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

"—Drink! Aa ...

Amid's roar defeated it.

With the residual power of magic enough to blow away the miasma, the magical radiance rising from the ground transformed into a gigantic white pillar.

Numerous white particles of light, filling the hall, scattered everywhere, and the black filth on the "Baka Monster" vanished.

Just like armor that has lost its protection.

"!!"

As Amid collapsed, two Amazons took the lead and sped away.

To ensure their friends' efforts wouldn't go to waste, they jumped atop the monster's head and raised their massive weapons high.

"Drink up! Aa ...

"I'm going up now! Ooo ...

Tione's halberd and Tiona's large double blades cleaved into the monster's body.

The two's combined attack sent the monster's right and left arms flying into the air.

The enormous body could not maintain its posture and fell forward.

"--call!!"

Finally, Finn sped away.

He raised his golden spear, the Spear of Fortia.

With an astonishingly powerful sprint, he unleashed a lightning-fast thrust.

"!!"

however……

The golden spear tip stopped just before piercing the monster's face.

"Commander!?"

The attack, which stopped at the last moment, made Thione cry out in confusion.

She was about to ask, "Why let such a great opportunity slip by?"

"—Dead."

"what?"

"It's dead."

Finn slowly lowered his spear and spoke in a low voice, which made Tiona and the others stop what they were doing.

Some of the people who were suffering from the curse also looked up at the monster that was sitting in the center of the hall.

The "Baka Monster," with its head tilted to the side in a dejected manner, had lost all its luster in its eyes.

The "precious pearl fetus" attached to the chest was also emitting smoke, and its life activities had completely stopped.

"At the same time the curse is broken...?"

"...I don't know. Although I don't know...the power of the 'curse' has disappeared..."

Luluni murmured in a daze, while Asifi answered calmly.

As she said, those who had collapsed, though still vomiting blood, had sat up from the floor. Although they had suffered severe injuries, the "incurable curse" had vanished from this space.

"So it was Amid who defeated it...?"

"...Idiot. That...that's not what I meant..."

Seeing the fierce battle unexpectedly end, Tiona and Tione's voices rang out in emptiness.

Perhaps it was Amida's sacrifice that saved a soul.

They did not know whether the saint's prayers had freed a man from a thousand-year curse.

Perhaps he actually hated the girl.

However, the "D" mark in the monster's red eyes has disappeared.

“…………”

Amid, kneeling on both knees, lowered her gaze in mourning as she was supported by the young female healers.

Soon after, she clasped her hands together and offered a silent prayer.

An unnatural silence, uncomfortably following the fierce battle, enveloped the hall.

"...All personnel, prepare for the next operation. First, use the remaining supplies to treat Amid, then reorganize the troops using those who are still capable of fighting. Move quickly."

Finn's calm voice did not allow the troops to linger in the somber mood, urging them to take action.

The group members looked up and began to prepare.

Illustration 56080

"Spread out the troops! We must capture Thanatos no matter what! The god who calls himself 'Enior the Urban Destroyer' is very likely here too. Don't let any suspicious person escape!"

Grace's command resounded.

The location is on the ninth floor of the artificial maze, in an area far from the battlefield where Finn and his companions were fighting.

The dwarven warrior surveyed the mixed forces of the Loki Familia and the Dionysus Familia and gave instructions.

"Since the gods are staying here, there shouldn't be as many monsters as in other areas! Even if there are, they'll probably be water striders at most! A team of just a few members of the [Dionysus Familia] should be enough to handle them! Let's split the force into several smaller teams! We're going to search every corner of this place!"

Following Lulu's lead, Grace and the others have now arrived at the main area of ​​the enemy stronghold, which is relatively close to the "Lord of the Lost Hall" on the ninth floor.

The operation was as follows: Grace himself, accompanied by the main force of two Celestials, went directly to the "Hall of the Lost Ones," while the other forces searched the surrounding area. The purpose of this was not only to find Thanatos, but also to uncover the enigmatic "Urban Destroyer." This was also Loki's divine will.

"Is this alright?" Grace gave her a look. "Perfect!" The crimson-haired goddess made a circle with her finger.

Even though Loki appeared lively and cheerful in his words and actions, he was actually tense and licked his lips in front of his retinue.

Next, it will be a direct confrontation between the gods.

"Every unit must bring dwarves! Captured cities always have secret passages! Don't miss any hidden routes!"

""good!""

Not only the Loki Familia, but also the dwarves of the Dionysus Familia responded.

Grace nodded, and finally gave instructions to the elven mage:

"Lefia, you're in charge of keeping watch on the surroundings. Ais and the others have distracted the red-haired monster, but the other 'masked man' hasn't shown up yet. Notify me immediately if anything happens."

