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.

48. Chapter 44

Author's note:

Uhh... So that took awhile.

Finding time has been rough.

Shouldn't be two months for the next chapter but then again next chapter will also be a major conclusion and likely very long so... who knows.

---

Chapter 44: Heaven's judge descends

Lefiya:

Was I… seeing things? Head bent, Lefiya was failing at her job of maintaining the edge of the battlefield. Participants could have been running past her by the dozen and she would not have the capacity to pay them any mind.

The ephemeral beauty of an elf; the long, straight black hair. Combined with the regal wear and presence of a middle-class adventurer, the list of people it could have been was short, extremely short. "Why are you here, Filvis…?"

"Oi, Lefiya." Asuna spoke, poking the true elf's shoulder.

"Maybe the guild requested her?"

"Lefiya!" Asuna demanded, stamping her foot.

"Huh?" Head jerking up, Lefiya stared at Asuna with glazed eyes. Enduring Asuna's pout for five seconds, Lefiya slowly focused. "Ah, yeah, what do you need?"

"Me? You look like you've seen a ghost the whole time we've been here."

"Ah, no. Just someone I know was with that group of people… I think."

"Yes, well that's why I interrupted your thinking, they are coming out." Asuna pointed into the arena.

"Huh?" Following her hand, Lefiya was able to confirm it for herself. A group of seven were making their way toward them. Continuing on their current trajectory, the group would pass one hundred metres to the north of Lefiya and Asuna. Standing on the Eastern edge of the arena, they would end up near a farm and little else of note. Guild headquarters were on the southern edge of the arena.

"…Well?" Asuna asked.

"W-What?" Lefiya replied uncertainly. With the group approaching, Lefiya could no longer lie about what her eyes told her. Leading the group was none other than the Dionysus familia member, Filvis Chalia.

"Go talk to your friend," Asuna pushed Lefiya. "I can redirect adventurers on my own."

"…We are supposed to be together though…" Lefiya argued without force.

"Oh, come on," Asuna forced a smile filled the same worry that had plagued the girl for the past week. "They dropped off their cargo and have nothing to do now. This is Ishtar familia's base's direction. No one is coming."

"…Alright." Shirking her duty, Lefiya gave a grateful nod to her junior familia member. Still, in her mind, Lefiya could see a pair of disapproving emerald eyes accusing Lefiya of shirking her duty. "..But you aren't here anymore to yell at me, are you?"

Lefiya hated herself as she spoke the bitter words. Mind destabilized, Lefiya still felt like she should never have returned to Orario. She had failed to save everyone. She should have died with them. She…

"Lefiya!?"

Mind snapped back to the present, Lefiya realized that she had arrived in front of the departing group. Their forceful march grinding to a halt as Filvis was forced to pull up to avoid running into Lefiya.

"What are you doing here!? You realize that you are currently inside the wargame arena, yes?"

"Y-Yes, I came to see you."

"You are currently in opposition with the rules of the guild. If you do not leave immediately your familia will face a hefty fine."

"R-right…" Lefiya nervously peaked past Filvis to the six guild attendants that were following behind her.

Snapping her fingers, Filvis grabbed Lefiya's attention again. "This must be important. The two of us will talk alone, you can go on without me."

"As you wish." One of the guild members answered. Without any further interactions or a greeting for Lefiya the six of them walked past on either side guiding the two horses that had been pulling the container before.

"Come," Filvis commanded.

Feeling a bit like an errant pupil once more, Lefiya wondered if the spirit of her old mentor had infected Filvis for speaking poorly about her.

Sheepishly trudging along, Lefiya was led back up to the edge near where Asuna stood. Only some fifty metres apart, the girls exchanged a nod of acknowledgement but no more.

"You are her partner…" Filvis deduced. "You should not have broken formation to greet me."

"Ahaha, that's a little cold isn't it?"

"Is it? What if—" Stopping herself, Filvis sighed. Her neck bent and the regal mannerisms faded. Exhaustion shone clearly in her eyes. "Sorry."

"Huh? Ah, no, you were just being diligent about your job… Er, what is your job exactly?"

"My god pawned it off on me," Filvis sighed, mussing her own hair. The action throwing in an imperfection on the elf's otherwise perfect exterior. "Apparently someone bullied him into doing it."

"And it is…?" Lefiya pressed.

"I don't know." Filvis admitted. Lefiya got the impression she was being completely serious. The guild members told me that the package was not to be disturbed. We dropped it off behind Ishtar's flag and departed."

"Err…" No matter how Lefiya looked at it, this sounded like blatant cheating. It likely contained weapons and potions that Ishtar familia would use to ensure a victory in a tumultuous three-way battle.

"Oh, no it is definitely alright." Filvis tried to assure Lefiya. "A higher-up in the game organizing process authorized it. I imagine all three familias were given the same package to aid them in the game and make it more interesting."

"Sure… Yeah totally… Umm, where are they going now?" Lefiya pointed toward the guild employees that had just disappeared over the final hill before the farm.

"Umm, well…" Filvis blushed and shifted awkwardly.

"F-Filvis!?"

"P-Please don't make me say…"

"You can't leave me hanging now!" Lefiya demanded.

"My god… Lord Dionysus that is… Well…"

"Yes…?" Lefiya leaned forward, eyes wide. Eagerly waiting the grand reveal, her heart thumped wildly at the possibilities.

"…That farm grows grapes that are used in some of his favorite wines you see and…"

"And?"

"And… He is throwing a banquet."

"…"

"I-I am very sorry." Filvis bowed double at the waist.

"…Seriously?" Lefiya's voice floated coldly through the air.

Shivering as a result, Filvis nodded form her bent position.

"All the hype just for that!?" Lefiya exploded. "Aargh, why did you build it up so much!?"

"B-Because I can't invite you…" Filvis mumbled out.

"Huh?"

"You can't leave your post right now so it isn't proper to mention a party that you can't attend…"

"I…" Lefiya's thoughts turned into laughter. For one of the first times she could remember, dread and worry gave way to crystalline peals of laughter.

"I-It isn't funny. In fact it is highly improper that I…"

"Have fun!" Lefiya cut her off with wide smile. Wiping the year from her eye, Lefiya waved goodbye. "If the wargame finishes while you are still partying I will come find you!"

"Please do!" Filvis smiled back, the first one Lefiya could remember seeing on the stoic elf. Parting happily, Lefiya skipped back to Asuna, thoughts of irregularities driven from her mind.

---

Kirito:

Looking out to the south, Kirito stared at the tower that was impossibly still visible in the distance. As the gentle wind shifted his hair, strands blew in front of his eyes.

Smiling, Kirito brushed it lightly to the side. It was starting to get shaggy. It was time to cut it. Maybe Yui would be willing… A dangerous job to give the girl, but Kirito was certain she would be ecstatic just to get asked. If he did so though his hair cut would become the next big familia event.

"Oi, boy. You paying attention?"

"Yes, Aisha, I am." Kirito answered the girl's taunt. Even in the midst of his thoughts, he could track her presence up the hill. She was still some thirty metres away. Only a couple of seconds if she dashed, but more than enough time to react.

"Ah, isn't this familiar." A masculine voice called out. A beauty arced through it that had just a hint of femininity. The leader of Apollo familia, Hyacinthus, had stopped an equal distance away. The three of them formed an equilateral triangle with Kirito on the top of the hill.

Looking at them, Kirito knew the same thought was going through both of their minds. That whoever walked away from this encounter would win the wargame. The veracity of that statement was yet to be revealed.

"I would like to say, I am sorry about this." Aisha started the fight off by apologizing. "My Goddess ordered it."

"Hmm?" Entering a more serious stance, Kirito and Hyacinthus tensed up and faced Aisha. Her statement almost transforming it into a two on one.

From seemingly nowhere, an amazon emerged from behind a low shrub.

Impossible! Kirito's mind shrieked, but the truth was there, caught in the fragmented light. She was simply hiding under a magical blanket that that camouflaged the user's presence. A more expensive version of a common item used when hunting a specific monster in the dungeon.

Kirito mentally kicked himself for only focusing on the leaders. He had been naïve to think that Aisha would opt into another one-on-one and that Hyacinthus would follow.

"Suffer in silence,

"Void Seal!"

!? Feeling magical energy boring into him, Kirito stumbled back, his sword uselessly held before him. "W-What…?"

It was a chant only slightly longer than Bell's firebolt. Similar in length to Lili's transformation magic, but what had it done?

"Hmm, it appears to be a single-target curse." Hyacinthus spoke aloofly. "You honestly consider him a bigger threat?"

"Good job, Sharay," Aisha thanked the caster, "now hide."

"Curse?" Kirito mumbled the unfamiliar word. But no, that wasn't true. On the twenty-seventh floor Sugu had mentioned encountering something similar. Kirito wished he had time to listen to it in more detail. Things had progressed so quickly since then…

"That hiding amazon has used a version of essentially unblockable magic to weaken you. In doing so the caster weakens themselves." Hyacinthus explains with a sneer.

"I… see." Kirito could sense a change within himself. His fighting ability was unhindered. His senses perfect…

"Sorry boy, that magic of yours is too much of a wild card."

Giving away the answer, Kirito blanched. Do they know!? That shouldn't be possible. The only person who had seen Kirito's new magic was dead now.

"A silence? Fascinating," Hyacinthus spoke unconcerned. "But you should have feared mine far more, Amazon," he taunted.

"Oh?" Aisha answered, responding in kind to the cocky taunting. "And why is that?"

"Because the boy has no choice now but to defend me as I charge it."

Hyacinthus' declaration fell heavily upon the battlefield. As the three combatants observed each other, Kirito and Aisha's eyes met, each one knowing exactly what he was referring to.

"Hmm… This was your idea either way," Aisha's voice carried a small bit of admiration with it.

Kirito as well felt silly. Even without the silence, the answer to this predicament was exactly as Hyacinthus said. Either one of them were at a disadvantage fighting Aisha alone. They needed each other.

"My name is love. Precious child of light…"

Beginning his chant, Hyacinthus forced a decision. Sword buried point-first into the ground beside him, Hyacinthus made a compelling target. Groaning, Kirito changed his mind and charged straight at the undefended leader.

Swinging at his undefended side, Kirito saw his eyes widen, but the chant never broke. Kirito's sword just nicked the edge of his cloak before coming up in front of the tall, beautiful man.

Crash!

Emitting a shower of sparks, Kirito was just in time to stop Aisha's first strike.

"Are you serious, boy?" She complained. "The idiot left himself open and…"

"I need him!" Kirito growled. "I will protect Haruhime, even if that requires using him to defeat you."

"…Heh. You've grown up." Accepting Kirito's decision, Aisha began her waltz.

It was as beautiful as Kirito remembered in his nightmares. A deadly grace that combined her sword and legs in a dance of death.

Answering each strike with a counter, Kirito was slowly getting ground down with no room to maneuver. Standing strong in front of Hyacinthus, Kirito absorbed blows to prevent the caster from backfiring.

"I offer my body to the sun. My name is sin, jealousy of the wind."

Aisha's bloodthirsty expression never changed even as the cast began to reach its conclusion. Her dance keeping a continuous tempo that Kirito's level three agility could not meet under these circumstances. He was trapped and unable to move.

It finally clicked that he had chosen wrong. Letting Aisha defeat Hyacinthus and then attempt to win a one-on-one without magic was his only suboptimal method.

"I call a gust of wind to my body…"

"Abandon him," Aisha recommended as she skirted to the side. Now attacking from a height advantage, Kirito felt a leaden feeling in his hand at each blow he deflected.

Unable to keep up, Kirito felt Aisha's foot connect with his chest plate. Forcing the air out of his lungs, he stumbled back a step as the metal bent before the lower of the level four attack.

"Released ring of fire – come, wind of the west!"

"Yeah, I think I will." Rolling to the side, Kirito's eyes nervously flicked back and forth between Hyacinthus and Aisha.

The crucial moment in the fight came as time seemed to pause. Suddenly, Kirito went from the powerless to the most powerful. Hyacinthus had to fire his spell at Aisha, meaning she had to deal with that. That left Kirito with the decision of who to attack.

