34 Chapter 28: Antares

𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬

The sounds of flames rang clearly throughout the night.

In the middle of a forest that lay near the border of the Dragon Valley, a campsite was erected to ease a group of adventurers before the upcoming battle.

The Artemis familia had just arrived at the forest that housed the Elsos ruins, taking this moment to rest for the night and prepare for their encounter with the great monster Antares.

The goddess and her huntresses gathered around the campfire.

Not to discuss strategies or make small talk under the moonlight...but to witness a miracle in the making.

'It's really hard to keep cooking with all of them staring at me...'

Bell thought to himself as he continued cooking the dinner he and the familia were about to have tonight.

'The movie did make mention of a fruit names Masalunuts that were used to make a meal...though I did remember the dish being made back in Colchis village, I decided to make a different variation of it...my instincts as a cook was just screaming at me to improve it...'

Supplied with the various herbs, spices, and ingredients the Artemis familia brought, Bell was able to prepare a much more delicious meal than what was shown in the movie.

The aroma and look of the delicacy were beyond the normal standards the Artemis familia usually encountered. Even the chefs of their familia couldn't help but gaze in admiration.

"It looks...soo good~"

Lante spoke in delerium. Her statement was the encapsulation of her familia's thoughts at that moment.

High up in the Dragon Valley, and surrounded at all times by dragons no matter the time. Preparing a meal wasn't something they could afford, so they subsisted on premade rations for their entire travel.

The huntresses were used to it, but they would admit that they would much rather consume fresh meals over cold stale bread with preserved herbs and meat.

"Not only is Gray strong...but he can also do chores and cook...if his face is handsome as well...wouldn't that be unfair?..."

One of the huntresses spoke out in realization. Recalling the various moments she saw the Gray Ghost help out in menial tasks during their travels together.

"Yeah...wouldn't he...be the perfect partner?"

As another huntress stated this...a majority of the familia began eyeing up the cook as he continued his task. Unaware that the warrior women were now staring at him with hunger...not one of the sustenance kind...

"Please don't sexually harass, Gray Ghost. He was kind enough to cook such a delicious meal so keep it in your pants"

Atalante said, followed by a nod of approval from Arethusa. The two of them knew that their fellow familia members weren't as open as amazons when it came to men...but when someone did enter their sights...they were quite passionate, to say the least.

"I agree with Atalante. You guys are already cutting it close with your talks about comforting yourselves while thinking about him back in Dragon Valley. Can't you have some decency?"

Arethusa spoke with the aura of a superior correcting their subordinate, but Lante quickly rebelled against her.

"Like you're one to talk! I know you and Atalante do it too! You with your submission kink and Atalante with stroking her tail!"

Lante exposed the pair's shameful fetishes as payback for looking down on them.

"Besides it's the truth! Gray would make a great husband! Working all day hunting and coming back to him taking care of the house and preparing a delicious meal? It's all a huntress can ask for!"

Lante's declaration was followed with nods of approval from her familia members. The council of women approved her fantasy of the Gray Ghost being a filial house husband.

"I also see you two drooling over the food he's cooking as well! Hypocrites!"

"Why you!-"

Atalante and Arethusa began to argue back with their familia members...all the while their goddess Artemis stood silently. Broken out of her admiration of the dish currently being cooked by the reality of her familia.

'Though they're all chaste...I'm not able to suddenly make them abstain from pleasure...though I have no problem with them doing it by themselves... it's rather uncomfortable in some instances....'

Artemis wasn't so extreme as to make her children abstain from such a tangential part of mortal existence. Women have their own needs as well. So the goddess of chastity simply allowed it to happen without much of a fuss.

'But I wonder...does masturbation feel that good?...'

The goddess began to fall into a daze of questioning the pleasures of the flesh, but her descent into lewdness was cut off by a shout from one of the huntresses who were arguing.

"DID YOU SEE HOW LONG HE FOUGHT AGAINST THOSE DRAGONS?! IMAGINE HOW LONG HE CAN LAST IN BE-"

But the huntress's voice was quickly muffled by Atalante who was blushing with the topic being argued.

"..."

Realizing how pent up her children were...and her slowly growing curiosity in such...perversion...Artemis quickly began to blush as well.

'What am I turning into...'

The goddess thought to herself as he covered her face with her hands. She no longer focused on the food and instead on her self-reflection.

Her ideas about how a god's personality was defined by their authorities were slowly crumbling away...meeting her destined partner was already taking an effect on her psyche...not that she knew she had already met her Orion.

"..."

Bell simply continued to cook and tried his best to act as if he couldn't hear what was happening.

'Do DxD heroines feel this all the time?... it really is a miracle Issei wasn't arrested for sexual harassment before meeting Rias...'

Bell thought in solidarity as he was now a fellow victim of sexual harassment.

Being groped by a goddess, desired feverously by another, and hounded by a group of huntresses that wanted to recreate a famous meme he knows about...one about a group of guys and a girl who didn't seem capable of taking them all on...

Somewhere across the multiverse...a certain reincarnated black dragon king matched his thoughts.

So the scene continued as it did for a few more minutes. Bell cooking the meal whilst ignoring the curious goddess blushing up a storm and the familia members conducting a battle royale against decency and horny.

...

..

.

As the sun broke through the horizon, the forest was sprawling with activity so early in the morning.

𝘚𝘗𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏

"Damn it Atalante! I said I was sorry!"

Lante shouted to the catgirl as she was splashed with a large amount of water.

Atalante only looked at the drenched half-elf with disdain, clearly holding resentment.

"Calling me a dysfunctioned cat who can't get in heat...you think I wouldn't hold a grudge for that?"

"I'm sorry your libido is the size of a peanut you brute! AGH-"

Lante decided to drop the pretenses of her fake apology and continued to insult Atalante, who promptly continued to drown her in the lake's water.

"𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩 it's just the morning you two...at this rate, Gray will be able to hear us from the camp..."

Arethusa tiredly called out to the two friends who were wrestling in the nude.

The Artemis familia were all bathing together in the early morning.

Having set up their encampment nearby to a lake they could use to bathe, they all took baths together in order to be efficient and promote camaraderie as allies.

"It's alright Arethusa. We should know by now to expect such things from Lante and Atalante. The two of them are the closest to being sisters in this familia after all"

Artemis said to Arethusa, washing her nude body with a washcloth and pouring bath oil. The shimmer of the oil against the rising sun greatly accentuated her figure.

"Besides, with what we're about to undertake...it would be best that they keep their minds off of it for now..."

Artemis spoke with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"..."

Arethusa replied with silence.

Today was the day they were about to hunt Antares...a monster that may very well take some if not all of their lives.

Seeing her familia's captain so solemn, Artemis called out to her.

"Do you...regret going on this mission Arethua?..."

