"Is it truly permissible for me to accompany you?"
"Yes. Considering what happened today..."
'A chosen existence, Artemis, and a monster from outside Orario that annihilated a Familia...'
"It's somewhat awkward to say it myself, but the fact that I was 'chosen' as well... means this incident is clearly no trivial matter."
'If things take a turn for the worse, I might even need Alfia to step in with her full power.'
Akumo contemplated this as he donned the gear provided by Hermes atop the city walls. Alongside Bell and the others, he prepared to mount the wyverns trained by the Ganesha Familia. Alfia stood by his side, her presence concealed beneath a deep robe.
"Do not worry. Should any be wounded, I shall exert my full strength to intervene."
"Thank you, Riveria."
Riveria Ljos Alf had also decided to accompany Akumo at his request. Though she felt a pang of regret for missing the festival, she had secured the understanding of Ais and Lefiya before joining the quest.
"...Lord Hermes."
"What is it?"
"If I hadn't been here, did you truly intend to send Bell and the others alone?"
"..."
"I'll say it again: I do not believe this is a mere coincidence."
'If... if what I fear is true...'
"Akumo-kun."
"Yes?"
"I am truly glad that you are a hero."
Hermes offered the child of the lower world a smile. It was different from the one he had shown during the great battle on the 18th Floor—it was a gaze of genuine sincerity, as if he understood exactly what Akumo was thinking.
"So please, during this journey of pioneering, believe in yourself."
"...I shall, God of Adventure."
"That title... it's been a long time since I've heard it used~"
As Akumo watched Hermes with a subtle expression, a dragon descended from above.
—Grrrraaaa!!!
"Akumooo~~!!!"
Thump—!!!
"What's this about suddenly needing a dragon?"
Ardee Varma hopped down from the dragon's back. She had descended from the sky alongside Ganesha and landed right in front of Akumo.
"We're embarking on a quest outside of Orario. We need to move fast."
"Ooh! That sounds interesting..."
Stare—
"Wait, why are they...?"
Ardee, who had been listening with a smile, suddenly wore a complex expression as she looked at Riveria and Alfia standing beside him.
"Is that the [Valsa]? I am merely going because I intend to assist him."
"But still..."
'Even if they're in the same Familia as Akumo...'
"And who is the woman next to her?"
"An adventurer Akumo hired through personal connections. Her name is Lupia."
"Hmm..."
'Why does she feel so familiar?'
Ardee stared intently at the hooded Alfia. She felt a slight twinge of dissatisfaction seeing that Akumo's acquaintances were all women, but seeing his serious expression, she set her emotions aside and took his hand.
"Well, you'll tell me everything when you get back, right?"
"I will, Ardee. I'll tell you the whole story when I return."
"Hehe! I'm specially lending you my own dragon, so use it well, okay?"
"Of course."
As Akumo took the dragon's reins from Ardee, he was suddenly startled by a chilling aura emanating from behind him.
"As I thought... I must keep a constant watch..."
"Perhaps he should just stay at Twilight Manor..."
'Riveria, Alfia! Both of your eyes are terrifying!'
"Right!! Then let's mount up and set off, shall we?"
Akumo immediately boarded the dragon to escape those gazes. Bell and Artemis, Hestia and Hermes, and Lili and Welf followed suit, each pair mounting their respective wyverns.
Alfia and Riveria boarded behind Akumo, making them a group of three on one mount.
"Safe travels!!!!!"
"Come back safely, everyone!!!!"
With the cheers of Ganesha and Ardee as their signal, the wyverns spread their wings and soared toward the horizon beyond Orario.
Swoosh—!!!
"Orion, you're quite skilled at handling dragons, aren't you?"
"Again, my name is not Orion."
"That's right. I'm Bell Cranel, and this is Akumo-san, okay?"
"Hehe..."
Despite Akumo and Bell's explanations, Artemis only offered a beautiful smile. Hestia was fuming at the sight, while Alfia and Riveria watched with silent, piercing eyes.
"By the way, where exactly is our destination?"
"I'll answer that, Akumo-kun."
"Even by wyvern, it's a journey of ten days. That is quite a distance."
"Our destination is the edge of the continent, far from Orario. Deep within the Secret Frontier of the Great Tree Ocean lies the 'Ruins of Elsos.'"
'The Ruins of Elsos...'
A week had passed since they took flight. They had soared through the sky for days, occasionally resting and camping to maintain their pace, enjoying the rare sights of the world outside the Labyrinth City.
On the seventh day, while they were flying as usual—
Whish—!!!
"Bell!? Why the sudden dive to the ground!"
