Been a while. Brainstorming an idea or two when writing this chapter. Next chapter is going to be an omake btw.

Valentine's strikes again. Trying to get at least one copy of each CE, Sei spooked me. And damn...she's one radical girl. The fun find you'll be laughing everytime you see her fighting. And her English? Excellent.

Morgan followed Hestia, her knight right behind as the gods were making whispers.

"Will Hestia survive this?"

"Apollo's got this in the bag."

"With the Holy Witch out of the way, Apollo is sure to win!"

"Who is that exotic beauty?"

"Don't try your luck, pal."

They believe the Apollo Familia will win this little game of theirs, how cute. "They'll regret betting on Apollo once this farce is over." Morgan commented while Hestia slowly nodded her head with hints of pity for Apollo's children. If Hakuno could single-handedly best Ishtar's familia, who could say Morgan can't do the same? Morgan was the master of the two given she's Hakuno's mother in the first place.

*Hestia Home-Basement*

While the church upstairs was completely wrecked, the basement where the real home was located was in pristine condition. Faint traces of potion brewing lingered in the air in the spacious location. There, Primo was reading something on one of the two couches, Haruhime was writing in the Familia Chronicle, Lili was sorting through her giant backpack for preparations and crossing her checklist. Bell and Ais were nowhere to be seen.

They had a week to prepare for their War Game with the Apollo Familia, so Bell was giving it his all-in training. Nero and Lucius aided in his training, for they did not take the insults to Hakuno well and they were aware that Bell picked a fight with some of Apollo's familia that day when they insulted her and Hestia.

Reinforcements were on their way, as Artemis was lending a few members of her own familia to assist them in the War Game to fulfill the necessary conditions to allow only outsiders to assist and that strange doctor that helped the Hestia Familia earlier. Leave it to Apollo to be the pettiest god out there to throw a hurdle for Hestia. With a revelation from Lucius presenting documents of the Aeshma Familia and the reveal that the two familia were working together to get both Bell and Hakuno for their own reasons had invoked something inside Hestia that she never knew she had.

Hatred.

Pure unbridled hatred laced with unstoppable fury.

It was considered a once in a lifetime experience for anyone witnessing the scene. Usually Hestia is the lax, carefree, loving goddess that always brightens the mood with her natural lovable charm. But this expression the petite goddess had? It was unnatural and it spooked everyone there.

But they can relate to the anger quite well. What Apollo schemed in the shadows was unforgivable as Primo promptly stomped off, getting Morgan's attention as she excused herself from the place with her knight right behind her.

*Orario Outskirts*

Explosions were ringing out in the area as Primo fired off blasts of magic at the dummy she had set up to look like a crude drawing of Apollo. She was practically livid at what she learned of the now destroyed Aeshma Familia. The thought of her sweet and (still virgin) pure mother being defiled by those…mongrels in that ruined familia made Primo's very blood boil as she vented away until she finally relented and took her time to take a breather.

"…that wasn't half-bad for a neophyte mage." A voice spoke from behind. Primo felt a surge of joy in her heart because she recognized her mother's voice anywhere before turning and was caught off guard by the woman and the knight beside her.

It wasn't her mother that spoke.

"I see my child had taught you some of her tricks, although some of them aren't of hers…another mage perhaps?" the woman asked.

Her child? Is she referring Mom as…?

"…Grandmother?" Primo asked, almost hopeful before flinching as the knight beside the woman took a menacing step forward.

"Enough Barghest. It's alright." Morgan stated as the knight, Barghest calmed herself and took a polite step back. "I am in fact your adopted grandmother by unusual standards. So now that you've calmed down. Can we talk?" the Fairy Queen asked. There was a reason why Morgan decided to interact with Primo of the Hestia Familia. She was the one Hakuno adopted personally. Since Morgan had experiences with elves (both in her former Lostbelt and this world) she had a reason to be wary of them for anything malicious. "What is your story? What brought you here to Orario?" she asked.

Primo's eyes widened, realizing that her grandmother here wanted to learn about her and slowly took a deep breath before she began her story. Of how slavers destroyed her home, the death of her birth mother, the trauma causing a loss of most of her memory and of how Hakuno rescued her and adopting Primo.

Morgan's Fairy Eyes saw no falsehoods in them as the elf child was speaking from her heart. She adored her adoptive mother and gets upset easily when someone badmouths Hakuno. The child was currently stressed out and even had red eyes from crying when no one was looking. It was reminding her of Baobhan Sith already with how much she wanted to please her mother. Both Morgan and Hakuno were the lights in the dark for their adoptive daughters and they loved their children just as equally.

"Very well then," Morgan decided as she flared her magical energy to cause Primo to instinctively enter combat stance with staff and knife in hand. "I heard you adventurers acquire excelia that helps improve 'stats' on these 'Falna' the gods graft onto your backs. Training with effort is one way of gaining this experience to hone your blessings further."

