Chapter 23: Heroic Myth

Bell had gotten off much more lightly than he thought he would. He still got an earful from Caster and Archer when he got back to the camp and passed out in his sleeping bag before he could have dinner but other than that everything went rather well.

He still had to go and apologize to each of the girls he saw at the pool though but thanks to Hermes being caught, Bell's innocence was upheld and they all forgave him.

Asfi, Hermes's captain, even apologized to Bell in turn for her god's antics causing Bell so much trouble.

Caster and Lily had met with the Loki Executives to talk about the robed figures they had seen but nothing seemed to have come out of it other than Finn telling Caster that they had met someone similar down in the Deep Floors.

And so the night ended and morning came.

X-x-X-x-X

"Goliath should be spawning today," Finn said as Caster sat with the Loki Executives again. "But I would suggest that you hold off on it either way."

"You do not believe we can handle it?" Caster asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh no, if you and Saber are anything on Archer's level, I fully expect you to be able to handle a Goliath. But with what has been happening lately, I have a bad feeling about it."

"Is that the instinct of a High Class Adventurer? Or the scheme of someone after the Magic Stone?"

Though Caster's words were accusing, his face had an amused smile on his face, telling Finn that he was merely joking.

"Well, I won't deny that the stone could help our dwindling coffers a bit," the Pallum admitted with a laugh. "But between the Spirit and Evilus wandering around on this very Floor…I can't help but think that the Dungeon is planning something as well. The rather huge delay for the respawn is a bit concerning as well."

"There's also the fact that Lord Hermes is still here," Riveria added. "The Dungeon does not take kindly to the presence of the Gods within its confines. He says that he only came here to speak with us but he has not left yet…as far as we can tell anyway."

After the peeping incident, the God had taken his Familia and left in the direction of Rivira but none of their lookouts had reported him leaving through the staircase yet.

"The machinations of that god do not concern me," Caster replied, shaking his head. "The Goliath is to be a stepping stone for Hestia Familia's future. We will proceed as planned."

"Well, I won't stop you," Finn said with sigh. "I don't have the right to interfere with another Familia's plans even if you are sharing them with us."

"And you?" Caster asked. "Will you be continuing your search for that masked Tamer?"

"I'd love to but we don't have the resources to stay here much longer," Finn replied. "As soon as you're done with the Floor Boss, we'll be leaving."

"I should thank you for your generosity I suppose."

"Call it paying you back for the wine."

"Humph."

"Don't suppose I could buy a bottle off of ya?" Gareth asked hopefully.

"Even if you were to empty your Familia coffers, you would not have enough to convince me to part with a single bottle," Caster replied with a smirk. "Although…I suppose that is not saying much in its current state."

That remark got a few pained smiles in return from the executives.

X-x-X-x-X

"It's finally time, huh?" Welf muttered as he punched his palm.

"Yes…" came the answer from a rather pale looking Lily.

They were walking through the Loki Camp which was in the middle of packing up their tents now that their members were finally back on their feet. They would leave as soon as the Goliath was defeated…or as soon as Hestia Familia retreated from the fight.

Bell didn't think they would retreat. If it became too much, Archer or Saber would strike it down in an instant. Sure that might cause some problems in the long run but it was better than someone dying.

"You sure you're up to it though, Bell?" Welf asked, turning to him. "You did come back last night half melted after all."

"That was just my clothes," Bell replied. Thanks to Caster's potion, Bell was right as rain once morning came. "And a bit of my hair but I'm fine. Lefiya said that it could be considered a Level 4 monster in its own right so I think I got some good experience for the Goliath too."

"Mmm…Lily will trust the words of a Second Class Adventurer then," Lily nodded.

"No need to act so worried, Lil'Ly! You'll be in the back with Caster right? No way your Captain will let anything bad happen to you."

"Master Welf doesn't understand Lily's trouble at all! So please be quiet!"

"Uwah, harsh as always…"

As they reached the stairwell to the Seventeenth Floor they found Archer waiting for them.

"Good, you're here," Archer said with a nod. "Caster thinks it'll pop out any minute now so let's get ready."

"We're going to go up before it's even out?" Bell asked.

"Do you want to go up with a giant monster glaring at us or go up before the giant monster can get out of bed, so to speak?"

"Uhh…let's go first then," Bell replied as Assassin, Welf and Lily nodded their heads in agreement.

As they climbed the stairs, Bell's heart began to race as their steps echoed in the stairway. This was it. He was going to fight his first Floor Boss. Another step toward fulfilling his dream.

But when they reached the Seventeenth Floor, the strange oppressive feeling returned. As if he was just an insignificant bug in the face of a Monster Rex.

Saber and Caster were standing in the center of the room, the king with his arms crossed in front of his chest while the knight had his hands folded behind his back.

"You have kept me waiting," Caster said simply. "I trust you are all well prepared?"

The three mortal Adventurers nodded their heads.

Lily had her knife, a small Magic Sword, and crossbow with plenty of bolts created by Archer and Welf.

Welf had his own great sword and the other one still wrapped in cloth on his back. He had said it was a good luck charm when Bell asked about it but was it also a spare blade just in case?

And there was Bell who had his longsword, Hestia Knife, minotaur Knife (Dubbed Ushiwakamaru by Welf when Mino-tan was rejected), and the silver knife created by Archer. Bell had wanted to use the mythril axe he got from the hole but it was so worn out that Archer and Welf said that it would probably fall apart if it hit anything else.

"You sure you'll be okay, Welf?" Archer asked. "Working with someone like me?"

"I'll be fine," Welf grunted, unable to look away from the Wall of Sorrows. "It's not like you break your blades on purpose or anything."

Welf had talked to Archer about the battle plan while Bell had been fighting for his life the other night.

He had been surprised at Archer's magic in the way that it made him feel redundant but Assassin, Bell and Lily weren't allowed to use anything Archer created outside of a few daggers that even someone like Welf could make while half asleep to keep their Status from becoming stagnant.

Still, seeing Archer create in seconds what Welf spent several hours to days to make was enough to make him cry a bit. No wonder Tsubaki had told Welf to try and sweet talk him into joining their Familia.

Still, if Archer could reproduce weapons like that maybe Welf could get some notes by taking a look at some High Class weapons.

No, that would feel like cheating especially after he got a lot of information from Saber's Gram.

He had wanted to grow under his own merits and ideals. Seeing one super crazy sword like that was enough. All that was left was to get the Blacksmith Development Ability to makes his plans a reality.

"I'll do it. I'll definitely Level Up today!"

Standing beside the pumped up Welf, the still nervous and pale looking Lily was sighing to herself. She had only eaten a little for breakfast but even so, the sheer terror she was feeling made her feel nauseated like she was going to empty what little food she had in her stomach out over her own feet.

