Goblin Slayer: The Team Year Two

by GLG-3883

It's been just over a year since the team broke up to both continue aiding Goblin Slayer, and the frontier of course, but also to raise a family in the Sword Maiden's hometown. Now, they must reunite to face a series of some of the greatest threats the world has ever known. Rated M for dark/adult themes; the same as the series itself is known for.

43. Chapter 22 Part II

Hello people, and welcome back to Goblin Slayer: The Team Year 2. Priestess has replaced Sword Maiden in earnest now, now let's see how well she does, and what the team themselves do next in light of what's going down on the streets and in the world.

Review Response: I figured a good slice of life chapter didn't happen in way too long, so that was a shoo-in. Priestess should do fine as archbishop all-things-considered; Noble Fencer and Ranger discussed that fact for a reason. As for Cow Girl being Green Lantern material...well, Summoner glorified her for picking herself up from being knocked down as hard as she was enough so I won't go further into it but...lesser people wouldn't even think of becoming adventurers, let alone go as far as she did. Some would even give up on life itself, i.e. commit suicide...but Cow Girl didn't. She basically said "I'm not going to take this; if these goblins want a war, they've got a war"...and frankly, seeing her get some stuff done instead of just be a pillar for Goblin Slayer, with all due respect to that element, is something I cannot ignore.

To be fair, she was never completely incompetent, but...having a long way to go isn't very good for your image if the expectations are high enough.

Honestly...none of those disturbing things are new, but it's still noteworthy nonetheless.

Also, it's pretty funny that I had fireworks happen in Water Town...several days before the 4th of July happened in real life...

---

After the funeral, Priestess led the team to the Temple of Law as Bard and Songstress went home to look after Ranger and Fighter's baby; Priestess needed her whole team with her afterall. When hey reached the main chamber...Storm Mage was waiting for her smiling like a proud father. He even bowed to her.

"Your Grace..." He said before straightening up, and Priestess approached and embraced him.

"Father..." She whispered.

"I can tell you're going to make a wonderful archbishop, just like you're a wonderful Sword Maiden." Storm Mage said softly.

"Fighter once asked me if I can be her daughter's Sword Maiden." Priestess said.

"Lucky baby." Storm Mage said before Priestess backed up to look at him as he ran his hand through her hair. "Lucky me too..."

"What will you and the Sword Maiden do now?" Priestess asked.

"She'll tell you herself, as for me? Well...I'm still as bound to this place by my wife is, so you may have your own protector, but I've been promoted to the city's protector, so those demons better watch their asses." Storm Mage said casually.

"That hardly seems fair; you're supposed to be dead." Fighter said.

"Oh relax, I'm not going to be here forever; I have the previous Sword Maiden to care for. Even now, she could use my love." Storm Mage said and Priestess held his hand.

"You always were a good man, even when you forgot it." She said.

"That's why she redeemed me." Storm Mage said.

"Well...this has been one insane night, so can we please go to bed? With your leave of course Your Grace." Dwarf Rifleman said.

"By all means, but I would like to speak with my team- no...my family some more." Priestess said.

"Don't stay up too late now...that means you too Orcbolg." H.E. Druid said as she led D.R. to bed.

"Right..." GS said as Priestess approached her teammates.

"If it wasn't for all of you, I would never have been able to get to where I am, let alone survive my first quest. Ever since then we've' gone nowhere but closer to each other, and I want nothing more than to stay like this even as archbishop...which is why I'm staying on this team until the Cambion is dealt with." She said firmly.

"We wouldn't want it any other way." Wizard said.

"It's pretty gutsy of you to stay with us since the Cambion apparently scared you witless, but then...you did keep us from dying." Her brother said.

"On a more serious note...archbishop or not, Supreme God's power or not...you're still our little sister, and we all love you as such." Warrior said.

"And like you said before: You're my daughter's Sword Maiden." Fighter said and Priestess smiled before the two embraced.

"I love you." She said softly before Fighter kissed her forehead and put her hands on her face.

"I love you too." Fighter said.

"And so do we." Warrior said as he and Wizard approached and had a group hug as the rest looked at each other as they watched their moment, with Ranger simply watching. When it was done, Priestess looked right at GS.

"Goblin Slayer?" Priestess asked.

"Yes?" He asked and Priestess sighed.

"You were...you were downright insufferable at times, but it is still comforting to know you're willing to live a normal life, and hopefully, a good one." She said honestly.

"Thank you." GS said and Cow Girl hung on his arm.

"As for you...don't stop taking care of him, for me...and for the rest of us." Priestess said.

"I've done nothing but my best for him Your Grace." Cow Girl said before Priestess looked at Wizard's brother and Rhea Fighter.

"The two of you...I wasn't excepting more members of this family, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't welcome." She said.

"What kind of brother would I be if I didn't stand by my dear sister?" Wizard's brother asked.

"And I was not going to say no to a chance to make a difference, and maybe a name for myself in the process." Rhea Fighter said, and Wizard's brother held her hand.

"Wait...what's that about?" Wizard asked.

"We...kind of kissed under the fireworks." Her brother said and the team exclaimed.

"Say what now?" Fighter asked.

"Yeah..." Wizard's brother said and his sister put her hand on his shoulder with a genuine smile.

"Good for you." She said as her brother returned the smile.

"Well, as much as I like the attention, I believe Her Grace had the floor?" He asked.

"I believe that will be all." Priestess said with amusement as Storm Mage cleared his throat.

"Before you go, I have a gift, for you..." Storm Mage said as he approached Warrior. "Give me your hammer."

"Alright..." Warrior said as he handed over his hammer...and Storm Mage actually conjured a pair of sparking clouds that were absorbed into the hammer itself, much to the team's amazement.

"There we go, now you have the full power of the Sky, Sea, and Fertility gods that gave me my power." Storm Mage said as Warrior looked over his new hammer.

"At this right, you're going to be the next Storm Mage." Wizard said and Warrior chuckled.

"Alright, let's not get ahead of ourselves now..." Storm Mage deadpanned and several people laughed at him.

"By your leave Your Grace?" Wizard said as she curtsied before she walked her husband out.

"So my good Ranger...putting the power I introduced you to to good use?" Storm Mage asked and Ranger smirked.

"Yes...and I'll never forget to glorify you for it oh great and wise protector to the Sword Maiden." He said dramatically.

"You mean protector of Wat- actually, I'm always the Sword Maiden's protector; Water Town has a new protector. Two apparently..." Storm Mage said.

"Right. You're little brother is here as well." Warrior said.

"Ranger? I... I need to speak to you in private." Priestess said.

"Alright." Ranger said as Priestess led him and Fighter to a bedroom...and leaving Storm Mage there to stew in the fact he was just swept aside before vanishing. When they got to the bedroom, Fighter waited outside as Ranger and Priestess went inside, and Ranger de-morphed his outfit and got in bed as Priestess looked over his bulk...which made her remember Goblin Slayer's when she was used to perform Resurrection on him. Ranger even wore the same black underwear. She then walked over to the bed, sat next to him and sucked in a breath as Ranger looked her over.

"You were my first teammate..." Priestess said softly.

"Who could possibly forget?" Ranger asked.

"No fewer people than could forget how far we've come..." Priestess said before tensing up.

"Priestess?" Ranger asked.

"I'm sorry...I have too many bad memories of what you went through..." Priestess said and Ranger took her hand.

"I'm fine now. My wife saw to that herself." He said honestly before Priestess sucked in a breathe.

"It's not just that fear demon...it's about what you became. I'm stupid; I know being the War God's champion is not a clean endeavor, especially since...well, I can tell you learned alot from Goblin Slayer a long time ago, and it's only gotten more serious from there, especially with that ungodly desire for revenge-" Ranger cuts Priestess off.

"Priestess...we've talked about this." He said firmly.

"Please...hear me out..." Priestess said and Ranger eased up. "I spoke to the Sword Maiden while the rest of you were training, and she told me how much you enjoy instilling fear in your enemies, especially the goblins; how focused your wrath was during battle, and how much discipline you demonstrate in the process."

"That's what she said to me before I fought the fear demon..." Ranger said thoughtfully.

"She cares about you, just like the rest of us do." Priestess said with concern.

"Normally I would say that it wasn't necessary but...who am I kidding? I just hope none of you underestimate my resolve, especially you." Ranger said seriously.

"How could I forget, my fearless leader?" Priestess asked and Ranger smiled at her.

"You know, as archbishop, you outrank me." He said and she returned the smile.

"I suppose I do..." Priestess said before she leaned into him, and sat there letting him hold her and focusing on each other's warmth, and the lack of tension. She then sat on his lap and shifted against him as they continued to breathe deeply while bathing in the love stemming from their family bond. "I love you...brother."

"And I love you sister." Ranger whispered before kissing her cheek and lingering for a moment before backing up and letting her return the favor. "Storm Mage was right: you're going to make a wonderful archbishop..."

"And hopefully a wonderful Sword Maiden for your daughter, whom I'd like to see when I can." Priestess said as softly as ever and Ranger smiled before hugging her again.

"Of course..." He whispered and Priestess smiled before snuggling into him again.

"I'd also like to go on a quest with just you, no one else." Priestess said seriously and Ranger looked at her funny. "For as long as I've known you, I've never been able to quest with only you; I spent plenty with Goblin Slayer, and even Warrior, Wizard, or both, but...never just you."

"What about Fighter?" Ranger asked.

"She's...well, she sticks with me more often than anyone else, and I her. But you? Not nearly as much, despite the fact we've known each other the longest." Priestess said.

"You know what you might see me do..." Ranger trailed off.

"I used the miracle of Vision to see the horrors you've inflicted on the goblins...I can't say I pity them; I also saw what they do to those they capture...including Sword Maiden and Goblin Slayer's sister..." Priestess said and Ranger turned pale.

"You saw wha- Have you lost your mind!?" He exclaimed.

"I asked myself the same question...but I had to know, and believe me... I don't think I've ever cried...or thrown up that much before. Even knowing how traumatized you were by that fear demon's tricks didn't hurt this badly. I even briefly considering consulting with the War God to help avenge their pain, until I remembered your mandate is to do just that." Priestess said and Ranger sighed.

"Now you know how I felt when I first saw those traumatized girls on our first quest..." He said somberly and Priestess held his face.

"You never answered me though: go on a quest with me, and no one else...please." She said and Ranger held her hand.

"Alright...Your Grace." He said and they shared a smile before Priestess put her hand over his heart.

"I remember when I healed you here after a goblin stabbed you..." She said softly.

"And now there's not even a scratch there to remember it by." Ranger said.

"Fighter's heart almost gave out after fighting all those vampires...so I guess you two have another thing in common." Priestess said.

"You say that like it's a bad thing. Also...you are probably the only other person I don't mind sharing her breasts with...pardon my bluntness." Ranger said.

"Ranger...just like with Warrior, Fighter is the sister I never had, so you and I grew even closer than I thought after you two married." Priestess said before she got up and left...and Fighter came in a while later. "How much did you hear?"

"Not much; I wanted to give you space...but I heard you ask her if she lost her mind." Fighter said while casually stripping herself naked, and for once...Ranger didn't ogle her, but just simply watched her.

"She wants to go on a quest with only me." He said as Fighter removed her hairband and shook her head, making her silky hair flail about as majestically as ever

"Did she say why?" She asked as she ran her hands through her hair and made it bounce and spread out.

"She says she wants to do something with me since...if you think about it, we haven't done anything major together, me and her." Ranger said as Fighter removed her underwear and approached the bed.

"From what I've seen, she's not wrong, and it would be a nice change of pace...especially since tomorrow is her first day as archbishop." Fighter said as Ranger let her join him on the bed and snuggle into his side.

"Right...well, that can wait until tomorrow." He said softly before Fighter smiled, and looked away thoughtfully.

"What else did you and the Sword Maiden do?" She asked.

"Well...we talked about old times for one thing, but also about my progress, especially with my hatred for those I deem enemies." Ranger said.

"Is that all?" Fighter asked.

"Fighter...I didn't sleep with her; even if she wasn't married to Storm Mage, I'm not interested in her." Ranger said firmly.

"The reason I'm asking is because I just now recalled the time when you told me you wee tempted to kiss her." Fighter said.

"Oh...that..." Ranger said.

"I know it's strange to ask but...could you kiss me the way you would kiss her?" Fighter asked and Ranger looked right at her.

"That is strange to ask..." He said, before looking away thoughtfully, sucking in a breath, then looked at his wife who never looked away, and channeled the way he felt about the Sword Maiden...the difference was night and day; he did care about the Sword Maiden of course, but there was a reason fighter had his heart...and there was no chance of her being replaced. He then thought about why Storm Mage loved the Sword Maiden, and things changed. He then pressed his lips against hers, pretending she was the Sword Maiden, and he was back at the time she used Resurrection on him...his compassion went into overtime. He was reminded of the time Fighter told him about Sword Maiden's encounter with goblins, what Sword Maiden herself said...and even the broken faces on the girls he mercy-killed. Fighter then broke the kiss when she felt her hard-shelled, yet still soft-hearted man tremble with sobs. "Now I know why Storm Mage loved her..."

"He was devoted beyond words...which makes you my Storm Mage." Fighter whispered while caressing his face, then they pressed their lips together again...properly this time.

"Does...that make you my Sword Maiden?" Ranger asked and Fighter actually laughed at him before climbing on top of him to kiss him deeply and sweetly before backing up and smiling down at him while her hair cascaded downwards, emphasizing her unearthly beauty.

"You could say that...although Priestess took that position already." She said before licking her lips and then kissing her husband as deeply as you could, while smacking their lips together over and over and lashing tongues. "You know...I couldn't help but notice my clones actually watched you fuck the other ones...including when you plunged into their wombs."

"Hey, not my fault they enjoyed the show." Ranger teased.

"You are such a perv..." Fighter said while shaking her head.

"And you still love me, and I know you enjoyed taking all that pleasure at once." Ranger said and Fighter smirked.

"You know me so well...I also couldn't help but notice just how often you gripped my clones' asses..." She teased.

"Hey, they teased me about them, and I did note how pressing these lovely breasts into me is one of the best things done with them." Ranger said honestly as he played with her mounds of squishy flesh.

"Touche...but you know I want a second child when this is over." Fighter said.

"Love...I am not going to want sex in a...long time." Ranger said firmly.

"I can imagine, considering how much fun we had." Fighter teased.

"Careful...I might get over it sooner than you're ready for..." Ranger said.

"That...would be a feat." Fighter said before Ranger stuffed both of her perfect butt cheeks into his hands, which made her tense up right away.

"I can get about as much of you as you can get enough of me." He said seriously.

"In other words: you could probably fuck me all day." Fighter teased as the man beneath her continued to play with her flesh.

"And you, by extension, could let me fuck you all day." Ranger said before Fighter came down to kiss him deeply...but then her mood changed. Her hungry motions became slower and softer, and he quickly got the message and let go of her buttocks and ran his hand through her hair while she held his face, before they separated and they looked at each other through their half-opened eyes. "Do you still feel guilty for letting me watch over this temple alone?"

"Not anymore..." Fighter whispered and Ranger touched her cheek.

"On a serious note: thanks for giving me those clones to play with. I never take the gifts you give me for granted, but definitely not that." He said softly.

"You're quite welcome. But for the record: I didn't just do that because of my guilt, or my own pleasure...I did that because I love you." Fighter said.

"I love you too...my sweet Fighter." Ranger whispered before pulling her into another passionate kiss.

"Would you mind...you know, making a rubber?" Fighter asked and Ranger smiled.

"Alright...I've had my fill of sex, but..." He trailed off.

"I know. I actually want us to take our time, just to let the contrast sink in." Fighter said honestly.

"Look at us...practicing radically different types of sex, and being so open about it." Ranger said.

"Well, we're husband and wife aren't we? Not to mention we've figuratively, and literally been through Hell and Heaven together." Fighter said.

"Right..." Ranger said before Fighter softly caressed his face and looked at him with lust in her eyes.

"Please...make love to me." She said sensually before Ranger called his belt over to him, morphed a rubber sheath for his manhood, slipped it on, and Fighter flipped over, and spread her legs before Ranger got between them, then slowly and steadily entered his wife's body as she closed her eyes to focus on his swollen manhood fill the sacred space between her divine legs. Her breathing became more labored as Ranger took his time moving in and out of her womanhood, and Ranger occasionally planted a kiss on her face, which made her smile brightly before pulling him into a kiss as he continued to slowly mate with the strong, loving, and voluptuous woman beneath him. He eventually broke the kiss and continued looking at her face soften in bliss and eventually let out quiet moans as he felt her steady heartrate through the back of his fingers as they lightly pressed into her neck. "I...really am a fortunate woman..."

"How so...?" Ranger whispered as he continued to mate with her.

"I have... the most benevolent, noble, handsome...and vigorous man...I've ever met...having amazing sex with me...and I want this...when we have our second child." Fighter said softly between gasps as her husband faithfully plunged into her warm, moist, and narrowing entrance without changing pace.

"Yes...the second child I give to the world, thanks to the affectionate, and powerful woman I married...who happens to be all seven shades of sexy." Ranger groaned as he kept listening to her let out one deep breath after another, then all of a sudden laughed . "What?"

