Step, step—
Akumo emerged from the depths, having bound Dionysus alongside Loki.
As he walked the streets, his eyes fell upon the adventurers still engaged in combat with the remaining monsters.
"Everyone, hold the line!!!"
Crunch—!!
"These weapons from the Goibniu Familia are incredible!"
"Don't let a single one reach the civilians!!!"
The alliance of Familias tasked with defending the surface—including the Soma Familia and Bors's crew—were all giving their absolute best against the monsters.
"The look in their eyes has changed quite a bit, hasn't it?"
Akumo remarked with interest, noticing that their gazes shone with a brilliance far greater than before.
"Well, I reckon there's a damn good reason for that, ain't there?"
'Them lot are lucky ones, aye~'
Loki also noticed the change in them as she watched. She knew full well that the reason for their transformation was the man she was currently leaning on.
Step, step—
After walking a bit further, they reached an area where the piles of monster magic stones were significantly higher than elsewhere.
"I think this is enough for now, nya~"
"It's not over yet, so could you please focus?"
"Nyanyan...."
In front of the Hostess of Fertility, Anya was shaking off her spear with a weary expression while Lunoire scolded her.
It seemed that ordinary monsters were simply no match for their strength.
"Both of you, stop it and get inside already, nya."
Akumo spotted Chloe speaking to them with her usual nonchalance.
"I suppose there was no need to worry about Mama Mia's girls, was there?"
"True enough~"
Setting aside his concerns, Akumo smiled and continued his walk.
Step, step—
He walked slowly, as if savoring the scenery of the city streets.
Step—
"Everyone protected it...."
'Even more magnificently than during the Great Feud.'
Akumo moved his feet slowly, savoring this moment of sentimental reflection.
"I wonder what he's thinking about...."
"Eh, just let 'im enjoy himself for a bit, Mama Mia."
He hadn't even noticed the crowd of adventurers following behind him.
In the first place, the sheer leisure he displayed signified a single, undeniable truth.
"He looks even more excited than usual, nya!"
"Wait...? His arm?"
"I'm certain when I saw it back then..."
The girls following behind Mia reacted with shock upon seeing that Akumo's right arm, which had clearly been severed before, had grown back completely.
"Not now. Ask the brat later when he comes to visit, daughters."
Mia, who had roughly guessed the reason, restrained them appropriately, allowing the moment to pass without further fuss.
Thud—
After walking a while longer, Akumo's footsteps finally came to a halt.
""""""Ohhhhh!!!!!""""""
He had stopped right in front of the heroes who had descended to face Nidhogg.
Slap—!
"You won! Akumo!!!"
"You guys won too, I see. Alise."
"Of course!!"
Alise slapped his back and welcomed him with a bright smile, celebrating the victory he brought. As if that were a signal, the others began to appear.
"Brother!!"
"Bell....!"
Bell emerged, leading the others back to the surface after truly achieving a heroic feat.
"We were victorious as well, Akumo!!!"
"We did it, Akumo-san!!!!"
"Good grief, everyone is so excited...."
He saw his comrades behind him, looking at him with bright, joyful smiles.
Step, step—
It wasn't just Akumo and Bell who witnessed this scene.
"Aiz-san...!? Your wounds are severe..!!"
"Aiz, you...!"
"It's okay. Because I won, too."
Akumo and Bell were flustered as they checked on Aiz, who had returned covered in wounds, but she simply looked at them with a smile.
"Everyone... you've all become stronger than back then, haven't you?"
""...!""
The vow the three of them had made during the Xenos incident.
—Become strong enough to achieve what you desire!
The day they had looked up at the towering Babel and vowed to become strong for the sake of their own desires.
"Ahaha...!! You're certainly right! Aiz!"
Akumo had faced his own Pioneer path, and Bell had truly realized the kind of hero he wanted to be.
Aiz, having faced herself properly, had also grown stronger alongside them.
"Truly...."
It felt as though he could finally look at them not as children, but as fellow heroes.
Rise—
A new sun rose.
The brilliant sunlight descended from the sky, illuminating the adventurers.
"The weather is great."
Crack—! Pop—!
As if he thoroughly enjoyed the sunlight, Akumo stretched his body, but that alone wasn't enough to dissipate the fatigue accumulated throughout the night.
'I guess I overdid it a bit...'
"Well, I should head home and get some sle—"
As he spoke, Akumo finally noticed the countless adventurers standing behind him.
"Uh.... Since when were you guys there?"
Whack—!
"Gah!?"
"Since the beginning, you idiot son of mine."
Mia, seemingly exasperated that he had only just noticed, gave him a resounding fist to the head before speaking.
