Bell stood awkwardly in the smith shop in Babel Tower that he had visited once before, the same woman as before who had sold him his first set of armour was looking over the tattered remains of what he had bought just a day ago, he had brought it back to the shop to see if it could be repaired. She didn't look happy in the least. Per Loki's instructions he was taking a few days off form the Dungeon, to recover after the Silverback incident. He hadn't heard from Naaza since they had parted ways but he figured she still needed some time to think about everything, he had thought about going to see her but didn't want to push it.

Tsubaki looked over the broken armor, only miniscule parts were still intact, nothing could really be recovered from the remains of what had been Welf's first sell. Welf did well in creating it even without his unique family gift, but right now with the event that happened on the fourth floor with the Silverback, his armor wasn't up to standard. If this rabbit looking brat didn't have skill he'd probably be dead.

"Considering what you went through, and managing to survive it's lucky that this is all that happened." Tsubaki commented, surprising Bell somewhat he didn't think the notice about the Silverback on the fourth floor would have gotten around that quick. "So, you're looking for something similar?" She asked.

"Yeah, you said something about the craftsman when I bought the last set. Ah…" He tried to recall the name, taking on a thinking stance which only amused Tsubaki. "W-Welf was it?" He asked hesitantly, hoping he got it right.

"That's right, Welf Crozzo." She told him, she honestly expected to get a reaction from the name, afterall Welf's last name was famous and Welf himself had been hounded by countless adventures to make magic weapons for them. Yet there wasn't even a spark of recognition to the name. "You should have seen him dance around when I told him someone bought his armor." She chuckled. "He was like a five year old." The bell to the store signalling the entrance opening caught their attention. "And speak of the five year old." Tsubaki smirked seeing the topic of conversation entering.

"What are you saying now?" The red haired teen huffed as he walked in, holding a crate which bell only assumed was his newest product. He was taller than Bell with spiky red hair and blue eyes. He wore a dark blue undershirt with a black kimono over it tied with a belt, along with a blue scarf, tan pants, and long brown boots.

"Oh, I was just telling your one and only customer how you gushed over how amazing he must be for choosing such esteemed work such as yours." Tsubaki laughed only making Welf's face grow red, whether it be from embarrassment or anger Bell wasn't entirely sure. However the redhead soon calmed down and looked Bell up and down before spotting the destroyed armor on the counter that was laid out before Tsubaki.

"Man, you sure did a number on it." Welf spoke as he approached, taking in the damaged equipment.

"Silverback attack on Level Four." Tsubaki told him.

"Holy Crap, that rookie was you?" Welf said amazed as he turned to Bell. "You really took down that Silverback?"

"It wasn't just me, I had my supporter with me." Bell tried to brush off the praise however Welf grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Make a contract with me!" Welf declared.

"Eh!"

"Man you have no tact at all, do you Welf?" Tsubaki sighed seeing how out of the loop the white haired rookie was. "This kid is green as grass, he has no idea what a contract with a Blacksmith is."

"Huh, really?" Welf asked turning to Bell once more only getting a quick nod from Bell in return. "Man, you really are a Rookie, just how long have you been adventuring anyway?"

"Ah… um… just over a week now."

"WHAT!?" Both Tsubaki and Welf shouted in surprise, only adventuring for more than a week and he'd already assisted in taking down a Silverback? Just who the hell was this kid? Tsubaki smirked, with a kid like this.

"How about forming a contract with me, a more experienced smith." Tsubaki told him. "Welf's armor might have done you well until that Silverback, but I can get you some Grade A stuff."

"Hey! Back off Tsubaki, I made claim first!" Welf growled.

"Ha, before you know it he'll have outshined your work and be looking for something better in no time." Tsubaki taunted. "Might as well start off with the better equipment from the start."

"You mean that overpriced junk you sell at Hephaestus's main shop, like the kid could afford any of your crap!" The two smiths glared at one another as Bell stood awkwardly to the side. He had just come to hopefully get some new armor to replace the equipment he had lost in his fight with the Silverback, he didn't expect things to get so out of hand.

