Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

"That being said, the mapped area is ultimately just a part of a vast man-made labyrinth. The matter of the seedbeds cannot end there. We should assume that the enemy still holds significant geographical advantages and remnants of strength."

"Rivia is right, but we also have intelligence that Grace and the others gathered during the attack. Let's take that into account and compile a battle plan."

In war councils attended only by faction leaders, they actively verified intelligence and exchanged opinions.

However, Finn remains the central figure.

"As a prerequisite, we now possess multiple 'keys.' If we include the ones held by the 'heretics'... the faction of the god Uranus, we have five. We must make good use of these five 'keys' to gradually conquer the labyrinth."

First, Anachiti asked her compatriot Lily to cooperate in obtaining the first "Daedalus Orb"; the second was obtained by Riveria in the man-made labyrinth; the third was provided by Hermes through his initiative to contact Kos and others in the underground passage—this one was originally hidden in the hands of the goddess Freya; and the remaining two were the "keys" held by the "heretics".

Loki merely observed the meeting as an "advisor"; the Dwarven leader slowly articulated the strategy he had envisioned.

"In the course of the strategic operation, what is most needed is a complete map of the artificial maze."

He tapped the map, drawn by a group member, that was spread out on the table with his fingers.

"The path and the escape route in case of danger, most importantly, the best infiltration route to reach the 'target.' Without this information, the 'Immortal Clone'...""To extinguish it would be an extremely difficult task."

Next to the map are sketches of the "Fairy Clones" that Grace and the others fought on the 59th floor of the dungeon and during their first attack on the artificial labyrinth. These are drafts drawn by Finn, depicting both plant and bull forms, both identical to the appearances Riveria and the others remembered. Next to the drawings are detailed descriptions of their attack methods, weaknesses, and characteristics.

These "celestial clones," which could potentially cause the collapse of the city of Orario, are the ultimate "target" that Finn and his companions must conquer.

"There are also tricky traps in the man-made maze. It would be best to disable them if possible."

"The more I listen to you, the more I realize it will take up a lot of time and effort..."

"You forgot, the same goes for manpower. After all, that area is close to the middle level of the underground city. Although we were mentally prepared for it..."

According to information provided by the exiled gods Icelos and Uranus, the man-made labyrinth has reached a depth of 18 levels. However, it is because the Loki Familia alone is insufficient to completely conquer it, that they need to fight alongside the "heretics."

Just as Grace and Riveria were lamenting the scale of the enemy stronghold that couldn't be conquered using ordinary methods, Finn explained the core of the operation:

"Therefore, I will divide the operation into two phases."

Riveria and Grace widened their eyes slightly, while Loki whistled happily.

"The first wave of attacks is to search for the structure of the man-made maze. Then, after mastering the route, a second wave of attacks is launched to eliminate the target. In other words, the former is like 'military reconnaissance,' while the latter is like 'all-out battle.'"

Finn proceeded to explain the strategy of the operation in a clear and organized manner.

The first wave of the offensive, "military reconnaissance," will clear out enemy forces and obstacles while mapping the map.

The second wave of the offensive, the "all-out decisive battle," lived up to its name, ravaging the enemy fortresses that had been caught off guard by the first wave and sweeping away the "immortal clones."

After hearing Finn's battle plan, Grace and the others pondered in hushed tones.

"That's quite a bold method... Once the enemy's preparations... no, what if the 'Fairy Essence Clone' is fully summoned on the surface, it's practically the same as us losing... Wasn't this operation supposed to be a race against time?"

"No, during the battle of the Labyrinth Street, when Angie obtained the 'Key' from the enemy's special operations team, she also obtained information. Those people said they hadn't been told the details of the plan, but they knew that the sabotage operation using the 'Fairy Clone' wouldn't begin for at least another twenty days. We still have time."

"I see... By the way, how are the prisoners we captured doing now?"

"They committed suicide. There seems to be a curse among their accomplices."The master… died as a result of the curse, and the others were also killed by the powerful curse. And it happened right in front of the group members. Fearless enemies… no, they were more like apostles who believed in their 'oath' with the god Thanatos and were willing to die… what a deformed bunch.”

Rivera, unable to hide her disgust, recounted the fate of the captured enemy commando team.

Just as Grace was also frowning, Finn steered the conversation back to the main topic:

"In any case, although we still have time, we cannot procrastinate. Once the first wave of the offensive is completed, we will immediately launch the second wave."

"Finn~ So the first battle was just preparation, and the second battle is the main event, right~?"

