Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 368- Heaven’s Journey

As they walked out of Artemis’s domain, they entered a battlefield.

“URAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!”

Clang!! Clang!!

Thud!! Thud!!

Ting!! Ting!!

“…Fuck.”

They entered Athena’s domain.

“Let simply go back and—Tap! Tap! Oh.” Vesta noticed something different.

“What is it?’

"It seems Athena changed how her domain worked. Great. The one time I trusted that lazy goddess's knowledge and it turned out to be outdated.”

“Well, let's go and find a way out.” Cirrus knelt. “Get on my back and hang on.”

“Hm!”

She gets on, and Cirrus takes off.

Cirrus cuts a swath through the fighting armies as if it were nothing.

“I thought they were tough."

“You are a level 9—well, technically now 10. These people are like toddlers compared to you.”

“Yeah, I expected too much.”

As he fought his way through, he felt two sharp attacks coming.

“(Sing).”

A pulse of electricity covered the battlefield, and as the two attacks came for the kill, they were stopped abruptly.

Fwhoosh!!!

A blast of air breezed through the armies from the force of their attacks.

“Huh!? A god!?” shouted a familiar-looking, brown-haired female Pallum.

“What!" shouted a familiar-looking, blonde-haired male Pallum.

Cirrus looks to see two Pallums. He recognized both of them by their voices and hair.

“Lili? Finn?”

“Hm?”

“How do you know my name!?” Finn shouted.

“My name is not Lili; it is Fianna.” Said Fianna.

They both were wearing knightly armor and using magnificent spears, but they were both wearing the same visor.

“Oh, it would seem you found their past incarnations,” Vesta said.

“I-is that a goddess!!” Finn shouted.

“Everyone hold!! A god and goddess are here!!" Fianna shouted.

“!!”

Suddenly, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Cirrus and Vesta.

“Oh. As expected from the heroes Athena picked, Cirrus.”

Cirrus knelt and Vesta got off.

“It is an honor to meet you, Lord Cirrus and goddess! Um, not to be rude, but who are you?” said Fianna.

“I am Vesta. I am the aspect of flame from the goddess Hestia.”

“I see… and who is this god?” Finn looked at Cirrus. “I never saw a god quiet like you."

“He is not a god but a new soul that came to heaven from Artemis’s domain.”

“!!!” Immediately everyone was greatly intrigued by Cirrus, but even more so that he wasn’t a god yet gave off a weaker yet similar aura to one.

“T-truly!? But he is a man! And his aura! It is likened to a god!” said Fianna.

“I am sure. He even married Artemis, and the last part is harder to explain.”

“So don’t ask us; we are busy—"

“UUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Every man roared in impressiveness. Applause for the man who claimed one of Heaven’s famous virgin goddesses.

“…Sure, just cut me off.”

“I feel like that is gonna happen a lot,” Cirrus whispered over to Vesta.

“Hah… Heroes and their virgin brides.” Vesta said, disappointed.

“Well, they are ancient heroes. Can’t really expect one to get out of that medieval view.”

“What is your name?” Fianna asked.

“I am Cirrus Zephyr.” He nods. “Can I ask for yours? A formal introduction, if you would.”

“Not at all. I am Fianna, Captain of the Fianna Knights.” She gave a regal bow.

“Oh, your Fianna, huh?”

“Yes. And this is my half-brother. Dim.” She puts her hand on Finn.

“It’s Finn!! I long dropped that name!"

“Ah… I see.”

Cirrus could see why Finn found Lili so noteworthy.

“See what?” Finn said. “And why did you sound more impressed by Fianna than me?”

“Well, because I now understand that story. Back on Gekai, your legend, Fianna, made you a god to the Pallums. They all saw you as the Goddess of the Pallums.”

“Truly!!” Fianna said it with a big, happy smile. “I did not think my actions would have warranted that level of fame!”

“Yes, but it was your brother here who further added to your legend and helped create the city in which I was born. Orario, the Labyrinth city.”

“They built a city on that giant hole!?!?” Everyone was surprised.

“They did. It was a lot easier when the gods came down.”

“Do not act surprised, all of you!" Finn shouted. “Come on! We were informed of this years ago!”

“But still, are you not happy to be reminded of the deed you done?” Fianna looked at her brother.

