Chương 130: The Gate Opens

"Is that Cael really Lv. 1? What kind of joke is this? That level of power is definitely Lv. 3. He has used so many explosive attacks and still looks completely calm."

"A hidden Level? That should be impossible. This War Game is being held under the gods' witness. That means he can fight two Levels above his own while still Lv. 1. What kind of nonsense is that?"

"Look at Kyojuro Rengoku. He is only supposed to be Lv. 2, but he can counterattack while attacking a wall alone."

"And that woman. How strong is she? Is she really Lv. 2?"

"Wait. Did you notice? None of them have used that rumored Level-raising Magic yet."

"I noticed. That means it is not Magic at all. Every one of them is just absurdly strong."

"At this rate, the wall may fall soon."

"Hahaha! You fools, I am rich. Hand over the money!"

"Tch. The game only just started. Do not decide the result yet." While Orario argued, Lili repeated her trick at the west and south gates, using Hyakinthos's name to transfer defenders toward the north.

"Hmm. Something is strange," Loki said in the gods' spectator area, rubbing her chin.

"Hestia Familia's attack on one side is fierce, but the wall should not fall that quickly. Why move most of the troops there?"

"Oh? This reaction is too extreme," Hermes said, smiling with interest.

"If they concentrate that many defenders in one direction, the other three gates become obvious weak points. Things are getting interesting."

"What exactly is happening?"

"I see. There is a problem inside." Hermes continued as if speaking to himself.

"A city's command system is like a person's brain. If the brain loses control of the body, the body immediately begins to malfunction. In ordinary times, that may not matter. In war, it can cause a rapid collapse." The gods around them focused on the broadcast. Some even stood up with eager interest. Hestia's lips curved, and excitement filled her cheeks. Cael and Lili's preparations from yesterday were beginning to work.

"What is going on? Why are they changing the defense?" Apollo's face turned ugly as he watched the broadcast.

"What is Hyakinthos doing?" Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The start had been favorable. All they needed to do was hold for three days, and they even had enough strength to counterattack. Why make such a foolish decision? There were only a few attackers. Even if Cael's Magic was strong, breaking through should have been extremely difficult. How could one person's attacks break an entire wall?

"Everyone, come here! That man is trying to climb up from this side!" At the east gate, Lili shouted to the ten remaining defenders. Kyojuro was already stepping against the wall as if preparing to rush up.

"Still not giving up? With us here, how could we let you climb?"

"You should have given up after trying so many times. Keep this up and you will exhaust yourself."

"Bastard, die!" The ten defenders gathered and fired arrows at Kyojuro. Two mages began chanting. Watching them cluster together, Lili smiled wickedly. Several small bottles appeared in her hand, and she tossed them to the ground without hesitation. The bottles shattered. White powder burst into mist and wrapped around everyone.

"What? Cough, cough. What is this?"

"My head is spinning. Poison?"

"Luan, what are you doing?"

"Were you bribed?"

"Damn it. Kill him!" The defenders realized what had happened and glared at Lili, but their bodies no longer obeyed them. They collapsed in quick succession and could only watch as "Luan" walked calmly to the gate mechanism. Creak. The city gate opened. Kyojuro stepped inside.

"I did not expect it to go this smoothly. Captain Cael's arrangement was flawless. Impressive. Now we go support the others."

"We should bring Lord Tengen and Lord Sanemi in next," Lili said, leading the way. Lady Shinobu's sleeping powder worked wonderfully. Even upper-class Lv. 2 adventurers could be taken down by it.

"Ohhh! It happened! An internal betrayal!"

"Apollo Familia has a traitor!" The live commentator shouted with excitement. This was the biggest twist of the War Game so far.

"Luan, what are you doing?" Apollo stared blankly at the broadcast.

"Hehe." Hestia smiled at Apollo's stunned expression.

"Damn Luan! Was he bought off? He betrayed his own Familia! Aaaah!" Apollo nearly went mad with anger.

"How interesting," Freya said with a soft laugh as she watched the reversal. She had seen through the situation at a glance. From beginning to end, Apollo Familia had been played by those children without realizing it. They were painfully foolish.

"Oh, I understand now. What a good move." Loki rubbed her chin and narrowed her eyes. Her gaze shifted to the extremely pleased Hestia.

"I did not expect you to gain a strategic mind like that. There is no way a thoughtless little shrimp like you could run circles around Apollo Familia by yourself." Loki had once plotted among gods in Heaven. She could see the shape of this scheme.

"I do not know what you are talking about," Hestia said, crossing her arms and lifting her chin.

"You do not have to admit it." Loki clicked her tongue. Which of Hestia's children was responsible? Those rumors had probably been spread by that strategist to lure ambitious Familias into biting the bait and giving Hestia Familia a chance to seize their assets. With Hestia's current poverty, trying to earn money honestly would never be enough. Her children were strong but poor. Enduring insults quietly was not likely either. How had this little shrimp found a child whose strategic mind could compete with Finn's?

It was infuriating. At this rate, Hestia might really stand beside her before long.

"So that is the key. Hahaha, Hestia, impressive. Truly impressive." Hermes laughed, and the whole situation became clear to him.

"I have no idea what any of you mean," Hestia said, turning her head away. She would never admit that her children had calculated against another Familia.