Looking Forward to Another World Chapter 749: Gate of Heaven

"Kali Familia."

Ais, her gaze previously cast downwards, lifted her head.

"It was those two amazonesses from Telskyura."

After parting ways with Tiona and Tione, Ais had clearly observed—the two amazonesses representing Telskyura had retreated into the very same passage that Tiona and Tione had used.

This meant that the two pairs of amazoness sisters had ultimately crossed paths again, and it was highly probable that another conflict had erupted. If Tiona and Tione had been forcibly taken, even spirited out of Orario, then the two amazonesses were the most likely culprits.

Under typical circumstances, Orario permitted entry but not departure, especially for its adventurers. To prevent a depletion of Orario’s fighting strength, the Guild enforced stringent limitations on the movements of high-ranking adventurers and the gods of major familias, meticulously scrutinizing anyone entering the city.

Considering that the Kali Familia stood as one of the powers external to Orario, their entry into the city would ninety percent surely have triggered a thorough Guild investigation, and the major familias within Orario would have been instantly apprised of their arrival, rendering such an event impossible to conceal.

Yet, on this occasion, the Kali Familia had infiltrated Orario undetected, proceeding directly to the Man-Made Dungeon known as Knossos, situated beneath Daedalus Street.

What did this signify?

It implied that within the Man-Made Dungeon—or perhaps in the possession of Evilus’s remnants—existed one or more secret conduits leading out of Orario. It was through these passages that the Kali Familia had entered the Man-Made Dungeon and subsequently arrived beneath Orario.

With Tiona and Tione now vanished without a trace, it was exceedingly likely they had been removed from Orario, venturing beyond the reach of Riezel’s magic detection capabilities.

Upon careful consideration, it appeared that only the Kali Familia could have orchestrated such a feat, possessing both the requisite strength and the necessary means, leading to Tiona and Tione’s disappearance.

"So, those two idiots lost to their old rivals from their homeland, eh?" Bete grumbled. "Hmph, how pathetic."

"Mind your tongue, Bete."

Riveria interjected, her brow furrowing further.

"Telskyura is a nation. Unlike the various foreign powers outside Orario, which generally possess lower Levels, their country harbors individuals whose strength and Level are on par with First-Class Adventurers."

"The two amazonesses from Telskyura who clashed with Tiona and Tione would undoubtedly be figures of such caliber."

"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, those two would be Argana Kalif and Bache Kalif, Telskyura’s two most formidable amazonesses, who attained Level 6 two years prior. Compared to Tiona and Tione, having only recently reached Level 6, their power would surely be greater, not lesser."

In essence, if Tiona and Tione had succumbed to them, it would have been entirely plausible.

Naturally, whether the two had indeed lost remained a subject open to debate.

At the very least, Riezel held no belief that, under the enhancement provided by his abilities and , Tiona and Tione would be defeated by those two.

In the original narrative, Tiona and Tione had engaged in a ritualistic bout with Argana and Bache, resulting in one victory and one defeat.

Tiona had emerged triumphant over Bache, albeit at a significant cost.

Tione, unable to best Argana, was ultimately rescued by Finn, yet she still managed to inflict severe injuries upon Argana.

Even though they had achieved Level 6 two years after Argana and Bache, and their fundamental attributes likely couldn't rival those who had trained for an additional two years, the outcome of any battle wasn't solely dictated by base stats; development abilities, magic, and skills also played crucial roles.

Regarding development abilities, there was practically no discernible difference between the two factions, as neither side possessed a combat-oriented development ability potent enough to decisively sway the battle.

In terms of magic, Argana and Bache held a distinct edge, with both of them wielding magical capabilities. Conversely, Tiona possessed no magic whatsoever, while Tione’s magic was limited to a binding type, and she lacked proficiency in its use, hence rarely employing it.

However, when it came to skills, Tiona and Tione held a considerable advantage.

Tiona was endowed with two skills— and .

was a skill that augmented her offensive power in direct proportion to the severity of her injuries.

was a skill that elevated all her fundamental attributes when she teetered on the brink of death.

Tione, too, was equipped with two skills— and .

, in contrast to Tiona’s , was a skill that not only amplified her attack strength based on the extent of her wounds but also intensified with her rising anger.

was a skill that boosted her when she faced imminent demise.

It goes without saying that the existence of these abilities granted the two sisters the capacity to unleash a desperate counteroffensive when cornered or on the verge of defeat.

