"Hey. Wake up! They're going to pick the next combatants soon!" A man's voice can be heard. He opened up his eyes and glared at the person waking him up.
"I swear if this is another fucking prank of yours, Frank. I will rip your head off!" He threatened, pointing at Frank. The man leans back and raises both his hands up.
"Whoa! Don't be that grumpy God of War, Adonis. Besides, I ain't pranking you. And Arya is already bored outside." Frank said, gesturing to the hall.
"Get out of my room and let me get ready. I'll join you two outside." Adonis said, pushing Frank out of his room before forcefully closing the door.
'Competitions? This early?' Adonis thought, picking up his armor, staring at the red mark on his body and face.
- It was gifted along with the ashen white skin when he successfully killed his father, breaking his curse and unlocking the entirety of whatever magic and weapons he had -
- Adonis walked out of the room and sat at the table in the cafeteria. He took the attention of both Frank and Arya. The girl stared at Adonis and winked seductively -
"Cut me some slack, Arya. I know you're into girls." Adonis said, sitting down. He grabbed his most used weapon and placed it on the table.
Arya laughs at Adonis' reaction, "So... you guys think one of us is going in there again?" Arya asked, staring at her two closest friends.
"Well... my God hasn't told me to get ready yet. So, I guess I'm out." Frank said, leaning back into his chair as he shakes a glass of apple juice.
"I hate this! Why do we have to fight one by one!? Why don't we just storm their camp and get rid of every enemy there!" Adonis said, bringing down his fist on the wooden table in anger.
"Slow down there, Adonis." Frank said, taking a proper seat, "Not everyone is as high and almighty as you." He stated, talking about Adonis' battle prowess and brute strength.
"Not many, sure! But We! We can take them all down." Adonis argued, confident in his friends' skills.
"Remember, Adonis. I'm an assassin. I don't fare well in bloodbaths as you do." Arya said, showing her hidden blade.
"Assassin my ass, Arya! I saw you do some God stuff!" Frank said, pointing at Arya that somehow got to spawn burning arrows from nowhere.
"Which side are you really on, Frank!?" Arya glared, not really fond of showing her trump card or others knowing it. Frank accidentally stumbled upon her doing it.
"I'm neutral. As much as I'd like to end all this and destroy the enemy, I'm afraid I can't. I'm probably the weakest out of all of us." Frank said, leaning back again.
"Okay, let's stop all this before it ends into another brawl. So? Who's fighting?" Adonis asked. Hermes hasn't mentioned who will fight this early on.
"Anubis told me it was League." Arya answered, sharpening her throwing knives. Frank stood up as his eyes widened.
"League!? As in League Fabula!?" Frank said, almost standing up in excitement. Arya nodded, "That guy has zero losses!" Frank exclaimed.
"We all have zero losses, Frank! No one has one! Because the battle is to the death!" Arya said, glaring at Frank, who shrank back in fear.
"I know! But... y'know... he's powerful! That guy's a one-man army! He's like a hero to me!" Frank said, grumbling back in his seat from Arya's sudden outburst.
"Well, God Anubis told me your hero has found his match." Arya said, looking at the side... it seems they'll lose another Retribution.
"Who? This dude hasn't even come close to losing." Frank stated proudly, unbelieving of what Arya just said.
"Someone named Dota." Arya continued, remembering what her Goddess told her earlier.
"Wait? How do you know his enemy's name if the battle is just ongoing now?" Adonis asked, confused. Arya said something that made Frank pale.
"The battle started before some of us were even awake... it's been going on for six hours now." Arya stated, making Frank nervous for his idol.
"I can't believe we can't at least watch or cheer on our allies in this war." Frank said, sulking, League was his inspiration, the one who helped him kill his target and freed him.
"We can't. If we were there and our emotions got the better of us... we'd interfere and break the agreement, starting chaos, a war with no rules... just bloodshed." Arya said, already seeing the bloodshed that will happen.
