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Hello, we are starting a new chapter.
But first I'm going to answer some questions from some people (to answer questions faster, ask on Discord):
SSJ3 Kyuubi Gohan - Syr and Bell's relationship is absolutely destroyed right now, while with Hestia I would prefer him more as a support for Bell, a good friend to tell his problems to (Because her jealousy in canon seemed somewhat intense to me). As for leveling up, I used a rule that I don't know if it's from a fanfic or canon, but basically the requirements are: 1. A minimum stat at D and 2. A great feat. Bell did this in reverse so it didn't meet the requirements, he recently did his feat with the first rule done. Likewise Bell right now is stronger than in canon (not counting the attack with Argonaut, but that won't last long)
Samot_Sempai - I know you didn't ask a question, but I want to say, Thank you :D. Because of the [Divine Blessing of Combat Mastery] he can use all weapons, so he won't be stuck with just his spear.
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Bell watched silently as Hestia got ready in front of a small, makeshift mirror. The blue dress she was wearing fit her perfectly, highlighting the natural sparkle of her eyes and the dark shade of Hestia's hair.
"You look… very good, Goddess," he said with a sincere, slightly awkward smile.
Hestia turned around, surprised at first, but then smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Bell." She slightly adjusted the ribbon in her pigtails. "I don't get many occasions to dress like this, so… I thought I'd take advantage of denatus."
Bell nodded, still smiling. "It suits you perfectly."
She laughed softly, saying nothing more, but the slight blush on her cheeks spoke for itself.
Hestia picked up a small clutch as she adjusted the last details of her outfit. She looked at herself once more in the makeshift mirror, took a deep breath, and then turned to Bell, who was still sitting on the edge of the couch in the church basement. His expression was calm, but his eyes showed a mix of excitement and nervousness. It wasn't every day she attended a party among the gods, even if she already knew some of them.
"Bell," she said, catching his attention with a lighter, almost playful tone. "If I don't come back tonight, don't worry, okay?I'll probably stay up late talking to a friend."
Bell looked at Hestia with some surprise, but nodded immediately, without questioning her.
"It's okay, Goddess. Just have fun. You deserve it." He replied with a warm smile. "And don't cause any trouble."
"Hey!" Hestia puffed out her cheeks slightly, crossing her arms. "Since when am I the one causing trouble?"
Bell just raised an eyebrow with a smile that said, "Do I really have to answer that?"
She gave a small laugh, shaking her head. "You rude boy…" she murmured affectionately, patting Bell on the shoulder as she walked past him.
Already at the door, she paused for a second, as if hesitating for a moment, but then simply gave Bell one last smile.
"See you later."
And with that Hestia climbed the stairs and disappeared through the door, leaving the old church behind wrapped in silence. Bell sat, staring at the entrance for a few seconds before leaning back with a sigh. He couldn't help but smile slightly... he liked that feeling.
…
It's not enough. What I do… what I am…
It's not enough.
That light… is wavering.
And I am here, formless…
I left him alone.
I let them touch him.
I let the pain reach him.
I shouldn't have.
Not like that.
I had to protect him.
But I didn't.
It's not enough.
It has not been enough.
And yet…
I have to try.
If I can't touch him directly...
…then I will put something between the light and those who harm him.
A guardian.
Something that doesn't doubt, that doesn't stop, that doesn't feel.
Something that exists only for that light.
It's not perfect.
It's broken… like me.
But it will work.
It has to work.
I'll create it from what I have left.
From that rot that consumes me.
Of those creatures born from my illness…
At least…
At least that damn disease will be of some use.
…
Bell sank a little deeper into the old but comfortable basement chair. The faint creak of the springs could barely be heard over the peaceful silence that filled the abandoned church. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a quiet sigh.
For the first time in a long time he didn't feel a pang of anxiety in his chest, or the constant urge to prove something. He'd leveled up… finally. That number next to Bell's name had changed but more than that, it was what the number represented that made him feel this way. Tangible proof that he'd moved on, that he'd survived something that honestly, he didn't know if he'd make it out alive.
Bell placed a hand on his chest, instinctively remembering the moment the dragon's spine had pierced him. But now sitting in that old armchair, with the dim light seeping through the cracks in the ceiling, that wound felt distant.
Almost… unreal.
And in the midst of it all, a small smile escaped him.
"I did it…" he murmured to himself, barely audible, as if saying it any louder would break the moment of calm. He allowed himself to rest. Even if it was only for a moment.
Bell had barely closed his eyes when a distinct pang ran through his mind.
[Divine Blessing of the Rebirth Dragon]: Makes you the companion of the Rebirth Dragon.
Bell jolted upright, his heart pounding. The message was still floating in his mind, etched with such clarity that it seemed to have been tattooed onto his thoughts.
"Rebirth… Dragon?" he repeated in a low voice.
He felt the calm that had enveloped him just seconds before crumble like a house of cards. Dragon. That word alone was enough to send his nerves on edge. In this world, dragons weren't symbols of greatness or power... they were calamities. The pinnacle of terror. The One Eyed Black Dragon wasn't a story told for dramatic effect; it was a living warning. A reminder that even the strongest could fall to something beyond logic.
