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Mika found it impossible to refuse Alise's alliance proposal. After all, she had showered him and his Familia with praise while persuading her own companions.
Moreover, the Yahweh Familia needed allies.
Unlike large Familias like the Loki and Freya Familias, the unique nature of the Yahweh Familia meant they had a limited number of members.
For a Familia like theirs, alliances were crucial for future dungeon exploration.
After all, going solo in the dungeon was a recipe for disaster.
With the handshake between Mika and Alise, the Yahweh Familia and the Astraea Familia officially became allies.
"Say, are you two sure it's okay to form an alliance without consulting your gods?" Lyra asked cautiously.
"Don't worry, Astraea wouldn't mind," Alise replied confidently.
"Don't worry, Yahweh wouldn't mind," Mika echoed simultaneously.
They exchanged glances and chuckled, a sense of camaraderie blossoming between them.
"These two are a law unto themselves!" Lyra exclaimed, observing the unspoken understanding between Alise and Mika.
Gojouno and Ryu nodded in agreement, sharing Lyra's sentiment.
After all, how many adventurers in all of Orario dared to forge alliances without their gods' consent?
As their alliance solidified, the five of them quickly became acquainted.
Just then, a rhythmic sound of marching footsteps approached.
"It's the Ganesha Familia."
"Adi is leading them!"
Due to their frequent involvement in battles against the dark factions, the girls of the Astraea Familia were well acquainted with the Ganesha Familia executives.
The Adi they referred to was Adi Varma.
She was the younger sister of the current Ganesha Familia captain, Shakti Varma.
And a Level 3 adventurer.
"Alise, it's you!"
Spotting Alise, Adi, a blue-haired girl, approached and greeted them warmly.
The five girls quickly engaged in conversation.
"By the way, this is Mika, the captain of the Yahweh Familia. The Yahweh Familia is now our ally."
"I'm already acquainted with Captain Mika," Adi said with a smile, as Mika and the others looked at her curiously. "Although the Yahweh Familia only has three members currently, they are all Level 2 adventurers."
"And they all reached Level 2 simultaneously."
"Moreover, considering their young age, everyone in the Familia calls them the 'Little Loki Familia.'"
"Little Loki Familia?" Alise and her companions exclaimed in unison.
The "Little" prefix wasn't intended as a slight against the Yahweh Familia. On the contrary, it was a compliment.
After all, the Loki Familia was considered strong enough to rival the Freya Familia for the top spot.
However, upon further reflection, Alise and her companions understood the reasoning behind the nickname.
Mika and his companions had achieved Level 2 at such a young age. As long as they survived, reaching Levels 3 and 4 should be relatively straightforward. Even Level 5 wasn't out of the question.
Their configuration was reminiscent of the Loki Familia's renowned trio.
Hearing their conversation, Mika couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Despite their efforts to maintain a low profile, they were still attracting attention.
After all, nearly half of Orario's adventurers were Level 1.
Therefore, reaching Level 2 was a significant achievement.
Only those who had overcome this hurdle had the potential to continue their journey as adventurers.
Thus, any adventurer who had reached Level 2 was not to be underestimated.
Even though Mika had been trying to downplay their abilities, their youth and Level 2 status were undeniable indicators of their talent.
However, their true potential remained hidden, preventing them from becoming a target for the dark factions.
And this was enough for Mika.
"Little Loki Familia, huh? It seems we've chosen the right ally," Alise chuckled.
While surprised by the Yahweh Familia's nickname, Alise and her companions felt no envy.
After all, the Astraea Familia could be considered another version of the Loki Familia.
If they hadn't met their untimely demise in the future, Alise, Gojouno, and Ryu, all currently Level 3, would likely have been seasoned Level 5 adventurers by the start of the original story.
"We're not that exceptional," Mika said, waving away Alise's praise.
"No, the Yahweh Familia is remarkable. I've met your companion, Mellie. Not only is she incredibly strong, but her strategic thinking is impressive. I believe she has the potential to become an outstanding strategist," Adi added, joining in the praise.
"She's not that great!"
"Yes, she is!"
Amidst this back-and-forth of praise and modesty, the group quickly bonded.
Suddenly, a loud explosion reverberated through the air.
A plume of thick smoke rose from the eastern part of the city.
"Damn it! The east side is under attack!"
Alise immediately turned to Mika, her expression grim.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Mika!"
"But we need to go reinforce the east side. We'll be going now."
"Go! Every second counts. Save as many people as you can."
Mika bid them farewell with a sincere nod.
Alise, Gojouno, Lyra, and Ryu wasted no time and dashed towards the east side.
Adi, after instructing her subordinates to escort the captured thief back to their Familia headquarters, led the remaining Ganesha Familia members towards the east side as well.
As frontline combatants, the Astraea and Ganesha Familias didn't adhere to fixed patrol routes. They planned their own routes and readily responded to any distress calls.
"This is exhausting..."
It was a well-known fact that defense was always more challenging than offense.
Facing the ever-present threat of the hidden dark factions, the Familias were forced to constantly react to their attacks.
This put them at a significant tactical disadvantage.
"At this moment, Finn Deimne of the Loki Familia, is probably trying to decipher their motives. Only by understanding their intentions can we effectively counter their actions."
Lost in thought, Mika continued his patrol.
However, before he could walk a few more minutes, another explosion echoed in the distance.
Turning around, he saw another plume of smoke rising into the air.
"Are they under attack again?!"
---
"Die, you Guild lapdogs!"
As Mika rushed towards the explosion site, this vicious cry was the first thing that reached his ears.
