Danmachi Emerald Version

Chapter 4

Pass Parade 1: Prelude


A/N:

Narration

"Talk"

Monologue

*sfx*


Dungeon 8th floor,

"Is this... uhm a regular thing?"

On OUR way to the 11th floor, the new interloper named Karen asked while assisting Lily on picking the drop items from our previous encounter.

"Regular?" Lily asked.

Though Lily already knew what Miss Karen wanted, Lily can't help but ask in case Lily misunderstood her.

"The drops and encounters," Karen replied while not stopping from picking the loots from the monsters we defeated.

Truth be told, even Lily is still not sure even to this point. Lily's time BW (Before Welf), the monster drop and rare items Lily got is comparable to a party's haul and it has not stopped since then. Now, rare monsters are like coming out of the woodwork. Dungeonworks in this case.

It's better for Lily to not let this potential enemy knows much. Lily may not be able to do a thing regarding Lady Riveria, the Sword Princess and the waitresses from that pub but Lily will uphold her promise to Goddess Hestia to keep annoying fly away from master Bell.

"Something wrong Lily?" Karen asked seeing the little chienthrope stop moving.

"It's nothing, Master Karen," Lily reassures her. "Lily just recall Lily's previous exploration with Master Bell. Lily doest notices anything strange here."

"Okay... so the drops and encounter of rare monster when adventuring with him is like this even then" Karen mumbles followed by a smile.

Crap! She's more troublesome that Master Welf!

"Something wrong Bell?"

A few feet away from us, while Lily is trying to figure out this peculiar fly, Master Welf approaches Master Bell who is staring at his bow for quite a while now.

"The strings on my bow just snap," Bell replied wyry as he makes a nervous chuckle while maintaining the look at the black bow at hand.

"Bow... that's strange..." overhearing their conversation, Lily mumbles as she took a quick glance at the black bow Bell is holding.

Isn't that the bow Lady Riveria gave Lily for Master Bell to use?

Using this opportunity, Lily looks away from the new interloper and focuses all of Lily's attention on Master Bell.

That bow is of newly bought before the expedition. I have a bad feeling about this...


Dungeon 59 floor

"Haaaah... haaaah... haaaaah..."

Lying on my back, I heave heavily as I forced my body to rise.

I... I'm not going to die here! I don't want to die here!

Though it is for a brief period, right after Lord Gareth's shield shattered as well and the magic the enemy cast engulf us, I felt Lady Riveria's Veil Breath for a brief period. Even after all of that, Lady Riveria still manages to cast support magic on me, no, on us. Because of that, the damage we received was minimal.

*thud*

Breaking my train of thought was the image of a tattered Lady Riveria who just fell on her knees while still clutching on to her staff. A staff that is nearing the end of its lifespan.

"Riveria... Gareth..." Ais said in a hoarse voice.

"No..." I whimper weakly as I slowly raise my body from the ground. Lady Riveria is on her knees and Lord Gareth lies motionlessly on the ground behind her.

"Moan, mighty earth-"

With a smile on its face, the demi-spirits didn't waste any time to cast a second spell.

This can't be...

Looking around, I saw all members of my familia slowly raising as well with fear etched on their faces.

Nonononono...

That instant, realization sink into us as we stood upright. Two of our strongest executives are down and the demi spirit is chanting a second spell, my knees tremble as strength slowly leaves them.

"Rise, rise RISE! Husk of the earth! Sheen of iron!

Hammer of cosmos! May genesis's pact unheave rock and stone!

The sky shall burn! The earth shall split! The bridge shall rise!

Heaven and earth become one!

May the axes of the ether rain down and bring about calamity's ruin-"

*thud*

I slumped to the floor as the demi-spirit continue to cast another long chant

"You're envoy beseech you, Gnome!

Incarnate the land! Queen of the earth-"

"This is bad," Ais mumbles as she held me in her arms, ready to leap back.

Normally I would be overjoyed by this but with impending doom closing, all of my feelings went numb.

"Meteor Swarm!"

"Raul, Bete, Ais, Tiona and Tione protect the others!" Finn ordered as he jumps forward in front of Riveria and Gareth.

Raul and Bete then defend an area from the rain of rocks while Ms. Ais, Tione, Tiona and even Miss Tsubaki brought us, us who are too weak to move into that safe zone.

What we saw after that was carnage. Lord Finn and the rest then tried to intercept the relentless swarm of rocks falling to us for more than five minutes.

EH?

During that onslaught, I saw a magic circle formed around Lady Riveria.

Please don't!

I tried to cry but no voice came out from my lips.

Please reserve your strength!

"...

...

...

Luna... Aldis..."

Few minutes later,

"Everyone still alive back there?" though the voice is weak, Miss Tsubaki asked us right after the onslaught of falling rocks stopped while remaining vigilant to the actions of the demi-spirit.

"████▄▄▄▄▄▄"

The demi-spirit somehow releases a soft and almost angel-like tone. But its true purpose is far from angelic as shadows gathered around it.

"M-monsters?" Anakity blurted out in disbelief after seeing the things that formed around the demi spirit.

"Is this it...?" Tsubaki murmured she drop her weapons to the ground while the rest of the first-class adventurer are too stunned to speak.

"This is not over,"

With the exception if our leader.

"We are going to defeat that thing," Contrary to the rest, Lord Finn continues to look at the monsters defiantly. "All we need is courage..."


"Uhm Miss Lefiya,"

On our way back to Orario after Lady Riveria's special training with Miss Ais and a certain rabbit, HE walked side by side to me as my idol Miss Ais walks back and have a discussion with Lady Riveria.

"What do you want?" I asked as polite as I can muster or else Lady Riveria will reprimand me again.

"Uhm... actually," the little rabbit fidget while scratching the back of his head with his right hand. "I... I um sorry about back then."

Back then... oh!

"You don't need to worry," I lied. HE has everything to worry about when I unleash my wrath on him. Even today. "When I confronted Miss Ais, she was also scared for this to leak out to Lord Finn and the others so I can understand why you suddenly ran after knowing I am from the Loki Familia."

"Which is why... um... I'm very sorry and wish you luck on your expedition."

Eh?

"Heh! I appreciate the sentiment but there's no need."

I said followed by a quick turn of my head in the opposite direction.

I must not allow my self to be fooled by this devious rabbit.


After acting all high and mighty back then... I can't allow this to end like this.

"Or is following Bell Cranel's achievement too much?"

What? Him?

Breaking off from my internal anguish, I heard our captain's final words from his rousing speech. A speech I was too preoccupied to listen.

That rabbit's achievement?

Slightly confused as to what Lord Finn meant, I look around. And there, I saw it. I saw the flame in their eyes reignite itself. A burning flame far brighter than before and it is not just Miss Ais but all high ranking adventurers in our familia. Us 2nd tier adventurers can only look in confusion about what our leader meant.

"As if I'd let that rabbit boy show me up!" Bete roared as he rose from the ground.

"Getting full of your self, eh?" Tione comment as she as well stood straight.

"Ahahahaha! We can't lose to Argonaut's adventure!" Tiona jumped with a smile on her face.

Argo-who?

"..." Ais agree with wit a nod as she dusts her self off and grips the handle of her sword tightly.

"...wish you luck on your expedition."

With this sight, his final words reverberate within my core.

Gaaaaaaaaahhhhh!

I don't know what he did, but I won't allow him to run ahead of me any longer.

Bell Cranel!

The image of him, that rabbit, running past me reignite my passion.

I will not allow it. I will not let this pass you stupid RABIIIIIIT!

I shout internally as my body rises from the ground full with vigo- no fury. That's right. Fury. Overwhelming and just fury over that rabbit.

"There's no WAY I am dying here!" I yelled at the top of my voice.

Just you wait. I'll smack you with my wand when we meet again.


"Eeeeek!"

"Something wrong Bell?"

"Master Bell?"

As we entered the 11th floor of the dungeon, I yelp and shiver for some reason. An action that causes Welf and Lily to worry about my condition.

"N-nothing..." I replied as I scratch the back of my head. Finding the right words to explain my sudden jerk reaction.

"You know Bell," Karen said, garnering all attention to her and away from me.

"You know something, newcomer?" Lily interjects skeptically.

"A hunch," Karen replied. "My Goddess once told me that because adventurers receive grace from the gods, they are more sensitive than normal which is why it is easier for us to even feel strong emotions directed at us. So your reaction might have been caused by either a certain someone is thinking of you in an overly loving manner or their feelings of extreme jealousy or rivalry."

"And we're supposed to believe that just because your goddess told you so?" Lily rebukes. "A goddess we don't even know.

"Freya,"

Eh?

"The Goddes I speak of is the Goddess Freya," Karen reiterate.

"oi oi, you gotta be kidding me?" Welf mumbles while Lily

"Eeeeeeehhhh?!"

