If the Adventurer Team had included a Wizard, they might have recognized the exceptional quality of the Magic Circle beneath their feet. But alas, their party only had a Sorcerer who relied on Bloodline magic and instinct, his intelligence barely surpassing that of the team's Warrior.
As the four adventurers puzzled over the circle, the mushroom's cap suddenly exploded, splattering pulpy flesh and gore in all directions. The adventurers closest to the blast were immediately drenched in the repulsive debris.
The Priest girl in the team recoiled in disgust. "Ugh~ What is this stuff? So gross..."
The Warrior chimed in, "That Evil Wizard was such a creep. Even in death, he had to leave us with this disgusting parting gift. Let's scour the area for any valuables, grab them, and get out of here. I need a bath ASAP."
After a cursory cleanup of the battlefield, the four adventurers returned to the nearest town. By dawn the next day, the entire town had fallen completely out of contact.
What Tribios had feared had already come to pass long before Demon Axe learned of the invasion of the Eightieth Layer of the Abyss. It was only now coming to light.
Returning to the present, after passing through the Century Gate, Aglaea headed straight for the mansion ahead. She had lived here briefly with Grey, the young maid (and spy), in the city that worshiped the Goddess of Love.
Perseus, the elderly Catfolk Senior Councilor of the All Nations Alliance, resided here. Given the vague intelligence from Okhema, making precise localization impossible, Tribios reasoned that it would be better to directly ask the local ruler rather than randomly dropping Aglaea nearby and letting her search on her own.
Moreover, Perseus was perhaps the only Alliance Councilor she knew well enough, hence her decision to come here.
Naturally, guards stood watch at the Councilor's gate. Upon spotting someone approaching, they initially adopted alert postures. However, recognizing her features, they swiftly lowered their weapons and bowed slightly, greeting her respectfully, "Lady Aglaea! Welcome!"
Though she had been away for some time, the impression she had left on this city remained profound. First, she was hailed as a beauty "like the Goddess of Love incarnate," and then she had prevented an Outer God incident. As a result, nearly everyone in the city recognized her.
Aglaea didn't mince words. She cut straight to the chase, "I'd like to see Councilor Perseus. Is he here?"
"Councilor Perseus is inside," the guard replied. "Please follow me."
As he spoke, the guard opened the door and led Aglaea through the corridor to the door of a reception room. After a light knock, he announced, "Councilor Perseus, Lady Aglaea wishes to discuss something with you."
An impatient voice snapped from within, "Didn't I say not to disturb me during the meeting—"
But the speaker cut himself off mid-sentence, his brain finally registering who was outside. The sound of hurried footsteps followed, and the door was quickly flung open. Councilor Perseus, the elderly Catfolk, gazed at Aglaea standing outside. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Ahem, Lady Aglaea, Goddess of Romance from Okhema! Why didn't you inform me of your visit beforehand? I'm completely unprepared..."
Aglaea waved off his concerns. "It's nothing urgent. I just wanted to inquire about the current situation with the All Nations Alliance. I've heard reports of widespread Outer God corruption and that several regions have lost contact."
Upon hearing this, Perseus sighed. "It's true," he said. "So far, the Alliance has lost contact with five cities, over a dozen towns, and countless villages. I'm currently discussing this crisis with the other Councilors."
Meanwhile, a massive Crystal Ball rested on a table in the center of the reception hall, its interior resonating with several voices:
"Perseus, who are you talking to?"
"How dare you let someone enter during a meeting of this importance?"
Aglaea glanced curiously at the Crystal Ball. Within its depths, she saw numerous figures—an emergency meeting of the All Nations Alliance so urgent that they were communicating instantly via magic rather than convening in person. It was clear the Alliance viewed the current crisis with utmost gravity.
Perseus replied, "This is Lady Aglaea, the Goddess of Romance from Okhema. You've all heard about the incident in my city, haven't you? I don't need to elaborate, do I?"
Instantly, the other councilors in the Crystal Ball fell silent. Perseus turned sideways, gesturing for Aglaea to enter. After she stepped into the room, he closed the door, returned to his previous position, and said, "I believe such a being is worthy of joining our council."
The other councilors chimed in one after another:
"I have no objection."
"Nor do I."
"If such a being is willing to offer assistance, it would indeed be the best possible outcome."
After a few brief pleasantries, they quickly returned to the main topic. One councilor stated, "I've already dispatched personnel to the vicinity of the nearest disconnected city. According to the information they've relayed, they've spotted many humanoid yet inhuman figures roaming around the city's outskirts."
"I hypothesize that these individuals are highly likely the original residents of the city, though for reasons unknown, they have all been corrupted by an Outer God and transformed into these forms. The means of this corruption remain unclear, so I've instructed my subordinates to refrain from approaching rashly and instead establish a defensive perimeter."
Another councilor chimed in, "A wise decision. If you ask me, we should immediately seal off all the disconnected cities, prohibiting all entry and exit. Then, we can send in a small reconnaissance unit to investigate the situation. At the very least, we need to understand how this contamination spreads. If it can be avoided, then we can launch a military assault."
Aglaea considered this for a moment and said, "I can participate in this investigation."
After all, she had originally intended to investigate the disconnected areas herself. The only difference now would be having a few teammates assigned by the All Nations Alliance, which, in some ways, was a good thing.
Perseus immediately exclaimed, "Are you sure about this?"
Aglaea nodded, and the other councilors in the Crystal Ball chimed in:
"We are truly grateful!"
"What kind of companions would you prefer? I'll arrange it immediately!"
Originally, selecting the team would have required careful consideration of combat capabilities, reconnaissance skills, contamination resistance, and other factors. But with Aglaea involved, none of that mattered. The only concern now was providing her with the teammates she desired.