and in the world. One side of the room was entirely made of glass, giving the Goddess a perfect view of the Labyrinth City.
"Ahh! So beautiful… So shiny. My Odr…" She uttered.
Freya spotted him by mere chance and, from that moment onward, she couldn't take her eyes off him. When he noticed her gaze and looked towards her, that only made the goddess blush even more.
She has been longing for her fated one for thousands of years. She had waited and searched in the whole world for countless eras. Now, she had finally found him. Her beloved. And he was perfect, or he should be, if not for a small taint of corruption in his soul.
'Certainly, something painful happened in his pass.' Freya thought.
"Ottarl." She called.
Ottarl "The King", the only level 7 of Orario, at the brink of level 8, is the Captain of Freya Familia. A tall muscular Boaz with a stoic face and absolute loyalty towards the Goddess of his familia.
"Yes, my Lady." The Boaz spoke.
"That boy. Keep an eye on him. Find out all there is to know and don't be noticed." Freya ordered.
"Right away, my Lady." Ottarl nodded.
Soon after, he proceeded to leave the room. He wouldn't question her orders or reasons. Only fulfill the mission.
"fufufufu. We'll soon be together, my Odr. fufu." Freya cooed; One could detect the lust in her voice.
"We don't need any more mouths to feed!"
"Yeah! You killed a goblin in the forest, so what!? You think that makes you an adventurer!? GET LOST!
"Come back when you are stronger!"
"I don't need a fucking rabbit!"
"Trash!" *BAM!*
*sigh*
"Why did it turn out like this?" Bell muttered to himself.
After three days of knocking on the door of tens of gods and goddesses, Bell was no better off than when he started. They've all rejected him, without even offering him a chance to prove himself. And so, he decided to change strategy.
"You don't even have the proper equipment to tackle the dungeon. I'm not letting you in." Rose unbudgingly said.
At this moment, Bell is asking for permission to enter the dungeon. The truth is that he cannot go to every god and goddess of Orario. There are too many of them and he cannot wait forever either. So, the best option is to guarantee a stable income and wait for an opportunity. Going to the dungeon could provide that, and he would also have a place to keep training.
"So, if I did have something better, would you allow?" Bell questioned. Looking close enough, a slight smirk was on his face.
Rose sighed at the boy's stubbornness. It is true that he doesn't seem like a complete newbie, but fighting monster without a having falna is no easy thing. She didn't want to be responsible for the boy's death, but it didn't seem like he would budge either. Not by regular means, that is.
"Return to me fully prepared and I'll judge if you have enough to make through the first floors. When I deny, you give up. Got it?" Her tone made it clear, there was no room for disagreement.
Fully knowing that there is no way the boy could satisfy her, she decided to make the proposition. She thought that every god must have refused him and money running low. All she could think is that the gods were stupid for refusing him. And considering his persistence, that should be the only reason.
"Yes. I'll make sure to impress you, Rose-san!" smiled Bell.
The boy, on the other hand, was feeling victorious. He'd finally be able to explore the famous dungeon of Orario and would stop begging to join a familia that didn't want him. At least this way, he would be able to prove his worth. And so, he made his way out of the guild while catching some people's eyes.
"Is that the new adventurer you've been advising, Rose?" A pink-haired human spoke from her back while glancing at a particular white-haired boy.
"You shouldn't pry on people, you know." Rose shrugged off.
"Tell me, since when do you get so worked up about an adventurer? Huh?" The girl inquired.
"Don't talk nonsense, Misha. I just don't want his blood on my hands." Rose stated.
"hmm. He seems pretty capable, though." Misha teased.
Yes. Physically the boy didn't really seem like a typical adventurer, but here, in Orario, even a pallum like Finn Deimne "The Braver" could stand at the top. Being guild's employees and advisors, they learned to see beyond the surface. The boy's movements and posture were far better than most adventurers, even some level 4's would lose in that aspect. And it wasn't for naught, he's been training since young age, after all.
"He is not. And if I'm not tough enough he'll die in his first day." The werewolf insisted.
