Danmaku, my skills refresh weekly.

"Lady Riveria, now that you're awake, let's hurry and leave."

Rivera touched her lips, glanced at her compatriot beside her with a complicated expression, and nodded: "Mm."

"Let me help you." Charles naturally put his arm around the elf's slender waist.

Just as she was about to get up, Rivera sensed something was wrong and sat back down on the bed.

Are there any clothes around here?

Charles paused for a moment, then realized what was happening and said, "Let me look for it for you."

A moment later...

"Really, you want to wear this?"

"The secret faction is truly immoral and disgraceful!"

"But……"

"There are no other clothes left, Lady Riveria."

Inside the room, Rivera was wearing a black slit cheongsam, but under her black stockings, she wore traditional combat boots.

Rivera tugged at the slightly empty space in front of her chest, tightening the rope a little more, and said calmly, "Clothing is a symbol of authority. Once you wear it, you will inevitably maintain behavior that matches it..."

"But this..."

Charles glanced at the high heels on one side and thought to himself, "What a pity."

"In times of emergency, I apologize, Lady Riveria. This is the only thing I could find in this shameful dark faction's room."

"It's alright, let's hurry up and go now."

Charles nodded, put on some functional gadgets, and carefully opened the door.

Seeing that Philweis had indeed lured the Killer Emperor away, she made a gesture behind her, and the two quickly passed through the tunnel, carefully avoiding the wandering staff, and stormed out through the secret gate leading to the underground city.

"This is... the City of Water? Have we fallen this deep?" Riveria exclaimed in shock.

……

the other side……

Underground waterways, a man-made maze, 18 floors.

Using his identity as the Joker and taking a shortcut through the man-made maze, Ryu arrived at the town of Rivera in less than an hour.

Her eyes sparkled as she finally got through.

"Hello, Lady Astraea?"

"Great, Alexie... where are you?"

"Huh? You're Ciel-kun? What are you doing with Lady Astrea's eye crystal?"

"..." Liu opened her mouth, but Ren didn't know how to start speaking.

"What?! Astraea's been kidnapped by Ciel-kun?" Kaguya's tense voice came through the eye crystal: "Hey, kid, what's your purpose? And at a time like this, could it be some kind of conspiracy?"

"I... I'm begging you. Kaguya, where are you? I want to see you," Ryu said nervously.

"..." Silence fell on the other end of the eye.

After a moment, Alexie said, "But...we're on the 24th floor."

"Wait for me at the entrance..." Liu said, then hung up the call.

She gritted her teeth and, once again sparing her mental energy, used [Teleportation] to move quickly.

Thirty minutes later...

The entrance from the 24th floor to the 25th floor.

Liu's figure flashed, and she covered her forehead, shaking.

The continuous teleportation and repositioning had taken a toll on her mental state, but fortunately, her extremely high-level [Spiritual Healing] was relieving the discomfort.

at this time……

Whoosh...

The sharp glint of blades and the barrage of artillery fire came from the bushes and giant trees.

Liu's expression changed drastically, and she used [Teleportation] again to swap positions with a leaf.

As the explosion subsided, she glanced at the attacker and froze in astonishment.

"Tsk, so it wasn't that easy to ambush them after all?" Kaguya landed on the ground in disappointment, raising her katana and aiming it at the boy leaning against the tree root:

"Hmph, I knew I was right, it was a trap! That brat betrayed us!"

From the shadows, ten members of the Justice Fellowship slowly emerged, their gazes equally complex as they stared at the Joker within the encirclement.

"Wait, Kaguya, it's not what you think." Ryu realized something and took off her mask: "I really do have something to tell you!"

When Alexie saw the familiar face under the Joker mask, she paused for a moment, but quickly frowned and said, "At this point, these tricks can no longer fool us!"

"Or are you planning to stall for time and find a way to escape?" Leila sneered.

Ryu bit her lip, a wronged expression on her face: "Arisel..."

