The doom of the Holy Lord's kindred has arrived.

Thriving? That is hardly an appropriate phrase to use here.

Roland chuckled softly, though he did not actually believe that the Guild—founded by the very first deities, operating to this day, and governing the entirety of Orario—would genuinely hold such naive sentiments.

Is the Guild planning to inject yet another dose of adrenaline into Orario?

Precisely.

Finn wore a slightly helpless expression as well. Orario is the center of the world, and its every move must be executed with the utmost caution. After all, the entire world shifts according to the direction it takes. Before a disaster truly erupts, we can only prepare ourselves as best as we can.

Surely the Guild's strategy goes beyond merely pushing a hero like myself into the spotlight, doesn't it?

Roland took a small sip of his drink, a cryptic gleam flickering within his pupils as he gazed at Finn across the table.

Having me meet you in private—just what are you intending to have me do?

You really see right through everything... Truly worthy of the Hero of the Sword.

Finn offered an untroubled laugh, though he did not answer the question immediately.

The Guild attaches great importance to the intelligence regarding the purple crystals. Over the next couple of days, operations will gradually roll out under the guise of maintaining public order to screen for the infected and quarantine them. As for the powers outside Orario, we can only notify them in advance; right now, Orario simply lacks the bandwidth to spare them a second thought. Starting today, every Familia with a Level 1 adventurer will receive notice.

Finn's gaze hardened as he spoke with gravity. The Great Expedition is about to commence. Regardless of their parent Familia, any faction possessing a Level 1 adventurer must take part in this expedition. We must break through to the fifty-eighth floor, locate the source of the disaster, and eliminate it by any means necessary.

The Great Expedition...

Roland murmured, unnameable colors swirling in his eyes.

Orario's course of action was undeniably prudent. As the production hub for the world's most critical energy source, combined with possessing the largest concentration of powerful adventurers, Orario may only be a city, but in terms of both combat power and influence, it was supreme.

While reaping the greatest benefits, they were simultaneously shouldering an implicit responsibility.

Suppression of the Dungeon.

Though a millennium of washing had turned the past eras of Dungeon monsters running rampant across the surface into mere legend, to the gods, it felt as though it had happened just yesterday—it was the main quest burning bright in their hearts and minds.

The higher an adventurer's level, the more acutely they could feel the severity of the situation. No one knew just how deep the Dungeon went, no one knew how much stronger the monsters inside might become, and no one knew if an anomaly like today's might strike again.

This time, the intensity was likely around the sixtieth floor, but what if monsters from even deeper layers emerged, becoming as formidable as the three great quests of the past?

To this day, the One-Eyed Black Dragon remained undefeated.

Therefore, regardless of anything else, an expedition into the Dungeon was the absolute top priority.

What is the exact timeframe?

Hearing Roland's inquiry, Finn poured himself another glass of wine.

After the Monster Festival. That is when the mobilization for the expedition will take place.

The Monster Festival. Though originally a celebration hosted by the Ganesha Familia—the gods of the masses—with the passage of time and the shifting eras, the holiday had long since evolved into an official annual festival for all of Orario.

The Ganesha Familia would capture monsters from the Dungeon, domesticate them, and throw them into the arena to slaughter one another or battle adventurers. This served to showcase the dominance of the lower-world denizens over monsters, entertain the general public, alleviate their fear of monsters in passing, and recruit more adventurers to join the cause.

Using such a festival for mobilization would undoubtedly yield twice the result with half the effort.

However, recalling the chaotic events of the Monster Festival from the original story, Roland could not help but raise an eyebrow.

While effective, at a time like this, it feels rather like courting death. Weren't the monsters being infected at an even faster rate than the adventurers?

The Guild has stated they will strictly inspect the monsters brought to the surface and employ adventurers to scout ahead in the Dungeon during the Monster Festival to prevent any accidents.

Finn explained slowly. Aside from his personal strength, his exceptional command ability—undeniable as the universally acknowledged captain of Loki Familia's core vanguard—was a key factor. If the Guild could convince him, their plan could be considered remarkably thorough.

I understand. So, what does the Guild want me, this hero, to do? The expedition hasn't even started yet; surely you aren't expecting me to bring Esta out and put on exhibition matches, are you?

Roland smiled faintly, his tone laced with teasing banter.

This is the classified intelligence I am about to share with you.

Finn nodded, looking exceptionally solemn.

