"I initially tried using magic to attack it, but my magic was directly repelled... That monster easily broke through our formation, and we could only flee together with that group of adventurers," Filvis's voice gradually sank lower, as if she was still recalling the feeling of helplessness at that time.
The movement speed of that mantis monster, although not particularly fast, also wasn't something that adventurers below Lv.3 could easily escape from. In the end, the monster still caught up with them.
"We fled in panic without choosing a path and ended up on the seventeenth floor, only to enter a room with only one entrance and exit... Then...", Filvis's voice paused. She didn't need to continue speaking, because what happened next was something that Emiya and the others had personally witnessed.
Emiya quietly listened to her narration and lightly sighed, "My condolences."
[White Witch], this was Filvis's title. The teams she participated in were repeatedly annihilated, yet she was the sole surviving elf.
Now, behind this title, another dim black star had been added.
After returning to the surface, Emiya and his companions hadn't walked far when they encountered an anxiously waiting figure at the exit of the Babel underground plaza, a male god, Dionysus.
The god of wine from Greek mythology, one of the Twelve Olympians.
This god's appearance was extremely handsome, with golden hair faintly shimmering under the sunlight, appearing noble and elegant.
Because of his handsome appearance and temperament, Dionysus was very famous in the city, adored by many young girls.
However, in sharp contrast to the well-known fame of the god himself, the Familia of Dionysus had not achieved any outstanding feats in the dungeon.
Although his Familia possessed one Lv.3 adventurer and several upper Lv.2 adventurers, forming a backbone strength of the city, Dionysus's Familia still appeared rather ordinary.
Aside from the bad reputation of the captain's [White Witch], they hadn't left a deep impression.
At this moment, Dionysus's handsome face was extremely pale. Seeing the god in this state at the dungeon's entrance, it was easy to associate it with the cause.
He had noticed the number of his blessings decreasing, which meant that among this god's Familia, someone had died in the dungeon.
"Lord Dionysus," Filvis walked forward softly. Despite her effort to remain calm, her voice carried a suppressed sob.
The girl's steps were light, and she was holding a black box in her hands, which contained the relics of the deceased Familia members.
Seeing her, Dionysus's eyes were filled with complex emotions. Though his expression was sorrowful, he still forced a slight smile and spoke as gently as possible, "It's alright, Filvis, we'll talk after we return."
His voice seemed to contain endless gentleness, doing his best to soothe this heartbroken girl.
Seeing this scene, anyone would believe that this god must treat his Familia members with utmost kindness.
Then, Dionysus raised his head to look at Emiya and the others, took a deep breath, and actually bowed deeply toward them, speaking sincerely, "Thank you for saving Filvis!"
His face carried an apologetic expression, and his voice was heavy with emotion, "Today I am truly heartbroken and unfit to speak much. Later, I will personally visit and properly express my gratitude."
Standing nearby, Anya softly mumbled, "The main god of that cold elf girl... surprisingly a good person."
Dionysus slightly nodded again to express gratitude towards Emiya and the others, then gently led Filvis away.
Filvis still tightly hugged the black iron box in her hands, as if that was the only memory related to her companions that she could bring back.
Emiya silently watched Filvis's departing figure, his gaze lingering for a long time on the iron box containing the relics of Dionysus Familia members.
———
Inside the stronghold of the Dionysus Familia.
BANG—
The box containing the relics of the deceased was casually thrown aside by the handsome god like a piece of trash, producing a dull crashing sound.
After a moment of silence, Filvis spoke, "Crystal Mantis... This type of insectoid monster has too low a ceiling; it's even inferior to a Hellhound. Even if it's fed magic stones from Lv.5 monsters, at most it can only grow to Lv.4."
Filvis said this in a voice without any fluctuation, while Dionysus chuckled lightly, "That doesn't matter; it was merely an experiment anyway."
He said, then changed the topic, "…How did it feel? Your first encounter with [Saber], no, should say, the 'Demon King of the Sword.'"
