Chapter 29: Ishtar's Fall

"E-EVILUS ATTACK!"

"RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"

The screams tore through the Pleasure Quarter, echoing off the buildings as the moonlight and scattered magic-stone lamps flickered on the chaos below, casting flashes of light on the golden seal of Ishtar Familia on brothel walls. Another flash of steel, and a Berbera crumpled to the ground, her buckler rolling to a stop. 

"They're everywhere!"

"Why now!?"

Cloaked in black from head to toe, their hood concealed their face, and a blank black mask with hollow eyeholes that stared out at the world as these Evilus members rushed the pleasure quarters. Strategic positions fell as the invaders smashed barrels, clambered over rooftops, and swept through the district like a storm. 

A cloaked man danced through the chaos, his spear a blur as it sliced through flesh. His blade severed limbs, spilling blood like rain. Another man followed, magic pulsing from his sword before releasing a surge of wind that blew a warrior into a nearby wall with a sickening crunch.

"HELP! PLEASE, SOMEONE HELP US!"

Prostitutes ran through the streets, their once-elegant silks and finely braided hair now disheveled, dirtied, and stained with blood. "Where are the Berbera?!" one of them cried, stumbling as her feet scraped against the cobblestones. She pulled at her torn clothes, the fabric barely clinging to her as she frantically searched for an escape.

A flash of steel and the woman's head was cleaved off her shoulder, blood sprayed into the air as her body hit the ground with a thud as a cloaked man moved past her. He was followed by two others as they moved through the street, slashing down adventurers that had come to enjoy their time, combatant and noncombatant alike, without mercy, 

"NO, PLEASE!" a prostitute screamed as she tripped and fell to the ground, her hands bloodied from scraping against the rough stone. Her voice trembled as she crawled away, desperate for mercy. 

The Evilus member loomed over her, sword raised. With one brutal thrust, the blade pierced through her back, pinning her to the ground. Her scream choked off as blood spilled from her mouth, staining her face, her once-perfect skin now marred with the same blood that soaked the streets.

Another shot rang out. "Fight back! Don't let them take the Pleasure Quarter!" A Pallum adventurer rushed forward, sword raised, but the Evilus villain was quicker. 

With a flick of her blade, she parried the blow and drove her sword deep into the Pallum's chest. His mouth opened in shock, blood pouring out as his sword slipped from his grip, clattering onto the stone as he fell lifeless.

The invading forces pushed forward relentlessly. More screams echoed through the night. Another cut, another body collapsed, more blood flowed through the once lively streets. A male customer, caught in the middle of the carnage, scrambled in vain to pull up his pant as he rushed to hide under a table just to bomb into something. Looking up, he found an Evilus member staring down at him, those hollow eyes boring into his soul.

"Please! Don't kill me!" one cried, but he was silenced as a blade sliced through his chest, his lifeless body falling to the ground, half-clothed, drenched in his own blood.

"WHERE ARE OUR REINFORCEMENTS?!" A naked human male roared as he ducked under an Evilus attack, retaliating with a quick thrust of his sword through the man's abdomen. 

He pulled his sword out, drawing blood and gore as the evilus member stumbled back, the man immediately rolling to the side as a blast of fire engulfed the dying Evilus member and where he once stood.

Returning to his feet, he saw three members rushing towards him. "Fucking bastards." He mumbled, kicking up a longsword as he gripped it, dual wielding. "I don't know how I suddenly leveled up, but not shot I'm dying after becoming a level 3."

He gripped his swords, getting in a haphazard stance he remembered from his days as an adventure until he decided to join Ishtar after becoming a level 2 for an easy life of fucking and money. 

As he got ready to charge, four more Evilus joined the charging group. "Ah, damn." He stepped back, beginning to retreat.

Suddenly, from the distance, something tore through the air toward him, spinning like a drill. The naked man barely had time to react as he noticed the object cloaked in a shimmering aura, glowing with the strange light he'd never seen before, moving in a graceful arc. As it drew nearer, the figure became clearer—a massive giant covered in blood-red armor, spinning through the air with two enormous swords clutched in its hands.

