Bell helped Ais up and pulled his hand away from hers.
He had already come to a decision. He would indeed teach her [Ittou Shura], but not right now. Even with precautions and planning. What he fundamentally lacked to protect his secrets was strength.
Bell started to walk into the forest ahead, after a moment. His thoughts fluid.
Ais looked at his back and fell in step behind him.
He'd teach her [Ittou Shura] when he was at least a high Level 3 adventurer. With that much strength, he could probably even exchange some moves with the Level 7 'King'.
That much strength should be enough deterrence to anyone having designs on his things.
There were other reasons too. Ais and him were strangers for now. They were not even proper acquaintances, forget about being friends. He trusted her...but that trust came not from experience, but the knowledge of *Danmachi*.
Did having a spar create trust between them? Yes...but not enough to casually hand over something so critical to him in her hands.
He would give her [Ittou Shura] no doubt. But now was not the appropriate time for it.
It was better to let their relationship grow on it's own before sharing anything serious.
Another thing was that she had not even asked him to help her get stronger. How could he help her if she hadn't even asked yet?
Providing help without asking is always less valued than help provided after asking.
Bell walked deeper into the forest. Letting his legs take him wherever they wanted. Ais followed his back quietly.
...Walking calmly through the forest led him to a mound of sand...with countless swords and armaments buried in the soil.
...This was the grave of Astraea Familia. The one Ryuu had made.
Ais stopped behind him, giving him space unconsciously.
Bell stopped just before the grave for a moment. Taking it all in. This was where the dreams of his Familia's seniors were buried.
His breath came out in ragged gasps as he plucked a bunch of white flowers from a nearby plant and put them before the buried weapons. Paying homage to his seniors who had laid their lives down to save Ryuu.
He did not speak. Respecting them with silence.
5 minutes passed.
...His eyes watched with calm as the flowers he had offered earlier were swept away by the wind.
Bell let the tranquility last longer. And promised inwardly.
'Alise Lovell, Gojouno Kaguya, Lyra, Neze Rankett, Maryuu Reage, Noin Unic, Asta Knox, Ryana Lietz, Celty Srowa. All of you can rest easy...I'll protect Goddess Astraea from here.'
'And I promise...Closure for all of your deaths will come.'
He turned his back after concluding his thoughts. Resolutely walking away.
His mind resounded with a single truth.
'The moment I was born,
My death was born alongside me.
As I grew up,
My death grew alongside me.
The only one who will save me before my time is up, will be my death.
The only one to accompany me till the very end, will be my death.
The only one to embrace me after nothing is left, will also be my death.'
Bell walked back towards Rivira town. His mind clearer than ever. Ais following behind.
Unbeknownst to him.
Deep inside his red eyes flashed flecks of abyssal black.
Even deeper.
The approving laugh of an Asura who looked at everything with utter indifference resounded.
Unheard by him.
And the world.
...
..
.
Bell walked across the streets of Rivira. His steps firmer. His spine straighter. His eyes carrying newfound clarity. Ais was now walking besides him. Her gaze watching his face in short intervals.
Just as he was starting to marvel at his newfound clarity. He was stopped dead in his tracks. Because ahead of him stood Goddess Astraea.
Along with Ryuu and the kids of Takemikazuchi. Welf Crozzo, whom he had taken spirit blood from. And Tsubaki Collbrande, the captain of Hephaestus Familia.
Goddess Astraea's gaze also landed on him a moment later. Her face morphing from composure to relief.
...She started to walk towards him with slightly hurried steps. Opening her arms in a hugging gesture.
But...Just as the distance between them was covered halfway.
That was the moment...
Time suddenly slowed down for Bell. An incomparably cold chill erupted from his crown all the way down his back.
[Instinct (A)] did not roar. It did not scream. It fucking screeched. Golden pathways flashed in the thousands in mere moments. But were dissolved even faster into nothingness.
Darkness swallowed his awareness. Death was here. To claim him. Without any struggle or fanfare.
Following that conclusion came a pressure so intense that everyone across whole Rivera froze. It didn't matter if they were Level 3 adventurers. Level 4 or even Level 5.
It felt as if the sky had fallen over every person across Rivira.
Bell was frozen along with everyone else. His body not even having the strength to twitch.
At some point. A tall and heavily muscular dark-skinned Boaz with rust-colored hair and eyes, and a pair of boar ears had appeared between him and Goddess Astraea.
Ottar. The 'King'. A Level 7 Adventurer.
The Strongest Adventurer in Orario.
'What was he doing all the way here? Didn't I give a terrifying warning to Freya? She still had the balls to send someone after me? That too, Ottar?'
"You might be wondering why I'm here, right?" Ottar spoke in a casual tone. His pressure supressing everyone else in the surrounding street blocks.