"Hold your head high, Arde."

Lily looked up at the back of Caster as he spoke to her without turning around, eyes still facing the massive Wall of Sorrows.

"You are standing amongst heroes," Caster said. "Is that not something to be proud of? You are not the same sniveling child you were mere months ago. You are my attendant. On that position alone you have risen up above the rest of the rabble. Something most of your race aside from Deimne has failed to do."

"Umm…there's the Gulliver Brothers of Freya Familia," Lily pointed out. "They're all Level 5."

Grer, Alfrigg, Dvalinn, and Berling, more commonly known as the Gulliver Brothers, are four Pallum members of the Freya Familia and had collectively received the Alias of Bringar, The Four Soldiers of Amber. Along with Finn, they were the few living pallum legends on part with the Knights of Fianna themselves.

Caster responded by turning his head ever so slightly so that his eye could be seen over his shoulder looking down on Lily. She definitely shouldn't have run her mouth.

"I've no interest in fools who are so beyond blindly devoted to a Goddess that they would try to keep her affection for themselves," Caster said. "Especially not fools that even the gods can't be bothered to tell apart. The only one in that Familia of note is Ottarl. Although he is slavishly devoted to the point that he is more or less a living and breathing extension of the goddess's will, he understands that a Goddess of Love cannot be contained to a single vessel. That jealousy is pointless in the face of a being that embodies love."

…Was that how it was in the Freya Familia? Was it some twisted version of the old Soma Familia where the members would fight amongst themselves for Freya's love? It probably wasn't as bad as Freya seemed to at least care about her children so she would probably stop any fights before it spiraled out of control. But considering Ottarl's reputation, it was more likely that they proved their love to her by going into the Dungeon and gaining Levels. Ottarl at the top at Level 7, three executives at Level 6 and the Gulliver brothers at Level 5.

That was the Familia who rivaled Loki Familia.

And yet in the eyes of the king, all but Ottarl were mere fodder.

"Umm…is Lord Caster planning on destroying Freya Familia?" Lily asked fearfully.

"So long as the Goddess Freya keeps to her own toys and away from mine, she is free to go about her way."

In short, Caster was perfectly willing to destroy them should the need arise. Such was the arrogance and power of the King of Heroes.

"…Hmm?"

Caster glanced up toward the ceiling for a moment before turning to look over his shoulder at the same time as Bell flinched and started looking around.

"Something wrong, Bell?" Archer asked.

"I feel like someone or something's watching us…" Bell muttered as he looked around to try and find the source. "Is it the Dungeon?"

"That is most likely a sign that the Monster Rex is approaching," Saber assumed. "We should prepare ourselves…mm?"

Saber turned his head toward the stairs leading down to the Eighteenth Floor at the same time as the other Servants.

"People are coming," Assassin pointed out.

Bell turned toward the stairs and saw three Adventurers climbing the stairs to the Seventeenth Floor, no doubt planning on heading toward the surface after a long stay in Rivira. Three older men probably in their mid-thirties were laughing and chatting to themselves as they were walking. When they walked about a fourth of the way across the Floor, they spotted Bell and the others who had been waiting for the Goliath to spawn at the far center of the room.

"Hah? What are you lot doing over there?" The one in the middle, a rough looking Adventurer covered in scars with a practically big one on the side of his face called out. "You can't be waiting for the Goliath with only seven people?"

"Level 2 Mord 'Ruffian Dog' Lantro, Ogma Familia" Caster muttered for the sake of the others. "Humph, the gods can show their wisdom on occasion I suppose."

Once Caster finished speaking he turned his eyes back toward the Wall of Sorrows as Lily moved herself so that her body was hidden by the Servants as much as possible, clearly not wanting to deal with the other Adventurers.

Saber had taken a step to the side to block Assassin from view while Archer turned his body to face them as well as shield Bell and Welf.

If Mord was Level 2 then the other two people behind him were probably the same as well if they were only a party of three. It was unlikely a Level 1 could make it all the way down here without a lot of help after all. And it wasn't as though they had a Spirit with them, right?

"Why ya acting all defensive for?" Mord asked. "If you're looking to commit suicide we ain't gonna stop ya. Hell, can we watch?"

"Sorry but Loki Familia has already booked all the seats," Archer cooly replied. "You'll have to ask them."

Archer finished by flashing the token Finn had given him when they had hired his services causing Mord to click his tongue.

"Damn, and here I thought I'd get to see a show before we head back up."

"Forget it Mord," the tallest of the group said as he tapped his friend on the shoulder. "Let's just go before-"

Crack!

Bell, Welf, Lily and the three outsiders flinched at the noise before as one, they all turned toward the Wall of Sorrows and saw that a splendid crack had appeared in the massive wall, stretching all the way from top to bottom like a massive lightning bolt.

Crack! Crack!

Several more bolt shaped cracks littered the wall as Lily took several steps away from it, looking like she would like nothing better than to run away.

"…What is this?" Caster muttered as he looked at the cracking wall…or rather something beyond it.

Those words caused both Bell and Lily to turn their heads away from the wall and stare at Caster.

It was faint, but the words of the normally self-assured and confident king carried a slight hint of uncertainty…as if he was not quite sure what he was looking at. At his words, Saber and Archer also glanced at him over their shoulders before Saber drew his glowing red sword and a black bow appeared in Archer's hand.

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!

Thousands of cracks taking the shape of a massive spiderweb began to form on the wall. Each crack seemed to break down Lily's will even further as she began retreating away from the wall.

And then, past the crystal rock wall, Bell thought he could see something. It seemed far away at first but then he could see a shape forming behind the wall, as if it was a glass window allowing him to see the innermost workings of the Dungeon. It looked humanoid in shape but it wasn't moving any of its limbs as it drew closer. Rather it looked like it was falling toward them.

And then…

"▂▂▂▂▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▅▅▅!"

The world began shaking. As if Bell and the others' mere presence in the Boss Area was enough to drive the Dungeon into a Berserker rage. No, that wasn't right. It wasn't "Bell and the others" but more likely…

The lights from the crystals in the room turned into a blood red dim as the shaking grew even more violent, with Bell doing all he could to remain standing while Caster grabbed Lily's arm to keep her from falling over before tossing her into Saber's arms. The king then walked to the front of the group, drawing a staff from his treasury before…

The wall exploded outward.

It wasn't just a small section of the wall where the cracks originated from. Nearly half the wall was blown open as a massive beast, what could only be the Monster Rex Goliath, burst forth sending rubble flying out everywhere.

The rubble smashed into the walls and ceiling, creating massive craters and sending even more rocks flying down on them. But Caster seemed to have foreseen it as he raised his staff up and a protective dome surrounded them all, even Mord Lantro and his party.

