Chapter 11: Saving hides Pt2
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Loki familia was eating breakfast in the main hall when Eina and Riveria arrived. A few curious gazes wondered where they went. Riveria leaned over to Eina. "I am gonna have a talk with Finn and ask Alicia to fill in for me. Go ahead and get something to eat, Eina."
"Okay Riveria." Eina walked over to the kitchen where Aki and Alicia with a few others were handing out food. She picked up a tray and went up to Alicia.
"Where did you two go this morning Eina?" Alicia wondered.
"We went to talk with Bell on the wall."
"Ooooooo Bell." Aki teased leaning over Alicia's shoulder with empty pans in her hands.
"Knock it off Aki." Alicia stared back at the cat woman. "Why did you go see him?"
"We wanted to warn him about Hod. Were both going into the dungeon with him later."
"You sure you're okay with Eina stealing your man." Aki giggled into Alicia's ear.
Alicia's eyes widen and she turned her head. "Aki, I said stop. He is not mine."
Aki held onto the pans with one hand and raised her paw up playfully. "Meow."
"Aki what exactly is going on?" Eina tilted her head and smiled curiously.
"She had Cruz invite him over for dinner at the Hostess, she touches him and snuck out twice to go see him in private." Aki flashed a mischievous smile.
"Wow Alicia. Is that why you're trying to push him away from her?" Eina giggled at Alicia's red face.
"It's not like that." Alicia face was lit up in embarrassment and in anger whips out a spatula and tries to hit Aki over the head with it. Aki uses her tail to smack it out of her hand. Eina raised her tray up just in time for it to be embedded into the metal tray. Eina was speechless and frightened by the kitchen tool missile.
Many in the familia were laughing at the morning playfulness from the women. Riveria marched up to the kitchen area. "What are you two doing over here? Are you trying to send Eina to Airmid?"
"Sorry Lady Riveria." Alicia and Aki apologized.
"Just teasing her over her crush. Won't happen again Riveria." Aki smiled toward the High elf. "At least in the kitchen." Before she races off with the pans to the dishwash area.
"Here I was gonna ask you to cover for me Alicia, but maybe you would like to go with Eina and Bell in my stead." Riveria grinned.
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In front of the hostess. I bowed to the blond elf and the silver haired waitresses. "Thank you for the meal, Ryu."
"It's not a problem Bell. Just bring the basket back this time."
"Sorry. Somebody kind of stole it."
"Why?"
"I was distracted with something more important and left all the irontusks bodies and my bag. Somebody looted it all."
"Lot of people will take advantage if they can. I am just gonna guess, that you did something weird again." Ryu piercing gaze studied my face.
I shook my head up and down. "Yes."
Syr was smiling next to her shaking her body back in forth with her hands behind her back. "Something to do with your supporter. I seen you two and your goddess at a café yesterday."
"Yes. Why didn't you say anything Syr?"
"I thought your goddess would be mad. She always gets mad at you if your around other women. She should butt out of your love life." Syr giggled at my red face.
"Lily is just my supporter and I hope to befriend her. I want to help her out and I think I can finally start saving valis up with her help."
"I will trust your making the right decision Bell." Ryu stared upwards slightly annoyed. "Though I do hope your goddess doesn't interrupt our training over the next few days."
"I think I am Ryu. Even if I am not. Your training will help me survive." I beamed a smile towards her.
Ryu felt warm tingling feeling in her chest. "I-I will make sure you learn everything."
"I want to watch. Tired of not being able to do anything." Syr pouted.
"You have been helping me Syr. Your talk helped me focus on what's important. Reading helped clear my mind. I am getting stronger and going deeper in the dungeon. I somehow bounced back a little financially. I even developed magic."
"I hoped it would." Syr brightened up. "Yeah, we can share you for a few days."
"Eh."
"Syr watch how you say things. People might misunderstand." Ryu looked at her friend worried.
"Ah no fun. I just want to help."
"Fine. Just don't anger mamma Mia Syr." Ryu warned.
"I won't." Syr rolled her eyes. "What about your advisor hating you?"
"My goddess got her fired the night she went to the guild drunk. Eina didn't blame me for it, but I still feel bad about it." Both were stunned.
"Why did she get fired?" Ryu wondered.
"Eina cares about my well-being as much as you two do. She was spending a lot of time helping me in and out of guild hall. Even going back into the dungeon." I replied.
"She was an adventurer." Syr asked.
"Yep, she stopped being an adventurer a few years ago after a few of her friends died in the dungeon. Eina became an advisor for the guild. Now it feels like I forced her to become an adventurer again. I am actually gonna meet her soon to go back in to the dungeon with Lily."
"Bell it's not your fault that your goddess reported her. She doesn't blame you then you shouldn't blame yourself. Just help keep her safe. You don't have to worry about our jobs. Mamma Mia hasn't fired me for my dozens of screwups. A god isn't gonna change her mind." Ryu let out a soft chuckle. "Probably another reason she likes helping you."
My face went red. Syr stared at my reaction menacingly.
*Jiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii* *Gulp*
I held up my hands towards Syr. "You okay Syr."
"Mean bell seducing women left and right."
"I don't think he does it on purpose Syr." Ryu rolled her eyes. "You said you finally got magic."
"Yep, it's a fire magic that's really fast."
"I have to see that tomorrow."
"I don't want to hurt you."
"Bell I am level 4." Ryu smirked. "Come here around noon."
"Okay Ryu. I-I do have to go. See you both tomorrow."
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I walked off down to babel tower to find Lily. She was in elf form. I grabbed her bag and gave her my bow to throw off any suspicion that she was alive. We waited around for a few minutes alone. "Wish you would have told Lily that more would be joining us."
"Sorry Lily. Kind of ran into them this morning." I trailed off with a smile on my face. "They should be here soon."
"Morning Bell." Eina shouted from down the street as she came jogging towards Babel. Eina was wearing her short sleeveless green battle skirt with her second-tier white chest piece and shortsword. Her chest piece was altered by Tsubaki to fit her better. The armor showed off her feminine curves more than before. My face went crimson trying everything possible to stare her in the face. Alicia trailed behind her in her normal pink tunic and brown leather armor.
"H-Hello Eina." I leaned to the side. "Hello Alicia."
'Elves.' Lily gritted her teeth in silence.
"You have some willpower." Alicia chuckled at my face. I nodded slowly and stared her in the eyes.
"I liked how my armor was before." Eina pouted.
"I-it looks great on you E-Eina. Rather you not be uncomfortable going into the dungeon."
"I will do my best." Eina smiled.
Alicia looked behind me at the agitated Lily. "Who is this, Bell?"
"Alicia that is Lily." Eina rolled her eyes. "Lily's using her magic to take that form. Why are you carrying the bag and she has your bow?"
"Trying to throw off Lily's familia, since they think Lily got eaten." Lily crossed her arms at her chest.
"You really think an elf the size of a prum wearing the same outfit is gonna confuse people Lily." Eina said sarcastically.
"Worked so far. Why didn't Master Bell consult Lily on making this decision to add more people?" She shouted up to me with a worried face.
"Lily. Eina and Alicia are wonderful. Should be easier with both of them being here. Alicia is a second-tier adventurer."
"Wait! The Silvan of Loki familia." Lily shouted. (2)
Alicia placed her fingers on her temple. "You sure you're trying to hide." She states sarcastically. "Why should he consult you, Lily? If anything, he should consult us since you tried to kill him."
"Lily might get in trouble if Master Bell doesn't talk to her about these things. Goddess Hestia entrusted me with making sure Master Bell is safe." She closed her eyes and shouted at the two elves desperately.
"You're a weird choice." Alicia stared in disbelief before turning towards me. "Why does she call you master, Bell?"
"I keep telling her to stop calling me that." I gave a nervous smile back at the three women.
"Lily does it out of respect."
"It feels kind of weird Lily being called that. I am nobody's master. I am just Bell. Do you three want to go into the dungeon? I promised miss Nahza that I would finish her quest."
"Yes Bell." Eina giggled. "The blue papillon butterflies are a rare monster on floor seven though. Best chance to find them would probably be to wait in the pantry, but there will be a lot of monsters in there."
