I know you basically strongarmed me to making your child a weapon..."
The sound of fire kindling and the echoing of a hammer striking metal vibrated in the dim lit room. Embers flying up before disappearing into smoke and ash. And sparks flying from the strike of iron on the anvil.
Hephaestus face covered in sweat, but she didn't look bothered by it. Being a god of blacksmithing she was use to it. Not minding the heat or the sweat she was covered in. The heavy weight of her own personal hammer that could kill mortals was nothing, as she grew use to the weight.
"And you said, you wanted it ready before Monsterphilia in about over a week. But why, do you suddenly make these random visits to my shop!?" She screeched as she hammered away the material before looking over her shoulder to see Freya there.
Sitting on a stool with her legs crossed over another as she just sat there. Smiling and waving at the red headed goddess without a care in the world. Or even looking bothered by the heat or remarked at her harsh tone.
"I said I would put part of me into my Bell's weapon."
"Which you already gave me your hair and blood. Why the hell would you even offer to have me put your orgasm fluids to make this thing!? God...I ought to make a bat to smack you upside the head and hope that gets rid of your horniness!"
"But I didn't hear you complaining until after I stopped using your desk to-"
"Enough! I saw it, I don't need a reminder of it! And I had to burn my desk now thank you very much!"
"You're welcome! That just means we can break in your new one after I've rewarded you for your hard work~"
"Freya! I swear to Tenkai! A bat! Bash your head in with it! In a barrel! Off a cliff! And watch as you get sent back up there!" She yelled at the goddess of beauty as she was repeatedly striking the material with her rant in sync.
Silence came soon after, as all that could be heard in the room for a while was the sounds of the fire crackling in the kiln. Then the screeching sound of water boiling for a moment as the hot material was dipped in shortly before moving back into the flames.
"Why do you constantly make these return trips to watch me work?" She asked as she looked at Freya with a tired deadpanned expression as she saw the god stretching her hands out. Never looking away from the confusing god with her one good eye as she saw a nostalgic yet happy look on Freya's face.
"Well, partly because I feel like you could use the company. It would get so lonely for you especially with your familia always head down on their own projects." Freya began as that felt like an arrow going through Hephaestus's chest.
'...How does she know what to say and why is she right!?' "Any more reasons?" She asked trying to ignore the painful truth feeling she had now thanks to Freya's words.
"Well~ I kinda wanted to talk about how my familia is doing since Bell joined!"
"Ahhh so you're here to brag about it then. Why not just go back and have one of your children listen as you ramble on you perv?"
"Mou! Then how are they supposed to bond if I'm taking them away from Bell! Hephaestus you simple minded dummy!" Freya pouted cutely as she waved her arms and flailed about on her stool as Hephaestus 'tsk'ed and continued with her work.
"Fine...tell me what's so different about your children now while I work. Can't be that much different." Hephaestus said as she pulled out the red-hot material out of the kiln now and began to hammer it again with her tools.
"See? I knew you'd be interested. I suppose I should tell about Ottar now. He's honestly been smiling more and even has a lesson plan class for some of my lower-level children!" Freya said as Hephaestus was taken by surprise and missed her strike of her hammer, falling over the anvil.
"Ottar? Your captain? The man known in this city as King and Orario's strongest adventurer, smiling? And teaching your weaker members?" Hephaestus said as she was baffled to even believe if that was true.
"Yup!"
"What on earth did this new child of yours do to make him even smile?" She asked with a small hint of terror in her voice as she went back to work.
Looking up at the ceiling with a small smile as she reaclled back to her peeping and informed activities of Ottar and Bell from Hedin. She looked back to Hephaestus and leaned back against the wall.
"How about I tell you while you work? It's a bit long so I'll try to minimize the filler." Freya said as that got the smithing god to look puzzled.
"Wait what fill-"
"Now our story of how Ottar became more active and livelier with my other children, thanks to Bell. Begins just like how any other story begins, with a little boy getting beaten with a broadsword..." She began to tell, ignoring the bewildered look from Hephaestus.
