"To regard death as truth?"
Finn narrowed his eyes.
The adventurers shuddered involuntarily.
"No wonder they're considered evil gods!"
Fear and anger spread through the allied forces behind them.
Yet no one dared raise their sword against Thanatos.
After all, he was still a deity. The deeply ingrained reverence for gods in adventurers' bones made it impossible for them to overstep when facing that divine aura of death.
"Typical of you, Thanatos."
The crimson-haired chief god stepped forward from behind.
"Those black-robed members of Evilus—you lured them with promises of death too, didn't you?"
Loki studied the listless male god, her fox-like eyes slightly opening.
Most of those black-robed fanatics who charged forward with flame stones for suicide attacks had shouted names, appearing fearless in the face of death.
"Nothing of the sort."
Thanatos waved his hands dismissively, wearing an expression that said "how could you think that?"
"I promised that when I eventually return to heaven and regain control over death, I'd reincarnate them beside their loved ones. I never lie—of course I'll help fulfill their wishes."
That's exactly why they willingly marched to their deaths!
Countless adventurers cursed inwardly.
"I made it very clear to them that reincarnation would erase their memories and sense of self. But they were so confident! Saying things like 'when I see her again, I'll definitely remember my past life'... Pfft—ha ha ha! Sorry, I couldn't help it."
Thanatos clutched his stomach, laughing heartily.
"Don't misunderstand—I do acknowledge human love. If someone breaks through the veil of rebirth through love's power, I'd absolutely praise them. But even gods need time to recover memories after reincarnation! These utterly ordinary people displaying such unwarranted confidence... I just couldn't hold back my laughter!"
Loki clicked her tongue in displeasure.
She couldn't deny it.
This was indeed a flaw of mortals.
"How you managed Evilus holds no interest for me."
Finn struck his spear against the ground with a thud as he spoke: "I only want to know one thing—who is Enyo?"
"No idea!"
Thanatos spread his hands helplessly.
"Though we go way back, I've never actually seen its face. That bastard only ever communicates through masked messengers—never appearing before us directly."
"Even now, both I and Evilus have been abandoned by it."
Everything he said was true.
And precisely because it was truth, Finn found it troubling.
Until Enyo's true identity was uncovered, Orario would know no peace.
"Honestly, I don't even understand its objectives. That bastard kept me completely in the dark."
Thanatos sighed.
The listless expression vanished from his face, replaced by visible frustration.
"But I can give you a hint—this artificial labyrinth is crucially important to Enyo. Its most prized corrupted spirit doppelganger is hidden here, so it will absolutely drive you out. There are two gods who charged in here, correct?"
Thanatos gave Loki a peculiar glance.
Ennio would definitely drive the allied forces out of the artificial labyrinth and then use the corrupted spirit's avatar to do something.
This was the conclusion Thanatos had deduced within these few short minutes.
After all, it was Enyo who had acted as the intermediary between the Evilus faction and the aberrant Revis.
It was also Enyo who had decided to hide the corrupted spirit's avatar within the artificial labyrinth, facilitating the cooperation between Revis and Evilus.
And the simplest way to repel the allied forces was—
"Finn, something's wrong!"
Suddenly, Riveria's urgent voice came through the eye crystal.
"Lord Dionysus has disappeared—we don't know when!"
They had just breached the eighth floor when they suddenly realized Lord Dionysus was nowhere to be found!
The entire Dionysus Familia and Riveria's group accompanying them were thrown into panic.
The disappearance of a god was utterly fatal!
"Could it be—!?"
Loki's expression abruptly darkened.
Finn also seemed to realize something, his face turning grim.
BOOM————!!
In an instant.
A massive tremor shook the entire artificial labyrinth!
A sacred pillar of light pierced through the underground, surged out of Daedalus Street, and shot straight into the heavens!
In the darkness of night, the light pillar stood out glaringly.
Divine Return!
Every human and adventurer who witnessed the light pillar instinctively thought of this.
"Finn! Everyone in the Dionysus Familia has lost their Falna!"
Riveria's voice came through again.
Her usually composed tone was now strained with panic, all traces of elegance gone.
Following her words came countless screams.
Without their Falna, the Dionysus Familia stood no chance against the labyrinth's many deadly traps, and casualties began mounting rapidly.
Finn, Loki, and Shakti's expressions turned grave at once.
"So it's begun?"
Thanatos sighed.
"What move will come next?"
Enyo had said that thanks to their defeat and sacrifices, its plan could finally commence.
The death of that unfortunate god Dionysus was likely just the beginning of the true scheme.
RUMBLE——!!
A deafening roar erupted.
An earthquake-like tremor swept through the area, sending everyone stumbling.
"What the hell is it this time?"
Shakti looked utterly disheveled.
"Look over there!"
Someone shrieked.
Finn followed their gaze and saw it—the direction of the room's entrance.
"Green... flesh?"
The flesh was swelling, writhing.
The rapidly expanding green mass completely engulfed the corridor outside the room before surging inward like a verdant tidal wave.
"What is that?"
"Green flesh!"
"Eek! P-people are being eaten!"
Chaotic voices poured through the eye crystal.
The green flesh showed no signs of satiation, flooding out from the tenth-floor rooms and spreading rapidly upward and downward without restraint. Staircases, passages, pits—nothing could halt its advance.
Adventurers seized by the green flesh were devoured like prey by a ravenous monster, leaving not even a single bone behind.
"Is this the true heart of evil?!"
Finn's face twisted in horror.
The defeat of Evilus was merely the prelude to the real scheme!
The true heart of evil—the city destroyer, Enyo—had finally surfaced!
That bastard had calculated every possible scenario up to now and had finally begun to act!
"All units, abandon all offensive operations immediately and retreat through the nearest exits!"
Finn's furious shout echoed in all directions.
"But Finn, the problem is on our side!"
Loki's eyes flew wide open.
She stared at the endless tide of green flesh surging tirelessly through the doorway, her face pale.
"We can't get out!"