Good afternoon! Here's the new chapter.
Patreon Link: patreon.com/Thegamer2403
Thanks to Rayx2108 and LimX23 for being beta readers and quality assurance supervisors for this chapter.
—
The depths of the Dungeon vibrated with the sound of metal and roars. The lights of the Magic Stones flickered with each explosion, casting erratic shadows on the walls. The air was heavy, damp, and thick.
Bell advanced forward. There was no anger in his expression, but his gaze seemed distant, fixed on a point no one else could see. His body moved with an almost mechanical rhythm: dodge, spin, attack, advance. Each cut was clean, precise, fatal. The monsters didn't even have time to scream before they dissolved into dust.
Lena followed him with difficulty, watching as he blazed a trail without hesitation. "By the Gods…" she muttered, barely dodging the claws of a Wyvern that dropped from the ceiling. Her curved saber flashed as it sank between the monster's scales. "I didn't think you'd be this fast."
Bell turned slightly, breathing calmly. "Sorry," he said simply before continuing.
Haruhime and Mikoto followed behind. The Renard kept her eyes lowered. Every roar in the darkness made her shrink a little further.
"Mikoto-sama…" she whispered. "Bell-sama's pace… is very fast."
Mikoto nodded, frowning. "Yes... something's not right. He doesn't seem to be fighting with strategy, but rather with instinct."
A loud crash cut off her words. Bell had leaped forward, passing through three enemies emerging from the walls. He didn't pause for a moment; he merely flicked his wrist to clean the edge of his Hestia Sword and continued walking.
"Bell!" Lena called, but he didn't respond. He just raised his hand with a thumbs-up, a brief gesture that could mean either "I'm fine" or "Keep going".
The group rushed to catch up with him.
The distance between them narrowed with each fight. Lena followed closer behind, Mikoto brought up the rear, and Haruhime tried not to fall behind.
It was a correct formation, but the synchronicity was not there.
Bell was too fast. Too quiet.
A pair of Wyverns descended from a crevice. Bell didn't even look up; the flash of his Hestia Sword sliced through the air, unleashing a silver wave that split them in two. The creatures dissolved before hitting the ground.
The silence that remained was almost unreal.
Lena exhaled, lowering her saber. "Holy crap… He's going to put us out of business."
Bell only stopped then. He turned slightly and said, in a calm voice, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize." His tone was gentle, but there was something strange about his gaze: not arrogance or anger. Just…absence.
Mikoto watched him closely. "Bell-dono, we should slow down. If we keep this up, neither Haruhime nor any of us will be able to keep up."
Bell nodded, his expression guilty, though not very profound. "Yeah…I guess you're right."
And yet, his steps remained firm, measured, but still faster than necessary.
The air thickened as they descended to the Sixteenth Floor. Echoes of roars and footsteps mingled with the dripping of liquid. Mikoto tried to make conversation, perhaps to break the tension.
"Bell-dono…how deep do you plan to go?"
Bell, who was walking a few steps ahead, answered without turning around. "Until the Twenty-Fifth. If all goes well."
Mikoto blinked, surprised. "The Lower Floors?"
"Yeah."
Lena raised an eyebrow. "That's a lot more than I expected."
Mikoto grimaced slightly. "It's possible to get there, but…Haruhime's still Level 1. I don't know if she can keep up with that pace."
Haruhime nodded, somewhat embarrassed. "That's true. I don't want to be a burden."
Bell finally stopped, looking over his shoulder at them. His voice was calm, but sounded more distant than before. "You're not a burden, Haruhime. No one is."
At that instant, a flash crossed his mind. A soft, distant voice spoke within his consciousness.
[Divine Blessing of Experience Sharing]: Allows you to share the Excelia you've earned to other members of your Familia.
Bell blinked, confused. The feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come.
He frowned slightly. "Another Divine Blessing…" he thought. But he didn't stop to analyze it.
Not now.
"Bell-dono… are you okay?" Mikoto asked, noticing his prolonged silence.
He turned his head, as if waking from a dream. "Yeah. I just… heard something."
Lena looked at him, her brows slightly furrowed. "Something from the Dungeon?"
"No. Nothing important."
And he kept walking.
