"Mm."
------------------------------
Everyone used the few remaining medicines for some slight treatment, restoring their bodies just enough to move, and then, following Finn's lead, they retreated without hesitation.
Dragging their heavily wounded and exhausted bodies, under Finn's command, they were forced to avoid direct combat with the monsters, and with some danger but no real accidents, they passed through the 58th floor, the "Dragon's Vase," where countless monsters had respawned, and safely arrived at the 57th floor.
Time passed in an instant as the adventurers sprinted through the 51st floor.
"A female-type monster. If I'm not mistaken, this one is a complete form."
"Yeah, compared to what we encountered on the 18th floor, they're on completely different levels."
"The twisted monster on the 18th floor parasitized right before our eyes. If the 'Jewel Fetus' is a seed, then what we saw immediately after parasitization was just an infant form, not particularly powerful.
To grow, it needed to constantly absorb energy, like the nutrient fluid spilling from the 'pantry,' or by devouring monsters' magic stones. Eventually, it would develop into something like what we just faced on the 59th floor."
"Then, so by that reasoning, the Fallen Spirit that gave us such a hard fight was just a clone cultivated from a seed?"
Finn's brow furrowed tightly. Though he didn't want to admit it, that was the truth.
"Most likely… it was just a vanguard sent to probe us, or cannon fodder. Its true body may still be lurking deeper in the Dungeon."
...
At the same time, the same conclusion was reached by Ouranos, the old god, and the [Sage] Fels, who had been watching the Loki Familia's expedition the entire time.
"Impressive, Loki Familia! After this adventure, I suspect many of those young ones will level up."
The Sage, cloaked and hooded, praised the adventurers of the Loki Familia before turning their gaze away from the crystal ball.
"Hmm, the city grows stronger, this is good. But what matters most is still 'her.'" Fels understood.
The "she" being referred to…
"The Fallen Spirit's true body."
Torches burned as always, and Ouranos's pale eyes fixed on the image within the crystal ball. His deep voice rumbled with speculation.
"Indeed. The source that produces those 'Jewel Fetus' clones, the true body, still lies hidden deeper within the Dungeon, at least below the 60th floor! After her defenses were broken by the Flame Demon, her reaction was extremely strange, as though she was sending out a distress signal. I could feel it, after she sent that signal, several deeper floors stirred violently. That may well have been other monsters raising defenses."
Considering Ouranos's speculation, Fels fell silent for a moment.
"The 59th floor, recorded in the Guild's archives, should be the 'Ice Labyrinth.' That much is certain. But now it has completely transformed, that must be the enemy's work. 'She' has fully mastered the terrain, environment, and ecosystem of the 59th floor, using those to cultivate Violas, transforming the entire floor into her own domain, nurturing 'her' forces, conserving strength."
"The Dungeon undergoing such unknown changes… this is an unexpectedly grave situation."
"Ah, and those twisted humanoid monsters that entered our view, they must also be her doing."
"All of this, just to destroy the city and return to the sky?"
"Yes. The 'God's Avatar' sent down a thousand years ago to save the people of the lower world, has now become the mastermind behind its destruction."
"How ironic." The Sage Fels could not hide the bitter ridicule in his voice.
Then, he remembered those masked figures from the 24th floor.
"Perhaps things are worse than we think. Don't forget, Ouranos, the remnants of the Evilus seemed to have allied with 'her'."
...
"This is troublesome. Even our Loki Familia, who could barely scrape out a victory, was only facing a clone. What a damned joke." Finn's bitter smile seemed almost self-mocking.
"The enemy's endless production of clones must be intended to secretly send them to the surface. If they succeed, and one of those clones matures into a complete form, with magic of that magnitude, the entire city could be obliterated in an instant."
"A surface summoning of 'Fallen Spirits', that's the enemy's goal."
"We absolutely cannot allow them to succeed."
At that moment, Tione interjected.
"Captain, if the enemy were to send several such mature forms to the surface at once, "
"..."
The terrifying conclusion, once considered closely, immediately dampened the joy of victory among them.
They were nearly wiped out and barely managed to defeat a single fallen spirit.
Just imagining the a group of fallen spirits attacking them, that too on the surface, all the members of the Loki Familia felt a sense of dread wash over them.
"What are they planning? Destroy Orario? What a joke!" Bete shouted, denying Tione's speculation, though his trembling voice betrayed his unease.
"We return to the 50th floor, rest briefly, then, once preparations are complete, we'll return to the surface at full speed. Such a grave matter must be reported to Loki immediately. Then we'll decide on countermeasures in detail."
"Yes!"
"Understood!"
...
Meanwhile, as the Loki Familia's expedition team prepared to swiftly return to the surface,
The "Twilight Manor" received two unusual guests.
"Don't you people have anything better to do? Especially you, Hermes, you smooth-faced bastard, back early from outside already?"
"Now, now, Loki. Don't be so irritable. A little patience, eh?"
The handsome, short-haired blond god wore a sly grin, earning the ire of the red-haired goddess across from him.
Ever since he returned to Orario and heard that she had crushed Apollo's family jewels, just hearing Loki's name made his stomach churn with dread. If not for the importance of the matter at hand, he wouldn't have come here even if his life depended on it.
"Spit it out, you hypocrite! What do you want?"
Immediately, the god Hermes plastered on a smile and hurried to explain:
"I'm sure you've heard from your two children already, about the incident on the 24th floor. I was a victim too, you know! And besides, we're allies, in a sense."
Glancing disdainfully at the smirking god who called himself an "ally," Loki shifted her gaze to the other god present.
"Hmph. And what about you, Dionysus? What game are you playing now? Always sneaking around instead of staying home brewing wine, what brings you to me?"
This god, also blond and handsome, appeared far calmer than Hermes. His refined demeanor remained steady in the face of Loki's sharp tone.
"Forgive me for disturbing you, Loki. But please believe me, I have no choice either."
"As I told you before, our children too were killed by those monsters, so…"
"Moreover, since everyone has been dragged into this incident, unpleasant as it may sound, we're all grasshoppers tied to the same rope. To stand against the enemy, we must share information."