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Shirou gazed at the remnants of ash slowly disappearing into the air, then slowly lowered his hand. He let out a small sigh before turning towards Ryuu, who was still staring at him with an expression of disbelief.
"This slingshot... It's no ordinary weapon," he said calmly. "Just like Kanshou and Bakuya, it's also one of the legendary weapons."
Ryuu, still holding her sword, slowly approached. Her footsteps sounded softly among the rubble and dust. "Legendary weapons?" she murmured, her brow furrowed with curiosity. She stopped in front of Shirou and stared at the object that was now slowly fading from the young man's hand. "A slingshot this small could defeat a Monster Rex with a single shot..."
Shirou chuckled softly, looking at her with gentle eyes. "Heh, not exactly," he said, shaking his head lightly. "The true power isn't in the tool, but in the story behind it." He spun the slingshot once before letting it dissolve into particles of blue light. "This slingshot is an imitation of the weapon of an ancient hero—someone who felled the giant Goliath with just a slingshot and five stones in his hand."
Ryuu raised an eyebrow, her voice soft but clearly showing curiosity. "An ancient hero? What was his name?"
Shirou looked towards the now silent aftermath of the battle. "David," he answered slowly. "That's what he was called in the old tales. He fought an enemy that seemed impossible to defeat, yet stood firm with his own conviction."
Ryuu fell into thought, staring at the spot where Goliath had turned to ash. "David..." she whispered. "I've never heard of a hero by that name. It seems he's not from the records of Orario."
Shirou didn't answer. He just stared into the distance, his eyes dimmed by flashes of inexplicable memories. The gentle Dungeon wind blew, carrying Goliath's ashes swirling in the air before they vanished. In his heart, Shirou thought quietly, Of course you wouldn't know him... that story comes from another world.
Shirou crouched down, looking at the debris left from Goliath's body. Faint purple glints from magic-stone fragments shone among the still-swirling ash and dust. "Not bad," he muttered, then turned to Ryuu, who was still rooted to the spot. "Come on, help me gather them. The magic stones from a Monster Rex can be sold for a high price."
Ryuu snapped out of it, then knelt on the other side. The sound of small stones clinking together could be heard in the silence. "I still can't believe all of this was destroyed by just one shot from a slingshot," she said softly, picking up an irregularly shaped fragment. "But, Shirou... there's something I want to ask."
"Hmm?" Shirou turned his head unsuspectingly.
Ryuu looked at the fragment in her hand, then murmured, "You said earlier that a legendary weapon is just like Kanshou and Bakuya, the slingshot once used by the hero David..." She paused for a moment, then looked sharply at Shirou. "Where can you see and imitate those legendary weapons from? Don't tell me it's just from the 'magus' community you told me about before."
Shirou froze for a moment. "Eh..." he scratched the back of his head, not knowing what to say.
Ryuu looked at him silently, her expression serious but not judgmental. "I've looked into it, Shirou," she said finally. "About the magus you mentioned. I searched the Guild's archives, asked the receptionists, even read old records from the Orario library." Her gaze was piercing, as if trying to penetrate the layers of secrets behind Shirou. "But not a single record mentions a power like yours."
The sound of their footsteps stopped simultaneously. Silence.
"Your power... defies reason," continued Ryuu, her voice soft but firm. "I give up. I don't want you to demonstrate your power anymore; I want you to explain it. What exactly are you, Shirou?"
The red-haired young man was silent for a long time, looking down at the magic stone fragments at his feet. He took a slow breath, trying to organize his thoughts. It feels like it would be too much to tell her about my origins now, he thought. After the show with David's slingshot just now, Ryuu must be overwhelmed enough. If I add my own origin on top of that, she might get completely dizzy. Shirou shook his head slightly, deciding to hold off on that explanation for the time being.
Finally, Shirou let out a long sigh. "It's a complicated story, Ryuu..." he said slowly.
The elf lifted her chin slightly, her gaze calm yet full of determination. "I will listen," she stated firmly. "No matter how complicated it is, I want to know."
