The adventurers in the settlement watched the Guardian’s transformation with indescribable fear and despair. Even as they resigned themselves to the inevitable doom, they couldn’t accept such a miserable death.

The black slime consumed the Guardian, forming a cocoon, and everyone knew that something far stronger and more terrifying than any disaster known to this world would emerge from it. Despair reached its peak when cracks began to appear on the cocoon’s surface.

When the mutated Guardian’s hand emerged from one of the cracks, the adventurers dropped their weapons in horror, losing all will to fight. They realized there was no chance of victory, and even the hope of salvation had vanished.

The sight of those insane eyes covering the Guardian’s body, seemingly staring straight into their souls, made them tremble with terror. Those who still stood fell into despair, realizing there was no escape. The residents of the settlement began praying to every known god, hoping the barrier surrounding them would withstand the monster’s onslaught.

As the new Guardian moved toward the settlement, the last remnants of hope crumbled, leaving only a sense of resignation. However, suddenly, the Guardian froze, turned its head, and quickly headed in the opposite direction. Everyone who witnessed this was confused, not understanding why the creature changed course. Questions filled their minds: “Why? What for?”

“Why did that monster turn around?” one of the adventurers asked in a trembling voice.

“I… I don’t know, but maybe it will buy us some time,” another replied, stammering as they watched the retreating Guardian.

“What time has it bought us? We’re still trapped here. If that monster doesn’t kill us, the others besieging the barrier will,” cynically added a third adventurer with a grim expression.

“He’s right. Even if that monster got distracted for a couple of minutes, it won’t help us,” said a fourth, sitting on the ground, unwilling to take any action.

“We can’t defeat that creature, even if we all unite. We’re doomed to lose,” the fourth continued.

“Most of the people in this settlement have already lost the will to fight. Just look around,” the third said, pointing to the other adventurers who were sitting dejectedly on the ground, resigned to their fate.

“Can we really give up so easily?” asked a young adventurer, who had overheard the conversation.

“Rookie, you don’t understand anything yet. This monster reminds me of the ‘One-Eyed Dragon,’ and do you really think we can handle this?” the fourth adventurer asked, looking at the very young adventurer.

“And we’re not even going to try?” the young adventurer persisted.

“Listen here, kid, the only thing that can save us now is a miracle, which we’re unlikely to get,” the third adventurer replied, furrowing his brows.

These conversations echoed throughout the settlement. Some decided to fight to die with honor, while others accepted their fate and simply waited for the end. But one thing united them all—no one wanted to die. They watched the Guardian until it was struck by numerous mana beams, which began pushing it back.

“What is that? And who attacked the Guardian?” exclaimed the young adventurer, watching the Guardian retreat.

“Maybe this is the miracle I was talking about,” the third adventurer replied, watching as the Guardian sustained multiple injuries after the attack.

“But who attacked it?” the young adventurer asked.

“Does it matter? The important thing is that someone dared to attack that monster,” said the fourth adventurer, and a spark of hope for salvation appeared in his eyes.

“It seems like he’s recovering quickly,” the young adventurer remarked, pointing at the Guardian, who was healing his wounds.

“And very quickly at that,” added the second adventurer, seeing how the Guardian was regaining strength.

“Heh, so I guess miracles don’t really happen… and here I was starting to hope,” the fourth adventurer said gloomily, trying to hold on to even a shred of hope for salvation.

The adventurers who had been hoping for a miracle were disappointed when the powerful attack only injured the Guardian but didn’t destroy him. The Guardian began to rapidly heal his wounds, and those who still believed in a miracle hoped that the unknown attacker could still defeat him.

Everyone in the settlement watched with anxiety as the Guardian slowly recovered and seemed ready to resume his advance—until a sudden strike sent him flying to the other end of the floor. The adventurers who witnessed this stood with their mouths agape, unable to believe their eyes. Someone had struck the enormous Guardian, who seemed to weigh countless tons, and sent him flying to the other side of the floor.

“What was that? And who could’ve done it?” the young adventurer asked.

“If I knew who was capable of that, I’d kiss that person,” the third adventurer replied, feeling a slight tremor from the Guardian’s fall.

“And what if it’s a man? Would you still kiss him?” the second adventurer asked with a smirk, looking at his friend, who grimaced at the thought.

“Maybe, but I’d prefer it if it were a woman,” the third replied, standing by his words.

“Then you’ll have to get in line if it’s a woman,” the fourth adventurer said with a tone of disdain.

“But I’m still curious to know who could’ve done that,” the second adventurer said with a heavy sigh, realizing that their lives might now be out of danger.

