This chapter was quite difficult to write; I think I hit a bit of a creative block. I feel like it was rather rushed and abrupt—even though this was my original idea—so apologies in advance if the quality isn't the best.
//
The Cernunnos Familia was one of the countless average, middle-tier Familias in Orario. Their patron god was far from being one of the brightest minds in the city and he possessed no remarkably special traits, except for his exceptional skill in taming wild animals.
After several years of struggling to raise his Familia to the glory of the top with absolutely no success, he had finally found his golden opportunity today. All he needed to do was press his bloody hand against the bare back of a defenseless mortal. How difficult could that possibly be?
"Let's move fast before Loki or Freya show up! Their Familias are far too massive to move quickly through the city streets!" Cernunnos shouted as he ran, breathing hard.
"Yes, Cernunnos-sama!" the members of his Familia replied in unison.
Cernunnos smiled as he glanced back at his children running right behind him. They weren't many, nor were they exceptionally strong, but he was blindly confident that he would succeed. He would be the first to arrive. After all, his Familia's home was located just a few blocks away from the grand prize.
Lost in his own grandiose dreams, the god sprinted ahead and took a sharp turn at the next intersection. But before he could take another single step, he practically crashed face-first into another deity leading a large group of mortals right behind her.
"Cernunnos?!"
"Oura-San?!"
The two deities shouted in utter shock, halting dead in their tracks right in front of each other. Their respective Familias instantly stopped behind them, weapons drawing automatically as a tense, suffocating atmosphere immediately filled the narrow street.
"What are you doing in this sector, Oura-San? You're far from your territory." Cernunnos hissed, stepping left to block her path.
Oura-San didn't back down. She narrowed her eyes, a sharp, cynical smile forming on her lips.
"Oh, please, Cernunnos. Don't play the fool with me," Oura-San replied mockingly. "We were all together at Babel. We know why you're here. The Golden Boy~"
"And what if I am?" Cernunnos countered, taking a threatening step forward. "I was here first. This is my prize by right of proximity."
"First-come means nothing in Orario, you childish fool," Oura-San snapped back, her polite facade cracking. "Your children can barely handle the tenth floor without crying for a potion. What would a weak god like you do with a boy who rivals a Level 6? You have no idea how to handle that kind of power."
"Watch your mouth, weaver!" Cernunnos roared, his face flushing crimson. "My children know how to fight. That boy is a wild card. He needs a real leader, not a fragile goddess who stays locked inside her shop all day!"
"A leader?! Hahaha!" Oura-San laughed venomously. "You don't care about leadership! You just want a powerful tool! My Familia can fund his expeditions and give him political backing. We offer stability. You just want to exploit him!"
"You offer a gilded cage! You're desperate because your Familia hasn't produced a Level 3 in years! You want to piggyback on his talent to save your failing name!"
"And you're a beggar playing king!" Oura-San screamed, completely losing her patience. She raised her hand to her vanguard. "Get out of my way, Cernunnos. Or my children will dye this street red."
Schwing!
The sound of drawing steel echoed loudly. The tension reached its absolute boiling point, the two middle-tier Familias were centimeters away from a gang war, blinded by the promise of ultimate power.
But what none of the knew was that, high above, a slender figure silently watched the brewing violence from behind a soot-stained chimney.
Blending into the dark brickwork, Loki watched the battle below with narrowed amber eyes. Her knowing smirk proved the conflict was unfolding exactly as planned.
Stepping back from the edge, Loki shifted her gaze toward the distant roofs. Noticing a dozen of blurs leaping across the tiles.
Then without a sound, her body suddenly dissolved into a fine, swirling cloud of dust, disappearing into the wind without a trace.
Meanwhile across Orario, identical scenes of unexpected madness were breaking out in almost every district. Supposed competitors who had set out with the exact same goal of capturing Luki were suddenly crossing paths and engaging in brutal, spontaneous skirmishes.
In a way, It was entirely logical to try and eliminate the competition, yet a strange, unnatural wave of short-sighted rage seemed to possess everyone. Blinded by immediate grudges, entire Familias completely forgot their original target, entirely oblivious to the fact that the true enemy wasn't the one standing right in front of them.
...
"There, I did my best," Loki said, her usual playful tone replaced by a sharp seriousness. "That should buy us a few minutes. Get ready."
Out on the street in front of the Hostess of Fertility, a massive gathering of adventurers had formed, consisting exclusively of Loki Familia members. In the center of the crowd, some people were carefully securing the sleeping Luki onto Ryuu's back. Both of them were already clad in matching, heavy dark overcoats.
