Merry Christmas everyone! Striker777 here with another chapter of Loki's Renard. Just a short chapter today, but the next one will be packed full of adventure and fun. But for now, onto the story.

Akihide rubbed the top of his head after delivering the message from Shakti to Finn. Riveria had been beside him, and when she heard that he had decided to simply go after Evilus rather than get them to reinforce them, she decided to test her new level 6 strength against him by bonking him on the head. "What were you thinking?" she asked, looking down at the boy, her fist raised.

"Save the workers in the factory..." he muttered.

"And if any of the Evilus executives had been there?" she pressingly asked.

"Then I would have been killed..." muttered Akihide in shame, not believing it for a moment himself since he had {skill name} to boost him to level 6 as well, higher than any of the executives to date, who were all level 5 or lower. But Riveria would probably bonk him again if he said that, so he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Riveria nodded. "Yes, you'd be dead. Not only do they have over a decade of experience on you, but they all have powerful skills and magic that make them very tough adversaries. Not even Finn, Gareth or I are 100% confident we can take them all out, even as level 6 adventurers."

"I'm sorry..." muttered Akihide, looking at the ground.

Riveria sighed. "You're okay. At the end of the day, that's what matters most." she said, before flicking his forehead. "That being said, next time you try something like that, you'll be a full time supporter for the next 3 expeditions into the Dungeon."

Akihide sighed. "Yes, mama." he said, before wrapping her in a hug.

Riveria sighed and hugged him back. "Honestly... not even a full 3 days since our last expedition, and you're out there fighting again. What am I going to do with you." she asked, before pulling him off. "Now, I am ordering you to rest today. No patrolling the city, no training, and especially no Dungeon. You need to rest, and I won't be taking no for an answer."

Akihide nodded, knowing it was best to listen to Riveria, especially whenever she told him what to do. But just as he finished that thought, another popped into his head. "What about helping out at Tuatha Medicus?" he asked, remembering vividly the absolute mess the poor girl had been before he left. She had been slaving away, creating potions and using her magic on patients, it looked like the poor girl was going to drop over on the ground, completely exhausted at any moment. "With all the injuries from last night, they'll need all the help they can get, and it's kind of my fault that we didn't prevent more injuries last night." he said, fluttering his eyes to look as cute as possible, hoping it would help and get Riveria to cave.

Riveria sighed. "I doubt I could stop you, even if I wanted to." she said, before staring at the boy. "You will not go actively looking for trouble, you will stay within the hospital, and you will listen to whatever Airmid tells you, even if you spend the whole day cleaning for them."

"Yes mama!" responded Akihide, before turning around. "I'll go get some dinner. See you later!" he called out, making his way towards the door and down the hallway towards the dining room.

Riveria sighed again. "I swear... we always get the problem kids."

Airmid looked like a zombie. She felt like one too. Having spent essentially every waking moment over the last few weeks alternating between creating potions, performing surgeries and healing others with her magic, she was on the brink of exhaustion. Evilus had been stepping up their attacks over the last few weeks, and whilst there were a lot fewer casualties thanks to Ganesha, Astrea, Loki and Freya Familia, the number of injured was still increasing with each passing day.

Airmid looked at the sea of injured in Tuatha Medicus. With the warehouse incident that happened the night before, there were more than a few injured workers that required some attention, from more minor wounds such as dislocated shoulders, heavy scrapes and fairly large cuts, to fairly serious cuts, broken limbs and head injuries.

Airmid, tired as she was, could not feel angry at the victims for making her day worse. It wasn't their fault, even if they were moaning, quick to anger and yelling at her or the others.

It wasn't the victim's fault.

All the fault lay with Evilus.

On top of it all, she was meant to examine Alfia today with her illness. Ever since she had revealed how the magic from a fairy tree branch could make the disease manageable for a short while, Ryuu had begged her parents back home to help her teacher, as they had access to one of the trees in their own personal backyard. Ryuu had even taken a sapling and was growing it in the Stardust Garden, both for the elves of her Familia, but also for Alfia's sake.

