20 Lord Argus
The blast created a storm of dust that swirled around the rising pillar of smoke. It was all the building was reduced to; A dark pillar of smoke rising from the charred black hole in the ground.
In the middle of this mess, stood Miach Familia trying to realize what had just happened. All they saw was; Rick suddenly grabbing them together → a blinding light surrounding them → a loud bang → then, they found themselves in the middle of this rising smoke standing on this black footing.
Meanwhile, Rick swallowed his dry saliva trying to make a split-second decision.
The ones who did this to his home hadn't noticed that there were survivors hidden in the smoke, yet… What should he do?
Payback or Retreat… Announce his survival by a surprise attack or use the smoke to leave this place at once.
With all his mana depleted, the usage of his skills would be limited.
He would have to take a mana potion before attacking, which will enable him to use his skills a few times. Maybe it would be barely enough to take the Level-4 Mage down.
Then what? There would still be eight Level-3 and Level-2 enemies remaining. Could he beat them while protecting his Familia members?
Daphne can take care of herself as long as her opponent isn't a Level-3 or higher.
Cassandra is a healer, so she won't be able to show her worth unless she is being protected.
Nahza isn't carrying her bow, and her only strong point is sniping from a distance.
And Miach is an absolute dead weight.
He couldn't possibly get a win out of this situation unless he was in his optimum condition. And he wasn't.
'Revenge is a dish best served cold' He thought to himself as he led his Familia and retreated under the cover of the smoke.
--------------------------
"Wha-what was that?... What happened to our house?" Asks Nahza as we run through the backstreets.
"We were attacked…" Daphne answers.
"Argh… did Loki Familia do it? Those scum! They wanted to kill you, Rick. What happened between you and them?" Says the angry Nahza.
"Wha…? No, it was Argus Familia… I'll explain everything once we find a place to hide." I say as I gulp down a superior mana potion.
"We can go to Hestia's..." Says Miach.
"No, someone intimidating… Aren't you friends with Lady Hephaestus?" I ask.
"Yes."
With this, our destination is set to the Hephaestus building on the Northwest Main.
…
We find that Hephaestus herself isn't in the building. An employee leads us to a guestroom and tells us to wait for her, she is supposed to arrive in a short while.
Miach then sends a word for Hestia and Takemikazuchi. He says that his friends will be worried when they find out about what happened to the pharmacy.
"Why did you say that it was Argus Familia?" Asks Nahza impatiently.
"When I arrived earlier today, I found a group of adventurers watching the pharmacy from the roofs. I grabbed one of them and interrogated him.
He said that some god has contracted them to kill me. And that the terms of the contract are too good for them to go back on. So even if we somehow manage to talk that god back, Argus Familia wouldn't accept." I explain.
"Who is that god and why would he afford to pay a 'too good contract' to kill you?" Asks Miach.
"The adventurer didn't say, most likely he didn't know… But I can make an educated guess." I answer.
I hesitate for a second on whether to tell Miach that I killed Dian Cecht's raid party or not... No, this man's house just got destroyed because of it. He deserves to know.
"A few days before I left, a group of adventurers ambushed me in the dungeon. They told me to leave Miach Familia and join theirs or die. I chose the latter fate… to fall upon them.
They were from the Dian Cecht Familia. Their objective wasn't acquiring me, rather they wanted to stop me from paying Miach Familia's debt to Dian Cecht." I explain.
"He would go to this extent to see me humiliated… what a vile nature!" Says the disgusted Miach.
"Wait! What about Loki Familia?" Says Nahza as if she just remembered something.
"What about them?" I ask in a puzzled expression.
"A while ago, a group from Loki Familia came to the pharmacy. They specifically asked about your whereabouts… and I swear, they immitted killing intent as they did." She says.
"That's it? They didn't buy anything?" I ask.
"Ah… when they didn't find you, they bought some potions. And it was strange, they threw me a bag of coins and told me to give them whatever the amount inside would buy." She says.
"And do you remember any of their names?" I ask.
"All of them were elves… led by Alicia Forestlight." She says in a cold tone. 'Ah, I forgot that Nahza despises top-ranked adventurers.
"Anyway, Loki Familia isn't our enemy. Don't worry about them."
I say it as I think, 'So, Riveria's paparazzi are out to get me?'
