"Has the impact... stopped...?"
"What on earth was that...? That light just now..."
Ryu Lion and Aisha Belka had been caught in the flash. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves teleported outside the walls of Olympia.
"T-That... what is that...!!"
But the teleportation wasn't what commanded their attention.
Kiiiiiing—!
"A 'box' made of flames...? No, is it a barrier...!?"
"That's supposed to be Olympia...!?"
Crimson flames devoured the city, while a violet barrier sealed everything within. This was the current state of Olympia.
"No, that is an 'Altar.'"
The voice of Hermes reached their ears.
"Lord Hermes, Lady Hephaestus...."
"To be precise, it is that child's 'Shrine.'"
Vesta had used her authority to manifest her divine shrine through the medium of fire.
"I see... she intends to uphold and purify even that massive, polluted flame... at the cost of everything she is as a Goddess."
"Does the tale end here, or..."
A man clad in black also took in the sight of Olympia, now transformed into a divine sanctuary.
"Will a miracle truly occur..."
He placed a hand over his abdomen, contemplating the possibilities of what was to come.
".....Ugh...."
"Where is this....? What happened...."
In a forest somewhere outside Olympia, the rest of the party—excluding Bell—began to stir.
"Outside the city....? Were we teleported!?"
"Impossible... no matter how powerful a God may be... to wield such power..."
Hedin Selland and Horn regained consciousness simultaneously. They were both reeling from the overwhelming display of Vesta's power they had witnessed.
"....!! Where is Lord Bell!? And Lord Akumo... I don't see them!"
"They aren't nearby.... Could they have been sent elsewhere!?"
"Or are they still inside Olympia...!? We have to save them immediately...!"
Lilliluka Arde's words trailed off as she looked at the state of Olympia before them.
"We can't even guarantee we can break back in... not in this state, without our Falna..."
""!!""
"Forget finding Akumo or Bell, we can barely protect ourselves...."
"Are you saying there's nothing we can do...?"
Heavy silence followed Sanjouno Haruhime's question.
"....."
'No, if the story were meant to end like this...'
"....."
'Those people—that man—would never have come!'
However, the retainers of the Goddess remained steadfast. Because they were her Familia.
"""Do not give up!"""
They believed in their Goddess; they believed in themselves because she believed in them; and they believed in the man both they and their Goddess trusted.
"Nothing is over yet. We must find Akumo and Bell Cranel."
"He's right. We have to move."
"If we do not lose heart, the light of hope shall surely shine upon us!"
"".....?""
As they encouraged one another, Hedin and Horn finally realized something.
Someone else had joined their conversation.
"T-This voice!"
"This refreshing yet powerful and gallant voice!?"
"Is it the promised 'reinforcements'!?"
"Is it the Loki Familia? Or perhaps the Freya Familia? I wonder who it could be!"
"".....""
Unlike the hopeful group, Hedin and Horn wore grim expressions. They had thought of a specific male deity likely to arrive at such a time.
"Yes, the light of hope shall shine....!"
The God of the Sun—a powerful deity closely tied to Olympus and one of the Twelve.
"Like this incarnation of the Sun! APOLLO!!!!!!"
Was it... truly only this man....?
"""""".....""""""
"Bwahahaha!!!! I have come to help! Akumo~~~~ Beeeeell~~~~~-kun!!!!!!"
The thought would not leave their minds.
"Dammit!"
Welf Crozzo even spat out a curse he had picked up from Akumo.
-Please, wake up.
"".....""
-I beg of you, stand up... Orion...!
""....""
The heroes' memories had cut off the moment the flames engulfed them.
-Akumo!!!! Bell!!!!
""!!""
The cry of the Goddess reached them.
**
She had thought about it constantly.
"....."
What was so different about the moonlight that day?
-'The arrow is aimed not at the girl, but at destiny.'
What was different enough to change the predetermined conclusion? A conclusion even the Gods had given up on changing?
-'Let's go!!!'
-'Right!!'
She could not answer.
No, she must not answer.
"To doubt would be to negate that boy and that woman."
