Infernal Descent (Danmachi x DMC)

Chapter 1: Power Awaken

"Why"

"Why..."

"Why......Why.....Why.....Why"

"WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY!"

"HOW COME I MUST NOT BE ENOUGH TO SAVE OTHERS!" 

"WHAT DO I LACK THAT CANT EVEN GET ME THROUGH A FEW MONSTER TO SAVE OTHERS!"

Bell found himself surrounded by darkness, on his knees, and clutching his head in pain. He had been heavily damaged by the Goliath, a formidable foe that had become even stronger due to his goddess revealing her ability in the dungeon, an act that was strictly forbidden.

In this moment of despair, there was only silence, darkness, and the anguished cries of a confused, angry, and heartbroken Bell Cranel. He had worked tirelessly, striving against all obstacles, but he had barely survived by the skin of his teeth. His dream and his goals of becoming a hero, one whom others could look up to and trust for safety, felt like distant illusions.

As he grappled with his own sense of inadequacy, Bell continued to whisper to himself, his voice filled with anguish. "Dream... Goals? They mean nothing if I can't even do anything." He questioned himself, searching for answers about his own abilities and why he was so weak.

"What is it that I lack..." Bell murmured, his voice barely audible, before an image of a single person appeared in his mind. "I need to catch up to her..." It was the face of someone who had always inspired him, someone who had served as a beacon of strength and courage in his life.

.

.

.

"What you lack is something that you need to discover for yourself" a soothing, feminine voice echoed through Bell's mind. He slowly looked up and saw a golden figure, one that bore a striking resemblance to the woman he so desperately desired to catch up to... Ais.

"Ais..." Bell's eyes widened slightly, and he instinctively tried to reach out to her. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't quite grasp her. He began to crawl toward her, his voice a whisper, "I... Need to catch up to you..."

Every word he spoke propelled him forward, and he crawled faster. Still, no matter how determined he was, he couldn't reach the golden figure. Slowly, he started to stand on his feet, his eyes beginning to glow. He took steps toward her, getting closer, and he could feel it. He had to be getting closer.

In the silent void that enveloped him, with the figure of Ais as the sole source of light, he began to run. He sprinted as fast as he could toward her. He ran until he felt like his lungs were about to burst into flames, but he ignored the pain. His resolve was burning, transforming into something else entirely.

His very motivation was shining brighter and brighter as his soul began to reform to align with his evolving resolve and determination.

With no end in sight to his sprint to catch Ais, Bell refused to stop. His legs were trembling, and logic dictated that he should have run out of energy, but an unknown power surged within him. He pushed onward, surpassing his limitations and transcending what his body should have been able to endure.

"Remember, Bell Cranel. Remember your Past" the voice echoed as Bell finally reached the figure of Ais. Suddenly, everything around him turned pure white. Bell raised his arm to shield his eyes, expecting it to hurt, but it didn't.

Blinking in confusion for a few moments, he found himself no longer fatigued. His location had permanently shifted, and he now stood in front of a house... a house that was on fire.