Inner Voice: All Heroines Hear My Inner Voice Chapter 966: Game in the dungeon

Inside the Hermes Familia House, Asfi had reported back to her god regarding her prior conversation with Eiji. Naturally, she hadn't divulged every detail.

She conveyed that Eiji had consented to their request for assistance and even furnished them with crucial intelligence about the mastermind orchestrating the peculiar occurrences within the Dungeon.

Hermes, naturally, was taken aback.

"Enyo, you say? That's clearly an alias. And if he and the remnants of Evilus are concealed on Daedalus Street, then he must be one of the gods residing in that district! It's a shame Eiji seemed unwilling to reveal Enyo's true identity, but it's fortunate he shared such pivotal information with us."

"Hahaha! He even agreed to aid us because of you, Asfi. Well done! But... I will truly miss you once you transfer to the Seiya Familia! Asfi, do you genuinely wish to depart from me?"

After uttering these words with apparent cheerfulness, his expression abruptly shifted to one of misery.

However, Asfi's demeanor remained unchanged, her gaze fixed impassively upon her god.

Without a hint of hesitation, she replied, "Yes, becoming a member of the Seiya Familia appears to be a beneficial prospect for me. There are numerous advantages I am unwilling to forfeit."

"How heartless, Asfi!" Hermes staggered backward, clutching his chest dramatically, feigning pain at her declaration.

Asfi let out a sigh. "Cease your theatrics, Hermes-sama. After all, it was you who proposed my joining Eiji-sama and desired me to become a member of his familia. You essentially sold me out."

"Cough! Cough!" Hermes coughed, adjusting his hat. He offered an awkward smile. "I apologize, Asfi. But as you've noted, maintaining a favorable relationship with Eiji undoubtedly yields substantial benefits. For instance, in this situation, he has provided us with invaluable intel. And I suspect you are quite fond of Eiji, making your transfer to his familia less of a hardship, wouldn't you agree?"

"I... No, I genuinely do not mind joining Eiji-sama's familia," Asfi responded, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

Hermes' lips twitched.

In truth, he had harbored a hope that Asfi might exhibit some reluctance to leave his familia.

He suddenly found himself regretting his swift decision to let Asfi go and hand her over to Eiji. After all, with Asfi's departure to the Seiya Familia, his own familia would lose an invaluable captain!

Hermes scratched the back of his head. Beyond uncovering Enyo's true identity, and of course, informing Ouranos, he now had to consider scouting for new recruits to bolster his familia's numbers.

There was still ample time before the Hermes Familia and Seiya Familia members were set to convene for their dungeon expedition. In the interim, Eiji resolved to assess his rewards first.

[Ding! The system has detected that the host has altered the plot of "Danmachi".]

[You have successfully changed the plot by 36.6% by saving Artemis and dispelling her death flag. Furthermore, you have caused her to fall in love with you, regarding you as her Orion.]

Eiji casually glanced toward Artemis, who was tending to flowers in the backyard. As if sensing his gaze, she looked his way and huffed, her ears tinged with red.

Yare yare.

It was evident she was in love with him, yet she remained overly shy.

His attention returned to the system interface. A goddess like Artemis surely wouldn't bestow a meager reward, would she?

Come on, System, let me hit the jackpot!

[I have not yet concluded my announcement. Please wait a moment.]

Okay.

"....." Eiji.

[Not only that, but your cunning has reached new heights! You have manipulated heroines such as Ais, Lefiya, and Riveria into voluntarily joining your familia. It's not just Bell who has acquired numerous 'green hats'; Loki has too!]

Poor Loki.

She would have to learn to cope with that sensation moving forward.

[Due to your actions, Bell's destiny has significantly diverged, leading him down an unknown path. Not a single woman is destined for him.]

"It's alright; Bell still has Apollo. He won't remain single forever," Eiji remarked with a smile.

From his perspective, he had performed a commendable deed by preventing Bell from becoming entangled with numerous women as depicted in the original narrative.

