Ishtar wanted nothing more than to use her charm right then and there—to force Leon to submit and become hers.
But even with her potent divine power, she dared not make a move in front of Loki.
Her charm magic was indeed formidable—an almost irresistible force to mortals and gods alike—but it had one glaring flaw, it didn't work on Loki. She had tested it back in Heaven, and it had ended in humiliating failure.
Because of that, her hatred wasn't reserved for Freya alone. Loki was also someone she loathed to the core.
And now, Leon—her target—was under the protection of Loki's familia. She had no choice but to act in secret, without alerting Loki.
A dark and windy night was the perfect cover for her silent approach.
After quietly slipping out from the stronghold, Ishtar concealed her divine presence and moved under the cloak of night toward the inn where Loki's familia was staying.
Once she arrived at the hotel, Ishtar activated her charm ability, effortlessly captivating the staff at the front desk. Under her influence, they obediently gave her the room number belonging to Leon.
Inside the room, Leon was unaware that danger was approaching. He had long since fallen into a deep sleep, resting soundly.
But his instincts stirred as a subtle sound reached his ears—a key turning in the lock.
In that moment, Leon jolted awake.
Immediately, golden veins of light pulsed faintly across his skin, a subconscious reaction to danger. His sharp eyes locked onto the door.
And then... he saw her.
The goddess of beauty—Ishtar—was standing outside her room.
This woman... what is she doing here?
Leon didn't move. He remained still, watching in silence as the door handle turned. He waited patiently for Ishtar to reveal her intentions.
Soon, the door eased open with a quiet click.
Ishtar entered, clearly not expecting Leon to be awake. Her steps were slow and graceful, like a predator approaching prey.
Still, she quickly recovered from her surprise.
"Good evening, Leon." Ishtar greeted softly, a radiant smile blooming across her lips. Her voice dripped with allure, as if each syllable carried a seductive weight.
Leon narrowed his eyes and said,b"To what do I owe the honor of Goddess Ishtar visiting my room so late at night?" His tone was calm but cautious.
He already had an idea why she was here.
There was no relationship between them—no overlap, no reason for her presence. Her sudden appearance could only mean one thing: Freya.
Ishtar stepped forward with graceful confidence and said, "Then allow me to be direct."
"Leon, become mine. Be my man. Fight alongside the Ishtar Familia. With your strength and my beauty, we will defeat Freya's familia together."
"Once that happens, the Ishtar Familia will reign supreme over all of Orario. And you… you'll have any woman you desire at your feet."
She extended her hand to him, her smile unwavering.
But Leon didn't hesitate. He scoffed inwardly. So it really is like that.
"I refuse." He said coldly. "I have no interest in sharing a ride on a public bus."
"...Bus?"
Ishtar blinked in confusion. She was clearly unfamiliar with the term.
"It means." Leon said with an icy gaze, "I don't want to have anything to do with a prostitute that anyone can sleep with."
His words struck like daggers.
The confident smirk on Ishtar's face froze in place, her eyes widening as if she'd just been slapped across the face. A second later, rage overtook her expression.
"Leon... don't be so shameless!" She snapped, her voice lowering to a growl.
"I offered you glory, power, and pleasure—this is my sincerity."
"But if you won't come willingly… then I'll make you!"
The smile on her lips twisted into something cruel as her eyes began to glow with a faint, ominous purple light.
Ishtar had lost all patience.
The divine charm radiated from her gaze—an overwhelming force that seeped through the air, swirling around Leon like a suffocating perfume.
"Become mine, Leon… become my man." She whispered again, seduction returning to her tone.
Then, slowly, she began to remove her cloak, clearly intent on taking Leon by force if needed.
But—
"I refuse." Leon said again, voice as solid as a blade.
Those two words froze her once more.
Her hands trembled.
"W-Why...?!" She shouted, disbelief etched across her face. "Why didn't it work?!"
Her voice rose in panic and fury, and this time she didn't restrain it. Her shout echoed throughout the hotel.
The noise startled the entire inn.
Members of the Loki Familia, now wide awake, scrambled out of their rooms, grabbed their gear, and rushed toward the source of the disturbance.
When Ais and the others arrived, the sight that greeted them left everyone stunned.
Leon stood tall inside his room, holding Ishtar by the throat with a single hand, lifting her off the ground with frightening ease.
"Ishtar?! Why are you here?!" Loki blinked in disbelief.
"L-Let… go…!" Ishtar choked, her voice strangled under Leon's grip.
"Loki!"
Leon called out, his voice calm but heavy with resolve. "Suppress her divinity for me. I want to send this goddess back to heaven—right now."
Had they arrived a minute later, Leon would've already done it himself. But with witnesses present, things had grown complicated.
"Huh?! Hold on—what did she do to you?!" Loki exclaimed, shocked by Leon's bold declaration.
In all the years since war games were reintroduced, very few gods had been forcibly sent back to heaven and the one who had done it last was none other than the woman standing before them.
But now Leon wanted to send her back?
"What the hell did she do?!"
Leon didn't hesitate and said, "She tried to charm me into becoming hers. She tried to force me to serve her."
The atmosphere froze.
And then—
"You bitch! You dirty whore! You dared to lay your hands on my Leon?!" Tione roared with fury.
She launched herself forward, murder burning in her eyes. But before she could strike, her body suddenly locked in place.
Ishtar had released a burst of divinity in her desperation, silencing the room and paralyzing everyone.
Everyone—except Leon and Loki.
Leon realized something strange. Even without drawing on his own divinity, he wasn't completely suppressed like the others. He could move—just barely.
Loki, however, didn't waste time. With a grin, she let her own divinity explode out.
The two divinities collided in an instant, canceling each other out in a burst of invisible force. The pressure vanished as quickly as it came.
"Damn you, Loki…" Ishtar muttered, grinding her teeth as her power was neutralized.
Her expression twisted with rage and despair. She had gambled everything tonight, and now she had lost control.
"You overplayed your hand." Loki said coldly. "You reached too far and you reached for the wrong person."
"Leon doesn't belong to you. And neither Freya nor I will let you have him."
"Actions have consequences, Ishtar."
As she spoke, Loki's divinity surged again, blanketing the room and pressing down on Ishtar's shoulders like a mountain.
Loki smiled inwardly.
You wanted to play dirty?You messed with the wrong familia.
She had spent months devising plans to recruit Leon—coaxing, tempting, even sending beautiful girls his way. And here Ishtar was, trying to brute-force her way in like a thug?
Unforgivable.
"BASTARD!!" Ishtar screamed, struggling under the pressure.