(Getting this chapter out early, so I can get this book out there. Also if you haven't noticed, or didn't know. I'm using many different OCs from my other books. And do please leave some comments.)

Kuino is sitting laying on a pew inside the church. His legs are in the hair and he slowly swings them back and fourth. He's holding a paper that has his current stats on them. His Jade hair is down and laying over his shoulder. His glaive is resting against the back of the pew.

Kuino Indyo

STR  E 401 ---> E 416
Vit E 435
Dex E 435 ---> E 440
AGI D 550 ---> D 578
MAG B 790 ---> A 822

Magic: Fire Ball, Flame Burst, █████████,

丂Ŵㄖℝ? ㄖ? ???ㄖ??

Skills: Magicae venae
Development Ability: Draconis voluntatem - (D)

Kuino sighs. "My magic still outranks the rest of my stats. I really wonder why it's so high, I guess I can't complain that much. Then there's this weird glitch in my magic... It makes my eyes hurt just by looking at it. Though it doesn't seem to be a Magic or a skill, what is it?"

Kuino sets the paper down on his chest and rests is legs down. His elf ears twitch a few times as he hears Hestia yell something down stairs while the sound of smacking is heard and Bell yelling in pain.

Kuino sweat drops a little and his Crimson Eyes stare up to the ceiling, letting his mind wander. 

"Myrhh?" A young Kuino is heard. "Is mama, papa and the others coming home?"

Kuino shakes his head and slaps his checks a few times. "Now's not the time to be sad!" He sits up. "The Monsterphilia is here and it's time to have fun!" He starts to tie up his hair.

The door to the basement opens and Bell walks out as he puts his coat on. Kuino finishes tying his hair and runs over to Bell.

"Bell, we have somehow to go before we get started today." Kuino states

Bell tilts his head in question. "We do?"

Kuino nods.

.

.

Inside the Hostess of Fertility, Bell is apologizing to Mia. Kuino, with his glaive on his back, stands a few steps behind Bell. With Syr a few steps to the side.

"I'm so sorry!" Bell shouts as he bows to Mia. "I'm sorry I ran off the other night without paying for my meal and having Kuino pay for it all!"

Mia sighs. "I appreciate you coming and apologizing for this. Well, if you hadn't, I'd have to come to you to make you take responsibility."

Kuino sweats a little and scratches his cheek.

"I..." Bell bows again. "I'm really sorry about this!"

Syr steps over to Bell. "Please stop apologizing, Bell."

"Yeah, I think Mama Mia gets it." Kuino speaks up.

"I'm just happy you came back." Syr says as Bell straightens up. "You're both going down into the dungeon again today, aren't you two?" Syr pulls out two lunches. "Take these. It's lunch."

Kuino grabs one of the lunches and gives Syr a small bow. "Thank you."

Bell holds up a hand. "Um, I really shouldn't..."

Syr grows a small blush. "Please take it. Won't you...?"

Bell smiles and takes the lunch. "Thanks. I'm happy to take it."

Syr giggles and runs into the kitchen. 

Mia leans towards Bell. "You should appreciate what Syr's done for you. The only reason the hotheads who work here and I forgive you is because she convinced us to, and your a friend of Kuino."

Bell looks down in sadness. "Really...?"

"Kid, you won't get very far as an adventurer by just trying to be cool. Your first priority should be keeping yourself alive. Take Kuino for example, he runs from most everything he encounters."

Kuino waves his hands around as he panics. "I-I don't run from everything. There is just a lot of scary stuff in the dungeon!"

Mia laughs. "They may seem pathetic and get laughed at, but the ones who make it back alive are the real winners." Mia grabs Bell by the shoulders and turns him around. "That's all I'll say, expect if you get yourself killed too easily, I won't forgive you. Now get going! You're in the way!"

Mia pushes Bell over to Kuino, who stops Bell from falling over.

"Yes, ma'am!" Bell responds. 

Bell and Kuino leave the Pub. Kuino waves to Mia. "Bye Mama Mia!"

The two run down the streets towards Babel.

Mia smiles as she watches them run, with Syr and Anya poking their heads out of the entrance of the kitchen. Ryuu watches from the background of the kitchen.

Mia sighs. "Kids these days..." She chuckles.

.

.

.

Inside Ganesha's home the God's Banquet is in full swing.

"Thank you all for coming!" Ganesha calls out. "I am... Ganesha! Seeing so many of my colleagues at this party tonight, I, Ganesha, am filled with the deepest gratitude!"

Many Gods eat and drink as they talk to friends they haven't seen in a while, or just a few days.