It didn't just create a solid shield to just block the falling rocks but rather any rock that touched the shield was blasted and destroyed by a bolt of lightning.

"W-what the hell is that!?" The third member of Mord's party screamed. "That ain't Goliath!"

Bell turned his eyes away from Caster and toward the…Goliath?

Lily had said that the Goliath was supposed to have dark gray skin and black hair but…the creature in front of them had skin as dark as Bell and Saber's clothes. Its hair was also jet white and its eyes a blood red. Had Lily and Welf not been staring in pure fear at the creature, Bell felt that they might have cracked a joke or two. Then again, Bell was also completely speechless at the sight of the strange monster.

The creature was so big that Bell wasn't even sure that it was real. Dark skin, a massive neck with bulking shoulders, arms, and legs…like a towering wall of muscle. But rather than terror, what mostly rang through Bell's body was the sheer awe of its size and power.

"…An enhanced species…?" Archer muttered, eyes wide in surprise. "A Floor Boss can become an enhanced species!?"

"The Eighteenth Floor has been cut off!" Saber reported.

Bell's shot a gaze toward the stairs and saw that the Eighteenth Floor had been cut off by the rubble that shot out when the Black Goliath exploded out of the wall.

Welf's hands were shaking rather badly, something the older boy was aware of as he stared at them and clenched them into fists to try and stop them while Lily was visibly quivering in fear. Assassin completely ignored the Goliath as she walked over and grabbed Lily's hand. The Pallum stared at the other girl and saw that Assassin was giving her a big smile to try and reassure her. As she did, both Saber and Archer stepped forward as if trying to use their own bodies to shield the others from the sheer pressure of the Monster Rex.

"RUUUUUUUNNN!" Mord screamed as they ran for the Sixteenth Floor staircase, only to skid to a stop as several monsters started descending into the Seventeenth Floor from the Sixteenth. Not just from the main entrance…but also from the countless openings on the floor that were probably from the countless holes from the upper levels that led all the way down into the boss room.

"We appear to be contained in," Caster noted dryly as Mord and his party ran back to Bell's group as if trying to find shelter amongst numbers.

An Enhanced Floor Boss, a mass monster spawn blocking the escape route to the surface and the exit to the Eighteenth Floor was blocked by rubble.

This was a disaster of epic proportions.

And yet…

"Be it enhanced or not, nothing has changed."

"Boss fight time, boss fight time!"

"Awaiting instructions, Master."

His Servants were waiting for him. They were ready to fight…which meant Bell had to be as well.

"Let's go, Bell!"

"Yes!"

First off was to distract the Black Goliath.

"Saber, Archer!" Bell called out and the two Servants launched forward, sword and bow at the ready, drawing the creature's attention away from the others.

While that was happening, they needed to take care of the monsters coming in from behind.

"Lily, Welf! Please handle the Monsters coming down!" Bell said. "Mister Lantro! Can you and your friends help as well?"

"W-what!?" Mord shouted back, more in surprise at being given orders rather than anger.

He opened his mouth to continue speaking but another roar from the Black Goliath told Mord that the Monsters coming down were probably much easier to fight compared to the massive Enhanced Floor Boss.

"F-fine!" Mord nodded as he turned toward his friends. "Guile, Scott! Let's go!"

"R-right!" The larger man with blonde spiky hair holding a spiky mace nodded.

"We're going to die…" the skinny man in a blue cloak groaned.

"Shut yer trap and move it!"

"Let's go Lil'Ly!" Welf said as he turned to follow the older Adventurers.

"Y-yes!" Lily nodded before turning toward Caster. "What about Lord Caster?"

"I shall position myself near the stairs as well," Caster nodded. "As I make my preparations, I entrust my back to you."

Lily's eyes widen in surprise before nodding her head as the two of them moved toward the Sixteenth Floor staircase and the incoming Monsters.

"All right…" Bell nodded as he drew his Hestia Knife and Ushiwakamaru dagger before turning to Assassin. "Let's go, Jack."

"Uh huh!" Assassin nodded as she drew out her own daggers and followed Bell toward the fight.

In front of them Saber was dashing across the floor, moving faster than Bell had ever seen him before as he avoided the massive arms of the Goliath. Like Lily said, its sole strength was its size and power. It didn't have anything else to bring to a fight so someone like Saber could literally run circles all day around it. As he kept up the distraction Archer was keeping his distance and firing several arrows at the monster's face, striking the area around its eyes, forcing it to stand up and use one arm to shield its eyes.

"Jack, the legs!"

"Okay Mommy!"

Bell and Assassin took advantage of the opening and jumped toward its legs, with each of them taking one each.

Ushiwakamaru and the Hestia Knife slammed toward the monster's hide…and promptly bounced right off as if Bell had tried to strike a stone wall. His hands fell numb as he fell to the floor. Turning back around, he looked toward Assassin who had successfully managed to pierce the Black Goliath's hide. With a shower of blood, the girl used her momentum to spiral around the leg, carving a huge chunk of its leg open.

The Black Goliath let out a roar of pain as it sank to the ground.

Bell wanted to cry at the difference in strength but he didn't have time to worry about that as Assassin landed beside him, grabbed his hand and dragged him between the legs of the beast and out behind it.

"Mommy, here!" Assassin said as she pulled out one of her daggers and handed it to Bell just as Saber landed beside them, also with one of his daggers out.

Bell nodded his head as he sheathed his knives and took his Servants' weapons instead. He wasn't exactly happy that his weapons were useless, disparaging both Welf and Hestia's efforts, but if he could still fight then he'll take them. The moment Bell accepted the dagger from Saber, the Servant vanished and reappeared up at the monster's back, driving his blade right into its spine. Sparing only a second to look in awe of his knight, Bell quickly turned back to the monster's leg. Taking the opportunity, he slashed at it with his daggers and found that while it was still difficult due to his lack of strength, the daggers could cleave through its hide.

"Yes!" Bell cheered as he pumped his fist. "I can hurt it! I'm not going to just be dead weight!"

Still, the amount of effort he was putting in was nothing compared to Archer and Saber, whose attacks were what was truly dealing damage to the Monster Rex. But Bell would not falter. Saber, Caster, Archer, Ais Wallenstein, even Lefiya…they all stared down even greater monsters without batting an eye. Whether through recklessness or courage, Bell can't afford to be left behind.

The Black Goliath roared in pain and rage that seemed to split Bell's ears open. Even though it was much louder and fiercer than that of a minotaur, Bell refused to give in. The fear he felt in the face of the minotaur was nothing compared to this thing!

"Bell, Assassin! Look out!" Archer called out.

"Huh?"

Bell looked up and saw that the Goliath had opened its mouth and a ominous light was shining within it.

"Mommy!" Assassin called out just as the space in front of Bell exploded.