The others exchanged glances. Mikoto took a deep breath and signaled for Haruhime to stay close.
The sound of footsteps on the stone was the only companion to the conversation that never ended.
As Bell walked ahead, the Artemis Spear glowed softly against his back, as if sensing his tension. His movements were fluid, perfect, but there was something unsettling about their precision.
It was as if every blow, every dodge, every breath was an attempt to escape something invisible.
Lena, after watching him take down another beast with a single movement, murmured barely audibly: "If he keeps this up…he won't hear us even if we scream."
Mikoto gripped the handle of her sword. "Then we'll have to make him listen to us another way."
No one responded.
The air vibrated with a new roar, and Bell, without waiting, launched himself into the darkness.
The black glow of his Hestia Sword illuminated the corridors for an instant, like a fleeting flash of lightning in the middle of the abyss.
…
The air on the Fifteenth Floor was thick, but not as thick as on the lower levels. The lights of the Magic Stones flickered on the damp walls, and the echoes of distant fighting resonated as a constant reminder that they were not alone.
Ais walked briskly ahead, her steps barely making a sound. Riveria trailed behind, frowning, her staff resting against her shoulder. Every now and then, her gaze strayed toward the blonde's back.
"I still don't understand why exactly I'm here," Riveria finally murmured, breaking the silence. Her tone was subdued, but her annoyance was palpable.
Ais didn't respond immediately. She kept pace, observing the signs of recent combat: cracks in the walls, patches of dust still in the air. Bell had passed through there, no doubt.
"It's better here," she said at last, in her quiet, monotonous voice.
Riveria raised an eyebrow. "Better here? You could have searched for him on the surface, or even waited for him to return to the city. I don't understand why I'd drag myself to the Dungeon just to—"
"We can talk calmly," Ais interrupted, as if it were the most logical explanation in the world.
Riveria exhaled slowly, massaging the bridge of her nose. "Talking quietly…in the Dungeon?" she repeated, sounding incredulous.
Ais nodded, very seriously.
An awkward silence stretched for a few seconds, broken only by the dripping of some distant leak. Riveria didn't know whether to laugh or scold her. Finally, she sighed.
"Of all your ideas, Ais, this is the most…peculiar," he said.
Ais didn't respond. She just kept walking.
But inside her mind, in a warm and strange corner, a little child's voice echoed happily.
"Mama Riveria looks upset!"
Little Ais appeared in her thoughts, walking barefoot on an imaginary version of the same hallway.
"You have to be patient, Big Ais. If you pair Mama Riveria with the white bunny, she'll be happy, and so will Bell." Little Ais said.
Ais blinked, her golden eyes flickering for a moment. "That makes sense," she murmured softly, unaware.
Riveria looked up at her. "What did you say?"
Ais turned her head toward her. "Nothing."
Riveria watched her suspiciously for a few seconds. She knew Ais had her...moments, but she swore she was talking to herself this time.
"I should have brought Lefiya, too," Riveria muttered under her breath. "At least with her, conversations have…more structure."
"But Lefiya would be jealous," Little Ais crooned in the real Ais's mind, swinging her arms. "She'd probably want to talk to the little White Bunny, but you have to help Mama Riveria first."
Ais silently nodded decisively. The gesture, so small but full of conviction, seemed to reflect the calm and calculated thought that always accompanied her.
Riveria watched her make the movement, not fully understanding the reason behind it. She blinked, slightly surprised by the certainty in her eyes. "Are you…nodding for a particular reason?"
Ais looked at her for a second, as serious as ever, as if she were evaluating whether or not it was worth answering. The atmosphere grew denser with each second of silence. "Yes."
"…May I know why?"
"No."
Riveria looked blank for a moment, taken aback by the firmness of the answer. The Elf was used to Ais's lack of details, but she still frowned slightly. There was something about Ais that always made her feel like she was talking to someone who already knew what was going to happen before it happened. A chill ran down her spine.
A distant, rumbling roar brought their attention back to their surroundings. The sound seemed to be coming from below, an echo that traveled through the Dungeon's corridors, penetrating the stillness that had fallen upon them. The pitch of the roar was low but short, as if the fight had already ended. Something wasn't right.
