At the same time, within Orario, many people and even gods had already begun to notice the anomaly in the Entertainment District.
"An explosion?"
"Yo, there’s fire!"
"Wait, that’s... the Entertainment District?"
"...No way?"
Some noticed that a corner of Orario was gradually being dyed a fiery red.
Some climbed onto the rooftops of towering buildings and looked out toward the Entertainment District. Others exchanged glances and spoke in hushed confusion, then began running toward the area, only to find streets engulfed in fierce flames. Some fled from the Entertainment District itself, their faces filled with panic, and after regrouping with those outside, they spread a shocking piece of news.
"Not good, the Freya Familia is attacking the Entertainment District!"
"It was the Freya Familia!"
"Goddess Freya’s involved too!"
"Damn, this is huge!"
Those who had narrowly escaped, along with the gods, shouted over one another in a chaotic uproar, causing everyone who heard the news to change expression.
"Huh, the Freya Familia?"
"Ishtar’s done for..."
"But... why?"
Some gods either frowned in thought or expressed confusion, constantly trying to figure out Freya’s intentions.
"Hurry, let’s go help!"
"Help who?"
"Obviously Ishtar! If Ishtar’s done for, where are we even supposed to go for fun in the Entertainment District?"
"But the one makin’ a move is Freya! You really wanna offend Freya? Yeah, then you’re the one who’s done for."
Some gods panicked like this, even descending into irrational arguments.
They showed no concern for Freya’s motives, nor did they care what Ishtar had done to provoke her. Instead, they only thought about themselves, growing anxious over the pleasures they might soon lose.
Naturally, the news also reached the Guild and the Ganesha Familia, alarming both sides.
"Darn it, what are those two Goddesses of Beauty doing?"
"Out of all times, they’re seriously fighting each other right now?"
"The issue with the Man-Made Dungeon hasn’t even been resolved yet, and there are still those trying to sabotage Orario!"
"Get someone over there and stop them, now!"
In the end, the Guild and the Ganesha Familia quickly dispatched large forces, sending them toward the Entertainment District to halt the conflict.
Even without considering public order in the city, neither the Freya Familia nor the Ishtar Familia was something that could be casually lost.
One should know that the Freya Familia was one of Orario’s strongest combat forces and absolutely could not afford to suffer damage, while the Ishtar Familia was likewise a powerful, large familia.
In addition, the Ishtar Familia managed gray-market operations, providing adventurers with a place to release excess stress and energy, indirectly contributing to the city in no small way.
If either side suffered losses, it would deal a heavy blow to Orario.
Given that, the Guild and the Ganesha Familia naturally had to intervene to prevent major damage.
Meanwhile, at the home of the Loki Familia, Twilight Manor, Loki poked her head out from her room.
"Tch, that lovestruck fool actually went and made her move, huh..."
Loki clicked her tongue.
Ever since she learned that Bell had been captured by the Ishtar Familia, she had already suspected that something like this might happen.
As the goddess of a rival familia, no matter how unserious Loki might seem, she would never ignore Freya, so she had long since noticed Freya’s obsession with that Little Rookie.
In the first place, the fact that Hedin and Hogni had been sent to train Bell was no secret. Coupled with Finn and the others mentioning what Ottar had done in the Dungeon after returning from their expedition, Loki could easily guess that Freya’s old habit had flared up again—she had taken a liking to someone and fallen head over heels.
And based on Loki’s understanding of Freya, if the person she had set her heart on was taken away—especially by another Goddess of Beauty capable of using charm—there was no way Freya would not explode in rage.
"Hmph, after all these years, she can still fall in love anytime, anywhere. Gotta hand it to her."
Loki snorted coldly and muttered to herself.
"Well, whatever—that bitch Ishtar kinda pulled a fast one on us, too. I was still tryna figure out how to get revenge, but now it’s settled. Don’t gotta worry about it anymore."
Clearly, Loki had been holding a grudge against Ishtar.
If not for the situation surrounding Knossos and concerns about interference from the Guild and the Ganesha Familia, she would have already led her familia to raid the Entertainment District herself.
Now that someone else was doing the job—avenging her while taking the blame and drawing the Guild and the Ganesha Familia’s suppression—it could not have been better.
The only problem was...