Shirou looked at her for a moment, "Alright," he said softly. "But... after you fulfill your promise."
Ryuu was silent for a moment, then her eyes widened slightly. "Promise...?" She murmured, trying to remember. "Oh, that promise..." Her face softened. "To visit the Goddess Astraea... with you."
Shirou just gave a small nod. "Yes."
Ryuu took a deep breath, then strengthened her resolve. "Very well. But before that," she said while looking at the path ahead leading to the large, winding staircase, "there are two things I must take care of."
Shirou looked at her curiously. "Need help?"
Ryuu glanced at him, then gave a slight nod. "The first one, you definitely need to come along. And that... is on the eighteenth floor."
Shirou nodded, adjusting the strap of his tunic. "Alright. Then, let's head down."
The two began to descend the damp stone staircase, the sound of their footsteps echoing softly between the Dungeon walls. The blue light from the ceiling crystals gradually grew brighter as they went deeper towards Rivira, the resting town for adventurers on the eighteenth floor.
The sky of the eighteenth floor stretched wide above their heads. However, instead of heading towards the bustling town of Rivira, Ryuu turned onto a forest path. Knee-high grass swayed gently in the wind, and the sounds of Dungeon birds echoed faintly in the distance.
Shirou looked at Ryuu's back as she walked ahead of him. "Are you sure this is the way to Rivira?" he asked doubtfully, seeing the direction getting further from the main path.
"No," Ryuu answered softly without turning. "There's another place I must visit first."
Shirou raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. They walked for a few minutes in silence, accompanied only by the rustling leaves and the sound of footsteps on the damp ground. Midway, Ryuu suddenly stopped and bent down, picking a few wildflowers with soft blue petals growing among the tree roots.
Shirou looked at her, slightly surprised. "You like flowers?" he asked spontaneously, his tone full of wonder. He had never imagined the cold-faced elf girl doing something so gentle.
Ryuu was silent for a moment, then answered without looking at him, "Not because I like them. But... they deserve a little beauty, at least for today." She clutched the flowers tightly, as if not wanting a single petal to fall.
Slowly, they made their way through the trees until they finally arrived at a quiet, open area. In the middle of this small clearing, no trees grew—only a large mound of earth filled with embedded weapons: swords, staffs, and bows, all rusted. In the center stood a tattered, gray flag, torn in several places, but still standing tall as if defying being forgotten by time.
Shirou stopped walking. He could feel a deep aura of solitude in that place—not loneliness, but a kind of frozen respect in the air.
Ryuu looked at the scene with eyes that were calm yet sorrowful. "This..." she said quietly, "is their grave. The members of the Astraea Familia." She knelt, placing the flowers on the soft earth. "I couldn't bring their bodies back then... only their weapons remained. So I made a grave from what I found."
Shirou bowed his head deeply. Slowly, he knelt beside her, helping to scatter the wildflowers around the earthen mound. Blue petals fluttered, falling softly among the rusted sword hilts and the tattered flag that still fluttered weakly.
Ryuu closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh. In her voice was a warmth rarely heard. "The first thing I wanted to do," she said softly, "was to introduce you to them."
Shirou was silent for a moment, then looked at the flowers now adorning the ground. He could feel how deeply Ryuu had hidden her sense of loss behind her calmness. "I understand..." he whispered.
A gentle wind blew through the silent field, swaying the flower petals and fluttering the tattered Astraea flag.
Ryuu stood in front of the earthen mound, her eyes gently gazing at the row of silently embedded weapons. The soft breeze carried the scent of the wildflowers they had just scattered, creating an atmosphere that seemed to hold its breath. She knelt slowly, her hand touching the hilt of the nearest sword, then spoke in a voice that was soft yet full of affection.
"Shirou," she said, "allow me to introduce you to them."
She pointed to each weapon one by one, her voice calm but trembling faintly with memory. "All of them—my friends, my comrades in the Astraea Familia. Each of them lived to defend justice... and died for it too."
