"Bell, from this moment on, you and I are launching a frontal assault."
"Understood!"
'Mikoto-san is heading toward Haruhime-san... while Brother and I break through the front...!'
Akumo, cloaked in a robe to mask his identity, walked with a regal, unshakeable gait alongside Bell through the empty streets of the Pleasure Quarter.
Dong—
Dong—
Dong—
'I don't care if people curse me. I don't care if the fight turns ugly!'
"Even so, we will save her."
"Then let's go, right now!"
"I will become her hero!!"
Bell, his hand charging a hero's strike, and Akumo, a cold smile touching his lips as he discarded his concealment, broke into a sprint toward the Ishtar Familia home.
Tadadadak—!!!!
"What are those guys!?"
"A frontal attack...!!"
The Amazones on guard duty were thrown into immediate disarray, drawing their weapons in frantic haste, but—
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!!!!!!!"
Kwaaaaang—!!!!!!!!!!!
""""Kyaaaak!!!!??""""
The massive explosion unleashed by Bell didn't just consume the guards; it shattered the front gates entirely. Akumo and Bell surged through the wreckage, their entry a thunderous declaration of war to everyone within the building.
"An intruder!!"
"It's [Little Rookie] and... wait... is that—!?"
Pbebebek—!!!!
"Stay unconscious."
"S-So fast...!!"
Puuuung—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As Bell's [Fire Bolt] began systematically dismantling the architecture of their home, Akumo moved with the predatory grace of a high-tier executioner. In a single blur of motion, multiple Amazones collapsed before they could even track his silhouette.
"Oraaaa!!!!!!!!!!!"
Kwang—!!!!!!!!
"Tch...! Who the hell is this guy...!"
"Did you call for me?"
'Since when...?'
Bbaak—!!!!
The violent momentum of the two men tore through the Ishtar Familia like a gale, and the chaos quickly radiated outward.
"It seems it has finally begun."
"Since Akumo-sama went in personally, I wasn't worried, but still..."
'He's certainly doing it with a flourish...'
"Well, Ishtar is the one who crossed the line first. Let us proceed without hesitation!"
""""Yes!""""
Waiting at the entrance of the Pleasure Quarter, Hestia, Welf, and Lily—along with Ouka and Chigusa who had joined to save Haruhime—took advantage of the distraction and charged toward the Ishtar Familia headquarters.
Ku-ung—!
Ku-ung—!
"[Little Rookie] has returned~"
"...!!"
"Did he come alone?"
"It looks like the black-haired brat from before is with him. This offers quite the variety of delicacies to devour. Gek-gek-gek-gek."
Hearing Phryne's words, Aisha internally scoffed. She felt a volatile mix of tension and anticipation, wondering exactly how Akumo would dismantle their warriors this time.
"Samira, continue with the ritual preparations. Aisha, you're with me. We take the Little Rookie."
"Got it."
Step, step—
"..."
"Have faith, Haruhime."
"...!!"
At Aisha's brief remark, Haruhime, who had been trembling in fear for Bell and Akumo, opened her eyes. She recalled the gaze of the heroes she had glimpsed within them.
"Bell-sama.... Akumo-sama...."
**
Kwaang—!!!!!!!!
"Geheheh, did you come back because you missed me?"
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!!"
Paak—!!!!!!!!!!
'She parried it with her bare hand...!'
"Such trashy magic."
Kaang—!!!!!!!!!!
Phryne immediately lunged for Bell. Though Bell attempted to keep her at bay with a barrage of [Fire Bolt], she lived up to her Level 5 status by swatting the magic aside like flies, relentlessly pinning Bell down with her massive axe.
"Kh—!"
Catch—!
"You okay, Bell?"
"Brother...! What about the other side!?"
"They're gathering in the courtyard. I've already cleared out the rest."
The one who caught Bell as he was blasted through a wall was Akumo. He had sensed a small group of core members congregating at the upper courtyard for the ritual and had circled back to retrieve Bell.
"You boys did well, but this is as far as you go!"
Cha-eng—!
"...Brother."
"I know. Step back."
Step, step—
'Since we've come this deep... I suppose I should stop holding back so much.'
Ku-gu-guk—!
""""!!!""""
Everyone present felt it. The absolute, unadulterated strength of the man approaching them was the real thing. Even Phryne, who acknowledged nothing but brute force, found herself breaking into a cold sweat.
Just as Akumo was about to fully engage—
Grab—!!
"Kh—!?"
"Fall back, all of you."
Step, step—
"""Ishtar-sama!?"""
"Tammuz will stay here. The rest of you, focus on the ritual of the Killing Stone."
A man named Tammuz appeared and restrained Bell, while Ishtar's command forced the other Amazones to retreat.
"Welcome back, men. Was there a woman here you couldn't leave behind?"
"...!"
"Fufu, you have quite a fine look in your eyes. This is meant to be retaliation against that woman, but I think this might be rather entertaining."
Ishtar stood before them with a seductive, overwhelming allure, intending to crush them with her Divine Charm at any moment. However, Akumo merely stared at her with the same unimpressed, lethargic eyes as before, while Bell, though blushing, held a will that remained unshaken.
"Why... why does Haruhime-san have to be sacrificed?"
"Hahaha!! You have me standing right in front of you, and you're talking about another woman?"
"Answer me!!!"
"Do you not know already?"
"It's the Level Boost, isn't it?"
"Indeed! With that sorcery, I can drag that woman down from her tower!"
"..."
Believing her plan was already a success, Ishtar began to vent her venomous rage and jealousy toward Freya.
"I despise everything about her."
"Men are too busy praising her as the most beautiful, while ignoring me."
"In what world does that sow's beauty exceed mine!?"
"Are your eyes made of wood? You wretched fools."
Listening to her words, Bell could not accept that Haruhime's life was being discarded for such a petty reason. It was then that Akumo moved.
"Class."
"...What?"
"You lack any shred of class."
"..."
Ishtar froze at the words of the man standing before her. Akumo continued his critique with cold, clinical indifference.
"What you say about divine desire isn't entirely wrong."
"But you are the one who negated it first."
"You've defiled the very title of 'Prostitute' yourself, and you've gone further to invite chaos not just into your Familia, but into Orario itself."
'This confirms it. The Ishtar Familia is already connected to Knossos.'
"Why should anyone praise a woman like you?"
As his words fell, Ishtar's eyes widened. The sense of anomaly, the profound dissonance she felt from him... and above all, the fact that her Charm was being utterly ignored led her to one conclusion.
'This feeling... this unfathomable weight...!'
"You... you're a [Pioneer]!?"
Swish—!
"Only realizing it now?"
"Ha! It doesn't matter."
Ripp—!
"I'll charm you right here—"
Grab—!!
"Kehook!!?"
Akumo seized her by the throat and hoisted her into the air. Shocked by the sight, Tammuz forgot his hold on Bell and immediately targeted Akumo's back, but—
Bbeok—!!!
Kwaang—!!!
"W-What...!!"
'He took down Tammuz, a Level 4, in a single strike...!'
"Bell, go stop the ritual immediately. I have business to finish here."
"Got it!"
Tadadak—!!
"Charm didn't even work on [Little Rookie]!?"
Ishtar was struck by a second wave of shock as Bell ignored her naked form and fled the room without a second glance. Akumo, indifferent to her reaction, tightened his grip on her neck, interrogating her with terrifying focus.
"Tell me everything you know about the Man-made Dungeon, Knossos."
Chills ran down her spine.
"...!!"
'What is this pressure...!'
"I assume you are the primary financier for Thanatos."
Akumo shed his robe. He no longer felt the need or desire to hide his identity.
Realizing that this deity's whims and jealousy were linked to the incidents in Melen, the events in Knossos, and the Demi-Spirit, Akumo set aside his respect for the divine. He bared a cold, predatory wrath directed solely at his enemy.
"Every word. Every single word. You'd better make them count, Ishtar."
