This was the first time Takeo had ever met the Loki familia in person, although he did know them by reputation. Being one of the strongest familia in Orario meant that you were very well known.

He could hear the whispers and talks the patrons were having about the familia and just ignored them.

To him having a powerful reputation like the Loki or Freya familia was an issue, people tend to become obsessed with maintaining their honour and improving it, above all else eventually losing their morals in the process.

Something that did surprise Takeo however was Bell's face. He was staring directly at Ais, his face bright red and he was completely unresponsive even when Takeo started putting his hand in front of his face.

"Bell, are you okay?"

Before Takeo could say anything else. Bell broke out of it because of Syr putting her face next to his. Telling him with a smile on her face, due to him blushing with how close she was.

"The Loki familia are our regulars, it seems that their goddess Loki took a liking to us." Bell was busy ignoring what he was just told that he continued to ignore Takeo, causing him to sigh in defeat at the star struck boy.

Takeo thought nothing would wake Bell up, that was until a loud and brash voice interrupted everyone's meals and conversation.

"Yeah, Aiz! Tell us that one story!"

"That one story…?"

Takeo could spot who was this person who had spoken, he could tell he did not mean to be so loud, it was just that he was slightly drunk. He was a young male animal person sitting two seats diagonally across from her as he requested the tale.

"You know the one! About those Minotaurs that got away! Remember, you finished off the last one on the lower fifth! You know: tomato boy!" He continued, Takeo mumbled to himself as he thought.

"Tomato boy, what on earth does that have to do with minotaurs." Takeo was rubbing his chin in thought until his attention was back to Bell who seemed to have swallowed a lemon and an entire forest of butterflies were within his stomach.

"Are you talking about the group of Minotaurs that attacked us on the lower seventeenth floor, and they ran away when we fought back?"

"Yeah, yeah! That one! By some miracle they ran up! We tore after them! Already damn tired, too!"

Takeo was losing interest in their conversation, he returned his focus back to Bell who was still looking like he wanted to vomit all the food he just had.

"Bell, Bell are you okay?" He shook Bell from his arm, confused as to the boy's state.

Apon shaking Bell from his trance, Bell was able to provide Takeo with a reply.

"Hai Takeo-San I am alright, I, I was just thinking to myself." Takeo was skeptical at Bell's answer but he just left it alone for now especially as the animal person continued his story Takeo could easily figure out what they were talking about.

Clearly the Loki Familia was on some kind of "expedition." They encountered a group of Minotaurs on their way back but couldn't slay them remaining Minotaurs ran toward the surface. They caught up to the last one on lower Level Five,Ms. Wallenstein delivered the final blow. When she defeated it they must have run into another adventurer.

"Yeah, and there! That 'adventurer'! Damn newbie kid!" ``How fortunate for him,'' Takeo thought to himself. To make it out of a situation like that, other more experienced adventurers probably couldn't.

"Got himself cornered like a lil' bunny! Shaking like one, too! Poor thing was about to explode!"

"Oh? What happened to the boy? Was he okay?"

"Aiz here carved up the Minotaur at the last second, ain't that right?"

"…"

'Seems like she is the quiet type.' Takeo accurately realised.

"The kid took a full blast of that stinky cow's blood, got soaked! So, tomato boy! Gya-ha-ha-ha-ha-ahhh—Ow, my ribs!" How unfortunate, Takeo could only think to himself.

In sorrow at this mysterious boy who was saved. For this type of person to see the situation and brag about it. Takeo furrowed his eyes at the animal person clearly he could never get along with him.

"Woah…" "Aiz, please tell me you weren't trying to do that! I'm begging you!"

"… No, I wasn't."

The animal guy is laughing so hard he's tearing up. The rest of the table, too.

They're laughing at him. Even the customers around them are trying not to laugh. Takeo only began to become more infuriated at the situation before him.

"And get this! Tomato boy! He ran away, screaming his head off! Gya-ha-ha-ha! Our princess saves him, and he just buggers off!"

"… Hm."

"GYA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Absolutely priceless! Aizee scares away a newbie! You are sooo awesome!"

"Ha-ha-ha… I'm sorry, Aiz, but I can't take this anymore!"

"…"

"Ooooh, don' make them scary eyes! It ruins yer cute face!"

The entire Loki Familia table erupts with laughter.

