Dungeon Oratoria Online

by asdf1asdf1

DOO is the first game to be created in a long awaited category, a VRMMORPG. Follow Kirito and co as they seek to clear out the depths of the dungeon located beneath the city Orario. However, this game is no mere entertainment, it's a real world, where death in the dungeon means death for your body. The only way they can escape the game is to clear the bottom floor of the dungeon.

38. Chapter 35

Author's note:

Hi again,

Last chapter before Christmas, and maybe the year though I hope it isn't. To be fair though, this is kind of three chapters contained in one.

There's a lot I could say, but despite how long this chaptter is, being divided into three parts... I've cut a lot of sections that I had initially wanted to write. As a result, more is happening off screen, but the story also moves along now. I am trying to give everyone their moment in the spotlight!

I think that's the gist of it. If you plan on tackling this chapter in one sitting, get comfortable.

-asdf

---

Chapter 35: Under the full moon

Part 1: The pointless rematch

Lili:

"Is Silica not here again!?" Lili lamented loudly, letting out a groan unbefitting her youth. "This is our last planning session! Why is she still absent!?"

Glaring around the table, no one met the level one prum's glare. The sun was high in the sky, as Hestia familia and their allies met within the church Hestia called home. Despite having over a dozen upper level adventurers, they all shied away from Lili's demanding glare.

Everyone from Hestia familia was there: besides the strangely absent Silica. Joining them were all five upper-class adventurers of Miach familia, and their god. On the table sat the familia's hard work from the past day. Dozens of new vials that sparkled in the light. Everything from normal potions all the way up to elixirs.

Crowded in beside them were all eleven of Take Mikazuchi's children. The god as well was present, leaning against the wall by Miach. The total number cramped their hall quite substantially. Additionally, the blacksmith Lisbeth had shown up again, representing Hephaestus familia. Lili tried not to consider the implications of what would happen there. Especially if something were to happen to the blacksmith. Hephaestus was easily one of the top five most influential deities in the city.

"I-I'm sure there's a reason for her to be doing this!" Leafa tried to cover for her friend. "S-She'll come through for us in the end!"

The reasoning fell short for Lili. She needed everyone here for this conference. This was absolutely their last chance to discuss. Especially with Lili's role in the plan. Even the brief thought of her job sent tremors running up her spine.

"I believe," Ouka grumbled, "that we all know our jobs. Is there anything left to say that hasn't been said already?"

The words were muted, which Lili understood. Even as the person who had done most of the planning, Lili struggled to see a way to obtain victory. Ishtar familia was simply too strong. Ignoring that discrepancy, Lili's head still hurt trying to include other possibilities. The most pressing of which was Apollo familia.

The situation with them had been left in limbo. Apollo's kidnapping plan had failed, and when they finished the expedition, nothing had happened on the surface. Lili had sent a letter up to Hestia to warn her, but nothing came of it.

The silence concerned Lili. Even more so with the vague letter they had received from guild. There is no discernable proof that such an act occurred. Familias are expected to retain cordial interactions with each other.

The half-assed answer betrayed the seldom mentioned truth about Orario. Something everyone knew, but few directly acknowledged. That the guild maintains order only because people let them. They didn't have the physical strength to stop familias from acting up. Only other familias could do that.

Which was also why the guild would not be able to help them in completing their mission: Rescue Haruhime the Renart.

"There are a few final items…" Lili began. Taking a glance at Kirito, Lili trailed off. She wasn't sure how to say this next part. A last-minute, drastic rearrangement of the plan, done so last night as Kirito visited her in secret.

Lili's heart hated the change he proposed. It put so much more pressure on her to perform. However, even worse than that was what her mind told her. That Kirito was right. His strategy increased their chances by a significant margin. To the point where Lili's analytical mind actually saw a path to success.

"There are some adjustments we need to make." Kirito spoke quietly but his words carried through the room. He stood from where he'd been leaning against the wall, looking half asleep. One-by-one, he stared down everyone. "Please understand, this isn't up for debate."

With those chilling words spoken, Kirito began to detail the horrifying plan. Closing her eyes, Lili waited for the storm that was sure to come.

---

Silica:

"Argh!"

"NO!" A harsh voice berated Silica instantly.

Cowering, Silica felt her ears fall flat against her head. Lowering the whip she was ineffectively using, she stepped away from the chained monster in front of her.

She was not at home, nor was in the dungeon. She was at Iam Ganesha. Home of Ganesha familia. Caretakers of Orario, guardians of the walls, and keepers of peace. Since they had arrived on the surface two days ago, Silica had been here constantly. Missing planning sessions, avoiding everyone.

Not because she didn't want to help rescue Haruhime, it was the exact opposite. Silica was still frustrated with herself. She had sworn to stand beside Kirito. She had thought she had made strides to do so. Then, when push came to shove, she collapsed. People had started fighting during the expedition and Silica had done nothing. Nothing.

With two spots on her status doing absolutely nothing. Silica knew there wasn't time before the full moon to actually utilize her taming abilities, but there was time to start.

Standing behind Silica was her harsh trainer. Captain of Ganesha familia, Shakmi Varna. Ganesha's new cane. The blue-haired beauty glared down at Silica with the righteous fury of someone whose time was being wasted. "I've told you at least a dozen times by now! Taming is domination. A monster can never grow to understand you, only fear you. You must teach it fear until it obeys you. That is taming."

Instinctively, Silica understood the woman's words. They made sense. She knew how ruthless and cruel the dungeon's monsters were. Each one wanted nothing more than to tear all human races apart. Yet Silica simply couldn't do it. Her status told her she was a tamer, but she was unable to bend them.

It wasn't a lack of ability either. Standing in front of a killer ant, Silica felt no danger from the previously tamed monster. It would never attack Shakmi, and cowered whenever she entered into the cage it was kept in.

Cage was disingenuous. It was currently in a wide-open field with the courtyard of the mansion. A fence of adamantite lined the space that was easily ten metres a side. No monster could escape unless it could fly. Ganesha put monsters in here to practice taming.

As soon as Shakmi had entered to berate Silica, the monster had cowered. Its gaze still fixed on Silica with loathing. However, it had been beaten into it that it could not defeat Shakmi, hence, why it didn't attack. That didn't change the fact that it was a monster and would attack anyone else if she wasn't there to restrain it.

"I…" Gaining the courage to speak, Silica was on the verge of giving up. "I don't think this is the right type of taming for me."

"Right type?" Her teacher replied flatly. "I aid you because my god requested it on a whim. While I sit here and watch you reject my teachings on how to tame monsters, my familia dies. Orario is on the verge of open war, and you sit here claiming to know better than me!"

Taking a step back, Silica hadn't realized how bad things had gotten with Evilus.

"I lived in the deserts to the east! I tamed the beasst of the sands. I have exerted my will over hundreds of monsters. I have read the tomes written by the best adventurers to every live that established the art. There is no other way!"

Looking once at the whip in her hand, then back at the cowering ant, Silica made a decision. She may be forced to kill monsters in order to forge a path back to their world, but that didn't mean she would do this. Turning the handle around, Silica pressed it into her hand.

"I'm sorry for wasting your time." Bowing slightly, Silica made to leave. As she was exiting the cage, her teacher's final words floated over to her.

"If you had that expression the entire time… This would have gone a lot differently."

Silica smiled at the sentiment but didn't stop to reconsider. She wasn't looking for a beast that she could exert her will over. What Silica's heart yearned for was a companion. A partner that would fight beside her and protect her. Not because it feared her wrath, but because it wanted to.

"It may be a dream… but so be it." Silica didn't know if her motivation would hold up when she stared at the broken and beaten bodies of her comrades the next time. For now, however, Silica was confident that normal taming methods were not for her.

With the sun well past its zenith, Silica hurried home. It was time for a final status update and confirming her role in the plan tonight. Anxiety rising, Silica's pace increased marginally.

---

Hestia:

"Not enough time…" Moaning to herself, Hestia bit on her knuckles. She wasn't sure how everyone else was keeping it together. Hestia felt moments away from breaking down and begging everyone to stay. To give up on this ridiculous venture. Her heart bled thinking about how badly her children would suffer.

The expedition had been agony for her. Left behind to worry and wait for their return. Getting that dreadful note from the supporter outlining what had befallen them. Even after that though, they had stayed in the dungeon and finished the expedition. Her children had just returned, and Hestia feared it would be the last time she saw some of them.

Everything had happened too quickly. They needed more time to grow. From starting her familia until now, it had happened in the blink of an eye. A year was barely any time. They hadn't gotten half that.

"Goddess?" A voice knocked on her door.

"Come in!" Hestia replied. Smoothing the front of her dress, Hestia tried to look presentable. The worst thing she could do for her children was look frightened. That was why even after Kirito proposed that horrible idea, Hestia didn't…

Don't think about it!

Berating herself, Hestia smiled at Leafa and Silica that had come in. Already as they entered, their shirts were off, leaving only bands to hide their breasts. Hestia had heard them discussing how hard it would be to make something called a 'sports bra'. It was apparently some sort of device that could hold one's breasts in place while doing physical activity.

Still, the idea didn't matter now. They didn't have enough time to make the thought into a reality. "Go on then." Gesturing at the bed, Hestia grabbed her trusty needle that she always used. She had long since gotten used to the sharp prick of pain required.

With a deft motion, the single drop of ichor welled to the surface and fell upon Silica's horizontal back. The girl had returned just as everyone had broken up and gone their separate ways. It had been enough time for her to hear about the updated plan. The grim look on her face reflected this.

"And… Here we are." Producing a sheet of paper, Hestia quickly copied the new values upon it. For a regular adventurer, the growth would be mind-boggling. For one from the other world…

It isn't enough.

It was hard to not feel that way. Letting the girl up, Hestia took one final glance at the sheet as she passed it over to Silica.

Silica

Level Two

Strength: H 194 → F 310 Defense: I 85 → G 235 Dexterity: G 252 → E 452 Agility: F 379 → C 678 Magic: I 60 → G 210

Tamer: I

Magic:

Fade Edge: Imbues the user's next attack with magical energy. Especially potent at cutting through armour.

Skills:

Dragon trainer: Increases the user's ability to tame Dragon-type monsters.

The growth was impressive. Most of that, Hestia gathered, was due to the fact that for almost the first time since she levelled-up, Silica had been fighting monsters of a similar status to her. Next, Hestia gestured for Leafa to take the position that had been vacated on the bed.

Leafa

Level Two

Strength: F 374 → D 550 Defense: F 312 → E 490 Dexterity: E 422 → C 660 Agility: E 406 → C 602 Magic: F 301 → C 604

Hunter: I

Magic:

Wind Blade: Produces and shoots blades of hardened wind in the desired direction

Lady of the Sky: Inhibits the user with the power of the Slyphs. Gives them mastery of the skies.

Skills:

Harbinger of Wind: Allows the user to infuse their weapon with magical wind energy. The faster the user is moving the greater the effect. Active activation.

Leafa as well, had undergone a massive growth. Most notably, was her magic stat that had been falling behind her others. According to the brief tales she had heard of there altercation, Leafa's mind had been worked to the bone. It showed though in her growth.

Handing the sheet to the girl, Hestia watched as they talked it over together, whispering excitedly about their growth that had put them with range of levelling up. In fact, Hestia could tell both of them were only one deed away from reaching the next level.

If one thing bothered her though, it was their defence stat. Every member of her familia, with the exception of Strea, had worryingly low defence. As Hestia had been told repeatedly, a stat grew when it was used. Therefore, if you never took blows and only focused on dodging and killing in a single hit, your defence didn't go up.

"You both need to get hit more," Hestia grumbled, giving voice to her thoughts.

Both of them frowned in contemplation. "You may actually be right." Leafa agreed. "I was talking to Sachi during the expedition and apparently her defence has been rising quickly due to the sparring with Onii-chan…"

"S-So we just need to make Kirito hit us a bunch, right?" Silica agreed.

Narrowing her eyes, Hestia didn't like the tone in her voice. "Hey, hey! I have no issues with you sparring, but don't think of using it as an excuse to try and seduce him!"

"Oh, it sounds lively in here!"

"Strea…" Muttering the name of the newcomer, Hestia wasn't all that surprised to see the girl enter. She was the last one besides Bell that had yet to get a status update. Hers was the status Hestia was actually most interested in updating. In terms of levelling up, she had been the closest prior to the expedition.

Hestia took a glance back at Silica and wasn't happy with the minor embarrassment the girl displayed. However, as Strea removed her shirt and climbed on the bed, Hestia couldn't dig the point in further.

"Well, let's see how much you've grown, shall we?"

Muttering, Hestia for the third time in as many minutes brought forth a drop of ichor and let it fall upon the girl's faultless skin. After a moment, Hestia sighed and transcribed, her hopes dashed. Having a second level three would have been extremely helpful. Unfortunately, that seemed like it wouldn't be the case.

Strea

Level Two

Strength: C 694 → A 810 Defense: C 625 → B 768 Dexterity: E 472 → C 612 Agility: F 399 → C 602 Magic: I 0 → I 0

Resistance: I

Magic:

Skills:

Elegy of Darkness: Activates near death. Imbues the user with greater strength. Weapon strikes devour the energy of foes prolonging skill activation. Restricts mental capacity when active.

Once again, Hestia paused looking at that skill. The others in the familia knew that Strea had a skill. However, Hestia and Strea had agreed to hide the details from them. It was a little frightening. More so when Hestia stopped to consider that kinds of experiences would be required to generate a skill like that.

Handing it to Strea, the girl's face bunched up into an unusually serious expression. "I knew I hadn't done it…"

"It's alright," Hestia tried to assure her, placing a hand on Strea's shoulder. "It will come with time. Don't try and rush it."

The lavender-haired beauty shrugged away the contact. "But I didn't need it later! I needed the boost now!"

Hestia couldn't argue that. Looking toward Leafa and Silica who had fallen silent, Hestia gestured for them to leave. Once the door was shut behind them, Hestia let out a giant sigh. "I agree. I was really hoping that you would hit level three. This is a disappointment."

The happy-go-lucky girl sunk in within herself even more. Her transfixing red-violet eyes gleamed with the prospect of imminent tears.

Undaunted, Hestia reapplied her contact but took it a step further. Wrapping her arms around the larger woman's shoulders, Hestia pulled Strea toward herself. Perhaps caught off guard, Strea didn't resist.

With a soft boing Strea's head landed on top of Hestia's sizeable breasts. Using her right hand, Hestia stroked her short hair while her left held Strea in place.

"It is going to be alright. You are strong enough to help them as you are. I believe in you Strea."

"I…" Strea looked like she was struggling to find her words, but she didn't fight against the embrace. With a sigh, Strea gave up on finding those words and let her eyes close. Wrapped in a loving embrace like a mother would their child. "Thank you, Goddess. I'm glad I found my way into your familia."

"Me too…" Smiling down at the girl, Hestia was surprised to find that the words were accurate. Despite the initial jealousy Hestia had felt at how quickly Strea had bonded with Kirito, Hestia as well had grown fond of the girl. Her eccentricities and booming voice had quickly turned their house into a home.

They stayed like that for an entire minute. At which point, Strea got up, put her shirt back on and left with a final grin and a wink. Hestia responded with her best motherly smile. Praying that it wouldn't be the last time she saw the girl. Not that she wasn't in some danger herself. In some ways, Hestia potentially had the most dangerous role tonight. Before she could dwell on that however, the last knock she was expecting rang out from her door.

"Come in, Bell."

Somehow, despite being in a familia consisting of people from another world, and two that call each other sister and appeared from nowhere, Bell was still the most mysterious to Hestia. She had arrived on the mortal plane only shortly after the great reckoning. Partly due to how many gods and goddesses were returned to the heavens as familias across the world fell apart as falna-containing children suddenly vanished.

That event had unleashed a wave of tragedy on the world that it was still struggling to recover from. No doubt it had affected this boy in some way as well. The strange sword he had arrived with, his mysterious connection to Hermes… Hestia badly wanted to pry Bell's secrets from him. Now was most certainly not the time though.

"How did you know it was me?"

Hestia smiled, as she patted the same place on the bed as before. The sheet still wrinkled from the other girls laying on it. "Call it a goddess' intuition."

The answer appeared to mollify Bell. Instead of laying down, he sat on the edge, fidgeting. Watching him made Hestia reminiscent of Kirito. How long had it been since the boy reacted like this? Shifting uncomfortably while he struggled to say something. He had grown into a true captain, capable of speaking his mind without stuttering. Bell wasn't there yet. Even his strange dark moods were more hard than mature.

Other times, he acted and responded like a naïve child that had grown up sheltered. Hestia wished Bell would confide in her about that. "So, what's up?"

"Such a strange expression," Bell mused instead of answering. "Deities brought with them so many strange words."

"I suppose…" Hestia responded lightly, not wanting to get into the topic with Bell. She knew there was something more urgent.

"A-Anyway," Bell stuttered, struggling to begin. "I wanted to ask you… What do you think of the plan?"

"Hmm…" Narrowing her eyes, Hestia tried to discern why Bell was asking. If she knew that, she could change her response to meet his needs. Unfortunately, even a deity's powers only went so far. "I think we have a chance. I just hope Ishtar's members are lenient enough that the day ends with no deaths."

Bell didn't answer instantly. Hestia could sense in his posture what he thought of her words, however. They were a naïve hope of a goddess who loved her children. The reality of the lower world was far darker. Just as inevitably people died in the dungeon every day, their objective was unlikely to succeed without sacrifices.

"My role," Bell began, "is to provide cover fire for the others from a distance."

"Yes…" Hestia agreed uncertainly.

"I want to change it."

"Why? You are an important part of the strategy," Hestia countered. Bell's firebolt gave them an uncharacteristic advantage over the enemy. Magic, especially powerful magic took long trigger spells and immense focus to cast. Bell didn't have the same power, but he wasn't limited to only a few minor casts. His magic could disrupt enemy casters in a second. Blind them with light and smoke.

Hestia, however, could see the other side of this argument. Bell wouldn't really be doing anything. His magic would be an annoyance. A minor aid in keeping magic off them. It may not play a pivotal role in their planned encounter with Ishtar familia.

"I want… no, I need to do more goddess. I want to see that girl's smile. To be there when she takes her first steps of freedom. Please…"

"…Let's see how much you grew first," Hestia compromised. "After that… Well, it is Kirito and Lili you'll need to convince."

"Thank you."

Shaking her head slightly, Hestia prepared herself for her fourth and final status update of the day.

---

Asuna:

"Is everything ready then?"

"Yes." Nodding the affirmative, Asuna stood on one of the parapets of Twilight Manor. Having been a relatively new familia when Orario was finished, Loki hadn't gotten much land to work with. As a result, her familia house stretched vertically rather than encompassing a vast amount of area. Standing near the top of the structure, Asuna stared south to where Daedalus street consumed a large portion of the city.

The day was finally here. The day when Loki familia, in conjunction with Ganesha familia and some help from Hermes familia would assault the lair of Evilus. It was a ramshackle of buildings located deep within the street. Asuna still wasn't sure how Hermes had discovered its location. Looking over the maps of the area, Asuna's eyes still blurred as the little lines mixed together in confusing patterns. It was worse than the dungeon in there for getting lost. Only the Ariadne signs allowed one to escape.

"That's good. So, Aa-chan, I talked to some of the leaders, and we are changing your role in this fight."

"W-What? How can you do that!?" Whirling on her deity, Asuna's eyes shimmered with the gleam of betrayal.

"Calm down." Loki instructed. "It's a fundamental change in your goal. You'll still be in the thick of things."

"…I'm listening." Asuna replied.

"Your job is to flood the entire complex."

"…I'm sorry?" Caught off guard by the strange request, Asuna could only blink. Flood the complex? How?

"Astrid mentioned the flexibility of your magic. I'm not sure why it took me so long to realize, but if they're soaked, they can't detonate, right?"

Asuna nodded along but frowned at the obvious problem. "Loki, I'm not strong enough to produce that much water."

"Maybe," the goddess conceded with her usual hooded smile. The expression taunting as it inferred Loki knew something you didn't. "But one of the cities main sewer lines runs through Daedalus street. Accessing it, you should be able to do it. Along with a constant supply of mind potions."

Humming to herself, Asuna looked back out over the city. She had been worried that Loki would remove her to save her feelings. However… Asuna could see the usefulness of this maneuver. In fact, she could very well be more helpful doing this.

"Very well. I shall fulfill this task."

"You don't really have a choice," Loki smirked. "This is an order."

Asuna's cheeks were suffused with a tinge of red. Loki's words were fair. She was simply another member of the familia. If this was what Loki chose, Asuna could only obey. As Loki turned to leave, Asuna held up a hand to stop her.

