With Finn's order given, the executives quickly departed and began directing the familia members to form teams and divide their tasks.
"According to the intelligence obtained from the last Man-made dungeon Knossos assault, the overall shape of the Man-made dungeon is the same as the Dungeon, taking the form of an inverted pyramid."
"The difference lies in the fact that the Man-made dungeon was built enclosing the Dungeon above it. Therefore, eliminating the possibility of secret entrances outside the city, among the eight districts within Orario, any one of them could potentially conceal a gateway."
"Of course, that's only in theory."
Don't forget who resides in Orario!
Adventurers are practically inhuman beings. A man-made labyrinth secretly built since a thousand years ago, wanting to construct such a thing without attracting any attention?
That would be absolutely impossible right under the nose of a major familia. Therefore, the Daedalus District is the most suitable place to hide it.
In this operation, aside from sealing all known sewer entrances, the Loki Familia must also investigate other suspicious locations.
"Well then, I'll be heading out too."
As the others dispersed, Fron also rose to leave, closing the door behind him.
"Be careful." Finn gave him a meaningful look as she departed.
Understanding his intent, Fron smiled and replied: "Don't worry. I'm not the reckless type. I'll handle things properly."
"Haha, then I'm relieved."
Click,
As the meeting hall's doors closed, Loki and the others fell into silence.
Now, as the brains and command of the familia, all they could do was wait.
Wait for their members' actions to bear fruit, wait for events to develop further in the Dungeon, and then combine all of that with the information they already knew, analyze it, and determine their next move.
For now, the best option… was simply to wait.
...
Crackle, Rows of torches flickered along the walls.
From the thick brick walls and the deathly stillness, it was clear, this was a vast underground space.
In this deep, silent chamber, countless figures stood cloaked and hooded, with scarves covering their faces.
If Fron were here, he would surely scoff: This scene looks exactly like something straight out of a novel, a shady underground organization or some secret magic cult.
If Fron's first encounter with these people had only been recent, Hermes Familia had certainly been dealing with them for much longer.
Back in the pantry of the Dungeon's 24th floor, they clashed violently with these people, almost suffering disastrous losses.
Their reckless behavior and suicidal attacks had left a bone-deep impression.
Asfi, captain of the Hermes Familia, had also lived through the Great Strife seven years ago, at only fourteen years old, and had witnessed the horrifying events from beginning to end.
Thus, she was all too familiar with the Evilus faction's method of using firestones for suicide attacks.
After all, Shakti's younger sister, Adi, had been killed in such an assault.
...
The hall was solemnly silent, but every eye burned with intensity.
The air was thick with fervor. No, fanaticism was the better word. It was a strange kind of faith.
All eyes were fixed upon the figure standing on the stone platform amidst the torches.
With hands clasped tightly in front of them, the frenzied believers gazed upon the one in reverence.
"Lord, please bestow your blessing upon our new member. Please grant her your grace."
At the very center of the crude stone chamber, behind that figure, stood something resembling an altar.
On its stone surface were carved the insignias of the Evilus faction, a heart made of iron and bronze, and a black-winged emblem shaped like a reaper's scythe.
Before the altar knelt a cloaked elven beauty.
And as a man in a distinctively colored cloak, signifying higher status, raised his voice in declaration, a god appeared before her.
A decadent yet strangely alluring male deity.
He wore a pitch-black hooded cloak, raising his head slightly to look at his faithful followers.
Beneath the hood spilled soft, silky strands of deep violet hair, flowing like silk.
Tall and slender, his black cloak was tattered in many places, his ragged black garments clinging to his body.
His violet eyes, the same shade as his hair, narrowed as he looked upon the kneeling believer.
"Lo… Lord God… can you truly grant my wish?"
"Of course. As long as you forge a contract with me. You know the terms already, don't you? When you sacrifice yourself for my divine will… I swear I shall fulfill your desire."
He smiled gently, his expression filled with divine blessing.
The believer's eyes glazed with devotion as she trembled, slowly removing her cloak, revealing herself to those around.
The god cut his finger with a silver knife, letting blood drip down as though bestowing baptism.
Thus was "Falna" granted.
Once the sacred text was inscribed upon her, a new familia was born in that chamber.
"You as well! When the promised day arrives, I, Thanatos, shall fulfill all of your wishes! I swear it upon my name!"
In an instant, the chamber erupted in frenzied cries.
Many trembled with emotion, some even bursting into tears, overcome with zeal.
...
Once the ritual between god and believers was finished, the followers were assigned their tasks and dispersed.
Only the god's lone figure remained.
"I must ask, Lord. What use is there in gathering such useless rabble? Didn't the lesson from seven years ago teach you enough? No matter how many pointless efforts are made, we can't possibly defeat those on the surface."
A figure stepped slowly from the side entrance, but his true face remained hidden in the shadows.
"Heh… the children's faith in me is sincere. How could I possibly betray such devotion? Don't be fooled, when it comes to work, I'm quite serious."
"…" Thanatos, the God of Death. Despite his grim title, in the heavens he was infamous as an obsessive workaholic.
Terms like "996 worker" weren't nearly enough to describe him.
Indeed, his sole reason for descending to the lower world was dissatisfaction.
After the start of the Familia Myth, peace spread across the world.
The number of souls ascending to heaven dropped drastically, leaving him idle and frustrated.
Thus he descended, seeking to expand his business channels.
"But I must remind you, the plan has run into complications. That god, Ikeros, his familia seems to have stirred up quite the commotion."
"And with Knossos exposed, the Loki Familia has gotten a hold of our trail. The situation… is not exactly favorable."
"Oh? Ikeros, you say?"