Inside Babel Tower, a deathly quiet atmosphere began to spread as the gods, too shocked to speak, processed what they had witnessed.
Among them, Apollo stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded. His familia had been entirely wiped out in that blinding light, signaling his absolute defeat in the War Game.
In a corner of the room, Hestia's wide eyes remained fixed on the radiant pillar of light displayed in the divine mirror. For a moment, she, too, seemed unable to react.
Hestia had always known that Blake wasn't an ordinary mortal.
An ordinary mortal could never achieve one miraculous feat after another, defying comprehension.
Even so, Hestia had never imagined that Blake's capabilities could exceed her wildest expectations.
"Who... Who is that child, really?"
One of the gods murmured this question, a sentiment that resonated deeply with everyone present.
Only Freya, her eyes fixed on the divine mirror, trembled as she gazed at Blake—standing tall against the backdrop of the towering light, his silver hair billowing in the wind, his unyielding posture exuding the presence of a true hero.
To Freya's eyes, which could perceive the soul's radiance, the use of Excalibur had caused Blake's already pure and extraordinary soul to shine even brighter, its brilliance increasing exponentially to a level that seemed almost tangible.
If this radiance were visible to the naked eye, it would undoubtedly blind any mortal or deity who dared to gaze upon it.
Freya, struggling to contain the overwhelming surge of emotion welling up from deep within her, felt her cheeks flush as her body grew feverish, almost as if it were burning.
The unprecedented euphoria brought Freya to the brink of madness.
"Ha... Hahaha... Hahahaha!"
Ignoring the stunned gods around her, Freya burst into uncontrollable laughter—an uncharacteristically wild display of emotion for the goddess of beauty.
"So beautiful! So beautiful! It's absolutely breathtaking!"
Freya had always upheld a dignified image in public.
But the radiant brilliance of Blake's soul was so captivating that Freya couldn't care less. She clung to herself, her expression one of utter intoxication, infatuation, and madness.
The other gods stared at Freya in astonishment, the depths of her reaction underscoring the magnitude of Blake's impact.
"That kid actually managed to provoke such a reaction out of her?" Loki, fixing her gaze on Blake's figure, allowed her usually narrowed eyes to open slightly, revealing sharp, cunning irises brimming with intrigue.
"How interesting. This is just too interesting. Leaving a kid like that to that little shrimp is such a waste. Still, he's too stubborn. Regular methods won't work... I'll need to get Ais-tan to tempt him a bit."
"Freya..." Hestia also noticed Freya's behavior. Her expression darkened, but her eyes held firm determination.
"I won't let you touch Blake. Never..."
It wasn't just the gods in Babel Tower who were affected.
All throughout Orario—humans, elves, dwarves, beastfolk, and Amazons alike—were left in awe of the sheer destructive force they had witnessed.
Unlike the gods, the city's inhabitants couldn't perceive the danger of the glowing beam. All they knew was that Blake had destroyed an entire fortress with a single strike.
"OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!"
In that instant, deafening cheers erupted throughout Orario, shaking the skies. The citizens gazed at the silver-haired boy on the screen with fanatical fervor.
The men gazed at him with reverence and admiration, while the women, overcome with adoration, felt their hearts race.
After all, strength commands respect everywhere. And beauty loves a hero.
At that moment, Blake embodied the ideal in the hearts of all who witnessed him.
"Syr, you've really chosen quite the remarkable man," Ryuu mused, glancing at the lovestruck girl beside her, whose eyes were locked on the screen in admiration.
"Still, what is this feeling...?"
Ryuu pressed her hand against her rapidly beating heart, murmuring to herself in confusion.
At the Hestia Familia's base, Lili was equally excited and starstruck, whispering words that made even her blush.
For a brief moment, Orario fell silent in the wake of Blake's strike. Then, it erupted into a frenzy, cheers soaring toward the heavens.
"My magic reserves dropped to 90%... yet even then, that strike wasn't at full power."
"The Excalibur actively cut off the magic flow to prevent me from being drained entirely."
"Still, even so, the destructive force reached the level of an Ultimate Class Devil's attack, enough to obliterate a city in one blow. It seems I'm not yet capable of unleashing the full potential of Excalibur..."
Unfazed by the uproar in Orario, Blake quietly analyzed the output of his attack.
"It's time to go. The little time I had has already been wasted on this..."
His words, carried off by the wind, were barely audible as Blake turned and left the ruins he had created.
The sound of a great bell echoed throughout the city, announcing the conclusion of the battle.
"Victory goes to the Hestia Familia!"
The announcer at the Guild headquarters leaned forward, shouting into their magic stone microphone with a flushed face.
The declaration of victory sent the crowd into another wave of cheers, while the gods in Babel Tower burst into satisfied laughter.
For entertainment, the shock brought by Blake's actions was more than sufficient to satisfy even the gods.
Only Apollo staggered back, his face pale.
At that moment, however, Hestia abruptly rose from her seat at the round table. She gazed at Apollo with the most radiant smile.
That smile made Apollo's heart tremble violently.
"Do you remember the terms of victory you proposed when you initiated the War Game? Are you prepared for the consequences?"
Hestia's smile grew increasingly dazzling, which only made Apollo's complexion turn even more ashen.
It was only now that he finally realized the true power that Blake possessed.
Unfortunately, it was all too late.
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