(Riven POV – Orario Streets)
The cool night breeze brushes against my face as I carry a sleeping Hestia in my arms, making my way through the quieter streets of Orario.
The city is winding down, but it never truly rests. The footsteps of weary adventurers echo in the distance, the faint clink of armor and discussion filling the air.
'Well… many adventurers don't get to return.' The thought lingers as I keep walking.
And not long after…
"Mmm…?" A soft, confused groan escapes from Hestia's lips. She stirs, nuzzling against my chest before twisting to find a better position. My arms, however, don't offer much room for her antics, and she lets out a small huff.
She cracks one sleepy eye open, rubbing it with the back of her hand before looking up at me in a daze.
"Did you enjoy your nap?" I ask with a grin.
She blinks, the fog in her head clearing, then her eyes fly wide open as her face turns red.
"R-riven!" She squeaks, pointing an accusatory finger at my chin. "You said that—"
"Are you sure you want to finish that sentence while I'm carrying you?" I cut in, pulling her a little closer. One arm under her thighs, the other steadying her back. "Because you also said a lot of things and currently… you wouldn't be able to run away." My grin turns wicked, daring her to bring up our confessions.
Her blush deepens, reaching down her neck. She clamps her mouth shut, wisely refusing to take the bait.
'What a shame.' I think. 'It's too soon anyway.'
"Don't worry." I chuckle, easing the tension. "I meant every word I said. We've got lots of time, so there's no need to rush things."
She exhales slowly, her blush receding slightly. "…Okay." And then, almost without thinking, she rests her head against my shoulder again, letting herself relax.
For a while, we walk in silence. The only sounds are my footsteps and our steady breathing. She clings to me a little tighter, stealing my warmth.
Then—
"Wait…" Her voice perks up. "What's this?"
'Only now does she notice?' I sigh internally. 'Took her long enough.'
"It's our ugly rock." I say casually.
She jerks her head back to glare at me. "Be serious!"
"I am." I roll my eyes, earning an indignant puff of her cheeks. "I turned the Adamantite into a bracelet. That's how it was meant to turn out."
Her pout fades as her gaze drifts down to the bracelet around her wrist. "...It's pretty." She admits without thinking.
"You said the same thing when it was just an ore—" I began, but Hestia pinched my arm, and despite not turning away from the bracelet, I got the message.
The bracelet isn't large, just snug enough to rest against her skin. It's made of two rings of small Adamantite beads linked together. Each bead gleams with a dark metallic blue luster, most marked with swirling cloud-like patterns.
But the center bead of the first ring is different.
"What's this one?" She asks, curiosity filling in her eyes.
Unlike the others, its surface isn't a smooth blue. At the base of the bead, a faint red spark glows within the metal, curling upward into an intricate flame pattern etched into the Adamantite, wrapping around its whole surface. The flames grow larger as they rise from both sides and eventually meeting at the other end. And beneath the spark sits an altar, and together symbolizing the sacred flame, representing Hestia.
Finally, at the heart of the bead… is us.
A tiny, detailed carving of the day we met.
I lying on the ground with Hestia on top of me after her ridiculous fall, our eyes locked on each other's in surprise.
The spark and flames are tinted red, our eyes etched in vivid, bright blue, the lines of the carving shaded white, and everything else remains the Adamantite's natural, brilliant midnight blue.
Hestia's thumb brushes over the carvings slowly, as if afraid they might vanish. "…You chose that moment?" She asks softly.
I smirk. "It's hard to forget the moment a goddess fell on me, and made me family."
Her cheeks flush red again, but this time, she doesn't argue. Instead, she hugs my neck just a little tighter.
"I'll take that as you liking it?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.
"I don't just like it, I love it!" she declares such seriousness that it almost makes me laugh.
'That word's been getting thrown around a lot today.' I muse.
I nod. "Yeah, it's nice. I also 'love' mine a lot."
Her brow furrows. "Yours?"
"Yeah, I've got a matching one. I'm wearing it right now." I say. "Guess you can't see it from there."
That answer clearly isn't good enough for her. She grabs the arm I've been using to support her back, dragging my wrist into view. When she finds nothing there, her eyes flick down toward her thighs, shifting her legs until my other arm is visible. Her expression brightens the instant she spots the bracelet.
I sigh at her impatience, but the grin that spreads across her face makes it hard to be annoyed.
"You look even happier that I've got one, than you having it yourself." I say.
"Of course." She hums. "It means we're matching."
"Sure." I smile helplessly. "We'll fill the other beads with important memories as we make them."
Her eyes sparkle at that, and she nods with a little bounce of satisfaction.
Then, before I can add anything else—
'Hmm?' From the corner of my eye, something catches my attention as we pass an alley, and my smile fades. 'Is that… her?'
