Chapter 74 – An Invitation from Ishtar!
Ais's gaze on Akira hadn't changed at all.
She was still mesmerized—mesmerized by the overwhelming power and unbelievable growth of Shin Akira.
Even though she herself had already reached Level 5, the Sword Princess was, at heart, still a young girl. In many ways she was still inexperienced.
"It's been a while, Ais," Akira said quietly.
"It has," she replied, equally brief.
Their exchange seemed casual on the surface, but the adventurers around them quickly sensed there was something different in the air between the two.
For Akira, it was just a passing glance. But for Ais, her eyes never left him, glowing with a mixture of admiration and fiery curiosity.
"Actually, we're about to return to the surface. Want to come with us?" Finn asked once more, extending an invitation. It wasn't the first time he had done so.
"No need. I've only just come down here. I plan to keep going deeper," Akira replied evenly.
"That's a shame," Finn muttered, exhaling.
Ais, standing at Finn's side, looked a little disappointed at the answer.
"Well then, when we're back in Orario, let's have a drink together," Finn said with a warm smile.
"If the chance comes, of course," Akira answered politely.
"Good." Finn nodded.
The two clasped hands—one small, one large. At that moment Finn truly acknowledged Akira as an equal. Anyone watching with open eyes could tell this youth was no ordinary adventurer.
Under Finn's lead, Loki Familia began their trek back toward the upper floors.
Akira watched their retreating backs, the corner of his mouth curling slightly.
"If you still want to drink with me after learning what's been happening these past few days… I won't say no," he murmured softly before turning to head deeper down.
From the start, Akira had never tried very hard to hide who he was. If he had, he wouldn't have unleashed the Shadowkhan to carry out killings in the first place—let alone on such a scale.
In just a matter of days, seventy to eighty percent of the Freya Familia adventurers who had entered the Dungeon had died mysteriously.
Most of them were Level 3s and 4s, though there were Level 1s and 2s among the victims as well.
Now the Freya Familia had entered a full lockdown. Not a single member was allowed to operate alone, let alone enter the Dungeon. The body count had become too high, the situation too unstable.
While Freya herself might not care, her high‑ranking followers—like Ottar—couldn't just stand by and watch the slaughter.
— — —
Time Skip
Time passed. Night had fallen without Akira realizing.
He decided to end his exploration for the day. Through the power of the Shadow Realm he crossed dozens of Dungeon floors in an instant and emerged on the first floor.
He didn't head straight back to Orario. Better to avoid unwanted eyes and unpredictable trouble.
"Shin Akira, isn't it?" A voice called out from the distance.
Akira turned. Two women stood there. Both had dusky skin and a wild, seductive air.
One was a tall, commanding woman with long blue hair that veiled one of her eyes.
The other was a brown‑haired beauty wearing little more than lingerie.
They were Amazons. In Orario, the Amazon race wasn't rare. But this was only the second time Akira had encountered them in person.
The first had been with the sisters Tiona and Tione of Loki Familia. He hadn't expected to meet two more tonight.
"Who are you?" Akira asked calmly, eyes locking on theirs. It was obvious they'd been waiting here for him.
"I'm Aisha. Aisha Belka," the blue‑haired woman said, introducing herself first.
"I'm Leona Tally," the brown‑haired one added.
They spoke with confidence. Leona especially, dressed in the bare‑minimum garb typical of Amazons, moved as if to flaunt her body with every gesture.
Akira, however, remained unfazed. He was not a man easily swayed. He had seen and endured too much; even the goddess of beauty herself had failed to bend him.
"What business do you have with me?" he asked flatly.
"We're from the Ishtar Familia. Our goddess wishes to meet you," Aisha answered.
"Your goddess? The mistress of the Pleasure Quarter, Lady Ishtar?" Akira asked to confirm.
"That's right."
The Pleasure Quarter was one of Orario's most infamous districts. Many looked down on it, but no one could deny it was a haven of indulgence for adventurers who risked their lives in the Dungeon.
As men, their basic desires weren't complicated—good food, strong drink, beautiful women, wealth, power, and strength.
Three of those could be found in the Pleasure Quarter, for anyone willing to pay enough valis.
That was the true meaning of its nickname: "the gold‑draining vault."
Sex, gambling, narcotics—three temptations that made money flow like water.
Especially in a city like Orario, where there were no absolute laws. Freedom and chaos intertwined seamlessly.
"Ishtar? A gutter‑dwelling woman obsessed with dragging Freya off her throne but never succeeding, spending her days wallowing in envy? Sorry, but I'm not interested in meeting someone like that," Akira replied coldly.
"You dare insult the Ishtar Familia?!"
Aisha and Leona's faces hardened. Their eyes flashed sharp with anger and a hint of killing intent.
In a world as brutal as this, women were often at the bottom of the hierarchy—especially those without power. Compared to men, they were seen as weak and disposable.
But Ishtar had overturned that. She'd gathered women who'd been trampled underfoot and built the Pleasure Quarter from nothing, proving that women could be strong—and even rule over men.
Though Lady Ishtar wasn't a virtuous goddess and lacked a noble reputation, no one could deny she had created a sanctuary for countless suffering women.
Her motives might be selfish, but the results were real.
"Ishtar Familia? That's funny. I don't even consider Freya Familia a threat—why should I fear a second‑rate group like yours? Don't joke with me. You're clearly here because you've learned something, aren't you?" Akira said with a faint smirk.
"You…!" Aisha's teeth clenched.
But she couldn't refute him. Even she didn't dare outright contradict the man standing before her.
After all, this was the madman who had already slaughtered dozens of Freya Familia members in the shadows—and everyone knew it.
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