Looking Forward to Another World Chapter 739: Will It Really be That Easy?

"BASTARD!"

Within the hall where the stone-made pedestal was situated, Barca watched with eyes beginning to turn bloodshot as Riezel relentlessly pulverized the terrain, forcing his way deeper into Knossos.

"STOP IT! STOP RIGHT NOW! YOU CAN’T DO THIS! YOU REALLY CAN’T!"

He clutched his hair and shrieked hysterically at the water screen before him, as if his words could halt Riezel’s advance. By the time his desperate cries ceased, tears were freely streaming down his face.

It was evident just how much destruction Riezel was causing within Knossos to elicit such profound anguish from the descendant of Daedalus.

Not only Barca, but even Ishtar’s expression had turned grim.

"If he continues like this, that formidable warrior won't head directly here, will he?"

Standing nearby, Kali tilted her head, her tone suggesting an indifference to the unfolding events, yet this was precisely Ishtar's concern.

Ishtar herself wasn't certain of the true number of floors within Knossos, but she was acutely aware of her current location.

The pedestal, responsible for controlling Knossos's various mechanisms, was housed in a chamber deep within the labyrinth. This particular area served as the stronghold for the Evilus remnants and was known as the Master Hall.

The floor housing this hall was the 9th Floor of Knossos. Currently, Riezel had already breached the 3rd Floor by devastating the labyrinth's structure. If his destructive path remained unchecked, it was only a matter of time before he reached the 9th Floor, the location of the Master Hall.

"What a terrifying individual."

Ishtar could only let out a sigh, forcing herself to remain composed.

"Is that so? I find him rather appealing, actually?"

Kali offered a starkly contrasting opinion, her voice unhurried and relaxed, as if the threat of an enemy breach was of no concern to her.

"Hahh..."

Finally, Thanatos, who had been silent until this point, released a sigh before speaking.

"It appears I must personally confront this so-called Liberator."

As Thanatos stood, his words immediately captured the attention of both Ishtar and Kali.

"You intend to meet that little monster?"

Ishtar exclaimed in surprise.

"Heh, that requires considerable courage."

Kali added, her interest piqued.

"What else can be done? I cannot simply allow him to continue his unchecked descent."

Thanatos responded with a sigh, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness.

"Should he reach this hall, our grip on Knossos could falter, potentially enabling the Loki Familia, already cornered like caged birds, to break free."

"Of course, if that were the sole consequence, it wouldn't be overly problematic."

"However, if that little monster persists and breaches the 10th Floor, matters will become genuinely troublesome."

At Thanatos’s statement, Ishtar and Kali exchanged a look.

"Hearing you say that, does it imply there is something on the 10th Floor that must absolutely remain undiscovered?"

Kali's curiosity intensified.

"What else are you concealing down there?"

Ishtar inquired directly, without preamble.

Yet, Thanatos simply smiled and shook his head.

"Apologies, that detail is considered proprietary information, and I cannot reveal it so freely," Thanatos stated with a lighthearted smile. "Only if the two of you are prepared to deepen your collaboration with us—or better yet, join our ranks outright—would I be willing to disclose it."

Upon hearing this proposition, the two goddesses present rejected it without a moment's hesitation.

"While your endeavors do appear quite intriguing, unfortunately, they do not align with my personal tastes."

As Kali spoke, the curiosity in her voice dissipated instantly.

She was a Goddess of War, presiding over bloodshed and carnage, and her descent to the mortal realm was motivated by a desire to revel in a spectacle of violence. This objective, at first glance, seemed perfectly compatible with Evilus's goals. However, Evilus's clandestine methods were fundamentally at odds with her preferences.

Kali's greatest enjoyment came from environments akin to Telskyura—standing upon a grand stage before throngs of spectators, reveling in their acclamations and excitement as valiant warriors engaged in brutal combat.

Evilus, conversely, engaged in schemes to incite chaos through methods such as binding Kaenseki for mass self-destruction. While undeniably bloody, it lacked the visceral element of direct combat.

In Kali's view, warriors who did not fight with their full might, who did not roar in fury, who did not exchange powerful blows or launch fierce attacks, but instead chose suicide, causing potential combatants to perish instantly, were a complete waste.

Consequently, she harbored absolutely no intention of aligning herself with Evilus.

Had Ishtar not conveyed the information that the two girls she had previously spared were about to make an appearance, this protagonist would not have bothered to come at all.

As for Ishtar herself, her directness was even more pronounced.

"Do you genuinely presume I would choose to languish in some sunless, fetid sewer like yourself?"

These words were spoken by Ishtar with an utter lack of restraint, the insult thinly veiled.

Who was she, after all?

She was a goddess who held dominion over beauty itself. The very reason she harbored envy for Freya stemmed from Freya's overwhelming magnetism, which perpetually drew the spotlight, positioning her at the epicenter of public attention, her allure eclipsing Ishtar's own.

In essence, Ishtar was of the conviction that, as the Goddess of Beauty, her rightful place was beneath the unblinking gaze of admirers and bathed in the glare of the spotlight. She envisioned herself as a resplendent serpent queen, freely unfurling her charm for the entire world to witness.

An individual like her would never willingly debase herself by becoming an outcast, reviled by all, akin to the members of Evilus, despite the fact that her recent actions had begun to mirror Evilus's own methods.

Thanatos was acutely aware of this reality.

"Ah, what a genuine pity," he mused.