Lily yelled.

If what Karen says is true, those feelings are not just a figment of my imagination, contrary to Lily, I am too absorbed to the information Ms. Karen shared with us and my previous expirience to react properly. Who knew she's with the strongest familia in Orario. And in that case, why go adventuring with us?


"Or is following Bell Cranel's achievement too much?"

Just as my consciousness starting to leave me, Finn just finishes his speech like this.

His achievement...

Being reminded of the incident back at the 9th floor, I and probably the rest of the vanguard were like taken back to that fight. When he did what is deemed impossible, when he defeated the minotaur and when his back exposes the most absurd thing I've seen in my ninety years of life.

Being reminded of that scene, that immense feeling that we had back then resurfaced and is now being amplified with the predicament we are in. I am certain the rest is also burning with passion.

Fufufufu... seriously Finn. You really know how to rile us up.

"Riveria, Gareth, is this the end of the road for the both of you?" Finn asked as I felt he retreated a few steps towards us.

"Gah!" Gareth gawked followed by a cough filled with blood. "Don't get cocky you brat. I'm not as frail as that old hag.

"Shut up you crude oaf!" Though I plan to save as much energy as I can, I can't help but retort in a hoarse voice as blood came out of my mouth as well.

"I am still young by elf standard," I added as I weakly opened my eyes to fully see all fist class adventurers from our familia stood defiantly in front of us. "Don't get too cheeky as well, Finn."

"Can you blame me?" Finn replied with a hint of youthful? joy. "I have more reason to live you know."

"Hoho... seriously?" Gareth asked as he slowly stood up while supporting his shaking legs with both of his hands.

"Why not?"

For the first time since the battle start, Finn looks at us with a grin.

"I refuse to die without leaving an heir after all."

That will be an uphill battle for you as well...

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?!"

Tione exclaims while Finn made an oh crap look.

"Good luck with that Finn," Gareth guffaw as he stood his ground, ax ready to strike at a moment's notice.

But Finn is right, just like Bell, we can't turn our back in our own adventure.

With that last thought, I stood defiantly to the obstacle in front.

"Supporter, my staff and my bow," Riveria commanded in a hoarse voice.

"Y-yes!" The supporter replied.

"Raul, Anakity, make sure no enemies get to pass through you."

"Lefiya and the rest gather and follow me."

"Yes!" Lefiya and the rest of the elves replied.

In place of Finn and Gareth who plows through the enemies alongside Ais and the rest of the vanguards, I gave orders one after another as I retreated to a safer location where we can cast our magic while providing support with my bow to the monsters Raul and the rest faces while protecting us.

"Time to return the favor you generously gave us."

With that, we started to chant our spells while my skill Alf Regina takes effect.


Heath Mansion.

The sudden visit of the strongest familia caused an uproar to Apollo's familia. Seeing this as a possible opportunity, Apollo led the Goddess of beauty to his meeting room. A good opportunity that was quickly shattered by what the goddess of beauty said.

"So what will it be, Apollo?" Freya asked seriously. Devoid of seductive tone the Goddess of Beauty is known to use. "You either returned to Tenkai today or you stop, which will it be?"

"I-I don't understand w-what you mean, Lady Freya. Stop? Stop what?" Apollo stuttered

"You know what I mean."

"My, this is quite an accusation," Apollo was nervous at first but he must now allow her to take control of the conversation.

Though he is confident to the capabilities of his children, the domineering presence of the Boaz is more than enough for him to even consider retorting too much in a defiant tone to the Goddess of Beauty who just handed him an ultimatum.

"Ara~ Are you still feigning ignorance?" Freya muses. " You know, Initially, I did enjoy watching the commotion you've caused at top of babel. Whether your actions were rooted in your former connections with Hestia is no concern of mine. What matters here is that a child of mine got hurt in this rumor that you're spreading."

*gulp*

Don't tell me...

Apollo then remembered an incident reported to him yesterday. Regarding the ambush, they prepare for the white-haired adventurer when he left Orario. It was said that he is accompanied by a female human. One of the humans that fell from the rumor they are spreading.

"I also got all the evidence I need to prove your actions." Freya continued. "So what will it be, Apollo?

" G-goddess F-Freya!"

"Apollo, I am a busy person," Freya interject. "Either you gave me your answer right now or I'll answer in your stead."

With that final warning, the bodyguard who is quiet all this time takes a step forward.

"Don't worry," Freya assured him. "He's only here to protect me but~"

*bang*

The door suddenly burst open and a pale pallum enters.

