Chapter 44: Chaos at the Festival!

"Ah, crap! The performance has already started!"

After confronting Freya, Shiro and Loki had just arrived outside the venue when they heard cheers coming from the arena.

"We're only late because you kept staring at the female shopkeepers along the way," Shiro retorted.

"Don't sweat the details! Come on, this way is much faster than the main road," Loki said, pulling the white-haired boy into a narrow, secluded alley.

However, as they progressed, Shiro's keen senses picked up the sound of a monster roaring.

Upon reaching the venue, they were surprised to find the atmosphere at the scene was somewhat uneasy.

Ganesha Familia adventurers, responsible for maintaining Orario's safety, were brandishing weapons and urging people outward.

Guild personnel were also whispering amongst themselves, and chaos spread through the crowd.

"What's going on here?" Shiro inquired, stopping a Guild member.

The other party first glanced at Shiro with annoyance, then her expression brightened upon seeing Loki beside the white-haired boy.

So, she quickly explained the situation.

"The monsters captured by Ganesha Familia have somehow escaped, and they're wreaking havoc in the eastern part of the city. The Guild and Ganesha Familia are short-handed. Please, we need your help..."

"Loki, you go meet up with Ais and the others. Tell them to come here as soon as possible," Shiro instructed before dashing off.

Meanwhile…

Freya, wearing a hood, was walking back to her Familia when she suddenly remembered something and slapped her forehead, attracting curious glances from passersby.

"I was so angry with the boy that I forgot to tell Loki about the other important matter. Oh well, I'll have Ottar intercept them."

…

"These should be the last few monsters around here," muttered Shiro after cleaving a boar-like monster in two.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble.

"Whoa, how can a slap in the face come so quickly?" He said, just as the ground cracked open.

A creature that resembled both a snake and a vine emerged from the earth.

It had a slender body with smooth skin, but its head lacked any discernible features.

Its entire body was a pale yellow-green, emanating an unsettling aura.

The creature writhed around, searching for a target, and quickly spotted Shiro standing on the ground.

With a roar, it charged towards him.

Unfortunately for the monster, Shiro summoned his Device and decapitated it with a single strike, but the ground shook even more violently as more monsters emerged, rushing towards him.

"Huh? Why are they only attacking me?"

Shiro wondered aloud, his sword never ceasing its swordplay.

Blood splattered as he severed the heads of the monsters, but their numbers seemed endless.

"Something's not right."

Since their emergence, the monsters had focused solely on the white-haired boy, ignoring the nearby civilians seeking refuge.

Was there something on him that kept attracting the monster's attention?

A possibility crossed his mind, and he unsummoned his Device.

As expected, the monsters began to scatter aimlessly once his sword disappeared.

"Is it magic? That makes things easier."

Shiro summoned his sword again, but this time he didn't rush to eliminate the monsters.

Instead, he ran along deserted paths, drawing more monsters from the ground until the roads were overflowing.

Shiro wanted to wipe these monsters all out at once.

Once a sufficient number of monsters had gathered, he turned and swiftly eliminated them.

He repeated this process several times, leaving the area with nothing but damaged roads and unharmed residents.

"Roar!!!"

A thunderous roar echoed from the intersection of East Street and South Street.

"Tsk, that's a bit far," Shiro grumbled, heading towards the source of the sound.

Just as he accelerated, a massive black sword landed in front of him, creating another crater in the already battered ground.

A muscular, boar-eared man appeared before Shiro, his sharp eyes fixed on the white-haired boy.

This was Ottar, the [King], the strongest member of Freya Familia and the only known Lv7 in Orario.

Looking at the wary boy in front of him, Ottar spoke.

"Sorry, but this is a trial bestowed upon 'him' by the Goddess. You cannot pass."

"Hah, I thought Freya was so vengeful that she'd send you to kill me right after we parted ways."

Shiro said, feeling somewhat relieved by Ottar's words.

If it was a trial, then considering Freya's feelings towards Bell, he would likely overcome it, and Bell's nature would ensure he wouldn't endanger innocent bystanders during their battle.

Now, there was only one thing left to do.

The rare opportunity presented by the other party cannot be wasted.

It was the perfect chance to test the current strength of Freya Familia.

"What if I insist on passing?" Shiro tried to provoke a conflict.

"I will knock you down," Ottar stated, not as a request, but as a matter of fact.

"Then give it a try," Shiro said, lowering his center of gravity and charging towards the boar-eared man.

Clang—

His sword clashed against Ottar's greatsword, producing a sharp clang.

For Shiro, this was merely a test before the real battle began.

And for Ottar, it was barely a warm-up.

Feeling the force transmitted through Ottar's greatsword, Shiro's arm went numb, and he couldn't help but marvel at the man's strength.

This level of physical strength would be considered superhuman even in his original world.

Ottar then counterattacked.

With a powerful swing of his muscular arm, a powerful strike came crashing towards the white-haired boy.

Unlike any swordsmanship he had seen before, Ottar's technique was pure, unadulterated violence.

Boom—

The entire city of Orario trembled from the impact.

Many, unaware of the cause, began to speculate whether the tremors were related to the escaped monsters.

Some even sought refuge with the Loki Familia.

This was the strength of Orario's strongest adventurer.

Shiro barely dodged the attack before another one followed in quick succession.

The blade sliced through the air, stirring up debris and unleashing unparalleled force upon the white-haired boy.

However…

Screech—

Ottar's sword broke the next moment.

Despite being the attacker, and despite possessing far superior physical strength, Ottar's sword was inexplicably severed by the sword hovering in mid-air.

The sudden turn of events stunned even the seasoned adventurer.

He caught a glimpse of silver light from the corner of his eye, and years of combat experience allowed him to instinctively dodge Shiro's follow-up attack.

The blade grazed Ottar's ear, slicing off a few strands of his hair.

"Oh, It looks like I missed," Shiro said, his voice devoid of any disappointment.

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