Step, step—
"By the way, you."
As they prepared for what could be their final battle.
In that tense atmosphere, Aphrodite spoke to Akumo.
"Are you really going to save Hestia?"
"...What do you mean?"
"Right now, with your strength, you could certainly bring Hestia back."
However, extracting Hestia from the ritual meant the purification of the flames would stop.
"It's the same as destroying this lower world."
""""!!""""
"I'm asking if you'll still go to save your goddess knowing that, Hestia's children... and Bell Cranel."
"Why are you asking me that?"
Ironically, while her words were directed at Akumo, their content was meant for Bell and the others.
"Those guys will probably just say everything will work out as long as they're together."
Grab!
"I want to hear an answer that's a bit different from that."
Aphrodite took Akumo by the chin.
She wanted a serious answer from Akumo—not the kind of response she had heard from Bell's group countless times, but his own.
Grin!
"I'm going to open the box one more time."
"!!"
"Of course! This time, I'll pull out nothing but hope."
Even with his chin held, even while looking the Goddess of Beauty straight in the eyes.
"To have such a confident face before a god... how arrogant."
"But how refreshing! Isn't it, Aphrodite?"
Gods are omniscient. Thus, they realized what Akumo's words meant and what he wanted from them.
"If you're taking that path, our [Apollo Familia] will support you with everything we have!"
"Hmph, the [Aphrodite Familia] will do the same."
"Bell has gained some reliable allies! Ahaha!"
"Thank you! Lady Aphrodite, Lord Apollo!"
Bell expressed his gratitude and soon entered a long meeting with his comrades to devise a strategy.
Step, step—
Allies approached Akumo as well... or rather, beings who would literally lend him their strength.
Clap!
"If that is what you wish!"
"We have no right to object; it's your freedom, isn't it?"
Hermes and Hephaestus reached out to him with smiles.
"Hmph! You're an arrogant brat with no eye for beauty, but..."
Slide—
"That face is actually quite worth looking at!"
Aphrodite smiled while still holding his chin.
"I, too! To repay my debt! I must put my life on the line!"
Apollo also reached out to him.
"Everyone.... thank you."
Believing in him, the gods willingly shared their power.
Whether it would become a sacrifice for something or merely the price for a reenactment, they didn't care.
"Because I always believe in you."
"No matter what choice you make, I will trust you until the end."
Grab!
Freya and Artemis took his hands.
Just as they said, they trusted Akumo's choice.
And they supported him without reservation.
Grin!
Akumo smiled sincerely at them.
He didn't want to disappoint them, and at the same time, he wanted to make this dangerous gamble a success.
"It really might be a gamble—no, it is just a gamble!"
But you already know, don't you? What I'm going to say.
"I really love gambling."
Trust in your own abilities; trust in your everything, yet trust nothing at the same time.
Agonize constantly and devise ways to move further forward on your own.
Whoosh—!
'My Falna isn't broken.'
It simply evolved into the form most suitable for me.
"To make myself more radiant, to make myself darker."
'To do that...'
I will thoroughly devour and grow.
Even divine artifacts—I will devour my own fragments once again.
Rumble!
"Get away from him this instant."
"Ahaha...."
Of course, after putting on such a show, Akumo was immediately dragged away by Ryu's murderous intent.
"Are you really joking around in a situation like this!!?"
"You and Lord Hermes are truly!!!!"
"Die, just go ahead and die!"
"W-Wait!!? Why do I have to get beaten up..."
Thwack!!
"Agh!!!?"
The sight of Akumo being lectured by the trio of Ryu, Asfi, and Horn was truly impressive.
"No, why are you all suddenly like this!?"
"Think about what you've done!!"
He had recklessly followed them while his body was broken, becoming a total mess, and even having his heart pierced.
If it weren't for the feats he had shown so far, it was a shocking sight that would have made anyone in the group faint on the spot.
"Sigh... honestly...!!"
