Chapter 21: Chapter 19: Midnight Hunt. Hephaestus

The break of dawn has come for Orario.

The various street and building lights which shined throughout the cityscape slowly faded as the sun's radiance began to cover the city.

It was generally quiet throughout the city, only some areas bustling with activity, but in the ruins district which very few called home, a peaceful silence held throughout except for one place.

"CLANG!-"

Metal clashing against metal. The sounds of bated breath accompanied them, indicating the exertion of effort and struggle.

"CLANG!-"

In the ruins of abandoned buildings, in a cleared field, a spar was being held between two armored warriors.

"React faster Lili. Your opponent won't accommodate you in battle"

Bell in his attire as the Gray Ghost said as he barraged Lili with a flurry of strikes using his chained swords.

Striking at her with his blades whilst holding the hilt and sometimes striking at her from an unnatural angle by swinging his blades while holding the chain.

"Kh!- I understand Lord Ghost!-"

Lili replied with conviction as she continued to block each strike, waiting for the chance to mount a counterattack at Bell.

Her voice was muffled as she was covered beneath a set of heavy and durable armor.

The armor wore down on her heavily, but she still moved deftly whilst bearing the weight.

"?!-"

Lili continued parrying and blocking Bell's blows with a shield she carried on her left arm while evading the strikes which came from different angles when Bell swung his blade.

Her senses were able to barely keep up with the barrage that Bell kept up without much effort.

"?...HA!-"

Lili, enduring the blows as best she could finally saw an opportunity to change the flow of the battle.

She immediately took advantage of it, gathering strength in her legs, before finally thrusting the weapon that she held on her right.

A lance.

"SCRIII-"

Lili trusted her lance toward Bell as best as she could, but before it was able to make contact, Bell redirected the flow of her strike, something Lili experienced a lot at that point.

'Damn it!- He redirected my attack again!'

Though Lili's strike wasn't successful, she had long since been taught by Bell the principles of his technique, and thus, reacted to utilize his parry for another attack.

"!-"

Lili began to twist her body alongside her lance as it began to be redirected through Bell's reflection.

She was now looking to attack Bell with her lance through a powerful slice rather than a piercing thrust.

"HA!-"

Lili's lance was about to make contact, but yet again, it fell short of reaching her opponent.

"CLANG!-"

Bell blocked the sudden twisting cut from Lili with the wide edge of his chained blades, impressed that Lili was now able to adapt on the fly in the heat of battle.

"You did great by turning by reflection into a follow-up for a stronger attack Lili...but-"

Bell began to strike at Lili with his free chained blade, now that her lance was struck with the arm he used to block her strike.

"You will need to do more than that!-"

Bell began to swing his blade towards Lili, but before his blade could reach her, just as Bell did to her, Lili made sure it didn't reach.

"HA!-"

Lili began to drag the blade on her lance downwards, scraping it against the blade Bell used to defend himself with. The scraping of metal against metal brought sparks of friction as she did so.

She pointed her lance toward the ground, once it was done, a mechanical noise seemed to ring from the lance she held.

Lili's mind began to circulate once the mechanism was finished with its functions, and with a loud yell, she invoked the magic built into her weapon.

「Firebolt」

An explosion of flame burst forth from the tip of Lili's lance, propelling herself backward with immense force.

She gracefully maneuvered across the air, and proficiently landed on her feet, her fighting stance firm and solid as she gripped her lance and shield.

Lili distanced herself from being attacked by Bell whilst disorienting him with the dust that was produced by her explosion.

An intelligent move she was able to perform after her immense training and studying on how to fight proficiently through her lessons with Bell.

Lili breathed heavily as she was immensely tired from the rather long spar she was having with her mentor and savior, but her mind was clear as she began to observe what Bell would do after what she did.

"Clang...clang...clang"

The sound of metal footsteps began to emerge from the dust cloud, as Lili expected, Bell wasn't affected at all by her maneuver.

But instead of counter-attacking or continuing the spar, Bell decided to end it then and there.

"Let's end the spar here Lili. That move you pulled was great, distancing yourself whilst disorienting your opponent at the same time, truly wonderful"

Hearing the words of praise from the person she admired, Lili frantically began to thank Bell as she bowed in her heavy armor.

"!...T-Thank you, Lord Ghost! It's all thanks to you!"

"Nonsense, I know just how much effort you have put into training this last month. Wash yourself up and rest for the day Lili"

Bell replied in a happy tone. He wanted to deny Lili's various attempts at crediting him for her improvements. but she never seemed to stop doing so.

'Seeing the progress she had made so far...I'm confident she can catch up to me'

Bell thought to himself as he saw the equipment Lili donned on herself. 

The rays of the rising sun reflected off of the metallic armor and weapons.

'A heavily armored gunlancer... she's a natural in such equipment'

Bell decided for Lili to train with full body plate armor with a gunlance he was inspired by from Monster Hunter.

He decided to go for full plate armor due to Lili's skill of 「Artel Assist」. A skill that allows her to carry a weight that far exceeds her own capabilities by boosting the necessary stats in her status to do so.

For her weapon, Bell went with a gunlance for two main reasons.

The first reason was her natural affinity for spears due to her past life as Fianna. The goddess of Pallums slaughtered hordes of monsters with her frightening ability with the spear.

The ability ingrained into her soul which was named 「Bloodfury Spear」allowed Fianna to raise her body's and spear's strength to a tremendous level in accordance with her will.

It was only natural that Bell chose a spear-related weapon for Lili.

