As Alex sat down at the table, preparing to share tales of his adventures in another world, the missions he had completed, and the challenges his companions had faced, the mansion's door suddenly burst open with a loud crash. It had been flung with such force that the intruder seemed to think the house was their own, not someone else's.
Alex's eye twitched noticeably. Everyone at the table simultaneously turned their heads to see who was bold enough to barge into his home uninvited. Upon seeing the figure who entered, Alex's face was instantly adorned with black lines of irritation.
«Just what I needed,» he muttered under his breath, locking eyes with Hermes.
Standing before Alex was the god he considered the most annoying being he had ever encountered. Hermes led a group consisting of members from Loki's and Freya's familias. At the sight of him, Loki and Hestia's faces immediately contorted with disgust.
The girls from Loki's familia, noticing Alex seated at the table beside Hestia, couldn't hide their delight. Their eyes practically lit up, especially Tiona's. Among the guests were Aria and her daughter Ais, who now looked noticeably happier compared to her last encounter with Alex. Riveria had come with her young assistant Lefiya, along with other familia members. The men stood off to the side, except for Bete, who was clearly there against his will.
On Freya's side, Alex spotted Ottar, Freya's loyal bodyguard, and Allen, who was glaring at him with an expression that suggested he wanted to devour him.
«Not bad, Alex. You've returned, brought new friends, but didn't invite the old ones. You're breaking my heart,» Hermes declared in an overly dramatic tone, pretending to wipe away an imaginary tear.
Alex rubbed his face in exasperation, debating whether or not to punch Hermes—at least for breaking into his home without permission.
«Alex-sama, I apologize for Hermes. I tried to stop him, but…» Asfi said, standing behind Hermes with an apologetic expression.
«Asfi, why would you say that? Alex and I are best friends!» Hermes retorted, feigning an offended look.
Alex glanced at Asfi and sighed, feeling a twinge of pity for the girl who had to endure the god's antics.
«At least other gods know how to behave. But what brings you here, Hermes?» Alex asked, barely containing his irritation.
Hermes brightened up immediately and, stepping closer, began inspecting the guests with obvious curiosity.
«What do you mean, what? You've returned! That calls for a celebration, and I want to meet your new friends,» he exclaimed enthusiastically.
Alex let out a heavy sigh. They had just been through a battle, and now everyone needed some rest, not a party. He glanced at his companions: Gloria, Lucy, Rebecca, Kiwi, Maine, and the others. Valerie, G.I.R., and MIMI didn't count—those three were always ready to celebrate.
«I wouldn't rush into a party. We've just been through a serious battle. Perhaps my friends would prefer to rest first,» Alex said, shaking his head.
His words piqued the guests' interest, especially Freya, who lightly brushed her hand against Alex's arm, trying to coax details from him. But he simply waved her off.
«I'll explain later.»
Turning to his group, he asked, «What do you think? Do you want to celebrate the move, or would you rather rest after everything we've been through?»
The guests exchanged glances. Maine and Dorio conferred and decided they wouldn't mind having a drink and getting to know everyone. Pilar shrugged, and Falco expressed his willingness to join in. The girls—Gloria, Lucy, Rebecca, and Kiwi—also agreed, showing interest in the new faces.
«Well, if everyone's on board, we can have a little party,» Alex said with a faint smile.
«Yay!» Hermes exclaimed, clenching his fist as if he had just won a victory.
Alex rolled his eyes, realizing that Hermes's true motives were gossip and free food. Glancing at the gathered crowd, he began calculating how much he'd need to buy for the celebration. But soon, his train of thought was interrupted by one detail.
«Where's Syr? I brought her back with you,» he asked Freya.
«I knew this would happen, so I sent her to Mia to order the food,» Freya replied with a gentle smile, leaning on Alex's arm.
Alex's eyes widened slightly as he realized Freya had anticipated the situation and prepared in advance. He quickly composed himself, reminding himself how fast rumors spread in Orario, especially after the return of someone like him. Sighing, Alex surveyed the crowd and then the living room, which was clearly too small to accommodate everyone. The best option was to move the party to the basement, where a small coliseum he'd built for training was located.
«Alright, everyone, this room's too cramped. Let's move to the coliseum,» Alex announced, clapping his hands to get their attention.
Then, turning to the men, he added, «Guys, hang back for a minute. Help me carry a few things.»
The group nodded, and the procession began heading downstairs. Maine and his crew seemed the most surprised, not understanding what Alex meant by «coliseum.»
