"What are you doing?! I bought that using the money that I received from completing missions!" Eztein shouted.
"Hmm? I thought that it's for everyone." Eilish raised her eyebrows while holding a bottle of alcohol in her hand.
"No! That is Red Island! It's an alcohol made from various high-level ingredients! That one contains energy and I used 200 silver coins!"
"Then, I'll pay you back later!"
"No! It's equivalent to 2 platinum coins so how are you going to pay me!"
"That's why I said later! After I earned enough money I'll pay you!"
"Fuck! I need that now! You don't know that I'm practicing a combat arts and I need the specific energy inside that alcohol to help me!"
"Then, practice other combat arts."
"Argh..." Eztein turned his head and said, "Boss, you should expel this woman! She's using all the things here without even asking if someone owned it!"
"Don't involve me in your problem..." Souta, who was comfortably laying on the sofa, said.
"Boss..... I'm your trusted comrades... You should help me...."
Souta turned around as he decided to ignore him. He thinks that he was the only one that had spare money in his group. The others used their money for various things.
Eztein used his rewards to buy things like that Red Island alcohol. He also his rewards to redeem manuals from Athen's Champion. Manuals that could help him break through Shackled Realm faster.
The others also bought manuals or fruits that could enhance their strength.
All the money Souta had in his pocket came from the Athen's Champion. The money that he brought with him from Astros was all gone. It's not that he didn't have any money, it's just that he used it to settle down the entire Astros here on this continent.
The remaining funds were going to the expansion.
"Ugh! I have no choice but to do it..." Eztein narrowed his eyes. He walked towards Isabella's room. "Hey, Isabella, do you trust me?"
"Umm..." Isabella was confused.
"If you trust me then I'll help you establish a business here... With my help, we can have a lot in the market street using my connection. I just need you to create potions for me."
"Don't listen to him, Isabella. This guy is going to scam you. He's a famous swindler in the Tenth Grain War." Eilish said to Isabella.
"Oi! What are you saying?! I have a good reputation here!" Eztein pointed his finger at Eilish. He was angry as this woman was ruining his reputation.
Knock! Knock!
Everyone stopped talking as they turned their heads at the door.
'Is Athena going to summon me?' Souta looked at the door.
Alice stood up and slowly opened the door. She looked outside and saw a woman wearing silver-colored armor.
The woman looked at Alice and asked, "Is Souta here?"
Alice nodded.
"Tell him that the Pallas Division Third Set Cheif Captian Vandal wants him to come to his office immediately."
Alice turned his head and looked at Souta who was laying on the sofa.
Souta nodded at her before he stood up. He knew that Athena was the one who was calling for him. Well, he couldn't avoid it so he better finish it as soon as possible.
"I'll go now."
He turned around and looked at everyone.
"Don't ruin our base... It's already night so don't cause any commotion."
Then, he stepped out of the door and followed the woman.
...
Souta was following the warrior in front of him. He scanned her using the power of his eyes and realized that this woman was a Two Shackles Realm expert.
'Well, it's not surprising since the one calling him is that Vandal. A Seven Shackles Realm is the only one who could order a person like this woman.'
He shrugged his shoulder and didn't say anything.
While they were talking Souta was looking around his surrounding.
They've exited the area of the Tenth Grain War. They were walking in the territory of other Grain.
Souta looked up and saw a towering palace in a distance. That palace was called Maiden Judge. It was Athena's home in this entire place.
The Headquarters of Athen's Champion in Champion's Den was huge. With Maiden Judge at the center, the whole area around it was divided into six zones equal to the Six Divisions of Athen's Champion.
It's been a long time since he had seen this place... He was always staying in the area of the Tenth Grain War so he hasn't visited the other area ever since he joined Athen's Champion.
Soon, Souta arrived in front of the Pallas Division Third Set Chief Captain's office.
Knock! Knock!
The woman knocked on the door and said, "Chief Captain, I've brought him."
"Good."
The woman slowly opened the door and made way for him.
Souta looked at her for a while before he stepped forward. He looked at the room and found that Vandal was the only person here.
He greeted Vandal first as he was his superior before he stood still without moving an inch.
Vandal narrowed his eyes as he observed Souta from head to toe.
Souta tried to calm down but his instinct was screaming. He knew that Vandal was just assessing him but it felt like a top predator was looking at him.
The man before him was the Chief Captain of the Third Set Pallas Division. A man that reached the level of Hero-rank.
No matter how powerful a fourth evolution is, they don't have a hope to defeat someone at Hero-rank. It was an entirely different level.
Souta couldn't even dominate the entire SS-rank so he was still quite far from reaching the famed Hero-rank.
After a while, Vandal looked down at the paper file on his desk and said, "I don't know why as they aren't telling me the reason but the higher-ups wanted you to go to the Maiden Judge."
"Maiden Judge?" Souta acted as if he was surprised.
Higher-ups? By higher-ups, Souta knew that Vandal was talking about the Division Commanders.
The Athen's Champion was divided into six divisions and each division consisted of ten sets. Vandal was the Chief Captain of one set so the people that he could call higher-ups were none other than those Division Commanders. Aside from heroes, those people were the only ones that can easily have an audience with the goddess.
Division commanders were also the ones who were managing the legion.
"Yeah, the huge palace in the center of the entire legion is the Maiden Judge. Go there and make sure that no one else knew about it." Vandal said while massaging his temple. He didn't even know why those old people wanted to meet this newly evolved monster.
"I understand." Souta nodded.
Vandal explained to him what he should do and do not when meeting the Division Commanders.
After that, Souta excused him and quickly head to the Maiden Judge. He was already familiar with those people so he what he should do even without Vandal's instruction. Also, he was sure that Athena was the one that wanted to meet him. It would be a pretty big deal if Athena directly called him.
...
Souta arrived in the Maiden Judge in just a few minutes. There were two guards on the side of the door and both of them had a power level of Three Shackles Realm.
He identified himself and the guards let him in. With a single look, he saw that the entire palace was fortified with countless runes. It was like a fortress that could directly annihilate intruders.
Even he, a fourth stage monster, wouldn't survive if he show hostility in this place. Besides, the six Division Commanders that were staying here were all Demigods. The people that failed the process of ascension. In other words, they failed to become gods.
Well, not all the Division Commanders were staying here. Some of them were in the other Headquarters of Athen's Champion.
With his eyes, he could see hundreds of people stronger than him in this palace. It was like he was entering a wolf's den. Several auras swept passed his body.
'They are observing me.'
Souta said inwardly. He looked at his side and saw a man with bear ears wearing a black suit.
"I'm Claman. I will guide you." The man introduced himself politely.
"I'm Souta. I'll be in your care." Souta returned the greeting. Even the demi in front of him was a Two Shackles Realm expert.
Souta followed Claman and they arrived in front of a huge exquisite door in just a minute.
"I am Souta, Leader of the Astros Squadron under the Tenth Grain Set!" Souta said introduced himself first before he asked permission to enter.
The door slowly opened and Claman bowed down before he left.
Souta entered and saw an old man wearing a white robe with golden trimmings. The old man had long white hair and his beard was thick. In his hand, was an exquisite wooden staff with a golden orb on top of it.
'It's been a while, Cicero.'
Cicero Flavius, the Commander of the Pallas Division. A Grand Mage that controlled four elements.
"You're here." Cicero looked down at Souta from his spot.
