A pure white pillar of light shot up to the heavens. Bell's cries echoed through the ruins. Pain overwhelmed him, and his consciousness was on the verge of breaking apart. Artemis' divine power rained down like a thousand arrows, piercing his skin and digging deep into his bones. Only thanks to the protection of the [Sanctuary] did Bell manage to hold onto the last remnants of his sanity.
The next moment, the bell tolled. The high-pitched chime drowned out everything else, resonating and reverberating within the pure white pillar of light.
"It's started..."
Hestia murmured softly.
She gazed at the light, so different from the divine return, and couldn't even begin to fathom the pain the young man was enduring.
The bell rang louder, and the enormous black scorpion sensed the unusual divine power. It wasn't the [Arrow of Orion]—the force that should have been used to slay it—that struck fear into the beast. No, it was a far purer, far more delicious source of power. It was the same kind of power as the goddess Artemis, trapped in the blue crystal.
The monster's instincts buzzed with hunger, its greed and gluttony urging it forward. Antares had realized that if it consumed this fresh [Arcanum], nothing in the world could threaten it. The spear's power had vanished; there was no need for it to fear or be cautious anymore.
Letting out a roar, Antares charged straight toward the pure white pillar of light.
"It's coming! Fire!"
Lili stood guard at the only path, giving orders to the others.
Welf and Daphne swung their fire Magic Swords, unleashing torrents of fiery blasts that hit Antares with pinpoint accuracy.
Amid the deafening explosions, the giant scorpion bellowed in rage. Though the attacks didn't cause serious harm, the Crozzo magic swords were each forged with extraordinary power. They were more than enough to slow the beast's advance.
The bell tolled again, and Welf swung his sword with wild abandon.
"I forged this with my own hands day and night—taste its power!"
The goal was to buy time. Wishes were accumulating, and hopes were burning brighter than ever. They needed to hold Antares off as long as possible before Bell reached full charge.
"Don't engage! If it charges, just run!"
Lili followed the strategy they used against the Infant Dragon. If the giant scorpion locked onto them, they were to retreat first and then strike from a safe distance.
The flames continued to rage. The thunderous toll of the bell shook them all to their core.
Finally, when all the fire-forged Magic Swords had turned to ash, they broke away and fled.
Antares erupted from the black smoke. Ignoring the fleeing figures, it charged once again toward the youth.
"Bell-dono..."
Mikoto watched the ominous presence charging toward her from afar, and it sparked a fire in her heart. This was the moment to repay the debt.
"I respectfully speak to you..."
Ignoring everything around her, Mikoto focused all of her consciousness on the Magic. Bell Cranel was shouldering the entire familia alone. He was the benefactor who had pulled Mikoto back from the brink of death, a hero who refused to accept any tragedy, daring to challenge divine power with his human form. To Mikoto, this youth was the embodiment of her ideals.
"...my War God that can break through any thing, lead me from the precious heaven. Give my petty body divine power of your grand body.."
Mikoto longed to become like Bell. Beyond the debt she could never repay, her noble and upright heart cried out to dedicate her strength to him. The sound of bells echoed in her ears, stirring waves of excitement within her chest.
"Rescue them light of purification, sword of crushing evil. Sweep sword of suppression, sacred sword of conquest. It arrives here now by my order. Descend from heaven, rule the earth - shinbu tousei—!"
Her black hair fluttered in the wind as she spoke in a firm, commanding tone. By the time Antares charged into the hall, Mikoto had completed the incantation.
"Futsunomitama!"
With the chant, a colossal light sword materialized. It descended vertically, as if delivering judgment upon Antares. Countless magic circles appeared on the ground, interlocking and rotating until they formed a perfect ring. The next instant, the deep purple blade pierced through the giant scorpion's body, plunging into the center of the ring.
The gravity cage immediately took shape. The scorpion let out a mournful cry as it collapsed to the ground, completely immobilized. The earth around it caved in and shattered, and the circular field trapped the monster's movements.
"Wuu..."
Mikoto gripped her right arm, her expression twisted in agony. This gravity magic, her trump card, was no easy feat to execute. Unlike conventional bombardment magic, Mikoto herself was under immense pressure.
"Wuuu..."
Gritting her teeth, she screamed inwardly. Hold on! This pain is nothing compared to what Bell-dono endures!
Even as her arm creaked with a chilling noise, even as the pain spread throughout her body, Mikoto didn't falter.
The bells tolled louder. The Great Bell Tower was almost at full charge.
"Bell-dono!"
Finally, Mikoto's magic power was exhausted. She collapsed to the ground, her strength drained, and whispered her final blessing. Antares roared and charged forward, baring its terrifying fangs at the youth.
At this critical moment, Bell stood completely still. Pain wrapped around him like a spider's web. The agony spread. Reason crumbled. The pain felt as if it were magnified a thousandfold. Death, death, death...
His eyes saw no light; his nerves could feel no proof of life. His skin was pierced by countless silver needles. His muscles were battered by relentless waves of agony. His heart was gripped by an invisible force.
His spine howled; blood surged through his veins. Divine power did not simply flow through his body—it transformed into countless demons, rampaging through every corner. This was not a benevolent presence, but a flame that consumed all. It devoured his body, mind, and scorched his soul.
Aaaaaaaaaah...
Bell didn't speak, but his soul screamed. To covet divine power with a human body—this was the inevitable consequence.
Where was he? What was he doing?
The pain was unbearable. So much pain…
Am I dying? Dying... Dying.
If he died, would he be freed from this hell?
If he died, would he forget everything?
Forget? Heh. What a joke!
Forget the promise? Abandon the pact?
Then what would Bell Cranel's existence even be worth?
Go ahead and devour me. Even my very marrow is being consumed by divine power—what more could this body possibly lose? I can't betray their trust. I will protect Artemis' smile until the very end!
Eat, monster.
This is your favorite divine power. If neither gods nor adventurers can defeat you, then I shall become an existence like no other.
If this pain is the punishment of the gods above, then so be it. Absurd? Arrogant?
Think what you will. Ancient monsters are immune to divine power, while divine power binds adventurers. Since Antares chose to cheat, what am I still hesitating for?
Eat. Not a shred of divine power shall escape.
Whether it be the nature of divine power or all this agony, I will take it all.
Do not let the monster see your true nature.
Do not show cowardice or pain. Stand your ground.
Endure the agony. Do not retreat a single step. Let Antares devour you.
Then, it will be my victory. The Arrow of Orion transcends the common sense of both men and gods, effortlessly piercing the monster.
And then? A future without Artemis?
The end of the godslayer. The gods' expectations. I want none of those things.
Since she chose him (Orion), the arrow should never be aimed at the goddess. Become Orion. Pierce through everything. This is the path I have chosen.
Come! Come and eat, monster!!
White light gathered, divine power enveloped him, and the tolling of bells echoed beside him.
"Bell..."
"Bell-sama..."
"Cranel-san..."
"Captain!"
All eyes were on the youth. Even as divine power collided with the giant scorpion, Bell remained motionless. The next second, the giant scorpion unfurled its body. Within the blue crystal block, Artemis was imprisoned. The crystal seemed to react to the divine power, instantly expanding and deforming, swallowing Bell within it.
Antares roared as it thrust its tail stinger forward. Ryuu raised her wooden sword, shielding the others. The ancient monster howled with excitement. It seemed to declare that it had now become a ruler without fear. Antares had reached its final form. Everything unfolded as it should.
Yet the bell tolled on.
[Argonaut] had completed its accumulation. Igniting the wish was a hero on the brink of death. A hero who burned himself to save others, awakened from the underworld to defeat the monster. This was Bell's chosen gamble.
Artemis had become the core of Antares's power. If the monster were killed by the spear that twisted the laws of nature, the goddess would perish with it. Therefore, Bell resolved to enter the fray himself, allowing Antares to devour him so he could strike from within. The risk far outweighed the reward. But to save this righteous goddess, Bell would hesitate not a moment. This was why Argo's Ship had gathered divine power. And why Bell endured endless agony within the temple.
The bell tolled. High-pitched, solemn—like an ancient hero's song echoing through time. In the fleeting silence that followed, all eyes awaited the light.
Antares roared in terror. It seemed to realize the poison it had just consumed was potent enough to overturn everything. But Antares had no time to react. The youth's [Luck] completed the final piece of the puzzle.
"Firebolt!!!!!!"
The towering white pillar of light had barely dissipated when another crimson beam followed in its wake.
Roar. Explosion.
Without even time for a scream, Antares's body was instantly engulfed by the crimson. Its pitch-black form shattered. The crystal binding the goddess shattered completely. Black mist rose.
In that place of tragedy, Artemis nestled in the youth's embrace. Her graceful body rose and fell gently with each breath. Her serene face held a fairy-tale beauty.
Beside them, the lingering flames bloomed silently like flowers of love.