Is it Wrong to Live Transmigrated as Bell Cranel in a Dungeon?
Chapter 11.75: The Underworld Resort Part 3
"When the galaxy takes something from me, I want the power to let go… and I want the power to heal the echo… when it's gone."
Mira to Meetra Surik, KOTOR II
Other POV
Finn blinked as he registered what Lefiya had just regaled to him, "…What?"
Lefiya stood nervously, her hands clutching her skirt as she bit her lip, "…Bell Cranel… knows how my Skill works."
Little did she know how that was only mostly true.
"I… see…" Finn said slowly, his brain quickly running through the consequences of this fact.
He and Loki had gone to great lengths to conceal and hide Lefiya's Skill from anyone and everyone. Loki Familia was still paying out money every month to keep several instructors from the Education District quiet.
It was part of a strategy Finn and Loki had devised to intimidate other Familia should they start to try and pull a coup against them like Loki had done to Zeus and Hera.
Lefiya's Skill would be 'leaked' in such a way that everyone assumed she could easily copy Magic spells without limit. But the plan relied on the specifics of her Skill being kept quiet and on the big reveal happening when it is most needed.
Otherwise, Lefiya's Skill is too noteworthy and will lead to an increase in assassination and/or kidnapping attempts that no one wanted to deal with. Especially him.
Dealing with assassins didn't do much for his reputation and the clean up was annoying. The paperwork alone gave Finn nightmares. Not to forget the risk posed to his precious Familia members. Finn may be very pragmatic about his long term goal and dream, but he still cared deeply about his Familia members. He just hoped nothing ever put him in a position to choose between one and the other…
Yes, it was best for multiple reasons to keep Lefiya's Skill top secret.
So it was concerning that Bell Cranel had somehow figured it out. To put it lightly.
That said, Finn didn't have the impression that the information had somehow been leaked. While it wasn't impossible, per say, it was still immensely unlikely.
Finn's intuition told him that Bell must have somehow deduced that Lefiya's Skill as recorded in the public records was not accurate. The specifics of how Bell Cranel eventually made a leap in logic could only be known for certain if Finn asked the young lad.
Thankfully, of all the people to uncover the truth, Bell Cranel wasn't the worst person to do so.
First of all, he was from a no-name Familia — most people when asked 'Do you know Hestia Familia?' Their response will be 'who?'
Secondly, the boy currently has a mostly negative reputation due to adventurers' jealousy of his quick rise to Level 2. The combination of these points make any potential attempt for Bell to spread such information to more likely than not fall on deaf ears.
Trying to 'defame' the Loki Familia would just result in the boy being called an attention seeking liar.
Not that Finn thought the boy would do such a thing.
Because thirdly, the boy revealed that he wanted information on his elven comrade to remain confidential.
Finn hadn't seen the elf in question, nor had Lefiya gotten a good look at her either. But the elf's magic was very coincidentally similar to the Gale Wind's magic; which was strange considering how Lion was in hiding at the Hostess of Fertility and was retired.
It was clear to Finn that Bell was aware of the Gale's past and was trying to protect her from further reprisals by ensuring the Gale's anonymity was retained.
Finn would gladly let Bell have the false impression that this was new information to the Loki Familia and that it was this deal that was keeping Loki Familia's silence on Lion.
Nevermind the fact that it was only Finn, Gareth, Riveria, and Loki that knew the truth; they only kept silent on the matter out of respect for Lion and Astrea Familia's efforts and cooperation during the Dark Era. It had been clear as soon as they finally recognized her that Lion was trying to leave the past behind her, and they would respect that.
Point being, Hestia and Loki Familia were now holding important information over the other. Finn would not allow for such a status quo if not for how small Hestia Familia was (able to be crushed) and the fact that Bell Cranel was clearly trying to align himself with Loki Familia.
It meant that Bell Cranel wasn't trying to blackmail them, it was an exercise in building trust. 'You keep your word and I'll keep mine' sort of deal.
Finn wasn't a fan of being on the receiving end of such a trust exercise, but that didn't mean he was resentful. If this was the price of making Bell Cranel into an ally or vassal then it was worth it. Finn's intuition screamed that Bell Cranel had a bright future ahead of him and would be able to greatly add to Finn's own heroic tale.
Two seconds have passed since Finn last spoke.
Finn smirked. If Bell Cranel wanted to play ball, then Finn was willing to join the game. And he played to win.
"Lefiya," Finn said, addressing his subordinate.
"Y-yes, Finn-taichou!" Lefiya responded to Finn's authority.
"I promised on the name of Loki Familia to insure the safety of Bell Cranel and his party," Finn said to the girl, "I'd like you to keep an eye on him and help escort him and his party back to the surface."
"Escort? Me?" Lefiya said in confusion. Lefiya was hardly ever sent off on her lonesome. She had gotten used to being with the other Executives and aces of Loki Familia. Not that Lefiya was unopposed to undergoing a solo task… just that it was surprising. She was self-aware enough to know her battle-style worked best in a team.
And weren't they just talking about how Bell knew her secret? What's with this topic shift?
Lefiya didn't understand Finn's brain sometimes.
"Yes," Finn said with a smile, "You seem to have gotten along well with Cranel-san despite your rough start. This will be an excellent time to continue to get to know each other better."
Lefiya somehow flushed red and green at the same time, "I-I have no romantic feelings for that human!"
"Sorry, poor phrasing," Finn admitted, "I only meant closer as friends or acquaintances."
"O-oh, right…" Lefiya said, embarrassed at her outburst.
What Finn didn't say was that sending Lefiya to watch over Bell was Finn's way of acknowledging that Finn had received Bell's message. Finn trusted that Bell would realize that Finn was sending Lefiya as a blatant 'spy' and not just from how obvious such a move was. But also because Lefiya was the main link in this little trust exercise between Bell and Finn.
And just like that, Finn had overestimated Bell Cranel's pragmatism and overcomplicated matters in general.
It would work out for the best.
"But wait!" Lefiya called out insistently, "What should I do about Bell-san knowing about…?"
Finn grinned, "I doubt you'll need to worry about that. But, if you're really worried about it, feel free to ensure his cooperation however you see fit."
Lefiya flushed red with frustration, "I-I'm not going to s-seduce him!"
Finn chuckled sheepishly, "I didn't mean to imply that…"
Finn was tired from all this spirit and weapon melting and poison bullshit. He must be, to suddenly have consistent phrasing issues.
Finn wants this expedition to be over so he can go take a nap.
A nap he won't get thanks to Hermes tipping him off about a potential second entrance to the Dungeon.
Finn was going to be a very busy man. His concerns of Bell, for the moment, were at rest.
"My head hurts, nya…" Chloe moaned as she laid on the grassy ground of her campsite with Ryuu.
"You shouldn't have drunk so much last night," Ryuu chided without sympathy as she finished packing her sparse amount of camping supplies.
"I'll never drink again, nya…" Chloe moaned out a false promise.
"That's what you said last time…" Ryuu pointed out how likely Chloe was to follow through on her 'promise'.
"I'm serious this time, nya!" Chloe insisted, convincing no one. So she changed topic, "Besides, I wasn't the only one who came back to camp late last night, nya! You weren't doing ecchi stuff with Bell-kun, were you, nya?! That butt's virginity is mine I say, nya!"
