The Journey of Mixed Anime Begins in DanMachi

Looking at the scarf in her hands, Ryu's eyes betrayed a fierce struggle.

No!

She absolutely could not be tempted again!

She would rather jump from the city walls than ever...

One last time! She swore to the Great Sacred Tree! This was absolutely the last time!

The elf, unable to hold back in the end, closed her eyes in self-deception, pressed the scarf against her face, and took a deep, shuddering breath.

However, even with Ryu's firm resolve, she did not get her wish—the scent on the scarf had faded so much that not even a trace remained to be inhaled.

It was precisely because of this that Ryu had suffered from recurring insomnia these past few days, her mind replaying the image of that silver-haired boy countless times.

Yet, Ryu knew very well that her recent insomnia, irritability, and restlessness were not withdrawal symptoms from an addiction to that faint fragrance.

On the contrary, the calm and comfortable state she had enjoyed a few days ago was the anomaly, brought about by the soothing effect of that scent.

Looking back now, she realized she had rejoiced too soon when she thought she had finally shed her status as a Useless Elf, even mocking other members for being unable to sleep after watching a boy adventurer!

No!

She absolutely had to forget that human!

With a hint of resentment that "he wouldn't even give her one last time," Ryu crushed the protective scarf—woven from precious materials—and charged into the Dungeon with her blade drawn!

That human's movements at that time were absolute proof that he had touched one, or perhaps even multiple elves before!

Otherwise, how could he have developed that kind of conditioned reflex?!

Therefore, no matter how heroic or charming his posture was during combat and adventure, he was absolutely not the partner of her dreams!

Using the heat surging through her body during intense battle as a furnace, Ryu hammered this conviction into her heart with every swing of her sword against the monsters...

By the time she regained her senses, she found that she had arrived at the Seventeenth Floor without realizing it.

The Wall of Sighs cast a faint glow, illuminating the pale, long hall that had returned to its original state, showing no signs of the fierce battle that had once taken place there.

I should go take a bath—feeling the sweat and dust covering her body, this longing welled up in the heart of the exhausted Ryu.

Entering the Eighteenth Floor, Ryu headed straight toward a certain spot in the Eastern Great Forest.

But as she passed through the dense woods and was about to reach her destination, Ryu heard the sound of splashing water.

What is this?

Ryu, her consciousness already somewhat sluggish, looked up, her gaze piercing through the forest leaves, and then the entire elf froze on the spot.

Because in that clear pool where she often came to wash with her familia members, a figure had appeared.

That silver hair, reflecting the radiance of the Sky Crystal, stole away her consciousness.

60 Ryu: It's all the world's fault!

Peeping was wrong in itself, peeping at the opposite sex bathing was even more wrong, and for an elf to do such a thing was a sin deserving of divine retribution, so she should leave immediately!

—That was what Ryu thought in her heart, but her body refused to obey, and her eyes were unable to tear themselves away from the scene.

The fine, fragmented light scattered from the countless azure crystals on the dome dyed the silent forest a pale blue.

In the clear pool surrounded by trees and mist, the water, so transparent that the countless crystals at the bottom were visible, reflected the radiance, forming a sea of shimmering silver light.

Such beauty made Ryu recall her homeland, that boundless sea of trees swaying under the moonlight and evening breeze, and the vast sacred lake reflecting the moonlit sky.

No, it was not just the scenery; more importantly, it was the figure in the lake—

Soft silver hair was dampened by the water, clinging to the muscular curves of his slender neck, allowing droplets to trickle down skin so fair that the blue veins beneath were visible.

From his neck to his shoulders, and the muscles of his waist and abdomen, none could be described as bulky.

But just as the word "boy" implied, one could feel the vitality of someone still growing, yet without being overly rough or massive.

It was not only elastic and soft, but even carried a sense of youthful, raw innocence.

Relying on the keen eyesight of a Level 2 Adventurer and an elf, Ryu ignored the thirty-meter distance, taking in every detail of the scene.

As if a breeze had ruffled the surface of a lake or the morning glow had pierced through the mist, a crack suddenly appeared in the elf's heart, which had been filled with exhaustion and irritability, and it began to ripple gently.

Thus, she subconsciously let down her guard, making the instinctive reaction one has under intense thirst and exhaustion.

That was, biting her lip, and—

"Gulp."

The faint sound of swallowing echoed through the forest, not even as loud as the roar of a flying monster in the distance.

However—

I'm done for!

Deep within her heart, it felt as if a young elf was holding a wooden sword, violently beating the current Ryu, hating her for her loss of composure and lack of discipline.

However, before Ryu could be swallowed by this shame, an even more intense sense of crisis struck!

"Who's there!"

Hearing a sound that definitely shouldn't exist in the natural environment, Noah subconsciously flung the weapon he had been holding in his hand for vigilance before even looking toward the source of the noise.

It was a sharp horn, possessing a horny texture yet gleaming with the metallic luster of dark gray.

Though unrefined, under the sheer wrist strength of Noah, it still easily carved a Wail of Evil Spirits-like shriek through the air.

Before her long-honed combat instincts could even react, a deeper, more primal biological instinct within Ryu sounded a warning like a tolling bell.

But, there was no dodging it!

Just like encountering the "roar" of a high-level monster in the deep floors that could render low-level adventurers powerless, Ryu felt as if her very blood had frozen; she could only watch helplessly as the attack descended!

Just as Ryu felt she was about to see the flickering lights of her past life and the branches of the Sacred Tree beckoning to her, a flash of silver radiance suddenly streaked across her solidified vision!

Almost identical to that scene on the Seventeenth Floor seven days ago, the silver figure surpassed the speed of the attack he had launched, arriving at Ryu's side a step ahead.

While shattering the attack with a hand blade, Noah pulled the Blonde Elf into his embrace and tackled her to the ground.

The flying debris did not cease, instead scattering outward like countless cannonballs.

"BOOM—!"

It was like a small meteor shower striking the earth; dust and smoke exploded into the air, the tremors rippling across the vast wilderness of the Eighteenth Floor.

When the dust finally settled, the tree trunks, rocks, and ground within a ten-meter radius were riddled with holes like a honeycomb.

"That was dangerous!"

Looking at the devastation strewn about, Noah remarked without a hint of self-awareness, as if the attack hadn't been his own.

After confirming the danger had passed, Noah lowered his head to look at the Blonde Elf shielded in his arms, meeting eyes that shared a similar hue to his own.

"Are you alright?"

I am very much not alright! And it's a massive problem!!

By the movement and shape of Noah's thin lips, Ryu deduced what he wanted to say.

The reason she had to rely on lip-reading was that she could no longer hear a thing; her ears were completely overwhelmed by a sharp, high-pitched ringing.

Not only that, Ryu felt her brain was currently like the plate of stew Alise had eaten this morning—nearly cooked through!

As for the reason, wasn't it right before her eyes?

Whether it was the boy's clear, bright azure eyes, the graceful collarbone and prominent Adam's apple that she couldn't tear her gaze away from, or the hot, humid breath washing over her face, everything made Ryu wish she could faint on the spot.

Yet, just like last time, the moist, refreshing scent emanating from Noah's body prevented Ryu's consciousness from completely fading, no matter how much it was crushed and tortured by shame.

This allowed Ryu to feel even more clearly the slight rise and fall of Noah's chest as he breathed, as well as the temperature radiating from their touching skin.

These sensations branded themselves onto Ryu's skin like red-hot irons, instantly transforming into electric currents that surged throughout her entire body.

She would never forget this; she would never be able to forget this feeling for the rest of her life!

Her hazy consciousness instead allowed Ryu to listen more clearly to her body's reactions—the sense of anomaly she had finally steeled herself to erase was now likely deeply imprinted into the depths of her being, never to be removed again.

"Hey! What's wrong? Are you okay?!"

Seeing the Blonde Elf staring at him with vacant eyes, a layer of gloom clouding her sky-blue pupils, and even her pair of pointed ears—which should have been held high—drooping limply, Noah was startled and hurriedly patted her face.

How did an elf turn into a Goblin?

Although Ryu desperately wanted to pass out, she couldn't; instead, she quickly regained her senses.

Looking at Noah, who was still hovering over her, her expression was complex. She seemed to want to say something, but in the end, she could only sigh helplessly.

"Sifir, thank you for saving me. I am fine. Could you please get off me?"

In the lower corner of Ryu's vision, she could see the chiseled muscles of Noah's chest, and further down...

No, she dared not look further down.

As her vision vaguely touched upon his abdominal muscles, she closed her eyes, driven by a strong sense of crisis.

If she looked any further, she suspected her eyes and blood vessels would explode in unison!

No, rather, she would likely explode anyway once she left this person's side.

Ryu knew very well that her current calmness was merely a facade.

The Useless Elf state was actually being stored up, waiting for the inhibitor to vanish before erupting with earth-shattering intensity!

Should I find someone to prepare in advance, to knock me out when I go crazy?

In the parlance of Kaguya's country, was that called a kaishakunin?

While Noah was curious why the elf from the neighboring Familia was listless one moment and suddenly back to normal the next, the chill of the wind on his skin made him pull back his focus.

Although as a battle-hardened warrior, Noah had long since ceased to care about such trivialities, the sight of him pressing against a young girl while naked was still a bit too unsightly.

It looked too much like a crime!

Therefore, he hurriedly stood up and flashed back into the jungle, reappearing fully clothed.

Ryu, meanwhile, kept her face covered with her scarf, staring listlessly at the crystals on the ground, not even looking up when she heard Noah approach.

"Sifir, may I ask why you are here?"

"Uh, I finished my training early today. I felt there was still time, so I came to the Eighteenth Floor to look around. Then I saw a Pool over here, so I took a bath, and then..."

Who could he blame for this?

Although the girl's mood made Ryu want to pin all the blame on her, the last remnants of her pride as an Elf made her realize that Noah was the last person she could fault for this.

He had been bathing properly, only to be peeked at and seen in his entirety by her; how could he possibly be in the wrong?

In such a vast forest, Noah had actually managed to find the exact spot where the Astraea Familia usually bathed!

If someone had to be blamed, perhaps it was the fault of the world itself!!

61 I will take responsibility for you!

There is a Blonde Elf here who seems to have fallen into a depression; why don't we just...

Bathed in the radiance spilling down from the dome, Noah watched the silent Elf, unable to help but gently stroke the hilt of his sword to calm the restlessness in his heart.

Why? Why did it have to turn out like this?