Chapter 3

The One-Black Dragon. 

The Beast that she wants to kill.

The Monster that took her parents away from her. 

The Black Flames within her heart were burning more intensely than ever before. 

She will have her vengeance or…die trying. The pain of losing her parents to its merciless rampage fueled her determination to seek vengeance, even if it meant sacrificing her own life in the process.

The Expedition were standing in front of Orario's gate. Different Level Fives and Sixes from different Familia's coming together to fight and hopefully kill the One-Eye Black Dragon. 

It's been days since it's awakening and the strangest part being is that it is staying in one place. From the reports we received from Gods outside of Orario to theorize the monster was sleeping in the mountains near Preblica. No other towns or cities have been reported to be destroyed. 

A small mercy from the Gods above.

"Ais!" An innocent voice called out to her. 

Bell Cranel was the one thing that brought a glimmer of light into her dark world. Despite her burning desire for revenge, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope whenever she heard his voice or saw his smile.

Yet she could not face him. Not now with the knowledge that they might never see each other again. She knew that if she were to confront him now, she would not be able to hold back her pain and sorrow. 

"Miss Ais please," Leyfia called out to her and once again she ignored them. 

 Ais Wallenstein's opinion on Lefiya was that of a little sister. Similarly to Bell Cranel, her opinion on the half-elf she cared for deeply and whom she trusted. She would never want to hurt Lefiya's feelings, so she chose to keep her emotions in check and not confront him.

She thanked the Gods above that the expedition to slay the One-Eye Black Dragon was for level fives and higher. She was relieved that Lefiya would be safe at home while she went to fight the dragon. Because if Bell lost her it hurt him even more. 

It's a terrible thing to lose your family. 

Ais look around to the Adventurers who are saying goodbye to their friends and family. Sadness could be felt by everyone 

"Brrh!" 

Ais looked out at Orario's gates as did everyone. Meaning someone from the outside was opening them. 

A man was running through the gates, a human guard. He had wide eyes filled with tears, and a white letter was grasped in his hands.

The man as he ran inside the city with a mad pace, his tear-stained face gleaming with disbelief and an idiotic smile filled with joy on his lips.

"It's over! It's dead!" The man was screaming at the top of his lungs, unfazed by the looks everyone was throwing at him. He waved the latter in his hands, leaping and jumping in elated disbelief as the Ganesha Familia ran toward him to stop him. "The Empire has sent another letter! The King of Monsters has been killed!"

"The Dragon is dead!" The man repeated once more

What?

(***)

I opened my eyes to see a familiar ceiling. A far to familiar ceiling. Why couldn't I have just died? I looked around to see that I was in a bed with blood stained bandages over my body.

Getting up was difficult which wasn't surprising. Yet I fought through the pain, each movement made my body feel as if it was on fire. I barely got out of my bed before falling to the ground. 

"Dammit. Seven years since I was injured. Guess my pain tolerance took a hit." I said 

As I used the stand next to my bed to get back up I looked around the room. Books line up on my bookshelf filled with stories of heroes of old. A toy chest that has seen better days that still holds all the wooden weapons I used to play with.

I stumbled towards the closest to find clothes that seemed to fit me. I chuckle quietly that the Old Hag hasn't changed at all. Still has the obsessive interest in taking care of her Familia even if I'm the only one left. I put the clothes on slowly and once done I begin walking towards the hallway.

As I walked through the hallways memories began to enter the front of his mind.

Of the Old Hag chasing me down the hallways because I didn't want to take a bath. The delicious food we ate together. Reading stories until I fell asleep.

My childhood was by no means perfect but it was a good one all the same. As he entered the living room he saw the Old Hag.

She has big, captivating, and beautiful eyes and soft white skin. Her hair was deep violet braided with gold and silver ribbon weaved in. She wore a simple dress that any country woman could get but even in such a low-grade dress, she made it look divine. She was watery and some plant on the windowsill unaware of him.

"Uhm." I coughed into his hand. The Old hag looked up and she dropped the water onto the floor.

"Ashton!" The Old Hag yelled as she ran up to him with her arms open wide. Ashton opened up his arms for a hug only to be blindsided by the Old Hag going for his cheeks.

"YOU DAM BRAT! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW WORRIED I WAS!! 7 YEARS OF NO CONTACT AND SUDDENLY YOU APPEARED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE UNCONSCIOUS!!!" The Old Hag yelled into my ears as she continued to pinch my cheeks.

