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

Reader mode
LinkOnScepter said:
Freya noticed a green light shining from something on his right ring finger. Her silver eyes focused on the light and quickly found its source.


A single, bright white ring.


Then everything fell into place.


"Ottar," the boarman froze in place when he heard Freya's voice. Him and Simon were staring each other down, with both of their fists aimed at each other's faces. Ottar's eyes shifted from Simon to his Goddess, but his body remained tense and ready. Freya put her hood back up as she continued, "We're leaving."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Respect for Freya+1
 
Savanna said:
I can't wait to see Freya reaction to finding Simon wife is dead and the fact he still loves her so much even not being able to see her again
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I mean he CAN see her, we know that he can talk to the death,and in fact after she dies Gimmy say they could bring her back to life,but Simon refuses because it's the responsible thing to do, so he will see her again when he dies.
 
Hephaestus turned the strange drill in her hand, letting the cool feeling of the metal run along her fingers and palm. She sat behind her desk in her office on the third floor of her personal weapon shop. In front of her, Hestia was on her knees and watching her with baited breath. The smaller Goddess was rubbing her knees in worry, while her eyes seemed locked on the drill in her friend's hand. After a few moments, Hestia said, "W-Well?"


"Firstly, did you really choose to stay here for two days just to hear my opinions on this thing?" Hephaestus calmly asked, her lone eye glancing at Hestia.


Hestia swallowed nervously, "Partially, yes. I also wanted to hear what you had to saw about my request. You didn't answer me before so-"


"That's because I wanted to see what this was first. After all, you considered it important enough to ask me about it after asking for a custom order," Hephaestus stopped turning the drill in her hands. Then she held it up in between her middle and index finger, "Though, I'm not sure what you wanted me to say about it. Because from what I've seen? It's just a drill."


"Really?" surprised, Hestia continued, "You...you haven't found anything...strange about it?"


"Not really. The metals that make it up are similar to ones I've seen before. Mostly copper, but there is some iron in there. And I do feel some kind of residual energy coming from it. But that could just be magic or the remnants of a Skill being used on it."


"What about its hardness or durability? Is there anything special about that?"


Hephaestus rolled her singular eye and got up from behind her desk. She walked over to one of the containers in her room and pulled out a pitch black ingot of some kind. Noticing Hestia's confusion out the corner of her eye, she explained as she walked back to her seat, "This is a Drop Item that one of my children brought to me. A high level adventurer came by and gave it to them after coming back from an expedition to the lower floors, and one of my children gave it to me as a gift. It isn't adamantite but it should do the job."


Hephaestus sat back in her chair and placed the ingot on her desk. Her face a mask of calm, she began to tap the tip of the drill against the center of the ingot. The sound of a small metal tip repeatedly pinging off a hard surface echoed through the room. Hestia winced each time the tip hit the ingot while she waited for something to happen. After three minutes of doing that, Hephaestus shook her head, "See? Nothing special."


Hestia felt a weight leave her shoulders. While part of her was confused that such an item wouldn't be anything special, a greater part was relieved that it wasn't. The last thing Bell needed was to be wearing a powerful magic item around his neck at all times. That wouldn't just attract the attention of the gods, but other adventurers as well. And some of the people in Orario would willing take advantage of such a young boy.


"As for your request, my answer is no," Hephaestus said, still idly tapping away at the ingot without a care in the world.


"Please!" Hestia shouted, leaning forward on her knees as she begged her friend.


"No."


"You have to!"


"You wouldn't be able to afford it anyway."


"I'll pay you back, I promise!"


"You've said that to me too many times to count at this point. And don't think I don't know about how you're working a part time job to finance your Famiilia. Why would I think you could pay me back if you have to do that."


Hestia went silent but her determination didn't waver. She leaned forward, put both her hands on the floor, then lower her head until it was touching the floor below.


"...What are you doing?" Hephaestus said, eyebrow raising in confusion.


"Dogeza."


"Do-ge-za?"


"Take told me this pose has the power to make people forgive whatever you have done and grant any request."


"Takemikazuchi," Hephaestus sighed and prepared to respond-


Crack


-when both Goddesses heard something crack.


Something metallic.


And the source came from right beside Hephaestus.


Blinking, she turned away from Hestia to look at her left hand. The one that was tapping the drill against the Drop Item. At first, she thought that the drill was what had cracked. The Drop Item was a high level material. Tapping something extremely bland against it like the drill would lead to the latter suffering some damage. But as her single eye fell upon the drill and ingot, she became aware of something far stranger.


The drill was completely fine.


But the ingot had a tiny crack in the center.


Hephaestus froze up as her lone eye stared the situation in front of her. So silent was she that Hestia lifted her head to what was going on. When she saw her friend's circumstances, she opened her mouth to ask what was wrong. But she was interrupted when Hephaestus suddenly sprung into action. The Goddess of the Forge pulled the ingot to the center of her desk, while holding the drill in her right hand. Focusing all her attention on the two items, she tapped the drill against the center of the ingot again.


Crack Crack


The tiny crack in the ingot got bigger. Before one would need to squint to see the small white lines. Now, one could see them with casual observation. A third tap made them grow larger. To the point that Hephaestus knew a fourth tap would split the ingot in two. She locked her single eye onto the item in her hand. Her lips slowly curled into a smile as her eyes started to shine with a bright hot flame of passion. She turned to look at Hestia with an expecting look in her eye, "Hestia, where did you get this?"


Hestia stiffened, the anxiety from before returning. She fidgeted on the spot while trying to avoid Hephaestus' gaze. She knew that look on her friend's face. Her spirit as a smith had been ignited, and she wanted to know all about the strange new metal Hestia had delivered into her lap. But that was what worried her. Hestia couldn't hide her nervousness as she spoke, "I...I...I don't know if I should-"


"Ah, a secret then? I understand. Hmm," Hephaestus took a moment to think, then snapped her fingers, "How about a deal then? If you bring me to where you got this from, I'll make the weapon for you at no cost."


Hestia felt a jolt go up her spine. She slowly turned her head to Hephaestus and said, "R-Re-Really?"


Hephaestus furiously nodded her head, "Yes. Obviously, we both have to keep each other's secrets about this whole thing. But give me the chance to better observe what this is made of, and I'll make the best damn weapon that Orario has ever seen. Deal?"


Hestia blinked.


Emotions warred within her as she thought about Hephaestus' deal. Whether she should accept it...but one thing made her decide to say yes. And it was four little words that she repeated to herself the entire time.


'This is all for Bell.'


'...Please forgive me, Simon.'




"Achoo!"


Bell stopped gawking at the weapons on the first floor of Hephaestus' shop to look at Simon. He tilted his head, "You alright, Simon?"


Simon sniffed while wiping at his nose with a sleeve, "Yeah. Just had to sneeze. No biggie."
 
Xodarap said:
Hesphaestus starts salivating over the impossible Tenkai Adjacent material born from the mortal world.
Heck this sort of thing is exactly what she would love to discover in order to advance her craftsmanship while being proof that she made the right decision to leave Tenkai all those centuries ago.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
More likely its going to break her brain. It is So out of context, so far BEYOND what she can comprehend that she is probably gonna get the mother of all Migraines. RIP.
 
Chapter 10: A Deal Before Monsterphilia
  • Threadmarks
    • Hephaestus turned the strange drill in her hand, letting the cool sensation of the metal run along her fingers and palm. She sat behind her desk in her office on the third floor of her personal weapon shop. In front of her, Hestia was on her knees, watching her with bated breath. The smaller goddess was rubbing her knees in worry, while her eyes seemed locked on the drill in her friend's hand. After a few moments, Hestia said, "W-Well?"

    "Firstly, did you really choose to stay here for two days just to hear my opinions on this thing?" Hephaestus calmly asked, her singular eye glancing at Hestia.

    Hestia swallowed nervously, "Partially, yes. I also wanted to hear what you had to say about my request. You didn't answer me before, so...

    "That's because I wanted to see what this was first. After all, you considered it important enough to ask me about it after requesting a custom order," Hephaestus stopped turning the drill in her hands. Then she held it up between her middle and index fingers, "Though, I'm not sure what you wanted me to say about it. Because from what I've seen? It's just a drill."

    "Really?" surprised, Hestia continued, "You...you haven't found anything... strange about it?"

    "Not really. The metals that compose it are similar to ones I've seen before. Mostly copper, but there is some iron present. And I do feel some kind of residual energy coming from it. But that could just be magic or the remnants of a Skill being used on it."

    "What about its hardness or durability? Is there anything special about that?"

    Hephaestus rolled her singular eye and got up from behind her desk. She walked over to one of the containers in her room and pulled out a pitch-black ingot of some kind. Noticing Hestia's confusion out of the corner of her eye, she explained as she walked back to her seat, "This is a Drop Item that one of my children brought to me. A high-level adventurer came by and gave it to them after returning from an expedition to the lower floors, and one of my children gave it to me as a gift. It isn't adamantite, but it should do the job."

    Hephaestus sat back in her chair and placed the ingot on her desk. With her face a mask of calm, she began to tap the tip of the drill against the center of the ingot. The sound of a small metal tip repeatedly pinging off a hard surface echoed through the room. Hestia winced each time the tip hit the ingot as she waited for something to happen. After three minutes of doing that, Hephaestus shook her head and said, "See? Nothing special."

    Hestia felt a weight lift off her shoulders. While part of her was confused that such an item wouldn't be anything special, a greater part was relieved that it wasn't. The last thing Bell needed was to be wearing a powerful magic item around his neck at all times. That wouldn't just attract the attention of the gods, but other adventurers as well. And some of the people in Orario would willingly take advantage of such a young boy.

    "As for your request, my answer is no," Hephaestus said, still idly tapping away at the ingot without a care in the world.

    "Please!" Hestia shouted, leaning forward on her knees as she begged her friend.

    "No."

    "You have to!"

    "You wouldn't be able to afford it anyway."

    "I'll pay you back, I promise!"

    "You've said that to me too many times to count at this point. And don't think I don't know about how you're working a part-time job to finance your Famiilia. Why would I think you could pay me back if you have to do that."

    Hestia went silent, but her determination didn't waver. She leaned forward, placed both her hands on the floor, and then lowered her head until it touched the ground.

    "...What are you doing?" Hephaestus said, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

    "Dogeza."

    "Do-ge-za?"

    "Take told me this pose has the power to make people forgive whatever you have done and grant any request."

    "Takemikazuchi," Hephaestus sighed and prepared to respond-

    Crack

    -when both goddesses heard something crack.

    Something metallic.

    And the source came from right beside Hephaestus.

    Blinking, she turned away from Hestia to look at her left hand. The one that was tapping the drill against the Drop Item. At first, she thought that the drill was what had cracked. The Drop Item was a high-level material. Tapping something extremely bland against it like the drill would lead to the latter suffering some damage. But as her single eye fell upon the drill and ingot, she became aware of something far stranger.

