Danmachi SI-The Silence's Heir

Part 20

Chapter 20

BELL CRANEL

To be a hero meant to overcome the odds, to defy the expectations. Bell Cranel had come to Orario to be a hero, to fulfill his grandfather's desire. And in a way he had gotten complacent when he had met Inumaki-kun, seeing someone so powerful, so confident had made him doubt his own dreams and prowess.

But he could doubt no more.

He would doubt no more. He would be a hero, and to do that he now had another person to chase after alongside Ais-san, someone to look upto, someone who was willing to believe that naive dream of his with all their heart, and Bell would not let them down.

No matter what.

He had not known that just trying to save Lili-san would lead to all this, he had only just wanted to help her out of the darkness that had come over her, and he had thought that he could do it all alone. After all, it was his decision, and yet, in the end, his naivety had forced Inumaki-kun to make a massive gamble, one that could cost him his prized weapon.

Bell was more observant than people realised. He was not oblivious to the rumors and stories surrounding that weapon and how Inumaki-san seemed to care for it. It was in ways similar to how he cared for the knife Hestia-sama had gotten him. And he had put that on the line for his dream, for his sake.

It was a debt he would repay no matter what. And that is why he found himself in this decrepit and abandoned castle on the outskirts of the city, fully armored with his knife bound to his belt, he waited for his trainer to show up.

And suddenly, a chilling voice erupted from behind him.

"So he is the one that made Inumaki gamble his own weapon," and the hostility that erupted made him perk up as Bell tried to jump away in fear and trepidation. And when he tried to jump away, a pair of feet swept at his legs from behind, knocking him off of his feet as pain ripped through his legs.

"AGHHH!" and as he tried to react, a hand grabbed his head from behind before his body was pushed to the ground.

"GUGH!" he screamed in pain as his face was pushed against the hard concrete, and as he tried to push himself back up, he found himself unable to move an inch, as a foot was placed on his shoulder, forcing him even to drop his knife.

"Weak," the voice rang out, as the hand from his head was removed and a sword was pushed into the ground right beside his face.

"Huh," he gasped as he saw his own reflection in the sword and saw the dirt covering his face.

"You are weak," the voice continued and he was finally able to turn his head to look at his attacker and as he did, he found himself at a loss for words. It was a girl, one with long straight raven black hair, that matched only her eyes in their darkness.

She was wearing a red and black traditional kimono with a floral pattern, while a flower pin decorated her hair. But what caught his eye was the folded clothing in place of one of her arms.

Those eyes, she was looking down at him with contempt, and derision.

"I don't see it," she remarked as she shook her head.

"I don't see what makes you so special that he would put his most prized possession on the line for you," she remarked and he finally understood who she was referring to, and just who might she be.

"You are her, the one who is meant to train me," he gasped in pain, as she pushed her foot down.

"I am still to decide on that," she added with tongue click, as she took out her blade and raised it once more.