Look, a Danmachi owner!

WHERE!

"The long-awaited season has come again."

Clear blue spread across the midday sky as people gathered below the four altars set out in the plaza.

"Winter passed, seeds matured into sprouts, and then the shoots that grew were harvested. It all seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. How did the year find you?"

The Goddess Demeter's voice echoed around the main square of Orario as the people cheered from below her altar. The three other altars, all facing in the cardinal directions around Babel, also had worshippers looking up at the Goddesses that represent the Harvest Festival. Along with Demeter, there was also Damia, Hathor and of course, the Goddess Freya.

The masses were silent for a minute as they reminisced the past few months. The Monsterphilia incident, Red-light district destruction, the appearance of the armed monsters and Elegia.

Nathan couldn't help but smile at the silence, realising his Familia had been the main involvement for two of those incidents. And if things went the way he wanted, it would become three out of five.

Nathan spied one last look at the Goddess Freya sat on top of the altar facing North. He squinted, wanting her to feel his gaze as if a hawk was narrowing in on his prey. He wanted her to feel uncomfortable. He wasn't sure if it was the real one or the girl walking beside Bell in the east street was, he had given up trying to figure it out. If it came to it, he'd send both to heaven if necessary.

He fixated his gaze back on Bell and Syr. Nathan was currently staying about 150 metres away from them, not getting too close as to run the risk of getting spotted by the Freya Familia, or even the patrolling Ganesha Familia. Just because they had called off the search didn't mean they wouldn't hunt him down if he was spotted.

He made sure every 30 seconds to quickly make a mental note of who was closest to the pair at the time and seeing if any executives had come. So far, only Hedin was a constant presence monitoring the two. Since he hadn't seen Allen or Ottar since the beginning, he wasn't too sure if the Syr with Bell was actually Freya.

He had never been able to gather anything like that from Syr within the past 2 years he had known her. But he knew what he was looking for now, so he hoped he could spot something.

'This is harder than expected.'

Nathan had been following the Freya Familia follow Bell and Syr for nearly an hour now. The two had gotten some food, done a bit of sightseeing and window shopping. From what he saw, it was a normal date, not that he knew what a normal date would ever look like but he presumed this was close.

The hard part was following them. Keeping out of sight was easy, even with the massive crowds alongside the Freya and Ganesha Familia, Nathan had plenty of experience staying hidden, even if there were little shadows to use his nightcrawler skill.

No, the hard part was actually keeping up. The half-elf hadn't expected Bell to have planned this much for them to do. They moved everywhere, in and out of crowds, passing some stalls while buying at others.

Nathan had actually lost sight of them at one point. Even with Bell's stand-out white hair and red suit, he had lost them. If it wasn't for Nathan also keeping an eye on the Freya Familia, he might have lost track of them all together.

He contemplated getting in closer just in case anything happened but the risk wasn't worth it, that was until Bell took Syr into Daedalus Street. This earned a perplexed look from the half-elf as he was forced to get closer due to the way the area was laid out.

He could no longer stay crouched on rooftops 150 metres out of sight. No, he had to get up close to keep up but Daedalus had always been a place Nathan liked. The narrow streets led to dead ends and complex maze-like roads that made no sense. To someone who could hide in the cracks and shadows made by the over-bearing roofs, it was perfect for stealth. So Nathan found an opening and dashed forward. He weaved around Freya Familia members and had even got close enough to Hedin to decapitate him. The thought lingered in his mind for a second before he jumped down into the man-made labyrinth.

Having calculated where Bell had to go, the half-elf darted into a nearby street and emersed himself in the shadows, removing his presence. And no sooner than he did, did Bell and Syr walk around the corner, hand in hand.

Nathan scowled at Syr holding Bell's hand. The sight just made him detest the Goddess even more. If Bell wasn't so attached to that face and wasn't as caring and innocent as he was, Nathan believed he would've struck Syr down now. He was surprised by how well he was holding in his anger, considering how his past month had gone.

The half-elf did his best not to get distracted but he couldn't help but slightly admire how different Daedalus Street looked. Normally it was a dreary and depressing place but it was full of life, with banners and flowers hanging all over the houses. Stalls similar to the ones on the main street were parked up on the side of the road and everyone was smiling, it was weird seeing Daedalus Street like this.

Nathan continued spying as Bell led Syr through Daedalus Street as they seemingly reached their destination.

"Big Sis!"

"Big Brother!"

Nathan was slightly taken aback by what he heard.

'Did those kids just call Bell and Syr...what?'

Nathan looked on as Bell and Syr interacted with a group of kids. He remained hidden in a shadow as he watched as the pair seemingly dealt with the children like they had prior experience. It was kind of weird to see but it also made sense.

Bell was a caring person after all, of course he would get along well with kids. And Syr/ Freya would use that by getting close to the kids themselves as a way to manipulate Bell.

Nathan probably grew slightly annoyed at the context of a Goddess using children for her own selfish gain but it wasn't exactly a new concept to the half-elf. To him, it was common practice but that didn't mean he liked it.

The half-elf remained still as he watched Bell and Syr dance with each other and the children, seemingly enjoying themselves. For a brief second, Nathan contemplated just leaving them alone, but his past 8 years of experience reprimanded that negligent way of thinking.

No matter how sincere the smile on Syr's face was, there was a sinister one underneath being worn by a Goddess.

Nathan watched as the children around them clapped and danced, tapping along with the music. He remembered; they had tried it once. The adults planned a harvest festival within Knossos, trying to raise morale. Thanatos didn't seem to care and the likes of Revis and Valetta were too focused on other things to give a shit. Even his Goddess seemed to support the idea.

All credit to them, they tried. Nathan had been sent to try and get some food for the celebration. But when he went to help with the Familia that was secretly aiding Evilus to deliver the food, the Astrea Familia busted in and arrested them all on the spot, along with a few black cloaks.

Nathan only made it out because of his nightcrawler skill, and all he could do was sit there and watch in fear as everyone was fighting. A part of him wished he did get caught that day, as when he returned to the children who had so much expectation for something good after so much bad, he came back empty-handed. Some of the kids lost their parents that day, who were part of the squad sent to gather the food. They didn't have enough water in their body to be able to afford to cry.

They still did their best to celebrate but with no food and the small bit of happiness from before gone, they just sat there in muted silence, as hunger ate away at their stomachs.

Nathan looked at the group of children that Bell was playing with. They reminded him of the ones in Knossos. Even in a bad situation, they still seemed to smile. But these children, the topside children, their smiles aren't forced. They might not be the freest people in the city, but at least they can see the sun. They might be hungry but they have never eaten a monster... or each other.

Nathan grimaced at the memory; the taste still lingered on his tongue. Maybe his Goddess was right, maybe it had been a mercy.

After a while, Bell began taking Syr away as they said their goodbyes to the group of children. As Nathan went to continue his pursuit, he looked up to spot any Freya Familia members and realised how quickly the day had gone.

The sun had already passed midday and was beginning its descent. They must've been going for almost 3 hours now and it seemed Bell still had more planned.

'This is probably Hildrsleif's doing,' Nathan theorised in his head.

With a final check, he darted out of his hiding spot to cross the street, dashing into the open for a split second. But that was all it took.

"Where are they, Anya?"

Lunor looked at her co-worker who was currently busy buying a fish skewer from a stand. Chloe stood next to the ginger-cat girl as she too was buying food. Lunor just rolled her eyes at this.

"Ryu, do you see them?"

The elf just shook her head. She had been silent for most of the day. Well actually, her silence had begun after Syr revealed she was going to ask Bell Cranel on a date. Everyone knew why, no matter how badly Ryu tried to hide it. The elf had fallen for the boy, the same boy as her best friend.

Lunor couldn't help but feel sorry for her friend. She knew how hard it must be to push down your own feelings for the sake of another you care about.

The woman turned her attention back to her other co-workers who had already devoured their food.

"Oi, you two. You are on lookout duty. We've already lost them twice because of your detours, or should I say distractions."

"It can't be helped, meow!" Chloe exclaimed as she licked her fingers clean of the grease.

"Yeah, Nya! We found something that nyeeded our immediate attention, Nya!" Anya followed up.

"Yeah, yeah. Now hurry up and find them would you, I'm dying to know what they've been up to," Lunor said with a sigh.

Anya responded with a quick spin, making her green waitress dress flutter slightly as she began to raise her nose slightly in the air.

"Hmmmmmmm..."

"Well?"

"I smell..."

"Have you found them?"

Lunor was beginning to get impatient with the cat.

"I smell... fish!"

*SMACK!*

"NYOUCH! What Nya do that for!"