"We will be fine, Eina." Alicia smiled. "Weird that a level one has a quest."
"Why is that, Alicia?"
"Hmmm. Follow me over to the quest board." Alicia motioned to us over to a giant wooden sign near the stairs to the dungeon.
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A minute later the four of us were encircled around the wooden board. Many pieces of paper were nailed to the board. Quests, notices and level ups. The quests detailed what was needed and a list of rewards with the familia emblem and signature. "Most quests are posted by the guild here. These are the quests available for now." Alicia mentioned. "Like this group is trying to take down the goliath floor boss but they want level threes and above. That wouldn't be smart even for me outside of the familia. We could technically do Hellhound fangs x10 quest, but no offense I don't want to look after three level ones."
"That's fair. So, most quests are in the middle levels or lower. What about the Orc Hide x30, Alicia?"
Lily interrupts. "I don't think we could do that in a day."
"You seen all the corpses he left on floor twelve, Lily. With the four of us we could do it." Alicia turns to me. "If we're lucky enough."
I smiled bashfully toward her. "Honestly can't tell if its luck or a curse." I scratched my back nervously. "Let's go to floor seven pantry first. Eina and Lily can be vanguard."
"Me." Lily looked scared.
"Why not?" I shrugged my shoulder. "You should benefit too. Not really gonna bother with Kobold or goblin stones."
Lily's magically shaped elf ears drooped low. "Lily hasn't had a status update in over six months. You have to pay to get a status update and my familia thinks I am dead."
Alicia looks down slightly sadden. "You can at least get practice Lily. Prum's are supposed to have good eyesight and the three of us are here."
"Okay." Lily responded happily.
The three women started walking off to the dungeon when they noticed me staring at the board with a shocked look on my face. "What's wrong Bell?" Eina came up to grab my arm.
"Ais. She leveled." I stared at the paper on the board that Ais Wallenstein soloed a deep level boss and obtained level six.
"Oh yeah." Eina responded.
"That fight was crazy." Alicia replied. "She soloed Uduaes while the rest of us just kept the Spartois off her."
"Wow." I said in stunned.
"Somethings are just beyond our comprehension. You will get their someday. Let's go Bell." Eina urged me forward.
The four of us preceding to the stairs. Me a human boy being surrounded by three elven women. An elf man came out of the dungeon and smirked. "Keep the rabbit on a leash."
Alicia stomped the ground creating a small crater. She yelled threateningly. "He will keep you on leash if you don't mind your own dam business." The elf man's eyes went wide in shock and fear as he sped up to get away. "Ignore him, Bell." The four of us descended the stairs to the dungeon. Lily was scared, Eina was giggling and I was speechless and red faced.
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Eina and Lily cleared the way down the first six floors with only minor problems. Lily was not use to using a regular bow and had trouble pulling the drawstring back in time. Eina or Alicia jumped into cover for her as I only retrieved the arrows. I stayed closer to Lily on the sixth floor. Within the hour of exploring, we were closing in on the exit to floor seven.
"I am surprised you didn't bring up Lady Riveria not being here Bell." Eina stared back at me.
"Wait Master Bell you know Nine Hells too." Lily looked at me shocked.
I blushed a little. "I like to think of her as a friend if I am worthy. She has been helping me out a lot, Lily."
"Friend." Eina spoke curiously in a low voice. "She thinks of you very fondly Bell."
Alicia stared at Eina a bit agitated. "Eina."
"Probably thinks I am some annoying child. She is the vice-captain of your familia. She is probably couldn't get away. I assumed she had some more important things to catch up on."
Alicia spoke up. "Lady Riveria apologizes for not coming but she had to take care of somethings."
"It's okay Alicia. I do like having you around as well." I quickly turned around to kill a few war shadows with my knives.
"Hehe." Eina went up to Alicia to elbow her lightly and laughed at her.
I turned around after picking up a few war shadow claws. "Besides her husband probably takes a lot of her time up." My eyes shifted downward, before I turned to Lily. "Want to switch out gear, Lily?"
"Sure, Master Bell." I dropped the bag at Lily's feet and she gave me back my bow.
"Bell, she -." Eina tried to correct me, but was interrupted by Alicia's elbow into her armor. Sending Eina to the ground a few feet away.
I was surprised seeing the weird action between the two elven women. "Everything okay."
Alicia helped Eina up to her feet. "Just making sure her armor was fit correctly before going deeper. Level seven pantry is our first stop right."
"Yes." I said nervously before leading the way down the stairs to floor seven.
Eina whispered in Alicia's ear. "Why?"
"Eina stop. It's better this way." Alicia warned.
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The pantry was much different than the rest of the dark bluish cavern of floor seven. The pantry glowed a pale green color emanating from a center pillar made of quartz. The pantry room was a lot larger than the normal floor height. The pillar looked like a tree with clear white sap trickled down the rock creating a large pool at the base.
Killer ants, needle rabbits and purple moths were drinking the sap around the pool. "Is Master Bell surprised?"
"Yes Lily. I didn't think places like this existed for the monsters to eat in peace."
"The dungeon stores food for them here in the pantries of every floor." Alicia stared down at Lily. "They would starve to death if they had to rely on prum."
"Ha-Ha." Lily stared up agitated. "We should hide. Their streaming in from dozens of entrances."
"Maybe if it was the two of you that would be a good idea. We are here too." Alicia stated. "I will sit back and guard Lily while you two get some practice. I will jump in if needed. Even the rarer monsters got to eat so this will be the best location to stay."
"Okay Alicia." I pulled out my knives and I stared around at the peaceful monsters. "I almost hate to interrupt them."
"The second they notice were here. Their gonna want to try to kill you, Bell." Eina replied. "It's just a trick of the dungeon to lower your guard. Plus, I haven't seen your magic yet."
"Hold on to your eyes Eina. It's a bit ridiculous." Alicia shook her head.
I aimed my hand toward a nesting duo of purple moths sipping the sap from the pillar. "Firebolt. Firebolt." Two streams of fiery lighting sped off to torch the moths. Even holding back, I noticed the growth in the magic potency.
"What the hell? There is no chant at all." Eina stared at me in disbelief.
"It's not as powerful as yours Eina."
"You could fire dozens of them off before I finished my chant Bell." She continues to stare at me. "Figures the you get something that's matches your rabbit speed."
We backed ourselves into a corner as swarms of ants responded in rage for having their mother's sacred ground defiled. The needle rabbit brigade was the first to rush our position. I lunged forward and carved a swath through their numbers with just my knives. I kicked one of them into the mashing pincers of the ants, covering the ant with blood of its ally as it chomped the rabbit to pieces.
Eina swiped horizontally at one rabbit cutting it in half, then she spins her body and brings hands into an upward diagonal slash at the next rabbit before stabbing the first ant in the skull. She was alarmed by the swarm coming after her and hesitated.
"Firebolt. Firebolt. Firebolt." I softened their numbers in front of Eina. The second row backed up alarmed allowing Eina to jump backwards.
Alicia was standing in the back a little bored casually cutting ants to piece that came down from the walls or the flanks while Lily tried to collect drops. "Lily knew this would happen."
"Firebolt. Firebolt. Firebolt. Eina want to use your spell." I suggested as I continued to corral the swarm into the center with my magic.
"Okay Bell keep them off me." Eina decapitated two more ants that escaped the swarm.
She started her chant while I continued to pepper the swarm with firebolts. "Earth split asunder. Sheen of iron. Upheave the very rock and stone beneath my toe. Gnome, Incarnate of the land. Rain down your missiles and extinguish the light – Midgard's Twilight."
Eina summoned the earth magic and propelled the chunks of earth at the pile of ants in the middle. Shattering their bodies with a huge mass of earth. Shrapnel from the magic and ant carcasses shot up into the center pillar severing it from ground.
CRACK. CRACK. CRACK. BOOM
The roof started cracking open as the tree like quartz pillar came crashing to the ground. Alicia noticed what was happening. "Run! The room is gonna collapse." The four of us noticed the roof crumbling as chunks started falling from the roof. Alicia picked up Lily and raced after me and Eina.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
We barely escaped the room in time before a deafening boom came from behind us. As the pantry imploded on itself crushing every monster left in the room. "Everybody alright."
