Chapter 777: Peach Blossom Love / The Love of the Peach

"War Games aren't very common, but whenever one appears it draws everyone's attention — not only do the gods come to join the fun and watch the spectacle, but even Orario's residents can, with the gods' help, watch the excitement together."

"So, Broly, this is a good opportunity to clear your name. I want you to use absolute strength to knock down those bastards who look down on you, and knock them down hard."

"But doing it that way will raise our Familia's rating, causing our Familia level to rise at the Guild, which in turn will increase our revenue tax, right?"

"Hmm, indeed. Although this time Apollo has ulterior motives and has set his sights on Bell, the fact that you're treated as a pretty boy and a hanger-on of the Deep Floors Expedition Team by other adventurers still makes me very displeased. So let the revenue tax increase — Bell, you agree with this too, right?"

"Yes, I agree."

"So don't worry about the revenue tax issue — go make your reputation known with your fists!"

These were Hestia's exact words before the War Game began.

This made Broly abandon the idea of putting on a difficult, hard-won performance in order to lower the Familia's rating.

"Place your bets, place your bets — who's buying Hestia Familia to win?"

"Hah, a War Game of two people against over a hundred — what suspense could there possibly be?"

"I'm buying Apollo Familia to win, fifty thousand valis."

"I'll bet one hundred thousand, Apollo Familia."

"Hey hey hey, you guys are all buying Apollo Familia — can this betting pool even continue?"

In the tavern, the boss who was privately running a betting pool wore a displeased expression.

"Why don't you consider Hestia Familia, which has higher odds?"

"Hah, what can you do — Hestia Familia can't win. Even if the odds are higher, if you can't win money, who would bet on them?"

"You won't bet, but I will — Hestia Familia victory, I'm betting one million valis."

"Ah, is there really someone betting like that?"

Facing the surrounding gamblers' confusion, the person from Soma Familia didn't say much more.

Just carrying a money bag, they went to the next tavern to continue placing bets at the private betting pools.

And things like this happened in taverns all across Orario.

Even the Gold Casino received nearly four billion valis in bets on Hestia Familia to win.

Apart from the money from real gamblers, the only ones betting were those who knew Broly absolutely would not lose, wanting to make a profit from it.

Of course, there was also the money from Broly's side. Although after the War Game contract was signed, Hestia Familia's funds would be locked, but before that, Hestia had already transferred her own Familia's assets and handed them to Liliruca, asking her to help place bets.

After a series of operations, they actually smashed the originally high odds of 1 to 19 for Hestia Familia winning down to 1 to 3.2.

"The War Game between Hestia Familia and Apollo Familia is about to begin. Plain terrain, a vastly outnumbered duel — which side will be the final victor? Let us wait and see. Now, let our presiding Main God say a few words..."

"I am Ganesha~"

"Alright, our Main God has made a passionate opening statement. The War Game start enters the final three-minute countdown..."

The War Game was about to start, and Hermes, with Uranus's permission, had unsealed the authorization to use divine power in the Lower World.

About a thousand divine power light screens appeared at the places where Orario's people gathered, simultaneously live-broadcasting the War Game scene.

"Orario's gamblers are going to bleed heavily this time."

At the Gods' Conference venue, Hephaestus sat next to Hestia. Seeing the Gold Casino odds displayed on the divine power screen, she couldn't help but sigh.

"Hmph, those bastards who don't believe in my Broly and spread rumors — serves them right for losing money!"

Hestia said angrily. Her side had bet a pile of valis through Liliruca (Soma Familia), and the fact that the final odds at closing were still 3.2 showed just how many people had bet on their side losing.

"True enough."

Hephaestus nodded, then asked a question.

"How much did you bet on yourselves to win?"

"Naturally we went all in with everything. What about you, Hephaestus?"

"I took out all the liquid funds the Familia could muster and bet them — about three hundred million valis."

"Such a good money-making opportunity — you're not going to leverage any assets?"

"How much did you bet, Loki?"

"Gold Casino, one billion valis."

Loki grinned, revealing a smile like she was about to eat meat.

At this moment, Apollo entered the venue. Upon seeing Hestia over here, he actively approached.

"Hestia, are you prepared to become my property along with your child?"

"Idiot Apollo!"

"Eh, you're insulting me?"

"Can't I insult you?"

"Heh, looks like the impending failure has already scrambled your nerves. Don't worry — once you become my Subordinate God, I'll definitely cherish you and your child properly!"

"Then please rest assured too — once you lose, I'll dissolve your Familia and demand you self-exile, leaving Orario and never allowed to establish a Familia again. Either work honestly like a Lower World child to support yourself, or just commit suicide and go back to Heaven to be a spectator."

For gods, death and waiting for resurrection isn't terrifying. What's terrifying is when all other gods are having fun, you can only be a bystander — able to see, but unable to eat.

