9

Bell ducks under the claws of a diving kobold as it sails over his head, his off-hand hitting the ground to give him enough leverage to jam his knife up under the monster's jaw, penetrating the deep into the throat of the beast cutting through a major vein and artery. The monster's body burst into a puff of black dust, and a small purple crystal bounces off Bell's chest.

Pushing off the ground with his feet, Bell flips back, avoiding another kobold's wild attack, catching the monster in the jaw with a kick. As the beast reels back, Bell lands and launches himself forward with a stabbing motion driving his blade up under the ribs into the kobold's heart, resulting in another burst of black powder and a purple crystal.

Ziggy raises an eyebrow. It had been six hours since the two had entered the Dungeon, three hours since they entered the third floor, and more than two hours since the last time Ziggy had had to interfere in one of Bell's fights. He still stood ready with an arrow nocked and ready, but Bell had improved by a shocking amount in just a few hours.

'He's picking this up a lot faster than I would have thought,' Ziggy thought. 'He doesn't even have Liaris Freese yet.'

"Nice job," he says. "You're definitely a speed-type fighter. That last move was particularly interesting."

"I-it just sorta happened," Bell says, just as surprised as Ziggy.

"You have good instincts for danger. That's good. They can save you in a pinch. Just don't rely on them too much. A proper plan of attack can limit desperation moves like that and conserve energy. A tired adventurer is a dead adventurer."

Bell nods. The constant fighting was starting to take a toll on him, and Ziggy could see that. "Why don't we call it a day? You've been running pretty hard for the last couple of hours."

"I think you're right," Bell says with a nod and slumping his shoulders.

Ziggy smiles. "Come on. I'll walk you out."

As he starts to turn towards the exit, Ziggy's awareness picks up something approaching them. Turning towards the direction of the disturbance, Ziggy smiles to see six familiar individuals marching up one of the adjoining corridors.

"Well," he says. "Fancy meeting you here."

The large man in the front smiles as he sees Ziggy. "Good day, Ziggy," Ouka says. "How are you liking the Dungeon?"

"The hospitality leaves much to be desired, but the remuneration is quite profitable," Ziggy says with a smirk.

The rest of the members of the Takemikazuchi Familia smile and wave as well. Asuka blushes a little but is still obviously happy to see him.

"Are you guys on your way out?" Ziggy asks, realizing that he hasn't had an opportunity to try his new spell out.

"Yes," Ouka says. "It was a good day up on the tenth floor, but we decided it was time to head back."

"Wow, the tenth floor?!" Bell says.

Ziggy smiles at the eager young adventurer. Ziggy waves a hand towards him. "This is Bell Cranel, from the newly formed Hestia Familia. I believe Lord Takemikazuchi is acquainted with her. This is his first day, and I was showing him around a bit."

"Greeting, Mister Cranel," Ouka says. "I'm Ouka, this is Mikoto, Chigusa, Asuka, Suwa, and Katori. Any friend of Ziggy's is a friend of ours."

"Oh, please, call me Bell," he says with a patented Bell Cranel smile of sincerity. "And it is very nice to meet all of you as well."

"Hey, Ouka," Ziggy says. "I was just about to bring Bell back out to the surface, but there is something I forgot to do while I was down here. Would you mind taking him back up with you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ziggy," Bell says contritely.

"Nothing to be sorry about, Bell," Ziggy says, waving him off. "It just slipped my mind. It is nothing for you to be concerned about, but while I'm here, it would be nice to get it done."

"We could wait for you," Ouka offers.

"Unnecessary. I'm going to spend about an hour or so testing something out and then head up. Actually, if you wouldn't mind letting Goddess Xuannu know I'll be a little late, that would be a big help."

Ouka nods. "Very well."

"Um. I would like to stay," Asuka says. "If that's okay?"

"I wouldn't mind the company," Ziggy says with a smile.

Ouka nods. "Alright, stay safe," he says, and Mikoto and Chigusa flash Asuka a thumbs-up. Asuka's cheeks flare a little pink.

Bell waves as the group file out of the room into a corridor leading back to the surface. "Thanks for your help today, Ziggy," he says. "I never would have made it this far without you."

"Not a problem, Bell," Ziggy says. "Stay safe, and maybe we'll meet up down here some other time."

