19 Chapter 19 - War Game

[A/N: An extra chapter cause I felt like writing another one due to all the support <3 Love y'all <3]

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Laurens slowly led the dance while holding Ais' waist and hand, the two of them smiled at each other before Ais spoke up, "This is quite fun"

"Your first time?" Laurens smiled as they faced each other.

"Mmm" Ais nodded with a small smile.

"In that case, do you trust me?" Laurens gave her a cheeky grin and asked, Ais didn't hesitate before nodding once more and Laurens' feet began to move.

He slowly increased the pace from a calm dance to a rapid movement one, Ais noticed that Laurens explicitly showed where to move and she followed his guidance.

The two slowly got more and more into it as Laurens let Ais spin around which she gladly did, her elegance could even enchant the Gods that were looking at them.

Her smile turned wider as the dance went on, the two were so focused on each other that they didn't even notice that everyone was looking at them.

Laurens threw Ais into the air where she spun before Laurens perfectly caught her and pressed herself against Laurens broad chest before moving out again to make another spin.

The song continued on and on, but nobody complained, even Freya was watching from a distance, unconsciously switching her figure with Ais'.

Laurens and Ais continued for another 5 minutes before the song finally stopped and a silence fell in the venue.

Apollo was the first one to clap his hands, which spurred the other attendees to let loose their feelings on the dance as well.

"Fun?" Laurens asked while wiping Ais' sweat away with a handkerchief that was inside the suit.

"Yes!" Ais said with a bright smile which made Laurens pause for a second, her bright smile was probably the purest and most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

As the Gods, Goddesses and their respective Familia members fell silent, a loud clapping noise came from the top of the stairs.

A feeble, disgusting, buzz-cut, annoying..... wrong description.

A man of around 180cm tall (5.11Ft), his hair scarlet red. He also wears a green laurel wreath on his head with a fancy suit while being led by two women of his Familia.

*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*

"Beautiful! Brilliant! I hope everyone is enjoying the banquet! Especially with such a perfect performance!" Apollo held his arms wide as he said with a smile.

He walked down the staircase and slowly walked in front of Laurens and Ais, Laurens looked at him with a 'warm' smile on his face.

Hestia walked next to Laurens while glaring at Apollo but held herself back after she felt Laurens' hand holding her waist.

He had already told her that if Apollo tried something, let him deal with it.

"It's great to see you on such a great evening, Hestia" Apollo smiled and a heartbroken expression appeared on his face soon after as he said,

"Sadly, I have come with some extremely saddening news. Our Familia Members had a bit of a run in and one of mine suffered some serious injuries"

Hestia nearly burst out in anger as she already knew the story and knew Laurens wouldn't lie and she could even check it.

Laurens rubbed her waist once more to calm her down as he interrupted, "We did have a bit of a run in, that is correct"

"Truly a man of honor! You own up to your mistakes but was there really a need to ruin him like THIS?!....." Apollo said in 'anger' as he pointed at the darkness where suddenly a big light shone, showing a bandaged figure of a kid that screamed,

"It hurts so much! Why! Why!!!"

The people at the party couldn't help but begin talking amongst themselves.

Freya, Demeter, Loki, Hephaestus, Misha etc. naturally didn't believe a damn thing of it, neither did 99% of the other Gods/Goddesses, most of them just wanted some amusements.

As everyone was talking between each other, Laurens couldn't hold it anymore and burst out into laughter.

"Hahahaha.... And I had such high expectations of you, Apollo.... In the end, this is the only thing you can come up with?" Laurens wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes under everyone's stunned gazes.

Laurens turned towards Hestia and asked, "Hestia, can you bring me that 'present'?"

Hestia nodded with a confused expression as Apollo's eyebrow raised in confusion as well, Hestia grabbed the present and handed it to Laurens, who handed it to Apollo.

"Open it Apollo, maybe you will learn the consequences of being a pain in the ass just like your Familia Members" Laurens said coldly.

