Back then, in order to complete a certain special mission, Ryota had cut off Freya's charm.
At the time, he had poured his Chakra into Lain Hait's consciousness.
Using the most brutal method possible, he forcefully shattered that mental manipulation—causing poor Lain to pass out on the spot.
If not for one of his top-tier hacks—Airmid—Lain might not have even woken up.
But back then—
Freya's charm had been passive.
It was just a lingering thread, a remnant someone picked up unintentionally.
And now?
Now, Freya had made her move directly—actively enchanting the entirety of Orario.
"…Not the same level of charm anymore."
Even though the Rinnegan in Ryota's possession was still in its infant stage—fusion progress just barely at 11%—
Not even a half-finished product yet.
But still, it was the pinnacle of dojutsu from the world of Naruto.
Even just a sliver of it could pierce through layers the divine structure of DanMachi could never hope to conceal.
The next moment, Ryota's pupils shrank.
Buzz!
Hephaestus's outline remained unchanged, but to Ryota's eyes, the "threads" on her body instantly magnified like fiber-optic cables under a microscope.
Those once-hair-thin strands of charm now appeared massive and vivid before him.
He could even see the impression Hephaestus had of him inside her mind—
Memories that had once been crystal clear were now being overwritten, thread by thread, inch by inch, by those threads of charm.
Blurring. Distorting. Slowly shifting toward the definition of "one of Freya's people."
"Damn it… why don't I have Kotoamatsukami? Then I could just control Freya directly—who needs Infinite Tsukuyomi!"
Muttering to himself at the terrifying strength of the charm, Ryota didn't hesitate. He focused his thoughts.
Snap—!
A soft but crisp snap rang out, like the severing of a central control cable in a precision machine.
The most crucial thread of charm inside Hephaestus was cleanly severed by the Rinnegan.
In that instant—
Hephaestus's body jolted.
She staggered back half a step, breath catching, a bead of cold sweat appearing at her brow.
Her divine aura flared out of control for two seconds before gradually stabilizing.
Moments later—
The red-haired goddess lifted her head. The ruby eye that met Ryota's gaze was no longer cold or guarded.
Instead, it held a mix of warmth, curiosity, and familiarity that hadn't been seen in a long time.
"…Ryota?"
Hephaestus frowned, her voice tinged with confusion and uncertainty, like someone trying to claw their way out of a dream—struggling to piece together the blurred memory fragments in her mind.
"You… why are you here?"
Just then—
[Ding—Quest Progress Updated]
[Awaken key individuals to their true understanding of your affiliation (1/3)]
A smile crept back onto Ryota's lips as he looked at her.
"How does it feel to be factory-reset?"
"…Huh?"
Hephaestus blinked, still dazed, her gaze clouded with lingering confusion.
"Lady Hephaestus, have you… noticed anything off about Orario today?"
Hephaestus lowered her head, thinking for a few seconds, then slowly replied:
"Today… hmm, there was something strange."
"This morning… the Guild broadcasted announcements across every major street."
"They used amplification stones, so practically the entire city heard it."
Ryota's eyes narrowed slightly.
"What did they say?"
"It was… about Freya."
Hephaestus lifted a hand and rubbed her temple.
"I didn't catch all the details, but I remember they mentioned something about the official members of Freya Familia."
"Apparently, some people had seen Ottar and the others at Pleasure Quarter a few days ago, and rumors started circulating that Freya had gone mad and was going to attack the Ishtar Familia."
"This broadcast was meant to dispel those rumors, and at the end…"
Hephaestus's voice cut off.
Her expression changed. She suddenly looked up at Ryota, as though she'd just remembered something deeply illogical.
"They mentioned… your name."
"And after that… my head started feeling strange."
The next moment, Hephaestus's pupils contracted, and she sucked in a sharp breath.
"…That crazy woman…"
"She charmed—the entire city of Orario?!"
Ryota chuckled and nodded.
"Yep."
"As far as everyone's concerned right now, I'm a member of Freya Familia."