"Well. A war is coming. We can't just sit here and wait for the enemy to do something wrong before we clear them out... something is happening, and we aren't doing nothing!" Adonis growled, still not liking the idea of letting the enemy continue on and having a competition of sorts to dispute this war.
"Our enemies have powerful Retributions! My God, Hermes has been scouting their base." Adonis said, trying to use the private info to persuade his friends into his idea of wiping out the enemy when they least expect it.
"Really!? Did he tell you about anyone!?" Arya asked in intrigue, picking up her seat and placing it beside Adonis. Frank did the same.
"Hermes gave me three people, there were others, but he refused to tell it to me." Adonis stated. Hermes somehow noticed that he'd disclose this info with his friends, so he refused to say more.
"The first he found is Verte Sparda, a demon of sorts. The other one was Carrion... Hermes couldn't even describe what he is... just a mass of twisted flesh." Adonis said, fearing for Sparda, from what Hermes had seen... he might be his match.
"And the last one?" Frank said, a bit on edge about what he's hearing. These were some of the strongest on the enemy side. How many do they have more?
"The last one was a girl, Fran Bow." Adonis said. This is the one that creeped him out the most, "Bow almost caught Hermes. He told me this girl could shape reality itself. Hermes told me he was sent to different dimensions at the brief stare of her eyes." He stated, the three returned their seats back to the original place.
- They were all nervous. Even though the three were warriors, finding someone a match for you truly is terrifying. It might just be your end -
"Well, don't worry. We still have The Undying Three." Frank said, pointing at a nearby table where three people sat, talking amongst each other and laughing happily.
"The Undying Three?" Arya asked. The title is unknown to her and Adonis... maybe Frank was just a bit friendlier than the two of them.
"Just a nickname I called them. These guys are like undead but alive at the same time." Frank laughed, leaning back once more into a more comfortable position.
"How come?" Adonis asked, not really that friendly with others. Arya and Frank were just lucky they got to befriend his anti-social ass.
"My God, Vulcan, got to watch one of their fights. These guys come back from the dead! Can you believe that!?" Frank said, happy of having such people on their side.
"Really?" Arya asked, unsure of what she is hearing from Frank. If those with that kind of powers exist, the Gods would've used them always already.
- The three stare at the group. The first one was wearing a knight's armor, carrying a claymore. The second one was a bit of a hunter carrying a cleaver wrapped in cloth and what seemed to be another weapon of unknown origin. The third one was a samurai. His left hand was... something else -
"So, you think we can have them join us on our infiltration?" Adonis asked. Arya grabbed his left ear and pulled.
"We never agreed on your plan, Adonis. Don't drag me into your recklessness and rash decisions." Arya scolded. Pointing the blade of her hidden weapon in front of Adonis.
"As if that flimsy blade on your wrist could hurt me." Adonis teased, knowing the things that can get Arya riled up for battle.
"Wanna try again? Last time we fought, you ended up with more cuts than you could count." Arya bragged, remembering her spar with Adonis.
"Your cuts weren't even that deep, Arya! I healed them rather easily." Adonis bragged, continuously teasing Arya.
"You guys are on competitive mode again... I'll leave for now and maybe find some other friends." Frank said, turning around.
"Come on, Frank. We haven't even seen your capabilities yet." Arya whined, wanting Frank to join in the fight.
"Don't tell me you're a coward?" Adonis teased. Frank turned around and saw Adonis and Arya laughing at him.
"Oh! You guys are going down!" Frank laughed, summoning some weird soft gauntlets that had knives in them.
- The three were about to duke it out in the cafeteria, not even bothering on going to the training grounds. But someone cleared their throat, taking the attention of the three -
"I don't want to get scolded again and put to work fixing back the chairs you destroyed." A man said. Adonis's eyes widened, and he immediately stood up straight.
