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

[kinglugia]

And yet the Dungeon has so many nasties in it, especially the Deep Floors that some would argue that having a Crozzo Magic Sword is a good fallback option in case the Dungeon tries its usual fuckery.

Then again, Zeus and Hera familias didn't need any of that to delve this deep, so...

 

[KonradC]

Also, it's not a secret that magic swords break after their use.

 

[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," before walking toward the bodies of the other Kobolds. Bell glanced at Simon as he walked away, eyes glimpsing the symbol on it as he walked away. A blazing fire in the shape of a skull with two white glasses for eyes that resembled the glasses Simon wore. He stared at the symbol Simon moved out of sight, wondering how it managed to block three direct attacks from Kobolds. Even if they were born on a level with weak monsters, their claws should've easily shredded through something as tattered at that cape. So, how did it deflect them? Did he actually have magic? Or a skill?

"Hey, Bell?" Bell awoke from his musings, absentmindedly pulling the Kobold's stone from the hole he made in its chest. He turned around as the monster's body turned to ash in front of him. Behind him stood Simon, with four magic stones in one hand and two Kobold Claws in the other. He held up the hand with the claws in it, "I took the stones out, but these didn't disintegrate like the others. Something different about these?"

Bell's eyes widened in surprise as his lips split into a grin. He rushed over to Simon and pointed at the Claws, "Those are drop items! When you remove a monster's magic stone, sometimes parts of its body remain behind. They don't degrade or disappear, so they can be sold to the Guild or used to make special items. They're rather uncommon even among the weaker monsters."

"That so? Guess it's your lucky day you got two then," Simon said while tossing the claws and stones to Bell. The white haired boy fumbled with the thrown objects, managing to catch them all by pure luck. Sighing with relief he put them back into his bag while Simon turned to the remaining three Kobolds. He jerked his thumb toward them and Bell nodded. The two walked to the corpses, Simon putting his arms behind his head, "So, how long have you been at this whole Dungeon Diving thing anyway?"

"Um, a couple of days?" Bell said sheepishly while trying not to look directly at Simon. He shrugged, "I'm still a rookie and have a lot to learn. It's just that Ms. Eina helped me study the essentials of being an Adventurer."

"Hmm, guess you've got to thank her for a lot them," Simon said as he knelt next to one of the Kobold corpses.

Bell smiled wistfully, "Yeah. I do. Wait, never mind that! Simon, how did you deflect the attacks from those Kobolds?"

Bell gave Simon his full attention while the other man had placed his Core Drill against the Kobold's chest. Simon raised an eyebrow, his eyes focused on Bell while his hand idly turned his Core Drill, "Oh that? Spiral Power."

"Spiral Power?" Bell couldn't hide his confusion, "What is that? It is magic? Or a skill?"

"Not exactly. Hmm, the best way I could describe it is Fighting Spirit!"

Bell's confusion only got worse, "F-F-Fighting Spirit?"

Simon smiled, took his hand off the Drill, then grabbed his cape with both hands. He lifted the end it up so Bell could see it. Then he tapped on it with a finger, "Go ahead and feel it."

Still confused, Bell did as asked. He gently ran his finger along the dark blue fabric but felt nothing out of the ordinary. When he took his finger off, the cape suddenly flashed a bright green. Simon waved for Bell to touch it again, so the boy did. But when his finger touched the cape-

"Huh?!" Bell recoiled, shaking his head while his finger lifted off the cape for a moment. Curiosity getting to him, he placed his whole hand on the cape before running it up and down the object. Then he looked up at Simon with his mouth agape, "It-It-It feels like armor!"

"Yep!" Simon chuckled before pulling letting his cape go. There was another flash and it returned to being an inert piece of fabric. Simon focused back on the Kobold, his Core Drill having mad a hole in its chest while he wasn't looking. He reached into the hole and pulled out both his Drill and the magic stone, "And it doesn't take much. So I can just think about it whenever I'm about to get hit. And bam. I've protection from just about anything the world can throw at me."

Simon got to his feet while Bell tried to make sense of what he just saw and heard. He began to stutter, "Bu-Bu-But how?! It would make sense if you had magic, but...but that's just your fighting spirit? Tha-that can't do that! You can't just will fabric into being metal unless you're a God. And you're not so...it's just impossible."

Bell swore he saw Simon's grin get wider. The man walked over to the second to last Kobold. He stood with his back straight and head held high, "Impossible? Ha!"

He span on his heel, planted his feet into the ground, and crossed his arms while his cape fluttered as a sudden gust of air blew passed him. His glasses shined in the light of the Dungeon while his face was split in a confident grin. His voice echoed off the walls as the spoke, "Listen up, Bell! You need to remember this as long as you're hanging with me! To people like you and me, there's no such thing as impossible! If there's a wall in a way, then we break it down! If there's no path forward, then we'll blaze the trail for others to follow behind us! And if someone tells us we can't do something, we tell them to shove it and do it anyway! Cause that's the way Team Dai-Gurren rolls!"

Bell sat transfixed by Simon's words. Partly because he didn't understand most of it. Partly because it didn't really answer his question. But also because, and he didn't know why he felt this way, something about it felt...right. There was no words, sensible or otherwise, to explain why he felt that way. Even he wasn't entirely sure why. But part of him just knew that Simon was telling the truth.

Even if that truth didn't make any sense to him.

Temporarily stunned by Simon's speech, he kept silent while Simon knelt down and started to drill through second to last Kobold's chest. However, Bell managed to latch onto the last thing Simon said, "Wait...Team Dai-Gurren? Who's that?"

Simon turned to look at Bell. His smile had turned from confident to wistful and serene, "My friends. Good people that I'd go to hell and back for. And, in a lot of ways, I did do that."

"So, they're more than just friends?"

"Yeah, they are."

"Would they be like your Familia?"

"Suppose so. Though, we don't have a God or anything like. Just our combined want to make the world better in our own ways," Simon stood up, tossing a magic stone in up and down in his hand. As the Kobold's body disintegrated, he turned his head toward a path deeper into the Dungeon, "But I'll have to tell you more about that later. Looks like we've got more company."

"GRAAA!"

Bell tensed up as he heard the roar of more Kobolds approaching. He groaned, "Give me a break!"

"Want me to take care of these guys, Bell?" Simon tossed Bell the magic stone before cracking his knuckles.

Bell caught the stone before turning to the Kobold corpse near him, "Uh, sure. Just hold them off while I get this last stone. Don't push yourself and be careful."

"You got it," Simon said as he ran toward the sound of more Kobolds. As Bell focused on taking out the magic stone, he paused for a second. Then he stared after Simon with a single thought in his head.

Did he just give a clear and concise order? Without over-thinking it or stuttering?

---

"So," Simon grunted as he kicked a goblin so hard its head came off. The green humanoid's body slumped to the ground while its head hit the floor next to it. He lowered his foot and turned to Bell, "this Dungeon thing has always been here?"

Bell shrugs, "I guess. It's at least been here as long as I can remember. Though I don't think it's originally part of this world. We mortals didn't build it. Neither did the Gods."

"And the monsters are born here? Like they just pop out of the walls?" Simon placed a hand on his chin in thought.

Bell nods while walking over to the downed Goblin, "Uh huh!"

"How though?"

"No one knows. Not even our best scientist have any ideas. And the Gods don't tell us anything concrete. They just say that 'The Dungeon is a dungeon. What else would you find here other than a dungeon?'"

Simon scoffed and crossed his arms, "Sounds to me like they're just not telling you guys everything."

"M-Maybe. But I'm sure they have their reasons. Oh, a goblin fang," Bell picked up both the drop item and the magic stone before turning to look at Simon, "I mean, they're Gods. They have to know better than us mortals."

"Eh, I guess," Simon shrugged and walked passed Bell further into the floor. He put his hands behind his head while Bell moved to catch up with him. Then Simon yawned, "So, if this place gives birth to monsters...does that mean it's alive?"

"That's what our scientist and otherwise say. Mainly cause there aren't any other explanations. If you destroy a part of the Dungeon, it'll be repaired by tomorrow. It automatically regrows or recreates any resources taken from it. And it somehow manages to have a day/night cycle despite the sun not shining down here. It's all so mysterious and many people have dedicated their lives to finding out how the Dungeon works. But they've gotten nowhere," Bell explained while adjusting the bag on his back.

Simon chuckled, "That right? Leeron would take that as a challenge if he was here."

"Leeron?"

"One of my friends from Team Dai-Gurren. He was basically our go to guy for anything science related. Was responsible for a lot of the stuff that let us do our things," Simon sighed a wistful smile coming over his face.

Bell frowned and he turned his gaze toward the floor. His grip on his backpack tightened as he spoke, "Simon...how did you get so strong?"

"Huh?" Simon stopped walking to stare at Bell.

Bell stopped as well, his gaze moving to look at Simon, "You keep talking about Team Dai-Gurren as your friends or family. But you say they're not your Familia, cause you don't have a blessing or a God behind you. But...I've seen you fight. You're strong. Way stronger than me or probably even most rookie adventurers. And I-I just want to know how? What made you this powerful?"

Simon blinked at Bell who was staring at him with an intense look in his eyes. Then after a few minutes of silence, Simon grinned. He walked over to Bell and started to tousle the kid's white shock of hair. Bell stiffened as he did so, but Simon just chuckled, "Same way as you did, Bell. Lots of training, experience, and continually trying to improve myself. None of it came all at once. I had to work hard to get where I am now. Not to mention I had plenty of help along the way."

"I...I see," Bell didn't look reassured. His gaze fell to the floor as he started to turn away from Simon, "Thanks for sharing."

Simon hummed before moving his hand from Bell's head to his shoulder. Then he smiled again, "Tell you what? I do still owe you some stories about where I come from. How's about I tell you some once we get back to Hestia's place? I'll even tell you about Gunmen."

"Gunmen? What's that?" Bell's spirits visibly lifted as his eyes started to shine with curiosity.

Simon chuckled, "I'll tell ya when we get out of here. Speaking of which, when do you think-watch out!"

