Even after becoming an adventurer, time sort of blurred. Yes, he had a lot more fun than before. Yes, he liked having a new 'family', as embarrassing to admit that as it was. Lulope was a little hellfire, ironically enough given her past. And Danos, for all he was a literal meathead could be hella amusing in his own stoic, yet naive way. Diego wondered if that what it was like to have siblings. Having to look out for them and rein in their worst impulses, mainly picking fights with people. Not that he stopped them that often, as long as it was done in a 'legal' way. Not to mention he enjoyed those War Games more than going down the dungeon sometimes. While monsters were new at the start, they were... samey. A goblin was a goblin. A wyvern a wyvern. Sure, at rare times there was one or two irregular monsters which really pushed his observation skills. But War Games? People were always different. Those little quirks that made a person up, all those tricks they learned and what not.
Now those were fun to pick out. Still, it didn't mean he was slacking with his dungeon dives. He and his Familia got pretty deep, somewhere around the thirties if he recalled right. He was no genius with all due respect. It took years to level up. Still, slow and steady was winning the race as well, not that there was a race to begin with. It wasn't the kind of story children would want to read about in story books, but it was his life. His life, as Eris supported them, with all sorts of connections and resources as she did her dealing, putting most merchants to shame. Yet one day, it changed. Diego didn't consider his Familia the nicest ones, but they had some standards. Yes, Eris could be cutt throat, but she only went after people who could 'take it'. Yes, he and the others beat up other Familia in war Games but that was consensual on both parties. Yet one day, the Discord couldn't help but slam his hands down on Eris' office table once the door was slammed shut behind him.
"Are you serious?!"
The goddess winced before turning around on her chair with a huff. Yet he could tell something was off. The bags under her eyes were completely out of place. Eris didn't work that hard. Not that she was lazy but she always paid attention to her appearance.
"Yes, good day to you too."
"Loki or Freya will spine break us if they find out about this! That's not to mention Astraea and whoever else is there!" He threw his arms open, shaking his head in disbelief. "Evilus?! Really?!"
It was momentarily. But she definitely tensed up before she tried to wave him off with a giggle.
"It's not like I agreed to killing babies and throwing you at the Silence. Just calm down." She looked away, focusing back on her paperwork. "They want some resources, I give it to them. Allll under the table."
"And what do we get out of this?" He asked, crossing his arms with a small growl. Eris shrugged him off, not even looking up.
"Look, I'm the business woman here, you just do what you do."
Diego looked at his goddess. Really looked. She still didn't look him in the eye. Then there was the way her fingers twitched as she signed away paperwork, her signature more messy than before. It only led to one conclusion as he stared at her in disbelief.
"You... You're afraid."
Eris' reaction spoke volumes. She shot up, eyes wide as she snarled, slamming her hands down the table herself.
"No! No, I'm not!" She took a deep breath and forced out a laugh as she sat down again. "Geez, stop asking those crazy questions! It'll be fine!"
This wasn't a game or a vacation anymore for her. The casualness around her was utterly gone. No, her denial only made it more clear. She felt threatened by something. She, a divine entity. Worry filled his expression as he reached out to her.
"Eris, c'mon, trust m-"
"That's enough." Eris looked at him, her expression soft as her voice turned into a whisper, trying to sound encouraging. But with her weak smile, it sounded more like frail pleading. "There's nothing you can do. Just... let me do this for you guys, okay? Everything will be alright."
He bit his lip. He wanted to object. But he realized there was nothing he could do. So in the end, he left her behind in her own office. Wandering aimlessly, he reached his room. With a sigh, he entered before closing the door. When he turned around however, his eyes widened in shock and he tensed up, ready to fight.
A hooded individual stood against the open window, seemingly enjoying the breeze. A moment ago she wasn't there. Yet the woman giggled, as if she owned this room and waved casually at him.
"Well, hello there~!"
Diego narrowed his eyes, cursing himself for not having any weapons at hand. He realized that this was the one responsible. She radiated amusement.
"What did you do to her?"
"Me? I didn't do anything!" She shrugged nonchalantly as she craned her head back, looking down at him. "Besides, what do you care, little slave? Miss Observer agreed to finance us, end of story."