I have no time to think about those idiots. I should focus on the grim situation I'm in…
Why did this happen?
I did everything by the book… I stayed away from the main events of DanMachi, I hid my strength from other people, I even halted my own growth.
I did everything I can to stay out of trouble, and yet trouble found its way to me anyway.
And not just any trouble… This one dared to risk killing a god and sending him back to the Upper world.
They did it cleanly… Even if we had all died in there, no one would have been able to know what happened.
It was just a second, and the building is no longer there. People can only speculate about what happened to the building, but they'll never get facts.
Of course, killing a god and sending him back to heaven is a huge deal…
There will be a lot of investigations and the city would be turned upside down. But in the end, no one would be able to find anything out.
Even Miach himself, judging by the situation back there, he would've been sent back to heaven before even realizing it.
And even if someone was able to prove that the building was destroyed by magic, there would still be no way to prove whose magic did it.
And what's more, there are zero connections between Miach Familia and Argus Familia.
Had their plan worked, it would've been a complete crime.
If they blew-up the pharmacy with all this in their mind, then Argus Familia is way more dangerous an enemy than I had thought.
Their target isn't even Miach, it's me. To quickly fulfill their contract of killing me, they're okay with taking four lives 'including a god' as collateral damage!
That's the kind of trouble that came knocking on my door even though I was careful.
Being careful hurt my head and slowed me down. In the end, trouble found its way to me anyway.
If the final conclusion is 'trouble will find me anyway', then I will have to change my way of doing things.
Getting stronger 'stronger than all' comes first. So that when trouble finds me, I will be ready to crush any obstacles it would present.
But first, I must wipe this Argus Familia out… and I must do it quickly 'before anyone gets hurt this time'.
Anyway, it's getting rowdy in here…
-----
While Rick was deep in his thoughts, Hephaestus, Hestia, and Takemikazuchi had arrived and joined them. Now, inside the room are the four deities and the four members of Miach Familia engaged in a serious conversation.
Hestia: "But to burn the building while a god is inside, that's beyond reckless! Their Familia might even get disbanded for this."
Miach: "I am not so sure; The guild will not take action unless we provide evidence. We cannot prove anything. It all happened so fast."
Takemikazuchi: "I can send my children to investigate the remains of the pharmacy. They can ask around to see if anyone had seen something."
Hephaestus: "Argus Familia aren't amateurs. If it was them, then I doubt that you will find anything."
Takemikazuchi: "It won't hurt, I'll send them anyway."
Hestia: "Meanwhile, we need to put an end to this murder contract."
Takemikazuchi: "But Miach, I thought that your relationship with Dian Cech was a normal rivalry between potion makers. I didn't know that there was enough grudge to issue an assassination."
Miach: "Dian Cecht and I have never seen eye to eye, even in the Upper World… Once we came down to this world, we butted heads at every turn. Our rivalry extended to the children we took under our wing when we got into the same business..."
Nahza: "I broke that cycle to pieces. I used to crawl the Dungeon... But one day, I screwed everything up. Got thoroughly wrecked by a monster, and it ate my right arm.
A silver arm… Lord Miach got it for me after I lost my real one...it's from that Dian Cecht Familia. He practically begged them… Dian Cecht Familia makes medicines and other things. Besides selling potions, they also take custom orders from adventurers and make special items to suit.
This Airgetlam, or 'silver arm,' is one of them… Lord Miach took out a loan so he could buy this arm for me. The other members of our Familia turned their back on Lord Miach when they found out... and left."
Miach: "After that, we got drenched deeper and deeper into debt... It was the perfect opportunity for Dian Cecht to announce his victory and superiority and put an end to our long-standing stalemate.
Then Rick joined our Familia… he started making money, our financial condition got better, and we regularly pay our monthly installments to Dian Cecht now.
It seems that this robbed Dian Cecht the opportunity to gloat over his victory and humiliate me. But still, an assassination contract is too much!"
Miach purposefully didn't mention anything about the death of Dian Cecht's team. The less the number of people that knew about this incident the better. He couldn't blame Rick for not telling him about it earlier. Rick's decision of keeping quiet was the right one.
Hestia: "We should go to Dian Cecht right now and force him to cancel this contract."
Miach: "The problem is what Argus Familia adventurer said; the payment is too good to go back on."