“I have a guess who it might be. But I’m not sure,” the first adventurer said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

“You think you know who it is?” the young adventurer asked, looking at the older man.

“I’m not certain, but there’s only one person in Orario capable of something like that,” the first adventurer replied, looking at the young adventurer.

“You’re talking about him, right? Am I correct?” the third adventurer clarified.

“If it’s him, then it’s entirely possible,” the second confirmed.

“Who are you talking about?” the young adventurer interrupted, eager to know the answer.

“We’re talking about the ‘Demon King’ who lives in Orario,” the third adventurer said.

“Demon King?” the young adventurer asked in surprise.

“What, have you been living under a rock? Everyone in Orario fears and respects that man,” the second adventurer chuckled.

“Well, I only recently arrived in Orario, and this is my first trip into the dungeon,” the young adventurer admitted sheepishly.

“Then listen up, and learn about the ‘Demon King’ we’re talking about. Alexander Valdigoat reached Level 2 faster than anyone else. On his first day in the dungeon, he tore through ten floors, killing every monster in his path. On his next expedition, he single-handedly defeated Goliath with one strike. The hole in the ceiling from his blow remained for a long time, and you could see the Goliath’s chamber through it,” the third adventurer began to explain.

“Is he really that strong?” the young adventurer asked in disbelief.

“He’s not just strong; he’s terrifyingly strong. When he was challenged by the Apollo Familia…” the third continued, but he was interrupted.

“Hey, remember, that’s not information you should be spreading around,” the second adventurer cautioned.

“Does it matter? We might all die soon anyway, and this kid could learn something new,” the third replied, waving his hand dismissively as if to say it was no big deal.

“If it’s not supposed to be told, maybe I shouldn’t be listening?” the young adventurer asked.

“It’s fine, just keep it to yourself, and everything will be alright,” reassured the first adventurer.

“When the Apollo Familia challenged him, it wasn’t a battle; it was complete destruction. His strength and skills remain a mystery to everyone in Orario, but everyone unanimously considers him the ‘Demon King,'” the third adventurer concluded.

The adventurers began sharing stories of their encounters with the ‘Demon King’ in the dungeon, each story sounding more incredible than the last. The young adventurer could hardly believe that such a person existed. Such feats could only belong to a “Hero” from legends, not an ordinary person.

“What annoys me the most is that he’s always surrounded by beautiful girls,” said the fourth adventurer with irritation.

“I completely agree. But I heard a rumor that all the goddesses in Orario are chasing him just to hug him,” the first adventurer added, recalling a ridiculous rumor.

“I also heard that even Freya herself loves him,” the second adventurer interjected.

“That’s probably just a rumor. I can’t believe Freya would love that person,” the fourth adventurer countered.

“And who is Freya?” the young adventurer asked, confused.

“Freya is considered the most beautiful goddess in Orario. Anyone who sees her becomes captivated by her beauty,” the first adventurer explained.

“She is truly beautiful. Next to her, any other girl seems ordinary,” the third adventurer confirmed.

“What if it’s true?” the young adventurer suddenly asked, drawing attention.

“If it’s true, then life would be meaningless, because that person has obtained the most valuable treasure in Orario,” the second adventurer said bleakly.

While the adventurers discussed Alex and grumbled about his fortune, sounds of battle began to reach them from outside the barrier. Hearing this, the adventurers rushed to see who this madman was fighting monsters outside the barrier. Upon arriving at the vantage point, they were astonished: a group of girls was fighting outside the barrier, wielding their weapons as if they were mowing grass.

Seeing the girls destroy monsters, the adventurers’ blood began to boil, and they also wanted to join the fight, but they were held back by the barrier protecting the settlement. Some began to recognize the girls, and as soon as the first adventurer shouted the name of one of them, everyone else understood who was fighting.

“Do you know these girls?” the young adventurer asked, unable to tear his eyes away from the scene.

“Everyone knows them,” the first adventurer replied. “The one with the light hair is Ais Wallenstein, the ‘Sword Princess.’ The one with the tanned skin is Tiona Hiryuut, or ‘Amazon.’ They’re both from the Loki Familia.”

“And the other girls?” the young adventurer continued to ask.

“The one with the red hair and massive club is Daphne from the Hestia Familia. She’s also known as ‘Ogre’ for the way she wields her weapon,” explained the third adventurer, pointing to Daphne.

“The little girl tossing monsters around with her fists is Lily, also known as ‘One Punch Girl.’ She’s from the Hestia Familia as well,” the second adventurer added, pointing to Lily.

