"Don't worry about it."
Jura excitedly cracked the whip in his hand, the smile on his face growing even more twisted. "Once I obtain its power, that crazy bitch Arachne won't be able to boss me around anymore, and we won't have to keep rotting in this sunless Dungeon."
"When the time comes, I can lead you guys back to the surface and show those self-righteous, nauseatingly 'just' bastards what true power looks like."
It was as if he could already see himself successfully taming the Juggernaut, trampling Ryuu underfoot, and dragging the incarnation of despair to bathe Orario in blood.
The Werewolf youth beside him still felt uneasy, but having reaped so many benefits from following Jura over the years, he had developed a blind trust in the Cat Person.
Looking at Jura's crazed yet confident back, he finally swallowed his doubts, nodded, and followed closely behind.
At the exact same time, on the 27th Floor, the Water Capital.
The colossal Great Fall crashed down from the domed ceiling above, its torrential waters converging into a massive lake below, with a deafening, unending roar echoing through the colossal underground space.
The air was thick with moisture and the pungent scent of moss, while the sprawling waterways and slick, wet rocks turned the area into a lethal, fiercely hostile domain for adventurers.
Traversing this perilous landscape, a bizarre squad advanced cautiously along the lake's edge without making a sound.
Leading them was a mysterious figure completely shrouded in a voluminous black cloak.
He was slender, and his footsteps were dead silent, drifting through the world like a wandering ghost.
His hood was pulled low, burying his face in deep shadows. The only visible feature was a skeletal hand gripping an Oculus—an eyeball-shaped crystal emitting a faint blue glow.
Following closely behind him were entities of varying shapes and sizes, all radiating formidable power.
There was an imposing Lizardman clad in tough scales with piercing eyes, an elegant Siren girl with resplendent golden wings, a burly Gargoyle, and other bizarre creatures that were supposedly the natural prey of adventurers.
They were the Xenos—the special, highly intelligent monsters born with emotions, led by the sage Fels.
Right now, their mission was to find Finn and the others after the catastrophic floor collapse caused by the massive battle.
"Fels."
Lyd, the Lizardman leading the monsters, stopped in his tracks. His slit pupils carefully inspected a freshly formed, massive crater clearly created by brute force, analyzing it in a deep voice.
"Based on what Marie saw, the Loki Familia didn't die outright. They were buried by that massive explosion. Looking at the depth and trajectory of this crater, the most likely scenario is... they fell straight through to the floors below."
Beneath the cloak, Fels nodded.
The Oculus in his hand blinked, transmitting Lyd's analysis synchronously to Ouranos, far away beneath the Guild.
"I'm counting on you, Lyd, Ray."
Fels relayed Ouranos's intent to the Xenos behind him. "Confirm their exact location as quickly as possible. But remember my words: unless absolutely necessary, never reveal yourselves to them. The real rescue team is already on its way."
Fels was deeply aware of the risks and delicate nuances of this mission.
Saving the Loki Familia from dire straits would undoubtedly make them owe the Xenos a massive debt. That favor could become a crucial bargaining chip to protect the Xenos in some future critical moment.
However, Fels wasn't sure if Finn Deimne—the man who styled himself as a "Braver"—and the Loki Familia, who stood at the absolute pinnacle of humanity, could truly accept the existence of the Xenos.
Even with a life-saving debt, given Finn's calculating nature, the best outcome would probably be him turning a blind eye and burying the favor in his heart.
Expecting him and the Loki Familia to publicly acknowledge the Xenos, or even vouch for them to all of Orario... was absolutely impossible.
Because Finn Deimne's dream was the revival of the Prum race, to leave behind a blazing, heroic epic on the world stage.
Associating with "monsters"—an act equated with taboo and betrayal in the eyes of the public—was a stain the "Braver" would avoid at all costs.
So, the best-case scenario was for Lyd and the others to avoid exposure entirely.
They would only provide essential aid from the shadows, letting the Loki Familia know that a mysterious force had assisted them.
As for who that force was, they couldn't be allowed to know just yet.
The Xenos' mission was solely to pinpoint the exact location where Finn's group had fallen, and then use another Oculus to securely relay those coordinates to Aiden's rapidly approaching rescue team.
That second Oculus had been passed to Aiden by Fels under the guise of the Guild, delivered via Loki.
It couldn't contact the Xenos' end; it could only passively receive information from Fels to guarantee the Xenos' absolute operational secrecy.
However, just as Fels was mentally reviewing the details of the plan to ensure it was foolproof—
Deep underground beneath the Guild Headquarters, inside the subterranean shrine known as the Prayer Room.
In that stone space that seemed as ancient as the world itself, the four massive torches flanking the altar burned silently, emitting an eternal, inextinguishable red light.
At the center of this altar, dominated by gloom and divinity, the ancient god Ouranos—who had sat motionless on his divine throne for a thousand years—suddenly widened his eyes.
Then, slowly, he stood up from his throne.
"What's wrong, Ouranos?"
Fels felt the ancient god's departure from his throne clearly through the depths of the Oculus. He immediately projected his question through the crystal ball.
Ouranos paused for a long time, as if confirming something. Then, in a heavy tone, he spoke.
"...That thing has appeared."
"That thing? What are you referring to? What are you talking about, Ouranos!"
Fels sharply picked up on the profoundly abnormal atmosphere in the old god's words and pressed him anxiously.
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