Kari Zel has been a valuable member of the Vanguard for years now, and her teammates have a lot of respect for her abilities. But even they don’t believe their eyes: she was able to break free from the titanic hold of Nike, the Goddess of Victory, and now she’s ready to continue the fight.
<Since when can you do that!?> Quantum asks the original Kari, who is sitting in the audience and is holding the hand of her husband Kiros.
<I can’t… Inanna must’ve taught my duplicate how to do a successful 10K Rise.>
<10 what?> Kiros asks.
<A technique I’ve been trying to develop for years. Instead of using my powers to create duplicates, channeling the energy into my own body to become ten thousand times stronger and faster.>
<But that’s not how our power works!>
<Apparently, with my duplication power locked because of my pregnancy, we pulled it off> Kari realizes, with a mixture of pride and admiration for her duplicate.
Nike, on the other hand, seems extremely irritated. She stands up, looking at the mortal she was ready to crush, with her purple hair now glowing unnaturally.
<You fought valiantly, for a goddess. I accept your surrender> Kari taunts her, with a strange reverberation in her voice. As if ten thousand voices were speaking at once.
<I tried to be reasonable. Now it’s about my honor> Nike answers, flying forward to strike her. She’s not fast enough: with her reflexes ten thousand times faster than normal, Kari practically sees her moving in slow motion and literally runs circles around her.
<Beating up people weaker than you? Is that your definition of honor?>
<You’re still in that category> Nike reminds her, moving her wings to create a sudden gust of wind that could easily tip over a train. Kari jumps to avoid the wind, reaching 100 feet in the air.
<We’ll see about that. 10K Mass!!!>
She plummets to the ground, hitting Nike with a bodyslam so hard and so fast that she creates a hole on the floor.
<Ouch! That looks like it hurts!> Quantum tells Null.
<She must’ve increased her weight by a factor of ten thousand. Six hundred and fifty thousand kilograms falling from over thirty meters, that’s…>
<Not in metric> he recommends.
<That’s a s##tload of energy> she concludes, knowing Quantum isn’t interested in the math.
Unfortunately, once Kari jumps out of the crater, Nike takes flight looking completely undamaged and absolutely mad at the way the fight has unfolded.
<Playtime is over> she threatens her, diving at full speed. By the look on her face she has all intention of killing Kari, and this time a judo throw won’t be enough.
<I agree> she responds, changing her stance to intercept Nike with a counterpunch and activating the Shotgun Bracelet. The device does its job, greatly increasing the strength of her punch much farther beyond the boost provided by the 10K Rise.
As a result, Nike is thrown with great force towards the audience. To add even more damage, while from her perspective Nike flies in slow motion, Kari runs towards the sword that she dropped much earlier in the fight and makes sure it’s exactly in her trajectory.
The result is Nike crashing against the amphitheater, surrounded by very surprised gods and with her own sword coming out of her chest.
The silence is broken by the giant god with the ibis head reappearing in the arena.
<Nike is no longer able to fight. The winner is Kari Zel, the Heroine of Myridia> Thoth announces.
<Woo-hoo!!! In your FACE, Demeter!!!> Kari exclaims, jumping up and down in excitement a couple of times before collapsing on the floor. Two duplicates of her husband immediately appear next to her, helping her stand up and making sure she’s alright.
<Are you okay? Are you hurt?> one of them asks, just when her hair and her voice return to normal.
<Just tired… like I ran a thousand marathons> she admits, letting Kiros help her reach the stands.
Her teammates are cheering for her victory, but there is little time to celebrate:
<The next contestant has been chosen by Inanna. Hestia, Firstborn of Kronos, may approach the arena> Thoth announces.
<Wish me luck> Vesta tells her friends, not considering the irony of not having the support of the Goddess of Luck anymore, and floats towards the center of the arena.
<How many freakin’ matches are there gonna be!?> Quantum complains.
<There are 16 contestants, so this is the last one before the quarter finals> Ulysses reminds him.
<Apollo’s chosen representative has been selected. Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt, may approach the arena> Thoth continues, announcing the arrival of a familiar face.
A well-built woman with short white hair and form fitting blue clothes that leave exposed her muscular arms and well defined abs floats towards Vesta, landing in front of her.
<Auntie. Long time no see> she greets her. She has both eyes this time: the one cut out by Noriko has completely regenerated.
<Indeed. How is your sector, now that Enyo rules it?>
<I don’t know. How’s Earth without the city I destroyed? Beji o something?>
<Beijing. You killed over a million people there!>
<Had I known how upset it would make you, I would’ve killed more.>
<Now declare the prize you wish to claim in this tournament. Hestia?> Thoth asks, ignoring the catfight between the two goddesses.
<I wish to…> Vesta begins to answer, turning towards the audience: Noriko is shaking her head to clearly signal her disapproval, but Vesta doesn’t change her mind.
<I wish for the death of Ares.>
<Artemis, what is your wish?>
<What a coincidence, I also wish for the death of Ares. We should work together, Vesta.>
<I don’t make deals with mass murderers.>
<Well, no wonder you’re never invited to our family meetings.>
<The stakes are decided, until defeat or death. Hestia versus Artemis. FIGHT!!!>
Vesta’s fists catch fire, becoming almost as fierce as the determined look on her face.
<Well well, look at you, Vesta. Earth has made you bold, hasn’t it?>
<We didn’t really get a chance to fight last time. I’ll show you what I’ve learned on Earth> Vesta replies, moving forward to punch Artemis. The white-haired goddess dodges, but Vesta keeps pressing her opponent, turning the fight into a boxing match.