"Nothing...you're just so good at this..." Fighter breathed out before Ranger smiled and started sucking on her neck as he continued to give her slow but powerful thrusts while she held his head in place...he then kissed her cheek then smirked at her. "You feel as proud of yourself as ever, seeing me like this?"

"Oh yes...but this is about you. I love having sex with you as much as I just plain love you, but none of this is for me." He said honestly as Fighter gasped in both awe at his declaration, and the raw sexual pleasure she was being given. She then reached up to grab his shoulders as she pulled him down into another kiss, and the two moaned as he finally picked up some speed and power. Their single kiss, turned into a series of kisses as she moaned deliciously into his mouth as he felt her thick legs wrap around his hips, and eventually, she flipped them over, and her raven locks spilled down over her shoulders as she started bucking her hips as she placed her hands on Ranger's shoulders to hold up her weight. He then laid there watching her lovely breasts bounce around near his face as her open mouth continued to fill his ears with her vocalizations while he dug his fingers into the soft, supple flesh of her hips and buttocks, as she gave him a toothy grin in response. Eventually, he played with her breasts and she lowered her upper body so he could suck her nipples which encouraged her to buck her hips faster, which by default made her ass flex and jiggle with even more vigor as she bounced up and down on his lap, and her entrance swallowed his manhood over and over, much to Ranger's pleasure as he groaned into the breast he was squeezing and sucking on, and the vibrations made her stack laughter on top of her moans before he stopped sucking them and just squeezed them heartily. "Couldn't help giving me some pleasure eh?"

"Shut...up...!" Fighter groaned as her female passage continued to envelop her husband's thick, stone-hard manhood, as he returned the favor by using his powerful abdomen in conjunction with the recoil from the bed bouncing to thrust up into her womanhood, which never ceased to grip him like his metal-coated hand would grip a goblin's throat as her womanhood tightened, and greedily sucked out every last drop of sexual rapture out of him as the two finally climaxed with Fighter letting out an elongated moan to signal her orgasm...but Ranger wasn't done; he continued to pound into her, and despite her own orgasm...Fighter's resolve in battle translated to her bedroom prowess flawlessly as she continued bucking her hips letting out one gasp or moan after another until her husband finally reached his own peak. She then collapsed onto Ranger's brawny chest as his equally-brawny arms enveloped her as she tried to catch her breath as if she barely avoided drowning. "I think...that's quite enough sex...don't you think...?"

"You haven't told me to shut up while you were getting fucked since the beach..." Ranger teased and Fighter giggled and kissed his neck before approaching his ear.

"That was the first real time you fucked me since I gave birth to our lovely daughter." She said sensually while caressing his side, and her magic worked wonders as he trembled under her influence. She then moved up to kiss his lips while groping his pec while her butt was getting groped in return.

"You know I'm still inside you right?." Ranger asked.

"You're point?" Fighter asked simply.

"Just saying...feels pretty natural doesn't it?" Ranger asked and Fighter smirked. "Although, you know those times you do a full split?"

"Yes?" Fighter said.

"Well...that moment I fucked your clone while her legs were raised straight up just now gave me the idea of fucking you while putting that flexibility to use..." Ranger said.

"Can we stop calling it that please? We make love like the affectionate married couple we are, not go at it like animals." Fighter said seriously.

"Sorry..." Ranger said.

"But...that's not a bad idea, but I don't want any more sex myself actually, not yet at least." Fighter said.

"Right...although, it's a good thing I drank that potion before I played with your clones." Ranger said.

"That...is very true..." Fighter said seriously.

"Fighter...during that orgy you gave me..." Ranger trailed off.

"That orgy was a gift, and even then it was driven by passion rather than purified lust. Last I checked, you were going at it with copies of me, that shared my feelings for you; they weren't strangers, lets alone prostitutes." Fighter said.

"Very funny..." Ranger deadpanned and Fighter giggled before snuggling into his chest. "As I was going to say...it's pretty ironic that I said we would have our second child when we next have sex, but look how that worked out..."

"We're only human love..." Fighter said seriously.

"Right...until the Cambion's dealt with, we just use these beds to mate, and sleep on." Ranger said and Fighter giggled as she shifted against Ranger's bulk.

"A chance to sleep next to my insanely sexy husband is a chance I'll never let slip." She said sensually while continuing to squish her breasts into him. "FYI, my clones thought about opening their chakras to enhance their pleasure...but they probably wouldn't have survived that kind of stimulation. I...should probably warn that farm girl not to do so when she beds Goblin Slayer..." She said.

"Wise decision." Ranger said before the two sucked in a breath.

"What did you mean all seven shades of sexy?" She asked.

"First off, I meant it figuratively, but...if I absolutely had to assign a type I'd...probably pick the ways it shows." Ranger said before Fighter sat up and looked at him with a smirk and raised eyebrows.

"Tell me how my sexiness shows." She said sensually before Ranger groped her breasts.

"There's these for one...what you say and how you say it is two, your face and the way you're using it right now is three. Your creamy skin is four, five is...well, you think I'm good at this? Watching you bounce up and down like that is a show I'd pay half our savings for, and I get it for free." Ranger said and Fighter let off an adorable giggle.

"Then I should have done that to you more often. Now...what are the last two?" She said as sensually as ever.

"Well...there's you're raw strength, and the muscles you dish it out...and I'm pretty sure I made my feelings about this pretty clear..." Ranger said as he roughly groped her butt loud enough to make a fleshy slapping sound which made Fighter gasp, and tense up before chuckling.

"Yes you have." She said before coming down to kiss him deeply and noisy as she kept getting her butt squeezed.

"And don't think I forgot how you can't get enough of my hands on you." Ranger teased.

"You make it impossible to think that. Although..." Fighter trailed off before Ranger let her butt go.

"Yeah yeah, you have limits. Say no more." He said casually.

"You know me so well..." Fighter said before snuggling into him, as he wrapped his arms around her, and she shifted against him while sighing. "My love and life..." Ranger reacted by holding her closer and running his hand through her hair.

"Remember that time at your father's grave?" He asked and Fighter reflexively snuggled into him some more.

"How could I forget...? You held me just like this." She whispered.

"I'll hold you like this as often, and as long as you want..." Ranger said softly as Fighter looked up at him with a warm smile that he returned.

"Would you like some clones to sleep with?" She asked.

"Why not? I'm completely intoxicated on all the sex we had...but there's more to this than that." Ranger said and with that...Fighter made two clones that took their place at either of his sides, with one on his left, the other at his right, and the original moving on top of him, pressing their soft, bra-filling breasts into his bulk.

"This feel good?" A clone asked.

"Oh yes...six, or 6,000, these breasts are as enchanting as your assess." Ranger said.

"You're not getting 6,000 breasts pressed into you, let alone 3,000 asses." Fighter herself said and Ranger deadpanned.

"Smartass." He said and all three ladies raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't even..."

"You know that's an easy one..." A clone teased before Ranger made her butt jiggle with a quick spank, making her gasp and the others laughed at her before Fighter removed his manhood from her still-tight entrance and laid down straight.

"It's too easy for it's own good." Ranger said seriously before Fighter looked down at him before kissing him deeply and the clones simply watched. Ranger then moved his hands from her butt to the back of her head to play with her hair as they ended their mating session on a high-note by turning their hunger into passion.

"Remembering the time you had with the rest of me?" Fighter teased as she laid down her husband's newly-aroused organ against his..and her abdomens through his underwear.

"It was a hell of a time..." Ranger groaned and Fighter sat up as one clone giggled and removed the rubber, which absorbed his seed, and Fighter's fluids flawlessly, while the other caressed his chest and approached his ear while gripping his hardened manhood.

"We can repeat the moment whenever you want..." She said sensually as Ranger trembled as the tip of his organ was played with, much to the original's pride.

"That would be...lovely..." He whispered before the clone molded their parted lips together and moaned into their kiss as they lashed tongues, and the other clone sucked on his neck and rubbed his sculpted abdomen...and Ranger groped their butts again.

"Alright ladies, that's enough. Let's get some sleep...for real this time." Fighter said with amusement, and hey all went to sleep with the four all sighing and moaning in bliss and they shifted against each other.

---

In the morning, Ranger went straight to fetch Priestess for their quest together, and even though plenty of people, especially Sword Mage wanted her to stay in Water Town to fulfill her tasks as archbishop...the city was well in hand, and she was traveling with her deadliest teammate, and her team's leader for that matter, most people dropped it, but she could still see their disapproval on their faces. Before they left however, Wizard wanted to try something with her sword and outfit, more precisely: giving her the ability to morph her reinforced dress and archbishop outfit into each other, as well as morph her sword when she needed it. It was mostly a gift for Priestess' appointment as archbishop, but also hindsight...which was a running gag that was starting to get old...anyway, she then morphed her sword into an alloy of the silver, dwarven metal, and common steel version of her original blade, and Cherub even appeared to give it the same blessing as Warrior's sword. Priestess then tested it against one of Ranger's longswords just for giggles in a brief sparring match so she could get a feel for it's new form, and loved it as much as she loved the man she sparred with, who even gave her an approving nod.

The two went to the guild hall to see what caught her eye...in her dress, and she choose an investigation quest. The two recalled how those were the least predictable quests, and chances are, things would go quite well like the first time...or horrendously bad; chances are, the Evil Sect was still out there looking for revenge, but she wasn't worried; with Ranger with her, and her new sword and powers on her side, they could handle anything. She even used Vision to see Ranger's fight with the two specialists, and even though him getting his ass kicked was disheartening...she knew Ranger was nothing if not adaptable, plus she could heal or empower him if she needed to, and there's no way he didn't have her back. All in all...in her eyes, they would be unbeatable.

Before they left, they stopped by Ranger's manor to pay his daughter a visit, and the baby reached for Priestess and cooed the moment she appeared. She first reached through the bars of the baby's crib so she could get her hands played with, before she stood up and picked the baby up.

"Hello." Priestess said with a smile.

"Hello." The baby said before Priestess kissed her forehead and caressed her face.

"Your Sword Maiden is here...and so is your father." She said as softly as ever before Ranger walked up to them and took his daughter.

"Hello daughter." Ranger said.

"Hello..." The baby said before touching her father's face.

"Guess what? Your father and Sword Maiden are going on an adventure, just like you're probably going to when you grow up." Ranger said.

"And you'll make a fine adventurer...and a fine woman." Priestess said as Ranger put his daughter back in her crib.

"We'll be back before too much longer...don't cause too much trouble for your caretakers o.k.?" He asked before getting up and leaving...and noticing Songstress right there; she was most likely watching.

"Hello." She said.

"Hello...can you still look after her?" Ranger asked and Songstress looked them both over, then the baby and nodded. "Thanks." He and Priestess then walked past her as she went to take the baby again. "Language barriers suck..."

"At least we don't have to say too much between us." Priestess said as they walked outside.

"True...hey, how about you take my horse?" Ranger asked and Priestess' face lit up.

"That would be lovely!" She exclaimed and Ranger went to get his horse, take her out of the make-shift stable and helped Priestess get on. She then rode the horse around to get a feeling for how a horse feels when ridden, and while she did that...Cow Girl showed up.

"I heard you two were going on a mission together...why didn't you include me? I need the experience." She said firmly.

"You need training more than experience, besides, this is a special occasion." Ranger said.

"What kind?" Cow Girl asked and Ranger looked at Priestess. "Oh...she asked you didn't she?"

"Right." Ranger said.

"But what abou-" He cuts Cow Girl off.

"Just get your equipment upgraded, train with the others, help them uncover new things, do things around town for fun, whatever, just make use of your free time while we're gone." Ranger said.

"But-" He cuts Cow Girl off again.

"It's not debatable. Check in." Ranger said sharply before getting a grip. "Sorry, but this is a very personal matter, and I do care about your progress, but coming with us is not the way to do it.

"I get it..." Cow Girl said.

"But at least you can see my little girl before you leave." Ranger said and Cow Girl smiled.

"It would be motivating to let her see one of her other mommies wouldn't it? She might even grow up faster." She said and Ranger actually laughed.

"You probably could inspire her to do that." He said before Priestess rode over to them.

"Good Ranger, I'm ready to depart now." Priestess said dramatically and Ranger smirked.

"Very well Your Grace." He said as dramatically.

"And she wasn't even archbishop for one day..." Cow Girl quipped and all three laughed.

"Good Supreme, when did we get so immature?" Ranger asked.

"We could use a good laugh after everything that's happened." Priestess said and Ranger sighed.

"That is more true than it has any right to be..." He said seriously before the mood picked up again.

"Well, I'm going to check in with the rest like you said, so...have fun you two." Cow Girl said.

"Bye." Priestess said as Cow Girl walked off, then Ranger morphed the horse's enchanted armor onto it's body, and Priestess used the portal gem to open a portal to the other side of the lake and led her Platinum Rank leader-turned-companion led her through it as she took his horse through it.

"So...what are we investigating?" Ranger asked.

"Well, there was a reason why it wasn't take by anyone: no one dared to look into the Evil Sect's activities, if they didn't think they were dealt with." Priestess said.

"I don't know whether to call that faith, or complacency..." Ranger said as they kept walking along the beach...and eventually spotting one of the dead leviathans Warrior killed, what was left of it anyway. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yes, several leviathans patrolled the waters, and Warrior took care of them. Apparently he also killed one from the inside." Priestess said and Ranger raised an eyebrow.

"He always did have more guts than sense..." He said casually before they continued onward.

"You know when I was with Goblin Slayer...I counter the dead just like he did?" Priestess asked and Ranger looked at her funny.

"Are you feeling alright? First that, then you look at his sister's trauma...then the Sword Maiden's? What next?" He asked with serious concern.

"I don't know...but I like to think of it as a way to help fill the shoes I now wear." Priestess said.

"For all our sakes, I hope so. But on a more pleasant note: how's my horse treating you?" Ranger asked.

"I never thought I'd miss her this much, especially since I haven't ridden her in a while." Priestess said as she petted the horse on the side of the neck.

"What? I thought for sure you rode her plenty of times in the months we spent apart." Ranger said.

"I did, but ever since this business with the Cambion started...I never got to spend any time with her, and I'm sure she missed me as well." Priestess said.

"Most likely; she's as close to all of you as I am." Ranger said and Priestess smiled in response.

"I remember how much trouble she saved us, like when we were able to get not only ourselves from one place to another, but also our supplies." She said.

"Not to mention the time I used her to go after some Porcelain Ranks who turned out to not need my help when I was Steel Rank. I still can't believe that gesture alone helped net me a rank-up." Ranger said.

"That gesture was a display of the same love you had for the rest of us. Your rank increase wasn't just given to you." Priestess said as she held her hand out for Ranger to hold, which he did.

"And I love you all dearly..." He said.

"And we love you...especially me and Fighter." Priestess said.

"If you keep this up you're going to make me cry again." Ranger said casually...and it apparently hit a nerve because Priestess pulled her hand away and she herself deflated. "Sorry, bad choice of words..."

"It's alright...I know you're strong enough to handle what happened." Priestess said.

"The most vivid memory I have of the time I rode to get those Porcelain Ranks...is what could've happened if you went on your first quest without me. Don't get me wrong, I'm long over the idea, and I'm proud to have conquered my inner demons, but still...the idea of the three of you becoming goblin pets and Warrior getting torn apart wasn't the easiest thing to swallow, even though at the time I was more than smart enough to know dwelling on thoughts like that was a bad idea." Ranger said.

"That's certainly not happening nowadays; we were a nightmare for the goblins before..." Priestess trailed off.

"But now? Well, I took down the same legion we faced at the farm a year ago while they were strengthened by Hell itself...with all of us combined, especially with your holy arts weakening them, and empowering us...I've never been happier to not be a goblin." Ranger said and Priestess giggled.

"I remember when you asked Wizard what she can do, and when she mentioned her fire magic, you said the same thing..." She said.

"And months later a goblin uses her spell to burn me...fate is a bitch sometimes...pardon my language." Ranger said.

"No...you're right. The force of will you've been demonstrated for as long as I've known you is enviable at worst." Priestess said.

"I have all of you to thank...which I say entirely too often." Ranger said and Priestess smirked.

"Sorry about that." She said.

"Eh, I've been more annoyed before..." Ranger said casually and they kept moving on without a word, and she noticed him take out a small sandwich, and offered her one, but she declined; she's already eaten. Eventually they got to a part of the forest around the lake that Priestess recognized right away...

"This must be where Fighter took down those catapults." Priestess said as she surveyed the wrecked catapults...and the hundreds of decaying and shredded bodies left there by the Evil Sect that were clearly feasted on by vultures, and some were still being eaten. Ranger morphed his mask to protect himself from the rancid smell, and Priestess used Purify to clear the smell away, as the vultures were spooked and flew off.

"Purify? Haven't seen that miracle in a while." Ranger said with his mask echoing his voice.

"I haven't needed it in a while." Priestess said somberly as Ranger de-morphed his mask.

"Are you alright?" He asked and Priestess sighed.

"I also communed with the Earth Mother while you were training that farm girl. I feel I've completely neglected her and I wanted to make amends...but to my amazement, there weren't any amends to make; she understood my devotion to he Supreme, and my reasons for it completely. She even let me keep the miracles I got from her." She said.