The object collided with the Evilus members with a deafening boom, the sound of impact reverberating through the streets like a thunderclap. The ground quaked as the object's aura erupted outward, sending shockwaves in all directions. The cries of the Evilus were swallowed by the explosion, their screams snuffed out as bones shattered, armor crumbled, and swords splintered beneath the sheer force. 

Massive chunks of the earth were torn from the ground, flying toward the naked man, but he threw himself to the side, deflecting a piece of debris with his sword as he rolled across the blood-soaked street. When he scrambled back to his feet, he turned his attention to the object—no, the giant. But before he could fully comprehend the figure before him, something echoed in his mind.

A voice. Neither male nor female, neither young nor old, yet it carried the weight of ages, echoed in his mind. ["Your skill is Violent Thrust and Quick Thrust. The former greatly increases your thrust strength, while the latter accelerates each successive thrust, with no limit, as long as the interval between then is short. You now possess the development ability of Spearman. It is recommended you wield a spear."]

He barely had time to process the information when something flew toward him with deadly precision. He dodged instinctively, and with a thud, the object embedded itself into the ground.

["A magic spear known as Skyward Spine. It increases your strength by 1.15% and agility by 3.2% with every successful strike, stacking up to seven times. Use it wisely and return it to Ishtar when this battle concludes, Thoma. Good luck, spear warrior."]

The voice faded just as quickly as it had come, and then, the giant shot into the sky with a burst of light. To anyone watching from the outside, it looked as if the giant had descended, crushed the Evilus members, tossed something toward the naked man, and then vanished into the night sky, all in the span of two seconds.

Thoma blinked as he looked down at the object impaled in the ground. A spear. The tip was driven deep into the earth, while the 230 cm shaft stood tall, gleaming in the faint moonlight. Dropping his swords, he pulled the spear from the ground, an unknown feeling rushing through his body as he saw the blue spearhead.

"No one, and I mean no one, will evade my thrust." He clenched his spear, his grin widening. "Men, women, and the children too! Will all receive my thrust!" And then he charged into battle, still naked with his third leg standing proud erect.

Not too far away, a level 3 Evilus member quickly handled three level 2 Berbera, blood dripping from the tip of her black spear. 

Not too far away, a level 3 Evilus member stood victorious, her black spear dripping with the blood of three fallen Berbera. Her breath was steady, but her muscles were tense, alert as she glanced around at the Evilus member slathering anyone in their path. Suddenly, a flash of blue light flickered in the corner of her vision. Instincts kicked in, and without thinking, she leaped back.

*BOOM!*

The ground where she once stood exploded, the force of something massive crashing down, smashing the already lifeless bodies of the Berbera under its weight. Dust and debris shot up around her as she skidded to a halt, and before she could even process the impact, her eyes snapped upwards as she raised her spear horizontally just in time.

*CLANG!*

A titanic force slammed down on her spear, nearly crushing her beneath its weight. She fell to one knee, the ground below her cracking and cratering under the pressure. Her eyes darted up, and what she saw made her blood run cold.

A massive, hulking figure loomed above her, its body covered from head to toe in an armor of what looked like solidified blood. The chest plate bore the shape of a lion's head, its maw open as if in a silent roar. The helm covering the figure's face was also shaped like a lion, the eyes beneath glowing with a crimson, fierce light. Flowing behind him, like a river of gold, was a mane of radiant, golden hair that glowed in the firelight and moonbeams.

But then she noticed—that wasn't his hair.

Around his neck, small arms were wrapped tightly, and resting on his shoulder was the face of a child. It was hard to tell if it was a boy or girl, but the golden eyes stared into her, through her, as if they could see every part of her soul and the golden mane belonged to the child.

The weight increased. She was forced down onto both knees, the crater beneath her widening. "ARRGH!" She roared, desperately trying to push back.

"RETURN!" she screamed, her spear glowing as the force pressing down on her reversed. 

The spear reflected the weight back onto the dual swords pressing against it, forcing the giant's blades upward. The spear, however, shattered after using all its magic, fragments flying everywhere.

