What did the Gods love more than anything else? Entertainnt.
"August hasn't even begun to develop his strength yet. To the other Familias, he is basically the ultimate undiscovered goldmine," Hephaestus muttered, massaging her temples. "Seeing a light show like that... those vultures are probably itching to declare a War Ga over you."
She could already picture the impending chaos.
Even if the mob outside didn't know the exact details of August's abilities, the city-wide phenonon alone was enough to prove the kid was a walking cheat code. Those Gods would fight tooth and nail just to get their hands on him.
"NO WAY!"
Hestia panicked, imdiately wrapping her arms around August as if shielding him from bullies. "He is my very first Familia child! There is no way I'm letting anyone snatch him away!"
This was her Familia. She had finally found a mber, and the thought of losing him before they even started made her blood boil.
August glanced down at the Goddess clinging to his torso. Since he was a full-grown adult, Hestia's petite fra made her look like a child desperately hugging a giant stuffed animal. She was practically dangling off him like a koala.
Normally, he wouldn't mind a beautiful woman throwing herself at him, but the current situation didn't leave room for enjoying the mont.
"How about I just go ho for a bit and lay low until the heat dies down?" August suggested.
He had only co here to unlock his potential. Who could have guessed a simple Falna would trigger a server-wide announcent, painting a giant target on his back? He knew exactly how Gods operated.
Gods who had lived for countless eons were notoriously unpredictable and lacked any sense of boundaries—
If things were going to get this ssy, he might as well pop back to Earth and regroup. "Oh, right! Let's go ho!"
Hestia's panic vanished, instantly replaced by a surge of excitent.
Go ho? To which ho? There was only one answer... August's World!!
The mont she realized she could tag along and visit another dinsion, her heart practically leaped out of her chest.
'Yes! Let's go ho! Another world, here I co!' Hestia's lips curled into a wide grin.
Unfortunately, Hephaestus was right there.
Seeing her friend vibrating with excitent, the Goddess of Forging reached out and clamped a firm hand over Hestia's head.
"Hey. Where exactly do you think you're going?" Hephaestus glared at the runaway Goddess, knowing full well Hestia was trying to dump the impending disaster squarely on her shoulders.
"You're just going to leave here to take the fall?"
"If you try to run away, don't even think about coming back. As soon as you leave, I will reveal everything to the mob outside." Hephaestus ground her teeth.
Hestia was taking all the benefits and leaving her to clean up the ss. That was a scumbag move, even for a God.
"And you—" Hephaestus shifted her sharp gaze to August. "Running away at the first sign of trouble? Is that how you plan on being an adventurer?"
"If you have an ounce of decency, you will sit your ass down right there."
Hephaestus refused to let her own Familia take the brunt of the danger. Since August started this ss, he was going to stay right here and face the music.
August quietly sat back down. "Yes, ma'am..."
He instantly stiffened up, his posture rigid. Coming from a peaceful modern society, he knew better than to argue with an imposing authority figure. When a veteran gave an order, you listened.
Seeing August obediently stay put, Hephaestus felt a flicker of satisfaction.
'Looks like he really did grow up in a peaceful era. His aura and manners are vastly different from the thugs around here.'
In Orario, literacy and basic manners were rare commodities. Seven out of ten adventurers were illiterate—without the Falna, most wouldn't even know how to spell their own nas.
August, on the other hand, was polite and reserved. He carried a strong sense of restraint, looking genuinely uncomfortable and out of place in this chaotic environnt. For a grown man, he was far less feral than the average teenager in this city.
It was exactly this reasonable, grounded attitude that made Hephaestus view him as a diamond in the rough.
"August," Hephaestus began, her tone dead serious. "From this mont until the eting is over, you are forbidden from speaking to the other Gods."
"Wait a second, August doesn't even speak our language," Hestia interrupted, pointing out the most glaring issue. "If he even opens his mouth, those guys will instantly notice sothing is wrong."
The language from August's world was alien to this one. Unless a God actively used their Divine authority to translate, it would just sound like gibberish.
"Then keep him close and handle the talking yourself," Hephaestus decided. She paused, considering their options.
"We can't hide him forever. If August plans to live in Orario, he will inevitably cross paths with others. It's better to present him openly and deal with it now."
"August, given your abilities, this world is just your first stop. But you will likely be staying here for a while."
Hephaestus knew that a man with a portal wouldn't be tethered to one world forever. But for now, he was grounded here. Learning to navigate this city would serve as a good stepping stone for whatever lies ahead.
"Understood." August thought it over.
Hephaestus made a solid point. He couldn't just retreat to Earth and stay there forever. Having a Cheat ability like a two-way portal naturally sparked a sense of wanderlust. He was bound to explore countless other worlds in the future.
"I'll stay."
—•——•——•——•——•——•—
Hephaestus was about to give a few more instructions when Tsubaki's voice echoed from the hallway.
"Lady Hephaestus! The line is breaking!"
"We need you out here now!" Tsubaki shouted, her voice laced with exaggerated panic, making it sound like they were seconds away from being overrun.
The Gods outside were practically clawing at the walls. If her Patron Goddess didn't step out soon, the barricade would genuinely collapse. Of course, her shouting served a dual purpose—it was a loud, blaring warning to the room that ti was up.
Hearing her Captain's warning, Hephaestus let out a heavy sigh.
"I'll go handle them."
She knew the mob had run out of patience. Knowing the nature of the Gods, if it weren't for the formidable strength of the Hephaestus Familia, they would have kicked the doors down ten minutes ago.
"You two, wait right here."
She stood up and strode out of the room.
The second she pushed the door open, a deafening wave of noise flooded the corridor. Even with the workshop's premium soundproofing, it couldn't block out the volu of a divine riot.
The Gods outside were hollering and jumping around like a pack of wild monkeys, looking ready to tear the whole building apart.
—•——•——•——•——•——•—
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