Danmaku, my skills refresh weekly.

"...!!" The action of throwing stones stopped.

Blood dripped from Liu's face and slammed onto the ground.

At the same time, a tearful cry rang out: "I'm so sorry!!!"

The people, who were caught up in the burning emotions, were suddenly brought to a state of calm as if doused with cold water.

Crying, contorted expressions, guilt, despair... all sorts of expressions appeared on everyone's faces.

“Liang…”

Asphie stared at her friend in disbelief. She had thought elves would be more emotional and more easily swayed by their feelings, but she hadn't expected this...

The male orc who threw the first stone glared angrily at Ryu, then slammed the stone in his hand into the ground and charged headlong into the inferno-filled Daedalus Street.

"Damn it, I'll go myself!"

Asphie said helplessly, "Let's go save the others who are easier to save."

She gritted her teeth and grabbed Marie's hand, but the pull from her palm stopped Asifi from moving.

Marie shook her head: "Everyone is very sad. Marie doesn't like it."

“There’s nothing we can do about it, we can’t do it on our own…” Asifi’s expression was conflicted.

Marie's innocent eyes curved into an angelic smile, and she pressed down on Asif's hand with her other hand: "Dumb tape. Marie... Ganbalu."

“Marie…”

Asphie stared at Marie's innocent smile, slowly withdrew her hand, and gently stepped back.

The next instant, an even larger blue light shone from Marie's body. Like a miracle, the divine light formed a stream of water surrounding her, lifting her up and slowly floating her into the air.

Marie crossed her legs alternately, and then, with the release of all her magic, a jade fish tail slapped against the water and shot into the sky.

"Mermaid..." Asphie stared wide-eyed, joining the stunned crowd in witnessing the unbelievable scene before her.

Marie floated upstream with the current, arms outstretched, head held high:

"Ah~~ Ah ah~~ Ah~~~ Ah~ Ah ah~~ Ah~ Ah~ Ah ah~~~~"

The melodious chanting, seemingly from "Castle in the Sky," transformed into a soothing tune that instantly echoed through the streets, districts, and the city.

The ornament on her chest emitted a dazzling light, like starlight. At that moment, the magic of the fairy and the demon merged, and a ball of light shining with azure radiance spread from the palm of Maru's hand toward the clouds in the sky.

tick-

Tick-tick-tick-

The already gloomy sky was covered with dark clouds, and raindrops fell, soon turning into a torrential downpour.

The raging fire that had engulfed the city gradually died down, and the wounded buried in the ruins began to breathe steadily again, thanks to the mermaid blood in the rain.

Throughout the city, gods, adventurers, and the wounded all looked up at the mermaids praying to the heavens in the sky, their hearts filled with complex emotions.

Shakti, carrying the stone pillar, stared at the monster emitting the strange chant, and murmured, "What...is that?"

Adi covered his brows and gazed into the distance: "It's a fairy spirit~~, after all, only fairy spirits can bring about miracles!"

Chapter 181 Monsters or Human Hearts: Which is More Terrifying?

The rain extinguished the embers of fires everywhere, bringing new life to the desolate cities.

It was a wonderful thing, but it became different because of the dreamlike figure soaring and singing in the rain in the sky.

Catgirl Annakitie hurriedly lifted the tent flap where Finn was: "Captain, something terrible has happened! There are monsters! Monsters are chanting in the sky above the city! Everyone, everyone is acting strangely!"

Inside the makeshift command post, Finn put down his quill and frowned.

"What's going on? Is the descendant of the Dark Clan a demon?"

"I don't know, you should come out and see for yourself."

Finn licked his thumb, put down the parchment in his hand, and went outside the tent.

"It's raining..." Finn looked up and saw the fish-man's figure shimmering with azure starlight. The dreamlike scene left him stunned for a few seconds before he asked:

How are the wounded in?

Annaquite said, "I don't know, they were all staring blankly at that monster in the sky! Some even fell asleep!"

Finn gazed at the mermaids soaring in the sky for a moment, then said softly, "The mermaids' songs have a soothing effect, relaxing the mind, which is not a bad thing for us."

Annaquite said anxiously, "But that's a monster! It might even be a very unusual enhanced species! Is it really okay to let something like that roam the skies above the city?"

Finn gave Annaqidi a strange look: "Annie, did you really not feel anything?"

Annakidi was stunned: "What?"