A bad feeling ran up Primo's spine. This was way too familiar to what Hakuno and Ais do for training with the other members of the Hestia Familia.

"Don't worry, I'll use less than one percent of my strength. Can't let my adorable granddaughter be in a hospital bed before the big event now, can I?" Morgan asked teasingly, a small smile on her lip that Primo had seen on Hakuno's face time to time when she's in a good mood.

Primo activated her magic circuits and reinforced her body and moved. Just in time to avoid a tide of darkness consuming the spot she was at a few seconds before as Morgan smirked. She was going to have some fun with this grandchild of hers.

Bell slammed into the floor as Ais staggered back, breathing heavily as she used her sword as a makeshift support to keep her up. Both their armor and bodies were littered with bruises, dents and scratches while Nero and Lucius looked like they haven't even been through the wringer with how pristine they looked.

Ais speculated Lady Nero was at least Level 8 when she gauged the smaller girl's fighting abilities while that savage bear in human skin was most likely a Level 9. She wasn't sure. They were both holding back so they don't accidently kill the two. But if anything, both she and Bell were learning and compelling each other to do better. Hakuno brought them together so they could all become equally as strong and work together to fulfill their dreams. They will not fail her.

Bell pushed himself up, despite how ragged his breathing was, and got into his combat stance. Ais did the same as they both made eye contact and smiled in understanding.

"The brat has some promise in him. If he trained more and joined my army, I'm sure the Red Dragon would be pressed if I had him." Lucius admitted with his arms crossed.

"Umu, Bell's growth is unusual from what I've gathered about this Falna system the gods have made. He's probably an early bloomer with this much potential inside of him." Nero agreed.

While Bell would usually be happy for such praise, it instead got a bad feeling in his gut. If he didn't speak up, they might push him harder and past his body's limits; most likely crippling him with this intense training.

"For the Sword Princess…" Lucius muttered, looking at Ais with mild distain. "She's so use to fighting monsters that she lacks the means to slay people." He told her flat out with irritation. Her alias was below his title as Sword Emperor, and he was not impressed with the girl's fighting style at all.

"Cease such criticism, Lucius! The girl has spent most of her time fighting monsters than people. So of course, she'd lack that area in sword fighting!" Nero defended. Ais looked at the two Roman Emperors as they were asserting their input on Ais' fighting style.

"When the Dungeon is no more, do you really think it will be the end of all monsters?" Lucius asked her, his purple eyes gazing into her own golden ones. "Because I know for a fact there are many monsters out there, some in shapes you are familiar with." He told her.

"Um, Lucius-san, what do you mean?" Bell was the one to ask.

"He's referring to people, the other races of the Lower World, Bell Cranel." Nero answered as Ais looked down at her hand that was holding Desperate with a troubled expression. Recalling horrible people out there, of Evilus.

"The tiny empress here has a point, boy." Lucius agreed begrudgingly while ignoring the sounds Nero was making. "People," he spat out as if he was looking down at everyone (which he does since he thinks himself a god) "-aren't all goody-too-shoes like you. Some kill over the most meager of things. From food, wealth, power, pleasure and will hurt you in ways if you interfere with what they want." He recalled many things during his reign of Rome, before that fateful battle with King Arthur that ended with his own life perishing at the hands of the Holy Sword Wielder. Those bloody senators trying to deny him the things he wanted and their quick ends at the edge of his sword for their treason towards him.

"Umu, the world isn't all black and white, the basic 'good vs evil' won't cut it. There is no good deed out there that goes unpunished." Nero reluctantly agreed, recalling the good deeds she did alongside the bad as her karma caught up with her in her past. "But you must press forward, your ideals and beliefs challenged and tested as they slowly change with each new experience and growth. Praetor learned this and became the remarkable woman she is now."

It made the duo look at each other, wondering what their Captain went through in live at her young age to view things differently. For Bell, he had only just become an adventurer with the dreams of being a hero, while Ais who spent most of her life in Orario had only sought strength. But Ais had learned a bit more now with her interactions with Hakuno and the incident with slavers that had Primo. There was more for the two to learn and understand if they want to grow stronger.

*Babel-Hospital*

Gilgamesh had his arms folded as he glared at three of the four familiar faces of the Far Side. BB, Passionlip, Meltryllis were all on their knees by gravity spells Hakuno wove while Kingprotea was in astral form. She was awake, cranky, and famished. The coma she was in was over the minute BB opened her mouth and declared taking his Queen somewhere far away from Orario and it triggered a subconscious reaction inside of Hakuno to make her wake up immediately from her coma and retaliate against BB.

He had to give his Queen credit where it was due. That medically induced coma should have left her sleeping for at least a whole month and she's already awake by sheer willpower. She never ceased to surprise him with these outrageous stunts. Like that time, she force-fed the Elder Dragon Alatreon a makeshift bomb during the CCC Incident or even tried to reawaken him when BB separated them, and he sealed himself to preserve his sense of self.