I broke free of the grip and started rubbing his cheeks, "I forgot how vindictive you were, Old Hag." I said which only serves to piss her off even more

"ITS LADY HERA OR ANY VARIANT OF GRANDMA TO YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT!" Hera continued to yell at her grandson

"I see no lady here and vindictive Grandma, equals Old Hag," I said with a straight face only to receive a punch to his face. I only raised an eyebrow at the action as he felt nothing from the punch. While Hera was now on her knees clutching the fist she hitted me with.

I sighed as he bent down and extended his hand to H era's injury, "Heal." I said and a warm green light emitted from my hand to Hera's. After a few seconds she grasped a few times before looking straight at me. 

"You fought and killed the One-Eye Black Dragon didn't you," Hera said quietly and I quietly sighed. 

"Ouranos broadcast the news with Divine Mirrors. The entirety of Tenkai plans to celebrate the death of that monster for an entire month. You missed the first week." Hera said with a distant voice and I felt my heart ache while everyone was celebrating the news that was thought impossible. She probably found my body bloody and bruised, worried to death for him.

"...Why did you choose to fight that monster," Hera asked

"I didn't plan on it. In fact I would have probably ran away if I could have." I said and Hera nodded. She hugged me tight and I returned her hug in kind. 

"Don't worry about me like that ever again." Hera said 

"I promise I won't try to worry you as much." I said and we fell into a comfortable silence.

"Honey I'm home." A loud obnoxious voice calls out from the front door. I looked over to see a man that looked like he was in his late fifties to early sixties. He had a strong build, silver-grayish hair and a beard, Finally his electric blue eyes.

We stare at each in surprise. The man smiled brightly at me as I began processing what was happening. Why was Zeus here and why did he call Granny honey? Zeus couldn't have…but then again I wasn't here for Granny, so maybe… 

No…no..no.nononono 

"Ashton, you are awake!" Zues said and I shaky pointed my finger at him

"Why did you call Granny…Honey?" I asked 

"Well we are married." Zeus said and with that I let go of granny to run outside the house and puked. 

(***)

"So what you are saying is you two are just pretending to be married?" I asked with a hopeful tone.

"Yes you annoying brat you think I would lower myself to sleep with this worthless man." The Old Hag said and I sighed in relief

"You know you two could be a little nicer to me." Zeus said. 

""Not a chance."" The Old Hag and I said at the same time

"Meanies. So Ashton, how did you survive? From the reports we received the Preblica was incarnated to ash in seconds once it woke up. Nobody could have survived that." Zues said and I sighed

"Argonaut and the Tortoise." I said and Zues furring his eyebrows before widening his eyes.

"Ho..w" Zeus and I smirked at him

"During my stay at Alf's Royal Forest I checked their famous library only the Royal family and a select few can enter." I said 

"Please don't tell me you snuck in?" The Old Hag asked and I shook my head

"Access to the library was payment for a job I did for them." I said

"During my time there I studied the concept of Yggdrasil and the countless different worlds on the branches of the World Tree. The infinite worlds and along with the infinite space between them allowed me to create a barrier that prevented me from being scorched from the One-Eye Black Dragon flames." I said 

"So how did you still get injured?" The Old Hag asked while glaring at me

"My barrier was still magic, so the dragon's flame erased it. It would have taken me at least a minute or two to get back up again." I said glaring at the Old Hage

Did she think I wanted to be injured as badly as I did during the fight?

"Man, I wish I could have seen it. The Last Hero and the Tyrant of the Sky fighting in the Finale of the Age of Heroes!" Zeus said and I froze.

Last Hero

What a ridiculous concept. As much as I hate Heroes for their blinding light that blinds everyone to the truth. Tales of Honor, Glory, and getting the Princess only a few of those tales had happy endings. 

How many people died on their path towards becoming a Hero. Too many to count. The Hero was always portrayed as the only one who could save the world, but everyone else was forgotten. 

The Age of Darkness of Orario only came to be because egomaniacs wanted a Hero to do the dirty work of killing the One-Eye Black Dragon. 

I suppose the Bitch and Bastard got what they wanted after all.

"It was not some glorious battle. Just a fight for survival." I said solemnly as I remembered the power of the One Eye Black Dragon. 

