The gathering of the gods───── the "Denatus," an assembly held once every three months.
Attendance is mandatory for any "Primary God" who leads a Familia with members at Level 2 or higher. In this forum, the deities discuss everything from trivial gossip to matters critical to the administration of Orario.
After concluding reports regarding the Soma Familia, the Kingdom of Rakia, and Loki's findings on the "Irregular Monsters," the ceremony for bestowing titles upon recently leveled-up adventurers began.
"Very well, let Mikoto-chan's title be—Absolute Shadow."
"No objections!!"
"Are you kidding me?! Is this a joke to you?!"
To the inhabitants of the Lower World, whose artistic sensibilities remained underdeveloped, such a title might seem like a great honor. However, to the omniscient yet eccentric gods, it was nothing but a concentrated dose of adolescent cringe that triggered fits of laughter. Driven by whims and a love for pranks, the gods often saddled followers of small and medium Familias with titles like "Gorgeous Tail Beauty" or *"Holy Dragon Knight of the Dawn"—*names so embarrassing they made listeners shudder.
"Let's return to the main event. The next adventurer is... the star of the show! My little Ais-tan!!"
"It's time for the Sword Princess!!"
"As usual, the Princess is breathtaking."
"Wait, did you say she already reached Level 6?"
"This girl has committed yet another act of absolute madness."
"She defeated a Floor Boss solo... That's insane! She isn't normal!!"
"Would you dare say that to Ottar-san or Al-kun, who go on solo expeditions constantly?"
"Can't we just leave Ais-tan's title as it is?"
"Fine. The final choice is undoubtedly—The Gods' Bride."
"Yes!!"
"I will kill all of you."
"We are deeply sorry!!"
"Good heavens, you should pick your battles more carefully before picking a fight... Anyway, this is the last file."
The final file contained the data of a white-haired human who had leveled up just moments before the meeting.
Bell Cranel Familia: Hestia Familia Race: Human Deepest Floor Reached: 10th Floor Main Weapon: Knife, Dagger Time Elapsed: Approximately one month Monster Kill Count: 5,899
[Reason for Level Up] Engaged in a battle on the 10th floor against a Minotaur—believed to be an enhanced species—that appeared suddenly in the upper floors (hereafter referred to as the One-Horned Minotaur). Despite suffering severe burns across his entire body, fractures, and deep lacerations, he managed to defeat it single-handedly. Furthermore, prior to his level up, he conducted a solo exploration of—
"Is it a Cranel again?!"
The gods shouted upon seeing the record of this human following in the footsteps of his brother, the "Sword Saint" Al Cranel, whom the gods often called "The Essence of the Lower World's Potential."
"Wait, what's going on? Is this some kind of superhuman bloodline?"
"Oh, but he looks so adorable, unlike the Sword Demon."
"He was the Sword Demon before, but even as the Sword Saint, he has a handsome face."
"Let his title be—The Beheading Rabbit!!"
"Or the City's Cutest Creature!!"
"Or the Monster's Brother!!"
Since the undeniable facts supported his insane leveling speed, no one suspected forgery. The gods began tossing out titles as they pleased.
"By the way, Loki, a rumor has been circulating for a while that the Braver—no, the 'Varg'—in your faction took an apprentice. Doesn't this boy's description match that disciple?"
Amidst the divine clamor, a beautiful and serene goddess with long brown hair spoke. This was Demeter, the primary goddess of the Demeter Familia, which handled the bulk of Orario's food production.
"That's right. Wasn't it a human boy who looked like a rabbit? It really does look like him."
"Even their fighting styles seem similar."
Hermes, the god who resembled a reckless wandering poet, and Dionysus, who looked like a decadent noble, were the first to respond.
"What? Even if he is Al's brother, there is no way Bete would take an apprentice... No way... that... could..."
Loki suddenly recalled images of Bete buying massive quantities of low-level healing potions—which were useless at his own level—and how he frequently went out on his days off.
"..... Could it be?"
Loki, known as the goddess of trickery and cunning, realized the possibility was very high.
"What's the word, Shorty? My Bete doesn't reveal much about his private life."
"... Yes, Bell-kun is receiving training from that wolf-man in your Familia."
"Really?! The Tsundere Wolf took a disciple? This is hilarious!!"