Of course, she knew that as well; he was by no means an amateur. But given her stance earlier she would never admit it. On top of that, entering the dungeon without a falna was an unnecessary risk, which Rose wasn't about to let him take.
"If you say so…" Said the girl, while walking away. Seemingly losing interest.
Already in another part of the city, Bell was preparing himself to enter the dungeon. He knew very well the risks of fighting monsters, especially in an unfamiliar region. That's why he would be thorough in his preparation. The last few days weren't a complete waste of time. While searching for a familia, he's also been learning more about the city. And now, he will make use of it.
This part of the day is usually monotonous, a moment where most adventures have already gone to the dungeon. Working at Dian Cecht Pharmacy, our customers are often regulars. And so, it is quite easy to predict the moments when we have customers or not. I am now finishing to attend to the last set of clients. After that, the pharmacy should become pretty quiet.
And it did, but not for long.
*ding*
I was at the back of the pharmacy, doing research with some new materials we've recently acquired when the bell sound rang.
Returning to my usual place behind the counter, I was met with a new face. A white-haired boy with blood-red eyes. Probably a little younger than me, 2 years or so. He looked like a rabbit. But a handsome one. Well, it's better greet him.
"Good Morning. My name is Airmid Teasanare. How may I be of service, Mr.?" I said, probing for his name.
"Good Morning, Teasanare-san. I-." He started.
"Airmid." I smiled. There was no need to be so formal.
"I'm Bell Cranel. Call me Bell." He beamed a beautiful smile.
"So, Bell-san. How may I help?" I asked.
"I heard this place sells high-quality products. I thought of checking it out."
"We have many different products with different efficacy as well. They are all the best in the market of its category" I nodded. "Is there anything in particular that you are interested in, Bell-san?" I asked.
"As I'm not yet familiarized, I thought of taking a general look at the potions and items for the dungeon." He voiced his reasons.
'Not familiarized, huh? Maybe he is a new adventurer? No, for some reason it doesn't feel right.' I thought.
"Are you, perhaps, new to Orario?" I asked.
His eyes widened a bit at my question. It seems that I hit the mark.
"Heh. You're right. I've just recently arrived in the city." He answered.
"There is no problem then, I'll explain you everything about our potions." I smiled.
This is an opportunity to guarantee another regular. I wouldn't let it go to waste.
And so, I started talking about all the different healing and mind potions. How there is a difference in efficacy from a simple Potion to a High Potion and an Elixir, and the prices for each of them. As I take pride in being a healer, I spent some time teaching him what I could. This could save his life at some point.
Besides, this is an opportunity to guarantee another regular. I wouldn't let it go to waste.
"The simple healing Potion costs 1.790 valis each. One High Potion has the price of 35.590 valis. And an Elixir goes by the price of 719.900 Valis." I informed him, showing him the vials of each one.
"The cheaper Magic potion, however, costs 9.900 valis, while the High Magic Potion costs 109.900 valis." I finished.
Seeing that Bell has been thinking pretty hard about what I just said, I decided to help a little.
"There is no need to worry about the Magic Potions, though. As I said before, a mind down will be caused by extensive use of magic. If you still don't have one, the Magic point will be pretty much useless. With a few exceptions, of course." I told him.
"Uhum." He nodded. "Can I take a closer look at the Potion?" he asked.
"Of course, feel free to do so." I smiled.
The boy then approached the counter and grabbed a vial. Then, while inspecting its contents, he took a knife from his belt and made a rather large cut on his hand. My eyes widened at his unreasonable actions.
"W-what are you doing?!" I sputtered.
"I'm sorry for making a mess." He apologized with an innocent smile.
After the words, he opened the vial and drank the potion. He was observing his wound, watching it slowly close. He then poured a little of the green liquid directly into the wound, and it started to close more quickly.
Seemingly satisfied, the boy nodded.
"I'd like to buy 6 Healing Potions and 2 High Potions, please. Including the one I used, of course." He announced.
"R-Right!" I blurted, while setting off to take the items.
Returning, I couldn't help but ask.
"Why did you do that, though? You hurt yourself just to test it?" I questioned.