Have you ever heard of... the Holy Lord Familia?

?

Roland raised his head in genuine surprise, entirely unsure what Finn was driving at.

Finn had no intention of letting Roland answer right away; instead, he took a deep breath and began to explain.

Ever since the day we set out, an unidentified Familia has appeared in Orario. They have been launching massive ambushes against adventurers entering the Dungeon, specifically guarding the upper levels near the middle layers. Not a single adventurer with even a shred of potential has escaped their grasp.

Hmm...

Roland propped his chin up, signaling for Finn to continue.

Normally, such actions would result in a landscape littered with corpses. After all, based on the Guild's estimates, this group of attackers numbers at least several dozen, with a baseline of Level 3 to Level 4 elites, and perhaps even a few Level 1 adventurers among them. It bore all the hallmarks of the old Evil Parties staging a comeback.

The Evil Parties—a term already buried deep within Orario's memories.

To the gods of the heavens, just as benevolent deities like Ganesha existed—gods wholly dedicated to the people—there were naturally true evil gods who cared for nothing save their own amusement.

The inclinations of these deities were deeply distorted, harboring a yearning to destroy the world and standing firmly on the side of the Dungeon. For the sake of genuine entertainment, they cared for nothing—whether it was ambushing promising adventurers, slaughtering weak Familias, or even turning upon their fellow gods and sending them back to the heavens prematurely; such occurrences were commonplace.

The lower-world mortals chosen and granted Falna by such gods naturally shared the same lineage. While they could hardly be called law-abiding, describing them as committing every conceivable evil would not be an exaggeration.

In the end, having provoked universal outrage, their core members were exterminated, leaving behind only a batch of desperate remnants lying low, turning them into a persistent thorn in the Guild's side.

Yet, incredibly, this Familia that looks so much like the Evil Parties practically never takes the lives of adventurers, and their valuables are left completely intact. They simply knock the adventurers unconscious and leave. Before departing, they even proactively destroy the surrounding walls to carve out a safe environment.

At this point, Finn's expression turned rather peculiar.

At first, the Guild assumed it was merely a prank by some Familia and didn't pay it much mind. It wasn't until this prank scaled up step by step that the Guild belatedly realized what was actually being stolen from those adventurers.

Though it sounds like a fairy tale, those adventurers' gained experience values were stolen. Regardless of their level or how much they had trained, their status was frozen right back at the moment they last updated their abilities.

When he uttered these words, Finn unconsciously lowered his voice, his expression carrying absolute determination.

Experience values were stolen, you say...

Roland murmured with a subtly shifting expression.

Seeing his expression, Finn assumed Roland didn't believe him. After all, the notion of having one's experience stolen sounded entirely too fantastical.

The Guild has deduced that this must be the result of some form of magic, likely orchestrated by the Familia of an unknown evil god. Yesterday, I participated in a counter-offensive launched by the Guild and successfully captured an attacker. Unfortunately, the individual acted as though completely derided by madness, desperately employing an incantationless fire magic to resist, leaving behind nothing more than a corpse.

Finn explained, then cast another vigilant look around the surroundings before quietly speaking right into Roland's ear.

When we removed the cloak, we discovered that the attacker was not human... Or to be more precise, not any known form of life to us.

Finn pulled a green rhomboid scale from his pocket and slid it across the table toward Roland.

That fellow's appearance closely resembled a Dungeon monster, but it clearly possessed intelligence. After we forcibly unlocked its status using a clearance potion, the crest that materialized behind its back was a coiling dragon.

The crest displayed on one's back via a deity's Falna varied depending on the god, making it the best method of identification.

Presently, no god recognizes a deity named the Holy Lord, and we haven't found any relevant clues. Furthermore, after one of them was captured, the Holy Lord Familia became even more unhinged.

Finn sighed and covered his face with his hands.

They've actually started venturing down to the very first floors to prey upon rookie adventurers still undergoing their trials. Curiously, these fellows never strike within the areas of Orario we are most familiar with; we can only assume that those who rarely enter the Dungeon possess so little experience that the culprits simply don't find them worth the trouble.

It was merely because there was no necessity to do so. After all, low-level adventurers had virtually all partaken of the divine wine. Even so, harboring such thoughts, Roland did not forget his current persona.

To actually... commit such outr—such utterly unhinged acts!

He slammed the table, clenched his fist, and then, as if realizing something, pressed on.

