Danmachi: The Multiverse Portal

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"Resurrection magic..."

For the first time, Hyakinthos Clio felt a cold knot of dread in his stomach.

A miracle spell. For a thousand years, it was only a rumor tied to fallen magical empires. No one in Orario had resurrection magic, and yet here it was, actively wielded by his opponent.

"Looks like I still have too few trump cards."

August ignored Hyakinthos. He clenched his fists and felt the weight of being just a normal human again. His mana was gone. The resurrection had drained every bit of magic from him—and now he was running only on physical stamina.

Knowing his limits didn't make him feel any better. He checked over his condition.

"The heavy sword burns too much stamina. Switching to a light blade."

He put the longsword back in his spatial backpack and took out a new, lightweight steel rapier. Compared to the rare weapons used by elite Adventurers, this was just a cheap blade.

But as soon as August grabbed the hilt, his footwork sped up.

"So fast." Hyakinthos tensed. "But we still have the numbers! You...!"

Before he could finish the sentence, August surged forward.

Countless thrusts turned into a blur of steel. The Apollo Familia members who tried to stop him were stabbed in the chest before they could react, dropping instantly from the cold steel.

"GAH!"

The closer they got, the faster they were skewered like pincushions.

Daphne Lauros gritted her teeth, drew her rapier, and chanted rapidly.

"Follow Blindly The Sun In The Sky. Blossom, Armor Of Laurel, So That All Will Flee From Thee!"

It was an enchantment spell meant to boost her agility and endurance.

Daphne stepped in front of Hyakinthos. She hated Apollo, hated his selfishness and the trouble he had caused them. But she couldn't ignore her duty. She was part of the Apollo Familia, and she would fight for its honor.

Daphne lunged at August, her speed vastly amplified by her magic.

August didn't even blink. He just swung.

He hadn't just learned to break sword forms in the last three days. He had mastered the art of the flurry.

"Nice magic," August noted calmly. "Too bad I'm running an attack-speed build."

As soon as they clashed, his right arm turned into a blur. His blade moved smoothly, sending a wild barrage at Daphne. No matter how much her magic boosted her speed, August was swinging thirty times faster.

For every strike she made, he landed thirty. Each thrust blocked her attack and countered right away. It only took one exchange.

Clang.

Daphne dropped to her knees, her sword hitting the cobblestones. Her custom, high-defense uniform was torn to shreds by the sheer number of strikes.

August's plain steel sword broke from the force. He tossed the hilt away and grabbed a new blade from his inventory.

"What the hell are your stats??" Hyakinthos stared in disbelief.

He knew Daphne was talented. She was an exceptional swordswoman. But August's speed was unreal. He had cut through a custom defensive uniform with a cheap, throwaway blade.

"Who knows," August shrugged, raising the fresh sword and cutting down the next person in his path.

"Dammit. The intelligence reports were completely wrong. Everything was wrong."

The suspense was gone, and Hyakinthos knew it. He had thought their rules and tactics would stop August, but the man's raw strength made no sense. Without knowing his real power, fighting him had been a doomed plan from the start.

But this was Lord Apollo's will.

"EVEN IF IT IS LORD APOLLO'S SELFISH WHIM, I WILL SEE IT THROUGH!" Hyakinthos roared, charging at August.

No matter how unreasonable his God was, Hyakinthos would carry out his will to the very end.

"Well said."

August heard the passionate, almost fanatical declaration. "You fight for your Patron God. I fight for Hestia. Let's see whose devotion runs deeper."

August lunged, his light sword flashing toward Hyakinthos. The moment their blades crossed, his speed spiked even higher.

"You bastard." Hyakinthos gritted his teeth, straining to parry the onslaught.

He hadn't expected August to match his passion. This wasn't just a duel anymore. It was a test of love.

Hyakinthos fought hard to hold his ground, but August was overwhelming. The pressure was so immense he could feel his own blade starting to crack.

'Am I going to lose?'

For the first time, his resolve started to falter.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

The Divine Assembly.

Watching the scene unfold, Hestia broke into a joyful smile.

"It's decided. Since it comes down to a final clash between our children... Ouranos, grant Hermes permission to teleport me and Apollo to the battlefield."

Hestia stood up and, with a quick movement, tore off the heavy padded coat she had been wearing all day. Beneath it was a stunning, custom-tailored princess dress.

"EHH?"

The other Gods were stunned. Teleporting to the battlefield? What kind of stunt was that?

"You... you were hiding this the whole time??" Loki's jaw dropped. This was over the top.

Sitting on his altar, Ouranos watched Hestia's dramatic display. Remembering a previous request from Artemis, he understood the show.

"Granted," he ruled.

The Gods gasped. Ouranos had actually allowed it.

Hermes, knowing exactly what was going on, smirked.

Hestia lifted her elegant skirt, holding her chin high with pride.

"What's wrong, Apollo? Is your devotion to your children really that shallow?" she taunted.

Before Apollo could fire back, Hermes activated his Arcanum and teleported both deities directly to the abandoned city.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

The battlefield.

The moment Apollo's feet hit the cobblestones, he flared his cape.