One second and then another slipped by. Each one an eternity to high-level adventurers. None of them wanting to be the reason their familia loses the wargame.

Before they could make up their mind, a panicked scream yelled up the yell. "Captain! Our flag!"

"Huh?" Hyacinthus' head twisted and looked down the hill. Sure enough, a small figure was running away flag in hand, pursued closely by Apollo familia members.

Smirking, Kirito felt some anxiety subside. "Atta girl, Sugu."

"Aisha!" A second voice cried, "our flag!"

"Impossible!" For the first time, the amazon leader looked flummoxed. But even if she blinked, the sight remained the same. Running on a crash course to meet up with Sugu was Bell. The level two boy had never looked as much like a rabbit as he did now.

Rubellite eyes wide with fear, his white hair jumped around as he skirted around the descending javelins of the pursuing Amazons.

"No way…" Aisha muttered. "That isn't possible…"

"Haha," Kirito laughed drily, his lips turning up into a smile. "This game suddenly got interesting, didn't it?"

---

Philia:

"Well… there it is…" Continuing her supervision of the Apollo familia members, Philia watched the wargame proceed with them by her side. Her recently healed right leg still smarted from where Daphne's baton had broken it.

It had taken a lot of prodding, but the distraught healer had eventually healed Liz as requested. Afterwards, the healer had used strips of cloth to restrain the rest of her familia members.

With a naturally droppy expression, the girl had been on the verge of tears for minutes, mumbling to herself.

Oddly enough, Daphne, whom Philia held at knife point, seemed more exasperated about Cassandra's attitude than she was about the knife or the fact that their familia was almost guaranteed to lose this competition.

"It isn't guaranteed yet…" Cassandra repeated for not the first time.

"Please be quiet," Daphne sighed.

"…" Staying silent, Philia was glad her job was easy without further violence. They really should have installed some sort of disqualification rule. You couldn't let your opponent die, but you also had no way to permanently remove them from the fight if a healer or potion was nearby.

Thankfully if things were occurring on time…

"Get her!"

"She's so fast!"

"That's okay, we have her trapped!"

Foreign voices floated over up to Philia who tensed. This was the decisive moment. Had their trick worked?

Both Daphne and Cassandra perked up at the voices. Their familia members yelling voices getting their attention. The three of them watched as a black-haired human darted into view, a white flag with a gold-emblazoned sun in hand.

"Ah, our flag!" Cassandra yelled, pointing at the giant golden sun emblem emblazoned upon it.

"Y-You are right!" Daphne yelled in surprise. "They got—wait… It can't be. You splashed mud on it this morning."

"Y-Yeah! I did!" Cassandra agreed.

You did what!? Philia groaned internally.

Quickly, Daphne's sharp mind came to the obvious conclusion. "It's a fake… You created a fake flag and are using it as a diversion. That would imply…"

As Daphne spoke another commotion further away drew their attention.

"It's actually happening…" Liz breathed out joining them at the edge.

"We did it." Philia agreed with a large smile. The wargame wasn't over, but it may as well be. The bait was successful.

"Heh." Daphne laughed. "What twisted genius do you have in your familia? No limits on magic items. Rather than a magic item you brought a duplicate flag since you got to see them the day before. Genius."

"Poor Kirito…" Liz murmured in sympathy for their 'twisted' leader.

"Ah, it has become inevitable."

"Cassandra?" Daphne turned to the sitting healer. Back arching, her eyes stared at nothing.

"It comes, it comes."

"Cassandra!" Kneeling down, Daphne shook off Philia's knife to crouch over her friend.

Too surprised to stop it, Philia watched in a daze as odd words poured from the shaking girl's mouth.

"Awoken by beauty, the rampage begins.

"Armageddon comes and humanity falls.

"Without equal it destorys. The sunset of the gods. The fall of the Tower!"

"Enough Cassandra!" Daphne roared, tears in her eyes. "This isn't the time. If we don't act now we will be homeless again! Is that what you want!?"

"Light and dark combined prevail,

"The fairy's song offers protection—Mff!"

The ominous portents were cut off by Daphne's hand covering her mouth. "Cassandra I am begging you! Now is not the time for this!"

It is clearly important! Philia yelled internally. She felt that there was something important in those words… wasn't there? Frowning, Philia scratched her head. Why was she concerned about a healer's ramblings anyway?

"This was all a trick to get me to lower my guard," Philia realized assuming an offensive stance. With her knife no longer on Daphne's throat, the pair could pose issues to Liz and Philia.

"Damn convincing one," Liz muttered but followed Philia into assuming an aggressive posture. "Practice that beforehand?"

"I…" Daphne looked lost. Cassandra's prophecy continued unhindered, lost into the depths of Daphne's palm. After a few tense seconds, Cassandra slumped forward, her body still shaking and sweating. Her eyes listing closed as sleep consumed her.

"W-What?" Philia muttered.

"I… will not fight you." Lowering her head, Daphne's eyes swam emptily as a bleak future arrived for her with no recourse.

---

Bell:

"Eep!" Letting out another squeal, Bell almost lost his footing as a spear rocked the ground next to him. Sharp shards of rock exploding from the point of contact cut at his skin.

Numb to the pain, Bell's instincts flared on high alert. He was trapped with nowhere to go. The fake Ishtar familia flag gripped tightly in his right hand as it sprawled out behind him.

Rapidly approaching on his left was Leafa in a similar situation with an Apollo familia flag. As planned, this region was about to become an all-out battlefield.

Mikoto save us!

Sending his fervent prayers to the stealthy Kunoichi to save them, Bell threw himself to the side as a massive blade threatened to split him in two.

The level threes had caught up.

"Where do you think you are going brat?"

"Firebolt!" Firing blindly, Bell picked himself and kept sprinting. Sweat poring off his body from the hostile stares, Bell felt a certainty creep through his body. His time was running out quickly.

He wouldn't make it. The meeting place was still too far away.

Bell caught Leafa's worried gaze from where she far ahead of him. Unlike him, Leafa didn't have any level threes chasing her. In all honesty, their roles should have been reversed. They would have been, if not for…

"I am the daughter of wind, protector of Sylvain.

"Let my blessed wings bear me to new heights."

"Ah, now she has to use it for me…" Bell grumbled. This was their conservative gamble. That Leafa with her magic could get past the amazons to the meeting point. However, if she didn't start with it active, she would not be able to use it. Only Apollo familia's slower adventurers would give her the opportunity. Their gambit to hide the magic had failed, because of Bell.

"From all corners, let the purifying winds of the Sylphs hold me aloft.

"From my will, let me raise all Sylphs in a never-ending spiral."

"Too slow," an amazon practically whispered into Bell's ear.

Freezing, he quickly tucked his arms and legs in before a massive force hit him. Crunching his sparse armour, he may have broken a rib anyway. He didn't have the stats to get past them on his own.

Please notice Mikoto!

Sending out a silent cry, Bell refocused his swirling surroundings and stuck out his arm. "Firebolt!" The shot went well wide as the amazon ducked to the side.

"A little predictable, isn't it?"

"N-No way!" His magic was fast as lightning. It shouldn't be possible to dodge it. "F-Firebolt! Firebolt! Firebolt!"

Sending off three bolts in rapid succession, the amazon dodged to the right avoiding two and blocked the third easily on her sword.

Not staying around to see any of that, Bell darted toward where Leafa was moving slowly closer to him, her own chant still proceeding.

"Through peak and valley, sea and cave, let the eternal breeze touch all and bring life.

"Freeing gust, destroying storm, travelling gale, hear my feeble cry and surround me!"

"Don't you fools understand?" The amazon muttered. "This is the meaning of a level difference. Your foolish familias could band together and we would still defeat you!"

"Firebolt!" Firing off another errant magical blast, Bell heard it arc through the sky, meaning he missed again.

"Slow!" With the proclamation came another swing of that massive weapon. Raising the Hestia knife, the blunt end of the blades screeched against each other for only half a second before Bell was overpowered.

"Gah!" Letting out a pathetic cry, Bell's body tumbled over grass, another spear just nicking his arm. The level twos were catching up.

"Done already? Even for a level two you are weak."

"…Maybe," Bell muttered into the ground. "But there are people that can overcome a level discrepancy."

"Huh?"

"Come final wind and blow through me forever. My name is Sylph!

Somehow, Bell had made it. His body was blasted toward Leafa and the Apollo adventurers. Both of the duplicate flags were within twenty metres of each other. As the entirety of the participants and the watchers of the world gathered, Leafa displayed her magic.

"Lady of the Sky!"

With a gradual transformation, magical energy flowed from Leafa. Starting from the roots, the jet-black hair began to glow faintly with a golden light. It was more than a change in appearance, it was an ascension from her normal form to that of a higher being – a fairy.

Finishing the process, a pair of translucent green wings bloomed from her back. The entire battlefield stopped in wonder to stare at the miraculous magic.

"Haha… Thanks Leafa." Bell chuckled, pulling himself wincing to his feet. From just a couple of hits he felt sluggish and sore.

"Don't thank me yet." Leafa responded as the battlefield began to move again.

"Oh my," the level three amazon smirked as she advanced. Tapping her massive blade against her shoulder, there was no fear in her eyes. "You really put on a show… too bad its ending is going to be anticlimactic."

"…Really? You sound like a cliché villain." Leafa answered. Her nerve held strong as only surprise and no fear crept into it.

"W-What!? But when I practiced it earlier the girls said it was good…" The amazon whined to herself.

"Ahaha…" Laughing awkwardly as the tension fell flat in the important battle, Bell pulled himself to his feet.

"Let's go, Bell!" Leafa yelled. Unleashing a warning blow in front of her, the encroaching Apollo familia members halted slightly as more and more people began to crowd around.

"Leafa…" Bell gestured at the conditions with his eyes.

"Huh… Guess we are staying here for awhile." Leafa agreed.

Hoping she understood what he meant, Bell drew the Hestia knife. Wrapping the flag tightly in his left hand, Bell could no longer utilize his biggest strength: firebolt.

Tilting her head, the amazon leading the charge furrowed her brows. "Hey wait, can't you fly? Why not just-"

"Hargh!" Cutting her off, Leafa charged with magic-enhanced speed. Pushing off the ground at the same time her wings flapped, her body blurred. It was a speed beyond anything Bell was capable of achieving despite being the same level.

"Huh!?" Receiving the blow sloppily, the amazon staggered back a step. Her blood sprinkled lightly upon the grass as Leafa followed up with another horizontal swing. "You're still level two though!"

"So!?" Leafa gritted out through clenched teeth. Golden hair swirling around her, any family resemblance to Kirito had vanished beneath the veneer of a fairy swordswoman.

Pushing off the ground, Leafa's body rotated up and around the amazon until she was attacking from above. Her two-handed strikes befuddling her higher-leveled opponent.

Two… Handed…? Getting an ominous feeling, Bell's head turned mechanically to the side from where Leafa had attacked from. Fluttering upon the ground there was the Fake Apollo flag that she was using as bait.

"Party A, get that Ishtar flag, everyone else, protect ours!"

Right! Groaning, Bell couldn't believe that he had forgotten that rule. A familia could not move their own flag. As long as no Ishtar members reached it, the Apollo flag would continue to lie where it fell.

Running out of time as foes closed in from all sides, Bell made a snap decision. Copying Leafa, he hurled the flag into the face of the closest Amazon.

"Firebolt!" Left hand freed to use magic, Bell shot at the girl who drew to close.

"Hnff!" Emitted a strange grunt, the amazon rolled backwards, heavily clutching their burned stomach.

Warily, like two packs of hyenas fighting for leftovers from the corpse of a water buffalo, the two familias came to halt. Leafa as well disengaged and landed lightly beside Bell. One of her armguards was cracked but besides that, she fared well against her higher levelled opponent.

Neither side moved as they stared each other down, a protective ring formed around each flag. The sparse dozen metres between them cackled with energy.

"Should we… leave?" Bell asked incredulously. This situation was one they had never anticipated. Both of them had succeeded at their task while completely failing to do what they wanted to.

"…Not yet." Leafa whispered back. "If we leave, Ishtar familia will run over Apollo familia."

"Ah… True."