«Wait, dude, are you serious? You have a coliseum in your basement?» Maine asked in disbelief.
Alex was already pulling out crates of alcohol, passing them to his helpers. Smiling, he replied, «Less talking, more carrying. Grab a crate and see for yourself. It's something you have to experience firsthand.»
Maine hesitated only briefly before grabbing a crate, nodding awkwardly, and following the others. Falco and Pilar weren't far behind, each taking a crate. Even Dorio, though less enthusiastic, grabbed a couple of crates and followed along.
Before Alex could grab another crate, Loki snatched it out of his hands. With a flick of her wrist, she popped open a can of beer, took a sip, and remarked with satisfaction,
«Now this is a souvenir. Thanks, handsome.»
With that, she planted a quick kiss on Alex's cheek. He merely smiled, knowing how much Loki valued alcohol—especially anything new. Carbonated drinks were a rarity in the Danmachi world, and beer from Night City was an exotic treat to her.
As Alex unpacked snacks, Hestia crept up to the crates. She opened one of the boxes, found an unfamiliar pack of chips, tried them, and, puffing out her cheeks, declared,
«Hmm, weird taste, but I like it!»
She chewed so enthusiastically that crumbs ended up all over her face. Alex chuckled quietly and wiped her mouth, but then he felt someone's intense gaze. It was Freya, clearly expecting her «gift.»
«Alright, alright,» Alex said with a smile, pulling a bottle of exquisite wine from his inventory—a gift from Padre that he had saved for a special occasion.
«Thank you, my husband,» Freya said with a pleased smile, giving him a soft kiss on the lips.
After handing out the souvenirs, Alex noticed Hephaestus waiting expectantly. Her curiosity was genuine, but her gift was a bit different.
«Sorry, Hephaestus, your gift is too complex to give you here and now,» Alex said, bowing apologetically.
«And why's that?» Hephaestus asked, intrigued.
«It's a ton of data on technology and weaponry from another world,» Alex replied with a broad grin, watching her eyes light up with excitement.
Once all the snacks and drinks were carried downstairs, Alex turned to the group.
«Alright, I'll quickly go pick up Syr and our order. Be back soon.»
With those words, Alex teleported to the alley beside the Hostess of Fertility. Upon entering the tavern, he immediately felt the stares of every adventurer present. As usual, he ignored them and approached the counter.
«Mia, how much longer?» he asked, leaning on the bar.
Mia, wiping her hands, simply nodded and disappeared into the kitchen to check with the girls on the order's progress. A minute later, she returned.
«Just a few more minutes. I had to make everyone available work on your order,» she replied with a smirk.
Alex nodded and took a seat at the bar to wait. To pass the time, he started a conversation with Mia, asking about the latest news in Orario since his absence. At his question, the tavern owner shrugged, saying there was nothing particularly new except that the monsters in the dungeon had grown stronger.
«And how's the Guild explaining that?» Alex asked, tilting his head slightly.
Mia chuckled and explained that the Guild blamed the changes on the one-eyed dragon that had parasitized the dungeon. According to them, the dungeon was now «recovering,» which was why the monsters were growing stronger.
Alex smirked. The explanation was convenient, and he was glad the Guild had handled it without his involvement. The last thing he wanted was to take responsibility for the failures of overconfident adventurers who didn't prepare for new threats.
After a few minutes of chatting, Syr appeared from the kitchen. Her face lit up as she spotted Alex, and she immediately ran over to hug him.
«I didn't get a chance last time,» she added, blushing slightly.
Smiling, Alex picked up his «little stalker» and headed to the kitchen to load the prepared food into his inventory. A couple of minutes later, fully loaded, he left the tavern holding Syr's hand and teleported back to the mansion.
Upon returning, Alex found himself in the living room, where an unexpected guest was waiting—Nyx.
Her appearance made him squint: her long, messy hair was tied into a strange bow resembling a bird's nest. She wore an oversized black T-shirt that looked like it belonged to a massive bodybuilder.
«Long time no see, Nyx. You still living here?» Alex asked with a hint of sarcasm, eyeing the goddess.
«Where else would I live? There's food, shows, and snacks here. And most importantly, no one avoids me just because I'm the goddess of darkness and night,» Nyx replied lazily, rolling her eyes.
«No one avoids you because you're holed up in your room most of the time and only show up every few days,» Hestia interjected, crossing her arms.
Nyx just shrugged and, hearing noise downstairs, asked what was going on. Upon learning about the party, she seemed interested, but Alex immediately pointed at her outfit.
