Hello my dearest readers! Thank you all for your very kind words and sharing your excitement last chapter, it warmed my heart and was even touching at a few points. Truly, thank you, I really can't tell you how much it means to me and how it keeps me going. Now, let me reward you for your kindness and generosity by bringing you the next chapter, and oooh, is this a big one!
The final battle of the tournament arc is here and I absolutely promise that I won't rush this one. This is the big fight. The one I've been waiting to do for months and months, so I will not mess it up. So, let's jump into the chapter and find out who will win. Bell and Achilles or Ottar and Allen.
I do not own Danmachi
The Freya familia executives all tightened their grips on their weapons as the frowning ex-captain approached.
"Move," Achilles ordered, staring down at Freya's pets.
"Even you cannot defeat all of us," Allen growled.
"You want to bet?" the Olympian replied, his hand falling to his sword.
The executives all got in position, ready to take on whatever the former Zeus captain was going to throw at them when the door to the private box opened, revealing Ottar.
"My lady will speak with you," he stated calmly.
Achilles's hand fell from his sword and he gave one final glare at the other executives before making his way inside.
"Hello, Achilles. Quite the fight, wasn't it?" Freya greeted, smiling her usual smile.
"What are you playing at, Freya?" Achilles demanded.
"Whatever do you mean, my dearest Olympian?" she playfully responded.
"I am in no mood for games, Freya. Why did you challenge us? What could you possibly get out of a fight between the four of us?"
"Why the spectacle of seeing four of the most powerful people in history battle each other of course," she responded simply. "The enjoyment of seeing my strongest children fight the two men I love. What other reasons would I need?"
"Normally none, I'll freely admit that. But it's not a coincidence that you issued this challenge right when Bell was going to confess to Aiz."
Freya continued to smile.
"Are you really that petty?" Achilles asked, earning a growl from Ottar.
"Sometimes," Freya admitted, still smiling. "And I'll admit I wanted the final challenge to pull Bell away from Aiz and prevent any...revelations from being made. However, I had this challenge planned the entire time. It's why I didn't allow you to fight Allen."
"Funny, I just thought you didn't want me humiliating your alley cat."
She laughed.
"I suppose I wouldn't have liked that either. But it is true that I have had this fight in my back pocket the whole time. Bell's challenge was a complete surprise to me as was his victory, stunning though it was. I truly thought he had lost, but had already issued my challenge regardless. You can ask Royman and Ganesha for confirmation."
"Then what else do you want? Someone as conniving as you wouldn't do something as big as this without a secret motive."
Freya laughed again, with even more vigor and mirth than before.
"I'm not always planning something, Achilles. All I want is to see you, my powerful Olympian and Bell, my dearest hero, fight opponents worthy of you and see who comes out on top. If Ottar and Allen win, then I get to feel the pride of knowing I have such strong children," she punctuated this by placing a hand on Ottar's chest and smiling at him. "And if it's you and Bell, then I get the pleasure of knowing that I am in love with two of the most extraordinary men that have ever walked the earth. That is more than enough for me, Achilles. I promise."
He didn't believe her. Not really. True, he knew her well enough to know this could be enough for her. But he also knew her well enough to know not to trust her.
"We'll see then, Freya. If you're true to your word...well...I suppose less shocking things have happened. And if you're lying-," he suddenly flashed before her. "We'll crush whatever you send our way," he vowed as he stared down at her smiling face.
He turned and left, not even noting the existence of Freya's glaring underlings.
"Oooh," she shivered in delight. "I do love it when he gets angry like that."
Hestia smiled down at her captain as she finished updating his status.
"Congratulations, Bell-kun," she said as she got off his back. "Looks like that fight with Wallen-whatisit was the final push you needed. You are now a level six."
"Really?" Bell asked, getting up.
"Uh-huh. You even have a new skill to prove it," she replied with a smile, holding up his status sheet.
She handed it to him and he looked it over.
"Indomitable Will," he read.
"Yep. Sounds pretty cool. Of course you'll have to test it out to know what it does."
"Can't be any worse than my last skill," Bell stated miserably.
Hestia froze for a moment, stunned and hurt by the evident self-loathing he was currently experiencing.
"Bell," she said gently as she went up and hugged him from behind. "That skill, even if it sounds terrible, isn't bad. It's not good either. It's just a skill. It's how you use that matters."
"But it makes me do horrible things! Or…" his eyes fell. "Or maybe it just makes the mask drop and shows what I really am. The monster I really am, not the hero I pretend to be."
Not a second later he found himself being spun around and having his head shoved into Hestia's chest.
"Don't you ever degrade yourself like that again! Do you hear me?!"
He tried to respond, but was muffled, so could only look up at her.
"You are the kindest, bravest, and most self-sacrificing person I have ever met," she continued, her voice a bit more gentle now. "You have done so much for so many people, myself included. That skill doesn't change that, not even a little bit. At worst, do you know what it proves to me?"
Still smothered, he could only shake his head.
"It shows me that you're protective of those you care about and the ideals you hold. It does not make you cruel or monstrous. You are allowed to be angry Bell. You are allowed to rage and be wrathful when someone threatens what you hold dear. Heck, ask Astraea. You think that those who uphold justice aren't mad when they see injustice? Do you think that makes them less just?"
He shook his head again.
"Then why would this skill make you a monster?" she questioned, her anger finally burning away completely as a gentle tone replaced it and she smiled down at him sweetly.
"I...guess you're right," he said after he finally managed to pull himself far enough away.
"Of course I am. I'm your goddess. It's my job to guide you. Now," she put her hands on his cheeks and lifted his face up. "I want you to say that you're not a monster and that you're a good person."
"Hestia-sama," he replied, a bit embarrassed.
"Say it," she ordered.
He paused for a moment, still a tad embarrassed, but, after a moment and a deep breath, he said.
"I'm not a monster. I'm a good person."
She beamed.
"Good. Now, let's go tell the others," she said before getting off the bed.
Bell put his shirt back on and a moment later the two walked out and made their way down into the living room.
"Introducing Orario's newest level six!" Hestia announced.
"Congratulations!" the Hestia familia immediately declared, rushing their captain.
"Thank you, everyone," Bell said smiling.
"Geez, a level six in less than a year. We've got a long way to catch up," Welf joked.
Bell, however, did not take it as a joke and frowned.
"I'm sorry. I wish there was some way I could share Liaris Freese with you all. I really do."
The seriousness and sadness in Bell's voice surprised them all.
"Bell, I wasn't saying I was mad or jealous of your growth," Welf clarified.
"Still, it's really not fair is it? That I'm still technically a brand new adventurer and yet I've so easily grown while you all have been struggling for years."
"Exactly when were you 'easily' growing. Bell-sama?" Lili asked.
"I second that question. When did the accomplishments and challenges you faced become easy to overcome, Bell?" Ryuu questioned.
"They weren't," Bell admitted. "But you all were there with me too, yet you didn't reap the rewards."
"That depends on what you define as a reward, Bell-dono. I for one, think that getting my childhood friend back and saving her from a terrible fate is more than enough reward for just about anything," Mikoto said, smiling at Haruhime.
"You're also forgetting that you tended to be the one leading the charge in the challenges and you tended to take on the most difficult opponents," Hestia added.
"Still…" Bell went quiet as he looked down.
A hand on his head brought his eyes back up.
"Bell," Welf said, smiling. "We aren't jealous or mad, if anything, I think we're happy that we have such an awesome captain with such a helpful skill. I'm pretty sure it's saved our butts on more than one occasion." Everyone nodded. "Besides, the skill is a reflection of you, of who you are as a person and who you want to become. How could we possibly be mad at you for basically just being awesome?"
A few of them laughed and Bell finally smiled again.
"I just got lucky," he said bashfully.
"Give yourself some credit, Bell," Welf said, ruffling his hair.
"You are an exceptional adventurer and wonderful leader, Bell. Your skill would mean nothing without the heroic qualities you have. So please, don't worry that we're in any way upset," Ryuu pleaded.
"I'll try. I still wish there was some way I could, I don't know, let you borrow my skill so that you all could grow alongside me. I mean, you guys are pretty great too," Bell replied.
Everyone laughed and a moment later Welf pulled Bell into a hug that was soon joined by the whole familia as the worries of the day finally melted away into complete nothingness.
