Danmachi: The Multiverse Portal

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2600-Word Chapter!

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Space Ishtar understood the situation the moment she looked at the Goddess standing across from her.

The Ishtar of this world was wild, shameless—and driven by her desires. They shared the same Divine Origin, but they used it in completely different ways.

Even so, Space Ishtar hadn't thought their first meeting would start this way. She looked at Space Ereshkigal, then smiled confidently at August.

"Master, leave these women to me."

"Go ahead."

August and Lili stepped back, leaving Space Ishtar's projection alone in the middle of the Ishtar Familia's territory.

That smile of hers looked far too pleased.

She was planning something...

Anyone with any sense would have felt nervous.

Ereshkigal knew exactly why Space Ishtar was angry. She didn't plan to compete for this fight, so she quietly stepped aside and let her sister have her fun.

Space Ishtar rested one hand near the gun at her waist and swept her gaze across the surrounding Amazons.

"So, who wants to fight me? All of you together?" Her eyes shifted toward the tower behind them. "Or should I wait for the strongest one hiding back there?"

The dark-skinned women around her looked like the Amazons from myth, but Space Ishtar didn't care much about appearances. What interested her was the fox girl hiding deeper in the compound.

Mana was flowing from Haruhime Sanjouno.

The spell she cast settled over a huge woman coming out of the shadows, pushing her Status past its usual limits. Phryne Jamil walked forward with a giant axe on her shoulder, her body growing even larger from the level boost—taking her from Level 5 to Level 6 strength.

A broad grin spread across her toad-like face.

"I'LL CRUSH YOU!" Phryne charged, swinging the axe toward Space Ishtar's head.

Space Ishtar slipped aside.

The axe hit the street, splitting the stone. Phryne roared and swung again, but Space Ishtar dodged easily, moving around the huge Adventurer like it was no effort.

Her gaze flicked toward Haruhime's hiding place.

'So that fox girl is the one strengthening her.'

"Why are the rest of you standing there?" Ishtar shouted. "Take her down together!"

The battle prostitutes moved right away, surrounding Space Ishtar from all sides. Their Goddess had given the order, and none of them wanted an outsider to embarrass their Familia at home.

Space Ishtar barely spared them a glance.

"My turn..." Her figure blurred.

She appeared beside the first group of Amazons and drew the weapon at her waist. What emerged wasn't an ordinary katana, but a blade formed from condensed energy.

One swing sent a bright arc tearing across the street.

"WHAT—??"

The Amazons raised their weapons, but it was too late. The energy wave tore through them and sent several women flying into nearby buildings. Before the rest could regroup, Space Ishtar spun and sent out two more slashes, breaking their circle.

She landed lightly and sheathed the energy blade.

Then she vanished again.

Phryne had only just recovered from her missed swing when Space Ishtar appeared in front of her.

"You're too slow!"

She grabbed Phryne by the head.

"Down you go!" Space Ishtar drove her face-first into the street.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The pavement gave way under Phryne's body. Her axe flew out of her hands, and the Level 6 Adventurer stopped moving.

Space Ishtar didn't look back. She stepped on Phryne's body, jumped into the air, and came down toward the remaining leaders.

"Impossible..." one of the Amazons muttered. "Is this really how a Goddess fights?"

Aisha Belka watched Space Ishtar move. The Goddess fought with speed, skill, and a casual violence that made Phryne's brute strength look awkward. Every punch hit its mark. Every step put her in the perfect spot.

Even weakened into a Shadow Servant, Space Ishtar was tearing through the Ishtar Familia.

Aisha was one of the strongest Level 3 Adventurers around, and Haruhime's magic could boost her to Level 4 for a short time. But Phryne had reached Level 6 and still lost in seconds. Aisha knew she wouldn't do any better.

Still, she refused to give in. She began her chant, drawing out every last trace of magic her body could endure.

Space Ishtar looked over.

"Oh? At least you have some spirit."

Then her expression turned serious. "But aren't you underestimating a Goddess a little too much?"

She disappeared.

Aisha caught a glimpse of movement and raised her weapon, but Space Ishtar was already inside her guard. A boot slammed into her stomach.

"Guh—!"

Aisha flew backward and crashed on the other side of the street.

"SISTER AISHA!"

"AISHA!"

The other Amazons hurried to protect her. No one had moved when Phryne fell, but as soon as Aisha was hurt, the women gathered around her. Some even shielded her with their bodies, even though Space Ishtar's earlier attacks had left them barely able to stand.

"..." Space Ishtar paused.

'Interesting.'

Phryne might have been their captain on paper, but Aisha was clearly the one these women trusted.

"She looks more like their real leader."

Aisha forced herself up despite the pain, refusing to stay down while the women around her were still fighting.

