Apollo swung both ways—he didn't mind whether someone was male or female. He even loved using underhanded schemes to get his hands on whatever caught his eye.
However... this was actually an opportunity. An opportunity to upgrade his weapon. Thinking of this, Ren Isana couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. He calmly nodded at Hestia and said, "Alright, I'll go with you. When is it?"
Seeing Ren Isana agree, a flash of joy appeared in Hestia's eyes. She immediately giggled and hurriedly said, "In three days! I'll call for you when it's time."
With that, Hestia ran off. Watching her leave, Ren Isana pondered for a moment before turning his gaze toward Natsuki Minamiya, who was teaching the students nearby. He waved at her, signaling her to come over because he had something to discuss.
Natsuki Minamiya frowned mid-lecture. Noticing Ren Isana's gesture, she paused her teaching, told everyone to practice on their own, and walked over.
Seeing Natsuki Minamiya approach, Ren Isana immediately stepped into a secluded corner. He then activated his [Perception Magic] to ensure no one was nearby before looking at her.
Watching Ren Isana's series of actions, Natsuki Minamiya asked curiously, "What do you need to tell me? Acting all mysterious... What did Hestia say to you?"
Facing Natsuki Minamiya's question, Ren Isana slowly spoke, "Instructor Minamiya, I was wondering... if I were to slay a god, would you be able to cover for me?"
As soon as those words came out, Natsuki Minamiya's face was filled with question marks. She looked at Ren Isana with an incredibly bizarre expression and asked in confusion, "You want to kill Hestia?"
Her words instantly left Ren Isana speechless. He immediately explained with a serious face, "Not Hestia. But I might end up killing a god soon, and I need to know if you can handle the fallout."
Seeing that Ren Isana didn't seem to be joking, Natsuki Minamiya's expression instantly turned serious. "What happened?"
She didn't answer Ren Isana's question directly, instead asking for the reason. He couldn't just go and kill a deity for no reason, right?
If that were the case, things would be very troublesome. After all, without a valid reason, it would be quite difficult to manage.
"When I came back from the Dungeon earlier, I felt someone watching me. If I'm not mistaken, it was the gaze of a deity. And just now, Hestia invited me to attend the Denatus banquet, saying that someone specifically asked to see me." Ren Isana explained the series of events to Natsuki Minamiya.
After listening to Ren Isana, Natsuki Minamiya fell into deep thought. A moment later, she calmly looked up at him and said, "It seems you've been targeted. So, you're worried that someone will try to do something to you, and then you'll be forced to make a move?"
These words made Natsuki Minamiya understand Ren Isana's thought process. No wonder he asked if she could cover for him. If that was the case...
"Exactly. I have a feeling something is going to happen, but I don't like playing their games. If they piss me off, I'll just strike directly. Besides, the sword in my hand needs the blood of a deity to complete its upgrade." How could he turn away prey that delivered itself to his doorstep?
A deity's corpse, a weapon upgrade... Natsuki Minamiya pondered for a moment before whispering, "If you're going to make a move, don't do it in front of the other gods. If you do, you won't succeed."
Ren Isana nodded. He naturally understood this point, and he wasn't stupid enough to do so. If he really attacked in front of the gods, he would be the one in trouble. After all, there would definitely be many adventurers present, and those people would certainly try to stop him.
"If you do kill them, remember to take the corpse with you. I'll teach you how to activate the teleportation. When the time comes, just activate the Magic Circle on your forehead and return directly. The others will be teleported away along with you." Natsuki Minamiya continued, making a series of arrangements for Ren Isana.
After saying this, she began to instruct him on the spot, teaching Ren Isana the method to activate the magic on his forehead. Her meaning was already very clear.
She would cover for him here, but Ren Isana and the others would no longer be able to adventure in this world. For safety's sake, they would need to leave immediately, taking the corpse with them.
A deity's corpse was worth the risk. Not to mention, reason was on Ren Isana's side—they would be the ones to strike first, forcing Ren Isana to counterattack. And who could have known the opponent would be killed so easily?
Although they wouldn't be able to continue adventuring in this world, it wasn't a big problem. It was just a Dungeon; they had those back home too. Killing a deity and bringing them back had more pros than cons. As long as Ren Isana returned to their side, he would naturally be safe.
Even if this side wanted to pursue the matter later, so what? Those bastards tried to attack Ren Isana, and he wasn't allowed to fight back? *My people were beaten so badly they had to teleport back. You owe us an explanation for this, otherwise, prepare for war!*
Therefore, in Natsuki Minamiya's eyes, the god Ren Isana was going to kill would die for nothing. In fact, this world would even have to pay a price, otherwise it would be considered a provocation and a destruction of their relationship. At that point, it wouldn't be a peaceful connection anymore, but an outright war.
Deities? Hilarious. Their world had killed who knew how many deities. Did they want to see their specialized god-hunting troops? How many divisions did these deities have?
As for whether Ren Isana could succeed? She wasn't worried. For him to say such things meant he had a certain level of confidence, otherwise he wouldn't have asked if she could cover for him.