And now his falna (his soul) said he was a dragon's companion.
Bell ran a hand over his face, trying to calm the swirl of thoughts battering him. There was nothing else. No explanation. No image, no clue. Just that title hanging over him like a new shadow.
"What does this mean…?" he muttered, more to himself than anything else.
For a moment he wished it was a mistake. That it was one of those ramblings that come when you're too tired. But no. He felt it. Like something else had latched onto his soul. It wasn't like the [Divine Blessing of the Pyromaniac] or the [Divine Blessing of the Battle's Continuation].
This felt… different. Deeper. More committed.
A bond.
Bell stood slowly. His body ached, but now the discomfort was more emotional than physical. A dragon's friend? What kind of bond was that? Where was that dragon? What was expected of him? And why now, just when he thought he could relax for just a day?
He dropped onto the bed next to the sofa, his gaze fixed on the cracked ceiling.
"I just wanted a break… a moment of peace…" he said softly, with a tired smile. "But of course. Being me means that's not going to happen."
Bell closed his eyes, trying to calm his mind. But the new blessing wouldn't go away. His name kept glowing, pulsing… waiting. As if something else, somewhere had also awakened.
Bell took a deep breath, his eyes closed. His heart was still racing, but it was starting to calm down. He told himself that panicking wouldn't help, that for now there were no signs of immediate danger. That he was safe. That he could… rest.
"It's okay," Bell muttered to himself. "It's not like this is the first weird thing that's happened to me."
But just as his body began to sink into the warmth of the mattress, a new pang pierced his mind.
Not as intense as the previous one, but just as clear.
[Divine Blessing of Context]: Ability to gain insight into every situation.
Bell stood still, his eyes wide open.
"Another one?" he asked into the air, as if anyone could answer him.
For a moment, his stomach sank, fearing it was another one of those cryptic, dark titles, tied to some unknown force. But as the words settled in Bell's mind, he didn't feel the ominous weight that the previous blessing had brought. No. This one was different.
It was like… a tool.
Bell blinked.
"…That… that's not bad."
For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, he let out a soft laugh.
"Okay, that's helpful."
He let himself fall again, this time with a lighter mind. Not everything had to be fire and chaos. Maybe, just maybe, there were also blessings coming to help him move forward. To understand. To not feel so lost.
He closed his eyes with a tired smile letting the silence finally envelop him.
Even if it was only for a moment… calm returned.
…
The streets of Orario were full of life.
Bell walked leisurely through the tide of people filling every corner of the shopping district. The shouts of vendors and the constant murmur of conversation mingled with the smell of street food, spices, and sweat.
It was the Monster Feria. An annual celebration where the Ganesha Family Coliseum opened its doors to the public for spectacles where adventurers faced off against captured monsters from the Dungeon, in what was half real combat, half theater.
"Come in, come in! Tickets for the afternoon show are almost sold out!" shouted a merchant with a wooden board raised above his head.
Bell had to dodge a boy running around wearing a mask, laughing as his mother chased him with a resigned expression.
He paused for a second looking around. There was music playing and colorful banners hanging between the buildings.
Despite everything that had happened in the past few days, Bell couldn't help but smile a little. That joy... that festive chaos... was an almost absurd contrast to what he'd recently experienced.
But it also reminded him why he was fighting. To protect this, life on the surface.
Bell walked with more confidence, clutching the bag of vails He was carrying. Bell told himself that he was just going to look around... but maybe, he could buy a snack.
As he waited his turn in front of a small food stall, the aroma of roasting meat and spices enveloped him like a warm blanket. The vendor a sturdy dwarf in a charred apron, was turning skewers on a grill, and Bell couldn't help but gulp.
"One skewer please," he asked with a polite smile.
As the man handed it to him, wrapped in greasy paper Bell felt the world around him slow down just a bit. Not because of the crowd, not because of the spectacle in the coliseum, but because of the memory of soft, concerned words… Hestia's.
"Don't tell anyone you leveled up yet Bell? Not that I want you to hide it forever, but… it'll be worse if you announce it so soon. The last record was a year, and you… you did it in just over two weeks. They won't react well."
Bell looked down for a moment, squeezing the paper skewer between his fingers. He understood why she said it. He didn't want trouble. He didn't want unnecessary attention. And yet… lying to Eina… didn't feel right.
She'd been there from the beginning, always concerned for him, guiding him with patience and firmness. Keeping something so important from her left a bitter taste in his mouth, more bitter than any burnt food.
But he also knew that Hestia was right.
If others knew he'd broken the record by such a ridiculous margin, that his stats were above the normal limit… not everyone would take kindly to it. And in a place like Orario, where ambition and jealousy were rife, that could become a bigger problem than he could handle now.
So he just sighed, took a bite of the skewer, and kept walking.
"Just for a while," he muttered to himself, trying to convince himself.
"Only until I'm strong enough sothat no one can use it against me."
Looking down as Bell took another step. And then, without realizing it, he looked up… and saw it.
The sign.
The Hostess of Fertility.
Bell stood still.
