"Phew...."
"We've successfully reclaimed the majority of the sectors, sir!"
"The enemy presence was thinner than I expected."
"Most likely..."
"They are consolidating their strength for a total war."
One day remained until the final clash. Akumo had spent the day stabilizing Orario alongside Raul. Thanks to the exhaustive relief efforts following the initial Great Feud, a majority of the populace had survived. Now, the city had the breathing room to focus on structural reconstruction and the treatment of the wounded.
Yet, Akumo could feel it. The day of the decisive battle was drawing near.
"Let's call it a day here. The strategy meeting starts soon, so let's head back."
"Understood, sir!"
As he walked for a few minutes, observing Orario's recovery centered around Central Park, Akumo eventually stepped into the war room where the leaders had gathered.
"Ye're here, Akumo."
"Yeah."
"The civilian evacuation is all wrapped up, I'm tellin' ye. We're movin' 'em to a safe spot as we speak, so don't ye be frettin' none."
"That's a relief. It seems the citizens followed the orders well?"
"And who's help d'ye think they had, eh?"
Loki grinned, her face brimming with absolute confidence in her children as she glanced between Akumo and Finn.
"What about the barriers?"
"Riveria has finished casting them. They are primarily designed for concealment, however."
"That will be enough."
"Then, the only thing left for us to do is...."
"Prepare for the end."
Clang—!!
Clang—!!!
Akumo walked through the restored districts, conducting maintenance. Even amidst the scars of the Great Feud, an unyielding heat persisted as hammers relentlessly struck iron. He looked upon the scene with a faint, pragmatic smile.
"Akumo? Are you here for a gear check?"
"No. I just came to check in, Tsubaki-san."
"Is that so? Hand it over anyway. I'll make sure it's sharpened to perfection before the final battle."
"Then I'll leave it in your capable hands."
Thud—
After handing the Green Fang to Tsubaki, Hephaestus approached Akumo as he scanned the workshop.
"Everyone is working without a hint of exhaustion. I suppose this tireless spirit is thanks to the efforts of a certain someone, isn't it?"
"It is the result of everyone's collective will."
"Heh."
Clang—!!
In the midst of the clamor, Akumo noticed a red-haired youth assisting with the labor. He appeared to be a mere fledgling recruit of the Familia, yet Akumo sensed a strange, potent energy emanating from him. He narrowed his eyes, observing the boy intently.
"He's a new recruit who joined recently. His name is Welf."
"....I see."
'It would be impolite to pry further.'
"You're as considerate as always, I see."
Hephaestus, seeing Akumo swallow his question, instantly surmised what he intended to ask. She offered a small smile at his restraint.
"Tsubaki will be joining the decisive battle as well. You focus on the front; leave the rear to us."
"That's reassuring."
Retrieving the lethally sharpened Green Fang from Tsubaki, Akumo patrolled the city. He watched the various Familias readying themselves for the coming storm.
The eyes of the adventurers held no despair—only a cold, hardened resolve. A collective will to crush their enemies.
"Oh? What a coincidence."
"....Lady Freya?"
"Why the surprised look? Did you expect me to flee with the others?"
"I assumed Ottar and the others would have been desperate to talk you into it."
Freya let out a melodic laugh at Akumo's remark, lightly lifting the hem of her dress.
"I wore this very same dress back when we lost the struggle against Hera."
"Do you intend to wash away that memory?"
"Neither you nor Ottar have any intention of losing in the first place, do you?"
Akumo offered a knowing smile in return before delivering a message meant for his rival.
"....Please tell Ottar that."
"Heh, of course."
After making his rounds through the various camps, Akumo's footsteps eventually led him back to the Loki Familia.
"Ye're back?"
"Tomorrow is... the final battle."
"Don't ye go dyin' on me."
"You state the obvious."
"Listen to me, all of you!!!!"
"We are adventurers!!! The light that carves a path for the future!!"
"Charge, Orario!!!!"
With Finn's thunderous declaration, the final war against the Evils erupted.
"Carve the path forward!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Moving like a flash of lethal radiance, Akumo tore through the monsters unleashed throughout the city. His roar bolstered the morale of every adventurer on the field, his presence alone turning the tide of skirmishes into executions.
"Subjugation team, let's move!"
"Let's go, hatchlings!"
Riveria and Gareth advanced into the heart of the city, leading the subjugation squads with Ais in tow.
"Let's go, Ardee!"
"Right behind you, Ryu!"
The retainers of Justice steeled their hearts and charged into the Dungeon.
As the conflict intensified, countless souls wielded their weapons against this massive ordeal, driven by their own separate purposes.
Clang—!!!!
Slash—!!!!
BOOM—!!!!
"The front line is broken!! Follow the [Pioneer] and breach their formation!!!!"
"Uoooooo!!!!!!!!"
—ROOOAAAARRRR!!!!!!!!
Sensing the assault, a massive Floor Boss-tier monster rose to block their path. Its sheer bulk was an intimidation tactic in itself, and fighting it within the narrow, labyrinthine corridors would be suicide.
"Dammit! It's too cramped here!"