They both stopped, paralyzed by the echo's resonance, their senses heightened to the max, waiting for any other sign. The air felt heavy, dense, as if the entire environment was watching them, waiting. Finally, it was Ais who broke the silence, her voice as calm and serene as ever.
"He's downstairs."
Riveria narrowed her eyes, studying Ais's face more closely. There was something in her tone, in her posture, that conveyed unwavering confidence. "Are you that sure?"
Ais didn't respond immediately, but her gaze shifted to the marks on the floor: a clean, precise, sharp pattern. The stone of the wall bore traces of fresh cuts, marks that only a skilled swordsman could leave, marks that could have been made by no one but Bell. Recognition was instant, and there was no room for doubt.
"Bell."
Riveria sighed, a mixture of resignation and concern crossing her face. "I thought so." Her voice deepened, but then, after a brief pause, she added with a hint of irony, "And what exactly is your plan? Go down, find him, and say 'Hello'?"
Ais looked at her with that unwavering serenity that was her trademark. It was as if everything in her world, everything around her, was turning slowly, unperturbed. "Yes."
Riveria blinked slowly, speechless for a moment. She looked at Ais in disbelief, unsure if the young woman was serious or joking in some strange way. "Just that?"
"Talk later."
"About what?"
Ais paused for a moment, her eyes darkening, as if she were reviewing something in the depths of her mind. At first, she seemed as if she weren't going to say anything, but then, as if the words had come out of her mouth without thinking, she continued calmly: "If he knows anything about what happened to the Goddess Freya."
Riveria frowned, clearly worried. "And you think following him to the Dungeon is the best way to talk about it?"
"Yes."
Riveria put a hand to her forehead, as if the mere thought of it gave her a headache. "Good Heavens, child…"
Ais turned to her, her gaze so imperturbable that Riveria, for a moment, felt as if she were standing before a statue, an unwavering monument of calm. "Riveria."
"What?"
"Thanks for coming."
The words were simple, but laden with meaning Riveria hadn't expected. She paused for a moment, surprised, her eyes widening slightly. It wasn't common for Ais to say something like that. And, for a moment, the harshness on her face softened. If only a little.
"I…well…I guess someone had to make sure you didn't get into trouble."
Ais barely nodded in agreement, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, but something in her expression, something the Elf glimpsed, told her that this small display of vulnerability meant more than it seemed.
"Mama Riveria blushed a little~" Inner Ais hummed, floating in circles inside her mind.
Ais couldn't help but give an almost imperceptible smile, so slight it could have been an illusion. It was a subtle smile, but real.
Riveria saw her and frowned, as if she'd realized something she couldn't quite grasp. "What was that?"
"What was what?"
"You smiled."
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did."
"It must have been the light."
Riveria exhaled, finally giving in to Ais's strange calm. Tiredness showed on her face, and with a heavy sigh, she muttered, "Really…I don't get paid enough for this."
They walked for a few more minutes in silence. Ais continued to pay attention to the road, and Riveria, despite herself, noticed how her own tension was easing. Perhaps it was the fact of having a clear purpose, or perhaps the inexplicable serenity that Ais radiated even in the midst of danger.
But deep down, she knew it wasn't duty or curiosity that kept her there. It was concern for the future.
"Given the speed he's going, he seems to want to reach the Deep Floors if he gets past Rivira…" Riveria muttered, more to herself, "and he'll have to be stopped before he does anything reckless."
Ais listened to her, but did not respond.
He just gripped the handle of his sword.
"Don't scold him too much when you find him, Mama Riveria,"said Little Ais, pouting. "The White Bunny is probably just sad."
Ais nodded slightly, again.
Riveria watched her do it and sighed. "Nodding without saying anything again?"
"Yeah."
"…" Riveria officially surrendered.
The echo of a new fight rumbled from below. Ais raised her head, her golden eyes flashing.
"He's close."
Riveria nodded, gripping her staff firmly. "Then let us hurry."
As they walked down the corridor, the air in the dungeon seemed to stir around them. The tension was rising, but Ais walked calmly, convinced that everything was going according to plan.
