"Sirius. There's people up ahead." Neze says from the side.
Fuck. Not this again.
"Anything dangerous?" I ask.
"No... at least I don't think so. They're in the woods to the left, almost like they're setting up for an ambush, but they aren't trying to hide their presence or anything." She says while taking another sniff.
"Hmm... Well, since we're here, we might as well make sure there aren't any bandits. I'll go ahead."
"Alright. I'd say to be careful, but you're too much of a monster to be hurt by anything out here." Neze says.
"How rude."
I then start riding forward, my eyes narrowed and my senses sharp.
While Neze said they were unlikely to be anyone dangerous, it was never a bad thing to be careful.
It didn't take long for them to enter my range of perception.
There were quite a lot, around 20 of them, and they were damn strong for outside Orario, all of them being level 2.
Could it be an army?
Perhaps, but that thought quickly left my mind as I picked up another presence.
The presence of a God.
Haa... I should get Mother Astraea over here, shouldn't I?
"Hello! We come in peace! As long as you're not a bunch of bandits, that is!" I say lightheartedly.
That was a good greeting, right?
A few moments pass in silence before a figure steps out of the brush.
Long light blue hair, braided in the back.
Shining green eyes.
And a natural beauty that could only take one's breath away.
It seemed that this was the Goddess I had sensed.
But what was with that long pole wrapped in cloth on her back?
"Goddess! Get back! It's dangerous!" A feminine voice says from the brush.
"Rethusa, if this man was an enemy, we would already be dead." The Goddess says.
The voice then reveals herself as a tall woman, with medium-length reddish-brown hair and a light green hunting outfit.
"Well, I can't deny that." I say with a laugh.
'Rethusa' only glares at me in response.
Tough crowd.
"Ahem. Anyway, my name is Sirius Lovion of the Astraea Familia. We just happened to notice you while walking by and wanted to make sure you weren't anyone... unethical." I say.
"Astraea...?" They both say breathlessly.
Oh?
Well, I suppose with us being quite close to Orario, our Familia's fame should be expected to spread this far.
But that look on the Goddess' face... it seemed more... personal.
"Do you happen to know Mother Astraea from Tenkai?" I ask the Goddess.
"Indeed. I-"
"Do you know Celestial Sword!?" Rethusa interrupts.
Well, of course I know him. He's me.
From the way her eyes were shining and cheeks were flushed...
Hehe. It seems I've got a fan.
"Well, you're looking at him!" I say with a wink.
Her excited expression falls into one of sadness.
"Oh... it's a man... Tsk." Rethusa says.
...Ouch.
What's with that?
I'm hurting here, you know.
"Hmm... I had thought that Astraea only accepted women into her Familia, like me..." The Goddess says questioningly.
"Well, I'm kind of a special case... Anyway, I'll go tell them it's fine to come over." I say.
"Thank you. Tell Astraea I would love to have a friendly chat if she has time." The Goddess says.
"Sure thing. But... what's your name, if I may ask?" I say.
The blue-haired Goddess then gave me a small smile, the first of such an expression I had seen on her face.
"Ah, of course. I am Artemis. The head of the Artemis Familia."
----- 2 Hours Later -----
Somehow, we ended up in this situation, where we were spending the night with the Artemis Familia.
It started when Astraea wanted to catch up with her old friend from Tenkai, and devolved into having dinner together, and now this.
This was helped by the fact the girls got along really well with the Artemis Familia members.
Well, while the Artemis Familia wasn't expressly about justice or heroism, many of their reasons for hunting monsters were something along those lines, so the two Familias got along pretty well.
Oh, and I was being shunned.
Well... shunned wasn't quite right.
It was more like they were having a girls' night and I didn't want to intrude.
Besides, someone needed to guard the camp.
Anyway, from the short time we've been together, it had become apparent that Artemis and her girls took the 'female only' thing a level higher than Astraea ever did.
It made sense, seeing that Artemis was the Goddess presiding over chastity.
While Astraea's choice of gender was more out of protection for her children, Artemis' was chosen out of a disdain for relationships.
But I wonder what she would think of a lesbian relationship...
Oh well, not my problem.
Since the kids decided to tire themselves out with training and reading, I was currently watching over the villagers.
They were mostly doing little arts and crafts like whittling and knitting to pass the time, though I did catch a few of them just staring off into the distance.
