"Loki, do you wanna visit heaven?" Hestia snapped, her earlier calm shattered as she glared at Loki, her teeth gritted, looking ready to pounce.
"I'm serious," Loki said, glancing at Hestia.
"Letting this child stay in your empty Familia is a waste of his potential."
"You must see how terrifying his aptitude is by now, right?" Loki continued.
"Without Falna, he trained to match high class adventurers. Give him a chance, and he'll soar."
"I bet his future achievements could rival Freya Familia's Ottar."
"How's Roy wasted with me?" Hestia shot back, her confidence wavering.
"Still talking back?" Loki scoffed. "My Familia has deep funds and first class adventurers to guide him to grow fast. What can your Familia offer?"
Her Familia only existed because Roy joined. Resources? She had none—unless you counted goddess cuddles, which she couldn't say aloud.
"Most importantly, Hestia," Loki said, using her name for emphasis, her tone heavy.
"Can your nothing Familia hold onto a kid like him?"
A new Familia, even with a prodigy like Roy, lacked infrastructure.
Compared to veteran Familias, it was laughably deficient.
Roy's talent would soon be the talk of gods, drawing their greed.
Loki herself was tempted to recruit him, and others—especially cunning ones—might use dirty tricks to poach him.
She doubted Roy alone could fend off seasoned Familias' schemes.
"Sounds fun," Roy said, smiling lightly. "I hear Orario's got something called a War Game."
"Oh? Done your homework, huh?" Loki said, eyeing him. "It's been ages since Orario saw a War Game. Planning to start one?"
"If some clueless Familia tries to trip me up, like you're suggesting," Roy said, nodding, "a War Game's a solid fix."
Loki said, exasperated.
"War Games aren't like arena duels. It's a Familia-versus-Familia showdown, betting everything."
"Losers are at the winner's mercy. You get what that means? They'll pull every trick, no matter how low."
"So what?" Roy said, grinning nonchalantly.
"That's what makes it interesting. Winner takes all, loser's out."
"If a War Game happens, our Hestia Familia's got the edge. We're new—nothing to lose."
Roy hoped some reckless Familia would provoke him, letting him pitch a War Game to the Guild.
Why grind when you could seize resources outright?
"You're eager for this?" Loki gaped, sensing Roy was baiting ambitious Familias into a trap. "Child, you're scheming something."
"Lady Loki, you're overthinking," Roy said with a warm smile. "I'm a law-abiding adventurer."
"Law-abiding, my foot!" Loki huffed. He'd already swindled her out of millions, earning her grudge.
A staffer rushed in, whispering to the arena official.
"Lady Hestia, Lady Loki," the official said. "Mr. Flott has more matches. Can transfer talks wait until they're done?"
"Tch, fine!" Loki waved dismissively.
"I see this child's set on your Familia, Hestia. Dunno what potion you fed him to make him so loyal."
"None of your business!" Hestia snapped, glaring.
"Hey," Loki turned to Roy.
"If you ever want to jump ship, my Familia's got perks Hestia's can't touch."
She tossed Hestia a final jab before leaving.
"Roy, don't trust Loki," Hestia said urgently. "In Heaven, they called her the god of cunning, lies, and mischief. She's not reliable."
Roy patted Hestia's head, calming her. "I won't leave you," he said softly.
Hestia's cheeks flushed, and she mumbled, "That's too sneaky."
"Let's keep earning," Roy said, smiling.
The official rolled his eyes—Roy was treating the arena like an ATM. But the arena's profits could cover it.
Outside, Riveria waited, scolding Loki like a mother. "Where's Tiona?" Loki asked, dodging.
"She's signing up for the advanced arena," Riveria said, exasperated.
"Tiona's fighting Roy?" Loki guessed instantly. First class adventurers rarely joined arena matches, so Tiona's move was telling.
"Then let's bet! I'm winning back my losses!" Loki said, fired up.
"Why bet more?" Riveria sighed.
"Dignity, Riveria, dignity!" Loki barked. "I'll just bet more!"
Roy's streak had inflated Hestia's ego, and Loki couldn't stand it. She needed a win to shut her up.
"You've been asking for trouble," Riveria sighed. "You burned half your monthly allowance."
"Advance me next month's," Loki pleaded, grabbing Riveria's hand with a pitiful look. "Mom, please!"
"Get lost," Riveria snapped.
Back in the arena, Roy returned to the ring. "During the break, we had the Guild verify contestant Roy's level. He's a confirmed Level 1 rookie," the host announced.
The crowd erupted—cheers, gasps, and curses blending into a tidal roar.
With Guild confirmation and Loki's witness, doubts of rigging vanished.
Roy won two more advanced matches, dispatching high class adventurers with ease.
"Need a break?" the host asked.
"Nah, I'm good," Roy said, shaking his head.
"Take a recovery potion," the host urged, grinning oddly. "Your next opponent's unbeatable."
"Unbeatable?" Roy mused. Likely a first class adventurer, since he'd already toppled an Level 3—albeit a weaker one.
"What's my odds for the next match?" Roy asked. His streak had tanked his odds.
"One to ten," the host replied.
"Last match, then," Roy decided. A win here would secure enough funds for a house, and further challenges would dry up.
"Attention, everyone!" the host bellowed.
"Today's wildest match is here! Roy Flott faces Tiona Hiryute of the Loki Familia!"
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter