""[Silence]...!?""
"Bury everything that transpired here in this place. [Gale], [Perseus]."
Alfia cast aside her robe, revealing her true form. Shocked by the revelation, Ryu and Asfi looked toward Akumo and Riveria standing beside him. However, Akumo already held his sword with eyes steeled by absolute conviction, and Riveria prepared her magic, placing her full trust in him.
"We are going to fight!"
"I will fight too!"
"So..."
""Believe in us!""
Akumo and Bell shouted as if making a grand declaration to everyone present, and soon, Antares (monster) felt their overwhelming presence.
Rumble—!!!!!!
"Bell! Remember this—the spear is meant to pierce destiny, not the maiden!"
"....Right!!"
Before the engagement, Akumo left Bell with a heavy, cryptic warning, his gaze searing with intensity. He then lunged toward Antares as it shifted its focus toward them.
Whoosh—!!
"[Gram]!"
Fwoosh—!!!!!!
"[Gospel]!"
CRASH—!!!!!!
—KIIIIIIIAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
Closing the distance with lethal velocity, Akumo and Alfia slammed their power into the God-Eater. Massive flames and condensed sonic vibrations violently rocked Antares' physical form, successfully shattering the monster's external carapace.
"It's broken...!"
'But this thing is a divine nemesis... it will regenerate instantly!'
"Go!!!!!!!!"
With that heroic cry, the battle to rescue a single maiden began.
Artemis could hardly believe her eyes.
Against a despair-inducing predator that had devoured her and now wielded her own Arcanum... heroes were fighting.
BOOM—!!!!!
"Urgh!?"
"Everyone! Pour every ounce of strength you have into this moment!!!!!"
Akumo parried Antares' relentless assaults with Gram and Balmung, buying his allies precious seconds. Simultaneously, Alfia's voice echoed through the cavern, and the space began to saturate with a terrifying density of magical power.
"[Blood-stained crimson within the darkness, let thy power become my blade. Thrust thy lustrous shadow toward the sublime!]"
"[The root of blessing, the curse of birth. My original sin, which claimed half my body. There is no atonement, no purification, no salvation. The reverberating melody of the heavens is my sin.]"
"[ㅡㅡ Blessed Divine Wind, Grace of the Heavens.]"
Alongside the parallel chanting of Akumo and Alfia, Riveria's ultimate magic was manifesting.
—KIIIIIIIAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
"[Critical Shade]!!!!"
SLASH—!!!!!!!!
As the chants began, Antares felt a surge of irritation from the gathering lights that obscured its vision. The monster found the pest continually obstructing its path intolerable and transitioned into a heavy offensive.
"Eat this!!!"
Fwoosh—!!!!!!
'Even if I cannot leave a single crack...!!!'
"Do not... get in our way!!!"
CRACKLE—!!!!!!!!!!!!
'This time... I will never back down!'
However, the beast's strike was thwarted. First by the hero who had sundered its shell with dozens of black slashes, and then by Welf and Lili, who exhausted their absolute best to support that hero.
—KIIIIIAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!
"Now!"
'I've still got one more in me...!!!'
"[O Crimson Flame that envelops me, let thy power become my wings. Become the brilliant blaze that never fades, even in the dragon's gale!]"
The hero's flames bared their fangs at Antares once more. That spectacle succeeded in drawing every ounce of the monster's attention.
Ding—
Ding—
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!!!!!"
Another hero's flame descended upon Antares.
FWOOSH—!!!!!!!!!!!
—KIIIAAAK!!!!
"[Rising Ignis]!!!!!"
THOOM—!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A colossal explosion and intense heat filled the cavern, striking Antares' entire body with overwhelming thermal energy.
—KIIIIIIK!!!
Yet, the darkness of despair did not fade easily. Even as its body burned, Antares roared at them in defiance.
"[Vas Vindheim]"
"[Genos Angelus]"
At that precise moment, the supreme spells of the high-level mages occupied the monster's entire field of vision.
The peak sorcery of Alfia and Riveria resonated, successfully pulverizing Antares' head.
