Chapter [94]

The Hall of Olympus was enveloped in a tense silence. Dark clouds hovered over the immense marble columns that supported the ceiling of the grand hall of the gods. In the center sat Zeus, seated on his golden throne, his eyes sparking with a furious and suspicious glint. His fingers drummed on the arm of the throne as he surveyed the gods before him.

"Someone killed Ares, and I want to know who it was!" Zeus's voice echoed through the hall like thunder, making the columns tremble. The gaze of the king of the gods swept across every face present, searching for any sign of guilt, any tremor or averted gaze that might reveal the culprit.

Ares, the god of war, had been killed under mysterious circumstances, and the energy from his death still left traces, signaling his destruction. A fact that, in itself, shook the very foundation of Olympus. No god should be vulnerable to the point of being murdered, and this left everyone in a state of alert and distrust.

"Let's be honest, father, the god of war was not short of enemies, even among us gods." Athena spoke, her voice firm and calm. Her gaze met Zeus's, unwavering, reflecting the uncomfortable reality that everyone there preferred to ignore.

"Are you insinuating something, Athena?"

Apollo interjected, stepping forward. "If you have someone in mind, I suggest you be clear and tell us who you suspect."

"Why are you so defensive, dear brother? Feeling guilty?" Athena retorted, her gaze fixed on Apollo, a slight smile forming on her lips.

A low murmur spread among the gods present. Hermes exchanged a look with Dionysus, while Hera raised an eyebrow, clearly interested in the exchange between Athena and Apollo.

"Enough!"

Zeus thundered, his voice exploding like lightning.

CRACK!

The sound echoed through the hall, and the gods immediately fell silent, their eyes turning toward the king of the gods.

"Whoever did this will be punished with the full fury of Olympus. Hermes, I want you to investigate. Leave no stone unturned, do whatever it takes. Bring me answers, and bring me the culprit." Zeus narrowed his eyes, unconvinced by his children's argument.

"Yes, father. I will find out who is behind this." Hermes nodded, his gaze determined. He quickly departed, ready to begin his mission, while the other gods remained silent, each dealing with their own suspicions and fears.

Hephaestus was among the gods, observing the entire situation. 'And not for a moment did anyone point to me, even though I had a solid motive to kill Ares.' He remained silent, avoiding any reaction that might attract unwanted attention.

"No god will leave Olympus alone! This is my command. No one may leave without my authorization. The only exception will be Poseidon, who will return to the sea. All others remain here!" Zeus stood, his imposing figure dominating the hall.

Poseidon raised his gaze and, without a word, simply nodded. He rose and, with a dignified and serene movement, left the hall, heading for the sea, where his presence was essential.

"And what about Thalia?"

Hera broke the silence, her voice laden with anger. "She is one of your many daughters, Zeus, and coincidentally lived in the last place Ares was seen alive. Perhaps you should explain why your offspring was so close to the events."

Zeus immediately turned his furious gaze to Hera. "Hera, control your words! I am well aware of your aversion to my children, but I will not allow you to use your personal suspicions to incite discord among us. Thalia will not be judged without proof, just as any other god here present!"

Hera narrowed her eyes, her gaze fixed on Zeus, but she said nothing more. A heavy silence fell over the hall again, as each god processed the recent events and the unspoken accusations that lingered in the air.

The atmosphere in the Hall of Olympus was tense. Ares, the god of war, was dead. And now, Olympus was about to become a stage of suspicions, intrigue, and dark revelations.

...

In a discreet house in Tokyo, Azazel observed Vali sitting on a couch, a slight smile on his face as he looked at him with curiosity. The house was quiet, lit only by the light coming through the window, revealing a simple but cozy environment.

"You came back different from Kuoh. Did something happen or did you meet someone interesting?" Azazel asked, his voice carrying a casual tone, but with a hint of sincere curiosity.

Vali raised his eyes, an enigmatic glint in them. "Kuoh was… interesting, indeed. I met someone who caught my attention." He didn't reveal much more, maintaining an air of mystery that Azazel knew well.