"Oh, speaking of skills!" Hestia said, pulling back from the hug. "Bell's got a new one!"
"Oh yeah?" Welf asked. "What is it?"
"It's called Indomitable Will," he said.
"That sounds pretty impressive," Welf said.
"And perfectly fitting," Haruhime added, getting agreement from the others.
Well, I certainly like the sound of it more than my last one, he thought.
"I do wonder what it does," Bell thought out loud.
"Well, it's time for us to find out," Achilles said, finally piping up. "As much as I hate to ruin the moment, you and I need to prepare as much as we can for tomorrow."
Bell frowned, but nodded.
"Right," he said.
"Then let's head to the Dungeon," Achilles said.
"Do you really need to head there right now? Can't we celebrate before you head out? And what about food and rest?" Hestia asked, a bit disappointed.
"I'm sorry, Hestia-sama, but we really do need to prepare as best we can. Bell needs to get used to his new level, I need to raise my own stats as high as possible to make sure that I can match Ottar, and we need to make sure our coordination is perfect."
Hestia's disappointment grew, alongside the disappointment of her familia. Seeing this, Achilles quickly added.
"But tomorrow, after we've kicked the boar and kitten's asses, we can have an even bigger celebration to make up for today."
That brought the smiles back.
"Sounds good! But that means you two have to win tomorrow," Hestia pointed out.
"How can we not?" Achilles asked as he went up to Bell and pulled him to his side. "By ourselves we're a handful, but together, I don't think there's anyone in the world who can handle us." Everyone laughed. "And we've got our familia cheering us on. Also," his smile dropped. "I think I speak for both of us when I say that we're both sick of Freya's shit."
Bell's smile dropped as he thought back to his now ruined plans.
"Yeah," he admitted. "Maybe when we win tomorrow she'll finally give us some peace."
"Fingers crossed," Hestia said. "Alright, then best of luck. Don't push yourselves too hard. It won't do if you injure yourselves down there. Also, I expect you two to get some rest and to come back for breakfast, you hear me?"
"Yes, Hestia-sama," the two captains responded.
"Good. Then off with you! I expect a total victory for the Hestia familia tomorrow!"
"Bet on it," Achilles replied.
The dining hall within the Twilight Manor was unusually quiet, and everyone present knew why.
"She still hasn't come down," Finn said.
"No, she hasn't," Riveria sighed. "I suppose that means it's time for me to do my job."
The elven mother figure of the Loki familia got up from her seat, feeling every eye in the hall turn to her. She paid them little mind as she grabbed a plate and filled it with food.
She'll be hungry after today, she thought.
She then, with all eyes still upon her, made her way out of the dining hall and towards her destination. Aiz's room.
She knocked upon reaching it, but received no answer.
"Aiz," she called. She received no answer. "Aiz, please let me in."
She waited a few moments in quiet until her ears picked up the sound of a shifting bed and feet moving across the floor. A moment later, the door opened, revealing a clearly disheartened Aiz.
"Thank you," Riveria said before making her way inside. "I brought you some food," she continued holding up the plate.
"I'm not hungry," Aiz replied with a tone that Riveria could only describe as sad and frustrated.
"I don't believe you, but even if I did, you should still eat after everything that happened today," Riveria said, putting the plate down. "And as you can probably guess, that's also why I'm here."
Aiz was silent for a time, her eyes pointed towards the floor, but Riveria did not push her. She knew the young woman would talk in time.
"We were supposed to have pancakes tomorrow."
Riveria blinked.
Alright, not what I expected, but it's a start.
"Explain," she requested.
"Bell invited me to breakfast at that place in Amor Plaza with the good pancakes so he could finally tell me what he feels for me, but now he can't," Aiz's fists tightened. "Because Freya ruined."
"Ah," Riveria said, now understanding. "I can see how that would frustrate you."
"I'm furious!" Aiz suddenly cried, shocking Riveria. "He won! He was finally going to tell me. The only reason he didn't right after the fight was because-!" she suddenly stopped.
"Because…?" Riveria pushed, now fully invested, dare she say, even interested to see where this was going. To her growing surprise and interest, Aiz's face began to burn bright red.
"Because we almost…"Aiz couldn't finish verbally, so instead she brought a finger up and touched her lips.
"Oh," Riveria said, somehow finding herself even more surprised than before. "You two almost kissed?"
Aiz nodded, though her face was even redder.
"He was looking into my eyes after he collapsed on top of me. His eyes became so warm. So," she smiled. "Gentle. Then he began to lean in and I knew what he wanted. And I," her face was now burning. "Wanted it too."
"What stopped you?"
In the blink of an eye, the blush was gone, replaced by a deep frown and glaring eyes.
"The Ganesha familia appeared."
"Oooh," Riveria said, nodding. "And they ruined the moment?"
"They startled and embarrassed us. Neither of us felt like revealing our feelings after that, so Bell invited me to breakfast tomorrow so he could finally tell me how he felt."
"And that plan was ruined by Freya's challenge," Riveria finished.
Aiz nodded, her body pumping out frustration and fury.
My my. Now I fully understand why she's so upset, Riveria thought. To be, as the cruder elements of this city might say, 'cockblocked', like that would be extremely upsetting, especially since it was likely on purpose, Riveria paused as her mind began to think on that a bit more and mixed with her own memories. In fact, now that I think about it, Achilles wanted to talk to me as well and that was prevented by Freya's challenge.
Frustration and irritation now began to fill the elf's heart as well as she began to wonder if something else was supposed to be revealed that day.
Great, now we're both upset, Riveria thought, her hand tight around her staff.
Knowing she still needed to help Aiz, and that getting all frustrated about her own situations wasn't going to help, she took a deep breath and proceeded.
"I fully understand why you're upset, Aiz. Believe me I do. And I won't give you some whole speech about it being alright or how you shouldn't be mad right. I would be a massive hypocrite if I did."
Aiz cocked her head, curious what that meant.
"Instead, I'm going to update my little promise that I gave you this morning," the elf continued. "Tomorrow, after the fight, I will personally ensure that you and Bell have a moment to share your feelings. I swear if I have to fight Ottar himself, I will. Tomorrow, you and Bell will tell each other your feelings."
Aiz's frustration burned away and her eyes began to sparkle.
"Really? You'll do that?"
"I promise," Riveria said, now smiling herself. "But I'd like you to do something for me in exchange."
"What?" Aiz asked, clearly ready and willing.
"I would like you to do me the same courtesy tomorrow, so that Achilles and I can have a little talk."
It took a moment for Aiz to process what that meant, but when she did, she smiled brightly.
"Deal."
"Haaa!"
Bell charged at Achilles with all his newfound speed, slashing at him with his twin daggers.
Achilles masterfully dodged, parried, and counterattacked every strike the young captain sent his way, unable to stop himself from smiling.
He really is something, he thought as he parried another strike. It's not just his raw power, but his skill, and determination that make him something so inspiring. Still…
He parried again, this time with enough force behind it to knock Bell off his footing, allowing Achilles to rush in and put his sword against the Hestia captain's neck.
"Good. You appear to already be used to your new strength," the Olympian said, pulling back the blade.
Bell nodded.
"Going this far down the Dungeon helped," he replied. "I never thought I'd make it all the way to level fifty."
"Most don't, but then again, you aren't most."
Bell smiled.
"Do you think we'll be ready for tomorrow?"
"I'll admit I'm not quite as confident as I let on with Hestia - Ottar and Allen are two extremely powerful opponents - but I think we have a good chance. I mean, don't forget, you did give Allen a good smack to the nose not long ago. And that was as a level four."
Bell scratched his cheek.
"I was only able to do that because he underestimated me."
"Which he won't do now," Achilles admitted. "At least not if he has an ounce of sense in his head. Which is why we're down here, so that we can send those two back to their goddess with their tails between their legs."
Bell frowned.
"She did it on purpose didn't she?" he asked.
Achilles, after taking a moment, realized what he meant.
"Partially, yes. She apparently had the challenge in mind the entire time, but part of the reason she issued it when she did was to prevent you from confessing to Aiz."
"And she did prevent me," Bell said, clearly upset. "I was ready. I was going to tell her how I felt, after all this time, and then Freya ruined it," he went quiet and after a moment, his eyes saddened. "Then again, I suppose I could have still told Aiz how I felt."
