[POV: Loki]
'I'm so going to regret this…' I thought while dragging myself across the plaza at the Dungeon's entrance.
Finn and the others had literally just returned from an expedition, mentally drained, half their gear shredded, and a few of them patched together in the infirmary.
And yet, even in that state, they'd achieved what most familias can't even dream of: reaching the 27th floor and clashing with the Monster Rex Amphisbaena.
Amphisbaena might just be the worst Monster Rex of them all, and it has nothing to do with raw strength. No, the nightmare comes from its habitat. A marine creature that can attack and vanish whenever it pleases, while we're stuck on scraps of terrain, praying to any god listening (because I refuse to be a part of this again) for solid footing.
If Goliath is a level 5 monster with brute force, regeneration and absurd physical resistance… Amphisbaena has something far more terrifying: complete dominance over its battlefield.
It moves through water like it's empty air, slipping under, over, behind, anywhere you're not looking.
One moment the surface is calm; the next, the pressure shifts and the damn thing erupts from below, jaws wide enough to swallow a whole Finn, which, by the way, isn't all that difficult... anyway, magic barely fazes it, and physical attacks only matter if you manage to hit it.
Which is about as likely as pigs taking flight.
And if the monster itself wasn't enough, this latest evolution of the Dungeon decided to get creative. The little bits of solid ground we used to rely on? Gone. Water up to the knees? The new floor laughed at that and gave us four meters.
Fighting it isn't a battle, it's a punishment!!! Compared to that, Goliath is practically a gentleman. At least with him, you can trade blows like actual warriors.
— Sigh. What a mess, huh? One of the Kings of Orario… the glorious Loki Familia, greatest expedition force of the age, with a record of fifty-nine floors… and look at us now… Sigh.
Ever since the Dungeon evolved, everything turned into chaos.The monsters are smarter, cooperate with each other, and seem to have a will of their own. Even the corridors move, as if the Dungeon itself learned to hate us.
Ouranos and Ganesha are doing what they can to contain the rumors and smother the panic on the streets, but that only works on the surface.
Down below, no one dares to go past the 30th floor anymore. Not even my own familia…
I looked up, rubbing my forehead to ease the throbbing pain that kept returning. One of the few annoyances that mortality brings.
For a moment, the sound of the plaza vanished.
The humid air… the scent of salt… the sound of something moving beneath the water.
The memory came back far too vividly. The flooded cavern, the blue glow sliding under the surface, the scales shifting like liquid glass. The roar that made the walls tremble.
— Loki-sama! Watch out! — a voice echoed in my mind. Male, rushed, distant.
I blinked, returning to the plaza. The noise of conversations, carriages, adventurers. All normal. All safe.
'Now I'm spacing out in the middle of the street, I deserve this…'
I kept walking.
'I didn't want my boys going back down there anytime soon. It'd be better to give them time to breathe, absorb their gains, prepare properly for the next attempt. But who could've imagined that Cow-Tits would show up asking for my help?'
'What was I thinking when I agreed to that? The more I think about it, the more I regret promising to help.'
'And on top of that, all of this is because of a kid I barely know.' I sighed, and a dry laugh escaped before I noticed.
The memory hit again, as if someone had opened a door I had locked myself.
…
A large, well-decorated room, full of unnecessary luxury, red curtains, a massive bed, hand-carved furniture. Everything screamed expensive.
And right at the center, kneeling on the carpet, was her.
Hestia.
The goddess I never got along with.The one who always provoked me, who bragged about her own insignificance, who acted like the world revolved around her enormous, huge, juicy breasts that I totally did not envy or want to squeeze.
But right there, in that moment, there was no provocation, no bravado. Just… despair? Yeah, despair.
Her shoulders were trembling. Her hands pressed against the floor, her twin ponytails rested limp by her sides, and her two large and juice breasts pressed against the ground, her thin torso unable to conceal them. When she spoke, her voice was a strand of wind about to snap.
— Please… in the name of everything we've been through together… of the times I helped you… of our friendship… — she took a deep breath, as if fighting not to cry — I know I'm being intrusive, but I have no one else to turn to. Please, Loki… just this once… help me…
Her voice echoed through the empty room.There was no one besides us, and the silence weighed like a sentence.
