Isagi knew that Rudra was strong.
When gods descend to the lower world, they seal their own divine power. Once they attempt to release it, the [Covenant] established by the gods will immediately send them back to Tenkai.
But.
It is an indisputable fact that there is a distinction between "high and low" and "strong and weak" among the gods.
And because of their different authorities, they themselves possess "abilities" that cannot be erased. These do not count as divine power, so using them is of no consequence. This is also where gods are fundamentally different from the children of the lower world.
Vegetables and fruits grown by Farming Gods are simply more delicious and sweet;
Only Gods of Wine can brew [Divine Wine] possessing special power;
Goddesses of Beauty, even without using charm, are enough to attract the gazes of most people around them just by existing. Relying solely on charisma, they are enough to make the children around them follow them to the death;
Among them, everyone knows that "War Gods" possess combat techniques not inferior to high-level adventurers.
But in reality.
To the gods, those who possess "strength like a high-level adventurer" should, strictly speaking, be the "Martial Arts Faction" among the gods.
Just like the Moon Goddess Artemis, who governs [Hunting]; when she holds a bow and arrow, the power she can exert is no different from a Level 4 adventurer.
There is also the Goddess of [Victory] and [War], Athena;
The Goddess of [Justice] and [Judgment], Astrea;
These gods naturally cannot be considered "War Gods" in the traditional sense, but their own strength remains powerful.
Rudra was the same.
The tall and robust god used no weapons at all. Like a human-shaped beast, he was engaging in a "slaughter" with the monsters—no, judging from the current situation, it should be a "one-sided crushing."
Aside from the initial Muscular Killer Ant.
Black Needle Rabbits the size of tigers and leopards;
War Shadow Knights wielding greatswords and clad in armor;
Kobold Assassins with agile figures, holding poisoned daggers in their hands, tails, and even mouths;
Isagi was all too familiar with the monsters spawned in the [Circular Colosseum].
Most of the time, these guys just looked different, but their fighting styles were much the same—presumably, the Dungeon didn't have the energy to create a unique "Attack Module" for every Elite Monster.
Therefore.
In Isagi's view, as long as it wasn't a first encounter, and one was familiar with the opponent's moves, dealing with them wouldn't be difficult.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been farming Ability Scores here all this time.
But for Rudra, this was a first encounter!
This was the god's heaven-defying combat experience at work. Because no matter what, the attack methods of the monsters before him were nothing more than swinging weapons or using their hands and feet, at most accompanied by some small magic.
There were absolutely no moves like his own [Special Techniques] that even gods had never seen and could not possibly imagine.
Thus, the violent and evil god handled it with ease.
"Isagi..."
The Familia senior beside him voiced her concern.
She had never thought, nor could she possibly imagine, that things would turn out like this.
[Bringing a Dark God to the Dungeon, only for the opponent to punch out one monster after another—what the hell is this?!]
She couldn't even dream of something this absurd!
Moreover...
This isn't a normal Dungeon either, is it?!
Last time, Ryuu had come to the Dungeon with Isagi, but back then, the Elf girl had followed the boy's plan. After entering, she waited near the 1st Floor.
She waited until the pillar of light representing the death of a god shot into the sky.
The Dungeon also trembled violently.
She then left via the exit beneath Babel immediately, leaving the Ganesha Familia guards at the time with the impression that "It was [Gale] who killed the god and then left the Dungeon."
And because of this.
From beginning to end, no one noticed Isagi leaving afterward.
So she hadn't seen with her own eyes what the boy's "Dungeon" actually looked like, although she had heard Lefiya, and the boy himself, talk about their adventures in the Dungeon.
Ryuu naturally wouldn't think the other party was lying to her.
But...
After seeing it with her own eyes, she still felt that such a scene was too shocking and absurd.
What on earth is this!
Have the monsters of the Upper Floors been enhanced to this extent?!
No wonder Isagi and Lefiya realized those strange moves during their usual training; with such monsters as opponents, it's not surprising.
But even so, Rudra in the distance still looked very relaxed.
