I Was Summoned to Die, so I’m Climbing the Pantheon for Revenge!

Location: Kingdom of Sunderland - Capital Vanguard City, Vileblood Family Mansion

The grand mahogany doors of the Vileblood Mansion clicked shut, sealing away the polluted, smog-choked air of Vanguard City. Inside, the estate was a masterclass in gothic opulence. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm, golden glow over the polished marble floors, illuminating sweeping double staircases and walls adorned with centuries-old tapestries.

Ashford—the female noble identity currently inhabited by Cain, whose real name back on Earth was Kyouya Kusanagi—stood in the foyer, her eyes scanning the cavernous space. This is absurd, she thought, marveling at the sheer scale of the wealth. The building is a fortress. And yet, there are only eight people who will live here: four maids, one treasurer, myself, Sofia, and Sebastian. How did the Vileblood family amass such a fortune?

More importantly, a heavy knot of guilt began to tighten in Ashford’s chest. She looked at the four maids—Martha, Clara, Beatrice, and Lucy—and the elderly treasurer, Henry. They were still wiping tears of joy from their faces, their eyes shining with pure, untainted devotion for their returned masters.

Ashford knew the cruel truth. They weren't staying. Their ultimate goal lay in the Easternmost region of this mechanical nation. Once they left Vanguard City, there would be no returning. They would have to say goodbye to these kind, innocent people forever.

Ashford glanced at Sofia. The stunning vampire noblewoman—who was, in reality, the supreme Demon Lord whose aura Cain had accidentally absorbed back on Floor 100 of the Outland Dungeon—wore an expression of profound melancholy. Sofia Vileblood was her true name, but the reality of their existence was far too complicated and dangerous for mortals to comprehend. The original Lady Ashford was gone, and Sofia’s true demonic nature would only bring ruin to this household if discovered.

"My precious family," Sofia said, her voice soft and hypnotic. She slowly raised her delicate, pale hand. "I am so sorry."

A subtle, mesmerizing wave of mana rippled from Sofia’s fingertips.

Ashford watched as the magic washed over the servants. It wasn't violent; it was gentle, like a warm blanket falling over their minds. Instantly, the tears stopped. The eyes of the four maids and the treasurer glazed over, their pupils dilating before glowing with a faint, ethereal pink light.

Sofia was using high-tier mind manipulation.

Ashford felt a pang of sympathy, but she didn't interfere. She understood exactly why this was the best course of action. These servants possessed pure, clean minds. If they were told the truth—that the real Lady Ashford was missing or dead, and that their beloved Lady Sofia was bound by fate to the Demon Lord's destiny—it would shatter their sanity.

"Listen to me carefully," Sofia commanded gently, her crimson eyes reflecting the pink glow of the spell. "We have returned safely, but our journey is not yet over. We will only stay here in the mansion for a few days to rest. After that, we must depart for the Easternmost region of Sunderland. We are searching for vital clues left behind by the Goddess Kamiya."

"Yes, Lady Sofia," the five servants replied in unison, their voices perfectly calm, their rewritten memories accepting the narrative without question. "We will prepare the estate for your brief stay."

Sofia lowered her hand, the pink glow fading from their eyes. They blinked, the manipulation seamlessly integrating into their consciousness, leaving them happy and purposeful as they hurried off to prepare the guest rooms.

"That was merciful," Sebastian whispered, stepping out of the shadows. The demonic butler adjusted his pristine white gloves, his expression turning grave. "However, My Lord... we have a more pressing issue approaching."

Sofia turned to her loyal servant. "Speak, Sebastian."

"I have pinpointed the demonic signatures in the city," Sebastian reported. "Demon General Crimson Scarlet is dangerously close. And she is not alone. The ambient mana currents indicate that Demon General Zephyra has accompanied her. They are actively sweeping Vanguard City for your lost aura."

Ashford and Sofia exchanged a heavy, loaded look. If two Demon Generals were in the capital, hiding would only work for so long.

"If they detect even a fragment of the residual energy inside Ashford, they will level this entire city to get to us," Sofia said, her voice dropping to a dangerous, commanding octave.

"Then we don't hide," Ashford said, crossing her arms, her gothic dress rustling. "The best way to handle Scarlet and Zephyra is to face them directly. We intercept them before they tear Vanguard City apart looking for ghosts."

Sofia smiled, a hint of her true, terrifying Demon Lord persona flashing in her crimson eyes. "Agreed."

Location: Royal Palace of Summoned Heroes - Vanguard City

In the heart of the capital, surrounded by towering clock towers and hissing steam vents, stood the Royal Palace of Summoned Heroes. It was an opulent, brass-lined sanctuary provided by the Sunderland Crown for the otherworldly saviors.

Inside the grand training hall, the atmosphere was thick enough to cut with a broadsword.

