Hestia was the first to lose control of her emotions, tears gushing out like a broken dam.
She stumbled to the front of the stage, clutching the edge tightly with both hands, her small face, tear-streaked, looking up at Ying Ping: "Ying Ping-kun... boo hoo, my Ying Ping-kun..."
Artemis also covered her mouth and suddenly squatted down, her long blue hair falling to the ground.
She clutched the front of her clothes tightly, her shoulders trembling violently: "E-everyone..."
Seeing this, Kokkoro and Ilena immediately knelt down to comfort her, only to find that the Moon Goddess's tears had already soaked the entire floor.
Loki, uncharacteristically, reined in her smile.
Leaning back in her chair, she gazed up at the ceiling, but the tears constantly streaming down her cheeks still betrayed her inner emotions.
Freya gently stroked the necklace around her neck, a glimmer of crystal tears sparkling in her amethyst-like eyes.
Ais stood rooted to the spot, her golden eyes fixed unblinkingly on Ying Ping on the stage.
She felt her heart pounding, an unprecedented tremor spreading through her chest.
"Clap, clap clap—"
Someone started applauding first, followed by a thunderous applause and whistling erupting throughout the banquet hall.
Many goddesses embraced each other, weeping, while the gods, with red eyes, clapped vigorously.
"Amazing!"
"So this is how a song can be sung! This is absolutely the gentlest singing in Orario!"
"One more song! One more song!"
Seeing the song's great success, Ying Ping immediately bowed in thanks, stating that he didn't know any other songs.
Hestia suddenly threw herself into his arms, crying out, "Ying Ping-kun! Ying Ping-kun!"
She was sobbing uncontrollably, her small hands clutching his clothes tightly: "I-I can't live without you... Please promise me you'll never leave me, okay...?"
"Okay, I promise you."
Ying Ping gently hugged her, lightly patting her back.
He could feel the loli goddess in his arms trembling violently, and her tears quickly soaked his clothes.
Artemis stood up with Kokkoro's support, her voice still choked: "Orion... what exactly is the meaning of this song...?"
"Hmm, whether it's familial love or romantic love, it's dedicated to all those who have lost their loved ones."
Ying Ping explained softly, his gaze sweeping over every tearful god and adventurer present.
He saw Loki secretly wiping away tears, Freya's rare vulnerable expression, and also noticed Hermes hiding behind a pillar, blowing his nose.
"Mr. Ying Ping..."
Ais had walked to the front of the stage at some point, her golden eyes sparkling with admiration, "This song... it's really beautiful."
"Thank you for liking it."
Ying Ping smiled slightly at her.
"Oh, about that matter..."
Ais looked at Ying Ping again.
Just then, an even more unexpected figure walked onto the stage—it was Apollo.
His eyes were still red and swollen, but he solemnly bowed to Ying Ping: "Ying Ping-kun, I... I am willing to accept your conditions."
The entire venue fell silent again, then erupted into whispers.
"Why did he agree so quickly?"
Ying Ping raised an eyebrow.
"Because of my selfishness in the past... I did make my children do many excessive things."
Apollo's voice was a little choked, "But this song also reminded me... of my original self, so tomorrow I will disband my Familia, leave Orario, and start anew."
Ying Ping looked at him with some surprise, not expecting a song to have such an effect.
Just as he was about to speak, Hestia lifted her head from his embrace and said, sniffing, "N-never mind... Apollo."
"Since you've said that... just give us the house... you don't need to disband your Familia or leave Orario..."
"Really?"
Apollo's eyes widened in surprise, then he looked at Ying Ping, knowing that only his nod would make it so.
"Hmm, seeing as you've repented, let's do as Hestia says."
Ying Ping said casually, not taking Apollo too seriously.
"Thank you, thank you!"
Apollo, seeing that Ying Ping was finally willing to let him go, repeatedly bowed in gratitude.
His captain had been crippled by Ying Ping, his house was now taken, and his Familia was almost disbanded.
But at this moment, he still had to thank Ying Ping.
It could only be said that for these gods of DanMachi, the most severe punishment was being sent back to the heavens.
Because, according to them, the heavens were eternally unchanging and truly boring.
No god wanted to return easily.
Freya, below the stage, suddenly chuckled softly, wiped away her tears, and regained her usual elegant demeanor.
Her gaze was fixed intensely on Ying Ping, and she licked her rosy lips, making Hestia, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, nervously cling to Ying Ping again.
"Ahem..."
