Mad God's Feast

By this time, Leo and Ais had strayed far from the main battlefield and were making their way through a secluded passage.

There were no magic circles covering the walls, floor, or ceiling to obstruct them, nor did they encounter any traps. At most, they would encounter red tentacles that were locked to the door, just like before. Cutting off these red tentacles would open the door, allowing them to continue forward.

As they walked, the two somehow crossed the 10th Floor and even 11th Floor, arriving at a depth equivalent to the 12th Floor of the Dungeon in the Artificial Labyrinth of Knossos.

It was on this floor that the fleshy wall beside them suddenly parted like a gaping maw, revealing a wide passageway.

Leo and Ais immediately stopped and looked towards the corridor.

The interior of this corridor was pitch black, without a single ray of light, giving one the feeling that if you went in, you would be swallowed whole and never come out again.

However, both Leo and Ais had only one thought in their minds after seeing this corridor appear.

That means they might have arrived at their destination.

"It's just ahead, isn't it?"

Leo gazed at the dark corridor and asked a question indifferently.

"Um."

Ais nodded, her words concise yet filled with unwavering certainty.

Her innate instincts told her that their target was just ahead.

"Then let's go."

Without the slightest hesitation, Leo stepped inside, and Ais followed without hesitation.

The two walked through the quiet corridor without encountering any attacks, passing straight through the darkness and arriving at a certain space.

This is a cylindrical space.

The space was extremely vast, larger than the cave where the main floor occupies. It was surrounded by a complex network of passageways, and the walls were covered with ancient murals, making it look like a relic from ancient times.

However, the content of these murals is somewhat chilling.

There are groups of people being hunted by monsters.

There was a raging sea of fire.

There are lives that are constantly being lost amidst cries of agony and suffering.

There was destruction, slaughter, ravage, chaos, and an inhumane feast of death, making it a scene from hell or the Underworld Lower Realm.

In the center of these murals, at the very heart of the space, a figure stands quietly.

It was a figure wearing a long, indigo robe that covered his entire body, with a black shawl over it. Several masks hung on the shawl, as if symbolizing the multifaceted nature of some being, and a divine figure could be vaguely glimpsed.

"You----"

Ais instinctively gripped the sword at her waist, preparing to draw it.

Leo didn't draw his sword, but he narrowed his eyes and stared at his opponent.

Dionysus?

He spoke quietly.

"Or perhaps you'd like us to call you— Enyo?"

Upon hearing this, the other person's shoulders trembled slightly, as if they were letting out an inaudible chuckle.

The next second, the other person ripped off their robe and shawl, revealing their true face.

He was a handsome man with golden hair, as elegant as a nobleman.

"Welcome to the Artificial Labyrinth of Knossos, Loki's child."

Dionysus smiled gently, appearing harmless and showing no trace of the evil nature of a city destroyer; he was elegant and composed.

"That's right, I am Dionysus, and also Enyo, whom you have been searching for. Both are me, and both can be used to refer to me."

The male god acted as if he were welcoming a distinguished guest from afar, his demeanor full of etiquette.

Leo, Ais dared not forget that the person before her was the mastermind behind everything, the culprit who brought Orario to the brink of Power of Destruction.

So Ais drew her sword.

Seeing this, Dionysus was not afraid at all; instead, he smiled and offered a word of advice.

"Don't be in such a hurry, girl. This play has finally come to an end. Don't you think now is the best time for you to open up and have a good talk?"

Before Ais could even speak, Leo spoke first.

"What can we talk about now?" Leo stared at Dionysus, his tone flat. "How has the great god Dionysus been hiding his identity and causing trouble behind the scenes until now? Or does the great god want to show off his schemes and tricks to us insignificant ants in the Lower World?"

These words weren't unpleasant to hear, but they were somewhat jarring.

But Dionysus didn't care.

"I really want to show off to others, to boast about how many plans I've made along the way, and how many unknown things I've done in the shadows where no one knows. Unfortunately, you are not gods, and cannot comprehend the great will of gods."

Dionysus remained polite, but his words, befitting his divine status, were extremely arrogant.

That was a genuine contempt for Leo and Ais, a belief that they were unworthy to hear divine will.

"But as I said, the game has come to an end. Whatever the outcome, this will be our last conversation, so consider this mercy a gift to you." Dionysus said with a smile, "This is a rare opportunity. If you have any questions, ask them now."

Hearing this, Ais couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward, bypassing Leo.

"Why did you do such a thing?"

Ais asked a question that went straight to the heart.

Why would this deity, disguised as "Enyo," a city destroyer, collude with Corrupted Fairy and Evilus to plot a horrific plan to Power of Destruction Orario and the entire Lower World?

The Corrupted Fairy is a corrupted being, a monster of reversed nature. In order to escape the Dungeon and see the world above ground, it has fallen into madness and frenzy, wanting to destroy Orario and the Babel Tower at all costs.

The Evilus wants to make a comeback and complete what they failed to do five years ago. They adhere to their belief in bringing chaos and fear to the Lower World, which is why they accepted the recruitment and became allies of the Corrupted Fairy and monsters.

And what about Dionysus?

Why would he destroy the city and bring chaos to the Lower World?

This is a question that many people, including Ais, want to understand.

However----

"I really want to tell you with great righteousness that this is a decision I, as a deity, made after careful consideration. It is the result of some difficult situation, some ideal or belief that needs to be upheld."

Dionysus's expression became playful, and he shrugged, saying this.

"Unfortunately, Loki probably already knows my true colors, so I won't tell any lies that will be exposed at any moment."

What was Dionysus's true identity?

That was the god who once manipulated others wantonly in the Heaven, causing the gods to kill each other.