She tried to leap back, but before she could move, a blue aura enveloped her, and suddenly it felt as if gravity had tripled. She was sent hurtling to the ground, face-first into the fractured concrete.

'Wh-what…?' she gasped, barely able to move even a finger, her limbs paralyzed under the overwhelming force. 

Then, without warning, a massive boot came crashing down on her head with the weight of a hundred stars. Her skull shattered like a ripe tomato, splintering beneath the boot, blood spraying out in a violent burst. Her body went limp, lifeless.

"FIRE BLAST!" From behind the giant, an Evilus man screamed, thrusting his fire-infused sword as a roaring torrent of flame shot toward the giant, the heat distorting the surrounding air.

But as the fire was about to slam into him, a shimmering orb of aura formed around the giant, glowing with a strange energy. The blast collided with the barrier, and instead of consuming him, the flames split into three, arcing around the orb arced over him, one roaring overhead while the others veered off to his left and right, missing entirely.

The fire died down, and the man's eyes widened in panic. "MAGE!" he screamed to his comrade.

A few meters in front of the giant, a man mage was just finishing his chant, "Strike down my enemy!" He aimed his staff forward, as he said the activation phrase of his magic, "LIGHTNING BEAM!"

A blast of pure, unadulterated purple lightning shot forward, crackling with raw, deadly energy. The giant barrier dissipated as he raised his left hand, gripping the massive greatsword covered in runes in front of him like a shield.

The lightning hit the blade directly, but instead of obliterating the giant, the energy was absorbed into the sword. The runes along the blade glowed bright purple, pulsing as the lightning was drained, leaving the area eerily silent for a heartbeat.

Before they could react, the giant stomped forward, the ground cracking beneath his massive weight. He brought his right hand across his torso, gripping the long, seemingly blood-soaked ōdachi horizontally at his left side, its tip hovering just above the ground. In one swift, fluid motion, he unleashed a horizontal slash, the blade cutting from left to right. Without pause, he completed the full circle, the ōdachi arcing behind his back as he twisted, finishing the strike with deadly precision.

For a moment, there was silence then, a crimson arc shimmered in the air, glowing in the dark like a phantom slash. The building's wall nearby split cleanly, as if sliced by an invisible force. A beat later, the heads of every Evilus member within ten meters toppled from their bodies, hitting the ground in perfect unison as blood erupted from their necks, shooting into the air like geysers, drenching the street in crimson.

Their bodies slumped to the ground, then a blue aura coated the fire sword one of the Evilus members was holding before flying towards the child on the man's back, who grabbed it with one hand.

The moment the golden haired child grabbed the sword, the giant's left greatsword pulsed with purple light, lightning swirling around his massive form, then his aura wrapped tightly around him as he slowly began to levitate off the ground. In the blink of an eye, he shot into the sky like a bolt of purple lightning, spinning with both swords extended, the energy surging around him in a deadly spiral.

The figure arced through the sky above the Pleasure Quarter, a trail of purple lightning and crimson blood following him. 

Not too far away, an Evilus warrior roared in frustration. "We were told these bitches would lose their Falna!" he shouted as he jumped back to dodge an attack, but the blade connected, slicing through his shoulder with a wet crunch. 

The scimitars moved down his body, carving a deep gash vertically down his torso as blood gushed out, soaking his clothes. He stumbled backward, barely staying upright, as two naked Berbera Amazonesses closed in on him—one wielding dual scimitars who had sliced him and the other fighting bare-fisted.

'Why did they force us to initiate the attack,' he thought bitterly as he clutched his bleeding torso, 'when they haven't even seen Ishtar riding the light pillar back to the heavens?' 

 Just as the two Amazonesses were about to strike him, a spear shot out from behind, thrusting forward with deadly intent. The spear pierced the scimitar-wielding Amazoness in the right shoulder, causing her to grunt in pain and leap back. The other Berbera, sensing danger, also retreated as a spear-wielding ally stepped up beside the injured swordsman. 

 They were about to charge at the two bitches, but then they noticed something—something in the sky that flew just above the rooftops of the Pleasure Quarter, moving swiftly toward them. It was an object cloaked in a swirling blue aura with purple lightning.

