No one's POV
Daedalus Street came alive. The hidden armed monsters raised a war cry and began their charge. Loki Familia intercepted them. An unprecedented clash began, centered around the Labyrinth District's western side.
The other adventurers kept out of the loop couldn't grasp the situation, left behind by the flow of events and contributing to spreading confusion and uproar among the people.
Filvis: Has Lefiya disappeared...?
Filvis was moving alone through the district. As the sounds of combat boomed out from the west, a number of residents stood still as others ran around in circles like insects entranced by a light. Filvis alone kept her cool and took in her surroundings. Instead of heading for the western battlefront, she observed the Loki Familia formation closely.
Their factions had formed an alliance, and she had some knowledge of the events transpiring on Daedalus Street. From that, she knew that observing Loki Familia's camp was a more effective method of determining the sequence of events. As the situation changed from moment to moment, their movements gave the best indication of how to track the armed monsters.
On top of that, Filvis was prioritizing the safety of her kind, foolhardy fellow elf. If she couldn't make sure that Lefiya hadn't rushed into danger, she wouldn't feel comfortable enough to carry out her original task. She leaped up to a rooftop without a sound.
Filvis(mind):...? Loki Familia is...
Looking down from above, Filvis noticed that amid all the bustle from the crowd of adventurers, Loki Familia's followers were standing frozen in place. They were leaning together, saying something to one another, and then their expressions changed when they left the location. As she watched silently, Filvis kicked off the edge of the roof.
Filvis: Hey, what happened?
Stark: Wah?! Oh, Maenad, it's you...
The guy from Loki Familia was shocked to see her but lowered his guard when he realized she was part of the alliance between familias.
Stark: The armed monsters were confirmed in the east. The uproar in the west is a decoy.
Filvis: !
Stark: Apparently, the group protecting things over there was wiped out...along with some other adventurers. That red juggernaut is connected to it! If they get underground at this rate, things are gonna be bad!
It was the work of the stray armed monster. That seemed to be the best guess. And at the same time, the perimeter in the east had been stretched thin. He explained the situation as they made their way. Filvis was astonished and held her tongue. If they didn't hurry, the monsters would slip out of their grasp while still in possession of the key.
Stark: Please help us out!
Filvis:...Got it.
Filvis nodded in response to the stressed adventurer, setting aside her concerns about Lefiya for the moment.
Adventurer:...
Other people overheard their conversation. They'd been observing the movements of Loki Familia, just like Filvis, focusing their efforts on eavesdropping. They hadn't been noticed, and Loki Familia wasn't on guard against them as they stood in the shadows nearby. They silently departed, slipping down into the alleys. Directly after that, monsters appeared before Filvis and the Loki Familia members as they began to sprint.
Filvis: Wh—?!
Stark: Are they...the six-legged monsters from Knossos?!
They were a small breed with a red crystal instead of a magic stone, some of the countless vargs unleashed in Knossos. The adventurers who'd set foot in the man-made labyrinth recalled that nightmare. Filvis's crimson eyes widened.
Monster: Shiiiiiii!
From the alley's manhole, from the gaps in the walls, from the underground stairs, the insectile vargs swarmed them, as if they'd been planted beforehand. The group was forced to fight the monsters welling up from the crevices. A comparable scene unfolded in several other places around the center of the Labyrinth District.
Raul: C-Captain?! There've been several water spider sightings!
Finn: An enemy trap.
In Loki Familia's main base, Raul cried out as he gathered the reports from the semaphores. He had been summoned by Finn, whose eyes narrowed. The reports of monster appearances were mostly around the edges of their formation. Most of the other adventurers focused on the main battlefront in the west, which was why they didn't notice the localized movements. It was clearly an attack aimed specifically at Loki Familia.
Finn: The enemy is moving! We have to get control of the east, the location of the monster sightings. Don't let them get away from us!
Finn shouted in a strained voice that echoed through the air.
(Elsewhere)
A shadow proceeded through the underground passage. There was a small body with slender limbs, wearing a prum-size version of adventurers' battle clothes.
And unlike a normal goblin, it was lean, an enhanced species. This was the red-cap that had fought Tiona four days prior. As the bright-red cap bounced on its head, it quickly and carefully moved through the stone passage, watching its surroundings. It was holding a lump of silver in its hands.
Evilus:—Found you.
Lett: !!
When it turned a corner, it realized several figures were standing before it: a group of five humans and animal people. They were not Loki Familia. They were the followers of Thanatos.
They'd been ordered to find the Irregulars, the armed monsters, before Loki Familia did to dispose of them and obtain the key. They weren't wearing Evilus' robes. Instead, they were equipped with swords and armor and dressed like adventurers.
Evilus: Kaaaaaaa!