Standing on one side of the polished marble floor was a group of male Summoned Heroes: Hiroto Kiya, Reiji Kurokawa, Kento, Kenji, Yuuto, and Taiyo. Their hands hovered instinctively near their weapons, their eyes locked in defensive suspicion.

Standing opposite them was the newly arrived Frontierra party: Shiori Asano, Yua, Mei, Kazura, Shota, and Yoshi. At the back of the room, Saintess Evelyn stood quietly, her hands folded over her holy staff, watching the tense standoff.

"State your business," Hiroto demanded, his voice echoing in the hall. As the former class leader back on Earth, he had naturally assumed command of his group. "Who are you, and how did you get past the royal guards?"

Shiori blinked. Her icy blue eyes scanned the boys, recognizing them instantly.

Before she could speak, Shota stepped forward, a wide, teasing grin breaking across his face. "Man, you're as uptight as ever. Don't tell me you forgot us already, Class Leader Hiroto?"

Hiroto flinched, his eyes widening. He recognized that annoying, overly cheerful tone anywhere. "That voice... Shota Nanase? Is that you? But... how?"

"It's us," Shiori stepped forward, the heavy heels of her boots clicking against the marble. "Hello, Hiroto-kun."

Hiroto’s jaw practically hit the floor as he stared at the girl leading the group. "S-Shiori Asano-san? What... what happened to you?!"

Back on Earth, Shiori had been famous for her stunning, waist-length black hair with its signature violet-lavender underlayer. But the girl standing before him now looked like a ghost. Her long hair was completely stark white, though the violet-lavender underlayer remained, creating a striking, tragic contrast.

Shiori reached up, twisting a lock of her white hair around her finger. Her expression remained neutral, but a shadow of profound exhaustion flickered in her eyes. "This is the disadvantage of my Ultimate Skill, [Event Horizon]" she explained calmly. "The host experiences advanced aging fatigue. My lifespan has been permanently reduced, and the physical toll bleached my hair."

The male heroes gasped. Reiji Kurokawa stepped forward, his brow furrowed in shock. "Permanently reduced lifespan? Are you serious? When I use my Ultimate Skill, the disadvantage is severe internal pain, tearing my muscles apart. But with enough potions and time, I recovered completely! You're telling me your Ultimate Skill toll is irreversible?"

Shiori’s eyes widened slightly in genuine shock. "Yours recovered? Even Shota’s disadvantage—suffering through crippling psychological nightmares—has faded recently." She looked down at her pale hands. Her toll was permanent. She had sacrificed years of her life just to survive the early dungeons.

Deciding to move past the grim topic, the two groups finally lowered their guard and began to share information.

Hiroto’s group proudly revealed they had reached Rank S, a monumental achievement for Summoned Heroes. But their pride quickly evaporated when Yua casually mentioned that Shiori, Shota, Mei, Kazura, Yoshi, and herself had just officially broken through to Rank SS after clearing Floor 50 of the Cyanis Hollows. Even Saintess Evelyn was a hard-capped Rank S.

"Rank SS..." Kento muttered in disbelief. "You guys are monsters."

"Did... did you lose anyone?" Hiroto asked quietly, looking over Shiori's group. "Did anyone die getting to Rank SS?"

Shiori’s heart skipped a beat. A violent flash of memory assaulted her mind—Gareth slitting his throat, Shota freezing himself to death, her own bones violently splintering under the pressure of Aria's piano. She had died. Over five times. The trauma of the time loops was a jagged scar on her soul, a nightmare disguised as a memory. But she couldn't tell them about Aria. They wouldn't believe her, and it was a burden she intended to carry alone.

"No," Shiori lied smoothly, her face an unreadable mask of ice. "No one died. We all made it."

Hiroto let out a massive sigh of relief. "Thank God."

Shiori scanned the boys again. "Where is Kyouya Kusanagi? Isn't he with your group?"

She had no idea that Kyouya—now operating as Cain/Ashford—was currently sitting in a gothic mansion just a few miles away in the nobility district, plotting a war against Demon Generals.

"No, Kyouya isn't here," Hiroto shook his head. "We got separated early on during the summoning chaos."

"I see," Shiori murmured. "So, he might have spawned in the Western Continent."

"We don't know for sure," Hiroto added, stepping closer to a large tactical map of Sunderland on the table. "But I do have some good news. We received word from the Guild yesterday. There is another large group of our Summoned Classmates currently passing through the Gallowmere Nation. They should be arriving within a few months."

Shiori’s eyes widened. "Another group? Who?"

"From what the scouts reported," Hiroto smiled, a spark of genuine hope lighting up the dreary, smog-filled room. "It involves Tatsuya, Rina, Saki, and a few others. We are finally gathering our strength, Shiori-san. The class is coming back together."

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