"Very good. Nevermind how useful they are; that speaks for itself, but being able to remain in a deity's favor is something no sane person says no to." Ranger said seriously before looking over the remains of the catapults, and absorbing them into his armor via his chains as Priestess watched the remains turn to dust and get sucked into his armor.

"Do you do that often?" Priestess asked.

"Whenever I get the chance; we have a fight with the Cambion approaching and I need to be as ready as possible, not to mention the Goblin Overlord that the farm girl is most likely going to take part in...Heaven knows she'll need as much training as she can get for that." Ranger said as he finished absorbing the catapults.

"That shouldn't come at the price of her ability to enjoy life." Priestess said.

"Of course not, but if you think about it, retaining her ability to enjoy life is part of her training, or at the very least it qualifies." Ranger said.

"I suppose so..." Priestess said before Ranger extended more chains to absorb the weapons and armor of the dead troops across the battlefield. "How much are you going to absorb?"

"As much as I can, and I already told you why." Ranger said.

"But there has to be a limit on how much material you can handle!" Priestess said.

"Maybe, but that just means I have that much more to manage. If Goblin Slayer can manage his sanity after observing whatever nightmare his sister went through, and I can manage my own after the nightmares I went through...then this is nothing." Ranger said as he focused on his chains' actions while Priestess recalled her Visions of what Ranger described and felt her heart sink at each memory. "There we go...let's contin-" Ranger shut up the moment they spotted a team of outlaws...and a specialist appear. "Oh great..."

"At least this specialist is one of the weaker variety." Priestess said before the outlaws spotted them.

"The one they call the Ranger and the new archbishop in one place? The captain will be pleased when we bring their heads..." The specialist said with glee.

"What captain?" Ranger asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know..." An outlaw said as the ones who didn't have spears all drew their weapons, which included sword, axes, and a few maces.

"You'll talk...eventually." Ranger said before pulling his guns and opening fire...as the specialist hardened his armor to deflect his bullets. "Nice trick, let's see how far it gets you." Ranger then morphed his longswords and rushed at them with the specialist keeping him busy with his arm and leg blades clashing with Ranger as several outlaws tried to hit him in a blind spot...only for Ranger to cut halfway through them in various ways.

Priestess meanwhile used her sword to deflect one spear thrust after another as she rode the horse around, and even tackled one outlaw down as an enchantment on the horse's armor turned it into essentially a running meteor that ran down anything in it's way; it was the same enchantment put on it at the farm a year ago. It was rarely used, but it was better safe than sorry. Priestess then continued to defend herself from the outlaws as Ranger kept the specialist busy, until eventually, he morphed a small gauntlet to stop the specialist from driving his feet blade through his brain, and dislocated the specialist' leg at the knee before kicking the specialist in the gut hard enough to send him flying into a tree before watching Priestess ride around keeping the outlaws at bay. Eventually, she used Holy Light to blind them as Ranger's mask protected him, then he morphed his guns and shot down the outlaws...and left the same one who taunted him earlier alive enough to talk as the light faded, only for his relief to turn to horror as he looked around at what was left of his comrades, and fell down trembling in fear as Ranger approached.

"Get away from me!" The outlaw yelled as he tried running only to trip and fall, and Ranger kicked him onto his back.

"Who's this captain you mentioned?" He asked.

"Go to hell!" The outlaw yelled before pulling a knife, getting up, and trying to stab Ranger...only to get his arm stopped cold, then Ranger sighed in disappointment before absorbing the knife into his armor, as the outlaw looked on in terror, then knocking the outlaw back down and putting his foot on the outlaw's collarbone.

"Let's try that again..." Ranger said.

"He's a bounty hunter! He was hired by the Evil Sect and...he- he sent us to collect it!" The outlaw said.

"Oh did he? Where is he now?" Ranger asked.

"I don't know." The outlaw said and Ranger pressed down on his collarbone. "I don't know! Honest!"

"Then how do you get your orders form him? Letter?" Ranger asked.

"No; he did tell us personally, but he never stays in one place too long, and...given what you just did to us, I can see why..." The outlaw said.

"What's the bounty, dare I ask?" Ranger asked.

"10,000 gold coins for you, and each of your team." The outlaw said and Ranger let off a whistle.

"That's quite a bit of money, but tell me...why did you think a bounty that high would be easy to get!? They don't hand out that kind of money for just any thug on the streets. On top of that...why do you trust the Evil Sect?" He asked seriously.

"He's not part of the Evil Sect, he was just hired by them." The outlaw said.

"That's not what I asked..." Ranger said and the outlaw just stammered. "The Evil Sect does nothing but terrorize people, take their property, and who-knows-what-else. Trusting them is like cutting your own throat and watching other people bleed on your behalf."

"Please...I can tell you where he usually goes to." The outlaw said.

"No need; we have our own way to find what or who we need." Ranger said.

"What?" The outlaw asked.

"I'm the one asking questions here, now...all that being said, I want you to take a message back to your captain: it will take more than a band of reprobates to put me, or anyone in my team for that matter, in their graves..." Ranger said before he let the outlaw go, and he slowly shook off his terror and wandered off as Priestess watched.

"Ranger..." She said softly.

"Can you use Vision again?" Ranger asked.

"Y-yes, but..." Priestess trailed off.

"What's wrong?" Ranger asked.

"It's just...I don't know if I'll even get used to you treating people so callously." Priestess said.

"They just tried to kill us for money, despite the services we do for the country, and you know how I can be, and how I remain stable." Ranger said and Priestess smiled.

"Right..." She said.

"Well, at least the quest was completed; we know what' been going on here-" Ranger shut up the moment some specialists appeared, and one even gave a life potion to the one Ranger incapacitated! He then morphed his heavy armor and greatsword as he engaged the specialists, and some tried to jump over him...only for Ranger to jump as well and bisected the three who jumped in one swing before several more specialists tried to stab through his armor, but their attacks bounced off his armor. Ranger countered by swinging his massive sword at them over and over as they frantically tried to avoid his swings, but the force of the wind made by his swings where making things harder for them...as if the speed and raw force of the swings weren't making things scary enough for them.

The half of the specialists that wisely didn't attack Ranger, went for Priestess instead, but fared no better. She blinded them with Holy Light, but they shielded their eyes and retreated to the woods until the light faded. When they returned, Priestess put up Protection and charged through the barrier at full speed, sending a couple of them flying, impaled another with her sword, and the few survivors threw several blades at her, which bounced off the horse's armor and her dress, and she charged at them again...then the ones Ranger were fighting charged to help their comrades, only for Ranger for gun them down, and saw the few specialists trip the horse and Priestess was sent to the ground, and the specialists stabbed the horse from underneath several times until it stopped moving.

Ranger then yelled in rage before latching onto the ground with his chains, and slingshot himself at the specialists, hitting one, and rode it along the ground as the specialist beneath him dug through the earth as they went, then Ranger turned to the others and harpooned one, slammed him into the others, and the ground over and over until he was nothing but paste. The last specialist tried to run, only for Ranger to shoot his feet out from under him, then jumped up and slammed down with his gauntlets morphed and super-heated, splattering the specialist all over the place. He then stood there huffing as he tried to get control over his wrath. Once he finally did, he turned to his horse, and saw Priestess healing her and slowly walked over. "Is she...?"

"She's alive, but just barely..." Priestess said with her own grief barely contained and Ranger sighed in relief.

"At least she's still alive..." He whispered.

"She's not going to be able to be ridden for some time though." Priestess said honestly.

"Nevertheless, she's still alive, and can be helped. If the rest of you can help victims of the goblins, you can certainly help my horse." Ranger said.

"True." Priestess said.

"Let's just report back..." Ranger said and Priestess opened a portal back to Water Town with Ranger carrying the unconscious horse on his shoulders as he put her in the shed.

---

Meanwhile, Cow Girl went straight to working with the team, starting with her and Dwarf Rifleman getting upgrades to their rifles from the Wizard siblings, with both of them getting their weight reduced, their self-maintenance enchantments being put on the most critical parts, and D.R. insisted on his rifle's type remaining the same, despite the advantages of Cow Girl's type, since his rifle was special to him. Using alchemy on enchanted weapons was tricky, but once the enchantment was removed and then put back on, it was cake. The Wizards would've done both earlier, but they had alot of research to do, and Cow Girl didn't have time to wait for them, plus she thought the enchantments were enough at the time. Cow Girl even tried using the same detachable axeblade that D.R. used, and saw why he liked it so much right away.

Her armor already had the absorption and morphing ability that came standard with their armor, but a magic-defense enchantment, and the instillation of an alchemical property that disguised her scent and muffled her movements were a shoo-in for goblin-slaying quests, for obvious reasons; they didn't go on any goblin slaying quests directly, but that didn't mean they were never going to, and she was still the least-prepared for it. Granted that was saying much but still...although, those enhancements weren't a bad idea for the rest of the team's armors, especially GS'; even though his armor let him overpower even hell goblins with ease, and crushed a whole slew of them in the Lizard people's homeland, his stealth was still a factor that needed to be thought of.

She went with Wizard to test her new rifle in a maze full of different types of dummies: the stone ones were her targets, and the rubber ones were innocent bystanders which obviously should be spared. She then went with D.R. who joined her, and the two went from one room to another, taking turns leading the way through the maze. For extra measure, D.R. yelled at the rubber dummies to get on the ground, then simulated them following his orders by putting them on the ground himself. When they reached the final room, Cow Girl unloaded a burst of bullets into the last group of stone dummies and that was it. She then went to Wizard and asked for a way to make her rifle extend or retract for long-range shooting, or close-quarters...and for the chance to do that again because of how much fun the maze was. Even Summoner took a break from translating the pieces of demonic text to watch her with a proud smile on his face, which she returned.

Cow Girl even went to the guards' training grounds to see the spearmen train with their testudo formations, and on her own time, morphed a spear and shield of her own, and copied their formations, as well as get a feel for how to thrust with a spear properly. She wasn't likely to use that tactic against goblins very often, but it was still better to have it and not need it...but then again, she could get use out of it to kill a hob or something; they don't often come in numbers. She tried moving from side-to-side, and back and forth over and over, using the same footwork she practiced with Fighter, and even tried killing some imaginary goblins with her spear and shield, but imaginary fighting was no substitute for the real thing.

When she was done there, she went straight to the rest of the team for training, and ran into Fighter who finished up her teachings with the final and most secretive method of unarmed fighting: hitting the body's weak points. At first, Cow Girl was pretty uneasy about the idea, but when Fighter mentioned that she incapacitated several innocent people before her fight with the archdemon without serious harming or killing them, Cow Girl was hooked on it right away...especially since she figured out how useful it would be against a hob or something, like jamming her sword into it's knees to set it up for a finishing blow...like how Fighter involuntarily did on her first quest with Ranger. Cow Girl even worked on magic traps, and summoning elementals, but only the trap that lets you launch anyone caught in them was simple enough, and summoning water elementals was appealing to her...she even figured out that the trap that launched anyone caught could be used by her to jump higher than normal; Ranger would be so proud...

The two then fetched Fighter's baby, and left to find the official training grounds, to see Ranger's dad training more of the recruits, then had Cow Girl try an obstacle course similar to the one Ranger had the rookies try a year ago, and Cow Girl was pretty daunted at first since she wasn't that used to going up and down and side to side so much all at once, but when Ranger's dad mentioned that Ranger went through similar training since he was six, Cow Girl bucked up right away; she always prided herself on being tougher than she looked...and she did not disappoint. Even the rookies, who predictably were feasting on her image with their eyes, were snapped back to reality when she swung from one bar to another, jumped from one panel to another, or walk along a thin plank to get to the other side. Although...apparently she got heavier overtime since the plank wasn't very stable as she walked across it. Even though she was still pretty thick-skinned, it was clear-as-day that her extra weight came from how much strength-training she did; muscle weighs more than fat does afterall. Plus...working on a farm for years on end would do that to a girl's body. Fighter meanwhile just sat there watching the girl show her stuff.

Afterwards, the ladies sat down to watch the rest of the team do their own things with the rookies, and observed Rhea Fighter sparring with Warrior...and using her smaller size against her larger opponent by weaving around his assaults with jumps, flips, ducks, and by spinning around him as Warrior basically chased after her the whole time. Granted, Warrior's movements individually covered more ground, which evened the odds decently well. H.E. Druid even got involved and used her bow as a flail by breaking the shaft apart at the center and the string was used to swing the ends around as she lashed at both of them as they teamed up against her. Cow Girl and Fighter just sat there and watched her keep up with the two without even wearing any super armor herself.

"You want to hold my daughter?" Fighter asked.

"O.k." Cow Girl said while smiling at the baby. "Hello."

"Hello." The baby said as Cow Girl kissed her forehead and let the baby play with her fingers.

"How's your training going?" Fighter asked.

"I wish I had my new rifle when we were retaking this place, but the next time I face the goblins...well, I almost feel sorry for them. Almost..." Cow Girl said.

"With what I've seen, they won't stand a chance, especially since I can tell you're not done." Fighter said.

"Oh I'm nowhere near done, and when I am, I'm going with Goblin Slayer to the Goblin Overlord's place, and kick every little green ass in sight, right sweetheart?" Cow Girl asked as she ran her finger over the baby's cheek, which made her coo, and Cow Girl couldn't help but giggle at her before kissing her forehead.

"You're probably sick of hearing this but, seriously...you're going to make a great mother." Fighter said as she put her hand on Cow Girl's shoulder and shared a smile with her.

"Thanks." She said softly before looking back at the baby. "I remember being there when she was born...how you looked after seeing her despite all the pain giving birth to her made you suffer."

"Believe me, the pain doesn't hold a drop of water compared to seeing my little girl." Fighter said seriously.

"I might ask Goblin Slayer to give me a baby when this is over." Cow Girl said thoughtfully.

"Well...he'd be a damn fool not to. You've known each other who knows how long, your looks speak for themselves, you obviously care about him, and he cares about you, you even became an adventurer just to fight by his side..." Fighter said and Cow Girl smiled.

"I suppose you're right..." She said softly.

"Seriously. From where I'm standing, you have as much of a chance of being the mother of Goblin Slayer's child as I did with being the mother of that cherub you're holding right now." Fighter said.

"How does her father handle her?" Cow Girl asked and Fighter sighed dreamily.

"Every time we come home form a serious mission...the look on his face alone makes everything worth it." She said.

"In that case, I regret doubting him..." Cow Girl said, before the two ladies looked back at the match to see what was going on, and H.E. Druid was still flailing at her two opponents until she tried up Rhea Fighter and Warrior's arms, jumped over them, and won the match by tying the two of them together.

"Pop quiz: what has two thumbs and just mopped the floor with a Gold Rank and a Bronze Rank at the same time?" H.E. Druid asked.

"All hail the Silver Ranked princess..." Warrior groaned before H.E. Druid untied them.

"You're not mad because I floored you are you?" She asked.

"Lady, I beat the Hero fair and square; it'll take more than this to sour my mood." Warrior said.

"You beat her, but not a Silver Rank...I don't know if that makes you, or her more dubious." H.E. Druid said.

"What does that dwarf see in you...?" Warrior deadpanned.

"Probably that I'm charming, clever, and radiant enough to be my own star." H.E. Druid said casually.

"You also clearly don't favor the taste of humble pie..." Rhea Fighter said.

"I'm just pulling your chains you two. I know this isn't that serious. Honestly..." H.E. Druid said as she left the arena and joined the two ladies with the baby.

"Good show." Fighter said.

"Think you can do the same thing with your chakras opened?" H.E. Druid asked.

"Her or me?" Fighter asked and H.E. Druid looked right at her.

"You taught her?" She asked.

"Of course I did; it's a useful power, and since anyone can use it...well, do the math." Fighter said.

"Yeah, I could take on Ranger with it remember?" Cow Girl asked.

"Hard not to..." H.E. Druid deadpanned.

"Anyway, either of us could probably do the same. Want to try it out?" Fighter asked.

"No thanks, I did plenty of training already. Now I just want to stay here and hold this little cherub here." Cow Girl said as she held the baby closer.

"Careful, that's my niece your smothering." Warrior said as he and Rhea Fighter approached.

"Oh stop, she'll be fine." Cow Girl said.

"Maybe with this she might be." Rhea Fighter said as she pointed to the strength-boosting necklace Fighter gave her.

"You know, I completely forgot I gave that to you..." Fighter said.

"Says the lady that wore it for months on end." Warrior said.

"The lady that wore it for months on end a year ago, and did all kinds of mind-occupying bullshit for ages since giving it away." Fighter said bluntly and everyone stared at her.

"Good point..." Warrior said.

"Anyway...I'd like to take her back home, and yes you can come with us and hold her as well." Fighter said as she stood up with Cow Girl following her lead.

"See you later." H.E. Druid said as she watched the two human ladies leave, and when they got to the manor...Fighter's heart sank when she witnessed Ranger carrying his horse and putting her in the shed, and took rushed to see him, with Cow Girl of course taking her time since...she was holding precious cargo.

"What happened?!" Fighter asked and Ranger threw down a piece of what she recognized as a specialist's outfit.

"We got jumped by a squad of specialists, after we dealt with some bounty hunters. Those assholes even tried to kill my horse and were this close to doing so!" He exclaimed.

