Danmachi: The Multiverse Portal

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Deep inside the U.S. Capitol, within a guarded, high-security conference room.

Several middle-aged and older men in spotless, immaculate military uniforms sat ramrod straight around a large table. Everyone watched the head of the table in silence. All eyes were locked on the head of the table, yet no one spoke a word.

They were waiting...

The man at the head of the table, wearing a business suit, carefully flipped through a stack of classified documents.

The crisp sound of pages turning broke the silence.

Finally, he closed the emergency report.

"What are your thoughts?"

The man in the suit rubbed his temples, feeling the immense weight of the situation. Though he led the military, this was not a dictatorship—the men before him were the nation's pillars, and he required their absolute consensus.

He had to know who was fully on board.

This operation needed the nation's best equipment, including brand-new, experimental missiles fresh from the assembly line.

Hearing the question, the generals exchanged quiet, knowing glances.

They already knew the latest intelligence. Even with the strange reality of cross-dimensional summoning, one thing was clear: the other world faced a huge crisis.

To survive that crisis, August needed overwhelming firepower.

Requesting these weapons was entirely justified.

"Speak your minds. After all, I am not the one out there on the front lines," the man in the suit said with a faint smile. He knew the others were waiting for him to decide, but he wanted their open support. If they were going to use all their weapons, it had to be a choice everyone agreed on. No regrets later.

"Approved." The generals nodded in unison.

Deny the request? Absolutely not!

They understood the idea of return on investment. The advanced anti-target missiles in their silos were built using monster materials August had sent them.

These weapons had powerful blasts designed to destroy magical or supernatural creatures.

August didn't owe them a damn thing.

Furthermore, the official reasoning provided for the requisition was flawless: a temporary mobilization of weapons for an inter-dimensional transaction.

In public, they would deny any involvement. In private, everyone here knew August was loyal to his country. They shared a silent understanding.

Plus they still owed him for all the valuable resources he had given them.

And beyond national interests, there was a strongly personal factor. August was a healer.

With magic that could heal even lost limbs, none of them could be sure they would never need a new organ. Having a healer like August meant they could live longer and keep their families safe.

For logical, emotional, and personal reasons—they had to support him, even if it meant using all the nation's resources.

"..." A distinguished general seated near the front slowly broke his silence.

"I am an old man. I have no interest in fighting over fame or political power anymore," the general rasped, his cloudy eyes sharpening with sudden intensity.

"But at this critical juncture, that boy cannot be allowed to fall."

"In a very real sense, he is the eternal witness to our nation's future."

The old general had reached the highest rank in the military. He did not need another promotion. He knew the nation's next big step would not happen in his lifetime—it would be up to the next generation.

August, who might live as long as a myth, would be there to see it all. He was meant to witness the rise and fall of their civilization. That was certain.

Everyone in the room instantly understood the weight of the general's words...

August was still in his twenties, with a future full of promise. They could not let him die in another world because he lacked weapons. Protecting him and helping him overcome this challenge was their duty.

"I second the motion!"

The rest of the room voiced their immediate agreement.

"Since there are no objections, execute the plan," the man in a business suit ordered.

He looked at the elderly general and saw how age had affected him. He knew the old soldier would soon retire or pass away. As men grew older, they came to understand what was truly important and what should be passed on.

Orders were issued.

Specialized missiles were immediately pulled from the manufacturing lines and heavily escorted to a classified military sector.

These weapons were destined straight for August's [Spatial Backpack].

August took a specialized military transport to retrieve the nation's ultimate trump cards.

Among the weapons was one special device. Using the supernatural materials August had given them, the top researchers spared no expense in quickly building a prototype: a supermassive warhead capable of destroying a tectonic plate.

If detonated, the blast would vaporize the earth's surface within a carefully calculated radius.

"!!!" When August finally laid eyes on the warhead, he was speechless.

It was more than just a missile. The thing was the size of a small city. It was so huge that moving it out of the facility needed a major logistical effort.

According to the old scientists who built it, the weapon couldn't even be launched. It could only be dropped.

If August triggered it from his inventory, it would explode right away. The warhead's core was packed with special explosives covered in magical runes, made to ignite instantly and create the most terrifying, beautiful explosion ever seen.

