Chapter 81: Knossos

"The sun rises." Someone spoke into Tione's earpiece.

"And the shadow looms." Tione replied and they went silent for a second.

"Tione-sama, what requires the deployment of ANBU?" Let, the level 5 goblin who was the ANBU commander asked.

"We just got some clues about the Ikelos familia. They were hunting down a vouivre. They definitely should know that she's a xenos." Tione squinted her eyes.

Let's eyes widened for a quick second. But he immediately did hand signs and the other members of the ANBU appeared immediately.

"We have a mission, spare no men. I want all ANBU squads on the field. Call back everyone who's currently in a mission." Let ordered coldly.

The Ikelos familia has wronged their brethren and sisters. They will be hunted down, just like how they hunted, sold, and assaulted their kin.

"We met up with them in the great tree labyrinth, they should be still trying to find her. Godspeed, commander." Tione informed him as she ended the call.

Let smirked as he remembered all the stories of the captured and sold xenos that experienced hell as playthings and slaves for rich bastards.

"Perform a perimeter from the 19th floor to the waterfall basin. Box them in, no mercy for the wicked." Let gave his final order and the squads disappeared.

"Lars-sama, we have sightings of the Ikelos familia." Let informed him and Lars smirked.

"Don't kill them, observe. We should know where they're hiding. Ants will always lead to their burrow. Then, we'll pour in molten metal in it." Lars scowled as he tore apart a Valgang dragon.

"Yes sir, we will wait for your return from your deep dive." Let bowed even though he wasn't there and they began tracking the Ikelos familia like bloodhounds.

__Lars__

He cracked his neck as he took care of the valgang dragons that hit him a couple of times with their breath attacks.

"Good thing my shorts is fireproof." Lars patted down his shorts and he ate the last magic stone he got his hands on.

The dragon's vase always did give a lot of material. With them grouping up at the 58th floor.

"Now, let's see if I'll find anything in the next floor." Lars looked at the entrance to the 59th floor.

He descended lower, the place was still a jungle. "Now, where are those plant bastards?" Lars climbed a pretty large tree to get a bird's eye view.

"They've done well to hide... This floor is much larger than Orario. I need the ANBU and MON to investigate this floor." Lars rubbed his chin.

He can't feel anything astray. The jungle was scrambling his mana sense. The vegetation was emitting some traces of mana.

Which was natural, as they weren't exactly made by the dungeon. If Alfia's information about the 59th floor to the 70th is correct.

So he made his way to the entrance to the 60th floor and what greeted him was a winter wonderland.

Even he shuddered at the biting cold. "Fuck, it's freezing here..." Lars soldiered on.

"Tch, remember the teachings. No matter how cold it gets, I can't turn on the heating. And no matter how hot it gets, I can't use the AC." Lars did a guts pose.

"This place might be good to get some cold resistance. Gods know I already have a lot of heat resistance." Lars shuddered at the cold.

He shivered consciously so he would feel colder, trekking the snow and permafrost towards the next floor.

And arriving at the 61st one. He was immediately met up with yetis, ice golems, and white furred wolves called cocytus wolves.

Lars grinned at the amount of their mana. They were easily level 6.

"Turn into exp you bastards!" Lars charged at them as he started to brawl with them.

__Upper floors__

"Shit, we lost the thing. Damnit!" Gran stomped on the ground as they lost their target.

A vouivre would definitely sell for a lot in the market. It was of the humanoid type and it also looked like a little girl.

And as everybody knows, nobles love little boys and girls. Especially something as exotic as a vouivre.

"That was an easy buck, we could've gotten tons of money for that." Gran clicked his tongue.

"Don't you think that the lightning empress was being too defensive?" One of his mooks asked.

Gran then remembered their little encounter with the 1st class adventurers of the Demeter familia.

"You're right... We need to report this to Dix." Gran and his team looked around before pushing on a piece of stone.

The wall in front of them moved to the side and they entered it.

Not noticing the little piece of rock that started to follow them.

"I've got eyes on the prize." One of the members of ANBU had a screen on their hands, manipulating the magic tool they had.

It was a disguised camera with wheels on it. And it is one of the most expensive things that Monstro has.

The thing was enchanted to the maximum. It does not make any noise, adapts to the temperature of the surroundings, and can even become invisible.

Lars got the idea from the special forces of earth. And the ANBU definitely appreciated it.

As they can have eyes on something without being there personally. Especially on the case right now.

They can't afford to be seen. And the mechanisms of the wall being activated would definitely alert them if an operator wants to get out.

The disguised camera filmed everything and the ANBU were surprised by what they saw.

Right in front of the cunts was a solid orichalum door.

That means that even their commander can't even hope to breach it.

Without any explosives that is. "Are you seeing this? It seems that we have found the jackpot."

They quickly disappeared and reports were made to Monstro immediately.

Airmid was the supreme commander in case Lars was absent. And when she saw the ANBU arrive in front of her, she knew that things were serious.

"Report." Airmid said immediately. "We have found the base of the Ikelos familia, it is on the upper floors.

It seems that it's another place in the dungeon, a man-made one. The gates to enter is made of pure orichalum." They kneeled while making their report.

"I see..." Airmid rubbed her chin as she thought of what Lars would do.

"Now that we know that their base of operations is on the upper floor. Then it's logical to assume that it is connected to the surface." Airmid nodded at her hypothesis.

