A Multiverse Journey Beginning with DanMachi - Chapter 42

Not to mention the reassuring feeling of her hand being completely enveloped, strength and warmth passing through it.

She turned her head and met Noah's gaze.

Go do what you want. Though they hadn't exchanged a word, and Noah hadn't given her any particular look, Ryu felt as if someone had said those words right beside her ear.

"Yeah!"

No more words were needed. Ryu felt a connection with the boy before her that was even closer than when they'd bared themselves to each other not long ago—one-sidedly.

Their souls resonated with each other in that moment.

The next instant, Gale drew her sword and charged!

Huh, did I miss?

"Defend yourselves!"

To the Dark Faction, who committed crimes in the city and were hated by everyone, that golden Gale was a more terrifying figure than first-class adventurers such as the Brave, the Hero, and the Nine Hell.

After all, those famous figures in Orario had their own opponents—the Dark Faction's executives—and no time to deal with low-level grunts like them.

But the girls of the Astraea Familia didn't care whether you were a mere grunt.

These young girls, active on the front lines in the fight against evil, showed no mercy to anyone who committed crimes, whether murder and arson or theft and robbery.

The ones who had left the strongest impression on the city's residents and the Dark Faction were the Crimson Flower, who wielded blazing flames; Yamato Gentian, whose sword flashed with deadly force; and the golden Gale before them!

The Dark Faction members here were fairly elite, but if they hadn't been fighting as a group, with Valetta supervising them from behind, they would have scattered and fled long ago.

Facing that incoming Gale, the Dark Faction members raised their magic swords, which glowed with strange lights of various colors—

But then, a flash lit up their vision.

It was nothing like the dazzling light of exploding magic swords. It was a deep, silent azure glow, as if it had swallowed all the light and sound around it.

"Resound—"

A strange, solemn chant rang out, accompanied by a stinging numbness that spread across their skin.

The voice was soft and gentle, as though it came from the distant horizon, yet it seemed to be spoken directly into everyone's ears.

Then lightning flashed!

Just as countless balls of magic—flames of electricity, icy winds, blinding light, and more—surged from the magic swords and were about to strike Gale, a figure wreathed in dark blue lightning arrived first!

At almost the same moment, a flash of swordlight cut through every obstacle!

The moment the swordlight swept past, the lives of more than ten elite Dark Faction members were snuffed out, and their magic swords were shattered as well.

Their immense magic power instantly ran wild, setting off a massive chain of explosions that shook the heavens and earth!

Amazing! I couldn't even see how he passed me!

Only when the flames shot into the sky, lighting and scorching her cheeks, did Ryu's eyes catch sight of Noah. Somehow, he had already passed her, reached the Dark Faction members, and swung his sword.

No, that was already his second strike!

This time, a blade of lightning shot from his silver-white sword, shredding the magical explosion in front of Ryu and clearing a path to the unconscious children.

As she ran, Ryu didn't have to spend a thought dodging or attacking. Every enemy was cut down by the swordlight sweeping toward them the moment she spotted them.

The exhilarating sensation of charging straight through a crowd of enemies even reminded Ryu of the refreshing feeling of putting on new underwear after waking up on New Year's Day!

Being carried by a teammate was the best!

However, reality didn't let Ryu enjoy it for long before forcing her back to her senses.

The distance of several hundred meters between Ryu and the children had been covered in an instant.

Ryu and Noah were now less than twenty meters from Valetta.

Given Ryu and Noah's speed, and Valetta's strength as a first-class adventurer, crossing that distance would take no more than a moment. They were practically face-to-face.

Ryu's nerves didn't relax. If anything, they grew tauter as she kept Valetta in sight from the corner of her eye.

If her opponent were a simple-minded killer like the White-Haired Demon, Ryu wouldn't be so wary.

But the person standing before her was the Killing Emperor, famous for her cunning and cruelty, who had clashed with the Hero many times!

Though she didn't like admitting it, Ryu had to acknowledge that she was far inferior to her opponent when it came to schemes and tricks.

Would the Killing Emperor really let her take those children away just like that?

Ryu could figure out that it was impossible without even thinking hard.

There might be bombs planted on the hostages, or traps set around them. Maybe the hostages were actually Dark Faction members in disguise. Having paid the price in many battles over the years, Ryu knew all these tricks well.

So, while gripping her sword tightly, she watched both the Killing Emperor and the children, calculating every possibility.

Yet every calculation came to nothing!

No matter how she thought it through, Valetta's actions still exceeded all her expectations.

Because she didn't act at all!

She simply stood there, motionless, making no effort to attack or defend herself. Yet that only made Ryu feel even more uneasy.

That gaze, that smile, that expression—it wasn't that she looked down on Ryu and couldn't be bothered to act. It was the delight of someone watching prey about to walk straight into a trap!

Something was wrong!

Ryu instinctively glanced over the unconscious children—three little girls, two of whom looked alike and might have been sisters. They all seemed to be around five or six years old.

They looked like ordinary children. There was nothing unusual about them.

Even her elven instincts told her as much.

Should she retreat? Press forward? Or attack Valetta?