He twitched at the mention of slave. But he didn't jump at the bait. Instead he forced himself to take a deep breath.
"For how long?"
"Ohohoho, that's cute." She shook her head before crossing her legs, resting her chin on her palm. "Well, to put it into terms someone like you understands... basically forever?" She hummed thoughtfully, ignoring the horrified look of the captain. "I mean, not like you have any context for what forever is compared to me, but you catch my drift." She raised her finger, wiggling it. "And before you ask, yes, I will probably escalate. What are you gonna do about it?"
He could close the distance. Snap her neck. Gouge her eyes out. Yet his instincts were screaming at him that if he attacked, he'd be the one who would end up dead. This woman radiated confidence. Too much that it had to have a basis in something. Seeing his decision to stay put, the hooded individual stepped off the window and clapped her hands together with a nod.
"You know, I respect that. Misguided loyalty and what not tugs at my heart strings a bit. So here's a deal for you." She twirled her hand. Suddenly there was a piece of paper in it as she chuckled at him. "If you do some dirty work for me, I will cut her some slack. Easy, right?"
"How do I know you'll keep your word?" He muttered after accepting the list. Yet instead of any sort of reassurance, even if it would've been a lie, the woman just scoffed and walked past him.
"Sounds like a you problem. Be a good boy and get to work."
He couldn't take it anymore. He snarled, about to punch her head off, only to blink in shock. She disappeared. Just like that. He looked down on the list, the names written on them. He grit his teeth. As if this was even a choice. He talked with Danos and Lulope, the two of them agreeing to what he decided.
That day, they had lost their 'purity' as adventurers. They were nothing more than crooks. The moment the Night Queen and Evilus entered their life, it was like an infection to their souls. They became more cruel. Maybe it was because they began to enjoy it. Or perhaps it was a coping mechanism. Either way... When Eris found out, she was utterly furious.
"You idiots, I sa-"
"We're in this together. No matter what." Danos shook his head with a sigh. "If you're going to hell, we're coming with you."
"Dreams have to end eventually. Gotta grow up one day."
While Lulope tried to act casual, she was still with anger herself. Diego sighed before putting on a smirk with a shrug.
"Playing the villain might be a nice change of pace."
"...Just don't regret this," Eris muttered, yet there was gratitude in her eyes. The Discord pressed his lips together. It felt bad. But... better to just feel bad. Better someone else than his family. The world was cruel after all, he thought with a scoff, feeling disgust for himself.
But before he could leave, there was one more secret Eris entrusted him with. He would remember that conversation forever.
"I always thought we were at the top of the food chain. That nothing could really threaten us since we have our Arcanum."
The look she gave him was haunting. Over the years she would regain her casualness. Years after years of nothing happening. Yet it was always in the back of his mind. That face of a scared young woman, combined with those terrifying words.
"I was wrong."
/
"Hm. Shallow."
Diego flicked the blood off with a swift movement of his wrists, casually walking sideways as he kept his eyes on Bell, who just came to a stop after sliding across the ground. The young man breathed heavily, holding a hand across his chest with gritted teeth. A cross of blood was marked on him, as the crimson fluid dropped down on the ground. He felt a shiver down his spine as he went through the event in his head. Only by sheer instinct did he manage to jump back. A second too late and he'd have been cut into pieces. Instead he was cut, hurt, maybe even scarred. But he was alive as he took deep breaths to calm his beating heart.
"What reflexes! But that's still gonna leave some nasty scars!"
"It does not appear to be too detrimental however. But Discord still has the advantage."
His chainmail and shirt now had a crimson x on it. It was uncomfortable but he rolled his shoulders with a frown. It still did the job of protecting him, damaged or not. With that in mind, he began to lightly jump on the spot, eyeing his opponent who mimicked him once more. It only frustrated him more. Damn it, it was like he was reading his mind!
"Firebolt!"
Diego raised an eyebrow at that, casually bringing his Salamander Wool up with his arm. Yet it served as a distraction, covering his vision. Bell moved from the side, intending to stab through, but his opponent jumped back with a slight frown. After all, he couldn't copy his magic. That way, he couldn't mess with Bell's rhythm. At least that's what the White Fool planned. But even as they renewed their clashes with blades, mirroring each other until Bell used his magic, the audience saw the issue.