"What's wrong?" Hestia asks, picking up on my shift in mood.
I stop walking, turning my head fully toward the scene unfolding in the shadows.
"Someone's getting beat up." I say evenly. "What do you think we should do?"
She follows my gaze and sees them. Three adventurers, boots and fists slamming into a small, curled-up figure on the ground. The girl barely moves except to flinch from the next blow, even amidst a barrage of hits and shouts.
I expect outrage from Hestia, maybe an instant call to action—but instead, she hesitates, lips pressing into a thin line. After a moment, she shakes her head.
"I don't think we should get involved." She says in a firm voice.
"You wouldn't want to stand up against injustice?" I ask, genuinely curious.
"It's not that…" She sighs, glancing at me with something like frustration. "It'd be three against one. I don't want you getting hurt."
'Wow… that's blunt.' But I'm grinning on the inside, even if I'm slightly offended she thinks they could hurt me.
"Really?" I hum thoughtfully. "Thing is, I don't think they're a threat to me."
Her eyes sharpen and she frowns. "Don't underestimate adventurers. Just because you can handle monsters doesn't mean you can take on people, especially when you're outnumbered."
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. The only way they'd be a problem is if they were Level 3s—and even then, I could work around it.
'But they're all Level 1s.' Both my intuition and Great Sage confirm.
"Don't worry, Goddess." I say with a small smile. "I'd run away if I couldn't win. And besides… I wouldn't risk a dangerous fight with you around. Your safety comes first." I set her down gently.
She folds her arms, still pouting. "I just didn't think you were the type to save random people."
"I'm not." I say, stepping toward the alley. "She's not exactly a stranger… I know her, even if she doesn't know me."
Hestia narrows her eyes suspiciously, but I'm already moving.
'Guess it's time to test all the martial arts GS uploaded into me.'
With each step I take, my muscles tighten as my body naturally slides into combat readiness. My Total Concentration Breathing allowing me to seamlessly adapt to the sudden change on situation.
"Hopefully…" I murmur, a grin spreading across my face. "This doesn't disappoint me too much."
(Lili POV – Orario Alleyway)
I hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of me as a boot digs into my ribs, pain spreading throughout my entire body.
"Pathetic little shit." One of them sneers above me. His voice drips the same condescension I've heard from every adventurer I've ever met.
Another kick slams into me. My arms curl tighter over my head. It's almost muscle memory by now. Tuck in, take the hits, then wait for it to end after they get bored.
'Adventurers.' I think in distaste.
Scum wrapped in shiny steel, flashing smug, evil smiles. Strutting around like heroes, stepping on whoever's beneath them. If there were a pit lower than dirt, that's where they'd put me.
I grit my teeth as a fist strikes my cheek. My vision flashes white, my cheek swells, and blood fills my mouth… but I don't cry. Crying makes them hit harder.
'Sadistic bastards.'
"Where's the rest of it, Supporter?"
I don't answer. Not because I'm brave, since bravery's for idiots who die early. It's simply because they'd show no mercy regardless. Might as well make it harder for them.
'This is normal.'
Being robbed, beaten, spit on… just another regular day for a supporter. You either get used to it, or you die wishing you had.
'I guess I got used to it.' A single tear threatens to fall from my eyes.
Not because I pity myself, but simply as a physiological reaction to the abuse. And yet, right before it can fall…
"Hey." A new voice cuts in. The tone is casual and relaxed.
'Oh great… another adventurer. And from the sound of it, this one's quite stupid to not mind his own business, and even dumber to not understand the situation.' My gut twists in irritation.
"Walk away, idiot." One of my attackers snarls.
'Yes, walk away.' I think, glaring from behind my arms. 'Go play hero somewhere else. I don't need you making things worse.'
But no. He keeps casually walking closer.
I glance up just enough to see the idiot. He's tall, looks calm, just a bit handsome and muscular, but wearing that annoyingly composed look most adventurers have right before getting themselves killed.
'Fantastic.' I've seen that type before. Pretty boys with misplaced morality who throw themselves into trouble thinking the world owes them applause.
'And when he starts getting thrashed, I'll slip away. He can take the blows and be the hero he wanted to be, but he won't get my thanks.'
"I said back off!" My attacker reiterates, and him and his teammates draw their weapons.
I freeze. 'This just got ugly.'
The steel swords glint under the weak light leaking into the alley, and my stomach knots.
'Idiot.' I curse him silently. 'You're about to get gutted over someone you don't even know.'
But even if I feel bad that he'll die a pointless death, I won't stop him. I wait for them to fight, so I can make my escape, when… he speaks.
"You guys drew your weapons first?" He asks with a smile, as though oblivious to something so obvious. "I'm unarmed, so this everything from here on out is self defense."
I stare at him incredulously. 'Is he actually an idiot?'
