CHAPTER 57(The Great Endeavour Begins)

Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)

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CHAPTER START---

Sitting on a rooftop in Orario, Yang can be seen wearing new armor, designed much like his previous set, slightly thinner this time, made of compressed and composite materials by the goddess of the forge herself. Keeping the previous design he grew fond of while better complementing his power, mostly by being able to survive the actual intensity of his magic. (Pic in comments)

"C'mon sweetie we need to hurry," A woman says, urging her daughter to keep up as the little girl stares at Yang above.

"Mommy looks how high up he is," The girl says, pointing up at Yang to direct the womans' attention.

Following the child lead the woman cranes her neck to see the roof of the building, the figure of a young man gently waving at the child sits at the edge of the building. Squinting her eyes, she slowly begins to make out who the figure is, prompting her to quickly walk over to her daughter.

"You shouldn't do that, c'mon let's go..." The woman quickly blurts out, grabbing the girl's hand harshly as she drags her down the street.

As he looks down at the people bustling about under the morning sun, he takes another bite of his sandwich, as a small frown takes hold of his face he can't help but wonder what happened.

"Hmm, the fourth time that happened today, what the fucks going on here?" he questions to himself as he takes another bite.

As he finishes his breakfast, wiping his lips with a napkin, his brow twitches for a moment before he speaks.

"Thought you were supposed to be an assassin, isn't stealth part of that, or am I mistaken?" Yang asks, not even turning around.

"You know, I'm sure I was completely silent, what did you smell me or something?" Thalie asks, casually walking up a few feet away from the ledge as she greets him.

"Maybe you aren't as quiet as you thought, ever thought of that?" Yang playfully questions as he rises to his feet, now facing the woman.

"Bullshit,"

"Hahaha, yeah, maybe don't try to sneak up on someone with Tremor Sense in the future, keeping it active super closeby doesn't cost me anything ya know," He answers with a small smirk.

"Yup, more bullshit Elementalist crap, whatever, you ready to get Welf down to the safe zone so we can start with your shopping list?" She asks, taking a moment to observe him closely, to a talented assassin such as herself the uncertainty that held his features a moment ago aren't easily hidden.

"Yeah, I'm just glad I'm not the one being babysat this time, think the main convoy is there yet?"

"Yeah, Tsubaki should be there and already set up since they've got a 3-day lead, would have loved to ship off the 'High Smith' with them but between waiting for your armor and how the boss wants us to 'Team Bond'..." She says, a bit of annoyance in her voice.

"Yeah well, we're stuck together so let's make the best of it," Yang says before flying off, his blue mage armor flaring to life as he soars from the market toward the dungeon entrance.

"Show off," Thalie mutters as she begins jumping across the rooves to catch up.

Moments later, standing before the entrance to the dungeon, Yang, Welf, and Thalie can be seen going over one last check before entering the dungeon.

"I still can't believe I've got to basically live down there," Welf whines as they begin walking toward the entrance.

"Yeah well, get over it, you're sworn to our familia so do your part," Thalie says.

"Eh, I like it in the dungeon, I mean sleeping in my bed is awesome but like, I can't get exelia up here, at least not enough to level up," Yang replies.

"Considering you find any excuse you can to dive into the dungeon, that doesn't surprise anyone," Thalie jokes as they descend into the first floor.

---Dungeon floor 16...

As Yang casually blocks the claw of a Lygerfang(Massive Tiger) with his palm, he casually looks over his shoulder to see thalie handling her opponent with ease as well.

"So... team name?" He questions as he backhands the monster, knocking its head off.

"Uh, maybe talk after!" Welf yells as he uses both hands to struggle against his opponent.

'Water Cutter'

Suddenly, a jet of water slashes through the monster, cutting it in half straight through the torso, dividing the flesh and monster crystal into two pieces.

"Sorry, you were kinda taking too long," Yang casually says as he and Thalie are done with their fights and just waiting for Welf.

"You know, it's not nice to steal another adventurer fight like that," Thalie says.

"Yeah well he isn't a fighter and it was showing, no offense," Yang casually says, walking past all the Lygerfang corpses in his wake.

"Saying NO OFFENSE doesn't make it less offensive man," Welf argues.

"Well, the truth sucks sometimes, not like you'll be leaving base camp anyway and we've got a timetable, the 39th floor is our goal and Tsubaki should have everyone set up there by now, we don't have time to play around with these things," Yang says as he walks past all the crystals on the floor and makes his way to the 17th floor.

"Huh, I kinda like this version of him," Thalie says under her breath as she makes to follow him.

'One level ahead of me but so much stronger, damn.' Welf laments as he looks at the monster corpses in Yang's wake. All while he only killed one creature and didn't even get to finish the second.

---Dungeon Floor 18, Safe Zone...

"So I'm thinking TRIFECTA, how's that sound?" Yang asks as his team strolls through the 18th floor on their way to the 19th.

"Uh, a little on the nose right, and doesn't that mean we can't recruit more people?" Welf responds.

"I mean, it's short and to the point, could be a lot worse," Thalie comments with a shrug.

"Yeah it limits recruiting unless we change the name but, I don't think we're gonna have anyone else, besides, Thalie is Hephaestus's strongest assassin, I'm the strongest mage and Welf wants to be the best smith right. Her Trifecta!" Yang finishes with a dramatic wave of his hands, stirring up small winds around them.

"Uh-huh, I had a few Ideas but I mean, sure, Hephaestus's Trifecta it is," Welf agrees.

"Considering it's better than any of Welf's ideas can be, agreed," Thalie jokes

"Hey c'mon my names aren't tha---" Welf's words get caught in his throat as familiar figures appear ahead.

As the newly named Trifecta approaches the tunnel to the 19th floor, the Loki familia main team can be seen entering the safe zone ahead of them.

Focusing on the other party, Thalie pushes her senses to be on standby for any kind of ill intent.

As both groups close in, many people have different reactions.

Whilst Finn and Riveria are keeping a keen eye on the other party, Yang especially, the twin amazons are clearly more concerned with Lefiya. Their crestfallen expressions giving away their worry to anyone with eyes.

The young Elf hides his face with her hair as she walks forward, eyes locked to her toes, refusing to look up at the Hephaestus familia adventurers. Refusing to look up at what is now, clearly, her FORMER lover.

As Gareth and Bete stay alert, ready to react in case anything happens, nothing comes of this. Both groups simply walk past each other. To everyones'...surprise? Yang doesn't even spare a glance their way, nobody is sure what they expected, but the cold indifference had never crossed their mind.

His expression remained stoic as he keeps moving forward, ignoring the other party as he walks toward the 19th floor.

A small frown forms on Riveria's face, she had hoped that there would have been something of the idealistic boy they had spoken with before, but that is clearly not the case. Even knowing that anyone who entered the Orcus challenge was signing their life away, she had hoped somewhere that he would apologize for what happened to Elfy, even as adventurers, emotions cannot be ignored. Lefiya had been happy with him but she can't even look at him now. Those hopes were clearly misplaced.

As the Trifecta make their way into the tunnel, the tension drops. Welf is unsure how to even begin a conversation after such a situation, but Thalie by nature simply gets to the point.

"I half expected you to apologize or something, at least to your girlfriend," She comments.

"Not my girlfriend, and no, we're adventurers, people die doing what we do and sometimes we get placed in situations that make killing the only option. I'm not going to apologize for wanting to live." He dryly answers.

"Well said, doesn't matter what you do as long as when you die, you die smiling, that's something I learned from my old familia," she says while giving him a friendly pat on the back.

"Hmm, that's pretty cool," Yang says.

"Thanks, so..." she trails off

"So...?"

"Well, banged one, killed one, what about the third one?" Thalie asks.

"Third what?" yang questions.

"Ya know, Loki's third Elf, Riveria..." She explains.

"Ugh, how about avoiding, yeah that sounds good," Yang answers, slightly annoyed.

"Hey man I'm just saying, elves seem to be your thing for better or for worse, and she's hot, I'd do it," Thalie jokes in response.

"God you're the worst," Yang replies as they see the light of the 19th floor in the distance.

"Some Trifecta we are, a mage that brawls, a horny assassin and a smith that doesn't make his best equipment on purpose, perfect," Welf laments as they step into the 19th floor.

END CHAPTER---

TRIFECTA, short and sweet so I don't have to keep typing names over and over.