"A third force..."
That single phrase silenced all the gods.
Whether they were Orario's deities or those of Evilus, each one turned the words over in their mind, an uneasy feeling settling in.
'Could this third force be the Spirits?'
For a moment, it was as if all their thoughts had aligned—almost every god arrived at the same unsettling question.
It wasn't surprising. The Spirits' hatred for the gods was practically carved into their expressions. Especially those known as the "Corrupted Spirits," tainted by the flesh and blood of Dungeon monsters and even undergoing reversal. Once allies of gods and humans, they had fallen into corruption, becoming beings that sought nothing less than the slaughter of both.
Evilus, who had first uncovered the truth of the Corrupted Spirits, understood this very well.
Working with them was no different from bargaining with a tiger for its hide. The slightest mistake, and the tiger would turn on them, making them the prey instead.
At that thought, many of the gods' faces darkened.
They were supposed to be at the top of the world's food chain, the ones treating the world itself as their chessboard. Since when had gods become the hunted instead of the hunters?
As the host, Loki noted the shifting expressions of all 260 gods. It was nothing unusual—so normal, in fact, that it was impossible to tell who belonged to Evilus and who didn't.
Even so, she committed their names to memory. Each one was a potential lead to investigate later.
'Heh~ Worry, go on and worry. In the end, you'll only realize this train of thought is your greatest mistake.'
Inside, Loki snickered with satisfaction, relishing the mischief. That hidden grin only made the stern look on her face seem sharper.
"Ouranos's stance is to place the blame squarely on Evilus."
"He can just push it onto them like that!?"
The gods' eyes widened.
"Why not?"
Loki straightened her chest confidently, not the slightest hint of guilt on her face, even flashing a sly, malicious smile.
"Ikelos has been identified as a member of Evilus. His death carries heavy implications. The secret bases Evilus hid within the Dungeon were very likely supplied by Ikelos. Now that he's been captured, he could have exposed their hideouts. That's why Evilus silenced him."
"Any objections?"
The gods gaped. Strangely enough, none of them could find fault with the explanation. In fact, it sounded almost too reasonable—like it really could be true.
Watching Loki's sly grin, several of them shivered.
Don't be fooled by her goddess-like appearance—Loki was far sharper, far crueler than the others. When it came to schemes, she was ruthless.
The gods exchanged glances, each seeing the same pity mirrored in the others' eyes.
'Evilus... why did you have to provoke Loki?'
"I agree."
"Yeah, me too."
In the end, it was Evilus's misfortune. Pinning Ikelos's death on them didn't matter—they already carried enough burdens.
The deities of Evilus, however, were so enraged their faces were nearly green.
Once again, they were forced to accept the truth: the gods were utterly shameless.
Any blame at all would be dumped on their heads.
And now, even the crime of godslaying had been pinned on them.
"Well, since everyone agrees, that makes things easier."
Loki nodded with a satisfied smile, watching how the gods were smart enough to follow along. Then she turned toward the figure standing by the door.
"Ganesha, you heard that, right? Spread the word across all of Orario that Evilus killed Ikelos."
"One hour. Within one hour, I want everyone in Orario to know Evilus pulled this off."
"Understood!"
As loud as ever, Ganesha's booming reply echoed from outside, nearly grating on the ears of those inside. After sending him off, Loki's face suddenly changed completely.
"Before Ganesha spreads the news—until then—you're all staying here."
"???"
The gods exchanged baffled looks.
But Dionysus quickly understood why.
"Loki, you're worried one of us might be from Evilus and leak what was just said, aren't you?"
A dazzling smile spread across Loki's face, but behind it was a dark edge. In that moment, her alluring features twisted into the mask of a demon.
"I don't really hate anyone... except those pests who keep provoking me over and over. Those ones? I truly despise."
"To be honest, Ikelos's death gave me a good laugh. Just a worthless piece of trash, daring to meddle in things he never should have touched... tch! Who gave those bastards the guts?!"
A terrifying wave of divine power surged from Loki, only to be reined back in before it crossed the line. But even that flicker was enough to restore the aura of the malicious god she had once been in Tenkai.
Gulp—
Every god who had ever witnessed Loki in that state swallowed hard.
'Loki really is furious this time.'
Whether it was gods watching for amusement or those of Evilus, all understood that Loki's mood today was no joke.
"Today, I'll frame those filthy rats. I'll make sure they have no place left in this world. I'll turn those vermin into truly dead rats!"
At that moment, not a single god dared so much as twitch a brow at her.
Normally, joking around with Loki was fine—she was no longer the same as in Tenkai.
But right now, Loki looked exactly like the malicious god of old. Anyone foolish enough to step forward would be courting death—she'd crush them without hesitation.
"Hey! Loki, you're way too worked up today!"
...What the hell? Someone actually dared speak up?
The sudden voice left the entire pantheon stunned. Who could possibly have the nerve to challenge her now?
As they turned, recognition clicked in unison.
The one who had spoken was none other than Hestia, the shut-in goddess.
Usually, her relationship with Loki was just playful bickering, Loki at most making her look a little foolish.
If it was Hestia, though, it wasn't a problem. She was one of the few who could get away with it.
Everyone turned their eyes back to Loki—only to see her rigid expression twitch slightly.
"...Shorty, what are you piping up for?"
Her voice no longer carried the same icy venom, and her face had softened from that demonic grimace of moments before.
The contrast in treatment was obvious.
The gods shifted their gazes toward Hestia, their expressions subtly changing.
Who would've thought? Hestia's words actually carried weight with Loki.