The gates of the Apollo Familia estate were thrown wide open. Carriages boasting every obnoxious display of wealth lined the driveway, depositing the zenith of Orario's high society alongside the humbler guests Apollo had graciously invited.
And for the Apollo Familia members stuck on door duty, it was absolute hell.
"I swear to the gods, my feet are bleeding," Luan Espel, a Pallum supporter of the Familia, muttered bitterly. "Are we adventurers or cheap valets? Why didn't Lord Apollo just hire some servants for this? It's degrading!"
"Quit your whining, Luan," one of the older members grunted as he waved another carriage forward. "Lord Apollo wants his own children to present a unified front. Just smile and open the damn doors."
Luan scowled, adjusting his collar. They'd been at this for over two hours!
"I think that's the last of them," another member sighed in relief, leaning against the manor wall.
But the sharp clatter of hooves against stone proved him wrong.
Another carriage rolled to a gentle stop. The emblem of the Ishtar Familia was proudly painted on its doors.
"This one's mine!" Before the others could even push themselves off the wall, Luan darted forward.
If he was going to be treated like a servant all night, he was at least going to have the good fortune of being the first to greet a Goddess of Beauty!
The other members cursed themselves for missing the chance to get a close look at the ruler of the Pleasure Quarter.
Luan reached the carriage, grabbed the handle, and yanked the door open with an ear-to-ear smile.
"Welcome to the Apollo estate, Milady—!"
The words died in Luan's throat.
He wasn't greeted by the breathtaking visage of divine beauty.
Instead, Luan found himself staring directly at the bare chest of a towering man. His formal dress shirt was unbuttoned halfway down his torso. The man wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, his eyes narrowing at the tiny Pallum.
Luan took an involuntary step back. He didn't know who this man was, but the sheer physical pressure radiating from his annoyed glare instantly triggered the Pallum's survival instincts.
"Come on, move it," Toji grumbled, entirely ignoring the trembling Pallum as he stepped out of the carriage. "We're late."
"If you'd simply finished faster, we wouldn't be," Ishtar said as she stepped out into the cool night air. She was breathtaking, dressed in a scandalously form-fitting dress that left very little to the imagination.
She casually spritzed perfume over her neck and shoulders, a highly satisfied flush dusting her cheeks.
Toji let out an irritated sigh, aggressively buttoning up his shirt. "Needy women. Give 'em an inch, and they want a whole mile."
Ishtar stepped up beside him, slipping her bare arm smoothly through his. "Let's go, darling~"
Luan stood frozen. It took his brain exactly three seconds to process the unbuttoned shirt, the flushed skin, the lingering perfume, and the delay.
A violent blush spread across the Pallum's face.
Right in the carriage? On the way to a divine banquet? For real!?
Toji glanced down at the paralyzed, blushing Pallum, who was still dutifully holding the carriage door open like a broken automaton.
Toji flicked his thumb, tossing a single coin through the air. Luan caught it in his palm on pure reflex.
"Keep the change," Toji snorted, not looking back as he and Ishtar walked up the red carpet.
Luan blinked, staring down at his hand.
His fellow Familia members, who'd watched the entire bizarre exchange from a safe distance, slowly walked over.
"Hah! You got spare change?" one of them burst out laughing. "Pfft—one Valis! Hey, look on the bright side, Luan. Keep up the valet work, and you might be able to afford a potato snack by next year!"
"Shut up!" Luan snapped, his face burning with a furious mix of embarrassment and rage.
He angrily threw the coin into the nearby bushes. "I'm going to my room! I'm done with this shit work!"
"Aw, look at him! His little Pallum spirit is hurt!" another teased as Luan stormed off toward the servants' entrance.
Further up the entrance staircase, Toji and Ishtar approached the grand doors of the banquet hall.
"Must you have teased him with just one coin?" Ishtar hummed, amused. "He was rather cute when he blushed."
"That midget should be grateful he even got that," Toji replied. "I don't believe in tipping culture. If his boss doesn't pay him enough to open doors, that's not my problem."