"You dumb kitty! Stop thinking about your stomach for once and focus. Now find..."

Lunor cut herself off as Anya's eyes widened, her pupils dilated. She began sniffing again, and again, and again. Each in various directions.

"What do you smell, meow?" Chloe asked. Anya had the best sense of smell out of all of them, it wasn't even close. That was why she was on tracking duties. But she couldn't choose what to smell. She could differentiate the smells but she couldn't just choose to smell something and not another thing. And this time, she smelt something that put her on edge.

"...masky?"

"What did you say?"

It was Ryu who spoke up. She had been quiet this whole time but this grabbed her attention.

"It was only for a second, nya. But I am certain, I smelt..."

"Are you telling us that Nathan is around?" Lunor asked. All the girls in the pub knew why the Ganesha Familia had been out in droves for a couple of days, it wasn't just Ryu who could eavesdrop.

"What's he doing here?" Chloe wondered to herself until it dawned on them.

"He can't be...?"

"He must be nya?"

"He's watching Bell."

It was Ryu who put their thoughts into reality. None of them knew how to react. They had never been the biggest fan of the boy but they had never hated him. Yes, he had always been distant to them, especially Ryu. But after he joined the Hestia Familia, he seemed to have mellowed out a bit.

The time when he interrupted Bell and Ryu's training and sparred with the elf, smiling the whole time.

And how he celebrated with them on occasions, showing how he had come to care for his friends. Then that was proven with the descent to the 37th floor.

They all remembered the hospital. His scars, especially the one on his face. His little back and forth with Syr was the last time they had seen him since. All of them except Ryu.

Ryu still didn't know where she sat with the boy. Her mind was already too complicated with Bell but adding Nathan had only given her more to think about.

'No. Today I need to focus on Syr... and Bell.'

"If he's been in hiding, why would he risk exposing himself just to spy on a random date?" Lunor asked. It was a valid question from their point of view, even Ryu couldn't understand it. Was it really worth it just to spy on their friend's date? They were doing the same thing but they weren't wanted.

Well technically they were but that wasn't the point. The Ganesha Familia would still be keeping an eye out for him. So why was he doing this?

'And if it was about Bell, why would I tell you?'

They all remembered the last words they heard. The ones he said to Syr in the Dian Cecht hospital. And they all came to the same conclusion.

'He's here to ruin their date!'

Even though they had found the answer, it still left them all with one more question.

'Why?'

That was what they were going to find out. Anya had picked up Syr's scent again and they all dashed off, this time with more serious expressions. If they found Syr, they found Bell. And if they found Bell, they found Nathan. And then they would get their answer.

Bell and Syr walked out of a clothes shop, the white-haired boy having brought the girl some new clothes to wear. But Nathan wasn't focused on that.

Throughout his espionage, he had made sure to stay aware of Hedin at all times. He couldn't spot all the Freya Familia who were nestled within the crowd, or all the ones crouched on rooftops. He had deducted some time ago that the Freya Familia had surrounded Bell and Syr but the half-elf didn't care about them. His only worry was Hedin. Well, he was before a second issue showed up.

Allen and Hedin were arguing with each other in hushed whispers. It was the same shit most of the Freya Familia go on about, loyalty to their Goddess and all that crap. Nathan had heard it a thousand times from the many nights he spent spying in Folkvangr. But Nathan wasn't stupid enough to not be wary of the pair.

"Any sign of the half-elf?"

Nathan froze at that.

"No," Allen responded quickly as he clicked his tongue.

The half-elf reflexively grasped the hilts of his swords.

"That doesn't mean he isn't here, remember the pleasure district," Hedin said sternly, referring to when Nathan appeared out of nowhere to help Mikoto while the Freya Familia had begun their invasion of the red-light district. Then later in the night when he killed Phyrne mercilessly. Hedin wouldn't admit it but that feeling of dread kept him awake that night.

"I know that you fool. I won't let him get anywhere near my lady." Allen spat back as he swivelled his silver spear in his hand.

Nathan adjusted his black shades as he saw the cat-man vanish from sight in the blink of an eye as Hedin returned his gaze back to the pair. Nathan didn't like that, he wanted to know where Vana Freya had gone, especially after what he had just heard.

'They are looking out for me?'

It seemed the encounter Nathan had with the Freya Familia during that time had stuck with them. That was annoying but it doesn't now, he was on their radar.

