Well, everyone can thank IgnisHeart for this chapter being uploaded now, as the last member to fill the SSJ3 tier. Now as long as it stays full, I'll be doing two updates a month. If the LSSJ tier also gets filled, I'll then be doing three updates a month, but I imagine that will take more time.
I did say I would explain things during my next update, but I'm actually waiting for my exam results which come out next month (and also wasn't expecting the SSJ3 tier to get filled so quickly!) so I'll save the explanation of my year for my later update in November.
I'm up to the end of the Rivira arc at the moment, working on chapter 43 at the moment, and imagine it or chapter 44 will be the final chapter (maybe 45 if I do some interactions on the surface to close off the arc), which should bring me very close to my previously posted Apollo party chapters (posted for free on my pat reon back in January as chapter ?50, if anyone wants to read what they were like previously before I change them to their final versions) which I suspect will need some slightly tweaking too, given some changes I've made, but means I should have a few extra chapters added to the bank quite soon.
That's all for now though, so enjoy!
SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan.
Previously:
Ais and Eina would both head to Dian Cecht Familia separately to look for Bell, only to find he had already left. Determining where he would go, Ais headed to the Hostess of Fertility, with Eina following along. The pair would find Bell, Syr, and Ryuu celebrating. Bell would thank Ais for her help training him; while also revealing he had become level two, much to Ais and Eina's surprise. Ais would congratulate Bell and the two would join the festivities, as Ais would be heading into the Dungeon the next day on an expedition. Elsewhere, Hestia would meet with Hephaestus and reveal Bell's level up while also showing Hephaestus Bell's stats having exceeded their limits, before asking Hephaestus to forge a weapon for Bell. The following morning, Bell would awaken in the Hostess of Fertility, with Syr bringing him breakfast in the spare room. Syr would tell Bell she needed to leave for the day, but asked him if he could handle one last surprise. Bell decided he could handle one more surprise in his injured state, leading to Syr kissing him and thanking for being her hero. Syr would then leave the Hostess of Fertility and make her way to Babel Tower, ascending to the highest floor, transforming into the Goddess of Beauty herself, Freya. Freya and Ottar would then head to Twilight Manor where Freya would discuss with Loki the events of the day prior while admitting she would be pursuing Bell and had already told Hestia as such, before telling Loki to not meddle with things as she tried to make him hers, but not being against her Familia members interacting with Bell.
Disclaimer – I don't own anything from the Danmachi light novel/anime/manga/games. All I own are my original characters and plot twists.
'Talking'
"Thinking"
*expression*
Flashback
Magic
Chapter 13 – A land down under
'So Bell, would you like to go into the Dungeon later tonight to practice your magic, or would you prefer an early start?' Asked Ryuu, as she and Bell washed up the dishes from the lunch rush.
'Uh, is it okay to go into the Dungeon without any armour or weapons?' Asked Bell, handing Ryuu a dish.
'Ordinarily you have a point, but I will be with you, and I am more than a match for anything on the first dozen floors or so, even barehanded. As a new level two adventurer, you will find yourself far stronger than anything on the first few floors as well. It is better that we bring less in, rather than more, in order to not draw too much attention to ourselves.' Explained Ryuu, drying the last dish and racking it.
'Isn't going into the Dungeon without weapons and armour more suspicious?' Asked Bell, as he washed down the sink.
'Again, ordinarily you have a point, but we will be entering without anyone around. Additionally, there is a particular floor I have in mind which will hide us from view. The tenth to twelfth floors have a thick mist shrouding them. The strongest monsters there are the Hard Armoured, Silverback, which you have already faced and beaten, and on rare occasions, what passes for a floor boss on that floor, the Infant Dragon. It is worth mentioning the Orc, but it is nothing compared to the Troll.' Finished Ryuu, as Bell dried the sink.
'I guess that'll be okay then, besides, I'm sure there is nothing there that can threaten you.' Joked Bell, only for Ryuu to narrow her eyes.
