Danmachi: The Multiverse Portal

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Hestia was busy directing the magic collection when she suddenly felt someone eyeing her precious treasure.

Anti-NTR radar: Engaged.

She snapped her head toward Artemis, Demeter, and Hephaestus, then immediately sprinted over to the trio.

"What are you guys talking about?" Hestia poked her head directly into their circle.

The three Goddesses flinched, startled by her sudden appearance. It nearly gave them a heart attack.

"Hestia, why did you suddenly run back over here?" Hephaestus asked, feeling a wave of guilt. It felt like her secret crush had just been exposed, and she tried not to look at August.

"Ah, I felt someone eyeing my August, so I came back to put a stop to it," Hestia said, watching Hephaestus closely. She noticed the guilty look right away and guessed the Forge Goddess's secret.

Surprisingly, Hestia relaxed.

If it had been Demeter or Artemis, Hestia would have been much more worried. But with Hephaestus, she could let it slide. Hephaestus was the first Goddess August had met, so a small crush didn't bother her. She was just surprised August had caught her interest so quickly, especially since they'd only known each other for a couple of weeks and hadn't spent much time together.

"Well, if it were Demeter or Artemis, I'd be worried. But since it's Hephaestus, I can relax."

That phrasing carried a clear double meaning.

"Hey! What do you mean Hephaestus gets a pass but we don't?" Artemis glared at her divine friend. Did Hestia really think that poorly of them?

Demeter understood where Hestia was coming from. Hestia was very possessive, especially around other Gods. She watched over August closely, afraid someone might try to take him away. If she could, she'd probably keep him away from every other god. Even so, Demeter still felt a little hurt.

"Easy. You two can't be trusted," Hestia said with a grin, not hesitating to call out her friends. "If Artemis really liked him, she wouldn't care about my feelings. Demeter's no different."

"Right, right," Demeter and Artemis said, forcing awkward smiles. They could tell Hestia meant every word.

"That's more like it." Seeing zero romantic interest from the two Goddesses, Hestia nodded in satisfaction.

To Hestia, a good child was one who didn't catch the eye of other Goddesses. It was selfish, but that's how all the Goddesses thought. Finding someone special and keeping them all to yourself was the highest form of divine love.

"Still, Demeter, your kids are really impressive. I can't believe they have such rare magic," Hestia said, pointing to a group of unique elemental energy August had just absorbed. It was plant-growth magic.

If August collected enough of those spells, he could use them in some very creative ways.

"Damn right they are. They're my kids, after all," Demeter boasted, swelling with pride. Watching your Familia show off their skills was always the best bragging material for a God.

"Yep. Very nice," Hestia nodded before snapping her gaze back to the Forge Goddess. "So, Hephaestus. When do I get yours?"

Hestia was drooling over the magic utilized by the Hephaestus Familia. Specifically, their counter-magic and defensive enchantments. Those were premium assets.

"Yeah... no," Hephaestus refused flat out.

Having a crush was one thing, but giving up her own children was something Hephaestus would never do. She wasn't an Evil God who treated Adventurers like toys or played with their feelings for fun.

Hephaestus cared deeply for her children and would never take advantage of them.

"Come on, why are you being so stubborn?" Hestia complained.

Was it really so hard to ask for a small favor? She wasn't asking for something for nothing. August was offering powerful limb regeneration. Swapping a few spells for miracle healing was a great deal.

"Just talk it over with your kids. I'm not making you do anything," Hestia insisted. She knew she couldn't force a deal. A fair trade was the best way. For an Adventurer, using up some mana and resting for a few days in exchange for guaranteed healing was a huge benefit.

Hephaestus thought about the offer. Trading mana for emergency healing slots wasn't a bad idea. Any Adventurer could get seriously hurt in the Dungeon. Knowing her Familia could always get limb regeneration would really lift their spirits. No one wanted to leave a teammate behind.

"We'll talk it over," Hephaestus finally agreed, relaxing a little. She needed to discuss it with her top members first.

"That's better," Hestia sighed in relief. As long as the door was open, they could work out the details later.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

Meanwhile, August monitored his void grid.

Huge amounts of magical energy were piling up in his [Spatial Backpack]. He didn't need to say a word. With just a thought, he could launch any of these spells as precise, long-range attacks.

Hoarding magic was insanely efficient. He now had lightning, wind, water, and even attack plant-growth spells ready to go. He could use them all instantly if needed.

"Maximized security," August muttered.

Having so much power stored up made him feel much more secure. His constant worry about not having enough firepower was finally going away.

"How does it look, Lord August?" Lili asked. She stared at the empty air, unable to see the void, but she could tell August was sorting his inventory grid.

"Perfect." August gave a thumbs-up. He had successfully drained every ounce of magic from the Demeter Familia. The harvest was complete.

"Much appreciated." August turned to Persephone, acknowledging her cooperation. Securing a massive payload of spells—including several [Level 4] strikes—was a huge win.

"Think nothing of it. We consider this an official alliance between our Familias," Persephone replied smoothly. "Access to your healing magic is an absolute blessing for us."

Persephone realized her Goddess had been outmaneuvered, which was frustrating. But being annoyed wouldn't heal a lost leg. Stories about August's amazing healing magic were spreading all over the city.

As long as a victim wasn't dead, he could rebuild their body. He could sever necrotic tissue and regrow fresh, healthy limbs. Trading mana for three guaranteed treatment slots was the ultimate insurance policy.

