[124] : Aunt Alfia vs Mika!

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"Whew!"

"The Astraea Familia is amazing!"

"It's practically paradise!"

Mika couldn't help but express his admiration as he walked home.

He had thoroughly enjoyed his time at the Astraea Familia.

Imagine that! His own goddess had never given him a shoulder rub, yet he had experienced such hospitality from Astraea.

It was pure bliss.

A wide smile stretched across Mika's face, and his steps were light and carefree.

"Huh? What's that?"

Due to the Astraea Familia's warm reception, Mika hadn't left until after dinner.

Astraea's cooking was exceptional...

By the time he returned the rented carriage, darkness had completely enveloped the city.

On his way back, Mika suddenly spotted a familiar sight.

A dilapidated church.

It was in such a state of disrepair that it barely offered protection from the elements.

But it was unlike any other church.

This was where the future hero, Bell Cranel, and the goddess Hestia would reside.

It would serve as their base of operations until their victory against the Apollo Familia in the War Game.

Of course, this held no significance for Mika.

What truly mattered was the church's previous ownership.

It had once belonged to the Hera Familia.

As a property directly managed by the Hera Familia, this church had witnessed countless weddings and births within the Familia.

This was where Mika's parents had exchanged vows.

And where he had been born.

Since he had been sent to live with his grandfather outside Orario when he was just a toddler, he hadn't visited this place in years.

"Such nostalgia..."

Pushing open the decaying doors, Mika stepped into the abandoned church.

"It's been over a decade since I last came here. If I hadn't stumbled upon it by chance, I wouldn't have even remembered its existence."

"The memories are so vivid..."

Mika couldn't help but reminisce as he walked through the dilapidated church.

It was a strange twist of fate.

This was likely also the place where Bell Cranel had been born.

And in the future, it would be the starting point of his adventurer's journey.

"So, this is where Goddess Hera was worshipped."

Looking up at the worn statue, Mika clasped his hands together and offered a silent prayer.

"May you bless my journey with smooth sailing."

After his prayer, Mika turned and headed towards the exit.

However, just as he was about to leave, he stopped abruptly.

"Something's not right..."

He quickly turned back, his eyes scanning the surroundings, his brow furrowed in thought.

A moment later, his expression relaxed.

"It's nothing. Just a false alarm."

Shaking his head, he turned to leave again.

But just as he reached the doorway, a sharp voice rang out.

"Stop!"

Upon hearing the command, Mika instinctively stomped his foot and bolted towards the exit.

At the same time, his mind raced with frantic thoughts.

"I'm such an idiot! If something feels off, just leave it!!"

"Now I might not even escape!"

Earlier, as he was leaving, Mika felt a nagging sense that something wasn't right. Worried about the possibility of the dark faction lurking within, he had turned back.

He couldn't bear the thought of them defiling this sacred place.

But after a quick inspection, a cold sweat trickled down his back.

He had found the anomaly.

The abandoned church was too clean.

As if someone had tidied it up.

Not only was the floor spotless, but even the statue of Hera had been meticulously cleaned.

The same was true for the ceiling.

The dark faction wouldn't bother with such tasks.

Even if they used the church as a temporary hideout, they would only clean the floor, neglecting the statue and ceiling entirely.

Yet, both were immaculate.

Would anyone else do such a thing?

Yes.

Someone Mika had encountered recently.

Alfia.

In the current Orario, only the recently returned Alfia would take such care.

It couldn't be other remaining members of the Hera Familia.

If there were any, they wouldn't have left a gaping hole in the church's roof.

Judging by the surrounding traces, the church hadn't been repaired in years.

"I'm so stupid!"

As he sprinted towards the exit, Mika berated himself.

"This is the Hera Familia's church, the place where their members got married and had children. I was born here, and so was Bell Cranel."

"But Alfia was also born here. Her parents were married here, and even her beloved younger sister was married and had children here."

"This place holds sentimental value for me. Wouldn't it also hold significance for Alfia, who has nowhere else to go?"

"There's no doubt about it. This is Alfia's hideout."

"I walked right into a trap!"

Despite his inner turmoil, Mika ran as fast as he could.

However, just as he reached the church's entrance, a beautiful woman with silver hair and heterochromia eyes blocked his path.

"Cornered, it seems."

"No, I have to escape!"

Mika knew that Alfia was one of the key figures in this conflict between good and evil.

He had heard rumors about her having ulterior motives.

But regardless of her intentions, she was now an enemy of Orario.

Mika couldn't guarantee that she would spare him simply because he was a descendant of the Hera Familia.

He likened those with "special" motives, those who turned from light to darkness, to Itachi Uchiha.

Such individuals possessed unwavering ideals.

Ideals they were willing to die for.

And they wouldn't hesitate to make any sacrifice to achieve those ideals.

Mika had discovered Alfia's hideout and possibly even her true identity.

This could jeopardize her plans.

He wasn't sure if she would let him go, knowing that he could expose her.

He couldn't afford to take any chances.

Facing Alfia, Mika channeled both magic and Nen into his arm and swung at her.

"Good!"

Alfia responded in kind, her fist meeting his.

The next moment, Mika's body was sent flying backward.

His punch was no match for Alfia's overwhelming strength. 

---

Adjusting his posture mid-air, Mika landed gracefully on the ground.

"Still not enough!"

Although this encounter with Alfia felt somewhat easier compared to their previous clash, the gap between their strengths remained vast.

"I'm currently Level 4, and each level up grants me extraordinary boosts in strength. Under normal circumstances, I could even arm-wrestle a Level 5, especially with the dual enhancement of Nen and magic."

"My current strength is comparable to a Level 6 adventurer, but it's still far inferior to Alfia's!"

Mika frowned as he gazed at the woman before him, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Based on his senses, the difference between them wasn't merely the difference between Level 6 and Level 7 strength.

The gap was far greater than he had initially imagined.

"It seems I underestimated her. As the embodiment of talent, Alfia not only possesses the ability to instantly learn any technique but also receives exceptional boosts with each level up."

"In other words, her base stats far exceed those of a typical Level 7."

"As expected of someone who could contend with Orario's strongest, the Level 9 Empress, even at Level 7."

Mika winced as he felt the lingering pain in his hand.

"Oh, you leveled up? You're Level 4 now?"

Alfia, also analyzing the sensation in her hand, chuckled softly.

A few days ago, when she first encountered Mika, he was only Level 3. Now, he had already reached Level 4.

"You can tell?" Mika asked, surprised.

He wasn't shocked that Alfia could sense his increased strength.

But her ability to accurately pinpoint his level was remarkable.

"Of course," Alfia replied with a gentle smile.

"I have my own methods for assessing someone's strength."

"You, like me, likely receive exceptional stat boosts at each level."

"I never expected to encounter such a descendant of the Hera Familia after its demise."

"You recognized my identity earlier, didn't you?"

"Indeed, Aunt Alfia!" Mika grinned mischievously.

Alfia's eye twitched at the familiar address.

The corners of her lips curved into a deceptively sweet smile.

"I believe I told you years ago not to call me 'Aunt,' didn't I?"

With those words, Alfia lunged forward.

"Did you? Perhaps it's been so long that I've forgotten," Mika retorted, swiftly drawing the longsword at his waist.

Since Gabriel hadn't accompanied him, Mika couldn't use the Noble Phantasms he had acquired in the Type-Moon world.

They were all stored within Gabriel's dimensional pocket.

The only weapon he had was the longsword he always carried.

The sword his mother had left him.

Clang!

Alfia's fist collided with Mika's sword, producing a metallic clang.

Mika wasn't surprised.

The "Endurance" stat in a Falna wasn't simply about stamina.

It also enhanced one's physical resilience, acting as a form of defense.

Adventurers with high Endurance possessed bodies as tough as alloys, making them impervious to ordinary weapons.

That was why mages in Orario weren't considered frail.

If they put down their staves, they could likely hold their own against warriors.

For someone like Alfia, with exceptional stats across the board, there were no exploitable weaknesses.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Mika's longsword danced through the air, a blur of motion.

He targeted Alfia's vital points, relentlessly pressing his attack.

As their battle intensified, Mika realized that Alfia's martial arts skills were unmatched in Danmachi world.

Even compared to the Servants of the Type-Moon world, she was on par with experts like Siegfried.

And this wasn't her limit.

Alfia possessed an astonishing learning ability, capable of mastering any technique with just a few glances.

In Danmachi world, there weren't many established martial arts lineages.

The primary focus was always on battling monsters. Especially during the era of the Zeus and Hera Familias, the dark factions were virtually nonexistent.

Adventurers honed their skills through self-taught combat experience.

Everything was learned through trial and error.

But Alfia was different. With her innate talent, she had learned and mastered the fighting techniques of numerous powerful adventurers from both the Zeus and Hera Familias.

Her martial arts prowess was the culmination of these accumulated skills.

However, martial arts, for adventurers, were merely supplementary skills.

Level, magic, and skills were far more crucial.

Therefore, after reaching a certain level of proficiency, Alfia's martial arts skills had plateaued.

But today, her skills were evolving once more.

"What kind of monster is she?!"

Mika was astounded as he witnessed Alfia's rapid improvement during their exchange.

Although Mika's base stats were inferior to Alfia's, his near-divine martial arts skills allowed him to hold his own against her.

Under Mika's watchful gaze, Alfia continued to grow stronger, her martial arts skills rapidly improving.

"No, I can't let this continue!"

Through their battle, Mika had gained a profound understanding of the woman known as the "Embodiment of Talent."

She was absorbing the martial arts knowledge he had acquired from other worlds, using it to enhance her own abilities.

If he continued this martial arts exchange, he feared her skills would reach the Heaven.

If that happened, Orario would be doomed.

"Ignite! With this ring of flames, I command thee!"

Sheathing his sword, Mika began chanting his magic.

Since his sword lacked the unbreakable enchantment, he didn't dare imbue it with his fire magic.

If it were destroyed, he wouldn't know what to do.

"Fire enhancement magic?"

Alfia frowned as she watched Mika become engulfed in flames.

It wasn't because his magic was particularly troublesome.

It was because his sudden use of magic had interrupted her learning.

She had witnessed an unprecedented level of martial arts skill in Mika, which had piqued her interest.

It had rekindled her passion for honing her own martial arts.

But Mika's actions had disrupted her focus.

"Soul Stillness!"

With a soft command, Alfia released a wave of energy that radiated outwards.

Instantly, the flames surrounding Mika vanished as if they had never existed.

"My magic... was erased?!" Mika exclaimed in shock.

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