A light drizzle was falling when Artemis returned to Orario.
Dark clouds hung low in the sky, casting a gloomy pall over the entire city.
She stood before the northern gate, her blue hair soaked by the rain and plastered against her pale cheeks.
Her clothes were still stained with blood. It wasn't hers, but the blood of her fallen Familia members.
Her eyes were hollow and exhausted, as though she had just awakened from a nightmare.
Hermes stood beside her, holding a black umbrella over her head to shield her from the rain.
For once, his expression was completely serious, without a trace of his usual carefree smile.
He knew what Artemis had endured: the annihilation of her entire Familia, the danger of being sealed within Antares, and the desperate escape of her spiritual projection.
She had lost far too much.
"Artemis."
Hermes spoke softly.
"What are you going to do?"
Artemis remained silent for a moment before answering.
"I'm going to Ouranos. I'll ask him to coordinate with the Loki and Freya Familias and have them help me destroy Antares."
Hermes looked at her, a complicated emotion flickering in his eyes.
"The Loki and Freya Familias? I doubt they'll agree so easily. Those people only care about their own Familias. They've never shown much concern for anyone else's problems."
Artemis shook her head.
"This began as a Guild commission. Ouranos has the authority to dispatch any Familia to carry out a mission. If he issues an order to subjugate an ancient monster, neither Loki nor Freya will have any reason to refuse."
Hermes considered her words for a moment, then nodded.
"Then let's try."
The two entered Orario and headed toward the Guild.
Pedestrians along the streets turned to stare at Artemis's battered appearance, whispering among themselves.
Artemis ignored their gazes. She kept her head lowered and walked quickly past them.
Only one thought filled her mind: find reinforcements, destroy Antares, and avenge the members of her Familia.
Within the Guild, Ouranos sat upon the underground altar.
Standing before him, Artemis recounted everything that had happened at the ruins in the Great Forest: the weakening seal, Antares's awakening, the destruction of her Familia, the danger of being sealed inside the monster, and the summoning of the Arrow of Orion into the Lower World.
Her voice remained calm, but Ouranos could hear the faint tremor beneath it.
"That is why I want you to send the Loki and Freya Familias to the Great Forest and help me destroy Antares."
There was a hint of pleading in Artemis's voice.
Ouranos remained silent for a moment, then shook his head.
"Artemis, it isn't that I'm unwilling to help you. The Loki and Freya Familias are both conducting expeditions in the Dungeon's deeper floors. These expeditions were planned long ago and cannot be changed."
Artemis frowned.
"Expeditions? When did they leave?"
"Half a month ago."
Ouranos's voice remained calm.
"They aren't expected to return for another month."
Artemis fell silent.
Half a month ago was when she had accepted the Guild's commission and departed for the Great Forest.
The Loki and Freya Familias had already left by then, but she hadn't known. No one had told her.
Now, when she desperately needed their strength, neither Familia was in the city.
"What about the Ganesha Familia?"
Urgency entered Artemis's voice.
"They should still be in Orario, shouldn't they?"
Ouranos sighed.
"The Ganesha Familia is here, but its duty is to maintain order within Orario. Moreover, their strongest adventurers are only Level 5. Antares is an enemy that even you couldn't defeat. What do you think a handful of Level 5 adventurers could accomplish against it?"
Artemis clenched the fabric of her skirt.
She knew Ouranos was telling the truth.
Antares's power far surpassed Level 5. It was even beyond the reach of Level 6 and Level 7 adventurers.
Only the strongest first-tier adventurers, or a god personally wielding divine power, stood any chance of defeating it.
But the gods were forbidden from using their divine power in the Lower World. That left only the adventurers who stood at Orario's summit.
And none of them were here.
"Artemis..."
Artemis gritted her teeth, turned around, and left the underground altar.
Hermes followed her, watching her retreating figure with complicated feelings.
Artemis walked through Orario's streets as the rain poured over her, soaking her completely.
Countless thoughts raced through her mind.
At last, she gritted her teeth and headed in another direction.
She had decided to test the Arrow of Orion first.
If no one could pull it free, she would destroy it.
Three days later, the Holy Moon Festival began.
Orario's central plaza was packed with people.
Adventurers poured in from every direction. Some had come to watch the spectacle, some wanted to test their luck, and others simply wanted to join the excitement.
At the center of the plaza stood an enormous arrow: the Arrow of Orion.
At least, it was called an arrow. To an ordinary observer, it looked far more like a spear or lance.
Artemis stood beside it in a long white dress, her blue hair flowing loosely over her shoulders. Fatigue lingered on her face, but her eyes were filled with anticipation.
She surveyed the gathered adventurers and silently prayed.
She hoped someone would pull out the arrow.
She hoped that person would help her destroy Antares.
She hoped someone would save her from this despair.
The adventurers were eager to try. One after another, they stepped forward, seized the shaft, and pulled with all their strength.
Not one of them succeeded.
The arrow didn't move an inch, as though it had taken root in the earth.
Time slowly passed.
The sun climbed from the eastern horizon to its peak, then began descending toward the west.
More than a hundred adventurers attempted the challenge, but none succeeded.
Some weren't strong enough. Others used the wrong approach. A few were repelled before they could even touch the arrow.
Artemis's heart sank a little further with every failure.
Her last hope was slowly crumbling.
She turned around, preparing to leave.
At that moment, someone stepped out of the crowd.
Genichi.
He wore black clothes, his hands tucked into his pockets. His expression was calm, and his steps were unhurried.
His gaze settled on the arrow, and the corner of his mouth rose into a faint smile.
He didn't look at Artemis. He simply walked straight to the arrow, crouched down, reached out, and gently wrapped his fingers around its shaft.
Artemis's pupils contracted sharply.
She stared at Genichi, her silver eyes filled with tension and anticipation.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]