Ishtar let out a soft laugh. "You have such a pragmatic view of the world."
"And YOU shouldn't have come," Toji grunted, scratching the back of his neck.
"And miss the opportunity to see that bitch's reaction?" Ishtar stopped, forcing Toji to halt a few steps from the entrance. "Not a chance."
She reached up to adjust his collar and straighten his tie. "Besides, without me, you wouldn't even be able to enter the banquet. You need a deity to escort you in."
Toji had no reply to that. Having an escort was vastly easier than sneaking in, snapping a guard's neck, and pretending to be a guest.
"Good," Ishtar finished, stepping back to admire her handiwork. "Now...are you sure about your plan? It sounds rather simple."
"Like I said, we're stepping on her toes. And once we're inside, he's the guy we'll use to do it," Toji said lazily.
Ishtar raised an eyebrow. "And how sure are you that he's even here? Bell Cranel, was it?"
"Yup. I've got my sources. Don't worry." Toji chuckled dryly.
His source, oddly enough, was Kong.
The broker had somehow run into Bell at a casino of all places the previous night, gotten the kid completely plastered on wine, and listened to him spill his entire miserable life story. It was hilarious to imagine Bell, the shortstack's favorite pet, actively following in Toji's footsteps.
Heh. He really was a bad influence.
Ishtar crossed her arms. "And what exactly is my part in all this again?"
Toji grinned.
༻❁༺
What a waste of time.
Every single person in this room was fake—the gods, the adventurers, the music, the decor. All of it was just a coat of paint slapped over a city built on blood, backstabbing, and dead bodies.
And this blonde god, Hermes, was no better than the rest.
Hermes kept talking, his voice a steady, relentless stream of cheerful chatter. He innocently asked about Bell's progress in the Dungeon, prodded him about his recent achievements, and skipped seamlessly between trivial gossip and pointed inquiries about his personal life—all while Bell listened, growing dizzier with every new drink he swallowed.
"So, young star," Hermes hummed, leaning in with a grin. "With all this sudden fame...tell me, is there a special someone? A young lady, or ladies you've got in mind to share all these glorious victories with?"
Bell's hand tightened around his glass.
"Can you...just shut up?" Bell mumbled, drunk enough to finally voice whatever unfiltered thoughts drifted through his hazy mind.
Hermes blinked, his cheerful expression faltering. "Come again?"
"I said...can you shut the fuck up?" Bell repeated, his eyes half-closed. "You're annoying. Stop asking your stupid questions. I don't wanna talk to you, prick."
Hermes's smile twitched.
Well, that was surprising. Zeus's grandson was telling him to fuck off.
He considered making another joke, but one look at Bell's thoroughly unimpressed face changed his mind.
"...Right. Sorry to bother you."
Hermes withdrew into the crowd, his mind racing as he reconsidered what he'd just witnessed.
This isn't Bell Cranel.
This was nowhere near the boy Zeus had told him to expect.
Hermes scanned the room, his eyes catching sight of Hestia deep in conversation near the refreshments before snapping back to Bell. What could possibly explain this radical shift in behavior?
Left alone by the messenger god, Bell suddenly felt a sharp pang of mortification pierce through his foggy brain.
He pressed his free hand against his face, groaning into his palm. "Gods above...shut up, Bell. Just shut your mouth."
Why the hell did he say that to one of his Goddess's friends? To a god, no less!?
Was he fucking stupid!?
Ahhhhh!
He'd had enough. He was going to set down his glass, find a quiet, dark corner far away from everyone, and pass out.
He reached down to place the tumbler on the edge of the table—only for a bottle to tilt into his field of vision, refilling his glass.
"Can you fuck off—!" Bell snapped.
The words died in his throat.
Standing right beside him was none other than Toji Fushiguro, holding the bottle with a smirk.
Bell blinked rapidly. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his sleeve and stared again.
"...Toji-san?" Bell stammered, his voice dropping to a hesitant whisper. "Am I...am I hallucinating?"
