Some things I wanted to let you guys know about really quick. This story is also on archiveofourown so just incase fan fic . net (this website is horrible with links) finally implodes you can find the story on that website. I sometimes even upload a chapter there a day early.
Also got a question for readers. Got a question for readers. I always found it a little weird that Bell never grew in size during the story. I mean, he is 14 years old boy and that is when you usually grow a lot in height. Should I have Bell grow in height as the story progresses? If so, what height? I was thinking of capping him at 6'0 or 6'2. This would of course slightly affect some of his dialogue with other characters.
Also PSA for you guys. If you have not seen or heard of the upcoming game 'Lies of P,' go watch a trailer for it because the game looks AMAZING and a spiritual successor to Bloodborne.
(Month 1 Day 7)
The hunter's eyes creaked open and what greeted him was something he did not expect; light peeping in from the curtained off window.
'That's strange…'
Bell rose up from his bed and walked over to the window. When he pulled back the curtain, he was blinded by the light coming from the Sun that was sitting up high in the sky. Not only that, the street below was flooded with adventurers and civilians going about their business.
'Something's off… when I entered the dream I swore it was nighttime.'
Bell checked his pocket watch and to his surprise, it read 11:00 A.M.
'It's near the afternoon!?'
Bell, in disbelief, rubbed his eyes just in case there was something obscuring his vision and checked his watch again to see that his eyes were not deceiving him, it was eleven in the morning.
This could only mean one thing: time does pass while he is in the Hunter's Dream.
How does the concept of time apply in the Hunter's Dream compared to the Waking World? Does it progress at a faster rate in the Hunter's Dream? Or is it slower?
Multiple questions started to form in Bell's head as he frantically went over this shocking revelation, with one particular question standing above the rest.
'Is this a side effect of my weakened connection to the Hunter's Dream?'
He recalled Eve's words about how his connection to the Hunter's Dream was weaker compared to how it was during his eternal hunt. How dying in the Waking World could result in him losing his connection to the dream, and by extension, Eve. The thought of losing that connection forever felt akin to having his heart forcibly ripped out of his body by an invader. Bell would do everything in his power to prevent that from ever happening.
The hunter closed his eyes and placed his right hand on the abdomen below the ribcage. He then began to inhale oxygen into his lungs and after five seconds, exhaled for five more seconds. This was a process called diaphragmatic breathing, or otherwise known as deep breathing. It was a technique he learned from the various books he read in the Cainhurst castle library that was supposed to help calm him down whenever he experienced severe anxiety. After repeating this technique a couple of times, he felt calm again and opened his eyes. With a clear mind, Bell reviewed his situation and picked up two important factors.
Time did pass while he was in the Hunter's Dream.
He woke up on his bed in the same position he was when he first entered the Dream, which means his physical body stays still in the Waking World while his mind is in the Hunter's Dream.
Based on these two points, Bell hypothesized that while "dreaming," his consciousness would be in the Dream while his physical body would stay in the Waking World as an empty husk. Because of this, he would have to be conservative with the amount of time he spends in the Hunter's Dream since his physical body is defenseless while he is "dreaming." He could be wrong, but anything could be done to his physical body and he would be none the wiser while dreaming.
'In order to access the only place I feel truly safe, I have to put myself into a state that leaves me at my most vulnerable. How ironic.'
The irony behind this situation made Bell half heartedly chuckle, but the fact that he would have to be careful with the amount of time he spent in the Hunter's Dream disheartened Bell. Having less time to spend in the dream meant less time with his mother figure. Of course, he could possibly fix this by bringing Eve into the Waking World but he wasn't sure if that was possible and even if it was possible, he would have to make absolutely sure the environment was safe before even thinking of bringing her to the Waking World.
But still, Bell was also just glad he was connected to the Hunter's Dream again. Although his connection wasn't as strong as it previously was, it was still a connection nonetheless.
'I believe now is the best time to test the limits of the workshop.'
Back during his eternal hunt, the hunter was able to summon essentially everything he needed without conscious thought. If his weapon was not sufficient during a fight against a certain opponent, he would summon another weapon within a second, throwing off his opponent. If he felt life leaving him during a fight and needed to heal fast, a blood vial would materialize within his hand without conscious thought.
However, now that his connection was weaker, he needed to find the new limits in his ability to summon items from the Hunter's Dream.
Bell decided he was first going to test his ability to summon any weapon from the Hunter's Dream. Bell projected a weapon in his mind and, just like how it did back in his eternal hunt, the handle of his combined Blades of Mercy materialized within the palm of his hand. He squeezed the smooth handle within his hand as the rest of the blade materialized in a way that was similar to sliding a sword out of his sheath.
He was relieved to see that his ability to summon a weapon was still how it was during the hunt. However, does this apply to all the weapons? Bell tested this and realized the first limitation when he couldn't summon a third weapon after summoning the Burial Blade.
Unlike his time in Yharnam where he could summon an unlimited number of weapons during his hunt, he now had a limit of two weapons he could summon. For example, if he were in a fight and wanted to summon a different weapon. He could only summon the two weapons that were "equipped," per say, which as of right now, were the Blades of Mercy and his Burial Blade.
Once he felt the two weapons vanish from his hands, he decided to test the limits of the items found in the Hunter's Dreams and their limitations, although similar to his weapons, were far more forgiving. He had six "slots" that he could use to equip other items such as throwing knives, elemental papers, molotov cocktails, or other hunter's tools.
'Is that all that I am limited to? There must be some loophole or workaround.'
After a couple of moments, Bell's head shot up in realization. There was one more thing he could try. The hunter turned his gaze toward the floor.
'Messengers, come forth.'
A second after Bell thought this, a distorted hole appeared in the floor and out came three messengers who were groaning and holding their hands out to the hunter.
"Hello little ones," Bell said as he knelt down to pet the messengers. After petting the messengers for a minute, Bell began to test his idea.
"Messengers, I require a blue elixir. Can you bring that to me?"
One of the messengers gleefully nodded his head but also spoke; its voice sounding like mad rambling but the hunter, whose insight was potent enough to spot the invisible Amygdala in the Cathedral Ward, understood what they were saying in absolute clarity.
"You require blood echoes in order to do that?"
The messengers nodded their heads.
"Very well, take whatever is necessary."
The messengers dove back into the bubbled hole, off to retrieve the item their master requested of them.
The small creatures soon returned and held out the blue elixir to their master.
"Excellent. Can you bring me my Saw Cleaver?"
The messengers accomplished that too but with one small difference: it took the messengers a longer period of time to bring him the saw cleaver. Does this mean summoning weapons will take more time than items? Or does it go by weight? So many questions.
There was one more important thing Bell had to test. The white haired boy fished the key to his room out of his pocket and presented it to the messengers.
"Can you store this?"
Unlike his previous two requests, the messengers reluctantly shook their heads to the side.
Bell let out a disappointed sigh at this. The messengers refusing to take the key could only mean one thing: he wouldn't be able to store items from outside of the Dream. The messengers were distraught over disappointing their master but the hunter was quick to reassure them.