Artemis said hesitantly. Afraid that her decision to keep quiet about her suspicions for all this time led to dissatisfaction inside one of her most trusted children. But Arethusa quickly dissuaded her fears.

"Not at all, Lady Artemis. We all aspired to be protectors of justice...you raised us to be capable of such a thing...to be able to possibly keep the world safe... it the best thing we huntresses could ask for"

Arethusa spoke as had a smile on her face. The sunlight shone down on her toned figure. Her body was toned. Her muscles radiated the aura that represented all of her years of training and combat.

Her body was without blemish...save for a singular scar on her back. A reminder of an incident where she followed through with her ideals of justice...protecting a child from a monster with her body as a shield.

'The scar could've been removed...but it is proof that my path isn't wrong...its proof that my actions had meaning'

Arethusa fondly looked back upon the little girl whom she had saved. Her action allowed her to reunite with her family...it ignited a passion for the child to grow beyond what was expected of her as a village girl...to forge her own path.

The captain's auburn eyes looked directly into those of her goddess'

"I will never regret a single decision I make whilst I am your familia's captain, Lady Artemis. I simply...wished days like this could continue...unimpeded..."

Artemis recognized what Arethusa wanted to convey...and it was something she sympathized with greatly.

Many of Artemis' children were orphans. Through the abandonment of their parents or from an untimely tragedy.

The goddess raised them so that they may be able to enjoy life as she did. Unhindered by worldly desires. Simply training to the point that they may be able to live their life without worry...without the need of another to survive...

'I wanted to impart on them my belief of solitude...but they have grown to rely on others...and so have I...'

The goddess who wished for the orphans to survive on their own ended up surviving with each other...even the goddess grew to be attached to them all. Breaking away from her natural habits as a solitary goddess who only had occasional interactions. Particularly from the worrying Hestia who seemed to have a soft spot for lonely goddesses.

"Victory is not assured...and even if we do attain it...it might not come with sacrifice..."

Arethusa slowly spoke as she tightened her grip. The calluses she had formed by wielding her sword for so long...her experience as a warrior and leader...it was all going to be used for this moment.

"Reality is not kind enough to give everyone happy endings...so I'll simply do my best to achieve the closest thing to it. Same with Lante...same with Atalante...same with Gray...same with all of us..."

"The world isn't kind...and it may be hard to accept and look upon the truth...but all we can do is try our best...and move forward"

Arethusa said as she grabbed a bucket and poured water on her head.

𝘚𝘗𝘓𝘈𝘚𝘏

The sensation of the cold morning air brushed against her drenched body. The droplets that remained from the downpour trickled down her curves.

"And I know you'll do the same Lady Artemis. So don't worry if we wear frowns or are shaken by fear. You raised us to live with no regrets, didn't you? So nothing is your fault"

Arethusa said with a bright smile. An expression she rarely expressed.

"..."

Artemis was on the verge of tears.

Seeing the child she had raised grow up so splendidly. She was nothing but proud at this moment.

"Thank you Arethusa...thank you..."

The captain embraced her goddess as she tightened herself and cried.

But she mentioned something that broke the mood.

"Though I consider you my mother...don't expect to call me Gray "Father" when you decide to court him, okay?"

"-!?"

Arethusa teased the goddess about something she had been observing for a while.

'Lady Artemis has been looking at Gray Ghost for a while with confusion...it's definitely not because of his actions or nature...its because she doesn't know... that she's in love'

Artemis would usually solely focus on her enemies and the familia's formation whenever they entered the battle. But during the travels across the Dragon Valley, the goddess would break her attention to witness the Gray Ghost's battles.

Looking like a child as she did so. Curiosity whenever he performed his unique magic that he refused to explain. Peaking with excitement and fear depending on the tide of his battles.

'Compared to her stern attitude from before...ever since Gray arrived, she has been nothing more than an innocent maiden...thank you Gray Ghost'

Arethusa thanked the vigilante for allowing her and her familia to witness the goddess of chastity have her first crush.

"Wh- What are you saying Arethusa?!- Gray Ghost is certainly not the object of my affection. Sure he's a warrior worthy of respect. Proficient in combat. A person of morals who believes in worthy ideals. Very considerate of others and their circumstances. An excellent cook with skills in-home care..."

Artemis continued to list a dozen other small compliments towards the Gray Ghost.

"...he is all of those things. But that doesn't mean I like him. So I'd appreciate it if you drop such accusations Arethusa"

Artemis concluded her ramblings as she crossed her arms on her chest. A look of dignity on her face...one that wasn't received well by Arethusa...and her other children for that matter.

"..."

In the middle of her ramblings. Atalante and Lante who were fighting, and the other huntresses who were laughing and cheering as the two wrestled, turned their direction to the goddess as she listed off more charm points for the Gray Ghost than even the most gossiping members of their group.

"...whats wrong?..."

Artemis asked hesitantly as she watched her entire familia simply stare at her with a look of sympathy...like a person seeing a child commit an innocent mistake.

𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘱

"eh?"

Artemis was confused as Arethusa put her hand on her shoulder.

"Its alright Lady Artemis. We understand...don't we girls?"

Arethusa spoke as she called out to the rest of the familia who nodded in understanding.

"We understand. We understand completely Lady Artemis"

"We were all like that once...ahh youth..."

"So long as you share him with us sometimes. We don't mind you know?"

Ignoring the last comment which was concerning to the goddess. Artemis began to lash out as she blushed. Wanting to defend her honor as one of the famous three virgin goddesses.

"I DON'T LIKE GRAY GHOST!- ATALANTE! YOU GET ME RIGHT?-"

Artemis looked at the catgirl who would normally side with her in any argument...but the catgirl only looked with guilt in her eyes.

"...I won't blame you Lady Artemis...Gray is quite enticing as a partner..."

Atalante spoke as her tail wagged from side to side.

After eating the Gray Ghost's meal last night...her affection for him had skyrocketed. She had become a full-fledged fan of having the Gray Ghost as a house husband. Even speculating if she would be able to wed him by force if she used her magic to detain him.

Atalante was quite...extreme in how she expressed her love after all.

"No....not you too...."

The goddess began to back away from the lake. Trembling slightly. The fear of reality in her eyes.

Artemis refused to believe...all around her...her familia of chaste huntresses...and even herself...had succumbed to the allure of the only man they had allowed into their group. Though she refused to believe she had fallen for him.

"My familia...bewitched by a man...a very kind, strong, and capable man...DAMN IT- ONORE GRAY GHOSTTTT!!!!-"

Crows in the distance began to fly in a panic in reaction to Artemis' lamentation.

Meanwhile, Bell...

'The Dragon Valley...with how much it was described in the novels...and its entire concept as a location...is the black dragon residing there right now?"

