Early morning, though the best of times wake up, can also be the most detested of times. Not everyone enjoys waking up early in the morning as they want to get some extra shut eye before the day starts.

But for our shapeshifting protagonist however it was a normal occurrence, he's gotten used to waking up early. Sometimes without sleeping at all to be honest. Ben's years of hero work has trained him to endure the absolute worst sleeping conditions and go without long durations of sleep.

And as of right now the alien teen had been carrying a large pile of weapons to bevel. The Hephaestus familia's shopping center, to drop off the weapons for said goddess. "Man, I get why she wanted me to get here early but man" Ben said yawning "it could've waited until like six" he complained.

If you remember a few chapters back Ben had decided to help Hestia pay Hephaestus by creating advanced weapons for her to sell. The only problem was that people would notice the weapons Ben brought during the afternoon. And try to steal them when he wasn't looking, so she asked him to bring it at an earlier time.

Hence why Ben is forced to walk their at four o'clock, "Well lucky I'm almost there" he grunted as he entered the shopping center. Then walked to Hephaestus's office "Okay Hephaestus I'm here" he said before putting the pile down and stretching.

"Thank you Mr. Tennyson, I'll be looking over them in a little bit." She said looking over some papers she had. "In the mean time, feel free to look around the shopping center before the doors open. See if there would be anything that would suit you" she added.

"Really? You're to kind" he said walking towards the door "see you later" he greeted before walking out. The Goddess looked over to the door, and waited until she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore. "Just going to check if he is still there" she mumbled sneaking her way to the door and laying one ear on it. Once she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore she sighed.

"Man That was close" she groaned falling back into her chair, then looked to the papers she had. The one on top were normal business statements, but she took that one away and looked at the sheet behind it. It turned out to be a drawing of Ben, and he was winking at the observer.

"Why does he have to be in the runt's familia? Is it because her tiny size makes her cute?" She asked looking at another drawing. This time with her and Ben in it, and the latter was swinging a sword around with her giving a thumbs up.

"Would he rather have innocent and cute? I mean there's got to be nothing wrong with that... I think but why not tall and mature?" She commented looking at another one. This one was of the two at a lake with Ben clad in a... green manikini... and Hephaestus looking at him with her nose bleeding.

"Wait didn't Ben have a flushed face when Freya arrived during that gala?" She asked as her eyes widened. "Maybe he does find mature women attractive. And if so maybe I still have a chance!" She said skimming through more drawings she made. And oddly the deeper she got, the more "exotic" the pictures got.

And come the final image... wow, wow... WOW... she really has it bad for Ben... that's gonna take some bleach... brain bleach... be glad this image can't be seen by you because it scarred me for life.

As she looked at the final drawing Hephaestus's face turned bright red and she screamed into her hands. Trying desperately to hide her shame.

With the aforementioned shapeshifter, Ben was walking through the displays of each shot he went by. And had to admit the merchandise here was impressive.

"I guess Hephaestus's familia doesn't kid around when it comes to high quality. I saw that one area was used for novice blacksmiths but still even their weapons looked pretty high quality" Ben commented as he kept walking.

After a while he went back to the goddess's office to check in "Hey Hephaestus, just wanted to see if you need any help" he said coming in. "Actually if you wouldn't mind, I need some help categorizing these weapons" she replied as he went over to the pile.

"So what do you need help organizing?" He asked "some of these weapons, like this one" she said pulling out a large gauntlet with a ball where the fist should be. "Are too heavy for a normal adventurer to use" she explained "well I made these for sluggers. Or people who have immense upper body strength but move slowly. With these the slowest member can hit enemies even harder than normal" he explained.

Hephaestus looked at the gauntlets and realized he was right "oh, well there are some muscle headed adventurers out there. So I guess there'll be someone or maybe two who'd need something like this." She said putting it on one spot on the floor.

"Okay and this?" She asked picking up a small dagger with one part near the tip having a slightly deep impression inside. "That on the other hand can shoot tiny blades. From a far distance an archer can precisely hit a target if they don't have their bow or arrow handy" he explained pressing a rune on the dagger. Then it shot out several blade tips "and best part they're infinite" he added.

She smiled and put it on another spot on the floor. After a long time the blacksmith goddess has finally organized all the weapons. And oddly it was right when Hestia arrived for her shift, she was going to help Hephaestus pay for what she owed her was by working for her.

"Later Hestia" Ben said before leaving the office "Okay now to find my way out of this labyrinth" he joked walking past people. "Hey Ben!" He heard Bell call to him, looking above the crowd he saw Bell and Miss Eina again.. wait that's Miss Eina?

Wow she looks, how can I put this...

(The Mask suddenly appears and turns his head into a dog's and howls, then goes away)

Yeah that

"Hey Bell, Miss Eina, Nice look By the way" he said as she giggled "why thank you" she replied. "So what are you doing here?" Bell asked "oh Hestia wanted to do something to pay Hephaestus back... ahem... so I decided to help her out by giving Hephaestus some custom made weapons to sell" he explained.

"Really cool, so wanna go around with us?" His Familia member asked, Ben shook his head "sorry but I'm really tired. Hadn't slept for the whole morning, so I'm really need some shut eye" he replied yawning. "Well okay then, see you back at the house" Bell waved as Ben walked off.

