Danmaku, my skills refresh weekly.

Chapter 484 Assassination

After Amed left, only Ryu and Ciel remained in the ward.

Ryu finally managed to swallow what Ciel fed her, her beautiful eyes fluttering as she dared not look at Ciel's face.

"Um... thank you."

“You’re welcome. It’s what I should do when taking care of a patient.” Charles took another apple. “Do you want some more?”

"No, I don't want it anymore!" Liu waved her hands repeatedly.

"I was referring to the execution, and also Haruhime... Thank you for believing me, and also for keeping Haruhime's magic a secret."

Ryu's gaze wandered, too embarrassed to look Ciel in the eye.

Of all those people, although there were comrades who supported her, it seemed that only Ciel truly believed in her. Moreover, Ciel had also arranged for Haruhime to undergo the sublimation magic.

She knew very well how rare the [Treasure Hammer] was, and once it was discovered, it would definitely attract the schemes of many people with ulterior motives, inevitably causing her a lot of trouble.

"It's nothing. I also can't stand those self-righteous gods. Besides, I entrusted Lady Astrea to take care of Haruhime from the beginning, so there's no reason to abandon her now."

“No.” Ryu shook her head. “No matter what, now that Haruhime has joined the Astrea Familia, it’s my responsibility to take good care of her. Lady Astrea keeping Haruhime in the city is probably for my sake…”

Ryu recalled Astraea's parting words to her as she left the city: Never abandon justice.

Not only did Ryu ignore the warnings, but she also committed the heinous crime of 'god-killing.' Although she was framed, the fact remains that she massacred the entire Rudra clan. Astraea must already know of Ryu's infamy of annihilating her clan.

"Alright, cheer up." Charles patted Ryu's shoulder hard. "People should look forward. As long as you don't give up, the flower of hope will surely bloom at the next crossroads."

"Hmm." Ryu stared at her fingers, slowly twisting them together.

"What are your plans after this? Are you still planning to seek revenge?"

A murderous glint flashed in Liu's eyes. Although the Rudra clan had been wiped out, there were still many gods, merchants, and even guild employees associated with the Dark Faction.

They were all the culprits who caused Alyssa to be dominated by the "Fallen Fairy".

If he doesn't kill her, Liu's inner thoughts won't be clear.

But Ryu quickly calmed down, and she looked at Ciel with unusual interest: "What do you think I should do?"

“Me?” Charles smiled. “I think you should take this opportunity to think carefully about what your ‘justice’ really is.”

justice……

In that instant, Ryu thought of many things.

The masses who felt indignant on their behalf;

Ciel who saved her;

Even though they couldn't defy the constraints of the main god, they still chose to help the adventurers of her various clans.

Adi, who didn't hesitate to turn his sword against his own sister;

Loki fought against Freya's Familia for her.

Even though she was burdened with the sin of 'killing a god,' which is absolutely forbidden in the mortal realm, so many people were still willing to help her!

Ryu knew very well that it wasn't because she had any special personal charm, but because everyone was captivated by "justice," following their own inner sense of "justice" and wanting to achieve their ideals.

All that Alexie and her friends had sacrificed in the city was not in vain. Even if one star is extinguished, countless new stars of justice will shine.

“Justice is cyclical.” Adi’s words seemed to echo in Ryu’s ears.

“Adi…” Liu sighed.

(Adi: I'm not dead yet! I just don't have any scenes!)

"It seems you've figured it out." Charles smiled.

Liu nodded, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry to have worried you."

"Hmph, that's more like it." Charles laughed happily. "Of the Astraea Familia, I still have the most faith in you. People like Kaguya and Lyra, who are covered in stench, have no right to bear the banner of justice."

"Don't say that. Although Kaguya always says things that I can't agree with, she upholds justice very well."

As for Leila...

Liu was too embarrassed to defend him.

Adhering to the principle that "you can't win against darkness without using methods more ruthless than those of the underworld," her methods were indeed not exactly honorable.

"I don't need to argue with a dead person..."

Upon hearing the sensitive words, Liu's eyes dimmed instantly.

Charles seemed to notice Ryu's unusual behavior and comforted her, "Sorry, I misspoke. They should only be in the 'dangerous' stage right now. The school district will be back soon, and I'll help you look for ways to treat 'spirit parasites' around the world."

"The world is so big, and the treasures left by the gods are scattered all over the world. There is always hope."

Ryu looked at Ciel with gratitude.

It's hard to imagine that Ciel, who hated the Astrea Familia so much back then, would be willing to help her.

Perhaps this is the justice of cycles.

“Thank you so much…” Ryu raised her head and looked directly into Ciel’s eyes.

My gaze fell upon a glimmer of light outside the window behind Ciel.

