Chapter 40: Limits

*Grrroor!*

A minotaur bleated as Bell carved through its body, darting through the bloodied halves for cover. This battle had seemingly raged for an eternity, as he protected scores of bodies that now littered the battlefield. Albino eyes darted to two familiar green and blue blurs, and the three of them regrouped. The trio of Ryuu, Bell, and Asfi stood back-to-back, weapons facing outwards for protection. Monstrous eyes peered at them, hungrily.

Bell sweated, unsure how long he could keep this up for. "Any ideas?"

Ryuu glanced around her, seeking out any approaching dangers.

"You take care of all the weaker monsters, while we try to distract Goliath. We'll stall him until the mages are able to cast another spell. If that doesn't work the first time, we'll repeat the tactic as many times as we need to. That is likely what Hit is doing." Ryuu glanced upwards at the amethyst streaks, awed that the boy could maintain such a violent barrage of attacks for so long. He had earned some of her respect. "Good luck." Without giving the flustered boy any time to decline, Ryuu and Asfi darted towards Goliath, leaving the immense quantity of stragglers for Bell to deal with.

Bell looked all around him, seeing scores of adventurers fighting for survival. Alone, he could not defend all of them; a great number would surely meet their end. Bell tightened his fists, firmly, as specks of light began flittering around his right hand. "No! I won't allow anyone to die today!"

...

Above, Hit smirked slightly over his slowly building fatigue; he thanked the stars this body was so receptive to his eclectic exercises. The brilliant boy was finally readying himself to launch a final attack. Hit's individual strikes were completely useless against Goliath's hard skin; however, this new technique required him to launch an ungodly number of strikes, at least against a being so much more powerful than him. If Hit had attempted to remain on the ground, this would have been an impossible tactic. Omnidirectional movement, enabled by time skip, rendered the monster's swings as nothing but footholds to launch from.

Hit had made sure to be careful and remained at the periphery of Goliath's field of vision, as to not face a full speed attack. Nevertheless, Hit had become covered in gashes and bruises, leaking precious life force. It had been excruciatingly difficult to determine when it was best to use subliminal time skipping, and when to use the normal, actively triggered variant. Whenever the monster was focused on him, Hit utilised subliminal time skipping, to maximise the time spent launching counterattacks; whereas, when the beast was launching breath attacks, or cratered the ground, Hit employed regular time skipping. If a piece of debris had activated his subliminal time skip, he would have surely been in quite the pickle. When fighting a level 5 foe, albeit one focused on battling armies, and therefore relatively slow, it was only natural that Hit would suffer damages.

Hit's vision brightened slightly as he glanced at Bell, far below. Twinkling lights were surrounding the boy, and a flittering sound caressed his senses. It was a soothing melody, that made Hit relax slightly. 'That must be his skill, one that boosts his attacks.'

*Crack*

This fleeting lack of concentration allowed Goliath to finally land a strike on its infuriating opponent. The monster slammed a palm down, knocking Hit out of the air, as if batting a fly away. Hit's left leg and arm let out a sickening crack as they shattered, sacrificed in Hit's hasty defence of a mere graze. Hit groaned in pain, and was sent plummeting down, towards Goliath's shoulder. The boy was no stranger to pain, and twisted in mid-air, landed down, and launching himself up again, towards the towering foe's head, using his remaining leg to propel himself. "Hraaa!"

Goliath's grinning mouth parted slightly, staggered that a human could perform such a feat. Hit's extended right arm met the giant's chin.

Perhaps out of mild respect, this final impact caused Goliath's head to twist, minutely, yet did absolutely no damage. The titan raised a palm: a portent of death. Hit instantly froze time, fist still touching against Goliath's rough hide, and used the handhold to agonizingly twist his body around. He then used his remaining leg to push himself off, towards the ground below.

*BOOM*

This hasty escape allowed the palm strike to instead strike Goliath's own face, as a final parting gift. Hit crash landed with the dungeon floor, breaking his right leg, which he had sacrificed to lighten the fall. The boy panted and gritted his teeth, nearly falling unconscious at the trauma he had suffered. Two legs, and a left arm, bent in impossible directions, oozing blood onto the stony ground. Hit's torn trench coat became further ruined as he spluttered blood onto it. He bit at his cheek, vision losing focus several times. "I-I can't feel my body.'

