Under the night sky, the Louvre Plaza had long lost its usual romance and tranquility.
Countless police lights flashed red and blue, illuminating the outline of the glass pyramid in an eerie yet distinct manner.
Outside the cordon, a dense crowd gathered like a tide, with tens of thousands of phone screens glowing, forming a cold sea of light; all cameras greedily aimed at the pyramid, which had become a stage, anticipating a reality show about friendship and life and death.
Among the crowd, there was no shortage of eager "warriors."
They stared at Adrien, who was bound at the top of the pyramid, their eyes gleaming with calculation—Gabriel's reward was a fortune large enough to change one's life.
But when they personally witnessed several police cars attempting to approach being sliced in half like tofu by a sword energy casually unleashed by the silver figure, everyone quieted down.
Wealth was indeed tempting, but no one wanted to personally experience being cut in half, nor did they want to feel that cold helplessness before death.
Besides, the person wasn't even saved, wouldn't that be a huge loss?
Thus, they could only, like everyone else, watch from afar, becoming spectators to this grand performance.
High in the sky, a peach-colored Kwami hovered like a hummingbird.
Tikki's small face was full of solemnity; it quickly surveyed the chaotic scene, then swiftly flew to the rooftop of a nearby building, passed through a half-open ventilation window, and darted into a hidden corner.
"How is it, Tikki?"
In the corner, Marinette was anxiously waiting, Her phone clutched tightly in Her hand, the screen displaying live news footage. "Did… did you see Jaden?"
"No, I circled around, but I didn't find any trace of him," Tikki shook its head.
"Phew…"
Marinette let out a long sigh, Her tense shoulders relaxing. "He didn't come… that's great, he didn't come…"
The heartfelt relief almost overflowed from the corners of Her eyes and brows.
Tikki looked at Her, tilting its small head in some confusion: "Marinette, what about your classmate Adrien? He's tied up there."
"It's fine,"
Marinette subconsciously said, "Once Cat Noir arrives, the two of us together will definitely be able to deal with that Riposte."
"But, what if…"
Tikki posed a terrifying hypothesis, "What if Cat Noir is late, and Adrien is… cut in half by that Riposte?"
"Uh… this…"
Marinette was stunned by the question, then whispered somewhat guiltily, "Then… then we can just use the 'Miraculous Restoration' afterwards…"
Looking at Her owner's somewhat insincere demeanor, a bold guess suddenly popped into Tikki's mind.
It looked at Marinette with a strange gaze: "Marinette, are… are you perhaps harboring thoughts of revenge against Adrien?"
"Who's taking revenge on him?!"
Marinette was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Her voice rising several octaves.
She guiltily avoided Tikki's gaze and began to earnestly defend herself: "Although… although he sometimes does disturb my alone time with Jaden, sometimes he takes up Jaden's time, and sometimes he even causes trouble at inappropriate moments… but I absolutely, absolutely don't hold a grudge against him!"
To add persuasiveness, she added: "Besides, he's the son of fashion mogul Gabriel! His father is so powerful, he'll definitely try every means to rescue him. I don't need to worry at all!"
"It's clearly revenge…" Tikki muttered softly.
"Enough!"
Marinette didn't want to continue the topic. She scrolled through Her phone screen somewhat irritably. "But seriously, why hasn't Cat Noir replied to me yet? I've sent him over a dozen messages!"
She began to complain about Her partner's efficiency, "He only said 'Busy, wait a moment,' but he still hasn't arrived now! Too slow!"
Tikki looked at Marinette complaining about Cat Noir's absence and didn't know what to say.
It couldn't just tell Her directly: Stop waiting, Cat Noir is currently tied up at the top of the Louvre pyramid, waiting for you to rescue him.
Just then, the voice of the news anchorwoman on Marinette's phone suddenly became excited:
"Viewers! We see him! Jaden has arrived at the scene!"
"What?!"
Marinette fumbled, almost dropping Her phone. She quickly gripped it tightly and, with Tikki, stared intently at the screen.
In the video, a yellow taxi stopped outside the cordon.
The car door opened, and Jaden calmly stepped out. He first politely paid the driver, then turned and walked towards the pyramid.
As soon as he appeared, the originally crowded people parted like the Red Sea, spontaneously retreating to both sides, clearing a straight path for him.
There was no need for the police to disperse them, because everyone understood that the main character had arrived, and if they blocked his way, wouldn't they be opposing the Akumatized Person on top of the tower?
It would be too unfair if they were casually cleared away like weeds.
Jaden walked in the center of the path cleared by the crowd, finally stopping directly in front of the pyramid.
He raised his head, His gaze calmly meeting Adrien and the Riposte at the top of the tower.
"Jaden! Why are you here? Hurry and leave! It's too dangerous here!" Adrien, tied up above, saw him and shouted anxiously.
Jaden merely gave him a gentle smile, a smile imbued with a reassuring power of "Don't worry, I'm here," which warmed Adrien's heart but also made him more anxious.
The Riposte saw the main character appear, and a flicker of excitement passed through Her red eyes.
She pushed off with Her legs, leaping down from the top of the pyramid and landing in front of Jaden, kicking up a slight dust.
"Jaden…"
Marinette, in front of the screen, felt Her heart leap into Her throat.
She grabbed the macarons beside Her and desperately stuffed them into Tikki's mouth, "Quick, Tikki, eat more, we need to get ready to transform!"
"Mmm… I… I can't eat anymore… Marinette…"
Tikki's cheeks were puffed out from being stuffed.
On the other side… Jaden looked at the figure covered in cold armor before him and calmly spoke: "I'm here. Does this prove it?"