The girl was a bit worried.
Although, given the current situation, if this God of Violence and Evil returned to the surface, there was a high probability he would be caught by the Guild and Ganesha, then judged and sent back to the Divine Realm.
But wouldn't her and the boy's plan have failed?
"Don't worry."
It was precisely because he knew the strength of the God of Violence and Evil that Isagi chose this [Circular Colosseum].
As long as he was still inside, the Fog Gate would not open, and the god could only be trapped here in a death match with the monsters.
Besides.
Wasn't it said that the strongest BOSS of the Colosseum is that "King's Strongest Knight," the [Golden Miracle] among the Three Great Miracles?
Since it was hyped up so much before, just let him witness its strength.
Even if that guy couldn't beat Rudra, Isagi still had a final trump card, which was the [Divine Wine] kept in his cloak—
"No need to rush."
Moreover, the current Rudra had just finished fighting the first few rounds of small mobs in the arena. The rules of the Colosseum were to challenge ten rounds of ordinary Elite Monsters first, and subsequently, one would become a [Champion Candidate].
As the God of Violence and Evil once again smashed the head of a tall Orc.
The Colosseum erupted with a wave-like roar.
As well as the loud ringing of a bell.
Confetti filled the sky, falling alongside the fluorescent light, allowing the god standing in the center of the arena at this moment to bathe in glory like a victor.
"Hmph~"
Rudra was in a good mood.
As a god, He did not know what exactly had happened to the Dungeon today, but He knew that no matter what, the "power" of a floor was limited.
The Dungeon could not infinitely produce such special and powerful monsters.
So, as long as He could continue to win, there would eventually be a time when He could leave here, and the plan of those two children in the distance to commit deicide would fail.
This is also a nice experience~
"I am somewhat disappointed in you, Ryuu Lion."
The red-haired male god even had the mood to critique the Elf girl.
"Is your hatred only that much?"
"Or is it that Goro and the others didn't do enough?"
What He wanted to see.
Was an avenger filled with killing intent and rage, thinking of nothing else, possessing nothing else.
The current Elf girl was lacking far too much.
"What a pity. So, must we do something even more excessive next time?"
"!"
Ryuu's hand, trying to draw her short sword, was trembling.
A god's natural power made her completely unable to raise her blade against Him. But the more this was so, the more piercing the other party's increasingly wanton laughter became.
However.
The god's laughter came to an abrupt halt, because a streak of deep crimson blade edge cut a bloody mark at the corner of His mouth.
In the [Circular Colosseum], after the ten rounds of "Elite Monster" challenges ended, the [Champion Battle] for the "Champion Candidates" would ensue.
These guys were not weak.
In Isagi's view, they were about the level of "Mini-BOSSes." The only pity was that the six [Champion Candidates] were fixed individuals.
The first one was three Kobold Knights.
The latter rode on the former's shoulders, stacked high, while simultaneously wielding different weapons.
The one at the bottom held a spear, the middle one a sword and shield, and the one at the top held dual blades.
Just like the Goblin Knights riding on Kobolds he had encountered before, they would coordinate attacks with each other.
And most importantly.
They could also throw the topmost Kobold out to act as an independent "unit."
Or combine again, then change the order of weapons and height.
Rudra was caught off guard.
The Dual-Blade Kobold that was thrown over instantly swiped the corner of the God's mouth, leaving a shallow wound.
"!!!"
The God of Violence and Evil no longer had time to pay attention to Isagi and Ryuu.
Facing the three Kobolds that separated at times and gathered at others with tacit cooperation.
Usually.
Isagi would be with Tiona. Seizing the moment they separated, Lefiya would run and "kite the dog" by herself first, while he and the Amazon girl would focus fire directly, killing one of them first.
In this way, the battle would slowly become simple.
The God of Violence and Evil was alone. Facing the "Three Dogs," He immediately fell into a predicament completely different from before.
But Rudra also quickly discovered the trick. That was to utilize the difference in speed between the three Kobolds. After they separated, He concentrated on attacking the fastest Dual-Blade Kobold first.