Hit fought against his demise, and twisted to gaze up at the monster that crippled him. The blinding light, that he had initially been distracted by, also met his eyes, this time shining far more brightly. It was the only white light of hope within this crimson prison. Hit finally spoke, words directed at Goliath. The creature stopped still, and listened, gazing into Hit's soul.

"I think... I finally analysed your timings and strength... And how you react..." The mangled boy turned his body, again eliciting excruciating agony, and raised a shaky palm upwards. Gradually, Goliath also lifted its arms heavenwards, intent on finishing Hit off with another sledgehammer attack. Any sane individual would be pleading for mercy or cowering in fear. Hit smirked, grateful to Goliath, for teaching him so much.

Magic stones possessed inherent magic energy to them, pure energy rife for manipulation. Hit had been interested in the nature of monsters for some time and had made copious notes. This battle alone had taught him much and allowed him to gather a herculean amount of data on such a strong foe. It was an undeniable truth that his skills and magic were slightly different in this world, and he would need to adapt and evolve.

"I-I can finally finish the job."

A worried Ryuu suddenly dashed to his side, eyes wide as saucers, and began to apply healing magic. The horrified elf noticed Goliath's intentions and attempted to pick Hit up. This only served to anger the boy, who scowled at her. "S-stop! You must throw me at it! Do it now, or we will PERISH!"

Ryuu gritted her teeth, not understanding what the gravely injured boy meant. Goliath grunted and held the sledgehammer attack behind its head, poised to strike.

Hit glared into Ryuu's blue eyes, imparting the severity of his demand. "DO IT NOW!"

Ryuu acted on instinct, and launched Hit's bloodied carcass upwards, directly within the path of Goliath's strike.

As Goliath's twin fists finally began to crash down, every eye was on Hit. Ryuu bit at her lips, believing that she had killed an innocent man. Asfi's eyes widened at the suicidal attack, not understanding why the harsh teen would sacrifice himself for them. Bell continued to charge energy, fully trusting his mentor. Goliath's white pupils also swayed to Hit's, the first stimulus it had truly focused on. It was as if time slowed for them both. Hit's raised palm closed into a fist as he rocketed upwards, which met the Goliath's deadly attack. As soon as they converged, time stopped, yet Goliath heard the boy perfectly.

"To successfully turn the tables... this is the one strike I need to land. It will confine you to a Time Prison."

*Thrum*

White spirals of light expanded from Hit's impact site, like a droplet falling onto a pool of pristine water. A circular indentation perforated into Goliath's skin, defying the difference in levels, and subsequently disappeared. The alien man's heart and soul were in perfect harmony, fully trusting in his own strength. A purple glow, far denser than any previous [Time Lag], materialised around Goliath's body, and froze him in place, completely.

Hit's [Time Lag] had finally evolved to its pinnacle; this is what Hit had been working on for weeks. However, the spell had grown even further still, to become a monster's worst nightmare. Not only were the Black Goliath's body and soul frozen in time, but the energy within its magic stone was frozen as well, drastically lowering its defences, and neutralising any innate barriers. Hit's body fell from the motionless enemy, yet he remained focused on Goliath, glowing palm facing upwards. This time, Asfi rushed to catch him, and set the bedraggled boy down, an awed expression peeking from her worried countenance.

Hit shook as he glared upwards, straining to keep his newest magic active: [Time Prison]. He had studied the opponent, and saved his time skips to power this new magic, synergising Magic, and Time energy into a staggering technique.

Bell gasped at the heroic ability, heart filled with profound respect for his mentor. He gazed at the frozen Goliath, fully understanding what Hit had done; he had to act swiftly, to finally eradicate this blight. Suddenly, footsteps echoed across the landscape as Hestia ran to the scene, accompanied by a mercenary escort. Her twin tails bobbed as the deity panted next to her child.

"Huff...huff... that girl, where did all this bossiness come from..." It seems that Lili was elsewhere, strategizing. The goddess put on a brave front and took an item from her escort.

