Chapter 89: Change Of Fate
(Morax: POV)
Dodging a slash from Rogue I stepped back and thrust my practice spear in his direction.
We're doing some training in our courtyard.
Moving slightly to the left Rogue dodged my strike and then attempted to close the distance between us.
Because spears aren't good weapons for close-quarters combat.
Good thing I am no ordinary spearman then.
Allowing Rogue to get closer I thrust out my palm toward his chest and managed to land a hit. Sending him staggering backwards.
Once I did this I moved to place the tip of my spear near his neck.
"Give up." I said.
"Yeah, it's your win." He said.
Once he did so I removed the spear I was using from his neck.
"Hey, so what's up?" I asked him.
Because during our entire sparring session just now Rogue was off kilter. Which usually never happens.
"If you can't talk about it I understand." I said.
Rogue shook his head. "No it's fine. The thing is my three year anniversary with Kaguya is coming up and I want to get her something special. But I'm at a loss on what I could." He explained.
I nodded my head in understanding.
As a guy in a relationship with two different women I understand the immense significance of anniversaries. Including the consequences of forgetting them or not putting in an effort towards them.
"I totally get it. So how about this?" I said. I then gave Rogue my suggestion for his anniversary present for Kaguya.
"That. Yeah, that can work. Thanks Morax." Rogue said.
"Anytime. I know you would do the same for me." I said.
After I did so we shared a manly handshake.
Mutual understanding passing between us.
Ah, how nice it is to have bros.
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Stretching my arms in the air I stood up from my desk.
Having just finished up some paperwork pertaining to the familia.
The one thing I hate about being captain.
But fortunately for me the amount of paperwork I have to do is small since our familia is small.
We actually get tons of applications, but like Astraea and Hermes familia we're extremely particular about who we let into our ranks.
I also don't want my paperwork load to increase.
Just imagining what the larger familia's must go through in that regard is enough to give me nightmares.
I don't know how Finn and Shakti deal with that shit.
As for Ottar I'm not sure. But probably not. Since his familia members only probably either spend their time trying to kill each other or worshipping Freya and literally licking the ground she walks on.
Yet another reason I am glad I am not apart of that familia which is the poster definition for the word simp.
Once I was done stretching I headed downstairs to get some food.
Entering the kitchen I got a snack and then sat down at the table to enjoy it.
Only to hear a loud crash a moment later.
*Crash!*
The second I heard this I was out of my seat and headed to where the crash came from.
Entering the living room I found Leonmitchelli, Gaul, Diluc, and the source of the crash immediately.
Rogue.
He dropped a cup on the floor and it shattered.
"Rogue, are you ok?" Diluc asked him.
"I, Kaguya." He said. His face as white as a sheet. "Guys I think she might be in danger. All of a sudden I got this really bad feeling." He revealed.
As he did so I felt my body run cold.
Since I knew what Rogue might be talking about.
That time might be here.
"If you feel so strongly, let's go and check on her." I said.
Doing my best not to let my own worries show in my voice.
"Yeah." Diluc agreed.
"Let's." Leonmitchelli added.
Gaul simply nodded his head.
Once he did so we quickly gathered our gear and headed out.
But not before I gave Athena a quick rundown of the situation.
Using our adventurer speed me arrived at Stardust Garden in no time at all.
The moment we did so Rogue started pounding on the door.
Which was answered a few moments later by Astraea.
"Lady Astraea please forgive me but is Kaguya here?" Rogue asked.
"No. She and the others are in the dungeon. They headed to the 22nd floor to investigate activities of the Rudra familia." She explained.
(A/N: The floor the Astraea familia fought the Juggernaut on in canon was never specified.)
The moment I heard this my blood ran cold.
So it's just as I feared.
"Why, what is wrong?" Astraea asked.
"I got a horrible feeling Kaguya is in trouble." Rogue said.
"Then let's stop wasting time. To the 22nd floor!" I almost shouted.
The others nodded in agreement.
We then left Astraea and rushed towards Babel Tower and the dungeon as fast as we could.
Since we all knew Rudra familia was part of Evilus.