Even against a God, using this weapon would give August the extra seconds he needed to escape through his portal.

At least, that was what the data showed.

But having that huge warhead in his inventory made August feel completely safe.

'With this, I can survive anything.'

Fully armed, August hurried with the commanding general, stepped through the portal, and returned to the Danmachi universe.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

Only a single day had passed since he left.

But in Orario, that single day had caused a frenzy.

Inside the Pantheon conference room.

Every major God residing in Orario was seated around the grand table. They had been summoned by Ganesha for an emergency Denatus.

"Ganesha, why the hell did you drag us all out here?" Loki groaned, leaning back in her chair.

Didn't he know she was busy worrying about her Familia's budget? She didn't have time to waste with these people. She had a deep-floor expedition to plan.

"I AM GANESHA!"

The elephant-masked God roared toward the ceiling, striking his signature pose before finally getting to the point.

"This concerns Hermes." Ganesha turned to look at Loki.

"Hermes? What does that slick bastard have to do with anything?"

Several Gods who knew Hermes well looked up, surprised. Hermes was known for being tricky. Everyone knew he always had a few secrets.

"The Hestia Familia has officially accepted a Guild subjugation quest regarding the Elsos Ruins," Ganesha announced. "A massive swarm of ancient monsters has appeared in the area."

"To resolve the threat, August, the captain of the Hestia Familia, has been dispatched for the subjugation."

Loki slammed her hands on the table.

"OI! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?"

"Those ancient monsters are nightmares! Back in the dark ages, not even renowned heroes or Great Spirits could fully wipe them out! And you sent the shrimp's rookie to handle it?? Have you lost your mind??"

Even though August was strong, Loki knew the history of those ruins. The monsters there had always been dangerous. Even if they were weaker now, they were still far too much for a rookie.

Those things could literally kill Hestia.

"Correct," Ganesha nodded calmly. "Which is exactly why the Adventurer's Guild has authorized August to summon reinforcements from his own world."

"Summoning?? Are you serious??"

All the Gods in the room were stunned.

"Settle down. According to the message Hermes sent, the subjugation forces are preparing to move out right now," Ganesha continued.

"By our timeline, this is their fourth day of preparation."

Ganesha looked up toward the ceiling. "Ouranos, request permission to use Divine Power to establish a link with Hermes."

"Permission granted," Ouranos's voice resounded from the void above.

Ganesha used his Divine Power to create a direct visual link with Hermes.

Hermes sensed the connection and realized the Pantheon was watching him.

"Showtime."

Hermes quickly straightened his feathered hat and gave a bright smile as the visual feed appeared on the Divine Mirror in the conference room.

"Yaho! How's everyone doing?" Hermes waved cheerfully at his fellow Gods.

"Hermes, what is the situation at your end?" Ganesha demanded.

"Well... It's a little different from what you're probably expecting," Hermes scratched his cheek.

These soldiers were nothing like the unruly troops from the Rakia Kingdom. They gave off a different energy.

"But I have to admit, these kids are incredibly blinding."

Hermes stepped aside and moved the visual feed to show what was behind him.

The Gods gasped.

The wilderness had changed completely. A large, well-organized military camp had appeared where there was nothing before.

Hermes raised the camera to give everyone a bird's-eye view.

Solid, even concrete roads were already in place. The nearby poor village had been cleaned up and organized. But the most surprising thing was the soldiers—they were helping the villagers harvest crops and fix their homes.

"Aaaahhhhhh—!"

The first person to react wasn't Ganesha, nor was it Loki.

It was Freya.

Freya stared at the ordinary-looking soldiers on the screen. On the surface, they looked just like August. But the moment she used her divine eyes to peer into their souls, she violently recoiled.

She felt as though she had just stared directly into a blazing sun.

The intense luminance of their souls—united in selfless and unshakable dedication—clashed strongly with her own divine nature of selfish desire and love that it felt like it burned her eyes.

She covered her face, letting out a pained gasp.

She couldn't look at them. The strength of their shared conviction seemed to cut right through her Godhood.

"Lady Freya??"

"What happened??"

"Who knows? She just looked at the screen and collapsed in pain!"

The Gods were completely confused. What kind of reaction was that?