The second reason was Lili's natural affinity for ranged weapons. In her current life, Lili became quite skilled with ranged weapons as she used a crossbow as her accompanying weapon as a supporter in the dungeon. Her natural aim was something unique to her in her current life, and Bell didn't want to waste such a natural talent.

'Considering the two, the only viable weapon I could think of was the gunlance'

Bell thought as he observed the lance he had made for Lili.

Constructed out of an alloy of various affordable metals which increased the weapon's structural durability and the blade's sharpness.

Further modified through Bell's tracing to leave as few structural gaps as possible, elevating its natural purpose of existence to higher levels. 

He had done the same process with the gunlance when he forged Lili's shield and armor as well. 

'The various smithing techniques I gained from tracing the weapons of various adventurers have come in handy...'

Bell's tracing of weapons allowed him to gain an idea of the creation process of each weapon he analyzed in depth. He wasn't able to make use of knowledge regarding enchantments, but when it came to natural forging ability, Bell was already master-class. 

'Though I can't seem to trace the experience of the weapon's users...that would've come in handy to further solidify my fighting style...I guess it'll be something I learn as I further improve my Emiya abilities...'

Bell's affinity with Emiya's magecraft began to slowly improve during his now two-month stay in Orario. As he expected, he still had more room to grow, he just had to put his skills into practice. 

'But as expected...though I'm very proud of how my smithing techniques produced the weapon...the main greatest aspect of that gunlance is the magic item inside of it'

The item which allowed the gunlance to become a lance AND a gun. A magic item that allowed Lili to cast「Firebolt」even though she didn't learn the magic. 

'「Hearth Stone」...a magic item that resembles a large red rock...utilizing magic stones and user's mana to produce the spell 「Firebolt」'

It was a magic item Bell had found one night when he raided the storage facility of a black market trader. 

'It's rather tedious to use, and the end result of the item is just the basic 「Firebolt」...though it isn't impressive for me, in a world where magic is constantly sought after due to its rarity..'

The world of Danmachi, though magical in nature, doesn't have many people who could invoke magic. 

Magic was already a rare thing to develop as an adventurer and was only more common to be found in Orario due to the density of experienced adventurers who were constantly absorbing excelia from the dungeon.

A magic item that allowed a person to perform magic at the cost of some magic stones and their mind was no doubt a revolutionary product that many would seek.

'I should investigate whoever made such an item...but beyond that, that magic item was the perfect find for Lili'

Bell thought to himself. The magic item would allow Bell to create a true gunlance for Lili, a weapon that could deal with close and long-distance combat.

'If possible I wanted to create a magic weapon on my own...but my studies on the runes for enchantment aren't progressing much...'

Bell's study on how to produce magical weapons like the original Emiya was progressing slowly, so he was glad that such a convenient magic item was in his possession.

(How convenient indeed)

Bell integrated the magic item into Lili's gunlance through an advanced application of his reinforcement magic which he grew proficient with during his stay in Orario.

「Alteration」

It was an advanced application of reinforcement and structural grasp that allowed one to mold and change the structure of an object as they pleased. 

(Think of alchemy and how Edward Elric changed the ground to build walls to defend himself)

Using「Alteration」Bell began to incorporate the magic item into the gunlance.

Constructing a barrel in front of the「Hearth Stone」to refine and focus the「Firebolt」to shoot farther and more potently.

Connecting the 「Hearth Stone」to a chamber of magic stones which would be consumed with each activation.

and lastly, connecting the「Hearth Stone」to the grip of the gunlance to allow Lili to feed it her mind energy when she wanted to activate it.

As Bell contemplated his thoughts on Lili's gunlance, Lili had stepped out of the armor, her body soaked in sweat after exerting herself in the cramped and stuffy metal suit.

"Phew-"

There were various changes in her current appearance. Most notable would be her wolf-like ears and tail, the shape of her irises resembling a cat,'s and her stout legs which resembled a dwarf.

Her peculiar body was the result of her training with her personal magic 「Cinder Ella」.

It was a magic that allowed Lili to transform into individuals that resembled her general height, and it granted her the physical attributes of the individual she transformed into.

Before she was only able to resemble a single individual upon activation, but Lili has since learned to imitate multiple individuals at the same time.

Enhanced hearing and smelling from imitating a chientrope. Enhanced vision from imitating a cat person. and enhanced stability with her legs from imitating a dwarf.

'dispel'

Lili commanded her magic to be dispelled and her body began morphing back into her original shape. But even then, her appearance greatly differed from when she met Bell in the alleyway.

"...I need to take a shower..."

Lili commented softly to herself as she looked over her body.

She wore a white camisole and shorts while she donned her armor to allow even a smaller increase in breathability.

Sweat ran throughout her body, increasing the definition of her well-toned muscles.

'...Lord Ghost told me to tone my body to fight better...although I'm glad it had made me stronger...it doesn't exactly look lady-like...'

Lili's body wasn't overly muscular, appearing slim but solid. Accentuated with enough curves to still appear feminine, if not more so.

'...does Lord Ghost perhaps like fit women?...'

Lili was mainly concerned with her appearance due to her secondary goal when becoming stronger besides staying by Bell's side, and that was to gain his affection.

Over the course of her time with Bell. With the emotional security and happiness, he gave her with a happy home and delicious food, and the physical intimacy she felt when they were alone together in the base or when training, Lili's affection for her savior only skyrocketed. 

'The amazonesses I saw the drunkards in the Soma familia sleep with...they all looked rather fit...perhaps men are attracted to more toned bodies than frail ones?...'

Lili began pondering deeply as to how the mind of a man worked, but as she did so, she failed to notice Bell approaching her.