Inside her mind, little Ais silently celebrated. "Yes! Soon Mama Riveria and the White Bunny will be together~"
Ais said nothing, but her step became a little lighter.
Riveria, not understanding why, looked at her out of the corner of her eye and thought with resignation, "This is going to be a long day."
…
Each step made the walls vibrate, as if the Dungeon itself were breathing slowly beneath the stone.
Bell advanced forward, moving with that almost unnatural speed that had characterized him lately. His Hestia Sword traced silver lines in the air, each cut clean, without hesitation. The Monsters barely had time to roar before dissolving into dust.
Lena, Mikoto, and Haruhime followed a few meters behind, trying to keep up, but every time they turned a corner, corpses were already vanishing.
"You're still going too fast, Bell-dono." Mikoto murmured, her voice soft but firm, not a real complaint, more like an observation. She adjusted her grip on her katana, her eyes alert.
Lena sighed, shaking her head with a half-smile. "He always ends up fighting alone…even if he doesn't do it on purpose."
Haruhime looked down. Silently, she nodded slightly.
Each Monster that appeared was one more noise to drown out, a distraction that silenced the thoughts Bell didn't want to face.
The tunnels opened into a wider chamber. Light flickered over the walls, revealing pillars of jagged rock. Bell stepped forward, slashing at the neck of a Lizardman descending from the ceiling. Dust dispersed around him like a shimmering mist.
"Bell! Wait a second!" Lena called, but her voice was lost in the echo.
The young man had already disappeared between the pillars.
And it was just then that the Dungeon roared.
Cracks began to appear in the walls, and a thick, guttural sound emerged from them, as if something enormous were being squeezed out of the stone.
Haruhime instinctively stepped back. "W-What is that?"
"Abnormal Spawning…" Mikoto said softly, her expression hardening. "Back off, Haruhime!"
Monsters began to emerge en masse from the cracks. Not dozens, but hundreds. Bugbears, Firebirds, Lizardmen crawling among the bodies. It was a living wave that filled the entire hallway in seconds.
"Bell!" Lena shouted.
The boy had already noticed the change. He stopped, turning on his heels. "What an idiot…" he muttered bitterly. "I got too far ahead of myself."
He ran towards them.
Lena was already in the middle of the fight, her curved saber spinning vigorously. Each slash left a red trail in the air; her technique was fluid and swift, but the tide was overwhelming.
At her side, Mikoto covered the openings with impeccable precision. She moved her katana with controlled calm, her feet steady, her breathing measured. Whenever a monster got too close to Haruhime, she brought it down before it could even graze her.
"Haruhime, stay back!" Mikoto ordered.
"Y-yes!" the renard replied, gripping her staff tightly. This had indeed been a small gift from Mikoto, but it simply wasn't meant to be her permanent weapon; it wouldn't withstand blunt blows of sufficient force.
Bell came like a storm, taking down several enemies in a single turn, but the number was ridiculous. For every creature that fell, three more emerged from the walls.
And then, in the midst of the chaos, a voice echoed inside his mind.
[Divine Blessing of Element Change]: Allows you to change the [Explosion] Spell's Fire Element to another Element by adding a keyword behind it: [Cryo] for Ice/Water, [Electro] for Lightning, [Anemo] for Wind, and [Geo] for Earth.
Bell didn't think. Pure instinct.
"EXPLOSION: ANEMO!"
The air vibrated. The ground cracked beneath their feet.
A gigantic green gust erupted, ripping through the tunnel with the force of a hurricane. The monsters were tossed about like dolls, and the noise dissolved into a dull hum.
Lena stuck her sword into the ground and grabbed Haruhime's arm.
"Hold on!" She shouted, her muscles tense from the pressure.
Mikoto wasn't so lucky; the wind hit her and threw her against a wall. The impact resonated throughout the chamber.
When the gust ceased, silence fell.
Bell breathed heavily, the air thick with dust and energy. He'd cleared the front… but when he looked back, he still saw shadows moving through the gloom. They weren't done.
"Are you okay?" he asked, approaching Mikoto.
She sat up slowly, without a complaint. "Don't worry," she said calmly, leaning on her sword. "It's nothing serious."
Bell looked down. "I was careless."
