Danmachi: In Freya Familia with Bleach System

8. Rescue. Part 3

It took a young boy a whole 10 minutes to carefully check all the rooms on the uppermost floor of the underground base.

In those dark rooms with heavy iron doors, numerous corpses of young children and a few survivors have been found.

His absolute worst fear came true - he chose the wrong direction.

Out of the remaining children who were still alive, none were even anything close to the girl he was looking for.

A strange feeling rose in his heart - as if he had killed Alfia with his own hands.

His own decision... changed the whole life trajectory of an innocent girl.

Nonetheless, he knew that he could blame himself later. He needed to keep searching for her, for he would never forgive himself if he would later learn that Alfia was still alive.

That's why after returning to the staircase leading down, he briefly took one last look across the dim corridor and started descending with a strong premonition...

***

Heartbreaking cries have been heard from the room on the third floor underground somewhere in the Port Melen area.

A completely defenseless, silver-haired 7-year-old girl was tied to a wooden cross.

"—Please..! *Sob* Don't do this...!" she pleaded with the people surrounding her, knowing that something horrible would happen soon.

Six strong men stood in a circle around the white ceramic bowl with strange symbols engraved on it - a bowl that would later be used for collecting the blood from the girl's wrists.

The leader of the upcoming ceremony, who wore a strange feathered hat on his head, held an old-looking, strange-patterned black knife.

"With the mistress satisfied, we can finally take every drop of blood left for ourselves," one of the subordinates impatiently chortled, licking his cracked and dry lips.

Their expressions shifted into anticipatory smiles before the leader's righteous and inspiring words forced them to start obediently praying along.

"Today, we dedicate this sacrifice to the future of this world. Let the world be free of sins and let everyone find their true happiness."

"*Sob* *Sob*" a girl only cried in despair, her eyes closed due to the fear of the strange men in front of her.

"Let the healthy young blood of this child be filled with love and care that we all lack in this world... Let the tears flow freely, for those who would drink the tears of an innocent child would be absolved of all their sins... We know that no one is perfect, but we all must strive for a happy world - free of everything evil and full of love and care, where our loved ones protect and cherish us... Amen."

"Amen." "Amen." "Amen." "Amen." "Amen."

A single swing of the cold blade and then...

***

An intense rain, a tall-grass field, a very cloudy sky, and a warm wind - a strange combination perfect for battle was observed by Freya's followers this evening.

On the way to their destination near the Port Melen, Freya Familia's elites have finally caught up with whoever they were chasing.

They didn't know what purpose the other group of adventurers had.

They didn't know if they were their real target.

However, they didn't have to know that since the leading group started attacking them first.