DxDanmachi: Voyager of Worlds Ability

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Racing through the corridors, Mika and the others swiftly retraced their steps.

They soon reached a holding area where captured dark faction members were being detained.

During their initial sweep of the facility, the dark faction's resistance had been weak, so they had focused on capturing rather than killing.

After the main force advanced, these smaller teams had regrouped, consolidating their prisoners in a single location.

"Attention!" Mika called out as they approached the holding area.

"Once we reach them, swiftly deal with the prisoners."

"Deal with…?" Adi, Shakti's younger sister, asked, her voice filled with surprise.

"Kill them all? Isn't that a bit…cruel?"

"I don't want to be cruel, but they've forced our hand," Mika replied grimly.

"Judging by the situation, the remaining dark faction members in this facility are all brainwashed zealots."

"They're incapable of rational thought; their only goal is to die with us."

"The only reason they haven't acted yet is because they haven't received the order." He clenched his fists, his voice tight with anger.

"Our current actions are outside their expectations. Once they realize what's happening, they'll detonate their bombs."

"While Airmid's magic might protect us from harm, the explosions will alert the other dark faction members, both here and throughout the city."

"Those without our protection will be caught off guard. We'll suffer heavy casualties."

"We need to buy as much time as possible."

His words dispelled any lingering hesitation among his companions. They understood the necessity of their actions.

The adventurers guarding the prisoners saw them approaching.

"Captain Shakti, you're back already?" they asked, surprised.

Before they could respond, several members of Mika's team rushed forward, swiftly killing the captured dark faction members before the guards could react.

They quickly collected the Fire Stone bombs.

"Let's move. Follow me." Mika led the group onward.

The stunned guards, pulled along by their comrades, followed, their minds reeling from what they had just witnessed.

As they moved, the others explained the situation, easing their shock. While they had killed dark faction members in battle, they had never executed unarmed prisoners.

However, understanding the dire circumstances and the threat posed by the suicide bombers, they accepted the necessity of their actions.

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As they continued their advance, Shakti, having recovered from her initial shock, began assisting Mika in directing their forces.

"The three of you, split off at the next intersection and proceed down that corridor. Follow our previous method: eliminate the enemy and regroup. Return as quickly as possible. Understood?" she instructed a small group from the Ganesha Familia.

"Yes, Captain!"

She hadn't sent any members of the Astraea Familia because, without a strong foundation of trust, executing prisoners could create conflict and waste precious time, even if the situation was explained.

It was better to entrust such tasks to the Ganesha Familia.

Under Mika and Shakti's command, they swiftly regrouped, retreating towards the facility's entrance.

Soon, the teams they had dispatched returned.

After confirming everyone was present, Mika prepared to withdraw from the facility.

There was no point in exploring further; they knew it was a trap.

But just then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the corridor ahead.

"Form ranks!" Shakti shouted. "Those with high endurance, to the front! Archers and mages, to the rear!"

The adventurers quickly formed a defensive line, most of them Ganesha Familia members, accustomed to Shakti's commands.

Before the enemy even appeared, they were ready.

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Soon, figures emerged from the corridor. At the front was a pink-haired woman.

Although Mika hadn't met her in person, he recognized her from the wanted posters:

Valletta, the Killing Empress.

Before Alfia and Zald joined the dark faction, she had been their strongest member, a Level 5 adventurer.

"What? It's just you brats?" Valletta's earlier excitement turned to disappointment as she saw the group before her.

She recognized many of them: Shakti, the members of the Astraea Familia, even Mika, though they had never met.

"Tsk. I came to investigate after my subordinates failed to report back. I found their bodies…and their Fire Stone bombs are missing."

"You have no idea how excited I was! I thought it was the Brave Hero, who had discovered our plan."

"But it was you?" Her voice was filled with frustration. "Who was it? Who saw through our plan?!"

...

"It was me," Mika said calmly, stepping forward.

"You? I didn't expect Orario to have someone clever besides…Finn."

Mika was amused. So, in Valletta's mind, the epitome of intelligence was Finn.

But Mika's amusement faded as he caught the hidden meaning in her words.

"You said you were waiting for us?"

"Does that mean you knew we were coming today?"

"In that case, this wasn't a failure of the Hermes Familia's intelligence gathering. It was the Guild, wasn't it?" He looked intently at Valletta. "You have a spy within the Guild?"

"Hahaha!" After a moment of silence, Valletta burst into laughter.

"That's right! How does it feel to be outsmarted?"

"She infiltrated the Guild five years ago. We haven't used her until now, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike a devastating blow."

"Surprised, aren't you?"

She was immensely proud of her spy. In her ongoing conflict with Finn, she had rarely gained the upper hand.

But this time, thanks to her informant, she had finally outsmarted him, and in his area of expertise—strategy.

She couldn't contain her excitement, eager to share her triumph.

"A plan five years in the making…Five years of waiting for this single opportunity? What dedication!"

"Is this the power of faith?" Mika marveled inwardly.

Even Shakti and the others were impressed.

They now understood the true nature of the threat they faced.

These were individuals with unwavering faith, willing to do anything to achieve their twisted goals.

"It seems there's no other outcome for us but mutual destruction," Mika realized grimly.

"Exactly! Either You die, or we do!" Valletta declared.

Boom!

A loud explosion echoed from outside.

"What was that?"

"An explosion!" They all froze, recognizing the sound.

"The signal…it's been triggered!"

"Hahaha!" Valletta's laughter turned shrill. More explosions followed, reverberating through the facility.

"I had intended to be the one to initiate the fireworks, but it seems someone else beat me to it." She licked her lips, a predatory gleam in her eyes.

"Then let the show begin!"

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"Attack!"

"Defend!" Shakti shouted, rushing to the front lines and raising her shield.

Originally, they hadn't brought shields; their mission was a swift assault, not a siege.

Speed was their priority.

But Mika had provided them with shields from his Storage Teigu, among the many weapons and equipment he had crafted after mastering the forging techniques of the Akame ga Kill! World.

He had created a vast array of weapons and armor, keeping only the highest quality pieces in his storage.

The shields the front line now wielded were among his finest creations.

They would significantly reduce the damage from the explosions.

"Archers, prepare!" Shakti ordered, seeing the enemy charging towards them.

The archers nocked their arrows.

"Fire!"

A volley of arrows flew towards the approaching dark faction members.

"Keep firing!"

"Yes, Captain!" The arrows rained down, cutting through the enemy ranks.

The narrow corridor provided no cover, and the archers, all Level 2 or above, possessed incredible strength.

Their arrows, propelled with tremendous force, pierced through the enemy like armor-piercing bolts.

Mika nodded in satisfaction, watching the enemy fall. The bows and arrows, too, were his creations, part of his strategy to counter the suicide bombers.

Facing such opponents, a tightly packed formation was their best defense.

The front line, wielding high-quality shields, would absorb the brunt of the explosions.

The archers, positioned behind them, would provide covering fire.

And Airmid, with her healing magic, would keep the front line alive.

This way, the bombers, mostly ordinary citizens or weak Level 1 adventurers, wouldn't even reach their lines.

After all, the dark faction wouldn't waste their stronger members on suicide attacks.

A skilled Level 1 or a Level 2 adventurer could inflict far more damage than a simple Fire Stone Bomb.

The arrows were more than enough to deal with these weaker opponents.

Mika, seeing his strategy working perfectly, couldn't help but smile.

However, there was still room for improvement.

"If only the shields had some kind of fire absorption enchantment, and we had a line of spearmen with four or five-meter long spears behind them…" he mused.

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