In an instant, a flash of steel swept in from the corner of her eye. The sword moved without a sound, as fast as a bolt of light.
Already committed to her attack, Bache had no choice but to instinctively raise an arm to block.
Slash!
A moment later, half an arm flew into the air.
Bache hurriedly retreated. Her left arm had been severed cleanly at the elbow, the cut as smooth as a mirror. Blood sprayed uncontrollably from the severed vessels.
"You... actually attacked from behind!" Her eyes widened. Instead of pain, an even fiercer aura rose from her body.
Like the wind, Ryoji appeared between the two women. The silver blade remained as dazzling as ever, not even stained by a drop of blood.
"Ryoji..." Tiona stopped moving. She stared blankly at him as the savagery on her face slowly faded.
Meanwhile, while Ryoji had intercepted Bache, Tione and Argana completely ignored his order to stop. They continued exchanging punches and kicks, their battlefield shifting through the street and sending the surrounding adventurers fleeing in terror.
Boom!
Tione let out a muffled groan. Her arms trembled violently as numbness spread through half her body. Unable to withstand the overwhelming force, she was driven backward once again.
Every one of her punches had been predicted. Argana always struck before Tione could fully settle into her stance, preventing her from putting her full strength behind her attacks. She had been completely suppressed from the start.
"...A Pallum?" As she staggered backward, she caught sight of a small figure out of the corner of her eye.
A young Pallum girl with short, curly chestnut hair had just walked out of a nearby shop. She was carrying a package several times larger than herself and had frozen in shock at the fierce battle unfolding before her.
"Don't lose focus!" Argana threw another punch without hesitation.
The Pallum would get caught in it! Something flashed through Tione's mind. Gritting her teeth, she spun around, scooped up the little Pallum in an instant, and hurled her safely away.
But at that same moment, a crushing blow slammed into her back. She coughed up a mouthful of blood as her body shot forward like a cannonball, crashing straight into a nearby storefront.
"You... you actually protected... that little brat?" Argana's fist froze in place, her face full of disbelief. "You're not a true warrior anymore... Tione... You really should've stayed in Telskyura with us."
Disappointment filled her face. Even the strength behind her raised fist faded away.
The Amazons of Telskyura cared about only one thing: battle. If their opponent was no longer someone who could satisfy their thirst for combat, they lost the will to fight.
"Argana!" Just then, Bache suddenly screamed from behind her.
A faint disturbance in the air brushed past Argana's ears. The subtle breeze against her skin made every hair on her body stand on end. The instincts she had forged through countless brushes with death screamed at her.
Without thinking, she threw herself into a roll. A flash of steel swept over her head. Her long crimson braid, which hung like a serpent behind her, was cleanly severed.
"...What kind of sword is that?" Argana nearly choked from the overwhelming sense of danger.
The blade made almost no sound. It was as fast as a flash of light. A sword like that couldn't be predicted, nor could it be blocked. Had her instincts been even slightly slower, that strike would have taken her head.
Like a startled snake, she twisted backward and retreated to Bache's side. When she saw Bache's severed arm, the shock on her face deepened. She stared at the black-cloaked figure before them with absolute vigilance.
"I already told you to stop." Ryoji slowly turned around. His cold, dangerous gaze pierced the two Amazons before him.
For a brief instant, Argana, Bache, and even the Goddess Kali, who had been watching the fight with an amused grin, all unconsciously held their breath. The entire street fell silent.
As Ryoji's two slashes cut through the air, the wind blew back the hood covering his head. In that instant, everyone on the street was captivated by his almost divine beauty. Even Argana and Bache, who had come as enemies, stared at him in a daze.
"...There was actually someone this beautiful in Orario?" Kali hurriedly adjusted the mask that had nearly slipped off her face and muttered to herself.
"Beautiful... and strong..." Argana's eyes widened with excitement as she slowly licked her lips. "Hey, male. What's your name?" Her gaze was openly predatory.
"Like I'd tell you." Ryoji didn't even flinch.
"It's him! The Loki Familia's newest Level 5!"
"The one who became a first-class adventurer in just three months! I remember his alias..."
"Aurora Polaris!"
'Damn it. There were traitors everywhere.'
To be honest, Ryoji still had a grudge against that alias. He had specifically asked to receive the title Aurora, and Loki had readily agreed.
Sure, the gods loved stirring up trouble, but precisely because they lived for entertainment, they generally didn't go out of their way to offend Loki. As long as she spoke up, getting that alias approved should have been easy.
Who would have thought Freya would interfere? Using the irresistible charm that not even the gods could resist, she had convinced everyone to tack an extra word onto it.
"...Aurora Polaris. It really does suit you." Argana quietly savored the name. Even an airhead like her, who cared about nothing except fighting, could tell it fit him perfectly. "I want you. Become my man."
Without the slightest hesitation, she bluntly stated exactly what she wanted.
On second thought, even the Amazons of Telskyura didn't care only about fighting. Like Amazons anywhere else, they were just as passionate when it came to claiming desirable men.
"Me too." Bache gave a quiet nod, the coldness in her eyes fading away.
"Come back with us! We'll show you pleasures beyond your imagination! Our Familia has every kind of Amazon you could ever want. Whatever your type is, you'll find her!"
"I agree."
"No objections, Lady Kali?"
"Not at all." Kali nodded generously. Truthfully, she found the boy rather appealing herself. Once he was brought back, getting a little intimate with him wasn't out of the question.
All it took was a single word. If Ryoji agreed to join them, every Amazon in the Kali Familia, every Amazon in the entire Kingdom of Telskyura, would be his to choose from. It was an incredibly tempting offer. No, there wasn't a man alive who could refuse those terms.
"Argana! Bache! You're asking for it!"
But before Ryoji could even respond, Tiona exploded. Her face was blazing with fury, and her bloodstained fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles cracked.
Consumed by rage, she didn't bother with a warning. The ground beneath her bare feet exploded apart as her slender body shot forward like an arrow straight at Argana.
Boom!
Still completely absorbed in admiring the beautiful boy, Argana was caught utterly off guard. Tiona's full-powered punch slammed into her like a cannon, sending her flying.
(End of Chapter)
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