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...
"So strong....."
The one who uttered this sentiment was Ryu Lion of the Astraea Familia. As they were heading towards the eastern district, Alise received news of another attack by the dark faction in the area Ryu had just left. Worried for their new ally, Alise decided to send Ryu back.
Although other teams were also heading there to provide support, the Astraea Familia had just formed an alliance with the Yahweh Familia. They would feel terribly guilty if Mika, the captain of the Yahweh Familia, perished in the attack.
Therefore, they dispatched Ryu, the fastest and one of the strongest among them, to assist.
On her way back, Ryu continuously increased her speed, fearing the situation might escalate.
However, she never expected to encounter such a scene upon her arrival.
Engulfed in flames, a crimson figure danced through the battlefield, effortlessly tearing through the enemies that stood in his path.
Watching Mika's display of power, Ryu couldn't help but exclaim, "Strong... just like Alise."
Although just a simple exclamation, Ryu's words held a double meaning.
Firstly, it was a testament to Mika's strength.
In Ryu's eyes, despite being only Level 2, Mika's swordsmanship was incredibly powerful. As a magic swordsman, Ryu herself possessed remarkable skill with the blade. She was confident in her abilities.
However, comparing her skills to Mika's at this moment would be pure arrogance.
Mika's swordsmanship, in her opinion, had reached a transcendental level.
With such mastery of the blade, Ryu believed Mika's combat prowess far surpassed that of a typical Level 2 adventurer. Even a Level 3 adventurer wouldn't easily defeat him.
As for the second meaning behind her words, "just like Alise," it referred to Mika's magic.
Similar to Mika, Alise also possessed fire magic.
That was why the gods bestowed upon her the title "Red Princess of Justice."
Seeing Mika's flames, Ryu couldn't help but draw a parallel between him and Alise.
Despite her admiration, Ryu didn't forget her mission.
After a brief moment of awe, she transformed into a whirlwind, charging towards the enemies.
Airmid and Mellie, seeing this, followed suit.
With Mika having captured the enemy commander, the dark faction adventurers were already on the verge of defeat.
Their demise was only a matter of time.
The arrival of Ryu, Airmid, and Mellie was the final blow, swiftly crushing the remaining resistance and securing victory.
Standing amidst a sea of corpses, Mika's armor remained spotless.
Any blood splattered on him had been instantly incinerated by the scorching flames surrounding him, turning into a crimson mist.
Despite this, the gazes directed at him were filled with awe and fear.
However, the fear quickly dissipated, replaced by admiration and joy.
"We won!"
"Hooray!"
Cheers erupted from all directions.
After all, they had survived the battle.
Such a joyous occasion deserved celebration.
As he surveyed the cheerful crowd, Mika walked over to Ryu, a gentle smile gracing his lips.
"Did you come to rescue me, Miss Ryu?"
Mika couldn't think of any other reason for Ryu's presence.
Hearing his question, Ryu's face flushed crimson.
The image of Mika effortlessly dominating the battlefield flashed before her eyes. He clearly hadn't needed her help, yet she had rushed back out of misplaced concern.
It was incredibly embarrassing.
As she struggled to find the right words, Mika chuckled softly.
"Thank you for your help, Miss Ryu."
"Huh? But I didn't do anything."
"Your presence was enough," Mika interrupted, extending a hand to stop her.
"It's heartwarming to know that you were concerned for my safety in such a critical situation."
"It seems my decision to form an alliance was a wise one."
Mika smiled warmly.
"It's nothing..." Ryu murmured, flustered by his praise.
Mika chuckled and shifted his gaze towards the end of the street. Shakti, the captain of the Ganesha Familia, was approaching with a group of Familia members.
"I didn't expect Shakti to come personally. I'll go greet her."
With that, Ryu walked towards Shakti.
As Ryu left, Airmid and Mellie, who had been standing beside Mika, quickly approached.
"Mika, who is that woman?" Mellie asked, her voice laced with suspicion.
Airmid, seeing Mellie voicing her own thoughts, looked at Mika with a similar expression.
"You mean Ryu?" Mika chuckled lightly.
"She's a member of the Astraea Familia, a friend I just met."
"The Astraea Familia?! You mean the famous Astraea Familia known throughout Orario?!" Mellie exclaimed in surprise.
Airmid mirrored her astonishment.
The Astraea Familia's reputation was legendary in Orario.
"Yes, that's them. I also formed an alliance with them. The Astraea Familia is now our ally."
"We might work together frequently in the future. You're both girls, so try to get along with them, okay?"
"Don't worry, Mika! I'm a master at making friends!" Mellie declared confidently, puffing out her chest.
Airmid nodded in agreement.
They both enjoyed making new friends.
"That's good."
After giving his companions a few words of advice, Mika turned his attention back to Shakti and Ryu, who were approaching him.
"You're Mika, the one who turned the tide of this battle?"
"A true hero, despite your youth!"
Shakti, the captain of the Ganesha Familia, was a tall, strong woman, exuding an aura of authority. Like her sister, she had blue hair, and her expression was serious.Â
"I just did what I had to do," Mika replied earnestly.
"Don't be modest. Everyone witnessed your valiant efforts. Your extraordinary swordsmanship and mastery of flames left everyone in awe. Listen, the praise hasn't stopped since the battle ended."
A rare smile graced Shakti's face as she gestured towards the crowd cleaning up the battlefield.
Hearing Shakti's words, Mika looked around.
"He's incredibly strong, that Mika from the Yahweh Familia."
"Indeed, especially his swordsmanship and fire magic. Once you witness it, you can never forget it."
"His combat strength clearly surpasses that of other adventurers at his level. He truly possesses the qualities of a hero!"
