"How is the preparation going?" Damien asked, joining the VIP booth of the Amphitheater.
He leaned forward into the arena, scanning the beautiful faces of all the adventurers gathering below. "Wow... we have quite a number of people wanting to join."
Hestia nodded. "Yup. I even made sure to limit the number through payment to Ganesha, yet we still have over four hundred applicants."
"That is a good thing. It shows we have people who want to join us, to be our allies." Damien smiled. "That is not so bad, is it?"
He stretched his arms.
"Come on, let us prepare for the show. I am in desperate need of some entertainment. I have been learning math all morning from Loki. My mind is about to explode."
He turned to leave. The door opened quickly. Tiona and Tione rushed in.
"Damien! Damien!" they both screamed.
Tione caught her breath. "We have an issue."
Tiona nodded. "A big one."
Damien raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
Tione hesitated. "It is..."
"Kali," Tiona finished.
"She is here," they both said in unison.
Damien's expression didn't change. "I see. So this early, huh?" He grinned. "Well, I do not see this as a problem. Now, let us go see her, shall we?"
Tione's eyes widened. "We? You want us to come?"
"Yup. In fact, bring Samira and Aisha too." Damien headed for the door. "All four of you. Come with me."
.....
"WAAAAA! Please! Give me a chance, PLEASE!"
The red-headed girl crawled on the floor, her voice desperate. "I do not have any Valis! I bought food with them! PLEASE!"
The guard sighed. "If you do not have the entrance fee, you cannot join the tournament. It is one of the rules. Ganesha does not gift his arena to other Familias. You have to pay."
"AHHH! The greed! The greed of man! Please! One chance! Just... pretty please!"
The guard crossed his arms. "Ma'am, there is a line waiting. I cannot let you in for free."
Before he could call more guards to escort her out, a pouch was thrown to him.
"She is with us. Count it. It should be enough for all three of us... and her."
The red head turned instantly. Standing behind her was the maid who had served her at the Hostess of Fertility—the one who had guided her to the tournament.
"It is you!" She scrambled to her feet. "THANK YOU! Thank you so much!"
She bowed respectfully.
"Because of your generous help today, I will make sure to win this tournament and bring you and your friends glory!"
Lunoire laughed. "Is that so? Well, it would bring me pleasure to have such a capable ally." She extended her hand. "I am Lunoire. Lunoire Faust."
The red head smiled and shook her hand firmly. "Nice to meet you, Lunoire!"
She hesitated for a moment, then looked up and down before speaking.
"I am... Alc.....Alcy. Nice to meet you."
Lunoire smiled. "Alcy? What an odd name. I like it!" She turned to the girls behind her. "This is Chloe, and this is Anya."
Chloe stepped forward and shook Alcy's hand, her cat-like eyes studying the newcomer. "Nice to meet you, nya... Alcy, nya."
Alcy was peculiar. She wore a very baggy hoodie that covered most of her body. Something was on her back...a weapon of sorts, hidden beneath the fabric. Her eyes were as red as her hair, the color of beautiful flames. Her demeanor was confident yet humble.
Anya moved forward and also shook her hand. "Alcy, nya! Nice to meet you, nya!"
Alcy smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you both! We are now sisters in combat! May the gods light our paths."
The girls smiled as they entered together, joining the rest of the adventurers already filling the arena. Some formed groups. Others stood alone.
Alcy walked among them, her red eyes scanning the competition.
....
Damien entered a very nice VIP booth provided by Ganesha after hearing the news of Kali's arrival. She was not a very popular goddess in Orario, but all highly respected gods recognized her—and her power.
Inside, Freya sat across a very petite, red-headed goddess. The woman wore little to no clothes—just bits of fabric covering her most important parts. A white skull mask adorned her face, and a very devilish grin was plastered beneath it.
Damien smiled and turned to Freya.
"Hello, love."
He opted to sit right next to her. Tiona, Tione, Aisha, and Samira moved behind the couch, joining Ottar and Allen, who stood at attention behind Freya.
Damien finally locked eyes with Kali.
Behind her stood two white-haired, big-breasted women, each wearing the typical Amazonian garb that exuded sexual allure and confidence. They were the sister captains of the Kali Familia—Argana and Bache Kalif.
Freya placed a hand on Damien's arm. "Hello, dear Odr. May I introduce you to this lovely and vicious goddess over here?"
Damien nodded. "You may."
To everyone else, it seemed like a normal conversation. But to Kali, it was a clear display of power, Damien waiting for a goddess like Freya to ask permission to introduce him.
Freya gestured gracefully. "This here is the Goddess Kali. Leader of the nation of Amazons, Telskyura."
She turned to Kali.
"And this here, my dear Kali, is the Shadow Monarch. The strongest adventurer in Orario. The leader of the Eternal Hearth Alliance." She smiled. "My dear Odr. Damien Ardent."
Kali's grin widened. "Odr... Leader of the Eternal Hearth... The Shadow Monarch..." She leaned forward. "News of you reached all the way to Telskyura. I had to visit."
Damien leaned back in his seat. "I am honored that such a goddess decided to come all the way here to visit me. Dear, oh dear!" He tilted his head. "What might be the reason?"
Behind them, a silent battle of wills unfolded.
Bache and Argana had been staring at Allen and Ottar since they entered. But the arrival of the four Amazonian women belonging to Damien shifted their attention. They instantly locked eyes with Tiona and Tione...two girls who already had experience fighting Bache and Argana.
Kali ignored the tension. "Well, I came here simply because I wanted to see what kind of man you are. I heard..."
"If you do not stop leaking that bloodlust," Damien interrupted, his voice calm but cold, "you might die before you could find out the reason. Ease up a bit."
Kali's eyes narrowed at the interruption. Then she followed his gaze.
Argana.
She sighed. "I told you to keep calm."
Argana's jaw tightened. "Sorry, Goddess. I just did not expect to see a pair of traitors tonight."
Her killing intent spiked.
A sword was at the right side of her neck before she could blink.
Another to her left
Diana and Adonis had moved....silent, instantaneous. Argana froze. Bache tried to move, but the blade at her throat stopped her cold. From the shadows behind them, Igris emerged, his greatsword held steady.
Damien's voice was soft.
"This is my last warning."
The shadows disappeared as quickly as they had come. But Damien's narrowed eyes told both Kalif sisters that if he wanted them dead, they would be.
Kali looked at the space where the shadows had been. At the humiliation of her two captains.
She turned to Damien.
"A mere instant, and my two captains are already humiliated by the Shadow Monarch." She glanced behind him. "Tiona... Tione... It is good to see you in good health, my dear daughters. You too, Aisha. And Samira."
Aisha and Samira were shocked that Kali still remembered them.
Kali turned back to Damien, her grin returning wider now, wilder.
"It would seem the tales of you taming the Amazonians in Orario were not lies. Amazonians only bend to strong males. And now, seeing how you have instantly tamed my two captains..." She leaned forward, her eyes blazing. "It would be clear that you are more than a breeding male. You are truly special."
She grinned even more wildly.
"Marry me."
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