While it was a bit uncomfortable, it wasn't like I could do anything.
I wasn't a psychiatrist, and I didn't have an experience similar to theirs to relate to.
And even if I did... I don't think I would be the best person.
While they had thanked and praised me relentlessly, I could tell that it was slightly forced.
I was confused at first, but after talking to Alise and Ryuu about their experiences during the Great Feud, I understood.
They held resentment toward me.
Not a lot, of course, and they were still sincerely thankful, but there was still a bit of anger in their minds.
Anger at me for not getting there sooner, for not saving them all.
A nonsensical anger.
And they knew that too, hence why it was veiled.
I didn't blame them for it though.
They had gone through an unspeakable tragedy, and they deserved to hate something, to hate the world, and the best targets for their hatred were already corpses.
So I just had to bear with it for now, and hopefully, in the far future, they would get better.
"Hey, Sirius." Sophie asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.
She had been training by herself lately ever since she saw Ais and I spar.
I guess she got a little motivated.
"Yo. Do you need something?" I ask.
"I'm having a little trouble with my magic. Do you think you could help me?" She asks.
"Sure. But didn't Alise say she was gonna train you?" I ask.
"She did, but, well..." Sophie then nods to the side.
Following her gesture, I watch as Alise chugs down a mug of alcohol, seemingly in the middle of a drinking game against the Artemis Familia captain, Rethusa, who was also the girl who first greeted me from the forest.
"Oh... I see." I respond.
Damn.
Hopefully, I get to see a drunk Alise tonight.
Because a drunk Alise meant a horny Alise.
But moving on...
"Well. Show me what you have right now." I say.
Sophie nods resolutely before chanting.
"Tree of god, tree of wishes. Purge these sinners from the sacred garden. Savages rendered to bone, bone rendered to dirt. Cleanse this sacred earth."
I feel the ground underneath my feet tremble before a mass of vines erupts from the ground, flailing around with no specific purpose.
"Nice job. That was a pretty fast chant, and your magic power was pretty smooth. Now... can you control it?" I ask.
"T-That's the problem. It's... hard. Like I'm fighting against something." Sophie says through gritted teeth.
Seems like she's struggling.
"Alright. Here, how about-"
As I begin giving some advice, I feel the presence of a monster.
Not just any monster, but a damn strong one.
A monster that should absolutely not be on the surface.
It felt like... a level 4.
No, it might be even stronger.
But the next moment, the presence fades.
No... now that I was focused, it didn't exactly fade.
But rather... it's muted.
Just like the barrier in Dragon Valley...
"Sorry Sophie... I think we'll need to put this training on hold." I say while getting up.
Now... I had to have a little chat with the two Goddesses.
----- 2 Hours Later -----
"So this is the place?" I ask.
In reality, the question was unneeded.
I could easily sense the monster behind this door, its presence nearly overwhelming.
"Indeed it is. I guess this explains the increase in monsters around the area." Artemis says.
After telling Artemis and Astraea about what I felt, the festive mood quickly died down into one of seriousness.
You see, it wasn't a complete coincidence that the Artemis Familia was in the area.
There had been an increasing amount of monsters in and around this forest, and as the monster hunters they were, they quickly came over to rid the surrounding population of the problem.
And it seems like this was the culprit.
We were currently in a place called Elsos Ruins, near to where we had set up our camp.
And beyond this door, was the sealed monster of ancient times, Antares.
But it seemed that the barrier holding this disaster back was failing, which called the surrounding monsters to its presence... somehow.
Well, considering this barrier had been erected thousands of years ago, I'm actually surprised it's taken this long.
At least we were here now, so this thing could be turned to dust without harming anyone else.
"Well, it doesn't seem too strong. At least compared to us. So you don't need to worry!" Alise says from behind.
Exactly.
"Not exactly." Artemis refutes.
Nevermind.
"Huh? Why not?" Alise asks.
"Beyond that door is the ancient monster, Antares. Although you all are strong, you are not much stronger than the great spirits that came together to fight that thing in the past. And they had to resort to sealing it." The blue-haired Goddess says.
"So then... what the hell do we do now?" I ask.
Artemis then turns to me.
"While its strength is manageable, the issue is that it is impossible to kill." She says.
Well, that doesn't sound good at all.
