Danmachi: The Venerated One (REUPLOAD)

To properly understand what had happened, let’s go back a few hours ago.

The sky had just turned dark, and the night sky blanketed the city of heroes.

“It looks like my shift is over.”

Rose thought as she looked at the time.

She carefully arranged the documents on her desk before finally clocking out of work.

Instead of looking forward to going straight home like usual, her mind was occupied with something else entirely.

‘A gift… his birthday is coming soon… I wonder what kind of present I should give him.’

She thought to herself with an almost absentminded expression.

As his face crossed her mind, a faint blush touched her cheeks.

She grabbed her coat, put it on, and turned to find her close friends and co-workers, Eina and Misha, waiting for her.

"Hurry up! Aren't we going out to buy a gift for your boyfriend?"

Misha teased with a sly smirk.

Earlier in the day, when Rose had found out that Judas’ birthday was coming up, Eina and, surprisingly, Misha had decided to go shopping with her.

At Misha's teasing, heat rushed to Rose’s face, though she did her best to maintain a cool composure.

“Misha… enough with your teasing…”

She muttered, clearing her throat.

"Hoh?"

Misha's grin widened as she turned her attention to their other companion.

In contrast to Rose, Eina was reacting far more dramatically... babbling incoherently as metaphorical steam erupted from her ears, her arms flailing in complete disarray.

“Wawawawa… b-b-b-boyfriend!?… B-B-But, th-that would be moving too fast! We have yet to go on a d-d-date and exchange our vows of l-love… ah~”

Looking at Eina, who looked like her brain had malfunctioned, Misha chuckled under her breath.

“Elves, or even a half-elf, are really innocent when it comes to this kind of stuff, huh?”

“Sigh… let’s just go… the shops might close by the time we get there if we keep delaying.”

Rose intervened, shooting Misha an admonishing glare that made the human girl shrink back.

She then turned to the beet-red Eina, who was slowly coming back to her senses.

The two exchanged a brief look.

By now, Rose knew full well that Eina harbored feelings for the adventurer she managed.

Yet Rose didn't mind.

As someone who had received countless confessions in her life, she fully expected a man as extraordinary as Judas to draw his fair share of admirers.

The two had an unspoken agreement never to bring it up... unless Misha forced the topic with her relentless teasing.

…

Soon, the three went around several shops throughout the city, but unlike Eina and Misha, who had already bought something, Rose was much pickier and was still searching for a gift.

"Look over there, Rose."

Misha suggested, pointing toward a storefront display.

"That hat looks nice. You should get that for him!"

Rose took one look at it, frowned, and gave Misha a deadpan stare.

"Misha, that hat is tailored for a bull beastman. A human would look ridiculous with two horn holes in their head."

"Hehe..."

Misha simply stuck her tongue out.

However, just a second later, an angry shout reached their ears.

“How dare you!”

In an instant, just a few meters in front of them, a man was suddenly hurled through a window, sending glass shards flying in every direction.

Rose and the others paused in their tracks, completely stunned by what they had just witnessed.

Slowly, they turned to look at the man, who had been launched across the street like a ragdoll and now lay unconscious in the ground.

A crowd immediately gathered around the area as the commotion unfolded, whispering among themselves.

“What just happened?”

“A fight between adventurers?”

“Damn, that guy was sent flying across the street… whoever he was fighting has to be at least Level 3.”

“Tsk… tsk… fights between adventurers happen almost every day. Something like this isn’t uncommon.”

Rose, Eina, and Misha looked at each other and nodded.

Eina immediately rushed over to the unconscious man to check his condition.

Misha went to look for help.

Meanwhile, Rose stepped inside the shop to assess the situation.

The moment she saw the people inside, her gaze sharpened and her lips pressed into a thin line.

‘The Ishtar Familia…’

She couldn’t help but let out a sigh as she saw a group of Amazons crowding the building.

It was supposed to be a wine store, but it had been turned into a complete wreck, with crushed barrels, shattered bottles and spilled wine scattered everywhere.

Destroyed property was one thing, but there was one specific individual standing in the center of the mess whom Rose wanted nothing to do with.

‘Of all people… the Man Eater, Phryne Jamil, had to be here.’

Phryne’s infamy, hideous appearance, and terrible temper were notorious throughout Orario.

Her reputation alone was enough to make anyone back away.

At that moment, Phryne was towering over the shopkeeper, who was trembling violently behind his counter.

"Are you blind?!"

Phryne barked angrily, downing an entire bottle of vintage wine in a single gulp.

