As the three Hestians looked toward the entrance that Lili had made, albeit one created through destruction, they began moving forward. Without hesitation, they started to enter the abandoned castle in order to strike down their targets.
In a siege game, the priority for both competitors is to subdue the opposing captain. Whoever succeeds in subduing the enemy captain first wins the War Game. Normally, the captains remain in a designated location, either hidden from their enemies or heavily protected by the members of their familia.
However, Aurelius had no intention of doing such things.
In fact, he had encouraged his two comrades to do something entirely different rather than staying close to him to "protect" him.
"You two," Aurelius said, giving instructions to the two smaller members of the Hestia Familia. His voice carried both authority and casual confidence as he spoke. "Go ahead and take down that Hyakinthos guy. After you two are done, search for me. I'll be taking down the Plutus captain."
Bell, upon hearing his captain's words, raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Eh?" he said, clearly questioning the order he had just received. "What about you, mister? What if you lose?"
Aurelius immediately scoffed at Bell for even suggesting such a possibility.
"Bah! You don't need to worry about me," Aurelius said dismissively. "Let me have my fun, kid. Since when was the last time I got to go wreck some people at my own leisure? HAHA!"
Bell and Lili both sweat-dropped at their captain's muscle-headed response.
'Unbelievable...'
The two of them shared the exact same thought at the same time, silently questioning the absurdity of their captain's current "plan".
Even so, neither of them questioned his decision any further. The reality was that even without their help, their captain would most likely sweep the floor with everyone present here. At this point, the two of them were practically just here to sink in the glory alongside their captain.
Bell and Lili soon shifted their focus back to the task at hand.
Both of them prepared themselves to invade the enemy base. They lowered their bodies slightly and took up their stances, readying themselves for combat. Without wasting another moment, they charged forward toward the wide opening that Lili had previously created in the castle wall.
With confidence filling their movements, the two rushed through the large, gaping hole and entered the enemy stronghold, immediately preparing to engage whoever stood in their path.
Aurelius, who had remained standing where he was, simply watched as his two comrades rushed ahead to start kicking some enemy butts. His eyes followed them until their figures finally disappeared from view inside the castle.
Once they were no longer in sight, Aurelius began moving as well.
He slowly walked toward the large hole in the wall that Lili had created earlier, stepping forward with a relaxed and casual pace.
"So," he muttered to himself as he approached the entrance, casually wondering about his next move.
"Where should I look first?"
<->
Bell and Lili were beating up the enemies as they swarmed them from all sides. Barging into the enemy stronghold without any solid plan had naturally placed them in such a situation.
However, despite being surrounded, many of those who came into contact with the two Hestians were quickly defeated. It only showed that the two now possessed a very different level of strength compared to before.
As they continued running toward the castle buildings, they suddenly saw many members of the Plutus and Apollo Familias rushing forward to attack them.
From the front, several enemies charged directly toward them. At the same time, another dozen appeared from behind, moving quickly to trap the two Hestians between them.
"Sir Bell," Lili called out, giving the white-haired rabbit a quick instruction as she assessed the situation. "You take on the people up front while I'll take on the ones behind."
Bell immediately nodded in response to Lili's order. The two of them quickly moved into position. Lili turned around to face the enemies who had approached from behind, while Bell stepped forward to face those charging from the front.
The advancing enemies did not hesitate as they continued rushing toward the two Hestians. Their numbers and momentum showed that they believed victory was already within their grasp.
"Attack them both now!" one of the members within the charging horde shouted. The voice belonged to a blonde male elf from the Apollo Familia. "It is only two Level 2's. Do NOT falter!"
Those words only fueled the attackers' confidence. Hearing that they were facing only two Level 2 adventurers made them even more determined to overwhelm the pair through sheer numbers.
However, unbeknownst to them, they were about to face two newly leveled Level Threes, both of whom were far stronger than ordinary adventurers of the same level. If they had known this beforehand, they likely would not have foolishly rushed forward with such confidence.
But, as the saying goes, information is power. Even in a world like this, that concept still held true.
Bell and Lili charged forward at the same time, each moving toward their respective groups of enemies. Their speed alone already exceeded what their opponents had expected from mere "Level 2's".
When the two sides clashed, the outcome quickly became clear.
Bell and Lili tore through their enemies with overwhelming ease.
Bell moved swiftly with his dual swords, his movements sharp and precise. Each strike he delivered was clean and efficient, cutting through his opponents with remarkable accuracy. His speed and skill allowed him to weave between attacks while delivering decisive blows that quickly brought his enemies down.
On the other side, Lili fought through her group with equally impressive strength. Her spear moved with force and precision, its blade coated with wind magic that enhanced both its speed and power. Each thrust and swing pushed back the enemies surrounding her, allowing her to power through the group with relentless momentum.
Within only a short time, the battlefield fell silent.
Bell and Lili stood victorious.
Around them, the defeated members of the Apollo and Plutus Familias lay scattered across the ground.
Among them was the blonde elf who had previously shouted the command to attack. He now lay sprawled on the ground, barely conscious. His eyes slowly turned toward the two Hestians, confusion written clearly across his face as he struggled to stay awake.
"H-How..." the elf muttered weakly as he struggled to catch his breath. His voice trembled as he tried to form his words. "H-How can y-you be t-this stron—"
Before he could finish his sentence, his strength finally gave out. The elf passed out from the pain and damage he had received during the fight.
Bell and Lili simply looked at him for a brief moment.
Then, without wasting any more time, they shifted their attention back to their main objective.
Their eyes turned toward the tower standing deeper within the castle grounds. Among the surrounding structures, it was clearly the tallest one.
The two silently came to the same conclusion.
That tower was most likely where Hyakinthos was located.
"I hope we encounter Hyakinthos instead of the Plutus executives and captain," Bell said, his voice carrying a hint of anxiety as he spoke about their judgment. "There is no way we would win if it's those four, judging from the captain's information regarding them."
Lili nodded, agreeing with Bell's sentiment.
"Well, we just have to witness it for ourselves," Lili replied calmly as she spoke to the white-haired rabbit. "You're not tired yet, aren't you, Sir Bell?"
Bell looked toward Lili with a confident and slightly smug expression.
"Far from it."
Lili nodded once again.
With that, she moved forward and took the lead, heading toward the tower ahead of them. Bell followed closely behind her as they continued their advance.
<->
Back at the hall of the Denatus, many had witnessed the spectacle that the two Hestians, Bell and Lili, had created on the battlefield. The events unfolding before their eyes were displayed clearly, allowing the gathered gods and goddesses to observe every moment of the War Game.
Safe to say, none of them had expected to see such a spectacle coming from two "Level 2's".
The gods and goddesses in particular were in utter disbelief. Many of them had assumed that the one-sided beating would come from the much larger alliance of the Apollo and Plutus Familias. However, the scene that unfolded before them was the complete opposite.
Instead of the Hestia Familia being overwhelmed, it was the members of Apollo and Plutus who were being cut down one after another.
Apollo himself, seeing that his forces were being torn through by just two adventurers, found the situation completely baffling. The idea that such a thing was happening seemed impossible to him.
Slowly but surely, the confidence he had held earlier began to crumble, replaced by growing fear as the tide of the War Game started to turn against him.
"Impossible!" Apollo uttered in both shock and panic. His expression twisted with fear as he stared at the events unfolding before him, the other gods and goddesses in the hall clearly able to see the panic on his face. "This can't be!"
Plutus, although not reacting in the same dramatic manner as Apollo, was still feeling anxious deep down. Watching the two members of the Hestia Familia wreak havoc wherever they stepped was certainly an unsettling sight.
However, Plutus refused to allow fear to completely take hold of him. Instead, he placed his hopes on the four strongest adventurers within his familia.
'Don't worry,' Plutus thought to himself as he tried to calm his rising anxiety. 'Marcus, Leona, Orihime, and Cael will settle this. Yeah... there's no need to worry.'
After repeating those thoughts to himself, Plutus managed to calm down slightly. His expression steadied as he attempted to regain his composure.
His gaze then shifted toward Hestia.
Upon looking more closely at her, he noticed something that irritated him greatly. The Goddess of the Hearth appeared extremely calm throughout the entire ordeal. There was no panic, no fear, and not even the slightest hint of doubt in her expression.
It was almost as if she was completely certain that she was going to win.
'This bitch,' Plutus thought bitterly as he glared at her from where he sat. 'Don't be too cocky. I'll show you how much of a fool you are for thinking you can win this.'
Meanwhile, at the Amphitheatron where the citizens of Orario had gathered to watch the War Game, many people gasped in surprise at the spectacle being shown before them.
Before the match had even begun, most of the spectators had firmly believed that the alliance between the Plutus and Apollo Familias would secure victory long before their opponents could even breach the castle.
However, what they were witnessing now was the complete opposite of those expectations.
It was almost unbelievable that a familia with only three members was the one placing pressure on a much larger alliance.
"Oooohhh!" Ibri shouted loudly, his voice filled with excitement as he watched the epic scene unfolding on the large hologram screen. "Unbelievable! The Hestia Familia is the one sweeping the floor! Such a feat is absurd to see with even my own two eyes!"
The excitement in his voice was impossible to miss as he continued watching the battle.
Ibri then turned toward the figure standing beside him.
"Don't you think this War Game is truly an awe-inspiring sight to see, my lord?!" he asked enthusiastically towards his familia god, Ganesha.
Ganesha, as energetic as ever, responded in his usual manner.
"I am GANEEEESHAAAA!!!"
Ibri, hearing the exact same answer coming from his familia's god once again, could not help but feel his frustration rising.
"Can you take this seriously, Lord Ganesha?!" he shouted in exasperation.
This show of dominance from Hestia's members was not seen only by those at the Amphitheatron, as the spectacle was being broadcast and witnessed throughout the entirety of Orario.
Many people, especially those gathered in bars across the city, had placed their bets on the Plutus and Apollo Familias to win the War Game. However, as they continued watching the battle unfold, their composure slowly began to crumble.
The sight of Bell and Lili sweeping through their enemies had caused growing panic among them. Fearing that they would lose the money they had wagered, many of them began to curse loudly at the Hestia Familia.
Some loudly claimed that the Hestia Familia must somehow be cheating. Others insisted that there must be a traitor within the alliance who was secretly sabotaging them. There were even those who speculated that the Hestians possessed magic weapons that allowed them to overpower their enemies so easily.
Harsh and bitter words were thrown toward the Hestia Familia, born from the frustration and stress of potentially losing their wagers.
On the other hand, those who had placed their bets on the Hestia Familia, though they were only a handful, were watching the War Game in complete relaxation. Unlike the others, they had already witnessed the capabilities of the three Hestians beforehand.
Because of that, they understood very well that the Hestia Familia's chances of winning were far higher than most people believed, even against the alliance.
Two people in particular were extremely confident in the Hestia Familia's victory.
Those two were Naaza and Mord.
Having witnessed with their own eyes just how powerful and capable the three Hestians were, they had already come to the conclusion that this War Game favored Hestia's side long before it had even started.
Meanwhile, at the Twilight Manor, the top members of the Loki Familia were also watching the spectacle unfold.
Unlike many others, they observed the situation with satisfaction. Seeing a familia that they held some fondness as they gained the upper hand removed any lingering unpleasant feelings they had regarding the War Game.
Among them, Tiona and Aiz in particular seemed to be enjoying the spectacle the most.
Each of them held a piece of Jagamarukun, potato croquettes they had bought beforehand, in their hands as they watched the battle play out on the screen. The two of them casually ate while watching the fight, almost as if they were simply enjoying an exciting movie.
Elsewhere, at the Freya Familia headquarters, the top members of the familia were also watching the War Game.
Unlike the lively reactions seen in other places, the atmosphere there remained silent and serious.
Every movement made by the members of the Hestia Familia was carefully observed. Each action, each strike, and each display of skill was closely monitored and analysed.
Their skills and combat prowess were being studied, as such information could prove valuable in the future when the time came to enact their goddess's wish.
Among them, however, one person seemed far less interested in the quiet analysis taking place around her.
Zephyra.
She watched the War Game calmly, her gaze steady as she observed the hologram screen. However, after watching for a short while longer, she eventually turned away and decided to leave.
Her sudden movement caused a bit of confusion among her comrades.
Seeing her departure, several of them exchanged glances. Hedin, curious about why she was leaving so abruptly, finally spoke up.
"Why the sudden leave, Zephyra?" he asked.
Zephyra did not turn back to face them.
