Yami scratched his head in frustration.
If everyone were causing trouble like Loki, he could easily ignore it. But with Riveria's reasonable request and her calm, gentle demeanor, it was hard to say no.
Even if Aiz was his apprentice, Yami couldn't exactly stop her from seeing her family.
After thinking it through, Yami made up his mind.
"Alright, come with me."
As soon as Yami said that, Goddess Hephaestus understood his intentions but had no desire to interfere. If this was Yami's decision, she would not get involved unnecessarily. Besides, there was no reason to refuse at this point.
After the incident of Antares, where the goddess Artemis was swallowed, Oraunos had imposed stricter rules:
The gods were absolutely forbidden from using their divine powers in the lower realm. If caught, they would be forcibly returned to the heavens.
So, even if news leaked that Yami had mastered the ability to travel to another world—causing chaos in Orario—it wasn't a major concern.
With the gods restricted, no adventurer would pose a threat to her children.
Goddess Hephaestus was confident.
Moreover, the news wasn't entirely unknown by now. Besides Hestia, Oraunos likely knew as well. Yet for reasons unknown, the high god hadn't acted, maintaining his usual air of mystery.
Given that, there was no harm in letting Loki know now.
"Go early and come back early, Yami."
"Understood, Hephaestus-sama. I'll be back soon."
Yami nodded, then turned to Riveria.
"Let's go, Riveria."
"Alright," the elven royal mage nodded and stepped forward.
Just then—
"Wait a second, we're coming too!" Loki's voice rang out, halting Yami's movement and drawing the attention of everyone present.
"We haven't seen Aiz in a long time, and we need to make sure she's safe.
Boy, are you afraid of taking us along because you're hiding something?"
Loki's aggressive stare practically burned a hole through Yami, but with Riveria present, Loki refrained from being too blunt and could only vent her frustration through snide remarks—almost like a child mimicking some learned behavior.
Nearby, Goddess Hestia sneezed. 'Ah-choo! Ah-choo!'
"Loki, if you want to come, then by all means," Yami sighed. "However, for my own safety, I'll need some additional protection. Hephaestus, would you mind coming along as well?"
"Fine," Hephaestus nodded, standing up slowly. She understood the significance of having her own children with her.
In another world, the gods weren't bound by Orario's restrictions and could freely use their divine powers. Unleashed, they were incredibly powerful.
Even if Yami wasn't worried about his own safety, the One Piece world couldn't endure that kind of devastation.
So, an equally powerful presence was necessary to keep things balanced.
If it were the goddess Artemis, Yami wouldn't have been so concerned.
But this was Loki—the trickster god! Who knew what kind of mischief she'd stir up after regaining her powers?
Yami wasn't one to entrust his life to others so easily.
"Yami, Artemis and I are going too!" Goddess Hestia hurriedly chimed in.
As one of the few who knew some of Yami's secrets, she could guess where they were heading.
And, of course, the idea of visiting another world intrigued her.
Not to mention, she, like many others, was eager to meet Shirahoshi, the mermaid princess. Even Hestia, a close friend of Goddess Hephaestus, was enchanted by her.
Unlike the mermaids in the dungeon, Shirahoshi had a soft, endearing personality that was irresistible.
Naturally, Hestia didn't want to miss the chance to visit the world Shirahoshi lived in.
Even Goddess Artemis, who wasn't fully aware of the situation, understood that Hephaestus and Hestia would never lead her into harm.
"Everyone wants to come? Fine, let's go together!" Yami conceded. "With all of you here, I trust Loki-sama will behave herself."
With that, Yami didn't left the room, no longer planning to seek a more secluded spot to open the gateway to another world.
There was no need now.
With a snap of his fingers, a flash of light appeared.
A dark portal materialized before them, emitting no light, no breeze—just an endless void of black.
"What... is that? A portal? To where?" Loki, always cautious, squinted at the strange gateway, her expression shifting between curiosity and unease.
"There's no need to know, Loki-sama," Yami said calmly. "All I can tell you is that Aiz is on the other side, along with others who are training."
"If you're scared, I'll just go and bring Aiz back myself," Yami added coolly.
His indifferent words made a vein pop on Loki's forehead.
"Hmph! You sure are asking for a fight," Loki grumbled. "But for Hephaestus' sake, I won't stoop to your level."
"Let's go!"
By now, Loki had grown somewhat used to Yami's demeanor, so his words didn't bother her as much. Instead, all her attention was fixed on the portal before her.
She couldn't explain why, but a surge of excitement welled up inside her