"No..." Fighter whispered as she watched her husband pace back and forth trying to get a grip, and when he finally did, he looked up to see Cow Girl holding his child, then turned to Priestess.

"Where's the captain that thug spoke of?" He asked as Priestess used Vision.

"Right now he's moving towards an Evil Sect camp several miles from here." She said before Ranger thought for a moment.

"Details of their numbers?" He asked.

"Plenty of troops, a handful of acolytes led by a priest, and...a plethora of goblins...!" Priestess said.

"I was afraid you'd say that." Fighter said.

"Are they together, and are there any hostages in either case?" Ranger asked.

"They're in different places, and there are a few hostages with the Evil Sect, and I can't tell if there's any with the outlaws...although there's plenty of cloned women with the goblins." Priestess said somberly and Ranger sighed.

"Should I get the Hero's team involved Your Grace?" Cow Girl asked.

"Definitely." Priestess said as Cow Girl gave Fighter her daughter back.

"Wait...have Goblin Slayer go with you to deal with the goblins. Tell him to observe your progress, and only get involved as a last resort, and I don't think I need to tell you why." Ranger said.

"No you don't." Cow Girl said as she ran off.

"I'll check in with the Hero myself as well." Ranger said.

"Are you sure you can handle whatever you may see given what happened to your horse?" Priestess asked and Ranger sighed.

"I already got my revenge; whatever the Evil Sect is doing now, is just them cutting their own throats, nothing more." He said simply.

"Alright." Priestess said.

"What about the rest of us?" Fighter asked.

"You should stay ready, and get in as much more practice and research as possible; I have a sense we will need every last ounce we can get our hands on. Besides, who knows how many more goblins nests are out there." Ranger said.

"Right, well before I do anything, I'm going inside to spend some time with our daughter." Fighter said.

"Alright..." Ranger whispered as he watched his two favorite girls go inside before sitting down with his still-unconscious horse.

"The Earth Mother is with her; she'll pull through." Priestess said softly.

"Well, until she does...I'm going to give the Evil Sect what's coming to them." Ranger said as he turned to leave.

---

When he got to where the Hero's team was...he saw Wizard using Mana Bolt, just like Sage did, and they each blew up a group of rock dummies with Wizard laughing at the damage she said...and her brother tried his own Mana Bolt, and got the same result.

"Hey, the other Platinum Rank has arrived." Hero said dramatically as Ranger approached.

"How would you like to give the rest of the Evil Sect a taste of their own medicine?" He asked.

"Say what?" Hero asked.

"Me and Her Grace got ambushed by their lackeys, and they nearly killed my horse." Ranger said.

"Are you all o.k.?" Sword Saint asked.

"Yes, but now Her Grace found the leader of some thugs who tried to collect a giant bounty on our heads, and the remnants of the Evil Sect who attacked this city were behind it, and Goblin Slayer is taking the farm girl I've been training to deal with the goblins they're harboring. Meanwhile, I'm going after the Evil Sect. You with me?" Ranger asked.

"A chance to knock some Evil Sect heads? Hell yeah we're in!" Hero said.

"Alright...good luck boss, and company." Wizard said and Hero pouted at her, and Wizard smirked in response. When the four-person team went back to the manor, they actually witnessed Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric helping some workers sort out some supplies...and not just with their hands, but their brains as well.

"...and make sure that the lighter ones are on top of the heavier ones; we don't need anything getting crushed. You there, don't take more than one at a time; stability takes priority over amount." R.W. said as the workers carried out his orders.

"The rest of you, focus on your own piece of the pie." A.C. said as some workers stopped watching the others and got back to their own tasks.

"Nice to see them moving up. You three go ahead, I'll catch up." Ranger said as he went into the warehouse...and the workers were more motivated as soon as they saw him.

"Ranger! Didn't know you were coming." R.W. said.

"Neither did I; I just noticed that you two were moving up." Ranger said.

"Believe it or not, this is hardly the first time we did this. Well, it's our first time leading a project, but we've gotten involved in several over the last several months." R.W. said.

"You know, I never asked you what the two of you were doing did it?" Ranger asked.

"Well, for starters, we've been training just like you and your team showed us, and we mostly put those skills to use on bounty-hunting quests. You know, putting the bad guys behind bars, that sort of thing." R.W. said.

"That's cute; my wife kicked the shit out of a crime lord." Ranger said dryly.

"She's Gold Ranked; of course she did." R.W. said.

"I also took his fortress as now Goblin Slayer lives in it." Ranger said.

"Anyway...I also put that greatsword you gave me to goo use, but I'm not comfortable using something that prevents me from using a shield, so I almost never use it, unless it's for training, then I use it alot." R.W. said.

"Well, I'm glad I could give you a hand in at least one way. I'm sure the War God was pleased with me for it as well." Ranger said.

"Speaking of which-" Ranger cuts R.W. off.

"I'm not vouching for you; go through the trials like everyone else." He said.

"Actually I was just going to ask how far along you are in the amount of power you can get from him." R.W. said.

"There's...really no limit, aside from the amount you can handle, and since discipline is a requirement for getting on the War God's good side...that's saying quite a bit." Ranger said before looking around.

"You really know how to get people moving..." R.W. said.

"They're mostly likely trying to impress the only other Platinum Rank in the country." Ranger said.

"Or they're worried you might kick their asses if they slip up." R.W. said.

"If they pull any stunts, I'll definitely kick their asses." Ranger said as he eyeballed some of the workers who got back to work vigorously, much to his amusement. "Supreme help me...I'm beginning to think instilling fear is starting to go to my head..."

"As long as you don't start chopping people heads off until you're blue in the face, you shouldn't have too much to worry about." A.C. said and Ranger chuckled.

"Thick chance of that happening." He said.

"Alright then. Now get back out there and crack some more goblin heads. As for you..." A.C. trailed off as she took R.W.'s arm and got a smile out of him.

"I'll...leave you two quartermasters alone..." Ranger said as he turned to leave but stopped.

"Wait, what do you mean "quartermasters"?" R.W. asked.

"I was joking, but that means an officer who overlooks logistics." Ranger said.

"I know that much, but...it wasn't really expected." R.W. said.

"A mystery that effortlessly escapes my attention... also, yes I know you two are a thing, and I can guess how far you went; I'm married myself afterall." Ranger said before he left to leave the two with their supervision, and when he reached his home, his three female teammates were waiting with Priestess.

"Ready ladies...and gentleman?" Hero asked.

"Of course we are." Sage said.

"Your Grace?" Ranger asked before Priestess opened a portal, then tossed the gem over to Ranger.

"We've got to get one of those ourselves." Hero said.

"What about Elder Revenant's scythes? They can open portals-" Hero cuts Sword Saint off.

"Not the same thing!" She snapped before Cherub showed up.

"Did someone say portal gem?" He asked before spawning one and tossing it over to Hero and poofing away.

"Easiest request ever..." Hero said before they went through the portal.

---

The four-person team went through, and saw a fortress built into the side of a mountain across a plain, as well as a convoy of horses and carts heading towards a palisade wall in the woods, and they took cover in some bushes, and behind some trees.

"I don't believe it...they set up a small fort right under our noses." Sword Saint said.

"Either that, or that's just a checkpoint. Either way, we'll most likely find the person we're after in there." Sage said.

"You sure?" Hero asked.

"Vision is never wrong. At worst, it shows you only some of the picture, but never falsehoods." Sage said.

"Then let's bust in and grab this captain of theirs." Hero said.

"No...stealth is the watch word." Ranger said simply.

"We actually discussed that on multiple occasions." Sage said.

"And?" Ranger asked.

"Making noise tends to draw attention towards us, but away from any hostages." Sword Saint said.

"Do you know any hostages are in there? Did you check?" Ranger asked.

"No." Sword Saint said.

"Then stealth is the watch word." Ranger said seriously.

"Alright Mister I-was-trained-from-birth-to-be-a-ranger, tell us what to do!" Hero snapped.

"Technically I was trained since early childhood." Ranger said.

"Whatever!" Hero said and Ranger looked down at the convoy, which stopped at the entrance.

---

"The captain's going to have our nuts being being late..." a terrorist said as he approached a group of them.

"Who gives a fuck? As long as we get our full day's pay." Another said as Ranger scaled up the wall with his morphed claws, snapped a guard's neck...and hid the body.

"Well, if he gets on us for anything, it's your hide he's getting, not mine." Another terrorist said as Ranger absorbed the weapons off the dead guards looked around the two towers on the sides, but found nothing noteworthy.

"Wait, did you secure the gates?" Another asked.

"Against what? We're the only people out here." The first said.

"Just keep an eye peeled for anything suspicious." Another said...before Ranger morphed his auto crossbow and riddled them with bolts until they all dropped dead several times over.

"Like that...?" He asked before opening the gates for the ladies.

"Nice line..." Sword Saint said dryly.

"Hey, humor is a hell of a medicine." Ranger said.

"Man's got a point." Sage said as Ranger looked over his crossbow.

"I cannot remember the last time I used bad I didn't leave any alive; good luck getting info out of a dead person." Ranger said as he eyeballed the dead guards and took the bolts back.

"Did you have to make such a mess though?" Hero asked as he absorbed them into his armor.

"I did that on purpose, because I want any of their fellow guards that show up see what happened to their comrades. Think about it: if you're a regular grunt and you're going after someone, and they leave a trail of bodies that look...less than pristine, chances are you're going to think twice before messing with them." Ranger said.

"True as that may be, it also does a number on the minds of your own comrades; terror tactics tend to not care about who sees them." Sage said.

"Not to mention this isn't what heroes do." Hero said seriously.

"Lady...I'm a servant of the War God; traditional heroism means almost nothing to me." Ranger said as he walked off.

"Well...that's one deity I don't want to follow..." Hero said and Ranger stopped cold.

"I don't follow the War God to wage wars, but to end them; if I have to fight unfairly, then so be it. Besides...this is hardly the worst thing I've done." He said.

"Wait...you said that before. What are you not telling us?" Sword Saint asked and got no answer. "Ranger...?"

"Let's just get through this first..." Ranger said.

"Fine...but you're not off the hook yet mister." Hero said as they followed Ranger down the road...and stuck to the forest on the sides of the road until they got to another palisade, and just like before, Ranger climbed the wall with his claws, then picked off the guards with his crossbow...and one actually spotted him only to get a bolt through his face. He then of course absorbed their weapons and the heaviest pieces of armor he could before breaking open the door for the ladies. "Why not just break dow-"

"What part of "stealth" do you not understand?" Ranger asked.

"Well, it's starting to get old...fast." Hero said.

"Heaven forbid you hunt goblins then." Ranger said.

"Let's just keep going. I can sense at least two more checkpoints ahead." Sage said, before the group walked on...and they saw she was right; there were two more checkpoints...and they fell just like the last ones. After dealing with the first one, and Ranger was about to open the last gate...Hero blasted down the gate with her sword and knocked Ranger down.

"What the hell?!" He exclaimed.

"I'm sick of leaving you to do everything while we stand around like nitwits!" Hero said.

"You could've killed or at least injured me." Ranger said seriously as he stood up.

"You'll be fine; you always are." Hero said simply.

"This also means that those bandits will likely be alerted to-" Sword Saint shut up the moment a barrage of arrows came at them, and Ranger morphed a greatsword to block them with the flat of the blade as Sword Saint deflected them.

"Well, stealth is officially dead in the ground." Hero said dryly.

"Wait...this is perfect. You three create a distraction, while I sneak in and look for their boss." Ranger said.

"As long as you don't leave enough life in him to talk." Hero said.

"Oh ye of little faith..." Sword Saint said.

"Just get going." Sage said as Ranger ran into the woods, and skirted around the back, and climbed up the wall as he watched the three ladies hold their ground as the outlaws surrounded them. He then continued to climb up the wall as he eventually heard gunshots...and what he recognized were Mana Bolts explosions; the former coming before the latter signaled that the Hero's group was still alive.

He then continued to sneak through the fortress and saw outlaws rush through the hallways in droves as they went to man their defenses...before Ranger jumped out and used his longswords to rapidly butcher the ones who gets close and even fling their pieces across the room, and break the blades into whips to take down the ones at a longer distance. He severed limbs, and heads, cut throats, abdomens, and chests open, and even tied legs up and tripped them before stomping their brains in.

Eventually, he switched to arm and leg blades, as Fighter would use before he heard more footsteps, and hid in a wardrobe...before another group of outlaws showed up and the sight of their torn-apart comrades horrified them to the point where some couldn't move, and others actually threw up. Their fears were short-lived as Ranger burst out of the wardrobe, and their panicked screams were replaced with the sounds of their own bodies being rent and their bones being shattered as he rushed through the room with enough speed that the outlaws who had a legitimate chance to do something couldn't tell what was going on.

After the massacre, Ranger took off down a hallway, and peeked around the wall when he heard a discussion...

"What's going on out there? Sounds like a fucking war is going on..." An outlaw said.

"There might very well be; I heard the boss going apeshit a while ago over how how something strange was going on and needed to be looked into." Another outlaw said.

"Shit...hope it's not the Hero and her two groupies." The first outlaw said before a third sitting in a chair sighed.

"Always wanted to fuck her...and now, she's here to fuck us." He said...then Ranger launched a blade at him, which tore into the side of his head, then did the same to the other two before looking the place over: it was a small kitchen. He then gathered as much of the food as he could, stored them in bags he found around the place, used the portal gem to take the food to his manor's kitchen, then absorbed the kitchenware before moving then got to a door with chatter on the other side...

"...wonder why haven't those assholes come here yet?!" A man asked.

"I don't know boss." An outlaw said.

"Then go find out!" The boss exclaimed.

"Right. Men! Come with me!" The outlaw said and Ranger heard their rapid footsteps approach and Ranger hid, and followed them as they went down the hallway he just came down...and they found the three dead guards. "What the-?!"

"Behind us!" An outlaw yelled...just in time for Ranger to put a crossbow bolt through his neck, then the other outlaws charged at him, only for Ranger to kick some down the stairs they went up, and bowled over several outlaws behind them, and got a few laughs out of it, then jumped to the roof, and pushed off of it, to land behind two more outlaws with crossbows, then jammed a blade on the tip of his elbows out their chests, through their backs. He then punched one in the chest hard enough to cave in his ribcage, spin-kicked two more in the face hard enough to break their necks and cave in their skulls.

He then morphed a greatsword and bisected no less than five outlaws with one swing, before impaling another through the gut and flinging him across the room into the wall. He then grabbed a charging outlaw by the face and slammed him into the ground once to stun him, then another time to cave in the back of his head. Eventually, only one terrified survivor armed with a crossbow remained and eyeballed Ranger who stood up straight and looked right at him as if daring him to shoot him...only for the outlaw to drop his weapon and put his open hands out to the sides.

"I surrender..." He said nervously.

"Smart move." Ranger said dryly as the outlaw, then Ranger himself looked over the carnage.

"How...? How did..." The outlaw trailed off.

"My armor let's me keep pace with vampires, and I've done nothing but upgrade it since I encountered them." Ranger said as the outlaw gulped. "Where can I find some decent weapons?"

"W-what do you need them for?" The outlaw asked.

"A purpose I believe in, now...I'm not going to ask you again." Ranger said.

"R-right this way..." The outlaw said as he reached for this crossbow, then stopped cold before looking at Ranger again, who just glanced at him, then the outlaw simply led him down a hallway, with Ranger holding his crossbow. Eventually, they reached a room full of weapons of every type.

"See? Just like I said..." The outlaw said...before Ranger sprouted chains out of his armor as he absorbed the weapons into his armor.

"Alright..." Ranger said as the outlaw stood there with his jaw dropped. "Now you know how I upgrade my armor."

"You're...going to let me go now, right?" The outlaw asked.

"Sure. Let's go find your boss, and you can be on your way." Ranger said calmly as the outlaw eased up and led him to the door to he room he heard their leader talk to the others in...only to find Hero and company there taking a breather. "Where did you come from? You're supposed-" Hero cuts him off.

"We took care of every half-wit who attacked us, and we're fine thanks for asking. And what's he doing here?" She asked.

"We made a deal: he leads me around, and I spare his life." Ranger said.

"O...k..." Sword Saint said.

"Now, where's your boss now?" Ranger asked.

"Just through those doors, but there's alot of things to worry about in there." The outlaw said.

"Like traps? Not a problem..." Sage said.

"Yes, there's even some gold in it for you in the cabinet in the room over there." The outlaw said.

"Really? Let's go see." Ranger said as they went down through another door...and there were no less than four chest full of gold coins there. "How did you get all of this?"

"I don't know for sure; maybe the boss knows?" The outlaw said.

"Maybe..." Ranger said.

"Please...please let me go now..." The outlaw said but Ranger gripped his shoulder.

"Not so fast...murder, torture, sexual violence, abduction...are you guilty of any of those four crimes?" He asked seriously.

"No- no..." The outlaw said...before Ranger jammed a morphed knife into the back of his head and tossed the body away.

"Liar..." He said coldly.

"You promised you'd spare him!" Hero snapped.

"First off, I promised nothing; our deal was he leads me around, and I spare him, and that was done. Secondly and more importantly...he was lying; it was written all over his face, and his voice was too unsteady. Lastly, he knows too much about my abilities." Ranger said.

"Still..." Hero said.