"Loki… Will this work? If we win tonight… Will the city go back to normal?"

Rather than answering, the vermillion-haired deity came and stood right beside Asuna. Her presence was warm and dependable.

"Do you know why us deities come down to the mortal plane, Asuna?"

"…For entertainment," she answered instinctively, not understanding the purpose of the question.

"That's the superficial one, yes," Loki agreed. A small smile touched the deity's face as she talked. Both sorrow and excitement combining in a strange mixture. "Here, anything can happen. For thousands of years, we sat in the heavens, unchanging, uncaring. But down here… things happen. Souls are born and die in the blink of an eye. Getting judged, cleansed, and reincarnated. Anything can happen, do you understand?"

Asuna did. Swallowing, she nodded once in appreciation as Loki left for good this time. None of Asuna's questions were answerable because her goddess didn't know. The fate of the city was in the hands of the children. Taking one last look to the south, Asuna left as well to finish her final preparations. The operation would commence when the last rays of the setting sun illuminated the full moon rising in the east.

---

Aisha:

Standing on top of one of the brothel's, Aisha's gaze was fixed to the north-east. She wasn't sure exactly where, but that was the general direction of Hestia familia's home. They would come, Aisha was sure of it. She had sensed the boy's passion in each swing of his blade. He would try to save that stupid fox with his own two hands. And when he did…

"I will stop him…"

Muttering out loud for once, Aisha's heart twisted in her chest at the foul words. That did nothing to overcome the words in her mind, Ishtar's, placed there during repeated torture for shattering the first stone they had received. The charm commanded loyalty from Aisha. Even the mere thought of pretending to screw up and let him get away with Haruhime sent tremors of terror through her body.

As a result, Aisha both despised and loved her familia. She was the captain. It was her job to keep everyone safe. All too recently she had failed. A member succumbed to the poison from a Peluda. The thirty-seventh-floor monster's poison proving too much for the upper-tier adventurer's resistance to overcome.

The expedition had been folly, but they had returned successful. Ishtar shared Aisha's opinion that the cruel deadline had been set on purpose to weaken them. Nevertheless, through ample use of Haruhime's magic, along with stores of magic items and potions, they had done it. Blitzing through the lower floors until they arrived in the depths. Less than six hours they spent there, collecting drop items before fleeing back to the surface. They had arrived yesterday in the night. Less than a full day before the full moon.

A full moon that rose as if answering Aisha's thoughts. The sky had darkened to the point where its beauty was fully visible. However, it still wasn't in position. It would be another two hours at least until it reached its zenith, positioned overtop the cloudtop gardens so the ceremony could proceed.

Cling!

Aisha's ears twitched as a sound that should not be made on the surface rang out. The clash of metal on metal, and the accompanying cries of war. She shifted her gaze until she found the source. To the south, mired in Daedalus street, something was happening.

"Could it be…" Aisha's thoughts were cut off once again as a panting form leapt onto the roof beside her.

"Ai… Aisha… They have… Haruhime!"

"…What?" Whirling on Lena, Aisha glared down at her. "How is that possible? Is the girl not locked securely within Belit Babitty!?"

"I-I don't know!" Lena whimpered, cowering before Aisha's rage. "B-But look!"

Following Lena's finger, Aisha swiftly found the target. There he was, his black hair was impossible to miss, with that over-the-top coat flaring behind him. In his arms, being carried like a princess, was Haruhime. The fox's golden tail, sticking out like a beacon of her identity. It was her.

Still, Aisha frowned. This didn't make any sense. No alarm had gone up, no great commotion… Just go with it.

Knowing that she would get the truth eventually, Aisha decided it didn't matter. She knew that boy would want to free Haruhime with his own two hands. He was a womanizer. Tried to look cool in front of women.

Rearing back her head, Aisha unleashed an ululating cry from her throat. An amazon specific sound shared only among their elite. It was a call to the berbera for war.

"Go back to Belit Babitty and make sure no one else runs off. I get the feeling this is bait."

"Bait!?" Lena screamed, clearly deranged at the unpredictable events. "Ishtar will skin us alive if Haruhime gets away!"

"GO!" Aisha roared. "We will get the dumb fox back." As Aisha spoke, they began to appear. The level threes and upper level twos that formed the core of the familia. A battle party among the strongest in the world. Raising a hand, Aisha pointed at her gray-haired second-in-command. "Samira, stay behind and fall back to Ishtar."

"What!? How can you say that! Haruhime is getting away!"

"You will obey my orders," Aisha glared. "Don't screw it up this time." Watching for the flinch of guilt on her face, Aisha nodded sharply. She was confident the girl would follow this command.

Stepping off the roof, Aisha led the party of eight after the fleeing boy.

---

Lili:

"If I get killed because of this, I'm never going to forgive you!"

"I understand," Kirito grumbled, "Just keep quiet, you don't have the voice quite right."

"Urgh." Muttering to herself, Lili flicked her tail again, making sure its golden sheen glinted sharply in the moonlight. This was the power of her magic, Cinderella. Used in such a deviously clever way, Lili herself hadn't thought of it. It was purely the product of the black-haired boy who carried her.

Another reason, Lili hadn't tried to think about a plan like this. Mainly since it would most likely get her killed. Even if that didn't happen, it would expose her magic to everyone. And on the slim possibility neither of those happened, it would get whomever the bait was killed. In this case: Kirito.

"You can still change plans," Lili pled with the boy. "Drop me and run off on your own. I'll change back and they'll be confused. Waste time searching the city for a girl that isn't here."

"Won't work."

"Why?" Lili almost screamed desperately at the boy. She didn't love him like the other girls. But she did admire him. He was the captain of her familia. He had been the one to defeat Zanis in a duel to help her win her freedom from Soma. Lili wouldn't be able to bear watching him die.

"They are already on our trail," Kirito explained, his face tense. Even as he sprinted along, his eyes kept watch of the nearby roofs.

Lili swallowed and fell silent. With nothing else to do, she leaned her forehead against his chest. Everything about this was insane. They should never have thought about fighting Ishtar familia. But… It was why Lili loved them. They were her first friends.

The footfalls made a repetitious sound to accompany their journey. Sheltered in Kirito's arms, it was hard to even appreciate the speed they ran at. However, the scenery around them changed in accordance with their pace. Out of the pleasure district, they entered the central garden. Then, without pausing, Kirito entered Babel.

---

Freya:

"Oh?" Pausing, Freya stood at her balcony at the highest floor of Babel and watched. Looking down at the ground, far below her, her lips curved into a wicked smile. A most peculiar sight. Two figures, one cradled in the arms of another dashed into the tower, hotly pursued by eight more. The usual compliment of Ganesha guards had been depleted for the raid on Daedalus street.

Tapping her fingers against the guardrail, hundreds of possibilities raced through Freya's mind. So many options. So many moving pieces. She would hate to see the boy with the soft soul end his journey so soon. Freya was looking forward to how it would develop. Yet, there was nothing she could do for him directly.

"Ulfric?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"You say you were unsuccessful in determining the magic that Ishtar plans on using to fight us, correct?"

"…Yes," her wolfen follower admitted again, his ears falling flat along his head.

"Hmm…" In an instant, Freya's eyes shimmered with girlish delight. As well as the vindictive pride of a queen slapping those who would usurp her. "If you descend to the dungeon, you may find something interesting. Amazons in need of a lesson."

Freya could feel the smile of bloodlust rising behind her. "It would be my honour to fulfill your will."

"Ulfric?"

"Yes?"

"Do leave them alive. I have a feeling Orario will soon need all the fighting power it can muster."

"As you command."

With those final words, the room was abandoned. Pouring herself another drink, Freya pulled up her chair and watched the western half of the city. Loki's whelps doing battle in the maze that was Daedalus street, or the commotion in the pleasure district. Which group would shine brighter? Freya was eager to find out.

---

Kirito:

Fifth…

Sixth…

Even with a level three status, my arms were beginning to burn from unnatural stress. Carrying someone and sprinting near max speed was hard. With the extra weight, my pace was too slow. They were gaining. Thankfully, my destination was right around the corner.

Finding another staircase, I leapt down it. My nearest pursuer's steps echoing just back. The end would be close, but I was confident I would make it. No, I knew I would make it. Partly because I understood the one chasing me.

She didn't really care about the chase itself. She knew I would have a spot prepared. Maybe more people ready to ambush her. She didn't care. She was confident she would win.

On the seventh floor, I found my way to the edge. A solid twenty-minute run from the pleasure district. It was a mind-bending distance to cover in that time. Whatever the world record was back in the old world, I was certain I'd smashed it and done so while carrying a person.

Entering a straightaway, I followed it as it curved in a gentle circle, opening into a chamber before it looped back and connected with itself.

Pausing here, I dropped Haruhime. Well, Lili really. Staring at Lili, I could see a few mistakes in the guise. However, Renarts were so rare, and the golden sheen of her fur so striking, it was impossible to tell the difference from a distance.

Less than a second later, another set of footfalls entered and fell silent. "All of that running, and for what? To die by yourself in the dungeon?"

Turning to face the captain of Ishtar familia, I coached my face into a smile. "No, not for nothing. Show them Lili."

"…Fine. Stroke of midnight's bell." Beneath the gazes of eight amazons, Haruhime's appearance melted away. A short prum girl standing in her place.

"Now go, they'll need you."

"…Fine."

It was hard to contain a sigh of relief. I was worried Lili would refuse, potentially bringing danger upon herself. This was my choice, and now I would bear the consequences of it.

"Was that… Magic?" One of them muttered.

"But then…!"

"That's right!" I declared loudly, drawing my sword with an exaggerated flare. "Haruhime was never here!"

"!?" A mixture of gasps and shocked expressions surged across the amazon's faces. Each one buying precious time for Lili to get back to the surface without them meeting. Hopefully, the time they had seen her for was insufficient for them to recognize her.

One amazon, however, only smiled. Aisha Belka was not surprised in the least. "A clever ruse, but pointless."

"What do you mean?" I asked stalling for time. "Your elites are here. By the time you return, Haruhime will be a member of Hestia familia and beyond your reach."

"No." Aisha denied, shaking her head. "You all, go back to the surface. I'll deal with pretty boy."

Frowning, I shift into a defensive posture. This hadn't been the response I expected at all. I had thought they'd be desperate. Trying to rush past me to take the quickest route back. Instead, Aisha simply seemed disappointed. The others were confused at best.

"…Why?"

"Why what?" I fire back.

"Why did you give up on the girl?"

"Give… up?" Blinking in confusion, I tilted my head at the accusation.

Aisha brought her giant blade into a high stance before responding. "I saw it in your eyes. A need to rescue her. To be the one to save her. What happened to that? Why did you abandon your chances of rescuing her!?"

Gasping, my whole perspective on the situation changed for a brief moment. I saw it from Aisha's point of view. The captain had been expecting a dramatic rematch. A clash of captains to determine who walked away with the renart.

Opening my mouth to snap a snarky reply, I paused, no words coming, I let my mouth close. The time for talk had ended. Stepping forward, Aisha closed the nearly seven metre gap in a single step. Raising my longsword in a two-handed grip, I answered her single-handed strike from her large padao. The wooden blade creaking against my standard steel.

Groaning under the weight, I watched as her blade descended within a hands-breadth of my face before stopping. The power of my two hands just able to answer her single-handed strike.

"You've gotten stronger… Don't think that will save you!"

With Aisha's cry, the fight began in earnest. Multiple times a second, she unleashed one invisible attack after another. Each one fast enough to send cracks of sound through the air as she tore it asunder.

In the face of the blazing assault that perfectly wove kicks and slashes together into a dance of death, I smiled. It was exhilarating. Testing myself against the limits of an adventurer's capabilities.

My status was still lower, but not by as much as last time. With my experience from last time, I endured the first few seconds. Dodging and weaving, deflecting slashes.

Taking a hand off my handle, I used it to parry kicks. Despite having an armoured gauntlet to protect my forearm, I could still feel it being bruised by her bare heels. In terms of defence, I was woefully far behind.

"What are you smiling for, boy?" Aisha growled. For the first time, she looked angry. "What the hell is the point of this!?"

"Don't you understand?" I taunted her, darting around one of her attacks. Not bothering to counterattack, I took a half step back, her heel soaring harmlessly past. "You aren't there, captain."

This time, my words reached her. Aisha's eyes narrowed as her assault increased in tempo. The dance speeding up. With it, my body began to move faster as well. The blazing assault far outpaced our stint in the dungeon. It made me wonder if Ulfric had been holding back then.

"Who the fuck cares about me!?" Aisha screamed in my face, her eyes burning with wild fury. "You aren't there to save her!"

Meeting her next swing, our blades locked as we pushed against each other. Our faces were close enough that a small lean from either of us would bring them into contact. A seed of anger was growing in me. "Why do you pretend to care for her? You act like you want us to save her."

"Urgh… I-I am loyal to my familia. If it is the will of our goddess then…"

"I never took you for a coward," I accused as I glared at Aisha. "She is scared and lonely, and you sit there doing nothing for your familia member! Every day she suffers, and you don't care!"

"I do!" Aisha roared, increasing the pressure on our blades. Her superior strength was beginning to push me to the ground. Under my boots, I could begin to feel the rock of the dungeon floor break under her absurd strength. "You don't know anything boy… The charm of a goddess of beauty… You know nothing!"

I found myself with no way to respond. Her words were so desperate, so… vulnerable. I felt like I could understand Aisha, just for a moment. Her heart breaking more each day as she was stuck in repetitive motions, not possessing the power to break free of the bonds that others had placed upon her.

"This is the last time I ask, boy. Why are you here and not trying to save her?"

Meeting her purple eyes, I let myself smile tauntingly. "Who said anything about me saving her?"

"What!? Who else could…"

"That's right," I agree as her thoughts finally catch up. "There is someone in the familia who is far better at playing hero than I ever was. There's a reason I dress in black."

"A level one!?" Aisha raged. "You would trust her fate to a level one!?"

"Who said anything about him still being level one?"

"What? But that's…"

As Aisha trailed off, I used the distraction to spin away from the hilt-lock. Raising my foot, I attempted a kick. This time, Aisha was forced to raise an arm to block it. The contact pushing her backwards.

Unrelenting, I pursued the higher-level adventurer. Blow after blow, I rained down upon her. My singular sword leaving afterimages as it struck again and again. Twenty, thirty slashes. Each one lasting barely more than a tenth of second.

Of course, each one was cleanly blocked.

Even inside her reach, Aisha was able to deflect or outright block my assault by using her superior status, and if I was honest, skill. Forged from a decade or more spent in continual combat.

"Enough!" Roaring, her body twisted. Knocking aside my blade with hers, her foot came up, too fast for me to block. Catching me in the cheek, my vision went red as a surge of pain shot through me.

My neck snapping back, I flew backwards, crashing heavily unto the stone ground before rolling to my feet. As I rose, Aisha was already in the air. Her body descending in an arc to release the final swing of the fight.

As I traced her, my lips twisted into a small smile: game over.

"Rah!" Roaring with effort, my skill pulsed to life within me. Allow me to save my familia. Answering this desperate cry, it provided me a small burst of status. My sword surpassing Aisha's expectations, it met hers in midair and stopped it. Our strength was equal for a moment.

Reaching over my shoulder, I grabbed the second hilt and pulled. Unused in the expedition, it was finally time. Thank you, Liz. Sending the blacksmith my gratitude, I could imagine her sly wink in my mind.

Sliding out of the sheath with hardly any resistance at all, the yellow blade rose and descended.

"Hiyah!"

"No…" Muttering, I don't know why I had expected my plan to work. Bait her in and then disable her with the magic sword. This was one of the strongest adventurers in the world. Forged in the fiery crucible of the dungeon. They were the real monsters.

With extraordinary effort, Aisha pushed my blade aside, her leg rising and meeting the side of second sword. With all the resistance of an icicle, the blade snapped.

Boom!

With a roaring explosion, the world turned yellow as a storm of lightning encompassed us.

"Uff!" Releasing an unpleasant sound, I pealed my back off the wall of the chamber. Blinking the light from my vision, the room slowly came back into detail. As it did, pain came with it.

"Ah…AHH!" Clutching my left arm to my chest, I collapsed to one knee, tears flowing freely down my face. The entire hand was burned to a black crisp. The smell of burning flesh consuming the room, evidence of the severity of scorch marks and jagged red lines that coursed up my arm past my elbow. My coat and armour and been blasted away in the explosion.

"Not used to pain yet, are you?" A tired female voice muttered.

Freezing, I looked across at where Aisha was picking herself off the ground. She took a small step, limping heavily. A large portion of her weight resting upon her wooden sword that was dug point first into the ground.

Like my left arm, her right leg had sustained heavy damage. I'd heard about this effect from Lisbeth. It had happened during the expedition. A magic sword shattering, releasing all of its energy within a small timeframe.

In a way, I had won. Aisha was out of commission. She was going nowhere fast on that leg. But…

"Stand up and fight. This isn't over yet."

"…" Staying silent, I fought back the tears. Having her glare focused on me helped me ignore the pain. It let me know that unless I did something, I would die.

"You have an elixir on you, yeah?" Aisha asked. "Guess that's what we're fighting over." To my surprise, rather than anger, Aisha's eyes were glowing with a different light. As if my attack had only made the fight more interesting.

"…I guess so." Rising to my feet, I let my useless left arm hang by my side. So much for my second magic. With this injury it was no longer a possibility.

The first however… Before, Aisha had been too fast. Now though…

"Come, reckless conqueror!"

Face paling, I realized we had the same idea, except Aisha had acted on it first. Her face split into a teasing smile as she kept walking forward, while casting.

Not to be outdone, I started my chant in a hurry.

"Lord of the forest, king of trees,

"Conqueror of the ground, and Herald of the skies."

Forcing the pain away, I matched Aisha step for step, the distance between us closing with tantalizing certainty. I have no idea what her magic does, but she shouldn't know mine either.

"Masculine warrior, strong soldier, greedy and unjust hero!"

As she sang, Aisha danced forward on one leg, swinging her large blade. Forced to duck, I continued my chant in direct opposition. The two melodies fusing into a brand-new rhythm of death.

"Let loose once more your power unto the world.

"Let my body be your roots, my blade your sprout."

Compared to earlier, this fight was horrible. My swings were off balance as I fought, not used to concurrent casting and my left arm unable to move properly. I would have died instantly if Aisha was anywhere near her full potential. Forced to hop around, her swings were predictable and her dancing fight style was completely disrupted.

"Prove your desire for the Empress's throne!"

Slashing again, I forced my legs to move, trying to end this without the use of magic. Aisha's long legs acting against her in this situation.

Crouching low, I was on the offensive. Slashing from all angles, Aisha, for the first time, struggled to keep up with my attacks.

"Misjudged and mistreated, Lonely and in search of friends.

"I know your pain of isolation; I know your desperate search!"

The fight was reaching its climax. Aisha's body looked like it was on fire as she sung. Twirling in circles, beads of sweat flying off the sun-kissed skin. Under different circumstances, it would be a tantalizing sight.

"Satisfy my body, penetrate and kill it to show your worth!"

As her song was reaching the end, I pushed on with my magic, trying to up the pressure on her with my sword.

"Absorber of light, Piercer of the skies, enter my blade and extend. Reach the limit and penetrate, break the rules and reforge destiny!"

Lowering her blade, Aisha blocked my attack without even looking. In the same motion, she leapt forward, rolling once along the ground before rising. Without pause, she turned to face me and planted her sword into the rocky ground.

"My famished blade is Hippolyta!"

Her chant was done. Staring her in the eye, I realized I had lost. I still had another stanza left. And… she isn't casting? Pausing, I nodded once in respect.

"I call you here now by name, great guard of the north. Enhance Armament!"

With overlapping voices, the names of our magic sounded.

"Hell Kaios!"

"Gigas Cedar!"

The now familiar spear of blackness shot forth. The sight of its implacable majesty brought with it confidence in my ability. I could win this! No, I will win. A potential I never let myself even dream of in planning. Even if I hadn't expected Aisha to give me a one-on-one duel.

From Aisha's planted blade, a wave of magical energy shot forth. It was reminiscent of a shark fin's as it coursed along the rocky ground. The wave of energy glowed with an eerie red energy. Instinctively, my senses told that it would cut me apart if it hit.

"Hyah!"

"Hrrngh!"

With dual cries, our magics mixed. My implacable spear drew to a halt as it battled against the wave. The point of contact was a swirling hurricane of force. Shards of black and red energy breaking off and vanishing into the air.

The small chamber felt supercharged from the clash. As if it would explode at the slightest change. Every second, more energy pouring into the space.

Aisha's voice broke the stalemate. "Why? What is she to you that you'd go this far?"

