Traveling as zamasu

Orario was quiet before dawn, almost too quiet. It looked peaceful, but it felt like something big was about to happen.

The Loki Familia moved through the sleeping city like shadows. They weren't wearing their usual bright outfits—just plain leather gear and dark cloaks to help them blend in. 

Every step was quiet, and no one said a word. This wasn't some showy mission—it was something serious.

They were heading to a rundown part of Daedalus Street, a place most people avoided. 

The buildings there were old and falling apart, and the area didn't get much attention from the Guild.

Their meeting spot, called Staging Point Gamma, was just a deep corner where two crumbling buildings leaned together.

It was hidden from the main road—perfect for staying out of sight.

The air felt charged, like something big was about to happen. 

Fifty adventurers—Loki Familia's best—stood together in almost complete silence. There was no clinking of armor, no whispering, just the quiet sound of cloth moving and steady breathing.

Finn stood at the front, with Riveria and Gareth at his sides like steady supports. 

Team A, made up of Finn, Riveria, Gareth, and a group of top-level adventurers, stayed close together and alert.

Right behind them was Team B—Aiz, Bete, Tiona, Tione, and their strongest fighters—giving off an energy that felt like a storm barely being held back.

At the very back was Team C, with Lefiya, Raul, and the support team. 

They didn't move, holding still with nervous focus, knowing their role would come later when it mattered most.

Finn checked a heavy, brass-cased pocket watch. 0445. His gaze, sharp as a honed blade, scanned the dim street. 

'Any second now.'

The first thing they heard was a distant, steady thump-thump-thump—like a giant's heartbeat. It got louder fast, turning into the clear sound of heavy boots marching on stone.

Then came the loud roars of monsters—Minotaurs, most likely—mixed with the voices of adventurers shouting orders and giving commands. 

The Ganesha Familia's distraction had begun, right on time.

A wave of noise swept down Daedalus Street, getting louder and louder as the parade of chaos got closer to where the Loki Familia was waiting. 

There was the banging of metal cages, deep monster growls, and the booming voice of a Ganesha captain shouting, "Hold the line! Keep them contained! Watch the flank!"

Torchlight danced across the tops of buildings as curious people leaned out of windows, trying to see what was going on. 

Some were shouting in panic, others just wanted to watch. 

The fake "monster transport accident" was going exactly as planned—loud, messy, and grabbing the attention of everyone nearby, pulling all eyes away from where the real mission was about to begin.

As the noise reached its loudest point right across from their hiding spot, Finn didn't need to give a signal. This was the moment. 

He just turned and moved, slipping quietly into the space between the buildings like a shadow.

The rest of the Familia followed right behind him, a silent, focused group moving as one. 

The chaos from Ganesha's distraction was the perfect cover, hiding their movements completely.

The alley ended at a tall wall made of old, worn stone. It looked completely solid—just like the rest of the crumbling buildings on Daedalus Street. 

Finn came to a stop in front of it.

Riveria stepped up beside him, her staff already glowing faintly. With a quick, practiced movement, she drew a detailed symbol onto the stone. 

The air gave off a soft hum, and part of the wall shimmered—changing from rough stone to smooth, dark metal. 

It was a hidden door, expertly hidden in plain sight.

This was the entrance—one of the many hidden paths leading into Knossos.

Finn reached into a pouch on his belt, moving with quick, practiced ease. He pulled out a heavy, strange-looking object—one of the Daedalus Keys they had recovered. 

It was made from dark, dull metal, covered in sharp patterns and set with tiny crystals of different colors. 

The key looked old and complicated, and it gave off a faint, unsettling energy. Finn pressed it into a barely noticeable spot in the center of the metal door.

The key gave off a single pulse, a deep violet light glowing from the crystals at its center. Finn turned it to the right until it clicked. 

Inside the wall, hidden mechanisms began to move with soft whirs and clunks. Faint blue lines lit up across the door, forming patterns that all pointed back to the key. 

Finn kept his grip steady, feeling the system activate. 

Then came a deep thunk that shook the ground beneath their feet. The key was locked in. He turned it again, this time to the left.