"Good." Eina and Alicia responded.
"Crazy elf magic trying to kill us all." Lily barked after rolling out of Alicia's grip and dusting herself off.
"Sorry." Eina muttered with a painful face. "I forgot the center pillars of pantries are structural."
"Never taking Eina to a pantry again." Alicia stood up and straighten herself out. "Guess we aren't gonna finish that quest….." Alicia stood there staring down the hall speechless.
"Alicia are you okay?" I followed her gaze to a radiate blue light coming from down the hall as half a dozen butterflies were flying to the pantry to help their allies. The blue papillon butterflies were harmless but the scales from their wings flake off and heal other monsters. I smiled wide and grabbed my knives. "Wow, Good timing."
I raced forward with Alicia. We killed all six of the butterflies before they could even respond. We took care to avoid damaging the wings and magic stones.
A little while later I was sharing my lunch with Eina and Alicia. As Lily finished looting the monster bodies. "Crazy loot drops. We got twelve wings." Lily sat down in front of us a little annoyed by the sight of us three sitting together. She pulled out a sandwich she had made for herself. "Too bad you're trading the drops. You could probably get over thirty thousand valis with them being in good condition.
"That's amazing. That should definitely make Lord Miach and Miss Nahza happy."
Alicia eyed me up curiously. "Is that where you get your potions?"
"Yes. I forgot to ask miss Nahza about them. She kind of surprised me with the quest."
"Lily thinks they are trying to take advantage of you."
"You think." I was taken aback.
Eina spoke in a soft tone. "Bell your kind of a little too trusting. Do you have a potion with you?"
"I have a mind potion that she gave me as a down payment." I reached into my armor to pull out the blue vial.
"Here give it to me." Eina pulled the vial out of my hands and dipped her finger into it. Alicia did the same. Both women tasted the syrupy potion. They both stared at each other and shook their heads. "Bell this has been watered down and artificially dyed."
"What?" My chest sunk and my eyes were wide in shock.
Alicia tilted her head looking at me. "It's probably only half quality. You should probably just cash in the drops and shop at Dian Cecht like everybody else."
I reached out for the potion and downed it. The effects of replenishing my mind were miniscule compared to ones I got from Loki familia in the past. "I don't get it. Lord Miach is Goddess's friend."
"Maybe Miss Nahza doing it behind his back." Lily suggested.
"Why?" Alicia responded.
"I think I might know. Lord Miach brought goddess home before monsterphilia. I escorted him home. Miss Nahza was mad at Lord Miach for covering Goddess's tab, because their having financial problems. I did pay it back."
"Lily thinks you should sell them and forget the quest."
"I think I want to talk with Lord Miach tomorrow morning with you and goddess. Before deciding what to do with them."
Alicia smiled. "You are a different. Most would cash them in to get the valis."
"Sorry."
"Its fine Bell." Eina replied. "Want to continue with the other quest for the orc hides? It's not even noon yet."
"Sure, I think the reward for that is a hundred and twenty thousand valis." Within a few minutes, we finished eating and proceeded down further into the dungeon. Myself and Eina in the vanguard, Lily in the middle with Alicia picking up the rearguard. Alicia was feeling nostalgic going through these floors so methodically.
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The fear stricken brown haired man barely managed to make it out of the pantry in time before it collapsed. He was monitoring the four adventurers the whole time, keeping his distance.
"What the hell? Did they drop the pantry on purpose?" Hod was panting heavily barely escaping being crushed by the stone roof.
He dusted himself off and slowly walked down the hallway. He froze still at the end of the hall. A massive seven-foot tall boaz man encompassed the entrance before him. Ottar stared down at Hod with a piercing gaze that made Hod shake in fear. "I think you have better things to do then trying to kill yourself by collapsing the pantry."
GULP
Hod was speechless. Ottar clenched his fist wanting to end him but it would go against his lady's wishes. "Maybe you should take a few days to figure out life before you die a stupid death." With that ottar turned around and walked by himself down the depths of the dungeon. No monsters dared to get in his way on these floors.
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An hour later we arrived at floor ten. We filed out into the foggy grass covered prairie. The high ceilings and landform trees brought back a horrible memory for Eina. Her breathing got heavier. I turned around to stare into her fearful emerald eyes. "Eina, we don't have to continue. I know what this floor means to you."
"I-I have to get over it." She squealed out trying to control her breathing. "I have to grow and show them their deaths weren't for nothing. If you can solo floor twelve. I can stomach going down here again."
Alicia placed her hand on Eina's shoulder. "They would be proud of you regardless of what you decide to do Eina."
"Thank you."
"Just those dragons scare me." Eina says.
"I will not to lose next time Eina. I refuse to let a thing happen to you." I assured her.
"Lily thinks you should kill the imps coming down from the roof instead of flirting." She warned.
"Firebolt. Firebolt. Firebolt." I aimed my hand without even looking at three different locations. A few seconds later, three imp corpses fell from the roof and splatted on the ground. "I got it Lily."
The three women stared at me with bulging eyes. "How? I wasn't even paying attention to them." Alicia replied.
"Felt something staring at us wanting to hurt us." I shrugged my shoulders. "Though I guess we should kill the orcs over that ridge."
STOMP. STOMP. STOMP.
As if on cue a dozen towering muscular orcs appeared over the horizons. Landform clubs in hand and mashing their tusks hungrily anticipating their meal.
The women were about to ask again when the sound of footsteps came behind us. Alarmed we turned to see an intimidating boaz man. The orcs backed up a little in fear. "King." Alicia muttered out loud.
"Excuse me." Ottar announced in a deep voice and walked through our formation, completely ignoring us with the exception of a sideways glance toward me.
Slowly and without a shred of worry the large man approached the herd of orcs and stopped in front of them. The orcs encircled the massive boaz man and out of desperation the orcs lunged all at the same time towards Ottar. With a single swipe of his huge sword. All twelve of the orcs were skewered in half without any effort from him. The orc bodies collapsed to the ground soaking the ground with their pig blood.
Ottar glanced over his shoulder to four of us shocked by how easily he carved through them all. "You can have them. I have business elsewhere." With that he turned and slowly walked off through the floor to the next.
"Woah." I said out loud in childlike admiration. "Who is that?"
"Seriously." Alicia stared at me her brow scrunched up in a confused stared. "Guess he hasn't been in the dungeon in a long time."
Eina shook her head. "Bell, that is the strongest man in the world and the only level seven in Orario, Ottar the King."
"That's amazing." I replied.
"How do you not know that?" Lily stared up at me.
"The only news I got outside my village was from traveling merchants or from my grandpa. I didn't even know who Riveria or Ais were when I met them."
"HUH." Alicia said out loud in a high pitch voice.
"You know the sword princess!" Lily looked stunned.
I pinched my index and thumb finger together. "Just a little. Goddess Loki really knows how to pick amazing women."
Alicia and Eina blushed a deep crimson. Eina started giggling. "You're too much Bell."
I smiled nervously. "Should we continue."
"I am not gonna pass up free stuff." Lily whipped out her scavenging knife and started removing the stones and picking up the orc hides."
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As the sun was setting over the horizon, the captains, executives and goddess Loki were gathered in a conference room, in the twilight manor. They had just finished discussing what happened on floor twenty-four. Evilus were using jeweled fetuses to grow monsters in the pantries, which disturbed the spawning and feeding cycles of the monsters. Forcing them to spill out of the middle floors. Riviria was almost overrun when Loki familia arrived to push them back. They also discovered that red head tamer Revius was a hybrid between a monster and a human and that she gets stronger by feasting on monster stones. She collapsed the pantry on top of them to allow herself to flee and recover her wounds.
"Geez this is almost too much to believe." Loki was rolling a bottle of alcohol around in her hand trying to understand the situation. "So, are you really gonna spring her trap on floor fifty-nine?"
"We were planning on going to fifty-nine anyways, Loki." Finn commented. "We have to defeat whatever army they are hatching. We have enough funds for the expedition. Ais emptied a storage locker with a hefty reward from completing the mission."
