----- Astraea POV -----
"Alright, everybody! As your host for the however-many-times-it's-been's Denatus, let's officially get this show on the road!"
With Loki's exclamation marking the start of the meeting of the Gods, I couldn't help but frown in trepidation.
Unlike the peaceful, joyous-like meetings we have had since the Great Feud, this time would be a little more serious, at least for those of us in the know.
Evilus had returned to Orario once again, opening the scar of conflict that the city had finally healed from.
But it was not all bad.
After all, we had another level 7, loyal to justice and ready to defend our city.
Even if the dregs of Evilus mounted an assault similar to the Great Feud, it would amount to nothing in front of our improved might.
Though... those status-sealing needles may prove difficult.
But that was why we were here.
Ganesha, Loki, and I, that is.
We had decided to keep the return of Evilus a secret as a means to play our cards close to our chests and see if we could spot any Gods who were out of line.
Ganesha, for that ridiculous act he liked to put on, was a God of untold wisdom, who could be cunning when needed.
And Loki, that conniving and playful Goddess, was someone who put forth her utmost effort if it was for the defence of her precious children, as well as the dream of heroism her captain held.
Speaking of which... I believe her Familia had set forth on an expedition to the 60th floor earlier this week, now that Lefiya and Ais had returned to their ranks.
I could only hope another issue wouldn't appear in the dungeon in an attempt to overwhelm us... but that might be wishful thinking.
Sirius had told me he felt something brewing, after all. And his intuition was a level even above the divine.
But anyway, I should put these thoughts behind me.
Now was the time for surveillance.
The subtle shift of the eyes, the rapping of a foot... anything that could remotely be used as a clue.
So... as my colleague so eloquently put it, let's get this show on the road.
----- 1 Hour Later -----
"And so, the new level 2 of the Hapi Familia will now henceforth be called Glimmering Blade of the Nile's Descent!"
"B-But that's practically a sentence at that point!" Hapi cries.
"Too bad!"
"How cruel!"
Said cries were ignored.
Once again, no matter how many times I've seen it, I couldn't help but feel a shiver get sent down my spine from the ruthlessness of the Gods.
Sophie... the four Lovion children... I promise to give you an alias you can say proudly.
"And now... onto the big ticket item of tonight... Sirius Lovion. The holder of the fastest level up became a level 7, only the second in the city."
Hushed whispers break out among those gathered, as well as a few surprised gasps from anyone who hadn't heard the news.
"Now, I'm sure that most of you know the tradition, but to any that don't, let me remind you. The strongest adventurer has always been named royalty. Hera's Empress... Freya's King... and now, there's Astraea's child. So... what do we do now?" Loki says dramatically.
Always with the theatrics...
"Ahem! I suppose I should speak up then?"
A soothing voice resounds through the sea of murmurs, instantly silencing any chatter.
"Now... while I do hold a... soft spot, for Sirius, I am not willing to give up my dear captain's title so simply," Freya says.
Wait... hold on... what exactly did she mean by a 'soft spot'?
And using his name... she would usually refer to children of her fellow Gods as simply said God's child.
"I suppose the two will need to duel for the name, don't you think so?" she says, turning to me.
Haa... and all I wanted to do was observe for today, not be the center of attention.
"Sirius would not want to fight for something as simple as an alias. And honestly, I doubt he would want that name anyway," I say resolutely.
Yeah... while he was a little averse to it at the start, it was easy to see how much he had come to adore his alias of 'Celestial Sword'.
It was honestly quite cute in a way.
"Hmm~ but we can't exactly abandon tradition like that, no? It's unprecedented to have the highest-level adventurer be a tie between multiple people... so how about this?" she says.
"Preserving the notion of royalty while keeping his current title... I propose Sirius Lovion's name be changed to Celestial Sword King... quite nice, no?"
Ending her words with a wink, the suggestion is met with ravenous applause.
Though, I didn't think the applause was for the suggestion, but rather for the one who had made it.
But Celestial Sword King... It wasn't bad.