The god still spoke with his usual gentle tone, but his golden eyes slightly narrowed, flashing a dangerous glint. The divine might made the atmosphere of the entire room become eerie and oppressive.
"Very strong," Filvis softly responded, "Frightening."
Dionysus chuckled, "Indeed. At least after seeing it with my own eyes, I can be certain. The title of 'Demon King' is truly well-deserved, not a bit exaggerated."
"That man, his 'distortion' is so terrifying that even a god like me feels some fear."
Filvis's gaze flickered slightly, and she asked in a low voice, "Should we use the 'Divine Wine' to control him?"
Dionysus shook his head, the corners of his mouth lifting, "No, it's impossible. In the lower world, I cannot use divine power, and with merely priest-crafted 'Divine Wine,' it's impossible to control such an adventurer."
Emiya's level was Lv.3, and after two rank-ups, his body's toughness had long surpassed lower-ranked adventurers. A god without divine power was even more unable to compare.
Moreover, the more crucial part was that completely "alien" spirit and soul.
"But fortunately, this 'Demon King' has a very obvious weakness... As a man."
[Elf Slayer], [Amazon's Owner], these nicknames were not earned without reason.
Dionysus stood up, walked closer to Filvis, and scrutinized the girl's pale yet delicate face, "White Witch... ordinary people might avoid you like the plague, but for someone like him, such a status might instead be even more attractive."
The god smiled and said, "Then, Filvis, I'll leave this matter to you. If needed, you can also use Aura."
Aura Moryl, she was Dionysus's vice-captain, titled [Grape Chalice], Lv.2, also an elf adventurer like Filvis.
Yet in Dionysus's mouth, the girl who revered him greatly seemed to be just a convenient tool.
"There's no need to involve her," Filvis said softly.
"Aura really hates you, yet you still think for her, huh... Fine, if you're unwilling, forget it," Dionysus smiled understandingly.
Then, his gaze carried a trace of chilling curiosity, "Oh, by the way, if there's a chance, why not... try it with him? I want to know whether the current you can still conceive life, and if so, what would be born?"
His voice remained gentle, but his words were bone-chilling, "Let me think. An elf? A half-elf? Or... a monster? A half-monster?"
The god's tone bore no malice, seeming purely driven by curiosity.
Which made it even more frightening.
"If that's your wish... I understand," Filvis nodded, expressing no objection.
'Just acting, nothing more,' The girl thought inwardly, 'Other than Lord Dionysus, no one would love a filthy existence like me...'
However, when she thought of Emiya's name, pain faintly tingled at her ankle, the place he once touched and pressed.
That deep-seated pain made Filvis feel as if she was still alive.
"No need to rush. Take your time to cultivate feelings with that 'Demon King.' There's still plenty of time."
Dionysus chuckled, "The time of the end has not yet come."
———
At the adventurer's guild, Emiya was quietly examining the deep red "blade" in his hand. This blade simultaneously had the texture of crystal and metal, seemingly combining the properties of both materials.
This was the drop item from the enhanced mantis monster. Using this material should allow the forging of extremely sharp swords.
Not far away, hurried footsteps sounded. A moment later, a familiar voice called out, "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Emiya looked up and saw the half-elf guild clerk, Eina Tulle, rushing over while hugging a stack of documents. She stood there panting and showed an apologetic smile toward him.
"We meet again, Lord Saber," Eina spoke softly, her eyes filled with professional respect.
Emiya shook his head and smiled, "No need to be so formal, just call me by my name."
Eina nodded, adjusted her wording, "Then, Emiya-san."
Emiya slightly nodded, then handed over the documents in his hand, "I'm here to submit information about a new type of enhanced species."
Eina accepted the materials and flipped through a few pages.
"Another new enhanced species?", She said instinctively.
Emiya: "Another?"