Lett: Guh?!
The crazed fanatics weren't scared of dying as they charged against the red-cap as a unified front. The monster couldn't fight back, getting pummeled through its defense and dropping the key from its hand. The silver orb fell to the floor, and the leader of the group snatched it from the ground.
Acoz: We did it, Lord Thanatos! I, Acoz, have retrieved the key!
Shouted the human man, crying the name of his patron god with blazing eyes. It would be fair to say that they'd made sure their hunt went off without a hitch. They'd blended in with the other adventurers, waiting patiently for the opportune moment to strike. They hadn't left Knossos in the past couple of days while Loki Familia had kept the exits under surveillance.
They had left four days prior.
It was the same day the armed monsters had made their appearance, when they'd taken a route out of Knossos through the Dungeon to get aboveground, disguised as simple, random adventurers.
And they'd been waiting in Daedalus Street all along for the monsters to appear.
As they blended in to the surroundings as adventurers, they were able to carefully observe all of Loki Familia's movements without arousing any suspicion, gathering information about the flow of the battle. They were the detached force that Thanatos had mentioned.
Acoz: Now Knossos will be totally safe!
The man trembled in excitement, sneering at the wounded monster.
Acoz: We should erase all evidence of this.
He said, starting to point his weapon at the red-cap along with his subordinates.
Aki: Get them!
Acoz: ?!
A sudden order rang out. His squad was slow to respond. Adventurers leaped out from the web of interlocking passageways, the intersection where they'd caught the goblin.
The Evilus' Remnants were taken by surprise, unable to resist and incapacitated in an instant.
Acoz: Wh—...Loki Familia?!
Aki: Just as Captain thought. They really were mixed in with the other adventurers.
The human leader was aghast upon seeing the jester emblem engraved on their armor. Anakity had taken out three of the five enemies in the blink of an eye. Her one-handed sword whistled through the air. It would be fair to say they had made sure that their hunt went off without a hitch—except for one fatal flaw. They had been led on by Braver the whole time.
Acoz: The report of monsters appearing in the east was...a trap. To lure you out.
Finn had guessed the existence of a detached force, since the Evils had been so passive. He presumed there were several squads pretending to be adventurers and secretly searching for the monsters' whereabouts. Of course, it was difficult to find the assassins among the thousands of adventurers in Daedalus Street. That was why Finn spread some bait.
Acoz: A-a trap?!
Aki: Yes. As you heard, we tricked our allies and all.
Anakity's group had focused on spreading the misinformation, even to their own allies. From the point when the real armed monsters broke through the west, the members of Loki Familia had been forced into making flustered responses. And that would look like a perfect opportunity to the Evilus watching Loki Familia. Anakity had captured them from a handful of adventurers who had moved out.
Acoz: Then...then this key is...?!
Aki: It's just a replica. Didn't you know?
Anakity disinterestedly pointed out the silver orb in the leader's hands. It was the replica Finn had shown everyone in the meeting. The man's eyes bulged past their limits. If this was what Thanatos was calling a detachment, Anakity's unit was one, too.
Finn had set out to drag his prey to shore—hook, line, and sinker. Everything had been dancing in the palm of Braver's hand.
Acoz: No way...nowaynowaynoway! Was the monster a lure, too?! Has Loki Familia been working with the monsters?!
As two people pushed the leader against the ground, his widened eyes quivered, staring at the monster, which had been acting scared the whole time. The monster spoke.
Lili: S-stroke of midnight's bell.
In the next instant, the goblin's body was covered in a film of gray light, and when the light dispersed, a prum girl was left sitting in its place.
Acoz: Wh—?!
Aki: To tell you the truth, we intended to catch the actual monsters and uncover you with that, but...we cut that for time.
They'd used transformation magic. The man opened and closed his mouth in total silence as he realized that she'd just been an empty reflection of a monster. As Anakity continued disinterestedly, she turned her eyes from him to her.
Aki: Thanks for your help. That magic is so convenient.
Lili: Y-y—...you...
When Anakity turned around, the prum girl—Hestia Familia's Liliruka Arde—was at the peak of her confusion. She'd been discovered and captured a little while ago. Liliruka had assumed she'd be killed, but Anakity had a demand of her:
Aki: You're going to help us.
She'd been brought to this underground path without consent, forced to transform into an armed monster, and run around in circles holding the replica key.
After seeing through her disguise, Anakity, or rather Finn, had changed plans. They had used her power instead of the monsters to draw out the Evilus' detached forces.
Lili: What are you doing?! Aren't you trying to wipe out all the monsters aboveground...?!
Aki: Ah, it's fine. Don't worry—this is an entirely different thing from your little incident.
