Chapter 80

Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't actually that easy to enter Orario. Some Familia volunteered to cooperate with the Guild to make sure nobody could just go in and out as they pleased. Which meant powerful adventurers stationed near the entrances, checking over paperwork and the like so that Orario wouldn't lose strength, either by losing their moneymakers so to say or by being invaded of a foreign force. This policy was only enforced even more with the Dark Days not too long ago, with Evilus still alive, weak as they were now. Still, it wasn't exactly a fun job for those that ventured into the dungeon many times for the thrill, for their dreams. Thus, some are a bit less motivated than others. A woman yawned, bags under her eyes as she saw the next carriages arrive. Stepping forward, she checked the paperwork as her fellow adventurers looked inside. She hummed before turning to the woman who appeared to be the leader. She blushed a bit. Strong muscles, beautiful white hair. Still, she was a professional so instead she focused on the job after clearing her throat and double checked the details.

"Name please?"

"Hippolyta, with the Amazon Delivery Service."

The adventurer raised an eyebrow but shrugged it off. Uninspiring name, but who was she to judge? Humming thoughtfully, she checked that name off the list, as it matched.

"Reason for stay?"

"Well, who wouldn't want to meet Orario's pillars?" A small chuckle escaped Hippolyta before shaking her head. "And trade, of course."

A smaller girl, much smaller, snickered with a smirk next to Hippolyta. She brushed her black hair back as she dangled her feet a bit. The adventurer narrowed her eyes, feeling something was off about that girl. But in the end, she shrugged. Literally none of them had any weapons so it should be fine and the paperwork stated none of them had a Falna worth noting. Orario could handle twenty two non warrior amazons if they got uppity.

"Have a nice stay."

Nodding politely, the leader of the group moved on with her carriages. Watching them retreat into the city, the adventurer crossed her arms with a grunt. It was a bit weird that a pale woman like that was leading a group of amazons as merchants, but stereotypes were meant to be broken apparently?

/

At a certain bar, Syr was gently rubbing the back of a guest, a look of concern on her face as the individual snored, with dozens of empty mugs around her. She wasn't the only one, with Arash gently putting a cloak over his captain's shoulders before letting out a sigh. Shaking his head, he looked at the other guests, who at least politely minded their business. Well, most of them.

"Geez, never saw that gal drink so much."

He turned to the Loki Familia, or rather the few that were here. Noteworthy were Raul and Anakitty, together with their goddess and Gareth,a s well the two newest additions to the Familia, the Hiryute twins. It was Loki herself who slightly opened her eye, a bit tipsy herself. ARash sighed, feeling the bags underneath his eyes before rubbing Alise's head, who murmured something under her breath, as if she was having a nightmare.

"It's been... stressful."

The bar was somber. It hasn't been too long ago ever since that incident in Under Resort. Party wipes were never a nice thing to hear about, not to mention to experience. There were still survivors, but losing familia was always heartwrenching.

"No kidding." Gareth sighed and shook his head. "Poor girl. Guess even she has her limits."

Alise was known to be a shining beacon of justice. Some, like Raul, believed she would never stop smiling. Yet here she was, drowning her sorrows in alcohol to the point of passing out. And she was the best off from the Astraea Familia besides Arash. Kaguya and Lyra were bedridden while Ryuu…well, the less said about her the better. It said something that Aiz out of all people was currently the moderating influence when Arash or Alise weren't working double time to keep the poor girl from losing it completely.

"Is this seat taken?"

Loki blinked before turning her head. She grinned at the cute amazon girl coyly smiling at her. She gestured towards the chair at the counter with a lecherous giggle.

"Go ahead, cutie~!"

She ignored the warning looks she received from her familia, instead talking up the new girl. For some reason Loki had a fuzzy feeling in her chest when looking at her, but she ignored it, instead bragging about her Familia.

"Phew, a good drink is always better with a nice girl!" Loki exclaimed, wiping her mouth as the amazon girl laughed before reaching for something in her pocket.

"Just don't get too drunk and sleep with me like you did with Hades, Trickster."

Loki froze, her smile petrified. She ignored the confusion on her childrens' faces. She ignored when Gareth and Arash sensed something was off, how Tiona and Tione stepped back in shock. The goddess slowly turned her head as the gears turned in her mind. That story. It wasn't one she would've ever shared. That damned one night and ages ago in heaven.

It was a story only gods knew. With her head fully turned, Loki saw the not-Amazon tap on a skull mask, her long black hair replaced by rust red.

"Didn't expect you to have that skill," Loki said slowly, putting away her mug. Mama Mia eyed the change of atmosphere with a deep frown. The girl laughed before putting on the mask, pointing at herself.

"I am a woman of many talents. That includes hiding my divinity." She stood up from her seat and bowed playfully. "You sure know how to put away that liquor. Your reputation precedes you, Loki."

"...The hell are ya doin' 'ere, Kali?" Loki asked, not willing to entertain this nonsense. This may have been their first meeting, but the trickster already knew that she didn't like that one. Not only because of her reputation as a goddess that allowed death battles among her children over and over again, but because a deity of destruction never jived well with someone less brain dead in terms of domains. Shrugging nonchalantly, Kali turned her head a bit and winked. It only served for Tiona to take a step back with a nervous expression while Tiona snarled a bit. Then the goddess of Telyskyura shrugged before twirling her hand casually.