His chest tightened instantly. The air seemed to thicken. His skewer trembled slightly in his hand, forgotten.
He hadn't wanted to come. In fact, he'd made sure to stay away from that street for days.
All for her.
Syr.
But not the Syr he knew… not quite.
The truth still confused him. The idea that there were two Syr. That one loved him, and the other hated him. That it was all connected to Freya… the goddess of beauty.
A deity he heard stories about, all with a tinge of power, of beauty… of manipulation.
And now, knowing that Syr (or whatever she was) had some kind of connection to that goddess… it unsettled him.
He had seen sincerity in her eyes. Real concern. He felt her warmth…
Bell lowered his head.
He didn't retreat. He didn't advance. He just stood there, silent, as if his body couldn't decide what to do.
The door opened with a soft knock, and for a moment Bell held his breath, hoping (dreading) that silver hair he'd been avoiding at all costs. But no. It wasn't Syr who came out.
It was the brown-haired cat girl, her ears gently moving as she spoke to someone inside the establishment, and right behind her, with calm steps and a serene expression came out Ryuu, the elf with green hair and deep eyes.
Bell stood still, frozen, but not out of fear… but out of surprise.
The cat girl was the first to notice.
"Hey! White-haired boy, nya!" she exclaimed, raising a hand in greeting with a sparkling smile. "Nya, long time no see!"
Ryuu looked up as well, her eyes meeting Bell's for a moment. She didn't say anything at first, but her expression softened slightly. It wasn't a smile, but something close to it.
Bell blinked, somewhat nervous.
"…Hi," he replied awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.
The cat girl pulled a small purse out of her apron. "Syr forgot this when she left… again. Could you take it, white-haired boy, please nya!" Bell tensed.
His eyes lowered to the object in question as if it were a sleeping snake, not a simple purse. His heart skipped a beat and it wasn't from excitement. Of all the people he preferred to avoid, she was at the top of the list.
Bell swallowed his discomfort, but he wasn't fast enough.
Ryuu noticed it.
The elf turned her eyes toward him for a moment, observing him with that gaze of hers that needed no words. It was the kind of silence that analyzed and understood.
"We shouldn't bother him with that, Anya," she said in a calm, yet slightly sharp voice. "I'm sure Mr. Cranel is busy. It's not his responsibility to handle that."
Bell blinked. Ryuu had gone ahead… to protect him, in a way.
A small wave of relief washed over him. Grateful. But then another detail flashed before his eyes.
The numbers above the two girls.
A drop from 10 to 8
And the other went down from 5 to 3
Bell tensed again.
I didn't know why it was happening, but there it was. Those numbers her blessing displayed, those strange indicators of closeness or maybe... affection. Annoyance? Trust? Courage? I wasn't entirely sure, but they had dropped. Two points each.
Maybe because Anya thought he was being rude.
Maybe because Ryuu felt like he had interfered.
Or maybe because Bell indirectly rejected that request.
Bell bowed slightly, his awkward smile not quite reaching his eyes.
"Well… I have to go," he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck as he looked away. "It was nice seeing you."
"Yes, yes! See you later, white-haired boy," Anya replied, her voice as cheerful as ever, but her ears drooping just a little.
Ryuu nodded silently, her arms crossed and her face serene, though her gaze followed him as if she were still assessing him even as she said goodbye.
Bell spun around and walked away, disappearing into the fairground crowd as if he could outrun the weight of those two pairs of eyes… and those two fewer points.
He didn't look back.
Meanwhile, the laughter of the fair echoed in the air, the shouts from the nearby coliseum mingling with the aroma of spices, roasting meat, and the bustle of passersby. It was a festive day, full of life.
But for Bell Cranel, something felt heavier than usual.
…
Ah…
Is this… living?
My chest rises. It falls. The air burns.
My wings tremble.
Were they always there? I don't know. I don't care.
The only thing that matters is that feeling. That… call. That distant presence. Bright. Pure. Warm.
The light.
My mother told me about him. Not with words, but with truth. With intention.
"Protect him."
That was all he gave me. Not a name. Not a purpose beyond that. Just that.
And that's enough.
I don't know what I am. I don't know where I am.
Everything is dark, damp. I drag myself out of the shell that contained me.
Now I have a way
My claws grip the ground. My eyes blink for the first time. I see… things. Rocks, mist, heat. All meaningless.
But he shines.
That light… calls me.
He doesn't talk to me. He doesn't see me. Maybe he doesn't know I exist.
But I feel his presence, like a flame in the middle of the void.
He is far away.
And according to Mother, there are other things… things that are coming. That want to put him out.
No.
They can't. They shouldn't. Not while I exist.
Not while there's still a spark in my chest.
I'm not hungry. I'm not curious.
I have only this command, this burning need, this one mission with which I was formed:
Reach the light. Protect it. Destroy whatever tries to extinguish it.
…My body is still clumsy. My wings open, and instinctively, I launch myself into the air.
The sky is strange. Rigid. Gravity won't let me go. But I was born to go.
…So be it.
I will fly.
I will find that light.
And if something tries to touch it…
They will die.