"Hermes!" Adonis said, seeing his God, there tapping his foot impatiently, a look of irritation on his face because Adonis wanted to start another brawl
"If your little fight could be at least postponed for a bit, I would like you, the three of you." Hermes said, making Adonis' friends' faces pale. Gods weren't really fond of talking to other God's Retributions... they're either in trouble, or something just came up.
"The... three of us?" Arya asked, not sure she heard Hermes right.
"Yes." Hermes stated in a firm tone. Making sure the three have no room to decline his request.
- The three, along with Hermes, walked inside Adonis' room. Adonis, Arya, and Frank all sat in the bed while Hermes sat on a nearby chair -
"Adonis. Remember when you told me about your plan about defeating the enemy right now?" Hermes asked. Adonis looked at him in boredom, not wanting another lecture.
"I think we should plan it properly." Hermes stated, shocking both Arya and Frank.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. This war has some respectable-- Wait, what!?" Adonis said in surprise, thinking it was another scolding from Hermes.
"I was just spying on their camp again... They just got two other additions, twins." Hermes said, sweat beads moving down his forehead
"How is this any different from the other kids they've added to their growing arsenal?" Frank added, unsure of where Hermes is going with this.
"They just learned about boosting the kids. Like we do with you, they will let the kids kill off who wronged them and use their mature members to take the blunt force of the punishment of freedom." Hermes added. The three looked at each other in horror. Their only lead, now, on the hands of the enemy.
"Those twins were powerful! The other one was able to suck out life, killing the targets immediately. The boy can teleport and play with time." Hermes said, seeing the male twin trap someone in an ongoing loop of doors.
"We need to act now! We can't..." Hermes said, but he felt something strange.
"What is it?" Adonis asked, looking at his God in worry. Hermes quickly ran out of the room and the cafeteria.
- The other three follow Hermes outside, and they saw two pillars pierce the sky. The four people stare in fear of what they saw. Arya immediately knelt down and felt some power leave her body -
"Anubis!?" The girl cried. She took off her clothes, not bothered if she was seen by the three men with her. Hermes stared at her back and saw Anubis' falna, slowly fading.
"Oh, no!" Was the only thing Hermes could mutter, "They broke the rules!" He said in shock. Hermes' voice, shaking as he unleashed his Divine Power.
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- You woke up feeling sorrowful. Putting your hands over your eyes, you found tears flowing down your face. You didn't know anyone in that dream rather than Hermes, but somehow you felt remorseful for them -
"I need to talk to Hermes about this." You mumbled, jumping out of bed. You walked to the table and found a note.
"We went ahead to the Dungeon along with Mikoto, (Y/N). I was about to wake you up, but you're still probably tired from exerting too much in the Dungeon." The note read. You just shook your head and laughed, knowing Bell can handle himself now.
"Looks like the girl from Takemikazuchi Familia is trying her best to make amends." You said, seeing that she is now included in the party.
"I'll join them later, for now... I need to find Hermes." You said, not stopping until you get some answers from Hermes himself.
- You brushed your teeth and took a quick bath before heading out in your regular clothes, unarmored, but you still brought the scythe in case something happens -
"If I was a pervert God, where would I be?" You mumbled, walking around Orario. You remembered the Baths Gods go to and headed straight for there.
- You walked around the plaza. Seems Bell is still the main topic. After the victory in the Dungeon, rumors started about Bell. Of course... you weren't part of it, but that's for the better -
"Jackpot!" You said, seeing Hermes outside peeping on the Goddesses and girls bathing inside.
"Yo. Hermes!" You greeted, surprising Hermes. Once he sees you, he calms down and continues peeping.
- You get irritated by being shrugged off, so you take a single glance inside and instantly pulled Hermes from his favorite spot -
"We need to talk, Hermes." You said, pulling the God like a kid through Orario. Hermes tried to struggle, but you pulled him all the way to the church.
"W-What are you going to do to me!?" Hermes exclaimed. Seeing the church get nearer and nearer.