But they weren't the only ones. Scattered throughout the crowd, multiple pairs of adventurers were replicating the exact same setup. Each designated runner hoisted a comrade onto their back, tossing identical dark overcoats over themselves until they all looked indistinguishable from one another.
"Thank you, Loki-sama," Finn said, giving a firm nod of gratitude to his goddess. He then spun on his heel to face the crowd, his voice carrying the absolute authority of a captain. "You all know the plan. Every group splits into a different direction. Draw attention naturally. Do not engage in unnecessary combat. If you are cornered, you may reveal the ruse and fight back, but prioritize your safety and buy us as much time as possible."
"Yes, Captain!" the massive crowd roared in unison.
Immediately, the grand force fractured into dozens of smaller cells. They scattered like shadows, some sprinting down the main streets, others slipping into narrow alleyways, and the most agile leaping directly onto the rooftops—each group escorting their own identical, overcoat-wearing decoy into the night.
"I hope you know what you're doing, red brat," Mia Grand grumbled, watching the chaotic street with deep frustration. "Because if anything happens to that boy, I'm holding you responsible."
Loki turned to her, the carefree facade entirely gone as her eyes narrowed. "Don't you worry, Miss Mia. If anyone touches a single hair on that kid's head, I'll personally tear them apart." A cold, ominous glint flashed behind her gaze, making it clear she wasn't joking.
Without another word, Loki snapped her fingers. Instantly, magic enveloped the primary group—composed of the goddess herself, a few key executives and Ryuu carrying Luki. In the blink of an eye, they turned completely invisible, vanishing into thin air.
Mia watched the empty space where they had just stood and sighed heavily. She hated not being able to protect Luki herself, but her practical mind knew this stealthy retreat was their best alternative.
"What do we do now?" Anya asked, stepping closer to her boss with ears twitching. "With Luki safe with them, there's no reason for us to worry, right?"
"No," Mia replied sharply. "We know he's safe, but the rest of Orario doesn't. We have to keep up appearances. If any gods or scouts show up, you keep acting like we're still hiding him inside. Besides, Lili still sleeping up there."
"Well, I don't think we'll have to wait very long for that," Chloe interrupted, her voice dropping as she pointed toward the rooftop of the building directly across the street.
VUSH!
A dozen figures leaped onto the rooftops under the bright afternoon sun, their polished metal armor clinking as they surrounded the Hostess of Fertility. The pub girls instantly recognized the vanguard leading them—Hyakinthos Clio, the level 3 captain of the Apollo Familia.
Speaking of the devil, stepping to the edge of the roof, his shadow casting down upon them, was the god himself.
Apollo stood tall, dressed in overly flamboyant, golden-trimmed white robes that practically screamed vanity. His scarlet-red hair was meticulously styled under a green laurel wreath, and a smug, narcissistic grin stretched across his face, radiating the aura of a cheap, fifth-rate villain.
He slowly clapped his hands together, his laughter echoing down the street.
"My, my, what do we have here?" Apollo jeered, looking down at the pub staff with mocking amusement. "Look at you all, standing guard like loyal little guard dogs. Too bad you're already too late!"
"Get the hell off, before I break your shiny legs, you red-headed freak," Mia barked, her hand already tightening around her butcher knife.
Apollo didn't even flinch, his smile widening as he dramatically spread his arms toward the sky.
"Oh, yell all you want, mortal! Fortune favors the swift! The pathetic Hestia is gone, sent packing straight back to heaven, and her precious little monster is ripe for the taking. A level 1 brat capable of crushing level 6 elites? A true king-maker! All it takes is a single drop of my divine blood on his back, and the keys to ruling Orario will belong to me! The entire world will bow to the—"
VUSH!
Apollo's grand declaration was abruptly cut short as a butcher cleaver ripped through the air, spinning with terrifying velocity directly toward his face.
Before the blade could split the god's skull, Hyakinthos blurred forward, drawing his sword just in time. Clang! The impact generated a shower of sparks, jarring the captain's arms as he barely managed to deflect the heavy iron weapon into the pavement.
Despite being unharmed, Apollo let out a high-pitched, pathetic shriek. He stumbled backward over his own flamboyant robes and hit the roof tiles hard, falling flat on his ass. His face drained of color, his hands shaking as he gripped his laurel wreath in sheer terror.
