CHAPTER 39(Team Bonding)

Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)

Discord: https://discord.gg/K7f8qGpvuk

pat.treon: https://www.pat.reon.com/Keanu_Eugene if you want to support me and get some additional content etc. Remove the "." and spaces or just search Keanu_Eugene on the site.

CHAPTER START---

---Dungeon floor 15...

Walking down the tunnel leading to floor 15 both Yang and Welf can be seen casually chatting as they descend further into the dungeon.

Yang: "Hahahahahah, dude, remind me never to let you name my stuff hahaha."

Welf: "HEY IT'S NOT THAT BAD!"

Yang: "Yeah yeah I'm sure he wants a great hammer named cherry blossom dawn."

Welf: "THE NAME FIT THE WEAPON!"

Yang: "Hahahahaah. Yeah, you aren't naming my stuff."

Welf: "So what's the name of your gear then huh, oh great namer of things?"

Yang: "Haven't named any of it, all this stuff is temporary till the boss gets done making my more permanent stuff."

Welf: "C'mon you've gotta at least give it something, it's the least you can do, equipment protects your life. Treat it with respect."

Yang: "Jeez fine, fine just don't start crying, it's made of refined composite hellhound parts and other alloys so, Reinforced Hellhound plate armor. Done."

Welf: "I'd of gone with Shining Hellhound Defense Plate Armor, but sure."

Yang: "Add that to the pile of reasons you aren't naming my things."

Welf: "Yeah you say that now but if I'm our team's smith then we'll see how long that lasts."

Yang: "Shhh, movement ahead."

As Yang gave this command Welf draws his greatsword and takes his battle stance. Yang slowly took the lead as he peaked out of the tunnel to the lower floor before walking forward into the cavern. With a bored expression, he looks back at Welf and addresses him.

Yang: "It's just some minotaurs, nothing big."

Welf: "JUST some minotaurs?" Mild confusion in his voice at Yang's wording.

Yang: "What?"

Welf: "Uh-huh, looks like 3, so what's the plan?"

Yang: "You wanna fight them yourself or..."

Welf: "Or?"

Yang: "Yeah just stay behind me."

To Welf's surprise, Yang proceeded to snap his fingers drawing the attention of the monsters as he strolls towards them. As the monsters grew closer his footsteps halt however as he goes into a slow crouch before dropping and slapping his palms onto the floor.

Yang: "FLAME WAVES!"

Suddenly roaring, rolling, 10ft tall waves or yellow-orange flames burst forward and begin moving as if to drown the monsters. Behind Yang, Welf can be seen frozen stiff as he takes in the strength of his new teammate. As the waves subsided Yang got off the ground and cut the supply of magic from the attack, as the flames dissipated to scorched bedrock, and in some places, even molten rock was revealed as the floor of the dungeon.

Quickly rising to his feet Yang looked back at Welf before walking forward towards the other side of the cavern. Stopping a moment later he realized Welf had yet to move so he turned back to check on him.

Yang: "You ok?"

Welf: "The floor."

Yang: "What?"

Welf: "It's nearly molten, can't walk across."

Yang: "Oh, my bad" He awkwardly grins at his ally.

---Dungeon Floor 16...

Welf can be seen picking smalls plants off the walls of the dungeon as Yang keeps an eye out for any monsters.

Welf: "So, flame waves?"

Yang: "Yup, the fire that moves like water, felts like a good name."

Welf: "Mmm it's, appropriate. So why didn't you just do that on all the floors? You punched and kicked most of the way down here. Could have saved us time."

Yang: "I wanted to get some practice without my Mage Armor or AMP boosting me. Just in case it comes in handy in the future, what safer place than the upper floors right."

Welf: "That's smart, you aren't what I was expecting you know." He says while stowing another herb into his satchel.

Yang: "Uh, thanks?"

Welf: "It's just that, well everyone is calling you 'The Prodigy' and 'The Elementalist', and I've seen you fly. Easy to assume you have an ego or something I guess."

Yang: "Hahaha, well, I probably would if I knew what any of it was worth. I've been noticing I don't really know much about the world. Seeing as I don't remember anything before the week I arrived at Orario."

Welf: "What, sorry I didn't know."

Yang: "Nothing to be sorry for, but yeah it's easy to stay humble when you don't know how the world works, most I know is I've been breaking records left and right. And my magic is 'Weird' according to a friend of mine."