"I'd like that."

Once they all leave, Ziggy turns to Asuka. "Now, my dear," he says but is interrupted by the Dungeon as sounds of cracking echo through the room. Ziggy sighs, quickly put up his bow and arrow, and picks up the spear leaning against the wall.

After killing the two kobolds that spawned, Ziggy picks up the crystals and tosses one to Asuka. She looks confused. "But, I didn't do anything?" she says.

"We're a team, and you were watching my back," he says. "Anyway, I'm going to use this crystal to test my spell. Keep an eye out."

Ziggy focuses his mind on the crystal and feels as the magic starts to form. A golden magic circle forms around Ziggy two meters in diameter, rotating in a deisul motion. The small crystal in his hand levitates a few inches above his hand, and a pure white circle spinning in the opposite widdershins motion.

"Set me as a seal on your heart

As a seal on your form

As a seal on your soul

For life is strong as death

Its flashes are flashes of fire

The waters of death can't quench life

Neither can its floods drown it

But rises again by my seal

Lemegeton: Ars Goetia"

As the chant comes to a close, the white circle passes over the crystal absorbing its energy and changing to a similar purple glow before sinking into Ziggy's hand. The levitating crystal, now nothing more than a gray lump, disintegrates as the golden circle comes to a stop and fades away.

Ziggy wobbles for a second as he adjusts to the spell drain on his Mind for the first time. "That was... interesting," he says.

"Did it work?" Asuka asks, looking around.

"I think so," Ziggy says. "I've bound the monster. Now I have to summon it."

Ziggy takes a deep breath and holds out his hand. A purple magic circle forms, rotating deisul a meter wide in front of him.

"By my seal, I call you forth

Gather your form and rise again

Lemegeton: Ars Goetia"

The circle rises from the ground revealing a kobold, with fur more silver than the usual gray, kneeling before Ziggy. Its eyes are glowing a faint green.

"Wow," Asuka says.

Ziggy feels drained but smiles nonetheless. "I think I'll call you... Zeke," he says and then looks at Asuka. "Shall we take this guy for a spin?"

Asuka cocks her head in confusion. 'I guess that doesn't translate,' he thinks.

.

.

Zeke dives forward, embedding his claws deep into the chest of the other kobold and toppling it to the ground. He lets out a guttural snarl and pulls, tearing the kobold's chest apart, severing its heart, and turning it to black powder before launching himself forward once more, catching the next nearest target's throat in his jaws, snapping and rending the monster's neck.

Another puff of dust, and Zeke quickly gathers the tiny purple crystals and brings them to Ziggy and Asuka. Zeke has a pale glow about him upon closer inspection, resulting from Asuka's protection spell Seishin-Tekina Yoroi.

Ziggy holds out his hand, and Zeke places the magic crystals in Ziggy's hand. Zeke's tail wagging and his tongue lolling out in an apparent appeal of the 'Good Boy.'

Ziggy smiles and pats Zeke with his other hand. "Good job Zeke,"

Zeke pants happily at the praise and then roams around the room, sniffing as though searching for more targets to get more recognition.

"Well," Ziggy says. "He's clearly stronger than the average Kobold on the fourth floor."

Asuka stares, wide-eyed and her mouth open at the brutality Zeke showed and its incongruity with the happy doggo personality he displayed when he brought the magic crystals to Ziggy, nods slowly. Ziggy notices her expression.

"I think we've tested Zeke's capabilities out enough for one night," he says. "Shall we head back?"

"Um. Okay," Asuka says.

"Zeke," Ziggy says. "Come."

The good doggo follows Ziggy and Asuka as they climb the Dungeon floors back to street level. Once they reach Beginning Road, Ziggy looks at Zeke. "Well done today, Zeke," he says and holds out his hand.

The purple magic circle appears again, and Zeke takes a knee.

"Return and await my call," Ziggy intones, and the magic circle engulfs Zeke and disappears.

Ziggy thinks for a moment and then mumbles, "Hmm, returning doesn't cost much at all, if anything. Summoning costs a considerable chunk of my Mind, but there is no upkeep, so it isn't draining me constantly, which is nice.

So far, the binding costs between thirty to forty percent of my total Mind, at least, that's what it feels like, and the summoning itself costs twenty to twenty-five percent, but no upkeep. I'll half to check if a more powerful monster costs more or if it's a flat rate to bind and summon."