"Lili, it's not good for you to stay out here in the cold morning dressed so lightly and drenched in sweat...you'll get a cold you know?"

Bell said as he wrapped a towel around Lili's body, not wanting her to get sick.

"You can ponder to yourself when you wash up alright? I'll clean up your equipment and the training field"

Hearing Bell's kind voice, feeling his proximity to her lightly clothed self, and caught while thinking about how to woo him, Lili blushed greatly as she quickly moved to wash up in the base.

'T-Thank you, Lord Ghost!-"

Seeing the Pallum girl frantically move away, Bell couldn't help but smile seeing how much she had changed over the last month of training.

Along with pondering another detail, he noticed.

'So Lili likes me...'

Bell naturally noticed Lili's behavior around him during the various moments they had together.

'I expected as much when I saved her...damsel and heroes and all that stuff...but now was is not the time to accept her love'

Bell was naturally flattered that such an adorable girl like Lili wanted to pursue him, and he has long gotten over his identity crisis.  He now faced another set of problems.

'I'm not yet strong enough to protect Lili if she ever gets targeted by my enemies, and shes not yet strong enough to protect herself...'

Bell had made enemies out of numerous criminals and criminal organizations during his time as the Gray Ghost. 

He didn't want to make Lili into a figurative princess Peach who got kidnapped by a much more cruel and ruthless Bowser.

'There's also the fact that she doesn't know my true identity...'

Bell wanted to accept Lili's love as Bell Cranel rather than the Gray Ghost. He didn't want their relationship to become a Black Cat situation where she only loved Peter when he had the mask on.

He would most probably have his pride destroyed more if that happened. Even more so than his parting with Medea.

'...and lastly...there are other girls I like...and they like me back too

Syr/Freya whom he was able to have a lovely friendship, even though they both hid their own secrets from one another.

Eina, whom Bell developed a close relationship with during their various meetings and talks. 

And, although he was a bit unsure about this one, Asfi, his friend he had made with their shared common interest in magic items and item making.

'I'm sure to also attract the attention of other female characters...their infatuation with me would become an unavoidable consequence of my plans for the future...'

Bell pondered deeply on the potential consequences of what he should do with his love life when the time comes that he is ready for a relationship.

He couldn't deny the perverted desire to have a harem, but he didn't feel confident that he had the finesse to make on in the first place...

Presented with such a dilemma...Bell-

'...I'll leave that for future me to take care of'

-decided to procrastinate on it.

'It's a shitty move to make considering their feelings...but I just have too much on my plate...because Enyo's web of influence spans larger than I thought'

Throughout Bell's various investigations and confrontations in the criminal world of Orario, he slowly but surely began to unravel just how badly Enyo was spreading chaos.

'The events of Sword Oratoria were no doubt his major plan, but he supported and encouraged the growth of troublesome figures to cause chaos in the background while he worked on the jewel fetus...'

The Dolos familia Bell had dealt with was luckily ruined before Enyo could support them financially and logistically. If Bell hadn't stopped their operation then and there, no doubt more lives would've been lost.

'A head-on confrontation is not the best plan...so I'll simply ruin all of the people he is supporting whilst giving subtle hints to Hermes to investigate Dionysus...I can't tip Hermes off too early, otherwise, my knowledge of the future will go to waste...I just need to minimize the damage as much as possible'

As Lili washed herself up in the base, Bell readied himself once again for the night that was to come.

His eyes left a trail of blue as he walked across the training field.

The Gray Ghost had new prey to hunt.

...

..

.

It was the dead of night in Orario.

High atop a tall tower that overlooked the slums of Orario, Bell recounted his operations for the night, because he had a major target this time, two in fact.

'The criminal Hypnos familia...and Rakia spies...'

Bell had learned about these two targets of his through his numerous dealings and encounters with major figures of the Orario underworld.

'Where the Dolos familia specialized in extortion and murder...the Hypnos familia has a stranglehold in narcotics and human trafficking...'

The Hypnos familia was known among criminals for their infamous potent drugs, two of which brought them immense success. An opioid that dulled the senses and left the consumer high as they shifted between consciousness and unconsciousness, and a chloroform-like substance that was highly potent in its ability to induce unconsciousness...

'Which they then used to kidnap people to sell off as slaves...most of them women...'

Bell gripped his hands tightly, the descriptions of the operation he had learned from interrogations and classified documents sickened him immensely.

'I went easy with the Dolos familia to impress Hermes, and to determine my strength...but for them...I won't hold back'

Bell was determined to utilize all his skills to ruthlessly and swiftly dismantle their operation. 

'As for the second target...'

Spies from Rakia that were able to be smuggled into Orario.

'There's only one goal I could think of that Ares would choose to send spies instead of a head-on confrontation with his army...and that's to extract Welf Crozzo '

Descendant of the legendary Crozzo from the age of heroes, and born with the ability to forge magic swords. He was a noble from Rakia but soon ran away from the country in order to not mass-produce magic swords for Ares' conquests.

'He was able to escape...but he lost his goddess in the process...eventually arriving at Orario and finding solace in the Hephaestus familia'

Bell was greatly interested in Welf Crozzo. His abilities were overpowered, and though it would take time for him to warm up to the idea of forging magic swords, Bell knew different ways he could utilize his ability. 

'So I can't afford the Rakia spies to be successful. I can assume that they naturally weren't because of the story...but I simply changed too much in the underworld where they came through, I can't risk it'

Wipe out a criminal familia and eliminate a few spies from capturing a potential ally.

'Nothing I can't handle'

Bell's magic circuits began to activate and ready his magic.

