Bell kept running away from that golden haired storm he had left behind.
8th floor...6th floor...3rd floor... 2nd floor... 1st floor.
[Ittou Shura] deactivated as his speed slowed. His strength plummeted back to peak Level 1.
He walked out of the Tower of Babel. The earlier incident now behind him. It was already evening.
Loki Familia had probably come back from their expedition. That was the only reason he would run into the Sword Princess on the 11th floor. They were definitely coming back from a dive.
He decided to first greet his Goddess at home and then go out to the 'Hostess Of Fertility' to finally meet his senior elf.
Now he at least had enough strength to run away from her if she decided to bash his head in. After all, It was him who had dragged Goddess Astraea back to Orario... Where her earlier Familia was slaughtered.
To be honest... Bell still felt guilty about that deep down.
Now...The time had come to greet that blonde green haired elf.
Ryuu Lion.
_______________ Late Night _______________
The Hostess of Fertility was bustling and in full boom at night. Adventurers were going in and out of it in doves. The celebration sounds coming from inside were resounding all across the main street of Orario.
Bell shuffled into the tavern. The waitresses were busy with adventurers ordering ale and food in groups.
Chloe was serving two adventures mugs of ale with a "Nya~ Nya~" sound. Her cat tail and ears twitching with irritation at their leering.
Lunoire was cleaning some newly freed tables to make space for new customers. Anya's voice was coming from the kitchen.
Ryuu was serving food to a group of adventurers.
One of them tried to touch her. So, he was slapped so hard across his face that the whole tavern quietened for a moment.
Everyone looked at the nonchalant Ryuu. Who was cleaning her hand as if wiping filth from it. And the fainted adventurer who tried to touch her.
Every adventurer in the inn concluded not to bring their hands anywhere near that elf from now on.
Syr looked at Bell who had just entered the tavern. She eagerly walked up to him with a empty wooden plate in her hands.
"Hello...Mr. Bell... How have you been?" Syr greeted him shyly. Her gaze focused on his face.
"Hi...Miss Syr, right? I'm doing good. How about you?" Bell greeted her with a gentle smile. Inwardly grimacing at her sugary tone.
"Oh... Mr. Bell... I'm feeling very happy now that you came here again. Come follow me to a table. A secluded table like before, right?" Syr asked. Leading Bell to a secluded table. A unseen spring in her step.
'Is Freya really this easy? You just need to have a unique soul and she would hover around you like a thirsty shark?' Bell wondered as he followed her to a secluded seat. His eyes taking in her body language with pinpoint precision.
"I'll be back in a moment. Sit tight." Syr spoke and went into the kitchen after Bell took his seat.
Bell had just started to go across the menu when the doors of the tavern were burst open. A red haired flat chested Goddess was in the lead. A pallum, dwarf and elf followed her. After them came in a grey haired werewolf. A certain Sword Princess. Amazon twins and a certain elf with golden yellow hair.
Loki Familia.
The whole tavern fell into a strange silence. Drops of sweat beaded across all the adventurers sitting in the tavern.
Bell took a look. Not surprised by their appearance here. They after all had probably completed their deep dive and were here to celebrate.
He ignored them. Bringing his focus back onto the menu.
"Alright, children. Ignore the others. Today it's our time to party." Loki walked in casually with a mischievous laugh. Eyeing Riveria's curves with a sleazy grin while taking her seat.
Bell tuned out their words. Ordering some new dishes when Syr came back to take his order.
His food was delivered by Ryuu.
Bell stuck up a conversation with her as she put the dishes on his table.
"Um...Hello Miss... It's my first time seeing you here. I'm Bell...and you are?" Bell questioned. His voice sincere. Eyes focused on her face.
Ryuu stopped for a moment. Her indifferent gaze now on Bells face. Taking in his sincere expression. Clear eyes and open posture.
"Ryuu. Ryuu Lion." Her voice came out indifferent. Her hands continued to put the dishes on his table.
Bell did not continue to speak. Letting silence settle between them as she finished putting the hot dishes on his table.
Just as he was about to speak to her. They were interrupted rudely by a certain Werewolf. Who was pointing at a adventurer eating nearby.
"Tch...Weakling...Why are you looking at us? Is there something special on our table?" Bete jabbed in the direction of a adventurer who was peeking at the Loki Familia.
"You better keep your gaze to your own t-table weakling... Or I might just break your jaws." Bete guffawed in condescension. His words slurring a bit. Probably already drunk.
"Shut up Bete! We're not here to fight with others." Gareth smacked the back of his head. Nearly making him tumble over.
"Hey old m-man. Why are you hitting me? Did I say anything wrong? All the adventurers here are merely weaklings. Not even worth us taking them seriously." Bete growled in irritation. Rubbing the back of his head where he was smacked. His voice getting louder. The contempt in it bare and biting.
The adventurers in their surroundings looked downwards. Conversations died. Adventurers now focused on their food or drinks after hearing Bete. All avoiding to look at the Loki Familia's table.
