24 Chapter 24 : Massacre

Artemis shot her arrow in response, but it narrowly missed Issei's head. Ducking underneath, launching himself forward and grabbing the Goddess by the head by slamming it onto the ground. However, he was quickly shot by another arrow by Artemis while she was on the ground, piercing through his armor and dealing critical damage to Issei, he was forced to let the woman go and back away. Looking at Artemis, he could see that he barely did anything to her.

As Issei stumbled back, his body wracked with pain from the arrow that pierced his armor, he gritted his teeth, determined to press on despite the overwhelming odds. "Partner... Her power is definitely on the level of the monster you had fought beforehand. However, rather than being inferior in combat, she is light-years beyond anything you could muster up." Ddraig knew the difference between the two... Issei was someone that fought when the odds were against him, but even this was something he wouldn't be able to handle alone.

"Pathetic man!" she spat, her voice dripping with disdain. "You dare challenge a Goddess? Your feeble attempts at combat are as futile as your existence!

"God class beings, even when they are on the lower end of the spectrum, are leagues beyond regular Satan class beings." Issei's eyes narrowed when hearing that, his muscles tense with a mix of pain and determination. There was no way that a brawl between the two would end in his favor... What was he going to do? For now, he would gathering his strength and continue, he lunged forward, his movements fueled by sheer anger. But Artemis, swift and agile, easily dodged his attacks, her divine speed unmatched.

With each dodge, Artemis would deliver a punishing counterstrike, her strikes carrying the force of a tempest. Her bow danced in her hands, unleashing a relentless barrage of arrows that sliced through the air with deadly precision. Issei fought to deflect them, his gauntlet-clad hands desperately swatting at the projectiles, but Artemis was relentless.

"Is this the best a mere mortal man can do?" Artemis taunted; her voice laced with derision. "Your feeble attempts are nothing but a source of amusement!"

While she continued insulting Issei, the dragon was noticing something. Each and every arrow, they were aiming for a specific area. Issei continued observing, while dodging and blocking all that he could, that they were aiming for crucial areas on his body. The organs and the ligaments in his bones were being aimed hoping to either maim him or deliver a deathly blow. The moment that he found an opening, where he would notice a small pattern of which ligament that she would aim for, he slipped through towards the right upon the next arrow, aiming for his heart, and appeared right in front of Artemis.

Once near the Goddess, Issei went with a high feint with his left jab followed by a sharp right hook. This would have been easily dodged by someone on Artemis's caliber, but the Goddess was feeling hugely cocky. Taking the right hook straight on and stumbling back from the attack, she looked back at him while smugly smirking.

"Is that all you have?" she sneered. "I expected more from a so-called dragon emperor!"

Artemis retaliated with a ferocious attack which Issei had predicted. Seeing as though the least protected area on his body was his lower left side, underneath his arm, he stepped back and dodged the attack. Artemis was slightly shocked in seeing this, turns out this dirty man does know how to think somewhat. Well, that won't be happening again. Using even more power, she shot another arrow that easily pierced through his arm... That was guarding his liver. Luckily, his arm took all the damage... The battle had only started several seconds ago and she was already destroying him.

"You're nothing but a weak, fragile man," she taunted, her voice dripping with superiority. "A pawn in the game of Gods."

Everyone had a weakness... What was this woman's weakness? Rather than doing anything else, Issei exploded... Releasing his full aura into the open environment, showcasing the pure raw power that he had within, Artemis backed away when seeing this. Now, the battle might get interesting...

Boosting... Boosting to the very max that he could, Issei looked upon the Goddess in pure disgust. She was the same as Raynare... Trying to kill him when he did nothing wrong. Immediately, Issei formed a small ball from the flames of Ddraig, showering the very flames upon Artemis... The woman in question ran around the flames, narrowly dodging the heat. While she ran around, her hunters began raining arrows upon Issei... However, they bounced off his armor.

Once Artemis appeared in front of Issei, she aimed to kick him in the head and end the fight with her power, but what she got instead was Issei holding the flames in front of him and smiling. "Gotcha bitch." And an explosion shot forward, engulfing the woman and causing her to scream...