"…"

Another tense second passed as both sides continued to size each other up. More amazons filled their ranks until almost eighteen of the possible twenty-five were here.

It was a grotesque difference compared to Apollo's dozen that were standing around in disbelief. "Where did Lissos go?" "What happened to Daphne's party?" "Will Hyacinthus return?"

No answers assuaged the Sun god's followers. They were short on both members and morale.

Bell felt it the moment before it happened. The level three amazon took a large step forward. "Ah, screw it. I'm going to take out the Hestia guys, y'all grab that flag!"

"Eep!"

"Bell!"

Raising his knife, Bell heard the impact as a large clang of sword on Hestia knife signalled the start of the fight. "Ow!" His vision went black for a moment as his head slammed against a rock on the ground.

Struggling to pull himself upright, Bell watched horrified as the amazon set about defeating Leafa.

Having lost the initiative, Leafa was being kept on the ground by a series of vertical slashes from the amazon. Forced to dodge horizontally or block, Leafa was being ground down by the stronger opponent.

Raising a shaky hand, Bell blinked past the pain and swirling vision. "Firebolt!"

Bursting from his hand was the familiar combination of red flames and lightning. Slicing through the air faster than an arrow, it was aiming at the Amazon's side.

!?

Bell shivered as he caught a side glance from the warrior. Her right eye turned to the side to stare at him, predicting the magic, expecting it. While she attacked Leafa, her right hand came off the blade and met the magical blast.

"N-No way…" Only lightly scorching the copper-skin, the amazon transitioned into her next move without a care in the world.

"Haha, I win!" Declaring her victory, the amazon easily bent backwards to avoid Leafa's slow counterattack before whirling around into a devasting kick.

Catching Leafa in the midsection, her light fairy body was blown backwards. Crashing once and then twice, her hair flickered as she moaned from the ground.

"One down, one to go!" Twirling her blade, the amazon smiled at Bell. "You are pretty cute. Maybe we can spend some time together when you're a member of Ishtar familia."

"A-Ahh, I suppose that we ca— W-Wait, no, we are going to win!" Bell changed his tone. Blushing awkwardly, Bell wanted to bury his head in the ground to escape the embarrassing sentence he'd almost said. "Firebolt!"

Point blank, the Amazon struggled more this time. Raising an arm, she fought through the magic.

"Firebolt! Firebolt!"

"Stop that!" The amazon ordered. "I'm going to have to knock you out!"

"F-Firebolt!" Bell fired again.

"Urgh!" Batting away another bolt, the amazon turned her blade to the side in an attempt to spare Bell's life.

Staring at the hard edge warily, Bell kept up his barrage. "Firebolt!"

Please hurry up!

Praying, Bell rolled to the side as the blade descended. Slightly slower than normal after dealing with his attack, the amazon's attack struck the ground next to him, the vibrations in the ground sending him bouncing.

Ignoring the flying chunks of dirt clinging to his body, Bell whirled around and raised his hand again. "Firebolt!"

"Enough!" Raging, the amazon spun in a tight circle. Blade and body moving in synchronous movements, Bell's eyes lost track of what was attack and what was feint.

Raising his knife in defense it was hit away moments before the amazon's foot crunched against his chestplate. Groaning, Bell's body arced through the air before crashing heavily against the ground.

"Gah!" Gasping as the air was driven from his lungs, Bell's limbs flailed helplessly. Retaining instincts pounded into his body in the past few months, Bell raised his knife once more before his body.

"Now sleep!" With a potentially anti-thematic ultimatum, the amazon raised her foot into the air to deliver the knock-out blow.

"Hi yay!" Spoiling the surprise attack with a yell, Sachi lunged from the nearby melee to attack Bell's assailant.

"A third?" Was all the amazon said as she deflected the lunging attack. "What the hell are Aisha and Apollo familia doing to let this happen? Isn't that half your familia?"

"Thanks Sachi…" Bell groaned picking himself up off the ground.

"N-No problem…" Sachi replied, sounding very much as if helping was a problem.

The fear in her voice brought a smile to the amazon's face. "You actually attacked while being that scared? Is that impressive or pathetic? I can't tell."

"Urgh… Kirito taught me to move through my fear… I may fear you, but I am going to beat you!"

"Get your own opponent, Sachi…" Leafa's tired voice rang out. Advancing toward them was the fairy reawakened. Face rigid with anger, Leafa looked more than prepared for a round two.

"Umm, maybe together?" Bell suggested, dragging himself to his feet. His knees shook somewhat as he got up. Doing so gave him his first look at the fight for the flags. Unsurprisingly, the Ishtar forces were easily overcoming the confused looking Apollo members. Even while attacking the Ishtar forces were surrounding their flag. Some of them talking animatedly while sending the occasional gesture in Bell's direction.

Ah, please be safe Lili! Bell sent a wish to the absent supporter that had made this possible.

"…"

An eerie silence fell over the four participants. The three Hestia members formed a triangle around the Ishtar member who continued to stand tall.

In terms of stamina, the amazon far outstripped them. She still looked fresh from the quick fighting while all three of them had injuries. Bell knew that Sachi was running distractions for Silica. She did not escape from that mission without injury.

"Break through my fear, my terror…"

Sachi's spell had a different rhythm to it. The chants from the other girls had a song-like quality. They wove together a melody like a songstress and called upon the great power that each of them had.

Sachi's was not like that to Bell. This wasn't the first time that he had seen her short-chant magic. Every time it reminded him of a heartfelt confession. An admission of her weakness and guilt. Bell could only wonder at how it must feel to use something like that.

"Oh, magic that we hadn't heard of, interesting…"

"Shatter my delusions and consume me…

"Spear of agony, spear of hate…"

Sachi's words came in clipped breaths. As if each word was painfully extracted from her throat.

Bell and Leafa shared a look as they carefully closed in. There was no way that the amazon would let an unknown magic finish casting without making a move.

"Let this one last wish carry on and connect!"

With the chant complete, the amazon moved. "Huh?" Barely getting a chance to make a surprised noise, Bell stared in confusion at the fist coming toward him.

Vision spinning, Bell's mind was still struggling to piece together what happened when the amazon's presence disappeared.

Approaching Leafa, the amazon ignored Sachi who stood surprised, magic still primed. Blade raised and ready to strike, she was threatening to put an end to the fight practically before it started.

"Sachi!" Yelling out her comrade's name, Leafa dashed toward the amazon. Rushing inside her strike distance, Leafa planted herself and locked hilts.

"Yaa!" Yelling with determination, the higher leveled adventure immediately began to crush through Leafa's resistance. The stalling tactic would sustain for only a handful of seconds.

Just long enough for a pair of voices to sound out.

"Firebolt!"

"Distorted Thrust!"

Bell didn't even aim at the amazon. He put the bright bolt of energy right at head level. The light restricting the amazon's ability to react to what really mattered: Sachi's magic.

Completely focused, Sachi's usually timid features were tightened into a mask of total concentration. The look reminiscent of Mikoto. Her black hair swayed lightly in the breeze as her right foot pounded upon the ground.

"Yaaa!" Whole body rotating into the attack, Sachi's powerful strike looked like a kata. Form practice with no target in sight.

The simple wooden shaft with a metal head suddenly blurred. The weapon phasing out of existence, half in this world and half not. The entire weapon gave off a faint violet light that also enveloped Sachi's hands.

A similar violet light appeared instantly next to the amazon. Into that strange phenomenon the distorted spear emerged.

Undodgeable.

Unfair.

There were too many ways to describe the magic.

"Wha—" The amazon's word was cut off as a gout of blood was coughed up instead. The last six inches of the spear was embedded in her gut. It stayed there for only a second longer before disappearing. As it did so, the open wound began to bleed as well.

The rules around Sachi's magic were straight forward and easy to figure out. Whatever she was holding would be connected to a distant point that Sachi focussed on in a straight line. Too far and she could misjudge and miss. Within ten metres she was deadly.

That was it. A magic so laughably simple its versatility and adaptability were limitless.

"Raaah!" Roaring with energy, Leafa reversed the doomed position and pushed the injured amazon away. Whirling in a circle, Leafa's katana caught the amazon across the right shoulder and upper chest.

"Guh!" Emitting more blood, the tanned level-three adventurer collapsed to the ground.

"W-We… did it?" Sachi panted heavily.

"You were great," Leafa assured her with a smile. "Now we just wait for Mikoto and—"

"Watch out!" Bell cried interrupting the moment.

From the ground, the Amazon's body twisted. Toned muscles flexing visibly beneath her skin, her upper body raised slightly off the ground. With no warning, the tensed figure snapped into action. Body rotating, she hurled the great two-handed sword toward Sachi.

"Huh?" Sachi blanched.

Too close to react, Sachi barely managed to shut her eyes before impact. In her hands, the spear snapped like a twig, exploding into shards of wood. Carrying through, the sword caught her upper-right torso as it rotated.

"SACHI!" Bell and Leafa roared together.

Heart in his throat, Bell watched anxiously as Sachi continued to lay there unmoving. Her armour and right arm guard and crumpled completely. It was impossible to tell how severe the damage was.

"Uhh…" Moaning, A single finger twitched indicating that she had avoided the worst.

"…One down," the amazon did not seem to be pleased as she pulled herself to her feet. Eyes narrowed; a different aura now surrounded her.

"Can't… embarrass… the familia…"

"You could have killed her…" Leafa growled, hovering a foot off the ground as she prepared to attack.

Bell as well recognized the foolishness of the action. "That would have lost you the wargame likely…"

"Can't… embarrass… Ishtar…" Shivering slightly, the amazon gave off the impression of a cornered animal.

"…Bell, support me, I'm going to attack."

"Ah, yeah…" Bell answered slowly. He didn't understand their familia at all. Even after what she had done to Sachi, what their familia was planning to do to Haruhime… Bell pitied her.

It was the same every time one of them would ask Kirito about the leader, Aisha. Kirito would get a complicated expression, his eyes distant.

These fearsome warriors and marauders… somehow didn't seem to be the enemy. No more than someone accidentily injuring a friend that startled them.

"Leafa, wait!" Bell called out, just as she prepared to dash.

"Huh, why!?"

Stepping forward, Bell planted himself in front of Leafa. Battles and screams continued to roar in the surrounding area. In less then a couple of minutes Ishtar familia would claim the faux Apollo flag and make off proud of themselves rendering the trap ineffective.

"Bell…" Leafa prompted, seeing the same thing.

Ignoring her, Bell focused on the amazon who grew stronger with every passing second. Already her bleeding had mostly stopped. It was the incredible regenerative powers of an upper-class warrior.

"What will happen if you embarrass Ishtar?"

"Ha!" The amazon let out a twisted laugh. "Why do you care? I won't… I can't…"

"You already have," Bell assured the Amazon, "the flag was stolen on your watch.

"Urgh." The amazon flinched. Indeed, this great sword wielder that stood third or fourth among the Berbera was one of two level threes that guarded their flag. "No… I recovered… I won…"

"Will that make a difference to Ishtar?" Bell asked directly.

"…No." The amazon's voice was hoarse, eyes bloodshot as she stared at nothing. Zoned out, her entire body shivered with complete terror. "Is… Is this what Aisha endures… Oh gods, to be consumed by a goddess of beauty… I-I can't resist."

"We should go, Bell." Leafa whispered in his ear. "We need to delay further."

Bell knew that Leafa was right, but he refused to give up. If he could confuse one of their leaders…

"I can't resist…" Tears flowing freely down the warrior's visage, the amazon assumed a battle stance.

"Se Weyga…" Muttered two words in a different language, she charged weaponless.

Prepared for the attack, Leafa had already flown up and was striking from above.

Leaving that to her, Bell crouched down and tried to strike low. "Why!?" He continued to rage even as he attacked. "Why won't you people leave her behind!?"

"…" No response came. Only the odd thud of metal on hardened flesh as the amazon stopped their attacks with her limbs. Catching Leafa's blade on her upper left forearm, the katana got caught on bone and halted. Bell's strike with the Hestia knife met a similar fate to her right shin.

Having repelled the incoming attacks, the amazon counterattacked. Left heel sweeping above Bell's head, it forced Leafa to backtrack hurriedly.