It hadn't been a direct hit but the sheer force of the magic sent Bell flying into the air, losing his grip on his borrowed daggers, before a pair of strong arms caught him.

"Gotcha!" Archer's voice said before Bell felt a thump vibrate through his body.

Magic.

The Black Goliath was able to use Magic just like a hellhound!

"You okay?" Archer asked.

"Y-yeah, I think so…" Bell grunted. His body was sore everywhere but it didn't look like he was seriously hurt to the point that a potion wouldn't fix. Salamander Wool was amazing! It didn't even dissolve when he was in that trap last night either! If they survived this, he was going to buy as much Salamander as he could and then ask Welf to use it in his next set of armor!

"Bell…" Archer began as he slapped Bell's cheeks a bit. "Get a hold of yourself."

"R-right!" Bell nodded as he quickly shook his head to clear it. He then looked up just in time to see a red sword fly into the side of the Black Goliath's head and for Saber to appear by it a moment later to punch the blade right through, severing the beast's jaw from its face.

Was it over already?

Bell naively thought that as the monster, covered in blade and arrow wounds slumped a bit before its jaw fell onto the ground, having been severed by Saber's attack.

And then…the Black Goliath's entire body began to glow red. Its wounds were closing at an alarming rate and even its jaw was being regrown straight out of its skull. All the trails of blood on its legs, arms and face were also closing up.

All the damage they had done in the first volley was undone in an instant.

Bell was suddenly yanked away as the Black Goliath let out another massive howl and started firing its magic toward them all.

Being carried away by Archer, Bell could see the magic as it was. It wasn't a fireball or a beam of light. Rather it was something like a blast of air shooting out of its mouth like a cannon. It probably wouldn't hurt compared to being punched by its massive fists but Bell wasn't exactly eager to find out in any case.

"I struck with the intent to kill it," Saber said with Assassin in his arms as he kept up with Archer. "That is no ordinary monster. Its' skin is also tougher than I would have thought for a monster this far up in the Dungeon."

"Do we need to hit the Magic Crystal then?" Archer asked.

"Caster wanted it as proof of the kill for the Guild…but we should consider it if it grows too much for Bell and the others…mu!?"

"Damn!"

The two then jumped away with their passengers as another burst of air blew apart the ground between them.

"Archer, what about the Monster Line?" Bell asked.

"Holding, somewhat," Archer said. "Ruffian Dog's party is doing a good job but all I see are hellhounds, hard armoreds and al-miraj. If a minotaur or a lygerfang were to show up…"

They would crumble in an instant. They had to strike a blow big enough to cripple the Black Goliath…no even when it lost half of its head it could still regenerate it. If Saber could unleash his Noble Phantasm again, perhaps that would be enough to kill it by destroying its Magic Crystal but…

Back at the Black Goliath, Saber and Assassin were striking it with lightning fast movements with Assassin scaling the Monster Rex's body as she struck, disappearing when it counterattacked and reappearing on a different limb like some kind of wraith.

Would Bell be satisfied with that?

Would he be satisfied with such a meagre contribution? To sit behind and be protected again? If so, then what was the point of fighting the minotaur if everything could just fall into his lap?

"Archer, I have a request!" Bell said as Archer turned toward him. "It's a bit selfish but please, give me three minutes!"

Archer stared at Bell as if only truly seeing him for the first time since he was summoned. Bell didn't want to be nothing more than a scared child again.

"…This thing is probably around Level 5 Bell," Archer said. "It's a risk to let it run rampage for too long."

An explosion echoed out behind them and Bell turned to see Caster holding up another staff and for a massive crater to appear where a group of monsters had been earlier. Several more explosions sounded off, destroying the monsters coming out from the side entrances before collapsing them, sealing the path and preventing any more monsters from coming through them.

"And Caster won't keep using his treasures for much longer."

Even from his position, Bell could see the look of disappointment on Caster's face that the three Level 2s plus Welf and Lily were only just barely holding the line.

"Even so…" Bell said. "I want to try. Please!"

Archer's silence stretched out for a long time in Bell's eyes even though it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

"…All right, we'll get you your three minutes," Archer said with a nod before turning around to face the Black Goliath again.

"Archer…thank you very much!"

"Better let you do this before you expend another Command Spell," Archer added with a smirk as Bell winced with a wry smile on his face. "Do what yo need to do, Bell. Show me what you got."

"Yes!"

As Archer sped away to assist Saber and Assassin in distracting the Goliath, his silver arrows appearing in his hand in quick flashes of light before they soared into the monster's arm or eyes.

His Servants gave Bell the opportunity. Now it was time for him to capitalize on it.

X-x-X-x-X

"Arde! Eyes front!"

"Y-yes!"

Lily let out a sigh of relief when she saw Saber and Archer running around with Assassin and Bell in their arms. The two men were more than capable of protecting the other two so Lily had to focus in her own battle right now.

Caster was standing a few meters behind her next to her backpack as Lily stood in the front using her crossbow and dagger to support Welf and keep any monster from getting close to her Captain.

Although she was scared and wanted nothing more than to retreat to the rear and only have to support with her crossbow, she was unable to voice her desires in front of Caster. Although her Status had been growing constantly thanks to her efforts with everyone else, she still felt that a single bad hit was enough to make her go splat so being behind the tougher Level 2s and Welf was enough for her.

And yet, something inside her was telling her to go against all her natural instincts and take to the front herself. The front where she would most assuredly get caught off guard and die before even letting out a scream.

A Hellhound lunged at Welf from his flank but Lily quickly shot it in the eye with her crossbow, causing it to fall just short of the Smith who was contending with a pair of Al-Miraj. She then ran up to it before it could get its bearings and slit its throat.

"Be careful, Master Welf!" Lily called out as Welf swung his great sword and cleaved the pair of Al-Miraj in two.

"Sorry and thanks!" Welf replied before moving to intercept a few Hard Armoreds that were rolling down the stairs at an alarming speed.

This position was where she was the most comfortable. Leave the adventuring to the Adventurers like Bell and let Lily remain in the Supporter role.

"So why?" She asked herself.

Why was there something whispering into her ear asking, "Are you really satisfied with just this?"

"Yes!" She screamed inside her head as she felt Caster's gaze burning into her back even though his eyes were facing the Floor Boss. "Lily is aware of her own limits!"

A pack of Al-Miraj led by a pair of Hellhounds surrounded her. The Hellhounds stood behind the pack with a pair of Al-Miraj wielding Landforms. If Caster had noticed, he was not lifting a finger to help her, nor should she expect him to.

"Lily isn't some sort of super ghost like Lord Caster and the other Servants!"

