Chapter 59: Every Good Deck Needs a Joker

??????… ??????… ??????...

Under the false starry night of the dungeon's eighteenth floor, a couple of distances away from the famed dungeon settlement of Rivira, a tantalizing aroma began to waft through the camping grounds that had been claimed by the Loki familia for their current deep-floor expedition.

???????… ???????… ???????...

A great flame burned as heated oil pittered and pattered across the surface of a large frying pan. Encasing within its holding a large quantity and variety of ingredients for the making of a well-beloved dish… fried rice.

"I'm almost done with this batch! Get a refill if you guys want to eat some more!"

With a white apron wrapped around his waist that contrasted his dark vigilante armor, the Gray Ghost spoke with a cheerful tone as he cooked up a feast for the near-insatiable appetites of the Loki familia adventurers.

"I want seconds! I want seconds!"

"Huh?! You bastard! You already ate three bowls!"

"Leave some for me you gluttons! Us front liners burn more energy! We should be given special access!"

The crowd fought with one another for the right to eat some more of the elusive vigilante's delicious fried rice, but they were simply too immersed in enjoying the food to continue the conflict after speaking a few words. Their mouths being busied by chowing down on the food.

"Fried rice. I heard its a simple home dish the far east use with their leftovers, but I never knew it could be so delicious"

Similarly to the rest of the familia, Riviera consumed her portion of the Gray Ghost's cooking with enthusiasm. Recalling her knowledge of the dish as her mind struggled to keep sane from the explosion of flavors in her mouth.

Around the high elf, the other executives also lost themselves in the thrill of eating.

Gareth chomped down like a starving man. Caring naught for his appearance.

Bete tried his best to appear aloof to the food whilst his stomach roared for him to eat it.

Lefiya felt some confusion at how quickly her familia warmed up to the person they had been fighting moments prior but didn't deny her desire to consume more food.

Ais looked as if stars were in her eyes as she relished the enjoyment of eating her beloved baked potato alongside the fried rice. Garnering some confused stares from her comrades.

Finn ate his food with eloquence with Tione happily eating by his side. The two appeared like a couple in the eyes of many observers, as much as the pallum tried to deny it.

And Tiona was locked in an internal struggle between safekeeping the food as her treasured heirloom, or consuming the gift her idol and hero had gifted to her.

As they all immersed themselves in resuming their dinnertime cheer, the campfire the executives huddled around was disturbed once more as the Gray Ghost set aside his apron to talk to them all.

"I'm glad you're all enjoying the food"

"? ? ? ? ?"

But as he gently brought himself to their group, his greeting was interrupted as Tiona let out a violent cough. The amazoness had been shocked by his sudden arrival.

"Uh, you okay there, Ms. Tiona Hiryute?"

"H-He knows my name?! T-Tione! T-The Gray Ghost knows my name!"

Realizing that her idolized hero knew who she was, the ecstatic young amazoness began to bug her sister all about it, much to Tione's displeasure as her tranquil atmosphere with Finn had been ruined by her.

"Agh! Just shut up, Tiona!"

"Hey! I dealt with all you fawning over captain! At least have the decency to deal with mine!"

As the two sisters began to set off in their own violent world, Finn laughed wryly as he welcomed the vigilante to join them around their campfire.

"Don't mind them both, they're just very close as sisters. Thank you for the food, Gray Ghost, and feel free to join us"

Taking up the pallum's offer, the Gray Ghost happily sat on the remaining free spot near the campfire, which just so happened to be beside Lefiya.

The young elf grew extremely nervous as she remembered how cold her body went as the vigilante prepared to assault her during their battle a while ago.

Remembering the stories that flaunted his abilities, and knowing how true they were with her own personal experience, Lefiya felt like a brutal and violent monster had just rested up beside her.

Noticing her slight trembling, the Gray Ghost felt a bit of guilt and tried to assure her that he wasn't going to hurt her, but all that did was further agitate the poor elf.

"I-I'ts alright! G-Gray Ghost sir!- Wait, no! L-Lord Gray Ghost!... Please don't eat me…"

"I don't eat people though… Are there stories of me eating people in Orario?..."

"No, Gray Ghost. Lefiya is just like this. It took her quite a while to warm up to us when we first recruited her"

Coming to the aid of the panicking young elf, Riviera began to calm her down with her presence whilst explaining her behavior to the vigilante, not wishing for there to be any misunderstandings.

"..."

Seeing Lefiya so scared reminded him that the young elf hadn't yet been forged and tempered through the tragedies of the Sword Oratoria story.

By the end of the Enyo saga, Lefiya had undergone drastic turmoil that permanently changed her as a character and nearly left her mentally deranged for a while.

His image of the present, of the hypothetical future, and his past as Argonaut began to mix and blend with one another.

The adopted little sister of his past life as his kingdom burned to ash all around him, and his future traveling aide as he donned the moniker of the blind poet.

The friend of the hero-to-be, neither realizing their storied past and companionship in another time, but retaining their precious banter even through the constraints of time and death.

