Danmachi: Hero Maker

It has been two weeks since Ais became an adventurer. Everday after training she dives into the dungeon, constantly fighting and pushing herself. Though she never pushed herself too far, Merlin had trained her to know her limits. But at first Ais didn't listen to Merlin, even though she knew her limits she would try to push herself past it which resulted in her fainting in the dungeon or almost dying. It was only after being scolded by Merlin and put through her "Special Training" that Ais finally listened. Just don't ask her what happened in "Special Training".

Ais's skill in her spirit magic had progressed significantly. The spell was stronger, and she could maintain it for longer periods of time. Of course, Ais's physical strength had become monstrous. Despite her small body, she hit like a semi-truck. A fact that an unfortunate thug experienced firsthand when he thought she was an easy target. 

Merlin was happy with this progress, and had plans to start trying to teach Ais magecraft soon. She will start off with nothing too complicated, just the basics first.

Right now, Merlin and Ais were walking through the streets of Orario. They had visited Tsubaki where Merlin introduced Ais to her and got Ais's equipment repaired.

As they walked, suddenly Merlin stopped and looked off into the distance. Ais was initially confused with why her teacher suddenly stopped until she realized why. A heavy smell of blood was in the air, and close by as well.

...

...

In another part of Orario, a soup kitchen was being held, to give food to those who are struggling and to boost the spirits of the people. A charity event, quickly turned into a tragedy. 

The charity event was held by the guild and performed by adventurers. The guild enlisted the help of the Demeter Familia to prepare a feast for the people. Amongst the adventurers present, were a few members of the Astrea Familia. Alise, a red head girl who is the Familia captain, Kaguya, a graceful woman from the far-east, currently the Familia vice-captain, Lyra, a pink haired Pallum, Neze Rankett, a silver haired werewolf, and Ryuu Lion, an elf with long blonde hair. 

Alise had brought them out to volunteer with this event. Lyra, Kaguya and Neze went off to do their own thing, leaving Alise with Ryuu.

"You come with me, Lion! We'll turn those starving people into cute piglets!" Alise said outloud with a smile.

"Please stop. You're going to get us spammed with complaints. Now, let's go and help those who look busy" Ryuu responded back.

The two walked through the event, helping out where they can.

"By the way... look at this place. It's crowded with happy people. Surprising how a town can change in just one day" Ryuu said as she observed the people.

"Gratitude makes others happy, and it keeps the chain of smiles going! This is the true Orario! The shrouding clouds are gone, and the skies are clear! Sun is smiling with us, and we better keep them burning!" Alise was happy watching the people of Orario with smiles on their faces instead of despair or fear which was so common.

"Ah. I knew it was you ladies... Astrea Familia"

The two turned around and saw a dwarf cladded in armor.

"I could immediately recognize your loud voice, Alise Lovell" 

"Hello, Uncle Gareth!" Responded happily.

"U-Uncle?!" Ryuu was surprised by how familiar Alise was with Gareth, an executive of the Loki Familia. 

"Are you here for volunteering as well?" Asked Alise.

"Yup. The young one and I are here. I'm basically here as a guard, though. People would rather receive a bowl of soup from a pretty girl like you, not an old dwarf"

"Geez, a super pretty, attractive gorgeous girl like me huh?! You've successfully flattered me!" Alise said as she stoked her own ego.

"I didn't say that much..."

"So, Alise... I didn't know you and Elgarm knew each other" Ryuu finally entered the conversation.

"It's not like we know each other, but I'm noisy all the time so Uncle Gareth simply couldn't pretend not to see me!"

"You're right for the most part, but then, if you're aware of yourself, why don't you consider changing your behavior?" He muttered the last part, which both of them heard but Alise elected to not hear it.

"Uncle is cool! He'd knock down gangs, monsters or anything! I purely admire him!"

"Wow..." Ryuu said in response. Alise looked at her and asked.

"Lion. You're still judging him, aren't you? I can tell by the look on your face! It's not impossible to find a dwarf who is a gentleman. We shouldn't judge others with their kind. Some elves are violent, right?"

Ryuu looked a bit ashamed of her own actions. "You're actually correct, but... What can I say, some realities are hard to accept"

Gareth spoke up. "It's not like the Gale is right on everything she says, but no one treats me the way you do"

"Well, that's because I wanted to be born a dwarf!" Alise declared.

"..." Ryuu just looked at Gareth.

"Why are you giving me that face?"

"Oh, umm... I didn't mean to..."

"Dwarves are huge for they're meant to shield others! They're tough, so that they can protect a lot of people! If I weren't born a beautiful girl with a perfectly fit body, the world might've been a depressing place, but that's that. There are those who are prettier and more beautiful than I am, like that drunkard I tried to arrest the other day, so there won't be any problem. So, I wanted to be born a dwarf!"

"Alise..."

"If your concept is right, humans can probably shield someone with their fast movement and elves can save someone with their songs" Gareth stated.

Alise looked shocked. "You're right! I take it back! I wouldn't mind not being born a dwarf, then!"

"Hahah! You're really an interesting girl! You'd say anything with confidence but with absolutely no responsibility to your words!"

"You're wrong! It's just that I'm flexible with words. I'd quickly admit that I'm wrong if I am, and that's a good thing, no?"

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway... You wanted to be born a dwarf, eh? I'm quite flattered. Your powerful voice is indeed annoying, but it's a virtue. You go on and make people smile. I'll leave the rest to you girls"

"No problem, Uncle Gareth!" 

Ryuu had remained silent, Alise turned to her and asked. "What's wrong, Lion? It's like you're miles away"

"...You're really something, Alise. Elgarm hardly praises anyone"

"Really? I'm just saying whatever comes to my mind! Anyone can do it if they listened to their heart!"