Toji chuckled, casually taking a swig straight from the bottle. "It's me, you idiot. You look like shit."
Before Bell could process his captain's sudden appearance after nearly an entire month of absence, an intoxicating scent of perfume washed over them. Ishtar stepped out from behind Toji, eyeing Bell curiously.
"And who might this little mess be, darling?" Ishtar asked, a smirk curving her painted lips.
"Isn't it obvious?" Toji deadpanned. "Our target."
Bell blinked through his hazy vision, his eyes drifting lazily down the front of Ishtar's low-cut dress, taking in the absurd amount of exposed skin.
"Very...open-minded attire," Bell slurred, a dumb smile spreading across his face. "Nice."
"Heh." Toji chuckled, shaking his head. "So, the more you drink, the bolder you get, huh? Look at you, making moves on the Queen of the Pleasure Quarter."
Ishtar let out a soft laugh. "Oh, I like him! He's far more spirited than that virgin Goddess of his."
Bell's smile faded slightly, replaced by a sudden scowl as he glared up at Toji.
"Where the hell have you been!?" he demanded, waving his glass around and splashing a few drops onto the floor. "You missed so much, Toji-san! Everything went to hell! The Dungeon, the potions, the—"
"Yeah, yeah, just shut up," Toji cut him off, casually scanning the far end of the hall over Bell's shoulder. "I was handling shit you're better off not knowing about."
Through a gap in the crowd of gossiping guests, his eyes finally found exactly what he was looking for.
"There you are, porky," Toji smirked.
Ottar—Orario's strongest adventurer and Toji's new spite target—had come into view. The Boaz's eyes were fixed on Toji.
Standing just in front of the Warlord was a breathtakingly beautiful silver-haired woman, casually pretending to enjoy a glass of wine.
Freya.
The goddess looked effortlessly regal, a literal queen surveying her chessboard. But beneath her elegant posture, she hadn't looked away from Toji once. Her stare carried enough hatred to make it clear she'd happily disembowel him on the spot if she could.
Heh. Exactly the reaction he was aiming for.
Ishtar followed his gaze, a smirk spreading across her face as she offered Freya a friendly wave.
Across the room, Freya's grip on her wine glass tightened until her knuckles turned white.
Toji stifled a chuckle at the divine meltdown unfolding across the room.
Ishtar suddenly grabbed Bell by the chin, turning his flushed face from side to side to inspect him.
"He's rather adorable up close," Ishtar noted, tracing a nail along his jaw. "Though he looks like he hasn't slept in a week. Are you sure this is the one who broke the Princess's record?"
"Hey, don't break him," Toji said, amused, as Bell weakly tried to swat Ishtar's hands away like an annoyed toddler.
Toji pointed at Bell's refilled glass. "Drink it up, kid. I need you nice and numb for the evening."
Bell stared down at the glass, then looked up at Toji, his alcohol-addled mind latching onto Ishtar's passing comment.
"Oh?" Bell hiccuped, raising the glass with a clumsy grip. "Are we...are we celebrating? Are we celebrating my Level 2 achievement?"
"Sure. Whatever," Toji said with a shrug. "Congratulations."
"Did you know I beat you, Toji-san!?" Bell declared loudly, his voice filled with drunken pride. "I'm a fucking record-breaker! Fastest Level 2 in the history of the entire world!"
Bell pointed an unsteady finger directly at Toji's chest. "How does it feel, huh? How does it feel to be in second place!?"
"Devastating," Toji deadpanned, his voice completely devoid of emotion. "I'm crying on the inside. I'll make sure to get you a gold star later. Now drink."
Bell deflated slightly at the complete lack of reaction, his volatile emotions sent him plummeting straight back into the depths of his depression.
"My life is fucked up, man..." Bell mumbled, staring miserably into his drink. "Everything is awful...I want to quit, Toji-san...Do you think I should become a farmer or a real estate agent...?"
