Chapter 466 - 466: Bloodshed

At the bottom of the Water Labyrinth, Ryuu's face was colder than the roaring waterfall.

After chasing him the entire way and cutting down more than a dozen people, she had finally driven her enemy into a corner.

"Jura!!!!"

Her katana trembled as a furious roar tore from her throat.

Not far ahead of Ryuu, a male Cat Person glared at her with savage malice. His twisted body, missing its right hand, gave him a sick, deranged air.

"Hahahaha, Ryuu, did you really think I'd come all the way here without preparing anything?!"

Jura looked toward the crystal wall beside him, his face hideously contorted.

"..."

Ryuu wasted no words. She simply tightened her grip on her katana and rushed forward.

"This was originally meant to capture [Despair], but I'll test it on you instead!"

Jura pulled a crimson whip from his coat.

The long whip lashed through the air, tracing a scarlet streak like a trail of blood.

At the same time, the blue crystal shattered with a thunderous crash. The moment the wall collapsed, several dark shadows wriggled out.

Yellow-green bodies. Serpentine tentacles.

Several Viola opened their blood-red maws and lunged at the elf girl.

"How about that?! [That guy] lent these to me. They're more than enough to suppress [that thing]!"

Jura slipped beneath the Viola and laughed madly.

The monsters hidden here had been checked beforehand. They would attack indiscriminately, targeting everyone except Jura.

The lone elf girl became the target of every monster.

"In the sky of a now distant forest. Infinite stars scattered in the endless night sky."

Ryuu did not stop. Instead, she began chanting Magic.

Gathering Magic Power would attract the Viola monsters and sharpen their urge to attack.

But that did not matter.

Ryuu was facing these monsters alone from the start. She avoided the lunging tentacles and thrust out her katana.

The bloodstained blade pierced the Viola's tough hide as though venting her rage, driving all the way into the monster's Magic Stone.

"...?"

Gray mist rose, and Jura's eyebrow twitched.

This was not the [Gale] he knew.

"Impossible?! You reached Level 5?!"

Under Jura's horrified gaze, the elf girl wove between the Viola, parrying, dodging, and swinging her katana to pierce the monsters' Magic Stones.

And this was only the beginning.

Ryuu's chant never stopped.

"Respond to my foolish voice, give me now divine protection of starfire!"

A Gale howled, and starlight swirled around her.

Ryuu spoke the name of the Magic.

"Luminous Wind!"

A barrage of starlight roared forth. Countless orbs of light, empowered by the green wind, struck the Viola with pinpoint accuracy.

Within the violent impact, thunderous roars mingled with the monsters' screams, playing a song of vengeance.

"No, impossible! Those were meant to suppress that monster! You actually defeated them all?!"

Jura's expression twisted beyond recognition.

Because of one person's appearance, his plan had collapsed into nothing.

"..."

Ryuu cut down the last Viola and gave him a cold look.

Unlike before, she had now reached Level 5. More importantly, the Skill born from her encounter with that boy was quietly singing a wordless love song.

[Astrae Serenade] not only boosted all her Status, it also strengthened the effect of [Fairy Serenade], further increasing the power of her Magic.

Even while she was wrapped in the flames of vengeance, that pure-hearted boy was still protecting her.

A dull ache stirred in Ryuu's heart, but she tightened her grip on her katana and pretended not to notice.

"The Viola are all dead...? Ryuu! Do you know what you've done?! Once that monster comes, we're all going to die here!"

Jura roared viciously.

"Hah."

Ryuu did not waver in the slightest.

If she had been her former self, then hearing that he intended to summon [Calamity] would surely have dragged her back into her nightmares and sent her emotions out of control.

But Ryuu had met that boy.

Brutal battles and scenes of purgatory. She had seen them countless times.

The moment Ryuu resolved herself to vengeance, she had already imagined this very outcome.

She felt no fear. No hesitation.

All that swirled in her heart was an icy black flame.

Ryuu gripped her katana and, without another word, prepared to cut down her enemy.

"..."

Jura glared at Ryuu through clenched teeth.

He realized that [Gale] had grown. Words would no longer work on her.

His only remaining trump card was the giant serpent hidden beneath the floor. The wall had shattered earlier because of that serpent monster as well.

There were two [Lambton] in total. Whether they launched a sudden attack while the elf girl advanced, or had one carry him away from this floor, either option could get him out.

Just as Jura was thinking through his next move, two uninvited guests burst onto the scene.

"Loki Familia...?"

Jura recognized the Werewolf's identity instantly.

"Cranel-san? Why are you here?!"

Ryuu's voice trembled.

Shock, sorrow, pain, guilt...

Her sky-blue eyes were filled with turmoil, as if pleading, "Don't look at me. Leave right now!"

"..."

Bete walked forward in silence, saying nothing.

While everyone's thoughts raced, Bell strode ahead and shouted a rebuke at Ryuu.

"Ryuu-san, snap out of it! There were so many people collapsed along the way. Did you do all of that by yourself?"

"I... I..."

Ryuu instinctively tried to argue, but she did not know what to say.

She had been stained by hatred and committed unforgivable crimes. That was an undeniable fact.

The katana in her hand kept trembling. The blood seemed to crawl up her hands, swallowing her skin and exposing her ugly self before the boy's eyes.

"Quick, save me! This woman has gone insane!"

Jura quickly put away his long whip and cried for help.

He clutched his severed right arm, putting on a pitiful act.

Jura understood the atmosphere between the boy and [Gale]. With such a perfect chance to use someone else to do his killing, there was no way he would let it slip by.

As long as the Werewolf of Loki Familia fought [Gale], Jura could summon the serpent monster lurking beneath the ground at any moment and deliver the fatal blow.

"Cranel-san, they're all remnants of Evilus!"

Ryuu shouted, trying to rush forward and stop the boy from advancing any farther.

"The people on the ground are still groaning in pain. Isn't it obvious who's righteous and who's evil?"

Bete sprinted ahead and blocked Ryuu's path.

"No... I didn't... Cranel-san!"

Tears welled in Ryuu's eyes despite herself.

She had always been strong, but only the boy's rebuke could break through her defenses.

"..."

Under Bete's cover, Bell ignored Ryuu's protest and walked straight toward Jura.

"Are you okay? Do you need a healing potion? With Loki Familia's [Vanargand] here, you don't need to worry."

Bell stopped in front of the Cat Person.

"I'm fine! That woman's completely lost her mind! Hurry up and subdue her!"

Jura shouted in panic.

"Yeah, don't worry. Take this potion first and heal your wounds."

Bell closed the distance again, placing his hand at his waist.

"All right...?"

Jura's words cut off abruptly.

A pitch-black dagger sliced through the air and plunged straight into his chest.

"?!"

Blood poured from the wound, soaking through his clothes.

Jura's eyes widened as he tried to reach for the crimson whip at his chest.

But the blade twisted. His fingers twitched once, then went completely still.

Everything happened in an instant.

Ignoring the fallen Cat Person, Bell immediately shouted:

"Ryuu, watch out for the serpent monster under your feet!"