"This is for you, Bell!" The petite goddess showed surprising strength as she pushed a large black sword into Bell's grasp. 'Sword' was, perhaps, not the best descriptor, as it was merely a black, undulating bone, strapped to a hastily made wooden hilt. These unrefined materials explained its surprising lightness. The remaining adventurers of Rivira had quickly fabricated a weapon out of Ais Wallenstein's Udaeus drop item. Hestia gazed into Bell's eyes with all the love her little body could muster. "I believe in you, Bell. I know you can do this! So, use all the strength you have, and become the hero, I know you are!" She then raced back the way she came, hastily followed by her entourage.

Bell grasped the weapon in his right hand, firmly, surrounding the handle in white light. It felt incredibly fragile, yet was filled with the hopes and dreams of countless adventurers. Such an item would never falter in the face of adversity.

"Huff...huff...where is he!?" Another supporter seemed to arrive on the scene, this time a much taller one. Welf gasped in relief as he finally found his white-haired friend. "There you are, Bell! Use this sword too! It'll amplify your attack!"

The smith then unfurled a white cloth, to reveal a crimson magic sword. Welf was incredibly grateful to Hit, for catching the item he despised. Initially, Welf had intended to simply dispose of the artefact; however, he finally listened to Hephaestus' words, and realised that his friends' safety took precedence. 'I won't let foolish pride hold me back, anymore!'

Bell nodded, smiling at the gift. Welf simply gave the Hestia familia captain a salute and ran off.

"...BELL!" Bell's ears perked up as he heard a distant shout. Hit had mustered his strength and was bellowing out, the loudest he had ever shouted. "Strike its core! Break through, YOUR LIMIT!"

Bell furrowed his brows in determination as he gazed at Hit. The former assassin had lost the fight, but enabled them to win the war. Ironically, due to Hit's previous disposal of the majority of Mord's accomplices, they had far fewer allies to fight Goliath with; however, Hit's magic and ruthless attacks had made up for the lack of man power.

*Thrum*

The light engulfing Bell began magnifying in a crescendo of power. "I want to be strong in her eyes... And I want to protect all of the people who have become so important to me!"

Bell's grandfather's words echoed in his mind, empowering the boy's soul even further. 'Let your feelings burn like fire... Cry out with all your desires!'

*Gong*

*Gong*

*Gong*

*Gong*

A bell's gong sounded throughout the 18th floor that day, demanding every being's attention. Bell shone as a white beacon of hope in the depths of crimson purgatory, facing a titanic demon. Every shred of his soul was infused into the two blades, and became amplified by Argonaut, until the metal hissed and strained at its density.

Worryingly, the gargantuan Goliath seemed to twitch, as Hit's technique seemed to wane. The boy's eyelids fluttered under the strain, threatening to relinquish him to sleep. Worse still, every monster on the floor seemed to be sprinting towards the motionless floor boss.

"Don't let them interfere!" Bors charged at the roaming monsters, letting out a valiant battle cry. His companions showed surprising courage and protected their twin saviours.

Ryuu recognised the danger, and dashed towards Goliath, beginning her concurrent chanting. Rather than a purple blur, green streaks now danced across the monster's hide. "At this moment, in the skies of a distant forest... I beg of you, infinite stars scattered across the crystalline night, grant my foolish voice the blessing of star fire, and your compassion to those who abandon you..."

Asfi gaped at the dashing elf, still awed by the consecutively legendary events. "She's chanting now!?"

Mikoto grasped at her chest, recognising a kinship between Hit's magic and her own. The Onna-Bugeisha performed an elegant series of hand signs, closed her eyes, and held two hands together, in prayer. She then began a powerful chant, aiming to lessen Hit's strain. "Oh, Almighty god... the destroyer of all things... lead me to the highest heavens, and grant my insignificant body divine power..."

Goliath's purple haze flickered again, forcing Ryuu to hasten in her chanting. "Come forth, wandering wind, nomadic traveller, who crosses the azure sky and emerald wilderness..."

Below, Asfi gritted her teeth at the tumultuous events. "I cannot simply stand here!"

*Shiii!* *Squelch*

"Go on, fight, Andromeda!" Bors burst onto the scene, crushing a Libellula with his bare fists. "Leave the babysitting 'ta me!"