Toji glanced down, ready to dismiss the his drunken ramblings out of hand—
Then something in Bell's eyes made him pause. Beneath the booze and childish theatrics, there was a heavy, hollow exhaustion in the kid's gaze that felt uncomfortably familiar...
Tch.
"Not here," Toji said, his tone surprisingly steady as he turned his attention back to scanning the crowd. "Catch me after this is over. We'll talk."
Bell looked up at Toji with wide eyes. "Really?" he squeaked, his face lighting up. "You'll actually listen to me!?"
"Yeah. Now, let's go find the shortstack." Toji said, walking toward the denser part of the crowd.
"Wait—Toji-san, I'm not done complaining!" Bell stumbled, nearly tripping over his own feet as he tried to follow his captain.
"Let's go find your Goddess," Ishtar cooed, stepping up beside him and immediately linking her arm through Bell's.
"...Okay," Bell mumbled with a shrug, allowing Ishtar to lead him along as they trailed behind Toji into the heart of the party.
"So this is the cause..." Watching the entire exchange from afar, Hermes shook his head in quiet disappointment.
Toji Fushiguro. The "Level 2" captain of the Hestia Familia.
Every scrap of intelligence Hermes had gathered painted a consistent picture: the man was a gambling, cynical, good-for-nothing, unapologetically predatory gigolo.
And more disturbingly, if Asfi's eyes hadn't deceived her that day, this very same deadbeat had beaten a Level 5—Ais Wallenstein—into the dirt. He was also the one who'd taken on the mysterious pantry quest the Guild had been investigating.
Hermes had to give credit to Loki for her terrifying instincts. She'd immediately insisted on investigating the Hestia Familia and attempted to get the Guild involved.
Thankfully, Hermes had been able to pull a few strings to keep the Hestia Familia from attracting unwanted attention, purely to give Hestia some breathing room and protect Bell...
But after seeing the results of his hard work?
He was not satisfied. Not at all.
He needed to take direct actions.
༻❁༺
Hestia cleared her throat with a forced cough, signaling the end of the conversation.
Their small circle of gods had naturally broken up a little. A short distance away, Hephaestus stood by a refreshment table, enjoying a glass of wine and casually picking at her favorite appetizers. Hermes was heaven knows where.
Meanwhile, Hestia was stuck with Takemikazuchi and Miach, her arms crossed firmly over her chest.
"Listen to me, both of you," Hestia began, her voice leaving no room for argument. "I'm forbidding you two—and especially your children—from going anywhere near him."
Her eyes flicked past the deities, settling into an icy glare aimed directly at Mikoto and Naaza.
"Hestia, I understand your hesitancy," Takemikazuchi said softly. "But Mikoto and the others truly regret what happened. We only want to offer a proper apology and help if—"
"Takemikazuchi, right now, the best way you can help is by keeping your distance," Hestia cut him off sharply. "The wound is far too fresh, and personal."
Her eyes shifted to Naaza, who immediately bit her lower lip.
"H-Hestia-sama, I—" Naaza's voice trembled slightly.
"Don't bother, girl. I don't care about your excuses," Hestia interrupted, her voice ice-cold. "The only reason I haven't marched up to the Guild and ruined your career is because Bell told me not to."
Naaza lowered her head, staring blankly at the floor, consumed by shame.
Miach let out a sigh, his face visibly pale. Even now, he couldn't believe Naaza had endangered Bell's life, of all people, just to save a few Valis on their debt.
"Rest assured, Hestia. The matter has been dealt with..." Miach said, his voice carrying an authority Naaza rarely heard from him.
Miach had stripped Naaza of her privileges. She was strictly forbidden from crafting or selling even a single potion ever again. The ban was absolute and wouldn't be lifted until Bell himself explicitly forgave her. If he never did, it would remain permanent.
In Miach's eyes, even this punishment was far too lenient. Yet, shameful as he felt admitting it, he couldn't bring himself to do anything worse.