Instead, she simply raised one of her hands casually as she continued walking forward, likely heading toward her room.
"There's no need for me to keep watching to see who would win," she said calmly. "I already know the result."
With those words, she continued walking toward her chambers, leaving her comrades standing there in silence, confused by the meaning behind what she had just said.
Back at the Amphitheatron, Eina, Misha, and Rose were watching the War Game from afar, their eyes fixed on the large hologram screen displaying the battle. All three of them were fully focused on the events unfolding before them, carefully observing every movement and every clash between the two sides.
They remained in constant anxiety as the fight continued. Each time the Hestians made a move, the three of them felt their tension rise even further. Seeing the members of the Hestia Familia perform actions that seemed extremely reckless made them even more on edge.
Eina, in particular, felt the greatest amount of stress.
Being their advisor did nothing to make her nerves any calmer. If anything, it only made the situation more nerve-wracking for her. Watching the battle unfold while knowing the dangers her advisees were facing caused her worry to grow with every passing moment.
Even so, she continued watching the War Game closely.
Despite the tension and anxiety she felt, she still supported her friends with all her heart, hoping that they would somehow manage to overcome what many had believed to be an impossible challenge.
Rose, on the other hand, was feeling completely ecstatic.
Seeing the Familia of the person she had a crush on gaining the upper hand filled her with excitement and happiness. Every victory achieved by the Hestians caused her to smile brightly as she continued watching the battle.
However, just like Eina, there were still moments that made her incredibly stressed. Whenever the Hestians were placed in dangerous situations, her excitement quickly turned into worry.
As the three of them continued watching the event unfold, the screen suddenly switched to a different area of the battlefield.
The moment the image changed, all three of them, especially Rose, immediately focused their full attention on the screen.
"What is this?!" Ibri, who was standing on the stage, spoke loudly as he reacted to what had appeared on the hologram. "The Hestia Familia's captain is surrounded by many members of his enemy! And yet, he stood still?!"
Ibri continued speaking, his voice filled with surprise as he addressed the crowd watching the War Game.
"Is this a sign of forfeit?!" he asked, his tone questioning as he directed the thought toward the spectators.
Many of those witnessing the scene were confused by the titan man's actions. Standing completely still while surrounded by enemies seemed almost absurd in the middle of such a battle.
Had he truly given up the War Game?
Suddenly, the screen showed many members of the alliance charging forward to attack the Hestian captain.
To the spectators watching it unfold, defeat seemed inevitable. The Hestian captain appeared to be completely surrounded, and the incoming attackers were closing in from all sides.
However, what happened next was something none of them had expected.
The moment the alliance members came within close proximity of the Hestian captain, the titan-like man suddenly raised both of his arms into the air.
Then, a moment later, he brought his fist down toward the ground.
The instant his strike made contact with the earth, a massive crater formed beneath him.
The impact sent out a powerful shockwave that spread across the area, violently throwing the attacking enemies away from him. The force of the strike sent bodies flying through the air as the ground itself cracked under the sheer strength of the blow.
Many of the alliance members were knocked unconscious immediately from the impact.
Some of them attempted to rise back to their feet, struggling to regain their balance after being thrown away. However, their efforts were short-lived.
The Hestian captain moved.
In the blink of an eye, he dealt with those who had tried to stand up again, striking them down one by one and putting them back onto the ground without difficulty.
After finishing the fight, the Hestian captain did not celebrate or even show any particular reaction.
Instead, he simply turned and began walking leisurely in a direction that only he seemed to know.
The calmness of his actions only made the scene even more shocking to those who had just witnessed what happened.
Many who watched the feat performed by the Hestian captain were even more baffled than they had been when Bell and Lili fought earlier.
This reaction was especially strong among those gathered in the Denatus hall.
Many of the gods and goddesses who had previously mocked the Hestia Familia had now fallen completely silent after witnessing the spectacle.
Apollo himself, after seeing Aurelius completely dominate his forces in such a one-sided manner, was equally silent.
Unable to process what he had just seen, he simply stood there as if his mind had completely stopped working.
Plutus, the once confident and arrogant god, was now sweating heavily after witnessing the scene.
He had severely underestimated the strength that the Hestians possessed.
Slowly, he turned his head and looked toward Hestia once more.
There she was again, sitting calmly as if nothing unusual had happened.