"Still Finn. I don't get a good feeling about it." Loki winced.
"Our enemy won't stop their plan to destroy Orario, Loki." Riveria spoke up. "We will have help from Hesphaistos smiths and will have access to a full set of durandal weapons for the expedition."
"Are you still planning to leave next Wednesday?" Loki asked.
"Yes. Why do you want me to change it?" Finn stared up to the goddess.
"Well, the Lunar festival is next Tuesday. I wanted to show all of Orario my cute collection of hot girls off under the moon."
"Such a perv." Everyone around the table replied in unison.
"Our familia reputation has been falling of late. If we lose then our familia is done for!" Loki narrowed her eyes with her hands on her hips, refusing to back down.
"We can't let them get any stronger Loki." Finn replied.
"Its just one more day." Loki pleaded.
"Loki were not gonna jeopardize Orario just so you can flaunt the women of this familia." Riveria reprimanded Loki.
"I got an idea. That will settle both concerns." Gareth spoke gaining everybody's attention.
"Yes Gareth." Loki raced over to the dwarf with a hungry look of anticipation.
"I want to kill the Amphisbaenas by myself." Gareth huffed out his chest.
"You gonna try to level." Loki started shaking side to side happy.
"I want too, Loki. The strength of our enemy as made me realized that I need to push myself harder. I don't know if the Amphisbaena will be enough for me to level. We can go down and clear it out early. With The Amphisbaena and Uduaes out the way. That dammed Balor shouldn't spawn for at least three months. We can save a day of rest."
"I am taking Eina to her mothers for a few days Gareth. I am not pushing it off any longer." Riveria replied.
"Amphisbaena shouldn't spawn to Saturday night, Riveria." Finn added. "Gives you three days if you leave tomorrow."
"Good we can leave immediately when you get back." Gareth ordered. "Spend two days down there with minimum gear and people."
"Sounds like a plan. The enemy won't be expecting a level seven. Now to the last bit of information, any word on Hod's location." Finn stared around the table at the various shaking heads.
"Me and Eina spoke with Bell this morning on the wall."
"Oooooooh." Tiona teased
Riveria clenched her fists making an audible crack of her knuckles scaring the amazon. "As I was going to say, Bell seems to think he will be able to handle Hod. Still, I warned him to not travel in the dungeon alone and I think we should still have people watch after him."
"Why bother?" Bete sneered. "He wants to be a man. Let him."
"Awe you like the rabbit too." Loki teased.
"Like hell I do, hag!" Bete yelled at the goddess. Making Loki smile.
"Still to overcome the level gap would be a hard challenge regardless of how skilled?" Finn stroked his chin feeling the pain in his thumb.
"Captain." The blonde Clienthrope stepped forward.
"Yes Cruz."
"I believe he may be hiding out in the pleasure quarter."
"Gross." Women around the table replied.
"Why do you think that, Cruz?"
"Hod often snuck out to visit a woman there. I have no idea who, but that is my best guess."
"I don't want any of our people scouring the pleasure quarter. The women would be harassed and the men would get distracted. Let alone drawing the attention of Ishtar." Loki responded. "Probably be safer to place a bounty to force him out."
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Six hours later we were continuing hunting orcs. Alicia stopped the landform weapons with her blade for Eina to cut into the orcs since her physical stats were still a little low for this floor while Lily stayed out of the fights and collected the drops.
Swish.
An imp was shot out of the sky above Lily back in her prum form. It dropped right in front of her face causing her to jump. "Ahhhhhhh. Did you have to do it so close Master Bell."
"Sorry." I muttered before rolling under an orc mid swing of its landform club. I jumped up to my feet after clearing its legs and crawled up its back to its shoulders and shot an arrow into its skull. The orc body collapsed face forward as I slid off it.
"Firebolt." I sent a fiery blast into the back of another orc bearing down on Eina. Its hunched forward in pain. Allowing Eina to dodge out of the way and impale it in the skull.
"Thank you, Bell."
"No problem. Do you want to use your magic against group spawning to your right?" I aimed my hand at the wall and sent a torrent of firebolts to soften up the orcs and imps spawning as Eina started her chant again.
"Raaar." An imp came lunging out of the fog next to Alicia and Eina. Swish. An arrow impaled the beast and sent it flying into the ground before Alicia's blade could catch it.
Alicia raised her head to stare at me. As Eina finished her chant. "Midgard's twilight" Eina aimed her earth magic at the spawning horde and obliterated them with her magic. Eina wiped her brow feeling tired from the continuous fighting. She stared up watching me jump between three orcs and cutting them down in seconds. "Alicia when did you learn to move like that?"
"Today." Alicia locked eyes with Eina with a weird look.
"Oh, so I am not the only one who thinks it's weird." Lily came up to the two elves. "He does this all the time."
"Firebolt." I sent another blast at the head of the orc. It held its head in pain oblivious to rabbit barring its red crimson knives onto its neck. The orc collapsed dead head first into the ground. I pulled my knives out of its neck. I wiped my forehead and smiled toward Lily. "Do we almost have enough Lily."
"Master Bell, we got more than enough orc hides. Maybe we should call it a day."
"Sounds good." We helped Lily collect the rest of the drops and spent the next few hours fighting our way out of the dungeon.
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We surfaced out of the dungeon around 10pm. We turned in the monster stones and other drop items we didn't need for the quest and received ninety thousand valis. "Wow" All four of us responded. In shock staring at the pile of money.
"How do we divide it up?" Eina responded.
"In quarters." I responded.
"You did a lot more than either of us Bell." Alicia responded.
"Alicia we all risked our lives down there the same amount." I looked at her confused.
"Then just split it in thirds. Just helping Eina is enough for me. It's too late in the evening to turn in the orc hide quest to Hesphaistos familia and Eina is leaving the city tomorrow." Alicia replied.
"Well ninety plus one hundred and twenty is two hundred and ten without the butterfly quest. Lily why don't we give them seventy thousand now and we can spend the morning cashing in the two quests."
"That will work Master Bell. I feel a little nervous carrying all these drop items around alone. Gonna drop it off at your place."
"O-okay." I said nervously, before turning to Alicia and Eina. "Where are you going Eina?"
"I am gonna talk with my parents. I keep pushing it off. They live a few miles south of the port city Melen. Lady Riveria is going along too. She is best friends with my mother."
"Wow, have fun on your trip. Hope your parents are doing well."
"I will tell them you said hello." She smiled at my reaction. "You're not going into the dungeon after are you."
"No" I shook my head lightly. "I am getting help from Ryu again. She offered to train me some more."
"The elven waitress." Alicia asks.
"Yep. Probably gonna spend the next few days getting myself beat up on purpose."
"Ha-ha. I have to meet her sometime." Eina chuckled.
"She seems nice." Alicia replied. "I think we should get going. Are you sure your gonna be okay getting home?"
"Why wouldn't he be?" Lily stared up to the elf with a suspicious stare.
"I will be fine, Alicia. Have a good night." Me and Lily turned around and walked west towards the church.
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Hod was staring at the white-haired kid amd prum supporter walking down the western road. He knocked out a few street lights earlier with rocks near a shady intersection. He was ready to pounce on two level ones on the empty streets.
"Everything alright master Bell." Lily stared up concerned.
"I get the feeling that were being watched my multiple people, that aren't friendly. Speed up Lily."
Hod lunged out of his hiding spot with sword in hand.
BAM
Instantly Hod lost consciousness and collapsed in the alleyway. As a dark elf man smacked him into the pavement. "I should kill you now." The dark elf stared down at the unconscious body. "My lady doesn't want him dead."
The dark elf man pulled out and elixir and poured it on top of Hod's unconscious body, to heal his wounds. He then pulled out two bottles of alcohol. He poured one on top of hod and uncorked the other and placed it in his hands and threw a few thousand valis underneath him.
"That should keep him busy for a few days." The dark elf threw the empty bottle on the ground and jumped up to the roof and sped off.
"Everything okay Master Bell." Lily was scared.
"I think I am just being paranoid. Sorry Lily." I sighed in relief as both menacing pair of eyes were gone.
"Master Bell is weird." She smirked seeing me nod in agreement.
