The flames raged on all sides, buildings collapsing under their own scorched weight. Screams pierced the air without pause.
It was obvious what Hermes had been doing, guiding civilians and gathering intelligence without the use of divine power, relying solely on mortal means.
Astraea nodded slightly, recognizing the effort. "Then, like me, Hermes, you should continue helping the children and saving lives."
"Please, spare me. I'll have to respectfully decline such a role."
Despite his jesting tone, Hermes's sharp gaze revealed his genuine concern. "Unfortunately, all my children are already out on the field. Right now, even if two powerless gods and one child got caught in the flames, hardly anyone would notice."
"The truth is, no familia in Orario had spare strength left. Adventurers were all engaged in fighting Evilus. The few non-combatants were working with the Guild, fully occupied guiding evacuations."
"The Miach and Dian Cecht familia were emptying their reserves to treat the wounded."
"Aside from you and me, the other major gods have followed the rules and stayed on their designated evacuation routes."
"And yet here you are, walking straight into the heart of the white-hot battlefield."
Compared to Hermes, who was at least gathering intelligence under cover, Astraea's approach was dangerously blatant. It was precisely because he couldn't stand seeing the goddess of justice throw herself into such peril that Hermes stepped forward to intercept her.
"Haha, it seems your children aren't worried about you, Hermes?" Astraea replied with light laughter, still striding forward.
And then, she added softly, "My child will not allow me to be harmed."
Seeing that persuasion was futile, Lili could only sigh and follow, her face twisted in unease.
From behind, Hermes' eyes narrowed. Even with his divine power sealed, his sight was keen enough to notice faint wisps of blood-red energy drifting in the air around Astraea, exuding a quiet, chilling bloodlust.
"So that's where her confidence comes from." He murmured inwardly.
'Morning Star, so you had this kind of power as well?'
After a few moments of thought, with no answers forthcoming, Hermes gave up and hurried to catch up with them.
Meanwhile, high above—
On the top floor of the Tower of Babel, the central pillar of Orario, Freya stood before a seamless wall of glass, the chair behind her left vacant. Her silver hair framed a face of ethereal beauty as she gazed down upon the burning city.
"We lacked the strength to resist and were forced into reacting. The entire city was already set with traps. There was no way to stop this."
Freya's amethyst eyes reflected the distant carnage—children collapsing one by one upon the stone road, adventurers driven back and struck down by enemy blades.
Upon her flawless face, usually a mask of divine indifference, there formed the faintest crease of an elegant frown. Freya, the Goddess of Beauty, rarely revealed her emotions. Now, displeasure shimmered openly in those regal eyes.
She thought, her gaze unblinking, 'If I were to intervene directly…If I were to unleash Charm, the children of Evilus would be stripped of their fighting spirit in an instant. The battle would collapse into victory.'
Yet even as the thought crossed her mind, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, her voice falling into a soft murmur to herself.
"This formation… it is a warning, a snare meant for the Goddess of Beauty herself. They are waiting for me to step beyond the battlefield's safety. And even if they must perish alongside me, they will ensure I am sent back to heaven."
From her vantage point in the upper reaches of the Tower of Babel, Freya overlooked the high ground near the Central Square. There, a group of armed evilus soldiers lingered in strategic positions, their movements revealing an unnatural vigilance toward the tower. It was, beyond question, an assassination unit.
They waited for the moment she descended, ready to "send her home" the instant she left. Whether by a sniper's bolt, a hidden explosive, or a suicide attacker's embrace of death, the method did not matter.
Mortal adventurers might hesitate to kill a god, their morality binding their hands. But the evil gods had no such restraints, and they would happily act as executioners in the mortals' stead.
And perhaps the leader of this ambush sensed her distant, watchful gaze, for among the enemy a garishly painted goddess turned her head, lips curling upward before she raised her middle finger mockingly toward the tower.
Freya's only response was an unflinching, frigid stare before she turned her eyes away.
From this height, her divine sight spanned much of the battlefield. Within the sweep of her vision, three separate teams could be seen moving across the rooftops. Others, she suspected, lurked unseen within shadowed buildings or the nearby woods.
Meanwhile, Orario's adventurers were fully engaged in brutal alleyway clashes spilling from the main streets, their focus consumed by the desperate street fighting. None had the freedom to deal with the hidden assassins lying in wait.
It was clear that Freya, with her rare ability to suppress and sway this, had been placed under the highest enemy alert. Her elimination ranked above all else. And so, in this moment, she had no choice but to accept the mantle of caution, even if it meant appearing the coward.
Clatter.
The sudden sound of footsteps upon the window ledge made Freya's brow crease sharply.
An assassin?
A hand gripped the window frame, and Akira vaulted into the room. His boots touched the floor with quiet certainty. He smiled, lifted a hand in greeting, and spoke in a voice light with familiarity.
"Good evening, Freya-sama's."
"Oh… good evening, Morning Star."
At the sight of him, the tension that had strung her posture taut eased, though she did not allow her elegance to falter. "Orario is in chaos, and yet you come here. Why?"
In her mind, she dismissed the possibility that Astraea's child would ever harm her. She offered him a gentle, knowing smile, unfazed by his abrupt intrusion.
"The situation is urgent." Akira said, clasping his hands together in a mock-plea. "Could I borrow your room?"
Her silver brows lifted in mild surprise. "My room?"
With a thoughtful tilt of her head, she set the back of her hand to her chin, the other arm curling gracefully around her waist. "Why would you need that?"
Freya stood before Akira in a dark crimson gown that bared expanses of smooth, delicate skin, its cut perfectly framing the lines of her figure.
"That's no problem." She continued, fingertips idly twining a strand of her silver hair.
Her amethyst eyes gleamed with curiosity as she asked, "But Morning Star, what exactly do you intend to do with my room?"
She stepped forward, the air filling with the intoxicating scent of roses. "I'm… very curious."
Akira answered without hesitation, "It's to help everyone, of course."
Freya's lips curved into a slow, meaningful smile. She lifted one slender hand, reaching as though to lay her fingers upon his chest.
Akira stepped back, evading the touch, but she only smiled, unfazed. "So it's true. Then I will watch and see for myself."
Her tone shifted with playful warning. "But first, one condition. My children love me deeply. If they find you here, I will be unable to stop myself from causing trouble for you."
"Fine." Akira replied, nodding. "As long as it's nothing excessive."
Inwardly, he reasoned that for Astraea's sake, Freya would not demand anything that might make him forsake his loyalty. Likely she would simply probe him with questions.
"Good boy."
She took another step forward, hand poised to ruffle his hair.
Akira moved aside instantly and said flatly, "If you touch me, that's your condition."
Without further acknowledgment, he turned toward the window, toward the burning city beyond.
"Let me cool you down."
(End of Chapter)
New Book
Marvel: Infinite Stat Points
Transmigrating to Marvel, Lucas awakens two talents.
[Energy Absorption: Can absorb any energy and convert it into lifespan.]
[Stat Transfer: Lifespan can be converted into Physique, Perception, and Spirit.]
Additionally, every time all stats are maxed out, he can choose to upgrade to the next rank.
From an ordinary person to an extraordinary person, then a God and...
So, the quest for energy begins and he negotiates (blackmails) energy from Dimensional Lords.