DanMachi: The Final Showdown

Chapter 6: A Story of Legends

Bell Cranel POV

"Good, good! I knew it ever since I first had that dream! You are the worthiest opponent I could ever ask for! No matter how many times you get beat, you always get back up! You are the strongest, Bell Cranel!"

Asterius laughed. 

My vision was hazy. I had just been smashed through 9 floors of the dungeon. It hurt. It hurt so badly. I wanted to throw up. But more than that...

"I want to win!"

Lights flickered around my hands, gradually spreading up to the tip of the sword. Asterius grinned. 

"There it is."

He leaped at me and swung his axe down with incredible strength, but I slipped through and cut through it, making the blade effectively useless.

It didn't have the Durendal property?

I pushed those thoughts aside and charged at him. Seeing as how it was now useless, he threw aside the rod of metal and ran at me with his horns. I slid between his legs, leaving a long gash down his chest, then got up and left two more on his back before he macked me away with his arm.

It's no good. I can't get a decisive blow to the magic stone!

I would have to change my strategy if I wanted to beat him.

I could see cracks running along the blade's edge already as well. It wouldn't last much longer.

"Surely you can do more than that, Bell!"

He's gotten faster?!

I blocked the sharp horns with the sword, but it broke on impact. My body moved faster than my mind could and I bent backward, landing on my hands and kicking Asterius up and away from me. I hastily withdrew my knives and rushed toward the airborne minotaur, firing several firebolts at him as well. I leaped up and struck again at his injured arm, again falling short of completely severing it. He used this chance and twisted his body in the air, kicking me down to the ground. I bounced off and slammed hard into the wall, some of the rubble landing atop me.

"That's more like it."

I slowly peeled myself from the wall.

I'm slowly starting to adjust...

I looked back at Asterius, who was clutching his injured arm.

"That won't do."

I could feel my eyes widen as he tore off his arm and threw it aside. 

"What the..."

"Bell, let us continue."

He firmly planted his foot on the ground before he charged at me, this time at his full speed. It was just a simple punch, but I was sent flipping back to where a crowd was now gathered.

"Bell!"

"Lyu... Ais?"

I blacked out.

I'm tired...

Hermes POV

"What a curious development. What do you say? Freya. I'm surprised that you're willing to go into the dungeon just for this."

"Why wouldn't I? My Odr is fighting so valiantly, how could I possibly miss it?"

"Hey! Freya!"

"I know, Hestia. But at this rate, you'll lose your child. And not just to me."