'Time to get to work'

Bell jumped off from the tower he stood atop, moving to strike his first target.

The hunt has begun.

...

..

.

(TW: Mentions of SA)

Earlier in the day before Bell began his hunt, in the streets of Orario walked a certain goddess was standing by the street as the sun began to set.

"That damn Tsubaki...where did that child go?"

The goddess Hephaestus, head of the famous Hephaestus familia is known for its numerous high-quality works and plethora of skilled blacksmiths within its ranks.

"The first time I join her instead of working in my forge...and she just ditches me"

Hephaestus was a goddess who valued her work and work ethic very highly. Descending into the lower world for enjoyment, but mainly to improve her skills as an artisan of the anvil and forge.

With her temperament for work, today was a very rare occasion for her, as she chode to go outside rather than continue working on her numerous commissions or improve her skills.

" 'Lady Hephaestus., join me to buy a limited Dionysus vintage' 'Lady Hephaestus, you'll become socially inept if you stay in your forge all day' 'Lady Hephaestus...'-"

Hephaestus began mocking her familia captain Tsubaki by repeating the arguments she used to drag her goddess outside in a dumb tone.

Though she was mocking her child, the goddess and her familia captain are really close and appreciate each other greatly. They became so close that mocking such as this became normal for the two, despite the inherent difference in their status.

Hephaestus may appear annoyed at Tsubaki's insistence and general lack of reverence for the goddess, she deeply appreciates their intimate friendship, something she rarely experienced in Tenkai.

But just as Hephaestus continued to wait for her Tsubaki, she picked up the muffle noises of a woman in a nearby alleyway.

"mmmffffpph!-"

"...?"

Hephaestus began to tune in to more clearly discern the noises she noticed.

'muffled voices...a scream?!-'

The goddess immediately became concerned at what she began to hear, especially where she heard it from.

'If I'm correct... doesn't this alleyway lead to...the slums....'

The slums of Orario were a place that naturally formed as not all the population of the dungeon city were able to make a living, and not all of them were willing or had the capabilities to look for new opportunities elsewhere, simply choosing to reside in Orario in poverty.

The guild and the Ganesha familia tried their best to uphold law and order through regular patrols, but the slums were kept in a tight grip by numerous petty criminals and hidden organized crime groups. 

'Damn it. I need to find Tsubaki quick-'

Hephaestus was about to move to find her captain to resolve the situation, but she was frozen when she heard a certain sound. 

"mmppphhhfff- HEL- MMMPPHHHH!-"

There was no longer any time. If she went in search of her captain, no doubt whoever was being assaulted would no longer be there. 

Various thoughts began to circulate through Hephaestus' mind.

'I...I can't go in there. The livelihood of my familia is at stake if I put myself into danger....'

Hephaestus knew going in by herself was stupid beyond reason. There was too much at stake if she ever got into danger...

The muffled screams and cries continued. Though it was a few seconds, to Hephaestus it felt like an eternity.

Someone asking for help was in front of her, but she didn't move, she tried convincing herself why she shouldn't move. Why it was okay to look away.

Guilt began to build up in the goddess' heart. Before she began to admonish herself, however, memories of her life in Tenkai passed in a flash.

'Back off! She looks plenty beautiful to me!-'

Memories of her dear friend. A cheerful goddess who lacked a bit in intelligence, but more than made up for in heart. 

Someone who looked at her beyond the defect she despised. Someone who didn't hesitate to put herself into the line of fire to do what was right.

She was humiliated by the gods for standing up for her. She was slandered by fellow goddesses who said it was her kink that drove her to do such a thing. Lambasting her title as a virgin by falsely painting her as a pervert.

But...she kept smiling...never regretting what she did.

'If I had to pick between doing the right thing...and making people I barely know hate me...then the peanut gallery can mind their damn business!'

Her cute voice rang as she heartily laughed.

Hephaestus began to move.

'This is stupid...beyond stupid...'

She began to quicken her pace.

'It's selfish...I'm risking the lives of my children...'

Her surrounding soon faded into dark walls as she left the street she once was in.

'But...if I don't do this...'

The sounds of help began to resound even louder in her ears, she was getting closer.

'How can I call myself...Hestia's friend!-'

Hephaestus plunged into the darkness of the alleyway.

Driven to do right by her friend who stood for those who couldn't stand for themselves.

It was an action driven by an honorable desire but backed up without the means to fulfill it.

Soon, Tsubaki came back but couldn't find her goddess anywhere.

It would take time to confirm she was no longer anywhere safe.

Orario would begin a lockdown at the start of the night.

A manhunt on a scale Orario hadn't seen since its dark ages began.

Ganesha, Loki, Freya, and many more were mobilized to respond.

A crisis that can define the fates of many adventurers if the worst comes to worst.

Goddess Hephaestus has gone missing.

...

..

.

"mmm...huh?"

Hephaestus slowly began to open her eyes.

"mph?!-"

Pain immediately struck her head, a pain she hadn't felt in her entire stay in Orario.

"Where...is this?..."

Hephaestus began to analyze her surroundings as she tried to recall what had happened.

Dark dreary walls. The presence of mold and decay was present in the large room she found herself in.

Moonlight shone through windows high to the ceiling. A vile stench was present throughout the area, nearly causing her to puke.

'...a warehouse?...'

Hephaestus recognized the shape and layout of the building she was in. Her familia had numerous warehouses of a similar structure to the place she was seeing.

'How did I...'

Hephaestus recalled what had happened.

'I was...'

Running into the alleyway, driven by her desire to do good just the same as her friend once did to her, rather than looking away.

