Fels hadn't been exaggerating about the newcomers. Two days later, Argana and Bache of the Kali Familia arrived for a visit, accompanied—strangely enough—by the sisters Tione and Tiona.
Leon was initially puzzled. These two pairs of sisters were meant to be mortal enemies, yet here they were, walking together in relative harmony.
It wasn't until Tione explained the situation that the pieces fell into place.
The Amazons respect one thing above all: absolute strength.
Argana and Bache had been utterly defeated by Tione and Tiona. If the gap had been a single level, they might have kept fighting out of spite. However, Tione and Tiona were now Level 7, and with their angelic boost, their combat effectiveness mirrored a Level 8.
Faced with a two-level leap in power, Argana and Bache had no choice but to submit. They weren't just beaten, they were convinced.
Their goddess, Kali, didn't seem to mind the shift in dynamics.
Leon suspected Tione had her own private agenda for playing nice with Argana, but he didn't pry. As long as she remained loyal to the cause, her personal schemes were her own.
Like the others, the four had come to finalize their spot in the joint expedition.
—
For the next ten days, the Guild worked at a fever pitch. Under Ouranos's direct orders, staff members coordinated with the major Familias to stockpile supplies. For rare or difficult-to-source items, the Guild stepped in to force distribution, ensuring every vanguard unit was equipped.
Mountains of supplies were moved through the streets of Orario daily. This level of activity was impossible to hide, and soon the news broke: A Great Joint Expedition was beginning.
The city was in an uproar. Previously, the Lucifer Familia's alliance with the Loki familia and the Astraea familia had been shock enough. Now, four more top-tier groups were joining the fray.
Most people weren't surprised by Hephaestus or Hestia joining Leon, given their well-known ties. But the inclusion of the Freya Familia and the Kali Familia changed everything.
This expedition essentially consolidated almost every top-tier combatant in Orario, save for the Ganesha Familia.
The gods, however, didn't share the mortals' confusion. They knew the "appointed time" was drawing near. This was the final gambit by Ouranos, Loki, Freya, and Lucifer.
Since the weaker gods couldn't offer direct help against the One-Eyed Black Dragon, all they could do was pray—pray that this descent into the deep floors would forge the heroes necessary to face the end of the world.
—
Amidst this tension, the triennial Denatus was held. Despite the shifts in power, Leon's title remained unchanged. He was still simply "Night Star"—a name he insisted on, and one no god dared to challenge or mock.
Finally, the day of the expedition arrived. Most independent adventurers stayed on the surface that morning, lining the streets of the main plaza.
They were there to witness history: the most magnificent spectacle of combined forces Orario had ever seen, as the vanguard of humanity prepared to march into the abyss.
As the joint expedition prepared to depart, the chief deities of the allied factions converged upon the Tower of Babel square.
Hestia, Loki, Freya, Kali, Astraea, and Hephaestus were all present, their divine auras mingling in the morning air.
They were joined by other influential figures like Demeter, Takemikazuchi, and Miach, whose presence added weight to the occasion.
Even Naaza had officially joined the ranks for this descent. Many of the gods understood that the "appointed time" was finally at hand. Consequently, even the most carefree and playful among them had abandoned their usual antics to stand witness.
Curiously, the one god missing from the front lines was Lucifer. Leon remained the sole representative of his power, as his patron deity was nowhere to be found.
"It really surprises me, Freya. I never expected you to let your children go on an expedition alongside Loki's brats." Demeter said with a smile, standing beside the Goddess of Beauty.
"I had Ottar and the others follow Leon, not Loki's children." Freya replied gently, her voice smooth as she countered Demeter's teasing.
"I suppose that makes sense." Demeter nodded, her smile widening.
"Tch. You're not willing, and I'm not exactly thrilled either." Loki grumbled from nearby, rolling her eyes with blatant disdain.
"Hmph. You're all just here to take advantage of Leon's strength, aren't you?" Hestia chimed in, her face twisted in a look of mockery.
"Anyone going on an expedition with Leon is essentially doing the same thing. They're all equally 'guilty' of that. Hestia, you aren't in a position to judge." Hephaestus's voice rang out before Hestia could even finish her sentence.
Loki merely scoffed, offering no rebuttal. Freya maintained her slight, enigmatic smile, seemingly acquiescing to the truth of the statement.