Then she turned her head toward Plutus.
Her face slowly formed into a smug expression, almost as if she were silently telling him:
'Time is ticking, Plutus.'
Plutus scoffed at the expression she gave him.
Turning his gaze back toward the hologram screen, he gritted his teeth in an attempt to suppress the stress that was building inside him at that very moment.
<->
Back at the War Game, Aurelius was seen heading toward an open area after exiting a tunnel within one of the building structures of the castle.
The narrow passage behind him had already become quiet after the fights he had gone through. Along the way, he had already defeated many, if not most, of the opponents who had tried to stop him.
Now, with no one immediately blocking his path, he found himself wandering through the battlefield, searching for the top members of the Plutus Familia. Among them, the one he wanted to face the most was their captain, Marcus Van Lion.
"Where are those guys?" Aurelius muttered to himself as the feeling of annoyance slowly began to seep into his being. His voice carried clear irritation as he continued walking forward. "Are we here to have a fight, or are we playing hide and seek? Though, it would make sense honestly. But, still annoying."
Aurelius scratched his head as he let out a sigh. The frustration of trying to locate the four top members of the Plutus Familia was beginning to get to him.
The castle's structure did not help either, with its many corridors and passages making navigation unnecessarily complicated.
At one point, he had even come close to simply leveling the entire castle to the ground just to find them faster.
However, he restrained himself from doing so.
He still had to remain somewhat "professional" about this War Game. After all, there were rules and expectations surrounding the event. More importantly, he also had to consider the safety of his two comrades somewhere within the castle.
"Should've leveled the entire thing to the ground from the first place," he muttered, reconsidering his earlier decision to take things slow. "Well, it's already been done. Plus, the time limit is three days anyways. I'll find them eventually."
With that thought in mind, he continued walking forward.
The tunnel he had exited from stretched behind him, while ahead of him the end of another passageway could be seen. Sunlight poured through the opening at the far end, illuminating the path forward.
As he approached the exit of the tunnel, something caught his attention.
From within the dim interior of the passage, he could see what appeared to be a large group of people gathered on the other side of the opening. Their figures were partially silhouetted by the sunlight shining behind them.
Intrigued by what he saw, Aurelius quickened his pace slightly as he walked toward the end of the tunnel.
When he finally stepped out into the open area, the sight before him became completely clear.
There were many people gathered there, possibly more than twenty individuals in total that wore golden armours. They were standing together in a loose formation, as if they had been waiting for someone to arrive.
As Aurelius slowly continued walking toward them, his sharp gaze moved across the group.
Soon enough, he noticed something familiar.
In the middle of the crowd, surrounded by the others, stood four individuals.
"Would you look at what we have here," Aurelius muttered quietly to himself as he recognized the familiar faces standing at the centre of the group. A small smirk formed on his face as he spoke. "Speaking of the devils themselves."
The four individuals he had recognized were none other than the top members of the Plutus Familia. They had clearly gathered here together, seemingly waiting for the arrival of the Hestian captain.
"It seems like you have arrived, Aurelius," Marcus said as he stepped forward slightly. His voice was calm as he addressed the titan-like man standing before them. "I thought you would get here faster than we anticipated."
Aurelius, after hearing Marcus's words, suddenly burst into laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!" he laughed loudly. "I would if this damn castle wasn't built like a maze."
Marcus responded with laughter of his own upon hearing the remark.
"HAHAHA! I would agree that this abandoned castle is a bit of a mess to navigate," Marcus replied. "Truly the minds of the ancient times, is it not?"
However, Aurelius did not respond to Marcus's words this time.
Instead, he continued walking forward slowly until he reached a distance close enough that both sides could stand facing each other without invading each other's personal space.
Once he stopped in front of them, Aurelius looked across the entire group.
His gaze moved across the twenty or so adventurers surrounding the four strongest members of the Plutus Familia.
A smug smile slowly appeared on his face.
"How about we stop the chit chat and get this started, shall we?" Aurelius said confidently.
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone present reacted immediately.
All of them shifted into battle-ready stances.
After witnessing first hand how powerful the Hestian captain was, none of them were willing to take any chances by being careless around him a second time.
The atmosphere around them grew heavy as tension filled the open area.
A big battle was about to break out.