"No objections? Well, then I guess that's it. And that marks the end of tonight's naming ceremony, as well as the Denatus as a whole! Goodnight everybody! I'm gonna be hitting the hay after this, so don't be too loud!" Loki says, casting a glance my way at the word 'hay'.
...What in Tenkai did that mean?
Haa... just why did she have to be so damn cryptic?
And couldn't we just meet after the Denatus ended? Or at least tell me then?
At this point, I think she's making fun of me.
Either that meant her bedroom or the stables. And for the sake of my title as a virgin Goddess, I will be going with the second.
----- Sirius POV - 1 Day Later -----
"I did it," I say to no one in particular.
But not caring about my unintended expression, I had a wide smile on my face as I looked at the ball of fire that rested on my palm.
After all... I had finally finished it. My new technique I had been working on since recovering from Evilus' attack.
'Internalization', I called it.
You see, as it turned out, Magia Imperium was one hell of a skill, and my own otherworldly talent shouldn't be ignored either.
You see, while I truly loved Elemental Orb, it was a bit long of a chant to use in the heat of the moment and was quite hard to use against human opponents in battle.
But then, I thought to myself.
In the description for the magic, it simply said it 'Created an orb of a chosen element'.
As for why it manifested above my head? Well... that was probably just my natural instinct.
So... with immense concentration, and a crazy amount of practice sprinkled in with meditation sessions, I had finally done it.
I had cast Elemental Orb... inside my own body. Or rather, my hand to be more precise.
Honestly, at first, I didn't think it was possible.
After all, wouldn't the magic just get stopped inside of my body at that point?
But you see, by morphing the 'orb' to perfectly coat the skin of my palm, I was able to use magic at will, without that gaudy orb floating above my head.
Again, like with every advancement with this magic, it didn't apply to the spatial element as it was still too unstable to perfectly control, but it was still a pretty cool improvement.
Now, I just had to work out the kinks of using it in combat, and then I'm golden!
"H-Hey, Sirius?"
Hearing Lili's voice from behind me, I dissipate the fire before turning to the teen.
"What's up?" I ask.
Since she had been preoccupied with watching over Bell, I hadn't really talked to the girl much, even though I promised myself to be an older brother figure for her.
Ah... such a bad man, I was.
"Well, you see..."
She averted her eyes with flushed cheeks as her hands twisted and clenched over each other.
What was this? She almost looked like a girl in love-
...Wait.
"Is this about Bell?" I ask.
"W-What about him!? Well... maybe it's about him... but I'm just telling you I'm taking today off for myself! Nothing more!"
No fucking way.
That Lili, who hadn't so much as mentioned anything about the opposite sex, had already been ensnared by that kid?
...I should probably keep this from Stella, right?
Eleanor too, for that matter.
"You need... time away from him?"
"Just time alone to think, that's all! I just... don't know what to think anymore... with the thoughts running through my head..."
Her words get quieter as she trails off, her expression a mix between uncertainty and worry.
Haa... teenage girls are like this, I suppose.
"B-Besides! He should be fine on his own, although he's a little reckless still," Lili says, her uncertain expression transforming into a warm smile at the end.
...Yeah, she had fallen hard.
What in the actual fuck happened while I wasn't watching?
"...Fine. Take some time alone, I guess. But I'll still go watch over him. Is he down there already?" I ask.
"Huh? Yeah, he usually starts going after about now. But why do you still want to watch over him?" she says.
"Well... Stella would be sad if he got killed, is all," I say.
'Sad' was putting it lightly.
But Stella's concerns weren't the only reason I wanted to watch over him.
There was the constant subtle hum of pain that told me that something important was about to happen, as well as Mother Astraea's warning...
----- Astraea POV - 1 Day Earlier -----
"So... do you two have any ideas as to who might be traitors to Orario? I am Ganesha..."
"Not a clue~!"
"Haa, don't sound so carefree, Loki," I chide my fellow Goddess.
"But yes. I also could not find anything out of place, save for whatever Freya was playing at," I say with worry.
Loki sits up at this. Her lips stretched into her usual playful smile that caused her eyes to shrink to slits.
"Hehe. Scared that the horny bitch is gonna steal your man? It's not good to be jealous, you know~" she teases.
