"Haha... this is entertainin', truly entertainin'!"
Whish—!
Atop a high building overlooking Daedalus Street, Ikelos sat with a smirk, letting the cool breeze wash over him.
"Ikelos."
Step.
"Keehee!! Ye finally found me?"
"....."
"Ye found me indeed~! This game of tag is yer victory, Hermes."
Hermes, having approached from behind, spoke to Ikelos with a grim expression. Despite the gravity on Hermes's face, Ikelos merely chuckled as if enjoying a grand joke and turned his head nonchalantly.
"Now that the disaster has begun, no one can stop it, but..."
Grin—!
"As a reward for findin' me, I'll answer anythin' ye want to know from here on out."
"You...!"
"Now then, what do ye wish to hear?"
Contrasting his leisurely demeanor, the depths of Knossos on the 20th floor were filled with the frantic echoes of those moving with desperate urgency.
Dash—!!!!
"Lyd, the doors from before..."
"It's definitely a trap!"
".....I know. But we have no choice but to go!"
The Xenos group, led by Lyd, Ray, and Gros, sprinted relentlessly through the interior of Knossos. Whoever controlled the man-made labyrinth continued to open doors for them as if welcoming their intrusion. Soon, they arrived at a massive hollow.
Rumble—!
"""!!"""
'This place is...'
"Everyone!"
"Our kin are being held here!"
The chamber was filled with numerous cages. Inside, Xenos and monsters alike were imprisoned, their bodies covered in wounds.
Seeing this, Lyd and his companions immediately moved to shatter the iron bars and liberate their brethren.
Clang—!!!
"Break the cages!! Set our kin free!!"
Crunch—!!!!
Boom—!!!
"Phia, are you alright? Where is Viene!?"
"....I don't know. I was kidnapped while I was unconscious..."
Phia, the Harpy Xenos who had been snatched from the cave by Dix's group along with Viene, was also found battered and caged. Even after being rescued by Lyd, she searched the hollow with concern for Viene's whereabouts.
Clap—! Clap—! Clap—!
"What a touching reunion, you monsters."
"""....!!"""
Dix appeared with a relaxed stride, wearing a predatory smile as he looked down upon the Xenos.
Grit—!
"You're the poacher who kidnapped our family!!!"
"That's right. I even gave them a bit of 'education' so they wouldn't be rude in front of the customers~"
Snap—!
"You bastard!!!!!!!!"
Gros looked ready to pounce and tear him limb from limb, but at that moment, the walls at the back of the hollow slid open. Dozens of Ikelos Familia members emerged, leveling their weapons at the Xenos.
Rumble—!!!
"Well~ to be precise, it's not just 'me,' it's 'us'!"
Thud, thud—!
"Damn it....!"
"I wonder how long you can fight while dragging that precious baggage of yours?"
Lyd, Gros, and Ray immediately realized they were in an overwhelmingly disadvantageous position.
"Falling for such a foolish trap... I suppose you're just monsters after all."
Grit—!
"Shut your mouth."
"Hmm?"
Even in this state, a fierce resolve burned in the eyes of the Xenos. They gripped their weapons, radiating a cold fury toward Dix and the indomitable spirit of warriors.
"We came here as people to save our family."
Tighten—!
"As warriors, and as people! We came to take our revenge on you!"
".....And? What of it?"
"No matter what scum like you say, we affirm who we are, you piece of trash."
Dix fell silent for a moment at Lyd's words.
Was it because the words struck a chord with his own sense of being trapped by his lineage? Or was it because he felt the monsters before him possessed a conviction no different from his own?
"....."
Grit—!
'These monster runts...!'
Just as he was about to order his subordinates to slaughter the Xenos in his rage—
Dash—!!
"Lyd-san!!!!!!!"
Bell, Fels, Ardee, and Ranye, who had also entered Knossos, arrived at the scene.
"Heh! More pests have crawled in. Or perhaps this is better?"
'Since they've brought the rest of the monsters with them...'
Dix scanned the strength of Bell's party as they rushed into the hollow. Fels was the first to speak.
"[Hazer] Dix Perdix. Are you the mastermind behind this incident?"
"And you? Are you a Mage? I'm curious what kind of relationship you and [Little Rookie] have with those monsters! Hey!"
'Judging by the Guild's official notice, he must be a Mage connected to Ouranos. He'll be useful if I capture him!'
Fels and Dix exchanged words, sharply analyzing each other to extract even a shred of information.
'It is certain he is involved with Evilus, yet to cause such an incident...'
"This man-made labyrinth was built by that Daedalus. Why are you occupying such a place?"
Grin—!
"Why? Because it's something I inherited from my ancestor. There shouldn't be a problem with how I, his descendant, choose to use it."