«If you want to join, change. Right now, you look homeless,» he remarked, gesturing to her oversized shirt.
Sighing, Nyx glanced at herself and raised her hands. Darkness enveloped her, and in an instant, she was dressed in a black tracksuit. Alex shook his head at the display, recognizing the rule-breaking use of her powers, but decided not to scold the reclusive goddess.
«All right, ladies, head downstairs. I'll catch up in a few minutes,» Alex said, glancing at the girls.
Hestia, standing closest, frowned.
«And what are you going to do?» she asked, gently squeezing his hand.
«I need to merge my workshops so I don't waste time on it later,» Alex replied, pulling a cube from his inventory.
«Then I'm coming with you,» Rebecca declared, unexpectedly leaping onto his back.
Alex didn't mind Rebecca tagging along, especially since the workshop they were heading to partially belonged to her. The other girls exchanged glances and decided to head down first. Before leaving, each of them kissed Alex goodbye.
As Nyx passed by Alex, she simply rolled her eyes, stuffed her hands into her pockets, and followed the others. Alex chuckled, watching her go. The once-majestic Goddess of Night had transformed into the goddess of recluses.
Left behind with Alex were Rebecca, Hestia, and Hephaestus. Of all of them, Hephaestus was the most curious to see Alex's new workshop.
Rebecca, clinging to Alex's back, occasionally glanced at Hestia, who was also eyeing Rebecca. They hadn't yet had a chance to talk, but for some reason, both felt a sense of rivalry between them.
While Hestia and Loki's rivalry stemmed from their inability to tolerate one another, the tension between Hestia and Rebecca was of a different kind—a competition for Alex's lap. Previously, it was usually Hestia who sat on Alex's lap, but now Rebecca had emerged as a contender for that coveted spot.
Sensing Rebecca's competitive spirit, Hestia jumped onto Alex, clinging to his chest and wrapping her legs around his waist.
Alex gave a crooked smile at the behavior of the two girls. Even he could feel the unspoken rivalry brewing between them.
Hephaestus watched Hestia's antics with amusement, shaking her head with a knowing smile. She, too, understood that this sudden competition between Rebecca and Hestia was different from Hestia's animosity toward Loki. It seemed more like two twin sisters battling for attention.
Alex, meanwhile, enjoyed having two beautiful girls hanging off him but couldn't help feeling like a mother koala with her two cubs clinging on.
Hephaestus noticed the expression on his face and laughed softly.
«Seems like you're enjoying this,» she teased, her smile growing wider.
Her words caught Rebecca and Hestia's attention, and they shifted their focus from glaring at each other to the goddess, who stood there with a sly smile.
Alex chuckled at their reactions and smirked.
«Want to join in?» he quipped, adjusting Hestia's position to make her more comfortable. «I already feel like a mama koala.»
«I think I'll pass,» Hephaestus replied with a wry grin, shaking her head. «These two are suspiciously quiet. I have a feeling if I got involved, they'd team up against me.»
Alex laughed quietly and decided to drop the subject. Carrying the girls, he headed for the basement with Hephaestus and his two «gremlins»—a nickname he occasionally used for Rebecca and now Hestia.
When Alex entered the workshop, he was greeted by the familiar scent of metal and machine oil. Everything was exactly as he had left it, as if time had stopped in this room. His gaze wandered across the room and settled on the chair in the center—a creation of his own design.
«I've been tidying up from time to time while you were off in another world,» Hephaestus admitted with a soft smile. «But I never touched your chair. It... gives me strange feelings.»
Alex turned to her and nodded.
«Thank you for taking care of things, my attentive fiancée. I don't blame you. That chair should make people uneasy. It's infused with the power of destruction. Even instinctively, most beings will avoid it.»
Rebecca, listening in, gave the chair a wary glance.
«What does it do?» she asked, pointing at it.
Alex paused for a moment, as if deciding whether to explain.
«It disrupts the balance between body and soul,» he said finally. «Anyone who sits on it will experience their body and soul being destroyed and restored simultaneously, over and over again. It doesn't matter if you're mortal or immortal—on that chair, everyone becomes vulnerable.»
Rebecca simply shrugged; it didn't concern her. She knew Alex wouldn't use that device without a serious reason.
Meanwhile, Alex pulled a small cube from his inventory and placed it on the floor. The cube began to glow, and the old workshop began to transform. The walls parted, and the ceiling rose, revealing an artificially created sky with white clouds, reminiscent of the enchanted ceiling in Hogwarts.