Could it be that the Guild wants...

They want you, the hero, to take the initiative over the next few days and track down the whereabouts of these fellows. You are exceptionally well-suited for the task: although you are only a Level 2, you possess strength far exceeding theirs, you prefer acting alone, and you have a Spirit by your side. With your assistance, the Holy Lord Familia will have nowhere to hide!

Observing Roland's contemplative look, Finn stopped what he was doing and gazed at him earnestly. In this matter, Roland—operating independently with unfathomable strength—was the most suitable candidate.

The Loki Familia was simply too conspicuous, both in characteristics and appearance. As for Roland, his specific traits would only officially enter Orario's public bulletins after today, requiring at least a few days of fermentation before taking root in the public consciousness. That was the greatest advantage.

After a long silence, Roland finally smiled faintly, delivering the decision that caused Finn to let out a sigh of relief.

Since it's a matter like this, I am naturally duty-bound.

Thank you, Roland...

Faced with Finn's heartfelt gratitude, Roland waved a hand and raised an eyebrow.

However, what about the compensation? The Guild surely doesn't intend to brush me off with just a title, do they?

It had always been him tricking others into working for him for free; there was no logic in him turning around to labor for others gratis, not even as a formality of passing things from one hand to the other.

That really is typical of you... Still, the Guild is surprisingly generous this time. Lord Ouranos seems reluctant to investigate the origins of these fellows and wishes for us to prioritize resolving this issue first. Therefore, the sum is...

Finn gestured a rough figure. After Roland reconfirmed the exact amount, he nodded in satisfaction.

That truly shows sincerity. Very well, leave this matter to me.

Roland wore a confident smile and spoke with absolute certainty.

——The end of the Holy Lord Familia has arrived.

After bidding farewell to Finn, Roland did not rush off immediately. Instead, he pondered everything that had transpired recently.

The Soma Familia was doing remarkably reliable work. Roland could already sense that outside Orario, the number of individuals infected by the Shadow of Evil was growing at an astonishing rate. In Orario itself, needless to say, Soma's divine wine had already achieved the status of a cheap beverage substituting plain water.

In fact, even if Finn hadn't come, within a few days the Holy Lord Familia would have had to focus on selling wine anyway. After all, the number of mid-tier adventurers available for infection was finite; they were reaching the point of wrapping things up anyway, and being able to extort a sum from the Guild on top of that was a development Roland genuinely hadn't expected.

The unsealing progress of the talismans was also more than halfway complete, which was far faster than Roland recovering on his own. Though it was merely a whim of his, the potential of Orario's adventurers truly exceeded Roland's expectations.

The next issue lay with that Spirit-bound entity.

The Virus Queen not only acquired a physical form and actively spread the Apocrypha virus, but she also learned to bestow Void powers upon her subordinates. Aside from monsters, the Dungeon shouldn't have anything suitable for her to inhabit...

Roland mused quietly, recalling that Rivira. Although the woman was also a fanatical believer, she retained a modicum of brains overall. She was firmly convinced that Orario was doomed and likely had a concrete plan in mind—pity she had been killed by the Virus Queen before he could catch sight of her.

If the Virus Queen genuinely intended to make her move, the Monster Festival would be her final opportunity. He hoped she might offer him a pleasant surprise.

——

Hurry up! Stop dawdling! There isn't much domestication time left for this final batch; we need them for the Monster Festival!

Stepping into the cage, an adventurer wearing an elephant mask ignored his companion's urging, carefully inspecting the monster's limbs, mouth, and various parts of its body. Finding no corresponding purple crystals, he finally spoke.

Lord Ganesha gave personal instructions. I must inspect them thoroughly before handing them over to you. This one is fine, take it away. Next!

Understood!

Re-securing the cage and draping it with a black cloth, the Ganesha Familia's up-and-coming beast tamer hurried eagerly toward their garrisoned quarters. For the members of the Ganesha Familia, the Monster Festival was a prime stage to showcase their skills, display their worth, and earn the appreciation of their deity; no one was willing to miss it.

Yet, as he dragged the cage toward the quarters, the monster hidden beneath the black cloth abruptly ceased its incessant whimpering. Its eyes rolled back, and its body went completely limp inside the cage, unable to move a muscle, as if pressed down by some formless force.

Between the gaps of its claws, tiny fragments of purple crystals quietly sprouted, fusing seamlessly with flesh and blood.