Before they could comprehend what it was, a blast of fire erupted from the object, crashing down onto the street below and engulfing an Evilus member who had just cut down a fleeing civilian. The woman's scream pierced the air, a shrill, desperate sound as the flames consumed her. 

The object continued its fiery path, flames roaring down the street like the breath of a dragon, incinerating everything in its wake. Buildings, debris, and Evilus bodies were engulfed in flame, but when the fire roared closer to civilians or adventurers, a blue orb-like barrier materialized around them, shielding them from the flames. The fire licked at the barrier but couldn't break through, leaving them untouched by the destruction.

Before the "dragon's breath" could reach the two Berbera and the Evilus members, the flames suddenly stopped. The glowing object crashed into the street with a resounding boom, sending dust and debris flying into the air. For a moment, everything was obscured.

Then a massive figure dashed out, moving with incredible speed before performing a forward somersault, his bulk and armor defying gravity as he spun toward the two Evilus members and the Berbera.

["To the side"] A voice echoed in the minds of the two Amazonesses. They obeyed immediately, leaping to the sides. The spearman also followed suit, diving away just in time. 

The swordsman, instead of moving sideways, jumped backward as giant landed with a resounding impact, smashing both of his massive swords into the ground where the evilus members had been standing.

The swordsman smiled, thinking he had dodged the range of the two long blades. 

Then—!!!

A thin line appeared down the middle of his body. 'Did I misjudge the sword's length?' was his last thought before his body split cleanly in two. Each half fell to the sides, blood and gore spilling out in a grotesque display. Half of his brain hung from each of his skull, exposed, while his heart, still faintly beating, lay visible in his chest.

"FUCK THIS!" the spearman yelled in panic, turning to flee. But before he could take a step, an invisible force weighed down on him, freezing him in place. 

He struggled in vain as the scimitar-wielding Amazoness dashed forward with her injured shoulder hanging limp. Her blade flashed across his neck, slashing deep, then blood sprayed across her face, warm and wet, as the spearman collapsed, lifeless. 

 ["Retreat."] 

The same voice echoed in the minds of the two Amazonesses, and they immediately obeyed, pulling back. As they ran, the bare-fisted Amazoness glanced back at the giant, noticing that the 'child' on his back was the source of the voice—its golden hair acting like a mane for the crimson lion-armor giant. 

Then the giant began to rise into the air with a blue aura surrounding him, his eyes locked onto a figure approaching in the distance. Unlike the other Evilus members, this one stood out. He was dressed in simple dark clothing that covered him from neck to toe, no cloak, no mask. His face was visible, revealing a handsome dark elf with tanned skin, silver hair, and piercing silver eyes. 

Twin daggers gleamed in his hands as he strode forward with confidence. He was a level 4. What does he have to fear here except that fat Androctonus?

The giant reached a peak height, hovering in the air as the dark elf approached, then;

Sword Art: Dual Waterfowl Dance.

On the top floor of Babel, the towering structure at the heart of Orario, moonlight poured through vast windows, casting long shadows across the grand room. This floor, a symbol of dominance over the city, had once been home to many gods—Anubis, The Jade Emperor, Ereshkigal, Ra, Tiamat, Quetzalcoatl, Hera—and now belonged to Freya.

She stood before the window, the moonlight caressing her flawless figure. Her long silver hair cascaded down her back, framing her perfect face that held her mesmerizing silver eyes, glowing faintly, with her skin pale, smooth, and radiant like freshly fallen snow. 

Standing at 170 cm, her form was both slender and voluptuous, with a narrow waist, a flat, exposed stomach, and an ample bust that was provocatively emphasized by her black and red outfit. Despite its revealing nature, the attire did nothing to diminish her grace or elegance.

Freya's eyes flickered toward the distant Pleasure Quarter, the flames from the burning buildings reflecting in her silver irises. "Ottar, my wine."

Before she could finish the sentence, Ottar appeared beside her. He stood over her like a mountain, the top of her head barely reaching his chest as he extended a glass filled with deep red wine.

"It seems the Ishtar Familia has been attacked," Ottar's deep voice rumbled as he stood to her right behind her.