Hephaestus, astonished, approached a new section of the workshop where shelves were lined with firearms. Not far from them was a testing range, and further still was the area where Rebecca worked on her devices.
Alex smiled and gave Rebecca's hand, which was still around his neck, a friendly tap.
«Go on, chat with Hephaestus. She'll definitely be interested in your weapons.»
Rebecca nodded and jumped off Alex's back, heading toward her section of the workshop. Alex remained with Hestia, who was still wrapped around him like a child clinging to a parent.
Hestia lifted her gaze and poked him on the nose to get his attention. Alex lowered his eyes, meeting her blue ones.
«You've changed,» she said quietly, a hint of concern in her voice. «Did something happen in that world? Something that affected you?»
Alex looked at her thoughtfully but didn't answer immediately.
Hearing Hestia's question, Alex nodded briefly. In Night City, he had witnessed too many horrors during his time as a mercenary. From kidnappers selling children, to the Scavenger gang, who harvested organs for profit.
All of this occurred under the influence of an avatar of an outer god that had taken root in that world, amplifying the already dark nature of its people. Even the slightest touch of this entity made people more brutal and inhumane. But as much as Alex blamed the external forces, he knew that human nature, on its own, was capable of committing terrible deeds.
«Actually, yes. That world was pretty unpleasant,» Alex said with a heavy sigh.
«Like what?» Hestia leaned in with curiosity, pressing closer to his shoulder.
«Oh, too much to list. But I'll start with the basics: the morning news. Every day began the same way, with another dose of horror. For example...»
Alex played a recording on his phone, letting Hestia listen.
«Good morning, Night City! Yesterday's body count stopped at a solid thirty! Sponsor of the day – endless street wars in Heywood! Minus one cop – the police, as usual, had nothing to do with it. In Santo Domingo, the power went out again – netrunners messing with the electric grid. In Westbrook, 'Trauma Team' is scraping the new cyberpsycho victims off the pavement. And Pacifica… well, Pacifica is just Pacifica. This was Stan. Welcome to another day in the city of dreams!»
Hestia listened, her heart heavy, and a genuine sadness filled her eyes.
Rebecca, standing nearby and explaining the workings of her weapons to Hephaestus, recognized the familiar recording. She turned toward Alex, noticing that he was playing the news for Hestia. The girl struggled to hold back a heavy sigh as memories of Night City resurfaced. Now, she hoped that in this new world, she would have a chance to start fresh, without the fear of cyberpsychos.
Hephaestus, upon hearing the recording, looked at Alex in surprise. She then turned her gaze to Rebecca, waiting for an explanation. Rebecca began to explain that these were typical news from their world. Hephaestus listened in silence, then sighed sadly.
When the recording finished, Hestia whispered softly,
«That's terrible...»
«And that's just the tip of the iceberg,» Alex said, shaking his head tiredly. «Yes, there were good people there too. Like Padre – a former priest who helped orphanages. But there were always fewer kind people than cruelty and darkness. Though... I think it's better not to talk about it now.»
«You're right. The important thing is that you're back home,» Hestia said, cupping his face in her hands, trying to cheer him up. «Now you can rest easy, knowing that it's safe here.»
Alex smiled, embracing her. This kind goddess could always calm his heart. While in Night City, it was Gloria who supported him, here it was Hestia – loyal and caring.
«You're right. And we have people waiting for us. It'll be fun to tell them what I've been up to besides mercenary work,» Alex said with a light smile.
«And what might that be?» Hephaestus asked, approaching with Rebecca.
Alex turned to Hephaestus, unsure of how to respond, but knowing that the truth would come out sooner or later and someone in the group would spill the beans. So, Alex decided to confess himself about what he had done.
«Well... I, along with GIR, hacked into the central building of a corporation and left a message that the whole city saw.»
«And what was that message?» Hephaestus asked cautiously.
«A huge inscription praising the Pasta Monster,» Rebecca smirked before Alex could respond. «They played it on the news for weeks, and Alex was put on the wanted list.»
Hephaestus sighed heavily, looking at Alex. She had asked him more than once to stop creating cults in other worlds, but she understood that convincing him otherwise was useless.
«Better this than if you'd done something worse,» she admitted.
«It's not that bad. No innocent people got hurt, just a bunch of idiots,» Alex said, deciding to «throw» Rebecca under the bus. «Ask her, she was involved in these antics.»
Rebecca, not catching the hint, cheerfully nodded and started telling Hephaestus about their fun, using the cult members' identities.
