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Chapter 30: Goddess of Beauty (Freya)
Having witnessed Bell accomplish the impossible, the silence in the room was deafening.
"Sorry, but I'm taking Bell and Lili back to the surface. Do you mind if I split off from the group here?" Tsuna asked, looking over his shoulder.
"A-Ah... right..." Finn stammered, his mind still struggling to process the sheer absurdity of the fight he had just watched.
"Then I shall act as your guide. Consider it an escort to the surface," Finn volunteered.
"That'd be a huge help."
"Riveria. I leave the command to you. Once you return, rendezvous with us at the 18th Floor and brief Gareth on the situation," Finn ordered.
"Understood."
Tsuna tucked Bell under his left arm and carefully picked up Lili with his right.
"Alright. Let's go."
"Hold the hell up!!"
Bete lunged forward, blocking Tsuna's path.
"What the hell is that kid!? How the fuck does a rookie adventurer beat a Minotaur alone!? Spit it out!!" Bete roared, his eyes wide with a frantic, desperate intensity. He figured Tsuna, being in the same Familia, knew the secret behind Bell's impossible strength.
"The answer is simple. Bell fought with his dying will," Tsuna replied calmly.
"Don't fuck with me!! You can't bridge a gap like that with just guts and willpower!!" Bete screamed, infuriated by an answer that defied all logic.
"Be jealous all you want just because you couldn't beat a Minotaur at his level, but I'm telling you the truth. Bell put his life on the line. That's all there is to it. Prying any further is a waste of your time."
"S-Shut up!! T-That's not it at all!!"
Bete's face flushed a violent crimson as Tsuna read him like an open book. From behind them, several members of the Loki Familia began to snicker.
"Stop laughing, you bastards!!"
.....
Leaving Riveria and the Vanguard behind, Tsuna and Finn headed for the surface with the unconscious duo.
"Even so, you were remarkably confident that he would defeat that Minotaur," Finn noted as they walked.
"Looking at him back there, I knew he could win. Nothing more, nothing less."
"I see..."
Realizing that he and Tsuna saw the world through fundamentally different lenses, Finn opted not to press the issue further.
"Also... is the Prum a supporter for your Familia?"
"No, she belongs to another Familia. I don't actually know which one, though..."
"You don't know?"
"Yeah. She seems to want to keep her past a secret. So, I make it a point not to pry."
"I see..."
"Did something happen?"
"No. Never mind. Let's hurry."
.....
Meanwhile, high above the labyrinth.
"I have returned."
"Welcome back, Ottar."
Having left the Dungeon, the Warlord now stood in the highest room of Babel. Seated elegantly in an ornate chair before him was a woman with long silver hair and incredibly revealing attire, her legs crossed delicately.
This was Freya. The Goddess of Beauty, unmatched even among the divine, and the head of the Freya Familia—the undisputed strongest faction in the Labyrinth City.
"I offer my deepest apologies. I was unable to fulfill your decree, Lady Freya," Ottar said, dropping to one knee and bowing his head.
"Raise your head, Ottar. Bell challenged the Minotaur and emerged victorious. My deepest desire was fulfilled."
"Is that true, my Lady?"
"Yes. I saw it with my very own eyes. There is no mistake." Freya smiled warmly, trailing her fingers along the edge of a mirror floating beside her.
It was the Divine Mirror—a heavenly artifact that allowed Gods to observe the lower world. Under normal circumstances, the use of Arcanum in the mortal realm was strictly forbidden. Using the mirror emitted a specific divine pulse; if the Guild detected it, the offending God would be immediately deported back to Heaven.
To bypass this, Freya had used her unparalleled charm to bewitch a male God into securing a specialized contract. She was permitted to view a specific section of the Dungeon for one day only, provided it caused no disadvantage to any other Familia. It was a massive risk, but she had taken it solely to watch Bell fight the Minotaur.
"Just as I hoped, he even awakened to magic. But above all... his soul shone brighter than anything I have ever seen. It was a harvest that exceeded all my expectations."
Freya's gentle smile slowly twisted into an expression of rapturous ecstasy.
Freya possessed the unique ability to see the color and brilliance of a person's soul. Among the millions of souls she had observed over millennia, Bell's possessed an untainted, translucent brilliance unlike anything in existence. She was utterly, irrevocably obsessed with him.
If Bell were to die, his soul would return to Heaven. Should that happen, Freya would not hesitate for a microsecond to abandon the mortal world entirely just to chase his soul back to the divine realm, even if it meant she could never return. Her fixation was nothing short of absolute madness.
"However, the plan only succeeded because Sawada Tsunayoshi and the Sword Princess refrained from intervening. It will not be so easy next time. Tell me, Ottar. What did you make of his strength?"
"To speak candidly, his power is completely fathomless. His strength is far, far greater than my own. The reports of him overwhelming Allen and the others single-handedly are entirely accurate."
"You seem rather pleased for someone who was outmatched, Ottar."
"Pleased? Me?"
"Indeed. You have the face of a man who has finally found a worthy adversary."
"I would never... My absolute loyalty is to you, Lady Freya..."
"It is perfectly fine. Be honest with your own feelings. I am overjoyed that you pledge your loyalty to me, but there is no need to throw away your own desires. I love the part of you that endlessly seeks ultimate strength."
"I am unworthy of your grace. You have my deepest gratitude," Ottar murmured, placing a hand over his heart and bowing deeper.
"To return to the matter at hand, I believe there is currently nothing we can do regarding Sawada Tsunayoshi. Engaging him, whether we win or lose, would only result in catastrophic casualties on our end."
"It is fascinating, isn't it? To think there is a rookie adventurer capable of overwhelming even you. Furthermore..."
"Did something happen?"
"He noticed. He possesses complete certainty that I am not a normal human being."
"Preposterous...!? How is that possible!?"
"It is likely a power that sees through the hearts of others. Perhaps he possesses an ability that borders slightly on the divine."
So that was it... Ottar realized. He saw through my strength immediately despite it being our first meeting. That was the source of his insight.
"He only realizes that I am not normal. He hasn't figured out my true identity. But still, for a mortal to be so certain... he is truly one of a kind."
"What are your orders regarding him?"
"Even if he uncovers the truth, it matters little. We can simply concoct an excuse and ask him to keep it a secret."
"He might spread the information."
"He won't. He isn't the type of person to do such a thing. He reminds me quite a bit of Ali, actually."
In Freya's mind flashed the image of a brown-skinned girl with light purple eyes.
"As long as we do not initiate hostilities, he will not pose a threat to us. Therefore, ensure it is strictly enforced that no one lays a hand on him."
"As you command."
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