NOVEL NEXT Chapter 224: [Gluttony] and [Silence]
"Is this really okay? If you don't go see that child now, there might not be another chance," Zald said in a low voice as he carefully roasted fish over the hearth fire.
The sturdy man with dark brown hair, gray eyes, and a face covered in scars was intently preparing food.
"No need," Alfia replied.
Her silver hair flowed like water, her fair skin emitted a chilly glow in the faint firelight.
Her right eye was a bright green, while her left was a gloomy gray-gold. She wore a dark gothic-style long dress with a hem that nearly touched the ground, a green gemstone necklace on her neck, and dark semi-transparent gloves. Altogether, she looked like a cold, noble lady from an ancient castle.
Alfia.

At this moment, Alfia was lying on a rocking chair, eyes half-closed, lazily resembling a frail old lady.
"Staying away from the adventurers' world is better for him. Being associated with me will only bring misfortune," she said.
"That's true," Zald sighed, flipping the fish on the grill, "The child of those two probably won't have the talent to become an adventurer anyway."
The father was the weakest supporter in the Zeus Familia, a fool who couldn't even beat a pig-headed guy or a pretentious Pallum; the mother was bedridden for years and physically weaker than an average person.
"That's exactly why I drove that old bastard Zeus away. If he raised the child, he'd eventually get him killed," Alfia said.
"As long as the child is physically healthy, I'm already satisfied."
Zald nodded, took a deep breath, and changed the subject, "Ah, as expected, the black fish from Port City Melen tastes the best."
He handed the freshly grilled fish meat to Alfia, "The animals near Dragon Valley have tainted flesh due to polluted land. The food here is the most nostalgic."
Alfia took the fish without ceremony and commented bluntly, "Glutton."
Zald took a bite, "Only good food and real battles are worth not betraying."
This was Port City Melen. The two former rulers of the Dungeon City were now temporarily residing here.
Former Zeus Familia member, Lv. 7 [Gluttony] Zald; former Hera Familia member, Lv. 7 [Silence] Alfia.
These once-renowned heroes, now with lives like candles in the wind, were planning to burn with the most brilliant light in the remainder of their time.
They had come not for power, glory, or revenge, but to become [Absolute Evil].
To inspire Orario's adventurers, they pretended to cooperate with the Evilus faction, acting as dark villains opposing the city's Familia, to serve as stepping stones for the new generation.
This was the final decision of two adventurers whose end was near.
Just then, footsteps sounded from outside. Someone pushed open the door and paused upon seeing the two.
"You're finally back, Erebus," Alfia looked at the newcomer.
"Did something happen in Orario?", Zald asked while gnawing fish, "Why hasn't the Evilus faction contacted us?"
Erebus, self-proclaimed god of Absolute Evil, ruler of the primordial Underworld, was a male god with unearthly beauty and childlike delicacy.
He scratched his head, his expression somewhat complicated.
With his only Familia member [Faceless] Vito killed, Erebus had gone to the Dungeon City to investigate, and what he saw shocked him.
"Mm... I thought you two had already gone to Orario," Erebus asked, "Just to confirm, you haven't been there?"
"No," Alfia answered briefly.
"So it wasn't you... how should I say this, Orario is currently... in quite a situation. In short, the Evilus faction is gone."
Alfia: "Hah?"
"Though the city's people are still unaware, I, as one of the gods leading Evilus, personally went to inspect the artificial dungeon base—", Erebus said.
"The result was devastation. The Dis sisters betrayed us. The elf soldiers fell into their hands. All other Evilus executives were wiped out. The remaining evil gods have been captured."
Zald: "Who did it? Those sisters betrayed...? Could it be the Pallum's scheme?"
He didn't think much of the Pallum's strength, but his brains were acceptable, that was Zald's assessment of [Braver] Finn.
If Finn managed to turn Evilus' strongest assets, the downfall of the evil gods made sense.
Only, it made things awkward for Zald and Alfia, who had planned to temporarily cooperate with Evilus.
"Not Finn," Erebus shook his head, "In fact, the people in the city still know nothing, they're also suffering themselves. At the same time Evilus was destroyed, the Freya, Loki, and Ganesha Familia headquarters were attacked. Result: all three major Familia lost badly."
The god described what he had learned: A black-robed swordsman who crushed Asteria and Ganesha Familia; a light spear that destroyed Loki Familia; and a man who annihilated Freya Familia through long-range sniping.
Erebus: "Could it be other survivors from Zeus and Hera Familia, acting with similar goals as yours?"
Alfia frowned slightly, thought for a moment, then shook her head, "That swordsman, I might associate with the [Sword Saint]. But after that day, she was no longer capable of battle."
Zald: "As for the 'light spear magic' and 'archer' you mentioned, there were no such powerful individuals even in Zeus or Hera Familia, 'A torrent of light pierced the earth, exposing the Dungeon below'? If it were you, Alfia, could you manage that?"
Alfia: "Impossible, unless I burned my life away."
And with her current remaining vitality, even that wasn't enough to reach such power.
Zald: "Your magic was never suited for affecting the environment..."
"No need to make excuses for me," Alfia lifted her head, her silver-gray and green eyes staring coldly at Erebus, "You said the other evil gods were captured. Then why, after entering the now enemy-controlled artificial dungeon, are you still standing here unharmed?"
Erebus smiled, shrugged, "Isn't it obvious? Of course, it's so I could lead them to you two."
Zald stood up, "Knowing you might be followed, and still coming directly here, aren't you bold."
