After Battle Celebrations

Enki let out a heavy sigh, hugging Ryuu. He felt a lot of weight fall off his shoulders and leaned into her, his body exhausted.

"You did good, Enki," Ryuu said, supporting him.

"Heh, thanks I'm so glad this is over," Enki's voice lowers heavy with exhaustion.

He could still stand and happily accepted Ryuu, offering a hand to stand up. With her help, they walked out of the crater, with Enki holding onto the spear.

Just as on the left, Lilly, Bell, and Asfi arrived.

Lilly, "we did it! Enki, you fucking killed it out there!" She was bursting with excitement.

"Lilly, don't swear, but she's right," Bell said with a small chuckle before looking at the spear. "Wait, how can you hold the spear?"

"My thoughts exactly," Asfi said, glancing at the spear.

"Oh," Enki said handing it to the bell, the runes on the weapon shined before dimming, "I'm not sure and honestly I'm too tired to figure out why right now," Enki said between exhausted breaths.

"Here, take this. It's our last elixir," Lilly said, handing him the vial.

Enki smiled and gulped it. Dropping the bottle, he stepped back from Ryuu, taking a deep breath. Feeling the mental exhaustion and he just wanted to sleep in a bed.

"Feeling better?" Asfi asked.

Enki nodded with a smile. "Much better. Now let's get going. I want a bed right now."

"What about the magic stone?" Lilly asked, and everyone looked back to the crater of the giant magic stone.

"... nope," Enki answered straight away, clapping his hands and summoning iron spikes shattering the stone into smaller pieces and burying it under a pile of dirt.

"I want nothing to do with that stone and it wasn't a real monster stone just an amalgamation, it would be hard to explain to the guild considering this "quest" we're on isn't a real one issued by the guild but Ouranos himself," Enki said standing up patting his hands and walking away.

The crater was gone, and it looked as if nothing had happened.

"I guess it's decided," Bell said, following behind.

"Wait what!? BUT IT'S SO HUGE!?" Lilly was against it.

"We could sell it for so much. Why aren't you thinking about money!?"

Ryuu chuckled before saying, "we still get compensated, you know, right?"

"Eh... oh right, never mind," she chirped up and smiled, following behind.

"Is this normal for you people?" Asfi asked, dumbfounded by the ease of their reactions. 'we just killed an ancient threat and uncovered secrets of alchemy and more and they're nonchalant?'

Enki chuckled and looked back at Asfi, "don't think much about it, this is a regular thing when you hang out with us and If I'm right Monster Rex on the 18th floor should've respawned so Lilly your going to level up when we get back."

"Are you sure shouldn't I try to boost my status some more?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Do you want to?" He asked, looking at her.

She paused, humming in thought, "It would be the right thing, but I can't grow that fast, so it would take too long. I'm fine with levelling up when we get back," Lilly smiled.

"You say it as if it's a simple thing for your guys to level up," Asfi spoke again.

"I mean..." Bell said with a dry laugh.

Asfi took a moment, "of course it's easy for your guys, who levelled up in a month and less," she huffed, nursing her brows.

As the group walked ahead, a distant voice called out to them.

"Enki! Bell! Lilly!" Hestia screamed, running toward them, with Artemis running by her side and Hermes purposely running behind them.

"Oh, Bell, prep yourself. You've got two gods incoming," Lilly spoke with a grin.

Asfi said, "Of course, Hermes would run behind them. Does he have no shame!?" she growled, clenching her fist.

"Bell!" Hestia ran with happy tears as she and Artemis got close they both lept forward.

"What the!?" Enki said surprised by Artemis who jumped on him in a tight hug. He braced himself and caught her. "oh right," Enki said, coming down from his state of shock.

He realised it was because of saving her and, like Hestia; she was crying also, repeating thank you in a small squeaky voice.

"Hug back Enki," Lilly said, crossing her arms.

It was then he realised he still had his arms open and hugged back. "I told you no one decided you'd die and I'm a man of my word," Enki spoke softly, patting her back.

"Thank you. I owe you my life," she spoke, her voice muffling into his chest.

"Not really, since you're eternal. Can you just make sure I don't go to hell? I've done some things all justified, of course, but I don't know the rules of what comes after death," Enki said with a small chuckle.

He looked down to see the goddess was still in his arms.

"Be proud Enki today you were a genuine hero every one of you," Hermes said, opening his arms, "will be forever remembered in the history of this world by saving it from the terror that was Antares."

Everyone nodded. Hestia had let off of Bell and calmed down. Artemis, though, was still sniffing and holding onto Enki. Everyone had a radiant look.

Enki rolled his eyes before a thought came to mind.

"Can I keep the spear? I kind of lost my glaive in the fight. I don't know where it is. I mean, I can make a new one, but that one was special." Enki asked Hermes and Hestia as Artemis was still calming down.

...

[Settlement]

"I'm sorry," Artemis said to Enki, who was busy packing up supplies.

Enki, for the fifth time, sighed, "it's alright. It's a divine weapon. It makes sense."

It has been a few hours since they left the ruins. They met up with the other adventurers at the settlement, all of them saying the monster scorpions had died at the same time.

'Must've followed the Avengers rules of killing the boss kills all enemies. I don't know if that's smart or lazy of you author, but alright.'

Anyway, it was getting late, and they divided tasks between adventurers to sort supplies and do headcounts before they depart from the ruins tomorrow morning.