"We have to follow him immediately!"
"Copy that!"
Akumo pulled the reins, guiding his dragon down to the surface.
Swoosh—!!
"Multiple scorpion monsters ahead! They're pursuing a civilian mother and child!"
"Intercept them with long-range attacks!"
"There are too many of them! Direct interception is impossible!"
"Damn it!"
While Alfia and Riveria calmly analyzed the situation, they saw Artemis dive straight into the pack of scorpion monsters.
"Artemis is fighting the monsters herself!"
"An unexpected variable."
"Let's go, Elf."
"Understood, Lupia."
Alfia and Riveria leapt from the dragon's back, landing gracefully and striking down the scorpions to shield the civilians.
Thwack—!!
"Kyaak!?"
"Darn it! Lady Artemis!"
'She's surrounded! There's quite a distance, but I can still save—'
SHHHING—!!!!!!!
"What!?"
Just as Akumo was about to dash toward Artemis, the spear Bell threw swept through the swarm of scorpions in a single, devastating blast.
KABOOM—!!!!!!!!
"...What in the world was that?"
The situation ended in an instant. The mother and daughter were left in a daze of relief as Alfia and Riveria returned to Akumo's side.
"Did that spear really possess such power?"
"It seems so..."
'Seeing the grim look on Lord Hermes' face, that spear shouldn't be used recklessly...'
"First, let's look after the civilians."
After treating the wounds of the mother and daughter they had saved, the group asked about the monsters, but the pair replied they had never seen such creatures before.
"Well, we saved them, so that's what matters..."
"Lady Artemis! How can you give them all of our rations!"
"Lili... please, calm down..."
"Akumo-sama! I have to say something about this!"
Because of Artemis's request, they had generously given away everything except for a small amount of bread. Their food sacks were nearly empty.
"I am truly sorry!!"
"How did it come to this..."
"Is she very different from how she was in the Heavens?"
"The Artemis of old was... how should I put it... a real firebrand! She was the type Hermes would have to punish personally if any guys tried to peek at her!"
'So she was a total tomboy...'
"In any case, for today's meal..."
"I suppose we starve, Lady Hestia."
"Eeeek!?"
Seeing Hestia in despair, Akumo and Bell began to search for anything edible in the vicinity. Before long, they succeeded in finding a familiar fruit.
"That's!"
"It's Masara fruit, Akumo-san!"
"What a relief~ Masara fruit grows here too!"
"It has been a long time since I last saw a Masara fruit."
"Right, Lupia? We used to eat these all the time when we were back in the countryside."
"I think our food problem is solved! Everyone!"
Following Bell's lead, everyone began gathering Masara fruit and preparing for dinner. Sitting around the campfire, spooning up the cooked fruit, the scene looked less like a dangerous quest and more like a camping trip.
"Mmm~! It's delicious!"
"When you heat Masara fruit, the juice inside melts into a delicious soup. It truly is the forest's own restaurant!"
"Eat your fill, everyone."
"By the way, you all are quite knowledgeable. You knew exactly what these were?"
"I just heard about them from my grandfather before coming to Orario."
Listening to Bell, Akumo recalled their days in the countryside. There were many nights after training Bell when they would cook and eat the Masara fruit found nearby.
He finished his meal while remembering how Bell had grown day by day, fueled by his desire to become stronger and his admiration for Akumo and Alfia.
"The start of this matter was the confirmed anomalous proliferation of monsters."
"Numerous Familias were dispatched to investigate the cause... but all contact was lost."
"The location is that land: Elsos."
"There is a certain seal within the ruins there."
"Something that rots the land, blights the sea, kills the forest, and drains the strength from all life..."
Once the meal was over and everyone was discussing the new monster species seen that morning, Hermes finally began to speak about the origins of the incident. Artemis followed, her face tightening with resolve.
"It is the monster 'Antares,' sealed by the great spirits of antiquity."
'Antares...?'
"Its seal has been broken."
"As Artemis said, I met her during the investigation of the ruins just as the seal gave way."
"To defeat Antares, that spear is absolutely necessary."
"And the one chosen by the spear is you. Orion."
Artemis looked at Bell with a expression full of determination. However, her gaze also brushed against Akumo standing beside him. Even though he had not been 'chosen' by the spear, the aura emanating from him made her think of him as 'Orion' as well.
"...?"
"Hehe."
'Perhaps even I am not entirely certain.'
Regardless of whether they were 'Orion' or not, it was certain that by joining this journey, everything they experienced would become their own unique adventure.
Alongside yet another light they were bound to show.