Danmachi: My Adventure With a High Fairy Queen, Vol. 1

Dark Times Ahead

The torchlight flickered off the damp, stone walls of the cavernous chamber deep within Medusa's lair of Cor Vilgium, casting eerie shadows that danced and writhed like living things.

In the center of the chamber atop a raised dais stood Medusa herself, her face illuminated by the flickering flames of the torches, her serpentine hair writhing and coiling around her head like a crown of vipers. She paced back and forth, her jaw set with determination as she plotted her next move against the gods and their followers in Orario.

Her eyes glowed an unearthly yellow as she surveyed the scene before her, a cruel smile playing across her lips.

Below her, a vast army of Gorgon-Spawn seethed and roiled, their snake-like bodies twisting and undulating in a grotesque dance. They hissed and spat, their forked tongues flicking out to taste the air as they waited impatiently for their orders.

These were the new generation of Gorgon-Spawn, the ones raised for the imminent invasion of the surface. Each one had been outfitted with a suit of armor, their serpentine forms encased in metal and leather. The suits gave them arms and legs, allowing them to stand upright and wield weapons with deadly precision.

Medusa watched with satisfaction as her minions were fitted with their new armor, their bodies twisting and contorting as they adjusted to the unfamiliar sensations. Some stumbled and fell, their new limbs flailing awkwardly, but others took to the suits like they were born to wear them.

"Soon, the surface-dwellers will learn that quantity alone is also quality." She grinned wickedly as she stroked one of her serpents with her long, sharp nails. "The power of the gods is faltering, I will return them to the heavens, where they belong. The age of Gods will close, and the age of Medusa is only just beginning."

She turned to her chief engineer, a twisted, hunched creature with bulging eyes and a mouth full of needle-sharp teeth. "How many more suits do we have?" she demanded, her voice sharp and commanding.

The creature cowered before her, its voice a rasping whisper. "Thousands. Tens of thousands Hundreds of thousands. Production has been through the roof since you took over the monsters in the dungeon."

Medusa nodded, her eyes gleaming with malicious intent. "Good. See that it is done quickly. I want my invasion fleet to be able to strike at a moment's notice."

The creature bowed low, its body trembling with fear and excitement. "As you command, mistress, so it shall be."

As Medusa turned back to survey her army, she couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation. Soon, she would unleash her horde upon the unsuspecting world above, and nothing would be able to stop her.

***

At Babel, the gods and goddesses of Orario gathered in a tense meeting, their faces grim and their voices low. Fels, representing the eldest of the gods, Ouranus, stood at the head of the table, his black robe billowing dramatically as he paced back and forth. News had reached the surface that Medusa was consolidating an invasion fleet, an armada, to attack the surface.

"We cannot allow this to happen," he said, his voice echoing through the hall. "If Medusa's fleet is allowed to reach the surface, it will be the end of Orario as we know it."

Hephaestus, her fiery hair blazing in the torchlight, slammed her fist on the table. "We must act now," she growled, her voice thick with anger. "We cannot sit idly by while that monster threatens our city."

Takemikazuchi leaned forward in his seat, his brows furrowed in concern. "It won't be easy. Fewer adventurers will return than we'll send."

"And then there is the matter of her weapons," Hermes chimed in, his normally cheerful demeanor replaced by a grave expression. "They have no equal in Orario. If we are to stand a chance against them, we must find a way to match their power."