"Why don't we let the client decide." Tsubaki finally offered and Welf seemingly calming down decided that would be the best way to settle things. Both turned to Bell who shifted nervously. "Well kid, what do you say?" Tsubaki asked.

"Um… before I decide, what is this contract?" Bell asked.

"Oh right, kinda forgot you didn't know." Welf laughed. "Basically, the contract means that you do business directly with a smith, it's based on the smith's and the clients mutual agreement. So, say we go into a contract together, I'll give you an exclusive deal for making weapons and armor for you, in return I do have a favor to ask."

"Oh, so like a sole supplier type of deal?" Bell asked.

"Pretty much." Tsubaki nodded. "Sure, if the contract allows it you can reach out to other smiths. Like that dwarf friend of yours."

"Wait you already have a personal smith?" Welf asked.

"Well, no." Bell stated awkwardly. "Just my weapon and shield, the dwarves told me I wasn't allowed anyone else to work on them but them." Tsubaki clicked her teeth in annoyance recalling the discount she tried to push onto Bell just so she could get a look at the mechanism on his wrist. While curious about this weapon and shield, Welf could understand the dwarves wanting to keep their product out of hands of other smiths.

"So, you have the idea about what the contract is." Welf continued on with the topic of choosing himself or Tsubaki. Bell frowned slightly as he looked over to the broken equipment.

"I do like your armor." Bell started. "It's light, easy to maneuver around it and it doesn't hinder me at all." Welf nodded, his grin widening. "But…" Bell trailed off.

"It's not durable." Tsubaki finished for him, getting a nod from Bell. "You're good at what you do Welf, no doubt about it but if it wasn't for the kid's skill, he would have died and your armor wouldn't have done a thing to stop the Silverback. Armor is meant to protect a person and if it fails to do that, then the work is a failure." Bell winced slightly, the way she said it sounded harsh.

"I get it." Welf sighed. "I need to improve, get better materials and work on it." Tsubaki eyed him for a moment before glancing at both of the two. Welf was right to a degree, the kid wouldn't be able to afford her cheapest armor sets… but there might be something that they could do, and it could help improve Welf's skills along the way.

"How about a three way." Bell's face went entirely red as Welf choked at the sudden words spilling from Tsubaki's mouth. "Three way contract, ya perverts." Tsubaki smirked, shaking her head in amusement. "Right now kid, you can't afford my skills not to mention if you use gear above your skill level you'll no doubt get rusty in your skills and become reliant on your equipment which no doubt will one day get you killed."

"Where are you going with this Tsubaki?" Welf asked.

"Well, seeing as we see the faults in your armor why not make improvements?" Tsubaki smirked. "You'll have free reign to design the armor, but we both work on it." Welf scowled at her, his eyes fixed in a glare, no smith wanted to share their work. "Listen idiot, your armor right now is going to get the kid killed, especially if he's going up against middle floor monsters." Bell wanted to pipe up saying he wasn't ready for that yet, but Tsubaki continued on. "I'll just add in my final touches to make sure the armor is up to snuff when it's given over to our client."

"Yeah, and what do you get out of this?" Welf asked.

"A future client." Tsubaki shrugged. "Once he's up for it, we'll split the contract in two meaning he'll come to either of us for his equipment, no doubt he'll be needing superior gear in the not to distant future. For now your equipment will do him fine and you'll of course get better as a smith as you progress. But until you either catch up or surpass me as a Smith, my gear will be better than yours." Welf grit his teeth slightly but couldn't deny that logic. "So what do you boys say? Do we have an agreement."

"Fine." Welf sighed as he turned to Bell. "By no means is it normal, but if it gets me into the Dungeon than I'm fine with it."

"I don't understand." Bell stated, no sure of Welf's words.

"Oh, right." Welf grinned. "That request I mentioned earlier." Bell tilted his head slightly. "In return for creating your equipment, I ask that I be able to join your party." Bell's eyes widened slightly.

"Me on the other hand, I'll be taking my payment in Valis." Tsubaki told them. "We'll figure out the cost of each set of gear we make you and you pay half of that to me, since Welf only wants to go into the Dungeon, that's his payment."

