Ryuu's refusal dumbfounded Roy.
Ryuu said coldly,
"I have my own matters to attend to. It's impossible for me to keep helping you hunt monsters. Don't forget, adventurers are entitled to their own private time."
Hearing this, Roy's heart sank. My dream of punching Orario's Familia and kicking the Black Dragon!
The workhorse I finally caught is refusing to work 996 or 007? This is outrageous! Unacceptable!
Roy's brain raced.
"You want to assassinate the Dark Familia adventurers?"
"That's right!"
Ryuu wasn't surprised that Roy knew her intentions. This mysterious young man seemed omniscient, possessing wisdom comparable to a God.
"Understood."
Roy nodded. Ryuu was only helping him fight monsters with a test-and-see mentality. Resurrecting Alise Lovell and the others would be ideal, but revenge was still her priority.
After a moment of thought, Roy gritted his teeth and stamped his foot. To prevent his fighter from running away—the Dark Familia, huh? I will take care of you today!
Roy asked, "What do you plan to do next? Kill them outright? Perhaps I can offer you some advice. After all, we are currently in this together."
After a few seconds of hesitation, Ryuu replied,
"I plan to ask Lady Astrea to leave Orario, and then assassinate the Dark Familia adventurers and related personnel."
Ryuu's face was icy and murderous. The frenzied fire of revenge was so intense that it would even burn innocent people. She did not want to ruin the reputation of the Justice Familia or let Lady Astrea see her in this state.
"As expected!"
Roy mused inwardly. When the Familia members were annihilated, the sixteen-year-old Ryuu would ask her Goddess Astrea to leave Orario, and she would descend into a vengeful beast. Because her assassination targets included Guild personnel, she would eventually be blacklisted by the Guild, with an 80-million-Valis bounty on her head.
"That's the plan. Don't stop me, or I will kill you too!"
Ryuu said coldly. She couldn't possibly have any affection for Roy after knowing him for less than two hours. Anyone who blocked her revenge had to die!
"When did I say I was going to stop you?"
"That would be for the best!"
Roy asked, "I just have one question: Orario is huge, and the Dark Familia has so many people. How long will it take you to complete your revenge all alone? Miss Alise Lovell must be getting impatient in the Underworld."
Ryuu remained silent.
Roy remembered it took Ryuu three years to clear out the remnants of the Dark Familia.
As for why he called them "remnants," the main force of the Dark Faction had been wiped out by Finn from the Loki Familia in the last two years. Ryuu's three years of arduous assassination work essentially amounted to eliminating Level 1 and Level 2 fodder.
If the obstacles were Level 5 or Level 6 adventurers, Roy might not say anything, but if these Dark Familia scrubs were blocking his path to leveling up, could he tolerate that?
Roy said,
"I'll help you. We need to be efficient. Get rid of the Dark Familia quickly. It's good for both of us!"
Ryuu's lips parted slightly. "Why would you help me?"
"Don't make me feel guilty, girl."
Roy said. In fact, resurrecting Alise Lovell and the others was just an empty promise; he had no confidence in whether he could actually achieve it. But Ryuu had genuinely helped him hunt Doma. System equipment being categorized as Low-Grade (for Level 1, 2 adventurers) and High-Grade (for Level 3, 4 adventurers) should make the stakes clear.
Roy disliked being indebted to others.
Seeing that Roy was unwilling to state his reason, Ryuu didn't press him. Instead, she became slightly interested in what he had said. "Wiping out the Rudra Familia quickly? Do you even know how many people they have? That's impossible!"
Even she, a Level 4, had prepared herself for a long period of assassination.
"Don't worry about whether I can do it. Just drink these two potions first,"
Roy said, tossing two Low-Grade Health Potions to Ryuu.
Ryuu caught the two bottles, frowning. She hadn't even seen where Roy had pulled the potions from.
Looking at the red, carnelian-like liquid inside the bottles, then back at Roy, she realized he had discovered that her injuries from the Juggernaut had not fully healed.
After burying the relics of her Familia companions on the 18th floor, she had collapsed in Roy's tent upon returning to the surface.
"No, this is merely a transaction. I won't accept anything from you,"
Ryuu shook her head, showing extreme stubbornness in this matter. She was unwilling to be indebted to others.
Roy snapped,
"Stop the nonsense! If you want revenge, listen to me. You're already planning to resort to assassination, but you're afraid to accept two potions?"
Why be stubborn now? Did you throw your principles into the Dungeon when you slept in my bed?
This tactic worked instantly on Ryuu. It was impossible for a sixteen-year-old Level 4 Adventurer not to have some pride. Provoked by Roy, Ryuu gripped the two potions tightly, glaring at him through gritted teeth.
Ryuu uncorked the bottles and quickly gulped down both potions, as if she were drinking Roy's blood.
The potions' effect was immediately noticeable.
A faint, emerald-green light appeared on Ryuu's body. Restoring 40% of her HP in 20 seconds, her internal injuries healed at a visible rate.
Ryuu's eyes widened in surprise. What powerful potions! They are comparable to the finest 10,000-Valis items sold at apothecaries, yet he just casually tossed them to me, and I drank them down in one go.
Roy was unaware of Ryuu's thoughts. His brain was spinning quickly, contemplating the revenge operation.
He had three plans—Best, Middle, and Worst—to help Ryuu get revenge.
Best Plan: Grind instances, level up, and then crush the Dark Familia with overwhelming strength. This was the safest, but it would take a long time, and Ryuu wouldn't see immediate results, so she would definitely refuse.
Worst Plan: Go through with the assassination. This would take even longer, was dangerous, unstable, and Ryuu might fail. If his Level 4 fighter was gone, Roy would be even more unwilling.
People often prefer a middle ground, and Roy was no exception. The Middle Plan was slightly more complex and carried some risk, but it could eliminate the enemy in a short amount of time.
Roy hinted,
"Let's go see your Goddess first. With your Familia annihilated, she's living alone in that mansion, and the only remaining Familia member won't go see her. It's quite pathetic when you think about it."
Ryuu bit her lower lip, clenching it tighter and tighter.
Ryuu lowered her head and followed behind Roy.
Crossing the main streets and turning several corners, they unconsciously arrived at a corner of Orario's North District. A mansion built of white stone—the headquarters of the Astrea Familia, the Starry Garden.
Looking at the mansion, Ryuu subconsciously wanted to retreat and flee. She couldn't bring herself to step into this place, which was filled with memories of Alise, Kaguya, and the others.
"I swear by the Sword and Wings of Justice!"
The oath of justice carved on the plaque felt like a heavy mountain pressing down on Ryuu, making her breathless and afraid to look up.
The graceful figure that had effortlessly obliterated the Upper Rank Demon Doma was gone. The blonde Elf before him was just a scarred girl, trembling as she hugged her own body, the light gone from her sky-blue eyes.
All of this was observed by Roy.