Ais and the others were transported into the world of pirates.
To master the art of Haki, it's best to learn from professionals. While Yami's mastery of the three types of Haki is formidable, he's not exactly suited to teaching it. After all, he didn't learn Haki through conventional means.
For proper instruction, the teachers at the Navy Headquarters are clearly more qualified. After the destruction of the Celestial Dragons, the Navy's influence expanded across the seas, and now they are in dire need of manpower. When the four promising recruits were sent, Sengoku was more than happy to oblige. Under the tutelage of the former Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr, they would receive far more professional training than Yami could offer.
Their progress, however, would depend entirely on their own efforts.
After staying in the world of pirates for a few days, Yami returned to Orario alone. Medea and the others were enjoying themselves, and since Ais and the others needed to remain for their training, he had no choice but to return by himself.
As the familiar layout of his room came into view, Yami thought of something and summoned the system's white light curtain. However, a cooldown was in effect for refreshing new simulated worlds. He wasn't sure if this was because the system hadn't located a new simulated world, or if his own strength had made it harder to find a suitable match.
Either way, Yami felt a bit disappointed.
"So, I can either stay in Orario or delve deeper into the dungeon?" he mused. "But going into the dungeon alone for endless battles sounds boring."
"It seems I'll just have to wait for a while and take a break in the meantime."
With that decision made, Yami slowly stood up. Since there was nothing else to do, he decided to take a stroll through Orario. He thought about visiting the Hestia Familia to check in on them and maybe even spend some time with Goddess Hestia.
Having established a foothold in another world, it was time to focus on his personal life.
"Let's go see how things are." he thought. "Maybe I can even ask Hestia out on a date. Given how generous she is, she shouldn't mind... probably."
Though uncertain, Yami resolved to face the challenge. After all, his red-haired goddess had once said something that had bolstered his confidence.
Yami's hunch was spot-on. Goddess Hephaestus, who had followed him to many different worlds, had been understanding of the growing number of exceptional women around him. Let alone Hestia!
With that in mind, Yami left his room and walked out of the Tower of Babel. The familiar, burning gaze he felt overhead, which had disappeared for a long time, reappeared that day. Yami couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated.
"You already have that red-eyed rabbit, and you're still not satisfied?" he murmured. "Freya, you really do love to toy with me, don't you?"
"Are you planning to use Bell against me once he's grown up? Or is it something else?" He smiled disdainfully as he guessed at Freya's intentions.
"A boring life does need a bit of spice," he thought. "Train that rabbit well, Freya. I hope your next move doesn't disappoint me."
Muttering these words, Yami turned away, ignoring the intense gaze from the Tower of Babel.
"Ah!" a voice gasped from above.
At the top of the Tower of Babel, a beautifully dressed white-haired goddess leaned against the wall, her face flushed and her breathing ragged. She could barely stand.
"How can a soul so impure be so irresistible?" she panted. "Not even Bell compares. I'm so curious—I must have him on my side."
"The taste of this complex soul must be exquisite!" she whispered. "Grow stronger, Bell, and bring him to me!"
Yami, oblivious to the goddess's desires, continued on his way to the Hestia Familia. But before he could get far, a sudden noise from an alley nearby caught his attention, and his observation haki reacted instinctively.
Clearly, someone was looking for him.
"Mr. Yami, please wait a moment," a voice called.
He stopped and turned around, seeing a standard Amazon woman emerge from the shadows. Her figure was striking, and she wore only a few thin pieces of clothing, with purple gauze barely concealing her form, leaving much to the imagination.
Any other man might have been captivated by being stopped by such a beautiful, dark-skinned woman. But not Yami.
The moment he saw her, he guessed her identity.
Amazon women are known for their boldness, both in dress and action, and in Orario, there's probably only one Familia with an adventurer who could be dressed as boldly as this woman.
"You're from the Ishtar Familia?" he asked, his tone skeptical. "What do you want with me?"
"Please allow me to introduce myself," the woman replied quickly, sensing Yami's impatience. "As you can see, I am Aisha Belka, a member of the Ishtar Familia."
"We're meeting for the first time. My goddess wishes to invite you to Happy Street to discuss a potential collaboration. We've already prepared a banquet, and we hope you can join us."
With that, Aisha produced an invitation from seemingly nowhere and handed it to Yami.
Looking at the red invitation, Yami's expression grew strange. He had just been trailed by one goddess, and now another was seeking him out. It seemed he had become quite the desirable target.
And at such a time too! It left him unsure of what to say.
"Ishtar, huh?" he muttered. "I'm sorry, but I don't have much free time these days. I'm afraid I'll have to decline Goddess Ishtar's kind offer. Please convey my apologies and let her know I'll visit when I have the time."
Yami didn't intend to go, of course. He had no interest in the so-called "goddess of beauty." Whether it was Freya or Ishtar, they were not within his circle of acquaintances, so their invitations meant little to him, even if they were both extraordinarily beautiful.
"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now. Take care, Miss Aisha."
Before Aisha could say anything more, Yami turned and walked away, leaving her standing alone, embarrassed and dejected.
