"Hmph, straight to the point. Just as well—I wasn't planning on wasting words either."
Ishtar strode into the control room, her gaze sweeping over Kali.
"I'm here to inspect the goods."
"Inspect the goods?"
"That's right. I want to examine the quality of that item you promised me."
Ishtar made her demand as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"That item..."
Thanatos immediately felt a headache coming on.
He had no choice but to steel himself and speak up.
"But Revis-chan has said repeatedly that we absolutely cannot take it out. If we anger Revis-chan, I'll be in huge trouble!"
"That's your problem."
Ishtar remained utterly unmoved, merely sneering coldly.
"I've poured money into your project for years. It's only natural I have the right to inspect the goods. Or would you prefer I withdraw my funding?"
Thanatos groaned.
This goddess was particularly troublesome in this regard.
Once she set her mind on something, she wouldn't tolerate any refusal.
Constructing the artificial labyrinth was an incredibly expensive endeavor.
The entire maze was made of ultra-hard metal, with countless doors of the hardest metal. Building such a terrifying labyrinth had cost astronomical sums over the past millennium.
And nearly all of that funding had come from Ishtar.
She had amassed vast wealth through her brothels, her influence extending to occupy an entire main street district. For a thousand years, her cash flow had never ceased, accumulating immense riches.
It was only with her financial backing that the Daedalus clan had been able to complete this artificial labyrinth.
If she decided to pull her funding, the consequences would be disastrous.
"What's this? You've been hiding something interesting and didn't tell me? How rude!"
Kali eagerly stepped forward. "Bring it out! Quickly, let me see!"
"It seems I'm in for a severe scolding from Revis-chan."
Thanatos looked up at the ceiling.
With both collaborating gods making such demands, he truly had no way to refuse.
"Fine. We might as well test it out on the Loki Familia—let's see just how powerful the Bull of Heaven really is."
...
Clang!
The fierce clashing of blades rang out incessantly.
Emerald-green gales howled continuously through the passageway.
Ais pushed her wind abilities to the limit, wrapping them around her sword as she swung with all her might.
Boom!
But the black greatsword came down without any flourish.
The moment they collided, an overwhelming force transmitted through the blade, sending violent tremors through Ais's slender arms. Numbness assaulted half her body, forcing a pained expression onto her face.
Her sword stance shattered instantly!
Not one to let up, the red-haired woman immediately stepped forward after breaking Ais's stance, delivering another simple diagonal slash.
I can't block this!
Ais instantly made her judgment. Wind coiled around her legs as she swiftly retreated.
"Are you just going to keep running away?"
Revis snorted coldly, her face bearing the composure of a victor.
From the start of the battle until now, Ais hadn't managed to land a single blow on her, instead being forced to evade continuously.
What happened to that imposing presence from before?"
Ais could see the satisfaction on her face—the pleasure of settling old scores.
The battle on the 18th floor had been barely won with Eiji's help, and the fight on the 24th floor had turned in their favor due to her leveling up. But this third battle—she was now at an overwhelming disadvantage!
Revis's strength had reached the terrifying level of Level 7!
Even with wind wrapped around her sword, Ais couldn't so much as scratch her. With a single counterattack, Revis shattered both Ais's offense and defense.
No flashy techniques—just pure, overwhelming force!
Under Revis's relentless pursuit, Ais could only flee in desperation through the corridor, relying on the speed and agility granted by the wind to stay alive.
"Damn it...!"
Suddenly, Ais's expression changed.
Ahead was an orichalcum gate!
This corridor was a dead end.
"Hmph."
A confident scoff echoed from behind her.
"Die, Aria!"
The air behind her trembled violently.
Before the sound of the attack even reached her, alarms blared in Ais's mind. She spun around, raising her sword to block.
BOOM!
The impact was like being hit by a speeding train.
The sheer force made Ais's face pale—her guard shattered instantly.
Her light body was sent flying, crashing against the orichalcum gate.
Pain.
Excruciating pain.
Every inch of her screamed in agony.
Ais struggled to rise but collapsed back to the ground. The pain in her arms told her they were broken. Her dress and armor were soaked in blood.
Even her forehead dripped crimson, staining her right eye red.
"This is the end."
The red-haired woman stood before her, eyes devoid of mercy.
"Ah..."
For a moment, Ais's mind went blank.
Yes, this was truly the end. She knew it well.
Her body was wrecked. Even her sword, Desperate, had been knocked away. She had no strength left to resist.
Was she going to die here?
No one would come to save her.
No one would lend a hand.
Help would never arrive.
Just like back then.
Her thoughts inexplicably drifted to the past—a past drenched in blood and fire.
When she was seven, monsters had invaded her village. Her father had gone to fight, and her mother had joined the battle.
By the time she came to her senses...
Her mother had fallen first.
Then her father.
Bleeding endlessly, lying in a small pool of his own blood.
The village was engulfed in flames. The roars of monsters filled her ears.
"I'm sorry."
As a child, she had idolized heroes and asked her father to be hers. But he had only patted her head, casting a loving glance at her mother—who would always smile warmly in response.
"I'm already your mother's hero. I can't be yours. But someday, you'll find your own hero."
Under Revis's continuous attacks, she had pushed her body to its limits, driven by vengeance. Time and again, she had danced on the edge of death, slaughtering monsters, gaining power.
But yes.
In the end, there were no heroes.
No hero would ever come for her.
She could only rely on herself.
In the dim corridor, the golden-haired girl lay on the ground, drenched in blood, her eyes vacant.
The black greatsword descended mercilessly toward her neck.
In an instant, the head of the world-renowned Sword Princess would roll from her delicate neck, her life extinguished without even a moment of pain.
But in that instant.
A silver flash appeared in her vision.
That radiance was like the dawn breaking through the darkness.
Emerging from the depths of the shadows, it halted the encroaching gloom.
Clang!
Amid the shrill clash of blades.
A silver katana intercepted the massive black sword.
"Get away from her!"
With a sharp cry, a second flash erupted.
Born from the light, it shattered the darkness' blockade.
"You'll find your own hero one day..."
Gazing at that figure, those words lingered in Ais' heart, refusing to fade.