"Still nothing. He was a foe, and needed to be dealt with, simple as that." Ranger said.

"How can you be so heartless? What would Fighter say-" Ranger cuts Hero off.

"Leave my wife out of this!." He snapped before getting a grip. "She knows how heartless I can be; she even expressed concern for the darkness in my heart consuming me, but I promised I would never be worse than I was when she married me, and Hell will freeze over and I will ice-skate with the Demon Lord before I break a promise to her. Do not forget that..."

"That doesn't change the fact you're playing a dangerous game, with your own heart!" Sword Saint exclaimed and Ranger sighed.

"O.k...all three of you listen to me, and listen good, because I'm sick of telling this story. Wrath is not a positive thing no, but if it's controlled, and the person with that control is skilled enough to let it out in precise, and powerful ways, especially in the middle of intense combat, then there's nothing to worry about, especially since I have friends that are so closely-knit with me that there's practically zero chance of that darkness I mentioned taking me over. On that note...do you really think I'm smart enough to think of the plan that crippled the vampire queen's power, before we ourselves finished her off, yet I'm not smart enough to abandon the War God's path...before I get this far?" Ranger asked and the ladies just stared at him, or looked around. "That's what I thought..."

"Just how much does your team know about this?" Sage asked.

"They've seen my rampages first-hand...and never once expressed concern for their safety, only for my mental state, which I cleared up with them, at least for the most part. Hell, even the fucking Sword Maiden expressed her concern for me, and how proud she was of my discipline!" Ranger said before getting a grip. "Sorry for snapping, but I really am sick of talking about this..."

"Well, just promise us the same thing you promised them." Hero said and Ranger stared at her.

"You heard me mention the Sword Maiden right? If she believes in me, why won't you?" He asked.

"Right..." Hero whispered before Ranger opened a portal to the manor. "What are you doing?"

"Taking the spoils of war." Ranger said before grabbing a chest and shoving it through the portal, then went for the others.

"First we overtake this place, now you're robbing it?" Sage asked as Ranger shoved another chest through.

"Not the first time...won't be the last..." He said as he pushed the last one through and closed the portal.

"Why do you even need all that coin?" Hero asked.

"I don't; I'm going to give it to some people who could use it more." Ranger said seriously.

"Well, good on you then." Sword Saint said honestly.

"I may have a greedy streak, but I completely disagree with the notion of acquiring things for the sake of it..." Ranger said.

"Let's just get the outlaw's leader and get out of here..." Hero said as she led the way to the door he went through...then sliced it down and rushed in...and found no one, then Ranger used Life Sight.

"The outlaws are in their defensive positions outside." He said.

"Maybe they think we're surrounding the place and are too scared to make a break for it." Sage said.

"Most likely...the boss is a few floors beneath us." Ranger said.

"Lead the way." Sage said as Ranger took off...and after about a minute of rapidly and pointlessly searching multiple rooms, he eventually got to a room with an iron door on the floor. He then ripped it open and then dropped down the ladder, making every outlaw in the area flinch.

"What the hell-!" The boss exclaimed then shut up the moment Ranger morphed his guns and bashed one outlaw's skull in...before grabbing his corpse and using it as a human shield as he gunned down the rest of the outlaws who shot arrows at him, and then threw the corpse at the boss' feet. "Who are you!?"

"I'm your mark..." Ranger said as the boss scrambled back.

"The Rang-" The boss shut up as Ranger grabbed him and threw him into the wall. "I know your M.O. I haven't done anything you haven't."

"You did plenty of things I haven't!" Ranger growled before throwing the boss into a bunch of crates, then pinning him to the ground with his boot. "I don't recall having recruited a band of sadists and murderers, and the Evil Sect put a bounty on my head, as well as the heads of my friends and family, that you were trying to collect, despite all the people who rely and cherish us! Now who's the dead piece of shit who placed that bounty on us in the first place, and where is he?"

"I don't keep an eye on those creeps, and it's hardly my fault they aren't fond of you." The boss said before Ranger grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall.

"You're testing my patience..." Ranger said coldly.

"L-look...all I know is that...there's an outpost...in the mountain nearby...the Evil Sect have...well, ever since you're band of merry fellows kicked their asses...they've been growing desperate..." The boss said before Ranger dropped him and let him catch his breath, and Ranger himself stood there thinking. "They have some going-ons there most like...and before you ask...no, I don't know any details. I guess we weren't important enough to be in the know."

"For once...I agree with them." Ranger said before the boss chuckled.

"We're still more useful than that little wench who can only hope to replace the Sword Maiden..." He spat out...before Ranger shoots him in the head as the ladies approached.

"We're done here." Ranger said.

"We could've gotten more out of him." Sword Saint said.

"Don't tell me you condone-" Ranger cuts Hero off.

"He said there's an outpost not far from here, and I believe him." He said as he climbed the ladder back out of the cave they were in.

"Well, that's all well and good, but we still have the rest of those bandits to deal with." Sword Saint said before she noticed a dark green cloud swirling around his hand.

"Not for long..." Ranger said.

"Wait...you're not going to use Pestilence are you?" Hero asked.

"Not while we're in here; in case you forgot, that miracle can't tell friend from foe." Ranger said seriously.

"Actually, that was never established." Sword Saint said.

"Nevermind then..." Ranger deadpanned as they climbed up a ladder that got up to the top of a tower...and they all saw the outlaws pointing rifles, crossbows, and bows over the edges of the walls, while others searched the place with their melee weapons...and like the boss said, there was a building in the distance next to the mountain...with a man-made pit not far from it. "Well, looks like the intel was solid..."

"Alright...just gas this place and let's go save some people." Hero said and Ranger sucked in a breathed and steeled himself.

"Pestilence..." He whispered before unleashing a plume of dark green smoke all over the grounds below, and the outlaws all screamed in fear, before they started coughing, sneezing, puking, and groaning.

"Sheez..." Sword Saint groaned as they all looked at the horrors inflicted on the outlaws below.

"Why did the War God give you a power this nasty?" Hero asked.

"No idea...but there's a reason disease is nothing to laugh at." Ranger said before Sage opened a portal.

"Just make sure you keep it on a leash." She said.

"Of course...but for the record, I was going to use my new Meteor power to flatten this place, but I want to come back and continue looting the place." Ranger said.

"Whatever floats your boat you sick bastard..." Hero said as they went through the portal.

---

Meanwhile, Guild Girl was at Water Town's guild hall going through some paperwork for...a ton of people, and got halfway through before groaning and putting her head down...until she heard footsteps, looked up, and her face lit up like a torch.

"Summoner!" She exclaimed.

"Hey baby." He said softly.

"What are you doing here?" Guild Girl asked.

"I just came to see you." Summoner said.

"Well...I'm working." Guild Girl said seriously.

"Which is why I waited until you had a moment...and apparently I'm in time for a quest involving a headache removal." Summoner said and Guild Girl smiled at his quip before turning somber again.

"You're actually right. Even with over a dozen co-workers, I'm still swamped; just getting started was a pain in the neck. Things may have been tense in the frontier, but at least the workload was manageable." She said.

"I feel your pain; I just came here from translating no less than 20 pieces of not-that-small texts and it was all in the demon's language, some of which involved words I've never seen before, and don't get me started on how...twisted the text itself was." Summoner said.

"I'm alittle afraid to ask..." Guild Girl said.

"All I'm going to say is that I had to step back from it because of how queasy I got, and I work with this kind of thing for a living. To make matters worse...I'm not even close to done." Summoner said and Guild Girl leaned back in a chair behind her. "So...is that headache-removal quest open?"

"Yes..." Guild Girl whispered before Summoner went behind the desk, got on his knees, and hugged her. She immediately eased up, and eventually returned the embrace, and the two simply sat there holding and occasionally shifting against each other.

"I can feel your tension fading..." Summoner whispered.

"Like I said before...I feel safe with you, from that rhea, goblins, even my personal demons." Guild Girl said softly.

"Fitting..." Summoner said and Guild Girl chuckled before snuggling into him.

"I love you..." She said.

"I love you too." Summoner said before pulling back, looking her in the face, then pressing his lips against hers without an ounce of force. She then held his face before breaking the kiss and the two shared a bright smile. "Dress or uniform, you're still as beautiful as ever."

"Thanks..." Guild Girl whispered as the two continued staring and smiling at each other.

"So...quest complete?" Summoner asked.

"Quest complete." Guild Girl said and Summoner's smile widened in amusement.

"Where's my reward?" He asked.

"Well...what else did the Sword Maiden share with you about-" Guild Girl shut up when Summoner put a finger on her lips.

"She doesn't need to tell me anything else, even if she paid me more than one visit." He said and Guild Girl looked at him funny. "I was also communing with the Love Goddess...and something occurred to me: I could probably take you, or Inspector into Limbo for a quick round of love-making."

"What?" Guild Girl asked.

"Just hear me out: in Limbo, no one can see, hear, feel, or even smell or taste us, and there's different levels of Limbo, some used by the demons, others by the angels...take a wild guess which one is safe and which isn't. I take us to the safe one? We can have as much sex as we went and no one will notice." Summoner said and Guild Girl looked around. "Relax, do you think I'm thoughtless enough to talk about something this personal in public? I knew there was no one else here before I showed up. Anyway, I actually discovered some things about why people do it in the first place, aside from having children."

"And?" Guild Girl asked and Summoner raised his eyebrows.

"Are you aware sex is...a painkiller and a half?" He asked.

"I can imagine." Guild Girl said.

"Yes, there were cases where people got rid of a headache, by doing the deed. I cannot make this up..." Summoner said and Guild Girl sighed.

"O.k...this all sounds very tempting, but I can't just leave." She said.

"You don't have to, and like I said: I'm just here to see you; everything else is a bonus...unless you want to try something in Limbo now?" Summoner asked seriously.

"While, I do appreciate the sentiment, and especially you stopping by, why not go see Inspector? She'll probably be glad to give you a round or two?" Guild Girl asked.

"She's with Her Grace about moving up in the church, and for the last time: I'm here to see you. No one else...besides, you're the one with a headache." Summoner said and Guild Girl smiled.

"I guess I could spare a minute..." She said sensually before Summoner looked around, then started quietly chanting and the place started warpping before becoming a bit brighter as she watched.

"Welcome to Limbo." Summoner said dramatically.

"So...what do you have in mind?" Guild Girl asked.

"The same thing I did with Inspector." Summoner said.

"Which is?" Guild Girl asked.

"Turn around, drop your skirt, and bend over..." Summoner said and Guild Girl did just that, and chuckled as her lover rubbed her hips, thighs, especially between them, and eventually her bottom. "I should pay tribute to the Love Goddess for blessing me with your hearts."

"Oh?" Guild Girl asked as her lover continued to rub her lovely buttocks.

"Yes...you and Inspector have absolutely gorgeous bodies..." Summoner said.

"I thought you had another thing in mind...?" Guild Girl asked as she turned to looked at him...and saw him get directly behind her, and plunge into her warm, swollen opening as she gasped in response as Summoner took his time mating with her. "Are you sure...no one can see or hear us...?"

"Completely...now, you have pleasure to focus on, and I have a headache to eliminate." Summoner breathed out as he continued moving in and out of her body while her deep breathes and faint gasps purred him on. He eventually reached into her blouse from underneath and squeezed her lovely breasts as she chuckled in response to her chest being played with. Her gasps turned into lustful moans as Summoner picked up enough speed and force to make ripples in the flesh of her buttocks and made delicious slapping sounds as he continued to please the full-figured, and adorable woman in front of him until she was brought to an orgasm...which was followed by his own when he pulled out of her then had a water elemental clean and stroke his manhood as he looked to see that he didn't burst inside her womb; he didn't drink any sterility potion and wasn't ready to be a father yet.

Guild Girl eventually recovered from the delirium her orgasm brought her and pulled her skirt up before Summoner helped her do it, and she smiled at his gesture before he helped her sit down, and brought hem back to the real world.

"Why thank you very much general..." She said sweetly while Summoner ran his hand over her braided hair.

"How's your head baby?" He asked.

"Much better now...thanks." Guild Girl said.

"You know...my head feels better too..." Summoner said before Guild Girl giggled and looked at him with bright eyes.

"Kiss me again..." She said softly before Summoner claimed her mouth with his own, not once, but twice while holding her close.

"Some people think that sex makes you less intelligent, but let me tell you right now: That's a myth; yes the idea can drain your focus, but in the long run, those are two different things. Sex before a fight is...well, that depends." He said.

"Good to know...I just hope you don't have to fight any demons after...this, and get hurt because of it." Guild Girl said somberly and Summoner smiled.

"You are so considerate...but that's why I love you." He said before caressing her face and kissing her again. "I'll be fine...just like you are now."

"Alright...now, other than see me, do you have any plans for what to do here?" Guild Girl asked

"Not really...but I have something for you." Summoner said before giving her a fish scale.

"That is one big scale..." Guild Girl said.

"It's from one of the leviathans Warrior killed." Summoner said and Guild Girl's eyes widened.

"Say what?" She asked.

"The scale taken from a denizen of the abyss, sanctified by Priestess, modified by me." Summoner said as Guild Girl put the scale in her pocket.

"You come up with some pretty interesting gifts." She said.

"First that silver brooch, now this; even Inspector has one of her own." Summoner said.

"I'll bet..." Guild Girl said.

"You know... I could probably give you a hand?" Summoner asked.

"You mean with work?" Guild Girl asked.

"I don't see why not?" Summoner said and Guild Girl sighed.

"As good as that sounds, I don't think this is your cup of tea." She said.

"Maybe not, but I could still stay here be here to make it less painful." Summoner said and Guild Girl giggled.

"You are so sweet..." She breathed out, and eventually she let go of her beloved demon hunter, who couldn't stop staring at her...until she looked back at her papers. "I should...probably get back to work."

"Alright, I'll go check on Inspector and come back later." Summoner said softly.

"Bye sweetheart..." Guild Girl said before Summoner gave her a quick but heart-melting kiss.

"Bye sweetheart..." He whispered before getting up to leave, and when he did...Guild Girl sucked in a breath, as the last bit of her headache vanished and she got back to work. Even the part that missed him was satisfied by the memory of their moment...then the door opened. "Goblin Slayer!"

"Hi." GS said as he approached the desk.

"What's new?" Guild Girl asked.

"Any news?" GS asked.

"Nothing about goblins luckily, but other than that, it seems those Evil Sect thugs took quite a bit of money from the city after all; paying the adventurers has been next to impossible as a result. Here's hoping Ranger, and the Hero's team get it back..." Guild Girl said.

"Right." GS said before pausing. "How are you?"

"Well...Summoner just left, and...o.k I'm just going to come out with it: you know I used to have feelings for you?" Guild Girl asked.

"Yes." GS said.

"Well now Summoner is with me, and I'm glad he is." Guild Girl said seriously.

"I see..." GS said and.

"I actually suffered from a headache awhile ago, and he just showed up and did what he could to get rid of it...and told me some things I think could be helpful later on." Guild Girl said.

"I see..." GS said.

"I'm not giving details though; that's private." Guild Girl said.

"I see..." GS said and Guild Girl facepalmed.

"So how are you and your farm girl friend getting along?" She asked.

"Quite well." GS said.

"So...what did you do during the festival?" Guild Girl asked.

"She took me swimming in the lake for one thing." GS said.

"You mean the same one those leviathans swam around in?" Guild Girl asked.

"They're all dead; we had nothing to be afraid of." GS said simply.

"Even still...so what else did you do?" Guild Girl asked.

"She leaned on me under the fireworks, and bought some things for the fort Ranger gave us, if we weren't training that is." GS said.

"Lucky you." Guild Girl said.

"She also brought up the idea of us having our own child." GS said and Guild Girl's eyes widened again.

"All this time, I never thought of you as a father." She said.

"Me neither..but until the goblins are dealt with, I will not be a father." GS said before turning to leave.

---

"Hey, it's my niece!" Warrior said as Fighter showed up with her baby.

"And her mommy." Fighter said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah whatever, just show me the little squirt." Warrior said.

"Wait until you have your own little squirt." Fighter said.

"Bring the Cambion here so I can kick his sorry ass." Warrior said,

"You'd need to be Platinum Rank just to have a chance remember?" Wizard asked.

"And we will be once we're done training." Warrior said seriously.

"How right you are." Fighter said...before GS showed up.

"Hey Goblin Slayer." Wizard said.

"Hey..." GS said.

"Where's your friend-?" Fighter shut up the moment Cow Girl showed up running towards GS.

"Goblin Slayer! I've been looking everywhere for you." She said.

"Why?" GS said.

"Goblins...Her Grace found a whole slew of them, in the same place Ranger and Hero are going." Cow Girl said.

"Let them deal with-" She cuts GS off.

"No, he specifically told me to get you so we can do it; they have their own missions." Cow Girl said.

"She has a point." Wizard said.

"Alright...let's go see Priestess and be on our way." GS said and Cow Girl looked at her teammates, who either shrugged, or encouraged her to follow him.

---

Eventually, they reached the Temple of Law's main chamber, where Priestess and Sword Mage were.

"...but those two Platinum Ranks who left the city should return with the lost funds sometime soon." Sword Mage said.

"I hope so. Far too many adventurers are driven by money instead of duty." Priestess said.

