No one's POV

The next morning. The dungeon crystal barely regain its light. A comfortable breeze blew through the air. On such morning, Sora was doing his daily training near the forest, just beside the camp. His routine had been ingrained in him since he was still apart of the Zeus Familia, and he naturally woke up early.

Sora's sword moved from point to point. He went through all kinds of forms several hundred times each, reaching his daily goal in what felt like no time at all.

Sora(mind): Daily goal, check.

*Thud*Thud*

Just then, he heard footsteps coming near him. Sora looked at the direction of the footsteps and he saw a certain blonde haired swordwoman.

Sora: Good morning, Aiz. Did you get enough sleep?

Aiz: Yes. Were you doing your morning training?

Sora: Yes, though I've just finished.

Aiz: You're such a hard worker.

Sora: Its just my daily routine.

Aiz: I see.

Aiz smile at him.

Aiz(mind): He really do reminded me of Big Bro.

Aiz: I was about to do mine. If you don't mind, could we spar?

Sora just gave her a warm smile.

Sora: Sure.

And so, the two of them gain some distances with one another. Aiz with her "Desperate" and Sora with his "Kanshou". There was a mere moment of silence between the two. Both eyes were staring with one another. A single second passes on forever. Until, Aiz rushed towards Sora and the two of them locked blade.

Before the two of them broke the clash and Sora stepped back as Aiz activated her enchantment.

Aiz: Tempest! Aerial!!

Wind started enveloping Aiz as she rushed Sora with blinding speed. Sora's smile didn't changed one bit when he saw Aiz coming towards him with everything she's got. They were trading blows at high speed.

Even when Aiz had activated her magic. Sora still had the upper hand on this battle. With just a single strike, Sora blew away Aiz's enchantment much to her surprised and Sora rushes in. They trade blows in a flurry of thrust and slashes and sparks could be seen everywhere.

And finally, with a huge strike from Sora, he blew Aiz away with just a single swing and sent her flying back quite a few feet away from him.

Aiz: *Pant*Pant*

Aiz was breathing heavily. She was tired. The sword in her right arm constantly flickered, parrying the never ending storm of blows raining down on her. Sora still looked totally unruffled, not sweating at all.

Sora: What's wrong, Aiz? Is that all your going to offer?

Aiz: No, not yet!

Aiz once again activated her wind. A thunderous roar resounded, kicking up chunks of dirt. As clod of earth and plants rained down, the body of the blond-haired, golden-eyed girl soared through the air, blown away by the impact. Aiz had managed to dodge the slash the Hero had unleashed from high above his head by a razor-thin margin,

But there was no time to shudder at the strike that shattered the ground because she was forced to deal with an instantaneous follow up attack closing from all sides.

Aiz: Hah!

Her trusted Desperate knocked away the Kanshou blade approaching her. As Sora narrowed his eyes, Aiz accelerated with a bravery that left the onlooking Loki, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Hestia Familia members breathless. They crossed sword again, and again and again.

Sora: Hah!

With a heavy blow from Sora, Aiz was struck by a powerful blow. Unable to fully block it, Aiz was sent rolling across the ground before she finally stopped herself, kneeling on one knee.

Sora: Are you alright.

Aiz: Y-Yes... I-I'm fine.

Sora: Alright then, lets end it here.

Sora said leaning on to her, giving her his shoulder and helped her stood up.

Sora: I guess I overdid it.

Aiz: No... Please don't hold back. Because I need to get stronger.

The others who were watching quickly came to their side.

Lefiya: Miss Aiz, are you alright?! That was quite a hard blow you received!

Lefiya said in a panicked, but Aiz just nodded her head, as Asuna came to her side healing her.

Asuna: You did reckless again. You idiot sister.

Aiz: Sorry.

Tiona: But that was an awesome fight. I want too!

Tione: Yeah, same goes for me!

Tiona and Tione said excitedly as the two of them begged Sora to fight them and Sora just smile.

Sora: Sure! I'll take you both on!

Sora said, dropping his blade near the tree as he, Tiona and Tione stood still. This time, they were not using weapons. It will be a fist fight between them.

Sora: Alright, come at me with everything you've both got.

Tione: Hmph! Don't blame us of you get hurt.

Tiona: I've been wanting to see how strong you are myself!

Sora got himself into a fighting stance. It was his horse stance, with the torso turned sideways. As both Tiona and Tione came rushing towards him.

Sora did a punch, but both of them jumped and came from each side, with a side ways kick. Tione was aiming up, Tiona was aiming down, but Sora easily dodge both attacks with ease and did a side ways kick, hitting Tiona in the side and sent her a few feet back. Tione rushes in once again and the two of them started trading blows at high speed.

