The clatter of a silver goblet striking the marble floor echoed through the chamber.
Ottar's ears twitched.
Freya? Dropping something?
That had never happened before.
His goddess—elegant, composed, untouchable—had just lost her grip?
Instantly, his instincts flared. Something was wrong.
Without hesitation, the Level 7 Boaz turned, his massive frame pushing open the grand doors to Freya's private quarters. Heavy boots thudded against the pristine floor as he stepped inside, his sharp gaze sweeping the room—
And then he froze.
Freya stood motionless beside the fallen goblet, her silver eyes wide, her parted lips trembling.
Her entire body shuddered.
She hadn't even noticed him enter.
That alone was disturbing.
Her gaze—unwavering, entranced, desperate—was locked onto something outside the tower.
Following her line of sight, Ottar turned.
And saw him.
An unfamiliar man, floating effortlessly outside the Tower of Babel.
Everything about him was wrong—not in form, but in presence. The very air bent around him, as if refusing to contain his power. Ottar couldn't see it, but he could feel it.
Something immense.
Something unnatural.
Something that should not exist.
Freya still hadn't moved.
Unacceptable.
Ottar reacted on instinct.
In a single motion, he unsheathed his massive black greatsword—the very weapon that had carved his legend.
And he charged.
Glass exploded as he smashed through the window, the sheer force of his leap shaking the tower itself. His sword howled through the air, descending like the judgment of the gods—
But then.
A smirk.
A single finger.
"Aizen Style: Sword Catching."
CLANG.
The world stopped.
Ottar's greatsword—a weapon capable of rending even the toughest monsters in Orario—was halted.
Not by steel.
Not by magic.
By a single, outstretched finger.
Ottar's pupils shrank.
Then—he was gone.
One moment, he was charging.
The next, he was flying backward.
His massive frame crashed through the air, tearing through the very same window he had shattered moments ago—narrowly missing Freya—before exploding through the opposite wall.
CRACK.
The Tower of Babel trembled.
Pain erupted in his chest.
His ribs—shattered.
He struggled to breathe, his vision swimming.
His sword—
His sword was gone.
A cold dread settled over him.
He had never been hit like that before.
Not even by Zald.
Not even in his worst battles.
He had never—**never—**been so completely outmatched.
---
Floating effortlessly, Ryan turned the Supreme Black Sword over in his grasp.
A lazy smirk tugged at his lips as he examined its craftsmanship.
"Not bad. A nice meeting gift."
Without hesitation, he tossed the massive blade over his shoulder.
A ripple in space swallowed it whole.
Gone—as if it had never existed.
Then, his gaze returned to Ottar—amused, but unimpressed.
"However," he continued lazily, "it was quite rude to attack me like that. I won't be paying for these damages. Consider this… self-defense."
And then—he vanished.
Gone.
Faster than Ottar could even process.
The overwhelming presence that had dominated the room disappeared in an instant, leaving behind only the echoes of destruction and a lingering tension that crackled in the air.
Freya, finally free from the intoxicating embrace of his soul, collapsed to her knees.
A heated whimper escaped her lips.
She trembled, her entire body burning, aching, craving.
She had to have him.
---
Meanwhile…
Yue's gaze lifted toward the Tower of Babel, watching as bits of dust and debris trickled down.
"What was that all about?" she asked curiously.
Ryan gave a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing. Just greeting the locals."
Then he turned, grinning. "Come on, let's go explore a bit."
---
Their group moved through the vibrant streets of Orario, drawing more than a few stares.
And for good reason.
The weakest among them—Hermione and Luna—could already compare to Level 2 Adventurers.
Zhu Zhuqing was rapidly approaching Rank 40, making her strength roughly equal to a Level 4.
The rest of the girls were well past Rank 50, nearing Rank 60—putting them closer to Level 5 or 6 Adventurers.
And Ryan?
At Rank 95…
He was as strong as a Level 9 Adventurer with maxed-out stats, already pushing toward Level 10.
And they hadn't even started leveling yet.
The moment they entered the Dungeon—
Their power would explode.
---
Hermione's eyes darted across the bustling cityscape, her fascination undeniable.
Elves.
Dwarves.
Hobbit-like Pallums.
Beastkin.
This—this was what she had imagined the magical world would be like when she first read about it.
Beside her, Luna hummed in delight, taking in the whimsical sights with a soft smile.
Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu, though composed, were just as curious.
Xiao Wu had visited the Harry Potter world a few times, but this—this was entirely different.
A new world.
A new adventure.
~~~~
They made their way towards the Tower of Babel which already had a group of people and guards below it looking up at the busted window with dust rolling out.
We skipped right past that and made our way towards the guild. That's the first place you need to stop in any magical adventure world.
Of of course the group was filled with exotic beauties and Fleur like always attracted the most attention. Some of the bolder adventures had tried to approach the group only to faint with their eyes rolled foaming at the mouth as a monstrous Conqueror Haki hit them.
This terrified anyone who was watching for a good show.
The group paid it no mind, they didn't want to just start slaughtering in the city on the first day. Just knock them out, and if they misbehave in the dungeon then they could vanish.
Just because Freya was a pushover doesn't mean Ryan wanted to attract the attention of so many gods. If he did however they could be sent on a one way trip right back to heaven, if not by his hand then by Freya's as she seems to have a little crush on him.
[Stand and Deliver! Place your power stones in the bag, gimme them dollar bills too! Cashapp $Ryantheholy.]