Immediately following, a crisp clang broke the silence of the room, and a sharp arrow slowly magnified in Ryu's vision.

"Not good!" Ignoring the numbness and stinging pain emanating from her body, Liu pushed Xia Er away and reached out to grab the flying arrow.

However, the next moment, there were two more "plop" sounds, and two streams of blood spurted out, the warm blood hitting Liu's face.

She watched as Charles's body slowly collapsed, staining the pure white hospital bed with bright red rose petals.

"Ciel--!!!!"

After quickly examining Ciel's injuries, Ryuichi found three arrows aimed at his throat, heart, and head. Although the arrows avoided vital organs after she pushed them away, they still pierced his back and shoulder.

Charles's face contorted in pain, and he was drenched in cold sweat.

Whoosh whoosh—

The sniper outside the window didn't seem to have given up on Charles, and several more arrows were fired.

"Damn it!!! You all deserve to die!" Ryu's expression twisted as he gripped the arrows in his hand and knocked several arrows away in an instant.

Amed rushed into the ward and saw Charles lying on the bed, his bedding stained with blood.

"what happens?!"

"It's a sniper! Amid, take Mr. Charles to a safe place!!" Ryu shouted, then rushed out the window.

"Hey, what's wrong with your injuries!"

Ryu couldn't care less about anything else.

At this moment, justice doesn't matter anymore; killing the guy who hurt Ciel is her justice!

A terrifying killing intent permeated Ryu's body.

Amid chased after Ryu to the bedside and, seeing Ryu constantly deflecting arrows and running across the rooftops in pursuit of the enemy, instantly realized the gravity of the situation.

Assassination!

Someone actually dared to assassinate a patient in the Deankat Familia!

Realizing the ward was not safe, she immediately dragged Charles to another location.

There are probably more assassins than just snipers. Perhaps after [Gale] is lured away, there will be more suicide squads storming the ward. The safest place right now should be another ward not far from here.

Amid helped the sweating Charles into the room where Ota was.

Chapter 485 The Prison Ward

Inside Ota's room where he was resting.

With Amid's healing, Sharl quickly removed the arrow and used magic to repair the wound.

The surprise attack that Amid had anticipated did not come. The young saintess was unaware of the significance of the Deankaite Familia in the city.

“So, there’s no need to be so nervous… If the treatment center could be massacred in broad daylight in the city, Orario wouldn’t need to be the ‘center of the world.’” Ciel wiped the cold sweat from his brow and glanced at Ota, who was still resting.

"Even without Ota, if those people were to raid the treatment center and leave behind even a single corpse, upon seeing the favor bestowed upon them, their entire clan would be hunted down by the entire city. This is a price that not just any clan can afford."

Ciel also anticipated that the Familias who would turn against him could not be powerful ones; the weaker the Familia, the less aware they were of their own position.

Therefore, they could only use sniping, a method that allowed for easy retreat and targeted only Charles.

Before Charles could wait long, Ryu, his face covered in blood, dragged a half-dead prisoner through the main gate.

She pushed open the doors of each ward, her fierce appearance frightening many resting patients to tears.

He only breathed a sigh of relief when he pushed open the door to Ota's room and saw Charles sitting on the hospital bed, his body wrapped in bandages and his face pale.

"Ciel, are you alright?!"

“I’m fine, but it’s you… your clothes.” Charles reminded Ryu.

The hospital gowns at Dean Kate Hospital weren't particularly secure. After surviving a chase, Liu's gown looked loose and about to fall apart.

Liu let out an "Ah" and fastened her hospital gown.

"Wear mine first... I need to put on my hospital gown now too." Charles pointed to the neatly folded clothes beside the bed.

Her face flushed red as she put it on.

"Who was the attacker?" Amid returned to the Sharl ward with Dean Kate. When the old man saw the assassin who had been thrown on the ground by Liu and was half-dead, his expression was not good.

"How dare they provoke our clan! I'll show them what the power of money is!"

Amid clasped her hands together over her stomach and reminded him, "Lord Dean, our water flow isn't as high as it used to be."

Dean Kate froze, then glared at Charles: "So it was you who was assassinated, kid. Well done! But why aren't you dead?"

Charles knew that the old man was angry that he had stolen his business, but he wasn't angry at all:

“I was attacked at your treatment center. It’s hard for me not to feel that you didn’t hire someone to kill me. You wouldn’t want the whole city to know about this, would you?”

"Hmph—you brat, so quick-witted!" Dean Kate blew his beard. "Don't worry, in our clan's infirmary, as long as you're not dead, I can bring you back to life."

As he spoke, the old man angrily tore open the prisoner's clothes, and seeing that his back was completely smooth, he knew that a favor must have been hidden from him.