Though she was unable to collect her thoughts, Liliruka Arde was able to subconsciously guess what was going on from Anakity's answer. Maybe. Probably. Surely. Undoubtedly. Loki Familia had—No, Finn Deimne had put the familia at the center of two different conflicts, handling it perfectly fine despite the extreme chaos of the battle in the Labyrinth District.
Lili(mind): Huh? That makes no sense.
But even then, it was another story to process it completely. To think there were several different forces facing off against one another in a huge incident embroiling the city. She couldn't keep herself from asking what the hell was going on.
Aki: I think it's a bit mean to pull in someone unrelated...but...
Anakity started. Lili was taken aback. Anakity walked up to her, looking straight down at the prum.
Aki: You see, I'm pretty angry...
Anakity admitted, raising her perfectly shaped eyebrows and bending at the waist so their faces were almost touching.
Aki: You tricked Raul with the worst possible method, of all ways.
Lili: Huh?!
Aki: To Raul, Finn Deimne is a symbol, someone who would never betray him. Even if it was a fake Finn, that fool would never fail to obey him...And you pretended to be that Captain and deceived Raul. So yeah, I'm really angry.
Because Anakity and Finn had been together with him since they entered the familia, she knew him best, and her fury was more serious than anyone else's. The thin cat tail that extended from her small backside swayed slowly. As if boring into Liliruka, she pressed her pointer finger into the chest of the pale pallum locked in place.
Aki: So—this just makes us even.
And then she smiled sweetly. Lili was filled with an unimaginable terror as the black catgirl adventurer put on a broad smile.
Aki: Sorry for using you. You can go now. Even if you're our enemy for the moment, we didn't want to get you wrapped up in our problems.
Anakity Autumn. Her second name was Alsha. A second-tier adventurer. She was without doubt one of the best among all the Level 4s in the city. There was a cold fire inside her beautiful figure that first caught Loki's eye.
She was a catgirl gifted with beauty and intelligence, a noble feline recognized by the gods.
Lili: E-eep?!
Liliruka yelped when Anakity spoke with that smile.
Lili(mind): This isn't funny. I could do without getting involved with her.
She thought, rising to her feet and about to scurry away.
Aki: Ah...that's right. This is from the captain.
Anakity passed along a message to Liliruka just as she was leaving.
Aki: 'I'm letting you go once out of respect for your bravery. But there won't be a second time.' That's all.
The pallum girl froze in place. This time, she was aghast. She thought she'd outwitted Loki Familia, outwitted Finn Deimne. But she was wrong. She'd been dancing to Braver's beat.
Aki: And one more thing, this is my own personal warning. Tell your vice-captain, Sora since I know this whole ordeal was his entire plan. Once this whole incident is over, if I ever saw his face, be prepared for his face to be mark by my claws.
Lili: Eeep!
Aki: Bye now. I won't let you go next time, either.
Lili: Uuuuuuuugh?!
Liliruka Arde dashed away as fast as she could, not even bothering to soothe her wounded pride. It might have been demonstrating a loser's natural disposition, but she wanted to get away from "those crazy people." She whizzed past, escaping without looking back.
Shifon: Is it okay not to find out what all she knows, Miss Aki?
Aki: We know better than anyone how dangerous a pallum's determination can be. Interrogation or torture would just be a waste of time. This is fine.
Plus, one of the reasons why Finn had said to let her go was because they were hurting for time. And more than anything, Anakity didn't have the leeway to be bothering with the pallum girl.
Aki: All right, then...We've kept you waiting.
Her voice was cold as she looked down at the man pressed against the floor.
Aki: You have a key, right? If you guys didn't have a means of getting back into Knossos, then you're not much use moving on your own.
Acoz: Gh?!
Aki: Trying to steal the key off the monsters was leaving too much to chance. Did you hide it before coming here? Then, I'll just have to force it out of you.
The blade of the sword glistened. The leader twitched, the corners of his eyes flaring as he tried to break free from the people holding him down with all his might.
Acoz: My life belongs to Thanatos—!
He managed to get one hand free and reached toward his chest.
Aki: I'm not going to let you blow yourself up.
Anakity's hand flashed, her sword piercing through his hand and pinning it to the ground.
Acoz: Guuu—Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!
He had an Inferno Stone hidden beneath his equipment. She'd stopped him from igniting the self-destructive device. With his hand pinned down like an insect specimen, he was overcome by intense pain, trying desperately to remove the bloody sword staking him to the ground, but he couldn't remove it one inch.
The silver blade remained lodged deep in the ground, refusing to loosen its grip, no matter how many times he tried to yank his hand free. It was as if the sword itself contained her fury.
Aki: Please don't waste my time. I'm not used to this sort of thing.
She warned with cruel eyes, smiling, but a silent, blazing anger smoldered in her eyes as she remembered Line and the other comrades who'd been ripped away from her.
