[FGO]: 23

"After all, as adventurers, you should be familiar with poisons and narcotics. And look here..."

Ryou pointed to the disheveled backpack of the deceased.

"The backpack shows signs of being rummaged through but nothing was taken. The killer was not after money. This murder was premeditated!"

Ryou's analysis immediately caught everyone's attention, eliciting looks of surprise and admiration directed at him.

Inwardly, Ryou was secretly amused: Knowing the plot does give authorization to anything.

Amidst the respectful and admiring glances, Ryou continued his analysis: "Let's return to the killer's actions. Since we all know about 'unlocking potions', destroying the victim's head does not serve to hide their identity. However, given the purposeful nature of the killer, how do we explain her actions?"

Ryou paused, giving everyone a moment to process and think before continuing.

"So, it's clear that the victim's head wasn't destroyed but was taken by the killer for some purpose."

Confidence gleamed in Ryou's eyes.

"Why would she do that!?"

Bors exclaimed in astonishment.

Ryou's logical deductions earned him the crowd's respect, naturally aligning them with his pace.

"For instance, she might have skinned the victim's face to disguise herself as a man. Given that, as eyewitnesses, you all suspect the woman who came with the victim the most, it's highly likely that a search would be requested for female adventurers, leaving male adventurers in a blind spot.

During this period, the killer, disguised as the victim, could blend in unnoticed!

Moreover, considering that the killer chose to disguise and hide rather than flee after committing the murder, it's clear that her objective hasn't been achieved yet. What she's looking for hasn't been found, and her target might still be in town!"

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Tiona exclaimed, wide-eyed and open-mouthed.

Ais, though silent, looked at Ryou with admiration.

Even Lefiya, who usually saw him as a rival, couldn't help but gaze at him with deep respect.

Finn and Riveria looked on in appreciation.

Everywhere, a wise strategist is always more respected than a powerful warrior, and combining both traits garners even more admiration.

"So, what should we do?"

Bors instinctively asked.

"Since the opponent chose to hide, it's because she hasn't obtained what she wanted and is confident in her disguise. Let's use this to our advantage.

First, we pretend not to see through her plan and assign two people to assist you in searching for female adventurers, while the rest secretly observe the male adventurers."

Ryou then turned his gaze to the innkeeper Villy.

"The victim's armor is missing. You should remember its general appearance, right?"

Villy, meeting Ryou's sharp gaze, nodded repeatedly.

"Good. Skin on the face isn't natural, so she's likely to cover her head and face. Focus on male adventurers wearing full armor, especially those covering their heads and faces!"

Ryou asserted confidently.

Soon, everyone began acting according to Ryou's strategy.

Bors immediately gathered the adventurers staying in town and lecherously proposed searching for female adventurers. While this gained him numerous accolades from male comrades, it also earned the hatred of female adventurers.

Watching the lively scene, Ryou, hidden in the shadows, keenly observed every suspicious figure.

With such a commotion, you must be getting uneasy, Revis.

At this moment, Ryou was positioned beside the inn's second-floor sign. Using the sign for cover, he could easily observe all the adventurers below. Almost all adventurers' attention was drawn to Bors at the entrance, making it the perfect time to observe.

For added security, Ryou pulled Villy aside for immediate identification.

Just then, a unique figure caught Ryou's eye.

He was dressed in a full black suit of armor, his head wrapped like an Arab. Even among the bizarrely dressed adventurers, this outfit was exceedingly strange.

It's her!

Seeing that figure, Ryou immediately identified her. Dressed so oddly and wrapped so tightly, it was as if she had "I am the killer" written all over her.

"Is it her?"

To be sure, Ryou quickly grabbed Villy and whispered.

Although Villy's eyesight wasn't as good as Ryou's, such a unique outfit was memorable. After a glance, he nodded immediately, "Yes! When that man came yesterday, he was wearing that armor!"

Upon confirmation, Ryou's gaze sharpened.

Perhaps Revis, with her strong abilities, was extremely sensitive to being watched. When Ryou's gaze turned back to her, she immediately looked back.

Their eyes met in midair. Seeing those non-human, dragon-like vertical pupils filled with indifference to life, Ryou couldn't help but be startled. This woman had stained her hands with blood countless times, was utterly ruthless, and had completely lost any human values—she was a beast in human skin.

Acting decisively, Ryou immediately leaped out of the window.

This action instantly drew countless eyes. While he was still in midair, the adventurers below all looked up.

"She's the killer! Catch her!"

Seeing that he'd achieved his goal, Ryou immediately pointed directly at Revis.

Countless eyes followed Ryou's gesture.

Revis's outfit was indeed too suspicious. Coupled with Ryou's shout, a preconceived impression immediately formed.

Many adventurers already had their hands on their weapons, eyes fixed on the figure wrapped in armor.

"Tch! Exposed, huh."

Though it was a man's face, a cold female voice came out, further confirming Ryou's accusation.

Some impatient adventurers immediately drew their weapons, aiming at Revis.

The members of the Loki Familia had already surrounded her even before Ryou's signal.

Revis, now the target of everyone and surrounded, showed no panic on her face. Instead, she calmly tore off the human skin mask, pulling out a piece of bamboo.

"Stop her!"

Ryou immediately warned.

Perhaps because the killer was surrounded, everyone was somewhat relaxed. When she brought the bamboo to her lips, they hesitated before reacting and attacking.

Unfortunately, they were a bit too late, and a sharp screech came from the bamboo.

Having done this, Revis suddenly drew a massive sword from her lower back.

Arrows, hidden weapons, and other long-range attacks were swept aside by the violent whirlwind.

Finn and Ais, who had enhanced wind magic, attacked next. An experienced Level 6 and an enhanced Level 5 whose strength rivaled that of a Level 6—these attacks couldn't be ignored by Revis.

Her sword storm was forcibly stopped by their attacks.

However, the few seconds of delay were enough.

Suddenly!

The water in the town's central lake began to churn, and a dozen giant, carnivorous plant-like monsters leaped out, attacking the crowd.

These monsters had tough skin and tenacious vitality. Aside from their fear of fire, they had almost no weaknesses, and even handling them as Level 5s was challenging.

Not to mention, most of the adventurers gathered on the eighteenth floor were below Level 4. Facing a group of terrifying carnivorous plants, the adventurers fell into chaos, each acting on their own.

The excellent situation was ruined by a bunch of incompetent allies, and Ryou couldn't help but think: Gg!

Seeing Revis showing signs of escaping, Ryou, in a panic, shouted directly at the Loki Familia, "Finn, Ais, and I will deal with this woman. Amazon sisters, protect the mages and handle those carnivorous plants!"

The members of the Loki Familia were startled and instinctively looked at Finn, who gave Ryou a meaningful glance and immediately said, "Do as he says."

Thus, under the protection of the Amazon sisters, the two elven female mages immediately began chanting single-target spells, accurately sniping the man-eating plants one by one. The adventurers, regaining their composure, quickly joined the ranks of those besieging the man-eating plants.

In no time, the dozen or so man-eating plants were eradicated one by one.

...

Meanwhile, on another battlefield, under the combined efforts of Ais and Finn, Revis, fighting one against two, surprisingly did not fall behind. She fought while retreating, eventually reaching a rocky area filled with crystal stones.

Ryou, whose agility attribute was significantly lower, arrived at the battlefield to find the three of them in a triangular standoff.

As Ryou arrived, all three pairs of eyes turned towards him. Ais and Finn greeted him with friendly nods, but Revis's eyes were filled with obvious cold killing intent. Ryou's earlier act of exposing her had landed him on her must-kill list.

"This wind's aura..."

Revis faced Ais with a reminiscent expression, "I see, so you are Aria!"

"Who are you? How do you know that name?"

Ais's previously calm and serene face immediately showed extreme agitation.

Finn, standing nearby, also furrowed his brows. Ais's background was a secret known only to the top three members of the Loki Familia and the goddess Loki herself.

Revis did not answer Ais's question. Instead, as she began stripping off her armor, she coldly said, "Although I can't achieve my primary goal, taking Aria back with me will be just as good."

As Revis removed her heavy armor, her well-toned and slender figure was revealed. Coupled with her short blood-red hair, heroic face, and dragon-like vertical pupils, she exuded a dangerous aura akin to that of a mother leopard.

Seeing Ais somewhat losing her fighting spirit, Finn immediately prepared to launch a preemptive strike.

At that moment, a sudden change occurred.

"Ah!"

From the crystal stone cluster not far away, a scream rang out. A slightly dark-skinned canine girl ran out, chased by a man-eating plant.

"Damn! I forgot about this!"

Ryou's face showed a look of annoyance.

This canine girl, named Lulune Loie, had stolen a seed containing a part of the demi spirit. The man-eating plant behind her was attracted by the seed, and she had unfortunately run straight into their battlefield.

Ryou couldn't help but suspect she was deliberately causing trouble.

As expected, Ryous ominous premonition came true.

Feeling the magical aura emanating from Ais, a transparent orb with a beast-like infant inside suddenly flew out of the canine girl's satchel.

As soon as it flew out, the creature inside the orb emitted a sharp screech.

Ryou and the others merely found it slightly ear-piercing, but for Ais, who shared a similar bloodline, the impact was much greater.

Her pale golden pupils suddenly dilated, and she seemed unable to stand, swaying to one side.

The cold-hearted Revis would not miss such a golden opportunity and immediately launched an attack on Ais.

As Revis moved, Finn followed suit, meeting her in front of Ais, resulting in a fierce exchange once again.

To make matters worse, the orb in midair suddenly began to expand and then exploded. The lizard-like creature inside flew out, latched onto the man-eating plant, and bit down hard.

The spot where the man-eating plant was bitten immediately swelled up as if something was about to burst out.

Eventually, from the flower's core grew a faceless, vaguely woman-shaped upper-body monster.

This monstrosity, which evolved from the man-eating plant, immediately launched an attack on Ryou and the others, particularly targeting the collapsed Ais.

Ryou quickly dashed over and helped Ais up.

Her faint fragrance and doll-like exquisite face would ordinarily be the best aphrodisiac for a man.

However, with a formidable enemy at hand, Ryou couldn't afford any distractions, dodging left and right with Ais in tow.

Knowing that prolonged defense leads to inevitable failure, Ryou steeled himself and shouted to Finn, who was still entangled with Revis, "Finn, you deal with that monster! Leave this red-haired woman to me!"

Finn, after hearing this, swiftly kicked Revis away, and the two faced off once more.

"Can you handle it?"

Finn asked without turning his head, his eyes fixed on Revis.

"I have to, whether I can or not," Ryou replied in a brief moment.

Seeing Finn hesitate, Ryou quickly persuaded him, "I'm better at dealing with people than monsters, and Riveria and the others will be here to support us soon. I just need to hold on for a while!"

Finn only thought for a moment before agreeing to his suggestion. He left with just a "Hold on!" and charged toward the mutated man-eating flower.

Ryou then said to Ais beside him, "Ais, if you don't pull yourself together, we're all going to die here today."

"Let go of me..."

Hearing this, Ais's stubbornness flared up. She immediately broke free from Ryou's hand and tried to stand firm.

"What a foolish decision. No matter how much you resist, it's useless, Ais. Even if I can only take your corpse, it doesn't matter," Revisi said without even glancing at Ryou, her vertical pupils fixed on Ais.

Ais glared back at her defiantly.

Revisi sneered, her figure flickered, and she instantly appeared in front of Ais, swinging her giant sword down at her.

Ais immediately used her thin sword to block Revisi's attack.

Unfortunately, even in peak condition with her wind magic enhancement, Ais was no match for Revisi, let alone in her current weakened state.

Their struggle lasted less than ten seconds before Ais was sent flying by Revisi's powerful strike.

Just as she was about to crash into the rock wall, a figure suddenly appeared behind her, firmly protecting her while crashing into the wall, leaving a human-shaped crater. It was Ryou, who was a step too late.

Ryou felt as if all his bones were about to break. Ais quickly stood up from his embrace and gave him an apologetic look.

Ryou struggled to pull himself out of the crater. Seeing Ais eager to attack Revis again, he quickly grabbed her small hand and dragged her behind him.

"Don't push yourself too hard. Sometimes you should learn to rely on others."

"But..."

Ais hesitated.

She knew she wasn't a match for Revis in her current state, but her stubborn nature was acting up.

On the other side, Revis was preparing to attack again, aware that time was not on her side.

To prevent Revis from targeting Ais again, Ryou had to talk trash to distract her.

"You brute! With such strength, aren't you afraid you won't get married?"

Revis remained indifferent. Having lost human values, she was driven solely by her obsessions, discarding everything else.

Ryou had an idea and spoke again, "Do you know why you were recognized? Your plan was seen through by me from the beginning. Such petty tricks, have you lost your mind?"

Ryou taunted Revis with a mocking tone, "That's right, with such strength, you must have used the nutrients for brain development on building muscles. Is your brain full of muscles?"

Even a clay figurine has some temper, not to mention Ryou was hitting her sore spot, and he was the culprit who ruined her plan.

Revis's expression did not change, having lost all human shame. However, her rising killing intent made it clear to Ryou that she was furious.

Boom!

With a loud noise, the crystal stone under Revis's feet shattered into pieces, and she appeared in front of Ryou as if she had teleported.

The giant sword mercilessly pierced his chest.

Ais, who was behind him, was instantly splattered with his blood.

Judging by the position where the sword pierced, part of Ryou's heart was cut. In this situation, without a miraculous elixir, he was beyond saving.

Moreover, even if there was a miraculous elixir, Revis would never allow him to drink it.

"That's all you've got."

Revis's cold face showed a hint of mockery, thinking he was all talk but so weak.

In Revisi's eyes, Ryou was already a dead man.

"Not bad, that hit the spot!"

Who would have thought that the seemingly dead Ryou would suddenly reach out and grab her sword-wielding hand tightly.

"You!?"

Revis looked at him in shock and uncertainty, but the young man before her showed no signs of being on the brink of death.

"Now it's my turn!"

Ryou didn't wait for her to pull back her arm. Blood-red magical energy surged wildly as he clenched his right fist and aimed a fierce punch at Revis's face.

Bang!

The spot where Revis's face was struck instantly caved in, and she was sent flying by the immense force, crashing through several crystal pillars.

Only then did Ryou, enduring immense pain, pull out the giant sword embedded in his chest.

His Super-speed regeneration combined with the Crying Warmonger was truly terrifying.

As long as Ryou's head wasn't severed or his heart completely shattered, the immense magic power provided by the Noble Phantasm allowed him to rapidly recover using Super-speed regeneration.

Ais, standing behind Ryou, watched his blood-soaked back without blinking.

At that moment, his back seemed to merge with the image of the person who had sheltered her from storms in her memory.

"Dad..."

Ais called out softly.

Unfortunately, Ryou didn't hear her; otherwise, he would have had something to say about it. Young Lady, I haven't even married, where did I get a daughter as big as you?

Crash!

Revis pushed aside the pile of crystal stones and stood up. The cheek that Ryou had punched was only slightly swollen.

"Ugh!"

Revis spat out a mouthful of blood. Her cold eyes swept over Ryou's wounded chest, noticing it was healing at a visibly rapid pace. The gaping wound, originally the length of a palm, had shrunk to the size of a fingertip.

"Monster," Revis spat out the word coldly.

"You're not qualified to say that, thick-skinned lady," Ryou sneered, his right fist still trembling slightly.

The moment he struck Revis's face, it felt like hitting a tank's armor. Even with the protection of his gauntlet, the powerful recoil made his fingers twitch uncontrollably.

"Sharp-tongued! I wonder if your mouth will still be so tough after I cut off your head," Revis's expression remained unchanged, but her tone carried a palpable anger.

"If you can do it, why not try?"

Ryou sneered, beckoning with his finger.

Bang!

Both sides attacked almost simultaneously. However, the disparity in their attributes quickly put Ryou at a severe disadvantage.

"It seems your strength doesn't match your mouth," Revis mocked as she swung her greatsword fiercely, each strike aiming for Ryou's neck, clearly intending to keep her earlier promise.

While Revis still had the leisure to taunt during the fierce battle, Ryou was forced into a purely defensive position.

"What's wrong? Is this all the strength you have?"

Revis shouted as she swung her greatsword with all her might.

Crack! Crack!

Two simultaneous cracking sounds rang out as both the greatsword and Ryou's gauntlet shattered in half. A huge wound was also carved into his left hand.

The sudden turn of events caused even the battle-hardened Revis to pause momentarily.

Ryou, however, was prepared. He flicked his left hand, sending a splash of blood onto Revis's face.

With her eyes covered in blood, the experienced Revis didn't immediately wipe it off with both hands. Instead, she protected her chest with one hand while using the other to wipe the blood away, quickly retreating in small steps.

But no matter how swift her reaction, she couldn't outpace Ryou's premeditated move.

He swiftly extended his intact right hand and made a gesture in the air.

Just as Revis wiped the blood from around her eyes, a large ball of flame engulfed her.

The magical flames, ignited by the primordial rune, were far more powerful than ordinary magical flames, spreading over her body in an instant even without any accelerant.

=====

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