Freya took the glass without looking at him, her attention fixed on the distant flames. She raised it to her lips, taking a slow sip as the fire continued to rage below.

"Should we send some help?" Ottar asked, his tone steady, his eyes also focused on the distant chaos.

A moment of silence stretched between them as Freya swallowed, her gaze unwavering. The fire reflected in her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"No," she replied softly. Her eyes landed on the distant Belit Babili, the towering stronghold of Ishtar. "I hated Ishtar watching my every move… it's time I watch hers."

She paused, her silver eyes glowing faintly as she tried to make out what was happening on the streets below. It was too far, even for her.

"She sees herself as my rival. If she can't handle something as simple as this..." Freya trailed off, taking another sip from her wine.

If there was a true beginning to all this, it started with one-sided animosity. Ishtar hated Freya from the moment they first met. It might have been sibling rivalry or jealousy, but she despised Freya so much that she tried to topple her many times. 

Freya, however, barely cared about Ishtar. She laughed off every provocation and enjoyed watching Ishtar retreat after each failure. That was the only time Freya paid her any attention, indifferent to Ishtar's efforts, whether it was because of her power, fame, or influence. This 'rivalry' followed with Ishtar descending minutes after she did.

Yet, she hadn't been able to win. Freya had already reached the top of Orario, second to none, while Ishtar's rise stalled in the debauched streets of the city. 

Freya's name spread like wildfire, feared and praised throughout the world. People claimed her beauty was unrivaled, with some saying her charms could turn heaven and earth upside down, and everyone called Ishtar's beauty inferior.

The compliments never stopped, and Freya laughed at the jealousy of other goddesses, including Ishtar, which made the black flames of hatred burn brighter, but in the end, it didn't matter.

It was never a competition, and Ishtar was losing against an opponent who wasn't even playing the game.

"It would be such a shame if she's sent back to heaven…" Freya lowered her nearly empty glass. "I haven't had nearly enough fun with her yet."

Ottar remained silent, his eyes focused on the flames below. His sharp senses, heightened by his level seven strength, allowed him to see further than most, but even straining his sight now only gave him vague outlines of the chaos. Pleasure Quarter was nearly ten kilometers away—too far to make out clear details.

"Do you see anything, Ottar?" Freya asked, turning her silver gaze to him.

"No, my Lady," he replied. "Nothing clear."

She returned her attention to the glass, "What a boring night." And that's when a bright light pierced the sky, brightening the entirety of the pleasure quarter, its light reaching Babel.

"Ah," Freya murmured, her lips curling into an intrigued smile. "I spoke too soon."

Earlier, a battle raged on near the southwestern entrance to the Pleasure Quarter, the sounds of combat clashing against the backdrop of distant fires and chaos. The Astraea Familia was locked in a fierce struggle against the towering behemoth before them. Kaguya's eyes briefly darted to the masked elf across from her, who nodded slightly in response. The eastern warrior turned her focus back to the man they were fighting.

The monstrous figure stood at an imposing 240 cm, a hulking presence of pure brutality. His deep red skin glowed ominously, brightening to a fierce light at the center of his chest. Black jagged armor encased his right arm, back, legs, and head, forming a helmet adorned with four menacing horns—two curving upward from the sides of his head and two jutting outward from his jaw, giving him the fearsome appearance of a demon from the abyss. His eyes glowed like molten magma, darting coldly beneath the helm as he sized up the four women around him.

"No need for useless plans," he roared, his voice doubling with a guttural accent similar to the natives of the Warusa country in the Kaios Desert, each word layered as if two voices spoke in unison. "I will end your hope!"

His massive sword swung with deadly force, deflecting Alise's attack as if it were nothing. The blow sent her flying back through the air.

"You demon!" Alise flipped mid-air, landing in a crouch as she slid back, her reaper sword gleaming under the moonlight. "You are nothing but a coward, attacking the innocent and preying on the weak! Why would a so-called 'god killer' find joy in slaughtering the defenseless?"

The man's massive blade cleaved through the air, effortlessly slicing through a luminous orb of wind that exploded but only caused his sword to be moved slightly back, "Their screams," he replied with a cruel smirk beneath his helm, "are like the soothing hum of insects at dusk."

A blast of searing flames erupted from Alise's rapier, the intense heat hot enough to melt steel as it streaked toward him. The giant dodged the attack, his reflexes unnaturally fast for someone of his size, but as his foot hit the ground, a thunderous explosion ripped through the air as a magical mine hidden underground detonated beneath the giant's foot, sending a shockwave powerful enough to shatter nearby windows and hurl debris skyward. 

Flames and dust engulfed him, the ground cratering beneath his weight. For a moment, the swirling cloud of smoke obscured everything. Then, with a single swing of his massive sword, the dust was blown away, revealing the giant on one knee in the smoking crater. His molten eyes burned through the haze as he rose slowly, undeterred.

"Tricks, Lyra?" he growled, molten eyes burned through the haze as he rose slowly, undeterred. "They will not work!"

The pink haired Pallum simply gave a sly smile as Kaguya's voice cut through the chaos like the hiss of a sword unsheathing. "Iai no Tachi: Gokou!"

Time slowed as Kaguya's hand hovered over the hilt of her katana, her gaze fixed on the towering behemoth before her. With a flash of deadly precision, her blade was drawn in a smooth, fluid motion as five radiant, burgundy magic blades materialized around the giant, surrounding him from every angle. 

One blade slashed upward from the ground toward his chest, another from the left side aiming for his ribs, while the third sliced down diagonally from above, and two more came from the right, one at his legs and the other for his exposed back. Kaguya's katana moved in flawless synchronization, completing five simultaneous slashes that each guided the magic blades. 

In this slowed time, Aatrox's molten eyes narrowed, and a thought echoed in his mind: 'Umbral Dash.'

His body glowed with a blood-red aura before blurring in a sudden burst of speed. He dashed forward with a grace that belied his monstrous size, moving out of the range of the incoming slashes. In a blink, he reappeared directly in front of Ryuu, who had just begun to turn away.

Time returned to normal as the magic blades collided with nothing but air as the massive sword of Aatroc descended onto Ryuu with force to split mountains. It seemed like her doom, but suddenly, as if it had been part of a plan, a sixth blade emerged from nowhere, slicing through the darkness and severing Aatrox's left hand at the wrist. 

The enormous blade was thrown off course, crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact that reverberated through the air. As the sword struck the earth, a deep, jagged fissure erupted from the point of contact, splitting the ground for nearly fifty meters in a violent tremor, growing wider as it extended, like a gaping wound in the earth. The cracked, torn soil scattered in all directions, rocks and debris were sent flying, the sheer force of the blow tearing the landscape apart.

Aatrox remained poised, his severed hand falling to the ground with a soft thud. "GO!" Ryuu heard the command and darted away toward the Pleasure Quarter, ignoring the towering demon now missing a hand. Kaguya and Alise rushed at him, but Aatrox let out a low, dark laugh.

"Ah, mastery of such a technique. Well done!" He grinned beneath his helm, strings of dark flesh weaving out from his stubbed wrist, pulling the severed hand back toward the stump. In mere moments, the flesh reconnected, and the hand was whole once more. The sight of him clenching his fist caused everyone's eyes to widen in shock. "Now master your insignificance."

Before anyone could react, Aatrox vanished, reappearing behind Ryuu, his massive, once severed hand already moving toward her head, ready to crush her skull. "RYUU!!" Alise's shout rang out, but just as Aatrox's hand neared, a black blur slammed into the masked elf, sending both tumbling away in a chaotic roll.

Everyone froze, turning to see a bloodied dark elf lying on top of Ryuu. The position was...awkward, to say the least, his head between her legs and his hands landing clumsily on her chest. The dark elf, bloodied and beaten, had one of his ears missing, his body covered in deep slash wounds, his left elbow broken with the bone protruding from his skin, and one eye swollen shut.

"HOW DARE YOU, XARACK!" Aatrox's roar filled the air, rage evident in his dual-toned voice. The dark elf, Xarack, shot to his feet despite his injuries, ignoring the monstrous figure's fury. "How DARE you hinder my annihilation!" 

Without a word, Xarack looked toward the sky towards a massive, falling meteor. 

No, not a meteor. 

A giant covered in blood armor, hurtling down from the heavens, wielding a sword in each hand and another clenched between his teeth. As the giant descended, he spun both swords in his hands, the whirling blade creating arcs of light, their sharp edges cutting through the atmosphere with a high-pitched whistle. 

Santoryu Ogi: Ichidai Sanzen Daisen Sekai!

When he slammed into the ground, the impact was immense, the earth beneath to tremble violently. The air itself shimmered with power, and from the point of impact, three massive wind blades tore through the ground, churning up the earth and splitting the ground as they each rushed in a different direction with terrifying speed like invisible reapers.

One wind blade streaked toward Aatrox, but the towering figure stood his ground, unflinching. The blade collided with his body, splitting in two upon impact and veering off to the sides, slashing deep into the earth around him.

Another wind blade sped toward Alise and Lyra, and in a heartbeat, Alise leaped forward, her rapier alight with flames. With a fierce thrust, she pierced the wind blade, splitting it into three smaller blades that soared harmlessly above and beside her and Lyra.

The final wind blade surged toward Kaguya, but in one swift, practiced motion, she pulled out her katana from its sheath fast and landed one powerful hit onto the wind blade. The hit deflected the blade to her left, sending it careening to the left.

For three seconds, the wind blades raged before dissipating, carrying dust and debris with them. When the air cleared, they all saw a giant standing tall at almost 255 cm, even more imposing than Aatrox. His armor seemingly made of solidified blood, with intricate designs of roaring lions on his torso, face, and shoulders, and on his back was a small figure, perhaps a Pallum, with flowing golden hair that looked like a lion's mane for a giant. The giant wielded a blood-red ōdachi in his right hand, a large broad sword in his left, and an extra-long rapier clenched in his teeth.

The ground around him was torn apart in a crater, with three deep fissures stretching toward the three defenders, marking the paths of the deadly wind blades. Aatrox and Alise's fissure split into two in front of them, and Kaguya's had been sharply diverted to the left by her 'Iai no Tachi: Issen.' 

There was a brief moment of silence as the rapier in the giant's mouth shrank, and the 'child' on his back caught it before it could fall. Then, the giant's voice rumbled through the air, deep and resonant, as if echoing from underwater: 

"Erm, what the sigma..."

"What the sigma indeed," The dark-elf nodded, walking to stand beside Aatrox while holding his left arm. "And before you call me a coward for running, it was all part of the plan. I didn't lead you here just to get help from this big guy. I was going to beat you alone if the fight had just leased a few minutes—"

"Coward." The giant voice cut him off.

"I am not a coward!" The dark elf roared, blood flying out of his mouth, then he calmed himself. "You see, I led you away from the Pleasure Quarter because I couldn't have you returning to save your goddess."

"Ah..." Aatrox's voice came, as the giant stared into space. "So the rat reached the tower."

The giant sighed deeply, as a violet aura enveloped him, lifting debris and dust into the air as if gravity no longer bound him. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, he shot into the sky, his massive form disappearing into the heavens like a rocket.

"AATROX!" Xarack roared, blood dripping from his lips.

"Don't you DARE command me!" Aatrox's reply was venomous as he slammed his blade into the earth. "Chain those who chained me—Infernal Chains!"

A massive red magic circle appeared beneath Aatrox's feet, and from it, five thick crimson chains erupted, shooting toward the sky, chasing after the giant with relentless speed. 

But before they could reach their target, over twenty luminous green orbs of light and wind shot from the ground. Each orb slammed into the snaking chains, shrinking instantly into tiny green points before exploding in rapid succession. The explosions merged, creating a massive sphere of light and wind that expanded with such force that the very air seemed to scream, the sound barrier breaking in an instant.

The energy obliterated Aatrox's chains, sending him stumbling back, coughing blood as the backlash hit him.

Kaguya wasted no time, charging toward Aatrox, her katana gleaming in the moonlight. "Your fight is with us, beast!" she roared, gripping Higanbana's hilt as Ryuu continued her running towards Pleasure Quarter.