"I…" Stumbling, the wave encroached another foot closer, my magic on the verge of failing. Not because it was weaker, but because I was weaker. Aisha, twisted by her goddess, still had more strength than I did. More determination in accomplishing her goals.

Please Kirito! I… I can't grow as fast as you can. That's why… Please! Please save her!

Mikoto's words from our training session floated through my mind. That's right, I had to save Haruhime so she could see her childhood friends again.

Still, Aisha's magic pushed on mine. The black energy flaking off faster than the red. If this continued, I'd be dead in a couple seconds. Aisha's eyes burned into mine. All the while asking me again and again, that singular word: why? Why did I fight for a girl I barely knew?

"I fight… because she's sad. I want her to happy."

"Is that really it?" Aisha sneered.

"Yes. I know I can't be her hero. I can't save her. But… I know he will!"

Roaring, I pushed my arm forward again. It felt like I was moving through molasses. A terrible force resisting my effort. "HURRAGHH!" Renewing my cry, my arm shifted. Centimetre by centimetre, the black spear pushed through the red wave of energy.

Snap!

With a strange noise, all resistance faded, my black spear shot forward renewed. Its width less than half of what it had been. Striking Aisha's sword, the tip shifted to the side but kept going forward, straight through her right side below the ribs.

However, my eyes were tracking a different phenomenon. The red wave, split in half, continued coming. With little fanfare, both sides of the energy struck me.

Gasping, I collapsed to the ground, all power gone from my right leg. There was a deep cut just above the knee where I had been hit. From unworking fingers, the hilt of my blade clattered to the stone. My shoulder had been torn asunder; the entire limb was now non-functioning.

"Hah! So, I lost!" Aisha laughed; her words mixed with blood as she spat it up. "You really are something else boy."

"Thanks," I groaned back. The words were the only thing that stopped me from descending into a bawling fit as the pain consumed me. "I think it's a tie though…"

"But you'll just use that elixir on yourself and leave," Aisha said. "Unless…" Trailing off, she burst out into laughter, which quickly transitioned to coughs of blood.

Joining her in laughter, I chuckled softly, allowing my eyes to close. Neither of my arms worked. I literally couldn't heal myself. Aisha, who had use of her arms, was busy bleeding out and probably couldn't walk anymore to come retrieve it for herself.

"Hey… Are we both going to die?" I ask.

"Hmm… Probably not. You mostly cancelled my magic. At level three, your endurance should keep you alive. I think this hole will clot enough for me to pull myself back to the surface in an hour or so."

"That's good," I mutter. "I'm glad you aren't going to die."

"Why?" Aisha asked. "I'm your enemy. Unless you send Ishtar back to the heavens, this won't end here. She has her mind fixed on Haruhime."

Her words made sense. In fact, she had outlined the single biggest issue that we couldn't fix in our planning. How to permanently rescue Haruhime. The only way would be to either dispose of their goddess or all the members. Both strategies I rejected. There was a third.

"I think… You got unlucky. Freed from your goddess, you'd be a good person."

"A good person?" Aisha scoffed. "I take the men I want and devour them. According to most races, I'm not a good person."

"Maybe not," I agreed reluctantly, shivering at the reminder of Amazon's tendencies. "But you can be better. I can sense it in you. A potential for goodness. You fought with honour. You can lead the others. Reforge them into something greater."

"Something greater, huh?" Aisha muttered. Not laughing at my words as I had expected. "Something about the way you talk makes me believe it is possible. Makes me want to make it a reality. I see why you are surrounded by woman. There's something special about you boy, and I don't think you've reached your full potential yet."

"…Kirito," I reply quietly.

"What?"

"My name is Kirito, Aisha. Also… thank you. Maybe one day, I'll be able to save you."

"Ha, that's a good one." The woman laughed. "Keep dreaming, boy. Er, Kirito. Nah, I'll call you Mr. Black Knight!"

"Sounds good," laughing quietly along with Aisha, we waited in the silence of the dungeon, the outcome of our duel changing nothing about the results on the surface.

---

Part 2: Failed Plans

Ulfric:

Standing in a passage on the third floor, Ulfric's gaze didn't move as a small prum girl darted past him. He had chosen this corridor for a single purpose. It was impossible to return the surface from deeper without passing through here. Every adventurer he'd seen so far dashed past him quickly, faces frozen with fear.

None of them were worth acknowledging, however. Plus, his goddess didn't send him down here to fight such weaklings.

At last, just as that prum girl's footsteps faded behind him, he heard them. Six, no seven pairs approaching swiftly. Just from the pace and precision of the footfalls, Ulfric could tell that these were no ordinary adventurers. The sounds were muffled by skill and a lack of armour. They were the ones he hunted.

His great blade was freed from its sheath with a terrific howl. The screeching served as a warning. Answering it, the group of amazons slowed to a stop.

"U-Ulfric!?"

"Cpatian of Freya familia?"

"Lágr Ulfr…"

Ulfric hid his smile. It was always nice to be recognized. Even if he felt nowhere near strong enough to hold his title of the strongest, Ulfric was confident he could do this. Scanning the group with a cursory eye, he found his answer. "Five level threes, two level twos. Try not to disappoint me."

"B-But the ceremony is ye…Ahh!"

Ulfric had enough of the talking. Darting forward, his first strike took the one stupid enough to continue babbling. The cut was deep, but not life-threatening as they were flung to the side.

Oen down, six to go.

""Bastard!""

Roaring in unity, they charged. Their coordination reminiscent of how adventurers would take down a floor boss. A lesser man would be impressed by how they reacted instantly to his presence, realizing they had no chance individually.

Still, their tactics meant nothing. Ulfric had spent these recent weeks once again broiled in combat. Striving once more for that elusive level five.

"Weak."

With a single word, he passed judgement upon the female warriors. With a single swing of his sword, he ended their hopes. Spears shattered; swords were knocked aside.

The fight raged on, but Ulfric knew it was already over. From the look in their eyes, they knew as well. Both sides continued to play out the farce. Less than five minutes later, Ulfric ascended the stairs back to the surface alone.

---

Sachi:

"S-Scary…" Quivering, Sachi's spear was shaking violently in her hands. Right now, she'd be useless in a fight. The entire district terrified her. The thought of Kirito and Lili alone, getting hunted down by that pack of amazons. It was hard for Sachi to focus.

She'd always been scared. It was a feeling that had accompanied her for her entire life. She couldn't help but wonder what other people thought of her. So, she hid from them. Eventually, at herparents' insistence, Sachi had joined a computer club. There, for the first time, she had friends. People other than her family that she felt comfortable around.

That interaction had led her into DOO, which had transitioned into another world. A world where she met more friends. Chigusa, Ouka, Mikoto. Even the kind god Take Mikazuchi who had taught her how to fight.

Overcoming challenge after challenge, Sachi had felt the fear fade. She had even been able to help Kirito train for this day. Accompanying him on his expedition and standing up to Apollo familia. As time had gone on, Sachi had thought the fear had finally left for good. That was why Sachi had never expected it to return. And so suddenly, on such a big day.

Standing in a dark alley in the pleasure district, even the presence of her friends didn't calm Sachi's nerves. All eleven of them were there, operating in a singular unit for the time being. The streets were filled with adventurers, some showing up for their nightly routine, others were more alert.

Mainly amazons, they walked around in pairs, weapons at the ready. It was a show of force and security. The other adventurers didn't know what it meant, but Sachi did. They were ready for them. Haruhime was deep inside this net and would be sacrificed not two hours from now.

With silent signals, Ouka and Mikoto exchanged nods. Moving like shadows, each one grabbed an amazon as they went by and pulled them quickly back into the alley. In a few seconds, their struggling halted as they slumped unconscious. Pulling them further against the wall, they made sure the bodies would be hidden from a cursory glance down the alley by a bystander.

As Sachi examined the amazons, she struggled not to blush. The fact that they would wander the streets almost completely naked astounded her. Did they have no humility!?

Also, Sachi wasn't a fan of how the boy's leered at them. Their eyes tracking the amazons' movements through the street. Wondering why were leering so intently at this one, Sachi's cheeks flared with heat.

She almost shouted at them before realizing better. With shaky hands, Sachi adjusted the woman's top so she was no longer exposing herself. Ignoring the boys' pouts, Sachi turned away with a huff.

This is why you don't fight in underwear!

Still, her silent plea went unheeded. Plus, Sachi was sure the amazon wouldn't care if people saw her naked. In fact, they would probably consider it simply another tool to distract their opponent in a fight.

"Is everyone ready?" Mikoto whispered in hushed tones. "This is where I leave you."

"We understand our role," Ouka pouted, clearly not enjoying the fact that Mikoto was going off on her own. "Hurry, we are running out of time."

With a strong nod, Mikoto replaced her black scarf covering her face and dashed away into the night. Waiting for a period of five breathless seconds, everyone dated out after her. As soon as they entered the street their destination was obvious: Belit Babitty.

The primary building that occupied the center of the pleasure district and doubled as Ishtar familia's home. It rose in ever-shrinking layers to a lofty ceiling. Its central tower vaguely reminiscent of Babel's. Appended onto the back of it was a secondary structure that required crossing a thin bridge to get to. That was apparently the cloudtop garden; where the ceremony would take place from the scarce information that they had collected.

Darting down the street, they lost all subtlety as the crowds parted before Ouka's giant form. Unsurprisingly, a cry went up almost instantly from the amazon's patrolling the area.

"Urgh…"

Shivering, Sachi felt keenly the glares and bloodthirst focused down upon her. The hate the amazons felt for someone who would dare try and interfere. Sachi's pace slowed as these emotions washed over her. Unconsciously, her body had begun failing her before the first blow was struck.

"Sachi!" A voice called out.

"C-Chigusa?"

"You can do this," the usually quiet girl repeated. Now, however, her eyes were bared to the world and staring confidently at her.

"H-How do you know?" Sachi pled, "how do know that people, er, t-that it will all work out?"

Chigusa took a quick glance towards Ouka's back, a brief flash of pain masking her confidence. It faded so quickly, Sachi thought she may have imagined it. "Because I won't give up Haruhime. I know that you haven't met her… But I want to protect her with everyone else!"

That was right. This massive effort was all arranged in an attempt to bring back their friend from the far east. A girl they had been separated from years before. Sachi understood this… "B-But, we're going to die!"

The words were too loud. She knew everyone had heard them. Yet, Sachi didn't understand how they all plowed ahead. Even the boys that had come with her from the PC club. Their stride didn't even falter.

Chigusa was slow to answer as the assailants closed in. Then, just before the fighting started, Chigusa smiled and spoke one soft sentence. "You should be more confident in your abilities."

"Hiyah!" With a loud cry, an amazon jumped toward Sachi from the nearby rooftops. The feat was above the capabilities of a level one, making this woman at least level two, the same as Sachi. Her spear was aimed at Tetsuo in front of her. Already distracted by another foe, he would be hard-pressed to block this attack.

"Urgh…" Muttering, Sachi watched the scene like it was in slow motion. The amazon's ascent and descent. How she had completely ignored Sachi to attack what she clearly saw as the more important target. Her gaze was locked solely on Tetsuo, standing large in new heavy armour that they had struggled to procure the funds to purchase for him. Despite being near the back, him and Ouka struck the most intimidating figures in their party.

It was humiliating to be ignored like this. How the amazon had summed Sachi up so quick to be useless. Cowering in the back with shaky hands and bent shoulders.

"Gah!" True to Sachi's predictions, Tetsuo was unable to react to the new amazon's presence. Her thrust caught him in the ribs, sending him to one knee. Thankfully, the armour held up, preventing the wound from being serious.

Outnumbered and on one knee, Tetsuo was running out of time. Sachi wanted to help. Knew she had to help. But how could she? Be confident in her abilities? What abilities. She was always the one getting saved. By one of the elites, or if not them then Kirito. Once by her god, even!

"I… I can't."

"Huh, you say something, supporter?" The amazon with the spear taunted, twirling it with finesse. Due to the flamboyant display, Tetsuo was able to reclaim his feet but still struggled to fight, the injury slowing him down.

"I can't do it!" Yelling, Sachi swung blindly. As if hoping her wild swing would drive the woman away.

"Huh?"

"Hmm?" Answering the amazon's startled exclamation, Sachi opened her eyes. Her swing had perfectly broken the amazon's spear in half. No, cut, not broken, with the head of her own spear.

"Y-You little shit, I'm going to…"

Thud.

With a hollow impact, the butt of Sachi's spear hit the side of the amazon's head. Until now, she had never really understood the phrase 'collapse like a sack of potatoes'. She did now, as the limp body crashed to the ground.

"I told you, you could do it," Chigusa winked at Sachi. "Help the others, we need to break those gates open before retreating."

"Got it!" Sachi nodded. Not more confidently, the fear still ate her, but her hands weren't shaking. Her body knew what to do. Even if her mind was trapped in paralysis, her body would fight for her.

"Yaa!" Letting out a weak yell of her own, Sachi's spear blurred in her hands as she stabbed one of the amazon's attacking Ouka. Utilizing a three-strike combination that Takemikazuchi had taught her, Sachi's unsuspecting victim was blown backwards, leaking small amounts of blood from her three injuries.

"Sometimes, Sachi…"

"How is she always so far ahead of me?"

Blushing slightly at her comrades' comments, Sachi allowed her body to keep moving. She tried to not think about her actions. About how ferocious her opponents looked. How she was a small, shy girl with only a few months of training going against warriors that had decades of experience.

"W-What's with this girl!?" One of the amazon's yelled as Sachi's spear caught her in the side of the knee.

"Good job, Sachi!" Ouka called, batting another one away with a massive swing of his giant axe. "Fend them off for me!"

"Got it! Wait… what?" Ouka darted forward alone, leaving Sachi facing three angry faces on her own. Thoughts engaged, Sachi cringed in the face of such malice. "P-Please have mercy!"

"What the hell!? You come in here attacking us, and now cry for mercy?"

"Uhh," Sachi answered dully. You have a point. Her mouth never got to speak the words when a kick took her in the chin. Flying to the ground, Sachi felt her spear roll away from her. She was completely undefended now as all three encroached.

"Die, bitch!" Standing over her, one of the amazon's unleashed a punch at Sachi's face.

"Ah!" Screaming in panic, one of Sachi's arms rose in answer.

"W-What?"

"A clean block!?"

Blinking, Sachi looked at the punch which she had stopped. Her forearm had intercepted the amazon's, negating the force of the blow. In truth… It had been slow. Sachi had spent an entire week training from sun-up to sun-down with Mikoto and Kirito. One was a level three; the other was perhaps the best martial artist she knew.

Compared to those two, these three were nothing.

Rolling backwards, Sachi stood on the balls of her feet. "Have more confidence in my abilities, was it?" Muttering to herself, Sachi strode forward into her three assailants until she was in the middle of all of them.

"Y-You have a death wish or something?"

Smiling, Sachi raised her fists in answer. Yes, she was still afraid. But for the first time, she realized the true source of the fear. She had never been afraid for herself; she was scared for her friends. Terrified that their reliance on her would be the reason they died. That's why she talked herself down; tried to hide and perform sub-optimally. If they never had any faith in her, she could never let them down.

"YAARGH!"

The one that had tried to punch Sachi charged her. Her off hand contained a cleaver. A brutal weapon with a rusty edge. Sachi didn't bother moving early. At the last moment, she stepped forward, inside the amazon's swing and raised her hand.

With an openhanded strike, Sachi's palm connected with the assailant's chin. Sachi saw her eyes roll back as she collapsed and knew they weren't rising any time soon.

Feeling the other two's swings approach, Sachi dropped to the ground. Twin rushes of air confirmed her instincts. Twisting in a circle, Sachi's leg caught theirs.

"Gwargh?" In a tumble, the two of them collapsed to the ground. At the same time, Sachi was already springing back to her feet and turning around.

Calling on her god's teachings, Sachi moved. Not so much the martial arts training as the secondary training he had started recently. Ninjutsu. The art of being a ninja. Mikoto was the only that had learned of the original crew, and now Sachi was the only one of the newcomers he had singled out to teach.

With only a slight feeling of repulsion, Sachi stomped on the closest knee she could find, breaking the leg. As the piercing scream rang out, Sachi was already gone, circling to the last of the three.

"Y-You! What are you!?"

She's scared of me.

Pausing, it was a novel feeling for Sachi. She had never been someone to be scared of. The strangeness of the situation let the women take the first strike. Pulling a knife from the folds of clothes she wore; the amazon went for a killing blow. The blade aligned to run Sachi through the throat.

Slow.

Sachi had been beaten up hundreds of times from attacks that were far faster than this. Almost contemptuously, Sachi caught the wrist and twisted until she heard a snap. Ignoring the cry of pain, Sachi's leg flashed, silencing the amazon.

With her adversaries all defeated, Sachi tried to get a better view of events. The rest of her familia was struggling. Almost to a one, the assailants were better fighters. Only Chigusa was holding her own but was penned in by a pair of level twos.

"RUUN!" Came Ouka's booming voice. Trailing him was the remnants of a lock which he had smashed on the front gates. This had resulted in a swarm of adventurers attempting to take him down. Unlike before, they were armed with bows and staffs for magic. If they stood here, they would die.

Taking his suggestion, Sachi quickly found her spear and knocked away an amazon that was attacking her friends. Splitting up into two groups, they fled into the night, a horde of adventurers pursuing them.

---

Strea:

"We're in." Muttering softly to herself, Strea still flashed the rest of her familia and friends a smile. It had been a struggle getting this close without rousing suspicion, but Takemikazuchi familia's distraction had helped. As most of the guards fled after them, they had a straight shot to the front door of Belit Babbity.

"Wait, look there!" Silica whispered in hushed tones. Through the darkness, she had the best vision. Strea strained her eyes, trying to find what the girl was mentioning. "They are relocking the gate."

"Hmm, guess it's my turn then," Lisbeth muttered, standing up from their huddled position on the roof. Before she leapt down, she stopped to smile at them once. "If I… Well if I don't see you all again… It was really fun being a part of what you have you here."

"Liz…" Who whispered her name, Strea wasn't sure, it could even have been herself. However, the blacksmith was already gone, sauntering up to the front gate.

Watching with bated breath, Strea's chest felt tight. This was so wrong, everything about it was wrong. People fighting each other. And for what? To kill an innocent girl for power?

As she spent more time with the others, Strea began to acknowledge how abnormal she was. The others talked about events that had occurred years before. For Strea though… her mind was blank. Sometimes she would ask a question and get a blank stare in response. Things that Leafa would call, 'common sense', or that Lili would berate her for as, 'basic knowledge'. But Strea didn't understand how she was supposed to know that everyone had a mother and a father. Why couldn't they have two mothers?

Yet, as Strea watched the scene before her unfold, she thought she understood a little of what they had been saying. The wrongness of this was common sense. Barely ten metres under their feet was a hive that spawned an infinite number of creatures that would try to kill them. Yet, instead of coming together to focus on that, they found excuses to kill each other. Forcing Strea and the others to fight them.

"It's alright, little sister."

Feeling Yui's hand on her shoulder, Strea covered it with her own. "Thank you."

With some confidence restored, Strea watched on as the guards began yelling more animatedly, drawing in a crowd of amazons. To Strea's untrained eyes, Liz appeared to be feigning ignorance. Gesturing as if she wanted to get in for some reason.

At some point, something changed and Liz drew a hammer. Swinging at the ground, everything became illuminated in a flash of light.

A huge ball of fire that blew outwards with force, rending the front gate beneath its wrath. Liz and the guards were caught up in the shockwave, getting blown away. Basically before she even landed, Liz was darting away, the further away sentinels that could still walk were in hot pursuit.

"Urgh…" Strea struggled not to run after Liz, but instead dash for the gate itself. Her blade was already drawn to reduce the noise that unsheathing would make. It felt good in her hands. A steady presence that she could count on. "Here I go!"

Notifying the amazons with a yell, Strea jumped into the air, her blade behind her head. Body tensed with power, Strea swung for the ground.

The full-bodied blow sent shockwaves of force through the cobbled ground, buckling warriors and forcing them off-balance. Into the gap, the rest of her familia and Miach's darted. They were needed higher up.

Attacking one amazon to get her out of the way, Strea made for the entrance door as well. Once there, however, she slowed to a stop and spun around. Lili had originally wanted others to do this. Strea had insisted on the role.

She wanted to teach these people something. She didn't know the girl they were trying to save, and frankly, didn't care. What Strea cared about the callousness of Ishtar familia. How their adventurers were willing to go so far in the search of power.

So, standing in the door of their familia home, Strea stared down over a dozen upset adventurers. More were coming as they distributed healing to those that been downed earlier.

"Don't get carried away, little sister."