Hakuno's stomach growled, getting the witch to blush slightly as the spell wore off and BB was the first to respond in kind. "Oh dear, looks like dear Senpai needs a nutritional and balanced diet and a helping hand! Luckily for you Senpai, your adorable BB-chan is here to nurse you to health~!" the rouge AI gleefully cheered while Passionlip was next to Hakuno with a worried expression.

"Are you alright Hakuno? Does your arms hurt?" the Alter Ego asked with an equally worried tone while Hakuno blinked and looked at her stubbed limbs and trying to recall everything.

"…I'm fine. It'll take more than a grenade to kill me." Hakuno smiled bitterly before blinking and taking notice of a letter near the stand of her bed. Black mana in the shape of hands manifested while she internally winced at the damage to her circuits before opening and reading the contents.

Meltryllis peeked from the other side of the bed to read it alongside Lip and BB and then they grew concerned and a bit angry with what they read. This Cassandra girl was apologizing for the actions of her Familia, of the slander and the War Game, all just to get Bell and was begging for forgiveness for she and her friend didn't want to take part in these things.

Hakuno will tolerate the clairvoyant's desperation to live, while angry with Apollo's obsession with Bell. She knew she can't participate in this War Game due to her injuries and current situation of not having any arms before she burned the letter and fell back on her pillow with an irritated huff.

"Um…Senpai?" BB asked nervously as Hakuno's eyes focused in on her as she flinched. "…Would it help if me, Lip, Melt and Protea aided in the War Game?" she asked with a forced cheerful smile. This kōhai knew her senpai well with how much she observes Hakuno during her journey to the Far Side, and the rare moments when she's truly angry terrified the AI. The incident with Kazuradrop was the snapping point.

Hakuno made a special Code Cast specifically to harm BB and the Sakura Five with intensive force. So BB made sure any future encounters with Sentinels that are the remaining Sakura Five did nothing to provoke her…until Meltryllis did something to Alice. She's not willing to recall what the Alter Ego of Pleasure suffered in Hakuno's hands. There were some things that shouldn't be remembered.

"Lip and Melty will do, I'll need a nurse to help push my wheelchair." Hakuno answered as BB blinked at the implication as Hakuno smiled at her and the two visible Alter Egos. "It's good to see you all four of you again. I thought you'd be gone forever after the Incident."

It struck a core in the four counterparts of Sakura Matou, to see the girl they're fond of happy to see them alive and well. BB pouted and looked away with her arms crossed, but the AI was happy and embarrassed with the sudden affection as she felt her character mask cracking in front of her princess of stars. Lip nuzzled her head against Hakuno's cheek and Melt gave her a one-sided hug and a small smirk. Protea herself while still astralized made grunt sounds that were happy.

Then Amid entered the room with a box and blinked at the sight. Her appearance gained everyone's attention as the nurse cleared her throat. "I did not expect you awake so soon Kishinami-san." Amid spoke up as she gestured to the box she was currently carrying. "I made a few additional adjustments since you are a mage when creating these new arms for you. Besides an alloy of adamantine silver, mythril was added to some of the components so you may channel your magic better. Your husband insisted on it." She explained.

Hakuno, BB and her three Alter Egos turned to Gilgamesh who was sipping a chalice of wine as if he did nothing at all and was enjoying a show. He said nothing as he took notice of their gaze and merely scoffed.

"King of Tsunderes." Hakuno thought as Amid presented a drink for Hakuno. She drank it as Dea Saint explained the functions of her new arms, of how to adjust it, maintain it, cleaning it, and periods of time when to return to Amid to inspect her health and any changes with the new arms. When Amid pulled out the new prosthetic arms, Hakuno marveled at them.

They were beautiful, the plates were elegantly forged and had defensive capabilities for close combat yet they had magical properties with elegant scrollwork etched on its surfaces. Amid placed one of Hakuno's stumps into the socket and Hakuno felt a small jolt before carefully moving a finger. It moved slowly and rigidly before Amid opened a part of the elbow joint to reveal some sort of adjustment switch inside. Slowly turning the wheel, the fingers clicked before Hakuno moved them as they were as fluid as her original arms.

She looked at them amazed while Amid finished attaching her other prosthetic arm and adjusting it the same way she did the first time. The faint clicking sounds they made when she moved them proving that she had arms again. "Now you've just recovered from that fight there are some parts that need to be recovered. Fortunately, all you need is rest for the most part and non-strenuous activities in the meantime. So no Dungeon, no magic, and no battles of any kind. Consider it as a form of vacation." The nurse told her professionally while Hakuno nodded.

It seems she won't be able to participate in the War Game, but it doesn't mean she could help out in her own way, especially if Lip, Melt, and Protea are helping while BB stands by her to help her with things she needs.

"By the way Hakuno, Morgan is here."

…

…

…

Hakuno was frozen and BB with her three Alter Egos looked at Gilgamesh, the horrified looks on the Sakurafaces was a sight to behold. "Mom is…here?" Hakuno choked out.