She gave a small smile, looking at the flower she had just placed on the ground. "And he," she continued, glancing at Shirou, "is just like all of you. A defender of justice... though a bit annoying."
Shirou could only grin sheepishly. "You didn't need to add that last part, you know?"
Ryuu looked up at the sky, picturing the faces of her friends. If they were still alive, they'd probably be teasing me for bringing a man with me to this place.
A moment later, Shirou looked at the weapons embedded in the ground. "Ryuu... may I touch them?" he asked softly.
The elf looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Go ahead. But be careful, they are precious to me."
Shirou stepped forward slowly, bowing before the first sword. He touched its hilt gently. As his fingertips touched the cold metal, a faint flash appeared in his mind—the loud laughter of a red-haired woman, a warm aura of courage, and a sword shining like the sun's blaze. Crimson Order—the name surfaced in his thoughts.
He could feel the spirit of the captain, Alise, who stood firm even in the midst of ruin. Her bright smile, her unshakable belief in upholding justice—it all flowed through the weapon.
Then he moved to the next weapon—a slender katana with a black hilt adorned with carvings of red flowers. Higanbana. As soon as he touched it, another image appeared: a woman with sharp red eyes, a cynical smile, yet an honest gaze. He could hear the sound of arguments—between Kaguya and Ryuu—two stubborn personalities respecting each other in their own way.
Shirou let out a small sigh, then moved to the next weapon: a pair of small boomerangs. As his hand touched them, the face of a pink-haired Pallum crossed his mind—relaxed, clever, and a bit mischievous. He smiled faintly. Quite similar to Finn, he thought. "You must have been the brains of this group, huh, Lyra..."
Ryuu just stood behind, watching in silence. Her gaze was soft but puzzled. What is he actually doing? she thought. Is he trying to trace their weapons? Or... is it something else?
After going through all ten weapons, he slowly stood up and returned to Ryuu's side. "Finished," he said quietly.
Ryuu looked at him with full questions. "What were you doing just now, Shirou?"
The young man smiled faintly, his eyes looking at the weapons with respect. "Just as you introduced me to them... I wanted to get to know them, too. In my own way."
Ryuu's eyes softened. She could feel the sincerity in his tone. "Then... what do you think of them?"
Shirou gazed into the distance, as if seeing something that was no longer there. "Alise... a woman who ignited the spirit of anyone around her. Kaguya, cynical but honest-hearted—she would never let justice be trampled. And Lyra..." he smiled vaguely, "clever, quick-thinking, and probably the one who kept the balance among you all."
A gentle breeze blew, moving the flower petals they had scattered. For a moment, Ryuu felt as if she saw the silhouettes of her friends standing around Shirou, welcoming the man with peaceful expressions.
The tattered flag of the Astraea Familia, standing in the center of the earthen mound, swayed. The sound of its torn cloth rustled softly—flap... flap...—as if accompanying a silent prayer. Shirou looked at the blue flowers scattered around the rusted weapons, then slowly opened his mouth, his voice almost a whisper.
"They... gave me a message."
Ryuu turned quickly, her eyes wide. "A message?" Her voice was soft but trembling. "Is that possible?"
Shirou was silent for a moment, lowering his head. Through tracing, it was as if he saw the tragedy directly—how Alise, Kaguya, Lyra, and the other members of the Astraea Familia fought to their last breath, all to protect Ryuu from the Juggernaut's rampage. Those memories hit his mind like a storm, and for a moment, he could feel the burden of grief that Ryuu had been carrying alone all this time.
But Shirou didn't want to add to that wound. So in a calm and gentle voice, he said, "They said... stop blaming yourself, Ryuu." He paused for a moment, watching the flower petals floating between them. "They are proud of you. Because you continue to live to protect what they fought for."
Silence. Only the sound of the wind answered his words.