Hermes walked out from behind the pillar, his nose still red, "Uh... Ying Ping-kun, about what happened before..."
"It's fine."
Ying Ping shook his head, then exchanged glances with Ais.
Ais, of course, understood what he meant and immediately nodded seriously.
So, Ying Ping publicly picked up Hestia with one hand, and with the other, pointed at Loki below the stage, making a shocking declaration:
"Loki, I, Ying Ping, on behalf of the Hestia Familia, officially challenge your Loki Familia to a War Game!"
Ying Ping's voice wasn't loud, but it struck the banquet hall like a bolt of lightning.
The originally noisy hall instantly fell silent, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
These words exploded in the air, and the expressions of all the gods and adventurers were utterly astonished.
"That's right, Loki, your good days are over!"
Hestia was held in Ying Ping's arm, her small face flushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
The wine glass in Loki's hand clattered to the floor, and red wine splashed onto her white boots.
"W-what did you say?!"
Her narrowed eyes suddenly snapped open, her blood-red pupils contracting violently.
Loki couldn't take it anymore, she kicked over the table in front of her, scattering wine and snacks everywhere, and roared, "You little brat! Do you dare to repeat what you just said?!"
The banquet hall immediately erupted into chaos.
"Heh heh, it seems I didn't come for nothing; things are getting more interesting."
Freya covered her lips, a hint of playfulness flashing in her eyes.
"The Hestia Familia actually dares to provoke Lord Loki..."
Apollo's recently relaxed expression tightened again.
"What an unexpected turn of events. Is this Ying Ping finally ready to show his fangs?"
Hermes, meanwhile, stroked his chin, looking thoughtfully at Ying Ping on the stage.
Among the gods present, only Take-Mikazuchi, Miach, and a few others were aware of Ying Ping's almost unprecedented strength.
With LV20 strength, challenging the Loki Familia to a War Game was indeed reasonable.
Ying Ping continued to hold Hestia, and with his other hand, he wagged a finger, saying, "Regarding the War Game, we only have three demands."
"First, Loki, you must publicly apologize for all the times you bullied Hestia in the past."
"Second, you must always be Lord Hestia's servant, and you must obey everything she says."
Hestia eagerly interjected, proudly shaking her twin tails: "Loki, from now on, you have to call me the esteemed Lord Hestia! Nya nya nya~"
A burst of laughter erupted in the banquet hall, but it quickly quieted down again.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for Ying Ping's next words.
Ying Ping continued, "Finally, third, you must give your Sword Princess, Miss Ais, to our Hestia Familia."
Upon hearing this, Loki finally snapped.
Her face instantly flushed crimson, then rapidly darkened, veins bulging on her forehead.
"You, you, you all—"
She was so angry she couldn't form a complete sentence, her finger trembling as she pointed at Ying Ping and Hestia.
Ais, standing behind Ying Ping, had a calm expression, but she was actually very uneasy.
Loki suddenly burst into a hysterical laugh, full of mockery and anger.
"Hahahaha! That's hilarious!"
"This is absolutely the most ridiculous joke I've heard in hundreds of years!"
Loki slapped her thigh hard, laughing so hard that tears came to her eyes, then she slammed her wine glass down and roared, "Are you missing the point? Who do you think you are?"
"Do you even have the right to play a War Game with me, Loki?"
She suddenly stopped smiling, her eyes turning cold.
"War Game, are you playing or not?"
Ying Ping was fearless, calmly meeting Loki's angry gaze.
"Heh heh, if you play, what if you lose the War Game?"
Loki sat back down, trying to regain control of the situation.
"If we lose..."
Hestia swallowed, looking up at Ying Ping.
After receiving his affirmative gaze, she took a deep breath, puffed out her chest, and declared loudly, "Then our entire Hestia Familia, including myself, will be at your disposal!"
The entire hall erupted in an uproar again.
The stakes were too high.
If the Hestia Familia lost, not only would all members fall into Loki's hands, but Hestia herself would also be at Loki's mercy.
Loki narrowed her eyes; her vigilance and intuition as the Goddess of Mischief began to kick in.
Her gaze scrutinized Ying Ping's and Hestia's faces, trying to find anything unusual.
Because these two were too confident, almost abnormally so.
Then she looked at the girls of the Hestia Familia, and even Artemis; everyone seemed full of confidence.
"Something's wrong."
Loki had made up her mind.
"Nonsense!"
Loki suddenly flung her hand, making a dismissive expression, "Even so, why should I accept your War Game?"
