NOVEL WEB Chapter 125: War Game
Chapter 125 - War Game
Orsted hadn't anticipated Apollo moving so swiftly.
Hestia had rejected Orsted's proposal to provoke the Apollo Familia, but Apollo took the initiative to come to them.
"What should we do?" Hestia asked, holding an invitation to the Banquet of the Gods and glancing at Orsted.
"Isn't it obvious? He's up to no good, likely targeting our Familia," Orsted said, grinning.
In the anime, Apollo used this tactic: hosting a banquet, framing Hestia and Bell before the gods, and forcing a War Game.
After learning of Lili and the others' clash with Apollo's Familia, Orsted suspected Apollo was after someone in their group—either him or Lili's team.
His first instinct was to challenge Apollo to a War Game, crush his Familia, disband it, and send Apollo back to Tenkai to stop his antics. But Hestia had vetoed it.
In the anime, Apollo's goons injured Bell, only for Apollo to play victim, parading fake injuries to gain sympathy and coerce Hestia into a War Game. This time, however, Lili confirmed that Apollo's men, who provoked them, were genuinely thrashed—badly.
Lili had even faced off against Hyakinthos, Apollo Familia's Level 3 captain.
Hyakinthos tried to aid his men but was blocked by Lili and Tifa, both having Leap, which boosted their power against higher-level foes.
With full S-rank basic abilities at Level 2, and Tifa's exceptional status, they outmatched typical Level 2s.
Tifa, with prior combat experience, nearly rivaled a Level 3. Senie didn't even need to step in.
Hyakinthos could only watch his men get beaten before fleeing when Lili and Tifa showed mercy.
Despite their strength, Apollo likely dismissed the Hestia Familia, bolstered by his medium-sized Familia of over a hundred members, including several Level 2s and Hyakinthos.
Orsted could read Apollo's arrogance without effort. At the Banquet, Apollo would probably declare war on the Hestia Familia, aiming to seize everything, just like in the anime.
"I think so too," Hestia sighed.
"I didn't want to mess with Apollo, but since he's asking for it, I'm not to blame. Orsted, get ready and come with me tonight. We'll accept Apollo's challenge and play his War Game. What terms should we set?"
"Disband his Familia and send Apollo back to Tenkai. Get him off the mortal plane," Orsted replied instantly.
"Ugh, he's so gross. Let's do it," Hestia agreed, nodding.
Neither doubted their Familia's victory. Outside, the Hestia Familia was barely known, only gaining notice for Orsted and Tifa's rapid rank-ups via Guild announcements.
Lili's rank-up hadn't even registered publicly. Few knew their true strength—only Hestia and Orsted did.
This obscurity likely emboldened Apollo. But with him making the first move, Hestia saw no reason to hold back.
Apollo's Banquet of the Gods was grand, drawing nearly every deity in Orario.
The gods were surprised; it hadn't been a month since Ganesha's last banquet. Apollo rarely hosted, making this notable.
What shocked them most was Apollo's rule: each god had to bring a Familia member.
Sharp deities sensed a scheme.
Mischief-loving gods thought: Apollo's stirring trouble. He's after someone's child. I can't miss this—who's he targeting?
For fun-seeking gods, drama was divine.
By evening, ornate carriages gathered at the Guild-managed mansion's gates.
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