He was simply speculating on future battles he would need to prepare. Unaware he was adding more problems for his love life that he chose to ignore until a later time.

...

..

.

'I also noticed a fishy smell and wet sheets from some of the tents...I know women too can get pent-up...but please...have some sympathy for me...'

'Do you know how hard it is to control the hormones of a teenage boy in an all-woman group?...'

Bell sadly thought as he prepared another meal for the familia to eat after they bathe and before they enter the Elsos ruins.

He was flattered that he was used as comfort material for such beautiful women...but the idea of it almost exposed his unsavory nature...something that would've destroyed the trust he had cultivated among the chaste huntresses.

'I'm no saint. I was quite the degenerate pervert in my past life. I've only been able to abstain for so long because of work and my knowledge of the future...thankfully Medea exists...'

Bell would always reminisce on his childhood memories with Medea in order to forget about the temptations of the flesh. Something the elf in question wouldn't like very much.

'I should get stronger so that I can solve all the problems of this absurd world and finally get a love life...do they have contraceptives in Danmachi?'

And so the morning of Bell and the Artemis familia was filled with laughter and nonchalance...something that stood in contrast with the upcoming life-and-death struggle.

...

..

.

The moon soared high above the sky.

Radiating a faint light across the Elsos ruins.

Structures of a long-gone age surrounded the group on all sides. Filled to the brim with invasive nature that gnawed away the crumbling structure.

The sturdy stone continued to hold up the buildings despite their age and their cracks.

Styled in a fashion that was foreign to the sensibilities of their current time.

"Everyone ready?"

Bell called out to Artemis and her familia. They simply replied with a curt nod.

The journey from their campsite to the Elsos ruins didn't take long. The sun was still high in the sky by the time they arrived.

But Arethusa suggested they simply scouted out the area first and wait till nightfall until they entered the enclosure of Antares.

A number of their familia possessed skills that would improve their performance under the cover of the moon.

Though it was a minimal boost that was neglected by her in most encounters. Knowing that the opponent they were about to face was a great monster. Arethusa wanted every possible advantage they could get.

And so they waited. Before long, the moon appeared in the sky, and various huntresses began to radiate more power as the moonlight began to bathe them.

Seeing that everything was ready...Bell prepared to open the doors to the prison of Antares.

"Let's go..."

The group began to move forward. Bell and Arethusa leading the front.

The door to the cavern began to light up...detecting the divine presence of Artemis...the locks began to glow with a light blue hue, before turning and turning until-

𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬

-the door finally opened.

The insignia of a bow that resembled a crescent moon appeared brightly on the door. Confirming Artemis' suspicions.

"So these ruins were dedicated to me...and that would mean...my spirits were the ones that sealed Antares..."

Artemis wondered why this place was calling out to her...and now she knew...

'I am unsure if the spirits are subject to the cycle of reincarnation...but wherever you may now be my children...rest well...we will finish what you have started...'

Artemis wished to grieve for her lost spirits...but she had a responsibility to care for her current children.

Tears can wait...for now was the time of battle.

'I swear...you will pay Antares...'

Divinity stirred within the goddess...the arrow inside her soul readied itself...sharpening...preparing to strike down the accursed scorpion.

...

..

.

Bell and the Artemis familia traversed the cavern that lay beneath the Elsos ruins.

'We haven't encountered any fleshy swarm nest or detected any presence as per the scouts' reports...Antares should be awake by now...perhaps something changed because of Fate?...'

Bell tensed at the possibility. If someone from the world of Fate had intersected with Antares, or worse...

'If some monster from Fate fused with Antares...'

Then his current strength alongside that of the Artemis familia wouldn't be enough.

'Calm down Bell...Gaia is the placeholder for the will of the dungeon... its authority only extends to the dungeon's floors....and the seals indicate that no one except Artemis or her spirits is capable of opening the pathway...'

Bell calmed himself down with rational observations he has made prior and from his memories of the Danmachi movie.

Before long, the group entered an opening in the cave.

"What...is this.?..."

Atalante spoke in awe of what she saw.

A high domed cavern with many additional pathways along the walls.

The most eye-catching feature...the pillar of stone in the center of the opening. Surrounded on all sides by a hole that went deep down.

Bell approached the hole with curiosity...he remembered where it lead.

'This leads...to where the Artemis' familia's corpses were laid...where the final confrontation with Antares was held...'

Bell gripped his hands tightly. Manifesting his chained blades as he did.

He always planned on saving Artemis and her familia...but after getting to know them all...he had more of an incentive than ever to do so...

'They won't die...I would rather be killed first than allow anything to happen to them...'

Bell then turned to the Artemis familia who were watching in bated breath as to what Bell was about to say.

They saw him manifest his weapons with his strange magic, so they prepared themselves for battle.

"I can detect a faint trace from below...I'm plenty sure that Antares lies just beyond this hole..."

The Artemis familia immediately tensed. Their enemy was nearby.

"But how will we approach it?...that hole is quite deep..."

Lante spoke out in concern. Though they were all veteran level twos, they weren't strong enough yet to brush off such a deep fall. And they couldn't afford any injuries before the encounter with Antares.

But Bell simply replied to her question with his magic.

「Trace on」

𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬

"...eh?"

Lante stood dazed at what Bell was doing...he was shooting his swords against the walls of the hole.

𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬

He continued to do so...until there was a line of swords extending quite deep into the hole.

"Gray...don't tell me..."

Lante desperately called out to him...hoping what she imagined wasn't what he was about to say.

"..."

But her nightmares became a reality.

"We'll simply climb down via my swords"

"SWORDS ARENT A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO FOOTHOLDS, GRAY!"

Lante lashed out at the vigilante. The idea of his suggestion was just absurd to the half-elf.

"WHAT ARE YOU? SOME SORT OF SWORD-OBSESSED MANIAC?! SWORDS ARENT THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING, GRAY!"

Lante and her familia members had learned about an odd quality of the Gray Ghost...he would use swords for everything.

Need to deal with an enemy from far away? Shoot them with swords.

Need a tool to assist with climbing a mountain? Climb it with swords.

Need support for your tent? Swords.

Cooking? A knife that looked more like a short sword than a cooking utensil...in other words...A SWORD.

Lante could understand that it was the nature of Gray Ghost's magic to revolve around swords...but this...was too much even for her joking nature...

"..."

Bell was quiet for a bit...but then realized why she might've been concerned.

"It's alright Lante..."

"...?"

Lante looked up to Bell who was speaking. Hoping he might've realized the error of his sword-obsessed ways...

"The sword can handle any weight so you won't have to worry about the blade bending and- ACK?!-"

Bell was cut off from speaking after he was hit with the pole of Lante's spear. The half-elf beat him up with it for a while before descending the pseudo flight of stairs made out of swords.