Aatrox laughed, a sly, chilling sound escaping his throat. "No beast so fierce, but knows some touch of pity..." He raised his sword, ready to meet her attack head-on. "But I know none... and therefore am no beast."

As their blades clashed, the dark elf, Xarack, sighed heavily, his eyes trailing after the giant, who had now disappeared into the tower. "Our job is done," he muttered under his breath.

Suddenly, a bright light illuminated the night sky, so radiant it almost resembled a second sun. Everyone froze, their eyes turning toward the source. The light engulfed the top of Belit Babili, casting harsh shadows across their faces as the brilliance flooded the air.

"First the explosion," Xarack grinned, "now the pillar of divine light." 

'...'

But there was no divine light.

"It didn't kill the god?" Aatrox's voice came.

Far away, Ishtar pulled herself from the rubble, wincing in pain as she glanced back. The bright orb of light over Belit Babili had disappeared, and she watched in horror as her tower, her symbol of power, began collapsing toward the earth.

Just moments earlier, she had been watching from the top of the tower when something crashed through the back of the tower, grabbed her with terrifying strength, then the world flashed. 

Then she found herself nearly a kilometer away, crashing towards the ground from almost ten meters in the air. She wasn't hurt, and she knew the reason why.

She looked down at the person she was sitting atop, Noah. His blood armor was gone, his black clothes torn and ragged. In his arm was the unconscious elf, Elred, whom she recognized, and on his other hand was a black hilt with no blade.

"Hey!" She slapped Noah across the face. "I told you to protect my land!" Her voice was shrill, filled with fury and panic as she slapped him again. She didn't care that he had been quick enough to get to her and somehow teleported with her to safety. "What the hell were you doing, wasting time on one elf when you could've been killing the others?! YOU FUCKING BULL!"

Her words turned into incoherent roars as the tower behind her slowly collapsed, dust rising into the air like a storm cloud. Then she paused, realizing something was wrong. 

Noah wasn't responding.

"Noah?" she called, her voice quieter now.

No response. 

She stared down at him, fear creeping into her veins, but then his eyes slowly opened, crimson irises locking onto hers. His gaze was calm, almost disarmingly so, with an emotion she couldn't quite place—a depth that made her shiver.

"Just let me sleep, bro..." he mumbled. "Six days... no sleep... catching up to my mental."

Then he closed his eyes, his breathing slowing, the roaring noise of the falling Belit Babili filling the air.

Ishtar's fury melted into despair. 

She began to cry, her tears falling onto Noah's chest. "My familia..." she whispered, leaning forward to rest her forehead on his bloodied torso. "My familia..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~~~~

I was planning on this chapter going much different, with Noah managing to 'save' the Ishtar's familia, but then I thought. Isn't Evilus the villain? If they can be stopped by one black monkey, what's stopping the giant boar from just going and wiping them out? Remember, as a rank 1+goliath+Bankai+gear+Miquella Noah is considered an early rank 4, a bit stronger Ryuu and the other's at this point so there is no way Ottar wouldn't be able to kill everyone if he managed to stop them.

Then I got an idea. If the familia stay this big, wouldn't it basically become a 'kingdom building' novel? I don't know how to write that shit, so I just deiced to 'destroy' most of Ishtar's familia, trimming down the number to a 'less kingdom' size. This way, it will keep the same 'tone' while he also now work with the 'new' Ishtar Familia while also character development for fucking Ishtar.

As for Evilus, they are weaker than when Zald and Alfia force two years ago, but they have more 'first class' adventurers like Aatrox and are more 'hidden.' Added them because I didn't know what was going to happen in the five years before cannon start and I think they are doing their job well moving the plot forward.

Also, 100k words! Yep, chapter 29 and I reached 100k words. Last two chapters were both 6k words because I didn't want it to span too much chapters, but the word count will 100% drop down to 4k now. Too much work.

~~~Late chapter. I thought I posted it but then I noticed that I was not getting no comment from this chapter. I thought it was so ass that everyone collectively decided to drop the book and when I went to read it, I saw nothing so now I'm posting it.