Ziggy notices Asuka staring at him. He smiles awkwardly. "Oh, sorry," he says. "I'm just trying to figure out what my limits are right now."

Asuka smiles. "That's okay," she says. "I'm glad you're thinking about that. It's good to know so you don't push yourself too far and put yourself in danger."

"All adventurers have to place themselves in danger if we're going to advance," Ziggy says seriously. "We need to push ourselves beyond our limits, but if we're going to do that, we have to know where those limits are."

She thinks about that for a second and nods.

A few minutes later, the duo arrives at the Guild office. Ziggy smiles to see this time he managed to come before Rose left for the day, but before he got a chance to approach her, another Guild employee with pink hair shouts to them, "Hey, Asuka! There you are. Chigusa said you stayed behind to flirt with some guy. Oh! Is this him?"

Asuka's cheeks flush crimson. "M-M-M-Misha-san!"

Ziggy just smirks and shakes his head at Misha's antics. "Hello, Miss Misha, I don't know if you remember me from this morning, but I'm Ziggy from the Xuannu Familia."

"Oh yeah, I remember now. You're the one that was talking to Goddess Hestia and her new child. You're the big one!"

Ziggy nods. "That... is what she said."

Asuka blinks and, in the dawning realization that Misha has yet to comprehend, blushes even brighter.

"Anyway, Ouka said you may have some more magic stones. I can cash them in if you'd like. Then you can tell me more about this guy. You go see Rose," she says, directing the last to Ziggy. "She was getting worried when you didn't come back with Eina's new adventurer."

"Alright," Ziggy says, then looks at the still blushing Asuka. "I'll meet you back over here when we're done, and we can head back to the Palace."

Asuka nods and follows after Misha. Ziggy watches them go before walking over to Rose's station.

"Good evening Miss Rose. Misha mentioned that you were worried about me," he says to the red-headed werewolf.

"Misha exaggerates," Rose says, not even looking up from her paperwork. "I heard you stayed behind in the Dungeon and sent Eina's boy back up. Why?"

"I was testing something," Ziggy says with a smirk. "Don't worry, another adventurer stayed behind and watched my back while I was figuring it out."

She looks at him with an annoyed look. "And what were you testing?"

"I'd prefer not disclosing that in public," Ziggy says. "You understand. If you'd like, I can give you a private demonstration... in the back."

Rose raises an eyebrow and thinks about it for a moment. "Very well, Mister Solomon. Come with me."

.

.

The purple circle spins and reveals Zeke kneeling once more before Ziggy and Rose. The expression on Rose's face says it all.

"You can summon monsters from the Dungeon?" she asks wide-eyed.

"Yes and no," Ziggy says. "I can bind a creature I've defeated and turn it into a summoned creature."

"It must be a significant drain on your Mind," Rose says.

"The binding and the summoning, yes, but once summoned, there is no drain. Zeke here would stay until I send him back, or the destruction of the vessel," Ziggy says.

Rose is shocked."Can you summon more than one?"

"At this time, no, but I believe as I improve in level, I'll be able to have multiple summonses at a time. I can bind more, but I can have only one active."

"How strong is he?" Rose asks.

Ziggy shrugs. "He handled a small pack of fourth-floor kobolds without breaking a sweat," Ziggy says. "I think his strength is affected by my magic power. One of my Skills grants me a bonus to that."

"I thought you were a warrior?" she says.

"I'm a lot of things," Ziggy says with a charming smile. He reaches out and pets Zeke. "I'm going to send you back now, Zeke. I'll see you later."

Ziggy turns back to Rose and holds out his hands as if to say, 'Tell me what you think?'

"I can see why you didn't want to reveal this in public.," she says. "What is your plan?"

"I was going to continue mapping the fourth floor, and once that's done, I would like to move on to the fifth floor."

Rose frowns. "I'd like you to stay off there until your stats have reached at least G-rank. I'd prefer if you were at F. I know you think this is just one more level, but there is a leap of strength at the fifth level and again at the eighth. I would hate to hear you'd been crushed by a dungeon lizard or a crab raccoon."

Ziggy blinks. "I'm sorry," he says, shaking his head. "A what?"

"A dungeon lizard?" she says.