"Wait, that's really all you want?" Bell asked surprised.

"Sure." Welf grinned. "It's a bit of a long story, but getting to the lower floors is kinda essential for a smith. Not all of us get to go on expeditions with the Loki Familia." He muttered with a glare to Tsubaki.

"Get stronger and better in your craft and they might ask you to tag along." Tsubaki shrugged, Bell was surprised to find out that Tsubaki was one of the Loki Familia's smiths. Things seemed to be going to work out for the three of them.

"Oh, just one other thing." Welf grinned awkwardly. "What's your name?" Tsubaki only laughed as Bell chuckled awkwardly, this entire time he hadn't even introduced himself to either of the two.

"I'm Bell, Bell Cranel." He smiled as Welf offered his hand, Bell taking it and the two shook on it.

"Well, time to get to work then." Tsubaki smirked. "Bell strip, we're going to need your exact measurements."

"Now who's being a pervert, you don't need him naked to measure him you know that!" Tsubaki simply laughed it off as she pulled out a measuring tape.

"Worth a shot." She shrugged. "Now, anything you want to request for this new set?" She asked, Welf nodding to her question. Bell thought for a moment before recalling something Naaza had told him.

"No black." He smiled. "Apparently it doesn't suit me."

"Let's get to work." Welf added.

Bell sat opposite Welf in a bar named the Hostess of Fertility, apparently the red haired smith wanted to go out and celebrate his first contract while Tsubaki still had to finish up her shift at the store. Both had assured Bell that the armor would be ready by the time Bell next decided to head down into the Dungeon. Bell was happy with the design that they had both come up with for his new armour set. No doubt after finishing celebrating, Welf would head off to start working on it.

"Tell me about your party Bell, is it just you and this Supporter you mentioned or is there more?" Welf asked lowering his mug of beer.

"Just me and Naaza." Bell smiled softly before it turned into a frown. "However, after the incident with the Silverback I think she might leave the Party." Welf noted Bell's downtrodden tone at that fact.

"Was it that bad?" Welf asked honestly, of course he had heard the rumours about what happened but here was the kid that was actually the origin.

"It was terrifying." Bell told him. "Naaza, she's already really frightened of the Dungeon and as soon as we get down to the Fourth Floor, there's a Silverback waiting for us." Bell began to tell Welf the events that happened, from him telling Naaza to run, him fending it off best he could before Naaza came back and they both took it down. "Naaza said she wanted some time to think about her position in the party." He explained.

"I guess it might just be us then." Welf frowned. "Hey, I'm sure even if she leaves the party, you'll still be friends. It sounds like you guys are really close, you don't go through an experience like that and not get closer."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Bell smiled. "I don't really have that many friends, I guess I really relied on Naaza." It was the truth, as sad as it was Bell was lonely. He had his Goddess, but she wasn't there all the time and had her entire Familia. Naaza was his first friend in Orario, if he didn't have her he'd be even more lonely. He truly hoped she didn't stop going down into the Dungeon with him, but in the end it was up to her and he wouldn't force her.

"What about your Familia? You're not close to anyone?" Bell gave an awkward smile and Welf could tell he was getting nervous. "Hey, don't let me pry your Familia, your business."

"Ah, thanks Welf." Bell chuckled awkwardly. "I guess you could say I don't really know anyone in my Familia." Welf nodded before he grinned.

"Well, we're friends now so don't think otherwise. We're going to be working together right? Might as well call it a friendship as well as a partnership."

"Sure!" Bell grinned.

Across the bar was a spying cat-girl waitress, unfortunately Ryu wouldn't change sections with her as the elf didn't want to indulge Chloe's weird obsessions that resolved around young males, nor did she want Chloe to pester the customers. As soon as Bell had walked into the bar with his red haired companion, Chloe had barely been able to take her eyes off of him, well until Mama Mia threatened to smack her with the ladle and she quickly went to work. Now that she had a break, she could watch him all she wanted. Ryu had served him, considering the white haired boy had sat in her area of the bar and Chloe had pestered the elf the moment she had come back with the order for any details she might have gotten out of her, but alas the Elf didn't give any worthwhile information.