"Bell," Achilles called gently. "A confession of love is a special moment in someone's life. It deserves to be done well, not rushed. Sure, you might have confessed to Aiz, but I know you, and I know that you want to do it the right way at the right time. Freya stopped you, yes, but she can't hold you back forever. After this fight I'm sure, nay, I promise that you and Aiz will have a chance to be alone so that you can finally tell her how you feel, and do so in a way that you'll have no regrets."
Bell's sad eyes gained a bit of hope.
"Promise?"
Achilles smiled and nodded.
"Promise."
Bell's smile returned and went over to hug his dad.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome. Actually, while we're taking a break, there's something I want to show you."
Pulling apart, Achilles pulled out a scroll and unrolled it.
Bell looked down at the scroll and his eyes widened.
"Is this…?"
"Yep. This is the Zeus and Hera familia," Achilles answered.
On the scroll, instead of words or numbers, held a picture, showing over a hundred people, all smiling.
"You can see me here," Achilles said, pointing towards the bottom front.
"You look so happy," Bell noted.
"I was. Very happy. This was taken on the anniversary of Orario before we took on the Three Great Quests. This was us at our best."
Bell's smile grew and his eyes scanned a bit over and found a familiar face.
"Grandpa."
"Yeah, there's the old pervert."
"He looks so different with those fancy clothes. I only ever saw him in farmer's garb."
Achilles laughed.
"Yeah, he liked that toga quite a bit. Said it made him look sexy."
Bell laughed and continued to scan the picture, eventually falling on two more familiar faces.
"Auntie Alfia. Uncle Zald."
Achilles's smile faltered a bit, but he nodded.
"Yeah. Those two were quite something. They tended to complain a lot. Alfia about 'noise' and Zald about being hungry, but they were good people. I really wish things had been different."
Bell turned to him with his own sad smile.
"They did what they thought was best. They weren't the standard story book heroes, but they were heroes in their own right and we can make them proud by doing our best here and now."
Achilles's smile turned genuine and he leant down to kiss Bell's head.
"You're right," he agreed. "There's one more person I want to introduce you to."
Looking back at the scroll, Bell's eyes moved to where his father's finger was pointing.
"This is Briseis," Achilles told him.
Bell's eyes widened at finally seeing the woman his father had mentioned so many times before. The woman before him seemed to be having the time of her life. She was smiling more brightly than anyone and seemed beyond happy at that moment.
After the smile, the first thing he noticed about her was her hair. She was a ginger, except for one long streak of straw colored hair going down the entire length of her long mane.
"She called it her lucky charm," Achilles noted, knowing what Bell was looking at. "Whenever someone was feeling down or was afraid of something, she would go to them, wrap their hand up in the yellow strands and tell them that now they didn't have to worry since some of her luck had rubbed off on them."
"She sounds amazing."
"She was, and I miss her terribly."
There was no way Bell could miss the sadness in his voice.
"Dad?"
"I'm sorry," Achilles apologized. "It's just, even now I still think it should have been her that survived. Not just because she was my best friend, but because she was the most optimistic, fun, kind, and generally wonderful person I knew. She would never have allowed despair to eat away at her, especially since she wasn't in love with a goddess who only saw her as a toy or conquest."
"Dad."
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Achilles quickly responded, a few tears in his eyes. "But she really was wonderful. I just...I just wish she was here too. I'd give just about anything for that to be the case."
Bell was silent for a time, knowing how his father felt, but also knowing that it wasn't right for his father to still feel guilty or ashamed.
He hugged the older man again, pouring as much of his joy and love into as he could as he looked up at his father.
"As long as you keep her memory alive, she is still here."
To most, it would have seemed like such a simple thing to say. A platitude to comfort a mourning soul. However, the conviction behind it made it something more. Not a cliché, but a firm statement of fact. A reality that Achilles could not deny.
"You're right," he agreed, smiling at his boy. "She's still here. They're all still here. So I can't give up. I won't give up."
"Good," Bell said, now smiling himself.
The two pulled apart, both feeling ready to take on whatever the future held.
"Come on," Achilles said. "Let's do a few more rounds than get some rest. We've got a big day ahead of us."
Bell, now giving his one million valis smile, nodded.
"Right!"
It's been too long, the dark elf thought when the sight of the city came into view.
She had timed it perfectly as she had reached it just as the dawn broke, showering Orario in a warm glow.
Quite the beautiful sight. But there's no point in standing here, looking at it.
She made her way towards the city, allowing herself to remain eager the entire time. However, as she approached, she found a long line had already formed.
Goodness, this must be because of the tournament I heard about. I would have preferred not to have dealt with all the trouble of such a special event, but I suppose I shouldn't complain since I did decide to come immediately, in spite of knowing about the tournament.
She waited patiently in the line as the sun rose higher and higher, well aware of the looks she was getting from those around her.
You'd figure people would be taught not to gawk, she thought.
Finally, after some time, she reached the gate, where a group of what she recognized as Ganesha familia members, were checking people in.
"Good...morning," the Ganesha familia member greeted, evidently stunned by her beauty.
"Good morning," she replied as courteously as possible.
Shaking his head, the guard pressed on.
"Please state your intended purpose for visiting Orario."
"An old comrade of mine asked me to come back and help him and a young familia he was staying with."
That was clearly not an answer the guard had received before, given his expression.
"Alright. Did this friend of yours give you a name for this familia?"
"I believe it was the Hestia familia."
That seemed to surprise him even more and she found herself growing curious.
"You wouldn't happen to be talking about the Olympian, would you?"
"Indeed I am," she responded honestly. "He sent me a letter saying that he'd met some nice youngsters in need of some guidance and requested I come back after all these years to help them out."
His jaw dropped a bit.
"You're...you're Hera familia."
She smiled and held up a finger to her lips.
"Best not say that too loud. Who knows who's listening."
He just nodded dumbly.
"Uh...ah...are you bringing anything dangerous or potentially hazardous into the city?"
"Besides myself?" she joked, though the humor seemed utterly lost on him. "No, just what you see here," she answered, gesturing to herself.
"Well...um...then I'll just give you the standard warning. Orario is on heightened alert due to the tournament and a few recent incidents, so please be sure to keep the peace."
Incidents? she wondered.
"I have no intention of causing trouble," she swore.
"Then welcome to Orario. Also, you might be interested to know that the Olympian is fighting in the very last fight today, alongside the captain of the Hestia familia."
"Really? Who could he possibly be fighting?" she asked.
"They're fighting the top two executives of the Freya familia. Allen Fromel and Ottar."
"Oh are they now?" she asked, a notable colder tint in her voice, causing the man to begin sweating nervously. "Well then, I will not want to miss this fight. Thank you kindly for informing me," she said.
With that, their conversation ended and the dark elf strode off down the street. Once she was far enough away for him to feel safe, the Ganesha familia member ran off to tell his superiors who he had just let inside the city's walls.
The spirit of the city was on fire. Nay, it was as if fire and lightning had mixed to simultaneously fire up and electrify every person within Orario's walls in a grand Firebolt.
Everything had come to this. To this one last, grand fight, between four of the most powerful people in history and everyone wanted to see it. All plans that had been made before the fight's announcement had been cancelled, no matter what it was. Work, sleeping in, or having a romantic rendezvous, all those could wait. This fight was once in a lifetime.
The Hostess of Fertility was no different and was already packed with people, all waiting for the final fight of the tournament.
"This is nyauts!" Chloe complained as she rushed to deliver a mountain of food towards one table.
"It's good business, now stop complaining and hop to it!" Mia demanded.
"Even you've got to admit this is a bit much, Mama. We're never this busy and the fight hasn't even begun yet," May said as she continued preparing the meal before her.
"That's precisely why it's crazy. Once the fight begins, everyone's going to be too focused on it to eat or drink, so they're getting their fill beforehand," Mia informed her.
"Still, I wish Ryuu was still here. The extra pair of hands would be greatly appreciated and she'd help keep the rowdier customers in check. Plus, she might, you know…"
The catgirl chef gestured with her head. Mia turned and found a certain gray-haired young woman moving about like a puppet on strings.
She worried, the proprietress thought as she watched the young woman.