The God of Violence and Evil was no longer as He was before.
Relaxed and free, seemingly more frantic and tyrannical than the monsters, crushing them with absolute strength.
Instead, He began to use strategy, began to circle with the opponents, slowly looking for gaps to strike, killing them one by one.
"Haa..."
The god began to sweat.
But that was just the beginning. The next one to appear was a [War Shadow Shooter] holding a greatbow, completely like a mass of black fog, capable of floating everywhere.
Pitch-black arrows came from all directions like a rainstorm. That War Shadow Shooter sometimes floated in the sky, sometimes landed on the ground.
Facing this guy.
If one knew magic, things would become simple.
Isagi had previously used the [Left Bow], combined with Lefiya's chanted magic, to speed-kill it in a short time.
After all, if a high-mobility ranged monster like this turned into a battle of attrition, it would be very troublesome.
And now for Rudra, the situation was even worse, because the god did not know magic—or rather, could not use magic, because that contained divine power.
All His attacks were "Physical."
This was simply the worst compatibility matchup; it would definitely not be an exaggeration for the God of Violence and Evil to say "Hard Counter" right now!
Fortunately.
In the previous ten rounds of small mobs, War Shadow monsters had also appeared.
Rudra at least knew the mechanic: [One can only attack the opponent at the instant they attack you].
Thus, the god could only begin extreme operations!
Deliberately letting the pitch-black arrows graze His body, and in that instant, approaching the opponent to counterattack.
This was a tactic that could only be carried out smoothly with a god's technique.
Isagi once again lamented that it was truly somewhat incredible.
These gods could achieve such a level with the bodies of ordinary people. If one really had to fight them with "full power," could the [Status] based on the god's Falna reach that height?
Or was it that.
One had to comprehend more [Special Techniques] outside of the Status?
Or even break through the Falna, relying not on the god's power like the ancient heroes?
[The possibilities of the children of the lower world are infinite].
Putting it that way, killing a god with one's own strength is also achievable, right?
Isagi's thoughts suddenly seemed to go to a very far place. He didn't even pay attention to the god who finally began to bleed by trading injuries for injuries, shattering that mass of pitch-black shadow, and welcoming the third [Champion Candidate]...
...
The monsters appearing one after another left Ryuu stunned. Her gaze remained on the battle between the monster and the god not far away.
But what the girl was thinking in her heart at this moment was still about the boy beside her—did her Familia juniors usually have adventures in the Dungeon like this?
This was already the second time such a question had popped up.
Those "small mobs" just now were already incredible guys in Ryuu's view. But she could more or less understand, because monsters of the Deep Floors were indeed like that, and some were even more terrifying.
Ryuu, whose highest exploration record was the 41st Floor.
She knew exactly how terrifying an existence the so-called "Deep Floors" were. Even high-level adventurers could lose their lives there if they weren't careful.
However.
It turns out the monsters just now were merely "appetizers"?! The guys appearing now were simply one more heavyweight than the last, hey!!
The God of Violence and Evil, who was strolling idly just a moment ago, now looked like He was fighting with all His might. It made Ryuu watch in stupefaction.
But this wasn't over yet. Isagi said there was still a "Big One" later.
What the hell?
Will an even more powerful monster appear?
Cheers of joy, thundering applause!
As Rudra won against one [Champion Candidate] after another, the Goblins acting as the audience seemed to be finally waiting for something, shouting loudly in anticipation.
Isagi tugged at the cloak of his Familia senior beside him again.
Asking her to stand a bit further away with him.
Every time he came to the Arena to farm Ability Scores, he would deliberately lose to the final [Champion Candidate].
That was a large "Silverback" with a stature exceeding three meters.
It was a monster that only appeared on the 12th Floor, belonging to an especially ferocious type in the Upper Floors. During the previous Monsterphilia, Ganesha had tamed quite a few of these guys to perform "monkey tricks."
But this time.
Rudra killed it.
The god was covered in blood. One could even feel His exhaustion and pain; the consecutive battles had even caused His left hand to break.
