· Apollo's Gaze

"You refuse? Why? Am I not beautiful enough, or is there something you are dissatisfied with?"

Freya stared at Lu Qiming in disbelief. According to her own investigations and analysis, shouldn't he be falling at her feet by now?

He had actually refused her without a moment's hesitation—it was completely irrational!

"My Lady, you are beautiful, but I am sorry, I must still refuse."

Lu Qiming shook his head firmly. Although Freya was stunning, she simply wasn't his type!

Just as Freya was about to speak again, a burst of mocking laughter echoed through the air.

"Hahaha, you lecherous goddess, didn't expect this, did you? Your little tricks aren't working anymore!"

Loki looked at Freya with a sneer, feeling a wave of satisfaction wash over her.

"Tch!"

Freya shot a look of disgust at Loki and ignored her. Right now, the most important thing was to recruit this perfect child into her Familia.

"Lu Qiming, why won't you join my Familia?"

"My apologies. It isn't that I don't want to join your Familia, My Lady, but I have no intention of joining any Familia at the moment."

"Not joining any Familia?"

At this, everyone turned their eyes toward Lu Qiming, wondering what he was planning. He could join any top-tier Familia right now, and given his aptitude, he would certainly receive the best training possible.

"Yes. When I left my hometown, my teacher (the System) gave me a task. I will not join any Familia until I have completed it."

"A task?"

Everyone looked at Lu Qiming with curiosity. What kind of task could possibly prevent him from joining any Familia?

Seeing everyone's eyes on him, Lu Qiming realized this was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

Although his original plan was to first make a name for himself in Orario and then post his employment information, this situation seemed even more suitable. Thus, Lu Qiming decided to launch his mercenary plan right here.

"One million. I must kill one million monsters within a year."

"What! One million monsters?"

"That's completely impossible!"

Before the gods could even speak, the adventurers behind them began to shout. It was an impossible feat; even with so many monsters in the Dungeon, how could anyone manage to kill that many in a single year?

"Who says it's impossible? I will definitely do it!"

Lu Qiming's lips curled into a slight smirk as he looked down at the crowd with confidence. He was determined to accomplish what everyone deemed impossible. He didn't want to be abandoned by the System; he wanted to unlock new classes, see different worlds, and grow stronger until he could control the System itself!

When that day came, he would definitely change the System's voice to a loli's!

The gods watched Lu Qiming's confident smile, sensing a conviction entirely different from the citizens of Orario. Freya, in particular, was losing all composure, wanting more than ever to possess Lu Qiming, to touch and savor that beautiful soul.

Just then, Finn Deimne, standing behind Loki, tugged gently on her clothes and whispered something in her ear. As Finn spoke, Loki's eyes lit up, and she looked at Lu Qiming with the air of someone who had already won.

"Lu Qiming, then you should join my Familia even more! I can let you join the expedition team heading into the deep levels of the Dungeon. There are more and stronger monsters there; I guarantee you'll be able to complete your task within a year!"

Having said that, Loki puffed out her chest triumphantly and glanced at Freya and Hestia. She already felt like she had won.

"No, I will not join your Familia, My Lady. However, I would like to join the expedition team."

"Huh? Not joining the Familia, but joining the expedition team?"

Loki looked at Lu Qiming in surprise, never expecting him to refuse her again.

"Yes. I hope you can hire me as a mercenary, My Lady."

Lu Qiming looked at Loki with a steady gaze. He knew that what he was asking for was a bit much—joining an expedition without joining the Familia. Even for the Loki Familia, adding a stranger suddenly would disrupt many of their preparations.

But Lu Qiming had a certain level of confidence; he believed no one would turn down a powerhouse joining their expedition. And even if he were rejected, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

He was an assassin. Although his combat style was a bit wild and he could go Musou, he was also quite skilled at stealth. If all else failed, he could just quietly follow behind the Loki Familia when they set out.

"This..."

Loki looked at Lu Qiming, troubled. While she desperately wanted him to join her Familia, she couldn't make such a decision lightly—not joining the Familia but wanting to join the expedition—even as the head of the Familia.

She had to be responsible for the children in her Familia.

With that in mind, Loki looked to her captain to make the decision.

Seeing Loki look at him, Finn gave her a reassuring smile and stepped forward, looking at Lu Qiming with a serious expression.

"Lu Qiming, is it? I know our goddess really wants you to join our Familia, but I won't let you join our expedition team just like that."

As he spoke, Finn drew the spear from his back and pointed it at Lu Qiming.

"I see. Then, let's begin."

Lu Qiming hadn't expected things to turn out this way, but it was perfect. He wanted to test exactly how much he lagged behind a top-tier adventurer.

On the sidelines, the gods and adventurers retreated, leaving enough space for the two to maneuver. They were all curious about the strength of this boy who possessed no Falna yet could single-handedly slay a floor boss.

In the crowd, Hestia nudged a curious-looking Loki.

"Hey, Loki, aren't you going to stop them?"

"Why would I stop them? If that boy Lu Qiming defeats Finn, letting him join the expedition is fine. If he loses, he'll definitely want to improve his strength again, and then maybe he'll join my Familia and receive a Falna."

Loki rambled on, already lost in fantasies of what life would be like once Lu Qiming joined her Familia.

At this moment, Freya seemed to have thought of something. After whispering a command to Ottar behind her, she gazed at Lu Qiming, who was currently facing off against Finn in the plaza, with a smile on her face. No matter what it took, she would have this boy.

Even if it meant...

On the other side, a man with orange hair and a wreath of leaves atop his head wore an expression much like Freya's. A mysterious smile plastered across his face made his already unattractive features look comical and bizarre.

Behind him, a timid-looking girl couldn't help but tremble as she watched her deity behave this way.

The last time she had seen Apollo act like this was when he had taken a fancy to her and her companions, forcibly snatching them away from their original Familia to join the Apollo Familia. She could already foresee the boy's future.

In the plaza, Lu Qiming, who was in the middle of his standoff with Finn, suddenly felt a chill run down his backside and hurriedly turned around to look.

There, Apollo was staring intensely at his rear, as if he could see right through his clothes.

"Lu Qiming, what's wrong?"

Opposite him, Finn asked in confusion. Just as he was about to make a move, Lu Qiming's sudden turn forced him to stop; he didn't want to be accused of winning this match through a sneak attack.

"It's nothing."

Lu Qiming suppressed the urge to rush over and hack Apollo to death, tightening his grip on Divine Judgment as he aimed it at Finn. However, he made a silent vow: if Apollo dared to treat him the way he had treated Bell in the original story, he would show no mercy.