After greeting Loki, August left.
Loki didn't mind at all; with a fine wine in hand, he had to hide it before Rivellia found out, or it would be confiscated. So, he needed to act quickly.
As August walked through the residence of Loki's faction, every passing member greeted him warmly.
Thanks to the previous expedition and August's contributions, they had set an unprecedented record.
They spent the least amount of money while reaping several times the rewards.
This left countless people envious of August, whose spatial abilities were incredibly convenient.
Moreover, August's strength was formidable; even the leader, Finn, had openly acknowledged that August ranked among the top in their faction's combat prowess, even surpassing Ais.
With strength and ability, it was natural for everyone to admire and respect him.
Upon arriving at the training ground behind the faction, August found Ais, Tiona, Tione, Bete, Rivellia, and Finn all gathered there.
During the previous expedition, August had devilstrated his power, which deeply motivated them—especially Bete and the others, who were not pleased to be overshadowed and were determined to catch up with August.
"Hey, everyone's here," August said, immediately drawing their attention.
Ais instinctively moved closer to August. Looking at him, she sensed a subtle change within him.
After more than a year apart, August felt joy at seeing Ais again.
The atmosphere around them was charged with unspoken feelings, and it was evident that love was blossoming, leaving everyone feeling somewhat like they were being served a plate of dog food.
"Um, August, Ais, I know you two are in love, but we're still here. Could you tone it down a bit?" Finn finally couldn't hold back.
His remark resonated with the others, especially Tiona, whose resentment was palpable.
The reason her older sister remained single was because she was infatuated with Finn, while Tiona herself was single purely out of lack of a partner.
Now, seeing Ais with a boyfriend only deepened her disappointment.
"Cough~ Okay, we understand, Finn," August quickly replied, sensing the awkwardness.
Ais, blushing, lowered her head in realization.
With August's arrival, everyone's gaze constantly shifted around him.
"By the way, August, I heard from Loki that you defeated Ottar in the dungeon yesterday. Is that true?" Finn suddenly asked.
To be honest, he had been shocked when he learned about it.
He and Ottar had been rivals for a long time; one was a hero, the other a warrior, both leaders of the prominent families in Orario, and their conflicts were frequent.
However, Ottar's strength far surpassed his, being at level 7, while Finn was merely at level 6.
"Hm? Finn, is that true?"
"No way, has August really become that strong? Even Ottar wasn't a match for him?"
"That's the ultimate weapon of Orario we're talking about! If he's been defeated, then August is the new ultimate weapon?"
"This is just too demoralizing. What a monster you are."
…
Before August could respond, the others began to chatter excitedly, as it was indeed hard to believe.
"It's true. To be honest, I'm not sure how strong I really am now."
"You're quite confident, August."
"It's the truth."
A faint smile crossed his lips, revealing an undeniable and absolute confidence.
In this world of adventurers, the power structure was relatively low. For instance, Finn, despite being a level 6 veteran, would likely not stand up to a high-class devil in the DxD.
"Tch, just because you defeated that pig-headed guy, you think you're so impressive?"
At that moment, Bete chimed in, his tone slightly aggressive.
In an instant, Finn and the others changed their expressions.
Bete was notorious for his sharp tongue, and August was known for his arrogance; when these two clashed, trouble was bound to follow.
'Boom~'
Before Finn and the others could react, August was already in motion.
The overwhelming presence of a demigod surged from August, enveloping everyone present, except for Ais.
The combination of Conqueror's Haki and the pressure of a demigod could only be termed as 'devilic Conqueror's Haki.'
The others were merely suppressed, unable to move.
But Bete, who had caught August's ire, collapsed to the ground, unable to muster the strength to even raise a finger in the face of August's oppressive aura.
"Bete, this isn't the first time you've spoken out of turn to me. I've kept quiet until now, but that doesn't mean I don't have a temper."
"You…"
"What do you want to say? You look down on the weak, on those who are smaller than you, yet you, yourself, are a weakling—especially in my presence, you're like an ant."
The might of a devil king was on full display, revealing that as a high and mighty ruler, he would not tolerate being questioned by mere insects.
Finn and the others watched in disbelief, astonished by how much August had grown.
He had only joined Loki's faction a few months ago, yet he had completely surpassed them.
'Grr~'
Bete gritted his teeth, trying to stand, but unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't.
The gap between them was simply too vast. August was at the limit of level 8, a uniquely powerful being of devilic royalty, just one step away from level 9, and he was a lust devil—the master of a realm.
In contrast, Bete was merely a level 5 adventurer, nothing more.
"Because of your past, you despise the weak, but fundamentally, you're merely hating your weaker self. And don't use your ignorance as a weapon; that's just foolishness."
Bete didn't harbor any malicious intent and wasn't a bad person; that much was clear from the start.
However, his infamous sharp tongue was undeniably true.
Especially since Ais had thrown herself into August's embrace, Bete had been subjected to countless jabs.
Over and over again, it left him confused about his own situation.
Mocking the strong when you are weak is akin to seeking death.
"August, just let it go. Bete didn't mean any harm."
August glanced at Ais and released the pressure of his Conqueror's Haki.
Instantly, everyone felt a wave of relief, while Bete's expression darkened.
He was acutely aware of the chasm that now separated him from August, as if an insurmountable gulf had formed between them.
___
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