“I am just... Hah… Our efforts were not in vain then. Lazar and Felis sure took advantage of it and made the deaths of that day worth something,” Finn said, pleased with what he sacrificed and accomplished.

“Say, um, do you know where we can leave?” Cirrus asked.

“…About that.”

Finn explained that to get to the next domain, he would need to defeat all the armies.

“Why!! Why is that a thing that is required?" Cirrus was frustrated. “Why can’t it just be easy?"

“Lady Athena didn’t want her opponent to just run away.”

“God fucking dammit! Alright, fine then! I’ll just beat them all.”

“Hold!” Fianna said. “Your magic may be powerful, but there are others who can kill you.”

Cirrus and Vesta looked at her, trying to hold back their laughter.

“…PFFFT! Hahahahaha!!” Cirrus laughed out loud. “Vesta, did you hear that!! Ahahahahah!!!!”

“I am serious,” Fianna said, peeved.

“And he is serious as well.” Vesta stepped in, keeping a composed face. “You are face to face with the current era’s strongest hero.”

“There is always one who says that,” Finn said.

“Oh?” Vesta said. “Then why not prove him wrong? Gather everyone. Cirrus will face them all.”

“Sure thing,” Finn said with a grin. “It’s your humiliation. Men!! Move out!!”

“Hoh!! Hoh!! Hoh!!” They chanted, clanging their weapons upon their shields and stomping on the earth as they marched away.

Cirrus was impressed. At the drop of the word, everyone stopped and got a move on. Even those who were killed were brought back to life as if they had tripped over a rock.

He watched as they all got up and left.

"Say, Vesta, how much can you do with a domain?”

“Anything you wish. It seems that in her domain, after a battle ends, everyone who was killed is brought back to life. All injuries are repaired.

“Interesting. Shame you can’t turn into a weapon.”

“It is not like you need one. Your magic alone is enough.”

“Hmm… Thank you for the trust.”

They waited for about three hours before they could see a massive army coming at him on horseback. Leading the army was a boy who looked like Bell.

While the army stopped, the leaders of the armies came to greet Cirrus.

“So you are the newcomer, huh?” said a dwarf who looked like Gareth.

“Hmph. He looks weaker than my love.” Said an Amazoness who looks like Tione, who is really close to Finn.

“Eh? Are you sure you wanna do this?” said a werewolf who looked like Bete. “You’re sure you’re not going to regret this?”

“Haha!! And they call me a fool!!” said the one who looked like Bell.

“Hmm… What are your names?” Cirrus looked at the Bell lookalike.

“I am the great Argonaut! The Hero of Beginnings!!” He said it with such pride and confidence.

“…Geh. Can you like not talk? You're kind of spoiling a friend's appearance.” Cirrus said, displeased by the famed Argonaut’s appearance and speech.

“I must agree as well,” Vesta said, agreeing with Cirrus.

“I thought you would be overcome with my appearance! Me!! Argonaut!!” He looked around as if someone would back him up, but no one did. “My fame stretches far and wide! All love me!”

"Um, no, actually, I liked Epimetheus more than you.”

“Even after you killed him?” Argonaut said with some venom.

“…. What?” Everyone said.

All the gathered heroes freeze at their conversation.

“Yup. He was way cooler." Cirrus said it with even more confidence. “Wait, how did you know I killed him?”

“Y-you killed the great hero Epimetheus!?!?” they all shouted.

“You’re not gonna—I don’t care.” Cirrus didn’t care; he knew that he just needed to get out of Athena’s domain. “Yeah, he lived up to 3000 years old, and then he got corrupted by the Primordial Flame from all of humanity's malice or something. I mean, that’s how my soul became like a half-god and how I died, but that was later.”

“Ooh!!” Coming up to him was an elf who looked like Ryuu. “I wish to hear your story, o’ demigod!"

Cirrus looked at the elf that approached him. She bore a great resemblance to Ryuu, with a far kinder, free-spirited expression. Her clothes were light and breathable, with a feathered hat that reminded Cirrus of Hermes' hat. In her arms was a wooden lyre of exquisite construction.

“…Ryuu?” Cirrus tilts his head a bit, looking at her.

“Hm? My name is Ryuulu, but I am sure you may know my work as Wishe. You seem to have mistaken me for someone else."

"Yeah, I think—wait what? Your Wishe!? One of the Three Great Poets!?”

“That I am! So—"

Argonaut interrupts.

"Hey, I was a poet! Me and my sister, Feena, would go around and spread stories! We even went to get Epimetheus's help for the battle Finn died in!" Argonaut shouted.

"Well, no. I think you're just saying stuff, so I would like you." Cirrus retorted.

"But it's true!! I went by the name Jason!"

"Oh, it's not Iason? Hm. Guess your name sort of just got changed throughout the generations."

"Ahhh!! Come on!! You have to—"

"As I was saying." Ryuulu cuts him off. "So, Cirrus Zephyr, who do I remind you of?” She approached him a bit more. “Is it one of my descendants?”

“Um, yeah, I think so. I married her.”

“Oh? Are they from Ryumilua Forest? Or possibly the Wishe Forest! One of my children created it when they left!”

“They are from the Ryumilua Forest.”

“Oh, then they are my descendants! It’s nice to meet you, my great-great-great-great-grandson-in-law!”

“Heh!?!?” Everyone said.

Present day.

“Ehhh!!!” Ryuu said back in the present. “M-my ancestor was Ryuulu!? A-and she was also Wishe!? One of the three great poets!!”

“Oh, that yeah. I should mention that she was your past life. So… Yeah, Bell’s past life was Argonaut, while Finn and Lili’s were Finn and Fianna.”

“Ooh… That explains a bit about Bell.” Said Ai.

“And why Tione is so obsessed with Finn.” Said Artemis.

“Keep going, Cirrus,” Malion said.

Back to the story.

“Hm! Hm! I see! I am thrilled to have a mighty and awe-looking grandson-in-law like you!” She said this while riding her horse behind him. “I shall watch you fight with Lady Vesta and see how you hold your own!!”

“Sure thing. I would rather not fight family. Say this is everyone, right?”

Cirrus looked out at a sea of warriors.

“Are you still not satisfied with this?” Argonaut said.

“…No. I expected more.” Cirrus walked forward. “But do give me everything you have. I will show you no mercy. (Sing)!!!!”

CRACK!!!!

A thunderous fortress of thunder enveloped Cirrus.

“Hoh-hoh…” Garm said, sweating a bit. “What say you, Clown?”

They all looked at Argonaut as he was shaking.

“I-I-I-I c-c-c-can do that too!! C-come Sword of Thunder! Show him you are stronger!!!” He held his sword up.

Crack!!!

The sword crackled with thunder, but it still paled in comparison with Cirrus.

“Hmmm… I like that sword. (Sing)!!” Cirrus held out his hand, where his magic circle formed.

“!?”

Argonaut could feel the sword being pulled.

“Geh!? W-what’s going on!? What are you doing!?” Argonaut said, trying to keep his weapon from leaving his hand.

“It’s mine now,” Cirrus said as he pulled his arm back.

Swish~

They pried Sword of Thunder from Argonaut’s hands.

“Ah!”

“Oh, no.” Everyone said.

Grab!

“Ahh~,” Cirrus said, admiring the blade. “Jupiter is your name, huh? One of Zeus’s spirits? A clone you might be, but I will make you shine! (Sing) along and join my hymn!"

CRACKLE!!!!!! CRACKLE!!!!!! CRACKLE!!!!!!

CRACKLE!!!!!! CRACKLE!!!!!! CRACKLE!!!!!!

Even more, thunder danced across him and formed dense armor.

“Great job, clown.” Said Elmina, the ancient hero who looked like Tione. “You strengthened him.”

"It seems we all will face death today,” Fianna said.

“Then let us go all out.” Finn removed his visor. “And have fun!" His eyes turned to a spiraling red as he charged forth.

“Hm!! Lets!!” Fianna did the same as they both charged forth into the Calamity of Thunder.

“Come on!” shouted Yuri, Beta’s ancestor and past life. “We can’t let those Pallum take the glory!"

“UOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!”

“Hey~” Cirrus could see Finn and Fianna’s red eyes spiraling. “I have that too.” His emerald eyes spiraled as he grinned. “COME!!! SHOW ME THE MIGHT OF THE AGE OF HEROES!!! COME MY PREDECESSORS!!!!”