The sun rose over the horizon.
Morning had come, the birds were chirping, and the city was blessed with another day.
Inside the Twilight Manor, in Judas' room—
A ray of sunlight pierced through the window, striking Judas straight in the eyes and pulling him from his sleep.
Judas sat up with a yawn, his hair a mess, stretching out his arms.
His eyes remained closed because of the crust that had built up on his eyelids during the night.
"Bathroom..."
Hopping out of bed, Judas made his way to the nearest bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth.
"To the training grounds we go."
He didn't immediately head for breakfast.
Instead, he went straight to the training grounds.
"It feels a little eerie when the manor is this quiet."
As Judas walked through the empty halls, he knew this rare stillness would vanish the moment the familia returned from their expedition.
"If I remember correctly, it's been eight days since they departed to the deep floors... and also the exact time I've been a member."
"Expeditions to the deep floors usually last a week or two, depending on the situations they encounter in the dungeon."
As he stepped into the training area, Judas immediately sat cross-legged, his hands resting lightly on his knees.
He took a few breaths and closed his eyes. His worldview completely shifted.
All he saw was darkness, with wisps of colored light floating around him.
"Activate."
The faint glow of a magic circle pulsed beneath him, spreading outward in intricate lines across the floorboards.
He had carved this magic circle with the purpose of drawing in more mana.
Over time, he had been collecting the ambient mana in the environment and storing it within the circle.
Transforming the Loki Familia's training grounds into a field brimming with abundant energy... all for the sake of accelerating the healing process of his mana core.
'Slowly... carefully...'
Focusing inward, Judas could see the situation clearly.
His mana core, fractured and unstable, pulsed with erratic rhythms inside his chest.
Every time he drew mana, he could feel the jagged edges of the damage, like a cracked vessel straining to hold water.
Veins of light crawled across his skin as he directed his energy inward, forcing his circuits to guide the flow.
The pain came immediately... sharp and searing, as if molten iron were being poured through his body.
His jaw clenched, sweat beading on his forehead.
Still, he endured.
Bit by bit, he guided his mana to the cracks, weaving it into fine threads, forcing the broken core to stabilize.
It wasn't healing... not yet.
But it was mending, reinforcing itself layer by layer.
A single mistake could rupture everything.
'Patience. Don't rush.'
His breathing grew ragged, but he held on.
Hours passed in silence until finally, the violent surges inside him softened into a faint, steady rhythm.
The glow around him dimmed.
Judas opened his eyes, exhaustion written across his face, but there was a quiet satisfaction in his gaze.
'One step closer.'
This was a process that required time and consistent effort.
Like a towering structure, it could not be built in a single day, but only through persistent labor carried out over a long span of time.
He let out a long exhale, his breath laced with mana as faint, colorful wisps drifted into the air.
Judas turned his head when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
"Judas, you have visitors."
A guard announced as he walked up.
Judas groggily sat up, his legs weak and shaky from sitting cross-legged for so long.
"Visitors? Is this something related to what Loki did last night?"
He glanced at the sky and could already tell it was nearing noon.
Sighing, he thanked the guard, then got himself ready.
At the Twilight Manor's gates, a group of familiar faces was waiting.
"Astraea Familia? And Ryuu as well?"
Judas blinked in puzzlement, but still opened the gates to greet the so-called "girls of justice."
"Hey, I heard you got attacked yesterday by Freya's goons. Are you alright?"
Alise stood at the front, inspecting him like a concerned mother checking for injuries.
Judas patiently waited for her to finish before replying.
"I'm fine. Just some minor injuries. I'm already perfectly healed."
Seeing this, Alise grinned and patted her chest confidently.
"Good, be honored, because from now on, we, the Astraea Familia, have taken on a quest to protect our client Judas Spade."
"In other words... you."
She unfurled a piece of paper and presented it to him.
Judas took the document and read its contents.
"Huh? An official quest signed by the guild?"
His eyes widened slightly before shifting toward the Astraea Familia and then Ryuu, who was now wearing her classic combat outfit.
'Did Loki set this up?'
Before he could dwell on the thought, Alise spoke again, drawing his attention.
"From now on, we'll form an adventurer party... composed of the Astraea Familia's executives and me, the glorious and beautiful captain."
Alise struck a dramatic pose with her usual smug grin.
"Of course, we have Lion, who volunteered."
She gestured toward Ryuu, who seemed to be waiting for her cue.
"Mr. Spade, please allow me to fight alongside you."
Ryuu said with a small bow.
"I don't mind... I'm more concerned whether Mama Mia is alright with you going off duty."
"It's fine... I already have her permission. You can think of me as your temporary bodyguard."
Since everything seemed to be in order, Judas raised no further objections.
"It's been a while since we fought together, Lion. Even if its only for a short while, it's good to have you back."
Alise and the others turned to Ryuu with a smile.
"Right back at you, Alise... everyone."
Ryuu returned the smile softly.
"Your goddess went through the trouble of visiting our base and explained the situation. To be honest, when we heard the opponent was the Freya Familia, I almost wanted to back out."
Lyra grinned, shrugging as she spoke.
"However, as the familia who embodies and delivers justice, how could we turn our backs on something like this? That would make us cowards."
Kaguya, the far-eastern swordswoman, stepped up with a firm tone.
Judas looked at them for a few seconds before asking.
"Are you guys sure? The opponent is the Freya Familia, you know?"
'These women are really brave... or maybe just crazy. They seem completely unfazed at the thought of going up against the strongest faction in the city.'
Lyra smirked.
"Don't underestimate us, Judas. Sure, the Freya Familia may have stronger adventurers, but they wouldn't dare attack the Astraea Familia."
Her confidence was unwavering.
"It might sound like bragging."
She continued.
"But no matter how powerful they are, they can't rival our influence. Offending us is basically the same as offending the entire city of Orario."
She wasn't wrong.
To the people, the Astraea Familia was a symbol... a beacon of hope and justice.
Its members were women who dedicated themselves to upholding peace, and the masses held them in the highest regard.
Even among other familias, despite the grudges they may have fostered, many still owed the Astraea Familia enormous favors.
Their righteous actions over the years had built up a reputation no amount of valis could ever buy.
If the Freya Familia truly chose to antagonize them, the consequences would be severe.
It wouldn't just be Freya Familia vs. the Loki and Astraea Familias.
It would be Freya Familia vs. the entire city of Orario.
Compared to the Wargame arc that occurred in the fifth season of the anime, this time the Loki Familia would also be involved.
A situation where Freya would be guaranteed to lose if she actually took such a destructive path.
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