Danmachi: The Venerated One (REUPLOAD)

Roughly three months ago, just after the Hestia Familia was founded...

"Tada! This is going to be our Familia's home!"

Hestia spread her arms toward the abandoned church, doing her best to sound as cheerful and enthusiastic as possible.

"A church..."

Belle murmured, her crimson eyes taking in the weathered building before them.

Its cracked stone walls, broken windows, and neglected exterior made it clear that no one had lived there for years.

"U-Um... so... what do you two think?"

Seeing their lukewarm reactions, Hestia's smile gradually stiffened.

'...As I thought.'

'Anyone would be disappointed after seeing a place this shabby.'

Her shoulders slumped.

'W-What if Belle decides to leave my Familia after seeing this? What am I supposed to do then...?'

Just as Hestia's imagination began spiraling into the worst possible scenarios...

"How wonderful."

Belle smiled warmly as she looked at the old church.

"I've never lived in a church before... We only just arrived in Orario, and we already have a place to call home."

"...!"

Hestia blinked.

There wasn't even the slightest trace of disappointment on Belle's face.

Instead...

She looked genuinely happy.

"This will be the first home of our Familia."

Belle turned toward Hestia with a bright smile.

"When our Familia grows stronger, we'll earn enough money to renovate it into something even better. Isn't that right, Goddess?"

Looking into those sincere, clear eyes, Hestia realized immediately... Belle meant every single word.

'This child...'

A warm feeling welled up inside the Goddess of the Hearth.

"That's right!"

Hestia beamed, her earlier worries disappearing without a trace.

"As expected of my very first child."

She reached out and affectionately patted Belle's head, her eyes filled with warmth.

Then, Hestia’s gaze shifted toward the woman standing silently a few paces behind them.

Dressed in her familiar black gown, Alfia remained motionless, quietly staring at the old church.

Her usually cold, impassive expression had softened ever so slightly.

'Meteria... This can't simply be a coincidence... can it?'

A complex flurry of emotions surfaced within Alfia’s heart.

The worn-down church itself wasn't particularly important.

It was the memories tied to it that she cherished.

This was the very church her beloved sister had often visited.

Even after the Hera Familia's defeat at the hands of the One-Eyed Black Dragon...

Alfia would occasionally return to this place alone before she eventually left the city.

She would stand there in silence, saying nothing.

Because among all the places left in Orario...

This was where she felt her sister's presence the strongest.

'...Perhaps this is fate after all.'

After the Hera Familia's home had been taken down, this abandoned church had become the last place that still carried traces of her sister's memories.

And now...

This very church had become the place where her niece would take her first steps as an adventurer.

The place where Belle would laugh, cry, grow stronger, and create memories of her own... together.

Because of that...

Alfia had come to cherish the abandoned church even more than before.

It was no longer merely a remnant of the past.

It had become a bridge connecting her sister's memories... to Belle's future.

And now...

That precious place had been reduced to a heap of burning rubble.

...

Which was why...

The Witch of the Hera Familia did not hesitate to unleash her wrath.

...

"Abababa... Wh-Wh-Wh-What...?"

Apollo could only babble incoherently as his eyes remained fixed on the devastation before him.

Fortunately for him, the extremely long chant required for Alfia's magic, [Genus Angelus], had given him and the members of his Familia just enough time to flee beyond its destructive radius.

Barely.

Feeling the blessings of his children still connected to him, Apollo let out a shaky breath.

At the very least... no one had died.

But that realization did little to ease the fear gripping his heart.

"...It's... gone."

His voice trembled.

The magnificent, gilded estate that had once stood as a testament to his pride no longer existed.

In its place remained only a field of shattered stone and drifting dust.

Apollo stared blankly at the ruins.

Countless memories flashed through his mind.

The days when his Familia had consisted of only a handful of followers.

The years spent recruiting new children.

The countless Denatus meetings...

The battles they had fought.

The fortune they had painstakingly accumulated.

Every step they had taken to transform themselves from a minor Familia into one that stood proudly in Orario...

