It wasn't actually their first time coming across the monster that was going to be known as Black Dragon in their search for the 'King'. It was a unique small-sized reptilian monster that had the ability to enter and melt into the walls of the Dungeon and evade pursuit. Since it wasn't a particularly strong monster despite its unique ability, everyone was just warned of its ambush and evasion because despite it being weaker than most monsters of that time, it still continually and intelligently ambushed groups of Adventurers.
They hadn't realized it yet, but it was there that they made the mistake of letting it go on multiple occasions for its ability is not to traverse the Dungeon freely, but assimilation.
"As a living being, the Dungeon has the same properties that make up a Spirit. With its power of beguilement and assimilation, it silently and secretly, was able to amass its own strength by absorbing the power of Spirits. And when we found out about it, it had already broken through to the surface and wreaked havoc among its inhabitants without much contest.
"I won't go into detail on how we found out but it essentially 'farmed' the Spirits it captured deep into the Dungeon and after years of doing so, it gained strength and power that dwarfed the previous 'Kings' by a large margin. Even then my and Hera's children were able to defeat it after a great sacrifice."
"But it's still clearly flying around until now." Loki interrupted him, getting impatient from his long story.
"We weren't able to kill it..." Zeus sighed once again, "To be precise, it ditched its body and hid within Aria and was not able to be detected until it was already too late."
Ais was shaking and clenching her fist as a certain memory resurfaced in her head.
"After a few months of staying silent, the monster suddenly sprung into action and took over Aria's body while also assimilating Ais into itself. We weren't able to save Aria at that time but we were able to get Ais back thanks to Aria's consciousness still being present and Albert taking away one of its eyes... However, the weak child was strongly affected by its aura so one of my children sealed her in a barrier to let the aura dissipate slowly and naturally."
"More than twenty years ago, the seal was finally broken and we're able to save the child that Albert and Aria protected with their lives. However, the monster, now known as the One-Eyed Black Dragon and secretly known as Aria, felt the barrier going down too and tried to take her away. We don't know if it's Aria's lingering consciousness but it was very adamant to consume the child and we're only able to fend it off after another great sacrifice. It was that time that I entrusted Ais to Loki, hoping that she'd grow stronger and would have a chance to change her fate."
Zeus then looked at the frightened Ais directly in her eyes and said, "And now that the Black Dragon is calling out to you, it's causing the lingering aura to go uncontrollable. That monster is actually the source of your black 'Wind' and your skill 'Avenger'."
Silence then took over the entire room as everyone was trying to digest everything he just said. Zeus was about to ask how Aria was able to present herself here when something on Riveria's wrist started ringing.
With all eyes converging on her, Riveria was making a fed-up expression as she raised her right arm with the wristwatch that she's quite fond of, "You bastard... You even modified my watch."
She then took it off and placed it on the table and a slightly translucent screen appeared in the air showing the man with the striped bucket hat, "Hello everyone~ I hope I didn't interrupt something important~"
"Tsk!" Riveria clicked her tongue angrily, "Enough of your bullshit. You were probably listening to all of that so tell us what you want."
Though Kisuke couldn't reply to her as Aria suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! It's Kisuke! It has been a while. Thank you for taking care of my daughter."
"Ah, Aria-san. It has really been a while. Though I don't really deserve your gratitude since I didn't really do anything remotely like taking care of her. Your daughter is already a grown adult and doesn't need directions from a strange uncle."
Loki, on the other hand, gritted her teeth, "Kisuke... Damn you. You knew everything about this but stayed silent!"
Kisuke raised his palm at her and replied, "I know you have a lot of questions, but I don't really have much time on my side so I'll just say what I want to say."
After clearing his throat, he continued, "Most of you already surpassed the greatest Adventurer in history, Albert Waldstein, so if you all work together, you'll be able to defeat the Black Dragon. However, if you want to kill it, Wallenstein-san here would have to do it herself. Due to some requirements, whether you like it or not, that reptile would go after Wallenstein-san like how it did with her mother."
Finn wanted to say something but Kisuke stopped him by saying, "And regarding the corrupted Spirit, just leave that thing to Riveria. Alright, that's all. Have a good day, everyone." The screen disappeared leaving a group of unsatisfied people behind, but before they could let out their frustration, the screen went up again, "Oh, and before I forgot. Lysa, always be by her side. Even if it means dying together.", before disappearing once again.
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As Kisuke turned off the communication device, Yoruichi sat by his side and said, "How kind of you to not tell her that the one beside her isn't really her mother."
"It's not kindness." Kisuke answered back, "She needs to realize that herself, or else she's just going to be the next Black Dragon."
"That might be true, but it's also nice to let her swim in her fantasy one last time. And what Aria said is also true. You've been taking care of her."
Kisuke stayed silent.
"If not for your intervention, those Deities would blindly look for a 'Hero' to save her. Story-wise, it is amazing and moving."
Kisuke looked at her and said with a grin, "But we're in reality and the tragic heroine should also have a chance to fend for herself. I just don't like how boring these Deities think. What would you feel if you were in that girl's shoes?"
"With those Deities trying to weave a story for me? I'd cut them down once I'd realized it."
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A few days later at dawn, all the Adventurers and Mercenaries that came through Teleportation Magic heard the menacing roar of the Black Dragon and knew it was the signal for war.
Although everyone had already prepared as much as they could, they still couldn't help but feel nervous, "Is this how it felt when the monsters were still running rampant on the surface a thousand years ago?", Narvi Roll, one of the old Loki Familia members, asked.
"Who knows?... But I sure don't like this feeling." Her fellow Familia member, Elfy Colette, answered back.
"Want to know how to feel a bit less nervous?" Alicia Forestlight asked.
The other two looked at her with confusion and the latter just pointed at the man with short black hair at the distance holding the flag of Loki Familia, "Look at Raul, about to faint from nervousness."
The two looked at the executive that looked like he was about to soil himself and much of their nervousness disappeared and was replaced by immense worry, "Is he going to be alright?"
"Err... Probably. When push comes to shove, the inner leader in him pops up. He's going to be fine... Probably."
"Right. Raul has always been like this so there is no need to worry about him so much." Alicia nodded, "But have you heard, once the Black Dragon appears, we're going to focus our entire force on it, and if the corrupted Spirit decides to move at that time, Riveria-sama alone would have to hold it back?"
"Ah, we're also curious about that. However, it seems that Riveria-sama proposed this herself and the captains of the other Familias agreed to it. Riveria-sama probably has some secret weapon on her."