So after all the crazy shit the Hestia Familia has gone through, some chapters of peaceful times are needed after this chapter. They need it.
Hakuno ducked under a swipe from War's greatsword and thrust her spear towards one of the numerous faces on its torso, causing it to scream out in anger and spew profanity at her.
Huh. Each face on it had a personality, who knew?
She kicked another face as she jumped back, only for a shockwave of blood red energy to strike her (bounce off her) as a dust cloud swallowed her.
War narrowed its eyes before Merlin-Killer Mk I flew at it and pierced one of its shoulders right at the joint before Hakuno herself rushed in with a drop kick at the butt of her spear. It cause the weapon to push in until it broke to the other side with a resounding snap of both the weapon and the arm breaking as War backhanded her in retaliation with its good arm.
Thanks to her spell, that attack was nothing as she weaved her arms and numerous runes in the language of the Fae appeared before her. Spheres of black mana manifested and launched themselves at War while she punched the Horseman in the main face with her adamantine fists to daze it. It worked and Hakuno picked up War's dropped weapon from the attack as orange flames danced along its edges.
"Why? Why do you help these heathen gods remain in control!?" War spat out in anger before Hakuno slashed at the being with her blazing sword. "-and those flames…!" it realized, recognizing just who and what Hakuno truly was.
"It is up to the people of this day and age to decide their future, their own endings. Horseman of the Apocalypse." Hakuno said, pointing the being's own weapon against it. "The age you should've fought in has passed long ago."
War narrowed its eyes, it remembered now…Twice H. Pieceman was the soul he was partially based on. It knew Hakuno now in more ways than one. The one who once triumphed against a savior's might by her own will and those words, she just said triggered the memory of the human he was once based off. She will not know of this truth, but War now had newfound respect for her.
"Show me, daughter of the Fae. Show me the flames that symbolize your will to inherit the wishes of others!" War challenged her as it ripped off the broken spear from its shoulder as it healed up.
Hakuno merely raised the sword above her and held it with two hands as the sounds of four restraints, four blessings etched itself unto the stolen blade, giving it a new shape and purpose as it glowed with the light of stars.
*Denatus*
"Is that…?" Goibniu gasped in utter shock, the eyes of the smith god wide and practically bulging from their sockets.
"How does she have…?!" Hephaistos exclaimed in wide eyed confusion while every other god in the room looked at the two.
""Why does she have a Holy Sword?!"" they both exclaimed in shocked recognition. Now that got every god's attention as they instantly turned their attention towards Hakuno.
"A Holy Sword!?" Dionysus shouted in alarm as he swore, he was taking it easy on his wine if that was what the other gods thought it was.
They watched as Hakuno fought War with it, as Ais, Bell and Hyakinthos followed behind.
"Oi, oi, what the heck is a Holy Sword anyway?" Loki demanded while Goibniu looked at the trickster god with a serious look in his eyes.
"A Holy Sword is a sword blessed with holy properties, always heralding glory and fame to those that wielded them. Heroes of old had held these weapons and were lost long ago. It's a secret art that even we smithing gods have yet to fully understand the mechanics of creating. Legends say that there was once such Holy Sword that is said to bring promised victory to one who wielded it. But it was never forged unless the world was heading towards ruin." He explained while several gods looked at Hakuno with renewed fear and awe.
"Did you know about this, Chibi?" Loki asked Hestia with her eyes open.
"That child is never one to never stop pulling surprises. If I were mortal, I'd already have grey hair by now." Hestia sighed, already looking tired from the mess her daughter was already bringing to their Familia. All that did was confirm that Hestia didn't know about this and that the Holy Witch was now fitting of her title now that she holds such a weapon in hand.
Now this made all the gods wonder, where did Hakuno Kishinami get her hands on a Holy Sword in the first place?
*War-torn Valley*
War flew from the falling debris as the walls exploded.
"Firebolt! Firebolt! Firebolt!" Bell shouted as he fired his spell continuously as the impacts from his spell devastated the valley walls. War used the debris as steppingstones as Ais was in pursuit. Her blade cutting into its flesh with the wind granting her flight.
