It Is Alright To Use Spiral Power In A Dungeon (TTGL X Danmachi Crossover)

[LinkOnScepter]

The Cover Image for this fic. I had this made by this guy:
@departament​

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[LinkOnScepter]

"I'm sorry!"


Simon flinched as the boy he had rescued apologized for the fifth time in a row. He started to scratch at his cheek, ignoring the blood that still covered his body. A chuckle left his throat as he spoke, "Uh, you said that already. And, I told you before. You don't have to apologize for trying to run away. I'd just like to know why? I didn't scare you did I?"


"No!" the boy shouted as he shot up from the sitting position he was just in. He rapidly shook his head while keeping his red eyes locked on Simon, "You didn't do anything wrong! I'm apologizing because I tried to run after you just rescued me! It was rude of me to do that to a fellow adventurer that just saved my life and I-"


"Hold on. Senior adventurer?" Simon raised a hand to get the kid to stop talking. He clammed up instantly upon seeing Simon's hand. Which only made him feel worse. The two of them were still in the room where he had killed that monster. Bell was sitting on his knees while Simon was cross-legged. The monster's body was still on the ground behind them, but Simon paid it no mind. Nor did he care about how the entire room was caked in blood and viscera. He instead focused his efforts on the boy he had saved. Which is what led them to their current situation.


Simon shook his head and let his hand fall, "Don't worry about it. Let's just start from the beginning. Are you hurt anywhere? None of that blood is yours, right?"


Temporarily stunned, the boy started to slowly shake his head, "N-No. I'm fine. He didn't hit me at all."


Some of the tension left Simon's shoulders, "Good. Next, how about you tell me your name? Wouldn't want to keep calling you, well, 'you'."


"It's...it's Bell. Bell Cranel."


Simon thrust his right hand out to Bell, "Good to meetcha! My name's Simon. Simon the Digger."


Bell looked from Simon's smiling face to his outstretched. Still nervous, he reached out with his left hand and gripped Simon's. Simon's firm confident grip contrasted with Bell's loose and unsure one. When the two separated, Bell stared at his left hand with a bit of awe in his eyes. Simon's eyebrows rose in confusion. Which only got worse when Bell started flexing his fingers while nodding to himself about something or other. After getting Bell's attention by clearing his throat, Simon continued, "Anyway, mind telling me why you tried to run away after I saved you? I didn't scare you or anything, did I?"


Bell's eyes went wide as he swiftly shook his head, "No! No! It's just I wasn't sure what to do or say and I was still trying to...to...uh..."


Bell went quiet when he saw Simon chuckling at his reactions. Simon put a hand on the younger boy's shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly, "Well, glad that I didn't drive you away. Wouldn't be able to say a job well done if I ended up scaring off the person I was trying to help."


Simon's chuckle turned into a full laugh. Bell, not entirely sure what was going on, responded with a nervous laugh of his own. They stopped a few seconds later, an awkward silence falling over them as they both went silent. Simon broke it by jerking a finger behind him, "So, mind telling me how you ended up nearly getting crushed by that thing?"


"Huh? Oh right! The magic stone!" Bell nearly slipped as he got to his feet. He ran passed Simon, pulling his knife out of his back and rushing towards where the monster fell. He got to his knees next to the hulking beast's body and aimed his knife where its heart would be. Confused, Simon stood up and walked to the kneeling boy. He watched as the young man tried to stab through the monster's chest with his knife, only for it to get caught in the muscles without getting very far.


"What?" Bell said, pulling his knife out and stabbing at the monster again to no avail. His blows became more frustrated as he kept trying to pierce its hide, but wasn't getting anywhere. He pulled his knife back as he spoke, "Its..its hide's too thick. I can't through it with this. Aw, and this would've given us a lot of money we could've used!"


He hung his head dejectedly as if he could see all the profits from this little adventure of his slipping through his fingers. Simon walked over and crouched next to Bell. Then he tapped him on the shoulder, "Don't give up yet. You can get through."


"Huh?" Bell looked over at Simon, confusion plain as day on his face.


Simon jerked his head at the dead beast, "Keep going. It's not over unless you give up. Whatever you want is in that...uh...what is this thing?"


"You don't know?" Simon shaking his head seemed to surprise Bell more than what he said about getting at the monster's chest. Bell looked from Simon to the dead beast, "How do you not know what a minotaur is? Every level one adventurer knows to stay far away from them and...wait. You attacked a minotaur despite not knowing what it was?!"


Simon nodded without a hint of regret, "Yeah."


"...Who...who are you?"


Simon grinned, reaching up to tap on the sunglasses on his head, "Told you already. Simon The Digger. Now, back to the task at hand. That minotaur? It has something you need, right?"


"Yea-yeah but hold on-"


"Then don't stop here. Keep going at it."


"But...I can't. My knife won't cut it."


"You don't need to use your knife. You've got something way better," his eyes moved toward Bell's left hand. Bell followed his gaze and lifted his palm. Inside he found the small drill that Simon had tossed him before.


Bell held the drill up to the light, "This? But it's...it's so small. It won't get through this thing's hide."


"Don't underestimate it just cause it's small. It's still a drill. And if there's one thing drills excel at, it's breaking through a hard obstacle," Simon felt a strange bit of nostalgia as he spoke. For a moment, he felt like he was talking to a kid who doesn't know what Spiral Power is. Then again, considering he was supposed to be way older than he looked right now, he supposed the comparison wasn't just hyperbole.


Bell didn't look he bought into Simon's words. Simon kept grinning, waving a hand at the dead minotaur, "There's no harm in trying, is there?"


Bell pursed his lips before turning back to the minotaur's body. He ignored the sharp smell of blood and death in the room, focusing his all on the spot where its magic stone should be. Taking a breath he holds the drill in his right hand and places its tip where he was stabbing with the knife. While shallow the wound did make a good hole to start from. Once the drill was there, he started to turn it with his hand and...nothing happened. He got a bit further in but other than that-


"It's not working," Bell said as he turned to Simon.


Simon nodded, "Of course, it won't work the first time. Hardly anything does. The point is to keep going. Keep on drilling. Cause once you've dug through the last barrier, you've won."


Simon placed a hand on his chin as he looked at the minotaur's body. Then he reached out and placed his hand over Bell's, "Here. Let me give you hand. Start turning it counter-clockwise."


Bell followed Simon's instructions. He made note of how, despite his rough looks, his hands were surprisingly soft. And his grip was rather gentle. Careful even as they started to drill through the minotaur's chest.