"I know you saved my life and I can't grant what you want," Artemis apologized again, earning a small groan from Enki as he tied a bag up.

"Ok, I know how you can repay me," he huffed and stoop up.

"Really, what can I do?" Artemis spoke, smiling.

"I want you to talk to Hestia about convincing Hephaestus to make a glaive with me, not for me but with me," Enki said to the goddess.

The blue-haired goddess hummed in thought for a moment before nodding.

"You want me to convince Hephaestus? I think I can do that Hestia is close friends with her, so I'm sure she'd say yes. I can do that." She said with a resolute smile.

"Thank you," Enki smiled and went back to moving some bags.

'I truly am indebted to you,' Artemis thought with a smile as she left him to do his things. She looked up at the stars, taking in an icy breath of air.

After everything was set and prepared, a campfire was lit and slowly the Hermes familia and adventures gathered around the flame, toasting their victory and mourning their losses.

-Gulp! -Gulp!

"Ah, that hits the spot," Enki breathed out a refreshing sigh. He sat on a log with Ryuu on his left, Bell and Lilly on his right.

"Should you be drinking?" Lilly said, leaning over.

"Just let me enjoy," Enki huffed, "also I don't feel the alcohol that much. Weird." He shrugged and kept drinking from his mug.

The campfire was lively. adventurers laughed and played around, mostly drinking games and arm wrestling. Ryuu got a little tipsy and joined in the games herself.

Enki, "Woah, are you sure babe?" he asked, holding her by the shoulder.

"*Hick* let me show them how it's done," Ryuu said, walking over to a seat. She brought two tables, over resting both hands on them, "who thinks that can take me on?"

"Challenge accepted," a blonde adventurer walked up huge and built like a tank.

"A little cocky to take two people on, aye?" Another came with a similar build and a large beard.

Both sat down and clenched clasped fists.

'I guess if she's drunk enough, she loosens up, huh,' Enki smiled before grinning.

"I'm betting a thousand Valis on my girlfriend winning!" He shouted to the crowd.

An adventurer spoke up, "Eh! Girlfriend!? An elf-like that with you, no fucking way!"

"I must be higher than I thought. I'll take that bet though one thousand on the guy with the beard!" "Me too!" Others spoke as well.

Multiple adventures spoke up, some taking the challenge and others patting Enki about landing a pretty elf girl.

Oh, and Ryuu won the arm wrestling easily. She's a level 4, and these guys were level 2 come on.

And with the elf being tipsy, Enki brought her to their shared tent, let her rest and went back out.

"Ah fuck my Valis!" the first adventurer cursed.

"God damn idiot, she's level 4 haha! Easiest money I ever made." A second adventurer laughed in the first guy's face.

Away from them were Hestia and Artemis, who were sitting together watching them all have fun.

"It seems they're having a great time, huh?" Artemis chuckled.

"Hihi, yeah they are. I hope they don't take it too far, though," Hestia mumbled.

They talked and watched as everyone took part in small activities. Bell and Lilly joined the arm wrestling, and it was fun to watch Bell win most of his only losing to Enki, Ryuu and some of Hermes's adventurers.

The funny one was Lilly arm wrestling a level 2 adventurer, "Begin!" Enki said, and the two pulled with their strength!

"D-damn, is she really level 1?" the first adventurer exclaimed.

"Yeah go, Lilly! Crush him!" Some of the female adventurers cheered for her. While the male adventurers called the man, she was up against the trash if he lost.

"Come on, she's so tiny, beat her or you got no balls!" A male voice came out through the crowd as the others laughed their asses off.

"Ah! Not losing," the male grunted, the arm wrestle turning in his favour.

"Ah, I c-can't!" Lilly shouted. Her arm was close to touching the table and losing.

"Hm... I have money on this I can't lose," Enki said, looking at Bell and he pulled him in front.

"Eh?" Bell could only look at Enki like a lost puppy. Despite that, he didn't trust the glint in Enki's eyes.

Enki flashed a smile and a thumbs up towards him, and with a deep breath, he shouted, "Lilly, if you win, Bell said he'll kiss you!"

Bell, "EH!?"

Hestia from afar, "WHAT!?"

Lilly's eyes turned yellow as she roared, "HORAAAAH!"

-Bam! -Crack! -Thud!

"Holy shit! Are you okay, bro?" An adventure walked to the male Lilly sent flying. The guy got up, wobbling before falling with a thud.

"Haha! She won!" Enki cheered. He just won some money.

Lilly, with a glint in her eyes and flustered face, turned to bell, "Bell~"

"Eep!" The white rabbit in question froze as Lilly was approaching him. Bell looked for Enki, but his figure vanished. 'where did he go!?'

"Hold it right there!" Hestia appeared, stopping her. "No one kissed Bell, not even me!" She declared, her face red and tipsy.

Lilly was about to whine when Hestia grabbed Bell's mug and gave it to Lilly. "There you go Lilly, he drank from this. It's an indirect kiss, but still a kiss. Now take it and go to your tent."

"Oh, I thought you *hick* were going to fight me, and indirect kiss with Bell hihi." Lilly grabbed the mug and left for her tent with it. "I won big time."

"Thank you, Goddess Hestia," Bell said with a small bow.

"And you! Go to sleep. It's getting late!" She said, crossing her arms.

"Y-yes!"

Hestia smiled and turned to scold Enki but he wasn't there, "oh? Where's he of too? Maybe he's asleep?"