Near the deepest point of Lake Lulug, amidst a world of deep azure, Tiona and Tione continued their graceful descent toward the bottom, moving as if they were kicking off the water itself.
Their speed matched a brisk pace on land, and they glided forward as smoothly as if they were taking a casual underwater stroll.
As aquatic plants swayed under the pale phosphorescent light, the sisters dove deeper until they finally reached the shores of a vast, brackish underwater basin.
When they looked up, the water's surface seemed miles away, yet visibility remained perfectly clear in every direction. Due to the lake's brackish nature, they watched various fish swim with a dignified air.
After a moment, they glimpsed something in the depths that resembled a massive, breathtaking white "lid." It sat there as if plugging a colossal void that had supposedly existed fifteen years ago.
This giant wall of white marble was undoubtedly the cover for the massive cavity at the lake's floor. It was surely an ultra-hard seal, crafted from White Saint Stone or perhaps Adamantite.
Although it was now sealed, in ancient times, aquatic monsters from the Labyrinth used to emerge from this great pit.
The sisters stood before the majestic cover, exchanged glances, and then swam forward to touch it.
There, black bones belonging to a giant dragon species—far exceeding the size of typical Floor Bosses—emerged, fused into the white metal wall. The dragon's massive corpse, exuding an overbearing presence, coiled around itself and seemed to look down upon them.
The dragon appeared to have forgotten the passage of time, becoming a mere fossil, yet it still commanded a sense of sanctity and awe.
While Tiona and Tione lacked the extensive knowledge of monsters or loot possessed by Finn or Riveria, they instinctively understood the nature of this fossil.
This was the "Black End" that had remained unchecked for a thousand years due to its overwhelming power. It was one of the Three Great Disasters that had emerged from the Great Pit in ancient times—a primal pact that the adventurers of Orario were destined to fulfill one day.
"(The Lord of the Seas...)"
Before their eyes lay the remains of one of the strongest monsters to ever rule the oceans, a target of the "Three Great Quests" that represented human ambition unfulfilled for millennia.
It was the great sea serpent slain by a legion of heroes capable of achieving the aspirations of the entire Underworld. They were led by the "Great Hero" and the "Empress," the Level 8 and Level 9 leaders who reached heights no human had ever trodden. They represented the peak of the Era of Gods and the two strongest groups the gods ever recognized: the Zeus Familia and the Hera Familia.
"(I heard that the scales of the Black Dragon repel monsters, but...)"
Then there was the "One-Eyed Black Dragon," another target of the Three Great Quests and the King of the Skies who flew away from Orario about a thousand years ago. Monsters never approached the scales it dropped in various places due to the immense ripples of power they constantly emitted.
Al's primary weapon, "Balmung," was forged from those very scales. The dread it radiated could make even seasoned adventurers hesitate to hold it.
As for the cursed sword, "Hero Slayer," carried by the red-haired creature Revis, it was crafted from the loot of the "Behemoth," the King of the Land and another target of the Three Great Quests. Both swords were demonic blades that transcended First-Tier weapons, inheriting the power of ancient, mighty beasts.
It appeared the bones of the "Leviathan," which matched them in status, possessed similar properties.
Before the corpse of this dominant dragon, any monster would surely flee; none would dare attempt to destroy it.
Thus, the remains of the "Leviathan," finally eliminated by a catastrophic strike from the Hera Familia, became part of the cover to make the seal absolute.
"The Seal of Leviathan." This was the name of that colossal cover—a seal at the bottom of the lake that blended shades of white and black.
"(We must ensure there are no cracks in the seal.)"
Tiona and Tione fanned out to check for any holes or missing pieces that might allow monsters to pass through. After dozens of minutes exploring the lake floor and checking every corner, they found everything tightly sealed; there wasn't a single flaw.
"(There's nothing.)"
"(Well, that's expected. Huh?... Those... Man-Eating Flowers!!)"
After finishing their inspection, the sisters spotted yellowish-green tentacles. The Man-Eating Flowers were cutting through the water, coiling around a galleon that had just entered Lake Lulug—only to be obliterated in an instant by a black shadow.
"Regal Geita... De Herote."
Tiona and her sister reacted to those words, which were spoken not in the Common Tongue but in the language of the Amazons. They immediately floated to the surface. When they poked their heads out, they saw a single warrior standing atop the galleon.
She held the remains of the Man-Eating Flower in one hand while her sand-colored hair, reaching her shoulders, swayed in the breeze. She wore the characteristic revealing Amazonian clothing, her polished tanned skin stained with monster blood.
A black cloth covered her mouth, hiding her expression, but her sharp eyes gleamed coldly. When Tiona saw her face, her lips parted in shock.
"Bache..."
Bache ignored the incredulous stares of Tiona and Tione, stepping down onto the deck. She silently tossed the flower's corpse aside and turned to leave.
