After finishing with Dionysus, Loki stepped from the outer courtyard into the inner hall, only to find three of her children standing there like stone pillars, their faces dark and unreadable.
"What's with all of you? Why the long faces?"
The three exchanged uneasy glances, too stunned to speak. The impact of what they'd learned had left them speechless.
But some things couldn't be ignored—there were questions that needed to be asked.
"Loki, during yesterday's meeting… Bell didn't say the name 'Enyo' outright, did he?"
Finn stopped before finishing, his final word replaced by a questioning look toward Loki.
Loki only smiled faintly, pressing a finger to her lips.
"Knowing when to keep silent is an important skill."
"There are things that aren't worth knowing, and some matters should only be handled by certain people. Besides, Dionysus was right—children of Genkai shouldn't bear the responsibility of killing gods."
All three of them immediately understood who she meant by "certain people."
"In truth, that's a lesson we gods should be teaching to our children below."
"When everyone understands the limits, a bit of mischief isn't such a big deal. But once someone crosses that line, they'll just end up being treated as a problem to be erased."
"That's true whether you're in the Genkai or the Tenkai."
As Loki spoke, a thin, cold smile tugged at her lips.
"Most of the gods involved with Evilus just want chaos for the sake of it. But from my point of view, those idiots have just played too many end-of-the-world games in Tenkai. Even after descending to the Genkai, they still can't adjust."
"Still, some of them at least know not to go too far, so they rein themselves in a little."
"But others? They're just plain stupid."
Looking for death like that—Loki honestly wanted to crack open those bastards' skulls to see if pigs were living inside.
Evilus had already chosen their path to destruction.
Even if Ouranos didn't wipe them all out in one strike, those with close ties to the faction wouldn't be able to remain in the lower world for long.
"Finn, Mama, your goal this time is to eradicate the remaining members of Evilus. The divine side of things isn't for you to get involved in."
Finn and Riveria both understood what she meant.
They had known from the start that Bell would be handling the cleanup afterward. As for the gods involved, that was a matter they had no business concerning themselves with.
"The dungeon expedition this time will proceed according to Bell's plan."
"Even though the Dungeon is full of trouble, like he said during the strategy meeting, most of the major problems have already been resolved. What's left for you is mostly just cleaning up the remnants."
"The only real concern is whether the Spirits will interfere."
Loki wasn't being secretive this time. Certain parts of the operation had to be made clear to Finn and the others.
And in this mission, Finn's group was only there to provide support—the main force consisted of those aiming to ascend further.
After all, there were fifty-four Level 5 "Spirit Soldiers." That was practically a guaranteed promotion for anyone daring enough to challenge them.
This kind of golden opportunity would test whether those kids could truly rise to the occasion.
Finn looked at Loki, his expression heavy. Only now did he truly realize how difficult this expedition would be.
"So… our mission to clear the hidden floors is actually the easiest part?"
"As long as we arrange the teams properly and stay cautious around the Spirit guardians, we can wrap this up smoothly?"
Loki could tell Finn was frustrated. Having everything planned out in advance made the whole thing feel less like an adventure.
Still, she needed to set his thinking straight.
"Finn, the easier this hidden floor expedition is, the better."
"You know what it means if the difficulty rises. As the main force, we'd be facing a disaster."
A direct clash with fifty-four Level 5 opponents—even Loki Familia would have to brace for total annihilation. And that was assuming Finn, Riveria, and Gareth had already advanced. Without their promotion to Level 7, they might have been wiped out even faster.
The Dungeon's malice toward adventurers could trigger a rampage known as the "Monster Feast."
In such cases, an overwhelming number of monsters would suddenly spawn across a floor—a violent backlash born from the Dungeon's hostility toward intruders.
But the fifty-four "Spirit Soldiers" on this hidden floor carried an even greater, more deliberate malice than any Monster Feast.
Once the number of enemies reached a certain threshold, even the strongest walls would crumble, and the fiercest resistance would be trampled underfoot.
Pure, overwhelming force—it was like being buried under a mountain of stone.
That was why Loki believed it was better to lower the difficulty of the operation. She had no desire to see Finn and the others walk to their deaths.
"I don't want to see any of you left behind in the Dungeon."
Finn sighed, shaking his head—not in complaint about the easier operation.
"Loki, I'm not the kind to complain about Bell making things easier."
"I want to bring everyone back alive, not watch the people I lead stay buried in the Dungeon forever."
"Compared to the risks Bell is taking, ours are nothing."
...
Indeed, Finn felt Bell was carrying far too much of the danger, while the rest of them were simply reaping the benefits.
This expedition might not bring much gain for the three of them, but for those seeking to improve, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
"Besides, Bell's giving a lot of people the opportunity to grow this time. Either way, once this expedition is over, we should properly thank him."
"Thank him? No need, no need."
Knowing Bell's personality all too well, Loki cut Finn off immediately.
"That's just how he is. As long as you still have value, he'll make sure you get something out of it. And most of the time, those benefits tie into his later plans anyway."
"Yeah… he's got a very practical way of doing things."
Of course, Loki didn't dislike that part of him.
In fact, what had drawn her to Bell in the first place was exactly that extreme pragmatism—the way he'd do whatever it took to achieve his goals, yet still carry a touch of emotion beneath it all.
"So, Loki, what's that kid's real strength?"
Finn and Riveria both turned their eyes toward Gareth, intrigued by his question.
It wasn't an easy one to answer.
Loki scratched at her hair. She didn't know whether Bell intended to reveal his true power after this expedition, so she chose not to answer directly.
"As for that... we'll just have to see if he has plans for what comes next."