[Play: [1 hour] Battle at the Big Bridge]
Bell's music blared across the entire battlefield, reaching even the Hestia Familia at their observation area on a distant hill. A bombastic melody, driving guitar beats...
Instead of a rousing war fanfare, it seemed more like a song that dared the enemy to attack and see what happened.
And on hearing that, Hestia couldn't help but groan. "Bell... he's not even taking them seriously, is he?"
Apollo's action of hiring so many adventurers for the battle had been outrageous. A fact that instantly boiled the blood with how underhanded and depicable it was.
While it wasn't against the rules for a god to gain support by having adventurers convert to their familia during a war game... nor was it against the rules to ally with other familia as well.
Considering Hestia's familia consisted of barely over a dozen individuals, going out of the way to not just bring the already registered 100 Apollo familia adventurers, but swelling it up to a force of 1000...
Especially in a format that required the Hestia familia to hold a stronghold against the entire force that Apollo could muster...
The moment Hestia saw those magic circles flare to life, she cursed Apollo out. Welf did as well.
But now...
Fina giggled and said, "Mommy, look! Daddy's beating up all the bad men!"
Hestia let out a helpless laugh and said, "I can see that, Sweetie..."
A feat just as outrageous.
Did Bell figure out the nature of her authority as Vesta just from her telling him about what happened at the Denatus?
That magic circle, the crackling crimson light, and the way that it completely sealed the falna of all the adventurers there...
'It isn't my arcanum, but it's close.'
One aspect of Hestia's abilities as Vesta was control over the primordial flame. Although it went by other names, like the Eternal Torch and the Protective Fire... and though it had destructive powers, one aspect of it was its authority over blessings.
Blessings, of which Falna were included.
Although it would require Hestia to fully descend using an entire city like Olympia as an altar in order for her to seal Falna away, it was definitely an ability she had.
And Bell had just replicated it. Not using her powers, but from first principles... somehow, and doing so in a way that made it look like a branch of her powers.
It was an unthinkable tactic.
One man versus a thousand?
Even with Falna taken out of the question, it was still impossible.
And yet...
"Holy sh- crap." Welf stared at the sight of Bell blitzing through the Apollo familia's army and sending adventurers literally flying through the air. "This is Bell WITHOUT being enhanced by Falna?!"
Bella placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head up, a proud smile on her face. "Papa is strong! That's why Mama loves him!"
Fina nodded. "Mmhm! Daddy's the strongest!"
Materia floated over to join her sisters and nodded as well. "Father... Over Limit."
Fina giggled and then wrapped herself in a pair of white flaming wings to float alongside Materia. "Yeah! Daddy's over the limit all the time!"
Bella pouted and held out her hands. "No fair! I want to float too!"
Materia blinked. Then she smiled and held out her hand. Golden light flickered like pixels. Then a pair of wings appeared around Bella as well. "Sister. Fly. Happy?"
Bella squealed and flew over to hug Materia. "Ria! You're the bestest baby sister!"
Fina flew over to hug them both and said, "Yay! We'll all float too!"
Hestia sighed at their antics and then shifted her gaze back to the battle.
===
The Loki Familia manor.
Since the War Game was happening, and since Loki wanted to support Hestia, she had gathered her executives around the meeting room with a holographic projection of the War Game playing from a viewing crystal. Intel gathering in case they needed to do a War Game of their own to avenge Hestia.
Needless to say, even she was pissed when she saw Apollo's side show up with clear hired men.
But...
"...Finn." Loki's eyes were wide open for once, staring at the battle with a sharp gaze. "...What do you think? If this guy fought us all?"
Finn, the blonde pallum captain of the Loki Familia... biting his thumb, he frowned and said, "...I don't know. This shouldn't be possible."
"Right?" Loki nodded, watching that Bell fight.
His Falna was disabled. That was for sure. The same was true for the Apollo familia.
Maybe it was some magic item, maybe Hermes felt guilty for the last Denatus and had Asfi make some trump card, Loki didn't know.
But it wouldn't have changed too much.
The odds were still one versus a thousand.
Still...
'That crazy guy is winning.'
Impossible odds. One to a million chance of victory.
And yet, there he was. Winning.
Finn's blue eyes scanned the battlefield and then said, "It's a sound judgment. The only access point is across that bridge. And with the removal of Falna, it means most magic and skills are removed. What remains is pure physique, skill, and combat prowess."
Loki frowned and glanced around to gauge the reaction of her other children.
Riveria, the royal high elf vice-captain with jade-colored hair tied in a ponytail... she watched the display with calm but focused emerald eyes.
Gareth, the dwarf top executive of the Loki familia... watching the battle, his brows were furrowed as he stroked his beard, lost in thought.
Ais, the blonde sword princess... her usually blank expression had shifted into pure concentration, her golden eyes sharp as she traced Bell's sword slashes.
Tione and Tiona, the amazoness twins looked like they were itching to fight.
And Bete, the werewolf and last executive of the Loki familia... he clicked his tongue and said, "That guy. Loki. Is he human?"
Loki laughed, although the mirth didn't reach her eyes. "That's what I want to ask all of you. Is this possible?"
The battle was restricted to that simple stone bridge, yes.
Bell was unable to be surrounded and so had an easier time fighting because of it, yes.
Somehow, Falna had been removed from the picture, yes.
But it was still a fight against at least a thousand. One man versus all of those forces.
They might be 'only' Level 3 and below adventurers. But that still meant they were adventurers who were skilled and had years of experience in combat.
But Bell was winning. Not only winning, he was slowly removing forces from the battlefield.
Wielding a golden sword that left only a single paper-thin scratch no matter how hard it slashed, but as a result bypassing ANY armor...
Finn shook his head, stunned amazement on his face. "It's ridiculous. The Apollo Familia has to cross the bridge to reach the temple. And if Bell makes a single mistake, he would be overwhelmed in an instant. Not only that, but since the safety protocols are in place, a lethal wound or a potentially lethal wound would make Hestia Familia automatically lose."
Riveria nodded. "It's a gamble. Bell knows that he cannot fight a war on every front so he took the initiative instead. Even that grand magic spell... it was to steal the morale."
"Yes." Finn agreed and said, "To win, the Hestia familia needs to hold out until dusk. That, or rout the Apollo familia forces. Playing cat and mouse is impossible. In fact, a defense like this should also be impossible... unless you inflict sheer terror in the opponent to the extent they hesitate to even think of crossing you."
Gareth chuckled and said, "Considering how quickly that
Loki frowned and shifted her gaze back to the battle. And then she realized the core of Bell's plan.
"...I see." Loki laughed and said, "Hestia... your man is sly. No wonder he stole Freya's heart too."
Pure strength wasn't enough. Neither was skill.
Although Bell clearly had both from how he was untouched and unbothered despite constantly being besieged...
It was the morale battle that he was winning.
Loki didn't know what that sword was or where Bell got it. But it seemed to be a cursed blade that only allowed a thin bloody scratch. Like a phantom, the blade cut through. But that scratch was the only damage that was allowed.
...But Bell was using that to his advantage.
The Apollo familia didn't know what was going on. In their eyes, they saw a man rushing through their forces swinging a sword at full speed that bit through every armor or defense. With every slash, blood splattered. And then before anyone could get a close look, Bell launched them into the water, causing them to get warped out of the fight.
And since information was tightly controlled during the War Game...