And drill they did. It was slow going. Lots of blood started seeping out of the wound as they got deeper and deeper into it. But as he kept going, Bell noticed it started getting...easier. The minotaur's muscles and bones didn't break in one rotation or anything. But they weren't as hard to break through as they were with his knife. In addition, the hole didn't just get deeper. It got wider. It was the size of his hand by the time Simon let his hand go. He hardly even noticed. He was too engrossed with getting at the magic stone.


Bell was elbow deep in the minotaur when he finally strike something solid. Blinking, he pulled his arm out and reached into the hole he made with his left hand. As the minotaur's body disintegrated, he pulled the large purple crystal out into the open air.


"I...I did it," he gasped out, barely convinced that he managed it himself.


He jerked forward at a sudden weight against his back. Looking to the side, he saw Simon patting him on the back. His face was split into a proud smile that reached his eyes, "Told ya you could do it! And now you've got what you were looking for. Great job, Bell! Knew you had it in ya!"


"Th-Tha-Thanks, Simon," Bell said, his lips quirking up into an awkward but genuine smile. He looked at the heavy magic stone in his hand, mind already thinking of how happy his Goddess would be to see the money he got from the exchange. But a stray thought made his expression fall. He looked over at Simon and held the magic stone out to him, "Oh, right. Sorry, Simon. This is yours. You killed the minotaur so-"


"Keep it."


Bell blinked in surprise. Then he looked over at Simon to see if he was being serious. The smile on Simon's face told him he was. Bell pointed a finger at the magic stone, then at himself, "Re-Really? But...you killed it?"


"Yeah. So?" Simon shrugged, "You're the one that did the work to get it out. You should take it. Besides, I wouldn't know what to do with it anyway."


Simon's last words went over Bell's head as he focused on the fact that Simon was just giving him a valuable magic stone. For free. When Simon didn't say he was lying, Bell got to his feet and bowed deeply to the older man, "Thank you so much! For saving me and for giving me this!"


Simon stood up and started chuckling, "No problem. Now, then, hmm...mind doing me a favor, Bell?"


"Of course! Anything," Bell said as he straightened himself up.


"Do you know what this place is? And the way out of here?"


Bell tilted his head in confusion, "You mean the way to the Guild?"


"The Guild?"


"You don't...wait...Simon...how did you get here? To the fifth floor? In fact...where did you come from when you kicked the minotaur?"


"Oh, from up there."


Simon turned around and pointed at a spot above them. Bell followed his finger to see a cliff hanging over the building they were in. At the top was a ledge that had a direct shot toward the minotaur if someone had jumped off it. Only issue?


"That's...that's at least ten meters high," Bell said.


"Yep," Simon declared.


"...You jumped from ten meters up. And kicked the minotaur in the face."


"Uh-huh."


"...Simon? Sorry if this is rude but...what's your current level?"


"Level?"

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Eina Tulle's pointed ears twitched. The female half-elf receptionist looked up from the book she held in her hand. Her black guild uniform moved with her thin frame as she looked towards the entrance to the guild. Numerous adventurers were walking through the doors, many having come back from their recent trips to the Dungeon. Humans, beastmen, dwarves, and more marched in and toward the Exchange. Some with their heads held high, others with their shoulders slumped and feet dragging. It was clear to all who had had a fruitful trip with a single look.

Eina's emerald eyes scanned the crowd as she looked for a familiar head of white hair. She swore she had heard the light voice of the fourteen-year-old adventurer that was in her care. She placed her book under the counter she stood at while leaning over it with both hands. Her eyes narrowed until she finally spotted the starting adventurer. Her smile at his safe return morphed into a confused frown as she saw that he wasn't alone. Walking right along with him was another adventurer. At least, Eina assumed he was an adventurer. He had to have come out of the Dungeon if he was with Bell.

He stood at least twenty-three celch taller than the fourteen-year-old boy. A pair of red goggles sat atop his dark blue hair, and underneath those were a set of pure red sunglasses. She wasn't sure how they managed to not fall off his head, as she couldn't see them holding onto anything from where she was. The rest of his outfit was equally strange. He wore no armor save for two metal belts around his waist and five black bands around his stomach. The legs of his dark blue pants ended at long black and red boots that matched the coat flowing around his shoulders. His chest was fully exposed save for a single small object that hung from a string around his neck.

Eina frowned, watching the man as his head kept swiveling around. His eyes seemed to observe and take in everything around him. From the floor, to the ceiling, to the magic stone lights. But the main thing that he focused on was the people. His eyes would follow after many of the non-human adventurers that passed him and Bell by. A look of fascination was on his face the entire time. Eina started to wonder whether they had an adventurer like him record, but then she took notice of something else. Something that only occurred to her after Bell and the newcomer made it to her counter.

That being that they were both covered in blood.

And tracking it into the guild.

"I'm back, Ms. Eina!" Bell said as he triumphantly held up the large purple magic stone he got from the minotaur blood dripping from his sleeve onto the counter. He turned to the newcomer with a smile, "And I found this person in the Dungeon."

"Hey there. My name's Simon," the now-named Simon spoke without a care in the world, more blood falling onto the floor.

Eina was speechless. As were all the other guild employees and even some of the adventurers.

Then someone screamed.

"EEEEEKKKKK!"

---

"You know, Bell, after getting covered in blood, you should at least take a shower before coming in here..."

Bell hung his head in shame in his seat, "Sorry, Ms. Eina."

After watching the boy repent for a few moments, she turned her attention to the third occupant of the room. The newly introduced Simon. He was sitting next to Bell in another chair still drying his hair off with a white towel. When he finally finished, he pulled it over his head and onto his neck while shaking his hair out. He let out a thankful sigh before reaching towards the table between them. He spoke as he grabbed up his glasses and goggles, "That felt great. Don't know when the last time I had a shower was. This place is pretty nice. What did you say it was, Eina?"

"The Guild headquarters," she spoke plainly as she watched Simon loop the goggles around his head and lift them to his hair. Then he simply placed the sunglasses on his forehead. And they just...stayed there. She watched, waiting for them to fall but nothing happened.

Simon nodded as he looked around the room. A low whistle escaped his lips, "Got it. And you're supposed to be Bell's advisor or something, right?"

"That I am," she glanced sidelong at the white-haired adventurer in question. One eyebrow slowly rose as she stared at him, "And I'd like to know why he thought it was a good idea to come here in such a state."

Bell shrunk back into his chair under Eina's piercing gaze. Tears started to well up in the corners of his eyes, but Simon leaned forward and waved his hand through the air, "Eh, cut the kid some slack. He was just really excited to get here. Especially after he managed to bring that home."