The gods erupted in excitement at the words of Hestia, the boy's goddess, as they mocked Bete Loga, describing him as a "grumbler who hides his soft feelings."
"Guys, seriously, what are we doing about his title?"
After the noise died down, they returned to the discussion. The boy's background as the brother of the Sword Saint and the disciple of the Wolf made the choice difficult, until Demeter settled the matter.
"How about—The Wolf Rabbit?"
"That's the one!!"
●○●○●
On the 59th floor, the expedition resumed its goal of reaching undiscovered territory—areas only the Zeus Familia, the strongest of the previous generation, had ever reached. The team crossed the "Dragon's Vase" with ease, crushing the "Cannon Dragons" along the way. These monsters launched long-range bombardments that transcended floor boundaries and were considered more annoying than some Floor Bosses.
After descending the stairs from the 58th floor, the Loki Familia advanced into the unknown region of the 59th floor.
According to the records left by the Zeus Familia, the area beyond the 59th floor was the "Glacial Territory," a frozen hell where all life solidified in an instant. Even first-class adventurers risked freezing to death in the extreme cold.
However, as the current pinnacle of Orario's military strength stepped into this unknown region───── they did not find a frozen wasteland. Instead, they found a dense jungle.
There was no trace of ice mountains or frozen rivers. Instead, thick, gnarled trees spread everywhere. This forest grew more complex and bizarre the deeper they went, resembling a labyrinth that shifted its paths to lure intruders into its depths.
Toxic-colored fungi and garishly bright flowers never before seen in the Dungeon grew there. A thick mist hung in the air, obscuring vision. Suddenly, even the traces of monsters vanished.
"A dense forest...?"
"The accounts left by the Zeus Familia stated that the 59th floor and beyond was the Glacial Territory..."
"Yes. They described it as a world of death and absolute ice, where glacial lake waters flow everywhere, making progress difficult and the cold so intense it freezes even first-class adventurers."
Finn answered Tiona's mutterings, and Riveria continued the explanation. The rest of the members exchanged looks of confusion and anxiety.
Towering trees and plant clusters emitted suspicious, vivid colors. The smell of thick greenery and herbal stench teased their nostrils, and a sticky air clung to their skin, irritating their throats.
No one could hide their bewilderment at this environment, which had transformed completely from what they expected. Thick moss covered the ground, and a sweet, sickly scent of rotting fruit wafted between the crowded trees.
Countless buds hung from the green canopy, appearing as if they might bloom at any second. It was a scene that suggested something was about to be born.
"Isn't this similar to what we saw on the 24th floor...?"
Lefiya whispered as she gazed at the familiar sight. The vast space gave off a suffocating feeling, as if they were inside the body of a giant living organism.
Inside the great cavity, massive trees with strange shapes stood tall, and the moss rooted in the ground emitted a faint light. Ivy, tangled like leaf veins, stretched along the walls, ending in toxic-colored flowers.
Since arriving on this floor, they had not sensed any other living beings. A dense forest shrouded in dead silence, as if they had been left alone in this world.
Facing a scene identical to the "Flower Seedlings" on the 24th floor, a vague anxiety gripped everyone. At that moment, Raul, who was looking around cautiously, shouted.
"There's a sound..."
The sound coming from the depths of the forest was bizarre—a mixture of agonizing screams and chewing noises. An echo like sharp cries grew steadily louder.
"Advance."
Finn spoke this single word in response to the gazes of his subordinates. Following the commander's order, everyone began to move at once, delving into that desolate forest devoid of any heartbeat.
They marched for some time, maintaining maximum alert for any emergency in this transformed floor. What stretched before them at the end of the forest was a strange sight like nothing they had ever seen.
Unlike the forest of tangled trees, this place looked as if they had broken into the body of a colossal creature. Giant trees with thick trunks clustered together to form a massive tower.
Between these giant trees, vast quantities of vines intertwined, their ends stretching in every direction, forming a labyrinthine corridor.
This giant wooden hallway was so long that its end was invisible. As the team pushed deeper, driven by those strange sounds, their eyes fell upon a faint light shimmering amidst the darkness.
".... What is that?"
Tiona muttered in shock as she looked at the scene that opened before them in a wide plaza in the center of the forest. In those gray wastes, a massive number of Irregular Monsters were scattered. And amidst a sea of ash left by dead monsters, colossal entities stood tall.