He brushed aside his bangs, revealing a pair of eyes that were both twisted and murderous. The smile on his face turned incredibly cruel, instantly erasing his previous elegance and composure.

"I will tell you the truth," Dionysus declared, spreading his arms wide, "There is only one thing I seek: a frenzied feast! Exhilarating pleasure that makes one tremble with excitement!"

In Ancient Greek Mythology, Dionysus was the god of wine, worshipped by the ancient Greeks and Thracians. He not only possessed the intoxicating power of wine but was also known for bestowing joy and mercy.

He is in charge of wine, the brewing process, intoxication, drama, and also revelry.

In mythology, wherever this god of wine went, music, song, and revelry followed. His attendants, known as the followers of the god of wine, were famous for their noisy and disorderly behavior.

They laughed wildly and without restraint.

They drank, danced, and sang casually.

Among the female followers were the most unrestrained, able to become completely absorbed in the revelry, dancing wildly, and resorting to cruel violence when they were frenzied or extremely excited.

They tore apart the hands and feet of a talented musician named Orpheus.

They had killed Pentheus, the king of Thebes, in a fit of rage.

They were fanatical and frenzied, driven mad by alcohol and intoxicated by their drunkenness.

The so-called god of wine, Dionysus, was actually a mad god who brought disorderly pleasure with wine, leading people to a life of drunken stupor and utter chaos.

"In the distant past, when I was still in the Heaven, I looked down at the Lower World more than once and saw the underground landscape before Orario existed."

"That was an era of heroes, a time when the Lower World were ravaged by monsters."

That era was absolutely fantastic!

At this moment, the Mad God made no attempt to conceal his ugly divinity, and rampantly spread his evil thoughts.

"I often see people desperately fleeing from hideous monsters, letting out piercing screams!"

"I often see people wailing in anguish, turning to alcohol to escape their painful past!"

"When I see these sights from the Heaven, my heart always races and I feel a surge of joy!"

Dionysus made his extraordinary desires crystal clear.

"Unprecedented fear will transform into a climax, freeing people from the shackles of their mind and soul!"

"No matter how extravagant the feasts and debauchery, they can never reach such an ultimate climax!"

"Only when people have their flesh and internal organs torn apart by monsters can they understand what grief, anger, and madness truly mean!"

The god Dionysus imagined seeing people's strange behavior when they were in a trance, and seeing this good world descend into chaos.

"The children's frantic screams and wailing were more irresistible than the finest wine!"

Dionysus clutched his right cheek, straining and trembling with excitement.

"But—this paradise came to an end with the arrival of the Age of Gods!"

The ancient heroes sacrificed their lives, their flesh and blood, and everything else, and finally succeeded in driving the monsters back to the Dungeon.

They built the Babel Tower above the entrance to the Dungeon, sealing the great hole. They also built cities around the Babel Tower to serve as fortresses, guarding them for generations, vowing never to let the Lower World fall into misery again.

The gods descended upon this city, which was hailed as the center of the world, and gathered its followers, bestowing Falna and granting people power.

Thanks to this, Orario's Dungeon, which it had held for a thousand years, allowed the surface world to have a thousand years of rest and recuperation.

This is a great achievement praised by the world, a miracle that even the gods must boast of.

But for Dionysus, it only aroused his dissatisfaction and anger.

"The sealing of this land prevented monsters from roaming freely, ending that scene that was no different from the Underworld Lower Realm. My madness—it vanished from that moment on!"

Dionysus shouted, his face contorted in pain.

"Therefore, I will destroy this city, destroy this fortress, and let the earth return to its former glory, reclaiming that captivating scene!"

Hearing this, Leo couldn't hold back any longer.

"Listen to your nonsense!"

Leo charged forward with astonishing speed, hurtling towards Dionysus like lightning.

He drew the Starlight from his waist, showing no regard for the fact that the person before him was a noble god, and swung the sword toward the other's head.

This sword strike was so fast and urgent that it was something Dionysus, whose divine power was sealed and whose strength was no different from that of a mortal in the Lower World, could not react to.

But before he could react, his guards stepped forward immediately.

It was a strange man wearing a flowing indigo robe, a menacing mask, and metal gloves on both hands, revealing not a single inch of skin.

"Masked Man!"

It was none other than Dionysus's retinue, the masked monster who had met Leo once in the granary on the 24th Floor.

"Clang!!!"

The masked monster unleashed a heavy punch, as powerful as a cannonball, which struck Leo's descending sword with tremendous force, creating a deafening roar and causing a shockwave to explode outwards.

The shockwave from the explosion knocked Leo back, as well as the Masked Man, forcing her and Dionysus to retreat quickly.

"Whoosh!"

Just then, Ais arrived on the wind.

She rushed out the moment Leo made his move, only slightly slower Leo.

However, before Ais could reach Leo's location and attack the Masked Man, another figure suddenly appeared beside her as if seizing the perfect moment, blocking her way.

"You've finally arrived, Aria."

The newcomer had short, blood-red hair that looked as if it were stained with blood. She was tall and alluring, but her eyes were sharp like those of a beast, radiating an overwhelming aura of ferocity.

Ais stopped in her tracks, her face darkening.

"Revis ----"

The girl's nemesis, as always, appeared at just the right time.

"I've been waiting for you for so long!"

Revis held a jet-black longsword, her eyes fixed on Ais, making a cold and ruthless declaration.

This time, I won't let you escape again.

These words did not elicit a heavy mood from Ais, but rather an overwhelming fighting spirit she had never felt before.

"I was just about to say that I won't lose to you this time."

The golden-haired, golden-eyed female swordswoman also made a declaration.

Let's settle this once and for all.

Suddenly, their eyes met.

Those eyes, powerful enough to pierce through each other's bodies, were terrifying beyond measure.