Night had fallen, and the Loki Familia gathered for dinner. Tonight's host, unusually, was Loki herself.
"Alright, everyone, I've got some good news to share!"
Standing before the assembled members, Loki's grin was almost impossible to hide. With a casual wave of her hand, Tiona and Tione stepped up to the stage.
"Today, these two idiots finally broke through from Level 4 to Level 5!" she announced proudly. "From now on, our Familia has two more Level Fives!"
"Eh!?"
The room erupted with gasps and murmurs.
"They already reached Level 5!?"
"I knew they were close, but this fast!?"
Everyone in the Familia knew that the Amazon sisters had been stuck at the peak of Level 4 for some time, yet most assumed it would take them at least another year or two to advance. No one expected it to happen so suddenly.
"They really did it… Tiona and Tione," Alicia said, her face a mix of admiration and envy.
"It must've been a floor boss challenge," Kaguya muttered from across the table.
"Goliath?" someone guessed.
"No," Alicia said quickly, shaking her head. "Goliath's too weak for that. Even defeating him wouldn't grant enough merit for two simultaneous promotions."
"Then…" Kaguya's eyes narrowed. "It must've been Amphisbæna."
Her tone was calm but certain.
Alicia hesitated. "But Amphisbæna's only Level 5 too, right? Would that really be enough for both of them?"
"Not unless they fought it under severe disadvantage," Kaguya replied. "If they challenged it in unfavorable terrain or conditions… it's possible."
Alicia blinked. "In disadvantageous conditions? That's suicide!"
Kaguya simply gestured toward the stage where the twins stood, alive and well. "And yet, there they are."
That shut Alicia up instantly.
Kaguya turned her gaze toward the back of the hall, scanning carefully until her eyes caught sight of the one person she knew would be there.
"Him," she said softly. "He's the reason they pulled it off."
Alicia followed her gaze, and her eyes widened when she saw Tsunayoshi sitting quietly near the wall.
"…Yeah," she admitted. "If it's him, it makes sense."
She remembered vividly how he had saved her and her teammates from a monster they couldn't defeat, then calmly recreated that same monster afterward as if it were nothing.
That experience alone told her one undeniable truth:
This guy is unbeatable.
Not because she lacked confidence, but because Tsunayoshi's power simply defied normal understanding.
"But wait," Ryuu asked suddenly, frowning. "Weren't the floor boss challenges supposed to be undertaken only by those who need the merit? If he joined them, wouldn't that invalidate the achievement?"
It was a fair question. If Tsunayoshi had fought alongside them, didn't that mean they'd merely relied on his overwhelming strength instead of earning the "heroic deed" themselves?
Kaguya only shook her head, then pointed at the rings on the sisters' fingers.
"Look closely. They weren't wearing those before."
Alicia blinked. "Rings? They're Amazons—they barely wear armor, let alone jewelry."
"Those," Kaguya said, "were made by him."
The room went silent for a moment as everyone followed her gaze. The sisters' matching rings glimmered faintly under the light.
Alicia and the girls from the Astraea Familia exchanged quick glances.
"…Should we ask him about them?"
Alicia's curiosity was practically radiating from her eyes. A chance to grow stronger was never one she could ignore.
Kaguya nodded. "Opportunity is only worth something if you seize it. And this looks like one worth chasing."
Ryuu, however, still looked uneasy. "Do you really think he'll tell us?"
Alicia's lips curved into a mischievous grin. "If he refuses, we'll just send you to ask. With your looks, I'm sure he'll say yes."
"...Alicia!" Ryuu's face turned red instantly.
"Come on, I'm kidding!" Kaguya sighed, rubbing her temples. "Alicia, stop teasing her. You know Ryuu takes everything literally."
"Ehehe~ sorry, sorry! I didn't think she'd actually believe it!" Alicia stuck out her tongue playfully.
But Ryuu, her cheeks flushed, could only glare before lunging toward her in anger.
"Die, Alicia!"
"Ah! Wait—Ryuu, you're seriously mad!?"
Kaguya could only sigh as the two tumbled across the floor.
"I told you," she muttered. "She's too pure for your jokes."
(End of Chapter)
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