Chương 126: Siege Battle

"What boldness, Hestia."

"Exactly. I can hardly wait."

"A large-scale game involving entire Familias. This will be the most exciting event of the year."

"Since both sides have chosen to involve everyone, what will the rules be?" Freya asked with a mysterious smile. At first, she had thought the rumors about Hestia Familia were only rumors. But after seeing those three brilliant souls last night, she was certain they were not baseless rumors. Still, three bright souls alone should not have been enough to overcome the Monster Rex's trial. That meant Hestia Familia must contain others with equally dazzling souls. For the first time, Freya felt jealousy.

Why had so many young heroes appeared in Orario without her finding even one of them first? Why had naive Hestia found all of them?

"If this is a game involving the whole Familia, then a siege battle is the most suitable," Hestia said, her lips curving. Her cheeks flushed with excitement.

"Apollo, any objections?" Cael was amazing. He had prepared for every angle.

"Hehe. Since you suggested it yourself, Hestia, I have no reason to refuse. Everyone wants excitement." Apollo spoke proudly. If they chose a siege battle, numbers would matter. He had more than a hundred Familia members. Hestia had barely more than ten. How foolish. Her children would soon be his.

"If my side wins this War Game, all of Hestia's children become mine. No disagreement, correct?"

"If I win, you must obey any demand I make," Hestia said.

"No problem. Scribe, record it properly."

"Since this is a siege battle," Freya said, "Hestia has only a dozen or so members. Making her side defend would not be interesting. Apollo Familia has around ten times her numbers. Hestia should attack, and Apollo should defend. How does that sound?"

"Naturally," Apollo said with rare generosity.

"Even if we made Hestia the defender, it would not be realistic."

"Then the rules are decided." Loki clicked her tongue, already bored.

"End the emergency Denatus." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Inside, Loki was deeply annoyed. She had spent last night thinking up many ways to bother Hestia, but not one of them had been useful. It felt like all her schemes had hit empty air. Had the little shrimp become smarter after descending? The emergency Denatus ended, and Hestia left Babel with light steps.

"It looks like Apollo will lose badly this time," Miach murmured as he watched her leave. Last night, he and Takemikazuchi had discussed how to help Hestia through this crisis. Neither expected Takemikazuchi's children to tell them Hestia's children had already shown their true strength. If they could move freely on the Nineteenth Floor, they had to possess Lv. 3-class combat power.

Miach had even considered having some of his own children temporarily leave his Familia and join Hestia's to repay the debt from Takemikazuchi Familia's rescue. But that boy could already stand on his own. Miach still remembered when he first met Cael. Back then, Cael had been inexperienced and cautious. He had changed so much, Hestia. A large-scale siege War Game required one day of preparation. Apollo Familia, as the defending side, had to arrange weapons and defenses.

Hestia Familia, as the attacking side, needed far less preparation. Apollo Familia moved large amounts of weapons and personnel into the small city prepared by the gods for War Games. It was large enough to host a clash between two Familias with hundreds of members.

"Hurry up! We still have a lot to arrange. Even if the enemy is only Hestia Familia, we cannot be careless. Luan, you little runt, push harder."

"I know! Do not leave me behind. This cart is too heavy." Lili, disguised as Luan, shouted back. A sly smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. Apollo Familia's arrangements had all been memorized. After that, it would depend on how Lili turned their own defenses against them.

"It is because you are too short."

"What did you say? You are the short one."

"Tch. Always stubborn." Inside the castle hall, Hyakinthos, the defending general, sat on the throne with his arms folded and sneered.

"Hestia Familia dares choose a siege battle with that level of strength? Let me see how that boy Cael plans to defeat me." The defender's victory condition was to hold out for three days or wipe out the attacking side. The attacker's victory condition was to defeat the defending general or wipe out the defenders. Even with Level-raising Magic, Cael's strength had looked like a child's game to Hyakinthos. His chance of winning was not even worth considering.

Under their carefully prepared defense, Hestia Familia might not even enter the city, let alone reach him.

"They are coming... The terrifying monsters will eat everyone..." A girl with long hair covering one eye trembled as she watched the gate close.

"Everyone has been locked in a cage. It is so scary."

"Cassandra, are you talking about your dream prophecy again?" Daphne crossed her arms. Her sharp posture made her look like a soldier.

"Dreams do not happen in reality. Hestia Familia has existed for less than a month, and they only have a dozen or so Lv. 1 members. Do you still think we will lose?"

"Daphne, why does no one believe me? Daphne, please believe me at least. Otherwise, everyone will be eaten by monsters."

"All right, all right. I believe you. But even if I believe you, the facts are still the facts. Captain Hyakinthos is Lv. 3 and our general. Even if Hestia Familia reaches Lv. 2 during the fight, they cannot win. They may not even reach that point."

"You still do not believe me. This is terrible..." Across Orario, under the gods' witness, the War Game was officially announced to the city. At noon, Apollo Familia and Hestia Familia would wager everything in a siege battle. At the same time, Hestia Familia set out toward the War Game site.

"Everyone, be careful," Hestia said, eyes full of worry as she looked at the members in the carriage.

"No matter what happens, do not let your guard down. Do your best."

"Then we are off, Lady Goddess," Cael said.

"Wait for the news of our victory."