"I will do my best," Strea answered Yui with a wink. In a last-minute change, Yui had been assigned to be Strea's bodyguard. In terms of defence, there were none better. It did make her feel bad that such a powerful ability was being wasted on her.

"GROAGH! I hate these self-righteous bastards that keep attacking us!" Stalking toward Strea was one of Ishtar familia's rare male adventurers. He looked to be half hume-bunny and rather beaten up. His nose was broken, probably from Ouka. Also, he was covered in burn marks from when Liz had knocked the gate down.

In his meaty hands, he carried a sword that was similar in size to Strea's. The first intersection of their blades was a draw. Strea was shocked that he could meet her in terms of raw strength.

"Don't get full of yourself!" The man growled. As he pushed his sword against hers, Strea watched as his eyes tracked down. They stopped at her torso, in one place in particular. Moreso on two items to be exact. Strea's force didn't slacken in the slightest. She had quickly gotten used to the ogling from men and even women.

She was surprised as his face twisted into a sneer, as if he was looking at garbage. "You women are all the same. You, Aisha, even that cowardly fox waiting to die. You think the world revolves around you because of two lumps of fat on your chest!"

"…Huh?" The explosion of words was so surprising that Strea was forced back a step, giving ground in this battle of pure strength. "B-But… doesn't Ishtar?"

Perhaps that was the point that tripped Strea up so much. This man attacked her form but served a goddess of beauty. Strea had never seen this goddess before, but she was guessing that in terms of size, they'd be pretty similar.

"Ha! Ishtar knows that the manly form is better! Why else would she keep male servants to serve her!?"

"…" Strea had no answer for that. Maybe this was another one of those 'common sense' things that eluded her?

"Ha! I see my words have swayed you! Bow to me and I shall spare your…"

"Hey, Georgiou you dumb-ass! Casters are ready."

"Fine…" The man spat and jumped backwards away from their engagement.

"So that would make you Georgiou?" Strea asked tilting her head in wonder.

The only answer she received was the name of three spells overlapping into obscurity. "How rude!" Nonchalantly replying, Strea took a step back. Meanwhile, she was feeling quite glad that they had given her Yui. The little girl rushing forward and spreading her arms wide. Strea wanted to laugh at the shocked expressions on the mages' faces. All three of the spells, some combination of lightning and fire crashed ineffectively into Yui's purple shield of immortality.

"Hah! Turns out you mages are all talk! Leave this to a man!"

"Watch out!"

Ignoring the cry of the mages that Strea believed had more 'common sense' than this Georgiou character, he leapt forward at Yui, swinging his sword in a giant arc.

Even knowing the attack would do nothing didn't help Strea's nerves. Sure enough though, his sword clanged ineffectively as the barrier didn't flinch under the attack.

"Hyah!" Unable to just let someone attack Yui, even if it did nothing, Strea charged forward, her eyes hard with anger. Her diagonal slash caught the man as he was reeling in surprise from getting rebuffed.

"Gyah!" Yelling in pain, Georgiou was blown back, his chestplate rent through the middle.

"Don't ever attack my Onee-san again." Strea growled at him, leaving her blade once more in the entrance. As she stood there, the group of assailants began to increase. They were mulling about, some having seen the display, others being told about it. One girl that was invincible, and another who was too strong to simply run over.

"S-She's older than you?" Georgiou moaned from the ground. "That doesn't make sense at all."

"Neither does your irrational hate of my breasts, yet here we are," Strea smirked back.

"Grr… Damn women making me look like a fool."

"You don't need help with that," Yui remarked as she stood beside Strea.

Holding a hand to her mouth, Strea shot Yui a conspiratorial wink. It appeared that a great deal of the amazons as well were smirking. As if glad to see the otiose man get taken down a notch.

Still, every second that they wasted here meant another second that allowed the others to rescue Haruhime. Another second where reinforcements would not be showing up.

"You two are just stalling," Georgiou accused them.

"Is that what it looks like?" Strea taunted. "You'd need to put up more of a fight before I throw in the towel!"

Throw in the towel.

What a wonderful phrase it was. Strea wasn't sure why someone would throw a towel, or why that indicated surrender, but it was fun to imagine. Could she bunch one up tight enough to use as a projectile?

"Pay attention little sister!"

"R-Right!" Getting scolded, Strea barely dodged an arrow. Yui didn't bother as three more clinked off her shield. While the display would dissuade them from attacking, Strea worried. She had blocked so much already.

"I'm fine." Yui spoke quietly for only Strea's benefit. "Also, I have a lot of potions, so feel free to run wild."

"Got it!" Strea smirked, readying her sword. In that moment, more foes rushed for the door as shouts ran through the courtyard. They were in disarray, no true leader was present to guide them.

Good job, Kirito, Lili.

Now it was Strea's turn to make sure their efforts weren't in vain. Darting forward, Strea met the first attack with her sword. Spinning out of the encounter, she put the first opponent between her and the second.

With only one to focus on, the fight was easier. In a series of slashes, Strea battered down her enemy. They were level two, but far behind Strea in terms of status.

Sidestepping a thrust from the second adventurer, Strea took her first injury of the fight. A small cut in the side. It was a small price to pay for driving her fist into her opponent's face. The swift strike unleashed a gout of blood as their nose cracked.

It was at that moment Strea realized something.

She hated fighting people. The way they screamed. The way their eyes filled with fear when they realized they were about to get hurt.

"Are you alright little sister?" Yui asked fearfully.

"No." Strea grunted, her eyes narrowing. "This doesn't make any sense. Why…? WHY!?" Roaring the final word, Strea stood, chest heaving in the middle of the open double doors of Belit Babbity. The once magnificent oaken doors were slashed with blood and scorched by magic.

Perhaps shaken by her shout, the members of Ishtar familia hesitated. None of them seemed willing to be the next to attack.

"I told you to shut up!" Georgiou roared again, the next to attack. Late to respond, Strea found herself locked into another battle of strength again. "That self righteous look in your eye is the worst! Get off your fucking high-horse. The world is a pile of shit, always had been. We listen to Ishtar's orders, so just shut up and die already!"

Unlike last time, the amazons had solidified behind Georgiou's rant. They may not agree with his ideals, but they were familia, a family, no matter how dysfunctional. Numerous archers drew their bows as the mages restarted their chant.

"DO IT!" Georgiou cried, not jumping back this time.

With solidarity for his effort, they loosed.

"STREA!" Crying out, Yui tried to jump in. Hugging one of her sides, Strea was partially shielded.

Even with the help, she gasped as the right side of her body was torn apart by arrow and flame. Staggering, Strea's arm fell uselessly to her side, the sword almost falling from her hand. Its tip ran across the smooth marble floor of the entrance hall with a grating cry.

Her condition was far better than Georgiou's. With a soft moan, he collapsed backwards. Strea wasn't even sure that he was alive. Right now though, as her eyes started to cloud over, she was having trouble focusing. The blast of magic had rattled her senses, blurring her vision, leaving her ears ringing. Even her nose was clogged with smoke.

"Strea!"

"…" Listing from side-to-side, Strea wondered where all the pain had gone.

"Strea!"

"…" Shouldn't the burns, well… burn?

"STREA!"

On Yui's third cry, Strea's vision cleared. The world snapping back into place like a focussed microscope. "I'm here…" Gritting the words out, Strea's left hand fell down to her right to assist it in lifting her blade. A moment later, a splash of hot liquid covered her arm.

"Ah, thank you." Flashing Yui a smile, Strea started to move more easily as the exilir took its effect. While it was claimed they cured all injuries, the effect wasn't instantaneous. Strea's fighting was severely impacted and Ishtar familia didn't miss the chance to capitalize on that.

Lifting her blade in response, Strea was forced to fight side by side with Yui. The smaller girl raising her hand at attacks and stopping them. All too soon, however, the amazons started exploiting their strategy, simply jumping over Yui's head while Strea was distracted.

"They're getting through!"

"I know!" Strea bit back. Panic rising, Strea flung her blade wildly. Large horizontal sweeps that beat the adventurers back. Only for a moment until they exposed the impractical fighting style. Smartly placed jabs and deflections left Strea open for counterattacks.

"AHH!" Crying out in pain, Strea fell to one knee as a particularly bad thrust slipped through her ribs and stuck. The shaft of the spear breaking, leaving the head in Strea's body. Coughing up blood, Strea understood the significance of the injury.

She was dying.

Rather than fear, Strea felt sadness. This was all she had amounted to? Philia had done so much better against Apollo familia.

"No… I am a member of Hestia familia!" Standing up, Strea grabbed the jagged shaft and ripped it from her body, allowing it to clatter against the stones. A few of the amazons made mutters about her guts. Talking through blood, Strea warned them. "I don't know what this will do to you. Run."

Then, with a chilling smile on her face, Strea's sword became coated in darkness. Wisps of the stuff seeming to eat the light, creating a vacancy where her sword had been prior.

In a battle of more than two dozen against one injured fighter, the dozen balked. An abnormality no one could have predicted appearing before them. Lives forged in the dungeon, the age old saying wandered through their heads once more: If you encounter something you aren't familiar with, leave.

They did not.

---

Asuna:

Standing in an unoccupied sewer, Asuna watched the sky through the open manhole cover. Twilight had come, the sky turning dark as the last rays of day faded. At the same time, the full moon would begin shining down upon them. Already, Asuna could see some stars, but the moon was hidden from view.

Focussing on the sky helped distract her from the murk she stood in. Refuse and waste flowed past her in varying degrees. Apparently, the sewer waste flowed all the way south to the town of Melen before emptying into the ocean.

It made the environmentalist in her wince. It was bad practice, even if the population of the world was probably low enough to be sustainable…

Asuna smiled wryly to herself as her mind began taking tangents. It was a strange reminder of school. She could almost imagine the assignment: 'determine the maximum population the world can sustain given a rate of x percent of non-renewable resources are harvested per million people per year'.

"Is something funny?"

Turning her head, Asuna stared at her solo companion. Everyone else had quickly made excuses to be elsewhere. It made the messenger's determination to stay even more baffling. Asuna didn't mind the company, even if she still found the man to be a little off-putting.

"No, I suppose not. It is almost time to start. Before we do… what's your name? You've never fold me."

"Ahhh…"

"…?" Tilting her head, Asuna turned fully around to stare at the cloaked figure. Had that been some sort of strange sigh? "Umm, your name?"

"…You can call me 5A." The man replied after a long pause.

"S-Sure." Asuna stuttered slightly. The name sounded overtly English and it took Asuna some time to piece together. Its meaning wasn't lost on her, however. Why would he have a name that starts with a number? "Thanks for telling me…"

"…It's no problem."

Awkward interaction finished, Asuna stared back into the sky. The time to start would be right away. Almost as the thought crossed her mind, a bright red flare split the sky.

That was it.

"Rise and flow. I am the Master of Water, servant of Neptune.

"Rise and obey. Destroy those who obstruct."

Focusing on the murk beneath her, Asuna's skill activated, sending an enormous surge of magical energy through her. It felt a bit like cheating, considering this wastewater to be an area with abundant water but… she wasn't about to complain. The rush of power was exhilarating. The feeling was the similar to when Asuna had leveled-up. The strange realization that she now had access to power beyond what she could have imagined just moments before.

Reveling in that power, Asuna reacted too slowly. Her hair stood up on the back of her neck, a chill telling her of the murderous glare that was now fixed on her. However, her spell's power, combined with the uneven ground made her too slow.

Slick.

With the sound of ripping fabric, Asuna felt the tip of a knife just graze her skin. Whirling around, Asuna's rapier was in her hand in an instant. Its point reached the man's neck before she froze.

Not from fear, bur her body just jerked to a halt. Her fingers almost relaxing to the point of dropping her rapier. Instead, Asuna crashed to one knee, her sword dropping into the murk beneath. She wasn't fully paralyzed, but also could no longer move. The magic slipping from her grasp in the process.

"Tch, you went and dodged," the man complained. "Why couldn't you just let it hit?"

"Why?" Asuna growled out, her voice low and hoarse, barely above a whisper. She had no method of calling for help.

"You wouldn't understand," 5A growled back at her, embellishing the movement with a wave of his arms. The movement highlighted the gleam of oil on the blade. That must have been what paralyzed her. Even now, Asuna could feel her abnormal resistance that she picked up at level three combating the concentrated substance.

It was a battle of status. Asuna's hard-earned advanced ability against the advanced ability of a synthesizer that created the paralysis substance. Asuna had no doubt that a full wound would have fully paralyzed her.

"Try me." Asuna pushed, not letting her gaze fall from his. The black eyes gleaming softly from beneath his mask. Rather than the detachment from previously, it contained a bitter resentment.

"Look at you! Perfect in every way. A woman any man would fall far!"

Confused by the strange half-compliment, Asuna stayed silent.

"But me… I'm not even a real man anymore! I don't even have a proper name!" The laughing turned hysterical as the messenger's free hand rose up to their face. It clenched there, pulling at something, skin or cloth Asuna didn't know.

His words clicked in Asuna's head. "That noise you made before… That's your real name, isn't it?"

"Yes… A, A, A, A, A. Or for short, 5A. Surely you remember the process still, character creation?"

"You!" With a strangled cry, Asuna struggled to overcome the newest shock. "Your… from the old world?"

"Not the old world." The man spat. As he continued to talk, he started to remove his clothes, the cloak covering his body slowly sliding to the ground. "The real world. This is some… some fake! Our real bodies await us there!"

"But… If you want to go back, why are you doing this!?" Asuna cried. Her passion giving some life to her voice. "You should be helping us clear the dungeon! Evilus will tear the order in the city apart. People will be too busy fighting each other to even think about the dungeon!"

"Ha!" The man laughed, the cloak falling to the ground. "I don't need to clear the dungeon! I just need to fulfill the wishes of Thanatos! The god of death himself has sworn that he will return my to my body when I die here."

So that was why we was so passionate before…

Asuna felt like an idiot. So many of the red flags she had overlooked prior were obvious now. A planted messenger given to them by the guild, sneaking in among the masses. How many others had betrayed them?

Struggling not to panic, Asuna breathed as deeply as the partial paralysis allowed. The main issues were occurring along the side that took the minor injury. It was why she could remain on one knee. However, her kneeling here wasn't helping the effort. They were counting on her magic to flood the complex. Without it, explosions would tear them apart.

The man shook his head sadly. "Don't fear for them. Death is not permanent here. They shall be born again. Nothing more than puppets for the gods to play with."

"You… You can't actually believe that?" Asuna gasped. "This world is filled with amazing, diverse people. Y-You'd kill them for what? Self-pity!?"

"Self-pity!?" He roared back, unconcerned with someone hearing. Already Asuna could hear the faint sounds of combat filtering down to her. It wouldn't be long until someone noticed the anomaly and came to check on her.

"How dare you accuse me when you've had everything handed to you!" With an aggressive motion, he ripped off the mask obscuring his features. As the fabric fluttered away, Asuna's mind ground to a brief halt. A woman!?

"W-What…?"

"Ha!" He laughed at her stricken expression. "My name, AAAAA was a throwaway one I created when I booted up the game. Just to get in as quick as possible. After all, I wanted to study the game before committing to a build. Especially in a game where the racial benefits are as strong as they are here."

"B-But what…" Still confused, Asuna couldn't connect the dots he was leading her too. His eyes still staring with that same loathing.

"There is one race, heralded as the best all-rounder. Good affinity for magic, decent stat profiles all around. Not necessarily the best at any one thing, but they made excellent adventurers and should provide a great starting place for me to decide what my true character would be."

"You can't mean…"

Smiling condescendingly down, the man unbuttoned the shirt that he had been wearing beneath the oversized cloak. The forms of two breasts peaking out where there should be none. "Amazon."

"Oh god… The hand mirror." Finally, it all clicked for Asuna. In that instant, her confusion and anger turned to pity. She hadn't forgiven him, but by god, could she sympathize with his plight.

"The hand mirror," he agreed, spitting out the word as if it tasted foul in his mouth. "It took my beautiful female form and turned me into this. The one race that has no male form! I'm a walking atrocity!

"When the conversion happened, I'd already been accepted into Ishtar familia. I staggered home, half-mad, praying it was a joke. That none of this had actually happened. The goddess took one look at me…"

"…" Asuna winced, not needing the end to know the result.

"Called me a defective product. Ordered me restrained and striped. She removed the falna she had placed just a few hours earlier! Can you imagine my humiliation and confusion!? As I cried, she ordered me whipped. WHIPPED!"

The man was now entirely unhinged in Asuna's eyes. It was obvious he had been waiting a long time to tell this story to someone that would understand.

"That's when I learned the greatest secret of Kayaba's world, the pain was coming back. Oh, the impacts were only like small scratches that day, but they went unhealed and the pain increased as time went on. I was thrown in sewers, barely alive as infection started to take me.

"That's right. Transported into another world, I wasn't the hero. I was the peasant that died uselessly in the gutter from treatable wounds! Until…"

"Until?" Hanging unto every word, Asuna didn't bother trying to escape or create noise. She felt a strange sense of duty to this man and his words. There was truth in what he had said to her. Asuna had received everything he hadn't. In particular, love and care from her deity upon receiving life-altering news. What if Loki had mercilessly forced her to fight during those first weeks? Asuna tried to not shudder under the implications.

"He came. Found me laying there. Asked me if I was ready to die. I told him everything. He didn't judge. He didn't care about my disgusting body I'd been burdened with. He saved me with medicine and gave me a home. All he asked for in return was my help.

"In fact, I didn't even have to be here today. They were going to send a unit to take you out instead."

"Then why come?" Asuna pressured. "Because you know you are being used?"

"Urgh… I thought you could be reasoned with." He admitted. "You don't have to die right now you know. Join us, serve the god of death and receive the freedom you wish for!"

"And what's the price?" Asuna hissed. "The blood of the innocent? Spare me your sob story. Your life sucks, I agree. But that doesn't give you the right to take it out on others!"

5A's face twisted into an unpleasant expression. Somewhere between a frown and a sneer. "Then you have chosen death. Goodbye, Asuna."

"I'd like to see you try," Spitting out the words between clenched teeth, Asuna forced the point of her rapier into the stones below and pushed. Slowly, her body lifted again. Once up, she tilted sideways, leaning against the wall. It wasn't a heroic posture, but it was better than nothing.

"…Was that intimidating?" The man snarled. "I hit you with this dagger! Its effect lasts for hours. You have one chance to surrender before I slit your throat and leave your body for your familia to find!"

"Try me." Asuna glared.

"Fine." Confidently, the man stepped forward.

Timing the reserves of her strength, Asuna lifted her arm. It was an ungainly motion, but it moved. Carving a swift line, a line of blood splattered the wall. She had cut him in the stomach.

"Ah! AHH!" Screaming he clutched at his stomach. Backing away, he fell on his backside in the muck.

Not an adventurer, Asuna thought coldly. One would have long since learned to fight through such a measly scratch. Unfortunately, her timing had been off. It wouldn't hold him for long.

"AH!" He continued to bawl. Finally, with a pathetic sniff, he stood up. Arm cradled over the injury in his stomach, he glared at Asuna. "You could have been different! But you are just another one of the pretty ones. Concerned only about appearances. Well, you can all burn in the hellfire that is coming! She how you look when your skin is peeling off your flesh!"

The man paused at that comment, as if his words reminded him of something. Smirking once, he fled. The whole time, tears flowed from his eyes.

Trying not to sigh, Asuna knew that tracking him in the sewers would be hard. His wound had mostly closed already. Plus, no footprints would stay, and the smell would cover his own. Using her rapier once more as a cane, Asuna turned to stare out the manhole cover.

"Let's do this once more, shall we?" Muttering to herself, Asuna began the chant again in a quiet voice. The magic almost fleeing her twice at various points. The song was hard, but it helped to stabilize her. Helped wash away the memories that 5A had brought back.

Committed to moving forward, Asuna hoped the plan hadn't been disrupted too badly.

---

Hestia:

Leaving behind Strea and Yui at the gate, Hestia moved with her familia until the first stairwell. The gaudy interior ramming home with every step the enormous difference between their familias. Still, Hestia had to try. "Go, you should find Haruhime somewhere near the top. Remember to watch for a signal from Mikoto."

"Got it!" The Miach familia members responded strongly. Staying silent were Leafa, Silica, and Bell. None of them truly wanted to accept this part of the plan.

"Go!" Hestia commanded again, "I'll be fine." Without giving them a chance to say anything else, Hestia walked quickly to her destination. "Hopefully…"

Each step increased her heartrate and anxiety. As a deity, Hestia couldn't really die. The worst that could happen was receiving critical injury which would activate her arcanum and subject her to a swift return to the heavenly realm. That outcome would doom her familia members. With their statuses locked, none of them would be able to fight against the adventurers.

