Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

They expanded the maze until they were almost starving to death.

They raped and impregnated the women they captured.

They gouged out the "eyeballs" from the bodies of their compatriots who went mad and committed suicide because they could not bear the "fate of Daedalus," and used them to make new "keys."

In a state devoid of even the most basic human "functions," Baka, strangely and unemotionally devoid of emotion, repaid all his "activities" to the man-made labyrinth. In this process, forming a pact with the gods and receiving "favors" was practically an inevitable outcome.

—Baka's younger brother harbors a "monster" in his heart.

—A cruel, ugly, yet pure "monster".

When they became a family, Thanatos had said this to him.

Baka felt nothing.

He acquired the "mysterious ability" because it was necessary.

He became a sorcerer because it was necessary.They created and mass-produced disgusting "cursed tools".

He killed both humans and monsters because it was necessary.

Everything was for the "long-cherished wish" of the progenitor Daedalus.

(Even though it was like this... past scenes... the face of the man <Dix> reappeared in my mind.)

Dix Perdix, who was born from the same woman after Barca, only saw the "notebook" after he had established himself, which caused him distress.

Bacca couldn't understand his pain. Besides, it's only natural that he lacked the "functions" of empathy or reasoning.

He simply viewed Dix, who hated man-made labyrinths and sometimes even hindered his "long-cherished wish," as a "scourge." He loathed this troublesome person. Dix probably felt the same way about Baka, who had become one of the "functions" of expanding the labyrinth. The only reason they didn't turn on each other was because the other had some use to them.

Ironically, this was the only relationship they had that resembled that of "brothers."

(What exactly is emotion...? But whatever it is, it doesn't matter.)

Baka has no conviction, no will.

As a puppet bound by blood and manuscripts—there wasn't even the superfluous thought to raise such a question.

Men possess only one kind of "obsession".

“…………”

The eerie blue magic stone lamp mounted on the wall illuminated the sickly pale skin.

Like a ghost, Baka walked down the corridor, passing through one of his secret rooms that served as a workshop, and picked up a black notebook.

It was the "Daedalus Manuscript".

After Dix's tragic death, Barca indifferently retrieved the blueprints for the artificial maze.

He silently glanced at the journal, then stuffed another bag of "personal belongings" into his belt, and hurried on to his destination.

Before long, he arrived at a circular hall, smaller than the "Lord's Hall" he had just been in, but still quite large. The ceiling was high, and it was as spacious as a small lecture hall.

There are four entrances and exits. The interior structure is also very similar to the "Master's Hall", with a pedestal in the center.

The same object was placed on the pedestal: a large red bead that only the Daedalusians could manipulate.

"Dix... I never thought I'd have to rely on your 'resentment'... You're hopeless."

He murmured the name of the dead man.

The object in front of you is actually a "starting device".

Using the same principle as the opening and closing of the "door" made of the hardest metal, copper, it can remove the "pillars" of a specific floor.

The final outcome is "collapse".

Baka correctly understood Thanatos's "divine will" and planned to use this device to crush the Loki Familia along with the collapsed building.

This function is naturally not recorded in the "Daedalus Handbook".

The person who set up this device was none other than Dix.

It was his resentful "notebook," cursing fate and hating his half-brothers in the entire man-made labyrinth. This was the last act of defiance against the progenitor Daedalus left by a man whom Barca never considered his own brother.

Dix, who hoped to be freed from the "Curse of Blood," may have once dreamed of perishing together with this man-made labyrinth.

While unconsciously pondering these useless thoughts, Baka stood before the pedestal that controlled the collapse.

He was holding the "Daedalus Manuscript" that he had just brought out.

He opened the page and followed the startup procedure that Dix had written in the blank space.

Turn the large red bead half a circle to the left, then twice to the right, and finally press it down while chanting "Collapse".. "

The specific floor that collapsed was the eighth floor.

The floor area that the Loki Familia's allied forces are about to invade.

He intended to use this opportunity to exterminate the invaders.

"..."

Baka, who was calmly pressing the large red bead down, hesitated for a moment.

The obsession of building a man-made labyrinth over a millennium, even if it only results in the collapse of a single floor, will leave a profound and lasting impact. The goal of completion in Bacca's generation will become unattainable, and he will absolutely not be able to witness the fulfillment of his "long-cherished wish."

Even though he already knew he couldn't witness his "long-cherished wish" come true, he still couldn't let go of the "one in ten thousand" possibility. This was indeed the emotion that Baka felt: self-interest.

This is the only emotion hidden in the heart of a man who has never seen the sun, pale and颓废, incapable of any emotional response. It is a wish related to his long-cherished aspirations, a longing that is both a source of nostalgia and a source of entanglement.

Ironically, the human emotion (selfishness) that existed within Baka determined the "direction of his fate."

Just as he pried open his tightly closed lips, about to utter the word "collapse," the next instant—

"————!?"

call out!

A sharp sound rang out from the space that should have been empty.

At the last moment, he followed the warning bells rang by his sixth sense and leaned his upper body back.

Immediately afterwards, a line was drawn across Baka's neck as he escaped the sharp whistling sound, and blood gushed out.

"Hmm...!?"

Barely escaping death, Bacca staggered backward, pushing off the ground with both feet. In doing so, he accidentally let go and dropped the "Daedalus Manuscript" to the ground.

Just as the red blood splattered and stained his body and the ground, Baka's hearing caught the "voice".

"—I messed up."

Baka opened his red eyes wide, and the space around him seemed to diffuse and permeate from the pedestal in front of him.