“And the one with the blue hair standing behind everyone, healing her teammates, is Cassandra, or ‘The Cowardly Healer.’ She’s also part of the Hestia Familia,” the second adventurer continued, indicating Cassandra.

“And what about that elf girl?” the young adventurer asked, pointing to Ryuu, who was tirelessly fighting monsters.

“An elf girl, you say,” the second adventurer pondered, stroking his chin.

“Hey, isn’t that the waitress from ‘The Hostess of Fertility’?” the third adventurer suddenly remarked, recognizing the girl.

“Right, you’re right. But there’s not much known about her, so I can’t tell you much. But remember: if you ever find yourself in that restaurant, don’t even think about hitting on the waitresses, or you’ll leave with broken arms,” warned the fourth adventurer, to which the young one quickly nodded.

“But still, these girls are just incredible,” the young adventurer said with admiration.

“Forget about them; they’re out of your league,” said the third adventurer, placing a hand on the young adventurer’s shoulder.

“What do you mean by that?” the young adventurer asked, embarrassed.

“Just what I said. Those girls are protected by the ‘Demon King.’ The last person who tried to bother them ended up with all his bones broken,” the third adventurer reminded him, recalling the tragic fate of one fool.

“And even if the ‘Demon King’ doesn’t touch you, those girls will definitely not leave your body intact,” the third adventurer added, pointing to the girls who were fighting with particular ferocity.

“Besides, let’s not forget the rumor that the ‘Sword Princess’ and the ‘Demon King’ have a child,” interjected the second adventurer.

“So, kid, you’d better forget about them if you want to stay in one piece,” the third adventurer said, patting the young adventurer’s shoulder in a consoling manner.

While the adventurers chatted and watched the girls fight, the girls didn’t stop for a moment, aiming to kill as many monsters as possible. Their numbers were so great that it seemed like no matter how many they killed, the monsters kept coming.

Tiona swung her weapon like a propeller, turning monsters into mincemeat. Each thrust of Ais’s rapier pierced through several enemies. She recalled all her training with Alex, which had taught her to kill monsters with a single precise strike.

Ryuu, meanwhile, moved deftly among the hordes of monsters, destroying those who dared to stand in her way. At the same time, she chanted a spell to activate her skill and eliminate as many monsters surrounding her as possible.

Daphne, like a mad ogre, swung her massive club, sending monsters flying in different directions. Those who didn’t turn into mincemeat from her strikes were left severely injured.

Lily methodically smashed monsters’ heads, and if she didn’t manage to kill them with one blow, she delivered a second. Each of her strikes created space to maneuver and avoid being surrounded.

Even Cassandra, who usually hid and healed, kept up with the others. Following Haruhime’s example, she also started smashing monsters’ heads with her staff.

“Ha-ha-ha, I need more monsters!” Daphne laughed maniacally as she turned another enemy into mincemeat.

“Looks like Daphne picked up more bad habits than good ones from Alex,” Lily observed, striking a monster sneaking up from behind.

“You’re not so different from her, are you?” Tiona replied, slicing through another monster.

“I’m not! I’m a sweet little hobbit girl,” Lily retorted, crushing a monster’s head with her hand, her face splattered with blood.

“Uh-huh, sure, I believe you,” Tiona smirked, watching Lily display her brutal side as she killed another monster.

“And what about you? Always pestering him like an animal in heat,” Lily countered with sarcasm.

“It’s not heat; it’s an expression of love,” Tiona said, sending a monster flying toward Lily, who immediately punched a hole through its chest.

“As you say, lustful amazon,” Lily grinned, grabbing a monster by the leg, spinning it around, and then throwing it at Tiona.

“You’re helping me win, how sweet of you,” Tiona said, cutting down a monster flying toward her.

“Who wants to help you!” Lily shouted, venting her anger on a monster caught in her fury.

“98,” Ais calmly reported, killing another monster.

“Damn, I only have 63. I need to hurry up,” Tiona said, starting to kill monsters even faster.

“Heh, I have 78,” Lily said disdainfully, glancing at Tiona, who had rushed into the thick of the monsters.

“I have 56,” Daphne said, sending another monster flying like a real baseball player.

“If you killed them instead of sending them into the air, you’d have more,” Cassandra commented, smashing another monster’s head with her staff.

“Be quiet, or after this battle, they’ll start calling you the ‘Bloodthirsty Healer,'” Daphne remarked, looking at her friend, whose clothes were soaked in blood. Cassandra’s face darkened at the comment.

As the girls fought and counted the number of monsters they’d killed, something unexpected happened in the heart of the battle. A strong gust of wind suddenly erupted from the center, lifting many monsters into the air and tearing them apart. The remains scattered in all directions. The girls saw Ryuu at the center of this storm and frowned, realizing that the elf had used her ability to kill as many monsters as possible.

