Early the next morning, as Orario shook off its collective hangover, the city was set ablaze by a fresh announcement on the Guild's public boards.
The Guild had released the official War Game notice in the boldest font possible.
Challenger: Apollo Familia.
Respondent: Hestia Familia.
Stakes: Should the Apollo Familia win, the Hestia Familia's captain, Bell Cranel, and his associate, Lynn, will unconditionally join the Apollo Familia. Should the Hestia Familia win, the Apollo Familia will be disbanded, and all its members, along with their patron god, will be permanently exiled from Orario.
Game Mode: Siege Warfare.
Time: In seven days.
The moment the notice went up, the entire city erupted.
"Seven days? The Guild changed Apollo's requested three days to seven. Are they trying to buy the Hestia Familia some time?"
"What's the use of buying time? The Hestia Familia only has Bell, right? Even counting that guy Lynn, there's only two of them! The Apollo Familia has over a hundred people, and their captain, Hyakinthos, is a Level 3!"
"I heard that Lynn is quite the fighter. He supposedly took down several of Apollo's Level 2s in the Dungeon by himself."
"So what? This is a War Game, not a Dungeon duel! Over a hundred people swarming two—they can drown them in pure numbers. This bet isn't even a contest."
In the taverns and at the Guild's entrance, the chatter was everywhere. Orario's bookmakers even stayed up all night setting the odds. The payout for a Hestia Familia victory was astronomically high, yet almost no one bit. Everyone believed this was nothing more than a farce staged by Apollo to swallow up two talented rookies; the ending was already written in stone.
Inside the abandoned church, the atmosphere was far less pessimistic.
Hestia was puffing out her cheeks, reading the rules she had copied from the Guild aloud, while Bell nervously polished his dagger.
The dilapidated church door was pushed open, and a golden figure stepped inside against the morning light.
"Miss Ais?" Bell stood up in surprise.
Ais Wallenstein had changed into light combat gear. She walked up to Lynn, her golden eyes carrying a clear trace of apology.
"Lynn," she spoke softly. "The War Game... I heard."
"Word travels fast." Lynn didn't even look up; he was busy checking the supplies he had just received from Eina.
Ais bit her lip, appearing hesitant to speak. "I'm sorry. The Loki Familia's position in the city is unique. My Lord and Riveria said we cannot interfere in the War Games of other Familias."
She was being blunt, effectively cutting off any hope Lynn might have had of enlisting the help of Orario's strongest fighting force.
Bell's expression dimmed slightly.
Lynn, however, acted as if he had expected this all along. He looked up and gave Ais a small smile. "I understand. If you guys stepped in, there'd be no game left to play. Apollo would probably be scared into canceling the whole thing on the spot."
His tone was so casual it didn't sound like he was discussing a duel that would decide his entire future.
Ais watched him. There was no trace of disappointment or resentment in those calm eyes. Her guilt eased slightly, but her worry grew.
"Are you... confident?"
"Won't know until we fight." Lynn stuffed a recovery potion into his bag. "But I think it'll be interesting."
Ais fell silent. She couldn't read Lynn. There was always a sense of excitement in this man when facing the unknown—a pure, warrior's instinct that felt strangely familiar to her.
"If... you need any equipment or items, you can tell me," she said finally. "In my personal capacity."
"Thanks," Lynn nodded. "I won't be polite if I need something."
Shortly after Ais left, the church entrance became noisy again.
"Benefactor! We're here!"
Ouka's booming voice arrived before he did. Moments later, the entire Take-Mikazuchi Familia appeared at the door.
Mikoto walked at the front, bowing slightly to Lynn and Bell with a solemn expression. "Lord Lynn, Lord Bell. We bring a message from our Lord."
She cleared her throat and recited in a formal tone: "'Our Lord says that distinguishing between gratitude and grudge is the creed of the Take-Mikazuchi Familia. Go all out in this fight. If you lose, we will face the consequences together.'"
The words carried significant weight.
Ouka stepped forward, slapping his broad chest with a hand the size of a fan. He grinned widely. "What's there to fear? It's just a hundred people! I can take ten of 'em myself! When the time comes, I'll be at the front, smashing a hole right through their castle gate!"
Behind him, Chigusa was swept up in his bravado. She summoned her courage and added in a small but steady voice, "I... I'll work hard too. My arrows will cover everyone."
Looking at these companions who had come to support them with such sincerity, Bell's eyes grew warm. He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to the members of the Take-Mikazuchi Familia.
"Thank you all!"
Once the Take-Mikazuchi Familia left, the church fell silent again.
Sunlight streamed through the holes in the windows, forming pillars of light where dust motes danced.
Bell walked up to Lynn. He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. He lifted his head, a fire burning in his ruby eyes like never before.
He suddenly bowed low, his voice trembling slightly with emotion.
"Mr. Lynn! Please! Teach me... how to win this war!"