Andromeda beamed and activated her trump card: the winged sandals Talaria. Glowing streaks of light extended from her boots, appearing as immense feathery projections. The appendages beat and sent the crafter flying through the sky. The ballerina danced through the air, sending streaks of magic attacks hurtling into Goliath, with every kick. The enemy felt absolutely nothing as its flesh blitzed in orange flames; Goliath was frozen in time, and so did not burn. Instead, thermal energy built up excruciating damage.

Hit's exhausted eyes widened as the angel delivered divine justice. "D-definitely getting some of those..."

Bors looked behind him, grinning at their unexpected champion. "Come on, punk, yer shift's not over yet! No sleeping on the job!"

Hit smirked, regaining control of the spell. "Hmph."

Above, Ryuu was finally ready, and dashed to Goliath's unprotected front. "...Bear within me the light of stardust, and vanquish my enemy..." The aerodynamic adventurer then spread her arms apart and uttered the spell's name. "«Luminous Wind!»"

Shafts of forest green energy basked Ryuu's regal body, in the light of her homeland, and spinning spheres of verdant magic erupted into being around her, before bursting forth. The meteoric rain collided with Goliath to form a hail of explosions, with seemingly infinite orbs creating a violent, yet ephemeral display, as they quickly vanished from existence.

Asfi added to the wind-based attack, launching a motley of fiery kicks. Below, Mikoto also finalised her chant. "Descend from the heavens and rule over the Earth..." The samurai then twisted her clasped hands, and drew them apart, forcing a black nebulous ring to materialise within their grasp. "«Futsunomitama!»"

A spinning disc of gleaming lilac light thrummed into existence, directly above Goliath, and drew into a central focal point, as an impossibly dense blade cascaded down. Once the divine sword graced upon mortal ground, a spinning magic circle sprouted to life. As opposed to customary runic magic, this foreign spell possessed a floral design, and was inlayed with intricate flowing symbols. The apical and basal discs of light formed a cylinder, trapping Goliath in a crushing gravitational attack. Mikoto strained, as she attempted to push her hands together, battling against the dark sphere in her grasp. The gravity barrier held firm, and alleviated the difficulty of Hit's task, substantially.

Hit gasped, as the girl's spell generated an immense gravitational singularity; adventurers truly were remarkable. 'S-she can manipulate space!?'

*Thrum*

By this point, Bell's body was completely enshrouded in a pristine, white layer of energy, generating luminescent flickers and sparkles that danced in the fractious air. His two gifted swords gained this same property, shining like blazing beacons of ambition. They were a manifestation of the desire to protect one's friends, even if you had to set aside your tumultuous past.

Bell grunted in exertion, holding a stupendous amount of energy within his grasp, and raced towards Goliath. His heart trembled, still believing himself unworthy. Hestia's previous words assuaged his fears. 'Whenever the odds are stacked against you, you'll still be able to win, even with the smidge of power you have left. That's what we call a hero shot!'

Far away, Hermes watched the almighty display, hope licking at his heart. The god was reminded of words spoken to him by an old friend and repeated them like a mantra. "...Not just anyone can be a hero. It isn't the kind of title you can earn, simply because you wield a weapon, or cast a spell... A hero is willing to sacrifice themselves; willing to lose their life for the sake of those they love... You must shout out with all your hopes, and desires. If you do, then you'll see that's what makes a hero shine their brightest!"

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Bell roared and swung the twin swords at his enemy, launching a magnified energy blast, infused by his skill, Argonaut. Welf's magic sword sang, and finally released its stored power. Rather than red flames, blue flames added to the white detonation.

Hit sighed in relief, and dissipated his [Time Prison], allowing Goliath a few seconds of sentience. The monster's final sight was a swirling void of blues and whites, as its immense body became vaporised in the cosmic attack. Adventurers shielded their eyes in the blinding light as the Black Goliath let out its final roar.

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Oddly, the red hue that marred floor 18 did not dissipate. Adventurers stilled their breathing as a dust cloud rolled away from Goliath's resting place. The horrifying sight elicited mortified gasps throughout the region.

