Inside the Great Tree Sea Ruins
After neutralizing the Moon Bow and Arrow, the second moon in the sky vanished.
At that moment, Antares was still pinned to the ground, unable to move. Though its broken pincers and tail had completely regenerated, no amount of effort could free it from its restraints.
"Don't bother struggling. If you had fully harnessed the divine power of Goddess Artemis, you might have broken free, but unfortunately, you haven't."
"So, you might as well behave yourself!"
As Yami spoke calmly, he swung his blade.
Antares's limbs were effortlessly severed, as easily as slicing through leaves.
A surge of pain wracked Antares, and it let out another piercing wail as multicolored blood sprayed across the surroundings.
Yet, Yami remained unscathed, untouched by the blood.
Not only that, Yami's magic suppressed the healing of Antares's wounds and prevented the regeneration of its limbs.
"Now, let me free you, Goddess Artemis!"
With those words, Yami reached out and lightly tapped the crystal embedded in Antares's chest. Like a spider's web, cracks spread rapidly across its surface.
The next moment, the crystal shattered completely.
A stunning female figure was instantly revealed to the open air.
With quick reflexes, Yami waved his hand, and a massive magic circle rose up, completely shielding the scene from onlookers.
After all, she was a goddess, and it wouldn't be proper for others to see her in this state.
But as for Yami himself… well, he didn't consider himself part of "others."
Antares wasn't dead yet, so someone had to remain vigilant. Otherwise, if the ancient monster made a desperate final move, things could get messy.
"Orion, you really…"
Artemis, still extremely weak, had just regained her senses.
However, realizing her current situation, the virgin goddess was overwhelmed with embarrassment, nearly fainting from the shame.
Her body was completely unclothed!
"Artemis, don't just stand there. The danger has passed; let's get you back to safety!"
The slightly oblivious Goddess Hestia, unaware of Artemis's thoughts, simply felt relief for her friend.
Goddess Hephaestus, on the other hand, sighed helplessly.
"Alright, Artemis, I understand your emotions are complicated right now, but let's get you back to your own body first. We can discuss everything else later."
"I'll do as you say, Herphaestus."
Artemis quickly snapped out of her shyness but her expression darkened once more.
"The rest of you, wait here for a moment! Especially you, Hermes."
"Understood, Hestia(Hephaestus-sama)-sama."
Hermes: \:
The adventurers responded in unison.
Soon after, the three goddesses, each radiating their unique charm, gathered before Antares.
From a distance, Antares hadn't seemed as large, but now, up close, the sheer size of the massive black scorpion was overwhelming!
Yet, it was completely immobilized now, thanks to the sheer power that had been unleashed.
"I say, Yami, how long do you plan on holding her?"
As they approached, Goddess Hephaestus noticed Yami's gaze fixed intently on Artemis, still cradled in his arms, and couldn't help but speak up.
There was a hint of jealousy in her tone.
"Uh… isn't the ground too dirty?"
Yami responded, a little embarrassed, but still didn't release his hold.
Naturally, this didn't escape the sharp eyes of Goddess Hephaestus.
The red-haired goddess, well aware of Yami's tendencies, knew exactly what he was thinking but didn't scold him.
At most, she chastised herself inwardly for falling in love with such a playful man.
"Well, I suppose I should thank you for your consideration?"
"But what do you think of Artemis?"
"She's truly stunning. Compared to her spirit form, Goddess Artemis's real body is far more beautiful and alluring…"
As he spoke, Yami's voice trailed off.
He looked up and found himself under the scrutiny of three very different expressions.
One was filled with bemusement, another with shy embarrassment, and the last with a slight disdain, as if gazing at a scoundrel.
The combination of these three different looks was enough to make anyone pause.
"Hey, it's not what you think! I'm just appreciating something beautiful, nothing more!"
"Now then, Goddess Artemis, you should quickly return to your body and ensure everything is in order."
Yami, trying to change the subject, easily exposed his thoughts to the three goddesses.
However, they didn't dwell on it.
Goddess Artemis glanced at Hestia and Hephaestus, drawing strength from her two best friends.
After a slow nod, her eyes settled on her true body, still held in Yami's arms.
The spirit form in front of her dissolved into glowing particles, which floated toward her body.
As the light spots merged with her physical form, the spirit form vanished, but Yami sensed something different.
The cold body in his arms regained its warmth.
The heart began to beat again, and blood started flowing through her veins.
Pale skin flushed with color as blood circulated once more.
Under the watchful eyes of all present, Goddess Artemis slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was a handsome face.
"Welcome back, Goddess Artemis."
Yami smiled, genuinely welcoming her return.
Having been trapped for so long, Artemis appeared disoriented as her spirit returned to her body.
But upon hearing Yami's words, she smiled back.
She was indeed the Goddess of the Moon!
That simple smile was already one of the most beautiful sights in the world.