"...Dammit."
'Even this... isn't enough...?'
But...
—KIIIIIIIAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
Hummmmm—!
While Antares' core remained intact, a crescent moon formed in the sky, constructed from hundreds of magic circles.
Artemis' Arcanum—her Divine Will—was unfolding.
"That is... Artemis' Arcanum...!?"
"The Arrow of Artemis... the strongest arrow in the heavens, released by the Goddess of Purity..."
"Attempting to manifest such an absurd arrow in the lower world should cause her immediate repatriation...!!"
".....She's being held by something."
Rumble—!!!!
"The Dungeon is... trembling...."
"If that arrow is properly loosed, it's the end of the lower world."
The tremors from Antares resonated all the way to Orario. The crescent moon generated by the creature caused the Dungeon to quake, leading to a frenzy among the monsters within.
"....Akumo...!"
'Could it be... because of this...?'
"Loki, our role is to protect this place."
"....Aye, I know!"
"Ottar, you should go as well."
"Understood."
Watching the divine crescent moon hovering high above from Babel, Freya sent a silent, solemn look to Loki before dispatching Ottar to the Dungeon.
'For now.... we must trust in the hero.'
"Hermes, I hope you truly get to witness that boy's sincerity...."
Loki simply chose to believe in the hero she knew.
Freya also chose to believe in the two heroes she knew.
Ottar, likewise, waited stoically for his friend's pioneering path.
Rumble—!!!!
"Phew...."
'The ground has been scorched again by that bombardment of light....'
CRASH—!
Akumo immediately shook off his fatigue and began waking his fallen comrades in the depths of the underground.
"Pant... pant...!"
"Alfia...."
'Alfia is already incapable of a meaningful offensive due to the recoil of [Genos Angelus] and Mind exhaustion...'
"Akumo... I'm still... fine..."
"Rest with her, Riveria."
'Riveria is too exhausted because of [Via Shilheim] on top of the healing magic she used to get here.'
Assessing their condition, Akumo sought out the remaining party. From Welf to Lili, Asfi, Ryu, Hestia, Hermes, and Artemis.
"....It's okay now. I feel nothing but gratitude for you all....!"
"Akumo-kun...! Use the spear... please!"
"I cannot bear to see you children being hurt because of us any longer...!"
Witnessing the children pouring their lives out to fight their natural enemy, Artemis wept, while Hermes and Hestia bowed their heads in manifest guilt.
"Can you find Bell for me?"
'As if we could give up now...!'
"Akumo-kun...! Please!"
".....Gods."
Akumo addressed the deities.
It wasn't directed specifically at Artemis, Hestia, or Hermes. It was a message to all the Gods present.
"I trust you. It is because I believe in you that we came together, and why we are willingly fighting these monsters."
"So, this time..."
"Believe in us. Believe in our adventure—in our pioneering."
Leaving them with those words, Akumo approached Asfi and Ryu, who were picking themselves up. Amidst this, another explosion rang out, and the underground began to quake once more.
BOOM—!!!!
'Is that thing coming down...!'
"Ryu! Are you conscious?"
"Akumo-san.... cough!"
Grab!
"Take these."
"These are...!"
'Gram and Balmung!?'
Ryu was stunned by the masterpieces Akumo handed to her. Then, realizing what he intended to do, her eyes began to tremble.
"I'm going to face Antares alone from here on. While I do, you protect Bell and the Gods."
"....!! That is reckless!! I should at least go with you...!"
Touch—!
"Trust me. Ryu."
"Please...! You mustn't...!!"
Akumo clasped her hands and made his request. Still, Ryu could not let him go. The thought of him facing Antares alone was inconceivable.
Against a monster that used Arcanum—a God's Nemesis where levels meant nothing—the idea of victory seemed impossible. Thus, Ryu gripped his hands tightly, pleading with him not to go.
"I... if you die...!"
'I won't allow it....'
Step, step—
"Bell-san...?"
"....Bell?"