    The drill was completely fine.

    But the ingot had a tiny crack in the center.

    Hephaestus froze as her lone eye stared at the situation in front of her. So silent was she that Hestia lifted her head to see what was going on. When she saw her friend's circumstances, she opened her mouth to ask what was wrong. But she was interrupted when Hephaestus suddenly sprang into action. The Goddess of the Forge pulled the ingot to the center of her desk while holding the drill in her right hand. Focusing all her attention on the two items, she tapped the drill against the center of the ingot again.

    Crack Crack

    The tiny crack in the ingot grew larger. Before, one would need to squint to see the small white lines. Now, one could see them with casual observation. A third tap made them grow larger. To the point that Hephaestus knew a fourth tap would split the ingot in two. She locked her single eye onto the item in her hand. Her lips slowly curled into a smile as her eyes started to shine with a bright, fiery flame of passion. She turned to look at Hestia with an expectant gaze in her eye, "Hestia, where did you get this?"

    Hestia stiffened, feeling the anxiety from before returning. She fidgeted on the spot while trying to avoid Hephaestus' gaze. She knew that look on her friend's face. Her spirit as a blacksmith had been ignited, and she was eager to learn all about the peculiar new metal Hestia had delivered into her lap. But that was what worried her. Hestia couldn't hide her nervousness as she spoke, "I... I... I don't know if I should-"

    "Ah, a secret then? I understand. Hmm," Hephaestus took a moment to think, then snapped her fingers, "How about a deal then? If you bring me to where you got this from, I'll make the weapon for you at no cost."

    Hestia felt a jolt go up her spine. She slowly turned her head to Hephaestus and said, "R-Re-Really?"

    Hephaestus furiously nodded, "Yes. Obviously, we both have to keep each other's secrets about this whole thing. But give me the chance to better observe what this is made of, and I'll make the best damn weapon that Orario has ever seen. Deal?"

    Hestia blinked.

    Emotions warred within her as she thought about Hephaestus' deal. Whether she should accept it... but one thing made her decide to say yes. And it was four little words that she repeated to herself the entire time.

    'This is all for Bell.'

    '...Please forgive me, Simon.'


    "Achoo!"

    Bell stopped gawking at the weapons on the first floor of Hephaestus' shop to look at Simon. He tilted his head and asked, "Are you alright, Simon?"

    Simon sniffed while wiping his nose with a sleeve, "Yeah. Just had to sneeze. No biggie. "So, you gonna head in there and buy something? You're eying that dagger there pretty hard."

    Simon pointed toward the finely crafted white dagger, its tip pressed into a treasure chest-like box. Bell swallowed as his eyes went from the weapon to the price tag with numerous zeroes on it. He took a deep breath, then pushed himself off the window and shook his head, "N-No. I can't afford it. Even paying a fourth of its cost would wipe out my Familia's savings."

    Simon nodded, then patted Bell on the head, "Then, you'll just have to keep at it until you get enough to buy it, right?"

    "Yeah! Right!" Bell said, feelings of despair melting away with Simon's touch. The two started walking away from the store. They were on West Main Street, having just come back from an earlier Dungeon Run. They had made good money on it, far more than Bell usually made on his own. And as they left, they encountered a certain God who was close to Bell's Familia. It was this God that came to Bell's mind as the two walked, "So, what did you think of Miach, Simon?"

    "Hmm? You mean the guy that gave you those two potions for free?" Simon pointed at the two vials on Bell's waist, each one filled with a dark blue liquid. The white-haired boy nodded, and Simon's response was to shrug, "He seemed cool. Anyone who's willing to part with stuff that's supposed to heal you for free is good in my book. And he didn't seem to mind me shaking his hand."

    Bell smiled and nodded, "Ah, that's good. If you ever need something and you can't rely on us, you should go to Miach's Familia. He's been helping us for a while now and is a good person."

    "Good to know," Simon rubbed his nose as he tried to think of another conversation topic. Then he snapped his fingers and said, "Oh, right. What was the deal with those guys bringing monsters into the Guild?"

    "Those people were part of Ganesha Familia. I could tell because they were all wearing emblems with elephant heads on them," Bell explained to Simon.

    "Really? Is this Ganesha guy an elephant beastman or something?"

    "Uh, no. He just...really...likes them," a bead of sweat fell from Bell's head as he thought about the...eccentric god and his overworked Familia. He then shook his head to clear it, "But as for the monsters, it's for an event called Monsterphilia. Ganesha's Familia is full of people who tame monsters to exhibit them at a special fair."

    "Ah, so that's what they're for. Hmm, you gonna go?"

    "Maybe. I haven't decided yet," Bell scratched the back of his head in thought.

    "Well, if you do decide to go, I've got someone we could invite. That Ais Wallenstein girl," Simon said with a smile.

    Bell just looked confused, "Why her? The Kenki is probably really busy now. And I'm not sure if her Familia would be happy with us taking her out to a fair."

    Simon waved dismissively and said, "Ah, who gives a shit what they think? Besides, she wants to apologize to you for what happened back in the Dungeon. You know, with the minotaur that I killed?"

    A shiver ran up Bell's spine as he was reminded of that moment. He could still hear the minotaur's horrible roar, smell its awful breath, and feel the intimidating aura it emitted. His hands started to shake, so he hid them behind his back to prevent Simon from noticing. Gulping, he put on a false smile and said, "Th-That's alright. She doesn't have to do that. It's water under the bridge."

    Simon wagged his finger through the air, "No, Bell. You don't do that. If someone wants to apologize to you, you need to face them directly and decide whether you'll forgive them. One of the worst feelings in the world is when you leave things unsaid that you wanted to say."

    Bell blinked at Simon's words. He thought the man had sounded profound for a second there. So much so, that it stopped his shaking and dashed his sudden fear away. After a few moments, he started nodding, "Ye-Yeah. You're right, Simon. Um, but I don't think it should be at Monsterphilia. I need to meet her in a better circumstance before then."

    Simon smiled, then patted Bell on the head, "Whatever you say, leader. Now let's get back home. Oh, I need to tell you about this guy I met. His name's Brax. He's a bit rough around the edges, but he's a good guy, too. I'll take his place later,"

    "That sounds nice," Bell responded while keeping pace with Simon. His red eyes glowed as he stared at Simon with nothing but admiration.

    Simon continued to smile, but his eyes soon fell to Bell's neck. And he noticed that a particular item was missing from the boy's person. He pointed at Bell and said, "Hey, where's your Core Drill? Did ya lose it?"

    "Ah, no. Lady Hestia asked me to give it to her. She said she wanted to look at it for a little bit. She'll give it back when she's done," Bell assured Simon. Simon raised an eyebrow, but then shrugged off any worries he had. It was Bell's Drill to do with as he wished. If he wanted to hand it out, so be it.

    Besides, he trusted Hestia. And that's all that mattered.


    Three days had passed since then, and Hestia still hadn't returned to the church. Bell was getting worried, but Simon assured him that nothing was wrong. That Hestia would show up eventually. The two of them were basically family after all. She wouldn't abandon him, no matter what happened. This cheered Bell up as the two headed toward the Dungeon for another dive. However, on their way down Main Street, they were interrupted by two familiar faces.

    "Oi! Wait up nya, white-head kid and blue-head guy!"

    "White-head kid?"

    "Blue-head guy?" Simon and Bell shared a look as the cat girl waitress ran toward them with her tail swishing and arms waving like a maniac. Behind her was the Benevolent Mistress, while an elf waitress followed closely behind.

    She stopped in front of the two of them and gave them a clearly practiced bow in greeting. Bell returned it, but Simon just waved at her with a raised eyebrow. The elf stopped just behind the catgirl as the beastwoman in question spoke, "Good morning, nya! Sorry to call nyou both out like that, nya!"

    "Ah, um, morning?" Bell asked, still confused about what was going on.

    "Can we help you?" Simon asked for Bell.

    "Got a favor to ask nyou, white-head kid! Here, nya!" she held out a cloth coin purse with a metal clasp on the top. Bell flinched in surprise, blinking at the outstretched item. He gingerly took it in his hands while asking with his eyes what she wanted. She continued with a smile on her face, "Syr is nyour friend, white-head kid. So I want nyou to give this to her, nya!"

    Bell stared at the purple coin purse with confusion, his eyes fixed on the unfamiliar emblem engraved on the clasp. Simon leaned over to look at it and whistled, "That looks pretty nice. That emblem on the clasp mean anything?"

    "Just that it was made by a Familia, but I don't know which one," Bell answered with a shrug before turning to the catgirl, "Um, I'm not sure if I fully understand. What am I supposed to do?"

    "Ahnya. You're not being clear. Mr. Cranel and Mr. Simon are confused," the elf waitress said with a shake of her head.

    While Bell was shocked that she remembered him, Simon held up a hand and shook his head, "No need for the 'Mr.', lady. Simon's fine with me."

    "As you wish, Simon," her monotone voice didn't shift a bit as she responded. Then she turned back to the catgirl with a glare.

    Ahnya waved her off, "Lyu, nyou're stupid! Syr forgot her wallet, playing hooky to go to Monsterphilia, nya. She nyeeds it, so I'm asking him to take it to her. Nyou knew that, right, white-head kid?"

    The elf waitress's glare softened as she turned to Bell and Simon, "That is how it is. I apologize for the confusion."

    "Ah, no, I got it now. That's what's going on," Bell said as he and Lyu exchanged bows again.

    Simon chuckled, "Ah, I get it. Don't worry, Bell and I will find Syr in a jiffy. Though Syr doesn't seem like the type of girl to skip work. Is something else going on?"

    Ahnya's eyes widened as Lyu turned to Simon and shook her head, "Yes. Ahnya misspoke earlier. Syr's situation is different from the rest of us, as she doesn't reside at our establishment like we do."

    "Ah, so it's like a day off," Bell mumbled while looking at the purse. From there the two waitresses explained the whole situation. Monsterphilia's opening events were underway, involving members of Ganesha Familia showcasing their monster-taming skills to...well...tame monsters. They would fight the beasts in an arena until they submit. The restaurant staff wanted to attend the event, but Mama Mia told them no. So, Syr offered to go instead and get them souvenirs. But she forgot her wallet and so she has no money. And since none of the staff can get enough time off to take it to her, they wanted to ask them to do it instead.

    Bell and Simon accepted the job without complaint and headed off toward East Main Street, leaving Bell's backpack with the waitresses. As the two moved into the crowded street, heading toward the stadium, only one of them noticed the familiar pair of eyes locked onto them.