"You say play, and we play? How ridiculous!"
She felt there was a trick, so she turned to leave, waving her hand, "Let's go, Ais-tan, don't mind these lunatics."
Ying Ping calmly adjusted his hold on Hestia, "So, Lady Loki is afraid to accept the challenge?"
"Bullshit!"
Loki flew into a rage, "I'm saying that a small Familia like yours doesn't have the right to play games with me!"
Loki took two steps and noticed Ais hadn't followed, so she impatiently turned back, "Ais? Why aren't you leaving yet?"
Ais lowered her head, her golden hair falling to obscure her expression.
When she looked up, a determined glint shone in her amber eyes, "Lady Loki... if you refuse this War Game..."
She took a deep breath, "Then I will convert and join the Hestia Familia."
"Wh—?!"
Loki's body stiffened, her expression instantly freezing.
The entire banquet hall erupted again, gods and adventurers alike stunned, their jaws nearly dropping to the floor.
Here, who didn't know that the Sword Princess had always been the apple of the Loki Familia's eye?
For Loki herself, Ais was someone she cherished like a daughter.
But now Ais was... betraying Loki!?
This news was simply too explosive; every god and adventurer showed expressions of eager gossip.
"Ai, Ais-tan, you..."
Loki's voice trembled uncontrollably, "Do you know what you're saying?"
Ais nodded calmly, "I am very clear, Lady Loki."
"You dare... you dare..."
Loki's breathing became ragged, her chest heaving violently, her red hair moving without wind, like burning flames.
"Our Loki Familia has raised you for so many years! I even treated you like my own daughter!"
"And now you're betraying us for a brat you just met?!"
Ais's eyes flickered for a moment, but quickly regained their determination.
"This isn't betrayal, Lady Loki."
"I just... want to become stronger."
Her gaze turned to Ying Ping, "As long as I convert to the Hestia Familia, Mr. Ying Ping can help me achieve this; he promised."
"Just because of that, you actually believe his words?!"
Loki let out a roar almost like a beast's.
Her divine power leaked uncontrollably, and the surrounding tables and chairs began to vibrate violently.
Loki was so angry she had activated her divine power!
"Good! Very good!"
She gritted her teeth, looking at Ying Ping and Hestia, and said, "Hestia, you have successfully angered me! I accept your War Game!!!"
She fiercely pointed at Ying Ping, her fingernail seemingly about to poke into his eye, "If your Hestia Familia loses, all the girls in your Familia will convert to my Familia!"
"I also want Ying Ping to become my slave! Forever! I want you to kneel on the ground and lick my shoes every day!"
"And Hestia... as for you, I will announce to all of Orario that you are a useless goddess, good for nothing but your big chest!"
Facing the ferocious Loki, Hestia's face instantly turned pale, but Ying Ping gently held her hand.
"Heh, Loki, you've finally revealed your true nature. Do you think saying these words can scare us?"
"The more arrogant you are today, the more miserable your end will be."
"Originally, I only intended for you to be Hestia's servant, only responsible for serving tea and water. Now it seems you also want to be a slave."
Ying Ping scoffed, no longer pretending, and directly began to mock Loki.
"Alright, alright, then let's see who will truly become a slave!!!"
Loki's eyes burned with furious madness.
She gave Ais one last fierce glare, then turned and strode away, her red hair wildly dancing behind her.
But Ais remained standing still.
"Ais!"
Loki stopped at the doorway, shouting sharply without turning her head, "Come here, don't forget you are still my child!"
Ais hesitated, but eventually followed.
However, as she passed Ying Ping, she gave a subtle nod.
The banquet hall was silent; everyone was stunned by the sudden conflict.
It wasn't until Loki's figure disappeared out the door that whispers and excited voices erupted like a tide.
"Things have really blown up now..."
"Loki is truly angry."
"It looks like the Hestia Familia is finished. How do those few people have the guts to challenge the entire Loki Familia?"
"They do seem very confident, but the exact odds of winning will have to wait until the War Game rules are announced..."
Hestia's legs went weak, and she almost collapsed to the ground, but Ying Ping caught her in time.
"Ying, Ying Ping-kun, Loki is so scary when she's angry..."
Her voice trembled slightly, "Did we make a mistake?"
Ying Ping looked down at her, a confident smile playing on his lips, "No, we didn't make a mistake, Hestia. We will definitely win this War Game."
He calmly carried Hestia off the stage, and Artemis and the others immediately gathered around.