“I can’t let her use her bow, she’s too deadly at a distance; I have stay close” she thinks.
The fire from her fists leave a trail after every punch, with Artemis repeatedly dodging every one.
<Not too bad, Vesta! You’ve been taking lessons on how to fight, haven’t you?>
<From the mortal who just defeated the Goddess of Victory.>
<I figured: you fight as slow as a…> Artemis mocks her, pausing when a fist that stops before hitting her releases an intense burst of fire directly on her face.
It’s hot enough to melt iron: not enough to hurt Artemis, but she’s too distracted by it to avoid the roundhouse kick that hits her head with the force of a runaway train.
Artemis loses her balance, and Vesta hits her again, with a flying knee that pushes Artemis several feet away; the sudden gust of wind that hits the audience is just a small indication of how much power was behind it.
<Alright, I’m done with the warm-up> Artemis comments, starting to conjure her golden bow; she doesn’t get to finish, because Vesta just flew to her position trying to kick her again. Artemis grabs Vesta’s ankle and uses her momentum to slam her into the ground.
<You want to fight like a grown-up goddess? Fine by me> Artemis says, cracking her knuckles.
Both goddesses disappear in the blink of an eye, with a loud sonic boom. There may be nothing to see, but there are sounds similar to that of an explosion coming from different points of the arena.
<They went supersonic. Man, I hate it when they do that!> Quantum pouts.
<I hope Vesta can keep up. She’s a fast learner, but there’s only so much I could teach to a non-Myridian in a few weeks> Kari’s original body comments.
<Since they’re both invulnerable and have nearly infinite stamina, couldn’t they theoretically keep fighting forever?> Lily wonders.
<Nike was invulnerable and I still kicked her ass> the duplicate Kari reminds her.
<I’m not so sure. Not to understate your victory, Kari, but she wasn’t keeping her defenses at maximum… a goddess is only as powerful as she thinks she is, and Nike was clearly underestimating you. Remember how Vesta used to struggle against a Talos> Null reminds her.
<From the data I have, Vesta and Artemis are equals in strength, speed and durability. It will come down to destructive capabilities and creative thinking> Ulysses comments.
<You’ve been keeping tabs on our strength and weaknesses?> Null asks, raising an eyebrow.
<I keep tabs on everyone> he answers cryptically.
Following the last sonic boom, both Artemis and Vesta become visible again: the first is catching her breath, while the second is now entirely covered in flames.
<That was fun. Let’s go back to business> Artemis says, with her golden bow appearing in her hands: this time Vesta doesn’t try to stop her, not even when she prepares to fire an arrow.
<Goodbye, aunt V… what!?> Artemis exclaims when a dozen other goddesses made of fire appear around Vesta, each one flying in a different pattern towards her.
<Nice trick> Artemis compliments her, shooting three energy arrows at once: every one hits its target, with three Vesta fire duplicates dissipating. Another two fly towards Artemis from different directions: when she tries to shoot one of them, a third one uppercuts her, hitting her stomach.
She didn’t expect this strategy; Vesta is able to take away her golden bow, which she breaks in half with relative ease.
<The hunt is not so fun when the prey fights back, isn’t it?> she asks, looking down at Artemis.
<Actually… CRESCENT CROSSBOW!> the goddess shouts: a crossbow entirely made of red energy appears in her hands, leaving no time to allow Vesta to react before it’s fired.
The red arrow ignores Vesta’s fire and hits her chest. Artemis fires again, with a rate similar to a machine gun, until Vesta has several arrows protruding from her upper body.
<…the best moment is when the prey realizes it’s over> Artemis finishes her sentence, right when Vesta’s fire disappears. Artemis hits her with a roundhouse kick to the stomach, then grabs her red hair and uses it to throw Vesta back into the ground.
<That… was a Demon weapon> Vesta realizes, painfully removing an arrow from her breast and couching up divine blood. Artemis lands on her back, hard enough to produce a crack on the floor beneath them, and points the crossbow at the back of Vesta’s head.
<Neat, uh? Too bad they can’t kill us> Artemis laments, shooting the arrow right into Vesta’s brain.
<I bet it still hurts though> she then adds, shooting another couple of arrows into Vesta’s back, just for the thrill of it. When she finally steps off her, Thoth makes the announcement:
<Hestia is no longer able to fight. The winner is Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt.>
As soon as the barrier that protects the audience disappears, Quantum moves at the speed of light to check on Vesta: she doesn’t seem to be breathing.
<Are you alright!?> he asks, feeling silly to say this to a person with an arrow sticking out of her head, but Vesta is slowly able to get back on her feet.
<I’m so sorry, Max. I failed all of you.>
<Don’t talk like that. Come on, we’ll get you, ehm, fixed up> he tries to console her, awkwardly trying to touch one of the arrows but then deciding to wait an expert’s opinion.
Meanwhile Thoth moves to the center of the arena and grows in size, increasing the volume of his voice to make sure to be heard.
<All contestants have been evaluated. The following shall participate in the quarter finals: Herakles, Quantum, Noriko Null, Enyo, Adrestia, Kari Zel and Artemis. The winners will qualify to proceed to the semifinals and the chance to be proclaimed the Strongest Under The Heavens. The tournament shall proceed tomorrow.>
<So we’re against a demigod and three goddesses, and we’ve lost our strongest member. I hope Tyche does her job, ‘cause we’re going to need a lot of luck here> Noriko summarizes.
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