Mikoto took a hesitant step forward. "H-Hestia-sama, I understand her offense was severe, but our situation...it was an emergency! And we returned to help! Surely Bell-dono would understand if—"
"Mikoto. Be quiet." Takemikazuchi's voice cut through her sentence like a blade. "We aren't here to justify your actions."
Mikoto bit her lip and stepped back into her god's shadow.
Hestia let out a tired sigh, feeling a headache building behind her temples. "We're done here."
Leaving the headache-inducing group behind, Hestia headed straight for Hephaestus.
She threw her arms wide, an exaggerated grin on her face. "Hephaestus! My favorite goddess! How're you doing!?"
Hephaestus didn't even look up from her plate as she took a small bite of a cream-filled pastry. "I'm not lending you any money, Hestia. Don't even bother."
Hestia instantly deflated, her arms dropping to her sides. "How rude! When have I ever come to you just to ask for money!?"
Hephaestus turned her single eye toward her. "The day you descended to the lower world. The week after that, when you got into debt at that tavern. Three months ago, when you broke that set of teacups at the diner I invited you to. Last month—"
"Alright, alright! I get it! Stop counting!" Hestia whined, waving her hands to silence her.
Hephaestus let out a soft chuckle and set her glass down. "So? What do you actually want, Hestia? You look like you're about to throw up."
Hestia glanced around nervously before leaning closer to the table. "Hephaestus...what if, hypothetically, someone from your Familia started...gambling?"
"Your kid already does that. Toji." Hephaestus raised an eyebrow. "Unless you mean...Bell!?"
That sounded ridiculous.
"Just answer the hypothetical!" Hestia hissed, her voice cracking.
"I don't care," Hephaestus said plainly, shrugging. "I don't like interfering in my children's personal lives or their vices. I only step in if things get out of hand."
Hestia let out a sigh. "Figures...Okay, but what if...hypothetically...your gambling child won?"
"So? Good for them, I suppose."
"No, you don't understand!" Hestia gripped the edge of the table. "Hypothetically speaking...what if your child came home one night with...hypothetically...6 million Valis? In cash. No receipt. No Guild documentation. Just a mountain of money from a casino?"
Hephaestus's single eye narrowed slightly. "Hypothetically...?" she repeated dryly.
"Hypothetically!" Hestia squeaked.
Hephaestus rubbed her temple. "Hestia, it doesn't work like that. If you suddenly deposit 6 million Valis into your Familia's official account, the Guild will notice during a tax evaluation. They'll send an auditor to verify where the funds came from. You'd have to prove you won the money legally at a registered casino, or they could freeze the account over suspected tax evasion."
Hestia let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank the heavens...So it can be declared."
She leaned in even closer, her eyes sparkling. "So, Hephaestus...hypothetically...if my child did win all that money legally...would you, hypothetically, take those 6 million Valis off my hands right now as a down payment for Bell's knife? Hypothetically?"
Hephaestus stared at her, baffled by all this hypothetical nonsense. "Hestia, I have no idea what you're trying to pull, but why don't you hypothetically ask your child if he's hypothetically okay with it?"
She pointed over Hestia's shoulder. "Since he's hypothetically walking right toward us."
Hestia turned around, her brain short-circuiting at the sight.
Walking toward her was none other than her deadbeat, absent captain, Toji. His first appearance in almost a month. Beside him was Goddess Ishtar, her accursed chest pressed firmly against Bell's arm.
"Huh...?" Hestia froze, the color draining from her face.
Toji stepped up to the table, stopping a few feet away. "Yo, Shortstack. Been a while."
Hestia didn't move.
Toji raised an eyebrow, then waved his fingers in front of her frozen face. "Hello? You glitched out."
"You..." Hestia choked out, her voice trembling. She looked at Toji, then at Ishtar, then at Bell, who let out a soft hiccup against Ishtar's shoulder.
In that single moment, every rumor she'd desperately prayed was false about Toji's "gigolo side" became undeniable reality in her mind.
He clearly was with Ishtar after all.