Looking up at the impossibly bright crescent moon, she pondered.
'....I wonder what you would think of me now.'
"....What kind of change will you show me this time?"
Me.... and this conclusion of a predetermined sacrifice....
"Can you change it once more?"
With those words, the heroes opened their eyes.
""Gasp....!?""
Akumo and Bell.
Battered and bruised, they snapped back to consciousness instantly.
"....."
'This is the worst.... absolutely the worst...'
"My body is broken..."
'And even my last resort...'
This was different from the ordeal in the Deep Floors.
Even if he staked his life, what could he achieve now?
-...
It was too quiet. The balance within him had been shattered.
'Let's be honest... I was going to use it.'
He had to carve his own path.
Yet, before flames that transcended human cognition, he had unconsciously tried to borrow their strength again.
Crack—!!!
Even if his body shattered, he wanted to save the girl before him.
"..."
But doing so would change nothing.
Only the subject of the sacrifice would change. The story would still spiral toward the same tragic end.
"Brother.... where are we....?"
"It looks like... we're outside Olympia."
It wasn't that borrowing strength was inherently wrong.
'I need to steady my mind....'
Aim higher. Make it more nonsensical. Be more arrogant. Be more greedy.
"....."
Whoosh—!!
".....!!"
But the more he imagined such a miracle, the more his mind was filled by the divine flames that burned with overwhelming pressure.
Even his dark flames had been usurped by that fire.
"Sigh....."
'This is bleak.... truly...'
Bell was struggling with similar thoughts.
"....."
'My Falna is sealed... I'm separated from everyone except Brother....'
"Lady Hestia....!"
Unlike a few minutes ago, when the problem was information or targets, the obstacle now was much more fundamental.
'Can we do it? Can we...?'
That 'Reality' tightened its grip around their throats.
"What are you two so worried about?"
""!?""
"Our Orions. Or should I say, our heroes?"
Two Goddesses approached them with smiles.
**
"Lady Artemis....!? Even Lady Freya...!!"
Bell was utterly bewildered by the sudden appearance of these two familiar Goddesses.
"How did you get here...!?"
"....."
".....Brother?"
Bell turned to his brother with eyes full of questions and concern.
"Sorry. I couldn't turn them down."
"BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Was this a case of misfortunes piling up, or a blessing in disguise?
Their Goddess was not just the Goddess of the Hearth.
"Ahaha... I didn't think things would turn out like this either..."
"Are you actually insane!?"
"....My apologies."
Akumo simply laughed off Bell's incredulous protest, offering a sheepish apology.
-Kwoooooooh!!!!!!!!
""!!""
A menacing roar erupted from the distance.
Thump—!!
"A Flame Beast...!?"
"What is that!? Is it like a Flame Man?"
"Yes...! They were supposed to only exist at the Altar..."
The Flame Beasts appeared suddenly, baring their savage fangs at Bell, Akumo, and the Goddesses.
"....."
'This is bad...! I need to grab Lady Freya and Lady Artemis and run...!'
Just as Bell gripped his dagger to flee the deteriorating situation—
Slash—!!!!
"Eh....?"
With a single sword strike from Akumo, the Flame Beasts were instantly dispersed.
"Oh my..."
"I thought you said you weren't in good condition?"
"Ahaha.... it's a bit complicated..."
Akumo had long since moved beyond the influence of Falna.
Even in a situation worse than expected, he was a more reliable combat asset than anyone could have imagined.
'Right, compared to the Deep Floors...'
"It's not a good situation, but it's not the worst either...."
'I'll take comfort in the fact that my body moves properly!'
Led by Akumo, the group moved away from the area.
Where would they head now?
**
"A bleak, ashen sky and a land crawling with aberrations."
"And the 'Polluted Flame' soaring into the heavens, whispering of destruction even now."
Meanwhile, a man was looking up at the sky, describing the current crisis in pedantic terms.
"What a terrifying and gruesome sight! Ah...! Is this truly the underworld....."
Snap—!
"But! There is no need to worry!"
The man displayed his beauty, his body shimmering with various ornaments.
"Because I, the Sun God Apollo, have descended!!!"
His name was Apollo.
The very same Apollo who had been defeated by Bell in a War Game and exiled from Orario.
"I shall save Bell and Akumo in their time of need, and I shall save Olympia as well!!! Aaaaah-hahahaha!!!!"
""""""....""""""
Lili's group was left speechless.
"Oho? Why the long faces, retainers of Hestia!"
"You look like you were playing discus in a rose garden and got hit square in the forehead by a returning boomerang."
Unaware of their reaction, Apollo continued to speak cheerfully.
"They are likely lost for words after witnessing Lord Apollo's benevolent and noble side, which surpasses even a Goddess."
Hyakinthos Clio added his usual fanatical commentary.
"Indeed! I can certainly understand that, my right hand, Hyakinthos! Hahaha!!!"
The heavy atmosphere from moments ago had vanished, replaced by a complete 180-degree shift in mood upon their arrival.
"What on earth is happening...?"
"Why is Lord Apollo here in Olympia...? This unexpected turn of events is giving me a headache..."
"Lady Mikoto, your confusion is so great your speech pattern has changed.... I have never met him, but surely this God is...."
The one who targeted Bell with an unfair War Game and got crushed in return....
"An extreme danger! It's Lord Apollo! And Hyakinthos next to him! They're two of a kind!"
Lili pointed at them and shouted.
"Why on earth are you here!?"
"I love, therefore I am! For Bell's sake, I would chase him to the ends of the universe!"
"I don't care about that! We're not getting anywhere!? Please answer seriously, Lord Apollo!"
Naturally, a straight answer didn't come easily. Only after Welf's intervention did the conversation finally progress.
"Hmm, I am always dead serious... but very well."
"My presence here isn't that grand. I thought, 'Isn't Olympia in danger?' so I came to check it out, and?"
"The 'Polluted Flame' was right on the verge of running wild!"
His answer was a string of coincidences. Lili couldn't help but snap back.
"You skipped way too much!? Explain it properly..."
"Hestia is inside those flames, isn't she?"
"!!"
Suddenly, Apollo's tone turned serious as he asked about Hestia's whereabouts.
"There are many Gods who govern fire, but there are not many who can suppress an 'Original Flame' that has become that distorted."
"Furthermore, you, her retainers, are here without your Falna? The answer is simple."
A bitter look for his old friend crossed Apollo's face.
"....So you chose to become the wick yourself, Hestia. The eternal sacred flame that once stole my heart."
He truly seemed moved to resolve the issue for the sake of his friend.
"Is that really Lord Apollo...?"
"He's not laughing weirdly..."
"It's actually weirder that he's answering seriously?"
"Everyone... you're being rude..."
"I can hear you, you brats!? I'll cut you in half!!!"
Of course, the group still found his serious side a bit alien....
"....By the way, I heard Akumo-kun came along as well? Where is Akumo, and Bell-kun?"
"That is.... we seem to have been separated from them."
Upon hearing this, Apollo reacted instantly.
"What!? You left the two of them alone in a place like this!? They must be trembling in fear... well, probably not! But they must be lonely!"
He grinned.
"I shall have to go and give them a warm embrace! Both of you!!!! Just you wait~!!!"
"Ah, there's the normal Lord Apollo."
Just as Apollo was about to dash off—
-Kwaaaaaaaoh!!!!!!!!
"It seems the filthy flames seek to tarnish your radiance."
Hyakinthos calmly drew his sword at the appearance of more Flame Beasts.
"My, even though Vesta's Altar has appeared... were the flames already in their final stages?"
Apollo analyzed the situation, which was more critical than he had thought.
"Why are you so calm!? Those things won't die!"
"....Is that not obvious! My dear children are here! How could I possibly show fear!!"
He struck a pose.
"Go! Hyakinthos!! Lyssos!!"
To reiterate, the love he showed his children was absolutely sincere.
========================
Your Power Stones help support the release of new chapters and promote this fanfic. Please consider sending a few...
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 206
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T