Hakuno was right beside her, the newly forged Holy Sword shining brightly as she swung it. Starlight shone and the air was cut in an instant.
"Eat explosives!" War snarled, creating a new weapon, a grenade launcher with a drum barrel and began firing explosive projectiles at the two girls.
"FIREBOLT!" a swift bolt of flame struck the first projectile, causing it to explode early with the others following close behind as Ais lead the attack.
"Lil Rafaga!" Ais shouted, shooting like a bullet as she crashed into War, causing the two to fly into the ground with Hakuno overhead with Holy Sword raised to strike. The minute she swung the blade down, Ais dashed away as the starlight engulfed War.
War healed itself from the injuries as Hyakinthos and his sword severed a leg just in time with Bell swinging his two knives against War's torso. Deep cuts as War gathered magical energy and blasted a shockwave to repel the combatants as the collective bloodlust of battle lust souls growled.
"Very well then. Prepare yourself traitorous children of Adam and Eve…" War growled at the four humans in front of it. "I'll eliminate every last one of you heretics to the flames!" it raised its arms over its head as a massive buildup of magical energy.
"Is that…a Noble Phantasm?!" Hakuno gritted out, feeling the hot wind blow their way and the intense force behind it.
"Such power…can we win against that?" Hyakinthos asked as he broke into cold sweat.
"We have to win this!" Ais told them, standing in front of Hakuno protectively with solid resolve in her eyes.
Bell sheathed Ushiwakamaru and held the Hestia Knife in front of him, closing his eyes and began to breathe. "Bell?" Ais asked, noticing that small white particles were surrounding Bell as he began to glow a pure color.
"If anyone has the right to be called a hero, it's not the one who took up the blade." Bell began, the sounds of the chimes turning louder, more majestic as he was in a swirl of emotions. "It is not the one who raised his shield, nor one who healed the wounded. Only one who truly risks his life can be called a hero."
[Protect your friends, save the girl, and face danger. It does not matter if you fall. No, that's just fine. Cry your heart out over it. Within the defeated, a victor waits to emerge.] the voice of his grandfather began to echo into his mind after all this time as Hakuno grabbed his hand and placed the Holy Sword in it as Bell understood his captain's implication.
Use this instead, hero. Went unsaid.
[Stay true to your wishes. Cry out your desires. And if you do…] Bell's rubellite eyes opened as he stared down at the Horseman of the Apocalypse with a weapon fit for a true hero. [That's what will…make you the coolest hero!]
(Gong! Gong!)
The sounds of a grand bell rang everywhere across the world. This was Limit Off, when the emotions of one with the Falna cause the blessings of a god to go past the limit, unleashing the hidden potential within. It resonated with Bell's Heroic Desire: Argonaut skill as he imagined himself as his own hero this time. Not of one the heroes of the past, but of what he dreamed of becoming. One who faces the end of the world with companions at his side as they would face off against the greatest of foes before them in one last grand battle.
War flinched with each sound the grand bell made, the purity of the sound was without sin, innocent and pure. It caused the bloodstain souls to scream out, for it knew this was the day of reckoning and it was impossible. Those grand bells belong only to…!
Realization dawned it. The mortal wielding the Holy Sword in place of the girl was none other than…!
Bell charged, as he faced the overwhelming foe with this one small attack. This was a reenactment of a tale as the world witness…A Hero's Strike!
The pure white light swallowed War, his attack, and a great part of the earth itself as War laughed with jubilance. "Can you see Mother!? Father is not gone! His divine will lives on…!" War decreed, a smile on its face as the countless souls found salvation finally and were put to rest as the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse was slain.
Deep in the heart of the Dungeon, Asherah the Forgotten One raised her head as the last memory of War entered her mind. The grand bells, the pure white light, and the hidden Authority behind it caused her to weep. Not of sorrow and hate, but joy and love. "…El, oh El…!" she cried out. The countless eons of wasting away in the dark pit, forgotten and unloved, only driven to hate…all washed away by this pure light as only one person could draw upon that kind of power. Hope bloomed in her heart, and the Dungeon responded to this joyous occasion.