Ascending the main stairs to what would be Ishtar's abode, Hestia continued by herself. None of her familia surrounded her or were even visible anymore. Only faint sounds of combat rang out from the front door where Strea and Yui were holding out.

"I'm an idiot…" Hestia whispered to herself. "I should be reclining in an armchair reading a book. All I need is a nice small familia… Nothing extravagant. No glowing accolades. Just watch them grow from safety…"

Even as she muttered, Hestia knew that potential future was long behind her. For better or for worse, she kept picking up adventurers that exploded into controversy. Kirito was the record breaker, then his sister came along and broke that record, then Bell came and broke that record… It was getting faintly ridiculous.

And of course her familia members were insufferable do-gooders. All of them rejecting common sense to try and force the impossible into being. They quite literally had chosen this mess themselves. The thing with Apollo, Hestia was less sure of. But choosing to rescue this renart was entirely their decision.

Strangely, as Hestia walked through potentially the final minutes of her time on the mortal plane, she didn't feel any regret. The time had been short, far shorter than the centuries to millennia some of the gods had been granted. Still though, Hestia was happy with it. She hadn't expected to change so quickly, or at all really.

Arriving at the grand bedroom on the third floor, Hestia paused briefly, taking a look around. She had been expecting Ishtar here. Instead, the only other occupant was a male beast person.

Almost naked, he wore a loincloth around his waist and kept his eyes demurely on the floor. As Hestia entered, he bowed deeply to her. "Goddess Ishtar waits for you above. Keep following this staircase to the roof."

"Thank you, Child." Nodding her head, Hestia continued past him to the staircase on the far wall. It appeared to be for Ishtar's private use. A way to survey the kingdom she had established here, on this island in Orario.

"Huff… Puff…" Struggling, Hestia pulled herself up one leg at a time. "That damn goddess…"

She's trying to kill me with stairs!

Throwing her arm in the air, Hestia shook a fist at the deity that was above her. Hestia's sloth and loathing of stairs had come back to bite her at a most inopportune time. "Whhhyyyy?"

Crying to herself, Hestia's pace was far too slow. The others would have started fighting already. Hestia had planned to talk to Ishtar before it got too fierce. She could feel that Kirito was still alive, so there were no urgent worries there. The others, however, were now trapped at the centre of their enemy's base. It was Hestia's job to negotiate a way out.

"Gotta… Show them that I can be cool as well!" Huffing loudly, Hestia sped up a bit. Her pace increasing to that of a mild walk. It wasn't fast, but floors past by on the endless spiral staircase she had trapped herself in.

"Just… a little… More!" With a final heave, Hestia threw herself unto the top of the staircase. Her chin ended up resting upon her pushed-up chest in a rather uncomfortable position.

"Hestia." A cold voice greeted her.

"I-Ishtar!" Jumping to her feet, Hestia confronted the goddess of beauty with new vigor. A rush of adrenaline fueling her on. As she gazed at her, Hestia's eyes bulged. "W-Why aren't you dressed?"

"Hmm?" Turning, the goddess of beauty took a confused glance at Hestia's face. All the while she puffed on an ornate pipe; a plume of smoke coming from her mouth as she breathed out the fumes. "I am wearing all that I should be. What is the point in covering up my beauty in layers of fabric?"

"Urgh…" As Hestia thought, the two of them were completely incompatible. The goddess was dressed like the amazon's that followed her. In this case, however, Ishtar managed to wear even less. A single strip of fabric covered her nipples and only the smallest portion of her breasts. A matching pareo covered far more of her lower half, even if the breezy fabric often shifted, revealing an uncomfortable amount of skin.

Even as a goddess, Hestia had to admit she was not Ishtar's equal in terms of looks. This was a goddess of beauty. A deity for whom beauty went into overdrive, ensnaring the minds of mortals that gaze upon her. Even deities could get bound up by the goddess' charm. However, it took a great bit deal more effort. Hestia was safer here than any of her followers would be.

As she thought about them, Hestia realized Ishtar had not come to the roof alone. Two men, dressed the same as the one she had met below, were there as well. Neither of them even raised their heads to acknowledge Hestia's presence.

"So, you are here to sacrifice yourself in exchange for me freeing the girl?" Ishtar spoke. "Don't bother. She is more important than some second-rate goddess."

"S-Second-rate!?" Hestia retorted. Attempting to stomp down on her anger, Hestia took a deep breath. "I have come to negotiate as Goddesses. Despite the bad blood between our familias, I hope we can come to an agreement?"

"An agreement?" Ishtar laughed, shaking her head at Hestia as if she was an amusing dog that had performed a trick. "You attacked my familia's home and now ask for an agreement?"

"Like you would have talked to me before," Hestia shot back, folding her arms. "Besides, your familia attacked mine twice first, both unprovoked. Once in the pleasure district, and again in the dungeon."

Ishtar merely shrugged, as if the information changed nothing. "Well, you caught me in a good mood. Soon the ceremony will be finished, and I shall rule Orario as its sole queen. Where I belong to be."

Blinking, Hestia hadn't expected such grandiose aims. Was there more to this than jealousy against Freya? "I want Haruhime." Hestia blurted out. It was probably bad negotiation protocol, but she didn't have time to worry about that.

"The fox? Impossible, I need her to complete my dream. Actually… Once the ceremony is done, you may take her body if you so choose."

"So, you really are going to do it?" Hestia accused the goddess angrily. "You are going to sacrifice one of your own children!?"

"Of course," Ishtar replied, her eyes confused at why Hestia would even both asking. Ripping her gaze away, Ishtar strode to the edge of the roof, still smoking her pipe. "The nature of her magic means she will always be used. But that is irrelevant. She owes me. If I hadn't bought her, she probably would have been raped and left to die somewhere."

"You save someone out of kindness, not so that they owe you a favour, Ishtar." Hestia spat back. "Time is running out. How much do you want for the girl, with her soul intact?"

"Hmm, you mean money?" Ishtar asked. "There is no value in this realm that can pay for how much that girl is worth. However… I have been missing a proper male servant."

"W-What?"

"Yes, here is the deal. A trade of members. Haruhime for your Captain."

"K-Kirito!?" Hestia replied aghast. The words 'go screw yourself' rose quickly to her lips. With extreme effort, Hestia tamped them back. Hestia's heart was already crying with pain, but she knew what she had to do. Kirito would never forgive her if she didn't. "You have a deal."

"…Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously!" Hestia snapped. "Now call of the ceremony and I'll call off my members."

"You really are an idiot," Ishtar laughed gaily, holding a hand to her stomach. Her violet eyes gleamed with a ruthless light as she turned back around to face Hestia. "I thought I told you, there is no person or object more powerful than that girl's magic. I will never give her up."

Closing her eyes, Hestia sighed heavily. She had failed everyone. Not that she had ever had much of a chance. Taking one final glance at Ishtar, Hestia considered briefly an assault. The goddess wouldn't survive the drop to the ground if Hestia managed to push her off…

Tsking in disappointment, Hestia rapidly abandoned the idea. Ishtar had a head of height on her, and the weight and reach that went with it. Not to mention, one of her servants could actually be a high-level adventurer that would intervene at the slightest motion.

Reaching into the pocket of the bulky coat that she'd been forced to wear, Hestia extracted a small flare. She didn't know where Lili had procured them from, but the irritable prum had thoroughly coached Hestia on its use. Pointing her arm at the sky, Hestia fired the red flare on its lazy arc into the sky. It didn't go far, but it wasn't meant to be a weapon, it was a tool to signal the others.

The plan had failed. It was time to improvise.

Before Ishtar could order her arrest, Hestia fled back down the stairs. Chances were Ishtar would let her go. She would want Hestia to experience her failure.

---

Part 3: Improvised tactics

Mikoto:

"Where is she…" Scaling the outside of the sprawling monstrosity that was the center of Ishtar familia, Mikoto was the wraith in the night. Kept separate from her familia, Mikoto had used their distraction to slip in unseen. She was the wildcard in the plan. If she found Haruhime or the killing stone, Mikoto was to deal with it immediately to the best of her ability.

As of right now, Mikoto's thoughts were focused more firmly on the killing stone. Haruhime was likely to be more fiercely protected. If she could find the stone, then she would buy them time. Time to get stronger.

Mikoto firmly believed in the power of those that had come from the other world. How swiftly they were able to change and grow. It was mesmerizing. Then Sir Bell came along and uprooted her beliefs. There was proof that Mikoto was incorrect the entire time. It wasn't simply being from another world that gave them such a fierce growth rate.

The harsh truth was that Mikoto was missing something. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was clear that she had a failing somewhere.

"Regardless, I will not fail."

Narrowing her eyes in concentration, Mikoto waited silently for two guards to run past. Slowly but surely, every amazon ran to aid the fight. There seemed to be a never-ending stream of them.

Fully equipped with a plethora of magic items, Mikoto waited silently outside a window for an individual. They had to have the right gait. Uneven due to inexperience. Heavy steps filled with fear. A level one newbie that Mikoto could extract information from.

As time continued to tick by, Mikoto's nerves continued growing tenser. She was taking too long. As she looked to the sky to analyze how long until the ceremony, Mikoto saw a red flash. "Hestia has failed…"

With a heavy heart, Mikoto was forced to accept that the miracle chance they had was gone. The only goal left was to somehow stop the ceremony from proceeding.

Mikoto had gotten no sleep last night debating what would happen in this case. As the long watches of the night pressed in around her, only one answer came. The messenger of betrayal whispering sweet tones in her ears.

I am sorry everyone. I am sorry Take.

Giving herself five seconds to grieve, Mikoto began to move. Abandoning her previous plan, she ascended quickly to where the bridge would connect the main building to the tower that was the cloudtop garden. In that place, Haruhime needed to be sacrificed. Therefore, they would need to bring Haruhime there at one point.

At that time, Mikoto would free her. Then, together… together… "We will flee Orario… Forever."

Three years of effort, given up in an instant. All for an old friend that Mikoto had barely thought of since. This was how she would redeem her negligence. She would free Haruhime from this prison and escort her back to the far east. There, she would be safe again.

Mikoto finished her climb with a flourish. Flipping to the top of a statue with superhuman dexterity. Her well-trained body obeyed every order she gave it with unerring precision. "Ninjutsu is about loyalty to your lord, isn't that right, Take?"

Prepared, Mikoto dedicated herself to a new task, saving her old friend. A spoiled aristocrat, unsure about the world. Naïve, innocent, gullible, all tended to be negative adjectives. Yet in Haruhime, they were strengths. She had infallible kindness that she had never failed to share with the world.

In short order, a group of amazons exited unto the bridge in front of her. All of them talking in hushed tones just loud enough for Mikoto to hear.

"Where is Aisha?"

"No word!" A second moaned, fear running thick in her voice. "Someone sent a message that a demon was running wild at the front door. The whole district is in disarray."

"W-Well where is Ishtar? What are her orders? What are we supposed to do!?"

Good work everyone!

Praising her comrades silently, Mikoto held position. Any time soon they would be coming to the conclusion that they should finish the ceremony, bringing Haruhime to this very place.

"W-We finish it. I'll go grab the spear, you two get Haruhime. Bring any guards you find with you. She may still decide to run away."

"Got it!"

At that moment, a new presence entered the area. Jumping down from higher up, the impact rattled the bridge. "Shut up."

"S-Samira!?"

Mikoto's eyes narrowed with hate, even as her heart's pace quickened from the surge of fear. This was one adventurer she doubted her ability to best. Either she hadn't been chasing Sir Kirito as planned or…

"I'll grab the girl myself. Sharay is bringing the knife. Secure this location, let no one through."

""G-Got it!""

Echoing each other, the amazons' nerves faded. With orders given, they settled into the role of warriors. They were no longer leaderless. With a chain of command re-established, their mission would be a lot harder.

Still, Mikoto's resolve didn't waver in the slightest. She would move as soon as Samira left. In short order, the silver-haired amazon dashed away, running to bring order back to Ishtar familia. As her footsteps faded, Mikoto let a sphere drop onto the walkway where the three amazons stood guard.

"Huh? What's this?"

While they were bent down in confusion, Mikoto dropped down from above. Her kick took the first one in the neck. They would not recover quickly from the devastating blow from above. If they recovered at all.

Exposed now, Mikoto faced down two angry amazons on her own. Letting them run at her, Mikoto smashed the sphere she had dropped earlier. Pouring from it were plumes of thick black smoke. The distraction paused the amazons.

In that moment, Mikoto disappeared again.

When the smoke cleared, the two were left looking around, with no one in sight. "W-What the hell was that?"

"Is this the demon?" The other groaned.

As they were distracted Mikoto emerged from her hiding place. Beneath the bridge. Leaping up, Mikoto wrapped her legs around the neck of the next amazon and twisted. The momentum sent them crashing to the ground. With a crack, her skull impacted the hard stone floor. Confident they wouldn't rise again, Mikoto flowed to her feet like a phantom.

"Damn you!"

Roaring, the amazon charged and delivered a terrifying blow with a great sword. The strength required exceeding what Mikoto had accumulated so far. Mikoto didn't raise a hand in defence, allowing the blade to cleave her cloak entirely in two.

"Huh?" as the two halves flapped to the ground, there was no body in it. Standing there stunned, the amazon was late to react to a knife raised to her throat.

"I'm going to let you go in a moment." Mikoto whispered quickly into her ear. "When you are free, you will run through the building and tell everyone that Haruhime has already been taken by the invaders. Lead them away from here."

"W-Why should I?"

"If you don't, I will kill your companions."

Mikoto's voice even sounded cold to her ears. Hopefully she could convince the woman of her dedication. Mikoto was unsure if she could bring herself to do it. If she did, even to save Haruhime, she knew that she would change forever.

"I-I understand! P-Please don't hurt them."

"That depends entirely upon how well you-"

Cutting off, Mikoto was slightly too slow to react. Her knife hand spun around in a deadly slash. With a jolt, her hand was caught at the wrist.

Eyes quaking, Mikoto stared into the face of the silver-haired amazon from before.

"So, my instincts were right." As nonchalant as the words themselves, she increased the pressure to Mikoto's wrist.

Snap!

"AHH!" Screaming in pain, Mikoto struggled to stay upright as the knife fell from her grasp. With a loud clatter it rang against the stones.

"Take a nice nap now, little miss ninja."

With a blurring kick, Mikoto's head caved under her heel. It was too fast for her to see. As her body flew through the air, Mikoto knew that her consciousness was fading. She would pass out before even hitting the ground.

I failed.

So, I really am… Missing something.

These thoughts accompanied a trail of tears as Mikoto's unconscious body landed in a heap next to her first two victims.

---

Silica:

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god."

Silica wasn't exactly sure what had changed, but at some point, everything had started to go wrong. The flow of battle changed. The amazons that looked confused and unorganized had begun responding with vigor. Each one moving sharper than before. In no time, Silica had gone from blazing through the building to find Haruhime to getting pursued.

Having been separated from Leafa and the others, Silica was now alone. "There she is! Down the west wing!"

Well, almost alone. If she could ignore the dozen of so pursuers on her tail. All of them were female, most of them were amazons. It was the two figures behind the amazons that scared Silica the most. A robed half-elf and a half-prum. Each one wielding a staff. The sign of a mage.

Against magic, Silica couldn't fight. Speed became useless, defence was pointless. So for now, she ran directionless through the wide halls of Ishtar familia's home.

With each step she took, fear, a deep and perpetual terror coursed through her veins. It propelled her to greater speeds, but also froze her thoughts. She hadn't really understood. Silica acknowledged that now. Kirito had sounded so certain when he declared that he would rescue that girl. Silica had been there when he had asked for their aid. Had listened to Lili's logical warnings and had ignored them. Like everyone else, Silica had been too caught up in her infatuation of Kirito.

They were all going to die because no one had called them out on their stupidity. No one had stood up and forced them to look reality in the face. They were a ragtag group of adventurers, going up against battle-hardened forces many times the size of their own.

"Next turn is a long hallway! Fill her with shafts!"

"Urgh!" Silica's mind struggled to comprehend the words as her mind was choked under the paralyzing fumes of terror. Thankfully, Silica's instincts saved her. Throwing her body to the side, Silica barged into a room just as a volley soared past her.

Rolling to her feet, Silica's eyes searched desperately for an exit. There had to something. Anything! "Please!"

Crying out, Silica's eyes darted over the same features again and again. A four-poster bed, the ornate dresser, the four-panel window, the double-doored closet. The fancy room even had a luxurious red wool carpet and a wash basin. Pipes bringing pre-heated water thanks to magic stone devices.

"Heh, finally caught you! Surrender! You are hopelessly outnumbered."

Staring into the face of the amazon leader, Silica withered inside. That was the face of a warrior. The face of someone who deserved to fight beside Kirito. She was nothing but a failure. A girl with a bunch of taming skills and no tamed monster.

A failure.

"Woah, woah, what the hell is that expression, little girl!? You break into our home, and look like you're going to start crying when you get cornered? What a letdown!"

The others grumbled their agreement. None of them appeared to be a rush to deal with her. They probably thought the situation was under control. Every element contained.

The hard truth hit Silica. They had no reason rush because with one look, they determined she wasn't a threat. Her posture was that of someone defeated.

"Damn it!" The leader of this group swore. "You! Are you really a warrior? An adventurer? Or did they hire a little girl off the street to add numbers to their group?"

"I-I…"

"You-you…" the leader mocked Silica's weak voice.

"I am Silica! An adventurer of Hestia familia!" Wiping her eyes with an arm, Silica did her best to glare. How many times had it been now that she collapsed under pressure? "I will never surrender to evil monsters that would kill their own familia member!"

Switching the grip on short sword, Silica held it ready in front of her for the inevitable attack. Instead, the group shifted uncomfortably. Their eyes tracking off in different directions. Not a single one met Silica's gaze.

"You don't understand," the leader muttered. "Ishtar has ordered we will do it this way…"

"Yes…" Another added on. "W-We will return the fragments once Freya familia is defeated!"

"Huh?" Stunned by their weak answers, Silica's blade hesitated before lowering. These people weren't evil. They were just that, people. Controlled by a jealous goddess. Not all of them wanted to sacrifice a familia member.

"Let me go." Silica pled with them. "Say I escaped you. Don't be a part of this murder!"

"I can't," the leader bit back, her voice growing hard. Finally, her eyes met Silica. In them was the last emotion Silica expected: fear. "You don't understand the power of a goddess of beauty's charm. The things she has done to Aisha… I can't."

"Urgh," Groaning, Silica raised her blade.

"Yes, unfortunately," the leader sighed, "not even the window would save you now."

"Uh…" Following the leader's strange eye motions, Silica looked once again at a feature of the room she had overlooked. "Of course! Thank you!"

Leaving behind a rushed expression of gratitude, Silica covered her head and dove through one of the panes. Some of the glass cut her delicate tail as her body floated through the space, but otherwise she was unharmed. With dexterity befitting a cat, Silica looked around the strange terrace she was on. It was raised off the ground many stories. The height would have dizzied her back in the real world. Now though, Silica found that to be an afterthought.

"There!" Somehow, she was on the correct side of the building. Dashing along the strange projection, Silica jumped garden beds as she wound her way closer to the cloudtop garden. The bridge was still more than three stories above her, but Silica wasn't concerned.

With catlike grace, she began to climb. Jumping from outcrop to outcrop, Silica ascended the building at a fast clip. With one last somersault, she landed upon the bridge. The hard stone tiles were caked with fairly fresh blood. Stains from where a body had been dragged created a path to the other side.

Heart hammering, Silica crossed the bridge on quiet feet and came to the cloudtop garden itself. Silica paused for a moment and took in the majesty of the place. It was a perfect circle, probably a little under 50 metres in diameter. At the center stood a stone altar. The very rock itself was glowing faintly white under the moonlight. Silica had heard about this: lunatic light. The entire area was created with it to increase the efficiency of the soul transfer to the maximum. In start contrast to the glowing rock were metal hoops where one could attach manacles. Beyond the rock, the greenery started. Perfectly cultivated grass with small trees spread at regular intervals. Besides the metal rings, there was no indication that such a beautiful place possessed such a nefarious purpose.

Off to the right side were three amazons. One of them was unconscious, laying neatly on the grass. The other two were doing something to a body. As Silica watched, they rose, exposing it.

"Mikoto!" Shouting her name, Silica threw a hand over her mouth. "Oops."

Of course, both amazons whirled around and drew weapons. One wielded a deadly set of knives, the other a greatsword.

"What the hell are they doing?" The one with a sword complained. "How did a second one get through?"

"An even smaller girl this time," the one with the knives complained rubbing a spot of her head at the same time.