The very flames that can burn the gods to ashes were quite harmful. Artemis finally understood that... Her cockiness understated Issei's power because of his sacred gear's power. Once the smoke lessened, Artemis was seen with some burn marks and some cuts...

'Alright, no more holding back...' Artemis said while taking a more serious stance. She had been holding back, playing around, and insulting Issei for her own entertainment, but now its time to end his pathetic life. The problem was... Issei knew that Artemis could very well end his life if she wanted to... the experience difference and skill difference was far too drastic.

However, that was when the huntresses rushed over to help their lady. Each one of them remain beside Artemis. "Do not worry, my girls, I am perfectly fine."

That was when Issei took his shot. Grabbing one of the huntresses and clenching his hands around her neck. Artemis widened her eyes upon seeing Issei's action. "What the hell are you doing, you vermin?"

Issei remained silent... Tightening his grip, Issei watched as Artemis began getting up in worry. "One more step and this girl is a goner."

He should have known... Her weakness was her very own huntresses. Screams from the huntress were heard, deafening screams.

"Let her go... You monster." Artemis said... Readying her bow.

"You and I both know, I would be able to react to your arrow. Even if I can't, I will still have seconds to rip this girl apart. If you want to take your chances, be my guest." Issei said while tightening his grip even further than before.

Artemis heard even more screams, shaking her heart upon seeing one of her huntresses crying in pain. Tears rolled down her eyes in fear of death approaching her. Dropping her bow... Issei looked at her with a grin behind his helmet. "I heard you like projectiles... Take some of these..." Taking more of Ddraig's flames, Issei began motioning a gun with his fingers and began shooting hundreds of shots. Each shot began burning marks on Artemis's body, burning away the very flesh that protected her. Sure, Issei's hands were burning from the flames, but Issei didn't care.

"My lady!" Each one of them screamed. However, Issei simply continued...

"I didn't want to do anything to you all... But you all wanted to kill me for being a man. I told you my intentions of running away and doing nothing to you all." Issei began speaking, each work having more disgust than the last. "However, my patience has run dry... I am no toy that this world will use again. Never will I ever be hurt."

Artemis could only growl in anger. However, Issei continued his onslaught... Blood began coloring the grass a crimson color, the trees themselves began burning, while the only thing that could be heard were the screams of women. Minutes passed and only Artemis with nearly her entire flesh burnt off remained. Her entire body was barely able to remain standing...

"Please... Stop this." Artemis begged... "I'll let you go... Just let us leave."

Issei was furious... She finally began switching sides upon being near death's door. When everything was lost, she really tried to beg him to let her go. She wasn't going to do this beforehand, she was aiming to kill him when he showed her respect and tried his best to leave without any problems. No way in hell was he going to let her go. It was evident that she was the type to hold grudges... She would definitely snitch on him to Zeus.

There was no other choice... He had to kill them for his survival. It was either him or them. In an instant, once seeing that Artemis was barely conscious... Issei crushed the neck of the huntress that he was holding. The body dropped and Artemis could only scream in sadness. However, that was short-lived when Issei appeared right in front of her, slamming his fist into her face and into the ground.

Without any hesitation, Issei continued punching her on the ground. The hunters tried their best to push Issei off of their lady, but Issei's aura began melting their very being. Screams filled the forest... Issei continued punching Artemis's face until only blood was left. Her face was unrecognizable at this point.

Artemis, in a last-ditch effort, mustering all the magic that she could, formed a barrier around herself and her huntresses while pushing Issei back. However...

Penetrate...

Shattering the barrier and continuing his assault, breaking each bone in Artemis's body, Issei was going to make sure that she suffers. Before Artemis could scream again, Issei grabbed her jaw and ripped it off her mouth. Right after that, Issei grabbed her body and brought it above his head.

With that, he slammed her back onto his knees. Applying even more pressure, placing all the emphasis of Ddraig's flames on his knees, Issei ripped Artemis's body in half. Flying to the sky, Issei watched as the huntresses began crying over the death of their lady... Issei couldn't help but feel some guilt in what he was doing, but he needed to remember that they were aiming to kill him when he was innocent.

With one final wave of his hand, the entire area where they fought turned into nothing but cinders. Artemis and her entire group murdered that night...

"All this could have been avoided..." With that, Issei decided that his trip here in America was over.

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