From behind them, another hero, Bell Cranel, emerged. Having loosed a [Fire Bolt] with a full-charge Argonaut, Bell was already preparing his skill once more.
He held what he once thought was a spear—the arrowhead destined to kill a God.
"Dad...."
"I told you earlier, didn't I?"
"....The spear's purpose is to pierce destiny, not the maiden."
"Let's make those words a reality!"
The taste of blood filled his mouth. He felt no pain. Akumo's mind was a whirlwind of complex, intersecting thoughts.
Thrust—!
"Gah!!"
'Lævateinn...!!'
SLASH—!
Blocking Antares head-on, he bought time for Bell to charge Argonaut. Gripping his favored weapon, Lævateinn, he continuously carved through Antares' chitinous armor.
—KIIIAAAA!!!!!!
Whoosh—
"Haa... haa..."
'I... won't give up....!'
BOOM—!!!!
"COUGH!!"
A heavy leg sent Akumo flying. Despite rolling across the ground and crashing into a wall, he forced his unresponsive body to rise.
Then, a chant leaked from his lips.
"[O my experiences, my adventures, bloom according to my will.]"
'Experiences.... adventures...?'
"[O blade that has severed countless curses, respond to my call and bare thy fangs. Let both my tragedy and yours end with this bite, and let the chains of causality be severed at last.]"
—KIIIIIIIAAAAA!!!!!!!!!
FWOOOOOSH—!!!!!!!
Antares, highly wary of the flickering verdant energy shimmering on Akumo's sword, slammed down a massive, razor-sharp leg with the intent to split him in two.
"[Broken Curse]!!!"
SLASH—!!!!!
'My.... will....!'
Five massive slashes finally carved through Antares.
THOOM—!!
"He cut it...."
"He actually cut that thing!"
The Gods watching were aghast. Before their eyes, a hero had successfully cleaved through a God's Nemesis. His blade had reached it.
Even as they marveled, Hermes shouted out the name of another hero.
"It's now!!! Bell-kun!!!!"
Ding—!
Ding—!
Ding—!
"....."
With eyes closed, Bell sensed the energy around him. His body was already saturated with pure white light, radiating a presence stronger than anyone else's.
Simultaneously, Antares, staring him down, utilized Artemis' Arcanum to manifest her arrow before itself.
—'I want to be a hero who saves everyone, one where the tragic heroine is nowhere to be found.'
'I will save you! All of you!'
WHOOSH—!!!!!!!!
The arrow carrying his hope collided with the Goddess's arrow mimicked by the monster.
SCREEEEECH—!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"They're even.....!"
"No...."
"Bell is being pushed back!"
Could even a hero's strike fail to overcome the power of a God? The hero's arrow began to give way. Seeing this, the Goddess made her choice without hesitation.
Hummmmm—
"Artemis!? You, right now...."
'.....I believe.'
"Because I believe in you!"
'Save me... save yourselves... save everyone!'
Artemis' body dispersed into golden particles, which then began to saturate the hero's arrow.
SHATTER—!!!
The golden arrow instantly pierced through the divine arrow created by the monster. However, that arrow did not target the Goddess's life.
BOOM—!!!!!!
A pillar of light soared toward the sky, piercing even through the temple itself, shining brighter than the massive crescent moon hanging in the heavens.
"That is...."
"Is that coming from the direction of the temple...?"
"It's beautiful...."
Shatter—
"Is it disappearing?"
".....No! Look over there!"
The adventurers outside the ruins, barely holding out against the monsters, witnessed the pillar of light. As the pillar gradually subsided, they saw something else.
A beautiful moonlight was descending upon that spot.
'I had a dream.....'
Step—
'In that dream, I loved the beautiful night sky.'
Step—
The Arcanum of the blue Goddess gathered in the Pioneer's hand, eventually manifesting into a single form.
"Thank you for believing, Artemis-sama."
'Now, I shall repay that trust.'
Held in the Pioneer's hand was unmistakably a Divine Weapon. An exquisite dagger that defied any other description.
"From this moment on."
"I shall hunt you."