Standing at a table and eating some berries is a god with short golden hair, and golden dragon-like eyes. He wears a fancy tuxedo and he hums to himself. He stands at 5'7''.

"Ahh, Dave, my friend." A new voice calls out. 

"Hmmm?" 

Dave looks to the side to see a short God with short white hair and red eyes, and smooth white skin. He has a couple tuffs of hair on his head that look like fox ears. He's wearing a grey hakama with tall geta with white tabi. The sleeves of his haori feature red long eared fox masks. He stands at 4'9''

Dave swallows the berries in his mouth and smiles. "Kōkatsu! It's been a while!"

Kōkatsu reaches Dave and gives him a small bow. "It certainly has, how are you?"

"Oh, pretty good. Though Draco aureus has been really busy lately. A lot of ships are coming in and out of port. Oh, how are things in Frost?"

"Frost is fine, though Bandits are slowly becoming a problem. Do you think I can borrow Golden Arrow for a while. I think the criminal Vault is amongst these bandits. I believe she has the skill to finally catch him."

Dave nods. "Once she comes back from a mission she took, I'll send her to Frost, though Paimon will be with her."

"I can handle that thing. No matter how annoying she can be." Kōkatsu takes a couple berries off Dave's plate and throws them into his mouth. "Though... it's been nearly thirteen years since..." He sighs. "Since we lost him."

Dave grows really sad. "I know, I'm getting close to finding out what happened. His Familia should have easily took down that dragon, and have the strength to take on the Bandits that ambushed them."

"Hmmm, I hope so, I do want to see my dear friend avenged. Though, I'm glad a few of his Familia members survived at least. Still, I can't believe the Father of Dragons and his Familia are gone."

Suddenly murmurs start to pick up around the area, drawing the two Gods attention and they notice Freya walking down some stairs.

"Wow, Freya always looks so pretty." Dave states.

Kōkatsu scoffs. "I don't trust her, I see tell that fake smile and deviousness behind those eyes of hers."

Dave gives Kōkatsu a questioning look. "You said the same thing about your sister."

"Because she's similar!"

Freya looks around and spots a certain goddess "Sneaking" dumplings into a tin to save for later. Freya walks over to Hestia and looks down at her. "Good evening, Hestia."

Hestia panics and stands up, and speaks with a dumpling in her mouth. 

"Freya." Hestia greets and swallows the dumpling.

"Am I interrupting you?" Freya asks.

"I never could deal with you."

Freya giggles. "That's what I like about you."

"Well, you're preferable to... others." Hestia looks past Freya to see Loki running down some stairs.

"Hi, Freya!" Loki shouts as she runs up to Freya and Hestia. "And you, Shrimp!"

Kōkatsu sighs from off to the side. "And her she is."

Freya smiles. "Oh hello, Loki."

"What are you doing here?" Hestia asks Loki.

"What?" Loki questions. "Can't I come without a reason?"

Hestia gasps, but then regains her composure. "Still, this is good timing. Loki, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

Loki leans down to Hestia. "Oh? What do you want to know, Shrimp?"

Hestia frowns for a second. "That Sword Princess in your Familia, Wallen-wahtsit... Does she have a partner?"

Loki becomes unhappy. "Are you nuts? Ais is my favorite. Any guy who comes near her... gets torn limb from limb!"

"Tch."

Hestia and Loki butt heads together, but Freya just smiles and puts a hand on her chin. "You two are getting along very well."

"How do you figure?!" Hestia and Loki shout.

Freya turns to Loki. "By the way, Loki, you seem to be acting very different today." Loki straightens up, which causes Hestia to fall on the ground. "You don't usually wear a dress.

"Well, I heard that a certain little shrimp was coming to this party,-" Loki looks down at Hestia. "-so I figured I'd come and laugh at the poor goddess who can't afford to buy herself a dress!"

"This is why you don't have any friends, dear sister." Kōkatsu calls from the side.

Loki growls and turns to the side. "Shut it, Kōkatsu!"

Hestia huffs as she glares up at Loki. "That's pretty funny. Did you come to be laugh or be laughed at?" She smirks. "I mean, what is up... with that poor, pathetic..." Loki sweats a little and her jaw drops slightly. "CHEST!"

Loki cries out in shock and humility as Hestia does point out Loki's flat chest. While Hestia's large chest bounces slightly as she stands up and laughs at Loki.

.

.

Kuino and Bell enter Babel and prepare to go into the dungeon. They watch as many adventurers climb the stairs up Babel, looking at all the expensive equipment many of them have.

The two start to climb the stairs.

'Haaaa... They all have such good equipment.' Kuino says in thought and he looks down at the simple glaive in his hand. 'Maybe I should cut back on spending a little to save up for a better glaive.'