Takoe could only sigh to himself before looking at Bell who looked the most uncomfortable he had ever been.

"Um… B-Bell?"

Bell could clearly hear Syr's voice, but it seemed to go in one ear and out the other to Takeo who was further confused by Bell's state.

Their conversation is starting back up.

"But really, it's been a long time since I've seen something so pathetic! So disgusting I could cry!" Seems he enjoys making fun of the weak Takeo surmised, there would always be so many of this type of person, yet he was no less infuriated by them.

"… Hmmm."

"The hell was he doing? If you're gonna cry like a little bitch, you shouldn't be down there in the first place! Right, Aiz?"

"…"

"It's weak adventurers like him who give us a bad name. Just give it up already!"

"Shut your mouth already, Bete! It was our mistake that let the Minotaurs escape! That boy had nothing to do with it! And stop drinking! Learn some respect!" Takeo smiled at the elves' words, she at least understood that it was wrong to mock the boy for the situation that the Loki familia seemed to create.

"Oh-oh! You elves and your pride! But yeah, what's in it for you to protect that piece of shit? Saying it's our fault, you're lying to yourself! Just to keep your pride! Trash is trash! What's wrong with calling it what it is?" Takeo was simply disgusted by these words. If the animal person was a demon from his ancestors' stories then he wouldn't hesitate to remove his tongue and then his head.

"Hey, hey! That's enough! Bete, Reveria, relax! You're killing the mood!"

"Eh, Aiz! What did you think about him, the pathetic piece of shit who was shaking in front of you? Do you think he deserves to stand at our level, as adventurers?" 'Clearly he seemed to forget where he came from. Everyone is weak no matter what they say, you must always place effort in life to gain strength that much is true. I worked for years to simply use one form of moon breathing without collapsing from the strain on my lungs. Now I can use up to 3 before having to catch my breath again. It was never meant for a human to use, if so the strain it places on my body is on par with anyone but Yorrichi using sun breathing.'

"… I don't blame him for acting the way he did under those circumstances." Takeo gave a small smile at this, at least she understood being in that adventurer's shoes, even Bell seemed slightly elevated at what she had said.

"Why you acting all Goody Two-shoes? Okay then, I'm changin' the question. Him or me—who's got it going on?"

"… Bete, are you drunk?" Takeo thought the same , clearly the person was too drunk to think properly or he had feelings for Ais.

"Shut it! Now, Aiz! Choose! As a female, which male wags your tail? Which male makes you hot?"

"… I have no reason to answer that question, especially to you, Bete." At least she had common sense to not indulge in drunken antics.

"You're absurd…"

"Quiet, hag!… Well then, what if that piece of trash came up to you, said he liked you, would you take him?" He clearly lacks respect for his elders, Takeo thought.

"… Hm."

"Of course you wouldn't! Why would a tiny kid who's so weak, feeble, and all-around nauseating have the right to even stand next to you? There's no way he'd measure up!"

"A tiny kid could never land Aiz Wallenstein!"

So prideful Takeo admonished me.

Bell stood up, his chair flying backward.

Takeo teared his eyes away from their table and looked towards the door to see Bell desperately running out.

"Bell?!" Both He and Syr called out to him as he left. A stunned silence between them before Syr ran after him. It was in this silence that Takeo realised why Bell had run out. Bell was the boy who had been saved. The same boy who the entire pub was just laughing at.

Some of the other customers realised something had happened, but it was so fast that no one really knew for sure what was going on.

Confusion spread through the main floor of the bar.

"Did someone just dine 'n' dash?"

"At Mommy Mia's? The guy's got guts, that's for sure!"

Bete and the other adventurers in the corner table ignored the rest of the patrons' comments, but Aiz stood up.

Her well-trained eyes shot through the crowd and caught a clean look at the shadow just before it got away. A thin body with white hair. Slightly downcast ruby-colored eyes shone from under the bangs—just like the boy from yesterday. Could that be…? She shuffled her way to the front of the building and leaned on a pillar in the entrance to look outside. Looking to her right, all she could see was the back of the young waitress as she ran into the crowd on Main Street. The boy was nowhere to be seen.

Bell… She mouthed the name that the young waitress yelled into the night. For whatever reason, she heard his name more clearly than the voices of her comrades currently talking.

