Danmaku, my skills refresh weekly.

Kaguya instinctively felt that the girl in front of her was very unpleasant to look at. She sheathed her sword, pressed her fingers against the hilt, lowered her body, and was ready to launch an iaido at any moment.

Alexei reached out to stop Kaguya, staring into Ryu's eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Although you came to deliver supplies, I have a feeling that you don't really want to give them to us."

“I don’t care who you are, just tell me why you’re here.”

Ryu bit her lip, gently closed her eyes, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly opened them: "I'm here to stop you! Alexie, the deeper levels are too dangerous, don't go any further."

Ryu's tone carried a mixture of pity and determination.

Upon hearing this, Alexie smiled and said, "Sorry, no, that won't work."

"What will happen to the people we're trying to save if we don't go? What if it triggers another nightmare on the 27th floor, resulting in even more casualties?"

“I’ll do it!” Ryu’s wine-red eyes were fixed on Alisha’s eyes, her tone firm:

"Leave everything else to me! You all stay here! Don't go anywhere!"

A miracle occurred, allowing her to travel back in time and save her friends. Ryu doesn't want to experience despair again because of any mishap.

In her view, the level 30 [Destroyer] had a speed almost equivalent to level 6 or higher, which was completely beyond what Alisha and her companions could handle at their current level. Even with 'sufficient preparation' and 'experience', Ryu, who had encountered the level 27 [Destroyer] again, clearly understood that the monster, even if its 'mechanics' were understood, still had the ability to easily harvest adventurers.

Rather than letting Astrea's Familia fight desperately, it's better for her to carry out the subjugation alone.

Astrea's clan looked at each other in bewilderment:

"Hey, hey, are you saying we're leaving everything to you? Are you underestimating us?"

"Even if he's a Jester, that's incredibly arrogant!"

Alexandra shook her head: "Besides, how could we just obediently say 'Okay, I'll wait' like that!"

Niz rubbed her nose: "Yes, our 'justice' will absolutely not allow such a thing to happen!"

Alexie puffed out her chest, flashing a bright smile: "Well, convinced now? Then join us in defeating evil. Heh heh!"

Lailakuku laughed.

Kaguya looked down and called him a "big idiot".

Looking at the familiar scenery before her, Liu realized that she too had once longed for that smile.

Her demeanor always inspires courage.

As long as that figure with swaying red hair remains, the Star Familia can once again launch a counterattack against their cruel fate.

But from the opposite perspective, Ryu realized just how troublesome this guy must be...

"Laugh heartily, Kaguya, I share the same thoughts as you right now..."

You big idiot————

Ryu took a deep breath, looked at his friend who was now displaying fearless fighting spirit, and slowly drew his black sword:

"Since that's the case... even if it means resorting to violence, I will keep you in check! This time, I will not allow you to leave me again!"

Chapter 437 The Battle Between the Present and the Memories

"Forgive me, Alexie..."

This time, I'm determined to save everyone!

Despite wanting to protect her friend, she finds herself turning against him with swords; this comedic twist of fate torments her heart.

Liu closed her eyes, a single, glistening tear welling up from the corner of her eye, but the tear quickly faded, replaced by determination.

At this moment, the brilliance of the stars is revealed.

"what?!"

"Magic circle!?"

Kaguya frowned. Ryu's words made her waver, but when she saw the material that looked like the muzzle of a cannon unfold, she pressed down on the hilt of her sword, pushed out the katana with her thumb, and dodged horizontally.

when----

What unfolded beneath Ryu's feet was not a magic circle, but a large number of sacred characters, just like the blessing engraved on his back, symbolizing the "Sword and Wings of the Star".

These characters formed a barrier, blocking Kaguya's iaido.

"The mission is accomplished, the scales will turn upright!" To everyone's astonishment, Ryu began to weave incantations.

"Chanting?!"

"It's that divine script similar to the Joker's! This guy..."

"So they really are the enemy?!"

"Interrupt her!"

"Wait!" Alexie tried to interrupt, but the already wary mage immediately unleashed a spell.

The lightning cannon struck Liu's 5-meter-wide "Star Sanctuary," but it did not budge it in the slightest.