"Hi there, Hestia!" Ishtar chirped. "It's been so long since we last spoke. Tell me...are you still a virgin~?"
"How...do you know this goddess, Toji?" Hestia demanded, her voice an ice-cold whisper. Her left eye twitched violently.
"Not even a hug? Cold." Toji chuckled. "As for your question...she found me in a pile of rubble."
"What the f—" Hestia cut herself off, looking back at Ishtar.
"Take your filthy hands off Bell-kun!" Hestia suddenly grabbed Bell by the collar and forcefully yanked him out of Ishtar's arms.
"Heyyy...my pillow..." Bell complained drunkenly.
Hestia ignored him and glared up at Toji. "And you! How's your 'special quest' going, Ruinous Gigolo?" she asked, her voice dripping with mockery.
"It was going perfectly," Toji replied flatly. "Right up until you yanked the kid away."
"How could I have been so stupid!? Everything is crystal clear now!" Hestia pointed an accusing finger at his chest. "I should've known better than to trust a bum's word! You weren't 'protecting us' from shit! You went into the Pleasure Quarter and whored around so much that the final boss actually caught you!"
"Oi, shut up, alright?" Toji muttered, glancing at the watching crowd. "I'm risking my neck setting things straight for us. You're gonna ruin—"
"You're the worst!" Hestia shouted. "You leave your junior to fend for himself in this cruel city just so you can become a boy toy for this walking brothel!?"
"Excuse me!?" Ishtar's amused expression vanished as she glared down at the small deity. "I suppose a little girl like you wouldn't know how a real woman keeps a man entertained."
She pointed at the white-haired boy. "Just look at poor Bell's miserable face! And you call yourself his goddess? If you actually cared, you'd let him visit one of my girls, loosen up a bit, and learn what it actually means to be a man. Since you clearly lack the assets to teach him!"
"Don't you dare talk about my Bell-kun like that!" Hestia bristled. "He's 10 times the man any of your pathetic simps could ever hope to be!"
"Why am I getting dragged into this...?" Bell mumbled, his eyes twitching. "You...the hot lady...you don't even know me..."
Ishtar flipped her hair over her shoulder disdainfully. "Hmph! Go back to the sandbox, virgin. You're out of your depth."
"Haaah!?" Hestia didn't back down, rolling up her nonexistent sleeves. "I'll show you who's out of their depth, you over-perfumed—"
Toji stepped in, casually hooking an arm around Hestia's waist and lifting her off the floor like a grocery bag.
"Hey! Put me down, you deadbeat, useless, freeloading brat!" Hestia thrashed wildly, her tiny feet kicking uselessly in the air. "Let me at her! I'll tear that ugly head right off her shoulders!"
"Quit squirming," Toji grunted, tightening his grip.
Ishtar crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"I need a private moment," Toji said dryly. "Keep an eye on the kid."
"Make it quick," Ishtar sighed, flicking an imaginary speck of dust off her shoulder.
"Hephaestus! Help! Protect Bell-kun!" Hestia yelled as Toji carried her away.
Hephaestus, who had been quietly enjoying the show from the sidelines, waved at her with a chuckle. "Best banquet ever."
"I don't know why they never get along..." Bell mumbled, watching Toji carry his screaming goddess out of the hall and into the mansion's corridors, well out of sight and earshot of the rest of the party.
The moment her feet touched the floor, Hestia spun around and slammed her fists against Toji's chest.
"How much is that over-perfumed hag paying you!?" Hestia demanded. "Or is it the 'benefits'!? You actually like her, don't you!? You absolute degenerate—!"
"I'm playing her," Toji deadpanned, swatting her hand away with minimal effort. "She thinks she's got a leash on me. She doesn't. I'm still with you."
Hestia froze. The sincerity in Toji's voice was unmistakable. He didn't care about Ishtar at all.
Still, her anger didn't simply vanish.
"Even so! Do you have any idea what you've done!? I was the laughingstock at the Denatus because of your stupid hobbies—!" She glared up at him, launching into a rant about her humiliation. "And Bell-kun...Bell-kun is—!"