    The wide smile on Hestia's face contrasted with the bags under her eyes. It remained even as she walked out of Hephaestus Familia's main store, the source of her happiness resting in her hands. Within a small black case was the dagger she had custom-made for Bell. A beautiful blade with a black handle and sheath that Hephaestus had poured her soul into making... with a little help from Hestia. A new weapon specifically made for her favorite (and only) Familia member. The newly named "Hestia Knife" felt as light as a feather as she carried it with her. And even as she forced herself to calm down upon entering Northwest Main, her mind continued to fantasize about Bell's reaction when she gave it to him.

    The smile on his face, the excitement in his eyes...oh she could hardly wait to see him again! And best of all, it hadn't cost her a single Val! All thanks to-

    Hestia's mood took a sharp downturn. While her right hand brought the case close to her chest, her left tightened around the Core Drill her friend had returned to her. Her ponytails drooped as she recalled the cost of making the dagger. Well...not her exactly. While she watched Hephaestus work, the two of them had negotiated a deal between themselves. First, they would keep each other's secrets. She would not let anyone know about the special properties of the Hestia Knife, that being how it was a living weapon that would become stronger in tandem with its wielder. And Hephaestus wouldn't tell any of the other gods the truth about where the Core Drill had come from.

    In return, Hephaestus forged the Hestia Knife free of charge...and Hestia had to either bring her to where she got it from or bring the person who made it to her.

    While she wouldn't be paying anything to Hephaestus for the Knife, Simon would be paying for it on her behalf. And he didn't even know it. She had gone behind his back and possibly exposed something as powerful as Spiral Power to another god. Just after she got on Simon about keeping such a thing secret! She knew she could trust Hephaestus not to gossip with the other gods about it, but the facts remained the same. And after he had been so kind to them, even considering them as his friends.

    The happiness she had felt was soon replaced with a sense of shame that only seemed to worsen with each passing second. However, she shook her head to clear her mind of such thoughts. Instead, she focused her efforts on finding Bell and figuring out how she would hand over the case to Bell. And seeing the crowds of people gathering for Monsterphilia gave her an idea.


    "Heey! BELL!!"

    "Huh?" Bell turned at the sound of Hestia's voice, with Simon following his lead. Being taller, Simon was able to see over the crowd of people around them more easily. As he did, he spotted a familiar head of black hair with twin ponytails coming toward them.

    Simon pointed toward the oncoming goddess and said, "It's Hestia! Told ya she'd come back."

    "My Goddess?!" Bell said in surprise, watching as Hestia ran toward both of them. He greeted her as she ran to him, "What are you doing here?"

    "Don't be stupid! I wanted to see you, why else?" Hestia responded as she stopped in front of them.

    Simon tilted his head to the side and said, "Didn't really answer his question there, Hestia. Why are you out here?"

    "Uh, well, that's, uh," Hestia did everything she could to avoid looking Simon in the eyes. Instead, she sidled up to Bell while keeping her hands behind her back and said, "So, what a wonderful coincidence, don't you think? I wanted to see you, and here you are! We must have some kind of special connection! Hee-hee-hee!"

    Bell and Simon shared a look, both puzzled by the Goddess' words. Bell tried to get her to explain, but she just said that she would tell him later. And to look forward to something "really special" later. Whatever that meant. Any other questions were swiftly silenced when Hestia grabbed Bell's hand. The white-haired boy's face turned a bright shade of red as his Goddess started pulling him away from Simon. She smiled sweetly and said, "Let's have a date, Bell!"

    "...A date!?" was the boy's shocked response. It was at this moment that Simon finally realized what Hestia was getting at. He stepped forward and put a hand on Bell's shoulder. With a small smile on his face, he gently took the coin purse from Bell's pocket and held it up for him to see.

    "Hey, Bell? Why don't you go hang out with Hestia? I'm sure you've both got a lot to talk about since she's been gone for a few days," he said, while tossing the coin purse up and down in his hand.

    "Wh-But what about-"

    "I'll take care of it. This job really only needs one person after all. Don't worry, I'll find the person who lost this and hand it back to them. You two go have fun," with that, Simon turned around and headed off into the crowd. Inwardly, he wished Bell luck on his date with Hestia. And Hestia silently thanked Simon for understanding what she wanted.

    However, while the three of them parted amicably, a certain silver-eyed goddess was inside the monster pens at the stadium. She had already "charmed" the guards and attendants and was preparing to release the monsters. To find their targets and carry out her bidding.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Okay, I just finished reading Sword Oratoria Volume 1. Now know a bit more about Ais and stuff. Better idea of how the next chapter will go.

    ...also am I the only one who doesn't think Bell looks anything like a rabbit? Like, I get it, but I don't see it.

    Sailor Moon looks more like a rabbit than he does. And it's literally in her name!
     
    LinkOnScepter said:
    Okay, I just finished reading Sword Oratoria Volume 1. Now know a bit more about Ais and stuff. Better idea of how the next chapter will go.

    ...also am I the only one who doesn't think Bell looks anything like a rabbit? Like, I get it, but I don't see it.

    Sailor Moon looks more like a rabbit than he does. And it's literally in her name!
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Eh I can sort of see how he is compared to a rabbit when in setting the fuzzy murder rabbits stand on two legs have weapons like swords and knives and jump all over tge place trying to kill you.

    Course there's also the Caerbolg rabbit cute and innocent till you watch it tear through multiple armored knights.
     
    "Syr! Syr! You here?!" Simon shouted, one hand cupped over his lips to help carry his voice. He was oblivious to the various people around him staring at him as he made his way through the festival. Numerous stalls were around him, selling food and items of all kinds from the side of the road. Most people chose to avoid him, which wasn't hard considering he was taller than the average person in Orario. Though some did try to entice him into buying their ways, but he politely declined their offers.

    "Syr!" he shouted again, stopping in the middle of a crowd to let it pass by him while looking around. When the girl in question didn't show, he crossed his arms and hummed, "Hmm, don't see her. Hmm, what did Ahnya say Syr was doing here again? Spending her day off here? Then, if she's not out here in the streets..."

    Simon looked up, his eyes going to the large coliseum in the distance. His lips curled into a smile, "...she'd be where the main event is happening."

    He started making his way toward the coliseum, stopping every now and then to wave hello the people on the street. As he did, he couldn't help but think of how things must be going back home. By now, Rossiu had probably made peace with everyone else. Gurren Lagann was mass produced and the various Spiral Races were all working towards a wonderful future. One he wouldn't ever see himself, but he trusted his friends. He knew they would guide their world to a bright future. Idly, he looked down at his ring and smiled. The metal was warm against his finger. A constant reminder of those who's spirits he carried with him.

    However, his wistful reminiscing was interrupted by the sound of shouting. This was soon followed by the crowd around him suddenly running in the opposite direction of the coliseum. A few people bumped into him with multiple shouts of "Monsters! Monsters on the loose!" as they ran away from something. Simon looked ahead and prepared to run toward the danger and see if anyone needed help. But he soon found that he didn't have to go far. As the monster in question was walking right toward him.

    It was a large, four-legged creature that reminded him of a deer. It even had a similar coat, save that the deer's he knew had brown fur and this one had green fur with white spots along its body. Though the main thing that separated it from the docile herbivore he knew, were the large sword like antlers sticking out of its head. The horns stood out like the branches of a tree, the sunlight reflecting off their sharp edges. The towered over most of the people in running away from it, its shadow falling over Simon.

    However, Simon noted something interesting about the monster; It wasn't reacting to the people around it. It snorted and stomped at the ground, but it didn't try to attacking anyone. In fact, it seemed to be looking for something. Something that wasn't anywhere near it. Simon raised an eyebrow and prepared to say something to get its attention. But then he heard the sound of the wind coming from above and to his right. Smiling, he turned toward the roof of a building to his left. Pushing spiral power into his legs, he leaped onto the roof just as the wind passed over the strange monster.

    He heard the sound of a sword slicing through flesh and stood up straight. He quickly looked to his right to see who had killed the monster. As he caught sight of a familiar head of blonde hair, his smile grew into a full toothed grin. He kicked off the roof and quickly caught up to the girl. With a wave he shouted, "Hey, Aiz! Guessing you know what's up with the monsters being out?"

    "They escaped," Aiz hardly paid Simon any attention. Her focus was completely on finding the next monster and taking it down. She spotted another and prepared to dash in to defeat it in one blow. However...

    "GURREN BOOMERANG!"

    ...she was beat to the punch by a pair of flying red glasses that Simon had tossed. The glasses cut through the air while spinning like a shuriken. The edges of the glasses glowed a bright emerald color. Before the monster even noticed what was happening, its head was separated from its shoulders as the glasses cut through its skin like a hot knife through butter.

    The glasses turned back around and Simon caught them with ease. No blood remained on his impromptu weapon as he placed it back on his face. He casually spoke to Aiz, "Don't need to answer. Just point me towards the monsters and I'll help ya take them out."

    "Not necessary. I can handle it."

    "Yeah? Then you won't mind if I tag along will you? Lots of hands make light work," Simon retorted. Aiz didn't respond. Whether that be because she didn't care or she agreed with him, he couldn't tell. But that was fine. He was just happy to help. And help he did. The two working in tandem allowed Ainz to take out all the escaped monsters far faster than she could've alone. Mainly because while she needed to dash in to stab an enemy with her rapier, Simon could take them out from range with his Boomerangs.

    Simon grabbed his glasses out of the air and put them back on just as the third monster he had seen went down. He kept his eyes on the area while talking to Aiz, "Okay, including the ones you got before you met me, how many is that?"

    "Seven," Aiz said as the two continued moving through the air.

    "And how many escaped?"

    "Nine."

    "So two left? Where are they?"

    "Heading toward one. Can't feel the last one."

    "Hmm, alright so...wait. Do you hear that?" Simon turned his eyes to the west of their current position. He frowned as his ears twitched. He could've sword he heard something...rumbling. Moving through the earth like a-

    His eyes widened and he suddenly banked toward the west, "Something's up over there! I'll go check it out! You keep looking for the last monster!" Without waiting for Aiz's reply, he pushed more spiral power into his legs. With a short grunt of effort he launched himself straight toward the feeling he had. Half way to his destination, he saw an explosion of earth, stone, and smoke rise from a residential area in the distance. The force of the explosion was enough to make him pause mid-air for a second. With a grunt he kicked off the air and landed a nearby building's rooftop. He lifted his glasses up to get a better view of what had just burst up from the ground. And as the dust cleared he couldn't help but whistle in surprise.

    "Well, you're a big one aren'tcha?" he asked while looking at the monster towering over the squat Orario buildings. It was snakelike with its tail rising from between the stones of the broken pavement beneath it. It had a lump where it's head should be, with pale-green smooth skin covering its body. It's "lump" for a head had no eyes nor mouth and was shaped more like a sunflower seed. Its body moved to look down at something near it, before slamming its body down and trying to hit it.