Nathan sweated slightly at that. The Ganesha Familia he could deal with, they would simply arrest him if he eventually got caught. Same with the Loki Familia. The Freya Familia... either an audience with a Goddess that would squeeze every drop out of him or they would just kill him on the spot.

He wasn't worried about the members that swarmed the streets as even as a level 4, none of the second-tier adventures worried Nathan. Now that he was a level-5, they worried him even less so. He knew he could take any of the Gulliver brothers in a 1v1, maybe in 1v2 now he had levelled up. Some would say arrogance, but time and again Nathan had proven that once he was on the same level as anyone else, he would beat them. That's what happens when your personal trainers for 5 years are two people on the level of first-tier adventurers and your deity is the Goddess of death.

The half-elf knew he was capable of overcoming the level gap, in the right circumstances. These were not the right circumstances. If needed to, he was confident in his ability to sneak up on Hedin or Allen and take them out but if he took one out and the other saw, he would have little time to escape. And if he did, it would put Bell in immediate danger. This would force him to fight the other one head-on.

Nathan knew he was a good fighter; he was one of the best in Orario. If everyone was put on the same level and stats with no skills or magic, he was confident he could beat 99% of all adventurers in Orario. The ones he wasn't sure about though were the Freya Familia.

Raised in the ritual of battling until your body crumples, day in, day out. He didn't know if he could overcome that alongside the level gap. So seeing Allen Frommel, the fastest adventurer and the one with the shortest temper just vanish did not sit well with the half-elf.

Nathan couldn't help but grin at the thought of fighting Allen. He wanted to test out his new strength properly. Revis and Filvis had just been a warm-up, he wanted to see where he stood now and how much he needed to give to protect his Familia.

Thankfully, Syr and Bell had left Daedalus Street, meaning Nathan could go back to the rooftops, something he gladly did. After a quick look around, seeing no sign of the cat-man, Nathan stayed vigilant of his distance from Hedin.

The day continued smoothly. Nathan couldn't help but give credit to Bell, he really had gone all out for this date. After another hour and a bit of sightseeing and shopping, they came across a stall selling sweets. As Syr began to feed Bell, the entire street was staring at them.

Lunor, Anya and Chloe were suffering at the reality of their singleness being thrown in their faces, while Ryu had to cover her red face at the audacity of Syr feeding Bell sweets, it was too much for the elf.

The Freya Familia that were on guard for Syr cussed under their breaths and gritted their teeth as they sent silent death threats to Rabbit Foot. The other adventurers weren't so subtle, staring daggers at Bell while wishing for him to burn as a beautiful girl fed him sweets in front of their faces.

Nathan couldn't help but smile at the scene, stopping himself from laughing. He was too busy looking at everyone else, especially the Freya Familia, to care about what Bell and Syr were doing, enjoying their reactions.

However, the increasing Bloodlust that rolled off the Freya Familia made Nathan get closer to Bell. He believed they wouldn't interfere, as that would go against their Goddess, but he wasn't going to risk anything.

He could tell Bell had noticed it too, if he hadn't already. The half-elf was impressed by how well Bell was handling the pressure. But as Nathan continued tracking, bizarrely, Bell walked into a shop, but Syr remained outside.

Nathan was on the other side of the street from the shop so he couldn't get close enough to see inside as an assortment of clothes and accessories blocked the windows. He stayed on guard, looking around at the Freya Familia members.

He couldn't spot Hedin nor Allen at the moment, the highest authority he saw was the half-prum, level 4, Van. He wasn't a worry but the Prum looked unnerved by what Bell was doing.

After a short while, Bell left the shop with a weird suitcase. Did he buy more clothes, they must be really light as Nathan couldn't hear a single piece of fabric in the suitcase when it moved, instead it sounded clunky. What did Bell buy in there?

Nathan quickly examined the shop, as he had been too pre-occupied by the Freya Familia, and his eyes widened in shock. He recognised that place. This was where he had hidden during the Dark Ages final battle over 7 years ago. It was where he got...

Nathan tightly grasped his swords, the memory burned into his mind. He shrugged that off, re-focusing on Bell. He watched them go down the north-west alley. Nathan had to wait for the right moment to dash across, doing his best not to get spotted.

'What had Bell gotten from the witch's shop?'

That was all Nathan could think about now. He knew that the boy had a connection to this place through Fels, as they used items from this place to help with the Xenos issue. However, since it was the witch's place, then that meant whatever Bell got wasn't a normal item.

