Danmaku, my skills refresh weekly.

He's still too weak. Even with magic that can deceive the world, he can't gain any advantage against a first-level adventurer. If he could absorb Behemoth's potent poison and then transform into someone Finn knows to launch a sneak attack, the tide of battle would be completely turned.

He closed the document and looked towards a place far away from Orario.

"If we can borrow the power of the 'King of the Land,' even the 'Fallen Immortal' would be no match for us."

He decided to leave the city temporarily to prepare a big gift for Finn.

……

The House of Dusk.

A simply decorated room in a high tower.

Loki sat on the wooden sofa, tilted his head back, and gulped down a large mouthful of cheap liquor.

"Ugh... This tastes awful." Loki shook the wine jar and complained loudly, "Riviera! When are you going to give us some divine wine?! This inferior wine tastes terrible... just like how I feel right now."

"What kind of wine do you want to drink? Figure out how much debt you owe before you ask, Loki," Rivera objected without hesitation.

"I don't think this wine is anything special!" Grace commented after taking a sip and licking his lips.

“Dwarves don’t understand at all… You guys just need wine, right?” Loki scoffed.

"What?! I can't pretend I didn't hear that, Loki!" Grace roared.

“Alright…” Finn smiled and said, “Loki, you’re only drinking because you’re in a bad mood, right?”

"About Hera?" Riveria asked.

“Yeah,” Loki complained, hiccuping. “That Hera not only tricked us with our looks, but also made us take the blame for her for so long. She even used Finn’s reputation to do that kind of thing…”

“A great struggle…” Finn recalled that he was rescued and inexplicably received the honor of the Finana Knights. Now it seemed that it must have been the work of the pure white knight in the Hera Familia.

“She at least saved me and won the war for us.” Finn recalled the saint who guided him through the war game.

“You’re totally in love.” Loki glanced at Finn. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

“Haha…” Finn scratched his head.

To be honest, I'm feeling a stirring of romantic feelings.

Without a doubt, that saintess is the most suitable marriage candidate! There is no other.

Riveria countered, "If Hera is prepared to help us, then why did Alfia..."

Finn sighed, "Just like Hippolyta back then... If it weren't for the massive experience points at level 9, like those casually given out back then, we would never have been able to level up."

Hera probably made arrangements to prevent Alfia from accidentally wiping out the entire city.

"As for the other inconsistencies, perhaps they are the work of the Joker..."

"Black Dragon..." Loki's expression darkened further. "Hera is preparing for the second phase of her campaign, and we'll still be forced into labor. We're not willing to accept this..."

Freya has been able to join Hera's warband and cooperate on an equal footing, while they can only remain outside the fray, just like the lackeys they were back then.

"Finn, are you content with this? Do you still want to be a support worker doing odd jobs and transporting medicine in the rear, like you were 10 years ago?"

“Of course not!” Finn’s eyes were firm: “In this era of heroes rising up, Finn will surely have a place!”

"But before that, we need to rescue Noal (the veteran) and the others first."

Chapter 483 Liu: Too Full

"Wait, Finn..."

When the Loki Familia had finalized their future plans, Riveria suddenly interrupted Finn's scheme.

"Before we conquer the artificial maze, shouldn't we join forces with some other factions? With our current capabilities, breaking through the third level will be quite difficult."

“And…” Riveria hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I want to visit Charles.”

"He might have a way to cure Aina."

Previously, Ciel could not be found. Now that Hera has returned to the city, Ciel has also reappeared in the city. According to Riveria's estimate, it won't be long before Ciel will have to temporarily go into hiding again because of the 'magic' issue.

Then, it might be even more difficult to see him.

"Should we go see Ciel?" At this moment, Ais, who had been lost in thought with her head down since the execution, suddenly raised her head, her eyes regaining their light like a robot that had been given a command.

"What's wrong, Ais? You've been distracted since earlier. Did Ciel say something to you?" Rivera asked with concern.

"What?! Ais is thinking about men?!" The drunken Loki suddenly sprang up, grabbing Ais's leg and wailing like a rag doll: "Aaaaaaah, Ais... my Aistan, are you going to abandon me too?"

"Damn Hera's Familia! We will never let you live under the same sky! We will drive you out of the city again, Kora!"

"Calm down, Loki," Rivera reassured him.

"Wake up, Loki, stop dreaming," Grace snapped.

"Loki, take heed. He's your creditor now," Finn added.

"Drink—" Loki sobered up considerably.

Yes, she still owes "noname" 20 billion in fares!

Ais kicked Loki away with a disdainful little foot and looked at Rivera: "Hey, Rivera. What's 'chuunibyou'?"

“Huh??” Riveria was stunned.

Finn stroked his chin: "I feel like I've heard this term somewhere before."

Grace frowned: "Why are you asking about this?"