Even when confronted by foes surpassing their own strength, they might initially find themselves at a disadvantage. However, as the battle wore on, once they sustained injuries or neared the precipice of death, their power would surge dramatically, ultimately overwhelming their adversaries and enabling them to strike back.

One could assert that their skills were specifically designed to enable them to vanquish their enemies while in a disadvantaged state. Should Argana and Bache have mistakenly believed they held complete dominion over the sisters, the consequences would have been dire indeed.

However...

’Could it be that, due to the protection afforded by and , Tiona and Tione managed to evade severe harm or the brink of death, but this inadvertently led to their defeat against Argana and Bache?’

Riezel’s mind suddenly entertained this perplexing possibility.

A significant portion of Tiona and Tione’s skills were contingent upon entering a disadvantageous situation and enduring grievous wounds. Consequently, without incurring injuries or approaching mortal peril, they would forfeit the crucial opportunity for a retaliatory strike.

Although the potent enhancement to derived from also bestowed upon them astonishing speed, the inherent tendencies of Tiona and Tione’s abilities clearly indicated that agility was not their primary specialization.

Furthermore, their close-quarters combat training had originated from Argana and Bache themselves, rendering their fighting techniques demonstrably inferior to those of their mentors. If they lost the capacity for a counterkill, it was entirely plausible that their opponents could seize the initiative, leading to their defeat and a loss to Argana and Bache.

’...If that is truly the scenario, then it implies that I am the one who inflicted harm upon them.’

A wry smile touched Riezel’s lips.

’Fortunately, at this present moment, both of them are safe, which brings a measure of relief.’

It appeared that Finn shared Riezel’s line of thinking.

"Telskyura’s rituals are exceptionally brutal. Typically, only a single individual emerges victorious. Yet, Tiona and Tione survived and were subsequently taken, which signifies the enemy’s intent to keep them alive," Finn deduced. "Most likely, they recognized that their goddess had fallen into our possession, prompting them to abduct Tiona and Tione."

The individuals who responded to this assertion were Raul and Anakitty.

"So, you are suggesting that the enemy’s objective is..."

"A hostage exchange?"

Raul and Anakitty voiced these inquiries in quick succession.

"Precisely," Finn affirmed with conviction. "Their aim is to secure the release of their goddess. To achieve this, they kidnapped Tiona and Tione."

"If that is the case, then we must compel Loki to retrieve Goddess Kali from the Guild," Gareth stated plainly. "That goddess holds little significance to us, but those two young ones? We absolutely must bring them back."

"I shall dispatch an individual to notify Loki immediately," Riveria resolved without hesitation. "Should the Guild engage with Goddess Kali first, the situation could escalate into considerable trouble."

"Heh, the Guild dealing with her?" Bete emitted a sardonic chuckle. "You would be better advised to fret about whether Loki herself might neutralize that goddess before she even arrives."

An immediate silence enveloped the group.

Recalling the look Loki had cast upon Kali, her teeth clenched, a considerable number of individuals began to feel a cold sweat.

Now that Bete had voiced it, such a possibility seemed entirely feasible.

If that contemptible goddess were to truly embrace ruthlessness, it was not beyond reason that Kali might ultimately face deportation. When Loki still resided in Heaven, she had, after all, been a malevolent deity who instigated conflicts among various gods, leading to the cataclysm of Ragnarök.

Had she not descended to the Lower World, encountered those endearing children, and experienced the marvel of , which had somewhat tempered her disposition, it would not have been astonishing if she had been the founder of Evilus.

The act of slaying gods was a profound taboo within the Lower World, and even for other benevolent deities, it was not an undertaking to be approached lightly. However, for Loki, it would scarcely present a significant challenge.

Although, in Riezel’s estimation, that disreputable goddess had transitioned from being malevolent to being more of a comically inept deity.

"For the present, we shall address the matter of Tiona and Tione in this manner. Dispatch someone to inform Loki and ensure she brings Goddess Kali back. Following that, we will devise a strategy to contact the Kali Familia and engage in negotiations."

Finn swiftly finalized the plan.

"Next, we shall deliberate on the subject of the Man-Made Dungeon."

As he uttered these words, Finn directed his gaze toward Riezel.

Comprehending the unspoken cue, Riezel retrieved an item from the storage dimension within his Dimensional Magic Cube.

Accompanied by a tremor and a resonant thud upon the ground, a mural was extricated by Riezel and placed forcefully upon the floor, presented for all to behold.

"What!"