"Lady Syr and Rabbit Foot aren't there!"

Nathan froze at the statement made by a Freya member. He had heard it, even if it was a whisper, he had still heard it.

Whatever Bell had bought had given the Freya Familia the slip. The half-elf smiled slightly at that.

'Well played Bell.'

But now he knew something worse was going to happen. Nathan remained hidden, he wanted to chase after Bell but he knew that with their target out of sight, the Freya Familia would cause chaos in the streets. Nathan's eyes glimpsed back down to the alleyway Syr and Bell had run down. There weren't many options, he would find them again.

"I-is this really okay?" Bell said as he dragged Syr along by her hand. He could feel tremors through the alleyway as a huge commotion had arisen from the area they just left. Bell turned pale as the sounds of absolute pandemonium broke out.

He had gone into the mage shop, run by a witch called Lenoa. She agreed to help him out due to Fels requesting she do so. He had gotten two magic items and put them in the large trunk. An invisible cloak and a scent remover.

Syr was giddy with excitement that they had managed to escape, though Bell believed he had gotten some help from his master. Bell, however, was struggling with what he saw.

'There were more than I thought.'

Bell didn't like the situation he was in. He had basically kidnapped the person who the Freya Familia was watching over, which in turn is an act of war in their eyes. He was struggling to think of a way out of this after the date. He couldn't hide or run away forever.

But then he looked over at Syr, and he couldn't help but think how cute she looked as she wore a genuine smile, her hands gripped tightly above her chest as she giggled. She looked over at him and grinned.

"My knight in shining armour, I thank you for rescuing me," She stated.

Bell couldn't help but think it was worth it if it meant his friend could be happy. He quickly grasped Syr's hand again and pulled her further into the alleyways of Orario, having finally given the Freya Familia the slip.

They had to remain on the down low for now, knowing that even though he had managed to escape them, the Freya Familia would be looking for him and Syr ruthlessly. However, there was a certain place he knew he had to get to later tonight.

It had been the one thing Hedin had made sure he did and Bell was frightened more of his master than the entire might of the rest of the Freya Familia. Anyway, it wasn't too big of an issue, it did help the restaurant was placed on a boat that was constantly moving around the city.

"How about we go this way?" Syr asked with a cheery smile, one Bell forced himself to copy, not knowing how she was able to be so positive at such a tense time. But it was his job to take care of her and make her happy and that was what he would do.

'What the hell is this?'

Nathan sat on a nearby rooftop as he observed... whatever he was looking at. He knew what a boat was, he'd seen them when he was in Melen just before he entered Orario over 8 years ago, but he'd never seen one like this.

To start with, it was massive. It dwarfed the nearby buildings; he was sure that it would give the Twilight Manor a run for its money in terms of size. That wasn't even its most attractive feature.

As Nathan watched Bell and Syr be guided by a waiter to their table on the deck of the boat, Nathan wondered who came up with the idea to put a restaurant on a boat. Whoever it was, one thing was for sure. Their wallets were full.

The boat was packed, from the staff to the busy tables, to the queue waiting to board. Nathan was unsure how Bell had managed to book such an extravagant place on such short notice but if the half-elf had to guess, it was probably due to the fame the white-haired boy had garnered over the few months of his adventuring career.

Nathan's theory was practically confirmed as he got the biggest shock tonight when he sure Ais Wallenstein board the boat as well. He heard the person at the host desk gasp in shock and then hurriedly arranged a table for Ais and the person accompanying her. Well, it wasn't exactly a person accompanying the Sword Princess.

'Lady Hestia?'

Nathan watched as the most unlikely pair boarded the ship just before it departed. The half-elf was stunned for a couple of seconds, as he processed the sight of the short goddess. While he had briefly been keeping an eye on her over the past week, he had had no interaction with her since she updated his Falna to Level 5.

He knew why she was there; it was the same reason he was there.

As both Hestia and Ais turned to look at the table Bell was at, Nathan turned serious. While he had been staying vigilant while observing Bell today, this was different. Bell could defend himself and the Freya Familia wouldn't seriously harm him due to their Deity's infatuation with him. But Hestia was a different story.

She had no relationship with Freya, none that the half-elf knew of anyway. In the eyes of the Freya Familia, she was the main obstacle in Freya's way of obtaining Bell. That meant she could be a main target for them.