Toji sighed. "Listen, Shortstack. I'm targeting Freya tonight. I need your help, though."
Hestia's eyes widened. "F-Freya?" Her maternal instincts kicked in instantly. "Are you insane!? She'd take Bell-kun in a heartbeat if we gave her the chance—!"
"Shut up and listen," Toji snapped, gripping both her shoulders to stop her. "I need you to play along, or you'll have to kiss his depressed ass goodbye."
༻❁༺
While Toji laid out his simple plan to Hestia, Bell remained alone at the refreshment table, seemingly lost in fragmented thoughts.
A short distance away, Naaza watched him, guilt gnawing at her. Hestia's warning echoed in her head, but seeing him like this—slouched, miserable, and drinking himself into a stupor—was tearing her apart.
She was convinced it was all her fault.
"Naaza, don't," Miach warned softly, placing a firm hand on her shoulder.
Naaza ignored him. She pulled away from her god's grip and took a slow, hesitant step toward him.
"Bell..."
Bell slowly turned his dizzy head. His eyes landed on the chienthrope as he tipped his drink back for another sip.
"Uhhh...Bell, I..." Naaza began, her voice cracking as her tail swayed uncontrollably behind her. "I know I have no right to speak to you. I know what I did was unforgivable...but please, I need you to at least hear me out—"
Bell casually raised a finger.
Naaza's words died in her throat.
Bell gently lowered his empty glass onto the table before finally looking back at her.
"You...need to get the hell away from me," Bell slurred, his voice utterly devoid of warmth, pity, or forgiveness. "Like...right now."
Naaza flinched at the hostility, the venom in his words shattering whatever fragile hope for redemption she had left.
"...I...understand," Naaza muttered.
She lowered her head in defeat and slowly dragged herself back to her god's side.
That could have gone way worse, if she was being honest with herself.
Miach looked down at his disgraced child, his expression stern and disappointed. "I warned you. Shattered trust can't be mended with a few words."
Mikoto watched the brutal rejection unfold, her face paling considerably.
"You see?" Takemikazuchi murmured, crossing his arms. "That's why we don't let our emotions blind us, Mikoto. Let this be a lesson."
Mikoto nodded meekly.
Ishtar, watching the entire exchange, smiled. She was entertained by the boy's sudden viciousness.
She stepped forward, intending to slip her arm through Bell's again.
"That's far enough."
Hephaestus stepped directly into her path, glaring at the Queen of the Pleasure Quarter. "Leave him alone. He's had enough poison for one night."
Ishtar placed a delicate palm against her cheek in exaggerated surprise. "My, my, Hephaestus," she cooed. "No proper greetings for me? You see me for the first time in years, and the first thing you do is criticize poor, innocent me?"
Hephaestus rolled her single eye. She casually pinched the edges of her red dress and offered a mockingly deep, overly formal curtsy.
"Greetings, Lady Ishtar. I am truly honored to bask in your divine presence. Is that polite enough for you?"
Ishtar chuckled. "Funny. I didn't realize you could forge a sense of humor, too."
"You'd be surprised," Hephaestus muttered, straightening up and keeping herself firmly positioned between Ishtar and Bell.
༻❁༺
Back in the corridors, Hestia stood frozen, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.
"Fine..." Hestia gritted out. "We'll do it your way."
"Attagirl," Toji said, turning to walk back toward the hall before suddenly slapping his forehead. "Right. Almost forgot."
He stopped, casually unbuttoned his dress shirt, and slid it off his broad shoulders.
Hestia blinked. "What are you doing now?"
"I need an update," Toji said, turning his bare back toward her.
"R-Right here?" Hestia stammered, glancing around the empty hallway.
"What? You need a five-star room for a finger prick?" Toji asked dryly.
Hestia grumbled under her breath, reaching into her tied-up hair to pull out a silver needle. "You really are the absolute worst child in the world..."