As if the shock weren't enough, another voice drifted from the ship—a woman's voice that sounded far too familiar.
"I see faces that have been absent for a long time."
Hearing that voice, which combined childhood innocence with maturity, Tiona and Tione were rendered completely speechless. They hesitantly looked up and found exactly who they expected.
It was a goddess with the appearance of a young girl, surrounded by many warriors. Her hair was red like fresh blood, her eyes shone like rubies, and her skin was polished and tan like her followers. She wore a bone necklace, a mask, and revealing clothes at the chest that looked exactly like a dancer's outfit.
Tiona and Tione were the first to react to this goddess's appearance, whispering her name with bated breath.
"Kali...!!"
●○●○●
The 51st Floor of the Labyrinth. This floor is inhabited by "Deep Wyverns"—monsters of Level 5 and above that exceed even the 37th Floor Boss, Udaeus, in raw power—alongside fierce creatures like "Disfigured Spiders."
There are no prominent traps here, but the monster levels are incomparably higher than those found before the 50th Floor.
In this graphite-dark expanse, reachable only by an elite group of several First-Tier adventurers from Orario, stood one man.
Rust-colored hair and rust-colored eyes exuded a solid will, and his body was covered in muscular armor as thick as rock. No wounds or blood marked his form, and he wasn't even panting. However, the dozens of monster corpses scattered around him and his massive sword, stained crimson, proved the fierce battle he had just fought.
The man's name was Ottar.
The Captain of the Freya Familia, one of the city's two greatest factions, he was one of only two people in Orario to reach Level 7. This man was engaged in an unprecedented act: a solo "expedition."
Despite fighting hundreds of battles before reaching this floor, Ottar continued walking with movements that showed no signs of fatigue.
The reason he dove into the Labyrinth, surpassing the Loki Familia who had returned to the surface from the 18th Floor, was simple: training to become stronger.
Since he was Level 7, he could not gain experience through simple tasks. He would not grow stronger unless he performed feats like diving alone into the Deep Floors.
An ordinary adventurer might think there was no need for Ottar, the strongest in the city and the world, to grow further, but Ottar knew the truth.
He knew that the previously strongest groups featured Level 8 and Level 9 heroes he still couldn't match. He knew that Level 7, the strongest rank today, was a common tier for many warriors of that era. And he knew that a genius named Al was on the verge of overtaking him.
Before long, that embodiment of talent would reach new heights—Level 8. Ottar, who lived through the Golden Age and possessed the qualities of a hero himself, had never known a subordinate overflowing with talent like that boy.
The growth rate of Al Cranel, the "Sword Saint" said to be the reincarnation of the woman titled "Silence"—who was considered an exception even within the Hera Familia—was a genuine threat.
Al Cranel possessed the qualities to be a hero of the millennium since the dawn of the Age of Gods. He might even reach a level no human had ever attained—Level 10. That talent certainly exceeded Ottar, who only had the qualities to be the strongest of a "single generation."
Therefore, and for that specific reason, he had to become the "Wall" for the heroes of the "Next Generation," just as the "Great Hero," "Behemoth Eater," and "Silence" had done for them.
"One day, the children of Zeus and Hera will come to Orario, the capital of heroes, to become heroes themselves."
Ottar recalled the final words of "Behemoth Eater," the strongest enemy he had faced in his life and the goal he had once aspired to.
The opponent was the genius of the millennium. If Ottar remained stuck at Level 7, he wouldn't be a wall; he wouldn't even be an obstacle. This training was not for his goddess, nor for himself, but for the sake of passing down absolute strength to the next generation.
He had already obtained permission from his beloved goddess, leaving her protection to the schemers of the white elves.
"── Let us go."
Before his eyes lay the lower floors, a new region known as the "Dragon's Vase." It was the deepest of the Deep Floors, reached only by the Loki Familia and Freya Familia after the previous Great Factions.
He entered that deadly zone alone—a place the Loki Familia approached with an elite team of eight First-Tier adventurers, Second-Tier supporters, and high-level blacksmiths. Ottar might meet his end there, but without such risk, it wouldn't be a "feat."
Without any hesitation, Ottar stepped into the "Dragon's Vase."
── One week later, news reached Orario of the birth of a new Level 8.
●○●○●
The room was dimly lit by magic stone lamps and furnished with deep crimson seats and decor, creating a generally quiet atmosphere.
The room, partitioned by velvet curtains, lacked windows and was filled with an air suggesting a kind of seduction. Sweet incense filled the dark space, to the point one might mistake it for a house of pleasure.
Due to its underground location, a sense of confinement prevailed. Many Amazons stood about, wearing revealing combat attire.
They were all members of the Kali Familia, Amazon subjects led by Argana. They stood around a large sofa and a table in the room.