He was no longer lost or afraid. After seeing Lynn's strength, feeling the trust of his comrades, and enduring Apollo's humiliation, the boy had finally found the reason why he had to grip his sword.
Lynn looked at him—looked at the boy who had finally made up his mind—and remained silent for a moment. He reached out and patted Bell on the shoulder.
"If you want to win, you listen to me." Lynn's tone was flat, but it carried an unquestionable power. "I say it, you do it. No talking back. Can you do that?"
"Yes!" Bell looked up without hesitation, answering loudly.
"Good." The corners of Lynn's mouth curled up.
He walked to the table and dipped his finger in some water, drawing a simple diagram on the dusty surface. A circle represented the castle, with several arrows pointing inward.
"The rules for the War Game are Siege Warfare. The Guild's rules are classic: either wipe out the opposition or defeat the enemy commander hidden in the castle within the time limit. Wiping out over a hundred people with just seven of us is unrealistic."
Lynn's finger tapped heavily on the center of the circle representing the castle.
"Therefore, our only way to win is 'Decapitation'."
His gaze swept over Bell, his voice clear and cold. "We strike directly at the heart. Before anyone can react, we find and take out their captain, Hyakinthos. Once he falls, the game is over."
Bell's heart raced. This simple, brutal tactic made his blood boil.
"Then... what do we do next? Should we coordinate tactics with Mr. Ouka and the others?"
"Coordinate tactics?" Lynn laughed and shook his head. "It's too early for that. Tactics are built on the foundation of strength. Our biggest problem right now is that we aren't strong enough."
He stood up, grabbed his packed bag, and tossed it to Bell. "For the next seven days, we aren't staying here."
Bell scrambled to catch the bag, looking bewildered. "Huh? Then where are we going?"
Lynn walked to the door and looked back at him. His eyes held a hint of playfulness—and a type of fanaticism that made a shiver run down Bell's spine.
"We're going to Orario's best leveling spot. Open twenty-four hours, all the monsters you can eat, and no rent."
He pointed toward the massive tower piercing the clouds in the distance—Babel.
"The Dungeon. Welcome home."
Bell froze. Seven days... all spent in the Dungeon? That meant non-stop fighting, nerves constantly frayed, and stamina pushed to the absolute limit...
This wasn't special training anymore; this was a suicide mission!
"Keep up," Lynn's voice drifted from outside, leaving no room for negotiation. "Any more dawdling and I'll dump you on the tenth floor by yourself."
Bell shuddered and stopped thinking. He quickly hoisted both their supplies and hurried after him.
When Hestia returned from her part-time job and saw the note Lynn had left—Going to the Dungeon for seven days to train, don't worry—she was so angry she spent ten minutes screaming and stomping in the empty church.
Meanwhile, Lynn had already led Bell into the entrance of the Dungeon's fifth floor.
"Starting today, this is your new home," Lynn's voice echoed in the dim passage. "Your goal is simple: fight without stopping until I tell you to. Eat and rest only in the gaps between battles. When you can dodge a Killer Ant's ambush with your eyes closed, then you'll have passed the first phase of training."
Bell swallowed hard and gripped his dagger.
Looking at the monsters crawling out from the cracks in the walls, he suddenly felt that compared to the hellish seven days ahead, the hundred-plus members of the Apollo Familia didn't seem... quite so terrifying anymore.
Seven days later.
Twilight in Orario stretched the shadow of Babel long across the ground.
When Lynn's figure appeared at the Dungeon entrance, the Guild employee on duty instinctively took half a step back.
There wasn't a clean spot on him. Dried black blood and dark green monster ichor were caked together; his tattered light armor was covered in claw marks and gashes. The heavy scent of iron and rust—the smell of someone who had crawled out of a mountain of corpses—was sharp enough to make one's nose sting.
However, his eyes were even brighter than they had been seven days ago. They were like two bonfires lit on a starless night: calm, yet containing a heat capable of burning everything down.
Following closely behind him was Bell.
The white-haired boy was just as battered, but his entire aura had undergone a massive transformation. His former timidity and unease had been washed away, replaced by a resilience forged through a thousand trials. His gaze no longer darted away; his stride was steady, and his hands, which gripped his blade, were covered in thick calluses. He carried a sharp, lethal air, like a blade ready to be drawn at any moment.
Heaven knew what he had gone through.
The two didn't linger in the street. After saying their goodbyes, they headed to their respective homes.
Lynn turned into the alley leading to Eina's house.
The door was slightly ajar.
As Lynn pushed it open, a wave of warmth hit him, carrying the scent of hot food and soap. Eina was standing in the living room wearing casual home clothes. Steaming stew and bread sat on the table. The sound of running water came from the bathroom; she had clearly prepared a bath in advance.
The moment she saw Lynn's state, her beautiful face went pale. Her hands gripped her apron tightly, and her lips moved, but she couldn't find a single word.
Lynn grinned, his white teeth forming a sharp contrast to the grime on his face.
"I'm back. The food smells great, but I need a bath first. I feel like I'm about to start growing mushrooms."