Simon pushed Bell aside as a Goblin stepped out from behind a pillar with its blade at the ready. The squat, green humanoid screeched as it kicked out at Simon's stomach. Simon blocked the attack with his knee while Bell struggled to stay on his feet. Simon punched the Goblin's outstretched leg, snapping the appendage in two at the knee. It screamed in pain as it fell to the ground with both hands holding its shattered knee. Simon turned to look at Bell with worry, "You alright?"

"Y-Yeah. Damn it, I let my guard down. Ms. Eina warned me not to do that," Bell said while walking over to the writhing Goblin. He pulled out his dagger and put it out of its misery with a clean cut to its neck. He sighed before turning to Simon, "Guess that should be our tip to head back. I should've been able to sense that attack coming."

"Don't beat yourself up over it. The thing was hiding," Simon points out as Bell removed the Goblin's magic stone.

"The most dangerous thing an adventurer can think is 'Ah, whatever.' That's what Ms. Eina told me. And if I started thinking like that, then it's time for me to stop for today," Bell put the stone in his bag then turned to start walking back to the Guild.

"If you say so," Simon said as he followed after Bell. He looked up at the sloping ramp they were ascending, "You don't happen to have anyway to cut our trip back short, do you?"

Bell shook his head, "Leaving the Dungeon instantly is something no adventurer can do. We're not Gods."

Simon went silent as the two kept walking. He reached up and thumbed the warm metal of his Core Drill as he mumbled, "Yeah. We're not Gods."

---

"Lady Hestia! We're back," Bell announced as the two of them returned to the room under the church. Bell carried with him a bag full of Vals from their recent trek. Hestia was sitting on the sofa in the main room, and got to her feet the second she spotted Bell and Simon. Bell moved to greet her but paused when he saw the dark expression on her face. However, her eyes weren't focused on him. They were completely locked on Simon. Bell stared at his Goddess with worry etched on his face, "Um, is something wrong, Lady Hestia?"

"Bell, could you head upstairs for a moment?" she said without taking her eyes off Simon, "I'll update your status after I have a talk with Simon."

Still confused, Bell turned to Simon and silently asked if he knew what was going on? Simon just shrugged but waved to indicate that Bell should go on. Taking one last glance at Hestia, Bell did as his Goddess asked and headed up to the second floor. Once he was gone, Simon spoke up, "Something wrong, Hestia? Did I do something to make you mad?"

Hestia crossed her arms while her eyes seemed to bore into Simon. Her ponytails were whipping back and forth, barely being stopped from striking out at Simon. Hestia remained silent in an attempt to make Simon sweat and try to guess what was wrong. When no such thing happened she spoke up, "I'll come straight out with it. Simon, what is Spiral Power and how did you give it to my Bell?"

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

Honestly they might not have been gods but by the time the Final fight happened they might as well have been. Cause no fucking way can humans crush galaxies or shrug off a blast as strong as the Big Bang without a scratch. And kek cant wait to hear his explanation. And Hestia will have to believe him.

 

[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.

 

[Glassed]

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."

Click to shrink...

Most accurate summarization of Spiral Powers I've seen in a while.

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

You double posted the chapter.

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."

Click to shrink...

This is both hilarious and absolutely perfectly describes Spiral Power. I mean they went from digging in the dirt to tanking a Big Bang relatively unscathed in only a few years.

 

[kinglugia]

He wasn't sure what Bell and Lady Hestia were talking about downstairs, but he didn't want to disturb them by making any noise.

Click to shrink...

... did you mean Simon?

 

[LinkOnScepter]

You double posted the chapter.

Click to shrink...

No, I just made edits to the Sub Chapter.

Edit: No wait. Saw what you meant. Will fix it.

Edit Edit: Fixed.

... did you mean Simon?

Click to shrink...

Yes, and fixed.

 

[Xodarap]

Fiction fits the worldview we see for ourselves Reality doesn't give a shit what you believe it just slaps you in the face.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Fiction fits the worldview we see for ourselves Reality doesn't give a shit what you believe it just slaps you in the face.

Click to shrink...

Eh, I wouldn't say that.

Also, don't really think that fits this thread.

 

[Wivk]

Fiction fits the worldview we see for ourselves Reality doesn't give a shit what you believe it just slaps you in the face.

Click to shrink...

Life just wants to see you grit those teeth

 

[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. She continued to yell at the top of her lungs, uncaring of how loud she was being, "You can't just do whatever you want without limit! There's no way you can use Spiral Power whenever you want, however you want, and it's not gonna cost you anything?! The only way any of that would be possible if you were a God, but you're clearly not that. Because Spiral Power isn't Arcanum. Because it if was, then you wouldn't be here right now you'd be in Tenkai for breaking the rules! Which means that whatever you're doing, it's either something all mortals can use, the implications of which are terrifying, or you're somehow tricking the rules into thinking what you're doing isn't Arcanum. And considering what you've told me already, I'm willing to believe the latter!'

Hestia started to pant while she stared Simon dead in the eye. Her ponytails were still whipping around, the dust particles in the room lifting from the ground with each wave. Simon just stared at Hestia with wide eyes and an open mouth. Then he held up a finger, "Mind if I ask you something, Hestia?"

"What is it?"

"What day is it?"

"It's the second day of the week."

"Thought so," Simon started to chuckle, rocking back and forth in his seat as he did.

"What's so funny? This is serious."

"It's just...you remind me of one of my friends. This guy named Rossiu. Your rant sounded just like something he'd say. Course, then I'd do something to prove him wrong so," Simon shrugged, an easy going smile on his face.

Hestia blinked. Her cheeks got red with rage while her ponytails pointed at Simon. Anyone watching from the sidelines would think the Goddess was trying to smite him where he sat. Or at least try to inject some shame into the man with her gaze alone. But, regardless of how intense her stare was, Simon kept staring at her with a smile on his face. Eventually, Hestia gave up with a sigh. She fell back into her chair, ponytails going limp as she crashed into the sofa. She pinched the bridge of her nose. After a few moments she spoke, "Alright. Fine. This just means I need to give you a certain talking to in regards to how things work in Orario."

"Hmm, does it have anything to do with Bell and the other Gods?" Simon ventured.

Hestia nodded. She leaned forward with a serious expression on her face, "Put simply, Simon, the God's are like kids. They love to play with their toys and are constantly looking for new things to pique their interests. It's the reason they are so enamored with the Children of the lower world. They are all so fascinating in so many ways. But that also means that Children who stand out are in danger. Especially those without a Familia to protect them."

Simon frowned and crossed his arms, "Let me guess. If any of them find out what I can do, they're gonna try to force me into their Familias?"

Hestia nodded grimly, "It'll be worse if they discover you can share it with people. If Spiral Power really is as strong as you say it is, then every God in Orario will want to have you give to every member of their Familia. And some Gods in Orario are...not kind."

Hestia looked away from Simon, a shadow coming over her face. She placed both hands under her chin while her thoughts ran down her lists of Gods she knew would kill to have Simon in their clutches. Or at least chase after him an attempt to see the newest thing in Orario. Their never-ending search for entertainment would be hell for Simon to deal with.

But Simon didn't look worried. He simply nodded along with her words, "Yeah, thought as much. Guess choosing to not be vocal about it was a smart decision then. Wouldn't feel right just announcing what I can do to the whole city you know. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop using Spiral Power. Not the kind of guy to let something like scare me away from doing what I want."

Hestia sighed, "At least you understand not to go bragging about it. But then, what will you do if a God tries to force you into their Familia? Without a Familia to protect you, you'll be at their mercy. And the Guild could only do so much."

"Well, first I'd tell them. Firmly. If they kept trying, then I'd start," Simon punched his right fist into the palm of his left hand, "insisting".

Hestia stared in disbelief at the cocky smirk on Simon's face. She shook her head, "You...are you saying that you'd fight...an entire Familia? By yourself?"

"If I had to? Sure."

Hestia blinked twice. Then she ran a hand down her face, "I can't believe someone like you exists."

"I get that a lot," Simon replied with a smile, "Besides, I can't just give people Spiral Power. It's something you kind of have to have a knack for. It's in everyone, but mainly shows up in people who don't give up easy. People who want to change the world, or at least themselves, for the better."

Hestia sighed then shook her head before focusing her gaze onto Simon, "I still see you as a friend to my Familia, Simon. You've done too much for us for something like this to change that. But I need you to promise me that, whatever happens, you don't let this hurt my Bell. I don't want him picking up any bad habits from you, nor do I want the Spiral Power you gave him to make him needlessly reckless. And if something happens to him, I'll hold you personally responsible. I hope you understand."

Hestia's eyes flashed with barely hidden fury. Anyone else would understand the context behind those words. How a Goddess was essentially threatening them. How they were sitting before a being that stood above mere mortals. That regardless of her appearance, she was an existence that could easily make miracles happen if she weren't beholden to the rules all the Gods followed. They'd likely be scared, quaking in their boots as they became deathly aware of exactly where they were standing.

But Simon?

His response was to give Hestia a thumbs up, "OK. I promise."

"...Just like that?"

A shrug, "Yeah. Oh, but to be clear I'm promising to keep Bell safe. I understand that you're in love with him and want to make sure that nothing bad happens to him. So, I'm letting you know that I'll make sure nothing bad happens to him in the Dungeon, and that the other Gods won't hurt a hair on his head. But I can't really promise anything about Spiral Power. How that ends up is mainly down to Bell. His life is his own, after all. How he evolves will depend on him."

Simon cocked his head in the direction of the stairs. Hestia crossed her arms and nodded, "Good. I'm glad that-wait...what?! Did you say I was in love with Bell?!"

"Hmm? Yeah."

Hestia's face flushed a dark red. Her ponytails fluttered as she stood from her seat, "H-H-How could you tell?! Did you use Spiral Power to read my mind or something?"

Simon shook his head, "Nope. You're just really bad at hiding it."

The smile he gave her was the picture of innocence.

Hestia's cheeks puffed up as she pouted. Then she turned away from Simon with a huff, "Whatever! I need to go update Bell's status! You stay here and wait for him."