    Idly wishing that he had Lagann right now, Simon jumped from roof to roof to get close to the strange monster. He stopped on a nearby rooftop and covered his eyes to see what was going on. What he saw made him hum in surprise. There were three people on the street fighting the strange creature. He recognized two of them as those twins from the bar the other night with Aiz and that asshole he knocked out. They were dashing around the monster, avoiding its rapid slams while trying to attack it with their bare fist. Emphasis on "try" because whenever they punched it, they seemed to feel the pain. Whatever that thing was made of must've been tough. Simon tapped his chin before he heard a new, sing-song voice echoing through the street.

    "Unleashed beam of light, limbs of the holy tree. You are the master archer."

    Looking to a part of the street slightly covered from the monster's line of sight, he spotted an elf girl standing with her arms outstretched. She had bright golden hair tied in front of her neck. Long, parted bangs framed her face. She wore a white blouse underneath a pink corset dress and skirt, with long white stockings going down her legs. Her pink slippers had dirt and dust on them. A dark red coat hung over her shoulders with only her white sleeves sticking out of it. Her mouth moved as she uttered some kind of chant as a golden circle appeared under her feet.

    "Loose your arrows, fairy archers. Pierce, arrows of accuracy!"

    Simon whistled, "Guessing that's what a magic spell looks like? Probably gonna be real useful against something that-"

    Simon turned to look at the monster at just the right moment. Because it allowed him to spot the exact moment the monster turned its "head" to look directly at the elf girl. On instinct, he launched himself from the rooftop to the street just in front of the girl. He landed only a second before a pale green tendril shot out of the ground toward the girl's stomach. He didn't hesitated to hold out his hand and let the limb pierce his hand, before grabbing the end with his other hand.

    He heard the elf girl gasp behind him, but paid her little mind. With a grunt of effort he stomped his foot into the ground, increased his grip on the tendril, and pulled with all his might. With a loud yell and the sound of plant fibers tearing, he ripped the tendril in two. The bottom part slithered back into the ground while the part in Simon's hand quickly turned to dust.

    He looked over his shoulder and ignored the pain in his right hand while saying, "You okay?!" to the elf girl.

    I know, I know. It's been a while.

    Sorry. It's just...I haven't really felt like writing a lot lately. But I'm gonna try to get the new chapter done. Hopefully I'll finish it soon.
     
    LinkOnScepter said:
    "Syr! Syr! You here?!" Simon shouted, one hand cupped over his lips to help carry his voice. He was oblivious to the various people around him staring at him as he made his way through the festival. Numerous stalls were around him, selling food and items of all kinds from the side of the road. Most people chose to avoid him, which wasn't hard considering he was taller than the average person in Orario. Though some did try to entice him into buying their ways, but he politely declined their offers.

    "Syr!" he shouted again, stopping in the middle of a crowd to let it pass by him while looking around. When the girl in question didn't show, he crossed his arms and hummed, "Hmm, don't see her. Hmm, what did Ahnya say Syr was doing here again? Spending her day off here? Then, if she's not out here in the streets..."

    Simon looked up, his eyes going to the large coliseum in the distance. His lips curled into a smile, "...she'd be where the main event is happening."

    He started making his way toward the coliseum, stopping every now and then to wave hello the people on the street. As he did, he couldn't help but think of how things must be going back home. By now, Rossiu had probably made peace with everyone else. Gurren Lagann was mass produced and the various Spiral Races were all working towards a wonderful future. One he wouldn't ever see himself, but he trusted his friends. He knew they would guide their world to a bright future. Idly, he looked down at his ring and smiled. The metal was warm against his finger. A constant reminder of those who's spirits he carried with him.

    However, his wistful reminiscing was interrupted by the sound of shouting. This was soon followed by the crowd around him suddenly running in the opposite direction of the coliseum. A few people bumped into him with multiple shouts of "Monsters! Monsters on the loose!" as they ran away from something. Simon looked ahead and prepared to run toward the danger and see if anyone needed help. But he soon found that he didn't have to go far. As the monster in question was walking right toward him.

    It was a large, four-legged creature that reminded him of a deer. It even had a similar coat, save that the deer's he knew had brown fur and this one had green fur with white spots along its body. Though the main thing that separated it from the docile herbivore he knew, were the large sword like antlers sticking out of its head. The horns stood out like the branches of a tree, the sunlight reflecting off their sharp edges. The towered over most of the people in running away from it, its shadow falling over Simon.

    However, Simon noted something interesting about the monster; It wasn't reacting to the people around it. It snorted and stomped at the ground, but it didn't try to attacking anyone. In fact, it seemed to be looking for something. Something that wasn't anywhere near it. Simon raised an eyebrow and prepared to say something to get its attention. But then he heard the sound of the wind coming from above and to his right. Smiling, he turned toward the roof of a building to his left. Pushing spiral power into his legs, he leaped onto the roof just as the wind passed over the strange monster.

    He heard the sound of a sword slicing through flesh and stood up straight. He quickly looked to his right to see who had killed the monster. As he caught sight of a familiar head of blonde hair, his smile grew into a full toothed grin. He kicked off the roof and quickly caught up to the girl. With a wave he shouted, "Hey, Aiz! Guessing you know what's up with the monsters being out?"

    "They escaped," Aiz hardly paid Simon any attention. Her focus was completely on finding the next monster and taking it down. She spotted another and prepared to dash in to defeat it in one blow. However...

    "GURREN BOOMERANG!"

    ...she was beat to the punch by a pair of flying red glasses that Simon had tossed. The glasses cut through the air while spinning like a shuriken. The edges of the glasses glowed a bright emerald color. Before the monster even noticed what was happening, its head was separated from its shoulders as the glasses cut through its skin like a hot knife through butter.

    The glasses turned back around and Simon caught them with ease. No blood remained on his impromptu weapon as he placed it back on his face. He casually spoke to Aiz, "Don't need to answer. Just point me towards the monsters and I'll help ya take them out."

    "Not necessary. I can handle it."

    "Yeah? Then you won't mind if I tag along will you? Lots of hands make light work," Simon retorted. Aiz didn't respond. Whether that be because she didn't care or she agreed with him, he couldn't tell. But that was fine. He was just happy to help. And help he did. The two working in tandem allowed Ainz to take out all the escaped monsters far faster than she could've alone. Mainly because while she needed to dash in to stab an enemy with her rapier, Simon could take them out from range with his Boomerangs.

    Simon grabbed his glasses out of the air and put them back on just as the third monster he had seen went down. He kept his eyes on the area while talking to Aiz, "Okay, including the ones you got before you met me, how many is that?"

    "Seven," Aiz said as the two continued moving through the air.

    "And how many escaped?"

    "Nine."

    "So two left? Where are they?"

    "Heading toward one. Can't feel the last one."

    "Hmm, alright so...wait. Do you hear that?" Simon turned his eyes to the west of their current position. He frowned as his ears twitched. He could've sword he heard something...rumbling. Moving through the earth like a-

    His eyes widened and he suddenly banked toward the west, "Something's up over there! I'll go check it out! You keep looking for the last monster!" Without waiting for Aiz's reply, he pushed more spiral power into his legs. With a short grunt of effort he launched himself straight toward the feeling he had. Half way to his destination, he saw an explosion of earth, stone, and smoke rise from a residential area in the distance. The force of the explosion was enough to make him pause mid-air for a second. With a grunt he kicked off the air and landed a nearby building's rooftop. He lifted his glasses up to get a better view of what had just burst up from the ground. And as the dust cleared he couldn't help but whistle in surprise.

    "Well, you're a big one aren'tcha?" he asked while looking at the monster towering over the squat Orario buildings. It was snakelike with its tail rising from between the stones of the broken pavement beneath it. It had a lump where it's head should be, with pale-green smooth skin covering its body. It's "lump" for a head had no eyes nor mouth and was shaped more like a sunflower seed. Its body moved to look down at something near it, before slamming its body down and trying to hit it.

    Idly wishing that he had Lagann right now, Simon jumped from roof to roof to get close to the strange monster. He stopped on a nearby rooftop and covered his eyes to see what was going on. What he saw made him hum in surprise. There were three people on the street fighting the strange creature. He recognized two of them as those twins from the bar the other night with Aiz and that asshole he knocked out. They were dashing around the monster, avoiding its rapid slams while trying to attack it with their bare fist. Emphasis on "try" because whenever they punched it, they seemed to feel the pain. Whatever that thing was made of must've been tough. Simon tapped his chin before he heard a new, sing-song voice echoing through the street.

    "Unleashed beam of light, limbs of the holy tree. You are the master archer."

    Looking to a part of the street slightly covered from the monster's line of sight, he spotted an elf girl standing with her arms outstretched. She had bright golden hair tied in front of her neck. Long, parted bangs framed her face. She wore a white blouse underneath a pink corset dress and skirt, with long white stockings going down her legs. Her pink slippers had dirt and dust on them. A dark red coat hung over her shoulders with only her white sleeves sticking out of it. Her mouth moved as she uttered some kind of chant as a golden circle appeared under her feet.

    "Loose your arrows, fairy archers. Pierce, arrows of accuracy!"

    Simon whistled, "Guessing that's what a magic spell looks like? Probably gonna be real useful against something that-"

    Simon turned to look at the monster at just the right moment. Because it allowed him to spot the exact moment the monster turned its "head" to look directly at the elf girl. On instinct, he launched himself from the rooftop to the street just in front of the girl. He landed only a second before a pale green tendril shot out of the ground toward the girl's stomach. He didn't hesitated to hold out his hand and let the limb pierce his hand, before grabbing the end with his other hand.

    He heard the elf girl gasp behind him, but paid her little mind. With a grunt of effort he stomped his foot into the ground, increased his grip on the tendril, and pulled with all his might. With a loud yell and the sound of plant fibers tearing, he ripped the tendril in two. The bottom part slithered back into the ground while the part in Simon's hand quickly turned to dust.

    He looked over his shoulder and ignored the pain in his right hand while saying, "You okay?!" to the elf girl.

    I know, I know. It's been a while.

    Sorry. It's just...I haven't really felt like writing a lot lately. But I'm gonna try to get the new chapter done. Hopefully I'll finish it soon.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Noicccccccccccceeeeeeeeee :))))))))))))))))).).$$$!!!m
     
    Chapter 11: Monsterphilia Mash
  • Threadmarks
    • "Syr! Syr! You here?!" Simon shouted, one hand cupped over his lips to help carry his voice. He was oblivious to the various people around him staring at him as he made his way through the festival. Numerous stalls were around him, selling food and items of all kinds from the side of the road. Most people chose to avoid him, which wasn't hard considering he was taller than the average person in Orario. Though some did try to entice him into buying their ways, but he politely declined their offers.

