Aphrodite began biting her lips in irritation, but she couldn't let herself be defeated so easily.
She took off her clothes, leaving herself wearing only her short, seductive robes in front of Rayner.
Her breasts were practically spilling out of the small silk bands covering them. She then sat on the man's lap and reached down to touch his member. However, when she realized he wasn't getting hard, she began to grow nervous and used her strength, even hurting the young man in the process.
"Ouch..."
Rayner grimaced in pain, turning his face away out of fear of the goddess.
"What do you mean you're impotent, you son of a bitch!? Even if you just came, I'm Aphrodite!"
As time passed, the woman became increasingly frantic and anxious.
"COME ON! FUCK ME! DON'T YOU WANT TO FUCK ME!? TAKE ME!"
Aphrodite began rubbing herself against him and even licking the young man's neck, but Rayner didn't seem to be giving in.
"You're a goddess, but you don't know anything about men? You must still be a virgin, haha! After ejaculating, it's difficult for a man to get hard again so quickly, even for a sexual pervert like Rayner."
Erika said this while Rayner glared at her angrily, unable to argue.
"No! But I'm Aphrodite! If I wanted to..."
The woman considered using her powers, but she knew there were restrictions within the temple. Even if she wanted to cheat, it wouldn't be possible.
She brought her breasts up to Rayner's face, but because of her rather aggressive movements, the young man became more uncomfortable than aroused.
"Y-you're... hurting me."
Rayner pushed Aphrodite away, causing the veins on the goddess's forehead to bulge.
"Just a few more seconds."
Yumi said this with her usual confident expression and an attitude that was completely unlike her. To make matters worse, she was still wearing nothing but her underwear.
"Yumi, you can get dressed now, you know..."
I know she used something to 'enchant' herself, but seeing her like this is just too bizarre.
Vanya's stomach was practically turning at the sight of the usually innocent Yumi behaving like a slut. Even Erika, who was more outgoing and enjoyed chaos, felt rather uncomfortable.
"No! This can't be happening! I'M THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD!"
Aphrodite began grinding against Rayner's member. She felt it getting slightly harder, but it still wasn't enough for a proper erection.
"There's no way that little brat..."
The goddess's eyes began to fill with tears.
"Huh? The goddess of love is crying? Haha! You're the most beautiful woman in your world, sweetheart. Times have changed. The real world has all kinds of freaks, you know?"
Erika continued provoking Aphrodite, still angry that she hadn't managed to land a single hit on her.
"Hey, aren't you being outrageously offensive to me now?"
Rayner's expression darkened after hearing Erika's remark. Even coming from her, he knew she had gone way too far.
Time was up. Aphrodite couldn't believe she had lost.
Rayner had returned to normal, looking rather confused and unable to remember everything that had happened.
"It's such a shame you don't remember what happened, Rayner. For the first time, I think I actually feel sorry for you."
Vanya said this in a cold, almost psychotic tone directed at Rayner.
"PLEASE, TELL ME!"
The man stood up and saw Yumi hurriedly getting dressed, her face completely flushed.
Aphrodite stood with her arms crossed, looking as though she were about to cry, while clearly furious.
"Looks like Yumi's effect is wearing off too. I have no idea what she did to herself, but damn! Even Isabella wouldn't be capable of something like that. I truly respect you, Yumi-chan!"
Erika patted Yumi on the back. The girl was pale and trembling.
"I-I-I-I..."
She glanced quickly at Rayner before running away.
"So that slut hypnotized herself too!? Isn't that against the rules!?"
Aphrodite shouted, but Erika stepped in front of her.
"There was no rule against that. She simply used an 'aphrodisiac' on herself or something like that. You could've done the same."
"The point is that there wasn't anything like that here... This damn temple is restricting me!"
Aphrodite angrily bit her fingernails.
"Anyway, we've won, so let us pass. And if possible, tell us how to get through the next temple."
Vanya tried to negotiate with Aphrodite, but the goddess turned toward her, growing even more irritated.
"And why the hell would I do that?"
"Because little Yumi could teach you a few techniques, you know, like how to be cute."
Aphrodite looked at Yumi, who was still standing some distance away from the group, completely embarrassed.
"S-she really can?"
I can't believe this woman is actually this stupid, even though she's a goddess.
"Of course, as long as you give us some hints about how to defeat your siblings... Yumi is willing to help, aren't you, YUMI?"
Erika rushed over and pulled Yumi toward the group. The girl still had her head lowered.
"M-me...?"
"If you tell me your techniques, I'll tell you all my siblings' weaknesses!"
Aphrodite glanced sideways at Yumi, looking somewhat embarrassed.
"Techniques...? I... I just... did what I normally do...?"
"Even with an aphrodisiac or whatever technique you used, I doubt just anyone could make a man climax like that. Deep down, you're actually a slut pretending to be cute, aren't you? I guess that's what men like nowadays, right?"
Aphrodite looked at Yumi and then at Rayner.
"M-maybe...?"
Rayner answered, practically admitting it.
"You're really a sexual maniac, aren't you?"
Erika said without mercy, making Rayner sink even deeper into embarrassment.
