The deity had golden hair that shone like sunlight, as if it were the sun's radiance itself, concentrated. The smile at the corners of his lips was equally dazzling, but anyone who had seen this god before knew how repulsive and twisted his true nature was behind that smile.
"Are you enjoying the party!? I've changed things up a bit from the usual, but I believe everyone's satisfied, right?"
As he said this, his eyes burned with passion as they locked onto Yuri.
Apollo, the sun god, wore dazzling clothes fit for the host of such a banquet, and he spoke with a loud, striking voice. Other gods who enjoyed festivities clapped and cheered enthusiastically.
"I'm so happy to see many of you again with your beloved children. I even feel like I might be lucky enough to have a brand-new encounter tonight."
"This night will be long. I'll offer you fine wine and delicious food. Please, enjoy yourselves!"
With that, Apollo opened his arms. As if responding to him, the gods around applauded. Many raised their glasses in a toast, and the banquet hall suddenly became lively.
Yuri accompanied Hestia as she greeted gods with whom she had good relations, such as Takemikazuchi and Miach, along with their families. Then, before he could look for Loki and Ais, some bold and passionate goddesses began to approach them one by one.
They ignored Hestia and formed an uncontrollable stream of admirers, surrounding Yuri with enthusiasm.
"Ah! I've been wanting to meet you for so long!"
"The strongest prodigy in all of Orario!"
"So handsome… Hestia, how about lending him to me for a few days?"
This scene nearly became the highlight of the entire banquet.
Hestia felt deep hatred toward those shameless goddesses.
Loki was overjoyed at the sight, while Ais seemed calm, but seeing Yuri surrounded by goddesses made her chest tighten.
On the other side of the hall, the goddess of beauty, Freya, watched the scene with an increasingly cold expression.
Before Hestia could chase away the brazen women who coveted her beloved, the lights in the hall lit up again, focusing on Apollo. His greedy eyes scanned the boy's beautiful face, and he could barely contain the desire in his heart.
"Are you enjoying the party?"
The music suddenly stopped, making his voice even more prominent.
"I'm very glad everyone is having fun. That makes my party even more meaningful. However, I have an important announcement to make tonight."
The gods paused their activities, and other guests naturally gathered, forming a circle around Apollo.
Everyone was curious about what he would do.
Under the watchful eyes of all, Apollo faced Hestia. His expression twisted wickedly, eerily similar to Nobuyuki Sugo from Sword Art Online.
"Hestia... I formally challenge you to a War Game!"
[War Game]
A battle between families and factions under agreed-upon rules. Like a board game, with family members as chess pieces, it's a duel between two rival gods to impose their will.
The victorious god may claim everything from the loser — including their family members.
"Apollo's at it again!"
"I wanna see how this turns out."
The gods who loved a good show laughed wickedly and encouraged the declaration, shouting, "This is going to be fun!"
Apollo, no longer hiding his interest, gazed at Yuri with burning eyes.
— "If we win… I want a member of your family — Yuri Winters."
A lascivious, disgusting smile spread across his face, clearly driven by lust.
"That's cruel, Hestia. How can you monopolize such an adorable child?"
That revolting gaze made Yuri shiver. It was sickening to stand before this god.
"Impossible! That's…"
Hestia, furious, looked at Apollo as if facing her family's murderer.
"Yuri is part of my family, I would never…"
Before she could finish, Yuri grasped her wrist.
He knew well Apollo's twisted behavior. Refusing now was useless — he wouldn't give up.
On the contrary, this was the perfect time to dig a trap for this disgusting god!
"I can see you truly desire me."
Yuri's eyes were clear and calm like a deep spring. Surrounded by so many gazes — hopeful, mocking, even fanatic — he declared:
"I accept the [War Game]. But the difference between me, a level 2, and the Apollo Familia, which has many high-level adventurers, is enormous."
As everyone expected him to demand fairer terms, he said:
"Then I'll bet everything."
"My entire property, my life, my soul, and even my existence after death and reincarnation — all will be on the line. Apollo, do you accept this?"
Just hearing the proposal made Apollo's face flush with excitement, panting like a bull in heat.
"Of course! Of course, I accept!" Apollo answered eagerly.
"Then… stake your life on this [War Game]!"
Thus, Yuri revealed the true goal of his plan.
The once-noisy hall fell into absolute silence.
A mortal would truly challenge a god, betting his very life?
In all the countless years the gods had lived in this world, this was the first time they'd seen something so outrageous.
At that moment, Loki, who understood Yuri's strategy, couldn't hold back her laughter. That seemed to be the spark that ignited a wave of heated discussion across the banquet hall.
According to the contract signed when the gods descended to this world, they weren't allowed to use their divine powers except during authorized ceremonies and festivals.
When gods "die," they are automatically sent back to the heavens. There, they can continue to live, but their lives will be much duller than in the mortal world.
Only when a god faces great disaster or is killed in a dungeon, like Artemis in the movie, do they "die" in a sense — their soul returns to the heavens in an unconscious state, falling into a deep sleep that lasts for hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years.
Such an extended period terrified even the gods.
What Yuri clearly wanted… was for Apollo to die that way.
Ignoring the chatter of the gods, Yuri continued speaking calmly:
"If you agree, then this [War Game] will be witnessed by all the gods present."
"Today, under the oath of the gods, I wager not just my body but also my soul and everything else in exchange for the right to kill the god Apollo!"
Resolute, terrifying, and bold, the human who had just been promoted to level 2 left the gods shocked, outraged, dazed, and intrigued.
In such a heated environment, no one noticed that a certain goddess's face was already flushed, her eyes filled with fascination and obsession.
"He really is a treasure..."
"Such a bold idea… He's truly beautiful..."
Freya swallowed hard, unable to hold back anymore, and spoke:
"I think it sounds good!"
The appearance of the goddess of beauty, Freya, startled many gods.
"Hey, Freya, this is a wager involving a god's life!"
Even if Yuri was betting so much, comparing that to a god's life…
Many gods frowned and protested, finding it hard to accept such a wager. In Orario, killing a god was clearly a crime. How could this be allowed?
"But this is the only way it becomes interesting enough, don't you think?"
Freya precisely understood the desires of these gods, who had lived for hundreds of millions of years.
They had come to the mortal world for amusement, driven by ages of boredom. Everything they did now was for fun.
"Think about it. A beautiful young man, forced by the wicked sun god, risks everything in a desperate moment and fights to the death against a deity."
Freya's eyes sparkled, her charm spreading throughout the hall.
"I'd risk my life to get such a beautiful treasure!"
Her tone was firm — perhaps even a bit eager.
"Oh, Apollo, if you won't accept, then I will play this [War Game] with him."
"What are you saying!" Apollo immediately grew desperate. "How could I give you that chance!"
"Then agree to the wager!"
Loki, realizing Yuri's plan, shouted right away.
As the goddess of trickery and mischief, seeing Yuri's bold strategy to kill Apollo and play tricks on the gods made her eager to get involved.
"Either way, Apollo's the one who'll die if he loses!"
Loki said the truth in one sentence, immediately swaying many gods.
"Besides, if it succeeds, maybe thousands of years from now, when the story of the human who killed a god spreads, you and I will be witnesses to that legend!"
At that moment, most of the gods couldn't help but nod in agreement.
They thought Loki was right!
After all, they weren't the ones who'd die if Apollo lost!
If it worked out, it would be an epic tale that people would laugh about for millennia. Perhaps thousands of years later, when people read stories about this brave young man, they could say they were there and brag about it.
"I agree too!" The doors suddenly opened, and a young man with orange-yellow hair and orange eyes, dressed in simple casual clothes and a hat with a feather, immediately spoke.
"I'm tired of watching the usual [War Games]. I need some excitement!"
"I agree!"
"Let Apollo die — he would anyway!"
"Freya's right!"
"Hahaha, this will be fun!"
With Freya, Loki, and the newly arrived god guiding and stirring things up, the gods made a solemn oath using their true names as witnesses.
[Witnessed by the Gods:]
The Hestia Familia and the Apollo Familia shall engage in a [War Game].
Yuri Winters wagers his entire body, soul, and everything else for the right to kill the god Apollo.
Apollo wagers his entire familia and his own life in exchange for everything belonging to Yuri Winters.
Note: Apollo is forbidden from using divine powers until his death and return to the heavens. Should Yuri Winters kill the god Apollo, the gods of Orario shall not hold him accountable for the crime of godslaying.
The [War Game] was scheduled to begin in the afternoon, two days later.
That night, after returning to the Hostess of Fertility, someone entered Yuri's room without knocking.
Yuri, who had just taken off his pajamas, looked confused as Ryuu Lion, who had heard the news of the [War Game], appeared strangely nervous.
The elf leaned against the door, unable to hide the worry in her eyes.
"You really accepted that [War Game]?"
(End of Chapter)
Give me some power stones there you go~😉
The reason I didn't update yesterday is quite simple.
I needed to travel to another city for a relative's birthday, and with my infinite wisdom, I forgot to transfer the files to my cell phone, much less to Google Drive.
It was only after I got there and opened the phone to do the updates that I noticed this problem.
A small observation is that none of them were complete yet, especially MLS and MMS, I intended to finish there but because of my fit of stupidity I couldn't do anything.
Anyway, when I got home it was already past 2 in the morning, so I just lay down and slept like a log.