'While I appreciate the vote of confidence, you should never be confident that any floor of the Dungeon is incapable of surprising you. You've already heard of War Shadows and Killer Ants on floor six causing problems for adventurers, the Dungeon only gets more vicious the deeper down. Even the twelfth floor may be capable of beating a level two adventurer.' Said Ryuu sternly.
'I understand, sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like I was overlooking things.' Apologised Bell, bowing his head, causing Ryuu's gaze to soften.
'Sorry, I tend to overdo things…I know you aren't making light of things; I just want to make sure you are safe too… if you get hurt, we would be upset.' Apologised Ryuu softly, causing Bell to raise his head and smile.
'Don't worry, even if I get hurt, I'll always come back to all of you.' Declared Bell, causing Ryuu to blush and look away.
'I'm not interrupting anything, am I?' Asked Syr teasingly, as she entered the kitchen, causing Ryuu to jolt.
'Syr! N-no, nothing is going on!' Stammered Ryuu, causing Syr to pout.
'Aw, why not? When I heard you and Bell were in here together, I even made sure to give you both a few extra minutes for things to develop, did I come too early?' Asked Syr, causing Ryuu to blush.
'W-what are you saying, Syr? I'm sorry, please excuse me, I need to get supplies with Anya now.' Stammered Ryuu, before quickly leaving the kitchen, causing Syr to giggle.
'Ryuu sure is shy around you, have you wormed your way into her heart already?' Teased Syr.
'I don't think I have; I doubt I could do something like that.' Replied Bell, as Syr slinked over to him, before wrapping him into a hug.
'Why not, you did it to me?' Whispered Syr into Bell's ear, causing goosebumps to run down his neck.
'Syr, stop teasing me.' Whined Bell.
Syr giggled and leaned back, breaking her embrace, before bopping Bell on the nose with her index finger.
'Whose teasing? You know, Bell, I've never kissed anyone before like that.' Teased Syr, causing Bell to panic.
'Wh-what? You gave me your first kiss?' Asked Bell in shock.
'Yep. Why, don't tell me that wasn't yours, otherwise I'm going to feel cheated?' Teased Syr.
'Of course that was my first kiss, when would anyone have kissed someone like me.' Mumbled Bell, looking to his feet, only for Syr to pop her finger under his chin and raise it.
'None of that now, Bell. I already told you; you are very special. Since we have some free time though, why don't we make something together?' Suggested Syr, changing the topic and causing Bell to perk up.
'Oh, that's right, I did say we could make a cake together and now is a good time for it.' Agreed Bell, moving away from Syr to grab some ingredients.
'Okay, so we can make something simple to start with and probably one of the easier options would be a marble cake. All we need is butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, milk, eggs, flour, baking powder, and some dark chocolate. We can use cocoa powder, but using real chocolate makes it less sweet.' Said Bell.
'Why would you want to make a cake less sweet?' Asked Syr, tilting her head to the side in curiosity, causing Bell to chuckle softly.
'Well, I don't really like things that are too sweet, so most of my sweets aren't very sweet.' Explained Bell, causing Syr to giggle.
'Is that because you are so sweet yourself already?' Teased Syr, causing Bell blush.
'Well, you shouldn't like sweets at all then, since you are much sweeter than me.' Retorted Bell, seeking to turn the tables on Syr, only for her to beam.
'Oh Bell, you really are a sweet-talker, aren't you?' Countered Syr, causing Bell's mouth to open and close a few times.
'Fine, let's just make the cake.' Relented Bell, realising he had been bested, causing Syr to giggle again.
'Okay then, how should we start?' Asked Syr, as she and Bell got out the ingredients, Syr following Bell's instructions carefully.
'Well, first we need to mix all the wet ingredients together and add the eggs in slowly, then we add all the dry stuff together and mix it in. That's about it really.' Said Bell with a small shrug.
'Anything extra? No secret ingredient?' Asked Syr.
'Not for something like this. I mean, you can add extra stuff like nuts in, but I think making something simple to start with is best.' Answered Bell.
As the two made their cake, a half-Elf entered the Hostess of Fertility and looked around for someone.
'Miss Eina, are you here for our mascot?' Asked Chloe, sneaking up on the half-Elf, causing her to jump slightly.
