At the frontline base not far from the Elsos Ruins, adventurers from various factions gathered, led by the Hermes Familia.
The Hermes Familia's registered information in the Adventurers' Guild indicated that the familia had a small number of members and belonged to an exploration-focused faction.
Their primary activity area was not limited to within the city but instead involved year-round exploration and adventure in the unknown territories outside the city. The strongest member of the familia was its captain, the [Omnipotent One] Asfi, who was registered as a Level 2 adventurer.
However, this was merely the information available in the Guild. In reality, most members of the Hermes Familia had hidden their actual levels and concealed their advancements. The [Omnipotent One] Asfi was not a Level 2 adventurer but a Level 4 second-tier adventurer.
Besides Asfi, the Hermes Familia also had several Level 3 second-tier adventurers, such as Falgar Batros and Lulune Louie. Of course, they, too, hid their actual levels.
Furthermore, the Hermes Familia had some members who were not even registered with the Adventurers' Guild, some of whom had even leveled up.
The reasons for doing this were twofold: first, to avoid the high taxes imposed on high-level familias; second, to gain an advantage in certain secretive operations by concealing information.
The highest-ranking figure in the Adventurers' Guild, the Sky God Ouranus, was actually well aware of the Hermes Familia's actions. However, since the familia was essential to the labyrinth city due to its ability to explore the outside world, he tacitly allowed their secrecy.
Aside from the Hermes Familia, the factions gathered here were not forces from Orario but rather familias that originally operated within the Great Tree Sea region.
Even before Antares' awakening, the Great Tree Sea had a considerably higher number of monsters. As a result, more adventurers naturally gathered in this area.
Although they could not compare to Orario, many of these adventurers had also achieved level transcendence, reaching Level 2 or Level 3, and among them was even a powerful Level 4 hunter.
Adding the members of the Hermes Familia, this frontline base had two Level 4 adventurers, five Level 3 adventurers, ten Level 2 upper-tier adventurers, and nearly a hundred Level 1 lower-tier adventurers.
In any ordinary nation outside the city, such a force would be enough to dominate a sizable war.
"Originally, our forces could have been stronger, but when the Elsos Ruins first showed signs of abnormality, several familias approached recklessly," Asfi recounted, "And none of them came back."
The Familia of Artemis, the Moon Goddess, was among them.
To be precise, the very first ones to be annihilated at the Elsos Ruins were the Artemis Familia.
Behind Shirou, the Goddess Artemis tightly gripped the hem of his clothes.
Faced with such a tragedy, Shirou found it difficult to offer any words of comfort and could only gently hold the goddess's hand.
"To be honest, if you all hadn't come, we probably wouldn't have been able to hold this position much longer," Asfi continued, "The scorpion-type monsters emerging from the forest are increasing in number, and their individual strength is also constantly growing."
Riveria: "Are they evolving?"
"That's right," Asfi nodded, "Compared to the beginning, the most common black scorpion-type monsters are clearly harder to kill. Moreover, some special variants have appeared."
"There are ones with massive bodies, ones that move faster and have poisonous tail stingers, and even ones capable of using magic," Asfi spoke with a grave tone.
"In addition, there's the intermittent rain of arrows, which is an even greater threat than the scorpion-type monsters. Fortunately, as long as we're inside the forest, the accuracy and lethality of the arrow rain are somewhat limited."
Earlier, Shirou and his group had been able to precisely intercept several waves of the arrow rain. One reason was that they had been flying on dragons in an open sky without cover. The other was the guidance provided by the Moon Goddess's divine power.
The goddess and that divine weapon were especially likely to attract Antares' attention.
'The Moon Goddess's arrows never miss their mark, whereas even if Antares steals the Moon God's divine power, it merely throws divine arrows haphazardly... Even with divine power, it's ultimately still just a monster,' Shirou thought as he tightened his grip on the hand of the Goddess Artemis, helping her calm down considerably.
However, at present, the most troublesome issue was the sheer raw power of that divine bow.
That arrow didn't even need accuracy. Just shooting it was enough to pierce through planets and destroy the world.
Riveria: "Thanks to you all, the monsters haven't broken through the forest and caused greater harm."
"We haven't stopped all of them. We've just done our best."
Asfi added, "But now that you've arrived..."
"That's right. It's time to launch a counterattack."
"You guys are idiots, aren't you? The battle starts tomorrow, and you still have the energy for such nonsense?", Wrapped in a towel, Asfi looked at the bound men, led by Hermes, and let out a deep sigh.
"If you ask why we must climb over the mountain, the only answer is—'Because it's there'."
Even though he was tied up like a worm on the ground, Hermes still shouted, "This is the dream of all men!"
"Dreams never end!"
"Sounds noble, but in reality, you're just trying to peek, aren't you?", Asfi stomped on Hermes.
"Moreover, you didn't even inform your most crucial 'combat force' before acting. I don't know whether to call you reckless or courageous."
Though Hermes shouted with conviction, in reality, the male adventurers, led by the gods, never even got close to the girls' bathing pool.
They didn't even need the female adventurers to intervene, Hedin and Hogni took care of them on the spot.
The original purpose of the "Black and White Knights" was to protect the elven princess. However, their actions now had only caused themselves trouble.
