Man-made Labyrinth: Knossos.
Two days had passed since Ottar's rampage. The labyrinth was a tomb, silent and filled with corpses. The usual bustle was gone, all because Ottar had taken a "stroll" through. In the age of the Gods, the power of a "Blessing" made top-tier adventurers invincible against even ten thousand men.
In a small room, two gods—Icelos and Thanatos—sat together.
"How many dead?" Thanatos asked.
"Basically a total wipeout. Even Dix is gone," Icelos said, looking slightly regretful. Dix had been a great source of entertainment. But his death at Ottar's hands was an unexpected twist—a rare bit of fun. For a god like him, this was the kind of "unpredictable" event he lived for. A faint grin played on his lips. "And your side?"
"Same here. Olivas, that rare child who survived by having a magic stone implanted... what a waste," Thanatos shrugged.
Ottar's kills were actually the minority. The truly terrifying part was the poison left behind; at least three thousand people had died without warning. It was a crippling blow. These weren't three thousand ordinary people; they were powerful adventurers—Level 2s and 3s who would be the backbone of any normal Familia. Even Thanatos felt the sting.
The two gods stared at each other. Divine intuition was sharp. Their only major recent move was plotting against the Astraea Familia. The retaliation had come far too fast!
However, they didn't suspect the Astraea Familia. Only Freya could command Ottar! Furthermore, Ottar had burst in through a secret excavation point—a location no one should have known. Only Freya's "Charm" could control anyone to extract such intel. A Goddess of Beauty paired with the strongest Familia was an entity even they dared not provoke.
The question was: why did Freya act?
Icelos laughed. "Do you think... Freya has her eyes on the 'Sprout of Justice'?"
Thanatos forced a bitter smile. Was there even a need to ask? Freya's predatory nature was legendary. Roy was a "Miracle of the Lower World," the fastest-leveling adventurer in history. Freya wasn't blind; she likely wanted him for herself. Their plot had nearly killed Roy, which must have infuriated her.
It was a perfectly logical chain of reasoning!
They also remembered that Freya had once tested the Astraea Familia herself. Gods giving "trials" to children was common. Roy hired the Loki Familia with money, while the Freya Familia avenged him in the shadows. The two strongest Familias in Orario were standing behind that boy. Even Thanatos, patron of the "strongest" Dark Familia, decided to back off. At least until the secret ritual of the "Six Spirit Circles" was complete.
The Starry Court.
Roy, unaware of the gods' wild theories, felt a deep sense of satisfaction. The frustration of the past week had vanished, replaced by the refreshing chill of revenge. The Icelos captain and his executives were dead; the Thanatos Familia was crippled.
When Ryu checked the excavation site again, she found it sealed shut with Orichalcum. They had reacted quickly. If they hadn't, Roy would have used another card to send Ottar back for a second round.
Roy closed his eyes, tapping the table as he thought. He didn't believe they would dare cause trouble again anytime soon. The merchant guilds connected to the Dark Sect had also gone quiet overnight; the deterrent of Ottar was that powerful.
As for retaliation? Ottar did it. What did it have to do with Roy? In fact, Roy almost wished they would try to retaliate; he still had two uses of the summoning card left.
He realized the excavation "flaw" could only be used once. Thanatos would be on guard. To enter the labyrinth again, he would likely need the "Daedalus Orbs"—items made from the eyes of Daedalus's descendants, which acted as keys. He couldn't enter the labyrinth casually without them.
The Thanatos Familia guarded these orbs strictly. In the original timeline, they slaughtered a whole group just to recover a single lost orb.
The Ishtar Familia...
Roy looked toward the Entertainment District. The Ishtar Familia collaborated with the Dark Sect, and the Goddess Ishtar held a "Daedalus Orb." He had found his next target.
Before he could plan further, the elf girl entered his room. The coldness on Roy's face vanished, replaced by a soft smile as he admired her. She was perfectly his type.
Ryu, however, wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. She stared at him with disbelief.
"How did you do it?" she asked, her blue eyes wide. She was certain Roy hadn't left the Starry Court. Yet, news was traveling faster than ever: the "Warlord" Ottar had personally appeared and slaughtered the Icelos and Thanatos Familias!The incident happened exactly the day after she had given the information to Roy. It was definitely no coincidence. Could Roy really have invited the "Warlord" Ottar to take action?
Roy, of course, knew what Ryu was asking. He smiled and said, "I told Goddess Freya that those two Familias wanted to lay a hand on the cute and beautiful Miss Ryu. In a fit of rage, she dispatched Ottar..."
"Stop talking nonsense!"
Ryu shot Roy a reproachful glare. He was teasing her with that subject again—would it never end? By now, she knew that the Enhanced Species Mermaid and the Floor Boss Amphisbaena they encountered during that previous expedition were part of Freya's plot against them. Initially, Ryu had been furious.
But later, finding out that the gray-haired girl they met on the street while dealing with the Rudra Familia was actually Goddess Freya herself... Ryu's heart felt like it had been on a roller coaster, full of ups and downs and complicated emotions.
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Danmachi : Starting with an Elf (400 Chapter – Ongoing)
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