[102] Fame in One Battle! Shocking Orario!

The human youth stood before him, holding a katana.

Those dark pupils looked down at him from above, their calmness seemingly declaring that the outcome had already been decided.

And indeed, it was so.

"Victory is decided! Contestant Eiji, the human, wins the second arena match!"

The host appeared in time to announce the result of the match.

He lost.

Bear-man collapsed onto the ground, his expression blank.

He had truly lost, as an upper-class adventurer, to a mere human youth who wasn't even an adventurer.

For a moment.

His mind was completely empty, not a single emotion rising within him.

"You didn't lose to me, you lost to yourself."

Eiji looked down at the bear-man, his eyes devoid of joy or anger, as if the outcome of the match meant nothing to him.

"If you were a true warrior, you wouldn't have fallen for such a simple trap. It's just that your mind was in disarray, and your hands followed suit… You've bullied the weak too much, haven't you?"

Even when facing an opponent several times stronger than himself, Eiji's heart would not waver.

In his case, he might even become more excited, striving desperately to win.

Speechless.

The bear-man's expression was extremely complicated, completely unable to refute.

Whoosh!

Eiji swung his katana again.

The mask covering the lower half of his face was split into two, fluttering down.

His hand was steady, leaving no trace of a wound on the bear-man's face, but the fear in his eyes was evident, his courage almost completely gone.

"Who is that guy…?"

Outside the arena, those close enough to see the bear-man's exposed face pondered for a moment, and then their expressions changed dramatically.

"I remember him! What was his name… But isn't he a Lv.2 upper-class adventurer?"

"Tower Bear Barus! He's Lv.2 Tower Bear Barus, a notorious upper-class adventurer!"

"I thought he was strange, Lv.1 adventurers usually don't have such overwhelming pressure!"

In Orario, most upper-class adventurers have some level of fame.

With so many spectators in the arena, the bear-man was easily recognized.

"No, wait, doesn't that mean…?!"

"He defeated a Lv.2 upper-class adventurer! Even though he's just an ordinary person!?"

"Am I dreaming?"

"Unbelievable, is he hiding his strength?"

"So strong?!"

The entire arena erupted in an uproar.

Applause and cheers erupted from all directions.

"He actually did it, it's truly incredible."

Shakti sighed in admiration, her eyes frequently flashing with amazement.

With her insight, she could clearly see that Eiji was indeed just an ordinary person, his physique only slightly more trained than the average person. For an ordinary person to defeat an upper-class adventurer… In her lifetime, she had never heard of such a feat!

"It's not entirely unbelievable."

A graceful woman appeared beside her, her face adorned with an intrigued smile, her gaze fixed on the handsome youth standing proudly on the stage.

"Since the gods descended and spread their blessings, the children of the earth have relied overwhelmingly on these blessings rather than honing their skills, causing heroes with exceptional techniques like those of ancient times to become extremely rare. This is the evolution of the times, an interesting aspect of the children of the earth."

"Goddess?"

Shakti was slightly startled.

The beauty before her, with a grace and elegance that surpassed mortals, exuded a divine aura that made one want to bow down. She was unmistakably a goddess.

Then, as if remembering something, Shakti's expression gradually grew tense.

"Haha, no need to be nervous. I'm just passing by, and my familia is an agricultural one, so it wouldn't attract such a youth."

The goddess licked her lips.

But that didn't stop her from developing some other kind of relationship with this youth.

Having been in the mortal world for so long, it had been a long time since she encountered a man who made even a god's heart flutter. This time, she couldn't miss the opportunity.

"What is he doing?"

The goddess suddenly asked in confusion.

Shakti turned her head to look at the arena.

The immobilized Xiong Li, or rather Barus, had already been carried away by members of the Ganesha Familia. His actions had violated the arena's rules, and punishment would be meted out by the guild. From now on, his reputation would be completely ruined, and he might even lose his adventurer status or be thrown into prison.

Eiji waved his hand, summoning the host.

The host approached, puzzled, but before he could speak, the magic stone amplifier in his hand was snatched away.

"Everyone here, listen well! My name is Eiji, an ordinary person from outside Orario, and I have not received any blessings! Remember this, it's important, it will be on the test!"

"My purpose in coming to Orario is to become a powerful adventurer, and to do so, I must join a familia! But I have no interest in weak familias. If any familia is confident in their strength, please feel free to contact me!"

A bold declaration.

Eiji's voice, amplified, resounded throughout the arena, passionate and stirring.

Whoosh————!!

The entire arena finally boiled over like a pot of hot water, reaching an unprecedented level of excitement!

An ordinary person from outside Orario, with a stunning presence that surpassed even the gods, had defeated an Lv.2 upper-class adventurer with unparalleled swordsmanship!

And now, he was seeking to join a powerful familia!

This news was noted by all the spectators present, and like a plague, it spread through the streets and alleys, reaching every corner of Orario.

Fame in one battle!

Shocking Orario!

"That kid…"

Seeing this, Shakti couldn't help but smile wryly.

She had just planned to invite him to join her familia as soon as he stepped off the stage. With the Ganesha Familia's status as a top-tier familia, she was confident he would agree.

But she hadn't expected him to publicly announce his desire to join a powerful familia right on the stage.

Now, there would surely be some formidable competitors vying for him.

"Haha, it seems even if I don't snatch him up, once the news spreads, there will be plenty of people interested in this child."

The goddess beside her curled her lips into a charming smile.

"Our Ganesha Familia might not necessarily lose."

Shakti added somewhat defiantly.

"The Ganesha Familia is indeed one of the strongest in the city, but if the Loki Familia makes a move, the pressure will be immense. Not to mention, if that goddess becomes interested… No one else would stand a chance."

The goddess pointed in the direction of the Tower of Babel, her face filled with the smile of someone enjoying the spectacle.

Then, she took a step forward, walking gracefully towards the arena.

"Where are you going?"

"To make contact with that child and see if there's a chance to devour him~"

The goddess left behind a bold declaration, causing Shakti's mouth to twitch.

"Sigh… If only our god was a goddess, it might have increased our chances. Unfortunately, he's a silly male god."

***

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