"That's right. If we can kill the target in the first wave of attack, we should definitely try it. We can adapt to the situation... But if an individual of the same level as the 'Fairy Clone' we encountered on the 59th floor has already 'grown up', ordinary adventurers can't handle it. To be on the safe side, we should save our forces for the second wave of attack."

Finn answered Loki's drawn-out question while looking back into her crimson eyes.

"Therefore, I need to gather as much combat power as possible through the 'guild'."

"So you're going to work with other [familias], right? Well, the problem is so serious it concerns the survival of the city—there's no reason not to ask for help from others."

Loki agreed with him, believing that the Loki Familia should not feign tragedy and take the blame upon themselves.

Riveria and Grace had no objections and nodded to him.

"Those who know the inside story and are willing to help are probably Fifi's family, Ganesha, and then Hermes, who was forced to participate. That guy is a professional after all; he's very efficient, especially in map drawing..."That should be of great help.

"That god seems to have caused a lot of trouble related to 'heretics,' can we trust him?"

"He's not exactly trustworthy, but that spineless coward shouldn't cause trouble at a time like this."

"The Freya Familia... I'm afraid we shouldn't even bother hoping for it."

"Yes, Riveria, even if we tell them the city is in crisis, they probably won't obediently send troops. They might only take action when Goddess Freya has the will, or on a whim."

"That big fangirl, just sideline her and make her an outsider. Once it's all over, I'll go and laugh at that arrogant king in his new clothes."

"Hahaha... Oh, and Loki too, I'd like to ask the [Deanquet Familia] for assistance as well. Since things have come to this, let's use an adventurer's request...""That format is fine too."

Even though the administrative procedures could be handled by the management organization (guild), Loki still had to handle the work of negotiating with other factions of gods in his capacity as the chief god. The two of them discussed with Grace and the others, while listing the factions they would request assistance from.

Given the unusual nature of the situation, this matter shouldn't be known to too many factions. If news leaks that the remnants of the dark factions are plotting evil again, the entire city could easily descend into panic.

The residents of Orario still remember the "dark period" when the "evil forces" spread.

"...During the period when the dark faction ran rampant, the relationships between the [Familia] were truly worrying. Even though the city was facing a clear crisis, they couldn't unite immediately."

Unintentionally, Rivera compared the "dark period" that lasted until five years ago with the current situation.

The gods are not of one mind.

The Freya Familia is a prime example, and Riveria seemed somewhat anxious about it, discussing the need for different factions to establish rules in order to cooperate and help each other.

"There's no use sighing now, let's just do what we're supposed to do."

Finn changed the subject and resumed discussing the details of the first battle.

"I just said we should conserve our strength for the second wave of the offensive, but we, the Loki Familia, have to participate in both battles. Firstly, because we started this, and secondly, because so far, we are the only ones who have experienced the threat of the man-made maze."

Finn's implication was that they must lead the mixed forces. He explained this premise while outlining the operational details.

"As I mentioned earlier, the first wave of the attack will focus on quantity rather than quality. The scale of the artificial maze is comparable to that of a dungeon, and we need enough manpower to draw up the map."

"Dividing into multiple units to attack... that's probably best described as an incredibly powerful human wave tactic~"

"That's right. There are no shortcuts in this matter. Just as countless predecessors have written down the paths to the underground city, we must also master the route of the man-made maze in this offensive operation."

"What is the goal?"

"80%. At least 70%."

Upon hearing Finn's answer, Grace, who was asking for confirmation, immediately put on a troubled expression.

"To map more than 70% of that vast maze... to be honest, just hearing about it makes me dizzy."

"But since we're going to decide the outcome in the second wave of the attack, we need to achieve such a significant result this time. Well, actually, I have a 'secret technique'... I'll leave that to the Hermes Familia."

Seeing that Grace was already complaining about being tired, Finn shrugged at him.

Just then, Rivera, who had been silent, voiced what could be called her "biggest" concern.

"How do we deal with that weirdo?"

The weirdo—that's the red-haired woman, Revis.

"If we're going to pursue the results Finn mentioned, it would logically be a long war... very time-consuming. And giving that weirdo time will greatly increase the likelihood of our troops encountering danger."

"..."

Among the enemy's pieces, Rives is like the Queen..

She moves with ease and is an immense threat. Her attacks mean certain death for those she encounters. The need to employ overwhelming numbers to create maps will only make scattered troops more vulnerable to Revis, increasing the likelihood of them being defeated piecemeal.