Airmid had been fascinated by her disease, and had taken to studying it, hopeful in one day finding a permanent cure for the woman. Alfia was ingesting all of the branch that she needed, whilst Airmid used all of her skills with her Mystery Development Ability, which had reached H with her last level up close to 18 months ago. She would test potions on Alfia, looking for any improvement to the effects of the tree branch.

The process had been slow, and showed minimal results at best, but she had not given up hope. Alfia may have started by only training Akihide, but she had also been training her for a while, and Airmid saw her as someone she not only respected, but also as someone she wanted to help with everything she had.

She heard the main entrance door open again, and turned to greet the patient, half expecting it to be Alfia herself, but was pleasantly surprised when Akihide was the one who walked through the door, before she began to worry. "Did you get hurt last night too?" she asked, going to check on him. Loki Familia had their own healers, Akihide amongst them. If they needed her to take care of something, it must be serious.

Akihide smiled. "Nothing of the sort!" he exclaimed healthily. "I know there were a lot of injuries last night, so I came to help out where I could for the day." he said to his friend.

Airmid smiled. "Thank you, Akihide." she said, rubbing the twelve year old's head. "We're a bit overwhelmed at the moment, so can you focus on all the people with minor injuries while the people in my Familia focus on all the major ones?" she asked the boy.

Akihide smiled. "Sure!" he exclaimed with a smile. "I'll get started on the people out here." he said, walking over to the workers from the night before on the non-serious end.

Airmid smiled, watching as her friend began helping the workers. Her eyes filled with determination as she slapped her cheeks together, turning to the others. "We can't let an outsider outwork us in our own home! Let's get to work!" she called out, getting the others to smile and cheer as well as they made it to their stations.

Off in the corner, a figure holding a massive cup of coffee, looking just as dead at the others, smiled at the fired up energy of his fellow Familia Members. Captain of the Dian Cecht Famila,

Ginkgo, smiled, before turning to his own patients. "Man... I could use a nap..."

Akihide sighed as the last of the minor patients were checked out of the hospital, before dropping to his ass. "Man... I had no idea you guys were this swamped..." he said, looking at Airmid and a few of the other members. "How are you guys still able to stand after all that?"

Airmid shrugged her shoulders. "Just used to it, I guess." she said, holding out a hand for the younger boy, who took it, standing up. "It's fulfilling work too, seeing people leave and knowing it's all thanks to you. I'm exhausted, sure, but it's worth it to see all those people get to go home at the end of the day, happy and healthy." she said.

Akihide nodded. "I guess. Actually, are you planning on Ranking Up again soon?" he asked.

Airmid shrugged her shoulders. "Don't have the time with all these patients, and my physical stats could go up a bit more before then, but I will eventually." she said, looking over her back. "I still want a few more development abilities before I go full time as a doctor." she said, smirking at the boy. "You'll have me for a while yet."

Airmid had a plan on how she wanted to get strong enough to be able to perform actual miracles, much like the saintess from thousands of years ago, Saint Panacea, who was able to heal the greatest of injuries, having played a strong role in the formation of Orario and the sealing of the Dungeon. She was able to cast an incredible healing magic that could regrow limbs, restore sight and cure anyone on the brink of death itself.

Dia Fratel was a powerful healing magic, and had the ability to be so much more, if cultivated correctly. She had taken Mixing when she became a level 3, but she wanted to take Spirit Healing next, followed by Mage, then Treatment at a minimum, as well as any other amazing ones that would come up if she had them come up.

She was planning on level 6 at an absolute minimum.

Alfia had expressed herself that the Zeus and Hera Familias had no strong healers in their ranks, at least not specialised healers that could stand up to the might of the One Eyed Black Dragon. Their strongest healer was a level 4 supporter, who had been one of the first to die when facing the massive beast.