After teaching Ren Isana the method to activate the Magic Circle, Natsuki Minamiya looked at him quietly and said, "When you go to attend the banquet, I'll have the girls pack their things and run a drill. If you can come back, then everything is fine. If you can't, those who have already packed can teleport away immediately."
Hearing this, Ren Isana nodded. This was for the best. This way, there would be no lingering worries... Well, not entirely. Ren Isana remembered Bell Cranel and Haruhime Sanjouno. There were still two locals in their Familia.
"What about Bell and Haruhime? Should we bring them directly to our side?" Ren Isana brought up their situation, to which Natsuki Minamiya shook her head.
"Don't worry about them. The locals, including Hestia, will be fine. Just go all out and do what you need to do." Natsuki Minamiya already had a series of plans. They weren't the only ones who had come to this world.
Natsuki Minamiya naturally wouldn't give up on these two potential talents, and she even planned to pull them into her own faction. Having spent time with them recently, she was very clear about their aptitudes, so she obviously wouldn't let them go.
Seeing Natsuki Minamiya's confident demeanor, Ren Isana didn't say anything more. He nodded and left directly. Since there were no problems, he could act freely, and Natsuki Minamiya would handle the aftermath.
Thinking of Apollo's series of actions from the anime, Ren Isana's heart grew slightly cold. He wasn't Bell. If the other party really sent subordinates to cause trouble for him, Ren Isana would slaughter them on the spot.
After parting ways with Natsuki Minamiya, Ren Isana returned straight to his room and continued reading books about this world as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, Natsuki Minamiya found Yor Forger and told her about the situation.
After listening to Natsuki Minamiya's explanation, Yor Forger frowned and said, "Natsuki, should I go and slaughter all those with malicious intentions right now?"
In her eyes, trying to cause trouble for Ren Isana was simply courting death. He was the first student to ever give her a gift, and one that perfectly suited her tastes at that. Wasn't this just asking for her wrath?
Hearing her words, Natsuki Minamiya rolled her eyes and said, "No need. After Ren leaves, we just need to handle the aftermath. We can also take the opportunity to let them know that we aren't to be trifled with."
At this point, the corners of Natsuki Minamiya's mouth curled up slightly as she continued, "We are, after all, exchange personnel sent to this world. But the people of this world attacked us, causing our people to be teleported back. Can they really get away without giving us an explanation?"
Of course not! That was Yor Forger's only thought. She also understood Natsuki Minamiya's meaning and immediately said, "Then I'll follow Ren and the others when the time comes, just to prevent any accidents."
"Yes, that's exactly what I meant. Just follow them secretly; there's no need to make a big show of it. Actually, you could teach him a few things. He learns very quickly anyway." Natsuki Minamiya nodded in satisfaction. It was good that Yor Forger understood her intentions, and she also offered a reminder.
Yor Forger had things in her arsenal that could help Ren Isana. With his terrifying learning ability, picking up her techniques would take no time at all.
Hearing Natsuki Minamiya say this, Yor Forger nodded thoughtfully. That was actually a good idea. Ordinary people might not be able to learn it, but Ren Isana definitely could. Thinking of this, Yor Forger made her decision.
The two of them settled the matter just like that. Natsuki Minamiya also used magic to contact a few people and arrange everything before returning to teach everyone magic.
Yor Forger wasn't in a hurry either. She returned to her post and continued teaching the students how to use various weapons.
Asuna and the others felt it was very strange. What did that guy Ren Isana talk about with Natsuki Minamiya? Why did she even pull Yor Forger aside to discuss it? They couldn't quite figure it out, but Asuna's intuition told her that something was about to happen.
Time quickly passed to the afternoon. After Ren Isana finished dinner, Yor Forger suddenly approached him and said, "Ren, I have a very powerful move here. Do you want to learn it?"
Hearing Yor Forger's words, Ren Isana's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly said, "I'll learn it! I definitely want to learn it, Instructor Yor! Please!"
Seeing this, a smile instantly appeared on Yor Forger's face. "Alright, come with me. I'll teach it to you, but this move is very difficult, so you need to be prepared."
With that, she turned and walked outside. Ren Isana hurriedly followed. Asuna, Megumi Kato, and the others looked at each other, feeling a bit strange. Was he getting special tutoring?
Asuna, in particular, felt it was even stranger. Did Ren Isana say something to the instructors this afternoon? Now he was even getting private lessons!
However, Asuna didn't ask, nor did she have any intention of chasing after them. The instructor was giving Ren Isana a private lesson, so it was best not to disturb them.
If the instructor wanted to teach them, she probably would have done so already. She wouldn't have spoken to Ren Isana alone, but would have addressed everyone directly. This was clearly meant to be a private lesson just for him.
Following Yor Forger outside, she didn't stop but led Ren Isana away from the base to a deserted area before finally halting. The surroundings were illuminated only by the moonlight.
The visibility wasn't too low; for the two of them, it was no different from broad daylight. After stopping, Yor Forger turned to look at Ren Isana and said, "Ren, take this. When you make your move, use this weapon."
Yor Forger suddenly took out an ordinary-looking small knife and handed it to Ren Isana. Its style was very similar to the one he had forged for Bell Cranel earlier, only this one was even plainer.
