Chapter 76: The Cruel War Game
"Oh? A War Game."
Loki squinted her eyes and looked at Apollo in surprise.
"Apollo, have you been causing too much trouble lately?"
Freya also turned around, her voice cold.
"This is none of your business. Your familias are unrelated to this matter."
Apollo responded icily before shifting his gaze to Blake and Hestia.
"Hestia, you'd better accept. Otherwise, I'll have my people camp outside your doorstep and annoy you to no end. The Dungeon is a dangerous place. If something were to happen to that silver-haired brat of yours, well... it wouldn't be unusual, would it?"
"You...!"
Hestia's body trembled. She stared at Apollo with a mix of anxiety and fury, but words failed her.
How shameless! To say such things in public—this god was truly a blight upon Orario.
The crowd shot Apollo looks of disgust.
Hah, even a rabbit will bite when cornered. And yet, Apollo, this venomous snake brimming with malice, had already been driven mad.
Blake, however, ignored Apollo, his crystal-blue eyes flickering momentarily.
This was exactly what he had wanted. He had been searching for an opportunity to eliminate Apollo, this toxic presence, and now the god had delivered himself right to his doorstep.
"Hestia, accept the challenge. I promise you'll return to my side without a scratch."
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Blake gently patted Hestia's black hair, soothing her anger as he spoke indifferently.
His words made Loki and the other adventurers smirk, their eyes brimming with amusement as they looked at Apollo.
They didn't think Blake was boasting. Having witnessed his strength firsthand, they all believed Apollo was walking straight into his own demise—one he would never return from.
"I understand."
After a brief pause, Hestia, feeling the reassuring hand on her head, nodded and turned her gaze to Apollo, whose expression remained cold.
"A War Game against my familia… I, Hestia, accept."
"Good. That makes things easier." Apollo smirked. "The match will take place one week from now, at 9 o'clock, in the Colosseum. The victory condition is the complete elimination of the opposing side. The losing familia will be banished from Orario forever."
A collective gasp spread through the crowd. They looked at Apollo in horror.
This guy was ruthless. He completely disregarded the lives of his own familia, only seeking to destroy Hestia's. While War Games had been held before, such brutal terms were unheard of.
"Apollo, this is too cruel! Your people are innocent—why drag them into this?!"
Hestia protested solemnly.
"One word. Accept, or I'll make you accept."
Apollo sneered.
"I accept the War Game."
Before Hestia could respond, Blake pressed a finger against her forehead and spoke indifferently.
"Apollo Familia, listen up. If you don't want to die, leave Apollo's familia immediately. Otherwise, I won't show mercy when the time comes."
With those final words, Blake turned away, leading a conflicted Hestia with him. He paid no heed to Apollo's wicked expression, which reveled in his perceived success.
Meanwhile, Apollo's familia members began to panic.
Some of them, faces filled with fear, pondered their next move. A few even considered fleeing Orario right away.
"Smart move."
Loki, Hephaestus, Freya, and the other gods nodded approvingly before signaling their familias to leave.
Today, these gods had witnessed something extraordinary—a miracle of humanity.
A mere Level 1 had shattered the established hierarchy, nearly matching a Level 5, and displayed an unwavering spirit that dared to challenge the gods themselves.
If he survived the War Game a week from now, he would become a living legend.
"Lord Blake, you're so cool!"
Finally leaving the tense atmosphere behind, Lili sighed in relief before excitedly exclaiming.
The entire conflict with Apollo's familia had started because Blake stood up for her.
"Cool, huh…?"
Blake raised an eyebrow at Lili's words. Honestly, he didn't think much of it.
Apollo and his familia weren't even worthy of being called stepping stones. At best, they were just a means to gain more luck points.
The stares directed at him were irritating.
Noticing the various gazes on him, Blake frowned.
He had planned to quietly level up, gradually increasing his strength while punishing Apollo's familia as a side task.
But now, thanks to Apollo himself, the whole matter had been blown into a public spectacle, attracting far more attention than he had intended.
"Well then, Blake, I'll be heading back to work."
At that moment, Ryu, who had been standing beside Lili, slightly lowered her hat and softly spoke.
"Mm. Ryu, say hello to Aunt Mia for me. I'll be dropping by her place tonight."
Blake immediately pushed aside his thoughts and smiled.
"I'll let her know."
Ryu's emerald-green eyes lingered on Blake for a brief moment before she quickly disappeared from sight.
"Ah! By the way, who are those two girls?"
After the brief exchange, Hestia finally reacted. Her blue eyes widened as she questioned Blake.
"The elf girl just now is Ryu. She's a waitress from the Hostess of Fertility—the tavern we visited yesterday. And this here is Lili, my supporter. A very reliable person~"
Seeing Hestia puff her cheeks and stare at Lili with jealousy, Blake sighed, rubbing his temple.
He knew all too well about Hestia's possessiveness.
"Hello, Hestia-sama. I'm Lili—Liliruca Arde. I'm Blake-sama's supporter."
Lili, noticing Hestia glaring at her, hesitated before awkwardly introducing herself.
"Ugh! Another girl calling my Blake so affectionately..."
Hestia's blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked at Blake, her expression filled with jealousy and grievance.
"Blake, just how many girls are you getting involved with behind my back?!"
"...!"
Hearing this, Blake's lips twitched as he was left utterly speechless.
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