Aki: But please don't take that the wrong way. Cats can be...cruel, or so I've heard, nya~.
After that, everything was a blur to the man. He thought he was enduring it, motivated by his sense of purpose, but once the real torture started, the screams came pouring out. After screaming for a while, he gave them everything they wanted before being unceremoniously knocked out.
Astrea: Sora... They got the key. And Liliruka Arde is fine.
Sora: Good. Then the Fairy Force will finally begin their assault on Knossos. I just hope Lemia and the others are finished on their side.
On top of another building, Astrea had watched the entire scene while also relaying everything she had seen to the Light of Hope whom had once again predicted the outcome.
(Timeskip)
Alicia: Violas are coming!
Riveria: Loose your arrows! Alicia's group, begin chanting!
The elves' song resounded in the underground passage, the southeast of Daedalus Street. Monsters were streaming out of Knossos with increased fervor, and there were no signs of the flow slowing down. The elves fought primarily with magic as beads of sweat trickled down their faces. There were untold magic potion test tubes lying broken on the ground at their feet. Farther ahead, there were dunes of ash dotted with vibrantly colored magic stones.
Riveria's instructions were allowing them to maintain the battle lines several hours after the battle had begun. Fatigue was visible on the faces of the elves as they fought in a circular formation. Despite the war of attrition that Thanatos had laughingly foisted on them, the elves hadn't chosen to withdraw. It was almost as if they were waiting for something.
Aki: Lady Riveria!
Riveria: !
Alicia's jubilant shout reached Riveria's long, slender ears. When she turned back, Riveria saw Anakity emerge from the depths of the passage, along with some other members of the familia. As she let the elves under her command deal with the monsters, Riveria rushed over.
Riveria: Is it finished?
Aki: Yes, we got it.
It was a short exchange. But that was more than enough. Anakity took out a magic item in the shape of an orb. The letter D was engraved in it. It was unmistakably a Daedalus Orb—the key that Loki Familia had been chasing ever since their flight out of Knossos, the key to recovering from their hopeless situation, the key to Knossos that Anakity had acquired after interrogating the leader of Thanatos's detached force.
It was only one key. But it was a concrete reward. Behind Anakity, the faces of the other familia members were flushed. They couldn't contain their excitement.
Riveria: Well done. Leave the rest to us.
Aki: Okay. I believe in you.
Riveria's lips curled up as she felt the heft of the Daedalus Orb in her hand. Anakity smiled back one more time. Riveria's face quickly tensed again, and she enthusiastically turned back to the elves.
Riveria:—Let's go. We're done defending against the monsters!
Alicia and Lefiya: Yes, ma'am!
The elves responded in perfect unison to Riveria's call. With her eyebrow raised, the high elf spoke with a voice steeped in all her pent-up frustration and anger. As the passage filled with a swirl of battle lust that contradicted her image as a fairy, Riveria singled out one elf hidden away in the middle of the squad.
Riveria: Lefiya, are you ready?
Lefiya: Yes!...Ready!
In the midst of the furious battle, there was a single mage who'd been held in reserve, not casting a single spell. She'd been kneeling, holding on to her staff, meditating to increase her magical limit and honing it. As she stood, she opened her eyes.
Lefiya: Unleashed pillar of light, limbs of the holy tree. You are the master archer!
Her bright-yellow hair whirled up as she created a magic circle of the same color. Her magic power rose in an instant. This girl with her insurmountable magic power was the elves' special lance, a battering ram to blow away impregnable defenses.
Lefiya: Loose your arrows, fairy archers. Pierce, arrow of accuracy!
The high elf pointed her staff forward as the other elves crouched. Lefiya glared at the horde of approaching monsters as she spun her chant.
Lefiya: Arcs Ray!
The giant ray of light filled the entire corridor, annihilating all the monsters. And Riveria quietly, sharply thrust her long staff forward. When the raging roar of the ray quieted, when it had cleared away all the things blocking the path before them, the elves—no, all of Loki Familia— raised the signal to begin the counterattack.
Riveria: Charge!!
The squad composed of eleven elves charged toward Knossos—straight forward in a single line, like a ballista bolt pulled back to its limit being released. The orichalcum door, which had been closed to stop the emission of monsters, opened with the key in Riveria's right hand.
Evilus: Huh?
Thunk! The door flung open with a crash. The Evilus stationed on the other side cried out in confusion. While the enemy was standing dazed before her, Riveria leaped out to the lead and swung her staff resolutely.
Evilus: Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!
The enemy forces were blasted away like leaves from a tree. The elves didn't look back as they crossed into the dimly lit labyrinth, advancing without pause.
Evilus: E-e-enemy attack!!!
