Inside the Ganesha familia home, moments after people finished volunteering to do something other than stand there helplessly, waiting, hoping. One of the old fogies, designated to protect Ganesha, heard a noise…
"Huh? What was that?"
"What do you mean?"
"I heard something… It wasn't normal."
Everyone drew their weapons, and even started casting. There was no need to be too relaxed.
"Damn, I was hoping to get this over with in a single move."
"Hehehe Sister, sister, Vito messed up."
"Hahaha! Yes, yes, he did. That means we can play!"
"Playing is so much fun!"
"Let's share our love."
The sisters' magic released with full force, targeting places used to keep people safe. However, to them, it was like a target begging to be killed.
"Yay, yay!"
"So much love!"
"Yes, yes, so much!"
"YOU DEMONS!" One of the older women said, interrupting their celebration.
"WHAT?!"
"We're beautiful fairies!"
"Sister, I think this hag wants to die!"
"I think so too sister."
Vito groaned, and then charged in to start the fight. A rather terrible idea considering he just prevented the two sisters from using their charm skill.
"Hey! What's the big idea Vito?"
"Stop this nonsense, you know good and well who our targets are here."
"Oh? Yep, yep. That Ganesha guy, and the woman…"
"Sister, I think she's pregnant."
"I think so too!"
"Let's kill her slowly."
"No! You fools!"
Ardee, having heard she was a designated target, cast her spell on every single one of the members on guard duty. Suddenly, their chances were far better.
"Damn it, see what you did!" You deal with these rabble. I'll get the girlie." Vito grinned. "I've wondered what it would look like for a while now."
"What?" Ardee mentioned, preparing her blade. I won't go down easily. I refuse…
"I want to see what hue your blood takes on… Oh and I'm curious, how does that thing taste?" He licked his blade, and then pointed at Ardee's belly.
Ardee's typical smile vanished, replaced with an expression sending a chill down Vito's spine. "If you think I'm just going to roll over, and let you have your way, you have another thing coming. You sick evil bastard."
"Oh ho! This'll be fun! Lots of fun!"
What began was the toughest battle yet. Ardee, while being a level 5, was pregnant, limiting her ability enough to the point she was really only around a high level 4. Vito pressed forward, deftly dodging Ardee's blade, and struck in a blind spot.
Ardee reacted, twisting her sword to protect herself, parrying Vito's blade, however, he had a second one that nearly met the mark, instead it scratched her shoulder.
Vito bounced around, parrying and countering Ardee's sword. He landed a small cut every other attack. None of them were too bad.
Ardee continued her fight with Vito, unable to lend assistance to the others, who by this point were already dying… Their isolated match was made worse with Ardee having to constantly get in front of Vito to also protect Ganesha. There was simply far too much riding on her familia to just let Ganesha experience harm.
The rest of the guards assigned to Ganesha… Well, the last one just fell, dead. The two Dis sisters danced in the pools of blood, splattering it all around the floor, walls, and anything else there was.
"Yay, yay! That was fun!"
"Yep, yep. We loved them good!"
"Look at that, your allies are finished, it's only a matter of time before you meet them again." Vito grinned.
"I won't fall, too much rides on me right now."
"I know, that's why my Lord has ordered me to kill-"
"Huh, who are you guys?"
"Sister, who are they?"
"Hashana? You came back?" Ardee got distracted for a moment.
Vito could tell, he wasn't going to succeed, three first class adventures returning like this was not a good sign… This changes things. I can beat Ardee, but that'll be everything I've got. It would be tough, but not impossible… Shit! He noticed the Astraea members, and took action to seize the moment. Lunging forward, he didn't care about anything else, he just had to see it, at the very least…
First, the wolf hidden within her soul came out, and blocked a blade, then the spirit did the same. Vito continued, and both blades carved deep into Ardee's belly, slicing from one side to the other, missing her spine, but hitting almost everything else.
"Ahahaha!!!!!" Vito laughed.
Ardee, in her surprise, couldn't bring her sword down. Neze on the other hand saw what happened, seeing red, she charged after Vito.
"Not today." Vito threw a smokey stink bomb and fled into the streets.
Alise, and the others killed the Dis Sisters in a moment of rage. It was not a close fight, they became smoldering chopped corpses in a matter of seconds.
"Ardee!!!!" Ryuu ran to her friend.
The blank expression on Ardee's face was one of disbelief. She was alive… but…
The healers in Astraea familia did everything they could think of, but it was too late.
"Thank you for your assistance here, Alise."
"Yeah…" Her knuckles turned white.
"Ardee!? Ardee!!!!" Ganesha cried, falling to his knees. Seeing his child mentally broken, the only reason she was alive was her pulse.
"Lord Ganesha, this wasn't your fault-"
"I know, but… She wanted that baby since her mother told her how much she loved her! Her whole life-"
"I don't mean that. This hellscape is not run by mortals. There's no way it's possible for any mortal to convince that many dragons to attack the city. Even if we account for the two who might have the strength to do so, neither of them would even think of it."
"Are you asking me to release my Arcanum to solve this?"
"If that's what has to be done…"
Ganesha stood up. "Children of Astraea, please take my Ardee to a safer place. Shurry will be returning as soon as he can…" He began to glow, releasing a whole ton of Arcanum, and…
…
Deep in the dungeon, floor 80, Shurry was fighting numerous powerful monsters. Each one with incredibly high levels. When he finally got a break in the spawning.
"Finally cleared the floor." A small mirror appeared before him, there was no sound, but he could see what was going on, including Ardee's current state. And then a piece of paper asking him to return as soon as he can. "You don't have to ask…" His eyes narrowed with an untold fury. "Once I find the one who killed my unborn kid… I'll rip them apart."
Shurry announced his ascent with a powerful howl, reaching up a great many floors.
…