Bell walked onwards. His muscles involuntarily spasming. His breath coming out in short gasps.
The "Big Wall of Grief" was besides him on the 17th floor. The Goliath had already spawned and been defeated...probably by Loki Familia during their descent.
It was expected. Things would've been more surprising if Goliath was not killed off by them.
Though he could make out from the outlines of the "Big Wall" that it would respawn in approximately three to four days. That would be the time he'd hunt it down alone to level up.
Considering he was not obstructed by other adventurers.
...Now, it was time to rest. He was in high need of some deep sleep. He'd been hunting monsters for seven to eight hours straight without rest.
Bell thought while using liberator to walk like a crutch. His body had already regenerated from all life threatening wounds. Just some small cuts and bruises were in the process of being healed.
His steps took him towards the eighteenth floor, and hopefully the safe town, Rivira.
Though, instead of heading straight towards the town...Bell first decided to wash himself in a stream nearby to clean all the blood and muck from his body.
Honestly, if he went to Rivira as he was right now...He'd probably be mistaken for a monster and be attacked at the gates.
...
..
.
6th Floor of the Dungeon.
"So, Hermes...Why did you say you were here once again?" Goddess Astraea asked while being flanked by Chigusa and Ryuu.
"Haven't I told you before, Astraea? I was asked by an important person to help your child. And I'm pretty interested in him myself." Hermes spoke while looking nonchalantly towards Ouka barreling through monsters. Asfi at Hermes' side.
"You better keep your curiosity to yourself Hermes, I don't want to send you back to Tenkai with my own hands." Goddess Astraea warned with a serious expression.
Chigusa and Ryuu froze at her words. Asfi stopped her steps for a moment. Even Ouka, Mikoto and Welf ahead felt their hearts leap to their throats. Tsubaki even let out a muffled gasp.
Hermes felt sweat bead at his head. His hands moving up in a surrendering motion.
"You're no fun now Astraea. I was just joking...joking. You weren't this hardcore back in Tenkai." Hermes tried to play if off. Yet he knew from her tone that she was serious.
"You better keep your jokes to yourself Hermes. I'm here to save my child, not to hear your dry jokes." Goddess Astraea spoke without a change in expression. Her focus resting entirely on Bell's wellbeing.
"Oof...Alright. Alright." Hermes felt like someone had punched him in the rib at her words. Astraea really seemed to care for her new child.
Well, she was Astraea. He would've been more astonished if she didn't care for her child.
The thing that made him really curious though was the reason why Astraea accepted a new child and even came all the way back to Orario.
He could smell the scent of a secret from a mile away. He had after all picked up a thing or two after being a messenger in Tenkai.
13th Floor of the Dungeon
..."Goddess Astraea, Have a look. Is this Bell's?" Mikoto saw a familiar piece of torn clothing and picked it up. Showing it to Goddess Astraea.
Goddess Astraea took it from Mikoto and held it in her hand. Her grip tight. "Yes...This is Bell's. He probably moved deeper from here."
She identified Bell's torn clothing easily. This was the same article she had bought for Bell on their first day in Orario.
Astraea took a deep breath to steady her turbulent emotions and spoke with composure.
"Let's continue deeper."
She was composed. Only Bell's torn cloth was tightly crumpled between her hand.
...
..
.
Bell walked out of the stream after taking a bath and scrubbing all the dirt and blood away from his body. He further changed into a fresh set of clothes from his now torn sachet. It was torn by the claws of a Ligerfang during his earlier fights.
His steps became light as he heard the sound of the steps of two adventurers. They seemed tired and were heading somewhere.
Bell followed their steps. Already concluding that they were heading for the Rivira Town.
Indeed his guess was correct. After following them for five minutes, they reached a town from where people were going in and out without any excessive caution like adventurers carried on other floors.
He followed behind the two adventurers and passed through the guards at the gates. They were both Level 2 adventurers.
In fact every adventurer here was at least Level 2 and above. Bell could even feel slight danger from some people who were probably Level 3 adventurers.
Bell casually walked through the streets of Rivira. Taking in the stalls and shops set up here. It was absurd to see humanity adapt against the odds and build a mini city here in the dungeon where your life was on the line with every breath.
It reminded him a bit of humanity from another universe where they fought against aliens, machines, horrors and chaos gods across the whole milky way.
All hail the Emperor of Humanity!
Yes, he was talking about *Warhammer 40k*.
Compared to the struggles humans went through there, the Dungeon and One-Eyed Black Dragon were a joke.
He inwardly thanked whoever reincarnated him for sending him to a tame world like *Danmachi*. If he'd been sent to *Warhammer* or *Marvel*, he'd have no place left to cry.
Bell let his thoughts wander while continuing to walk across the main streets of Rivira.
His gaze suddenly snapped forward.
Lo and Behold. Ais Wallenstein was walking towards him from the front. He played it normal and tried to pass her.
Bell walked past her without a change in expression. Yet, his shoulder jerked back as Ais surprisingly held his hand in a sudden and unexpected grip.
"Excuse me, Miss...Do w—" Bell turned to face her and started to speak. But his words were cut short as her slender leg tore through the air without warning, heading for his head.
'Fuck!' Bell cursed inwardly as golden pathways flashed across his mind. His body moved without thought. His neck tilting sideways. His head sliding to touch his shoulder.
Her leg passed through where his head was a moment ago.
"As I thought...You are strong." Her voice resounded in his ears. Her face blank and voice calm.
Bell felt a chill run down his spine as golden pathways flashed frantically across his vision. His body locking up like a cornered beast. [Ittou Shura] started to rumble under his skin.
He tried to pull his hand away from her hold. Yet he couldn't shrug off a Level 5 adventurer even if he wanted.
Her hold was rock solid and didn't even shake at his pull.
Bell really wanted to cry. He'd have to dislocate his wrist to slide it out of her grip and then try to run away.
Just as his eyes flashed with decisive ruthlessness.
Ais surprised him by pulling her leg back and intertwining her fingers with his hand.
She watched his bewildered expression and spoke stoically.
"I'm feeling hungry...Come with me to buy Jagamarukun." She then casually dragged him towards a shop with an expressionless face.
'Ayo, What?' Bell was dumbfounded by her moves.
Did he just get strong armed to a date by the Sword Princess?
Since when did this block of ice get so bold?
Wasn't her biggest kink monster slaying?
Was he hallucinating?
Or overthinking things?
Seems the dungeon had even messed up with his head.