"That's probably how it all unfolded," Artemis confessed as she revealed everything to the Hestia familia at their residence.
"So, monsters have appeared outside Orario?" Goddess Hestia nodded thoughtfully, but the next moment, her expression shifted to one of skepticism. The young goddess raised a questioning brow.
"Do you expect me to believe that so easily?" she asked. "Hermes, who exactly is this person claiming to be Artemis? You know as well as I do that the real Artemis would never act the way she just did!"
Hermes, however, remained unfazed by her doubts, responding with a carefree tone, "Is that so? Perhaps Artemis has been influenced by the ways of the world."
"But now isn't the time for such discussions. Yami, as the chosen one, will you help Artemis with this?"
As soon as Hermes spoke, all eyes turned to Yami, as they had countless times today.
"Is there even any point in refusing at this stage?" Yami sighed. "Everything's been said and done. Besides, for Goddess Artemis's sake, I'll help you deal with the problems outside Orario. This world is still beautiful, and I wouldn't want it to be destroyed just like that. And... I don't want Hestia to return to the heavens either."
"Um?!" Yami's words caught Hermes and Artemis off guard, their expressions quickly shifting to surprise.
"Don't look at me like that," Yami continued, sensing their reactions. "I'm just perceptive. Goddess Artemis, you appeared before me yourself. If I hadn't noticed something strange, I wouldn't have been worthy of pulling out this spear, would I?"
"Artemis?" Goddess Hestia exclaimed in shock, while Goddess Hephaestus, after a brief moment of surprise, wore a serious and understanding expression.
"I must say, Orion, you are truly different from others," Hephaestus remarked.
"Please don't call me Orion," Yami said firmly. "I have my own name. Use that instead."
"Very well. But please, don't keep anything from us," Hephaestus insisted.
"I'm sorry, I never intended to hide anything," Artemis responded, her tone softening. "The truth is, my body has already been consumed by Antares. What you see before you is just my spirit, tied to the 'Orion's Spear.'"
She continued, "The next steps will be incredibly dangerous. We're up against Antares, who has gained divine power. If anyone wishes to turn back, now is the time."
"No way?!" The truth hit everyone hard. The revelation that a god had been consumed by a monster was beyond shocking.
"So that's how it is... this really is serious," Hephaestus sighed. "No wonder the 'Orion's Spear' appeared in the lower realm. I had no idea things had gotten this bad."
Understanding Yami's earlier concerns, Hephaestus realized the gravity of the situation. Antares, having absorbed Artemis's divine power, now possessed a fraction of the moon goddess's strength. As the most powerful archer among the gods, Artemis's strength was formidable, capable of catastrophic destruction. Even Antares, who had only just begun to wield this power, posed a grave threat.
The situation had become dire.
Despite Yami's strength, Hephaestus couldn't be sure he could defeat Antares. Yet, in this world, no one could stand alone.
"Yami, what will you do?" Hephaestus asked, her voice solemn. "Let me remind you, Antares is an ancient monster of immense power. Even the great elves could only seal it away, not kill it. And now that it has devoured Artemis and gained divine power, it's even stronger."
"Most adventurers wouldn't stand a chance against it."
Her warning resonated with everyone, and the atmosphere grew heavy. For the first time, they all felt the weight of their own powerlessness in the face of such overwhelming strength. If the world were to be destroyed, none of them would be spared—they would all vanish from existence.
Their only hope now rested on Yami, a man blessed by several gods.
Feeling the intensity of their gazes, Yami understood the implications of Hephaestus's words. He knew that he had the ability to travel to other worlds, which meant he wasn't as worried as the others.
In truth, if Yami chose to abandon this world, he could. He could send those connected to him to another world, let Antares destroy this one, and return later to rebuild. The losses would be purely economic.
And no matter what decision Yami made, Hephaestus would support him unconditionally.
"It does sound like a difficult choice," Yami mused, "but running away isn't my style."
"This world is beautiful and interesting. It would be a shame to let it be destroyed so easily. Besides, there are still many things here that matter to me. I can't just stand by and watch."
"Since I pulled out this spear, it must be fate. Let's see what this so-called ancient monster is made of!"
As Yami finished speaking, a radiant smile appeared on Artemis's face. "Thank you, Orion…no…Yami."
With Yami's decision made, it was time to act. Everyone agreed to set out immediately, not wanting to risk facing Antares after it had fully mastered Artemis's divine power.
Hermes left to handle the preparations for leaving Orario, while Hephaestus and Hestia joined Artemis, the three goddesses discussing matters among themselves. Yet, every so often, their eyes would flicker toward Yami with a peculiar look.
But Yami had no time to pay attention to their glances. He was currently being pestered by Tsubaki, who was eager to examine the 'Orion's Spear' in his hand.