Chapter 146: Robber On The Road

It must be said, the Apollo Familia was far wealthier than Morgana had imagined. Considering their strength, it was almost baffling how they had amassed this level of wealth. 

"What about the statues in the hall? And the former members of the Apollo Familia—what do you plan to do with them?" 

"Pick out a few with potential, and let the rest fend for themselves." 

Morgana had already formulated plans for the members, but her standards were exceptionally high. Most of the Apollo Familia simply didn't meet them. 

During the war game, she had already made her calculations. 

Her primary focus was on the child Sol had mentioned; the rest of the familia were just extras in her eyes. 

It was worth noting that the last person Sol had praised so highly was Haruhime. 

If Sol hadn't been so protective, Morgana would have tried to recruit the adorable little fox Haruhime for herself. 

But now, her curiosity burned for the abilities of Cassandra—the one Sol had compared to a cheat. 

Morgana couldn't wait to pull Cassandra into her familia. 

One day, the Morgana Familia would surpass the Kyle Familia. 

Since she couldn't beat Kyle directly, Morgana placed her hopes on the strength and growth of her familia. 

"By the way," Kyle interjected, "the former captain of the Apollo Familia resigned and left Orario with Apollo." 

"Hmph," Morgana scoffed. "He wasn't particularly strong, but he was loyal—a shame his allegiance was misplaced from the very start." 

Kyle nodded silently, her expression unreadable. 

Hyakinthos's actions aligned with her own values, but such loyalty to Apollo made it clear he would never join her. 

A pity, indeed. 

---

Outside Orario, Apollo trudged along the winding path in a daze. 

Hyakinthos walked beside him, offering constant words of comfort, though they seemed to have little effect. 

Once a proud and successful god with a thriving familia, Apollo now felt as though his entire world had shattered in mere moments. 

The abrupt fall from such heights was not easily forgotten. 

"Apollo-sama, please don't lose heart! Even though we've left Orario, we'll find a way to make a comeback. I, Hyakinthos, will always stand by your side!" 

"Haha, Hyakinthos," Apollo said, forcing a smile. "I'm lucky to still have you with me." 

As the god and his loyal follower exchanged their bittersweet vows, two men in black suddenly appeared, blocking the path ahead. 

Their presence was menacing, their intent unmistakably hostile. 

Hyakinthos quickly stepped in front of Apollo, drawing his sword. 

In this dire situation, Apollo knew better than to expect mercy. 

After all, they had already left Orario's protection. 

"My, how touching," came a familiar voice, dripping with sarcasm. "I'm almost moved just watching." 

One of the men in black stepped forward, pulling back his hood to reveal Sol's handsome face. 

"Sol!? Why are you here?" Apollo asked, his voice trembling. 

"Why?" Sol replied, feigning offense. "I've been chasing you for so long, and you're asking why? You're surprisingly quick for someone who's just lost everything." 

Despite the complaint in his tone, Sol advanced toward Apollo with deliberate steps. 

Hyakinthos gripped his sword tighter, feeling an oppressive aura from the other man in black who remained silent beside Sol. 

Before Hyakinthos could react, the second man in black vanished. 

There was no sound, no warning—only a sudden breeze against Hyakinthos's back. 

"What!" 

Hyakinthos instinctively tried to turn around, but before he could react, a sharp blow landed on his abdomen. 

It seemed like a simple hand strike, yet when it hit him, it felt as though he'd been struck by a mace or a giant hammer. 

This unassuming hand chop packed enough force to knock the breath out of him, leaving him reeling. 

Hyakinthos was sent flying tens of meters away, only coming to a stop after crashing into a massive tree, its trunk as thick as several people could encircle with their arms. 

Seeing his strongest ally felled in an instant, Apollo's pupils shrank in disbelief, his face twisting into an expression of pure terror. 

"Are you here to send me back? Why are you doing this, Sol!" Apollo roared, his voice trembling as the pieces fell into place. 

He had already guessed Sol's intentions but couldn't fathom the reasoning behind them. Why would Sol send him back to the heavens after he'd already been banished from Orario? 

Even if this was about Morgana, wasn't losing the war game punishment enough?! 

——

"Of course, I have my reasons," Sol replied coldly. His voice carried an air of finality as he stepped forward, seizing Apollo by the neck and lifting him effortlessly off the ground. 

"Apollo, your time in the lower world ends here. Your contributions will not be forgotten. Go back with peace of mind." 

As Sol spoke, divine power began surging into his body. The sensation of consuming divine energy freely was intoxicating—a thrill he hadn't felt in ages. 

A brilliant beam of light shot into the sky, marking Apollo's return to the heavens. Sol narrowed his eyes in satisfaction, basking in the energy. 

While Apollo as a person might have been lacking, his divine power was undeniably potent. Both its quality and quantity far surpassed that of many Evil Gods Sol had encountered in the past. 

After all, Apollo was a sun god. 

——

"You're back, and things went smoothly, I take it?" 

"Of course," Sol replied casually. "It's me, after all. Sending Apollo back wasn't a challenge." 

Back in Orario, Riveria waited for Sol in the lounge, clearly anticipating his return. 

She knew of Sol's plan to absorb Apollo's divine power, but she couldn't help feeling uneasy. Apollo wasn't an Evil God, and attacking him could easily spark panic among the gods and their familias. 

But Sol had accounted for that. By allowing Apollo to stray far beyond Orario's borders, he ensured that the return beam of light wouldn't attract unwanted attention. 

This time, Sol had even entertained the thought of targeting other gods outside Orario. 

The only issue was that gods beyond Orario tended to live in secluded, far-flung locations, making them difficult to track. 

If it were easier, Sol would've been tempted to try—but that path would undoubtedly lead him to become an Evil God. 

He wasn't desperate enough for that. Not yet. 

——

"I'm going to focus on digesting this newly acquired divine power," Sol said as he rose to leave. "If anyone comes looking for me, deal with it as you see fit."