Chapter 98 Helga, Hestia's worry, Pass Parade, Ripples.

Denki and the rest of the familia arrived back home, the mood wasn't the best due to the unlucky experience they had in the dungeon.

But when they arrived, they never expected for things to be quite hectic. Hestia is having a panic attack, and it looks like Bell had returned from the dungeon riddled with injuries.

"What the hell happened here?" Helga asked while carrying Ozwald on his back.

"The idiot went to the 6 floor solo, and fought a mob all alone." Heracles answered; his voice carried a mix of intrigue and amusement. "Without any armor on and only carrying a dagger..." Heracles paused as he looked at his familia. "What the hell happened to you?!" he asked Ozwald who is currently being given a piggy back ride by Helga.

"Mob, 25th floor, unprepared." Denki answered plainly as he moved passed Heracles and went straight into his room. He really wasn't in the mood to socialize or to talk right now.

Heracles stared at the back of Denki as he was climbing the stairs, this was so unlike him, usually he'll go to the back after arriving to swing his sword, or go to Heracles to give a report. "That bad huh?" he muttered and looked at Helga who by now had placed Ozwald to the ground to stand on his own two feet.

"Yup... He pretty much already told you the gist of it..." She shrugs. "We were unlucky, we never expected to run into a mob at floor 25."

"Hmmm..." Heracles nods and looked at the other member of his familia, they looked worse for ware, while only one was heavily injured, the look on their face was not good, he knew that moral right now was at an all-time low. "Katty help Ozwald to the infirmary, Kiez, go to babel and call for a healer."

"Yes lord Heracles!" Kiez Lota answered, another new member of the Heracles familia who joined about a month ago, he was the freshest face in the familia and is quite young, only being 14, the same age as Bell. He is also a level 1, and he acts as the supporter, not really fighting, and only carrying the equipment of the team.

The youngster quickly ran out of the manor to follow Heracles' order, while the others moved to the infirmary to rest.

"Helga." Heracles' voice made Helga and the other stop to look back towards their god. "Met me in my office."

Heracles walked towards his office while his children stared at his back, wondering why he was calling for Helga, the veteran adventurer signed as she pushed the others to go to the infirmary and to rest up while she followed behind Heracles.

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Heracles entered his office and went straight into his table, Helga was not far behind, entering a few seconds after the god.

"Close the door." Heracles voice made Helga a bit nervous, usually it was Denki who talked to Heracles after their dive, and to be frank, it was only her 2nd time being in her god's office.

Helga gulped as she stood in front of the mountain of a man, Heracles might have been sitting, but the aura surrounding him made him feel as if he was an imposing wall.

"Relax." Heracles opened. "You're too tense."

"Sorry mi lord." Helga answered, she didn't know why, but she was not usually this meek.

"I'm gonna go straight to the point... How is Denki when it comes to leading?" Heracles asked, his voice serious as he looked straight into Helga. "And I want your honest evaluation."

Helga sighs and replied. "To be honest mi lord... Denki is too green to lead." Helga answered, making sure to meet Heracles' gaze. "He's way too passive and cautious on his approach, and it feels like he's carrying a huge chip in his shoulders, like he has something to prove."

"Hmmm..." Heracles nodded, and urges Helga to continue.

"He's a good fighter don't get me wrong, talented to a tee, and I'm honest enough to admit that he is more talented than me when it comes to pure fighting, and martial prowess. But that's just that. He is way to inexperience to see when to attack and when to defend, he always prioritize defending which makes our progress slow, like he is afraid to make a mistake."

Helga took a breath before she continues. "I understand that he doesn't want us to get killed by making the wrong decisions, but we know the risk of diving in the dungeon, and to be perfectly honest, it makes our fight rigid and unnatural." she finish.

"I see... So in short, the pressure is getting to him." Heracles sighed and leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "Pressure can break even the strongest of wills. Denki needs guidance and support, not just from me but from the entire familia. And I trust you Helga to be that pillar for Denki."

Helga nodded, her eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and frustration. "With all due respect, mi lord, I've been an adveturer for two decades. I've faced countless challenges in the dungeon. I should have been the acting captain with my experience."

Heracles regarded her seriously. "Your experience is invaluable, Helga, and I recognize your dedication. However, leadership isn't solely about experience. It's also about potential and growth. Denki possesses the potential to lead, and I want you to guide him, to channel your experience into helping him become a capable leader that I already know that you are."

Helga was taken aback, she expected Heracles to down right say no to her, but not only did the god acknowledge her experience, he even gave her a reason why he made the decision to employ Denki into the acting captain.