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Within a half hour we made it back to the church. "You live here master Bell."
"Yeah, but hopefully we can save up some money and move into something nicer after I pay my weapons off."
"You can probably buy a small house outright for a million or get an apartment for as low twenty thousand a month, Master Bell."
"Interesting an apartment might be the fastest option but I really want our familia to grow." I pondered out loud as I opened the church door. "I would have to earn like fifty thousand a week to afford the house, pay my weapon off, food and potions."
"Plus, furnishings." Lily added. "Maybe when you get level two you can convince your goddess to find a new place."
"I should. I have to ask Eina for help to find a new place? She lives separately from her familia." I opened the basement door. "We live down in the basement."
"Okay Master Bell. Lily doesn't do chains in the dungeon though." She said with a salacious tone before she walked down the spiral staircase. I shook my head to get the thought out of my head and walked after her.
Lily opened the door as I yelled out. "Goddess. I am home."
"Bell." She came running to the door. She came to a skidding halt seeing Lily in her prum form holding a bag. "What is your supporter doing here?"
"Goddess her name is Lily. We completed a quest for Lady Hesphaistos and Lord Miach. We have the drop items in her bag."
"Oh, you didn't want her to run off with it."
"Lily promised not to scam anymore and she meant it."
"Goddess please try to trust her." I turned around to Lily. "It's getting really late, Lily. Do you want to sleep on the couch? I can sleep on the floor."
"No, I couldn't let you sleep on this floor in your own place. The couch looks like it could fit two." Lily teased.
"I forbid it Miss Supporter. Bell sleeps with me." She places her hands on her hips.
"Lily doesn't think that would be appropriate. I can just go back to my cheap hotel."
"Don't want you traveling all alone. Goddess could Lily bunk with you tonight."
Hestia pouted. "Fine but if she tries anything. She's out."
"Lily won't." She places her bag down.
Goddess shows her where to get cleaned up and I go in after she's done. I passed out immediately on the couch. While Lily and Goddess Hestia were fighting over the covers. "I know what you're trying to do miss Supporter."
"Master Bell offered."
"I thought I told you to take it easy. You were gone all day."
"Master Bell was given a quest by Lord Miach that he needed help completing. I was trying to take all day with it on floor seven but we got lucky with finding the monsters early and his girlfriends convinced him to go back to floor ten."
"Girlfriends." Hestia shot up in bed and stared angrily down at the frightened Lily. "Explain."
"Two Loki familia elven women joined our party." She said a little scared pulling the covers to her face.
"What?!" Hestia clenched her fists. "They just won't leave my Bell alone."
"Why not go along tomorrow morning to turn in the quests? Lord Miach is scamming Bell with his potions." Lily suggested.
"I can sense you're not lying but it makes me uneasy. I will go along to protect him.
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(Day 23)
9am the three of us were walking to the blue pharmacy to talk with Lord Miach. "Goddess why are you holding me so tight?" I tilted my head over to address her as she held onto my arm.
"Well, we need to get this addressed. My friend has been taken advantage of my poor sweet Bell."
"I am sure there is a reason behind it, Goddess."
"Lily thinks you just sell the drop items." She opens the door to the blue pharmacy and the three of us file into the shop.
Nahza stood up surprised by the emergence of a group into her shop. "Good morning, Bell. Did you finish my quest already?"
"We did finish it. We managed to get twelve wings Miss Nahza."
"Seriously twelve. That's amazingly lucky." Her tail starts to wag furiously in excitement when Lily places a box on the table with all the wings wrapped inside. Nahza's smiled widened seeing the light blue hue of the wings spill out when she opened the box. "I can give you thirty health potions and two mind potions. That's worth about twenty-four thousand valis."
"Miss Nahza, I know the quality of your potions are not right."
"What?! Of course, they are Bell?" She shifts back in forth.
"Liar." Hestia yells at the clienthrope. "I want to speak to Miach now. I am not letting my Bell fall for your scam."
"I am not scamming."
"You cannot lie to a god." Hestia shouted.
"Rather impressive scam." Lily replied. "You are watering down your potions and artificially boosting their color."
Nahza's face was draining of color, knowing she was caught. Her tail was no longer swaying but was bent at a weird angle in shame. A fumbling noise came from a back room. The blue haired god Miach walked out. "What is going on Nahza? I hear a lot of shouting. Oh, good morning, Hestia. Bell."
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A few minutes had passed with us explaining what happened to Lord Miach. He throws himself into a bow. "One of my own has caused you a great deal of trouble. I am sorry Bell! I will return every valis that was taken."
"Um, please get up Lord Miach. It's not a big deal.
"It is a big deal, Bell. I don't know how I could ever face you again knowing I have wronged you." He stands up avoiding my stare. "This has caused you problems, too Hestia. We took what little money you have available."
"What's done is done. Teach her right. I will let this slide this time for helping me out of a few jams."
"Yes, it will be done Hestia."
Hestia turned to Lily. "Great job supporter for catching this in time. I am relieved you are taking such good care of Bell."
"Glad I could be of Service to you and Master Bell."
'T-taking care of…. like a child.' I watched goddess happily nod to the Lily respectably bowing before her. 'Like they have a contract.'
"Nahza. Why did you do this?! The business world moves on honesty and trust. Answer me!" Miach shouted at the cowering clienthrope woman.
"Lord Miach is it because of money problems. I heard you the morning of Monsterphilia." Both Lord Miach and Naaza shook their heads.
"Bell was pretty adamant on paying you back as fast as possible." Hestia remembered.
"Still doesn't excuse her actions, Bell." Miach responded holding his head.
"True I have wronged Bell but we will never pay back the loan in time." Nahza pleaded. "Our bank account is always on the brink of collapse and you give away potions for free to every girl you meet."
"Loan?"
Nahza face grimaced as she pulled up her right sleeve to reveal a silver arm. "I use to be an adventurer like you Bell. Crawling the dungeon. One time I messed up and a hellhound ate my arm. Lord Miach took out a colossal loan from Dian Cecht to pay off the silver arm. Every adventure left the familia because of the debt. Leaving my lord in debt with a useless adventurer."
"Nahza I never blamed you." Miach stares into her shame filled eyes.
"Lord M-
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"Fu-Ha-Ha-Ha, I'm coming in you useless God!" A loud roar of laughter filled the room as an old god came into the pharmacy wearing a decorative white and gold robe with lots of jewelry. He had a twisted grin on his face. Behind him was a doll like silver haired woman.
"Lord Dian Cecht what are you doing here?" Nahza squealed in fear.
"You forced me out to your run-down shop you lousy beggars. Where's my money, Miach?"
"We don't have it yet, Dian."
"I have given you extension after extension out of the goodness of my heart." Lord Cecht held his hands to his chest and released it. "I guess I will have to run you out of business and sell your home to cover your debt. Fu-Ha-ha-Ha!"
"No please give us a little more time to come up with this month's payment." Miach begs.
"Why should I?
"Excuse me Lord Dian Cecht."
The old god turned toward me. "What do you want boy? You gonna beg me for money too."
"No sir." I reached into Lily's bag for the coin purse of twenty thousand valis and handed it to the god. "Give them more time please."
"Master Bell what are you doing?" Lily shouted out loud.
"Trust me, Lily." I smiled at her.
Lord Cecht laughter ceased, his crooked smile turned into a scowl as he eyed me up and down. "Why would you cover for these lowlifes?"
"Friends should try to help one another, especially in times of pain." I stared into the elder god's eyes.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh." He yells out in anger before grabbing the pouch of valis. "Let's go Airmid." The elder god stormed out of the pharmacy. The doll like woman tilted her head and smiled, before turning around to follow her god.
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"I don't understand. Why would you do that Bell?" Nahza stared at me with tears in her eyes.
"I wanted to help and ask you something."
"What is it? Anything Bell." Lord Miach asked me.
"Would you be able to take care of Lily, Lord Miach?"
"Master Bell, Lily can take care of herself?"
I turned toward her. "You sure. I think you need a home or at least a temporary place. You are living in cheap motels. Soma familia abuses you and left you to die. Plus, you have experience with mixing things." I trailed off smiling toward her.
"Eh." Lily's face went pale as she fell back against her bag. I chuckled as she remembered the floor eight incident.
"Bell wouldn't that put a target on Miach's back." Hestia asked.
"If they find out Lily is alive. They will burn this place to the ground, master Bell. They done it before."
"I may be level two but with my arm I would not be able to hold off multiple opponents." Nahza replied.
"If she wants to live here, she can. I probably can't undo Soma's influence over her, but we can at least provide a place for her to rest her head."
I turned to Goddess. "Would it possible for you and Lord Miach to talk with Lord Ganesha? Explain what happened when the guild rereleased her back to Soma familia."
"We can try Bell." Hestia shook her head and smiled wide.
"We still have to pay you for your hard work to get those butterfly wings." Miach offered.
"Keep them. We got lucky finding them. We still have the orc hide quest to turn in to Lady Hesphaistos."
"Thank you, Bell." Lord Miach came up to hug me. "I will make sure that the potions are not tampered with and do my best to look after Lily."
"Thank you."
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An hour later, at the Hesphaistos shop up north. Welf was at the counter with his goddess. "You figure out how your gonna level yet Welf."
"Not yet goddess. Not exactly like I get any help in the dungeon, Goddess, nobody lets me join their battle party."
"Well, whose fault is that Welf?" The goddess focused her sole eye on welf with a sarcastic smile. "Still wondering how you got that fifty-point boost?"
"I don't know goddess."
Ring.
The door opened up; Lily came in first with her pack. "You." Welf shouted at her. She backed up in fear.
"Calm down Welf. I raced up by her side. She's with me." I held out my hands.
"Hello Bell." Hesphaistos grinned wide.
"Good morning, Lady Hesphaistos. Nice to see you again."
I blushed lightly. Welf furrowed his brow sensing something was amiss between his goddess and Bell. He stared up at his goddess. "Something I should know."
Hestia followed pushing her way by Lily's bag. "You can tell her to stop flirting with my Bell."
"Only met him twice and he started it with his sweet words." Hesphaistos giggled. "He's got his mind set on somebody else and he isn't a smith." She grabs Welf by the shoulder and pulls him in close to his surprise. "Don't get mad at your only customer. Could learn something from him, Welf."
"His mind is on the dungeon only." Hestia stared up at me menacingly.
"Why is she back with you Bell?" Welf said a little nervously feeling his goddess's warmth.
"Master Bell has forgiven Lily. Lily is his permanent supporter since he rescued me on floor 12."
"Floor twelve!?" Welf and Hesphaistos stared at me alarmed.
"Weren't you just on floor eight a couple weeks ago." Welf replied. Hesphaistos focused her sole eye on the nervous Hestia and squinted to analyze her friend.
"He almost died doing it." Hestia crossed her arms and stared down at Lily. "Way to go supporter."
"Maybe I should of took you up on your offer to join your battle party." Welf face palmed. "Had a difficult time believing you paid off so much the other day."
"Lily is great at her job. I trust we won't have any problems in the future."
"Lily won't ever betray you again. Lily swears." Welf stared over to Hesphaistos. She shakes her head up and down with her head rested on her hand.
"If you want to join in the future. I would be fine with that Welf. I am gonna be busy for the next couple of days."
"Alright. Sounds like fun. Did you come here for something else, Bell?" Welf asks.
"We came to turn in a quest." I pulled out a piece of paper and placed it on the counter before them. The quest had their familia insignia.
"Dam, Idril is gonna like you. She just asked me for permission to post that quest yesterday. Must be Lucky to get so thirty orc hides in one day." Hesphaistos smirked toward me.
"Who is Idril?" I asked out of curiosity. (3)
"She is my vice-captain. She's too busy helping Tsubaki with an order." Hesphaistos replied. "She is a very beautiful dark elf though." She winked at me.
"Absolutely not." Hestia shouted. "Were just here to turn the quest in to you."
"Ah no fun. Dear Hestia you need to let the children of Gekai live their lives." She chuckled at Hestia's face. "Alright let's see what you got for us."
Lily started unpacking her overstuffed bag. Piling all thirty hides on the counter. I gave Lily seventy thousand. I kept fifty thousand for myself.
"Where you going Bell?" Hestia asks suspiciously.
"A friend of mine is gonna help me train. See you later." I raced out of the shop to avoid further questioning.
Hestia chases after me. "Wait Bell." I lost her in the streets.
Lily stayed behind at the shop. "Can I help you, Lily?" Welf stared down at Lily agitated.
"Lily needs some weapons crafted in my price range and somehow you crafted decent stuff for Master Bell." (4)
"You have the money." Welf stared down at her.
"Lily has a hidden savings."
"Good because I don't even trust you even a little bit, Lily." Welf stared daggers at the prum girl.
"I can understand." She rolled her eyes.
"Fu-ha-ha-ha."
"What's so funny?" Lily pouted.
"Oh, nothing Lil' Bit." Welf laughed at Lily's angry face.
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I finally managed to make it to the Hostess after dropping off my valis and equipping my armor. Ryu and Syr were waiting out front. Syr was in her waitress uniform and Ryu was wearing a white t-shirt and green shorts with brown gloves and her wooden sword. "Afternoon Ryu. Syr."
"Hello Bell."
"What ever happened to showing up early?" Syr teased.
"Sorry I had to shake my goddess. She's been following me around all morning."
"Ha-ha." Ryu chuckled. "You're getting better at running away from goddesses."
"Huh." Syr stared confused at Ryu.
"Bell got ambushed last week by a few goddesses. I swore more happened to him."
"Nothing happened. I swear. Think I would be living on the streets if I did."
"Well, I would ask Momma to let you live here. Even if you snuck out with another goddess." Syr giggled at my red face.
"Stop teasing him, Syr. He not gonna be able to take this training seriously." Ryu ordered. "Let's go out back"
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We were standing in the backyard of the Hostess. "What do you want me to do first, Ryu?"
"What do you think are your weakest areas?"
"I just got my magic so it's a few grades behind my other ability stats. My defense has been lagging behind."
"The only way to up the defense is to take hits and survive. Still confused how you kept up with a level two after five weeks."
"I don't know." I shrugged my shoulders.
Weirdly enough both women believed him. Ryu shook her head and asked. "Bell, you. said you have fire magic and it was quick. Does it have a large area of effect, Bell?"
"No, it's kind of weak. I use it to get me out of sticky situations or when I get cornered."
"Okay." Ryu walked twenty paces away. "Fire one at me. I should be able to deal with it."
"If you're sure." I aimed my hand at her. "Firebolt."
Ryu was taken completely off guard from the instant chant. She backstepped at full speed and sideswiped it with a horizontal slash. Sending the blast into the ground.
"Yeah." Syr clapped to the side. "That was cool."
Ryu stared at me confused. "There was no chant at all. How many of them can you send out?"
"I start getting dizzy after a few dozen. Unless I alter it with more mind, like Riveria taught me."
Ryu smiled. "Surprised she has so much interest in you."
"Feel likes she's always cleaning up my messes."
"Doubtful. I think I am ready to handle more. Fire away."
I aimed my hand towards her. Waited for her to nod before sending multiple firebolts out toward her. She adjusted her senses to receive the incoming magic attacks and slapped them out of the air expertly using her full strength. The magic dispersed on contacted. I stopped my attack seeing minor burns to her clothes.
"If he continues your gonna end up naked Ryu." Syr teased. "I got an idea. Give me a minute." Syr ran inside the hostess. A few minutes later she came out with two cat girls Chloe and Anya. Both were holding a bag of fruits and vegetables.
"Syr. I don't think that would be a good idea."
"Relax Ryu. Their expired."
"Relax meow Ryu. We want to help meow white hair."
"Why should you have all the meow fun with this cutie?" Chloe responded.
"Anya and Chloe are gonna throw fruit at you. You use your magic to intercept. Okay Bell."
"He's still level one. Hold back a little." Ryu warned.
"Meow okay." Both cat girls smiled.
I get ready in a fight stance. Anya pulls out an apple and throws at me. "Fire- oof." The apple smacks me in the head and shatters, knocking the wind out of me.
"Anya too hard." Ryu shouted at the brown cat girl.