Finn raised his hand and pointed to the ordinary people gradually moving around the camp, saying, "Open your eyes and take a look at these people..."

Annakidi observed carefully, and soon she discovered that these reinforcements, which were gradually moving, were actually the survivors who had just been sent there!

"The rain has extinguished the flames, Angie, what are you waiting for? Go search for the wounded!" Finn said with a smile.

“Yes!” Annachiti replied, turning around to direct the residents to carry out the rescue in an organized manner.

"Captain!" Raul rushed out from a corner of the camp, shouting, "Captain! Are we really going to let those monsters run rampant over our heads?"

“Raul?” Finn shrugged. “But isn’t the current situation in our favor?”

"I'm asking you, are you going to let that thing exist!" Raul demanded loudly. His expression was one of confusion, distress, and helplessness, and his eyes were somewhat unfamiliar to Finn.

Raul wasn't surprised that Marie was in the public eye, but rather by Finn's attitude.

This time it's in the adventurers' favor, but what about next time? Finn knows nothing, so why would he assume that the monsters in the sky are harmless?

He doesn't even know Marie!

Adding to the terrifying conversation I overheard last night...

“Raul…” Finn explained, “Our top priority right now is to protect the people…”

"Answer my question, Commander!"

The loud noise made Finn realize the seriousness of the situation: "What's wrong? Raul!? I haven't seen you last night, what happened?"

Raul gritted his teeth and said bluntly, "I'm asking you, are you going to collude with 'evil'?"

"Why are you asking such a question? What do you know?" Finn's expression darkened.

Raul's abnormality put him under greater pressure than the monsters in the sky. He licked his stinging thumb, his gaze deep.

Raul took a step back in fear; his innate timidity prevented him from going any further. He gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and said, "I'm sorry."

Then he turned and ran away.

"Raul!" Finn shouted, but couldn't stop Raul.

Angie hadn't gone far when she saw this. She quickly told her companions and followed, saying, "I'm going to find him."

……

The ceiling of the guild's office hall.

The skeletal magician, shrouded in a black cloak, gazed up at the sky.

"Is this also part of your plan, Ciel...?"

The gods' return, the tyrant's ravages, the collapse of the city, the monster's redemption...

Fels didn't know how many people would die in the future, or how many would be saved.

She couldn't discern Ciel's stance, nor was she able to stop it all from happening. Just as Ciel had said, she became a bystander.

She clutched the intelligence about the destruction of the Ishtar Familia to her hand, and stared at the benevolence emanating from the monster before her.

"What do you want to tell us?"

……

Outside Daedalus Street.

The torrent of water dissipated, and Marie, her eyes tightly closed, fell to the ground enveloped in a hazy blue light. Her lips were pale, and her face was utterly exhausted.

The blood, imbued with the healing effects of the rainwater, came from Marie's body. Having lost too much blood, she finally collapsed into Asif's arms.

“Monster…” Ryu’s expression was very complicated.

In just two days, she experienced countless types of "justice".

The questioning of the evil god, Adi's peril; Uncle Illion's redemption; the collapse of the city; the helpless battlefield; the questioning of the masses and the stones...

Various extreme conflicts between good and evil constantly impacted Ryu's heart.

Now, even monsters are absurd enough to sacrifice themselves for humans?

The tense atmosphere of rescue and struggle that had been immersing them all night disappeared, and the scenes that Liu had forcibly ignored replayed in their minds one after another.

Cruel villains and scoundrels, monsters that have ravaged humanity for thousands of years, people who cannot be saved, civilians who accuse others of justice, and mermaids who have exhausted their power and blood for humanity.

Each and every incident had a tremendous impact on Ryuna's immature worldview.

She lowered her head, her bangs obscuring her eyes, lost in thought alone under the rain.

During this time, countless Daedalus survivors received the news and flooded the streets to help with the rescue. Of course, there were also uninvited guests…

"Hey, that's a monster, isn't it?"

"They have to be killed—"

"It's too dangerous to leave it in the city!"

"Girl over there, get away from that disgusting thing!"

A small group of unsuspecting adventurers, eager to get up there, yelled at Asphie to release Marie and hand her over to them.

A werewolf with lightning bolt patterns on his face pushed through the crowd and stepped forward, one foot planted on a collapsed stone pillar, his face full of arrogance:

"Hey, you filthy woman, what are you doing? Get away from that disgusting thing! Or I'll kick you to death too."

Asphie retorted loudly, "She... Marie is not something dirty!"