"Then how did he pull this off?" Loki asked, her eyes brimming with disbelief.
A three-level gap victory wasn't just impressive—it could shake Orario to its core.
No, it already had. Roy's feats, performed in plain sight, were poised to sweep through the city like wildfire.
"Loki, why should I explain that to you?" Hestia replied, her tone wary.
Roy's dominance unnerved even her. She'd expected him to handle LV2 foes at best, based on his pre-Falna training claims, but crushing LV3 and LV4 opponents was beyond her wildest hopes.
"Hmph!" Loki snorted, eyeing Hestia with a wicked grin. "You're not just dodging me, Shorty. You'll need to explain to them why your kid's got freakish strength." She jerked her head toward the stands, where murmurs grew louder.
Roy's streak, especially his LV4 takedown, had sparked suspicion among adventurers, particularly those slated to fight.
Some lodged protests with the arena staff, questioning his legitimacy. The host soon paused Roy's matches, citing a mandatory ten-minute break for consecutive bouts.
"See? They're already sniffing around," Loki said, gloating. "Spill it, Shorty—what shady trick did you pull to juice up Roy? Or are you fudging his level?"
Loki suspected Roy might be a convert—someone with higher-level Falna who'd switched to Hestia's Familia, masking his true rank. Such deception, while rare, wasn't unheard of for strategic gains.
"Too lazy to argue with you," Hestia said, brushing Loki off and hurrying toward Roy.
"Hey, wait!" Loki chased after, eager for drama.
Riveria and Tiona exchanged weary glances, trailing behind to keep Loki out of trouble.
The arena official led Roy to an office, courteously offering him water.
"We've received complaints from competitors…" the official began, explaining.
Roy's abnormal performance had raised hackles, with some accusing the arena of rigging matches to profit off his upsets.
Roy sat on a sofa, glass in hand, listening calmly. "So, you want to verify my level?" he asked, his tone even.
"Exactly," the official nodded. "I know it's sensitive, but—"
"Lord, this is our office! No outsiders!" a staffer's shout interrupted, followed by commotion outside—gods forcing their way in.
"Deal with that first?" Roy suggested, smiling, nodding toward the door.
The official nodded, rising to handle the intrusion, but before he reached the door, Hestia and Loki burst in.
"What's your Ganesha Familia up to, dragging my child here?" Hestia demanded, confronting the official.
The arena was run by the Ganesha Familia, led by the eccentric, elephant-masked god.
The official gave a wry smile, caught off guard by Hestia's aggression. "Lady Hestia, I'm fine," Roy said, easing her tension from the sofa. "They just need clarification."
"Is it sorted? Can we settle this?" Hestia asked, her worry lingering.
"Lady Hestia, here's the situation," the official said, repeating his explanation. Roy's dominance had stirred unrest, with some alleging he was an arena plant to manipulate bets.
His matches had raked in profits for winners but bankrupted many who'd bet against him, expecting higher-level foes to prevail.
"You want to check Roy's level?" Hestia's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp. "You know Falna details are Familia secrets, right? This violates Guild rules!"
"Lady Hestia, please calm down," the official urged, placating.
Roy's wins had indeed netted Hestia hefty winnings, but without addressing the crowd's doubts, those bets could be voided, costing her everything.
"Void it now! Shorty's hiding something fishy!" Loki piped up, seizing the chance to recoup her losses.
"Shut it, Loki!" Hestia snapped, glaring.
"We'll have Guild staff verify," the official assured.
"We'll only check Roy's level—nothing else."
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter