Only one incident had reached its conclusion.
Rewinding time slightly to when Bell, Akumo, and Ryu were undergoing their own ordeal, events were also unfolding on the surface.
"Akumo is currently absent, but with this level of military strength, we can succeed."
Finn's confident words were conveyed to Loki and Dionysus as they finalized the operation.
"A pincer attack from Daedalus Street and the 18th Floor. In the Dungeon, the Xenos will take charge and sweep 'em all away, aye?"
"That sounds reliable."
Loki, having briefly summarized the plan, flashed a playful smile at Dionysus. She felt an inexplicable surge of exhilaration at the fact that the day of the decisive battle had finally arrived.
"Enyo. A mysterious entity planning the collapse of Orario, conspiring with the remnants of Evilus, corrupted spirits, and the underworld's shadow powers."
Tap—!
"In the language of the Gods, it means 'City Destroyer.' The catalyst and the mastermind behind this entire incident..."
Hermes, lifting a chess piece with the characteristic smirk of a trickster, declared his intent to uncover the identity of Enyo—the root cause of the Melen incident, the multicolored monsters, and the Dionysus Familia's recent tragedies.
"We took a few detours, but it finally feels like the final chapter."
"This extravagant conquest operation is... wait."
At 그 moment, a single doubt flickered through Hermes's mind.
"Demeter, have you happened to see Akumo-kun?"
"Hmm? I haven't~ He used to listen to our requests quite well, but I haven't seen him at all lately~"
'...Surely not.'
However, the momentum of their collective will was already too great to halt; the operation was bound to proceed by necessity.
Clang—!!!
Boom—!!!!!!!!
As if to prove it, a live-combat session disguised as training was taking place at the Freya Familia's home.
"Your swordsmanship lacks the vitality Akumo possesses."
"Kh...!!"
Clang—!!!!
"Strength, speed, technique—all are insufficient."
Thud—!!!
Ottar reflected on the fact that Aiz had suddenly sought him out seven days ago to request training. He sensed instinctively that she had encountered a nemesis she needed to overcome.
"Even that resolve of yours is shallow."
Crack—!!!!!!!!!
Yet, Aiz was performing below his expectations...
"Sword Princess, just how strong is the opponent you wish to fight so desperately?"
"I don't know. I cannot see the end of their strength."
Grip—!!!
At Ottar's words, Aiz bit her lip in frustration. She couldn't even defeat the current Ottar, who wasn't using any special techniques; the path to defeating the creature known as Revis felt hopelessly distant.
"Have you never sparred with Akumo?"
"That..."
"He likely just hunted monsters and called it 'training' in his own way."
—'I'm sure I taught you how to deal with a greatsword, didn't I?'
"!!"
As Ottar spoke to her sternly, Aiz saw an overlap with the Akumo from several months ago—the one who had harshly driven Bell during his training to defeat the Apollo Familia.
"You are overconfident in your own power."
"You are stronger than ordinary people, certainly. But the position you occupy does not allow for mediocrity."
Ottar looked at Aiz and recalled the days of the 'Great Feud.'
"During the Great Feud, what Akumo and I faced were monsters stronger than I am now."
[Silence] Alfia, [Gluttony] Zard.
They were powerhouses worthy of being called the strongest, who had defeated Ottar and Akumo in their first encounter and sought to usher in Orario's dark age.
"Since magic was no match for them, Akumo and I honed our techniques and reinforced our armaments."
That was the courtesy due to the strongest, and the best move they could make.
"And yet, what are you?"
"I am..."
"You aren't fighting a human."
"....!!"
Aiz was shaken by Ottar's words, reflecting on the training she had done and the life-and-death struggles in the Dungeon.
Boom—!!!
Slash—!!!
Clang—!!!
They were certainly memories of a battlefield where blood sprayed and lives hung in the balance, but those were merely adventures against monsters in the Dungeon.
"How do you expect to defeat an enemy stronger than me without pouring every fiber of your being into it?"
Aiz felt those words pierce her heart.
'There was hesitation... but that alone didn't explain it...'
"So that's why I was pushed back...."
That day, at that place, Aiz had been overwhelmed watching their fight.
She was the one who had physically dominated Asterius, yet she was overwhelmed by the bloody struggle shown by Bell, a mere Level 3.