"Enough of that. Now that everyone's gathered, don't you have something to say?"
"Eh.... Do I really have to be the one...?"
Akumo, realizing Mia's intention, tried to avoid her gaze as if burdened by the prospect.
Stare—
"Oh boy...."
Faced with the countless expectant gazes, he finally suppressed his embarrassment and took a deep breath.
Inhale—!
He had shouted it so many times to announce his victory to everyone that it was almost embarrassing now, but he decided to shout it one more time.
"WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
This time, he shouted with all his might to announce the victory of everyone to the entire city.
""""""""""WAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!""""""""""
At that cry, the countless adventurers erupted in cheers, enthralled by the victory of the heroes and themselves.
"We actually won!!!"
"I really thought I was going to die!"
"Kuh...!! To experience something like this in my lifetime, it's not bad at all!!"
Bors and his men shared stories, deeply moved that they had survived such a massive battle and had experienced a true adventure for the first time in a long while.
"Well done! Ganesha Familia!"
"You guys as well! To think you forged 1,500 magic swords!"
The allied Familias who fought together expressed their gratitude for each other's help, savoring the lingering emotions of the battle.
Step, step—
Several people approached Akumo as he watched the boisterous atmosphere.
"We all won safely, didn't we?"
"It was beyond expectations, in many ways."
"I should say it was just like us, but we really almost died back there."
His comrades, who had worked with him for over ten years, were joyful about the victory but also felt like laughing at the absurd sights they had witnessed during the battle.
"Truly~ If even I'm surprised, it must've been a hell of a shock for you lot!"
Even Loki, who had lived vastly longer than them, could fully empathize with the feelings of the children of the lower world this time.
"I agree, Loki~"
"I was truly startled, you know? Even though I was outside Orario."
Following Loki, Freya and Hermes, who had personally witnessed his combat, marveled at the battle Akumo had reproduced.
"It was a truly Ganesha-like battle!!!!!!!"
"I want to ask about everything from A to Z, but..."
"Now is the time to rest, for both the children and us."
"I agree with Demeter. I think it's best to leave it at this for today."
Ganesha, who arrived late, shouted his usual catchphrase and smiled at all the adventurers.
Hephaestus looked as though she had much to ask him, but upon hearing the words of Demeter and Astraea, the Gods decided not to pry further.
Smile—!
"Thank you, truly."
'Not that I have any intention of hiding it!'
That was enough.
Even without saying more, even without digging for facts.
Akumo smiled back at the emotions of awe and joy directed toward him in their eyes.
"Let's go!"
With the dawning of a new sun, another adventure thus came to an end.
Step, step—
Though the sun had risen again, there were those who could not see it.
"As expected.... Did Akuo-san die?"
Lyd was joyful that Dionysus's plan had been thwarted, but at the same time, he felt a bitter sadness over the fact that Akuo had died.
"""....."""
It wasn't just Lyd; Ray and Vane were feeling particularly complicated.
"How long are you lot going to stay so gloomy?"
"But Gros...!"
That sight seemed to irritate Gros, and he chided them.
"No matter what, the result won't change."
He was simply accepting the parting with Akuo calmly, as a warrior should.
"....Dammit."
'To leave so suddenly like this....'
Of course, it wasn't that he wasn't sad either.
Clench—!!!
As they swallowed their respective emotions and reflected on their farewell with Akuo, a single girl approached them.
"That is what Akuo desired."
""""!?""""
'An adventurer...!?'
At the sudden appearance of a suspicious presence, they moved immediately.
Swish—!
Flutter—!
Vane and Ray moved simultaneously, Vane restraining her movements with thread while Ray immediately readied her feathers.
Schwing—!
"Who are you...!"
Boom—!
"What do you know about Akuo—"
Just as Lyd and Gros leveled their sword and claws at her threateningly, a voice that was all too familiar reached their ears.
"It's amazing!"
"Wiene!!?"
Lyd was greatly startled to see Wiene being held by the unknown entity and immediately withdrew his sword.
"Why are you with Wiene...."
"If we're being technical, she was the one who approached me first."
"Wait, reveal your identity first!"
Unlike Lyd, whose hostility vanished upon seeing Wiene act friendly toward her, Gros remained on guard and demanded her identity.
"I am merely...."
Slide—!
""""!!""""
At his words, she removed her robe and proudly revealed her identity.
"A single elf."
The girl, who had been reborn by the Dungeon in an unwanted form, was finally able to step into the Dungeon without trembling after receiving the Pioneer's salvation.
"I shall explain everything about Akuo."
Smile—!
"And the fact that he is not dead."
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