"Evilus's current goal is clear—they want to seize the initiative and shift the battlefield to Orario's surface. In a sprawling city like this, spreading their forces would amplify their impact, fragmenting our defenses and allowing them to strike isolated targets with ease."
Bell laid out the situation plainly. If Evilus managed to take control of the tempo, Orario would face its greatest crisis yet—exactly as Ganesha had just warned.
He was already aware of all this, of course. Which was why he'd never allow things to spiral out of control.
"So, while they were busy detonating the flame stones in Orario's underground chambers, I slipped in and followed their movements straight to their base."
"I've already planted coordinates throughout the facility, marked all personnel inside with tracking identifiers, and fully mapped out the distribution of their internal traps."
"In short—they've already lost the initiative."
Ganesha exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
But his captain still had questions.
"Mr. Cranel, I have a few concerns regarding the Dungeon."
"Please, go ahead."
"Evilus operates under extremely tight security. Could it be possible they allowed you to enter on purpose?"
Shakti's question was reasonable—she didn't know much about Bell's abilities.
Bell gave a polite, slightly apologetic nod.
"My apologies if I gave you that impression. I'm not particularly famous in Orario. Allow me to introduce myself properly—my name is Bell Cranel, of the Hestia Familia. I'm not especially skilled in direct combat, but I specialize in certain magical scripts that let me do some rather... interesting things."
"Concealing my presence, locating traps, and marking spatial coordinates are among my better talents. They're also reflected in my Development Abilities. Using them, I was able to uncover Ishtar's collusion with Evilus—and even identify the true culprit behind the City Destroyer."
"!?"
Everyone present, including the gods, stared at him in disbelief.
It was the first time any of them had heard that the "City Destroyer's" identity had already been revealed.
Hermes instinctively glanced toward Freya. Seeing her lack of reaction, he immediately understood—Bell must have known the identity of "Enyo" for some time.
"You even know who that is?"
Ganesha could hardly believe it.
"Ganesha-sama," Bell replied lightly, "I do make a habit of wandering around Orario. Occasionally—well, just occasionally—I visit other familias' domains. After all, I deal in information. It's only natural I gather a few internal secrets here and there."
"Isn't that... illegal?"
"How could that be illegal?"
Bell's tone turned almost offended.
"I'm simply doing my part for Orario's harmony—working to eliminate criminal elements hiding in its darker corners. My actions are absolutely righteous! Just as when I've provided plenty of useful intelligence to Loki-sama for practically nothing."
"Loki-sama stands firmly on the Guild's side. She's a goddess who upholds justice in Orario. So, by helping her, my actions are unquestionably just as righteous."
Ganesha just stared at him, dumbfounded.
"You... can justify it like that?"
Of course, you can't!
It was clearly illegal.
Shakti felt as if someone were stomping on her nerves, each word sending her blood pressure spiking higher.
Trespassing into another familia's territory was a grave crime in any circumstance. If another familia found out, it would be seen as a blatant act of provocation.
Beneath Bell's hood, the faint curve of a smile tugged at his lips.
"Naturally, it is possible."
"While privacy can be important—especially for gods—when Evilus hides behind false identities, a god's secrets often reveal vital truths."
"For example, had I not taken action, how could I have discovered the true identity that a certain god had gone to such lengths to conceal?"
"Ganesha-sama, wouldn't you agree that this benefits Orario?"
"...Yes, it does."
"Exactly. As long as it's something that helps Orario, there's no issue, is there?"
Ganesha was left speechless, his mouth half-open, unable to come up with a counterargument.
And considering that this very approach had exposed Enyo's true identity, there wasn't much else he could say.
Despite the lengthy explanation, Bell showed no hint of arrogance. Instead, he turned to Shakti—the one who had raised the question—with a slightly apologetic expression.
"I didn't say all that to boast about my abilities. I just wanted to make one point clear."
"If I can infiltrate the domains of gods themselves, I can certainly slip into Evilus's base without being detected."
"There's another detail worth mentioning."
"At the entrance, I found a magic barrier designed to react instantly to anyone without the Evilus mark. But I have a unique way of deceiving such enchantments. The exact process, however, involves personal magic I can't disclose."
So that was it.
Shakti gave a small nod, understanding now that his success hinged on the use of his personal magic.
"I see."
Her main concern had been the possibility of losing initiative—of an offensive turning into a defensive siege.
But if Bell could explain the layout of the traps and their mechanisms so clearly, he had undoubtedly entered through the front gate.
Those people had spent years hiding in the shadows. There was no way they would let anyone simply stroll in through the main entrance.
Even if it were bait, it was too convincing a lure to be false.
"Mr. Cranel, then do you know what Evilus is preparing?"
"Yes. Their preparations center on the 'Spirit Embryos' they risked so much to transport. With fifty-four in total, even Orario would struggle to contain them."
"In other words, their operation will begin the moment those Spirit Embryos finish incubating."
Bell paused briefly, doing some quick mental calculations before continuing.
"From what I know of Evilus, they'll accelerate the incubation process this time. What would normally take over ten days, they'll likely push to complete within three. Their earliest possible action is in three days."
"Three days..."
The captains present began to think through the implications.
"The repairs to Orario's damaged streets will also take about three days," Shakti noted after carefully considering the extent of the destruction. "At best, that's the earliest we can stabilize the surface."
"Three days... right when the city's still in chaos from the explosion," she added grimly. "It seems they've calculated their timing perfectly."
From a strategic standpoint, Finn nodded slightly.
"This is the ideal time for them to strike," he said, pressing his thumb lightly against his teeth. "Before Orario can fully regroup—before our defenses stabilize—they'll unleash the 'Spirit Soldiers' in a massive assault. If we're not ready, we'll be completely overrun."
"But," he continued, "if we move half a day earlier and strike first, it'll catch them completely off guard."
The others nodded in agreement.
In this battle, if they could seize the initiative and strike at Evilus's critical weakness, everything could turn from disadvantage to advantage.
...
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