In a short time, Charlie understood the cause and effect of Bell being attacked through his Senrigan ability that allowed him to see the past.
The people attacking Bell were members of Apollo Familia—without a doubt. Their uniforms, the sun symbol on their chests, and the faces he saw in his past vision all matched.
At last night's Banquet of the Gods, Hestia had flatly rejected the War Game challenge proposed by Apollo, including that god's crazy request to hand over Bell.
Apollo was very obsessed with possessing Bell, fascinated by the youth's growth which he considered a rare gem.
Following that logic, shouldn't Apollo have targeted Charlie whose leveling speed was many times faster than Bell's? Considering Charlie's leveling speed was many times more unreasonable than Bell's.
The fact was, it wasn't that Apollo didn't want to, but he didn't dare!
Apollo Familia's strongest member was their captain, Hyakinthos Clio, who was only at Level 3. Charlie was a Level 6 adventurer standing at Orario's peak.
Charlie could destroy the entire Apollo Familia single-handedly without breaking a sweat. Even with all Apollo Familia members attacking together, they wouldn't be able to hurt a single hair on his head.
So, the cowardly Apollo could only be satisfied with his second-choice target: Bell Cranel. A Level 2 youth who, although growing quickly, was still within his power's reach.
This dawn attack was part of Apollo's dirty strategy to corner Hestia. He deliberately ordered his subordinates to attack Hestia's headquarters—that simple Old Church.
The purpose was simple: to show that Hestia had no power to protect her beloved child. That Bell would be safer, stronger, better protected if under the magnificent Apollo Familia's wing.
Officially, Apollo claimed this attack as "retaliation" for the bar fight triggered by his own member several nights ago, though anyone with half a brain could see it was a carefully designed trap. Apollo exploited that incident as a scapegoat to justify his aggression.
"I see. This is all that deviant god's conspiracy."
With Senrigan, Charlie had some understanding of Apollo—enough to read his personality from the fragments of the past he witnessed.
Apollo was the embodiment of extreme divine narcissism. If it had to be described in a few words, he was a god hungry for possession. Not love, not friendship—pure possession. For him, people weren't individuals with their own dreams and feelings, but objects to be collected, displayed, and boasted about.
Apollo had a bad habit called "hunting boys." If he saw a young adventurer who shone—whether due to beauty, talent, or spirit—he would do anything, legal or illegal, to make him a member of Apollo Familia.
Charlie was certain that if it weren't for him being too strong, Apollo would do the same thing to him as Bell was experiencing now.
"Apollo is very good at twisting facts. Behind his cheerful and friendly-looking face, he plans schemes to corner his conversation partner. Making them have no choice but to comply with his wishes."
Charlie didn't even add an honorific title when mentioning Apollo's name, clear proof of how low his respect for that god was.
"If someone rejects his 'love' or desires, he won't hesitate to destroy that person's life. Including destroying their home—like what he did to Hestia's old church. And if necessary, destroying them physically."
"Truly... Disgusting."
Hearing Charlie's words, Kei nodded in agreement. Although she didn't interact directly with Apollo last night—only seeing him from afar at the Banquet—her intuition honed in the post-apocalyptic world told her that the Sun God was very repulsive. There was something behind his wide smile that made her hackles rise.
"Charlie-san, what should we do?" Kei asked.
"Of course help Bell. After all, I already promised Goddess Hera to look after that kid. Anyway, his mother and aunt were members of Hera Familia. Bell is the only one left of their family. I won't let Apollo touch him."
Without waiting longer, Charlie shot forward. His speed was extraordinary, splitting through the crowd on the Main Street. Kei ran behind him, trying to keep up though knowing she couldn't catch Charlie if he was really serious.
Charlie activated Senrigan again, maintaining visualization of Bell. In his vision—
"Not good!"
Charlie's face tensed.
Bell who had temporarily managed to escape from the Apollo Familia goons' encirclement by hiding in a narrow alley, now met directly with the worst enemy: Hyakinthos Clio.
Although the level difference between them was only one tier, in the world of real combat, one tier was a deep chasm. Without the plot armor that usually activated at critical moments, Bell at Level 2 was helpless facing Hyakinthos at Level 3.
Hyakinthos apparently carried a personal grudge. With an expression of sadistic joy, he began torturing Bell. His sword danced, deliberately injuring Bell's thigh, shoulder, and cheek, avoiding vital points only so he could enjoy his victim's groans longer.
"Kei! We have to hurry!"
Without waiting for an answer, Charlie snatched Kei's body into a princess carry.
"Charlie-san—!"
But before Kei could finish her sentence, Charlie was already running.
The next second, he shot forward at hypersonic speed. His body split the air, creating small shockwaves as he maneuvered between buildings and people.
In Charlie's embrace, Kei gripped Charlie's clothes, her eyes half-closed. Her white hair whipped wildly in the wind.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
White breath rushed out from his lips, Bell gripped his dagger tightly. His white armor that was usually clean and his pride was now stained with blood and street dust. Red stains wet several places—shoulder, thigh, stomach.
"You've run far enough, White Rabbit." Hyakinthos said in a condescending tone. The long sword in his hand was still wet, dripping Bell's blood from their previous one-sided exchange of attacks.
Not far from that point, Hestia stood with a face full of fear and deep concern seeing her only child's condition.
"Bell-kun!" Hestia screamed, her voice hoarse with panic.
Hyakinthos glanced at Hestia briefly, then looked back at Bell. His thin smile widened—not a friendly smile. It was the smile of a predator seeing cornered prey, enjoying the fear before pouncing.
"I hate you so much because Apollo-sama gives more attention to you. But, this is my lord's wish. I'll introduce you to how to join our great Familia."
Bell gritted his teeth. The pain throughout his body felt like burning, but the fire in his chest was hotter.
"Don't joke!" Bell jumped forward with his remaining strength. His dagger sparked dim light—a desperate attack from a youth who refused to give up. "I won't—!"
*WHOOSH!* *PUCHI!*
Wind whistled.
Bell didn't see what happened. What he felt was only a cold stab piercing his stomach, right below his ribs. Then a brutal push sending him flying backward.
*THUD!*
His back hit the stone wall hard. Air released from his lungs in a forced exhale. In front of him, Hyakinthos stood in exactly the same pose—as if he hadn't even moved from his original position.
"Too slow."
Bell tried to get up. His legs trembled violently. His hand pressed the floor, but his muscles seemed to lose strength. Blood dripped from the new cut in his stomach, slowly seeping into the gaps of white armor that was no longer white.
*PUCHI!*
This time in his left shoulder. Bell saw the flash of that sword, but his body couldn't react.
Too fast!
New pain exploded in his shoulder. Bell staggered, his knee hitting stone.
"A rabbit shouldn't try to howl."
Hyakinthos raised his sword high, his eyes shining with perfectly controlled madness. Then, he slashed cruelly.
*SLASH!*
"Argh!!!!"
Bell screamed. Not once, but again and again. Hyakinthos's sword moved like a terrifying dance—elegant, deadly, and completely sadistic. Each slash felt measured; he deliberately didn't kill immediately, but gave wounds deep enough to make his prey suffer tremendously.
"Stop! STOP!" Hestia screamed hysterically, but Hyakinthos didn't care at all.
*BAM!*
With a kick to the chest, Bell was thrown to the ground. His small body rolled on the paving stones, leaving trails of wet blood wherever he touched.
"Still conscious apparently? Good."
Hyakinthos walked closer. His steps were rhythmic, like a metronome counting Bell's last seconds.
Bell crawled, his back against the wall of an old stone house at the end of the alley. His breathing was labored, sounding like someone drowning. His vision blurred—blood flowing from the wound on his head, wetting his eyes. But those determined eyes were still open.
Hyakinthos crouched in front of him. For the first time, his calm expression broke. His lips grimaced, his eyes widened, and his handsome face was distorted by overflowing anger from within.
"Your face is so disgusting. Not elegant at all." He grabbed Bell's collar, lifting the youth with just one hand. "Why does Apollo-sama pay more attention to someone like you?!"
Bell coughed, spitting blood onto the ground, but his eyes remained sharp.
"I dedicate my soul and body to him." Hyakinthos growled, his face now only inches from Bell's face. "Only I am worthy of receiving all his blessings!"
*THUD!*
He threw Bell back to the ground. That small body was slammed with a pitiful sound. Hyakinthos stood back up, regulating his breathing. A strange smile that didn't reach his eyes returned to adorn his face.
"It'll be healed later anyway. He won't protest even if I cut off one of your legs or arms."
Hyakinthos walked toward Bell step by step, preparing to give a permanent injury.
*WHOOSH!* *BAM!*
Suddenly there was the sound of breaking air. The next second, a hard punch hit right in Hyakinthos's face, making him thrown violently until he crashed into the stone wall across the street.
"A Level 3 oppressing a Level 2? In that case, it's okay if I join in, right?"
Thin smoke rose from that landing location. The figure who came was none other than Charlie, standing gallantly with Kei still in his embrace!
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