"No choice," Erebus put on a helpless face, "Under these circumstances, I had to place my trust in the strength of the two Tyrants."
Alfia narrowed her eyes slightly and curled her lips into a cold smile, "In any case, let's go greet our guests."
They stepped outside. The sea breeze carried a moist salty scent. Two figures stood silently outside the door.
"Good morning, [Silence], [Gluttony]," said a masked female swordsman in black robes, her voice cold and clear.
Beside her stood a muscular man wearing a black pelt.
Zald looked at the two, "How should we call you, masked strangers?"
"Achilles, and... Heracles," the man said.
Hearing the name, Alfia raised an eyebrow, "...Does that old hag Hera know you're using that name?"
"You can ask her yourself," Shirou replied, "Won't you invite us in? Or shall we talk outside the city?"
Hearing this, Zald and Alfia, the two Tyrants, laughed.
———
"Here, we don't need to worry about sinking the port," Zald said, noticing Shirou looking into the distance thoughtfully. He asked, "Something on your mind?"
Shirou shook his head, "Nothing."
Not far was the island where he fought with Argana and Bache from the Kali Familia. It brought a sense of nostalgia.
At that moment, Alfia beckoned to Shirou, "You named 'Heracles', come entertain me."
Shirou: "...Is that okay? I'm not really suited to fighting w*men."
"Oh? Looking down on w*men?", Alfia asked.
Ryuu wanted to say something but stopped. When it came to "hitting w*men," Shirou might be the strongest in the world.
Seeing her insistence, Shirou took Ryuu's hand, and the girl accepted the [Valkyrie Sacred Ring] and [Judgment of Justice] from him.
Ryuu hadn't brought the [Starry Sword Case] when she arrived in this world, but thankfully, Shirou had projection magic.
She gave the blade a light swing; the air rang with a crisp note, resonating with her will.
"Let me witness the valor of [Gluttony]," Zald looked at Alfia, "Let's keep our distance. If [Silence]'s magic hits us by accident, it won't be fun."
———
"Heracles. A man, using such a name... honestly, it pisses me off. So next, my methods might be a little rough," Alfia smirked.
She flexed her wrists slightly, then raised her slender right hand and pointed at Shirou.
Alfia chanted, "Gospel."
[Satanas Verion], a super short-chant sonic magic.
Mana surged through the air, transforming into invisible sound waves that roared toward Shirou.
The air trembled, rocks shattered, and the violent sonic wave became a stormy impact, engulfing everything. The entire area was swallowed in dust.
Moments later, the dust began to clear.
Shirou stood where he had been. The ground around him was cracked and smoking, but he was unharmed.
Alfia's eyes narrowed slightly, "How did you do that?"
Magic nullification, this was unheard of for her. Even when fighting [Leviathan] or [Black Dragon], it had never happened.
Shirou pointed to the black pelt draped over him, "This, it blocks all 'weapon' attacks."
[Nemean Pelt], taken from the invulnerable Nemean Lion slain by Heracles. Its skin was made into a hooded cloak, denying all man-made weapons.
Originally, Shirou couldn't perfectly replicate this Noble Phantasm, he could only weaken weapon damage.
But in this world, he was Heracles, acknowledged by Hera herself.
"Unfortunately, your sound magic has no effect on me," Shirou said, raising his black longbow [Nine Lives], "Now, it's my turn."
The moment she was aimed at, Alfia's expression froze.
("Destroyed Freya Familia with just long-range sniping..."), she recalled Erebus' intel.
At first, she hadn't cared. Freya Familia? She could destroy them solo.
But now, being truly targeted by that bow, Alfia understood what Heracles' arrows meant.
As the bowstring was pulled taut, even the air trembled with tension. No arrow could be seen, yet the pressure was suffocating.
When Shirou's fingers loosened, time seemed to halt.
Alfia's body flickered. She dodged sideways. The arrow swept past her shoulder and stabbed deep into the ground.
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted. The impact crater cracked the earth open. Dust and shockwaves lifted Alfia's silver hair into a frenzy.
She stared dead at Shirou.
He didn't pause. Another arrow formed, locking onto her like a sword's edge.
This time, Alfia didn't hesitate. Her figure shot toward Shirou like an arrow.
Shirou narrowed his eyes, kicked off the ground, and leapt back, firing an arrow midair.
BANG!
Alfia dodged. The arrow exploded behind her, scattering stones and smoke.
She didn't stop, she got faster, closing in like a raging wind.
Their figures blurred along the empty coast. Shirou retreated while firing rapidly; Alfia dodged dangerously close each time.
She thought of her battle with the [The Empress]. As a Lv. 7, she could fight the Lv. 9 Amazon. But even so, she couldn't match her in melee.
Their fight had been Alfia widening the gap with magic and the Empress chasing.
Now, the roles were reversed, she was the one being kited.
It was frustrating. Worse—
"Are you mocking me?", Alfia suddenly halted. Shirou also stopped.
She growled, "You've been deliberately missing. How many arrows?"
Shirou paused, "...Every one."
Alfia laughed from rage, "You—"
"You're someone I respect. A 'senior'," Shirou's bow vanished and transformed into a wristguard.
"I don't like being called senior," Alfia said, "Use another title."
Shirou calculated his current age, six years ago, he'd still be a kid.
He thought, then said respectfully, "Auntie?" [T/N: ☠️]
Alfia's face turned black. Like a tigress, she lunged at Shirou.
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