Ais's little brain couldn't understand either: "Charles said that as long as I master this, I can become stronger."

"I...I...I...I—" At that moment, Loki jumped out with his hands raised!

"Isn't it just chuunibyou (middle school syndrome)? I know!" Loki seemed to have traveled back billions of years: "Ah, those are really youthful memories."

"Alright, if you know, just say it already," Grace said impatiently.

“Alright, alright.” Loki swayed as he stood up. “Simply put, it’s about imagining yourself as ‘a certain hero,’ possessing this or that ability. Or imagining your past life as a leader of a tribe, a fearless knight, or the leader of the elves, or something like that.”

"Pfft, these days many of the titles the gods give out are based on 'chuunibyou' (adolescent delusions of grandeur) settings, like the Bloodthirsty Fang of Justice, the Holy Dragon Knight of Dawn, and so on."

"Isn't that a cool title?" Grace flashed a bright white smile. "If I could, I'd like to change my title to something like 'Earthshaking Blood Axe'."

"The culture is different now! The gods just use those titles for fun. Hehehe."

Ais seemed to understand but not quite: "Will getting a title like that make you stronger?"

The three giants spoke in unison:

"No way."

"It can't be done."

"Stop dreaming."

"Ugh—" Ais looked disappointed and lifeless, and said dejectedly, "Loki, you're so useless..."

"What? The reason why chuunibyou is chuunibyou is because the power is a fictional setting. If you could really become stronger, then it wouldn't be chuunibyou... You don't understand our culture at all, and you just try to fool people." Loki scoffed.

Rivera shook her head and said, "Ciel is truly capable; the knowledge he possesses has been proven. Since he says so, he must have his reasons. Ais... come with me to visit Ciel-kun later."

"Yes!" Ais nodded happily.

……

Dean & Kate Treatment Center.

Outside rows of rest rooms, therapists were taking care of the injured in an orderly manner.

Although the riots caused by the gale were a civil war and the actual number of casualties was not high, many soldiers were injured in the melee involving several level 7 units.

Liu Youyou woke up in a hospital bed.

Looking up, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

"Oh. You're awake..." Amid's calm voice sounded beside her, and Ryu turned her head to look.

Amid stopped the healing light in her hand, placed her hands on her abdomen, and instructed, "You have several hidden injuries to your internal organs and bones. Although they have been healed, I still suggest you rest for two months."

For months since the destruction of the Astrea Familia, Ryu had been in a state of high tension, fighting against multiple opponents on numerous occasions and participating in various chaotic battles. All sorts of hidden injuries had finally come out at once this time.

“No.” Ryu struggled to sit up after hearing Amid’s medical advice, but the tearing sensation in her body made her pause. “I still have so much to do… the Dark Faction hasn’t been wiped out… the artificial labyrinth, the Joker… and the Fallen Fairy…”

"Alright." A familiar voice sounded from the other side, and a hand pressed down on her shoulder, pulling her back onto the hospital bed.

"You've already ruined your body like this, and you're still being willful."

Ryu shuddered as her shoulder and hand touched, the warmth emanating from the other's body sending a shiver down her spine. She whirled around, her elf-like fastidiousness about to erupt, when in that instant she saw those gray, seemingly chaotic, unknown eyes, and that familiar face.

"Xia...Xia Xia, Mr. Xia Er!" A blush quickly rose on Ryu's face, then crept up to her ears.

“Xia Xia Xia… Xia what…” Ciel rolled his eyes and handed the peeled apple to Ryu: “Hey, a patient should act like a patient.”

Ryu looked at the apple that resembled a cute rabbit at the corner of her mouth, her pupils trembling slightly: "I... I can do it myself..."

"Alright, eat up." Ignoring Ryu's refusal, Ciel stuffed the sliced ​​apple pieces into Ryu's mouth.

"Mmm————" Ryu's lips accidentally touched Ciel's hand, and before she could even feel shy, a second piece of fruit was stuffed inside.

Ryu could only frantically puff out her cheeks like a rabbit, hurriedly accepting Ciel's feeding.

"Waaah... It's too full. I can't get in any more," Ryu mumbled weakly.

Charles licked the juice off his fingers and clapped his hands: "All done, job done."

Well--

Ryuu's eyes were lifeless, and his face still held the urge to lick Ciel's fingers.

Are you just going to brush me off like this?

Also, did you get my saliva on your finger? Don't put it in your mouth... Waaaaaah!

A wisp of heat rose from the elf's head, and Ryu's eyes began to dart around.

Seeing Ryu's face gradually turn from red to purple, Ciel looked at Amid in confusion:

"Is she still not cured? Look, she seems to be dying again."

"Well, who knows? Remember to pay." Amid rolled her eyes, swayed her hips, tossed the bill aside, and left the room with her logbook in her arms.