[Flashback Begins]
Ottar had seen many things over his years in Orario. Being one of the few that lived during Orario's 'Dark Ages'. The brawls on the streets of rivaling familias. The power struggles each had and many would go about to kill in broad daylight.
He had seen the depths and hell that the dungeon had to offer. In these times, was when he began to form his own ideals of what it means to be an adventurer in this place. One should break their own limits to proceed further in their adventures in the dungeon.
Never had he agreed with Eina's methods and lessons about what adventurers should do or proceed with in the dungeon.
When having heard that Bell somehow made the Sadistic Elf silence and was promptly defeated, he had gained expectations of what type of adventurer Bell would be. When hearing he would be going on his first dive after waiting so long to be prepared, he expected to bring home a decent trophy drop from a monster within the first eight floors.
"Brother please! You should let me frame this over your bed! This would look amazing and intimidate guest that come in!" Hogni's voice echoed the room as he held an rather large object in hand. Sounding as though to pleaded Hedin to let him do whatever he was about to do.
"Hehehe! Can't wait to one up that dumbass Dean Saint's familia with the stronger potion effects I'll make with this puppy!" Heith said as she cradled the small dragon horn in hand.
"I-I need a bath..." Helun whimpered as she held on to several pieces of dragon scales in her hand. Noticing the fact that they were covered in blood and her dress had a few blood splotches around as well.
The Gulliver brothers trying to break Helun out of her trance as she wandered amlessly around the room and bumping into object. But looking over across the room, seeing two of his familia members running about with cries of annoyance and laughter.
"Admit it! You wish you got something this cool onyour first dive don't you Allen!"
"I won't admit to shit! I can kick a dragon's ass bare handed!"
"But as a level one? I bet you would be crying! "Waah! I'm Allen! Stupid Allen! I let myself get punched in the face by a kid~ Even a weak goblin can kick my ass!" Bell taunted as he narrowly avoided getting caught by Allen and laughed.
"I will shove those fangs down your throat you fucking rabbit!"
"Try and catch me then pussy!"
Ignoring their bickering and running around, Ottar decided to go to the only sane one of the bunch currently in the room. Making his way through the crowd of the other members of their familia as they too came to see the party coming back from their dungeon dive.
"How deep did you all go?" Ottar asked Hedin as he pushed Hogni aside as he was carrying Hedin's drop in hands.
"Eleventh floor, the idiot actually found a way to get to some of the floors faster."
"That would explain why you all returned earlier than expected for going that far down. Even if it is meant for the weaker bunch. Still, a baby dragon on the eleventh?" Ottar questioned as both he and Hedin looked at Bell. As the others cheered him on and taunted Allen even more.
"It was undiscovered for so long, he found it by accident before joining us. Same can be said about his shortcut route to the lower floors. I'll admit, it was quite the trip down and back up to the surface." Hedin said as Ottar was surprised at the pleased smirk on his face.
"What was the advisor's reaction to when you returned with these drops?"
"Heh, it wasn't these drops. Bell managed to cut off the head as a drop." Hedin said as Ottar stepped back a bit from hearing it from Hedin's mouth.
"The whole head?"
"Yeah, the look on that sadist face was a sight to behold. You should have seen it Ottar, though with him around I'm pretty sure you'll get the chance one day." Hedin said as he turned to look at Allen now spinning Bell by his ankles and tossing him across the room.
"Thanks for the fun ride idiot cat! Maybe spin me around faster and I'll get dizzy? Hmm? OH! Ottar! Is pops telling you about our winnings from today's dive!?" Bell said as he staggered to get up and ran towards Hedin and Ottar.
"Yeah. I'm quite impressed with what you've found for a beginner. More so, how lucky you are to have taken the whole head. That's something only specialized adventurers with certain skills are able to accomplish." Ottar admitted as he saw Bell smirking and looked back at Allen with a smug look on his face.
"Say you're impressed."
"Not on my life bunny boy!"
"Allen just stop hiding your insecurities at being one up by Bell already. It's gonna get sad soon enough." Heith taunted as the cat boy flipped her off with both hands as she retorted with the same.