Bell rolled backwards before a fist could come from above and crush him. Carrying past his old location to the ground, the attack sent ripples through the earth. Clods of stones and small rock shot up and out blinding Bell briefly.

Into that gap, the amazon rushed, her face now emotionless. Dead, recessed eyes hiding the life and vibrancy that was once displayed.

I have to try!

Abandoning the fight, Bell let the Hestia knife fall from his hands as the follow-up punch sought out his face. Timing the attack that had slowed slightly from the initial chase, Bell slid his head to the side.

The rock-hard fist grazed his cheek bone causing another rush of pain to darken his vision. Gritting his teeth, Bell clamped upon the at limb with both of his arms.

"Huh?" While still mostly unintelligible, an audible sound passed the amazon's lips as the beginnings of an emotion began to form.

"Bell!" Leafa screamed, beginning another pass.

"Go to the flags!" Bell yelled. "Leave me!"

"…Fine." Not arguing, Leafa retreated. The situation there must have deteriorated faster than expected for her to agree so readily.

"…" Still not talking, the amazon used her superior fighting skills to sweep Bell's legs.

"Eep!" Getting lifted up and slammed to the ground, Bell refused to relinquish his hold. Swinging his legs up, he locked them around her waist, further cementing the grapple. "What did Ishtar do to you?"

"One-by-one…" The amazon muttered, eyes continuing to stare at nothing. With Bell fully pinned, her left hand came to his throat. "Helpless, completely helpless."

"Huh? I don't underst—Ahh!" Throat getting crushed, Bell's eyes bulged under the assault. With one hand, the amazon could completely crush his windpipe. Fear building, Bell lost faith in his plan. He would die for his stupidity.

"See? See how easy we mortals break? One dose of fear and we lose our convictions… our freedom."

Ishtar… did this to her!?

Struggling to bring his mind under control, Bell stared into the woman's eyes. Forcing himself to look, to truly look at her. When her eyes drifted to the side, Bell's free hand shot up and grabbed her chin. With all the power remaining to him, Bell forced her eyes back to his.

"…"

"…"

As seconds ticked by, Bell could faintly see the swirling dots in his vision, the encroaching black edges. His tired body was desperately seeking out the air that was being denied to him.

"You… aren't scared?"

"…" Bell had no capacity to answer verbally. Continuing to stare, Bell tried to convey his feelings through his eyes. The hardships he had endured. His recent successes and decisions. Most importantly, his ideal.

"Ahaha… impossible… It is impossible but the young ones said it… You… You actually defeated her charm?"

As sentiency started to emerge in the amazon, Bell nodded. His body began to quiver and twitch as it fought for air. Vision retracting Further, Bell pushed through the sensations of death and conveyed his truth.

"I… I… am so scared." With the admission, the amazon released Bell's neck.

"Ahh!" Gasping, Bell's chest heaved dramatically as life-giving oxygen flowed through his body replenishing his energy and thoughts.

"One-by-one last night… the berbera were brought into her room. I didn't understand before… the things she could do… the threats she made."

As Bell's breathing calmed, the boy found himself still pinned. The amazon was not attacking but neither had she let him up.

"I embarrassed her… She said… I-I won't be me anymore…"

Bell swallowed and then gambled. "Surrender. Lose the war game intentionally. If we win we can order Ishtar to return to heaven and release you all!"

"I thought you understood…" The amazon wore a faint smile. "I am not you. I can't beat her."

!? Bell had only that small moment to raise his arms to protect his neck.

Her hands clamped down upon them and began pulling. "You are so weak… How? How are you able to resist her?"

"Because…" Bell growled as he tossed and turned. Sweat pouring as he struggled to resist the inevitable outcome. The amazon was toying with him as she pulled his hands apart. "I want to be a hero! You… You have become the villain!"

Bell's childish words got a genuine laugh from his adversary. "Ah, yeah. I guess I am. Didn't you know though boy, amazon's have always been the enemy of the mortal races."

"Urgh!" Bell could not deny her claim. Amazons were once reviled almost to the extent of monsters. A battle hungry race that stole men to replenish their numbers. Any male would do as well. Elf, dwarf, prum, human, or beast person. The child would always be an amazon. Families torn apart to fuel their desires.

"See!?" The amazon pressed harder. She had ripped Bell's arms away from his neck and forced them to the ground. "Weak! Nothing more than a weak male to be conquered!"

"Is that what you are to Ishtar?" Bell grit out, continuing to fight. "A toy that she uses to get her way? Something she will throw out once it isn't of use to her?"

"Ah, yeah, something like that." The amazon smiled fiercely. "It is a kobold-eat-kobold kind of a world, you know? The strong take, the weak die. Ishtar is the strongest, so if I don't please her… I die. Simple as that."

"That's wrong!" Bell spat back in the amazon's face. "Lili is physically one of the weakest, yet it is because of her that you have lost this wargame and haven't even realized it!"

"…What?"

"Err…" Eyes drifting, Bell knew he misspoke.

"The flag is a fake… The smoke cloud… Aisha!" Releasing Bell's hands, the amazon rose and whirled around. Bell completely forgotten about she opened her mouth to shout orders.

Clang!

With the sound of ringing metal, the amazon rose face-first into the side of her own two-handed sword. "Ah, sorry I'm late Bell…" Sachi apologized. The sword clanged again as it dropped from her hands. Her right arm wasn't moving correctly but her eyes were lucid.

Bell's attention drifted slightly to the amazon. Amazement and confusion played across her face in her final moments of consciousness. Even as a level three however, the hit had been too hard, she'd be out long enough for Lili and Silica to get uncatchable leads.

"Thank you, Sachi… How did you get so close?"

"Umm…" Sachi's cheeks blushed. "The two of you were uhh… quite busy."

"HUH!? N-No, it wasn't what it looked like!" Bell protested, his own cheeks heating up, "she was going to kill me."

"Don't worry, I won't tell Lili or Haruhime about this."

"…Thank you."

"No one else has arrived. Leafa is singlehandedly stopping Ishtar familia from retrieving the Apollo familia flag. I think they may know it isn't real."

Bell nodded. "Where is Mikoto?"

Sachi shook her head, "I don't know. Maybe waiting for more people to gather?"

Bell sighed, rubbing his damaged throat. "Then I guess we buy time for her." Taking another look at the amazon, Bell couldn't help but imagine she seemed relieved.

Bodies injured, the two Hestia familia members stepped back into the war spirits blazing brighter than ever.

---

Lili (ten minutes ago):

Ishtar familia had chosen potentially the smartest flag location. An empty plateau with no obstructions. Nothing to hide the flag behind, nothing to give the defenders a tactical advantage. They didn't need any of that, only an even playing field.

Lili's devised strategy was the tried and true bait and switch. Throwing smoke bomb after smoke bomb, the plateau was completely shrouded in impenetrable black smoke.

Thank you, Argo! Lili whispered a fervent prayer. Invisible thanks to the additional gifts from Hermes familia, Lili reached out a right hand and found the nearby Bell.

It was embarrassing how giddy she became when he found her hand and squeezed it. After a moment he released it and placed instead a black helmet into Lili's hand identical to the one she was wearing. Storing it in her pack, Lili hurled the last smoke bomb and got out the replacement flag.

Lili dropped the pack and stored her own Hades Helm. The incredibly powerful magical item's effect faded and revealed her borrowed body. Turning not to the flag, Lili followed Bell out of the smoke to the south-west corner of the plateau.

"Get him!" Yelling with her borrowed voice, Lili pointed a tanned hand toward Bell. She had styled herself after the level two amazon Lena. Slighter of build than many of the others, she was one of the few that Lili could accurately replicate the height of.

"Huh? Lena? Why are you here?" A confused amazon shouted.

"Aisha sent me back!" She yelled back in her borrowed voice, "the Hestia familia boy is taking our flag!"

"WHAT!?" Emerging from the smoke, the Ishtar familia members confirmed for themselves the veracity of Lili's claims with their own eyes. Every second of delay Bell got another second away.

Don't doubt it, don't doubt it…

"After him!" Whooping, they charged in a pack after poor Bell. The panicked boy making an odd screeching sound as he dashed further away.

"Hey, Lena…"

"Y-Yes!" Whirling around, Lili gulped as she stared up at a large berbera. The level three amazon bore a large sword.

"…What did Aisha say?"

"D-Don't screw anything up. She is winning on her end and will clean-up everything else shortly."

"…I see. I thought maybe since it was the two of you… Never mind. Still, I don't understand how he got the flag… Whatever."

What the hell was that!? Lili blinked as the woman darted off. Each step closed the gap to the group quickly. Based on the pursuit Lili could tell that there was at least one more level three in that group herding Bell to the south away from the Hestia familia base.

Shaking off the fear, Lili's mind moved to the next path. Her set of orders was clear. Having distracted the back-line defenders, Lili needed to get invisible, get the flag and get away.

Retracing her steps to the bag, Lili dropped to her stomach and rooted through it with partial visibility. Removing the Hades Helm, Lili heaved a sigh of relief as she became fully invisible once more.

Orientating herself to the flagpole, Lili ran toward it. Grabbing unto the wooden pole, Lili felt around until she found the fabric still there.

Almost laughing out loud, Lili pulled it off and took off straight north. This game was over.

---

Kirito:

"Cheater!" Hyacinthus shouted.

"I hate to agree with pretty boy…" Aisha drawled, "but getting both flags at the same time… through the same route?"

"I guess we are just that good…" Kirito laughed awkwardly. The whole time he kept a wary eye on Hyacinthus and his charged magic. It was not beyond the Apollo familia leader to change targets and throw his fully prepared magic at him instead.

"Tsk, to reveal the flag that that clumsy girl sullied… Huh?"

"Ah…" Kirito stopped himself from leaping forward. He couldn't attack Hyacinthus right now without dooming them both to being knocked out by Aisha. With the amazon also staring down the hill to where a massive fight was breaking out, nothing stopped Hyacinthus from staring.

"Of course, you made fakes. Clever…"

"Hmm…" Aisha stroked her chin. "So where are the real flags?"

"Ahaha…"

"It doesn't matter. If I simply stop their delivery by returning to your base then my familia will eventually run over you all."

"Ha, now it is my turn to agree with you!" Hyacinthus turned his angry sky-blue eyes to Kirito.

"Umm," Raising a hand, Kirito still smiled with typical devil may care energy. "So assumng you are correct… how are we going to do this?"

"Huh? I am…" Trailing off, Hyacinthus seemed to realize again that his magic was fully charged. Based on his sideways stance, he could not move it charged. He had to use it here or let it disperse. If he fired at Kirito, Aisha would wipe the floor with him.

"Clever brat…" Aisha murmured respectfully. "Guess I'll have to crush you both quickly."

"Good luck!" Kirito and Hyacinthus responded. Glaring at each other for the jinx.

Before tension could build, Hyacinthus roared. "Aro Zephyros!"

"Bastard!" Aisha cursed rolling to the side. The discus of pure white energy went hurtling past.

"Ha, futile!" With a motion of his hands, the energy began to curl around and come screaming back toward Aisha.

Rather than look back at it, Aisha instead took off toward Hyacinthus. Her attack would go off in the moments before the discus caught up.

"Ugh." Forced into action again, Kirito ran forward to protect the obnoxious Apollo familia member. With Aisha knowing about the flag replacement, Kirito could no longer afford to let her win this encounter.

Slowing her down wouldn't be enough. He needed to win.

"Fool!" Aisha barked as she intercepted Kirito's swing. "He can—"

"Rubele!"

!? The rapidly approaching discus exploded into a ball of fire and energy. Getting hurled across the ground, Kirito lost sense of up and down as he somersaulted across the rocky hill.

"Idiot…" Aisha cursed again. Kirito lost track of her as she was thrown from the hilltop.

"Haha!" Hyacinthus laughed gaily. "I must thank you, foolish Hestia familia boy! Your stupidity has made this victory easier than I dared hoped."

"Ahh…" Kirito's vision refused to clear of sunspots. All he could see in his swirling vision was the imprint of the discus exploding with energy.

"Before I do that however, I am afraid I must pay you back for stealing my god's heart. You damn temptresses have clouded his vision."