Tears in her eyes, and her fear of heights being dissuaded out of anger at the vigilante.

"Gray, you idiot! No wonder you don't have a girlfriend!"

"GUH-"

After being hurt physically, Bell was hit emotionally. He simply stood in pain as the rest of the familia watched...most of them laughing...some of them...notably Arethusa, Atalante, and Artemis, looked at him with pity.

Each of them began to pass by him. One-by-one. All descending the stair of swords he made. Until Atalante stopped beside him and looked directly at him.

"It's alright. I still consider you as a candidate. You're cooking supersedes any denseness after all"

"???"

The catgirl then deftly jumped from sword to sword. Leaving Bell hurt and confused.

"I know weight is a sensitive topic...but I was genuinely worried you know..."

Bell had gotten used too used to the huntresses' more masculine behavior, that he forgot they were still women at the end of the day.

Armed with another thing to take note of to avoid becoming a dense protagonist...assuming he wasn't one already...Bell and the Artemis familia began to close onto Antares.

...

..

.

"How disgusting..."

Artemis spoke as the scene lay clear before her.

Deep down in the caverns... beyond the opening they encountered before...laid Antares.

"Yeah...that definitely looks like a god-devouring monster..."

Arethusa spoke as her vision swept across the beast.

A giant black scorpion with pulsing scarlet veins.

Possessing a claw and stinger that looks like it can crush anything with ease. With a humanoid body at its center... an eery eye that glowed a light red...most disturbing of all...the blue crystal which lay along with its humanoid torso.

"That crystal...is it?..."

Lante spoke as she turned to Gray Ghost, questioning if what she thought was true.

"Yeah...that's where the devoured god would rest in...their bodies halted in time...unable to return to Tenkai nor to the cycle of reincarnation...only to be used as Antares' arcanum source..."

Artemis visibly became disgusted as he confirmed Lante's question.

The group was watching from a vantage point above Antares' current resting place.

Veins of black and red protruded from his body and led into a fleshy substance that stuck onto the walls.

Numerous white sacs were pulsing with life. The eggs of the scorpion's brood. Monsters that would wreak havoc upon the surface's settlements with ease.

"Looks like its brood hasn't spawned yet, so we won't have to worry about dealing with a crowd of monsters...ideally we should cut off its veins first...if I'm correct, those things are supplying the nutrients that are incubating those eggs...we should render them useless before we start taking out Antares"

Bell began to discuss the plan of action. It was now time to subjugate the great monster.

"I agree as well. Anyone disagrees?"

Arethusa commanded her familia. None of the huntresses had any problems. Their eyes trained on Antares as they gripped their weapons and steadied their footing.

Arethusa then turned to Artemis, who simply replied with a nod.

"Everyone...good hunting"

In an instant...the group leaped off of the clearing high above the area and began to traverse the walls onto the ground.

The assault had begun.

The archers and mages of the familia began to take a position where the monster's appendages couldn't reach. The rear guards promptly took position around them after.

They began readying their arrows and chanting their magic...waiting for the vanguard to make contact or to reply to any action by Antares.

Atalante and Artemis led this group as they shouted commands to wait.

"Hold steady! Keep your aim true!"

"Mages, ready magics that are moderate in power first! We need to gather information before drastic actions!"

As the backline was being set up. Arethusa and Lante led two separate squads that were approaching Antares at two different angles.

"First squad, on me! Lante and the second squad will act after our group makes first contact! Understood?!"

"Yes, Captain!"

Arethusa's command was met with a disciplined response.

The familia captain readied her skill as she was about to make contact with Antares who has still yet to react to the intruders.

The Artemis familia moved too quickly for it to take measures.

「Alpheus Vena!」

Arethusa's long sword began to be covered in a blue glow. Her body began to increase in momentum until...

𝘛𝘊𝘏𝘞𝘐𝘕𝘎

Her sword and body both became a blur...reaching Antares in an instant. Cutting him with ease. Dealing immense pain, the sword cut deep into its arms.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎??!!-

The monster snapped out of its confusion with an otherworldly roar. An otherworldly distorted sound rang throughout the cavern as it reacted to the pain.

Antares attempted to swat away Arethusa and her group with its claw, but the captain simply called out to Lante.

"Lante! Now!"

Lante and her group had all arrived on Antares' flank. The vice-captain leading the charge.

「Ursus Vena!」

The muscles on Lante's body began to tighten. Veins spread all across her arm as her eyes which once were blue began to shine a golden hue. Her irises narrowed like that of a beast.

𝘗𝘐𝘌𝘙𝘊𝘌

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!-

Lante's spear penetrated deep into Antares. Followed by the powerful strikes of the huntresses following behind her.

"AAAAAAAA-"

With a loud cry, Lante began to drag the tip of her spear across the body of Antares leaving a deep wound all throughout its appendage.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!-

The monster began to howl in immense pain.

Antares knew it was too outnumbered. So it began to hasten the process to awaken its brood.

𝘝𝘐𝘐𝘐𝘐𝘕𝘕𝘕𝘕𝘎𝘎𝘎𝘎𝘎

A light ringing noise began to fill the area.

Antares withstood the continued assault of Arethusa and Lante's group, as it began pumping in magic energy through the veins that connected itself to its eggs on the wall. The monster's scarlet veins glowed as they did.

"-?! Atalante!"

Artemis called out to the cat girl as she homed her bow on the various veins and eggs.

"I understand! Mages and archers. Aim for the veins and eggs!"

Mind began to circulate around the back line's position. The mages began preparing their spells and the archers began to ready their arrows.

"-?! Evasive action!"

Atalante called out as she noticed a glimmer of light come from Antares' eyes...the presence of magic.

𝘉𝘞𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘔𝘔𝘔𝘔

A violet beam of magic struck the back lines' position. The beam left a scalding hot rock where it struck. But the Artemis familia members were not present.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎?!

To Antares' shock. The Artemis familia archers and magicians simply continued to ready their attacks as they deftly moved across the cavern.

The huntresses mastered the art of fighting while moving. The archers could train their eyes on a target despite falling, and the magicians mastered concurrent chanting to a high degree.

No prey would be able to escape their blow.

「My arrows fly true...in all of the heavens...they alone shall never miss its due...」

Atalante began to swiftly cast her magic as she continued to home her bow on the veins...but she wasn't merely looking at a single target...two...four...six...eight...ten...twenty...

𝘊𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘒

Her bow began to strengthen in response to her magic. Making the draw strength heavier and heavier. Atalante's arm muscles were tensed immensely.

「Scorn your fate...o mine target...」

The single arrow she had nocked began to glow in a green hue...then it began to multiply...two...four...six...eight...ten...twenty...

Twenty arrows now appeared in her bow.