Simon pointed a finger toward the magic stone sitting on the table. All eyes were drawn to the large purple crystal that released a dull glow into the room. It was the size of Bell's palm and almost as long as his arm. A stone of its size would be worth quite a large sum of money. Considering that, it made some sense that Bell had forgotten about the blood covering his body at the time. For a low-level adventurer like him, that was as good as finding an untapped gold mine.

Eina's frown softened and she leaned back in her chair. She adjusted the glasses on her face as she spoke, "I suppose you have a point."

Bell pulled himself from his seat, his eyes filling with hope.

"But that doesn't completely excuse you. Be more careful next time, alright?"

"Ye-Yes, Ms. Eina," Bell said, nodding his head up and down as fast as he could.

Eina gave him a big smile before turning her attention back to Simon. The man was staring at her with an intense gaze. His eyes were narrowed and they seemed to run up and down her body. She was already starting to feel a sense of disgust and exasperation, but masked it behind practiced professionalism, "Is there something you needed, Simon?"

"Yeah. Eina? What exactly are you? Cause you look human, but have those ears. Are you a beastman?"

Eina was temporarily stunned. Her elvish ancestry was obvious to anyone who looked at her, after all. How could he not know that? And why would he confuse her with an animal person? For a moment, she didn't know how to react and just stared at Simon with a blank look on her face.

"Mr. Simon! That was rude. And Ms. Eina is half-human and half-elf. You can tell from her ears," Bell suddenly said, leaning onto the table while staring at Simon.

Simon stretched his chin and looked bashful, "Uh, sorry. But I'm not gonna find out by just staring at her, am I? Better to just ask her for the answer. And I told you to not call me Mr. Simon's fine."

"Still, you should just ask someone that. I'm sorry, Ms. Eina. Mr...I mean, Simon is...new around here."

Eina's confusion only grew as she looked between the two of them. She shook her head and then cleared her throat to help center her focus. When she had herself under control, she placed both hands on the table in front of her. Then she spoke in an even tone, "How about you two tell me what happened in the Dungeon today? From the beginning, please."

And so they did. Bell told Eina everything that had happened up until Simon had saved him, and Simon took over from there. The two kept their stories as straight as possible, having gone over what they would say before they made it to the Guild. At first, Eina's facial expression got more and more upset as Bell described the events that led to him almost dying to a minotaur. But after Simon finished describing his brief part in the tale, her expression changed to curiosity.

"Hold on," Eina held up a hand to get their attention. She met Simon's gaze as she spoke, "Can you go back a bit? To when you fought the minotaur?"

Simon shrugged, "Sure. I was running along, trying to find the source of that scream. Ended up above Bell while he was about to get stepped on. I jumped off, aimed toward the monster, then kicked it in the face hard enough to break one of its horns. It fell over but wasn't done yet. So I got out my drill here-"

Simon grabbed the item in question from around his neck, holding it up for all to see, "-and ran right at it. I parried its attack, jumped up, stabbed it in the face, and blew its head off."

Simon mimed his takedown of the minotaur, a wide grin on his face. Bell was looking up at him with a small smile of his own. Eina stared in complete bewilderment. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke again, "I see. And where did you say you came from?"

"Uh...that's kind of complicated," Simon let his drill fall while rubbing the back of his neck, "And a long story. But I can tell you that I woke up in the Dungeon and that I ended up finding Bell."

Eina turned to the boy in question for confirmation. Bell nodded, "It's true, Ms. Eina. In fact, there's more to it than just that. He...He doesn't know what Levels are. Or Falna. Or, as you saw, elves. I don't think he's from Orario."

"But then what-wait....he...Simon...you don't know what Falna is?"

Simon shrugged, "I kind of do. Bell filled me in on the basics. It's a blessing that makes you stronger, right?"

"Yes. But you didn't know that before he told you?"

"Yep."

"Then....do you have a Falna?"

"Nope."

Silence filled the air for a long time. It was quiet enough that you could hear a pin drop.

Then Eina slammed her hands onto the table, voice cracking a bit as she yelled at him, "How is that possible?!"

---

For those who might not know: Celch = Centimeters.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Simon repeatedly blinked as he and Bell exited the Guild headquarters. As his eyes adjusted to the sun shining down from above, he craned his neck up to get a better look at the new land he found himself in. When his eyes fully adjusted he couldn't help but stare at what he saw.

Bell looked up at Simon with a grin, "Yeah. That was my first reaction too. Welcome to the Labyrinth City, Orario."

Bell waved a hand toward the city laid out in front of them. Crowds filled the cobblestone streets in front of them. Pastoral wooden buildings sat side by side on either side of the street. Some had signs above their doors with words or symbols drawn onto them. Others had people or other races coming and going from their doors.

But one of the main things that caught Simon's attention were the various types of creatures that walked side by side with humans. The ones with animal features didn't bother him much. They just reminded him of the beastmen from his world. The ones that surprised him were the squat humanoids barely taller than his thighs but built like brick houses, the ones with thin frames and pointy ears like Eina, and the ones that were taller than the squat humans but not as tall as regular humans. For a second, he was shocked to see so many types of non-humans in one place. And if what Eina said about her being a half-elf was true, then some of these guys weren't beastmen.

His surprise must've shown on his face, because Bell called out to him, "Simon?"

At Bell's words, Simon shook his surprise off. He turned to the shorter boy and smiled, "Ah, sorry about that, Bell. Just a bit shocked to see this many...um...can I clarify some of this stuff with you?"

At Bell's nod, Simon pointed towards the non-humans in the crowd, "So, the ones with pointy ears are elves like Eina, right?"

"Uh-huh. Though, hers are a bit rounded near the top. It's how you can tell she's a half-elf. The others are full elves."

"And the ones that look like animals are called beastmen, right?"

"Yes. Or animal-people. Or therianthropes. Have you seen beastmen before, Simon?"

"Sort of. What about the shorter guys?'

"Oh, those are dwarves, gnomes, and prums. They're all shorter than humans but each is different in their own way."

Simon nodded and hummed in thought. His hand went to his chin as he considered Bell's words. He briefly thought about Viral and the rest of his friends. Wondering what they would think if they were with him. Yoko would probably start seeing if teaching is a profession around here, while Viral would probably go right back into that Dungeon. He wouldn't want to stay still while there was fighting to do. Simon chuckled while looking up at the sky. His chuckle caught Bell's attention, "Did you have beastmen where you're from, Simon?"

"Yeah. Though they were kind of different from the ones you're familiar with. They looked way more animal-like."

Bell leaned closer, curiosity starting to get the better of him, "Really? And where is your village anyway?"

"It wasn't a village. More like a city."

"Like Orario?"

"Kind of. But the buildings were taller. And made of metal."

Bell's eyes widened at Simon's words. Nervousness filled his tone as he asked, "Uh, how tall?"

