Whoever dares call that brat Bell "cautious" right now, Zeus would absolutely punch them twice.
This isn't "cautious" at all—isn't this just reckless suicide?
"Has this kid lost his mind? Going after the 'Corrupted Spirit's Fetus' at just Lv.4?"
Zeus found this brat's actions utterly baffling. He could handle things more cautiously normally, so why does this kid resort to reckless behavior when faced with bigger challenges?
Then the Projection broadcast the entire encounter between Bell and the "Corrupted Spirit's Fetus," culminating in the spirit tearing away a portion of its own soul. This marked Bell's decisive victory in his first confrontation with the "Corrupted Spirit's Fetus." Zeus was utterly dumbfounded.
"This... this is possible!?"
Hera, however, clearly observed things more meticulously. She nudged Zeus with her elbow.
"Didn't you watch closely? That kid made thorough preparations before making this decision.
"Didn't you hear his exchange with the 'Corrupted Spirit's Fetus'? He's binding the 'Spirit Embryo' through a contract. The 'Corrupted Spirit's Fetus' knew he possessed soul-manipulating techniques, so he decisively tore away part of his own soul to prevent his consciousness from being trapped in that body.
"That brat took such risks because he had his own calculations."
"Partly to achieve Excelia, and partly to prepare a suitable 'stage' for Loki's child."
"That little bastard has been pushing Loki's child onto the stage all along—didn't you see?"
Hera believed that brat Bell was truly calculating. He likely pushed Loki Familia upward as part of a deal, intending to use Loki as his shield to ward off the gods' prying eyes.
After returning to Orario, Hera conducted extensive investigations, and the situation regarding Loki's child stood out as the most remarkable discovery. Particularly noteworthy was how members of Loki Familia—"The Braver," "The Nine Hell," and "Elgarm"—all crossed into the Lv.7 realm during a single expedition.
Hera hadn't understood the exact reason before, but now she saw it clearly. Wasn't this precisely that brat Bell's tactic to deliberately push Loki forward?
"And you say that brat was courting death? I'd say he walked right into it with his eyes wide open."
"That brat had planned many things from the start. The expedition against the 'Corrupted Spirit's Fetus' was entirely his scheme. He intended to use this opportunity to propel Loki Familia further forward, using the three Lv.7s to shield him from the spotlight."
"And the one pulling the strings behind it all? He probably coordinated everything with Loki and the others long before."
Is that so? The gods' gazes instinctively turned toward Loki. Yet Loki offered no response, merely watching silently from the sidelines.
His silence, however, spoke volumes to the gods. It went without saying—this was the tacit understanding long established between that youth and Loki.
Still, the gods could understand Loki's reasoning at that moment. Sacrificing his own children as the spotlight to draw the attention of all the gods of Orario, thereby securing the qualification for his three children to achieve the monumental Excelia of ascending to Lv.7—such a bargain would be accepted by anyone.
It was a profitable deal for Loki. Nearly all the gods arrived at this conclusion. Yet such thoughts were only natural.
Successfully advancing all three of his children to the monumental feat of Lv.7, while the cost was merely helping that Mystery child capture the gods' attention—such a price seemed minuscule.
The Projection images continued to play, followed by two more sets of data appearing.
[Lv.6
Strength: ??? 1999
· Endurance: ??? 2312
· Dexterity: ??? 1999
· Agility: ??? 1999
· Magic Power: ??? 2278]
[Achieved promotion two months after ascending.]
[Lv.7
· Strength: ??? 1999
· Endurance: ??? 2347
· Dexterity: ??? 1999
· Agility: ??? 1999
· Magic Power: ??? 2389]
[The monumental achievement of advancing after two and a half months post-level-up.]
The image suddenly Freeze Frame, showing Bell standing alone before a purple-skinned Land Dragon, its body reduced to little more than a skeleton. A line of text was prominently displayed on the Projection.
[Dungeon Juggernauts: When extensive Destruction occurs within a Dungeon floor, the Dungeon dispatches Juggernauts to clear the area.]
[Composed entirely of Magic Stone, Juggernauts are immune to and reflect all Magic. Possessing overwhelming destructive power and extreme speed, they have virtually no weaknesses aside from low endurance.]
Damn, these two descriptions instantly elevated this unique monster's threat level. The gods' scalps tingled just reading it.
Immunity and reflection against Magic—a monster with such traits appearing on the Middle Floors meant certain death. Almost no one could escape its hunt. And the phrase "barring its low endurance, it possesses almost no weaknesses" in the description alone underscored the Monster's formidable value.
Then the battle commenced. Juggernaut's massive frame immediately displayed extraordinary speed. In an instant, its forepaws, gleaming with a sharp light, had already reached before Bell's eyes.
"So fast!"
It wasn't just fast—it was blindingly fast. Even the gods could only perceive afterimages.
But what astonished them more was Bell's speed, which was clearly even faster. His gaze never left Juggernaut's claws, and he was already poised to block before the attack even arrived. A faint lightning glow began to flicker around the hand gripping his dagger.
"Crack!"
Bell's hand moved like thunder, striking Juggernaut's forearm before immediately countering. The forearm's impact blunted the surprise attack's sharpness by nine-tenths, allowing Bell to seize the opening effortlessly. Slightly relaxing his body, he let the claw's momentum carry him backward. Once the final ounce of force dissipated, the attack was easily parried.
A tiny gash appeared on the purple, hardened forearm. Though small, it still had a noticeable effect on Zagnart's speed.
With a roar, Juggernaut launched another attack with his other forearm. Bell was already prepared. This time, however, he didn't target Juggernaut's claws—he aimed for the forearm that had already been slightly damaged.
"Crack!"
Another small gash appeared. This time, it affected Juggernaut's rapid movement.
Juggernaut's charge was abruptly halted, sending his entire body crashing face-first into the ground. Only the two small wounds on Juggernaut's right arm remained starkly visible.
"Clang!"
The bell, flashing with white sparks, rang out once more. The youth showed no sign of haste, instead waiting for a chance to fully charge his power. He slowly approached the fallen Juggernaut.
Upon reaching him, he immediately swung the long sword he had already switched to, aiming for Juggernaut's other forearm.
"Crack!"
Simultaneously, three slashes appeared on Juggernaut's other foreleg, successfully causing cracks and even shattering the entire limb.
At this point, Juggernaut had completely lost his agile mobility and flexibility.