The mid-morning sun shone on the side yard of the Abandoned Church, piercing through the thin dust from the construction area in the back. Near the row of temporary tents, Venti and Alfia stood welcoming the arrival of five figures who had just stepped inside.
Sylphie—the perfect disguise of the Great Spirit Aria—walked in front with calm steps. Behind her, Hedin and Hogni walked in sharp silence, while Dina and Vena trailed behind with satisfied expressions. The faint smell of labyrinth dust and the remnants of battle still clung to the clothes of the four elves.
"We have returned, Lord Venti, Miss Alfia," reported Sylphie softly.
"You're back sooner than expected," said Alfia flatly, her heterochromatic eyes scanning them to ensure there were no injuries. "I've heard the gist of it from Venti. Tell me in detail what you found down there."
Hedin took a step forward, adjusting his glasses with an elegant movement. "We were ambushed by a dozen members of the Ikelos Familia on the Fifth Floor. Their main target was Miss Sylphie. Through Dina's interrogation magic on one of the survivors, we obtained the names of the three masterminds behind it: Valetta Grede, Barca Perdix, and someone who calls himself Enyo."
Hearing those names confirmed directly, the temperature around Alfia plummeted drastically. The murderous intent of Silence seeped out in absolute silence.
However, before Alfia could voice her plan of retaliation, Venti stepped forward with a much more serious facial expression.
"Before we return their greeting," said Venti, looking at the four elves before him. "When you eliminated those Ikelos Familia members... did any of you see a specific object on their bodies? A round key made of dark metal, with a creepy eyeball carving in the middle?"
The four elves fell silent for a moment, trying to recall.
Hogni shook his head slowly. "My gaze was only fixed on the trajectory of my slashes. I didn't pay attention to trinkets like that."
Dina also shook her head slowly. "Forgive us, Lord Venti. Before Sir Hedin and Sir Hogni electrocuted and burned their corpses to ash to eliminate traces, we briefly checked their belongings. There was not a single object in the shape of a metal key carved with an eyeball as you mentioned."
Venti let out a long sigh. "I see... What a pity."
Alfia turned to Venti, frowning. "What key are you talking about? And why are you looking for it?"
"It's the Knossos Key," answered Venti, his tone turning heavier. "The absolute key to open the entrances to the man-made labyrinth hidden beneath this city. The Evilus group uses Knossos as their main underground headquarters."
Alfia's eyes narrowed slightly. "If you know they are hiding there, why do we need the key? We can just destroy the paths and level the place from above."
"Actually, I know where the doors are located," Venti smirked. "But Knossos is built with massive Orichalcum metal foundations and protective magic. Without the Knossos Key, forcing our way in means we have to dismantle and destroy the very foundation of the city of Orario itself. The explosion would create a national-scale uproar and attract the attention of Ouranos and all the gods up there."
Venti stood up, looking at his family members with sharp authority. "I am feeling very lazy to deal with that kind of hassle. If we cannot wipe them out quietly underground without that key... then we will cut off their god's head on the surface."
Venti spread his arms, issuing an undeniable execution order. "Tonight we will act. We have two targets."
"First, the Ikelos Familia," Venti pointed toward Hedin and Hogni. "That smuggler god and the remnants of his followers are currently in Melen, the port city to the southwest. Hedin, Hogni, Dina, Vena... the four of you will take care of that place."
Venti raised his right hand. The air in his palm condensed, then swirled to form a very tiny and cute little wind spirit. Venti's wisp floated around Dina's face nimbly.
"Follow that wisp," ordered Venti. "Venti's wisp will guide you along the safest route and bring you right to the throat of God Ikelos. Do not let a single one of them escape."
"As you wish, Lord Venti," answered Hedin, representing the four elves while bowing respectfully.
"Second," Venti turned to Alfia. "Dionysus. That wine god is the true face behind the codename Enyo. You and I will go to his headquarters inside the city."
Alfia nodded slowly, her gaze signaling cold satisfaction.
"Aria," called Venti, turning to the pale green-haired girl. "Your task is to guard the headquarters tonight. Protect Meteria, Ais, and our home while we are gone."