"Sure thing," Simon waved goodbye to Hestia as she headed upstairs. Once she was gone, he shook his head, "Man, Bell. Tough times are ahead for you. I'll do my best to make sure you're ready though. Though, I'm not exactly the best with women either, am I?"

He chuckled while leaning back into the sofa.

---

"And then she kicked me out of the room," Bell explained as he and Simon walked through the street traffic of Orario. The sun was sinking into the western sky, slowly being replaced by the bluish glow of the moon above. Adventurers and workers who had returned safe from their jobs filled the various bars that lined Main Street. Orange lights poured out of the doors alongside the happy and angry voices of the patrons.

Simon raised an eyebrow, "Really? All cause of how your Status looked?"

"I...don't know. I know she was mad about something. But I'm still not sure what it was," Bell admitted, looking at the ground in shame. He crossed his arms while closing his eyes in thought, "I'd figure she would be as surprised as I was at how much I grew. Improving by a total of 200 points in one day isn't exactly normal."

"That so?" Simon smiled at Bell. He reached over and pulled the young man into a one arm hug. Then he started to rub the younger boy's head with his other hand, "Maybe all that time you spend in the Dungeon is starting to pay off, huh?"

Bell couldn't help but chuckle as he playfully struggled to get out of Simon's grasp. He bet the two looked like brothers to anyone who was watching them. And, truth be told, he didn't hate that idea. He'd never had a brother before. Much less an older one. So, experiencing something like this was...nice.

But his smile soon faded when his mind went back to Lady Hestia's reaction to his Status Update, "But that still doesn't explain why the Goddess was so upset with me. Maybe she's mad I left so early this morning?"

Simon let Bell go and waved his hand dismissively, "Don't let it get to you, Bell. You trust her, don't you?"

"Of course. She's my Goddess."

"Then trust that she'll tell you later. When she thinks you're ready," Simon smiled down at Bell. The younger man nodded, his mood improving a little bit. All around them Main Street's nightlife continued on. All around them Demi-humans draw people off the street to lure them into their respective establishments. A circle of prums and gnomes sing to their hearts' content, with a dwarf joining them shortly after. The bars are regular hubs of activity, with one having female animal people in "playful" clothing trying to entice customers. But they're soon put to shame by a passing parade of Amazons wearing little save loincloths.

Bell blushes as he averts his eyes, but sees that Simon doesn't even look their way. In fact, regardless of the things happening around them, he never seems to get distracted. His eyes are always focused forward toward their next destination. Bell is transfixed by his confident gaze to the point where he hardly notices when Simon stops walking. Simon looks up, "Think this is the place."

"Huh?" Bell blinks before turning to see a familiar terrace. The same one where he and Simon had met Syr earlier that day. Looking up saw the bar's name; The Benevolent Mistress.

Bell nodded, "Yeah. I recognize it."

"Cool. Mind leading the way in?"

"Uh, sure. Lets see what the inside's like," Bell walked through the open doors with Simon following close behind. The inside of the bar was as lively as the others, but there was a certain class to the atmosphere. The servers were all female, with the majority being catgirls of various types. A single elegant elf server gracefully glided amongst them, no making a single mistake as she served the crowd. Behind a counter stood a stout dwarfess, who Simon could tell was the owner of the establishment by the way she carried herself. And the way her eyes immediately took notice of them the moment they walked inside.

Most of the occupants were men. Adventurers if their rough looks and armor was anything to go by. And though the place looked pretty contemporary, it still held a cheerful atmosphere. Simon whistled while his eyes roamed the place, "Pretty nice place. Syr must've hit the jackpot getting a job here."

"Y-Yeah. But-I feel like it's a bit out of my league..."

Simon placed a finger under Bell's chin and lifted it up, "Chin up, Bell! When a man enters a new place, he needs to be confident. Walk with your head held high and back straight, ready to take on whatever comes your way. Got it?"

"Ri-Right!" Bell immediately stood to attention, placing both his feet together while turning his body ramrod straight. He was only able to stand like that for a few moments before his body relaxed. Embarrassed, he looked at Simon, "I...don't have to stand like that all the time, do I?"

Simon laughed and patted the boy's head, "Course not! You can relax. Just be yourself. Be confident. Be brave. Can you do that?"

"Sure. I can...I can do that."

"Good. Now, Syr's here, so how about we get seated and I tell you that story I was talking about?"

"Really?!" Bell seemed more excited at the prospect of a story than the fact that Syr somehow snuck up on him. The girl in question was wearing the same dress from when they first met her. She smiled before getting the two's attention and leading them into the bar.

---

Bell blinked at Simon, his barely touched pasta sitting in front of him, "So...Gunmen are golems?"

"What's a golem?" Simon said through bites of a an entire chicken.

No, not a chicken leg or breast.

And entire roast chicken.

When Syr had sat him and Bell at a quiet L-shaped corner counter where no one would bother them, the two had reacted completely differently from each other. Bell told Simon that he had about six thousand Vals on him, and thanks to the ten thousand he got from the Minotaur, they could afford to splurge just a bit. So, when the Mistress asked what they wanted, Simon ordered a meat platter while Bell got the pasta.

The younger man didn't eat much for two reasons. The first was because he wanted to hear Simon telling his story.

The second was because he was at awe of how much Simon could eat. The meat platter had come with an roasted chicken, a well done steak, and chopped up fish. Along with that was a tankard of ale that Simon hadn't touched. He and Bell asked for water, which the Mistress gave them a few seconds after giving them their orders.

Simon's order was already almost gone.

He had eaten the steak first. Literally shoving the entire thing in his mouth, then pulling out the bones. Then he got to the fish, which he at similarly.

The only reason the chicken wasn't gone yet, was because his first bite had taken a third of the meat off it. He just spat out the bones before washing it all down with water. The spectacle had actually made a few of the patrons stop what they were doing to watch him eat. Even Syr sat down to Bell's right to see it in action, while the Mistress just laughed as she worked. The dwarfess mentioned something about how "They've got a big eater on their hands" before walking away.

And somehow, between all of that, he managed to tell Bell bits and pieces of a what a Gunmen was.

Bell sat up straighter as he spoke, "They're constructs given life through magic. Most need to be controlled by one who made them to work, meaning they have to be nearby or on top of the golem to keep it running. Gunmen sound like that."

"Hmm. Well, kind of. But Gunmen can be made by hand out of metal. I could probably make one if I had the right materials," he said through bites of his chicken...which was now just bone. He put the last of it on his plate then leaned back and sighed, "Ooooh, man that was good! My compliments to the chef, Mistress!"

"I'll be sure to tell them! And if you ever want more, she'll be happy to make it for you!"

"You're awesome!" Simon chuckled before turning back to Bell. He placed both his arms on the counter, "But yeah, we used those thing in my world for all sorts of things. Building homes, traveling, anything we couldn't do on our own really."

Bell's eyes shined, "And everyone could pilot them?"

"If they learned and the skills for it, sure."

"Wow. Do you think I could visit your home one day, Simon?" Bell couldn't hide his excitement. An entire people who could making flying golems with their hands? That sounded like something right out of the Dungeon Oratoria!

Before Simon could answer, a giggle drew the men's attention to Syr. The girl was smiling as she watched Bell and Simon, "Well I'm glad you're both enjoying yourselves."

"Yeah. This is place is pretty cool," Simon crossed his arms and nodded, "Thanks for inviting us, Syr."

"And thanks you for the food today," Bell said with a bow his head.

Syr waved them off, "Don't worry about it. Seeing the two of you here tonight makes my empty stomach worth it."

"Don't you mean worth it to get us to spend a lot on dinner?" Bell said with an accusatory glance.

Syr laughs with a smile and bows her head, "Sorry, Bell. You too, Simon."

Simon raised a hand, "Don't need to apologize to me. Bell's the one spending all the money. By the way, thanks Bell."

"Anytime Simon," Bell assured the blue haired man. Then a thought came to him and he turned back to Syr, "Um, shouldn't you be at work right now?"

"The kitchen is a little busy, but everyone has everything else covered. Things are slowing down a bit too," she looks towards the owner with a pleading stare.

The dwarfess gives a her a jerking nod of confirmation.

"OK. Then what can you tell me about this place?" Bell asked, leaning in to listen to the girl. While he did that Simon turned to look out at the bar. He watched as people started to file out of the bar, leaving only a few patrons. Though that number was still high. Quite a few of the tables were full of people having a good time. He just watched them, smiling as he saw them all enjoying life. It was good to see that, even here, people managed to find joy in the world.

He did catch Syr's explanation of what the place was though. The dwarfess was an ex-adventurer named Mia, though most of the employees called her "Mama" or "Mama Mia". She got permission from her God to retire from dungeon crawling and make this place. She only hires women, but doesn't care about their backgrounds or their reasons for being here. Which made Simon respect her quite a bit more. Idly, he caught Mama's eye as Syr was explaining why she was here. The dwarfess was cleaning a tankard but her keen right eye met his own. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up. She scoffed but smiled back at him. He went back to looking at the bar...but his instincts kicked in.

Simon turned his head toward the doors just as they flew open. Ten people, adventurers by the look of it, walk into the bar like they own the place. They seemed to have made reservation because they're instantly led toward an empty table opposite the main floor. Even from where he was sitting Simon could tell they weren't normal adventurers. While their stances and gaits were casual, they were all ready to strike at a moment's notice. Something most would probably not notice until it was too late.

While there were ten members, only a few stood out to him.

One was a small boy, possibly one of those prums that Bell mentioned, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was smiling but Simon caught how his eyes quickly scanned the entire bar in a second. A full perimeter scan to watch for any possible threats. Their tactician, maybe?

Another was an elf with long jade colored hair and eyes. She moved with the grace that Simon had seen most elves move with, but hers didn't have the same feeling to it. The others felt like they constantly held an air of superiority about them. She felt more...natural. High strung, but seeing everyone else as equals.

Two of them were nearly identical. Same wheat colored skin, same dark green eyes, they even wore similar loincloths. Though there were differences between the two. One wore a red bra that barely covered her breasts, while the other had a flat white strap across her chest. The former's hair was long and tied into two short pony tails at the front. The latter's was cut short and gave her a tomboyish look. The two seemed to be in high spirits, constantly speaking with each other regardless of where they were. Twins, maybe?

