No one's POV

Light up ahead was leaking its way into the single dim passageway.

Aiz:...!

Asuna: ?!

Aiz and Asuna hastened at the sight, and they practically flew down the path. Plunging into the room, their field of vision expanded instantly, eyes first locking on the minotaur in the middle of the room, and then the boy lying faceup on the ground distance away. The two of them checked the boy if there is still signs of life; relief flooded through them when they confirmed the faint rise and fall of his chest.

Bell:...?

Bell finally noticed their presence as he saw Aiz standing in front of him holding her "Desperate" and Asuna who went to his side to heal his wound.

Asuna: Bell... are you alright?

Bell: Miss Aiz, Miss Asuna?

Aiz: You've done your best. Leave the rest to me.

Finn, Riveria, Tiona, Tione and Bete finally made their way along with an injured Lili on Riveria's arm as they saw the scene unfolding in front of them. Bell who was watching from the back started to feel a sense of deja vu. It was like the first time they'd met. He was being saved again by the same person.

Bell(mind): Am I letting her saved me again?

Bell was in despair. He was letting the same person who he wanted to catch up saved him again. Until he remembered Sora's words in one of their trainings together.

(Flashback)

Sora: It's our choice whether we decided to face that fear and overcome it. That's what makes us stronger. And when you knew that you couldn't stand any longer, we have people right by our side, lending their strength to us. It's about reaching for it and winning it. People who can overcome those scales, can truly gain strength. While the Gods will call it a Hero.

(Present)

Just like Aiz, Sora had been an inspiration for Bell. When he realized that Sora is known to be one of the strongest adventurer in the world, he wanted to catch up to him better than anything. A fire lights within him. The sparks grows into an inferno that purges all other emotions from his mind. The fear in his eyes disappears as the blaze roars through. A new strength, one he's never known, uses the flames to fill his body with power.

Bell(mind): Get up, GET UP! I hate my uncool self! I decided to become stronger! One of the person whom I long for the most is here...! If I don't get up here, If I don't reach for new heights here, WHEN WILL I?!

His body moves forwards. His legs kick off the ground and Asuna who was healing his wound just stare at him in awe. As if she was seeing a second Sora in front of her. She saw it, the fear in his eyes had been lift off as he was about to take his first step of becoming a hero. Bell who had just stood up, saw the Hestia Short Sword on Asuna's arm and he grabbed it without saying a word and moved forward.

Asuna:...

Aiz on the other hand continue to stare off at the Minotaur. She didn't even realized that Bell had stood up as she was to focused by the monster in front of her.

Aiz(mind): There's no way he can get up. Its not an opponent that he can win against. Its not as opponent that he can fight against. And yet, the reason why one is able to hold a sword is- the same black flame as me!

Aiz doesn't want Bell to be like her. She doesn't want his white flame to be filled with hatred and insanity. Until she finally noticed her hand was grasped from behind. Her golden eyes widened in surprise. He was standing. The boy had recovered and risen to his feet. Despite the cuts littering his body, his rubellite eyes were glinting, staring past Aiz and focusing on the Minotaur. She could feel the heat radiating off his hand, currently clasping tightly in her own.

Bell: I can't...! I can't let Aiz Wallenstein help me anymore!

Aiz gazed in astonishment as he pulled her back. Propelled by sheer will, he advanced in front of her. As though showing off. As though declaring his will. As though hoisting the flag of his unyielding ambition. At the sight of the boy, obsidian knife and sword readied in both of his hand, the Minotaur's eyes widened- before crinkling in savage mirth.

Aiz(mind): Why...? How...? His look was ever so white. What dwelt in them, was a blinding straight of resolve. Its the same as, Sora.

This was unbelievable. Aiz told herself so many things. That he was just a boy. That he was kind, innocent, a child. That he didn't have the makings of an adventurer. Regardless, he had risen to his feet. That same boy. That same child who would never have what it took to be an adventurer had risen to his feet via pure determination. Bell on the other hand, has made up his mind, he will beat this thing and become a hero just like the person he looked up to as an older brother, as he saw a vision of Sora standing in front of him.

Sora: Can you keep up with me?

Bell: RIGHT BACK AT YOU!!! I CHALLENGE YOU!!!