"Then we must lead it to an open floor where no other monsters can spawn to interfere."
"You mean..."
"Yes. Our battlefield is the 'Under Resort' on the 18th Floor."
—GRRAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!
"!? Everyone, get back!!"
A massive monster targeted Riveria and the Astraea Familia, swinging a heavy, crushing claw toward them.
SLASH—!!!!!!
However, the claw never reached them. It was severed cleanly by a single strike from Akumo, the limb falling away before it could graze a single hair on their heads.
"In a single stroke...!"
"The [Pioneer] is leading the way!! Keep your heads in the game and support him!!!"
Akumo's very existence was a catalyst for their spirit. Luring the monsters behind them, they moved with full speed toward the 18th Floor.
"....."
'Alfia...!!'
Elsewhere, Silence and Gluttony—the legendary monsters of Zeus and Hera—awaited the arrival of the challengers at their designated posts.
"Cough...."
'....This must be fate.'
"I betrayed you; how could I possibly hope for health?"
Alfia thought of Akumo with a bitter irony. She felt that Zard, the Glutton, was likely mired in the same internal conflict.
"Yes... this was the feeling."
'The curse known as the Behemoth's poison....'
"Regardless, it matters not."
"Strike me with everything you have, Warrior!"
The battle of the strongest was about to begin once more.
CRASH—!!!!!!!!!!!!
"The [Pioneer] is engaging Silence!!! The rest of us will handle the Evils!"
At Gareth's shout, the Under Resort was transformed into a chaotic war zone in an instant. Led by the Astraea Familia, the coalition focused on clearing the field for their respective heroes.
Meanwhile, the absolute apexes of strength clashed on the surface.
BOOM—!!!!!!!!!!!
"Hoh? You came prepared this time. Clad in much more gear than before."
"I will be the one to bring you down!"
Ottar's black blade once again sought the throat of the Glutton. Their massive swords collided, sending shockwaves that rattled the very air.
Clang—!!!
Crash—!!!
KA-BOOM—!!!!
"Even after wrapping yourself in all that armor, you still cannot reach me!"
"Urgh...!"
"Hurry up and show me everything you have!!!"
Ottar was seething. He was enraged by the reality that he still could not reach the man before him. Simultaneously, the intent he felt behind the strongest man's strikes was humilitating.
"Are you lot... trying to become our stepping stones once again!!!"
"Just like eight years ago!! Just like you followed in the footsteps of Maxim and his ilk!"
'It's no different from eight years ago. Challenging a wall beyond your station, swallowing the mud of defeat every time you are struck down!'
"I am consumed by rage at the sight of you being blocked by us once more!"
"I curse my own impotence more than I curse any of you!!"
Zard watched Ottar's anger-filled outburst with an impassive gaze. Yet, seeing a specific resolve begin to kindle in Ottar's eyes, Zard felt a sense of relief.
"Then what will you do about it!!!!"
"In spite of everything... I!!! Will cut you down!!!!!"
"Prove it!! Warrior!!!!!!"
KWAAAAANG—!!!!!!!!
'Losing doesn't matter! As long as the Goddess's will is achieved!'
"However..."
In that moment, Ottar spotted blood trickling from the corner of Zard's mouth. Suddenly, the words of his friend—conveyed through his Goddess—flashed through his mind.
—"Ottar? Akumo asked me to tell you something."
—"...What is it?"
—"Zard is currently weakened by the Behemoth's poison."
—"..."
—"If it's you, victory is well within your grasp, Ottar."
When Ottar first heard the message, he had felt a wave of humiliation. Did his friend not believe in him? It sounded as if his friend was telling him to exploit Zard's poisoning and wait for him to wither away.
Just as Ottar's expression began to harden—
—"Whether that poison claims the Glutton's throat... is entirely your choice."
—"....!"
—"My friend, I believe in you. Pour out everything you are. You, too, must carve your own path forward!"
Since Freya delivered those final words, Ottar had made a single vow. Not a vow to his Goddess, but a promise of victory made to his friend—and a prideful oath made to himself as a warrior!
"Zard....!"
"You boar... could it be!"
"Words are unnecessary. I will simply give you my all."
'I loathe the thought of crushing a weakened version of you. I want to defeat you at your strongest, even for a single fleeting moment!'
"Fine! I'll take it, boy!! Even if your foolishness leads directly to your demise!!"
"....Come!"
The supreme warriors began to prepare their ultimate strikes, just as they had a few days prior.
"[O mercy of the silver moon, O golden plain. Let this body be named the King of War.]"
"[Father, forgive me for consuming the banquet of the Gods.]"
"[Gallop, carrying the Goddess's divine trust!]"
"[Gluttonize, O tongue of hell. Devour, O scorching fangs!]"
The golden sword-aura that illuminated the earth shone more brilliantly and elegantly than ever before. Clashing against it, the Glutton's flames remained as noble and overwhelming as always.
The two apex warriors, strangely sharing the exact same pioneer's will, unleashed their full strength into a frontal collision.
"[Hildis Vini]!!!!!!"
"[Rea Ambrosia]!!!!!!!!"