"Anyway, I'm not as prideful as my siblings, so I'll admit defeat this time. But only this once! I'll discover your techniques and figure out how you managed to do it, and I'll never lose another competition!"
Aphrodite tossed the piece of the Grail toward Yumi, who struggled to catch it as it bounced around in her hands.
"I don't know what's happening out there or what the hell this cursed world is, but I'm getting out of here, and no man will ever be able to resist me!"
Aphrodite turned her back and vanished in the blink of an eye before everyone's eyes.
"She said she'd tell us her siblings' weaknesses, but that bitch just took off."
Erika snorted and headed toward the exit of the temple as well.
On their way to the next temple, which stood just behind Aphrodite's, Rayner mentioned that he had forgotten one of his earrings, which had probably fallen somewhere inside.
"Are you an idiot? Were you so nervous that you even lost that damn earring? Does it give you some kind of buff or something?"
Erika asked irritably.
"I'll be right back. You guys go ahead. It only gives me a little extra agility, but that's better than nothing, right?"
Rayner ran back toward the temple while the others continued toward Poseidon's temple, where Rayner himself would be the one facing the challenge.
"So far, we've only made it through thanks to luck, but I don't know how long that luck will last. If it weren't for Aphrodite's... behavior, and the fact that we had Yumi..."
Vanya glanced at Yumi, who lowered her head in embarrassment. However, she soon straightened her posture, adopting a serious and confident expression, something the girl rarely displayed.
"Actually... I lied."
Erika and Vanya looked at Yumi, who tried to avert her eyes but eventually managed to look directly at them, despite her rigid expression.
"Lied about what?"
Erika approached the girl with a suspicious smile.
"I-I... I didn't use anything. I just... tried my best."
Vanya and Erika were left completely stunned, unable to react. Erika placed one hand on the girl's shoulder, causing Yumi to shiver and jump slightly.
"So you really do have this side to you!? This is the biggest surprise I've seen since entering this tower! Who would've thought the innocent princess Yumi had a side like that...?"
"N-no! I'm not like that...! I simply did my best so we could get through. Humanity's fate depends on this. I can't afford to hold back! I had to do something!"
Yumi raised her voice, something else that was quite unusual for the group.
"Indeed, you tried VERY hard. I would never do something like that. If we make it to the top of this tower, what you did will be remembered throughout history, Yumi-chan."
Vanya said with a proud smile, and when the girl saw how grateful her companion was, she smiled with tears welling up in her eyes.
"I'll do my best from now on, without being afraid..."
Her voice gradually grew quieter, but she maintained her confident posture.
"I think that's why Rayner got a little excited. It's much more 'exciting' when a nerd or someone completely unexpected suddenly changes their behavior. For example, imagine a quiet, nerdy class representative at school suddenly taking off her clothes in front of a delinquent who's always been surrounded by sluts. Of course he'd get excited! That was a brilliant gamble, Yumi!"
Erika smiled and gave the girl a thumbs-up, making her blush as she remembered her own behavior.
"Now I don't know how I'm supposed to face Rayner..."
Yumi looked down, returning to her usual demeanor.
"Relax, that idiot doesn't care. He'll just go back to flirting with every woman he sees. Maybe now he'll even start hitting on you."
Vanya said with a bitter expression, considering that she herself had been one of his victims.
"I'm actually happy about that, because I used to think everyone saw me as a child..."
"Well, you do look about sixteen, but Japanese people tend to be more conservative and often look younger than they are. It's surprising to realize you're actually an adult."
Erika said with a hint of envy.
"By the way, there's a monstrous amount of energy coming from that temple. I wonder if Rayner will be able to handle it."
The three women waited for the young man to return, standing a few meters away from the temple. So far, the challenger himself, Poseidon, had yet to emerge.
Rayner arrived at Aphrodite's temple and noticed that his earrings had fallen beside a flowerpot filled with petunias.
"So you came back to retrieve them, huh?"
Aphrodite was sitting in a golden armchair behind the flowerpot, casually drinking some wine.
"What a comfortable life. You can have anything you want in here. Do you just materialize whatever you desire? Then why do you want to leave?"
"Indeed, we can have 'anything' we want. We can make things disappear and reappear, but that's not our objective. None of this is."
"Then what is?"
Rayner stared at the woman, who averted her gaze.
"Why don't you tell me? You were hiding an item like that from your friends. I wonder how surprised they'd be to learn that you possess demonic earrings capable of seeing through things."
Aphrodite stared at the young man with contempt.
Rayner picked up the two small blue earrings and put them back on. His expression had turned serious.
"Fortunately, they won't find out, because we're going to get through these damn temples, and you'll be nothing but a forgotten memory."
"Hahaha! Don't be so sure. My siblings are much stronger than I am. But I would like to know what other secrets you're hiding."
"Did you take my earrings just to find that out?"
"Actually, I already know quite a lot about you. About all of you."
Rayner shrugged and began walking toward the temple's exit.
"You cannot escape reality, Rayner Lohank. 'For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed.'"
"When that time comes, all of you will be in Hell."
Rayner raised his middle finger at the woman and left the temple with a dark expression.