"Chloe, what are you doing? Your break is almost over." Lunoire's voice came from behind her making Chloe pout as she glanced over at her fellow waitress she had been acting weird all night.

Following Chloe's gaze she saw that it was fixed on a certain table with a redhead and a white haired teen. Upon spotting the younger boy Lunoire sighed, grabbed the back of Chloe's collar and dragged her away kicking and screaming gaining a small audience from the pub's patrons. Welf taking this as some kind of sign spoke up.

"Well, it's been fun Bell but I'm not letting Tsubaki hassle me over this new armor and it's already getting late." Bell smiled and nodded as he glanced out the window only to pale somewhat, night had fallen while they had been talking and that meant that it was going to be difficult getting home especially now since the red light district of Orario would be open for business, where the former Loki Familia house was located was located there. He had made it so that he was always home before the brothels opened and he didn't have much trouble.

Bell and Welf left the bar after paying and headed their separate ways, Welf telling him that his new equipment would be ready in a few days. Bell didn't hurry home, knowing full well it wouldn't help and idled around the streets for a while, simply glancing in windows of stores he was nowhere nearing able to afford. Eventually his feet led him back to the daunting street filled with mass amounts of pursuers of pleasure.

Unknown to the rookie of the Loki Familia a set of eyes watched him intently, and had been observing him for a short while now. An Amazon sat with a few other courtesans that were trying to woo in customers for the evening, however Aisha had her eyes set on her prize. Since catching sight of him one morning, leaving an old building that she knew belonged to the Loki Familia, she gained an interest in the boy. Why would Loki of all people see something in this boy? He didn't look the part to be in the Second Strongest Familia in Orario.

She had even taken to observing his practice in the yard behind the Loki Familia house with that strange axe of his from a safe vantage point. It was almost cute how he fought against invisible enemies acting like some big hero. Just the thought made her lick her lips, he was so pure it was almost toxic. As much as she would love to devour the little rabbit until he knew nothing else but pleasure, that could wait until after she had succeeded in her plan. It was one of waiting but if her instincts as an Amazon held true than that little rabbit was going to be stronger then he looked, and very soon.

If he wanted to be the Hero he so pretended to be, Aisha had a damsel that he could save. Until she learnt of Ishtar's current status on possessing the Killing Stone, she would wait. Something like that wouldn't remain secret in their Familia for very long and the ritual needed the perfect circumstances to take place, so she should have enough time to have Bell interact with Haruhime and see her as worth saving, despite the Renard's belief she wasn't worth saving. Aisha wouldn't let Ishtar have her way, not with Haruhime. Aisha couldn't help the girl herself, but she only needed for Bell to reach the conclusion on his own. She watched him awkwardly pass a few calls from some girls before disappearing into the Familia House.

Glancing up at the brothel she could hear the shouts of anger from Haruhime's unsatisfied client, she must of passed out once the man began to undress.

"Aisha!"

"Coming." The Amazon called, heading inside knowing once more she'd need to satisfy the customer, either that or beat the living hell out of him. Either way she'd get the money.

Days passed and Bell finally got the okay from both Eina and Loki that he could go back down into the Dungeon. However his new armor wasn't quite ready yet. So he had adorned his old armor, the one he had before he bought Welf's set. The armour that was given to him when he left his home to come to Orario.

That morning he headed out, for a time he waited in the general spot of where he met with Naaza, however decided against going to the Blue Pharmacy. She had told him she needed time and he didn't want to hound the Chienthrope about it and pushing her into anything. When she was ready she would come to him. So he headed for the Dungeon alone.

After reporting to Eina about what had happened with the Silverback, she cautiously gave him permission to go down to the fifth floor on his own. He was able to hold off a Silverback for a considerable time until Naaza got there and there was nothing else on the fifth floor that matched a Silverback so there was no reason that she couldn't give him access, he already had the necessary experience. She only tasked him with being careful.