Flames, smoke, and adventurers locked in a fierce battle.
Since he wasn't the first to arrive, ordinary civilians were nowhere to be seen. They had likely been evacuated.
Ahead of him, a group of dark faction adventurers, vastly outnumbering their opponents, were pressing their advantage relentlessly.
Even in terms of individual strength, the enemy wasn't particularly formidable.
"I've heard about this, but this is my first time witnessing it firsthand."
Mika drew the longsword strapped to his back. It was none other than Lancelot's Noble Phantasm, "Arondight," the "The Unfading Light of the Lake."
Having taken a liking to the sword, Mika had imbued it with Od, restoring its brilliance as a holy blade.
Now, it served as his primary weapon.
"No matter how many times I see it, this sight fills me with rage."
With a powerful stomp, Mika propelled himself forward, covering hundreds of meters in an instant and plunging into the heart of the battle.
"Another one's here! Kill him!"
A voice, likely the dark faction commander, barked orders, and several enemy adventurers charged towards Mika.
"Mika, be careful!"
"Don't be reckless! Focus on defense!"
"Hold them back!"
Warnings and encouragement came from the surrounding adventurers.
While the dark factions couldn't match the sheer number of Level 2 adventurers in Orario's various Familias, their greatest advantage lay in their vast reserves of Level 1 adventurers.
The evil gods who sought to destroy Orario employed deceit and manipulation to lure ordinary people from all over the world into their ranks.
After a brief period of training, these recruits were deployed to Orario.
Although individually weak, their sheer numbers posed a significant threat.
Surrounding a Level 2 adventurer with multiple Level 1 "cannon fodder" made it difficult to defend against attacks from other higher-level enemies.
Furthermore, this vast pool of "expendable" recruits allowed the dark factions to maintain a Level 2 force comparable in size to Orario's Familias.
Within Orario's Familias, with a few exceptions, most actively nurtured and trained their members.
Coupled with their high standards for adventurers, almost every member had the potential to become a Level 2 adventurer.
However, the "expedition" served as a formidable barrier, preventing many from reaching that level.
Those who did achieve Level 2, as long as they avoided an untimely demise, could usually continue to progress.
In contrast, the Level 2 adventurers from the dark factions, born from the ranks of "cannon fodder," often pushed their bodies to their absolute limits. Without proper rest and recovery, they were likely to remain stuck at Level 2 for life.
But the dark factions wouldn't invest resources in the recovery of so many individuals.
Therefore, by relying on overwhelming numbers, the dark factions managed to maintain a Level 2 force comparable to Orario's Familias.
However, when it came to Level 3 and above, the Familias possessed an overwhelming advantage in numbers.
This disparity in high-level combatants was why the dark factions avoided direct confrontations with the stronger Familias.
Their lack of elite fighters was a significant weakness.
It was precisely because of the enemy's numerical advantage that the adventurers surrounding Mika urged him to stall for time.
Their strategy was to hold out until reinforcements from the higher-level adventurers arrived.
Although their advice was based on experience, Mika ignored their pleas.
"Ignite! Let the flames dance! "
Blazing flames enveloped Mika's sword, quickly engulfing his entire body.
He was wearing his azure battle suit, imbued with the "indestructible" enchantment.
Coupled with Arondight, which also possessed the "indestructible" property, the flames he ignited burned with incredible intensity.
"What? Is that magic?"
The dark faction adventurers surrounding Mika gasped in fear as they witnessed the flames engulfing him.
But it was too late to escape.
Although Mika couldn't unleash his full power to maintain his hidden identity, he was still far beyond the capabilities of these low-level adventurers.
Just because he was holding back didn't mean they had become stronger!
Fueled by the flames, Mika's speed increased exponentially, leaving his opponents struggling to even track his movements.
"Strike!"
With a single horizontal slash, the adventurers surrounding Mika were bisected. Their screams were quickly silenced as the flames consumed them.
"What?!"
The sudden turn of events shocked everyone present.
However, the dark faction commander, a Level 2 adventurer, didn't even have time to react.
After eliminating the enemies around him, Mika charged towards the enemy commander without hesitation.
Seeing the blazing swordsman approaching, the commander instinctively dodged.
Unlike the expendable recruits and the Level 2 adventurers who rose from their ranks, the dark faction commander, although only Level 2, had experienced countless battles in the dungeon.
His combat experience far surpassed those of his underlings.
But he had underestimated Mika.
With his "Transparent World" Mika could perceive his opponent's every move.
Despite his high speed, Mika utilized his flames and masterful technique to execute a near-perfect ninety-degree turn without losing momentum.
This sudden change in direction sealed the enemy commander's fate.
"Boss!"
As the surrounding dark faction adventurers watched in horror, Mika grabbed the commander by the neck, lifting him off the ground effortlessly.
Controlling the flames to avoid burning his hand, Mika said sternly, "I'd love to kill you right now, but I believe you're more valuable alive."
With his free hand, Mika dislocated the commander's jaw before throwing him to the ground. He then swiftly severed the tendons in his hands and feet, rendering him immobile.
Turning to face the remaining dark faction adventurers, Mika's eyes glinted with cold fury.
The next moment, he charged back into the fray, cutting a swathe through the enemy ranks.
When Airmid and Mellie arrived at the scene, they witnessed Mika, engulfed in flames, relentlessly cutting down his enemies.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept past them, and an emerald-haired figure materialized by their side.
The next moment, a voice filled with astonishment reached their ears.
"He's so strong...."
...
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