?


    ine''s voice brought Ares back from his thoughts, reminding him of the task at hand.


    "If you''re ready, we should leave. Your brother may already be crowned king if we dy any further," ine stated.


    Ares nodded in agreement, fully aware of the urgency. He wanted to swiftly confront his brother and stepmother, preventing them from bing further obstacles as he embarked on his mission to confront the demon lords.


    If his brother were to ascend the throne and realize that Ares was still alive, it would give him more leverage as a king to pursue his vendetta.


    So, Ares aimed to confront his brother before the coronation, thereby avoiding any potential criminal charges. Their conflict could be interpreted as a struggle for the throne, and even the Hero Association wouldn''t intervene in the internal affairs of the kingdom.


    "Meira," Ares called out, emerging from his thoughts.


    In a swift and graceful motion, Meira materialized from the shadows and knelt before him. "Master," she dered respectfully, her voice filled with unwavering loyalty.


    ine arched an eyebrow, observing Meira''s sudden appearance with a mixture of intrigue and curiosity. She had already sensed Meira''s presence and had been waiting for the opportune moment to confront her. To her surprise, Meira turned out to be one of Ares''s trusted and formidable servants.


    [...She is also one of the Chosen Ones.] ine''s constetion message appeared before her, confirming her suspicions.


    ''I see you have another intriguing ally, Ares,'' ine thought with a widening grin, her eyes narrowing slightly as she assessed Meira''s demeanor. ''What more surprises do you have in store for me?''


    The revtion intrigued ine even further, as she knew that the Chosen Ones possessed extraordinary abilities and yed a pivotal role in shaping the fate of the world.


    Ares suddenly inquired about the task he had assigned to Meira. "Have youpleted the task I entrusted to you?"


    Meira nodded, her voice filled with conviction. "Yes, Master. I have sessfully carried out your instructions," she affirmed. "I also bear a message from her." She paused momentarily, her gaze shifting towards ine.


    !?


    ine, catching the unspoken meaning in Meira''s eyes, responded yfully, covering her ears with both hands. "Oh, by all means, go ahead and speak. I won''t eavesdrop," she quipped, disying a hint of childlike mischief.


    "...."


    ''Is she truly one of the strongest individuals in the world?'' Meira pondered silently, observing ine''s yful and childlike demeanor.


    Ares, sensing Meira''s thoughts, responded with understanding. "Don''t concern yourself with her. Loneliness often breeds a touch of immaturity," he assured, exchanging a knowing look with ine.


    With Ares''s permission, Meira delivered Ivica''s message with precision, rying her words faithfully.


    "Ares, I have received the fruit, and I am sincerely grateful for it. Time is of the essence, so I will consume the fruit immediately. As promised, I ammitted to being there for you whenever you need me. Thank you once again!"


    Meira paused briefly before adding, "That was her exact message, master. She swiftly took the fruit from me and departed."


    "...."


    Ares maintained a contemtive silence, his mind wandering as he wondered, ''Couldn''t she have left me a text or a voice message? Was it really necessary to have Meira deliver the message in person?''


    Curiosity twinkling in her eyes, ine interjected, "What fruit was this woman talking about? Is it delicious? Can I have one too?"


    Without hesitation, Ares outright denied her request. "No, you can''t."


    ine''s face fell into a pout upon hearing his response, but Ares paid her no mind and continued walking, leaving the dungeon behind.


    "Let''s go now," he dered, determined to press on with their mission.


    However, just as he was about to depart, ine called out to him, causing him to halt in his tracks. "Wait, Ares!"


    !?


    He turned to face her and asked. "What is it now? I''ve already denied your request for the fruit."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ine hesitated for a moment before speaking, "...It''s not about that. There''s another person I believe will be useful to us," she revealed.


    Ares grew curious and inquired, "And who might that be?"


    A mischievous grin spread across ine''s face as she answered, her eyes shining with excitement. "Follow me, and you''ll find out."


    Intrigued by her words, Ares nodded, deciding to trust ine''s instincts. He followed her deeper into the dungeon, their footsteps echoing in the dimly lit corridors, heightening the suspense in the air.


    Eventually, they arrived at a cell, its iron bars enclosing a figure within. A woman with flowing white hair, bruised and wearing tattered garments, was chained within the confines of the cell.


    Ares recognized her immediately, despite her beaten state.


    "...Maya?" he gritted his teeth, disbelief etched on his face. "How is she still alive?" he questioned ine, his expression contorted with a mix of anger and confusion.


    ine took a moment to gather her thoughts before responding. "Okay, first, hear me out," she began. "This woman possesses a unique skill that allows her to redirect the attacks inflicted on her toward another target. However, there are certain conditions that must be met for her to utilize this skill," ine exined.


    Ares found himself taken aback by this revtion. "So, she managed to survive by transferring the attacks aimed at her onto someone else?" he muttered, trying to grasp the implications of Maya''s skill.


    ine nodded. "That''s right. It''s quite an overpowered skill, isn''t it?" she remarked. "She''s like a cat with nine lives."


    Ares let out a weary sigh, acknowledging the troublesome nature of Maya''s ability. However, a question lingered in his mind. "If she possesses such a dangerous skill, why didn''t you dispose of her? Why keep her imprisoned instead?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.


    ine maintained her smile, responding confidently. "Because she could be of use to us," she exined.


    Ares fell silent, conflicted. While he recognized Maya''s potential usefulness, he also knew that keeping her alive would render Penelope''s sacrifice in vain. Though he wasn''t particrly close to Penelope, he hade to respect her.


    There were few people in the world willing to give their lives for others, and Penelope was one of them—a person who had died trying to save him.


    "I don''t need her," Ares dered, his gaze fixed on Maya, his toneced with a hint of hostility.


    Maya mustered the strength to lift her head, locking eyes with Ares in a moment of recognition and fear.


    "No... not this monster again," she managed to utter, her voice quivering.


    Swash— Swash— Swash


    Swiftly and ruthlessly, Ares drew his weapon, shing through Maya''s body with precision. The sickening sound of flesh being torn apart echoed through the dungeon as her severed body parts hit the ground with heavy thuds.


    Thud— Thud— Thud


    ine, witnessing the gruesome scene, couldn''t help butment, her focus fixed on Maya''s dismembered remains. "Oh, dear... I thought you would appreciate my gift. I suppose I was mistaken," she remarked casually.


    Ares paid no attention to ine''s words, his eyes hardened with resolve as he turned away from the gory sight and made his way towards the exit of the dungeon.


    "Handle her remains," ine suddenlymanded, her voice carrying a blend of authority and detachment.


    Swish— Swish


    In an instant, a group of individuals dressed in ck attire appeared before her, their purpose evident as they swiftly began attending to Maya''s dismembered body.


    Leaving the cleanup to those well-ustomed to such macabre duties, ine followed Ares out of the dungeon, trailing behind him.


    It was time for them to depart to the capital where the Coronation ceremony was being held.


    ***


    Reference Pics for Meira, Jessica, and Helena have been released! Check out the auxiliary chapter.