DanMachi: Heroic Epic of Emiya the Great Hero

"Little human, or p*rverted glasses guy, you self-proclaimed smart fellows, can you figure out what those crazy women of the Hera Familia are thinking?", the cat-person youth with a frosty face asked.

"Don't know," Finn answered calmly, while Hedin ignored Allen.

Their current location was the huge plaza on the 8th floor of the artificial dungeon. All the adventurers who lost consciousness after being defeated had been moved here.

No restraints were set, and no weapons were confiscated. They were just casually thrown here. Even during battle, the other side seemed to have deliberately avoided attacking the healers.

Thanks to the healers' efforts, the adventurers' injuries had mostly recovered. After all, with Airmid, no matter how severe the wound, as long as it was bathed in her magic, it could heal.

Just not long ago, that little girl had treated the adventurers from the Freya, Loki, Ganesha, and Astraea Familia. Casting magic until smoke came from her head, she unexpectedly leveled up to Lv.2.

Due to the special circumstances, the gods directly bypassed the Denatus and decided to grant Airmid the title of [Saintess of Battlefield].

And with her level ascended to Lv.2, plus gaining the development ability [Mystery], Airmid alone could hold the legion's battle line.

However, during the battle with [Celestial Fox] and others earlier, the other side hadn't even given her the chance to heal. Just one magic wiped out the adventurer forces.

"At least, their goal isn't to destroy the city, because up to now, they still haven't laid a hand on Goddess Freya and the others...", Finn thought.

Ottar and the others still hadn't lost their Falna, and Goddess Freya hadn't been sent back.

It was the same for the Astraea Familia, the effect of the Falna was still there. The goddesses on the coalition side, though captured, seemed completely unharmed.

If those strong warriors of the Hera Familia truly intended to destroy Orario, the simplest way would have been to directly send the gods back. In that case, the city side would immediately lose the ability to resist.

So far, they had indeed sent back several gods, those beams of light soaring into the sky couldn't be faked. But—

"Those gods who were sent back, who exactly are...", Finn was starting to feel suspicious.

Aside from Dionysus at the beginning, the gods sent back later seemed to have no familia at all.

Or, their familias weren't on the city's side.

After bold guesses and careful verification, Finn was now starting to suspect that the gods sent back to Heaven might actually be the evil gods of the Evilus.

"Are they taking revenge on us, or... testing us?", Finn kept pondering the enemy's intentions.

But by now, the other adventurers seemed to have completely lost heart.

"Can't win, absolutely can't win."

"How could monsters like that possibly be defeated?"

"Orario is done for."

"I'm never fighting again..."

Such words could be heard from time to time, not loud, but very grating.

"Shut up, you bastards!", came the cat-person's curse, "Useless cowards, stop making noise here."

"You lost too, didn't you, [Goddess' Chariot]?", a man muttered.

"What did you say?", The sharp-eared cat-person instantly pinpointed the source, rushed over, and grabbed him.

The tall human adventurer was directly lifted by the small-framed cat-person, yet he only kept his head lowered, speaking in a lifeless voice.

"Am I wrong? Even if a first-class adventurer like you couldn't win, in front of that kind of opponent, what difference is there between you and me?"

By the time the adventurer coalition reached the 11th floor, [Goddess' Chariot] Allen was the only first-class adventurer left in the party.

When [Celestial Fox] began her dance and chant, he immediately charged, trying to interrupt her magic.

But Allen was trampled, his opponent wasn't even the Lv.8 [Celestial Fox] Ichijo Mashiro, but the Lv.6 [Stellar Bow] Luna.

Despite the "Bow" in her title, Luna was an all-rounder in archery, swordsmanship, and magic. The only thing she wasn't skilled at was unarmed combat. Yet she crushed Allen without even using a weapon.

Only then did Allen truly understand the fear Ottar had experienced countless times, the terror of the Hera Familia.

The man arguing with Allen now was Lv.2; compared to the Lv.5 [Goddess' Chariot], it was like a firefly to the bright moon.

But the gap between the Hera Familia's elites and [Goddess' Chariot] was no smaller than that between Lv.5 and Lv.2.

Before those people, they were the same. At best ants, and slightly weaker ants.

"That's a real strong one...", the man said in a dejected tone. Allen gritted his teeth, about to throw a punch.

Ottar blocked his fist, "Don't."

"Stay out of it, you useless boaz...", Allen muttered, but still let go.

The man collapsed to the ground, still with head bowed, as if all hope had left him.

Like [King] Ottar and [Goddess' Chariot] Allen, he was a member of the Freya Familia. A warrior who loved his goddess deeply and would die for her.

If he could save her, he wouldn't fear death. But now, he felt that even if he gave his life, it would be meaningless.

Despair seemed to outweigh his longing for the goddess.

———

"These kids can't hold on anymore," Hera said mockingly, "Freya, your charm doesn't seem so omnipotent after all."

On the 12th floor of the artificial dungeon, Hera was with the other goddesses, watching the adventurers through monitors.

There wasn't just a 120-inch main screen, but also sweets and chilled drinks prepared by Emiya, with comfortable sofas. The Evilus officers had left them here.

There were four screens in total, with multiple switchable views. The main screen was showing live footage, while the others played replays. There were multiple battlefields between the coalition and Hera Familia, so watching only live feeds wouldn't cover everything.

Considering some goddesses might not be interested in battles, Emiya even projected ping-pong tables, billiard tables, and the like.