"Don't talk to him in that disgusting tone, don't waste your breath on him, and watch out for his reinforcements!" Leila said, throwing three bombs.

Celty and Leyana's magic was fully charged again, ready to provide support at any time.

Liu's expression changed, and he pulled out the Fire Immortal Essence Protective Cloth to block the explosion.

Then, amidst the raging flames, they rushed out.

boom……

A flash of lightning, and Celty's cannon fire grazed past Ryu's feet.

Liu stepped to the side and jumped back, only to be met by a fireball that followed closely behind.

"Five lights!"

"Chickweed!"

Kaguya and Arisaka flanked Ryu, instantly blocking her movements. Ryu, suppressing her inner pain, gritted her teeth, swapped places with the mud and sand kicked up by Arisaka, and hugged the speeding [Masaka] from behind.

"Don't turn around, listen to me, Alexie, it's me, Ryu!"

Alexie twisted her body, but could not break free of the restraints. Just as she was about to burst into flames and burn them both to ashes, she heard Ryu's confession.

"Eh?"

Seeing this, Kaguya's eyes widened in fury: "Joker, how long are you going to keep fooling us?! If you want to impersonate Leon, at least pretend to look like her!"

"Everyone, listen to me, it really is Ryu! This operation is a trap set by the Dark Faction, we absolutely cannot continue!"

Lyra gritted her teeth: "Damn it! Joker, let go of Alexie! What are you after?!"

"So... I am Ryu! Believe me! Everyone!"

Suddenly, Alyssa stopped struggling in Ryu's arms and said blankly, "Maybe, it really is Ryu... Hey, let me go, I'll listen to what you have to say."

Ryu's face lit up with joy; she truly lived up to her reputation as Alyssa.

Just as I was about to let go...

"This is……"

Inside the passageway on the 25th floor, the emerald-haired royalty and the golden-haired elf helped each other up the stairs.

The boy's gaze met the elf's, and everyone saw Ryu and Riveria walking up from the water city...

"You f***ing Joker!"

In an instant, a subtle atmosphere began to spread.

Chapter 433 Escaping the Maze (Revised)

"You f***ing Joker!"

Kaguya couldn't hold back any longer. With a flash of Iaijutsu, she slashed towards Ryu's position, sending three strands of hair flying out.

Ryu instinctively released Arisha, barely dodging the iaido attack, and could only awkwardly dodge Kaguya's continuous slashes.

"Wait, Kaguya!" Alexei stood there, bewildered.

She looked at the boy who was about to fight, and then at the elf who was standing there in a daze, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. For a moment, she was at a loss.

"What's there to wait for? The facts are right in front of us, what's there to wait for!"

Ryu and the Loki Familia's hunchbacked operation was a secret. In order to avoid the eyes and ears of the Dark Faction, they even abandoned other open routes and chose to excavate a collapsed secret passage that should not have been used.

In this situation, it's impossible for someone to impersonate both Riveria and Ryu at the same time; there simply isn't enough time.

"Do you need any help?" Rivera approached.

Although she didn't know what was going on, there was no doubt that the 'Charles' in front of her was likely an enemy.

Furthermore, Joker has imitated so many people, perfectly mimicking their lives, habits, and even tone of voice, but there's one thing he can't imitate.

That is strength...

If you're too weak, you'll be directly controlled; if you're too strong, you'll be exposed.

Alexandra hesitated for a moment, but a gust of wind flashed past her.

The elf... no, it was Sharl who blew out like the wind, the wooden sword colliding with Ryu's black sword from above.

"Joker—how long are you going to keep fooling us?!" Ciel roared.

Liu was completely stunned, looking at herself as if she were in a mirror.

"Xia-er--"

Confusion, bewilderment, followed by anger—Ryu, seeing Ciel still putting on an act, could no longer suppress her grief and indignation, and forcefully slashed out with her sword: "Quickly...reveal the truth to me!"

"Leon!" Lyra caught Charles, who had been thrown back by the giant slash.