"No, the other thing."

"A crab raccoon?" she asks, and Ziggy nods. "I thought you studied the guidebook?"

"I must have overlooked it," he says. 'This has to have been that nerd,' he thinks, uncharitably, about ROBbie.

"Well," Rose says. "A crab raccoon is a monster who first appears on the fifth floor and then sporadically throughout the Dungeon, becoming increasingly rare the lower you go. It has a segmented and furred exoskeleton, granting it excellent defense and camouflage, four legs with razor-tipped dexterous, toes perfect for climbing and ambushing, and a pair of large crab-like claws strong enough to crush a skull.

It is highly sought after as its drop item is that very claw and is extremely popular with local restaurants for its rich and creamy meat, which can sell for fifteen to twenty thousand valis depending on market prices of the day."

"Of course, it is," Ziggy says with a sigh. "Alright, I promise to hold off on the fifth through seventh levels until I reach at least a G-rank in my stats."

Ziggy is pretty sure he can reach that in a week if he hustles.

Rose looks at him for a moment and slowly nods. The thought dawns on her that maybe he's serious about being well prepared and careful, but many others have said that in the past, and most of them weren't, and they eventually stop coming back.

Rose gives him another earful when she sees how many magic stones he is cashing in. "This is ridiculous. There is no way you are being careful bringing back this many crystals," she says in an annoyed tone. Angry at herself for even entertaining the idea that he is different.

"I swear I am. I'm being methodical and efficient. I don't dance with the monsters. I remove the threats as quickly and use the least energy possible to reduce unnecessary fatigue. I check every corridor and stay alert for changes in the Dungeon," he says. Rose looks unconvinced. "Come with me one day, and I'll show you how I work."

She narrows her eyes at him. He laughs. "What? Don't you trust me? Bring a chaperone if you'd like. I can even have Zeke play bodyguard if you want."

"I'll think about it," she says.

After that, Ziggy says his goodbyes and finds Asuka near the entrance. Waving to the women behind the counter, the two adventurers head home in companionable silence. The only disturbance to their mutual quiet was when Ziggy took and held Asuka's hand, and she let out and small squeak before staring at their joined hands the rest of the way to the Peach Blossom Palace.

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.

"How was your day?" Xuannu asks, staring at Ziggy from the opposite couch.

He raises an eyebrow. "Productive. I'm getting the hang of the different weapons. The biggest problem is setting down one set to change over to another; it's not entirely efficient and slows me down. I might need to get a supporter to help me speed up a little."

Xuannu nods. "You should talk to Fanis, one of Sunu's children. She's a blacksmith and helped several of Cainu's children create some interesting multipurpose weapons. Some can even reconfigure to fire arrows or bolts. It's strange but fascinating," she says and then laughs, shaking her head. "She's even taken one Cainu's as an apprentice. That girl is an odd one. So much energy."

"Come to think of it," Ziggy says with a puzzled expression. "I don't think I've met anyone from either of goddess Cainu or Sunu's Familias. Is there a reason for that, or is it just happenstance?"

"A little of both, really," Zunnu says. "Most only just arrived while you were in the Dungeon today. It'll probably be a day or so until they're unpacked and ready to meet people. However, you may run into one or two of them in the halls if you wander about a bit. The rest have been setting up around the city."

"Setting up what?" Ziggy asks.

"Contacts mostly," Xuannu says. "Information isn't cheap, and neither are resources and materials. Some of our executives have been meeting with various vendors and information brokers around the city. Also, we've begun recruiting servants and some new talent."

"What? Aren't I enough trouble?" Ziggy says with a smile. Xuannu smiles back.

"While you are a... handful," she says, looking down Ziggy's body. "That is, in fact, one of the reasons we are recruiting."

Ziggy cocks his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"On the upper floors, you could be fine on your own, but there will come the point where you will need companions to battle some of the threats in the Dungeon. We would like you to grow together as a team, and as such, I've begun a talent search," Xuannu says, and her smile grows. "I think you'll like the new blood. They're nearly as interesting as you."

Ziggy watches as the sexy goddess reaches out with one delicate hand and takes a bell from the table. A moment after the bell rings, the doors open, and four people walk in.

"Ziggy darling, I'd like you to meet your new teammates," Xuannu says.