Gulping once, Silica pushed past her fear. Mikoto needed her at this moment. "Step away from her!"

"Huh?" the greatsword wielder replied, cockily placing a hand on her hips. "Don't you know a hostage when you see one!? My friend here is fond of removing limbs."

"I am? I-I mean, yes! I just love mutilating helpless opponents!"

"EH!?" Screeching, Silica's blade wavered with uncertainty. This was a situation she had never considered being met with.

What should I do!?

Glancing between the two of them, Silica took a slow step forward. The amazons looked at each other, their eyes conveying messages Silica wasn't privy to.

"With each step you take, you come closer to killing her!" The greatsword wielder warned her.

"So much for the power of amazons!" Silica taunted. "You are too scared to fight a little girl!"

The words were uncharacteristic for Silica, but they were all she had. The idea had come from the ones that had pursued her. Their taunting words about how useless she looked in a fight.

And against these two, they did the trick. Both amazons' faces mottled with a mixture of rage and embarrassment. Their fists clenched the weapons they held tighter.

"Oh, screw this!" The knife wielder spat out. "I'm not threatening an unconscious warrior. Let's just fight her straight out!"

"…Go for it." The greatsword wielder sighed. "We'll do this one-on-one, as the amazons of old did."

"Oh, you here that girl? It's just me and you, and if you win, you get a prize!"

"Anything?" Silica asked hesitantly.

"Not anything." The greatsword wielder broke in annoyed. "You are fighting for this girl, so you can run away with her."

"…Fine." Silica readied her blade and stared down her opponent. As she did so, Silica realized how little experience she had fighting other people. Kirito had spent almost every waking moment preparing for today. She had done nothing.

"You look scared," the knife wielder taunted as she flourished her weapons dramatically. "Good. You should be!"

Yelling the final two words, the amazon rushed Silica without warning. Leaping into the air, her right leg was poised for a giant kick to Silica's head.

"Eep!" Yelling, Silica darted under the kick and scurried away. Looking more like a mouse than a cat as she did so.

"You're quick, but that won't save you!"

Darting around blow after blow, Silica was focused only on defence. The wild assault was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It felt like she had volunteered to fight a storm rather than a person. The knife attacks were combined with a dizzying array of kicks.

Silica had no opportunity to counterattack. Fighting completely defensively, it wasn't long before Silica was backed into the altar. Pressed against stone, her options were limited.

"Haha, can't run now! Take this!"

"Urgh!" Raising an arm, Silica's defence was ineffective against the blow. Taking the hit to her upper-half, Silica was bent over the stone monolith, feet flipping over her head to land on the other side.

Groaning, Silica blinked, trying to quickly remove the spinning from her vision. Her arm, head, and back all ached from the singular attack she had received. With effort, Silica pushed against the floor and got ready to fight once more.

"You're up again? Nice!"

"Ugh," Muttering, only Silica's instincts saved her from the knife attack to her neck. Already, the second attack was coming, forcing Silica to retreat out of its reach. Block the kick, back out of the next one.

Again. Block, backstep.

Block, backstep.

"Come on!" The amazon roared, her voice tinging with anger. "At least try to fight back!"

The words changed nothing. Block, backstep.

The amazon increased the tempo, so Silica did as well. Block, backstep, block, backstep.

What idiot would charge into these attacks?

That's what kept her in this pattern. She felt like she had an agility advantage over this amazon. That was obvious from how mechanical her strategy of defence was. But… She couldn't take a step forward. Not into the swirling storm of attacks. The half-blocked kick hut badly enough. What if she screwed up? She'd be quickly beaten to a pulp, maybe even killed.

"Stop. Retreating!"

Block, backstep.

"Damn. You. Girl!"

Block, backstep. …Pause. The next attack had a longer interval behind it. The ferocity was the same on the surface, but Silica was sure, the storm was slowing down. The amazon had gone all-out from the beginning. Her body could only fight at this level for so long.

Silica, meanwhile, having taken the only damage, wasn't even breathing hard. She was moving easily and would have no trouble keeping this up for a long while yet.

"Gah!" With a final desperate lunge, the amazon dove at Silica.

Spinning easily past her body, Silica's confidence soared. Her blade arced up as the amazon went past. The interaction left a thin trail of blood flying though the air. The droplets splattered in an arc upon the stone circle.

"Damn… You… And your dishonourable fighting…"

"Maybe…" Silica replied quietly. "When you stop killing your own familia members, I'll fight you with honour."

"…" There was a pause before a sullen reply came. "Ishtar promised…"

Sighing, Silica knew that there was nothing more she would get here. Raising her shortsword at the other amazon, Silica made her declaration. "Now move! I won the fight!"

"You did," she accepted with pursed lips. "But, you broke the old rules of engagement by running away. Therefore, your prize is forfeit."

"What!?" Silica yelled, sounding like a pouty child who was getting grounded. "You never said that! You're just changing the rules to suit yourself!"

"How dare you impugn my honor!?" The amazon growled, readying her blade. "Retract that statement or die!"

Pouting Silica continued to glare, any fear she had been feeling was long past. "I will not! You have no honor, you… you party killer!"

"DIEE!" Screaming, the amazon launched herself at Silica. Reaching over three metres off the ground, she made an indent where she had taken off from.

Unwilling to retreat again, Silica ran forward. While the amazon waited on gravity to bring her back down, Silica darted to her starting place. In the second it had taken her trajectory to complete, the two of them had switched places. Silica was in front of Mikoto.

Reaching into her pouch, Silica withdrew her only elixir. Unsure what the extent of Mikoto's injuries were, Silica had no time to apply the medicine properly. Crushing the vial in her hand, Silica felt the bite of glass through the glove she wore.

From between her clenched fingers, the precious liquid dropped onto Mikoto's body. Leaving it there, Silica whirled around.

"Too late!"

!?

Panicking, Silica's blade shot before her with all the dexterity she could muster. The resulting impact shook her to her core. Sent flying, Silica's body bent and broke as it slammed into the ground time and time again.

Coughing weakly, Silica struggled back to her feet. She had left a path of destruction where her body had hit against the grass and later the rock. Hestia's worries flowed back through Silica's mind. About how Silica's defence was so low she was in danger of being killed by stray impacts, even at level two.

"Ha! So that's why you run!" The amazon commented, casually closing the distance between them. "You really are just a little girl. You can't take a hit. Don't worry, though…" Trailing off, the amazon's expression turned into a bloodthirsty grin. "You'll suffer plenty more before I finish you off."

"Uff," Making a strange sound, Silica readied her weapon once more. She had healed Mikoto, probably. So as long as she held out… Cough.

Silica's delicate cat-ears flinched at the sound. The amazon appeared to have not heard it. But for Silica, the sound may as well have been a scream. Eyes searching, Silica quickly found Mikoto. Her friend had started moving, she was awake!

"You should learn how to pay attention to your fight!"

Uh oh.

Once again, Silica barely had time to block her body from a direct blow. Caught in the side, her body was blasted ninety degrees from where she'd been standing.

Groaning, Silica learned a new meaning for pain as she stood. She had suffered before in the dungeon, but never to this extent. Her body felt like it was on fire. Hundreds of small cuts from where the stone had scraped her body bare. The leather pants she had been wearing were in ribbons, leaving little more than armoured patches on her joints that had seen better days. The studded leather top that she wore was doing a lot better. The metal in it holding up against the repeated collisions against the hard ground.

"RAAAH!" Letting out an animalistic howl, the amazon charged in a weird way. Trampling across the ground as if she were more animal than human. It let her transition into an attack from an angle Silica wasn't expecting.

The blow from the lower-left cut across her stomach leaving another shallow wound and rotating her again. Backpedalling quickly, Silica managed to dodge the next two attacks by a hairsbreadth.

Each one sliced the air with a ferocity her previous opponent had possessed a mere shadow of. As Silica retreated, the coughs grew louder, she was making her way back to Mikoto.

"S-Silica…"

"Y-Yes!" Stammering out a reply, Silica struggled to sacrifice any bit on concentration on conversation.

"I'm going to use my use my magic now. I'm sorry."

Her magic!? Why is she apologizing?

Silica could spare no more time to the topic. The amazon didn't mention the conversation, but her assault ramped up. Each second that passed, Silica was forced to endure more pain.

The blocked attacks numbed her hands. The ones she tried to dodge cut at her body. In terms of status and skill, this amazon was beyond her.

Maybe if I beg for mercy…?

As if reading her thoughts, the amazon's eyes glinted with fury. "Don't go quitting on me now!"

"Fear, strong and winding-"

"Hey, hey, you really trying to use magic like that?" The amazon yelled past Silica to Mikoto. "Give me a break! Guess I should stop that…"

With those words, the amazon swung her giant blade in a large arc, forcing Silica away. Turning from her current opponent, the amazon homed in on Mikoto.

"I call upon the god, the destroyer of any and all, for guidance from the heavens. Grant this trivial body divine power beyond power."

"I won't let you!" Silica had no idea what Mikoto's magic did. Maybe it was discussed during a meeting she had missed… Berating herself, Silica refused to let Mikoto's work go unanswered.

Dashing, Silica got in the amazon's way just as she reached Mikoto. The vertical slash upon Mikoto's prone body was unblockable for Silica. It was too powerful for her status to handle.

Swinging her blade, Silica tried a technique she'd never used before. Cling! With a soft noise, her short sword touched the side of the larger weapon and pushed it.

"!? No way!" Crying out in surprise, the amazon watched stunned as her blade fell harmlessly against the grass floor, digging in deep.

"Hyah!" Utilizing the opening, Silica swung her first attack of the fight. The blade only grazed the amazon's arm as she was forced to let go of her sword to dodge.

On the front foot now, Silica stood in front of Mikoto, guarding her friend as the chant continued.

"Saving, purifying light. Bring forth the evil-crushing blade!"

Narrowing her eyes, the amazon rushed Silica. Swinging her sword in answer, the two of them were matched for speed. Having a weapon, Silica should have the upperhand. Left, right, vertical. Swinging her blade, Silica continued to step side to side, but never back. A single step back would allow the amazon to reclaim her sword and disrupt Mikoto's chant.

"What the hell does that long-ass chant do!?" The amazon raged as she struggled to get past Silica's weapon. Already, a myriad of slashes had accumulated upon her tanned skin.

Silica was still struggling to keep up. Her movements were quick, but still unpracticed. She hadn't gotten time to adjust to her status. More than that, she hadn't accumulated the skill required to operate at maximum efficiency.

"Bow to the blade of suppression, the mythical sword of subjugation!"

"Grr…" Growling, the amazon's attacks became more reckless as the chant was nearing its end. Each second Mikoto spent chanting was another second of accumulated power. By the length of the chant both of them knew that something major was going to happen at its completion.

"Ha… Ha…" Panting heavily, Silica's body kept accumulating injuries. Another mark on her was another cut on her opponent. The amazon didn't appear to care about the fact that her whole body was leaking blood now. As long as she dodged hits to her vitals she kept moving.

Silica was daunted by this display. Her form kept slipping up, leading to more injuries which led to more insecurities. Those further forced slip-ups as Silica descended this slippery spiral to ineptitude. Even without a weapon, the amazon was starting to overpower Silica.

"I summon you here now, by name."

"I told you- TO SHUT UP!" Having had enough of the fight, amazon bent her legs and bodily leapt over Silica, twisting as she did so.

Silica saw the chance. The amazon's exposed neck hovering within sword range. One swipe would end this fight in a very permanent fashion. But… Silica couldn't do it. She couldn't take the swing. She couldn't murder this woman.

So, Mikoto paid the price for Silica's reluctance. In a sweeping arc, the amazon's heel came down hard on Mikoto's stomach.

"Gah!" Bending double, air and spit rushed from Mikoto's mouth. Silica almost dropped to her knees in despair. She had failed, Mikoto's spell was finish.

"Descend from the heavens, seize the earth-"

"W-What!?" The amazon staggered back in surprise. "H-How are you still casting!?"

Silica gaped at Mikoto in wonder as well. Silica was too stunned by the display of otherworldly resilience to take advantage of the amazon's distracted state. Mikoto met Silica's eyes from where she was laying on the ground. With a bloody smile, Mikoto finished the spell.

"-Shinbu Tousei!"

"Oh no you don't!"

Lifting her foot again, the amazon's gaze raised to Mikoto's head. No doubt, the attack would be fatal.

"No!" Crying out, Silica swung her blade with both hands. Twisting her body as well, she put every single ounce of strength she possessed into the attack.

Catching the back of the amazon's knee right before it contacted Mikoto's face, Silica felt the blade hit bone. Then with a sickening crack, the joint gave way under the sword.

"Gyah!" Silica's cry matched the amazon's piercing scream as three sets of eyes tracked the severed appendage as it soared off the edge of the cloudtop garden.

"Thank you." Mikoto's voice rang out hoarsely. Then, her eyes filled with sorrow as she repeated her previous words. "I'm sorry."

"Futsu no Mitama!"

"Huh?" Stunned, Silica raised her head to where a giant purple sword took shape. After a second, it plunged into the ground. In that instant, the world warped. Silica's knees began to buckle as gravity pressed down upon her with unyielding force. The trees groaned before their trunks snapped, hitting the ground in an instant. The twigs making pathetic arcs through the air before the unfightable gravity sent them crashing back down.

"Gah!" Mikoto and the amazon squirmed under the force. No doubt their statuses were all that were keeping them alive at this point. A moment later, Mikoto's goal was made evident. The bridge connecting the garden to the building broke. Its weight too much for itself to bear under the influence of Mikoto's magic.

Silica stood there in awe of the insanely powerful magic. As she did, she wondered how she could stand. The force was great… but it wasn't unbearable. As the thought crossed her mind, she felt a heat from around her neck. Reaching her hand there, Silica lifted an amulet she had almost forgotten about.

"This was… from that orb." It was a distant event in her mind. Leaving the orphanage in a rage to wander the streets. Finding the discarded prize just sitting there. Silica had run back to the orphanage in a blind panic, then at midnight, it opened revealing a beautiful necklace inside with a pendant on the end.

Taking it to be a sign, Silica had worn the thing ever since. The pearl-like jewel on the end had faded from memory, simply another accessory that she kept with her as a good luck charm.

Letting it fall back against her skin, Silica raced over to Mikoto whose face was a rictus of concentration. Struggling to maintain the magic against its force. Grabbing her under the shoulders, Silica pulled. In short order, they were outside the magic. Once here, Silica dropped Mikoto and pounced on top of her, studying her face for injury.

"H-How?" The girl gasped.

"I guess I have an anti-magic amulet," Silica shrugged. "It really came in handy here. Can you walk? We need to leave."

"Just… Give me a minute," Mikoto pled. "Also… Can you break the altar?"

Nodding, Silica gave the girl a minute. Drawing her blade again, Silica sized up the altar which sat on the edge of Mikoto's magic. A purple wall that just contained the stone monolith. Unlike the bridge, it seemed unaffected. There was no tension which would force it to break.

"Bless my blade, keeper of sword skills!

"Fade Edge!"

Crying out her magic, Silica's blade pulsed with a soft light-blue light. When the effect was ready, Silica dashed forward, swinging the blade in an arc. Entering the circle of magic, Silica felt the gravity press down upon her. It felt stronger this time.

Worried that her amulet was running out, Silica hurried out the circle. As she went, she gave the altar a gentle shove. With that, the two halves slid noiselessly apart.

"What should we do?" Silica asked Mikoto when she returned. True to her word, the kunoichi looking girl was back on her feet.

"We need to find Haruhime," Mikoto insisted, her eyes hard. However, there was a layer of exhaustion in her expression. "I'm not sure how usable this area is for their ceremony, but we aren't finished until she is away from this place."

"G-Got it! But umm, with the bridge-"

"AHH!" A yell from the distant ground below interrupted Silica's words. Nodding to Mikoto, the two of them dashed to the edge and stared down at the distant ground.

"Hestia…" Finding her goddess running away screaming, Silica's face blanched. "W-We need to save her!"

"B-But what about Haruhime!?" Mikoto retorted.

"We can't save Haruhime if our goddess gets sent back!" Silica screamed in Mikoto's face.

"…You're right, sorry. But… I'm not sure I can make that jump."

Looking down once more, Silica for the first time felt a small flutter of fear. "Cats land on their feet, right?"

"Umm, w-whaaa-!"

Mikoto's scream persisted as Silica grabbed her and leapt off the edge. Holding the screaming girl in her arms, Silica prayed the impact wouldn't be too bad.

---

Leafa:

"Hold fast!"

"Where the hell did Silica and Bell go?"

"I don't know!"

"This is a right nasty situation you've pulled us into!"

Staying silent, Leafa fought beside the four members of Miach familia. Nahza should be outside somewhere helping Takemikazuchi familia with their fight.

Her heart pounded fast with worry at how fast everyone had been separated. Onii-chan had never even been there, taking Lili with him. Then Yui and Strea had split off at the front gate to hold it. Finally, Silica and Bell had been chased off in the ensuing chaos.

That left Leafa alone with only Miach familia. She was glad for the company, if only the situation was better. The five of them were pinned in a hallway with a large number of Ishtar familia adventurers.

The fight had slowed down to a stalemate, neither side committing. Leafa's side continued to mutter among themselves, divided in opinion. As fear set in on everyone, the situation became more and more hopeless. Even Leafa felt their chances were dwindling away.

The ceremony was only half an hour away at this point and they hadn't even found the renart. Not even the stupid stone!

"We need to do something!" Philia growled, deflecting another arrow as if it was an afterthought. "We're just falling victim to their magic!"

"It isn't like we don't have our own magic," Rain grumbled, side-stepping a thrown spear. "Getting it off is the impossible part."

Rain's statement was the crux of the stalemate. Ishtar familia had tried to rush them and had been repulsed by the superior status that they had accumulated.

Leafa wasn't sure, but to her eyes, she thought they may have hit level three. Either way, level three or two, they were trapped in here with few options.

"Leafa, could you survive jumping out that window?" Yuna asked desperately.

"Maybe!" The girl replied tersely, deflecting a half-hearted attack. "I don't see why it matters!"

"Couldn't you jump out and then use your magic to fly to the gardens?" Yuna replied, her voice the calmest of all of them. As she talked, she fired an arrow from the bow she carried. The only long-range weapon they had left besides Philia's final knives.

"I… I'm not going to abandon you guys!" Leafa cried. "We… We can get through this."

"Yuna may be right," Rain sighed. "We are running out of time and are firmly halted. It won't be long until reinforcements show up and wear us down."

"Is there really nothing we can do?" Leafa moaned to herself. Surveying the situation again only sunk her spirits further. On one side of the hallway there were eight adventurers. Three were crouched in front wielding massive shields. Together, they had easily blocked every attempt to get past. Behind them were two archers that took occasional pot-shots at the group. More to annoy them than any attempt to injury. That left three others. Two seemed to be close-quarters fighters waiting for an opportunity to prove their prowess. The final one was the biggest issue, a mage, spell already loaded. All Leafa could do was wait for them to unleash it. The only reason that came to mind for why they were waiting was not promising. The magic was probably so destructive they didn't want to break their own house.

The other side was somehow even grimmer. Despite only have two large shields, they had brought out a large dresser and flipped it on its side to create a wall they could crouch behind. That was the direction to the garden and Leafa knew they had seen at least a dozen different figures past. The forces between them and the renart were staggering. What was worse, was that their plan was predicated on speed.

Onii-chan's expected delay time was long over. Thankfully, no level threes had shown up yet, so he was holding on against all hope. After that, Takemikazuchi's group could only be a nuisance for so long, same with Strea at the main door. Each aspect was designed to give out after only a dozen minutes or so. Each step, until now had been perfectly staggered to limit the number of combatants they faced.

To have it fail so rapidly on Leafa's contribution was humiliating. She wanted to prove so badly to Kirito that she was a great warrior. Someone he could trust to care for him. The slowly spiraling thoughts turned Leafa's actions sluggish. Abandoning everyone to fly alone felt like cheating. She didn't want to quit on them.

"Something has to change," Nautilus spoke strongly. "Yuna and I will distract them, everyone else rush the staircase."

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean," Nautilus continued, speaking quickly, "that Yuna has a spell that doesn't require chanting. We should use it."

"!?" Gasping, Leafa risked averting her eyes from the direction she was guarding. Everyone else had done the same. Sharing only that quick look, the feeling was unanimous. They nodded once together in solidarity.

Covering her ears, Leafa charged. Even as she did, she couldn't help but stumble as the force of the magical song washed over her. It was sad and slow. Something she half recognized, like a tune from her childhood. It made Leafa want to curl up by a fire, wrapped in a blanket and the arms of her mother and fall asleep.