The traumatized adventurer who was unable to save her friend from the clutches of the evil god, Enyo. Forging forward as a battle magician to never repeat the mistakes she will carry throughout her life.

Perhaps it was his love as a reader. Perhaps it was the remnant emotions of the Argonaut. Perhaps it was his own emotions upon remembering Medea. Whatever it was, it drove him to act at that moment.

[??????? ??????: ????????]

His silver eyes began to glow as he locked gazes with Lefiya for a brief second. In that single moment of time, he transmitted to her all the emotions that genuinely conveyed his wish to not harm her.

"..."

Feeling a warm sensation wrap around her like a familial hug, the young elf felt a sense of nostalgia that she couldn't seem to understand… it was as if… she was meeting someone special after a long time apart.

"..."

Similarly to how dazed Lefiya was, the observing Loki familia couldn't help but be drawn in by the sight the vigilante displayed for them.

Mysterious powers. Mysterious motives. Mysterious identity. He was a living and breathing enigma that none could seem to figure out.

Under the veil of enchantment the Gray Ghost had cast with his magic, Finn took the lead to start the conversation that they all wished to hear.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but might we hear more about the threat you came here to save our familia from?"

Shifting his attention away from the elf and onto the pallum, the Gray Ghost happily replied as he himself wanted to get the conversation over with.

"Straight to the point, just like your spear, Braver. In essence, your familia will face a monster that no other adventurer has faced prior in the history of the dungeon and Orario… an abnormality that rules over any other abnormal existence"

Hearing how highly the vigilante treated this threat, the adventurers of the Loki familia felt a cold chill run down their spines.

The Gray Ghost has faced a Leviathan and an army of Behemoths. So what kind of monster is waiting for them on the deep floors that would warrant him calling them abnormal?

"They are a creation that shouldn't have been allowed to exist. A monstrosity that exceeds monsters. You, the Loki familia, are at the precipice of uncovering the first clue of a thousand-year mystery, and to put it lightly, you all aren't prepared for what is to come"

Fear began to be sowed among the common adventurers of the familia, but the faces of the executives were still and determined to face the threat.

"Is that so? Then I can request for our allies to assist in this expedition. We could postpone this until-"

"That won't be possible, Finn"

Cutting off the pallum's natural response to gather strength and strike the enemy with more secure forces, the Gray Ghost began to detail why such a course of action isn't possible.

"Only a select few people are capable of bearing witness to what is unfolding in the deep floors, Finn Deimne"

"Should the Loki familia not be up to the task, I can simply call upon the Freya familia to handle it by themselves"

Upon the mentioning of their rivals, some of the executives, notably Bete, began to emit an air of hostility.

Similarly, Finn's eyes began to narrow as he tried to uncover what game the vigilante in front of him was trying to play.

"Are you joking? The Freya familia? I understand that you have quite a strong relationship with them… so may I ask… why would you tell me to lead my familia into danger?"

"You're withholding us from safely acting upon this threat with a threat of being excluded in this operation. I don't wish to presume, but the way you worded yourself, it makes it seem like you're making the Loki familia into your expendable pawns"

Adventuring the dungeon, for all its prestige and fanfare, was a task wrought with danger and mortal peril.

Finn, who had witnessed countless of his fellow comrades under Loki fall to the hands of monsters, didn't play around when it came to the safety of his familia.

Seeing the increase in tension, the Gray Ghost smiled coyly under his mask as he saw the burning flame and dived towards it.

"Yes. I am treating you as my pawns, Loki familia"

Silence. Deadly silence. The relationship between the vigilante and the Loki familia was now hanging on by a razor's edge before it was eventually de-escalated.

"Pawns in the sense that Freya and her children are also my pawns. Even I am my own pawn. I am simply playing a dangerous game, Finn Deimne, and I am inviting you and your comrades to join me"

The pallum's thumb began to ache as the Gray Ghost's eyes began to glow an ominous aura of blue and silver. Quite different from the gentle gaze he had given Lefiya prior.

"The rules are simple. Us against the enemies of the world that lay hidden in wait. The odds are stacked against us beyond most people's knowledge. We have been losing ground in secret for the past thousand years!"

"Our peace is but a false age of perceived prosperity. In this perilous time of ours on this board, we need a gambit! An all-or-nothing bet to attain victory when all hope began to diminish… when Zeus and Hera familia lost to the one-eyed black dragon sixteen years ago!"

The vigilante raised his voice as an immense weight began to descend upon all those who heard his spirited words.

"Two years ago I betted on myself to keep the monsters beneath the ground we walk upon at bay! A few months after that, I betted an entire familia to kill off a threat that could defile the gods! A year after that, I betted an entire nation to repel the Leviathan! Another year after that, I betted an entire region to eliminate the army of Behemoths that wished to trample the world in ash!"

His words described his journey in the worst light possible, but he wished to convey to the braver and his comrades the truth of his mission without any flowery words or sweeping under the rug. Simply stating what he had done as it was.

"The crescendo that had been built up for a thousand years will soon fall like thunder on us all, Finn Deimne. So I presume you can understand what is to come next, right? First, an individual. Next, a group. Following that, a nation. After that is a region… and at the end?"