"Dammit! NO, NO, NO!" Welf roared in drained resentment as Goliath still stood, albeit missing the upper half of its body, and most flesh. The titan's twitching corpse bubbled and frothed in place, already beginning to regenerate from Bell's limit breaking attack. Irregular monsters were not to be trifled with, and irregular monster rexes were evil beyond mortal comprehension. A titanic magic stone sat on full display, within the creature's abdomen, and was steadily being subsumed under a growing wave of flesh. Despite Bell using such powerful weaponry, amplified by his heroic skill, the blast could not quite kill a level 5 being.

Unable to withstand the strain, Bell's black blade, and Welf's magic sword, shattered into oblivion, which would ordinarily leave their wielder with nothing but disappointment. Here, Bell simply put his faith in his Goddess, and drew the sentient Hestia Blade.

"Oh, come on!?" Hit was nowhere near as optimistic and glared at the stubborn enemy. Regenerating opponents were incredibly rare, often failed experiments, created by delusional scientists. The weary fighter gritted his teeth in desperate fury and drew his remaining arm behind his body. 'I have no choice... it's now or never.'

Hit closed his eyes and drew on a steadily accumulating reservoir of latent time energy. Surrounding adventurers felt their teeth and extremities grow numb as an alien force swept across the land. In a flash, Hit's eyes reflected a shattered realm of white crystalline splinters, as his body left the mortal plane of existence, and entered a separate energy dimension, of his own creation. Unlike during time skip, where the entered dimension is a reflection of reality, albeit temporally displaced, this realm could be bent to Hit's will.

'If you want a job done, you do it yourself.' Hit finally activated the Tides of Time, and gathered time energy within an open palm. Either this 'do or die' technique would exhaust his reserves, and fail completely, or just narrowly activate. An invisible blast of energy erupted from Hit's hand, and passed through the ground below, seamlessly. Once the Time Release was sufficiently far away, Hit deactivated the Tides of Time, detonating the energy.

**BOOM!**

The ground deflated in a perfect hemisphere, and an invisible force propelled Hit upwards with a deafening boom. Adventurers stared at Hit as he sailed through the air, like a missile, arcing upwards.

Underneath the flying boy, Bell raced around Goliath's blast zone crater, and leapt towards the steadily healing body of the floor boss, beating Hit to the mark. Bell's priceless dagger splintered the colossal stone, opening a deep crevice. To the boy's horror, flesh continued to in insidiously snake its way upwards.

Above, Hit had finished ascending, and felt his stomach drop. The falling boy peeked an eye open, as the crystal monolith rapidly approached him. Hit extended his remaining arm forwards and closed a time-stopping palm into a providence-defying fist. The legendary warrior bellowed as he plunged down, placing every ounce of his faith, into this final strike. "HRAAAAAAA!"

Bell gasped at the shout, and dashed away, as Hit's fist rocketed right into the shattered aperture, launching every ounce of his strength into the stone's core. The tireless fighter had activated time skip, immediately preceding his collision, and used latent time energy to further enhance his haymaker. Briefly, purple rays of light refracted and danced around Goliath's core, illuminating the swirling galaxy in an extraterrestrial glow. The creature's soul trembled at the attack's magnificence, before it fell still, and the soul gem finally perished. The remainders of Goliath's body did not vaporise, and instead mineralised, before erupting into a blizzard of blue flakes, which rose into the air and expelled the hellish miasma blanketing the floor. Adventurers cheered and danced as the swirling firework illuminated the welcoming night sky.

Far above, at the highest peak of Orario, Freya pressed her body against a perfect mirror, adorned in gemstones from beyond this world. During the past hour, her visage had contorted into a myriad of expressions, ranging from rage, to fear, to lust, and now to pure adoration. Her eyes glanced between Bell and Hit, as if they were delicious morsels, ripe for plucking.

"YES! YES! Oh, this is simply divine! You two, beautiful beings keep exceeding my expectations..."

The goddess was currently spying on floor 18, using her Divine Mirror, a device which allowed the user to see any location they desired, within the Lower World. It was an item solely available to Freya, completely unknown to the other divine beings.

Worry and lust flittered over Freya's porcelain mask, as she leered at Hit's falling body, pressing her delicate legs together. Somehow, the boy's soul had grown even more complex, now possessing a crystalline, snow-white border, which seemed to fluctuate in accordance the snake's whims. The higher dimensional creature wriggled around, seemingly annoyed at the size of the new barrier which harboured it.

"I cannot wait to meet you, Hit... My dear Hit"

Back to the Labyrinth hell zone, Hit was plummeting to the ground. Since the warrior's final limb had now been shattered, his body flopped loosely in the air, thundering down with today's quarry: an enormous magic stone. The crystal construct fell to earth, with a reverberating crash. Hit feared his body would be the next to collide. This time, the ingenious adventurer possessed no sacrificial shield; Hit closed his eyes, readying himself for death.

"This is not the day you die, Mister Hit." Thankfully, a familiar blond elf scooped Hit up, and placed his bloodied carcass on the ground, making sure her movements were as delicate as possible. Hit squinted an eye open and saw that he now rested at the base of a circular pit, on a flat plain. Elated faces peered in, from above, illuminated by a luminescent array of swirling blue particles.

"«Noah Heal»"

Hit turned his head to the side, to lock eyes with his knight in flowery robes. Ryuu extended a hand over Hits mangled body, emitting a soothing white glow. As the magic circle passed over him, shattered bones coalesced and clicked into place; cuts melded together; and bruises faded out of sight. 'So, this is how she healed me...'

Hit huffed and looked up again; however, his vision was soon obstructed by a smiling white-haired boy. Bell grinned down at his incredible mentor. "Phew...We really did it..."

"Hmph." Hit replied by huffing, still too weak to speak; however, he held a thumbs up at his comrade, proud of both their strengths. It seemed that activating the tides of time had not been as catastrophic to his reserves, as he previously thought. Thankfully, there was still an inkling of energy left, preventing Hit from having to start from scratch. He had fought as a true warrior, simply wishing to defeat the enemy in front of him, even if the price was his life.

Bell beamed down at the gesture, before glancing at his companions above. Lili's petite body could be seen jumping up and down, pulling at Hestia's arm. "You actually defeated Goliath!"

Hestia allowed the act, and gazed down at her child, lovingly. He had changed so very much, and was now nothing like the troubled, flighty boy she found, all alone. Welf danced around, elation fuelling his hyperactive moves. "Woohoo! Hell yeah! Way to go, guys!"

*Clap* *Clap* *Clap* *Clap* *Clap*

Mercenaries; Rivira denizens; and a few straggling adventurers, all clapped at their saviours, some even whistling at their achievement. Bell waved upwards, blushing in embarrassment, yet was unwilling to leave his friend behind. The caring boy waited patiently as Ryuu cast her spell; the elf seemed to gain an incredibly intimidating look, every time Hit attempted to twitch upwards, refusing to allow the stubborn boy to get up.

"You may now move, Mister Hit." Ryuu placed her hands away, and raised herself, a little less elegantly than usual. Healing such catastrophic injuries had nearly caused her to suffer from mind down.

Hit cracked his neck, and raised his body to a sitting position, surprised that the spell could even recuperate stamina. "I was healed minutes ago..." The fact that Ryuu now referred to him as 'mister' did not go unnoticed by him.

Ryuu fixed the boy with a stern glare. "You must learn to rest and recuperate, Mr Hit."

The troublesome teen huffed, and acquiesced. His dishevelled purple hair ruffled in the air, filled with blue sparkling specks. "Huff. Thank you for saving me; I owe you, again." The boy twitched and groaned, getting up, stiffly.

Ryuu kept a watchful eye on him, ensuring there was no lasting damage. "You owe me nothing, Mr Hit. It is thanks to you, both of you, that we are still alive".

Hit looked himself over, frowning slightly at the utterly ruined clothes that clung to him: a tapestry of gashes and drying blood. "Then I shall simply pay a visit to the hostess." The former assassin inhaled a cool evening breeze, and turned towards his battle partner, who was itching to soar away.

"Come on, Mr Hit!" Bell waved a hand, grinning ear to year; the boy was ecstatic that their trials were finally over. The rabbit hopped up and exited the pit, to meet his friends.

Hit mimicked the leap and landed on the rim of Goliath's resting place. Looking ahead, he saw that Bell had been snatched up into a hug; Lili and Hestia clung to him, cheering at their victory. Welf smacked Bell's shoulder, marvelling at the legendary boy, who saved him from his depressive slump. Bell giggled and laughed, eternally grateful for the love they showed him.

