Danmachi- Hell’s Forge

Sunny problems

I kept my new helmet/mask in my bag and only put it on when I was already in the dungeon after the first day wearing it in public led to me almost dying. See I had it on and was about to make my way to the hostess when Tiona showed up and mistook me for a monster. She broke like eight ribs with a single drop kick that hit me before I could even react. She felt really really bad afterwards but I didn't blame her too much considering it was rather monstrous looking.-

That said I somehow got suckered into training with her for a month after that when hestia brought it up when Tiona asked what she could do to make it up to me. Said "training" was in fact more surviving her onslaught than actually getting taught anything. I mean it was great for my predictive countering thing I was working on with the Minotaurs but was brutal in every other way. That woman didn't know the meaning of the words "holding back" as I lost count of the amount of times she broke a bone, almost killed me or sent me over the side of the wall. That last one was my least pleasant experience.-

We trained for an hour on top of the wall just before sunrise and the first few times the chick literally kicked me off the wall on accident. She seemed happy that I survived the falls each time and praised me for how tough my body was. Fun fact by the way you have to be at least level three with high endurance to survive falling at terminal velocity. Something I learned from Tiona after she asked how I pulled it off. I refused to tell her that I was about equal to a new level three stat wise, not that she cared all that much.-

I will admit that I couldn't really stay mad at her for all the near fatal injuries or close calls when I knew that she was simply not all that cut out to train others. She was savage for lack of a better word. Not feral exactly but she fought like a predator more than a person and she wasn't very good at controlling her strength as a result. She tried but if I did something that caught her off guard or got too close to her with an attack she'd momentarily stop limiting herself and I was NOT able to handle that level of power no matter how brief.-

She was level six and my body was barely at level three so obviously I broke more bones than I was comfortable with over the next month but at least I wasn't the only person having a rough time of it in the familia. I have no clue how he keeps accomplishing it but Bell had somehow managed to pick a fight with the Apollo familia. According to him and his teammates Lili and Welf, a red haired blacksmith oddly enough, they went to get some dinner after a days delving and got into a brawl with members of the Apollo familia.-

Bell got beaten like a dog by the level three captain of the familia who held the nickname{Phoebus Apollo} and was almost seriously injured had the werewolf of the Loki familia Bete Loga not called the fight to an end. Unlike the whole thing that happened with the Soma familia the Apollo familia didn't try to involve me at first, no they involved the entire Hestia familia when they set the church on fire.-

It went out fairly fast thankfully since all the wood was refined and thus didn't burn very well but I was PISSED. I didn't even bother hiding it either as I found some Apollo members bragging about it in a bar and proceeded to break both their legs and both their arms. The guild fined me heavily for "disturbing the peace" and I paid it with a fucking smile on my face. That was where things got particularly suspicious however as we got invited to the ball Apollo was hosting.-

To be more specific Hestia got invited and she was allowed to bring her captain with her as per protocol.

"He's probably going to challenge us to a war game." I said casually on the way to the manor of the Apollo familia.

"And who's fault is that after you went and did such a thing to his child?" Hestia said with an nervous look.

"They started it. Besides you know how powerful I am so even if we are out numbered by so much I can handle it. The penalties from killing the ones with innocent souls is gonna suck though." I said unbothered by the almost guaranteed war game.

"If and I mean it, IF we get challenged to a war game what conditions do you think i should put forth?" she asked seriously.

"Well first off try and make it a siege or duels if you can though we may need to goad Apollo to accomplish that. Second we want everything his familia has while he gets exiled from Orario, the manor and assets we can sell for money since we have the church but the weapons and treasures are what will really pay dividends. I can use the materials for most of them myself and we can sell back the rest to the members of the familia afterwards in exchange for favors or even recruitment." I explained calmly.

"Recruitment?" Hestia asked confused.

"Perhaps you haven't noticed it but Bell and I are growing very fast. Problem is two powerful people does not a powerful familia make. We need numbers if we are to grow to match and one day surpass the likes of Freya and Loki." I said slightly dramatically.

"Umu, makes sense. Don't know if I trust you not to lead others into being weirdos though." she said while giving me an odd look.

"Why I would never! I thought I had done a fabulous job with Bell, he only causes trouble periodically after all!" I said offended.

"This is the literally the second familia he's gotten into a fight with in as many months." she pointed out.

"Bah, that's just statistics! I'm sure he'll not make trouble again for at least a month after this whole thing finishes up." I said waving it off.

"That's not reassuring at all!" she said hitting me angrily but I just grinned.

"You say that but I'm having a great time over here! After all whats life without a little excitement thrown in every now and again?" I asked with a wide smile and a laugh.

"You're insane!" she said angrily.

"Are you just now figuring that out? Tsk tsk you really should pay more attention." I teased and she just got angrier, it was a good time.