「I will never miss...」

'Alignment, clear. Draw strength, maximum. Magic enhancement, complete....strike it down!-'

「Tauropolos!」

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

An immense shockwave rang through Atalante's position. Needing to dig her heels onto the ground to handle the recoil.

𝘛𝘞𝘐𝘐𝘐𝘐𝘕𝘕𝘕𝘎𝘎𝘎

The arrows cut through the air with ferocity. A short whistle rang throughout as it neared its mark...and in instant.

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

The sound of twenty strikes rang clear.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!-

"..."

As Antares howled in another bout of pain, Artemis simply stood quiet as she readied her bow.

"Fuu..."

Atalante may currently be the best in the familia in terms of long-raged firepower. Even beating out the magicians...

'For my children...I will allow you not the swift release of death...'

Artemis' eyes began to coldly glow blue. Her divinity began to leak out with a honed intent to kill.

The moon shimmered ever so faintly.

Something only a certain goddess traveling with her familia picked up on.

An arrow that needed no flamboyant chant nor spectacular display of magic power.

"Suffer"

Only technique. An arrow refined...into a singular fang that tore through all.

𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔

A splitting sound rang through the area as Artemis' arrow flew through the air. Different from the arrow of Atalante that was like a ferocious beast's call...Artemis' was of an apex predator's howl.

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔 𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔 𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔 𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

The arrow tore through the various veins of Antares. Targeting its weak link each time.

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔 𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔 𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔 𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

But she did not fire multiple arrows at once...but only one...

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

That tore through them all.

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

Cleaving without rest.

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

And without mercy.

𝘉𝘖𝘖𝘔

"Archers! Magicians! Target the weak links!"

Artemis called out with a ferocity they had never heard from their goddess. But seeing the determination of their goddess to fell this monster, the huntresses can only rise up to the occasion.

"As you wish, Lady Artemis!"

𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔

Various magics flew across the room. Exploding flames. Crackling lightning. Fervent wind. Clouds of black smoke rose from various veins.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

Antares screamed in greater pain...all this damage...taking place in an instant...the pain was immense.

"..."

But it wasn't over yet.

𝘛𝘞𝘐𝘕𝘎

Numerous arrows flew into the dark smoke...the Artemis familia huntresses need no visibility to find their mark.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!-

They only need a single moment of vision to track you down.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!-

The arrows pierced the remaining chunks of the veins which were weakened by the magic.

The archers and magicians don't have the firepower or the technique of Atalanta or Artemis on their own. But their sheer numbers allowed them to keep up with the two archery masters.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

Antares began to shout out loudly. Firing stray magic beams throughout the area as it began flailing its claws and tail wildly.

"Evasive action!"

Arethusa commanded loudly, as they all began to avoid being blown by the raging monster.

They began deftly avoiding each strike. Even being able to land the occasional blow against Antares.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

Antares could only scream in frustration for suffering pain without being able to land any attack...something that was only possible due to Bell's interference.

Bell had thoroughly talked to the huntresses about Antares' attack patterns. It's magic. Even its weak points that should be targeted.

They waited until Antares began to fill the veins with mind before attacking. Triggering a series of Ignis Fatuus against the monster.

Interrupting its actions, causing immense pain, and distorting its flow of mind.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

No longer caring about the premature hatching, Antares began to scream out loudly. A sound that resonated amongst the numerous eggs in the cavern.

𝘒𝘳𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪𝘪

A faint cry began to emanate from the eggs. The outline of a monster began to stir inside the egg.

𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬

The eggs threatened to hatch...but they were unfortunate to have been caught under his gaze...

"Born so early...only to die so young..."

Bell would eliminate them all with extreme prejudice

「Trace on」

Chained swords upon chained swords began to manifest into reality.

'More...'

The product of imagination began to superimpose itself into reality.

'More...'

A flurry of blades surrounded Bell at all sides. Leaping from the ground as he invoked his magic. He looked like a deadly ball of chains and blades.

「Reinforce」

Blue circuits began to light up in activity across the entire structures of all of Bell's projections. The bright light captured all of Antares' attention at that moment.

"...fire"

𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔

All of Bell's projections fired off with immense force all at once. Producing a cracking echo and distortions in the air...each projectile nearly breaking the sound barrier.

𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔 𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔 𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔 𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔 𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔 𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔 𝘉 𝘖 𝘖 𝘔

The cavern shook immensely as all of Bell's swords lodged themselves immensely into the wall. Cutting through the fleshy substance and reaching the stone which lay beneath all of it.

「Reinforce」

Bell's body began to surge with energy. Twisting his body as he dangled each chain with his arms and feet.

The chained swords began to move alongside his twisting body...a tornado of swords ripping through the wall of the cavern. Cutting away all of the eggs that were on its path.

𝘊 𝘙 𝘈 𝘊 𝘒

Having made a full rotation across the cavern. Bell pulled his chains inwards. Each blade dislodged itself from the wall and approached him.

Leaving behind a trail of destruction at every corner. Broken stone. Ruptured organic flesh. Numerous broken eggs. Numerous dead scorpions faded into ashen dust.

「Alteration」

As the numerous swords began to converge together as Bell continued to swing them, he had invoked his magic. Altering their form...merging them together...

𝘞𝘖𝘖𝘔

A ring rang throughout the room as soundwaves bounced off of the structure of the projection...a giant blade held together with immensely huge chains.

「Reinforce」

Brilliant blue light ran across the blade and chains. The magic circuits in Bell's body filled his body's muscles and bones with an immense amount of mind.

Even having to reinforce his heart and lungs to keep up with the straining task of directing such a huge weapon.

𝘾 𝙍 𝘼 𝙎 𝙃

The blade made impact with Antares and began to move it along its path. The blade cut deeper into its body as it did.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!-

The monster tried to resist the blade by firing beams of magical energy and striking the weapon which had lodged itself within its body. But it was no use...he was being dragged around like a ragdoll.

𝘾 𝙍 𝘼 𝘼 𝘼 𝘼 𝘼 𝙎 𝙃

Stone kept breaking as Bell continued to drag the scorpion across the walls of the cavern before stopping to smash the monster in a certain area.

𝘽 𝙊 𝙊 𝙈

The area the blade had crashed Antares on began to crumble. Revealing a large pathway that led down numerous paths. Previously inaccessible, but made so with Antares making a new entrance.

"One last thing...fuu"

Bell breathed in immensely as he prepared for one last spurt of immense strength.

「Reinforce」

His muscles cried out in pain.

「Reinforce」

His structure was entering dangerous territory.

「Reinforce」

But he continued anyway.

"Hulk..."

Bell screamed immensely as he planted his feet onto the ground, forming immense cracks as he did.

He started pulling on the chain more and more...then it began moving faster...upward...dragging a cloud of dust alongside it...

Antares was now flying in the air...