All of it... had culminated in this mansion.

It wasn’t just a building.

It was the symbol of everything his Familia had accomplished.

Years of blood, sweat, and ruthless ambition.

And in a single, terrifying instant… it had been erased.

Apollo’s knees gave out.

"...Just... like that..."

He collapsed onto his knees, staring vacantly at the ruins with lifeless eyes.

“Lord Apollo! Lord Apollo! Are you alright!?”

A familiar yet urgent voice entered his ears, accompanied by the thunder of heavy footsteps.

Apollo turned his head to see Hyakinthos running toward him with a panicked expression, with the rest of the Familia following behind him.

“What the... what... just happened?”

Daphne gasped in horror as she witnessed the scene, covering her mouth in sheer disbelief.

"T-The first part of the prophecy..."

"The witch's wrath shall consume the sun..."

"...It actually happened..."

Cassandra muttered as she dropped to her knees.

“Lord Apollo! Are you alright? Please say something!”

Hyakinthos rushed to his god's side, grabbing him firmly by the shoulders.

"..."

Apollo remained silent.

His vacant eyes never left the ruins that had once been his home.

“What is going on?”

“I think the source of the trembling from earlier came from here!”

“Wait a minute, isn’t this the home base of the Apollo Familia?”

“What happened to their large mansion? It’s completely gone!”

The commotion had already begun drawing attention.

Before long, curious residents and adventurers flooded the surrounding streets, each trying to catch a glimpse of what had happened.

Seeing the crowd grow larger with every passing second, Hyakinthos clenched his jaw.

He knew he had to take care of the situation soon, so he immediately turned toward Daphne.

“Daphne! Gather the guards and make sure to block anyone from stepping into our territory.”

Daphne stiffened, looking at the rapidly growing mob before letting out an exhausted, defeated sigh.

“Yes... Captain.”

Although reluctant, she nodded and followed his orders.

Without wasting another second, Hyakinthos strode toward one of the Familia members who had witnessed everything.

He seized the man by the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground.

"You were here."

Hyakinthos’s voice was frighteningly low, laced with raw malice.

"So tell me... what happened?"

"I-I-I..."

The adventurer trembled violently, his face devoid of color.

"S-Spare me...!"

"Speak!"

Hyakinthos roared.

The man's body shook even harder, but no coherent words came out.

His terror had robbed him of the ability to speak.

"...Useless."

Hyakinthos' expression darkened.

Without the slightest hesitation...

CRACK!

His fist slammed into the man's face.

Blood burst from his shattered nose as he was thrown onto the ground, clutching his face in agony.

Hyakinthos didn't spare him so much as a glance.

He simply turned toward another witness.

"You. Explain."

"Captain!"

Before he could continue his interrogation, Luan suddenly shouted.

"I see someone!"

Hyakinthos immediately followed the direction Luan was pointing.

A lone figure walked calmly through the devastated estate.

Her black dress fluttered gently in the breeze.

Completely unfazed by the destruction surrounding her...

Alfia continued forward with her usual indifferent expression.

The moment Hyakinthos saw her...

His eyes narrowed before turning bloodshot.

‘She must be the culprit.’

The anger that had been simmering inside him finally erupted.

First, the Astraea Familia had interfered with his attempt to deal with Belle Cranel.

Now...

His god had been humiliated.

His Familia's home had been annihilated.

Every ounce of his fury found a single target.

Without another word...

Hyakinthos exploded forward.

“Die!”

His sword flashed from its scabbard in a blinding arc, closing the distance in a fraction of a second.

He poured every drop of his Level 3 strength into a single, decapitating strike meant to butcher her where she stood.

"...Fool."

Alfia didn't even slow her pace.

She casually raised one hand...

SMACK!!

A crisp slap echoed throughout the area.

Before anyone could comprehend what had happened...

Hyakinthos' head snapped violently to the side.

His entire body was launched through the air like a ragdoll, spinning uncontrollably before crashing through several ruined walls in the distance.

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