"Ugh." Placing a shaky hand on the ground, Kirito finally decided that he landed facing up. Sprawled out on his back, he touched his jacket and regretted it. The fabric was steaming with heat. "It held though…"

"Hmm? Begging for mercy? That will not work. It was your face that that captured his attention, so it will be your face that I must ruin!"

"Harsh…" Kirito muttered as his head began to stabilize. Closing his eyes, he hoped they would recover soon. "Hyacinthus… Would you be happy if someone hurt Apollo to try and win your affection?"

"What? Are you trying to avoid your punishment!?"

"Answer the question." Kirito insisted.

"Of course not you fool! I have dedicated myself to the sun! When everyone rejected me, he alone looked at me and called me beautiful! I will never allow someone to hurt him!"

"Aren't you though?" Kirito questioned. "If you hurt me, a person that Apollo cares for… Don't you hurt him?"

"…I… will hurt lord Apollo? No! You silver-tongued charlatan! You are a disease, an addiction that he needs to be cured of. He may rage for awhile but when he gets over it he will be his magnificent self again!"

Kirito sighed. "You've literally been blinded by the sun."

"Shut up and accept your punishment!"

Eyes flicking open, Kirito batted aside the incoming short sword and rolled to the side. Bouncing up to his feet, Kirito was ready to fight.

"What!? But my magic… You shouldn't be able to—Thud!—Urgh…" Eyes rolling back into his head, Hyacinthus slumped to the ground. Behind him stood Aisha, the amazon's massive weapon having dealt the decisive blow.

"Sneak attacks are rude." Kirito said.

"He shouldn't have started rambling." Aisha shrugged. "Now, it is just you left."

"…You're injured," Kirito countered.

"So?" Aisha raised a taunting eyebrow. "I see your garb absorbed most of the blast. You think I'm weaker than your cloak?"

"Umm… Yes?"

"Ahh, well come and find out!" Aisha laughed. Twirling her massive blade easily, she settled into a familiar position.

"…You… Bitch…"

"Huh!?" Both Kirito and Aisha stumbled away in surprise as the unconscious body of Hyacinthus began to twitch.

"I… Will not fail… Apollo…"

Gasping, Kirito stumbled further back at the sight of the man's face. His eyes were still rolled back, revealing a creepy sightless white and red eye. "He's still unconscious!?"

"…Hmm, maybe he isn't as bad as comes off as."

From Aisha that seemed high praise. Neither of them moved as they watched to see if Hyacinthus could rejoin the fight.

"I am the chosen of the sun… Pheobus Apollo, Captain of Apollo familia, Hyacinthus Cleo!" Breathing heavily, his eyelids closed as his body slumped forward again. Taking long seconds, his body slowly straightened. When his eyes opened again, they showed the beautiful blue irises that must have attracted his deity. "En garde!"

That was fucking badass… Swallowing, Kirito felt for not the first time that he was an imposter. That he had no right to stand among the greats of this world. Each one of which had a storied history and seemingly endless dedication.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Aisha chanted, unafraid by her opponent rising while unconscious.

Hand reaching up for the sword still stored on his back, Kirito paused. This wasn't the time. He could do this.

Shaking away the nerves, he found himself smirking once more. Thrill of battle rising once more, Kirito didn't know if he was an idiot, an addict, or simply dedicated to the ones he loves as he rushed back into battle, their blades meeting in a series of quick exchanges.

Despite his determination, Hyacinthus was rapidly pushed back, his weak slashes batted to the side. His breathing, technique, speed, power, none of them were up to the level they should have been. He was hanging on through grit and nothing else.

"Ah, so nothing more than a cool intro," Aisha tsked. "Here I thought you may actually turn out to be a strong man."

"Shut… up." Hyacinthus growled. His flaming red sword left blurs as the Sun flamberge was swung forth again.

In Kirito's opinion, the blade looked pretty badass. A true anime weapon. But in this world a weapon didn't get more powerful the prettier it looked. Oftentimes it was the exact opposite. Over embellishment could ruin the structural integrity of the weapon.

Fending off a strike from Aisha, Kirito swung high at Hyacinthus. Putting his strength into the attack, Kirito pushed against the quick guard.

On the offensive, he saw it. How the blade bent where it shouldn't have. "Hey, who made this blade?"

"What? You can find out when you are a member of our familia."

"…It is flawed," Kirito warned him.

"You bastard… first me and now the blade gifted to me by Apollo!? This blade is a sign of our love!"

Roaring, Hyacinthus pushed back. Fueled by anger and love, the leader of Apollo familia began to regain the room that Kirito had taken from him.

"Enough." Disengaging, Kirito whirled around. Feinting the strike towards Hyacinthus, he changed the trajectory slightly mid-swing. Instead of the man, his sword caught the side of the blade just above the hilt.

Clink!

"What!?"

With an odd noise, the blade separated from the hilt. The poorly constructed weapon had revealed its true colours.

Reeling back, Hyacinthus drew a short-sword from his waist. "How? My magic… My sword… Why! Why isn't it enough!?"

"You already know why. You don't trust your god. You don't truly believe that he could love someone else."

"No… I…" Hyacinthus' eyes tracked to the side, widening slightly in surprise.

Whirling around, Kirito cursed himself that he had forgotten about Aisha. The amazon was… fifty metres away and growing slowly more distant as she tried to move while hiding her presence.

Seeing that she'd been found out, she waved before sprinting away.

"Ah, shit!" Cursing Kirito took off after her.

---

Hestia:

"WHY!? Why are you all losing!? Daphne, Lissos, Hyacinthus!"

Hestia struggled to restrain her glee. The gods in the room were going crazy and Apollo was only one of them.

The two different heists to steal both flags. The underdog on the verge of winning the wargame.

Hephaestus' hand had claimed Hestia's and was slowly cutting off all feeling.

Through it all, Hestia's heart was beating frantically as she stared at an unassuming scene of trees. On the Northern end of the arena, only an occasional noise or shift of grass would give away that someone was there.

"Hurry up, Lili…" Hestia muttered. The other gods were trying to find the real flags as well. Their screens were mostly split between Silica's slow journey back to the Hestia base, the massive brawl over the fake flags, and Kirito's fight. Some as well watched the empty Ishtar flagpole in surprise. All of them were confused as to how exactly Hestia familia had pulled this off.

"Oh, do shut up." Ishtar drawled to Apollo. "You never had a chance from the beginning. Your children are all too boring."

"W-What!?" Apollo yelled. "My children were all hand chosen by me! You dare call them boring!?"

"I do." Ishtar continued unfazed. "One of your best parties was handily defeated by three people. None of them above level two."

"Grr…" Apollo clenched his hands. "And what about you? You are on the verge of losing as well!"

"Oh, I don't think so." Ishtar smirked, looking composed. "Aisha has figured out the trick."

!? Jerking, Hestia changed her view. She had assumed that Kirito's match would result in little real fighting, none of the leaders risking being defeated. Instead, the Ishtar captain was sprinting away at full speed, heading straight for the Hestia base. Kirito followed well behind, and a gap was being generated between him and the Apollo leader who appeared to be on his last legs.

Lili is invisible… but what about Silica?

Scanning back over to her on the divine mirror in her lap, Hestia frowned at the slow progress. Her face was shell-shocked, and pace was slow. Her movements and cautious outlook for enemies seemed more mechanical than concerned.

"Losing her monster was too much…" Miach mumbled, "Leafa should have just taken the Apollo flag back and relied on Bell as the sole distraction."

"That wouldn't have worked," Take shook his head. "For the cage to close on the trap they need as many people as possible present."

"Take is right," Hephaestus added. "Bell would have been quickly surrounded and taken down. The amazons would have spread out and stopped anyone else from getting close. Only in this situation is everyone bundled together."

"Still…" Miach muttered. "The Ishtar members are about to overcome everyone…"

"And that ends it," Ishtar smirked.

Closing her eyes, Hestia gripped onto Hephaestus' hand all the tighter and prayed for her children.

---

Leafa:

"Yaa!" Blade infused with power form her skill, Harbinger of Wind, Leafa's katana shone with a pale green light as she flew forward. Swinging at the amazon, her slash carried through the defense to the warrior, sending them flying.

Gasping loudly, Leafa stumbled as she touched down. Her back hurt, her mind was strained.

Leafa was unsure what exactly she was doing here. Only that she had to continue fighting. Alternating between stopping the Apollo flag from being taken and threatening the Ishtar flag, Leafa no longer had any idea how long had passed.

Mikoto should have been here by now.

"You're a tenacious brat, you know that?" One of the amazon's cursed Leafa. They were all level two. The level threes were standing around their flag and talking animatedly.

"I… try." Leafa panted in reply. Kicking off the ground, she spiraled over the amazon's head and slashed down.

With her opponent rolling forward, her blade caught nothing but air as Leafa sped past. Going for another ten metres, Leafa almost crashed as she landed, her back screaming in pain. Her flight muscles were exhausted. She was grounded.

"Oh, what's this?" The amazons taunted. "The bird has come to mingle with us commoners?"

Leafa could think of no reply as she stood back up, blade at the ready. Heaving breaths, she tried to retighten her hands around the hilt that was slick with blood. Both her own and that of others.

Forcing out more of her fatiguing mental strength, Leafa's blade took on a faint glow. The skill fluttered weakly as she stood still. Scaling with speed, it was a power she had relied on rarely before today.

"Tsk…" The amazon's glared at the blade. More than one of them had already tasted the effect. The force and power beyond a standard level two.

"Here… I come!" Alerting them to her presence, Leafa was aware that she was fighting a pointless battle. All of the Apollo members had been either incapacitated or scattered. The flag was secured by other members to a flurry of cheering.

"I respectfully speak to you, my war god who can break through anything—"

Like nectar, the intense melody fell upon Leafa's ears and revitalized her. "Mikoto!"

"Huh?" One of the amazon's scratched their ear. "That was… one of the war god's kids that transferred, yeah?"

"Don't ask me. Just another person to beat up."

Not giving them a chance to debate further, Leafa rushed forward in what would be her final attack.

"Lead me from the precious heaven. Give my petty body divine power of your grand body."

Out of the trees to the west, Mikoto ran. Her body was bruised and beaten from an encounter with someone. Head held high, she stared straight ahead.

"Ohh, concurrent casting. Amazing!"

Most of the amazons continued to comment nonchalantly about the approaching kunoichi.

"Raaa!" Intent on changing that, Leafa swung wildly.

Clang!

With ease, the settled warriors of Ishtar familia blocked her attack. Twisting, Leafa swung again. Again and again.

Each time she lost ground as three amazons began to hoard her into a corner. Each one was a match for her by themselves. Together they began an unstoppable force.

"Give up!" One of them jeered.

"Rescue them light of purification, sword of crushing evil. Sweep sword of suppression, sacred sword of conquest."

Mikoto's chant was finishing and Leafa was no closer to securing an effective use than she had been before attacking.

"Come on wings…" With her magic still active, Leafa hurled her katana ungainly toward the amazons attacking her. Flinching, the girls backed out of the way.

Leaping into the small gap, Leafa thrust forward with her wings. I can do this! The guards were focused on Mikoto.

Zipping between them, Leafa strained for every inch as her failing wings propelled her mad dash through the circle of surprised level threes. Picking the flag from where Bell had tossed it, Leafa shot toward Mikoto, skating across the ground.

"After her!"

"It arrives here now by my order. Descend from heaven, rule the earth - shinbu tousei!"

Yes, come! Leafa laughed internally as the amazons swarmed toward her. Over a dozen of them, well over half the total number of Ishtar's forces gathered around.

Crashing beside Mikoto, Leafa smiled up at the ninja. "Do it."

"Futsu no Mitama!"

"Ah shit, what does this…"

From above, a massive violet sword descended. Bathing the battlefield in light, a cage surrounded everyone. Including both flags, Mikoto, Leafa, Bell, Sachi, and all of the Ishtar adventurers, pain arrived in the form a crushing gravitational field.

Leafa gasped as the gravity hit like a fist. Already on the ground, she didn't have to bear the force of crumpling like the Ishtar members. Inside the whole area, only a single person remained standing, Mikoto.

