Fifth District
"Ottar-sama, Allen-sama, is it really wise?" A messenger's voice was laced with hesitation. "Not letting Hogni-sama, Hedin-sama, and Alfrigg-sama join the assault?"
Surrounded by the warriors of the Freya Familia, Ottar's gaze was like a spear, fixed solely on the building before them.
"There's no need for them." He said, voice heavy with confidence. "I alone will be enough to crush them."
Allen's eyes gleamed coldly as he said, "Reserve command rests with Hedin. If anything happens, follow his lead."
The messenger straightened, then bowed deeply. "As you command. May your blades find glory."
The moment he departed, preparations moved into full swing. Freya's warriors stood shoulder to shoulder, their wills united by a single thought.
We fight for Freya-sama. We bring her victory.
"When the time comes, I'll devour them whole. Don't hold back." Ottar growled.
"That's right. Complete annihilation." Allen replied with a smirk.
Seventh District
"Finn, all preparations are complete." Riveria reported, her staff in hand, her green eyes unwavering.
Three simultaneous strikes, three enemy strongholds. The order was his to give.
But Finn's brow furrowed. "My thumb hurts."
Gareth glanced over, his expression turning serious. "Your intuition again?"
Finn flexed his gloved fingers, the smallest one was trembling. "Since the Dark Age began eight years ago, the pain comes when danger looms. Today, it's sharper than ever."
Riveria's gaze narrowed. "Then?"
The three of them, who had faced countless trials, fell silent for a heartbeat.
Then Finn's eyes hardened. "We proceed. There's no merit in delay. We've made every preparation. Now, we break through or we fall together."
Across the city, silence spread like a shadow before the storm. Gods and mortals alike watched, Freya atop her tower, Hermes at the walls, Ganesha in his estate, Astraea with her eyes closed in prayer.
From Asfi's standby team to the blacksmith, healers, and every waiting adventurer, eyes locked on the enemy strongholds.
Alise, Kaguya, Lyra, Shakti, and Adi. Ottar and Allen. Finn, Riveria, Gareth. All of them were ready.
The time had come.
Akira's hand closed over the hilt of his long-unused one-handed sword.
Tick.
"Time's up." Riveria's voice was calm, almost serene.
The air erupted with killing intent.
"Assault!" Finn's order thundered across the battlefield.
The doors of the District 6 stronghold shattered under a deafening blast.
"Enemy! Enemy attack—!?"
Panic rose in the enemy ranks, but it was too late. Adventurers poured in like a roaring tide, a magic cannon's smoke still curling behind them.
"Attack!!!" Shakti's voice cut through the chaos, a command and a war cry in one.
Akira surged forward, his red eyes blazing, his boots smashing against the floor as he became the tip of the spear.
In the blink of an eye, several Evilus soldiers met him, and never drew breath again. His sword cut through them without hesitation, no mercy, no half-measures. This wasn't a sparring ground, they had chosen a path where death was the only exit.
Behind him, the warriors of the Ganesha Familia stormed in, their numbers swelling the charge. Among them were the battle-maidens of Astraea Familia, blades glittering as they struck with deadly grace.
"Guwahhh—!?"
Ryuu's wooden sword blurred in the air, felling an enemy before he could even cry out.
Beside her, Kaguya, Asta, and Noin tore through the enemy ranks like a hurricane of steel.
At the same time.
A soft sigh escaped Astraea's lips, her expression serene yet faintly shadowed by concern. Those eyes, bright and pure as starlight, gazed unblinkingly toward the distant battlefield where the clash of steel and magic raged. Beneath that divine calmness, a subtle glimmer of unease lingered.
Even though she carried full confidence in Akira's abilities, the battlefield was a place where certainty was a fragile thing. It changed in the blink of an eye. No one, not even a goddess, could truly foresee what would happen next.
Behind her, Lili watched in silence for a moment, her gaze falling on the gentle yet worried back of the goddess she served.
Mustering courage, she stepped forward and offered a voice of comfort, "Astraea-sama, it's okay. Akira-sama and the others are so powerful, there will definitely be no problems."
Her words were firm, but the faint tremble in her hands exposed her own anxiety.
As someone with limited combat power, she had no choice but to remain at the base, standing by Astraea's side. In truth, if danger were to come here, it might be she who would need protection from her goddess.
"Mm. Everyone will definitely return safely." Astraea gave a small nod, her voice gentle but distant, her gaze still fixed unwaveringly on that far-off point.
— — —
"Haaa!"
Akira's shout rang out like a war drum. His right foot grounded with explosive force, while his left shot out like a whip, striking the enemy's chest with a sound that split the air.
Puff—!
The blow left a deep dent in the man's armor and chest alike, hurling him backwards. His body crashed into the wall with bone-jarring force, the stone splintering and cracking from the impact. Gravity took him the rest of the way, slamming him to the floor where he lay unmoving.
A single glance revealed the scene, every enemy in the lobby had already been suppressed.
"Quickly! Secure this entire facility!" Alise's commanding voice rang clear and sharp. "Neze, Maryuu, Iska, split into teams and advance! Our main force pushes deeper!"
Shakti followed immediately with her own orders, just as firm. "Don't let anyone escape! Disable them if you must, but arrest as many as possible!"
The moment their instructions rang out—
"Okay!"
"Understood!"
The high-level adventurers of the Ganesha Familia sprang into motion. Neze and the others split into different directions, vanishing down eastern and western corridors, heading deeper into the enemy stronghold.
Their destination loomed ahead, a broad passage, its walls breached in several places, as if torn apart by both battle and deliberate demolition.
The bare, exposed building materials and grimy grey floors lent the place an air less of an abandoned business and more of a derelict factory. The stacks of weapons, strange devices, and crates of supplies only reinforced the feeling, this was no mere hideout, but a villain's den.
"Incoming! Passage ahead, and above!"
Lyra, stationed at the center formation, called out sharply. Her senses, sharpened and dependable, had picked up the danger before anyone else.
Stepping past her, Adi's voice rang clear. "Leave it to me!"
Though she was not someone who reveled in harming others, Adi was still a solid Level 3 adventurer.
Raising her one-handed sword Sacred Oath, she moved forward. This blade had brought justice to countless monsters and sinners alike. As the weapon of a guardian who upheld order yet wished to avoid unnecessary death, it carried a unique enchantment. When magic is infused into it, its edge dulls, reducing lethality. But without magic, it becomes a genuine second-class weapon, sharp and deadly.
With a few heavy strikes, she intercepted a high-ranking member of evilus who had leapt down from the skylight-like opening above the wide passage. He hit the ground with a thunderous bang, armor rattling from the impact.
"Useless elf, you handle the right! I'll take the other!"
"You don't need to tell me! And shut up!"
Kaguya and Ryuu clashed verbally even as enemy soldiers burst through the front passage, kicking doors open and charging in.
The girls met them head-on, swords flashing, one steel, one wood, faces unflinching despite the odds. They fought with a beauty that was as deadly as it was captivating.