"Ha. As if I have to worry about Sirius. He can more than handle himself."
And luckily, with that insane skill of his, I won't have to worry about Freya's charm.
"Besides, he is not 'my man'. That's a title his wives share," I respond.
"Yeah, yeah. You're no fun, you know?"
How rude.
"I can have plenty of fun, especially when I read a good book. But right now, we are discussing something of utmost importance," I say with a slight glare.
"Fun with a 'good book'? I think you're just proving my point, but whatever."
I harden my glare toward the annoying Goddess.
"Alright! Sheesh! I get it! You shouldn't be in a bad mood just because you didn't get my riddle!"
"In what world does 'hay' mean meeting at my Familia's garden!?" I exclaim.
"Tsk tsk. This is why you aren't suited for this type of work. Even Ganesha understood me easily."
...She was right.
Just how did that simpleton understand such a convoluted riddle?
"Plants are plants! Hahaha! I am Ganesha!" said simpleton says.
...Perhaps I would need to embark on a night of wine after this.
Loki lets out a muffled giggle of amusement before continuing the conversation.
"Anyway, let's get back to business. While we didn't find out the big bad guy, with the fact Ganesha hasn't found anything fishy, I think it's fair to say there's a larger power at play," Loki says, her playful personality shifting into one of seriousness.
At this, I also shift in my seat.
"Indeed. And it would have to be someone smart and powerful too," I say.
"Hearing that reminds me of a certain someone. I am Ganesha..." says Ganesha.
"Indeed."
Remembering that God and that terrible night which followed his appearance, I cast my gaze up at the clear night sky.
To think I would be here pondering such intense matters under such a beautiful moon.
It's poetic, in a way.
"Yep. The guy behind Evilus now is probably just as conniving as that nasty dude was," Loki says with a sigh.
"But unlike Erebus, the person in question is not causing chaos and destruction for the sake of growth," I add before tilting my eyes back down to the table. "Instead, I feel that it is for something much more sinister."
I could only hope the trust I put in Sirius and my girls, as well as the other heroes of our current age, would be able to weather the storm.
----- _____ POV -----
"That's it, baby! Come to Daddy!"
A man clad in dark red robes is seen looking intensely at a set of vials.
His face hidden from the world around him, save for the few strands of golden hair peeking past the hood.
"Jeez. Can't believe I have to stay all the way out here. The food is really shit, you know?"
The surroundings were those of absolute destruction. A city marred in the scars of battle and time.
Yes... this place was the Abandoned World. The remains of what once was the largest country on the continent. One which had been destroyed in a single night by the disaster known as the Black Dragon.
"But it's not like there are any other places to find the essence of a devoured God. Too bad a big bad ole' monster like you just had to be sealed here, huh?" the man says playfully.
Continuing his work, he is soon interrupted as two more figures clad in robes, this time black, appear on their knees with their heads bowed in respect, or perhaps even reverence.
"My Lord," one of the black-robed figures says.
"Huh? What is it, I'm busy."
"We have something to report. The new status sealing enhancement worked, but unfortunately, Vito was lost in the process."
The man lets out a sigh.
"I guess that idiot got owned, huh? Anything else?" he asks.
"Yes. My Lord... it seems that something has changed with the prophecy."
This time, the man completely halts his work.
"...Is that so."
Taking a deep breath, the man rises to his feet before turning to one of the robed henchmen before flashing his hand.
With a squelching sound, a head tumbles to the ground.
"Haa! That's better! Something changed, huh? Ah well, we can move on with phase two now," he says.
"Understood. By your will, my Lord."
The remaining robed figure bows his head before disappearing along with the body of their dead companion.
Casually stretching his arms, the man then takes out a notebook.
"Tch. So I was right."
Flipping through the pages, he then stops before reading down the sprawling letters of text.
"Celestial Sword... I knew I didn't remember you."
Snapping the notebook shut, he then looks up at the slowly setting sun, eyes squinting from the brightness.
"I guess some bastard decided to fuck with canon, eh? In that case... it seems I'll have to visit the famed dungeon city soon."
