Bab 29: CHAPTER 29(Escort Quest Negotiations)
Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and appearance+ Monster Sources)
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CHAPTER START---
---The City of Orario, Hephaestus office,2 days after Yang's Date, 9 AM...
In a familiar office, 2 individuals can be seen conversion as normal across a large fine desk in a casual manner. One being a redheaded goddess sporting an eyepatch and the other being a brown-skinned young man sitting across from her.
Hephaestus: "You ready?"
Yang: "Of course."
Hephaestus: "Are you sure you want to fight it alone?"
Yang: "What can I say, I like a challenge."
Hephaestus: "Don't make me regret this, we meet with them at 11 Am, unfortunately, Tsubaki isn't here so it'll only be the 2 of us."
Yang: "We can manage."
Hephaestus: "I know," Sigh, "You know, this is why people who like dungeon crawling are supposed to join people like Freya and Loki, you know, people who focus on dungeon crawling."
Yang: "I'm quite fine where I am, what can I really say, I'm used to it. Besides would you really be ok with me jumping ship now."
Hephaestus: "Oh no you're way past that point already Yang. Do you need to get anything before we head over to Loki's?"
Yang: "No I'm fine."
Hephaestus: "Hmm, alright, I need you wearing your new armor at least, what do you think of it?"
Yang: "Oh, I actually hadn't checked it, but why do I need it, expecting a fight?"
Hephaestus: "No but it has my symbol which makes a statement, and why haven't you checked it?"
Yang: "I got a bit... distracted..."
Hephaestus: "Breaking beds?"
Yang: "We didn't break it, just needed a bigger one."
Hephaestus: "Whatever you say, congratulations on that by the way, but get changed and meet me here at 10:30."
Yang: "Yeah I'll go get changed Hephaestus."
---Meanwhile, Loki familia's HQ, Captain Finn's office...
Finn: "Is everyone clear on our objectives?"
All executives: "Yes."
Finn: "The meeting starts in 2 hours, be here early. You're all dismissed, ugh not you Lefiya. Riveria, remain as well."
Hearing these words made Lefiya tense up as the other gave her a silent glance of curiosity. After everyone exited the room Lefiya and Riveria took the seat opposite Finn at his desk before he began to speak once again.
Finn: "Lefiya, are you sure you want to be there?"
Lefiya: "Do you not trust me?"
Riveria: "It's not about that, we don't know how heated it can get and emotions being involved can be, problematic."
Lefiya: "Trust me the good of the familia comes first. You're my family, I'll never betray that."
Finn: "We never questioned that Lefiya, just these negotiations can be a bit manipulative, we just have to make sure you're ready."
Lefiya: "I'm ready."
Finn: "Alright go prepare, dismissed."
Lefiya quietly exits the room before Finn begins speaking with his vice-captain.
Finn: sigh, "That really had to happen the day before they come over here to talk, ugh, inconvenient."
Riveria: "Emotions aren't exactly the easiest thing to control, besides I trust her to protect her familias interests, don't you?"
Finn: "You know I do, but I don't know enough about HIM."
Riveria: "Agreed, but for now let's just trust Lefiya and if he crosses us or her, well, we will be eager to deal with him accordingly."
Finn: "Agreed. Now, let's iron out the details of how much we're willing to give."
---Loki Familia HQ, Loki's office 11 AM...
Within this elegantly decorated office currently seated were the goddesses Loki and Hephaestus as well as the Loki familias' executives, those being Captain Finn, Vice-Captain Riveria, Tione, Tiona, Lefiya, Gareth, and Bete whilst for the Hephaestus familia, only the goddess herself and Yang were present. All persons were seated around a rather large granite coffee table with the goddesses facing each other directly.
Hephaestus: "It's been a while Loki, how are things?"
Loki: "Well what can I say, being at the top of Orario suites us nicely, and, it's not every day Hephaestus actually wants to send people to the lower floors. To hunt the water city boss no less."
Hephaestus: "Do you know the details?"
Loki: "You want us to babysit your kid so he doesn't die when he fights the boss right?"
Hephaestus: "Mmm, that's not how I'd put it but, yes."
Loki: "Because he needs armor right?"
Hephaestus: "Exactly."
Loki: "Normally I'd ask for a discount on my next big purchase you know, but I'm feeling generous. Since we're racing Freya to clear as much of the dungeon as possible after the dungeon changed, Finn's team is heading past there anyway. If you want the kid can tag along and we'll give him a bit of time with the boss, in exchange for, a custom Hephaestus item?"
Hephaestus: "Funny, how much time, and your price is too much."
Loki: "A few hours and how about a 50% discount on the next weapon purchase."
Hephaestus: "1 day and 10% off any one purchase item."
Loki: "Mmm, you know what, this is honestly more of a favor so how about 1 day and we'll call it a favor between us and the kid."
Hephaestus: 'Her and Yang, that means not with the rest of my familia, I see what you're trying to do Loki, you clever little goddess.' "Deal."
Loki: "Pleasure doing business with you Hephaestus, you should visit more often."