"Do not fret little ones, I am not displeased. Take the items you brought to me back into the Dream and await any further summonings." The small creatures took back the items and dove back into the bubbled hole.
Although these limitations were frustrating, Bell was sure he would be able to handle these unfortunate handicaps.
After changing out of his clothes and donning his Hunter's set, he made his way downstairs.
As Bell walked down the steps leading to the first floor, he could hear the ever increasing volume of cheerful patrons. He found himself surprised by the amount of people. Despite the fact that most adventurers were most likely in the Dungeon right now, the pub was still crowded with people. All the tables were filled with happy patrons, all the waitresses were flying around the room taking orders and delivering food. Bell was hit with a sense of deja vu when the only open spot was at the counter in front of Mia Grand. Bell walked over and took a seat at the counter.
"Well look who decided to wake up!"
Bell felt his already pleasant mood elevate even more as he listened to Mia's words. He can't help it, their banter was always nice and welcoming.
"I decided to sleep in for a change."
"Nothing wrong with doing that every once in a while. Anyway, what did you want to order?"
Bell, like he always did, pointed at a random spot on the menu.
"This."
Mama Mia looked at what he pointed at then called out to the cat chief.
"I need one order of Chicken Parmesan!"
"One order of Chicken Parmesan coming right up ~nya!"
After Bell and Mama Mia talked for a couple of minutes, May called out that his food was ready and the abnormally tall dwarf placed a plate of food in front of him. After performing his glove ritual, Bell took a bite and as always, it was delicious.
"You seem more happy," Mia said out of the blue.
"Hmm?" Bell muttered mid bite. "What makes you say that?" He asked after swallowing his bite of chicken.
"Your demeanor seems more casual and relaxed." Although it was subtle, Mia could tell the boy was in a pleasant mood. His eyes weren't darting around the pub as if he was looking for a threat, infact, they had a sense of calm to them and his shoulders were less tense than usual.
"Yeah I gotta agree!" The two turned to the gray haired waitress who definitely should be working.
"There's something about you, you just seem…" Syr eyes went up and down Bell's figure, as if inspecting him, before a smile formed on her face and she exclaimed in a cheerful tone.
"Brighter."
"Interesting comment but thanks, I just had a pleasant dream," Bell responded with a relaxed tone.
"Ooh what was in the-"
"Syr, it's rush hour and I can't have any of my workers goofing off. Get back to work right now." the dwarf said with an annoyed expression. Her tone was stern and she clearly wouldn't take no for an answer. It was actually somewhat intimidating, a normal person would have shuddered in fear but Syr's cheerful expression didn't change at all.
"Yes Mama." Syr walked back to serve the other customers. After watching Syr for a couple of moments to make sure she actually went back to work, she directed her attention back to Bell.
"Hey rabbit I gotta ask you something."
Bell raised an eyebrow at being called "rabbit" but he responded anyway.
"What is it?"
"You paid for nine days and today is the seventh day you have stayed at our pub. I was wondering what you plan to do in two days since you know."
Mia Grand didn't finish what she was insinuating but Bell understood what she was trying to say. In two days he was going to be out of a room because he paid her enough valis to have the guest room for up to nine days. Once they reached that ninth day, he would either have to cough up more valis to stay longer or get lost. Although he and Mia Grand were on good terms, she was running a business and couldn't let him stay for free.
"What I plan to do involves me asking you something," the hunter said, then took a bite of his chicken.
"What did you want to ask me?" Mia said with interest.
After finishing his bite, Bell leaned forward in his chair and adopted a serious but also curious countenance on his face.
"Can you tell me everything you know about 'adventuring'" Bell asked.
"Ooh so you decided to become an adventurer? You were reluctant before so what changed?"
"Well I have to pay the bills somehow and what better way than doing something that I am proficient at."
"Hunting… beasts right?" Mia inquired, recalling how the rabbit before her would refer to monsters as 'beasts' for some reason.
"That is correct, though I am not knowledgeable on the beasts that lurk within the Dungeon, and I know there is a complicated process with becoming an adventurer so I was hoping you could clarify that."
"What makes you think I know a thing or two about adventuring?" Bell clearly didn't buy Mia Grand's feigned ignorance because he responded to her with a deadpan expression.
"Miss Grand, three nights ago I literally saw you pick up two inebriated adventurers and toss them out of the pub. Those two men were quite large, easily at the very least 175 pounds each and you threw them out as if you were just taking out the trash. Two nights ago you scared two self proclaimed level 2 adventurers who were about to brawl when you smashed that countertop into bits with your fist. The pub went silent and those two cocky adventurers were petrified just by your glare. You don't achieve that by just being the owner of a well established pub, you achieve that with power. Power that is obtained by leveling up from adventuring."
"True, though your reasoning is a little off since although I used to be an adventurer, I wasn't an ordinary one. And that is all I am saying! So I may not be the best person to ask," Mia said.
"Then who do you suggest I ask?" Bell asked.
"Hmm…" Mia adopted a concentrated thinking expression before she turned and called out with a loud booming voice.
"Ryuu!"
Bell heard footsteps approaching his left and he turned his head to see the stoic faced green haired elf who was holding a tray full of cups and dishes.
"Yes Mama?"
"We are running low on groceries so you need to do a grocery run and buy some supplies."
Ryuu nodded her head. "Shall I bring Syr with me?" Although Ryuu's tone was still calm, he detected some slight excitement in her voice.
"No, instead you will be taking Bell with you."
"Huh?"
"What?"
Mia's statement surprised the two and sky-colored eyes met crimson before both turned back to the owner of the pub.
"Why do you want me to bring Mister Cranel? He doesn't even work here."
"Because he has a question that I believe you are the most suited to answer. Besides, it's super busy right now and I can't have two of my waitresses out during a time like this." Mia said as she gestured to the incredibly busy rush hour that was taking place in the pub. After surveying the pub, Ryuu's gaze flickered to Bell's before focusing back on Mia.
"I suppose that is fine, although has Mister Cranel agreed to this?"
Bell opened his mouth to respond but before words could leave his mouth, he was beaten to it by the six foot dwarf.
"Yes he has agreed to it because if he does I'll let him have his lunch and tomorrow's breakfast for free!"
Mia's statement caused Bell's mouth to go agape before he quickly recovered his usual stoic expression. However, his attempt to keep up appearances was in vain, based on Miss Grand's knowing smirk. Having noticed his facade was seen through, Bell just let out a disappointed sigh and nodded his head.
"Great!" Mia reached from under the counter and pulled out a piece of paper and a sack of valis and handed both to Ryuu.
"That should cover all that you need to buy on that list. Oh, and make sure you buy the extra groceries for the big reservation next week. Now scram!" Mia didn't even wait for Ryuu's reply and, with an amount of strength that surprised Bell, pushed the two outside the pub. While the hunter was taken aback by this, Ryuu took it in stride and turned to Bell.
"Let's head out."