'Three men...ra-...assaulting a young girl...'

Hephaestus naturally repulsed as she recalled her memories.

'I tried to push them away from her...with my hammer...'

She groggily continued to remember.

'It failed...they were adventurers...'

'I tried using my divine aura...my status as a goddess to dissuade them...'

Many people naturally recognized gods if they passed by one, they radiated a unique atmosphere around their bodies. Even drunkards could detect when someone they're talking to is divine.

'But...they didn't seem affected...'

Hephaestus recalled their grotesque and peculiar nature.

'It was as if...they weren't thinking properly...beyond just being drunk or being an idiot..'

The men Hephaestus had encountered were drugged. A new prototype substance was made under the order of an associate by the name of Enyo.

A drug that raised the natural desires of a person to revolting levels, but kept enough of their sanity to fulfill their desires effectively.

'They kept repeating a word...orgia?...'

Hepheastus' recollection began to speed up from this point.

Her struggle to break free. Her being held captive violently. 

Looks that disgusted her as she was covered in the mouth...slowly succumbing to their whims.

"!-"

Having realized the gravity of the situation, Hephaestus immediately tried springing into action, but quickly found out she had been bounded.

'Ropes!-'

Hephaestus was bounded to a chair in the middle of an unknown warehouse.

Her arms were tied behind her back. Each of her legs was bound to one of the legs of the chair. Her mouth was put into a gag. 

The sight of her predicament sickened her.

'Nasty bastards-'

But before Hephaestus could think about it any longer, the doors to the warehouse opened.

"?!-"

"Hephaestus! Hephaestus! Am I surprised to see you here!"

Hephaestus barely recognized the voice she had heard.

'The divinity of a god?...'

She felt relief for a moment before regretting that thought. 

She recognized the god that stood before her.

"Hm? Don't recognize me? I'm saddened, didn't we share such a DEEP and PERSONAL bond in Tenkai?~"

Hephaestus's body began to shake at seeing the source of her trauma. The one who led a campaign in the heavens to have every god and goddess revile her.

"Its me~ Your old buddy Hypnos~"

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The man had disheveled hair that was colored in a revolting shade of yellow. He donned robes that barely hid his body. The air around him was pungent of numerous drugs, it smelled disgusting.

And...the main god in charge of vindicating Hephaestus as a freak.

All of Hephaestus' determination diminished in an instant. She was struck by a fear she couldn't fight back against.

"Imagine my surprise when I sent my children to look for my whores to enslave...and they came back with you! Can you just think how shocked I was?!"

Hypnos began walking closer to Hephaestus, each step closer increased her fear even more, to heights she hadn't experienced in a long time. A fear she thought she would never need to experience. 

"You did so well for yourself! Becoming a major familia in Orario! Drowning in riches from your weapons and armor! Even built yourself a nice 'ol family in Gekai..."

Hypnos was now standing in front of Hephaestus, his shadow looming over her, bringing her into a place she never wanted to be back in.

Hypnos brought his face next to her ear, his breath making Hephaestus nearly break mentally.

"So well...so much good...for a freak like you~"

Hypnos began to smile with malice, ecstatic at being able to toy with the goddess he had so much fun manipulating years ago. A goddess he despised for being better than him in Gekai.

He wanted to put her in his place. His ego simply couldn't accept it.

"Tell me. Have you ever shown that fucking disgusting eye of yours to your children?"

Hypnos said as he removed the gag on her mouth.

Hephaestus flinched at what he had said, remaining quiet as she was still processing the situation.

"You haven't~ Because how would people even get close to you otherwise?~"

"All of them would know you for the freak of nature you are...Hephi~"

Hearing the name her only friend gave her being used by the god she despised, Hephaestus glared at Hypnos in anger.

"Oh?~ Why so mad Hephi?~ Mad that I used the name that pervert of a goddess gave you?"

Hephaestus' anger overtook her fear when she heard Hypnos slander her friend as he did.

"Don't you dare say that about Hestia! You bastard!-"

But Hypnos cut her off by putting a dagger against her throat. His eyes radiated a hatred his previous sadistic expression didn't show.

"I. Can. Do. Whatever. I. Want. Freak-"

Hephaestus quieted down as she felt the dagger lightly touch her neck. Scraping against the skin. 

"And she is a pervert. Cause who else would willingly talk with you?! She claims to be a virgin, but she's just some bitch with a kink for ugly bastards! HA-HAHAHAHAHAHA"

Hephaestus glared at Hypnos. Her teeth ground against one another. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes which expressed anger beyond belief.

"So~ Seeing our fateful reunion~ One which happened just before I ascended to the ranks of a great cause! I decided to see what that pervert Hestia got her kicks from~"

With a snap of his fingers, two figures appeared beside each side of Hypnos. 

Men, resembling the ones who had kidnapped Hephaestus. 

They were behaving strangely as if following their base instincts but having the intellect to carry it out the most efficient way possible. 

"Meet my children Hephaestus~ They're quite...high at the moment, so they won't be able to speak much~"

Hephaestus immediately became concerned once her vision was surrounded on all sides by her captors. Seeing the look of fear and confusion, Hypnos smiled the wides grin he had ever shown.

He had ruined the lives of so many people in Tenkai and Gekai. But nothing brought him as much pleasure as his first. The first toy that he wished to break, but was unable to. He was now going to thoroughly enjoy the process.

"Mhm?~ Why so confused Hephi?~ You know what's going to happen~"

Hypnos approached Hephaestus as he brought his knife to the cover which hid her right eye. Cutting it as he spoke.

