The restless, uneasy turmoil in his heart drove him to sink into even deeper darkness.
That feeling of clearly seeing something yet never being able to obtain it was nearly enough to torment Dionysus into complete insanity.
To no longer taste that sweet breath of frenzy, to no longer hear that intoxicating bloodshed and screams, to no longer witness those maddening scenes of despair,
In the Tenkai, Dionysus finally collapsed entirely.
He made up his mind to tear apart that false outer layer and reveal the world's true form.
And now,
Such a lower world cannot be loved.
Such a lower world cannot satisfy him.
Hence, such a lower world is, incorrect.
And therefore, he would tear open dungeon to the lower realm, bring death, bring darkness, bring chaos, bring cruelty, bring frenzy.
Loki felt as if the last strand of her reason was on the verge of snapping in front of him.
She narrowed her eyes, staring without the slightest wavering.
"...So in the Tenkai, you had neither the conditions nor the chance to hold a 'Banquet of Frenzy,' and because you saw the peaceful lower world, you wanted to trigger it here. Is that right?"
Dionysus' plan had been seen through completely by Loki.
That plan was to destroy Orario, the lid suppressing the Dungeon, and through the monsters and "Corrupted Spirit" surging upward in madness, return the lower world to its original state.
Break the rules, crush order, and return everything to the primal frenzy and chaos.
This was the "true objective" Dionysus intended to achieve through the collapse of Orario.
Twisting the lower world for the sake of his own desires.
It was likely an act of a "wicked god" committed only after long contemplation.
"For something like this, you went through such a roundabout mess?"
What puzzled Loki was that he could've just done it directly.
Why take such a long, convoluted route?
Why construct a chain of schemes, each step linked to another?
From her perspective, it was simply unnecessary effort.
Especially... troublesome.
High-level schemes often return to a kind of simple, primitive straightforwardness, like the high-end business wars she knew of.
"A roundabout mess? What foolish nonsense are you saying, Loki?
If I were even slightly careless and used divine power to destroy this land, the other gods would undo everything through the so-called 'correction force of the world,' would they not?"
"..."
"If a god wants to achieve a goal using only divine power, then in the extreme case, I would have to erase every god except myself."
Therefore, it was impossible.
Though broken, the male god stated this with chilling calm.
Gods cannot intervene directly.
So he must rely solely on elements existing in the lower world, manipulating threads from the shadows, bringing destruction while still following this world's rules.
"Answer my one last question."
Loki fell silent for a moment before asking the doubt that lingered in the corner of her heart.
"The apology you said at the children's graves... was that also a lie?"
"So I won't forget this feeling, I always make time to come here."
"Atonement. That is all."
Along with Lefiya and Filvis, the four of them once ventured together.
The male god Dionysus offered flowers and an apology before his fallen Familia's gravestones.
Loki had been unable to doubt that "vow" Dionysus spoke.
The divine intent in those words was genuine.
Even though he had been drunk. Even though she now knew his true nature.
She still couldn't detect the slightest lie in that memory, so she voiced her purest question,
She wanted to know Dionysus' true intention, to make her final judgment on this scum of a god.
"... Those words held no falsehood. At that moment, I sincerely apologized to the children who died ahead of time."
As he said this, Dionysus showed what he believed to be a perfect smile.
But his next words made Loki's final patience vanish entirely. Anger flooded her whole being.
"Yes, before the 'appointed time' arrived, I accidentally let them die. That was my way of showing sincerity. I couldn't offer the other children together with the others as 'living sacrifices,' and left them lonely. I truly apologize!"
"I failed to uphold the 'contract' and let them all die gloriously and devote themselves to me, truly unforgivable! It was supposed to be so beautiful!"
Then he twisted his lips like a grotesque monster. Loki's clenched fist cracked audibly.
"You're misunderstanding something, Loki. I truly love the children. Just like you do. Only... I loved them in my own way. Pfft, hahahaha!!"
Loki's tolerance had already been pushed far past its limit. Beneath her calm expression burned searing anger and a vow, the divine will to bring destruction to this "violator of the lower world."
"Alright, I'm done asking. So... Dionysus, you'd better be ready to get the beating of your life."
"Hahahaha, Loki, what are you even saying!? A beating? Me?"
Dionysus grabbed his forehead with one hand and bent over in unrestrained laughter.
"At a time like this you're still pretending!? Obviously, the one cornered is-"
BOOOOM,
A thick pillar of flame entwined with lightning tore straight through the entire Fourteenth Floor.
The terrifying heat and shockwave skimmed right over Dionysus' scalp!
The blinding flash and violent force that shot past in an instant left even this god, whose mind had twisted into utter madness, stunned in place.
"Who am I, where am I, what was I about to say again?"
What just happened?
"AAAAAA, "
"...Pfft."
A scream rang in his ears, then was abruptly cut off.
Staring at the bewildered Dionysus, Loki's lips curled upward uncontrollably,
Though she was not the one who fired the attack.
Step, step, step, step...
Footsteps approached steadily from the other side of the melted stone wall.
The stunned Dionysus snapped back to his senses, eyes fixed on that direction.
His expression was no longer calm, instead his face flushed with furious rage.
"What, the trump card you thought guaranteed victory was that Evil Dragon?"
"Well, sorry about that. I slipped a little and accidentally pierced it. Terribly sorry."
"Dionysus-sama, No, no, that won't do. How could a mere mortal like me dare speak to such an exalted being like this...?"