After turning the second man into a snake, I picked him up by his tail, and dropped him into the bag, just as more Freya Clan showed up.

"..." I smirked.

---

The sack, now full to bursting with frogs, snakes, lizards, and even a few beetles, was carried in the shaky hands of the last adventurer.

"Now, you're clear as to what you're supposed to say, right?" I grinned.

He nodded quickly. "Yes! Th-the plant that was supposed to Level them up turned them into animals!!! I got it!!!"

"Good, and ?" I grinned.

"Then I'm supposed to gather up all the Level One's left, and lead them to a warehouse on the outskirts of the city, so they can get revenge on you! I got it! Totally, 100%!" He squeaked.

I nodded. "Exactly. !"

Johnny hummed as he sprinted away. "You know, you're kinda creepy, kid. Turnin' them all into animals and bugs."

"They can be turned back, no big deal, it's not permanent." I shrugged.

Finn glanced at me. "You're sure?"

"Definitely." I nodded. "Lots of potions remove spells and curses, right? One of those will fix them right up."

He nodded. "That's true... but wouldn't that be bad for us? They saw our faces."

"So? By the time they get around to fixing those guys up, the fighting will be over." I shrugged, and started walking down the tunnel, disengaging my armor, which I hadn't allowed any of them to see under.

"And besides... They only ever saw Johnny, the Level Two and the two guys in the Pit. Even if they wanted, they'd never be able to tell who I was, and stayed hidden." I shrugged unconcernedly.

Johnny grumbled. "Greaaaaat."

"Thanks, by the way. You really came through, there, Cavalry." I smirked, punching his shoulder.

Finn chuckled. "Well, I hate to break up this moment, but we need to get out of here, like now."

Small cracks started appearing in the wall, as monsters spawned. "Totally agreed, let's bounce." I grinned, sprinting forward.

---

I sat in the rafters of the warehouse, owned by the Loki Familia, watching the group of seventy or so men, and no women.

"No women?" I asked Finn.

"Freya is a very jealous goddess." He shrugged.

"I see." I nodded. I nodded to Johnny, and he slipped out of the Warehouse, locking all the doors silently.

Next, I cut the lights, and he started throwing small smoke-bombs, filled with hallucinogenic mushroom spores, into the crowd, before locking the room, forming a nearly Air-Tight seal.

The targets stared coughing, breathing in the fumes. Mass panic spread among the 70 Level Ones, as they started seeing things that weren't really there.

"I wonder what kind of terrors these people have seen in that Dungeon... I suppose we'll find out just how bad it really is..." I murmured.

"I don't know if I approve of these cowardly tactics." Finn grumbled.

"Cowardly Tactics? No such thing. Nothing cowardly about winning against superior numbers with superior planning, and a little trickery." I shook my head.

"I disagree." Finn frowned.

"You're welcome to an opinion. But honestly, I don't care." I shook my head. "My tactics are going to win me this battle. That's all that matters." The people started fighting amongst themselves, becoming aggressive. "And there's my Cue... wish me luck!" I grinned.

"Be careful. And good luck." He sighed.

"I'm never careful. It's part of my boyish charm." I winked, and then leapt into the crowd of people, my armor covering me in less than a second.

I crashed into the ground, and started laying about myself, using the surprise and hysteria to my fullest advantage.

Several people were unaffected by the gas, and so they would pose the biggest challenge. I got to them first, and began carefully picking them off, hiding in the thick mist often, to trick them and throw off their sense of direction.

Once they were taken care of, I began singling out the others, one by one, and taking them down hard, before tossing them all into a pile at one end of the room, outside of the main smoke cloud.

Soon, all of the people were unconscious, and I grinned. "Johnny! Open her up!" The main doors swung open, and I nodded. "!" I cast the spell for the first time, and pushed all the dust out the door.

"Nicely done. Clean and easy, huh?" Johnny nodded, smiling.

"You know what to do after this?" I asked.

He nodded. "Gather all the little frogs and animals, and give them to the Guy waiting outside. Yup."

I grinned. "Good. Then take me back to Loki's Castle." I reminded him. Then I looked at the pile of people. "And so the second part of the message goes..." I pressed my crystal against the ground, and changed softly the second part of Loki's Hymn, for another round of the ''.

"Hail, my beloved, who speaks brazen truths.

Dazzling, daring, delightful Fool and Trickster,

Your speech stings the unwary like shards of shattered mirror.

Your cunning cuts deep as a drawn and deadly sword.

Hail to you, Flame-hair, Ás-consort of Angrboða,

Beloved husband of Sigyn, Oðinn's true blood-brother,

Ŧorr's friend and companion, lover of goddesses and giants,

Brilliant, bright-eyed, too beautiful to resist.

Hail to you, ever-defiant Breaker-of-Worlds,

Wielding your own wyrd, faithful to your sworn word,

Mindful of your honor, with honor accorded by few,

Enduring the world's scorn until the Nine Worlds' end.

."

The entire pile of people turned into a pile of different snakes, and I passed out.

---

"I'm told you're quite attached to turning people into animals." A sudden voice woke me up.

I flailed a bit, then held my head tightly as the worst hangover of my life slammed into me. "Uuuugh... don't talk so loud..." I covered my ears.

Riviera chuckled gently. "Hmm... you'll be fine. I've felt what you're feeling. It passes. And what is this vest? The doctor couldn't get it off."

I groaned. "It's my Armor... magic... and it'll pass faster if Johnny gives me some Gatorade and Advil..." I blinked. "Oh... shit... what is this realm's hangover cure?" I asked.

"Time." She smirked.

"It's actually bludwort leaves and water." Tione popped into the room, shouting.

I shuddered and clutched my ears. "Oh fuck my life someone shut her up!" I wheezed, feeling sick to my stomach.