Space Ishtar couldn't help but respect that.

Her current body was just a projected Shadow Servant, so her stats were much lower than her real self. But her Divine Origin gave her a big advantage over the Ishtar Familia. These women worshipped Ishtar, and their faith naturally responded to her.

This world's Ishtar's divinity was all about beauty, desire, and seduction. Space Ishtar didn't care much for any of that. Her own nature was focused on battle, explosive power, and a more heroic kind of freedom.

She might not be able to charm the Amazons into obeying her, but she could make them admire her.

"HMPH. I'M THE REAL ISHTAR!" the local Goddess declared.

She expected her followers to look at her with the same devotion as always. But now, several of the battle prostitutes were staring at Space Ishtar with shining eyes.

They didn't only desire men. A strong woman could capture their attention just as easily. And Space Ishtar claimed the same name as their Goddess.

For the Amazons, admiration was almost the same as worship. The more they saw her take control of the fight, the more excited they became. She looked young, confident, and full of life.

Most importantly, she was strong. She had jumped into a fight against a whole Familia without hesitation and defeated their strongest members in one go.

What an incredible Ishtar!!

This world's Ishtar could feel her Charm slipping away right in front of her. Her followers were starting to admire another version of herself.

'I can't allow this...' She needed to take back control. If Space Ishtar stayed much longer, she might win over half the Familia without even trying.

Before Ishtar could come up with a plan, another voice called out from behind August.

"Yahallo!" Space Ereshkigal stepped forward with the golden cage still held in her arms and gave this world's Ishtar a friendly wave.

"..." Ishtar stared at her. She hadn't expected Ereshkigal to greet her so casually. The gloomy Goddess of the Underworld had never acted like that around her before.

Her confusion lasted only a moment.

"What do you want, you damned cave-dwelling creep?"

Ereshkigal's welcoming smile froze. Her mouth twitched.

"You little—!"

"Master, can I handle this one?" Ereshkigal was furious.

No matter the universe, Ishtar was just as annoying.

She stood there holding her golden cage, wearing a pleasant smile. But the smile was so forced that anyone could tell it was unsettling.

"Sure."

August noticed Ereshkigal's clothes fluttering, even though there was no wind. She was beginning to reveal her darker side.

"You... What are you planning?"

Ereshkigal walked calmly and gracefully toward Ishtar.

With every step, Ishtar grew more nervous.

Ishtar could tell Ereshkigal's body was only temporary, made from mana—yet she didn't want to make the first move. If she returned to Heaven after fighting this version of her sister, the real Ereshkigal might want revenge.

"What do you think?" Ereshkigal lunged.

"I'M GOING TO BEAT YOU UP!"

She lifted the golden cage and dropped it right over Ishtar's head. With her Divine Power sealed, Ishtar hadn't expected this other Ereshkigal to attack so quickly. The cage pinned her arms to her sides, and she stumbled blindly as Ereshkigal pulled her down.

"LADY ISHTAR!" The Ishtar Familia's fighters scrambled to their feet, ready to help.

"You called?"

Space Ishtar casually kicked Phryne Jamil aside and turned to face them.

The Amazons froze.

"..."

Now there were two Ishtars before them. If they rushed to defend "Lady Ishtar," they might end up helping the wrong one. Worse, attacking Space Ishtar could mean defying another form of the Goddess they worshipped.

The women looked helplessly at one another.

"What do we do?"

"She's also Lady Ishtar..." No one had an answer.

Meanwhile, this world's Ishtar's face was already bright red from Ereshkigal's slaps.

"YOU DAMNED CAVE-DWELLING HAG!"

Getting beaten by what seemed like another version of her gloomy sister was humiliating, but Ishtar refused to give in. A Goddess might lose a fight, but she would never admit defeat.

"My, my~" Ereshkigal looked thoroughly pleased with herself. "I'll have you know, I am the most beautiful flower in the Underworld."

Among all the heroines in the game, Ereshkigal had always felt like one of the clearest romantic choices.

"August told me that himself~"

She smiled proudly—

Smack!

Then she slapped Ishtar again.

"Don't look down on me!!" Ishtar's anger finally overwhelmed her judgment. Her eyes lit up with the Charm of the Goddess of Beauty.

Seduction was one of her greatest powers.

As soon as her gaze swept across the street, the Adventurers nearby froze. Their minds clouded with desire. Even Lili felt the pressure in her mind, trying to break her resistance and make her obey.

"Put away that pathetic Charm."

Smack!

Ereshkigal responded with another slap. Now the other side of Ishtar's face was swollen too, matching the first.

"That doesn't work on me."

"What...?"

Ishtar stared at her. It made sense that Space Ishtar could resist Charm since they shared the same Divine Origin. August also had enough resistance to handle it. But Ereshkigal shouldn't have had any natural Authority to protect her from Ishtar's seduction.

