Chapter 413: The Truth of the Matter

The flames dispersed, revealing a silver-white mech over two meters tall, its chassis gleaming with a metallic luster—SAM.

She didn't pause for a single second. Adjusting her posture in the air, she plummeted like a burning meteorite. With unstoppable momentum, she crashed directly into the densest cluster of the scorpion swarm.

A devastating shockwave exploded outward from her point of impact, expanding in a perfect circle of destruction. The violent blast leveled the surrounding trees, and the hundred-plus scorpion monsters evaporated instantly in the inferno, turned to ash before they could even scream.

When the smoke finally cleared, a massive crater over ten meters in diameter remained.

The rocks at the epicenter had melted entirely, forming a pool of sluggishly flowing magma that reeked of sulfur. Resting atop the dark red lava were over a hundred purple Magic Stones, glimmering with an eerie light like bizarre flowers blooming in hell.

Artemis had already leapt down from her mount. She hurried over to the mother and daughter, gently helping them to their feet.

Through their breathless, terrified sobs, the group learned that their village had been attacked by these creatures, and they had fled blindly into the woods in a desperate bid for survival.

"I didn't expect... they had already spread this far," Hermes said, having touched down unnoticed. He pressed a hand against his travel hat, his tone unusually grave.

Artemis remained silent, her complex gaze fixed quietly on the horizon.

The group escorted the mother and daughter back to their village. The settlement was indeed in ruins; fences were smashed and houses heavily damaged. Fortunately, nearby adventurers had arrived in time to repel the monsters and secure the area.

"Well, it's getting late. Why don't we rest here for the night?" Hermes suggested, checking the darkening sky.

"We can rest, but we should make camp in the forest," Aiden replied, eyeing the villagers who were frantically treating the wounded and patching their homes.

Even though the monsters were gone, the village barely had the resources to manage its own people. Throwing a dozen more guests into the mix would only cause trouble.

Agreeing with the sentiment, the group led their docile wyverns back into the nearby woods, finding an open clearing to set up camp.

Night fell. A campfire crackled to life, its orange flames pushing back the forest's chill. Everyone gathered around the warmth to enjoy the dinner Tifa had carefully prepared.

"Umm... Lady Artemis," Cassandra began, holding her bowl tightly as she cast a timid glance at the Moon Goddess. "Why... aren't you eating?"

The lively atmosphere instantly stalled. Artemis went rigid, her mouth opening and closing as if she couldn't find the right words to explain. "I... um..."

"Just eat your food and stop prying into the goddess's business," Daphne scolded. Before Artemis could formulate an excuse, Daphne shoved a massive chunk of roast meat into Cassandra's mouth, silencing her completely.

"Huh? You haven't eaten anything, Artemis?" Furina looked up from the beast leg she was aggressively chewing on, her cheeks stuffed full of food.

"...I'm not hungry," Artemis shook her head, her voice slightly hollow.

"Oho, I understand completely!" Furina declared, her face lighting up with realization. She set down her meat, cleared her throat with immense self-importance, and struck a grand, lecturing posture. "Artemis, you're being a picky eater! Listen to me, while it's true the food out here can't compare to Orario, maintaining a balanced diet is crucial! Especially when—"

Faced with Furina's endless, dramatic lecture on nutrition, Artemis could only offer a helpless, soft smile, nodding along weakly.

On the other side of the fire, Hermes kept his head bowed, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his eyes, hiding his expression.

Robin held a cup of hot tea, watching the scene unfold with a barely audible sigh. There are many clever people here, but there are also fools. Thankfully, we have these fools with us.

After dinner, the forest fell quiet, save for the popping of the campfire and the occasional chirp of insects. The tension and exhaustion of the day seemed to melt away in the warm glow.

"So, Hermes," Furina said, poking the fire with a stick and breaking the tranquility. "Now that we're out here, shouldn't you come clean? What exactly is the deal with those monsters?"

All eyes immediately shifted to Hermes and Artemis.

"It started at the Elsos Ruins in the Great Forest at the edge of the world. Monsters began breeding at an abnormal rate," Hermes explained, pushing his hat up slightly, all traces of his usual smile gone. "The Guild commissioned a large number of Familias to investigate, but in the end... none of them returned."

"There is a seal there," he added.

"What's sealed?" Tifa asked softly.

Hermes didn't answer. Instead, he looked to Artemis.

The Moon Goddess stared into the dancing flames, the flickering light reflecting in her clear green eyes. When she spoke, her voice was soft, yet it carried a chill that felt cold enough to freeze the fire itself.

"A creature that rots rivers, corrodes the sea, kills the forest, and strips all the power of life... an ancient monster sealed by the combined power of the ancient Spirits: Antares."

The air seemed to freeze.

"Over countless years, Antares accumulated enough power to finally break the seal," Artemis said, her voice heavy.

"It broke the seal?"

"Yes. The Guild executives took the matter extremely seriously, which is why they commissioned my Familia and the Artemis Familia to investigate," Hermes took over, his tone laced with bitterness. "But the result... was that we were powerless to stop it. We had to retreat to Orario to find reinforcements."

"So, this spear..." Robin's gaze shifted to the pitch-black weapon leaning against the tree trunk beside Aiden. "It's meant to be used against Antares?"

"Yes," Artemis nodded, her tone complex. "Only this spear can completely kill it."

"Antares... what kind of monster is that?" Hyacine hugged her knees, looking thoroughly confused. "I've never heard of a monster that requires a specific weapon to be killed."

"Yeah. Given the environment on the surface, shouldn't a monster that old be incredibly weak by now, even if it did break the seal?" Daphne wondered aloud. It wasn't that monsters didn't exist in the outside world, but they were universally weaker than those in the Dungeon due to the passage of time degrading their strength.

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