The blows of each strikes causes a shockwaves that could be felt by each onlooking people that were watching that fight. As both Tiona and Tione rushes towards Sora from both sides, but Sora continue to stay calm and parried each and every attacks, without getting a single hit from each of their blows.

Lefiya: Amazing!

Bell: Wow!

Finn: The way he blocked and countered all of Tione and Tiona's blow... He was so fast, he didn't look!

Riveria: It was completely instinctual...

Gareth: As if he had an eye in the back of his head. Or to be more precise, an eyes in the sky.

Rin: What an unbelievable battle!

Lili: There's no room for us at all!

Welf: But, Sora is incredible! He dodge and parried each and every strike and counter by landing a hit of his own, without receiving a single hit from either of those two Amazons!

Aiz and Asuna were watching right near everybody as well. Asuna just smile when she saw Sora was just toying with them. While Aiz watched in amazement, that Sora haven't got a single hit from either Tiona nor Tione.

Aiz: It feels like...

Asuna: The training that Sora taught you, isn't it?

Aiz: Yes. Sora simply made them move according to his will.

Asuna: That's right. He just uses counter that force Tiona and Tione into making certain moves. He control the flow of his opponent, who is more physically more fit that he is and make them lost their stamina before he did.

Aiz could only watch in amazement by how much combat experience one boy possesses. As if not even Finn, Riveria, and Gareth combining could take Sora down. And from the looks of it, Sora is barely using 15% of his power.

Sora: Hah!

With that, Sora punch Tiona away, and kick Tione right in her chest and sent the both of them flying a few feet.

Finn: That will be enough for today!

Finn said interrupting the battle as all three of them let their bodies relax.

Tiona: EEEEHHH?! Captain, I still want to fight him!!

Finn: If you guys went to far, it will wrecked the entire area.

Tiona and Tione: Ah!

The two of them had been se immersed in the battle, they didn't realized the surrounding trees are all destroyed and Sora just smile awkwardly.

Finn: And just by watching the fight, you two haven't even been able to land a hit on him.

Tione: Tch! He's just too fast!

Finn: You can go spar with him later on. Just first help us with the wounded.

Tiona and Tione: Fine!

(Timeskip)

Tiona: Hey, hey! Let's all go take a bath together!

Tiona was the first to speak up upon their return.

Tione: Again? How many times do we need to go before you'll settle down?

Tiona: Aw, c'mooooooon! It's not like we're doin' anything else! And the water is just sooooooo niiiiiiiiice!

"Noon" had arrived at the camp. Aiz, Bell, Sora, Asuna and the others had just returned from their sightseeing jaunt to Rivira. And Tiona's suggestion had come as soon as the girls had all gathered back together. When the Amazonian girl declared that she liked the eighteenth floor, what she was really declaring was her love for the Under Resort's pool. Her love of bathing wasn't something restricted to the Dungeon, either.

Even back in the manor, she was known for her tendency to suddenly rise to her feet and declare she was "going to the bath for a bit!" So it was no surprise that this carefree inclination carried over to the middle levels of the Dungeon, as well. The frequency of her "bath-time announcements" was enough to give the third-tiers and below especially painful headaches.

Tione: You just want a glimpse of Lady Hestia's rack, is that it? Is all that boobage too much for you?

Tione teased, voice laced with suspicion.

Tiona: I-I do not! As if!!

At the mention of her name, however, Hestia and the rest of her party glanced up.

Mikoto: Is something wrong, Lady Hestia?

Hestia: Hmmm...it's just...now that they mention it, it would be really nice to get clean. What about you guys, hm? Should we join them?

Mikoto: If we can, I suppose I'd be up for it...What about you, Lady Chigusa?

Chigusa: M-me...? I...All right.

The pallum responded meekly as the rest of the familia offered their opinions. The two Takemikazuchi Familia women in the rescue party, both of Far Eastern descent, gave reserved yet distinct nods.

Asfi: Lord Hermes?

Asfi turned around to ask her patron deity, her snow- white cape fluttering.

Hermes: Hm? Ah, no worries. Feel free to take a break from your guard duties if you'd like.

Hermes responded languidly, temporarily freeing his usual escort from her responsibilities.

Tiona: You too, Aiz, Asuna!

Tiona called out, latching herself onto Aiz's and Asuna's back.

Aiz: Okay...

Asuna: Sure, I don't mind...

Tione: Go invite Line and the others. We can take shifts.

Tione said, and the bathing party expanded quite rapidly. Soon, every one of the familia's female members was being invited.

Aiz: Are you coming, Lefiya?

Lefiya:...

Aiz: Lefiya?