*The next day-Orario*
The War Game was over, Hyakinthos declared that he was surrendering, knowing it was going to be a losing battle after what he had seen. Hestia had made her declaration on what she wanted.
The Apollo Familia was disbanded, all wealth and assets in and out of Orario now belonged to the Hestia Familia as Apollo himself was now Hakuno's eternal guinea pig for her research.
The reason Apollo was under this fate worse than death was due to Hakuno's experimentation with Ishtar's corpse. The dead goddess of beauty had her corpse experimented with to the point the torso was in shreds and limbs were gone. What experiment you ask exactly? True Ether. A rare magical energy that only existed in the Age of Gods and was what constructed a God's body. It existed in the ancient times as well and there was none in this current day and age.
True Ether was now a rare and powerful resource, only provided by the gods themselves by certain means. First Ishtar's carcass provided a good portion of the substance but could no longer produce more, a living god would fit the deal. And Apollo was the ideal test subject.
He was kept in a hidden location, much to the dismay of Apollo's loyalists as the Hearthstone Mansion was being made from the old home of the Apollo Familia with new add-ons and alterations.
While this was happening, Hakuno was being bothered by both Goibniu and Hephaistos on how she had a Holy Sword. They were begging her on the fate of the weapon during the War Game, only to fall into despair when she said Bell's skill destroyed the weapon. It was true, as the weapon did crumble away after a single attack.
But what she didn't tell them that she could recreate the Holy Sword at will be due to the fact they will bother her to no end as they made their way to the meeting room to discuss the truth of the Dungeon. She looked at the door and opened it, and let her voice be known.
She began explaining everything to the group that gathered. The deities listing in rapt attention and detail of the Dungeon's origin. Hestia, Freya and Demeter were the three most focused on the situation as Hakuno explained how the gods of time and fate altered things for their benefits while eliminating Elohim and his angels while Asherah was locked in a dark pit in the lower world that slowly transformed into the Dungeon.
Then, she explained Pan-Human History. The world where the gods left, humans thrived, and all magic began to fade in the name of science. Elohim was a major player involved in the rise of Man and was the key reason of his assassination in this timeline that was not supposed to exist. Then, came the information of Chaldea, and how an Alien God had created the Lostbelts and of how Chaldea pruned them. The horrified looks the gods had on their faces with each revelation, and in the case of Freya, Hestia and Demeter heartbreak.
"So those monsters were…"
"People of Pan-Human History, damned to be denied their existence and become the very monsters we fight." Hakuno answered as the gods felt sick to their cores at this. They were unaware of the machinations of their fellow deities as Freya stood up, a serious expression on her face. She slowly walked towards Hakuno and lowered herself until they were eye to eye.
"Asherah is still in the Dungeon?" she asked, her aura holding the taste of anger and worry in them. Anger because a goddess she considered a friend was in pain thanks to others, and worried if she was alright.
"She is the heart of the Dungeon. It's very core. Free her, and we most likely stop the monsters from threating us in theory. But there is one other problem thanks to the pit itself." Hakuno answered.
"Explain to us child, of how bad the Dungeon is if we even get Asherah out of there." Dionysus told her while sipping some wine.
"Curses have filled that pit for countless eons, and that thing born from that collection of curses is a world-ending nightmare called the Angel of the Abyss. Forget the monsters, this world itself will be falling into an endless abyss of ruin. Mortal, beast, monster and gods alike will be its prey in both the lower world and Tenkai. Nowhere is safe once it manifests and we cannot be reckless in the Dungeon without knowing how it will appear." She explained as all the gathered gods looked defeated.
"…How about someone were to use their Arcanum to slowly purify the curses while you brave adventurers rescue young Asherah?" a new voice asked. Everyone turned to the voice, and several widened their eyes in recognition of the one who spoke.
It was a goddess for sure, appearing as an older woman whose aura was that of a gentle grandmother and carried the scent of nature on her person.
