Danmachi: A Mage's Journey

Chapter 288 288: The Final Battle Is Near

Day 7.

The sky before dawn was dull and unbearable. Gray clouds once again covered the starry sky that had been shining brightly and briefly visible until only a few moments ago. It seemed that before everything was over, they would never see the clear sky again.

Darkness blanketed the streets. The labyrinth city still bore the scars of battle. Collapsed streets, half-dug buildings, ruins everywhere.

The eerie sight of Orario, with nearly half its sprawl reduced to rubble, resembled the corpse of a giant lying on the earth, eyes closed, trapped in a dream from which it could never awaken. But what made it most unsettling was the silence.

A complete, unbroken silence.

Unlike a great city should be, there was no trace of life's trajectory, no bustling crowd, no voices that once carried joy, sorrow, and laughter. Even the playful cries of children had been erased.

Only the dry, cold wind passed through from time to time, howling briefly, then vanishing without a trace.

Orario had fallen into a deathly stillness. And in this bleak stillness, a new weapon came into being.

"This is my new weapon..."

After receiving the wooden sword, Ryuu felt the smoothness of its surface, the sacred blessing flowing through it, and spoke with quiet admiration.

The sleepless captain of the Goibniu Familia stood before her. He wiped sweat from his forehead, though he looked anything but tired.

"As you requested, the material used was a branch of the holy tree. Needless to say, its nature enhances magical power itself."

It was Ryuu who had asked for this weapon. She had entrusted the sacred material from her homeland, a gift from Adi, to the Goibniu familia for crafting.

"Is this the weapon forged from the branches Adi brought back? Not bad." Akira remarked curiously, reaching out to tap the sword's hilt.

It reminded him faintly of the small "wooden sword" he had once picked up while playing in the woods as a child.

Hearing his words, Alise strode over, grinning. "Great, Ryuu, we caught up just in time."

But Ryuu shook her head with her usual coolness. "No, it's a rush job at best. Good enough for combat, perhaps, but far from perfect."

And that was the truth. The blacksmith had worked overnight, racing against dawn. Unlike metal swords, no true forging was required, but without the aid of a mage, the enchantment of its core, like a proper magic staff, remained incomplete.

What little strength it had came from Goibniu's divine power. The sword's performance was wholly dependent on the holy tree's branch's natural strength.

The craftsman crossed his arms, a stern frown giving him the dignity of his trade. "So, make sure you come back alive. If I sell an unfinished weapon that fails you, it will stain my reputation as a blacksmith."

"Understood." Ryuu replied softly, smiling despite his blunt words.

Akira tilted his head and asked, "Ryuu, does this weapon have a name?"

"Alf's Lumina. It was Astraea-sama who named it." Ryuu explained, raising the sword reverently.

Its meaning: the starlight of the elves.

Alise's face lit up in delight. "What a beautiful name!"

She added brightly, "Oh, and by the way, I asked Asfi to share some of the supplies she gathered. We've updated our armor too."

She let out a breath, grinning. "Really feels like the calm before the decisive battle, doesn't it?"

Indeed, not just Ryuu's weapon, but all their equipment had been renewed.

Alise's new battle attire radiated her fiery spirit: a crimson battle suit, white thigh-high boots and stockings that sharpened the clean lines of her form, and a short skirt lined with protective charms against curses.

Her upper half bore a red jacket and cape, a knightly air of flame and valor.

Her weapon, the beloved Crimson Order, gleamed brighter than ever after the forgemasters' care, its edge glowing with silver fire as if newly born.

Ryuu's gear was the opposite: a dress of pure white and deep navy, a harmony of clean justice and cutting wind. Her outfit prioritized mobility and magical defense, with minimal armor beyond her elbows and knees. Sleek, refined, and dignified, it fitted her body with perfect grace.

Both women tied their hair into high ponytails, lending them an air of twin flames, sisters in spirit, if not in blood.

Akira couldn't help but think so as he gazed at them.

Even after admiring them all morning, he still wasn't satisfied. Something about the two of them in their final-battle attire made him want to keep looking.

Then—

Boom, boom!

The floor beneath the forge shook with a low rumble, like something clawing upward from deep below.

"The tremors from the dungeon. It's starting."

"Yes. The Greatest Evil the evil god summoned... it's breaking through one floor after another, drawing closer to the surface."

Akira lowered his eyes, gaze sinking as though piercing the earth itself.

Just as Finn had predicted, the battle would begin with the dawn.

Finn, commander-in-chief, had split the forces in a daring two-pronged operation.

On the surface: the armies of Orario stood against the full host of evilus' general assault.

Underground: an elite strike force had been dispatched to face the Greatest Evil itself.

Among those chosen for the latter was none other than the Astraea Familia.

With their preparations complete, Alise and Ryuu stepped out of the forge. Akira followed, only to find Lyra and Kaguya arriving at the same moment, both clad in new battle garments as well.

Lyra's short-cut top left her slender waist bared, her midriff protected by black soft armor. Black shorts and stockings covered her lower half, a blend of agility and defense.

Kaguya's attire was a scarlet kimono, cinched at the waist with a white obi. The hem was embroidered with blooming tulips in deepest red, swaying as she walked.

As the skirt shifted with each step, a glimpse of her shins flashed like steel. The sight was delicious.

"Hurry up, you three, it's time to march." Lyra said with her hands on her hips, smiling as if it were nothing more than a festival.

Kaguya was full of fighting spirit. "Are you ready? It's time to go to the dungeon to defeat monsters."

Akira and the others looked at each other, nodded, and then responded firmly.

"Let's go."

"I'll leave it to you one by one. Don't damage the weapons. Have a good fight."

With the rough but earnest support of the blacksmiths, the Astraea Familia set off for the central square.

As the time for battle drew closer, the rest of the soldiers also began to stir with restless energy.

Adventurers within the Guild headquarters completed their preparations one after another, laying aside worries about what might come after this battle.

They carried swords, spears, axes, and long staves, armor freshly repaired by the blacksmiths, and supplies rationed from the city's dwindling stores. One by one, they marched to their posts.

Experienced adventurers clasped fists with each other, while others locked arms and whispered prayers before heading out to the battlefield. Veterans smiled wryly as they patted the backsides of trembling newcomers, younger adventurers struggling to suppress their fear, trying to inject courage into them.

"Let's leave this promise. If you survive, I'll treat you to a big drink, little brats."