Nathan gripped his swords tightly. He would defend and fight for Bell. He would kill without hesitation for Hestia.

Nathan was so pre-occupied with Hestia that he missed the waitresses of the Hostess jump on board, who had also managed to track down the pair not long after Nathan had.

"Why are we skipping work to do more work, meow?" Chloe asked as she put on a uniform, grumbling to her friends as she did so.

"Because we need a way to sneak around, this will give us a great chance to stay close and observe them," Lunor responded as she prepared to begin serving.

"Can't we just, like, watch from afar, Nya?" Anya moaned. When it came to work, Chloe and Anya shared the same mindset.

Ryu had already gotten dressed, wanting to get out as soon as possible, her mind fixated on one thing.

"We need to stay as close as possible just in case Nathan... appears."

She had wanted to say attacks but for some reason, she couldn't believe that would happen. She knew what he was, what he had done, what he was capable of. He had shown what he thought of Syr at the Dian Cecht clinic. So why wouldn't she think he would attack?

The other three waitresses silently agreed with their elven colleague. None of them enjoyed the thought of working but they would do a lot more if it meant protecting Syr. They sharpened their uniforms and made their way behind the deck, ready to jump out and protect their friend at any cost.

The boat had been steadily making its way around Orario. Bell and Syr had just finished their starters and were waiting for their mains. Neither of them had apparently tasted anything like it, though it didn't stack up to Mama Mia's food but still, the cuisine was quite nice.

Hestia and Ais were too busy looking over at Bell to care about their food, though to the Goddess' annoyance, they had been placed inside while Bell and his date were outside on the deck.

The waitresses were using all prior experience to remain under the radar, catching glimpses of their targets, alongside keeping each one of their senses attuned to the max, not only searching for the half-elf but also the Freya Familia.

However, their combined strength and experience stood no chance of finding one of their intended targets. Perched on the tallest mast of the ship, Nathan remained crouched. His eyes scanned the river banks, the buildings and the path in front. His ears listened for any disturbances down below, one ear focused on Bell, with the other centred on Hestia.

He had blocked his nose, the smell of the cuisine below him intoxicating the rest of his senses, which in turn allowed him to sharpen his other senses. He chose his eyes, something he was glad he did.

Hidden behind blacked-out sunglasses, his jade eyes narrowed to slits, the scar on the right side of his face scrunching in pain. That didn't bother the half-elf, too focused on the sight up ahead.

He remained hidden as the boat got closer. He would let them do what they wanted. He had been patient, remained hidden, not wanting to make the first move. He would not start the fight, only end it.

And now he would get his wish as he watched the boat draw closer to the shadowy figures coated in black. Nathan watched as the almost invisible adventurers darted across the bank, preparing to embark on the sea vessel. He would allow it but as soon as the first move was made, he would not hold back.

Bell felt the ship shudder as if an earthquake had hit it. He quickly stood up, tossing his head left and right. He spotted the culprit. A giant ice bridge connected the port side of the boat and the river bank closest to them.

"Take control of the ship!"

The order was followed by a swarm of adventurers running across the bridge, weapons drawn. Bell was stunned. He didn't think they would go that far.

"Fr-Freya Familia!"

Bell grabbed Syr's hand hoping to escape but was cut off by 3 members, the fastest of the group.

He didn't have his weapon on him. He could probably fight with his fists but his suit wasn't made for fighting, especially not the quick combat he was used to. He also had Syr to protect. Things were not looking good.

"Take down Rabbit's Foot by any means!" Van the half-prum had shouted. He had been the one who had led the group to the boat, though he had been helped. Ever since Bell had escaped under his watch, he had grown desperate. He had snapped and wanted to make Bell Cranel pay by any means necessary. What he hadn't accounted for was the presence of a first-class adventurer.

"Ais!"

Bell said in shock as he watched the golden-haired girl jump to his rescue from seemingly nowhere. She could still easily deal with most of the Freya Familia, even in a dress. It did help she instinctively carried her blade with her wherever she went.

"Sword Princess? This has nothing to do with you. You don't want to challenge the Freya Familia!"

Van's threat was cast aside by the Sword Princess as she pressed another attack, the half-prum throwing up a meagre defence with his twin blades, but with the strength of a Level 6, he stood no chance. He was the first one on the boat and was subsequently the first one thrown off it.

"Bell Cranel is over there!"

"Get him!"