Bell ignored that clown. He instead focused his gaze onto the hot spaghetti in front of him. He wouldn't care even if that werewolf were to suddenly go naked and brake dance on the table.
"Bete! Stop this at once and apologise to all the adventurers here." Riveria spoke. Her voice full of steel. Looking at Bete like a misbehaving child.
"You can't be serious Riveria. You want me to apologise to these weaklings? Just because they are a part of the Familia of some lousy and incompetent Gods and Goddesses." Bete spoke. His words having no filter due to being drunk. In his drunken haze. He even dared to call other Gods incompetent.
Expressions across the tavern changed. Bete had just crossed a red line. Drunk or not.
"Bete!!" Riveria's voice increased in it's severity.
"Bete." Finn finally spoke. Looking at Bete in reproach.
Gareth was left stunned by his words.
Ais tilted her head to the side. Her expressionless face now alight with disapproval.
Tiona and Tione looked astonished at his guts. Lefiya felt her mind spin at Bete's words.
Loki looked at her child with mild disappointment.
Bell who was about to bite his hot spaghetti stilled. His smiling expression froze.
Slowly...It turned utterly indifferent at Bete's words. Abyssal black flashed deep inside his red eyes. More intensely than ever.
Someone had just called his Goddess incompetent and lousy to his face.
His gaze went to the sachet beside him. The clown mask and black cloak inside.
'Should I....?'
Bell wondered.
But then crushed that thought. He would be killed without even knowing how by Loki Familia if he dared.
Gold flashed deep in his eyes. Golden pathways materialised across his awareness. Shrinking at a tremendous speed until none were left when he looked at the Loki Familia's table.
Vision after vision flashed across his eyes.
In one...He walked up to Bete and punched him in the face. The next moment however, a claw tore across his chest. A sword cut his left tendon. A spear was resting against his neck. Two titanic spells locked onto him. Their chanting resounding in the background. His right leg already crushed by the twin amazon's weapons.
In another...He ran up to Bete. Kicked him in the crotch. And made a mad dash for the door. Yet two spells locked onto him. A greatsword was thrown towards his back. A spear flashed. Piercing his leg.
In another...He threw a chair straight at Loki. Her Familia members scrambling to protect her. While they were busy there. He kicked Bete tightly at his butt. And made a mad dash for the exit. But, Mama Mia was already waiting there. She pasted a makeshift tray to his face. His body flying backwards right into the Loki Familia.
In....
In....
In...
In the end. There was only one barley glowing path. Not to victory. But to preserve himself while giving that werewolf a piece of his mind.
Bell concluded with a sigh.
His gaze was drawn to an open barrel at the corner of the tavern.
He flicked his finger discreetly at it.
Above that open barrel. A fire ball of [Grega] materialised.
Every adventurer in the tavern snapped their gazes towards it immediately.
In front of their eyes. That fire ball plunged itself into the water kept in the open barrel before anyone even had time to react.
Water was evaporated into steam in seconds. Steam covered every corner of the tavern. Reducing visibility for everyone.
Bell closed his eyes amidst the steam. That single dim golden pathway showing him the way.
[Ittou Shura] roared to ignition. His senses sharpened to absurd degrees. His strength tore upwards with brutal force.
One moment he was sitting there. The next, he was already in front of Bete. His clenched fist heading for his face amidst low visibility and confusion.
Even drunk. Bete was a Level 5 adventurer. That too a werewolf.
Bete dodged his fist at the last moment. By taking a step back. While his own fist headed where Bell's face was. His werewolf instinct at work.
Bell put one leg forward. Lifting it in the air. While tilting himself slightly backwards with his other leg.
Bete's swinging arm missed his face by a inch. His lifted leg pointing exactly at his crotch.
Though his leg did not have enough reach to crush his crotch.
But
He already knew that.
A fire ball of [Grega] materialised beneath the foot of his lifted leg aiming at Bete's crotch.
It then shot forward at the werewolf's crotch without mercy.
One moment. Bete felt a chill at his crotch. Then felt it getting warm. By the time he realised it, his crotch was already on fire.
"AWOOOOOOO!"
A werewolf's terrified and painful cry resounded across the tavern.
Ais unleashed her [Ariel] in response to his cry. Steam was forcefully repelled to the outside with it.
What came into everyone's eyes was...Bete rolling left and right on the ground. Trying to put out the fire at his crotch with trembling hands. Tears in his eyes.
"A-Ais...M-My little wolf cubs...Awooooo..." Bete spoke while trying to put out the fire blazing on his crotch. His cries full of unfathomable pain and despair.
That day, every adventurer at the tavern witnessed the absolute despair of seeing a man loose something worse than his life.
Meanwhile, Bell was back at his own table. His expression mirroring the horrified and bewildered expressions of other adventurers.
The Loki Familia members who were not treating Bete looked across the tavern gravely.
But Bell made a face like he didn't know what the hell was going on.
He literally acted like a scared rabbit under Loki Familia's scrutiny.
Only he knew about the Asura lying beneath that rabbit.