The team split into two paths.
Ryuu and the other adventurers began their movements and arrangements.
The Hestia Familia, along with several gods, set off towards the ruins deep within the Great Tree Sea.
Ying Ping also took out a [Book of Experience] from his system inventory and handed it to Artemis.
"Here, try opening this."
Artemis took the book and curiously opened it.
In an instant, dazzling golden light enveloped her.
[Attendant: Artemis]
[Level: LV1 -> LV18]
"W-what's happening? I feel like my whole body's strength has increased..."
Artemis looked at her hands in surprise, feeling the surging power within her.
She tried to draw her bow, and a silver moonlight condensed on the bowstring. "My strength has increased by more than ten times, no, it feels like even more than a hundred times..."
Ying Ping smiled. "Yes, so now do you have the confidence to face the upcoming battle?"
"I'm not talking about the monsters in that ruin, but about the gods, about you being sent back to heaven..."
Artemis put away her bow and arrows, her eyes flashing with determined light. "Yes, I have confidence now. If Hestia and a few old friends are willing to step forward, perhaps we can plead with the great god Uranus..."
She whispered, "Plus, with your Merit of defeating Antares and saving the Lower World, Uranus might even be willing to make an exception and overlook my use of divine power in the Lower World."
Ying Ping clenched his fist. "I hope so. No matter what, I don't want you to leave me."
Just then, the sound of battle horns echoed from behind.
"It's started!" Artemis' expression sharpened. "The other Familias have begun their diversionary tactics."
Ying Ping turned and shouted to his companions behind him, "Prepare to breach the ruins!"
The members of the Hestia Familia immediately entered battle formation.
"363, follow me!"
The strengthened Artemis led the charge, rushing towards the entrance of the ruins.
The Antares larvae along the way were all attracted by the attacks of the other Familias, so they encountered almost no obstacles and reached the ruin's gate.
Artemis placed her hand on the ancient stone door, silver divine power flowing in her palm. "In the name of the Moon Goddess Artemis, open!"
The heavy stone door slowly opened, and a decaying scent of ancient times wafted out.
"Is this what it looks like inside?!" Chifusa, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped, her voice trembling.
"W-what a terrifying place!" Kokkoro covered her mouth, her red eyes filled with a trace of fear.
The sight before them made everyone gasp—
The entire interior of the ruins had completely transformed. The ground was covered with a thick purple fungal carpet, and the walls were densely covered with translucent incubation eggs.
In each egg, a wriggling Antares larva could be seen.
When Ying Ping saw this scene, he naturally thought of scenes from the movie Alien.
"I see..." Hermes pulled down his hat, his voice heavy. "Those scorpion monsters in the Great Tree Sea are constantly being produced this way..."
"Watch out!" Ying Ping suddenly yelled, simultaneously drawing his Hestia Blade.
The fungal carpet suddenly writhed, and dozens of incubation eggs burst open simultaneously, new Antares larvae swarming out like a tide!
"Prepare for battle!" Ying Ping commanded, and the members of the Hestia Familia immediately took up their battle formation.
Ilena raised her staff. "Meteor Shower!"
Countless fireballs rained down from the sky, exploding among the monster horde.
Chifusa and Takina stood back-to-back, arrows raining down, each arrow accurately hitting the monsters' weak points and piercing through them.
Kokkoro erected a divine barrier, protecting everyone from being eroded by the fungal carpet, various poisonous blood, and toxic mist.
Artemis stood on a high vantage point, her silver bow fully drawn. "Moonlight Arrow!"
"Swish!"
A brilliant moonlight arrow pierced through the entire hall, and the monsters in its path turned to ash.
"She didn't even use divine power, and Artemis is already this strong?" Hestia's eyes widened unconsciously.
"This... indeed, it's a bit too illogical..." Hermes was also at a loss.
"Die!" Ying Ping charged at the forefront, his Hestia Blade wreathed in lightning, each strike taking the lives of several monsters.
[Killed Antares Larva X50]
[Reward Experience Points 500]
The battle lasted for about ten minutes, and the first wave of monsters was finally cleared.
"Everyone, this is just the beginning..." Ying Ping shook off the slime from his sword and looked into the depths of the ruins. "The real enemy is still waiting for us inside."
Artemis walked to his side, a moonlight barrier enveloping the entire team. "Let's move forward together, my... beloved."
Her address warmed Ying Ping's heart, but now was not the time to dwell on it.
"Keep moving forward!" Ying Ping said in a deep voice. "We must find the core area before the next wave of monsters hatches!"
The group carefully stepped on the slimy fungal carpet, heading deeper into the ruins.
With every step, the surrounding walls writhed, as if the entire ruin had become a living monster.
"Although the monsters aren't that strong, this place still makes my skin crawl..." Chifusa muttered softly.
Takina vigilantly looked around. "Be careful, I feel like something is constantly watching us from the shadows..."
Just then, the ground suddenly shook violently!
"Everyone, defend!" Ying Ping shouted, simultaneously shielding Hestia behind him.
The fungal carpet in front suddenly bulged, and a huge black shadow burst out from the ground—
It was a gigantic, super-large Antares!
Its carapace was covered with strange red patterns, and intelligent light flickered in its eight compound eyes.
[Antares Adult]
[Level: LV4]
[Traits: Divine Creature, Mental Pollution]
It looked extremely threatening, but in Ying Ping's eyes, it was simply not worth mentioning.
"An eyesore!" Ying Ping gripped the Hestia Blade, disdaining to use any magic or skills, and with a flash, he directly split the adult into two!
...Just as Ying Ping and his group were fighting fiercely deep within the ruins, powerful divine power fluctuations were once again released from the ruins, and countless light showers suddenly descended over the Great Tree Sea.
"Here it comes again! Everyone, find cover quickly!" The adventurers of the other Familias reacted swiftly, taking cover in tree hollows or raising their specially made protective shields.
However, some people were still too slow to dodge and let out piercing screams after being hit by the light shower.
Ryuu was escorting several injured adventurers to retreat when she suddenly heard a cry for help from behind.
Without hesitation, she turned and rushed back into the dangerous area, her agile, slender figure weaving through the rain of light.
"Get up quickly! Grab my hand!" She pulled up a female adventurer who had fallen to the ground, but as she turned, a beam of light grazed her shoulder.
"Pfft!" The sound of clothing and flesh being pierced simultaneously came.
The intense pain made Ryuu grunt, and her entire right shoulder immediately became covered in blood.
"Ryuu!" The rescued female adventurer cried out in panic.
"It's nothing... hurry..." Ryuu endured the pain and led the adventurer out of the area.
However, the density of the light shower was even more terrifying than last time, and its range was wider.
Many more adventurers who reacted a little slower were grazed by the light shower, and this time, they instantly turned to ash.
"Ah!!!"
"Help… help me…"
Screams echoed one after another as Ryu gritted her teeth, once again darting through the rain of light.
She lived up to her name, "Gale," swiftly pushing one adventurer after another, who couldn't dodge in time, into safe cover.
Just as she saved the last adventurer, another rain of light grazed her body—
Pfft!
A searing pain shot through her. Ryu grunted, the skin on her back instantly charred, blood dripping from the wound.
She barely managed to hide behind a giant tree, cold sweat beading on her forehead, her breathing ragged.
"This is bad, this injury…"
Ryu had no idea what her back looked like. When she reached back and saw her palm covered in blood, her vision suddenly blurred.
Without thinking, she instinctively reached for a healing potion from her small pouch, but then she saw the Life Potion that Ying Ping had given her.
"Let's try this first! I hope it's as effective as he said…"
Ryu uncorked the bottle and drank the red liquid in one gulp.
Instantly, a warm current and green light coursed through her body.
The wounds on her shoulder and back healed at a visible rate, leaving no scars.
Ryu moved her arm in shock: "This healing effect… it's really much stronger than high-grade elixirs!"
At the same time, a commotion suddenly broke out in the city of Orario, far away.
"Hey, look at the sky!"
"Why is the moon out during the day?!"
Citizens pointed at the sky in astonishment.
In broad daylight, an ominous moon hung above Babel Tower, exuding an unsettling aura.
Of course, if one were to look closely at this moon,
They would discover that it was composed of countless magic circles, densely packed together, releasing astonishing divine power fluctuations!
Just then, a deafening roar came from the entrance of the Dungeon.
The adventurers on guard paled: "Oh no! The monsters are rioting!"
Countless monsters surged from the depths of the Dungeon, frantically attacking the upper passages, as if summoned by some force.
"Quickly notify the Guild immediately!"
"All Familia adventurers, assemble! Assemble!"
Emergency bells rang throughout Orario.
The Guild's intelligence personnel immediately spread the news, and the entire Orario instantly entered a state of emergency.
"Loki Familia, move out! Go blockade the Dungeon entrance!"
"Freyja Familia, follow me!"
"Ganesha Familia, just maintain civilian order!"
The major Familias of Orario quickly sprang into action.
Whether ordinary adventurers or elites, they all rushed towards the Dungeon entrance, preparing to intercept the rampaging monster tide.
Ais and Finn of the Loki Familia, Ottar of the Freyja Familia, and other top adventurers quickly gathered, leading their respective teams to the Dungeon entrance.
"We must hold the line!"
Finn commanded loudly: "Absolutely no monsters are allowed to enter the city!"
Ais held her longsword, her skills Avenger Princess and Gale activated, her golden eyes filled with solemnity: "I have a very bad premonition…"
The monsters' eyes glowed with a red light similar to the Antares in the ruins, as if controlled by some power…