"A beauty like me deserves to drink your finest wine free of charge!"

The shopkeeper’s voice trembled as he bowed repeatedly, his hands shaking so badly that he nearly dropped the ledger he was clutching.

“Please, dear customer… I’m just trying to make a living. If you are unsatisfied with the product, I can…”

“Too late…”

Phryne snapped. She crushed the empty glass bottle in her bare hand, letting the shattered fragments rain onto the floor.

“Now you just pissed me off!”

She brought her massive palm down on the heavy wooden counter, splitting it completely in half with a deafening crash.

The middle-aged man flinched but didn’t dare to run.

The other Amazons chuckled amongst themselves, clearly enjoying the terrified expression on the shopkeeper’s face.

Other customers had already retreated to the corners of the store, none of them daring to interfere.

No one wanted to provoke the Ishtar Familia.

Especially not someone with a temper like Phryne.

The atmosphere became suffocating the moment Phryne stepped forward, reaching out to grab the middle-aged man by the shirt.

But before she could…

“Stop! I’ve seen enough!”

Phryne paused as Rose stepped squarely between her and the trembling shopkeeper.

“Phryne Jamil… I think you’ve caused enough trouble for today. Please leave.”

Though Rose appeared completely fearless on the outside, she was sweating bullets on the inside as she bore the full brunt of Phryne’s intense glare.

‘Ah, fuck… I should’ve switched places with Misha…'

Rose cursed mentally.

'Why did I have to be the one to de-escalate the situation here?’

She could see the veins bulging on Phryne’s forehead, and judging by her flushed face, she was obviously intoxicated.

“That wolf receptionist from the Guild?”

One of the Amazons muttered as she recognized her.

“The Guild?”

Phryne echoed, glancing at the Amazon before shifting her gaze back to Rose.

Seeing that Rose was dressed casually instead of wearing her Guild uniform, Phryne immediately realized she was off duty.

“Mind your own goddamn business, Guild bitch. This has nothing to do with you.”

Phryne’s massive frame loomed over Rose’s much smaller one, completely swallowing her in its shadow.

A bead of sweat trickled down Rose’s cheek.

Despite that, she refused to move.

“Miss Jamil, your behavior is unbefitting of someone of your status. As a first-class adventurer in Orario, your actions reflect poorly on the entire city.”

“You are not a child, are you? Please don’t throw a tantrum just because things don't go your way."

The moment those words left her mouth, Phryne exploded with killing intent.

Rose instinctively took a step back.

“A child? You call me a child throwing a tantrum?”

“You bitch who’s not even half as beautiful as me… How dare you!? How dare you!”

Phryne’s bloodshot eyes glared at Rose with a terrifying expression that could have made children burst into tears.

“!?”

Rose’s heart nearly stopped.

Before she could react, Phryne’s massive hand shot forward and wrapped around her neck.

BOOM!

With terrifying strength, Phryne slammed her straight into the wall.

Rose felt agony unlike anything she had ever experienced as bones throughout her body shattered upon impact.

Like a broken doll, she was tossed aside and crumpled onto the floor.

Phryne looked down at her pitiful state and burst into wicked laughter.

“That’s what you get for pissing me off, you dumb bitch!”

Whether the wolf girl lived or died, Phryne couldn't have cared less.

“U-Um… Captain, I think we should leave now.”

One of the Amazons spoke up nervously, her eyes repeatedly darting toward Rose’s motionless body.

“Huh? You dare tell me what to do?”

Phryne snapped, glaring at her subordinate.

“N-No… I wouldn’t dare.”

The Amazon held her hands up frantically.

Phryne let out a cold snort.

After sweeping her gaze around the devastated store one last time, she turned and walked away.

…

Once the Ishtar Familia vanished down the street, Eina rushed into the shop, drawn after hearing the loud crash.

But the moment her eyes landed on Rose, who was half-buried beneath the rubble, her face went completely pale.

“R-Rose!”

Her voice trembled as tears welled up in her eyes.

She immediately dropped to her knees beside her friend and immediately called for help.

…

Later that night…

“Please… save Rose. We beg of you.”

Eina and Misha stood at the entrance gate of the Twilight Manor with their heads bowed.

Standing before them was Judas, who had just heard the account of what had transpired.

Knowing that he possessed extraordinary healing abilties, and given his relationship with Rose, they thought it was only natural to seek his help.

When they finally lifted their heads…

Judas was already gone.

He had vanished without a word.

High above Orario, a golden streak shot across the night sky.

Judas’ expression had turned deathly cold.

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