Mord Latro stood to the sidelines, grinning. "Not bad... for a little rookie." The man had also been inspired by today's events and would gladly spread Bell's good name from now on. He was now a changed man and would instil a new ideology among his ranks: aspiring adventurers should be supported in their journey; their days of rookie crushing were over!

Hit smiled at Bell, and his party of friends, pleased that the boy's dreams were coming true. Ryuu was the next to jump up and assessed the cheery gathering. The elf's ears twitched at Hit's new expression, and her curious blue orbs darted to Bell. She walked up to Hit, looking quite cheerful. "You are not the man I thought you were, Mr Hit. I apologise for my past brashness."

Asfi approached from Hit's other side, looking far less worried than during their past meetings. "Indeed, you have defied everyone's expectations today. Apologies for my foolish God's interference." Blue hair ruffled as the princess bowed slightly.

Hit tensed as a burly man approached from behind. Bors sent out a toothy grin and patted the tall boy on his shoulder. Unusually, Hit allowed the gesture, perhaps due to his good mood. "Ya can say that again! You two are God damn heroes, in my book. Today will go down in history, as Rivira's greatest battle!"

Hit flattened his smiling lips yet could not prevent a smirk from escaping them. That was perhaps the most fun he had ever had. "I was just doing my job."

Ryuu and Asfi shook their heads, good-naturedly. Bors guffawed and peered down the pit, gazing at an enormous magic stone; his eyes twinkled like diamonds. "Well, we're certainly gonna have enough valis ta pay ya, lad! HAHA!"

Bell was finally freed from his cuddle puddle and marched up to his mentor. The boy gazed at Hit, starry eyed, and made to bow. However, Hit stuck out a palm. "Stop. Today, we stand as equals." He then extended a hand, to a very surprised Bell. "Good work, kid".

Bell blushed, and shook the offered hand, not expecting the kind gesture. "T-thanks, Mr Hit! Still, thank you so much for your help! You were absolutely incredible!"

Welf followed after him, arms crossed. "Yeah! Talk about stamina... you were zipping all over the place for most of the fight!"

Lili and Hestia also skipped over, with Hestia still acting a little warily. "Hm... I suppose you're not too scary..."

Lili stuck her hands on her waist, and shouted up at the intimidating boy, finally shedding her fearfulness. "How are you even conscious? You were like a ragdoll back there!"

Hit blinked and looked down at the noisy pipsqueak. "How could I possibly sleep, with all your squeaky voices."

"Pfft!" Welf chortled, attempting to stifle a giggle; yet, predictably, he erupted into hysterics. Lili growled and jumped at him, launching a combination attack on the red-haired menace.

Welf chuckled and made a poor attempt at shielding himself. It did not help that most of the jabs were tickle attacks. "H-hey! I didn't say anything! Go after him, not me!"

Surrounding adventurers tittered at the peaceful scene and prepared themselves for a long night of partying.

In the distance, Hermes took his hat off to them, and roared with laughter. He simply could not hold himself back after witnessing such a majestic sight. "I did it! I saw it with my own eyes! No potential? You could not be further from the truth, Zeus! Your grandson truly carries your blessing, as the last hero of your familia!"

The shining deity gazed at the sparkling clouds of stardust above. "And a complete mystery swooped in and saved the day, along with him!"

Hermes spun around, generating a vortex of dazzling colours, orange hair sparkling in the 'moonlight'. "I can feel that the age is finally moving forwards! Today, in the land of Orario, a new chapter in our history begins... The fates of these heroes, through their lives, and beyond their deaths, will become an epic story of family, woven by our children!" The god stuck a gloved hand upwards, and clutched at the air, as if he could finally grasp the future of this tumultuous world.

"~It's the familia myth!~"

Authors Notes

Woohoo! The big battle is won! Probably my favourite chapter 😊

Hit really has evolved a lot over his journey… From untrusting and harsh to everything at the beginning, to relatively mellow with embers of friendship blooming.

I hope you now see how dangerous Hit's fighting style is. Just one mistake and he dies. Classic glass cannon.

Also, about Hit causing Goliath pain, think of it like this: A horse fly biting you is incredibly painful, yet your aren't in any danger of dying. Same case for Hit and Goliath.