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Chapter 17: The Shock of New Monsters
This day seemed exceptionally long and bizarre for the Guild staff guarding the Babel Tower entrance.
Starting from early morning, a large number of rookie adventurers fled out of the Dungeon in a sorry state, looking like a routed army.
Their faces bore the terror of surviving a disaster. Many carried obvious injuries—some had arms and cheeks scalded red and blistered, while others had equipment covered in eerie frost, lips purple from the cold.
What astonished the Guild staff even more were the tattered weapons in their hands.
Blades that should have been sharp now looked as if they had been bathed in a furnace, covered in scorch marks and pitted gaps, almost completely scrapped.
"Monsters... it's a new type of monster."
"A red slime that spits fire! My sword melted when I cut it!"
"And blue slimes that shoot ice bullets! Heavens, how can there be such things on the first floor?!"
Panic spread like a plague through the entrance plaza.
News of new monsters appearing in the Dungeon spread with astonishing speed along with these retreating rookies, reaching the ears of the Guild immediately.
For a time, the entire Pantheon was shaken.
Over the years, although the Dungeon had occasional irregularities, they were all changes within a controllable range.
Spawning a completely new species from nothing was unheard of.
If it were just one or two, it might be handled as a special event, but reports from the scene indicated the number of new monsters was overwhelming, covering almost the entire shallow area.
"Quick, report this immediately!"
"Seal the entrance to the upper floors. Temporarily forbid Level 1 adventurers from entering!"
"All advisors, comfort your assigned adventurers immediately and collect intelligence."
The Guild Headquarters fell into unprecedented busyness and tension.
Eventually, this urgent report was passed up layer by layer, sent to the deepest part of the Guild, and presented to the Guild God who had never left since the Age of Gods—Lord Ouranos.
Guild Headquarters, the deepest underground prayer altar.
There were no gorgeous decorations here, only ancient stone walls and ever-burning candles. The air was filled with an ancient and holy aura, completely different from the clamor of the outside world.
On the throne in the center of the altar, an old man wearing a hood slowly opened his eyes, which seemed to have seen through eons of time.
"Ouranos, the Dungeon has changed. Is this... within your expectations?"
A neutral voice resonated in the empty altar.
Fels, the sage clad in black robes and also concealing their face with a hood, appeared silently by the throne.
"Unexpected."
Ouranos's voice was old and calm, betraying no ripples of emotion.
"But, this is a good thing. The 'Promised Time' is approaching. Any 'change' is not necessarily bad for us."
A trace of doubt flashed in his eyes, but it was mostly a kind of anticipation.
With Orario's current combat power, it was completely unable to cope with the moment that was about to arrive.
Changes in the Dungeon meant an upgrade in challenges, and challenges would likewise catalyze faster growth.
Perhaps... the hero capable of creating miracles that the gods were waiting for would also emerge in this revolution.
"Fels."
Ouranos issued an order.
"Tell them there is no need to panic. There is no problem with my prayers. Have the Guild's people immediately begin investigating the newly appeared monsters, organize the intelligence, and comfort those frightened children."
"Yes."
Fels bowed respectfully, and their figure melted into the shadows once more.
Receiving the "Oracle" from Lord Ouranos, the entire upper echelon of the Guild heaved a long sigh of relief.
They blindly trusted this patron god's uninterrupted prayers.
The Guild Master, Royman Mardeel, even wiped the cold sweat from his fat cheeks with a handkerchief.
With such an unprecedented upheaval in the Dungeon, as the person with the highest responsibility for daily operations, he bore the greatest pressure. Just a moment ago, he felt his heart was about to jump out of his throat.
Since the Great God had spoken, the next step was execution.
Since the Guild, as a neutral organization, had no private armed forces, investigating the Dungeon was usually entrusted to powerful Familias with outstanding reputations.
Soon, a mission request marked "Urgent" and "High Priority" was sent to the Loki Familia located in the Eighth District.
Eighth District, Entertainment District.
The Loki Familia's headquarters, "Twilight Manor," was a magnificent complex composed of several high towers.
In the center was the thickest and most massive main tower, surrounded by seven slightly thinner spires. The whole thing was like a fantasy castle standing in the city—both a home and a fortress.
At this moment, in the lounge of the main tower, the red-haired goddess Loki was sprawled ungracefully on the sofa, hugging an empty wine bottle and humming an out-of-tune Kansai folk song.
She had fiery red hair and a modest figure, her pretty face carrying a bit of drunkenness.
"Hah? New monsters appeared in the Dungeon?"
Upon hearing the purpose of the Guild staff's visit, the drunken Loki suddenly sat up straight, her narrow eyes instantly regaining clarity.
"Oho? Such an interesting mission, we'll take it!"
Learning that the Guild was commissioning a mission, and specifically an investigation regarding unknown new monsters, Loki slammed the table and decided without hesitation, her eyes shining with the excitement of someone who feared the world was too peaceful.
Gods pursued the unknown and entertainment to begin with.
With the Dungeon undergoing unprecedented changes, how could Loki not be interested?
Regarding this, the Familia Captain sitting to the side wiping his spear, the Prum Finn Deimne, had no objections.
He merely licked his thumb subconsciously, feeling a faint, imperceptible prick of pain from his fingertip. A grave look flashed through his wise blue eyes.
His intuition told him that the appearance of these new monsters was by no means accidental. It represented that the Dungeon was becoming more dangerous.
"Hey, Finn," Loki waved the commission request, swaying over to Finn, "who should we send this time for some fun?"
Just then, with a bang, the door to the lounge was slammed open.
Several core executives of the Loki Familia—Tiona, Tione, Ais Wallenstein, Lefiya, and even the usually solitary Bete—swarmed in.
"Sorry, Captain, I couldn't stop them."
Tione apologized to Finn with a slight blush, but the eyes looking at Finn were shining.
"Captain, Captain! I heard there's a Guild commission? Is it about the new monsters? Let me go, let me go!"
Tiona completely ignored her sister who was "in heat" over the Captain, raising her hand with a face full of excitement.
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