"They're back! They're back!"
"That's great! I thought those people would be trapped in the Dungeon forever! Thank goodness."
"After the Dungeon was locked down just now, I went to check nearby. Some Adventurers used their strongest combat skills but couldn't even make a dent in the walls. Is that reasonable?"
"Of course it's not reasonable. In the past, after the Dungeon was damaged, terrifying monsters would appear to stop Adventurers. But now? The walls are incredibly tough, and even if a gap appears, it quickly repairs itself. It's too outrageous."
"Could it be that the 'Dungeon' plans to counterattack us? Rumor has it that it's a special existence with consciousness, and perhaps there's a 'core of consciousness' in the deepest part."
"Who knows? Even if there is, we wouldn't be able to reach it, since no Adventurer has ever cleared the Dungeon in thousands of years."
"That kind of Adventurer won't appear at all. After all, if they had the strength to clear the Dungeon, wouldn't they be stronger than the gods?"
Outside the drafty lounge, since the first floor was the main square of the Adventurers' Guild, the Adventurers began to chat about the special incidents that had occurred earlier.
The sound was loud, and the neighbors could all hear it.
And now, some teams returning to the surface also began to share what they had seen and heard.
"Those walls appeared suddenly. We were almost at the surface."
"Due to the abnormal situation, we decided to advance to a safe floor, which is the 18th floor 'Riviera', because it connects to Daedalus Street and is a secondary entrance."
"And guess what? The artificial labyrinth was also affected, and the passage connecting to Orario was also sealed by thick rock! Physical attacks and magic attacks were useless!"
"Even if damage was actually done, the walls would immediately repair themselves, much more exaggerated than in the past."
"But there's one more thing I haven't told everyone: on our way from the first floor to the eighteenth floor, we didn't encounter a single monster."
"I'm not lying, we really didn't encounter any! So the team dug up some magic ore in a pit on the twelfth floor. Hehe, it was a small profit."
Besides the 'magic stones' and 'drop items' from monsters, the Dungeon also had other valuable resources.
"We made money, but I'm still very curious, why were there no monsters on more than ten floors?"
"The Dungeon's birth is within the walls. Even powerful Adventurers couldn't clear more than ten floors, could they?"
"I met people from the Loki Familia in 'Riviera' and asked them. They said they had never been to the upper floors, so there's no possibility of them having eliminated all the monsters."
The Adventurers were chatting enthusiastically.
This was an 'anomaly' they had personally experienced many years ago.
Listening to this information, Chen Hai left his seat.
He didn't plan to stay in the Adventurers' Guild any longer.
"Regarding the plan drafting mentioned earlier, you can give it to me tomorrow."
Chen Hai looked at Eina, who was in the room, ready to serve him at any time.
While she agreed, she asked curiously,
"Mr. Chen Hai, where are you going? Do you need our Guild to make arrangements?"
"Back to the Dungeon. We'll discuss the follow-up matters tomorrow."
"I understand."
Eina didn't ask further and couldn't stop him, saying she would relay this information to the person in charge.
Seeing this, Hestia immediately became interested.
"Since Chen Hai-kun is the Mayor of the Dungeon, does that mean I can go to the Dungeon? You wouldn't send a god's assassin to eliminate me, would you?"
"You're overthinking it. I wouldn't do that."
"Then... can I go see the Dungeon?!"
It had been half a year since Hestia arrived in Orario. She hadn't recruited a Familia, and because she was lazy and fond of eating, she was driven away by her friends, relying only on fried potato balls to survive.
But now it was different!
Hestia believed she had found a companion she could rely on.
Or rather, a boss?
In any case, even if it wasn't a Familia, it didn't matter!
Hestia had always wanted to change her current situation, and now she finally seized the opportunity!!
"If you want to go, I can take you."
"Yay!"
The Blue Ribbon Goddess cheered, looking very happy.
This arrangement also greatly interested Loki.
One should know that in the past, gods going to the Dungeon would only be considered foolish and reckless.
But she didn't choose to go with them.
"Although I also want to take a look at the Dungeon, I still need to meet up with my Familia and update their ability values, so I'll skip it this time."
Loki gave a wry smile.
"Oh, right... do you want me to handle your subsequent work?"
"What do you mean?"
"Fels, that guy is Uranus's confidant and his right-hand man. Now that you've 'sent' Uranus back to the heavens, once he recovers, he might do things that interfere with your plan."
In this regard, Loki was indeed far-sighted.
However, what truly interested Chen Hai was not Loki's talent, but the Familia under her command.
Ais Wallenstein and Riveria were both good.
There were also the Amazon sisters.
Returning to the present, Chen Hai entrusted the task to Loki.
"So... what does Miss Loki want?"
"This matter can be discussed later. I'm just helping out a little, it's not a transaction."
"Is that so? If you can't fully resolve Fels's problem, then send him to the Dungeon. I'll make him shut up."
"How terrifying."
"I'm just making arrangements that align with my own interests. After all, the 'Dungeon' I operate doesn't need interference from bugs."
In this aspect, Chen Hai was very serious.
After discussing these matters, Loki decided to go see the Familia members that Chen Hai had released.
Meanwhile, Chen Hai took Hestia to the Dungeon.
Due to the strange incident that occurred earlier, Adventurers were currently not allowed to enter or exit the Dungeon.
Except for Chen Hai, who was specially designated by Loiman, the Adventurers' Guild Master.
"Here, this is for you."
Hestia took out Loiman's signature.
Although Chen Hai could easily bypass the blockade, he did not do so.
After all, the main event was yet to come, and it was better to let the Adventurers rest for now.
"The Guild Master's order... I understand, please go ahead, both of you; wait, aren't you... the main god who was selling fried potato balls near the Guild earlier? Is your name Hestia?"
"It's Hestia! I am a god, at least remember my name!"
"Sorry, sorry, but are you sure you want to enter the Dungeon?"
"Don't worry about that."
Hestia finished speaking and took a step closer to Chen Hai's position.
The soldier didn't ask any more questions, opened the temporarily erected blockade barrier, and allowed the two to enter the Dungeon.
Arriving at the first-floor entrance, Hestia swallowed nervously.
"Don't worry, Miss God."
Just as Chen Hai was led by the right hand by Hestia when he first arrived in Orario, this time their positions were reversed.
He grabbed Hestia's left hand, took a step, and set foot into a 'new world' for a god.
The warmth in her palm dispelled the unease in her heart, and Hestia followed Chen Hai.
Just like that, the figures walking side by side slowly disappeared into the Dungeon passage, which was full of all possibilities.