The Evilus' Remnants panicked, sounding their alarm bells. Arrows flew, swords slashed, magic was unleashed. The fairies ferociously kicked aside all who stood in their way—people and monsters alike. Pushing onward, they changed formation. Riveria now stood at the center of the squad. She let out a savage order unbefitting a high elf.
Riveria: Devour them all!
(Elsewhere)
Thanatos: Huh?
Thanatos was dumbfounded.
Evilus: I said it's an enemy attack!! The members of Loki Familia that have been holding in the passage just charged in!
Time stopped when he heard the report from his follower who'd rushed into the hall. Snapping back around, he looked at the pedestal in the center of the room, at the watery film displaying images from all around the labyrinth.
Riveria's elves had entered through the southeast door, advancing into the labyrinth at tremendous speed, destroying the remnants of the Evils and monsters in their path.
Barca:...Gh!!
Barca had been using the giant crimson orb to operate the doors, and he opened his eyes wide in surprise. Even when he lowered a door to block the elves' path, Riveria's key unlocked it immediately, and when he unleashed the monsters from their vaults, the violas and vargs were frozen solid and reduced to ashes. The fairies were an unstoppable force. Nothing could slow them down.
Thanatos: They attacked? They attack—? They attacked?
Thanatos felt sick from the shock upon seeing it with his own eyes.
Thanatos: You're kidding, right? Why? Isn't that impossible?
No one could have predicted that Loki Familia would attack from a position caught between conflicting forces. At the very least, Thanatos the god hadn't been able to.
They stole a key. It was unfortunate. The worst possible result, actually. But it was fine up to there. He could understand that much. But instead of holding on to that precious key and taking it back or even using it as a lure or a trap, they were using it to attack.
Thanatos(mind): How did they catch us off guard? It was our arrogant assumption that they wouldn't attack, even in the worst case. It's our carelessness for looking down on Loki Familia—
Finn Deimne was someone who could win against all-knowing gods.
It was his experience from leading so many armies. Knowledge and experience were very different things. Thanatos in particular had been a workaholic in heaven, spending all his time purifying souls. He had no knowledge of the subtleties of the battlefield. None but the most battle- hardened warriors who'd crossed countless battlefields could sense the way the wind was going to blow on a battlefield. It would have been impossible for Thanatos to figure out Finn's seemingly reckless plan.
Thanatos: D-does he see any chance of winning? Anything other than a gamble?
Not just a reckless, suicidal charge but a planned surprise attack? Was there some calculation where he could take on the vast labyrinth and get a valuable result from it?
Thanatos(mind): Deplete our forces, map Knossos, obtain another key, or discover the location of a demi-spirit who's hidden away in the labyrinth—
Thanatos was still confused as he systematically went through all the possible strategic conditions for victory against the enemy. He was being led around by an unknown wonder. His doubts kept piling up. If Finn's old enemy Valletta Grede had been alive, she would have said a few things.
Valletta: Dumbass! There's no way Finn would ever just defend! That rotten hero—he'll keep attacking all the way to the depths of hell itself!"
The next moment, Thanatos's eyes opened as wide as they could go.
Thanatos:—Are you kidding me, Braverrrrrrrrrrrrr?!
It sounded like a shriek or an acclamation. As he sweated with a smile on his face, Thanatos turned to his panicking followers.
Thanatos: Call PoH and Revis for me! This is really bad!
He boomed in half fear and half delight. Thanatos smiled, displaying his propensity to cave to the unknown, to the undiscovered. And then he let out a shout.
Thanatos: We're going to be swallowed whole!
(Elsewhere)
Lox: Reporting! Lady Riveria has commenced the raid on Knossos!
Shouted the elf, dashing into the room out of breath. Upon hearing the announcement, Raul and all the other members of the familia froze before unleashing a booming roar.
Loki Familia: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Ruuni: Yes!
Koko: We did it!
Raul: We really did it!
Fists were clenched, and the mood of the Loki Familia base was electric. The wild cry from the center of Daedalus Street was loud enough to make
the other adventurers searching for the armed monsters jump out of their skin. As they were consumed by unprecedented excitement, the pallum leader quietly murmured to himself:
Finn: Good.
He uttered a single word. But it contained a flood of emotions. It was the first time since this battle had started that Finn had the feeling of "bring it on."They'd latched onto the throat of their enemy, shooting out a silver bullet against the monsters hidden away in that hellhole—in place of a greeting. They'd announced the time to counterattack as the fairies wedged themselves into the battle. Finn raised his voice at this critical moment.
Finn: We're redeploying the defensive squad. Have Gareth turn his team around! Cease pursuit of the armed monsters and secure the door that Riveria opened in the southeast. Defend it to the last! Upon finishing our preparations, we'll launch a follow-up attack!
