Forge and Steel

Loki familia meeting room.

"Alright, I won't waste time with nonsense. I'll get straight to the point: everyone here should be aware of the critical situation Orario is currently in," declared Loki, standing up with an unusually serious expression as she looked at the assembled familias.

Loki observed as everyone, gods and adventurers alike, nodded with a grave expression before continuing. "Right now, we're dealing with a rather troublesome group. Some of you already know them, others maybe not so much. I'm referring to the dreaded Dark Faction, a group of fanatics led by other equally crazy gods," Loki explained, her tone laced with irritation. "As you can see, it's not a pleasant combination."

Before Loki could continue, Demeter raised her hand with a worried expression. "Loki-san, I want to confirm something. Are we completely sure that we're dealing with the Dark Faction?"

Loki sighed, nodding as her eyes reflected the exhaustion of the situation. "Yes, Demeter, we've confirmed their presence. These aren't mere rumors. Their pattern of attacks and the marks they leave at each site match their methods of chaos and destruction." She paused for a moment to observe the reactions in the room, looking for any sign of doubt.

Most of the gods looked visibly uncomfortable at Loki's confirmation; clearly, the Dark Faction is a group that instills considerable fear among them.

"Moreover, we've also identified some of their members who already have prior records." Wanting to make the severity of the situation clear to all the gods and adventurers, Loki revealed additional information.

The revelation added a new weight to the room's atmosphere. Some murmurs could be heard among those present, and several adventurers furrowed their brows.

Loki allowed her words to resonate in the room for a few moments, letting the gravity of the situation sink into everyone. "As you can see," she continued firmly, "this situation can no longer be ignored, and we have to face it as a real threat to Orario as a whole."

The murmur in the room faded, replaced by looks of concentration. The adventurers sat up in their seats, mentally preparing for what was to come.

"Therefore, my Loki familia, together with the adventurers' guild, has decided to organize this meeting to decide how to deal with this group of people." After delivering the message, Loki returned to her seat.

Silence enveloped the room, and gods and adventurers looked at each other; now that Loki had laid all the cards on the table, it was clear that the solution to this problem would have to be addressed today.

"My Astraea familia is ready to protect Orario to the end." The first god to stand was Astraea, the goddess of justice.

As the goddess who represents justice, it was natural for her to confront any threat that could harm Orario. And now, with the Dark Faction disturbing the city's peace, Astraea didn't hesitate for a second to take the lead.

"Fufu, my Freya familia will not tolerate those little rats in Orario either. I'll give all the support I can," declared Freya with a beautiful smile.

"HAHAHAHA, I AM GANESHA!" With his vibrant laughter filling the room, Ganesha stood up from his seat, his heroic stance and voice full of determination. "The Ganesha familia will not back down from anyone!"

One by one, the gods with great influence in Orario declared their support; after all, for them, any damage to the city was a loss, so they would never allow a group like the Dark Faction to run amok.

"The Hephaistos familia will provide the material support needed." Hephaistos, who had remained silent, also raised her hand and declared her support.

However, even after her declaration, the gazes of some gods and adventurers remained fixed on her... or rather on the two figures behind her: Pyrion and Tsubaki. The adventurers knew that Hephaistos' support didn't just mean the supply of weapons; her two best smiths, recognized as the most skilled in Orario, could also make a difference in any battle.

"Looks like they're expecting something more than just weapons," Tsubaki murmured softly.

"Hey, it's my fault for being so amazing," Pyrion shrugged with a confident smile, knowing exactly what those gods expected from them. The Hephaistos familia didn't just bring exceptional weapons; it also had two of Orario's most powerful adventurers: a Level 6 and a Level 5 adventurer. It was a combat power that the gods clearly didn't want to ignore.

The uncomfortable silence stretched in the room as the gazes continued to linger on them. Hephaistos, understanding the pressure they were trying to put on her familia, frowned. The situation felt exasperating, and soon a look of displeasure crossed her face. Finally, she massaged her temple with resignation and spoke in a dry tone.

"Hmph, do I need to remind everyone that we are a crafting familia, not a combat familia?"

"Oh, is the current combat power not enough to handle a garbage group?" Hephaistos asked, visibly skeptical. The situation seemed fairly simple to her; based on the information they had gathered, the Dark Faction didn't seem like a group capable of facing the combined force of the Loki, Freya, and Ganesha familias. Even if some of their members were Level 6, Hephaistos didn't consider it a significant challenge.

Astraea and Loki exchanged glances for a moment before Astraea responded, somewhat embarrassed by the request. "Hey, Hephaistos, we understand that, but you know... Pyrion-san and Tsubaki-san would be very helpful in this situation."

Loki, with a more serious tone, also intervened. "Hephaistos... the truth is that Pyrion and Tsubaki's help is essential if we are to face the Dark Faction. Their combat power could make the difference."

Hephaistos frowned upon hearing both of them but was clearly surprised by the gravity of the situation. She was about to reject the idea when Loki stood up, looking at everyone seriously.

"Well, this..." Loki began, hesitating for a moment. "Originally, I hoped to discuss this privately, but I suppose it can't be hidden..."

"What's going on? Are you hiding something?" Hephaistos frowned deeply as she looked at Loki.

With a bitter face, Loki spoke, "Well, you see, a few days ago the Astraea familia discovered some truly terrible news." Frowning, Loki massaged her head before continuing, "I wanted to avoid speaking so openly to avoid causing panic. The truth is that, unfortunately, we recently confirmed that two terrifyingly powerful people are collaborating with the Dark Faction."