"The world…"

"Bingo! More accurately, the symbolic representation of the world for now… the center of all events that send ripples across the lower world… the dungeon city, Orario!"

The hero of countless people began to appear like a madman in the eyes of the Loki familia. Some questioned why such a person would act in such a way, and to them, he would only say one thing.

『Insanity can be described as a state of extreme irrationality or foolishness, and what greater fool is there than a hero who wishes to save the world?』

"I'm not joking as you claim me to be doing right now, Finn Deimne. I simply look at an absurd set of circumstances that can only be solved with similarly absurd circumstances… and wish to utterly destroy it!"

He is a reincarnator. One who has borne witness to the history and direction of the world in far greater detail than even most gods.

He was a beloved fan of the world he currently lived in. Treasuring it far more than even the kindest of deities in the high heavens.

"Did you think that when I led the Gigantomachy alliance against the Behemoths that we weren't at risk of danger at every turn? We were knee-deep in the hands of death as we fought in the ruined remains of Sorshana!"

No matter how much he prepared, he was never safe from the possibility of danger. But he didn't cower away in the face of it. He stared back into the abyss of the uncertain future with a smile on his face.

"It's a leap of faith, Finn. It always has been. Legends and heroes aren't born from planning, they're born at the moment"

He had committed the mistake of believing himself to be invincible, and what did it bring him? Injured to the brink of death. Relying on luck and miracles. Bringing worry to all those he wished to protect. He wasn't any different from the protagonist he viewed to do better than.

"Argonaut the fool, rising beyond all those who feared to eventually defeat the minotaur of Lakrios!"

"Galmuza, the stalwart dwarven legend, betting on that same fool and reclaiming his home of Rhondda far faster than he initially planned!"

"Yulis, the proud werewolf hero who fought by the fool's side and attained far greater safety and prosperity than if he accepted the vile temptations of Lakiros' evil king!"

"Feena, the praised half-elven idol, who rose beyond the racial discrimination of her time to defend mortal kind with her magic born from love and kindness!"

"Elshana, the feared shadow of Telyskura, who found humanity on the battlefield. Turning her ruthless blade that coldly took lives, into one that defended the innocent from the horrors of war!"

"Olna, the great amazoness storyteller, carried on the light of hope that many gave their lives to cultivate. Keeping the spirit of mortal determination alive throughout thousands of years!"

"Albert, the storied sword champion, who rallied all mortals to gravely wound the tyrant of the skies who had long tormented the lands of the lower world!"

"Lastly… Fianna and DIm… ever-kind knights who gave their lives to the spear amidst the burning of their homes… vowing to show all people that anyone could be a hero if they tried. No matter their height, no matter their strength"

"If you see my actions as foolish, then I truly do not need you all by my side. Are you all adventurers? Or cowards who carry the legacy of the brave men and women who delve into the dungeon's abyss?!"

"Doing so not for wealth or glory of the profession, but for the safety of mortal kind! For the thousand-year dream that we may one day stop fearing the monsters who wait at our door! And bring the fight to them!"

Many fell silent to their initial hostility towards the Gray Ghost. To most, his words called upon the legacy of heroes to inspire them.

But in secret, he was actually calling upon the remnant emotions of the people who held significant connections to these past icons. Wishing to rally them to his cause, just as he once did in the far-flung past.

Gareth felt his fist tighten as he recalled the ever-celebrated cultural hero of his home of Rhondda.

Bete felt his chest grow in frustration as he remembered the great ancestor of his extinct clans in the northern mountains of the continent. One known for his nature to protect the weak. Something that he reviled greatly presently.

Lefiya and Riveria sat in surprise as the vigilante named an obscure legend of the elven people with such familiarity.

Causing the high-elf to question where he had learned such things, and exacerbating the warm feeling in the young elf's heart.

Tione and Tiona were not aware of the amazonesses he had mentioned, but they experienced an anomalous tugging in their souls upon hearing the names that felt so familiar to them both.

And lastly, Finn felt his motivation question as he was faced with a reality he had long known about.

He wished to become what Fianna and Dim were to his people in the past. But possessing none of their courage, he instead wished to become a false hero they could rally behind. An artificial legend for the sake of empowering pallums.

He finally understood why he felt such an aversion to the Gray Ghost… in front of a hero who was forged at the moment… he was nothing but a cheap knock-off that relied on public perception and strategy to maintain his title of braver.

"..."

Seeing how quiet they had all become, the Gray Ghost felt satisfied upon seeing them contemplate his words.

Though they are one of the strongest current familias of Orario, such titles weren't enough for Bell. He wanted them to be better than their current selves. To surpass Zeus and Hera's legacy.

'Loki and Freya established themselves as the best of Orario, not because of their achievements… but simply because they were the best replacements for Zeus and Hera… they are nothing more than sloppy seconds'

Zeus and Hera spent the first hundred years of their reign fighting a war on all fronts. Repelling familias who wished to usurp them. Beating down the rampant evil and hedonistic gods. And establishing their infallible position and propping up Orario as the center of the world.

