Danmachi- Hell’s Forge

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I started taking down what was left of my ice cage after that so that only the frozen ground remained. Hroldar showed up in a rush with his axe out but looked confused when he saw me relaxed leaning against a tree uninjured.-

"Did you kill it?" he asked in disbelief.

I shook my head "Busted a hole in my cage and fled after I put a hole through it's chest, just barely missed it's stone too. Kinda annoying to be honest." I replied casually.

"Are you really that strong already? Doesn't sound like the sorta thing a level three aught to be able to do after all." He said confused.

"It wasn't a matter of strength so much as I was the worst possible opponent for the thing. It was clearly specialized for close quarters combat and not to toot my own horn but that is literally the worst thing you could ever use against me. Add on my healing ability and you can see how I handled the beast." I explained honestly.

What I said was true as I was more or less a close range warrior-mage as my techniques worked best close to me.-

Sure I could use the stuff at a range but the best use for all of it was within a few meters of me or in direct contact with me. Add on my ability to repair any damage done so long as it isn't overwhelmingly massive and I was a nightmarish existence for close range fighters. My biggest and really only weakness was magic, specifically the large scale shit I had little hope of tanking. Look I'm all for tanking hits to gain an advantage since I could fix most weapon inflicted injuries easy as pie but once that damage turns to full body levels of devastation even I had to fear for my life.-

"Makes sense, still can't for the life of me figure out why the damned thing was so focused on killing Ein though." Hroldar said with a frown.

"Oh that's easy to explain, he was the biggest threat to it as a mage. That and he had all your magic stones on him if I didn't see that bag he was carrying wrong" I said with a shrug.

"Ah, that'd do it alright. I'll need to report that detail to the guild as if it's clever enough to notice that adventurers with bags are carrying stones and hunt them, well you can understand how bad that is." he said seriously.

"Yeah, might want to get Loki or Freya to take care of it before it turns into a bigger problem. Something that strong messes up the balance of the dungeon for adventurers." I said in agreement.

"Speakin of Freya couldn't you... you know?" he asked and I shook my head.

"I'm friends with her but this is an adventurer matter rather than a personal one. I make a point not to mix business and personal matters if I can help it. Best leave this to the guild." I said seriously.

"That aside lad why are you down here anyways? I figured you'd be busy with commissions after a month of inactivity." he asked changing the subject.

"Oh I've got a few that I need to do but my stores of materials are getting low so a bit of an expedition was needed." I said honestly.

"Why not buy them, you aren't exactly hurting for money last I checked?" he asked confused.

"Why spend money for something I can just go get myself? Besides I needed to stretch my legs as it were." I said with a chuckle.

"If you say so." he said with a shrug.

We chatted a bit more as we headed back to the eighteenth floor and eventually reached Rivira without hassle. Not that there weren't some people with ill intentions at first but changed their tunes after recognizing Hroldar and a beat later me. Trying to rob a five five and the person recognized as one of the strongest level three's in the city was a very unwise decision and they knew it.-

My anonymity also vanished as a result of these people figuring out that this was my new look and that I wasn't just another person copying the look with some changes. I didn't doubt that by the time I left the dungeon in a bit over a week my new look would be a thing of public knowledge. Not that I cared really as if anything it just meant less annoyance for me. Hroldar treated me to a meal and drink on him once we were in town as repayment for helping him save his familia member. The alcohol didn't really effect me but I could appreciate the sentiment if nothing else. I eventually left the town and made my way back to my base to turn in for the night.-Nôv(el)B\\jnn

(3rd person POV- unknown location)

"What do you mean they disappeared!?" a petite goddess with black hair and cold eyes yelled angrily.

"I'm mean they fucking dissappeared, vanished, gone without a trace! We couldn't find anything!" a man with short brown hair and red goggles shot back annoyed.

"It couldn't have been the target who did it. I don't care how strong he is no level three would be able to survive Thanus's assassination, he's one of my best after all." the small goddess said with a deep frown while ignoring the mans disrespectful attitude.

"Who knows, maybe they just got unlucky and ran into someone from the Freya or Loki familias who recognized them?" the man said uncaringly.

"Damn it! This is the second time my children have been removed while trying to kill this pesky man! I'm done sending my people on death missions over this troublesome fellow, I'm blacklisting any bounties on his head from now on. Let someone else throw away their children to deal with him!" she said with a huff of anger.

"Oh? Lost your nerve my dearest goddess Eris?" the man taunted.

"I won't fall for that Dix, clearly the target is more trouble than he's worth to keep trying to kill. Unlike most of the others I actually value my children's lives if only for the value they hold as tools of my will." Eris, goddess of discord said with a glare.

"Heh, yeah a bunch of right bastards alright." Dix said with a snicker.