In the meantime, the crowd was placing their bets.

" . . . A thousand valis on the Human getting knocked out in the first hit . . . !"

" . . . Three thousand on that . . . !"

" . . . Six thousand on the Human winning this . . . !"

" . . . Deal . . . !"

"We should be prepared if this goes too far," Riveria said while staring at the contenders.

"My thumb aches," Finn said from nearby with a grim expression and bites his thumb.

"Jonah, please stop!" Bell exclaimed from nearby. "This is not worth fighting one of the strongest Familias in the city!"

Jonah didn't say anything as he keeps his eyes on Bete.

"Is everybody back there ready?!" Bete called back.

"Ready!" One of the patrons called.

No sooner does Bete refocus his attention back to Jonah before there is a loud bang. The werewolf cries out in agony from getting shot by Jonah, who next performs a visceral attack upon him. The werewolf gags as a litre of his blood gushes out, covering Jonah's forearm, then falls backward and does not get back up.

The crowd gapes in horror, especially Loki as her eyes are wide open.

". . . What is that weapon . . . ?!"

". . . He stabbed Bete with his bare hand . . . ?!"

"Tempest!"

Jonah quickens away, dodging a sword covered in green wind. Ais stands in front of Bete, sword at the ready.

"Tione, get Bete to a healer ASAP!" Loki said desperately to her.

"Right!" As Tione rushes forward, picks Bete up, and carries him away.

"Well, well," Jonah smirked with anticipation as he puts the Hunter's Pistol away and holds up his bloodied hand and arm, which shows the blood disappearing.

". . . Is the blood disappearing from his arm now . . . ?!"

". . . It is! The blood is disappearing . . . !"

Jonah removes the Saw Cleaver and unfurls it. The crowd gasps.

" . . . Shit! Is he gonna use that on the Sword Princess . . .?!"

". . . That thing looks like it can cut through a man in one blow . . .!"

"Aisy-poo!" Loki gasped with wide-open eyes.

"W-We gotta stop that man!" Lefiya fretted.

"JONAH NO!" Bell clamored.

"You're right!" Jonah announced to Bell. "When you're right, you're right!" Then looks at Ais and points at her with the Saw Cleaver, causing her to tense up. "You're no monster."

The Moon-scented Hunter furls the Saw Cleaver and returns it to his back.

"He clearly has a sense of honor," Finn said.

Jonah sighs as he casually walks up to Ais. "It looks like we have a problem."

In less time than it takes to blink, the Good Hunter clasps the upper part of her blade with his left hand between his thumb, forefinger, and middle finger.

"Meow, I think he's faster than big brother!" Anya squeaked.

"This is an interesting sword," Jonah mused. "Amazing quality too."

Despite her best efforts, Ais is unable to dislodge the blade from the pincer grip that Jonah effortlessly maintains.

"Whoa, he's really strong!" Tiona exclaimed.

Ais continues to pull with all of her strength in her attempt to dislodge her blade from his pincer grip. Jonah releases, causing Ais to fall backward due to the suddenness of his release. Jonah quickens, lunging low to elbow her in the gut with his right. He grabs her right arm by the wrist with his left and casually plucks her sword out of it with his right.

He now grips her chin with his left hand while holding her sword aloft in his right and pointing it at her stunned looking face. Ais stares with a dreaded expression up at Jonah as he glares into her eyes. A glare that seems to pierce into her deepest darkest fears.

"This fight was already over before it began," Jonah growled.

"C-Come on Ais, don't let that weirdo beat you!" Lefiya attempted to rally.

"Well?" Jonah asked coldly.

"I give up," Ais quailed.

Jonah releases her face while stepping back and lowering her sword, causing Ais to do a pratfall. He stabs her sword into the ground, then turns and walks away, walking past Bell without saying a word to him but the boy quickly follows after him.

The crowd is stunned by what they had all witnessed. Loki's eyes look as if they are about to pop out of her face. Comments are soon made.

" . . . He disarmed the Sword Princess . . . ?!"

" . . . Who was that guy . . . ?!"

" . . . That boy called him Jonah . . .!"

" . . . What does this mean then . . . ?!"

Ais gasps repeatedly while shaking with fear as Riveria and Lefiya help her get back up on her feet.

"Ais are you going to be okay?!" Riveria asked seriously.

"He wasn't being serious," Ais gasped as she looks down at her hands while clenching them. "And the way his eyes looked . . . ! It was like I was nothing but prey to him!"

"He could be trouble," Riveria said as she stares in the direction that Jonah had taken.

"We should go after him!" Lefiya said intently while also staring in the manner like Riveria.

"Not yet," Loki said. "Tomorrow we start by finding out everything we can about that man."

"I'll head on down to the Guild first thing in the morning," Finn said.

"Good," Loki said. "Now let's go . . . Ais?"

But Ais didn't answer as she is too fixated on where Jonah had gone.

"What have you done?!" Bell exclaimed as he stands in Jonah's way.

"What do you mean?" Jonah asked perplexed.

"I wanted to meet the Sword Princess!" Bell began blubbering. "But because of what you did, and if they found out you live with my Familia, she may never talk to me!"

Jonah sighs as he clasps Bell's shoulders. "I understand. I can solve your little problem by leaving. Goodbye Bell, and thank you for taking me in."

Then releases Bell and turns to walk away down another route. Bell stares after him then turns to head in the other direction toward the church.

"Bell, hey Bell!" A girl called.

Bell looks back.

"Syr?! What do you want?"

"I just came to see if you're all right," she answered, then looks around. "Where is Mister Theron?"

"He left. He told me that it would solve my problem with the Loki Familia."

"I see. But as long as you're okay. Well, I have to return to the tavern. See you later."

And she hurries off.

Bell arrives back at the church.

"Goddess, I'm back," his tone morose.

"Hello, Bell!" Hestia announced in a chipper tone, then changes upon noticing his dour expression. "What's wrong? And where's Jonah?"

"Something happened . . ." Bell began.

Jonah had been wandering the streets of Orario thinking about his next course of action. He eventually discovers that he is in a rougher area of the city. He notices a building that looks as if it should be condemned. It is a two story building with a row of windows with some of them being cracked. There is a sign out front that reads, Goblin's Den.

This looks like it could be an inn. He thought. Wouldn't hurt to check.

He enters the building to see a small man with a white beard wearing a red conical hat along with a blue shirt and black trousers.

"Can I help you sir?" The man asks in a gruff voice.

"Is this an inn?" Jonah asked.

"Yes, it is," the man answered. "If you want a room, it'll be five hundred valis."

Jonah nods and takes out some valis then places the sum on the table. The man takes out a key.

"Room Six," he said as he dangles it in front of Jonah, who then takes it.

Jonah goes upstairs, making each step creak. He reaches the top floor to see eighteen rooms, nine on each side. He walks down the hall and looks at the door numbers until he reaches the door with the number six, he opens the door and enters it.

The room is truly rundown. It consists of a simple bed with a bedside table and a desk with a cracked mirror.

Nobody came after me. He thought. I'm surprised that Loki hadn't sent her people after me for what I did. I guess they were too busy getting their boy treated first. But they will doubtlessly come after me soon.

He places the Saw Cleaver within reach but keeps the Hunter's Pistol inside his coat. He lies atop of the bed, ready to move at a moment's notice if need be.

". . . He thanked me for taking him in, then left," Bell concluded.

"I WARNED YOU HE WAS TROUBLE!" Hestia next bellowed up at him with curled fingers.

"Will Lady Loki go after him, Goddess?" Bell asked sheepishly.

"Oh you bet she will!" As Hestia makes an ardent point. "Even if she is slow to act, you can be as certain as tomorrow will come that she will be going after him! Jonah is going to have to start looking over his shoulder from now on! And she might even come after us since he was associated with us!"

"But he left, so I don't think Lady Loki will take it out on us. Also, I would still like to help him."

"No!" As she grabs hold of Bell by his jacket and shakes him. "You stay out of this, Bell! Don't you go getting tangled up with Jonah anymore!"

Bell sighs as he closes his eyes and Hestia lets him go.

"I wonder where he went?" He said.

"Who cares?!" Hestia snapped with raised hands. "Wherever he went, let's hope he causes no more trouble!"

It is sunrise over Orario. Finn Deimne enters the Guild where he is greeted by the staff.

"I am looking for a staff member who knows about a man named Jonah," he said to Rose.

"Eina can help you with that, Mister Deimne," Rose answered, then looks over. "Ah, there she is now."

Finn looks to see Eina walk in through the door to begin her day of work at the Guild.

"Thank you," Finn said to Rose, then hurries over to Eina. "Good morning, Miss Tulle."

"Good morning, Mister Deimne," she answered cordially. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

"Let's go have a seat first," Finn said.

Once they are seated.

"What do you know about a man named Jonah?" Finn asked. "He wears a long blue grey coat and carries a bladed weapon that unfolds."

"Oh, that would be Jonah Theron," Eina said in a more upbeat tone. "I'm his Dungeon Adviser."

Finn continues sitting there as he gives her a dour expression.

"Did something happen with Jonah?" Eina asked in deeper concern.

"Yes," Finn answered dourly. "Something indeed happened with Mister Theron. This is what happened . . ."

Jonah leaves the Goblin's Den and walks. He suddenly tenses up and turns to look around. Then he sees them.

Who are those people on that rooftop? He thought. They must be connected to the Loki Familia. I must lose them.

A man appears on top of a building after removing a mask. He has an effeminate face with amber eyes framed by curly blonde hair with a brown hat with a black band and a white feather stuck into it. He is wearing a bluish tunic with a thick beige stripe running vertically at middle, a brown belt, beige pants, a reddish scarf, and brown gloves and boots.

"He . . . He was looking right at us!" His expression is incredulous. "He was actually looking right at us!"

"That he was, Lord Hermes," a woman said in a distant tone of awe as she removes her own mask to reveal her own incredulous expression. She has blue eyes, short wavy frosted blue hair, and wears glasses and a white robe.

"He's not a god, that's for sure!" Hermes gasped. "And do you smell that, Asfi?"

"Smell what?"

"A cool sweet bloody smell that's making me think of the moon."

"Could he-No, Artemis hated men."

"That man is truly a mystery. Not only did he defeat two of Loki's top children, but he could see us even while we were wearing Hades Heads!" Then tugs on the brim of his hat. "A stranger from a strange land who was taken in by Hestia and the Little Rookie and is starting to make an impact! One cannot help but wonder how this is going to play out."

"So now what?"

"Now, we pay some friends a visit."

" . . . Then Mister Theron stabbed her sword into the ground and walked away," Finn finished.

Eina has a horrified expression, along with those who happened to be listening.

" . . . No way! That man mauled Bete and disarmed the Sword Princess . . . ?!"

" . . . Just how powerful is that guy . . . ?!"

"I . . . ah . . . ah," Eina tried to speak.

Finn leans forward. "What information do you have about Mister Theron, Miss Tulle?"

Eina slaps her cheeks in the effort to clear her head. "Ah, come with me!" As she rises.

Finn follows Eina into a room like the one where she took Jonah and Bell and closes the door.

"What I am about to tell you is astonishing!" Eina said. "You might even have trouble believing it!"

"I still need to know and so does Lady Loki," Finn said flatly. "So whatever you know about him, don't hold back."

"Fine!" Eina said as she momentarily lifts her glasses to pinch her the bridge of her nose, then lowers them. "Here it goes."