"Unlike yourself Your Grace." Sword Mage said with a bow.

"Yes...and the rest of my family." Priestess said softly, before noticing GS and Cow Girl approach. "Welcome back Goblin Slayer."

"I'm here for the goblins." GS said and Priestess facepalmed and laughed as him.

"I'm sorry but...that was the first time we met the Sword Maiden all over again, only this time...I'm was the archbishop instead of the one scrambling to keep her from being offended!" She said.

"Yeah...that is pretty funny." Cow Girl said with her own snicker.

"The goblins...?" GS asked as the two ladies continued laughing, and even Sword Mage's normal stoicism crumbled under the ridiculousness. Eventually Priestess finally got a grip and dried her eyes.

"Alright...Ranger and the Hero's team are dealing with the Evil Sect, but there's a series of underground tunnels that are being used to breed goblins." She said.

"And that's where we come in." Cow Girl said.

"Right..." Priestess said.

"How many goblins are there, and what types are there?" GS asked.

"From what I've counted, 73 goblins, ten hobs, five shamans, and a single champion." Priestess said and Cow Girl gulped.

"That's quite a bit for two people..." She said.

"Two people who are perfectly equipped to handle them; we've dealt with worse." GS said before Cow Girl got a grip.

"Right..." She said firmly, and Priestess gave her a sympathetic glance before Cow Girl sucked in a breath.

"Goblin Slayer...this is mostly for me to do. When we get to the goblins' home, let me handle them." She said firmly.

"Alright..." GS said before Priestess opened a portal to the inside of a cave, just inside the entrance and the two ladies looked at each other until Cow Girl morphed her mask and Priestess finally tossed the portal gem to her, as the portal closed behind the two goblin slayers.

"Let's go..." GS said as he took out a pair of torches, that use the same power as Holy Light, and gave one to Cow Girl as she pulled her rifle, and turned on the shotgun mod.

"Alright." She breathed out before taking her own torch in her spare hand and following GS down the cave. "Look at the size of these tunnels..."

"There's definitely a champion in here; only they're big enough for tunnels like this to be necessary." GS said as he led her down the tunnels, and the whole time she followed him, she recalled a discussion she and Ranger had at Summoner's fortress...

---

"...goblins may be small and flimsy by themselves, but that's why they don't fight fair, and don't fight alone; they always gang up on you. However, their bloodlust makes them reckless, and makes their defenses pitiful, not to mention like Goblin Slayer said, they're cowards by nature; if they see that their opponents are too damn powerful, especially if they see a champion die or at least get the shit kicked out of it, they'll turn tail and run full-speed out of the area, which gives you a golden opportunity to shoot them in he ass." Ranger said and Cow Girl giggled. "Anyway, there's another flaw in their strategy: it's not a strategy. I mean think about it, if you just headlessly charge across the battlefield and throw yourself at an enemy who...actually uses teamwork and a sensible degree of tactics...you would just be cut down."

---

Cow Girl's recall was interrupted when GS put his shield arm out in front of her...

"Use Life Sight to see what's ahead of us." He said and Cow Girl sucked in a breath before using Life Sight...

"There's multiple chambers, most have a few goblins, while others have lots of them...they also have women with them...and they're getting worked on." She said while shaking.

"How many are close by?" GS asked.

"At least a dozen. Why?" Cow Girl asked.

"Get ready..." GS said before he banged his torch against his shield several times then threw it into the middle of a four-way intersection and retreated.

"What are you doing?" Cow Girl asked.

"This is for you to do remember? And you have Life Sight; use it to fight according to where they come from..." GS said as he leaned against a wall with his arms crossed. Cow Girl was about to protest, but sighed instead before thinking over her lessons on unconventional warfare, then she psyched herself up and started clapping slowly at first, but more rapidly overtime, and she used Life Sight to see the goblins were on their way, and the moment she heard snarling coming from the side entrance, she pointed her shotgun at it...then several goblins jumped out and she unloaded two shells into them, which tore them all to bits. She then looked over her gun and marveled at the power shot enchantment...before more goblins appeared at her side and she shot them down as well, then more showed up to get shredded as well. Even a pair of hobs showed up at a distance, and she switched to her rifle mod and popped a storm of bullets into them, which tears apart their armor. Several goblins got too close so she morphed her rifle's axeblade and one by one, the goblins were chopped down.

The hobs then come at her, which makes her morph her heavy short sword, and jam it into one hob's knee, and then get grabbed by the other one, and thanks to the flexibility training she got with Fighter, she was able to jam the sharpened tip of her foot into it's throat, and then had to roll away as the other hob tried to backhand her, and since her rifle was too far away, she laid a magic trap, as the hob lunged at her...only to get launched into the ceiling, and get it's head caved in before falling down on top of some more goblins. Cow Girl actually got a good laugh out of it...then a shaman appeared and hit her with lightning that didn't harm her thanks to her anti-magic armor...but it did stun her enough for a hob to grab her and throw her across the cave into a wall, and she looked up just in time for goblins to jump on her, and try tearing her armor off.

She then had a flashback to the last time goblins tried to tear her clothes off...she knew what that meant afterall; she then recalled the horror story of when Sword Maiden was captured and violated by goblins one after another, and the goblins around her had the same thing in mind for her. She then recalled that GS was with her, the Sword Maiden saved her last time, and that she trained with Ranger and his team- no...his family, and the moment her fears were extinguished...her charkas opened and she yelled at the top of her voice as she threw every goblin around her off of her just by standing up. She then stomped on the heads of every goblin in sight, kicked them into the walls hard enough to make their bones shatter, punched the goblins who jumped at her with enough force to cave in their ribcages, then threw the dead bodies at other goblins. She even noticed the shaman charge up a lightning spell...then threw a live goblins at it to take the blast instead. She then tore a chunk of rock out of the wall and hurled it right at the shaman, hitting it right in the side of the torso as it tried to jump out of the way; she could hear it's ribs shattering from the other side of the cave.

Another hob barreled down the cave in the back with a couple dozen goblins behind it, but that didn't stop Cow Girl from charging right at it, and tackling it hard enough to make it's abdomen implode as it fell down dead, much to the horror of it's smaller cousins, as Cow Girl round kicked several goblins to death by shattering their heads, and grabbed two pouncing goblins, slammed them into each other before throwing their corpses at other goblins. GS watched the entire thing in awe as his childhood friend-turned-lover crushed the goblins in a berserk frenzy; she didn't even bother going for her discarded rifle or morph her sword, she only used her brute strength and newly-learned skills to tear the goblins apart. Eventually, she looked around to see the goblins were all dead before GS approached her with her rifle in hand as she snapped to look at him while still fuming. He then removed his helmet so she could see his concern, then calmed down right away.

"I'm sorry..." Cow Girl whispered before GS dropped her rifle at her feet and hugged her.

"Don't be..." He said before Cow Girl returned the hug.

"How hard was it to see me like that?" She asked.

"Not very; I knew you would come back to your senses, and your anger was completely justified." GS said as Cow Girl actually started weeping into his armored shoulder. He looked around for more goblins, but none came; he forgot she could sense trouble with her chakras opened, then he tightened the embrace. "I love you..."

"I love you too..." Cow Girl whispered before GS pulled back, looked at her miserable, tear-stained face, and kissed her passionately with neither one caring for the dozens of dead goblins surrounding them. When she broke the kiss she morphed a tissue, dried her eyes, re-absorbed the tissue and got a hold of herself before picking up her gun. "Weep now, fight later...well, later is now."

"Right..." GS said before grabbing her torch and giving it to her as she led them to the next chamber, with GS looking at the dead.

"42 goblins, one shaman, three hobs..." He said before Cow Girl stopped suddenly.

"Goblin Slayer...some of those goblins had blood around their mouths...does that means what I think it means?" She said nervously.

"Most likely; some of them probably had full stomachs, and it's not hard to figure out what they ate..." GS said.

"There's plenty more in the next chamber...and the champion is waiting for us." Cow Girl said while shaking in fury.

"I hope you really are alright now; we will need to work together to kill him." GS said seriously.

"I'll be fine; I've handled worse." Cow Girl said.

"Listen-" She cuts GS off and snapped around to look at him.

"No you listen. I only flipped out like that because I was afraid of winding up like...I was worried that I'd wind up like the rest of the women they capture, but I'm not scared anymore. Besides, if I really couldn't handle that fear, I wouldn't be here now, and my chakras certainly wouldn't have opened and let me cause that horror show. I may not be the brightest torch in the room, but I'm not a complete imbecile. I know my limits, and how to get past them." She said before weeping again.

"I'm sorry..." GS said softly before Cow Girl dried her eyes again.

"It's alright...I'm glad to be here with you..." She said softly before he gave her a quick but sweet kiss. "Let's go..."

"Yeah..." GS said before he put his helmet back on and followed her to the next room...until she stopped at the entrance.

"They're in there...as so are several women, but...they're all in one place." Cow Girl said.

"The goblins are probably setting them up as shields. It's the same tactic they used at the farm a year ago." GS said and Cow Girl sucked in a breathe. "Listen, I'm going to throw in a flash bomb. I suggest you turn your chakras off until the effect wears off, but when it does, shoot every goblin in sight."

"Right...we can't have them swarming us while the champion is on our case." Cow Girl said as GS prepared a flash bomb...then threw it down the tunnel into the chamber...and after the goblins all yelled in surprise as a lingering flash, and a loud poofing sound was heard, Cow Girl used Life Sight again, and shot down the rest of the goblins, shamans, and hobs in the area...then spotted the women...with some still laying down with blank expressions on their faces, while others had evidence of being eaten alive. Some were even on display while attached to wooden boards like at the farm.

"Dear gods..." Cow Girl whispered in horror before looking at the champion who was still reeling from the flash bomb's effect, and growled in rage.

"Do not charge at it. You'll be dead in no-" GS shut up the moment Cow Girl yelled and tried to charge at it, only for GS to pull her back. If it wasn't for the armor he wore giving his body a boost , she would've broken his grip without effort, but now, she was struggling to break free.

"I'll kill you!" Cow Girl screamed as she kept trying to break out of GS' grip.

"Listen to me! If you attack it head on, it will kill you. We need to work together!" GS said.

"Let go of me!" "Cow Girl yelled as her struggle didn't let up...then she recalled another of Ranger's lessons...

---

"Anger is a weapon, and like all weapons, it doesn't care who it hurts, so if you use it skillfully, you'll be unstoppable, but if it uses you...you're a threat to everyone, especially yourself...so don't be afraid of getting angry; be mindful of how it's used. Acknowledge the cause of it, and let it drive your skills, but don't let it consume your senses."

---

Cow Girl then finally calmed down and the goblin champion fully recovered in time to see his comrades all blown apart, and noticed the two armored humans in the back standing ready to face him. He then grabbed a massive sword and stepped forward...on top of a woman who was crushed right away.

"I have an idea..." GS said.

"So do I; we could use an elemental helping us." Cow Girl said as she pulled out a summon stone.

"You can summon?" GS asked.

"Yes, not let me focus..." Cow Girl said before putting the stone on the ground, and streams of water swirled around as the elemental appeared. "Attack it!" The elemental then launched itself at the champion as it tried to chop down the elemental...but it's too fast for the lumbering goblin mutant. "So what's your plan?"

"I was going to distract it myself while you stay here while you shoot at it, but now we can both attack it however we want." GS said.

"In that case..." Cow Girl trailed off as she opened fire at the champion, aiming for it's weak points, but even that doesn't do much against it's armor, except for staggering it. GS meanwhile rushed it, pulled one of his shotguns, and popped both shells into it's face, but was too far to cause any serious damage. The elemental meanwhile was flying around the champion's face to distract it as the champion's movements became more erratic, and it slammed it's sword into the walls to make rubble come down on top of them...but none of it hits them. "He's tearing the place apart!"

"Just keep shooting!" GS yelled as he charged from behind a fallen boulder and sliced into the champion's Achilles tendon, making it yell and fall down. Then Cow Girl shoots both of it's eyes out, and then charged at it with her heavy short sword and ducked under the champion's wild swings as it craved up the ground behind her with it's massive sword. GS then rushed to it's sword arm and sliced through the muscles in it's forearm that let it flex it's fingers as Cow Girl climbed up it's body and sliced it's throat open before jamming her sword into the back of it's head which makes it go limp. "That makes 83!" The two then leaned against it's body together as they caught their breathe.

"Do I get a promotion for this...?" Cow Girl asked seriously yet softly as she kept breathing deeply.

"Maybe..." GS said and Cow Girl snuggled into him.

"Do I get a reward for this?" She asked.

"Maybe..." GS said before Cow Girl took out a life potion from her bag.

"To my first successful goblin-slaying quest." She said before downing half the bottle, and gave the other half to GS.

"We should get out of here..." GS said.

"Right..." Cow Girl said a they both got up and once they did...the place started cracking. "That doesn't sound good..." A moment later, a chunk of the roof came down on top of the champion. "Definitely not good!" The two then rushed out through the entrance, back down the tunnel they came down, and just as the exit was in sight... the way was blocked by debris. She then pulled the portal gem and opened a portal to the exit just before rocks came down on their location...

---

When Ranger, and Hero's team they got to where they were going, they were just in time to watch an Evil Sect priest approach an unconscious man who was tied to an alter surrounded by demons, and just as the priest reached for the man's face...a bullet tore through the alter in front of the priest, making him fall back as the surrounding demons all turned to see Ranger and the ladies with Ranger unloading one barrage of bullets after another until the demons were all in pieces.

"Where did you come from-!" The priest yelled before Ranger approached and put his boot on the priest's diaphragm.

"Where's the dagger needed to cut these tentacles?" He asked with his mask echoing his voice.

"What dagger?" The priest asked only to get his diaphragm pressed.

"Don't play stupid. Another priest I interrogated told me that only a special dagger can cut these tentacles." Ranger said before the priest pulled it out of his robe.

"Here it is..." He said.

"I'll take that." Ranger said before taking it from him.

"Are there more hostages?" Hero asked.

"Yes..." The priest said.

"Where are they?" Ranger asked.

"One here, two more in the barracks not far from here, and the final one is in the middle of some underground tunnels...with the goblins." The priest said.

"For breeding stock..." Ranger growled.

"No! Wait! They're just holding her for safe-keeping!" The priest said.

"He's telling the truth. These sacrifices need to be virgins or the ritual itself is pointless." Sage said, then Ranger hummed in acknowledgement, and started cutting the tentacles.

"You think this is it? Go ahead and kill me...when the specialists came for me...I'll not only be avenged, but another will take my place. No one will even notice I'm gone..." The priest said as Ranger finished cutting the tentacles, Sage checked the man's vitals, signaled he was still alive, then Ranger looked over the distance fortress, and picked up the priest.

"You're wrong; everyone will notice..." He said sharply...before opening a portal over the fortress and throwing the priest through it as he fell into the fortress itself hundreds of feet below.

"What the hell Ranger!" Hero exclaimed.

"What would you prefer I do?" Ranger asked and Hero rolled her eyes. "That's what I thought..."

"Specialists? Well, pardon me for not being scared..." Sword Saint said.

"Specialists are not to be taken lightly. I fought two of them in the Temple of Law, and I only won because the Sword Maiden stepped in to use more than a handful of miracles." Ranger said seriously and the ladies went pale.

"They almost beat you? At full strength?!" Hero asked.

"I didn't use Army of One, but...that's not the point. To my knowledge they come in two types; it's the grey ones that aren't that big a problem. The two that stomped me were the darker ones." Ranger said.

"Good to know." Sage said.

"Regardless, we have some people that need saving-" Sage shut up the moment Ranger pushed her down and morphed a greatsword to block, then sever a cable from the very type of enemy they discussed.

"Who are these clowns?" Hero asked.

"Specialists..." Ranger said as the grey-clothed troops walked up to them...and then several rifts opened to unleashed swarms of Prides that circled the four, and Hero charged up her blade and with a single swing, blew most of the Prides to bits, and sent the rest flying. Sage used a Mana Bolt to vaporize a platoon of demonic troops that came from another set of rifts as Sword Saint engaged the survivors, weaving through their attacks, and slicing through the demons themselves. Ranger rushed to the side while spamming bullets at the specialists, and when they got close enough, Ranger morphed a greatsword to block a jumping kick from one, then swung the massive blade to launch the specialist away as the gun in his spare hand was used to distract the other specialists as Hero charged up one, and her swings were repeatedly dodged, but at least he and another who joined the fray were kept busy.

Ranger stopped another series of blade strikes from the specialist he sent flying, who came back with a vengeance, only to get Ranger's gun, that he now morphed into a longsword in his gut. Ranger than morphed the greatsword into his heavy armor, complete with a large gauntlet, that he used to throw the dying specialist into one Hero was engaging before she charged up her sword again to bisect the two she was fighting, and the third one Ranger threw. He then looked at the last few specialists who stood there observing the entire onslaught. He then looked to see that Sage and Sword Saint were continuing to hold off the demonic troops that were pouring in through the rifts. The specialists formed up in front of the rifts as some Wrathers charged out of them, and the two Platinum Ranks formed up and engaged them with Ranger throwing a massive harpoon through a pair of Wrathers' hearts, and Hero bisecting several in one swing as Ranger continued to throw more harpoons until the raging demons got close enough.