'Ah, yes, I am here for Bell, he was supposed to come this morning for lessons on the Dungeon.' Answered Eina, causing the waitress to smirk.
'Oh, how naughty of him, skipping out on lessons, why don't I get him for you?' Offered Chloe, before dashing off.
The Black Cat made her way into the kitchen and found Bell was bending down to place a cake tin into the oven, while Syr watched on.
'Now this is a view I can get used to.' Purred Chloe.
'Now, now, Chloe, you know Bell doesn't want to be seen as a boy anymore.' Chided Syr, as the boy in question stood up.
'Even more reason for me to admire that cute behind before it becomes too muscular. Your Guild Adviser is here for you.' Retorted Chloe with a shrug, before sauntering off again.
'Oh, that's right, I was supposed to meet up with Miss Eina this morning for lessons about the Dungeon.' Recalled Bell, before finding a small timer and setting it for an hour.
'Do you think I can listen in too then?' Asked Syr.
'Uh, I guess you could, but I don't think it would be very interesting for you… and Miss Eina's lectures are pretty expansive.' Cautioned Bell, only for Syr to shrug.
'That's fine, I can always sneak away if I get bored, but I doubt I will with you there.' Joked Syr, giving Bell a wink.
As the two exited the kitchen, they saw Eina standing there expectantly.
'Now Bell, I hope you weren't planning on skipping out on your lessons.' Chided Eina.
'No, I just forgot, sorry for making you come all the way here.' Apologised Bell.
'It's fine, I decided to use this time as my lunch break.' Explained Eina.
'Well at least let me make you something to eat then.' Offered Bell, causing Eina to smile.
'That would defeat the point of me having come here in the first place, as you would have less time to learn.' Pointed out Eina softly.
'You go and learn, Bell, I'll make something for your friend, on your tab of course.' Ordered Mama Mia, having come by and overhearing the discussion.
'Of course, thanks Mama Mia!' Agreed Bell, only for Mia to wave him off.
As Eina sat herself down, Bell followed, as did Syr, causing Eina to look at her curiously.
'Uh, Syr was hoping to listen in if that's okay.' Explained Bell, eliciting a small shrug from Eina.
'I imagine if you were getting chased around by monsters you may want some info about them. Unfortunately, I don't think we have time to go through the lower floors in an hour, or I would be doing a disservice to the middle floors.' Rationalised Eina.
'Thank you, Miss Eina, you sure must be very thorough at your job.' Commented Syr, causing Eina to smile.
'Well, in that case, I better not disappoint. I will start with the eighth and ninth floor since you've been down to the seventh already. These two floors are different than most others in that they don't bring with them any new monsters, but rather, you will find stronger versions of the monsters from the upper floors. The Goblins are more aggressive and robust, and are often found in groups, while the Kobolds are more bloodthirsty, with sharper teeth and longer claws, while also being much faster. The Dungeon Lizards are also larger and have sharp spines, so if they do ambush you and drop down on you, they can bury spurs into your skin, making it harder to dislodge them. Lastly, the Frog Shooters are covered in a numbing slime which makes them more resistant to pain, but can also be dangerous for an adventurer, as if you do get injured, you may not be able to feel it, which means you will fight without guarding a weak point or could even be bleeding out without realising it. Lastly, the Killer Ants now roam in groups and the War Shadows are slightly taller and more muscular, meaning they can endure more hits.' Lectured Eina.
'So the eighth and ninth floor are just the first seven but harder?' Asked Bell, causing Eina to give a small nod.
'In a way, the infrastructure of the floor also changes, with higher ceilings, making it harder to see the Dungeon Lizards and Purple Moths in the air. There is also moss covering the walls and instead of a simple dirt ground, there is now a short grassy plain covering the floor. The ceiling also glows with a light similar to the daytime sun, which follows its own day-night cycle. I did leave one more monster out though.' Continued Eina, only for Syr to interject.
'Oh that's right, our mascot, Bell the Needle Rabbit!' Exclaimed Syr, pulling out her plushie keychain, causing Bell to sigh.