Lefiya:.........

Lefiya, however, didn't respond. In fact, she didn't move a muscle and simply stood there, still as a tree, staring blankly off into space. Before they all went to Rivira, Aiz had invited Lefiya to joined them, but Lefiya told them that she will joined as soon as she's done with her work. But as soon as she saw Filvis, she had gotten so excited about meeting Filvis again that she hadn't been able to join the group for their sightseeing trip in Rivira, and it had left her in a sort of stupor. To think that she'd forget her one true goal! It was an inconceivable defeat.

To make matters worse, the reason for her lapse in memory, Filvis, had already left in a huff after Lefiya had cornered her, the tips of her ears still bright red. As Aiz looked upon the living elf statue, she was quite perplexed.

Tiona: Snap out of it, Lefiya! Bath time! Let's go!

Tiona flung herself at the stupefied elf, the impact breaking her out of her trance.

Lefiya: Huh?!

Lefiya shook her head back and forth in an attempt to ascertain the situation.

Lefiya: B-bath time? Ah, I'll go, I'll go! I shall join you! I won't lose to that human this time!

She asserted, still not fully recovered.

Aiz: Erm...okay?

Asuna: Why do you always have to be so competitive with Bell?

Tiona: Then let's go! Let's go!

Tiona cried out, still attached to Lefiya's side, and then they were off. There were twenty of them including Hestia and her group. The lower- level members stuck out like sore thumbs, and Tsubaki was nowhere to be seen, currently off wandering about who knew where. Tiona took the lead, guiding the girls so triumphantly that even Hestia's group, who'd yet to even break a sweat since they'd entered the Dungeon, found their excitement building.

The large party made its way along. Until, after a short while, the scene in front of them expanded to reveal a breathtaking waterfall.

Tiona: Heeeeeeeere we are!

Tiona splayed her arms out in a show of grand exaltation.

Girls: Oooooooh!

Clear blue water cascaded down the some ten-meder height of the waterfall. The faint spray dancing along the pool's surface was both cool and refreshing. It was surrounded on all sides by the dim glitter of crystal, the view overhead a vast, dome-like canvas of leaves and branches. It was the same fountain pool Aiz and the others had enjoyed only two days prior.

Asfi: While I knew there were pools in this forest...I hadn't known about this one.

Asfi murmured as she admired the scenery. Though she'd been to the eighteenth floor many a time, this was the first time she'd been to this pool.

Aiz: Tiona was the one who found it...

Aiz explained with a little smile.

Asuna: She discovered this hidden treasure during one of her strolls.

Despite this particular pool being a bit of a trek from the campsite, visiting it whenever they had time had become a sort of Loki Familia custom.

Tione: Shall we take turns, then? Lady Hestia, if you and your party would like to go first...

Hestia: No, no, you guys should feel free to go first! We're fine going second.

Rin: Just leave guard duty to us!

Tione: Really? All right, then...

When Tione looked around at her own familia, ignoring the first-timers for now, the lower-level girls gave up their places for their senior sisters. She responded with a smile as the young demi-humans chorused.

Alicia: We'll keep watch, too!

While the eighteenth floor may have been a safety point, that didn't stop monsters from other floors from making their way to this forest in search of food. It would be senseless to bathe without someone keeping watch—that rule applied no matter which floor of the Dungeon they happened to be on. And that didn't even go into the many men lurking about the forest, as well.

Aiz: I'll go ahead and get in, then, Lefiya.

Lefiya: Be my guest, Miss Aiz!

And so Lefiya found herself once again on guard duty.There were eight who made their way into the pool first, including Aiz, Tiona, and Tione, as well as Hestia and Asfi of the rescue party. There was no hesitation among them, all of the girls laughing and talking as they began removing their clothes in preparation for the bath.

The new girls, led by the imperious Mikoto Yamato of the Far East—the up-and-coming Takemikazuchi Familia rookie known even among the other adventurers—boasted gorgeous bodies with supple arms and legs and smooth, perky curvatures that could rival the Loki Familia members'.

Hestia: Hmph! I think we can all agree that I'm the winner here!

Hestia proclaimed triumphantly—at Aiz, for some reason—as she made a grand show of removing her own garments. Even Aiz was taken aback at the twin mountains tumbling out of the goddess's restraints, but it was Tiona who suffered the biggest emotional hit, bringing an arm up to cover her own flat chest with a strangled cry of defeat. Tione, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered in the least.

Hestia: Take a look.

Once the group finished relieving themselves of their clothes, they headed immediately for the pool.

Tiona: Yaaaaaahooooooo!

Tione: What have I told you about diving in like that, Tiona?!

Rin: Oh! This really is something!

Mikoto: The water is absolutely beautiful...even the streams of our home in the East weren't this clear.

Chigusa: It really feels wonderful...

Lili: You know, you're actually quite elegant, Miss Asfi. I never noticed it before.

Asfi: Are you saying I'm not normally, Lilliluka Arde...?

Lili: N-no, uh...just that...you know, you're always giving one hundred percent to your work!

Voices rose from all over the pool as the group enjoyed themselves, some of the women diving straight into the water while others simply poured it over their skin, savoring the refreshing purity. Even Aiz and her companions, already used to this bathing experience, were drawn in by the excited antics of Hestia and the other newcomers. Tiona's splashing led to a contest among the girls, and soon their high- pitched squeals filled the air like those of water nymphs. Wet hair clung to their necks and shoulders as rivulets of water traced the curves of their bare skin, more lustrous and refreshing than alluring.

Lefiya (mind): They're all so beautiful...well, of course Miss Aiz is, but even the others, too...

Lefiya thought to herself with a sigh as she scanned the group from her spot outside the pool. Their naked bodies seemed so stunning in the water. And from the murmurings of the other lower-level girls dotting the perimeter, she wasn't alone in her thoughts.

Lefiya(mind): At least Loki isn't here.

She found herself silently thanking the sky. The lecherous goddess would, no doubt, be foaming at the mouth already at the sight of all these naked women.
And what a sight it was, if it was enough to mesmerize even the decidedly female Lefiya.

Lefiya(mind): The men would be thinking the same thing...

After all, if even Lefiya was thinking it, surely the men would be. While their job as guards was mostly to keep an eye out for monsters... they also had a duty to bestow divine judgment unto any and all degenerate Peeping Toms who might try catching a glimpse of female skin. Lefiya's staff was ready to create hellfire at a moment's notice.

That being said, Aki and the other girls were still back at camp to keep an eye on Loki Familia's men. Any libidinous intentions they had were sure to be stymied then and there. Plus, the perimeter they'd made to guard the pool was impenetrable. Anyone who tried to sneak in would be spotted immediately. A little smile rose to Lefiya's lips. She was entranced as she watched Aiz push a lock of golden hair behind her ear, but even still, she never let her guard down, eyes and ears keen as she monitored the environs.

It was simply unthinkable anyone would try to sneak past them to get a glimpse of the pool. In broad daylight? With such tight security, no one would—

Bell: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!

Sora: LORD HERMES!!! I'M SO GONNA KILL YOU!!!

There was two. All of a sudden, something came plummeting down from the sky with a high-pitched shriek. It fell right smack in the center of the pool in which Aiz, and the others were currently bathing.

Lefiya: What?!

The splash was accompanied by a giant spray of water. The screams were quick to follow, and Hestia and the other girls scrambled back in terror. A hoarse cry of surprise escaped Lefiya's lips, same as the other guards as the commotion rapidly built. It was unthinkable! Some pig had actually been lurking about in the dense thicket of trees above their heads. A dishonorable voyeur of a man—who'd just launched a full-scale attack on the maidens' bath!!

For an instant, time seemed to stand still, then Lefiya jerked forward. Her face paled instantly. The degenerate who had come tumbling into her field of vision, who was currently stumbling and crawling toward the shoals, was none other than that white-haired boy. And much to her surprise, even Sora the Hero was there as well.

Tiona: Hey, it's the Argonaut and Flash! What, did you come to take a bath, too?

Tione: I had you pegged as the quite type. I'm impressed.

Tiona and Tione stood chatting cheerily over the white haired boy, not bothering to hide anything and showing no signs of embarrassment. While the black haired boy stays under the water, with his eyes closed.

Mikoto: Wha...? Wha-wha-wha...?!

Chigusa: H-huhhhhh...?!

The same was not true of the two Far Eastern girls, who quickly plunged into the water, faces red as they let out simultaneous screams.

Asfi: It couldn't be...Lord Hermes?

Asfi mused in disbelief as she scrutinized the rustling dome of leaves overhead.

Lili: What are you doing, Master Bell?

Rin: I've misjudge about you two!

Bell looked to his side and saw Rin and Lili glaring at him and Hestia smiled at him.

Hestia: Oh, Bell, Sora, you're so silly.

Sora continued to put his face on the water and but Bell's gaze met Aiz's and Asuna's. The two swordswoman currently were standing in the middle of the pool with their back to the cascading waterfall.

Their reaction was immediate, cheeks a brilliant red as they hurriedly used both hands to cover themselves. A single drop of water worked its way teasingly down from her long golden hair, across her pearly skin, tracing the nape of her neck before sliding down her slender waist. Bell's face grew so hot it was as though a fever had taken hold of his body. Lefiya's face, too, turned a deep scarlet.

