[97] The Black Swordsman

"But I don't have any valis right now..." Bell frowned as he spoke.

"If you don't have valis, I do." When the topic turned to money, Aiden flashed a confident smile. "I don't need to earn valis; valis finds its way to me on its own."

"Huh? Senpai, are you going to buy it for me? You've already helped me so much; I don't want to trouble you further." Bell immediately objected upon hearing Aiden's offer.

"Consider it an investment from our familia in you. You can pay it back once you earn enough. Or do you want to oppose my decision?" Aiden asserted with the authority befitting a captain, partly to satisfy his own mischievous nature and partly to aid Bell, the temporary heir, in becoming stronger.

After Bell and Aiden finished bathing, they followed Aiden to the fourth floor of Babel Tower.

"This... this is amazing." Stepping into the fourth floor, the naive country boy Bell was immediately awestruck by the luxurious decorations.

"Senpai, are you really going to buy equipment for me here? Shouldn't we go somewhere else?" Guided by Aiden, Bell approached one of the shops displaying a signboard labeled Ήφαιστος, and through the window, Bell saw splendid one-handed swords and their corresponding high prices, causing him to hesitate.

"Of course we're buying here. Didn't I already say so? Or are you worried I don't have valis?" Aiden smiled with satisfaction.

"Um, Senpai, why would you not have valis?" Upon hearing Aiden's words, Bell immediately remembered the miraculous experiences of yesterday and today.

Just like yesterday, valis was found along the way, and despite killing kobolds, Bell only received Magic Stones while Aiden almost always obtained materials.

Aiden's luck completely convinced Bell, so he didn't say anything more.

"In that case, Senpai, please help me choose. I trust your skill and experience." Bell nodded, smiling.

"I was thinking the same thing." Aiden replied bluntly, without hesitation.

At that moment, the shop door suddenly opened from the inside.

"Welcome, what kind of weapon are you looking for today?" The attendant in uniform smiled as she opened the door.

"Oh, Hestia, good afternoon. Have you had lunch?" Aiden greeted in a distinctive manner.

"Not yet." Hestia replied with a smile, squinting her eyes.

"Hah? Aiden-kun and Bell-kun, what brings you here?" Hestia instinctively replied, then blinked her round eyes, realizing they were two members of her familia.

"We're here to help Bell buy equipment~ Since you haven't eaten yet, how about we have lunch together later?" Aiden explained with a smile.

"Alright, Aiden-kun." Seeing Bell in his ragged beggar attire, Hestia nodded and ushered Aiden and Bell inside.

"So, Bell-kun, what weapon do you need? Another dagger, perhaps?" Hestia asked directly, glancing at the Roman short sword and dagger on Bell.

"Senpai said he'd help me choose. You can ask senpai, Hestia-sama." Bell replied calmly, facing not a stranger but their goddess.

"Bell now uses a one-handed sword, so he's switching to dual swords now." 

"Did Aiden-kun teach Bell-kun swordsmanship?"

"Weren't you the one who said I must properly teach Bell? So I taught him swordsmanship." Aiden explained in response to Hestia's inquiry.

Hestia nodded and led Aiden and Bell to a glass display case.

Inside were numerous exquisite and ornate one-handed swords.

From first-class weapons used by Sword Princess, priced in the tens of millions of valis, to second-class weapons worth millions of valis, and third-class weapons costing less than a million valis, everything was available.

Of course, these prices paled in comparison to Bell's special knife, Hestia Knife, a growth-type artifact handcrafted by Hephaestus herself, valued at a staggering two hundred million valis.

Taking cues from Kirito's Dark Repulser and Elucidator, Aiden helped Bell choose two third-class swords.

Both swords were predominantly black with intricate designs, adorned with the Ήφαιστος emblem, emitting a radiant glow that spoke of their exceptional craftsmanship.

Afterward, Aiden's group assisted Bell in purchasing a new set of clothing and armor. They then enjoyed a simple meal at the guild's second-floor restaurant.

Emerging from Babel Tower, Bell was no longer the same. He looked almost like a mini version of Aiden himself.

Persuaded by Aiden's reasoning that black makes one appear more mature and powerful. Bell shed his beggar attire for a modest yet magnificent black overcoat. His plain autumn attire was replaced by a finely crafted black shirt, with his pants and shoes also aligning with Aiden's style, though black remained the primary color.

Over the armor, he wore lightweight black scale chest plates, shoulder guards, wrist guards, and leg guards, protecting vital areas without hindering his agility.

At his waist hung the two third-class swords Aiden had helped him choose.

Now, with a wig and colored contact lenses, and without the armor, Bell could easily cosplay as Kirito, voiced by the same voice actor, at anime conventions.

"That's right, from now on, you are Bell the Black Swordsman."

Aiden grinned with satisfaction, patting Bell's shoulder. "I'm heading to the middle floors now. From here on out, you'll have to rely on yourself in battle. Of course, if you prefer not to go alone, you can always find a supporter to accompany you. Remember what I've taught you, and strive to grow stronger!"

"So soon?" Bell felt a twinge of unease at the thought of venturing into a district dungeon alone.

"I've taught you everything I can. Now it's up to you. You should already have realized that, right? For the sake of your dreams."

"I'll work hard to get stronger, Senpai! You can count on me." Bell said firmly, his brow furrowed in determination.

"That's the spirit. I'm off to buy camping supplies now. Well then, see you later, Bell." Aiden gave Bell's shoulder a gentle pat before turning away.

...

The next morning, Aiden had camped overnight in the dungeon itself, while Bell now walked alone in the plaza before the dungeon entrance.

"Onii-san, Onii-san, handsome onii-san with white hair." A voice called out, seeming to hail Bell.

"Huh?" Bell turned to look in the direction of the voice, but all he saw were adventurers coming and going, none fitting the description of the voice.

"Onii-san, down here, I'm down here." The voice sounded again.

Bell followed the sweet voice and looked down, finally spotting a small girl.

___

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