While their children fought and died in the dungeon, they ate and drank here. Many goddesses felt ashamed.

Then, feeling guilty, they kept eating and drinking.

You couldn't just stop eating because of mood, right?

"It's only a temporary setback, they're not so easily crushed," Freya said calmly, sipping sake.

At the same time, she quietly lifted her gaze toward Hera.

'Is it my imagination, or is this old woman glowing today?', Freya thought to herself.

"At this point, shouldn't you tell us what you're planning, Hera?", Demeter asked, looking at another goddess.

"Astraea, do you know anything?"

Astraea smiled helplessly, "I know some things, but I can't say."

Hera spoke, "A hero has resolved to open a path of hope for this world. That's all."

———

"If you can't withstand this level of despair, then there's no point continuing the trials to come," The sudden male voice silenced all adventurers present.

"Zald...", Ottar looked seriously at the man appearing from the passage.

Without armor, without weapons, [Gluttony] Zald walked over calmly, standing before the adventurers.

Finn used his spear to prop himself up and forced himself to stand.

"[Gluttony], what are you Zeus and Hera Familia trying to do?"

Hearing Finn's words, Zald sneered, "It's not us who want something, it's that lord. We merely test your worth for him."

"And the result is... disappointing."

"So, that lord is preparing another plan, that is—", Zald paused, "To kill all gods, topple Babel, and push the world from the boring 'Age of Gods' back to the 'Age of Heroes.'"

"What?", His words caused an uproar.

"You're insane!", Ottar growled.

"He's serious. The thousand-year Age of Gods has failed. Only by returning to the ancient times can a true hero be born. One who can surpass the world's end."

"Madman!"

"For just that..."

"We won't let you succeed!"

"Quiet!", Finn suddenly shouted, his small frame releasing a voice that crushed all others.

"Zald, this 'lord' you speak of, who is he?", After quieting the adventurers, Finn asked.

"A hero not of this era, beyond even the ancient age, Heracles."

Finn thought quickly, 'Beyond the ancient age... so from an even earlier time... could it be the Sword Champion...?'

Before the Age of Heroes, in an even older time, there were heroes before even the [Heroic Vessel] Argo. But that history was vague, surviving only in legend.

He took a deep breath, "What's your relationship with him?"

Zald smirked, "We remnants of Zeus and Hera Familia made a bet with him. The stake is Orario's survival, and the content is whether we can defeat him."

Ottar's eyes widened, "You mean...?"

"Yes, all of us challenge him together," Zald's words were unbelievable.

And his next words were terrifying, "We have no confidence of winning."

No confidence? Any one of these monsters could wipe out the city alone, yet together they still doubted victory?

Seeing the pale adventurers, Zald sneered, "So we wanted to test your worth, see if you could be of use."

Indeed, all the battles in the artificial dungeon were just tests from Hera and Zeus Familia. Capturing the goddesses was only for this reason.

The adventurers flushed with shame, but before this man, they couldn't say a word. Because, they had lost.

Whether it was the city's strongest [King], the Freya and Loki Familia, or others, all had been utterly crushed by overwhelming power.

Many had even lost their courage.

"From what I see, you're hopeless, utterly useless."

Zald laughed coldly, "The door to the surface is open. Go home. Abandon honor, pride, and dignity, and wait, trembling, for the outcome."

———

"Isn't the story you've designed a bit simplistic?", Freya asked.

By now, she felt that at least the little human from Loki Familia and her own Hedin had noticed something.

"The story doesn't matter. My children will fight him seriously, no matter what. Whether others can muster courage is irrelevant," Hera said.

"They now have the resolve to cross the world's end, and the reason they must do so," Hera spoke with satisfaction.

In her view, as long as her children had that resolve, whether Orario's other adventurers recovered didn't matter.

After a moment's silence, Freya said, "My children will join the battle."

"I will give them resolve beyond all else!"

Hera raised an eyebrow, "How?"

Freya looked at her and whispered, "I need that 'Heracles' to help me."

———

Side Scene:

"Goddess Freya, are you sure about this?", Emiya asked helplessly.

"Yes, I've made up my mind," Freya said seriously.

"Since Goddess Freya has decided, Lord Heracles, please stop hesitating~", [Celestial Fox] Ichijo Mashiro cheerfully fiddled with the [Sketch Camera] magic tool.

At this point, Emiya could only sigh and nod. He projected a black neck accessory and fastened it on the goddess.

It was actually soft silk, but with magic's effect, it looked like a metal collar.

Mashiro excitedly raised the magic tool, "Goddess Freya, first pose, lean against Lord Heracles. Lord Heracles, pretend to hold her waist... lower... lower... okay!"

With that, Mashiro pressed the shutter.

Though she had asked for it herself, at the sound of the "click," Freya still felt dizzy, her legs weakening.

"Lady Freya, now lift your left hand. Yes, to cheek height, make a V sign. And don't smile like you've seen a comedy, look a bit pitiful. Droop the corners of your eyes, express 'helplessness,' 'forced smile,' 'reluctant sacrifice', yes, yes! Can you shed a tear? Then wipe it, leaving tear marks... Perfect! As expected of the goddess of beauty, you're the best actress!"

Under Mashiro's direction, Goddess Freya and Emiya took a set of art photos, which were given to the white elf Dina to send to the Freya Familia.

Later, several other goddesses also came to have art photos taken by Emiya and Mashiro, that's another story.

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