When they did, the pair got their hands dirty. Hero jumped between them, beheading and bisecting them as she went, Ranger impaled one and slammed it into the ground, bisected another before morphing a gauntlet and backhanding the top half into another, then used the flat of his sword to swat another aside, then bisected another from shoulder to hip, and punched one away with his now-super-heated gauntlet hard enough to make it explode, and then morphed his sword into a second gauntlet to punch down the other ones...if he didn't just rip them in half and throw the halves at the others.

Hero continued to whirling her sword around to crave through the charging Wrathers, and even vertically bisected one as it approached her as she caught her second wind. One of the specialists tried to get the drop on Ranger from behind, only for one of the Wrathers to get it's feet sliced off from under it, and fall on top of the specialist, then get his brains stomped in by Ranger, who broke a longsword into it's whip form and lashed a Wrather's throat open before jumping over it, grabbing it's lower legs, spinning it around and bashing two aside before throwing it into another group of Wrathers, that Hero finished off. Ranger then finished off the two he knocked down by shooting them both in the head.

"Who else wants some! There's plenty for everybody!" Hero yelled as she braced herself...only for a larger rift to open behind the last few specialists, and a roar was heard that made Sword Saint and Sage stop their breather and join their teammates, as a massive Wrather appeared and the specialists rushed away from it.

"Is that a Wrather?" Ranger asked as he eyeballed the snarling demonic beast.

"Yeah, but we've never seen one that big before!" Sword Saint exclaimed, before Hero steeled herself and charged at it...only for the Wrather, without any warning, to clap it's hand together, and the force launches her back to where she was as Sage went to heal her. Ranger then threw a a harpoon at it, and hit it's shoulder...only for it to tear the thing out and throw it away as it's shoulder regenerated. He then used Smith to summon dozens of harpoons that were all launched at the now-charging Wrather, and all harpoons hit, even in critical locations like the throat or heart, but all that does is make it angrier. Hero then rushed it again and actually lands a direct hit by slicing it down the middle...but the slice heals so quickly it not only doesn't get sliced in half, but lives. Then more rifts opened in the distance and a swarm of imps rushed through.

"Incoming!" Ranger yelled before Sage launched a Mana Bolt that misses entirely, but the explosion staggers them long enough for Ranger to open a portal right to their location, and before he can unload his guns into them...Sword Saint charges through and slices each of them across the throat, and their heads come off once she puts her sword away. She then rejoins the fray as the Wrather stomps the ground hard enough to upturn it, and send debris flying, and sliced it's hamstrings, which made it try to backhand her, only for her to narrowly dodge it and continue slicing through it's tendons...and each hit's damage was still regenerated.

"How do we stop this thing!?" Hero asked.

"It has to have a weakness somewhere! Find it and hit it hard!" Ranger exclaimed before Sword Saint got bashed aside, and Ranger morphed his guns and opened fire on the Wrather as it charged at him...then Hero sliced it's legs out from under it, and then Ranger used Smith to summon a dozen greatswords that were all impaled into different parts of it's body, including it's chest and face...and it's still not dead; it was still twitching and Hero groaned in irritation.

"For crying out loud!" She exclaimed.

"Maybe there's an external source keeping it alive..." Sage said, before Ranger tore out one of the blades in it's chest, and jammed his hand into the open wound to remove it's heart...before it started glowing brighter and brighter. "Throw it away!" Ranger then threw the heart into the sky and the heart exploded with enough force to knock the entire group to the ground.

"Or there's a massively-powerful demonic force inside it boosting it's power..." Sword Saint deadpanned as the group got up.

"Either way, stealth was dead before, but now it's more dead than a Revenant." Hero said.

"That's...pretty dead." Sage said.

"Let's go." Ranger said as he walked towards the fortress in the distance.

"Wow...even Mr. Stealthy agrees with me..." Hero said as the ladies followed him...and Ranger sighed.

"This would be alot faster if I had my horse..." He said somberly.

"Why not go get it? Surely it was healed by now." Sage said.

"No...she's badly hurt; Priestess told me she'll be out-of-commission for some time..." Ranger said.

"Those specialists really are nothing to laugh at are they?" Sword Saint asked.

"No...but now there's nothing but a bloody stain and a memory where they used to be." Ranger said seriously which made the ladies uneasy.

"Was that necessary?" Sage asked.

"They brought it on themselves; don't waste your sympathy." Ranger said.

"Still...to be that violent without necessity..." Sage said thoughtfully.

"I...raised...that horse..from the time it was born!" Ranger snapped.

"Well...that at least makes sense, not to mention that rage tends to make someone less-than-civil." Sword Saint said.

"And even more terrifying when their rage is under their control." Ranger said.

"What place does rage have in the heart of a hero?" Hero asked.

"A hero? Not much. An avenger? About as much as love does." Ranger said.

"Avenger?" Hero asked.

"Yes. Why do you think I'm so favored by the War God in the first place? His path involves being as violent towards the wicked as they are towards the world itself." Ranger said simply.

"O.k...well, I know one path I'm not going down." Hero said and Ranger sighed.

"Will you come with me to face the Evil Sect, or not?" He asked.

"Alright, alright. Let's just kick their sorry asses..." Hero said as the ground crumbled several dozen yard from where they were.

"What the hell?" Ranger said as they watched the ground collapse.

"Maybe it's a sinkhole?" Hero asked.

"Sinkholes don't happen on solid rock; that did not happen naturally...there's was a battle underground!" Ranger said.

"Or it happened as a result of our battle." Sage said.

"Maybe that too...but why did it happen so far from where we fought?" Ranger asked.

"Who cares?" Hero asked.

"I do..." Ranger said simply.

"Well, you stand alone..." Hero said as she walked off and Ranger sighed before following the ladies to the fortress...then Cow Girl and GS came out of a cave.

"Where did you come from?" Sword Saint asked.

"We...just killed...a heap of goblins, and almost died as a result of a cave-in. Took a page out of the Hero's book actually." Cow Girl said and Hero smirked.

"I'll bet you did..." She said.

"Ranger...she put your training to good use." GS said seriously.

"I'll bet she did..." Ranger said.

"Copycat." Hero deadpanned and Sword Saint snickered at her.

"Are you done?" GS asked.

"Not yet..." Ranger said before pointing to the fortress.

"Wow..." Cow Girl whispered as she eyeballed the place.

"And this time, forget stealth." Ranger said.

"Yes! Stealth really overstayed it's welcome." Hero said.

"Although...we should hit the barracks just to the side of it first." Ranger said and Hero actually cracked her knuckles.

---

When they got to the barracks, the burst in the front gate...

"The Hero has arrived!" Hero yelled...but the place was completely abandoned.

"Well...this is awkward." Sword Saint said and Hero groaned.

"Why do the bad guys happen to not be here when I'm just getting pumped up?" She asked.

"A better question is how did I get stuck with the lady of cringiness...?" Ranger groaned.

"Probably because you asked us to come with you!" Hero snapped.

"Enough, let's search the place. Maybe they left a clue." GS said as he Cow Girl walked in.

"Or at least something useful." Ranger said as he followed them inside.

"Like amateurs, they probably did..." Sage said and the ladies went and all of them searched the place...and Hero saw Ranger walk into a side building...and absorb an array of weapons and armor.

"O.k...who leaves that much stuff behind?" Hero asked.

"Don't know, don't care. It's mine now." Ranger said simply before GS opened a side room that led to a room full of beds, then checked it.

"Find anything?" Cow Girl asked.

"Not yet." GS said as the rest of the group checked some more side rooms, and found a small kitchen.

"More loot?" Hero asked.

"You know me so well..." Ranger said as he stuffed the food and drinks into a bag, absorbed the kitchenware, opened a portal to his manor, and put the stuff there.

"How much did you take from the fort we raided the first time around?" Hero asked.

"As much as I could." Ranger said.

"You loot places?" Cow Girl asked.

"Spoils of war my dear...spoils of war." Ranger said.

"It's theft plain and simple..." Hero groaned.

"Theft is as much at home in warfare as killing is; theft against your neighbors is a crime. Don't get it twisted." Ranger said seriously.

"Whatever..." Hero whispered before leaving the building and heading over to another...then screaming and taking cover before a storm of bolts could hit her. Ranger then rushed to help her, and opened fire on the troops who were still reloading their crossbows until they were all in pieces. He then rampaged through the rest of the building and found even more terrorists there lying in wait with crossbows, rifles, and even throwing axes at the ready, but all their shots bounced off even Ranger's light armor, if he didn't just plain dodge them.

Meanwhile, his shots tore through the bodies of the terrorists without effort. Cow Girl was the first to find him...and she noticed the look on his face as he mowed down the Evil Sect troops: his eyes were sharp with anger, but his movements were still precise and powerful, just like he said anger should be used. The fight ended with Ranger getting jumped from behind by a terrorist wielding an axe, before Ranger pistol-whips the axe out of his hand, then bashes the terrorist across the face, which stuns him long enough for Ranger to morph a gun into a sword and jams it into the terrorist's lower chest, then watches him die.

He then looks around at the carnage he wreaked, and searched the place for anything useful...and found nothing, before sighing, and moving on to the next area without regard for his teammates following him. He then heard someone kick in a door and saw a terrorist in a distinguished uniform, that happened to be a full head taller than him.

"So...you're the one who ran my minions through? I must admire your tenacity, and your audacity. Sorry, allow me to introduce myself, I am acting captain of the Evil Sect's right-hand legion, and you must be the Ranger, slayer of the vampire queen, champion of the War God, and servant of the late Sword Maiden. This is truly a magnanimous confrontation, however...like you, I also serve the War God, and true warriors fight their enemies up close, rather than hid behind cowardly guns. Like I will now to repay the lost lives of my subordinates! Behold the sword I was graced with by the one and only Cambion, our glorious lord and master! Forged in this very volcano, and blessed with the power to rip through space itself, it is not only one-of-a-kind, but also incredibly destructive; I am the only one he deemed worthy enough to wield this terrible sword." The captain said, and Ranger did nothing but look the sword over with interest. "Even you must fear its power! As you should, for the last thing you shall feel is it's-" Ranger shuts him off with a shot to the collar.

"Shut the fuck up...I have my own thoughts as well you know." He said as the captain fell down clutching his injured collar.

"You damn coward-" Ranger cuts him off by shoving him back to the ground with his boot and putting the tip of his own sword at his throat.

"My turn to talk: The truest of warriors can use any weapon they can get their hands on, and since I make my own weapons, I'm ten times the warrior you could ever hope to be, especially since unlike you, I serve the War God's true cause: vengeance against the Supreme God's enemies, and guess what? You qualify...!" Ranger said sharply before jamming the captain's own sword into his throat, out the back of his head, then looked the sword over. It had a wide, leaf-shaped blade, a dark-grey color, was no less than three feet long, and tapered from the center out, giving it a thin edge, and tip for clean slices and thrusting.

He then gave it several test swings, from whirling it around over his head, to spinning it from side to side, to trying upward and downward slashes, to using a reverse-grip to stab to the sides, and back, before finishing with a slash then a stab to the front before impaling an imaginary foe on the ground before holding it in a standard-grip...then tested the spatial-cut enchantment by slicing into the stone wall with almost no force...and going almost all the way through it. He then marveled at the weapon's power and thought about his options...

Eventually, he walked over to his teammates...

"What a sword. What are you going to do with-" Ranger cuts Cow Girl off by giving it to her.

"It's yours now, but I suggest you only use it in emergencies; that is quite possibly the deadliest sword I ever held, and that's including my greatswords." He said seriously.

"O...k..." Cow Girl said as she took her new weapon and looked it over.

"Speaking of which, how do you wield swords bigger than you are?" Sword Saint asked.

"Sheer force of will." Ranger said.

"O.k..." Sword Saint trailed off.

"It's true. I actually trained by picking his greatsword up, and I did so simply by wanting it to be picked up." Cow Girl said.

"That's a...pretty interesting training method." Hero said.

"A priest I interrogated earlier said there were hostages here, and with the goblins..." Ranger said thoughtfully.

"The goblins killed every woman they had with them, and they all looked alike." Cow Girl said seriously.

"Shit...and this place has no women either..." Ranger said.

"Maybe they moved them?" Sage said.

"Here's hoping..." Hero said as she led the group out of the barracks, and walked up the hill to the gap in the mountain's side, and there was the fortress...

"O.k..how much do you want to bet that place is bigger on the inside?" Sword Saint asked.

"Every coin I have, and every coin I took." Ranger said.

"So...what's the plan?" Cow Girl asked.

"Well, this is a golden opportunity to show your new skills; you pick off anyone in the far distance, and stay here to pick off the ones you see, and join us when you're done." Ranger said.

"You won't be disappointed." Cow Girl said firmly as she took out her rifle.

"Let me guess: Pestilence is out of the question?" Sage asked.

"Any idea where the hostages are?" Ranger asked.

"Good point..." Sage said.

"It's too bad that miracle can't tell friend from foe; that would make this alot easier." Sage said.

"We'll make do." GS said as Cow Girl took aim, and fired, hitting a guard under the armpit, into his chest.

"One down..." She said before shooting again several times, and downing more guards.

"You're going for the guards up high right?" Ranger asked.

"Of course." Cow Girl said proudly before downing more guards. "Alright, they're going to have a harder time spotting us now."

"Alright, and since they know we're here, the shock-and-awe approach is a-go." Ranger said simply.

"Alright..." Hero said with a smirk were charging right at the front gate...then a priest appeared on the roof of the gate, and his chanting opened several rifts that spat out a swarm of imps that Hero tore right through with waves of energy from her sword swings, if Sage didn't vaporize them with Mana Bolts, Sword Saint didn't slice them apart, or GS, Cow Girl, and Ranger didn't shoot them down. Hero then jumped over the gate, punched the priest's lights out, then Ranger followed suit by flipping over the gate and popping two rounds in the priest's chest for good measure.

Hero then kicked in a door and Ranger jumped over her, shooting down more terrorists in the process as Hero went straight for the hostages in a cage overhead. While she ran up the wall, sliced the chain and rode the loose part down, using her weight to slow the cage's descent, Ranger rushed around the room blowing apart every terrorist in sight. He ran along the walls, jumped off of them, grappled to the ceiling on a chain while continuing to shoot at them, and whenever one of the terrorists got too close...he bashed their skulls in. Eventually, Ranger opened a portal to Water Town, when Hero freed the hostages and led them through to the Temple of Law.

"So...the priest told part of the truth: there were three hostages.." Ranger said as he de-morphed his guns.

"And the third was likely moved here to keep him or her from getting freed. Bastards..." Hero said.

"Well, Priestess will see to them." Ranger said as the rest of their team came in and looked around.

"Good grief, look at this mess!" Sword Saint exclaimed.

"There's even more of a mess to come; let's finish these bastards off." Ranger said.

"Right." Cow Girl said as she and GS followed Ranger down a hallway, and then when they reached the next room...more hell rifts opened, and Ranger switched to his longswords to face the demonic troops as he deflected and dodged their spears, swords, and axes, before countering with stabs to their necks, hearts, or brainstems, or switched to his greatsword and bisected an entire group of them. He then morphed the greatsword into a harpoon and launched it at a Glutton in the distance just as it whipped it's tongues out at them. He then jumped onto a Wrather's chest, and used his newly-morphed arm and leg blades to rapidly impale it over and over until it died, and then kicked another hard enough to send it stumbling into a group of demonic troops before grabbing the dead Wrather and hurling it into another group.

GS meanwhile fired the four barrels of his shotguns to behead four Wrathers as Cow Girl unloaded her rifled into the heads of the demons at the far distance. The two then switched to their blades and helped Hero and Sword Saint slice the demons apart, and Cow Girl recalled several moments in her matches with GS, Ranger, and everyone else as she took the demons down in just as many way as her teammates did. The group then split up to clear the rest of the fortress as each went on their own rampages...

---

GS and Cow Girl barreled through the bridges connecting the fortress towers, and ran down the flights of stairs as more imps engaged them, only to be smashed aside or sliced apart by the charging goblin killers. Hero actually found a shrine to the Demon Lord, and blew it, and the lesser priests and priestesses in front of it apart with a singe energized swing, and joined Sword Saint in the courtyard as they tag-teamed a swarm of demons with Sage flying around overhead supporting them with Mana Bolts.

Ranger cleared out the headquarters, and no one was there, so he gathered as many of the books, scrolls, and other items, put hem in a nearby chest, opened a portal, and sent them to his manor...before hearing a door slam shut to the side, and he grappled towards it, and kicked it down, before rushing after a priest who was apparently hiding in the headquarters, and Ranger, and eventually the rest of the team, reach an underground chamber that looked like a dungeon.

"Where did all of you come from?" Hero asked.

"I was chasing someone..." Ranger said.

"And we were clearing the towers." GS said.

"Well, what do we do now-" Hero shuts up the moment a barrage of arrows came from overhead, and Ranger uses Smith to create a shield bigger than his greatsword, and planted it in the ground, before morphing a sword and carving a hole for Cow Girl to return fire,to grisly effect...as if Ranger morphing his heavy armor, and grappling up to the ledge the shooters were on and shattering their bones with the impact wasn't bad effect. He then morphed his light armor, and stopped one knife strike after another with his hands, before punching them in the gut, chest, or face hard enough to make their bodies implode, or just stabbing them or their friends with their own knives, absorbing the blood getting splashed over him all the while. He even kicked one down the stairs into the comrades who also stumbled down the stairs.