Freya could barely hold herself together in a corner as she smiled widely, she was probably the only one who knew what was in that present and she couldn't help but admit how 'lovely' the present was, especially for someone like Apollo who cared greatly for his Familia Members despite his character.

Apollo slowly opened the present in front of all the attendees and pulled off the string that held it together.

The present fell apart and a few *Thuds* sounded through the venue.

A head and 4 pairs of eyeballs....

Apollo's face turned snow-white as he picked up the severed, cold, purple head and looked at it in disbelief before he muttered, "Salf...."

Salf, a Level 2 from the Apollo Familia that had been missing since 2 days ago along with his squad of 1 other Level 2 and 3 Level 1's and was assumed to be lost since they didn't take much risk.

Some weaker-minded Goddesses couldn't help but look away with a hand in front of their mouth and turn away.

The head was covered in dried blood while it was clear from its wide-open eyes that he saw something horrifying.

Some were appalled, some were intrigued, and some were horrified while Laurens just stood over Apollo with a cold gaze and said,

"When I was hunting in the Dungeon, those two women behind you and a blond-haired elf lured a group of Blood Wolves to me, a mere Level 1. As for his arm, I fed it to the dogs, only they would show interest in such a degenerate's arm"

"Y...you! I challenge you! The Hestia Familia to a War Game!" Apollo screamed with tears in his eyes as he hugged the head in his embrace.

"A War-Game?! Finally one appeared once more!"

"Isn't it pretty unfair though? Hestia's Familia isn't as big"

"Who cares?"

Ais looked at Laurens in concern and even wanted to interrupt but Loki grabbed her hand and shook her head, she whispered something to Ais, and she started looking at Laurens' face.

Laurens' face had a clear grin on his face which clearly told Loki that Laurens had Apollo in the palm of his hands.

"You shameless ba-!.." Hestia wanted to scream out, but Laurens just winked at her which made her stomp her feet in frustration.

"Very Well! However! It will only be me that is included in the War-Game! That also means that although only I or my possessions will be part of the loot, including me life!" Laurens spread his hands wide open as he looked down at the crying Apollo.

"Good! Very good! It will be a General-Type War-Game! If the entire army and the General are dead, the game is won by the other side!" Apollo said without a hint of shame despite the clear disadvantage it had for Laurens.

"Shameless!" Ais suddenly cursed which shocked Loki so hard that she felt she was going to pass out, even Laurens couldn't help but give her a glance with an amused smile.

''Very well" Laurens agreed and smiled at Apollo before slightly bending down to Apollo's height and patted the bloodied head in his embrace and whispered, "Don't worry, I will send your friends to you soon! You won't be lonely"

Laurens grinned and grabbed Hestia's hand before walked towards the exit but suddenly stopped and looked at Apollo who was still looking at him with a hateful gaze.

"By the way, those were the only Level 2's I've found in the last 2 days, as for the other 30 or so Level 1's?..... Their bodies should be rotting somewhere in the Dungeon or been fed to the Monsters" Laurens said with a normal tone as if it wasn't a big deal.

He quickly glanced at a table with all kinds of drinks and food on it before grabbing a cup of alcohol and raise it towards Apollo, "Cheers, thanks for the alcohol by the way"

"I...I.....I....I'll kill you!" Apollo's face was distorted as he looked at Laurens' back.

***

"W....was this really necessary?" Hestia asked Laurens as they walked home hand in hand.

"Hestia, what is the most fearsome thing that exists?" Laurens asked with a warm smile as he pulled her against him and grabbed her waist.

"Monsters?" Hestia asked with a confused expression to which Laurens shook his head.

"No, an unfinished hunt is since its brethren, kin or friends could aim at your or your loved ones back at any time" Laurens said as he stared at the stars before continuing,

"That's why, I will never leave a single root behind. They started this war and I will be the one to finish it"