"Oh, y'know, what with Evilus being pretty culled right now, my cutie captain decided now would be a good time."

Captain. Was she talking about the infamous Asura? Loki recalled Hermes talking about that one, how she sometimes did raid parties on the seas and even on land. Other than that, information was scarce however beyond her "rage that matched the heavens". Still, she did not like where this was going, as she crossed her arms.

"Good time for what?"

"The prelude."

Kali turned to the twins, a motherly smile on her face. The next instance, Loki felt the hair on her neck stiffen as her eyes widened.

"Oh, you lil'-"

The next instance, a hand each grabbed onto the skulls of the twins. Their eyes widened for a second before they were dragged out and flung into the streets. Immediately after, the city exploded into noise. Gareth immediately rushed out, together with the rest of his Familia and Arash, the latter letting Alise in the safe hands of Mama Mia. He jumped up the buildings and focused his eyes. As he expected, not only the twins were being attacked.

Twenty amazons each, spread all over the city, picking a fight with other adventurers. Hermes, Ganesha, Hephaestus, their higher ranked adventurers were all forced to fight off what Arash assumed were the elite of Telyskyura. His eyes focused on one spot specifically, seeing Ryuu next to Aiz, snarling behind her mask. Arash was tempted to interfere... but he stayed his hands. One because they weren't targeting civilians. Two, because lots of people actually needed this. This distraction from all the suffering the city went through, his Familia specifically.

"Excellent timing... !"

Ryuu needed to blow off some steam and Evilus was proving itself to be rather difficult to find these days. With that in mind she roared as she jumped at the new enemies, Aiz right behind her, worry clear across her face.

/

Hans was in the middle of some errands with Liliruca, the girl who forced herself onto him even after he got her free. The fact that she was being so giddy while following him around like a puppy was only the icing on the cake. Maybe he shouldn't have bought her those new clothes and instead just went for the cheaper alternative that was dog food. The author sighed before giving her a tired smirk before flicking her forehead. A part of him wanted to retreat into his office and hole himself up, but Liliruca proved herself to be quite the pain in the ass. And a part of him didn't exactly hate it. Heck, it was a nice change of pace.

Of course then, they were confronted in a short cut alley by two would be rapists, aka Telyskyura Amazons. The Pallum girl hid behind him, staring nervously at the two warrior women slowly approaching them from both sides. Hans however only rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Oh come on, this is so cliche!" He muttered under his breath before throwing his arms up in the air, throwing the bags at Lili who caught them in a panic. "Listen, you battle junkies, I am really not in the mood for this."

The Amazons shared a look, disgust and pride filling their expressions. Their next words caused Lili to tilt her head in confusion while Hans clicked his tongue at the foreign language.

"What did he say?"

"I don't know, I don't talk Koine. Most likely something disrespectful." She sighed before looking at her battle sister. "Do we have to do this? He looks weak."

"If we take him hostage, it will make things easier for our queen," the other hand said, sounding a bit more reasonable, yet still shaking her head in annoyance.

"Disappointing, but a job is a job."

"You really don't want to do this."

They snapped their heads at Hans, who spoke up, with his pen and an open notebook in his hands. The warriors raised an eyebrow at each other.

"He speaks our tongue?"

"Handy."

They both leaned forward, ready to take him down. Hans in response sighed before pressing the tip of his pen against the paper.

"Suit yourself."

Then his hand moved as a blur. Lili, as a mere supporter, had no idea what just happened. One moment two amazons were about to maul them as they leapt into the air. The next instance, it was like stories came to life and beat the crap out of them. A shoe with high heels. A mysterious faerie blowing wind. A little girl lightning up a match. All those supernatural forces straight out of Hans' imagination hit the two amazons like bricks, ending with them lying on the ground, groaning in pain. Hans dusted off his hands and turned to Lili, who openly gaped at what just happened.

"You okay?"

The supporter blinked furiously before shaking her head. Scratching her right cheek she giggled nervously.

"Wow. Lili thought... "

"Much as I hate it, I'm still a level three," Hans commented with a tired look and a shrug. Then he felt a shiver down his spine, but he refused to look back, instead taking Lili's hand and guiding her out. Unforunately his ears were still sharp so he could hear the moaning voices with ease.

"So cool~!"

"I want his voice to impregnate me…!"

"What did they say?" Lili asked with a weirded out look. Hans immediately cleared his throat and looked away.

"Random nonsense."

A frown formed on his face. Alright. So Telyskyura was invading. Sorta. Yet this didn't feel like a proper invasion. Sure, they picked fights, but there was no strategic value. It felt too... theatric. Realization hit him and he closed his eyes in resignation. This felt like a prelude. Which meant the main event was going to happen in three, two, one...

"OTTTAAAAAAAAAAR!"

Lili went down on her knees, covering her ears in response to the inhuman scream that echoed in Orario. Immediately after, the chorus of roars from the amazons followed, responding to their leader's war cry. Hans growled as he looked up, seeing some amazons running towards the source of the voice.

"'No longer a Berserker' my ass, Penthesiliea... !"