“Okay, okay!”

Since Lefia could use the same method as Riveria—the magic circle of the wide-area annihilation magic <Higher Sword of Victory>—to survey her surroundings, Grace gave her a spare "Eye Crystal".

This is a particularly important responsibility in the military. Despite her nervousness, Rafia, who received the same treatment as the faction's officers, accepted the heavy responsibility with a sense of awareness and duty, in response to his trust.

Grace smiled as she watched her team up with the members of the Loki Familia and the Dionysus Familia.

"Alright, you can set off now!"

The adventurers rushed out in small groups.

The operation is drawing to a close.

The group members spread out in all directions, preparing to conquer the artificial maze.

“——”

Among them...

Dionysus, who was supposed to be traveling with Grace and Loki's team, stopped at the entrance of a passageway.

It was a dark passageway.

It was located in a dark corner of the labyrinth wall, beyond the reach of the magic stone lamps. It was a single passageway blending into the darkness, easily missed by adventurers. There was no light source ahead either; even when Dionysus raised his portable magic stone lamp, the darkness in the depths remained an insurmountable barrier.

In the darkness ahead, "something" swayed slightly.

“…………”

It was as if they were tempting Dionysus.

It was as if they were guiding him there.

Or it's like a sneer.

A sharp pain shot through my head.

The irresistible sweet aroma when drinking wine.

It felt as if the fragrance had returned to the depths of my nasal cavity.

Dionysus felt a powerful shock in his chest.

There was no one around. Glancing to the side, Loki and the others were about to disappear into the depths of the "Hall of the Lost Ones" passage.

Dionysus drew his gaze back and stared into the darkness ahead.

When he came to his senses, he found that the corners of his eyes were slanted upwards.

He placed one hand on his chest and the other on the short sword hidden in his bosom.

Dionysus drew his short sword, its hilt carved with grapevine patterns, and as if propelled, stepped into the dark passageway.

"...Let's go, Phil Weiss."

"Yes, Dionysus."

A response came from behind him, but Dionysus did not reply. Quietly, heavily and resolutely, he began to walk towards the front of the passage.

Illustration 56124

"...You're leaving, little brother Baka."

Sanatos looked up.

He sat on the pedestal, legs crossed, hands resting on the table.

The reaction from one of the family members disappeared. It could also have been a low-ranking soldier whose name was never known, someone who had made a pact with him about his afterlife.

However, Thanatos felt that the soul that left his grasp at this moment seemed to belong to that "stubborn" man. Apart from his obsession, he was selfless, pathetic, comical, and precious, and was the child who most interested Thanatos among his retinue.

When Thanatos, now one of the "evil gods" and a member of the dark faction, wandered into this man-made labyrinth, Baka was already there. He had become a complete "prisoner of Daedalus."

He was truly as pure as a child, as cruel as a child, and more twisted than any "soul."

Even Thanatos had never seen such a twisted soul.

Perhaps that's why Death (Sanato) favored this soul (child).

If Sanatos was simply enjoying himself, he couldn't argue with that, but he was using his philosophy to show his love for Bacca.

With the bare minimum of sadness in his heart, he let his thoughts drift beyond the enclosed labyrinth to the vast sky above the earth.

"...I originally thought that everyone except the Loki Familia was just a lackey...but it turns out they were completely defeated by Dionysus and Hermes."

Now, there is no one in the "Hall of the Enchanted Lord" except for Thanatos.

Everyone went out to fight the Loki Familia.

They probably knew they were no match for their opponent. At that moment, they were likely buying time for the chief god, Thanatos, to escape.

The condition for fulfilling the contract he made with his retinue was the "destruction of the labyrinth city".

Perhaps they believed that even if they lost here, as long as Thanatos escaped and another opportunity arose, their wishes could be fulfilled.

"Although ten or twenty years is indeed just a blink of an eye for the gods... I'm too lazy to do all this again. Time flies, but it still takes a lot of effort. It's too troublesome to get to where it is now... really."

In the silent space, a deep sigh from Thanatos echoed.

He swung his leg and stood up from the pedestal.

Sanatos turned his back to the approaching footsteps of the adventurers in the distance and walked down another passage, heading towards the other side of the darkness.

He went deeper into a place than the "Hall of the Enchanted".

This is a vast space filled with countless columns.

This hall seemed to represent the headquarters of the Thanatos Familia, who had nowhere to settle on the surface of the earth. The only light source was a few candlesticks mounted on the columns. On the walls deep within, forming an altar, hung iron and bronze hearts and black-winged emblems reminiscent of the Grim Reaper's scythe.

In front of this altar, at the bottom of the steps.