"O-Of course. Where will we be heading?" Bell asked.
'She's strong. Very strong.'
"We will be heading to the market district which is south West of the Hostess of Fertility. Follow me."
Ryuu turned right and started to walk West and Bell followed.
The market district was filled with people of various races, once again reminding Bell on how different the atmosphere of this place was compared to Yharnam. Unlike Yharnam, whose citizens were either dead or insane, the people of Orario were energetic, cheerful, happy. Humans were conversing with all of the various races. A group of dwarfs were laughing with deep bellowed voices as they clanged their flasks which were most likely filled with alcohol together. Amazoness walked around wearing little to no clothes, drawing lustful gazes from male adventurers and contemptuous looks from elves.
Was there a possibility that Yharnam was similar to this? Happy and full of life? These thoughts filled Bell's mind before he snuffed them out.
It was pointless thinking about that nightmare. All it did was bring up awful memories that Bell wanted to banish from his hippocampus. Besides, he had something more important to focus on.
"I apologize for taking Syr's spot in your usual errand," Bell said.
"There is no need to apologize, there will be other opportunities to talk to Syr. Now…" Ryuu turned her head to look at Bell. "What was it that you wanted to ask me?" She asked with a soft gentle tone.
"Well, I was hoping you could tell me everything I need to know about pursuing the occupation of being an adventurer."
"Everything about becoming an adventurer…" The green-haired waitress trailed off with a tone that was nostalgic but also simultaneously sad. She appeared to be staring off into space, reminiscing about something based off of her small smile and… pain that lingered in her eyes. She then blinked rapidly as if to push those thoughts out of her head and looked back at Bell.
"That is quite a loaded question which will take some time to answer."
"Well, based on how long that list Miss Grand gave you is, I believe we have more than enough time to discuss adventuring," The white haired boy pointed at the list and Ryuu checked the list again and he was correct; there was well over twenty items they had to buy and it was going to be a long day.
"That we do." Ryuu nodded her head. "But before we begin, there is one question I must ask you."
"And what is that?" Bell asked, hoping she wasn't alluding to their previously unfinished conversation last night.
"Based on your… trip into the Dungeon, what do you think the Dungeon is?"
"...That is a peculiar question," the hunter said, feeling relieved that Ryuu didn't bring up their late night conversation but also confused at the green haired elf's question.
"It is an odd question," Ryuu confirmed with a nod. "But I would like to hear your thoughts on it."
The white haired boy started to ponder Ryuu's question. What is the Dungeon? All it seemed to be was a complex labyrinth that spawned beasts for adventurers to kill. Right? The only major point was that it was the only dungeon in Genkai. There was a possibility there was more to the Dungeon but his trip into it was kind of a blur. The confused hunter told her this.
"A sufficient answer for someone who went into the dungeon once, but there is so much more to the Dungeon than what meets the eye."
"What does the Dungeon have to do with an eye?"
Ryuu stopped walking and stared at Bell, who stared back at her with a tilt in his head. He gave off the impression of a curious and confused rabbit which amused Ryuu though she didn't show it.
"... When I say 'more than meets the eye,'I mean that the situation or object is more complicated and detailed than it looks. It is an idiom."
"Ooh okay. Sorry about that," Bell said, cursing his lack of social skills. Despite having Queen Annalise rebuilt his horrendous social skills during his time as her knight, she didn't teach him what she called "peasant talk" and thus didn't educate him on slang or weird sayings such as that idiom Ryuu used.
"There is no need to apologize. Anway, there is more to the Dungeon than what people think there is. During your trip into the Dungeon, wasn't it strange that the monsters appeared to spawn from the wall themselves?"
"...Yes it was strange," Bell said, confirming Ryuu's question. Although the hunter had seen a magnitude of stranger things during his time in Yharnam such as the One Reborn, an artificial god created by melting together the corpses of countless people, seeing literal monsters spawn from the walls was still pretty bizarre.
"That is because the Dungeon is alive." The green haired elf's statement caused a chill to flow through Bell's spine and he looked at Ryuu with a look of disbelief.
"Come again?" He asked, not believing what he just heard.
"The Dungeon is alive," Ryuu repeated.
"... Please explain."
"Although no one knows exactly why or how, the Dungeon acts and behaves like a living being. It is capable of repairing itself on its own and spawn monsters from its wall to deal with adventurers."
"So the Dungeon is like a living being's immunity system? Adventurers are the invading pathogens while the monsters are the Dungeon's white blood cells sent out to fight against the virus?"
"Very much like that," Ryuu confirmed with a nod, impressed by the hunter's quick analogy.
"... Please continue," Bell said, wanting to hear everything that Ryuu had to say about the Dungeon before saying anything else.
"The Dungeon also has an immense hatred toward the adventurers and deities, and will take great measures to eliminate any that walk into its floors," Ryuu added, dropping another bombshell onto the white haired boy's head.
"Hate? You mean to tell me the Dungeon can actually experience emotions?" Bell exclaimed in disbelief.
"Not all of the emotions a living being can experience but yes, it can feel hate."
"Fascinating…" Bell muttered as he pondered over what Ryuu just said to him.
"You said the Dungeon would take 'great measures to eliminate any that walk into its floors.' How great are these measures?"
"They vary depending on who is in the Dungeon. For adventurers, the Dungeon may spawn a monster party which is when an abnormal amount of monsters are spawned at once, usually done to eliminate the adventurer."
"... Is this a common occurrence?" Bell inquired.
"No, it is completely random. The likelihood of a monster party spawning when you yourself are in the Dungeon is impossible to predict," Ryuu said, shaking her head.
"What about the… deities?" Bell asked reluctantly. Ryuu detected slight scorn in the boy's tone when he said 'deities' but she ignored it and continued.
"The hate the Dungeon feels towards adventurers pales in comparison to the deities. The moment it detects one in its floors, it will immediately seal off the exits of the floor and spawn a black version of a monster. A black version of a monster is a stronger version of the monster that can display some form of intelligence." Ryuu finished as she stared at Bell, who had a look of astonishment on his face.
"... I don't really know what to say to that," he muttered after a couple seconds of silence. He was unnerved but also fascinated by what Ryuu just told him. The hunter had seen stranger things during his time in Yharnam such as the Hunter's Nightmare, an eternal hellscape where hunters drunk on blood hunt and murder each other in an endless cycle of main and misery, but a Dungeon being alive and capable of expressing hatred to its invaders was completely new to him.
"Now you see that the Dungeon is more than it appears to be," Ryuu said after giving the albino a few moments to digest what she just said. "There's more that I need to tell you."
As Ryuu and Bell walked around the market stalls, buying all the food and ingredients Mia needed, Ryuu started to go more into detail on various aspects of the Dungeon, which Bell absorbed like a sponge thrown in water.
The Dungeon was massive with only 59 floors explored and most of them haven't even been properly mapped. The Dungeon floors were divided into various sections. The upper floors consist of floors 1-12, the middle floors consist of floors 13-24 with a safe floor at floor 18 where the town of Rivira resided, lower floors consist of floors 26-36 and the deeper floors which consist of floors 37 and onward.
