37 Disaster

After waking up, Hestia took some time to reflect on the events that had occurred and let out a sigh. She also felt a sense of embarrassment as how could a Goddess not feel what Ryuu did after she fell asleep...?

That was only a minor concern as she was more concerned about his well-being. While the inheritance would make him more powerful, Hestia wanted him to live a normal life in Orario without causing her this much worry, though she understood it was not his fault as the man did not provoke people carelessly and was actually extremely cautious…in his own way.

Snapping from these thoughts, Hestia remembered Demeter and other Goddesses invited her to a nice bathhouse to relax a week ago, but she was so preoccupied with thoughts about Ryuu that she almost forgot about the invitation…

'...It would be good to forget about it for a while.'

She couldn't sit still at home because of her worry for Ryuu, but she also wanted to watch Luna train a little longer.

"I'm fine, Hestia-sama. Please go and meet with your friends. I will show you the progress of my training when you come back."

Luna said, and Hestia nodded with a smile.

"I'll be happy to do that when I return"

As she got close, Hestia patted one of Luna's scales affectionately, assuring her that it wouldn't take too long.

Now that she was alone, Luna continued her training, determined to reach the stage required for her transformation as soon as possible. She longed to stand by her master's side without any sense of awkwardness or inadequacy…

"You're a bit late, Hestia!"

Such a voice echoed as Hestia smiled awkwardly in response.

"Sorry, I overslept..."

She wanted to confide in Demeter about her worries and frustrations but couldn't bring herself to reveal sensitive information that could potentially harm her Familia if revealed. Hestia trusted Demeter as a friend but knew that friendships among Gods could be shallow and manipulative. Therefore, she kept her reservations and prioritized Ryuu above any other "friend."

"You never change.."

Demeter chuckled as she delighted in having Hestia as her friend. It was a well-known fact that Hestia's adventurer, a unique level 1 that in a few days 'used' the entirety of Orario as his playground, even getting himself a nickname before the Denatus as that was something no other adventurer could replicate. Many respected and feared him, as even the ancient adventurers of the past couldn't boast these achievements when they were alive…

Though she only cared for his ability to increase her production like it was nothing. As she said, she was ready to support Ryuu in every way he desired. One such way was to...

"By the way, Hestia. Are you planning to have Ryuu head for some official expedition soon? Although you only have a single member, I would love to help you out in any way I can..."

Support his Familia. Many adventurers would be willing to do whatever it takes to gain favor with Ryuu, knowing that he has the ability to lead Familias to great wealth. Some may even go as far as grovelling at his feet and begging to join his cause, all for the chance at a benefit for themselves.

While she had no desire to participate in such actions as valis was not something she was lacking in. She simply wanted to be seen as a strong supporter of the Hestia Familia, which was actually true. Not only was she Hestia's friend, but the adventurer in her Familia was also highly valuable for her future business plans; thus, there was no reason for her not to extend her hand to support her.

"Oh, I didn't have much time to ponder that issue..."

She had no time to do anything. Of course, that would include some 'useless' expedition as her brain was overloaded multiple times in the last few days...

She declined the offer, stating that she was unsure of Ryuu's plans and therefore couldn't give a definitive answer, though she did not forget to thank her as the Goddess still offered a lot of help…

Although she wasn't sure why Demeter was so eager to support her, Hestia appreciated the offer. The conversation soon turned to other topics as the other Goddesses offered support. Despite their mutual interest in gaining benefits, they were all there to relax and didn't want to burden Hestia with difficult subjects…

A few hours soon passed as Luna called it a day. She felt satisfied because she had broken the "shackles" on her one by one, leaving only a single chain remaining. Although she could have tried to "push" herself to the limit and reach the next stage, Luna decided to wait. She wanted her Master to be present to watch over her during this process, as instructed.

Before she could properly rest, Luna's body trembled as she felt a sudden chill run through her veins. She was not as skilled as her master, but her senses were still sharp. When she detected the ominous presence nearby, she immediately knew something was wrong.