"Heh, then let's wait and see. I'd like to see just how you'll make your two children beat my hundreds of children!"

Apollo finished speaking, and the War Game began.

From the divine power screen's bird's-eye view, the two forces were already waiting on the plains outside Orario.

One side moved first.

"The first to act is surprisingly not the numerically superior Apollo Familia, but Hestia Familia. Hestia Familia's Regiment Commander charges ahead alone, rushing toward the Apollo Familia camp one kilometer away — is there some strategy to this?"

"He actually came charging in alone — does he really think he's a High-Level Adventurer?"

Just as the Apollo Familia's regiment commander, Hyacinthos, was preparing to send someone to intercept, Daphne stopped him.

"The enemy dares to charge in; they might have some trump card. For caution's sake, let's probe with long-range means first."

Although Daphne chose to inform, she still had the awareness of a monk striking the bell for each day he serves; as the Apollo Familia's commander, she would not choose to go easy in the War Game just because she had told the Hestia Familia in advance that the god Apollo's target was the white-haired boy.

Therefore, the Apollo Familia, which had the numerical advantage, did not become careless because of that advantage; they completely treated the charging Saiyan as a High-Level Adventurer.

Before Broly could get close, arrows and long-range magic attacks shot toward him, but he merely accelerated his speed slightly, and all the incoming arrows and magic attacks missed entirely.

"No strategy — the Hestia Familia's regiment commander didn't use any strategy at all. He charged straight into the Apollo Familia's formation; their members tried to stop him, yet were knocked down one by one. This is pure head-on confrontation, and a one-versus-many, companionless head-on confrontation at that. Even he, who is famous for being able to teach the Loki Familia's Sword Princess swordsmanship, did not draw the sword at his waist……"

"For Lord Apollo……"

"Smack—"

"I will not……"

"Smack—"

No matter who stood in the way ahead, and no matter whether they held weapons, Broly used only one move: a direct slap swung at them.

And every person struck had basically the same reaction: they fell headfirst into sleep, highlighting their own extremely good sleep quality.

Cassandra watched the Saiyan youth charge through with his unmatched slapping; just as she subconsciously closed her eyes, preparing to take a slap herself, Broly, upon reaching her, merely brushed his palm gently across the girl's face.

"Eh?!"

Cassandra looked at him in puzzlement.

"You don't really want me to help you lose consciousness, do you?"

Broly asked, somewhat speechless.

"Ah……"

After the reminder, Cassandra finally reacted.

Head tilting, body going limp, she too was "struck" into unconsciousness.

Seeing this scene, Broly nodded in satisfaction and went directly to find others.

The fallen Cassandra secretly opened her eyes, watching the youth continue his unmatched slapping through the crowd; her fair cheeks flushed slightly red.

Where there are quick-witted ones, there are also rigid ones.

Daphne was lightly slapped by him, did not pretend to faint, and actually drew her sword, saying something about fulfilling her duty, to deal with him for Apollo, who was still her god.

Broly was quite helpless; he could only give this person a real slap. A crisp slapping sound rang out, a red mark appeared on the red-haired girl's face, and only then did she fall headfirst into sleep.

……

The War Game began, but ended in less than ten minutes. Broly, with one hand of exquisitely superb coax-to-sleep slaps, claimed the MVP of this War Game.

Honestly, these people of the Apollo Familia aren't even as tough as the monsters in the Death Colosseum on the 37th floor of the Dungeon Labyrinth.

The reason it took this long was still because he had to consider not killing anyone; after all, quite a few people here didn't join the Apollo Familia voluntarily.

Of course, for those who joined voluntarily — like that Apollo Familia regiment commander who hit Bell — Broly still properly took care of them.

……

The War Game ended; countless people cursed, but a very few gamblers cheered.

"Loki, did you already know this result long ago?"

"Of course."

"So, yesterday you and Hestia not getting along was all an act?"

"If we didn't act, how could we make Apollo bet everything he has?

Hahaha, this time I won big; tonight I'm treating — drinks on me, who wants to go?"

Unlike the high-spirited Loki, Apollo beside her had already turned gray-white.

"Hestia, a kind god like you — the words you just said, they aren't true, are they?"

He stared rigidly at Hestia, asking carefully.

"Anyone who sets their sights on my child — don't even think I'll show great mercy and let you off.

This afternoon, I'm taking over the Apollo Brooke's Manor that belongs to me!"

Apollo's eyes rolled; with a thud, he collapsed directly to the ground.

……

In this battle, the Hestia Familia earned 4.3 billion Valis in loot, of which 3.8 billion came from betting stakes, and the remaining 500 million consisted of 200 million in the Apollo Familia's cash flow, while 300 million was the price of the Apollo Familia manor.