My attackers however, look between themselves, and burst into laughter.
"Sure thing… let us teach you a thing or two about interfering with other people's business.' Attacker 1 sneers, as he steps forward, holding his sword casually.
Attacker 2 and 3 remain by me unfortunately, preventing me from escaping.
"Don't try to be a hero in your next life!" Attacker 1 begins, raising his sword, and swinging it towards the white haired idiot, still smiling stupidly as it approaches him.
Then, it happens.
I don't even know how it happened, but I blink, and the sword was caught between idiots fingers.
I blink in confusion, and attacker 1 seems just as surprised.
Idiot frowns, then sighs. "Yeah… I expected too much." He says apathetically, his voice dripping with chilling nonchalance, as I hear a dull, bone-rattling thud.
A chill runs up my spine as the sword clatters to the ground, before attacker 1 drops to his knees.
What scares me the most is that he doesn't even scream. He simply gasps for breath futilely.
And instead of knocking him out, Idiot walks past him, and—
"Oops… that was an accident. Hope you understand." He grins clumsily as he stomps on attacker 1's leg.
I watch the bone fracture instantly, and even more chillingly..my there's no blood, and the flesh vanishes completely. It's like his entire calf just disappeared.
"My Goddess is watching so I can't make things too messy." He continues speaking casually, even as his hand grips attacker 1's mouth, preventing him from screaming with whatever air he managed to draw into his lungs. "And don't make a sound. You'll wake people up."
Attacker 1 is crying now, trembling either from fear, or pain, maybe both.
I want to run. I want to get up and run, even if I get beaten up, I just want to get away, but…
'My legs won't move…' I think while trembling.
Idio—no… Monster, keeps his smile as he looks down at attacker 1. "I think you should go to sleep now."
I don't know what happened, but attacker 1's eyes widen, his body freezes, trembles for a moment, then goes still before collapsing to the floor.
"So it does work." Monsters says cheerfully as blood leaks out of Attacker 1's nose. "Hopefully a collapsed lung can be fixed with potions or magic." He shrugs, before turning to Attacker 2 and 3, who are trembling just as violently, if not more than me.
Monster rolls his eyes, chuckling slightly. "You guys are acting like I'm some scary monster."
I'm far too scared to think of some mental response, fearful that he might harm them somehow.
He takes slow steps towards us, and attacker 2 and 3 turn and try to run.
Emphasis on try.
He speeds past me, and when I turn around, he's grabbing them by the back of their heads, as their faces are smashed deep into the ground.
And yet again, there's no blood.
"Well, that was disappointing." He sighs, before standing up and dusting his hands.
I can't stop staring. My heart's beating way too fast to be healthy, but it's not because of fear for my attackers anymore.
It's him… the monster hiding in human skin.
Now he's looking at me.
He's smiling just as calmly as when he dealt with my attackers.
His eyes lock onto me, filled with something akin to amusement, and something in his stance that says he's not done with the violence yet.
I shrink back before I can stop myself. Every instinct I've honed screams the same thing—this is not a man you want looking at you like that.
*********
A/N: Hello Everyone. How are you all? If you've enjoyed the chapter and book thus far, please consider leaving me some comments, reviews, or power stones. It really helps the book out.
So yeah, a lot happened this chapter. I don't know whether I described the bracelet well, so the image is a general idea of what it looks like. And the flame design isn't 3d, it's smooth, made out of other ores he got in the market area.
And, probably the most confusing parts, since it's not Riven's POV. The first guy, and the reason for no blood, is because he's absorbing it into Predator to avoid making a mess. Then, the reason attacker 1 (yeah, they don't deserve names🤣) was knocked out was because Riven used Predator to suck the air from his lungs. Basically breath bending from Avatars which partially collapsed the dude's lungs, and K.O.d him.
None of them are dead, mainly because it's illegal, and would be extremely troublesome (and before you complain, I'll explain why the first guy is alive. Answer is some blue powder you breathe in [don't do drugs kids]).
And yeah, he's scared the love of God into Lili, but he's not actually about to kill her, as the last paragraphs suggest. It's her POV, so she's overthinking and assuming that's what his body language and gaze suggest
Tbh, I think the bracelet reveal should've been in Hestia's POV, but rewriting it would've delayed things by a bit, and I could've been more brutal with the last 2 attackers, but I kinda wanted to end it (although, I was thinking of him going back and causing further damage, and healing it improperly, so magic and potions wouldn't fix it, basically causing permanent disabilities to them. Is that a good idea, or would you also like to be done with the mobs?).
As for other things, the Date is officially over, and we'll be meeting another guarenteed love interest soon (any guesses?). So look forward to that.
You can also read 10 chapters ahead, and support me at [email protected]/AMV_WEAKLY
Anyway, that's all from me. I hope you all have a great night (or day) 😁