Artemis walked out of the forest with Icy on her shoulder who had stopped resisting.

However, after arriving out of the forest, Icy saw a light of hope.

"Although you might have me, Flame and Earthy will save me!" Said Icy.

"I really wonder where all that confidence comes from" Said coldly Artemis.

"You left that woman behind with two champions, isn't the result obvious" Said Icy.

"Indeed, it is" Said Artemis.

Icy was confused by the words of Artemis, however, soon, she saw why Artemis said that.

On the ground, two men could be seen lying down.

"Ha… ha… ha" Flame was gasping for air while he tried to recover from his injuries.

"What the hell… is with… this woman…" Said Earthy who also didn't have the strength to move a single finger.

His condition was better than Flame in terms of injuries though.

On the other side, there was also one woman who was sitting on the ground with exhaustion on her face.

"Mom!" Said Artemis.

"Daughter of mine, did you finish your job?" Said Hecate.

"Yes mother, but… are you okay?" Said Artemis with worry.

"It's 1000 years too early for you to worry about me, anyway, I must admit that these heretics are not bad either, they managed to defeat two of my summoning and they are still alive" Said Hecate.

"They aren't at the level of Heracles or Perseus but still, in a few hundred years, they could get at their level" Said Hecate.

"Mother, mortals don't live that long" Said Artemis.

"Oh, what a shame then" Said Hecate.

The trio was confused with mother and daughter's conversation.

"So… that little boyfriend of yours… is he this weak?" Asked Hecate while signaling Flame and Earthy.

Artemis blushed a little.

"Alfonso… of course he isn't this weak!" Said Artemis.

"Ho? Don't deny anymore?" Said Hecate with a smile.

"MOM!" Said Artemis.

"Sorry, about that, however, the level of the men in this land… is quite disappointing!" Said Hecate.

"I am worried about my little girl, that's all" Said Hecate.

"This isn't the place nor the time to talk about that, we have to deal with these guys" Said Artemis.

"What there is to deal will? Let's just kill them off" Said Hecate.

The trio suddenly felt a chill on their spines.

"I agree, however, they still have use" Said Artemis.

"Oh? How?" Asked Hecate.

"Well, there are only a few people who can move three champions and an army of three thousand men in a single night, so… these three will make the person behind them anxious, after all, managing three champions, and elemental champions on top of that, must be quite expensive, if we kill them, the other will not show himself, but if we don't… "

"Oh, daughter of mine, you aren't that stupid after all" Said Hecate.

"…" Artemis didn't say anything.

"Oh yeah, what about that little girl?" Said Hecate.

"Io" Said Artemis.

"Yeah, that little girl, where is she?" Asked Hecate.

..............................................

"This is your end" Said America towards Hephaestus.

However, just as she was about to finish Hephaestus, a figure appeared from behind her.

"!?"

America quickly dogged and a blade passed right at the position where she was a second ago.

"Tsk"

America looked at the figure behind her, it was a small figure wearing black cloth.

"So, you must be the assaying that Alfonso Lockheart had at his side, correct?" Said America.

"How do you know?"

"I have the hobby to know well my enemies before engaging in a fight, naturally, I know Alfonso Lockheart's followers, that includes you" Said America.

"…" Io looked at America for sometime before taking a deep breath.

"You are a danger to my lord; you won't leave this place alive" Said Io with resolution.

America made a bitter smile and adjusted her position.

Both women looked at each other for some seconds.

In an instant!

Io disappear and reappeared a few centimeters away from America!

America reacted fast, she evaded the daggers by rotating her body to the right, she didn't stop there, she used the remaining force on her good arm to lift the sword.

Io put both daggers in front of her stomach, blocking the force of the sword, but, due to the impact, she was sent flying.

"Kuh!" Io was stunned.

America only had one arm and she was already tired due to her fight with Hephaestus but still…

"How is she so strong?" Though Io.

America reincorporated quickly and advanced towards Io at great speed.

"Damn"

*PAM*

*PAM*

*PAM*

Both sword and daggers, collide with each other while the attacks of America became faster and faster!

Io began to fall back while America's frenzy attack began to overwhelm her.

Io disengages and jumped to the back, separating herself from America.

"You are strong" Said Io.

"…" America didn't answer.

"But that's more reason for you to die" Though Io.

"Ugh"

America felt in one knee.

It seemed that she was feeling the aftermaths after passing her limits so many times.

Io took the chance and went forward with all her strength.

"Die!" Shouted Io.

However, just as she was about to get close enough to kill her, her brain and all the cells in her body send an alarm of danger.

"Danger!" Though Io.

She stopped her attacked and fell back, just in time so see a sword slicing part on her front hair.

America spat blood while she looked coldly at Io.

"What the hell is she?" Though Io.

"What kind of champion are you!?" Shouted Io.

"I am not a champion" Answer flatly America.

"…" Io didn't know how to answer.

However, after this small fight with America, she reached a sad but real conclusion.

"I can't beat her"

Io felt frustrated, she hadn't felt so powerless before.

"Little girl… let me help you"

But, just as she was lamenting about her own powerlessness, a voice came from behind her.

Hephaestus, who had recovered his sight, stood at the side of Io.

"…" America looked at Hephaestus and Io.

She turned to look at the battlefield, both sides had suffered loses, but, it was pretty obvious that her army was at the losing side.

She threw her sword and lifted her arm.

"It's my lost" Said America.