"At least by mortal means, that is." Artemis says with a smile.
What?
She then takes off the pole from her back before unwrapping the cloth around it, revealing a pristine spear, the tip glowing a faint blue.
I could instantly feel it.
That was a divine weapon right there.
"This is my precious weapon. Orion. While it can only be wielded by a certain individual... if it's the children of Astraea, followers of justice. It should be okay." She says before handing it to Alise.
"Alright! While I'd prefer a sword, I guess I'll have to bear with it-"
As soon as she is given the spear, it plummets to the ground while still being held in her hands, before embedding itself deep into the stone floor.
...
"Ahaha~! I guess it just wasn't for me, then?" Alise says shakily while letting go of the spear.
Ryuu and I both facepalm.
This wife of mine...
"Unfortunately not. But if even you cannot wield it... then I'm afraid we need to find a new plan." Artemis says worriedly.
Ugh... I just wanted to go home...
I then remember Artemis' previous words.
"Wait, hold on a second. Who exactly is the 'certain individual' that can use it?" I ask.
"...Heroic, virtuous and pure. Those are the required traits to wield Orion. But if the captain of your Familia is unable to, then-" Artemis says.
I reach down to pick up the spear and lifting it, I'm hit by a slight sense of unease.
...But I could still lift it.
Huh.
"Guess I'm the one then?" I say with a shrug.
But that's weird...
Heroic and virtuous are exactly the traits I would use for Alise, so why did it not work for her?
But thinking back on Take's words, when he was so excited about me being able to use Sword Saint arts...
Maybe 'heroism' has a different meaning in this world?
I had thought it was just another word for 'talent' and being brave or heroic, but maybe it was something... more.
Something more fantasy-like.
Ah well.
"...I guess my worries were for naught. But it's odd..."
Artemis then comes forward before placing her hand on the shaft of the spear.
"It accepted you, but not completely. From what I can tell... you have a heroic soul, and a virtuous one, but not necessarily pure..." She says.
"Not pure, eh?" I say before looking over to Alise and Ryuu.
Thinking about the things we did a few days ago...
And in the woods no less...
"Yeah, I can see why. Haha!"
I then feel a pain from my side, and looking at my blushing Elf, I can see why.
Seems Ryuu had decided to punish me with a pinch.
But I had grown to enjoy that pain, you know?
"...How shameless... disgusting." Artemis says with a frown.
Well, I guess that's the Goddess of chastity for you.
Alise meanwhile was looking off to the side, trying to hold in her laughter.
"Anyway, Sirius. Are you confident in using it?" Astraea asks me.
"Of course I am! While not near my level of skill with the sword, I can use a spear if I need to." I respond confidently.
And that confidence wasn't fake.
While I was by no means a spearman, I had learned the basics, just as I had with almost every weapon one could use.
This was done around when I had reached level 5, with the purpose being to see if I had a hidden talent, while also being able to learn how to best defend against those weapons.
'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.' and all that.
Plus, if all else fails, I could always just use it as a sword.
A really, really long sword.
"Well, we shouldn't wait any longer. Will the barrier be a problem?" I ask.
"It is sealed within the ruins itself, so once these doors open you should be able to fight it." Artemis says.
Well, that sure makes things easier.
"Alright. You two should head back, and while I don't think I'll need it, I'll have my two lovely wives as support." I say.
"Understood. But be careful. It is said that Antares has the power to devour a god. Do not take it lightly." Astraea says.
"I won't!" I respond with a wave.
'Power to devour a god', eh?
I wonder if something like that happened to make the Black Dragon so strong.
"Good luck, you three. We will be waiting for your success." Astraea says.
As the two Goddesses make their way up the stairs, Alise then turns to me.
"So Mr. Hero~ are you sure about using a spear?" She asks.
"Don't call me that. Please. And... yeah. I should be fine." I respond while twirling the spear in my hand.
Thinking about the spear, I am reminded of my thoughts of when I first came here, and how I found it odd.
In this world, swords are favoured much more than spears, but back on Earth, the opposite was true.
And it was for good reason too.
While swords were cool and all, it was always said that a novice spearman could win against an expert swordsman, and as the ages advanced, swords were more used for decorative pieces rather than weapons of warfare.
So why was it the reverse here?
After thinking about it, there were a few factors.
