Thunder rumbled through the sky, followed by a torrent of lightning bolts crashing down.
Before the Minotaurs could ascend the passage, they were engulfed by thick, white lightning.
"What terrifying power!"
The adventurers, who had been in pursuit, halted almost simultaneously.
They looked up, gazing at the raging storm above. The silvery glow of the lightning was reflected on nearly everyone's faces.
The overwhelming power filled them with a secret dread.
Riveria, an elven royal, was particularly horrified.
The air crackled with the intense energy of the lightning, reaching an almost terrifying level.
To cast such powerful magic without chanting—even her couldn't do it!
"Could the 'Strongest Sorcerer' fall from grace now?"
Riveria's thoughts were conflicted.
Yet, she quickly regained her composure. As a mage of the elven royal family, Riveria harbored both a dislike for her lineage and a deep pride in her heritage.
Being outclassed in magic didn't matter—as long as she worked hard to catch up.
And if the one surpassing her was Yami, perhaps it wouldn't be as unsettling as she feared.
"Such terrifying strength... Perhaps even that 'King' is no match for Yami!"
"There truly are heroes with such extraordinary talent in this world!"
As the thunder in the sky dissipated, the Minotaurs were nowhere to be seen.
Even Finn, seasoned by many battles, couldn't help but shudder at the memory of the destructive power.
Unbeknownst to them, these veteran adventurers had been surpassed.
"Yeah, it's a good thing we have a strong relationship with the Hephaestus Familia, or we'd be in trouble right now!"
Gareth nodded slightly, his voice tinged with resignation.
As long as Ais and Tiona exist, adventurers with such terrifying power would not become their enemies.
In the underground temple of the Adventurers' Guild, Ouranos and Fels observed the entire expedition through the crystal magic tool held by Ais, aware that the team had returned.
Under the flickering torchlight, the god and the mortal continued their conversation.
"The Loki Familia's expedition yielded quite the harvest."
"Though we didn't find the 'weirdo', we did encounter the Corrupted Spirit, and it's becoming more troublesome."
Ouranos, well-versed in the world's affairs, could tell that the monsters they faced weren't the true threat.
In those final moments, the Corrupted Spirit's cries seemed like a plea for help, a creature's instinctual reaction when facing death.
"The Corrupted Spirit's true form must be somewhere below the sixtieth floor."
"And if our suspicions are correct, these strange creatures are also born of the Corrupted Spirit's spirit. The situation is truly worsening!"
Fels fell silent for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh.
As they delved deeper into the matter, the findings became more difficult to report.
It was ironic—what was once a fairy sent to save mankind in ancient times had now become the root of all evil threatening Orario.
"Indeed, it's deeply ironic."
Ouranos's voice was filled with helplessness.
"But it seems that Yami's appearance, though unexpected, is a boon. His immense power has resolved our immediate crisis."
"Even the Corrupted Spirit's true form might not be his match."
"So, we should leave the rest to him."
"But we must focus on the Corrupted Spirit's clone. How did it come to be, and why did it appear within the monsters?"
"That's what we need to investigate right now!"
What began as a mere whim to entrust the magic crystal to Loki ended up revealing incredible truths.
They had uncovered much about the source of the strange creatures, but now their attention had to shift to this so-called Corrupted Spirit clone.
The ability to transform a monster into a humanoid fairy is far too dangerous.
If this were an isolated incident, it might be tolerable, but if it could be replicated, then Orario would undoubtedly face a grave crisis.
Monsters powerful enough to challenge the Loki Familia, if multiplied, would spell disaster for the city.
"Fels, concentrate on investigating the dungeon's abnormalities. This new type of monster must be connected to the 'weirdo'."
"Send a mission to the Guild, and closely monitor any signs of this creature."
"Also, if possible, have Yami enter the dungeon a few more times. If he can find and eliminate the Corrupted Spirit's true form, it would be to everyone's benefit."
After a brief silence, Ouranos issued the orders once more.
However, Fels, shrouded in his black robe, voiced a different opinion.
"Ouranos-sama, is it really wise to entrust all of this to Yami?"
"You know, he possesses the means to travel to another world, and his strength is beyond our control. If he harbors other intentions, then..."
"Don't worry about that, Fels."
Before Fels could finish, Ouranos interrupted him.
"That boy's abilities are extraordinary."
"But he would never side with the dark faction, nor would he aid the Corrupted Spirit or 'weirdos' in harming Orario."
"Hephaestus and Hestia will guide him correctly, so rest easy."
Ouranos nodded slightly at Fels, his blue eyes narrowing.
Hearing this, Fels said no more, slowly retreating into the shadows.
No one else knew of this exchange.