"Hedin-sama! Hogni-sama! So cool~"
Many female adventurers, protected by the handsome elven swordsmen, gathered around them. Some, dressed in nothing but bath towels, even tried to throw themselves at them.
This left the male adventurers looking on with envy, nearly in tears.
Hedin stopped their advances with his icy gaze, but this only made the girls more excited. Hogni, on the other hand, was completely petrified.
Hogni: 'Terrifying... Women are terrifying... I want to go home. Goddess-sama, I miss you...'
"Speaking of which, where's Shirou?"
Ryuu scanned the area but didn't see the young man.
"Also, the goddess, Riveria-sama, and Frianna-sama are all missing."
———
Inside the central tent of the camp, Emiya sat cross-legged on a straw mat, the silver-white divine spear lying flat in front of him.
Goddess Artemis was sitting across from him, her hands gently placed above the silver-white spear.
"Shirou, are you here?", Riveria lifted the tent flap and walked inside.
Emiya opened his eyes and stood up, "Riveria-nee, what brings you here?"
"I just finished bathing and thought you might be here..."
As she spoke, Riveria gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
But soon, she realized that her wording sounded a bit strange. She cleared her throat lightly and reached out to remove a ring from her left hand.
"Shirou, take this."
"Riveria-nee, this is...", Emiya Shirou's gaze fell upon Riveria's palm, where the ring lay quietly.
The ring was crafted from holy platinum, its silver-white metal surface emitting a soft halo. The intricate engravings on it seemed to be elven magical runes, faintly glowing with a silver sheen, and ancient sacred inscriptions could be vaguely seen.
At the center of the ring was an exquisitely transparent gemstone, firmly secured by delicate metal prongs.
Around the gemstone were several tiny silver decorations, encircling the main stone in a way that perfectly balanced the ring's overall design.
"This ring can enhance the wearer's magical power," Riveria explained, "Furthermore, once you wear it, my skill [Mark of the Fairy King] will be effective on you."
"The battle you're about to face will be difficult."
Riveria gently closed Shirou's hand, placing the ring in his palm, "I hope this will help you."
"...Thank you, Riveria-nee," Emiya did not refuse. He knew very well that this was not the time to decline.
He took the ring and slipped it onto his middle finger.
A faint glow emitted from the ring as it settled on his finger. The transparent gemstone seemed to resonate mysteriously with him, making his soul feel slightly clearer.
"And this as well," Riveria took out a necklace from her bosom, "This was lent to you by Friana-senpai."
She paused for a moment, "She asked me to tell you to be careful with it—don't break it."
It was a delicate silver necklace, its chain thin yet incredibly sturdy, radiating a faint glow. Each link had been meticulously polished, free of any flaws.
The pendant was a deep red gemstone, shaped like a prism, firmly held in place by a silver-white metal setting. Through its mirror-like smooth surface, Emiya could almost see countless tiny flames dancing within.
Riveria personally helped the boy put on the necklace, "When you need it, it can provide you with magic power."
Emiya nodded earnestly, "Understood."
"Mm, get some rest. Don't be nervous—we're here for you."
Riveria ruffled Emiya's hair before leaving the tent.
Outside the tent, a white-haired elven woman stood waiting. She nodded at Riveria, and the two walked off into the distance.
"You actually gave him that thing?"
Friana spoke up, "That's..."
"Haven't you also lent out the [Philosopher's Stone], Friana-senpai?", Riveria responded.
"A mere imitation of the [Philosopher's Stone], not the legendary one... It's just a magic reservoir, nothing more," Friana shook her head slightly.
"The amount of magic left in that [Philosopher's Stone] isn't much. Besides, I'm only lending it to him temporarily he has to return it."
Riveria murmured, "My ring must also be returned... And if we don't survive this, no matter how valuable or precious these things are, what meaning would they have?"
"...That's true," Friana gave Riveria a meaningful glance, then nodded.
The night breeze gently brushed past, the land slumbering under the tranquil darkness, with only the distant trees rustling softly in the wind.
Far-off mountain peaks loomed under the starlight, like silent giants guarding this world.
A crescent moon hung high, its gentle glow casting a dreamlike radiance over the land.
.
.
.
.
At dawn, before the sun had even risen, the adventurers had already assembled.
"The battle plan is simple—so simple that even the dumbest fool can understand it," The commander-in-chief of the operation, Hedin, stood before a map, issuing orders to the gathered high-ranking adventurers and gods.
"The decoy force, led by Hermes' Familia, will be commanded by [The Omnipotent]. Your job is to charge toward the ruins but not enter. Just lure away all the monsters. That is your mission."
Asfi responded, "Understood."
"Hogni, [Gale], you two will depart with the decoy force, but you don't have to match their speed. Advance toward the ruins at full speed, and cause as much damage to the monsters as possible along the way."
Ryuu replied, "Understood."
Hogni simply nodded.
"Lady Riveria, Lady Friana, and I have a special task and won't be moving with the main force," As Hedin spoke, he marked four positions inside the Elsos Ruins on the map.
"Hogni, once the outside monsters are mostly cleared, you must break into the ruins from the side and take position here. Manage your timing yourself."
Hedin pointed to one of the four positions.
Ryuu noticed that these four positions corresponded to the roles assigned to Riveria, Friana, Hedin, and Hogni—all powerful Lv.6 magic users or magic swordsmen.
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