Early the next morning, Artemis arrived at the Demeter Familia's residence right on time.
Sunlight had only just begun to spill across Orario's streets. The air still held the night's chill, and the distant clock tower had just finished striking six.
She wore light hunting gear, her long blue hair braided down her back. A short sword hung at her waist, and a newly crafted longbow was slung over her shoulder.
Her expression was composed, but a barely concealed urgency lingered in her eyes. Every moment they delayed gave Antares another chance to absorb more of her divine power, increasing the danger to the Lower World.
Genichi stood in the center of the courtyard, ready to leave.
Dressed in black combat gear, he held the Arrow of Orion at an angle in one hand.
His expression betrayed nothing, but Artemis could sense that the mysterious power within him was more active than it had been yesterday.
Demeter stood beside him in a pale dress, looking more like she was heading out for a picnic than into battle.
Astraea stood behind her. Though the goddess of justice's presence was suppressed in the Lower World, her innate dignity still commanded respect.
Every member of the Astraea Familia was present: Kaguya, Alise, Ryuu, and more than a dozen other resurrected members.
They were all fully armed, their expressions serious and their gazes resolute.
"Now that everyone's here, let's set out."
Artemis approached Genichi.
"Before we leave, though, we'll need to ask the Guild for permission to use wyverns. The Great Forest is a long way from here. Traveling normally would take at least two weeks, but with wyverns, we could arrive within a week."
"That won't be necessary."
Genichi shook his head, his voice calm.
"Why waste that much time? I have my own way of getting there."
Artemis blinked. Before she could ask what he meant, he raised his hand.
"Portal."
An invisible ripple spread through the air, as though an unseen hand had torn an opening in space.
The opening widened and stretched upward until it became a deep blue gateway, floating silently before them.
Through it, they could make out a dense forest and ancient trees that blotted out the sky.
The Great Forest.
"All right. Let's go."
Genichi stepped through first.
Light swallowed his figure, and he vanished.
Demeter and Astraea exchanged a glance, then followed without hesitation.
The members of Astraea's Familia filed through after them.
None looked particularly surprised. They had already witnessed Genichi's teleportation magic.
Artemis remained where she was, staring at the blue gateway in bewilderment.
Then she took a deep breath and stepped through.
Light flashed before her eyes. She felt as though an invisible hand had given her a gentle push, and then...
Artemis opened her eyes.
She stood in a dense forest beneath ancient trees whose branches obscured the sky.
The air smelled of rotting leaves and damp earth, mingled with something older and more dangerous.
In the distance, she could make out crumbling walls: the outer edges of the Great Forest's ruins.
"We're already in the Great Forest?"
Disbelief filled her voice.
She looked around, struggling to accept that she had been in Orario a moment ago and was now standing here.
In the blink of an eye, she had crossed mountains and rivers and arrived at their destination.
The speed, the efficiency, the sheer impossibility of it left her momentarily speechless.
"This is one of Genichi's special spells, Portal."
Demeter came to her side, smiling as she explained.
"As long as he knows what the destination looks like, he can use it to travel there directly. And for him, this is only one of many abilities."
"What an incredibly convenient spell."
Artemis looked at Genichi with amazement and admiration.
To the people of the Lower World, such magic would be a dream come true.
If it could be widely used, adventurers would no longer need to spend so much time traveling through the Dungeon. Expeditions would become more than ten times as efficient.
Of course, she knew that wasn't possible.
Just because Genichi could do something didn't mean anyone else could.
"We're all here, and no one needs a rest."
His voice came from ahead. He had already reached the edge of the ruins, the Arrow of Orion in hand as he gazed into their depths.
"Let's head straight for the temple ruins. That's where Antares is. The sooner we deal with it, the sooner we can stop worrying."
Artemis nodded and was about to reply when a sudden barrage of arrows of light filled the sky.
They were everywhere, pouring down like a golden storm.
Each arrow held terrifying divine power and carried the promise of utter destruction.
Their shrill whistles echoed through the forest, shaking leaves loose from the branches.
"Watch out!"
Artemis shouted.
She recognized those arrows.
That was her divine authority, the power of the goddess of the hunt. Those arrows would unerringly strike any target.
But Antares had stolen that power, and now the monstrous scorpion was using it against her friends.
Genichi narrowed his eyes.
He knew exactly where the arrows came from. His shadows had already informed him that Antares could wield Artemis's authority.
What he hadn't expected was an attack so soon.
If he hadn't come prepared, that first barrage might have taken out more than half their group.
"Fairy Sphere!"
Genichi raised his hand, magic surging through him.
Pale golden light spread from his palm and instantly formed an enormous spherical barrier around everyone.
Fairy Sphere was one of Fairy Tail's Three Great Magics, an absolute defensive spell capable of blocking any attack, whether physical or magical.
The arrows struck its wall of light, sending ripple after ripple across the surface.
Each impact unleashed a deafening roar. Every explosion made the earth tremble.
Arrow after arrow fell in a relentless downpour, hammering the golden barrier.
But Fairy Sphere held firm, keeping everyone safely within.
Genichi stood at its center, maintaining the spell with both hands, his expression composed.
Magic coursed through his body and poured steadily into the barrier, neutralizing every arrow that struck it.
He could feel that, fierce as the barrage was, it still wasn't enough to breach Fairy Sphere.
Antares might have stolen Artemis's authority, but it wasn't a true god. It couldn't unleash that authority's full power.
Standing beside Genichi, Artemis watched the arrows burst against the barrier, a tangle of emotions rising within her.
That was her strength. Her authority. The power that belonged to her.
Now a monster had stolen it and was using it to attack her friends, to stop her from rescuing her true body.
It felt as though someone had cut off her own hand and turned it into a weapon against her. Pain, hatred, and helplessness twisted together inside her.
"Genichi, how long can you hold out?"
Her voice was slightly hoarse.
He looked at her.
"Until you finish off Antares."
Artemis froze, then clenched her teeth.
"My true body has been sealed away. I'm only a thought projection now. I don't have enough power to fight Antares, and those attacks it's using are manifestations of my own authority."
Through gritted teeth, she finally revealed the truth about her condition.
(End of Chapter)
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