"’What is justice?’", the blonde female swordsman asked.
Her attire was the sa as when she had previously encountered the Astraea Familia, white knight-like armor, brown knee-high boots, and a black cloak trailing behind her.
On the swordswoman’s face, or more precisely, over her eyes, was a pitch-black mask. Even though more than half her features were exposed, Alise and the others simply couldn’t recall or recognize her appearance or identity.
"Just who the hell are you?", Kaguya didn’t follow the other’s pace but firmly questioned her, "Hiding your face, what, are you so ugly hag who can’t show her real appearance?"
Ryuu slightly tilted her head, gazing at Kaguya.
"What a nostalgic insult," the corners of her lips gently rose.
Hearing Kaguya’s sarcasm, Ryuu only felt nostalgic and sorrowful.
Because they were companions she had long missed. And because... weak creatures, even when trying to appear aggressive, might still seem cute.
Ryuu didn’t look down on these forr companions. But to the current Ryuu, Kaguya puffing up in front of her looked exactly like a red panda standing on hind legs with paws raised, trying to appear tall and threatening.
’I never thought this before, but... Kaguya is kind of adorable,’ Ryuu thought, unable to help but smile. Her smile, however, gave Kaguya a sudden chill.
Kaguya: "This demon woman... she’s definitely thinking sothing ssed up..."
About half a second later, Ryuu slightly restrained her expression.
"Let’s be a little serious first," Her hand lightly rested on the hilt of [Judgnt of Justice].
"Watch out—", Kaguya’s expression sharpened, but her warning didn’t make it out in ti.
The hilt of Ryuu’s sword suddenly struck the girl’s abdon, the impact so intense it forced air and stomach acid from her body.
Kaguya was blown away like a broken doll, and Ryuu nimbly stood where she had been.
The motion was so fast it resembled teleportation, the girls couldn’t even catch her afterimage. Ryuu had already appeared within the Astraea Familia’s formation.
The blade of [Judgnt of Justice] rested against Maryu’s neck. Ryuu, "Now, can you answer my question?"
Maryu Reage was the Astraea Familia’s only professional healer, age 19, also among the older group of the Familia.
Her skill as a healer went without saying, and as for her chest, she was said to be number one in the Familia, only she could rival their goddess in that regard.
"’What is justice?’", Ryuu asked again.
"Altruistic acts done freely, unwavering at all tis, punishing evil and protecting the innocent, that is my justice!", shouted the blond elven girl beside Ryuu.
Hearing the elf girl’s words, Ryuu’s lips tightened slightly.
"Forcing goodwill on others. Using violence to combat violence, that’s the kind of ’justice’ achieved through brute force," Ryuu comnted.
The blonde elf girl’s blood pressure instantly soared, her face flushing red with emotion, "I didn’t say that! To fight powerful evil, you need equivalent strength! Otherwise, you can’t protect or save anything!"
The elf girl shouted loudly, all while her right hand quietly lowered, creeping toward the longsword hanging at her waist.
Seeing this movent, Ryuu inwardly sighed.
Then, she raised her foot and kicked away the "14-year-old Ryuu" who was trying to draw her sword.
’That stupid look on her face... just so irritating,’ Ryuu thought.
The elf girl smashed into the wall, her body breaking through the artificial dungeon’s stone until she struck the [Adamantine] layer beneath.
The surrounding girls instinctively gripped their weapons, but none dared act rashly.
Ryuu was now inside the Astraea Familia’s formation, a position disadvantageous in strategy, surrounded on all sides. But just like before, none of the girls could follow her movent. At this mont, whether she wanted to retreat or defeat them all, she could do so in an instant.
The adventurers of the Astraea Familia had experienced this mysterious person’s strength.
She was stronger than the Lv.6 [King], that was the only conclusion they could make, because the [King] was the strongest adventurer they had ever seen.
"Defeating her" and such, even the most optimistic Alise didn’t entertain that idea.
Their presence here ant only one thing: delay her. Buy ti for their allies to rescue the goddess.
"You ask what justice is...", Kaguya used her sword to prop herself up, slowly standing. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.
"Astraea, that is my justice... Damn you, give our goddess back!"
"[Gokou]!"
The girl roared as she charged, her sword radiating with brilliance like a blooming crimson spider lily.