The two reach the next floor and watch a large box being lifted up by a pulley from the dungeon.

"It's almost that time of year, huh?" An adventurer asks his friend.

"Monsterphilia, huh? Has it really been a year already?"

'I hope it was as good as last year.' Kuino tilts his head as he watches the large box get pulled up.

.

.

Hestia yells in annoyance as Loki pulls on her cheeks as she holds her up in the air. Many other gods, mostly the drunk men, gather around and watch the spectacle. Kōkatsu is sighing while shaking his head, and Dave is cheering on the two.

"I'm so embarrassed to be her brother." Kōkatsu states.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Dave shouts.

"It's Loli Big Boobs versus Loki Flat Chest!" A god states. "I wager ten thousand Valis that Loli Big Boobs wins!"

Another god speaks up. "I wager ten elixirs that Flat Chest does something by accident at the very last second!"

Hestia's chest bounces around as Loki flings her about.

"I wager all my star chips that I'll be doing everything to comfort dear Loki when she staggers away from this!" Another god makes a bet. 

Loki drops Hestia on the ground and starts stomping away. "I'll let you off with just this today!"

"I'll bet I won't even see those tiny little things the next time we meet!" Hestia calls out.

Loki cries as she stomps away. "Shut up, you idiot.

Suddenly a new voice speaks up from behind Hestia. "Were you two at it again?"

Hestia smiles as she turns around to see Hephaestus.

Hestia stands up as she throws her hands in the air. "Hephaistos! I'm so glad you came! I wanted to see you!"

"Me?" Hephaistos asks, then she leans down to Hestia. "I'll warn you now, if it's money you want, I'm not lending you a single valis.

"Excuse me! Do I look like a goddess fishing for handouts from her best friend?"

Hephaistos puts a hand on her hip. "You're one to talk, after you came to freeload with my Familia." Hestia grunts in shock. "And then you come crying to me with 'I don't have money! I don't have a family! I don't have a job!' after I kicked you out! Honestly you should be lucky I pushed Kuino in your direction, I wanted him in my Familia!  So it's only natural that I'd expect you to want something!"

Hestia yells in shock, but then stomps on the ground. "O-okay, yeah, I used to do that. But not anymore! I've gotten another member for my Familia, so it's growing bigger."

"Oh, yeah. With that kid, Bell or whatever. That white-haired, red-eyed human. Well, there are lots of gods that change after they form a Familia."

Someone walks up beside Freya and whispers in her ear.

"Hephaistos, Hestia, if you'll excuse me." Freya starts to leave.

"Leaving so soon?" Hephaistos asks.

"Yes, there was something I wanted to check on, but that's done, now. Besides, I've given the men here all the taste of me they're going to get."

Many of the nearby male gods move away swiftly.

Freya walks off. "See you!"

'Wow...' Hestia says in thought.

"So, what did you want to see me about?" Hephaistos asks Hestia. "And depending on what it is, I may never speak with you again."

"I... I understand." Hestia sweats a little. Then gets down in a Dogeza Pose. "I'd like you to make a weapon for Bell and Kuino!"

.

.

Kuino and Bell stand outside God Miach's shop, looking at the price tags from weapons and other items.

Kuino states at the 800,000 valis price tag for a sword and his eyes dull. 'I'll never be able to buy a nice weapon.'

"Well, if it isn't Kuino and Bell." Miach's voice ring put from behind the two.

Kuino blinks and looks back at Miach. "Hello, Mr. Miach."

"Mr. Miach. Sorry, I know we can't buy one, but..." Bell starts.

Miach chuckles. "There's nothing to apologize for."

Kuino's ears twitch. "Why isn't Mr. Miach at the party for the gods?"

"I've been busy morning and night mixing wares for my little Familia. Bell, Kuino, take these." Miach holds out four vials filled with a light blue liquid. 

"Huh?" Bell holds up his hands. "I couldn't possibly...!"

"I want to, but I can't afford it, Mr. Miach." Kuino scratches his cheek.

"Please, it's just to buy a little good will from a good neighbor." Miach states. "In return, please continue to offer my Familia your patronage."

Kuino grabs a couple vials while Bell grabs the other two. "Thank you very much." Kuino gives Miach a little bow.

Miach smiles at the two teenagers. "Be seeing you two." He walks off.

Inside there's a man with red hair and a blue bandanna around his neck, arguing with a man behind the counter.

.

.

"How long do you plan to keep doing that?" Hephaistos asks to Hestia, who's still in a Dogeza pose inside Hephaistos's office. She is currently sitting at her desk. "I'm busy, and your being here is distracting me. Do you understand?"