The Al-Miraj wielding Landform Weapons jumped her first. She quickly jumped back, swinging her dagger behind her as she did, stabbing one of the walking rabbits in the head before using the rapid fire setting of her Little Ballista crossbow, accurately shooting the Al-Miraj in front of her in the eyes, allowing her to retrieve her dagger from the skull of the dead rabbit and slice her way through the rest of them.

"Lily doesn't want to be some Hero like Bell nor does she have his amazing growth!"

She wasn't able to do anything about the Hellhounds who fired their magic at her. Although the flames burned, the Salamander Wool cloak protected her from most of the damage. It still felt like having her body pressed up against an oven though.

"Lily never wanted to be an Adventurer to begin with!"

So why was she here?

Why was she in the middle of a Boss Fight screaming her throat out while stabbing a Hellhound in the throat while shooting the other one in between the eyes with her crossbow at max power setting if she never wanted it?

"Because Lily's Family is here."

The family that was more of a family to Lily than the dead blood-related deadbeat drunkards ever were…and four of them were already long dead themselves.

She didn't want to be alone again. Even though they said that she owed them nothing, that she had been free to leave and do whatever she wished that didn't involve going into the Dungeon, she wanted to be with them. The warmth of a family she never had and never knew she wanted. The trust of people relying on her. The faith of people who believed she could become something she never believed she could become. And the companionship of the one who brought them all together.

A smiling young man with too much good in his heart to be real.

"Lil'Ly look out!"

Welf's warning came not a split second too soon. Lily threw her body back without seeing what it was and the Hellhound corpse in front of her was splattered across the ground as rubble flew up with another rock clonking her on the head, nearly splitting her skull.

The pain and fear was familiar.

As Lily looked up from the ground, pass the blood flowing down her forehead, she gazed upon the roaring form of yet another minotaur.

X-x-X-x-X

One Floor below where Hestia Familia was fighting the Black Goliath, another battle was being waged.

"Form a line around the camp! Don't let them get in!"

Finn's voice rang throughout the battlefield as Loki Familia took up positions around the campgrounds.

Preparations for returning to the surface had just finished when the crystals above them changed from a bright white to a dull red and a massive roar rang from above them. Immediately monsters began to pour out from the stairs toward the Nineteenth Floor and all the Monsters currently on the Eighteenth Floor made a beeline for the Loki Camp as well as the town of Rivira.

"Did something happen on the Seventeenth Floor after all?" Finn muttered to himself.

As an Adventurer, he wanted to run over and check on it himself but as the Captain of a Familia, he couldn't leave his charges and just go running off. Strictly speaking, there was no way the Monsters on this Floor were any threat to their camp full of Level 3s and up and the Monsters themselves were only Level 2 at best…but unfortunately he had to stay as an example.

"Captain! Tiona and Ais ran off!" Tione shouted. "They headed to the Seventeenth Floor Staircase! Lefiya ran off after them too!"

In the grand scheme of things, it wasn't much of a problem since they had enough High Class Adventurers that they wouldn't be missed, especially with the executives of Hermes Familia helping them. But really…were they that worried about Archer and the rest of Hestia Familia?

Still, this gave Finn an opportunity to go see what was going on for himself so he won't chew them out too much.

Gareth and Riveria can do that later.

"Riveria, Gareth!" Finn called out. "I'm going after them! Keep an eye on thing here then take a team to form a line at the Nineteenth Floor stairs to set up a blockade!"

His fellow executives nodded as Finn sped off toward the stairs with Tione right behind him. As they drew close to the stairs, the sound of Goliath's roar echoed down toward them followed by a loud explosion over and over again.

"Something's wrong…" Finn muttered as he saw Tiona, Lefiya, and Ais standing at the foot of the stairs. "It feels like that time."

The time they saw a Level 1 singlehandedly take down a minotaur all on his own after coming across Ottarl. Did Freya Familia do something again and if so, why? What did that goddess have to gain by harassing Hestia Familia? Then again, their members were filled with all sorts of secrets. Or was it perhaps not the Goddess of Love…but a certain smiling god closer to them instead?

"Captain!" Lefiya called out as Finn and Tione landed beside them, letting Finn hear another massive roar followed by an explosion. "There's something really strange going on up there!"

"You didn't check?" Finn asked as he walked passed them.

"The exit's blocked by rocks," Tiona replied. "We don't know if the Goliath did it or if it was Archer and the others that blocked it off."

Well, at least they didn't run straight into another Familia's Floor Boss Fight.

"We'll take a quick look then head back," Finn said. "Do not interfere unless they ask for it."

But taking Caster's personality into account, it was highly unlikely that the man would let them interfere. Still, Finn didn't like not knowing what was going on so he led them forward. Seeing the rubble along with the sounds of battle on the other side Finn narrowed his eyes and tapped the rocks with his hand. He then reeled back his hand and delivered a punch at the rocks, blasting them apart and sending the rest flying away.

Revealing the chaos unfurling on the Seventeenth Floor.

"…What is that?" Lefiya gasped staring up at the creature that was being struck by red, black, and silver flashes. "A Black Goliath?"

"So a Floor Boss became an Enhanced Species," Finn muttered with a frown. "One crazy thing after another. And on top of that, its regeneration is beyond normal."

Finn watched Saber and Archer zip around the Floor Boss with speeds beyond that of a normal Level 1. Saber's red blade carved deep red gouges along the Monster Rex's legs and arms as the Black Goliath tried to step on him or try to punch him while Archer's arrows kept the creature from getting a proper fix on Saber's position. Even the tiny girl of their party they called Jack was climbing the giant with her daggers like some kind of beanstalk. But the Black Goliath's red aura was generating a large amount of magic, its wounds were closing almost immediately.

Ais took a step forward when several golden discs appeared by her feet. She quickly jumped back just as pillar of flame erupted in front of the Loki Familia members. Caster was glaring at them from the other side of the floor with his hand reaching out toward them. His gaze telling Finn and the others one thing.

"Do not interfere."

A wry smile appeared on Finn's face as he turned toward the others.

"Just like the minotaur fight," Finn said. "Don't step in no matter what."

Ais, Tiona, and Lefiya didn't look happy but nodded all the same.

"Captain, over there!" Tione shouted as she pointed toward the opposite staircase.

A minotaur had descended and broke through the defense line where three unknown Adventurers were holding alongside the young Smith from Hephaistos Familia and barreled right into the Pallum Supporter of Hestia Familia. If Finn recalled correctly, her name was Liliruca Arde, or Lily for short.

The minotaur's weapon missed her but the impact of the blow sent rocks flying at her and knocked her aside. The Salamander Wool Cloak she was wearing protected her from most of the damage but she still took a blow to the head. As the minotaur loomed over her, it suddenly froze when Caster turned his gaze away from Finn and the others and leveled it right on the minotaur. The sheer presence the man exuded from his body seemed to paralyze the monster before it let out a panicked roar and blindly charged him ignoring the pallum girl.