    "Syr!" he shouted again, stopping in the middle of a crowd to let it pass by him while looking around. When the girl in question didn't show, he crossed his arms and hummed, "Hmm, don't see her. Hmm, what did Ahnya say Syr was doing here again? Spending her day off here? Then, if she's not out here in the streets..."

    Simon looked up, his eyes going to the large coliseum in the distance. His lips curled into a smile, "...she'd be where the main event is happening."

    He started making his way toward the coliseum, stopping every now and then to wave hello the people on the street. As he did, he couldn't help but think of how things must be going back home. By now, Rossiu had probably made peace with everyone else. Gurren Lagann was mass produced and the various Spiral Races were all working towards a wonderful future. One he wouldn't ever see himself, but he trusted his friends. He knew they would guide their world to a bright future. Idly, he looked down at his ring and smiled. The metal was warm against his finger. A constant reminder of those who's spirits he carried with him.

    However, his wistful reminiscing was interrupted by the sound of shouting. This was soon followed by the crowd around him suddenly running in the opposite direction of the coliseum. A few people bumped into him with multiple shouts of "Monsters! Monsters on the loose!" as they ran away from something. Simon looked ahead and prepared to run toward the danger and see if anyone needed help. But he soon found that he didn't have to go far. As the monster in question was walking right toward him.

    It was a large, four-legged creature that reminded him of a deer. It even had a similar coat, save that the deer's he knew had brown fur and this one had green fur with white spots along its body. Though the main thing that separated it from the docile herbivore he knew, were the large sword like antlers sticking out of its head. The horns stood out like the branches of a tree, the sunlight reflecting off their sharp edges. The towered over most of the people in running away from it, its shadow falling over Simon.

    However, Simon noted something interesting about the monster; It wasn't reacting to the people around it. It snorted and stomped at the ground, but it didn't try to attacking anyone. In fact, it seemed to be looking for something. Something that wasn't anywhere near it. Simon raised an eyebrow and prepared to say something to get its attention. But then he heard the sound of the wind coming from above and to his right. Smiling, he turned toward the roof of a building to his left. Pushing spiral power into his legs, he leaped onto the roof just as the wind passed over the strange monster.

    He heard the sound of a sword slicing through flesh and stood up straight. He quickly looked to his right to see who had killed the monster. As he caught sight of a familiar head of blonde hair, his smile grew into a full toothed grin. He kicked off the roof and quickly caught up to the girl. With a wave he shouted, "Hey, Aiz! Guessing you know what's up with the monsters being out?"

    "They escaped," Aiz hardly paid Simon any attention. Her focus was completely on finding the next monster and taking it down. She spotted another and prepared to dash in to defeat it in one blow. However...

    "GURREN BOOMERANG!"

    ...she was beat to the punch by a pair of flying red glasses that Simon had tossed. The glasses cut through the air while spinning like a shuriken. The edges of the glasses glowed a bright emerald color. Before the monster even noticed what was happening, its head was separated from its shoulders as the glasses cut through its skin like a hot knife through butter.

    The glasses turned back around and Simon caught them with ease. No blood remained on his impromptu weapon as he placed it back on his face. He casually spoke to Aiz, "Don't need to answer. Just point me towards the monsters and I'll help ya take them out."

    "Not necessary. I can handle it."

    "Yeah? Then you won't mind if I tag along will you? Lots of hands make light work," Simon retorted. Aiz didn't respond. Whether that be because she didn't care or she agreed with him, he couldn't tell. But that was fine. He was just happy to help. And help he did. The two working in tandem allowed Ainz to take out all the escaped monsters far faster than she could've alone. Mainly because while she needed to dash in to stab an enemy with her rapier, Simon could take them out from range with his Boomerangs.

    Simon grabbed his glasses out of the air and put them back on just as the third monster he had seen went down. He kept his eyes on the area while talking to Aiz, "Okay, including the ones you got before you met me, how many is that?"

    "Seven," Aiz said as the two continued moving through the air.

    "And how many escaped?"

    "Nine."

    "So two left? Where are they?"

    "Heading toward one. Can't feel the last one."

    "Hmm, alright so...wait. Do you hear that?" Simon turned his eyes to the west of their current position. He frowned as his ears twitched. He could've sword he heard something...rumbling. Moving through the earth like a-

    His eyes widened and he suddenly banked toward the west, "Something's up over there! I'll go check it out! You keep looking for the last monster!" Without waiting for Aiz's reply, he pushed more spiral power into his legs. With a short grunt of effort he launched himself straight toward the feeling he had. Half way to his destination, he saw an explosion of earth, stone, and smoke rise from a residential area in the distance. The force of the explosion was enough to make him pause mid-air for a second. With a grunt he kicked off the air and landed a nearby building's rooftop. He lifted his glasses up to get a better view of what had just burst up from the ground. And as the dust cleared he couldn't help but whistle in surprise.

    "Well, you're a big one aren'tcha?" he asked while looking at the monster towering over the squat Orario buildings. It was snakelike with its tail rising from between the stones of the broken pavement beneath it. It had a lump where it's head should be, with pale-green smooth skin covering its body. It's "lump" for a head had no eyes nor mouth and was shaped more like a sunflower seed. Its body moved to look down at something near it, before slamming its body down and trying to hit it.

    Idly wishing that he had Lagann right now, Simon jumped from roof to roof to get close to the strange monster. He stopped on a nearby rooftop and covered his eyes to see what was going on. What he saw made him hum in surprise. There were three people on the street fighting the strange creature. He recognized two of them as those twins from the bar the other night with Aiz and that asshole he knocked out. They were dashing around the monster, avoiding its rapid slams while trying to attack it with their bare fist. Emphasis on "try" because whenever they punched it, they seemed to feel the pain. Whatever that thing was made of must've been tough. Simon tapped his chin before he heard a new, sing-song voice echoing through the street.

    "Unleashed beam of light, limbs of the holy tree. You are the master archer."

    Looking to a part of the street slightly covered from the monster's line of sight, he spotted an elf girl standing with her arms outstretched. She had bright golden hair tied in front of her neck. Long, parted bangs framed her face. She wore a white blouse underneath a pink corset dress and skirt, with long white stockings going down her legs. Her pink slippers had dirt and dust on them. A dark red coat hung over her shoulders with only her white sleeves sticking out of it. Her mouth moved as she uttered some kind of chant as a golden circle appeared under her feet.

    "Loose your arrows, fairy archers. Pierce, arrows of accuracy!"

    Simon whistled, "Guessing that's what a magic spell looks like? Probably gonna be real useful against something that-"

    Simon turned to look at the monster at just the right moment. Because it allowed him to spot the exact moment the monster turned its "head" to look directly at the elf girl. On instinct, he launched himself from the rooftop to the street just in front of the girl. He landed only a second before a pale green tendril shot out of the ground toward the girl's stomach. He didn't hesitated to hold out his hand and let the limb pierce his hand, before grabbing the end with his other hand.

    He heard the elf girl gasp behind him, but paid her little mind. With a grunt of effort he stomped his foot into the ground, increased his grip on the tendril, and pulled with all his might. With a loud yell and the sound of plant fibers tearing, he ripped the tendril in two. The bottom part slithered back into the ground while the part in Simon's hand quickly turned to dust.

    He looked over his shoulder and ignored the pain in his right hand while saying, "You okay?!" to the elf girl. She was stunned silent, her mind trying to process what had just happened. Simon got ready to call out to her again, but a loud "cricking" sound made him pause. He turned back to the monster just in time to see its lump-like head raise toward the sky-and bloom.

    "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

    Its roar reverberated through the streets as petals stretched toward the sunlight. Each one was a deep, ominous red. They all met in the center, where a gigantic mouth lined with fangs awaited. Pollen shook free from it with every movement. The flesh inside its mouth was light pink, and its magic stone was visible deep in its throat.

    "Not a snake...but a flower?!" one of the half-naked women yelled in horror. The beasts head reared up and it started to loom over the area where Simon and the elf were. The elf girl, still in shock, stared at the wide open maw with horror in her eyes...

    ...and then flying red object sliced through one of the monster's petals.

    It roared in pain as the object boomeranged back toward its owner. Simon caught it in one hand while his other grabbed his goggles next. Emerald green Spiral Power flowed down his arm into his goggles. They shook for a moment before the red glass within suddenly burst out and into an pair of sunglasses identical to the first one. With both his weapons in hand, Simon pointed his sunglasses at the flower monster. His voice carried across the street, somehow louder than the monster's roar, "Listen up ya overgrown weed! I don't know where you came from, or what the fuck you're doing here! And, honestly, I don't care! All I know is that you're not gonna destroy this city or harm anyone while I, Simon the Digger, is still breathing. So, just and come at me! Double Gurren BOOMERANG!"

    Simon tossed both of his sunglasses across the ground. Air parted before them as they slashed through the forest of tendrils keeping the two women from him and the elf. Once the path was clear he shouted, "Hey! You two! Get over here before it blocks the path again!"

    While a bit confused, the two women did as Simon asked. They gracefully leapt and dodged around any new tendrils that grew out of the ground to block them. The monster tried to slam its head onto one of them, but Simon's boomerangs came back around and sliced off two more of its petals. The pain caused it to miss its strike and allowed both the Amazons to land on Simon's left and right. Simon grabbed his weapons as they neared him then shot smiles toward the two girls, "Nice moves. You girls are pretty good."

    "Same to you," the one with long hair and a red bra said as she shook her stinging hands. She had tried to punch through the monster's hide only to end up hurting herself.

    The other one, the one with short hair and a white bra, shot a sidelong glance at Simon. Then she gave him her full attention while her eyes went wide, "Wait. Aren't you the guy who knocked Bete out the other night?"

    Her words got the other Amazon and elf to give Simon their full attention. Simon just smiled and said proudly, "That I am. Name's Simon the Digger."

    He was interrupted when three of the monster's tendrils shot out the ground. Simon quickly dispatched them with one swing of both his weapons. As the sliced apart tendrils fell lifelessly to the ground, he continued, "Mind tell me your names? I'd like to know who I'll be fighting with today."

    The short haired woman smiled and waved, "I'm Tiona! And that was an awesome punch you managed on Bete. He needed something to wake him up."

    "Tione," the long haired woman said while eying Simon's weapons, "Are those...glasses? How are you slicing through this thing's hide with glasses?"

    "Spiral Power," Simon stated bluntly.

    "What's Spiral Power?" both Amazons asked at the same time.

    "Tell ya later," Simon looked over his shoulder at the elf. She tensed but didn't flinch away from his gaze. He smiled and asked, "And you are?"

    "L-Lefiya," was her answer.

    "Simon. That was magic you were doing earlier, right?"