Ryuu bowed her head, her shoulders trembling softly. Her eyes widened for a moment before slowly growing hot, clear tears streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably. She covered her mouth with her palm, holding back the sobs that suddenly erupted from her chest. "That..." her voice broke in the air. "That's just like them... Alise and the others would definitely say that..."
She didn't continue. Her voice was drowned between ragged breaths and the soft sound of rustling leaves. Her tears dripped onto the ground, wetting the grass around the upright weapons.
Shirou stood beside her, saying nothing. He knew no words could match the power of this kind of silence. He just looked at Ryuu from the side, letting the wind carry the unspoken words.
In the silence, Ryuu finally spoke again, quietly but full of emotion. "All this time I thought... I didn't deserve to live. That I should have died with them." She lifted her face slightly, looking at the pale blue sky above the grave. "But if it's true... they are proud of me..." She smiled a little between her tears. "Maybe I'm still allowed to move forward."
Shirou looked at her, his eyes gentle but also firm. "You're not just allowed, Ryuu. You must. Because that's how they continue to live—through your steps."
The elf looked at Shirou for a long time, then slowly nodded. Tears still fell on her cheeks, but a soft smile now replaced the sorrow that had weighed on her heart.
The wind blew again, making the wildflowers around them sway gently. The Astraea Familia flag fluttered a little higher, as if approving of Shirou's words. And under the soft light of the eighteenth-floor Dungeon sky, the two figures stood side by side—one still redeeming the past, and one who came bearing the light of new hope.
***
On the other side of the eighteenth floor, the atmosphere in Rivira felt completely different. The hustle and bustle of the underground market was filled with adventurers who had just descended from the upper floors, the sounds of laughter and conversation filling the air along with the aroma of food from the stalls. However, in a narrow alley corner between rows of wooden houses, two figures sat casually on empty crates, talking in low tones.
One had pointed ears and dark skin—a Dark Elf with long silver hair tied in a half-ponytail, his eyes sharp yet lazy. Beside him, a slender Cat Person with a brown tail swaying relaxedly.
"I've been bored for a long time," said the dark elf, looking up at the artificial sky as if daydreaming. "Attacking beginner parties, kidnapping female adventurers... it all feels boring. But they say there's a rumor about the Ikelos Familia. They say something interesting—unique."
The cat-eared man clicked his tongue while sneering. "Tch, you and your weird monster fetish. Bored of hunting monsters, now you want to try sleeping with them? Disgusting." He shook his head, his ears twitching in annoyance.
The Dark Elf smiled faintly, the corner of his lips curling mischievously. "You talk as if you're more virtuous, Jura. I know you're not much different—I heard you're bored with ordinary adventurers."
Jura lifted his head, his eyes glinting cunningly. "I just said I'm bored because there's no challenge. But when it comes to women..." He licked his lips slowly, a crooked smile appearing on his face. "I like the ones who look pure. The ones who guard their virtue. Like that Elf girl who was chasing me back then—it feels so good to see her expression crumble."
The Dark Elf named Isama raised an eyebrow, then let out a short chuckle. "Hah, you're really sick, Jura. 'That Elf girl who was chasing you? ' You mean Gale Wind, Ryuu Lion? I'm sure if she really knew you were talking like this, it wouldn't be her expression that crumbles—it'd be your body getting sliced in half."
Jura just laughed softly, his tone full of arrogance. "Heh, you think I'm scared? A woman like her just needs the right time to be tamed. If I get the chance..." He clenched his fist, his eyes shining cruelly. "...I'll make sure she can never stand tall like that again."
Isama glanced at him cynically, his voice flat but full of mockery. "You talk big, but I know you're just playing with fire with a sleeping lion."
But Jura just leaned forward, staring darkly towards the direction of the forest outside Rivira. His smile widened, showing his sharp teeth. "Kekeke... just you wait and see," he said softly yet full of threat.
Isama watched him quietly, the end of his hair swaying gently in the night breeze. In his heart, he just snorted. A bloodthirsty fool like him... sooner or later, he'll become prey for those who are stronger.