He'd seen them. He'd seen the naked body of her golden-haired, golden-eyed swordswoman. And most of all, he'd seen the royalty elf's naked body.  He'd witnessed every inch of that gorgeous body, so beautiful it outrivaled even the gods', a body that belonged to her most cherished, most adored, most revered woman in the whole wide world.

Lefiya: Its not possible.

Bell and Lefiya. The former of whom was currently dying of embarrassment, the latter of whom was currently bubbling over with rage. Both of them lost it at the exact same moment.

Lefiya: You—bastaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard!!

Bell: I'm—sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!

The screams erupted from their lungs simultaneously. Then Lefiya was off, her feet pounding the ground and accelerating toward him at an impossible speed.
At the same time, Bell flung himself out of the pool with the ferocity of a river breaking through a dam.

The other guards were quick to follow, shaking off their stupor and galloping toward the white-haired boy from all sides. But Bell was faster. Lefiya shot through the air, her fingers outstretched, but they fell mere clenches short of the boy's backside as the rabbit narrowly escaped the rapidly tightening circle of girls. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Lefiya: Gggnnhh!!

A strangled noise of unadulterated fury squeezed out of Lefiya's lungs as she gave chase. Aiz and the others still in the pool were able to do nothing but stand there in shock. Both hunter and hunted were equal shades of scarlet. But try as she might, she couldn't seem to gain on him. He was too fast. The rabbitlike speed granted by his sheer terror was enough to surpass even their difference in level.

The intensity of his humiliation had triggered a limit off. Of all the...! Ever so surely, the zooming boy grew smaller and smaller in her sights.

Lefiya: Unleashed beam of light, limbs of the holy tree. You are the master archer. Loose your arrows, fairy archers. Pierce, arrow of accuracy!!

It was the fastest she'd ever cast a spell in her entire life.

Elfie: Lefiya, no! What the hell are you thinking—?!

Sharon: You're gonna kill him!!

Liza: He'll burn right up!!

The other guards shouted as they began to catch up with her. The magic she was currently weaving was easily at a Level 5 with the pure, unadulterated rage built up behind it, and what was worse, it was a homing spell. It would kill him instantly. The demi-human girls tried desperately to save the Level-2 white rabbit from a swift and certain death. They clung to her waist, her shoulders, her back in an attempt to restrain her, just in time for her to watch the boy disappear completely into the trees in front of her.

Lefiya: WUUUUAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGHHH!!

The roar that ripped its way out of her lungs echoed throughout the entire forest.

Tiona: Are you here to bath as well, Mr Flash?

Sora: NO!! I WAS DRAGGED HERE ON PURPOSE!!

There was another men in the water. The guards have all prepare themselves to take Sora in when they saw Sora walking away while still covering his eyes and suddenly all of them sense a suffocating aura and the girls looked back behind them and looked terrified and Sora knew it right away.

Sora: Uh- Gi-Girls? Can I ask you something? Is a blue hair elf girl standing behind me?

Girls: Yes!

Sora: Is she glaring at me?

Girls: Yes!

Sora: Is she releasing a suffocating aura?

Girls: Yes!

Sora: Well then... GOODBYE!!! AND SORRY!!!

Sora quickly ran away and Asuna glared at him.

Asuna: WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!! YOU PERVERT!!!

(Timeskip)

Elf 1: That damn Hero saw Miss Asuna and the others in the bath!

Elf 2: I'm gonna kill him, I'm gonna kill him, I'm gonna kill hiiiiim!!

News of Sora's peeping incident spread across the camp like wildfire. The men and women of Loki Familia instantly took up arms, glaring at him with bloodred rage. They had a new monster to kill. Even those still bedridden from poison rose to their feet like bloodthirsty zombies, driven by their unbridled fury.

The camp was roaring with battle cries as the adventurers readied themselves for war.

Tsubaki: What the hell?...Somethin' happen while I was away?

Tsubaki mused, having just returned from hunting. Even she was thrown for a loop by the murderous aura occupying the camp.

Riveria: I'd quite like to know myself...

Riveria closed her eyes, massaging her temple. Night had fallen on the Dungeon. Even as the light of the crystals faded and a curtain of darkness blanketed the campsite, its inhabitants were wide awake, fueled by their thirst for blood. The sight of all those ferocious visages in the flickering light of the magic- stone lanterns was enough to make Hestia and the other visitors gulp in fear.

Welf: Sora's really done it this time...

Tsubaki: He is a man, after all...

Welf and Tsubaki murmured quietly among themselves once they'd gotten wind of what had happened.

