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

This feeling was different from a sense of unease; the content was even quite absurd. Nevertheless, I still voiced the "what if" that had been buried deep in my heart.

"Hey, Lily...can you listen to me for a moment?"

White clouds drift across the vast ocean called the blue sky, sailing eastward with the whistling wind.

The rest of the adventurers and gods had all left the center of the camp.

Only me, Welf, Miss Aisha, and other familiar faces who had gone on the "expedition" together remained at the scene. After hearing what I had to say, Lily had a very complicated expression on her face.

"After all, it was you, Lord Bell, who said it. Lily didn't mean to question it... but she can't jump to conclusions because the possibility of 'this situation' occurring is extremely low."

"Yes, that's right. I also think Lily is right."

Just a little attention is all it takes.

"Lily understands." After hearing my request, Lily smiled gently and nodded in response.

Such a far-fetched idea shouldn't have bothered the commander-in-chief who has to take full responsibility for this battle. In fact, I had no intention of mentioning it until just now.

But I decided to trust Lily, who has grown up more than me.

"Um... I also have something I'd like to discuss with everyone...?"

Just then, Miss Cassandra, who was holding the long staff in her arms, timidly opened her mouth.

"What do you want to talk about, Cassandra? Are you going to bring up your 'dreams' again?"

"Waaah... Daphne, you were willing to believe me when we were in the 'lower level'... It seems you really can't accept anything related to precognitive dreams~"

After being glared at by Miss Daphne, Miss Cassandra, with teary eyes, writhed in embarrassment.

As if to help Ji Lili and the others, she began to feel nervous and asked:

"Um, what kind of dream did you have this time?"

"Yes, yes..."

"What kind of dream was that?"

"Should I say I don't want to say it... Anyway, we had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide... This and that happened on the land dyed by twilight... And the elves and the dwarves... and the wild boars and chariots..."

Listening to it only makes me more curious...

Miss Cassandra, her face pale, stammered and struggled to explain, making me break out in a cold sweat. She first looked around nervously, then, as if finally making up her mind, she began to speak:

"But it will be windy then."

Faced with those earnest and truthful words, I was surprised, not skeptical.

"The wind is picking up... is it...?"

What will happen after the wind picks up?

"I...I'm not really sure either...anyway, it'll be windy then."

Miss Haruhime tilted her head in confusion, while Miss Aisha asked with a suspicious look, but Miss Cassandra simply repeated the same sentence.

When Miss Daphne and the others sighed helplessly, I couldn't help but look up at the sky.

"Is the wind rising...?"

Under the dazzling sun, it was the gentle breeze that carried the clouds forward.

"The bridge is now open! Factional alliances, please complete the deployment within the designated area!"

One hour before the battle began

Under the command of Shakti, the leader of the Ganesha Familia, guild staff and members retreated to the sides of the blocked bridge connecting the "Ruins of Osa City".

Upon seeing the camp, the league members, eager for the match to begin as soon as possible, all started running forward.

Dwarves carrying warhammers, elven mages wielding magic wands, blacksmiths carrying "magic swords," and battle prostitutes who have joined the battle in response to their leader (Aisha) all rush toward the location assigned by their commander (Lily).

"Speaking of which, it's really surprising that you, Perth, have also come to join the battle."

"Shut up! [Cyclops]! When it's time for me to shine, I'll step up without hesitation...! Just kidding, I'm making this up. Actually, I never wanted to participate in the first place...!"

After Chun, carrying the demon sword, finished speaking, Perth, carrying a giant axe on his shoulder, initially boasted arrogantly, but quickly changed to a pathetic face that looked like he was about to burst into tears at any moment.

"I initially decided to stay in the inn town (Rivera Town)! But then my stupid goddess insisted on impressing the goddess of beauty (Freya), and then she volunteered to join the battle...! She dragged me here!"

"Hmm... Is that really the only reason?"

"...Not really. If it weren't for [White Rabbit's Paw] and [Swift Wind], I would have been dead long ago. Speaking of how things work in our inn town (Rivera Town), we have to pay off our debts of gratitude before things get complicated."

As countless adventurers raced off, their footsteps causing the wide stone bridge to tremble slightly, the leader, who had been caught up in the calamity (Zagnat) with the boy (Bell) and others, and was in charge of the inn town (Rivera Town), muttered grumbling as if looking for an excuse.

"Hahaha! Really? Well then you'd better show off your manliness!"

"Of course! In that case, in order to show off in front of those cowards who didn't even come to fight, I, this great one, must win! And thereby gain wealth and fame!"

After hearing Perse's final, self-destructive speech, Chun couldn't help but burst into laughter and ran off in different directions as she crossed the bridge. The other adventurers also split up like the two of them.

The reason they didn't say goodbye to each other was that they all knew that no matter how many touching words they spoke, it wouldn't help them in the face of the enemy they were about to confront.

"There are forests and ruins here, and even basements built inside the ruins. There are countless places to hide. I'm more worried about whether I'll be found out after hiding. After all, if you find yourself released while playing hide-and-seek, it's so disheartening that you might want to watch the sunset and cry..."