Only Loki, who knew the Goddess of Beauty better than anyone, understood what had happened. Seeing those soldiers had completely shattered her worldview.

"Fascinating. It seems the humans from that kid's world are something special," Loki grinned, her interest peaking.

She leaned in, studying every detail to figure out what made these soldiers so impressive.

The more she watched, the more amazed she was.

As Hermes explained, the Gods learned the truth. August's soldiers were helping the sick and poor villagers without asking for any payment. They worked out of pure selflessness.

When a villager fell ill, specialized medical teams stepped in to diagnose and treat them on the spot.

When an elderly village woman tried to forcefully shove a warm, boiled potato into a young soldier's hands as thanks, the hardened warrior actually blushed, awkwardly trying to decline the meager offering.

When the local village girls shyly tried to present them with romantic gifts, the soldiers became entirely flustered. Yet, bound by ironclad discipline, they respectfully declined the advances.

They simply returned to their posts and continued their work.

They showed strict discipline, ignored temptations, refused rewards, and worked hard to help others.

How could an army of people this remarkable even exist?

"No wonder August is such a gentle, principled person. In their eyes, this level of kindness is just the baseline," Miach murmured in awe.

He had always thought August was truly exceptional. Healing the wounded without asking for money was rare in Orario. Even though it hurt his own Familia's potion business, Miach admired the boy's honest wish to save lives.

He thought August was a one-of-a-kind anomaly...

But as he watched the screen, he realized August wasn't an exception. In August's world, this kind of dedication was normal.

"Incredible," Takemikazuchi nodded in agreement.

He didn't dislike August's ruthless methods in the Dungeon. In fact, he respected them. That was how a true man operated.

And seeing a whole army that followed those same principles? He loved it.

Hermes's broadcast made it clear. In only three days, this army had transformed everything around the village. With a little more time, they could probably modernize the whole area.

And right on cue, Hestia's voice rang out from across the room.

"That is the power of my Familia's connections! Excellent!" Hestia struck a dramatic pose, puffing out her chest and showing off her unmatched confidence.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

"..." There it was.

That was Hestia's classic gloating.

Right now, she was the undisputed star of Orario.

There was a saying: It's not watching your rival suffer that hurts, it's watching her succeed.

Hearing Hestia's smug bragging, Loki's eyes widened in disbelief.

She was overwhelmed with jealousy.

"That damn shrimp... she's taking all the glory!" Loki wanted to cry.

She had initially assumed these soldiers would be standard grunts, comparing them to the corrupt, undisciplined kingdom armies of their own world.

She had been dead wrong.

No kingdom in their world could create an army with this kind of perfect moral integrity and youthful passion.

And this legendary army was brought here by Hestia.

"Hephaestus! You're still hiding things from me, aren't you??" Loki practically lunged across the table, grabbing Hephaestus by the collar and violently shaking her. "Stop hiding things! You and the shrimp were the first ones to meet him! You definitely know all his secrets!"

The surrounding Gods leaned in, eyes wide with curiosity. Everyone knew August had gone straight to the Hephaestus Familia the moment he arrived in Orario.

"I don't know a damn thing," Hephaestus replied, completely deadpan.

Did she know the details? Hell no.

All she could do was guess at August's plans. Hestia was very protective of her food and guarded August's secrets closely, never letting Hephaestus get too close.

Every time Hestia visited the forge, she just bragged, ate free food, and kept her mouth shut. Her lips were sealed tight.

"Watch the screen yourself if you want answers," Hephaestus pointed at the Divine Mirror, brushing Loki off.

"DAMMIT!"

"I'M GOING TO FIND A FLAW! I SWEAR I'M GOING TO FIND A WEAKNESS AND LAUGH IN THAT SHRIMP'S FACE!"

Loki seethed, glaring at Hephaestus's stoic expression. She was furious.

She could handle Hestia being unhappy, but watching her succeed felt like torture. Hestia had really found something special. The kids on the screen were just too impressive.

However, in the very next second, the scene within the Divine Mirror shifted.

The scattered military personnel rapidly began to assemble.

The Army, Navy, and Air Force honor guard marched forward in perfect unison. Their precise movements seemed to shake the ground.

The entire division stood at attention.

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