The main reason for the spear's usage on Earth was because it was cheap, easy to learn, had good range, and was great for formations.
But here, you couldn't cheap out on equipment, much less your main weapon, which you lived and died by as your companion.
And here you weren't just random farmers asked by your lord to join the current war, but rather one who needed to hone your skills in combat and training over time, meaning the weapon being easy to learn meant close to nothing.
As for the increased range... well, when there were people who could cross miles in a few steps, that minute difference didn't really matter.
In fact, in the dungeon, such a long weapon might even get in the way.
As for being better in formations... well, you weren't going to see a phalanx or anything over here, as most people fought individually.
And even if you did fight as a group, it was more about mutual cooperation than an organized collective.
In short, the sword was better for a strong individual, while the spear was better as a way to overcome a difference in strength as a group.
So with the individual power in this world being so insane, no wonder that swords would be the norm.
But anyway, it wasn't time for an anthropology lesson, but rather the time to fight.
Opening the door, I am met with an eerie silence, different from the usual growl or scream that accompanies a monster's reveal.
But while Antares was silent, it was by no means hidden.
Standing in the middle of what looked to be some sort of arena was a large, black scorpion, with glowing red lines crisscrossing its body.
It had one eye near the middle of its body, giant front claws, a menacing-looking stinger, and six arms sprouting from its midsection.
...What a weird-looking scorpion.
It definitely looked the part of a monster that terrorized the land, but for some reason, it felt quite... weak?
...Well, still... I won't let my guard down.
Only a dumbass would do that.
Setting myself into a crouch, I began channelling all the strength I could muster as my body was set alight in stellar magic.
While I could coat the spear tip as well, I decided not to in case it got in the way of the 'divinity' or whatever could make this spear slay the immortal monster.
The air trembles, my hair rises, and cracks grow across the stone floor as I hold the spear with an iron grip.
Alright, while I'm more of a slashing kind of guy, I guess I'd have to settle for a thrust this time.
Let's do this, Sirius!
I then release the tension I had gathered in my body, shooting forward like a comet toward Antares' torso.
But before I can land a hit, its six arms all converge on me, surrounding me like a net.
Readjusting the grip on the spear, I carve out a crescent through the air, cleaving off the approaching arms.
And the arms... don't regenerate.
That's good... very good.
Arcing my back, just as I reach the monster's torso, I stab forward, creating a sonic boom with how fast the spear tip moved through the air.
At impact, the black carapace instantly shatters into thousands of pieces, yet the spear continues forward, stabbing deep into the monster's body.
There was no screech of pain, nor howl of anger.
Instead, I watched in awe as the monster's body slowly turned grey before crumbling into dust.
...What?
"Well done, Sirius!" Alise cheers from behind.
Picking up the spear, I can only look on in confusion at the place where Antares once stood.
That... really wasn't how I thought it would go.
It's an ancient monster of terror, right?
Wasn't it supposed to be a bit more dangerous?
But I finished it in one shot...
"Huh? Sirius, what's wrong?" Alise asks.
Shaking my head, I start walking back to the two.
"Nothing, it's just... wasn't that a little too easy?" I ask.
"Don't be ridiculous, husband." Ryuu responds.
Rubbing her forehead, my blonde Elf heaves a deep sigh before continuing.
"You are a level 6, and one capable enough to defeat Balor, a level 8 monster, alone. That monster was at most a level 5, with its most powerful and annoying trait being nullified by that spear." She says firmly.
I guess that's true.
I mean, we didn't take anyone else with us as we thought the three of us were enough.
...It still feels a bit wrong though.
"Ah, husband. You've got some blood on your face."
Ryuu then walks up with a handkerchief and begins wiping away the droplets of Antares' blood that had splattered on my cheek as I slowly come to terms with reality.
And so, in less than a day, I met the Artemis Familia and then proceeded to kill a monster that had terrorized the ancient world with one attack.
...All in a day's work, I suppose.
-A/N-
While the fight against Antares was pretty short, considering the fact that Bell beat Antares (as a level 2/3) after it had devoured Artemis, it would be stupid to have Sirius struggle against it at this point in time.
Plus... with this, perhaps we will see the blue-haired Goddess and her Familia in the future.
After all, a 10,000-year-old fated romance wouldn't disappear just like that, would it?
