Danmachi - Eldritch Apostle

Dionysus smiled as he revealed himself to Niall, confident that his offer would appeal to him. After all, mortals always desired something so deeply that they would abandon their ideals and even their lives to obtain it.

Despite Morana's warnings about Niall's formidable nature, Dionysus was certain he could convince him to join their cause. He was a god, after all—no mortal would dare harm a god for fear of the torment awaiting their soul after death.

Throughout history, no mortal had ever attempted to kill a god, terrified of the divine retribution that would follow. With a smile masking his insanity, Dionysus greeted Niall, fully assured of his victory.

Niall, however, fixed his gaze on the small bag Dionysus carried at his side. There was something important inside, he was sure of it. He also recalled that this god had access to Knossos, the man-made dungeon.

"If you join us, there will be plenty of valis, wo—" Dionysus's pitch was cut short when four tentacles erupted from Niall's chest, wrapping around his face.

Dionysus tried to scream, but one tentacle covered his mouth entirely, while the other three bound his body. Then, from Niall's chest, a grotesque mouth with jagged teeth opened, hungry to devour everything in its path.

The god could do nothing before the maw consumed him completely, leaving behind nothing but a strange orb on the ground. The mouth snapped shut, swallowing Dionysus whole, as though he had never existed.

"That... was something," Niall muttered, amazed at his actions. He hadn't even thought about it—his instincts had taken over.

He approached the bag lying on the floor and opened it, revealing a peculiar orb with a red, eye-like crystal embedded in its center. The sight reminded him of an eye, and he quickly realized that it was a Daedalus Orb.

The Daedalus Orb was crucial for accessing Knossos. These orbs replicated the eyes of Daedalus and his bloodline, granting anyone carrying them entry and exit from the man-made dungeon. Only Dix, a direct descendant of Daedalus, could enter without one.

Niall held the orb in his hand, inspecting it closely. With this, he could finally gain access to Knossos.

Just as he considered leaving, the orb began to glow, emitting green particles of light that floated in a specific direction—presumably toward the entrance. Unsure if this was intentional or a trap, Niall decided to follow the particles.

As he moved, the sound of a bell rang in his head. Suddenly, a Necronomicon materialized before him its ominous presence undeniable. The pages flipped on their own until they stopped on Niall's status page.

--- STATUS ---

Name: Niall

Race: *REDACTED*

Level: 4

Power: 0 I --> 1246 SS

Survivability: 0 I --> 1101 SS

Durability: 0 I --> 1312 SS

---

"Seems like eating a god granted me a tremendous boost in stats and power. I'm already close to another level-up, and it hasn't even been a day since my double level-up..." Niall commented before the book vanished into thin air.

He began following the light particles, cautiously navigating the dark streets, always alert for any potential danger.

As he walked, he knew that killing Dionysus hadn't weakened his Familia members—especially Filvis. That was because Filvis wasn't an ordinary adventurer; she was an Enyo, drawing her strength from consuming crystals rather than relying on the bond with her god.

Niall pressed on, eventually finding himself on an empty, desolate street. The houses were abandoned, their windows shattered, and cobwebs covered the corners. In the middle of the street, a symbol was carved into the ground—the same symbol etched on the Daedalus Orb.

The green light particles began circling the symbol before vanishing a moment later. Niall approached, pointing the orb at the ground. The earth trembled as a hidden door slowly opened, revealing a long staircase descending into darkness.

"Seems I've finally found their hideout..." he thought as he stepped forward, preparing to descend the stairs.

But before he could take a step, a sudden blue portal materialized in front of him. Initially, he assumed it was Azathoth's doing, but instead of her, a swarm of mist-like, transparent hands emerged from the portal, grabbing and binding him.

Despite his immense strength, Niall found himself unable to move. He called out to Azathoth for help, but there was no response. Desperately, he attempted to use his abilities, but nothing worked—not even his gravitational powers.

The hands pulled him into the portal, which sealed shut the moment he was dragged through, leaving the street eerily silent once more. The door leading underground also closed, leaving no trace of anyone's presence.

---

In a cozy home deep underground within the dungeon, Azathoth—living under her alter ego, Yoko—suddenly felt a shiver run down her spine. She had been relaxing on the couch when an intense sense of disturbance washed over her, as though something precious to her had been taken.

She bolted to the next room, where Haruhime was, startling the young fox girl with her sudden entrance.

"Lady Yoko, what's wrong?" Haruhime asked, noticing the uncharacteristic worry etched on Yoko's face. Normally calm and composed, Yoko's two red eyes now reflected deep concern, something Haruhime couldn't understand.

"Haruhime, listen to me carefully. I'll be gone for a while, and you'll need to stay here alone," Yoko said urgently. "Do not leave the house under any circumstances. There's plenty of food in the kitchen—enough to last for months."

Haruhime opened her mouth to speak, but Yoko cut her off. "Just stay inside. Don't go outside, no matter what. Be a good girl and obey."

Without waiting for a response, Yoko kissed Haruhime's forehead and left the house in a flash, disappearing into the dungeon.

Haruhime hesitated, her heart heavy with worry. She considered following Yoko but remembered her stern warning. Reluctantly, she locked the doors and resolved to stay inside still puzzled and concerned about her caretaker's sudden departure.