At that sight, Lily jumped to her feet and charged the minotaur from behind, leaping onto its back with her dagger in one hand and what looked like a Magic Sword in the other all the while screaming like a madwoman as she tried to keep the minotaur from reaching Caster.

She was stabbing her silver dagger into its flesh but either because of its low quality or her low Strength, she could not pierce the minotaur's skin. Still, it was enough for the monster to be distracted as it bucked around, trying to get the small girl off its neck. Then with one last scream, she stabbed the tiny Magic Sword she was holding into the minotaur's eye. With a pained roar, the minotaur began thrashing around even more violently as Lily held onto its head for dear life. Then, the Magic Sword erupted in the monster's skull, shattering the blade and launching Lily off of the minotaur. She soared back several meters before landing in a heap on the ground, her hand charred from the flames.

Despite having a chunk of its face burned off, the minotaur staggered its way toward Lily in rage. But as it towered over her with its weapon raised above its head, a golden hand shot out from the creature's chest. With a triumphant expression, Caster pulled his arm out of the monster's back with practiced ease, Magic Stone in hand. As the minotaur's corpse turned to ash and returned to the Dungeon, the man then bent down and carefully lifted the unconscious Lily up in his arms before turning toward Bell Cranel who was standing in the center of the room, holding out his arm with lights swirling around it.

"That's…" Lefiya began but before she could continue, light exploded in the room.

X-x-X-x-X

The sound of pinging chimes rang in Bell's right hand as he held it out to the side before charging toward the Black Goliath like an arrow.

"Saber, Archer, Jack!" He called out and as one his Servants cleared out of the way as Bell drew close. The Floor Boss turned toward him, jaws open and laced with magical energy as it prepared to roar at him once more. Then at the same time as the beast howled, Bell shouted with all his might.

"FIREBOLT!"

Sparks arched around his arm before an electric inferno shot out of his hand. The beam intercepted the creature's magic attack and neutralized it before continuing up into the air and smashing into the Black Goliath's mouth…and kept going. With power greater than anything Bell was physically capable of, his Magic vaporized the majority of the beast's head, leaving nothing of its head behind as it staggered back into the wall.

"Ah…" Bell gasped as he stared at the Black Goliath. He had been hoping to hit its chest where the creature's Magic Stone was hidden to guarantee the kill but his hand jerked up at the last second when he saw the Black Goliath roar at him. Bell hoped that it had worked. After all, no creature could survive without its head, right?

Oh how wrong he was.

Even without the head, the red specks shot out of the stump of the Monster Rex's neck and quickly reformed the skull of the beast, then its flesh…but even though its head hadn't properly reformed, the beast's mouth opened and unleashed another magical howl at him. Unprepared for the attack, Bell received it head on and was sent flying into the air.

Pain racked through his body before he was caught by a screaming girl.

"Mommy! Wake up!" Assassin was screaming as she clung onto his body while Bell did everything he could to remain conscious.

"Jack…run!" Bell choked out as the Black Goliath turned toward them again.

"Muuuoooooo!"

Saber appeared between the two of them and the Monster Rex, sword in hand as the howl shot toward them. With a roar, the swordsman slashed the air in front of them, splitting the magic apart as well as sending a wave of light out in front of him. The Black Goliath quickly covered its chest with its arms, using them as a shield as the light cut through the outermost arm, severing it from the body while leaving a deep gouge in the second arm.

But despite the massive attack from Saber, the arm continued to regenerate as the beast alternated between firing one howl at Saber and one at Archer to prevent the latter from setting up and firing any of his stronger weapons properly.

"Jack, take Master and run!" Saber said as he swung his blade to cut the magic before it struck any of them. "This is enough! We shall finish this!"

"And end this here? Not likely."

Caster's voice entered Bell's ears.

"Is this it then, mongrel? Is this as far your dream goes? Do you truly have what it takes to become a hero?"

Did he? Did Bell truly have what it takes? He gave it his best shot and he still failed at the end.

But as he listened to Caster's voice a second one began to ring in his ears. A voice from long ago…the one who probably truly inspired him to become one.

"Bell…a hero is not someone able to draw a sword, or someone willing to raise a shield, or someone who heals others."

It was a voice he'd heard long ago. Back when he was very young. Words that had shaped who he had become. Words from a divine messenger, a voice from his past.

"Only someone who's willing to risk it all can be called a hero."

In Bell's sight, aside from the back of the smirking hero he had been chasing for the past few weeks, the form of his first hero, his grandfather, took shape.

"It's okay to break, to lose heart, to cry out in pain. The one to claim victory in the end always emerges from the defeated."

He remembered. He remembered it all. He remembered the words that those smiling lips said next.

"Follow through on your dream, shout it out for everyone to hear. The one who does…"

Yes, that's the one who…

"…the one who does becomes a glorious hero."

"Mommy!" Assassin let out a cry of relief as Bell forced his eyes open. Looking around, Bell saw that Saber had launched himself forward and was drawing the beast's attention once more away from Bell and the others while Archer was now firing arrows that exploded on impact against the beast. But even so, the wounds were still regenerating.

Assassin was clinging onto his body as if he was her lifeline. He turned to look behind her and saw Caster still standing on the other side of the room with Lily in his arms…even though his voice had sounded so close before. But even now, the king was watching him, interested in what he would do.

Assassin fiddled with her pack before bringing out a potion and forced it down Bell's throat. Bell winced as he felt the bones in his chest knit back together…and then…he sat up. His body was close to breaking, but his will held him together. But he didn't have the Mind for another Argonaut charged Firebolt…and he didn't have a weapon strong enough to cut through its hide.

And then…

Something landed beside him with a crash. Bell turned toward it and saw that it was a massive silver great sword with a golden handle. Looking beyond that he saw members of Loki Familia standing by the staircase…with the younger of the two Amazons having thrown it toward Bell.

It was assistance from an outsider…but Bell wasn't going to not use it right now. His longsword that Welf gave him had already been destroyed by the Black Goliath's howl along with practically all of his armor and most of the Salamander Wool cloak. He needed a new weapon so this will have to do.

Gripping the blade's wide hilt with both hands, he swung the blade forward as he set his feet into a powerful stance. His red eyes flicked forward and focused on the form of the terrifying giant off in front of him.

His aspirations were burning. His dreams were roaring.

If there was one advantage that Bell Cranell had over anyone else, it would be this one irreplaceable memory from his youth…that single memory that was burned into is very soul. The memory of the smiling old man who filled Bell's head with his hopes and his dreams.

He began charging Argonaut once more…those tiny chimes slowly turning into the sound of church bells.