Firebolt was ignored, the 'blinding' not giving Bell the edge he needed. Dragon Fang was avoided. Each time Bell was about to use it his opponent backed off, even when Bell silently casted his spells.
"That's not stuff you can figure out from my book," Hans muttered under his breath, frowning at the battlefield. Artoria nodded slightly, clicking her tongue when a wide cut appeared on Bell's right cheek.
"Indeed. This is the result of long term observation. Dating back even before he came to Orario perhaps."
Bell was being stalled out. The signs of fatigue grew and grew. Using magic to even the fight only worked so much, in exchange to losing more and more mind. The more his exhaustion increased, the more likely he'd make mistakes. Close calls became ever closer as he was cut across the shoulder. No, if he kept this up, he'd lose. Either by bleeding out or by Mind Down. His opponent, lazily smirking at him as he twirled his blades, knew that. Leaning against a rock, Bell took a deep breath and nodded to himself. Then, to the shock of everyone, he sheathed the shorter blade of his.
"Oh, what is this?!"
"It appears he is changing his fighting style! A risky gambit!"
He held his katana up in one hand, while his free hand seemed to be held near the tip, as if guiding it. Alise blinked, leaning forward as she hummed thoughtfully, eyes narrowed. Then Bell shot forward and she shot up from her seat in shock.
"Alise?" Ryuu asked with concern as her captain seemed to giggle out of nowhere. But then she saw it too and her eyes widened in shock, followed by the rest of the Astraea Familia. "Wait, isn't that-"
Diego himself grunted in shock as the katana stabbed towards his face, cutting across his cheek. Almost startled he backed off when Bell began to barrage him with a style that was closer to fencing than anything else. It was a style most people were familiar with on the streets of Orario. The definition of precision, fueled by the fire of justice itself. Despite the burning inferno that was her being, that allrounder was able to cut and pierce exactly what she wanted to and not a bit more. In this instance, Bell was using Alise's style as he pushed forward. Of course it was nothing but a pale imitation. It was just a fake to throw his opponent off balance. Even as he tried to compensate for the style with his own quirks, soon enough, Discord just leaned his head away here and there to avoid the attacks. But then, Bell showed that wasn't all he could do.
The swings and stabs increased in ferocity. The guiding hand moved away, instead staying close to the body. The moment Diego tried to fight back, he parried the attacks by just the smallest of movements. His enemy's attacks pierced his flesh, but it was ignored in order to return the favor twiceful. Gone was Alise and instead it was the monster killing power of the Sword Princess. Aiz' eyes were wide as she stared at the sight. She only sparred with him a few times, how was he able to create that image, poor as it was? Bell suddenly jumped back, his legs hitting a rock before he jumped off it, leaping towards Diego. The man dodged swiftly, eyes narrowed. Yet just as he was about to cut the boy down, the moment Bell's hands touched the ground, the image once again changed.
Acrobatics and agility that was unlike his 'basic' speed, moving in sharp straight lines, he seemed to dance as he focused on dodging while striking back.
"Bell... " Ryuu muttered, as she saw her own movements being copied by the boy. Her style was the most profound, most likely from their training in the last weeks. What he lacked in power he more than possessed in speed, creating the image of an elf in her territory as Bell used the environment more than ever. Unfortunately it was something that Bell more or less already used, causing Diego to chase after him. Then the unthinkable happened.
Bell threw his sword up. Not at him, but spinning it in the air. Diego couldn't help but stare at it in that moment. A moment of distraction that Bell took advantage off. A clap of his hands and it was like the Discord was paralyzed as he tensed up. The next instance, Bell unsheathed his second, shorter katana and drew it upwards. Through the Salamander Wool Diego grit his teeth in pain, as the cut appeared across the chest.
"There we go!"
"What a cheeky brat!"
Kaguya and Lyra high fived each other after seeing how Bell took a page from their books. He stretched out his left hand, intent to rip the now damaged wool from him. But Discord recovered swiftly, swinging down his right arm from above. Bell predicted it however, twisting his body with the momentum of his outstretched arm. The next moment Diego stumbled forward, only to be met with a knee, knocking him up. Haruhime and Solaris stared at the string of events with wide eyes, the latter smiling widely.