Syr delivered another tray of food and drink, completely oblivious to the eyes on her.
"Here you are. I hope you enjoy," she said, her voice so monotone it made the customers begin to sweat.
Okay, this needs to end, Mia thought.
"Syr." The girl blinked and turned to Mia.
"Yes?" she asked, clearly confused.
"Come with me," Mia ordered. "May, keep things under control until I get back."
"U-Um...how do I…?" Mia was already gone. "Great. How am I supposed to keep this place under control? Some of us aren't as scary as you, Mama."
Meanwhile, Mia and Syr made their way out the back and into the alley.
"Syr, I know you're worried about Bell, and I get it. This is going to be a nasty fight, no doubt about it, maybe the hardest one he's ever fought, but you've got to have faith in your man. Sure, he can be a bit of an overeager clutz, but he's a good, strong young man. He'll be fine," Mia stated, jumping right in.
Syr blinked, a bit stunned by the sudden onslaught of words. After a moment or two, she found herself smiling in appreciation at what her Mama was doing, but it lasted only a moment before it was replaced by a frown.
"I appreciate you saying that Mama, though it does prove my theory that you have a soft spot for Bell-kun." Mia didn't respond, noting the frown. "But it's not just that I'm worried about him, it's also the fact that...I think I've already lost him."
"What do you mean?" Mia questioned.
"His fight with Aiz Wallenstein yesterday," the waitress answered solemnly. "That wasn't just him wanting to defeat a powerful opponent. It was more."
Now Mia understood.
"And you think that because he beat her that he's suddenly out of reach?"
"Aren't I?" Syr asked, her voice shaking with doubt.
"Syr, I'm going to let you in on a little secret I've learned about men in my years. You ready?"
Syr nodded, curious to hear what Mia would say.
"Men want comfort. It comes in many forms. Food. Drink. A warm place to sleep, and yes, sex." Syr blushed. "Men will go to hell and back in exchange for comfort. They'll storm cities for the wealth to live well for a few years, nay, months. They'll work themselves to the bone in the burning sun if at the end of the day they get a cool glass of lemonade and a comfy chair to sit in. Now, knowing that now, what do you think a man would be willing to do for a woman who provides them a meal, affection, and children?"
"Anything," Syr answered.
"Precisely. A man will do anything for a woman who gives him the comfort his body and soul need. The woman who provides them the most comfort will be the one they are naturally drawn to. Not always. But the majority of the time, that's how it goes. And I suspect that Bell is one of those men that will go to hell in back for that comfort men crave. His actions speak far louder towards that end than any proclamation of love ever could."
Syr processed this for a time, looking up at her boss as she tried to discover any falsity in her words. Finally none, the truth began to set in and hope began to reawaken within her heart.
"Well...I do give a good lap pillow," Syr said, smiling again.
"See. That's all you need. That and filling his belly. Oh, and maybe popping out a few kids." Syr blushed, but didn't look at all averse to that idea. "Someone like Aiz is fun to dream about," Mia continued. "But in the end, she's just a fantasy that can't provide what a real girl can. What someone like you can. So don't worry, and certainly don't give up," Mia said firmly, but smiling.
Not a moment later, Syr had wrapped the bigger woman in a tight hug.
"Thank you," Syr said.
"You're welcome. Now come on, we still have customers to serve."
"Right!" Syr said, practically running back inside.
While the city grew evermore excited and Syr was being comforted, a very unlikely person was watching everything unfold, using his divine power.
"You're going to watch the fight, Ouranos-sama?" Fels asked, seeing the divine mirror.
"Yes," the god answered calmly.
Fels waited patiently. Having served the god for so long, the mage understood when the deity had more to say.
"I sense that something is going to happen today," Ouranos finished.
Something about the way the god of the city said that, sent a shiver up the skeleton's spine.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Hestia asked.
"Looks like it," Welf said.
"Then no point hanging out here. Let's get moving," the goddess stated.
Getting affirmations from her familia, the goddess opened the front door, only to immediately stop.
"Oh boy."
"What is it, Hestia-sam-?" Lili was about to ask until she saw it.
"Yeesh. That's a lot of people," Welf added.
In front of the gates of the Hearthfire Manor was a huge crowd of people, many of them holding up signs cheering on Bell and Achilles.
"I wasn't expecting this," the goddess said.
"I don't think any of us were," Ryuu added. "But we still must get through them if we want to reach the Coliseum."
"Right. Alright everyone. Tight formation!" Hestia ordered.
Forming as close to a 'tight formation' as possible, the Hestia familia made their way out and towards the gate, getting more anxious the closer they got, until they finally opened it.
Immediately, they were rushed by fans.
"Where's Achilles?!" one woman asked.
"Where's our adorable rabbit?! I want to pinch his cute little cheeks!"
That upset most of the ladies of the Hestia familia.
"Forget that! I want to pinch his cute little butt!"
And that infuriated them.
Right before a goddess, prum, elf, and perhaps even renard, went on a full, murderous rampage against those after their precious rabbit, a group of amazons suddenly appeared and put themselves between the Hestia familia and the crowd.
"Alright, back up everyone! No point in suffocating them, especially since you can tell Bell and Achilles aren't here!" Aisha declared.
Everyone was a bit stunned by the amazons sudden arrival, which served Aisha just fine and she turned to Hestia.
"We saw this crowd and figured you guys might need some help getting to the Coliseum," she explained.
"I see. Well, thank you, Aisha-kun. We appreciate it," Hestia replied.
Don't think that this makes up for what you did with Bell, every girl after said young man thought.
"No problem. We were heading there anyway."
With that, the Hestia familia and their new amazon entourage forced their way through the crowds, though few dared to complain about it.
"So, where are the handsome duo?" Aisha asked as they walked.
"Bell and Achilles left right after breakfast to head over to Hephaestus's shop," Hestia explained.
"Oh, that mean the two are going to be wearing some new armor?" the amazon asked.
"Yep. Hephaestus and Welf have been working on it for weeks and from what I know, they're both really proud of it."
"Well, I can't wait to see what you and your lady made, Red," Aisha said towards Welf.
He smiled.
"Don't worry, no one will be disappointed," he vowed.
Upon arriving at the arena, they were immediately approached by Shakti.
"Hello, Hestia-sama," she greeted. "Ganesha-sama was wondering if you would like to join him in the main box for today's event."
"Really? That would be wonderful," Hestia replied, smiling.
"Excellent. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you all join as well, if you so wish," Shakti added, looking at the amazons. "There is plenty of space and he is the god of the masses."
"Don't mind if we do," Aisha said, smiling.
"Then, if you'll all follow me," Shakti gestured.
They made their way into the Coliseum and up, soon after reaching Ganesha's box.
"I am Ganesha!" the god greeted them, earning a sigh from Shakti.
"Hello, Ganesha. Thank you for inviting us," Hestia greeted.
"Of course. We're friends after all and I'm sure this fight has made you all a bit anxious. As such, I figured it was my duty to try and ease you as much as I could."
The goddess of the hearth smiled.
"Thank you. That is appreciated. I won't deny we're all a bit on edge. This is, after all, just one more thing on a long list of stressful recent events."
"Precisely why I offered the invitation. I failed to properly guard young Bell Cranel before, for which I am truly ashamed, but I swear here and now, I will not fail again. Not only because we're friends, and because of my guilt, but because as the God of the masses, a failure to protect the people is something I cannot permit."
More people smiled at that, including Shakti and the Ganesha familia.
He may generally be a goof, but he really is kind at heart, the captain thought.
"I think I speak for all of us when I say we don't blame you, Ganesha," Hestia stated, getting nods from her familia. "But I'm sure we all appreciate your vow. But, enough of that. This whole tournament is supposed to be about all of us having fun. So let's get comfy and wait for my two boys to kick Freya's kids butts!"
"Now that sounds like a good idea."
Everyone turned to find the Loki familia coming in, all of them smiling, even Bete, though that was likely at the idea of Freya's kids getting their teeth kicked in.
"Loki! I didn't know you would be here as well," Hestia said, going over to greet the trickster goddess.
"I invited all our friends for today, and the others should arrive soon," Ganesha informed her. "Luckily there is plenty of space in the box, so we can all enjoy watching together."
"Sounds good to me," Loki said eagerly.