Four entities with female bodies─────
One possessed the lower half of a giant plant.
The second had the body of a massive, distorted, and malevolent moth.
The third possessed a lower body that was a hybrid of a praying mantis and an ant.
The fourth had a hideous body that could only be described as a tower of flesh mounds.
"They are Jewel-type entities with female bodies."
"The monsters used as hosts are... Titan Arum, Tyrant Moth, Vermin Eater, and Flesh Worm..."
Beside Gareth, who was knitting his brows, Riveria recited the names of the monsters one by one—all of them fierce creatures that inhabit the deep floors.
Their bodies were decorated with glowing green veins that resembled leaves, like the rest of the forest, and their heads featured organs like flower petals. The flowers on their heads were a toxic purple, with tentacles ending in fang-like protrusions that moved suspiciously.
The Irregular Monsters surrounding them were offering their Magic Stones as sacrifices, which were being swallowed one by one into the mouths of the female entities.
"Could they have been devouring all those monsters?"
"You've got to be kidding me. Are there four of them?!"
Bete spat these words out. He had prior experience fighting the "Corrupted Spirit" in the food pantry on the 24th floor. Even the entity the red-haired monster described as a "failure" was a beast that rivaled the Floor Bosses of the deep levels.
Faced with the reality that there were three other entities matching that monster, Lefiya's face turned pale. What if these four entities were the "successful versions"?
The moment Ais, Bete, and Lefiya—who knew the Corrupted Spirit—thought of this, the change occurred.
The veins visible on the surface of the buds began to throb and contract repeatedly, and soon, massive wings emerged from within. As those insect-like wings quivered, the countless vines extending from the giant flowers twisted and intertwined to form a massive cocoon. Then, the cocoon split open, like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.
What appeared from inside was a human form. The upper body of an exquisitely beautiful woman—hard to imagine emerging from those hideous buds—and she was nude.
Her skin was also covered in green and purple veins, and from the waist down, her body was composed of plant veins. It looked as if the intertwined vines and flowers had united to form a single living being—a strange and suspicious sight.
In the center of the four petals, the face of a woman was smiling seductively. This woman, with green skin and long black hair fluttering in the air, stuck out her long tongue to lick her wet lips. Instead of hands, her arms were covered in thin green leaves, caressing the air as if inviting others to approach.
"Ahhhhh!"
While everyone lost the ability to speak before this distorted yet beautiful entity, the first cry let out by the four twins emerging from the buds was a cry of joy, carrying a sweet resonance that suggested intoxication with pleasure. The coiling vines began to tighten around those newborn bodies, as hideous flowers resembling dresses bloomed.
Thump-Thump!
The air shook with powerful pulses. Those beautiful and distorted beings spread their arms, trembling with joy, and lifted their heads toward the sky to let out a sharp cry.
It was the cry of birth, and at the same time, a prayer to celebrate that birth. As those cries echoed through the forest of giant trees, the world began to labor.
The massive noise that shook the world was no longer just a scream; it became music. Tones that distracted the mind and drove the listener to madness—melodies from a foreign world that shook the soul to the core.
"A [Ari, A] ri 'Aria, Aria' Aari «Aria,» A!!"
"The Spirit...!!"
"The Spirit.....?! Is that disgusting thing a Spirit?"
Hearing Ais's words, Tiona, who had not gone to the 24th floor, shouted as she looked at the entity before her.
That toxic and incredibly beautiful appearance resembled a demon from the world of nightmares. Faced with a being more ominous than those monsters with animal lower bodies, Raul pressed his hand over his mouth, trying to suppress the urge to vomit.
The lower part of the Spirit was composed of vines, and on its back was a pair of wings. Those wings were massive, and their shape resembled leaf veins more than insect wings.
An appearance that blended the sacred and the demonic, giving everyone who saw it a sense of primal disgust.
"Aria, Aria!!"
"They" continued to smile and call out to a single girl.
"We wanted to meet you. We have met again!!"
".....!!"
"You too—come and unite with us!!"
"Will you let us... eat you?"
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[ Q&A Corner ]
Q: I want to be like my older brother. What should I do to be like him? — White Rabbit wishing to remain anonymous
A: Don't do it. I beg of you, do not try to be like him.
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