Bell shouted at the top of his lungs as he run through Sora's vision and declare a one on one fight with the minotaur.

Aiz: Wait-

Aiz launched herself forward, the words forming between her lips, when- she saw another back overlap the boy's. A back she hadn't seen in a long, long time.

Albert: Stay there, Aiz...

It was her father's, from the last time she'd seen him.

Aiz:...

The back of the man who'd left her with those words, wind sword in his hand, before leaving for battle was overlaid atop the boy's. The boy and the hero were one. It was the same when she saw Sora and her Uncle. Sora and her Uncle were one, or to be more precise, Sora and her older brother. Eyes opened wide, she found herself unable to move. It felt like her heart and body weren't connected. Little Aiz was frozen in place.

Aiz(mind): I see...

Then she understood. As she was confronted with that image, as her memories came to life before her, she understood all to well. He'd broken free from his mismatched mold, and become an adventurer. He'd taken his first step along the path to becoming a hero.

Aiz(mind): I've witnessed, the birth of an adventurer...

Thus, the boy... faced the adventurer.

The same way her father and uncle had thrust themselves into the jet-black vortex. The boy faced that mighty red bull. His fight with the Minotaur rekindled the image from her past that had been seared into her eyes forever.

Aiz(mind): Just like back then, and now this time, I stay standing still...

Aiz couldn't stop him. She was simply stood there, rooted to the spot. She was unable to move, incapable of even uttering a sound. Everything seemed so far away, the noises around her all but gone, and nothing but that fight reflected in her vision. It wasn't just her, Asuna too was captivated by Bell's fighting spirit. Those eyes of determination was the same like Sora. An unyielding white flames that she would often saw on her boyfriend. Now there was a second person who could give those same flames as his, and this person is none other than, Bell Cranel.

Asuna(mind): Meteria...Are you seeing this? Your son has just walk his first true step of becoming a Hero.

Sparks flew, blood spattered, and the high-pitched, metallic clanks of weapon on weapon echoed again and again and again. They were evenly matched. A one-on-one fight to the death. As the one of the one who had taught him how to fight, Aiz and Asuna could barely believe their eyes at the deadly battle taking place in front of her. Wagering everything he had, the boy was determined to take the bull down.

Bete: Move Aiz! I'll do it!

Bete's voice came like a slap from behind them as its owner rushed forwards, but Asuna just held her hand telling him not to help the boy which confuses the rest.

Bete: Huh?! Are you letting that weakling-

Bete barked back before screeching to a halt beside them. He was looking at their golden and diamond eyes opened wide in consternation.

Bete: Huh?

Bete realized it too.

Tiona: Eh... W-What...?

Tione: Who's level 1 now?

Tiona noticed it, then Tione. Even Finn put a two-on-two together.

Finn: If I remember correctly, according to Bete, that boy looked like a fledging adventurer a month earlier.

His incredible growth- the amazing transformation he'd achieved, becoming an adventurer, determination and ambition screaming from his throat.

Bell: RAAAAAAAAAAARG!!!!!

Minotaur: GRAAAAAAAA!!!!

It wasn't just their roar that could be hear, as they were all captivated by the battle in front of them, they all saw a huge lighting started covering the whole floor and everyone other than, Finn, Riveria and Asuna were looking at them in awe.

Sora: OTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!

Ottar: SORAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

It was the voice of Sora and Ottar who were echoed throughout the entire labyrinth, there was another battle that they had forgotten due to the battle taking in place in front of them. Boy vs Minotaur. Man vs Boar. Before Aiz and Asuna even realized it, everyone had gathered around them. Bete, Tiona, Tione, Finn, Riveria and Lili who was in Riveria's arms. No one said a word, simply watching the battle take place from as close as possible. Just like Aiz and Asuna, they were captivated, watching with bated breath.

Finn(mind): His movement are unthinkable for a level 1 adventurer. Despite that, they're not equal with the minotaur which is a level 2 monster. What's making their battle equal is his courage. He'll die if he become if he become afraid even for a moment. Even in this extreme situation, he has a strong spirit that allows him to bring out everything that he has. First Sora and now him. To think that I, "Braver" Finn Deimne, would be impressed with someone else's courage.

Finn's thumb started to twitch and he gripped his hand tightly and smirked at Bell.

Funn: He's good. Really good...!