'Yes. The Needle Rabbits. Their horns are longer, and they are even faster. Luckily, they are at least not any more durable.' Explained Eina with a nod.
'Moving on to the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth floor, other than the changes from the eighth and ninth floors in terms of infrastructure, there is now also a mist which is thickest on the twelfth floor. The new monsters on these floors can also use large landforms now, which the Orcs are well known to do. Other than the Orcs, there are now also Imps, Silverbacks, Bad Bats, and the Hard Armoured. On rare occasions, the Infant Dragon can also spawn on the eleventh or twelfth floor and is equal to a level two adventurer. I honestly can't even believe I am having this conversation with you already, as I wouldn't have expected to need to tell you about Infant Dragons for at least a year *sigh* but it seems you're running ahead faster than the ordinary adventurer. So, with that said, let's move on to the middle floors next.' Lectured Eina, before seeing a bowl of porridge, with fresh fruits, and freshly squeezed orange juice, placed in front of her.
'At least have something to drink first. Never met an Elf so talkative before, or maybe the ones I've met are the odd ones out.' Joked Mama Mia, causing Eina to blush.
'Miss Eina is just really good at teaching others, her lessons are great.' Complimented Bell, causing Eina to blush deeper, causing Syr to smile.
'Oh yes, Bell always has praise for Miss Eina.' Added Syr, turning Eina's ears red, before a bell was heard.
'Syr, break time is over.' Pointed out Mama Mia, before walking away.
'Well then, enjoy your lunch, Miss Eina, please make sure our mascot knows everything about the Dungeon.' Commented Syr, before walking off.
Eina continued her lecture, stopping once she reached the Goliath.
'So, a Minotaur isn't really that strong then?' Questioned Bell, as Eina sipped her juice.
'I don't know how you came to that conclusion.' Retorted Eina.
'Well you said it is like a level two adventurer like the Infant Dragon… I thought Minotaur's must have come from beyond the twentieth floor or something.' Admitted Bell with a small shrug, causing Eina to sigh softly.
'Well, in all honesty, the strength you had when you faced a Minotaur last time was night and day compared to now. I'm sure if the current you came across a Minotaur, you would not have too much trouble with it.' Appraised Eina, only for Bell to shake his head.
'I'd rather not run into a Minotaur again if I'm being honest.' Admitted Bell.
'I'm surprised to hear that from you, you are always charging further than you should and you've already beaten monsters from the middle and lower floors. Not that I am encouraging you to seek out a Minotaur, just that you should be able to match it, of course, not without any weapons or armour though.' Lectured Eina, before taking another spoon of her porridge.
'Here you are Miss Eina, compliments of Bell and I.' Announced Syr, placing a piece of cake next to the Elf.
'Ah, I forgot about the cake, thanks for that Syr.' Gasped Bell, causing the girl to smile.
'Don't worry about that, I'll always keep an eye on things for you.' Whispered Syr reassuringly, leaning closer towards Bell's ear as she did so, before straightening up and heading back into the throng of customers.
-line break-
'Hey Ryuu, we need to go back nyaw.' Advised Anya.
'Just… give me a minute.' Replied Ryuu, steadying herself.
The Elf's mind had been swirling the entire shopping trip.
Bell was kind.
Bell held her hand.
Syr was her friend.
Syr was pushing her towards Bell.
Syr liked Bell.
These thoughts plagued the Elf, and her own sensibilities warred with her emotions, as well as her analytical understanding of what was being played out in front of her. Ryuu still had a very sheltered view of companionship. While she had seen darkness in her time as an adventurer, she had no experience in romantic love, which it seemed Syr was trying to push her into. The odd thing was that Syr was pursuing the same person she herself was being pushed to. It made her head spin. Ryuu raised a hand to her forehead before deciding her approach.
She would be an instructor, nothing more. It was easier for her this way. Syr always meant well in a roundabout manner, but this was too much for Ryuu to process, while also trying to mentally will herself back into combat and adventuring, even if it was just so she could train a friend of hers in secret.
'Wait.' Muttered Ryuu again, causing Anya to sigh as their trip halted again.