To her, this deal was a bargain. Magic was everywhere, but true miracles were rare. Getting a medical lifeline from the only person in Orario who could heal like that was worth a bit of tiredness.

August was a little surprised that Persephone didn't seem upset about Hestia's pushy approach. She clearly saw how important it was to have a medical safety net for her team.

"August!" Hestia broke away from the Goddess group and trotted over to him. "How did it go?" Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

"We're locked and loaded," August confirmed. He now held hundreds of offensive spells in reserve.

"EXCELLENT!" Hestia cheered, then turned to Demeter and Persephone. "If you ever need to cash in those medical slots, just swing by our compound!"

She didn't care if their church basement was old and shabby. As long as her Familia was with her, it felt like home.

"Let's move out." Hestia grabbed August and Lili, leading them out of the courtyard.

Demeter watched them go and finally let out a breath. She had been worried Hestia would ask for more magic. Artemis and Hephaestus followed the Hestia Familia out of the Pavilion.

"How is everyone?" Demeter asked, looking at her captain.

"We're fine. Just mana exhausted," Persephone replied, scanning her squad.

Dozens of Adventurers sat slumped against the walls, breathing hard. But no one complained. They all knew what was at stake. Three chances for miracle healing from someone as rare as August were priceless. That kind of safety brought everyone closer together.

"If this is too much for you all..." Demeter said with a frown, seeing how tired her children were. She almost regretted the deal.

"Don't worry, Lady Demeter," one of the Adventurers panted, forcing a grin. "We all know about the rookie's healing magic. Trading a little sweat for that kind of insurance is a no-brainer."

"Yeah! As long as we're breathing, he can fix us. I'll take a little mana drain today for a guaranteed bailout tomorrow."

"Shut up, idiot. Let's hope we never actually have to use those slots!" another chimed in.

Laughter spread through the tired group. Even though they appreciated the safety net, no one wanted to see their friends get hurt in the Dungeon.

Seeing her children support each other, Demeter smiled. Maybe Hestia's pushy deal wasn't so bad after all.

"Let's pray we never need to cash it in," Demeter said softly.

"Lady Demeter! Lord Dionysus is here!" a low-ranking member suddenly yelled, rushing into the courtyard.

"Oh? More guests?" Demeter raised an eyebrow.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

Meanwhile, out on the street.

August, Hestia, and Lili had barely left the Pavilion when they ran into a man with wavy blonde hair dressed in an immaculate formal suit. He was standing right outside the Demeter Familia compound.

One glance was all it took.

August instantly stepped in front of Hestia and Lili, shielding them. His eyes narrowed, radiating pure hostility.

He wasn't focused on the God. He was staring dead at the elf standing next to him.

She wore spotless white and looked like a gentle, elegant maiden. But August knew the truth. She was a real [Level 7] powerhouse, with fighting skills that could match Ottar, the strongest Adventurer in Orario.

August moved to defend without even thinking. Artemis and Hephaestus, who had just come outside, noticed his sudden change. They were surprised by how aggressive he became.

The blonde God and his elven bodyguard were equally surprised. They were just standing there, yet the rumored rookie had instantly flagged them as lethal threats.

The white elf immediately reached for her weapon. Her combat instincts screamed at her. She felt it—if she didn't prep for an immediate counterattack, a bloodbath would erupt. The man standing across from her already had his invisible sights locked dead onto her Patron God's skull.

The tension spiked from zero to a hundred in a fraction of a second.

"Oh, Dionysus! Long time no see!" Hestia peeked out from behind August, flashing a bright, totally fake smile.

She wasn't an idiot. The air was practically vibrating with killing intent. She needed to defuse this immediately. She knew getting tangled up with a shady guy like Dionysus right now was a terrible idea.

"Hello, Hestia," Dionysus replied, his smile just as fake.

Their greeting was awkward and tense.

"Well, if you'll excuse us, we have somewhere to be!" Hestia said brightly, acting like nothing was wrong. She quickly pushed August down the street to end the standoff.

Even as they walked away, August kept his eyes on Dionysus and the white elf. His guard remained locked at maximum.

Artemis and Hephaestus watched the scene. August's strong reaction showed that something was off about that pair, but they stayed quiet and kept moving.

Dionysus and the white elf watched Hestia's group vanish around the corner.

"Was that just instinct?" Dionysus muttered. He could almost feel the invisible threat aimed at him. August's killing intent had targeted him without a second thought.

"Filvis. Do you really think that human was about to pull the trigger on me?" Dionysus asked, glancing at the elf beside him.

"YES."

Filvis Challia, the captain of the Dionysus Familia, didn't drop her guard for a second. She answered with certainty. She didn't doubt for a moment that August was fully prepared to execute her God right there in the street.

"He's dangerous. If he had attacked, we wouldn't have stood a chance," Filvis said coldly, trusting her instincts. In that moment, if the rookie had acted, both of them would be dead. Total party wipe. He would have finished them before she could even start a spell.

"What a scary kid," Dionysus said with a nervous laugh. He trusted Filvis's judgment. Anyone who could take out a [Level 7] before she could react was a real threat.

"Still, Adventurers can be a little too jumpy," Dionysus said, trying to shrug it off. He guessed the outsider just sensed they were hiding something and reacted strongly.

"Regardless. That's all he is."

With a dismissive wave, Dionysus turned and strolled into the Demeter Familia's compound.

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