The next day.
Rayleigh went to Hephaestus to have his status updated.
He was stunned to find they had skyrocketed, as if skipping entire levels.
This was the first time he'd seen such a massive leap in his status since defeating Goliath.
The only thing he could connect it to was the battle against the Thanatos Familia.
'Could it be because I killed people?'
Seeing him staring blankly at the printed status, the Goddess's gaze grew serious.
She warned him, "Rayleigh, power must be balanced by both mind and spirit. Don't lose yourself to an obsession with violence."
Rayleigh froze.
For a fleeting moment, he had thought that killing people yielded more Excelia than killing monsters.
He had focused solely on the efficiency, forgetting this gain came from slaughtering his own kind.
He didn't know if it was innate or something else, but when his blade tore through the flesh of those Evilus members and stole their lives, he felt detached.
There was no significant emotional turmoil, no guilt.
Just a calm, cold fury.
Dealing with enemies who had openly attacked the Hephaestus Familia felt no different from sweeping away trash or exterminating pests.
In fact, he'd felt a greater impact the first time he killed a monster than he did killing people.
It was as if he were rediscovering a part of himself.
'So, it's true,' he thought. 'No one ever truly knows themselves completely.'
He turned his head. "Thank you, Hephaestus. I understand. Don't worry."
Even though he told her not to worry, Hephaestus couldn't help it.
With a troubled expression, she said, "You're smart and talented, but you're also the child who worries me the most. If you're ever troubled, remember to talk to me. That's a promise, understood?"
The Goddess spoke with unwavering seriousness.
Seeing her firm attitude, Rayleigh nodded in agreement.
"The Guild has invited us to a meeting tomorrow regarding the Evils. Tsubaki vanished the moment she heard about it. Would you mind accompanying me?"
Seeing her smile, Rayleigh knew he couldn't refuse.
He agreed.
He would be her escort—or rather, her bodyguard. After all, the city was growing dangerous, and he couldn't let his Goddess face any harm.
The Guild-hosted meeting was intended to review the recent city-wide attack, analyze the Evilus' objectives, and formulate a new defense strategy for Orario.
Back when the Zeus and Hera Familias stood as unshakable pillars guarding Orario, the Evilus couldn't stir up any trouble.
After the two great Familias failed their expedition to defeat the One-Eyed Black Dragon, Loki and Freya—following negotiations known only to the highest echelons—joined forces to "expel" all remaining Hera and Zeus Familia members from Orario.
In the aftermath, the Evilus managed to inflict considerable damage on Orario before going dormant.
The Familias within the city knew the Evilus would never stay quiet.
Their disappearance was merely a tactical retreat, they realized their current strength was insufficient to destroy Orario and had gone underground to bide their time, gather power, and wait for an opportunity.
Now, after nearly ten years, the Evilus' large-scale move was a clear signal to the Orario Advenrurers.
They were back.
And this time, they intended to annihilate Orario, wiping the Labyrinth City off the map!
This was a top-priority crisis for the city and a matter of survival for every Familia.
...
On the day of the meeting, Rayleigh accompanied Hephaestus to the Tower of Babel.
Along the way, he saw numerous Gods exchanging greetings, each followed by members of their Familia.
He remained vigilant, monitoring the flow of the spiritual network.
If any hostile intent emerged, he could detect the anomaly by observing the network's fluctuations.
Upon entering the meeting hall, Rayleigh surveyed his surroundings.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have had the chance to enter this space.
One by one, Gods arrived via the Magic Stone elevators, and the hall finally filled.
Soon, a familiar figure appeared.
A red-haired girl stood like a knight, guarding a Goddess of such breathtaking beauty that it seemed ... wrong to harbor an impure thought on her.
"Alise."
'Huh?'
The red-haired girl spotted him too.
Then, she seemed to say something to the Goddess. The next moment, the Goddess walked toward them, stopping directly in front of them.
"Hephaestus, it's been years, hasn't it?"
The beautiful Goddess spoke, her voice like celestial music that soothed Rayleigh's soul.
Her form couldn't be described as merely perfect, it was a masterpiece of natural, divine beauty.
This Goddess embodied—and even surpassed—every mortal fantasy of what a Goddess should be.
Her long brown hair cascaded past her waist, and her blue eyes shone like mirrors polished from the world's exquisite gems.
Seeing her, one could understand why pearls were used to describe beautiful skin.
A sacred aura radiated from her, making her the most dazzling presence in the hall, even among the assembled Gods.
"Astraea," Hephaestus said, naming the Goddess.
'So, she really is Astraea, the Goddess of Justice,' Rayleigh thought. 'Alise and Ryuu's Patron God.'
"Hehe, you must be Rayleigh," Astraea said, addressing him. "I often hear Alise and Kaguya talk about you."
Her words left Rayleigh momentarily stunned.
It took him a moment to recover before he replied, "Hello, Goddess Astraea. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Rayleigh, Alise's teammate."
After his introduction, the red-haired girl beside him couldn't hold back any longer.
"That's right! This is Rayleigh!" she declared to her Goddess in a proud, almost boastful tone.
The Goddess smiled, lifted the hem of her skirt, and sat down beside Hephaestus, beginning to chat quietly.
Hephaestus wasn't a talkative person, but Astraea was skilled at conversation and kept the discussion from growing cold.
Alise whispered to Rayleigh, "Isn't Lady Astraea amazing?"
Rayleigh nodded in agreement.
Before long, amidst a wave of murmurs and gasps, the City's Strongest Familia—the Loki Familia—made their entrance.
Rayleigh saw Riveria and Finn standing beside Loki.
They noticed him too, and they exchanged nods.
Only after they took their seats was Ais revealed, her shorter body have been hidden behind the others.
Judging by Loki's frantic fawning over her, it was clear... Ais had been forced to attend.
Ganesha.
Demeter.
Miach.
Ishtar.
After greeting Shakti and Ardi, Rayleigh realized the room was filled with powerful figures he rarely encountered.
He could tell from their auras alone that these individuals were far from ordinary.
Soon, with only the Gods Ouranos and Freya absent, the meeting began.