Before Bell could run over and thank his idol for her help, he had other issues. The rest of them had spotted him thanks to Van's shout, the half-prum's attempt not being in total vain. Pulling Syr, he ran to the edge of the boat. He could only think of one thing right now, escape! And there was only one way off the boat.

Readying himself for the icy water, he picked Syr up in a bridal carry and prepared to jump. But just before he jumped, a silver glint appeared in his eye. Just at the last second, he jumped back, evading the silver spear that lodged itself into the wooden boards of the boat.

""Bell!""

Both Syr and Hestia cried out the boy's name as they almost watched him get impaled. The rest of the boat came to a hushed silence, the fighting stopping before it even began. The waitresses stayed inside as they watched with bated breath. One first-class adventurer was more than enough to handle, they were glad the Kenki was on their side. However, the appearance of a second was not a welcome sight.

Allen Frommel had left Hedin just before it was revealed Bell Cranel had given them the slip. He was not happy about this; in fact, he was furious. His teeth grinded together as he heard the report, stopping ever fibre in his being from shattering the messenger's throat after he had finished relaying the message.

"That little bastard!" He muttered before he raced off, ready to hunt. Allen would show the city why he was the fastest adventurer. He had made a lap of the entire city in less than 15 minutes. He was that fast, the citizens couldn't even feel his bloodlust as by the time they even had a chance to notice it, he was already on the other side of the city, only leaving blurred images of himself.

'I'm going to kill that fucking piece of shit for stealing her!'

Then it hit him. How had Bell Cranel even escaped? He was under the watch of Van; Allen had already interrogated the half-prum. But then the cat-man realised something.

'Hedin's too smart to let this happen.'

Allen despised the uptight elf, he really did, even more than he hated Ottar. The way he talked down on people, thinking himself superior to everyone. His cocky remarks and arrogant tone made Allen want to slit his throat every day. But there was one thing Vana Freya couldn't ignore. Hedin was the smartest man in the Freya Familia, none even came close. And there was no way he would let Lady Syr escape that easily.

So Allen went to interrogate the elf, only to stop himself. He wouldn't get anything off the elf, no matter what. His devotion to their Lady Goddess matched his own and Allen knew the cocky elf thought whatever he was doing was what was best for her.

So he stalked the elf, knowing he would be deceived, his point being proven by the dim-witted Gulliver brothers who Hedin was easily manipulating away from a certain area. So Allen knew.

It didn't take long to find the white-haired boy and the girl. The only one to beat him was the half-elf, though neither knew of each other's presence at the time. He had wanted to attack there and then but the image of Skias-Alf came to mind.

Just like Hedin, the night of the pleasure district had lodged itself in the cat-man's mind. The feeling of wrath was nothing he had experienced and the way he appeared out of thin air. Allen was sure he had been watching the date as well. He had probably been watching Allen at some point.

The thought made Allen shiver in anger. His hair bristled as he thought how many times he might've been killed today. He had been watching his back constantly, using all his skills to stay as alert as possible.

So instead of attacking straight away, unsure of the half-elf's whereabouts, he decided to get some bait.

Finding Van, who he knew was desperate to find Rabbit's foot, had given him orders to look in a certain direction, knowing he would find the boy. He made sure Hedin was looking the other way to allow the small group to slip through the elf's plan to misguide the Freya Familia away from the boat.

Allen couldn't help by smile at the thought of out-smarting the elf. It didn't take long before Van found and attacked the boat. However, not everything went as planned.

Van and his group attacked but to Allen's annoyance, instead of forcing the half-elf to appear, the Sword Princess had shown up. She must have been spying on the date as well and now Bell Cranel was able to escape thanks to her intervention.

If he made it into the water, Allen would lose track of him and Syr, and he wouldn't allow it. So he was forced to interfere.

As he stood on the ship, his eyes radiating bloodlust at the boy who was carrying Lady Syr, his ears were like sonars, detecting for any disturbance.

He pulled his spear from the deck, readying it for action. He saw the Sword Princess make her way over to protect Bell Cranel, but he wasn't worried about her, he knew if it came down to it, he would beat her.

He focused past the noise of his fellow Freya members taking control of the ship, though most of the noise had come to a stop at his appearance. He wondered if Hedin was somewhere watching this, though that wasn't his main concern.

"Put her down, now!"