"If you don't stop screaming, I'll actually do something horrendous to you!" You glared, shutting up Hermes immediately. You sat him down on one of the pews and sighed.
"We need to talk, Hermes. I had a dream of three people I don't know. They were talking about a competition of sorts. You were there also." You explained, explaining what remained of the dream in your mind.
"Dreams don't have meanings, (Y/N)... some do, but I don't think that's the case here. Maybe you were just in a deep sleep because you exerted yourself too much on the Goliath." Hermes said, standing up before heading out the door. You grabbed the back of his shirt.
"I remember a name, Hermes. Adonis. Does it ring a bell?" You asked. Hermes tensed up and turned around.
"Adonis, huh. It seems that old sucker is still plaguing other Retributions." Hermes laughed, returning back to the pew now that you have taken his attention.
"So. What do you need to know?" Hermes said, clasping his hands. He opens up his bag and takes out the book of Retributions.
"Why do you have that?" You asked. Since Ouranos has it in his possession and can only be borrowed if it is really needed.
"I'm the editor, (Y/N). I was inputting you in this book." Hermes explained. You hummed in understanding and decided to ask.
"Who is Adonis and his two friends." You asked, particularly curious of the three people that somehow got into your dreams.
"Adonis is another Retribution in our old war against those like you. His friends are Arya and Frank, two of our strongest Retributions back then." Hermes explained, feeling nostalgic as he remembered how much fun they had back then even though there was a war.
"What are their powers." You continued, not wanting to miss a single piece of information. Hermes laughed.
"Sorry, kid. Can't let you know... but you can borrow this from Ouranos once I'm done. You're on our side. Maybe he'll let you keep it for a couple of days." Hermes said, making you stare at him in disbelief.
"Okay... what about the competition." You asked. It was another thing you remembered from the dream, this one stuck to your mind the most.
"The Competition was a means of war but not too destructive. We were forced to agree to it because the Retributions on the enemy side were too forceful and killing all those they stumble upon." Hermes explained.
- If it weren't for the Competition, an all-out war would've already happened early, and the Gods wouldn't have any foothold. This world would've been teeming with Retributions now -
"It was a battle for territory. Villages and towns especially. If they win, the village is theirs and all its people. If we do, it will be ours." Hermes stated. It was barbaric, yes, but it was the most viable way to keep the Retributions at bay and not have them destroy the world uncontrollably.
"How did you get the enemy side to comply with your rules?" You asked. If the Retributions were a match or powerful than Gods, wouldn't they all just ransack the place already?
"We lied to them. We told the Retributions our divine power is stronger and that they can get wiped out when they try to take control." Hermes answered truthfully.
"Tell me, (Y/N). What happened at the end of your dream?" Hermes asked. A faint feeling in him that he knows already what it is.
"I can't remember much, but two white pillars piercing the clouds." You answered, knowing its importance. Hermes chuckled dryly.
"That was the day they found out we were weaker than them." Hermes said. The memory as clear as day. That day, League's God, Sidapa, And Arya's God, Anubis, died to their hands.
"What happened then?" You asked, getting more intrigued by the second. This wasn't in any book or anything. You were learning untold history.
"The true war happened. The Retributions attacked immediately, using the two pillars as their signal. Dota was able to destroy Anubis and Sidapa, but they were able to kill him also." Hermes said, his heart beating faster as it ached, seeing so many Gods and Goddesses return to the Heavens in minutes.
"How did you win?" You asked, leaning in closer.
"We didn't..."
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Welp, this is chapter 45. Bye!
Here is a brief introduction to the old days, teeming with Retributions and a glance at the war that happened before.
We'll be starting S2 of Danmachi shortly... I just have to rewatch the episodes to remember all that happened. So I can make a proper outline of how we integrate (Y/N) into the story.
As I said before also, Vonika will have a different story happening in S2.
Thanks for letting me reach 40k, as well as giving me the energy to finish S1. Now I need you all once again to support the start of S2.