"...Show yourself!"

Luna glared at the hidden Amazoness with hostility, her body tensing in preparation for a fight. Despite her strong emotions, the Amazoness seemed unfazed, merely playing with her and underestimating her strength.

Though Luna was surprised that the Amazoness had been detected despite her attempt to remain hidden.

"Heh. Not bad. You truly have amazing senses, though that's all there is to it!"

An extremely contorted laugh escaped from her 'lips' as she revealed herself like Luna asked for, though the moment she could be seen...

'...Ugly!'

Luna almost vomited for a second from the sheer ugliness of the 'woman', though she managed to contain herself as she could not allow herself to reveal any weak point against such a lame technique!

...Yes, she thought the Amazoness was disguising herself to make her feel disgusted.

Though that moment lasted merely a moment, as Phryne kicked her stomach heavily.

The kick was so powerful that it caused the air around them to ripple and distort. Luna was sent flying through the air, crashing through walls and obstacles until she stopped almost 100 meters away. The force behind the kick was immense, far beyond what Luna, a mere level 1, could withstand. Clearly, the abomination standing before her was at the very peak of level 5, far surpassing Luna's own strength and abilities.

"...I'm glad you're still alive, hehe. I kicked a bit too hard."

Seeing the Dragon on the verge of death, Phryne smiled maniacally as it would be better to see what face that handsome man would make when he saw his companion in this state…

'Master... I am sorry.'

Luna's will to survive for her master burned bright in the face of the impossible enemy that stood before her. Despite the immense pain from her broken bones, she refused to let her injuries hold her back. She knew that she had much left to do, and that she couldn't afford to die here. Her eyes grew lifeless as she focused all her energy and determination on this final act of desperation. She thought she had one last shackle left to preserve, but the impossible enemy had utterly destroyed that shackle in front of her.

Without hesitation, Luna commanded all her raw power to throw herself at the Amazoness with such strength the ground trembled with each ferocious step she took.

Phryne was taken aback as Luna charged at her with a burst of energy. The Dragon's strength had increased significantly, and she attacked without any defense, making it a suicidal move. However, it was effective, as the weight of Luna's body sent Phryne flying for kilometers.

Despite receiving almost no damage from the attack, the impact of Luna's sudden surge of strength and the self-sacrificial attack caused a loud disturbance that alerted the entire area. Phryne watched as Luna fled with all her might, heading towards the Loki Familia manor as it was the only place she knew she could trust, according to Ryuu's assurances.

Though Luna was still too inexperienced in combat against adventurers. In fact, Phryne was now extremely enraged, and she crossed the distance between them with a swift movement.

With a mighty strike, Phryne punched as this time, space itself was seemingly unable to withstand the power behind it...

Luna's horns, which had once been a symbol of her strength and pride, were shattered into countless pieces under the force. The shards flew in every direction, embedding themselves in the ground and nearby walls as Luna's blood flowed freely, staining the ground a deep red.

This caused Luna to lose consciousness as her last hope was crushed, but she still did not succumb to death as a final blow would be needed. However, before the Amazoness could deliver the killing blow, a voice belonging to the incarnation of a demon rumbled, causing her lips to curve into a twisted smile.

"It seems you chose death."

Though that were the only words she would ever hear.

She looked down at her chest as she felt a bit strange, and that was to be expected, as her gaze met with the sight of an immense hole where her heart should have been…

The shock of seeing her own vital organ missing was too much for her to process. She only managed to raise her trembling head and see what was missing in the hands of a pristinely handsome being. However, his gaze was anything but handsome. Even in her last moment, the abomination still didn't understand what had occurred...

Her body hit the ground with a heavy thud, her eyes wide open in shock as any sign of life left in them disappeared. A pool of blood formed, the red liquid seeping into the ground and staining the earth as that would be one of many in the following hours. Everyone in Orario remembering even after years as it would be labelled as...

The Disaster of the Entertainment District.

Note:

- It will be explained properly in the next chap, do not worry :)