"ROOOOOOOOAAAAARRRR!!"
The Mad Bull let out an earth-shaking roar as it chased behind them.
The sheer intensity of the roar sent chills down everyone's spine.
Twisted horns, black skin, crimson fur—
And a massive body standing over 2 meters tall.
Its latent power was equivalent to a Level 4 monster—
a creature from the deep floors of the Dungeon.
In an instant—
The crowds nearby scattered in terror, screaming as they fled in all directions.
Meanwhile, high above the chaos—
At a certain vantage point,
Freyja, cloaked in deep blue, lifted the corner of her lips into a soft smile.
"Lord Ganesha! Lord Ganesha—something terrible has happened!"
The Monster Festival was still ongoing.
Beast tamers leapt onto dragon-like creatures with elegant ease, drawing the crowd into a fever pitch of excitement.
"I am Ganesha!!"
came the booming voice from the highest VIP box of the arena.
Seated at the very top, with a full view of the entire Colosseum—
Ganesha, striking a muscleman pose, greeted the panicked voice.
"We know you're Ganesha! This is not the time for introductions!!"
The distressed Familia member looked like he was about to cry.
"The monsters we captured… have escaped!!"
"…Ah, those monsters?"
"That's what I've been trying to say!!"
Saliva flew from the Familia member's mouth as he shouted desperately.
The situation was now clearly urgent beyond belief.
"Begin emergency pursuit of the monsters,"
"and coordinate with other Familia members on-site!"
"Seek help from the gods who are present in the city!"
Ganesha gave his orders with surprising calm.
"P-Please wait!"
"Regardless of what happened, letting monsters escape is our failure."
"If we involve other factions…"
At that moment—
Ganesha cut him off.
"I am Ganesha, Lord of the Masses."
"How can I allow the citizens I'm meant to protect to be harmed?"
"Our greatest joy comes from seeing the children smile.
Forget status and reputation—focus on what matters most."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
"I'm truly sorry!"
The Familia member gave a deep bow before hurrying off.
Ganesha, still wearing his signature elephant mask, added firmly:
"The festival continues."
"Don't let the audience leave the arena, and don't let them know the monsters have escaped."
"And whatever you do—don't create panic. Understood?"
"Y-Yes!"
With the orders given, the Familia member dashed away at once.
Only five minutes had passed since the monsters escaped.
Shakti, leading the Ganesha Familia, was already implementing countermeasures.
"What!?"
"The monsters escaped!?"
Near the main gate of the arena, Eina and her group received the news.
"They say the western patrol spotted monsters fleeing the Colosseum."
"The Ganesha Familia is currently responding."
"What should we do, Eina?"
Misha, on the verge of tears, looked anxiously at her.
Eina was stunned for a second—
Then quickly shifted her focus, her eyebrows sharp with resolve.
"Contact any Familia nearby—and call on adventurers for help!"
"Understood!"
The Guild staff immediately sprang into action.
Daedalus Street—located in the third district of Orario.
It was like a city-sized labyrinth, also known as the Labyrinth District.
A vast residential area that had lost all sense of order due to repeated redevelopment.
The urban poor of Orario mostly lived in this strange and complex neighborhood.
Rumor had it—
Once you entered, you might never find your way back out.
Charging into this maze, Raven descended a wide staircase—
Only to reach a dead end.
"Raven-kun…"
"Can't you beat those monsters?"
On his back, Hestia sounded confused.
It looked as if they were just… running away?
At his current Level 4, she thought—
There was no reason for him to fear those monsters.
But Raven glanced around and saw that the street was completely deserted.
The Silverback and Mad Bull chasing them had unknowingly been left far behind.
Having gained distance, he gently let the goddess down and explained:
"I'm trying to avoid attention."
"Someone is setting us up."
"Eh?"
Hestia was shocked.
"Didn't you notice how those monsters looked like they were being controlled—chasing only us?"
"If someone's trying to mess with us…"
"Then it's only fair I mess with them back."
As he spoke—
Raven activated his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
"—Kamui."
The moment his Dōjutsu activated,
A visible ripple in space formed from his right eye—
And both their bodies were sucked into a spiraling vortex—
Vanishing into the void.
They arrived in the Kamui Dimension.
All around them were enormous white cubic stone blocks floating in a vast, empty realm.
"W-What… is this place!?"
Hestia was completely stunned.
"I'll explain later."
"Right now, I'm going to use Summon Magic."
Raven took a deep breath.
Then—
He began chanting, his voice clear and resonant:
"—Supreme ruler of the underworld…"
"[—Cycle of Reincarnation Summon]"
---
Access more chapters at patreon.com/dzeref887