"STAND UP, MY CHILDREN! STAND UP AND FIGHT!" he yelled across the ruins.

He had to rally his broken troops. Their hundred-man team had been wiped out by ambushes and August's solo attack. Even Daphne had fallen, and fewer than twenty people were left.

Without something to lift their spirits, they were done for.

"Lord Apollo!" Hyakinthos gasped, his right arm shaking as he blocked August's attacks. He never thought his God would come down to the battlefield.

But before the Apollo Familia could regain their footing, another voice rang out in the streets.

"My most beloved Familia. Come! Show this world your devotion to me! I await your victorious embrace!"

Hestia stood behind August, her beautiful dress shining in the afternoon sun. Her words lifted everyone's spirits.

"..." August held his sword tightly, changing his stance as new energy filled him.

"This was your idea," Hyakinthos said, glaring at him. He never expected August to bring both gods to see the end. It was a strange move for a War Game.

"Not really," August answered, holding his blade steady. "I'm just frustrated with some Gods. They asked Hestia if her love for me was one-sided. So I'm using this moment to show everyone. My devotion to her is just as strong as hers for me."

He was clearly calling out the Adventurers and Gods who had mocked them.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

Inside the Ishtar Familia Temple, the Amazonian warriors watched the Divine Mirror closely, looking anxiously at Ishtar on her throne. Everyone knew Ishtar had provoked Hestia at the assembly. Now August was making it obvious to everyone.

"Ughh!"

Ishtar ground her teeth in anger. She was being mocked on a city-wide broadcast. But beneath the anger sat a bitter trace of envy.

In another part of Orario, members of a major Familia sat in a fancy tavern, watching the screen and gritting their teeth.

The declaration seemed like a personal attack, and it made them furious.

—•——•——•——•——•——•—

After hearing the declaration, Hyakinthos understood that August had held onto that grudge all along.

"I WON'T LOSE!" He drew a spare short sword.

"My devotion to Lord Apollo is not inferior to yours!"

He rushed forward, using all his strength for one last attack.

"Good," August praised, surging forward to meet him. "But my resolve won't lose to yours either."

August's blade moved faster than ever. Even with Apollo there to encourage them, Hyakinthos and the others struggled to keep up with the relentless speed of his attacks.

"Don't lose!" Apollo shouted, watching Hyakinthos get pushed back. He clenched his fists. "Keep fighting! Don't lose!"

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Hyakinthos screamed—channeling his God's encouragement as he thrust the short sword at August.

August also had people cheering for him.

"Go, Captain! You can do it, Lord August!"

Liliruca Arde came back with the rest of the Hestia Familia. Yui and Ui waved homemade flags and cheered loudly from the sidelines.

The Hestia Familia easily had the most supportive crowd.

"This is ridiculous," Apollo muttered, as his own cheers were lost in the noise from Hestia and her team. He couldn't match their loud support.

Before he could complain further, the battle reached its climax.

August pushed an Apollo member out of the way and blocked a Level 3 Adventurer who tried to attack from the side. He fought a tough battle, taking small injuries in exchange for stronger hits. Soon, only Hyakinthos was left.

August breathed hard, almost out of energy. Still, he never slowed down for even a moment.

"Aaaagh!"

Hyakinthos faced August alone and refused to give up. He glared fiercely, swung his short sword, and charged forward.

August's blade was his only answer. He swung hard and broke Hyakinthos's short sword in two.

Using that force, he slashed diagonally from Hyakinthos's left shoulder to his stomach.

Blood splattered on the cobblestones.

"BANG!"

Hyakinthos fell to the ground.

Right away, the divine ward of the War Game activated, making him unconscious and protecting him from death.

With the last person defeated, the Apollo Familia was officially out of the game.

Hermes channeled his Arcanum, amplifying Ibri Achaa's voice across the city.

"The battle is over! The winner of the War Game is the Hestia Familia!"

The announcement rang out in the empty streets and on every screen in Orario.

The city exploded with excitement. The Adventurers cheered for a clear, honest win. The Hestia Familia didn't use any tricks or delays—they faced a tough challenge and overcame it. It was a thrilling show.

Only the gamblers and the last members of Evilus were upset. Most bets had been placed on the Apollo Familia, thinking the weapon rules would make August useless. Seeing the Hestia Familia win easily hurt both their pride and their wallets.

For Evilus, watching August win in public after being chased by him was hard to accept.

Ishtar was especially angry. She had just seen August defeat a whole Familia using only his skill and determination.

"Why does that bastard get to win??"

As a Goddess of Beauty, Ishtar was furious that a man ignored her charm to show his devotion to Hestia. Hestia stood in the spotlight, wearing a beautiful dress and enjoying the city's admiration.

She was the star of Orario—and Ishtar's jealousy felt like poison.

The Amazons of the Ishtar Familia felt the opposite. They cheered loudly. The more August stood out, the more they wanted to win him over. They ignored their Goddess's bad mood—she was the one with a grudge.

They were driven by their desires, and winning over a strong, loyal man like August was their dream.

"The Apollo Familia..." one Amazon smirked. "What a bunch of useless trash."

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