"L-Lord Apollo! We're surrounded!"

Apollo could do nothing but to look back and forth to the pallum and the goddess of beauty with a beautiful smug.

"I-I'll yield!" the sun god exclaims as he bows a perfect 90 "Just spare us!"


abandoned church

"I wonder what Welf wanted to Talk about?" Bell said more to himself.

After several incidents that happened within the day starting with the new bow that I used to the sudden tremor in the dungeon just as we are about to enter the 12th floor, we decided to return to the surface. Before we all part ways, Welf asked if he can talk to me in private in his forge right after I inquire about the Crozzo line to an elf that I know (Ms. Ryuu).

"Haaaaaah..."

I sigh as I rest on the sofa after taking a bath.

Hm?

As I was scrubbing my hair with a towel, I saw that. The robe Ms. Riveria used to covered my injured body right after the fight with the Minotaur.

Though the robe is newly washed by Goddess the moment we returned from the infirmary, it is still Ms. Riveria's robe.

"Go on, take a whiff,"

Eh?

As I was staring at it intently, I heard my grandfather's voice boomed in my head.

"C'mon, I know you want to,"

"B-bu-but..." I tried to argue back... weakly.

"You'll love it!"

"But isn't that...?

"It is a man's romance Bell. A MAN'S ROMAAAAAANCEEEEEEE!"

A man's romance...

*gulp*

As my hand slowly approaches the robe.

"Noooooooooooooooooooooo!"

A second voiced boomed. This time around, it is Goddess' voice.

"You can't Bell! that's creepy!"

"Che! Being romantic is not creepy, you know."

"I know more than enough!" Goddess spat at my grandfather before turning her attention to me. "Bell, don't do it and my clothes are lying around here as well. They are a better option."

"Follow you heart, Bell,"

Grandfather's voice is trying its hardest to drown the voice of Goddess.

"Bell, think about what Riversomething would do if she knew you're sniffing her stuff."

"Don't listen to her Bell," Grandfather said with a thumbs up. "What lies beyond that is a new world. A paradise!"

"Paradise..." Bell murmur as he took the robe on the table.

"Be-"

*pow*

In that instant, grandfather sucker-punch Goddess and prevails against her With the robe at hand, I slowly place it near my heart who is beating widely. little by little I started to...

"Go on," Grandfather insisted.

slowly wrap my arms around it followed by a tight grip as I slowly raise it to my-

"Ahem,"

Only for me to be brought back to reality by a familiar cough and a pair of disgusted stare.

Looking at the source, I found Miss Karen standing and beside her is... is...

Goddess!

At that moment, my heart deflates and as if all blood suddenly left my body, I got paler and paler by the second and cold sweat started to fall from my forehead and Goddess's furious look is like she is about to pounce at me.

It's over...

I said internally as the strength on my hand vanish making me drop the robe on my chest to fall to my lap.

Things happen so fast that I was not able to react.

Not to the robe that fell but to the wild beast goddess turned into as she pounced at me.

To be honest, I feel all things slowed when that happened including the time Goddess leap while shouting my name in slow motion, but I was still not able to react. It's like my body, my self already resign to my terrible fate.


Aaaaaaaaaannnnd cut!

A/N:

Been a while since the last update. Though originally, the intention was to make the chapter longer and cram all of the event in one ch, but RL work prevents me from making it a reality. Expecting to work a day before Christmas and after Christmas up to day before new year. So initial plan to do this on the 3rd and 4th week went down the drain. The chapter is back to its usual not that short but not that long format (2k to 3k+ words).

Now then, we are now entering the part where Bell will venture into the middle floors. The conclusion of Loki familia's fight happen off screen. Was forced to butcher the last scenario as the focal point there was to set up what will happen in the 18 floor pre-Black Goliath. Certain changes here and there compared to original The robe shenanigan is similar to the top wall of Bell in canon. When Bell is conflicted to either kiss a sleeping Ais or not. This is our version of that. Because he is not into Ais, the scenario in canon didn't happen on top of the wall so I think of a way to make a similar scene. Just like in canon, Bell's grandfather acts as the tempter while Hestia as the voice of reason. Partial voice of reason.

As stated in a different story of ours, the update will go on rotation (shameless plugin) the rotation goes as follows, Fate/Divergence, Danmachi Emerald, Ai Hayasaka Wants to seduce then back to fate then danmachi... When the update will come varies to workload once again.

For the review, likes and follow, thanks!