Turns out I'm classified as an Essential Worker, so unless I actually contract the Covid-19 I still have to go to work. Meaning I won't be home all day to write. Enjoy this chapter regardless and I hope it takes some reality away from your situations.

Bell would have been terrified, if had had an ounce of time to actually be so. He was currently on the tenth floor of the dungeon, somewhere he really didn't expect to be when he came to the Dungeon today or for the foreseeable future. There were Imps surrounding him, laughing as he stood at the ready with his axe in hand shield at the ready as the Hard Armored Armadillos rolled about in the mist looking for their time to strike.

The imps attacked first, Bell reacting quickly as he swatted the first from the air to the side with his shield before it retracted into its mechanism clearing his vision before cutting another down, the monster breaking into shards of ice once it hit the ground.

The first Imp came back at him which he hit with the flat side of his axe smearing blood in the air as it flew off to the side giving him enough time to bring up his shield to block the attack of a third Imp it's nails scratching against the hard metal. Slamming his shield into the imp twice in quick succession throwing it off balance, he drew back with his axe and swung, cleaving the demonic imp in half. He heard the cry of the first imp again as it charged, rearing back with his axe he threw it at the imp, the heavy axe sinking deep into it's skull causing it to burst into ash, the axe already returning to his grip.

A fourth caught him by surprise from behind as he caught the axe, clawing at his back trying to breach through his armor however a stone collided with it from the side causing it to turn to ash it's magic stone dropping to the ground as Bell focused on the remaining two monsters, the Hard Armored Armadillos.

The Boaz had so simply killed the imp with just a toss of a stone, he had to wonder what level he was at. But Bell didn't have time to focus on that as one of the Hard Armored Armadillos shot forth in a powerful roll, Bell activating his shield, the force of the blow sending him several feet back, his feet skidding through the dirt. He already knew that his axe couldn't easily penetrate the hard shell of the monster, and that he had to make an opening to it's softer underbelly.

With the force of the Hard Armored's blow receding, Bell acted, retracting the shield and swinging the axe digging it into the outer shell of the monster, it caught grip as ice began to spread over the hard shell locking the blade in place. Bell gripped his axe with both hands and slammed the monster into the ground, it forcibly uncurling as Bell kicked it over and drove the blade of the axe into it's soft stomach turning it to ash.

Breathing heavily he rose back up, feeling a wave of cold emanate from the axe, a soft swirl of power around the blade itself. He had come to notice this since he had been in the dungeon since he had last taken the axe to Brok and Sindri. Whenever he had killed a certain amount of monsters, it's like the axe itself felt charged with an unknown power, magic maybe? Brok and Sindri never said anything about it to him. The swell of power in the blade of the axe made it tremble in his grip, however as time passed so did the charge, dissipating into nothing.

"Focus." The Boaz's voice reached him snapping Bell from his thoughts as he heard the thundering roll of the second Hard Armored Armadillo. He brought forward his shield, angling it slightly as the monster struck, the spinning turning it upwards shooting the monster into the air. The move wouldn't have worked on another floor as the tenth floor had a much higher ceiling. Now airborn the monster spun still but it was clear that the attack was becoming unstable, it's body uncoiling from its attack leaving it open, it's soft underbelly revealed.

Rearing back with the axe, gripping it with two hands Bell threw the axe into the sky, however as the monster was falling it was rotating and just as the axe was about to connect it's hard shell blocked the strike sending it off. Gritting his teeth Bell dashed off to the side keeping his eye on the sailing axe and the falling monster. Skidding to a stop he opened his hand feeling the familiar pull of the axe halting it mid air for a second before flinging it back towards him. The axe swung back around, arching around heading right back for the falling monster. This time striking true resulting in the monster bursting into ash in the air it's magic stone dropping to the ground.