Hestia: What the hell were you thinking, Hermes? Egging Bell and Sora on like that?!

Hermes: C-calm down, Hestia. My pride as a god wouldn't allow me to lead Bell and Sora down any path aside from that of righteousness...

Meanwhile, Hermes was currently being restrained in another corner of the camp. Asfi had sensed right away that it was him lurking up in the trees with Bell and Sora, and she'd gone after him at once, leaving him no time to escape. Her ogre-like interrogation powers—the same that had earned her the alias Perseus—quickly drew out the unsavory scheme of her patron deity. Sora, himself, had attempted to thwart it, but it had ultimately led to the Hero's participation and untimely fall into the pool itself.

Hestia: Don't imply Bell and Sora actually wanted to go along with your sick plan!

Hestia shot back, her twin pigtails flying as she delivered a sharp smack! to Hermes's oh-so-innocently smiling face.

Hestia: I just knew something felt off about this whole thing...!

She continued, positively bristling. She hadn't been able to wrap her head around how on earth her weak-willed follower could have performed such an audacious act, but it all made sense now.

Hestia: Any last words, Hermes?

Hermes: To peep is to love, Hestia!

Asfi: Oh, go rot in hell!

Hermes: GrrrrrrruuuuuAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGHHH!!

Asfi's punishment fell swift and sure. The honor of her familia was at stake. Hestia and the rest of Loki Familia could only shudder in horror as the woman inflicted a terrifying beating, her face red with shame and anger.

Asfi: It was entirely Lord Hermes;s fault, on their behalf, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Tione: So it was nothing but gods stirring up trouble after all.

Tiona: Really? Then Mr Argonaut and Mr Flash weren't actually coming to hang out with us?

Aiz: So...where did they go?

Asuna: Probably they got lost somewhere.

Aiz and Asuna mused, turning her gaze away from Tione, Tiona, and the currently tortured Hermes to survey the campsite. Bell and Sora had yet to return from his run out of the forest, their location currently unknown. No one at the camp had seen them since they'd left.

As late as it was now, Aiz couldn't help but worry...though that thought was forgotten for a moment when a figure suddenly appeared from the direction of the seventeenth-floor passageway.

Bete: Yeesh! The hell is all this racket?!

Tiona: Hm? Oh! Bete!

The werewolf scowled as he took in the sight of his strangely murderous familia members and the suffering screams of one unlucky god. A backpack stuffed full of vials hung from his right shoulder. He'd just returned from the surface with all the antivenin he could find.

Tiona: Geez, you're late! We've been wastin' away here!

Bete: I'd like to see you make the trip, huh, you damn ingrate!

Tione: Captaaaaaaaain! Bete's back!

Aiz: Oh, uh...welcome back...

Asuna: Took you long enough.

Almost instantly, the pestilential atmosphere of the camp turned to flurried confusion as everyone rushed to heal the afflicted. Vials of antivenin passed from hand to hand before being rushed to tents to be administered to their bedridden companions. The moment the rather vile-smelling purplish liquid touched their tongues, their panting gasps and raspy breaths stilled, eliciting cries of joy from the too few overworked healers. Everyone in the camp began clasping their hands in relief at the improved condition of their peers.

Tiona: Thank god! Everyone's gonna be all right!...Guess ol' Grumpy Wolf really can pull through every now and then.

Tione: Heh. Well, at any rate, we can rest easy for now.

Tiona and Tione exchanged smiles as they watched their female companions grin in their sleep in blessed relief from the pain. Even Hestia and the rest of her party lent a hand to hasten the healing efforts.

Riveria: Good work from you, Bete. You really saved us.

Gareth: Yer clothes are an unsightly mess. Ye gods, lad! Did ye not stop for even a moment's rest?

Riveria and Gareth both chuckled as they turned their attention toward the werewolf, who simply growled in return.

Bete: Aw, can it, you old fogies. Finn, I'm hittin' the sack!

Bete didn't even throw them a second glance as he stormed into one of the tents.

Finn: No worries. Get some rest...and thank you, Bete.

Finn folded his arms, offering a mixture of sympathy and appreciation as he watched Bete collapse onto one of the beds. The stifling cloud of gloom that had been permeating the entirety of Loki Familia's camp since they'd arrived finally began to dissipate.

Aiz: Hey, um, Lefiya?

Asuna: You okay?

Lefiya:...

Despite the sudden excitement overtaking the campsite, Lefiya didn't seem to have noticed, simply tending to the sick in silence by herself in one of the tents.
Aiz called out to her as she passed by with another handful of antivenin but received no response. The group of hume-bunny girls Lefiya was currently administering the medication to shuddered.