"Oh dear, it seems there is some gossip I'm missing out on. Could someone fill me in?" Demeter asked with great interest, noting the lack of denial from the two rival goddesses.
"I'm quite curious as well." Kali added, suddenly popping her head out from behind Loki with her eyes narrowed playfully.
Kali's arrival seemed to pull back the curtain. One by one, the gods began to gather in a tight circle, their voices overlapping as curiosity took hold of the crowd.
In the midst of their chatter, Freya suddenly asked the question that had been lingering in the back of everyone's mind, "Hestia, hasn't Lucifer come?"
The square fell silent.
Lucifer's whereabouts had always been a mystery to the divine community. They had briefly seen him days ago at the Denatus, but his absence today—the start of Leon's most ambitious journey—was startling.
"I heard from Leon that Lucifer recently became obsessed with fishing. Supposedly, he went off to the port city of Melen." Hestia replied with a casual shrug.
The gods stood speechless for a long moment. Then, several of them—Loki included—began to grit their teeth in frustration.
"He found such a powerful child but doesn't cherish him at all. He hardly cares for Leon, and he didn't even bother to come see him off? It's infuriating." Loki hissed
Loki had tried her best to poach Leon for the Loki Familia during this time, but Leon had shown no interest. Seeing Lucifer treat such a talent with such indifference made her want to find the god and bash his head in.
"Exactly! It's a waste!" The other gods chimed in, their indignation rising.
Eventually, the deities turned their collective gaze toward Leon and the vanguard standing not far away.
"Do you really think Leon can grow even stronger in this final stretch of time?" Miach asked.
The gods now understood the grim reality: Leon was the primary force intended to face the One-Eyed Black Dragon. Finn and the others were there to support him, but Leon's individual strength was the main factor of the final battle.
Since Lucifer was absent, all eyes turned to Hestia, the goddess closest to him.
"I don't know for certain. However, Leon mentioned that his current strength is at the absolute limit of Level 9. He believes that if he fights desperately—igniting the Dying Will Flame of his ideals—he might even be able to contend with a Level 10." Hestia said, frowning slightly as she considered her answer.
"Hiss!"
A collective gasp rippled through the gods.
Freya's eyes flickered with a mix of excitement and longing. "Is he really growing that fast?"
"Of course he is. My Leon is amazing, isn't he?" Hestia boasted, her head held high with pride.
"Tch! He isn't your child." Loki snapped, her jealousy finally boiling over.
She reached out and gave Hestia's impressive figure a sharp smack.
Hestia didn't get angry. She simply looked at Loki with an indifferent, smug chuckle that completely shattered Loki's composure.
The two goddesses immediately began a childish scuffle, their bickering drawing the attention of the surrounding deities. Even Hephaestus watched the show with a tired but amused sigh.
Not far away, Leon and the captains of the various Familias were finalizing their strategies. They noticed the commotion among the gods and felt a collective sense of secondhand embarrassment, though they chose to ignore it.
The exchange was brief.
Leon and Finn explained the "expedition mode" they had used during their previous successful runs, including the mechanics of the Gate of Heaven.
"No wonder you guys leveled up so fast." Argana exclaimed, her eyes burning with an intense, predatory heat as she looked at Leon.
She wasn't the only one. Bache and the Amazons of the Kali Familia were visibly electrified by the prospect. Even Ottar and the Freya executives listened with rapt attention. They had seen Finn's people fighting like madmen in Knossos, but they hadn't understood the underlying logic until now.
"Tch. No wonder you can fight so recklessly." Allen scoffed, though he seemed more annoyed by the efficiency of the system than the system itself.
Leon remained silent, as did Lili and the rest of the Hestia core.
The main force didn't linger in the square for long. The time for play was over.
As they lined up, the gods ceased their bickering and stood in a silent, respectful line before the vanguard.
As per tradition, the oath of war was given to Finn. No one contested his right to lead.
After a stirring speech that echoed off the walls of Babel, the massive force turned as one. Under the watchful eyes of thousands of adventurers and deities, they ascended the spiral staircase and entered the tower.
"Do you think all of them will be able to rank up?" Hephaestus asked softly, watching the last of the capes disappear into the darkness of the staircase.
None of the gods answered, but the hope was evident in their eyes. They weren't just hoping for power, they were hoping for survival. Looking at the empty archway where the adventurers had vanished, the gods of Orario offered their silent prayers.
"Go for it, heroes of the lower realm."
***
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