As praises echoed from all directions, Mika couldn't help but smile.
It felt good to be recognized for his efforts.Â
---
Although intrigued by Mika's extraordinary combat abilities, Shakti didn't linger.
Based on the current situation, she deduced that the dark faction's attacks were not random acts of violence.
Time was of the essence.
Therefore, after confirming that Mika and his companions had successfully quelled the attack and didn't require further assistance, she swiftly withdrew her forces.
As a mobile unit, Shakti and her team had to remain vigilant and ready to respond to any emerging threats.
Before leaving, they took custody of the dark faction commander Mika had captured.
"He's only Level 2, yet he was a field commander for this operation. That guy has potential."
"Potential or not, his future is over now that we've captured him," Ryu added.
"However, his position isn't as high as you might think," Mika said.
"Since the dark faction's primary target is Orario, their members rarely get the same level of experience and training as we do."
"Therefore, Level 2 adventurers and above are relatively rare among the dark factions."
"The Guild keeps a detailed record of every known dark faction executive."
"So when they launch an operation, they often assign Level 2 adventurers as field commanders."
"I see."
Mika nodded slightly, gaining a deeper understanding of the dark faction's structure thanks to Ryu's explanation.
"I wonder when Orario will regain its former prosperity," Ryu sighed, gazing at the desolate surroundings.
As a Familia dedicated to "justice," the Astraea Familia yearned to restore Orario to the peace and order it had enjoyed during the reign of the Zeus and Hera Familias.
However, such a feat couldn't be achieved by relying on others. They had to accomplish it themselves.
Burying this thought deep within her heart, Ryu turned to Mika.
"Since you don't need my help here, I'll go assist Alise and the others."
"You should hurry. Although, I have a feeling they've already finished," Mika replied.
Based on the previous battle and Shakti's demeanor, Mika surmised that the current skirmishes with the dark faction were merely a nuisance, a way to disrupt the peace rather than engage in a full-scale war.
Therefore, their actions were primarily focused on causing chaos rather than confronting Orario head-on.
In such a scenario, Alise and her team would likely have crushed the opposition by now.
Hearing Mika's words, Ryu smiled sheepishly.
Even Mika, who had just joined the fray, could see that. How could she not understand?
However, she didn't want to linger.
Being around Mika made her feel uncomfortable.
In this world, elves were generally averse to interacting with other races.
While Ryu had gradually adjusted to interacting with others after coming to Orario, it was limited to women. She still felt uneasy around men.
Sensing her discomfort, Mika smiled, choosing not to press further.
After exchanging farewells, Ryu swiftly departed.
"So that's an elf. Interesting."
Although Mika had met many people in Orario, he had minimal interactions with elves.
His closest connection to the elves was Mellie.
After all, she was half-elf.
"Indeed, quite interesting," Mellie chimed in.
Mika looked at Mellie in surprise. He hadn't expected those words to come from her.
"Don't look at me like that. Even though I'm half-elf, I didn't grow up in an elf village," Mellie said, turning to leave.
"That may be true, but don't you have any sense of elven solidarity?" Mika asked, following her.
"Nope!" she replied with a cheerful laugh.
Mellie then joined Airmid in assisting the nearby adventurers with the cleanup.
After all, the aftermath of a battle was just as important as the battle itself.
...
Following the attack by the dark faction, a palpable tension filled the air in Orario.
The dark faction emerged from the shadows once more, intensifying their assault on the city.
The flames of war had been ignited.
...
Months swiftly passed.
During this time, Mika and his companions shone brightly, bringing the entire Yahweh Familia to the attention of the adventurer community. They were recognized as promising newcomers.
Mellie's illusions and Airmid's martial arts became their trademarks.
As for Mika, his combat strength, exceeding that of typical Level 2 adventurers, allowed him to slay numerous enemies.
During a recent defensive battle at an industrial warehouse, Mika encountered a Level 4 opponent. Relying on his exceptional swordsmanship, he managed to stall the powerful adversary, preventing their escape until reinforcements arrived to deliver the final blow.
That battle solidified Mika's reputation as a formidable force.
"You've been making quite a name for yourself lately, Mika," Mellie said, leaning back on the sofa in the Yahweh Familia home and looking at Mika with a playful grin. "Even though you're still hiding your true strength, your fame is spreading like wildfire."
"This doesn't seem to align with your initial strategy," Airmid added.
"Or have you gleaned something from this chaos?"
Hearing Mellie's serious inquiry, Mika set down his cup and responded earnestly.
"I have indeed noticed something."
"What is it?"
"The decisive battle is approaching."
"The decisive battle?!"
Mellie, who had been lounging on the sofa, immediately straightened up, her expression turning serious.
"What do you mean by the decisive battle?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
Based on his knowledge, the major Familias and the dark faction would soon clash in a decisive battle.
Although the Familias would emerge victorious, their losses would be substantial.
Most of the older generation of adventurers would perish in this conflict.
Dozens of Familias would be completely wiped out.
Humanity would come dangerously close to annihilation.
Mika only had a vague understanding of this battle, lacking specific details.
This lack of information meant he had to participate directly in this war, ensuring his survival and that of Airmid, Mellie, and the others.
To prepare for this inevitable confrontation, Mika had been diligently training and honing his skills.
Although he didn't know the exact timing, this battle wouldn't be postponed.
After all, the key figure on the dark faction's side was nearing the end of their lifespan.
"Are you talking about an all-out war? A no-holds-barred, fight-to-the-death battle where both sides deploy their full strength?"
Mellie asked incredulously. "How could the dark factions possibly dare to attempt such a thing?"
"Because they have obtained an advantage. An overwhelming power."
Mika's expression turned grim as he recalled his memories from the future.
...
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