Heracles stood up and walked towards Helga, he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I understand your sentiments, Helga. I chose Denki not to undermine your capabilities but to challenge him and allow him the chance to grow. I trust your judgment, and that's why I'm entrusting you to support him, to be the guiding force he needs."

Helga looked up at Heracles, her eyes reflecting a mix of determination and acceptance. She knew that her god had a point, and she respected his decision even if it challenged her expectations.

"I understand, mi lord," Helga said, her voice steady. "I will do my best to guide Denki and help him become the leader our familia needs. I won't let you down." She took deep breath and continue. "But if I see him faltering, if I see our familia in real danger, I won't hesitate to step in and take charge." she said, looking straight at Heracles' eyes.

Heracles nodded, acknowledging her resolve. "That's all I ask, Helga. Your loyalty and experience are our pillars of strength. Use them wisely, for the sake of our familia."

With a final nod, Helga left Heracles' office, her mind resolved. She would support Denki, but she would remain vigilant, ready to step in if the situation demanded it. As she walked out, she felt the weight of her responsibility settle upon her shoulders. The challenges ahead would test her patience, but she was determined to lead her familia through them, even if it meant taking charge when necessary.

And so, with a mixture of determination and acceptance, Helga prepared to face the trials alongside Denki, her experience and wisdom ready to guide their familia through the darkest depths of the dungeon.

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As Heracles saw Helga off, the door in his office flung open, and Hestia barge in.

"Yeah come in, don't mind me." Heracles tone was sarcastic as Hestia just rolled her eyes.

Hestia plopped at the vacant seat, her face was all scrunched up, which made the god of strength smile at how the goddess looked like a little kid who lost her toy.

"So I take it Bell is alright now?" Heracles asked as he pours himself a drink.

"More than alright, the child is practically beaming right now!" She responded as she took the glass out of Heracles' hand and chugs the content of it.

"And your in a bitchy mood because of that?" Heracles asked confused.

"Shut it you muscle headed gorilla!" Hestia angrily snapped, slamming the glass on Heracles table. "More! I need alcohol."

"You know us gods can't get drunk right? Not unless we drink an amount that would usually kill a mortal." Heracles chuckled as he poured another fill for Hestia.

Hestia just glared at him, she then sighed deeply. "Hey... You remember what we talk about yesterday, about Bell receiving a skill?"

Heracles nods, urging Hestia to continue. "Well, it seems like that skill is even more unique than what I thought it was... Bell status just jump from I to F in just a day after receiving that skill." Hestia said, her voice serious. "And I'm sure it's because of that Wallen-somthing girl!"

Heracles practically leaped up from his chair, his eyes bulged at the revelation. "Impossible! E-even August who is wielding a Theïkó óplo isn't anywhere near that fast!"

Hestia gulped another glass, hoping for some kind of placebo effect to take place. "I just updated his status... All of it jumped from double digits, some even from 0 to practically 300."

Heracles couldn't even say a word, his mouth hanged wide open, sweat started to pool up his forehead. "T-this is unprecedented... If words of this come out, the other gods will do everything in their power just to have Bell in their hands."

"That's why I'm here..." Hestia tone became somber, she stared at Heracles pleadingly. "I-I... I want you to take Bell into your familia... He will be much safer with you than w-"

"No." Heracles cut her off before she could even finish her sentence. His eyes glared at Hestia, a look of disappointment apparent in it. "He is your child, your responsibility. I will not be taking in Bell Cranel off your hands."

"But you said it yourself!" Hestia stood up, her face scrunching as she growled at the god of strength. "The other gods would do everything in their power just to g-"

"And your being selfish!" Heracles voice firmly cut her off. "Does that child have anything to say with your decision?" Heracles leaned in closer towards Hestia, on which the goddess dodged his stare. "Selfish to a tee... And here I thought you gaining a child would change that." his tone was a bit mocking making Hestia bite her lips.

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW?! HUH?!!" Hestia angrily yelled. "I-I can't lose him Heracles... Sooner or later this news will reach the ears of the other gods... And they will come for him." tears started to well up at her eyes. "You have experience with dealing with this problem, remember when you had just arrive and everyone wanted a piece of August? I-I am not as powerful as you, not as feared, I'm the butt of many jokes for us gods. You on the other hand command fear and awe... They'll never touch Bell as long as he is with you."

"Idiot!" Heracles lightly punched Hestia on her head, making the goddess wince and yelp. Heracles just chuckled at her reaction, as he gently pats her on her head. "You forgot one major detail..." Heracles smirked. "You're living here with me, which makes you under my protection... And Bell doesn't have to be a part of my familia, I will protect him as well. Honestly, you're too fucking stupid to be a god."

"...." Hestia sniffed, she roughly wiped the tears that were forming in her eyes.

"Seriously... How fucking slow can you be?" Heracles chuckled. "Bell is your child, and he will forever be your child... No god will ever change that as long as I'm around. If they do..." Heracles smiled sinisterly. "Well they'll just have to face my wrath."

Hestia hugged Heracles, her lips quivering into a smile, she's a bit pissed for being called slow and an idiot by him, but she was thankful for her friend. Heracles just smiled and pat the goddess in the head, but his mind is in turmoil.

'Looks like another monster is coming in Orario...' He thought to himself, a slight smirk forming on his lips. 'Hurry and wake the fuck up now August... You're gonna miss something interesting if you keep on sleeping like an idiot.'

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Days passed, and with it a bunch of interesting things had happened, Helga after her talk with Heracles became much more receptive with Denki's order, sure they were still butting heads from time to time, but not to a point where she'll question Denki mid fight, in doing so Heracles familia had finally passed the floor 27th barrier that was stopping their progress.

They were even able to make it to floor 32, which was an achievement, especially since they only have eleven members where only two are level 3.

Hestia in the days that passed became extremely busy as well, due to wanting to support Bell with the best of her ability, she swallowed her pride -Not that she had one to begin with- and went to Heracles to ask for help, asking the god of strength for money to buy Bell his first quality weapon. Heracles who had know Hestia for years smiled at her with the most sincere smile the god had ever done... And refuse.

He knew full well that if he lends Hestia money, that it would be as good as gone.

Hestia of course threw a tantrum, but Heracles quickly shut her up by threatening to kick her out if she continues to act like a spoiled child. So with a heavy heart. -And after throwing a bunch of insult towards Heracles (behind his back of course)- she went to her second option.. Hephaestus.

And with it she had cry her way for a weapon, personally made by Hepheastus herself, a weapon that Hepheastus created with using the Theïkó óplos as an inspiration, a unique weapon. Hephaestus created it by using a strand of Hestia's hair and blood. It has the same status as the wielder and can only be wielded by a member of the Hestia Familia, a weapon that grows with it's wielder, like the Theïkó óplos.

Such a weapon of course, did not come cheap, it cost a wooping 200,000,000 Valis, and it is to be paid off on a 35 year loan with 420 payments, and for that Hestia now has to work for Hephaestus. But the goddess didn't care, as long as she can give Bell the weapon that he deserve.

She called and named that weapon... The Hestia Knife.

There was also the event on which monsters escaped, as Orario with Ganesha on the lead organized another monster feria, it was done to make the public forget about the amphitheater incident. But on the day of the celebration, multiple monsters had escaped, luckily, Ganesha and his familia was fast enough to capture most of the monsters, with the other adventures taking care of the rest, but alas, one monster had been tampered with, that monster was a silver back.

It dodged other adventurers and manage to roam free on the streets of Orario, and it has a target, a certain white haired adventurer.

Bell was able to kill it due to the knife Hestia gave him, the adventurer made a connection with the weapon, making it truly his.

The failed event should have been the highlight of Orario, but it paled in comparison to what came next.

The news that shook Orario, came from Bell... At only a month and a half, Bell was able to break the level 1 barrier, the fastest recorded time for an adventurer to reach level 2.

The news made the gods salivate, wanting the young adventurer for themselves, just as Hestia and Heracles predicted. But there was a contingency, as Heracles made it clear at the Denatus, that Hestia, and her familia is under his protection. Not only that, but Buddha also chimed in, saying that if they touch Bell, he will unleash Arthur to all of them, making the gods sweat. -He was only joking of course.- But the joke did not fly well with the other gods, especially Thor, who was still at odds with his two blood brothers, especially Buddha. At the same denatus, Bell had earned his very own alias... "The Little Rookie"

There was also a debacle with the young Pallum girl who had gotten close to Bell, named Liliruca Arde or Lili for short, and the Soma familia. But with the help of Denki and the rest of Heracles familia, Bell was able to hide her within Heracles manor. Denki at first was hesitant, he recognize Lili from his experience in the past, but Bell was able to convince him, and Denki was just to nice to begin with.

And along the way, a blacksmith by the name of Welf Crozzo joined Bell's party, he liked bell due to him being an innocent and pure boy, not wanting to befriend him due to his talent in creating magic weapon and Crozzo name, but to genuinely wanting to be his friend, he created a personal weapon for Bell, A crimson blade created from half of the Minotaur's Horn, it also has a slight fire element. Welf had named it Minotan but Bell pleaded the young blacksmith to change the name, after a long banter, Welf finally relented and the red dagger is now called, Ushiwakamaru.

A small party was made, with Bell, Lili, and Welf. The three of them are venturing to the dungeon together, forming a three-man cell.

And in a blink of an eye, about 3 months and a half had passed since the amphitheater incident.

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Bell, along with Lili and Welf are being surrounded by a mob of monsters at the middle floor of the dungeon. Multiple almiraj had spawn near their area, and the three of them are having their hands full.

"There's too many of them! I can't even get a proper breather!" Welf growled as he slammed his greatswored, killing multiple monsters in the process.

"There's no end in sight!" Lili used his crossbow to shot the white rabbit monsters at their feet, incapacitating them for Bell to finish then off.

Bell just silently killed the monsters, moving so quickly that they couldn't even keep up with him. "Just a little bit more!" He encourage his party just as he stab one of the almiraj straight through it's head.

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In the other side of the corridor, another adventurer party are running for their lives, they are the adventurers of the Takemikazuchi familia.

Their captain Kashima Ouka, carries on his back an injured Hitachi Chigusa, and not far from them are a mob of Hellhounds, chasing them with the intention to kill.

"Hurry! We need to make it to the surface and lose the hellhounds!" Yamato Mikoto, a level two adventurer urged her teammate to move faster.

But before she could continue, she stopped in her tracks, her captain was just standing there, unmoving, like a statue.

"What are you doing? We need to move faste-" she paused as she followed the gaze of Ouka. "Adventurers?" she grimaced while muttering. 'This is bad... We can't pass here. If we do, we'll be dooming them.' She thought to herself.

"Mikoto... W-we'll be passing right through them." Ouka face turned ugly as he said those words, shocking Mikoto.

"We can't! We can f-"

"Your life and the life of the familia is more important than those strangers!" Ouka said firmly. Cutting Mikoto off before she can finish her words. "We'll be passing right through them."

Miko to grimaced even deeper, she closed her eyes and forced herself to agree to her captain. "Understood." She said blankly, as much as she hates it, Ouka was right. Their life right now is more important than that of a stranger they don't even know.

With the decision being made, they made a run for it, passing by Bell and his party.

Bell was busy killing another almiraj that pounced towards him, when he noticed multiple adventurers running towards their direction.

He started at them and notice one of them were injured, he quickly gripped his weapon, his intention was to help, Mikoto noticed this and get face became even more ugly, she felt a bitter taste fill her mouth. Before Bell could move, Lili's voice cuts through the air.

"SHIT!!! WE'RE TRAP!!!" She screamed, panic apparent on her voice. "IT'S A PASS PARADE!!!"

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-At the surface in Heracles manor.

A young boy, 15 years of age, was sleeping peacefully, that was of course the first thing that would come in mind if you saw him in his state.

But the boy in question had been sleeping for over 3 months now. For 3 months he had been lying, unmoving on his bed, he was not injured, nor was he sick. The healers had made sure of that.

Unmoving, he lays flat... Until today. For the first time in 3 months and a half, August Kaiser moved. His fingers twitched, a small movement sure... But that movement was enough to send ripples of mana all throughout the Heracles manor.

Heracles who was busy arranging paperwork in her office suddenly felt the hair at the back of his head stood, a prickly sensation was clinging to his skin.

His eyes bulged, he recognize this mana, how could he forget? This mana belongs to the first child he ever invited to his familia.

"August!" Heracles stood up from his seat, a huge grinn plastered on his face. He quickly moved, exciting his office, practically running towards August's room.

Any pretenses of holding back was thrown out the window, the door on August room was pulled off it's hinges when Heracles entered. But the god didn't care one bit, his eyes darts towards the direction of August.

The ripples of mana became stronger and stronger, the closer you are the more intense it was, and when Heracles laid his eyes on his child, he saw steady stream of red lightning, crackling all over the boy's body. The smile on his face grew even larger. "Well it's about damn time!" He happily exclaimed. "You have missed way too many interesting event... August."

And in that moment, August's eyes opened, his mana shaking the entirety of the house. The red lightning burst out, scorching the walls of his room. He sat up from his bed, and looked at the direction of Heracles. "Hey old man... Got any food? I'm fucking starving!"

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Chapter 98 is done now, how do you guys like the story so far?

Btw sorry for not updating on Wednesday, Well you probably all know the reason why, being a Filipino, Nov. 1 is a big deal for us. It is a time where we visit put dearly departed, and a time where our families mostly gathered together. So as compensation, here's a long chapter that's about two chapters long.

Please leave a comment, a review and feedback so I can improve on writing this fanfic. every little thing helps as it allows me to see your preference on things and would help me write a better fanfic for you all to enjoy.

thanks for picking up this fanfic. hope you guys like it.

good day, love y'all.