"If I can't complete the task given by the goddess, I'll definitely get scolded when I return..."
However, Aisha knew she couldn't force Yami to comply. After all, he had single-handedly defeated the entire Apollo Familia, and she knew she didn't have the strength to make him do anything against his will.
"I guess I'll have to go back and let Ishtar-sama decide," Aisha muttered with a troubled expression. She reluctantly pocketed the invitation letter and hurried back to Happy Street.
This small incident didn't leave much of an impression on Yami, who continued on his way toward the Hestia Familia. However, when he arrived, he discovered that Goddess Hestia wasn't home.
According to the pallun girl Liliruca, Hestia was out selling potato balls again. Even though the Familia had become more prosperous, Hestia hadn't given up on this pastime and continued working diligently each day.
Perhaps her experience of nearly being evicted by Goddess Hephaestus in the beginning had left a lasting impression on her. But whatever the reason, it was a positive thing.
"What a pity," Yami sighed, lamenting his bad luck. Since Goddess Hestia was busy, there was no way he could drag her away from her work to go on a date with him.
With nothing else to do, Yami decided to head back home. After wandering around so many places, he still ended up alone. The feeling of loneliness was hard to shake off.
But before he could wallow in it for long, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Judging by the noise, it seemed there were only two people. Recognizing the familiar aura, Yami sighed softly and turned toward the source of the sound.
"Is it really necessary to be so persistent, Miss Aisha?"
"Hehe, for someone as exceptional as you, it's worth the effort," a voice replied.
Out of the shadows stepped a strikingly beautiful, dark-skinned woman with a delicate smile on her face. Her rosy lips, highlighted by the sunlight, looked incredibly seductive.
"It's our first time meeting, Mr. Yami. I heard you declined my invitation, so I decided to come in person. I hope you'll be kind enough to reconsider," she said, as a subtle wave of spiritual energy emanated from her.
Yami felt the presence of that energy clearly, but it had no effect on him.
"Goddess Ishtar, you're too kind," he responded. "However, if I may, I'd appreciate it if you didn't use your 'charm' power. Though it doesn't affect me, using it during a face-to-face conversation seems rather impolite."
"Oh? How surprising," Ishtar replied, genuinely taken aback by Yami's calm demeanor. It was thrilling to meet someone immune to her charm! Clearly, this man was a unique existence.
He was unlike any other child, even more resistant than most gods. The desire to subdue him grew stronger within her.
"My apologies; I didn't mean to be rude," she continued. "But Mr. Yami, you're mistaken. I wasn't deliberately using my charm—it's simply part of my nature as a goddess of beauty."
"But since you've requested it, I'll refrain from using it."
Though her words were polite, Yami could sense her underlying intentions. The spiritual energy dissipated, but this gesture only made him more cautious. He doubted that the so-called "goddess of beauty" in front of him was merely attracted to his personality and strength. She clearly had bigger plans.
As for her claim that she wasn't controlling her charm, it was laughable. Even without it, her power had no effect on him. Now she was just trying to curry favor with Yami by offering something inconsequential, a tactic that wouldn't work on him. She was clever, no doubt about it.
"Let's cut to the chase, Goddess Ishtar. What exactly do you want from me?" Yami asked, getting straight to the point.
His directness didn't offend Ishtar. On the contrary, the dark-skinned goddess maintained her elegant smile.
"I've already explained my purpose," she replied. "Mr. Yami, I was impressed by your heroic deeds in the war game and would like to invite you to Happy Street for a banquet I've prepared in your honor."
"I have a close relationship with Goddess Hephaestus, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't turn me down."
Once again, the invitation was extended, but this time it was Goddess Ishtar herself who had come to deliver it.
To be honest, such an overture was significant. Without any overt conflict, for a god to personally invite someone like this was a show of great respect. Refusing again wouldn't be ideal for anyone.
After all, Goddess Ishtar wasn't showing any outward hostility.
How troublesome. Yami thought, frowning as he looked at the goddess and Aisha. With nothing urgent on his agenda, and feeling a bit bored, he decided to accept the invitation and see what Happy Street had in store for him.
While it's easy to dodge a spear in the open, it's harder to avoid an arrow in the dark. Better to see what Ishtar was planning.
Besides, he was curious about what this "Land of Love and Moon" in Orario might be like compared to the other worlds he'd visited.
"Since you've gone out of your way to invite me, Goddess Ishtar, I can't refuse any longer," Yami said.
"That's wonderful! I promise you won't be disappointed, Mr. Yami," Ishtar beamed, her smile radiant. She gestured for him to follow, but Yami maintained a careful distance, staying just a step behind.
Noticing this, Ishtar didn't say anything, merely flashing a charming smile as she led the way.
As they walked toward Happy Street, many adventurers noticed their presence. Most of their gazes were fixed on Goddess Ishtar, their admiration barely concealed, some even sporting pink hearts in their eyes.
The allure of a goddess's charisma was something to behold.
It was late afternoon, not yet business hours for Happy Street, but the workers were already awake, dressing up to welcome the evening's guests. Even before it officially opened, the air was filled with the scent of decadence.
This was the paradise of desire!