Ryuu's cheeks pinked ever so slightly as she turned away, "I-I would never! Honestly…"
Chloe grinned cheekily, "Oho? Me thinks you want to though, nya! Maybe some booze would have loosened you up to make a move, stubborn elf, nya!"
Ryuu rolled her eyes, "I doubt it. Besides, I refrain from drinking."
"But you're such a funny–" Chloe started to comment before she cut herself off, eyes wide.
Ryuu's eyes narrowed, "What was that? I'm such a funny, what?"
"F-funny elf, nya! That's all I meant, nya!" Chloe stammered out, "W-why are you pulling out your weapon, nya!?"
"What did you do to me?" Ryuu demanded, "I don't recall ever being drunk in your presence, yet you imply you've experienced it. Explain yourself."
Staring down the edge of Alf's Lumina Chloe spilled the beans, "W-well, Anya and I noticed you having a… bad day one time, nya. I-It was before Bell-kun joined us, nya… We may have, uh, spiked your drink to help you out, nya?"
Ryuu's eye twitched, "Are you an idiot perhaps? How did I not notice?"
Chloe chuckled sheepishly, still staring down Ryuu's weapon in her face, "I am just skilled like that, nya."
This was the polite way of reminded everyone that Chloe was once a master assassin. Spiking someone's drink without them noticing wasn't too surprising in hindsight.
"Describe what happened in detail and who witnessed it," Ryuu demanded.
"Y-you aren't going to silence the witnesses are you, nya?!" Chloe stammered out jokingly.
"..." Ryuu's eyes narrowed, her gaze promising righteous retribution on any who saw her in a potentially embarrassing state.
"Eeeck!" Chloe squealed in fear before rapidly spilling everything in hopes of clemency, "You're a giggly, emotional drunk, nya! Laughing one second, crying the next, nya. You'd cry about Alise and Kaguya before happily talking about how warm Alise's hand was, nya. You were talking off Syr-chan's ear, nya, before she quickly dragged you away to bed for the night, nya! Mama Mia already beat the crap out of Anya and I, nya! Please spare me, nya!"
Ryuu's eyes narrowed even further–! Before she sighed in exasperation, sheathing her weapon.
Chloe sighed in relief… only to get chopped hard on the head by Ryuu's open palm.
"WHY, NYA?!" Chloe cried out in pain as she clutched her head.
Ryuu just sighed again, "My friends are all idiots…"
"How dare you call a former assassin and current-time waitress, part-time detective, an idiot, nya?!" Chloe complained from her place on the ground.
"Like I just did," Ryuu said factually, missing the sarcasm… deliberately.
No, she wasn't picking up bad habits from Syr and Bell…
Chloe just looked at Ryuu with exasperation for a moment, before smirking deviously, "I bet a good lay with Bell-kun would help you learn how to take a joke, nya."
Ryuu instantly bonked Chloe on the head once more.
"WHY, NYA?!" Chloe complained like a character in a comedy skit as she clutched her pounding head once more.
"You know what you did," Ryuu said, leaving her idiot friend of a Cat Person lying on the ground in agony from the internal pounding of a hangover melded with the external pain of Ryuu's strikes.
Just another morning for the Hostess girls.
Main POV
"I'm going to check in with them one last time," I called back to Hestia.
"Yes, yes," Hestia called back nonchalantly, packing her things inside the tent.
Everyone else in our tent had packed up their things already. Hestia, though, had slept in. Not wanting to be idle, everyone else was either helping the Loki and Hephaestus Familias pack up camp or where doing solitary training or something.
I, however, had so far been sticking by Hestia's side like an overenthusiastic butler ever since I woke up a few hours ago.
If anyone was going to try and do something against Hestia and I, it would be when Loki Familia had left. I was on guard even now, because the guards around camp had lessened in order to help facilitate the expedition's departure.
Still, I needed to go over the plan for leaving with someone from Loki Familia. According to the note that was left last night, which I was too tired to pay much notice to, Finn was insistent on ensuring our Party made it back to the surface safely.
I'm not exactly sure what his concerns were since there were several Second Class Adventurers a part of the rescue party Hestia had put together. Maybe political reasons? So as to say that we are in Loki Familia's debt?
I was hardly in a position to refuse if it was. How devious of him. That must be the responsibility of a Familia Captain. I don't blame or begrudge him. It's a perspective I'll need to consider whenever I can get the Hestia Familia to grow with trustworthy comrades.
Anyway, why were we leaving today as opposed to yesterday? The antidotes had arrived late last night from the surface, so the main constraint keeping the Loki Expedition confined was dealt with. All that was left was organizing a safe return to the surface.
Logistics. Important, but not very sexy.
I gave Hestia a concerned look as I hesitated at the flap to exit the tent. I wasn't comfortable with leaving Hestia alone. Something in the back of my head was screaming that something bad was going to happen.
But the campsite was still flooded with Loki Familia adventurers. Surely I could leave Hestia alone for a few minutes? Besides, her bell-hair pieces have Hiraishin marks on them. I could hardly be any more prudent than I have been without sounding like a crazy person.
'Oh, you want us to guard Hestia-sama 24/7 because you have a bad feeling? You are just being over cautious since your Goddess is with you in the Dungeon. Save your energy for when you're in a pinch.'
Is probably what people would say. It's not like I had any proof that something was afoot. I don't even know if Hermes was up to no good or what even started the whole debacle in Canon. Forgetting the specifics of such a minor detail was really kicking me in the butt right now.
Still, determining the risk was minimal, I made a decision, took a stabilizing breath, and went outside.
To almost immediately get confronted by Bete Loga not a minute later. He was comically furious in contrast to my inner-anxiety.
"Damn Bunny-Brat! I can't believe you peeped on Ais!" Bete yelled at me, then went to kick me but was pulled away by the Hiryute Twins.
"Even I can't do that, you bastard!" Bete yelled as the two girls dragged him away.
"Shut up. Give it a rest already," Tiona said blandly, not amused with Bete in the slightest.
"Turns out the whole thing was Hermes' fault," Tione said, aiming to explain away what happened, I suppose.
"Let me go, you stupid Amazons!" Bete yelled, still raging with fury, "What's he even doing here in the first place?"
"Quit your yapping," Tiona dismissed as the two girls dragged him off towards Gareth.
I stood stock still, trying to process what just happened when I saw Ais standing nearby by herself. She was just kinda lurking nearby watching the entire interaction (and desperately avoiding looking me in the eye).
That girl needs to go out more. I was somewhat introverted, but that level of social awkwardness is just sad to see.
Considering her position, however, meant she was likely well aware of the plans moving forward. So, to kill two birds with one stone, I went over to talk to her.
"Ais-san!" I called to her as I came over to her.
"Yes?" She said to me, head tilted, her eyes not looking at mine but over my shoulder.
"Are you heading out soon? What's the plan exactly?" I asked her.
She nodded, "Yes… I was asked to join the forward party. You will be going with the second party, correct?"
"Sounds about right," I said, "Though I don't know much about the specifics."
"W-well!" another voice called out then.
Ais and I turned to see a lightly blushing Lefiya approach. "Y-you see. Finn-taichou assigned me as our representative to ensure Cranel-san and his party a safe return to the surface."
"Is that so?" Ais said. Did her voice rise a little? More tense? I think I was imagining it…
I looked at Ais in surprise. Was Ais just so much of an airhead that she missed that detail when Finn or someone went over it with her? Or was this some kind of last minute decision? Either way, my prediction had come true that Finn would stick someone with us.