"Damn it, that narcissist Apollo actually spent so much of my money on useless things!"

In the evening, when they went to the Hostess of Fertility to celebrate, Hestia grumbled nonstop, only because 99% of the Apollo Familia's real estate assets were worthless artworks — self-portraits or self-made statues of Apollo, who had been driven out of Orario that very afternoon — things that couldn't be sold at all.

"This earns way more than going into the Dungeon."

Finn's mood was extremely pleasant; the last expedition had emptied the Loki Familia's treasury, but this time the betting directly refilled the empty vault.

What a pity — who knows when we'll encounter such a good money-making opportunity again.

"Where's Broly-san? Where did he go?"

Liliruca had just buried her head eating meat; when she looked up again, she discovered the Saiyan youth was gone.

……

"Xier, what's wrong? Did Ania call me over here?"

By the riverside, Broly, summoned by the little catgirl, looked at the quest board girl waiting for him here and couldn't help but ask.

"Broly, you said your encounter with me was arranged by Fate?"

"Mm."

"Then why do I feel like I can't sense it at all?"

The gray-haired girl had changed into a beautiful white dress at some point; she leaned against the riverside guardrail, looking at the approaching Saiyan youth, and asked directly.

"Uh, the arrangement of fate, only I on this side can see it."

Broly didn't know why Xier called him out to ask this, but he still gave a serious reply.

The Crystal Palace Panel, the Crystal Palace's prompt information, indeed only he on this side can receive.

"So, no matter what form I become, you can see the encounter arranged by fate between us?"

Xier asked again.

"Mm, as long as it's still you, Xier."

Broly nodded.

The Quest Board girl fell silent; she couldn't see any look of lying on the youth.

"I heard you met my sister yesterday?"

"Mm."

"I want to know, how did you recognize she was my sister after meeting her?"

"Uh, her Qi and your Qi are somewhat similar."

"Qi?"

"This is a kind of energy possessed by life; I can distinguish a person by sensing it.

And people with similar Qi are often blood relatives and such.

Of course, there are also cases where two complete strangers have relatively similar Qi.

Yesterday, I also just felt Miss Helen's Qi was similar to yours.

Asked casually, didn't expect she really was your sister."

"So it's like that..."

【Similar to a god's ability to see a child's true Soul?】

"Then do you think Lady Freya's Qi is similar to mine?"

【Possibly because of the god's identity, he dares not be certain, the god me and the Xier-posture me are similar.】

"Lady Freya, that is of course not at all like your Qi, Xier!"

However, Broly's answer without hesitation shattered this thought of hers.

"Eh, why?"

The Quest Board girl hurriedly asked; although her transformation ritual Magic is strong, even fellow gods find it hard to see through her true form in her girl posture, but not at all alike — what the hell?

"Saying not at all alike is actually a bit off; correctly speaking, Lady Freya's Qi gives me a feeling of being more complex. Mm, using the wine Miya Mama's shop brews as a parable, your Qi, Xier, is like pink Peach Love, Miss Helen's Qi is pinkish but with a blue base — Ocean Heart; as for Lady Freya, it's all colors mixed together — Rainbow Wine."

With the detailed parable, Xier gained some understanding of Broly's Qi Sense situation.

The Peach Love and Ocean Heart sold in the shop are indeed somewhat alike; there have been customers who mistook the wine.

But Rainbow Wine, no customer would mistake it for Peach Love or Ocean Heart.

Just as Xier was pondering, the youth's hand reached before her; she stared blankly at the youth, then heard him ask: "Beautiful Miss Xier, I wonder if I have the honor to invite you to share a dance here?"

The Quest Board girl's heart pounded violently.

"Delighted!"

As she agreed, her hand had already stepped ahead and placed itself in the youth's hand.

Clearly there was no musical accompaniment, but by her ears she seemed to hear last night's banquet melody; on the river surface reflecting moonlight, the two dancing by the riverside were reflected.

"Why suddenly invite me to dance?"

After a silent dance, Xier's face was blushing; she leaned close before the Saiyan youth and asked with morning breath.

"Because last night I danced with your sister, and tonight you appear before me wearing a formal dress..."

Such inner words, Broly did not speak aloud, but directly asked: "So, Xier, you don't want to dance with me?"

"That's not it."

Xier gave a denying reply, and she could feel the Saiyan youth's breath as he spoke.

Watching the youth's face at close range, gazing into his eyes that were looking at her.

She couldn't help but part her lips slightly, slowly leaning closer.

In this situation, Broly naturally also couldn't possibly retreat.

He skillfully exchanged breaths with the girl before him.

"Xier, you drank a little Peach Love?"

"Uh, before coming, I drank a little."

"I don't drink alcohol."

"Ah!"

"But now can be an exception."

(Chapter End)