Sylphie smiled confidently. "Leave it to me, Venti-sama."
When the curtain of night finally fell over Orario, the streets in one of the quiet elite districts bore silent witness to the movement of two invisible shadows.
The Dionysus Familia headquarters was a magnificent mansion surrounded by elegant pillars and neatly arranged gardens. The guards patrolled, completely unaware that they had been bypassed just like that.
At the sloped mansion, Venti and Alfia moved in absolute silence. Alfia had manipulated the air currents around them to bend light and sound, cloaking their presence perfectly.
"His private room is on the second floor, west wing," whispered Venti softly, pointing to a large window that was still dimly lit from the inside. "Remember, Alfia. Our target is only Dionysus. Don't make a big commotion."
"I understand. I will seal the hallway from the outside so none of his guards can enter," replied Alfia flatly and very professionally.
In the blink of an eye, the two moved. Alfia headed to the outer balcony, infiltrating the second-floor hallway like a ghost. With the composure of a veteran mage, she chanted high-level soundproofing magic. The entire west wing hallway was instantly locked in absolute silence.
Seeing the outer area was perfectly secured, Venti stepped toward the door of Dionysus's room. Without using any tricks, he simply grabbed the carved wooden doorknob and turned it slowly. The door opened easily.
Venti stepped into the dim room with steps as light as cotton, leaving Alfia standing guard outside.
In the middle of the room, warmed by the fireplace, Dionysus was sitting in his velvet chair. In his hand, he held a glass of high-quality wine, staring at the fireplace flames with a very peaceful smile. He looked like the perfect god—friendly, handsome, and full of empathy.
"An impressive wine collection for a mad director."
Venti's voice broke the silence of the room.
Dionysus flinched. The glass in his hand tilted slightly, spilling a few drops of red wine onto the floor. He turned his head quickly, his eyes widening at the sight of the green-clad young man now standing casually leaning against his bookshelf.
"L-Lord Venti?!" exclaimed Dionysus. He immediately put his mask of friendliness back on even though his heart was pounding, then stood up from his chair. "Goodness, you really startled me. What brings you to my room this late at night? And... how did you—"
"Drop that disgusting mask, Dionysus. Or should I call you... Enyo?" cut Venti, his voice calm yet cold.
The friendly smile on Dionysus's face instantly froze. The room suddenly felt devoid of air.
"Enyo? What do you mean, Venti?" Dionysus tried to maintain his act, laughing awkwardly and putting on a truly confused face. "That is a very unfamiliar name. I completely don't understand what kind of joke you are playing by accusing me of being—"
"I am not debating with you," interrupted Venti again, stepping forward until the distance between them was only two meters. "Your wine charade that manipulated your memory so you yourself believed your own lies... and the stupid ambush you ordered the Ikelos subordinates to carry out today to test my family."
Venti's teal eyes looked straight into the soul of the blonde god.
"You targeted Sylphie. You dared to test my patience by targeting my family," hissed Venti, his cold voice cutting through the remaining warmth in the room. "That was your final mistake in the Gekai."
Hearing all his deepest secrets exposed without a trace, a long silence enveloped the room.
Then, slowly, Dionysus's shoulders began to shake. His face lowered, and a soft laugh that sounded very bizarre escaped his lips.
"Hah... hahaha... HAHAHAHAHA!"
The laugh exploded into a roar of absolute madness. Dionysus looked up. The light of gentleness in his eyes had been completely destroyed, replaced by a bottomless abyss of darkness. His friendly smile curved upward, turning into a terrifying psychopathic smirk.
Dionysus was dead. Enyo, the City Destroyer, had taken over completely.
"Incredible!" exclaimed Enyo, spreading his arms with a crazed, adoring look at Venti. "I always knew you were an anomaly, Bard God! Even the gods in the Tower of Babel were fooled by Dionysus's sincerity. But you?! You pierced my layers as if reading a children's book!"
Enyo stepped forward, his eyes widening with sick enthusiasm. "Who are you really, Venti?! This is very thrilling! But if you came here to kill me, you wouldn't dare do it here! If my physical vessel is destroyed, the pillar of light will explode instantly! All the guards in this mansion will lose their Falna and surround this room! You won't be able to get out of my headquarters without triggering a commotion that will attract the attention of all of Orario!"