Hestia: "Then the one that we should visit is Argus. I don't know him… hm, does anyone?"
Miach: "I never met him."
Takemikazuchi: "I saw him once or twice, but we never spoke."
Hephaestus: "He doesn't attend most formal events but according to his reputation, he's a ruffian."
Hestia: "Ugh! It doesn't matter… we must make him stop. His children even risked sending Miach back to the Upper World."
Rick's mind didn't register most of this conversation. He was deep in his thoughts making plans on how to resolve this situation and then,
"Lord Miach! You should find a safe place to lay low with Nahza, Cassandra, and Daphne… leaving the city would be best. And don't come back until you hear news of the annihilation of Argus Familia."
"No way! - Absurd - Stupid - Are you crazy? - Children! - Fufu." These words entered Rick's ears at the same time. He couldn't tell who said what.
Then the finishing line came from Miach: "DENIED!"
"Okay then, let's head to Argus's place." "Wait! I will find Tsubaki…" "I will send Ouka and the others to investigate the Pharmacy."
Ignoring Rick, the deities moved on to do their thing. Takemikazuchi, Hephaestus, and Hestia would go with Miach to visit Argus accompanied by Tsubaki (Hephaestus Familia's Level-5 captain).
Rick: "You think Argus will voluntarily admit to you that he accepted a request to kill me and during the process, his lackeys risked killing a god!"
Miach: "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"At least challenge him to a War Game!"
Miach turned and looked Rick in the eye… "Can you do it?" He asked. He would see through Rick and see whether he had the confidence of a winner or not.
"Yes… If it's one-on-one, there's no way I would lose." Confidently answered Rick.
"Good." Seeing the overwhelming confidence in Rick's eyes Miach felt relieved and decided to go through with it. This was Miach's plan all along.
He would try to convince Argus to back down. But if Argus didn't; and a battle can't be avoided, then Miach would challenge him into a Familia War where battles have rules.
"And before you leave, can you update my Status?"
-----
Miach starts updating my status…
I unequip the 'Ancient Supreme Helmet, Grave Keeper's Necklace, and Ancient Magician's Ring' because they increase my Stat points.
[The Deity "Miach" is trying to read your Stats. Would you like to accept?]
'Yes.'
[The Deity "Miach" is trying to read your Skills. Would you like to accept?]
'No.' The only new skill is Bloodlust… I don't want to show it.
[The Deity "Miach" is trying to count your Experience points. Would you like to accept?]
'Yes.'
"You are ready to level up and become Level-3." Says Miach.
"Well, I guess it's about time." I say.
"As for Advanced Ability, you have only one option. 'Mage': it improves your magic power, widens its effect range, and makes your Mind usage efficient. It also creates a Magic Circle that supports your magic during incantation." Miach explains.
"It's a good one… useful too." I say.
[The Deity "Miach" is trying to infuse your Status with his Mana. Would you like to accept?]
'Yes.'
[You have acquired a new skill "Mage".]
[The required amount of Divine Mana has been reached. Miach's Blessing has leveled up.]
[Miach's Blessing (Level: 2)
Passive effect.
The divine energy of the Deity Miach is flowing in your body through a Blessing.
If your health reaches below 5%, all critical wounds are healed, and your health is raised to 50%.
Restriction: Can be used twice per day.]
Twice per day… Does this mean that it can be activated in the same battle twice in a row? Or is it once every twelve hours? Both are good but the previous would be even better.
The only way to find out which one it is... is by 'almost' dying. If a cooldown timer appeared under the description, then it can be activated once every 12 hours. If a timer didn't appear, then it can be activated twice in a row and the timer would only appear after the second activation.
Honestly, I don't want to ever find myself in the situation where I would find that out.
"Alright! Here is your new Status." Says Miach as he hands me a piece of paper.
----
Rick Stark - Level Three
*Strength: G 201 - *Endurance: I 0 - *Agility: G 209 - *Magic: S 999
*Sense: H - *Tamer: E - *Swordsman: E - *Immunity: H - *Mage: I
Magic: - Brilliant Light
Skills: - Swift Strike - Whirlwind - Fighting Spirit - Stealth - Telekinesis
----
Argus Familia's house…
"Huh? Da Lord 's asleep... I ain't wakin' 'im up fer ya."
