As mentioned, the Denatus is typically held every three months. However, this particular meeting was a special case.
In fact, it had only been about two weeks since the last Denatus, when Bell Cranel received the alias Little Rookie after reaching Level 2.
The reason the Denatus was held ahead of schedule was due to the major uproar that occurred on the 18th Floor of the Dungeon—a zone that was supposed to be safe, but was invaded by the Monster Rex, Goliath.
In addition, there was the emergence of an adventurer who had reached Level 5 but did not yet have an alias at all.
With these two intriguing factors, the gods couldn't wait another three months. They decided to hold the Denatus early. After all, they were the ones who made the rules, and they were also the ones who could break them as they pleased.
Returning to the main topic.
After Arden of the Hachiman Familia, two other Level 2 adventurers also received equally embarrassing aliases.
For the adventurers themselves, these aliases were considered an honor. However, their respective Head Gods knew the truth.
The gods with less benevolent personalities thoroughly enjoyed watching their peers squirm in annoyance when their favorite children were given pathetic aliases. They delighted in seeing other gods and goddesses go mad with shame.
Although the exchange of information was the primary goal of the Denatus, the bullying of the god whose child leveled up had become an unspoken ritual that they enjoyed immensely.
"Alright! Here is the moment many of you have been waiting for! It's time to give an alias to an adventurer with unprecedented achievements in history!"
Hermes roused everyone from their euphoria. The atmosphere immediately became tense.
"He leaped from a Level 1 beginner to a Level 5 High Class Adventurer in less than two months since receiving his Falna!"
"I'm sure you all know. Even so, I'll say it. He is Charlie Avalon of the Hera Familia!!!"
"OOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
Instantly, shouts and cheers echoed throughout the hall. The gods' emotions surged.
"Hermes... He is intentionally heating up the atmosphere. Now, everyone will race to have their proposed alias applied to Charlie. This isn't just about getting attention, but also leaving their name in history."
At a glance, Astraea recognized Hermes' hidden motive. She felt a bit annoyed and frustrated.
"Tsk."
Loki said nothing, merely clicking her tongue. Setting aside her bad relationship with Hera, her dislike for Charlie was purely due to his closeness with Ais—something she strongly disapproved of.
If Charlie wasn't so strong, Loki would have long ordered Bete to threaten him into staying away from Ais.
Unfortunately, Loki didn't yet know that the damage was done. Charlie and Ais's relationship had surpassed her lowest tolerance limit.
"..."
Meanwhile, the gods began discussing Charlie with great enthusiasm.
"From Level 1 to Level 5 in less than two months? Unbelievable! Is this information true?"
"Indeed, it's preposterous. That's the most absurd record I've ever heard."
"Could Charlie Avalon be a cheat?"
"But Charlie Avalon's level information has been verified by the Guild. It must be true."
"Oh my, the long-stagnant situation of the Lower World is finally starting to get interesting~"
"Hais, Hera is truly adept at finding talent. Perhaps she's even better than Freya in this regard, no?"
"Shhh! Don't speak carelessly! Aren't you afraid of offending Freya?"
"Ahaha... I didn't mean that, Freya."
Freya: "😐"
She merely glanced indifferently, offering no comment, even though her name was mentioned.
"..."
Suddenly, a god suspiciously brought up a conspiracy theory that immediately sparked an uproar.
"This leveling speed violates all existing conventions for a millennium! If the record difference wasn't so far, it might still be acceptable. But this? This is like comparing heaven and earth!"
"I am sure Charlie Avalon must be cheating. He probably found a loophole in the Falna and exploited it! Otherwise, wouldn't all adventurers over the last thousand years be trash compared to him?"
"..."
The gods fell silent for a moment, considering those words. Some began to be swayed.
History has proven that those who are too far ahead of their time are often considered insane.
Charlie's leveling speed had disrupted the world's balance. The word 'genius' was no longer enough to define him. Even 'monster' wasn't quite right. He was an anomaly, even in the eyes of the gods.
"Come to think of it, it is strange. Unless there's cheating involved, I can't think of any other reason behind his leveling speed."
"That's right! Charlie Avalon must be cheating! He must reveal his methods and share them with all adventurers! This is for the greater good!"
"If he refuses, then Charlie Avalon is merely a selfish person who doesn't care about the advancement of the world!"
The gods began to perform moral blackmail, hiding their true intentions behind noble words. Of course, their intention was not for the common good. If there truly was a method to increase leveling speed, they desperately wanted it.
They simply felt that the progress of the other 99% of adventurers was too slow—it took years, even decades, just to jump from Level 1 to Level 2. Wasn't their main goal in descending from Heaven to the Lower World to relieve boredom and seek pleasure?
They craved a world that evolved in unexpected directions, one that was more interesting and entertaining for them. In his mysterious way, Charlie had opened up that possibility, and they wanted to seize it for their own gain.
"..."
On the other side, Astraea, hearing all the baseless accusations, furrowed her brow. Her usually calm face was now filled with annoyance and worry. She couldn't let them tarnish Charlie's name with such slander.
"You all—"
Just as Astraea opened her lips, ready to firmly refute all that nonsense, another voice suddenly interrupted her.
"Silence."
Just one word. The voice wasn't loud, no shouting was necessary. However, an undeniable charisma was carried within it. Instantly, the entire room, which had been buzzing with accusations and rumors, fell into complete silence. All heads turned towards the source of the voice.
"Oh? This is surprising. Who would have thought she would make a move. This is truly unexpected." Hermes muttered on the podium, his eyes sparkling with interest.
The person he was referring to was Freya. The Goddess of Beauty, who usually preferred to sit quietly and observe, had now spoken up.
"What exactly is that bitch trying to do?" Ishtar grumbled in a low voice, her face twisted in displeasure.
Ishtar hated Charlie because of the trouble the young man had caused in her territory, the Entertainment District. Seeing him in trouble, she felt very happy. However, before the matter could truly escalate and become general consensus, her eternal rival acted instead. This annoyed her.
"..."
Meanwhile, Freya, who was now the center of everyone's attention, remained seated elegantly. She crossed her arms over her chest, staring down at the recently noisy gods with a condescending look and said in a dismissive tone...
"Don't you realize that your actions are so shameful? Shouting accusations without evidence, like a bunch of envious mortals. Truly, it significantly lowers our Divine Dignity."
"..."
No one retorted.
No one dared.
Although biting, Freya's words contained a truth that shamed them. They, the gods who were supposed to be above everything, had just acted like petty people spreading slander. Freya's mockery of their Divine Dignity touched upon their self-respect, which had been long forgotten in the euphoria of seeking entertainment.
The atmosphere at the Denatus suddenly became extremely awkward. The silence that was previously filled with excitement now turned into utter stillness.