At the center of Daedalus Square, Finn's expression was unprecedentedly fierce.
Watching Ottar being effortlessly blasted away before his eyes, his gaze flickered incessantly.
Yet even as despair's dark clouds loomed over them, he still refused to abandon hope.
"There's still a way—the only way!"
That inconceivable light flashed through his mind as he murmured with absolute certainty.
"But before that, we must stop the Evil Dragon's destruction!"
The dungeon entrance had to be reopened.
Otherwise, everyone would be trapped below, their living space gradually disappearing until they were ultimately sealed to death within the labyrinth.
Dong—
Dong—
Melodious bell chimes rang from somewhere unknown.
Finn had no time to ponder their origin as he continued directing the battle. With Freya Familia's full participation, the Evil Dragon's attention was finally divided somewhat.
"Still refusing to give up?"
Dionysus chuckled leisurely beside them.
"Do you know how many trials this city's adventurers have already endured?"
Loki retorted sharply.
"Hmph, are you suggesting human vitality is as tenacious as cockroaches?"
Dionysus scoffed dismissively.
Unsurprisingly, this drew furious glares from several adventurers guarding him.
"No, don't misunderstand—I deeply acknowledge this trait of humanity."
Dionysus raised his head, his expression dripping with sarcasm.
"Fifteen years ago, after Zeus Familia and Hera Familia were annihilated, I was ecstatic thinking the lower world would return to the chaos of the Age of Gods. Yet in the blink of an eye, your Loki Familia and Freya Familia emerged, infuriating me to no end. I've come to realize this stubborn resilience is the most troublesome aspect of lower world creatures!"
"What are you implying?"
Finn turned, his focus sharpening on the eerie smile playing across Dionysus's face.
Though abrupt, a realization struck Finn—Dionysus's motives.
Thus far, they'd deduced Dionysus was the mastermind, with the Spirit Hexagram and corrupted spirits as his trump cards. Yet his underlying motivation remained unclear.
Given the nature of evil gods, some might slaughter wantonly for amusement, while others embrace becoming necessary evils to propel eras forward—gods driven by purpose.
Thus, even among evil gods, generalizations were impossible—a truth Finn had grasped through fifteen years battling the dark faction's malevolent deities.
So which was Dionysus?
What drove him to destroy Orario?
Simple entertainment? Or aspiring to become a necessary evil?
Why? This was the puzzle Finn couldn't yet unravel.
As Dionysus's unsettling grin persisted, Finn's unease intensified.
It felt as though every unfolding event aligned with his designs, shaking Finn's resolve profoundly.
Were there still unresolved mysteries?
Finn sank into contemplation, yet no answers surfaced immediately.
BOOOOOM—!!
A colossal white pillar of light erupted skyward, striking the hovering Evil Dragon.
"What just happened?"
The sudden attack interrupted Finn's train of thought.
That white pillar wasn't light—it was pure white flames carrying astonishing heat, roaring forward with tremendous force.
"Incredible power!"
Loki perked up instantly.
It felt comparable to the long-chant magic of the corrupted spirit. Was there anyone in Orario besides Riveria capable of unleashing such a devastating magical attack?
The pure white flames exceeded all expectations in power. The corrupted spirit immediately went on high alert, commanding the evil dragon beneath it to counter with a breath attack.
A deafening collision erupted instantly, sending waves of scorching wind radiating outward from the epicenter in midair.
Under the hopeful gazes of the adventurers, however, the white flames were quickly overwhelmed.
An adventurer from that direction was kicked aside by a cat person, tumbling awkwardly across the ground, narrowly avoiding being reduced to charcoal by the dragon's breath.
"Which familia does this brat belong to? To possess such a rare skill..."
Allen glanced at the exhausted white-haired youth in the distance.
Clutching his companion's magic sword, the white particles swirling around his body had amplified the weapon's power several times over—yet it still proved insufficient against the evil dragon.
"Still, thanks to him, the dragon's attention has been completely diverted!"
Allen sprang back into action, cycling through the battlefield like a storm.
Perhaps startled by the white flames' potency, the corrupted spirit focused most of its attention on the ground, significantly reducing its attacks on the dungeon.
"Dammit!"
"Our objective was achieved!"
"But now—"
"The pressure's all on us!"
The four Flame Gold warriors couldn't help but curse.
With the evil dragon now targeting adventurers on the surface, flames continuously spewed forth, rapidly spreading in all directions. Casualties skyrocketed as screams from adventurers and civilians alike filled the air. Even Allen and his group were forced to scramble for cover.
Ottar's fate served as a grim reminder—none of them had any intention of courting death.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, several golden streaks shot up from underground at blinding speed, launching toward the evil dragon!
The dragon instantly spread its wings, shielding its head.
The golden light swords attacked like floating cannons, launching a frenzied assault around it.
"That attack pattern...!"
Finn's eyes lit up upon seeing this.
The evil dragon found itself entangled by the golden swords, which carved wounds across its body as if slicing roast duck, sending it into a furious rage.
On the ground, waves of adventurers emerged from below, surging forward.
"Finn!"
"Loki!"
Riveria, Gareth, Ais, and others converged from various directions.
"That dragon's way too strong!"
Tiona shouted hoarsely.
The golden swords were soon caught by the evil dragon and crushed to pieces with a sickening crack.
The executives of Freya Familia felt like mice cornered by a cat. With half of Orario's southeastern district already in ruins, the scene sent chills down everyone's spines.
"Eiji!"
Ais's gaze shifted, landing on the final figure.
Several golden light swords hovered around him, each carrying unconscious individuals—Bete, Lefiya, and others—while he cradled a few more in his arms.
"Sorry, rescuing people took some time."
Eiji gently placed everyone on the ground.
Though no one would blame him for not saving them, leaving them to their fate wasn't his style, so he still did his best to rescue those below.
Adventurers from other familias quickly cast grateful glances his way.
"Eiji, it's all up to you this time!"
Finn approached.
"Even Ottar was taken down in one strike by the evil dragon. Now, we can only rely on that technique of yours!"
Under the watchful eyes of all the familia executives in Orario, Finn solemnly entrusted the most difficult task to Eiji.