Kugugung-!!!!
"Ghk...!!"
"Thank goodness! Those things have almost no intelligence... We can at least hold out like this!"
Akumo and Bell's group continued pushing forward along the path.
Bell lured the minotaur-shaped flame water charging at him toward a cliff and sent it tumbling off.
"Nice work, Bell!"
Seogeoguk-!!!
"If I don't have strength or equipment...!!"
"Then I have to use my head!"
Tukwak-!!
With that, Akumo was cutting down every enemy that rushed at them with the sword in his one hand.
Seogeok-!!
Kwajik-!!
Tukwakak-!!
As he kept cleaving through the flame waters that charged in to burn them, it happened.
Kukuk-!
"!?"
[Corrupted Flame].
Just as it had in Bell's memories, feeding on his negative emotions and changing shape.
-Kraaaah!!!!!!!!!
"A nightmare...?"
Swaeeak-!!
"!!"
-Kiiik!!!!!!!!!!
The countless emotions and memories engraved in Akumo's soul were the perfect prey for them.
"Brother..!! What is that..."
"The reason [Primordial Flame] was corrupted is because it was exposed to the impure emotions of the Lower World... malice, sorrow, rage, and fear, and absorbed them..."
"Lady Artemis..!"
"So the negativity in the story Akumo has lived through until now... became food for those things..."
The black nightmare that had threatened everyone on the 50th floor.
Among the monsters carved into his deepest memories, the [Flame Waters] charged forward in the shape of some wolf.
Kkaang-!!
"...!!"
"Speed, too... and strength...!?"
Even if it was born from negativity, that memory had never belonged to an ordinary being.
Kuguguk-!!
"Hriyaap!!!"
Kwaang-!!!!!!
The wolf's fangs and the nightmare's claws lunged ferociously for Akumo's throat.
Hwiik-!
"The skill is the same too...!!"
The flame waters were not merely copying appearances.
The nightmare instantly moved behind Akumo like a shadow and swung its claws.
Seogeok-!!
"Brother...!!"
"Enough, don't let your guard down!!!"
Kwaang-!!
The nightmare's claw slammed violently into his back, but the sound that rang out was not flesh being torn.
-....!!
Kwajik-!!
Unlike before, when it had easily pierced his flesh, the nightmare's claw was blocked, metal striking metal.
Before it could even recover from the shock, Akumo's hand seized the nightmare's head and crushed it.
"....Still not enough."
Stronger. Harder on himself. More unyielding.
Seogeok-!!
"So he really did become Level 4! Hyakinthos!"
"Hmph! Of course I can't forgive myself for being defeated by that rabbit and staining the name of the sun!!"
Like Akumo, they had grown far stronger than they had been months ago.
Aisha and Hyakinthos cut down the flame waters with ease.
Chwajajak-!!
"It's been a long time since we've stood back to back with our comrades."
"Don't be absurd. We're merely cooperating as commanded by our patron deity."
On the opposite side, Rius and Ryu were also exterminating the flame waters together.
Kiiing-!!
"[Lævateinn]!"
Ryu swept away the enemies while freely handling the green bow in her hand, and Rius was shocked by that sight and by the name of the magic sword that had come from Ryu's mouth.
"A magic sword...!?"
"It is a favor bestowed on me by the person I love."
Kikikik-!
"There is no problem in using it."
With those words, Ryu faced the flame waters alone with a volley of arrows.
"....."
At that sight, Rius and Hyakinthos were astonished by how she overwhelmed even their strengthened selves.
Seogeok-!!
But they were not the only ones drawing attention.
"Haa...! Haa...!"
-Kraaaah!!!!!
"!!"
Kwaaaak-!!
Mikoto blocked the charge of a flame water rushing at her, reading the flow of its force and redirecting it away.
"Hap!!"
Puk-!!
The flame water lost its balance, exposing its weakness.
Chaenggeurang-!!
Mikoto's sword pierced the shining core, and the flame water's form scattered.
"I thought her Falna was sealed...."