This led to another point: when you enter the Dungeon, prepare for a two-way trip. There are no shortcuts in the Dungeon so if you are planning on going to any floor, make sure to bring enough supplies and reserve enough strength to make it back to the surface. This especially applies to the deeper floors because some floors take more than a day to reach, such as the fifty ninth floor which takes about five days to reach.
She then went over the purpose of adventuring the Dungeon. The main purpose of adventuring was to keep the monsters at bay and from reaching the surface. Although this can be seen as a noble cause, the main incentive is fame, recognition, power, and valis. Everytime monster contains a magic stone which can be exchanged at the guild for valis.
But still, there was one point of contention about adventuring…
In order to become an adventurer, one needed to dedicate themselves to a deity and have said deity bestow upon them a falna.
"Is everything alright?" Ryuu asked, noticing how Bell twitched when she mentioned how one becomes an adventurer.
"Nothing… I just don't have a very high opinion on deities- actually no, I hate them." Bell muttered as he recalled the Moon Presence, the Great One that cursed him in Yharnam and sent him into a cycle of endless death and despair.
The boy's bold statement and the venom that he spat out when he said 'deities' caused a shudder to flow through her. It was obvious based on his tense facial expression and sudden change in tone that he indeed hated them.
Before Ryuu could ask why, the hunter quickly spoke to deny her the chance.
"Do I really need to join a familia in order to become an adventurer?" Bell spoke quickly, not liking the idea of dedicating himself to a god or goddess.
"While you don't necessarily need to be part of a familia in order to explore the Dungeon, it is usually necessary since monsters in the Dungeon are nearly impossible for people without a falna to kill. But I suppose in your case you don't need one," the elf answered.
"That's a relief… Can we please talk about something else?" The boy inquired, clearly wanting to steer the conversation away from gods, which Ryuu agreed.
"Alright… can we continue our conversation from last night?"
'Shit. Out of everything we could talk about she had to bring up that?' Bell thought with a grimace. Unbeknownst to the green haired waitress, what she wanted to talk about related to what he wanted to avoid.
"... I don't want to talk about it."
"But you said you would last night."
"I don't care. Drop it."
"Why?"
"Because revealing that to you would be revealing my darkest secret. It would be like asking you to tell me what substantial change in your life caused you to dye your blonde hair green," the aggravated hunter snapped, causing the green haired elf to recoil back with wide eyes. She reached to grab a strand of her hair and noticed that at the end of her strand was barely noticeable yellow hair.
"... It is a very personal topic for me and I don't want to talk about it. I apologize for snapping at you."
Not only was it a very personal topic to Bell, but even if he wanted to talk about it with someone else, revealing his contract to Flora, the Great One that summoned him to Yharnam, was out of the question.
What was he going to say?
'Hey Miss Lion. Before I arrived in Orario I was actually mauled by a pack of wolves and instead of being sent to the afterlife, I was summoned to the Hunter's Dream by Flora who, by the way, is a Great One which are supreme beings that can exist across multiple planes of existence. It granted me the ability to use the echoes of my enemy's blood to enhance my abilities and by slaughtering every beast in Yharnam and dying countless times, I was able to reach a level of power and skill that allowed myself to defeat the very same being that summoned me to the Hunter's Dream.'
Could he tell her that without sounding like a madman?
Absolutely not.
There was also the fact that he had only met Miss Lion last week. While she was pleasant company and was definitely capable of keeping a secret, he wasn't sure if he trusted her enough to reveal what was perhaps his greatest secret. The secret that allowed him to cheat death but changed him forever.
But still, he felt some guilt flow through him. He said he would talk to her about it yesterday and he went back on his word. Not only that, but he snapped at her.
"It's fine, I probably would have acted in a similar way if someone was trying to pry my greatest secret out of me too. I didn't know the topic was this sensitive to you." Ryuu accepted his apology which relieved Bell.
"Although…" The elf was staring at the white haired boy with an inquisitive expression, as if she was contemplating something.
"I am curious about why you think dying my hair a different color has to do with some change in my life. It's not something out of the ordinary if a woman wants to change their hair color."
"That would be the case, if you weren't an elf," Bell shot back.
"And what does being an elf have to do with that?" Ryuu questioned with narrowed eyes.
"For the past week I have been reading a plethora of books about the cultures of races and people watching."
"You were people watching," the elven waitress parroted with a raised eyebrow and deadpan tone.
"Yes I have and- oi don't give me that look it's not weird!" The childish tone Bell used as he defended himself from Ryuu's judgemental gaze was so different from his usual monotone voice that it elicited a small smile from her, which caused Bell to stop momentarily before coughing into his hand.
"Anyway, based on my observations and what I have read, I have concluded that the elven race is a prideful race that believes they are superior to the other races and their actions show this. They look down upon others, speak to other races with contempt, and do not allow people to touch them, especially members of other races. Of course not all elves act like this, especially the elves in Orario, but it isn't uncommon for an elf to act like this. No offense," Bell quickly added, not wanting to offend the elf.
"None taken. As much as it pains me to say it, what you said is true," Ryuu reluctantly admitted. She recalled her home forest of Ryumilia and how she thought that beautiful elves were the ugliest of all people because of how they treated the other races.
She was so sickened by their behavior that she decided to leave her home forest and travel to Orario, only to come to the realization that she acts exactly like the elfs in her homeland.
Only three people have been able to touch her bare skin without eliciting such a violent reaction. There was Alise, her deceased friend who was the captain of the now disbanded Astrea familia, Syr, her dear friend that brought her back from the brink of death and gave her a new reason to live. And the third…
She directed her gaze on the boy who was walking with her.
"Miss Lion, is something wrong?" Bell solicited.
"... Nothing is wrong. Please continue."
"Their behavior is unsurprising to me, considering that elves are capable of living long lives, naturally excel at magic, and are naturally sense of pride the elves have applies to multiple aspects of their life like the ones I previously stated, but one thing I did notice especially was how the elves are proud of their appearance and try to look as "naturally" beautiful as possible."
"What led you to this conclusion," Ryuu asked.
"The foundation of my findings is based on what I learned from elven culture. Elves have an intimate connection with nature and this is because their homeland are the forests such as 'The Royal Forest' which is located East of Orario. They believe it is their duty to maintain and protect the forest from external threats. This intimate connection Elves have with nature has influenced the way they want to present themselves. They are proud of their natural beauty and want to emphasize that. When I was out shopping for clothes, I noticed that one of the main selling points of shops that catered to elves was that their clothes are all made with natural materials. My second observation has to do with cosmetics."
"Cosmetics as in makeup?"
