"We understand. Thank you, Teacher Tribbie."

Tribbie still needed to rush back to assist Aglaea. Before leaving, she handed Phainon a stone talisman symbolizing the status of a priest of Janus. As long as they raised it before the Gate of Myriad Paths at the critical moment, the gate would open for them.

After explaining this, Tribbie left the Deep Abyss.

Phainon: "Every step from here on is crucial. This concerns not just Mydei... but all the citizens of the Holy City. Our destination is the Hall of the Three Fates, the building behind the Gate of Myriad Paths—Oronis resides in the deepest part of the temple. We must find it and persuade it to cooperate with us."

Dan Heng recognized this as the path they had taken to get here, but Phainon's tone was somewhat sorrowful: "That's right... It is as if the world has reached its end in the blink of an eye."

The four of them ventured deep into the hall. It was as quiet as ever, but Dan Heng noticed that the ruins before them seemed to have undergone some changes.

It was precisely in such a quiet environment that they were more easily able to catch a hint of something abrupt in the air.

Aether felt as if he had heard some sound, though it was very difficult to detect, making one suspect it might be an auditory hallucination caused by the surroundings being too quiet.

It was like someone stirring ripples on a lake with their finger, the ripples on the water surface hitting duckweed and then reflecting back—very light, very faint. It didn't sound like speaking, but rather like... breathing.

"What sound is that?"

Castorice also heard it: "That is... the Nautilus speaking. I think it must be Oronis. I need to listen carefully to its words..."

The strange sound appeared again. Castorice closed her eyes, struggling to translate the indistinct words: "Cunning, vulgar beings, do you intend to disturb my peace again as doom approaches?"

Aether widened his eyes: "How can you understand it without subtitles?"

Phainon: "Miss Castorice can interpret the language of the Nautiluss—this is also the reason why her presence is required on this trip."

Castorice continued translating: "Stop... Get lost in the chaotic time and space..."

Phainon frowned: "Oronis is resisting? It seems the first step is not going smoothly."

— — mob psycho 100.

"Aether is at least capable of using the power of Oronis's prayer, and this power comes from it, so can't it be a little flexible and give us a chance to talk?"

Reigen didn't quite understand Oronis's way of thinking. Regarding the Black Tide, his view was that whether it be Nautiluss or humans, they should all unite, gather every possible force, and cut off the root of the problem first.

If humans were guarding against Nautiluss and Nautiluss were guarding against humans, then I'm afraid before Aglaea could even reach the point of gathering the sparks to recreate the world, the world would have already been completely swallowed by the Black Tide.

"Flexible about what? How would Oronis know whether humans are here to kill it or to negotiate?" Dimple frowned and said, "There is one thing I find strange. The recreation of the world mentioned in the oracle requires lighting the sparks of the Nautiluss. Those Nautiluss who have fallen into madness naturally deserve to be killed, but what about ones like Oronis? Does that mean all Nautiluss must die, regardless of whether they are good or bad?"

"It feels so cruel..." Mob said softly.

"Since it is a fire-chasing mission, then naturally they must all be killed." Reigen said matter-of-factly, "For the Chrysos Heirs, and for humans, Nautiluss are, after all, powerful and uncontrollable existences. Today, Oronis has not yet been infected by the Black Tide and has shown no hostility. But what about later?"

As he spoke, Reigen raised his hand and patted Shigeo Kageyama's shoulder: "Mob's superpowers are very strong, but if this matter were to spread and people at the national level found out, what would happen? Would he become an object of competition between different countries, or would he end up on different countries' assassination lists? In short, when facing an existence that one cannot control but is incomparably powerful... that existence itself implies 'danger'."

— — delicious in dungeon.

"Strange... So 'miracles' are actually forcing the Nautiluss? Doesn't that mean the priests force them every time they use it? No wonder Oronis has such great malice toward humans."

"If that's the case, it's useless even if we see Oronis; it simply isn't willing to cooperate with humans." Chilchuck stirred the thick Slime soup in the pot vigorously, watching the green bubbles emerge from the iron pot and burst, "...If they had known about today, humans should have handled their relationship with Oronis in advance."

"Shouldn't the problem be the 'miracle' itself?" Marcille examined the wand in her hand, "Enslaving Nautiluss is suspicious in itself. Originally, humans thought prayers were borrowing power from gods, but the reality is the exact opposite. It's like me using magic in a dungeon; the result is that I am forcing the magical gods in nature to serve me... It's completely unreasonable!"

"No, your understanding is completely wrong." Sensi, who had been silently cutting plant tubers, suddenly spoke up, "Is there a possibility that the relationship between Nautiluss and humans isn't the 'faith' we conventionally understand, but rather that of a superior and a subordinate?"