Chapter 149: What Are You All Doing? (Bonus)

Following the directions they'd been given, Loki led the group to the location.

Because it was in such a remote part of the city, just finding a proper path there was a challenge.

When they finally reached the right road, they realized just how out-of-the-way the Hestia Familia really was—tucked deep into a narrow alley, far from any major street.

Loki looked visibly annoyed as they walked through the cramped passage.

"That damn shorty really went and built his base in the middle of nowhere!"

And she wasn't wrong.

No Familia would normally set up their headquarters in such an isolated spot—somewhere barely anyone would even pass by.

Sure, if they were one of the poorer Familias, it might make sense... but was the Hestia Familia poor?

Hardly.

Thanks to the Rune Stone business booming across Orario, almost every well-off Familia had started buying them. The effects were just too good to pass up.

With that kind of income, the Hestia Familia now ranked among the top ten in wealth across Orario.

They had Rune Stones—a money-making resource practically printing valis. Why would they need to buy such a backwater plot of land?

"Loki, maybe that boy was the one who chose this place."

Finn's words left Loki speechless. It really did sound like something that kid would do.

She had plenty of complaints to voice, but in the next moment, she let them go.

Because the environment had changed.

What had just been a street lined with buildings was now being overtaken by a pale, white mist. With every step they took, the fog grew thicker, until it even started obscuring the surrounding buildings.

Loki silently covered her face with her hand.

"This kid is seriously messed up!"

Who would go this far? No matter how paranoid you were, wasn't this a bit much?

The fact that there was a barrier like this surrounding the Familia's territory said it all. That kid wasn't just cautious—he didn't trust a single adventurer or god.

Why else would he go to such extremes?

"Mama, how's the barrier look?"

"Who are you calling Mama?!"

Riveria instinctively snapped at Loki, but then focused seriously on analyzing the barrier's structure.

Adventurers had to be ready for all kinds of situations. Barriers like this weren't uncommon, and the first step to dismantling one was understanding how it worked.

So, Riveria naturally extended her magical senses outward to probe its structure.

But the moment she did, the white mist surrounding them instantly turned blood-red.

"!?"

This is bad!

The thought struck everyone at once.

"...!?"

Before Finn could finish speaking, he staggered and collapsed, magic inside him surging uncontrollably. His strength vanished, and he lost all control of his limbs. Even his senses became scrambled.

"Finn!"

Gareth's body trembled, but he forced himself to stay upright. Even so, he could feel the overwhelming discomfort—the strength that once filled his body was gone. He couldn't muster even an ounce of power.

"I... I'm fine... just drained..."

Lying flat on the ground, Finn could barely even speak. He forced his head up and stared at the blood-red mist surrounding them, his heart gripped by shock.

'I didn't think it would have such a strong effect.'

As a Level 6 adventurer, Finn stood near the top of Orario's power pyramid. Yet in an instant, his strength had been completely stripped away—reduced to helpless prey.

"Gareth, how are you holding up?"

"Same as you."

Gareth could barely keep himself standing—just staying on his feet took everything he had left.

"What about you, Loki?"

They turned to see Loki sprawled out on the ground in an unflattering heap. If her body wasn't still twitching, they might've thought she had passed out entirely.

Loki was writhing in discomfort, trying to get up, but her body was reacting terribly. Her sealed divinity was being suppressed beyond its limits—past the normal sealing effect. Already weakened to human levels by the seal, Loki was now even worse off than an ordinary person.

She was gasping for breath, looking anything but okay.

Once he confirmed she was still conscious, Finn turned his attention to the others.

"Aisha, Haruhime, how are you two?"

When he looked over, he realized their condition wasn't nearly as bad—at least compared to the rest of them.

"I'm fine. I just... can't move my body."

"M-Me too..."

Strangely, it was the physically weaker ones—Aisha and Sanjouno Haruhime—who were faring better. They only felt some fatigue, but nothing more severe.

It was plain to see, but that contrast struck Finn as odd.

'Why isn't Aisha more affected? And Haruhime... her symptoms are barely there.'

'Could it be... a difference in level?'

Uncertain about his guess, Finn instinctively turned to Riveria.

"Riveria, you... Riveria!?"

His eyes landed on her—and froze.

Riveria stood completely still. But blood was trickling from her body, soaking through her clothes in wide, dark patches.

Finn's pupils shrank in alarm, and he couldn't stop the shout that burst from him.

"Riveria!"

She remained standing—but had clearly lost consciousness.

Everyone else tried to move, but none of them had the strength left to get up. Struggling to even shift on the ground, let alone help her, was impossible.

...

Finally, the red mist around them began to fade back into white, and soft footsteps approached.

"What in the world are you all doing?"

A voice rang out—laced with confusion, frustration, and exasperation—as the footsteps came to a stop.

"Showing up at dawn, trespassing on private property, and casually using magic to probe the area..."

The newcomer's gaze locked onto Riveria.

"What a pain."

Before anyone could respond, the figure calmly walked up to Riveria and lifted her into a princess carry.

"The spell's effects on you all will wear off in five minutes. Come in on your own after that."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Loki, her Familia, and their incapacitated god lying scattered across the ground.