Nidhogg is known as a monster that existed in the distant, ancient past.
One of the oldest calamities released from the Dungeon, predating even the targets of the Three Great Quests: Behemoth, Leviathan, and the One-Eyed Black Dragon.
"That is the current groundless speculation."
"Regardless, it means we must investigate."
"Exactly. The only thing we can do right now is gather information."
To Finn and Riveria, it was more of a conviction than a speculation, which made it all the more imperative to find information and prepare.
"Because..."
There was only one thing to be gleaned from the sparse records of that existence.
""...""
Flip—!
It possessed an overwhelming strength, enough to plunge the world into the depths of despair.
To the point where ancient humanity stood absolutely no chance against it.
"Then how was such a being defeated?"
No history book or ancient document described it clearly. There were only abstract expressions: that everything ended after a light fell from the sky, or that the songs of the prayerful purified the Evil Dragon.
"Ah~ I don't rightly know either. It wasn't long after the Heavens got all riled up, screamin' that the lower world was in danger."
"To be honest, I was a bit off me rocker back then, busy killin' other Gods and all."
Finn had questioned Loki, but even she lacked precise information.
"I heard some God went and intervened on their own, blowin' the thing away..."
Unlike the Divine Will, individual techniques, or charms that Gods possessed, the use of Arcanum was strictly forbidden in the lower world.
"...Then what in the blazes was that?"
"Loki, do you have any inkling?"
"...Nah, just talkin' to meself."
'I'll have to wait for that lad Akumo to get back before I can ask anythin'...'
If any God were to use Arcanum, they would tear a hole in the lower world rivaling the Dungeon itself.
Yet, no such trace existed anywhere.
"A dead... end."
"Asking other Gods only yields incomprehensible answers or nonsense..."
Finn, Riveria, and Gareth, who had been investigating for over a day, could not find even a fragment of information regarding Nidhogg.
"Even the Gods who seem to have a conscience possess a distortion; they view the calamities of the lower world as trials for humanity to overcome—mere fodder for sublimation."
"This record, and the conversation with Thanatos... they are all stories heard by Akumo, Lefiya, and the girl named Filvis."
"...Akumo is missing, Filvis is dead, and Lefiya is in no state to testify due to the shock."
In such a situation, they could only continue their indefinite investigation with grim expressions.
"Are you serious? Loki."
"I'm as serious as it gets. I've had a string of nasty feelin's lately."
At the Hermes Familia's home, Soma, Loki, and Hermes were gathered to discuss Enyo.
"We can talk about Akumo-kun later. What's the basis for your deduction?"
Thud—!
"!!"
Hermes was visibly startled by the wine Loki produced. Seeing Soma present alongside Loki's deduction, he immediately recognized that the bottle before him was Divine Wine.
"Soma and I went to Dionysus's wine cellar and found it."
"I guarantee it. This is enough to intoxicate even a God."
"..."
Pop—!
"...!!!?"
As soon as Hermes opened the wine and caught the scent, his mind wavered for a fraction of a second before he slammed the cork back in.
"What if Dionysus caught this scent in the Man-made Dungeon? What if he was unconsciously drawn to it?"
"There's no hard proof. The deduction is full of holes, but..."
'If that's the case, everything is explained... the sudden solo actions, the bizarre behavior, all of it.'
The potency of the Divine Wine lent weight to Loki's theory. With zero information on Enyo, Hermes decided to proceed based on Loki's deduction.
"So, what do you want me to do? Surely you didn't come just to tell me a story?"
"Aye, just like ye said. I need evidence."
Slide—!
"I'm askin' ye to conduct a search of their premises."
"Search every nook and cranny! The Guild and Lord Hermes will take full responsibility!"
Dash—!!!
The very next day, an emergency search of the Demeter Familia's residence was conducted, led by the Hermes Familia.
"It's no good, Asfi! It's empty! Not a single soul in sight!"
Lulune's panicked voice echoed. They opened every room, but they found no significant clues—not even a single person.
'Are we already too late...!?'
Just as Asfi feared, the search was yielding nothing. Then—
"The basement! Get over here!!"
"Everyone to the basement!"
Dash—!!!
At Falgar Batros's horrified shout, they all rushed down to the cellar. What they discovered there was shocking.
—Perish, Orario. I shall open the path to the underworld.
"The Demeter Familia...!"
The message was clearly written in blood. It was the definitive evidence needed to turn Loki's deduction into certainty.
"Impossible! The Demeter Familia... that Goddess Demeter is Enyo!"
The revelation successfully plunged everyone into shock. Fels was among them, reacting with disbelief before Uranus.
"Goddess Demeter is a benevolent deity who has supported Orario, just like Zeus and Hera!"
"There's no way she's Enyo! Do you realize how much she has contributed to the order and peace of Orario!"
Fels's words were true. The Demeter Familia was the premier production and commercial Familia.