"How on earth is she fighting!?"
Welf and Lili, seeing that, also stared at Mikoto's battle in astonishment.
"Still... too weak...!"
Chaeng-!!
"And the sword aura I saw then is even more so...!"
Calm, supple, fierce, and sharp.
Suuuu-
[Mirror Surface], [Flowing Water].
Like water that could gently slip past any path, like a still water surface kept serene.
Hwarureuk-!!!
At the same time, like a raging inferno that would burn everything to ash.
Seogeok-!!
The girl who had received the teachings of the martial god. She was carrying on the sword aura of a legend sleeping in someone's memories.
**
Tup-
"This is...."
As Akumo walked the road with the others.
Discarded weapons scattered on the ground began to come into view before him.
"A shield..."
Among the broken, scorched arms and armor, the only thing that looked intact was an ordinary shield.
"....."
"I used to use these a lot..."
Swik-
"Lady Freya and Lady Artemis are probably resting...?"
Akumo turned his head and looked toward the cave where the others would be.
Kwaaaak-!
He soon gripped the shield tightly in his left hand.
Suuuu-
"....."
The man closed his eyes.
He slowly recalled what he needed to do now, what he needed to wish for.
Huuung-!!
"Not enough... the fundamental power is..."
Sasasak-!!!
"And speed, too, compared to that flame, is hopelessly..."
Kung-!!
"Haa.... Damn it."
He had expected as much, but right now he would have a hard time dealing with not only Hestia, but even Etone, who had stolen the black flame.
"I have to do something..."
"I have to win... I have to win somehow..."
What he needed now was not a shield, but a filthy powerful force like black flame.
Jeobeokjeobeok-
"Do you truly think that?"
"!?"
Sreung-!
"Who are you!!"
Then a black-clad man approached him.
**
"Struggle."
"!!"
The words that came from the man were the very word Akumo had repeated countless times.
"No matter how vast the despair that falls over you..."
Swik-
"Find what you can do. Think about what you truly need."
"Think about how you can do it, and what you yourself can do."
Even if the being before your eyes was overwhelmingly imposing, even if the situation itself felt absurd.
"Be ashamed of losing without doing anything."
"That does not change even if it is not a child but a god. .....I was the same for a thousand years as well."
Wring out your wisdom, use your head, devise a strategy, anything will do.
".....Lady Hephaestus."
"....What is it, Welf?"
Meanwhile, on the night when everyone had fallen asleep.
Welf had come to his goddess and repeated the same question.
"Don't dodge it. Tell me properly. So I can accept it."
"That again? I've already told you several times. Hermes and I knew everything."
Kwaak-!
"From the moment the shrine maiden of Olympia came to find Hestia, and even knowing full well what would happen to Hestia, we did not stop it."
Hephaestus spoke calmly.
"....I don't care about some surface-level answer like that!! You're... not telling me what you really think!!"
But Welf could see it. Her hand was clenched tight, as if holding back her emotions.
"Are you saying it's fine to sacrifice Lady Hestia like this!? You're Lady Hestia's friend...."
"How could it possibly be fine!!!!!"
Just as he thought, the goddess was in no way fine.
"I wanted to stop Hestia too! If I could have taken her place, I would have done it!"
Kwaaaak-!!
"But.... for me, it was impossible...."
What she governed was [Flame of the Blacksmith].
She could not bring about the same powerful purification as Hestia.
She had come here solely as Hestia's backup. A substitute for the absolute worst-case scenario. That was why Hephaestus was here.
"I didn't stop Hestia. I couldn't stop her, either as a god or as a friend..."
She was ashamed.
Even the young blacksmith standing before her had stepped forward willingly to save Hestia.
The child who had answered her sincerity with true sincerity had kept resisting to the very end even after having his own flame stolen.
".....Please, don't make me into a miserable woman any more than this."
Even though she had steeled herself and come here, all she could do was cool her flame and suppress her rage.
It could not be helped. It was fate. It was beyond your power.
"....."
A space swallowed by silence.