The familias began to mix and chatter began to arise.
"So," Loki continued, her former playfulness gone. "How are you doing, Hestia?"
Hestia sighed, but soon smiled again.
"I'm worried, of course. Those two scare me, Loki. Especially that Allen fellow."
"Because he ambushed you and Bell?"
"Partly that. But also, he's so malevolent. Ottar is just loyal to Freya, I can see that. And while that makes him terrifying in many ways, I don't think he's cruel. Allen is though. I can tell. I know he doesn't just want to defeat Bell or impress Freya. He wants to hurt Bell, and Achilles I'm sure. And now he's getting the chance. I just...I just wish there was something I could do."
"Hey, you've done plenty, and I'm sure your kiddies would agree," Loki stated. "Allen's definitely a nasty one, I won't sugarcoat that, but don't forget that the big lug of a daddy that kid's got has already kicked Allen's butt, so he's not about to let the kitty cat hurt his boy. Plus, the rabbit's no push-over. He beat my Aiz after all!" she said, pretending to pout. "If he can do that there's no reason to think he can't beat Fromel, even if he's a level five."
"Actually, he's a level six now," Hestia informed her, smiling again.
"Seriously? He's a level six?" Hestia nodded. "Geez, what are you feeding this kid?!"
Hestia laughed, then placed a finger over her lips.
"That's a familia secret."
Not far away from the two goddesses, Riveria watched the two goddesses with a smile.
It's good to see that they're getting along so well now.
Her attention was turned away when her eye caught sight of a man fiddling with a contraption she didn't recognize.
Her interest piqued, she made her way over to him and she waited for him to notice her. When he failed to do so, she cleared her throat.
That evidently caught his attention, for he jumped and turned.
"Please don't scare me like that!" he pleaded.
"My apologies. I was just wondering what this contraption was," she said gesturing at the device.
"Oh!" his eyes brightened. "This is a magical recording device!" he declared proudly.
"Recording device?" she questioned.
"Yes. Using this crystal," he pointed at the crystal at the center of the device. "I can actually take sights and sounds and hold them, then show them later to those who were not present for a given event."
"Really? That's quite fascinating. I didn't know such a thing existed."
"It didn't until now. I've been working on it for years. I'm very glad that I finished it in time for this fight."
"I understand why. So you'll be showing what you record for a price or will you be selling the crystals?" she questioned.
"In time, hopefully both. But for now, I've got a contract with the Guild. They funded my work so they get first dibs on everything I record, so I suspect they'll want to show big displays like this to the public and maybe even ship what I record around the world to encourage people to come to Orario."
"That makes sense. Showing some of the spectacles here would bring in more people. Well, thank you for your time…"
"Lumin," he replied.
"Lumin-san. I hope I get to see your device in action some day," she said.
"You can count on it, Riveria-san."
"Looks like it's time," Ganesha said, capturing everyone's attention. "Shakti, give the order."
"Yes, Ganesha-sama," she replied seriously. "Mages! Prepare the wards!"
A moment later the mages all around the edge of the arena began to chant, which in turn caught the attention of the crowd, who fell silent, knowing that if the mages were chanting, that the time had come.
A minute later, the chanting ended and a magic ward appeared around the arena, before shimmering away into invisibility.
"That should be enough," Ganesha said.
"Don't tempt our combatants, Ganesha. Knowing my boys, they'll do something crazy just to prove you wrong," Hestia replied, semi-seriously.
"Two dozen mages, all level two or above, set up that ward. You really think that those four will break through it?" Ganesha asked.
"Anything's possible with this fight," the goddess replied.
"I suppose you're right. Then, if I may ask a favor of you, Riveria-san," Ganesha said, turning to the elf.
"I will be happy to jump in should any of those rambunctious men decide to show off," she answered with a smile.
"My sincerest gratitude. Well then, Ibri, it looks like you can get this party started."
The young man smiled and nodded, before running off to the podium.
"Ladies and gentlemen of Orario! It's finally time!"
The whole city quickly fell silent as everyone focused on their respective mirrors.
"The final fight of our grand tournament and the one you truly, must not miss! The battle between adventurers so powerful that the world shakes with their coming and monsters flee at the sight of them! So, no more waiting! No more holding back! It's time for the battle to begin! Please welcome our challengers. The Captain and Vice-Captain of the Freya familia. The King himself and the Vana Freya! Ottar and Allen Fromel!"
The city shook with the roar of its people as the two loyal servants of the goddess of beauty walked out.
The two were a sight to behold, and beyond intimidating. Each wore jet black armor and the recognizable visor of the Freya familia, but that was where the similarities ended.
Allen wore light armor that protected just enough to be useful, but not enough to be impenetrable. Black pauldrons, arm guards, and grieves were the first things noticed and radiated an aura of malice, matching his deep scowl. He also wore what appeared to be leather armor over his torso, no doubt made from the flesh some monster he'd slaughtered in the Dungeon. In his hand was his spear, somehow looking even deadlier than before.
Ottar was the primary focus though. As the King of Orario, he was naturally the center of attention as most only knew him by reputation and had never actually seen him. Everyone was eager to, of course, but no one could deny he was extraordinarily intimidating, especially not as he walked out into the arena.
His armor had been upgraded since he had fought Achilles on level ten. He now wore black plate armor that looked thicker than the walls of Orario and heavier than the Tower of Babel. Yet, he did not seem at all bothered by it, walking as smoothly as flowing water, across the sand. Every inch, except for his face, was covered in the armor and he looked absolutely indestructible. On his chest plate was the symbol of his familia in silver, shining brightly and proudly as it dared anyone to try and leave a scratch upon it.
On his back was his heavy black blade that looked like it could cut the world in two and yet, just like his armor, appeared weightless to the giant boaz.
Good luck, my beloved children. Show them the strength you hold. Show them why we sit at the top of Orario, Freya thought as she watched her children from her hidden box.
"Geez, look at those two. I'm practically shitting myself, just looking at them," one man said.
"That's because you're a pathetic wimp!" another mocked.
"Shut it! You can't tell me those guys aren't fucking terrifying!"
A third man turned around, smirking.
"Still think that three hundred thousand valis bet was a good idea, Mord?"
Mord turned to him, but instead of getting angry or shouting, like the smirking man expected, he remained completely calm as he replied.
"Ten thousand valis that you lose that smile the moment my boys come out."
The man contemplated this for a moment.
"Alright. Easy money there. No way that I'll be nearly as intimidated by the little bunny rabbit."
The man turned back around, and just in time, for now it was time for the challenged to come out. The moment they did, Mord smiled as he saw the man's smile drop.
Looks like I won.
"Dang, those guys look scary! I'm glad I'm not fighting them! But let's not forget about the ones that are! So let's bring them out! Please welcome the former captain of the famous Zeus familia and Orario's newest level six! Achilles Caesar and Bell Cranel!"
Many were shocked to hear of Bell's most recent level-up, including his many supporters throughout the city. However, any discussion of this most recent upgrade stopped the moment the two walked out.
As Welf had said, the new armor Bell and Achilles had received were a sight to behold.
The basis of Bell's armor was much the same as his previous Pyonkichi armor sets. There were, however, some upgrades.
His neck armor was now fuller, and protected his whole neck, front, sides, and back. Scaled armor now also flowed down a few inches from his pauldrons, giving a bit more protection for his arms.
He now also had a kind of abdominal armor made of leather, with steel plates that matched his abs, providing his stomach with much needed protection, but keeping the flexibility he desired.
On his forehead was a white, crown-like band of armor. While not offering as much protection as a full helmet, it was clearly sturdy and would deflect any blows set at his skull.
The most surprising addition to his armor though came when one looked down. Whereas everything else was white and red, the greaves were gold plate armor that shined like the sun.
"I got the idea from the Argonaut story," Welf explained to everyone. "I knew how much he loved that one, so decided to allow him to live it a bit."
Everyone smiled and were clearly happy with the explanation.
However, armor was not the only thing new for Bell, for on his back was a sword with a red and gold hilt.
"And that was a request from both Bell and Achilles. Bell wanted his own sword so he could match Achilles and Achilles suggested that design because it was the same as the one he first used when he was just starting out as an adventurer," Welf explained again, earning even brighter smiles.