"Sirius. There's people up ahead." Neze says from the side.
Fuck. Not this again.
"Anything dangerous?" I ask.
"No... at least I don't think so. They're in the woods to the left, almost like they're setting up for an ambush, but they aren't trying to hide their presence or anything." She says while taking another sniff.
"Hmm... Well, since we're here, we might as well make sure there aren't any bandits. I'll go ahead."
"Alright. I'd say to be careful, but you're too much of a monster to be hurt by anything out here." Neze says.
"How rude."
I then start riding forward, my eyes narrowed and my senses sharp.
While Neze said they were unlikely to be anyone dangerous, it was never a bad thing to be careful.
It didn't take long for them to enter my range of perception.
There were quite a lot, around 20 of them, and they were damn strong for outside Orario, all of them being level 2.
Could it be an army?
Perhaps, but that thought quickly left my mind as I picked up another presence.
The presence of a God.
Haa... I should get Mother Astraea over here, shouldn't I?
"Hello! We come in peace! As long as you're not a bunch of bandits, that is!" I say lightheartedly.
That was a good greeting, right?
A few moments pass in silence before a figure steps out of the brush.
Long light blue hair, braided in the back.
Shining green eyes.
And a natural beauty that could only take one's breath away.
It seemed that this was the Goddess I had sensed.
But what was with that long pole wrapped in cloth on her back?
"Goddess! Get back! It's dangerous!" A feminine voice says from the brush.
"Rethusa, if this man was an enemy, we would already be dead." The Goddess says.
The voice then reveals herself as a tall woman, with medium-length reddish-brown hair and a light green hunting outfit.
"Well, I can't deny that." I say with a laugh.
'Rethusa' only glares at me in response.
Tough crowd.
"Ahem. Anyway, my name is Sirius Lovion of the Astraea Familia. We just happened to notice you while walking by and wanted to make sure you weren't anyone... unethical." I say.
"Astraea...?" They both say breathlessly.
Oh?
Well, I suppose with us being quite close to Orario, our Familia's fame should be expected to spread this far.
But that look on the Goddess' face... it seemed more... personal.
"Do you happen to know Mother Astraea from Tenkai?" I ask the Goddess.
"Indeed. I-"
"Do you know Celestial Sword!?" Rethusa interrupts.
Well, of course I know him. He's me.
From the way her eyes were shining and cheeks were flushed...
Hehe. It seems I've got a fan.
"Well, you're looking at him!" I say with a wink.
Her excited expression falls into one of sadness.
"Oh... it's a man... Tsk." Rethusa says.
...Ouch.
What's with that?
I'm hurting here, you know.
"Hmm... I had thought that Astraea only accepted women into her Familia, like me..." The Goddess says questioningly.
"Well, I'm kind of a special case... Anyway, I'll go tell them it's fine to come over." I say.
"Thank you. Tell Astraea I would love to have a friendly chat if she has time." The Goddess says.
"Sure thing. But... what's your name, if I may ask?" I say.
The blue-haired Goddess then gave me a small smile, the first of such an expression I had seen on her face.
"Ah, of course. I am Artemis. The head of the Artemis Familia."
----- 2 Hours Later -----
Somehow, we ended up in this situation, where we were spending the night with the Artemis Familia.
It started when Astraea wanted to catch up with her old friend from Tenkai, and devolved into having dinner together, and now this.
This was helped by the fact the girls got along really well with the Artemis Familia members.
Well, while the Artemis Familia wasn't expressly about justice or heroism, many of their reasons for hunting monsters were something along those lines, so the two Familias got along pretty well.
Oh, and I was being shunned.
Well... shunned wasn't quite right.
It was more like they were having a girls' night and I didn't want to intrude.
Besides, someone needed to guard the camp.
Anyway, from the short time we've been together, it had become apparent that Artemis and her girls took the 'female only' thing a level higher than Astraea ever did.
It made sense, seeing that Artemis was the Goddess presiding over chastity.
While Astraea's choice of gender was more out of protection for her children, Artemis' was chosen out of a disdain for relationships.
But I wonder what she would think of a lesbian relationship...
Oh well, not my problem.
Since the kids decided to tire themselves out with training and reading, I was currently watching over the villagers.
They were mostly doing little arts and crafts like whittling and knitting to pass the time, though I did catch a few of them just staring off into the distance.
