It was a fitting title. Back in the Elroe Great Labyrinth, Kumoko hadn't just defeated an elite human army, she had annihilated them. Out of the entire dispatch, only Mage Ronandt and a single officer had managed to escape with their lives.
The massacre had sent shockwaves through the human world, eventually reaching the ears of the Pope himself.
Ronandt was widely considered humanity's strongest mage. While humans were inherently weaker than monsters and relied heavily on numbers and teamwork to survive, Ronandt was the exception.
He was the ultimate litmus test for a monster's threat level; anything that could survive his magic was a walking disaster.
For a single creature to effortlessly swat him and a squad of elite veterans aside like flies? It was unprecedented.
It was no wonder the Pope took the matter so seriously. And now, that same Nightmare had evolved into an Arachne, a terrifyingly beautiful Spider Lass, becoming an even greater existential threat.
"The Nightmare of the Labyrinth... I suppose that's the title your people forced upon Shiraori," Elliot remarked with a faint smile.
Beside him, Kumoko remained absolutely silent, true to her socially anxious nature. Seeing her mentally check out of the conversation, Elliot smoothly took the reins.
Letting the Pope stand there giving a monologue to a brick wall was just getting embarrassing.
"I am curious about one thing, though," Elliot continued, his tone casual but calculating. "Why would His Holiness the Pope seek us out personally, without a single guard in sight? We harbor no inherent malice toward humanity, but aren't you being a little reckless?"
"There is no need for concern," Dustin replied, his voice calm and airy. "In the face of true power, guards are merely a comforting lie we tell ourselves. If things were to truly go awry today, sacrificing my own life would be the cleanest resolution."
He spoke with total disregard for his own safety. But was he actually unafraid of death?
Not quite. Dustin possessed one of the Seven Virtues: the Ruler of Temperance. It granted him a passive skill that seamlessly transferred his soul to a new vessel upon death. Assassination was pointless; killing him just meant forcing him to change his clothes.
Unless someone managed to wipe out every human on the planet, the Pope was functionally immortal. In many ways, he was far harder to permanently kill than that cockroach, Potimas.
You didn't become one of the world's ancient heavyweights without a few broken survival skills.
Dustin's gaze swept over the group. "Let us speak plainly. I have come to you today for three reasons. First, I must ask that you cease all interference with the Goddess Religion and the Word of God religion. Religious zealotry is a muddy, dangerous pit. Once they spiral into madness, my followers do not fear death. For your own sake, it is best you step away from matters of faith."
Honestly, it wasn't a threat, it was genuine advice. The religious landscape of this world was a labyrinth of politics and fanaticism.
Even as Pope, Dustin often found his hands tied by the very zealots he commanded.
Hold up, Kumoko blinked, her internal monologue screeching to an indignant halt. We didn't want to get involved with your crazy cults in the first place! You guys came after US! We were just defending ourselves!
Catching her silent, exasperated drift, Elliot nodded. "We can agree to that. However, we're adding a caveat: if your people provoke us first, we reserve the right to retaliate."
They weren't just going to stand there and take a beating, after all.
Dustin accepted the condition without missing a beat. "I will do my utmost to restrain my believers. Naturally, if a few blind fools cross your path, you are free to dispose of them. But I swear to you that humanity, as a whole, will not make an enemy of you."
The Pope smiled pleasantly. Between Elliot, the Arachne, and even the young dragon Kanna, the group was comfortably sitting at the Myth-class tier of power.
The casualties required to hunt them down would be catastrophic. If a few radical idiots got themselves killed challenging them, Dustin wouldn't lose any sleep over it.
"Second," Dustin continued, "I propose an exchange of intelligence regarding the Elves."
"Now that, we can easily agree to," Elliot said.
They actually knew very little about the inner workings of the Elf faction. Gaining Intel from the Pope was a massive win, especially concerning Potimas's movements.
That ancient, stone-faced elf had lived far too long, completely burying his true emotions and motives.
Worse, unlike Dustin, who actually had a moral bottom line, Potimas was utterly ruthless. If sacrificing the entire Elven race bought him immortality, Potimas would do it without a second thought.
"And third..." Dustin began.
His lips moved, but no sound reached the open air. Instead, his voice echoed directly inside Elliot and Kumoko's minds via Telepathy.
What exactly is the truth behind that child? Why are the Elves so fiercely determined to capture her?
He was, of course, referring to Sophia. As a master reader of people, Dustin had sensed the anomaly within her immediately.
She possessed an intellect far too mature for her age, and her eyes held a striking resemblance to the Saint of his own religion. He already had his suspicions.
Neither Elliot nor Kumoko offered an answer. The silence stretched, turning the atmosphere thick and awkward.
Then, Dustin dropped the Telepathy.
"Tell me... does this child possess memories of another world?" he asked aloud.
Sophia gasped, her breath hitching audibly. In a flash, Merazophis stepped fiercely in front of her, shielding the girl as he glared daggers at the old man.
Dustin's eyes widened slightly in mock surprise, though a faint glimmer of triumph danced in his gaze.
Elliot barely suppressed a heavy sigh. Rookies.
Dustin was an ancient, masterful manipulator who breathed politics and psychological warfare. Sophia and Merazophis hadn't stood a chance.
The old fox hadn't needed a confession, their explosive, defensive reaction had just handed him all the proof he needed.
The child was a Reincarnation.
And now, the Pope knew exactly why the Elves were hunting human children.
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