Looking at the man before her, Asfi felt a headache similar to the one she got from her own Patron Deity.
'Always doing the most ridiculous things and then trying to laugh it off....'
"You better not fail, or you're dead, Akumo."
"I got it... Asfi."
Of course, she had seen many times how well he matched with her nonchalant god, often surpassing even his schemes.
Grin!
"Just leave it to me!"
Seeing the smile he wore, she had no choice but to fall silent again.
Step, step—
"What is so great about a man like that that everyone...!"
'He should be focusing all his efforts on Lady Freya, yet he's going around doing such trashy things!!'
Horn, unable to understand Akumo's behavior, tried to get away from him as quickly as possible.
"Horn, don't be like that."
"Mr. Hedin, but still, that man is...!"
Hedin looked at Horn with a gaze that said there was no helping it.
"The truth is, right now, he and Bell Cranel are our only options. We are merely here to protect our Goddess."
"Mr. Hedin...."
"Let us, in our own way, try to surpass our limits."
The elf, having witnessed someone's pioneering, focused on the present and raised his sword for his Goddess.
The girl who hadn't witnessed that pioneering was frustrated, but seeing that everyone's gaze was unwavering, she finally decided to move forward.
"....Fufu."
Grin!
The Goddess of Beauty was truly happy to see all their souls shining brightly for the sake of their own stories.
"A-Anyway, let's get ready now...."
"Brother... get treated first..."
Amidst the commotion, the time for the plan to rescue Hestia drew near.
Clatter—
"We need to gather the luggage to load onto the boat. We've done nothing but rest for a while."
"Since Ryu and Asfi need to rest too~"
Akumo and Bell were organizing their belongings, preparing for the upcoming journey by sea.
Creak—!
"Hmm?"
Just then, the door suddenly opened and someone entered the room.
Akumo, who happened to be in the corner organizing bags, carefully watched the person standing before Bell.
".....Bell, are you alone right now?"
"Ilia? Right now...."
Slide—
Seeing the serious expression on Ilia's face as she sought him out, Akumo immediately signaled Bell to continue the conversation.
"Yes, there's no one else here.... Why?"
At Akumo's signal, Bell didn't delay and waited to hear what she had to say.
".....Are you really going to the altar?"
"....Yes, I can't let my Goddess be sacrificed."
As expected, words of worry for Bell's safety came from her lips.
"You might end up covered in wounds again."
"Even so, I'm going. Even if terrible things happen... I will save her."
Despite everything, Bell would save her.
Even if it seemed forced or stubborn, he would never give up and would rescue her together with everyone.
".....No."
"Pardon....?"
"No...! Bell... I don't want you to go..."
Cling!
"....!?"
Did Bell's answer seem too sad to her?
"I-Ilia!?"
Before Bell could even speak in his flustered state as Ilia suddenly hugged him, her true feelings poured out.
"I'm scared... that you'll disappear, Bell...! I don't want you to disappear...!!"
She had deceived Bell and taken his Goddess from him.
Yet, the boy before her never showed anger toward her, nor did he harbor any hatred.
That was why her heart ached so much.
"It hurts me to see you covered in blood! It makes me shudder..."
"I promised to be your strength... but I'm scared! I feel like if I blink, you'll be gone!"
To Bell, who always braved danger, these were all too familiar words.
However.
'Those are the same words as back then....'
"Ilia, why are you going this far for me...?"
She had clearly disliked him, and even if her heart had changed, he couldn't think of a reason why she would risk her life to betray the Order.
'Wait... is this?'
The same question occurred to Akumo, and at the same time, a thought flashed through his mind.
".....Because."
"....? Sorry, what did you...."
".....Because I like you."
As if Akumo's prediction had hit the mark, Ilia's voice became very small, and she looked as if she were barely enduring extreme embarrassment.
"....Who?"
However, Bell was not yet capable of reading such emotions in others, and when he asked again.
"I said....!!! I!! Like you!!"