"Lady Gaia…what brings you down here?" Hephaistos asked with uncertainty and surprise. The wife of Ouranos merely smiled at her and the smith goddess looked away, feeling a bit flustered.
"My husband called for me, saying he needed my help with the situation with which he is dealing. From what I have heard from this young woman, which is a good case for my appearance." She replied as Hakuno politely bowed to her. "At peace child of Hestia, I am here as your ally in saving this world from ruin. For this world is a garden I have collaborated hard with fellow goddesses of the same origin as myself in nurturing." She told her as Hakuno looked at her and nodded.
"Then I'll get an expedition ready then." Freya announced, getting the other gods surprised by this. "Asherah was a good friend of mine, encouraging me to not give up on finding my beloved Odr. She's in trouble and I cannot leave her be if she's in such a dark place like that. What kind of friend would I be if I left her alone to suffer?"
"But the Dungeon has changed Freya, new monster types have appeared and recklessly charging into the Dungeon without knowledge is tantamount to suicide. Even the environment in the Dungeon has changed and the old information every adventurer has relied on has been turn to moot." Hakuno countered as she stepped in. "A Black Goliath has even appeared, which means Monster Rexes have obtained something special that makes them harder to kill. Which means monsters on par with the Three Quests are most likely to be near the bottom of the Dungeon, guarding Asherah."
Freya paused from that argument and bit her lip in frustration, a rare sight on her face as she looked at Hakuno. "She's waited for a long time down there, and I'm sure she can wait a bit longer now that she knows we know the truth." The Holy Witch reassured as Freya blinked at that.
"How do you know?" she asked. Hakuno merely presented a stone tablet that was in her Regalia.
"This was a drop item obtained when my familia teamed up with Loki's to clear out the monsters. I am sure you will appreciate what it says." She said as Freya took it and read the tablet. Her eyes widened before a small, fond smile made it on her face.
"She never changes with that wit of hers." Freya mused before nodding her head. "Very well, I will aid in gathering intelligence Hakuno Kishinami. I know you have made contributions to the Guild for making a guidebook on the monsters, so I'll throw in my assistance in completing it. Knowledge is power, correct?" she coyly smiled at the girl.
"My familia helped with the initial contribution as well! And we'll do it again!" Loki shouted with an arm raised as her competitive nature kicked in.
"Really? With only a small amount of my own familia members, we can easily research and record details faster than you smaller group can." Freya smiled as Loki glowered. Yup, it was times like these that everyone knew things were getting complicated.
"Thank you, Loki, and Freya for offering your assistance. It will make it easier for all of us to work together and reach the Deeper Floors and rescue Asherah." Hakuno told them, trying to get them on track as the two cleared their throats and regain their composure.
*Hearthstone Mansion*
"Cranel." Gilgamesh stated, arms folded as he looked out the window as Bell was behind him, shivering like a frightened bunny trying to avoid being seen by an apex predator. "I have seen your light and worth that day and decided you are worthy of being her companion if she permits it. But know this…break her heart and I'll break you." He growled out as Bell trembled like the little rabbit he was even if he was now approved of by Gilgamesh.
"Hoh…Bell-sama has a thing for Hakuno-sama, eh?" Lili mused from her laxing position on the couch as Bell snapped his head towards her position with an alarmed expression. "Relax Bell-sama, knowing Hakuno-sama it would be something lesser men would be jealous of since you're also dealing with the Sword Princess as her other lover." She waved a hand casually as Bell tried to reign in his emotions.
"Where is Ais-san by the way?" Bell asked, recalling the Sword Princess wasn't in their new home at the moment.
"She went to pick up a custom order of clothes. Hakuno-sama said that the ones she wore when with Loki's Familia no longer suited her." Lili answered as she picked up a nice fruit from the table in front of her and bit into it.
*Welf*
The new forge burned bright as Welf put his new workshop into action. Each tool, each drop item, each piece of slag hammered off compelled him to do better.