The next hundreds of years, the two spent on a long extermination hunt of the three great monsters who escaped the dungeon.

Eradicating both the Behemoth and Leviathan who differed massively from other members of their species.

They pushed the frontier of dungeon exploration. Attaining floor depths that none have been able to replicate.

Though it is unknown how far they were able to go, Zald and Aflia were stated to have reached the seventy-first floor. A far cry from the Loki familia's current record of fifty-eight.

Loki and Freya's familias experienced their same share of noteworthy accomplishments, but in the face of Zeus and Hera, it was undeniable that they were inferior.

'The forces of the lower world have only gotten weaker, while our enemies keep growing stronger. I'm not going to bet on the survival of the lower world on a single hero. I'm going to bet it on an army of heroes that would make even the gods tremble'

Stepping forward to the silent Loki familia, Bell neared their familia captain before extending his arm out towards him.

"You don't have to like me, and you don't have to believe in me as a person. All I ask is that you believe in my dream"

"I may not be able to tell you all that I know, but trust in the smiles of the people I have saved when I say I am doing this for all our sakes"

"Heroes are not created, they are asked for, and rise up to the occasion requested of them… and now, I am asking you all to fight by my side. Prove to me that you are worthy of your notoriety as a great familia, children of Loki"

The Loki familia wasn't the same as the Freya familia. So long as the support of the goddess Freya was obtained, her children would follow along with her wish.

But the children of Loki were more self-governing, with their goddess choosing to have them navigate the wide world through their own judgment and courage.

As such, he needed a much more violent approach to bring them all to his side.

"..."

Countless hesitant gazes were cast onto the Gray Ghost. Many adventurers of the Loki familia weren't as noble as the first adventurers of the dungeon.

Many greatly valued the money they could receive from the profession. Many others relished the status it gave them to be part of such a well-known familia.

The vigilante's dream was one for the insane. For those who could willingly jump into the fire with little hesitation.

The children of Freya followed wherever their goddess went with fervor. For the divine beauty who had raised and saved them, no destination was too treacherous to follow her into.

The children of Hermes willingly went into the fray in the belief that they could protect the world that housed those they cared for. Manipulating the strings of the underworld to fulfill their tasks and objectives.

The citizens of Altena and Shalzard fought for the preservation and reclamation of their homes respectively. Treasuring the land that nurtured them far above their own personal desires.

Then what of the Loki familia? No extenuating circumstances brought them together. Each member shared no common characteristic with one another… except for one thing…

?? ????? ????? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ???????

It was a selfish desire that brought them all together under the trickster goddess. For the empowerment of people with their fame. For the proving of their existence in the heat of battle. For the marking of their lives in the expansion of knowledge.

For glory. For battle. For lands unknown. Such was the motto that birthed the Loki familia, and such was the motto that led it to its current prosperity in the present day.

"..."

Raul and Anakitty, along with the rest of the second string group, felt immense hesitation. They were all just regular people compared to the geniuses that led the familia they were a part of.

Far more disposable and more likely to die in the stories of someone like Ais or Finn… but they still felt it… the desire to be remembered as more than just another forgettable character in someone else's story.

"Captain, it is your call"

Mustering as much courage as he could, Raul voiced out the collective decision of the second string group of the expedition party.

They all joined under the path that Finn Deimne, the braver, trailblazed as an adventurer. So long as he bore their flag and led them to fight, they would willingly follow him into the fire.

"..."

Casting his eyes around the comrades he had come to know over a long time, Finn began to see them all agree with the high novice's words.

"????… usually making big speeches is my thing you know? Kinda feels weird to be on the receiving end right now"

Giving out a small laugh as a gentle smile replaced his prior expression, the pallum spearman took the Gray Ghost's hand with a firm grasp as he made his familia into another pawn of the elusive vigilante.

"I don't know about being a hero being born at the moment, but I know that following your lead will be the most strategically lucrative choice for my goal. Don't let me down, Gray Ghost!"

Seeing their captain accept the Gray Ghost's proposal, a wild energy began to infect the Loki familia.

They have now taken the first step on a path they can never turn back from. Only the future knows whether Finn shook the hand of a devil or an angel, but whatever it may be, doing nothing would've surely marked the end of their story as adventurers.

Seeing that he has gained the support of one more pawn, the Gray Ghost… no… Bell began to feel a sense of elation as everything slowly came together.

'It took the story five months before Enyo was defeated… let's see how much time I can shave off'

…

..

.

"You want us to investigate this matter separately? Won't it be more effective if you can share your intel with us?"

Inside the tent reserved for the top executives, the Gray Ghost, Finn, Gareth, and Riveria discussed in detail what would go down on the deep floors.

"My plan will be most effective if you all act independently from my actions. There are a lot of eyes surrounding me, so it would be best to reduce any talk of my recruiting of your familia to my cause"

The vigilante knew well that there weren't any traitors in the Loki familia and much fewer people who would babble about what went on inside their leadership.

'Even when threatened by Evilus and the creatures, the children of Loki still held firm… granted it led to many of their deaths, it gives me enough proof that they can be trusted… all I need to do is make sure that tragedy doesn't strike them in this life'

He would essentially just improve the familia's capabilities in dealing with the situations they will uncover in their personal investigation into the demi-spirits.

