Into the Abyss

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/A few minutes later…/

/Clang…/

"Huff… Huff…"

'Tired, with blood all over his body, his clothes ripped to pieces, the ground broken into many fragments, Silver rested his Halberd on the ground and sat down amidst the fallen Magic Stones.'

'He quickly took a few potion bottles and gulped them, splashing the rest on his body in order to heal his surface wounds and recovering a great deal of his strength as he breathed rhythmically.'

"... Should I start to fight… Half naked?" He mumbled to himself as he looked at the water running around

My clothes always end up torn…

I already bought some cheap clothes, but buying clothes every once in a while is a bother.

"That would be quite the sight, one I wouldn't refuse to take a closer look at." Someone said near him

"..."

'Silver slowly got up from the ground, unsurprised to hear the voice.'

'He had detected this person's presence from the moment his fight ended, and this also served as a reminder for him.'

'He was so focused on his training that he neglected his surroundings, allowing someone to get relatively close to him for an unknown amount of time.'

'His hands glowed faintly in green light as he touched his chest, he hastened his body's recovery speed as he opened his mouth to ask:'

"Do you know me?" Silver asked as he looked at the hooded woman

"Intimately, in fact, wasn't our last meeting… Quite hot?" She asked seductively as she removed her hood

'She was standing on a rock on the other side of the river, it was just a few meters away, but they could hear each other perfectly despite all the noise.'

"..."

An Amazon... One that I know.

'With a toned skin, it was immediately apparent that it was an Amazon.'

'Silver raised an eyebrow, he was surprised to see who it was, but he did not move away…'

'But his guard was up.'

"Oh? I thought you would at least show some reaction, but you look quite confident… I like that in you, how your eyes never waver."

There are many types of eyes people would give upon looking at me.

I like this type the most.

'Purple eyes and light makeup, a pretty face not commonly seen…'

'Her long dark hair that went all the way to her slender legs, and past her hourglass curves…'

'A beauty with a cold gaze that many men would droll over…'

'But giving the Ultra Greatsword behind her, it was clear this was no defenseless pretty flower.'

"I met you before…" Silver said coldly as he crossed his arms

Aisha Belka… There is no way I wouldn't recognize her, I investigated her and read her Status when I infiltrated Ishtar's Manor.

The third strongest in the Ishtar Familia, and the one that actually acts as the Captain of the Familia, leading all 100 Berbera warriors since Phryne is too stupid to do so.

Our first meeting was when they tried to ambush me in the Dungeon before I became Level 3, pathetically failing since I prepared for it after stealing information.

She's also Haruhime's closest 'friend'… Or used to be since it has been a while since they met. The one who took care of her the most.

Despite not seeing her for a few months, Haruhime always talks about her and how much she misses her, regardless of how perverted she is.

Nevertheless, their personalities don't match at all.

"Ara? I'm honored you still remember me…" She said as she took a step

He truly is special.

/Crack!/

'The moment she took a single step, an invisible bullet struck the ground.'

"Not a single step, I can hear you from there just fine."

"Ara… Truly domineering… I like that as well." She said as she liked her lips

'Silver's mood, however, did not change.'

"Tell me what you came here for, otherwise I wouldn't mind in continuing what happened last time, and this time, you won't have help."

"I can see that you got stronger, but what makes you think I didn't also?" He said with a frown

'Aisha let out a small sigh before smiling sarcastically.'

"Men like you are all the same, acting and speaking tough, barking loudly, but can't even last an hour in bed…"

"#!! Oi! I..." Silver replied in annoyance

/Chuckles/

'But he then realized he got played seeing her playful smile.'

She is exactly as the rumors say, a woman of strong resolve that won't cower no matter what.

Her pride is set in stone, she'll walk around with her thin clothes, and if someone calls her a slut, she'll probably say: Yes, I like it.

Before punching a hole through the man's guts.

The only thing worse than a Brute Amazon is a Lustful Amazon…

And worse than that is a Smart Amazon… Combine it all and you have this lady over here.

