Danmachi: A Mage's Journey

Chapter 275 275: The Weight of Guilt

The evilus soldiers, brandishing glowing red magic swords, grinned cruelly at the chaos before them.

"They think they can be so lax just because they are in the city... no guards, no precautions. What fools!"

This campsite had been a haven for those who distrusted adventurers, a place deliberately outside the Central Government's oversight. It was precisely for this reason that evilus saw it as a fat, vulnerable target, ripe for slaughter.

Even with yesterday's warnings prompting many to flee toward the Central Square, change didn't come fast enough. Many were still trapped here.

"Chaos is what we want! Let your dying screams sow despair among those cursed adventurers!"

A sadistic dark apostle surged forward in a single, terrifying bound.

Faced with blades capable of ending their lives in an instant, only a handful of people stayed rooted in place. Most fled in sheer terror.

"Syr!"

"Anya! Go save everyone!"

Anya's eyes burned with fierce determination, transforming her into an entirely different being. She snatched up a weapon leaning casually against a side post.

As she opened her mouth to protest, Syr shook her head, signaling her not to worry about her.

Anya frowned at the implication, but upon seeing innocent people moments away from death, she kicked off the ground with lethal precision.

"How annoying, meow!"

Her golden spear arced through the air, slicing through the off-white robes of the evilus soldiers and annihilating them instantly.

"Guh!?"

"This... this woman!"

"Could she be an adventurer?"

Chaos erupted in the open-air camp as battle unfolded in earnest.

Syr, her light grey hair swaying in the wind, ignored the flurry of swords and guns. She shouted with unwavering resolve, "Everyone! Run south! Move quickly!"

She clenched her fists in frustration as a soldier kicked over the camp's big pot, spilling scalding soup onto the dirt. Yet she maintained composure, her voice a calm and precise guide for the panicking residents, directing them to safety beyond the reach of evilus.

"Little devil! You still have time to help others escape, huh!" A man, exuding the authority of a squad leader, approached from behind.

Anya, fending off soldiers who tried to flank her, swung her spear in wide, powerful arcs. She rushed to assist, but she couldn't reach Syr in just a few seconds.

When she turned and saw a blade aimed at her, she snapped.

"Hey!"

"Ughh!?"

Four bolts of lightning tore through the air, impaling the man's limbs. Then, a flying sword, usually used as a dagger, joined forces with a thrown knife, slicing wounds across his body.

Lyra's lips curled into a faint smile as she watched the girl's eyes widen.

"You are so brave, miss shop assistant. Not only did you stay instead of fleeing, but you also tried to protect the people around you. You're such a fool."

"I..."

Kaguya, holding a knife with effortless grace, smiled faintly at the stunned girl.

"Nothing, just a hypocrite."

With those words, the two women surged forward, moving with breathtaking speed. They had faced countless battles to protect innocents, and even amidst a battlefield where evilus and civilians were intermingled, their movements remained fluid and precise.

Kaguya let out a roar that betrayed her gentle Yamato Nadeshiko appearance, an earth-shaking cry that drew attention from both allies and enemies alike.

Lyra, compact and nimble, slipped from evilus' line of sight like a shadowy mouse.

"Long time no see, Syr-san." Akira greeted the real goddess of beauty.

Despite knowing her overwhelming ability, he felt a pang of concern seeing Syr personally serving charity meals to the frightened public.

"Are you okay? Hurt anywhere?" He asked.

"No, Akira-san." Syr paused, then smiled softly.

"Then I'll leave it to you to evacuate the people. I'll handle the rest." She said with quiet determination.

Syr clasped her hands together, her smile sweet and encouraging.

"Okay. I understand."

With that, Akira dove into the fray to assist the civilians. Though he could have ended the battle alone, he understood the lesson that needed teaching. Only when faced with danger could the people truly appreciate the difficulties adventurers endured.

Wails and roars filled the air. Blood splattered as wounded enemy soldiers faltered, disoriented by the unseen killer striking from shadows.

Once the enemies' attention focused on her, Kaguya's swift and merciless sword strikes shredded them with deadly precision. Her combat style wasn't flashy like Akira's raw power, it was a refined, lethal dance honed for maximum efficiency.

The unprepared evilus soldiers, unable to prioritize targets, were systematically cut down, shocked, and overwhelmed.

Their leader, the squad commander, had already fallen. Soldiers unaware of retreat became nothing more than expendable mobs.

With Akira providing support, the two girls exploited the battlefield's chaos with unmatched coordination. Lyra attacked without hesitation, while Kaguya's relentless offensive struck fear into every enemy.

"Astraea familia? Guhh!?"

The last soldier fell as a sharp blade sliced cleanly through him.

With strength so overwhelming that even Anya stood dumbfounded, the two of them completely suppressed the enemy team in less than two minutes. The battle ended as quickly as it had begun.

"We've finished cleaning up. With such a commotion, the Ganesha Familia will be rushing here soon. Let them tie up the rest of these guys."

"Well then, let's move on to other matters. Hey, you over there, the one still babbling about love, stop daydreaming and come with us."

Kaguya calmly sheathed her blade while Lyra, dusting off her clothes, was just about to turn and leave.

From the depths of the open-air camp, which had once been a battlefield but was now silent, two figures approached with hesitant, dragging steps, the young man and the same man who had thrown stones at them that day.

"You guys..."

Their voices trembled, their expressions dull and heavy.

"Even though we did something so outrageous... you still protected us..."

Their faces were twisted with a storm of emotions, surprise, confusion, guilt, and pain. They opened their mouths several times, wanting to say more, but hesitation strangled the words before they could form.

Lyra only stared at them coldly for a while, her crimson eyes flashing with disdain, before she turned away decisively.

"Let's go, Kaguya."

"...."

The men lowered their head as the two women walked past them, their black hair fluttering in the wind like a final act of judgment.

"Then it's time for me to leave too."

Akira didn't respond to Lyra's wave. Instead, he turned toward the girl standing nearby, the one hiding her laughter behind her hand, her smile bright as always.

"I'll visit the store when this battle is finally over."

"Yeah, I'll be waiting for you, Akira." Syr nodded gently, her hand stretching out to encourage him, her tone playful yet filled with warmth. "Fight well. Keep going forward."

Akira smiled faintly, then quickened his pace to catch up with Kaguya and Lyra.

The people left behind could only watch their backs as the three disappeared into the distance. Their faces twisted, wrinkled with emotions like children on the verge of tears, yet none of them called out. They simply stood there in silence, rooted to the ground for a long, long time.

"Keep going, the righteous familia's men."

The beautiful girl whispered softly, her words carried by the wind as the figures of the three heroes vanished from sight.