Bell was her friend. Syr was her friend. Syr liked Bell and was pushing Ryuu to like Bell too. Was Syr trying to make a harem of her own with Bell. Was she the first recruit in a mass harem? Ryuu rubbed her forehead again, feeling a migraine coming on, before taking a deep breath.
"Well, Syr has never led me astray before, maybe I should be more like Bell and just stop questioning Syr's schemes… how can he be so trusting though?" Thought Ryuu, before her expression hardened.
'He is too trusting.' Mumbled Ryuu, before pulling herself together and starting to walk again.
'Nya, earth to Ryuu, what's going on in that head of yours?' Asked Anya.
'Sorry, Anya, I was just preparing myself for the evening with Bell.' Replied Ryuu, causing Anya to gasp.
'Don't tell me you are Syr are going to tag team our meowscot!' Exclaimed Anya, misunderstanding Ryuu completely.
The Elf went red as images flashed through her head. All her time with that vulgar far eastern girl in the past had tainted her mind. Ryuu snapped out of her thoughts before they went to a dark place, but not before one last memory came to mind.
"If a man can grasp my hands, I shouldn't let them go. Bell is the only one… no, I need to focus on training Bell for now, everything else can come later." Resolved Ryuu, before picking up her pace.
'Wait, Ryuu, what are you going to do to Bell tonight?' Called Anya, running after the Elf, who blushed at the insinuation again, before picking up even more speed, practically jogging down the street.
-line break-
'Ais, don't fall behind.' Ordered Finn, as the group made their way through the sixteenth floor.
'Sorry.' Apologised Ais, before picking up her pace, coming to stand beside Tiona and Lefiya.
'Is something wrong, Miss Ais?' Asked Lefiya, a young Elf girl.
'You looked lost in thought.' Commented Riveria.
'Ais, don't you know thinking too much will give you a headache.' Chimed in Tiona, the slimmer of the Amazoness sisters.
'Come on Ais, we're here to get our funds replenished, don't worry about other stuff right now.' Added Tione, the long-haired Amazoness sister.
Ais simply nodded, while the younger, internal manifestation of her thoughts, otherwise dubbed as Mini-Ais, placed a hand under her chin.
"I miss him. It's only been one day though." Thought Ais, before a wall cracked and a Minotaur appeared.
Ais felt a small spasm in her mind and suddenly she was in front of the beast, cutting it down the centre.
'Sorry, I got distracted.' Apologised Ais, recalling they were using the monsters on these past few floors to help Lefiya train.
'Well, at least you are back with us now, the seventeenth floor is coming up.' Sighed Riveria.
The group descended the staircase only to find the long hallway was empty. The only feature of note in this entire passageway was the Great Wall of Sorrows, which spawned the Monster Rex of the floor, the Goliath.
'It's already been taken care of, must have been the residents of Rivira. It is bad for business when it is around.' Commented Finn, unfazed at the absence of the Goliath.
'It would have made a good dent in our debt though. Urga is always worth it, but so expensive.' Sighed Tiona.
'You are swinging around a hunk of the finest adamantine around, I don't think you have room to complain.' Snarked Tione, causing Tiona to smile in embarrassment.
The group slowed their walk now, in the relative safety of the empty floor, before emerging into a beautiful landscape of vibrant greens and soft blues.
'I always get excited coming down to the eighteenth floor no matter how many times we come here. If only the prices weren't so stingy!' Exclaimed Tiona.
'I know, it's so pretty down here.' Added Lefiya.
"I wonder if Bell would like it down here. He is level two now… maybe he will come down here by himself soon." Thought Ais, before spotting Riveria looking at her.
'Something on your mind?' Asked Riveria.
Ais looked off to the side, before giving a small nod, causing Riveria to smile.
'Let us go look around then. At least we have enough to barter for a small selection of luxuries.' Suggested Riveria, with Finn giving a nod.
'Yes, we can trade in everything we retrieved on the way up, as what we will find ahead will have more worth than anything we have gathered below.' Agreed Finn.