"Order is the stronghold, integrity is the crown, and the lamp is the lamp to dispel evil!" He deflected Kaguya and Lyra's attacks, pushing his body backward.

The song of the stars continues.

What an annoying chant...

A sense of inexplicable unease rose within them, as if the chanting was a eulogy cursing them toward death.

I had a bad feeling that once she finished chanting, something ominous would happen.

"In the name of the goddess, let us ride alongside the sky and adorn the earth with starlight!"

"Hey..., do we really have to fight?" Alisha fell slightly behind and also slashed at the barrier with her sword. Her face was filled with sorrow, as if she understood Ryu's inner pain and also saw his determination.

Ryu shook his head, drew his Black Tyrant Sword, raised his shield, and concluded with the final words: "—Justice is in the flow!"

The barrier shattered at that moment, turning into sacred characters that merged into Ryu's body and were absorbed by her.

Ryu looked at Alisha with pleading eyes and called out her name:

"Chickweed!"

At this moment, everyone in the Astrea Familia fell silent.

"This chant!?"

"This magic!"

"How is this possible?!?!"

To everyone's astonishment, flames erupted from the black sword in Liu's hand.

Kaguya was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information, her face screaming "Impossible!"

"Joker—, how could you use such a chant!"

Whether it's chanting or performing magic, the words 'I am a member of the Astrea Familia' are written all over their faces.

However, the way this magic manifested... happened to point perfectly to that being!

“Joker—how could he be a member of the Astraea Familia!” Maru curled up.

"Stop fooling us!" Niz roared in disbelief.

"Impossible! This is impossible!" Leila's pupils dilated in shock.

If this is true, wouldn't it mean that Lady Astrea was manipulating everything behind the scenes?!

They seemed to understand the pain experienced by the "superhuman"—no, the spiky-haired boy now affectionately called the "Foolish Taoist Master"—in the "War Game."

Flames wrapped around Ryu's hands and feet, burning fiercely in response to her wish: "Immersed in our shared sorrowful vow, I will never give up hope! This is my answer!"

She leaned forward, instantly unleashing a speed surpassing that of a second-level adventurer...

He swung a slash at a friend from the past.

One flash, two flashes, three flashes.

The lightning-fast attack, a strike with the back of the sword, landed on the center-backs Isca, Noin, and Leila. The two level 3 defenders were no match for the speed and were immediately exhausted.

At the same time, perfect parallel chanting resounded in my ears...

As the flames flickered for the fourth time, the two blades clashed together.

"Race alongside the sky, let the earth be adorned with starlight!"

Kaguya gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowing: "Damn it, Gokko!"

"Justice is in motion—the five lights!"

The two retreated simultaneously, instantly striking the same pose as they sheathed their weapons at their waists in the "Iaido form".

The Black Tyrant Sword and the Katana were swung with the same Iaijutsu technique, instantly creating five slashes.

「!?」

Five sword slashes flew irregularly from the front, back, left, right, and above.

However, as if mirrored, the five slashes collided with each other, and the scattered magical fragments danced like cherry blossoms.

Kaguya's magic, "Five Lights," generates five magical slashes at any location. Combined with her swordsmanship, it should have been an unavoidable and undefendable attack, but it was now countered by the same technique and magic.

Kaguya seemed to recall the fear of being dominated by a certain clown.

A flash of light, and she felt a sharp pain in her neck, her vision went black, and she lost consciousness.

"If you can't even keep up with my speed, then it's all meaningless!" Ryu saw the four people she had taken down in an instant, used her shield to trap Niz's footprints, and swung her sword to hold off Alicia.

“I see sadness in your eyes. Tell me your real name! Why are you doing this against your will?” Alexie looked pained.

"I don't want to fight you either, but..." Ryu's body was engulfed in flames, "I have a reason to stop you!"

The two flames collided violently on the battlefield, moving at speeds far exceeding those of second-level adventurers, making it impossible for anyone to intervene.

"Wandering wind, wandering traveler!"

A chilling simultaneous chanting began; it was hard to imagine anyone being able to chant magic at the same time during such a fierce battle.

They had only ever seen this kind of talent in the Joker.

Even more frightening is...

"Magic circle!?"