It wasn't just Finn, Bete who was also entranced by a battle of this level. His hair standing on end, and his body is tingling.

Bete(mind): Dang it... What's with that guy... That weaklings...

Tiona: Argonaut... and Flash...

It was a story. Argonaut was a nursery tale about a young man dreaming of becoming a Hero, misguided by the malicious intention of others and his own hapless fate. A legend about how he was loved by a ghost, brought down a mighty bull, and saved a Princess. And Flash, the second Hero that ever appeared on history, he is a forensic chemist with a reputation for being very slow, and frequently late, which frustrates his fiancée, Stacia. When he was a child, he too was dubbed as a fool when he told everyone that he saw a bolt of lighting that was running inside his house that day and killed his Mother. One night on a rainy day, as he is working late, a lightning bolt strikes over him, temporarily knocking him out. As a result, he later finds that he can run at super-human speeds and possesses equally enhanced reflexes, senses, and healing. It was Aiz and her Big Brother's favorite among the stories her Mother and Aunt had told them.

Tiona: I always loved that fairy tale...

Those words had reached Aiz's ears. She had her arm around her chest, almost as though imagining the story playing out atop the scene in front of her

Aiz(Mind): Fairy tale... Mother...

Aiz then heard a silhouette of Aria. That's right. This was one page of that epic. Though the level of the fight might have been nothing for the first-tier adventurers audience, somehow, none of them could pull their eyes away from the spectacles. All of them didn't realized that the tremor that was produced by the fight between Sora and Ottar had ended. That means the fight on the other side has ended. But they all still couldn't pull their eyes away from the boy and bull.

Aria: Do you like this story...?

Aiz(mind): I don't know. I don't have anything, still I can't avert my gaze.

Asuna(mind): Zeus! Your grandchild really has grown...

They'd forgotten it. The beloved Familia myth, ever watched over by the Gods.

Bell: uGhh...

The battled raged. Neither side would give in. It was a ferocious back-and-forth. Faster and faster. Man and beast carved away at each other's lives in a duel to the death. The boy flung himself at the mad bull with every ounce of strength and spirit he could possibly muster, putting to use everything that he'd been taught by Sora, Aiz, and Asuna. It was a desperate, all-out effort lacking prudence or pride. An insatiable hunger for victory. Everything that he was taught, techniques. Tactics. Quick thinking. Weaponry. Magic. It was all for this. Everything pumping into this single fight. And everyone was so focused on the fight in front of them that they didn't realized that Sora had made his way there as well all bloodied up from his fight with Ottar as he was too entranced by the battle taking in front of him.

Sora(mind): Bell...

Bell: Firebolt!

Tiona: It's fast! Is it a super short chant?!

Tiona: Was he chanting at all?!

They all stood frozen when they saw a super short Magic chant. Riveria felt a sense of deja vu when she saw it. Yes, it was the same as Alfia. She too used a very powerful short chant magic.

Riveria: He's really doing his best to hold out. However... He's outclassed by his opponent. The speed at which he used that magic is impressive, but...

Finn: It's too weak...! A Minotaur's body is resistant against the heat and cold and is hard to sever.

Bete: His knife and short sword and magic aren't enough for a decisive blow.

Tiona: Are you saying that he's at a stalemate?!

Tione: I'd like to say that it's too early to tell, but...

Just as the stalemate fight was going to last forever, Bell made a daring move to which he moves forwards and managed to barely dodge an overhead swing from the Minotaur and he managed to slice its hand that was holding his gigantic sword and dropped it off.

The Minotaur who dropped his sword, was about to get it back, but was stopped by Bell's magic spell which obscuring his vision and when his vision came back, he saw the boy already holding his sword as Bell finally land a big hit.

Tiona: He got a hit in!

Bell started to slashed the Minotaurs upper body, but he was unable to withstand the weight of the sword as they all could see that the speed of his movements, the sharpness of his swings were not there.

Tiona: He's terrible at using it...!

Tione: He's still managed to put it back!

Both the boy and the bull were standing and facing off between one another, it was at the final stage of the fight as the bull charged at Bell with his horn and Bell recklessly charged at the Minotaur and slammed his blade at the Minotaurs horn hoping he could break it, but...