Back straight against the force, her body shook as she held everyone here.

"I'll… leave this to you." Releasing her breath, Leafa laid her down and passed out. "Good luck… Onii-chan."

Kirito:

"Stop… running… away already!" Kirito yelled ahead of him. His voice was the only thing that could actually catch up to Aisha. Even running his hardest he had closed maybe half the distance until it had stopped shrinking.

"Hummm? Why is that?" Aisha called back. "Is your base perhaps completely undefended?"

Yes, we don't need our flag to win, but that's besides the point! Kirito screamed back internally. He just couldn't let Aisha intercept one of the flag runners and prevent victory.

Jumping across the varied landscape, Kirito leaped over waist-high bushes and ducked around trees. They had left the artificial hilltop arena far behind. With the arena being as small as it is, they were almost at the edge already.

"Should be… Here!" Slicing through a tree, Aisha watched proudly as a view of the Hestia familia base was revealed. "…Oh."

As per Kirito's expectations, Ishtar familia had already come and gone from here. The flagpole stood empty and bare. "Probably that Silver-haired chick's doing, yeah?" Kirito asked as he slowed down.

"Samira? Most likely… She was really looking forward to fighting that red-haired girl who converted into your familia…"

"Ah, well Rain is the only other level three we have…" Kirito agreed lightly. Unsure how to proceed, Kirito moved his lips to the beginning of his magic.

Tsking as it failed, he glanced right and left to where Silica and Lili should be coming from.

"Hmm, you still silenced? Also… where did that Apollo child get off to?"

"Don't ask me, you're the one that sprinted away!"

"Yeah, but you were closer to him!" Aisha shot back.

Throwing his hands into the air in disgust, Kirito was lost. "Are we still fighting? What are you planning here?"

"Planning…? How about another chase? You do like pursuing women from what I've heard."

"Ugh… And I thought you pursued men!" Kirito yelled as Aisha took off again, her nose sniffing the air. Her path was far to the North. Beyond where the other Ishtar members would have been likely to cross.

"Haha, only if they are worth my while!"

"Grr… This bloody woman!" Kirito yelled as he closed in on Aisha. This time her pace was slower. Nose to the air, she made slower progress in a zig-zagging path.

Closing the distance, Kirito tried an attack. Aisha of course just twirled around it and continued upon her path.

"Seriously? Can you really be spending your time doing this!?" Kirito raged.

"Huh? Why not?" Aisha shot back. "I am being productive!"

Ah, Lili, please stay hidden! Starting to sweat, Kirito knew that while Aisha's chances were low of being effective, she was also moving in the correct direction. This was the only possible route the flag could be returned by that wouldn't go through an Ishtar member.

Stopping suddenly, Aisha's nose twitched again. Smirking, she turned to a copse of trees to the north. Just past them a pair of people could be seen. One was a guild member in their signature suit, notebook at the ready. Both seemed surprised to actually see someone.

"Oi, you hiding in the trees, come out!"

The adventurer tried to reply, but the guild member put a restraining hand on their arm.

"No one is there," Kirito told Aisha. "Now, what are we doing?"

"Really? Let us test that theory."

Entering a stance, Kirito watched warily for the level four's next move. As Aisha twirled her blade, she winked and began to sing.

"Come, champion of the savages. Manly warrior, strong hero, greedy and unjust hero—"

Groaning, Kirito threw himself at Aisha. The horizontal slash was among the fastest he'd ever unleashed. Every muscle worked together perfectly in an explosion of speed.

Kirito was rewarding with scattering a handful of Aisha's hair strands that his blade cut through. Her actual body danced out of the way, leaving Kirito between the trees and her.

"Show your worth if you desire the girdle of the empress."

Out of options, Kirito swung his blade pointlessly toward the amazon. He wasn't even sure if the magic would be used at him or the trees at this point. This could all be a bluff…

"Satisfy my body, penetrate my body, kill my body and prove your worth. My famished blade is Hippolyta!"

Aisha leaped back and planted her sword into the ground.

Kirito was out of time. Block, don't block. The two options cycled hundreds of times in the face of Aisha's poker face. There wasn't enough information.

"Run, Kirito!"

!? Turning partially, Kirito's eyes widened as Lili stepped out of the trees. Ishtar flag gripped in her hands, she began running toward the base.

"Oh…"

Her plan was simple. Aisha couldn't kill her without costing her familia the wargame. All Kirito had to do was take the flag from her after the magic hit.

"Hell Kaios!"

Aisha's face revealed no emotion as she summoned forth the wave of magical energy. It wasn't aimed at Kirito, it would hit Lili.

"Bastard!" Not giving it a second thought, Kirito jumped at the magic, blade first.

Kreeee!

Emitting a horrible screeching noise, Kirito could feel the edge of his blade get worn down. Aisha's magic continued past almost completely unaffected in that brief moment.

"LILI!" Screaming her name, Kirito watched horrified as the magic bore down upon her.

"AHH!" Yelling in terror, Lili's face was illuminated by the red blade of death as it swam past tearing apart the ground as it went. "I-I survived?"

Lili collapsed to the ground, stunned. The flag falling from her limp hand.

"Hmm, that was close." Was all Aisha said. "I think that's our victory, yeah?"

"…It doesn't have to be." Kirito replied softly.

"What was that, boy?"

"Do you even hear yourself? If anything, winning pisses you off. You want out of your familia. Let me take the flag and you're free."

"I thought I already made it clear…" Aisha growled. "That it doesn't work that way!"

Yelling as she leapt forward, Kirito was too slow to block the attack. Swept off his feet, Kirito felt his back go through a tree before he stopped.

Rolling to the side, Kirito barely dodged a second attack. Swinging up hard from the lower-right, Kirito forced Aisha back briefly. When she thrust forward with her blade, Kirito deflected it, allowing their hilts to lock.

"It could! Why? Why do you reuse to stand up to that horrible goddess!?"

"Do you even hear yourself!?" Aisha retorted. "Challenge the divine!? What idiot would do something that that!? No one could pull that off!"

"Tch," pushed back, Kirito endured another pair of heavy swings. On the back foot, he flipped backwards over a bush and routed his way back to Lili. If they could return the flag…

"Not happening," Aisha read Kirito's mind and kicked him off route.

"Ah, but I'm guessing you didn't hear…"

"…Hear what?" Aisha stopped briefly.

"About what happened the night we stole Haruhime."

"…I heard rumours." Aisha narrowed her eyes. "That level two boy resisted Ishtar."

"It's true." Kirito confirmed. "Also… That girl in your familia stopped the fighting. She knew that sacrificing a familia member was wrong."

"Are you serious? Do you think we're idiots!?" Aisha's face exploded with rage. "Of course we know it isn't right! The Ishtar members don't hate Haruhime. They hated the fact that she was going to let them kill her. That she refused to turn herself into an opponent to be defeated!"

"You hated her because she reminded you that you are a monster." Kirito summarized.

"Yeah… That's right."

Pausing briefly, Aisha looked at Kirito with sad eyes. The rage faded away completely in only a moment. "I can't… I can't break through… She… She was too thorough."

"I don't believe you." Kirito glared at Aisha. They were mere feet apart but neither one swung a weapon. Kirito knew that the game would be decided in these coming moments. With no magic and missing half an edge off the only sword he'd used before on his person; Kirito wasn't in a position to beat this person with strength.

"You should… She's broken me."

Kirito bit his tongue as he stared into Aisha's eyes. There was no fight left in her. "Aisha…"

"Sorry about this."

Alone with a flag to defend, Kirito threw himself into battle against his tormented opponent.

---

Mikoto:

"Ugh… Ahh…" Panting, Mikoto kept her back straight against the pull of her magic. Knees bent slightly; it was all she could do to remain standing. Any movement would send her toppling to the ground.

Within her magic, she could identify a number of her familia members, Leafa, Bell, Sachi. Of the three, Leafa was in the worst shape. "Sorry…"

Mikoto apologized to her unconscious friend. Mikoto knew that she was late, but Ishtar familia members had found her and attacked.

Besides them were well over a dozen Ishtar familia members. The level twos laid on the ground struggling to breath. The level threes meanwhile were crawling slowly. Struggling up onto their forearms, they would fall forward toward Mikoto, gaining almost no distance each repetition.

Dismissing them as a real threat for now, Mikoto scanned again. There was a growing sense of danger in her mind. A harsh bloodthirsty glare… There!

The source was none other than the second-in-command of Ishtar familia, Samira. Wearing her usual attire, the silver-haired amazon cracked her neck, standing at the edge of the magical cage. Reaching an arm forward, she touched the gravity.

No way… She can't…

Before Mikoto's disbelieving eyes, the amazon stepped into the magic. Buckling slightly, she quickly regained her footing. Standing straight, she began to advance, one shuffling step after another.

Seeing this, the other level threes stopped their crawling. They laid flat and smiled knowing they would soon be free.

"Tsk," Mikoto could do little else except continue her magic. She was already putting all of her mind into the spell. Under the crushing gravity she could feel her knees grinding as they supported her weight. Her leaden arms were supported ahead her as the focus of the spell.

"Oi, leave my familia member alone."

"You?" Samira's face contorted. "Going to run away again?"

"Nah, didn't need the flag. You can take that one."

Rain! Breathing a sigh of relief, Mikoto fought to rotate her head. Entering from beside her was Rain. The red-haired beauty already a meter into the gravity magic.

As Rain entered, her belt groaned under weight. With a ripping sound, it hit the ground with a heavy thud. The two blades stored there impaling deep into the ground.

"Are you sure? I'd hate to mess-up that face you dolled up."

"I would ask you the same question," Rain retorted. "Who failed to guard the hostages exactly?"

A smattering of muted snorts among the prone amazons caused Samira's eyes to narrow.

"Yeah, this seems like the right time to pay you back for that." Glaring at Mikoto, Samira progressed in a line that would let her end up between Mikoto and Rain.

Glancing at the change, Rain tried to pick up the pace at which she was moving. Stumbling, each slight inaccuracy meant wasted time trying to recenter. The absolute gravity allowed for no mistakes or errors.

Taking a more rigid approach, Samira advanced one heavy footfall at a time. Teeth gritted; the pace would be comical if it wasn't one step closer to Mikoto getting beaten out of holding her magic.

"Too… Heavy…" Rain's strangled voice rang out. Face beading with sweat, Mikoto reanalysed the girl and found the difference. Rain was wearing things. Whereas Samira was almost completely naked with the exception of a few scant pieces of cloth barely larger than underwear. Rain whereas still had metal pieces upon her body.

"Grr…" Snap! Snap! First one arm and then the other, Rain tore her greaves from her arms. Clunking to the ground, she moved on to her chest armour. Wearing a version of thin plate, Rain barely needed to pull on it before the straps snapped as well.

"Oh? Getting undressed just for me? How exciting."

"Oh, shut up… дурак."

"What was that?"

"Don't worry about it." Rain stuck out her tongue at Samira as she let her leather jerkin fall to the ground. Even the fairly thin material collapsed and stayed there.

"Rain, here!" Sachi gestured briefly to where Bell and she were lying on the ground.

Nodding, Rain started to make her way there. Her upper body was more stable with only a light cotton shirt on. Even under the effects of heightened gravity the cloth didn't weigh enough to be a burden. The issue was her boots.

"Oh? Getting your friends do remove your footgear? If you were dressed properly you wouldn't have any."

"Can you seriously be quiet?" Rain whined. "I thought we were fighting a serious war game here?"

"Nah, we are going to win."

"And if you don't?" Rain fired as she finished stomping over to Bell and Sachi. The duo struggling to move their limbs enough to remove the greaves and boots.

The whole conversation had taken on a surreal feel to Mikoto. This wasn't a battle between two hated enemies anymore. It felt more like a friendly competition between rivals. The stakes of the match slowly becoming forgotten.

"If we lose…" Samira's eyes got misty for a moment. "Well, let's just say that it stops becoming my problem."

That's ominous… Sweating under the pressure of keeping her magic up while she was in in, Mikoto could do nothing but wait.