Simon hummed in thought while he examined the buildings. He frowned when he realized the majority were hardly taller than two stories. He needed something taller to help Bell visualize what he meant. He glanced behind him and then smiled when he found what he was looking for. He turned around and pointed at the large white tower that the Guild sat at the bottom of, "Some of them came up to about half that tower in height."

Bell followed Simon's finger up.

And up.

And up.

Eventually, he nearly fell over onto his backside. Both from trying to crane his head that high and from the shock that filled his body. Simon was pointing at the half point of Babel Tower. A tower that supposedly reached into Tenkai, the realm of the Gods A place hardly any adventurers ever get to see in their lifetimes. And Simon is saying that the people in his city built structures that were close to it in height. His awe of Simon increased tenfold as he looked from the older man to the Tower and back.

Then Simon let his arm fall to his side and smiled, "But, enough about me. I'm still new around here, so how about you take me on a tour of this place? I'd love to see what else there is to do around here."

Bell found himself shaken from his temporary stupor by Simon's complete disregard for what he just said. As if saying that where he's from people can build things that can rival Babel Tower is just a fact of life. Bell shook his head, "Wait, no, you have to explain that. What do you mean it was that tall?"

Simon rubs the back of his head and looks sheepish, "Uh, well, that would take a while to explain. I'll tell ya all about it later. Right now, I think we should go find something to do with all that money you just got. What did you call it? Vals?"

Simon pointed toward the bag on Bell's hip. Bell followed his finger toward the bulging bag of money. His confusion was replaced by happiness and awe as he remembered what he got from the Exchange for the minotaur's magic stone.

Fifteen thousand vals.

That was the most amount of money he had ever had since he came to Orario. The fact that Simon just gave it all to him made him extremely happy. So much so, that he had originally planned to go tell-

"Oh right!" Bell shook his head and started heading down onto East Main Street. He turned back to Simon and said, "Sorry, Simon. I can't show you around. I need to go meet someone important."

"OK. Then I'll come with you."

"Huh?"

Simon started following after Bell, shrugging as he came to the white-haired boy's side, "I'm new here. Might as well hang out with the one person I know. Only thing that makes sense."

"I...I guess," Bell agreed as he rubbed at his chin. He briefly questioned whether he should introduce Simon to his Goddess. But then he recalled what Simon had done for him in the Dungeon. It wouldn't be right to not at least let the two meet each other. Hestia would want to know who it was that saved his life after all. Making his mind up, Bell nodded to Simon and smiled, "Alright. Follow me. I'll introduce you to someone very important to me."

"Can't wait to meet them," Simon gave Bell a smile of his own, matching the boy's pace as the two walked down East Main Street.

---

"Goddess! I'm home!"

Simon's eyebrow rose as he heard Bell's greeting. The boy had led him to a run-down church at the edge of a cul-de-sac. The place was abandoned and in complete disrepair. Even the statue of the Goddess had fallen apart. Half her face was missing and there were holes all across her body. But he thought it looked pretty good. Not like he could judge. He had spent most of his life underground in caves, and he spent the end of it wandering around a desert. While it couldn't hold a candle to the cities of his world, it still had this cozy and homely feeling to it. Like the moment you stepped inside it instantly felt like home.

But his original comfort turned to confusion when he heard Bell call for a "Goddess". He had followed the kid into a basement, a place that wasn't that big but was enough for a small number of people. There was some furniture in here, indicating that Bell did live here. And, apparently, it was with someone else.

Before Simon could ask the boy anything, a person jumps to her feet from the sofa in the center of the room. It was a girl and the sight of her gave Simon pause for a moment. The best way he could describe her, was if someone took Nia when she was fourteen, changed her hair to black and eyes to blue, gave her twin ponytails on the sides of her head, then gave her Yoko's bust size. Simon's pause didn't last for long though. He swiftly regained his composure while the "Goddess" he supposed, moved to hug Bell. But that was when she finally noticed Simon as he stepped off the last stair.

The two stared each other down for a few moments. Simon felt the "Goddess'" gaze focus on him. As if she was scrutinizing every fiber of his being. He felt like she was trying to take his measure from a single glance at him. Make him lay everything he was bare before her with a single glare. A faint tension fell over him for a split second as the girl's blue eyes gained a sharp edge to them for but a moment.

His response...was to smile. Then he raised his hand and waved at her in greeting, "Hey there. Name's Simon. What's your name?"

The girl blinked.

Then she shook her head in shock.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"And that's how it all works!" Hestia finished, holding up a finger for all to see.

Simon, his arms crossed and right leg over his knee, nodded at Hestia, "Ah, I see. So, if I were to join you guys, I'd get a blessing from you. And I'd be a part of your Familia. Which would let me register at the Guild, make money, and get any other benefits from being in your Familia."

"Pretty much," Bell shrugged, an expecting smile on his face.

Simon nodded to the goddess, "Thanks for the rundown, Hestia."

"Don't mention it," Hestia said with pride. Then she leaned forward, the same expecting smile that Bell had on her face, "Sooooo, what do you think?"

"Think about what?"

"About joining our Familia. Before, you said you wouldn't join because you didn't really get how it worked," Hestia explains, her ponytails pointing toward Simon.

"Right," Simon nodded again.

"Well, now you know. So, are you gonna-"

Simon held up a hand, "Sorry, but my answer's still no."

"What?!" Hestia's hands hit the table, while her ponytails shot toward the ceiling. Her face clearly showed the surprise she felt, "But why?"

"Hmm, two main reasons. The first is that I don't think I'm gonna need it. I'm already plenty tough myself," Simon tap a fist against his chest to emphasize, "and I don't need a God's blessing to get stronger."

"But that was one minotaur. And you caught it off guard. You do know there are stronger monsters in the Dungeon than that, right? Do you really think you can handle them too?" Hestia pointed out, Bell nodding along with all of her words.

Simon's expression turned grateful, "Thanks for worrying about me. But, seriously. I'll be fine. Like I said, I've fought tougher things than that before."

He leaned back in his seat, eyes not leaving Hestia's gaze, "Second, if I got a blessing I would essentially be beholden to the God who gave it to me, right?"

Confusion came over Bell's face while Hestia started to frown. She nodded in response to Simon's question, which made the older man hum in understanding. He stared Hestia down before he spoke again, "Thought so. In which case, I don't think I'll ever get a blessing. I wouldn't accept having a God tell me what I can and can't do with my life."

"What?" Bell shook his head in surprise. Confusion and shock clear on his face, Bell spoke up, "But Hestia's a great Goddess! She'd never make you do anything you didn't want to do."