The axe came soaring back, as if cutting through the monster didn't deter it in the slightest. Bell grinned, he had thought of the idea earlier but this was the first time he had actually implemented the return of the axe as an attack. He turned to the Boaz who was still observing, Bell was about to go up to him however the Boaz simply lifted his head gesturing for Bell to turn around, the white haired teen did so and his face paled somewhat.

Two large hulking figures walked through the long white grass, their attention focused solely on Bell. One already had its hands on a large club, obviously used from one of the land forms that littered the tenth floor. Both were huge pig headed Orc's that easily towered over Bell's small frame. Both of the Orcs wore old hide at the waist like a skirt.

"Focus on one, but don't dismiss the other." The Boaz called to Bell. "Choose a target and don't deter until it is down." Bell nodded as he looked between the two, the one with the club had reach with the club while the other had yet to make use of the surrounding trees to use as a weapon. "The Magic Stone is in the center of the chest." The Boaz called to him as he dashed forward, towards the one with the club.

The Orc seeing Bell's Approach lifted it's club up, the young adventurer jumped to the side and as expected, the Orc changed its direction of it's attack and swung instead of slamming it down. Right into the second Orc's side knocking it to the ground. Bell dashed towards the first Orc's vulnerable side swinging his axe with both hands, the blade sinking deep into the green flesh of the Orc, spraying blood over Bell as a result. However due to the deep cut and the thick muscle the blade became stuck and as Bell tried to reef the axe out the Orc swung back with it's hand sending Bell flying across the Dungeon floor, his axe still lodged in the Orc's side.

Gritting his teeth he pushed himself up, wiping some of the Orcs blood from his face. Despite facing two larger class monsters, he wouldn't be deterred. He had faced a Silver Back and Minotaur. Yes this was his first time fighting a large scale monster on his own, but he wasn't going to have Naaza at his side all the time and there wouldn't always be someone to save him like with the Minotaur. He needed to do this on his own.

Sprinting forward towards the Orc with the club, once more seeing the Orc raise the club above it's head, this time letting the Orc slam it into the ground, Bell jumping out of the way at the last moment before using the club as a spring and extended his shield battering it into the Orc's face while at the same time recalling the axe, ripping it straight through the Orc's insides into his grip. He swung the axe into the Orc's gullet, before gripping it with both hands and used his whole body to swing down, dragging the Orc down to the ground where it burst into ash.

The thundering of footsteps barely gave Bell the time to catch his breath as the second Orc now loomed over him. Chest heaving as he grit his teeth still reeling from the blow from the Orc earlier, Bell gripped the axe aware that it had the same charge that gathered earlier. The Orc reared back with it's fist, but something in Bell ordered him to thrust his axe forward instead of his shield and without hesitating he did and a burst of power shot forth from the axe forcing the Orc to stumble back several feet.

Bell's world spun and soon he was face deep in the white grass that now broke due to being frozen from the blast from the axe, mind unfocused as he did everything he could to keep his consciousness from fading, the ever growing footsteps of the Orc growing closer as it approached. Despite everything he couldn't move, only barely raise his head up to see the towering Orc over him. Before the figure of the Boaz appeared before him instantly… everything else after that was a blur before Bell lost consciousness. He only recalled one thing.

"... mind down?…" the Boaz's words reached him before he fell unconscious.

On the surface, Naaza was out and about. Usually at this time of day, she would be at the Blue Pharmacy, helping Miach with the daily orders or inventory management. But today she had something she needed to do, and unfortunately that meant spending money. Something she loathed to do since the Miach Familiar was in so much debt. But Miach had ordered her to be prepared for when she went to the Dungeon with Bell.

"One has to spend money to make money." Naaza sighed to herself, repeating what Miach had told her when she had protested her deity. She had already bought a new quiver, something that wasn't as old as her last one. While she hadn't neglected taking care of her equipment, it would just be some comfort to have something a little more reliable. Not to mention she wanted to have her bow restrung with a stronger string so that it didn't break. With Welf being a part of the party now she knew that if she asked he'd be able to craft her well made arrows, so her current set were more than usable especially on the upper levels.

However, due to Bell's rather strange growth and habit of getting into trouble, they'd be descending lower before they knew it. There was a lot that Naaza wanted to prepare for, but right now didn't have the money. With her Mixing ability, potions would never be a costly matter for them and she could make them in the Dungeon if they came across the right herbs, not to mention if they got down to floor 18 then she could set up shop and bump the prices up for freshly brewed potions to the Adventures Town down there. She'd make a dent in her Familia's debt if she did that.

Something to look forward to at least.

Looking through the stalls, not seeing anything of urgency she continued on. Mostly she had everything she could need, but she wanted to make sure. Miach was right, she wanted to properly be prepared, she was no longer just Bell's supporter but a full member of the Party.

While still fearful of what might happen, she could honestly say that if she was by Bell's side, then she might be able to overcome it. She had been down in the Dungeon with him a few times now, and while the incident with the Silverback had happened, she had gotten through it, pushed past her fear and it was all because of Bell.

"Hey! Flea bag!" Naaza's tail bristled as she was snapped from her thoughts, her eyes glaring daggers at the blue Dwarf leaning over his work bench at the front of his shop. She had made it a point to avoid this part of town since knowing that was where the crude Dwarf set up shop. Brok just seemingly got under her skin without any effort and she couldn't stand him, and his brother… was just odd. She couldn't discredit their craft though, they were masters at what they did. "Oi! You deaf or what! I'm talking to you, what's the good of your droopy ears if they don't work!?"

"What do you want!?" Naaza let out a shallow growl as she approached the workshop.

"Where's the little turd?" Brok questioned seeing that Bell was nowhere in sight.

"Probably resting." Naaza stated. "We start heading back into the Dungeon tomorrow." Brok nodded as he rubbed at his beard.

"Can't help him much if he doesn't bring me the axe, not to mention he needs to get used to the upgrades we gave him the other day." This perked Naaza's interest, the weapon that Bell had certainly wasn't normal and it sure wasn't a Magic Weapon by normal standards. Generally the Magic Weapons of today broke after a few uses, but Bell had been using the axe since before they had met and not a sign of it wavering.

"Gearing up then?" Brok continued taking note of the supplies she held in a paper bag.

"Just some essentials." She told him, shifting the bag. "I should go."

"Hold ya horses now." He rubbed at his beard once more, looking her over with the eyes of a crafter. Tilting his head slightly as he peered at her. "Pass me ya bow for a second." Naaza blinked in surprise. "Come on now, offer ain't going to last." He declared holding out his hand with a 'gimme' motion. Sighing to herself Naaza placed the bag she had with her down on his workbench before taking her bow off her shoulder and handing it over to him watching as he placed it down on the table.

"Good make, had its fair share of use too… new string?" Naaza nodded. "Looks reliable enough." He added before sinking down behind his work bench ruffling through whatever was under there. "Damn thing, where'd ya get too!"

"Wha-What are you doing!? I just cleaned under there!" Sindri's voice made Naaza want to groan, but she held it down as the other Dwarf came from the back of the shop.

"I'm looking for something. You've been touching my stuff again!?"

"I am disappointed that you think I'd do such a thing!" Naaza rolled her eyes slightly as the two bickered for a short while. "Just by chance, you wouldn't be talking about that decaying... fang, you had under there?"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about, what'd you do with it!?" Brok growled as Sindri pointed to a large pile of scrap that looked like it was ready to be thrown away. Brok grumbled as he marched over to it and began searching through it. Naaza watched as he pulled something from within, a large item drop from a monster. She'd never seen that kind of drop item before. Brok came back to the workbench with it, examining the underside of it before picking up his hammer and chiseling some of the interior of the decay from inside.

"You're doing it all wrong!" Sindri barked as he appeared behind Brok. "You can't just chisel it out, you have to have more care!"

