Ottar stood motionless as a statue, one step behind Lady Freya. Protecting the goddess was his top priority, but that didn't stop him from taking in every detail of Leon's fight.
"Under three minutes to take down a Level 4 ninja assassin. It's not just his Basic Abilities and magic. His skill in single combat, his strategy, his tactical judgment, his real combat experience... all of it is honed to a frightening degree."
Freya turned her gaze to Demeter, a knowing smile curling at her lips.
"Interesting, Demeter... is your familia doing Baptism rituals now too? Your children all seem awfully proficient when it comes to fighting people."
Loki: "..."
I feel like you're throwing shade at us, but I've got no proof.
Everyone knew the Loki Familia was a combat-oriented faction too. But unlike the Freya Familia, who spent their days locked in internal PVP out in the Folkvangr, they specialized in large-scale team operations.
With rigorous combat discipline, exquisite teamwork, and unbreakable solidarity, no one in all of Orario could match them when it came to clearing the Dungeon. Even the Freya Familia, who edged them out slightly in raw individual strength, had to concede this point.
The difference came down to the two familias' completely opposite cultures and atmospheres.
Both served their goddesses, and neither side's loyalty was in any doubt. But over in the Freya Familia, the officers fought tooth and nail for the goddess's favor, jealous squabbling an everyday occurrence.
The situation in her familia was no secret among the major familias, and nobody batted an eye at it anymore.
Think about it. If things were like that right under Freya's nose on the surface, what about the Dungeon, where she couldn't intervene? Hoping to clear floors and accomplish a Great Feat? Dream on. Count yourself lucky if they didn't crack you over the head or drag you down with them.
Not far off, the two goddesses Astraea and Artemis were also quite astonished, watching how cleanly Leon had handled the fight.
"Demeter, this child of yours..."
Astraea leaned in slightly, her eyes probing.
"Hmm. Does he kill people often?"
A dark cloud passed over Demeter's forehead. She irritably swatted away the hand her friend was sneaking toward her and shot her a reproachful glare.
"Your kids are the ones who kill people often!"
She straightened the collar of her cloak, a note of pride in her voice.
"Leon just... has a teeny tiny bit of talent, that's all."
Artemis narrowed her lovely eyes, studying her dear friend with a skeptical look, clearly unconvinced.
"A bit of talent alone doesn't sharpen someone into a fighter this seasoned."
Demeter only smiled and said nothing.
Some things were best left at a hint. She had no intention of revealing too much about her familia's secrets.
Seeing how tight-lipped Demeter was being, Astraea and Artemis knew they wouldn't get anything more out of her.
"Ah, I'm starting to envy you a little, Demeter..."
"Your familia has everything now, doesn't it?"
...
Most of the gods were still caught up in the astonishing combat prowess Leon had shown, but few of them noticed that within the Demeter Familia, existences like the Shadow of Sorcery numbered far more than one.
One minute earlier.
Ceremonial swords and kunai clashed without pause, ringing out a string of metallic strikes sharp enough to make your scalp crawl.
Twenty-odd meters from Demeter and Persephone, Jeanne was locked in combat with another Level 4 assassin officer.
The two traded blow for blow, blade light and concealed weapons crisscrossing in a dizzying blur.
But anyone with even a passing understanding of combat could tell from their exchange exactly who had the upper hand.
Against the assassin's storm of stabbing strikes, Jeanne remained unhurried, steady as bedrock. No matter what tricky angle he attacked from, whether it was kunai-based hand-to-hand that flashed like a meteor, the unpredictable feints of his assassination flow, or an overwhelming rain of shuriken, none of it could break through the invisible defensive barrier she'd built around herself.
"Damn it...!"
The ninja's eyes were bloodshot, his breath ragged as an ox's.
At first, he'd meant to stall for time. Once his teammate dealt with that Shadow of Sorcery, the two of them would join forces, clear the field, and abduct Demeter in one stroke. Mission complete, easy.
But the longer he fought this Holy Maiden, the more wrong it felt.
He was a Level 4, so why couldn't he ever bring his proper strength to bear? Every swing, every dodge, every lunge...
He sensed it sharply: he'd gotten slower. No... he'd gotten weaker!
And looking at the faint, barely-there smile at the corner of the Holy Maiden's lips, how could he not know this was her doing?
"A debuff spell like the Priestess of Desolation or Vana Alfi... or is it a curse?"
Jeanne said nothing.
The assassin, seeing his opponent couldn't even be bothered to speak, instantly boiled over.
"Coward!"
The officer, now saddled with "Weakness," was thoroughly wrecked.
What the hell was going on? How could just anyone who walked out here go toe-to-toe with him? He was one of the organization's handful of Level 4 officers! With all those underlings watching, did he have no pride to protect?
Jeanne lightly undid the clasp of her mink cloak, revealing the classic silk blouse and pleated skirt beneath. Her long legs were sheathed in white stockings, heeled ankle boots planted firmly on the ground. Her ceremonial sword angled toward the floor, her voice calm and even.
"This is a fight to the death, not an arena exhibition. Cowardice doesn't enter into it. All's fair in war. As a professional assassin, do you really need me to teach you that?"
The assassin's face flushed crimson and he opened his mouth to retort...
And then his fellow Level 4 officer, Shirakumo Toru, was no more.
...
Leon returned to Demeter's side, making no move to interfere in Jeanne's fight.
A Level 4 "Excelia bank" had finally jumped out at them. He had to seize a rare chance like this to give everyone some good practice.
His gaze swept over the few beside him who'd long been itching to go, and one eyebrow arched.
"Laurier, Aura, Iri, Margaret... you go too."
"The opponent's a Level 4 punching bag, the kind you don't run into every day. Make sure you make the most of it."
The words had barely left his mouth when Aura, already burning with fighting spirit, somehow got beaten to the punch by Laurier, who shot off first.
"Uh..."
Laurier's little face went blank, then she snapped to and kicked off the ground, racing out just as fast.
"Aura, wait for me!"
...
[Read 40+ chapters ahead on Patreon: patreon.com/NiaXD]