    "Y-Yes. I was trying to cast a spell to help take it out. Everything was ready, I just need to say the trigger-"

    "Which is when that bastard hit ya. And it wasn't paying attention to you before you did that. In other words-"

    "It's sensitive to magical energy," Tione finished for Simon, "Meaning that we need to keep Lefiya safe so she can cast her spell."

    "Don't worry, Lefiya. We'll keep it off your back. You just sit tight and stay behind us, okay?" Tiona said while cracking her knuckles in preparation. But while the two Amazons kept their eyes on the monster, Simon's eyes were focused on Lefiya.

    And he saw how she flinched at Tiona's words. He saw how her shock was replaced by a sense of self-loathing and disappointment. He noticed how her shoulders slumped when her comrade said she should "stay behind them." He kept his eyes on the elf for a few more moments. Then he smiled and said, "Actually, Lefiya, what do you want to do?"

    "Huh?" all three girls said, all of them confused by what Simon just said.

    Not deterred in the slightest, he turned so that his left shoulder was pointing toward Lefiya, "I said, what do you want to do? I'm leaving the decision of how we fight this thing up to you."

    "M-Me?! Bu-But I'm-"

    "Lefiya's a mage, Simon," Tione interrupted, frustration clear in her tone, "She can't fight on the frontlines like we can. It's better for her to stay back where she won't get hurt."

    "Maybe. But something tells me that that's not what she wants."

    "Simon, you just met her!" Tiona said while keeping an eye on the looming threat in front of them.

    "Yeah, but I've seen that look in her eyes before. The look of someone who feels like she has something to prove. Not to anyone around her but to herself," Simon's voice as confident but soothing, lessening the tension in Lefiya's body by the second. In spite of the lingering plant monster roaring at them, Simon looked calm and collected. His smile reached his sparkling eyes as he stared at Lefiya, "I might not know exactly what you're going through, but I can tell you this; You're not gonna get anywhere if you just stand there, saying nothing and doing nothing. The only way things are gonna change is if you take that first step forward."

    Lefiya didn't know why, but something about what the strange man was saying resonated with her. This was their first time meeting each other, but the way he spoke and carried himself...it somehow made his words get through to her. However, she felt that doubt that was always there claim her heart again. She turned away from Simon while her hands tightened into fists, "You make it sound so easy. But-"

    "It's not easy. Most things worth doing aren't," Simon interrupted, his smile only growing bigger and brighter, "It can be hard at first and keep getting harder the further you go. But, no matter how hard it gets, the second you get where you want to be, that's it. You've made it. And what you do from there is all down to you. All you need is to move forward, keep your fighting spirit burning bright, and never give up until you've won."

    Lefiya stared at Simon with a shocked expression. She didn't know how to respond to what he said. Tione and Tiona were similarly stunned. If it were anyone else, the Amazons might have dismissed them out of hand. What could a total stranger know about how Lefiya was feeling, after all? But the fact that Lefiya seemed to actually be listening to him is what gave them pause. The moment was interrupted when the monster attacked again. Tendrils bursts from the ground toward the four while its massive head barreled toward them. The Amazons and Simon turned to face the oncoming tendrils. The tendrils were thick as a human arm and moved like snakes in the grass. They shot toward Simon, but diverted their course at the last minute, planning to attack the elf behind him.

    However, Simon dashed back and sliced at the oncoming foe with reckless abandon. Severed tendrils flopped the ground, while those he missed were grabbed and ripped apart by Tione and Tiona. Lefiya watched the ongoing battle, Simon's words racing through her mind and heart. And the actions of her friends defending her only made them resonate even deeper.

    What Simon had said...had been true.

    She did want to prove something.

    For the last few days, in the Dungeon and now here, she had been protected by the rest of her Familia. Always staying behind the fighters and away from where the fighting was thickest. Away from where the most amount of danger was. And whenever she had been caught out or put in harms way, someone, usually Aiz, had shown up to save her. And while she appreciated being saved...it didn't sit right with her.

    She wasn't a delicate flower who couldn't handle being in the thick of things. She was an adventurer! A member of the strongest Familia in Orario! A member of the proud race of elves, and the one expected to replace Rivera when the time came! Staying behind while her allies did all the fighting, always needed to be saved, never doing the saving herself...it had formed a pit of shame and inferiority in her heart. One that she had been carrying all this time, yet never bothered to do anything about.

    Because she knew the truth; She was weak. She would never be able to stand by the side of the girls who had saved her time and time again. They were just too powerful. Too much for her to reach. All she could ever do was-

    "Lefiya," somehow, someway, she heard Simon's voice over the din of battle. She looked up to see the man looking over his shoulder at her. His arms swung away as she kept the monster's tendrils at bay. His eyes were soft but they still blazed with that confidence of his, "whatever's going through your head right now, just remember what I said; nothing's gonna change if you just stand there."

    Lefiya felt her breath hitch. She brought a hand up to her chest and felt her heart start beating faster. A shadow fell over her eyes as she tilted her head down...then lifted it back up while glaring at the monster across the street. She stepped forward until she was standing next to Simon at his right. Tione threw down a destroyed tendril and gasped as she saw the elf, "Lefiya! Get back! We-"

    "I can help too! I'm-I'm not gonna be a burden!" she shouted, holding up her hands while preparing her next spell, "The monster's sensitive to magic! We need to be moving the second I start casting my spell! Keep me covered while I get close enough so it won't miss!"

    "But if you use magic then it'll attack you!" Tiona points out.

    "If it does, so be it!" Lefiya's words shocked the two Amazon's speechless. The elf's body was shaking but her eyes were filled with a deep determination. She didn't once take her gaze off the monster before them.

    Simon's laugh cut through the air just as he cut through the last of the tendrils assaulting them. He stood up and pointed his weapons at the monsters roaring mouth, "You heard the lady! She brings the magic, and we keep her covered. Now, lets take this down!"

    Seeing that the human and elf were in agreement, the Amazons shared a look. Confused but wiling to trust Lefiya, they shared a nod before taking up their fighting stances. The plant monster roared. Lefiya prepared to recite her spell again. Tiona and Tione readied their fists. Simon held his arms out, revealing his bare chest and ignoring his bleeding hand while shouting, "Come on, ya big bastard! We're right here! Come and get us!"

    The creature prepared to lung...only for gold and silver streaks to flash across the space between it and the adventurers. Its head flew off its body as its killer landed gracefully on what was left of the stone street in front of Simon. Behind her, the beast let out a death roar before its severed head slammed into a stone wall. Its body convulsed, collapsed to the ground, wriggled and twitched for a few moments, then finally fell still. The tendrils around them fell limply to the street below.

    "Aiz!" the Amazons shouted as the human girl stood up straight. Her hair fluttered in the breeze as she looked over the party before her.

    Lefiya felt the tension leave her body and be replaced with a mixture of surprise, disappointment, and shame. She shot a confused glance at Simon, silently asking him what just happened.

    Simon relaxed his body a bit and rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, didn't see that coming. But, hey! Don't be discouraged! You did good standing up like that! You'll get your chance to prove yourself soon enough."

    He reached over and patted Lefiya on the shoulder. The elf wasn't sure how to feel about that. So she just remained silent while turning her gaze toward Aiz. Simon, meanwhile, waved at Aiz and shouted, "Yo, Aiz! Thanks for the assist! Ya got the other monsters?"

    "Yes. Is everyone alright?" Aiz asked while looking over Simon and her comrades.

    "Yep! We're all okay!" Tiona shouted, hopping up and down for emphasis.

    "You should've seen Lefiya. She was all confident and giving out orders. It was pretty cool," Tione said, elbowing the elf in question in the arm. Lefiya blushed and looked away from Aiz while fiddling with her hair. Aiz nodded and took a step forward-

    "Aiz! Watch out!"

    Simon's warning put everyone on guard again. Aiz raised her sword just as the stones around her shook hard enough to leave the ground.

    "Wha-What now?!" Tione shouted as pale-green stalks rose from the dirt.

    "There's more?!" Tiona shouted as the three rose like the bars of a living cage all around Aiz. The buds opened wide and bared their fangs at the girl trapped inside. Aiz frowned and looked at each of her foes in turn-when, without warning...SNAP!

    A spiderweb of cracks ran through the rapier a second before it shattered.

    "-"

    "Huh-"

    "Wha-"

    "No!"

    Words left Aiz, the twins, and Lefiya as they watched the splinters of metal fall to the ground.

    Simon, however...

    "Aiz! Take this!" he reared his right arm back and through his sunglasses with all his might. The sharped glass twirled through the air like a shuriken, slicing through any tendrils that tried to block its path. Aiz grabbed the thrown weapon out of the air. Instinctively, she summoned Airiel and called the wind to surround the weapon as she had down her rapier. For a moment, she cursed herself, believing that the glasses would shatter just like that weapon had.

    However....

    "...!"

    Aiz was temporarily shocked as the glasses didn't break. In fact, as the wind swirled around the impromptu weapon, she felt like it was working in tandem with the winds. Pulling them around the edges and sharpening them even further than they normally were. The surprise didn't last long, as her opponents howled and converged on her. She quickly jumped out of the way and brought her new weapon down on the closest monster.

    She felt no resistance as she sliced through its flesh.

    The carnivorous plant howled while Aiz moved back into combat position.

    "It...it didn't break?! It's stronger than the rapier?!" Tiona shouted, completely floored by how a pair of sunglasses was somehow able to withstand Aiz's fighting style.

    "What are those things made out of!?" Tione demanded of Simon, looking down at the other pair of glasses in his hand...and silently questioning where she could get some.

    Simon kept his eyes on the battle as Aiz continued to fight her opponents in mid-air. He shouted to the girls around him, "No time! Aiz is doing well, but she's up against three enemies at once. They're probably attracted to whatever magic she's using, which is why they're ignoring us. Lefiya! Can you use your spells while you're moving?"

    It took the elf a moment to think, but she quickly nodded, "Yes!"

    "Good! Then lets get going! Tiona! Tione! Follow me! I'll cut through any tendrils that get in our way!"

    "R-Right!"

    "On it!"

    The two Amazons got into their fighting stances. Lefiya raised her hands as she started preparing another spell. Simon held his one remaining pair of sunglasses up. Then, once everyone was ready, he yelled, "Go!"

    The party dashed forward, moving through the destroyed street by hopping on any stones still standing. Above them, Aiz continued to battle the three heads. Her new weapon was perfect for cutting through their flesh. The winds she called to her let her maneuver around and away from any attack, while sending effortless counter attacks their way. However, even with that, she wasn't able to land a decisive blow. While they could only sense magical energy, the three plants seemed to have some form of intelligence and coordination. Whenever she moved to take one down, another would come around and block her strike.

    "Aiz! Stop using your magic! It's how they're following you!" Tiona shouted up at the Kenki.

    "But-"

    "Lefiya is preparing a spell! When she's done, we'll take it out!" Tione shouted in response to Aiz's objection. Aiz momentarily considered doing so...but that's when she saw her.

    She caught the barest glimpse of a small human figure out the corner of her eye. A civilian who hadn't escaped in time. An animal-person child had been hiding behind the street stalls. Overcome by fear, the girl sat on the stone street, shaking uncontrollably. Their eyes met.

    If she tried to dodge the monsters' next attack, their long bodies would crush the child in an instant.

    She made her decision.

    She gathered the wind around her, jumped to the debris on her left, and fanged jaws came down-

    "INAZUMA KICK!"

    All three monsters were launched away from Aiz by Simon's kick. He had leapt clear of the streets and launched a kick right at the beasts. His attack hit the nearest one, and the force pushed all three away from Aiz. The two locked eyes and shared a nod. Then Aiz leapt down to stand in front of the wooden remains of a destroyed shop. Simon joined her a second later, the two of them body blocking the child and raising their weapons at the ready. The monsters roared just as the Amazons arrived at Simon and Aiz's side. Lefiya made it just as the plants charged at the group. With a surprisingly well coordinated string of attacks, Aiz and Simon kept the monsters at bay. When she swung high, he swung low. When she stabbed, he sliced. When he jumped, she ducked. Despite the fact that neither had ever fought together, they were moving as if they had been working together all their lives. The Amazons joined them, kicking and punching at the wounds the former two left in the monsters.

    And while they fought, Lefiya stood beside Aiz and began her chant. She grit her teeth as she held Simon's words in her mind. Her heart filled with determination as she began.

    "I beseech the name of Wishe! Ancestors of the forest, proud brethren. Answer my call and descend upon the plains."

    Simon cut through a monster's petal.

    "Connecting bonds, the pledge of paradise. Turn the wheel and dance."

    Aiz left a deep wound in one monster that Tiona shoved her fist into, widening it further.

    "Come, ring of fairies."

    Lefiya swallowed any nervousness that was left in her.

    "Please-give me strength."

    "Elf Ring."

    The golden magic circle that was forming beneath her feet turned to jade the moment the words left her lips.

    "Lefiya!?" Tiona shouted in shock.

    "?!" Aiz's eyes widened as the monsters turned their attacks toward the elf. Their ferocity had doubled as they tried to destroy the strongest magic source.

    Simon redoubled his own efforts, keeping the fangs and tendrils away from the elf. His strikes left emerald streaks through the air as he attacked, "Don't get distracted! Keep her covered until she's done!"

    Hearing his words, the defenders put their all into keeping the monsters away from Lefiya. In the middle of a storm of blades and fangs the elf stood, her hands and body steady as she continued her incantation.

    "-Harbinger of the end, white snow. Gust before the twilight. Fading light, freezing land."

    Lefiya's voice was joined by a second, elegant voice as she continued. The two voices harmonized as the magic circle blazed brightly beneath her feet.

    The three carnivorous plant monsters picked up speed.

    Yet, even then, they couldn't get through the frontline.

    But Lefiya knew what was coming.

    ...And so did Simon.

    "Lefiya! Now!"

    He held up his arm and let one of the plants clamp its fangs down...only for its fangs to shattered as they bit into his cape. With his other he tossed the elf his remaining pair of sunglasses. The elf grabbed them out of the air and, just as spear-like tendrils burst from the ground to impale her. With a roar of fury she slashed at them, cutting every single one to pieces before it could even reach her.

    Despite this, she never dropped her incantation.

    "Blow with the power of the third harsh winter-My name is Alf!"

    The magic circle rapidly expanded. Her lips were illuminated by a blinding jade light as she said:

    "Wynn Fimbulvetr."

    An arctic blast filled the street.

    Aiz and the twins jumped out of the way at the last possible second as chilling white winds overtook the monsters. However, Simon remained in place, his cape whipping in the biting air with a cocky smile on his face. He watched with glee as the monster that tried to bite him swiftly turned into a statue of ice. While the code nipped at him, his burning fighting spirit kept it at bay. Any snow that ice that landed on his body swiftly melted and turned to steam. The only place it found purchase was on his cape and pants. He watched as the monsters' skin, petals, and the sound escaping from their jaws froze in place. A layer of frost overtook all three of them.

    When the spell finally died down, and the monsters had been fully frozen in time, Simon let out a hardy laugh. He reared a fist back and punched the monster on his arm with all of his might. It shattered into a million pieces with that singular blow.

    As the fractals of snow and ice fell around the street, Lefiya found herself staring dumbfounded at Simon's back. The edge of his cape was covered in frost but he didn't seem worse for wear. He simply shrugged and shook all the ice off. He gave her a thumbs up without looking at her and said, "Good job, Lefiya! I knew ya had it in ya! Just need to take that first step."

    "Wh-Wh-Why didn't you move out the way?" Lefiya asked, still confused by what Simon had done.

    Simon chuckled, "Isn't it obvious?"

    Then he turned around...and showed Lefiya a smile bright enough to melt the ice around them.

    "I waned to see your triumph with my own eyes."


    Elsewhere, in Daedalus Street

    Bell steady his breathing as he held one arm out, "Hestia, please, stay behind me."

    In one hand he held a broken longsword. Its blade was shattered, but the hilt still carried a jagged piece of metal.

    Behind him stood his Goddess, the dark haired woman staring incredulously at her only Familia member.

    And across from them stood a large, silverback monster.

    ...With blood dripping from the left side of its torso, where the remains of Bell sword stuck out.

    Bell's didn't take his eyes off the silverback for a single second, his mind racing as he tried to plan his next move. Everything had happened so fast. He was with Hestia, the two of them simply enjoying Monsterphilia without a care in the world. They had eaten crepes together, then gone to the coliseum to look for Syr. There they ran into Ms. Eina and he asked if she had seen the human girl. She said no, so he had walked around the stadium with his goddess. Everything was going so well...then someone shouted "MONSTERRRRRR!"

    The next thing he knew, a silverback monster ape came barreling toward them down a street. Chains still shacked to its wrists, the sound of dragging metal followed it as it came right for his Goddess. At the time, he felt the same way he did when he met the minotaur. A massive, powerful monster standing before him. One that he could never hope to beat as he was then. So, without thinking, he had grabbed his Goddess and tried to run. Which was when he realized who it was really after. Especially after he took a blow to his chest and got knocked into a food stall.

    After distracting it by grabbing onto its chains, Bell had grabbed Hestia by the hand and ran as fast as he could. The monster gave chase, not willing to give up on pursuing his Goddess. He ran through East Main, not paying attention to where he was going...which was how two of them ended up in Daedalus Street. Named after the architect who designed it, the place was a dirt-poor man residential area. But the main thing it was known for was its strange structure. Roads would twist, overlap, and intersect with each other countless times, creating a dungeon built by human hands above ground. It spread out all the way to the city wall. And he had led them to the entrance of that place.

    However, the beast roaring at them convinced him they didn't have a choice. They ran into the labyrinth, the various residents closing their doors and windows to ignore their plight. And, just when he thought they could catch their breath, the silverback ambushed them by climbing over the buildings. It forced them to separate and roared at Bell to intimidate him.

    At first, it had worked. He felt the same way he did when he faced the minotaur. That same fear the paralyzed him and made his heart quake. At the time, he had wanted to curl into a ball and wish for it all to go away. But...but then he heard his Goddess cry. And when he heard that-

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

    -he knew that he had to do something. With a roar he charged the monster, drawing his blade on instinct. Somehow he closed the distance quicker than he had expected. The silverback countered by swinging its tree-trunk sized arm at him, but he ducked under it at the last second. Without hesitation he stabbed his weapon toward the silverback's ribs. For a split second, the thought he saw the edge of his sword glow a dull green. But he didn't have time to think about that...because his blade had pierced the monster's hide.

    It had roared in pain, its arm whipping out and slamming into his chest again. His blade broke at the hilt, leaving the blade embedded in the monster's body. It stumbled back in pain, one hand holding its side while the other kept swiping at the air. Bell had rolled with the blow and got back on his feet. At any other time, he would've been shocked that his attack worked. But he didn't have time to think about that. He knew the blow wouldn't be enough to kill it. He needed to use the time he had bought them to move somewhere more defensible.

    Which was why he had grabbed Hestia's hand and ran all the way here. Some kind of park that a lot of the roads and stairwells led to. A shabby-looking fountain sat in the center spewing water into the air. The silverback was moving slower now, the wound he had made in its ribs still filling it with pain. However, that didn't change the fact that the beast was still a powerful monster. If he wasn't careful, it would pounce on him and crush him. Or it would use those chains like whips and try to take his head off. Or it could just grab him and squeeze the life out of him.

    But none of those thoughts entered he head at the moment. Because there were only two things that mattered to him. The first was the fact that his Goddess was behind him. She was breathing as hard as he was, no doubt covered in sweat from how much they had run. He couldn't see her at the moment, but he didn't doubt she was staring in fear and confusion at the monster that was targeting her. And he knew that he couldn't let that thing get to her. He had to keep her safe no matter what.

    But the other thing that stuck in his mind...was that he had hurt the silverback. Oh, it cost him his sword, but the fact was that he had hurt it. With all his strength he managed to pierce its hide and seriously wound it. And while he had wanted to do that, part of him didn't think it would work at the time. He thought that his attack would've just slashed it or distracted it long enough for Hestia to get away. But the fact that he actually hurt it? That went beyond what he was expecting. But he wasn't complaining.

    Because if he could hurt it?

    That meant he could kill it.

    He threw the shattered sword on the ground and pulled out his dagger. As he got into his normal stance he spoke, "Goddess, you should get going."

    "What?" Hestia sounded surprised and quickly shook her head, "What are you talking about, Bell?"

    "The monster is after you, but it's probably mad at me for injuring it. If you run now, you can escape while I take it down," his grip on his dagger tightened. He saw the silverback tense its legs to leap, but the wound in its side made it flinch. It growled while grabbing at the broken sword with its other hand. Bell knew that it would start moving in a moment. He had to be ready.

    Hestia fiercely shook her head, "No, Bell! I won't just run away and leave you behind!"

    "But Goddess-"

    "I know you want to protect me, but I want to protect you. You made a promise, right?"

    Bell's eyes widened as he suddenly remembered it. The promise he had made to her on that day. The day he swore he would never leave her alone. If the two of them separated now...wouldn't that be breaking the promise? He grit his teeth, "Y-You're right. But at this rate, if we stay together..."

