Rise of the Eromancer

"...Please leave while you still can."

Rhys's words were clear, and everyone inside the diner heard them. And without even waiting for anything to happen, everyone cleared their table and stood on the sides, some even dragging their table to watch what was about to happen next.

"You… must be joking right now, right?" The man's brows started to raise as he looked Rhys in the eyes, completely in disbelief with what he was hearing, "There are a dozen of us here and only two of you. Do you really think you could do something?"

"That's not the question I'd be asking, Sir." Rhys sighed while shaking his head, "The real question is do you want to die again and again? Because after this, I am going to hunt you down. Make sure there is nothing left of you."

Clio, who was hearing this, could not help but smirk as she just continued eating. She might not know what these people are capable of, but he was sure of what Rhys was capable of.

Even amongst a land filled with so-called champions and heroes, she knew his strength stood out. She wasn't a fool, nor was she overestimating what Rhys was capable of.

She knew.

She knew that Rhys was more than enough for this place when Achilles showed them the rankings from the board earlier. Achilles was on the top of the list, above thousands of heroes and champions.

And even though she was sure that Achilles had not shown all of his strength when he and Rhys fought, Rhys was also holding back.

That only meant one thing—Rhys was also at the top of this place. These champions, no—these thugs that were surrounding them might as well be cannon fodder for him.

And so, the smirk on her face grew wider as she thought of this. And of course, the man leading this merry band of thugs noticed it and quickly pointed at her.

"This bitch! Why are you even smiling!?" The man barked.

"I apologize." Clio cleared her throat, wiping her lips as she glanced at the man, "Might I give you some advice? Take your group and go—if I, a little bitch, could already subdue you without you being able to fight back… do you truly think that you could do anything to him? Someone…

…who the mighty Achilles treats as his equal?"

And as soon as those words echoed inside the diner, all the people watching on the side looked at each other. The curious glimmer in their eyes turning into excitement.

As for the group that the man brought with him, they all started backing away upon hearing that.

"Why are you men even cowering!?" The man roared, "It's a bluff! Why are you—Gkh…?"

The man felt a sudden sharp pain in his throat, completely cutting off his words before he could spout them more. His eyes then fell upon Rhys, or rather the fork he was now wiping on a napkin.

"I've heard enough." Rhys sighed while shaking his head, "My patience's actually been a little thin lately. I'm just here to find my father and the next thing I know I'm suddenly here in this weird world. So…"

The man started bleeding out from his neck, and yet no one seemed to care as everyone just flinched as Rhys lowered his fork on the table.

"...Let's just make this quick."

Rhys stepped forward, causing everyone to once again flinch on their spot. But before a massacre could break out, Rhys's eyes turned wide as a set of words suddenly popped out right at the center of the diner—very much similar to how the Floating Hearts looked for him.

And seeing as the other people there were now also glancing at the center, they were all looking at the same thing.

Rhys looked at Clio, and she nodded in response as soon as their eyes met.

[It's time for our weekly Special Hunting Event!] The words said. [Please, may we request everyone to step out into the plaza!]

Rhys stared at the words for a few seconds before just casually walking away. Clio quietly walked behind him, the two of them not even looking at the other people inside the diner. And a second after they left, everyone let out a sigh of relief and also soon started making their way out of the diner.

As for the man the group brought with him, they continued to watch their leader bleed to death. And after several seconds of just lying on the ground as a corpse, he let out a loud gasp and everyone scurried to help him up.

Outside, more than a hundred champions were already walking across the street. Clio and Rhys did not even have to ask for directions at all since everyone was moving the same way—toward the plaza.

And as they reached the place, everyone just kept quiet. Not one of them opened their mouths at all as they looked at the person at the center of the plaza.

No.

Just one glance, it was clear to Clio that the woman at the center of the plaza was not human at all, nor a champion. She was a god—no wonder no one dared to talk.

The woman had long green hair, almost completely naked and wearing nothing but a white sash—and yet it wasn't sexual at all, nor was it alluring.

She was beautiful, extremely so. To the point that she did not even seem real, a trademark of the gods. No one dared to stare, however.

"Everyone, thank you for receiving my request to gather here." The goddess spoke, her quiet and serene voice reverberating throughout the entire plaza as if she was whispering to everyone's ears, "And since I have been made aware that there are new champions who have joined us, then let me introduce myself. My name is Artemis, daughter of Zeus."

The goddess, Artemis, smiled as she introduced herself—sadly, no one was looking at her. Still, she did not care at all and still smiled. Her smile, however, slightly wavered as she realized that there was, actually, someone who was looking at her.

Rhys.

Or more specifically…

…he was looking above her head.