'Man, their prices are too high though!' Grumbled Tiona, as the group made their way to a town in the Dungeon, Rivira, the only one of its kind.
'Hmm, things seem a bit off this time.' Commented Tione.
'Indeed.' Nodded Riveria, overhearing some whispers.
'Is it true there was a murder?' Asked a resident of the town to their local neighbour.
'It looks like there is a crowd gathering near that inn.' Commented Tiona, before walking off on her own, the others following after her a moment later.
'There is quite the crowd, I'll go have a look.' Advised Finn, dropping down on his hands and knees as he crawled his way to the front.
'Hey, wait, Captain, you can't go off alone into danger!' Protested Tione, trying to force her way through the crowd to no avail, before she snapped.
'Move out of the way! I'll crush you all!' Roared Tione, stamping her foot and smashing a hole into the ground, sending some of the onlookers off their feet.
Seconds later, the crowd parted, and Finn was revealed in the centre.
'I'll go with you, Captain!' Declared Tione, cheerfully running to catch up to the Prum, causing Finn to sigh.
'Yes, please don't go overboard though.' Sighed Finn weakly.
The group then caught up with Finn, before they moved towards the Inn which had been surrounded.
'This smell…' Muttered Finn.
'Yeah, there is no mistaking it, this smell is human blood.' Added Tione, before the group pushed back a curtain and came upon a grizzly crime scene.
'Hey, what are you doing, waltzing in here, what are those guards doing?' Grumbled a man with an eye patch and a shaved head.
'It's okay, Bors, we wanted a place to stay, so we thought we'd help you get to the bottom of things sooner.' Replied Finn, causing the man to scoff.
'Of course, I expect nothing less from you, Finn. Whether it is you guys or Freya Familia, strong guys seem to think they can do whatever they want here.' Complained the man, causing Tione to glare at the man for his disparaging remarks.
'You see, Lefiya, in Rivira, the strongest person is in charge, which is usually Bors, since he is level three, so when people like us show up, including level fives and sixes, Bors is no longer considered the boss.' Whispered Tiona, causing the man to grumble.
'So what happened here anyway?' Asked Bors of the innkeeper.
'I don't know. A man in full plate armour and a woman in a robe came by and rented the entire place out.' Explained the Animal-person.
'Ah, so it was that kind of arrangement, just the two of them.' Commented Finn knowingly.
'Hmm?' Hummed Ais in thought, only for the young Elf behind her to have steam come out of her ears as her face turned red.
'Lefiya, do you know what they were doing here?' Asked Ais, causing the Elf to stammer incomprehensibly.
'N-N-N-nothing Miss Ais, I'm sure they were just having a conversation in private!' Squealed Lefiya, causing Ais to look at Riveria questioningly.
'Yeah, probably a chat and then some training afterwards, some cardio probably.' Added Tiona teasingly, causing Lefiya to go completely red.
'Tiona, don't jest. Ais, they came here to be intimate with each other, but it seems that was a ploy.' Explained Riveria, causing Ais to tilt her head to the side thoughtfully.
"Is Bell in danger?" Thought Ais, recalling Freya had also arranged to meet with Bell in private.
Ais was lost in her thoughts and didn't come out of them until she heard Riveria say that she could read hieroglyphics. Ais looked up and noticed the status of the adventurer had been revealed by a forbidden item know as Status Thief, an item which could mimic a deity's blood and reveal a person's status to all.
'This man is Hashana Dorlia…' Started Riveria, while Ais' eyes trailed over the Familia emblem.
'Of the Ganesha Familia.' Finished Ais.
'Wait! Hold up, you can't be serious! Hashana Dorlia, the Hard Fist Fighter! He's level four!' Cried Bors in alarm.
'Has anyone touched anything in this room, Bors?' Asked Finn sternly, only for the man to give a small grunt.
'Then what we have here is a level four who was easily overpowered and killed without any fuss. That means the killer had to also be at least a level four as well.' Said Finn.
'Or a level five like us.' Added Ais, raising the tension in the room.
-line break-
'You know, Bete, you should be nicer to girls. You're an adventurer, aren't you? You should be protecting weak girls and winning them over.' Commented Loki, as she squinted her eyes at the Werewolf of her family.