In that quiet, cold space, something reached their ears.
Dolgeureong-!
"!!"
They were blacksmiths. That was what they had chosen for themselves, and how they had lived.
"This is....?"
"Ashes...? No, this is...."
Then, with that conviction, move to defy fate.
"I'm back...."
"Welcome back, Aspi! Good work on reconnaissance~ Sorry for overworking you like usual!"
Another lodging in the village.
There, the exhausted Aspi and the cheerfully smiling Hermes had gathered.
"Since evil flames are surging across the surface, only you, who can fly, can gather information... It breaks my heart...!!"
Hermes wore an exaggerated expression and spoke playfully, as if in sorrow.
"Please... just shut up a little... if you keep going, I really think I'll throw a sincere punch at your face...."
Bulgeun-!!!!
"Okay! Got it! I got it, so put the fist down...."
As if to prove her words, Hermes immediately dropped the joking when he saw the vein-popping fist and began hearing the results of the reconnaissance.
".....It's impossible to scout from the air any longer. Not only the [Flame Waters], but even the [Flame Men] have transformed into winged monsters and are attacking in swarms."
"We can't even find Akumo and Bell Cranel, let alone the shrine maiden Ilya and Aphrodite."
The influence of the cursed flames was growing worse by the minute.
"At this point, there's no advantage on our side. Rest for now, Aspi."
Swik-
"Leave this matter to Ryu and the others... I'm sorry. I've only made you suffer."
Hermes apologized with a rare troubled expression as the situation worsened.
"Lord Hermes.... No, it's me who should be sorry...."
As Aspi swallowed her sadness and was about to say more to him.
"Ah, right! I almost forgot one thing...."
"Hm? What is it, Aspi? A lover's whisper before bed?"
Ppeok-!!!!!!!!!!
"Kraaaaah!!!!!!!!!?????"
Rubbish from a serious face.
Before even a second had passed, her fist slammed into Hermes' face.
"You... idiot...!!!!!!!!!"
She truly resented her patron deity for still cracking jokes in a situation like this.
**
"Get back to normal already...!!! I'll beat you so badly you won't be recognizable!!"
"Wait! Wait! Why!? Why now!?"
"I warned you clearly from days ago!!!!?"
After hearing from Hermes about Akumo's condition, and being unable to say anything before leaving the cliff.
-"...! When I come back.... I'll definitely land one on that face of yours, so you better be ready, Lord Hermes!"
Aspi had wanted to ask him, and her heart was full of the urge to hit him.
Ppeobeobeok-!!!
"I-I'll die!!! If you hit me any more, I'll die, Aspi!? If I get sent back right now, it'll be a catastrophe...!!!"
Ppeobeok-!!!
"Shut up, be quiet!! You trash who keeps dumping everything on others and then dodging responsibility!!!"
Ppeok-!!!
How long had she beaten him? By the time she stopped, Aspi's face was filled no longer with rage, but with sorrow.
Tup-!
".....You're not serious, are you....?"
Her patron deity, who always made only mischievous jokes.
"You're such a sly and troublesome man... isn't there some other way to solve this?"
-"We have to find the spear that can pierce fate."
"Please say that's true, Lord Hermes!! Please don't disappoint me any more....!"
"....Aspi, I...."
Hermes' face grew darker than ever.
From the incident with Artemis to this Olympia disaster.
He, the schemer who created incidents and got swept up in them himself...
Kwaaaak-!
"I couldn't do anything...."
He couldn't.
He was neither a martial god, nor a god of purification, nor a being with overwhelming power.
"I am...."
Just someone who tells stories, and who enjoys the stories of those who set out on adventures....
-"O god of adventure."
"....!"
Wasn't that enough?
On the day when brilliant moonlight bathed everyone, and on this day when the wildfire swept through the city.
"Yes... there is a way...."
"!! Lord Hermes...!!"
Kiiiik-!
"I would like to hear that story too!!"
"Lord Apollo!?"
The gods of Olympus.
They no longer wanted to merely watch from the chessboard.
========================
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