Chapter Sixteen

"You're improving really fast, Bell..."

Hestia muttered, fidgeting while holding a box wrapped in cloth in her hands before taking a deep breath and unwrapping it, revealing a plain black box. She sat it down on the table and opened it.

I stared down at the pitch-black Dagger, hieroglyphs etched into it meticulously. It looked like my own, the one I was using which was made by welf, the only difference being that it was thicker at the spine and got thinner as it ended at the edge...

My eyes narrowed at the engraving on the sheath that lay below the blade. Hephaestus... Not the symbol of the Familia... just the name...

"I asked Hephaestus to make this dagger for you, Bell. I'm trying to help out in any way I can..."

She smiled and I felt the need to smack her over the head. This blade could not be cheap, it was physically, logically, and rationally impossible.

Did she just put us in a huge ass dept?

Probably.

She grabbed the dagger, using the tip of it to pierce her finger. As soon as her blood came in contact with the blade, sliding down its edge, the Hiroglyphs glowed blue. They were not the same as the enchantments, they felt different, but I don't know in what way...

She looked up at me with a smile and motioned me to come closer and kneel in front of her.

I nodded, taking a step forward and taking the offered dagger as I turned around and crouched, pulling up my shirt.

The room glowed blue yet again and I watched as the Hieroglyphs on the dagger mimicked the glow coming from my back. I would need to study them more and figure out what they did.

I heard a sigh from behind me, followed by a small chuckle.

"I thought it would slow down by now... that Blackhole skill must be doing wonders..."

Hestia muttered and the glow disappeared. She reached over grabbed a paper and pressed it against my back, offering it to me a second later.

I grabbed it and looked at it, not really surprised by the progress.

-

Bell Cranel

Level: 2

•Strength: SS-1000.

•Endurance: SS-1001.

•Dexterity: SS-1003.

•Agility: SS-1001.

•Magic: SS-1002.

•hadow Lurk: S

Magic:

élenchos.

Blaze.

Skill:

Black hole.

-

I need about five hundred more points in each stat to reach EX again, I can go and level up after...

"That dagger grows with the wielder, it has a strand of hair from both of us."

...Ex-fucking-scuse you?!

___

After that disturbing evening, I was heading to the dungeon the very next day, planning on another solo run. Maybe I would check out the city on the 18th floor if I had the time.

It was still morning, so I had a lot of time.

As I neared tower Babel which sat on top of the dungeon entrance, I spotted a group walking toward it again.

Scanning the group, I noticed a patch of blonde hair. Ais, or better known as the sword princess. She looked over at me and our eyes met.

I was planning on turning to the dungeon and going inside without exchanging words, but she waved at me, subsequently causing the rest of her group to look at me curiously.

I could only sigh internally. Great.

I changed my direction toward her and waved back as I walked closer.

___

"So, how far down have you been?"

I glanced at Tiona, one of the two amazons consisting of A high elf, an elf, a human, and a Pallum. An interesting group, in all honesty.

"I have been down to the twenty-fourth floor."

She looked impressed. I did not know why, the monsters down there were not impressive.

"Wow! Didn't you recently turn Level Two? Did you already find a party to go down there with?"

I looked at her weirdly, A level two in this world was more equivalent to level twenty-five, depending on their stats when they leveled up. They needed a party to kill dragonflies, mushrooms, bugs, and lizards?

"No."

I answered simply, not elaborating and earning weird looks from others too. Ais looked over at me curiously and I just continued walking, kicking a rock into a hellhound's mouth, turning it into dust.

Finn, the blonde pallum who had a spear in hand sighed, kicking up the magic stone and dropping it into the bag he held in his hand.

"We should probably exchange all of these at Rivera, the pouch is already full."

He showed off the bag, which was indeed full. I shrugged, I wanted to see the city anyway, and this was basically a pleasant stroll at this point.

"Speaking of pouches..."

Riveria, the green-haired high elf started, looking at my pouch with a pointed gaze.

"Do you usually come here with that small of a bag for magic stones?"

I glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. This could be a good opportunity, I could earn some money if I played my cards right.

I looked over at Finn, extending a hand.

"Mind if I borrow you're spear for a moment?"

Finn raised an eyebrow at me, but his smile remained as he tossed me the spear. Catching it, I open the pouch and point the whole spear into the opening.

"What are you-"

I lowered the spear into the pouch and let got of it, allowing it to be fully submerged into the pouch.

"How did you do that?"

Asked Ais softly, looking at the pouch with curiosity, Everyone else was too stunned to speak.