"Then you do it!" Brok growled thrusting the tooth back at him however the paleness of his face only caused Brok to laugh.

"Yeeeah, I'm not touching that. Just hold it out." Sighing Brok did as he said as Sindri reached down into one of the pouches on his hip before he came back with a handful of dust of some kind before sprinkling it over the tooth. Naaza watched with interest as the dust Sindri used, seemingly brought the tooth to life, sparks emitting from the once decaying insides.

"Now just run that over the bow string." Brok huffed as he picked up Naaza's bow and ran the sparking tooth over the string. "Two passes ought to do it… gently!" Naaza was amazed as her bow string became infused with the sparks from the fang which once more returned to a dormant state, however her bow string was alive with sparks before it too went dormant. Brok offered her the bow and she took it, to be honest it didn't feel the slightest bit different… before she felt it, a slight pull at her Mana and allowing it to happen the string came alive with sparks.

They had made her regular bow into a magic weapon that drew on her own magic power to power it.

"Don't go telling nobody." Brok started as he leaned on his workbench. "Our craft ain't usually for the likes of mortals." Naaza blinked in surprise, just who were these dwarves? "Given you're close to the sac-seed, I'd figure I'd do something nice for ya."

"T-Thankyou." Naaza was still floored by the fact Brok had just powered her bow like it was nothing to the dwarves. Brok waved it off, not wishing to discuss it any further as he trudged into the back of the shop. Naaza slung her bow over her shoulder once more and was about to grab her bag before Sindri approached.

"Just… just be careful. It can cause a Mind Down before you know it. Don't rely on it." Naaza nodded her head. "Also, tell Bell the same thing, Brok forgot to mention it but the upgrades we made to the axe have the same effects. I doubt he's managed to use the axe's powers yet, so just give him a heads up."

"I will, and thank you again." Sindri nodded as he too headed into the backroom, Naaza heading off down the bag in hand and bow slung over her shoulder.

"Happy?" Brok grunted to the Goddess sitting cross legged on a barrel. The blue Dwarf entered the room to where Loki was waiting for him. "That girl is smarter than she looks. She'll no doubt know something's up. The kids fine, he's as naive as they come."

"Better that Bell has reliable comrades, don't you think?" Loki questioned. "I appreciate it." Brok scoffed as he looked away as Sindri made his way into the backroom. "Freya has her eyes on Bell, means to take him from me."

"Well… fuck." Brok sighed. "Kid doesn't know what's gonna hit him, does he?" Loki shook her head. "Better keep a better eye on him if you don't wanna lose him." Loki clicked her teeth in annoyance. "Just saying." He rose his hands up in defence.

"Either way, I want Bell looked after." Loki stated jumping down from the barrel she was seated on. "Look after the both of them. The pot is really about to be stirred up."

"Sure, sure." Brok nodded as Sindri nodded too.

"Bell?" The soft voice broke through causing red eyes to blearily open to show the face of the half Elf he had come to be familiar with. "You're okay." Eina smiled down at him.

"Eina?" Bell questioned before his eyes widened and he shot up, finding himself in one of the guild rooms and not on the tenth floor of the Dungeon. "Wha!? How!?" His confusion was clearly present and the half Elf couldn't quite hold in her giggle at how cute it looked to see Bell so confused.

"Bell." Eina began catching Bell's attention with her no longer carefree attitude. "Care to explain to me why you were unconscious outside of the Guild Headquarters?"

"Huh? But I was in the dungeon." Bell tried to defend, however his memory cleared and he revealed himself falling unconscious. "He must have brought me back to the surface…" Looking around the room he saw that all of his equipment was present, his axe leaning up against the couch he had been resting on.

"I guess I overdid it a little?" Bell chuckled awkwardly causing Eina to sigh before Bell recalled what the Boaz had said. "Maybe, a mind down?" He tilted his head.