Kali was lying on the sofa, yawning boredom. Suddenly, Bache, standing silently at the door, turned her gaze toward the entrance; she sensed a presence behind it.
"It seems you have gathered."
When the door opened, a goddess with tan skin appeared. She wore expensive gold and jewelry ornaments—it was Ishtar.
She wore gold and silver bracelets and anklets. Her chest was prominently exposed, and her lower body was covered by only a small amount of fabric, enough to make any man lose his mind just by looking at her.
The aura surrounding her was mysterious and alluring. With the fragrant perfume emanating from her slender body, she possessed a beauty that could enchant even her own gender.
At the appearance of this embodiment of beauty, the Amazons who had dedicated their lives to combat began to blush, casting passionate glances her way. Ishtar's beauty was capable of charming anyone, regardless of gender.
Ishtar looked at the subjects who appeared like dolls hollowed by magic, while Kali made a mocking sound through her nose. Argana watched Ishtar with interest, while Bache knit her brows in annoyance.
When Ishtar saw that the two were unaffected by her breathtaking beauty—which charmed even gods—she curled a lip in amusement and walked slowly toward Kali.
"You finally arrived... you made me wait."
Kali rose lazily from the sofa and flashed a bold smile at Ishtar standing beside her. When Ishtar entered the room, her subjects followed.
In the lead walked a hideous, massive woman who resembled a human monster, creating a strange contrast with the beautiful-faced Amazons following her.
They wore revealing combat clothes, and because of their beauty, they looked more like dancers than warriors.
However, it was clear from their graceful and disciplined movements that they were anything but ordinary.
The Amazons following Ishtar were the high-level elites of her Familia.
Ishtar sat in the chair opposite Kali, while her subjects stood behind her.
"I want to confirm again. Are you truly Ishtar?"
"Certainly."
The Ishtar Familia is the largest group in Orario controlling the Pleasure District. It boasts immense financial power and is privy to all information inside and outside the city thanks to its private network.
Therefore, it holds significant influence in Orario, yet it is simultaneously deeply embedded in the Underworld. It knows the dark corners that even the Guild cannot uncover.
Additionally, the combat capabilities of their Amazons are extremely high; they are nicknamed "Combat Prostitutes."
"To send a request to us, who live in the borderlands, proves your madness."
"I made that clear in the many letters I sent. I use anything available to me."
"All of this just to defeat that goddess, Freya."
Ishtar spoke, her amethyst-like eyes gleaming with a dark light.
Ishtar loathed Freya, a goddess of beauty like herself and the leader of the Freya Familia, one of the city's two largest groups.
To her, the existence of Freya—considered the most beautiful while ignoring Ishtar—was unforgivable.
Consequently, she had devised various schemes to destroy Freya, but all her attempts had failed.
However, regardless of Ishtar's envy, she did not dare a direct confrontation.
If Freya, who led the city's strongest Familia, retaliated, Ishtar's defeat was certain.
── In reality, as an ancient goddess of the Sky God lineage, she possesses a very high divine status, granting her authority not only as a goddess of beauty, but as a goddess of war, the sky, and fertility.
Given the antiquity of her godhood and her multiple authorities, she could be considered a major goddess who surpasses Freya in divine rank. But these facts had no bearing on the power balance of the Underworld.
From Ishtar's perspective, she felt a boiling rage because she was being outperformed by a girl she considered a newcomer and an inferior, both in popularity and influence.
"When I first received the secret letter, I wondered what was going on."
The military power possessed by the Freya Familia is undoubtedly the strongest in the city. The levels of even second-tier members reach Level 4, and it includes eight First-Tier adventurers.
Especially the Captain, Ottar, who reached Level 7—one of only two in Orario—possesses overwhelming power that no other can match.
In contrast, while Ishtar's subjects are numerous, most are non-combatants of Level 2 or below.
Even the Combat Prostitutes, who surpass advanced adventurers, rarely exceed Level 3, and their only First-Tier adventurer is Phryne at Level 5.
Ishtar realized she could not win with her Familia alone. Therefore, she requested cooperation from the Kali Familia, which possesses strength on par with First-Tier adventurers.
"Humph, nonetheless, you accepted the offer quickly."
"Because it's an irreplaceable opportunity—to wage war against the Freya Familia. You chose us because you realize we have the competence, didn't you? You understand us well."
The reason the Kali Familia left their country and responded to Ishtar's request was simple.
Kali and the Amazons of Telskyura seek out battles with the strong. A war against the Freya Familia, which sits atop the world's throne of power, is undoubtedly something that excites them.
Kali smiled mockingly, and a battle-hungry grin appeared on Argana's face behind her.
"I will tell you the arrangements for starting the war first. I cannot allow you to act chaotically as you please."
"Good heavens, you have no trust in us at all."
"What trust are you talking about, you monsters?"
"But to place a lavish feast before us and then tell us to wait... I hope you hurry. Right, Argana?"
"Yes, Kali."
Argana flashed a snake-like smile and licked her lips, causing Ishtar to knit her brows. However, she quickly regained her composure and continued.
"Especially that 'Invincible' one, I really want to make him fight us."
"That pig clearly outclasses the rest of the children. Do not be reckless and act on your own."
"Fine, fine. We'll wait."
Kali, looking like an innocent child, smiled purely, like a child planning mischief. Ishtar warned her sternly, but Kali ignored the warning completely.
"By the way, Ishtar. Are the subjects you have here all you have?"
"Don't talk nonsense. My Familia is as vast as a nation. Most of them I left in the city."
Kali tilted her head at Ishtar's response. Ishtar is the goddess who leads one of the city's largest Familias, and the number of her subjects is indeed large.
"You said we would perform a pincer attack, but can you hold your own? That 'Invincible' one is Level 7, and his abilities exceed even Argana and Bache. Once the conflict begins, it seems to me your headquarters will be completely crushed."
No matter how high the combat capability of the Combat Prostitutes, it had limits. If they faced the main force of the Freya Familia, they had no hope of winning.
Even compared to the Kali Familia, which includes Level 6, the Ishtar Familia—whose maximum level is 5—isn't weak, but it cannot stand against a Level 7 monster.
Kali's words were spot on, but Ishtar smiled confidently.
"No need to worry. I have a 'Trump Card.'"
She said this and looked at the only subject of a different race among the Amazons standing behind her. That girl, wearing a pure white robe resembling a sacred garment, looked mysterious and beautiful enough to enchant any observer.
The tail and ears characteristic of a demi-human were obvious, but her facial features, covered by the white robe, were not clear.
"That 'Trump Card' interests me... but fine. I understand the general story. So there is some time before we begin."
Kali, who was looking intently at the demi-human girl, asked Ishtar, who confirmed it.
"Yes."
"Then Ishtar, I want to settle the matter of the reward first."
"If it's treasures, I will give you whatever you wish. Any amount──"
"I don't want money. I don't want it anymore. I want a different reward."
"?"
"And I add that I want to receive this reward in advance."
Ishtar's eyes narrowed slightly at the dangerous glint in Kali's mysteriously smiling eyes.
"Currently, the Loki Familia is in this city. Oh, don't misunderstand, the reason we are here has nothing to do with their presence. I heard they are hunting monsters like the Man-Eating Flowers."
"And what of it? Are you planning..."
"Just as you guessed. I want to fight them."
When Kali asked Ishtar to pave the way for that, Ishtar immediately knit her brows in anger.
"Don't joke! Freya's subjects are crazy, but those ones are no less. It will turn into a catastrophe before we even begin our battle with Freya!!"
It was obvious that significant losses would occur. We cannot waste precious military power on something like this.
Ishtar didn't understand why Kali chose those adventurers as her target. But Kali shook her head, disagreeing with Ishtar's reasoning.
"Sorry, sorry. Calling them a Familia isn't quite accurate. My goal is two specific sisters... well, my primary goal was the 'Sword Saint,' but since he isn't here, it's fine. I'll wait for another opportunity for the 'Sword Saint.'"
She then wore a smile like that of a monster. Her eyes gleamed with a mysterious light behind the goddess mask.
Tension filled Ishtar's subjects as they received that look, which resembled a predator that had found its prey. Under the weight of the awe emanating from the Goddess of War who rules over blood and slaughter, all the Amazons' bodies stiffened.
Ishtar had thought Kali would be easy to lead because her goals were simple and related to combat, but it seemed she had miscalculated.
Ishtar sighed in frustration, then caught a glimpse of the demi-human girl and suddenly smiled.
"Fine, I don't care for the Loki Familia either. Besides, that 'Sword Saint' mocked me previously. This will be a suitable chance for revenge."
Back then, Ishtar had expressed a desire to possess Al, who had just become a First-Tier adventurer, because of his handsome appearance. She had tried to seduce him as sun goddesses do.
However, instead of gaining him, Al had mocked the "Charm" of Ishtar, the Goddess of Beauty, and repelled it easily, causing her to hold a deep grudge against him to this day.
"── Haruhime."
Ishtar called to the demi-human girl with a wink, her beautiful face distorted by overwhelming feelings of anger and pleasure.
"If the 'Sword Saint' appears, use this girl's 'Magic' on one of the sisters."
Ishtar's smile deepened, thinking it was a good opportunity to test whether one of her trump cards would work against a Level 7.
Meanwhile, the "Hostess of Fertility" pub was bustling with noise and celebration in honor of Al's level promotion.
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