Sword Maiden tugged at the golden-haired youth's arm, dragging him through the goblin cave.
The cave floor was cool but remarkably dry.
Even monstrous goblins disliked damp, stuffy environments.
Typically, they chose caves that could shelter them from beasts and other monsters as their bases.
They then smeared the surroundings with excrement or urine from higher-tier monsters to deter approaching beasts while keeping the interior dry.
Over time, such caves developed a very distinctive odour.
As an ascetic trained by the church, Sword Maiden had long learned to endure such foul smells.
But for goblins—especially the newly emerged female goblins—this stench became a source of agitation.
Screeches and cackles echoed from the cave ahead.
Sword Maiden observed the roughly one-metre-high cave entrance before peering inside.
The entrance was about two metres higher than the cave floor—a near-insurmountable height for goblins barely half a metre tall. This elevation difference immediately clarified the cave's purpose to her:
"A prison for female captives?"
She tilted her head slightly and spotted crude ropes and vines tied to rocks above the entrance.
These were likely the goblins' means of entering and exiting the cave...
The thought that the former prison for prey had now become a holding place for female goblins gave Sword Maiden a rather peculiar expression.
Though she still felt Luo Shu's methods bore the clear mark of an evil god's style, there was an indescribable sense of satisfaction in his approach.
However, regarding this deity she'd captured...
Sword Maiden turned her head, glancing at the golden-haired youth whose arm she held, then looked further back to see Luo Shu and Mai Sakurajima standing in the distance.
Remembering how Luo Shu had rescued her earlier and considering his attitude towards goblins, even while aware she might be holding a deity, Sword Maiden couldn't help muttering:
"Though I don't know what grave sin you committed to anger His Eminence, I pray you'll endure bravely."
With that, Sword Maiden gave a firm tug and hurled the golden-haired youth into the goblin cave.
With a dull thud.
The Sun God, having fallen into the prison, finally awoke from the illusion spell in pain, lying on the ground as he opened his eyes to see Sword Maiden standing at the cave entrance above him.
Upon seeing Sword Maiden, the Sun God visibly froze.
"Awake now?"
Sword Maiden gazed down at him with pity as she advised:
"Though closing your eyes might be preferable, I suggest you look around first."
The Sun God instinctively glanced around at her words. When his eyes fell upon the horde of ugly green-skinned goblins with glowing red eyes, he let out a shriek:
"Goblins?!!!"
The Sun God wildly swung his arms, yet the solar flames he could normally summon at will were nowhere to be found.
It was then that the Sun God realised, with shock, that he seemed to have developed human fear - something that should never have occurred to beings like them, yet here it was.
"Why am I afraid..."
The Sun God stared bewildered at Sword Maiden, his expression gradually twisting into fury:
"Was this your doing, Maiden? You dare betray me?!!"
Sword Maiden frowned, utterly confused by the golden-haired youth's accusations. She'd never sworn allegiance to him - how could this be betrayal?
"I advise you to prepare yourself mentally."
"As the goblin cave is where male goblins breed, it's saturated with their scent. While there's no precedent, these pheromones likely serve as powerful aphrodisiacs for female goblins."
Before the Sun God could react to Sword Maiden's words, his entire body was engulfed by the swarm of dark green monsters pouncing upon him.
Even as he disappeared beneath the writhing mass of goblins, the Sun God's deranged screams continued:
"Maiden, you dare betray me!!"
"You blasphemer!!"
"I curse you!!"
"I...."
Watching the Sun God's engulfment, Sword Maiden's expression grew increasingly peculiar.
Why was this deity directing his hatred at her rather than Luo Shu?
She was merely following orders.
Unable to comprehend the god's logic, Sword Maiden turned to retrace her steps.
With seven more deities to deal with, and each member of their adventuring party needing to handle at least two on average, Sword Maiden had neither time nor desire to witness the events unfolding in that cave - the imagery would be far too disturbing.
At that moment, not far away, Luo Shu heard the screams coming from the deities and slowly curved his lips into a faint smile:
"Mai, actually, the gods of this world don't possess human emotions. Or rather, the only emotion they share with humans is pleasure."
Mai Sakurajima listened to Luo Shu's explanation without speaking, because she understood these words weren't truly meant for her, but for those deities.
"Deities don't feel anger, disappointment, despair or other negative human emotions. They only have madness in pursuit of happiness and pleasure."
"For such deities, any form of punishment is meaningless."
"So I employed some minor tricks."
At this point, Luo Shu turned to glance at Mai Sakurajima and said with a smile:
"Did you know, Mai? In Japan's hospitals, the most common psychiatric condition is depression."
"The most obvious symptoms of depression as a mental illness are diminished interest, loss of pleasure, and persistent psychological decline."
"In other words, an inevitable psychological descent into negativity."
"At Kamijo Hospital, I've treated many such cases and collected no less than a thousand types of calamities related to depression."
"And when depression, which constantly spirals into negativity, meets so-called deities who are born only knowing happiness..."
"A creature endlessly sinking into despair is thus born!"
"What's the point of doing this?" Mai Sakurajima couldn't help asking curiously.
At this, Luo Shu said leisurely:
"Among the Witchcraft contributed by Aya, many involve using the resentment of powerful beings to cast curses."
"Since they've already been reduced to playthings for goblins, let these deities contribute even their curses."
Hearing this, Mai Sakurajima couldn't help sighing:
"It's truly a shame you didn't become a capitalist."