Hephaestus's expression twisted. She pressed one hand to her forehead, leaning against the wall, at a loss for words.
After a moment of silence, she let out a long sigh.
"You know we gods are forbidden from using divine power down here."
"But Freya's charm… strictly speaking, it isn't divine power."
"That thing is her own unique ability."
"Even in the heaven, no one really understands how it works."
"The scariest part is—it leaves no trace."
"Even if you went to Ouranos, it wouldn't help."
Ryota nodded. He knew that perfectly well.
Freya's charm wasn't a system skill or magic—it was her.
Trying to counter it through mechanics or techniques was pretty much impossible.
Suddenly, Hephaestus looked up again, realization hitting her. She stared at Ryota in confusion.
"Wait…"
"Then how… how did I break free?"
Ryota shrugged.
"No one else here but the two of us."
"Obviously I did it."
Hephaestus froze, her ruby eye widening several sizes.
You did it?! You did it?!
"How?!"
"That was… that was…"
She couldn't even find the words or tone to express how utterly shocked she was.
A human… broke a god's charm?
What even—
Ryota just smiled.
"Snipped a few threads."
"No big deal."
Hephaestus: "…"
She stared at the black-haired boy in front of her, taking several deep breaths before finally forcing her shock and disoriented thoughts back down.
After a few seconds of silence, she asked again:
"So… what's your plan now?"
"You're really going to go one by one, thread by thread?"
"That'll take forever, won't it?!"
Ryota shook his head.
"Of course not."
"I've got another plan."
Hephaestus nodded, not pressing further.
She looked at the boy who shouldered everything alone, and for a brief moment, her heart ached. Her voice softened.
"Ryota, don't push yourself too hard."
"I know you can do the impossible, but… you're still human."
She paused, then said seriously:
"If it really comes to it, I'll go talk to Freya—"
"I'll use some of Hephaestus Familia's assets… to buy you back."
Ryota was momentarily stunned.
A warmth bloomed in his chest.
This was the real Hephaestus.
Not the cool, bureaucratic redhead under Freya's charm.
But the passionate, tsundere goddess who had once lent him her forge, who lit up watching him forge weapons, who gritted her teeth while handing over rare materials—warning him to pay her back someday.
There was no way she'd have said something like that while under the charm.
But right now, she was ready to offer up everything just to "ransom" him back.
Ryota's gaze softened, but he still shook his head.
"It's fine."
"This is nothing I can't handle."
Hephaestus opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but when she saw the calm look on his face, she finally sighed.
"…Alright."
"But be careful."
She looked around the forge room and added:
"I won't let anyone else in here."
"Come whenever you like."
Ryota casually picked up the bill on the table and waved it in front of her.
"So, Lady Hephaestus… about this usage fee—still charging me?"
She blinked, then realized he was teasing her. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she snatched the invoice from his hand—ripping it to shreds.
"You little brat, you're joking with me now?!"
"Go on, get outta here! Don't waste time!"
"Ottar's still waiting at the gate!"
Ryota chuckled and finally pushed open the door, making his way toward the front gate of Hephaestus Familia.
Only when his silhouette disappeared into the distance—
Did the red-haired goddess in the forge room finally move again.
…
Ryota had just stepped out of the main building and hadn't even reached the gate when he saw a familiar figure.
Ottar stood silently outside under the night sky, as still as a statue.
Ryota didn't stop walking. He glanced at Ottar from the corner of his eye.
Rinnegan Perception activated quietly.
Sure enough, on Ottar's massive frame, a nearly invisible thread of charm floated, anchored deep in his sea of consciousness.
In the original story, when Freya unleashed her city-wide charm, she'd excluded her own Familia members.
Those people were already pathologically loyal.
But now…
"Oh? Even Ottar's been charmed?"
There was only one explanation:
This time, Freya wasn't just charming Orario to bring him in.
She wanted everyone to believe Ryota belonged solely to Freya Familia.
To Freya—and only Freya.
Including her simps—no, her Familia.
"Crazy woman…"
As he neared the gate, Ottar noticed him and spoke:
"You're out."