His words conveyed a sense of sincere commiseration, yet the smile gracing his lips remained unshakeable.

"Regardless, I am about to go and meet that child. Kindly wish me a measure of good fortune."

With that, Thanatos turned, preparing to depart from the Master Hall. However, at that precise juncture, Ishtar's voice suddenly halted him.

"Wait. I shall accompany you."

Upon hearing this declaration, Thanatos froze mid-stride.

"You intend to join me as well?"

Kali arched a delicate eyebrow as she turned her gaze upon Ishtar.

"Indeed," Ishtar responded, a captivatingly beautiful smile gracing her features. "Upon further reflection, a male who could ascend from the ranks of a mere neophyte to a position of even greater astounding power than that vixen's paramour in a mere handful of months—should I succeed in claiming him as my own, he would undoubtedly prove to be a far more dependable ally than that King."

If she could successfully win Riezel's favor, what cause would there be for apprehension when confronting the King?

In Ishtar's estimation, Riezel represented a far more formidable threat than the King himself.

Consequently, her heart was stirred, and she found herself irrevocably drawn to this young man who had garnered the acknowledgment of numerous deities and was publicly recognized for his perpetual transcendence of his own limitations.

"With him by my side, even without resorting to any of my usual contrivances, I could utterly subjugate that vixen's familia beneath my heel—let alone the fact that I still possess Haruhime."

"If Haruhime's potent magic were to be applied to this burgeoning prodigy, just how formidable would he truly become?"

"Standing before such an evolved version of him, what conceivable standing would the Freya Familia even possess?"

As these potent thoughts swirled within her mind, Ishtar's heart inevitably began to burn with a fierce intensity.

"Hmm, so be it," Kali declared, her expression suggesting she saw through Ishtar's strategizing. A sudden smile also played upon her lips. "In that event, I too shall venture forth to meet this prodigious warrior."

Ishtar immediately retaliated with a sharp glare directed at Kali.

"No need to glare at me so fiercely," Kali demurred, casually waving a hand. "I was merely contemplating that if such a potent warrior's bloodline were to be propagated within my Telskyura, it would undoubtedly give rise to an innumerable host of formidable warriors. Ishtar, should your endeavors to claim him prove successful, then permit Argana and Bache from my lineage to share a night with him. My sole desire is for them to bear progeny from that warrior. As for the man himself, I have no intention of bringing him back to Telskyura."

Kali's proposal had the discernible effect of softening Ishtar's demeanor.

Ishtar did not issue an outright rejection.

After all, in addition to her status as the Goddess of Beauty, she also presided as the de facto matriarch of the Entertainment District, the very goddess overseeing a familia whose operations were intrinsically linked to the red-light district.

Matters pertaining to carnal relations were not subjects she shied away from; quite the contrary, she viewed them as an integral facet of both human and divine nature.

It is worth noting that within the hallowed halls of the Ishtar Familia, she maintained her own coterie of male consorts, who similarly plied their trade within the Entertainment District, catering to the more adventurous desires of certain discerning women.

Consequently, Ishtar offered Kali but a single stipulation.

"You or your offspring are welcome to share a night with him if you so desire, but you must cede the precedence to me."

This was an entirely natural assertion.

Such a profoundly powerful male—undoubtedly, the privilege of being the first to partake in his affections rightfully belonged to herself.

"Very well, the arrangement is settled," Kali affirmed, before subtly altering her tone. "Provided, of course, that you can actually succeed in capturing the attention of that warrior."

"Heh..." Ishtar immediately responded with a dismissive scoff. "Do you even possess an inkling of who I truly am?"

It bears mentioning that the very reason for her appellation as the Goddess of Beauty was attributable to her possession of a formidable armament known as

Just as a Goddess of Smithing's mastery of forging techniques, a God of War's prowess in combat, or a God of Wine's expertise in brewing could far surpass that of mortals even when divine power was restrained, so too did the inherent beauty of a Goddess of Beauty manifest as an enchantment that had already ascended to the divine realm.

Once this potent charm was unleashed, not only would mortals of the Lower World fall prey to its spell, but even gods themselves would be utterly mesmerized, ensnared in a state of ceaseless infatuation and rendered completely subservient to her every command.

Needless to say, this represented the most captivating and, simultaneously, the most feared ability possessed by a Goddess of Beauty.This particular charm had been employed by Ishtar on numerous occasions before, successfully subjugating others and molding them into devoted followers who existed merely to satisfy her whims. A significant number within her Familia had direct experience with this, a fact that led many to harbor a secret apprehension towards their volatile goddess. Ishtar had never once entertained the notion that any individual could possibly withstand her charm or remain unaffected by her potent allure; therefore, in her estimation, the conclusion was a foregone certainty. Perhaps the sole potential complication might involve incurring the displeasure of the Loki Familia. But what consequence would that truly hold? "Once I secure that child, it's only a matter of time before both the Freya Familia and the Loki Familia will be prostrate at my feet." Showcasing her long, alluring legs, Ishtar took the initiative, gracefully exiting the Master Hall. Kali, with a subtle smile, followed her lead, maintaining a quiet demeanor. Thanatos, however, narrowed his gaze slightly, a low murmur escaping his lips. "Will it truly be that simple?" Had Ishtar already lost sight of the fundamental reason the Lower World held such fascination for the gods – its inherent quality of being brimming with the unpredictable? ***