Bell headed into the Dungeon, eager to return to his underground adventures. He truly hoped that the next time he came down he had Naaza with him and Welf, he would need to introduce the two. He was eager to also see what Tsubaki and Welf came up with for his armor. Testing the weight of his axe he smiled.

"I should go see Brok and Sindri too." He mentally added knowing he should maintain his weapon and shield as often as possible.

Bell slashed his way through the first three floors with ease, his prior experience with Naaza gave him the knowledge of what he should look out for, almost as if he was recalling Naaza's warnings, watch the roof's of the tunnels for Dungeon Lizards, the dark spots for ambusing monsters. All of Naaza's teaching stuck with him. He saw numerous rookies working in small parties on his way through the first three levels and it made him think of Naaza more, he should at least make an effort to go see her even it it wasn't about her position in the party, she was still his friend.

When Bell reached the fourth floor he was more hesitant, however not much changed as he proceeded onwards. He never got ahead of himself, always watching his surroundings and making sure he wasn't becoming outnumbered by the monsters. He even found the cavern where he and Naaza faced off against the Silverback, there were minor signs of what had happened however the Guild had already sent down a recovery team for those that were lost on this floor.

He stuck around the cavern for a while, reimagining the fight, letting it play over and over again in his head to try and learn from it. After a while he found that the cavern wasn't that far from the entrance down to the fifth floor of the Dungeon. Now that he was heading to the fifth floor he was nervous but he knew he was ready for what was next, he had listened intently to Eina's explanations of the next set of floors. The Silverback was a one off chance, it's not like he was going to run into another middle floor monster just days after he had to face his first abnormality.

Axe in hand, he headed down for the fifth floor of the Dungeon. What Bell first noticed was the distinct change in colour from the upper floors. There was a dim green light that illuminated the walls of the Dungeon as he entered the fifth floor. Bell proceeded with caution, unfamiliar with the layout and the many tunnels that the fifth floor seemed to have.

But when the time came, Bell was ready. His axe carved through Goblins and Kobold's alike, freezing the ones that his blade impacted, his shield rendering them to little more than chunks of ice on the ground making their magic stone fragments easy pickings. He saw a few other adventures and was wary, it was one thing Naaza always warned him about. Never trust another Adventure's party, it's one thing she wouldn't let up on. And as Bell continued into the fifth level of the Dungeon, he began to see it. The watchful eyes he got from those in a party that was having trouble with small mobs while he was solo and not having much trouble at all. Instead of letting thing get out of hand, Bell ignored the stares and continued deeper into the floor, hoping that they wouldn't follow were more monsters would be abound. However this is what led to Bell's first steps into his next adventure.

He felt the floor rumble and he stopped immediately, the only time he had felt the ground shake was when he was facing off against the Silverback. His grip on his axe tightened as he readied his shield. Next were the shouts.

"R-Run away!" Three adventures bloody with their equipment broken, having thrown their weapons just to gain that much more momentum scurried past Bell. The retreating adventures soon disappeared from Bell's thoughts, no longer focusing on them as he stared at the beast rounding a tunnel, it's bipedal form rose high taller than the Silverback. It's cow head was a dead giveaway of what it was. A Minotaur.

This had to be some kind of joke right? Here he was, still green as grass and now he was dealing with his second abnormal situation? First it was the Silverback which was suppose to be on the 11 to 12 floor, and now a Minotaur stood in his way which was suppose to be on the 15 to 17 floors. What was he supposed to do?

If he ran, would he be worthy of Valhalla any more? Would his skill [Valkyrie's Gift] disappear? The other members of Loki Familia probably dealt with Minotaurs without a second thought, so why was he having them? He was apart of Loki's Familia.

With that thought in mind, he readied himself knowing that Naaza wouldn't be here to save himself this time. He wouldn't let his Goddess or his Familia down. They were nicknamed the Giant Slayers, or so he heard around Orario. This may not be a Giant, but it was one hell of a first step. He may be Loki's little secret now, but one day he'll be apart of the Familia like the rest. He wanted to prove to them all what Loki saw in him. He wouldn't back down from something like this!

"GRAHHHHH!" The Minotaur charged and Bell followed suit.