Even if Valetta cut her nearly to death, Ryu wouldn't have been this conflicted. Then she would only have to grit her teeth and fight.

At this crucial moment, a pair of azure eyes flashed before her.

Do what you want.

The thunderous roar that had once sent chills down her spine now felt like the soothing patter of rain outside a window during a nap.

I'll get the children out of here! Staying will only hold him back!

The gloom in her heart vanished. Ryu's body seemed to grow lighter, and her speed visibly increased.

The change in the Blonde Elf, from hesitation to resolve, came so suddenly that Valetta only reacted after Ryu had wrapped the little girls in her cloak and carried them away.

"Hah, forget it..."

They weren't the main course anyway. If the appetizers ran off, so be it.

Valetta turned her gaze toward Noah and comforted herself with that thought.

But even if they were cannon fodder, wasn't that a little too fast?

Seeing another Dark Faction member die by Noah's sword, Valetta couldn't help baring her teeth and sucking in breaths.

She didn't know if even twenty seconds had passed since the Blonde Elf ran off, but more than thirty Dark Faction members had already been wiped out.

No! She couldn't wait any longer!

There was no way she could match this monster now!

If he struck her head-on, he'd probably cut her and her weapon to pieces!

Noah, who was in the middle of cutting down his enemies, sensed something strange and stole a glance at Valetta.

Then he saw countless sinister, glowing geometric patterns appear on the ground, which had been covered in moss and deadwood.

They were purple-red, circular, and formed a huge magic circle with Valetta at its center!

Noah couldn't quite figure out what was happening yet.

But one thing was certain: never let an enemy accomplish their goal!

Noah pivoted, deflecting the attacks of the other Dark Faction members as he swung his sword at Valetta!

"You brat!"

Valetta glared and raised her sword to block, while also trying to dodge Noah's strike.

She failed, as was only to be expected.

Noah's slash easily shattered her cursed sword and cut a bloody gash across her body.

The shockwave swept outward, cleaving rocks apart and sending fragments flying hard enough to pierce several thick tree trunks.

Yet Noah furrowed his brow.

Had he really missed with that strike?

Go! I choose you, Ryu the Elf!

Though that strike had left Valetta in a terrible state, Noah wasn't satisfied.

Having achieved little in his life, he was only confident in his swordsmanship, cooking, and looks.

That last strike had been made on the spur of the moment, but its angle, speed, and power had all been just right. It should have taken Valetta's head clean off. How had he missed?

Sensing something wrong, Noah didn't have time to think. He kicked up a cloud of dust and swung his sword again at Valetta, who had rolled to one side.

If he couldn't hit her neck just now, then this time he'd cut her whole body in half!

If his aim wasn't good enough, he'd just cover the whole area!

But this time, though his blade shattered the rocks beneath Valetta and sent countless fragments flying like missiles, blasting her face and body into a bloody mess, she still dodged the fatal blow by a hair's breadth.

The situation was just like the reversal a month ago. Noah launched one attack after another, and Valetta avoided each by the narrowest of margins.

The only thing that hadn't changed was that Valetta was still the one drenched in blood.

After unleashing three more slashes in the space of a single breath without managing to end Valetta's life, Noah finally stopped and examined his body for anything unusual.

Valetta's right hand had been nearly severed, and blood poured from her thigh as she struggled to stand, using her broken greatsword as a crutch.

She pulled out a potion, tipped back most of it, then poured the rest over herself. She finished all that in just a few seconds.

Then, after finishing one bottle, Valetta pulled out another and drank it like a dying person guzzling spring water.

"Figures. Getting close to this monster is a nightmare!"

Her face was twisted and filthy with dust and blood, and she could barely open one eye, but Valetta still managed a crooked, spiteful grin.

"But Noah, if you can't kill me, you'll just have to wait here until you die!"

Hearing Valetta's voice, Noah stopped examining his body.

There was no need to look any further. He could tell without thinking that the purple-red magic circle beneath him was responsible.

"Is this magic barrier behind it?"

I need time to recover, and the magic needs time to take effect!

Though villains in Heroic Tales always died because they talked too much, Valetta judged that stalling would work in her favor right now.

"Exactly! This is my magic—Shaluoduo! It's a super-long-spell magic, so I can't leave the barrier, and it takes a huge amount of mental energy. But its effect is 'ability reduction.' Anyone who enters the barrier without my permission has their abilities forcibly reduced every time they act—without limit!"

Perhaps thrilled at finally seeing her prey caught in her net, or perhaps venting her anger at being beaten into such a wretched state, Valetta roared out the details of her magic.

"You can't escape now! That's what you get for running around and swinging your sword like an idiot!"

Valetta was right.

Noah estimated that in the short time since Valetta had activated the magic circle, the abilities enhanced by his Falna had already dropped by nearly a tenth.

If he kept trying to kill Valetta, his abilities would keep declining even faster.

But Noah immediately realized that this barrier magic posed no threat to him.

No matter what, even if he couldn't kill Valetta, he could still escape, couldn't he?

It was only a short distance. He could cover it in an instant.