Ryuu's refusal left Roy dumbfounded.
Ryuu said coldly, "I have my own matters to attend to. I can't keep helping you hunt monsters endlessly. Don't forget—adventurers have their own private time too."
Hearing this, Roy's heart sank halfway. His dream of punching the Orario familias and kicking the Black Dragon…
He'd finally caught himself a perfect workhorse, yet she wasn't willing to do 996 or even 007. Outrageous—absolutely intolerable!
Roy's brain spun rapidly. "You plan to assassinate members of the Dark Familia?"
"That's right!"
Ryuu wasn't surprised that Roy knew her intentions. This mysterious boy seemed to know everything, his wisdom comparable to that of a god.
"I understand."
Roy nodded. Ryuu had only helped him farm monsters with a try-it-and-see attitude. Reviving Alise Lovell and the others would be best—but revenge still had to be carried out.
After a brief moment of thought, Roy clenched his teeth and stamped his foot. To keep his ace fighter from running off—Dark Familia, huh? Fine. Today, I'm dealing with you no matter what!
Roy asked, "What do you plan to do next? Kill directly? I might be able to give you some advice. After all, we're on the same boat now."
After hesitating for a few seconds, Ryuu said, "I plan to ask Lady Astraea to leave Orario, then assassinate Dark Familia adventurers and those connected to them."
Her small face was icy, killing intent surging. The insane flames of revenge could even burn the innocent. She didn't want to tarnish the reputation of the Familia of Justice, nor did she want Lady Astraea to see her like this.
"As expected!"
Roy thought to himself. After her familia was wiped out, sixteen-year-old Ryuu asked her patron deity Astraea to leave Orario and turned into a beast of vengeance. Because her assassination targets even included guild personnel, she was later blacklisted by the Guild and given a bounty of 80 million valis.
"That's how it is. Don't try to stop me—otherwise I'll kill you too!" Ryuu said indifferently. They'd known each other for less than two hours; there was no way she'd formed any feelings for Roy. Whoever stood in the way of her revenge would die.
"When did I say I'd stop you?"
"That's for the best!"
Roy asked, "I just have one question. Orario is huge, and there are so many people in the Dark Familia. How long would it take you to finish your revenge alone? Miss Alise Lovell must be getting impatient in the underworld by now."
Ryuu fell silent.
Roy remembered that it took Ryuu three years to clean up the remnants of the Dark Familia.
As for why they were called remnants—over the next two years, the main forces of the dark faction were wiped out in one sweep by Finn of the Loki Familia. Ryuu spent three painstaking years assassinating targets, but in reality she was only killing LV.1 and LV.2 fodder.
If they'd been LV.5 or LV.6 adventurers, Roy wouldn't have said anything—after all, you can't fight power with weakness. But these Dark Familia trash blocking his leveling path? Was that something he could tolerate?
Roy said, "I'll help you. Efficiency matters. Let's wipe out the Dark Familia quickly—good for you, good for me!"
Ryuu parted her lips slightly. "Why help me?"
"Don't make my conscience hurt, miss."
Roy said. In truth, reviving Alise Lovell and the others was just an empty promise—he had no confidence at all that it could actually be done. Meanwhile, Ryuu had genuinely helped him hunt Douma.
In the system, Low-grade equipment corresponded to LV.1–LV.2 adventurers, while Advanced corresponded to LV.3–LV.4. Put that way, it was easy to understand.
Roy didn't like owing people.
Seeing that Roy didn't want to explain his reasons, Ryuu didn't press further. Instead, she showed a hint of interest in his words. "Quickly wiping out the Rudra Familia—do you know how many people they have? That's impossible!"
Even as a LV.4, she'd already prepared herself for a long-term assassination campaign.
"Don't worry about whether I can do it. Just drink these two potions first," Roy said, tossing two Low-grade Health Potions to Ryuu.
Ryuu caught the two bottles, frowning. She hadn't even seen where Roy took them from.
Looking at the ruby-like liquid inside the bottles, then at Roy, she realized he'd noticed long ago that the injuries she'd suffered against the Juggernaut hadn't fully healed.
After burying her familia's relics on the eighteenth floor and returning to the surface, she had collapsed in Roy's tent.
"No. This is just a transaction. I won't accept your things," Ryuu shook her head, stubborn as ever. She didn't want to owe anyone.
Roy snapped, "Enough nonsense. If you want revenge, listen to me. You're already prepared to use any means necessary for assassination—are you really afraid to accept two potions?"
Why be stubborn at a time like this? When you slept in my bed, did you throw all your principles into the Dungeon?!
This hit Ryuu instantly. A sixteen-year-old LV.4 adventurer was bound to have some pride. Provoked by Roy, Ryuu tightly gripped the two potions and glared at him through clenched teeth.
She pulled the corks and downed both bottles in one go, as if she were drinking Roy's blood.
The effects were immediate.
A faint emerald-green glow surfaced around Ryuu's body. Twenty seconds restored 40% HP—her internal injuries healed at a visible speed.
Ryuu's eyes widened. What an amazing potion—comparable to the 10,000-valis premium products sold in shops. And he'd just thrown them to her casually, and she'd gulped them down in one shot.
Roy had no idea what Ryuu was thinking. His brain was racing, planning the revenge operation.
There were upper, middle, and lower strategies to help Ryuu get her revenge.
The upper strategy: farm instances and level up, then crush the Dark Familia with overwhelming strength. Safe and reliable, but time-consuming. Ryuu wouldn't accept it—she wouldn't see short-term results.
The lower strategy: assassination. Even more time-consuming, dangerous, unstable. Ryuu could even fail—and losing a LV.4 fighter was something Roy absolutely didn't want.
People like compromise, and Roy was no exception. The middle strategy was a bit more complex and carried some risk, but it could eliminate the enemy in a short time.
Roy said meaningfully, "First, go see your patron deity. Your familia was wiped out, and she's living alone in the mansion. The only remaining member doesn't even go back to see her. Just thinking about it is pitiful."
Ryuu bit her lower lip harder and harder.
Lowering her head, Ryuu followed behind Roy.
They crossed the streets, turned several corners, and without realizing it, arrived at a corner of Orario's northern district. A mansion built of white stone stood there—the headquarters of the Astraea Familia: the Court of Stars.
Staring at the mansion before her, Ryuu instinctively wanted to retreat and flee. She couldn't bring herself to step into this place filled with memories of Alise, Kaguya, and the others.
"Swear by the Sword and Wings of Justice!"
The oath of justice engraved on the plaque felt like a heavy mountain pressing down on Ryuu's head, leaving her unable to breathe, let alone raise her gaze.
The dashing figure who had seconds ago annihilated Upper Rank demon Douma was gone. Before them stood only a battered young girl—trembling hands wrapped around her own body, sky-blue eyes devoid of light.
All of this fell clearly into Roy's eyes.