"I know," said Venti, not changing his calm posture at all.
Enyo growled in anger. Realizing his intrigue had failed, his survival instinct as a god took over. He raised his hand, his face wrinkling wildly as he intended to forcibly summon his Arcanum. He would trigger a suicide explosion with his divine power to destroy the entire mansion, ensuring Venti was dragged along with him.
"Die with me, Bard—!"
Enyo began to shout his divine Arcanum.
However, Venti never intended to give him the time to finish that sentence.
Venti simply utilized the absolute advantage that a god like Dionysus did not possess: combat instincts and the pure physical speed of an Archon who had lived through thousands of years.
In a fraction of a second, Venti kicked the small table in front of him. The sudden jolt made Enyo flinch backward, losing his focus for the blink of an eye.
That tiny opening was more than enough for the Archon.
Venti darted forward, closing the two-meter distance like a shadow. His foot kicked a shard of crystal glass that had fallen on the carpet. The sharp shard flew into the air, and with a very fluid and brutal movement, Venti caught it.
Before Enyo could react, Venti plunged the wine-stained crystal glass shard straight into the god's neck.
The glass blade pierced his vocal cords, forcibly stopping the summoning of the Arcanum that was just about to overflow. Fresh blood spurted, soaking Enyo's elegant collar.
Enyo's eyes widened, almost bulging out of their sockets. He clutched his own neck with violently trembling hands, trying to stem the flow of blood and leaking air. He tried to speak, tried to curse, but what came out was only the horrifying gurgling sound of blood. He, the director who toyed with plays, had just been stabbed in the middle of his own stage using a shard of his own glass by a bard.
Venti leaned forward, whispering right into the ear of the dying god.
"A true director never lets his actors ruin the stage props, Enyo," whispered Venti in an ice-cold tone. "You played with wine your whole life to deceive the world... how poetic that your curtain is closed by your own wine glass."
Venti twisted the glass shard cruelly, then pulled it out.
Enyo fell face down onto the floor. The god's mortal body convulsed violently in a pool of his own blood and wine. His ambition to burn Orario, and all his crazy intrigues... all crumbled in silence beneath the feet of a bard god.
"Farewell, Enyo," said Venti emotionlessly. "Your script is officially canceled."
A second later, the fatal damage to the physical vessel forced Dionysus to use his arcanum and instantly triggered the absolute reaction of the world's laws. The lower world's immune rejection system immediately activated automatically to pull the god back to Tenkai.
DZZZTTT!
An incredibly blinding pillar of holy light exploded from Enyo's body, shattering the roof of the mansion without the sound of an explosion and shooting straight through the Orario night sky.
Venti stood in the middle of the room, which now had a hole in its roof, watching the repatriation pillar calmly. Alfia, who had dispelled her soundproofing seal, stepped into the room. She stared at the bloodstains on the floor with a soft snort.
"A very efficient execution for a musician," said Alfia flatly, "But the guards outside must have started panicking because their Falna disappeared. We have to go before they break down this door."
Venti smiled faintly, throwing the remaining shard of crystal glass into the fireplace. He walked closer to the large hole in the wall destroyed by the pillar of light, then gazed far toward the southwestern horizon, piercing the city limits of Orario.
"Not just one, Alfia," murmured Venti.
At that exact same second, on the southwestern horizon—specifically above the sky of the port city of Melen—an identical pillar of holy light exploded majestically. That second pillar cleaved the night clouds, soaring high to touch the edge of the sky.
The four elves guided by Venti's wind wisp had completed their task with equally deadly precision, executing Ikelos and the remnants of his followers without mercy amidst the fishy smell of the sea.
Two pillars of god repatriation light filled the night sky. One in the heart of Orario, and another at the port of Melen. Both shone brightly like two giant swords being pulled back to heaven, unable to be hidden from anyone.
To ordinary citizens, it was a shocking phenomenon. But to the gods who saw those two pillars simultaneously... it was an absolute declaration that there was a new predator on the Orario chessboard who had just begun its hunt.
The game had changed forever.
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