All in all, Bell was a sight to behold and radiated a sense of heroism, strength, and compassion. Yet, he was not alone in his upgrades, and if there was one person who might have outmatched him with their new armor, it was the man beside him.
Well isn't that a sight, Riveria thought as he focused in on Achilles, feeling a bit flustered, not that she would ever admit it.
The ex-captain entered the arena looking like a champion of old. On his head was a Corinthian helmet made of silver adamantine. An electric blue plum sat proudly on the top and moved gently in the air.
Upon his chest was lorica segmentata armor that went all the way down his torso and arms, before heavy gauntlets replaced it.
Scaled armor, like Bell's, came down from his belt to cover his thighs and upper legs, before being replaced by strong, silver greaves on his shins.
What really caught people's attention though, was the hoplon shield on his left arm, that bore the flame and bell of the Hestia familia, proudly upon it.
Dragon's Bane, of course, was by his side, waiting for the battle to come.*
"They look awesome!" Hestia declared.
"You say that like it's a surprise," Hephaestus commented, though she was still smiling.
"Argonaut-kun looks like the Argonaut! That's so cool!" Tiona cried.
"He really does look like a hero," Aiz said, smiling down at her beloved young captain.
"They both do," Riveria said, smiling right beside her.
My my, Freya thought, looking down on her children's' opponents. Don't you two look absolutely delicious.
She could not help but lick her lips.
"Holy cow! These guys look awesome too! This battle really is going to be one for the ages folks! No doubt about that!"
As Ibri riled up the spectators, the four contestants approached each other.
"Looks like we all got upgrades," Achilles said, calmly.
"It won't save you. Today is the day I repay all the humiliation you've given me and put this unworthy rabbit in his place," Allen said.
Bell laughed.
"What's so funny, rabbit?" Allen demanded.
"My Dad and I thought you had finally stopped underestimating me given everything. He even said if you hadn't then you were be a fool. I guess that makes you a fool."
Achilles smiled under his helmet, while Allen glared underneath his visor.
"Win or lose, my lady will be pleased," Ottar cut in with his usual, steady voice. "However," he grabbed his sword from his back. "I do not intend to lose today."
Bell and Achilles grabbed their weapons and got in ready positions.
"Neither do we," Bell said, his voice firm and unwavering.
"Looks like it's well and truly time everyone! Take one last drink and bite of food, because you won't want to even blink during this! Alright! Three!" Ibri paused, building the tension. "TWO!" Another pause as people's feet began to take in eagerness. "ONE!"
Everyone held their breath.
"GO!"
Before anyone could even blink, the four rushed each other and the first sounds of battle came in the form a deafening crash and gale of wind as Ottar's sword met Achilles shield and Allen's spear met Bell's knives.
"Holy sh-!" Loki cried as she was nearly knocked over by the wind. "I knew these guys were powerful, but this is nuts!"
No one could disagree with her, though that was mostly because they were too focused on the fight to dare even speak a word.
Having blocked Ottar's strike with his shield, Achilles's forced the blade away before making a jab at the boaz's head.
The King dodged to the side before countering with a wide swing that, if it connected, would cleave Achilles in two at the chest. Achilles dodged under the sword, then used his shield to push on it and keep the momentum going. This spun Ottar all the way around and opened his back to Achilles. The Olympian immediately took advantage and swung his own sword at his old student. However, Ottar was not the King for no reason and managed to continue the momentum of his swing all the way back around so that he could deflect Achilles's attack.
Not bad, Ottar, but some nice footwork won't be enough to save you, Achilles thought, before attacking again.
A few paces away, Bell and Allen attacked each other in a blur of speed.
Allen was currently on the offense, sending a flurry of jabs at Bell, looking to skewer him. Bell though, was now more than fast enough to dodge and counter the attacks and soon he saw an opportunity.
When Allen sent another jab towards his stomach, Bell gracefully forced the spear towards the side and grabbed it. He then pulled on it just enough to force Allen out of his stance. The catman's eyes widened under his visor as Bell closed the distance and kneed him in the stomach.
The air was forced from Allen's lungs as he went flying a good ten feet.
"The first blow has been struck!" Ibri declared, getting an excited cheer from the crowd.
The Vana Freya quickly recovered, though even more furious than before, and prepared for Bell's next attack.
It came not a second later as Bell rushed to press his advantage.
The two swung their weapons at each other and their collision sent another deafening roar and rush of wind through the arena.
Both grit their teeth as they soon found themselves locked in a struggle to overcome the other, but both finding their strength too close to do so simply.
Let's try something different then, Bell thought.
Acting quickly, Bell hooked his two knives on Allen's spear, then, using Allen's own strength against him, he forced the spear to go up and over his head. Bell then threw a backhanded strike at Allen's head.
Allen pulled his head back as much as he could, but Bell's speed was now just as, if not more formidable than his own and soon he felt and heard Bell's knife scrape across his visor with a terrible screech.
Worse than the noise though, was the fact that the dodge had left him open and not a second after dodging the strike towards his head, Allen found the Rabbit Foot lashing out again, this time towards his chest.
Fucking damnit! he roared a split second before Bell's knife cut him across his chest.
"Another strike for Bell Cranel!"
That announcement and the humiliation of his injury, filled Allen Fromel with a terrible rage, greater than any he had experienced before. Even greater than when Bell had dared punch him not so long ago.
"I will destroy you, Bell Cranel!" he screamed, before rushing at Bell with slaughter in his eyes.
Achilles parried an overhead strike from Ottar, sending the blade into the ground and causing a crater to form in the sand.
Throwing his left arm up, he uppercut Ottar on the chin with his shield, sending the Freya's captain head flying back. Achilles then pulled his arm back before throwing it forward, sending it crashing dead center into Ottar's chest plate.
The sound was deafening and the boaz was immediately flying back from the force, landing a good distance away.
Ottar glared at Achilles as his hand checked his chest plate. He found the area containing his familia's emblem had been dented, and he knew full well that Achilles had done that intentionally.
The rage in his eyes intensified as he took his sword in both hands a moment before Achilles crashed against him again.
"Annihilate my enemies with a blow that shakes the earth," Ottar chanted as he traded blows with Achilles. "Strike of Extermination!"
Achilles brought up his shield to take the blow, but the force was overwhelming and soon he was bouncing across the arena like a discarded ragdoll.
Quickly getting back on his feet, Achilles turned his eyes back to his opponent who now rushed towards him with the intent of keeping up the pressure.
"Make me faster than even the gods. Lightning Steps!"
The moment Ottar brought his blade down, intending on destroying his old tutor, said man disappeared from view.
Ottar swung around and prepared for the counter he knew was coming. He watched as Achilles rushed around him, kicking up sand and making visibility increasingly limited. In no mood for such tricks, he began to chant again.
"I call forth the rage of battle to help me destroy my enemies…"
Oh no you don't, Achilles thought.
"Flash!"
A blinding light suddenly appeared before Ottar. It did not stop his chanting however. He was not so inexperienced that a little discomfort would stop him. What did stop him was the sound of something rushing towards him.
He brought his arm up just in time to block Achilles's shield and it bounced off his arm guard, but not without denting the armor and knocking him off balance.
Damnit, the boaz mentally growled.
The sound of something behind him caused him to turn and look up.
"Blade of Light!" Achilles cried as he brought his sword down.
Ottar barely had enough time to bring up his sword to block, but even he couldn't hold back the force of the Olympian's strike, and soon Dragon's Bane had forced his sword down and cut into his black armor, deep enough to bite into his shoulder.
His attack complete, if not as effective as he wished, Achilles distanced himself from Ottar to prevent a counter-attack.
"That's some damn good armor you got there," he complimented, receiving a glare from his former student as he fixed himself. "But it won't save you."
"I need no saving, Olympian. If anything, it should be you who is concerned for your safety. Now more than ever," Ottar warned.
Achilles smirked.
"Oh? Then come, King. See if you can inspire even a tenth the fear the Dragon instilled."
Bell grimaced as Allen's spear scored a cut on his arm, but did not let it distract him for long.
"You will suffer for all you've done, rabbit!" Allen cursed as he sent strike after strike at Bell.
"So far you've done little to live up to your words, Allen Fromel, and I'm actually growing rather tired of you," Bell responded as calmly as possible as he dodged, blocked, or parried the strikes.
