After settling Demeter, Genichi returned to the Dungeon once again.
The light of the portal slowly closed behind him, sending him back into the depths of that labyrinth filled with monsters and danger.
But this time, his mood was completely different.
Ishtar.
That name burned in his heart like a flame that could not be extinguished.
That damned goddess had actually dared to lay a hand on Demeter.
If he had not arrived in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Genichi clenched his fist, his knuckles whitening from the force.
But he knew this matter could only be left unresolved for now.
The Guild would never support him in taking revenge.
It was not because the Guild would not believe that Ishtar had attacked Demeter. With the Guild's capabilities, investigating something like this would not be difficult.
But knowing was one thing. Handling it was another.
The Ishtar Familia held an important position in Orario.
Sex, gambling, and drugs were unavoidable in any world.
And in Orario, the Entertainment District operated by the Ishtar Familia represented the sex side of that equation.
Those male adventurers fought desperately in the Dungeon every day, risking death in the jaws of monsters at any moment.
They had too much energy and pressure with nowhere to release it, and they needed some kind of outlet.
The Entertainment District became the place those adventurers went.
There, they could use the valis they had earned to buy a fleeting moment of pleasure and temporarily forget the fear of death.
The women of the Ishtar Familia used their bodies and tenderness to comfort those warriors struggling on the edge of life and death.
Precisely because the Entertainment District existed, Orario had far fewer disputes.
Imagine if that place did not exist. What would those adventurers with too much energy do?
Brawl in the streets?
Rob and steal?
Or something even worse?
Orario's public order incidents would probably increase severalfold at once.
From a certain perspective, the Ishtar Familia did play an irreplaceable role in maintaining Orario's stability.
On top of that, there were no witnesses to Ishtar's attack on Demeter this time.
Demeter had been charmed, so she could not serve as a witness.
By the time Genichi arrived, the Familia members surrounding Demeter had already been killed by him.
As for other witnesses?
They had probably long since been dealt with by Ishtar.
Without evidence, there was no charge.
The Guild would definitely smooth things over.
Even if the Guild believed that Ishtar had definitely attacked Demeter, it would be the same.
Because the bigger picture mattered.
Genichi sneered.
The bigger picture.
What a grand-sounding phrase.
The so-called bigger picture meant forcing you to swallow your anger.
It meant forcing you to bury your grievances in your stomach.
It meant making you watch helplessly as your enemy walked free, while telling yourself it was all for Orario's stability.
How disgusting.
Genichi took a deep breath, trying hard to calm the anger in his heart.
Of course he hated it.
But he also knew that this was reality.
No matter the world, no matter the era, the so-called bigger picture was always a mountain pressing down on the heads of ordinary people.
But there was nothing he could do.
Even if Genichi wanted revenge, he did not currently have the ability.
Ishtar's divine authority of charm was far too terrifying.
Just seeing Ishtar's appearance had nearly made him fall.
If he faced her directly, he had no chance of victory.
Without a way to overcome a goddess of beauty's charm, even if Genichi had the opportunity, he could not take revenge.
This was a gap in strength, a fundamental gulf.
Genichi was not someone who let anger cloud his mind.
He clearly understood his own limits, and he knew when to advance and when to retreat.
Now was the time to retreat.
But retreating did not mean giving up.
A thought flashed through Genichi's mind.
Use Freya's hand.
In the original plot, Freya had wiped out the Ishtar Familia in a fit of rage for Bell Cranell.
That goddess of beauty had instantly turned hostile because Ishtar touched her sore spot.
If he could also make use of that and push Freya into attacking Ishtar...
Genichi shook his head and rejected the idea.
That was not what he wanted.
Revenge was only revenge if he did it with his own hands.
What kind of revenge was it if he borrowed someone else's hand?
That was just killing with a borrowed knife, using someone else's anger to achieve his own goal.
Even if Ishtar was truly destroyed because of it, Genichi would not feel the slightest satisfaction.
He wanted to kill Ishtar with his own hands.
He wanted to watch her eyes change from charm to fear, from arrogance to despair.
He wanted to pierce her heart with his own blade.
Only that could calm the anger in his heart.
So now, he had to endure.
He had to become stronger.
He had to find a way to resist charm.
Genichi clenched his fist, then slowly loosened it.
The Dungeon's 60th Floor.
The members of the two great Familias were locked in a bitter battle with the corrupted spirit.
The situation on the battlefield was even more intense than he had imagined.
The nine who had been level-boosted were engaged in a desperate battle against the corrupted spirit.
Ottar was like a true beast, every strike carrying the force to destroy heaven and earth.
Ais moved as swiftly as the wind, sword light flashing as she left countless wounds across the corrupted spirit's body.
Finn commanded the entire battlefield, every order given at exactly the right moment.
Riveria's magic precisely supported everyone who needed help.
But the corrupted spirit refused to fall behind.
She used all kinds of magic with casual ease. Although her body was covered in wounds, her recovery speed was extremely fast. Injuries that had just been inflicted healed in the blink of an eye.
This was a battle of attrition.
Whoever failed to endure first would lose.
Genichi did not immediately join the battle. Instead, he stood at the edge of the battlefield and observed.
"Genichi!"
Finn noticed him and shouted, "You're back! How are things above?"
"For now, there's no problem."
Finn's expression changed slightly. He naturally heard the implication in Genichi's words, but he quickly regained his focus.
He understood that now was not the time to ask questions.
"Then let's deal with this side first!"
He shouted, "We'll talk after we get back!"
Genichi nodded. For now, they had to deal with the corrupted spirit first.
As for Ishtar...
Wait for me.
One day, I will make you pay.
Genichi charged into the battlefield, Mitsukotoba in his hand turning into a streak of light as it aimed straight for the corrupted spirit's vitals.
The battle continued.
Meanwhile, on Orario's surface...
Deep within the Guild, Ouranos stood before a giant crystal ball, his profound gaze fixed on everything happening in the Dungeon.
Beside him, Fels stood quietly.
"God Ouranos."
Fels spoke. "How do you intend to handle Ishtar's attack on Demeter?"
Ouranos was silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
"There is no evidence."
Three short words contained all the helplessness and compromise of the situation.
Fels fell silent.
He understood what Ouranos meant.
Without evidence, they could not convict her.
Without a conviction, they could not punish the Ishtar Familia.
And the Ishtar Familia was also vital to Orario's stability, so they could not be moved lightly.
Therefore, the matter could only be left unresolved.
"That boy will be dissatisfied."
Fels said softly.
Ouranos nodded.
"He certainly will."
He paused, a complicated light flashing through his eyes.
"But he will understand. He will understand what it means to prioritize the bigger picture."
Fels said nothing.
He merely looked at the boy in the crystal ball, the one locked in combat with the corrupted spirit, and silently thought to himself:
Understanding was one thing. Accepting it was another.
That boy was not the sort of person who would obediently accept the bigger picture.
One day, he would use his own methods to settle this debt.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]