Said the drunk giant of a man standing in the doorway. His head was bald, and he had a wild tangled beard.
"I'll wake him, outa my way… Move!" Said Hestia as she tried to charge through the giant man.
"At least offer some hospitality to your lord's friends." Said Hephaestus.
"Nah… Da Lord got no Friends!" The giant didn't seem to even notice Hestia pushing him.
"Com'on Rudolf… don't be like that! Invite them guests in." Said Argus from inside the house.
Lord Argus was considered to be a young one among the gods, he had the look of a feral young man; A fierce dark face, and eyes that seemed to flash and glitter with savage laughter. It was a face to be feared, or to be punched… never a face to patronize or pity.
…
"Contract ta kill! We're an honest ta heaven Familia, I tell ya… We don't deal with that shit." Was Argus's answer when Miach asked him to cancel the assassination contract that he received.
"I am willing to accept whatever conditions you mandate. I will even kneel down and beg you for it..." Said Miach.
"Yeah… I heard that ya had a thing fer begging yer enemies. Twas stupid, I tell ya… when ya needed Dian Cecht's device, ya shoulda took the loan somewhere else and paid yer rival fer the device in cash.
But naaah! I don't need no begging… The contract ya say isn't real… it didn't happen." Said Argus.
"Then you leave me no choice… I challenge you to a war game." Said Miach.
"Pffft… Ya have a thing fer stupid decisions or something? What made ye think that I'd accept yer challenge, huh? I'm a wolf and ye're a sheep, what can I possibly achieve by beating ye, huh?
Ye're dirt poor. Ma boys' time is more valuable than to spend it in beating yer boys up." Said the snickering Argus.
"If I lose, I will give you the rights to all future potion productions of Miach Familia." Said Miach.
Hearing this, Argus started thinking; If he accepted this War Game challenge, he can kill Rick during the game (and fulfill the contract). Additionally, he would take all potion productions of both Miach and Dian Cecht Familias.
Controlling Dian Cecht productions meant a partial monopoly on all potions of Orario. With Miach productions in tow, only two or three minor potion-making Familias would be left.
It would be easy for Argus Familia to put them under control. After that, Argus would be in control of all the potions in Orario. Potions are considered as a lifeline for the adventurers inside the dungeon, one potion vial can be the line between life and death.
By controlling potions, Argus would rule the city. Despite thinking that, only discontent was visible on Argus's face.
"How many potion makers are in yer Familia?" He asked.
"Two, Nahza and me." Answered Miach.
"What's that mean? Ye can make only a dozen potions a week?" Argus inquired.
"Each of us can make two dozen per week." Miach Answered.
" and what War Game would ye propose?" Argus.
"One-on-one battle between each Familias strongest combatant in the Coliseum, where people can attend and watch." Miach.
Argus thought to himself that if Rick wasn't the strongest one in Miach Familia, then this War Game would be pointless for him. So, he said.
"Naaah, a Battle Royale. All ma boys vs. all yer boys fight till one Familia gets exterminated. All yer current children must join, no excuses.
Yer current children can't leave yer Familia and ye can't add any more children to yer Familia other than the ones ye already have. Tis ma conditions, or no War Games at all."
With this Argus Made sure that Rick would participate. And no unexpected combatants would appear on the day of the battle. 'I'm not an idiot like Apollo,' Argus thought to himself.
"At least let me…" Miach tried to plea.
"Naaah, take it or leave it." Argus interrupted him.
Miach swallowed his dry saliva as he thought about it.
"Okay, I accept!" Miach finally agreed and extended his arm for a handshake.
"When I win, I expect all the potions ye produce with a minimum of four dozen potions a week." Said Argus while shaking Miach's hand.
"When I win, you and you Familia will leave Orario and never come back." Said Miach.
"Alright then, let's go clear it up with the Denatus and the Guild!" Said Hestia.
"Miach's children are staying at my tower. Tsubaki will be watching out for them, don't be stupid." Said Hephaestus.
"Eh…eh!" said the surprised Tsubaki.
….
By the end of the day, everything has been decided.
War Game - Miach Familia versus Argus Familia.
Classification - Battle Royale.
Date - After two days.
Location - Orario City's Coliseum.
Victory condition - Last Familia Standing.