Lady may be too much.

"In any case, I think you're misunderstanding something, this time, I came here by myself, and not under the name of the Ishtar Familia…"

"..."

I expected that much.

"So what do you want?"

"My! You sure are thorny for someone that owes me." She said faintly

"Hm? How do I owe you?" Silver asked calmly

"Last time we met, you may have fooled the others with that trap you set up beforehand, but I know Haruhime the best…"

"I was the one that gifted her the perfume she uses…" She said as she touched her lips with her index finger

"..."

'Silver realized what she was going on about.'

"After everything was over, it didn't take much for me to find your trail, and to find concrete evidence of her kidnappers…"

"Should I say kidnapper instead?"

"..."

I thought the bombs combined with me erasing my tracks would've been enough, but life isn't always optimistic.

Yeah, I do owe her one.

"Why did you help me then?" Silver asked, cutting the chase

"Did you get it all from just that? Good, I don't like talking much either."

It seems he's willing to talk at the very least.

I was ready to force it upon him if necessary.

'Her playful expression suddenly dropped, becoming serious as she said:'

"Look, Ishtar has… Done some twisted things recently."

"She'll soon launch a mass investigation… No, it surely has started already, I wanted to talk with you earlier, but you aren't really an easy person to get in contact with in secret."

Ishtar's surveillance is always following me, so annoying…

"What?" Silver said with a frown

Investigation?... For what happened before?

Did she stabilize her situation already? It's a bit faster than I expected.

"I know that you have her, or at least know where she is, I won't ask it, but in exchange for my previous actions of before… Make sure to keep her safe." She said as she closed her eyes

Technically, you did me a favor by taking her out of there...

But it wouldn't have been fun if I said that, would it?

/Fufufu.../

'As she laughed in a low tone, Silver remained silent, thinking.'

"..."

"As soon as the Denatus ends, she'll start a mass investigation around several selected targets using any means available to her, be it coercion, simple manipulation, blackmail, seduction…"

"Even for a Familia mainly consisting of women like yours, it isn't any harder for her to get what she wants."

It is already bad for people unrelated to this to be involved, but Ishtar would never care about this.

The worst would be a situation where both Haruhime and he are captured, and the Hestia Familia falls.

Heh... I don't want to see the place I work in burn in flames for her.

"... Sigh." Silver said as he shook his head

'Aisha crossed her arms, waiting for his reply.'

I know that she is a trustworthy person simply by how well Haruhime speaks of her and also all of the help she gave her over the years.

In fact, most Amazons under Ishtar are rather trustworthy due to their straightforward personalities.

Always working together, not because they're in a Familia, but because they're friends.

Few are loyal to her, they are mostly with Ishtar because she is the Lord of the entertainment district, and because her philosophy and way of running things fall in line with what they want to do and how they are.

Not like all Amazons are under Ishtar, that is an exaggeration, there are many scattered around Orario, mine even has 2.

But the reason I refused to show any sign of familiarity with her was due to Ishtar's very existence, the more Aisha knows, the higher the danger upon herself.

The moment Ishtar becomes overly cautious and Charms her own subordinates is the day her betrayal would be revealed.

And any information I shared with her during that time would end up being revealed…

But since she's here, she must've realized that things have reached a boiling point and she can't remain still anymore.

The time to cross the line has come.

Regardless of what happens, if Ishtar uses Charm on her, she'll still end up in trouble, and Ishtar will still attack me, perhaps even more fiercely… No, definitely more.

So… It would be better to work with her, to take that Divine bitch down.

"... You are just like she described." Silver said with a small smile

"... Ara…"

'She smiled as she closed her eyes once more.'

"How is she doing?" She asked in an oddly light tone

"I have put her to training, and she now has a healthy routine from morning to dawn, and many friends to accompany her throughout the day…"

"My only regret was keeping her incaged." Silver said with some remorse

"... No, don't blame yourself for that."

As I thought, that blond-haired maid I saw on his Manor from far away was indeed Haruhime.