"Wind Kata?!"
"Street style, wooohooo!"
Without letting the man recover, he immediately smashed his head against his already bleeding nose, holding a strong hold onto his Salamander Wool at the same time. Sheathing his shorter sword, he immediately began to wail on him. Elbow to the face, over and over with his right arm.
"This boy is pulling out one trick after the other! Not even Discord seems to be able to keep up against that chaos!"
Bell Cranel was someone who was always watching. The larger than life individuals with skills he could only dream of possessing. The qualities of his Familia, who some might consider weaker than him. He observed them all. In a way he might've envied them. But only because he wasn't them didn't mean he couldn't learn from them, to make their skills a part of his own. Thanks to meeting them, those great people, he was able to gain the momentum needed to overcome his opponent's copying. Of course Diego wouldn't allow this without any resistance. Any damage Bell might have done was immediately off set with a strong forward kick, launching his opponent. The White Fool grimaced as he felt something crack, but he powered through and tore the Salamander Wool away with him. Rolling on the ground, he glanced to the side before picking up his katana he used as a distraction immediately. At the same time Diego was already rushing towards him, but then Bell took on yet another peculiar stance. With his hands next to his head, he turned sideways. To many, there was just confusion. Yet the Discord's eyes widened at the sight as Bell smiled ever so slightly.
"Hiken."
Diego stomped onto the ground, forcing himself to a stop and leapt back, trying to get out of range. It was not a conscious decision. If he had given it more thought, he knew this was nothing more but a front. But he remembered. He recalled the information, of the sure hit kill technique his so called teacher possessed. There was the off chance. The one in a million that he might've run into certain death. Unfortunately for him, his instincts led him astray as instead of swinging his blade, Bell now had a target in the middle of the air. Kojiro smirked at the display, nodding in approval.
"Good bluff."
"Firebolt!"
The flames and lightning hit dead center, causing the man to spin in the air and hit the ground with a pained grunt. He shot up immediately but by then Bell was picking up speed as he ran circles around him, now having a free target to hit with his Firebolts. He tried to avoid and smack them away as best as he could, but as expected, Bell's magic was out of this world. Speed unsuited for a caster, the rapid fire was something most people weren't prepared for. With the burns inflicted on him, he grit his teeth and growled.
"Scream out at the heavens... !"
Bell's eyes widened and he immediately closed the distance like Aiz would, a direct line with zero hesitation.
"The Discord is beginning to chant!"
"Will he be able to keep his concentration up with that barrage however?!"
Over and over, he switched it up, landing good hits, may it be magic of Dragon Fang or Firebolt. However, Diego's focus didn't waver.
"Let your voice scratch fate itself!"
Diego cracked a small smirk before promptly throwing his two blades at Bell, forcing the boy to duck away. The moment he came back up, he narrowly avoided having his guts being pierced. A piece of flesh was torn off, causing him to hiss as he backed off, firing off another Firebolt at him.
"Again and again, the words of chaos give life meaning!"
The flames however didn't reach him as it was blocked. In demonstration, Diego slammed his new weapon down a few times, his grin widening.
"Spear and shield combo!"
"It appears the time of mimicry is over!"
"Crush and smash apart, music of defiance!"
The man raised both of his arms as time slowed down. His index fingers tensed up as it was pressed against his thumbs. Bell crossed his arms, eyes wide, but Diego smirked, knowing it was too late to dodge or defend against this.
"Onda De Sonido!"
Bell could only mouth something before an invisible force crashed right into him, engulfing him before smashing him against the wall. The audience gasped. Hestia let out a strangled scream as the commentators winced at the same time.
"That was a head on hit!"
"I didn't expect that kind of power... " Ryuu muttered, biting her thumb in worry. Lyra nodded, grimacing herself.
"Yeah, that's around half of what the Silence could dish out, give or take."
Considering who she was, that meant something to most veterans. If Bell took that without any defense, he wouldn't last. However, most of the top tier adventurers also saw something else, just before the attack landed. It might've been a trick to their eyes, but they were confident in what they saw. As the dust settled, they all began to smile as Diego blinked in shock at the same sight.