Hephaestus just shook her head, thinking that it was still better than Alex's early «crusades» in the dungeon when he had beaten up half of the adventurers.
«Alright, they've been waiting for us. Seems like the workshops merged without any problems,» Alex said, checking the equipment.
«When will I get all the data?» Hephaestus asked, holding him back.
«Tomorrow afternoon. Or you can ask GIR – he has everything,» Alex replied, stroking his chin.
Rebecca nodded, confirming that the robo-dog was a real treasure trove of knowledge. Hephaestus pondered, curious to learn more about this strange creature, not suspecting just how «strange» it was.
At the exit of the workshop, Rebecca climbed back onto Alex's back, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Hephaestus listened to her stories about new technologies, eager to create something new, inspired by the possibilities that had opened up.
Entering the Colosseum, Alex and the girls saw that everyone had already split into groups. A row of tables was laden with snacks and alcohol. No one had drunk anything yet, but the atmosphere was already bubbling with excitement. Gloria, Lucy, and Kiwi stood with a group of more composed girls who were watching the events unfold.
On the other side, loud shouts could be heard – a tournament for arm wrestling was already taking place in the noisy crowd. The loudest were Loki and Hermes, enthusiastically cheering, and it seemed they had already placed their bets on their favorites.
Alex smiled and shook his head, making his way toward the calmer group. As he passed the tables, he took out some prepared food from his spatial storage and carefully laid it out. Approaching the group, Alex set Hestia down on the floor, and Rebecca, jumping off his back, happily ran toward the more energetic part of the hall.
«I see the party's in full swing already. We're only a few minutes late, and you've already got an arm wrestling tournament going,» Alex remarked with a grin, stopping next to Gloria.
«It's all Loki's doing,» Gloria laughed. «She started talking to Dorio, and then everything just sort of spun out of control. And here we are – arm wrestling.»
Alex smirked. He knew that Dorio was interested in the strength of people in this world. Thinking about it, he wondered how her abilities would change if she received a blessing. After all, Dorio had been a professional fighter before, and adventurers who received a blessing began fighting in the Dungeon. Additionally, he was curious about whether monster kills made with firearms would count.
Stroking his chin, Alex tried to work it out. After all, archers improved their stats by killing monsters with a bow, but with firearms, the situation was much less clear.
«What are you thinking about?» Freya's voice interrupted. She noticed the focused expression on Alex's face.
«I'm wondering if the method of killing monsters with firearms or explosives affects stat increases. For example, if using firearms or explosives would be counted differently than regular methods. Rebecca could just blow up a few floors of the Dungeon and level up in an hour,» he answered thoughtfully.
Freya, knowing about firearms from movies, was just as confused as the other goddesses. Ais and Aria exchanged glances, not understanding what was being discussed. The girls from the modern world eagerly awaited an explanation.
«Isn't there a difference in how you kill monsters?» Kiwi asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
«I'm not sure, but it makes sense to assume that fighting style affects stats. For example, Doria's strength and defense should increase if she's fighting with her fists. But what about firearms? That's the question,» Alex explained.
«Why not just check it? Let Rebecca go into the Dungeon with a couple of grenades and let's see what happens,» Lucy suggested with a hint of irony.
Alex slapped his forehead, realizing the simplicity of the solution. The goddesses, hearing this, agreed – the experiment seemed like the best option.
After a while, Alex decided it was time to start the official part of the gathering. He clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
«Everyone, a moment of your attention!» he called to the crowd.
The shouting quieted down, and everyone turned toward Alex.
«I'm glad to see you all here. You come from different worlds, but you've already found common ground. Let this be the beginning of a great friendship. Have fun, enjoy yourselves – after all, not every day do you get a chance to drink with representatives from other worlds!»
The hall erupted in applause. The celebration continued: the arm wrestling tournament became even more popular, groups began to bond, and laughter echoed throughout the room.
Unexpectedly, Doria lost to Lily, sparking animated discussions. Hermes and Pilar were scheming something clearly not very legal. Rebecca and Valeri joined a group of hyperactive girls, and Allen, as jealous as ever, got caught up in a playful conflict with MIMI and GIR. Meanwhile, Falco hit it off with Finn and Gareth, and Main became friends with Ottar, telling him stories from his service.
The party continued until dawn, when everyone had exhausted themselves and fallen asleep. Only Alex, GIR, and MIMI remained on their feet – they still had the task of getting everyone to their rooms.
To be continued...