"Is that how your association caught the Gods and Goddess who took part in the God Game? It was very ineffective, and your association wouldn't be able to hold back all those involved from the fourteen realms, right? The participants from that event were probably over a hundred." Elena folded her arms and glanced at Dave.
"Yeah, I can't deny that it's an ineffective method. However, there's not much we can do at this point. Everyone involved in the God Game goes into seclusion and hiding while inciting the humans to become their chess pieces." Dave heaved a subtle sigh.
"Is the white snake just an avatar? That was the angel team from your association tasked with capturing the spotted Gods? They looked troubled." Elena shook her head.
"They are not our best team because they are only in charge of capturing the avatar. While the more powerful group captures the real God simultaneously." After saying that, Dave flew back to the tree and perched on a branch.
"Well, that would be quite a task. Did COuncil brainwash the Gods and Goddesses who participated in the God Game with some ruse? It won't be answered until we find out everything at the Council tomorrow morning." Elena muttered back beside Elysia.
"Hehe, we don't need to get too involved in heavenly matters. Our subjective is only one at this point, right?" Elysia smiled sweetly. She did not want to involve herself in all other external matters because their time was limited.
"Mm, you're right, Ely. Suppose the Ruvoid God is indeed the mastermind behind the Council's change. In that case, we might be able to completely change the situation later." Elena shrugged her shoulders slightly and put the matter aside.
"Hehe, I'm done with my share. Hum-mm~ Everything looks delicious. No wonder Tic was furious because he got spilled hot chowder, hmm, hum-mm~" Sylvia put the pot on the picnic mat and sat down while humming.
"It's a picnic at dusk. Now that's all set, and it's time for dinner." Elysia put her hands together happily. She then lit several lanterns around them for light.
After that, everyone had a hearty dinner with heavenly food rich in spirit power. Only Dave did not join and just waited from the side as if on duty as a watch bird.
A few moments later, a small animal came uninvited because of the delicious aroma. The air barrier that Elysia put up couldn't even prevent the little creature from getting close.
"Hum-mm~ A delicious and tempting aroma. I thought there was a trap here, but it turns out that a group of Goddesses is having a picnic in the open air? Hehe, can I join in?" A small black bat flew over with a sparkling gaze.
"A winged rat or a bat? You speak Japanese, hm? How can you smell the food here even though we are protected by an air barrier, little one? You reek of dark energy. Are you from hell?" Elena raised her eyebrows. She knew this tiny creature was a Goddess, but not from heaven.
"Wi, winged rat!? I am currently a darkness bat. I am Darkness, the rule of Darkness Realm. An air barrier like that won't get in my way, hehe." Darkness went to get a bowl of food as if she was part of the group, but a big crow suddenly kicked her away.
"I don't share food with you. Go away and never come back." Xero grumbled and secured his bowl.
"Hey! That's hurt and beyond rude, you damned crow! What's with that Crow God? He's also using obscure, unknown language." Darkness flew towards the other side, but a girl with long black hair kindly beckoned her to come closer.
"Here, if you would like to dine with us. However, we would like to know a few things from you. Can you fulfill my request?" Elysia offered the little bat a bowl of warm food.
"Woah, finally a civilized Goddess. I can fulfill your request very well if you offer me at least three delicacies." Darkness made a bargain and raised three fingers.
"You can eat until you're full if supplies last. How about it?" Elysia threw an offer that was impossible to refuse.
"Deal!" Darkness backed away slightly and turned into particles of darkness. Still, the particles quickly regrouped and took the form of a devil lady with bat wings on her back.
"..." Elysia and everyone else went silent for a moment. However, Elysia was more concerned about what was wrong with the devil's minimal yet seductive swimsuit. It was definitely not a dress.
"A succubus? Yes, she's definitely a succubus, the lust demon. You've accepted the offer and feel free to eat while we chat for a while. We want to know the situation in hell." Elena looked at the devil once more and glanced at Elysia.
"She is the Goddess of Darkness..." Elysia muttered under her breath.
"Yep, I'm the Goddess of Darkness. Please don't confuse me with that lowly lust demon. What do you want to know about hell? I just happened to come from there." Darkness scooped up her food and devoured it. "Mm, yummy. Even though heavenly and hellish food is one thing, this food really is on a different level of delicacy."
"It's you again, the devil. I thought you were banished from heaven because you are no longer useful." Dave babbled mockingly.
"Oh, it's you, Dave, the Dove. No one will think you're mute if you keep quiet." Darkness only glanced at the dove and completely ignored him.
"Has anything strange happened in hell in the past week or two? Your realm is somewhere in hell?" Elysia asked in a friendly tone. It would save them a lot of time if this informant knew many things.
Darkness was silent for a moment as she recalled a few things. "Strange thing? Hmm, I think hell is pretty weird in the first place. Actually, my Darkness Realm is somewhere between the underworld and hell. So I'm not always up to date on what's going on there."
"I see, but the heavens conflict between the newly formed Divine Association and the Council. Did something big like that happen in hell?" Elysia tried to dig deeper with more critical questions.
"You already know that? But, I haven't seen all of you in the Divine Association. However, the answer to your question. There's no such thing in hell, and I'm sure of it. Just a lot of overlords involved in the God Game, that's all." Darkness shrugged her shoulders slightly.
"We are not from the Divine Association, but are you one of them? How did a devil-like you join the association of heavenly beings?" Elena felt that there was something odd about this devil's presence here.
"That was a long and annoying thing, I must say. It was all because of that hypocritical Goddess. She messed up all my grand plans and enslaved me to work day and night. I was going to participate in the God Game, but she snatched all my chess pieces and disbanded my human team. The moment I got one that has the ultra-high potential to win my divine wish! Argh! I'm annoyed when I remember it, and I still need to go back to guide my hunter. That hypocrite Goddess can't work properly because she's handling too many things." Darkness gritted her teeth and sighed.
"Can you elaborate to us?" Elysia was intrigued, and so was Elena.
"That's an easy thing. So it's like this-" Darkness revealed a few things, especially about a particular Goddess's stigma.
It only took Darkness five minutes to talk about her brief participation in the God Game.
"I see, so Divine Association assigned a human to hunt down the chess pieces so the association could find the God behind the chess pieces." Elena nodded in understanding.
"Hum, it's just a small stunt, actually. They can't go head-to-head with the Council now, but their deterrence won't be able to thwart the God Game, which will open next month at the end of April of the Earth calendar. There are probably already a thousand more humans and more than one hundred Gods participating at that time." Darkness shrugged her shoulders and took another portion of food casually.
"..." Elysia looked at Elena and vice versa. They then discussed with Rhea, Xero, Sylvia, and Vanessa via telepathy to tell what information they had just received from Darkness.
"Well, that's all from me. I think the open secret that I have told you is enough to satisfy your curiosity. With that being said, see you again at another opportunity. Bye~" Darkness stood up and waved her hand in farewell.
"Mm, until we meet again." Elysia also waved her hand.
Darkness then shot up into the sky and pierced through the night clouds.
"That Goddess of Darkness is surprisingly quite civil and cooperative. Is it because of our delicious food, Ely?" Elena wondered while helping Elysia tidy up their picnic site.
"Who knows?" Elysia smiled in response.
After that, Elysia's group planned to prepare themselves for tomorrow morning's best possible condition.
Xero separated from the group because he wanted to set up his demonic formation to meditate. He might be able to defeat a few Gods with his current power, but it was still not enough if he would face that Ruvoid God and the Council. He expected some epic battle and clash tomorrow.
Elysia's group built an invisible tent and called it a day. They went to rest in the recovery formation to make sure they were ready for whatever might happen tomorrow.