For the lack of a better word, a white colored, yet transparent bell was covering the young man. Bell, the person, still coughed up blood, his nose bleeding as he blearily blinked from exhaustion. Yet he managed to survive the worst before the protective energy cracked and turned into particles in the air. He almost buckled over but he kept a strong grip on his swords as he leaned forward, shaking his head before forcing his eyes wide open.
"Shield magic? Never gonna run out of surprises will ya, kiddo?" Diego muttered, rolling his shoulders with a hint of annoyance in his expression. The crowd exploded into excitement at this turn of events. Yet the most excited of them all was Brunhilde, barely able to keep her idol persona as she pumped her fist a few times.
"Morgenglocke. Heh, here I was beginning to believe he forgot about it!"
It truly was a pity. To reveal such a card to the open public. Even more the pity that Bell didn't have the time to learn it the 'hard way' for the sake of research. Oh well, necessity came first over wants. Either way, she frowned, just like many others. While he managed to defend against that, it was clear the boy was reaching his limits. If this kept on, he'd lost because his endurance wasn't up to par. He should know that too, which added to the mental strain. Yet against all odds, against all expectations, he did something that nobody else would've done in his place.
"Look at that smile!"
"A rare sight indeed."
Not a hint of bloodlust. No anger or the like. Despite being against the ropes, it was the kind of smile one would have when having the time of their life. It was pure, in a sense. The mere sight set some people off, a certain goddess above all as she could practically drooled over her own Divine Mirror. Hestia giggled at the sight, blushing a bit like Ryuu did. Some shook their heads in exasperation, yet with a fond smile like Kaguya or Lyra. The rest of the Hestia Familia cheered him on, while the Loki Familia were mixed in awe and surprise. However, Aiz was different. She couldn't help but raised the tips of her own hair on her palm. She stared at the white color before clenching it in her fist. She hated it. She hated that color, as it was a mockery to the one Bell possessed. She shook her head and kept her eyes on the fight, her mouth twitching a bit. As always, his soul just seemed to set her heart at ease. Determination filled her, as she wanted to become better, just like he was. Maybe if she could live up to his example she could live with sharing a trait with him without feeling like she was tainting his image.
"When did I become this old... " Diego muttered, staring at the sky with an unreadable expression. Then he let out a loud laugh before widening his stance, spear held high with his shield in front. "C'mon, kiddo!"
Bell exhaled, nodding slowly. Alright... no more copying. Now it was just him. Exhaling, Bell rolled his shoulders, shaking his head to ignore the ringing in his mind... before rushing forward with a scream. Two things happened at once. The sounds of bells ringing in the air as his body was infused with white energy. The magic power surging from Diego as he announced the first words.
"Scream out at the heavens!"
Argonaut against chanted magic. Whoever manages to hit with their last ace would win. With that in mind, Bell suddenly soared through the air, cracking the ground with a burst of speed. Memories overlapped with his current situation. His journey thus far, urging him on to not let his story end just yet.
The conflict in the Far East, where a foolish young man stepped into business not his own. Two guards, supporting the kidnapping of a princess.
The flying knee was blocked, but it still pushed the man back a bit. Bell ducked under the spear swinging wide and he aimed for the back of his knees. They only barely cut into his flesh before he immediately moved forward. Still, it did the job. Bell came up immediately and hit his jaw with the handle of his blade, knocking him away. He raised his swords once more, causing him to guard his upper body, only to groan in pain with Bell's leg shot up against his private parts. Despite the pain, the man still chanted however. It impressed Bell. His pain tolerance had to be off the charts if he still kept a solid handle on his magical energy, not allowing the spell to fail no matter what. He raised his arms in guard as Diego smashed his shield into his side, sending him flying once more. He barely managed to maneuver over the rock instead of crashing into it and then disappeared behind it. Diego rushed after him, but when he came around the rock, he saw nobody.
To save a goddess in the city of winter, he dropped off the wall of a building.
Diego snapped his head up, blinded by the sun for a moment. But he still saw Bell, having climbed up the wall to leap into the air. Unable to spot him properly due to the flash of light he quickly backed off, allowing Bell to land. Sensing weakness, he stabbed out his spear, still chanting his spells.