The smooth metal door slid inward without a sound, then shifted sideways into the wall, opening up to a deep, dark void. 

A rush of cold, stale air spilled out, carrying the smell of wet stone, old dust, and something faintly metallic and unpleasant. 

The way into Knossos was now open.

Without hesitating, Finn drew his spear—Durandal—its tip catching the faint pre-dawn light that reached into the alcove.

"Team A, vanguard formation. Gareth, take the lead. Move out."

Gareth lifted his massive warhammer, its new anti-regeneration edge catching a dull gleam. 

"Right behind me, lads. Stay close," he said, before stepping into the darkness without looking back. The heavy sound of his boots echoed faintly down the tunnel.

Finn followed right after him, with Riveria just a step behind. Her staff gave off a soft, steady glow, enough to light the area around them without drawing too much attention.

The rest of Team A—carefully chosen Level 5s and 4s—moved in behind them, shields up and weapons ready. 

They formed a tight wedge formation, using the narrow tunnel walls to their advantage as they advanced.

As soon as Team A crossed the doorway, Bete growled, "Team B! Move!" He was already shifting, his body blurring with speed as he activated his Hati skill.

Aiz silently drew her sword, Desperate, its blade gleaming without a sound. 

Tiona and Tione pulled out their Urga greatswords in perfect sync, their movements smooth and deadly.

Team B rushed forward, slipping into the tunnel just seconds behind Team A. 

They spread out slightly, taking positions along the sides to protect the vanguard's flanks as they all pushed deeper into Knossos. 

Their job was fast reaction—they needed space to move and strike when things went wrong.

Lefiya took a deep breath to steady herself. Raul gave her shoulder a quick, reassuring pat.

"Team C," he said quietly, but clearly, "stay close and keep an eye on the rear. We move on my signal."

He waited just long enough to make sure Teams A and B had gotten far enough ahead, then gave a sharp nod. "Now."

Lefiya gripped her staff, Forest Teardrop, her knuckles tight and her eyes wide, but focused. 

She stepped into the heavy darkness of Knossos, surrounded by the rest of the team. The support mages and defenders moved in close around her, keeping a tight formation.

The door stayed open, a slightly lighter grey shape against the deep black of the alcove. 

One of Team C's rear guards, a veteran Level 4 Defender, quickly took position just inside the entrance. 

His shield was up, a solid wall facing outward. This was their lifeline—the only way out—and it had to be protected from the moment they stepped inside.

Inside, the hallway was tight—just wide enough for two people to walk side by side without bumping shoulders. 

The walls were smooth and dark, strangely perfect compared to the rough, natural tunnels of the Dungeon.

Riveria's light showed no danger for now—just the backs of Team A moving ahead. 

The air was cold and lifeless. The only sounds were quiet footsteps, the soft rustle of armor, and the distant noise of Ganesha's fake monster incident fading behind them.

The heavy feeling of Knossos settled over them right away.

"Clear!" Gareth's deep voice echoed from up front, slightly muffled by the thick stone. The group kept moving, heading downhill on a gentle slope. 

Up ahead, the tunnel split.

Finn stopped at the split in the tunnel. "Scout," he said softly. His voice was quiet, but it carried clearly through the silence.

Two Level 4 Scouts—a human and a cat person—stepped away from Team A without a word. They slipped into the shadows of the left passage, moving so quietly they almost disappeared.

A moment later, the cat person returned and gave a quick hand signal: Clear, short dead-end. The human Scout pointed down the right path: Keeps going, no threats for now.

Right path. Stay in formation. Stay alert," Finn said firmly.

The Familia moved into the chosen corridor, tension hanging in the air like a stretched wire. Every shadow, every bump in the wall, got a hard look. 

They all knew danger could come from anywhere—the floor, the ceiling, even the walls.

They passed several side paths, each one a dark opening leading deeper into the unknown. At each, the Scouts moved ahead quickly, checking with sharp eyes and trained senses. 

When they gave the all-clear, the main group followed. Their pace was slow and careful.

The silence felt heavy, broken only by the quiet sounds of movement and the Scouts' whispered updates.