He saw how Hakuno's spear, the one he made had broken so easily. He was still a Level One and that girl and Bell were both Level Twos and they loved his work. His smithing pride was blazing with indignity at how both Hakuno and Ais break both his creations, and his heart with each sound of their weapons breaking.
He had taken notes, studying the areas where the weapons had broken at to see what was wrong with the composition. Hakuno had given him a chart of other metals to seek out working with that were left forgotten or unused in smithing. There was a metal called Titanium that was in Britain, specifically Cornwall that caught his interest. From the description of it and the introduction of a concept known as alloying, Welf believed he could make a more durable and lighter weapons for the Familia, especially for the Sword Princess and Holy Witch. The Holy Witch was simple, she wanted him to improve and hone the craft he loved with all his heart and acts as an inspiration for him.
Ais Wallenstein was the challenge. She will push everything he creates to their hardest limits until they break, and he both loves and hates her for it. Each weapon she breaks tells him that despite how good they were, they weren't perfect yet. His tears of frustration have become blazing resolve as he vowed to make a weapon that rivaled the Durandal properties of Desperate, which was forged from Orichalcum.
From what he was able to get from the smith's trading area, dire adamantine was acquired in bulk. It was lesser than adamantine in the Dungeon, but it was still good metal. The next Pyonkichi armor for Bell was to be forged from it.
The new armor for the Sword Princess was going to have to wait until Welf leveled up and acquired his Blacksmith Development Ability. Especially since Queen Morgan had commissioned one for her daughter's (still manages to surprise him) new knight. But he can work on Hakuno's prototype armor with dire adamantine. He was following instructions his new Captain when it came to forging, function first, then form. That part got Welf crying tears of joy.
Nowadays, adventurers wear fancy gear out of looks, not of practical reasons. And it ate at him of how clueless newer adventurers were nowadays when it came to their equipment. He had to cross off the gauntlets for Hakuno, as her adamantine-mythril alloyed prosthetic arms have that covered. He began to prepare the forge for creating pauldrons. Hakuno already lost most of her arms, he'd be damned if the rest that was still all flesh and bones would be lost as well as that was the first thing he'll make for her safety.
The sounds of the smith in his forge began, as the magic in his veins were ignited once again.
He'll find his answers with each trial, each experience. Until the day he crafts the weapons and armor fit for true heroes.
*Fairy Britain*
The fairies welcomed their Queen back, adoration and joy in their eyes as Morgan's Fairy Eyes saw no evil in them. This Britain was not like her Lostbelt she had to remind herself and was grateful to the entity that pitied her and rewarded her this version of Britain for her. Her hard work from her previous life had been rewarded in this new one.
"Mom!" a familiar voice called out as they came rushing towards her in a blur of red.
"Hello, Baobhan Sith. Have you been well while I was away?" Morgan asked with a gentle smile. The bloodsucker nodded her head, asking numerous questions about Hakuno, her familia and many other things. Yes, she can see the resemblance with Primo now after coming back here. The two adore their adoptive mothers quite so if she would say.
*Apple Orchid*
"Thanks for your lessons, Wodime-sensei." Primo told the magus with a polite bow of her head. "It helped me out during the War Game, especially against the one who hurt my mom." She said as Wodime merely smile and handed her a golden apple.
"My pleasure Ms. Kishinami, and despite only mastering a small portion of the magecraft, you've utilized the actual Pleaides cluster for your namesake spell. That alone proves your talent and hard work if you were capable of doing that." He praised her as he patted her head. This caused the elf child to pout, because he always does this every time, she does something good. Not that she minds it, but she'll one day become an adult in the future, and this would be inappropriate. She wants to grow up, but it would make her mother sad since she wanted Primo to have a good childhood.
She'll tolerate it for now. But in a few years, she'll no longer tolerate the head pats (unless it's from her mother).
"Ah, that's right!" Primo realized, bopping her fist in her palm in recollection. "My mom wants to meet you." She said as Wodime blinked and went 'hmmm' for a moment.
"I have no idea why she'd be interested in meeting me…is she upset I took you away to learn my magecraft instead of hers?" he asked.