Aiz(mind): Why does this feel...familiar...?

Aiz thought to herself, cold sweat dribbling down her temple as she felt the dark miasma surrounding the elven maiden. There was something foreboding about this. Like the calm before the storm.

Aiz: Bell and Sora still haven't come back.

Asuna: Knowing Sora, he probably is searching for Bell right now. So you don't have to worry.

They'd already finished administering the rest of the antivenin, and a sense of peace had befallen the campsite. Aiz let her gaze travel toward the darkened ceiling, which was hidden behind a shroud of leaves and branches. Asuna assure her that they were fine. This time belonged to the monsters of the forest. The darker it became, the harder it was to see and the greater the danger. A danger was all the more real for a lone upper-class adventurer who'd only just reached Level 2. Perhaps he was already lost, roaming the forest aimlessly in search of a way out.

Aiz knew sending out a search party now was both reckless and pointless. The forest was too vast and the boy far too small...and yet. As suppertime approached, she couldn't help but worry that she should be out there searching for them.

Bell: Thank you so much, Sora, Miss Ryuu!

Ryuu: No worries. I'll take my leave now.

It was then that it happened. The moment Aiz turned in the direction of the waterfall pool, Bell, Sora and another adventurer appeared from among the trees. It was someone Aiz was sure she'd seen before...someone from the rescue party, wearing a mask. At dinner the night before, yes. Aiz was sure she'd seen them talking to Bell.

They'd come together with Hestia and the others, an enigma enshrouded in that hood and long cape they never seemed to remove. Even now, their face was concealed. The slim frame adorned in shorts and long boots beneath lightweight battle clothes, however, appeared decidedly female. Identity aside, it would seem as if this girl and Sora had located the wandering Bell and brought him home.

After exchanging what appeared to be a few words with the boy, she returned silently to the forest. While Sora went off his own trying to find Asuna. Aiz let out a sigh of relief. No sooner had the breath passed her lips, however, than the bedraggled Bell started his way toward her with a sigh of his own, gaze rising to meet hers...and their eyes locked.

Bell: Ah.

Aiz: Oh.

They verbalized in unison. Twin blushes rose to their faces, almost as though they were looking in a mirror. The scene from only a few hours earlier replayed in both their minds. The thought of him seeing her naked was enough to make Aiz's cheeks radiate heat; meanwhile, the thought of seeing Aiz naked was enough to make Bell's face glow red up to his ears.

Aiz: I, uh...erm...

She squirmed, rubbing her hands together as her eyes dropped to her feet. This loss of composure wasn't like her. She was so flustered, she couldn't even look Bell in the face. She'd never felt like this before. Not only her cheeks but her whole body burned, every celch of her skin turning a fierce, fiery scarlet. The boy was the same.

Even more rattled than Aiz, he was sweating enough to form a salty lake beneath his feet, until suddenly—he threw himself forward onto the ground, lying prostrate.

Bell: I'm...I'm so sorrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!

It was a shameless apology from every ounce of his being. Aiz was stunned into silence. Quickly she attempted to put a stop to the full-bodied apology. The boy's head was already bleeding from having hit the ground a little too hard.

Bell: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

He continued somewhat deliriously as Aiz pulled him up and onto his feet with a wobble. Red still stained his cheeks, and he lowered his head so that his white bangs hid his eyes. The sight of his continued shame was enough to bring the flush back to her own cheeks.

Aiz: It's...it's fine...really...okay?

She assured him, voice sisterly.

Bell: O-okay... I'll go and apologize to everyone.

Aiz: Alright. See you later.

Bell croaked, his head drooping. And so they stood there, blushing violently, facing each other but unable to even glance up.

Sora: ASUNA!!! I'M SORRY OKAY!!!

The voice of Sora rung throughout the camp. As they saw Sora running away from the divine berserker.

Asuna: GET BACK HERE!!!!

Sora: I TOLD YOU THAT I TRIED TO STOP LORD HERMES, BUT HE SUDDENLY PUSH ME TO THE POOL YOUR ALL IN!!!

Asuna: That's why, YOU'LL JUST BE GETTING HALF THE PUNISHMENT!!!

Sora: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Sora could only cry out for mercy as the divine berserker gave him his punishment and everyone there all shiver by how ruthless Asuna's punishment is and Bell looked at her in fear.

Asuna: NOW WHERE IS THAT RABBIT?!?! HE NEEDS SOME LESSON TOO!!!

Bell: Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii—!!

Aiz: Um, you better start hiding...

(Timeskip)

Time passed slowly after that. Bell made his rounds, apologizing to each and every one of the girls who'd been present in the bathing pool. One by one. With the utmost civility. And fervently.