I'm just surprised he chose Lefiya. She doesn't seem like the logical choice to send for the task she'd been assigned. You'd normally want someone flexible to help fit in with the rest of the party formation as needed. Lefiya was essentially a backline mage that would traditionally require more protection in a fight.
"I'm going too!" Tiona shouted as she appeared out of seemingly nowhere.
"Eh?" Lefiya yelped in surprise, "You are?"
She is? This doesn't sound planned at all. What kind of show is Finn running? Does the man need some sleep, because things are looking like they are slipping right now. Which is not great for my growing anxiety attack…
"Uh, yeah!" Tiona said, like it was the most natural thing in the world, "How am I supposed to hear the rest of 'Spider-Man' if I'm with the forward party?!"
If my life had turned literally into an anime, I probably would have sweatdropped at the Amazon girl's logic.
Somehow, I had the feeling this wasn't a change approved by Finn or the other Executives. Then again, considering the bad feeling I'd been having… I wouldn't mind an extra Level 3 and 5 respectively being nearby.
Stress levels are decreasing slightly, nice! Much appreciated.
In any case, with (apparently) two members of the Loki Familia temporarily joining the party, there wasn't much of a need to figure out the specifics of the plan since Lefiya should have been briefed by Finn already.
All that was left was well wishes.
I ignored Lefiya as she bickered with Tiona about how nonsensical she was being as I focused on Ais. I said to her, "Well, in any case, I hope you have safe travels back to the surface. Not that you'll probably have much to worry about. But… still… you know?"
It felt increasingly silly to tell the Level 6 Ais Wallenstein to travel safely considering the lack of threat she'd have on her ascent at this point. I only noticed the absurdity of it mid-speech.
Ais, however, instead of looking at me like an idiot gave me a soft smile, "You… be careful too."
Hnng!
I hold myself back from clutching my chest from a mock heart attack. Ais, a natural beauty, could slay dozens of hearts with that smile!
Ryuu is still prettier though.
…why do I sound like some kind of boyfriend trying to not sound like a cheater or something? Am I trying to pick up girls in the–!
Ah.
Almost did a title drop there. Silly me. No, seriously, I've got to be an idiot to be thinking about relationships right now. There is more serious stuff to be worried about!
My thoughts focused back on reality (I really hope I didn't look like an idiot just now whilst lost in thought) as Ais gave her own well-wishes to Tiona and Lefiya. The latter of which had hopefully forgotten about my own interaction with Ais just now; considering the blush on Lefiya's face and her cloudy eyes, it would seem that Ais' perfectly normal yet kind words were causing her to have some kind of fantasy.
While it was a little weird to witness, it was also cute and endearing – Lefiya really did look up to Ais in a way I could empathize with. Good looking, a strong warrior, and no vices — very atypical of most adventurers… Unless you count chronic Dungeon Diving as a vice.
And as someone whose daily schedule is packed, I'm obliged to say it is not.
Ais departed at that point and Tiona dragged Lefiya over to go grab some of their things for the trip. Or, more simply, I was ditched by a bunch of pretty girls. Ouch. That's a joke, by the way.
"Bell-sama, shouldn't we be getting ready?" Lili called out from behind me, having emerged from our side of camp.
"Ah, yes!" I said, following her lead.
We made our way to the center of the diminishing campsite, checked to make sure all our bags were completely stocked, and took a look at all our weapons.
"Yo, Bell, pass those over here!"
"Uh, sure. Thanks, Welf," I took out the Hestia Knife, as well as my kodachi's Yin and Yang, out of their sheaths and handed them to the red-haired boy, who quickly ran them across a grinding stone.
I anxiously watched as the three weapons gleamed brighter and brighter with each passing moment, their cutting edges revived. But it was a necessary distraction to ensure my gear was at its best should my fears come to pass.
Mikoto walked up next me at that point, I could tell her blades were already sharpened and equipped.
"I apologize, Welf-san. To sharpen our weapons as well as yours…"
"No big deal. This is my job, after all. Another three or four is a piece of cake."
"Did you end up buying that stone in Rivira?" Ouka asked, showing up as well.
"Nah, I lowered my head and called in some favors…" Welf jerked his head toward a few of the remaining High Smiths in the camp in response.
The prices had been so high in Rivira that all our group could afford to buy in the town were some rations and Lili's new backpack. Both had been purchased using Welf's Familia's crest, so I bet he was already feeling the empty space in his wallet. Poor bastard.
Literally.
"I've been wondering… Where are Hermes-sama and Asfi-san?" Mikoto had asked us aloud.
"Hermes-sama said he wanted one more chance to go exploring. He told Lili to go back to the surface with everyone ahead of him. Asfi-sama looked very tired and frustrated at the situation," Lili answered, her nonchalant answer caused shivers to shudder down my spine.
That sounded ominous. Like a certain god was up to no good…
Stress levels rose back up.
Surely not? I really don't want to deal with any bullshit today! Is it too much to ask for a nice and easy return to the surface?
…I jinxed myself, didn't I?
You know the saying, 'it's not paranoia if they really are out to get you'?
That's why I chose that moment to mentally prod the location of the mark on Hestia's hair pieces in my mental database… only to notice that they were located much further away than they should be. Meaning that Hestia was outside of the camp and was effectively missing.
…SON OF A B–!
"Quite the hard worker… Oi! What's the rush!" Welf commented before he yelped as I suddenly grabbed my weapons before bolting away.
'Fuck!' I yelled in my head as I ran back to our loaned tent.
Loki Familia is still partially here for fuck's sake! I didn't think anything would happen until after they properly left! The hell?! This is complete and utter bullshit!
Worse yet I had no plan and no information. My plan was to prevent anything from happening to Hestia in the first place, and I thought I had managed the risks within reason. Clearly not. Fuck me.
The thought of how to react to this growing crisis wasn't doing me any favors.
Just the thought of how to organize the party members near me with those like Ryuu and Chloe was a nightmare to consider.
Speaking of those two, they told me in passing that they were planning to ascend back to the surface on their own considering Ryuu's status. So thus their current whereabouts were unknown. I hadn't thought of a way to reasonably ask them to stick around. My 'I had a bad feeling' was hardly compelling evidence…
I burst into the tent by this point, unsurprised to find it empty. Lying in the center was a rolled up note and Hestia's vial of perfume.
'…weiẞes Häschen. I have your Goddess. If you want her back, come to the crystal on the east side of the central tree, alone…'
The note read.
My mind raced with possibilities and options.
Whoever had kidnapped Hestia had to have immense stealth abilities, magic items, or both to sneak in and whisk Hestia away with even the remnants of Loki Familia to not notice it happen.
And while I hadn't had the sensation of being watched, I didn't want to assume that it was a 100% reliable way to know that the camp remnants were being observed or not. Too risky. Besides, I didn't think anyone was willing to break the taboo of harming a Goddess.
Getting tortured in heaven after you die yet before you are reincarnated doesn't seem like a fun time, after all.
Still, that didn't mean there was a nonzero chance of an accident happening. Monsters still roam the Floor even if they don't spawn here. Monsters know how to use stairs.
Then again… I already ran through camp frantically. With the note as evidence, I could just claim that anyone I 'brought' with me had just followed me. There was hardly any reason to follow the demand of showing up alone.