In this new life, he need not involve himself with them, including Ais, and could instead concentrate on growing stronger while keeping Apollo in mind.

May you find happiness, Bell-kun.

Miss System: Are you even human? No, you are not.

Leme: Ahahaha!

[Ding! Congratulations to the host; you have acquired Gantz (Enhanced Version)]

"Gantz? I recall that... Wait, what exactly does it mean that I've obtained Gantz?"

Eiji was taken aback; compared to the rewards he had previously received, this was arguably the most peculiar one.

He shifted from his relaxed posture against the sofa, leaning forward to bring his face closer to the system interface to peruse its description.

Instantly, his eyes widened.

"This can hardly be called a jackpot, but Artemis...! You are my lucky goddess!" he exclaimed loudly, ensuring Artemis could hear him.

Artemis paused her flower-watering, glancing at Eiji with a bewildered expression.

It had been some time since the man had settled there, continuously observing her, which was making her feel somewhat flustered.

But now, he suddenly uttered such words. Her face flushed, and she questioned, "Eiji, what nonsensical things are you spouting?!"

"It's nothing significant, you just need to be aware that I truly cherish you."

"You, you… Cease uttering such things so carelessly!"

Artemis’ complexion rivaled Rias’ fiery hair. Eiji delighted in teasing her, and if you're curious about the magnitude of her reward this time…

Allow me to elaborate.

Gantz is a renowned manga and anime series, celebrated within the sci-fi, action, and horror thriller genres. Its narrative centers on individuals who have recently met their demise, only to be resurrected by an enigmatic black sphere known as "Gantz" to partake in a "game" involving the elimination of aliens on Earth.

The black orb possesses the extraordinary capacity to manipulate matter, enact teleportation, facilitate biological reconstruction, and even forge cutting-edge armaments as integral components of its game system.

In Eiji’s unique circumstance, due to acquiring an advanced iteration of Gantz via Miss System, he was empowered not only to compel deceased individuals into participating in his fabricated game but also to enlist living people as viable contestants!

As the proprietor of Gantz, Eiji wielded complete authority over every mission assigned to the participants, including the selection of adversarial targets.

Furthermore, the game’s canvas was not confined to Earth as depicted in the Gantz series but extended to encompass other realms he had previously traversed.

Nevertheless, this capability merely served Eiji’s amusement; it bestowed no enhancement to his personal cultivation or strength.

Despite this, he conceived a plan to leverage Gantz for his own enjoyment.

’Could I perhaps designate this world as a game arena? Then… I could utilize it to court the heroines while simultaneously reshaping the narrative.’

Eiji’s eyes gleamed with sudden inspiration.

For your understanding, the game orchestrated by Gantz was unequivocally real, not a simulation or digital construct.

Participants were fundamentally bound to adhere to the established game protocols, necessitating the defeat of adversaries for survival and the accumulation of points. These points held the potential for redemption, offering access to a variety of weaponry, useful items, and, most compellingly, the restoration of departed individuals to life.

The prospect of the latter undoubtedly captivated those who had experienced profound loss, motivating them to pursue points with unyielding determination.

[Host, your mind is currently brimming with depraved and licentious notions.]

’Miss System, when do you intend to honor your host’s need for privacy?’

[Never.]

This woman is utterly unreasonable! She’s a classic yandere, solely desiring constant insight into her beloved’s thoughts.

[I surmise you are merely self-absorbed, Host.]

Observing Eiji’s continued silent gaze, Artemis found herself pondering his thoughts.

Particularly when his eyes seemed to sparkle, and his smile held a rather unholy glint. Was he contemplating lewd acts and intentions towards her?

If such were the case…

Artemis remained uncertain of her capacity to refuse. However, to her simultaneous relief and disappointment, Eiji abruptly stood, announcing his imminent departure to the dungeon alongside his familia members.

"Must you accompany them as well? You are a deity, Eiji." She voiced her concern anxiously to the man now positioned directly before her.