"Shut your damn mouth," Mia rumbled, dusting off her hands as she glared up at the trembling god. "Your voice is ruining my ears."
"Pfft~ hahaha!" Anya burst out laughing, pointing an accusatory dagger at the roof. "Look at the mighty sun god, nya! Scared of a little kitchen utensil!"
"How dare you!" Apollo shrieked, his terror instantly morphing into an ugly, outraged fury. His face turned as red as his hair.
"Insolent wretches! Idiots! Attack them! Destroy this disgusting tavern! Slaughter these aggressive waitresses and bring me the boy!"
The Apollo Familia surged forward, but it was an absolute massacre.
Mia's girls—all elite Level 4 adventurers—welcomed them with brutal efficiency. Lunoire's fists broke armor with every strike, and Chloe moved like a lethal shadow, leaving gashes across the vanguards' legs. The street descended into a completely one-sided beatdown as the invaders were tossed around like ragdolls.
Amidst the chaos, Hyakinthos leaped from the roof, his glowing sword aiming a heavy downward strike at Chloe. She caught the blade on both her daggers, the shockwave cracking the stone beneath her boots.
As their weapons grated against each other, Hyakinthos grinned maniacally, his eyes wide with pride.
"You think I'm like the rest of these failures? Think again, cat! Thanks to the changes in the Dungeon, I've broken through! I am Level 4 now!"
Chloe didn't even blink, her cat-like eyes narrowing in utter disdain as she easily deflected his blade away.
"Level 4? You talk big for someone who just crossed the finish line. You're still nothing but a pathetic novice to me."
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Chloe's daggers moved like a pair of silver streaks, forcing Hyakinthos backward with every strike.
Even with his newly acquired Level 4 strength, his movements were rigid and desperate compared to her fluid, lethal grace.
She parried his heavy broadsword effortlessly, dodging his counterattacks with micro-movements that left him slicing empty air.
Then she caught his wrist with a sweeping kick, shattering his stance and leaving a bloody gash across his shoulder with a casual flick of her wrist.
Meanwhile, the rest of the street was a scene of unadulterated devastation.
Lunoire bypassed a vanguard's shield entirely, delivering a devastating palm strike that cracked his breastplate and sent him flying into a pile of wooden crates.
Anya was a blur of aggressive energy, using the shaft of her spear to sweep the legs of two adventurers at once before kicking them into the dirt.
As for Mia... she just grabbed the first mother fucker she found to get back at another mother fucker. Glorious!
It wasn't a battle; it was a completely one-sided slaughter as the elite waitresses trampled the remaining forces of the Apollo Familia without breaking a sweat.
Up on the roof, Apollo watched the unfolding disaster with his jaw hanging open, his face twitching in a mixture of disbelief and mounting horror.
"No... this is impossible! My beautiful children! Hyakinthos!" he screeched, clutching his hair in sheer panic. "Get up! You are the children of the sun! You cannot lose to simple bar maids!"
"You talk too much."
A flat, entirely emotionless voice rasped directly behind him.
Apollo froze, a cold sweat breaking out across his neck. He slowly turned around, his eyes widening in complete shock as he faced a god he never, in a million years, expected to see on a battlefield.
But before Apollo could even open his mouth to utter a single question, Soma moved. With a sudden, surprising burst of motion, the unkempt deity shoved his fist directly into Apollo's face.
Smack!
The force of the strike sent the flamboyant god flying backward. Apollo let out a pathetic yell as he tumbled over the edge of the roof, crashing heavily into the chaotic street below.
Soma stood perfectly still at the edge of the shingles, staring down at the violent brawl in absolute silence. His dull, unreadable eyes slowly shifted away from the wreckage, turning toward the windows of the Hostess of Fertility's second floor. Where a certain someone rested unaware of everything.
Then, as quietly as he had arrived, Soma stepped back into the shadows and vanished once more.
...
Under the bright afternoon sun, Orario's streets were a powder keg.
A mid-tier faction, led by a minor god, marched hastily down a wide thoroughfare. Suddenly, they ground to a halt. Blocking their path was a squad wearing the emblem of the trickster goddess, casual smiles plastering their faces.The tension spiked instantly, the two groups glaring at each other.
"Out of the way, Loki trash!" the god barked, his face twisting with arrogant impatience. "We are on official business. Move, or we'll make you move!"
Tiona stepped forward, resting her massive Urga sword over her shoulder with a sharp, mocking grin. "Oh? And what business is that, tiny god? Looking for a beating? Because we can definitely provide that."
