After the departure of their beloved parents, Alvin wiped the remaining tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. The golden-yellow-haired High Elf youth took a slow breath, steadying his heart.
Beside him, Allen did the same. The purple-haired youth wiped the wet corners of his eyes while offering a faint smile toward the empty space, sincerely letting everything go.
Meanwhile, Arken, the brown-haired youth who had been fighting back his tears with all his might, now let out a very long sigh. The exhale sounded heavy, as if he was trying hard to expel all the residue of his sorrow and sense of loss into the air.
Yet beneath that silence, their hearts now felt incredibly light. The one thing they believed with all their hearts at this moment was this: their parents were now living peacefully and happily in the spirit realm.
Almost inaudible footsteps diverted their attention. Goddess Nirfelia, with majesty radiating from her every step, approached the four youths.
The Creator looked at the faces of Kazien, Alvin, Allen, and Arken one by one. Her gaze was no longer dominated by gentleness, but rather shifted into the absolute firmness of a ruler of the universe.
"As soon as your souls return to your physical bodies in the mortal world, prepare yourselves immediately!" the Goddess instructed, her echoing tone full of authority. "Because the time you have left is running out. You must immediately depart from Lazavis and carry out your main mission to destroy all the dungeons that will emerge across the world."
"Understood!" Kazien, Alvin, Allen, and Arken answered in unison. Their voices blended together, radiating a mental and physical readiness that had been brutally forged in the divine realm.
Seeing the gleam of resolve in the eyes of the four youths, Goddess Nirfelia smiled. Deep in her heart, she felt incredibly proud of all four of them, especially the three youths standing around Kazien.
Those three have truly changed completely. the Goddess thought, a swelling sense of relief filling her chest. They are so tough and resilient. It is no wonder my son chose the three of you as his spouses.
After inwardly praising the fortitude of her sons-in-law, Goddess Nirfelia's gaze shifted, aiming straight at the silvery-white-haired youth in the middle of the line.
"And specifically for you, Kazien..." the Goddess said, her voice softening slightly yet still carrying a firm edge. "As a provision, I have granted you a new ability, embedded within your soul."
Kazien looked at the Goddess intently, awaiting further explanation.
"When those series of dungeons begin to emerge in the world, you will be able to immediately detect their exact locations." the Goddess explained. "You will know it clearly, without having to waste your precious time wandering around or searching for information about their whereabouts manually."
Hearing that he had received a newly bestowed ability from the Creator, Kazien instantly breathed a sigh of relief and happiness. That ability was a strategic advantage that spared him from having to search for dungeon coordinates, which would only waste valuable time.
"And one more crucial thing you must remember well!" Goddess Nirfelia stated firmly, her eyes sharpening this time, delivering a very serious warning to the four of them. "You will not only be facing monsters. There will be many people in that world who will become complacent and blinded by the wealth and rewards they receive from inside those dungeons."
The four youths fell silent, listening with furrowed brows.
"Because of that greed, many of them will turn around and try to hinder, manipulate, or even attack you solely to prevent you from destroying the dungeons they consider to be their fields of wealth!"
Hearing the unexpected warning from the Goddess, the four youths were clearly shocked. They never imagined that when the world was on the brink of apocalypse due to the threat of the Evil God, there would still be greedy humans who prioritized personal wealth over the salvation of humanity itself.
"Goddess Nirfelia..." Arken called out suddenly. "If that situation truly occurs... are we allowed to kill them if they insist on hindering our duty to destroy those dungeons?"
Goddess Nirfelia was not surprised in the slightest by the question seeking such certainty. The Creator returned Arken's gaze calmly.
"By my authority, you are permitted to do so!" Goddess Nirfelia answered, granting them absolute permission and authority. "Sacrificing the lives of a few greedy humans is far better than letting your entire world be destroyed."
Hearing the straightforward answer from the Creator, Kazien, Alvin, Allen, and Arken nodded in understanding. All doubts and moral shackles had been lifted from their shoulders.
Their hearts had hardened like steel, ready to execute the Goddess's command.
Seeing that unwavering readiness, Goddess Nirfelia smiled sincerely at them. Her majestic face once again radiated the warmth of a mother, preparing to return their souls to their original world.
"Very well, all preparations are complete. I will send the souls of the four of you back right now!" the Goddess said in a gentle tone. "Fight well, my children!"
Hearing those parting words, Kazien, Alvin, Allen, and Arken opened their mouths in unison, intending to offer their final respects and words of gratitude to the Goddess.
However, before even a single word could escape their lips...
Swoosh!
Without any warning, four black holes instantly appeared right beneath the soles of their feet. Their foothold vanished in a flash. Gravity pulled them down with brutal force.
And in that very instant, the bodies of the four youths immediately plummeted into a free fall.
"WHY DOES THIS KIND OF THING HAVE TO HAPPEN TO ME AGAIN.....!!!!????"
Kazien's shocked and annoyed scream echoed loudly. His voice gradually faded and muffled as his body was swallowed by the dimensional darkness.
Because for the second time, the silvery-white-haired youth was forcibly sent home through a ridiculous trapdoor that appeared out of nowhere beneath his feet.
As soon as the four holes closed back up without leaving a trace on the white ground, Goddess Nirfelia could not hold back her smile. The Goddess chuckled until her shoulders shook slightly, feeling thoroughly entertained by the antics of her son, who remained exactly the same and unchanged every time he was pranked.
However, the laughter slowly subsided. Goddess Nirfelia stepped forward, gazing out across the expanse of heavenly clouds, her vision piercing through the bounds of time and space to view the turbulent future of that world.
"Fight well..." the Goddess murmured softly, her voice heavy with veiled hope and worry. "Because your journey to the various corners of the world later will never be as easy as when you simply slashed monsters and destroyed those dungeons. It is the greed of the inhabitants of my world that will be your greatest trial."