"Oh! I just had an awesome idea! Hey Ottar, how about you come with us on the next trip! It'll be fun and with you and pops, we could go even further beyond-"
"Absolutely not! You're still new and barely handling the eleventh. No deeper than the twelfth floor unless we get approval from our goddess and through legal issues with the guild." Hedin said as he crossed his arms in an X formation as he proceeded to smack Bell atop his head.
"Come on! I don't wanna listen to that dumbass yap about safety and 'don't go on adventures'! If we can't do that then why are we even going in the dungeon!" Bell said as he was squating on the ground, nursing his head as he looked up at Hedin and Ottar.
"Wait...I got it! Ottar! How about you train me so I can get approval from Lady Freya and ignore Eina!" Bell exclaimed as that brought those around them to stop and look at him as though he was crazy.
"...Just so you know, my training puts the Gulliver Brothers, Allen, Hogni and Hedin through hell and they still can't keep up. I wouldn't be holding back on you." Ottar's voice was soft but held so much weight many in the room felt pressure on them and an odd suffocating feeling.
Watching them as Bell seemed unaffected by their captain's word of warning. Soon they felt as though they saw black aura emitting from Ottar as it shrouded over between the two. But Bell didn't even look intimidated in the slightest.
"Heh...guess that means I'll be going to hell again then!" Bell said as he clenched his open hand in the air. The sounds of his knuckles and fingers cracking. Giving Ottar a grin as he braced himself.
"Very well. Don't say I didn't warn-"
"Oh come now Ottar, I think it would be interesting to see you train the new members and some that wouldn't mind the extra hand." Freya interrupted them as she entered the lobby. As all her children looked and bowed before their god.
"My lady, while I admit Bell is impressive, he still has a lot to learn and get better adjusted to Orario and the dungeon." 'Even if his skill allows him to grow far beyond the norm, we shouldn't let him become too exposed.' Ottar thought in his head as he looked at Freya, who understood what he was trying to say.
"Hmm, true I can't exactly deny that. Bell, though you are more adjusted to the dungeons. You still don't know about everything the city has to offer you." She said as Bell pouted a bit and looked away.
"I can see it in your eyes young man. You can't lie to a god." 'Though honestly I don't even know if that is possible with you and how you tricked Loki.' Freya said as she smiled at how cute Bell was when he looked upset.
Clapping her hands as it echoes the lobby, her children then stood high in attention. Smiling as she looked at Ottar, who knew what she would suggest and brought out one of his broadswords at the ready.
"While I think it would be beneficial for you all to grow one another and aid in training. Ottar is rather busy often. However, Bell, if you can land even one hit or scratch on Ottar then I'll adjust his schedule and workload to accommodate him to be free to give you and any others lessons." She spoke as Ottar swung his sword with one hand, sending a gust of wind to blow across the lobby.
"Do you still want me to go all out? Or would you rather take my advice and-"
"YEEEEEHAAAWWWWW!" Bell cried as he charged at Ottar with his knife in hand. Jumping in the air as though to pounce on him. Yet that was but a futile effort at first glance, as using the flat part of his sword, Ottar swatted him like a fly.
"Someone Allen get in my way!" Bell cried as everyone backed away aside Allen. As he was kicked in the face unintentionally by Bell. As both of them collapsed on the floor with Bell shaking his head and looking back to Ottar with a smile.
"I don't know whether that was smart or idiotic to suddenly charge at me. Next time you should try to be silent about it." Ottar said as he saw Bell running back to him again. And blocking or moving away from his strikes with ease.
"Hehe! Like it'd matter if I was quiet. Or if it mattered at all if I took it slow or take up your offer to fight until you agreed to train us!" Bell said as he ducked under Ottar's arm swing and rolled back from him nearly bashing his head in with his sword.
"But if it means a chance that you'll train me and join my party then it'll be worth it!"