An unexpected scene startled Raul into a cry and made Anakitty’s tail bolt upright, while the others, caught completely off guard by the abrupt turn of events, were equally shocked.

Yet, their focus soon shifted to the imagery within the mural.

"What... is this?"

"A dragon and... women?"

A collective glance was exchanged among them.

Ais also directed her gaze toward the mural. As she observed the six girls enveloping a colossal dragon, a peculiar sensation stirred within her—or rather, the 'Qi' within her body signaled that these six women were likely beings akin to her own mother.

Naturally, this was the very mural Riezel had last glimpsed in the temple-like chamber inside the Man-Made Dungeon, Knossos.

He had retrieved it for a straightforward purpose.

The events about to unfold in Orario were intrinsically linked to the scene depicted in this mural.

"Firstly, the dragon in the mural is known as Nidhogg. It was an ancient catastrophe that escaped from the Dungeon long before the targets of the Three Great Quests even surfaced," Riezel explained, scanning everyone's faces.

"Similar to the current Behemoth, Leviathan, and the One-Eyed Black Dragon, it possessed the might to inflict devastation upon the Lower World and was recognized as a King of Monsters."

"Had it been allowed to persist, the Lower World might have succumbed to its influence even before the emergence of the Three Great Quests."

"It was a dragon comparable to the sole remaining King of Monsters today—the One-Eyed Black Dragon. According to ancient tales, it was vanquished in antiquity through the combined might of the six great spirits."

Upon hearing this, murmurs and exchanged looks rippled through the group.

"Six great spirits..."

Ais fixated on the six women depicted in the mural.

"Nidhogg?"

Bete, Gareth, Riveria, and the others knitted their brows.

"S-Such a fearsome monster once roamed?"

"How is it that we've never encountered tales of it?"

Raul and Anakitty voiced their shared bewilderment.

Riezel offered a concise clarification.

"Because its existence predates an era far too ancient. During that time, even heroes had yet to emerge, and humanity possessed virtually no means to combat monsters, existing merely as prey. Consequently, very few records have endured to the present age."

Tales of heroism, much like 'epic poems', served as both narratives and historical accounts. However, the ancient epoch inhabited by Nidhogg was so remote that heroes themselves were unborn, leaving scarce stories or documents behind.

In that hero-less age, Nidhogg undoubtedly represented the epitome of terror, wielding an overwhelming power capable of plunging the world into an abyss of despair—a power ancient humanity could simply not contend with.

Thus, the spirits, embodying the will of the gods, manifested and rose to confront and defeat Nidhogg.

"As for the six women immortalized in the mural, they were indeed the very first six great spirits to manifest upon the earth."

"They embraced the gods' decree and collaboratively orchestrated a grand ceremony. Sacrificing their own lives as the cost, they wove a ritual that involved positioning themselves around a monumental magic circle designed to annihilate the malevolent dragon."

"Ultimately, upon the activation of this grand ceremony, the colossal magic circle channeled the power of the Heavens, birthing a pillar of immense destruction. Its might approached that of Arcanum, utterly obliterating Nidhogg."

Riezel's gaze traversed each of their faces as he articulated every word with clarity.

"It is the great ceremony of the spirits—."

Back within the temple-like hall of Knossos, upon first beholding the mural, Riezel had promptly uttered the name of this profound ritual.

In the contemporary era, nearly no one retained knowledge of this grand ceremony's existence; only various deities preserved any recollection of it. This very reason explained Thanatos's astonishment when Riezel spoke the name 'Originator's Great Ceremony', as, in his perception, no one in the Lower World should have possessed awareness of the 'Originator's Great Ceremony' any longer.

Regrettably for him, Riezel was an exception.

Having knowledge of the original narrative, Riezel was naturally aware of the 'Originator's Great Ceremony's' existence.

He was even cognizant of the reason behind the mural depicting the 'Originator's Great Ceremony' appearing in that specific location.

"Firstly, I must inform everyone that during our search for Tiona and Tione, I ventured into the 10th Floor of the Man-Made Dungeon."

"Not only was there 'green flesh' present, but also intricate magical energy circuits that spanned the entire floor, coalescing into a vast circle and extending outwards in six distinct directions."

As Riezel calmly unveiled these details, a dawning realization seemed to spread among them, their eyes widening.

"I've learned that the Corrupted Spirit has dispersed six Jewel Fetuses, and with the assistance of Evilus, Enyo, and the Creatures, they have fully matured into six Demi-Spirits."

"Currently, these Demi-Spirits have erected a massive magic circle and have commenced their incantations."