"Sorry Meow."
"Its just produce." Chloe shrugged. "You're not cutting this onion so don't cry." Chloe teases before throwing the onion at me.
"Firebolt." I managed to intercept it in mid air but was still to slow as the concussive force hit me from the explosion.
"Neat spell meow. Try two in a row." Chloe picked up two cantaloupes and threw one at me.
"Firebolt." The first intercepted and destroyed the cantaloupe. "Firebolt." I sent the magic towards her seeing her arm move. Nothing happened as the magic impacted into her.
"Chloe." The fire spell impacted a magical mirage and dissipated. "Eep." I yelled out feeling the catgirls hands on my ass. I jumped forward a few feet and stared at her with a red face.
"Nice and firm meow." She started to walk closer to me with her fingers playfully clawing at thin air to tease me. "Owie."
Ryu smacked Chloe's hands with her wooden sword. "Hands off perverted cat."
"Why? Your mark isn't on him yet?" Chloe teased. Ryu's eyes widened as she started swinging her sword a little harder. It cleaved right through a mirage as Chloe managed to get back over to Anya. "Fine. Fine. I won't touch your boyfriend."
"He's not my b-b-boyfriend. Go back to training." She said flustered.
"Alright Meow. Let's get back to it white hair." Anya winds up another apple and throws it at me.
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Riveria and Eina were walking along the western road to leave the city. Riveria wearing her normal royal robes and Eina wearing a pink top and brow skirt and carrying a small backpack with her sword at her hip. "Thank you for going along with me, Riveria."
"I want to see Aina too. I need to get out of the city for a bit. Surprised you are dropping the honorific." She smiled toward the half elf.
"You told me too around you. I am trying it out, Riveria." Eina points her chin to the high elf flashing a smirk.
"I'm glad. I just want to be treated like everybody else." They continued walking down the west road. "Are you expecting problems with your father, Eina?"
"Yes. He was happy that I stopped adventuring. Probably gonna be mad with me going back into the dungeon." Eina winced at the thought.
"Doing it for a man no less." Riveria teased. "You were pretty quick to volunteer."
"I want to help him. We actually went to floor ten after his quest." She trailed off.
Riveria stopped in front of the Hostess to stare at her with pained eyes. "You went back to that floor." Eina nodded. "Happy you were able to overcome that hurdle with Bell and Alicia's help."
"Still scared of dragons, but it was quite the experience to see him fight. I even got seventy thousand out of it." Eina recalled.
"Huh." Riveria was dumbfounded.
"We got ninety all together. Bell's cashing in an orc hide quest for Lady Hesphaistos too."
"Wow."
"He really does move like a rabbit. Even Alicia was surprised how much he jumps around those orcs and still has time to shoot imps out of the air without looking." Eina shakes her head.
"Without looking." Riveria said in disbelief.
"Something about feeling their eyes. Weird part, the imps fell from the sky wherever he pointed his bow or magic."
"That can't be normal. He keeps mentioning being watched. Something weird is going on with him."
"He only had one skill that he doesn't know about." Eina shrugged. "Unless its new."
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM
Three small explosions rocked the air behind the hostess. Even Eina heard it. "What is that?"
"I don't know. Follow me." The two elves walked to the back of the hostess.
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"Firebolt. Firebolt. Firebolt." Three spells impacted fruits throw towards me. Anya and Chloe started encircling me and took turns throwing them at me from different directions.
Both cat girls threw an onion at the same time. "Firebolt." I jumped and twisted my body in midair. "Firebolt." I sent a flame to the other side towards Ryu intercepting the onion heading towards her.
Ryu was speechless. Her mind was spinning seeing the progression from two weeks ago. 'This isn't a steady growth. This is giant leaps.'
"Meow learns fast. Maybe this one will squash meow white hair." Anya threw the oblong fruit.
"Firebolt. Firebolt." First blast hit the front end spinning it and the second exploded the remaining. I jumped and rolled and fire another at Chloe who just released a watermelon from her hands. The blast split the fruit above her head and splattered the catgirl with the fruit juice.
Chloe's fur and uniform were drenched with watermelon. "Why meow little brat?" Chloe was angry that her fur was drenched. All the other girls were laughing to hard to stop her from charging me.
I noticed her get angry and charge. I read her arm movement and dodged her strike by less than a hair's width. She followed it up with another strike, angry that her fur was covered in sticky rotten watermelon. I fell toward the ground out of desperation.
BAM.
Riveria launched herself forward and caught the cat girls strike. Chloe was too stunned by the intruder that she didn't react. "Bad kitten." She tossed Chloe toward the entrance. She bounced off the ground and went right into the door, smashing it inwards.
"Lady Riveria." Ryu said stunned by the high elf's intervention.
STOMP. STOMP. STOMP.
The thunderous footsteps of an enraged Mia Grand could be heard from the interior of the hostess. Every waitress was shaking in fear. My hairs stood up on my arms sensing danger. Even Riveria was fearing for her safety. Mia shatters the remainder of the door and picks up Chloe with one hand. "OY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DUMBASSES DOING TO MY BAR!"
"We were helping to train Bell." Syr pleaded backing herself up into Ryu and Anya.
"YOU DESTROY MY PROPERTY AND MESS UP MY YARD. NOT TO MENTION THE BAR ISN'T READY FOR CUSTOMERS!" Mia dropped Chloe on her feet beside Anya and backhanded three women with one swipe of her huge fist and pounded Syr on the skull a little lighter.
My eyes were wide seeing not only Ryu but the other strong women double over in pain. "Sorry Momma." They all pleaded.
"Clean this dam mess up. Ryu you're working tonight to pay for that door." Mia warned.
"Yes momma."
"Mia I can pay for the door." Riveria offered shyly.
"Their bright idea to train out here. You better eat here more, elf." Mia yelled at the high elf. "You two runt." She stared down at me. Mia grinned, suppressing a laugh, before turning around and going back into the kitchen.
I slowly propped myself up, when I noticed a hand outstretched to me. I stared in shock seeing the high elf above me. I reached out for it and she hoisted me up. "You okay Bell." Ryu and Eina locked eyes for the first time speechless.
I was red faced and shook my head. "I-I thought you two left the city."
"Not yet. Were leaving right now." Riveria stared up to Ryu. "Interesting training you have here Ryu."
"I was gonna spar, Lady Riveria. It was Syr's idea to use rotten produce as target practice." She lowered her head.
"Stop that Ryu."
"Um Hello." Eina waved toward Ryu nervously.
"You must be Eina." Ryu looked at the half elf nervous and slightly jealous of her womanly curves.
"You know me." Eina wondered.
Ryu points to me. "Bell talks about you both quite a lot."
Eina giggles. "He talks about you too, Ryu. About how well you train him, helping him out. Even let me taste your lunches. Their very good."
"Thank you. Might have to start making two portions." Ryu stared at me. "What are you trying to do Bell?"
"How could I not talk about the beautiful women that help me out so much?" I said nervously. "I would probably be long dead without all three of you."
"Charmer." Eina giggled.
"Lot of that is your hard work, Bell." Riveria shook her head. "Sorry to interrupt your training. We will be gone for a few days. Come on Eina."
"Okay Riveria. Nice to meet you Ryu."
"Y-y-yes." Ryu stuttered out amazed that Riveria didn't care. She waved the two elves away. She turned back to me. "We might need to find a better place to train tomorrow."
"Sorry for causing you trouble, Ryu."
"Its fine Bell. At least I get a vacation day back."
"How about the wall? Shakti allows me to run it every day."
Ryu stared at me surprised for multiple reasons. One that she hides. "Wow that is impressive. Alright meet me at 8am on the west wall."
"Thank you, Ryu." I bowed and walked off to church.
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As the evening sun was setting over the horizon. Riveria and Eina approached a small elven village south of Melen. Immediately when they spotted Riveria and lot of people came running out to meet her.
"Lady Riveria!"
Riveria held out her hands. "Calm down please."
"Make way." A elderly male elf chief was walking towards Riveria. "Well isn't this a treat. Lady Riveria and the Little miss Eina have graced us with their presence."