He tilted his head, seemingly puzzled at my question, but answered anyway.
"Isn't better to test it in a safe place, than do it in the dungeon amid the danger?" He replied.
'It makes sense for someone like him, I suppose, but still. No one does that!' I thought.
"I see. Well, your order will cost 81.920 valis, Bell-san." I told him.
After paying for the potions, Bell helped me clean the floor. Despite my objections. What a weird rabbit. He then moved to leave the store.
"Thanks, Airmid-san. Until next time!" He beamed and left; Returning the Dian Cecht Pharmacy to its usual silence.
After my visit to the Dian Cecht Pharmacy, I was able to confirm a few hypotheses that I had. Outside the city of Orario, more specifically in the town of Janer, a basic potion could be bought for around 600 valis, less than a third than the cheaper healing potion being sold here. I imagined that the difference could not only be of price, but in quality as well. And I was right. The difference in effectiveness far outweighs the difference in price. This information will be useful to where I'm heading now. From afar, I glance at the Babel Tower, just as majestic as it was when I first saw it.
I've casually learned that inside the Babel Tower there are places being rented to anyone willing to pay. As a result, several familias use the space to expose and sell their products. The most famous one is the legendary familia of smiths. The Hephaestus familia owns 5 entire floors of the Tower and uses them to display and sell weapons and armor that can be acquired by total beginners or first-tier adventurers alike. The first floors of the tower are intended for lower quality items but, as the floors goes up the price for the rent also increases and that's where you can find equipment of better quality. I also learned that the Babel Tower has several private rooms being owned by powerful gods and that the top of the Babel Tower is a private room owned by goddess Freya herself.
After a quick stop at the Hostess of Fertility, as it was along the way, I am now heading toward the 7th floor of the Babel Tower. I still have more than 710.000 valis on me, so I expect to find some products of high quality. But I also have to make sure not to spend all my money there, that wouldn't be good. Suddenly, I realize that I've already arrived in the Central Park. Not wanting to lose any time, I start walking again.
Getting closer to the Babel Tower, I feel that same gaze again. The one I felt on the first day I arrived in the city. I also noticed it in the last few days, though it was more subtle; Almost imperceptive. But it's way more intense now. I'm sure of it, it comes from the very top of Babel Tower.
"It must be goddess Freya." I think to myself.
I decided to wave my hand at her. I don't know why she's been watching me, but I should at least try to appear harmless. There is no point in making an enemy out of the most powerful familia in Orario.
Then, I keep walking to the Babel and take an elevator to go up to the 7th floor. Arriving there, I came across dozens of stores displaying many different types of weapons and weapons. This floor of Babel seems to sell second-tier equipment made by first-tier blacksmiths. The range of prices can reach even 10 million valis. What I'm looking for is only a fraction of that but, hopefully, I'll be able to find something reliable.
Even if I cannot match a veteran adventurer in terms of status, due to the lack of falna, I should still be able to make it up for it with skill, strategy, and equipment. The latter what I'm here for. I stopped in my tracks, as I finally see something that should be able to fit me. This store has items witch price in the hundreds of thousands, that is something I can pay.
Getting in, I was greeted by the sales clerk.
"This is a Hephaestus Familia Store. How may we help you, Sir…" He greeted.
"Bell Cranel." I smiled. "I'm looking for second-tier light armor. It cannot be too expensive, though. 500.000 valis is as far as I can go."
"Hm. I see…" The Hephaestus's employee thought for a moment. He was inspecting my body; most likely trying to guess my measures.
"I have something that could fit you. Though it is only a prototype, I can guarantee its quality." He said, while showing me the way to a particular shelf.
There, I was met with a black armor shiny armor. Details in red were present on its pieces. The armor consisted of a chest and backplate. Wrist, forearm, and shoulder guards completed the upper body. On the bottom, the hips guard and the knee-high greaves, of the same design, were also part of the set. The price on display: 439.999 valis.
"This is a piece made by Tsubaki Collbrande. She was testing the advantages of mithril in armor. Adamantite completes its composition." He informed.