As Dix flashed a savage smile and revealed himself to be a descendant of Daedalus, Ardee, who had come with Bell, looked at him in shock.
"A descendant!?"
"Of that Daedalus...!"
"I expected as much from [Little Rookie], but even [Valsa] didn't know?"
Grip—!
"Fine. I'll show you."
Amused by their reaction, Dix reached up and pushed his goggles onto his forehead, as if to prove his point beyond a doubt.
"The proof... that the blood of Daedalus flows in these veins!"
Gleam—!
"""!!"""
Dix began to spew hatred for his lineage and his ancestor, his voice thick with resentment.
"A human who inherits the blood of that cursed ancestor is destined to be born with these eyes!"
"It is a blood curse!"
"The labyrinth only responds to these eyes, and only a descendant can continue the work! It's disgusting!!!"
Tighten—!!!
Daedalus—a member of Ouranos's few Familia and a master craftsman acknowledged even by the Gods.
He was praised by all for his skill, having built Babel itself. A true peerless genius.
"But even that genius completely lost his mind when he saw the massive masterpiece beneath his feet!"
The subterranean labyrinth, [The Dungeon].
In his eyes, that vast space—that entire other world—was too beautiful. It was a masterpiece he desperately wanted to surpass.
"The man crumbled! He broke! He was possessed!!"
"....Is that why he, once called a master, grew increasingly strange and eventually vanished, labeled an 'eccentric'?"
"Yes! All to create a work that surpasses the Dungeon with his own hands!!!"
Thump—!!
"That masterpiece is this man-made labyrinth, Knossos!"
Bell and Ardee listened in mounting shock. They felt awe toward Knossos, but they also sensed there was more to the story, given the madness in Dix's eyes and the hatred in his voice.
"Though it remains an unfinished work."
""!!""
The human limit known as a lifespan. Daedalus could not overcome it, but his madness and will transcended time.
Boom—!!!!!!!!
"These wretched eyes, the blueprints, and the journals!!!"
'All those disgusting shackles gathered together...!'
"For a thousand years, the lineage of Daedalus has built this labyrinth for eternity!"
"And yet!!!!"
Grip—!!
"They only managed to reach the middle floors of the Dungeon!!!"
This was the truth behind the incident in Melen, the sponsorship of the Ishtar Familia, and various other events. Building a man-made labyrinth required astronomical amounts of money and labor. The creator, collaborating with Evilus, must have earned funds through the sale of monsters and smuggling, while devoting himself solely to construction.
"All just to complete this thing!!!!!!!!!"
Dix screamed like a madman, his voice saturated with fury and hatred.
"So capturing and selling the Xenos was also a means to secure funding?"
"Well, it started out that way~"
Enraged by Dix's meaningful smirk as he answered Fels, Gros roared loudly.
"Enough chatter!"
Thump—!!
"The fact remains that you humiliated and murdered our kin!!!!"
"Everyone, charge!!!!"
Rumble—!!!!!!!!
At the cry of Gros and Lyd, all the Xenos began to charge toward the Ikelos Familia.
"Let!"
'Even with Bell Cranel and [Valsa] here, we are still at a disadvantage!'
Grip—!
"Use that to open the door!"
"Got it!"
Dash—!!!
As the battle erupted, Fels immediately tossed the Eye of Daedalus to Let, securing an escape route in case the worst should happen.
"In a situation like this, there's no reason to hold back or save it."
Step—!
"Shall I use it now?"
Dix, however, laughed as if he welcomed the charging, enraged Xenos. He raised a finger toward them.
"....!!"
Whoosh—!
"Get behind me!!!"
""!!""
Sensing the threat, Fels immediately pulled Bell and Ardee behind him, shielding them along with the wounded Xenos.
Soon, an incantation flowed from Dix's lips, revealing the nature of the threat.
"[Wander, endless illusion.]"
Sss—!!
"[Phobetor Daedalus]."
Whirrr—!!!!!!!!!!!
A dark red light erupted from his fingertips, engulfing the charging group led by Lyd.
".....Khhh!!!!!!"
Boom—!!!!!!!!!
"Aaaagh!!!!!!!!"
Thwack—!!!!!!!!
The light faded from the eyes of Lyd and the others, and a scene of utter chaos unfolded as they began to attack one another.
"What is that...!"
"Frenzy magic!?"
'To have such a wide range with such a short incantation!'
Because Fels's robe was a high-grade item designed to block status ailments and curses, Bell, Ardee, and the wounded Xenos behind him were not targeted by [Phobetor Daedalus].
"It didn't work? Well, no matter....."
Grin—!
"Be torn to pieces by your own kind!"