Eina smiled at the old elf chief. "Hello Mr. Cirdan. Nice to see you're in good health."
"I am still shuffling along at young three hundred and twenty years old. You always were a sweet one Eina. Your mother told us to expect you both last week. Was beginning to think you weren't going to show."
"My apologies." Riveria tilted her head. "We had an emergency situation that needed to be tended too."
"It is not a bother, Lady Riveria. Please I hope you enjoy your stay in our village. Come on you lot." The old elf addressed the crowd. "Give them some space."
Riveria and Eina continued walking up to the second biggest house. At the entrance to the house a beautiful jade haired high elf stood at the top of the mountain covered in a white robe. She could pass as Riveria's twin from far away. She appeared slightly older than Riveria. Eina raced up and hugged her mother.
"Eina my loving daughter. I so glad to see you." She pulled away still holding her daughter in her arms. "My word you're growing."
"Mommmmmm."
"Hello Aina." Riveria smiled toward her friend.
"Geez how many years were you gonna wait until you came to see me Riveria?" She said sarcastically.
"I really sorry. I been busy with the familia."
"I can understand your busy but I would still like to see my oldest friend. Must be important if you brought my daughter along."
"Yes, we need to talk Aina."
"Can it wait until tomorrow? Her father is out sailing for Njord familia until tomorrow."
"I suppose we can come back tomorrow, Aina."
"You will do no such thing. I want to spend time with my daughter. Just put up with sharing a bed with her for a day or two."
"Mom." Eina said worried about her behavior.
Riveria rolled her eyes and smiled towards her friend. "You mother always bosses me around Eina."
"Eh."
"Spent almost eighty years looking after her and managing her daily life in the Alf kingdom. Rivchan is like a younger sister to me now."
"Stop it Aina." Riveria ordered embarrassed.
"Hahaha." Eina was laughing hard. "Rivchan. Bell would like that."
"Oh, whose Bell?" Aina stared at Riveria with an evil smile.
"Eina knock it off." Riveria shouted at Eina.
"Hit a sore spot there. Come in already and relax."
"Thank you, Aina." Riveria held her head and walked inside.
"Gonna need to find out more tomorrow, Eina." Aina grabbed her daughter's shoulder and ushered her inside.
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Moans and wet slapping noises filled the night air around the pleasure quarter as the streets were full of customers visiting the brothels. High up in Belit Babili a petite amazon woman was hunched over the back of a half-naked brown-haired human kissing his ear. "Lena stop."
Lena pouted. "Why we only did it for five minutes?"
"I just don't feel like it right now, Lena."
"What's wrong Hod? I can go get the red stuff."
"I appreciate you taking me in to your home. I am trying to figure out life right now. I ran away from my familia. I don't even remember drinking last night, but I woke up with a painful headache cover with booze."
"Ick, I know your clothes smell awful. I will buy you a new pair. Why did you run away from Loki familia?" She pressed her chest up against his back and draped her arms down to his chest.
"This brat from a nobody familia embarrassed me in front of my familia and stole a woman I want. I take one fight a little to far and they wanted to kick me out. Dam I wish I could kill him."
"What about me? I thought you loved me." Lena started beating his chest.
'Yeah right.' Hod thought to himself before grabbing her hand. "There is no way Lady Ishtar would let me have you and they wouldn't accept you in Loki familia."
"Awe."
BAM
Lena's door was forced opened by an extraordinarily beautiful amazon with a huge chest in revealing purple lingerie that left little to the imagination. "Why did you barge in Aisha?"
"Lady Ishtar wants us out making money, Lena. We don't have time for dead beats."
Samira a white-haired Amazon stood behind her. "Why bother letting this weak male stay with you Lena?"
"He's cute and stronger than me." Lena pleaded.
"Why don't you join us, Aisha?" Hod smiled wide.
"Like you could ever afford me. I think you should learn how to pleasure one woman first before you could handle another." Aisha stares at Hod not impressed in the slightest.
"I could show you." Hod warned.
"Ge-ge-ge-ge-ge-geh!" The horrible sound sent shivers up Hod's back as the massive giantess barged her way past Aisha and Samira. She forced the hinges off the door before she made her way into the room. "You could show me."
Hod's eyes go wide in fear. 'M-monster!?'
"Don't spoil Lena's prize, Phryne." Samira smirked at the giantess.
"Out of my way."
"Never, Go back to your lair, Toad." Lena jumped up and placed herself between Phryne and Hod with a dagger drawn. "He's mine."
"Like you could stop me." The monstrous toad of a woman stepped forward and knocked the small amazon aside into the wall. "Ge-ge-ge-ge-geh!" She picked up Hod with one hand with ease.
He was a defenseless level two against a level five but struggled as much as he was able. "Let go of me beast."
"What!? You should be honored to feel the heavenly body of Phryne. All the males I've had recently couldn't entertain me. I will indulge myself on you cutie." Phryne lunges with her off hand to Hod's groin.
"HYYE-HYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Hod let out a pitiful scream like a dying puppy.
"Huh." She stares dumbfounded at Hod. Then to Lena. "Why bother with this child?"
Lena pouted with tears in her eyes. "He's cute and he's strong enough to get into Loki familia."
Up until now Aisha didn't really care. Nobody deserves to be devoured by Phryne, but she wasn't gonna stick her neck out for a worthless male in her eyes. "Wait Loki familia." Aisha stood at the door with a smirk on her face. "I new you looked familiar. Hey toad this guy is worth two million valis if we turn him in to his familia."
"Eh." She listens to Aisha and stared back at Hod. "Well, let's take him before Ishtar to see what she wants to do?"
.
.
.
Phryne carried Hod to the throne room and threw him in front of the divine beauty. On the throne sits a heavenly beauty that oozes temptation from her very body, wearing next to nothing apart from her red wrap around skirt. All she wore on her chest was a red piece of cloth that just laid gently over her breasts. Extravagant golden pieces of jewelry adorned her voluptuous tan body to include a crown that sat in her dark purplish hair. Just looking at her inspired feelings of lust and desire.
Goddess Ishtar took a long drag from her golden pipe and puffed out purple smoke from her lips. "Mind explaining the human."
"Lady Ishtar we have a Loki familia fugitive in our midst." Phryne answered. "Got a bounty on him for two million. Easy payday. Ge-Ge-Geh."
"Why would I want to do Loki a favor? We can make more money with you all on the streets."
"Please let him stay with me." Lena pleaded. "Hod fled his familia."
"Why would you flee Loki familia?" Ishtar stood up approached the groveling hod on the ground. Her interest peaked. She removed her cloth charming Hod to get a clear answer.
"This rabbit looking bastard from a nobody familia embarrassed me and took my woman. His strength surprised me and I got mad and lashed out almost killing him in a spar. I got put into a coma and find out that I was to have my falna stripped. I fled to get revenge. I want to end him and take his woman."
"All this over a girl. What's so special about her?"
"Beautiful half elf with a rack bigger than Aisha's. I want to take her innocence and make her mine." Hod responded in a daze.
"Hmpf. A human male with a heart of an amazon. Interesting. Breaking in some elves might be fun. Why should I not just turn you over to Loki or let Phryne have you?"
"I would serve you."
"I already have Tammuz to do that." Ishtar took another puff of her pipe and walked back to her throne losing interest.
Phryne stood up and shrugged her shoulders. "Why not just lure him into the dungeon and kill him already?"
Hod snapped out of the charm. "They know I fled and their guarding him. Hell I followed them into the dungeon yesterday and ran into Ottar while I -."
"What!?" Ishtar turned back to the man with renewed interest. "What about Ottar in the dungeon?"
"He scared the hell out of me on floor seven when I was tracking them."
"Ottar hasn't been in the dungeon for years." Aisha said in disbelief.
"Oh, he's not lying." Ishtar had and evil smile. "Was he alone?"
"Yes, he was alone Goddess. He was carrying his own pack and two swords and huge chest."
"Interesting. We have an opportunity to mess with both Loki and Freya at the same time." Ishtar smiled wide. "Tell you what, Hod. If this proves to be fruitful. I will share myself with you and the half elf and give you my blessing. I will even let you kill a rabbit."
"I would be honored, my lady."