Chapter 202
"Hey, Miach... did you hear that?"
Takemikazuchi nudged the god beside him with an elbow.
"I think I did, but... I’m not entirely sure."
Miach frowned, wondering whether his ears had failed him.
"You heard correctly."
Hephaestus sounded exasperated, though inwardly she was just as shaken as everyone else.
"He said he leveled up. He’s Level 4 now."
How long had it been since Kiriya reached Level 3?
And he had already advanced again?
Everyone knew the boy was talented, but this had gone far beyond any reasonable definition of talent.
’Is he secretly the child of some powerful god?’
Hephaestus could not help wondering.
The other gods and adventurers reacted even more strongly. The hall erupted into such an uproar that the roof seemed to tremble.
"My, my. Kiriya certainly knows how to surprise people."
Hermes held down the brim of his hat and spoke in a helpless tone, but the smile in his eyes was impossible to hide.
The boy was already beginning to reveal what he might become.
As long as he survived long enough to realize his potential, he was destined to stand at the top.
Perhaps the hope of defeating the One-Eyed Black Dragon would one day rest upon his shoulders.
Ottar’s fist tightened.
He examined Kiriya once again.
As a Level 3, the boy had used a mysterious enhancement technique to defeat Phryne while she possessed Level 6 strength.
More recently, he had defeated Allen in the Dungeon.
If that victory over Allen had occurred before his level-up, then Kiriya might genuinely possess the strength to stand against Ottar now.
A Level 4 challenging a Level 7 should have been impossible.
But miracles had never seemed particularly rare around this boy.
"I look forward to it."
Ottar lowered his head and returned to silence, standing as still as a statue.
"To think you’ve already come this far while I wasn’t paying attention."
Freya looked proud rather than threatened.
"It’s fortunate that I acted now. Had I waited any longer, I might never have had another chance."
"Don’t worry. You don’t have a chance this time either."
Kiriya wrapped an arm around Hestia’s slender waist and led her toward the banquet tables.
He had spent the entire day fighting in the Dungeon and was starving.
The other gods watched in speechless disbelief as Kiriya and Hestia began eating as though they had not just challenged Orario’s strongest Familia to a War Game.
Only a few close friends—Miach, Hephaestus, and Takemikazuchi among them—were willing to join them and continue chatting over the meal.
"Are you truly confident, boy?"
Hephaestus lowered her voice.
"The Freya Familia won’t be easy to defeat. I could lend you Tsubaki as outside support."
Tsubaki Collbrande was one of Orario’s finest smiths and a highly capable Level 5 adventurer.
"I’d like to help too," Takemikazuchi admitted after taking a drink, "but my children aren’t ready for a battle of this scale."
"Neither are mine."
Miach gave a rueful smile.
"Naaza is capable, but she’s only a Level 2 pharmacist. She wouldn’t be much help against the Freya Familia’s elites."
"I appreciate the offer."
Kiriya raised his glass with complete confidence.
"But I’ll be enough."
"When the day comes, all you need to do is sit back and enjoy my performance."
The gods exchanged helpless looks.
"There’s nothing to worry about. He’ll win." Hestia spoke with her mouth full of food, making the words slightly muffled.
"You really are taking this remarkably well," Hephaestus said.
The three gods could only sigh.
...
The banquet had not even ended before news of the War Game spread throughout Orario.
Sylvan had challenged the Freya Familia!
The entire city was stunned.
Confusion quickly gave way to excitement and anticipation.
Kiriya had chosen a Castle Siege against Orario’s strongest Familia—and had volunteered to be the attacking side.
Either he had completely lost his mind, or he possessed absolute confidence in his own strength.
Most people initially favored the second explanation.
Then news spread that Kiriya had only just reached Level 4, and many began reconsidering.
"What was that boy thinking?"
Mama Mia offered her opinion without restraint.
"Did a monster kick him in the head? Who proposes a War Game that ridiculous?"
"Exactly, nya!"
Anya nodded enthusiastically.
"My brother is incredibly strong, nya, and Captain Ottar is on a completely different level, nya!"
"Will Kiriya-san... really be all right?"
Syr displayed an appropriately worried expression.
Ryu stood silently nearby.
Several emotions crossed her face before she finally released a quiet sigh.
"Three days... There should still be enough time."
She picked up the luggage she had already prepared.
After saying goodbye to Mia and the other girls, Ryu hurried out of the tavern.
"Will Ryu be all right?" Syr asked, watching her leave.
"As long as she doesn’t regret the choice she made."
Mia muttered the words before suddenly raising her voice.
"Stop standing around! Get back to work!"
...
Kiriya
Level 4
Strength: I 0 → F 304
Endurance: I 0 → F 339
Dexterity: I 0 → F 367
Agility: I 0 → F 356
Magic: I 0 → F 378
Magic:
Forest of All Things
Yang Power: Everflowing Vitality
Blade Storm
Skills:
Strong One’s Wish
Demonbane
Mirror Calm
Divine Will Sharingan
Development Abilities:
Mage (H)
Luck (H)
Spirit Healing (I)
Hestia examined the Falna engraved across Kiriya’s back and pouted.
"That’s all?"
Kiriya accepted the parchment and stared at her.
"I just reached Level 4. Growing this much in a single day is already absurd. What more do you expect?"
"But you’re fighting the Freya Familia in three days."
Hestia looked dissatisfied.
"I only want you to improve as much as possible before then."
Kiriya laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Relax. I still have three days. I should be able to raise the numbers quite a bit more."
Increasing his ability values was only one part of his preparation.
There were several other ideas he wanted to test.
First, could Sage Mode be combined with the Eight Gates?
If the two techniques could operate simultaneously, his maximum explosive power would rise dramatically.
Then there was the evolution and practical use of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
He needed to master its abilities as quickly as possible so he could awaken one particularly important power—Susanoo.
What Naruto fan would not want to summon an enormous spectral warrior and dominate the battlefield from inside it?
Just imagining himself sweeping through the War Game with his own giant armored avatar filled Kiriya with excitement.
Hestia had been carefully watching his expression.
Seeing no fear in him—only eager anticipation—allowed her to relax.
"Kiriya, this battle is different from every one you’ve fought before."
Her voice became serious.
"All I ask is that you don’t underestimate them. Fight with everything you have."
"Don’t worry."
Kiriya took her hand and led her toward the bed.
Before long, he was asleep.
Deep within his unconscious mind, spiritual energy was being converted at a faint but steady rate into a unique form of chakra, which flowed continuously into his Sharingan.
The accumulated power was still undergoing a gradual transformation.
Once that process reached completion, Kiriya’s ocular power would enter an entirely new stage.
That was the true strength of Divine Will Sharingan—It allowed his eyes to evolve without ever stopping!