"Riezel... looks like he ditched work and went over there to join the fun, too?"
Loki’s head was starting to ache.
"Hopefully that brat doesn’t cause any trouble."
Loki was not the only one thinking this, as Finn and the others, now gathered in the captain’s office, felt the same.
"According to Raul’s report, Riezel is indeed in the Entertainment District," Finn said with a sigh. "Given his personality, I don’t think he’ll just stand by and do nothing. What do you think?"
"Hahaha, isn’t that obvious?" Gareth laughed. "He just caused trouble in the Entertainment District not long ago, and now he runs into this? No way he won’t stir something up."
"Honestly... too reckless." Riveria could not help but admonish him. "The relationship between familias is not something to be treated lightly. If he openly causes trouble like this and the Guild finds out, he will definitely be punished."
"Forget it. Riezel should know his limits—what he can and cannot do. As long as he’s careful, let the Freya Familia take the blame," Finn shook his head as he spoke. "What worries me more is that he might run into his old acquaintances from the Freya Familia and clash with them—that would be a real problem."
With Riezel’s strength, even if he caused trouble within the Ishtar Familia’s territory, he could at least protect himself, so there was no need to worry about his safety. Even if the Ishtar Familia possessed level-boosting magic, it would still be impossible for them to deal with Riezel as he was now.
On the contrary, if he encountered the Freya Familia and ended up clashing with them, his situation would become far more dangerous.
One Level 8.
One Level 7.
Two Level 6s.
Four Level 5s.
A total of eight First-Class Adventurers—including Ottar, who had stepped into an entirely new realm—even for Riezel, facing such a group would be extremely difficult.
As for the possibility of both sides avoiding conflict, that was impossible.
First of all, they belonged to opposing familias, so once they encountered each other, conflict was inevitable. And if that conflict escalated into a full confrontation, Riezel could very well find himself in real danger.
Understanding this, Finn immediately made a decision.
"No choice. Send someone to support Riezel."
Gareth and Riveria nodded.
"Who should we send?" Riveria asked with a frown. "Ais, Bete, and Aki are still in the Dungeon. Among the familia’s executives, only the three of us, Tiona and Tione, and Raul remain."
"I’ll go," Gareth said as he stood up. "Since King’s there, just sendin’ those young’uns isn’t gonna be enough to keep things under control."
"Alright, you go. Take Tiona and Tione with you," Finn decided without hesitation. "Ottar’s side won’t dare act recklessly with the three of you supporting Riezel."
"Be careful," Riveria said solemnly. "Ottar and Allen have already leveled up. Even with Riezel there, you could still run into danger."
"Don’t worry," Gareth said with a grin. "Perfect timin’. I’ve kinda been wantin’ to test their strength myself."
With that, Gareth left the office.
Not long after, led by Gareth, Tiona, and Tione, a group of members—each at least Level 4—gathered at the entrance of Twilight Manor.
"Move out!"
At Gareth’s command, fully armed, the group immediately rushed forward, heading toward the Entertainment District.
===
Flames still coiled through the street, sweeping everywhere along with black smoke, creating a scene of utter devastation.
At this moment, the once lively Entertainment District had, under the fierce assault of Freya Familia, been completely reduced to a sea of fire. It had become a field of ruins—blazing flames were visible everywhere, rubble and broken debris were scattered across the ground, and collapsed walls and shattered structures were a common sight. Screams and wails still echoed wildly throughout the area.
Amid this, the members of the Freya Familia continued to faithfully carry out their goddess’s orders, slaughtering anyone who stood in the way of their destruction of the Entertainment District.
Especially the berberas—even when they tried to flee, the members of the Freya Familia did not allow it, as one after another, they caught up to them and mercilessly cut them down.
Such one-sided devastation continued, spreading the scent of blood and fire everywhere.
*BOOM!*
Suddenly, a thunderous roar rang out.
It was the sound of a building collapsing.
It had not been blasted apart by the magic of the Freya Familia’s mages, but instead had been knocked down by two figures locked in fierce combat.
Two figures, streaking like beams of light, shot in from afar.
As they fought, they smashed through building after building, revealing themselves amid thunderous noise and clouds of dust as they arrived on the street.
"W-What’s that?!"
