Chapter 46: The Hunt

"Hi" Regular Speech

'Hi' Thought

"(Hi)" Marcus's mechanically synthesised voice

[Hi] Aurora's notification

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'This is the hunt? Strange… I don't remember it being like this in DxD. I thought it was more of a Percy Jackson thing, I think…'

Nonetheless...

[Energy reading scan complete. S.N.M.S.S. ready and on standby.]

'So, this is divine energy. Fascinating. It exists on a tier higher than regular magic and is intricately tied to the various domains of the gods...'

I observed the readings. Divine energy flowed through the huntresses, and at the same time, Artemis's power appeared to be feeding off them. It resembled a network—her strength growing as theirs did, as though they were amplifying each other's power through a shared connection.

'Quite a specimen you are, Artemis. Pity... I don't have the facilities for someone of your caliber.'

Nor did I have binding magic strong enough to hold a Greek god.

'Hmm. I suppose I'll have to leave you like this… A pity…' My gaze shifted to the hooded figure below, still watching from above.

"Who are you? This area is under the jurisdiction of the Greek Pantheon for two months," the woman—who, based on her divine aura, must be Artemis—commanded. "No other supernatural beings should be here without my or Zeus's direct permission!"

"(Oh? I was unaware that Siberia was governed by any particular pantheon.)" I replied, my voice synthesized and mechanical, concealing my identity and gender. With the myriad of barriers around me, she couldn't perceive anything about me, nor could her divine energy touch me.

"So, you're a newcomer then? Very well. For now, your trespass is forgiven. But you must still reveal yourself," Artemis insisted, her authority firm.

'Not bad for someone who spends so much time in the wilderness. She understands politics better than I thought. I suppose the Greek Pantheon is slowly earning some points in my book.'

"(Unfortunately, I cannot reveal my identity. It remains confidential until the proper time arrives.)"

In an instant, every hunter raised their bows in unison, taking aim at me.

"Foolish," Artemis declared. "You're surrounded. You've trespassed. You should be slain immediately."

I watched as her bow materialized in her hands, her form radiating with divine resolve.

"(Oh? For a mere godling, you exude quite a bit of confidence…)" I mused aloud, the S.N.M.S.S. system springing to life within my armor.

With a sudden surge of energy, my wings flared and a pulse of force rippled through the air. The magical barriers around me rendered Artemis's weapons useless in an instant. Her bow, once glowing with divine light, now lay inert.

"W-What is this!? Why can't I access my powers?" Artemis stammered in confusion.

Before she could utter another word, I was already in front of her. The barrel of Phobos, my right-handed rifle, pressed to her face.

"(It's called science—both magical and technical. I've already analyzed your divine energy.)"

Artemis, however, wasn't one to back down. With a swift motion, she lunged toward me, trying to brush my rifle away.

But my armor reacted instinctively. With a burst of magical energy, I dodged her strike effortlessly, then raised my leg, delivering a powerful kick that sent her flying. She crashed through several trees before finally stopping.

"""LADY ARTEMIS!!!"""

The huntresses moved in quickly, switching from their bows to dual knives.

"(Steel knives? What exactly do you hope to achieve with those? Cut me?)" I asked incredulously. Aurora had already analyzed the composition of the metal—they were just steel, no match for my armor.

Undeterred, the huntresses pressed forward, but I wasn't having any of it. I spun in place, my rifles aiming in every direction. Time to show them why the Wing Gundam was once feared in battle. Although my goal was to replicate the Freedom Gundam style—where a single machine could take on entire armies—this moment called for a bit of the Wing Gundam's dual rifle technique.

I squeezed the triggers of Deimos and Phobos, unleashing a barrage of electrical energy in every direction.

"What is this…"

"Ahh!"

"I-I-It's electricity…"

"Damn..."

One by one, the huntresses crumpled, their bodies twitching from the onslaught of electrical balls before they could even reach me.

As I prepared to assess the situation, an alarm flared in my suit, warning me of an incoming attack. Without thinking, my body shifted, dodging a spinning kick that came from my side.

I glanced up, and my eyes widened in surprise.

'What the hell is that?'

A cat girl. No, not quite a cat… a lioness.

"(You… who are you?)" I asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"... You'll pay for what you've done to Lady Artemis and the hunt!" the lioness proclaimed, her voice laced with anger.

As she readied herself for battle, Aurora was already compiling her profile. Greenish-blonde hair, cat ears, and a lion's tail—no, this wasn't a mere catgirl; it was Atalanta, a legendary figure from Greek mythology.

"(Atalanta… Interesting. You're far more lion than cat these days, aren't you?)"

Atalanta responded with an annoyed hiss, dropping into a martial arts stance.

"(Oh? No bow, I see.)" I teased, noting that without Artemis's divine blessing, she was now just another mortal.

Without a word, Atalanta lunged at me, engaging in a battle of speed and skill.

'Ah, yes… Greek martial arts...'

Aurora swiftly recognized the techniques, and my armor's battle assistance system kicked into gear. But, at this point, I was no longer fighting a supernatural opponent; she was just a skilled martial artist with enhanced strength thanks to her lion physiology.

Suddenly, I detected several arrows flying toward me, aiming to disarm me by targeting my rifles.

'Clever...'

Before the arrows could strike, I called my rifles back into my inventory, dodging with ease as Atalanta's attack continued.

I'd expected this, but I was far faster than her.

"(Sacred Gears, sweetheart. They can disappear and reappear at will, even in the heat of battle...)"

As I made my move, I landed a quick but powerful blow to Atalanta's stomach. She attempted to block, but my fist was faster, sending her flying in the same direction where Artemis had been knocked out.

I spared no more thought for Atalanta; I had to deal with the remaining threat.

With the huntresses incapacitated, my attention turned to the next challenge: a woman who had remained hidden until now. She emerged from behind the trees, drawing a spear and adopting a stance of battle.

"(Who are you? You possess a divinity of your own, don't you?)" I noted with interest, the battle system analyzing her features. She wasn't just a mortal; she radiated power.

"I am Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons," she declared proudly, removing her hood. I blinked, taken aback by her resemblance to Rias Gremory—her hair was darker, her eyes a striking yellow. But what struck me most was her hair, which reminded me of Artoria, the female King Arthur.

'This world is far stranger than I thought…'

"(I see… Hippolyta… you should have passed long ago. Why are you still alive?)" I muttered, more to myself than her.

"So, you know of me?" she said with a grin. "Excellent. This will be a most thrilling duel."

I could barely keep up with her enthusiasm. It seemed that the idea of facing me in combat, with all my technological prowess, had ignited something primal in her.

"(You seriously want a duel? You do realize I've disabled your divinity, don't you? Even if you were once a war goddess, you are now just a mortal, and my armor far exceeds what you could ever dream of facing.)"

She only laughed, her eyes alight with excitement.

"Even better!" she cheered. "To create an armor capable of facing the ultimate class! Yes! This is exactly what I've been waiting for!"

'What is she talking about?' My mind raced to comprehend the strange thrill she found in the situation.

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