"Cosmetics are mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural resources or synthetically created ones. They serve many purposes such as skin care or to enhance or alter one's appearance. Females and goddesses frequently use cosmetics such as makeup, eyeliner, or lipstick to enhance their physical appearance but I didn't spot a single female elf that used any cosmetics. After taking these observations, I asked myself why do elves do this? It's because Elves take pride in their natural beauty and any substances that alter their appearance in an unnatural way is looked down upon, a cultural taboo essentially. This cultural taboo not only applies to makeup, but it also applies to other things that alter one's natural appearance such as tattoos…"
Bell directed his gaze to the barely noticeable strands of yellow hair in the elven waitresses' hair.
"And dyed hair."
"... I fail to see how that relates to some 'substantial change' in my life." Although Ryuu's stoic expression hasn't changed, the hunter knew he was onto something based off of her hesitation to respond, her defensive tone, and the way her grip on the bag of groceries tightened.
"You dying your hair goes against the cultural norms of the elven people. And-"
"That could just be me not following Elven customs. You said it yourself that not all elves act in ways that adhere to elven culture," Ryuu argued.
"True. You could argue that you don't adhere to those cultural norms and that has some merit. Unlike other elves, you don't speak to others with a hint of contempt. However, like the majority of elves, you don't like it when other people touch your bareskin which can lead to violent reactions, such as that incident two nights ago where you nearly broke a drunk patron's wrist when he tried to grope you. There's also the fact that I haven't seen you use any cosmetics to enhance your appearance, which is consistent with how other female elves act." Bell countered.
'Not like you need any.' The albino suddenly thought. Even by elf standards, Ryuu was exceptionally beautiful.
Ryuu opened her mouth to reply but couldn't find any words to counter Bell's argument. What he said was accurate and her actions support his claim. She, like other elves, didn't wear any makeup and she reacts violently to anyone that tries to touch her bareskin.
Seeing that the elven waitress had nothing else to say, the hunter took this as an opportunity to finalize his argument.
"Because you act in a way that adheres to Elven customs, it makes me wonder as to why you dyed your hair and I have thought up various possibilities."
Bell started to list them off.
"You could be just trying to take a step away from Elven customs," which Bell doubts concerning her behavior.
"Your friend Syr could have coerced you into dying your hair." Although unlikely, it is a possibility. He knew Syr and Ryuu were more than just close friends. Not in a romantic or sexual sense but in friendship, considering Syr is able to touch Ryuu without eliciting a violent reaction.
But the most likely reason…
"You dyed your hair because you are running from something. You are trying to hide your identity. What are you running from Miss Lion?"
Bell knew his prediction was spot on based off of Ryuu's body language. Her eyes widened a fraction, her eyebrows were raised high, her mouth was slightly agape, and her grip on the bag of groceries tightened.
Meanwhile, Ryuu was so caught off guard by Bell's deduction skills that she lost her false calm expression. Not only was he observant, but he was also very perceptive and intelligent. Although she recovered her composure in just a second, she knew the white haired boy noticed and analyzed all of her movements, based on how his eyes darted around her body during that one second.
"Now look who's prying into other people's secrets," Ryuu accused with a tone of defeat.
The hunter was put into a momentary state of pause after hearing the "green haired" waitresse's statement. Previously he snapped at her for being persistent with her questions and now here he is deducing Miss Lion's greatest secret. Didn't that make him a hypocrite?
"... I apologize if I came off that way, I was just trying to prove a point. The question I asked was merely a rhetorical one that I do not expect you to answer. You have your secrets, and I have mine so let's just leave it at that."
"I agree," Ryuu said with relief in her voice. She was relieved that the boy's question was merely a rhetorical one. Hiding her identity was paramount. She was the infamous Gale Wind, an ex high level 4 adventurer of the Astrea familia that went on a rampage and slaughtered the entire Rudra familia. If he deduced who she was and reported her to the guild, she would have to live on the run which would devastate her because she would have to leave behind her new home and new friends. She was just glad Bell wasn't going to push for an answer.
"However, I am willing to make a compromise."
"Hmm?"
Ryuu directed her eyes back to Bell, who shifted the grocery bag to his left arm and raised his right hand.
"You can ask me three questions and I shall answer them to the best of my ability," Bell compromised while holding up three fingers.
"Why the sudden compromise?" Ryuu asked. She was grateful that Bell was willing to compromise but it just seemed out of nowhere.
"I kinda feel bad for snapping at you previously and then deducing the reason you dyed your hair."
Bell's calm gaze suddenly became softer.
"But I'm also doing it because you are nice to me and have treated me well. Our conversations in the morning have always been pleasant, and you kept my… incident in the bathroom a secret. So thank you and ask away."
To say that Ryuu was surprised would be an understatement. From the seven days she has spent with him at the Hostess of Fertility, it became apparent to her that Bell was a very private person. Whenever the other waitresses would ask him questions on where he was from or what was his life like before coming to Orario, he would either provide a vague answer or subtly and skillfully evade the question. He was very reluctant to share his past with anyone but now he was allowing her to ask him three questions. She truly didn't know that her actions had this much of an impact on him.
There were a plethora of questions that she could ask.
'Why do you dislike people touching your bareskin?'
'What happened in the bathroom?'
'What is the purpose of your 'glove ritual' whenever you eat food?'
'Why do you wear gloves even though it is incredibly hot outside?'
'Why do you have a dog whistle around your neck?'
'Why did you go into the Dungeon in the dead of night?'
'You look like a rabbit, can I pet your head?'
'...!?' Ryuu didn't know what caused that question to form in her head but she focused on the questions that not only was she curious about but also Syr. As she was thinking about her questions, her eyes wandered to the sheath that hung at Bell's waist.
"My first question is about your weapon. How did you obtain such a weapon? I have never seen anything like it."
A smile formed on Bell's face and his right hand unconsciously caressed the handle of his Rakuyo.
"Ah my Rakuyo. 'Tis truly a one of a kind blade that you won't find anywhere else. It was gifted to me by my master, Lady Maria." Nostalgia radiated from his voice as he recalled the moment he defeated his master.
"It must have been an impactful moment for you," Ryuu commented.
"Oh it was," Bell declared with an elevated voice. "It was long and arduous, but after countless duels I was finally able to defeat her and she gave me her blade."
'Which only took over 1,000 deaths.' Bell thought though it would be best to leave that part out. He was pretty sure he was the only human that has experienced death's embrace multiple times and come back from the dead.
"She must have been quite skilled."
"Yes… yes she was," Bell responded with a faraway look, as if he was reliving the memories he had with his master.
"I have another question about your weapon."
"What is it?"
"I noticed that the pommel of your sword is attached to what appears to be a knife. Can you explain that?"
When Ryuu asked that question, Bell felt the corner of his mouth rise.
"Have you ever heard of a trick weapon?" Confidence leaked from his voice, as if he already knew the answer, and his confidence bore fruit when Ryuu replied.
"No, can't say I have."
"As expected. This world hasn't caught up yet," Bell mumbled the last part under his breath, unknowingly being heard by the waitress. The sentence surprised her. He was speaking as if he was an outsider… of this world.
But before Ryuu could give the sentence any more thought, the white haired boy spoke up.