One was an animal person with grey hair, dog ears, and orange eyes. And the second Simon saw him, he was immediately reminded of Viral. The rough outlook, the claws ready to strike, the boisterous look on his face, the way he carried himself. All of it made him the perfect picture of a really cocky guy who thinks he's the best damn fighter in the room. And, unfortunately, if Simon's gut feeling was anything to go by, he was probably right. At least, he would be if Simon wasn't in the room. Though he could say that about most of the people who just walked in. But this one...this one felt like he might be trouble.

Then there were two others that seemed to be the focal points of the group. A small, red haired...woman? He was pretty sure it was a girl. It was hard to tell from where he was sitting. The way they moved their hips gave him the impression, but that was about it. Their blue shirt, black stockings, and black shorts could be worn by anybody. Not to mention their chest was flat as a board.

...Huh. He thinks he saw them wince for some reason.

And the one next to them was a golden-blonde haired girl in a white dress with blue leggings. While everyone else looked excited to be their, she looked like she wanted to be somewhere else. There was no emotion whatsoever on her face. And while her golden eyes had light in them, he could tell her mind was elsewhere. Thinking about something besides all of this.

Simon caught some whispers in the crowd talking about the newcomers. Apparently, they were members of the "Loki Familia". He noticed that Bell and Syr had stopped talking, so he turned to see what they were doing. He saw them gawking at the newcomers, Bell more so than Syr. His mouth was hanging open as he watched the party sit down and start ordering. Simon elbowed Bell and leaned over, "So, those guys are called Loki Familia. That ring any bells, Bell?"

Bell's eyes widened in shock, "L-L-Loki Familia!? That's the number one Familia in Orario. They have the highest number of High Level Adventurers in the whole city! No one can match them when it comes to Dungeon delving. They've gone farther into the Dungeon than anyone else!"

"Ah. So they're all really strong then?"

Bell nodded enthusiastically. Then he turned his eyes back to the Familia in question, "But, without a doubt, the strongest of their number is Ais Wallenstein. The Kenki. The Sword Princess. Rumor has it that she's killed a horde of Level Five Monsters all by herself."

Simon hummed and nodded, "Sounds impressive. What do you think of her?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, it sounds like you're a bit smitten."

Bell's cheeks flushed and he furiously shook his head, "N-N-No! Nothing like that! I mean...I admire her for her strength. She is a High Level Adventurer. And I'd like to be on that level one day. And she's certainly pretty. But I don't see her that way."

Simon chuckled and patted Bell's head, "Probably for the best. You're gonna have enough girl problems in the future. Shouldn't complicate it any more."

"Yeah...wait, what?" Bell tilted his head in confusion.

Simon didn't say anything. He just glanced at Syr and winked. Syr kept smiling like she didn't notice a thing. She does mention that the members of Loki Familia are regulars here. Their Goddess, Loki, seems to like the place for whatever reason. Bell and Simon nod, then go back to their respective meals. Loki Familia continues to toast and enjoy themselves. Things go on as normal.

Then that gray animal person shouted loud enough for the entire bar to hear, "Yeah, Ais! Tell us that one story!"

"That one story...?" Bell tensed up at the words, but Simon just kept drinking his water.

"You know the one! About those Minotaurs that go away! And how someone stole your kill! The Tomato Boy!"

Bell felt lightning shook through is back. He stiffened in his seat but Simon just kept drinking his water. The animal person keeps going, eventually getting the entire table talking. Which leads to Bell and Simon putting together the puzzle pieces. Essentially, Loki Familia was in the Dungeon fighting Minotaurs. One of them gets away. That one eventually runs to the floor that Bell is on and attacks him. He gets cornered and then Simon saves him.

Which meant that Ais was somewhere nearby and saw what happened. Then she told her Familia about it.

"So, a kid got himself cornered by the Minotaur like a li'l bunny! Shaking like one, too! Poor thing was about to explode!"

"Oh? What happened to the boy? Was he okay?"

"See, here's the funny part. Just as Ais here gets ready to save the kid, some dude jumps ten feet off a cliff and dives right at the Minotaur! Kicks it hard enough in the face to shatter one of its horns!"

"Wow! Must've been a High Level Adventurer who happened to be passing by. That kid got lucky!"

"Oh wait, it gets better! So, Ais moves in to see what's going on. And what does she see? The guy running up the Minotaur's arm, kicking it in the chin, then slamming his fists onto its head! Telling ya, I wish I could've seen that! Guy was just beating on the Minotaur. Then, he yells out the name of his Skill or something and just blows its head off in one attack! How'd you say it went Ais?"

The animal person put one foot on the table, making the silverware clatter as he tried to repeat Simon's words, "Drrrillll Immmppaaaccttt! PFFFTTTT ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

He suddenly fell back into his seat with one hand on his stomach, "Oh god, it makes my stomach hurt every time! Who the hell does that?!"

"It...certainly sounds....interesting."

"And the best part? The best part? The kid? He doesn't run! He just sits there and watches. Which means that when the Minotaur dies, both of them get covered in its stinky cow blood! They get turned red instantly. Thus Tomato Boy!"

The animal person's laughs even harder. Bell is trying hard not to shake in his seat while Simon continues to drink his water. While some of the guy's Familia were also chuckling, most were remaining quiet and glaring at him. Ais didn't react at all.

"Never thought I'd see someone manage to steal a kill from Aizee! But while that guy was cool, that kid was just pathetic! So disgusting I could cry!"

"...Hmm."

"What the hell was he doing? If you're gonna cry like a bitch, you shouldn't be down there in the first place! Right, Ais?"

"...."

"It's weak adventurers like him that give the rest of us a bad name! Especially when they have to be rescued. Make those of us with power look like babysitters. That guy should've left that kid! Maybe then he'd give it up already!"

"Shut your mouth already, Bete! It was our mistake that let the Minotaurs escape! That boy had nothing to do with it! And stop drinking! Learn some respect!"

"Oh-oh! You elves and your pride! But yeah, what's in it for you to protect that piece of shit? Saying it's our fault, you're lying to yourself! Just to keep your pride! Trash is trash! What's wrong with calling it what it is?"

"Hey, hey! That's enough! Bete, Riveria, relax! You're killing the mood!"

"Eh, Ais! What did you think about him, the pathetic piece of shit who was shaking in front of you? Do you think he deserves to stand at our level, as adventurers?"

"…I don't blame him for acting the way he did under those circumstances."

"Why you acting all Goody Two-shoes? Okay then, I'm changin' the question. Him or me—who's got it going on?"

"…Bete, are you drunk?"

"Shut it! Now, Ais! Choose! As a female, which male wags your tail? Which male makes you hot?"

"…I have no reason to answer that question, especially to you, Bete."

"You're absurd…"

"Quiet, hag!…Well then, what if that piece of trash came up to you, said he liked you, would you take him?"

"…Hm."

"Of course you wouldn't! Why would a tiny kid who's so weak, feeble, and all-around nauseating have the right to even stand next to you? There's no way he'd measure up!"

"Don't run, Bell."

Bell hardly even heard the words. His legs were already moving to push himself out of his seat.

But a firm, steady, comforting hand stopped him from moving. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move from his seat. He turned to the owner of the hand, eyes wet with tears while his mouth and eyes quivered.

And the moment he met those swirling green eyes, all the pain he was feeling was washed away.

All because of those kind, confident eyes.

And that confident smile.

"Don't worry about a thing. You stay right there. I'll go take care of this."

---

What? Did you think Simon was just gonna ignore Bete's taunting?

This ain't like other Danmachi Crossovers.

If a character has reason to fuck with Canon, they will fuck with Canon.

 

[Xodarap]

Huh so Ais was in the area during the Minotaur.
I just thought she got lost and doubled back after Simon killed it and left.

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

We about to see Simon tell Bete to grit his teeth before his ass is launched out the door?

 

[Grimmouse197]

God damn what a bro. Damn it where was he in my life I need a bro like that too.

 

[kinglugia]

Sounds like Bete gonna make Bitch sounds once Simon's done with him.

 

[Qwazzy]

And the moment he met those swirling green eyes, all the pain he was feeling was washed away.

All because of those kind, confident eyes.

And that confident smile.

"Don't worry about a thing. You stay right there. I'll go take care of this."

Click to shrink...

LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

We're finally gonna see Simone in a semi-serious, but definitely higher level fight!

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Spoiler: Sneak Peek

Stunned, confused, and filled with the urge to run right out the door, Bell shook in place while he stared into Simon's eyes. His body shook with unsuppressed shame and anguish, Bete's words hitting something deep in his heart. His cheeks burned as hot tears fell from his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to hang his head, leap from his seat, and get as far away from the Benevolent Mistress as he could.

The only thing stopping him was Simon's comforting hand and smile. And, somehow, that was enough.

Without a word, Bell sniffled and turned away from Simon. He fell back into his seat, head down as he tried to stop his crying. Syr put her hands on Bell's shoulder and arm, trying her best to calm him down. Simon nodded and patted Bell's shoulder. He finished his drink and then got up from his seat. His voice was level as he spoke up, "Hey, Mama Mia? Hope you don't mind, but I might be causing a bit of trouble here in a bit."

Mama glared at Simon out of the corner of her eye, "If you start a fight in here, you're getting thrown out. No exceptions."

Despite her cutting glare, Simon gave her a thumbs up, "Got it. Don't start a fight in the establishment. And don't worry. This will be quick."

Simon stepped away from the bar, heading straight for the tables where Loki Familia was. He wasn't subtle about it and a few of the remaining patrons watched him as he walked. The elf waitress passed in front of him, her sharp sky-blue eyes relaying a silent message. A clarification that if he caused any trouble, there would be trouble for him. He took a moment to look around and soon realized that all the waitresses had similar looks in their eyes. Even as they continued to serve the remaining patrons they made it clear that any disruptions wouldn't go unpunished.