He spent so long on his knees, it was a surprise he didn't dig himself a hole, and at the sight of him throwing himself on the ground again and again in Far Eastern prostration, none of the girls could stay mad at him for long. When they additionally took into account the extenuating circumstances involving a certain god who'd instigated the entire affair, there was no way they could punish him beyond a harshly worded warning.

Tiona and the others weren't bothered in the least by what had happened, and they simply brushed it off with a laugh. Asfi, on the other hand, actually turned Bell's apology around, apologizing to him instead. His patron deity, Hestia, toed the border between lunacy and acumen as she gave him one of her thorough sermons, while Hermes, worn to the bone and wheezing softly, simply frightened Bell away with a hoarse hiss.

Sora on the other hand, went to each and every one of them with his face all beaten up by Asuna's punishment. With his face all beaten up, the other girls couldn't really gave him anymore punishment after what he's been through. But Sora did a genuine and noble apologize to each and every girls for what he had done.

While the coed "Sword Princess and Berserk Healer Protection Unit" still had one last riot left in them, Aiz managed to quell it without incident. Even Finn and the other familia leaders could only chuckle in amusement as Bell came to them in heartfelt apology for the trouble he'd caused. And Sora said that he'll accept the punishment they gave him as long as Bell is forgiven, but all Sora get was an earful talk from Riveria.

Sora: I'm so sorry, Riveria.

Riveria: Well, make sure you don't get trick by that God ever again!

Sora: Yes!

Riveria: Good grieve. You've gotten softer since 7 years ago!

Sora: 😅 Ahaha...

Bell on the other hand.

Bell: Hah...

Bell let out what was easily his hundredth sigh as his tour of apologies finally came to an end. His features were an amalgam of humiliation, guilt, and fatigue. He'd traversed almost the entirety of the campsite, dashing here and there with his portable magic-stone lantern, while the rest of the group readied themselves for dinner. He had nothing equipped save a weapon for his own protection.

Still battling the sense of immorality plaguing his mind, he'd finally nabbed a chance to catch his breath, when—the most ominous of presences appeared behind him. Heart clenching like a vise, he gave a sudden gasp, a wheezy, high- pitched flutelike sound escaping his lips. He turned around with an almost audible creak, sweat pouring from him, to find his forest fairy standing before him with both hands clenched murderously around her staff.

A pernicious cloud of inky black miasma rested on her shoulders, her face pointed downward in foreboding silence. Bell couldn't move. He'd looked death in the eyes twice already. Once when he'd taken on that silverback, and again when he'd taken on that minotaur. But neither of those two fiends even came close to eliciting the deep- rooted, carnal fear running through him right now.

His rubellite eyes could almost see a terrifying dragon of magic rearing its head from behind the girl's back. Her eyes rose.

Lefiya: Unforgivable...unforgivable...unforgivable...

Bell(mind): Oh crap, I gotta get away from her! She'll kill me!

Her normally azure eyes glowed with a surreal, ominous intensity. Again and again, she continued her mantra, almost like a broken doll, looking very much like some kind of demonic entity. He'd dirtied her. He'd sullied the immaculate body of her beloved, and the flames of antipathy were already gathering around her like a firestorm.

The staff gripped tightly in her hands let out a shrill, creaking groan. Time stood still. Then she seemed to sink—before jerking forward, kicking off the ground with every ounce of mind and spirit she had, and launching toward him at the speed of sound.

Lefiya: Don't yoooooooooou mooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove!!

Bell: AIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

Lefiya: WAS IT ALL ON PURPOSE?! WAS IT?! TELL ME THE TRUTH!!

Bell: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Their grand game had begun anew. Once more they were in heated chase, the white rabbit wailing in fear as his bloodthirsty fairy assailant ran him down.
The former boasted the leveled-up move speed of a Level 2, but the latter currently possessed the transcendent move speed of a mage driven mad by pure, unadulterated rage. Her speed was winning, and in the blink of an eye, both pursuer and pursued were free of the camp, disappearing into the forest beyond.

Tiona: Hm? Where's Lefiya?

Tione: Can't find her anywhere!

Tione and Tiona mused from the center of the campsite as they scanned the perimeter in search of the junior elf.

Aiz: Bell is not here, either.

Asuna: Did those two went off somewhere?

Aiz and Asuna, too, let their eyes wander the camp. Dinner was about to begin, and Lefiya and Bell were nowhere to be seen. Cocking her head to the side, Aiz couldn't help but wonder where the two had gotten off to.

Sora:...

Sora who was sitting next to Asuna also started wondering where the two of them had might gone too this late during the night. Especially at the dungeon as he stare towards the crystal above.