The gods also crossed the bridge, searching for a suitable hiding place within the designated eastern area.

"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and find a hiding place, Hestia. If the main god drags down his family (children) and they get caught soon, it won't be a joke."

"W-Of course I know about that! After all, I'm an expert at hide-and-seek, so skilled that I'm considered a rare talent in the Celestial Realm!"

"This is the first time I've ever heard of this..."

"I think you're just holed up in the temple all day and refuse to come out, which is why you have this misunderstanding, right?"

Hestia puffed out her chest and refuted Hephaestus's admonition, immediately earning a questioning look from Takemikazuchi and Michal's deduction that was remarkably close to the truth. The gods of the factional alliance were accompanied by only a few guards, and their hiding places were determined by the actions of other gods.

"Following the adventurers, the gods have now crossed the bridge!"

"Alright, seal off the bridge immediately! Ilta, you are responsible for monitoring the riverbank as planned!"

After all the gods had crossed the bridge, the Ganesha Familia sealed it off again.

The massive island where the "Osa City Ruins" are located is situated on the southern side of a crater lake. The rules explicitly state that access to the ruins is only possible via a bridge built to the south; even swimming across will be stopped by military police stationed at equal intervals along the surrounding shore. In other words, any monsters or third-party forces wishing to intervene must first defeat the proud Lv.4 and Lv.5 adventurers of the Ganesha Familia; otherwise, invading the ruins is virtually impossible.

Under the impregnable blockade of Shakti and others—this "great war" that has drawn many "familias" into it will not end until the "flowers" of both gods are taken away.

"Goddess Freya".

This is the western side of the city ruins, within the territory of the Freya Familia.

Fully armed, Ota approached Freya, who was seated on a stone throne.

"Is there something you need, Ota?"

"The guild's 'flower' has been delivered; please don't wear it on your chest."

This flower has many small petals.

It is the flag and key item that determines the outcome of this war game.

What was presented to Freya was a lilac.

"...How ironic."

Looking at the beautiful purple flower, Freya smiled softly, as if mocking herself.

"……?Satire?"

"It's okay, never mind."

Freya accepted the flowers and pinned them to her chest.

She wasn't wearing her usual black, flame-like dress today.

Instead, she wore a white dress that was both elegant and sophisticated, just like a bride about to get married.

The goddess, dressed in white, seemed to be trying to dispel the confusion in her heart, and gave orders to her boar-man followers:

"Win this game, Ota."

"yes!"

"This is the only way left, and I must get Bell no matter what."

"……yes!"

The martial artist nodded in agreement. He would nod in agreement no matter how many times.

They are single-mindedly devoted to fulfilling the will of the Lord God.

"........."

A pair of coral-red eyes watched the scene from the other side.

Hedin let his long golden hair flutter in the wind, gazing at the goddess with an unchanging expression.

"What are you standing there for, you bug?"

"...Shut up, you stupid cat. I'm just reaffirming my loyalty to God."

Hedin ignored Allen, who was wearing a silver shoulder armor and a cape on one shoulder, and turned away.

With his back to the main deity, he adjusted his glasses with one hand, looked down at the crowd, and began to announce.

"Dedicate your loyalty to the Lord God—O glorious goddess's kin, and obey my commands in full."

"Oooooo ...

At the commander's order, who was standing atop the colossal ruins, the valiant warriors roared in unison.

The roar that shook the emerald lake resounded through the sky like a battle horn.

"Hmph, hmph... The final battle (Ragnarok) is finally about to begin... It's really, really about to start~..."

The dark elf clutched the black longsword sheathed tightly and couldn't help but utter discouraging words.

"Time is up?"

"Time is up."

"Is the enemy coming?"

"The enemy is coming."

The four little tontatta quadruplets all wore sand-colored helmets and spoke in the same voice.

"Hurry up, the task is the same anyway—to crush the enemy."

The cat-man held a silver spear, exuding a chilling aura.

"Once the war begins, Lorna and Ilde, I'll need your assistance. If the barbarians who threaten the goddess appear before me, I'll definitely become ruthless."

"Yes, Lord Haici!"

The healers and pharmacists, known as the Gray Faces of Solace, seemed quite afraid of the girl who was currently meditating on the rubble, and stood at attention in unison.

"...Come, one favored by the goddess."

The boar-man warrior left the goddess's side and murmured to himself with interest only towards a young boy.

"Let's begin, Bell."

"Um……!"

Then──

The warriors on the west side let out a roar that echoed throughout the entire island, and the red-haired youth and others among them clenched their fists along with the white-haired boy.

"Alright! The war game officially begins!!"

The two hands on the clock overlapped and pointed straight to the sky.

With a loud chime, the labyrinthine city on the other side of the mountain signaled the start of war.

VS. [Freya Familia], Match Format: God-Seeking Game.

The victory condition is to capture the "Divine Flower".

The largest war game in history has officially begun.

*

The name "Osa City Ruins" is not an exaggeration at all.

This colossal ruin, built on an island in a crater lake, could easily accommodate any area of ​​Orario.