Welf: "Yeah that's for sure, Hephaestus said your like a strong sword that doesn't know how big battles can get but just likes to fight."

Yang: "Huh, yeah that seems accurate. But I just really like fighting, it feels natural, feels free to just have my magic flowing through me. So what about you Mr. Magic Swordmaker huh."

Welf: "Ugh, I'd rather not talk about that."

Yang: "No problem, honestly as long as it doesn't get in our way of clearing the dungeon, your business is your own."

Welf: "Mhm, thanks I appreciate that. Hahaha, really wish more people thought like that. So why'd you join Hephaestus anyway?"

Yang: "Woke up with designs in my head, she's the best smith so who else."

Welf: "So you woke up with plans in your head and only that, and decided to risk your life in the dungeon, and jump into the dungeon every chance you get. Uh-huh."

Yang: "Well when you put it like that it won't make sense! I just, it feels right to be down here, clearing the floors, using my magic, getting stronger. I can't explain it but it just feels right."

Welf: "Like when your hammer falls into that rhythm when making a sword, yeah I get it. Just remember the world is on the surface not down here. I've got everything from these floors, now just gotta get some ore and herbs from the safe zone and we're done."

Yang: "Alright let's go."

---Dungeon Floor 18...

Leaning against a tree in a small clearing Yang can be seen reading a book as Welf inspects different plants nearby searching for the requested items.

Welf: "You know this would go faster if you looked too."

Yang: "I'm already carrying the ore."

Welf: "It's in your magic storage, you aren't even holding them."

Yang: "Focus on the plants, not on me."

Welf: "Sigh fine, but I meant what I said you know."

Yang: "I don't know it's kinda hard to believe anyone would just let you join their familia without you having to make even 1 of those magic swords, even Hephaestus."

Welf: "Yeah well our goddess is amazing, of course, her kindness extends that far. One day I'll make something beyond the stupid swords and really impress huh."

Yang: "Uh-huh, all out of gratitude?"

Welf: "...Of course."

Yang: "You hesitated." Looking up from his book, his gaze locked on Welf's movements.

Welf: "No I didn't!"

Yang: "Look, man Hephaestus is a babe so you've got good taste at least, aren't there rules against gods and humans though."

Welf: "N-no."

Yang: "Well at least you checked."

Welf: "... Look, Yang I-"

Yang: "I won't say a word man."

Welf: "Thank you."

Yang: "Now hurry up and find that plan thing so we can go, I don't feel like camping tonight."

Welf: "Yeah on it."

---Tower of Babel, Hephaestus Office...

Hephaestus: "All done in a day, well done."

Welf: "Thank you Hephaestus."

Yang: "Anything else you need or can I go into the dungeon now?"

Hephaestus: "That's all, you can go whenever you'd like."

Yang: "Right, you can call me if I'm needed or when Thalie is here."

Hephaestus: "Alright, off you go then, Welf, you stay."

Yang: "Good luck man hehe."

Welf: "Mmmmm."

Yang quickly exits the room leaving Hephaestus, Welf, and Tsubaki behind.

Hephaestus: "I've got a big project coming up Welf, want in?"

Welf: "Uh, um, you mean like, me and you?"

Tsubaki: "It's a 3 person effort really, at least if we want it done in time."

Welf: "Oh, well yeah I'm still in." He says with a deflated look.

Tsubaki: "Awe don't look so down."

Welf: "Whatever."

Hephaestus: "It's armor, Yang's armor."

Welf: "His armor needs more than you?"

Hephaestus: "Not exactly, it's just that it requires multiple forges, Fire/Lightning, water/cold, and earth/wind. It has to be resistant internally to all of those simultaneously. The actual plating is easy but this is the hard part, 3 simultaneous forges to layer the pieces together perfectly."

Welf: "Seems unnecessary to have that many resistances don't you think?"

Hephaestus: "He's already been through sets of regular hellhound gear and a few swords. You've seen him fight right."

Welf: "Only a little bit."

Tsubaki: "Look the kid eats through equipment like it's all cheap cloth, this Amphisbaena gear is the best bet at something that will actually last, we've only got enough for one set and if it isn't layered perfectly then some of the resistances won't be as effective. With a name like "The Elementalist," you can imagine how bad that is."

Welf: "So he actually has more than just fire, damn. Well of course I'm in, so when do we start."

Hephaestus: "RIght now, you ready?"

Welf: "For you, always."

Tsubaki: "Haha, ok calm down lover boy, let's get to work."

END CHAPTER---