A blood-red and black sword intent, as if the very concept of murderous intent had been given physical form.
The beloved blade of kings who reached the level of gods, the supreme and strongest spear.
"[Blood Sword Dance]"
That blood-colored blade bloomed once more in Akumo's hand.
"...!! W-Wait! Akumo!?"
The aura radiating from that sword dance was by no means gentle.
To anyone watching, it was clear he intended to 'execute' Dionysus. Hestia, horrified, tried to step forward to stop him.
Thud—!
"Hermes!?"
"Wait, just wait a moment, please."
However, Hermes blocked her path, making a sincere request to Hestia.
'I want to see... I want to see what you're going to show us...!'
Of course, it was a request born from his own nature, but that only made it more earnest.
"But Hermes...!"
Sss—!
"If I'm not mistaken, what Akumo is about to do is..."
God-slaying.
That was the only answer the crimson light provided.
Because of that, Hestia tried to stop him with all her heart.
"Akumo!! Please, reconsider!!"
Even if he was a hero, even if he was an existence possessing countless unknowns.
"You don't need to shoulder this karma yourself...!!"
That was a responsibility that should be borne by those who held the title of God.
"...."
'You are kind, Hestia-sama.'
Seeing her like that, Akumo smiled.
Grin—!
"Thank you very much for worrying about me."
'However...'
Step, step—
Then, quietly, very calmly.
He stepped aside for someone else.
"Right now, it's not my turn."
With those words, Akumo moved a few paces, and at the same time, someone brushed past him.
Swish—
"Thank you."
That person expressed her gratitude to Akumo.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it? For us to..."
The greatest victim who had been used countless times by Dionysus, by Enyo.
"...face each other without masks."
It was Demeter herself.
Her eyes were filled with rage.
Hatred for him was mixed within them.
At the same time, they were filled with sorrow for all the children who had been sacrificed by him.
"Demeter...."
Dionysus looked at Akumo in response to her gaze, but Akumo simply stood his ground silently, as if leaving the choice to Demeter.
"I don't want to hear any more, and I don't want to see any more. So I'll speak plainly."
In that moment, a decision fell from her lips.
"You, who killed my children and trampled upon countless lives for your own greed."
Gaze sharpening—!
"I will not forgive you, nor will I overlook this any longer."
A God's whim. She would no longer stand by and watch lives be sacrificed under that name.
So Demeter swore.
Tighten—!
Nevertheless—no, because of that—Demeter even felt pity for Dionysus's original Familia members.
"However."
That, too, was a responsibility she had to bear.
Sss—
"I'm sorry to the children, but I will never hide your actions."
Declaring this with sunken eyes, Demeter turned her back as if she had nothing more to say to Dionysus.
Step, step—
Soon, she passed in front of Akumo once again.
'Thank you, Akumo.'
She sent him another look of gratitude.
Grin—!
'Don't mention it.'
Akumo replied with his usual smile and then moved his feet.
Step, step—
Holding the blood sword in his right hand, Akumo approached Dionysus slowly, but surely.
Swish—
The blade was aimed at him, closing in with certainty.
Looking at it, Dionysus could finally feel it.
'Death.'
At the sight of the crimson sword burning with the intent to kill a god.
Smirk—!
For some reason, he felt like laughing.
"Ah....!"
'I see....'
From the moment he touched the massive unknown that was Akumo, and even directly created the giant variable that was Akuo.
From the moment he was merely swayed by their independent actions.
'I wanted this...'
Even though it brought about his defeat and led to a perfect failure.
"Hahaha...!!"
Strangely, he felt no regret at all.
"Ah... I see!!"
Even knowing I would lose, even knowing I would die, this is what the entity known as 'me' desired.
'A true frenzy...!!'
The certainty that he might have deeply, deeply desired the wish to see the ultimate jester.
"Khahaha...!!"
Only laughter came out. The laughter of a most pleasant jester.
"Is this the laughter of a jester... or the laughter of freedom...!"
Smirk—!
That was his realization.
His last words.
Slice—!
The blood sword carved through his throat.
Drip—
Dionysus's head rose into the air as divine blood scattered.
Kiiiiing—!!!!
Simultaneously, the light of return surged violently atop Babel.
"...."
As if representing his obsession-like stubbornness, a strong and dark light shot toward the heavens.
Grin—
The face of Dionysus within that light was smiling, much like Erebus on the day he was cut down by Akumo.