The success of Finn's strategy led to a huge increase in morale. Everyone shouted as they received his orders, reaching a fever pitch.
Dionysus: Astounding...They got us good.
In a spire overlooking the main base where Finn and the others were gathered, Dionysus was almost moaning as he spoke.
Loki: Finn never had the slightest intention of staying on the defensive.
Loki responded next to him as she looked down over the excited camp.
Loki: The enemy will be restless when they obtain the key. If they figure out we've got one, it'll be too late. We gotta crush them before they get any chance to prepare.
They'd turned tail and run from Knossos once before, when the Evilus had been able to finish their preparations and invited Loki Familia inside. They'd defeated Finn and the others with their perfectly laid plans. But this time was different. They hadn't made any preparations at all. They hadn't imagined they could be attacked, which meant they hadn't made any arrangements to engage the enemy.
And even if they had, they wouldn't have any time to mobilize. It was a textbook example of a surprise attack.
Loki: With their defenses all leaky and ramshackle, we can swallow them whole and bring back some information. This's our first and last chance.
The jester goddess smirked audaciously. And then it slipped into a soft smile.
Loki: Finn, ya seemed to be wrapped up in doubt, which is uncharacteristic of you, but...
Loki trailed off, watching over the pallum as he continued to call out orders.
Loki: Yer a pretty monstrous hero yerself.
Loki smiled. She'd known it all along.
(Elsewhere)
Revis:...How rowdy.
A woman murmured. With voluptuous breasts, a beautiful body, and crimson hair reminiscent of blood, it was a monster in the form of a person— Revis.
PoH:...Kukuku! But this what makes it fun. The higher the pride, the bigger they'll fall.
A man with black hood sat next to her on his hand had a black poncho, it was the Grim Reaper— PoH. With their enhanced hearing, the two creature could hear the boisterous chaos in a distant part of the labyrinth. As Revis hunkered down on the floor with one knee raised, she frowned in annoyance. PoH on the other hand was welcoming the challenge.
Revis:—You shut up, too. Aria and Mio can wait. First, we blow away the city and make a big hole...Yeah, I'll show you the sky on the surface—filthier than the time before. Tch.
She scoffed, holding her head with one hand. From the outside, it seemed she was talking to herself, but upon listening in, it'd become clear that she'd formed an understanding with something.
PoH; It won't be much longer...Just a little more, Milady. Wait down there patiently. And then, you will become the supreme ruler of all being.
The Grim Reaper whispered, voice echoing throughout the long hallway inside Knossos. Before them, a giant pillar of green meat was forming against the tall wall of the labyrinth. Near the top, a silhouette resembling the upper body of a person was squirming, casting a long shadow against the walls and floor.
Evilus: L-Lord PoH! L-Lady Revis!
Cried one of the main members of the Evilus as they rushed through the entrance of the hall. PoH and Revis swung around, bothered by the intrusion, and the man continued to speak as he knelt down.
Evilus: Loki Familia has invaded Knossos! They have a key, and they're wreaking havoc! At this rate, th-they might reach one of the s-spirit rooms around the labyrinth!
The man was careful to not lay eyes on the repulsive green pillar, averting his gaze to the stone-paved floor. Beads of sweat kept hitting the ground as his voice trembled. The pillar writhed ominously, making a ghastly noise as tentacles extended out, surrounding the man, as if observing him.
Evilus: Please. P-please help us...!
Revis: Useless fools...
PoH: Do you even expected anything else from them?
Revis: No.
PoH and Revis slowly stood up as their eyes narrowed. And as if in sync with each other movement, the tentacles began to coil around the man's body.
Revis: Let it go. It's not a magic stone. It'll just make you sick.
Revis spoke indifferently as the man disappeared above her head, pulled up by the tentacles. As if to respond, the pillar released the sound of crushing meat, and a rain of blood splattered against her cheek.
Revis: Sheesh...Incompetent, each and every one of them...
She muttered, wiping her cheek with a rough swipe of her arm and drawing the pitch-black cursed sword sticking out of the ground.
PoH: It's Showtime!
PoH with the widest grin holding his Mate Chopper. They left the hall as the sound of chewing echoed behind them, looking bored out of their mind.
(Elsewhere)
The footsteps of the elves rang out loudly as they rushed down the stairs in the complicated, mysterious, labyrinthine insides of Knossos. Loki Familia's squad of elves didn't allow the Evils in their way to stop them as they delved farther into the depths of the labyrinth.
Alicia: Three enemies ahead!!
Sonia: A group of monsters, two o'clock!
Cynthia: Break through! Attack!
