"Telskyura Kingdom?" Ryoji looked completely baffled. "The heck is that?"
He barely even understood Orario itself, let alone the kingdoms beyond it. Orario was almost completely isolated from the outside world, and information from other nations rarely made its way into the city.
"It's a peninsula nation southeast of Orario..." While Tiona and Tione faced off against the Goddess Kali, Airmid quietly gave Ryoji a detailed explanation.
In the southeastern corner of the continent lies a landmass surrounded by sea on three sides. Though technically attached to the continent, sheer cliffs separated it from the mainland, making it an extremely isolated peninsula nation.
Even so, it was fairly well known throughout the world. Like the Rakia Kingdom, which was ruled by the God of War Ares, Telskyura was a nation governed entirely by a chief deity and their Familia.
The ruler of that nation was the Goddess Kali. More importantly, it was a kingdom where Amazons reigned supreme. In Telskyura, only Amazons possessed any rights. Every other race, humans, elves, dwarves, prums, beastmen, were treated as slaves, used solely as breeding stock.
And above all else, it was an incredibly savage country.
"I've heard it's filled with roaring and cheering from dawn to dusk. The people spend every day fighting and killing each other. It's a nation steeped in bloodshed and endless conflict..."
"It has come to be known as the holy land of Amazons."
The reason the country had become like that was obvious: it was all because of its goddess.
Despite looking like a tiny little girl, Kali was, in every sense of the word, the Goddess of War and Slaughter. Anyone could guess what kind of deity she was. She reveled in battle and bloodshed.
It was her policies that forced the Amazons of her kingdom to fight every single day, to bleed every single day, all so she alone could take pleasure in the blood spilled by her people.
"Tiona and Tione joined the Loki Familia five years ago. They came from outside Orario, and as Level 3 adventurers, they defeated members of one Familia after another. They even declared that they'd only join the Familia that could beat them. It caused quite a stir back then." Airmid leaned closer and whispered into Ryoji's ear.
It seemed she didn't want the twins to overhear. Though for some reason, her cheeks had turned slightly red.
"So Tiona and Tione are originally from the Telskyura Kingdom?" Ryoji nodded thoughtfully.
"Judging by their reaction... I'd say that's almost certainly the case." Airmid quietly nodded back.
Five years later, they had unexpectedly come face-to-face with the goddess they had once served.
"I've heard all about you two." The masked goddess clapped her hands together, smiling brightly. "After leaving my kingdom, you wandered around for a while before joining the Loki Familia. The names Crusher and Wrathful Serpent have spread across the world. Even my secluded little kingdom has heard of them. You're both Level 5 now, aren't you? Good. At least you haven't embarrassed me."
"Stop acting like you're still our master!" Tione had completely lost her usual composure. Bare hatred was written across her face. "We have nothing to do with the Kali Familia anymore!"
Tiona remained silent, but the look on her face made it clear she felt exactly the same.
"Hahahaha! How naïve!" The loli goddess threw back her head and laughed. "You were born into my Familia. From the day you were born, the love of battle was carved into your very souls. Do you really think you can simply leave that behind?"
Clap! Clap!
She leisurely clapped her hands twice.
"You called for us, Lady Kali?"
Two powerful gusts of wind swept into the pharmacy. To the astonishment of the members of the Dian Cecht Familia, two scantily dressed women appeared before Kali and respectfully dropped to one knee before her.
The two women shared the same crimson-red hair. The slightly taller one had long red hair tied into a thick braid that resembled a snake. Her figure was incredibly voluptuous, her chest every bit as impressive as Tione's.
The slightly shorter woman had short, neatly cut red hair. Her expression was as cold as ice, remaining silent even in Kali's presence. If anything, her curves were even more impressive than the other woman's.
"Argana?"
"Bache?"
Tione and Tiona's expressions changed at the same time. The two dark-skinned beauties, dressed only in tube tops and athletic shorts, were both Amazons.
"Oh? Well now..." The moment she heard their voices, Argana turned around with a wicked grin. She slowly ran her tongue across her dry lips, her eyes fixed on Tione with unconcealed excitement.
Bache's gaze flickered as she silently turned her icy eyes toward Tiona.
"Capture them!" Kali gave the order, her little face beneath the mask full of arrogant delight. "I'm taking them back. I'll show them that my Familia is the only place they truly belong!"
"Yes, Lady Kali!" The sinister-looking Argana and the emotionless Bache stepped forward in unison.
"...Please don't start a fight in here." Airmid hurried forward, anxiety showing on her face. This was the Dian Cecht Familia's headquarters. The shop was filled with precious potions, the very lifeblood of the Familia.
"Hm? Is that so?" Kali paused for a moment before breaking into a smile. "Fine. Then destroy this place too while you're at it, and bring Airmid back with you! That fat old pig Dian Cecht wouldn't dare say a word against me anyway!"
What an overbearing goddess. Airmid's already pale face turned even whiter.
Boom!
Argana strode forward with her long legs, shattering the floor beneath her foot before launching a punch at Tione like a cannonball. At the same time, the cold-faced Bache erupted with fighting spirit and charged straight at Tiona with incredible speed.
The twins exchanged a glance. As if confirming they were thinking the same thing, they both nodded. Then they turned and sprinted for the front door.
"Don't run!"
"After them!"
Argana and Bache shouted in unison as they chased after them into the street.
"We're going too." Ryoji immediately followed, with Airmid close behind.
Only after they had all left did everyone else inside the shop finally breathe a sigh of relief before hurriedly securing the valuable merchandise on the shelves.
"What's going on?"
"Aren't those the Amazon twins from the Loki Familia?"
"They're fighting someone?"
Northwest Street was famous as the Adventurers' Street. Since it was lined with shops selling weapons, armor, potions, and every other necessity an adventurer could need, it was always crowded with adventurers.
Now, as the four Amazons faced each other in the middle of the street, the fierce killing intent radiating from them made everyone instinctively back away, staring at the scene in disbelief.
Once they were out in the open, Tiona and Tione no longer had to worry about damaging the pharmacy. The twins spun around together and threw their fists at the two women charging after them.
(End of Chapter)
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