Even though he was cut by the Pioneer's blade, he was banished from the lower world with a smile.
"Separately, I don't particularly like guys like you."
As if warning him, Akumo sent him a final, calm, and cold gaze.
Shooo—
With those words, the light faded away, and soon only Akumo and the gods remained in that place.
"....."
'Akumo...'
Hestia grew tense in spite of herself at the blood sword Akumo had drawn.
Slice—!
The sight of Akumo severing Dionysus's head without a moment's hesitation was, in itself, a horrifying spectacle.
"""....."""
Astraea, Hephaestus, and Ganesha seemed no different, as tension hung heavy in the air.
Smirk—!
"What are ye all so shriveled up for? Ye runts!"
However, Loki alone laughed and showed them a confident smile.
Grab—!
Loki, who hugged Akumo without a hint of hesitation, had eyes filled with trust in him and the most blissful smile of a jester.
"Don't ye get why he showed this to ye in the first place?"
Akumo's achievement had already transcended the category of a hero.
Even though he possessed such power, Akumo neither over-relied on it nor hid it.
'Trust and faith.'
With only those things, he gave a refreshing smile as he always did.
"No matter what power he has, or how much of it."
Smirk—!
"Akumo is just Akumo, aye?"
The Goddess of Trickery, the Trickster, spoke.
"Get it? Ye runts."
A level of faith and trust that made her choose him personally, and made him choose her.
Grin—
Watching Loki speak like that, Akumo smiled with his eyes as if acknowledging her as his goddess.
"Heehee~!"
"You really are the same as ever~"
The gazes they sent each other were overflowing with trust and faith.
That was a sight a certain goddess knew all too well.
'I suppose it's unexpected...'
"It's surprising..."
Just as she cherished, loved, and trusted a certain white-haired boy above all else.
Just as there was a precious and lovely dependent named Bell Cranel.
Just as there was an existence of unforgettable love for the goddess named Hestia.
—'Goddess!'
For Loki, that was Akumo.
'Even though they fought all the time... I've never seen her like that before.'
Loki was the patron deity of the Familia where her rival, Aiz, belonged, and Hestia hadn't viewed her favorably because of her womanizing tendencies and her constant scheming.
Grin—!
Nevertheless, the smile Loki was sending Akumo now was similar to the smile she herself sent to Bell.
That fact came as a surprise to Hestia.
"""...."""
Unlike Hestia, there were goddesses who couldn't properly hide their shaken expressions at the sight of Akumo and Loki.
Grit—!
Not only Freya, who felt jealousy at the sight of a bond that only a deep relationship could create.
"My..."
"Have I been pushed back~?"
Even Hephaestus and Astraea, who shared a fairly special connection with Akumo, sent looks of regret.
"Let's all head back now~!"
Whether Akumo knew this or not, he spoke to all of them with a smile, so their agitation did not last long.
Step, step—
Who could possibly object to his retreating figure as he walked back with light steps, holding Loki in his arms?
That night, Akumo stood alone under the night sky.
"...."
He was lost in thought, feeling the cold yet pleasant wind that wrapped around him.
'It's been a while since I've taken a night walk....'
Since the incident in the Pleasure Quarter, it had been a time full of complicated and bewildering events.
No, from the very moment he brought Bell to Orario, it had been a chaotic time for Akumo as well.
"....It's fun."
'It feels like the first time I fought...'
Like the day he fought the dragon.
Like the day he first met his comrades.
Watching the adventures of heroes and walking the path of a pioneer alongside them, Akumo was reminded of the old days.
—'You, just what kind of guy are you?'
—'I'm just an ordinary rookie.'
Like the first time he met an overwhelmingly strong person.
—'[Broken Curse]!!!!!!!'
Like when he first walked his own path of pioneering.
—'[Rising Ignis]!'
He had cut through nightmares and successfully led adventures out of crises with his comrades.
—'I will hunt you.'
He had even cut down a god's assassin and rescued a goddess.
—'Let's fight!'
He had met his brother, met another side of himself, and even experienced death.
Thump, thump—!
Through all those adventures, he had grown even more.
He had met countless connections and moved toward countless frontiers.
Step—
Thinking thus, Akumo began to walk along the street.
Step, step—
The night road was quiet, as all those many people had fallen asleep.
The unique atmosphere felt there enveloped him and led him somewhere.
Stop—
"They said they'd be waiting here..."