Moreover, they had no way of tracking Revis's movements within the vast labyrinth, let alone having sufficient forces to deal with her. The more chaotic the situation, the heavier the casualties would be.

Seeing that Finn remained silent for a moment, Riveria lowered her voice and asked:

"...Are you prepared to sacrifice lives to achieve this operation?"

Is it worth sacrificing some allies to achieve the goal?

Regarding this unanswered question, Finn said:

"I have no intention of sacrificing anyone."

He answered clearly and explicitly.

"I do not accept casualties. If one unit is defeated, the map drawn by that unit will be ruined, not to mention morale. If we allow freaks to ravage our friendly forces, we will collapse in no time."

"...!"

"I will not fight at the cost of sacrifice. That weirdo will not take a single life from us."

Finn asserted this.

Riveria and Grace were truly dumbfounded this time.

Loki stopped what he was doing, then curled his lips into a smile.

Finn didn't say it explicitly, but what he really meant was to find the "most perfect" method, not just the "best".

If it were the Finn Demnar of the past, he would definitely have made sacrifices to achieve his goals. In order to overcome "reality," he would never have pursued any "ideals" and would have tried to minimize the sacrifices. But Finn has now abandoned this premise.

This attitude does not mean that he has become an optimist.

Instead, it demonstrates his determination to embark on a path more difficult than making choices, and his "enlightenment" in pursuing his ideals.

Finn, as a realistWithin oneself, one gains "courage," daring to break the scales of choice. No longer simply making ruthless trade-offs.

Rivera and Grace both personally witnessed the results of Finn's work after the "Heretics" incident. In their eyes, these results were brilliant and dazzling.

Ultimately, Finn is the youngest among the faction leaders.

As the older generation, Riveria and Grace couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and pride in their child's growth.

Loki seemed pleased with Finn's change, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"If Ais can also participate in the operation, I have an idea regarding the monsters. Would you mind leaving this matter to me for now?"

Finn spoke resolutely, his gaze making Riveria and Grace feel incredibly secure, and they smiled, trusting his decision.

Finn then went on to explain the plan for the offensive operation.

He pointed to the man-made maze map and monster sketches spread out on the table, and precisely listed the key points.

"Right now, we have a 'necessary item' that we absolutely must gather. Without it, we cannot rashly carry out the operation."

"Is it a secret medicine to ward off a specific curse?"

"That's right. The battle will be fierce from the very first wave of attacks, and we absolutely must have enough supplies to deal with the 'Incurable Curse'."

The soldiers inside the artificial maze were all equipped with spell tools.The only thing capable of breaking the curse is the "secret medicine" of the saintess <Amid>, making it an indispensable item..

"Acting impulsively would result in mutual destruction, which would be a greater loss than gain. I will allocate enough time before the operation begins. During this period, let's 'harass' the artificial maze."

Enemies hiding in the man-made maze are no different from those "defending the city".

They can cut off supply lines or launch intermittent surprise attacks to inflict psychological torment; there are many ways to strike.

There are likely some entrances and exits to the underground city that are beyond Finn and his group's control, but as long as a "checkpoint" is set up at Babel and strictly guarded, those people will not be able to reach the surface. At most, they can only gather a very small amount of food in the underground city.

Finn tells everyone that he plans to join forces with the Ganesha Familia to lay a trap.

"The members participating in the first wave of the attack include our Loki Familia and the Hermes Familia. In addition, I would like to request assistance from any other factions with larger numbers..."

Finn paused here, his eyes slowly turning toward the Supreme God.

"Loki, how are the Dionysian Familia?"

The Dionysus Familia, which has formed an alliance with Finn and others, undeniably lacks strength in terms of member level, but its numbers are considerable. If you're looking for someone to help draw a map, this faction would be the best choice.

When Finn asked for confirmation, Loki paused for a moment before answering:

"...This will be reserved for now."

"Why? Now is not the time for intrigue and backstabbing. Now that the biggest secret of the old god Uranus's camp has been revealed, the god Dionysus should have no reason to continue to be wary of the 'Guild'."

Riveria threw out a question from the side, but Loki did not answer.

After staring at the silent God for a while, Finn said, "Very well, let Loki handle this matter," thus ending the conversation.

Then, he mentioned another "partner" faction.

"I will make them... the 'heretics' participate in the first wave of the offensive as well."

Illustration 52492

"A pincer attack from Daedalus Road and the 18th floor, is that it...?"