As the elven girls searched for enemies, Riveria gave commands from the center of the formation. Troops of the Evils sporadically emerged, eager to stop them, but they all fell victim to the magic of the elves. As rays of light burst forth from their wands, they blew away the enemies.
They hadn't slowed down once from the moment they entered Knossos, not stopping their movements and continually opening new paths in every direction.
Riveria's mission was to disrupt the enemy in Knossos—one way or another.
If they could manage to turn the main base of the Evilus' Remnants into a storm of chaos, the Evilus wouldn't be able to intervene in the battle aboveground. At the very least, Riveria's team needed to pin down the enemy in the man-made dungeon until they could suppress the armed monsters.
And their primary goal was to gather information about Knossos: steal a second key or determine the location of the demi-spirit and deal a destructive blow to the enemy's infrastructure.
It wasn't necessary to completely wipe out the enemy to achieve victory.
They needed to blaze through as much of the interior of Knossos as possible, laying the foundation in preparation for the full assault to come in later days.
Riveria: Advance! Advance!
With that in mind, they needed to run and couldn't afford to stop. As they charged into Knossos as a single squad, they were comparable to a lone ant wandering around a giant anthill. If they were cornered, they'd be crushed in no time at all, considering their power imbalances.
To survive and bring the plan to fruition, they had to avoid capture. It was crucial that they spread as much chaos as possible, as this would prevent the enemy from taking the initiative and relegating them to the defensive. An invasion by a single squad was always one misstep away from catastrophe— or as Thanatos put it, suicidal.
As they cut deep into enemy territory, Riveria's judgment was the key to success for the unsupported troops carrying out their surprise attack alone.
Riveria: I sense something on the left! Change course to the right!
Lefiya: Yes!
Riveria: Alicia, recover Sonia and the others!
Alicia: Understood!
When Riveria sensed a trap lying in wait, Alicia and the rest of the team followed her lead without hesitation. They could sense the shock of the enemy forces who'd been lying in wait down the left passage as the troops distanced themselves from it. At the same time, Riveria didn't neglect to delegate recovering her team with items as she deftly handled an unending series of decisions.
In this regard, she resembled Finn. She was influenced by all the times she'd stood with Gareth watching over the gallant figure of the pallum. And above all, as a high elf, Riveria wielded extraordinary charisma among elves. Even in the heart of the enemy's base, the fighting spirit of the elves didn't drop—but increased.
Riveria: Materialize, mighty barrier of forest's light, and lend us your protection—my name is Alf!
Riveria made her magic stand by, maintaining the magic circle that expanded to a radius of five meders. As she chanted, the elves gathered perfectly inside it in formation as they ran forward.
A jade-colored glow illuminated their faces from below their feet—the light of the fairies' blessing. The elves' chests trembled, as if they were all overcome with emotion, as if they had received royal protection.
Riveria: Everyone, stop! Lefiya!
Lefiya:—Pierce, arrow of accuracy!
They dashed out into a wide passage and were greeted by a wall of monsters. In response to the swarm of violas and vargs filling the hall, Lefiya quickly stepped in front of the squad, gathering the attention of all the monsters—and then she fired.
Lefiya: Arcs Ray!
Evilus: Aaaaagh?!
A stupidly powerful cannon erased the swarm of monsters.
Riveria: Lefiya, don't stop casting! Prepare the next volley!
Lefiya: Yes!
They immediately began to move again as the particles from the magic cannon spun together with a Concurrent Cast. A giant ray of light filled the width of the passage and washed over the horde of monsters trying to push through with numbers, turning them all to ash. This was the sixth iteration of the same scene.
With that tremendous output, the bombardment of fire unleashed by Lefiya was equivalent to a lance. It was like a battering ram that blew away all the enemies that gathered, standing across the hardened door.
Draw the attention of the many monsters hidden away in Knossos and then annihilate them with one blast. That was why Lefiya had been held in reserve, why she'd been tempering and refining her magic through meditation. Riveria was busy commanding the squad, which meant they couldn't rely on her firepower all the time. To trample Knossos to the ground, Lefiya's lance was essential.
Alcia: Freeze, chains of winter!
Sonia: March, inferno boots—
Cynthia: As contracted, I command you!
As Lefiya was dealing with the enemies in the larger passage, the other elves including Alicia were taking out the monsters emerging from the side routes with their own magic.
In Riveria's squad of female elves, every single member was a mage or magic swordswoman who'd mastered Concurrent Casting and trained in high-speed combat with the ability to freely use shortened-cast magic. Magic rained down on them one after the other, analogous to a fortress shooting off a legion of fairy arrows.
Evilus 1: Enemy squad, from the front!
Evilus 2: A group of mages...and magic blades!
The icing on the cake was their defensive wall, which trivialized the counterattacks of enemies lying in wait.
Riveria: Via Shilheim!