“157,” Ryuu said with a smile when her skill’s effect ended.

“Don’t think you’ve won,” Lily shouted, rushing towards the center of the monster swarm.

“That’s right! We’re just warming up!” Tiona added, throwing her weapon towards the monsters, which began slicing through them like a lawnmower.

“Yaaaah!” Daphne shouted, slamming her club into the ground with all her might. Rocks flew up from the impact, which she then launched at the monsters. The stones flew like they were shot from a shotgun, piercing through everything in their path.

“Girls, this isn’t fair! I’m a healer!” Cassandra exclaimed as the girls began attacking the monsters with even greater ferocity.

“It’s your fault for slacking off on combat training,” Daphne replied, chasing after the other girls.

“It’s not my fault they’re so difficult!” Cassandra shouted with tears in her eyes and ran to join the group.

As the girls fought the monsters, Alex arrived at a hill near the settlement. He watched their battle, seated on his throne, which he had summoned because he had forgotten to return Chastiefol, which was still in sunflower mode near the temporary house. Lighting a cigarette, he glanced at the battlefield.

“Hm, they’ve already taken out half. Not bad progress,” Alex noted, releasing puffs of smoke.

“Even weakened by 50%, these monsters are still quite resilient,” he commented, watching one of the monsters that had been sent flying. It landed outside the crowd and began to recover quickly. “Looks like they’ve undergone another mutation.”

Alex observed as the monsters healed their severe wounds.

“To kill one of these, you need to destroy the crystal or deal damage it can’t recover from,” he pondered, studying the mana flows in the monsters’ bodies. “Or just keep hitting them until they can’t heal,” he added, noticing Daphne continuing to beat one monster, turning it into minced meat.

“And Cassandra’s doing pretty well, considering she’s a healer,” Alex noted, seeing her battering a lone monster with her staff.

“Ah, Lily, my pride and joy! You’re one step closer to your goal of becoming the ‘One Strike Girl.’ I’m so proud of you,” he said with a smile, watching Lily kill several monsters with a single blow.

“Daphne is showing her tough nature again,” Alex smirked, watching her turn another monster into mince.

“Tiona and Ais are also holding up well. Ais managed to replicate the strike I showed her. I’m proud. And Tiona remains true to herself, wherever she goes,” he observed, watching the girls in battle.

“Where’s my favorite elf?” Alex wondered aloud, not seeing Ryuu among the battle. “Ah, there she is,” he said, noticing Ryuu using her skill to create a windstorm that tore monsters apart.

“Even if one wins, I’ll need to prepare consolation prizes for the others,” Alex thought, not wanting the girls to feel disheartened.

Alex watched with interest as the number of monsters rapidly decreased under the girls’ fierce attacks. He was surprised that they didn’t seem tired at all; instead, they had only increased the pace of the battle. Suspecting it was related to the promised prize for the victor, Alex noticed that Ryuu had stopped using her skill—apparently, she was nearly out of mana, which had slowed her progress.

When only one monster remained, the girls began fighting over the right to kill it. But one of them had secretly landed the final blow, inciting the others’ collective anger. Ais, standing with an impassive expression over the fallen monster, ignored their protests.

“I won,” Ais said calmly, a glimmer of joy in her eyes.

“You played unfairly!” Lily exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at Ais.

“Who would have thought I’d fall short by just one monster,” Ryuu said with a smile, unperturbed by her defeat.

“Congratulations, Ais, on the victory,” Alex said, clapping his hands and drawing the girls’ attention.

“How long have you been here?” Ryuu asked, approaching Alex.

“I was sitting on that hill watching you,” he replied, pointing to the hill where he had been.

“Did you take care of the Guardian so quickly?” Tiona asked, inspecting Alex for any injuries.

“I’m not like you all, wasting time on disputes,” Alex smirked, shrugging his shoulders, which drew discontent from the girls.

“Anyway, I want to congratulate you. You did great in this battle,” he praised them.

“Hmmm, it’s only natural,” Tiona said proudly, sticking out her chest.

“Why are you bragging about your board?” Lily asked disdainfully.

“What board?” Tiona wondered, looking down, her eye starting to twitch. “They can still grow!” she yelled, pointing a finger at Lily.

“I don’t think they’re going to grow,” Lily replied indifferently, ignoring Tiona’s anger.

“Alright, you can argue later. We need to head back and gather the others to go home,” Alex said, stopping the argument.

“What about the other adventurers?” Ryuu asked, pointing to the dome where the adventurers stood, watching everything unfold.