"My Goddess wanted me to protect you from behind the scenes and make sure you were not in any danger. Yet...I can also see the deep 'love' she has for you. She wants you more than anything else across her endless life,"
"Though I'm a bit confused about why she would be so cautious about a Level 1 adventurer like you..."
"Well, It doesn't matter. What my Goddess wants, she shall get. Even you can't come in between that, Bell Cranel." Ottar finished his words while starting to walk towards Bell.
'Fuck! I didn't underestimate Freya. I fucking underestimated her simps! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!...Now I understand! You can underestimate a yandere, but not a simp.'
[Ittou Shura] exploded to life. Every ounce of vitality in him was drained dry in a moment. His strength booming skywards without restraint.
Peak Level 1—Mid Level 2—Peak Level 2—Mid Level 3.
Yet...
He still could not move. The pressure being so strong that it felt as if an ocean had come to rest on his shoulders.
In response...
[Ittou Rasestu] bellowed into being. The world turned monochrome.
His red eyes lost their light. His sense of taste sealed. His sense of touch deactivated. His sense of hearing disabled. His sense of smell nulled.
One moment. He was frozen like everyone else.
The next, his punch was already connected with Ottar's defenseless chest.
BOOOOM!
Ottar was flung away into the neighbouring street. Breaking through countless walls and obstacles.
Only then did the late voice of the sound barrier being torn apart continuously resound in everyone's ears.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
He had moved faster than the speed of sound for a moment. Resulting in him reaching Ottar before the sound could.
Bell felt his knees soften as blood started to drip from the corner of his mouth. His heart had burst from overload.
[Ittou Rasestu] deactivated forcefully.
*Clunk*
[Super Regeneration] and the wheel were the only reasons he was still alive. Or he'd already be dead for exerting a tremendous amount of force beyond his physical capacity.
All the bones in his right arm were fractured. His right arm useless for now.
Bell ignored his injuries and looked at Goddess Astraea and others. His voice coming out torn and pained.
"G-Goddess Astraea...Take everyone else and run. I'll hold him back for as long as possible." His legs shook as he forced himself to stand.
After a moment. His eyes whirred towards a silhouette walking back from the wreckage.
The 'King' was back...with not even a scratch.
'You've gotta be fucking kidding me!'
Before he could move. Ais appeared ahead of him. Her back to him. Her sword aimed at Ottar.
"Sword Princess?" Ottar muttered. Unfazed. His steps not even stopping for a moment.
"[Ariel]." Ais spoke. A whirlwind starting to surround her at the chant.
She quietly watched Ottar. Charging forward when the distance between them was closed by him.
Clang. Clang. Clang. BOOM! BOOM!
Both of their swords collided in a flurry of attacks. Sound barrier becoming a mere suggestion in the backdrop.
All the surrounding people and adventurers tried to scramble away for their lives.
Ryuu quickly walked upto him and let him use her shoulder for support. While Goddess Astraea supported him from the other side.
"Goddess...listen to me. I want you to take everyone else with you and run away. We can't fight against the 'King'." Bell spoke with a choke. A soul numbing pain radiating from his chest and arm.
"No...No. We'll stay with you. Till the very end. Even against the 'King'." Goddess Astraea spoke with certainty. Her hold over him becoming tighter.
Bell turned his face towards Ryuu. Wanting her to take Goddess Astraea away.
But...Ryuu's face was even more determined than Goddess Astraea. She would never let anyone else sacrifice themselves for her again.
He let out a tired sigh.
*Clunk*
The wheel continued to work in the background.
His heart was already regenerated by now.
[Ittou Rasestu] was forcefully kickstarted again. Colour dissolved from the world. His strength surging like a nuclear reactor.
He took a single step. His surroundings dissolved and reassembled themselves.
His steps landed on Ottar's blind spot. His left arm stretched back. His already healed right arm pointing at the boaz. An arrow made of flames was already in his grasp.
"Fuga..."
The arrow was loosened a moment later. Whirring into the strongest adventurer's back with crushing momentum.
BOOOOOM!
Ottar had his back charred by the arrow. His body sliding all the way into another street.
Bell puked out blood with chunks of his internal organs afterwards. His legs shook as he lay on the ground. His back supported by a wall. [Ittou Rasestu] disabled.
His newly regenerated heart had burst again. His consciousness on the brink of collapse.
[Ittou Rasestu] was only supposed to be used for a moment. Yet he had used it twice for more than a moment...and the backlash was beyond brutal.
The last thing he saw before loosing consciousness was Goddess Astraea and Ryuu running towards him frantically.
Ais and Ottar having a ruthless fight in the background.
Bell only had one thought in mind.
Never underestimate a simp!