Simon's response was to wave at all the waitresses and wink at the elf as he continued on his way. He soon began to approach Loki Familia's table. The animal person named Bete was still ranting, drunkenly trying to get Ais to say that she would get with him. The girl was pointedly ignoring him, while everybody else was shooting him nasty glares. Save for the redhead who had an easygoing smile on their face. The first ones to notice Simon's approach were the blonde-haired prum and Ais. The prum didn't react nor did he say anything. He simply watched Simon with the same neutral smile on his face.

Ais, meanwhile, actually reacted to his presence. She sat up in her seat while both her eyes widened slightly. Though minuscule, the action caught the attention of the whole table. Everyone, save Bete, who hadn't already noticed Simon now turned to look at the young man. Simon gave each one of them a friendly wave but his eyes remained locked on Bete's back. In his drunkenness, the wolfman hadn't noticed Simon standing behind him. Instead, he mistook Ais' reaction as her putting her attention on him. He put a hand on his chest with a chuckle, "Finally lookin' at me, huh? Is that your way of sayin' I'm right? That I'm the one who-"

"Hey, buddy," Simon put his left hand on Bete's left shoulder. He squeezed down without a care in the world, "I think you've had enough. How about I get ya something that'll help you get sober?"

"Wh-"Before he could continue, Simon started to drag Bete by his shoulder. Despite being caught by surprise, the wolfman made to get out of Simon's grip...at least he tried. But no matter how hard he twisted or dug his heels and feet into the floorboards, he couldn't stop Simon. He snarled and tried to use his claws to pry Simon's fingers off. Only to find that, even with his strength as a Level 5, he wasn't able to remove them. Trying to get the man's fingers off was somehow more difficult than killing a Minotaur! As he dragged toward the entrance he shouted at his Familia, "Don't just sit there! Help me beat this guy's ass! Riveria! Gareth! Raaghh!"

However, his Familia seemed keen to sit at their table and watch him get dragged off. With Riveria looking in another direction, the dwarf Gareth taking a long swig of his drink, the Amazon twins eying the man dragging Bete away, and most others simply watching what was happening with interest.

In contrast, the rest of the place was speechless. Especially, the white-haired boy sitting at the bar. He and everyone else watched with mouths agape as Simon manhandled one of the strongest adventurers in Orario. An animal person who most knew for his martial prowess, immense strength, and high level...being dragged along like a toddler throwing a tantrum. If it were anyone else, the Mistress would be filled with uproarious laughter at the turn of events. As it stood, most weren't sure whether they should be in awe of the stranger's strength, floored at how he was treating a member of Loki Familia, or afraid of what would happen when he finally let the wolfman go.

Simon got to the front of the room, winked at the scowling Mama Mia, and dragged Bete all the way to the establishment's open entrance. He made sure that both he and Bete were outside the establishment, on the terrace leading in. Once there he tossed Bete forward, letting the wolfman get his feet under him. Bete span around on one foot the second he got his balance, aiming a kick directly at the left side of Simon's head. His face was red with both drunkenness and fury. A growl left his mouth as his leg blurred toward Simon's head. None of the Low-Level Adventurers in the bar could even see Bete's leg it was moving so fast. Bete's foot was an inch away from Simon's face....when Simon grabbed it with his left hand.

Simon's glowing green fist was already in motion by the time Bete realized what happened. He only had a split second to realize that the burning emerald punch was coming toward his face. The next he felt a blow strong enough to break one of his teeth.

"THIS-OUTGHTA-SOBER-YOU-UP-PUUUUUNNNCCCCHHHH!"

Simon's scream echoed down Main Street, making everyone who was still outside pause in shock. His punch reverberated across Bete's face as the wolfman's eyes rolled upwards. His body went limp as Simon let his leg go, the force of his punch sending the animal person end over end. He flipped in mid-air three times before slowing down. Oriented upside-down, he could hardly process what had just happened.

And then he received a glowing green kick to the stomach.

Simon's leg burned with Spiral Power as it collided with Bete's torso. As the air left the wolfman's lungs, Simon shouted once more, "DON'T-YOU-EVER-INSULT-ONE-OF-MY-FRIENDS-KKKKIIIICCCCCKKKKK!"

The force of Simon's kick sent Bete flying down Main Street. He hit the cobblestones multiple times, head, feet, and body kicking up dust as it went. Like a stone thrown across a river, he skipped down the street at least ten times. What stopped him was his back skidding across the ground until he finally came to a stop in front of those Amazons Simon and Bell had seen earlier. His eyes were turned into swirls and his tongue lolled out of his mouth.

Simon sighed as his expression shifted from anger to calm. With nary a word, he turned around and walked back into the Mistress. In front of the stunned clientele, the floored staff, and a cross-looking Mama Mia, Simon smiled without a care in the world. He turned toward Mama Mia and gave her a thumbs up, "See? Didn't start a fight in here, now did I?"

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

Spoiler: Sneak Peek

Stunned, confused, and filled with the urge to run right out the door, Bell shook in place while he stared into Simon's eyes. His body shook with unsuppressed shame and anguish, Bete's words hitting something deep in his heart. His cheeks burned as hot tears fell from his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to hang his head, leap from his seat, and get as far away from the Benevolent Mistress as he could.

The only thing stopping him was Simon's comforting hand and smile. And, somehow, that was enough.

Without a word, Bell sniffled and turned away from Simon. He fell back into his seat, head down as he tried to stop his crying. Syr put her hands on Bell's shoulder and arm, trying her best to calm him down. Simon nodded and patted Bell's shoulder. He finished his drink and then got up from his seat. His voice was level as he spoke up, "Hey, Mama Mia? Hope you don't mind, but I might be causing a bit of trouble here in a bit."

Mama glared at Simon out of the corner of her eye, "If you start a fight in here, you're getting thrown out. No exceptions."

Despite her cutting glare, Simon gave her a thumbs up, "Got it. Don't start a fight in the establishment. And don't worry. This will be quick."

Simon stepped away from the bar, heading straight for the tables where Loki Familia was. He wasn't subtle about it and a few of the remaining patrons watched him as he walked. The elf waitress passed in front of him, her sharp sky-blue eyes relaying a silent message. A clarification that if he caused any trouble, there would be trouble for him. He took a moment to look around and soon realized that all the waitresses had similar looks in their eyes. Even as they continued to serve the remaining patrons they made it clear that any disruptions wouldn't go unpunished.

Simon's response was to wave at all the waitresses and wink at the elf as he continued on his way. He soon began to approach Loki Familia's table. The animal person named Bete was still ranting, drunkenly trying to get Ais to say that she would get with him. The girl was pointedly ignoring him, while everybody else was shooting him nasty glares. Save for the redhead who had an easygoing smile on their face. The first ones to notice Simon's approach were the blonde-haired prum and Ais. The prum didn't react nor did he say anything. He simply watched Simon with the same neutral smile on his face.

Ais, meanwhile, actually reacted to his presence. She sat up in her seat while both her eyes widened slightly. Though minuscule, the action caught the attention of the whole table. Everyone, save Bete, who hadn't already noticed Simon now turned to look at the young man. Simon gave each one of them a friendly wave but his eyes remained locked on Bete's back. In his drunkenness, the wolfman hadn't noticed Simon standing behind him. Instead, he mistook Ais' reaction as her putting her attention on him. He put a hand on his chest with a chuckle, "Finally lookin' at me, huh? Is that your way of sayin' I'm right? That I'm the one who-"

"Hey, buddy," Simon put his left hand on Bete's left shoulder. He squeezed down without a care in the world, "I think you've had enough. How about I get ya something that'll help you get sober?"

"Wh-"Before he could continue, Simon started to drag Bete by his shoulder. Despite being caught by surprise, the wolfman made to get out of Simon's grip...at least he tried. But no matter how hard he twisted or dug his heels and feet into the floorboards, he couldn't stop Simon. He snarled and tried to use his claws to pry Simon's fingers off. Only to find that, even with his strength as a Level 5, he wasn't able to remove them. Trying to get the man's fingers off was somehow more difficult than killing a Minotaur! As he dragged toward the entrance he shouted at his Familia, "Don't just sit there! Help me beat this guy's ass! Riveria! Gareth! Raaghh!"

However, his Familia seemed keen to sit at their table and watch him get dragged off. With Riveria looking in another direction, the dwarf Gareth taking a long swig of his drink, the Amazon twins eying the man dragging Bete away, and most others simply watching what was happening with interest.

In contrast, the rest of the place was speechless. Especially, the white-haired boy sitting at the bar. He and everyone else watched with mouths agape as Simon manhandled one of the strongest adventurers in Orario. An animal person who most knew for his martial prowess, immense strength, and high level...being dragged along like a toddler throwing a tantrum. If it were anyone else, the Mistress would be filled with uproarious laughter at the turn of events. As it stood, most weren't sure whether they should be in awe of the stranger's strength, floored at how he was treating a member of Loki Familia, or afraid of what would happen when he finally let the wolfman go.

Simon got to the front of the room, winked at the scowling Mama Mia, and dragged Bete all the way to the establishment's open entrance. He made sure that both he and Bete were outside the establishment, on the terrace leading in. Once there he tossed Bete forward, letting the wolfman get his feet under him. Bete span around on one foot the second he got his balance, aiming a kick directly at the left side of Simon's head. His face was red with both drunkenness and fury. A growl left his mouth as his leg blurred toward Simon's head. None of the Low-Level Adventurers in the bar could even see Bete's leg it was moving so fast. Bete's foot was an inch away from Simon's face....when Simon grabbed it with his left hand.

Simon's glowing green fist was already in motion by the time Bete realized what happened. He only had a split second to realize that the burning emerald punch was coming toward his face. The next he felt a blow strong enough to break one of his teeth.

"THIS-OUTGHTA-SOBER-YOU-UP-PUUUUUNNNCCCCHHHH!"

Simon's scream echoed down Main Street, making everyone who was still outside pause in shock. His punch reverberated across Bete's face as the wolfman's eyes rolled upwards. His body went limp as Simon let his leg go, the force of his punch sending the animal person end over end. He flipped in mid-air three times before slowing down. Oriented upside-down, he could hardly process what had just happened.