"...smash"

It was then promptly...brought crashing onto the ground. Shaking the cavern in its entirety. Dust filled the area en masse.

"...Lady Artemis...Gray is human...right?..."

Lante hesitantly commented from the sideline alongside her familia who now stood by the new entrance made by Antares and Bell.

"... I'm sure, he is...at least...I hope so..."

Artemis was plenty sure that the vigilante was a mortal and most probably human...but seeing him lift a giant scorpion with a giant blade attached to giant chains...she began to wonder if he was somehow the descendant of a goliath.

"Nevertheless... it's quite impressive is it not?"

Atalante could only hesitantly comment. She knew that such feats were more than possible with the blessing of falna...but it was still quite hard to believe it was true in spite of knowing that.

"The damage this attack produced won't harm Antares much...it is merely a show to capture its attention and anger alongside opening a pathway for phase two of our plan...that's what Gray said...he said it would be rather eye-catching...but I didn't expect this..."

Arethusa commented how it was all part of the plan for their assault. But though it was known, and the operation went without a hitch, Arethusa could help but feel she was lied to despite all of Bell's descriptions already raising her expectations.

But before the huntresses could make another comment doubting Bell's humanity, the man in question exited the room covered to the brim with dust.

"𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩...𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩...everyone alright?..."

Bell tiredly spoke out to the Artemis familia.

"...yeah...we're alright Gray...how about you?..."

Lante hesitantly spoke out to him, worried she might crush her hands if she were to extend it out to him.

"Hm?...oh...tired...really tired... can't pull that one out anytime I wanted to...𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩...I'll be out of action for a bit..."

Hearing that their companion wasn't a monster who could just lift a monster like Antares casually, they all secretly sighed in relief that their friend wasn't some sort of monstrosity of strength.

"𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩...but me being out of commission won't matter much for this part of the plan right?"

As Bell said that and as the Artemis familia began to formulate a reply, they were interrupted by a loud cry.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

The sounds of flailing and magic beams began to ring out through the now-broken clearing in the cavern.

Soon the plume of dust cleared, giving visibility to the aftermath and of Antares.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

A deep cut was found across the body of Antares, threatening to rip it in twain. But that cut, alongside the ones made by Arethusa and Lante, began healing rapidly. As if it weren't even there.

'Knew it wouldn't be fatal...the real target to attack...is that damn crystal...'

Antares began to glow violently red as it locked eyes on Bell and the Artemis familia. It wanted them ground to dust.

"Capture its attention and open a pathway...then proceed to employ guerilla warfare utilizing the passages of the caverns to perform hit and runs on Antares' crystal"

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎...

Antares began to growl deeply as it began to approach Bell. Its malice towards him would be clear to even the most oblivious person.

"You win...we die..."

The huntresses readied their stances and weapons.

"We win...you die..."

Artemis readied her arrow. Her divinity leaked through with honed intent.

"So how about it, Antares?..."

Bell's eyes glowed a hazy trail of blue.

"let's play some tag~"

The world's deadliest game commenced.

...

..

.

𝘽𝙊𝙊𝙈 𝘽𝙊𝙊𝙈 𝘽𝙊𝙊𝙈

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

Various sounds echoed throughout the cavern.

The world's deadliest game of tag has been going on for half an hour now.

'Progress has been steady...but we're nearing our limit...'

Bell commented as he watched the scene from a vantage point. Disguising his presence with 「Transient」.

'We've been able to chip away little by little at the crystal. Thankfully it doesn't regenerate like the rest of Antares' body...but the huntresses are nearing the limit of their stamina...and we're running out of potions to keep them in the fight...'

The numerous fighters alternated between resting and leading Antares, while the backline kept raining down attacks at the crystal.

There weres no worries about the bait being severely injured, nor about the attack missing...it was simply an issue of...

'Sheer firepower...we lack enough firepower for a decisive strike'

Bell was nearly back at full capacity of mind and stamina thanks in large part to only resting this entire time alongside the regeneration provided by his Avalon healing.

He was confident he had enough energy to make such a thing possible...but none of his projections would be able to handle the amount of energy he would need to pump in.

'In the end...it all comes down to the Orion arrow...'

A powerful weapon it was...but it wasn't one he was capable of handling.

Only the innocent, bereft of egregious sin and of pure mind, could wield the Orion arrow.

'Artemis will have to deal the finishing blow herself'

Deciding that this was the only way, Bell jumped from his position and began to approach Artemis.

Fading back into visibility, Bell locked eyes with Artemis and called out to her.

"Lady Artemis. A word please?"

Hearing Bell call out to her, Artemis promptly exited her shooting stance to talk to him.

"Gray. What is it? Is something wrong?..."

"We lack a strike powerful enough to decide the outcome of this match. The familia is tiring out...soon we won't be able to keep up the strategy..."

"..."

Artemis knew the dire straits they were now in. Knowing there was no other choice...she readied herself...

"Very well...I will be the one to decide this fight...I possess an arrow that can pierce through Antares. All I need is for someone to keep the monster still, and bring their focus away from me. My attack requires a bit of time to ready..."

Hearing Artemis deciding to use her divine weapon, Bell quickly volunteered to make her attack possible.

"Leave it to me. I'll make sure you'll have all the time in the world"

Seeing the determination in the glow beneath his hood, Artemis smiled that she had such a reliable companion for this battle. It was all through him that they held such an advantageous position for so long.

'...my heart...its beating...faster?...'

Artemis began to grow confused at her change in condition. She would normally be at the peak of physical performance when she put her mind to it...but now?

'Increased heart rate...a weird feeling in my mind...my face feels...hot...'

Seeing Artemis act irregularly, Bell quickly asked if she was alright.

"Lady Artemis?"

Bell put his hand on her forehead. His hands were armored, but he altered his armor at that moment to feel the goddess' temperature.

'Wait...gods cant get sick...so what is Artemis going through?...'

Realizing his instincts as Emiya kicked in before his logic of the world did, Bell simply retracted his hands and stared into the eyes of Artemis. Awaiting the goddess' reply. Knowing pestering her would simply be unfruitful.

'His hand...their touch...his eyes...their oh so-calming glow...'

Artemis' divine aura which was sharpened like a lion's fangs began to soften into that of a kitten's. She had become immersed in Bell's gaze.

'What's with those eyes?...how can they be so...attractive...'

Artemis wondered just how many people fell for the gaze he had. She had already heard her children discuss it extensively. She herself secretly listened to the conversations they had, agreeing with every observation made with a fervent nod.

'His eyes...they would be even more splendid without his masks...would they not?...I...want to see them...'

Artemis could no longer deny it...try as she might to uphold her persona as one who rules over chastity...as the solitary goddess...

'I'm in love...with Gray Ghost...'

"Artemis?..."

Artemis, in her daze, could hear Bell call out to her.