"So you plan to have us act as a trump card to call upon without your enemies noticing. The concept is sound, but how are you so sure that everything will plan out well? What if we accidentally hinder your objectives in our separate investigation into what's happening in the deep floors?"

Finn couldn't understand how the Gray Ghost was so confident that they would act according to his predictions.

Not even he or the similarly famed strategist of the Freya familia, Hedin Sellands, could do such a thing with a field of war as complex as the entirety of Orario.

To his confusion, the vigilante only gave a short and simple answer that didn't filll him with confidence but didn't leave him disillusioned either.

"Just trust me"

With his intuition telling the pallum that the Gray Ghost had a nonchalant smile under his mask, Finn let out a tired sigh as he simply failed to comprehend the enigma that was him.

Seeing this, Gareth let out a hearty laugh as he believed the pallum had finally gotten a taste of his own medicine after years of adventuring together.

"HAHAHAHA! Now you know how I feel, Finn! It's frustrating to hear people dumb their thoughts down to such simple words, right?"

Hearing the dwarf scrutinizing Finn for his similar behavior of summarizing strategies to a simple 'just trust me' Riveria let out a laugh of her own as she saw the pallum grow slightly red in the ears.

"Hehehe, this reminds me of when we first started the familia together. So much unknown, and feeling as if we're just at the starting line for something much bigger than ourselves. It was exciting… I supposed we have let these years of peace get to us quite a bit"

With the high elf's words impacting Finn and Gareth heavily as her long-time comrades, and impacting the Gray Ghost unknowingly upon seeing the bond he read so much about in his past life, the tent was filled with a somber and contemplative mood.

But not wanting to end the eventful night with sappy emotions, Gareth plopped down a bottle of his favorite make of dwarven fire whiskey. Wanting to pass the night in drunken conversation rather than deep reflection.

"Bah! You two old sods are getting too emotional! We have the Gray Ghost of all people here! Seeing as we'll be working together from now on, won't it be in our best interest to grow closer? HAHAHA!"

Pouring a shot for the vigilante, the Gray Ghost was quite stunned at the sudden shift in tone at first, but quickly accepted the drink offered to him as he raised his mask to partake in a drink with the famous tank of a dwarf.

"I did share a drink with Ottar once when we celebrated our victory, so I suppose it should be natural!"

Gulping down the entire shot in one go, Gareth laughed loudly in amazement that the vigilante was an experienced drinker on top of all his other accomplishments.

"HAHAHA! I knew you would be a great drinking buddy! Now! You have to tell me about that Gigantomachy war you led! My blood was boiling from the bard's storytelling alone! What I would have given to fight in such a heated battle!"

The Gray Ghost and Gareth quickly fell into conversation under the spirited cheer of alcohol. Seeing this quickly unfold, Finn and Riveria gathered themselves to also join in the banter.

They too had a lot of questions to ask the elusive vigilante about. The pallum was greatly interested in his strategies and fighting techniques, while Riveria was concerned about the unique nature of his magic and abilities.

"Hey, Gareth, a bit unfair to get the jump on us to talk with the Gray Ghost"

"While I normally prefer wine, I suppose the poison you dwarves call alcohol will suffice for tonight!"

"HAH! You two lightweights struggle to stay coherent after just a couple of shots! I'm being merciful, you know?"

"A drunk and slurred Finn and Riveria? Let them join, Gareth, I wanna see them both plastered"

A merry mood erupted in the tent as the group of four talked the night away with endless storytelling of tales of courage and adventure.

Where the Freya familia needed to be awoken as sleeping giants, the jesters of Loki simply needed to be reminded of their roots.

To forge a tale of their own story that will never be forgotten. Like a comedy to incite laughter from even the gods themselves.

"Gh! How can the Captain, Gareth, and Riveria, hog Lord Gray Ghost's attention all to themselves?! Some people also want to talk with him as well! By some people, I mostly mean me!"

Eavesdropping on the conversations taking place inside the tent, a great number of people tried their best to listen in on what the four notable figures of the world talked about.

The first to voice her discontent, Tiona, was greatly angry that her beloved hero was so close, and yet she wasn't able to interact with him at all.

"Our familia should be allied with the Gray Ghost now, right? That means there'll be more opportunities to meet him!"

Opposite to her ecstatic twin sister, Tione grew worried as she noticed a noticeable change in tone in Finn's voice when he talked to the vigilante compared to her.

"Captain Finn sounds more exuberant and young… will I have to consider the Gray Ghost as another rival of mine for his hand?"

Ignoring the wild delusions of the amazoness in front of her, Ais struggled to maintain a calm face as she too tried to best hear what was happening inside the tent without giving away her actions.

'The Gray Ghost is strong… the way he changed my attack's momentum… if I can incorporate that with my『Ariel』I'll become much stronger!'

Seeing a road to improvement for herself as a swordswoman, the usually calm Ais was flooded with an unusual amount of excitement.

Along with his knowledge of fighting, there was the sword he had shown off to her in their battle prior.