    He was interrupted when the silverback ripped the piece of metal from its side. Blood spurted from the open wound as the ape crushed the metal in its hand. It roared before leaping into the air and diving right for Bell and Hestia. Bell moved quick, putting his arms around Hestia's shoulders and her legs. Hestia squeaked as he jumped away from the crashing ape. He started running while carrying Hestia like a princess. In spite of the current circumstances, Hestia could only squee in happiness as Bell carried her away from the monster. She threw her arms around his neck while Bell's kept rushing through the streets. He heard the sounds of windows and doors closing as people chose to ignore their plight. In between the slams he heard the sounds of the silverback climbing along the rooftops around them.

    Bell was only focused on getting as far away as possible...but...

    "A dead end," he said as he came to a stop. Three tall houses surrounded them, the long road he was following having ended in a cul-de-sac. There was only one road in here, and there was no point in turning back. Especially when the silverback landed on the road they had just come from, cornering them. Bell grimaced before setting the Goddess down and turning to face the monster. He kept his dagger held tight as he waited for battle to be joined.

    But then Hestia said, "No, this is good."

    "EH?!" Bell shouted, watching his Goddess as she triumphantly pulled a small case out the back of her robe. Along with it she took out a familiar bronze object.

    "My Core Drill? What are-"

    "Bell, listen to me," Hestia interrupted, pushing the Core Drill into Bell's free hand. Then she held the case up while staring him in the eyes, "You will slay that monster."

    "...uh-"

    "I will update your status right now. You will use that power to take it down," Hestia said, her voice filled with confidence.

    Bell considered saying that she was wrong but bit his tongue. If this was any other time, he might would've spoken up. Said he couldn't slay it because he couldn't hurt it. But, he had hurt it. His sword had pierced its hide when he put the might of his status into it. But...

    "...my dagger won't be enough," he held up the plain dagger in his hand, "Even if I could hit it, it wouldn't be enough to finish it off. I...I can't kill it with this."

    "Yes...but what if you had something better? Something that could led you kill it," Hestia opened up the case as she said that. Bell's eyes went wide as his Goddess removed its contents. A black knife encased in a black sheath resting in the palm of her hand. On instinct he, slowly, reaches out to take the weapon. He stands there in shock as he removes it from the protective cover. The handle and sheath are black and the blade is no exception. A black knife that was as straight as an arrow.

    It glowed a deep purple in his hand, as if it was responding to his touch. However, he felt a warmth in his other hand as well. Looking down he noticed that his Core Drill was glowing a bright green color. And the color only intensified as he brought it closer to this new knife. He touched the tip of the Drill to the body of the knife and suddenly remembered what had happened the other night.

    What he said to Simon.

    How he said he wanted to be a Hero.

    How he wanted to save girls and go deeper into the Dungeon.

    To become as strong as the Heroes in the stories.

    To become as strong...as strong as Simon.

    And would Simon say he "couldn't defeat the silverback?"

    No. He wouldn't.

    "Bell?" Hestia called his name as she saw his expression change. From one of worry and uncertainty, to one of confidence and determination. His eyes were filled with a blazing green light. Keeping a hold of his new knife and his Core Drill, he quickly removed his damaged armor until he was down to his black undershirt.

    He knelt down and showed his back to his Goddess, "Goddess, please."

    Hestia blinked then smiled, "That's the Bell I know. Don't worry, this won't take long!"

    She knelt down and started writing as quick as she could. However, the monster wasn't willing to give them the time they needed. Enraged by the wound in its side, it doubled its efforts to run them down. And even though Hestia worked as fast as she could to update Bell's status, there was no doubt it would be upon them before she could finish. Bell's grip on his knife and Drill grew stronger. He knew they needed more time, but he couldn't move while his Goddess was updating his status. They needed help. They needed...needed someone to...

    "Hey! Get away from my friends you big ape!"

    Bell and Hestia's heads whipped up at the familiar voice. The monster ignored the interruption...which proved to be a mistake. As a familiar form dived down from a rooftop, his blue cape billowing in the air behind him. With a roar he threw his fist forward, punching the silverback in the chin hard enough to send it flying. It skid across the ground on its wounded side, leaving a trail of blood as its attacker landed on the stones below. He stood to his full height with his right hand curled into an angry fist. His red sunglasses glinted as they caught the sunlight.

    "Simon!" Bell and Hestia yelled at the same time.

    The man in question turned to the two and smiled, "Hey, guys! Sorry I'm late. Had to do some gardening."

    "But...but how did you know we were here?" Bell couldn't help the smile that came over his face. Hestia was wondering the same thing, until she caught a glimpse of the Core Drill around Simon's neck. The same one that Bell was holding. She silently thanked Spiral Power and promised she'd tell Simon what she had done once this was all over.

    Simon kept one eye on the silverback and one on Bell as he spoke, "I'll tell ya later. Right now, we've gotta deal with this thing. What's the plan?"

    "...Hestia is updating my status. Once she's finished, I should be able to kill the silverback. But it's aiming for Hestia and will attack us while she's busy. I'm sorry to ask this but...can you-"

    "Hold it off while she updates your status?" Simon cracks his knuckles and gives the silverback his full attention, "No problem. Just let me know when you're ready."

    The silverback got to its feet and roared in fury. It turned and charged toward Hestia and Bell, it didn't even get halfway there before Simon was in front of it. It swung its chains like whips but Simon grabbed them with his hands. Still ignoring the wound in his hand from the previous battle, he gripped the metal chains as hard as he could. Using all of his strength he pulled at the chains and lifted the silverback off the ground. It cried in shock and fear as its feet left the earth, before Simon swung it down back into the center of the road. He let go as it hit the cobblestones and dashed toward the prone monster. It got to its feet quickly and swung its arm at Simon. Simon ducked under the swing and kicked out at its injured side. The monster crumpled as Simon's heel landed right on its bleeding wound. As it doubled over in pain, he moved into an uppercut and sent its head back. The silverback recovered quickly and tried to hit Simon with a hammer blow. But the blue haired man jumped back and let the blow destroy the cobblestone below.

    This continued, Simon taking time to taunt or insult the monster as he kept it busy. Behind him Hestia was hard at work updating Bell's status. Her fingers were blurs as she turned his experience into power. Bell, however, kept his eyes on Simon's back. And as he watched the man fight the silverback with ease, he couldn't help the impatience that grew within him.

    He didn't want to just sit here and watch Simon take care of everything. He wanted to be there. By his side. Fighting with him. Showing that he was strong too. That he could fight just as well as Simon. That...that Simon and Hestia were right to believe in him. Were right to trust him as much as they did. And he couldn't do that if he was just sitting here!

    Unbeknownst to him, he had kept his Core Drill in contact with the body of his new knife. And as his feelings reached a fever pitch, the drill's emerald glow intensified. It grew and grew until it became so bright that it could be seen from the rooftops. Hestia's eyes widened as she watched Bell's status change right in front of her. She would write a new number for him, only for it to suddenly turn green and start rapidly increasing. Liaris Freese and Spiral Power were both glowing, the hieroglyphs moving closer and closer until they "fused" into one. Eventually, the light got so bright that she had to squint to see what she was writing.

    Soon enough, she finished writing. And the second she did-

    "Ready!" Bell shouted, the light moving from his drill and into his knife. The purple light mixed with the green, flowing around the weapon while focusing on its edge. He threw the Core Drill over his neck and grabbed his dagger in his other hand.

    Somehow hearing Bell, Simon dodged the monster's next swing by jumping over it. He used its arm as a springboard, leaping over its head and kicking it in the back. The kick sent it forward just as Bell shot forward. Simon held out his right arm and turned his hand into a fist. Green light formed around his fist and coalesced into a drill. The silverback got to its feet and, when it saw that its target was alone, charged straight for Hestia. Tunnel vision made it completely ignore the white haired blur heading its way. Simon kicked off the ground flying toward the monster's back. He reared his drill back as his eyes glowed a bright green. His voice echoed through the cul-de-sac as he shouted, "Spiral-"

    "-Vorpal-" Bell shouted, raising his knife up, ready to strike.

    The two reached the silverback at the same time. Their voices echoed in unison, harmonizing for a moment as they struck.

    "IMPAAAACCTTT!"

    White, purple, and green slashes cut through the monster just as a green drill pierced through.

    Hestia, the people of Daedalus Street, and the cloaked figures who had been watching form a distance, all stared in shock as Simon and Bell landed on opposite sides of the silverback. The monster was frozen in place, its arms outstretched with an expression of shock and pain on its face. For across its chest was a large, purple and green "X" mark...with a hole the size of an arm in the center.

    Simon threw his arm out to the side and willed his drill away. It shrunk back into his body until not a hint of it was left.

    Bell flourished his weapons before slowly putting them back in their scabbards.

    The moment his weapons clicked into place...the silverback exploded.

    A green light shined with the sound of a fuse reaching its end. Then its entire body turned into a massive, red and green conflagration. It bathed the street in its shadow and could be seen from far outside Daedalus Street.

    ...And then it exploded a second time.

    And, somehow, the second time had more force than the first time.

    Yet, in spite of the wave of force that blue their hair flat, neither Simon nor Bell seemed bothered. They kept their backs to the explosion until it died down.


    People will probably ask how Simon made it to Bell in time when in Canon he killed the silverback after the plant monster died?

    Simple: Simon's presence ensured the battle didn't go on for as long it would in Canon, especially since he helped Aiz take out the other monsters faster. So, the plant thing died before Bell got the knife.
     
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    • IsekaiFanBoi said:
    I forgot that the eyewear could possibly be used as shurikens lmao although I don't really recall them ever being used like that— it sure is an awesome way to take them out in style lmao.
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    I mean, considering what Spiral Power can do, it isn't out of the realm of possibility. Especially since they did the same thing with Gurren's sunglasses.
     
    IsekaiFanBoi said:
    I forgot that the eyewear could possibly be used as shurikens lmao although I don't really recall them ever being used like that— it sure is an awesome way to take them out in style lmao.
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    Gurren's glasses are used as shurikens before the first Giga Drill Breaker after that they are used to help pin certain enemies in place to make landing the finisher(GDB).
     
    This second half of the chapter really stretched my sense of belief for rule of cool.
    Like I get that you wanted to show a cool action explosion scene but as soon as Simon showed up it just killed the tension which was compounded on with the stalling of the monster he could have instantly killed.
     
    Xodarap said:
    This second half of the chapter really stretched my sense of belief for rule of cool.
    Like I get that you wanted to show a cool action explosion scene but as soon as Simon showed up it just killed the tension which was compounded on with the stalling of the monster he could have instantly killed.
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    I mean, I didn't do it for the cool explosion scene. It was mostly to establish how Simon's presence is changing events and in particular Bell. I will go into more detail in future chapters.

    And the reason Simon didn't just immediately kill the silverback is the same reason he didn't just immediately kill the plant monster. He saw that Bell was trying to change/had a plan, and wanted to see it come to fruition. And he knew that the two weren't completely screwed like Bell was against the minotaur, so he held back against the silverback.
     
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