Mikoto watched him for a few seconds and gently shook her head. "No. You were quick. Without that, we wouldn't be standing." Her voice was calm, without exaggerated praise or reproach, only honesty.
Haruhime approached with shaky steps. "Mikoto-sama…are you really okay?"
"Yes, Haruhime," the girl replied with a faint, tired smile. "Thank you for your concern."
Lena sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Well, that was pretty impressive, even though it almost sent us flying." Her tone was more relieved than annoyed. Then she softened her expression and looked at Bell. "Just… try not to do it without warning, okay?"
Bell nodded, barely, and felt a stabbing pain in his arm. Looking up, he saw the red cuts and torn fabric.
He had forgotten that his [Divine Blessing of the Pyromaniac] didn't protect him from that wind.
Mikoto noticed. "Your arms…" she murmured.
"I'm fine," Bell replied. "I just didn't think it through, that's all."
She pressed her lips together, but didn't insist.
Lena frowned, worried. "Still… it hurts, right?"
Bell smiled weakly. "A little."
The air still vibrated, with dust motes dancing like fireflies, while the sound of monsters echoed in the distance. Getting closer.
"More will come," Mikoto said firmly, without hesitation. "We can't stay here."
"Yes," Bell replied, wielding his sword with determination. "Let's continue. This time, together."
Haruhime nodded with a small smile, and Lena swung her sword over her shoulder, taking the lead. Mikoto took up her position beside her, ready for whatever came next.
The group resumed their march, more united, more alert. The air current continued to whisper between the stones, as if the Dungeon were breathing, expectant.
Suddenly, the rest of the small army of Monsters reached them, breaking the brief silence that had remained after the explosion. The dungeon responded to the power unleashed by Bell, throbbing with renewed fury.
Mikoto's face hardened at the sight, but her voice remained calm. "They're here."
Lena, without losing her composure, smiled at the sight, a spark of defiance in her eyes. "Then let's keep dancing," she said, twirling her saber with ease. "Come on, Bell. This time, don't get so far ahead of us."
Bell took a deep breath. The Magic-laden air still burned against his skin, but his mind felt clearer. "I know. This time…we'll fight together."
Haruhime took a step forward. Her hands trembled slightly as she held the cane, but her gaze was steady. "I'll help too."
The Renard closed her eyes and began to recite.
Her voice, soft as a whisper, rose above the roar of the monsters: "Grow. That power and that vessel. Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion."
A golden light began to envelop her. The runes of her spell formed in the air, slowly rotating.
"Grow. Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you."
The glow intensified, spilling toward Mikoto like a golden stream. "—Grow."
The last verse was a sigh, and the Magic was complete.
Mikoto briefly covered her eyes from the glare, and when the light dissipated, a soft yellow glow enveloped her body. It was as if a silent flame danced across her skin.
Haruhime lowered her staff, breathing heavily. "Please…Mikoto-sama."
Mikoto nodded respectfully. "Understood. Your power will not be in vain."
The Far Eastern Adventurer took a step forward. The light of Haruhime's Magic seemed to flow through her veins, amplifying her every movement, her every reflex.
The first enemy to reach her was a Battle Boar. Mikoto cut it down before it could finish its roar. Her katana swung in a perfect arc, and the Monster's body disintegrated without a trace.
Another came from the left; she spun, the blade flashed, and the Monster fell. Its strength had multiplied.
Lena watched with a mixture of amazement and enthusiasm. "Wow, that's really cool."
"It's Haruhime's Spell," Bell replied, smiling faintly. "It looks amazing."
Haruhime blushed, looking down. "I-I'm happy to help…"
But the battle wasn't over yet. The creatures continued to appear from the depths of the tunnel. The ground shook, and a new wave of enemies emerged from a nearby crevice.
Bell raised his weapon, and in his mind the voice giving him its Divine Blessings echoed again.
[Divine Blessing of the Water Mirror]: Any and all sources of Water and Ice Magic aimed at you will deal absolutely zero damage to you.
[Divine Blessing of Thunderclouds]: Prevents you from ever being struck by Lightning, be it natural or Magic, negating all electrical damage.
[Divine Blessing of Windy Days]: The damage you've taken from Spells of the Wind Element will have no effect on you whatsoever.