"How did you get here?" The Old Hag asked and I shrugged

"The Queen of the Wind Spirits Aria saved me." I said 

"You Met the Sword Champion's Wife!" "Was she as beautiful as the legends said she was!"

The Old Hag and I stared at Zeus with eyes filled with contempt. 

"It's an honest question!" Zeus said 

I told them how Aria saved me. Who mother she was and my plans on completing the task she gave me. 

"When will I be leaving for Orario?" The Old Hag asked 

"How long was I out?" I asked in return

"A month." Zeus said 

"A week or two." I said with a shake of the head.

"Oh when you do go to Orario say hi to Bell!" Zeus said and I freezed

Bell Cranel, my cousin. I had only seen him a few times. The day of his birth, his seventh birthday, and the day I brought the Bastard's corpse to Zues to be buried. Yet one thing was for certain. 

I hated him. 

It was childish hatred and I'm well aware of how pitiful it is to blame my little cousin for things he could control. But when has hatred ever been reasonable?

"No." I said. Zeus frozen and The Old Hag sighed

"You can't blame him for Meteria's death." The Old hag said

"Watch me." I said

"Meteria knew the risks." The Old Hag said

"Yes, I'm well aware of that," I said

"Then why are you hellbent on hating him when you know he's innocent?" The Old Hag asked 

"My reasons are my own." I said as I got up and walked towards my room.

(***) 

"No way…"

Meteria's legs suddenly gave out upon receiving the news. She fell on the bed, her face a mask of scared disbelief. Her body was feeling light and numb for some reason.

"It can't be… it's impossible!" she couldn't believe her hears. She simply couldn't. "H-H-He is a God! T-There's no way you could―"

"Silence! Do you think I do not know that, sister?!" Alfia hissed with a wounded voice, like a snake, her arms trembling in unrestrained rage while she clenched her fists. "This is precisely what I meant when I said it shouldn't have happened!"

The younger sister brought her hands on her face, her eyes wide and stunned.

Once more, silence fell between the two of them.

"…are you really sure?" she asked for the second time. Her voice was so low that it sounded like a whisper. "You're telling the truth, right?"

Despite her better judgment, Alfia smiled in self-mockery. It was a look that did not fit her at all, in Meteria's opinion.

"Of course. Except for him, I've never let anyone touch me. You know better than anyone in our Familia how much I loathe parenthood and… troublesome situations. I wanted to stay safe and avoid every risk," she explained with a disgusted scoff.

"In my moment of weakness I allowed myself to be a key instrument of ruining an innocent life." Alfia said

"What do you mean sister?" Meteria asked

"Gods can't have children but here I'm with a baby of a God in my womb. If the other Gods find out what will happen to him?" Alfia said with a worried look.

Meteria suddenly gained a look of understanding. Gods are not kind. Sure most Gods are kind to their Familia but not to others. Adventurers are the main entertainment to the Gods and ones Familia represents their favorites mortals. They would either convince you to join their Familia's or forced you if you are too weak.

The Hera Familia made a lot of enemies on their way to the top. If word got out that an actual child of a God came to be they would want to know how it happened. The baby's father disappeared and Alfia had no idea how it happened so the only way to find out was to dissect the baby.

While Hera's Familia strength was undoubted and they could rely on Zeus's Familia they wouldn't be able to fight off every God on Tenkai and in Heaven. Sooner or later the child might be taken and experimented on so that Gods can have their own children.

"I'm sorry, my child. I have already proven myself to be a terrible mother." Alfia said as she strokes her womb

(***)

[Labyrinth City of Orario-Central Park-1 week Prior]

The entire city was celebrating.

Clear blue as far as the eye could see. There were a number of white clouds floating here and there like the seeds dotting a fruit. Compared to the summertime, the clouds were higher up and much, much smaller to the eye. A cool breeze blew through the wide-open sky.

The incoming fall weather was pleasant. Perfect weather for a festival.

"Rejoice, people of Orario! We've been blessed with a wonderful news! It looks like even the fickle gods of weather are in a good mood today!"

A god's gentle voice was projected by a magic-stone amplifier, reaching every corner of Orario. The source was at the heart of the city, in Central Park at the foot of the chalk-white tower. It was the place where all eight arteries of the city converged, a place where tens of thousands of people could comfortably gather.

Today, however, the plaza looked different from usual. There were pagoda-like stone towers with altars at their bases erected in the north, south, east and west around Babel ― places of worship.