X-x-X-x-X

"Tch…doing as she wishes…" Caster clicked his tongue as he saw the amazon fling her Durandal Blade toward Bell who took it and as prepared to use it against the Black Goliath. "Hmm?"

"Take care of the line, Your Kingship!" Welf shouted as he ran past him, tossing his black greatsword to the side while drawing the blade on his back.

A pang of annoyance shot into Caster for a moment before he realized what Welf was doing and his lips curved into a small smile.

"Humph, just as well," he muttered as he opened his gate and countless wands and staves extended from it. "The play is drawing to a close…and it is time for the extras to vacate the stage."

With a wave of his arm, the magic weapons fired their payload at once. Countless golden arrows and beams of light shot out at the Monsters still spilling into the room. The beams curved around the three hapless Adventurers that had been shouting obscenities at Welf for abandoning them and pierced through the Monsters' chests, destroying the Magic Stones within them.

Mord and his friends were staring at Caster with their mouths agape as all the smaller Monsters on the Floor were reduced to dust in an instant with countless Drop Items littering the field along with broken Magic Stones. The old Adventurer then turned his eyes toward Bell who not just a moment ago he had seen be sent flying from the Floor Boss. Now the boy was back on his feet, a new weapon in hand, and prepared for a third bout with the beast.

"What the hell is that kid made of?" Mord wondered. "What is driving him?"

Caster ignored the man in favor of the girl in his arms as she slowly woke up.

"Lord…Caster?" Lily asked as she only had the strength to open a single eye. "What happened…to Bell?"

"Quiet," he said as he retrieved a potion and fed it to her. "You've done well. The boy is trying to become a Hero."

But the Monster Rex wasn't going to let Bell get the jump on it again.

With a massive roar, the beast fired a massive blast at its feet, blasting away both Archer and Saber while at the same time destroying its own legs. The two Servants were sent flying into the walls, leaving craters within them.

"Ngh!?"

"Damn!"

Saber let out a grunt of pain as Archer cursed. Neither of them had expected a self destructive attack from the Monster Rex just to remove them for a moment.

"Run, Bell!" Archer shouted as he pulled himself out of the wall. But Bell didn't move even as the Floor Boss decided that he was its enemy. As its legs regenerated and it stood up once more, it took a step toward Bell, another howl at the ready…and that was all it could do before the next attack struck him.

"Blasphemous burn! Will-o-Wisp!"

The Black Goliath's head suddenly exploded as the magic it had been storing ran wild. An Ignis Fatuus caused by a young man's magic as he charged forward, his resolve hardening like iron as he prepared to save one of his only friends.

"Over here you ugly bastard!" Welf shouted as he ran toward the beast, releasing the bindings on the blade he had been carrying on his back revealing a massive red blade. A Magic Sword. A Crozzo Magic Sword.

"Pathetic, isn't it?" He asked not to himself, but the blade in his hands. "I threw you away and now I'm begging you to help me."

Naturally, the sword didn't respond as he prepared himself, Hephaistos's words ringing in his ears. The words she said to him when he joined her Familia and refused to make any Magic Swords.

Do not sacrifice the things you care about for your pride.

The words rang louder and louder, aching his very soul as flame roared out from his blade, leaving a burning trail behind him.

He had people who cared about him and accepted his stubbornness and even praised him for it…and he didn't want to be a burden to them right now.

"And so…please let me use you."

He swung the Blade forward.

"Please let me break you."

"Burning Moon, Katsukiiiiiii!"

With a single swing of the Magic Sword, a massive wave of flame surged forward. The flames engulfed the Black Goliath in a massive twister of flames, drowning out even its howls of pain. The flame raged and burned mercilessly, tearing away its hide and flesh faster than even its regeneration could keep up. As soon as its aura flared up to heal itself, the flames would strip it away and burn even deeper.

The power to burn the seas.

Its glory was reborn within this battle witnessed by fourteen Adventurers with one among them burning the blade's visage into his very soul.

But, no matter how powerful it was, it was still a Magic Sword.

And as all Magic Swords…

Crack

It would shatter without question when it was fired one too many times. A weapon that could never be a truly reliable partner to their wielder. Destined to always shatter and leave their owner behind, they would never fulfill their duty as a weapon…this was why Welf hated them. A useless and painful sympathy that he could never accept.

Welf's face scrunched up in pain as he watched a series of cracks run up and down the Magic Sword before the blade suddenly shattered into a thousand pieces, never to be used again. For a moment he looked as though he had lost something important to him.

"…I'm sorry…" Welf whispered as he looked from the burning tornado and to Bell before quickly retreating away from the Black Goliath.

X-x-X-x-X

Another three minutes had passed since the charging began and Bell was ready once again. Bell's Servants all flashed in his mind as he stared into the roaring twister of fire.

The king who toppled a bull larger than any mountain.

The knight who slew a dragon and devoured its heart.

The child who saw him as their hero.

And the bowman who became his hero.

With a massive roar, Bell launched himself forward with Assassin right behind him.

Even while caught in the ever burning twister, the Black Goliath saw them coming. It forced itself out of the flame, swinging its massive arms out as though it was tearing through a net. It then lunged toward Bell with all of its might.

But in a flash of red light, one arm was severed right through its shoulder…

"Advance, Master!"

…And the other arm was torn to pieces as a spiraling arrow ripped through it.

"Cut it down, Bell!"

Assassin's speed overtook Bell's as she slid to a stop just in front of the Goliath with her hands out.

"Go flying!"

Bell stepped onto her hands and she tossed him high into the air in a surprising show of strength.

Left with only one form of defense left, the Black Goliath opened its mouth up and aimed its magic at the flying Bell, only for several explosions to rip through its mouth, negating the magic and blowing off its lower jaw again.

"Show me your conviction, Bell Cranel."

His Heroes were cheering him on and had cleared the path. It was now Bell's turn to answer them with his own resolve as he swung downward.

"YAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A deafening explosion ripped through the Floor and enveloped the Black Goliath in light while erasing all other sounds on the Floor.

When the light died, all that was left was the lower half of the Monster Rex. Its upper body, along with its Magic Stone, had been destroyed.

Bell propped himself up with the sword which had weathered his blow thanks to it Durandal property and watched as the rest of its body crumbled to ash, leaving behind a large portion of its hide as a Drop Item.

"""UOOOOOOOOAAAHHHHH!"""

As Mord and his friends let out a cheer, Bell found himself surrounded by Welf and the rest of his Familia.

"You did it Bell! I can't freaking believe it!"

Welf was slapping Bell's back in congratulations before Archer grabbed him and started grinding his knuckles on the side of Bell's head in irritation.

"We need to talk about what you can and can't do when we get back home," Archer said when he finally released Bell and let him fall back into Saber's hands.