"I never agreed to-" Ottar's eyes widened as he backed his head away from Bell's dagger swing. Missing him, but he saw the strands of hair that he did manage to cut from his head. Swinging his sword like a bat, he sent Bell flying downward to the floor.
The definite sounds of cracking as Bell rolled back from his swing indicated something was now broken. But Ottar kept his guard up, and leered at Bell with an observing gaze as he watched the boy slowly getting up on a shaken leg.
'If I didn't pay attention, he could have given me a scratch on my face. Is this his ability at work? He fought like a high Level 2 just now.' He thought as he saw Bell pushing himself with the strength his legs could muster. Lunging at him as he was blocking with his sword before smacking him hard with it.
Another crack sounded, and again he got up and lunged. Repeating this process over and over. In different ways and directions Bell flew. The other members ever silent, though a few voiced in their cheers for Bell.
But from cheering to soon silence. To then begging Bell to stop and say it was alright to fail and wait. It was though their begging and pleading fell deaf on his ears as Ottar saw him once again stand.
His breath ragged as his face cut and bruised. Blood escaping his mouth as mixed with saliva, it dribbled down his chin. Noticing that his left arm was hanging limply, indicating it was dislocated.
It was clear he was beaten, and defeated. He was a fool to not take him seriously however, as he noticed his right-hand clutching onto his knife and his red eyes staring at him with intensity as he bucked his knees down.
Legs still trembling, but hardened to the floor to stabilize his stance. Ottar noticed one thing as he saw Bell now coming at him, he hadn't used his short sword or swapped it with his knife once.
"I'm impressed you lasted this long, even when I'm being serious. Sadly, I'm still holding back on you due to how you are now." Ottar said as he put his sword back behind him and thrusted his arm out.
A wheezing gasp and saliva and blood biled out of Bell's mouth. Many members moving out of the way as Ottar punched him in the gut with enough force to rocket him farther back. Many having to wince or cover their ears as Bell was determined to keep going.
The soles of his boots planted against the floor. Sending a harsh screeching noise across the lobby and the smell of burning leather was in the air. A black trail leading up to now Bell's bare feet was etched onto the floor.
He still stood tall. Dispite the wisp of steam coming from his bare feet, turning to a bright read color on his soles. Yet the hold on his knife was weakening, as each finger seemed to relax with each second until the clattering sound of metal falling on the floor was heard.
"*Sigh* Apologies my goddess, I think I went a bit overboard with that hit. I'll go and fetch the higher-grade healing potions for him to recover faster." Ottar said as he turned his back away from Bell and began walking up to his goddess.
"Does this mean you won't train him and any others Ottar?"
"...Not yet. I am impressed he could still stand after what I dealt to him. But it's clear he has a long way to go. If he decided to challenge me again, then I wouldn't mind." Ottar said as Freya smiled at him before closing her eyes.
"You think it's really over?"
"For now, yes I believe-" Ottar was about to say before his ears picked up a odd sound in the air. Turning around as he narrowly avoided the incoming knife to his head. Tilting to his right as it flew past him.
'Fast! Was Hedin that ticked off about my fight with Bell? No, he isn't that idiotic. Perhaps Heith since it would be tedious to heal him how he is-What!?' Ottar's eyes widened as he observed the spot where Bell was supposed to be and found no sight of him.
"Where did he-"
"Where are you looking at?"
Ottar turned to his right and stepped back a bit. Not expecting Bell to have pounced high into the air at him. Due to his injuries, he at first thought it was impossible for Bell to even hold onto his dagger.
But he didn't have a dagger. Nor did he have a weapon in hand.
He had the handle of his short sword on a tight grip.
Using his mouth to hold and use his weapon.
"Thish fighf, ishnt over!" Bell grunted as he jerked his neck harshly to his left. Bringing the blade to come down at Ottar's face.
In a moment of pure instinct, both of their bodies moved to match the other's movements. Ottar backhanded Bell across the face. Making his blade aim towards nothing. But doing so, Bell followed along with his remaining working arm.
Bringing it upward in an uppercut motion with the added force Ottar gave him with the backhanded blow. Nearing his chin for the hit, but instead flesh meeting flesh, the sound of a snapping bone and a thud was heard.
