Leon was quite pleased with Finn's arrangement.
With the continuous rise of his strength, his magic—while formidable—was already struggling to keep pace with his growth.
This expedition was the perfect opportunity to discuss magic theory with Riveria, to deepen his mastery over magic.
"Hey, why is it like this?!" Tiona grumbled in protest, clearly deflated after hearing the assignment.
"Finn, you totally did this on purpose!!" Tione's eye twitched aggressively as she clenched her fists tight, her expression threatening violence at any moment.
"W-Well, Riveria and Lefiya are both mages, right? So I thought it would be safer to assign them a powerful bodyguard… and Bete was coincidentally already borrowed by someone else." Finn hurriedly explained, flustered by the Amazoness's fierce glare.
"That's how it is, Tione, Tiona. Don't make things difficult for Finn." Leon stepped in with a calm voice, lightly brushing aside the tension.
"Besides, I want to use this opportunity to discuss magic with Riveria myself. My current magic still lags behind my close-combat prowess."
Hearing that, Tione's expression immediately softened. Her clenched fists relaxed, and a sunny smile bloomed on her face.
"Well, if Leon says so… then I suppose it's fine."
Her sudden change in attitude made cold sweat break out on Finn's forehead. He had dodged a bullet—barely.
"I have no objection." Riveria added with a nod.
"Ah! Me neither!" Lefiya chimed in immediately, cheeks flushed and voice crisp as she nodded in agreement.
"Alright then, let's not waste any more time."
Finn's voice turned resolute as he gazed at the map. "We should locate the artificial labyrinth as soon as possible. Once we eliminate Evilus's base within it, we can finally pour our full effort into assaulting the deeper floors."
And with that, the group moved swiftly.
Leaving behind the Twilight Manor, they headed directly toward Daedalus Street—the entrance to the twisted maze known as Knossos.
— — —
At the same moment, deep within the Dungeon, far beyond the sixtieth floor…
A battered and disheveled figure appeared in the depths.
"It's truly difficult…"
"Had I not brewed enough Divine Wine and sacrificed one of the Jewel Fetus, I wouldn't have even made it here. I would've been forced to return to Heaven halfway…"
"But… being able to reach this place makes everything worth it."
The cloaked figure murmured quietly, lifting his head under the flickering dim light of the Dungeon.
If Leon had been present, he would have recognized the man in an instant.
It was the God of Wine, Dionysus.
But unlike his usual dignified appearance on the surface, Dionysus now looked utterly miserable. His pale skin was smudged with ash and soot, and his once-lustrous golden hair had become curled and frayed, as if scorched by fire. His noble aura had vanished, replaced by the image of a desperate traveler.
Yet, despite his sorry state, the corners of Dionysus' lips curled into a faint smile.
Without Filvis, his most powerful subordinate, many of his original plans had crumbled. Still, he refused to give up. So, he acted on his own.
Even without divine authority—stripped of his godly power and rendered as frail as a mortal—it was still astonishing that Dionysus had managed to venture so deep into the Dungeon.
His survival was owed entirely to the Divine Wine, his own creation.
A single whiff of its aroma could bewilder even the most seasoned adventurers. Gods could fall prey to its haze, and monsters were no exception.
Using the divine wine and a precious Jewel Fetus, Dionysus had forged a controllable Demi Spirit, which he used to carve a path into the Dungeon, one step at a time.
But now… he was alone.
The Demi Spirit continued to battle monsters on the higher floors, buying time. Dionysus, meanwhile, pressed forward into the depths.
After glancing once more at the passage behind him, he resumed his march.
He now stood upon a vast, desolate plain—eerily similar to the barren wilderness of the 49th floor, yet exponentially more ominous.
It was here that Dionysus had sensed the presence of the Corrupted Spirit.
This entire journey had been for this singular purpose—to meet the Corrupted Spirit in person.
The clones he'd created in the past were insufficient. He needed more.
And this time, he didn't intend to hide them or sneak them into Orario from outside. He would bring them directly through the artificial maze.
After all, the existence of the maze had already been exposed. It was only a matter of time before it was fully breached.
Time would not wait for him and neither would his enemies.
He had to complete the setup of the Gate of Heaven before Knossos was conquered.
By all indications, this floor appeared to house the main body of the Corrupted Spirit.
No monsters had appeared thus far—not even one.
For a full thirty minutes, Dionysus wandered without seeing a single creature.
But then… the truth revealed itself.
Before his very eyes, a freshly spawned monster was suddenly impaled mid-air—thick, bark-covered tendrils erupting from the ground, skewering the monster like a kebab. Seconds later, the monster's body crumbled to ash, and its magic stone was absorbed by the roots.
'That thing… It's been devouring magic stones all this time?!'
Dionysus' mind reeled.
'If that's true… just how much power has it accumulated over the past thousand years?!'
Even someone as deranged and daring as Dionysus couldn't help but shiver at the thought.
If his guess was correct, the Corrupted Spirit had amassed an unfathomable amount of magical energy over the ages.
But there was no turning back.
He hadn't come here to regret.
He hadn't come this far to hesitate.
Step by step, Dionysus pressed forward once more, vanishing into the foggy horizon of the plain.
Eventually… he reached his destination.
In the midst of that vast, empty wasteland—an oasis emerged like a mirage.
Lush green trees, a clear lake, and ten human-shaped figures stood in silent vigilance by the water.
Dionysus hadn't expected to find this tranquil sanctuary amidst the void.
But before he could speak, a voice drifted from the oasis.
"Should I call you Enyo… or Dionysus?"
The question cut through the air like a blade, landing on Dionysus' ears.
He frowned, pausing in place, and said nothing immediately.
Instead, he stepped forward—toward the voice and the figures ahead.