[Divine Blessing of Landslides]: The damaging and destructive effects of all Earth-Type Spells toward you are completely nullified.
Bell smiled. This time for real.
The next wave of enemies rushed in. Bell extended his arm.
"EXPLOSION: ELECTRO!"
A sphere of yellow energy sparked with Bell at its core, spinning rapidly until it exploded in a surge that covered the entire front. Lightning danced over the Monsters' bodies, piercing through them in a burst of light.
The Firebirds were reduced to ash, the Lizardmen fell convulsing, and the stone on the ground cracked from the magnitude of the energy.
Haruhime covered her face with her hands. "Bell-sama…!"
Lena let out a nervous laugh. "I wasn't kidding about 'Explosion'!"
Bell advanced undeterred, turning his weapon again.
"Explosion: Geo."
The ground rumbled. Columns of rock erupted, knocking several enemies into the air before shattering and turning them to dust.
The impact raised a dense cloud that filled the entire chamber, but Bell stood firm amidst the dust, his gaze steady, his face serene.
Mikoto caught up with him from the flank, her katana tracing golden lines. "Leave some for the rest of us." she said with a small smile, and Bell returned it with a knowing nod.
"You look good in that light," Lena commented as she passed by, slashing at a Golem's arm. "Haruhime, can you cast that Magic on me too?"
Haruhime hesitated. "S-Sorry… I can only keep it on one person at a time."
"Then stay with Mikoto, she'll make the most of it," Lena replied, laughing as she dodged a claw.
The battle became a whirlwind of steel, fire and Magic.
Mikoto moved like a flash of lightning, each step precise, each strike accurate. Her katana sliced through the air with the fluidity of a dance; the golden aura left a trail of light behind each cut.
Lena covered her blind spots, interposing her saber with quick, precise movements, her style less elegant but equally effective.
Bell, for his part, had entered a state bordering on a trance.
His new Divine Blessings manifested themselves in almost visible ways: a current of wind swirling around him, a faint green glow beneath his skin.
Monsters exploded before touching him; they crumbled when their Magic collided with his.
"EXPLOSION: ELECTRO!"
Thunder roared.
"EXPLOSION: GEO!"
The ground shook.
Each Spell resonated like a heartbeat, and with each burst, Bell felt the heaviness of his thoughts dissipate.
Freya's name, the weight of his doubts, his fear of what would come next...everything was buried beneath the rhythm of the battle.
Haruhime watched him from a distance, her eyes wide. Her heart pounded, not out of fear, but out of pride.
"Bell-sama…" she whispered, a gleam in her eyes.
Then, with an almost childlike impulse, she raised her staff and shouted from the rear:
"Bell-sama, watch your left!"
He turned just in time to see an Ogre lunge at him. He brought it down with a single blow.
Haruhime clapped enthusiastically. "That was amazing!"
Lena laughed between pauses. "Now you really sound like his biggest fan!"
Haruhime blushed, bringing her hands to her face. "N-No…I just…I just want to help."
Bell turned to her, still in the midst of combat, and smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Haruhime. You're helping me a lot."
The Renard lowered her head, but she couldn't hide her trembling smile.
The fight continued for what seemed like an eternity.
The Monsters were weakening, their numbers dwindling little by little.
Mikoto, still in the golden glow, launched a final slash that split an enemy in half, energy coursing through the blade like lightning.
The dust began to settle.
Lena lowered her sword, resting it on the ground. "Finally…" she murmured, breathing heavily. "I think that was the last of them."
Haruhime sank to her knees, exhausted but smiling. "W-We did it."
Bell looked around the now-clear hallway. The cracks were still smoking, but nothing else was emerging from them. He lowered his Hestia Sword and exhaled slowly.
Mikoto turned to Haruhime. "Your Magic was decisive, Haruhime. Thank you."
"It was an honor, Mikoto-sama," the Renard replied, bowing her head sweetly.
Lena stretched, grinning from ear to ear. "Not bad for a Monster Spawn. I even feel alive again."
Bell looked at his hands. The energy marks still flickered across his skin, but inside he felt… calm.
He had fought, he had protected, and for a moment he had left behind everything that chased him out of the Dungeon.