He had lost, the blade itself broke, allowing the bulls horn to charged towards him. But Bell didn't give up, he breaks through the limit and managed to barely dodge the bulls charged and he brought out his Hestia Knife and Hestia Short Sword and thrust both of them into the Minotaurs flesh.

Bell: FireBolt!

And again.

Bell: FIREBOLT!!

His body surged, his weapon sailed, and his magic flared. He let out a ferocious roar wielding his two divine-blade as he summoned forth fire and lightning.

Bell: FIIIIIIIIIIREBOOOOOOOOOOOLT!!!!!

There was a mighty blast. As the boy's obsidian knife and sword plunged into the bull's frame, the point-blank explosion assailed it from the inside out. Flames erupted from within the Minotaur's body, and the beast gave off a violent cry of agony before disintegrating into a thousand tiny pieces of flaming debris. A charred piece of the bull tumbled across the grass, and its magic stone somersaulted through the air before embedding itself to the ground.

Bete: He won...

Bete muttered in wonder at the victorious boy's back.

Tione: Mind Zero...

Tiona: He lost consciousness while standing.

Tiona and Tione mused, just as astonished, at the sight of the motionless boy, still gripping his sword and dagger.

Sora: Bell!!

There attention was shifted away when they heard Sora's voice. They looked back and saw Sora with blood all over his body and they were completely shocked.

Asuna: SORA!!

Asuna rushed towards him and Sora fell down onto Asuna's arm. Asuna quickly realized something and whispered.

Asuna(whisper): Did you use it..? That form?

Sora(whisper): I... had too..

Sora then fainted on Asuna's arm and Asuna started crying and hugged Sora tightly. Unable to hold her tears as she saw the person she loves won his fight as well, but at the cost of using a form to only some knows.

Asuna: Your so reckless...

Finn: If Sora's here, then that must've mean that he defeated Ottar?!

Finn said in amazement as the strongest adventurer in Orario had lost.

Bete: No freaking way! He couldn't possibly beat Champion Ottar!

Bete too look at disbelief along with Tiona and Tione as they weren't able to believe that the Champ had lost.

Riveria: After seeing him fought before, it already prove of his strength.

Finn: He's heavily wounded and from the looks of it. His arm got dislocated and his clothes are ripped. But the fact that he made here is astounding.

Bete: Dammit! Riveria can you read their status?

Riveria: So you just want me to peak at their status without their permission?

Both of Bell and Sora's back was visible. The slot containing their Magic and Skills were obscured by what left of their shirt. Despite all the holes, most of their Status remained hidden.

Bete: After seeing that tomato kid fought and the flashing bastard seemingly beat Ottar. Just read the damn status! We can see from here so it's not a violation!

Bete felt it wasn't against the law if the information just happened to some into your line of sight. He fumed at Riveria, for she had the eyes to see at this distance and the knowledge to decipher the hieroglyphs.

Riveria: Fine...

The elf sighed and cast her gaze towards Bell and Sora. Perhaps she too was interested.

Riveria then take a peak at their status and after a few minutes she looked at it shocked and started laughing.

Riveria: What?! Hahaha.....

Bete: Huh?! Hey, what is it?! Aiz you can also read those right? So can you te-

Bete angrily bared his fangs at Riveria. It looked as though something had popped loose in her head, her shoulder shaking as she laughed. So Bete direct the question to Aiz. The golden eyes were glued to their backs.

Aiz: S, his stats are all SS and S. While Sora is SSS and he's level 6.

All of them looked at Sora and Bell completely and utterly shocked. It was a Status that defied every rule of the book.

Bete: Triple and double S?!

Riveria: Yes, a level 1 and a level 6. They got passed S an attribute that can't be further improved.

Finn: What's the white-haired boy's name?

Bete: Who cares about his na-

Aiz: Is Bell Cranel...

Asuna: And Sora Yatagami.

Aiz who saw them exceedingly surpassed all limit. The two adventurers that have given everything they had. That face, having overcome the adventure. She found herself flooded with emotion and scenes from her past. Bell Cranel and Sora Yatagami. It was a name Aiz would never forget. The back that overlapped her father's and big brother's. The page of legend. The greatness that had been achieved. Today, the name Bell Cranel, an adventurer who'd taken his very first breath, had obtained his first qualification for hero-hoof.