Eina closed the documents and softly explained, "Including this report of yours, it's already the fourth case in the past two months. These are monsters that, under normal circumstances, shouldn't have produced enhanced forms. They don't match known monster evolution patterns, yet they appeared in different areas and are all extremely powerful."
The half-elf girl leaned closer and whispered to Emiya, "The guild suspects that these enhanced species might be by-products of the previous dungeon riot..."
The guild speculated that the appearance of these enhanced species was because monsters from the lower and deep floors attempted to rush to the surface during the riot and engaged in fierce battles with monsters from the middle and upper floors.
Many monsters died in battle, and their dropped magic stones were left behind and eaten by other monsters, thereby giving birth to these enhanced forms.
This speculation was indeed somewhat reasonable.
"In any case, thank you very much for submitting the information. We will reward you according to the importance of the intelligence."
Emiya lightly nodded, fell silent for a moment, then looked up and asked, "By the way, Miss Eina, are you familiar with the Dionysus Familia, and the [White Witch] Miss Filvis?"
———
"Truly, I am extremely grateful for your help. I simply cannot imagine, if Filvis hadn't returned, what I would have done," Dionysus spoke with heartfelt sincerity, his eyes filled with gratitude.
He handed over a bottle of exquisitely packaged wine, "Please, you must accept this as a token of thanks. This is wine I personally brewed. Although I did not use divine power or authority, I still have some confidence in my brewing skills."
Dionysus's gift did not contain any special powers, it was merely a bottle of rare fine wine. He had no intention of exposing his divine abilities in front of Emiya, who was very likely immune to his "divine wine" control.
Furthermore, Hephaestus was more than familiar with his divine wine; in front of her, he wouldn't be able to pull any tricks.
Hephaestus picked up the wine bottle, a trace of nostalgia flashing in her eyes, and smiled as she said, "Ah, Dionysus, your wine, how nostalgic. The last time I tasted it was back in the heavens."
Hearing this, Dionysus also showed a faint smile. It seemed the two gods had known each other since their time in the heavens.
Hephaestus looked at Dionysus and said with a hint of sentimentality, "Dionysus, it seems you too have been changed quite a bit by the children of the lower world."
Dionysus nodded in response, his voice gentle, "Indeed. For gods like us, with eternal yet empty lives, the children of the lower world truly are the most precious treasures."
His sigh was heartfelt.
Dionysus lightly waved his hand, signaling to the two elven girls behind him, "Filvis, Aura."
The two elves stepped forward upon hearing the call. Filvis maintained her usual calm and cold demeanor, while standing beside her was Aura, a beautiful elf with rare pure white long hair. The two were respectively the captain and vice-captain of the Dionysus Familia.
Filvis walked up to Emiya and softly said, "Thank you."
However, standing to the side, Aura seemed a bit uneasy. A trace of fear appeared on her face, and after a brief hesitation, she stammered in a trembling voice, "E-e-elf Slayer..."
"That's too rude, Aura," Dionysus helplessly shook his head and gently knocked on Aura's head. Though his tone was gentle, there was a hint of sternness in his expression.
Under Dionysus's earnest urging, Aura obediently apologized to Emiya, "I'm sorry, Emiya-san."
After the formal apologies, Dionysus took the initiative to bid farewell, though he only took Aura, who served as a bodyguard, leaving Filvis behind.
Filvis hesitated slightly, then lowered her voice and said, "Emiya-san, I... I would like to invite you to dinner alone, if that's alright?"
Before Emiya even had time to respond, the goddess Hephaestus took the lead in answering for him, laughing heartily as she said to Filvis, "Of course, go right ahead!"
The goddess stealthily gave Emiya a thumbs up.
Emiya smiled helplessly and turned his head to look at Filvis. The girl's face carried a faint blush of shyness, yet her eyes still held a serious determination.
And as Emiya and Filvis walked together down the street, nearby elven girls whispered among themselves.
"Wow, did the [Elf Slayer] catch another new elf?"
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