"It's so strange…" Hope said. "Simon, when you got here, you were expecting an immediate fight from angels of Paradiso that might have been guarding this place, but the minute we entered, we found them all dead."

"Not all of them. I sensed some behind the gate before we entered, along with a stronger one." Simon said.

"What I saw were not angels. I've been slaying them left and right when I come across them." Uriel said.

"Think what your narrow-mindedness will. They're angels, simple as that." Simon said before being slapped. "Ow…"

"You really wanna make that argument with an actual angel?" Sheer asked.

"You have your opinions, I have mine." Simon said.

"Yeah, but… calling people narrow-minded is kind of a jerk move." Mark said. "(Even if it is a little true…)"

"Hmm…" Uriel said, looking to the ground. "Scorch marks...fresh too. Whatever is in here is still here."

"Like, in this room specially?" Kazuma said, looking around.

"Very likely. Be on guard." Uriel said, drawing her swords.

The group soon entered a room shaped like a coliseum, with fires burning all over the area. It was warm in the area, and the place was illuminated with golden light with feathers raining down everywhere. Heavenly choir music was also playing. Descending was some sort of holy looking dragon with two heads.

"A dragon?" Theo said.

"In a way, yes, it's the Cardinal Virtue of Fortitude." Simon said. "But he's supposed to be…."

Suddenly the dragon gave off a brilliant flash of light before turning into a more humanoid figure. It was covered in holy armor as ice and fire radiated from its left and right arms respectively. Its head was mouthless, save for two glowing red eyes. And a white statuesque face was upside down on its chest.

"Okay… that's new." Hope said.

"This thing...while it moves around...I don't feel any life energy from it." Sheer said.

"How fortunate that I am to meet those who dare to explore the halls of these holy grounds." the humanoid golem spoke in an unusual tone of language, bowing its head. "Please forgive my lack of hospitality."

"I have to say, this look suits you much better, Fortitudo." Simon said, holding a rose lollipop.

"Lack of hospitality is right though, who leaves their own home littered with bodies and burn marks?" Ethox asked.

"What do you mean? There are no bodies." Fortitudo spoke, not noticing any of the bodies.

"It can't see them?" Sheer pondered.

"Simon told us an acquaintance of his casted you down to hell. But here you are right in front of us, with a shiny new body too." Hope said. "You wouldn't be here without any sort of reason. Are you one of this dungeon's guardians?"

"What dungeon? You stand in Paradiso! You shall fall dead where you stand!" Fortitudo said.

(Cue: Inferno-Killer Instinct)

"So that's what's going on. I think I'm starting to get it now." Hope said. "And I think you've got it backwards."

"It's you who's dropping dead here." Simon said, aiming Ember and Riptide at Fortitudo.

Fortitudo's eyes flashed before he threw out his arms as flames blasted everywhere, before taking up a combat stance.

"Let's do this!" Frosta said conjuring up an ice wave and sending it at Fortitudo. The Cardinal Virtue countered by blasting a burst of fire at it, canceling it out.

Simon closed in as he unleashed a flurry of blows before finishing with a wicked weave punch.

Fortitudo attempted to roast them only for Uriel to rise.

"Thou who claim to be a holy being...pay for thy arrogance." Uriel said, swinging both swords, beheading the humanoid angel as it fell to the ground.

"Whoa!" Amethyst exclaimed. "Nice, Uriel!"

"What did you expect? She is one of the angels who protects this land." Sheer said as he approached the body. "Hmm...like the others...while we saw it moving...it's been dead for a long time too."

"I think I get what you're saying, Sheer." Hope said. "Fortitudo isn't supposed to be even alive today. I think this dungeon has, somehow, created Angels that are living dead."

"Undead Angels?!" G. Aqua gawked, grasping her head. "What kinda freaky place is this?!"

"It's not undead." Ainz said. "I don't detect any traces of necromancy magic. And yet…" he said before a large skeletal hand rose from the ground. "What on earth?!"

The hand grabbed the body before dragging it down into the ground before the ground sealed itself up.

"Uh… Simon? Please tell me that was the work of Inferno." Ethox said.

"Definitely not. Whatever that was, I think it might be this dungeon's true master." Simon said. "Bending these things to its will. Besides, if it was Inferno, then a magic circle would've appeared, but it didn't."

"He's right. It literally burst through the ground. As if the dungeon itself was taking back its property." Sheer said.

"That's morbid." Ultra stated. "On the bright side, one down, three to go."

"But it makes you wonder. Is this dungeon really connected to heaven? Or is it hiding something evil behind its light?" Zephyr asked.

"Well, considering the universe destroying storm that is currently slowly getting bigger outside… I'd say it's a bit of both." Eddy answered.

"All we can do for now is press forward." Simon said.

"He's right. If we continue on...we'll get our real answer." Sheer said.