"A trick weapon is a weapon that is capable of transforming into a different version of itself or even a completely different weapon."
Confusion was written all over Ryuu's face so he elaborated.
"For example, I possess a blade that is capable of transforming into a bow. As for my Rakuyo, if I desire to, I can detach the knife from the pommel of my blade and dual wield them."
"...I find it hard to believe there is a sword capable of transforming into a bow."
Ryuu didn't know what to say other than that. A sword capable of transforming into a bow was preposterous and hard to wrap her head around. No one, not even the best blacksmiths in Orario had come up with such a weapon before, which brings up another question: Where was Bell from? Just based on his transformable weapons, she could tell that the place he came from was more technologically advanced than even Orario when it came to weaponry.
"Hmm… Perhaps I could show you it sometime. Anyway, what is your next question?"
Ryuu opened her mouth to ask where he was from but stopped herself, because there was something she was concerned about, so she decided to ask about that instead.
"Why do you treat Syr differently from the rest of us?"
"...Are you really going to waste your second question on something like that?" Bell asked with surprise in his voice.
"I do not consider it a waste." Ryuu replied quickly. "I have noticed that you act more… distant and cold towards her compared to the rest of us and she is saddened by it. She is my best friend and I want to be a good friend for her, so if she has done anything to you that caused this behavior, I can assure you she didn't mean anything by it."
Bell was quiet and there was a brief pause before he began to speak.
"I don't have anything against her, it's just…"
'How the hell was he supposed to answer this?'
As of right now there was no evidence to suggest that Syr was a threat to him, it was just his gut feeling that he trusted during his eternal hunt was screaming at him that she was dangerous. Well, at least at the beginning when he first encountered her.
It didn't make sense either. Unlike the other waitresses who were definitely ex adventures, Syr was someone who had no falna, which meant he could quickly end her life if he desired to. Of course that wouldn't end well for him since he knew how protective every waitress and Miss Grand was towards her. He knew they had to be high level adventurers and he wasn't sure how the power scaling of a deity's falna compared to his contract with Flora. He would have to find some way to test that to see how he was compared to first tier adventurers.
Bell hypothesized that his wariness could be because of her confidence and overly cheerful attitude. She was surrounded by waitresses and adventurers that could most likely end her life in an instant but despite that, she appeared as if she was always in her element. This is because of course they are her friends but he had also noticed she holds some sort of power over them. For example, Chloe had a fixation on his rear and sometimes she would try to grab it. Of course, he would slap her hand away every single time but she only stopped when she received a glare from Syr.
Another peculiar abnormality he noticed from Syr that set her apart from the other waitresses was how she responded to Miss Grand's more threatening commands. Miss Grand was the type of owner of an establishment that tolerated no bullshit from her customers and staff. Whenever she would command her waitresses to do something with a loud and imposing tone, all of the waitresses, even the stoic Miss Lion, would shudder in fear and carry it out without a second thought. But not Syr, her cheerful expression would never change and she would follow the command in a nonchalant manner. She even displayed this behavior earlier in the afternoon when Miss Grand told her to get back to work after she commented on how he was "brighter."
Bell let out a frustrated sigh in his mind. Maybe he is overthinking it and her behavior was part of the concept of friendship. Bell could confidently say he was knowledgeable in a lot of things, but friendship was not one of them.
As much as he himself wanted to be part of it.
"I think her overly cheerful attitude caught me off guard. From where I came from, people with a cheerful attitude were putting on a facade to just use you and discard you once your use had run out."
"I am sorry to hear that, but Syr is one of the kindest people I have ever met so I can reassure you that Syr's kindness is genuine," Ryuu earnestly said.
"Yes, her kindness is genuine," Bell quietly said, recalling how she helped him yesterday and actually expressed genuine concern for him, which was rare since he could only recall two people in his life actually being worried about him.
"I can't promise I will treat her as if she was my best friend, but I shall stop acting so cold and distant toward her."
"I am relieved to hear that, thank you." Ryuu said with relief in her voice.
"What is your last question?"
"...Why do you hate the gods?"
Bell's feet stopped moving and he stood in the center of the crowded street with an unreadable expression.
"I'm sorry Mister Cranel for asking such an invasive question. I let my curiosity get the best of me and-"
"It's fine, I said I would answer your three questions without fail and I shall hold myself to that. But please give me a few moments to construct an answer for you."
"Of course," Ryuu replied. She could tell this was a sensitive topic for Bell which caused her to feel guilty for asking such a question, but she was also curious. The deities are revered for their falnas and contributions to life on Genkai, so why did he harbor such hatred for them?
After a few moments, Bell turned to Ryuu and began to speak.
"I… I wasn't always like this, you know?" Bell said with a sad tone as he gestured to himself with his hands. "While I was traveling to Orario, I was just like any happy country boy. Ignorant and eager to explore the world and escape their mundane village. I.."
A chuckle escaped the boy's lips. It was a pleasant sound and seemed so out of character for Bell that it took Ryuu a couple of seconds to realize it was coming from the white haired boy's lips.
"I even had a humorous but rather… embarrassing goal that I wanted to accomplish in Orario," Bell chuckled, thinking of his goal of "picking up" girls in a dungeon by saving them similar to a hero in those fairy tales and even getting himself a harem. It was a ridiculous goal planted in his head by his grandpa.
'Grandpa…' His dear grandpa that he remembered next to nothing about. Oh how he wished he retained the memories of all the time he spent with his now deceased grandfather.
"I even wanted to be a…" The boy trailed off and his expression became more melancholic.
'A hero.' He didn't deserve to utter that word. He tried to be one in Yharnam and he failed spectacularly. He let Caroline be devoured by a pig, Arianna and the lonely old lady were gutted like a fish by an insane Adella. Eileen, his dear master, bled out on the staircase of the Grand Cathedral. These are just samples of his failure to be a hero in Yharnam.
"I was a country boy who had yet to experience the hardship that existed beyond his village…and I paid dearly for my ignorance," the albino muttered, recalling the moment his life ended for the first time. He could never properly remember the specific moment he died, considering it happened an eternity ago, but he never forgot the sensation of having his throat ripped out by a wolf.
"Something happened… which led to a chain of events that completely changed me. I was no longer a naive country boy, I became a hunter who was only good at hunting beasts. And it was all because of that despicable being." Bell seethed the last sentence out in anger and his grip on the bag of groceries started to tighten.
"That deplorable god forced me to experience a never ending cycle of pain and misery that I wouldn't even wish upon my worst enemy. I had to do things that I will have to live with for the rest of my life. I fucking hate that awful-"
Crumble.
Bell, in his anger, accidentally squeezed the grocery bag, causing a majority of its contents to spill all over the ground.
"My apologies, I got carried away. I have just never had a single good experience with a god, which is why I hate them."
"It's fine, I can wash these when we return to the bar." Ryuu quickly said to reassure Bell as the two squatted down to pick up the spilled contents.
"And I understand how you feel."
"You do?" Bell asked in astonishment. Once everything was back in the bag, the two both stood up but didn't move. Sapphire eyes meet ruby.
"There are deities out there that want to do nothing but cause destruction and pain to those around them. A lot of adventurers and ordinary people have suffered because of the actions of some of the gods. I…" Sadness gleamed in Ryuu's sapphire eyes as she faltered in her sentence before continuing.
"I have suffered from their actions too and I loathe them for it. But still…" The elven waitress's mood elevated and her expression became more relaxed.
"There are good gods and goddesses out there. They are some of the most kind and compassionate people you will ever meet." Ryuu said, feeling a sense of happiness as she recalled her goddess before her life was turned upside down. She looked at Bell and could tell he was skeptical of what she was saying.
"I am not trying to change your perception of deities, that would be presumptuous of me. I just hope a god or goddess treats you with kindness."
"..."
The boy didn't reply but Ryuu could tell he was contemplating what she just said to him. She checked her list and was relieved to see that she needed one more item which was in the store in front of them. She turned to the boy who still had a contemplative look on his face.
"There is one more item I need to buy and it is in the store beside us. Would you like to wait out here? I'll only be gone for a few minutes."
"Yes that would be preferable," Bell mumbled. Ryuu nodded her head and walked into the store, leaving Bell alone on the busy street.
'A god that actually cares about mortals… What a strange thought.' The Great Ones were the cause of the plague that plunged Yharnam into its forever state of anarchy and chaos. They didn't care at all for the human beings whose lives they have ruined or destroyed. All they cared about was to find a surrogate for their lost children. This was even done by the Moon Presence, who attempted to foster a new child for their own. Though Bell didn't understand how summoning hunters and having them hunt would achieve that goal. The thought processes of Great Ones were so bizarre and different from mortals that it was impossible to understand them.
But then again, the Great Ones are substantially different from the gods in Genkai.
Is… she actually-
"...Rabbit…"
It was a faint whisper, barely audible, but the hunter's enhanced senses picked up on the whisper and he turned around to face the source.
And his fists clenched at his side.
It was a god. The god that stood before him had long dark blue hair and eyes of the same color. He wore a slightly worn out black robe, a tan brown stole that reached down past his shoulders and brown shoes.
"Who are you calling a rabbit, god?" Bell sneered the last word of his sentence as he glared at the deity before him. The last thing that he wanted to do right now was interact with a god. Being called a rabbit didn't even bother him too much, but just hearing it from a deity was enough to nearly set him off.
The god's eyes widened when he heard Bell's statement. The hunter deduced he most likely didn't realize he said his thoughts out loud.
"Oh whoops. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to say that out loud." The god lightly chuckled but it soon trailed off when he noticed how hostile the young boy's visage was. His comment about the boy's appearance looking like a rabbit must have ticked off the boy so he tried to make amends.
"I'm really sorry about that comment, I didn't mean to offend you."
"..." The boy's glare didn't lessen at all so the god tried a different approach.
"Let's start over. My name is Miach, god of the Miach familia. Nice to meet you," Miach said with a cheerful voice as he held out his hand to the boy for a handshake.
Bell glanced at the outstretched hand and felt disgusted by it. He ignored the outstretched hand and directed his eyes back to the deity.
"I didn't ask for your name, god. Now what do you want with me?"
The god's countenance saddened and he lowered his outstretched hand in defeat.
'Good, maybe now he will go away.'
But to his surprise, the god recovers his jovial expression and continues to speak.
"I haven't seen you around in Orario so you must be new. Are you trying to become an adventurer?"
'He is STILL trying to talk to me?' Bell thought in disbelief.
"That's none of our business," Bell sternly replied.
The god was not put off by this and he set his massive bag on the ground and began to rummage through it. Although Bell wanted this social interaction to be done as soon as possible, he found himself waiting for what the god was trying to grab from his bag. He didn't even know why he was still talking to the deity when the last thing he wanted to do right now was interact with one. Was it because he didn't want to back down? Did he want to prove to himself that he could one up a god? He honestly didn't know, so he stood still and waited for the deity.
The god's hand retracted from the bag and he was holding what appeared to be two flasks that appeared to have some purple liquid sloshing in them.
"What are those?" Bell asked.
"They are healing potions. Although they are not the best, they can save your life in the dungeon. Take them," Miach said as he held them out to Bell.
'Oh, so that is what he is trying to do.'
"If you are trying to sell them to me, I'm not buying them." Bell snapped back.
"Nope." Miach smile grew wider. "They are free."
For the first time since the beginning of their conversation, the boy's distrusting and hostile demeanor dissolved. The boy had a look of disbelief on his face for just a second before adopting a more cautious one.
'He's offering me healing potions… for free?' Bell thought as he examined the healing potions.
'No, there's more at play with this.' Judging from his appearance and what he just offered to Bell, the god most likely specialized in potions. This could be some sort of manipulation tactic, manipulating him into becoming a frequent customer at his store by offering him free potions as a "sample."
"Are these samples of your products? So that I shop at your store? That's not enough for me to take them."
"Nope," Miach said once again. "They are completely free. In fact, just to prove to you that I am not trying anything, I won't even tell you the name of my store."
The god's statement perplexed Bell. He was offering him potions for free and there was no ulterior motive. All deities were greedy and viewed mortals as playthings for their amusement. So why was he doing this?
"...Why are you offering free healing potions? I have been rude to you the entire conversation. I… I don't understand."
The smile on the god's face changed. Bell couldn't quite tell, but the smile, while still jovial, was more… caring and compassionate. It was a smile you would give to someone that you cared for.
"It's because I don't want to see a young man like you die in the dungeon."
The god then looked off with a look of sadness.
"Too many young adventurers die in the dungeon. Seeing them run into the dungeon and never come back up is always hard to watch and something I don't think I'll ever get used to."
The god then looked back to Bell with that same compassionate smile.
"If giving you these potions can prevent a young boy like you from dying in the Dungeon, then I am willing to part from them. So please."
Miach raised his outstretched hand even more.
"Take them."
"..."
The flabbergasted hunter gazed at Miach's face and to his shock, he was telling the truth. He could detect no lie from the god. There was a certain look in Miach's eyes, as if pleading for him to take the healing potions.
After a brief pause, Bell slowly raised his right hand and delicately took the offered potions. Miach smiled at this, satisfied that he was able to give the young boy something that could help him with his troubles in the dungeon. He then put a hand on the boy's shoulder and to the boy's surprise, he didn't flinch.
"Be safe out there." Those were the last words that Miach uttered to the boy before he began to walk back to his home, mentally preparing himself for the harsh reprimand he will most definitely be receiving from the captain (and only member) of his familia.
The confused hunter watched as Miach disappeared into the crowd. He opened his mouth to call out to the god but no words left his mouth.
Why? Why would a god do something like this?
Suddenly, he recalled what Ryuu said minutes before his conversation with Miach.
'There are good gods and goddesses out there. They are some of the most kind and compassionate people you will ever meet.'
Bell directed his eyes back to the two healing potions.