Clink! As the armour fell off her shins, Rain stepped forward once again, light on her feet as she stepped out of her boots. Free of her protective gear, she resembled some sort of fire fairy. Her pale skin contrasted against the sea of copper of the surrounding amazons. Lower legs and arms revealed, Rain cheeks had taken on a faint flush as she walked tall against the magic.

"Hehe, starting to look like a real amazon."

"Oh, shut up." Rain bit back for the third time. She quickly muttered another string of words under her breath that Mikoto didn't catch. They sounded like that foreign language she had brought over – Russian, Kirito had called it.

Thud… Thud… Thud…

Mikoto wondered if the blood was starting to leave her head. But no… it was the watching amazons. As Rain and Samira closed the final gap between them, the spectators pounded the ground in time. An ominous drum act with an ancient, primal feel to it.

"This rhythm… I like it."

"Now you sound like an amazon as well," Samira spoke with a toothy smile. Bringing her arms up in front of her body, caused a drop of sweat to pour down the amazon's face. The feat requiring every ounce of strength the level three had.

Rain meanwhile sat back and rocked from foot-to-foot. Even that small motion was incredibly impressive in within Futsu no Mitama.

"Yaa!" Yelling as she punched, Samira stumbled halfway through the motion. Forced to pull up short, the amazon grimaced at how hard fighting here was. One mistake and she was done. Rain was doing all she had to by delaying Samira. If they both hit the ground, Rain wins.

"Ohh, very close! You should continue punching, I think that will work!" Rain nagged at the berbera.

"Ha!" Fixing her stance, Samira waddled forward. Walking lower, she bee-lined straight for Rain.

"Urgh…" Expressing frustration, Rain began to backpedal. The distance between Mikoto and the fighters shrinking from four to two metres. A running lunge now had the potential to bring everyone down.

"Bell!" Rain called out.

"Firebolt!" An instantaneous answer sent the characteristic fire in a line along the ground.

Despite being typically unaffected, the magic quickly snuffed itself against the earth. "That won't work here! Futsu no Mitama affects magic as well!" Mikoto reminded them.

"T-Trying!" Bell groaning, unable to aim higher.

"Hey! No cheating!" Samira whined. "This is supposed to an honourable one on one!"

"Said who?" Rain shot back, backpedaling another step.

"Me!" Samira rushed forward again almost falling as she did so.

Unable to get out of the way, the two women ran into each other. Heads resting on the other persons shoulder they resembled lovers embracing to an untrained eye.

In reality, both of them were struggling against the cage of magic that beat on them every second. "You… should surrender." Samira whispered.

The words were only audible to Rain and Mikoto.

"Ishtar swore it would be only Haruhime… She'll let the rest of you continue to adventure."

"That isn't good enough!" Mikoto retorted angrily before Rain had a chance to reply. "Haruhime is my childhood friend and a precious person! How can you suggest using her?"

"…You don't understand. She's a sacrifice to prevent something worse."

"Something… Worse?" Mikoto asked as Rain remained silent.

Samira grit her teeth and shook her head. "I can't say… and I can't tell you to trust me, but we will be in the familia after today."

Rain snorted. "Oh, you want to join Hestia familia? You better work on bowing, Hestia is hard to impress."

"…Idiot." Sounding somewhat happy, Samira tensed her body. The decisive moment would happen now. Lifting her right foot, she pounded it down between Rain's legs.

Like a judo match in slow motion, Rain twisted, lifting her left leg to free it. The level three adventurers' superhuman reflexes were pointless here. A tortoise could keep up with the exaggerated, languorous movements.

"Ha!" Lifting her head back, Samira sent it toward Rain.

Unable to dodge, she took the impact on forehead with a solid thunk. Knees bending somewhat, Rain remained standing. "Bell!"

"Almost…"

"Here…" Sachi volunteered. Flopping out an arm toward Bell it made a platform for him to rest his upon.

"Thanks…" Arm extended, Bell closed his left eye and lined up the shot. "Firebolt!"

As before, the spell curved in mid-air. Tracking a sharp parabola, the fire and lightning crashed into the ground at Samira's feet. The grass there threatening to catch fire as sparks danced around.

Quickly, it burned out in a puff of smoke as the verdant land repelled the heat.

"I've got you now!" Samira roared, taking another step forward. Forcing Rain into an awkward position, the half-elf simply wasn't as physically powerful. In a match where strength was the only factor, she was out matched.

"Firebolt!"

A third time, the magic arced into the sky. Like a stone from a sling, it crashed back to ground quickly. This time, the fire stretched far enough to land on Samira's foot.

"Ahh!"

"Again!" Rain commanded.

"Firebolt, firebolt!"

Each subsequent shot landed upon the amazon's bare feet. Face slowly turning into a rictus of pain, Samira's stance broke somewhat.

"Hot, hot, hot! Stop that brat!"

"Firebolt!"

Now! Watching wide-eyed at the fight playing out right in front of her, Mikoto saw the moment. Samira's head turned to glare at Bell who had found an angle from which he could successfully lob firebolts and hit her.

"Yaa!" Screaming a war cry, Rain abandoned safety and lunged forward. Torso tilted to a point of no return, she collided with Samira's midsection using her shoulder.

"I… Won't go down here!" Rejecting, Rain's attempt, Samira slid past it, lunging forward, arm out toward Mikoto.

Gritting her teeth and praying, Mikoto could do nothing else.

!? She got me… As Samira's hand closed upon Mikoto's wrist, the force increased tenfold upon her. Destabilized, Mikoto's body began to fall forward.

"Not… so fast!" Yelling with one more heroic effort, Rain's legs straightened and shoved against Samira's midsection.

Unable to maintain the position in the gravitational spell, Samira fell to the ground, her hand slipping from Mikoto's wrist.

"Urgh!" Pulled off balance, Mikoto's body slowly swayed forward. Despite the lethargic build up, the crash was monumental as her knees slammed against the ground. Whimpering in pain, her hold on the magic vanished for a moment.

"You can do this Mikoto!" Sachi called out.

"Yeah, you're awesome!" Bell added on.

"Just think about how proud Take will be of you after," Rain added on snidely at the end.

Ears heating, Mikoto kept her eyes on the core of magic between her hands. The words of her friends were enough to stabilize her thoughts and drive back the excruciating pain.

"Seriously?" Samira whined from the ground beside her. "This doesn't even change anything!"

"Well, guess you'll have to wait and find out." Rain laughed.

"Ah, shut up."

With the cage of trapped foes complete, Mikoto could do nothing else but try to endure and buy time for her familia to win the game.

---

Kirito:

Right, left, thrust, kick, elbow.

Reading each move, Kirito dodged the attacks with the slimmest margin possible. Aisha had used the same combination dozens of times. Both combatants knew what happened with each exchange as it started up again.

Kicking off a tree, Kirito bought space momentarily before Aisha caught up. The pair were travelling fast toward the flag. Lili had been injured by the passing of Hell Kaios and was nowhere close to the base.

"…You aren't going to surrender?"

"Surrender?" Kirito panted back. "I'm winning."

The lie aroused no emotions in Aisha's defeated face. All the warrior did was swing her massive wooden blade again.

The level four strength was still something Kirito could not emulate. Meeting the blade with own partially ruined one shook the surrounding trees as a blast of concussive force was released. Each hit contained superhuman power that Kirito would have been unable to comprehend a scarce few months ago.

Thud, thud.

Two blocks and a backstep.

Thud, thud.

Two more blocks and a leap back.

They had caught up to Lili.

Aisha's face finally shifted slightly as she found the supporter behind Kirito. Bringing her blade back for a powerful technique, the arc of the swing was aimed behind Kirito at Lili instead.

"Damn you." Kirito cursed the amazon. Swinging in a perfect counter, the force from the intersection created a hollow boom that enveloped the supporter.

"Aah!" Tumbling head over heels, Lili bounced back up remarkably quickly, grabbing at the flag once more.

"Don't worry about it, Lili. I'll deliver it when I win here." Kirito assured her.

"Lili doesn't think Kirito knows what he is talking about!" Lili shouted back. "Just hold her off better!"

"You got it." Kirito smirked jumping forward. His reckless attack was met coldly with a kick. Stomach crumpling around the outstretched appendage, Kirito was flung into another tree.

Head snapping back, a loud crack emanated through the forest. "Uh oh." Touching his head, Kirito was relieved to find it was the tree that had broken. Standing up mostly unscathed, Kirito pursued Lili who was getting hunted down.

"Dive Lili!" Kirito commanded.

Doing so, the level one supporter was too slow as Aisha's fist caught the back of her shirt and swung the girl at Kirito.

Using his left arm, Kirito caught the passed prum and kept running for the base. "Thank you!"

"…This feels extremely undignified." Lili muttered.

"Haha, get ready to run… Kirito warned her. "Three… two… Now!"

Time elapsing faster than he'd predicted, Kirito tossed Lili forward and pivoted hard to block Aisha's attack. Unable to do so, Kirito went tumbling again. Clods of hard mud getting sent up as his body left a furrow in the in the ground.

"…Ow."

"Enough." Aisha declared. Ignoring Kirito for now, she dashed forward and caught Lili. Lifting the prum up with one hand, Aisha casually tossed the girl upwards.

"Aah!" Yelling instinctively, Lili released the flag and brought her limbs in.

"Well done." Catching Lili again, Aisha then rolled her towards Kirito.

Catching the poor prum that had been treated like a ball for the past minute, Kirito pressed a hand against her forehead. Lili's eyes flickered weakly.

"Rest now, I'll deal with this."

"…You got it."

Leaving Lili as her eyes closed, Kirito approached the flag that Aisha was guarding. Taking a glance to the North, Kirito was surprised by how far they had drifted. The same guild employee from before was running along the edge with their adventurer guard. Another pair was watching them as well. They were at the far North-West corner of the arena. They'd missed the Hestia base by a lot.

"This is the game then…" Aisha mused. "After I knock you out no one will find our flag here."

"Yeah… That curse really sucks you know."

"…Yeah, it does."

With no cue, they rushed forward once more. Weapons colliding to giant shockwaves, the serene forest was quickly ravaged. Bushes, rocks, trees, none were immune to the upper-level adventurers.

Stomping through a large rock, Kirito ignored the fragments and sliced with his blade. The sword made a strange whizzing noise as it sliced the air. One side was heavily perforated and chewed up from his attempt at deflecting Aisha's magic.

"…Why not change weapons?" Aisha asked.

"I don't need that one for you," Kirito answered back, his voice thin from stress. His brain had been overclocking for the past twenty minutes to avoid sudden defeat at the hands of his level four opponent.

"…Your blade is broken."

"Why do you care?" Kirito hissed angrily. "You gave up, remember?"

"NO! I didn't… I… I lost…"

"Exactly! So stop. Telling. Me. What to do!" Punctuating his words with swings, Kirito felt an ability he had almost forgotten about kick in. A trump card he kept in reserve: Gilded hero.

Already with an S ranked agility stat, Kirito's speed shot up even higher, reaching that of his level four opponent.

Eyes widening, Aisha gaped as she staggered back, her heavy blade struggling in the tight fighting space Kirito had claimed.

Scurrying around tree trunks and shattered bushes, his blade harried the taller amazon from below. Dancing a methodical rhythm, Kirito skirted the edge of death, his blade striking at random intervals like a viper.

"Heh." Life slowly began to return to Aisha's face. "So, you still got this even when your magic is gone."

Kirito let his sword talk for him. A vicious strike penetrating Aisha's copper skin and nicking her shin. Each heavy attack contended with her other-worldly level four endurance.

The one-sided slaughter ended as Kirito threw himself entirely into the fight. Flags, winning, sacrifices, all disappeared from his mind. All that was left was him and his blade. One that he had used for over a month now. A steady partner through the toughest battles in his life.

That was why he continued with it for now. There was a piece of him in this weapon.

That piece enabled him to surpass his limits. To fuse minds with his weapon and fight on equal footings with a skilled level four.

With it came the realization that the weapon was dying. The strain on it was simply too great. Aisha's magic had been the last straw. Any second now it would snap in two.

Chest aching for his friend, Kirito didn't slow down. Pouring more mind and determination into his skill, his speed picked up.

"What?"

Aisha's languishing caught up with her, as Kirito finally earned himself a decisive advantage in the fight. Pressing her back, Kirito easily side-stepped her swing.