—'[Blood Moon]'
—'[Full Bloom]'
Furthermore, the battle between Akumo and his shadow felt like a story from a different world, drifting further away from her.
Grip—!!!!
Upon realizing this, she unconsciously gripped the hilt of Desperate so hard that her veins bulged. Ottar's greatsword was thrust before her.
"You have a fire within you."
Shing—!
"A [Black Will] that could kill you if you take one wrong step."
But that was precisely why Ottar said those words to her.
"That is merely a means to achieve your goal."
"....."
"Dominate it. Transcend it."
'Whether it be hatred or stubbornness, it matters not.'
If it is to protect what you wish to protect, to save what you wish to save, then make any means your own.
Whoosh—!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ottar's meaning seemed to have been properly conveyed. The strongest wind Ottar had ever seen from her began to swirl around Aiz, and the training resumed.
**
And on the day of the decisive battle, the Ganesha Familia moved busily.
"Under the pretext of town repairs, the residents have been moved to the temporary housing in the northwest!"
In the center of Daedalus Street in the southeast of the city, the elite of the Ganesha Familia gathered, preparing for a potential attack while evacuating the citizens.
"With this, there's no chance of ordinary citizens being caught in the conquest operation..."
Looking around the town and confirming that all citizens had evacuated, Shakti was approached by Ilta, who spoke in a dissatisfied voice.
"Sister! How exactly was this operation explained to the Guild staff!?"
"Your voice is too loud, Ilta."
Tramp, tramp—
"It's known as an investigation of the second Dungeon entrance. Royman must have pulled strings to prevent unnecessary chaos."
Despite Shakti's words, Ilta couldn't calm her frustration.
"But Sister... why can't we participate? That Pallum brat is being treated like a mere errand boy...!"
"Because our role is to guard Daedalus Street?"
"Ardee...!"
"This is also part of the encirclement. We aren't the only ones here; the Hephaestus Familia, led by [Cyclops], is also present."
Ardee kindly explained the true intent of the Loki Familia's operation to Ilta, persuading her, but Shakti also had her own grievances.
"We lost comrades too...."
The incident involving Revis's attack on the 18th Floor several months ago.
The death of Hashana, which had been the starting point, was not something they could easily overlook.
"Do not be angry, everyone!!!"
Boom—!
"Be cool!! Yes!"
The one who shouted to stop them, their Patron Deity 'Ganesha,' struck a pose even more disciplined than usual and cried out.
"Just like me, Ganesha!!!!"
Of course, his excessively loud voice and overconfident pose didn't look good to his children.
"Shut up, Ganesha!"
"Quiet, Ganesha."
"We're in the middle of a secret mission, you know...?"
At those words, Ganesha comforted them with a rare serious voice.
"We do not need to be avengers."
Tramp, tramp—
"If we are the shield that protects the masses, the departed Hashana would not want us to do something foolish for his sake—"
Snap—!!
"DA!!!!!"
Ganesha, who had heroically shouted while splitting his legs into a full horizontal stretch, felt a sense of déjà vu in his heart.
"Go and do well!!!!!!!!!!!"
He dismissed the feeling as a trick of his imagination and vigorously cheered for his children's future while maintaining his split.
"Anyway, it means we have a role to play."
"Sister is right."
"I get it... everyone."
The girls, who had no way of knowing his inner thoughts, completely ignored him.
Tramp, tramp—!
"Amid! Is Amid participating in this operation too!?"
And at the [Knossos] gate in the northeast of Daedalus Street.
The joint Familia unit led by Tiona and Tione was stationed there, and the [Saint of the Battlefield] from the [Dian Cecht Familia] was also present.
"Yes. Captain Finn and Akumo requested it, but it is also my own will."
Snap—!
"More importantly, the start of the operation was delayed because of our pharmaceutical work."
"I don't know what to say..."
As a healer who could be considered the most valuable asset on the battlefield, she offered a humble apology even in this situation.
"No, no, it's because it's dangerous without Amid's specialized anti-curse elixirs~"
"Right, right! Since you can fix even a single scratch!"
Smile—!
"Where the needle goes, the cotton must follow!"
"It's thread, you idiot Tiona."
Tione and Tiona, who smiled at Amid, then examined the clothes she was wearing.
"It's been a while since I've seen that outfit~"
"Your condition is different from usual."
Her serious combat gear, which she only wore when heading to the battlefield.
It was as good as a declaration that she would act as the Saint of the Battlefield, and a dignified spirit could be felt from her appearance.
"What's this!? This massive amount of fish!?"
"It's a gift from the Njord Familia."
Snap—!
"They provided support immediately upon hearing the news that the Loki Familia would be repairing the slums."
Meanwhile, at the surface base of the Knossos gate in the southeast of Daedalus Street, wagons filled with boxes of fish were supplying them.
—'Delicious vegetables have come in, so everyone should eat together.'
"The Demeter Familia has also prepared plenty of fresh vegetables."
The large quantity of vegetables sent by Demeter was also ready to be supplied to the slums at any moment.
"Should I take this moderately, or should I be serious..."
Lulune Louie, a Level 4 adventurer belonging to the Hermes Familia, muttered.
"Aren't we going to get caught, Asfi~!?"
"Watch your mouth, Lulune."
Adjust—!
"My headache is only going to get worse anyway..."
Lulune and the other members could only smile awkwardly at the sight of Asfi, who sent a cold gaze while pushing up her glasses.
'Of course, what we're doing isn't exactly good...'
They, who moved like Hermes's private army while hiding their levels and numbers, evading taxes and duties, were in some ways closer to mercenaries than a Familia.
"Filvis-san!"
"Lefiya!"
Meanwhile, at the wide-area search unit at the southwest Knossos gate of Daedalus Street.
There, Lefiya, Gareth, and Filvis, along with the entire force of the Dionysus Familia, were preparing to enter.
"Filvis-san is in this unit too?"
"Ah, due to Dionysus-sama's escort situation. I'm glad you're on this side too..."
"You're acting completely like his right hand, aren't you?"
"Aura...."
The one who appeared before the conversing girls was the Vice-Captain of the Dionysus Familia, 'Aura Moriel.'
"Even though you only monopolized his favor by lamenting the misfortune of the 27th Floor as if it were your own fault to draw sympathy."
Her epithet was [Crater]. She was roughly a contemporary of Filvis and was an Elf woman who currently served as the most senior member, effectively the commander and pillar of the Familia.
"I thought you were just sneaking around with him, but to even drag the Familia into this..."
"Are you planning to kill us this time, 'Banshee'?"
Lefiya, flustered by the sight of Filvis being treated as a symbol of misfortune, recalled what she had heard from Bors before.
—'The fairy who kills her party, the Banshee.'
—'I heard she's even shunned by the Dionysus Familia, where she's supposed to be the captain.'
However, unlike Lefiya, a look of weary resignation, as if it couldn't be helped, was etched on Filvis's face.
".....I'm sorry, Aura."
".....But, for now, let's cast aside useless discord."
Was it because she saw that? The sentence that came out of Aura's mouth was unexpected.
""Eh?""
"I understand the situation. This is revenge for our fallen comrades..."
Glance—!
"There's no reason to neglect a fellow member over a pointless grudge."
Seeing Aura head toward the other members after saying that, Lefiya smiled, glad that things had worked out, and Filvis also gave a small smile.
"Is it alright? Yer children?"
"There's a gap between Filvis and the other members.... but!"
Dionysus's eyes, watching them, were shining softly.
"Somehow, for this time at least, the gap has been closed!"
"Aura is a bright girl, so she won't let personal feelings interfere with an operation where the city's survival is at stake."
Loki felt something was off at Dionysus's words, but her attention was soon diverted by Gareth, who spoke to her.
"From my perspective, I'm the one who wants to ask if it's really alright for you two to follow along....."
For Gareth, it was a difficult situation to have them, who were no different from ordinary people, enter [Knossos], which was overflowing with murderers and suicide bombers.
"Sorry, sorry, Gareth! But there'll definitely be a moment when we're needed!"
Snap—!
"So make sure ye protect us properly~"
"I'm sorry, [Elgarm]."
Loki made a cute face and asked for understanding just this once, and Dionysus also smiled kindly and apologized to Gareth.
"—All units!!!!!!"
And then.
"Prepare!!!"
Finn's voice was delivered to all teams through the communication crystal received from Fels, announcing the start time of the operation.
"Commence operation!!!!!!"
With those final words, all personnel entered [Knossos], and the second infiltration operation began.
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