The violent god no longer had time to mind them.
Because.
He also seemed to sense something.
The Colosseum, originally illuminated by fluorescence, suddenly plunged into heavy darkness.
Subsequently, a brilliant golden light shone from the depths of the path ahead, like a slowly rising small sun.
[Golden Miracle · Jack Bird]
A Golden Armored Knight, over two meters tall, slowly walked over.
It was excessively beautiful.
Overall, it still looked like a giant rooster, not a humanoid. Only its upper body was like a so-called "Centaur" or "Mermaid" kind of existence, possessing an upright human torso.
Its entire body was covered in golden armor.
Whether it was the legs like a pair of sharp claws, or the magnificent skirt armor like feathers on its body, the humanoid upper body was completely the appearance of a steel knight, especially the huge and gorgeous helmet decoration like a cockscomb.
The light it emitted itself completely illuminated the Colosseum that had just turned pitch black.
So dazzling.
The Golden Chicken-like Knight walked slowly to the front of the god just like that. Then, it drew one of the two longswords worn at its waist.
That was a similarly incomparably dazzling pure gold longsword.
"The Kingdom's glory and radiance allow for no blemish."
A similarly golden-yellow flame ignited upon the golden longsword.
Then, it slashed down!
In the darkness, the golden glow was like a brilliant meteor. Holy shit, isn't this too flashy?!
Moreover.
It was also very elegant!
The Golden Chicken Knight held swords in both hands, its legs treading an unhurried pace. One sword, one sword, one sword. It couldn't be called fast, nor was it a mad dog at all, but it was just continuous and unending, as if there were no gaps.
Giving you the illusion that its attack seems about to end, but every time it continues.
A dance!
It was simply like a dance!!
Hah?
Furthermore, both Isagi and Ryuu could see it.
The [Golden Miracle]'s every attack was very methodical. In reality, it was constantly shrinking the space where the god could dodge.
With an ordinary human body, fighting against such a BOSS.
As long as one took a single sword strike, one would die instantly. So Rudra could only dodge, but he would soon have nowhere to hide!
The Golden Chicken Knight was like playing chess unhurriedly, step by step, forcing the violent god into a dead end. That indifferent and relaxed appearance was simply unbelievable.
"?!"
Isagi couldn't help but shake his head.
He thought He could fight back a little bit, but turns out He couldn't at all?
Just now, watching the Dark God be so strong, he thought He could bring out some of the [Golden Miracle]'s mechanics.
As a result, it's only been this long, and He's already done for?
Truly disappointing...
The god, whose body was pierced by the monster's longsword, also saw the boy's disappointed expression at the very end.
What do you mean?
What does this guy mean?!
The violent god wanted to open His mouth, but found that no matter what, He could no longer make any sound.
Because the Golden Miracle had already withdrawn the longsword. Then, silently, as if doing a trivial matter not worth mentioning.
It sliced off His head...
"Rudra has no brains, but he still has strength."
Under the moonlit night.
Dionysus gazed at the [Jewel Fetus] in his hand, muttering to himself.
He actually had a plan.
[Use God Rudra to deal with the adventurers of the lower world.]
The current Rudra Familia was too weak. Precisely because of this, they became discarded pawns, without even the value of being utilized.
But.
God Rudra Himself, as the God of [Destruction] and [Violence], could still be considered quite powerful among the gods.
As long as it wasn't a Level 5 First-Class Adventurer, He should have the possibility of winning.
However.
Gods would absolutely not engage in slaughter with children of the lower world on the premise of life and death, even for gods on the side of darkness.
This was the dignity of a god.
For a thousand years, no matter how fierce the struggles of the city's gods were, with gods of darkness and justice crushing each other.
There had never been an instance of a god personally taking action to kill a child of the lower world. Even if they attacked the other party, it was at most to "control" or "knock down" them.
But Dionysus had [Divine Wine].
So, He was thinking, would Rudra, under His control, attack adventurers?
The God of Wine merely thought about it for a moment. He felt that such a plan was not reliable enough.
Because once something like that happened, the Guild and those guys from Loki would inevitably investigate, and very likely discover the fact that Rudra was controlled by some kind of power.
Too risky.
Therefore, what Dionysus thought of was another plan.
[Jewel Fetus]. This was a "treasure" cultivated by that monster located in the Deep Floors, using the Dungeon as nourishment and extracting the power of the entire floor.
It could parasitize monsters, and it could also parasitize human adventurers.
So.
When Dionysus was thinking about how to utilize the Rudra Familia, He suddenly thought,
Could the [Jewel Fetus] parasitize a god?
Theoretically speaking, it should be possible.
Because a god's body in the lower world is no different from an ordinary person.
Dionysus really wanted to try it. Anyway, that guy in the Deep Floors had been exposed now. Just right, let it and Rudra buy time for His plan.
According to the Wine God's idea.
Jura, who obtained the [Jewel Fetus], would get a Rare Monster in the Dungeon,
Then cause some incidents, leading the Rudra Familia to start surfacing before the eyes of the Guild and Loki.
Then after some investigation, and His own manipulation from within.
Finally, attempt to let Rudra be parasitized by the [Jewel Fetus], causing chaos in the city.
This would take at least a few months, right?
If operated properly, it could delay for at least a year or more.
[Time].
This was the thing the current Dionysus needed most.
And just as He was thinking this.
Suddenly.
The vibration that made the gods palpitate came from the direction of the Dungeon once again.
"Hah?!"
Dionysus looked incredulously in the direction of Babel, at the huge pillar of light shooting into the sky.
What is the situation?!
He had just handed a [Jewel Fetus] to Jura today, preparing to start the preliminary plan layout.
How come...
What the hell is going on? Isn't this just the first day!
"..."
"..."
Standing outside the [Circular Colosseum], Isagi looked at the stage that had become pitch-black at this moment, and the [Golden Miracle] still standing in the center.
He knew he couldn't come here to farm Ability Scores anymore in the future.
But it didn't matter. Over at the [Kingdom Core], there were quite a few monsters in the city; it was enough for farming Ability Scores and such.
By the way.
"Ryuu-senpai, why were you crying just now?"
"I didn't!"
The Elf girl got anxious!
But she hadn't even wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes clean yet!!
Ryuu had indeed cried; she cried out of anxiety.
Because just now, after the God of Violence and Evil was killed by that monster called [Golden Miracle] without any surprise.
Accompanied by the trembling of the Dungeon and that incomparably dazzling pillar of light.
Isagi told her to go to the edge of the Fog Gate and find an opportunity to run away directly. This was something the boy had told her repeatedly before coming to the Dungeon.
After all.
Isagi definitely didn't think that with the power of himself and Ryuu-senpai, they could clear the [Colosseum] directly. Not to mention the "King's Strongest Knight" who had been enhanced after killing a god.
Although... as far as now, he couldn't tell what exactly it had enhanced.
It didn't undergo a change in body size like the Lightless King before.
After getting rid of the god.
He went to engage it for a while, but still didn't feel any difference.
The Golden Chicken Knight still held swords in both hands, stepping elegantly, waving attacks continuously one after another. Regardless of whether Isagi blocked, dodged, or countered, it remained completely unperturbed.
Then.
Isagi had no choice either. Even though he used the power of [Cancel] and left a few scars amidst the opponent's golden armor.
He was still eventually "executed" by the opponent.
Tsk.
So strange. Isagi just had a strange feeling.
The opponent's attacks looked flashy, but the essence was continuous slashing, and it wasn't fast enough. It was just that because the attacks were too prolonged, it gave one the feeling that one couldn't stop to rest at all, and could only respond continuously, eventually revealing a flaw and falling.
He shook his head, temporarily not thinking so much.
Subsequently, Isagi, who respawned outside the Arena, saw the Elf girl who was so agitated that her eyes were full of tears, having already rushed back into the Arena.
Until he called out to her.