Striking out heavily with a thrust to the right side, Kirito transitioned that into a slash low from the left only to come back from the right. A dizzying series of moves inspired by his beating at the hands of Imizael.

Failing to block every attack, Aisha took the final attack to her hip, sending her flying into a nearby tree.

Unrelenting, Kirito pursued. Into his perfect mind state, an unwanted thought intruded.

I need to end this quickly.

Allowing it to affect his thoughts, Kirito increased the tempo again. Slash after slash, he rained down attacks upon the defending amazon. Aisha's body no longer resembled the near perfect state it had been in previously. The burn from Aro Zephyros was turning black and throbbing. Dozens of cuts and mud stuck to her.

Despite that, her face had never looked more alive. It was then Kirito realized how badly Aisha wanted him to win. Wanted to be free from Ishtar's curse.

"Hiyah!" Keeping up the barrage of slashes, Kirito knocked Aisha's blade off balance with a horizontal slash. Feinting form the other direction, Kirito pushed off the ground with his left foot. Hitting a tree with his right, Kirito's knee bent to absorb the momentum before pushing back off.

Using the high velocity and gravity as an advantage, Kirito knew this was it, the decisive moment.

"Rargh!" Putting all of his power into this one attack, Kirito swing a massive two-handed blow from above.

Lifting her Padao, Aisha supported it with both hands.

Snap!

"Ah…" Comically slow, the last half of Kirito's blade floated through the air between them. "I… lost?"

"You did." Aisha agreed. Her punch sent Kirito rocketing backwards. Tumbling over the ground, Kirito made no effort to stop himself as he finally halted almost back beside Lili once more.

As his skill ended, the payment hit him like a ton of bricks. His vision swam and his head became foggy. Sitting up was a challenge.

"…This is it." Aisha declared standing in front of Kirito.

He was seeing double of her as he wavered uncertainly. "Yeah… I guess it is." Body swaying, Kirito was crushed by the impending sense of doom. Haruhime sacrificied, his friends forced into prostitution… Kirito as well may meet that same fate.

Right hand rising, Kirito blocked the swing meant to knock him out.

"…Seriously?"

"Yeah… I… I can't let that happen to them… I… I can't…"

"…You can't beat every opponent." Speaking from experience, Aisha grabbed Kirito's right hand that was still holding the hilt of his broken sword.

Throwing him in a half circle, Kirito felt the hilt dislodge from his hand. With it went the remainder of his determination.

Bladeless, magicless, Kirito had failed. Bent over on his knees, Kirito heard the quiet footsteps signalling his defeat. "Until tomorrow… Boy."

"Aisha, no!"

Who? Mainly to sate his curiosity, Kirito raised his head. From behind him approached a small amazon who leaped over him as Aisha's slash came down. The shocked level four couldn't cancel the slash.

Crunch!

A horrifying sound that Kirito had heard before but never wanted to again rang out. It was the sound of cartilage snapping under the impact of blunt weapon.

"Lena!" Aisha cried dropping her weapon. "N-No…"

Blinking away the melancholy, Kirito's eyes widened as he stared at the girl. Through great misfortune the swing had taken her in the neck. Vocal cords and windpipe collapsed, the amazon was slowly dying, chocking to death.

"W-What the hell was that! I-I need a potion."

"I have nothing…" Kirito responded dully as Aisha looked at him. "She… I mean…"

She's already dead. The words hung between them.

Glancing up, Kirito saw the guild members approaching. Swarming perhaps unconsciously to watch what may be the decisive battle of the war game.

"You!" Aisha accosted them. "Heal her!"

"Y-Yes, Antianeira!" The employee squeaked out. As she ran over and stopped at Lena's side, the guild member spoke again, almost as an after thought. "Umm, since you inflicted this injury, if I heal her, Ishtar familia will forfeit."

Snap! Aisha's hand caught the guild employee's wrist. "…What?"

"Y-You dealt this injury… As such, interference to this level would mean… It would mean forfeiting."

"Then… we let her die…" Aisha's eyes were unfocused as she spoke. "Ishtar said winning was more important than any one of our lives…"

"You can't be serious!?" Kirito yelled at Aisha. "Look at her! Save her!"

"I-Ishtar's rules are absolute…" Collapsing to the ground, Aisha gazed at Lena's face as she hovered over it, tears beginning to form.

Touching the young amazon's face tenderly, Aisha's shoulders shook. "I-I'm so sorry Lena. I-I was so unfocused, so confused…"

"Does Ishtar really mean more to you than her?" Kirito asked. "Are you really going to let your familia member die for her!?"

"I can't do anything!" Aisha roared back distraught. Pulling at her hair, the perfect beauty had disintegrated and left between the true image within – an abused, traumatized woman.

"Aisha…" Kirito swallowed and tried to form the words. "You are one of the strongest people I know—"

"Shut up." Aisha ordered, glaring at Kirito. "I don't need your encouragement or pity!"

"Pity?" Kirito glared back. "How about disgust? Your familia member is dying and you refuse to save them. It's vile."

Aisha's shoulders collapsed. "Yeah… Yeah I am."

The guild employee looked on with a mixture of horror and fascination as someone was on the verge of dying in front of them. They couldn't do anything as Aisha's hand prevented them from attempting to heal or leave.

Lena's hand moved slowly and found Aisha's. It gave a comforting squeeze as her eyes tracked to Aisha's as well. A faint bloody smile forming there. "Se… Se…" Struggling to say something, Lena's mouth began to move.

"No… You don't get to say that to me. I don't deserve it."

Unable to get the air through her broken vocal cords, Lena gave up on speaking. Instead, her lips moved and perfectly formed the words she had been trying to say.

Kirito didn't understand them, but Aisha did. The Amazon collapsed, head on Lena's chest shoulders shaking as the consequences of her actions came back to haunt her.

Should I… No. Kirito dismissed a line of thought before it could fully form. That would lead to consequences far worse than what was already happening.

Even as guilt wormed at his consciousness, Aisha's body stopped vibrating. With small, robotic motions, her torso began to rise. Past Kirito, Aisha glared at the sky. While there was nothing visible in the air, Kirito knew what she was staring at. The various deities who had opened 'divine mirrors' to allow people to watch the wargame.

"Are you listening, Ishtar!?" Aisha roared. "I've had enough of this fucking farce of yours! I am not your puppet to control!"

Standing up, Aisha's teeth were gritted as her highly dilated eyes stared in wild directions. She looked insane as the tormented leader fought against demons Kirito and the others could not see.

"I reject your treatment of your familia members! I refuse to meekly allow your quest for revenge to paved in our blood any longer! I reject you Ishtar!"

Kirito could do nothing but stare as the amazon yelled at the world. Wrongs and determination to break through Ishtar's divine will revealed in public. Each word took a noticeable effect on Aisha who sweated heavily. Hands shivering, she was a cornered animal on the verge of death. Terrified with nowhere to flee. Still, she bared her fangs and spat on her abuser.

It was beautiful. Finding his eyes moist, Kirito smiled, hoping a small portion of his feelings would enable Aisha to push through.

"I am no longer a toy. As the captain of Ishtar familia, I resign from the war game competition to get aid… to get aid…"

Aisha's knees almost collapsed. Face horror-stricken, her eyes fell to the ground. Gasping for air, she tottered upon the edge of defeat.

"Ai-Ai…sha…" Lena's broken voice was accompanied by a hand grabbing her ankle. Upon her face was the warmest smile Kirito has ever seen. "S-Se… weyga…"

Something changed in Aisha's manner. A tension, or maybe final guilt fled from her stance. "To aid my familia member, Ishtar familia resigns from the war game."

Snatching the elixir from the guild employee's hand – who had been standing there speechless all the while – Aisha poured half of it upon Lena's throat gently.

The other half went into Lena's mouth who greedily sucked it down. Under the effects of the magical potion, life began to be restored to the shattered girl. Cartilage, blood vessels and everything else began to stitch itself back together.

The guild employee shuffled through their pouch in a frantic hurry. "Ah, I never thought I'd be the one who would have to… I mean… Here we go!"

Pulling out a flare gun, or at least an Orario invention that resembled one, the guild employee screwed on a round marked Ishtar resignation.

Pointing it at the air, they fired. The round launched high in the air, releasing a trail of bright gold smoke.

"Whoa…" Kirito blinked. "Is it… actually over?"

---

Hestia:

"Is it… actually over?"

It is, good job, Kirito… everyone.

Heart bursting with pride, Hestia stood up amid the awed look on the deities that were watching in the special chamber. All of them were losing their minds over one thing or another.

As Hestia approached Ishtar however, they all made way and formed a path. "That gold sure was a pretty colour for a resignation signal."

"Aisha… That bitch really sucks at learning…" Not even looking at Hestia, Ishtar twisted her pipe, one end of it coming off.

Blowing into it, Ishtar spoke. "Slaughter them." Standing up, Ishtar threw it to the ground. The pipe end shattered into a million pieces, a small flash of energy released as it did so.

"What was that, Ishtar?" Hermes asked frantically. "That was a magic item, wasn't it?"

"Hehe, let's just say that you are all in for quite the surprise." Ishtar glared at Hestia. "You got lucky. I hate doing it this way… but whatever. I'll clean up the ashes after."

"Ishtar, what did you do!?" Hestia glared at the goddess of beauty, taking another step forward.

"Ha! You have no evidence I did anything. Now then, I'll be going."

"No, you won't." Hestia glared. "All losers are in custody until the punishment is determined."

"But the war game isn't over." Ishtar laughed. "Or have you forgotten that Apollo is still in this?"

"Ah… Well…" Yes? "Anyway, answer my question!"

Ishtar sneered, "get out of my way, bitch." Raising her right hand, Ishtar back-handed Hestia. When her hand was a moment from Hestia's face, Ishtar suddenly recoiled. Backing up, she tripped over her chair and collapsed to the ground.

"What the hell?"

"LOL! Look at Ishtar crawling on the ground!"

Hestia took a commanding step forward, seeming completely unsurprised at Ishtar's reaction. Her aura had changed completely. The family-firendly 'loli big-boobs' was gone. Where she had once stood was a goddess of divine flame.

"W-wait, V-Vesta please! I didn't mean it!" Ishtar pled, backtracking. The goddess of beauty saw the change at once. Saw that she had ventured too far into the hearth. That inside of that warm space of homeliness and comfort, a fire raged. A fire that could singe a goddess who strays too far.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing!" Ishtar swore. "Everything was set up ahead of time. I only… took advantage of it."

"And it is?" Hestia asked taking another step forward. The other deities present knew better than to interrupt.

"It is the end of the city. A return to the ancient times. Enyo worked his plan under the nose of both Zeus and Hera. No one can stop what is coming. The heroes are dead."

"Ishtar!" Hestia roared.

"Go ahead," Ishtar spat. "Burn me away with the divine flame. Burn away the monster about to kill your precious children. Either way… destruction comes. Either from you… or Enyo."

Hestia froze. Turning her back on Ishtar, she spoke one final word. "Go."

Doing so, Ishtar fled babel. Once her nemesis was gone, Hestia sighed, her commanding aura disappearing. With her child-like self returning, Hestia met Hephaestus' worried eyes.

"What do we do?"

"…We pray that they are strong enough. It is all the gods have ever been able to do."

"Yeah… I guess you're right." Dejected, Hestia slogged back over to her chair and threw herself sloppily into it. "Stay alive everyone… please."

---

Epilogue:

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Twitching, a head turned slightly. Snout twitching, it resembled a creature that was common to Kirito and company's home world: a bull. As it rose and stretched, its body began to increase in size.

A collar around its neck thrummed with energy, one final command repeated endlessly into its mind: Slaughter them.

Lifting one of its four hooved feet, the creature slammed it against the base of the cage it was in.

The cage disintegrated.

Eyes still half-closed in a groggy half-coma the creature progressed forward, the symbiotic being fused into its back beginning to stir.

Leaving the hardened steel-lined carriage behind, the creature's snout informed it of something important to the South. Rotating in that direction, it stumbled that way. Every second, the steps getting slowly more steady.

The Bull of Heaven has descended upon the world.