Airmid was not going to allow Orario to make the same mistake twice. She was going to ensure she was on par with the strongest fighters when they went to face the Black Dragon in the future. She would stand by her friend's side and help to subjugate the beast in any way that she could.

She smiled, as Akihide began smiling as well. "I'll definitely not fall too far behind you, I'll reach level 5 first, just watch me." she said with a warm smile. Akihide smirked and the two fist bumped each other with a warm smile across their faces.

Meanwhile, Airmid's familia simply looked at the two with knowing smirks, bets beginning to form in their head as they wondered when the two would get together.

At the end of the day, Akihide was walking home, wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his day. Realistically, he knew he had to go home, if only to stop Riveria from worrying about him, but he still felt like there was more to do with his day. He felt his stomach rumble, looking slightly embarrassed for himself, he looked around for something to eat.

He was on one of the deserted streets of Orario that was currently under reconstruction that happened close to a week ago, completely deserted as all the labourers had gone home for the day.

All but for one person.

A white haired woman, young looking, not unlike Alfia, but most definitely not her. Although their appearances and clothes were really similar, her aura was one that did not match Alfia's. Alfia's aura was warm, having started as relatively cold, growing warmer. Her aura was a nurturing one, despite how much she tried to deny it, but it was also a sick aura, thanks to her disease.

The woman's aura was neither warm nor cold, a room temperature aura. Yet that was not what Akihide could instincively feel from this woman. He felt a hunger, not a physical hunger, but the woman yearned for something. Something that he imagined was quite hard to come by.

She turned her head to him and opened her eyes. She gave the boy a reassuring smile, not that she had a reason to reassure him, but the smile made him feel more at ease. She placed a plate of cookies in front of herself. "You sound hungry. Would you like something to eat?" she asked, smiling at the boy.

Akihide nodded, confident that no matter who this person was, they would be unable to cause him any trouble. He made his way over and sat down on the chair opposite to the woman. "Thank you." he said, smiling at the woman.

She smiled back. "Oh my, such a polite young man." she said, offering the young boy one of her cookies, which he took, taking a bite. Chocolate goodness warmed his mouth, as he let out a small moan of appreciation. "Good, right? It's made with cocoa beans imported from Telskyura. They make this really rich chocolate that just goes perfectly with cookies." said the woman.

"Thank you, ma'am!" responded Akihide, finishing off his cookie.

"Say, aren't you Akihide Okami?" asked the woman with a smile. "From the Loki Familia, right?"

Akihide nodded. "Yep, that's me!" he said with a warm smile. "I'm the new hero of Orario, who'll put a stop to Evilus and all bad guys in my way!" he said, smiling at the woman.

"Oh wow! I heard you're the fastest to Rank Up so far in all 1000 years." said the woman with wonder in her eyes. "You must be really strong."

Akihide nodded. "I'm gonna get even stronger. I want to be able to take on a huge monster, so no one will have to die like my family did."

The lady smiled. "I see..."

"So that's your greed."

She stood up. "I'm a greedy girl, Akihide Okami." she said, walking over to him. "You're greedy for strength, for the sake of protecting the people of this world. It's a nobel goal." she said, and whilst Akihide was glad to hear it, he was beginning to get anxious. "My goal is a lot more greedy, however." she said, looking up at the sky, where the sun was in the middle of setting. "I want knowledge. I hunger for it, I love knowledge."

She smiled at the boy. "I want to become the god of knowledge."

Akihide looked at her in confusion as she held a hand to the sky. "I don't want to be tied down to this world, where my soul will fade away, washed anew and all knowledge gained in life washed away like nothing." she said, smiling to the sky. "I want to remain eternal, gaining more and more knowledge. I want to devour all knowledge there is to get my hands on."

She smirked. "Oh, what a greedy witch I am."

She smiled at the boy. "I hope you're able to keep going on when things start getting tougher, because you best believe me when I say that they are." she said, as she turned around and began walking away. "I have faith in you, so don't disappoint me." she said, and kept walking away.

Akihide could only look in confusion as she disappeared into the streets of Orario. He looked at where she disappeared for a moment longer before he started continuing on his way back home.

Echidna smiled to herself as she finished laying the book under Akihide's bed. It wasn't exactly the most creative or best hiding spot, but then again, it wasn't meant to be.

Just a contingency plan in case she died during the storm that was to come.

Having finished her work, she ran and jumped out of the window, using the window as leverage to quickly jump over a couple of buildings and well out of the way of the Twilight Manor. She smiled as she looked to the sky, just as some of the stars had just started to come out.

She smirked.

"Just wait for me." she said, looking to the sky. "Soon, I shall join you as a fellow god."

Akihide awoke the next day feeling quite refreshed. Having helped out other people, as well as resting his body, rejuvenated both his mind and his body. He smiled, looking at the day outside. "Alright! Patrol day!" he exclaimed, quickly throwing on a set of clothes and his gear, before making his way down to the mess hall, knowing he wouldn't be able to patrol the city on an empty stomach.

He would be prepared for the day.

Nine days until the Great Feud.

And he would not be prepared for that.

Nor the mysterious book that he missed, peaking out from under his bed. It's title shimmering gold in the sun's morning rays.

'The Gospel'

Hope you guys enjoyed that. Anyway, onto the Omake.

Omake: The Betting Pool

Airmid, new level 6 of the Dian Cecht Familia, was finishing up unpacking her bag from the expedition she and the rest of the Battle Healers had joined to Floor 64. Just a run down to gather some much needed supplies with the Loki Familia for a few clients, She took out her warm clothes, still wet and damp from their time in the Glacier Zone, and began to make her way towards the laundry, passing by a few members of the Familia and nodding as she went past.

She did, however, stop in her tracks as there was a lot of sound coming from one of the rooms close to the laundry. There were cheers, laughs and the sounds of general good times. She smiled, thinking about how much fun the returning Battle Healers must be having upon returning to the surface from the Dungeon. She smiled, and opened the door. "Hope you guys aren't having too much fun withou-"

Her words came to a halt after she saw the room. A giant blackboard at the back, filled with names and other words, and a giant pile of Valis in the middle of the room, completely covering a dining room table, and then spewing a bit onto the floor. There must've been well over 10 million Valis on there. The group of people, a giant collection of most of the Familia, were looking at her in shock, as she took in the contents of the blackboard.

'Airmid makes the first move on the ten year Kiddy Party Aniversary'

'Akihide confesses during a dangerous Dungeon situation on a low levelled floor'

'Airmid finally has enough and forces him to make out'

'Akihide asks someone else out and Airmid helps him forget rejection'

"What the hell is this?" she asked, looking around the room at the cowering members of her Familia. "What the fuck is this? I asked you all a question, and I expect an answer." she said, glaring at the people in the room.

Someone, a truly brave or stupid soul, spoke up. "A-A-A betting pool..." muttered one of the Familia members near the back, who shrank down before Airmid could single out who it was.

"Of what?" she asked, her tone demanding an answer.

No one spoke up. All were too scared.

Airmid sighed, placing her head in her hands, before regarding the room. With an evil glint in her eyes, promising punishment, she spoke.

"Dazzling stars-"

Dian Cecht was smiling, carrying all the precious loot that Loki Familia had helped his Familia get. With the loot in his possession, he had enough materials to make enough supreme quality healing potions to last at least 2 months! He smiled as his mind began to fill with the thoughts of profits.

Then sank as an explosion came from the back of Tuatha Medicus.

He sighed. "Damn it Airmid..."

And with that, that's a wrap. I hope you guys enjoyed, and I'll see you for the next one. So for now, this is Striker777, over and out.