The mighty horn of a minotaur, barely avoided by grabbing onto death itself.
Bell's hand grasped the handle as he pulled back and his right leg snapped up. Once more the shield stopped his attack, blocking his attempt at Diego's jaw. Using the momentum as Diego tried to shake him off with a wide swing, he created some distance before dashing in right away. But before he came into reach, Bell stabbed his two blades into the dirt and swung the sand at Diego's face. He couldn't bring up his guard in time, as he was in the middle of a stab. Blinded, he missed entirely as Bell dashed inside, intent to finish it. But then another memory reappeared in his head.
Once upon a time, Bell was completely knocked out by this very same move. In the barracks of a distant land, it smashed his jaw and sunk his mind into darkness, all because he was too focused on victory and the sword the man wielded.
He grit his teeth. Not today! He stomped on the ground and swung his body backwards. The shield shot up, narrowly avoiding his jaw as he backed away.
"Experience, hahaha!" A certain soldier shouted, part of the Rakian regiment cheering even louder.
Yet the distance was created. With the dirt wiped away, Diego's spell was about to finish.
"He's too far away!"
Bell recognized Hlokk's words. But he rejected them. He denied them. So what if he was too far away? It didn't matter if he could or couldn't, he just had to close the distance! He remembered. The time when Haruhime needed him the most. The time of his first kill. The regret, exhaustion, desperation. It all mixed together. And while his mind forgot, his body didn't forget the sensation.
The sensation of the earth shrinking down itself, space reducing itself to make speed itself a meaningless thing. To the outside view, it looked like teleportation as he was right up in Diego's space. His victorious grin gave away to horror as Bell was right in front of him.
"Shukuchi?!"
Bell swung upwards. The Discord reacted immediately, going from offense to defense immediately. One arm pointing upwards, the other arm pointing downwards.
"Dragon Fang!"
"Onda De Sonido!"
The White Dragon emerged into existence, roaring at its food. Yet the teeth couldn't sink into its target, as two invisible forces clashed against each set of teeth. The two opponents screamed, as one desired to smash free and the other desired to chomp down, yet they were in a complete stalemate. Neither could move an inch as their magic did their work. But it was then that Diego saw the jaws weakening, giving away to his own magic. He sighed, cracking a smirk.
"Too ba-"
Bell raised his right hand, palm open and aimed right at him. Diego could only gasp in shock before Bell exhaled slowly, while blood flowed out of his nose, his eyes bloodshot with strain.
"Firebolt."
With equal force of the Dragon Fang, the burst of fire emerged. And this time, Diego could not block, his two hands too occupied with the teeth to guard against the Dragon's Breath. Unable to withstand the dual charge of Argonaut, he screamed in agony as he was launched away by the raw power and energy of the attack.
The magic dissipated. Bell's arms hung loosely at his side, no more power in them as his legs shook and his vision dark, blurry. He was faintly aware of a body smashing down on the ground, but he was so tired. His head was screaming at him to take a break. His eyes almost closed but he forced them back open.
"Is he... ?" Hestia muttered. Everyone held their breath in anticipation. Bell was still standing, but his eyes were cloudy. By all means, according to the rules, this could go to anyone right now. Did Bell faint before his opponent? Alise folded her hands, as if in prayer, an action mimicked by many others.
"C'mon, don't be a double knockout... !"
Suddenly, someone came down from the thrones. Artoria Pendragon stepped forward onto the arena. She gave the burned body of Diego a mere glance, confirming his survival but lack of consciousness with just a single instance. Then she stood right in front of Bell, concer on her face.
"Bell? Do you hear me?"
For a moment, he didn't answer, his body swaying a bit. For a moment, many believed he was unconscious as well. But then, just as Artoria was about to turn to Penthesilea, only she heard the soft words.
"I... became stronger... didn't I... ?"
A smile appeared on the Radiance. It was more than enough confirmation for the queen of Amazons, who immediately raised her arm.
"The winner is Bell Cranel!"
The instance the words were ushered, Bell collapsed. Artoria caught his body as the crowd exploded into cheers. She smiled gently at him before carrying him like a princess to his Familia. From the Eris Familia, Danos did the same, throwing the captain over his shoulder.