After talking with Haruhime for a bit more they decided to go help Bell already.
Looking around the Cells searching for Bell, they finally found it.
Opening the door and entering Bell was chained to the wall seemingly trying to escape.
"Hey, good to see you are still in one piece" Calvin said unlocking the shackles in his wrists.
"Yeah... I don't know what would have happened if I stayed here any longer, thanks" he said massaging his wrist.
"Any way Haruhime here will bring you to an exit while I go and find something" Calvin said pointing at Haruhime.
"Ah... okay, but where is Mikoto?" Bell asked.
"She'll be alright, now go" Calvin said and went out of the cell.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
[Calvin Pov]
After leaving the couple behind I made my way through the tunnels sensing what was above them.
Finally reaching one that was just below the tower of the Ishtar Familia I stopped and jumped to the ceiling.
[Phasing]
[22/38 Bent remaining]
Passing through the roof and appearing through the floor inside the tower.
"Now... where would I put a 'killing stone'" looking around the place I was in some sort of room that thankfully was empty.
Sensing the surroundings there were a lot of people around, the outside of the room was a big hall that extended for floors, the hallways on half of the floors ended in balconies and there was a big staircase in the middle.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of amazons all around the place so I couldn't get out of here even if I phased through the walls.
"Little Rookie and the Renard Escaped!!" one of the amazons that came from the double door in the entrance said.
"Huh? Little rookie escaped?"
"Let's find them!"
"If you bring them back, Ishtar-Sama might reward you" I heard the amazons in various floors say while they ran to the exit.
Sensing a lot less people in the tower I searched for the 'Treasury' of the Ishtar Familia going through some walls finally finding a big metal door in the 5th floor that seemed quite thick.
[Phasing]
[21/38 Bent Remaining]
[Phasing]
[20/38 Bent remaining]
There were more guards guarding it so I just went through the back using [Phasing]
[19/38 Bent remaining]
Inside the vault there were a lot of gold, gems and weapons but in the middle of the room there was a wooden box.
Opening the box there was a translucent light blue stone and what seemed to be a 'sacrificial dagger'.
"It really is some kind of ritual, I thought it was just some shady magic" grabbing the stone and the knife.
"But if they don't have this, they can't do anything, right?" putting the Stone in the same pouch where I put the Vouivre magic stone.
"They recaptured the Renard! But it seems like little rookie is still running!" I hear someone say from outside.
'Damm, I knew they would get captured again but not that fast, I'm too used to have strong teammates'
*Clank*
I hear someone opening the door.
I rapidly make a copy of the killing stone and the dagger putting them in the box and phasing out of the room.
[Dupdomancy]
[Dupdomancy]
[Phasing]
[Phasing level 4!
8 Seconds]
[16/38 Bent remaining]
"Bring the stone to the altar!" I hear just as I phase through the walls.
'I should hurry and locate Haruhime before the copy expires' just as I was thinking that loud booming resonated through the tower.
*Boooom*
"Someone is attacking!" someone said.
"it's little rookie!" a guard said while running towards the explosions making the surroundings devoid of people.
'Just the distraction I needed' running through the halls trying to find Haruhime and get out of here.
Hearing the sounds of battle nearby I decided to check if I can get some information from them.
Following the clashing sounds I was again at the big hall with the staircase, looking down from the 2nd floor I saw Bell surrounded by a bunch of Amazons and a Frog/thing?
'What the hell is that? Did they tame a monster or something?' looking at the strange creature.
"Stand aside"
Suddenly a Purple-haired amazon Woman comes from the stairs making the amazons stop and look at her.
"Huh? We were getting to the good part" the frog thing said.
"Ishtar-Sama" said the one with a big ass sword.
'Oh? So, she is Ishtar? Nothing special, or is that I can't "see" her beauty because of the love potion?' I thought looking at the somewhat above average woman.
"I said, stand aside, all of you go start the ritual and make sure it works this time" she said making all the amazons in the room to shut up and go to what I think it's 'the altar'.
'Great, now I just need to follow them there' circling around the big hall.
As Bell was talking to Ishtar, he suddenly got grappled by a man that was behind Ishtar.
'Oh shit!' putting my hand in the hilt of my sword ready to attack should something happen.
Out of nowhere Ishtar suddenly dropped her pipe and 'undressed', not like she had much to begin with.
"I'm going to charm you to the bone" she said licking her lips, making her eyes shine a malicious purple.
…
"I-I can't please cover yourself!" Bell said squirming and looking down
'Nothing happened?' I look at the scene from above.
"What!? He should be charmed by now... quick show me his back" she said to her 'bodyguard'.
The man lifted Bell's shirt and took a bottle from his pocket, opening it and letting a drop of blood fall onto Bell's back his blessing made itself visible.
"{Liaris Freese}? Crystalized Emotions! Godly charms don't work on him?!" said the goddess exclaimed.
She took a step back and glared at Bell.
"Are you an idiot?!" she shouted angrily at Bell.
"S-sorry just- let me go!" Bell said getting out of the man's grip and running away.
"Don't let him escape!" she said to the man to which he nodded.
'{Liaris Freese}? Immunity to mind controlling abilities? Seems like he doesn't know he has it, I might need to ask Hestia about it' looking at the angered goddess for a last time before making my way to the supposed altar.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>[Meanwhile]>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
At the bridge connecting the main tower to the top of a smaller tower on the side, Haruhime was being escorted by two amazons to the Altar on top of the small tower.
Haruhime had a hopeless look moments before she had seen that the Ishtar Familia still had the killing stone, which meant that Calvin didn't get to it in time.
As she was already accepting her fate suddenly Mikoto came from below the bridge.
She then pushed down one of the amazons and kicked the other one down the bridge.
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...."
"Guh! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..." they screamed falling down the bridge.
"Mikoto" haruhime said looking at her friend.
"Haruhime, let's get out of here" Mikoto said to her.
"If you save me, you'll get in trouble with the Ishtar Familia" haruhime said looking down.
"Even knowing that, Bell came to save you!" Mikoto exclaimed.
"Mister Cranel is too nice for his own good" Haruhime said continuing to look down.
"He isn't doing it out of pity or guilt!"
"Please stop Mikoto, I-I'm fine here"
"Why do you give up! We are already here! We can save you right now!" Mikoto said only to get interrupted by Haruhime.
"You don't understand! I'm a prostitute! I sell my body to men I don't know!" she said hugging herself.
"If it, were you, would you forgive yourself? Should I ask for someone to save me? With this Dirty body... why would anyone want to save a Whore" she said while tears ran down her face.
"YOU ARE NOT A WHORE!" Mikoto shouted.
Stunning Haruhime for moment before a shout woke her up from her stupor.
"I found the Rat!" a bunch of amazons came from the main tower, suddenly one of the threw an axe at Mikoto hitting her shoulder making her stumble and fall from the bridge.
"Mikoto!" Haruhime said trying to catch her.
"Crap! I failed" Mikoto said while falling, she then took a red flare from her pouch and lit it firing it to the sky.
"But I'm not giving up just jet!" she said grabbing a chain and weight throwing it at one of the cracks in the tower making the weight get stuck in it and stopping her fall.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
At the smaller tower, Bell was running up the floors when he saw the flare fired by Mikoto.
"She failed?... but I won't give up!" he said and kept running up the stairs even faster.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Meanwhile Haruhime was being chained to the middle of the altar seemingly thinking about something.
Hearing Mikoto shout at her before, she remembered the words that Calvin told her a while back.
'But if what he said its true and I'm not really a whore? Wouldn't that mean that I can live again like a normal person and look at people without shame?' looking at her chained self she felt afraid.
For the first time since she knew she was going to be executed, she was afraid of dying, afraid of letting go that small chance of a normal life, a life that she could enjoy like a normal person and not the life of a prostitute.
Meanwhile Calvin suddenly appeared out of the floor behind one of the pillars and hid behind it.
[Phasing]
[15/38 Bent remaining]
'I'm finally here, jumping through multiple floors at once thanks to the extended time of leveling [phasing] was really useful' he thought looking at the scene that played in front of him.
He then saw Bell appear from the side of the tower and hide behind another pillar.
"Let's start the ritual" an amazon with white hair said grabbing the killing stone and the dagger, putting the stone on the pommel of it.
She then approached Haruhime that had glassy eyes and pursed lips as if she was about to cry again.
"P-please, don't do it" she begged.
"Oh? Now you are begging for your life? After all this time? What made you change your mind?" the White-haired amazon said.
"Haruhime! I'm gonna save you no matter what!" Suddenly Mikoto arrived at the scene slashing at some of the amazons with her Katana.
"Nice! Phryne, leave this one to me, I didn't get any fun a is was busy with the ritual, is that okay?" she said giving the Dagger to an amazon nearby and looking at the Frog/thing.
"Do as you like" Phryne said.
"You heard, maybe if you defeat all of us Ishtar-Sama might just hear you out hahaha!" The white-haired amazon said looking back at Mikoto.
"Yeah, yeah"
"Beat her up!"
"let's go Samira!" some of the amazons cheered.
"Wait you don't have to do it!" Haruhime said to Samira which she ignored and approached Mikoto.
"Let's see it you can keep up" Samira said and dashed towards Mikoto launching a punch to her face to which Mikoto barely had time to react much less block.
Samira then throwed another punch to her jaw making Mikoto drop her sword, Mikoto then dodged forwards changing the orientation of the battle.
Samira went for a flurry of punches, to which Mikoto barely guarded, Samira the threw a hook launching Mikoto into the air for a couple meters and fall back down barely able to move.
"Oy Little rookie, stop hiding and help your companion unless you want her dead" Phryne said.
Seeing the poor state of his teammate Bell couldn't help but want to go and help Mikoto, getting ready to get out of his hiding spot.
"Don't! Bell, not yet!" Mikoto shouted, making Bell stay hidden.
"Are you sure? The time is running out" Samira said pointing at haruhime.
Just as the full moon reached its highest point the floor beneath haruhime light up reflecting the shine of the moon.
"Kill her!" Phryne said to the amazon with the Dagger.
Before Bell could run half way to Haruhime, the amazon quickly went in front of haruhime and stabbed at her.
Haruhime could only look as the dagger approached her heart.
"Noooo!" Bell shouted.
"Ke...ke...ke Finally!" Phryne said.
And just before the Dagger made contact with Haruhime it disappeared from the amazon's hand like a mirage, like it was never there to begin with.
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
Suddenly claps where heard and everyone turned to look the way the sound came from.
"Nice actuation... but it seems that you are missing the most important part" Calvin said coming out of his hiding spot and Taking out the real 'Killing stone'.
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That's the chapter I hope you liked it and see you on the next :D