It was a rapier of high quality that was capable of repairing itself. Something that intrigued her greatly.

'I have to keep spending my money on Desperate's repair costs because it cannot withstand my fighting style and『Ariel』... much more so if I use『Avenger』... how much stronger will I be if I can freely fight without worrying about my weapon?'

It was simply too much for the blonde-haired beauty. For the young girl who mostly only cared about growing stronger, the Gray Ghost began to look like a jack bird she needed to catch at all costs.

'Tiona said that he accepts students. Igknight of the Soma familia is rumored to be one. Same with the queen of Shalzard, and Ottar of the Freya familia…'

"I'll become his student no matter what"

Declaring her intent with a soft voice with immense determination, Ais Wallenstein set herself to capture the vigilante's attention.

"..."

While the three girls joined many others in trying to eavesdrop, just a short distance away, Lefiya underwent an internal struggle to decide whether or not she liked or disliked the Gray Ghost.

The young elf's mind conflicted with itself as memories of him fighting her comrades and scaring her greatly still remained vivid.

But the emotions she felt as she looked into his eyes seemed to stop her from completely disliking him altogether. As if he was someone she knew for a long time.

'Wait, doesn't this situation seem like all the young adult romance novels I read?! No! I'm not in love with that guy! Ais is way better! And Tiona has her sights set on him! Also… it feels wrong to even see him in that way… I don't know why though'

Farther away from the confused young elf, Bete sat in silence atop a tree as he watched in disgust how his familia flocked around a single person after having been beaten by him.

"Tch, just a bunch of weaklings"

But as appeared to be brooding, in truth, he was simply frustrated in seeing his past in the Gray Ghost.

Wanting to become strong to save others. Gathering a following of people he treasured because of his strength.

He knew all too well that if the vigilante even loses but a single one of the many people he has come to treasure. He will irreversibly break… just like he did.

He would show no sympathy for the man should the Gray Ghost repeat the same mistakes he did as a naive young werewolf.

But deep down, in a place of his heart that he refused to acknowledge, he wished that his ideals may be proven wrong. To be shown that it was possible for the weak to live under the protection of the strong.

…

..

.

"So you gave weapons that you, that Crozzo kid and Hephaestus made to Ais Wallenstein and Finn Deimne?"

"Yep. I promised to meet with them again once they return from their expedition in a few weeks. Finn and some others wanted to have a little sparring session. I also have to meet with Lady Loki to finalize our secret alliance"

"Never thought I would be able to have my children fight as allies with Loki. You were able to accomplish what Ouranos and the guild failed to do in over a decade. As expected of you, my dear Odr"

Chatting leisurely with one another, Bell and Freya peacefully drank tea in each other's presence amidst the resplendent greenery of the garden in the goddess' home of Folkvangr.

Having ascended to the top of the tower of Babel through a secret entrance known only to a select few, Bell confided in the goddess of beauty about what had happened with the Loki familia after bidding them good luck in their expedition.

The sun was beginning to rise over the horizon as the white-haired youth spent an entire night once more arriving back to his familia home extremely late.

"You sure that Hestia is fine with you being out for so long? If you were my child, I would be quite worried about how often you disappear, Bell"

"Firstly, it's weird you would even think of me as your child after what we've been through together. And secondly, I got her permission this time around"

"Oohhh~ Looks like someone's growing up~ I'm so happy you'll stop acting like a deadbeat dad who disappears from his family's life whenever he feels like it~"

"Shut up, Freya"

"Hehe♪"

Sipping on an expensive cup of tea made from a high-luxury brand of tea leaves, Bell sighed in contentment as he relished the extravagant home of his divine wife.

Seeing her Odr's look of relaxation, the goddess felt emboldened as she began to try and tempt him to relax in other more sensual ways.

"Hey, Bell-"

"No"

But sadly, the divine beauty's husband was not in the mood to think with his little brother, much to her discontent.

"Why?!"

"You watch me every night. Don't act like I don't know what you're doing"

Being exposed for her insatiable desire to bed her love, Freya angrily began to complain about the recent lack of bedside tangos the two shared.

"It's been over a week since we last did it! You did it with Hephaestus in her shop, why can't you spare me a moment as well?!"

"You watched me go at it with Hephaestus, Freya?"

"Ah-"

In the goddess' fit of anger and frustration, she had accidentally exposed that her stalking habit was much more severe than she portrayed it to be.

"I didn't watch all of it! Just… the first few minutes…"

"????…"

"I'm sorry…"

The silver-haired beauty began to sulk as she quickly recognized her Odr's disappointment in her behavior.

Freya simply desired to enjoy her married life with Bell as soon as possible. So much so that her divine-scale patience which usually spanned hundreds of years, had now been reduced to that of a child's.

"I get that you told me it'll be a while until we can enjoy our lives together in peace. But a year is too long, and I don't know why you think you'll be able to solve the world's problems in a year…"

"I don't make the rules Freya, all I know is that it'll take a year at minimum…"

The powerful goddess that inspired bought desire and fear was now nothing more than a complaining mess of emotions in the hands of Bell.