"Now to get home because my hammock is calling me" he said before he heard panting. Looking down an alley he saw a girl with animal ears get cornered a man.

"... you stupid pathetic prume!!" Eyes widening Ben jumped in and blasted the man away with his sonic shriek. "That was close, Pardon ma'am but are you okay?" He asked turning around. But when he did he saw the girl had fled "huh I guess she got scared and took her opportunity to get away" he said before leaving.

The next day he and Bell were ready to head into the dungeon. At the shopping center the white hair purchased a set of armor, though it only covered his chest, knees, forearms, shoulders and shins. "Another time for the daily grind Eh Bell?" Ben asked stretching "you Bet Ben" he replied.

"Hello there" a voice said behind them, looking back Ben saw the girl he encountered yesterday. "Hey aren't you that girl I saw yesterday?" He asked, "huh? What? Sorry I think you're mistaken, I was wondering if you two were in the market for a supporter" she asked the two. "Well now that you mention it, we could use an extra hand" Bell replied "plus as they say the more the merrier" Ben added.

"Thanks" the girl said "still you do look like the person I saw yesterday, a Prume right? If that names derogatory I'm sorry for using it" Ben said. "It's fine but I'm not a Prume" she then pulled off her hood to reveal her animal ears. "I'm a shienthrope, I'm kinda like an animal person" she explained as her ears twitched.

"Oh wow" Bell said petting her ears as Ben flinched from the action "that's inappropriate!!" They both yelled. Turns out a bunch of Ben's aliens that were either dog or cat like hated being touched at the ear.

Anyway

Turns out the girl's name was Liliruca Arde, she was part of the Soma familia but decided to look for a partner to support. Ben accepted and the three trekked through the dungeon, Ben used Cannonbolt's powers to run over like six giant ant monsters.

And right after used Rath's anger to inflict pain on any monster that came near him. This has unfortunately resulted in Bell accidentally touching him making the alien turn to him and chase him around. Lili found it rather entertaining to watch.
On the way back however Bell has lost his knife he got from Hestia, but luckily he got it back after one of the waitresses at the hostess of fertility happen to appear by and give it back. Coincidence much, after that mission the gang got a surprising 55,000 Vallas.

Ben then went to a small field and turned into Omni. "Okay now let's see what you can do" the alien then emitted a blue light and became his Omni enhanced form. "Okay, so far so good" he then sprouted the rockets from his back "flying test" the hero flew to the clouds.

"Okay, seems like That is still working fine" he commented hovering in place "now amor alteration" Omni then turned his hand into a giant hook blade. "Okay still working" Ben said before he felt a shiver up his spine.

The alien quickly turned around and raised his arm to block a sword that was about to strike him. "Not happening!" He yelled turning his other arm into a blaster and shot the attacker away.

"Seems like I'm gettin the hang of this" he commented before dashing to his attacker. Who turned out to be the Goddess Loki from the Loki familia, the one Ben had to separate from Hestia during that gala thing.

"What the-? Loki?! What are you doing?" He asked "sorry, wanted to test the mighty Daigon Slayer's reflexes" she said getting back up. "And I think you passed, you sure you wouldn't rather be in my Familia?" The goddess asked. "Sorry but you heard me the first time, I'm a member of the Hestia familia through and through" Ben said before growing his rocket pack again.

"I bid you good day" then he flew off, once he was gone Loki walked back to town... then hid in an alley. And after bit a random cloth she had with her "why does he have to be in the twerp's Familia!!!" She grunted.

"My familia is three times as popular as the Hestia familia why didn't he join mine?!" The Goddess stopped biting her fabric and lowered her head. "Having The Ben Tennyson in my familia would he the greatest! And he'd fit in to, Ben's so powerful. And I hear he's totally ripped" she said... while drooling on the last part.

"If only I can get him close enough... and maybe with Ais..." she then blushed as a rather inappropriate fantasy entered her mind.

"Goddess Loki" on of her familia members called, then at the corner of the alley we see two of them. "Come on where is she? Goddess Loki?" "Think she might've gotten drunk again?... GAH?!?!" One of them turned to the walkway to see their goddess with a red face which bore a blissful expression while bleeding through the nose.

"Oh no, quick get her back to base!!" The two then picked her up and ran her back.

Meanwhile with Ben, "what's with goddesses this week, yesterday morning before I left Hestia was growling at Hephaestus wanting her to stay away from me. At the same time it felt like Hephaestus was staring at Be from behind." He listed the things he has seen and felt so far while flying back to base. And just now that incident with Loki "am I some kind of magnet for trouble regarding the Devine..."
He asked then put on an awkward face.

"I'm glad no one else is up here to hear that otherwise I'd just get an annoying snappy response" he added. Then felt a shiver up his spine "ugh... felt like... three people were fantasizing about me at once" he said.

Finally the alien got back home "Hey Hestia, Hey Bell" he greeted, then noticed they weren't home. "Oh looks like I got the place to myself, cool" he then got back into his hammock. "Ah this is nice" he said rocking to sleep, then had an odd and disturbing dream that two female beings made from red aura were trying to pin him down.

"Stay... away..." he groaned in his sleep.