In the center of this chaos, a lone figure calmly walked forward. He stood out like a drop of blood in clear water, his hair a vivid, grotesque blood red.
"Oh? Running away already?" The man said with mock sadness, his voice drifting between a song and a sob.
"Is it really okay to leave the bodies behind like that?"
Evilus soldiers flanked him, watching the slaughter unfold without emotion.
In the man's right hand was a dagger, plain in design, but dyed entirely red from countless cuts and kills.
He stepped lightly over the corpses at his feet, stopping only to twist the necks of those still gasping for breath, his lips curled in a twisted smile.
"Come now… if you dare to call yourselves adventurers, then fight like it. Even if you're not heroes, at least don't die like cowards."
Amidst the blood and bodies, his eyes sparkled with sadistic joy.
Pretending to weep, feigning disappointment, his every step desecrated life itself. A living emblem of evil.
His name was Vito. The only follower of Erebus.
Watching the fleeing adventurers writhe and wail, his smile widened until it threatened to split his face.
"If you can't manage even this much then let me, the disappointed one, have my fun in your place. I'll enjoy the pleasure of your blood."
Just then, another figure emerged, this one walking calmly behind Vito.
An elderly raccoon, robed in black priest garments, clutching a golden staff.
Trailing behind him were four grotesque figures, humanoid, but bound in thick chains, with vicious short blades embedded into their backs like cursed wings.
This was Basram, a priest from the Apate familia, and a high ranking member of Evilus.
Though not strong in his own right, Basram held one devastating trump card. Twelve Spirit Soldiers, all capable of combat on par with Level 5 adventurers.
These abominations were created through inhumane methods, infused with spirit essence, modified into weapons, and further enhanced through alchemical drugs to keep them in a permanent frenzy.
They were the remnants of the once-feared Osiris Familia, annihilated long ago by the twin titans—Zeus and Hera.
Now, on the 18th floor, where most adventurers barely reached Level 2, these puppets were an overwhelming threat.
"Let your lives be sacrificed for the glory of the unrighteous." Basram roared.
Raising his staff, he gestured forward. Two spirit soldiers broke formation and charged into the crowd like arrows loosed from a bow.
Screams rang out. Despair bloomed.
The fleeing adventurers cried out in hopeless terror and then—
"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, YOU BASTARDS!"
A shout cut through the madness like thunder.
In a blink, a figure appeared between the charging soldiers and the terrified adventurers.
Akira.
With his arms spread wide, he stood like a wall between the innocent and the wicked.
Dark Domain Expansion—
Black mist swirled around him as his palms swept inward, and an explosion of dark magic pulsed out from his core.
Rather than an aura, it manifested like a barrier, a heavy, wall-like force that crashed forward to intercept the charging soldiers.
BOOM! BOOM!
The limbs of the two spirit soldiers were instantly torn apart under the impact of Akira's dark magic, their bodies hurled backwards like rag dolls caught in a storm.
One of them, with only the torso intact, skidded across the crystal-strewn ground, leaving behind a long, deep groove until it finally came to a halt, completely still.
Wisps of white smoke rose from their severed stumps, the twisted regeneration magic struggling in vain to mend what had been utterly destroyed. Though still technically alive, they were little more than broken husks.
Even if Evilus insisted on reusing them, the best they could now serve as were literal "shields", lifeless meat walls to soak up attacks.
"Ahhh… Impossible! Impossible! Our miracle, our perfect creation is this fragile!?"
Basram's face, already shriveled and grotesque with age, contorted even further. His eyes bulged in disbelief as he stared at the mutilated spirit soldiers sprawled on the ground.
The pride of Evilus shattered in an instant by a single strike.
From behind came frantic voices, a chaotic mixture of shouting and footsteps.
"Hey, idiots! Get out of the way!" Kaguya roared.
"Leave it to us! Just run already!" Alise added sharply.
"S-Sorry!"
"We're retreating!"
Recognizing the voices, the panic-stricken adventurers quickly shifted course, retreating toward the western part of the floor and leaving the battlefield to the incoming elites.
Amidst the retreating crowd, Ryuu quietly moved to Akira's side, her gaze cold and focused, sword in hand, ready to face the madness of Evilus.
"Just surrender already, you worthless trash!"
The words came from Ryuu's mouth with an uncharacteristic harshness, the sharp insult slicing through the air. It was the result of being around Kaguya for too long, some of her habits had clearly rubbed off. Her pure and noble elf image cracked just a little.
Akira blinked, slightly stunned by the vulgarity.
Since when did Ryuu talk like that?
"Oh? And who might you all be?" Vito tilted his head, eyes shining with childlike mischief as he looked at the group blocking his path.
Alise stepped forward with righteous fury burning in her voice. "We are warriors of justice, those who will never, ever tolerate evil!"
Vito blinked and then laughed softly, almost sweetly.
"Justice, you say? Ahh... I see. So you're from the Astraea Familia."
He nodded in realization, the corner of his lips curling into a gentle, mocking smile.
Not good. This wasn't the kind of opponent that could be taken lightly.
Two Level 3s, one Level 4, and one unknown variable, Akira, who had just casually dismantled a pair of spirit soldiers.
Vito's pupils narrowed slightly.
Didn't the reports say this guy was only Level 2?
Could it be… another monster in the making?
As these thoughts ran through his mind, he carefully began calculating a retreat path. But even while doing so, he didn't stop taunting.
"I see. So, the fools who cling to empty ideals, with noble posturing and lofty slogans, have come to throw their lives away."
"Then you must be the scum that crawls beneath even rats." Kaguya shot back with narrowed eyes, her voice laced with venom.
"Don't worry. Once I'm done stepping on your face, I'll grind your bones to dust with these long, pretty legs of mine." She made no attempt to filter her words.
Vito chuckled, seemingly amused.
"Oh my. Such fiery tempers. You call yourselves paragons of justice, yet your tongues are so sharp and filthy. I like it. You're much more fun than the rumors suggested."
Even as he laughed, he casually stepped back, placing himself protectively in front of Basram. His gestures were carefree, but Akira could tell, every movement was calculated.
A fox in human skin.
Kaguya's eyes narrowed further, locking onto Vito like a hawk. His blade was unremarkable, a simple dagger drenched in blood. His robes resembled the ceremonial garb of a priest, adding an eerie theatricality to his presence. And yet, it was the four chained monsters behind Basram that radiated the most danger.
Compared to them, even the old priest beside Vito seemed like an afterthought.
'This bastard is hiding something.' Kaguya thought to herself.
Vito's expression shifted as he looked around at the bodies littering the ground.
Alise stepped forward, her voice low and cold. "Why? Why target adventurers? Is it for wealth? Magic stones?"
Vito blinked innocently before responding in a soft, almost dreamy voice. "Why? Must there be a reason to admire beautiful things?"
He twirled his dagger playfully, then pointed first toward the glowing blue sky above them, and then down to the blood-soaked ground.
"I want to gaze up at the endless heavens. I want to toy with flowers blooming so sweetly and in this flawed, imperfect world, I want to see the most brilliant, vibrant blood."
A sadistic glint sparkled in his red-tinted iris. The madness was undeniable.
"A defective lunatic." Kaguya muttered in disgust, grimacing at the twisted smile on his lips.
Akira clicked his tongue. "No, worse than that. He's the kind of lunatic whose brain got drilled clean through with an idiot stick."
"Ahahaha! Defective? Idiot? Ahh... What lovely words." Vito cackled like a jester, arms spread as if basking in the insults.
One of his eyes cracked open wider, revealing a gleam like a blood ruby against parchment. A colorless canvas, painted with only blood.