Primo laughed at that, finding the idea of her mom jealous over something like this silly. "No you dork, she wants to thank the one who taught me while she was in a coma and helped me become stronger." She replied as Wodime sighed in relief.
"That's a relief. If that were the case, I could have given her a gift basket with a variety of colored apples." Wodime told her with absolute seriousness. It only caused the elf child to giggle. One of the charms this mage had was that he's a bit of a dork, but a lovable kind despite his demeanor.
*Hostess of Fertility*
"Hey-nya, new dishes coming in, nya!" Anya shouted as she placed more dirty dishes on the sink as Oberon sighed. He was dirt poor (again) and had nowhere to stay. Mia had decided to hire him as the dishwasher since Syr tends to disappear at times and the nights tend to be busy for the most part. Well, at least he's got a roof over his head and food in his belly. But he must make sure to keep his room clean else Mia would most likely kick him out.
Well, he'll still observe this world's story and help write its ending…when the time comes.
*Chaldea*
"I've got a good feeling on this roll!" Ritsuka said with a gleam in her eyes. Da Vinci smiled and laughed good-naturedly while Mash had to sigh. It was the Saint Quartz summon method again. The main method which Ritsuka summoned stronger Servants that varied on luck, and the said Servant's desire to meet them. When that rainbow color appeared, all three froze as three bars of light signified the summoning of a powerful Servant. The Saint Graph Designation: Avenger.
"Rejoice plebians! For you have summoned a god by your side!" Lucius Tiberius declared in all his arrogance and bloodlust.
Stats
Bell Cranel
Level 2─»3
Strength: SSS 1254─»I 0
Endurance: SS 1198─»I 0
Dexterity: S 1002─»I 0
Agility: EX 1500─»I 0
Magic: A: 864─»I 0
[Bell-kun had improved drastically during the training period with Lucius and Nero. Just what kind of hellish training did they put him in for these stats?!-Hestia]
Hakuno Kishinami
Level 2
Strength: I 37─» I 73
Endurance: I 21─» H 152
Dexterity: I 65─» H 101
Agility: I 12─» I 34
Magic: H 104─» H 167
[My poor daughter, she couldn't get any training in, and her only fight was with the Horseman. But still, her Memoria Freeze Skill must be getting stronger if everyone else's stats are going up at this rate-Hestia]
Primo Kishinami
Level 1
Strength: I 87
Endurance: I 53
Dexterity: I 88
Agility: H 132
Magic: H 183
[Yup. Hakuno's Memoria Freeze Skill is improving everyone's stats left and right. And the fact that Morgan had sparred with Primo before the War Game explains the increase of Agility stat-Hestia]
Ais Wallenstein
Level 6
Strength: I 13
Endurance: 63
Dexterity: 44
Agility: 57
Magic: 14
[Since Ais was already high leveled, stat improvements were difficult for her. But I am impressed that what Lucius and Nero did have given her quite a bit of numbers. What kind of training did these 'Romans' put them through? -Hestia]
Sanjouno Haruhime
Level 1
Strength: 74
Endurance: 35
Dexterity: H 100
Agility: I 97
Magic: F 203
[Haruhime had been focusing on maintaining our home and making sure everything was alright. She did some light workouts in the Dungeon to brush up on her skills prior to the War Game-Hestia]
Liliruca Arde
Level 1
Strength: I 78
Endurance: H 134
Dexterity: G 243
Agility: E 445
Magic: E 467
[This child is something else. Years of adventuring had given her quite the stats despite being a pallum. Now with Hakuno's skill, this girl will be close to leveling up. I'm rooting for you Lili! -Hestia]
Welf Crozzo
Level 1
Strength: D 579
Endurance: D 530
Dexterity: D 591
Agility: E 474
Magic: I 63
[Recent Conversion. Trusted ally of Hakuno, and best friend for Bell-kun. Despite his reputation in the Hephaistos Familia, Hakuno and Bell understand Welf better than anyone. I hope he likes the new forge area to the mansion I had installed. For both the sakes of my two children and my friend, I'll welcome him with open arms-Hestia]