"*Huff* *Huff* It's been far too long since I acted on instinct...I'll give you praise on that. But, you're still new. So get some practice and experience in the dungeon and challange me when you're ready." Ottar said as he wiped his forehead and looked down at Bell.
Turning himself over on his back. A pained moan escaping his lips as well as a tired series of breaths as he looked up at the Boaz man. His frown turning to a small smirk as he tilted up his chin at Ottar.
"I just...*Huff* *Pant* need to land one hit or scratch on you...to train us right?"
"Yeah. Ether a solid punch or a small scratch."
"Then what do I get if I actually cut you then?" Bell said with a raised eyebrow as that brought a confused look onto Ottar before realizing his meaning.
Bringing his hand up to his ears atop his head, he felt a trickle of something wet. Touching his left ear, he noticed that it was cut by the lower portion of it. Feeling the wound, he could tell that it was a permanent hit that couldn't be stitched.
Taking his fingers off his ears and looking down at now the bloody fingers he had. Before his gaze was set back onto Bell. The look of shock was soon replaced with a small smile. His body trembling as many worried what would happen.
For the longest time, the members knew that Ottar had never been injured from a sparring match or by anyone weaker than a Level 5 or any monster from the deepest floors. All backing away as they feared their captain would let loose his maddening fury on the boy.
But instead Ottar did something not all of them have ever heard or haven't heard in a long time.
He laughed.
Bell joining in the laughter as well. As both men now bellowing out howls of laughters. Even Freya was surprised at how hard Ottar was laughing to the point he was clutching his stomach and Bell was still laughing despite blood and saliva escaping his lips.
Both of them too far into their moment they couldn't help but ignore Heith's ranting and yelling of them to stop and allow her to heal them. Yet, this pleased Freya very much, seeing at how Ottar's soul shined just like when they first meet and the air around the room turned from a tensed dungeon to a blissful breeze in the fields.
[Flashback End]
"Since then, my children are starting to enjoy Ottar's lessons and we've even have sets of parties to help with finding medicinal items and bringing in more Valis to help stock up on potions and medicine to help them recover faster." Freya said as the sound of crackling fire and steam filled the room.
Noticing Hephaestus turning back to her with a bewildered expression as her single eye widened almost comedically out of her socket.
"This, Bell Cranel, managed to cut your captain's ear!? When he's only a Level 1?!"
"Well technically mid level since I updated his status but yes."
"Bullshit! How is he not drinking through a straw in a wheelchair!" Hephaestus said as she pointed her finger at the Goddess of Beauty.
"My little Heith is on par with the Dea Saint. Plus, you know how the saying goes: 'Children heal fast.'" Freya responded as though it was nothing at all. Watching the red head goddess biting on a rag with clenched teeth.
"Freya...did you do anything to him that would make that even possible?"
"Come now, you know the rules we have in this world. Do you think I would break them and risk going back to Heaven?" Freya said with a blunt look as she sighed, knowing that this was confusing the poor red head as she stood up and stretched out her body.
"Honestly, I don't know how is it he's surprising me with his actions. Nothing notable appears when I update his status. Though perhaps it's just his instincts he has." She said, giving the goddess some false truths as to hide Bell's potential and skills.
"Instincts?"
"You are aware of how some adventurers are stronger if they've fought monsters without a blessing first? Bell originally came from a far-off village. He did tell me he's fought off several monsters on his way to Orario." She said as Hephaestus took in her words before looking lost in thought.
"I suppose...that is possible. Still this is...something I just have a hard time to believe."
"Well it's up to you if you believe it or not. I'm just telling you my stories I've seen and heard about from my children. And there will be plenty more to tell you later. I'll be back soon!"
"Wait, you're coming back here again!?" That took Hephaestus by surprise as Freya stopped herself from going out the door and looking back at her.
"Of course! I can't have you being all alone while your children are ignoring you! What kind of friend would I be to let you suffer that from your own children?
"Get out..."