Finally, Ilia's confession echoed through the room, conveying her heart.
""...""
'Wow.... incredible....'
"...Whaaaaaaaaaat~~~~~~~!?"
Bell and Akumo were shrouded in silence.
However, after a brief moment, Bell let out a scream filled with confusion and shock.
"Why are you making such a weird noise!!!?"
"I-I'm sorry!!!!"
"It's a confession I squeezed out all my courage for...! You're the worst!! You really are the worst!!!"
Ilia snapped back in frustration at Bell's naive scream, but for Bell, it was still an overwhelmingly baffling situation.
"I-I'm sorry....!!! B-But... I mean, why....!? You hated me!?"
"How long ago was that!? I really can't help it! I was drawn to you while we were together!!"
Squeeze!
"At first, I just intended to atone! But seeing you fight without giving up even when you were hurt made my heart ache so much...!!"
Witnessing Bell, who constantly lit the flames of hope.
"The thought that someone had to support you.... my feelings grew out of control...!"
"Ilia...."
The Order, the Flame Men, and even Epimetheus had pushed him to the brink, yet Bell had stood up time and time again, looking more precarious yet more resolute than ever.
"Just as Minukia and Emilia said... I'm disqualified as Vesta's priestess. Because I've come to devote myself to you, not a god."
Her heart could no longer remain still.
Shhhhh—
Chirp, chirp—
A beautiful night where moonlight illuminated the world and the sound of insects played like music.
"That really.... surprised me."
Step, step—
"To think Ilia would confess to Bell!"
Forgetting his tension, Akumo walked the night path with a smile, recalling the shocking and amusing sight he had just witnessed.
'Of course, it wouldn't be polite to keep watching.'
He had left without hearing Bell's answer, leaving the rest of the story to them.
Grin!
"In the first place, Bell would probably think the same as me."
Worries he had heard countless times, anxieties he had swallowed countless times.
They were thoughts that had pierced his heart many times over, but that was exactly why he could give an answer.
"I will save her, no matter what."
Even though such thoughts numbered in the hundreds, they were still standing here.
"You really... playing with a woman's heart like that."
Squeeze!!
However, Akumo's hand was firmly gripping something and dragging it along.
"You should stop playing with people's hearts too."
"What misfortune....! To think Akumo would be eavesdropping too...."
"Mine was a coincidence; yours was spying."
Dragging the God of Adventure along, Akumo sternly pulled him away from Bell.
"So.... what is it?"
This created a moment for the God of Adventure to ask him his true feelings.
"What now?"
"Anything, if it's a story you want to tell."
"...Are you serious?"
"I'm a whimsical swindler myself, so I have no intention of adding anything to your story."
Because they had similar tendencies yet had acted in completely opposite ways, they could tell whether the other was serious just by looking into their eyes.
'Suddenly asking so seriously again....'
Faced with that gaze, Akumo had no choice.
"I'm going to write my story."
Slide—
"I don't care what power I use as a means in that process."
'I really, really mean it....'
"I won't beg for help just because the opponent is too strong or because I'm simply weak. I won't make those excuses to myself."
One enjoyable performance is enough.
Watching it multiple times would be nothing but defiling the memories of the myth.
"....You really are...."
"This is just how I am."
'Never satisfied with one thing, pushing myself harder, being more greedy, and yet wanting to love even more.'
"I hate being tied down, no matter what."
He would adventure and grow strong as he pleased, to the point where even the God of Adventure would throw up his hands in defeat.
"I suppose you could call it Wanderlust...."
Looking at Akumo, Hermes watched him with his usual smile.
Whoosh—!
His broken body.
No, the soul that had simply returned to its original form for the sake of its own story.
The appearance of that soul was the same as before.
"I wonder what I should play with~"
Winged shoes, a moonlight dagger, a flowered mirror, a forge hammer, a sun's prophecy.
The shapes of the objects floating around him were certainly no hallucination.