Loki wiped the tears from her eyes, her face still lit up with laughter.
"I thought he'd be some kind of dangerous lunatic, but I didn't expect he'd turn out to be a comedian like Ganesha. What a riot!"
"I am Ganesha!" came the booming voice from the side, echoing with the force of a self-introduction that brooked no interruption.
Akira's calm facade finally cracked. His lips twitched, and his expression faltered as he turned helplessly to the one person he could rely on.
He silently pleaded with his eyes—Goddess, please save me.
Astraea, ever the embodiment of composure, clapped her hands softly and let out a sigh as if she too had given up.
"Loki, that's enough. Laugh any harder, and Akira really might bolt."
Akira's lips twitched again. He said with a deadpan voice, "I was hoping for support... not betrayal."
"Hahahaha! He can run away?! What is he, a rabbit?" Loki howled even louder, her laughter now entirely unrestrained.
Akira gave up. There was no salvation to be found.
So, instead of wallowing in embarrassment, he drew a breath, forced his voice into steady calm, and spoke, "Does Loki-sama have any actual questions to ask me, or are we still in the comedy phase?"
Loki wiped her eye once more and finally leaned forward, eyes narrowing. The joking mood faded slightly as her sharp gaze locked onto Akira, studying him with a scrutinizing intensity.
A long pause stretched.
"You've probably got a skill that accelerates your growth." She said at last.
"Upper-floor monsters stopped being a challenge for you, so you dove into the middle floors while you were still Level 1."
"But that's not what really matters."
Loki rested her elbow on the table, chin in hand, her expression unreadable. "What I'm curious about... is whether you're chasing your limit."
Her eyes gleamed with a complex mix of interest and uncertainty.
"Why did you level up so quickly? Even if you have a growth-type skill, it shouldn't be this fast. No... it's more likely that you've already broken your limit."
The air grew tense. Loki's casual tone couldn't mask the weight of her speculation.
She leaned back and continued, "After all, that thing on the 18th floor… A Level 1 can't kill that alone in minutes. Even Ais had to rely on Avenger and magic to take it down."
"This kind of absurd strength... only those who've shattered the boundaries can display something like that."
Despite her calm voice, her conclusion rang loud and clear.
Akira remained silent. His expression hadn't changed, but beside him, Astraea's brows furrowed subtly. Without hesitation, she reached over and gently grabbed Akira's wrist.
Her voice was warm, comforting, and low. "Don't worry, Akira. Loki isn't a god who would act recklessly. You're safe here."
Under the table, Akira quietly dissolved the elemental energy that had begun to gather in his palm.
The faint divine pressure that had leaked out vanished completely.
Loki blinked—and a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Oh my, just as Finn said… You're bolder than you look. Even gods aren't off-limits to you, huh?"
The weight of the moment dispersed like smoke. Loki casually reached for her teacup and sipped.
Now finally catching on, the two male gods turned toward Akira with startled expressions.
Akira smiled cheerfully, as if the tense atmosphere from moments before was a figment of their imagination.
"Me? Kill gods? How could I dare commit such a crime, Loki-sama?"
It was the kind of reply a child would give when caught red-handed but pretending innocence.
Everyone knew the truth behind the smile.
Loki narrowed her eyes, her voice soft and laced with mock doubt. "Let's just pretend that's true. Come on, Ais, we're leaving. I've got what I came for."
Standing up, she ruffled her own hair and stretched.
Seeing Loki about to leave, Ais gave a polite wave in Akira's direction.
As they turned toward the exit, Akira suddenly called out, "Ais, want to go to the dungeon together tomorrow?"
Ais turned halfway, her usual calm eyes lighting up just a little. "Mm. Let's go to the dungeon together."
Loki's body jerked as though struck by lightning.
"Oi oi oi! Eleven beautiful girls aren't enough for you, brat? Now you're trying to snatch my precious Ais?! Do you have a death wish?!"
She rolled up her sleeves, clearly preparing for combat.
But Ais, as if completely used to this routine, grabbed the hem of Loki's clothes and gently pulled her away. "Loki, let's go. Bye, Akira."
"Wait, wait—Ais! Let go! I'm gonna clobber that brat!!" Loki's protests echoed through the hall as she was dragged out.
Akira raised a hand and waved casually. "See you tomorrow."
As Loki's wild voice faded down the corridor, the atmosphere calmed.
The remaining two gods shared a glance, now fully aware that it was time for them to leave.
Astraea gave them a refined smile—but there was unmistakable pressure behind her gentle voice. "You heard what Loki said, didn't you? Please refrain from spreading Akira's information."
A subtle but undeniable threat hung in the air.
The two gods felt a chill.
"Of course!"
"We understand completely!"
They replied in unison, nodding so fast it was almost comical.
"Would you like me to call Alise and the others for a proper sendoff?" Astraea added lightly, her tone still gentle.
"They're in the girls' dormitory right now, so I can't allow you to go there yourselves."
Hermes immediately waved his hands and said, "No, no, that won't be necessary."
He stood and removed his hat, bowing slightly toward Akira. "Then I'll take my leave here. I look forward to your future exploits, and I'll spread your heroic tale far and wide."
"As for Asfi… thank you for tolerating her presence for a while."
With a charming smile, Hermes donned his hat once more and made his way toward the exit.
Only Ganesha remained.
Akira and Astraea turned to the last remaining god, silently prompting him.
"I am Ganesha!"
Then, as if reciting a decree, he spoke with rare solemnity, "May your presence bring peace to Orario. That is my sole wish."
Akira stood and bowed slightly. "As a member of the Astraea Familia, and for the sake of justice, I'll do my utmost to protect Orario."
Ganesha nodded in approval.
"Adi, let's go. I am Ganesha!"
With another trademark shout, he followed the others out of the hall.
The heavy air finally lifted. Akira let out a deep breath, the tension in his shoulders easing. He pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket and opened it.
"Astraea-sama, I want to show you something. A new magic tool I've completed."
Astraea walked closer, her expression curious.
Inside the bag was a single necklace, its frame black and elegant. It shimmered faintly with mysterious light.
"Teleportation Necklace 3.0." Akira said, holding it up with a gleam of pride in his tired eyes.
"This version requires me to enter blood mage state. I infused it with both Alise's and my blood—it activates automatically when either of us is in danger."
"At the same time, it can be activated manually with magic. The dimensional energy and mystery materials used will teleport the user into the void, evading all incoming attacks."
"It can even carry one additional person… but the dizziness will be stronger. And it's limited to three uses."
As he finished explaining, Astraea looked at the necklace, then back at Akira.
The dark circles under his eyes were painfully obvious.
She reached up, fingers soft and warm, and gently brushed beneath his eyes.
"My poor child…"
"Goddess."
Akira said with a small grin, "Do you want to test it? Teleportation's kind of a strange sensation."
Astraea's eyes moved from the necklace to Akira's face.
Trust glimmered in her gaze. She smiled, serene and proud.
"I believe in you, Akira."
He nodded, taking her hand with great care. Then, reverently, he placed the necklace into her palm—and infused it with magic.