Hunted by Characters I Drew!!

As a commanding voice echoed through the crowd, all eyes turned toward the speaker. When everyone saw who it was, an uneasy silence fell. 

"Alexander!" 

The mention of his name was enough to stop the murmuring. Everyone had witnessed Alexander's earlier feats—single-handedly defeating Apollo's entire Familia, including Phryne, whose strength was nearly at Level 6. No one dared underestimate him now. 

Even the members of the Ishtar Familia looked visibly shaken. Fear and hesitation replaced their earlier arrogance. Meanwhile, Yamato hurriedly pulled Haruhime behind Hestia for safety. 

Hestia, being a close friend of Takemikazuchi, naturally wouldn't stand idly by in this situation. 

At that moment, Ishtar herself strode forward, her gaze sharp and calculating. She surveyed the scene and immediately frowned. 

"Alexander! You again! Stop meddling in my affairs!" 

To Ishtar, Alexander was torn in her side. In her eyes, if it had been Phryne who had emerged victorious earlier, Alexander would've been stripped and dragged to her bed. But reality had played out differently, and now he stood as her adversary. 

"Meddling?" Alexander replied with a smirk. "I don't think so. I just don't like bullies." 

His tone dripped with disdain. Though Alexander was no stranger to romance, he wasn't about to involve himself with someone like Ishtar. "Buses," as he thought disdainfully, were of no interest to him. 

"You're interfering with me taking my people back, and you call that 'not meddling'?" Ishtar shot back, her voice trembling with anger. 

"Your people?" Alexander said, raising an eyebrow. "Haruhime is no longer part of your Familia. She's free now." 

His gaze shifted to Haruhime, who stood trembling. When their eyes met, she looked up at him with a pleading expression, silently begging not to be taken back to the Ishtar Familia. 

"Alexander, are you trying to start a war with my Familia?" Ishtar's voice was icy, her anger barely contained. 

Her words sent shivers through those watching. The Ishtar Familia was one of Orario's top ten Familias, and provoking them was considered suicidal. 

But Alexander? He remained unfazed. 

"War?" he repeated, his voice calm yet filled with authority. "And what if I am?" 

"You…!" 

Ishtar clenched her fists, her face flushed with fury. Just as she was about to respond, Aisha, one of her trusted subordinates, leaned in and whispered, "Ishtar-sama… we can't beat him." 

The reminder struck Ishtar like a blow. She bit her lip, her anger simmering beneath the surface. She glanced at Phryne, who was still barely alive after her earlier defeat. 

'Fine,' she thought bitterly. 'I can't win, so I'll endure—for now.' 

"Even if Haruhime is a free person now, I 'paid' for her!" Ishtar finally snapped. 

"How much did you pay?" Alexander asked casually. "I'll reimburse you. Money isn't an issue." 

"And what if I say no?" Ishtar retorted. 

"Oh, then thank you for your generosity," Alexander replied with a mocking grin. 

"You—!" 

"Aisha!" Ishtar barked, furious. 

"Ishtar-sama… I can't beat him," Aisha reminded her softly, a hint of exasperation in her tone. 

Ishtar's nails dug into her palms as she glared at Alexander. Looking at the shameless man before her, she felt an unprecedented sense of helplessness. 

"Do you even understand how important Haruhime is to us?" she hissed. "She's my trump card for defeating the Freya Familia." 

Alexander scoffed. "Freya Familia? With Phryne and Haruhime? By the time Phryne reaches Level 6, Ottar will already be Level 8. Why are you dreaming while awake?" 

Without giving Ishtar a chance to respond, Alexander grabbed Haruhime and Yamato's hands and began walking away. As they passed Ishtar, he stopped briefly and turned to her, his expression cold and menacing. 

"Don't try to take her back, Ishtar. And don't provoke me. If you do… let's just say I wouldn't mind paying a visit to your Happy Street. I hear it's quite lively." 

His voice was chilling, and his eyes carried a deadly warning. For the first time in a long while, Ishtar felt a deep, unshakable fear. Alexander wasn't bluffing. This man had killed gods before—and not just one. 

With Haruhime and Yamato in tow, Alexander left, disappearing into the crowd. His imposing presence left the onlookers awestruck. 

Hestia, watching from the side, couldn't help but puff out her chest proudly. 

"Wait, Alexander! Why didn't you pull me along too? Hey, wait for me!" she called out, chasing after him.