Eiji boldly encircled Artemis’s graceful waist with his arms. "Have you forgotten my formidable strength? But just to be absolutely certain… why don’t you bestow upon me a lucky kiss?"

"What? K-Kiss? You wish for me to…"

Artemis faltered, but what ensued astonished Lante and the entirety of her familia who were surreptitiously observing. Under their watchful eyes, she rose onto her tiptoes.

Her lips, tender and warm, met Eiji’s!

Her maiden kiss, preserved meticulously for millennia, was irrevocably gone!

Eiji’s eyes widened slightly. The kiss, pure and brief, lasted merely five seconds. Before he could utter a word, Artemis swiftly released her hands from his waist and declared with palpable embarrassment, "Are you satisfied? You must be! I shall await your return, Eiji. At that juncture… you may do as your heart desires with me."

"Truly?" Eiji expressed a hint of surprise.

Blushing, Artemis affirmed with a nod. "Mhm."

Yet another of Heaven’s esteemed Virgin Goddesses had succumbed!

Eiji rubbed his nose, a grin spreading across his face. It appeared he needed to swiftly thwart Enyo/Dionysus’ scheme and subsequently unveil his true identity to all of Orario.

Following that, he intended to revel in Artemis’s company and fully explore the contours of her being.

[Hehehe. An excellent objective, our King. Give it your all!]

Leme’s laughter echoed as she lent her support to her monarch.

As for Miss System? She remained in silent contemplation.

…

Within a vast, somber, yet profoundly eerie temple hall, characterized by its isolated and ancient architectural style.

Flanking the hall’s perimeter stood colossal stone effigies, each brandishing distinct weaponry – swords, harps, and trumpets among them.

At the hall’s furthest extremity, a monumental statue of a seated deity occupied a grand throne, clad in ornate robes, and bearing a unsettlingly sadistic expression.

Anyone familiar with Solo Leveling would instantly recognize this locale. This was precisely because Eiji had meticulously replicated its Gantz waiting room, or lobby, in this very fashion!

However, let there be no misunderstanding: they remained, unequivocally, within Danmachi.

"Where is this place!?"

"Weren’t we on the first floor of the tower of Babel before, and waiting for the Seiya Familia members to arrive?"

"Why are we here now!?"

"This place gives me an unpleasant feeling."

"Especially that giant statue! Gosh, that’s creepy!"

"How do I get out of this place!?"

"Wait, that... isn’t that Eiji-sama!?"

One of the Harmes Familia members pointed at Eiji who was standing in the center of the altar. Beside him, they could also see a black sphere that was comparable in size to a human.

In addition to the Hermes Familia including Asfi, there were also members of the Seiya Familia among the crowd, and two elves who had put on their battle suits. One of them was Ryuu, and the last one, Filvis!

Just like the others, the two women were confused and wary as they were suddenly transported to an unfamiliar place.

Only Artoria, Scáthach, Morgan, and Medusa were not surprised because before this, they knew Eiji was planning to test his new toy.

"Eiji-sama, are you the one who moved us all here?" Asfi was smart enough to make such a guess.

Eiji smiled and nodded, "That’s right, I’m the one who brought you all here, although some of you were randomly selected to test the toy—Ahem, I mean, you see this black ball? This is an advanced technology that I’ve created, Gantz."

Hey, you were just about to say you wanted to test your new toy, right?

Asfi complained in her heart, but did not say what she was thinking.

She stared at the black ball called Gantz curiously. As a magic item maker, rather than the other people there, she had a great interest in such a thing.

Hearing what Eiji said, many people in the Hermes Familia exclaimed, and were relieved that they at least hadn’t been kidnapped by the enemy or anything like that.

Although it was true that Eiji had kidnapped them all. Knowing his identity, they didn’t dare to speak ill of him.

And since it was him, he wouldn’t do anything bad to them, right?