"You're tired?! Your very existence drains me! You have stolen our lady's love and attention and yet fawn over some other stupid bitch!"
Bell's eyes flashed to slits for a moment, but were quickly back to normal as Allen swung an overhead strike at him.
"Firebolt!" he called.
Unprepared for the attack, Allen only managed to bring his spear back down to block it, but Bell jumped upon him with a sudden and profound burst of speed that took Allen by surprise. Not a moment later, his face was reacquainted with Bell's fist and he went crashing across the arena.
"Don't you ever insult her again."
Up in the stands, Aiz smiled down at Bell and her hand fell to her heart.
Soon Bell. Soon, she vowed.
Then she, and the whole city heard it.
The sound of bells caught Achilles's attention, he quickly turned his head to verify that Argonaut had indeed activated. Seeing the tell tale light of the skill, he smiled, before turning back to Ottar.
"I summon the rage of all the gods on high to me so that I may lay low my foes," he chanted.
Ottar, hearing the chant, growled and began to chant as well.
"I call forth the rage of battle to help me destroy my enemies and steal away their lives."
"May their skies darken and fill them with dread," Achilles continued.
"Let them tremble under the might of my sword," Ottar chanted.
"May they know their end has come," Achilles finished.
Before Ottar could do likewise with his chant, Achilles gathered all his strength and pushed off the ground with his shield in front of him. The move caught Ottar off guard, stopping his chant. He managed to bring his sword up to block, it could not stop him from once more flying across the arena and crashing against its walls.
"Storm of the Divine!" Achilles called.
To the surprise of those present, Achilles did not send the spell at Ottar. Instead, he held it within his blade and turned towards his son.
"Bell! Now!"
Hearing his father, Bell jumped away from Allen before suddenly throwing Hakugen at the catman. Allen managed to bat the knife away, but soon discovered the attack was just a distraction as a moment later, Bell came up and double leg kicked him and sent him crashing into the arena wall, just like Ottar.
Turning around, Bell rushed towards Achilles.
"Firebolt!" he called, pointing his Argonaut powered hand at the Hestia knife.
The spell hit the blade and covered it in a white glow that hummed with power.
A moment later the two reached each other, but they did not stop. Instead they both swung their blades and for the briefest of moments, the crowd wondered if they had both gone mad and begun attacking each other. This was not the case though. Instead, the two blades met in between the two, Achilles's Storm of Divine and Bell's Argonaut powered Firebolt intermingling and empowering each other.
"Let's see how you like this!" Achilles cried as the two swung with all their might.
Ottar, Allen, and indeed the whole city, watched with wide-eyes as a wave of magical energy rushed towards the two Freya executives in a dazzling display of pure power.
"Shit!" Allen cried as he brought up his spear to defend himself while Ottar did the same. This was not a moment too soon, as the wave hit them a split second later.
"Holy shit!" a nearby mage cried as they began to pour more magic into the ward.
Seeing this, Riveria immediately began to chant, soon after adding her strength to the ward and preventing it from collapsing under the weight of the unexpected, if stunning, attack.
"They could have warned us before doing that!" another mage complained as they began to relax, grateful that Riveria had jumped in.
But then it wouldn't have been a surprise, the elf noted, a tad amused, if also a bit peeved the two had used something so powerful in the arena. Though it appears Hestia was right. Two dozen wasn't enough, she joked to herself even as she worked to ensure the ward did not collapse under the onslaught of the combatants.
"That's cheating!" one of the men who had bet on the Freya familia shouted.
Mord laughed.
"How is that cheating?" he asked while still laughing.
"They can't combine attacks like that!" the man stated.
"Who says? It's a two-on-two match. Coordinating attacks and combining them makes complete sense," Mord countered.
"It's still bullshit," a woman who had also bet on Freya stated.
"You're all just pissed because it looks like I'm going to be walking away with your money...again!" Mord said before bursting out laughing again.
The dual attack dissipated, revealing the two Freya executives.
Ottar had taken the attack far better than anyone had the right to expect of him. He was breathing heavily and his armor was partly melted, but he was standing, sword in hand, ready for the battle to continue.
Allen was not quite so ready.
"Gah!" he cried his eyes checking over his burned flesh and his even more melted armor.
Those bastards! I'll kill them both, he thought as he turned his murderous eyes towards his two opponents.
"Looks like they're ready for more," Achilles said.
"Yeah. But why don't we switch things up?"
"You sure?"
Bell smiled.
"Yeah."
Achilles smiled back.
"Alright. Have fun with the big guy."
A moment later the two rushed off, but not towards their previous opponents as the onlookers expected. Instead, Achilles rushed towards Allen and Bell ran straight for Ottar.
The two executives were surprised by the switch up, but had little time to think or complain on the matter as within seconds, the two Hestia familia members were upon them.
"Miss me, kitty cat?" Achilles asked as he made a slash at the catman.
Allen glared with all the hatred within him, but barely managed to parry the strike for his opponent. He tried to counter, only to have Achilles block.
"You got a little faster," Achilles noted.
"I've been training until I collapse just so I could get my revenge upon you and that damn brat you call a son!" Allen threw back as he went on the offensive again, sending a flurry of jabs and strikes at the Olympian.
"Impressive," Achilles replied as he dodged and blocked the attacks. "I guess you do have some redeeming qualities. However," he suddenly reached and grabbed Allen's spear arm, stopping him completely. "You're still an arrogant little shit and," he elbowed the catman's face, shattering his nose. "You're still a decade away from being fast enough to match me."
He's doing quite well, Ottar noted as he battled his lady's beloved.
The boaz was not lying to himself. Bell was doing well. Better than even the Freya captain had expected. Bell's style of evasion and quick counters was very unlike the more heavy-hitting and vanguard style of Achilles and he was having difficulties managing the young captain.
However, Ottar thought before suddenly countering and perfectly stopping an attack Bell had attempted. Before the young captain could react, Ottar grabbed him and threw him against his knee, knocking the wind out of him. He then grabbed Bell's face and threw him against the ground, sending up a pillar of sand with the force. He is still inexperienced compared to veterans adventurers, he thought as he raised his sword of his head.
Bell groaned as he looked up. His eyes widened as he saw Ottar above him, his sword raised.
Spinning out of the way, he managed to save himself from a direct hit, but the sheer might of the blow sent him tumbling across the arena pit.
Spent a lot of time in the air during this tournament, Bell noted, before refocusing on Ottar.
Jumping back into the fight, he rushed at his fellow captain, who stood ready for him. When Bell got within range, Ottar swung his sword at him, far faster than seemed possible for a man of his size and wearing such thick armor. However, speed was Bell's territory and now that he was a level six, he was fast enough to duck under the blade. The very moment the blade passed over his head, Bell raised his hand and pointed it at Ottar's face.
"Firebolt!"
The spell hit the giant, but had little effect, other than distracting him, which was fine as that's all Bell needed to spell to do.
Skidding behind Ottar, Bell stabbed the Freya captain's calf. It took all his strength to get through the thick armor, but he knew he succeeded when he saw the leg buckle.
Not letting up, he jumped and doubled kicked Ottar's back with all his might. The boaz, in spite of his considerable strength, stumbled forward and fell to a knee.
"Dad! Shield!"
Ottar, hearing this call, looked towards Achilles, only to receive a face full of shield frisbee as Achilles's hoplon crashed into his head.
"Good job Bell, I'll take it from here. You finish the alley cat," Achilles said, high-fiving Bell as they switched opponents again.
Allen, who had been unceremoniously grabbed by his tail and thrown against the ground the moment Achilles had heard Bell's call, soon found the young man before him again, only now with his new sword in hand.
"Raaa!" Allen screamed, more furious with each passing moment.
Bell parried his strike, then countered with a slash across the chest.
"Argh! You little shit!" Allen roared as he attacked again.
This time, Bell met his strike and forced the Vana Freya back, stunning Allen and leaving him wide open.
Bell threw the Hestia knife at him and the blade embedded in his shoulder. The pain was just beginning though as Bell used his sword to knock Allen's spear out of his hand, then deliver a pommel strike to his already beaten face.