"Bell-dono?" Mikoto asked, noticing his distant expression.
He looked up and smiled. "Nothing. I just thought… I needed this."
"A fight like that?" Lena raised an eyebrow.
"A reminder," he replied calmly.
The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was warm, full of respect.
Haruhime stood up and approached slowly, her ears twitching shyly. "Bell-sama…" she said softly. "I'm happy to see you smiling again."
Bell smiled back, soft and sincere. "Thank you, Haruhime."
The Dungeon, for the first time in hours, fell silent.
Only the distant echo of his breathing remained there, deep, as if the Dungeon itself admitted its temporary defeat.
Mikoto cleaned the blade of her katana. "Let's keep moving," she said, her calm tone returning. "We haven't finished this Floor yet."
Lena nodded, regaining her composure. "After all this, we deserve a good meal when we get back."
"I'll make some tea," Haruhime offered excitedly.
Bell turned toward the hallway ahead.
The air smelled of dust, Magic, and something else: determination.
His smile lingered for a moment longer before fading into concentration.
"Come on."
Bell walked ahead, his steps firm. For the first time in a long time, his breathing didn't feel heavy. Every movement, every sound from his companions behind him, reminded him of what it meant to be part of a Familia, to fight alongside them... and not just for them.
He allowed himself a smile.
"Yes…this is who I am," he thought. "This is how I want to continue. No matter what happened before…I can still achieve my goal. I can still be a Hero."
And then a new voice sounded in his mind, deep and clear, like thunder in the distance.
[Divine Blessing of the Mercenary King]: Greatly improves your leadership and your ability to effectively command others, while also increasing all the Stats of your Familia Members within a 50 meter radius of you.
A warm feeling spread from his chest, running through his body and spreading to the others. Mikoto, Lena, and Haruhime paused for a moment, looking around, noticing how their energy suddenly increased: their muscles felt lighter, their senses sharper, their hearts steadier.
"What…was that?" Mikoto asked, adjusting her grip on the sword. Lena noticed immediately, and her smile widened at the look on Bell's face.
The boy stared straight ahead, his eyes shining as if the light of the Dungeon itself were reflected in them. He was smiling genuinely, a clear, sincere, purposeful smile.
Lena let out a small laugh, relaxing her shoulders. "That's how I like to see you, Bell-kun. You're smiling again."
Bell turned around slightly, smiling back. "Thanks…and I'm not going to stop this time."
Haruhime, behind, watched in silent admiration, as the Hestia Familia continued their march into the depths, guided by the renewed strength of their Hero.
…
The night above Orario seemed heavier than ever. From the top of the Tower of Babel, the wind barely dared to brush the silk curtains of the upper hall where Freya sat. The usual glow of her skin seemed dull, and her silver hair, disheveled, fell in gray waterfalls around her face.
She had been silent for hours. She wasn't crying anymore—her tears had finally dried her sorrow—but her eyes remained lost in the ceiling, empty, as if her mind weren't there. The goddess of beauty, the one who made the hearts of both Man and Gods alike tremble, looked like a broken statue.
Her body rested on the couch, one hand hanging limply from the edge, fingers brushing the cold floor. In the dimness, only the violet reflection of her eyes reminded her that life still stirred within her.
A shaky sigh escaped her lips.
"Bell…" she barely murmured.
The name, sacred to her, dissolved into the air like a petal blown by the wind.
Since she'd lost him—since Bell Cranel had rejected the vision she offered him, since their love had been destroyed by her own obsession—Freya had found no direction. The entire world seemed to have lost its color. Everything she touched felt empty.
Not even the light coming through the windows could warm it.
A few minutes passed, perhaps an hour. Time had no meaning for her. But something, something slight, changed in the atmosphere.
A different silence.
Freya blinked slowly.
"...Ottar," he murmured, almost automatically.
There was no response.
He turned his head slowly, searching for the silhouette of Boaz who used to be at his side—his shield, his faithful shadow. But the space was empty. The wine glass on the table was still untouched. The large marble door was closed.
He wasn't there.
For the first time in centuries, Freya felt a chill.
