Following that, Akumo spent the next day trapped by Hephaestus, enduring her relentless drive until he finally managed to escape after assisting her in the weapon forging process from start to finish.
"That was terrifying..."
"I had no idea Lady Hephaestus could be that frightening..."
'She was even more intense than when we forged my previous weapon...'
He strolled through the streets, observing the city scenery bustling with the festivities of Monsterphilia. Despite his exhaustion, the thought crossed his mind to find a gift for Alfia.
Step, step—
"People still seem a bit hesitant around monsters..."
"But I think it's quite a nice atmosphere, isn't it?"
Waaaah—!!!
"The crowd's reaction is actually pretty good."
"By now, Goddess Hestia should have delivered the knife, right?"
'I got a bit carried away while making it... The final price tag hit 200 million Valis...'
At that moment, as Akumo continued his walk.
Ssssst—!
He felt a discordant, skin-pricking energy.
"!?"
'What is this!?'
Kwooom—!!!!
—Uoooh!!!!!
"A monster...?"
'No, if it were a normal monster, there's no way I would feel this sensation...!'
Akumo fell into deep thought, trying to identify the source of this ominous presence. It was a foreign energy that could never originate from ordinary monsters...
It was a chilling dissonance similar to the 'Juggernaut,' the monster from the Dungeon he had faced alongside the Astraea Familia two years ago.
"I feel bad for dumping this on others, but... there's no choice!"
Dash—!!!!!
"What is it? I definitely... felt it here!"
As if confirming his bad premonition, violent vibrations began to erupt from a short distance away.
"Kyeeeak!!!!!!"
"What the hell is that!?"
"A snake!?"
'An unknown snake-like monster... if it's just Tiona and Tione, they should be fine—'
Clang—!!!!
"It's so hard!!!!?"
Akumo witnessed unidentified, massive tentacles erupting from the ground and lashing out at Tiona and Tione; he watched as their strikes failed to make even a dent.
Simultaneously, as Lefiya widened the distance and began her chant, the ground vibrated once more. Akumo instantly deduced what was about to happen.
'Dangerous! This isn't an opponent to face without a weapon!'
"Lefiya! Stop the chant!"
"Akumo-san!?"
Swish—!!!
'Damn, it's too late to dodge!'
"In that case...!"
Green tentacles surged violently toward Lefiya from the ground beside her.
'It sensed her Mind...!'
Slice—!
However, the mysterious tentacle was suddenly severed by a flying black blur.
"Nice, Akumo!"
"Is that the new weapon you mentioned the other day?"
"Yeah! Regardless, focus on the monster in front of you first!"
Craaack—!!
"That thing... it's not a snake, it's a flower!?"
"Everyone, watch out—"
Schlick—!!!
"Yeah, too slow."
"Perfect timing, Ais! The durability of these things is incredible, so you must use [Ariel] to cut through them cleanly, understood?"
"Got it, Akumo."
Kwoom—!!!!
Slice—!!!
'Using it in person feels distinctly different! [Shadow Blade]... I definitely like it!'
Through the combined assault of Ais and Akumo, two man-eating flowers were instantly neutralized, leaving only two more.
Clang—!!!
"!?"
'Ais's weapon...!'
"Ais, dodge!"
Grip—!!
Ais was unable to retreat in time and was bitten and restrained by a man-eating flower. Tiona and Tione, who had been drawing attention, were also snared by tentacles and rendered immobile.
Akumo aimed his [Shadow Blade] at the plant monster, preparing to strike and free them, but stopped mid-motion.
Step, step—
"Lefiya?"
"....I'll do it...!"
"Can you manage?"
"I am a member of the proud Loki Familia! I cannot run away....!"
'I want to catch up, I want to be useful, I want to... fight together!'
Lefiya approached the man-eating flower with a level of resolve she had never shown before. Extending both arms, she began her incantation.
"[In the name of Wisshe, I request.]"
'If the only way is to chase them.... then I have no choice but to keep chasing!'
"[Ancestors of the forest. Proud brethren. Answer my call and come to the meadow.]
"[Connecting bonds, promise of paradise, dance in a circle. Join, wheel of elves—pray, lend me your strength]"
"[Elf Ring]!"
This was thanks to her rare magic, befitting her epithet 'Thousand Elf,' which allowed her to manifest the magic of any 'kin' she knew.