Bete's scarred visage twisted in disgust, having just scared off two women who had been staring at him with blushes on their faces while giggling, as Loki approached him.
'I hate weaklings, always acting all tough, but then when danger hits, all they can do is panic and cry for help.' Growled Bete, causing Loki to open her eyes and look at him seriously.
'And what about the weakling who stands up to the danger and fights through the fear, what do you think of them?' Asked Loki quietly.
Bete scoffed, before seeing Loki's stern expression.
'I've never seen that happen before, so don't bother me with hypotheticals.' Snorted Bete.
Loki frowned, before looking off at the top of Babel Tower.
"You always did like them unique, didn't you, Freya?" Thought Loki in amusement, her eyes crinkled shut as she smiled.
'Come on then, we need to get exploring.' Ordered Loki, causing the Werewolf to kick off the wall and follow his Goddess.
'Exploring? I thought you already knew who was behind this?' Questioned Bete.
'I know who was behind most of it, but not the thing that hurt my children. I need to find them and then really make them pay.' Explained Loki, as the two wandered down to the sewers.
'What makes you so sure that the one behind the other stuff didn't have something to do with those things that attacked us?' Asked Bete.
'Because she may be loose, but she isn't a liar.' Explained Loki with a hum.
'So if it isn't Freya Familia then, who else do you think would risk a fight with us?' Asked Bete, kicking open a door to the sewers.
'I don't know, I didn't think there was anyone stupid enough, that's what we are here to figure out.' Said Loki, her eyes opening a crack as they peered into the darkness.
-line break-
Eina sighed as she made her way back to the Guild. Her teaching session with Bell had gone very smoothly, almost suspiciously though.
"I know he fought a Silverback, but how did he know so much about it already, is someone else helping him learn about the Dungeon. I don't think Miss Wallenstein would have the time, nor be the type to teach theory… is it someone from the Freya Familia?" Thought Eina, before noticing a red-haired Goddess accosting her friend, Misha.
"Goddess Loki does like her pranks, but her disdain for Goddess Hestia is well known." Thought Eina, before the sly Goddess slipped past her colleague and snuck towards the chamber of the true head of the Guild, God Ouranos.
'Eina! Why didn't you help me out?' Whined Misha, jogging over to her friend.
'You seemed to manage it okay.' Shrugged Eina, making Misha let out a whine of displeasure.
'*hmph* Bell would have helped me.' Pouted Misha, causing Eina's ears to twitch.
'You wouldn't happen to be seeing Bell outside of the Guild, would you, Misha?' Asked Eina accusingly, causing her friend to backpedal.
'N-No, I just mean he would have helped a pretty girl like me.' Stammered Misha nervously.
'You're right, he would have *sigh* that boy.' Groaned Eina, causing Misha to look at her curiously.
'What's wrong, don't tell me he's giving you trouble?' Asked Misha curiously.
'The exact opposite, he is knowing things even before I explain them. I had thought it might be someone from here, but if it isn't you, I doubt anyone else here would offer him a helping hand.' Explained Eina, narrowing her eyes as she surveyed the room.
'Isn't that a good thing though? You want him to know everything, so isn't him already knowing things going to help him in the long run? Or are you just jealous that he is learning behind your back?' Teased Misha, leaning forward and pushing her grin into Eina's eyeline.
'No, I am happy he is learning, but if he learns faster than I had planned, he may go further as well. There is no telling what reckless things he may do if he thinks he is prepared.' Retorted Eina coolly, causing Misha to pull back.
'I mean, unless you plan to go down into the Dungeon with him, he will learn some things without you.' Pointed out Misha, raising both of her hands into the air with a shrug.
'I know, but knowledge without experience is dangerous! Next thing you know, he will be fighting Infant Dragons with a robe of Salamander Wool and think that means he can survive the flames, only to get hit by the tail!' Ranted Eina, causing Misha to raise her hands in surrender.
'I mean, it isn't like he is going to run straight down to the twelfth floor, right?' Asked Misha.