A beautiful woman holding a "black helmet" in her left hand appeared with a stern voice.

"...[The Omnipotent One]"】!?

A flowing white cloak, light blue hair, and silver-rimmed glasses.

The person who appeared in front of Baka's line of sight was none other than Asphi Al Andromeda.

"You must be Baka Perdix. According to the information provided by the god Icarus, you are Dix Perdix's half-brother and a descendant of Daedalus... It is you, a member of the dark faction, who stole our comrades."

Asif gently swung the bloodstained short sword in her right hand, making it whistle.

As if this were a signal, several adventurers appeared out of nowhere from behind her.

"...[Hermes Familia]".

Dog-man thief, dwarf mage, tiger-man vanguard wall...

The appearance of a group of up to ten people stirred up a storm in the usually calm and composed Baka's heart.

He pressed his bleeding neck, his voice dry and slurred, "How could this be..."

"Could it be... a magical artifact that allows one to become invisible?"

Asif and the others were all carrying the same type of "black helmet".

Seeing them appear as they removed their helmets, he deduced that the helmet was a magical artifact meticulously crafted by the "Omnipotent One".

These people have become "transparent".They quietly approached Baka, intending to take his head.

"But how did you get here...? Even if you could cross floors, unless a miracle happens, it's impossible to find this room..."

Even after figuring out the secret behind the other person's sudden appearance, questions still kept arising.

This room, along with the "Master's Hall," is an important facility of the dark faction within the man-made labyrinth. Naturally, it is located in a particularly complex and deep area of ​​the labyrinth, and cannot be found by simply wandering around.

"It's simple, we found out by arresting 'people' and questioning them."

To Bacca's confusion, Asifi gave a straightforward answer.

As soon as she finished speaking, the tiger-man adventurer behind her threw the person he was holding onto the ground.

The apostle of Death, Thanatos, dressed in a long robe, fell to the floor.

Baka recognized the face with the turban torn off. This man had risen to a leadership position within the remnants of the dark faction and was a frequent companion of Sanatos.

"You seem to be demanding that personnel engage in self-destruction... but as long as you approach from behind 'invisibly,' you won't give him the time to blow himself up."

"...!"

"Then we'll use the truth serum to get him to answer our questions."

Then, a short needle resembling a dark sword was thrown onto the floor. This was probably also a magical artifact of the "Omnipotent One".

Just as she said, they thus uncovered the key facilities and strongholds of the man-made labyrinth, as well as the locations of the main gods, Thanatos and Baka.

The cadre lying on the floor was probably in a state of confusion, his eyes rolled back, and his body was convulsing.

"...To find me, and Thanatos...?"

"And this 'notebook'."

"!"

"Arrest the organization's key figures and seize the 'blueprints' for the man-made maze. Only by securing these two items can Finn Timner's vision of a 'short decisive battle' be realized."

Asphie bent down and picked up the "Daedalus Manuscript" that had fallen to the floor.

Before the battle for the labyrinthine street, Finn learned of the existence of this notebook from the god Ikelos, making obtaining the "blueprints" containing the structure of the artificial labyrinth his top priority. Acquiring it would save him the trouble of drawing a map. This matter was as paramount as capturing important figures like Thanatos or Baka.

This "manual" is the key to bringing the operation closer to success—no, it's the "secret technique".

"We, the Hermes Familia, have been given two missions. One is to search for clues about the mastermind behind it all, Enyo... and at the same time, we must use every means to find this 'notebook'."

Therefore, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Loki Familia's march was entirely for the purpose of obtaining this "manual".

Baka opened his left eye, which was marked with the letter "D".

Hearing Asifi's words gave him a chilling feeling.

"Could it be that from the very beginning...?"

"That's right, they're all in the hands of the [Hero]."

Asphi handed the "notebook" to the dog-man thief, readily admitting his statement.

"To put it another way, our offensive operations so far have been a smokescreen to prevent our 'special operations team' from being discovered."

This shocking fact caused Baka's mind to erupt in a frenzy in an attempt to comprehend the situation.

Finn actually used all his military forces, including his own troops, for a "feint attack".

The excess map-making personnel, or the five assault teams, were all a deceptive human wave tactic—their aim was to mislead Baka and his group into believing that the enemy intended to conquer the artificial labyrinth using a "direct assault." While Baka and his group were focused on their overwhelming attack, the Hermes Familia seized the opportunity to use the magic item "Hades Helmet" to become "transparent," transforming into an invisible "special operations team" and launching their operation.

At the same time, as she had just mentioned, she also grabbed one of their group members and asked him about the location of "important facilities".

"This entire large-scale operation was just 'bait'...? How is that possible? It's outrageous..."

No one would doubt that the main force of the city's largest faction, the Loki Familia, was actually a "feint attack force."

In fact, the dark faction was already overwhelmed with trying to stop the adventurers' incredible assault on the man-made labyrinth, and no one noticed the sudden disappearance of the Hermes Familia. Even Baka, who was closely monitoring the battle from the "Master's Hall," was no exception.

At that moment, Baka discovered it.

Why did Finn and his companions want to completely destroy the "eyes" of the maze?

That wasn't to prevent intelligence from leaking to Baka and the others, but rather to pave the way for the enemy to not discover the sudden disappearance of the Hermes Familia.

The Dionysus Familia consisted of a large number of personnel, the Loki Familia were combat troops, and then there was the Hermes Familia's special forces, which had superior reconnaissance and intelligence capabilities.

Finn Demnaran was the one who orchestrated a scheme by the three factions of the Alliance Elders to deceive the Dark Faction.