"And you complain way too much," Toji replied, completely unfazed. "Now update me."
༻❁༺
Toji Fushiguro
Level 3
Strength: S 999 — I 0
Endurance: S 999 — I 0
Dexterity: S 999 — I 0
Agility: S 999 — I 0
██████ ██
Skill: Heavenly Restriction
A supreme, irreversible binding of the soul. The vessel's capacity for Magic is permanently sealed at absolute zero. The acquisition of any spell, magic, or secondary Falna skills is permanently disabled. In exchange for discarding all supernatural potential, the vessel is granted absolute physical supremacy, heightened sensory perception, and total immunity to spiritual tracking, including immunity to all kinds of charms.
༻❁༺
The End
༻❁༺
"Immunity," not "total immunity," just to clarify. That's why Ishtar was able to briefly control Toji with her charm.
Yo, you haven't forgotten about this story, have you?
Anyway, let's just cut straight to the chase and not waste any time
This is actually a chapter and a half merged together, which is why it's freaking long
Why did I take so long to publish? Because I wanted to wrap up the Apollo arc in a two-part chapter and release them a week apart
Why didn't I do that? Because I think I'm going blind
Like, literally. I'll go see a doctor about my left eye later. Everything's blurry but colorful on the left, while my right eye is sharp but the colors look cold and dull
It's weird and dizzying
I can't write the rest of the Apollo arc for now, so I decided to share what I have like this in case It takes too long to do it...
Don't worry, the rest might come out sooner than this one did since it's already halfway written. Unless I change shit again and rewrite it
Anyway, Drunk Bell is clearly the MVP here lol
Becoming a gambling, smoking alcoholic in one night!? Kong will be skinned alive if certain people find out about this lol
Xenos are mentioned, Lili is bait for them, Knossos is revealed, Toji is now technically working with Evilus, the Demi-Spirit is revealed, etc etc. All this juicy shit that could've taken 3 more chapters to reveal has been crammed into one
Anyway, I'll answer the reader questions I think are worth addressing.
Lemme be absolutely clear: Yes, Mahoraga will appear in this story
When? Absolutely not anytime soon, because that's a world-ending calamity
Will we see other cursed techniques? Yes, of course. Will they be original? Only one will be original, and it'll belong to a very special someone. You'd never guess who it is (You actually might, because there are already hints)
I'm already giving you all the blueprints you need to understand how cursed techniques might manifest. It's actually very simple, but I don't want to explain it just yet because I want to keep it a secret lol
Will we see cursed spirits? I mean, ghosts already exist in DanMachi, so cursed spirits aren't exactly anything too shocking. But yeah, we might see a few. There won't be too many, though, because they aren't the focus or anything
When will Toji get his arsenal back? Next chapter
Why don't you focus on Toji alone? We're reading his story, after all, aren't we?
Because I can't. Believe me, it's not easy. I'm the kind of guy who wants to explore all angles. If I focus on Toji alone, the story becomes linear and confusing because we never know what other characters are thinking or what's happening outside Toji's own perspective and current knowledge. He's not omnipotent, after all. It'd be boring and too flat, I hope you understand that
Some might question why did the Demi-Spirit look at Toji? It was a similar case to when young Gojo sensed Toji's presence despite him lacking cursed energy. When you're surrounded by noise coming from everywhere, you'll notice a hollow spot instantly. Demi-Spirits are very sensitive to magic and shit so she felt intrigued by the hollowness from Toji
I guess that's all?
Also, one question: I recently reread Episode Ryuu. Do you readers want me to include the events of the El Dorado Grand Casino in the next chapter's finale? I already have the blueprints, Toji will be there, of course, and it'll be quite a short story but fun
Actually, one more question, and this one's important: Do you guys prefer long, dense chapters with multiple POVs that explore pretty much everything, like this one?
Or do you prefer shorter chapters with fewer details and POVs, but a quicker A-to-Z progression?
I read all the comments, so I'll try to base my future projects on the majority's answers
Anyway:
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