Note in hand, I ran back to where I had come from; my head spinning as I quickly ran through plans of actions and their pros and cons in rapid succession. Welf, Lili, and Mikoto intercepted me along the same path before I could make it back to the center of camp.
"Bell! What's got you in a rush?!" Welf asked me, noticing the urgency from my posture and actions.
I showed him the note, even if he couldn't necessarily read it, and said, "Hestia's been kidnapped. I'm supposed to show up alone."
"Shit!" Welf cursed as Mikoto gasped in shock. Lili clicked her teeth in anger, no doubt seething about how awful adventurers are.
"I want you guys to stay here and secure our escape route," I ordered them.
"What!?" the trio yelled in shock, clearly wanting to help. Before they could argue, I laid out my plan.
"We don't know the number of enemies or their intent," I said with authority, "I'll be applying a Thunder Run strategy."
"Eh?" the group made sounds of confusion at my terminology.
"I'll hit them hard and fast, before booking it," I said, it wasn't a true Thunder Run, but it was close enough, "Speed and power is the name of the game. I want you guys to keep our escape route secure in case they decide to pursue. Hopefully it won't come to that, and the chaos will cause them to rout. But should you guys run into more trouble than you can handle, retreat to Rivira. If you guys aren't here, I'll meet you there."
This was, at the moment, my plan of action; I was keeping things fluid so I could easily adapt to changing circumstances.
It was also a justification to keep my friends and associates by the exit. If things were to go south, they might be able to escape the Floor before something like the Black Goliath showed up. My way of protecting them, if you will.
"We'll just slow you down, huh…" Welf surmised, sounding both understanding yet disappointed. Lili hesitantly agreed with my logic, but it was clear she didn't like the state of things.
Mikoto, not a direct member of my party, protested, "But I'm Level 2 just like you! I can help!"
"I appreciate the offer, Mikoto-san. But, and no offense," I preemptively apologized before telling her mysteriously, "I'm not bragging when I say that I'm the fastest man alive. You'll just slow me down, sorry."
Mikoto looked at me with confusion at how I could make such a bold claim. But my confidence must have been convincing, because she hesitantly nodded before arguing, "But surely you don't mean to actually go alone?!"
"No," I admit, before turning to the side, spotting a frowning Lefiya and nonchalant Tiona who had been listening from the sidelines the whole time. I asked them with a cheeky grin, "Willing to follow me on an extra jaunt for a change?"
Lefiya huffed at the reference to our reversed circumstances, before a grin broke through, "I won't mind the chance to clear my debt from last night."
"Sure," Tiona said with a bloodthirsty smile, "I'm always down for beating up idiots."
"I appreciate it," I said to her with a smile, "Gear up everyone, and let's roll out!"
And that was that. My apparent confidence was enough to sway everyone into following my orders.
With a war cry on our lips, we dispersed to quickly grab essentials and moved towards our destinations.
A minute or so later found Tiona, Lefiya, and I running through the woods towards the location stated on the note. Tiona was currently leading our unconventional party as she knew the best route towards our destination.
I noticed Lefiya was dropping blocks of metal every 40 meters or so on the ground, and instantly recognized what she was doing.
Tiona, on the other hand, did not, "What are ya doing? That's just dead weight, Lefiya."
Lefiya looked nervous, so I cut in for the save, "She's probably leaving a trail back in case we get separated from you, Tiona-san. We did get lost last night, after all. Good thinking, Lefiya-san."
"R-right! Exactly!" Lefiya went along with my story, giving me a grateful look.
"Anyway," I said, "When we get close, let me go in first."
"You really think they'd do something to a Goddess?" Tiona asked me, knowing how idiotic it would be for them to try something like that.
"Not intentionally," I said, "But this is the Dungeon, so…"
"Point," Tiona conceded. "So? Seems like you had a plan already?"
"I'll go in like they expect and get their attention," I said, having come up with a better plan now that I had Tiona and Lefiya with me, "At the same time, you will look around the surroundings for Hestia-sama. I doubt they're holding her far from the meeting place. You also know the terrain, so you'll have an easier time of it. And there's less of a chance of people seeing you."
"Why would that be an issue?" Lefiya asked on my last point.
"Just trying to be considerate t0 Loki-sama," I replied, "Tiona is a recognizable face, if she isn't seen, we can mitigate the risk of Loki Familia getting pulled into unforeseen political nonsense."
"Ah, how nice of you to think of us considering the circumstances! I hadn't thought that far ahead!" Tiona said praisingly.
"I-I see," Lefiya said, also seeming impressed and grateful for my forethought, "What did you want me to do?"
"You'll stay hidden near me as my backup in case things go FUBAR," I replied, "Not only do we have some combat experience together, but you are slightly less recognizable than Tiona."
Lefiya was still pretty famous, actually, just not as much as Tiona was.
"I feel like I should be offended, but I understand what you mean as well…" Lefiya grumbled, but otherwise had no issues with my strategy. I feel like if things were less serious that she would have yelled at me for my comment, but I was going to take what I could get.
I laughed weakly at the banter, before quieting. With Hestia in who knows what kind of danger because of my failure to protect her, my anxiety was through the roof. While I'd regained some control over the situation, it was far from absolute. My head was screaming that disaster was just around the corner…
We all were mostly silent from that point as we made our way through the rest of the forest, with only the breaking of twigs and leaves and the pounding of feet on the ground to signify our march…
I separated from Tiona and Lefiya as we got close enough to the large blue crystal – it was close enough that anyone could find the rest of the way on their own. Tiona went off to do her part while Lefiya trailed behind me far enough that I couldn't see her anymore.
I quickly made my way through the roots and rocks as I approached my destination.
The Central Tree was due east of the crystal landmark that stood directly in front of me. I squinted my eyes as the crystal's glow grew more intense with each step. The trees thinned out as I emerged into a very open and bright location.
"He's here, Mord!" An adventurer hidden in the shade of one of the last remaining trees saw me and called up toward the crystal.
I came to a stop. The adventurer who emerged from behind the blue crystal was none other than the person who he'd bumped into in Rivira and one of my regulars at the Hostess, Mord.
Mord-san, why? I mentally complained, a little jokingly. I knew he disliked my adventurer persona, but this seemed a little much…
"That was fast, weiẞes Häschen!" He said to me smugly.
Still, if it was just Mord and his gang, there was no need to be the first to escalate to violence… yet.
"...My Goddess?!" I demanded, inferring enough from his presence to already know he was behind it. No point in doing anything other than get straight to the point.
Mord moved out from under the shadow of the crystal, his lips forming a toothy grin.
"Your Goddess was nothing more than bait to draw you out, little punk. We haven't done jack shit! After all, who'd be stupid enough to hurt a God? They can hold one hell of a grudge!"
My eyes sharpened. So I was their real target. I had a feeling it was like that as soon as I saw Mord-san, but this was just confirmation.
"…What do you want with me?" I asked, trying to ascertain his exact goal. But also just stalling for time.
"You must have some idea. You can't seriously be that stupid, can you, record holder?" The man's voice was laced with a thick, cold hatred. It told me everything I needed to know.
The reason that the man had gone as far as capturing Hestia to lure me out was to knock me down a peg. With violence. To satisfy his ego. How petty.
"You alone?" Mord asked me.
"…Yes," I said, not technically lying, as I was clearly alone within a radius that conveniently had Lefiya outside of it.
"Is that so? Well, I brought some insurance, just in case," Mord said, snapping his fingers. High-Class adventurers – all of them Level 2 – emerged from behind trees and under grass. There were too many for me to count offhand, but it was at least 20 in all.
Mord's group moved to surround me, and my body instinctively tensed up on the spot. Fight or flight response, more so the former than the latter.
"Don't have a heart attack, they won't touch you — follow me!" Mord jerked his chin over his shoulder.
Trying to buy time for Tiona to find Hestia, I played ball and did what I was told. The squad of adventurers wasn't far behind, the sound of them tapping their exposed blades against their armor as if waiting for the fun to begin.
I ignored them and their malicious smiles of excitement for the fight to come. I had no fear for my safety, as a single thrown knife would easily let me avoid them. I was more concerned about Lefiya, since the path we were going on didn't have much cover for her to hide in. The only way she would be able to get to me would be to attack the couple of men Mord had left behind at the bottom of the sloping path.
I trusted that Lefiya would be able to time things with me should it come to that. A Firebolt would serve as a decent way to signal things had gotten serious while also providing some loud noise as cover to boot.
Mord led me to a small plateau. The surface was almost perfectly smooth, with a circular area slightly higher than the rest. About 7 meters in diameter, it was unmistakably a stage designed for an audience.
"Up, now." Once again, I did as I was told. Mord was close behind. The squad of adventurers surrounded the stage. There was no way to escape without jumping off of the cliff or my special magic.
"And now is when the fun begins. We duel," Mord declared.
"Duel…" I muttered, having figured it would be something like this.
"That's right, a duel! And the pathetic loser has to do whatever the winner tells him… When I win, I'm taking all of your good-looking equipment and selling it for profit," the scars on Mord's face warped as he grinned yet again, as if to say, 'you might as well hand everything over now'. The look in his eyes and the tone of his voice showed extreme confidence.
"I think my demands are self-evident," I said in return, confidently.
"…Sure, sure. If you win," Mord's face went blank for a moment when I issued my demand. However, a thin, cold grin reappeared on his lips in no time, his eyes glaring.
The surface of the stage was covered with loose dirt and small pieces of crystal. The imposing form of the towering blue crystal stood not too far away. Mord and I took our places in the middle of the arena, pulling weapons from the sheaths around their waists.
"I'd like to say something before we begin," I said firmly.
Mord scoffed, "Words won't stop this from happening, boy."
"I know," I said, surprising Mord, which gave me the momentum to keep talking, "I just want to let you know I forgive you for this."
"...Huh?" Mord was confused.
"I can understand where you are coming from," I told him and the group beyond, "I know the feeling of what it's like when it looks like your best effort is meaningless. That because I managed to Level Up so quickly, that all the pain and hardship you've endured to reach this point was a waste."
It was easy for me to deduce the source of Mord's frustrations; I had heard plenty of bad rumors about me that originated from a similar point of view. They were frustrations I myself had before Ryuu knocked me out of my funk. I could have easily turned into someone like Mord-san if I decided to start ignoring reality and develop a bad case of an inferiority complex.
"You–!" Mord growled, likely thinking I was mocking him.
"It wasn't!" I declared, stunning Mord and others in the group behind him.
"It wasn't!" I repeat myself, "Because when one endures, it gives hope to others - and themselves! Everything you've done, all those struggles have made you stronger, made you into the people you are today. I won't forgive anyone who degrades another for the effort they've put in!"
Considering how about 90-96% of adventurers were Level 1, it really was a big accomplishment to reach Level 2 like these guys have. They really could use more self-confidence in themselves, ironically.
Mord's hand's clutched his longsword fiercely, "Those are some big words from a brat like you!"
"Then let us fight," I said to Mord, "It is said that combat is a form of expressing one's feelings and nature."
Mord grit his teeth, I had the feeling my words had shaken his resolve, but that he needed this fight to understand.
"I'm going to beat the living-shit out of you!" Mord yelled, his emotions reaching a tipping point.
He thrust the massive weapon into the ground. The force of the impact was enough to crack the stage as well as send up an explosion of loose dirt and debris.
I felt the ground shake through my boots as Mord disappeared from sight.
"Dammit, man!" came the angry voice of an adventurer behind him as he took a face-full of the dust.
I quickly jumped away from the cloud to gain some distance and watched carefully. But Mord had vanished!
'So it was invisibility!'I instantly recognized the trick from my earlier deductions.
Just in time to get hit with something about the size and shape of a fist swung in from the right side of my head. It was powerful enough to take me off of my feet.
I quickly recovered, rolling a few times before jumping back up.
Jokes on you, Mord-san, I know just how to deal with invisible enemies; I've played more video games than you!
I channeled mana into my fist, and punched the ground yelling, "Firebolt!"
An explosion rocked from my fist from my low-yield Firebolt as the ground shuddered. A shockwave of plasma and debris was launched around me, even impacting members of the audience.
As the smoke cleared, Mord was visible again. He was knocked onto the ground and a weird helmet was beside him, cracked. It must have been the source of his invisibility.
"Was that magic?!" A few members of the audience said things along those lines.
Uh, yes. It was. Super-short chants for the win!
Mord growled, as he got back to his feet, "Fine! I don't need any gimmicks to beat you!"
"Come then!" I retorted right back.
Mord ran up and swung his sword diagonally, I hopped backwards and to the side to avoid it.
Mord expertly adjusted his grip for a return swing. I lashed out and intercepted with the Hestia Knife, sending Mord's blade skyward, but still held firmly in his grip.
Using a familiar martial art stance, I was able to put most of my body behind the punch I then laid into Mord's jaw.
Mord's head jerked from the impact, but it didn't stun him for long as he quickly backhanded me away from him before he lunged forward with another swing.
Using the momentum from Mord's backhand, I spun out of the way of his attack. As I did so, I managed to catch the sight of a green, black, and pink blur behind the group of adventurers that was my audience.
Oh boy! Things are about to escalate. Time to end things!
Mord attacked again, a diagonal swing moving upwards. But I was Focusing on him – it was even a miracle that I noticed Ryuu, Chloe, and Lefiya approach – so I aimed my counter at the same point I deflected Mord's sword the first time!
Shing! A sharp noise rang out as Mord's sword snapped in two, the quality of his weapon no match for the Hestia Knife – especially after striking at the same point twice.
Was it from Luck or Focus? Or had I just gotten that good? Who could know for sure? I think it was a bit from all of the above.
Point was, your weapon breaking was demoralizing. And it certainly worked as Mord's expression was that of shock – he clearly noticed the fact of how I struck the same place twice in a row.
In the next moment, a declaration was heard, "Arcs Ray!"
The adventurers watching my duel screamed as they were blown up with an underpowered Arcs Ray from Lefiya. The group of Level 2s all clumped together were no match for a Level 3's Magic. The few that weren't caught in the blast clearly noticed the strength of the three new arrivals based on their pissed off yet frightened expressions.
Mord was just stunned. I had a feeling that if not for my words before, he would have still had the resolve to 'teach me a lesson'. But my words, strength, and luck must have reached him. Because he lowered the remains of his weapon, "...I've lost."
I sighed in relief as I sheathed my weapon.
Just in time for a certain Amazon to jump up from below the cliff with a certain Goddess in toe – who screamed the whole way up.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Mission accomplished!" Tiona said, making the peace sign in one hand while holding Hestia like a sack of potatoes in the other.