Ren Isana took the dagger Yor Forger offered with some confusion. The moment it touched his hand, he felt a heavy weight, and a bone-piercing chill emanated from the blade. Holding it gave him the feeling that he could kill anything at any moment.
Looking at the weapon, Ren Isana was somewhat shocked. Wasn't this quality a bit too absurd? It was even higher than the sword in his own hand. Only a weapon bathed in divine blood could probably reach such a level of quality.
Bathed in divine blood? Suddenly thinking of this, Ren Isana couldn't help but freeze. He looked at the weapon in his hand, then looked up at Yor Forger and asked, "Instructor Yor, this dagger...?"
"This is a God-Slaying Blade, a weapon that has killed a deity. It carries a curse—as long as a deity is struck by it, they will be unable to use their Divine Power." Yor Forger explained the weapon's properties.
Sure enough... things were exactly as Ren Isana had thought. This was a weapon meant for slaying gods. Looking at the dagger in his hand, Ren Isana understood that Yor Forger was giving him an insurance policy.
"Thank you, Instructor Yor! I'll return it to you when I'm done." Ren Isana didn't refuse. Although Apollo's power was indeed sealed, if his life was in critical danger, he would probably unseal it without hesitation, right?
With such a weapon, Apollo would be nothing more than a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. With this, Ren Isana's confidence surged, making him even more assured about facing Apollo.
"Alright, just give it back when you're done. Next, I'll teach you a martial art. This martial art is also called [God-Slaying Blade]. It might be a bit advanced, and you might struggle to execute it, but I've observed you, and I know you can pull it off." Yor Forger got straight to the point.
Hearing this, Ren Isana was a bit surprised. An advanced martial art? Thinking of this, he immediately said, "I learned Haruhime's magic today and modified it. I can now cast it on myself."
Ren Isana explained the situation, which instantly made Yor Forger's eyes light up. She knew about Haruhime's magic—an incredibly powerful support spell that could unconditionally raise someone by one tier.
"If that's the case, then there's no problem. Watch closely, I'll demonstrate it for you once. The name of this martial art is the same as the dagger—it's also called [God-Slaying Blade]." As Yor Forger spoke, she took out the thin-bladed dagger Ren Isana had given her previously.
The next moment, her aura underwent an earth-shattering transformation. If she was a gentle instructor just a second ago, then at this moment, she was a cold and ruthless assassin. Her eyes completely turned red, glowing in the dark night like two rubies.
Looking at Yor Forger's current state, Ren Isana's [Perception Magic] was screaming in warning. *I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die. I will absolutely die.* The state Instructor Yor was displaying right now was incredibly dangerous!!!
An unprecedented sense of crisis enveloped Ren Isana's heart at this moment. It was a feeling he had never experienced before!!
Under this intense feeling of danger, Ren Isana's innate talent, [Jianjigu], activated, frantically beginning to learn. And this time, the learning process seemed to take a bit longer?
"Watch closely." Just as Ren Isana's talent was frantically learning, Yor Forger's voice rang out. Although she still sounded gentle, her current appearance made it impossible to associate the two.
Ren Isana's gaze was fixed dead on Yor Forger. At this moment, she concentrated all her True Qi into the dagger in her hand. The dagger began to hum, and the next moment, she struck.
Carrying an unstoppable momentum, she launched an attack forward. In just a few moves, Ren Isana felt as if he had died countless times. Yor Forger's voice continued to ring out.
"The temples, eyes, back of the head, neck, throat, cervical spine, heart—these are all weak points. Even for gods, this holds true. So, every attack must be aimed at these areas. Strike with an indomitable will. Even if it's blocked, it doesn't matter—just chop off the arm they use to block." Yor Forger continuously demonstrated for Ren Isana while explaining.
Every single attack was aimed at a vital spot, utilizing the fastest and most agile techniques. True Qi was pushed to its absolute limit by Yor Forger in this moment, and Ren Isana was frantically learning all of it.
After she finished her demonstration, Yor Forger turned her gaze to Ren Isana, her entire demeanor reverting to its original state. "How was it, Ren? Did you learn it?"
As she spoke, there was a hint of expectation in her tone. She genuinely hoped that Ren Isana could completely learn these moves, because it would give him a much higher chance of success in his upcoming operation.
Hearing Yor Forger's words, Ren Isana nodded. He had learned it, and he had even learned Yor Forger's innate talent as well. At this moment, Ren Isana's heart was filled with shock. Yor Forger's talent... was simply terrifyingly strong.
This woman was practically a monster. Ren Isana even suspected that she had probably slain a god before. Otherwise, why would she be so proficient? She even had a weapon specifically for god-slaying.
"That's wonderful! Then demonstrate it once and let me see how well you've learned it!!" Hearing Ren Isana say he had learned it, Yor Forger's eyes instantly lit up. As expected of Ren Isana, he had learned it just like that.
Hearing Yor Forger's words, Ren Isana took a deep breath, suppressing the strange thoughts in his mind. He then gripped the God-Slaying Blade she had given him. All the True Qi in his body began to converge, and his focus sharpened completely.