While it was a bit uncomfortable, it wasn't like I could do anything.
I wasn't a psychiatrist, and I didn't have an experience similar to theirs to relate to.
And even if I did... I don't think I would be the best person.
While they had thanked and praised me relentlessly, I could tell that it was slightly forced.
I was confused at first, but after talking to Alise and Ryuu about their experiences during the Great Feud, I understood.
They held resentment toward me.
Not a lot, of course, and they were still sincerely thankful, but there was still a bit of anger in their minds.
Anger at me for not getting there sooner, for not saving them all.
A nonsensical anger.
And they knew that too, hence why it was veiled.
I didn't blame them for it though.
They had gone through an unspeakable tragedy, and they deserved to hate something, to hate the world, and the best targets for their hatred were already corpses.
So I just had to bear with it for now, and hopefully, in the far future, they would get better.
"Hey, Sirius." Sophie asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.
She had been training by herself lately ever since she saw Ais and I spar.
I guess she got a little motivated.
"Yo. Do you need something?" I ask.
"I'm having a little trouble with my magic. Do you think you could help me?" She asks.
"Sure. But didn't Alise say she was gonna train you?" I ask.
"She did, but, well..." Sophie then nods to the side.
Following her gesture, I watch as Alise chugs down a mug of alcohol, seemingly in the middle of a drinking game against the Artemis Familia captain, Rethusa, who was also the girl who first greeted me from the forest.
"Oh... I see." I respond.
Damn.
Hopefully, I get to see a drunk Alise tonight.
Because a drunk Alise meant a horny Alise.
But moving on...
"Well. Show me what you have right now." I say.
Sophie nods resolutely before chanting.
"Tree of god, tree of wishes. Purge these sinners from the sacred garden. Savages rendered to bone, bone rendered to dirt. Cleanse this sacred earth."
I feel the ground underneath my feet tremble before a mass of vines erupts from the ground, flailing around with no specific purpose.
"Nice job. That was a pretty fast chant, and your magic power was pretty smooth. Now... can you control it?" I ask.
"T-That's the problem. It's... hard. Like I'm fighting against something." Sophie says through gritted teeth.
Seems like she's struggling.
"Alright. Here, how about-"
As I begin giving some advice, I feel the presence of a monster.
Not just any monster, but a damn strong one.
A monster that should absolutely not be on the surface.
It felt like... a level 4.
No, it might be even stronger.
But the next moment, the presence fades.
No... now that I was focused, it didn't exactly fade.
But rather... it's muted.
Just like the barrier in Dragon Valley...
"Sorry Sophie... I think we'll need to put this training on hold." I say while getting up.
Now... I had to have a little chat with the two Goddesses.
----- 2 Hours Later -----
"So this is the place?" I ask.
In reality, the question was unneeded.
I could easily sense the monster behind this door, its presence nearly overwhelming.
"Indeed it is. I guess this explains the increase in monsters around the area." Artemis says.
After telling Artemis and Astraea about what I felt, the festive mood quickly died down into one of seriousness.
You see, it wasn't a complete coincidence that the Artemis Familia was in the area.
There had been an increasing amount of monsters in and around this forest, and as the monster hunters they were, they quickly came over to rid the surrounding population of the problem.
And it seems like this was the culprit.
We were currently in a place called Elsos Ruins, near to where we had set up our camp.
And beyond this door, was the sealed monster of ancient times, Antares.
But it seemed that the barrier holding this disaster back was failing, which called the surrounding monsters to its presence... somehow.
Well, considering this barrier had been erected thousands of years ago, I'm actually surprised it's taken this long.
At least we were here now, so this thing could be turned to dust without harming anyone else.
"Well, it doesn't seem too strong. At least compared to us. So you don't need to worry!" Alise says from behind.
Exactly.
"Not exactly." Artemis refutes.
Nevermind.
"Huh? Why not?" Alise asks.
"Beyond that door is the ancient monster, Antares. Although you all are strong, you are not much stronger than the great spirits that came together to fight that thing in the past. And they had to resort to sealing it." The blue-haired Goddess says.
"So then... what the hell do we do now?" I ask.
Artemis then turns to me.
"While its strength is manageable, the issue is that it is impossible to kill." She says.
Well, that doesn't sound good at all.