But the real truth is that if we didn't arrive in time our precious friends would be slaughtered like cattle and I'll be damned if I'll allow that to happen.
As we entered the dungeon and carved up any monsters in our path I began praying.
Praying to the deity that sent me to this world all those years ago that we would make it in time.
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(3rd Person: POV)
In the dungeon the Astraea familia stood face-to-face with the Rudra famila.
The latter of which had set a trap to try to kill the former.
But Lyra saw through the plan and the Astraea familia avoided it without any casualties.
Things between the two groups were about to move forward.
That is until the dungeon cried.
A spine chilling cry that stopped the members of both familia completely in their tracks.
A few seconds after the dungeon released the horrible sound the ground cracked open and steam shot out of it.
Then a moment later a deafening howl range out and then it appeared.
A beast with blood red eyes and pitch black bones. Not a monster but something else entirely.
As the beast turned its gaze towards the Astraea familia no one had time to speak a word but it acted.
Blood flew threw the air as Asta was cut into tiny pieces.
"Asta?" Celty questioned.
Only to cough up blood a split second later. For the creatures tail had pierced her chest and ripped a massive hole through it a split second after it killed her friend.
Getting splashed with blood on her face and ears Filvis finally realized what just happened.
Two of her friends were dead.
"Uh....Agh!!!!!"
Screaming at the top of her lungs Filvis fell to her knees in utter terror.
But the creature in front of her cared not. For it only had one thing on its mind.
Killing everyone around it.
This was the dungeon ultimate defense.
The Apostle of murder.
The Juggernaut.
Turning its gaze on a distraught Filvis the Juggernaut leapt towards her and smacked her in the chest with one of its claws.
Flying into the wall Filvis coughed up blood and fell to the ground. Her breathing ragged since the attack she just sustained broke three of her ribs in one go.
"Filvis!" Alise shouted.
She couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Two of her friends dead, and her lover knocking at deaths door all from just one attack each from the Juggernaut.
It was like she was in some kind of living nightmare.
Leaping at Filvis again the Juggernaut intended to finish her off.
"No!" Alise shouted.
She got ready to move.
But she wasn't fast enough.
The Juggernaut reached Filvis before her and prepared to strike her with its tail.
But that did not happen.
Instead Kaguya intercepted the attack and saved Filvis life.
But not without cost.
Blood flew through the air once more as Kaguya herself was slammed into the wall by the Juggernaut.
Her right arm just above the elbow having been completely severed.
"Kaguya!" Alise shouted.
She was ready to cry.
Despair at the situation was beginning to overtake her.
Ignoring Alise' cries the Juggernaut turned its gaze to Filvis once more. Intending to end her this time around.
But just as it was about to move, a spear landed in its path.
Vortex Vanquisher.
Morax landing right beside it a moment later.
"That's enough!" Morax shouted at the top of his lungs.
He then unleashed his [Dragonification] skill and transformed.
Releasing a furious roar of his own at the Juggernaut.
Seeing this the remaining members of the Astraea familia became speechless.
While this happened Leonmitchelli and the others arrived, Morax having gone on ahead of them when he heard the Juggernaut being summoned.
Arriving on scene the quickly took in the situation.
Seeing Kaguya Rogue didn't hesitate and rushed to her side.
While the others went over to Alise and the rest.
Seeing Alise was stunned Leonmitchelli didn't hesitate and slapped her across the face.
Which knocked her back to her senses.
"Everyone listen, prepare to run!" Leonmitchelli shouted.
As she did so Alise echoed her words and the Astraea familia finally started taking action again.
Moving over to Filvis and Kaguya they performed emergency first-aid on them both my splashing them with high-grade potions.
While Morax focused his attention solely on the Juggernaut.
Seeing the bodies of Asta and Celty he felt sad he couldn't arrive in time to save them.
But he'll be damned if he lets the monster in front of him kill any more of his allies.
For he had come to change the Astraea familia's fate and that's exactly what he was going to do.
Releasing a roar at Morax the Juggernaut charged at him.
Signaling the start of their battle.