It hit the amazons with the same force. Each one swayed where they were. Arms lowering, vulnerable. In lockstep with Philia and Rain, Leafa vaulted the dresser obstacle and the first line of adventurers. Darting up the stairs, the three of them left the scene behind. In a short moment, Leafa felt the tendrils of magic fall off her like quicksand, reluctantly letting its prey flee. Taking her hands off her ears, she shared a glance with Philia and Rain.

"When did Yuna get so powerful?"

"I'd like to know that as well," Rain muttered. "She's been holding out on me."

"Shut up and run," Philia rebuked them, starting to pull ahead.

Even as Leafa put more effort into speeding up, she couldn't close the distance to the half-prum. Philia's agility was clearly the highest of the three of them. Coming up last, Leafa came to a halt on the designated floor. She could see why they had stopped. A group of amazons were there. That wasn't the worst of it though.

That silver-haired amazon from the expedition stood in the center of the group, along with a renart, bound by chains and an amazon beside her that wielded a knife with a suspicious orb on the end of it.

"Tch, the invaders got past?" The amazon drawled turning to glare at them. "Whatever, the garden is wrecked. Get Haruhime to the roof and do her there at the right time Sharay. Ishtar should be there and can tell you whether to proceed or not."

"Got it!" With that, every single amazon took off, aiming for the pinnacle of the building. Worse, was that the renart only shot them a confused look before walking demurely along.

"Well, well." The Silver-haired amazon leered; the only adventurer left behind. "You going to surrender?"

"Of course not," Rain spat. "You are, or we're going to kick your ass."

"Hmpf, you got a lot of spunk for a girl that hid behind a blacksmith and a little girl last time!"

The words had a clear effect on Rain. The red-haired girl had a fierce glare Leafa had never seen before. "Oh, you're in for it now…"

"Very well," the amazon smirked, assuming a combat pose. Once again, she bore no weapons. Not even the cestus from the expedition. Bare feet and hands were her weapons. "Before we start, tell me one thing. What the hell did you guys do the gardens?"

Sharing a confused glance, none of them knew. It explained the conversation they had walked in on. The previous site of the ceremony had apparently been broken by something.

"Leafa," Philia whispered, "you should keep going, leave her to us."

"Do you really think the two of you can take her?" Leafa retorted. The scenes of the expedition were still strongly engraved in her mind. How this singular amazon had almost decimated their entire party.

"Don't bother with chivalry. I ain't letting… a single one of you past me!" Dashing forward with the last sentence, the amazon's kick encountered the flat of Rain's sword. With that brief collision, it was clear whom the strongest in the room was.

"Hyah!" Philia used the opening to quickly dart in. Knife flashing, the thrust was like lightning.

It somehow wasn't fast enough. With a contemptuous swing of her hand, the amazon back-handed Philia's wrist to deflect the blow.

Leafa's eyes narrowed, the corridor was too tight for her to get a reliable attack in. However, it meant that the amazon couldn't easily attack her.

"Heed my call, traveller of the world, unchained force.

"Your name is freedom, granter of wishes."

Holding her sword sideways, Leafa extended it out at arm's reach as she chanted her magic. The first of two she had been granted so far.

"Really?" The amazon scoffed, her fearless smile not changing in the slightest. "Magic? That's your answer? How typical of second-rate warriors!"

"Moan to someone else!" Rain spat back. "You murderers started this!"

"Ha!" The amazon laughed, continuing to pour blows upon Rain and Philia. It may have been two on one, but the amazon had the upper hand in every encounter. "Did you see the fox's face? She wants to be sacrificed so that the coward can escape her life! Go and take your pity party to someone who wants it!"

"Underneath the endless sky, I search.

"Unbidden to any land, I now seek your power."

Leafa watched anxiously as her spell continued. The others hadn't seemed to pick up on the implications of her presence. If she was here, then Onii-chan's distraction had ended. The other elites may be back already. If so, their plan was doomed. This one wasn't even the strongest.

"How sad," she continued to taunt. "If you are going to fight an S-tier familia, you should at least bring a couple surprises! I mean seriously? The trick with the fake Haruhime was good. But was that it?"

As she casually mentioned the deception, Rain hissed. "What did you do to them!?"

"Me? Nothing." The amazon answered with a cocky smile. "Aisha sent me back assuming it was a trick. I don't know what they got caught up doing."

The admittance let Leafa breath a sigh of relief as the spell reached its finale.

"Now at the end of the world, answer this wanderer's prayer.

"Grant but one glimpse of the King of Faeries."

With the spell fully prepped, Leafa drew back her blade. "Now!"

""Got it!"" With twin cries, Rain and Philia tried to leap back and away from the amazon.

"Wind Blade!"

At the same time, Leafa started the spell. The timing was tight, but as long as they moved quickly, they would get behind her.

"Naïve," the amazon sighed. She seemed almost disappointed as her hands shot out and grabbed Rain and Philia. Stopping them mid jump, she held them in front of her as shields.

"NO!" Screaming, Leafa tried to abort her magic. However, her spell didn't function like that. The blades of condensed air shot forward with a vengeful wrath. They tore the hallway asunder. Tearing through carpet, ornamentation, and even the walls themselves without a care. A tenth of a second later, they did the same to Leafa's friends.

Lowering her sword, Leafa's eyes swan with tears. One hand on her mouth, Leafa started to hyperventilate. Having taken the full brunt of her spell, their bodies were shredded. Only traces of fabric contained their forms that had been shredded to the bone in some places. Giant lacerations covered their backs, including one nasty one on Philia's neck that continued to squirt blood at timed intervals.

With no aplomb the silver-haired amazon dropped them. She was completely unscathed except for one slight cut on the inside of her shin. A blade that had gotten past the two girls. Striding past them, the amazon stood right in front of Leafa.

"I give them two minutes before they bleed out. Do you think you can beat me in that time?"

"No…" Leafa didn't know if the word was answer to the question or rejecting the reality of the situation. "This… This wasn't supposed to happen…"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The amazon spat back. "You charged into our base and attacked us. A familia multiple times stronger than your little coalition. Even if you survive, your familia is done. The guild will side with us."

"Urgh…" Retreating an entire step, Leafa felt the stair on her heel. Most likely, more would be coming from there as well. She needed to somehow save Rain and Philia. Unfortunately, Leafa had no idea how.

"You considering running, ya? Abandoning these two? They aren't even your familia, are they?"

Not once!

Before she could yell her rejection, Leafa thought better of it. If the amazon thought her about to run… Pulling maybe the stupidest move of her life, Leafa abandoned her kendo training. Turning her back on the amazon, Leafa darted for the stairs.

Instincts on high alert, the soft creak of the floorboards alerted her. Rather than running down the stairs, Leafa jumped for the far wall near the roof. A small section that sloped away as the stairs descended. Contacting it with her feet, Leafa absorbed her momentum and pushed off, hurtling back the way she had came.

"Huh!?"

Left behind, the silver-haired amazon's leap had carried her past the edge of the stairs and had to wait for gravity to bring her back in contact with the steps to come back up.

"Heal, please!" Unknowingly, Leafa duplicated a move Silica had used just moments before. With no time to prepare, she spread her elixir in a wide arc upon the bodies of the girls she was personally responsible for injuring.

"Heh, nice move! But it won't help!" With the amazon charging back up, Leafa continued in a straight line along the hallway. For a moment, she considered taking the stairs up. But there wasn't time for that. She would have to deal with this amazon first. Guarantee Rain and Philia's safety.

At the far end of the hallway, Leafa came to a sudden halt. Where the stone bridge was that should connect to the cloudtop gardens… empty space. The entire thing had been collapsed. Probably why the ceremony was moved.

"Ha, you've trapped yourself, haven't you?" The amazon smirked. "So, going to fight now?"

Taking a deep breath, Leafa raised her blade in answer. "I will fight to the last!"

"You sounded almost like an amazon there!" The woman congratulated her. "Now, here I come!"

Leafa's years of kendo training were all that let her survive the first attack. The shift of weight that the amazon did proceeded a lunge off the right foot. Answering instinctively, Leafa had dodged in that direction. Instead of a shinai, it was a fist. The appendage far more deadly than any blade she had ever faced.

The clean dodge gave her time to reply with a swing of her katana. The long blade was ineffective at close range. As a result, it only left a thin scratch on the amazon's forearm.

Darting backwards, Leafa barely avoided the next kick. She met the following knee with her blade. The two interacting in a strangely neutral manner. The hardened skin somehow repelling her metal sword.

"You move better than the other two," the amazon acknowledged readily. "You have more experience fighting people than they do."

"Enough to defeat you." Leafa growled back.

"We'll see."

Clashing again, Leafa found herself losing ground at each impact. The amazon barely acknowledged her blade. Batting it aside with the flat or getting in close enough that it didn't have enough force to leave anything more than a minor cut.

Stumbling, Leafa recognized that they had re-entered the area destroyed by her magic. That meant Rain and Philia were right behind her. She couldn't retreat past them again.

"I really hate you…"

"Huh?" Freezing, Leafa wasn't sure if she had imagined the voice. However, the amazon was gaping past her at where Rain's body should be. Risking a glance, Leafa was shocked to see, Rain's bloodied body begin to rise. Each motion sending more squirts out.

"Dance. Blades of fire, Blades of Ice,

"Obey your mistress and dance."

"No way!" Startled, the amazon took an entire step back. Not nice enough to let her recover, Leafa attacked. Her katana whizzed through the air with incredible speed.

Whether through instinct of luck, the amazon shifted at the last moment, the blade only leaving a small cut near her collarbone.

Tching at herself, the amazon's tempo increased. Her body beginning to blur to Leafa's eyes. Unable to fend her off any longer, Leafa went for a risky lunge, hoping the change in style would catch the amazon off guard.

With a contemptuous smack, Leafa's hands went numb as the blade was ripped from them. Now, she was left with no weapon in front of a level three adventurer.

This must have been how Onii-chan felt…

The thought provided no comfort for Leafa as Rain's chant continued in her mangled voice.

"Sing. Swords of Air, Swords of Earth,

"Obey your mistress and sing."

"Heh, fight's over now, girl!" She mocked, her gray eyes twinkling with the pride of a victorious warrior.

Wincing, Leafa could do little as the hits assaulted her body. Each one felt like a sledgehammer breaking armour, cloth, and skin with impunity. In the space of a few seconds, Leafa's battered body collapsed to the ground, unable to put up a decent fight without her blade.

"Die!" Raising her heel for a devastating kick, the amazon's eyes were fully focused on Leafa's downed form.

Faster even then the kick came a flash of light. A singular knife, its spinning form reflecting the lamp light illuminating the hallway.

The throw was immaculate. Intercepting the leg, it cut deep into the flesh of her calf. Staggering from the unexpected attack, the amazon was vulnerable as a second knife caught her in the stomach.

Bent and bloodied, the silver-haired warrior ripped the offending weapons from her flesh. "You are up too, are you? Heh, I got overconfident."

The distraction was all Leafa needed to rise back up to her feet. At the same time, Rain was finishing her heroic chant.

"Come and multiply, blades of light.

"Appear and fall!"

"You're still idiots!" The amazon laughed, grabbing at Leafa as she made to jump back. The amazon's hand was outstretched, fingers clawing at Leafa's undershirt.

Just as the hand was about to touch her, Leafa dropped to the ground. The fingers clawed shut on open air as Leafa smirked. Diving forward, she grabbed unto the amazon's legs. Wrapping both as tightly as she could, Leafa held on for dear life.

"Thousand Sword Rain!"

"You've got to be fucking me…"

Leafa understood the amazon's words and the fear laced in them. Even without seeing it directly, she understood the majesty of Rain's magic. The waves of magical swords that would be forming right now and…

Ah, shit.

Understanding of her positioning came a moment too late for Leafa. The storm of swords arrived, and she was trapped in the middle of it.

Gasping in pain, Leafa felt three separate impacts but couldn't determine the extent of her injuries. As the swords arrived, she had felt the amazon get ripped from her grasp.

"Leafa… You alright?" Rain's weak voice asked.

"I-I don't know." Raising her head, Leafa blinked through the accumulated injuries and attempted to rise. Doing so, she collapsed back to the ground. Gritting her teeth, Leafa pulled her body along, trying to find the amazon. On the ground, several metres ahead, was a massive puddle of blood. Past that, a trail continued to the staircase. Rather than further up, it went down.

"She fled…" Breathing a sigh of relief, Leafa allowed herself a moment to relax. Which quickly proved impossible as the various injuries began talking to her as soon as she did.

Reaching a hand into the small pouch at her waist, Leafa retrieved a hi-potion and downed it. Dropping the vial, Leafa psyched herself up for another attempt at standing. Sliding over to the wall, she leaned heavily on it as her legs slowly bore her weight.

Her left leg worked well but her right had been damaged heavily from the magic. Limping along, Leafa found her katana in passing and leaned over to grab it. Using it as a walking stick, she made better time to Rain and Philia, who, like her, were trying to heal themselves.

Staring at each other, no one said anything for a long second.

"We failed." Rain said simply. "I screwed up and now…"

"Now that renart is going to die," Philia finished with an anguished look.

"Hey, you don't know that yet," Leafa tried to console them. "The others could still be fighting. We need to find everyone we can."

"Agreed," Rain nodded. "But where do we look?"

"We can climb down the exterior," Leafa suggested, thinking up ideas on the spot. "From there circle around and try to find Yui and Strea. Depending on how things go we can re-enter and try to find the ones that split from us."

"It's a good plan," Philia agreed with a sad nod. Her face was still white from blood loss. "Goddess Hestia may be in need of assistance as well."

"It's the best we can do," Rain sighed. "Let's go."

Walking slowly to the drop-off, the three blanched at the thought of climbing down such a perilous surface in their condition. Any seizing of muscles could spell a permanent end.

"Guess I'm using this…" Sighing, Leafa started up her second magic. The weight reduction it gave her to enable her to fly made it inefficient at carrying others. In this case though, it was still the safest method.

Before she did, Leafa gave one glance up at the moon. Seeing it fully illuminated was beautiful. It made Leafa want to fly up to it. To leave the pain behind and soar endlessly into the infinite sky.

After the feeling past, Leafa turned her gaze back to the restrictive city and chanted her magic. The others would have to save the fox.

---

Bell:

Creeping through empty halls on tiptoes, Bell's head was on a swivel. If someone was here to see him, the resemblance to a rabbit on lookout for a hawk would be uncanny. In this case, Bell was not looking out for a bird-of-prey, but something far more dangerous: Highly trained amazon warriors.

The hallways he walked through were luxurious to an absurd degree. The ornamentation was gaudy and overdone. Sure, it was all beautiful… But it was crowded. The pieces all competed with each other for Bell's attention. In the end, the result was an interior where each piece was unique and special, but the arrangement felt… Ordinary. It spoke to an owner that could recognize when something was beautiful but were unable to utilize it properly.

Bell's thoughts on the décor helped distract himself from the looming terror of being alone in an enemy base. At any moment, an amazon could burst around a corner and attack him. Even worse, he could walk face first into a trap.

It was hard to tell where anything was. At all times there were echoes of screams and fighting. Shouted commands and hurried footsteps. All of it bunched together in the confusing palace to make it impossible to tell where anything was.

Just as Bell was regretting allowing himself to get separated, he heard a far closer sound. Looking around for a place to hide, Bell slid into an open door. It was some sort of supply closet for… weapons? Maybe?

There was an assortment of implements, but they didn't look like weapons one would want to arm themselves with before entering the dungeon. There were even devices that were quite obviously handcuffs. An instinct told Bell that he was better off not knowing what the amazons used these things for.

"Did we seriously lose that runt?" One of the voices outside spoke in a high-pitched voice.

"Stop complaining!" The second berated them. "Just keep combing the palace and tell any stragglers to get to the roof. Ishtar will not stand for the ceremony getting interrupted a second time."

The roof?

A second time?

Two crucial pieces of information, but it was the first that concerned Bell. While the second warrior had sounded severe, there was a note of boredom in her voice. Boredom meant she didn't think there was a real threat left to the ceremony anymore.

Pursing his lips, Bell's heart fluttered with fear at the implications. Everyone had been suppressed. "It's up to me…" Hands trembling slightly, Bell bunched them into fists to stop the motion. Seeing a window on the far side of the room, Bell rushed over and looked up.

The moon was reaching its zenith. The operation was supposed to have finished over half an hour ago. Late enough that they knew where Haruhime would be, but early enough that the ceremony wouldn't finish before they got there.

"I will save you… Haruhime." Whispering his promise to the moon, Bell rushed out the door and to the nearest staircase. His destination lay at the top.

As he ran, Bell cast his mind back to the conversation with Hestia, barely eight hours earlier.

*Eight hours ago*

"Congratulations Bell, you can now level up."

Hestia's words were full of warmth. Similar to that a mother may have when their child succeeded. Bell, likewise, was trying to supress a silly grin that kept threatening to come over his lips.

"With these children from the other world levelling up so fast, it can be easy to overlook how hard it is to level up at times. But… You worked hard, didn't you Bell?"

"I did Goddess… But I'm not sure if it was enough." Bell admitted. The thought was the one thorn that stopped him from fully celebrating his accomplishment. This level-up would always be a dark spot for him. He had no resounding victory. No heroic vanquishing of a terrifying foe. It had been a one-sided defeat. No matter how much the others were shocked at the simple fact he survived, it tasted sour to Bell. The memory, the images. The confusion about what he wanted.

"Bell…" The goddess' voice as well was surprisingly serious. "Here is your last status sheet from level one."

Bell Cranel

Level One → Level two

Strength: S 901 → I 0 Defense: B 772 → I 0 Dexterity: S 974 → I 0 Agility: SS 1097 → I 0 Magic: A 893 → I 0

*New* Luck: I

Magic:

Firebolt – Swift strike magic.

Skills:

Lia?se Frie$? (Da?k Des?) – A strong desire increases rate of growth. The stronger the desire, the stronger the growth.

"G-Goddess…" Bell stammered, not believing his eyes. "This can't be real… I mean… Statuses stop growing at 999."

"You think I made a mistake?"

"N-No…" Bell stammered instantly. Then he changed his answer. Long years of what was possible had been ingrained too deeply. "Actually, yes. This status is simply impossible. It has been proven over a thousand years that 999 is the absolute cap!"

"Well, congratulations! You've done something no one in a thousand years has!" Hestia continued smirking. "I did not make a mistake."

"I-I see…" Bell did nothing of the sort. It wasn't that he couldn't understand the enormity of his accomplishment. It was more that he wouldn't. His mind refused to process the fact that he had achieved something his parents never had. Something no one had.

"Hmm, while I understand you want time to process your status…" Hestia began, her voice uncertain, "there is something else we need to talk about…"

"You mean my advanced ability?" Bell queried. Frowning, he had never heard anything about it. Hestia had been begging him to choose it, and Bell agreed. Luck was imperative in an adventurer's life. It was impossible to count the number of times in even one day that being lucky would help.

"No," Hestia continued with a sigh, "while it is cool you have a unique advanced ability… there was something else in your excelia."

"Something… else?"

"Yes…" Hestia trailed off here, uncertain how to continue. "To be frank, it was a second skill."

"A second skill?" Taking his eyes off the sheet, Bell finally stared at Hestia who had been looking at him this whole time. Staring into her eyes, Bell didn't see the proud mother from before. These were the eyes of a goddess.

"Yes, but… I couldn't add it."

"Couldn't… add it?" Bell was in the dark here. Tilting his head, he had never heard of something like this before.

"It was torn between two, mutually exclusive forms."

"Uhh, what?"

"It means you can only have one!" Hestia snapped. "And the skills were still in flux. I can't add one yet."

"Why?" Bell asked curiously. "What's the point of generating a skill in excelia if it can't be added to my status?"

"Good question," Hestia sighed again, heavier this time as she rubbed her head. "I believe it has to do entirely with you. You've reached a fork in the road Bell. You were able to continue on both of them for awhile, but the time has come to choose."

"What choice?" Bell sulked, but he already knew. He had felt it before him when he fought the minotaur. His goals aligned preventing that decision. Now though, he was limiting himself to neither, stuck in place, unable to progress.

"Bell," Hestia spoke with the authority of heaven itself, her voice firm and unyielding. "This is your story. Not mine, not anyone else's. No matter what you choose, I'll always be here to support you."

"Goddess… Thank you so much!" Feeling a wave of tears coming on, Bell bowed to her. It truly was an honour being a part of her familia.

*Present time*

As he reached the top of the stairs, Bell could see the amazon guards lounging near the exit. The cover to prevent rain from entering the building had been thrown aside leaving a gaping hole for the moonlight to pour into.

Based on the voices alone, Bell put their number somewhere upwards of twenty. It was an impossible feat. Even if they were all level one, it still wouldn't be doable.