Hephaestus: "You know I'm always busy Loki."
Loki: "Yeah managing your forges, I see you've given his current gear your personal touch huh Hephaestus."
As Loki says this everyone takes a closer look at Yang's gear. What was previously plate armor was now completely replaced but full-body interlocking plates with slight grooves and holes in them for the clear purpose of allowing his elements to flow through. The armor was not the black seen on hellhounds but was now a mix of silver, gold, and brown. Unlike his previous gear instead of the small layer of soft fur, this entire gear was completely solid as it has been compressed and refine by Hephaestus many times over. His right shoulder still had a small pauldron and a thin hellhound cape hung off his back whilst his chest and thighs had more visible reinforcements. Compared to his previous armor not only was the fact that this armor was dyed but the difference in quality and design made the Hephaestus touch rather obvious even before considering that the armor had a bright gold Hephaestus familia crest on the pauldron. (Link to image in Author's notes/comments)
Hephaestus: "Well considering how fast he destroys his equipment, hellhound gear couldn't last without my intervention honestly."
Loki: "Hahaha he made you get in the forge, well then I think this meeting is all but over, Finn."
Finn: "Right, our equipment is being repaired and will be ready in 4 days, at that point we will enter the dungeon and you will follow us to the 27th floor. Because this isn't an official escort quest we expect you to pull your own weight and whatever drops from monsters you kill will be yours since for the sake of this we will be leaving you early on as we venture into the more profitable floors. When we get to your target you have 24 hours to either hunt it solo or we step in and give our aid. After this time is up we will be proceeding forward with our expedition without you and you will be left to your own devices, questions?"
Yang: "All clear on my end."
Finn: "That's all then."
Hephaestus: "Then I suppose we'll get out of you here, have a good day all of you."
Loki: "You as well Hephaestus. Come visit sometime and we can share a jug of soma alright."
Hephaestus: "Hmm, I'll consider it Loki."
As Hephaestus gets up everyone stands as she leaves the office with Yang walking quietly behind her, not a word is spoken and she considers what happened in the meeting room with Loki and her familia carefully whilst they make their way to Hephaestus's office in the Tower of Babel.
Meanwhile in Loki's office...
Loki: "Hahahahahahahaha!"
Finn: "Uh, are we missing something here?"
Loki: "Lefiya, why didn't you tell us about this?"
Lefiya: "Uh, what, about what?"
Loki: "Huh, you didn't notice. That makes sense."
Finn: "Notice what?"
Loki: "What level is he?"
Everyone: " 3. "
Loki: "And do any of you have equipment made by Hephaestus herself?"
Finn: "No we don't."
Loki: "And if I had to go to a meeting with only one of you who would I carry?"
Riveria: "Finn, he's your familias' captain."
Loki: "Right. So why would a level 3 have gear made directly by Hephaestus and be the only one accompanying her. Tsubaki isn't in Orario right now but still, he's the only one she brought. It's not like this is a private deal either the guild has to get the official documents which I'll have Finn write up. So why go through all this trouble for a level 3?"
Finn: "Because of his potential, he holds 2 records, one being leveling up within 22 hours with SS rank stats across the board and unique skills and magic. He seems worth it."
Loki: "Not just that, she's grooming him."
Finn: "This early?"
Loki: "Did you notice the ring on his right hand?"
Tione: "It had Hephaestus's crest, what of it, many adventurers brandish their familias crest, his pauldron had it too."
Loki: "It's not something I'd expect anyone of you to recognize seeing as only Tsubaki had the other. It's an item only Hephaestus can make. It costs at least a hundred million valis to make and comes in pairs, allowing the holders of the rings to speak to each other as long as they are on the same plane of existence."
Finn: "That, seems like something we should invest in."
Loki: "Already tried that, Hephaestus won't budge. It's expensive, difficult to make and the core is a rare material found on the floors only the Zeus and Hera familias could get to. I didn't even think any remained until I saw that ring."
Gareth: "Grooming him for what then?"
Loki: "That would be the question now wouldn't it. Even if he somehow surpasses Tsubaki she won't just give him the title of captain. Not to mention he doesn't seem like the type to care about that sort of thing. What do you think about that part Lefiya?"
Lefiya: "Uh, he really doesn't care about paperwork, he honestly only really seems to care about magic. That's what most of his books were about, expensive books too."
Loki: "Hmm if she won't make him captain but wants to keep him close to the point of investing that much in him, hmmm. No way, no that can't be right."
Finn: "What are you thinking Loki?"
Loki: "Hephaestus actually thinks he can get to the lower floors. She's betting on him."
Everyone:" ...." Deafening silence fills the room.
Ais: "Before us?"
Riveria: "Unfortunately it would seem so Ais."
Bete: "Yeah right, she expects one kid to get past US and FREYA, even if he somehow pulls off a miracle and levels up and breaks another record. Freya will either steal him or have her lapdog Ottar tear his head off."
Loki: "She can't, Freya is building an army and Hephaestus is the weapon supplier, she can't touch him. Well, at least not directly."