The atmosphere in the room changed immediately upon hearing Loki's words. The gods looked at the nervous Loki, feeling a sense of foreboding.

"Loki, I don't like you keeping information from us. If you plan on us working with this group, I expect you to provide all the information," Freya, who had lost her smile, looked at Loki with displeasure. Clearly, the goddess of beauty didn't appreciate being kept in the dark.

Now she felt as if she had jumped into a fight without clarity on who the opponents were.

"Who are these people, Loki?" Hephaistos, with a hardened face, asked Loki somewhat brusquely.

Loki sighed, feeling the weight of their gazes on her. Finally, after a brief moment of hesitation, she spoke with a somber tone: "Well... you see... these heroic figures who should be dead... have risen to ruin our peaceful existence." She paused, watching for the others' reactions, before adding gravely, "I'm talking about Alfia 'The Silent' and Zald 'The Glutton,' Level 7 adventurers from the former Zeus and Hera familias."

A chill ran through the room at hearing the names of those two legendary adventurers. Alfia "The Silent" and Zald "The Glutton," whether gods or adventurers, fear filled the hearts of those in the room, knowing what they were up against.

"Impossible! They're already dead!"

"That's right; both should have perished along with the remnants of their familia!"

"Loki, don't joke with us!"

Loki, however, showed no signs of doubt, and with a bitter look, replied, "I wish it were one of my jokes, but this is the absolute truth."

A tense silence settled over the room. The gods couldn't hide their fear, and the severity of the situation was clearer than ever.

"As you can see, Hephaistos, what we're facing now is truly complicated. Without the help of your two children, it will be really difficult for us," added Loki, looking directly at the goddess.

Hephaistos' face darkened instantly, and the gravity of the situation was evident in her eyes. Now she understood why Loki was so insistent on the need for her two most powerful adventurers. Alfia and Zald weren't just legendary names; they were formidable walls, and facing them would require every available ounce of power, with no room for error.

"I don't cre-"

"Promise it, Hephaistos," Before Hephaistos could finish her words, Pyrion interrupted her, his deep and determined voice cutting through her words. "Fighting with all our strength is the only way to win."

Hephaistos turned to him, and seeing the determination in her son's eyes, her expression grew conflicted. Silence stretched in the room, but she didn't yield easily.

"But Pyrion, we all know very well that they aren't mere Level 7 adventurers," she said, her voice tinged with concern. "I can't allow you to risk your lives like this, just like that. There are limits I can't cross as your goddess."

Pyrion looked at her intently, his eyes shining with unwavering determination. "Hephaistos... I'm not a mere Level 6 adventurer either."

His tone was so sure, so full of confidence, that Hephaistos felt a knot in her stomach. Despite her fears as a goddess and mother, there was something undeniable about her child. The same determination that drove her to forge exceptional weapons, she now saw reflected in Pyrion's eyes, the same unbreakable spirit that he himself had cultivated throughout his life.

The silence stretched, heavy, as Hephaistos weighed her son's words, struggling with the mix of emotions that overtook her. Finally, after a long and weary sigh, she lifted her gaze. Her eyes showed a mix of acceptance and regret, but her voice was soft, resigned.

"Then... I'll trust you, Pyrion."

"Don't worry, Hephaistos, I promise to bring victory." With his unwavering confidence, Pyrion smiled brilliantly.

His bright smile, full of confidence and determination, left most of the adventurers and goddesses briefly captivated by it.

"Ummh..."

"Freya-sama. Are you alright?" Ottar, who heard Freya's soft gasp, looked at his goddess with concern.

"Fufu, it's nothing, Ottar. I just had a little accident." With her gaze lowered, Ottar unfortunately couldn't admire the deep blush and predatory look covering his goddess's face.

"Hey, Shakti, what's wrong with you? Do you feel sick? Why is your face so red?" asked Ganesha, noticing the blush on his daughter's face.

"It's nothing, Kami-sama, I just felt a little warm," Shakti replied in an embarrassed tone, lowering her head to hide her flushed face.

"Hey, stupid elf, are you blushing?" Gareth, the dwarf from the Loki familia, said in surprise upon noticing a faint blush on Riveria's face.

"You're talking nonsense!" Riveria shook her head and looked at him fiercely.

Pyrion's words echoed in the room, filled with determination. His confidence not only reassured those present, but it gave them a breather. Although victory was not yet guaranteed, having two of Orario's most powerful adventurers gave them an important advantage.

"Perfect, then," said Loki with a relieved smile. "With the Hephaistos familia on board, victory no longer seems so distant." She leaned back in her chair, letting out a sigh of relief. Although the future remained uncertain, the power of Pyrion and Tsubaki was a winning card.

"Although Pyrion-san's addition surely brings great relief to our future battle, I still hope you've prepared an adequate plan, right, Loki?" Freya, who seemed to have recovered from her little "accident," cast a charming glance at Pyrion before turning her attention to Loki in a serious tone.

"Naturally, it's already prepared. Now let me give you all a summary..."

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Another chapter of this novel, I thank you all for the support you've given this book. In return, I can only promise to do my best to bring you the best.

By the way, I want to tell you that it helps me a lot when you leave your precious power stones and also leave a review for my book. Feel free to review this book as you like.

P.S. I heard your requests about including Alfia in the harem, but honestly, I don't see it as possible. Let's not even talk about Alfia's unbearable personality. Remember, Alfia is nearing the end of her life, and honestly, I don't see how to save her without using divine means.