"Hmph."

Ereshkigal raised her chin.

A faint, starry meter appeared above her head, glowing with seven lit segments. As soon as it showed up, the Charm on everyone nearby broke. The Amazons and Lili got their minds back, though they still remembered everything that happened.

Everyone stared at the strange display.

"What is that?"

"A representation of Affection." Ereshkigal proudly pointed toward the meter. "When I fight with Master, the more affection we have, the stronger I get. Usually, it would start at zero."

She paused for dramatic effect.

"But mine—" Ereshkigal's smile turned even smugger.

"Starts at seven!!"

The surrounding Amazons counted the seven glowing sections.

Seven levels of affection.

It almost looked like a Level 7 Status.

"You..." Ishtar's eyes widened. "How could a gloomy woman like you possibly be loved by anyone?"

As the Goddess of Beauty and Desire, Ishtar understood lust better than almost anyone. But this was the first time she'd seen a power born from such simple, almost innocent affection.

"How rude." Ereshkigal placed a hand against her chest. "This is pure love!"

Space Ereshkigal existed because of August. She wasn't exactly the same as the original, but all the features of her Saint Graph were still there.

Her Master Affection Gauge not only made her stronger—it also protected her from mental attacks like Charm.

This was the power of pure love.

"Tch." Lili and Space Ishtar both clicked their tongues.

Lili was annoyed by how openly the Goddess showed off her bond with August. Space Ishtar was upset because Ereshkigal had stolen the spotlight from her big entrance.

Neither of them liked seeing her act so proud.

'She's infuriating.'

Ishtar could barely believe it. For the first time ever, the Goddess of Beauty was humiliated by something as silly as pure love.

And that silly power had broken her Charm.

"You're out of tricks now, aren't you?" Ereshkigal pushed Ishtar to the ground. "Then I won't hold back."

The underworld goddess powered by pure love started beating her for real.

One slap.

Two slaps.

Three.

She didn't hit hard enough to draw blood. She used just enough force to leave Ishtar's face swollen and take away every bit of her dignity.

Never underestimate a Goddess's control—especially one who knew August's abilities well enough to copy his favorite way of humiliating someone.

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With the whole Ishtar Familia stunned, Lili finally turned to the fox girl trembling in a hidden corner.

"You." She looked Haruhime Sanjouno over and confirmed she was the one they'd come to find. There were also a few unexpected bonuses.

"What are you planning, Little Light?"

Aisha Belka forced herself to stand as soon as Lili approached Haruhime. She gripped her large curved sword and stepped between them, even though she was hurt.

She wasn't called the Antianeira for nothing. No matter how badly she was beaten, Aisha would always protect her friends.

"We came here to select some maids," Lili said. "And unless I'm mistaken, these girls were recently brought in by the Ishtar Familia."

She looked past Haruhime at several frail children hiding in the shadows. None of them seemed older than twelve or thirteen.

They were probably new captives.

Outside Orario, wars between kingdoms, food shortages, bandits, and human traffickers created a steady supply of victims. The criminals captured girls from villages and poorer territories, then smuggled them toward the city to be sold. Slavery was forbidden within Orario under the laws imposed by the Gods, but the nations outside the city were another matter.

People could be cruel.

So could the Gods.

"We're taking them with us," Lili declared, pointing toward the children. "The Hestia Familia needs people to maintain its base."

Working as live-in maids for the Hestia Familia would still be a job, but compared to what waited for them in the Entertainment District, it was a huge stroke of luck.

Aisha stared at her.

"You're seriously planning to take them by force?"

Lili didn't even bother pretending to negotiate.

"Do you want a War Game?"

August finally spoke. He had been paying attention the whole time.

"We just finished dealing with the Apollo Familia." He gave a small smile. "But if the Ishtar Familia wants to be our next punching bag, we can make that happen."

The Ishtar Familia's fighters hesitated. No one in Orario had forgotten what happened to Apollo's Familia. August and his friends had destroyed a much bigger group, taken all their property, and forced their God out of the city.

Who would volunteer to become their next target?

"Let Lady Ishtar go."

Aisha looked toward Phryne, who was already unconscious, then toward her Goddess, who was still being slapped around by Ereshkigal. She knew there was no one else she could rely on.

"I'll exchange Haruhime and those girls for Ishtar's release."

If giving up a few new captives could save the Goddess and the rest of the Familia, Aisha would make that choice. She was responsible, and she acted like it.

A Goddess in exchange for several smuggled girls.

The terms were harsh, but understandable.

August, Lili, and even Space Ishtar looked at Aisha with new respect.

She really was impressive.

Even while hurt and surrounded by enemies, every choice she made put her friends first.

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