"Artemis?..."

'I love you...'

"Artemis"

'I love you...I really really love you...'

"...Artemis"

'Ten thousand years...I wish to spend ten thousand years and more infatuated with you...'

"Artemis!-"

'It would be bliss...to pronounce my love for such an amount of time...your embrace as I embrace you...feeling naught but each heartbeat and heat...under moonlight...in the cold air...feeling the flames of passion...'

"LADY ARTEMIS!-"

"HUH?!-"

Artemis snapped out of her daze as she was whisked away in the embrace of Bell.

"GRAY GHOST, WHAT ARE YOU-"

But before the goddess could speak, the reality of the situation immediately dawned on her.

「Trace on!-」

Bell projected a chained blade and used it to pull himself and Artemis away from their current position.

𝘉𝘞𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘔𝘔𝘔𝘔

An intensely hot beam of magic swiped by their previous position. Leaving a trail of ground and scorched stone.

"-! It's more powerful than before! How did it get stronger?!-"

Artemis couldn't understand what had just happened. The Antares could do little to them for the past half an hour, but the beam she felt just now...it exceeded all of these previous attacks by a long mile.

"RETREAT!-"

Artemis turned her eyes to the ground. Feeling shocked even more.

𝘊𝘙𝘈𝘚𝘏 𝘊𝘙𝘈𝘚𝘏 𝘊𝘙𝘈𝘚𝘏

Her huntresses were having to retreat due to an increase in power and speed in Antares. Some of her children carried those who suffered injuries from the powerful attacks.

"How..."

Bell promptly answered the goddess.

"In your hands, Lady Artemis..."

Artemis felt a familiar sensation on her palms, and her eyes widened as she saw what it was.

"Orion...but how did-"

Then it instantly clicked for Artemis...

Her divine arrow was a representation of all forms of her love. As a manifestation of such, it would only appear if she thought about such things. The love she had for her familia's children. The love she had for a comrade. The love she had for a friend.

So being so immersed in romantic love for the Gray Ghost. She unintentionally manifested her divine arrow.

'Gray told me that Antares reacts violently to large bursts of divine aura...so my mistake...enraged Antares before we were prepared...'

Artemis was about to fall into a depressive bout for causing such a blunder due to her delusions, but she wasn't able to...because of the chaos that would ensue...

"SHIT!-"

Bell cursed as he saw what he had to deal with.

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

𝘽 𝙒 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙈 𝙈 𝙈 𝙈 𝙈

Numerous beams of magical energy began to hit all corners of the cavern. Approaching Bell and Artemis from numerous angles.

"Lady Artemis! Hold onto my body with your arms and legs! Now!"

Artemis pushed aside all her reservations in this situation. Bell began to take immediate evasive action.

「Trace on」

Chained blades manifested and shot out. Lodging into the wall and used by Bell to maneuver himself in mid-air.

"Damn it..."

Bell kept manifesting new chains whenever he needed to change directions and velocity. An inefficient recreation of spider-man's movements.

"!..."

Artemis held onto Bell tightly. Making sure not to let go of him or the divine arrow. Ignoring the discomfort felt produced by the g-forces of such sudden maneuvers.

"Everyone! Retreat to the hole we entered through! I still have my swords manifested there in case of emergencies! I will distract Antares with Artemis! Go!"

The huntresses felt conflicted leaving their ally and goddess behind, but they knew they would only hinder their chances at survival by staying. So all they could do is pray for their safety as they ran through the caverns.

"Everyone follow me! I have the route memorized!"

Atalante shouted as she led the familia to the shortest route to the entrance.

"Why does every major monster I face have to have a second phase? This isn't Dark Souls you bastard!"

Bell angrily quipped as he began swinging around with his projections. Cutting it very close with avoiding the beams of magical energy.

「Trace on」

「Reinforce」

Bell used the brief moments of air time without being attacked to invoke his magic to continue his evasion.

Even briefly reinforcing the mortal body of Artemis, knowing the swinging he was doing was causing discomfort for her.

"Don't worry Lady Artemis. I'll definitely protect you"

"..."

Bell's declaration warmed the goddess' heart, but she refused to accept such emotions. Instead using every free moment she had to scorn herself.

'You're right Aphrodite...'

𝘊𝘙𝘈𝘚𝘏

'Blundering when I feel no emotions...'

𝘚𝘔𝘈𝘚𝘏

'Doing even worse when I do...'

𝘉𝘞𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘔𝘔𝘔𝘔

'I'm a failure as a goddess...no wonder no one else is like me...'

"A..te...mi..s"

The constant noise of the world began to distort around Artemis.

She could no longer be strong for her familia...for her crush...for herself...her whole world crumbled.

'There's no escape...I can't...fire this arrow...'

The arrow. The manifestation of the goddess' love...began to crumble.

'I'm incapable of love...I shouldn't be allowed to...it goes against everything I am...'

𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬

'...and going against who I am...only brings trouble to the people I involve...my family...my love...'

The arrow was breaking...her love shattering...

'An existence who can't love...'

Her bonds...her experiences...fading...

'Isn't that the same as a monster?...'

Majestic moon...solitary in the sky...different from the beautiful stars that surround it at night.

One of a kind...but alone in its existence...even though it's praised for its beauty and radiance...people love a moonless night just as much.

'I'm nothing but a...'

"Ar....t.....mi...s"

'd e f e c t i v e g o d d e s s'

"ARTEMIS!-"

"?!-"

Artemis snapped out of her thoughts through Bell's loud voice. Seeing the goddess spur once more, he couldn't be happier.

"Glad I got to you. We're almost there. It's not the end alright? I promised to resolve this situation, and I plan on following through with it. So don't worry!"

Artemis looked at Bell with her flightless eyes. Seeing the radiance of his gaze remains just as bright...she wondered...

'How?...how can you stay so positive?...do you not feel tempted to simply...resign yourself?...'

She couldn't understand how...a mortal...with all their weakness...with all their suffering...how can someone like him...

'How can you stay so hopeful?...'

Memories came in from the recesses of her mind.

A conversation she had with a rather infamous perverted god...one she didn't care too much for...but kept in memory...for it was the conversation that convinced her to descend...

"Why I don't give up on trying to peep on you? That's because there a bunch of bastards worse off than me who continue despite it all HAHAHAHAHAHA"

Artemis looked with disdain and confusion at what the bearded god with white hair was talking about. She wanted nothing more than to pierce through his heart with an arrow, but he proved to be far stronger than her ability as an archer.

Lightning burned up every arrow before it could even reach him.

