"'Arachnia'. Never thought that lunatic would go as far as ambushing Tiona and Tione inside the Dungeon."
Finn looked up at Valletta, suspended in the air, and couldn't help the faint sigh that escaped his eyes.
Three years ago, that old rival of his had caused them no end of trouble.
If not for Valletta standing in their way back then, the Dark Faction might have been wiped out completely three years ago.
But Valletta herself was simply too insane—sometimes, it was impossible to predict what she would do.
Her actions were wild, her methods absurd, and her recklessness was the very reason the Dark Faction had managed to retreat intact back then.
Unfortunately for her, this time she had fallen into Tsuna's hands.
"Tiona and Tione exposed their thoughts and movements too clearly. Add to that the fact that the last two operations were done by the two of them alone, it's no surprise they were targeted by the Dark Faction."
"Just like the girls of the Astraea Familia."
Those words immediately drew the attention of Finn and Gareth. Acts that deliberately targeted the city's younger generation were nothing short of despicable.
"The Dark Faction has always aimed their attacks at Orario's future—the promising Adventurers of tomorrow. Especially now, after three years of silence."
Finn rested his chin on the back of his gloved hand, thinking deeply as he analyzed aloud.
"They call it revenge, but I believe it's more about preparing for their eventual return to Orario."
"They really don't know when to give up," Gareth said with a weary sigh.
The Dark Faction was a coalition founded by gods—deities who sought to plunge the world into darkness.
Their ultimate goal had always been to assault the center of the world: Orario.
They wished to destroy the city's defenses, unleash the monsters sealed beneath it, and return the world to a primordial state of chaos.
Gareth truly couldn't understand why any god would want that.
Perhaps the only answer was that gods could be unbelievably selfish.
"They have their own purposes," Finn said quietly. "But what really matters in the end is strength and conviction."
"In that sense, we won't lose to them."
Tsuna shook his head slightly. Discussing a god's whims was a foolish thing to do.
The way gods thought was utterly different from humans.
Trying to reason with them through mortal logic would never lead to any meaningful answer.
Sometimes, even their affection and protection could turn into a kind of 'wound.'
So the simplest solution—was to confront them with strength.
The gods' powers were sealed in the mortal realm; their wars could only be fought through their Familia.
To Tsuna, it was better described as a "war of proxies."
"Yeah."
The pressure in Finn's chest eased slightly. In the end, everything would be decided by the difference in strength and conviction.
"In the end, strength will determine everything."
"Simple and clear," Gareth agreed. "And perhaps the fairest kind of contest there is."
A clash of strength would eventually decide whose ideals prevailed.
There was no need for empty arguments—only the power to make one's beliefs reality.
And within the Loki Familia, nothing inspired more passion now than the pursuit of strength.
Thanks to Tsuna's help, the Familia's enthusiasm for growth had reached unprecedented levels.
Their overall progress had already surpassed anything Finn had imagined.
"They still haven't reached their limits," Tsuna said. "There's room to grow."
The Training Space and Challenge Space remained vital grounds for improving their basic Status and combat experience. Once more than eighty percent of the Familia reached their peak, the next step would be to begin the Expedition.
An Expedition wasn't just to explore deeper levels—it was also the path to earning Excellia.
For most, diving into the Dungeon alone in search of promotion was an incredibly dangerous endeavor.
What had happened to Tiona and Tione was proof of that.
Finn was already considering how to organize the Familia's next plan to obtain Excellia.
The Expedition was the perfect opportunity.
"Indeed. The kids have been improving faster than expected," Gareth said with a grin.
"Not just them. Even our own progress has been faster than I thought." Finn nodded. In truth, his own growth had been remarkable.
Unfortunately, there was a problem.
"The only Floor Boss suitable for us to challenge right now is Balor."
"Facing it alone would be suicide. We might need a coordinated three-person challenge."
Finn had already weighed their current capabilities.
Even though all three of them were Level 6, Balor's estimated level was 7—an entire tier above.
Challenging it solo would be nothing short of suicidal.
A three-man assault was the only viable option.
"Three-person coordination, huh?"
Gareth rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Not a bad idea. But even then, it won't be easy."
"If we're going to face that monster, we'll need to push our Status to the absolute limit—and learn to wield that power properly."
He raised his hand, tapping the ring on his finger.
"This power isn't ordinary magic."
"In fact, it doesn't even require an incantation. It's our greatest weapon moving forward."
Finn nodded. "Exactly. Before challenging Balor, we'll have to master this power."
After experiencing the forces of Sun, Storm, and Rain, Finn understood that the power Tsuna had given them was the key to their next breakthrough.
If they could harness the Dying Will Flame effectively, its potential might even surpass their magic.
"But that's going to take time," Gareth added.
"For now, we can't afford to think about challenging Balor." Finn exhaled, calming the flicker of excitement that had risen.
A Floor Boss battle was still a distant goal.
Only when they had perfected their Status and mastered their new strength could they even consider taking on a Level 7 opponent.
That wasn't something they could prepare for overnight.
And besides—time wasn't exactly on their side.
"No time?" Tsuna looked at Finn, puzzled.
"The Expedition," Finn reminded him with a wry smile. "You just mentioned it yourself."
A full-scale Expedition wasn't something that could be prepared in a month or two.
"Even before, the preparations took half a year. Thanks to your help, that time will be shorter—but still not by much."
"Even so, we'll need plenty of time to prepare equipment, weapons, potions, and other supplies."
He looked over at Tsuna and smiled faintly. "So if we start now, we should just about make it in time."
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