Simon turned to Bell and shrugged, "I don't doubt that. But it's not about whether the God I get the blessing from is a good one. I've never been one to let others dictate my path in life for me. The only one who gets to decide that is me and me alone."

His words were firm and filled with confidence, but there was no malice to them. Nor any in the kind gaze he gave Bell and Hestia. Bell didn't know what to say to that. He wanted Simon to join their Familia, but he didn't want to seem like he was trying to force him into it. This was Simon's decision to make, after all. But if he didn't have a Familia then what would he do for a living? He looked toward his Goddess and waited for her to say something. She had remained silent and was simply staring at Simon, a frown marring her cute face. A part of him hoped that she would say something that would convince Simon otherwise. That with a few magical words he would see that his worries were unfounded.

But the rest of him knew Hestia. And he knew what she would say.

Instead, Hestia sighed and then fell back into the sofa. Her eyes were closed as she lowered her head, "Fine. If you're certain about it."

"I am," Simon nodded, "Thanks for understanding."

Hestia waved his words off and put her hands on her knees. She put up the face of a professional Goddess. One who was barely affected by Simon's refusal to join her Familia. But Bell only needed to look at the way her hands balled into fists on her knees. And the way her arms shook as she spoke, "It would reflect poorly on my Familia if I pushed joining onto you. I'm not one of those other deities who can't no for an answer. And besides, I can see why you wouldn't want to join besides your own personal reasons. We're a small Familia that has to rely on a single member just to make ends meet. Who's Goddess has to work a part-time job to supplement income from the Dungeon."

The longer her speech went on, the more and more Hestia's mood started to drop. She started to withdraw into the sofa, her voice turning from confident to pathetic. Simon's smile fade as he watched the Goddess hold back tears. He prepared to stand up and encourage her, but Bell beat him to it. The white-haired boy jumped to his feet and turned to stare at his Goddess. His eyes were ablaze as he pumped his fists, "Don't get discouraged, Goddess! Our Familia may be small now, but that's because we just started. Once we get through this first part and save up enough money, all our troubles will be over! People will be lining up to join us! Just you wait and see!"

Hestia stood up at Bell's words, her original despair replaced by hope. Her expression got brighter the longer she stared at Bell's smiling face. Simon found himself smiling at the, as Hestia shouted her agreement with Bell. She pumped her own fist while saying how lucky she was to have met someone like Bell. The two shouted as their spirits rose which only made Simon's smile get wider. Watching the two of them get so pumped up...well, it made him glad he decided to pick Bell as his guide to this new world. The boy might not look like much now, but he could sense that he had the spirit and the heart to become a great man. Now if only he had a bit more confidence in him...

"Now, for our future, let's update your status! To the bed and off with your shirt!"

"Alright!"

Bell ran to a door near the back of the room, Hestia following him soon after. She looked back at Simon with a beaming smile on her face, "Make yourself at home, Simon! Don't worry about the Familia stuff and just rest up. And don't leave too soon. Bell will be making dinner later!"

With that, she disappeared around the corner.

Simon waved goodbye to the Goddess and the young boy.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Simon waved goodbye to the Goddess and the young boy. Though he did think that the part about Bell taking off his shirt was weird. Curious, he got up and planned to follow the two but thought better of it. If it was something they wanted him to know about, they wouldn't have left the room to do it. And he can just ask Bell about it all later. Instead, he put his hand in his coat pockets and started to walk around the room. There wasn't much to say about it. It had the two sofas, a table, and a dresser. He leaning around the corner he could see another hallway with a second dresser on it and some stairs leading up. He supposed that was where Bell and Hestia went.

Simon hummed as the started to pace around the room. His thoughts started to go to his current circumstances. Which, to be honest, wasn't the strangest situation he ever found himself in. When he finally kicked the bucket back home, he figured he'd go to wherever Nia, Kamina, Kittan, and everyone else who died was. Get to see them all again without needing to use any Spiral Power to bring them back. But instead, he somehow ended up in this world. A place that doesn't seem to have any Spiral Power or even know what it is. Where humans rely on "Gods" to get strong enough to defeat monsters.

He looked toward the ground and thought about that word.

Gods.

Eina and Bell had given him the simplest run down. Put simply, there was another world above this one where the Gods lived. However, they got bored with their lives up there and decided to come down here to "play" with mortals. When he first heard that he felt his rebellious spirit start to rise. The only "God" that he had ever met was the Anti-Spiral. His experience with them wasn't exactly a good one. But Bell assured him that the Gods weren't "bad" and were actually responsible for a lot of the good things that humans have nowadays. Especially when it concerns that "Dungeon".

"Dungeon," Simon tested the word, a hand going to his chin in thought. He knew the place was a central part of Orario. He could tell that much from how Bell and Eina talked about it, how many people he saw come and go from within where he met the half-elf, and how the magic stones they got from monsters were exchanged for money. His eyes roamed the white walls of the basement room around him. He stopped pacing in the middle of the room and stared up at the white ceiling.

His eyes curled inward as he frowned, thinking back to his conversation with Hestia and Bell. He didn't regret what he said. His life since reaching the surface back home had been a tooth-and-nail fight to command his own destiny. Decide fate for himself and allow others to do the same. Even if the Gods of this world weren't as bad as the Anti-Spiral, he still didn't like the idea of being beholden to one of them. Especially not if it came down to a choice between what was right for the Familia and what was the right thing to do. That part of him hadn't changed, even now. If he saw something was wrong, and he knew he could do something to make it right, he'd do it. Whatever consequences came of that, he'd deal with later. In his own way. He didn't think many Gods would be happy if he said something like that to their faces.

But he couldn't deny the fact that he did need some way to take care of himself. No one knew him here, he wasn't a "registered adventurer", and he didn't have any of this world's currency. His options for ensuring his survival were slim. A part of him brought up the fact that he could take care of all his needs with just a little Spiral Power.

He quickly snuffed that part of himself out. He wasn't a God. He was Simon The Digger. That wouldn't change. Not even in this world where Gods walked among mortals.

His troubled thoughts made him sigh. He moved back to the sofa and laid down on it. He kept his boots off the upholstery, turned so he was looking at the ceiling, and put his left hand behind his head. Thoughts began to drift back to the subject of his friends. He knew none of them were here with him. If they were, he would've known. Their souls were bound together by Spiral Power, after all. If any of them were alive and in Orario, he would've felt them by now. But, so far, he had felt nothing.

Though them not being here physically didn't mean they weren't with him.

His right hand continued to rummage in his pocket until he felt his fingers brush over something. Blinking, he pulled his hand out and held it up to the light. The moment he caught sight of it, all his worries went away. His frown became a content smile as he stared at the small, white ring held in his fingers. The bright green crystal in its center seemed to shine in the light of the small room. Smile still on his face, he brought the ring toward his chest where his new Core Drill sat. When the crystal met the tip of the drill, the sound of wind chimes echoed through the room. For the briefest of moments, Simon swore he could feel two hands on his shoulders. One was firm and gripped his shoulder with hard, calloused hands. The other was soft and dainty, laying on his shoulder more than holding it.

It only lasted for a second.

Then the feeling disappeared.

Simon's only reaction was to smile even wider. He pulled the ring away from the Core Drill and placed it on his right ring finger. He held his hand up to the light then curled it into a fist. His smile turned into a determined grin as he pushed himself up and off the sofa.

He wasn't alone.

No matter how much time passed, no matter where they were, he knew that every one of his friends was always with him. Even if they weren't here in body, they were with him in spirit.

New world or not, it didn't change who and what he was. Whatever the future may hold, he'd face it with open arms and a waiting fist. He'd make his way through Orario the same way he had back home.

With an open heart, hard work, dedication to his ideals, and never wavering fighting spirit.

He nodded confidently to himself. He stretched his arms toward the ceiling, feeling refreshed and relieved after all of that. As he shook his arms out, he heard footsteps coming down the stair. Bell soon came around the corner, holding a sheet of paper in his hand with his normal clothes back on. His face was clouded with doubt, eyes furrowed in thought, to the point where he almost walked right passed Simon without a word. He stopped before reaching another door and turned to look at the taller man. His eyes widened in surprise, "Oh, Simon! Sorry, I forgot you were there. Not that I meant to, it's just-"

Simon waved his hand dismissively, "Don't worry about it. Though, I do want to ask what's up. You look like you've got a lot on your mind."

Bell turned his eyes away from Simon as he spoke, "Well, I do. Mainly my updated status."

"Status? Is that what you and Hestia went to take care of upstairs?"

Bell nodded, "Yes. All the experiences we gain in life are gathered up as excelia. The Gods then use that excelia to improve our status. Which represents things like our strength and speed and such."

"Huh. So, they take your life experiences and turn them into power?"

"That's the simplest way to explain it, yes. Though, you can also gain stuff like Magic and Skills when Gods update your status," Bell's eyes twinkled when he mentioned Magic and Skills. But it was swiftly covered by a dark cloud a moment later. The white-haired boy let out a sigh of frustration as he shook his head, "Though not everyone gets them."

Simon hummed and nodded his head, "And that's why you're so down in the dumps?" Bell flinched but nodded in confirmation. Simon waved a hand at him, "And, what was up with her telling you to take off your shirt?"

Bell's face turned a light shade of pink as he shook his head, "I-I-It's just how the Gods update our status'! They write on our backs with their blood! We weren't doing anything...uh...we just weren't doing anything else in there! I swear!"

"Never said you were."

Bell's embarrassment only got worse. His eyes darted around the room, trying to look at anything but Simon. They fell onto the door he was in front of and Bell took his chance. He swiftly opened the door, then ran inside while calling back to Simon, "An-An-Anyway, I need to make us dinner! I'll try to make something for you too, Simon! Hope you don't mind potatoes!"

Before Simon could reply, the door slammed shut behind Bell. He stared at the door for a few moments. Then he shrugged and sat down to wait for Bell to cook dinner. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Hestia walking around the corner. He waved hello to the Goddess and smiled at her. But his smile fell as he saw the pensive expression on her face. She moved on auto-pilot, sitting on the sofa across from Simon and crossing her legs. Her ponytails were pointed toward the floor and her lips pursed at some errant dark thought.

Worried, Simon called out to Hestia and asked what was wrong. The Goddess, slowly, turned her head up until she was gazing at Simon. After a few moments of silence, she spoke with an eerie calmness to her voice, "Simon. What did you do after you rescued Bell again?"

Confused but not intimidated, Simon replied casually, "I helped him get the minotaur's magic stone."

"And, how did you do that?"

"I gave him one of these," Simon tapped the Core Drill laying on his chest, "and helped him drill through its hide."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Hestia's eyes moved from Simon's to the drill hanging from his neck. She glared at the object as if she was trying to break it down to its base components with her gaze alone. Simon just sat there, wondering what she was trying to do. Or why she suddenly started asking him about his Core Drill. Before she could say anymore, the door to the kitchen opened up. Hestia's serious mood changed to one of giddiness as she saw Bell come into the room with three bowls of potato soup.

Simon stared at the Goddess, wondering what all that had been about. But then he smelled the soup. Any thoughts about the previous encounter were blown away by his sudden and furious hunger.

---

Expect chapters for all my stories to take longer than usual.

Cause I'm gonna be upping my Minimum Word Count for chapters from 3k Words to 5k Words.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Along West Main Street was a certain cafe.

Within the second floor of this cafe, at a table next to a glass window looking out at the street below, sat a lone woman. She wore a navy blue cloak that hid the majority of her snowy-white skin. Yet every set of eyes in the cafe was locked onto her. None could catch but a glimpse of her true features, but they all stared slack jawed at the lone figure. Every movement made their breath hitch within their throats. Even simply tracing the surface of her table with a finger was enough to make all in attendance hold their tongues in anticipation.

The Goddess Of Beauty, Freya, paid them no heed.

She merely sat at her table as her silver eyes watched the children of Gekai below. Humans, dwarves, elves. A few adventurers here and there. Some animal people trying to sell their wares to anyone who walked by.

Freya thoroughly examined them all with her sharp eyes. Never once did the leave the window, even a waiter came by to take her order. She didn't even turn to look at the boy but he was immediately captivated by her beauty. Her request for tea was short and simple, and the waiter moved to fulfill it as soon as possible.

Freya kept her eyes on the street below.

And it's thanks to that, that she caught sight of them.

It was by complete chance. Her gaze just so happened to move to the other side of the street. In the fresh early morning sunlight, the eyes of the Goddess of beauty fell upon a white haired boy and a blue haired man.

And within that instant she fell in love with the white haired boy.

His soul sung to her. A pure, white light that burned with a fire that had to blaze. A soul completely untainted by the cruelties of the world. A young man filled with the innocence of a babe, but with the potential be be so much more. This flame...this will burning within him...it was like a soprano. One that captivated her the moment she heard it.

However, the soul that walked beside him it was somehow the same...yet different.

Where the boy's soul had captured her heart, this man's soul did something else. It confused her.

For one thing, it wasn't like anyone else's soul. It wasn't an orb with a distinct color that detailed the life experiences of its owner. Rather...it was...she wasn't sure. It was green in color but that was where similarities with other souls like it ended.

Because this soul...it was spinning.

That was the best way Freya could describe it. The young man's soul was spinning. Non-stop. Without any input whatsoever. It spun in place, the green light around it flowing with it. The force made the soul transform from just a color into...a...a drill?

Yes, that felt right. Freya didn't know why but calling that soul a drill felt right. And as she examined it further she found her confusion and curiosity growing by the second. For the soul was much like the boy's. Pure, radiant, full of potential. But in some places she could tell it was tempered. Like it had clashed with the realities of the world around it. But, rather than allow the flames within it to sputter and die, it continued to nurture them. To use them to fuel its fire.

A contradiction.

Yet it existed nonetheless.

As the two walked down West Main, Freya noticed something else. Something that, once she was aware of it, made her frown.

The green light of the young man's soul...some it had taken root within the white haired boy's soul.

---

Was gonna have this be longer...but decided to just post it now. I am actually rather proud of it.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Ms. Eina had drilled many lessons into Bell's head. Ever since he became an adventurer she made sure he understood where he stood as a Level 1 Solo Adventurer. That place being at even more risk than the average adventuring party. So, he had to take a certain adage to heart when it came to fighting in the Dungeon.

Fight smart, not hard.

If the monsters were in a group, he should run away and find a better position. If the monster was stronger than him, he should get as far away from it as possible. If he encountered a monster that wasn't strong but he couldn't handle, he should run in the other direction and see if he could get an advantage.

All of Eina's strategies involved him running away and for good reason. Out of all his stats, his Agility was the one that he had made his own. While not something he took pride in he couldn't deny that running away from his foes played a big role in his continued survival in the Dungeon. It was the only reason he had survived for so long against the minotaur. If he tried to stand his ground and fight, he had no doubt he'd be dead by now.

One could say that majority of his career as a Solo Adventurer had been one long sequence of running away from threats.

Which was on of the biggest reasons why he couldn't look away from Simon as he battled the four remaining Kobolds on his own. The blue haired man was surrounded on all sides by the dog-headed bipeds. The pack was uncharacteristically coordinated in their attacks. One would charge in with its claws at the ready, swiping at Simon as the human dodged the blows. Any attacks he couldn't dodge, he'd block by clashing his arm against the Kobold's. But the monster wouldn't relent, continuing its assault while its comrades moved around to Simon's back. Once in position, the three rushed in with their claws out and ready to rend Simon's back open.

Bell's grip on his dagger tightened when he saw the Kobolds. He ran forward as he shouted, "Simon watch-"

His words died on his lips as the Kobold's claws reached Simon's back...then were deflected by his cape. Bell nearly tripped over his own feet as his mind tried to understand what just happened. The Kobolds were equally surprised, all three falling back as they stared at the fluttering blue cape on Simon's back. The one attacking Simon paused in shock. A mistake which cost it dearly.

Simon dashed forward and grabbed the Kobold by its right arm with his right hand. Placing one foot in front of its own, he span around while his left hand grabbed onto the monster's arm. Too late it realized what was happening as Simon threw the Kobold over his shoulder and onto its back. Simon let the monster go before moving to the side and lifting his foot up. Grinning he looked up and shouted, "Bell! Heads up!"

"Wha-what?!" Bell had no time to think as Simon kicked the Kobold hard in the stomach. Its choked scream echoed through the room as it rocketed across the floor. Its body skipped along the floor, flipping as it crashed against the rocky earth on its way toward Bell. The young man panicked, instinctively raising his dagger as the monster got closer and closer. Ruby red eyes filled with confusion, he nonetheless swung at the Kobold once it was in range of his blade. His attack sliced cleaning through the Kobold's neck as the body landed a few feet behind him. He briefly stopped to look back at the now dead monster as it stopped moving.

"Mind giving me a hand over here, Bell?" Bell turned back to see Simon backing away while the remaining Kobolds gave chase. Though it didn't look like they were pushing the man back. Moreover, it seemed that Simon was jumping away on purpose. He was leading them toward Bell who was still trying to make sense of everything that just happened. Simon looked over his shoulder then smiled, "Could use some help dealing with them."

"Uh-Ugh-Right," Bell shook his head to get his focus back. He moved forward to reach Simon. The blue haired man grinned and stopped running from his adversaries. The closest Kobold moved in with its claws flashing in the light of the Dungeon. Simon ducked under the monster's outstretched arms then followed up with three hard punches to its torso, ending it off with a hard uppercut to the stomach. He drove the Kobold's breath from it before spinning around to its back. His cape fluttered behind him as he kicked the Kobold in the back. Using the momentum to boost himself toward the other Kobolds, he held out both of his arms to the side. The Kobolds, already running to him, were unable to avoid his double lariat. His arms curled around their necks before he dragged them to the ground with him.

The Kobold he kicked was left off balance, letting Bell move in with his dagger. With a battle cry he drives his weapon into the monster's heart. It died instantly but Bell continued on, charging forward while throwing the Kobold off his weapon. Ahead of him Simon got to his feet and turned to look at the remaining Kobolds. The one on his left was dead and its neck was bent at an odd angle. But the one on his right slowly got with one hand on its head. Simon looked beyond it and locked eyes with Bell for but a moment. He grinned before running at the lone Kobold. Fear flashed in the monster's eyes as it realized it was alone and about to die.

Bell didn't waist the opportunity. With one slash he cleaved deep into the monster's back, carving a dark red line into its furred flesh. As it fell forward, Simon punched it in the face hard enough to make its neck snap backwards with a loud snap. The Kobold fell to its knees then onto the floor, completely lifeless.

"Haa-haa-We-We won," Bell said, panting as he stared at the dead Kobold before him. He felt the tension leave him as he sat down on the Dungeon floor. He could hardly believe that just happened. He'd never fought that many Kobolds at once before. Nor had he ever fought with anyone. Yet...it all worked out.

He was suddenly pulled to his feet as Simon wrapped his arm around Bell's shoulder. The older man laughed, "Good job back there, Bell! Sorry I jumped in like that. Didn't really do a good job following my own words did I?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, don't worry about it!" Bell shook his head while trying to avoid looking into Simon's eyes, "It's my fault. I should've been more decisive and-"

Simon flicked Bell's forehead, making the boy squeak in pain. He placed both hands on his head while Simon shook his head, "I'm the one that didn't wait for your orders. I'm the one at fault here, Bell. Don't you go blaming yourself over this, alright?"

"A-Alright," Bell said while rubbing the center of his forehead and nodding to Simon.

Simon smiled then stepped away from Bell, "OK. Then where to next, leader?"