The place he finally stood was in front of the city gate.
"Are you here?"
"You've finally come!!!!!!"
It was the place where the goddesses who had come from afar to join the day of pioneering were waiting.
The Kali Familia, who had participated as reinforcements in the previous incident and provided great help.
And even Artemis, who had traveled to Orario once again to directly lend her divine authority to Akumo.
Step, step—
Discovering them, Akumo approached to offer his thanks.
Whoosh—!
Soon, he could see someone charging toward him.
"Akumo!!!!!"
The identity of that person was Kali, the patron deity of the Kali Familia, and she rushed at Akumo as soon as she spotted him.
Grab—!
"Oof!?"
"I don't know what you're trying, but for now, the answer is no~"
Of course, Akumo lightly avoided her charge and caught her to stop her.
"As expected, you are the greatest warrior!!!"
Tighten—!
Even so, Kali looked at Akumo with intense eyes and gripped his hand tightly.
Akumo thought it wasn't so bad to see such undisguised desire, but...
"I appreciate the words, but I'll have to refuse."
He found her constant scouting offers somewhat burdensome.
"Surely, if I am with you, every battlefield in this world will be our stage!"
"Let us become a legend together!!"
Of course, even after saying that, Kali didn't seem to have any intention of letting him go.
"Darling~ we're always okay with it, you know?"
"....I am waiting."
"No, seriously...."
'My stomach hurts...'
Watching from atop the city wall, Argana and Bache also spoke to Akumo with expectant words, which made it even more burdensome for him.
"I'll help you."
"Yes?"
While Akumo was continuing to push Kali away, Artemis, who was standing nearby, stepped in directly.
Snap—!
"Uwah!? What is the meaning of this!"
"Akumo is troubled, isn't he?"
Whether Artemis had read Akumo's mind or not, as soon as he showed a truly troubled expression, she immediately bound Kali with a rope.
"Thank you, Artemis-sama."
'I was really in a bind, so that's a relief...'
"It's nothing, Akumo."
Grin—!
"As long as it was a help to you."
Was it because it was annoying to her as a virgin goddess, and as a goddess interested in Akumo, to see someone else trying to cling to him so openly?
At least Akumo didn't notice that and simply expressed his gratitude to Artemis.
Shooo—!
"That aside, I'm returning this to you."
After the commotion settled down, Akumo manifested Artemis's dagger in one hand and handed it over to her.
"....I see."
Thud—
And the moment she took the dagger.
Flash—!
Artemis was able to encounter it.
The brilliant memories of pioneering etched within his recollections.
There was once a king called the Emperor of the Night.
He was an adventurer wandering the world, moving forward on his own path with a dagger that held the moonlight.
Slice—!
It was a small dagger, but the will contained within it led him to victory.
Thump—
Even if he knelt before countless hardships, he stood back up.
Sometimes hunting others, sometimes tempering himself, sometimes entrusting everything to luck.
Then at some point, another blueness dwelled in his hand.
—■■
Holding the Blue Dragon's Sword, he ruled not only the moon but the heavens.
Schwing—!
He drew the God's Sword once more and conquered the earth.
"It's truly.... wonderful..."
Like a gift along with a farewell, those memories of pioneering were transmitted to Artemis.
At that sight, Artemis smiled as she looked up at the brilliant night sky.
Swish—
"What's the matter...?"
"It's nothing, fufu..."
Watching him with that smile, Artemis had one thought.
'I should think about moving into Orario soon~'
A thought that would have startled Akumo if he had heard it.
Flail, flail—!
"I'm here too! Dammit!!!"
Along with Kali, who couldn't stand the sight and was flailing about wildly, the noisy nighttime send-off came to an end.
Trudge, trudge—
"Haa.... I'm tired...."
Drained by the noisy send-off, Akumo was heading toward his home, yawning in exhaustion.
"Haam~"
But even as he returned with such fatigue, his steps were light, and his eyes were clearer than ever.
Step, step—
He walked.
Toward the place where the woman he loved was waiting.
Toward his home, where the traces of those who loved him remained.
Stop—
Finally, he stood before the door.
"...."
As if to show they were waiting for him, a bright light leaked from the window.
Grin—
Creak—!
At that sight, Akumo smiled and opened the door, entering his house.
Swish—
Soon the door closed, and another page of pioneering and adventure—noisy, perilous, and beautiful—was engraved.
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