Expressing a gentle smile as he found the sight of the goddess being poutily adorable, he decided to console her with some promises for the future.

"Tell me what you want to be done in the future, and I'll keep note of it, alright? Arry will kill me if she ever finds out I made you mad"

"... Hehe, yeah. Us wives have to stand up for each other with all the antics you pull off"

Feeling the white-haired youth's hand cover her own, Freya began to list off a bunch of things she wanted him to do for her in the future.

"First off, a meeting with all the people you seduced. I have briefly met with Artemis, but we need a proper meeting. I need to mediate the absolute mess of a harem you made for yourself, Bell"

"... yeah… I'll work on that…"

Feeling an immense amount of guilt strike his heart at the mountain of relationships he still has yet to resolve, Bell noted down the first request as a high-priority task for him to accomplish.

"Next would be a vacation? We'll need to grow close, and a meeting isn't a setting to foster such relationships. Arry and I had that one-month honeymoon with you, so something like that would be good"

With her mind bursting with numerous ideas, Freya began to smile brightly as she began to plan out the perfect vacation for Bell, herself, and her fellow wives.

"Maybe the oasis of Shalzard? I just know Loki won't allow me to vacation in Melen, she practically owns the place with her influence with Njord"

"Family vacation, got it"

"You also have to include your stepchildren, Odr~"

"They're not my step-children"

"Hm? But you seem to be getting well with Hephaestus' Crozzo kid"

"That's different and you know it!"

"It's not good to have favorites as a parent, Odr! HAHAHA!"

Freya's voice resounded beautifully around the lush greenery as she laughed without any fear for her image or reputation.

Her eyes watering with joyful tears of elation as she passed the time with the man she loved. The hero who set her free from her gilded cage.

"Oh right, that reminds me, Bell. My children have told me they have been spotting you in the red-light district. What's that all about? Another wife I need to consider?"

With her laughter dying down, the goddess shifted their conversation as she remembered reading about a report of Bell being sighted having entered a brothel in recent days.

Where most husbands would normally begin sweating at such an accusation, Bell could only narrow his eyes at how naturally Freya just assumed that another woman had been added to his love life.

"What's wrong, Bell? I've been dealing with gossip and rumors of goddesses for millions of years. Managing a couple of wives for you isn't such a big deal compared to that~"

"????…"

"Hehe♪"

Ignoring Freya reinforcing her belief that he was a gigolo, Bell began to explain his plans to dismantle the Ishtar familia and ruin her operations to usurp the silver-haired goddess as the number one goddess of beauty.

"What the hell?"

"I know right"

"No, not the whole usurping me as the number one goddess of beauty thing. You're planning on eliminating Ishtar as well?"

"Huh?"

Following that bombshell, Freya began to explain her own plans to dismantle the Ishtar familia and ruin her operations. Not because of the jealousy, but because of one thing she had heard about in particular.

"She talked to some goddesses about how she would like to steal you from me and turn you into her slave"

"Oh…"

At that moment, Bell felt genuine pity for the Sumerian goddess for incurring Freya's wrath by poking her where she hated it the most. Threatening her most beloved Odr.

"I was actually about to start the operation in a bit. I just needed to gather some blackmail on Royman to shut Ouranos up. Should I halt the operation?"

"Yeah, I was planning on using her familia as an excelia farm"

"... Are you planning to do anything with Ishtar herself?"

"... No?"

(E/D: Yes!... But not this Ishtar but the other one, the useless one with great thighs and an airport so smooth I can slide on it.)

"Then, there's no problem. I just wanted to deal with her anyway. Tell me when you start so I can command Ottar to raid her bedroom"

"... Alright"

Growing slightly frightened at how light-heartedly his wife played around with eradicating a large familia like Ishtar, Bell decided it was best to reign in her law-breaking nature a bit.

"I get that power is absolute, but try not to break the law too often, Freya. As the temporary strongest familia for now, it's best to lead by example"

Just as Bell was about to lecture the goddess on how to most effectively lead an entire civilization in a heroic manner, Freya's interest was piqued by her Odr's peculiar wording.

"Huh? Temporary strongest? What do you mean by that?"

"Hm?... I mean, the familia I'm in will naturally be the strongest. Just give me a few months and I'll challenge you guys to a war game for the title. So as I was saying-"

"No, no, wait! You're going to challenge my children to a war game? Against you?"

"Yeah?"

Bell grew confused as he thought it was only natural given that Freya knew about his ambitions and dream. But it would appear she hadn't realized such a thing.

With her lips forming into a coy smile, turning her into a mischievous silver cat, Freya snapped her fingers as she used her divine authority as a war goddess to announce the new information to her children currently residing in Folkvangr.

『To all my beloved children, my oh-so-precious Odr has just told me that he will be planning to challenge our familia to a war game in a few months with his own familia!』

Hearing their goddess's voice and processing the contents of her words, countless adventurers of the Freya familia who were immersed in extreme training all began to stand still to listen to what the goddess was saying.