Even if she hid her ears and tail, her golden hair and away of walking are unmistakable.

'Before coming, Aisha made sure to scout and investigate, after all, she was Haruhime's friend, once she disappeared, she was one of the first to volunteer to seek her.'

'Using what she knew, she was quick to find out where she was, but she kept silent and made great efforts in stirring all investigations away from the Hearth Manor.'

'She would never say that, however. Not her style.'

"She's better with you than she was with us…" She said as she looked around

'She started to remember what she saw during the few times she went to take a look at Haruhime...'

I never saw her smile that much before...

She's happy, and that's what matters.

"... 2 weeks, this is the maximum amount of time you have, hide her while you still can, and prepare yourself for the worst, because regardless of whether she is found or not, Ishtar has made it clear that you're to be captured."

"So soon? Why does she need me anyway?"

'Aisha Shrugged.'

"She wants to figure out something… Your relation with Freya."

"I have nothing to do with her though?..." Silver said as sweat ran down his forehead

"... That isn't up to me to decide, if she says you have, then you have, we only follow her orders."

"If it was before, I would've said you have a chance but…"

"But?"

"... During the past 3 or so months, Ishtar has hired assassins for… Us, the Berbera."

"! What?" Silver said in surprise

I stop my observation of her and she pulls this out of her ass?

"A few died under their assault, but the ones that survived…"

"All Leveled up." She said in a solemn tone

"And even if she failed once, Ishtar kept pressuring us until we either died or Leveled up."

"..."

"She'll definitely not share in today's Denatus, but in the blink of an eye, the Ishtar Familia grew to a total of over 50 Level 3 adventurers, 18 Level 4 adventurers, and one… Level 6 adventurer."

"Level… 6?" Silver said as he clenched his fist

Did that Frog… One of the biggest jokes amidst the First Class adventurers finally rose in Rank?

Such news would be enough to shake Orario for a while, a Level 5 adventurer is a Superstar, and Level 6's are like CEOs…

"Yes, she has kept the details under really tight curtains, and I bet she won't reveal her card unless extremely necessary…"

"Damn…"

I think I have an idea of her plans now.

She'll likely try to repeat her previous plans, capturing Haruhime and performing the ritual on her.

If she succeeds, she'll have dozens of Level 5 adventurers, and one Level 7.

Plus all of her other preparations… She may very well… Win.

It seems impossible, but right now, the Freya Familia has 4 effective Level 6 adventurers, and one Level 7.

But for someone that isn't afraid of using underhanded means, a single curse is enough to bring a Level 6 adventurer down to Level 5.

She has definitely prepared dozens.

And with an army of Level 5's… Enough to rival Freya's…

Freya obviously wouldn't allow herself to be attacked like this, but a clash would end up happening one way or another.

Yeah, this isn't good.

"Your expression isn't pretty, what happened to the serious man from before?" She asked with a smirk

"He's tired... Tired of having crazy people go after him." Silver replied with a small smile

"You better get used to it, every First Class adventurer had their fair share of problems before becoming what they currently are." She said as she turned around

"Don't come crying to me later saying I didn't do my part."

'She left, walking further and further away, shaking her hips as she lifted her hood.'

/Inhale.../

/Exhale.../

"I planned on hunting mainly on this floor for the rest of the day..." Silver mumbled

My training was never easy, but I did it because it was the perfect balance between monetary gain and status gain.

But it seems...

/Snap!/

'He snapped his fingers once he broke sight of Aisha, collecting the magic stones into his pocket space.'

'He turned to face the Great Falls, staring right at the blue abyss that led to the great lake.'

"I can't stop with just this."

/Step.../

'Silver took a step forward, taking the plunge as the clear blue water splashed around him.'

'His body battered and bloody, he raised his hand, his Halberd soon following suit as it flew to his hand...'

/SPLURGE!/

'Cutting a large fish into two, Silver continued to fall as monsters kept appearing... And like a moth to the fire, he dived straight first into danger.'

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Notes