"The only place that the Hermes familia hasn't searched for is Daedalus street. It's too large and complicated for them." Airmid frowned.

She thought of how they'll make a search there. Airmid then looked at the ANBU squadron.

They were humanoid xenos for a reason. With their uniform and masks, they can pass for a human.

"ANBU, inform the regiment that you will be going to the surface. Search every nook and cranny of Daedalus street at night, failure is not an option." Airmid squinted her eyes.

"Yes, supreme commander." They disappeared and Airmid sighed.

"What the hell is Lars teaching those guys? They're like ninjas or something." Airmid heard some stories from Kaguya that the ANBU were like ninjas from the far east.

She snapped her fingers and another operator appeared behind her.

"Call for the executives, we'll be hunting down some rats." Airmid said coldly.

Lars made her into the officer in charge for a reason. Beneath her empathy and altruism as a healer, she was a cold, calculating, and apathetic person.

She can dissociate like a professional assassin that's jaded about all the missions they've had.

__Monstro__

The 1st class adventurers gathered and Airmid nodded at their swiftness.

"We have clues about the Ikelos familia. They're hiding in a man-made fortress inside of the dungeon." Airmid revealed and they raised a brow.

"Do we storm them?" Alfia cracked her knuckles.

"No, we don't know what will happen if you collapse the place." Airmid rolled her eyes at Alfia.

She might be their ultimate deterrence, but god was she a handful. Without Lars to reel her in, Alfia would always be on a hair-trigger.

The woman definitely had problems. "Tch, it would be easy. Tell Fels to bar entrance to the dungeon and I'll blow it to kingdom come." Alfia growled.

The Ikelos familia were a thorn on Lars' side. Her beloved was stressing over them. And she doesn't react kindly to any stimulus against Lars.

"Calm down big sis, you'll create more problems for Lars if you cause chaos." Tione rolled her eyes.

And with that, she went quiet. But that doesn't mean she had to like it.

"Tch, I will refrain." Alfia clicked her tongue as she closed her eyes and whispered Ataraxia. In her own bubble as she used silentium eden.

"What do we do then, Airmid?" Tiona squinted her eyes.

She might be happy go lucky, but enemies were enemies. And as an amazoness, they always repay their debts with blood.

"I've had the ANBU check Orario to see where the exits are." Airmid gave them the written reports and they read it.

"So we wait?" Tione gritted her teeth. Those who have wronged her husband must die.

"We must. This will turn into a chaotic mess if we try to purge them and they escape." Airmid glared at empty air.

They agreed, nodding at Airmid's decision. Lars would definitely want to box them in like the rats they are.

"Their time is near, we can wait for a few more months as we map every escape route they have." Airmid adjourned the meeting and they grinded their axe for their necks.

__Orario__

One Bell Cranel was waiting for his resumes to be reviewed by the familias. But he wasn't getting lucky.

And he glared at the stall right in front of theirs.

The big-boobed woman also glared at them and they stared at each other.

Their rivalries was burning as hot as ever. "I'll sell more than you today! Mark my words!" Bell fried the potato puffs furiously.

"Heh, with you and what experience? I'll have you know! That I am the queen of jagamarkuns!" Hestia gritted her teeth as she packed the hash browns with practiced ease.

The goddess of all things fried and potatoey didn't receive her moniker for nothing. And with Lars cheering her on, she worked harder than ever.

"Tch! People just flock to you because of your boobs!" Bell pointed at her accusingly.

"W-wha!? How dare you! I'm a celestial virgin!" Hestia was flabbergasted at his rudeness.

"You keep on wearing those things you call clothes! And you seduce everyone with your feet!" Bell countered.

"Gah! W-well. This is my casual clothes... And I can't buy good ones yet. But! That's the privilege of being a beautiful woman." Hestia had a smug look on her face.

Bell cursed the unfairness of the world. "Wait, did you say you were a goddess?" He blinked.

"Umu, bow down to the goddess of the hearth and family, ohoho!~" Hestia laughed like an ojou-sama.

Bell went up to her and Hestia raised a brow at his actions.

"Ummm, can I join your familia, goddess?" Bell scratched his head sheepishly.

Hestia was shocked, but as a goddess that is on par with Ouranos. She could see Bell's soul.

Not on the level of Freya who has developed it exclusively for her little hobby.

But Hestia could still see wisps of his soul when she focused on him.

And what she saw was a pure, white, soul. A beautiful and clear soul like pure, driven snow.

"You want to be my child?" Hestia asked in confusion.

"Well... I can't just sell jagamarkuns forever. I have a dream and people to reach." Bell smiled and Hestia could feel his sincerity.

"My first child... Ha! Take that Lars! I finally have my first familia member!" Hestia bounced around and other things also bounced.

Bell blushed at the sight and he coughed. "So, lady Hestia? Would you accept me?" Bell smiled as he thought of getting into a familia.

"Sure, but that means my reign as the supreme ruler of jagamarkuns is unchallenged." Hestia smirked at him.

"Geh! F-fine..." Bell shook her hand and Hestia smiled at him fondly.

"Welcome to my familia, Bell Cranel. I am the goddess of the hearth and family. Pleased to have you." Hestia welcomed him.

"Un! Thanks, goddess!" Bell got excited as he could now receive access to the dungeon.

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Thanks for reading everyone, ciao.