Only then did this fellow run back quickly with a face full of surprise, looking silly. Probably because she saw him being killed by the monster just now, so she suddenly lost her head?
But didn't he tell her that his skill could resurrect him?
Regarding this.
Ryuu was too embarrassed to say that she forgot because she was too agitated.
It couldn't even be called agitation. When she saw the monster pierce the boy's body with that golden longsword, the Elf girl's heart clenched violently, feeling an incomparably familiar intense pain.
"You'll get used to it."
"?"
Is that something you should say?! How did it turn into comforting me instead!!
Ryuu was dumbfounded.
Thinking, can Isagi even get used to this kind of thing?
For a moment, inexplicably, her heart ached even more.
"Let's go, time to head back."
Everything tonight was a bit sudden, but no matter what, it was over. Go back, have a beautiful sleep, rest a bit, and then continue adventuring in the Dungeon.
Right!
"Is Senior going back with me tonight, or tomorrow?"
"?!"
While walking with the boy in the uninhabited cave, she suddenly heard such a sentence.
Ryuu's pretty face instantly heated up a few degrees again, becoming so red that even her mask and that messy blonde hair couldn't cover it.
So red.
So cute.
Of course she knew Isagi meant whether she wanted to go back to the Familia to see Lady Goddess tonight, or not go back to his home with him—of course, strictly speaking, it wasn't wrong. Wasn't the boy's home the Familia headquarters?
But it sounded strange no matter how she heard it!
"Lady Goddess said that after Ryuu-senpai returns, everyone will go back to the Courtyard of Stars together."
"Ah!"
"How about we go over there to clean up together tomorrow?"
Isagi also wanted a bigger room.
But obviously, the thoughts of the girl beside him were not on these things.
Of course.
Going back to face the Goddess, returning to the Familia to continue the life of an adventurer... Ryuu had never dared to think of such things before.
But during these few months of "revenge" with Isagi.
She actually knew.
When the revenge ended, this was the "ending" waiting for her.
She was more or less mentally prepared for this. Therefore, what Ryuu was most worried about now was actually—
"Isagi, have you guys always been fighting such monsters in the Dungeon?"
"Of course."
"Was that monster just now also one that must be defeated?"
"Yeah."
It seemed that the [Golden Miracle], the Final BOSS of the [Circular Colosseum], didn't seem to be a Main Story BOSS, but a Side Story "Challenge BOSS" or something.
But regardless, if it's a BOSS, it must be killed. Not to mention it drops "True Miracles"!
"I understand..."
In that case, in order to protect her Familia juniors, she must also fight.
Just like Alise and the others once protected her.
This is only the 5th Floor.
If they go deeper, Ryuu simply dared not imagine what kind of monsters Isagi and the others would encounter!
And just right.
His Familia senior mentioned this.
Isagi blinked, as if suddenly thinking of something, and stopped the Elf girl all of a sudden.
"Ryuu-senpai, you definitely won't be able to sleep when you go back, right?"
Whether going back to the Familia with him or returning to the farmhouse outside the city, after so many things happened tonight, Ryuu definitely wouldn't be able to sleep.
Isagi too.
So...
"How about we go start a round?"
"?"
Start a round?
What does that mean?!
She completely couldn't understand what the boy was saying.
And what Isagi thought was, naturally, with a Level 4 Familia senior by his side, could he go and try using [Divine Wine] to summon what kind of black monster?
According to Guild records.
The Dungeon, upon sensing divine power, would "incubate" monsters named [God's Assassin].
This was not a title for a specific kind of monster, but referred to "pitch-black monsters all over." They could ignore divine power and divine might, guys created by the Dungeon specifically targeting gods.
In essence.
They could be regarded as strengthened types of a certain class of monsters that originally existed. Their levels would usually be higher, and they possessed more special abilities.
No, just Ryuu-senpai alone isn't insurance enough.
Isagi thought he had to call another powerful guy. After all, it was the "First Experiment," so he had to ensure nothing went wrong.
Thus, very quickly.
The figure of a certain beautiful blonde girl surfaced in the boy's mind...
___
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