For a moment, I didn't recognize the woman kneeling before me. The Hestia I knew, although far from the most prideful deity in heavens, was still a goddess, and goddesses don't bow to anyone.
But this one… she looked broken on the inside.
— Who would've thought this day would come, huh? You're really kneeling to me? — I said, trying to hide the lump forming in my throat. — What a low blow, Cow-Tits… what a low blow...
She lifted her face. Red eyes, swollen cheeks.Even so, she tried to smile.
— Luki-kun… my Luki-kun, he's in danger… alone… I can't do anything, Loki. I'm a goddess, but I can't do anything. — Her voice trembled while her fists were clenched, almost tearing the carpet.
The name sliced through the air.
Luki...
That kid I only knew by sight.
But… I understood. Or rather, I shared the feeling.
When I descended to the mortal world, full of excitement and curiosity, all I wanted was to start my Familia, prank other gods, stir trouble, and enjoy myself at the world's expense.
Chaos, freedom, pleasure, that was all that mattered.
And then… I went through something similar.
One of my first Children. One of the few willing to follow a disorganized, sharp-tongued goddess like me, back when I was just another forgotten divine name wandering around Orario.
A brave, bright-eyed boy who talked about ancient heroes with so much passion it was almost annoying, swearing he'd become one of them someday.
But everything fell apart the day he died.
And the worst part… is that it was my fault.
Even as a goddess, I learned the hard way that I couldn't act without consequences. My free-spirited, provocative nature attracted envy and resentment, and when I least expected it, they struck.
And he… paid the price in my place.
Something inside me shifted that day
I didn't "grow up", don't get me wrong, but I stopped treating this world like a playground.
I didn't suddenly become a saint either, but I started pretending to play nice with the so-called gods of "law" and "order." If only because it was the only way to keep my Children safe.
That was the end of Loki, Goddess of Mischief and Trickery.
And the beginning of Loki Familia's Goddess, a perverted, playful and alcoholic dwarf goddess who only cares about taking care of her own Familia and hitting on pretty girls.
Now… how would Hestia react if the same thing happened to her?
'She'd probably unleash her power and erase the Dungeon from the map…'
Hestia always had an easy life, at least compared to most.
Reserved but cheerful; simple but sincere. She never indulged in schemes, never dirtied her hands with divine nonsense, and maybe that's why everyone liked her.
Literally everyone.
There wasn't a single god who dared raise their voice at her.
But if someone like her lost her first Child… the first mortal foolish enough to stake their life on her…
No law down here would be strong enough to stop what came next.
— Tsk. You're putting me in a really difficult situation, aren't you, shorty? — I asked, half laughing, half hoping she wasn't actually serious.
But Hestia just remained silent, she didn't yell back or throw a tantrum like we usually do on our meetings, damn it, she didn't even lift her head to look at me. Apparently the situation is serious to this extent.
'Ah, Hestia… you really lost your mind.'
I sighed, a very long and heavy sigh. A request like that shouldn't have affected me, but who was I kidding?
Goddess of tricks, liar, sarcastic, mocking… but I've never been able to say "no" to Hestia. Not after everything that happened between us.
I closed my eyes and crossed my arms. — Okay… okay, I…
I didn't even have time to finish. Something small, hot, and desperate exploded against me. Hestia grabbed me so tightly it seemed like she was trying to fuse me with her body.
— Loki… Loki… Loki! Thank you so much! — her voice came out trembling, heavy, almost tearful but now because of relief. — I swear, I swear I won't forget this, thank you, thank you so much…!
— Hey! Get out of me, midget, I am not your body pillow. — I screamed, trying to tear her away from me with all my might, but to no avail.
There's no worse feeling than being embraced by a short, whiny, snotty goddess named Hestia while she buries her face in her breasts.
The fact that I'm fighting with all my might not to grin wickedly while rubbing my face against these beauties doesn't mean anything. Seriously.
'Yes, come to Mama hihihi~' I thought
Maybe it was the pathetic drool running down my chin, or maybe it was the way she looked at me, like I was her last lifeline, but suddenly I snapped back to myself.
I shoved her off with a growl, shaking my head like a wet cat trying to deny any trace of softness.