----- Astraea POV -----
"Alright, everybody! As your host for the however-many-times-it's-been's Denatus, let's officially get this show on the road!"
With Loki's exclamation marking the start of the meeting of the Gods, I couldn't help but frown in trepidation.
Unlike the peaceful, joyous-like meetings we have had since the Great Feud, this time would be a little more serious, at least for those of us in the know.
Evilus had returned to Orario once again, opening the scar of conflict that the city had finally healed from.
But it was not all bad.
After all, we had another level 7, loyal to justice and ready to defend our city.
Even if the dregs of Evilus mounted an assault similar to the Great Feud, it would amount to nothing in front of our improved might.
Though... those status-sealing needles may prove difficult.
But that was why we were here.
Ganesha, Loki, and I, that is.
We had decided to keep the return of Evilus a secret as a means to play our cards close to our chests and see if we could spot any Gods who were out of line.
Ganesha, for that ridiculous act he liked to put on, was a God of untold wisdom, who could be cunning when needed.
And Loki, that conniving and playful Goddess, was someone who put forth her utmost effort if it was for the defence of her precious children, as well as the dream of heroism her captain held.
Speaking of which... I believe her Familia had set forth on an expedition to the 60th floor earlier this week, now that Lefiya and Ais had returned to their ranks.
I could only hope another issue wouldn't appear in the dungeon in an attempt to overwhelm us... but that might be wishful thinking.
Sirius had told me he felt something brewing, after all. And his intuition was a level even above the divine.
But anyway, I should put these thoughts behind me.
Now was the time for surveillance.
The subtle shift of the eyes, the rapping of a foot... anything that could remotely be used as a clue.
So... as my colleague so eloquently put it, let's get this show on the road.
----- 1 Hour Later -----
"And so, the new level 2 of the Hapi Familia will now henceforth be called Glimmering Blade of the Nile's Descent!"
"B-But that's practically a sentence at that point!" Hapi cries.
"Too bad!"
"How cruel!"
Said cries were ignored.
Once again, no matter how many times I've seen it, I couldn't help but feel a shiver get sent down my spine from the ruthlessness of the Gods.
Sophie... the four Lovion children... I promise to give you an alias you can say proudly.
"And now... onto the big ticket item of tonight... Sirius Lovion. The holder of the fastest level up became a level 7, only the second in the city."
Hushed whispers break out among those gathered, as well as a few surprised gasps from anyone who hadn't heard the news.
"Now, I'm sure that most of you know the tradition, but to any that don't, let me remind you. The strongest adventurer has always been named royalty. Hera's Empress... Freya's King... and now, there's Astraea's child. So... what do we do now?" Loki says dramatically.
Always with the theatrics...
"Ahem! I suppose I should speak up then?"
A soothing voice resounds through the sea of murmurs, instantly silencing any chatter.
"Now... while I do hold a... soft spot, for Sirius, I am not willing to give up my dear captain's title so simply," Freya says.
Wait... hold on... what exactly did she mean by a 'soft spot'?
And using his name... she would usually refer to children of her fellow Gods as simply said God's child.
"I suppose the two will need to duel for the name, don't you think so?" she says, turning to me.
Haa... and all I wanted to do was observe for today, not be the center of attention.
"Sirius would not want to fight for something as simple as an alias. And honestly, I doubt he would want that name anyway," I say resolutely.
Yeah... while he was a little averse to it at the start, it was easy to see how much he had come to adore his alias of 'Celestial Sword'.
It was honestly quite cute in a way.
"Hmm~ but we can't exactly abandon tradition like that, no? It's unprecedented to have the highest-level adventurer be a tie between multiple people... so how about this?" she says.
"Preserving the notion of royalty while keeping his current title... I propose Sirius Lovion's name be changed to Celestial Sword King... quite nice, no?"
Ending her words with a wink, the suggestion is met with ravenous applause.
Though, I didn't think the applause was for the suggestion, but rather for the one who had made it.
But Celestial Sword King... It wasn't bad.