"No."
The Riposte's voice came from beneath Her helmet, cold and obsessive, "You haven't shown me the strength of your friendship yet. So… let's fight!"
She flipped Her wrist, and the blade fused with Her arm assumed a standard fencing en garde position.
"Are you crazy?!"
Adrien above roared, "Jaden doesn't know how to fence at all! You're bullying a novice! If you're so capable, let me down and I'll fight you!"
The Riposte seemed oblivious to his shouts. She took out another spare fencing saber from Her back and threw it to Jaden.
As the sword was in mid-air, a red figure flashed like lightning!
The figure caught the spinning saber in mid-air, then performed a graceful somersault, landing steadily between Jaden and the Riposte.
"Riposte,"
Ladybug, holding the saber, said righteously, "What does challenging someone who doesn't know how to fence prove? Does it prove your bullying?"
"Ladybug!"
"It's Ladybug! She's finally here!"
The surrounding crowd erupted in cheers as the hero appeared. But there were also some voices of regret mixed in the crowd.
"Huh? Where's Cat Noir? Why isn't he here?"
"Exactly! I'm a shipper of them! Ladybug is here, how can he be missing?!"
Hearing these discussions, Ladybug's forehead twitched.
She turned back and shouted to the crowd, "He and I are just partners!"
But seeing everyone's gossipy looks of "I understand, you don't need to explain," she reluctantly gave up and turned back to Jaden, saying, "It's too dangerous here, you should leave first!"
Jaden nodded and had just taken a step when the Riposte opposite moved.
She completely ignored Ladybug, Her figure flashed, and the tip of Her sword thrust directly at Jaden's chest.
"Impossible!"
Ladybug quickly moved to block.
She swiftly swung Her yo-yo, and the rope spun rapidly in front of Her, instantly transforming into a dazzling red energy shield.
"Clang!"
The tip of the Riposte's sword precisely struck the center of the shield, and the immense force made Ladybug step back half a pace.
Failing in one strike, the Riposte's offensive intensified, the sword in Her hand turning into a sky full of silver light, continuously stabbing at Ladybug.
Ladybug dodged left and right with Her shield, while using Her right hand to wield Her sword, engaging in clumsy but tenacious parries.
Seeing this stance, the crowd, fearing being affected, quickly retreated in a panic once again.
Several brave citizens, seeing the Riposte entangled with Ladybug, tried to sneak towards the pyramid, attempting to rescue Adrien.
However, the Riposte seemed to have eyes in the back of Her head.
She suddenly broke away from the fight with Ladybug, waved Her hand, and a sharp sword energy flew past the faces of those few people, carving a deep gash in the ground.
"Except for Jaden," Her cold voice warned everyone, "whoever dares to save Adrien, this is what happens."
After speaking, she attacked Ladybug again, and the two became entangled once more.
Ladybug quickly felt something was wrong. Although the Riposte's attacks were fierce, she didn't seem to be using Her full strength.
She seemed more like… using herself as a practice target.
Then, following Her gaze, Ladybug's heart skipped a beat.
Jaden had actually started climbing the pyramid!
He hadn't listened to the advice to leave but had chosen to save his friend.
He gripped the cold metal framework of the pyramid, climbing steadily, step by step.
"Jaden! Get out of the way!"
The moment she shouted, Jaden felt a strong gust of wind coming from behind him.
He instinctively dodged to the side, pressing his body tightly against the pyramid's framework.
A silver sword energy grazed his body, hitting the nearby glass curtain wall.
"Crack!"
A small chip appeared on the glass, and spiderweb-like cracks spread outwards.
Jaden dared not delay and continued to climb.
The Riposte was about to attack again but was tightly entangled by Ladybug. Yet, she still continuously flung sword energy towards Jaden during gaps in their fight.
Those sword energies whistled through defensive gaps, constantly shattering the glass around Jaden.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
One piece of glass after another was shattered, and countless fragments, like sharp hailstones, flew past Jaden.
He could only try his best to protect his head and vital areas with one hand, enduring the stinging pain of the cuts on his skin, and continued upwards.
Soon, several small blood marks appeared on his arms and cheeks. Although the wounds were not deep, they looked particularly shocking in this widely watched live broadcast.
At the top of the pyramid, Adrien, who was tied up, was burning with anxiety.
"Plagg! Is there any way?" He whispered into his pocket.
"No way!"
Plagg's voice was full of helplessness, "As a Kwami, I cannot use my powers, otherwise the energy fluctuations would affect and destroy an incalculable number of things!"
Adrien had no choice but to give up, watching helplessly as the figure below, risking his life to save him, slowly approached.
As Jaden raised his head, "sweat" from his climb dripped down his cheek.
His gaze met Adrien's worried, anxious gaze in the air.
Their eyes met for only an instant.
Both of them instinctively looked away—one continued to climb with effort, while the other turned his face away, unable to bear it.
However, this scene was keenly captured by the CP fans watching the live broadcast below, and after being enlarged and captioned, it instantly spread across the internet.
Immediately, a new wave of excitement swept across the internet:
"Oh my god! There's definitely something going on between those two!"
"Jaden climbing the pyramid for Adrien! What kind of brotherly love is this?!"
"Adrien's look just now… I'm crying, it's real!"
"The person above, this is love! His gaze at Jaden was clearly involuntary!"
At Agreste Mansion, in the lair.
Gabriel looked at this scene on the screen and the rapidly growing discussion on the internet, nodding with satisfaction.
Although Jaden had always been wary of him, it now seemed that he indeed had a sincere friendship with Adrien, and that was enough.