Takeo observed the Sword Princess as she walked to the door as Bell left. 'So she was able to spot him leaving and recognised Bell, for someone so quiet she sure is observant.'

TAKEO POV

After observing the sword princess, I then focused my eyes on the one who had caused Bell to leave. That animal person who was now laughing loudly and still drinking.

I looked over at Bells drink. It was barely touched,picking it up I then glanced at the loud animal person to judge the distance before taking a sip and using total concentration breathing to toss it behind my head.

There was a brief moment of silence before the collision before I heard a loud and satisfying.

"Who the hell did that!"

Back to original POV

Everyone was stunned. Here was one of the Loki familias most powerful members and he was covered in a drink someone had thrown at him.

Bete was on his feet the drink dripping from his face, the fury he was showing was enough to dry it immediately, he was widely looking around him looking for the person who dared to soak him, like some sort of animal.

Looking around he could see everyone was staring at him in shock, everyone but one person who had his back to him and simply just continued eating his food nonchalantly. Bete knew that this was the culprit and furiously stormed towards him shoving some people who were seated and grabbed Takeos shoulder. Who interrupted him before he could say anything.

"Leave you are ruining my meal." Refusing to look at Bete. This infuriated Bete further who simply responded.

"Oi was it you trash who threw that drink at me." Takeo just continued eating, ignoring Bete who's temper began to shorten and shorten at the fact that he was being ignored until eventually out of anger he wound his arm back for a punch.

However before he could think of throwing the punch, he was met with a sharp blade in front of his eye stopping him in his tracks.

"Think before you attack. Battle is never meant for such petty reasons." Takeo lectured Bete. All Bete could do Is growl in response to him before scoffing and asking.

"Then why in the hell did you throw that drink at me?" Bete was further annoyed at Takeos response who further refused to face him during their conversation, even when Takeo had given Bete his answer.

"Fool, I had told you before, you had been ruining my meal." Takeo responded as if it was obvious. Bete finally had enough and proceeded to grab Takeo from the back of his kimono collar and threw him towards the entrance.

Takeo however had read this move and apon being thrown had landed perfectly in front of the entrance right next to Ais and some other Loki familia members who simply stared at his stoic face in shock.

"Bete that's enough! You are killing the mood, you even had a drink thrown at you because of that!" Takeo was silent as the elf lectured the animal person his stoic face unmoving as

He realised he was being stared at by Ais and simply raised an eyebrow in response, to beckon her to talk, however before a word could be said Takeo distracted was tackled through the entrance right outside of the pub.

Ais was shocked at the mysterious swordsmen's sudden departure, she was about to follow after him and Bete but she suddenly had to move to the side and strike her perverted goddess in the head due to her perversion.

"Awww Ais come sit back down, Bete will beat that man until he's satisfied and then come back, come on sit back down." Loki pleaded much to the agreement from the other familia members, who simply looked at her and beckoned her to join them.

"I must say I just feel bad for that fellow, he must have had too much to drink and didn't realise who he was arguing with." Gareth claimed taking another swig from his mug, the other members and everyone in the pub agreeing with his assessment.

"Can't believe he did that."

"Is he crazy?" Similar murmurs and gossip was going around the pub all talking about the bravery of a kimono wearing swordsmen.

"I hope Bete is knocked around a little, perhaps that will teach him to have respect." Riviera said with a huff clearly still angry at the fact she was called a hag earlier.

"Enough talk, let's go back to partying!" Loki declared however before she could hear any responses she and everyone else in her familia froze at the sight they saw. Even other patrons were shocked at what they were seeing.

There was Bete on the floor being dragged by Takeo by his hair out cold, ignorant of what was happening around him.

Earlier

"Alright weakling, let's settle this like men!" Bete shouted, cracking his knuckles. Only to hear a sigh reach his ears as Takeo shook his head.

"This is nothing but petty and foolish. I won't even have to use my sword against you to fight." Bete was having enough of this man. Over and over again he was being talked down to and mocked by him, so he decided to take the initiative and struck first running forward with a punch towards the nose. Joever Takeo saw this simple attack and simply tilted his head away from it commenting.

"How obvious, you are easy to read." Bete was further annoyed and unleashed a flurry of punches towards Takeo who simply either dodge easily or deflected them away from him. Telling Bete.

"Why are you doing this? Such acts are beneath us just stop." In a cold monotone voice. However Bete just angrily replied.

