As Damien approached, the Apollo Familia froze, panic written across every face. Weapons wavered in trembling hands. For a heartbeat, silence reigned—then their leader stepped forward, his gaze locked on Damien and the shadow of Diana kneeling beside him. With a swift, deliberate motion, he threw his sword to the ground.
The rest of his allies exchanged uneasy glances, then followed suit, casting their weapons down in unison.
"We surrender," the leader declared, voice firm despite the chaos. "The Apollo Familia shall not continue its participation in this War Game." With that, he and his companions turned and walked out, heads bowed but pride intact.
Damien ignored them, moving past the fallen weapons with the same calm precision he'd shown all battle. He approached the flag and handed it to Diana, now its steadfast protector.
"Well…" Ganesha's voice rang out across the arena, crackling through the recording mana stones. "As much as one might expect drama, it's hardly shocking. The Apollo Familia has surrendered… and now the Ishtar Alliance is down, seven to one. And look! Damien Ardent is wasting no time—he's already moving toward the Ishtar Familia Core."
....
In her observation booth, Ishtar's voice shattered the air.
"HOW DARE YOU, APOLLO! ARE YOU BETRAYING ME? I WILL DESTROY YOU!" she screamed into the comms.
Apollo's calm voice responded, measured and unflinching.
"I'm not betraying you. I'm saving my people the pain of battle. It's clear as day—this is over. You lost, Ishtar. We lost. Thankfully, my skin isn't on the line. Yours is." He cut the comm abruptly.
"APOLLO! APOLLO! YOU BASTARD!" Ishtar's screams faltered, her composure unraveling as she sank to her knees. Panic and fury burned in her chest. "Is this it… is it over? What… what can I do?"
Then, a spark of manic triumph ignited within her. "Yes! He killed her! He killed Karni! That's against the rules! That means this War Game will be annulled! And he'll be tried for his identity as the Necromancer! HAHAHAHA! I win! I win! Apollo! You will die!"
...
Meanwhile, Ganesha's voice carried over the crowd, calm yet awe-filled.
"As you can all see… Damien Ardent has defeated all members of the Ishtar Alliance in their Core. It is over...a full, dominating victory for Damien Ardent and the Hestia Familia. Eight to nil. A total sweep. From zero chances to total triumph, Damien and his one man Familia have proven themselves a new powerhouse of Orario!"
The crowd erupted, cheers and shouts echoing across the district. Those who had bet on Damien now reveled in an unexpected fortune. Initially, the odds had been a mere one percent then some dared to adjust to five percent, knowing Damien's reputation. By the end, the final odds were 99 to one. A single Valis wagered would net a hundred in return.
Among the spectators, one face shone brighter than the rest: Welf. His grin stretched wide as he counted his winnings, his wager...150,000 Valis, now more than fifteen million. And all thanks to Damien.
...
As victory celebrations erupted, Hestia was the first to reach Damien. She threw her arms around him without hesitation, hugging him tightly before planting a kiss on his lips right there in front of the entire crowd. Cheers exploded instantly.
Then others rushed in. His friends, his companions, and his lovers. Tiona wrapped him in a crushing embrace, laughing loudly, while Ais stepped close and kissed him as well. The crowd roared even louder as Damien exchanged kisses with more than one girl, the spectacle sending the stands into absolute frenzy.
"AHAHA! I know you all love a good show!" Ganesha laughed, his voice booming across the arena. "And now it is confirmed! Damien Ardent and the Hestia Familia have won the War Game! And now, the Guild Leader would like to say a few words!"
Royman Mardeel, the elven Guild Leader, stepped forward onto the podium, his expression calm and authoritative.
"Congratulations to the Hestia Familia on this decisive victory," he announced. "With this result, the Hestia Familia will become the rightful owners of the entire Red Light District, including the Ishtar Manor and all associated assets… including its slaves. The Ishtar Familia is hereby disbanded, and its goddess, Ishtar, shall be banished to Heaven."
"WAIT! STOP THIS! NOW!"
Ishtar's furious scream cut through the celebration as she stormed onto the podium, her expression twisted with rage and desperation.
"I do not accept this!" she shouted. "There has been cheating here!"
Royman raised an eyebrow slightly. "Cheating? Are you accusing the Guild of negligence in our observation?" he asked calmly. "That is a serious claim. Still, you may speak. Declare what cheating you believe has occurred."
Ishtar's lips curled into a sharp grin. "You fools. Have you forgotten the rules of this War Game? It was made very clear that no killing was allowed. And yet this man killed my captain, Karni!" She pointed violently at Damien. "Not only that, he desecrated her corpse and legacy by turning her into his slave! Does that not violate the rules?"
The crowd erupted into murmurs, shock rippling through the stands as some began to nod in agreement.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Tiona shouted angrily. "You can't fool me! I'm an Amazonian! Damien didn't kill her. Karni used Crimson Arete. That skill makes her stronger the more she bleeds. She pushed herself too far and killed herself!"
"No," Royman said firmly. "Ishtar is correct."
The crowd fell silent.
"We have observed the battle in full. Karni's death was not solely caused by her skill. Damien Ardent's final attack was the direct cause. He did indeed kill Karni."
Ishtar's grin widened as shock spread through the arena.
"And under Article 14, Section 7 of the War Game rules," Royman continued, "even if an opponent attempts to kill you, the response must be incapacitation, not death. Damien Ardent violated this rule."
Ishtar burst into laughter. "Then it's obvious! The War Game is cancelled! I did not lose! Maybe I didn't win, but this battle is void! And now you must arrest this criminal. The Necromancer!"
"Wrong," Royman said sharply.
"Damien Ardent was cleared of all prior crimes as part of the agreement tied to victory in this War Game."
"What?!" Ishtar screamed. "You just said he broke the rules! The War Game is cancelled! He cannot have won!"
"You did not let me finish," Royman replied coldly.
"Article 14, Section 8 states that when the level difference between combatants exceeds two levels, incapacitation becomes functionally impossible. In such cases, the judges and enforcers, namely the Ganesha Familia, must intervene to stop the battle."
He glanced toward the vast arena.
"However, due to the scale of the battlefield and the unpredictable combat style of both fighters, intervention was impossible."
A pause.
"As such, we move to Section 9 of the same article. The only circumstance in which killing is permitted is when an adventurer who is two or more levels below their opponent kills them through sheer luck or unavoidable accident."
Royman's eyes settled on Ishtar.
"Damien Ardent, a confirmed Level Four, killing the Level Six Karni meets this condition. He himself sustained a fatal wound and survived only due to superior recovery, likely through a powerful healing potion. Karni failed to prepare such countermeasures and initiated lethal intent first."
He raised his voice.
"Therefore, the Hestia Familia is declared the legitimate victor of this War Game."
Ishtar's eyes went wide. "Lies! You're cheating me! How dare you!" she screamed, her voice breaking into hysteria.
Then a presence filled the air.
Ouranos' voice echoed throughout the arena, ancient and absolute.
"Ishtar. Under the rules of the War Game, you are hereby banished to Heaven."
Ishtar collapsed to her knees. "No! No, please! Ouranos, please! Give me one more chance! I'm sorry!"
She crawled toward Damien, clutching at his legs. "Please forgive me! I'm sorry! Please stop this!"
Damien did not respond.
Light began to consume her body as her divine form unraveled. Tears streamed down her face as she vanished, her final words whispered in despair.
"…Everything I built… gone…"
And with that, Ishtar returned to Heaven.
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