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Chapter 99: Unseen Threat
The casino incident was neatly resolved by Tsuna and the others. Terry and his accomplices were arrested, and the casino's management hastily scapegoated Terry to dodge any blowback. The El Dorado Resort's ownership was swiftly transferred to another party, and operations continued under new management.
During his interrogation, the imprisoned Terry broke quickly, fully confessing to every single one of his crimes. Eerily, ever since Syr whispered in his ear, he had remained in a state of constant, paranoid terror.
As for the nobles who had conspired with him, while they avoided outright imprisonment, they were permanently banned from entering Orario and forced to return to their home countries. However, with the details of the scandal forwarded to their respective governments, their political rivals immediately capitalized on their weakness. Most of Terry's aristocratic conspirators were entirely stripped of their peerage, while those who managed to retain their titles were reduced to utter ruin.
Furthermore, the women Terry had kept captive were finally freed. Generously compensated by both the Guild and the casino, they were safely escorted back to their homelands.
Everyone thought the incident was over. Everyone but one.
.....
Hearth Manor.
"What? Are you serious?"
The night they returned from the casino, Tsuna called Reborn into his room. He explained exactly what he had seen: the rings, and the Dying Will Flames erupting from Terry's bodyguards.
"Yeah… But it didn't look like they were controlling the flames with their own will. It looked like the rings were forcibly ripping the flames out of them."
"Which means someone from our world is here. Hiding somewhere." Reborn concluded.
They didn't know the culprit's exact goal, but Reborn instantly deduced that anyone handing out rings that forced Dying Will Flames out of ordinary people was unequivocally bad news.
"We'd better report this to Ouranos immediately."
"Right. Fels gave me an item to contact him directly for emergencies."
Tsuna walked over to a shelf, pulled out a small box, and retrieved the Oculus Fels had given him. He placed the crystalline gemstone in his palm and spoke into it.
"Lord Ouranos. Can you hear me?"
"Sawada Tsunayoshi. What is it?" The Oculus hummed, and Ouranos's deep, echoing voice responded.
"I have an urgent report."
"Speak." "Actually…"
Tsuna gave Ouranos a full rundown of everything that had transpired in the casino's VIP room.
"…Are you certain about this?" "Yes."
"This is highly troubling… I was under the impression that only Giotto and his bloodline were capable of wielding the Dying Will Flame." "Back when Giotto was alive, that assumption wasn't entirely wrong. But things are different now," Reborn interjected, his voice carrying clearly into the crystal.
"Reborn. What do you mean?" "Until recently, even we believed that the Dying Will Flame was exclusive to those who possessed the blood of the Vongola Boss. But we've since learned that as long as certain conditions are met, anyone can ignite a Dying Will Flame."
"Conditions?" "A powerful, unwavering resolve, and a ring capable of answering that resolve. While the attributes vary from person to person, those are the basic requirements to wield the Flame."
"Attributes?" "The Dying Will Flame is divided into seven attributes: Sky, Storm, Rain, Lightning, Sun, Cloud, and Mist. Each attribute possesses a unique characteristic. The Sky holds Harmony. The Storm brings Disintegration. The Rain offers Tranquility. The Sun grants Activation. The Lightning provides Hardening. The Cloud offers Propagation. And the Mist excels in Construction. The stronger a person's resolve, the more powerful and pure their flame becomes."
"..." Reborn systematically explained the true nature of the Dying Will Flames. Ouranos didn't respond immediately. The heavy silence indicated the ancient God was deeply considering the ramifications of this new information.
"You mentioned that Terry acquired the rings in Rakia, correct?" "Yes."
"There is no guarantee the supplier is still in Rakia… but if someone is actively distributing these rings from within their borders, this could develop into a catastrophic situation." "What kind of country is Rakia?" Tsuna asked.
Welf had told him that Rakia had won countless wars using Crozzo's Magic Swords, only to suffer crushing defeats after losing the ability to forge them. Beyond that, Tsuna knew virtually nothing about the nation.
"Rakia is a militaristic nation boasting a population of over six hundred thousand, blessed with lush, fertile lands. Under normal circumstances, there would be no reason for them to wage reckless wars… However, driven by the whims of their patron deity, Ares, and the Captain of his Familia, King Martinus, they launch unprovoked invasions against neighboring countries and cities with alarming regularity. They have marched on Orario with armies numbering in the tens of thousands multiple times in the past. Every single attempt has ended in complete failure." "Tens of thousands!?"
"The sheer numbers may sound like a terrifying threat, but the vast majority of their soldiers are merely Level 1. In contrast, Orario boasts the Loki and Freya Familias, along with numerous other elite factions, ready to intercept them. Frankly, it's a war won before it even begins." Ever since the Gods descended to the lower world, the paradigm of warfare had shifted entirely from quantity to quality. Even if an army fielded ten thousand soldiers, if their overall quality was low, they couldn't possibly hope to overcome high-tier adventurers.
"That being said, because their King is openly hostile toward Orario, sending investigators into Rakia is exceedingly difficult." "But if Rakia's soldiers learn how to use Dying Will Flames, they might actually become a legitimate threat. And if the knowledge of the flames spreads beyond Rakia to other nations, they might launch joint invasions against Orario."
"That is a grave concern, yes… but the absolute worst-case scenario is if the adventurers within Orario learn of the Dying Will Flame's existence. We call this the City of Heroes, but the harsh reality is that the vast majority of adventurers will never manage a Rank Up. Many harbor deep, festering jealousy and resentment toward those of higher levels. The desires of such people are overwhelmingly powerful… for better or for worse. If Falna and the Dying Will Flame were to fuse, those desires could easily spiral out of control. It could trigger a tragedy equal to, or perhaps even greater than, the Dark Age." Reborn and Ouranos painted a grim, terrifying picture of what would happen if the Dying Will Flame became common knowledge in this world.
"Ouranos. Can you secure the rings used in the casino incident from the Ganesha Familia?" Reborn asked.
"It can be done." "I'll contact the current Vongola Boss, the 9th, and ask him to investigate whoever is supplying these rings."
"Understood.".....
Elsewhere.
"The date for the next invasion of Orario has been set," the woman stated.
"When?" the man asked.
"One month from now."
"I see… I have waited so long for this day…"
"It's fine to be excited, but don't go and get yourself arrested before then."
"I could say the same to you."
"Who do you think you're talking to? You know perfectly well that this plan is only moving forward because I'm pulling the King's strings from the shadows. Do you really think I'd make a mistake?"
"…Fine. As long as the plan succeeds, I care not."
What a simpleminded fool… the silver-haired woman thought, watching him sneer. His fanatical devotion to that dead woman makes him so remarkably easy to use......
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