"It’s Vice Captain Allen!"
"Someone’s fighting Vice Captain?"
"It’s him!"
Seeing the devastation, the members of the Freya Familia, who had been brutally overwhelming the Ishtar Familia, first trembled, then stared in shock at the two figures now fully revealed.
They burst out of the sea of flames, blasted through the rubble, and the moment they reached the street, they charged at each other.
One wore a cold, expressionless face, while the other radiated a murderous aura—without hesitation, they swung their weapons at one another.
In an instant, a storm of sword light and silver spear shadows erupted.
*Clang!* *Cling!* *Clang!* *Cling!*
*Clang!* *Cling!* *Clang!* *Cling!*
Amid the intense clashes, the crystal longsword and the silver lance traced countless cold, sharp arcs through the air as they collided with all their might.
Under such extreme speed, Riezel’s thin crystal sword was no longer distinguishable in form, while Allen’s silver spear had completely turned into a streak of light—their attacks intertwined like a violent storm, colliding and rebounding, sending sparks scattering nonstop.
"Liberator! You—!"
Allen, spinning his spear into a blur of light with an attack speed so fast that the shaft itself was invisible, found that none of his assaults were effective. Time and again, his spear tip was blocked or deflected by Riezel, making his expression grow increasingly ugly.
As an adventurer known as the fastest, Allen’s movement speed and attack speed were both considered the peak of Orario, usually making his enemies unable to even perceive the trajectory of his spear before being pierced through. Never before had he experienced repeated failure like this.
In the past, aside from Ottar—who could deploy Absolute Defense—no one had ever been able to withstand his assault to such an extent.
And now, a rookie adventurer whom he had once looked down upon was flawlessly blocking every single one of his attacks.
Such a fact filled Allen with intense frustration.
"Relax, this is just the beginning."
Riezel, whose eyes shimmered with a translucent glow, spoke calmly.
"If you’re already getting mad now, you’re gonna be even more pissed later."
As he spoke, Riezel swung Fool at a speed that did not lose to Allen in the slightest, unleashing a surging mass of sword light to meet Allen’s spear strikes that had turned into flashes of light, blocking them or knocking them aside.
"Wind Breathing - Sixth Form - Black Wind Mountain Mist!"
Immediately after, Riezel unleashed a wind slash, the strike mixed with expanding sword energy as it cut toward Allen.
*BOOM!*
Under the sharp, invisible slash, all of Allen’s incoming spear thrusts were blown away.
Riezel’s razor-like slash shot forward at extreme speed, cutting toward Allen with unstoppable force, as if intending to split him in two.
"Hmph!"
Though Allen’s expression was grim, his movements did not slow in the slightest. With a single push off the ground, he transformed into an afterimage and easily dodged the incoming slash.
*Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!* *Swish!*
Allen pushed his speed to the limit, leaving countless afterimages around Riezel, as though he had split into numerous avatars, moving at a speed that was astonishing to behold.
In the next moment, Allen’s silver spear once again became countless streaks of light, continuously thrusting toward Riezel, attempting to pierce his body full of holes.
’As expected of Orario’s fastest...’
Riezel narrowed his glowing eyes, adjusted his breathing, and swung Fool in a sweeping arc, slashing in all directions.
"Moon Breathing - Fifth Form - Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy!"
A massive vortex-like blade storm erupted from Riezel’s body.
*Clang!* *Cling!* *Clang!* *Cling!*
*Clang!* *Cling!* *Clang!* *Cling!*
Riezel’s swirling blade storm instantly deflected all of Allen’s incoming spear strikes—even Allen, who had attempted to break through from behind Riezel, was blasted away by the crescent-shaped slashes within the vortex, crashing into a pile of rubble and sending debris flying into the air.
"You and your ridiculous techniques!"
Allen’s face twisted as the hand gripping his silver spear tightened further.
For him, this was already an unknown number of failed charges.
As a result, his sharp gaze now carried a trace of gravity, as he had truly begun to feel the pressure of fighting Riezel.
"No helping it. You’re too fast."
Riezel did not hesitate to give this praise because even Allen’s speed had begun to feel somewhat troublesome to him.
===
[A bonus Chapter for every 300 Power Stones.]
[Support me and read next Chapters early at: /VALRRR]