'Tsubaki, huh. Cyclops, the captain of Hephaestus familia. It should be reliable enough, but mithril in an armor? What is that for?' I thought to myself.
"I can reassure you that, despite unusual combination, the armor is of excellent quality. The price should be in the millions but, because the idea is still under development, Tsubaki decided to lower its price." He clarified.
Taking a step forward I took the armor in my hands and started inspecting it.
'It could be lighter, but I can feel the quality. Maybe it could handle even a fight against a level 3 monster.' I mused.
For the price, I could not find a better option. So, I decided to take it. After paying, with the armor in hands, I thanked the attendant and went to the next store. Now, I needed something better than my current knives. But that should be something simpler to find.
After going down one floor, I found a pair of short swords. The dungeon is bigger than the branches, but I heard that the corridors on the first floors still don't have much space. So, to dual wield, I still need short weapons. That might change when I reach lower levels, though. The pair of swords costed me 144.990 valis, still leaving me with just about 130.000 valis, so I'm still quite comfortable in terms of money.
Still at the Babel Tower, I use one of its rooms destined for adventurers. There, I put on my armor and tie the swords on my hilt. I then and proceed to leave Babel. While walking through the central park, I again feel the gaze of goddess Freya. But now it's slightly different. I can only imagine why. With a slight smile, I waved at her again and head myself to the guild's headquarters. I wonder what she is thinking.
"Ahhhhh! This boy… fufufu." She moaned.
At the top of Babel Tower, the silver-haired Goddess of Beauty was watching the boy the whole time. She could not sleep, completely addicted to the color of the boy's soul, a color she had never seen before. Even the marvelous wine in her hands pales in comparison.
When she learned that her Odr was able to notice her gaze with so much precision that he even waved at her, her longing only for her beloved only increased.
'I can barely hold myself anymore! I want him! I want him! Ahhh…' Freya thought, while biting her lips.
"Ottarl…" Freya softly called.
"Yes, my lady." The captain of Freya familia spoke, while stepping out of the shadows.
"Tell me what have you learned about him." Freya asked.
"Right away, my lady. His name is Bell Cranel, he's 16 years old. His parents are unknown. He lived in a village North-west from Orario until, about a month ago, he came to Orario from a town named Janer. The driver that brought him spent about 3 weeks with the boy and spoke about his aspiration to become a hero. After getting to the city, he started to look for a familia and, as you ordered, they have all refused him." The Boaz related, with his usual stoic face.
That is the reason Bell Cranel has been refused by every familia he approached. Not all gods are stupid a mean but, even if some of them were interested in the boy, they wouldn't risk incurring the wrath of Freya Familia.
'A hero, huh' She amusedly thought.
"Very good. What do you think he's going to do now?" Freya questioned.
"He's been buying equipment for the dungeon. He plans to challenge it." Ottarl stated.
"fufufu." She chuckled.
Even the thought of what the boy might do next brings her ecstasy.
Freya then finished drinking her wine and rose from her throne. Going to a nearby table, she started to write a letter. It was written in the language of the gods. It wasn't really necessary, but wouldn't hurt either. After finishing its contents, Freya placed the letter in an envelope along with the seal of Freya Familia. Addressing her words towards Ottarl, she spoke.
"Ottarl, take this to Loki."
"Right away." He said and left the throne room as quickly as he had entered.
Freya then returned to watch the boy named Bell Cranel.
AN: Well. I hope it wasn't too bad to read such a long chapter, but I really wanted to give a good idea of where I'm going with this. You must have already noticed, but this fic will be pretty different from canon, especially the characters that usually surround Bell.
Another thing that I would like to develop here is the level progression, the economy and other familias that live in Orario. I find myself watching the anime and all I can think is how small Orario seems to be. The city is supposed to be the greatest one, in the center of the world. So, I'll try to convey that even if I fail in the process.
Finally, I'd like to ask for your help. If you see any mistakes, don't hesitate to point them out. Especially in gramma and such. English is not my first language, but I'm really trying to improve. And because of that, I can't make promises regarding updates, but I'll do it as quickly as I can.
Thanks.