"Sorry." She lowered her voice. "I brought medicine, though." She sat me up with one hand, thoroughly emasculating me for a moment, and then handed me a cup of something that smelled like feet, steadying my swaying head.

I grumbled and chugged the blisteringly hot concoction, shivering at the taste.

My swaying ceased immediately, though the headache was still raging.

I gripped my Crystal gently, and then whispered a chant for a healing spell.

Halfway through the first line, Riviera seized my fist. "Don't cast magic!" She shouted.

I grunted painfully, and clutched my abused skull.

"Sorry... but don't ever do that again! Never use magic to heal yourself, it's dangerous for a novice, and especially one recovering from two Mind-Down's in one day!" She hissed.

I grumbled. "Fine... got any more of that Bludwort?"

"Sigh... Tione?"

"Yeah, I'll make some more." She nodded.

"Thank you, really. I may seem like an ass, but I do appreciate when people help me." I smiled as best I could.

She chuckled and walked out. "Ha! 'Seem like'." She snorted.

"Hey! I was trying to be nice! The least you could do is be nice back! Snide comments aren't necessary!" I whispered hoarsely after her.

Then I sat up fully, and started getting out of bed, hobbling towards my bathroom. "How long was I asleep?" I asked.

"3 days, almost exactly. It's night-time, and tomorrow marks your 21st day as an adventurer." Loki answered.

I groaned. "Then let me get a shower, and then some medicine, and you can worry about my status tomorrow."

"Nope. Strip, Boy!" She pulled on my vest, and it didn't budge.

"Magic armor, Loki. You're not going to win. One hour isn't going to change anything, it'll still be 20 days, if I level up, which is unlikely." I grumbled, and slouched into the bathroom.

Tione returned as I was shutting the door, and I snagged the tea, gulping it down. "You're an angel, Amazon girl." I grinned, and commanded my armor to move to my forearms, as a set of bracers.

Then I sat down in the tub slowly, groaning in relief as my muscles warmed up, releasing some of the tension in my brain.

I found some soap and a cloth, and began cleaning myself, enjoying the bath for the relaxing moment it was.

---

I felt the water finally start to go cold, and stood, wrapping a towel around my waist. I looked in the mirror, and nodded slowly. "Interesting... very nice... and now for a shave... Oi Johnny! Where's my dagger? I need a razor!"

He opened the door, and handed a long straight-razor over my shoulder. "Here." He hummed.

"Thanks." I nodded, and wet my face, carefully running the razor over my stubble. Once done, I washed my face again, then dried it off, checking myself in the mirror.

I stepped out, into my room, and hummed at the women. "You're very patient people." I shook my head, and walked over to my trunk.

I pulled on underwear under the towel, then let it drop, picking up my pants, and slipping into them.

I rooted around for a shirt, and found only a ripped white shirt, and some dirty black ones that needed cleaning. I sighed, and decided to go shirtless for now.

I looked up, and groaned. "Whatever, Loki, knock yourself out."

She nearly leapt onto my back, and spread a drop of her blood over my back. I shivered at the cold feeling of her icy fingers, and she grinned. "Almost done... I think we've got it... please don't fuck me over, guys... calling in a few favors for Luck..." she muttered to herself.

A little Click sounded, and she cheered loudly, making my ears twinge in pain.

Warmth flooded my body, and washed away my headache, lessening the pain in my joints, and then that was it.

"That's it? No super saiyan?" I sighed, disappointed.

She laughed. "And with the Conference just tomorrow! HA! That'll teach that no-good big-tittied Loli..." she muttered snidely, handing me a piece of paper.

"I thought we liked Hestia?" I blinked, then flipped it over.

'Xavier Leopold Dorian: LVL 2

STR: I0 DEX: I0

DEF: I0 MAG: I0

WPN: I0 SKL: ???

STR+390 DEX+400

DEF+340 MAG+620

WPN+490 SKL+???'

"We are Rivals! !!! Maybe not Enemies, but we are Rivals!" She growled, poking my nose repeatedly.

I chuckled. "Yeah, I had a few friends like that in elementary school. So... what's my skill?" I asked.

She hummed and looked at my back. "Well... it's either 'Hunter', (which is a very good skill, but it's up to you,) or... 'Beast Tamer'. Interesting."

"Beast tamer? What's that all about?" I asked.

"The ability to calm down monsters that are lower level than you, and make them obey simple commands. And you can have a Familiar, which is rather helpful. Most try to get a baby dragon, or hellhound, or something like that." Riviera answered.

I hummed softly. "I see... and Hunter? What's up with that?"

"When you fight monsters you've fought before, they're easier to beat." She shrugged.

"Do... you guys have this one?" I asked.

They nodded, almost all of them. "It's a really good skill to have. But, if you choose beast tamer, Hunter won't show up again, like other skills. If you take Hunter, you can Get Beast Tamer at Level 3." Tione grinned.

"Ahh, so it sticks around? Each level except for level 1, I only get one new skill choice?" I grinned as well.

"A-yup." She nodded.

I smiled. "Okay. Then I'll wait on beast tamer, and give me Hunter, Lady Loki." I looked over my shoulder.

She nodded. "As you wish." She wrote on my back some more, and I hummed.

"Should I feel different?" I asked.

"Not yet. You have to gain experience for that." Finn shrugged and stood up, dusting off his clothes.

"Well, now that that's done, you all can get out of my room, and we can all get some sleep." I nodded.

They grumbled, but nodded, turning and exiting one by one.

I called after them as the last of them left. "Tell you what, tomorrow we'll go drink to celebrate!" I said.

They cheered, and I flopped into my bed, commanding my bracers to turn into the vest again, then falling asleep.