By harvesting grains, vegetables, and fruits, they formed a pillar of Orario's food supply. If the Demeter Familia were to vanish, many would starve, and chaos would ensue.
"However, evidence was found at the Demeter Familia's home. Furthermore, she is one of the few Gods permitted to leave the city freely."
"The only others granted such clearance are Hermes and Ganesha."
"Regardless of her past deeds, if there is cause for suspicion, an investigation must proceed."
Moreover, the Demeter Familia boasted the largest scale in history when including non-combat personnel.
Such a Familia, including their Patron Deity, had vanished entirely.
"Huh? Has the wheat we ordered not arrived yet?"
"That's strange. The Demeter Familia is never late with shipments."
This fact was far from trivial. This small dissonance would escalate into undeniable chaos within days.
"On top of that, two Gods have been repatriated. That much couldn't be hidden."
'And given the atmosphere of the Dionysus Familia...'
"It's impossible to expect people to believe nothing happened."
Uranus considered Fels's words. He decided to leave the damage control to Royman and the Guild for now, focusing all efforts on searching Knossos and Demeter.
"Gods were repatriated... two of them."
"The Guild says there was a small-scale conflict... but they aren't announcing which Gods returned to the Heavens."
"Feels like they're hiding something, doesn't it?"
The ripples were growing larger, fueled by the incidents of recent months.
"First, Lady Ishtar of the Entertainment District went back to the Heavens, and things have been weird lately too."
"Is something big going down?"
"The light that shot up was in the Southeast District, and the monsters appeared in Daedalus Street..."
Not just ordinary citizens, but adventurers as well sensed the ominous aura. Rumors continued to spread in the streets and taverns.
"I heard the Ganesha Familia is stationed near Daedalus Street."
"They've set up tents and are blocking all access... it's suspicious."
"The only ones active are the gatekeepers. Everywhere else, there's only a minimum number of gendarmes."
"The Pioneer of the Loki Familia is nowhere to be seen, and I heard the others are busy too."
For now, it was still at the level of conjecture. It wouldn't turn into certainty in just a few days.
"Daedalus Street again...?"
"Maybe that story about finishing off the monsters that invaded the surface was a lie. Maybe they're still alive?"
"Nah~ didn't you see the flames the Pioneer showed us? If those things were still alive, we'd be in real trouble."
"Then should we leave the Minotaur to Rabbit Foot?"
"Hahahaha! Maybe so!"
Even in jest, the instincts of the adventurers couldn't help but catch a foul scent in the air.
Drip—!
Drip—!
Those watching the Guild's movements, those exchanging information.
"I'm finally back..."
Trusting the divine intuition of their Patron Deities, they waited for the day of upheaval that would eventually come.
"What the? Why are there so few people?"
"Feels like there are fewer shops open too..."
"...The city is far too quiet overall."
It was then that those who had been on their own adventure finally returned.
"I can't believe it..."
Akumo was stunned after hearing the full story from Loki, Riveria, and Amid.
'Even with such a monster removed from the board...'
"It means they aren't just a threat in terms of raw power, but a transcendent existence in a battle of wits too~"
Dionysus's repatriation, the failure of the second Knossos raid, and Demeter's actions that practically confirmed her as Enyo.
"...?"
"What is it, Akumo?"
"Do you have an inkling of something?"
"Spit it out, whatever it is!"
As Akumo walked outside with them, the more he heard, the more a certain sense of deja vu gripped him.
"...Are you sure it's not them?"
"""...?"""
Despite the existence of a solid alibi, Akumo couldn't shake the strange feeling.
"..."
'There is someone suspicious. But the culprit is undoubtedly someone with the intelligence to deceive everyone.'
"Unless they know all our information—no, even if they did, it would be impossible."
For some reason, he felt as though he had experienced this situation many times before.
Those who feign being the culprit, those who create perfect alibis, those who use others to carry out their plans.
Grin—!
"Ah... so that's how it is..."
The existence with an alibi that should be doubted the least, the one that is most impossible to suspect.
"The being that has completely vanished."
That person is the culprit.
Step, step—
"Hey~ Bell."
"Brother!"
After hearing the story, Akumo immediately went with the others to see Bell.
"You heard the news, right?"
"Yes, thanks to Tiona-san."
Just as Bell said, Tiona was unfolding a copy of a mural before him and Lili. The mural was something very familiar to Bell.
"I'd forgotten about it since it was something I heard a long time ago..."
"Yeah, I read it in a fairy tale my grandfather told me."
Everyone stared at them in shock at their nonchalant reactions.
"""Eh?"""
"Ye know about this...?"
"How are clues being found so quickly..."
"I should have just waited for him to come back before going in..."
Tione, Tiona, and Aiz were all simultaneously surprised. Loki, Riveria, and Amid, who had followed Akumo, were dumbfounded that a clue was found the moment he arrived.
""The Six-fold Ring of Spirits that destroyed the Evil Dragon Nidhogg.""
They immediately headed to Loki.
"So that's what it was..."
"The Six-fold Ring of Spirits... you're sure that's what they said?"
At Finn's question, Akumo yielded the answer to Bell. Bell nodded with conviction.
"The story of Nidhogg doesn't feature a hero."
"Instead, six Great Spirits sent by a God appear. These Great Spirits defeat Nidhogg at the cost of their lives."
"They continued the song of the dragon within a powerful barrier... I suspect it was a chant."
Akumo added the rest of the details, lending credibility to the story.
"In the end, a Great Secret Art was activated, and the vicious dragon was buried. That's how Bell's story goes."
"Then the women in the mural aren't sacrifices or priestesses..."
"They are the oldest Six Spirits sent by the God who destroyed Nidhogg."
Hearing that, Finn was certain that the enemy was stalling for time, just as they had predicted.
"Are they trying to revive the ancient Great Secret Art that destroyed the Evil Dragon right here in Orario?"
Clap—!
"If so, these six spaces in the Man-made Dungeon—no, this connected ring—which area of Orario does it correspond to?"
"The center of Orario. No, the central district surrounding the great hole of the Dungeon."
Riveria immediately brought a map she had drawn and spread it on the table before everyone.
"It is exactly the shape of the Central Plaza, expanded by one level."
""""!!""""
Everyone could see it now.
"An absurd Great Magic that destroyed an absurd Evil Dragon of antiquity..."
"They're gonna use that to blow all of Orario to kingdom come~"
The Corrupted Spirit seen on the 59th floor, the seven flasks found by Aiz, and the Bull-type Spirit defeated during the first Knossos raid.
"Of course, two of the Spirits I caught are missing... but they probably just made new ones."
"So what? The enemy isn't just holding out; they've entered the countdown to finishing a bomb...!?"
"Pretty much. Considering how much time they're stalling."
Akumo's nonchalant answer left no room for rebuttal. Loki immediately confirmed the shocking fact.
"Uranus confirmed it as well. If the main body of the Spirit clones has consumed several ancient Great Spirits..."
"Would it be possible for them to substitute for the ritual?"
Slide—!
"It is possible. That is the reality."
Loki proceeded to explain the identity and power of the ritual she had learned through Uranus to the children.
"The name of that ritual is [Heaven's Gate]."
"By placing Spirits on a large-scale altar, they use the Spirits' own power as a medium to summon a [Pillar of Heaven]—a power close to Arcanum."
""""...""""
"An ultimate move that only becomes possible when several powerful Great Spirits exist..."
"That's just cheatin'~♪"
"Akumo's right. That's a total foul."
Bete spoke up to ask about the exact destructive power.
"How much damage?"
"It'll blow Orario and the surroundin' lands away, root and branch."
""""""!!!""""""
The reason why there were no records of Nidhogg, which Finn and the others had been searching for, was finally revealed.
"With that kind of power, anyone who wasn't a God would have been swept away and killed."
With that level of destruction, Orario wouldn't just collapse; it would be annihilated beyond any hope of reconstruction.
"If that happens... will that era of chaos be resurrected?"
'...Is this what chaos looks like?'
No, mindless slaughter alone cannot be chaos. There's no way.
'It'd be easier if they just said they wanted to see blood~'
"Whatever the case, we must launch an attack now. Before the ritual is completed."
"There isn't a moment to lose."
So suddenly, yet inevitably, the day of the decisive battle arrived. It was right before them, right under their noses.
—~♪
As if to announce it, the overture of destruction began quietly throughout Orario.
Bang—!!!
"I'm comin' in~"
"Akumo-san...!!? So suddenly!!"
"It's fine, it's fine~"
Once the day of the battle was set, Akumo immediately headed to Lefiya.
"Lefiya is still unconscious from the shock...!!!"
"That's why I'm here, isn't it? I have a way."
Lefiya was effectively out of commission, lying expressionless and catatonic in bed after witnessing Filvis's death.
Akumo kicked open the door to Lefiya's room and walked in nonchalantly.
"Akumo-san... feels like he's changed."
"He's become more... honest, I guess?"
"It feels like his consideration for others has vanished... but then again, there's no other solution..."
Akumo had decided he would no longer spend his time doting on everyone.
Thud—!
"Lefiya, I heard you went to Knossos this time?"
Step, step—
"I have something to tell you."
Just as Akumo was about to calmly state a certain fact to Lefiya—
Step, step—
"Tell her later, in front of the others."
Loki rushed in and stopped Akumo. Realizing she was likely blocking him because he intended to reveal more information than expected, Akumo agreed and stepped out of the room.
"I don't know why everyone's holdin' back so much~"
"She's a patient...!! Lefiya is..."
"...A patient?"
Lefiya's close friend Elfie tried to protest, but Akumo only looked puzzled.
"And what will leaving her alone solve?"
"That's..."
"Just trust Loki and me for now, ye brats."
Grin—!
"Trust me."
The smile Akumo wore—full of his usual absolute conviction—gave her the faith she needed.
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