"All core members of Freya Familia have been recalled to the Folkvangr."
"Freya wishes for us to gather this evening—"
Ryota didn't let him finish. He cut him off with two words:
"Not going."
Ottar frowned.
He wasn't used to people disobeying Freya's "requests."
Even if that person was the key to winning the War Game.
Even if he was currently Orario's biggest star.
After a few seconds of silence, Ottar said:
"You don't have a choice."
As he spoke, his right hand landed firmly on Ryota's shoulder.
It was a move meant to stop him from walking away.
Freya's orders—no matter what they were—Ottar would carry them out.
And he had to carry them out.
Feeling the heavy grip on his shoulder, Ryota turned his head.
Sharingan flared to life.
In that instant, his eyes were no longer calm or amused.
They were pure, razor-sharp killing intent.
Those scarlet pupils lit up like blades in the dark.
"Move."
Ottar's pupils contracted!
It was just one words. Nothing more.
But when they reached his ears, it was like an ice dagger piercing his chest, sending a chill straight to his heart.
Ottar felt the cold shoot from his feet to the top of his head, and his body instinctively recoiled.
That was—fear?
He hesitated for a second.
Then silently let go of Ryota's shoulder.
Ryota didn't look back. He kept walking, speaking as he went:
"Tell her."
"Don't bother me unless it's important."
"I'm busy these days."
Ottar stood frozen.
He stared at the retreating figure, brows furrowed, face complex.
Something's not right.
Something… is really not right.
That fear, that instinctive dread—wasn't just a reaction to power.
He was Ottar, Orario's acknowledged LV.7 top adventurer, standing at the peak.
He'd seen monsters beyond counting, and his mental fortitude was unshakable.
But just now, he'd genuinely wanted to run.
Like he was facing someone who could crush him to dust the moment they made a move.
"…Isn't he just LV.4?"
Ottar muttered.
"How… how is this possible…?"
Ryota had no idea that Ottar was spiraling into existential confusion behind him.
Just a moment ago, Ryota had indeed considered killing him on the spot.
But reason won out.
Killing Ottar wouldn't accomplish anything. It wouldn't solve the real issue.
Right now, completing the Main Branch Quest and progressing his fusion mattered far more.
He didn't head for the Folkvangr.
Instead, after a series of quick turns, he emerged onto a quiet street—and there it was:
Twilight Manor.
His old home.
Ryota instinctively lifted a foot to step forward—then paused.
A sharp, ironic truth flashed through his mind.
To the rest of the city… he no longer belonged to Loki Familia.
He was "Freya's man."
If he walked through the front door like this, it'd only cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
The last thing he wanted was to be surrounded by his former allies with drawn weapons.
"…So annoying."
He sighed, turned around, and circled to the side.
A few steps later, he scaled the outer wall and slipped in through the back of Twilight Manor.
The night wind brushed the courtyard, casting a silver sheen over the ground.
As he stepped into the familiar rear garden, Ryota looked up—
And saw a figure sitting quietly on the far stone steps.
Legs hugged to her knees.
A familiar figure. A familiar pose.
Ais Wallenstein.
Her golden hair swayed irregularly in the breeze. She stared into the distance, as if deep in thought—or waiting.
Ryota's eyes sharpened.
He could see clearly: the threads wrapped around Ais were different from those on Hephaestus or Ottar.
More intricate. More complex.
It was obvious Freya had layered a deeper enchantment over the entire Loki Familia.
Ryota was just about to begin "cutting threads."
And then—the golden-haired girl stirred.
She shuddered slightly, then abruptly turned her head, locking eyes with Ryota's exact position.
The moment their gazes met, Ryota instinctively opened his mouth to speak.
But in the very next instant—
Ais leapt to her feet, as if waking from a trance.
Fwoosh—!!
Her figure vanished, sprinting straight toward him!
In her hand—was none other than the Feather's Echo, the blade Ryota had forged with his own hands… and gifted to her.
----
Join my Patreon for early access to chapters: Patreon.com/rivyura