"No objections? Well, then I guess that's it. And that marks the end of tonight's naming ceremony, as well as the Denatus as a whole! Goodnight everybody! I'm gonna be hitting the hay after this, so don't be too loud!" Loki says, casting a glance my way at the word 'hay'.
...What in Tenkai did that mean?
Haa... just why did she have to be so damn cryptic?
And couldn't we just meet after the Denatus ended? Or at least tell me then?
At this point, I think she's making fun of me.
Either that meant her bedroom or the stables. And for the sake of my title as a virgin Goddess, I will be going with the second.
----- Sirius POV - 1 Day Later -----
"I did it," I say to no one in particular.
But not caring about my unintended expression, I had a wide smile on my face as I looked at the ball of fire that rested on my palm.
After all... I had finally finished it. My new technique I had been working on since recovering from Evilus' attack.
'Internalization', I called it.
You see, as it turned out, Magia Imperium was one hell of a skill, and my own otherworldly talent shouldn't be ignored either.
You see, while I truly loved Elemental Orb, it was a bit long of a chant to use in the heat of the moment and was quite hard to use against human opponents in battle.
But then, I thought to myself.
In the description for the magic, it simply said it 'Created an orb of a chosen element'.
As for why it manifested above my head? Well... that was probably just my natural instinct.
So... with immense concentration, and a crazy amount of practice sprinkled in with meditation sessions, I had finally done it.
I had cast Elemental Orb... inside my own body. Or rather, my hand to be more precise.
Honestly, at first, I didn't think it was possible.
After all, wouldn't the magic just get stopped inside of my body at that point?
But you see, by morphing the 'orb' to perfectly coat the skin of my palm, I was able to use magic at will, without that gaudy orb floating above my head.
Again, like with every advancement with this magic, it didn't apply to the spatial element as it was still too unstable to perfectly control, but it was still a pretty cool improvement.
Now, I just had to work out the kinks of using it in combat, and then I'm golden!
"H-Hey, Sirius?"
Hearing Lili's voice from behind me, I dissipate the fire before turning to the teen.
"What's up?" I ask.
Since she had been preoccupied with watching over Bell, I hadn't really talked to the girl much, even though I promised myself to be an older brother figure for her.
Ah... such a bad man, I was.
"Well, you see..."
She averted her eyes with flushed cheeks as her hands twisted and clenched over each other.
What was this? She almost looked like a girl in love-
...Wait.
"Is this about Bell?" I ask.
"W-What about him!? Well... maybe it's about him... but I'm just telling you I'm taking today off for myself! Nothing more!"
No fucking way.
That Lili, who hadn't so much as mentioned anything about the opposite sex, had already been ensnared by that kid?
...I should probably keep this from Stella, right?
Eleanor too, for that matter.
"You need... time away from him?"
"Just time alone to think, that's all! I just... don't know what to think anymore... with the thoughts running through my head..."
Her words get quieter as she trails off, her expression a mix between uncertainty and worry.
Haa... teenage girls are like this, I suppose.
"B-Besides! He should be fine on his own, although he's a little reckless still," Lili says, her uncertain expression transforming into a warm smile at the end.
...Yeah, she had fallen hard.
What in the actual fuck happened while I wasn't watching?
"...Fine. Take some time alone, I guess. But I'll still go watch over him. Is he down there already?" I ask.
"Huh? Yeah, he usually starts going after about now. But why do you still want to watch over him?" she says.
"Well... Stella would be sad if he got killed, is all," I say.
'Sad' was putting it lightly.
But Stella's concerns weren't the only reason I wanted to watch over him.
There was the constant subtle hum of pain that told me that something important was about to happen, as well as Mother Astraea's warning...
----- Astraea POV - 1 Day Earlier -----
"So... do you two have any ideas as to who might be traitors to Orario? I am Ganesha..."
"Not a clue~!"
"Haa, don't sound so carefree, Loki," I chide my fellow Goddess.
"But yes. I also could not find anything out of place, save for whatever Freya was playing at," I say with worry.
Loki sits up at this. Her lips stretched into her usual playful smile that caused her eyes to shrink to slits.
"Hehe. Scared that the horny bitch is gonna steal your man? It's not good to be jealous, you know~" she teases.