And then he received a glowing green kick to the stomach.

Simon's leg burned with Spiral Power as it collided with Bete's torso. As the air left the wolfman's lungs, Simon shouted once more, "DON'T-YOU-EVER-INSULT-ONE-OF-MY-FRIENDS-KKKKIIIICCCCCKKKKK!"

The force of Simon's kick sent Bete flying down Main Street. He hit the cobblestones multiple times, head, feet, and body kicking up dust as it went. Like a stone thrown across a river, he skipped down the street at least ten times. What stopped him was his back skidding across the ground until he finally came to a stop in front of those Amazons Simon and Bell had seen earlier. His eyes were turned into swirls and his tongue lolled out of his mouth.

Simon sighed as his expression shifted from anger to calm. With nary a word, he turned around and walked back into the Mistress. In front of the stunned clientele, the floored staff, and a cross-looking Mama Mia, Simon smiled without a care in the world. He turned toward Mama Mia and gave her a thumbs up, "See? Didn't start a fight in here, now did I?"

Click to shrink...

Absolutely hilarious how fast Bete fell to the standard Gurren Lagann treatment.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Stunned, confused, and filled with the urge to run right out the door, Bell trembled in place as he gazed into Simon's eyes. His body shook with unbridled shame and anguish, as Bete's words struck a chord deep within his heart. His cheeks burned as hot tears streamed down his face. He wanted nothing more than to hang his head, leap from his seat, and get as far away from the Benevolent Mistress as he could.

The only thing stopping him was Simon's comforting hand and smile. And somehow, that was enough.

Without saying a word, Bell sniffled and turned away from Simon. He fell back into his seat, head down, as he tried to stop his tears. Syr placed her hands on Bell's shoulder and arm, doing her best to calm him down. Simon nodded and patted Bell's shoulder. He finished his drink and then stood from his seat. His voice was steady as he spoke up, "Hey, Mama Mia? Hope you don't mind, but I might be causing a bit of trouble here in a bit."

Mama glared at Simon out of the corner of her eye and warned, "If you start a fight in here, you're getting thrown out. No exceptions."

Despite her cutting glare, Simon gave her a thumbs up and said, "Got it." Don't start a fight in the establishment. Don't worry. This will be quick."

Simon stepped away from the bar and headed straight for the tables where Loki Familia was. He wasn't subtle about it, and a few of the remaining patrons watched him as he walked. The elf waitress passed in front of him, her piercing sky-blue eyes conveying a silent message. A clarification that if he caused any trouble, there would be consequences for him. He took a moment to look around and soon realized that all the waitresses had similar expressions in their eyes. Even as they continued to serve the remaining patrons, they made it clear that any disruptions wouldn't go unpunished.

Simon's response was to wave at all the waitresses and wink at the elf as he continued on his way. He soon approached Loki Familia's table. The animal person named Bete was still ranting. He was drunkenly attempting to persuade Ais to be with him. The girl was pointedly ignoring him, while everybody else was giving him nasty glares. Save for the redhead who had an easygoing smile on their face. The first ones to notice Simon's approach were the blonde-haired prum and Ais. The prum didn't react, nor did he say anything. He simply watched Simon with a neutral smile on his face.

Ais, meanwhile, actually reacted to his presence. She sat up in her seat, her eyes widening slightly. Though minuscule, the action caught the attention of the entire table. Everyone, except Bete who hadn't noticed, turned to look at Simon. Simon gave each of them a friendly wave, but his eyes remained fixed on Bete's back. In his drunken state, the wolfman hadn't noticed Simon standing behind him. Instead, he mistook Ais' reaction as her paying attention to him. He put a hand on his chest with a chuckle, "Finally lookin' at me, huh? Is that your way of sayin' I'm right? That I'm the one who-"

"Hey, buddy," Simon placed his left hand on Bete's shoulder. He squeezed down without a care in the world, "I think you've had enough. How about I get ya something that'll help you get sober?"

"Wh-" Before he could continue, Simon started to drag Bete by his shoulder. Despite being caught by surprise, the wolfman attempted to break free from Simon's grip...at least he made an effort to. But no matter how hard he twisted or dug his heels and feet into the floorboards, he couldn't stop Simon. He snarled and tried to use his claws to pry Simon's fingers off. Only to find that, even with his strength as a Level 5, he was unable to remove them. Trying to get the man's fingers off was somehow more difficult than slaying a Minotaur! As he dragged toward the entrance, he shouted at his Familia, "Don't just sit there! Help me beat this guy's ass! Riveria! Gareth! Raaghh!"

However, his Familia seemed keen to sit at their table and watch him get dragged off. With Riveria looking in another direction, the dwarf Gareth taking a long swig of his drink, the Amazon twins eying the man dragging Bete away, and most others simply watching what was happening with interest.

In contrast, the rest of the place was speechless. Especially the white-haired boy sitting at the bar. He and everyone else watched with their mouths agape as Simon effortlessly overpowered one of the strongest adventurers in Orario. An animal person who was mostly known for his martial prowess, immense strength, and high level...was being dragged along like a toddler throwing a tantrum. If it were anyone else, the Mistress would be filled with uproarious laughter at the turn of events. As it stood, most people were unsure whether they should be in awe of the stranger's strength, shocked at how he was treating a member of Loki Familia, or fearful of what would happen when he finally released the wolfman.

Simon reached the front of the room, gave a wink to the scowling Mama Mia, and pulled Bete all the way to the entrance of the establishment. He made sure that both he and Bete were outside the establishment, on the terrace leading in. Once there, he tossed Bete forward, allowing the wolfman to get his feet under him. Bete spun around on one foot as soon as he regained his balance, aiming a kick directly at the left side of Simon's head. His face was flushed with both intoxication and rage. A growl escaped his mouth as his leg blurred towards Simon's head. None of the Low-Level Adventurers in the bar could even see Bete's leg; it was moving so fast. Bete's foot was an inch away from Simon's face when Simon grabbed it with his left hand.

Simon's glowing green fist was already in motion when Bete realized what had happened. He only had a split second to realize that the fiery emerald punch was hurtling towards his face. The next thing he felt was a blow strong enough to break one of his teeth.

"THIS-OUTGHTA-SOBER-YOU-UP-PUUUUUNNNCCCCHHHH!"

Simon's scream echoed down Main Street, causing everyone who was still outside to pause in shock. His punch reverberated across Bete's face, causing the wolfman's eyes to roll upwards. His body went limp as Simon released his leg, the force of his punch causing the animal person to somersault. He flipped in mid-air three times before coming to a gradual stop. Oriented upside-down, he could hardly process what had just happened.

And then he received a powerful, glowing green kick to the stomach.

Simon's leg burned with Spiral Power as it collided with Bete's torso. As the air left the wolfman's lungs, Simon shouted once more, "DON'T-YOU-EVER-INSULT-ONE-OF-MY-FRIENDS-KKKKIIIICCCCCKKKKK!"

The force of Simon's kick sent Bete flying down Main Street. He hit the cobblestones multiple times, his head, feet, and body kicking up dust as he went. Like a stone skipping across a river, he bounded down the street at least ten times. What stopped him was his back skidding across the ground until he finally came to a halt in front of the Amazons that Simon and Bell had seen earlier. His eyes were swirling and his tongue was lolling out of his mouth.

Simon sighed as his expression shifted from anger to calm. Without uttering a single word, he turned around and walked back into the Mistress. In front of the astonished customers, the shocked employees, and a displeased Mama Mia, Simon smiled nonchalantly. He turned toward Mama Mia and gave her a thumbs up, "See? Didn't start a fight in here, now did I?"

A stifled snort came from one of the catgirl waitresses. She soon regretted it as Mama Mia's withering glare fell upon her. The girl pretended to get back to work, which seemed to be the signal for the rest of the patrons to do the same. The Mistress was soon back into the swing of things, while five members of the Loki Familia stood up to check on the unconscious Bete. They made a point to pass by Simon without saying anything, glancing at him but nodding with understanding. Mia rolled her eyes, "Sure, smart ass. Next time you try that, you're getting thrown out with them. Got it?"

"Loud and clear," Simon nodded, before turning to where Bell was sitting.

Keyword "was".

His seat was vacant, and his pasta sat there untouched. Syr was picking up their plates while forcing a smile. Noticing Simon watching her, she subtly tilted her head towards the back of the room. Then, she held up her right hand to reveal a bag of Vals. Simon nodded in understanding and turned to leave the establishment. But he stopped when he spotted a familiar head of golden hair approaching him. Putting on his best smile, he turned to meet Ais Wallenstein with a wave, "Hey there! Sorry about that. I just couldn't help but notice that he was bothering everyone. So, I figured I'd help him sober up. He should be fine, though."

Ais didn't react to Simon's words. She stared straight into his eyes, placed her hands in front of her, and then bowed her head. Her voice was monotone and her expression remained unchanged as she spoke, "I apologize for what happened in the Dungeon. I mistakenly allowed that Minotaur to escape, which resulted in you and that boy being in danger. Please accept my apology."

Simon waved a hand dismissively and said, "Don't sweat it. Everyone's alright, anyway. And it let me meet a good friend of mine. So, if anything, I should be thanking you for the help."

"I see," Ais straightened up, her arms moving to her sides. Her head slowly swiveled left and right as her eyes searched the room, "There was a boy here. The one who almost died."

"Hmm? Oh, you mean Bell? You looking for him, too?"

Ais nodded, "I need to apologize to him as well. He ran away before I could."

Simon shrugged, "Probably had somewhere to be. Though, if you really want to apologize to him, I can see about making sure it happens. I do owe the guy quite a bit."

"That would be-"

"Oi-oi, Aizuuu, what'cha doin'?"

Before they could continue their conversation, the red-haired person from before suddenly appeared behind Ais. She wrapped her arms around the blonde girl's body. She shamelessly pressed her hips against Ais' backside and squeezed the girl's body and breasts. As Ais lost her breath for a moment, Simon stepped forward with the intent to help. However, Ais quickly elbowed the groper in the stomach, causing them to step back. With the space she gained, she spun around and slapped the assailant across their cheek.