— Tch. Don't get the wrong idea, Cow Tits. When this is over, I'm rubbing this moment in your face for the rest of eternity. You're never living this down.
She didn't even hesitate. She just nodded and then threw herself at me again, wrapping her arms around me like a starving child clinging to the last scrap of warmth.
— Thank you… thank you, Loki… — she whispered, voice cracking.
I pretended to struggle, swearing under my breath and pushing her shoulders as if I couldn't stand her touch.
But my face…
Oh, my face was betraying me completely. I didn't needed a mirror to know this.
Nose bleeding.
Eyes sparkling like a drunk pervert who just hit the jackpot.
Expression dreamy enough to make even Freya blush.
'Damn it… why does her chest feel so damn soft…? Why mines aren't like this?!'
...
My eyes snapped open.
Warm. Wet.
…And dripping.
I touched my upper lip.
Blood. Again.
— Oh, for-! — I hissed, wiping it off in a panic. No one could see me like this. Not me. Not the glorious, dignified, endlessly composed Goddess Loki. My reputation would implode on the spot.
I straightened my clothes, rehearsed a scowl, and forced my expression into something appropriately divine.
That's when a voice called out to me from behind.
— Goddess?
I jumped like I'd been caught stealing underwear.
— W–WHAT?! WHO'S THERE?! I SWEAR IF YOU SAW ANYTHING—!
I turned, ready to unleash a storm of nonsense threats…
And it was just Finn.
I froze.
He blinked.
I pretended absolutely nothing unusual had happened.
— …Oh. It's just you. — I cleared my throat with all a god's dignity. — What is it?
Finn, accustomed to decades of Loki's nonsense, simply lifted one shoulder.
— Preparations are almost complete. All that's left is one final meeting between you all to settle on the course of action.
I understood what he meant. Hestia, me, and the others.
The last hurdle before they dove back into hell.
— Right. Fine. — I shoved my hands into my pockets. — Show me the way.
Finn nodded and turned, and I followed beside him.
While I'd been drowning in memories, the plaza before the Dungeon had become even more crowded. The air buzzed with tension — boots scraping, armor clinking, voices rising.
Hundreds… No, thousands of adventurers now filled Babel's shadow.
Different Familias, different banners, different grudges, yet all of them had gathered with a single purpose.
Save Luki.
After that humiliating little episode with Hestia, I figured that if I was already getting dragged into this disaster, I might as well do it properly. No way I was going to wander the Dungeon for gods-know-how-long looking for one random brat while everyone else sat comfortably on their divine asses. I'm not the only acquaintance Cow Tits has, after all.
One tiny push was all it took. The moment I hinted she should "ask around," Hestia went running to every god she'd ever shared a smile with, which, apparently, was half of Orario.
I didn't expect so many to answer her call. Looks like I severely underestimated the influence of the queen of the little ones.
And standing here now, surrounded by this sea of banners and weapons… it almost felt like that day.
The day Ouranos ordered every capable soul into the depths to investigate the so-called "new Dungeon."
The closer we got to Babel, the heavier the noise became. But the moment we crossed the doors into the tower, the chaos outside faded into an unsettling quiet.
The grand hall, normally stuffed with merchants weighing magic stones and adventurers bargaining over drops, had been completely cleared.
Today, its marble floors and towering columns held something far more dangerous than monsters: gods gathered with a purpose.
From Hephaestus, Takemikazuchi, Ganesha and Miach exchanging calm words near the center, till Apolo, Demeter, Dionysus and Ishitar.
They all looked relaxed. Detached. Untouched by the weight sitting on the shoulders of every single mortal outside.
'Of course they're calm. They're not the ones who'll bleed for this.'
I felt my jaw tightening. If anyone here cared about the number of children they were sending to their possible deaths, they were hiding it behind perfect divine masks.
Sure, note every god is like this, but most here are.
I stepped deeper into the hall, ready to make some snide comment just to break the suffocating stillness, maybe insult someone fashion sense or start an argument over nothing, when a familiar presence brushed the edge of my awareness.
Someone was staring.
I stopped walking.
Before I could turn around, a smooth, unmistakably smug voice drifted from behind me:
— Loki. Long time no see.
'For fuck's sake...' My stomach dropped.
Hermes...