[Immortal Heroic Soul]
-Maiden's Protection
-Holy Fire's Protection
-Greatly increases resistance to mental abnormal states
-Greatly restores stamina and mental power during combat
These were the skills formed by the protection Hestia bestowed.
Although Hestia bore the title of Goddess of the Hearth, her divine authority actually encompassed the Holy Fire, symbolizing immortality.
At the same time, she also enjoyed the reputation of being a virgin Goddess.
And the protection she bestowed also combined these two characteristics.
"It's done."
Because this was Ishtar's main base, there was no paper to serve as a medium, but through Hestia's verbal description, Takatsuki also understood the effects of the new skills.
"Thank you, Hestia. I'll send you out of here first."
Putting on his helmet, Takatsuki stood up and opened the passage to the Hearth Manor.
He had already sensed it when he updated the Falna: the surrounding Ishtar Familia members were in complete disarray, and some were already heading towards this room.
"Bell ran into some trouble, and people are heading this way."
Hestia nodded. Just as she was about to step into the passage, Takatsuki suddenly remembered something.
"Wait a moment, Hestia."
"What's wrong?"
A pendant fell out of the King's Treasure's exit. The pendant was strung on a red cord, and the charm itself looked like a ball of flame.
"Hestia, please wear this pendant. That way, I can always come to your side next time."
Hestia blinked, looking at the pendant Takatsuki offered.
"Then, Takatsuki-kun, please help me put it on."
Saying that, Hestia turned her back to Takatsuki.
Uh...
Looking at Hestia's back, Takatsuki hesitated for a moment, then walked forward to help Hestia put on the pendant.
"Thank you, Takatsuki-kun. I will cherish this gift."
Hestia clasped the pendant at her chest and smiled sweetly at Takatsuki, then stepped into the passage.
Watching Hestia enter the passage, Takatsuki still wanted to say something, but hearing the commotion from the door, he waved his hand and closed the passage. The very next second he closed the passage, several figures appeared at the door.
"Who are you! Where is Hestia!"
Takatsuki looked at the Amazonian girls who appeared at the door. Because he was wearing the helmet, no one discovered his true identity.
He didn't even speak, just watched as the girls were helplessly stripped of their Discs in front of his Stand.
However, these people were innocent, and Takatsuki had no intention of wantonly killing. He only intended to send Ishtar back, since Ishtar was originally sent back anyway.
Moreover, he wouldn't deliberately destroy the Entertainment District, which was much better than the original work.
After implanting the girls with commands to forget what had just happened and to stay away from the Entertainment District, Takatsuki headed towards the higher-ups of the Ishtar Familia.
In his perception, Ishtar was at that location, surrounded by many other presences.
"What's going on! Why did you let the Little Rookie escape!"
At this moment, Ishtar was losing her temper at her Familia members below.
"It's all because Phryne secretly hid the Little Rookie, and then he escaped."
A white-haired woman said casually. It wasn't the first time Phryne had acted in defiance. In fact, if it weren't for her being the strongest, Ishtar would have dealt with her long ago.
"That fellow! Make her come see me!"
Ishtar slammed her fist on the armrest of her chair.
"I told you to capture the Hestia Familia, but you only brought back Little Rookie and Hestia. What happened to everyone else?"
"Reporting, Goddess, that... that's because there was only Hestia and an unfamiliar man at the Hestia Familia's base."
"Then where's that man!"
"Ah, that..."
The answering girl was flustered, but it was the white-haired Amazonian woman who answered Ishtar's question.
"Phryne slapped him to death, and then he turned into a strange thing."
"A strange thing?"
Ishtar frowned, took a deep breath, and said, "Never mind. I've already sent someone to bring Hestia over. With Hestia as leverage, I don't believe the Hestia Familia won't come."
Ishtar's brows relaxed as she thought about still having a trump card in her hand. Just as she was about to put her pipe to her mouth and take a puff, a loud bang came from the doorway.
Boom!
A colossal object flew past Ishtar's side, crashing into the wall behind her with a deafening sound and the crumbling of masonry.
"Who are you!"
A strange figure wearing ordinary adventurer's gear and a black helmet stood at the doorway.
The large door of the room had completely vanished, having been kicked in from outside, nearly crushing Ishtar.
The malevolent newcomer immediately put Ishtar Familia on alert, and they all drew their weapons and assumed a fighting stance.
"Looks like not everyone's here, huh? Well, whatever, it's all the same anyway."
Without answering the question, Takatsuki surveyed the room and said indifferently.
"I asked who you are!"
It seemed Takatsuki's disregard had enraged the other party. Takatsuki felt a strange power emanate from Ishtar, but it had no effect on him whatsoever.
"Charm, huh?"
Takatsuki instinctively wanted to scratch his head, but his helmet blocked him.
"How is that possible!? My Charm!"
Ishtar was greatly astonished to see Takatsuki completely unaffected.
"Never mind, I don't have time to waste with you all. I'll just throw one punch."
Takatsuki shook his head, then extended a hand and said.
"Just try not to die."
His tone clearly enraged the other side: "You bastard..."
Before the person on the other side could utter a harsh word, Takatsuki had already thrown a punch in Ishtar's direction.
Who are you trying to make laugh by punching from such a distance!
Just as the members of Ishtar Familia were thinking this, a gigantic fist appeared out of thin air, striking towards Ishtar from Takatsuki's side.
Boom!
With another loud bang, the members of Ishtar Familia finally understood where the previous commotion had come from.
Though it vanished after just one strike, a moment ago, a fist large enough to fill the room appeared, destroying the entire room with an unstoppable force.
The Shikoutazer's fist instantly punched through the room, including the load-bearing pillars of the entire Familia's base. He did not target any specific person; his target was simply the base itself, and to separate Ishtar from her Familia.
Seeing Ishtar already isolated by the rubble, Takatsuki nodded, retreated into a dark corner, and with a light step, dropped into a passage.
"Is anyone there! Is anyone there!"
Watching the surrounding buildings continuously collapse, Ishtar kept shouting, but no one responded to her. Everyone else had been knocked to the lower levels by Takatsuki, their lives unharmed, but she was left in a corner of the third floor, her exit blocked by rubble.
That single punch from the unknown assailant had completely shattered her confidence and separated her from her Familia.
Moreover, under that one punch, this multi-story colossal building began to collapse.
Ishtar, with only the physical capabilities of a mortal, could not possibly survive in such an environment on her own.