Sage then took a magic-restore potion and unleashed a Mana bolt on the reinforcements that came from one of the doorways, as her other four teammates engaged the terrorists that came from the other entrances up close and personal. Ranger meanwhile, grabbed a dead terrorist's body and used him as a human shield as more arrows came from other his head and he unloaded his gun into them. He then threw the corpse away and ran up the wall until he reached them, and when he did, he morphed his swords and sliced down the shooters

GS meanwhile pulled his shotguns and blew apart an entire group of terrorists as Hero jumped over then and bisected them with one invisible blow, which ended the fight right then and there. Several terrorists engaged them from behind, and after Ranger dropped down from above he finished the massacre of the melee troops by blocking one strike with a reverse-griped sword before impaling him with the other, and then sliced the legs off another and kicking him into the others before breaking his swords into whips and tore the terrorists to shreds; even their limbs had bits of flesh removed and then Ranger finished the dying ones with Immolation before a terrorist tried to choke him from behind in a fit of rage, and then Ranger morphed his guns and shot his guts out.

"You sick piece of shit...!" A terrorist whimpered before Ranger casually shot him as well and he checked the dead.

"A shame we can't get information out of them if they're all dead..." He said simply.

"Not all of them...this one was hurt in he massacre." Sage said as Ranger turned to see her healing a priest...and walked to them.

"Wait! Please don't kill me!" The priest exclaimed before Ranger stopped cold.

"I'm only going to ask you once: There was a bounty put on my head, and the heads of my teammates, are you the one who did it?" He asked.

"N-no! Of course not!" The priest exclaimed.

"Then who did?" Ranger asked.

"The Cambion." The priest said.

"And where the hell could he get 10,000 gold coins?" Ranger asked and the priest groaned in pain.

"Please, tell us." Sage said.

"Alright...I don't know exactly how he got it, but it must've been through pillaging. He's more than strong enough to rob places of great importance." The priest said calmly.

"Thanks..." Ranger said before shooting him in the head as Sage gasped in horror. "We're done here, now let's get back to Water Town." Just as he was about to open a portal...he heard Sage charging up her staff with Mana Bolt. "You are aware that you're threatening me with one of the most powerful spells in existence right?"

"Like you did any better! We could've let that priest abandon the Demon Lord! We've seen people get redeemed before; the Storm Mage-" Ranger cuts Sage off.

"Storm Mage is a completely different story. He had a shady past, and paid for it ten times over before I met him, that outlaw I executed in the other fort was as cowardly as that priest I shot was; he would never have sought redemption, much less acquire it." He said.

"How would you know that?" Sword Saint asked.

"Because I know that priest. I let him go when I was sent to free the elf queen; I told him to pray he never saw me again, and he was dead to me from that point forward...now he's dead to the rest of the world." Ranger said.

"Why did the Sword Maiden care for someone so cold?" Hero asked.

"Because she understood why I'm like this. Because she understood that my wrath extends to everything and everyone that tries to make this world worse!" Ranger snapped.

"And what are you doing!? You claim to be in control, but you're not! You said you simply kill your foes because they're your foes, but you love every moment of it don't you!?" Hero exclaimed and Ranger glared at her.

"That's quite an accusation..." He said sharply.

"Looks pretty true to me..." Sage said.

"Fine...the truth is, I do take satisfaction from doing this, but it's more of a method of operation than a personal tick. Our dear Goblin Slayer said himself that he enjoys killing goblins, well so do I, but I also enjoy ending the lives of those who make the world worse. So if Goblin Slayer is a monster to the goblins...what does that make me?" Ranger asked.

"It makes you a walking pile of contradictions, and someone who could use some redemption himself." Sage said and Ranger snickered.

"That's easier to say than it has a right to be..." He said.

"The proof is at my feet!" Sage exclaimed as she pointed to the priest' corpse.

"On top of that...if making a mess of the places you attack isn't the worst thing you've done, what is? What could possibly top ripping your enemies to bloody pieces and letting others see your handiwork!?" Sword Saint asked and Ranger sighed, looked at GS, who nodded, then looked at the floor.

"On my first quest, I killed no less than 20 goblins...and who knows how many since then, and you've seen my recent work with the Evil Sect. So...I've killed many who were deserving...but also some who were not." He said and the ladies sobered up.

"What are you talking about...?" Hero asked seriously before Ranger looked right at her.

"I killed several girls the goblins broke..." He said seriously and the ladies' faces fell.

"What...? You- oh this changes everything..." Sword Saint whispered.

"I'm sorry Ranger..." Hero said somberly.

"The whole reason I'm so cold to my enemies is because I've dealt with despair so intimately, on more than one occasion, that I know that feeling for my foes is a terrible idea. Ironically, my deep compassion for the people drives me to feel no compassion for my foes, and that opens an entire array of possibilities for what I can do to them without any emotional recoil." Ranger said.

"That's a pretty rare mindset, and if that's what is required to serve the War God, no wonder he has so few followers." Sage said.

"Indeed...the Love Goddess herself came to me when I defended the Temple of Law, and she said I might as well be war personified, and my wife fulfills the same role she plays with the War God; she balances me like the two deities balance each other. She really is my Love Goddess..." Ranger said thoughtfully.

"Love and compassion really are two heads of the same beast..." Sage said and Ranger sighed.

"I also owe you an apology Hero. I kept my mouth shut about it, but until now, I believed you were the type of person who makes an excellent savior, but a poor warrior, and I even looked down on you for being weak as a result...but I won't make that mistake again." He said.

"And I thought you were a half-crazed warmonger that I would have to deal with one day, but after hearing this? You probably paid a bigger price than anyone of us here. Your teammates should get their own Platinum Ranks just for being at your side and keeping your demons in check. But instead...I guess we'll just have to settle for two Platinum Ranks." Hero said before the two shared a smile and shook hands.

"Well...all's well that ends well." Sage said casually.

"Right, now can we please go home and put this behind us?" Sword Saint asked and Ranger opened a portal to the Temple of Law and they went through it to see Priestess.

---

"We have returned!" Hero said dramatically.

"I see that, how did it go?" Priestess asked.

"In a word: Triumphant." Ranger said.

"Good to hear." Priestess said.

"What did we miss?" Cow Girl asked.

"I talked to Inspector about becoming a member of the church, and I wasn't about to say no." Priestess said.

"Well, good for her." Sword Saint said.

"No kidding. But...I'm going home now. I'm going to see my wife and daughter, and distribute my loot, and the rest of the stuff I find the two fortresses we cleared in the morning." Ranger said.

"Alright. Good night all of you." Priestess said.

"Good night." Cow Girl said before opening a portal to her and GS' fortress home and going there.

---

When they got through the portal, Cow Girl went straight to the bathroom and de-morphed her armor, and check her body in the mirror, and even used the recaller to compare how her body used to be, to how it is now. The difference was pretty sharp: beforehand, she was pretty muscular despite how much fat she had in all the desirable places, including her skin itself, but now...her training was evident from head to toe. Her arms, abs, and back were more toned, her breasts seemed to be held up with her shoulders acting like an organic bra. Her butt was just as shapely as it was before, but now it was denser, but still as plump as ever, and the muscles in her calves and thighs were more visible, despite how thick her skin was. She even tested her body's density by flexing her muscles and gripping them, as well as twisting and bending over in various ways, or just plain rubbing herself and she couldn't help but nod at her progress. Eventually...she noticed GS watching her check herself out and gave him a smirk.

"Enjoying the show honey?" Cow Girl teased.

"In fact...I am." GS said as Cow Girl grabbed the belt her armor was stored in and went to her and GS' room to store it with his armor in a cabinet.

"Now you put yours away." She said as GS removed his armor and put it with hers...and she eventually traced his scars, which got his attention.

"You really should have Wizard gave you that scar removal potion. It's not easy seeing you like this sometimes." Cow Girl said softly.

"Sorry..." GS said before turning around and hugging her as close as he could. "Your body...I can see why you like the difference."

"Do you like the difference?" Cow Girl asked and GS pulled away and looked at her curious face.

"Yes." GS said and Cow Girl smiled before pulling him into a deep kiss, that was emphasized when they caressed each other's faces, shoulders, arms, and sides. Eventually, she pulled away and they looked at each other with half-opened eyes and mouths.

"I never thought I'd see the day I'd get to kill goblins at your side..." Cow Girl breathed out.

"You did an excellent job; you should be proud...I know I am." GS said as he ran his hand through her hair as she smiled brightly at him.

"Should I get a reward for it?" Cow Girl asked.

"I already ans-" She cuts GS off by putting a finger on his lips.

"I mean, I want sex...with you." She said before GS gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"I'll drink some potion, go lay down." He said and Cow Girl turned and took her sweet time walking back towards the bed as her perfect butt bounced and flexed with each step. Meanwhile, GS went over to down a shot of the sterility potion, before joining Cow Girl, who was splayed out over the bed, stretching herself out in various ways and groaning in the process, which was meant to not only relieve the tension like with most people...but also to show off her body. She eventually laid down flat and gave GS a teasing glance and smirk.

"Well...what are you waiting for?" She asked sensually before GS smirked and bent down to kiss her, and she held his head in place as she deepened the kiss, and lashed tongues with him while letting off quiet, pleasured moans before breaking it. "Massage me..."

"Alright..." GS said as he walked over to her feet to start there, and Cow Girl closed her eyes as GS caressed and squeezed her feet, which made her ease up right away as the soreness and tension left her body, and her relaxation turned to bliss as he worked her calves, and eventually the thighs she was more proud of than ever...and she reflexively gasped and closed her legs when he stroked her inner thighs.

"You have to warn a girl before you do that to her..." Cow Girl teased.

"Sorry..." GS said.

"No, I liked it...just keep going." Cow Girl said...and GS continued to rub and squeeze her legs before doing the same to the sides of her hips and butt cheeks, and then her abs, arms...and saved her chest for last as he rubbed the outside of her heavy breasts before squeezing the centers as Cow Girl giggled as she felt her glorious masses of flesh being played with. "Oh Goblin Slayer..." Her deep, pleasured gasps eventually turned into moans as GS latched onto one of her nipples and licked it without mercy. "Yes...! Yes...! Keep that up...! Oh...!" She held his head in place as he went back and forth between squeezing one breast and sucking on the other while continuing to moan in euphoria, as GS continued his vigorous assault on her chest. "Wait...Goblin Slayer, stop...! That's quite enough...you never cease to amaze me..."

"You're the woman I love; I'm supposed to amaze you." GS said with a small smile and Cow Girl giggled while caressing his face.

"Do my other side as well please..."

"Alright." GS said casually as Cow Girl flipped around, and GS worked on her shoulders, and then went up and down her back, pressing and rubbing her muscles through her creamy skin, and went down her hips to massage her thighs, calves, and feet like he did before...and then went straight up her legs and she let off a horny chuckle as she felt his powerful, calloused hands dig into the flesh of her buttocks and knead it like dough from the sides, underneath, the top, and even rapidly fondled it to make it jiggle.

"How does my butt feel?" Cow Girl asked sensually.

"Good..." GS said before Cow Girl flexed her butt cheeks and GS pressed his hands into them to get a better feel. "Very good..."

"Compare it to my breasts." Cow Girl said.

"Your breasts are large, warm, and extremely soft, your butt is the same, only...harder." GS said and Cow Girl giggled.

"Harder...well, that's the training I did with Fighter for you, and this strength isn't just for killing goblins...it's also so I can please you." She said.

"Well...quest complete." GS said before Cow Girl giggles again.

"Stand up...I want to show you how flexible I got." She said and GS gave her some room, so she could stand up...and then slowly did a full split...and even a side-split on both sides, before getting up, and then bending over so far her head nearly touched her shins before straightening up again. "I couldn't do this beforehand."

"I see..." GS said.

"So...what do you think?" Cow Girl asked.

"Impressive..." GS said and Cow Girl sighed.

"You know, I'm pretty sure Ranger wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of Fighter if she twisted herself the way I did; I wouldn't be surprised if he did to be frank." Cow Girl said.

"Sorry..." GS said and Cow Girl sighed again.

"Nevermind...it's not smart of me to compare us to them. Did you at least enjoy yourself while massaging me?" She asked.

"Very much so. Your body really is a wonder." GS said and Cow Girl giggled before walking over and sitting on his laps with her arms around his neck.

"Now that's more like it, my big, sexy Goblin Slayer." She said sensually before kissing him as deeply as she could as he ran one hand through her hair, and rubbed her back with the other. "Now...may I do the honors?"

"Please." GS said as Cow Girl gripped his manhood, and slid herself onto it while continuing to hold his shoulders, and slowly moving up and down on his lap, and he gripped her hips as she moved up and down. "Your legs really have gotten stronger..."

"I'm glad...they have..." Cow Girl said in-between deep breaths as she continued to bounce on his manhood, while her massive breasts rubbed his chest. She then picked up speed as GS watched her throw her head back as she moaned in bliss before looking him right in the face with said bliss written all over her face, even with her hair in her eyes, which she brushed aside before slowing. "Now...pick me up and impale me..." GS then reached under her butt, and picked her up like she weighed nothing and Cow Girl locked her tree-trunk thick legs around his waist as he thrusted into her tightening womanhood as her moans continued. "Oh yes! Yes...! Oh this is completely worth being attacked by goblins!" She then continued moaned until GS placed her on the bed, which made her yelp and then laugh as GS continued to relentlessly mate with her as she wrapped her legs around his waist as tightly as she could, which increased the friction to the point where they both climaxed not ten seconds later before GS took his place on top of her and they both laid there catching their breath. "You know...I'm not done..."

"Just wait a moment..." GS groaned.

"Oh...I'll wait as long as I have to if it means finishing a celebration like this..." Cow Girl said sensually before nibbling on his ear and he looked at her face which had a wolfish grin on it before she pulled him into a kiss that turned into a string of noisy kisses. "When you're ready, stand up and let me do a split on the bed...and give it to me from behind."

"Alright..." GS groaned and about a minute of snuggling into her pillow-like breasts later, he stood up, and Cow Girl did a full split, right on the bed like she said, presenting her buttocks to him in all it's round, fleshy glory as he got behind her, and lined up his manhood with her entrance, and pushed into her. She then groaned as she felt him filling her, and then removing himself over and over before he eventually started mating with her with devotion.

"Oh...yes! Yes! I am a genius...oh!" Cow Girl groaned as GS pounded her slick entrance and made her flesh ripple even more as the slapping sounds it made, and her throaty moans filled the room for about a minute straight. "Wait...wait! I want to try something else.."

"Alright..." GS groaned before Cow Girl got up...and bent over to her shins like she did earlier, and GS put his hands on her middle back to keep her stable as he pushed into her womanhood again...as if she wasn't tight enough before. GS actually had minor trouble pushing into her and Cow Girl let out longer moans as GS moved in and out of her, and eventually, she straightened up and pressed her breasts into the bed to hold herself up while her arms went slack while keeping her legs together to keep the friction to the max until she let out an elongated moan once she climaxed, and GS not long after. He then pulled his softened manhood out of her, and even did the honors by positioning her lower body on the bed so she laid down straight.

"We should probably sleep under the blankets..." Cow Girl said softly.

"Right..." GS said as he opened the covers on her side, and she picked herself up to get under them, as GS got under the covers on his side before she snuggled into him and gave him a deep kiss.

"That was...unbelievable..." She said.

"Yes...it was." GS said as he ran his hand through her hair as she smiled and looked down as him brightly before she snuggled into him and sighed dreamily.

"Goblin Slayer...when we defeat the Goblin Overlord...I want to have a baby with you." Cow Girl said.

"Alright..." GS whispered and Cow Girl looked up at him in surprise, but smiled at how honest he sounded as he closed his eyes to sleep, and she shifted against him as her breasts and legs rubbed him as his arms tightened around her as they both went to sleep...

"I love you..." Cow Girl breathed out.

---

Abbot returned to the monastery to turn in for the night, and then something caught his eye: the secret compartment they kept the Champion's Armor was open...and the armor was missing!

---

Ho...ly...fuck! This chapter was the biggest doozy of them all; just over 30,000 words this time...sorry it took so long to make, but not only was there ALOT to do, what with all the shenanigans Ranger and Hero go through and everything, not to mention Cow Girl's antics and all the throwbacks, like with Rhea Fighter having Fighter's strength-boosting necklace she's had since Year One...but it was just plain HARD to put down. Also...OMG, the Champion's armor is gone! What could that mean? Well, you'll have to Rate, Review, and Share while you faithfully wait for the next chapter, which will not take a century to make, I swear, so please, stay tuned.

Spoiler Alert:

Next chapter will involved Inspector's birthday, and honestly, I think she's a bit underrated; I don't just have her and Guild Girl in a polyamorous relationship with Summoner for the sake of it. I mean come on, she's cute, she's sweet, and...pretty damn wise too; she's not a priestess of the Supreme for nothing afterall, so..next chapter she's get her own tribute, not as much as Sword Maiden, and definitely not as much as Fighter but still.