As Kaguya activated her magic, Alise’s sword ignited in flas, Lyra threw flying daggers, and Maryu grabbed the blade pressed to her neck, despite her bleeding left hand, and raised her war hamr with her right.
anwhile, thanks to Kaguya’s answer, Ryuu spaced out slightly, allowing the multi-directional attacks to close in on her.
"That answer... not bad," Ryuu smiled softly.
Sword light, fla, daggers, lightning, various spells engulfed Ryuu’s figure. Stones exploded, dust rose, and the girls scattered nervously.
"Did she die?", soone asked.
"No way," Lyra replied softly.
As the dust cleared, Ryuu’s figure reappeared. Completely unscathed, with only more dust on her armor and clothing.
Ryuu’s gaze turned to the mbers of the Astraea Familia. This ti, her stare was especially focused, as if trying to burn each of their faces into her mory.
Unknowingly, the girl’s vision started to blur.
"Noin," she softly murmured.
Noin Unic, a sixteen-year-old human girl, sa age group as Alise and the others, in the middle group.
"My justice is just being myself, naturally. Being who I am, at any ti, is the best~"
In Ryuu’s mind, she saw the human girl looking over her shoulder, smiling while explaining her view of justice.
At the sa ti, Noin, who had activated her dexterity and agility boosting magic, was struck by a lightning-fast, pinpoint strike.
"Asta," Ryuu continued.
Asta Nox, a dwarven girl, the only frontliner in the Familia who used a great shield and heavy gear.
"We dwarves are so unlucky compared to those flashy magic users (elves) and those who rack up visible kills on the front lines (humans/beastn)."
Always stepping up, always getting hurt, always in harsh positions, yet never basking in glory.
"But, it’s our job as shield bearers to protect that brilliance!"
Right then, Asta, standing at the very front, cast a magic silver shield, but it was crushed instantly by an even larger, tougher shield.
"Lyra," Ryuu recalled that small, clever prum girl who’d helped her so much.
Smart and mature, she once taught Ryuu, ("To uphold justice, you need knowledge and wisdom.")
A lightning-enchanted throwing knife pinned Lyra to the wall.
"Rayana, Iska, Celty, Neze..."
Rayana Lietz, a human mage from the magical powerhouse Altina, her magical skill surpassed even Ryuu and Cielty.
"Lady Astraea opened my eyes to many things. Now, my justice is, ’magic.’"
"So, I want to pass my justice on to you. Your chants will soar anywhere."
"I believe your ’magic’ will save many people."
Rayana’s magic [Fla of the Demon] was consud by an even hotter inferno.
Iska Bra, a beautiful and adorable Amazon warrior.
"As long as you’re beautiful and kind, everything around you becos better. Trying too hard to think complicated thoughts doesn’t suit ."
"Yeah, being beautiful all the ti, that’s my justice."
Her magic [Indomitable Fist] was overpowered by a stronger punch.
Cielty Srowa, leaf-green hair, round glasses. Thirteen years old, still childish, androgynous, looked more like a boy at a glance.
Younger than Ryuu, yet her senior in the Familia.
"Even though Kaguya and the others say you’re a handful... I’ve always respected your seriousness since we t."
Heavenly thunder engulfed the lightning magic she unleashed.
Neze Rankett, an older group werewolf girl.
Alongside captain Alise and vice-captain Kaguya, she was considered the Familia’s "third captain" by unanimous vote.
"Thanks. I’ll get stronger, to live up to the na of [Crimson Blood and Fangs of Justice],"
Even without moonlight, her will to protect her comrades triggered [Beastification], but her claw of wind was still defeated.
"Kaguya, Alise...", Ryuu softly whispered the nas of her dear friends.
Gojou-no-Kaguya, rough and stubborn like a Yamato Nadeshiko, always lecturing immature Ryuu like a fussy senior.
Now, as five strikes from different directions converged on her, Kaguya’s gaze blurred.
———
"Who the hell... are you?", Alise half-knelt, clutching her stomach where a fla-enchanted sword had slashed her. She roared.
Hearing her friend’s voice, Ryuu finally returned to awareness.
Since earlier, she had been standing blankly in place, not casting magic, not swinging her weapon, only the [Judgnt of Justice] and [Valkyrie’s Sacred Ring] glowing steadily.
Now, the girls of the Astraea Familia were all down. Aside from Ryuu, ten phantom figures stood on the battlefield.
They each wielded different weapons, surrounding Ryuu in formation like unfurled wings, or dazzling stars, arrayed like a radiant constellation.
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