The groper looked shaken as they spoke, "Chee, ya're feisty! Ya don' look it at all, Aizuu!"

Ais didn't raise her voice, "Hands to yourself."

Simon started to crack his knuckles, "What she said. Mind if I get a lick in, Ais?"

Ais shook her head, "No. Please, don't."

"Why not? I hate creeps like this as much as the next guy. And it doesn't look like they learned their lesson just yet," Simon said, taking a step toward the stranger.

Said stranger looked at Simon with fear in their eyes before suddenly smiling and shouting to the sky, "Ah, this is great! Ya' must be new 'round here. If ya' willin' to threaten little 'ol me."

Simon tilted his head and asked, "Should I know who you are?"

"Damn straight! Everyone in Orario knows who Loki is!"

Simon did a double take at the revelation. He looked over at Ais, who refused to look him or her Goddess in the eye. Then, he looked over at the table where all those strong Adventurers were sitting. Before letting his eyes fall back onto the petite Goddess standing before him. He let his guard down, one hand going to his chin as he examined Loki. Said Goddess' smile grew wider. She seemed to pose before Simon, with a playful smile on her face, "Like what ya' see?"

Simon shook his head but didn't elaborate. In his mind, he compared Loki's appearance to Hestia's. It was then that he realized he shouldn't use Hestia as the standard for the appearance of Goddesses. He straightened up, then shrugged, "Alright. Name's Simon. That bragging jerk I knocked out wouldn't happen to be part of your group too, would he?"

"Yea' he is. Bit rowdy, but guy's a good fighta'," she said, putting her hands behind her head with a jovial smile, despite the red handprint on her face, "And while seein' him get decked like tha' was pretty funny...aye hope ya aren't expectin' to get away with that?"

Despite the friendly smile on Loki's face, Simon could sense the underlying meaning behind her words. He took a moment to look around at the rest of the Mistress. Most of the patrons were either keeping their heads down or avoiding eye contact with him. The staff were doing the same, although he could tell that the elf waitress was keeping an eye on the two of them. Ais had returned to her neutral demeanor and had not said a word. The rest of Loki Familia was acting nonchalant, but he could feel the intense attention they had focused on him.

Simon crossed his arms and made it clear he wasn't intimidated, "I mean, he was being a jerk to one of your own. Don't suppose you could chalk this up to me giving him his just desserts?"

Loki shrugged, "Could. But tha' would make me look kinda bad. Lettin' a stranger just up an' clock my Familia right out. Reputation and all tha' stuff."

Simon rolled his eyes, "Right. So, what are you going to do to protect your reputation?"

Loki pretended to look hurt, "So serious. Ya could at least say you'll make it up to little 'ol me. Like, say, by joining my-"

"Not gonna happen," some of the patrons spat out their drinks at Simon's words. Ais' eyes widened in genuine shock at how quickly he rejected her Goddess. Simon shrugged, "I don't really need a Familia. I'm good on my own."

"Oh?" Loki said, putting her hands on her hips and leaning forward,"What? Do ya' think ya're too good fer a Familia?"

"Nah. Just don't want one."

"Aye, see. Then I guess, the only oth'er option is to teach ya a lesson the 'ol fashioned way."

Simon didn't need to be told what the Goddess meant by that. He could hear it in the way she spoke. The thinly veiled threat of confrontation with her Familia. Ais stepped forward to say something, but Simon interrupted her by pounding his right fist into his left palm. He cracked his knuckles and matched Loki's smile with his own, "Bring it. I'll take on anyone you send at me. Even if it's all at once."

Now, everyone in the bar was watching the two of them. Multiple patrons' jaws were agape at Simon's declaration. Loki Familia was in a similar state. Gareth was frowning and shaking his head, annoyed by Simon's apparent overconfidence. Tione was smiling, her eyes locked onto the confident Simon, while Tiona glanced over at Finn. Riveria had a hand on her temple as a sigh escaped her throat. She mumbled something about "being as bad as Bete" in reference to Simon. Finn, though, his expression was one of quiet contemplation. Neither his stance nor his expression shifted as he watched the standoff between Simon and Loki. But his mind was already formulating a potential strategy.

The tension was so thick that it could be cut with a knife.

And it all broke when a loud THUD echoed through the room. Everyone turned toward the bar, where Mama Mia was slamming a large tankard onto the counter. She glared death at both Simon and Loki, "We've had enough of this for one night! If either of you starts something, you're both getting thrown out! Goddess or not! And the rest of you! Back to work!"

Like that, the spell that had been cast upon the Mistress broke. Patrons went back to enjoying their food and drink, the waitresses resumed their work, and Loki Familia calmed down. Loki and Simon exchanged one final glance before the Goddess stood up straight. She turned her back on Simon as she spoke, "Ah, forget it. Rep ain't worth making Mama mad. Ya're off the hook for now, kid. Come on, Aizee. Let's get back to the others."

Ais didn't respond. She walked after her Goddess while waving goodbye to Simon. Simon called back, "See ya, Ais! If ya ever want to talk, just come find me!"

He waved goodbye to the kenki as he walked back to his original seat. Syr had finished gathering their plates and moved to meet Simon halfway. As they passed each other, she whispered, "Bell left out the back. No one saw him."

"Thanks, Syr. Didn't need him getting blamed by association. I'll go find him and make sure he's alright."

"Please try not to get him into any trouble, Simon."

"Can't promise anything, but I'll try," Simon said before turning and heading towards the main entrance of the Benevolent Mistress. He bid farewell to Mama Mia and the rest of the staff as he walked out the door.

Once he was gone, Loki sat back down in her seat. She scooted over to where Finn was sitting and leaned back in her chair, balancing it on two legs. She yawned as she turned her attention to the prum, "So, Finn...think ya' could take 'em?"

Finn took a sip of his drink and remained silent for a few moments. His eyes furrowed as he contemplated the words of his Goddess. After a minute of silence, he turned to Loki and said three words, "I don't know."

---

"Bell!" Simon called out into the night. Main Street had grown dark, with only a few people remaining outside now. He walked alone through the nearly empty streets, searching for his friend. He called again, "Bell! Where ya at?! It's Simon! If ya can hear me, give me a sign!"

He continued walking down the streets, his eyes searching for any hint of the boy he had been with. After searching for about two minutes, he finally caught sight of a familiar head of white hair. Smiling, he started walking toward Bell and waved his arm in the air, "There you are, Bell! Whatcha' doin' over there?"

Bell stiffened at the sound of Simon's voice. He quickly wiped away his tears before turning to the man approaching him, "Si-Simon!" Are you okay?!"

Simon shrugged as he came to a stop next to Bell, " 'Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"B-Bec-Because you attacked a member of another Familia! Loki Familia! That's not something you can just do!" Bell shouted, apprehension clear on his face.

Simon just smiled, "Yeah? Well, I did it. And I'm just fine. See?"

He held out both of his arms to emphasize. But Bell didn't seem convinced. He shook his head and sighed, "No, it's not that. They won't just take this lying down. They'll come after you. Do something to do. And... and it's all because... because of me."

Bell's mood suddenly took a nosedive. His shoulders slumped, and he turned away from Simon. He bit his lip as he spoke, "It's because... because Bete was right. I am weak. I'm a weakling who doesn't deserve to be an Adventurer. If I were stronger, I could have easily defeated that Minotaur. I wouldn't have been chased into a corner, I wouldn't have looked so foolish, and you wouldn't have had to save me. Then Bete wouldn't have made fun of me, and you wouldn't have attacked him. It's... It's all my fault. It's all because I'm so weak!"

He turned to face directly ahead of him, in the same direction he was looking when Simon discovered him. Simon followed his gaze and saw a familiar place.

Babel Tower.

And sitting in front of them was the Guild, still open this late at night.

"I was a fool," Bell's hands clenched into fists as fresh tears appeared in his eyes. He wiped them away with his sleeves before speaking again, "I thought I could ease into adventuring. Not overtax myself. But if I don't change things, then I'll remain weak forever. I'll never become strong enough to defeat a Minotaur. I'll always... always..."

His fists clenched tighter as frustration and shame waged war within his chest. The boy's red eyes seemed to radiate with a newfound determination. He took a breath and then stepped toward the Guild, only for Simon get in his way.

"Simon?" Bell's eyes widened with surprise. Especially when he saw the frown on Simon's face. He stared, confused, at his friend and asked, "What...what are you doing?"

Simon raised a finger, "First, Bell, I do understand where you're coming from. But I want to say this: Don't let what that asshole said get to you. People like him? They're always gonna be around. Guys who insult others for being 'weak' because of their own personal issues. Letting their words get to you isn't going to help you at all. It's just gonna make them feel good because they managed to get under your skin."

"Bu-Bu-he-"

"Second," Simon interrupted, his glasses catching the moonlight as he continued, "while it is admirable to want to get stronger, you shouldn't be doing it solely to prove something to a guy who doesn't even know your name. If you're gonna get stronger, you should do it because you want to. Because something inside your heart burns so brightly that you can't help it. Because you feel like you need to become stronger for something important to you. To reach a goal that ignites your soul."

An errant breeze caused Simon's cape to billow behind him. His crossed arms made him appear as a obstacle, blocking Bell from moving forward. He held his head high and said aloud, "So, Bell Cranel, tell me. What do you want?"

"Huh?" Bell took a step back, sweat dripping down his brow, as a sudden pressure fell upon him.

"What do you want? What is your goal? Your dream? Where do you want to be when you get stronger? What image in your mind sets your soul aflame, and motivates you to become strong? What drives you to become a better person than you were the day before?"

"I-I-I don't know."

"Sure you do. Just remember why you came to Orario in the first place. Why you joined Hestia's Familia. Why you go into the Dungeon every day. Remember what gets you out of bed every single time the sun rises."

"I-I-I-"

"Bell! What do you want to achieve in life? What is your dream?!"

Bell's head shot up, and he roared, "I want to be a hero!"