Hearing his casual tone, Eina's tense body finally relaxed. She took a deep breath and picked up a thick manila envelope from the cabinet.
"Welcome back," she said, her voice carrying a trace of an undetectable tremor. "This is... everything I could get my hands on."
Lynn took the envelope; it was heavy.
"Thanks, Eina."
He said nothing more and headed for the bathroom.
As Lynn lowered himself into the scalding hot water, he finally felt as though his bones were coming back to life. He opened the envelope.
Inside were detailed files on every registered member of the Apollo Familia—from their levels and basic stat tendencies to their common equipment. At the very top was a personal combat analysis of the captain, Hyakinthos, detailing his fighting style, signature moves, and even the fact that his left-hand sword strikes were a fraction of a second faster than his right.
"Internal Guild intel..." Lynn leaned against the edge of the tub, murmuring to himself. "This girl took a big risk for me."
He set the files aside and closed his eyes.
For these seven days, he and Bell had essentially left their lives in the Dungeon. Bell's growth was visible to the naked eye; on the brink of life and death, Lynn had forced him to squeeze out every drop of his potential.
Bell is surprisingly talented. He probably has some kind of special skill, though it's a shame I can't see it.
As for Lynn himself, he had gained plenty. After high-intensity Rune farming, he had finally pushed all his stats to 2000.
"System, I want to level up."
[Godrick's Great Rune consumed] [Stat correction initiated...]
Lynn felt a warm current surge from the depths of his being. Unlike the breakthrough feeling of leveling up, this power felt more like pouring molten gold over a foundation that was already incredibly solid. Every inch of muscle and every bone became denser and tougher under the wash of this energy.
[Strength: 2000 → 2500]
[Endurance: 2000 → 2500]
[Dexterity: 2000 → 2500]
[Agility: 2000 → 2500]
[Magic: 2000 → 2500]
"Heh, I almost forgot Godrick's Great Rune adds extra attributes." Lynn felt the surging power within him and clicked his tongue in satisfaction.
This 500-point boost to all stats was simple and brutal, but the effect was outstanding. Right now, based on his physical foundation alone, he already crushed an ordinary Level 2 even without the level-up bonus.
[Stat requirements for level up met. Leveling up...]
Immediately following was an even more grand power that felt as if it would tear his soul apart! If the previous correction was a reinforcement, this was a tectonic shift! Lynn felt the "vessel" of his body being forcibly expanded by an irresistible force. All shackles and bottlenecks were crushed to dust in an instant!
He sat bolt upright in the tub, water splashing everywhere.
The world before his eyes looked different. The dust motes in the air, the ripples on the water, Bell's slightly hurried breathing in the room next door... everything was clearer than ever before.
[Lynn] [Level 1 → Level 2]
Strength: 10
Endurance: 10
Dexterity: 10
Agility: 10
Magic: 10
[Skill obtained: Carian Retaliation] [Development Ability obtained: Abnormal Status Accumulation Efficiency Up]
"A skill? Nice."
Lynn's eyes lit up. Carian Retaliation was an enhanced parry that could even reflect magic. And "Abnormal Status Accumulation Efficiency Up" would count as an extra damage-dealing method for him.
In short, he felt powerful as hell.
When they stepped out of Eina's house, the two were transformed. They were dressed in clean clothes, fed on hot meals, and the seven days of exhaustion had been swept away. They looked refreshed, as if they were going on a picnic.
At the entrance of the abandoned church, the five members of the Take-Mikazuchi Familia had been waiting for a long time. Ouka carried his great axe, Mikoto leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed, Chigusa nervously gripped her bow, and even the God Take-Mikazuchi himself had come.
As Lynn approached, all eyes turned toward him.
When Bell had returned earlier, he'd given Hestia quite a fright. Lynn, however, looked much better now.
To Lynn's surprise, Ais was also standing quietly by the door. She blinked at the sight of him before walking over and handing him a thick manual.
"Finn asked me to give this to you," she said in her usual cool voice. "It's a summary of all the War Games the Loki Familia has participated in over the years. He marked the sections on Siege Warfare."
On the cover of the manual, a line was written in Elvish: The key to Siege Warfare is "distract the main force, seize the commander."
Before Lynn could thank her, two more heads popped out from behind Ais.
Tiona squeezed in with a giggle and shoved three small deep-blue bottles into Lynn's arms.
"Tada! These are 'borrowed' from Riveria's vault—Grand-class Recovery Potions!"
She winked at Lynn and lowered her voice to a level everyone could still hear. "The effect is amazing! They can save your life in a pinch! Just don't tell her I took them!"
Lynn looked at the manual and the potions, then at Ais's earnest golden eyes, and smiled.
Beside them, Tione pinched the bridge of her nose helplessly but didn't stop her sister.
"Thank your captain for me," Lynn said. "And... the little thief as well."
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Danmachi: My Primary God is Hidetaka Miyazaki? (Simulpub – Ongoing)
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