Chapter 429: Ancient Monster, Antares  

"Wait, Hestia, are you in love with one of your Familia members?" 

Artemis suddenly realized something about her old friend. She remembered that Hestia was one of the three virgin goddes

ses in the heavens, famously rejecting all of Apollo's persistent marriage proposals. How could someone like her fall for a human? 

"No way! Hestia, you're actually in love with someone?" Artemis exclaimed, her tone filled with surprise. "I thought you'd never fall for anyone!" 

Her reaction was natural—Artemis hadn't gone through any of the experiences that might challenge her divine ideals. She still adhered to her heavenly principles, safeguarding chastity and purity while staunchly opposing marriage. 

Alexander, standing nearby, sighed helplessly. He had already said everything he could say. 

Some people just don't know how dangerous the world can be until life teaches them the hard way, he thought. Artemis, with her unshaken confidence, would soon learn the truth after facing what was to come. 

"Artemis-sama, are we heading to the Elsos Ruins now?" 

A red-haired girl, one of Artemis's children, ran over and checked the time. 

"Yes, it's time," Artemis replied with a nod before turning to Hestia. "Don't worry, Hestia. We'll deal with the monster first and then return to entertain you." 

With that, Artemis led her Familia down into the Elsos Ruins. Confidence radiated from her—after all, Antares had once been sealed away by her previous, far stronger Familia. At that time, the Artemis Familia had included incredibly powerful elves, each a formidable adventurer in their own right. 

This was no ordinary ruin but a legendary ancient site, containing monsters sealed away by the ancient elves. 

One of those monsters was Antares. 

Artemis believed that, given Antares' strength had likely waned after countless years of suppression, there was no reason her familia couldn't succeed now. 

Alexander watched as Artemis and her familia descended. Then, he casually grabbed Hestia's hand. 

"Let's follow them, Hestia. It'll be quite the show," Alexander said. "The Artemis Familia is in for a rough time—I wonder just how strong they really are." 

"Huh? Alexander, didn't you set them up?" Hestia asked, confused. 

Alexander gave her a deadpan look. "Do I look like someone who names every random passerby 'Soldier A' and 'Soldier B'?" 

Hestia frowned but couldn't argue. Alexander's bluntness was both amusing and frustrating. 

As they entered the ruins, Hestia watched the Artemis Familia battling the scorpion monsters ahead. Her expression grew grim. Their strength wasn't impressive compared to the dangers they faced. 

The familia consisted mostly of Level 1 and Level 2 adventurers, with only a handful of Level 3s and one leader at Level 4. While they might be a strong mid-tier familia in Orario, they were far from the top-tier level of a group like the Loki Familia. 

The result of their clash with Antares was already clear. 

---

Boom! Boom! 

The sounds of battle echoed through the ruins. Small scorpions, each half the size of a person, swarmed toward the adventurers. Despite their fearsome appearance, the Artemis Familia maintained an orderly battle formation, slowly advancing toward the deepest part of the ruins. 

"See, Hestia? Isn't my familia amazing?" Artemis said proudly, glancing at her friend like a child showing off a prized toy. Her confidence soared with each small victory. 

"Be careful. Antares is no ordinary monster," Hestia warned, her tone serious. But her warning came too late. 

---

Rumble! 

Artemis froze in shock. The small scorpions her familia had been cutting down suddenly began to multiply. Severed bodies decomposed and reformed, with one scorpion turning into two—and the process continued relentlessly. 

More and more of the creatures filled the passageway, creating an endless tide of venomous monsters. 

"Not good! Artemis-sama! These scorpions can reproduce!" one of her children shouted. 

Artemis's heart sank. She couldn't understand what was happening. Antares didn't have this ability in the past! Could it be that its strength had grown over the centuries it was sealed, rather than weakening as she'd assumed? 

Looking back, she realized the escape route was completely blocked by the multiplying scorpions. There was no way out. 

She had only one option left. 

"Stop cutting them down! Magicians, use your magic to clear a path! Head straight for Antares's seal and kill it—once it's destroyed, the rest of these monsters will disappear!" 

With her command, the Artemis Familia braced themselves for a desperate push toward their target.