But superior in might he was, he didn't force himself on the bathing goddess. Saying how being caught ruined the romance of peeping. How sexual assault was out of the question...she was confused about how sexual harassment and assault were two different things to the god

"There's this hilarious mortal down in Gekai you know? A comedic hero is how he likes to be described. Heroic acts are nothing more than a comedy to prove their worth he says. You gotta love the guy's tenacity HAHAHAHAHAHA"

The god laughed heartily as he reminisced on what he saw. A laugh not of disdain, but of admiration. Admiration of a fool hearty courage that he couldn't help but respect.

"He has no special talent like the lass Fianna the other gods were talking about. He portrays himself as a bumbling fool and is underestimated at every turn"

"Lost his birthright at a young age. Not a single fortune to his name. Hell, he barely survived to his current age only with the help of his adopted sister"

Artemis could only imagine the idiot the god was describing. She knew right then and there that she couldn't see herself admiring such a fool.

"And that's the best part about him!"

The goddess remained quiet.

"Despite all his drawbacks! Despite his lack of boons! When the guy makes a promise. He goes through tooth and nail to make damn sure they are pulled through!"

"A kingdom set in flames and left to care for a young baby? He made sure she was raised well and right"

"A village depressed from the fear of monsters? Make them laugh at his expense"

"A kingdom on the verge of collapse? Pull every possible miracle out of his ass to save it from crumbling"

"A person called out to him for help?...he makes sure the only thing they see is his wide back as he saves them"

Artemis was unconsciously drawn into the story the god painted...it was as if he had made it his life's goal to make sure he can convey the tale clearly.

So that he would not be alone in admiration of this stranger.

"Us gods can pull out a miracle as if it were nothing...but in the depths of despair...with the capabilities of the weak? Had we that man's mindset...can you even imagine how far we can go?"

Artemis simply couldn't understand. The gods were the peak of all existence...how can one surpass the limit?

"...that look. You can't see it can you? What lies beyond the horizon"

The god smiled widely. Artemis didn't like the sense of inferiority she was feeling at that moment.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAH no need to be so pressed! It's hard for us to think of such a thing... it's just what we are...So! I'm going down to learn from them!"

'eh?-'

Such were the thoughts that passed through Artemis' mind.

'Descend?...a god descending from divinity?...just to mingle with some mortals?'

Artemis couldn't understand such a thing. She never considered herself bored enough in Tenkai to want and explore the lower world. The concept of giving up divinity was just absurd to her.

"I can guess what you're thinking...but don't you want to see it? The impossible that even the gods cant achieve. Something so ridiculous it caused all the boring blokes up here to start getting restless in excitement?"

"A romance that can go beyond what the divine can even imagine! A ten thousand year voyage of love and laughter! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

Seeing the god so joyful... was a rare thing to see in Tenkai...most gods would only be capable of momentary bursts of emotion...most of it being anger or lust...but seeing such happiness...in such potency...for such a long time...the sight fascinated Artemis.

"Hey! You should join me to descend. I'm sure when you meet the guy I'm talking about...you'll just love him to death! Hell, you might even roll in bed with him HAHAHAHAHAH"

Hearing his dirty jokes...Artemis was reminded...she was currently talking with a pervert who was trying to peep at her as she bathed.

She promptly activated her arcanum and aimed it squarely at the god...at Zeus.

"Woah there missy! No need to get all hostile. I admit. You're quite beautiful...but I prefer my women...more 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 you know? Like Hera! Boy, she's egregiously bountiful! I bet she even rivals that beaut Demeter!"

As Zeus immersed in his perverted thoughts. Not caring that the strongest arrow in heaven was aimed at him...a sound rang out through the divine forest Artemis used to bathe.

"𝙕 𝙀 𝙐 𝙎! ! ! ! "

The forest shook in response to the cry...an arcanum of binding began to press heavily on the atmosphere...an arcanum holding over the authority of the most sacred oath...of matrimony.

"...shit... it's Hera..."

Zeus began to sweat profusely as he could feel the familiar aura closing in on his location. So he promptly destroyed the bindings Artemis had placed on him with a lightning bolt...

"Seeya, goddess! Your bosom is a solid seven outta ten for me! Get some more fat on your butt and chest, then you can expect my visits more often~ Ciao!"

With a flash of lightning, the god began to head off in a direction away from her bath. And as if it were a divine automata constructed by Hephaestus, the arcanum aura of matrimony changed courses to follow the perverted god.

"..."

Artemis could only stand in confusion as water dripped down her body...but that smile...

"Can I...smile that widely?..."

The goddess never smiled much. Only for short periods of time when she talked with Hestia. But was it possible for her to smile so widely?

"Can gods change?... can I change?...to smile so wide...without worries?..."

Artemis looked upon the reflection of the water.

She tried putting her fingers to lift up her cheeks into a wide grin.

"..."

It wasn't natural in any depiction.

"... what's the worst that could happen..."

Moving back to bathing herself...considering descending...imagining the fool the perverted god described...Artemis faintly smiled.

"I wonder how foolish you are..."

She recalled the name of the fool the god had spoken about.

"Argonaut"

...

..

.

"LADY ARTEMIS!"

"MOTHER!"

"HOLD TIGHT ARTEMIS!"

∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎∎!!!

𝘽 𝙒 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙈 𝙈 𝙈 𝙈 𝙈

Reminiscence was shattered. Reality reintroduced.

Screams...tears...a cacophony of noise...so...so much noise...

'Can't it all just...stop?'

Light...violet light...hot...so...so...hot... it's burning...

'I can feel my skin burn...'

But the bright light nor the burning heat didn't make her wince...

'Tight...warm...this...feels much better...'

An embrace was all she felt at that moment...had she ever been embraced this tightly before?

'It would be alright if it ended here...in his arms...I can simply take care of my children...I can take care of him...in the afterlife...that should be fine...right?...'

Resignation...giving up...the world began to darken around Artemis.

But...he still didn't give up...for him who was given so much...after a life of nothing at all...a miraculous second chance...how could he possibly give up?

"..."

In the face of disaster.

"Don't worry Artemis..."

She couldn't see his face...his body obscured by the bright violet light he was blocking...his body and cloak...burning...his mask...fading...

"Don't worry a thing..."

It wasn't the sight of his back that she wanted to see...but his shoulders...were wide...they made her feel...safe...in spite of it all...she knew she was safe...without reason...or convincing argument...she simply felt it to be true.

"It will all be alright"

In the face of disaster...in the pits of despair that drowned even the divine...though faintly shown in the goddess' lifeless eyes.

"I'll be with you all the way"

He smiled widely.

𝘽 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙊 𝙈

...

..

.

AN:

Sorry for leaving it on a cliffhanger HAHAHAHAHA

This chapter is already at 10k words...I had to make the next part of the fight another chapter. There's so much I want to write, and I don't want to make a 20k wall of text.

Don't worry. My classes for tomorrow are canceled so I'll be able to write the next chapter quickly.

Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, and look forward to the next one!