"At least by mortal means, that is." Artemis says with a smile.
What?
She then takes off the pole from her back before unwrapping the cloth around it, revealing a pristine spear, the tip glowing a faint blue.
I could instantly feel it.
That was a divine weapon right there.
"This is my precious weapon. Orion. While it can only be wielded by a certain individual... if it's the children of Astraea, followers of justice. It should be okay." She says before handing it to Alise.
"Alright! While I'd prefer a sword, I guess I'll have to bear with it-"
As soon as she is given the spear, it plummets to the ground while still being held in her hands, before embedding itself deep into the stone floor.
...
"Ahaha~! I guess it just wasn't for me, then?" Alise says shakily while letting go of the spear.
Ryuu and I both facepalm.
This wife of mine...
"Unfortunately not. But if even you cannot wield it... then I'm afraid we need to find a new plan." Artemis says worriedly.
Ugh... I just wanted to go home...
I then remember Artemis' previous words.
"Wait, hold on a second. Who exactly is the 'certain individual' that can use it?" I ask.
"...Heroic, virtuous and pure. Those are the required traits to wield Orion. But if the captain of your Familia is unable to, then-" Artemis says.
I reach down to pick up the spear and lifting it, I'm hit by a slight sense of unease.
...But I could still lift it.
Huh.
"Guess I'm the one then?" I say with a shrug.
But that's weird...
Heroic and virtuous are exactly the traits I would use for Alise, so why did it not work for her?
But thinking back on Take's words, when he was so excited about me being able to use Sword Saint arts...
Maybe 'heroism' has a different meaning in this world?
I had thought it was just another word for 'talent' and being brave or heroic, but maybe it was something... more.
Something more fantasy-like.
Ah well.
"...I guess my worries were for naught. But it's odd..."
Artemis then comes forward before placing her hand on the shaft of the spear.
"It accepted you, but not completely. From what I can tell... you have a heroic soul, and a virtuous one, but not necessarily pure..." She says.
"Not pure, eh?" I say before looking over to Alise and Ryuu.
Thinking about the things we did a few days ago...
And in the woods no less...
"Yeah, I can see why. Haha!"
I then feel a pain from my side, and looking at my blushing Elf, I can see why.
Seems Ryuu had decided to punish me with a pinch.
But I had grown to enjoy that pain, you know?
"...How shameless... disgusting." Artemis says with a frown.
Well, I guess that's the Goddess of chastity for you.
Alise meanwhile was looking off to the side, trying to hold in her laughter.
"Anyway, Sirius. Are you confident in using it?" Astraea asks me.
"Of course I am! While not near my level of skill with the sword, I can use a spear if I need to." I respond confidently.
And that confidence wasn't fake.
While I was by no means a spearman, I had learned the basics, just as I had with almost every weapon one could use.
This was done around when I had reached level 5, with the purpose being to see if I had a hidden talent, while also being able to learn how to best defend against those weapons.
'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.' and all that.
Plus, if all else fails, I could always just use it as a sword.
A really, really long sword.
"Well, we shouldn't wait any longer. Will the barrier be a problem?" I ask.
"It is sealed within the ruins itself, so once these doors open you should be able to fight it." Artemis says.
Well, that sure makes things easier.
"Alright. You two should head back, and while I don't think I'll need it, I'll have my two lovely wives as support." I say.
"Understood. But be careful. It is said that Antares has the power to devour a god. Do not take it lightly." Astraea says.
"I won't!" I respond with a wave.
'Power to devour a god', eh?
I wonder if something like that happened to make the Black Dragon so strong.
"Good luck, you three. We will be waiting for your success." Astraea says.
As the two Goddesses make their way up the stairs, Alise then turns to me.
"So Mr. Hero~ are you sure about using a spear?" She asks.
"Don't call me that. Please. And... yeah. I should be fine." I respond while twirling the spear in my hand.
Thinking about the spear, I am reminded of my thoughts of when I first came here, and how I found it odd.
In this world, swords are favoured much more than spears, but back on Earth, the opposite was true.
And it was for good reason too.
While swords were cool and all, it was always said that a novice spearman could win against an expert swordsman, and as the ages advanced, swords were more used for decorative pieces rather than weapons of warfare.
So why was it the reverse here?
After thinking about it, there were a few factors.