"☐☐☐☐"

Hepheastus' eyes widened as she heard what Hypnos said, but Hypnos stepped back in revulsion as her hidden eyes came into full view.

"URGH- HAHAHAHAHAHA IT'S STILL AS HIDEOUS AS EVER!- HOW DID THAT BITCH HESTIA EVER TOLERATE YOU- URGHH!-"

Hypnos accosted Hephaestus as he puked in sadistic glee. Even the drugged men holding her and her seat in place were visibly repulsed by the sight.

"..."

Hephaestus' mind began to break down.

'FREAK' 'ARE YOU EVEN A GOD?' 'A MONSTER IS IN TENKAI' 'DON'T EVER APPROACH ME'

Memories of her hundreds of years of constant torment and bullying in the heavens flashed through her head as her mind continued to crumble.

'Heph☐ I w☐ll a☐☐ays b☐ y☐u☐ fri☐☐-'

The little happy moments she had begun fading into obscurity. 

The image of the only goddess that gave her solace, blurred into nothing. 

'I'm a sullied mess of a goddess...even if Hypnos ☐☐☐☐☐ me...what does it even matter?...'

The self-esteem Hes☐☐☐ had struggled so hard to cultivate within the lonely goddess began to turn into hate of her existence.

Her mind began to dissolve into a state that produced neither thought nor emotion.

"Ha...Maybe if I can cut off the skin near your eye...maybe the eye itself...maybe then I can off~"

Hypnos then began to get the knife closer to Hephaestus' face, but she no longer cared.

'Maybe...if Hypnos kills me...I can meet ☐☐☐☐☐☐ again...who was I talking about?...'

But just as Hypnos was about to mutilate the goddess, the sound of the glass in the warehouse began breaking in unison.

"?!-"

A figure dashed through the now open windows, throwing a chained sword toward those he deemed as enemies. 

The sword flew over Hephaestus, in her broken mind, it sparked a thought within herself.

Something that was intrinsic to her existence, something she couldn't deny even if she broke.

'those....swords...'

The chained blades appeared in her eyes, slowly cutting through the two men which stood beside Hypnos as they were wary of the intruder.

She watched as the blades cleanly cut through their bodies. Slowly being dyed in the crimson of their blood. 

Moving without hesitation or questioning. The way it reflected the moonlight enchanted the smith. It's material structure. It's appearance and finishes. It's forging and creation process. The emotions that went behind its conception. It was all conveyed clearly to her. 

Even as they were stained in brutality and gore, Hephaestus felt only a singular emotion toward the blades she saw. Complete adoration. 

'they're...beautiful'

The chained blades cleanly cut through the two men, and immediately wrapped around the chair of Hephaestus. Being pulled back as they did, bringing the bound goddess to the figure who wielded the blades.

'...?'

Hephaestus instinctively tried to look for the wielder of the blades she admired. Her spirit as a smith trumps the mental breakdown she experienced.

But as she tried to do so, she was spoken to by the figure, his voice was distorted but she felt its kindness.

"It's alright now. Close your eyes"

'Hephi, it's alright. Close your eyes'

Memory and reality blurred for Hephaestus at that moment, but she did as she was told. Feeling as though she could entrust herself to the figure, the warmth she felt from him confused her.

'Hestia...alright...'

Hephaestus closed her eyes at that moment, even closing off her senses, She wished to rest.

"....who the fuck are you"

Hypnos said in exasperation, soaked in the blood of his subordinates who were cut in half. Blood and guts spilling out of them.

Bell didn't reply, simply walking toward the god, his blue eyes glowing with hatred beneath his hood and mask. 

"...!-"

Feeling the imminent danger, Hypnos shouted out.

"Kill that intruder immediately!-"

From the shadows of the warehouse, numerous figures sprang into action.

Hypnos was a seasoned criminal, unlike Dolos or Mendacium. He would enjoy his abuses of power only in the absolute and certain safety of his numerous guards. 

He wouldn't be as easy to take out as the other two.

But the figure didn't seem disturbed by this, simply chanting his magic.

「Sword Barrel: Full Open」

The numerous guard of Hypnos descended on Bell. Six individuals slowly reached towards him with their weapons, but in an instant...

...they were impaled with six projected chained swords

「Reinforce」

Bell's figure disappeared in an instant, and appeared in corner of the warehouse, all his blades wedging themselves into their prey in an instant.

Hypnos watched in horror as he saw what ensued next. 

A dance of chains and blades, soaked in the blood of numerous victims.

Each second, a new body fell into the floor, devoid of life.

Each second, the chains hit against the walls and floor, reverberating a cold echo.

It was a cacophony of sounds that drowned the cruel god in fear, until...

"clang...clang...clang..."

Bell was in front of him. His shadow loomed over the pathetic deity, looking at him with cold unfeeling eyes.

"I won't kill you..."

He spoke words that would've relieved Hypnos, but he felt as if he wasn't out of danger at all.

"I'm sure the other gods will do that for me in Tenkai..."

Blood dripped from his blades, chains, cloak, his armor. He was the very image of cold brutality.

"But this..."

Bell pointed his sword to a very sensitive area of Hypnos. Recognizing what he was about to do, the god paled beyond comprehension.

"You won't be needing this...pathetic stick anymore right?"

Hypnos tried to reason.

"Wai-"

But it was too late.

In one instant.

It was cut clean off.

The screams of a man rang throughout the slums. 

...

..

.

"You can open your eyes now, Lady Hephaestus"

'hm?...'

Hephaestus was spoken to after what had felt like an eternity.

'what happened...'