Riveria activated from its state in standby, halting the concentrated volley from the enemy.
Evilus 1: What?!
Evilus 2: Our attack...?! Aaaaaaaaaaaargh?!
The remnants of the Evils shuddered at the jade dome enshrouding the group, but that was short-lived. The elves cut them down with swords in passing, a fairy platoon with eleven members in all. Fairy Force, Riveria's troops consisting of only female elves. Even in Loki Familia, they were a cut above, as the party was entirely composed of elves who were Level 3 or higher. They didn't stop producing their magic circles.
A main cannon, barrage, and defense. This group went well beyond the stage of mobile artillery. They were a fortress.
Cynthia: It's been a while since we've formed a Fairy Force!
Sonia: I'm fine with supporting from the back lines and all, but wow. Rampaging under Lady Riveria's command is truly an honor!
Alicia: Hey! Rampage? We're doing nothing of the sort!
Alicia warned the younger elves making a fuss in their exaltation. Under normal circumstances, it was rare for Riveria to take an active role leading a raid. As the woman heralded as the city's strongest mage, she would maximize her potential in the back lines: an overwhelming firepower to exterminate enemies without exception, a defensive method to protect allies from attacks, and a healing support that could maintain an entire battle line. She'd filled her role as a pillar supporting large groups. It was like giving a tiger wings to team her up with Gareth's dwarves who bore the full brunt of the front lines.
But once she separated from the main group, running around as a detached force, she changed dramatically, becoming a projectile weapon, turning into a wedge formation of fairies that Finn could drive in at just the right time.
Riveria: Don't prattle on! Attack!
Elves: Yes, ma'am!
They launched themselves into combat—a high-speed melee with Concurrent Casting.
Magic was versatile if one mastered its speed and adapted to most situations. The elves running amok in the Dungeon wielded an unimaginable firepower—a flower on the battlefield, as though a cavalry squad.
The situation was different from the usual Dungeon, requiring a long- range hit-and-run, foiling the Evilus' soldiers as they attempted their suicide bombing. As the elves kept moving and unleashing their magic, no one was able to pursue them.
Riveria: Lefiya, don't fall behind.
Lefiya: Y-yes...!
It was Lefiya's first time joining her fellow elves on the squad, and she was out of breath as she continued to cast magic concurrently. With her improving enough to join them, the fairy squad had acquired a main cannon, completing the mobile fortress. They had all the pieces necessary for a surprise assault on Knossos.
Alicia: Front and rear doors have been closed!
Riveria: I'm opening the front! Time your magic to fight against it!
The doors had been the largest bottleneck, rendered meaningless by the key in Riveria's hand. The orichalcum barriers yielded readily, opening from their firmly locked positions, exposing the flustered enemies to a hail of shots.
It was the rampage of all rampages, the fruits of Anakity's labor. The proud fairies fought to regain their honor and subdue the fury of their murdered comrades.
Alicia: Lady Riveria, a second key!
Riveria: Well done!
Alicia hadn't missed one person wildly trying to escape among the enemy forces firing back. She'd stopped him in his tracks with a freezing spell and knocked him out, stealing away his hidden key, their second one. After Riveria's praise, the elves continued to shout. Their advance couldn't be stopped.
Riveria:...?
Riveria alone noticed the slight shift as the squad built up increasingly more momentum. The enemy's attacks had stopped, grinding to a halt, when their desperate attempts to prevent their advance had assaulted them before.
Riveria:...Lefiya. Change your cast.
Lefiya: Wha...? Ah, yes!
It'd been nothing more than a reprieve for a short moment, but it was enough for Riveria to recognize it as the harbinger of something abnormal. She gave a new order. And upon seeing the high elf's tense face, Lefiya and the other exuberant elves became anxious as well. Riveria was wise. She knew not to let her guard down in the man-made labyrinth—not in the hellhole that had brought Braver to a point of no recovery.
Her vigilance paid off. It came out—with a bang! The door boomed as it opened wide, as crimson hair the color of blood fluttered.
Carmilia:—! I-is the creature here?!
One of the elves searching for enemies sounded the alarm. All present swung around, and the figure of the two strongest monster in a human form reflected in their eyes.
Revis: After the pallum, it's the elves, huh?
PoH: I'll enjoy violating her before killing them.
The Grim Reaper smile sadisticly revealing a laughter of coffin tattoo in his hand. Revis, the creature, and PoH, the Grim Reaper, approached, more menacing than the orichalcum door. Behind them were vividly colored monsters, a multitude of fodder soldiers. A genuine monster was closing in, one that had beaten both Finn and Aiz.
Riveria:—Hn...!
Riveria squinted as the red-haired woman and the man in the black poncho charged with their sinister cursed sword in their hand.