Chapter 37

I paced around the lobby, my boots tapping against the marble floor. The Tower of Babel loomed above me, a constant reminder of the adventure that lay ahead. My heart was racing with excitement - after weeks of waiting, the moment had finally arrived.

"Is it finally ready?" I asked the gruff-looking dwarf standing in front of me. Hareat, a member of the famous Hephaestus Familia, had been working on a custom order for me.

Hareat let out a gruff chuckle. "Yeah, just give me a sec. I'll go grab it for ya."

I couldn't contain my grin. This was it - the moment I'd been waiting for. Whatever Hareat had cooked up, I knew it was going to be good. The Hephaestus Familia were the best in the business when it came to crafting top-notch gear. I bounced on the balls of my feet, eager to see what they had created.

I grinned as Hareat emerged from the backroom, carrying a sleek black suit with intricate glowing green webbing patterns. The material shimmered in the light, and I could practically feel the defensive power imbued within it.

"Whoa, this is even better than I imagined!" I exclaimed, running my fingers along the supple fabric. The suit's eyes glowed with an otherworldly energy, and I knew this was no ordinary costume.

Hareat let out a gruff chuckle, his thick beard twitching. "You're a pretty weird boy. In my long years as a smith, this is the first time I have received an order like this." He shook his head in bemusement before handing me the suit. "But I have to admit, it turned out pretty damn impressive."

I eagerly took the suit, excitement bubbling within me. "Thank you, Hareat. This is perfect - exactly what I needed."

I grinned as I admired the sleek black suit in my hands. While I may have increased durability from my ghost powers, it never hurt to have a little extra protection. And if I was going to be wearing a suit, it might as well look cool, right?

The intricate glowing green webbing patterns were a perfect blend of my spider-like abilities and the ethereal energy of my ghostly form. It was like a combination of Spider-Man's suit and Danny Phantom's iconic colors. I couldn't wait to suit up and see how this bad boy would hold up in the field.

"Are? is that David-kun?"

I heard someone call out to me and turned to see Tiona waving excitedly, Aiz, Lefiya, and Tione walking alongside her. A grin spread across my face as I made my way over to the group.

"Hey, Tiona! And look, the whole gang's here too," I said, giving them a friendly nod. "What's up, you guys?"

Tiona grinned and bounced on her toes. "We were just here to pick up our weapons after their maintenance. But what's that you've got there, David-kun?" She eyed the sleek black suit in my hands with curiosity.

I couldn't help but grin proudly. "This? This is my new armor!" I held it up, letting the light catch the intricate glowing patterns. "Hareat just finished it for me. Isn't it awesome?"

Tiona's eyes went wide as she examined the suit, her lips curling into an excited grin. "Wow, David-kun! That looks so cool! Can I try it on?" she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Sorry, Tiona. This one's custom-made just for me."

I chuckled and shook my head. "Sorry, Tiona. This one's custom-made just for me."

Aiz spoke up, her brow furrowed slightly. "Why not make a suit made of metal? It would offer better protection."

I grinned and shook my head. "Nah, metal suits are way too bulky and restrictive. I need something that's flexible and lets me move around freely, you know?" I gestured to the sleek material. "This stuff is lightweight but durable. Perfect for an agile fighter like me."

Tione eyed the suit curiously. "But why does it look like a spider?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

I puffed out my chest proudly. "Because it looks cool!"

I grinned and shook my head. "It's not just because it looks cool, though that's definitely part of it. This suit is designed to complement my unique abilities." I paused for a moment, then quickly slipped on the mask and put on the suit.

The mask's glowing green eyes lit up, casting an eerie glow over my face. "How do I look?" I asked, striking a confident pose and turning to Tione and the others.

"Wow, David-kun! That looks so cool!" Tiona exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.

Aiz nodded, her expression thoughtful. "It does seem unique. I've never seen anything quite like it."

Tione still looked puzzled. "But I don't get the whole spider thing. Isn't that a bit...weird?"

Lefiya eyed the suit with a mix of fascination and concern. "It looks like it would be suffocating just to wear that," she said, her brow furrowed.

I grinned beneath the mask, feeling the power coursing through me. "Watch this," I said, eager to show off my new abilities.

With a quick leap, I bounded up to the ceiling, sticking to it effortlessly. The others looked on in shock, their eyes wide with amazement.

"How is he doing that?" Tione asked, her voice laced with bewilderment.

Lefiya examined me closely, her brow furrowed. "I don't sense any magic," she murmured, her confusion evident.

Seizing the moment, I raised my hand and fired a web, the sticky strands latching onto one of the display swords. With a sharp tug, I pulled the sword free, catching it in my hand as it came flying towards me.

"David-kun, you're like a spider!" Tiona exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.

I puffed out my chest proudly, the black and green suit hugging my frame. "That's right, Tiona! I've got spider powers now," I declared, leaping down from the ceiling and landing gracefully in front of the group.

Handing the sword back to Hareat, I turned to Tiona with a grin. "I can do everything a spider can - crawl on walls, and shoot webs!"

I landed gracefully in front of the group, handing the sword back to Hareat. "Pretty cool, right?" I said with a grin.

Tiona's eyes were wide with excitement. "How did you do that, David-kun?" she asked, bouncing on her toes.

I grinned under my mask. "I got these spider powers recently. It's a long story, but let's just say I stumbled upon a unique ability that lets me do all sorts of cool stuff."

"So, did you get this spider power from a skill or something?" Tione asked, eyeing me curiously.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Close, but not quite. It's a bit more complicated than that." I didn't want to outright lie to them, but I also couldn't reveal the full truth about my powers just yet.

I saw Tiona's face fall into a pout as I avoided giving a full explanation. "Aw, come on David-kun! Why won't you tell us the whole story?" she whined.

I felt a pang of guilt seeing her disappointment. "I'm sorry, Tiona. I know I'm not being totally upfront with you guys, but there are just some things I need to keep to myself for now, you know?" I said, giving her an apologetic look.

"But we're your friends! You can trust us," Tiona insisted, her brows furrowed in concern.

I sighed, wishing I could be more open. "I know, Tiona. And I do trust you all. It's just...complicated. There are some secrets I have to keep, at least for a little while longer. I hope you can understand."

I could see the disappointment in Tiona's eyes, and I felt a pang of guilt. I knew they were my friends, and I wanted to be more open with them, but some things were just too complicated to explain.

"I'm sorry, Tiona. I know you're just looking out for me, but there are some things I need to keep to myself for now," I said, giving her a reassuring smile.

Tione's gaze shifted to me, her curiosity piqued. "Speaking of which, I heard some rumors about the Hestia Familia's new headquarters. Is it true that you guys bought and renovated some land on the outskirts of Orario?"

I nodded, a sense of pride swelling within me. "Yeah, that's right. Hestia, Lunamon, and I worked with some friends to turn an old abandoned church into our new home base. It's been a lot of work, but I think we've turned it into something pretty special."

"Aw, I wish I could see your new home, David-kun!" Tiona said, bouncing on her toes excitedly. "It sounds so cool!"

I grinned under my mask, feeling a surge of pride. "Well, why don't you guys come check it out?" I offered. "I'm sure Hestia and the others would love to show you around."

Tiona's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands together. "Really? Oh, that would be amazing! Can we bring the rest of the Loki Familia too?" she asked, glancing back at Aiz, Tione, and Lefiya.

"The more the merrier!" I replied with a chuckle. "I can't wait for you all to see what we've done with the place."

Tiona's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, I can't wait to tell the rest of the Loki Familia! They're going to be so excited to see your new place, David-kun." She bounced on her toes, practically vibrating with energy.

Aiz nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It will be good to see what you've accomplished."

Tione gave me a curious look. "Well, I guess we'll have to come check it out then."

Lefiya smiled shyly. "I'm looking forward to it."

With that, the Loki Familia members bid me farewell, Tiona promising to spread the word. I watched as they departed, excitement building within me to show off our new headquarters to my friends.

I grinned under my mask, excitement bubbling within me as I thought about our new headquarters. But then, a realization hit me - it was just me, Hestia, and Lunamon living in that gigantic place. It felt a bit... empty.

I needed to find more people to join the Familia, to fill those halls with life and laughter. But the task of finding the right people in such a short time seemed daunting. I chewed on my lip, my brow furrowing as I tried to come up with a plan.

David

"Who could I invite to the Familia..." I mused, tapping my chin thoughtfully.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. Those short, yellow, goofy fellows - the Minions! They would be perfect to help liven up our new headquarters. Sure, they might not be the sharpest tools in the shed, but their loyalty and enthusiasm more than made up for it.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of a horde of Minions scurrying around, keeping the place in order. Hestia would get a kick out of them, and Lunamon would probably adore their playful antics.

I hurried back to our new headquarters, my mind racing with excitement about my idea. As I approached the familiar abandoned church, I could see Hestia standing outside, her hands on her hips and a curious expression on her face.

"David-kun! There you are," she called out, waving me over. "I was just about to go looking for you. Did you get your new suit?"

"I sure did, Hestia," I replied, grinning beneath my mask. "And I think I have the perfect idea to help fill up this place."

I couldn't wait to share my plan with Hestia. The Minions would be the perfect addition to our growing Familia, and I was sure they would bring a much-needed sense of liveliness to our new headquarters.

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