Ryuu raised one of her hands, since she was standing at the back of the crowd, she had to attract attention first. "Eiji-sama, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Ryuu... You were randomly transferred here, sorry about that." Eiji casually lied, his god-level acting skills had long been activated.

None of them doubted what he said.

"That’s fine... You said you wanted to test the technology you created, and you seem to need us to be your test subjects. Am I right?"

"Not only are you beautiful, you’re also quite smart, Ryuu."

Ryuu did not change her expression, but her ears twitched repeatedly. She was a little embarrassed though she did not show it clearly.

Asfi looked at Eiji flatly. This man... Could he not tease any beautiful woman casually?

Scáthach was amused.

"I wonder, do we have the option to refuse?" This time, the one who asked was Filvis. Just like Ryuu, she was an elf. But her hair was long black, her eyes were red and her figure could also be considered beautiful.

Before this, Eiji knew the woman was lurking around his familia’s house. Because of that, he had an idea and put her on the list of Gantz participants.

Dionysus must have sent her to get more information about his familia.

He would give that man what he wanted, but he had to be ready to pay the price.

Eiji certainly would not allow himself to be disadvantaged.

"Before I answer your question, could you introduce yourself? This is the first time I’m seeing you."

"Ah, sorry. My name is Filvis, captain of the Dionysus Familia, Eiji-sama." Filvis introduced herself politely enough, but her expression was colder than the other elf there, Ryuu.

Asfi frowned, this was also actually her first time seeing the captain of the Dionysus Familia.

"Filvis, to answer your question... I can only say no. You can’t refuse, but don’t worry–being my experimental subject certainly gives you many advantages, which you can’t get from other gods."

"Let me explain what Gantz’s abilities are to you all."

Eiji began to explain things about the Gantz, and the points they could get from killing enemies. Those points could be used for...

Except the Seiya Familia members—Asfi, Ryuu, Filvis, and the others were surprised.

"Really? Those points can be used to revive someone!? What if it’s more than one person?!" Ryuu asked excitedly. She remembered Eiji once saying he could bring dead people back to life in his inner voice.

She thought this was the ability he was referring to, and he offered it to her.

Although it wasn’t free and didn’t seem easy either, she didn’t mind giving it a try!

"To revive someone who is dead, you need 100 points. That is, depending on the number of people you want to revive, you only need to multiply that number of points."

"!!!" Ryuu.

Many of them were also amazed at Gantz’s ability.

Eiji reveled in their attention. He was also candid about the mortal peril their group faced, detailing the possibility of utter annihilation. However, he clarified that if only one member perished and the remainder successfully vanquished all adversaries, the fallen would be resurrected.

For the adventurers, flirting with death was an everyday occurrence, yet they found solace in the added reassurance Gantz provided.

Filvis was utterly astonished. She was certain that if Dionysus or any other deity learned of the technology Eiji had devised, they would covet it just as fiercely!

’Wait, could it also be used for self-resurrection?’

The thought struck Filvis, causing her to swallow hard. An impulse to betray her own god flickered within her.

Asfi pondered if this was Eiji's proposed method to restore Lidith.

She too could bring back some of her fellow Hermes Familia members who had recently fallen prey to Evilus's treachery!

Filled with excitement, she inquired, "Eiji-sama, I will gladly join this endeavor. However, what becomes of our mission?"

"Regarding that, we shall, of course, persevere. In fact, we can pursue it while simultaneously collecting every Jewel Fetus that the Evilus remnants have secreted away and eradicating them. Beyond the specific monsters within the dungeon, I shall designate the remaining Evilus forces as opponents worthy of earning you points."

Eiji lifted a single finger as he delivered this statement. With the colossal God statue looming behind him, he exuded an aura of majesty.

Ryuu's spirit ignited, and she no longer needed to search for a pretext to approach Eiji and demand the whereabouts of the Evilus remnants. She could now actively participate in hunting those scoundrels!

Amidst them all, only Filvis felt a growing unease.

Did this not imply she would be hunting her own comrades? Yet, she couldn't possibly refuse, could she!?