"Um," Bell looked at the dead Kobold near his feet for a few seconds. Then he nodded, "We should start taking the magic stones from these monsters." He knelt to be next to the Kobold nearest him, raising his dagger up to cut into the monster's flesh. But something made him stop before the tip even reached flesh. He looked at his dagger then down at one of his pockets. Frowning he sheathed his dagger and pulled the Drill Simon had given him from within. He placed it against the Kobold's chest and started to drill into it.

Simon smiled and gave Bell a thumbs up, "You got it, Boss."

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Bell sat on the edge of the upstairs bed watching the door to his room. There was no sound save for the light buzzing of the magic lamp above him. He resisted the urge to kick his legs back and forth, not wanting to make the bed creak. He wasn't sure what Simon and Lady Hestia were talking about downstairs, but he didn't want to disturb them by making any noise. If Lady Hestia needed to talk with Simon alone then it was likely important. And she'd tell him all about it later.

A part of him did feel some temptation. The want to crack the door open and sneak downstairs. Hear what was so important that he had to leave the room before they could talk about it. But that part was swiftly dashed by his complete trust of Lady Hestia. She was his Goddess and a great one at that. She was probably just explaining more about how Orario works to Simon.

Simon. The thought of him made Bell smile. Though he hadn't known the man for long, he did think he was a good person. He knew that sounded naive but it made sense to him. Simon had saved his life twice now, had accompanied him into the Dungeon without needing a formal contract, and kept letting him have all the money. Even if Bell felt bad about taking Simon's own share of the vals, he couldn't deny that it was helping his Familia. They were in a much better position than they used to be. Lady Hestia could even afford multiple potato snack dinners now! He had given them so much, yet he asked for nothing in return. Just like a Hero...

Smiling, Bell reached into his pocket and pulled out the drill that Simon had given him. He held it up to the light, the little bronze object dangling from a piece of string. Simon had done that for him when they left the Dungeon today. The string had come from his cape and he had placed it into Bell's hand. When Bell asked what it was, Simon had called it a "Core Drill". At the time it hadn't been much. Just a normal drill.

But now, as he stared at it, he swore he saw a the dimmest of green lights pulsing within its core. He turned the slightly warm object around in his fingers eyes transfixed by the light within. He was certain the thing was some kind of Magic Item. The type that the Heroes in stories get that always helps them win the day. Though he wasn't sure how this one worked, he had a theory over what it was supposed to do. And that came down to the color the Core Drill was giving off.

Because it was the same shade of green he had seen Simon use in the Dungeon.

Which meant that it was connected to...

"Spiral Power," Bell tested the words on his tongue. His eyes kept staring at the Core Drill as he thought on his theory. Simon had said that Spiral Power was "Fighting Spirit". Bell figured he meant "Willpower" or something close to it. If that was the case then...was Spiral Power the ability to manifest your Will into reality? Or make things happen through willing them to happen?

Because if so then...what could it not do?

Bell started to frown but then shook his head. He was probably overthinking things again. Spiral Power couldn't be that strong. If it was then everybody would be using it, wouldn't they? But this is the first time he's heard of it. Maybe it was something that the Heroes of Old used before Falna became a thing? He'd have to ask Simon about it later.

He lowered his head then put the Core Drill around his neck. The item fell to the middle of his chest still glowing with a faint green light. He sighed before falling back onto the bed as his mind once more drifted to the conversation happening downstairs. As they did he briefly wondered if Hestia would know anything about Spiral Power.

---

Hestia, the Goddess of Hearth and Home, was currently had her eyes closed as she massaged her temples. She leaned back against the living room sofa, taking a deep breath before sighing, "Oooookkkkk. Let me see if I've got this straight."

Simon sat across from her with his legs crossed. He didn't look perturbed by her mood in the slightest. If anything, his expression made Hestia more upset. And his tone didn't make it any better, "Sure. I'm all ears."

Hestia frowned but continued, "So, Spiral Power. It...it's a power source that just exists in the world."

"Yep. Well, it does for me."

"You can sense it?"

Simon shrugged, "Yeah. Passively, I can feel any Spiral Power in a radius around me. If I concentrate, I can sense it all across the planet."

"...You can...sense the presence of Spiral Power...across the entire planet if you try?"

"Uh huh! Pretty handy trick, huh?" Simon smiled and put his arms behind his head.

Hestia took a moment to breathe and calm herself down. Her ponytails were trembling as she tried to keep her emotions in check. After a few moments she continued, "OK. Lets put to the side for now. Spiral Power. It just plainly exists, and represents evolution. But less evolutions and more the concept of improving and overcoming all obstacles."

"That's one way to put it."

"And it's powered by someone's innate Willpower."

"Fighting Spirit."

"Same difference. Anyway, there's no limit to the amount of Spiral Power someone can have. Or what it can do. Someone with Spiral Power can go from digging holes in the ground one day, to defeating someone who is many years their senior in combat the next day. And it only gets crazier from there? Am I getting that right?"

Another shrug, "Pretty much. Though it's not a free ride. Everyone can have Spiral Power, but you actually have to ACT in order to make use of it. If you're a passive person, then you're not gonna get very far. Think it like a drill. Every time it rotates, it gets further and further down the hole it's digging. Just like how someone becomes different from who they were before every moment they spend improving themselves. That's Spiral Power."

Hestia blinked.

Then she spoke in the flattest voice she could manage, "Simon, are you a God?"

For the first time since she had met him, Hestia saw Simon frown. His answer was short and decisive, "No."

"And you're not lying to-"

"Why would I ever lie to you, Hestia?"

Hestia was silent for a few moments. Normally, she wouldn't have asked if Simon was lying to her. After all, the Children can't lie to the Gods. It's just impossible.

But Simon basically told her that Spiral Power looks at things that are supposed to be "impossible" and says, "Fucking watch me do it anyway."

And it tends to work.

Meaning that, if he wanted to, he could lie to the Gods.

And, truth be told, a part of her wished that he was lying to her right now. Because that would be preferable to the truth of the matter.

Unfortunately, she knew he wasn't. Because Simon was similar to Bell in many ways. And one of those ways was that he was honest to a fault. He wouldn't lie to her, because the idea of lying to her for any reason at all would never even cross his mind.

Which meant that everything he told her was true.

....

"You doing okay there, Hestia?" Simon asked, tilting his head to the side.

Hestia was silent.

Then she slowly fell back into the sofa until it looked like her body was being eaten by the fabric. It was only when she was halfway into the sofa that she finally spoke, "Th...bull..."

"Hmm? You say something?"

"I said that's bullshit!" Hestia rocketed out of her seat. She shot to her feet, ponytails whipping up a storm while angry eyes fixated onto a stunned Simon.