He pointed his spear at Bell Cranel, who listened as he slowly lowered Syr to the floor. He had one course of action, and that was to beat the boy in front of him. He wouldn't kill him, as that would upset his Lady, no matter how much he wanted to.

No, he would make sure the boy would learn his lesson, give up and run away to wherever he came from and never return, that is if he let the boy leave with the ability to walk again. That was if he was allowed to.

Either he would fight the Sword Princess, win and then beat the little shit an inch away from death or the half-elf would reveal himself and then he'd repeat the process but with him. Though the thought of both the Sword Princess and Skias Alf together would not be a pleasant fight.

"Stay away from him!"

The shrill statement came from a small Woman, no. a Goddess. Black hair put up in pig-tails, he recognised her as the boy' Goddess. He had little time to spare for her and he had even less mercy as he watched her run up and stand in front of her child, her arms spread wide.

"Goddess!" The boy said in surprise.

Allen clicked his tongue in annoyance. The worthless piece of shit hadn't even noticed his own Goddess, how was he worthy of his Lady's time.

Allen was getting frustrated now. The half-elf hadn't shown himself. Maybe he wasn't even here, Allen knew he was the reason the Ganesha Familia had been looking around the city. Maybe he was still in hiding.

Vana Freya dismissed that, not believing. No, the half-elf was somewhere here and he wanted the annoyance to show himself so he could deal with him quickly.

Allen's eyes focused on the Goddess and smiled.

'Guess that's one way to make sure.'

Allen thrusted his spear at Goddess Hestia, aiming for her shoulder. Not even he had the nerve to kill a Goddess without the order from Lady Freya but that didn't mean he wouldn't threaten one.

Allen was the fastest adventurer in Orario, he could've easily stabbed the Goddess by now but he had slowed his attack to make sure that bastard could see it as the silver spear flew at the deity, intent on inflicting pain.

*CLANG*

His spear was stopped by a blade as sparks flew into the air.

Allen smiled.

"There you are!"

Nathan knew what the cat-man wanted; he could tell. He had not noticed the cat-man until he had appeared and Nathan couldn't help but smile. It seemed he wasn't the only one itching for a fight.

"N-Nathan?" Hestia mumbled in shock as she watched her child parry the attack intent on harming her. She didn't know how to respond, but the wave of relief at the sight of him washed over her.

Nathan pushed the spear away, not allowing the Sword Princess to take away his fight from him. He stood in front of his captain and Goddess, both swords drawn.

The boat had descended from a hushed whisper to complete silence. Everyone was staring at the front of the boat.

Ryu, Lunor, Anya and Chloe were rooted to the spot, especially Ryu and Anya as the sight of one's rival and the other's brother shook them to their core.

Hedin stood on the edge of the building, watching in anticipation. He was once again angered at the sudden appearance of the half-elf, not knowing where he came from. He wanted to join Allen but his main priority was getting Syr and Bell away from the Freya Familia.

The Freya Familia members didn't know how to react as they didn't move but that was something they shared with everyone.

From the level 6s of the Freya Familia to the staff of the restaurant, all were rooted to the spot as an intense feeling of dread washed over them.

Nathan wanted Allen to make the first move, that was something he wouldn't lie about. But the way he did it, Nathan would make sure the cat-man would regret.

Nathan didn't turn to face or even acknowledge his Goddess; his sole focus was on Vana Freya.

Allen swivelled his spear and took up a fighting stance, his bloodlust almost rivalling the half-elf's.

Nathan did the same, combining his two swords as he prepared to chant his magic, only further increasing his wrath directed at the cat-man.

Neither spoke as they shared a final thought.

'I'm going to kill this bastard!'

And so the next fight begins.

Sorry being away so long, University exams are sort of important, Tehe.

Anyway, the boring part of following the book is done for this arc as I can now write what I want with only vague pointers to the Light Novels. It's about time Nathan fought a first-class adventurer and who better than Allen Frommel. Hope you are looking forward to it.

Who knows how much impact Nathan will have the story, better come back and check to see.

Anyway, the reviews:

korakovroman9 - I don't think so, he would have dealt with the social backlash of that by now. I don't intend on dealing with it much, not that he will be let off the hook for other things. If you want to see that, I'd go read my other story, 'The one left behind'.

jank7457 - He we go, the fight between Nathan and the Freya Familia. And yes, blood will be shed, in mass quantities.

As always, thanks for reading. See ya next time, Peace!