Hestia doesn't answer.

Hephaistos sighs and thinks back to a couple hours ago at the party.

---

Everyone watches on as Hestia is in the Dogeza pose in front of Hephaistos.

"Are you kidding me?" Hephaistos asks Hestia. "I don't mean to boast, but do you know how much one of my custom jobs costs?"

Hestia looks up at Hephaistos. "I know it's expensive, but...!"

"Then get the money. Then we can talk." Hephaistos starts to walk off.

Hestia swiftly stands up and runs in front of Hephaistos, then goes back into the Dogeza pose. "It has to be now! Please, Hephaistos! I'm begging you!"

Hephaistos sighs.

----

Hephaistos stares down at Hestia. "Anyway, would you knock that whatever-it-is off? What are you doing?"

"It's called kowtowing." Hestia informs. "Takemikazuchi and Kōkatsu told me about it. They say it's the ultimate trick for apologizing or asking for a favor."

Hephaistos sets her feather pen in an ink well. "All they ever do is butt into things..." she stands up. "Hestia, tell me something. Why are you doing all this?" She walks to the front of her desk and leans against it.

"Because I want to help Bell and Kuino. They're changing! Bell's spotted one goal, and is running along a high, steep path. Kuino has found his path, but keeps bumping into many obstacles along the way. They're both dangerous, that's why I want to help them. To give them strength. To give them a weapon that can clear the way! All I want to do is help them! I just want to support them any way I can. I'm their god, but I haven't been able to do one godly thing for them! I'll never be able to live up to the standards of Kuino's old God."

Hestia clenches her hands. "I hate not being able to do anything..." She starts to shake.

A soft smile adorns Hephaistos' face. "You really are changing, aren't you?" She gets off her desk. "Okay then."

Hestia looks up at Hephaistos, her hair a little messy along with a red mark on her forehead.

"I'll make a weapon. For them."

Hestia grows a large smile. "Arigato, Hephaistos!" She stands up and goes to run towards Hephaistos, but her legs give out, but Hephaistos catches her.

"Just so you know, you still need to pay me for it." Hephaistos states. "No matter how many decades or centuries it takes."

Hestia nods. "Yeah. I understand!"

"But... I guess you don't need to pay for Kuino's weapon." Hephaistos grows a small blush. "It just I need to repay a favor for his old god..." Her blush grows and she whispers. "That darn womanizer dragon!"

Hephaistos lets go of Hestia and goes to her wall of hammers and grabs a special looking one. "So, what does your other boy normally use? I know Kuino uses a glaive, but I also know he uses it to channel his magic... Hmm."

"A knife, but..." Hestia starts. "Hephaistos, are you going to forge them yourself?!"

Hephaistos turns to Hestia. "Of course. This is between you and me. I'm not getting my Familia mixed up in this."

Hestia's eyes shine. "Sugoi! You, the one they called the Divine Artisan back in Heaven, are going to make it for me!"

"Have you forgotten? This isn't Heaven. We can't use our divine powers down here."

Hestia jumps up and down in excitement. "Who cares? Just having it made by you makes me happiest of all!"

Hephaistos walks over to a nearby book shelf, with Hestia following, and she pulls on a book. A few mechanical sounds echo behind the book shelf and it slides to the side.

"Help me with this." Hephaistos orders. "And as my helper, prepare to work hard!"

The hidden room is reveal to be a workshop.

"Sure!" Hestia responds to Hephaistos. "Leave it to me!"

The two enter the forge.

'So... A first class weapon for an amateur who's only been adventuring for half a month...' Hephaistos thinks to herself. 'At least Kuino's been doing it on and off since he was a kid. Guess that Dragon did something right.' She smiles. "Okay, let's see what I come up with."

Kuino is walking outside the Colosseum, waiting for the Monsterphilia to start. He looks around with a smile on his face, his eyes shining with excitement. Suddenly something bumps into him and a soft thud is heard.

"Owie..." A quiet female voice is heard.

"Huh?" Kuino looks down and sees Sophia on the ground. "Miss Sophia?"

Sophia, the girl he met a couple nights ago, looks up at him and smiles. "Kuino!" She jumps to her feet. "It's so good to see you again!" Her left pale golden eye and her right ice blue eye shine in excitement. 

"Are you here by yourself, Miss Sophia?"

Sophia sadly nods. "Everyone else in the Familia was busy, even my sister." Then she smiles. "Now that you're here, would you mind... joining me?"

Kuino nods. "Sure, since Bell isn't here yet, I could join you for a bit."

Sophia grows a large smile. "Yay!" She grabs his hand and drags him away. "Let's go!"

.

.

Loki is sitting on the second floor of a restaurant with Ais beside her, Freya sits across from her, wearing a purple cloak to hide herself. 

"What are you up to this time?" Loki asks. "You making a pass at some other Familia's kids that have caught your interest?" Loki opens her eyes a little. "Damn! All you do is sow the seeds of discord... you perverted goddess!"

Freya smiles.

.

.

Inside Hephaistos' workshop, Hestia wipes her finger over the pure black blade of a knife. Runes light up along the blade and become etched into it. Hestia has her glove in her mouth.

Beside the knife is a glaive with a pure bright silver blade, that has a red and green jewel embedded at the bottom of it, and runes are etched into the blade. The shaft of the weapon is bright red and at the bottom it curves and has a large blue crystal ball floating in the curve. 

"It's finished." Hephaistos informs.

Hestia gasps and her glove falls out of her mouth, then she smiles. Then she jumps up and down in excitement. "You did it! You did it!"

Hestia and Hephaistos wrap the weapons up and Hestia puts them on her back. "Thank you, Hephaistos! Can I take this to them right away?"

"Doesn't matter to me." Hephaistos responds. "Just don't forget about the loan."

Hestia smiles brightly. "Sure!"

.

.

"So, what're the children you're after like?" Loki asks.

"Not strong." Freya responds. "One's very unreliable, and cries over the slightest thing. The other is meek and easy to scare. But the first was pretty. Transparent. A color I'd never seen before. The other has a pure jade soul with stars shining in it, and a golden flame on the outside. Finding them was truly a coincidence. Though the first one only came into my sight for a moment."

Ais looks outside to the crowd and spots Bell running by for a mere second.

Freya suddenly stands up.

"What's wrong?" Loki asks.

"I'm sorry, but an emergency's come up." Freya states.

"What? You just suddenly-"

"We'll meet again." Freya walks off.

"What's gotten into her?" Loki picks up the bill. "And she left the check for me to pay?!" She notices Ais staring out the window. "What's up, Ais?"

"Nothing." Ais states.

.

.

Kuino bites into a turkey leg, and hums in excitement. "Swoo gwoood~"

Sophia bites into a Crepe and she hums too. 

The two are walking outside the Colosseum while eating some food.

"Miss Sophia, is this your first Monsterphilia?" Kuino asks.

Sophia shakes her head. "No, I used to come all the time with my sister. But she's been very busy the past few years... After nearly everyone in her last guild died. But I'm happy that she's been getting better, she smiles a bit more now and actually talks to people other than Hermes. Though I'm glad he allowed me to be apart of his Familia."

"How long have you been in his Familia now?"

Sophia bites into her crepe as she thinks for a few moments. "A few months now, so I don't have very high stats, I'm really just a newbie."

Kuino chuckles. "Heh, we were all newbies at one point."

Sophia hums. "I heard from Ambré that you used to be a part of another Familia. But they all died, well nearly died. So I wanted to ask...you don't seem sad at all."

Kuino slowly comes to a stop and looks up to the bright blue sky. "What's the point of being sad about the past all the time, I'm in the present. If I'm sad about the past, I'll miss the present, and if I miss the present I'll be sad about that in the future. So I'm gonna be happy now, so I can be happy in the future." He smiles down to Sophia.

"Wow, you're so admirable, Kuino." Sophia says with stars in her eyes.

Kuino's cheek slightly turns red and he rubs the back of his head. "Ehehe..."

Suddenly Kuino's ears twitch and he looks towards the Colosseum behind them.

Sophia tilts her head. "Something wrong, Kuino?"

"I-I thought I heard something."

Suddenly a loud roar rings out and people start running away. Sophia and Kuino grow pale as a Infant Dragon comes out of the Colosseum and roars loudly.

Sophia and Kuino yell in panic. The Infant Dragon looks to them and it locks eyes with Kuino.

'Why is it looking at me!' Kuino screams in his head.

The Infant Dragon roars and runs towards Kuino and Sophia. Causing them to scream in panic. Kuino picks up Sophia in a princess carry and runs away.

"W-What should we do?!" Sophia cries out as she stares at the dragon chasing them.

"I-I... I don't know!" Kuino yells.

"W-What?"

"I don't know! I don't have my weapon on me!"

Kuino runs into a small district with nobody nearby. Sophia wraps her arms around Kuino's neck and hides her face in his chest.

'What do I do?!' Kuino yells in though as he looks back at the Infant Dragon getting ever closer. 'I-I... Why am I so scared! What can I ever do?'

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11-10-2023

4240 words