"This is hardly the way to treat a Goddess, either!" Hestia bantered, "What kind of children is Loki raising, huh?!"
"Even my feelings can get hurt, you know?" Tiona pouted, "Where's my thank you?"
Hestia blushed, "T-thank you… Now put me down!"
Thankfully, Tiona didn't just drop Hestia and instead set her down nicely.
"Bell-kun!" Hestia said, running over and hugging me as soon as she noticed me.
"Hestia…" I said in relief, glad that nothing had happened to her. And especially that her Arcanum hadn't been released.
I then looked back to Mord, "Looks like you no longer have my Goddess to bargain with…"
Mord paled, "H-huh?! T-that wasn't the deal?!"
"I only said that my goals were self-evident, you know?" I pointed out, "Not that my demand from our duel would be such."
Mord's eyes widened as he recalled that was what I had said, "Y-you…"
"Hmm, what do I want…" I said in mock thought, my inner prankster enjoying the way Mord squirmed – surrounded by me, Tiona, Lefiya, Ryuu, and Choe.
"I know!" I said, "I want you…"
Mord gulped, knowing that he couldn't resist anything in the current circumstances.
"...to buy me a drink!" I finished.
"...Huh?" Everyone around me said collectively.
"Isn't it normal to buy friends drinks?" I said nonchalantly.
Hestia, Ryuu, and Chloe looked at me with knowing, exasperated expressions. Tiona smiled with amusement. Lefiya looked at me like I was both someone to be inspired by, and yet an idiot at the same time.
Mord, the poor bastard, was confused, "...B-but, I just kidnapped your Goddess and tried to beat the crap out of you…"
"Yeah, not cool dude," I said casually, "But like I said, I understand why you were upset. I'd rather you focus those feelings on something more productive like getting even stronger. And taking your stuff or otherwise making an enemy out of you does nothing to achieve those things. I don't think you're a bad guy, you've just got too much pride."
Mord looked like he wasn't sure if he should be offended or not. But I think he settled on accepting my leniency, "You're a weird kid."
"I get that sentiment a lot," I chuckled.
I turned away, giving Mord a chance to collect himself and his things.
"Thanks a bunch you guys," I said to the assembled group.
"I didn't get to fight as much as I hoped, but it was still interesting," Tiona said with a smile.
"I'm glad to have my debt behind me," Lefiya said, trying not to smile as she crossed her arms and looked away.
I turned to the Hostess duo, "I didn't expect to see you two. Thanks for coming."
Not that they were needed in the end, I suppose. But it was nice anyway.
"We happened to see you guys in the forest, nya," Chloe explained. She then grinned in Ryuu's direction, "A certain someone insisted we follow you, nya~"
I guess the duo decided to move to aid me after hearing my Firebolt go off. Probably.
"C-Chloe-san!" Ryuu stammered, a blush peaking over the mask covering her lower face.
I felt my own face warm at the thought of Ryuu being concerned for me. But I quickly shook my head and focused. "We should really get going though. The second Loki Familia party could be heading out any moment–!"
Just as I was finishing my sentence, the entire Dungeon shuddered – so much that it felt like an actual earthquake, it was that intense.
It continued for a solid minute or so, and oh boy was it the longest minute of my life as dread of the unknown slowly creeped through my skull.
That… was not natural.
And very not good.
All of the relief I had regained a moment ago was now gone. I wasn't hopeless, mind you, just stressed out.
"What was that?" Tiona uttered in confusion after the shaking stopped.
"I don't know…" Ryuu unconsciously responded, "But I don't have a good feeling about this at all…"
We all stood there in a circle, looking at each other worriedly.
"L-let's get going," I said again, my head screaming that disaster was still on its way despite successfully rescuing Hestia.
Everyone was quick to agree. I gave a final warning to Mord for him to take himself and his boys to Rivira or to leave the Floor after that earthquake. He was quick to agree and even wished me luck.
After that we were off.
It was a short while later as we were headed southwest-wards – passing the Central Tree – our goal to get to the Floor's exit, that we all heard the cry of a monster I didn't recognize.
The sound… it made me shudder to my very core – it was the most ungodly thing I'd ever heard.
I couldn't help but stop in place like everyone else.
My whole body was shaking from… fear? Anxiety? Adrenaline? All of the above?
The crystals on the ceiling shifted from their normal bright colors to dark, blood red as the Dungeon shuddered again, but to a lesser extent than before.
My eyes flashed up, as the sound of crystals breaking could be heard from a great distance. That's when I saw it. Something I recognized almost instantly.
The Black Goliath burst through the ceiling, howling as it fell.
Horror mixed with confusion. That howl from the Black Goliath just now sounded nothing like the roar from JUST a moment before…
"N-No w-way…" Ryuu stammered behind me. Her voice was small and full of terror and despair. I hadn't noticed Ryuu's current state until just now.
My head snapped to look at her. Ryuu's expression was horrified, her eyes were filled with hopelessness. Dark and empty like the bottom of the ocean.
I'm not quite sure how my brain put it together, but the sight of Ryuu's despair clicked the last puzzle piece into place as I realized what was happening.
The explosions from below. The malicious sound. And the only thing in the Dungeon that Ryuu truly feared…
I paled in realization.
On the other side of the Central Tree, where the entrance/exit to Floor 19 was…
A Juggernaut had arrived on Floor 18.
While the Black Goliath howled in the distance, ready to partake in a massacre.
I could feel Singularity flash for just an instant to suppress the wave of horror that threatened to overtake me. In my heart, shaky resolve took the place of where fear could have been.
I grinned shakily, blood pumping through my veins. For it looked like the universe was providing for me the ultimate test to see if I could be a hero or die trying…
Well then.
Bring it on.
Like hell I was going to let despair defeat my ideals. Ryuu would kill me!
I wasn't going to run. I was going to do my part to avert tragedy and conquer Despair.
I didn't fear Death, for we were old friends. I only feared losing those I cared about, and in failing to live up to my expectations of myself.
I refused to give in.
Time to get to work.
Other POV
Some time earlier…
Ottar grumbled as he placed the last of the Inferno Stones.
"I really don't like this," He said, seemingly to no one.
"I know," an invisible voice replied from his back, the woman's casual reply did nothing to ease the King's worries.
"Why must you place yourself in so much risk, Freya-sama?" Ottar asked the invisible presence riding on his back.
Using invisibility items, Ottar and Freya had arrived at Floor 19 undetected under the latters orders. The only detour they had taken was when Freya insisted on watching Bell Cranel from a distance as he fought with those elf girls against the plant monsters.
Since then, Ottar had been placing Inferno stones strategically around the 19th Floor. He knew the terrain enough to ensure that all paths leading to Floor 20 would be destroyed should all the charges go off as Freya had ordered. It certainly helped that the floor was mostly vegetation instead of rocky caverns.
Not that such precision was required. Enough stones had been placed to utterly destroy almost the entire Dungeon Floor. And carrying around that much ordinance while carrying Freya-sama at the same time… didn't stress him out a little… it stressed him out a LOT.
It was, perhaps ironically, almost a relief that the stones were no longer all gathered on his person.
How did Freya acquire enough Inferno Stones to cause so much destruction?
Freya Familia was very well stocked on a variety of weapons and material. So there was no need for a purchasing spree that would tip anyone or the Guild to Freya's activities.
Ottar didn't really know the specifics of what Freya's orders were supposed to accomplish. Freya only told Ottar that the reason they were down there was to summon a certain monster.