"Just break the stone," Bell muttered. "That's good enough for today. Just keep her alive."

Setting an achievable goal, Bell psyched himself up. Before he could hesitate and lose his nerve, he burst forward. The two inattentive guards barely had time to let out an indignant - hey! - before Bell was past them.

He had emerged from the furthest staircase. There were about half dozen more spread along the roof. The whole thing was patterned with stone that wouldn't leak during a storm. Little grooves led to troughs that emptied off the edges. The overall shape of the roof was irregular. It was semi-circular but oblong. Each long side as well had additional sections which contained the wings of the building.

As Bell ran along the roof, his eyes focused on the eye of the storm. A fox woman in a bright red kimono with golden hair and fur. In a sea of tanned skin she stood out like the lone beam of a lighthouse, guiding Bell to his destination.

"Huh?"

"What's a rabbit doing here?"

"Oh, isn't he like a supporter for the others?"

The words fell on Bell's ears and helped him push even faster. If they were going to underestimate him, that was their problem.

None of the amazons could catch him, although only a few tried. It was as if they thought it was pointless to bother. As Bell got closer to the object of his obsession, Bell saw only two people next to her. One with a dagger that had a unique pommel to hold a stone in it. That must be it, the killing stone. The wielder was looking away, eyes cast up towards the moon.

The other didn't even look like a combatant. Almost fully hidden behind Haruhime, Bell ignored her. His momentum was entirely focused on the stone. The wielder still hadn't noticed him, her feet shifting uneasily.

I can do it!

As the thought pounded through his head, Bell's spirits soared in exaltation. No one could stop him now. Haruhime would not die today.

Then, she stepped into view.

!? Bell's whole world shifted as he gazed into fathomless beauty. His feet stuttered, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Get up, boy."

"…" Staying silent, Bell obeyed her instructions. As he rose, he couldn't remove his gaze. He remembered her now. This was Ishtar. Goddess of the familia that was sacrificing Haruhime. Bell had seen her briefly at the party that felt like a lifetime ago at this point. Only now did he realize she had been suppressing her charm then.

This was why the guards didn't react. They had a last resort that couldn't fail. This woman was beauty itself. Bell could feel his soul being drawn to her. To a power that transcended both the sexes and even sexuality itself.

"Leave Master Bell!" Haruhime cried, breaking the charm upon her. "Give up on me!"

Her words were the motivation that Bell needed to continue moving. "Why… Why are you sacrificing Haruhime!?" Screaming the words at the goddess' face, the entire rooftop went still. The little chatter and movement from earlier faded away.

"W-What!?" The goddess screamed into his face from only a metre away. "You dare talk about another woman in my presence!?"

"Please tell me!" Bell continued on, undaunted.

"Are you… uncharmable?"

Then in the strangest series of events, Ishtar rapidly closed the distance between them and pulled Bell to her. The scent of her was intoxicating. The smoothness of the skin made Bell want to lose himself in it forever. Even the richest velvet would feel coarse next to her. Then, when her breath coursed into Bell's ear, his body shivered under her divine power.

Bell stood there, terrified. He had heard from Lili what happened when she tasted divine wine. He waited for the same to happen to him. To beg this deity for her attention. But… As time went on, nothing happened.

"P-Please get off me!" knowing it was incredibly rude, Bell couldn't stand the contact anymore. Shoving at the goddess, Ishtar released him and stumbled, falling to the ground.

"Y-You filth! Kill him and bring me his head!" Shouting orders, Ishtar peeled herself off the ground and began to head for the closest set of stairs.

Bell didn't even wait for her to finish the order. Everyone present was too stunned by the turn of events. Leaping high, the Hestia knife flashed once.

With a soft tinkling noise, the killing stone broke.

The risk was gone for now.

Still, Bell couldn't relax. He spun away from the angry amazon that had been wielding the weapon. Dashing to Haruhime, Bell dove for the shackles holding her feet to the floor. Thankfully, the low-grade steel gave way to the Hestia knife's higher potential.

"Why Master Bell? WHY!?"

Standing up, Bell was confused by Haruhime's words. "What do you mean? I'm here to rescue you of course. Now, let's go!"

Pulling on Haruhime's hand, she didn't move. With his higher strength, Bell could have pulled her, but didn't. After a second, she ripped her hand out of his.

The gesture hurt more than a slap to the face.

"I-I don't…" Muttering, Bell's eyes traced between her and the slowly closing circle of adventurers. Their slow gait steadily filling in all potential escape routes.

"Go, run!" Haruhime insisted again. "Leave me!"

"N-Never!" Bell shouted back. "I'm here to save you!"

"I thought you understood," Haruhime replied sadly, twin tracks of tears marring her otherwise flawless cheeks. "Prostitutes are the ruin of heroes. My soiled body isn't worth saving. Goodbye… Bell."

As Haruhime averted her gaze, Bell felt true despair for the first time in a long time. Not since he watched his familia get slaughtered had Bell experienced such a world-rending jolt.

Everyone's sacrifices to save her… All of their pain… She'd rejected it. Not out of cruelty, but a lack of self-worth. She simply couldn't see how special she truly was anymore. What kind of hell had she experienced to do this to a person?

As Bell stood there, thoughts spiralling, the attack started. From all sides, the amazons jumped in. Not all of them, but that changed nothing. Dodging what he could, Bell's reactions were slowed by the anguish eating at his heart. The blows clanged off his armour or left minor wounds.

They weren't trying to kill him, yet. They wanted pain first. He had destroyed their ritual and they wanted compensation.

The bloodlust that surrounded him only drove Bell further into despondency. Every action he took was a struggle. Little more than accumulated instinct that kept him fighting.

"Bell… Please no, stop it! Let him leave!" Haruhime pled, throwing her body against an amazon. Stopping her from slashing at Bell with her greatsword.

"Shut up, whelp!" The one she had clung to backhanded her, sending Haruhime sprawling to the ground. "I can't believe how worthless you are!"

Bell saw the entire interaction. It broke his heart. This was her familia? Her family? They treated her like garbage. Bell wasn't smart enough to figure out why. All he knew was that his body was getting torn to shreds.

His recently purchased armour had been systematically shattered, piece by piece. Only his chest protector still held, yet again. Then, with a clang, it fell to the ground. A long slash down Bell's back had freed it from his body.

Silently, without so much as a moan of pain, Bell slumped face first to the stones. He couldn't do this. It was too much. Hestia was right, Bell was still torn.

To avoid the pain, Bell's thoughts drifted into his past. He had always had a powerful imagination. Part of it had been fueled by his old god. The man had wanted Bell to call him 'grandfather' – like that would ever happen. In Bell's earliest memories, he was right there. Despite having to take care of Orario's most influential familia, he still always found time each day to visit Bell. To read him heroic tales.

Even at that young age, Bell had been able to see the fights happen before him. How the broken and bloodied hero would rise up to defeat the monster or horde of monsters. Sometimes perishing for their deeds, others saving the princess and living happily ever after. No matter what though, they never broke under the approaching hordes.

Like I did.

That wasn't even right. Bell hadn't been broken by the assailants. It had been the work of a prostitute. A girl Bell thought he had understood. He was so sure she would leap at the chance to be free.

Prostitutes are the ruin of heroes.

That's right, this is all her fault… Not mine.

Suddenly, Bell heard a voice in his head that he hadn't for a long time. Almost as if that old man were right next to him, whispering conspiratorial secrets about the best time to sneak into the lady's bathhouse.

Is that really true, sonny? Is this what you want?

Blinking, Bell frowned. The voices of the amazons discussing what to do to him next felt like a lifetime away.

What I want? What did I want again?

Instantly, two voices spoke to Bell, their words overlapping.

To kill all monsters.

To save everyone.

They appeared before him as two separate paths. It was what Hestia had tried to tell him earlier. He couldn't pursue both. They were distinct. Killing all monsters wouldn't save everyone. On the other hand, if Bell was to pursue saving people, he was unlikely to ever find a way to kill every monster.

This girl rejected your aid, leave her.

The dark flame seemed to whisper to Bell. Yes, he could see the way out. Haruhime was still precious to them. If Bell darted forward now, he could take her hostage. Threaten to kill her if they touched him. Once at the stairs, push her off the edge of the roof and take the stairs. The amazons would have to dive over to try and save her. That would let Bell get away.

More than that, it would give him the power of that dark fire. Bell could sense the nature of the one skill in the back of his mind. Avenger it seemed to whisper to him. An all-consuming dark fire that ate even light itself. A power to slaughter every monster.

She's been beaten down without kindness her whole life. Are you really going to be another adventurer taking advantage of her?

There was no clear path here. This option gave Bell no route, no sly and quick path to escape his imminent death. Instead, there was a nebulous hope. A tiny light in the sea of darkness that threatened to consume him. A light to give hope to others. To illuminate everyone's path forward. To become the hero of the age.

Assume his mantle.

The god's voice rang out in Bell's head again, urging him toward the light.

Become the Fool. Become… the Argonaut.

It was the god's favorite story. Bell hated it. The main character was the worst sort of naïve. He got tricked at every interval. In the end, he wasn't even the hero. It was the princess that defeated the king's monster.

That was only secondary to Bell's concern though. It was how many times Argonaut had been betrayed and beaten down. How worthless he was.

I can't… I can't suffer like this again.

Bell finally admitted the truth to himself. Crying out the words to his god's presence. His sanity hung by a thread. He slaughtered monsters as a distraction. Anything to stop himself from reliving the nightmares of his parents' deaths. Of the entire familia succumbing to the great reckoning.

He wanted to live in the darkness. To hide in the safe surroundings that it provided. Blind to the world, to the suffering of those in it. Who could blame him if he did? Who had the right?

Bell, your parents didn't become adventurers because they hated monsters. They did it because they love people.

With those final words, Bell felt the presence retreat. Whatever power his imagination had used to summon his presence, it was gone. Left alone on the hard rock ground, Bell cried.

"Look at this!"

"Aww, is the little baby crying for mercy?"

"Master Bell…"

As Bell's shoulders shook, the true reason for his tears was unknown to all the onlookers. "Mom, dad… Thank you everything. I'll do it. I'll protect this world you've left behind. And Grandfather… I'll do it with a smile on my face!"

Standing up, Bell saw the god's characteristic wink and smile float before him once more. Drawing himself up to full height, Bell remembered one final detail about his grandfather's favorite tale: the hero had never stopped smiling.

---

Freya:

"What…?" Dropping her wineglass, the nearly priceless crystal shattered without a thought. The ruby liquid inside irreversibly staining both the dress she wore and the luxurious carpet it was situated upon.

Freya didn't care in the slightest, her eyes were fixed on the horizon to the west. For there, under the light of a full moon at its apex, Freya saw a sight that only she could see.

A white light springing to life, blowing away the black carapace that begun to parasitize it. There, sitting at its core, was a clear orb. Still young, malleable and ready to grow. For the first time: this soul was ready to take the first step of its journey with no chains holding it back.

"That's him…" Freya's voice held a loving note to it. All of her attention now fixed upon this one bright light with a clear center. "You have my attention boy, now grow. Become my Odr."

---

Bell:

Turning my head back and forth, the amazon's backed away from my gentle smile. I wasn't trying to intimidate them, but the feeling coursing through my veins was addicting. I felt unfettered. For the first time, my life was my own.

At the thought, my smile dipped a bit as I caught sight of a kneeling girl, face distorted by endless tears. Someone who still hadn't experienced freedom. Striding up to her, a hole parted for me. None of the amazons were prepared to attack quite yet.

Utilizing their generosity, I kneeled in front of Haruhime and took her hand again. "You know, you still haven't told me what you want."

"What I…"

"That's right," I say, smiling broadly. "You know what I want? I want to see you smile. Not that sad smile you always wear, a proper expression of joy."

"What I want…" Haruhime's gaze left mine to look at the other amazon's surrounding us. Then she turned her gaze up to the moon. It was nearing the time when the ceremony should have occured. As a result, the fox girl, kneeling on the stone floor was bathed in a circle of moonlight. She looked almost divine. From that position, she began to sing. "-Grow."

"Hehehe…" From around me, a circle of chuckles and snide laughter rang out.

"Don't you understand runt? Haruhime is one us. Well, you will shortly."

Taking another look at Haruhime, the girl didn't meet my eyes, instead continuing to stare up at the moon as if in a trance.

"That power and that vessel. Breadth of wealth and breadth of wishes. Until the bell tolls, bring forth glory and illusion."

Standing up, I understood what she was doing. This was the final proof I needed that she didn't belong here. I addressed the amazons surrounding us. "Will you let us leave?"

A rustle of weapons was the only answer I received. Stirring in confusions, they were surprised by my bold words.

"Very well." Sheathing the Hestia knife, I put my hand on my waist. It was too short for this many enemies. I'd learned my lesson from the minotaur fight. Never again would this blade gather dust.

I know I'm still not ready. But grant me the power to fulfill my desires!

With barely a sound, the blade flew from its sheath in a rush. Its night-black blade glistened in the moonlight. Then, with a surge of light starting in the strange gemstone embedded in the pommel, the blade exploded. Its black texture burst off, leaving behind a shimmering blade of pure white light. Its radiance overpowering even that of the moon.

"-Grow."

Assuming a middle stance, my instincts went on high alert waiting for an attack from any direction. Despite my level two status, my right wrist was already aching from the pain of holding such a heavy blade aloft.

"Confine divine offerings within this body. This golden light bestowed from above. Into the hammer and into the ground, may it bestow good fortune upon you."

As this verse finished, the amazons final clued in. Distracted by the incandescent blade, the motion of Haruhime's magical energy had been hidden.

Above my head formed a handleless hammer of golden light. It was filled with a familiar warmth. One I had just begun to experience again. The warmth of family.

"-Grow."

"Stop her!"

Three amazons leapt at Haruhime. Taking one step forward, my blade cut the air and left a trail of light behind. As if they were being protected from the full brunt, the light caught their momentum and repelled them. All three adventurers crashed back to the ground without so much as a scratch from a blade injury.

"Uchide no Kozuchi!"

As she spoke the name of the spell, the light descended and surrounded my body. The sparkling motes were the same ones I had seen once before. The rush of energy they gave me was amazing. Preparing my sword, I felt invincible.

"I want to be free! I never want to sell my body for money ever again! Please, save me!"

As a response to Haruhime's screamed wish, all I could do was nod once.

Before the interaction had even finished, the amazons began attacking. Arrows, spears and blades raced for my body. Faster than all of them, I moved.

Too fast!

Staggering to a halt, my mind felt lost within my body. Less than a day ago, I had been a level one with an average status. To suddenly gain the power of a level three had thrown me off completely.

My smile faded as I dodged again, getting scratched by an attack I had moved into by accident. I discovered something far more frustrating than trying to fight a foe more powerful than you. It was fighting someone weaker but not knowing how to control your power.

"He's disorientated from the level boost still! Take him out!"

Focusing on that voice, I found the amazon that had been wielding the blade to steal Haruhime's soul. Identifying her as a leader, I ran.

Her eyes barely had time to widen before I was in front of her, the sword's pommel connecting with her gut. Her body folded in two around the sword before getting blasted backwards to the edge of the roof.

"Shit! Take him out!"

"Look at his sword though!? W-What the hell is it? Dana, Jarai, and Mona haven't woken up yet!"

They haven't?

Risking a glance, I confirmed the amazon's words. While my blade had left no visible injury, it appeared to have rendered them unconscious. Their moving chests indicated that they lived.

It never did that before, did it?

Casting my mind backwards, I couldn't remember the sword having any properties like that. It was simply a first-tier weapon blessed by a spirit. In my father's hands, it had been a pure white. Now though…

Truly looking at the blade, I realized that it wasn't white. The light it gave off was, but the metal within was clear. Translucent to the point of transparency.

Even within the short time frame from drawing it, the light was starting to die from the blade. This power may only be temporary. A short burst of power after transforming from the black atrocity I had turned it into.

The amazons had surrounded Haruhime, accosting her to turn the magic off. Marking them as my next targets, I moved. To call it a run, or a leap felt so disingenuous. The speed was beyond what I would have been able to comprehend just a short while ago. Swinging vertically on one amazon, the impact sent her crashing into the floor.

I could understand Ishtar's plan now. Haruhime's magic was probably the strongest I'd ever heard of. Being a renart made it sorcery that could be contained and duplicated to an insane level. The gods would call it 'broken'. She would never be safe from others seeking to use her power.

It's her destiny to be used.

I felt like that line accurately summed up Ishtar's opinion. It was hard to deny it. However, they had forgotten about the sad girl behind the magic. The one just desperately searching for life.

Raising my head, I threw myself into combat with all the subtlety of a raging bull. None of them were strong enough or fast enough to endure a single hit of my blade. Hell, I couldn't keep track of my attacks. My strength would pull my one way and then the other.

Attacks continued to pepper me. Often as not, I would cleanly dodge a blow, then move back the other direction so quickly it would end up hitting me.

My body had already been falling apart from the abuse beforehand. Each fresh new injury threatened to down me.

It hurt.

It hurt so bad.

So, in response to the pain, I did the only thing that I could, I smiled.

"This guy is crazy! Is the magic ready!?"

"Almost!" Another voice answered.

Right, mages.

Finding them quickly, the chanting adventurers were protected behind a wall of people. Raising an arm at them, I fought back with my own magic. "Firebolt!"

From my palm burst forth a torrent of flame of lightning. The scale was incomparable to what it had been before. "Firebolt, firebolt, firebolt!"

Firing three more times, the blazing bolts completely disrupted the casting. Burning bodies and clothes crashing to the ground as other rushed to heal them. The unscathed mages had rolled to the side, abandoning their chants for safety.

"Get up close! Don't let him cast!"

With another rush upon me, I felt the cold hand of death on my shoulder. Rather than reject it, I jumped face first into it. This is what it meant to adventure. To risk dying.

It was unavoidable.

If I wanted to get to my ideal, I would have to continue to get past situations like this. Not recklessly like I once did. But with a straight back and determination.

Maybe some help from friends.

Spinning in a circle, the sword knocked most of the attacks away. All of the amazons stared at the sword fearfully. They were scared of getting hit. That fear made them weak.

Charging forward, I ignored the spear thrust in favour of my own attack. At the last moment, the spear wielder cancelled the thrust, trying to block instead. The side of my sword knocked her out cleanly.

Rotating out of that, two arrows pierced my calves. Raising a hand, another torrent of flame consumed the bow staves. Hobbling along, the attacks became more and more infrequent. Over a dozen amazons lay on the ground unmoving. Of the ones still up and moving about half lingered outside the fight, not attacking.

I was unable to spare a thought for them. A particularly beefy amazon with a greatsword tried to remove my head. The same one that had shoved Haruhime. Blocking the attack, I felt myself struggle to push her back. Her strength must be at the pinnacle of all level twos. Still, inexorably, my blade moved hers.

"Damn you, boy!" She hissed. "What the hell are you!?"

"Me? I'm the next hero!" I answered confidently. The answer probably sounded childish. I would get laughed at for saying it out loud. But no longer would I hide behind veils and masks and slumber in darkness.

"Idiot! A hero!? You are a child! A fool!"

"I know." Smiling at her calmly, my blade approached her body. Leaving it a handsbreadth away, I said my last piece. "But sometimes a fool can change the world."

Pushing forward, her blade broke under the first-tier blade I wielded. Her body completing two full rotations before landing face first on the ground.

Panting, I held the position, sword outstretched. With my instincts on high-alert, I felt… Nothing. There were at least fifteen adventurers left, but I felt no aggression from them.

"Hey, you boy."

"Me?" Pointing at myself, I found the amazon talking to me. She was pretty cute, in a petite way. Wearing mostly orange clothes, she had a strange look in her eyes.

"You're right. Some of us never wanted to sacrifice Haruhime. Even if she is a terrible prostitute. Nor does she ascribe to amazon values very well…"

The girl trailed off briefly, her and all the amazons behind her unable to meet my eyes.

"But she was our familia member, and we failed her. We couldn't stand up to Ishtar, but you did. With barely a thought you resisted her charm. We will try to sort things out here, take her and run."

And go where? I almost said the words out loud. Instead, I nodded sharply and sheathed the sword. Thanking it silently, I pulled Haruhime to her feet. The girl was still in a daze but moved this time.

"Let's go, Haruhime."

"Yes… Master Bell."

Remembering something, I reached a hand up to her neck. Ignoring her blushing face, I ripped the black collar away and allowed it to flutter to the ground.

In return, I finally saw it. That beaming smile of happiness and joy. As her magic ended, and the adrenaline faded, the pain took the forefront of my mind. Or it would have, except I had a gorgeous shrine maiden to hold it back.