"Watch your tongue, Amazon!" one of the enemy vanguards snarled, stepping up to defend his deity. "You think you can just block—"
"Shut your damn mouth before I tear your tongue out through your throat," Tione interrupted, her voice dropping to a terrifying, lethal hiss. She cracked her knuckles, her golden eyes burning with immediate violence.
The enemy vanguard froze, his bravado instantly evaporating.
Sweat broke out on the minor god's neck as his high-ranking adventurer frantically grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. "L-Lord... look closer," the adventurer whispered, his voice trembling with sheer panic. "Those aren't just random guards. Those are the Hiryute sisters. Tiona and Tione. The Level 6 elites."
The god's arrogant posture vanished. A cold sweat broke out on his neck, and his tone became noticeably tamer.
"Ah... right," he stuttered, taking a cautious step back. "Well, we have no desire for unnecessary trouble. Carry on."
Tiona smirked, giving him a patronizing pat on the shoulder as she walked past. "That's right, buddy. Stay right in your little corner, and nobody has to get hurt."
But as the squad brushed past his faction, the god's eyes caught a peculiar detail.
Squeezed tightly between the elite guards was an adventurer carrying someone. Both were heavily shrouded under a dark overcoat.
The god stared. His mind raced at a million miles per hour.
A sharp realization struck him like lightning, and his eyes widened. Loki was a trickster. It was impossible for the Goddess of Lies to ignore the boy after Hestia's banishment. Whether she wanted to recruit him or hide him, she would act.
Why was this elite squad moving away from the Hostess of Fertility? Because they already had him.
Driven by sheer greed, the god pointed a shaking finger and screamed. "They have Hestia's lover! Stop them! Don't let them escape!"
The Loki Familia members glanced back, perfectly feigning panicked surprise. Then, they turned on their heels and sprinted away.
The chase began instantly.
As the pursuit dragged through the winding streets, the minor god failed to notice a glaring inconsistency. Despite being high-level elites who could easily vanish, the Loki Familia stayed frustratingly within sight. They were pacing themselves.
The commotion naturally drew other roaming factions into the fray. Within minutes, a massive mob of adventurers joined the hunt. The first god's expression turned utterly bitter as he lost his exclusive lead, yet greed kept him running blindly.
Meanwhile, on the exact opposite side of the city, a nearly identical scene played out. In the eastern districts, the same thing happened. In the south, another decoy group was being chased.
It was as if, collectively, all of Orario had had their intellects reduced to zero. They were falling headfirst into a ruse so foolishly simplistic and predictable.
...
Far away from the roaring crowds, the primary group moved in complete silence. Shrouded under Loki's divine cloak of deception, the invisible Ryuu slipped through deserted side alleys, carrying the true Luki safely on her back.
The invisible group moved like a collective ghost through the city.
They ducked into narrow alleys. They froze against stone walls every time a roaming pack of adventurers rushed past. Every step was calculated. One wrong move would shatter the not-so-strong illusion.
To ensure total evasion, they took a detour through Daedalus Street.
The slum district was a logistical nightmare. It was a chaotic labyrinth of nonsensical turns, dead ends, and overlapping structures. Navigating it required absolute focus, but it provided the perfect cover. Never before had returning home been such a crucial, agonizing task.
Slowly, the chaotic brick walls gave way to wider, cleaner paths. They were entering the wealthier districts.
The streets here were eerie and deserted. Most of Orario's factions had already been lured to the opposite side of the city by the decoys.
Finally, the towering spires of the Twilight Manor came into view.
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the invisible group. Ahead, a large contingent of Loki Familia guards stood ready at the gates, poised to welcome them back. They just needed to cross the final stretch.
But before they could take another step toward safety, a smooth, intoxicating voice echoed through the empty street.
"Always so full of tricks, aren't you, Loki?"
SNAP!
Instantly, a stranhe wave washed over them.
For a split second, the eyes of every single adventurer in the group glazed over, caught in an irresistible, hypnotic trance. Even Loki herself felt her mind waver under the intense charm.
Snapping out of it with a snarl, Loki unleashed her own powers. She forcefully broke the mental shackles gripping her children.
But the clash of divine powers came at a cost. The strain shattered her spell.
The cloak of deception dissolved into thin air. In the blink of an eye, the invisible group was fully exposed, standing completely naked to the world.
And suddenly, they found themselves completely surrounded.