Lefiya: "What do you mean directly?"
Loki: "Well, lots of gods owe Freya favors, and favors can be powerful things."
Gareth: "But what do we plan to do Loki."
Loki: "For now we just play along, Hephaestus isn't the god of the forge because she can't put puzzles together, she is just normally too occupied making things to bother with politics like this. She knows I'd recognize her touch on his gear and she likely expected me to notice the ring but she gave in that easily to him owing us a favor within reason. Hmmm, but why."
Finn: "Why would you attack a bank that owed you money?"
Bete: "What?"
Loki: "That's exactly it Finn."
Bete: "What?"
Riveria: sigh "If Yang or Hephaestus owe us a favor we can't make a move against them until we cash in essentially, and having a favor from one of them is more beneficial than going to war with the person who makes the best gear and the one she's betting on to be the strongest."
Ais: "Strongest..."
Finn: "We'll clear the dungeon before him Ais, no matter how strong he gets he's only one person."
Tione: "Yeah especially with the new monsters and he doesn't even have a healer."
Lefiya: 'He doesn't even have a healer!' Visible concern creeps into her features as she tries to maintain a facade of detachment to her familia.
Tiona: "Besides if Hephaestus is right, we can just have him party up with us and you can have him as your backup when your cutting down monsters, don't forget that princess."
Finn: "Tiona is right, just because we are rivals doesn't mean we don't have the same goal, the fact that we are also on agreeable terms with him and his familia is also in our favor for future expedition requests."
Loki: "Never though Hephaestus would get involved in this side of things, I guess things have changed. Well if that's it for the meeting we're done here, Finn please draw up the expedition proposal and have them sent to Hephaestus's office. Nothing said here is to leave this room, you're all dismissed."
On Loki's word, everyone but Finn and Ais began to exit the room. As the 3 of them remained Loki looked at Ais with a bit of concern.
Loki: "Is there a problem princess? Want a massage maybe?"
Ais: "Do you think she's right?"
Finn: "Who?"
Ais: "Hephaestus, is she right to bet on him."
Loki: "We've already been over this, doesn't matter how strong he is if he fights alone."
Ais: "Do you think he can surpass us."
Finn, steals a glace at Loki, curious as everyone else is about her response.
Loki: "Between his records, magic, skills, and Hephaestus betting so much on him. I honestly cannot deny that it's possible."
Ais: "I see. I'm going to train." Ais quickly struts out of the room
Finn: "This might be a problem."
Loki: "Have Riveria make sure she doesn't do anything reckless."
Finn: "I'll go deal with that now, call on me if needed Loki."
---Meanwhile, Tower of Babel, Hephaestus's Office...
Yang: "Well?"
Hephaestus: "It worked perfectly, between the armor, ring, and your records, it's easy for someone as smart as her to realize what I'm doing, either she plays along and gets in on my game or she sits it out and we might butt heads in the future which is a risk she can't take."
Yang: "Yeah that part's easy to understand but, you actually think I can live up to that?"
Hephaestus: "You've done nothing but completely shatter expectations thus far. And you aren't exactly normal either so focus on catching up for now. right now only Freya and Apollo would dare try something by using a third party since Loki has us in her pocket now."
Yang: "I hope I don't disappoint you Hephaestus. Also, this armor really is comfortable, and the design is amazing. I have to ask though, why the plate armor style?"
Hephaestus: "That was the last of the materials you brought so I used it, its also resistant just like the rest of the armor and detachable so ultimately it's optional, throw it on your allies if you can't afford to get them away from your attacks or something."
Yang: "Hmm that's smart. Thanks, Hephaestus."
Hephaestus: "You've got some days before you head into the dungeon Yang so what do you plan to do?"
Yang: "Honestly not too sure, might just try to read some books that I got and relax a bit. Actually, the goliath should be back by now, right?"
Hephaestus: "Yeah it respawned yesterday I believe. Why?"
Yang: "Well, I've never used water in a fight before and I can use the practice in my new gear, do you need me to do anything before I head down."
Hephaestus: "Hmm, don't leave today, there might be something later I need to check on some of our members first."
Yang: "Alright well my ring is on if you need me, I'm gonna start reading some of my books and see what magic could be useful for me."
Hephaestus: "Alright I'll contact you if needed, dismissed."
As Yang exited the room Hephaestus silently thought to herself" 'Show me what you can do kid and that promotion is yours, hopefully, Tsubaki has time for a chat'. "Hephaestus then lifts one of her rings to her mouth and speaks "Tsubaki, do you have a moment?".
END CHAPTER---
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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Armor Link=(No sword)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/19984792085184886/
---Big brain moves were happening. What did you think of that?
---Yes Hephaestus is a big brain player, managing probably the largest business familia in orario and maneuvering politics while doing so put you top tier even though from what I've seen she doesn't like scheming.
---Yeah the goliath is essentially a glorified sandbag for him currently. He beat it before his training so now he is confident in fighting it once he keeps his distance.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone