Chapter 574

Chapter 581: “Illusory Moon in the Water” (Please subscribe!)

Near the twenty-sixth floor of Water Riddle City, Izay, Ryu, and Victorica arrived here in an extremely short time.

The three of them quickly pursued the hidden firestones in the labyrinth as they descended.

In front of Izay’s godlike perception, these firestones buried in the hidden corners of the labyrinth were one after another found by him.

“How many is this now? Twenty? Or thirty? What do those Dark Factions plan to do with so many of these little stones here~?”

Victorica, riding on her broomstick, recalled the number of these red little stones they had discovered along the way by counting on her fingers.

“Probably planning to ambush someone… The explosive power of these small stones when detonated is quite destructive, and the ones we’ve encountered so far are just scraps. There will be more ahead.”

As Izay spoke, he couldn’t help but glance at Ryu beside him, who was frowning deeply and didn’t notice his gaze at all.

The spirit seemed to have also noticed something.

(This place… it looks so similar to five years ago…)

A strange thought inexplicably resurfaced in her mind.

Ryu’s heartbeat began to quicken, from her chest, to her slender long ears, and even her strong and flexible limbs —— her whole body started to feel hot.

She dared not imagine the basis for making such a judgment.

Nor could she believe that this thing was real.

If you were given a chance to “possibly” return to the past and make changes, with the price being facing your psychological trauma from the past, what would you do?

Most people’s first reaction probably wouldn’t be excitement.

But rather doubt or hesitation, right?

After all, such things are too far-fetched to begin with. Not to mention, we don’t know how changing the past would affect the known present.

Moreover, Ryu still couldn’t be sure whether this was just a false impression caused by her own paranoia.

At this moment.

“Whoosh——!”

A sharp sound of wind slicing through the air came.

In the group, Victorica reflexively gripped her wand, thanks to the sense of danger she had developed from years of traveling and encountering dangerous monsters. The witch sensed the arrival of this danger.

But it was useless.

Because it wasn’t fast enough.

From raising her hand, to extracting magic, and then releasing the spell, the time required for all of this was simply insufficient to defend against this sudden attack.

And Ryu was already in a state of distraction, responding too late as well.

When instinctively sidestepping, she caught a glimpse of a streak of crimson heading straight for her.

—Flash Swallow.

The characteristics of these monsters are just as their name suggests.

They swiftly move through the air between floors twenty-five to twenty-seven, possessing flight speeds comparable to flashes of light, making them the fastest beasts in the lower levels!

Of course, saying they’re like flashes of light is only from the perspective of adventurers. In reality, they’re definitely much slower. Describing them as approaching hurricanes might be more fitting.

Danger was imminent…

Yet, a tearing sound rang out simultaneously.

It was the sound of a blade cutting into flesh in an instant.

Bang—!

The crimson streak flying toward them like a hurricane was struck down by the spear.

With the collision, the Flash Swallow made contact with the spear tip, and the magic stone shattered instantly, turning into ashes in a flash.

As if this action had triggered the remaining Flash Swallows in the sky yet to descend.

The rest of the Flash Swallows launched a coordinated assault.

More than ten crimson streaks shot out together, the scene resembling nothing less than an impending storm of bullets.

Facing this terrifying melody capable of ripping apart wind pressure, Izay remained calm as he extended his left hand without worry.

A miniature star chart appeared in his empty palm without any weapon.

“—’Illusory Moon in the Water’!”

Izay closed his fingers.

The star chart in his palm was crushed by him.

An ethereal blue magic power surged forth.

Like the reflection of stars in a tranquil lake, Izay’s magic merely materialized this image in three dimensions, presenting it as a semi-circular diffusion outward.

This seemingly gentle and powerless magical fluctuation, upon touching the incoming Flash Swallows, immediately trapped them on its surface, preventing them from getting any closer to Izay.

As the magical fluctuations spread, the bodies of the monsters were also torn apart, exploding with a bang and turning into dust.

“…”

Lifting her wand, Victorica reluctantly retracted her arm, composing herself as if nothing had happened.

On the other side, Izay approached Ryu.

“I’m thinking… We shouldn’t be spacing out in the labyrinth… Didn’t you say that to me before, Ryu?”

The voice filled with pleasure reached the elf’s ears, instantly making her blush furiously, lowering her head like a child who had done something wrong.

The girl’s sense of shame was acting up.

Her earlier lecture to Izay was now being thrown back at her.

Feeling utterly embarrassed, Ryu wanted to find a crack in the ground to hide in.

“To, to apologize…”

All her myriad thoughts condensed into a single apology, whispered softly.

“I didn’t mean to blame you… I’m just curious why you’re distracted, considering you criticized me about it earlier.”

(Maybe this is what they call “not of the same family, but under the same roof”…)

Victorica added commentary to their conversation in her heart.

Miss Witch reflected on the current situation.

Ryu, hearing Izay’s words, her crystal-clear cherry lips slightly opened and closed. After a while, she finally organized her thoughts and revealed to Izay.

“Because I feel… the scenery here seems familiar…”

“Are you talking about the situation in Water Riddle City, or those deliberately left behind firestones?”

“All of it!” Ryu emphasized this point: “Izay, you should know the real reason why the Astrea Familial Group disbanded. It might just be my illusion now, but I think… the situation here is similar to five years ago…”

Ryu hesitantly began recounting her inner feelings.

Although it was currently just speculation.

However, everything around her tugged at her thoughts.

Because only that incident five years ago was something she would never forget, no matter what.

Even the empathy caused by not coming to Water Riddle City for too long doesn’t explain the reason behind this.

After all, the firestones were the biggest question mark.

Five years have passed since then, the Dark Faction has long been holed up in that suspicious labyrinth unable to come out. Who could possibly have the manpower to set up so many firestones in the lower levels!?

“Miss Ryu means… we’ve time-traveled? Returned to five years ago? The cause being that white mist?”

Victorica’s expression was somewhat peculiar as she summarized these words, then exclaimed, “That’s too absurd, isn’t it?”

“You traveled across worlds because of that white mist to come to Orario… That’s pretty absurd too.”

Izay delivered a killing blow.

Victorica: “Ah… this…”

The witch was speechless.

But it couldn’t be denied solely based on the word “absurd.”

Because honestly, Izay’s suspicion matched Ryu’s.

Both believed it was the system’s doing!

Possibly… there was a tiny bit… related to him.

“Regardless, once we reach the twenty-seventh floor, we’ll know the situation!”

Ryu paid no attention to the teasing banter between the two, instead gazing at the scene below the waterfall alongside the flowing water at her feet.

The last level of Water Riddle City was where the tragedy occurred five years ago, and also where the calamity was accidentally summoned.

She barely escaped death there and returned to the surface, personally burying her former companions.

Even though she still harbored psychological trauma towards that place.

But just this once, Ryu wanted to see what exactly was going on!

Just as the elf resolved this, an unexpected anomaly suddenly occurred.