Simon didn't respond. He simply stood there, his cape billowing, as he stared down at Bell. Bell started panting as his eyes bore into Simon's. He raised both his fists and continued, "I want to be a hero! I want to be strong! I want to challenge powerful monsters and defeat them! I want to rescue beautiful women from monsters and start relationships with them! I want to make my Goddess proud to have me in her Familia! I want our Familia to grow and get more people to join us! I want...I want...I want to be just like the heroes in the stories from my childhood!"

Bell started to pant, his arms falling to his sides. He felt as if all the strength and frustration within him had been unleashed in one massive burst. Like he aired all the emotions that had built up since he heard Bete in the Benevolent Mistress. But even so, he still managed to speak, "And if... if I'm gonna do that....I need to get serious about adventuring. I can't...I can't continue as I have been. Or I'll never get anywhere. So...so-"

Bell shut his eyes tightly as he awaited Simon's response. He hoped, beyond hope, that he would listen to him. He didn't know why he felt the need to let everything out like that. To explain his purpose for being in Orario to someone he had only known for a day at most. He didn't really know much about Simon, the two hadn't spent much time together, and he had given him far too much information. It was completely illogical to think that telling Simon this would lead to anything good. Yet, whenever he thought that, he remembered what Simon had told him in the Dungeon.

"Believe in me. Believe in the me, who believes in you."

He didn't know why, but whenever he thought of those words, he felt like everything would work out.

After a few moments that felt like hours, Bell heard footsteps moving to the side. He opened his eyes and felt happiness filling his heart. Before him, Simon had his back to Bell, while the path to the Guild was open. Simon looked over his shoulder at Bell with a wide smile on his face, "That's what I wanted to hear! Alright, then let's go!"

"Let's? You-You mean-"

Simon laughed, "You didn't seriously think I was gonna let you do this alone? We're a team, Bell. And now that I know what my leader wants, it's my responsibility to make sure it happens. So, how about the two of us head down into that Dungeon and get started on making you a hero?"

Bell was utterly astonished. He could hardly believe what he was seeing and hearing. Simon believed in him? He wanted to help him achieve his dream? He wasn't just going to tell him was stupid? He-He-

Bell's lips curved into a broad, joyful smile. He pumped his fist in the air and shouted, "Yeah! Let's get going!"

With that, the two boys ran towards the Guild, both intending to enter the Dungeon.

Unbeknownst to Bell, the Core Drill around his neck pulsed with a green light.

---

Morning, the next day...

"He got a bit tuckered out by our adventure. Make sure he gets plenty of rest today, Hestia," Simon said as he walked out the door of Hestia Familia's home.

The Goddess Hestia looked out the door and frowned at Simon, "Don't worry about my Bell. You should just stay out of trouble! You got lucky with Loki Familia last night, but who knows about next time? It wouldn't be hard for them to connect you back to us."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure that doesn't happen. And if it does, I promise I'll take care of it. See ya," Simon waved goodbye to Hestia as he walked up the stairs. He heard the door shut behind him and entered the rundown church. He stretched his arms towards the ceiling and yawned as he walked out of the church's entrance.

He and Bell had spent the entire night in the Dungeon. They didn't really have a specific goal or floor in mind. They just ran in and beat down any monsters they encountered. At first, it was just the kobolds from last time. Then they killed some strange-looking giant ants. And some other things that he couldn't remember the names of. He did remember when he and Bell saw monsters being "birthed" right in front of them. A couple of humanoid shadow monsters just burst out from the walls. No fanfare, no warning. They just appeared out of nowhere. They were certainly tougher than the fodder creatures they fought before. But neither could really hold a candle to him or Bell. Especially after he took one out with a Drill Impact. The other one couldn't handle a two-on-one fight.

They kept going until Bell eventually ran out of energy. His eyes closed as he started to fall, but Simon caught him before he hit the ground. Then, he carried the kid back to the surface and all the way to Hestia Familia. Man, did she give him an earful when he brought Bell back. Especially when he told her about what happened at the Benevolent Mistress. Though she seemed more interested in the fact that Simon left Bell with Syr, rather than the fact that he almost started a fight with Loki Familia. The relief she felt when he told her that Mama Mia had prevented things from escalating.

He smiled with pride. That kid was improving day by day. It wouldn't be long before they managed to help him reach his goal. He chuckled as he walked through the awakening Orario. People of all shapes and sizes were slowly making their way to work. Humans or animal people changing their stall signs from "closed" to "open". A few criers starting to get people's attention. A party of adventurers entering a shop along their path. Yes, even in the early mornings, the people of the Labyrinth City were quick to get to work.

Simon watched everything with a smile on his face. He didn't really have a specific objective. He was simply walking and enjoying the day. He stopped every now and then to wave hello to random people on the street. He helped an elderly woman who had tripped to get back on her feet. He even played ball with some children who were passing by. All in all, he was having a peaceful day.

But it would have been better if he didn't have two people following him.

He noticed them as he turned a corner into the western part of the city. They had come out of one of the cafes that was open around this time. Their steps quickly matched his own, moving at the same pace as he was. They didn't bother hiding either. Even when he nonchalantly glanced back to observe them, they didn't try to hide at all. Which gave him the opportunity to get a good look at them. One was a giant of a man, with twin boar ears standing out atop his head. He was so broad and bulky that Simon immediately compared him to Lordgenome. In fact, many aspects of the man reminded him of the old Spiral King. Even his neutral expression.

The other person was much smaller than the first and was wearing a black cloak that covered their entire body. Despite that, Simon noticed that anyone who passed by would stop to stare at the figure. Some people were so captivated by them that they stopped moving altogether just to gaze at them. Men, women, children, human, animal person, prum, dwarf. All races and age groups appeared to be utterly captivated by the figure.

And Simon...didn't understand why.

He couldn't see anything particularly special about them. They were wearing a full-body cloak, after all. What could be capturing everyone's attention if they were unable to see anything?

He shrugged and continued walking. He didn't know who they were or what they wanted, but he didn't want to cause a scene out in the open like this. Especially this early in the morning. While there were only a few people out, there were still enough for them to be in danger if a fight broke out. So, he continued walking until he found a secluded alleyway between two buildings. He entered the alley and walked towards the middle. Once there, he turned around and waited for his two pursuers.

They soon turned the corner and entered the alleyway with him. Simon smiled and asked, "So, is there any reason you guys are following me? I was kind of going for a walk and I don't really want any stalkers."

As expected, neither of the figures answered him. The shorter person stepped forward as they grabbed their hood. She pushed it back to reveal her face to Simon. Simon recognized the woman's eyes the moment their gazes met. Instantly, he knew he had seen this woman before. Back on West Main Street, on the second floor of a cafe, watching him and Bell from afar.

This silver haired woman, with a matching pair of eyes.

She was the one who looked at him with such malice.

He was immediately on guard, though he didn't let it show. He kept one hand clenched into a fist behind his back while waiting for the woman to approach him. She got so close that Simon could smell her floral perfume. He remained stock-still while waiting to see what she would do. She simply watched him, her lips curled into a thin smile. Then, she delicately lifted one of her hands and gently rubbed the back of it against Simon's cheek.

She spoke three little words to him, "Join my Familia."

---

Ottar knew that it was over for the man.

For Freya, the Goddess of Beauty, had delievered her death blow.

Her charm was so irresistible that no one could deny her. Even though most of her body was hidden from sight, people couldn't help but find her irresistible. Everything about her drew the eye and charmed those around her, compelling them to serve her. Those were the types of people who made up her Familia after all. Extraordinary people, one and all, were brought low by the mere idea of having the Goddess' attention on them, even for a moment.

And he was certain that this man was no different. Even though his soul was peculiar and resilient, Ottar had no doubts that he would also succumb to Freya's charm. Once he had, his Goddess could go ahead with her plans for the boy she fancied. And this strange man would help her. Even if she would eventually grow bored of him, as she had with many others.

For she was the Goddess of Beauty. She went from place to place, finding a person who piqued her interests. She caresses them, extols them, and encourages them to continue growing strong. Once her interest was satisfied, she would then leave them.

She was like the wind.

And no one refused the wind.

...At least. That's what Ottar believed.

Until this man, this single, solitary man, reached up to touch his Goddess' wrist...and then pushed it away.

That alone would have been enough to shock not just Ottar, but anyone in Orario. But it was the man's next words that nearly sent the boarman into a frenzy.

"No thanks. I'm good."

---

Finished the Gurren Lagann Manga recently. It was awesome, especially with stuff like Tengen Toppa King Kittan in it. But I do wish they had kept the ending where Simon fist fought the Anti-Spiral. Instead of him using Lagann for it.

 

[IsekaiFanBoi]

Bro's faithful to his waifu yo.

 

[TheGrog]

I kind of hope that every time Hestia updates Bell's falna, the Spiral Power skill shows up again to taunt Hestia. Except it appears in steadily more excessive fonts and typeset each time.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

I kind of hope that every time Hestia updates Bell's falna, the Spiral Power skill shows up again to taunt Hestia. Except it appears in steadily more excessive fonts and typeset each time.

Click to shrink...

*Whistles Nonchalantly*

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

God im just loving this story. Simon is such a bro. Also Bete getting an ass kicking is always satisfying. Wonder if he reminds him of Vernal a bit? Also kek I bet Freyas never been denied before so her reaction to him basically going lol nope is gonna be hilarious and likely end with Ottar getting beat like a rental drum set.

 

[Qwazzy]

Ayo! Update! Thanks for the chapter!

the Bete "fight" was really entertaining, and I love the shounen talk Simon had with Bell!

 

[caspian1a]

I wonder if Simon will actually tell Bell and Hestia about Spiral energy and his past at some point.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

I wonder if Simon will actually tell Bell and Hestia about Spiral energy and his past at some point.

Click to shrink...

He already told Hestia about Spiral Power in the previous chapter.

 

[Xodarap]

Hahaha way to assert your dominance Simon I bet Bete liked the taste of that knucklesandwich to the face.

Loki's acting OoC by how mild her Manic smile was at the reaction to Bete getting dragged like a kid.

 

[caspian1a]

He already told Hestia about Spiral Power in the previous chapter.

Click to shrink...

Oh yeah I had forgotten about that because it had been a while since I had last read this story.