『I realize that there is still quite a lot of unresolved tension between my love and my treasured children. So take this opportunity to get to know each other with some good fun father-children bonding!』

Though Freya worded it as a wholesome family event, the hardened adventurer children of the goddess processed her words for what they truly were.

An event where they can kick the ass of Bell Cranel without having to fear the repercussions of doing so.

『I expect you all to have plenty of fun with my beloved Odr, so train well so that you can maximize it as much as possible. That will be all, have a nice day my children~』

??????… ??????… ??????...

As the ground of Folkvangr began to shake from the Freya familia's collective excitement, a loud cheer that can only be properly described as a blood war cry, began to emanate throughout the air.

Finishing her announcement, Freya gave Bell a cheeky wink as she played with him once more. She helped him by further incentivizing the growth of her children, whilst improving relations between them both by allowing them to vent their anger and frustration directly at him.

It was a masterstroke of teasing that the white-haired youth feared he could never reach, even after a hundred years of training.

"Did you appreciate that, Odr?"

"... damn you, Freya"

"Hehe♪"

What followed after that was another round of idle chatter. But before Bell left, the silver-haired goddess fixed up his schedule on how to best deal with his mess of a harem as efficiently as possible.

Like an idol's professional manager, the goddess recognized how to best approach and interact with the various women he had seduced without leaving any of them frustrated or having felt neglected.

"Arrive back at your home with Hestia within thirty minutes. Catch around four hours of sleep, then indulge in some familial breakfast with her. Hestia values precious daily-life moments over grand spectacles"

"Go to the guild and chat with Eina. I've packed some of her favorite tea for you to pick up on the way out… Proceed to fifth street to catch up with Aphrodite in her familia home. She's free by then… Pick up your commission with Naaza shortly after that. Make sure you bag her, Bell"

"Go back to the ruins district to train with Lili. I've seen that girl, she needs plenty of attention from you… Spend the early afternoon with Hephaestus. Make sure you inform her that I want to meet her sometime this week to talk. You did her dirty with how long you left her questioning"

"Then finally spend some time with Artemis later tonight. That poor girl has been telling me about how excited she is to talk with you again one-on-one"

Seeing Freya's prowess in full display, Bell never felt more grateful to have such a capable woman in her harem. She was the centerpiece that allowed his harem dream to stay afloat.

The problems he had struggled to deal with for the past few days, the goddess quickly tabulated into a concise schedule that was easy for him to follow.

But before he went off on a bout of worship for Freya, Bell noticed a peculiar detail about the schedule she had given him.

"I have a question though, Freya. What's this 'free' section you placed between Hephaestus and Artemis?"

"Hm? Oh, that? That's for the girl you'll inevitably meet that I haven't known about yet. It's best for me to make the schedule as flexible as possible given your antics"

"But I don't-"

But just as he was about to rebut her expertise, the goddess silenced him by placing her delicate fingers on his lips. Smiling at her beloved with narrowed eyes and an alluring smile.

"Trust my intuition, Odr. Simply follow my instructions and enjoy the ride. You should remember how to do that, right? We did quite a lot on our honeymoon after all"

????

Feeling how in control Freya felt, Bell was reminded once more that just as much as he enjoyed her, Freya was enjoying him much much more.

"Understand? Now, relax for a while, Bell. Take this moment to relish the peace before the storm you're bringing sets in"

Quickly after that, Freya called for Ottar to escort Bell to the exit of Folkvangr. As he walked, he noticed that the boaz beastman was radiating an aura of excited danger.

In all likelihood, he would have to face him head-on. A beast of an adventurer who now stood as the world's only level eight adventurer.

????

"May you stay safe, Lord Bell"

As Ottar bowed curtly as the elevator doors closed in front of him, Bell began to feel the weight of what was coming for him in the future begin to set in.

He had a feeling once the Loki familia arrived back from their expedition, he won't be having a vacation for a long long time.

"????… heroes are too overworked…"

But just as his spirit was about to hit rock bottom, Freya's voice entered his mind as the goddess began to speak to him through their mental link.

Giving the poor mortal man some motivation to survive the hellish amount of work waiting for him.

『By the way, Bell. If you noticed that I'm not included in the schedule there… I decided to simply continue stockpiling that amount of time you'll have to repay me in the future』

『I look forward to all the rutting we'll go through to make up for lost time~ See ya~』

"..."

Silence flooded Bell's mind… but soon it began to be taken in by immense vigor. A burning dedication to survive no matter what, to rut with the goddess of beauty until his pelvis collapsed.

A pervert hero was a pervert indeed.

"I WILL SURVIVE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING DAMN IT!!!"

(E/D: Gambare~ Gambare~ Fen)

…

..

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Editor:

The Darkest Knight#4796

AN:

Thank you for reading this chapter!

The next chapter will be about Naaza, Artemis, and Scathach. Yes, I didn't forget about her. You can all celebrate now Shishou fans.

The Gray Ghost identity reveal will be…maybe in 2 to 3 chapters? Take it with a grain of salt though. My predictions don't have a very good track record HAHAHA.

Anyways, that will be all for this author's notes segment.

Hope you look forward to the next chapter, and as always, may you all have a nice day!