Having graduated from the Academy and joined the Loki Familia, groomed to be Riveria's successor, she recalled her idol and chanted her mentor's spell.
"[O omen of the end, O white snow, raise the wind before the twilight. Closed light, frozen land.]"
'I'm not afraid!'
'There is someone I must catch up to!'
"[Bluster, the three-fold winter—— My name is Alf.]!!!"
"That was truly well done, Lefiya!"
"Thank you! Akumo-san!"
Akumo offered high praise to Lefiya, appearing satisfied with the wave of ice she had summoned. Ais also commended her and handed her a potion, causing Lefiya's joy to be visible to everyone present.
"Let's pursue the remaining monsters and quickly secure the city."
"Got it!"
"Yes!"
Akumo headed toward the western district of the city, dispatching monsters as he went.
"It's the [Pioneer]!!"
"Is this part of the event too?"
Slice—!
Slice—!
Akumo swung [Shadow Blade] with effortless precision, cleaving through monsters. Then, a massive impact sounded from elsewhere.
K-BOOM—!!!!!
Rumble—!!!!!!!!
"What is it? Was there something that strong?"
C-rash—!!!!!!
Hurrying toward the noise, Akumo witnessed an adventurer facing off alone against a Silverback. In his hand was the dagger he and Hephaestus had finished only the night before.
"Bell....!?"
Bell Cranel, the boy who was like family to him, no longer hid. He gripped the knife imbued with his Patron Deity's blessing, dodging and striking while reflecting on the lessons taught to him by the hero who raised him.
—'Do you understand, Bell? A dagger is a weapon that must target vital spots at all costs!'
Slash—!!
'Sever the leg muscles to kill its mobility...!'
—'If you insist on using a dagger, you must possess the agility and insight to master it properly.'
—Uoooh!!!!!
"...! Now!!!!"
Boom—!!!!
Bell leaped with enough force to crack the pavement. He successfully drove his personal weapon, the [Hestia Knife], into the Silverback's heart. Momentarily, the monster disintegrated into ash.
"I did...."
"I did it!!!!!!!!!!"
The boy, having successfully repaid the faith of the Goddess who believed in him and showcasing his growth, smiled brightly at his deity.
Beyond them, the veteran hero standing atop a building smiled at the sight. A certain Sword Princess felt a deep impression from the boy's form. A Goddess of Beauty smiled with satisfaction, having expected nothing less.
"You knew I would stop it if things actually got dangerous, didn't you?"
"Of course. I pushed through because I trusted you and the other children in the first place."
".....But weren't the flower monsters a bit much?"
'Those were definitely several times stronger than the Silverback Bell fought...'
"Hm? What are you talking about? There were no flower-shaped monsters among the ones I released."
"...?"
'It wasn't Lady Freya's doing...? Then who?'
The veteran hero gained a single clue regarding the evil remaining in Orario from that day's events.
How it would affect future incidents, no one could say. For carving the path forward was a burden each had to carry themselves.
"But Goddess, what exactly is this knife? It has 'Hephaestus' written on the sheath."
"It is indeed that Hephaestus! Without a doubt."
Hestia smiled and told Bell it was a one-of-a-kind weapon made by a god just for him. Bell shed tears of gratitude, overwhelmed by her benevolence.
Meanwhile, at Akumo's home. The man known as the strongest adventurer in Orario was taking a rest.
"So, she actually made it for him? That Goddess."
"I didn't expect Lady Hephaestus to forge it herself, let alone give it such a special ability."
"A weapon that grows alongside the wielder's level...."
"It's not a Magic Sword with an active skill, nor a famous blade that everyone would recognize. But it's a weapon meant solely for that boy, to accompany him from the start to the end of his journey."
"Heh, in that case, I'll have to start teaching him dagger techniques properly now."
"....Is it not uncomfortable?"
"Not particularly."
'....Lord Zard would have been so surprised if he could see this....'
Receiving that quiet knee-pillow, Akumo smiled at her and slowly drifted into sleep, the fatigue of the past few days finally catching up to him.
Alfia, her heterochromatic eyes glowing in the dim light, leaned down and kissed her sleeping hero.
"Will that boy become a hero too? A wonderful hero who provides hope to someone."
'Just like the hero... right before my eyes.'