"At last, at long last, after more than a thousand years in which it has inflicted terror and death over the world, the One-Eyed Black Dragon has perished! The long-awaited fulfillment of the Three Great Quests has finally been completed! Its fangs and fire shall threaten humanity no more!" Hermes's voice carried across the city, while the people of Orario cheered and clapped in joy. "Ganesha, what do you think of it?"

"I AM GANESHA!"

The four tall altars were crowded by countless humans, demi-humans, elves and members of all races, all of them gazing up at the gods and goddesses placed atop each towering structure. Hermes, Ganesha, Demeter, Hephaestus, Freya, Loki, Damia, Hathor, and countless other deities who resided in the Labyrinth City stared down at the crowd with joyous, excited faces and gleaming eyes filled with relief and glee. Each and every one of them wore an expression of pleased satisfaction, dressed in brightly colored clothes and attracting the attention and gazes of all citizens.

Suddenly, Demeter lowered her gaze and took the floor. "A great many things came to pass this past year… many of them frightening, and many of them sad. A year is but an instant for us deities, but I will surely never forget these few shorts months."

There was a desolate tone in her voice. The dregs of grief from all the dark and terrible events that had happened during the previous months and days. Around the city, people's thoughts turned to the uproar at Monsterphilia, the destruction of the red-light district, the armed monsters that appeared on the surface, and various other incidents that had occurred in such a short amount of time. There was no way to deny that it had been a hectic period for Orario; one comparable to the events of the Dark Age from seven years prior.

A momentary hush fell over the entire city. Then, the goddess Freya broke into a smile. She raised her head to look out from the altar, regarding the children staring up at her with an amused smile and a beautiful face.

"And that is all the more reason why we should appreciate this moment," she declared with a seductive voice. "Now, at long last, the Dragon will no longer threaten the world. Humanity is one step closer to the path of glory, leaving only the quest of the Dungeon to be fulfilled before humanity can truly achieve freedom… and peace."

"And that means… that we should all celebrate this moment!" Hermes cut in swiftly, grinning like an excited child as the crowed continued to cheer and cry in joy. "Go forth now, people of Orario! Celebrate this victory with hearts filled with gratitude!"

Ganesha roared his approval with a bellowing cry. "I! AM! GANESHA!"

Excitement bloomed on every face in the listening crowd.

Hephaestus's crimson-colored hair fluttered as she opened her arms wide. "We offer our thanks for the joyous news… and from this moment forward, we declare the opening of the Victory Festival!"

Wooooooooooh!

Cheers rose throughout the city. What sounded like thunderous applause at first turned out to be fireworks set off by the Guild. And judging by the tricolor bursts of flames, ice and lightning blooming overhead, spellcasters from some Familia or another had decided to help out. Tendrils of white smoke rose up into the sky as the roaring display went on. With all the children letting their pent-up excitement come out, Orario was filled with sounds of celebration as the opening ceremony drew to a close. Energy thrummed in the Trading Post and the commercial district, and even in the rebuilt slums of Daedalus Street.

Yet Bell didn't feel like celebrating. Not after what he saw what the news did to Miss Ais, the hollow look that was far more terrifying than the look of hatred. For her hatred was based on the loss of Familia members and the corpses she undoubtedly saw of fellow adventurers.

Bell could understand hatred and fear towards the Xenos. For he was the same, distrusting them because they were monsters. The only thing that prevented him from allowing his views on monsters transferring over to Xeno was Weine. 

Weine and her childlike behavior allowed Bell to understand that the Xeno was a different race from the monsters in the Dungeon. He knew with time and patience the Xeno and the mortals could live in peace. 

So he never once thought of hating Miss Ais nor the Loki Familia for her actions. He understood why she thought the Xeno were just monsters. In fact he wanted to stand by her side even more. The hatred that was consuming her was something that he wanted to save her from. But now that hatred is gone. 

The look on her face when the news of the One-Eye Black Dragon told him everything he needed to know. The source of her hatred was the One-Eye Black Dragon. But he didn't know how the Tyrant of the Sky was the source of her hatred. 

It slumbered for a thousand years ever since the dragon's fight with Albert the Sword Champion. 

What is he missing!? 

Bell's hand curled up in frustration at his own uselessness. 

"Miss. Ais is suffering and I don't know how to help." Bell said in a low whisper.