Bell could only laugh as he was too tired to really say anything else, let alone stand. He then felt two small bodies clinging onto him. Lily and Assassin were hugging him as hard as they could with Lily only using one arm due to her injury.

Bell looked toward his Captain and saw the king smirk at him before giving him a nod of approval. Seeing that, Bell felt it was yet another step closer to his dream.

X-x-X-x-X

"…Amazing," Ais said as she and the others just watched Archer and his Familia celebrate their victory.

"It sure was something," Finn agreed. "Even if Archer, Saber and Caster were holding back for the most part to let the others gain experience in the middle of such a chaotic and unprecedented fight."

He then turned his head toward Tiona who smiled with her hands behind her head.

"Sorry, but I couldn't let Little Argonaut fight without a weapon, right?" Tiona asked. "Besides, I say that makes me even with Archer saving us from the Spirit."

"I didn't do that to make you guys owe me."

Archer was in front of them, holding Tiona's Blade Roland out to her with a smile.

"Besides, I was paying Gareth back at that time," he pointed out as Tiona let out a giggle and took back her sword.

"Yeah but that left me in your debt so this time I helped save your Familia member."

Archer just shrugged with his head to the side before turning toward Finn with a serious face.

"Can a Monster Rex really become an Enhanced Species?" Archer asked him as if he still couldn't believe it despite just fighting it.

"It's the first I have heard of it," Finn replied as Caster walked up to them as well. "Sorry about the slight interruption."

"What's done is done," Caster said, waving the matter away. "I shall consider it a fee for having you as an audience to our battle."

"Should we be referring to Hestia Familia as minotaur Slayers now?" Tione asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow. "It seems like all your members want to kill at least one at Level 1."

An amused scoff escaped Caster's throat as he shook his head.

"Do as you wish."

At that, the lights in the Dungeon seemed to return to normal as the blood red color disappeared and with it returned the soft white light.

"We'll have to report to the Guild about the possibility of Enhanced Floor Bosses spawning," Finn said with a sigh. "Can I ask your Familia to do that, Archer? Caster?"

"We will be heading there to show proof of our kill in any case," Caster said, gesturing toward the Black Goliath Hide Drop Item that Assassin was helping Lily stuff into her backpack. "Come morrow, all of Orario shall know that Hestia Familia defeated the Floor Boss with only six members…with the help of four outsiders…"

Caster added as an afterthought as he turned back to see Mord thumping Bell on the back with the biggest smile on his face as if he had never been more happy to be alive before flinching back as Lily shouted something at him for thumping the injured Bell.

"About that…" Lefiya began. "Who are those people anyway?"

"Some unlucky Adventurers who were heading back up when the Boss spawned," Archer replied with a shrug. "They just got caught up in the fight."

"That's some bad luck…" Tione sighed as she looked back down the stairs. "Captain, we should really be getting back."

"Right," Finn nodded. "Since your fight is over, then we'll be making the trek back up. Would you like to come with us?"

"I have exerted myself more than necessary already," Caster said as Archer rolled his eyes behind Caster's back. "We shall accept your offer."

With a nod, the two Captains shook hands and the final curtain fell on the performance of Hestia Familia versus the Monster Rex with a single extra member in the audience who had remained hidden under the shroud of a magic item.

X-x-X-x-X

"Ahh…glorious! How glorious!"

Hermes said to himself, hidden in the corner of the room wearing a black helmet made by his Familia Captain that made one's body invisible. The god had sneaked into the Seventeenth Floor earlier than Caster and Saber and had been lying in wait hoping to watch the fight. Although there had been several close calls that will no doubt get him an earful from Asfi later, Hermes felt that it was all worth it. After all, this was the entire reason he came down into the Dungeon in the first place after he had overheard Bell telling dear Syr about his plans a few days ago.

Not that he had been spying on them of course. It had just been a coincidence. He just happened to be walking back to the pub to beg them once more for information about Bell after being turned away before when he saw the group talking to Syr at the entrance.

But never would he have expected a performance such as this!

Granted it was probably his fault that an Enhanced Monster Rex was spawned and he was certainly going to get an earful from that old man about it…but it was totally worth it to see such a performance.

A hero fighting against monsters with what seemed like the Spirits of old.

He stifled his joy until all the Adventurers had left the Floor before his laughter bounced off the empty walls.

He then started talking, not to himself, but to some far off figure that wasn't even in the city of Orario.

"These eyes have seen it! I, Hermes, have seen it all! Your grandson, your parting gift to this world!"

Hermes had known who Bell's "grandfather" was. In fact, it was he who told Hermes about Bell in the first place.

"The boy has a backbone. The boy has patience. However, he is severely lacking in character."

The old man had told Hermes that Bell didn't have what it would take to be a hero.

"Have you gone blind with age, saying something like that!? Would you still say that if you saw his bravery here!?"

Hermes threw his head back toward the ceiling, mouth wide open, laughing in a way that could be called crazy.

"First he shatters the record for Leveling Up and now he dealt the finishing blow to the great Goliath! Rejoice, Great Lord Zeus! Your grandson is the real deal! The last hero your legendary Familia left behind! He will carry on your legacy!"

Skipping with joy, Hermes made his way back toward the stairs. Truly, coming down to the Lower World was the best decision the God has ever made.

X-x-X-x-X

"I see, so tomorrow will be your first Dungeon Dive," Hestia said as she looked at Primo and Emma who were examining their new equipment.

With Eina's help, the two of them managed to pick out some decent starter weapons without relying on the rather average Guild equipment. A pair of short swords for Emma and a wooden staff for Primo.

"Yes," Emma nodded. "We got the basics from Eina so she thinks we can handle the First Floor."

"We also have a map," Primo said, patting the folded parchment in front of her. "So we definitely won't get lost."

"I see," Hestia nodded. "I'd still feel better if you waited for the others to return home first but I won't stop you either way."

No sooner did Hestia say that did the front door open and several pairs of feet came walking in.

The three of them froze in shock before Hestia jumped out of her chair and ran toward the front with Primo and Emma right behind her.

When Hestia crossed the living room, she saw them. The other six children of her Familia were there…even the second one who had been gone for so long.

Battered, bruised, bloodied and burned…all of her children were injured in some way except for Caster. But they were all there…with Bell standing at the forefront with a smile on his face.

"We're home, Goddess," Bell spoke softly with a toothy grin.

Tears welled up in Hestia's eyes before they started pouring out. Behind her, Hestia knew Primo and Emma were peering around the corner toward them so she needed to maintain her dignity as a goddess.

She didn't run into Bell's arms as her first instinct told her to do but instead she smiled through her tears.

"Welcome back!" She choked out before all semblance of grace disappeared from her stature and she dived headfirst toward Bell who didn't dodge and caught her in his arms. "Welcome back! All of you!"