BOOM!!!
Panic.
Time rewound to Orario, where the deafening roar had just erupted.
The colossal disturbance plunged the entire city into a brief silence before an uproar exploded across the streets.
"What the hell?"
"It's definitely Evilus!"
Adventurers, hardened by countless past attacks, immediately recognized that this explosion had to be connected to Evilus.
"No time for useless talk—move out now! If it really is Evilus, this might be their final assault!"
"!?"
The warning snapped the adventurers into motion. Without hesitation, they sprinted through the streets toward their respective familias at full speed.
The chaos had not only stunned adventurers and civilians—the Guild, the very pillar maintaining Orario's order, was shaken to its core as well.
In the midst of the confusion following the initial shock, Royman, the Guild's supreme authority, stepped forward to take command.
"Contact the Ganesha Familia immediately. Have them handle the evacuation of civilians as fast as possible. Don't let any civilians remain within the blast zone."
"Guild Head, we might not have enough personnel."
Royman knew that well enough. His corpulent body was usually drenched in sweat, but this time, unlike his usual cautious self, he displayed remarkable composure.
"Maintaining Orario's order is our duty. Send all Guild leaders to assist in guiding civilians. Also, notify the adventurers on the streets—have them protect the people. The Guild will cover all expenses."
He understood perfectly that adventurers wouldn't lift a finger without incentive. So he offered them what they needed—profit.
For now, wealth didn't matter. Stability did.
If Orario fell into chaos, everything else would lose its meaning.
"Additionally, contact the Freya Familia, Loki Familia, Hephaestus Familia, and Hermes Familia. Tell them to mobilize at once. We must ensure Evilus doesn't cause large-scale casualties in Orario."
"Yes!"
Every Guild receptionist and agent immediately mobilized.
It wasn't just the Guild. Almost every Familia across Orario realized at once that Evilus had launched a surprise attack. The moment they felt the tremors, they began to move.
Though most familias had taken action, they still didn't fully grasp the situation. All they could do for the moment was gather their members at their home bases and wait for further developments before deciding on their next moves.
Yet, some familias that had long been prepared were already on the move.
The Ganesha Familia was one of them.
Ganesha himself had already rushed to the evacuation command site.
The explosion zone had been reduced to near-total ruin. Severed limbs were scattered across the ground.
The sight pierced Ganesha's heart.
He had always treated the civilians of Orario as his own children, and now rage boiled within him.
His fists clenched tightly as hatred for Evilus surged in his chest.
"ROAR!!!"
That familiar roar made Ganesha's expression harden. Following the sound, he saw several monsters already crawling out from cracks in the ground.
"Shakti! Have everyone ranked level three or higher hold the monsters back from emerging! The rest of you—evacuate the surviving civilians immediately!"
"Yes!"
The number of monsters pouring out from the fissures continued to grow. Fortunately, they were only low-tier creatures from the first and second levels. Their numbers were high, but Ganesha Familia was no pushover—these creatures couldn't stop them.
"We must keep this under control…"
Ganesha's entire body trembled with fury.
He and the Guild under Ouranos had spent years working to erase the civilians' fear of monsters. It was meant to be a safeguard—to prevent panic and unnecessary consequences when the 'Xenos' eventually appeared.
But if hordes of monsters were now flooding out of fissures across the surface, all that effort would be lost in an instant.
Whether that was good or bad fortune was unclear, but the civilians living in this area had already been devastated by the explosion. Some had been knocked unconscious. Others, less fortunate, especially those living nearby, were the likely owners of the severed limbs strewn across the ruins.
And because so many civilians had died in the blast, no one was left alive to witness the monsters emerging from the ground.
If he could help it, Ganesha wished he didn't have to see this hellish scene himself.
...
At the same time, the Loki Familia had also begun to gather.
Standing by the staircase on the second floor, Loki stared down at the children assembling below, fury burning in her eyes.
"Everyone knows what just happened in Orario, right?"
"Oh!"
The members of the Loki Familia below all understood what had just occurred.
Loki could barely suppress the murderous intent flickering in her eyes.
"Those bastards have made their move—and they've chosen the most brutal method possible."
"Finn!"
"Yes."
Finn stepped forward at the sound of his name.
"You're in charge of supporting the Ganesha Familia. The blast zone is going to be far worse than expected. There may be special circumstances, so use your own judgment. Also, if any monsters from below appear, keep it a secret."
"Understood?"
Finn immediately understood Loki's intent—no matter what happened, the matter concerning the 'Xenos' must not be exposed.
"Understood."
"Good! Move out at once!"
...
At the same time, similar orders were being issued within the Freya Familia.
Freya stood silently before the floor-to-ceiling windows, her gaze cold as she looked toward the explosion site.
Through the Goddess's Eyes, she could clearly see countless souls wailing in anguish. The civilians in that area had already perished in the blast.
The sight left the goddess in a foul mood.
"Ottar, take your team and support Ganesha."
Kneeling on one knee, Ottar could clearly feel the displeasure radiating from his goddess.
"Yes."
The gods of Orario had all begun to act. There was no mistaking it—this was Evilus's most blatant provocation yet.
And in that moment, all the gods of Orario realized one undeniable truth.
The war had officially begun.
...
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