What Freya didn't entirely explain was that she precisely knew what she was about to summon.
How did Freya know how to summon the Juggernaut?
Simple.
One night, Anya and Chloe played a prank by spiking Ryuu's drink. Disguised as Syr, Freya took care of Ryuu that night, who spilled everything about her Familia's destruction in her drunken stupor.
It was enough for Freya to deduce the summoning conditions.
Freya, however, never had any intentions in using such knowledge. There was nothing to gain from summoning the Juggernaut. It didn't seem to leave a special drop item. And even if she wanted to destroy another Familia, she would do it with her own Familia's strength – not resorting to the Dungeon to do her dirty work.
However…
"It is necessary, Ottar," Freya said to him, "You know how far I go to ensure that the souls I desire reach their potential."
"I know," Ottar admitted, "But you needn't put yourself at such risk!"
Indeed, this little excursion had been done without the permission or knowledge of the rest of the Familia – who would have strongly opposed Freya entering the Dungeon once more without it being strictly necessary, and even then.
Freya's latest plan was about to enter its climax. It was all for the moments about to come. Her entire scheme was centered on bringing Ryuu into the Dungeon to confront her past – the Juggernaut.
While she knew that Ryuu did occasionally enter the Dungeon to come to the Astrea Familia Memorial, she didn't do so more than once every month or two. Considering the timing of who had arrived back in Orario, Freya needed to do her part to help Ryuu as soon as possible.
That meant luring Ryuu into the Dungeon. And the only person Ryuu would so fervently chase into the Dungeon besides her disguise-Syr was… Bell Cranel.
And Bell Cranel made for excellent bait.
Bell shared enough about himself to Syr for Freya to notice that the boy's party was horribly imbalanced. While his party members were certainly improving, they weren't doing so at the same rate at which Bell was pushing them deeper and deeper into the Dungeon.
While Freya still didn't really know what Bell's second spell was, she still figured that Bell would be hard pressed to cover for multiple tired and wounded allies that aren't similar enough in strength to him. Bell was rapidly becoming an excellent warrior, but he needed more experience. In the Dungeon, in leading… and how to endure when things go wrong.
And so, Freya was hitting a second bird with one stone. She would force Bell into a situation to further grow into a stronger warrior, a better prepared hero.
Because she had faith that he would endure. That he would survive while keeping his ideals – like a hero should.
So she forcibly manipulated the Takemikazuchi Familia into using Monster Lures on themselves in order to Pass Parade a horde of monsters onto Bell's position. She also hit a third bird with the one stone in doing this, because it put the Takemikazuchi Familia into a position of either being a rival for Bell to challenge himself against, or an ally to help him in the times to come.
And, in case the unpredictability of the Dungeon conspired against her, Freya was prepared to have Ottar send more monsters Bell's way in order to force him deeper into the Dungeon. Though this fallback hadn't been needed in the end. Bell had been rather unlucky and had run into a Monster Party or two along the way.
It was like the boy's luck was either extremely good or extremely bad with no middle ground. How bizarre.
Anyway, Her aim was to push Bell down to Floor 18 because of the fact it was a Safe Zone. It's not like she wanted Bell to die! He was her friend and would one day be her lover!
And, factually speaking, dead bait would hardly help Ryuu shine brighter.
Loki Familia being on the Floor still was just a coincidence and not accounted for in Freya's plans. But it worked out because it ensured that Bell got proper medical care. That, and his interactions with the Familia seemed to have helped his soul grow considering how bright he looked that night…
In any case, Freya couldn't be sure if Horn needed to convince Ryuu in any way to come after Bell. But Freya's instincts told her that Ryuu volunteered the instant she realized Bell needed help.
The girl really needs to be more honest with herself. Maybe if Freya continues to spread rumors that Bell is trying and willing to have a harem, it will convince Ryuu to be more accepting of her own feelings instead of just blaming Syr for why she cannot act on those feelings.
That essentially covered everything to the present. Freya had Ottar lay out the Inferno Stones on the Floor immediately below the Underworld Resort. The previous night confirmed that Bell and Ryuu were together on the Floor and in no hurry to leave. By destroying the entire Floor besides the pathway between Floors 18 and 19, Freya would ensure her summoned demon would only be able to go in one direction.
Which, of course, meant it would be heading straight for Freya. It was quite the danger and risk despite bringing Ottar with her.
"War is a struggle between pride and life," Freya replied to Ottar's concerns, "How can I ask them to stand beside me, if they are the only ones who risk themselves?"
"Still…" Just because Ottar could see Freya's point, didn't mean he liked it.
"I've made my decision. Will you follow my orders or not?" Freya asked sternly.
"Your will be done!" Ottar immediately pledged his loyalty.
"Then do it," Freya said. It was too late to change their minds now. They – She – had long since committed to this plan.
Ottar sighed, moving some distance from the last inferno stone before throwing a piece of flint at the stone with great speed.
Sparks flew, and the stones ignited.
Freya smiled as she dropped down from Ottar and revealed herself. A cascade of explosions rocked the Dungeon. The sheer amount of stones that Ottar left behind utterly decimated the 19th Floor within minutes.
The destruction was… beautiful…
Thankfully, not that Freya particularly cared about this following point, the Floor was currently abandoned by all but them.
Floor 19 is typically just a transitory Floor for adventurers heading deeper down. The exception being those who recently leveled up to Level 2 or 3 which didn't include a significantly high number of adventurers..
The most common visitors to this Floor were the people of Rivira hunting for stones to supplement their livelihoods.
The people of Rivira, despite their tough appearances, are superstitious folks. Upon seeing the Loki Familia lick their wounds upon returning from the Deep Floors – it caused the people of Rivira to hunker down for the weekend and 'wait things out'.
So there were no adventurer casualties as all paths leading to the 20th Floor were completely destroyed. The entire floor was turned into flames, smoke, ash, and fading plant matter. Only the small portion of the Floor where Freya and Ottar were on the path to the 18th Floor remained intact.
The Dungeon screamed at the extensive damage. The Dungeon could 'feel' the strength of the Adventurer who caused it pain. And it was frustrated, as it could only send so much power to that Floor to create a Juggernaut there.
The Dungeon did what it could, channeling as much power as possible to boost the Level of the Juggernaut from what should have 'only' been roughly Level 3-4 in strength, closer to Level 4-5 in ability.
The specifics were that the strength and speed were on the high end of 'Level 4'. Meanwhile, the vitality was still somewhere in the equivalent 2-3 range as far as monster metrics are concerned.
The Dungeon bent and twisted the 'rules' as much as possible in an effort to try and punish Ottar for his attack on the Dungeon.
Freya was unaware of this mechanic of the Juggernaut, of course, or that the Dungeon was 'breaking' its usual rules in terms of creating a Juggernaut. Only Bell Cranel and Jura Halmer were aware of this crucial fact of the Juggernaut – not that it particularly mattered much as far as Freya was concerned.
An ungodly roar went out as the anti-adventurer pathogen was finally created for the first time in five years.
The demonic cry lasted for a full minute before going silent.
Then a crack in the distance.
Pounding of large footsteps.
Closer and closer.
Freya and Ottar did not have to wait long for the monster to find them at the stairs to Level 18 – for there were no other adventurers that were in its way or little path for it to run to or on.
Freya's eyes sparkled with anticipation and a smidge of fear at the sight of it.