She could bear the absence of all her children, even the most devoted. But not Ottar's. He never abandoned her, never left her without his presence. No matter if she raged or cried... he was always there.
And now he's not.
Instead, standing in front of her was a silver-haired young woman: Horn, her assistant. Her shadow when Syr had to walk among the people as a simple waitress.
"...Horn," Freya said in a low voice, barely a whisper.
The girl immediately straightened her back, bowing her head.
"Yes, my Goddess."
Freya watched her for a few seconds. There was something about the stiffness of her posture that she didn't like.
"Where is Ottar?"
Horn blinked, tensing. "He… went out just now, my Goddess."
"Did he go out?" Freya repeated, her voice barely firmer.
"Yes. He said he had to attend to an urgent Familia matter."
Freya stared at her. Her gaze, even unintentional, weighed like a stone.
"What business?"
Horn swallowed, his hands trembling slightly. "He didn't specify, my Goddess."
A silence fell between them. Freya continued to watch her without blinking, and the discomfort grew like a fire in the young woman's chest.
Horn knew perfectly well that lying to her was useless. She knew Freya could read the slightest of her lies.
And yet, she tried to keep up the facade.
Freya tilted her head.
"Horn," she said softly, "is something going on I should know about?"
The tone was delicate, but the pressure that accompanied it was unbearable. Horn felt a tremor in his legs.
"My Goddess I…"
Freya sat up slowly. Her gaze grew sharper, more vivid, a spark of Divine Authority peeking through the sadness.
"Where is Ottar?"
Horn took a step back. "I… can't…"
"Where is Ottar?" Freya repeated, this time in a colder tone.
The air in the room seemed to thicken. The floor vibrated slightly, as if the Goddess's power was filtering through reality.
Horn gritted her teeth, unable to hold her gaze. Her heart was beating so hard she felt it might break.
"My Goddess, please…!"
"Where. Is. Ottar. Horn?"
It was the third time. Freya's voice sounded like thunder wrapped in silk. It wasn't a scream, it was something far worse: the suppressed roar of a deity on the verge of breaking.
Horn couldn't resist any longer. She lowered his head, clenching her fists.
"He… went to find Bell Cranel."
The silence that followed was absolute. Not even the wind dared to sneak through the windows.
Freya's eyes opened wide in disbelief.
"...What did you say?"
Horn flinched slightly, but continued, his voice trembling.
"He…said he was going to teach him a lesson. That…that the boy deserved to be punished for making you cry."
Freya's heart leaped violently in her chest.
"What…?"
"Please, my Goddess!" Horn exclaimed, taking a step forward, trying to justify herself. "It's not his fault! Ottar just—just wants to protect you. That human…that boy…made you suffer. Made you cry, and he dared to reject you!"
"Silence," Freya said, so low it was barely audible. But the tone was enough to send a shudder through Horn's soul.
The Goddess placed a hand over her chest. She could feel her heart beating frantically, a drumbeat that was suffocating her. The image of Bell, wounded or dead, formed in her mind, and a pang of pure terror ran through her.
Not out of pride.
Not on a whim.
But because, even now, in the midst of rejection, she loved him.
"Take me to him," Freya ordered, her voice so firm it brooked no reply.
Horn opened his eyes, trembling. "My Goddess, I can't—"
"Take me to him."
"My Goddess, please…don´t—"
Freya's eyes lit up a deep purple. An ethereal glimmer crossed the air, soft but absolute. Horn's lips froze mid-word.
The purple glow reflected in the assistant's pupils, which became empty and absent. Her breathing steadied, her posture straightened, and the tension disappeared.
"Take. Me. To. Ottar," Freya repeated slowly.
Horn nodded without emotion.
"Yes, my Goddess."
In a single movement, the young woman bent down, lifted Freya into her arms with unnatural ease, and headed for the door.
Freya closed her eyes as the wind blew through the open windows, rustling the curtains.
Her mind was a whirlwind.
"Please, Ottar… don't do anything crazy." She thought desperately. "Don't make me lose you too."
And as they descended the marble spiral to the Lower Floors, the purple light from Freya's eyes reflected off the walls, as if the Goddess herself were ready to stop the entire world if necessary.
Because although the love of a Goddess could be divine… it could also be mortal.