"Not until I rearrange your face, trash! That will teach you to mess with me." Takeo for the final time sighed at Betes nature and simply just moved to the side before chopping Bete in the back of the head knocking him out.

Present

Takeo continued dragging Bete into the pub until the two amazon twins Tione and Tiona face full fury,shouting "Bastard!" as they charged towards him. However Takeo in response simply tossed Bete at them head first forcing the twins to dodge causing Bete to land on the Loki familias table, food and drinks everywhere.

A quiet silence filled the room until Takeo broke it saying.

"Apologies, but he wouldn't yield." Silence was all Takeo had in response and, after pausing for a moment, walked towards his table with a quiet and fuming Mamma Mia waiting for him before he apologised.

"I am so sorry about this mess, and do not worry I will pay for my own Bells meal and more for damages. Here this should cover it." Producing a bag of money from his kimono, Takeo Handed it to her, who just simply sighed at the situation, glared at him before telling Takeo.

"Ahh you are lucky you have a handsome face, and that you actually paid for the issues you caused. But if you ever do something like this again I'll make you wish you were never born." Takeo smiled in response to this and simply said.

"If I ever do such a thing I'd deserve that." Before bowing and turning to leave. However he stopped at the sight of the entire Loki familia blocking his way.

"You what Is your name?" A serious Loki asked, typically she would love to joke around and laugh but this man had just assaulted and knocked out one of her members. No matter what anyone says about her she will always be protective of her children.

"Takeo Tsugikuni." He responded tersely he half expected himself to have to fight his way out but to his shock Loki just widened her eyes before whispering something to a short pallum next to her who seemed to disagree but still listened to her command and moved out of the way. Allowing Takeo to leave the pub but not before the entire familia glared at him for making them lose face.

Apon Takeo leaving the entire Loki familia looked at their leader, who remained silent with her finger on her chin. It wasn't until Finn tapped Loki on the shoulder that she finally got her bearings and looked at her members and let out a sigh that she had been holding for weeks.

"Ahh that was close to Finn." She breathed out much to the confusion of the Loki familia.

"Loki-sama what do you mean by that?" Asking a curious Finn he was distracted earlier but he realised that his thumb was acting up during the confrontation, he needed all the information he could get on Takeo.

"That man has a reputation among us gods, he has consistently and constantly refused to join any famila for years, no one even knows that much about him. Even when some of us asked him why won't he join, he gave strange replies." Answered a serious Loki, a smile no longer seemingly possible on her face.

"Strange replies like what?" Finn was even more curious at this, this man wasn't joining any familias, but not because he was proud or wanted to disprove the gods but because of something else, what on earth could it be?

"Mou I dunno, Aha! I remember one, I think he said that "I have nothing but respect and admiration for familia members and their gods, but it is for that exact reason I cannot join. I don't join in order to help them and to ensure that they don't hold through pain with me in the familia." Finn was just confused at this point.

'He doesn't join familias in order to protect them and help them. What on earth was he helping them with? What was he protecting them from? This makes no sense. What on earth was he talking about?'

"But why did you let him leave?" An irate Tione asked.

"If he isn't part of a familia then we can easily pummel him without starting any issues with any other familias." Cracking her knuckles Tione was about to leave to chase after him, however Tiona put a hand on her shoulder in order to stop and calm her sister down. Before Loki gave a response.

"It's because of that reason." She responded much to her familias confusion. "He doesn't know this but the guild has decreed that he is allowed to enter the dungeon as much as he can, and that no familias can attack him in order to pressure him to join their familias. If all of you attacked then it would have seemed that way to the guild and we would have been sanctioned for it, especially in public like this." She elaborated

"... he seems very strong." Ais finally said quietly. Her entire familia shocked at this until Finn approached.

"What do you mean Ais?" Finn asked, he didn't see Takeo exchange with Bete much, like the rest of the familia he ignored it due to it being common when Bete goes out.

"...He seemed to immediately know and realise that Bete tackled him and let it happen." Ais elaborated.

Finn and the rest of the famila simply looked out at the door which Takeo went through in amazement at what Ais said. Someone without a familia and fauna was able to fight on par with a level six who was this man? Finn's thumb was numb at this point; he needed more information on him and he had to find it before anything bad happened to his famila.