The Juggernaut was huge and thin. It had two arms and legs. The long, thin arms were out of proportion with its body. The legs, too, were long and thin but bent backwards at the joints. The bony, nearly fleshless form was covered in a shell that looked like a coat of armor. The base of its back extended a 4 meter long tail.
Its bumpy head was identical to a beast's skull, except for the crimson light that glowed within the two empty eye sockets. The color was deeper and far more malicious than her precious Bell's eyes.
The body measured about 3 meters long, it was most definitely a 'large-category monster'. And its most conspicuous feature was its fang-like claws, extending from the ends of its bony six-fingered hands, the disproportionately long claws glinting in the poor lighting.
Freya grinned at the monster, a mixture of euphoria and fear as she stared down Death. Her eyes glinted with power as she Commanded with her Charm, "Won't you find the elf-girl with blond hair and blue eyes for me? The boy with red eyes too?"
Freya couldn't have known how lucky her bet against the Juggernaut's nature would be. The Juggernaut was not like other monsters, who were still living beings with survival and reproductive instincts that a Goddess' charm could exploit.
It was a living thing whose only goal was to kill and slaughter.
However, Freya was still a Goddess. And the Juggernaut was a living creature – it could be compared with a virus, which partially acts like a living thing but doesn't meet all of the requirements to be considered 'alive'.
And, more importantly, rather than command the Juggernaut to obey her or to stop, she had instead given it a target.
A target. That was something the Juggernaut could get behind. Besides, the Juggernaut could instinctively tell the difference in strength between it and the adventurer by her side.
The Juggernaut would kill its new targets. Then absorb the strength of monsters until it was ready to kill the interlopers before it. Indeed, this was the most logical way to achieve its purpose. It needed to find the blond elf and white haired boy before it could kill these two.
Freya was unaware that the Juggernaut's nature was also against typically leaving the Floor it had been summoned on. This wasn't enough to 'break' the rules either, but it was an explanation for part of the Juggernaut's soon to be inconsistent behavior.
And the Dungeon (metaphorically) screamed in frustration as it lost control of the Juggernaut at the moment that Freya's Charm convinced the Juggernaut – effectively making it rogue as far as the Dungeon was concerned.
The amount of energy it could expend in that portion of itself was already critically low. The Dungeon was low on power and options. The Dungeon also didn't miss that twitch of Arcanum either!
UNACCEPTABLE.
The Dungeon refused to do nothing. So with its last ditch effort, it called forth the Black Goliath to try and ensure as many souls were taken as possible. To ensure the deity was killed by trapping everything from going further outside the Dungeon without first defeating the errant Juggernaut and pillaging Black Goliath.
This was how the following events came to pass.
Because Freya loved Bell and Ryuu, and she wanted to do her part to give Ryuu a future. Because she believed that if Ryuu could finally slay the Juggernaut, then Ryuu would finally be able to heal and move forward. That the White Flame of Hope would be restored in Ryuu's heart.
Ryuu would just need to kill it before it killed her.
Freya had faith in her heart of hearts that Ryuu and Bell would succeed, even if the world might not.
Her part was done. Her plan executed. All that was left was to watch the children rise up to the challenge. A challenge she knew they would overcome.
She knew it…
She knew it! So why…?
Why did she feel so guilty?
Authors Notes:
So, yeah. Didn't see that coming did you? Nice jebait, I think. Lefiya and Tiona aren't there to make the Black Goliath fight easy. They are there to give everyone a chance at not getting massacred by the dual threat.
It's going to take all of the strength and skills Bell has learned thus far to deal with a monster similar but definitely weaker to what he would have faced in Volumes 13 and 14. Not to forget that the Black Goliath is also nearby giving everyone hell. Bell will have to carefully divide his forces to help ensure the best outcome!
Wish him luck! I've been planning for this encounter to happen from very early on, and I'm glad for it to finally happen!
I've hinted at Freya's plan from the very beginning. Her first step was to grab some bags of Inferno Stones. When else have we seen bags of Inferno Stones before in the series? When a Juggernaut was about to be spawned! I even outright stated that Freya had intentions to burn Floor 19 to the ground. How no one spotted it or asked me about it surprised me to be honest. Oh well.
The fight with Mord goes by pretty easily. Implementation of Talk-no-Jutsu lowered Mord's resolve. Mord, in a way, is a minor foil for Bell — representing what Bell could have been if his insecurities had turned into false pride and an inferiority complex. So Bell's words lowered Mord's resolve from the get go. Combined with Bell's stats being stronger - Bell is able to overcome Mord's greater experience after he easily negates Mord's magic item.
Speaking of the Mord encounter, give Bell a break. Bell did the equivalent of 'I'll run to the bathroom and come back, surely nothing will go wrong in the meantime?' And it wasn't even anything Mord does that results in the Black Goliath — it's Freya again, lol
What is Freya up to exactly? In case you haven't caught on, remember when Bell and Syr were talking about helping Ryuu overcome her past? Freya didn't think talking to Astrea like Bell had suggested would be enough. And so she decided to pull the equivalent to what the Minotaur is for Bell but for Ryuu instead. Freya had heard the entire story from a drunk Ryuu and concluded that Ryuu had no closure since she didn't even get to kill the Juggernaut. This is Freya's way of providing an opportunity to get that closure.
So, personally, I can't even be mad at Freya. She's technically right that just talking to Astrea wouldn't be enough — Ryuu needs closure by killing a Juggernaut. She is doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. She even put herself at risk, betting her life against the Juggernaut. Man this story is really Pro-Freya, haha
But seriously, she is at least somewhat self-aware enough to know her actions aren't cool. The pros outweigh the cons in her head, but her conscience is trying to put up a fight…
Another thing, Why did Finn assign Lefiya to Bell's return group? To put it simply, he's hoping to establish friendly relations with Bell due to the misunderstanding surrounding Bell's deduction of Lefiya's Skill. Finn had gotten the impression that Bell was on good terms now with Lefiya, so what better time than to help cement those budding feelings of friendship. It was that or send Ais, and Finn didn't want to loan the Kenki out. That and it was a further opportunity to try and get information about Bell.
Basically 'if Bell is on good terms with us, negotiations around his silence and possible alliance with Loki Familia will increase in likelihood'.
Finn is just unaware, however, of how much of a tough spot he's putting Lefiya into. And I'm not referring to the monsters. Especially after the coming fight, Lefiya will not only have a rivalry bond with Bell, but also that of combat partners in life-or-death struggles. Coupled with lingering feelings from their in-universe reincarnations, and Lefiya will harbor enough loyalty/respect for Bell to constitute a conflict of interest.
Is Tiona there for some ulterior motive too? Nope, she is literally defying orders to hear more about Spider-Man lol. She was just vibing and having a good time until things suddenly went south.
Finn didn't notice the connection of Bell and Belko through Ryuu at the Hostess because he was too distracted thinking about the Lefiya situation. If this topic were broached again, Finn's intuition would sniff Bell out… though Finn might just play along just for the laughs.
I swear the next actual chapter is finally gonna be chapter 12, lol
P.S. Today was the start of Season IV Part II LET'S GOOO! The hype is real.
P.P.S. What would your battle strategy be in Bell's situation? It's long since been decided, but I won't stop you from seeing if you have the same idea I have. And no, the answer is not to have Tiona solve everything. That would be boring and impractical for reasons I'll get into next chapter.