She slowly began waking up, but unlike before, she clearly remembered what was happening and quickly got up.

"...!-"

But Hephaestus was restrained a bit 

"Unhand me this instant! You bastard Hypnos!-"

Hephaestus was going to struggle as much as she can, but before she could, a voice she didn't recognize spoke to her.

"Lady Hephaestus, you're alright now"

"?!"

Hephaestus began to survey her surroundings in response to the unfamiliar voice that spoke out to her.

'...I'm no longer bound to a chair...a roof?...'

The goddess felt the wind brush against her hair, the putrid smell and decrepit look of the warehouse she was at were no longer there. Just the moonlit sky and a view of Orario.

'...who?...'

She began to look toward the figure that spoke to her. Noticing the armor and cloak colored in various shades of gray. Memories of her captain talking about a vigilante rose came into her recollection. 

'Gray...could this be?-'

But before she could confirm her suspicions, she looked into the gaze of the figure who had restrained her.

Her eyes saw a glowing blue gaze, but her arcanum reacted in a way she had never felt before.

Hephaestus' existence was being drawn towards what lay beyond his eyes. She saw something she couldn't even begin to comprehend.  

'...infinite...swords...no...infinite weapons'

A vast array of weapons of every variety and kind entered into her knowing.

Some she faintly recognized, others she didn't. 

Hephaestus was entranced by looking at the figure's eyes as if she was always meant to look at them.

Her fervor went beyond that of another goddess' admiration for the eyes.

Her existence was tangentially made to admire such a sight, surmounting fate and destiny, nearing the realm of a conceptual need.

Time passed by unknowingly to the goddess as she lost herself in admiration of the sight she was experiencing.

But she was eventually broken out of her stupor by the voice that had roused her.

"Lady...Hephaestus"

The figure called out to her in a struggling tone, as if he were experiencing what she felt as well.

His willpower to break such an intense desire could be commended. 

"H-huh?!-"

Hephaestus soon regained her senses and came back to reality.

The eyes which she gazed upon were no longer present, hidden beneath an additional visor on top of a hood and mask.

'...that...'

She didn't know what to make of what she just saw. The emotions she felt. It was if she had met where she finally belonged.

"..."

Hephaestus was naturally suspicious of the figure which had called out to her, but her emotions were dissuaded by the eyes which captured her gaze as if they alone were enough to clear away any grievances she might have against the figure.

"...u-um...you are the...Gray Ghost are you not?..."

Bell, similarly recovering from a stupor himself, shakily replied back.

"Y-yes I am...Lady Hephaestus"

He was naturally drawn inwards into Hephaestus' eyes, just as she did to him. 

Bell saw a burning fire that could temper any material to its extremes.

It didn't burn to destroy. It burned to create.

The brilliant shades of vermillion he witnessed entranced him deeply.  

Only being able to break away through sheer luck, and hide away his eyes beneath a visor.

'Note to self...staring into Hephaestus' eyes is dangerous...more so than Freya's charm'

Bell fell victim to the slight release of Freya's charm as Syr, but he felt a more intense emotion with the goddess of the forge than he did with the goddess of beauty.

'Is it because of UBW?... this is troublesome...'

Bell had just thought to himself earlier in the day about his mounting problems with his potential love life, and now he had to add another name to the list.

'It's like a spiderman and silk situation...just...less sex...I apologize Welf'

He had apologized to the Crozzo in his mind, he felt bad knowing he might've messed up their romance.

'does it count as NTR if it hasn't happened yet?...'

As Bell pondered his possible ruining of a bromance with the magic sword smith, Hephaestus felt an unfamiliar sensation on her face.

'This covering... it's not!-'

Hephaestus recognized the covering on her eye was not the one she had used. 

She wasn't an idiot to not connect the dots, so she grew red in embarrassment as she came to her conclusion.

'D-did the Gray Ghost see my eye?!-'

Hephaestus began thinking about what she should do. How should she bring it up? Did he even see it in the first place?

Her emotions didn't allow her to think straight. A rush of attraction and belonging, only to be interrupted by her lifelong trauma. 

The goddess needed the time to process, but she wasn't able to as Bell quickly spoke to her.

"Lady Hephaestus. Are you doing okay now?"

Hephaestus, hearing her name called out, turned to Bell. 

After looking at him for a few seconds in silence, secretly disappointed she couldn't see his eyes, she replied.

"Y-yes. I'm...feeling...mostly fine"

Bell hearing that stood up and extended his hand to the goddess.

"Then it would be best if we start moving. The whole of Orario is currently searching for you, so it would be best if they can confirm you are safe and unharmed"

Recognizing the potential chaos that might be occurring at this moment due to her disappearance, Hephaestus quickly grabbed onto Bell's hand.

"We should make haste then Gray Ghost! My familia..."

Hephaestus put on a pensive expression of regret thinking about her familia at that moment, but it was broken off when she felt her whole body begin to float.

"?!-"

"Excuse me for the inconvenience Lady Hephaestus-"

Bell carried Hephaestus into a princess carry and began to run across the rooftops of Orario.

The wind blowing against her hair, she stood mesmerized as she watched Bell leap from building to building with her in his arms.

'It feels...warm and safe...'

Memories of herself and Hestia talking idly in the temple of the sacred fire sprang into the goddess' mind. The warmth Bell gave her reminded her of that treasured memory of hers. 

'Is this...love?...'

Heat began to be felt on her face. Unlike the bashful embarrassment, she had felt prior. It was a gentle heat that dazed her expression in longing. 

'Aphrodite told me...that love was the worst drug imaginable...'