"...Is she actually right?"
Sorry that this took a long time to publish. College has been bending me over and having their way with me and I encountered a lot of writers block with this chapter. It was mainly occurring with Ryuu and Bell's dialogue. It also doesn't help that I think my weakest aspect in writing is conversations between characters which I hope will improve overtime. I'm not even really that satisfied with what I wrote but whatever. Let me know what you thought. Also this is the biggest chapter I have ever written. I didn't really expect the chapter to be THIS big but I wanted to nail the dialogue and I hope I did. I don't think chapters being this big will be a common occurrence.
Sorry if you are getting bored with constant dialogue. Next chapter should have Bell exploring the Dungeon.
Anyway onto the reviews.
enumeaelish666: It would be a shame if Bell joined a family, I know one of the benefits is that the guild won't bother him for going into the dungeon or doing something illegal but I think you could leave out the benefits of joining a family so that you history is more original and by taking a Bell from before that will arrive in Orario and then join him to a family after expressing his distrust of the gods even if there are good ones, it would be a waste. Now as for the weapons, it would be great if Bell used the scythe like Ruby Rose from RWBY, great if it turns it into a hybrid of a firearm, and later on the moonlight sword that very well can be a divine weapon instead of a magic weapon . He also asked me what level you will give to the arcane objects, the power they have as a game mechanic or the lore such as "a call from beyond" that by its description makes a tear in reality to take the power of a star ?
Author: I could see why you think that but there are some positives of Bell joining a familia. If Bell did join a familia it would be a huge step of character development for him since he would be moving past his hatred for the deities. While some of the gods in Genkai are certainly shitty people, they are not nearly as bad as the Great Ones, Bell just hasn't fully realized that yet. Also joining just so the guild doesn't bother him about going into the dungeon is one of the smaller side benefits. Joining a good familia would give Bell more opportunities for friendship and even finding people that he can consider family to him, just like how Bell considered his familia members his family in canon. Don't worry Bell is definitely going to be using a scythe like Ruby from RWBY. I can also say the same for the Moonlight Great Sword. As for the arcane objects and how powerful they will be, I am not entirely sure yet. One hunter's tool that I am sure about is the Hunter's Bone which will not only do what it does in the game, but it will also increase his agility while using it.
Fortitude501: I wonder what Bell's opinion when encountering eccentric yet somehow competent gods like Ganesha. I mean the dude build a statue as an entrance to his banquet and its doorway is beneath its crotch! Also he likes to call out his name "I AM GANESHA" out in the open like he's declaring how awesome he is. I can't wait for his unexpected meeting with this one lol
Author: Ha! Bell would probably think he is a narcissist but his mind would go blank upon seeing how competent the god actually is when he is serious. If they ever interact with each other their interaction will certainly be interesting to write about.
Zasun: So we have a place Bell can go to when he needs, an unknown plan, and we know he's on his last life. Lots of progress made! I was hoping he could somehow bring Eve to Orario but I don't think her doll.. magic? would really work. Oh well. Happy to see Bell have some plans laid out though! Great stuff as always!
Author: Dont worry Bell is definitely going to bring Eve to Genkai at some point. Glad you liked the chapter and thanks for reviewing!
Grimmsoul1: This is a nice chapter. I terms of weapons I want to see, otherthan the Burial Blade, I'd like for Bell to use the Holy Moonlight Sword. Another weapon that would be incredibly fun to use is the Whirligig Saw, no one has ever used it in a fic for some reason.
Author: He will definitely use those two weapons at some point.
sSeth Enjoyer: Doll gives wisdom; Bell. exe restart in 3... 2... 1...
Author: Yep. Eve's wisdom is too much for Bell's mind :)
Xealchim: Nice, on one hand Eve confirmed my suspicion about Bell Not Ascending properly that would have cleared his hunter maddness (i think) and that little bit about the Dream keeps Bell from being OP and unkillable to just Op lol not like he'll need till like floor 60 maybe
Author: Yep Bell didn't ascend properly because he died while fighting the Moon Presence. Bell having unlimited lives would be WAY TOO OP lol. He is already going to be powerful and his experience will make him a force to be reckoned with. Giving him unlimited lives would be too much.
Erich Der Riesenkonig: Oh man! Watching Eve and Bell interacting give me so much joy. And see bell's reaction when hear can no longer see Eve make me have a question. Does bell love Eve? I need answer!
Author: Glad watching them interact gave you a lot of joy! Yes Bell does love Eve. Unlike Bell in canon who had Hestia, this Bell never had a mother figure which Eve was able to fill in. He cares for her immensely because she was always there for him when the hunt became too much. You could say part of the reason as to why he was able to complete the hunt and keep his sanity intact (or what is left of it lol) was because of Eve. As of right now, Eve is the most important person to Bell.
Jokkejaa: Would like to see blades of mercy at use, although i have no idea when and why.
Author: He will definitely be using them at some point. The blades of Mercy have sentimental value to Bell since one of his masters used them.
Rafaelc538: Made an account just to review, favorite and follow this story which is incredible btw cause I've read literally thousands of fanfic on ffn, 1000for sure... Anyway I was just sayin that cause I really like your fanfic and hope you keep going. Liked your character development of Bell, liked the way you introduced and progressed through Bloodborne and pretty much everything else you did besides the way you introduced Lili. Anyway awesome fic!
Author: Wow I am flattered thanks! Glad you liked almost everything about the fic besides the way Lili was introduced. I knew not everyone was gonna like how she was introduced but that section of the chapter was fun to write.
Windeboren: Loved your story so far. A really interesting crossover. I always thought the setting of danmachi was very interesting, but the main character personalty isnt really that engaging for me. So this is a nice varation to read about. Thanks for writing it.
Author: Glad you like the story. I too always thought the setting of danmachi was interesting and like you, thought the main character's personality wasn't that engaging. In fact, I dropped the anime series years ago because of him until I decided to give the anime a second try and I am glad I did.
dragonfighter1: I hope this a) isn't a harem, and b) is a Ryuu pairing. Don't think I've seen a story where she's the only girl. I feel like every story always adds 5-10 others which ruins them tbh. In any case, I'm looking forward to more. I'm curious as to how a falna will affect him if that's where he's heading, also curious as to what his soul looks like to Syr/Freya. Hope instead of being obsessed with his 'pure' soul, she instead maybe feels sympathy at his clear PTSD. She is a war god after all, so she'd prolly notice~
Author: Originally this was going to be a harem but I am not sure anymore. I am thinking of sticking with one pairing MAYBE two thats about it. I will probably ask the readers about this in the future. If I just go with one pair, I may write a separate story that contains "episodes" of Bell if he was in a romantic relationship with someone else. Not really sure yet. As for Ryuu, I can recommend you two good fics where she is the main heroine. 'Like a Fairy' by Ventanus is very good and imo the best Bell x Ryuu fic out there. 'Sylphid's Happiness' is also another really good one. Now that I think about it, there aren't a lot of Bell x Ryuu fics which is a shame.