The hallway opened up into a wider, round chamber without warning. Three more tunnels branched off from it in different directions. The Scouts spread out right away, checking each new passage quickly.

"Hold," Finn said, raising his fist. Everyone stopped immediately, like a well-trained machine made of armor and sharp eyes.

Finn scanned the chamber. It looked empty—just dust and a few bits of broken stone scattered around. No signs of traps. 

No monsters hiding in the shadows. But the layout was dangerous. It was a natural choke point—perfect for an ambush.

"Riveria?" he asked without turning.

Riveria stepped forward and raised her staff. She spoke a short, rough incantation under her breath. 

A glowing magic circle formed at her feet, made of soft green lines, and quickly spread across the floor of the whole chamber.

"Detect Presence," she said quietly.

The circle pulsed once, then disappeared. Riveria looked around the room carefully, then toward each of the branching tunnels. 

Her eyes narrowed as she focused. After a few tense moments, she gave a small shake of her head.

"No enemies nearby. No active magic traps either," she said. "But the magic in this area is thick—it's interfering with my range. We should still be careful."

Finn gave a quick nod. "Got it. Gareth, take the middle path. Scouts—check left and right, ten paces in, then report."

He pointed to the three exits. The Scouts moved out silently, almost like shadows. 

Gareth led Team A straight into the center tunnel, disappearing into the darkness without hesitation.

Team B stayed near the chamber's entrance, ready to jump into action if anything came from the side tunnels Team A hadn't taken. 

Team C gathered near the middle of the room. 

Lefiya stood in the center of their group, alert. Her eyes kept moving, scanning the space, and though she looked nervous, her grip on her staff was steady.

The wait dragged on, made worse by the heavy silence pressing down on them. Finally, the Scout from the left tunnel came back and gave a thumbs-up: Clear. Storage room. Empty.

A few seconds later, the Scout from the right returned and shook his head: Clear. Tunnel keeps going. No sign of anything yet.

Finn nodded and motioned forward. "Keep moving. Team B, keep watch at the rear. Team C, hold the middle."

He stepped in behind Gareth's group and followed them down the center path. The deeper they went, the colder the air became. 

It felt like they were being swallowed by something massive and ancient.

The smooth stone walls, too perfect to be natural, seemed to close in around them—like the place itself was alive and watching.

About fifty steps further in, they ran into their first real obstacle—a heavy iron portcullis blocking the tunnel. It looked old, but still solid and well-kept.

"Locked?" Gareth asked, eyeing the metal and the mechanism.

Finn stepped up for a closer look. There was no keyhole, just a set of tight, interlocking plates. "Probably sealed with magic. Riveria?"

Riveria came forward, her staff glowing a bit brighter. She drew a symbol in the air and whispered a spell to analyze it.

"It's a strong barrier. Defensive magic. It's either locked to a specific key… or we break through it." She turned to Finn. "Do you have the key?"

Finn pulled out the Daedalus Key again and looked over the frame of the portcullis. Near the top, he spotted a small, nearly hidden slot. 

He pressed the key into it. It clicked, and the crystals on it lit up with a soft pulse.

He gave it a turn. A loud grinding noise echoed through the walls as thick bolts unlocked. The portcullis groaned, then slowly rose into a slot in the ceiling, metal scraping against stone.

"Check the space ahead," Finn ordered as the gate lifted.

Gareth and two Level 5s stepped through the opening, weapons drawn, eyes sharp. 

The hallway beyond stretched out and sloped even deeper into the darkness below.

"Clear!" Gareth's voice came from up ahead.

Finn pulled the key free. "Move."

They filed under the raised portcullis. The tunnel beyond looked just like the ones before—smooth dark stone, sloping downward.

The Scouts moved ahead again, silent and focused. 

The rest of the Familia followed, pushing deeper into the twisting, hidden heart of Knossos.

They were in. The breach was done.

Now, the real mission had started.

Chapter 34 end

Sorry for the late chapter but I was gooning a lot and had to reread the novel but I stopped so this is gonna be my take on how the raid went. But the events are gonna happen as they did, just with a different in-between.