Hephaestus no longer associated her now stick-less tormentor Hypno with the mention of drugs, only focusing on Bell instead of anything else.

'10,000 years of romance huh...'

Recalling the promise a forgotten god made to entice their descent into the lower world, Hephaestus couldn't help but think it was now true.

Unconsciously snugging up to the body of Bell as he continued to carry her, the goddess of the forge fell in love beneath the star-covered sky.

...

..

.

"If you walk beyond this alleyway, you should encounter the main base of operations for the search party, Lady Hephaestus"

Bell and Hephaestus now stood in the shadowy crevice of two buildings near the center of Orario.

Hephaestus was now safe from any harm.

Though her familia and allies lay just a few steps away, she was reluctant to leave.

'I don't want this to end...'

Experiencing the throes of love for the first time, the exterior of a serious businesswoman faded from the goddess, she was now just a maiden in love.

'...is there any way...'

Hephaestus thought desperately about how to prolong this conversation she had. Eventually discovering it.

"G-Gray g-ghost....you have done me a great service! How would you like to be repaid?!-"

'...WHY THE HELL DID I SPEAK SO HAUGHTILY?!-'

Hephaestus, caught in the heat of the moment, forgot entirely how to interact with others, defaulting into her basic divine goddess attitude to speak with the person she loved.

"..."

Seeing Bell remain silent from her proclamation, the goddess began admonishing herself for fumbling her first love so bad. 

But eventually, Bell replied back.

"...there's no need to go that far Lady Hephaestus, I'm simply doing what I want to do, saving you just happened to be a happy coincidence"

Hephaestus heard what he had said, but somehow, instinctually knew it wasn't the truth. As if she could feel what he felt.

"I-I...see"

"..."

"..."

They both began standing in awkward silence, not knowing how to move forward.

Eventually, Bell decided to end their conversation. 

"...I have dealt with Hypnos and his remaining associates...I also made sure the other women that were captured are safe...I will be sure to give my knowledge of the situation discreetly...and you're now in safe hands Lady Hephaestus...so...I'll be leaving now..."

Bell's social skills had deteriorated just as much as Hephaestus'. Now establishing his desire to leave, he began walking deeper into the alleyway, preparing to chant his spell 「Transient」.

But before he could, Hephaestus quickly grabbed hold of his hand.

"Wait!-"

Bell stopped in an instant. Not turning to face Hephaestus.

Silence befell them both for a few moments before the goddess spoke.

"Did...you see my eye"

Her grip on Bell's hand tightened, shaking faintly.

'She's afraid...'

Bell knew just how important this question was for Hephaestus, it easily surmounted his trauma by leaps and bounds.

Being known as a freak by most of your kind for thousands of years.

Being unable to show your true self out of fear of being rejected by those you love.

Bell couldn't just easily brush off this question.

But he was conflicted if he should answer. On one hand, the goddess will be left broken, not knowing how he thought. On the other, a romance that was built up so in the story he read would disappear entirely.

'...'

Bell didn't know which path he should take.

"hic...'

But hearing the faint cry of the goddess that held onto him so dearly.

"...hic-"

Her desperate struggle as she confronted a fear Bell couldn't even begin to imagine.

The courage she must've gathered to face it head-on...

'...I'm sorry Welf...but I'm taking away your goddess'

..

.

"...s-sorry about that question Gray Ghost. You can just-"

"Ashen gray skin which surrounds your eyelid..."

"?!-"

Hephaestus froze as Bell spoke, telling the description of the eye she desperately hid for so long.

"Cracks along the edge...a faint red glow emanating from beneath each one..."

"..."

"Black sclera...formed around a brilliant crimson iris...surrounding a dark red pupil..."

Hephaestus's heart began to race, it was a perfect description of the deformity she was cursed with.

"To most, it would appear hideous. Something only a monstrous freak would possess"

The goddess' heart sank...she was a fool for believing she was deserving of love...for thinking he might feel the same way...

'I...'

"But"

Hephaestus froze.

Time had stopped all around her.

The noises of the city which were desperate to find her no longer reached her ears.

All that remained in the world in her eyes was herself...and Bell.

"To me...it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen"

Red flares illuminated the sky, bursting with a bang.

They were sent to communicate that a search party may have found a lead.

Orange flares rang throughout Orario's night sky in response, drawing the city in a sea of explosions.

"..."

The dark alleyway the two had stood in was now illuminated by various lights.

"...he's gone"

But Bell had long vanished into dust with his proclamation, Hephaestus' grip on his hand now merely grabbed at the air.

Though she was alone, her heart couldn't have felt more full. 

'I can't hear them...'

Hephaestus grabbed at her chest. It hurt so much but she was the happiest she had been.

"My heartbeat..."

Numerous flares continued to ring out throughout the sky.

"My heart is so loud that-"

...

..

.

"BOOM-"

She couldn't hear the explosions.

Authors Note:

Thank you for reading this chapter!

I hope you could recognize the Kaguya-sama reference. I was writing that scene and had the idea of the flares...then I remembered that iconic moment in the manga. So I decided to use it for this chapter on Hephaestus.

What are your thoughts on the relationship between Bell and Hephaestus?

Also, what are your thoughts on Lili's weapon? 

I would like to hear your opinions.

I'll be posting a chapter entitled 19.5 for Welf. I originally planned on having him included in this chapter, but the moment with Hephaestus took up too many words HAHAHAHAHA. 

I'll also be planning a separate love interest for Welf in this fanfic, so the bro Crozzo won't be alone with Hephaestus gone.

Thank you again for reading, and I hope you look forward to the next chapter!

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