Meanwhile, Mikoto was facing warriors who were her equals or her superiors.
"Haruhime-dono!"
"Why...? Please go back, Mikoto-sama!"
"It does not matter how many times you refuse me!! This one... will save you!"
"...!!"
Mikoto, her body already battered, tightened her grip on her sword and faced the Level 3 warrior 'Samira' as she approached.
"How charming~ of you!"
Swish—
"Hey, Phryne. I'll handle this one."
"Aah~?"
"I was getting bored just waiting for the ritual!"
"Whatever, do as you please~"
Whish—!!
The moment the words left her mouth, Samira charged Mikoto bare-handed, unleashing a violent barrage of punches.
Pbeok—!
Bbaak—!
"Kh—!!"
Pbebebebek—!!!
"Hey, hey, is this all you've got~!!!"
As a Level 2, Mikoto could not properly react to the onslaught. Damage began to accumulate as she was pummeled relentlessly.
'So strong...! Is this the disparity of a Level 3...?'
Pbeok—!!!
"Kuha—!?"
Mikoto was finally sent flying by a brutal uppercut to the jaw. As Phryne watched the exchange with sadistic glee, another Amazone approached her to deliver a report.
"They say [Little Rookie] has escaped."
"The rabbit ran away? What on earth is Ishtar-sama doing?"
Kwang—!
"Hey~ you're watching from somewhere, aren't you? [Little Rookie]!!!"
"...!"
"If you don't come out right now, your friend here is going to die!!!"
Phryne's shout echoed through the courtyard. Just as she expected, Bell, who had been observing the situation from hiding, paled in distress.
"Kh...!"
'From here, it's up to me...!'
Realizing how dire the situation was, Bell prepared to reveal himself to help Mikoto. But in that moment, another shout rang across the courtyard.
"Bell-dono!!!!!! Not yet!!!"
"Heh~? Then what?"
Step—!
"We don't exactly have much time left, you know?"
Shuuuuuu—!!!
As Samira's hand pointed toward Haruhime, the light of the crescent moon focused upon the Renard, and her surroundings began to glow with an eerie green hue.
Realizing that the ritual was truly beginning, Mikoto steeled her resolve.
-'Listen well, Mikoto.'
-'A ninja is a lowly, unrefined existence.'
-'It might not suit you.'
-'But a ninja offers absolute loyalty.'
-'When you add a precious person to that, your honest and kind soul will surely become more of a ninja than anyone else.'
"I will surpass... their predictions...!"
"I'll end this for you!"
Mikoto recalled her god's words and renewed her determination. Just as Samira's fist swung to deliver the finishing blow—
Grab—!!
"!?"
'She caught me? Why?'
"[A name too revered to even speak——]"
"Hey, hey, you're trying to chant magic in this state? I told you, we have no time!"
Pbeok—!!!
Bbaak—!!!
"G—[O my God of War who crushes all things]"
Pbeok—!!!!
"[Guide me from the harsh heavens.]...!"
Grind—!!!
"I saw that magic during the War Game. I know exactly how long it takes to chant!"
Shuuuu—
Contrary to Samira's expectations, Mikoto's magic did not glow with the purple light of the War Game. Instead, a dangerous, volatile crimson light began to envelop Mikoto's body.
"[Infuse this small body with your magnificent divine power.]"
"N-No way...!"
'Is this brat really aiming for that!?'
Pbeok—!!!
"Let go!!!!"
Bbaak—!!!!!
"I said, let me go!!!"
'The ultimate art of a ninja that defies all predictions—the ultimate surprise attack!'
The crimson light was the warning of an Ignis Fatuus—magic failure. Feeling the sudden lethal threat from this madness, Samira tried desperately to pry Mikoto off, but Mikoto's resolve to repay her debt to her god and her benefactor held fast. She would not let go.
Bbaak—!!!!
"Y-You guys! Get this bitch off m—"
"[Save me, light of purification]!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Immediately, a violent crimson explosion consumed the entire courtyard.