"Ha. As if I have to worry about Sirius. He can more than handle himself."
And luckily, with that insane skill of his, I won't have to worry about Freya's charm.
"Besides, he is not 'my man'. That's a title his wives share," I respond.
"Yeah, yeah. You're no fun, you know?"
How rude.
"I can have plenty of fun, especially when I read a good book. But right now, we are discussing something of utmost importance," I say with a slight glare.
"Fun with a 'good book'? I think you're just proving my point, but whatever."
I harden my glare toward the annoying Goddess.
"Alright! Sheesh! I get it! You shouldn't be in a bad mood just because you didn't get my riddle!"
"In what world does 'hay' mean meeting at my Familia's garden!?" I exclaim.
"Tsk tsk. This is why you aren't suited for this type of work. Even Ganesha understood me easily."
...She was right.
Just how did that simpleton understand such a convoluted riddle?
"Plants are plants! Hahaha! I am Ganesha!" said simpleton says.
...Perhaps I would need to embark on a night of wine after this.
Loki lets out a muffled giggle of amusement before continuing the conversation.
"Anyway, let's get back to business. While we didn't find out the big bad guy, with the fact Ganesha hasn't found anything fishy, I think it's fair to say there's a larger power at play," Loki says, her playful personality shifting into one of seriousness.
At this, I also shift in my seat.
"Indeed. And it would have to be someone smart and powerful too," I say.
"Hearing that reminds me of a certain someone. I am Ganesha..." says Ganesha.
"Indeed."
Remembering that God and that terrible night which followed his appearance, I cast my gaze up at the clear night sky.
To think I would be here pondering such intense matters under such a beautiful moon.
It's poetic, in a way.
"Yep. The guy behind Evilus now is probably just as conniving as that nasty dude was," Loki says with a sigh.
"But unlike Erebus, the person in question is not causing chaos and destruction for the sake of growth," I add before tilting my eyes back down to the table. "Instead, I feel that it is for something much more sinister."
I could only hope the trust I put in Sirius and my girls, as well as the other heroes of our current age, would be able to weather the storm.
----- _____ POV -----
"That's it, baby! Come to Daddy!"
A man clad in dark red robes is seen looking intensely at a set of vials.
His face hidden from the world around him, save for the few strands of golden hair peeking past the hood.
"Jeez. Can't believe I have to stay all the way out here. The food is really shit, you know?"
The surroundings were those of absolute destruction. A city marred in the scars of battle and time.
Yes... this place was the Abandoned World. The remains of what once was the largest country on the continent. One which had been destroyed in a single night by the disaster known as the Black Dragon.
"But it's not like there are any other places to find the essence of a devoured God. Too bad a big bad ole' monster like you just had to be sealed here, huh?" the man says playfully.
Continuing his work, he is soon interrupted as two more figures clad in robes, this time black, appear on their knees with their heads bowed in respect, or perhaps even reverence.
"My Lord," one of the black-robed figures says.
"Huh? What is it, I'm busy."
"We have something to report. The new status sealing enhancement worked, but unfortunately, Vito was lost in the process."
The man lets out a sigh.
"I guess that idiot got owned, huh? Anything else?" he asks.
"Yes. My Lord... it seems that something has changed with the prophecy."
This time, the man completely halts his work.
"...Is that so."
Taking a deep breath, the man rises to his feet before turning to one of the robed henchmen before flashing his hand.
With a squelching sound, a head tumbles to the ground.
"Haa! That's better! Something changed, huh? Ah well, we can move on with phase two now," he says.
"Understood. By your will, my Lord."
The remaining robed figure bows his head before disappearing along with the body of their dead companion.
Casually stretching his arms, the man then takes out a notebook.
"Tch. So I was right."
Flipping through the pages, he then stops before reading down the sprawling letters of text.
"Celestial Sword... I knew I didn't remember you."
Snapping the notebook shut, he then looks up at the slowly setting sun, eyes squinting from the brightness.
"I guess some bastard decided to fuck with canon, eh? In that case... it seems I'll have to visit the famed dungeon city soon."
