Chapter 195

Inside the palace.

The architectural style is extremely flamboyant, with countless faces showing pain and ferocity carved into the stone columns and walls.

The expressions on the faces are vivid, as if they were not carved but that the "architects" somehow forced humans—or other humanoid beings—alive into the structure.

The style is not only exaggerated but also lavish, coated in gold paint, with natural gemstones set into the columns and walls, dazzling under the glow of magma.

However, the "architects" did not choose diamonds as decorations.

The hedonistic humanoid demons in the palace have pale purplish skin, handsome features, only minor bodily mutations, and wear various splendid garments or armor.

Some of them have male‑type appearances, yet their bodies are curvaceous, with full hips and a pronounced waist.

Demons satisfy uncontainable urges by employing extreme violence and other perverse methods toward each other.

Some demons sit at the long table in the courtyard, devouring the delicacies before them; even with swollen bellies, they continue to gorge themselves heedlessly.

The tunnel's exit is at a higher elevation.

This allows Artemis, Leon, Shengjilesi and the Astates standing by the exit to easily take in all the decadent yet alluring sights unfolding inside the palace.

Artemis, clad only in an Umbrella black combat suit without a helmet, looks even more shocked and incredulous.

Because the demons reveling in pleasure wear garments and armor that indicate they were once lower Olympian deities and divine servants.

"Why… why is it like this?" Artemis asks herself, her voice trembling.

It would rather believe these demons before it came from another dimension than accept that the gods willingly fell and became like this.

"Truly disgusting."

Leon, who had remained silent, disregarding the demons' past, immediately attached the Cassius gun to the back of his powered armor, freeing his hands to draw two 1.0‑caliber explosive‑arrow pistols.

He aimed at any demon within sight and pulled the trigger.

"Bang—! Bang—!" deafening gunfire erupted.

Seeing the OriginalBody launch an attack, the four Dark Angels did the same, using the terrain's advantage to fire. 75‑caliber explosive‑arrow rounds from above down at the demons.

In an instant, the demons around the palace's perimeter fell like dominoes, their bodies exploding one after another, collapsing onto the pristine floor tiles, and finally turning into a pool of foul black water opposite to beauty.

?!

The demons struck by this assault were all taken aback.

But unlike Medusa and the Gorgons, they did not immediately retaliate; instead, they fled into the palace's structures, seemingly unwilling to engage Leon and the others.

This evasion is ineffective against the OriginalBody and the Astates; their powered armor's pulse radar still helps them lock onto the demons' positions.

But then,

"Oh? Another new visitor? Haha~ Welcome, welcome~."

A soft, melodious voice, as if striking the soul, resonated in everyone's ears.

??

Hearing the familiar voice, Artemis turned to Leon and said, "Hold on a moment!"

"Bang! Bang!"

Unfortunately, Leon and the Dark Angels remained unmoved; together with Shengjilesi and the Holy Angels, they began using the pulse radar's vision to pierce the stone walls and kill demons.

"Ka~!" Only when a magazine is empty do the OriginalBody and the Astates cease fire,

but after reloading, their index fingers still pull the trigger, repeating the demon‑killing action.

"Swoosh—!"

As for Shengjilesi, who draws a bow, reloading does not trouble him.

Moreover, using his Spiritual Energy, the Spiritual Energy arrows he fires are far more destructive than 1.0 or. 75 explosive‑arrow rounds.

"Boom—!"

Spiritual Energy arrows pierce the stone walls, killing demons while generating dazzling golden explosions.

Within the blast's radius, demons are instantly vaporized, and the foul black water produced by their deaths is also evaporated by the radiant light.

It seems the Hunting Bow, combined with Shengjilesi's Spiritual Energy arrows, is especially effective against demons, even imparting a purifying effect.

And Artemis tells them to wait…

Wait?

Impossible.

They only obey Sui Bian's orders.

What right does a goddess who has lost her divine power and serves as a guide have to order them to cease fire?

"Didn't expect the visitors to be so violent and cold‑blooded~? I like you even more~ Hahaha~!"

Suddenly, that soft, melodious voice echoed throughout the underground space once more.

Immediately after, a Spiritual Energy shield emitting a pale violet glow enveloped the entire palace, helping the demons fend off attacks.

"Boom! Boom!" The explosive arrows blocked by the shield detonated in succession.

Seeing this, Shengjilesi also halted his bow‑drawing.

If he let the Hunting Bow draw enough Spiritual Energy, it could tear through a shield of this level, but he did not.

After Leon reloaded the two explosive pistols, he re‑attached them to the outer thigh armor and removed the Cassius gun attached to his back.

The two OriginalBody brothers tacitly ceased fire and waited.

Waiting for that trickster to appear before delivering a fatal blow.

The Dark and Holy Angels, also brothers, had barely any ammunition left, so they immediately attached their explosive rifles to the outer armor of their right thighs, then removed the Chain Sword hanging at their left waist, and waited together with the OriginalBodies.

Next.

The underground space fell into silence; the demons that had been hiding now emerged, but they prudently stayed within the violet shield.

"Tap~ tap~."

At that moment, the sound of high‑heeled shoes striking the floor tiles rang especially loudly in the quiet atmosphere.

He heard such a stir.

Artemis, who had been forced to stand by and watch, looked toward the very center of the palace complex, a luxurious building resembling a royal palace.

Only then, a "goddess" stepped out of the palace with graceful strides, came onto the square outside, lifted her head to observe, and fixed her gaze on Artemis, Leon, Shengjilesi and the others.

The "goddess" wore a crown, stepped on amethyst‑like high heels, dressed in a sheer light‑colored veil, fully displaying her tall, enchanting, and graceful exquisite figure.

Whether in stature or appearance, this "goddess" utterly dwarfs Artemis, who is also a goddess.

?!

But Artemis, who saw the "goddess's" appearance clearly, felt no jealousy at all; instead, astonished, blurted out:

"Aphrodite?!"

The "goddess" standing on the square was indeed one of the twelve Olympian deities, the goddess of love, beauty, and also of sex, Aphrodite.

(End of chapter)