“I think we can let them out,” Alex said, removing the dome that covered the settlement and his temporary home.

As Alex removed the dome, the adventurers began to emerge from the settlement. However, he didn’t wait for them to approach for a conversation. Instead, he grabbed the girls and quickly headed to his temporary home on the 18th floor, leaving the adventurers puzzled by his sudden disappearance.

Upon arrival, Alex witnessed a strange scene: Bella and Asfi had their weapons trained on a mysterious woman who was holding Hestia hostage. Assessing the situation, Alex realized he had inadvertently caused this by removing the protection from the house.

As they arrived, the woman holding Hestia turned to them and pressed the knife even closer to her throat.

“Don’t come any closer if you want to stay alive,” she threatened.

Alex stopped, examining the woman: black hair, black eyes, black dress.

“Hmmm… Black hair, eyes, and dress… You must be Nyx from that group of losers,” Alex said, recognizing her.

“You know me?” Nyx asked, bewildered, watching Alex.

“Of course. Thanatos and Indra happily told me all about your gang, including Dionysus and Erebus,” he replied with a smirk.

“So that’s where those two failures went,” Nyx said grimly.

“They had no choice,” Alex shrugged and lit a cigarette.

“I don’t care about those failures. Your goddess is in my hands, and now you’ll follow my orders,” Nyx said menacingly.

“Ah, Nyx, Nyx… How naive you are, goddess,” Alex said with a slight shake of his head and a hint of disappointment. “If only you weren’t so arrogant and had learned more about my family…”

Nyx stared at him in confusion, not understanding what he was hinting at.

“You’d know that the goddesses I associate with have undergone self-defense training against perverts,” Alex added with a smile.

Nyx still didn’t grasp what was happening.

“Alright, Hestia, you can take care of her,” Alex said calmly, glancing at Hestia, who nodded in response.

“What are you… Gack!” Nyx tried to say, but suddenly received a crushing elbow strike to the stomach.

Hearing Alex’s words, Hestia immediately sprang into action. She swiftly delivered an elbow strike to Nyx’s stomach, then, skillfully flipping her over her shoulder, finished the attack with a nose strike, just as Alex had taught her, to ensure her opponent was knocked out.

Nyx didn’t initially understand what was happening until she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. Then her body was thrown downward, crashing to the floor. The last thing she saw was Hestia’s fist rapidly approaching her face.

“Wow, it looks like Hestia broke her nose,” Hermes said, paling at the sight and vowing never to bother Hestia again.

“And what did you expect? My sweet goddess completed a full self-defense course,” Alex said, approaching Hestia and gently patting her on the head.

“Yes! I worked really hard!” Hestia replied proudly, raising her fist.

“And it’s not just Hestia. Freya, Hephaestus, and Loki have also taken the course. I don’t want any perverts bothering them. Besides, every girl from my family and Loki’s received a full self-defense kit,” Alex said, looking at Hermes, who had started sweating coldly.

“Are you joking?” Hermes asked incredulously, observing Alex’s satisfied expression.

“Well, if you ever get shocked by a girl because you harassed her, just know she’s from Loki’s family,” Alex said, shrugging, which made Tiona unable to contain her laughter.

“Can I get one too?” Asfi asked, leaving Hermes completely baffled. He stared at her in disbelief as if she had betrayed him.

“Of course, but those kits are kept at my home,” Alex replied, giving Asfi a thumbs up. Hermes simply sank dejectedly to the ground, realizing that Asfi could now shock him at any moment.

“What will you do with Nyx? Aren’t you going to forgive her just because she’s beautiful?” Hestia asked, looking intently at Alex.

“Of course not. She’s caused enough trouble. To me, villains have no gender—whether it’s a man or a woman doesn’t matter. If they’ve committed a crime, they’ll face appropriate punishment,” Alex said firmly.

“To start, she needs to be bound and we should wait until she regains consciousness,” he added, tightly binding Nyx to prevent her from using her powers or escaping.

“Her future fate depends on her words. She’ll either end up locked in the Heavens or go through the same rehabilitation course as her cronies,” Alex said, tossing the remainder of his cigarette.

Hearing this, part of the group, who didn’t know what the rehabilitation entailed, became curious about the process. But first, the girls decided to rest, as fatigue had set in. Alex just shook his head, watching them casually collapse onto the grass to recover their strength.

He remembered his spear that he had left behind and summoned it back. Chastifol returned, resuming its previous form and hovering behind its master. As Alex looked at the bound Nyx, he pondered whether to let her regain consciousness on her own or to help her, as he had with other idiots.

To be continued…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep