6 Death.

His words echoed deeply throughout the pub, causing everyone, from the clients to the waitresses, even the other members of the Loki Familia, to be left dumbfounded. Not only Ryuu refuted to bow down to a level 5, he even went and replied in such an offensive way the usual Bete they knew seemed a docile puppy in comparison!

Though they had no time for their thoughts to sink in as while his words were still reverberating, they only saw him vanish from his previous location, only to appear in front of Bete.

Ryuu's pride was shattered by this being, and to placate this enormous fury, only one option was left.

'I'll crush him in one blow.'

Yes, although his physical strength was only at a low-level 2, if he used his entire strength and concentrate it in a single, terrifying attack, then...

A devastating blow could be unleashed.

As Ryuu's punch connected with Bete's chest, he watched as his opponent was sent flying through the air and into the next building, which was entirely crushed under the impact. Despite this resulting in the destruction of his hand, Ryuu showed no emotion or pain.

'It seems I still can't control this technique, even with my improved physical body'

As time seemed to slow down in Ryuu's mind, he remained vigilant and alert, not daring to let his guard down. He glanced coldly at the other members of the Loki Familia, but to his surprise, he saw no anger on their faces. In fact, they seemed almost amused by the situation…

However, Ryuu had no time to dwell on this, as he saw the figure of Bete Loga grit his teeth in anger and frustration before displaying a speed even greater than his own. Ryuu knew that he was in for a tough battle as Bete prepared to teach him a lesson.

Just as Ryuu and Bete prepared to clash again, several powerful auras erupted around them, causing them to stop in their tracks.

[Enough.]

As a deep, commanding voice echoed through their surroundings, Ryuu barely narrowed his eyes in response. He could feel the apocalyptic pressure of a being far beyond mortal capabilities, but he refused to show any other emotion on his face.

"Call your mad dog back, God." Ryuu spat out each word with almost a disgusted tone, feeling that even calling Bete a dog was not sufficient to convey his contempt for this being.

As Ryuu tried to think of a way to escape the situation, he knew that he no longer had to act as if he could fight against an entire Familia on his own. After all, he had already paid off his debt with the dog, and his reputation will soon be shattered by the news that a "level 0" like him managed to defeat Bete in a fight.

Instead, Ryuu decided that the best course of action would be to apologize directly to the God of the Familia for any offense he had caused. This was the only being that Ryuu felt he could apologize to.

If the Familia chose to continue hunting Ryuu down for his offense, it would raise questions among the public about whether the Familia was abusing its power. After all, Ryuu was the victim in this situation, and it would be unfair for him to be punished further.

A blow to a Familia's reputation is often worse than any material loss they might incur. If Ryuu were able to turn public opinion against the Familia and make the citizens fear that they were not what they seemed, it could lead to a collapse in the Familia's rank. This could set off a spiral of downfall that often leads to doom for the Familia.

Though, this time, even Ryuu's several calculations and contingencies plans could not win.

"Worry not, mortal! Our doggie here is a bit rebellious, but I'll be sure to properly discipline him once we get back. Also, since you were hurt because of him, let me take responsibility by offering you this potion!"

This gesture of goodwill and apology from the God instantly reversed Ryuu's advantage. As time resumed for everyone else, they were surprised by the scene unfolding in front of them. One of them couldn't help but comment:

"Wow, Loki-sama is such a benevolent God, not only her familia member was hurt, he even dared to address her so arrogantly, yet all she replied with was an apologetic smile, even giving him a precious potion!...that first-class adventurer is a bad apple, but it does not mean the tree is rotten...!"

This statement reassured the worried minds of the clients, who had even stronger faith in the Loki familia as a whole. If an instant earlier they saw Ryuu as the victim, now, if he didn't apologize properly, he would be seen as the unreasonable person who couldn't even accept a proper apology.

Alas, Ryuu thinking he could defeat the God of Trickster in a fight of words and 'reason' was the only foolish mistake he made, though he is not completely at fault as he had no information on the head of the Loki familia and what was her divinity.

'This is why I hate having to resort to this kind of method...unreliable.'

Ryuu inwardly despised the thought of having to do whatever it took to keep his head attached to his body. He knew that using force would be futile, as he was no match for a God and couldn't risk angering her. He wondered how much longer he would be able to survive if he truly upset her.

"Don't worry, Loki-sama. I'm sorry for my earlier outburst. I was just angry at someone who overstepped their bounds, and I let my emotions get the best of me. It won't happen again."

Ryuu's flawless reaction sparked her interest, and she merely smiled in acknowledgement.

['I really like you, mortal. If you can gain an advantage over my Familia, come to me. I will reward you']

She sent her thoughts to Ryuu with her divinity, not caring if her divinity overwhelmed him, as this was merely another test of hers.

To Loki's surprise, Ryuu responded telepathically, appearing unfazed by her divinity.

''I have no reason to do so. Unless you want to make an enemy of me. In that case, I'll show you what I'm truly capable of''

Their conversation only lasted a second, but Loki was able to glean a lot from Ryuu's words and demeanor. He didn't seem to care whether she was a goddess or an impossible being to defeat. He was not overbearing nor servile. Instead, he seemed to be testing her in the same way, which was something she couldn't have predicted. This made her laugh uncontrollably…

As the two ridiculous beings engaged in conversation, the surrounding situation was chaotic. The crowd was still whispering to each other and trying to make sense of what was happening. The owner of the pub, Mia Grand, considered kicking everyone out and never letting them return, but she couldn't do so easily because the Loki Familia was involved.

The worst reaction of all was a werewolf screaming at the top of his lungs. Not only had he been ignored for minutes, but he had also been tied up by his own comrades!

"You should stop struggling, Bete. Reflect on what you did and keep the shame of losing so badly in your heart forever. Maybe that will help you understand how foolish you are for once"

With a huge smile on her face, a beautiful Amazoness with shining eyes was devouring Ryuu with her gaze, though the latter did not have the energy to care about her at this moment.

'My instincts are tingling, but...it's not enough. You are not strong enough yet. Your potential is ridiculous, though.'

The Amazon was not concerned with the man's handsomeness, but rather his strength. She had witnessed him using an attack so powerful that it almost destroyed his own hand while breaking Bete's bones. This led her to believe that he did not have the true strength to unleash such a technique yet, though it was still impossible to believe he could injure a level 5 that easily...

Moreover, he never showed even something as small as a frown this whole time, which left a deep impression in her. She could see the meaning of a Warrior reflecting on him.

'I want to fight him so badly...'

The Amazon struggled to control her instincts, and only her twin was able to suppress her. The other members of the Loki Familia remained quiet as their eldest sighed.

"Let's just go. We knew something like this might happen with this troublemaker, but since our god is satisfied, it's fine"

Said a High Elf known for her incredible strength. Without worrying about her companions, she approached the angry Mia Grand to apologize.

Her words were all that was needed to determine the group's next course of action. Since Bete had caused all the chaos on his own, they decided to ignore it.

As they walked towards an empty table, one of the 'newer' members, Lefiya Viridis, called out to a stunning woman with golden hair and eyes. However, it seemed that she could not hear her.

"A-Ais-san?"

Her expression was blank, but soon, an overwhelming killing intent filled the surroundings, terrifying everyone present once again. This time, however, there was no talking or reasoning. Something inside her had simply snapped.

The person targeted by this killing intent felt even worse. His expression turned ashen as he felt his instincts wailing. For the first time since arriving in this world, he clearly felt a single word booming inside his consciousness. It was…

Death!