'Perhaps that's the most difficult and the most important thing in the world... you've convinced me on this one, Alise' Ryuu thought.

"Well then, Lion. Let's get back to work! Just as Uncle Gareth said, we should make everyone smile!"

The charity event was running smoothly. The people were fed, and they wore smiles on their faces. For the first time in a while, the weather was lovely.

"Ah, my apologies. I didn't mean to bump into you" A man apologized to a woman wearing a hoodie that hid her face.

"No worries" She said as she brought a knife to his throat.

"Huh?" His throat was slit, the man fell to the ground, his hands holding his throating, desperately trying to stop the blood, but it was futile. 

"As a consolation fee, I've taken your life" The woman said as she took of her hoodie, now stained with blood. She had very short pink hair and yellow eyes. She wore a black top that left her muscles stomach exposed and black pants. Her top was torn to some extent, and she wore a black coat with fur trimming. Her name is Valletta Grede, a member of the Thanatos Familia and head executive of Evilus. She is also a huge bitch.

"NOOOOO!" A nearby woman screamed out, alerting everyone nearby to look at the scene.

"Volunteering at the soup kitchen, huh? Let me join, you guild maggots! I can help with the preparation of the feast. I'd decorate the entire place with the juices of red fruits"

She unsheathed her cursed sword, a weapon that can inflict unhealable wounds. She started going around, slaughtering the civilians and low-level adventurers. No one could run, no could fight. She was at level 5, making it to where only a few in Orario could combat her.

A man dressed in full white, with a mask and hoodie ran up to her. He was a basic member of Evilus, cannon fodder. "L-Lady Valletta! What are you doing?! We mustn't..." He couldn't finish his words as his head fell of his body and rolled on the ground. Valletta killed anyone near her, even her own comrades.

"Silence! Look at the clear blue sky" She said as she picked up his head and faced it to the sky. "It's a perfect day for going destructive and ruin everything and everyone we see, don't you agree?" She made the head nod. She then dropped the head and turned to look at the other members of Evilus.

"We've got to remind those fools that this is a pathetic era and a living hell where you don't have a moment to smile! Go get them!"

""Yes"" The Evilus members responded. She and Evilus indiscriminately killed everyone. Slicing down those who ran, casting magic on the large fleeing crowds.

Valletta looked around at the blood bath and started laughing. "Mua ha ha ha! It's the eve of a festival! Adventurers, we're here to have fun!

She continued her slaughter. Soon Alise and Ryuu showed up and immediately attacked her.

"You scum!" Ryuu yelled out.

Valletta blocked both of their attacks. "Huh...? Ah, Astrea Familia! You kids aren't invited to this party!"

"Silence! How dare you bring disaster to this sacred place!"

"I won't forgive! I won't let you take any more lives!" Alise declared.

"Haha! Idiots! It'd be impossible for two level threes like you to match against me, a level five. You're courting death!"

"If you're so concerned about numbers, let me take care of you" Gareth appeared and shoulder charged Valletta into a building.

"Elgarm!"

"Thank the gods you two are safe... Dammit, I'm here as a guard and I couldn't prevent this... I'd be too ashamed to face Finn"

Valletta recovered, pulling herself out of the rubble. "Hey, that hurts you meathead! So, Loki Familia's here too, huh?! I missed you, you stinky dwarf! And where's Finn?!"

"Unfortunately, he isn't here"

Suddenly two Evilus members ran up to Valletta. "Lady Valletta! I see smoke from where our allies are...! They must've got attacked by adventurers before they could get to work!" 

"Tch. I'd make them burn in hell... I guess all this was for nothing, then. Urgh. What a turn-off this is. You guys take care of these folks. I'm going home"

"L-Lady Valletta?! Are you serious?!"

Ryuu stepped forward. "Did you think I'd just let you walk away?"

Valletta smiled at her. "Don't worry. You'll be too busy being kind to anyone you see, and you won't even have time to deal with me" Valletta pulled out a magic sword and used to against the buidling where people were hiding.

"Hahahah! Hurry, heroes of justice. Go and do something, then. Your men are going to be the victims of the collapsing rubbles!"

"Arachnia!" Ryuu screamed out ready to pursue as Valletta turned around to run. 

"AHAHAH-" 

Her laughing stopped, what happened next was too fast for her to react. The last thing Valletta saw was a beautiful white staff right in front of her face.

~THUNK~

Valletta was knocked unconscious as she was sent flying, only to crash into the ground. Several of her teeth were knocked out.

"Homerun!" A cheerful voice said out loud.

Alise, Ryuu, Gareth and the Evilus members looked to see a beautiful white-haired woman and a blonde-haired child next to her. 

Ais looked around at the massacre, her heart felt heavy, as she saw men, women and even children. Their lifeless bodies scattered around, the streets and walls dyed in their blood.

Before the Evilus members could react, Merlin had already casted several spells. Blue magic chains appeared and restrained all of them.

Merlin noticed Alise, Ryuu and Gareth. She walked a bit closer than did a dramatic bow and spoke. "My name is-"

"Ah! You're the drunkard that blew up a bar the other day and escaped arrest!" Alise said as she pointed at Merlin.

Merlin recognized the red head girl as the one who tried to arrest her the other night.

"Ach!" Merlin felt an invisible arrow shoot into her heart. This isn't right! She's the Mage of Flowers! Lady Avalon! A mage whose beauty rivaled goddesses and whose power was unmatched by all mages! Yet here she is, being called a drunkard who blew up a bar and escaped arrest!

So, what if it's true, Merlin wouldn't accept it!