"A mind down?" Eina questioned. "Did you use a spell or something Bell?"

"Well… no." Bell scratched at his chin.

"Then I don't see how a mind down is possible." Eina continued as Bell's gaze turned to the axe, recalling what he had done with it before he felt the overwhelming fatigue that had led to his mind down. Had he somehow caused his mind down by using the power of the axe? He'd have to ask Brok and Sindri about it. Eina was still going on with her lecture of him overdoing it and he simply smiled, she only lectured because she cared, it's something he had learned upon studying with her. She didn't want him to lose his life.

Eina however was interrupted by a sharp set of knocks on the door.

"Eh hem, excuse me for a moment Bell." The white haired teen nodded as Eina rose up from her seat and headed for the door. "Misha? I'm with an Adventurer."

"Ah yes, but you have a visitor, I thought you might want too…" Bell couldn't hear what else the pink haired woman said, however Eina's rigid posture was enough to make him know that it was serious. The half Elf turned back to Bell and bowed his head.

"Please excuse me for a moment Bell, I'll just be a moment." Bell sat awkwardly in the room, several minutes passing before he started to look over the Leviathan Axe, making sure it was still in good condition. He really needed to go see Brok and Sindri and understand what that strange power was. Just as he was thinking that, the door opened again causing him to turn back.

"Eina, will I be able to go soon? I've got something I need to do…." He trailed off as he saw that Eina wasn't alone as Riveria had entered the room with her, the half Elf closing the door behind the Level 6 Adventurer.

"I do apologise for Loki's… mannerisms, and for dragging you into this Eina." Riveria apologised.

"Please, it's just a part of the job." Eina smiled as she gestured for Riveria to take a seat. The Green haired Elf moved to sit across from Bell as Eina moved to another seat.

"It's good to see you again Bell, Loki instructed for me to start tutoring you in Magic." Riveria stated. "She said that you've obtained your first magic spell." Eina's eyes widened in surprise before she sent a glare at Bell causing him to sweat slightly as Riveria raised an eyebrow at the situation.

"Truly, I didn't lie to you Eina! I didn't use the Spell, Goddess forbid me from doing so until Miss Riveria taught me properly!" Bell bowed his head apologetically causing Eina to sigh.

"I'm missing something." Rivera stated.

"Bell was just found outside of the guild's entrance after a Mind Down, in the dungeon earlier today." Eina explained. "I was just trying to get to the bottom of what was happening."

"I see." Riveria sighed. "Loki shared with me the incantation of your spell, and no doubt it will require a great deal of Magic Power from you for you to utilize it, which you currently do not have." She continued, recalling the Stats she had witnessed the other day from his Falna. "How did you come to a Mind Down?" She queried.

"I… I think it was the axe." Bell explained, the green haired Elf's eyes focusing on the axe in the corner of the room. "There was a burst of power from the axe, next thing I know I was flat on my face, then I woke up here."

"Consider yourself lucky Bell, I'm surprised anyone brought you back to the surface." Eina sighed knowing just how dangerous it could have been for the rookie adventurer. Bell scratched at his cheek awkwardly, he still didn't really know if he should speak about the Boaz that was helping him.

"Here." Riveria pulled forth a page of paper and handed it to Bell, the teen looking over it and his eyes widening. "It's the incantation of your spell. Your first step is to memorize it completely. I'll give you a few days, then I'll contact Eina to get us into contact with one another. I expect it to be memorized so that you can recite it in your sleep. Once you have, we'll move onto the next step." Bell shrank slightly, and nodded… he believed that Riveria's teachings were going to be a lot harsher than Eina's.

"T-thank you, for taking the time to teach me." Bell bowed causing Eina and Riveria to smile at him. Riveria stood up and turned to Eina.

"I'll be in contact with you in a few days for you to set up a meeting between Bell and myself."

"Of course, Lady Riveria." Eina nodded before the Elf departed.