The main reason for the spear's usage on Earth was because it was cheap, easy to learn, had good range, and was great for formations.
But here, you couldn't cheap out on equipment, much less your main weapon, which you lived and died by as your companion.
And here you weren't just random farmers asked by your lord to join the current war, but rather one who needed to hone your skills in combat and training over time, meaning the weapon being easy to learn meant close to nothing.
As for the increased range... well, when there were people who could cross miles in a few steps, that minute difference didn't really matter.
In fact, in the dungeon, such a long weapon might even get in the way.
As for being better in formations... well, you weren't going to see a phalanx or anything over here, as most people fought individually.
And even if you did fight as a group, it was more about mutual cooperation than an organized collective.
In short, the sword was better for a strong individual, while the spear was better as a way to overcome a difference in strength as a group.
So with the individual power in this world being so insane, no wonder that swords would be the norm.
But anyway, it wasn't time for an anthropology lesson, but rather the time to fight.
Opening the door, I am met with an eerie silence, different from the usual growl or scream that accompanies a monster's reveal.
But while Antares was silent, it was by no means hidden.
Standing in the middle of what looked to be some sort of arena was a large, black scorpion, with glowing red lines crisscrossing its body.
It had one eye near the middle of its body, giant front claws, a menacing-looking stinger, and six arms sprouting from its midsection.
...What a weird-looking scorpion.
It definitely looked the part of a monster that terrorized the land, but for some reason, it felt quite... weak?
...Well, still... I won't let my guard down.
Only a dumbass would do that.
Setting myself into a crouch, I began channelling all the strength I could muster as my body was set alight in stellar magic.
While I could coat the spear tip as well, I decided not to in case it got in the way of the 'divinity' or whatever could make this spear slay the immortal monster.
The air trembles, my hair rises, and cracks grow across the stone floor as I hold the spear with an iron grip.
Alright, while I'm more of a slashing kind of guy, I guess I'd have to settle for a thrust this time.
Let's do this, Sirius!
I then release the tension I had gathered in my body, shooting forward like a comet toward Antares' torso.
But before I can land a hit, its six arms all converge on me, surrounding me like a net.
Readjusting the grip on the spear, I carve out a crescent through the air, cleaving off the approaching arms.
And the arms... don't regenerate.
That's good... very good.
Arcing my back, just as I reach the monster's torso, I stab forward, creating a sonic boom with how fast the spear tip moved through the air.
At impact, the black carapace instantly shatters into thousands of pieces, yet the spear continues forward, stabbing deep into the monster's body.
There was no screech of pain, nor howl of anger.
Instead, I watched in awe as the monster's body slowly turned grey before crumbling into dust.
...What?
"Well done, Sirius!" Alise cheers from behind.
Picking up the spear, I can only look on in confusion at the place where Antares once stood.
That... really wasn't how I thought it would go.
It's an ancient monster of terror, right?
Wasn't it supposed to be a bit more dangerous?
But I finished it in one shot...
"Huh? Sirius, what's wrong?" Alise asks.
Shaking my head, I start walking back to the two.
"Nothing, it's just... wasn't that a little too easy?" I ask.
"Don't be ridiculous, husband." Ryuu responds.
Rubbing her forehead, my blonde Elf heaves a deep sigh before continuing.
"You are a level 6, and one capable enough to defeat Balor, a level 8 monster, alone. That monster was at most a level 5, with its most powerful and annoying trait being nullified by that spear." She says firmly.
I guess that's true.
I mean, we didn't take anyone else with us as we thought the three of us were enough.
...It still feels a bit wrong though.
"Ah, husband. You've got some blood on your face."
Ryuu then walks up with a handkerchief and begins wiping away the droplets of Antares' blood that had splattered on my cheek as I slowly come to terms with reality.
And so, in less than a day, I met the Artemis Familia and then proceeded to kill a monster that had terrorized the ancient world with one attack.
...All in a day's work, I suppose.
-A/N-
While the fight against Antares was pretty short, considering the fact that Bell beat Antares (as a level 2/3) after it had devoured Artemis, it would be stupid to have Sirius struggle against it at this point in time.
Plus... with this, perhaps we will see the blue-haired Goddess and her Familia in the future.
After all, a 10,000-year-old fated romance wouldn't disappear just like that, would it?