"Does it have anything to do with Kokabiel's killer?" Azazel asked, his tone shifting slightly, now more serious and investigative.

Vali sighed, a discreet smile forming. "It's hard to hide things from you. Yes, it has to do with him. I'm interested in this individual. He could be a good opponent in the future."

Azazel watched Vali closely, his expression becoming a bit more introspective. He knew more than he was willing to reveal at that moment. "I understand. Just be careful, Vali. There's more to this story than it seems, and this 'individual' has his own secrets."

Vali smiled, a determined glint in his eyes. "I know. And that's exactly what makes it all the more interesting."

.....

At the Gremory mansion, Rias sat in an armchair in the main hall, surrounded by Akeno, Koneko, and Kiba. The atmosphere in the mansion was somewhat lighter, but there was still tension in the air due to recent events involving Kokabiel and Ares. The silence was broken when Kaito entered the hall, followed by Thalia and Xenovia.

"Rias, I brought someone for you to meet." Kaito said, his voice calm as he gestured for Thalia to step forward.

Rias raised her gaze, curious. "Thalia?" She looked at the girl beside Kaito, her eyes assessing her for a moment before standing. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Thalia stepped forward, a confident smile on her face. "The pleasure is mine, Rias Gremory. I am now queen of Kaito's Peerage. I hope to collaborate with all of you."

Akeno looked at Thalia with a gentle smile. "Welcome, Thalia. We're happy to have another ally by our side."

Koneko simply observed Thalia for a moment before giving a slight nod, while Kiba smiled politely.

Rias nodded, keeping her gaze on Thalia. "Kaito has told me about you. I'm looking forward to seeing your skills in action. We don't have easy times ahead, but I'm sure you'll be a great ally."

Kaito smiled slightly, looking at Thalia. "Thalia is strong and has much to offer. I'm sure she'll adapt well to the group."

....

Kaito was in his room with Thalia, the environment calm, illuminated only by the faint light from the lamp beside the bed. Kaito looked at Thalia, curious about her impressions of Rias's group.

"So, what did you think of them?"

Thalia sighed lightly, looking at the ceiling as she thought. "Rias and Akeno… I'd say they both have feelings for you. They're trying not to show it too much, but it's pretty obvious."

Kaito raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Feelings? Really?"

"Yes, and as clear as daylight," Thalia replied, a small smile playing on her lips. She turned to Kaito, observing his expression for a moment before continuing. "Kiba, on the other hand… I can't say much about him yet. He seems calm, but there's something behind those eyes. Something he doesn't reveal easily."

Kaito nodded, absorbing Thalia's words. "And what about Koneko?"

"Koneko… She's of the same race as Kuroka, isn't she?" Thalia commented, crossing her arms and frowning slightly. "You can see there's a complicated story behind that. She has such a… distant look, as if she's always on the defensive. But I can't blame her, considering what Kuroka has already told me about their race."

Kaito took a deep breath, agreeing with the observation. 'Kuroka hasn't mentioned that she has a sister to Thalia… better leave that subject for Kuroka to reveal herself.'

"Yes, that's true. I think everyone there carries their own burdens, in some way."

Thalia looked at Kaito, a curious glint in her eyes. "Do you intend to do something about Rias and Akeno?"

Kaito raised an eyebrow, a discreet smile forming on his lips.

"Jealous?"

Thalia frowned, clearly displeased. "Of course not! I'm just curious."

"Look, I already have enough problems with the women under the same roof as me." Kaito looked at Thalia, the playful tone in his voice making it clear that he was referring to her as well.

Thalia narrowed her eyes, but an involuntary smile appeared on her face. "You're impossible, Kaito."

Thalia turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

CLACK!

Kaito scratched his head, sighing. 'Women…'

He lay down on the bed, a playful smile on his face as he looked at the ceiling. 'Each one of them is unique… that's for sure.'