After traveling for several weeks, Souta, Alice, Eztein, and Eilish had finally seen the famous Champion's Den. The huge and bustling city of heroes was before their eyes.
"We're finally here." Eztein sighed in relief while looking at the city before his eyes.
"It took us a lot of time but seeing this city personally is different than hearing it from Souta's story." Eilish smiled faintly.
Souta simply smiled at her words. He took a step forward and said, "Let's go."
Alice followed him with a serious expression. She was worried that the gods would discover her identity. Although Souta assured her before, she still couldn't help but become nervous when entering this city.
It was a city outside of Hairin so it's natural that it took them several weeks. This city was in the center of different territories of the gods from Mount Olympus. If Mount Olympus was for gods, then the Champion's Den was for heroes.
This place had many opportunities and countless people dreamed of coming to this city.
This city was twenty times larger than any cities that they've seen before. The population of this city surpassed forty million people. The people that were coming in and out of the city were countless.
It was the most bustling city in the entire territory of Mount Olympus.
Souta's group entered the city and they began to look around like curious cats. Even Souta was curious at the surroundings even though he had been in this place before in the game.
Well, when he went to this place in the game, the tension was already high because of Gluttony's rampage.
But at this moment, despite the threat of the demons, the people were still lively. They still trusted the heroes, champions, and warriors of the gods. They didn't fear those demons.
Stalls were lining up as the group passed through the huge gate.
Elves, dwarves, humans, beastmen, and other rare races could be seen walking around and chatting to each other. Some of them were wearing armor and robes emitting a powerful energy that they couldn't hide.
"This city can actually make me tremble," Eilish said to Souta in a low voice. Although there were people with low power levels, there were people with a powerful aura in their surroundings.
Eilish, who was observing the power level of the folks, could hardly maintain her balance.
"Don't pry them or else it would only bring you trouble," Souta warned her.
She didn't have [Galaxy Eyes] like him so she was using her senses to detect the power level of the people around her but some of the high-level people noticed what she was doing so they blocked her senses.
"If you provoke people with high status in this place, then no one could save you with your current status nor your strength."
Even Souta wouldn't be able to save her. It's better to know that the One Shackle Realm expert was nothing in this city. She had to realize that there were countless people above her level.
There were God Realm experts in this city but they hardly make a move so most of the time, Demigods were the top powerhouse.
"I understand." Eilish nodded solemnly.
"As long as you understand. But the people here didn't want trouble too. They don't want to create a scene." Souta explained as he pointed at the group of armored people patrolling around.
"Guards?" Eztein tilted his head.
"Yes, the guards belong to Ares' warriors, the God of War. They are the ones that are maintaining the peace of the city and the people that didn't follow the rules would be imprisoned."
The Ares' warriors were one of the strongest legions in the Champion's Den. They were fair and would only follow the rules. So even Demigods would think twice before creating a scene in this city.
The Ares' warriors only followed the command of their god, Ares.
That's the reason why ordinary people weren't afraid of living in this place despite the countless experts around them. They were protected by the law.
As long as they were in this city, the Ares' warriors would protect the peace and innocent.
The reason why Ares' warriors were the ones managing the peace of the city was that Zeus asked Ares to handle it. Zeus was the King of Gods on Mount Olympus so naturally, Ares would follow Zeus' command.
Ordinary people didn't know about it but Souta who learned it from the game was different. He knew a lot of things in Champion's Den like the back of his hand.
He also received his fame back there in this place. Becoming one of the greatest heroes of Athena. Her most favored child was him.
Ah, this place really brings back memories...
Souta looked at the blue sky before he closed his eyes. He inhaled the fresh air as if reminiscing the things that occurred here in the game.
"Are we going to join a god's legion?" Eztein suddenly asked.
"Well, let's visit the legions first before we decide," Souta said to him.
"Oh, I'm quite interested in that." Eilish raised her eyebrows at his words.
Alice just silently listened to their conversation.
The group went to find a place where they could stay for a night first. After that, they toured around the city looking for the god's legions.
The first legion that they've found was Apollo. The legion in Champion's Den wasn't the main headquarters of Apollo's legion. The headquarters in the Champion's Den was like a secondary base for requirements.
At the very least, the headquarters of the god's legion in this city was huge. It contained tens of thousands of people that participate in all sorts of activities around the city.
Even some of the main champions of the gods were living in this place.
After they visited Apollo's legion, they went to the other legions.
It was already night when they'd finished visiting more than forty legions in the city.
In the central plaza, Souta and the other three were standing in front of a thirty-meter tall monument. They were looking at the region ranking written on the stone monument.
5. Children of the Sea
Souta looked at the ten top list and sighed. The top ten legions were still the same and nothing had changed. Well, it will change in the future when the chaos spread.
"Children of Zeus. Zeus is the King of Gods, right?" Eztein asked in a low voice.
"Yes, he is the ruler of Mount Olympus. He is one of the strongest gods out there." Souta answered. He then began to explain the other legions so that they could understand it better.
Children of Zeus, Hera's Warriors, Ares' Warriors, and Athen's Champion had their god's name in their legion. So people could easily guess the name of the gods that they serve.
As for Hell's Paradise, they served Hades, the God of the Underworld. Poseidon, God of Sea, was the god of the Children of the Sea legion. Hunter's Bowl was Artemis while Grains of Land was Demeter. Forge the Sky was Hephaestus and lastly the Maiden's Heart, the Top Ten, was Aphrodite.
He also told them some of the powerhouses in each legion.
Eztein and Eilish were shocked after listening to his words. Souta didn't exaggerate the power of the legion as he simply told them the truth but it seems that this was still beyond their imagination.
He could understand as they came from the sub-world where the strongest individual was only at SS-rank. The difference was huge and even the weakest legion below the top forty still had Demigods in their ranks so how could any of the top organizations in their home planet could rival it.
"Let's go back for now," Souta said to them. They could see that they weren't physically tired but mentally.
The city widened their view. It's better as they could develop strong mentally as they know that there's someone higher above them.
Souta then turned his attention to Alice. "Are you feeling well?" He asked.
He noticed that she was silent ever since they entered this city. She hasn't said a single word to him nor has she paid attention to the beautiful scenery around.
Alice shook her head in response before she said, "It's nothing. I'm still feeling nervous in this city. I don't know if someone is going to discover my identity."
"Don't think about it. You're only making yourself suspicious if you are acting that way. Just try to relax just like the people around us. That way, you will blend easily in the surrounding." Souta said to her.
"I understand." Alice took a deep breath.
"Calm yourself. Don't think about your identity for now. Just focus on what's before your eyes. Tomorrow, we'll enter a legion so prepare yourself."