Now weaponless and disorientated, Allen found there was little he could do as Bell slashed him again and again. Once across each thigh, twice on each arm, and finally twice across his chest in an 'X' formation. It all ended when Bell punched him in the gut with enough force to send Allen to his knees.
"I am not the weak little rabbit you think I am, and I will not tolerate your words or your threats any longer. Come at me as many times as you want, Allen Fromel, I'll defeat you each time. Now be a good pussy and take your pounding."
Allen gave him one final glare, before his arms gave out under him and he collapsed.
"Good kitty," Bell said, before reaching down to reclaim his knife. That done, he shifted his attention to where Achilles and Ottar were fighting and rushed to join his father.
"Yeah, Rabbit Foot! You tell that pussy who's boss!" Lena cried before bursting out laughing.
The Hestia familia were positively gobsmacked, to the point where the other familias that weren't already laughing, began to chuckle at their expressions.
"Was that really so surprising?" Hephaestus asked.
"Well...yeah," Welf said. "I mean, yeah, Bell gets angry, but I'm not sure I've ever heard him curse, let alone in such a…"
"'Fuck you', manner?" Hephaestus finished.
The entire Hestia familia nodded.
"You gotta admit though," Loki said, jumping in. "That was pretty funny."
A few people laughed and despite their shock, the Hestia familia could not help but agree.
"Looks like we might have rubbed off on him a bit after all," Samira said a few paces away.
"Gods I hope so," Aisha said, as she smiled at the scene before them.
"To think that little rabbit we chased a few months ago would go on to win a fight against the Freya familia," Samira continued.
"It's not over yet," Aisha pointed out. "Ottar's still standing."
"Against our rabbit and the Olympian? Even the King will fall to that."
Aisha laughed and was about to agree when her eyes caught sight of something and she lost her smile.
No. This isn't over yet.
Allen groaned as he tried to pick himself up.
I will not be defeated by the fucking rabbit and his shitting has been father. I will not be humiliated or fail my goddess! his murderous eyes turned towards the two, watching as they battled Ottar. I will take one of you for your crimes. If I have to die in order to do so, so be it. As long as I take one of you with me. And I know which one I want to drag to hell.
He began to pick himself up, his eyes never leaving his target.
Time to die, you bastard.
"They're doing it ladies and gentlemen! They're actually doing it! They're forcing the King back!" Ibri cried as if not believing his own eyes.
Yet, this was the truth, for not even Ottar could take on both Achilles and Bell at once. Every time he focused on Achilles, Bell would quickly find an opening and wound the King. Every time he tried to counter Bell, Achilles could crash upon him like a tsunami.
Their coordination is flawless. I can't find a real opening. But I cannot let it end like this. I must bring victory for my lady!
With a roar, Ottar swung his sword with all his might at the two. Bell dodged under the strike and went on the offensive again, but Ottar ignored him, in favor of ensuring his blade met Achilles's.
Achilles brought up Dragon's Bane to block the strike, but even he could not stop a strike of such power and was soon finding himself soaring over the arena. Luckily, he had enough skill to land gracefully and Ottar could not follow him as he had to refocus on Bell, who had already scored another pair of hits on the boaz, shallow though they were.
Achilles prepared to rejoin his son when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement. Turning his head, he found Allen had picked himself back up.
Oh would you just stay down, you filthy alley cat.
He was prepared to finish the catman for good, when he noticed that Allen was getting in a throwing position. Turning his eyes again, he found Allen's target.
"Bell!"
Not a second later, Allen, with every ounce of strength he had left, threw his spear at the back of the Hestia familia captain before finally collapsing for good.
Bell turned his head towards the cry, only to find Achilles suddenly before him. Before he could even blink, he found himself flying through the air, before crashing into the arena sands.
The world went silent.
Bell picked himself up, wondering what had happened. Then he saw it.
Achilles stood where Bell had been not a moment before, looking out towards his now wide-eyed son. A terrible pain in his chest soon forced him to look down and there he discovered the source.
In saving Bell, Achilles had taken the blow and now Allen's spear had pierced him through the chest. It had gone straight through his left lung and was dangerously close to his heart. Had it been even an inch moved, he would now be dead.
He coughed and felt something leave his mouth. He reached down and touched the wetness, before bringing it up to his eyes. It was blood.
"Oh."
Then, like a great tower whose foundation had been destroyed by a terrible earthquake, Achilles collapsed.
Up in Ganesha's box, Riveria watched the man she loved fall, her eyes wide with horror.
"ACHILLES!"
In her dark box, Freya stared wide-eyed at the scene.
It can't be, she thought.
Not a moment later, her glass slipped from her hand and shattered upon the ground.
Achilles, a dark elf thought as she stared at the scene before her, not believing her eyes.
All over the city, people stared in shock and horror as the Olympian fell without so much as a cry. However, they were all snapped back to reality when the one who had claimed him as a father, cried out.
"DAD!" Bell cried, rushing towards the fallen adventurer.
He was not but a foot away when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw an object heading straight for him. It was by pure instinct that he managed to bring his blades up to block the attack, though that did not save him from flying across the arena again.
Bell, despite the pain, quickly picked himself up, wondering what had happened, but still desperate to get to his father.
"I'm sorry, Bell Cranel, but our fight is still ongoing," Ottar said, standing over Achilles.
Bell was shocked. He couldn't even comprehend the idea of continuing the fight, not while his father was dying just a short distance away.
"Please! He needs help!" he begged.
"If you wish to help Achilles, then finish the fight. I will not allow you to help him until either you or I have gained victory, and I will not accept a surrender," the boaz responded.
That was when things changed. The desperation and fear within Bell turned to fury, and he felt his teeth gnashing as he glared at the captain of the Freya familia.
"How much more do you want?" he asked, his blood beginning to boil. "How many more people have to be hurt by you and your familia? The Ishtar familia. The Miach familia. Hestia. Lili. My father. Again! How much more damage are you going to inflict?!"
Ottar did not even flinch.
"As much as my lady requires."
That answer, so simple, so calmly given, was the catalyst for an event that would be written about in the histories of Orario and would be burnt into the minds of all those who saw it that day.
Bell stared at Ottar for a moment, saying nothing, as if he did not understand what the boaz had said. But he did. He understood perfectly.
"That's right. This is all for her. For Freya," he chuckled. It was such a bitter chuckle that it sent a shiver up the spines of all those who heard it. From the Coliseum to the Twilight Manor, from Daedelus Street to the Red Light District, a host of shivers passed up countless spines. But Bell was not done. "For so long I didn't know what to do with regards to her, you, and your familia. I didn't know what I should think of her or how I should feel towards her. Her actions just confused me and left me without an answer. But not anymore. Now, I finally understand. I finally understand what I should think and what I should feel. More importantly, I finally know what I need to do."
Ottar's hand tightened around his sword as he sensed something within those words that he did not like.
"And what's that, Bell Cranel? What should you do?"
Bell looked up and for the first time in a long time, Ottar felt true, unrestrained fear.
With slitted eyes made of blood, Bell answered.
"I'm going to kill you aaaaAAAAAAAAAARRRAAAAAAAWRRR!"
(Smiles sadistically)
Hehe, I did say I was going to give you a big chapter, didn't I? But I didn't promise you that you'd be getting everything. For the rest...well...you'll have to wait for the next chapter.
Well, good people, do tell me what you think. Did you enjoy it? Hate it? Are you just sick and tired of my teasing? Well, if it's the last option, fear not, for next chapter you shall find your patience rewarded as I have much planned for the next chapter that I think will make you all very happy. But I will say no more.
Oh, and before I forget, now that Bell is a level six, he'll need a new alias. I've had a few ideas, but would really like to hear back from you guys on what you think it should be. So please, spam any name ideas my way (any that are appropriate or not ridiculous anyway. Please nothing like "The Harem Master" or "The Ass-Kicking Prince").
Now, it is time for me to sign-off for now. Again, I hope you all enjoyed, and I will see you all for the big conclusion to our fight. So, until next time, bye for now.
*If you want a kind of picture of Achilles armor, look up Warriors: Legends of Troy, on Youtube, and find Achilles's original armor. Change his chest armor to Roman legionnaire armor and you'll basically have it. As for Bell, I added components of his armor, the Zeus familia armor he wore in the Behemoth event from a few years ago, and the armor you see Argonaut wearing.